20 
ZOOLOGICAL COLLECTIONS. 
[upper 
so depressed that there scarcely appears to be any room for their in- 
ternal organs. Many Echini are found in a fossil state, particularly 
in the chalk. Tables 11-18. The Star-fish, some with five and 
others with many rays ; the rays are easily reproduced when broken 
or injured. Tables 19-23. The Lizard-tailed Star-fish throw off 
the ends of their rays when they are handled or put into fresh water. 
Table 23. The Gorgon's Head, with its many branches, somewhat 
resen bling the Medusa's Head of Mythology. Table 24. The Comatula, 
or Sea- Wigs, the living representatives of the Encrinites found so 
abundantly in some rocks. There is a recent Encrinite from the West 
Indies in a small case at the side of the doorway, and another under a 
glass-shade on one of the Table-cases. 
THE THIRD ROOM CONTAINS THE 
BRITISH ZOOLOGICAL COLLECTION 
The Wall Cases hold the Vertebrate Animals ; the larger species, 
such as the Whales, Sharks, Tunny, Sturgeon and Skeleton of Sword 
fish, &c. are suspended on the Walls, or placed on the top of the Cases. 
The Table Cases contain the Eggs of the Birds ; a series of 
British Annulose Animals, to illustrate the arrangement of the British 
Insects, Spiders and Crabs; the Collections of the Shells and external 
skeletons of British Molluscous and Radiated Animals. 
Several large skeletons of fishes are exhibited on the top of the 
table cases, viz.: the skull of the Sea-Devil or Angler (Lophius); a 
perfect skeleton of the Hake, remarkable by the extraordinary dilata- 
tion of the lateral processes of the vertebrae ; and skeletons of the Cod, 
Carp, and Maigre (Scictna aquila). Also stuffed examples of a gigantic 
Sea-Perch from the African coast, which is known to attack bathers, 
and of a very large Cat-fish from the Upper Amazons, are tempo- 
rarily exhibited here. 
Some table cases are fitted up for the reception of instructive 
examples of Salmonoids ; for instance, a large male Salmon in the 
highest condition from the Tay ; its weight was forty-six pounds. 
Another male Salmon after spawning, from Ireland; this fish was 
found in an exhausted condition. A male Salmon from Denmark : on 
dissection it proved to be a sterile fish. Male and female of the 
Sea-Trout (S. trutta) from the Tweed. Other specimens of British 
Salmonoids are exhibited in the wall cases: large examples of the 
common Trout from the Thames (S. J'ario), weight twelve and 
fourteen pounds ; of the Gillaroo from Ireland, and of the Great 
Luke Trout (S.ferox) ; of the Sewin of Wales, and of the Sea- or Bull- 
Trout (S. trutta). 
In the Wall Cases 1-9 are the British Mammalia. Cases 10-30 
contain the Birds. Among these is a specimen of the Great Auk, a 
species, which has now become extinct; in the bottom of the Case is 
a Collection of the Nests of the smaller British Birds. Case 31. 
Tho British Reptiles. Cases 31-43. The British Fishes ; the rare 
