56 
GUIDE TO THE 
Ursus dalli by American zoologists. Close to tbe 
window in this room is also a mahogany cabinet, 
containing all British Shells on one side, and the 
eggs of all Birds regularly breeding in the British 
Islands, and a few others besides. Visitors are 
requested to pull the drawers out gently. 
Descending the staircase, we come again to the 
Fishes. 
The first case to the left contains the enormous Giant 
Florida Perch, the peculiar American “ Bony Pike ” 
(Lepidosteits platy storms), known for its completely 
ossified skeleton,the “Spoon-billed Sturgeon” {Polydon 
folium), also from America, and the beautiful Opah 
(Lampris luna). The next case shows on the top an 
enormous fish from British Guiana, the Arapaima 
gigas, the largest fresh-water Teleostean, reaching 
sometimes a length of 15 feet, and being excellent for 
food. The Maigre {Sciaena aquila) is very rare on 
the English coasts. In the following case we are 
attracted by a fine Swordfish {Xiphias gladius) 
caught near Folkestone, as well as the Bonitos. 
The next two cases contain a number of mostly 
British fishes, one of the finest in colours being the 
Blue Wrasse {Labrus mixtus), others the well-known 
Turbot {Rhombus maximus) and the large Halibut 
{Hippoglossus vulgaris). 
In the following one we make the acquaintance of 
the Tarpon {Megalops thrissoides), a gigantic fish of the 
