GROUND FLOOR. 
41 
gallery contains examples of all the forms of general interest, 
for an account of which the visitor is referred to the special 
guide.* 
The fine and unique series of Gigantic Land Tortoises which 
are either extinct or doomed to speedy extermination ; the 
interesting skeleton of the Leathery Turtle (Sphargis) in which 
the carapace is separated from the true skeleton; the large 
stuffed examples of the Fish-eating Gharial and of the dangerous 
Crocodiles of Africa, India and Australia ; the Snake- eating 
Snake (Ophiophagus), the largest of poisonous snakes ; and the 
great stuffed Anaconda (Boa murina) at the end of the room — 
are the objects which will most attract the attention of the 
visitors to this gallery. 
IV. A small gallery is called the Star-fish Gallery, from being star-fisk 
specially devoted to Star-fishes and their allies — the Echino- 
DERMATA ; these are arranged systematically in table-cases 1-6, 
and in case 7 there are specimens illustrating the anatomy 
of the skeleton, and models and figures descriptive of the 
remarkable changes undergone by these animals in the course of 
their development. As magnificent examples the visitor should 
not fail to notice in 1 D Pycnopodia lieliantlioides, and in 2 B and 
C the fine series of Linckia, and in 2 D-F and 3 A Pentaceros 
cccUimorphus and the extensive collection of Oreaster ; in 3 E 
are two remarkable specimens of Astropeden ; in 4 C an almost 
complete example of the brittlestar (OpJiiomastix annulosa) 
should be noticed, and on the tops of cases 5 and 6 are good 
examples of Diadcma and Echinus. In a separate case on the 
east side of the gallery is Luidia savignii from Mauritius, one 
of the largest known kinds of star-fish. The most beautiful 
and remarkable specimens in the gallery are the stalked Crinoids, 
which were collected by the " Challenger," and one found at- 
tached to an old telegraph wire which was taken up in the 
Caribbean Sea. These deep-sea forms, so abundant in earlier 
periods of the world's history, are exhibited on tables in the 
corners of the gallery, by case T.f 
The wall-cases contain types of the very various and different 
* ' Guide to the Reptiles and Fishes.' Price sixpence, 
t 'Guide to the Shell and Star-fish Galleries (Mollusca, Echinodermata, 
Vermes).' Price fourpence. 
