14 
THE ZOOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT. 
[upper 
of the districts ; the Black-necked Swan of Chili, acclimatized in 
Europe. Cases 142-148. The Ducks : some of these, as the Sea 
Ducks, Cases 146-148, have a fin to the hind toe ; the spinous-tailed 
Ducks are found in the warmer parts of the world ; the pink-headed 
is^a rare and curious species. Case 149. The Mergansers, natives of 
the arctic regions, feeding on fish. Cases 150, 151. The Divers, so 
named from their powers of diving, greatly owing to the backward 
position of their legs ; the Grebes have often curious tufts of feathers 
about their heads. Cases 151-154. The Auks, oceanic birds, found 
within the Arctic and Antarctic Circles, where they dive after fish 
and crustaceans on which they feed ; they use their scaly wings as 
oars : the Great Auk {Alca impennis) now extinct. The skeleton 
of this bird on the adjoining Table Case was obtained from a guano- 
mound in a small island near Newfoundland. Case 154. The Sea 
Parrots and Guillemots, building on the ledges of precipices overhang- 
ing the sea. The Penguins, as the " Emperor," from the Antarctic 
Eegions, and the " King " from the Falkland Islands, both of which 
are noticeable as being the largest and most singular of the aquatic 
birds. Cases 155-159. The Petrels and Gulls, marine birds, feeding 
on fish and other marine creatures ; the Albatross has the greatest 
extent of wing of any bird, and the most wonderful powers of sus- 
tained flight. The Stormy Petrels seem to run on the water, 
and often feed in the wake of ships. Case 1 60. The Terns or Sea 
Swallows, birds of great powers of wing ; the Skimmers have curious 
razor-like bills, the upper mandible being the shortest. Case 161. 
The Tropic Birds, so called from their presence being a sure sign to 
the sailor that he has passed the tropics. The Darters or Snake Birds 
have small heads and long necks ; they dart into rivers, and spear fish 
with their sharp bills. Cases 162-166. The Pelicans, Cormorants, 
and Frigate Birds, some of which have large pouches under their 
beaks, in which they hold the fish which they catch. 
The Shells of Molluscous Animals are placed in the larger 
Table Cases across the sides of the room.^ 
Tables 1-20. The Gastropods, like the Whelk and Snail, which 
creep by means of a fleshy surface projecting from the under part of 
the body and called the foot, and have comb-like gills. Some of the 
more marked are the Cones, such as the rare " Glory of the Sea," from 
the Philippine Islands ; the animals of these kill their food by 
means of poisonous teeth implanted in their beak. Tables 3-13. The 
Trunk-bearing MoUusca, which, with the hard teeth in their long pro- 
boscis, make perforations in other shells and extract their contents ; 
the Olives, Harps, Persian Carpets, Turnip shells. Mitres, Volutes, and 
Date shells ; the Helmet shells, used in making artificial Cameos ; the 
Wentletrap or Staircase shells, once celebrated among collectors for 
their rarity. The Violet shells, which float on the ocean and, like the 
Murices, emit a purple fluid which has been used as a dye. Tables 
14-20. The Ptostrum-bearing Mollusca, with a long muzzle with ten- 
* Models of the animals of most of the families are arranged in the Cases 
along with the shells. 
