THE ZOOLOGICAL COLLECTIONS. 
83 
doubtedly influenced the development of the zoological 
section of the Indian Museum is the small amount of zoologi¬ 
cal research hitherto undertaken in Indian universities. 
In our galleries .some of the stuffed animals have been 
displayed for over half a century and should undoubtedly be 
replaced, if proper precautions could be taken to preserve 
those substituted for them. In Calcutta the museum-curator 
is fortunate in not having to face either the salt-laden sea- 
breezes that in many tropical localities make it difflcult to 
keep dried specimens dry, or the extreme seasonal and diurnal 
variations of temperature and moisture that cause speci¬ 
mens of the kind at one time to shrivel up or crumble away 
and at another to be in a sodden condition. Relatively speak¬ 
ing, therefore, Calcutta has an equable climate by no means 
unfavourable for the preservation of zoological material— 
provided that sufficient care can be taken of the specimens. 
So far as the public galleries of the Museum are concerned, 
all that is now necessary is a liberal expenditure of money. 
Six of these galleries are devoted to zoology^ covering a 
total area of 26,400 square feet. Two are on the ground- 
floor, on the side of the quadrangle furthest from the main 
entrance; while the other four are above them on the first 
storey. Of the former, the largest (with a floor space of 
7,440 square feet) is devoted to the Crustacea and to all 
other invertebrates except the insects and their close allies. 
That the galleries are as good as they are is due mainly to 
Colonel Alcock’s devotion. 
The most important feature of the large Invertebrate 
Gallery is the exhibition of decapod Crustacea arranged by 
Alcock, who devoted not only a very special knowledge of 
these animals but also a keen instinct for artistic display 
to their arrangement Typical representatives of the larger 
groups are shown, with terse descriptive labels painted 
in white on black boards; while the different families (more 
especially those represented in the seas, rivers, etc. of India) 
are also shown with similar labels. Individual specimens 
belonging to species of particular interest in respect to habits 
or distribution also bear descriptive labels on the jars in 
which they are preserved, in addition to the scientific and 
