FIRST FLOOE. 
55 
galleries the British specimens are placed in the table-cases, 
and those of foreign origin in the cases round the walls. 
The fifth gallery is set apart for the reception of certain Historical 
special collections of historical interest, which, from the circum- CoUectioils ' 
stances under which they were formed, or came into possession 
of the Museum, or from their containing a large number of 
types described and figured in standard monographs, it has 
not been thought desirable to break up and disperse among the 
general collection. The principal of these are, the original 
collection formed by William Smith, the pioneer of geology 
in this country, the Searles Wood Collection of Crag Mollusca, 
the Edwards Collection of Eocene Mollusca, the Davidson 
Collection of Brachiopoda, the types of Sowerby's 'Mineral 
Conchology,' and lastly, but not least in interest, the specimens 
which, belonging to the collection of Sir Hans Sloane, form 
the nucleus of the whole Museum. 
In the wall-cases on the west side of this gallery is exhibited stratigraphi- 
a stratigraphical collection, showing the most characteristic ^^^^ m 
rock-specimens, often with their included organic remains, re- Palaeontology, 
presenting the various geological formations of the British Isles, 
arranged in the order of their sequence in time, commencing 
near the entrance door with the most recent, and gradually 
passing down to the most ancient fossil-bearing strata. Along 
the top of the case is displayed a running section of all the 
sedimentary rocks of England in the order of their succession, 
each bed being distinctively coloured, and named to correspond 
with the actual specimens placed beneath. On the east side 
are exhibited additional specimens of marine reptiles from the 
Lias and a series of foot-prints of reptiles from the Trias of 
N. America and the New Eed Sandstone of England, &c. 
Eirst Floor. 
The gallery on this floor, entered from the south end of the Gallery of 
east corridor of the hall, contains the extensive Mineral Collec- 
tions, a full description of which will be found in a special 
guide.* 
* 'Introduction to the Stud}' of Minerals, with a Guide to the Mineral 
Gallery.' Price sixpence. 
