20 
THE ZOOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT. 
[upper 
a Collection of the Nests of the smaller British Birds. Case 3?. 
The British Reptiles. Cases 31-43. The British Fishes ; the rare 
Ausonia cuvieri, found once only on the English coast, has recently 
heen added ; the Opah or King-fish (Lampris), one of the most deli- 
cious fishes, is represented by a full-grown example and by a skeleton, 
showing the enormous development of the shoulder-bones. In Table 
Case 1 arc the Eggs of British Birds; Table Cases 2, 3, the British 
Annulose Animals, such as Insects, Spiders, and Crustacea; Cases 
5 and 6, Shells of British Mollusca ; and Case 8, the hard parts of 
British Radiated Animals. 
FOURTH ROOM. 
The Wall Cases round the Room contain the stuffed collection of 
Bony Fishes. The Table Cases contain select specimens of Annu- 
lose Animals, to exhibit their systematic arrangement. 
Wall Cases 1-12 contain the Spiny-rayed Fishes, that is, those 
which have numerous spines in the fin on the back, like the Perch, 
They are found in the sea as well as in fresh water, and form many 
very distinct groups. Cases 1-3. The common Fresh-water Perclr 
of Europe and North America {Perca) ; the Bass of Europe, North 
America, Africa, India, and Australia (Labrax, Lates); the Pike-Perch 
(Lucioperca\ celebrated for its delicious flesh ; the numerous Sea- 
Perches {Serranus, Mesoprion, Prisiipoma). Case 4 : the various 
kinds of Sea-Breams, some of which attain a weight of fifty pounds, 
all being esteemed as food ; the Red Mullets (MuUus). Case 5 con- 
tains the Chsetodons, beautifully coloured during life, and swarming 
between the corals of the tropical seas ; several kinds of Chilodactylus, 
one of the most important fishes on the Cape of Good Hope and in 
other parts of the South Pacific, where large quantities are dried for 
exportation. Case 6 : the Gurnards (Trigla), the Flying Gurnards 
[Dactylopterus). Case 7 : the Maigre Tribe [ScicenidcB), most of which 
are of very large size and edible ; the air-bladder of some of the Indian 
kinds yields isinglass, and one {Pogonias cliromis) is the Drum-fish of 
the Americans, producing musical sounds under water ; the Tribe of 
the Polynemid(B, easily recognized by the long filaments behind the 
head ; one of the best sorts of isinglass is obtained from their air- 
bladder; the Barracudas (Sphyrmnidm), armed with formidable teeth; 
the flesh of some of the West Indian species is poisonous ; also 
several of the more important Food-fishes of Tasmania. Cases 8-10 : 
the tribe of TrichiuridcB, all rapacious fish, with a long body like the 
Barracudas; one kind {Thyrsites) is celebrated for the excellent 
flavour of its flesh, and much esteemed at Madeira and in the West 
Indies; the species found at the Cape forms an article of export; and 
another kind is one of the principal food-fishes of Tasmania. The 
Mackarel and Horse-mackarel Tribes, found all over the globe ; to these 
belong the Mackarel, Tunny, Bonite, the Sucker {Echeneis), which 
attaches itself by means of a sucker on the head to ships, sharks, 
turtles, etc., the Jolm Dorees {Zeus), the Dolphins (Coi'tjphcBna), the 
