INTRODUCTION, 
iii 
torif and vested the property of the Museum in 
Trustees for the use of the Public. # 
A beginning having thus been made of a public 
scientific Repository, it was deemed expedient to 
enlarge its extent, and increase its importance, by 
adding 
t 
* From a schedule which was handed about at the time of the 
purchase, we collect the following totals of the contents of this 
Museum ; but as this document is by no means authentic, we must 
request our readers to consider these numbers rather as approxi¬ 
mations than as accurate enumerations 
Library of printed books and manuscripts, including books 
of prints and drawings. Vols. 50 000 
Coins and medals.... . 23,000 
Antique idols, utensils, &c.. 1,125 
Cameos, intaglios, seals, &c. 1,500 
Vessels and utensils of agate, jasper, &c. 542 
Anatomical preparations of human bodies, parts of mum¬ 
mies, calculi, &c. .. .... 75(5 
Quadrupeds and their parts... 8 18(> 
Birds and their parts, eggs and nests... 1,172 
Fishes'and their parts. 1,555 
Amphibia . 521 
Crustacea. 1,43(5 
Shells, echini, entrochi. 5,845 
Insects.. . 5,394 
Corals, spunges, zoophytes. 1,421 
Stones, ores, bitumens, salts, &c. 9>942 
Volumes of dried plants... 334 
Mathematical instruments .. 55 
Miscellaneous artificial curiosities —.. 2,098 
MS. catalogues of the whole Museum, ,38 vols. fol. and 8 quarto, 
B 2 
The Cottonian 
Library. 
