54 
ROOM X. 
Nat. Hist. 
ROOM XI. 
Nat. Hist. 
head, are placed on the mantel piece, on the East side 
of this apartment. 
The Skeleton of the Indian Elephant was presented 
to the British Museum by General Sir Jasper Nicolls, 
and Major-General Hard wick e. 
ELEVENTH ROOM. 
This Room contains the general collection of Fish 
and Corals. 
In the upright Cases round the Room are the Fish. 
The Cases No. 24, and Nos. 1—8, contain the se¬ 
ries of Dry Fish. 
Cases Nos. 24, 1 and 2 contain the Aeanthopte- 
rygian Fishes, or those which have spinous rays to the 
dorsal fins. 
In Case 24 are the Perch Tribe, most of which, 
as the Common and Sea Perch, have the ventral fins 
placed on the thorax, before the pectoral. All these 
have seven branchiostegous rays. Others ( Cirrhites ) 
have less than seven ; and some few ( Holocentrum, 
Trachichthys) have more. The Weavers, or Otter- 
Pike ( Trachinus ), and the Star-gazer ( Uranoscopus ), 
have the ventral fins just behind the pectoral. The 
Paradise Fish ( Polynemus) and the Mullet ( Mullus ) 
have the ventral fins placed on the hinder part of the 
body. 
The Gurnards ( Trigla ) are distinguished from the 
other Percoid Fish, by the bones of the face being very 
large, so as to cover the cheeks. Some of these have 
the pectoral fins so large, that the fish can support 
themselves for some time in the air, and are therefore 
called Flying Gurnards ( Dactyloptera ). 
Cases 1 and 2. The Scienoid and the Sparoid Fish 
differ from the Perches, in the palate being without 
teeth. Some of these, as the Sargi (Sargus), have large 
teeth on the side of the jaw (Chrysophrys and Dentex ). 
The Msenoid Fish differ from those of the two for¬ 
mer families, by the jaws being protractile. 
The 
