INTRODUCTION 
III 
tors* 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 
* 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, calculli, &c.... 756 
Quadrupeds and their parts . 8,180 
Birds and their parts, eggs and nests.... 1 , 1/2 
Fishes and their parts. 1,555 
Amphibia. 521 
Crustacea. 1,436 
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 , 0 Q 8 
MS. catalogues of the whole Museum, 38 vols. fob and 8 quarto. 
B 2 
The Cottonian 
Library. 
