26 
NATURAL HISTORY. [[UPPER FLOOR. 
with some large pearls imbedded in their bodies, deserve 
particular attention. On the lower shelves are the tunl- 
cated animals, as the genera Biphora, Ascidia, &c. 
In Case 13 are Radiated animals preserved in spirits, 
as Sea Wigs ( Comatula ), Sea Stars, or Star Fish ( Aste - 
rias), and Medusa’s Head, ( Alecto ), with their finely In 
divided arms, with which they filter the water, to separate 
the small mollusca on which they feed. The Lizard-tailed 
Star Fish ( Opkiura ), which attach themselves to coral 
by their flexible arms ; the Sea Eggs {Echinus), and 
Sea Hearts ( Spatangus ), the Sea Lemons, Sea Cucum¬ 
bers (. Holothuria ), some of which are much sought after 
by the Chinese, as delicacies ; and lastly, the genus Si- | 
phunculus. 
Case 14 contains the soft radiated animals, as Medusae, 
Physaliae, Yelellae, and Actiniae, and the animals of va¬ 
rious kinds of Sea Pens, Corals, and Corallines, and also ! 
some Coralloid plants, preserved in spirits. 
Cases 15 and 16, between the windows, contain some i 
preserved Saurian and Ophidian Reptiles and Amphibia; 
as several species of Monitors; the Guana, used as food 
in the West Indies; the Frilled Lizard {Chlamydosaurus), 
from New Holland, which has a large ruff on each side of 
its neck, just before the shoulders ; the Sea Snakes, with i 
flat lanceolate tails, and several specimens of the Cobra 
Capella, one of the most venomous of the serpent tribe. 
Over this Case is a large Indian Tortoise. 
The Table Cases contain a selection of Crustacea and 
Insects, exhibited merely as an outline of the arrangement 
of those subjects *. 
Nos. 1—8 contain the Brachiuri, or short-tailed Crus¬ 
tacea, of which Nos. 1—5 are Crabs. Amongst these are 
specimens of the Swimming Crabs of the genera Polybius, 
Portunus, Podophthalmus, &c. These animals have the 
posterior leg terminated by very flat joints, of an oval or 
* The principal collections of Crustacea, Spiders, and Insects, are 
preserved in proper cabinets in a separate room, and may be seen by per¬ 
sons who wish to consult them for the purposes of study, (by application i 
to the Keeper of the Zoology), every Tuesday and Thursday. In order 
to prevent disappointment, it is requested that individuals or parties j 
wishing to see those collections, will apply two days previous to their in¬ 
tended visit, as only a certain number of persons can be admitted at the 
same time, 
