In 1855, the extensive collections of antiquities and ethnography, to Henry Christy, became the property of the museum, having been bequeathed by their proprie tor. From the want of space, they are at present accommodated in a house rented for the purpose in Victoria street, Westminster. Felix Slade bequeathed his valuable col lection of glass to the museum, and it is now arrayed so as to show the different phases through which the art of glass-blowing has passed, as well as the history of glass in all its branches.
Natural Ilistory.—In 1856 the trustees united the natural history departments under prof. Owen, who was then appointed superintendent of natural history. The new build ing recently erected at Kensington is intended to accommodate this section of the pres ent museum.
Zoological Department.—To give an idea of the contents of this and the other natural history departments, would be to write an epitome of the various sciences they illus trate. This department contains a collection of animals arranged in systematic order in the galleries, comprising stuffed mammals, birds, reptiles, and fishes, and the hard portions of radiate, molluscan, and articulate animals. A. room is specially devoted to the fauna of Britain. In rooms on the ground and basement floors are arranged the collections of insects, of osteology, and of specimens preserved in spirits. An idea of the extent of the collection may be formed from the fact that 142 separate publications, illustrative of the contents of the department, in the shape of catalogues, lists, etc., have been issued under the superintendence of the present indefatigable keeper, Dr. Gray. During the year 1874, there were added to this collection, 7524 specimens of animals, of which 2964 were vertebrate, 2S89 mollusca and radiata, and 1674 annulosa. In.1873, the unique and extensive collection of birds formed in the eastern archipelago by Wallace, was acquired by purchase.
Botanical Department.—The herbarium of sir H. Sloane, the nucleus of this collection, consisted of about 8000 species, bound in 262 volumes. In 1820, the magnificent herba rium of sir Joseph Banks was bequeathed to the museum, and under the superintendence of the late Robert Brown. was transferred to two rooms prepared for it in the s.e. angle
of the building. The collection has since been rapidly increasing: during the year 1872, 12,030 species of plants were added; and in the year 1873, the late William Wilson's herbarium of British and foreign mosses was acquired by purchase. The collection con tains an extraordinary n umber of typical speclmens—the identical plants from which the original descriptions were taken by Linnaeus, Aublet, Jaequin, Brown, Bentham, Ben nett, and others. The exhibition rooms contain a series of specimens illustrating the most striking characteristics of the great divisions of the vegetable kingdom, arranged in order; and a series of fossil plants, the value of which is increased by the transparent sections showing their structure, which are placed beside them.
Geological Department.—This collection occupies the wall-cases of the principal gal lery on the n. side of the museum. It contains an extensive series of the fossil remains of plants and animals from the various fossiliferous strata; it is especially rich in the fossils of the secondary formations. Amongst its more valuable contents may be men tiondd the collections of Dr. 3Iantell, the tertiary fossils collected by Dr. Falconer in India, and the remarkable fossil birds from New Zealand.
Mineralogical minerals are contained in the table-cases in the geological gallery. They are arranged according to a chemical classification. Many valuable and unique specimens exist in the collection, which is rapidly increasing. In the year 1872, the number of specimens added was 1499.
The expenses of the museum are paid by grants of public money. According to the estimates, £110,949 were required during 1879-80.
Admission to the museum was at first obtained by printed tickets, which were deliv ered by the porter to persons making a written application. There could be no more than 45 visitors, at the utmost, per day, under the regulations then in force. Now, all who present themselves are freely admitted; and every week-day the museum is visited by large numbers: as many as 43,000 holiday-folk have passed through the building in one day.