60 
NATURAL H TSTOR Y - . [UPPER FLOOR. 
coat, and absorbing water through the small pores spread 
over their surface, and emitting it by the larger scattered 
holes called oscula ; and though the fibres of many of the 
sponges greatly resemble the axes of the Gorgoniae, in 
their chemical composition and organic structure, they 
nevertheless cannot be confidently pronounced to belong 
to the animal, rather than to "the vegetable kingdom. 
The sponges' are contained in the Table Cases, Nos. 
17—21. 
On the Walls over the Cases round the Room, 
are placed a series of the horns of mammalia belonging to 
the family Bovidae. Amongst them are 
The Arnee ( Bos Arne ) of India ; the African Buffalo ; 
the Gour ( Bos Gour ) of India; the Musk Ox ( Bos Mos- 
chatus), and some Horns of domestic cattle. Amongst the 
latter is a pair of horns of the African Ox of very large 
size, but exceedingly light, the core being very cellular; 
the Ibex ( Capra Ibex), from Egypt; the Wild Goat; 
the Jemlah Goat ; varieties of Sheep, especially the Four 
Horned Sheep; the Koba (Antilope Senegalensis), from 
the interior of Africa ; the Gazelle ( Antilope Dorcas) ; 
Indian Antelope ( Antilope Cervicapra ); Saiga ( Antilope 
Saiga ); Impoofo; Caffrarian Oryx ; Roan Antelope ; Blue¬ 
faced Antelope; White-faced Antelope, &c. 
Between the Windows are the Spike of a large Saw- 
Fish, and a large Rhinobates, from India; and, on the 
sides of the Door, a Shark, and a large specimen of a 
Torpedo, found on the coast of England. 
Over the Cases 9—12, on the right hand of the fire¬ 
place, is a fine specimen of the Tetrapturus Herschellii, 
Gray, from the Cape of Good Hope. The Tetrapturi 
differ from the Common Sword Fish ( Xipkias ) by having 
ventral fins, and two small crests, parallel to one another, 
on each side of the tail; whilst the Xiphiae have no ventral 
fin, and only one caudal crest. 
TWELFTH ROOM. 
In this apartment are the collections of British Birds, 
arranged according to Jenyns (Manual of British Verte¬ 
brate Animals, Cambridge, 1835, 8vo); British Shells; a 
small collection of Birds’ Eggs, and two tables with cards 
containing a series of the External Organs of Insects, 
