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Visit to the British Museum
183
VISIT TO THE BRITISH MUSEUM, MARCH 18TH, 1871.
Directors-Professor MORRIS, F.G.S., WILLIAM CARRUTHERS, Esq., F.L.S., F.G.S., and HENRY WOODWARD, Esq., F.G.S., F.Z.S. The Members, on assembling at the Museum, proceeded to the Botanical Department, where Mr. Carruthers described those portions of the Collection most interesting to geologists, and pointed out the characters of the Ferns, the Palms, the Cycads, and the Coniferre. Some exceedingly beautiful sections mounted on glass and exhibiting in a remarkably striking manner vegetable structure were shown. The fossil Cycads from the Purbeck of the Island of Portland, and the fossil fruits from the London Clay of the Isle of Sheppy, attracted special attention. Passing to the North Gallery, the fossil plants from the Coal Measures were succinctly described by Mr. Carruthers, who concluded his lecture by a notice of the dicotyledonous leaves which have been so abundantly obtained from Miocene strata. Mr. Henry Woodward then conducted the visitors to the Collections of Fossil Reptilia, and described the more remarkable of the Saurian remains here exhibited. Subsequently the Pterodactyles, the Archaopteri», and the Dinornis, were brought under the notice of the Members, and their distinguishing characters recapitulated. The impressions of the feathers of the Archceopterix on the Solenhofen lithographic stone were observed with great interest, as were also some enormous sub-fossil eggs, one of which measures upwards of thirty inches in circumference. The Members now proceeded to the Department of Fossil Mammalia. Here Professor Morris delivered a lecture on the geographical distribution of the larger animals, and showed that in the latest geological deposits the orders, if not the genera, were the same as those now inhabiting the same zoological provinces of the globe. The Professor's lecture was illustrated by the fine specimens in this portion of the Museum. The lectures were listened to with great interest, and the thanks of the Members present were cordially given to Mr. Carruthers, Mr. Henry Woodward, and Professor Morris. o
VISIT TO THE BRITISH MUSEUM, MARCH 18TH, 1871.
Directors-Professor MORRIS, F.G.S., WILLIAM CARRUTHERS, Esq., F.L.S., F.G.S., and HENRY WOODWARD, Esq., F.G.S., F.Z.S. The Members, on assembling at the Museum, proceeded to the Botanical Department, where Mr. Carruthers described those portions of the Collection most interesting to geologists, and pointed out the characters of the Ferns, the Palms, the Cycads, and the Coniferre. Some exceedingly beautiful sections mounted on glass and exhibiting in a remarkably striking manner vegetable structure were shown. The fossil Cycads from the Purbeck of the Island of Portland, and the fossil fruits from the London Clay of the Isle of Sheppy, attracted special attention. Passing to the North Gallery, the fossil plants from the Coal Measures were succinctly described by Mr. Carruthers, who concluded his lecture by a notice of the dicotyledonous leaves which have been so abundantly obtained from Miocene strata. Mr. Henry Woodward then conducted the visitors to the Collections of Fossil Reptilia, and described the more remarkable of the Saurian remains here exhibited. Subsequently the Pterodactyles, the Archaopteri», and the Dinornis, were brought under the notice of the Members, and their distinguishing characters recapitulated. The impressions of the feathers of the Archceopterix on the Solenhofen lithographic stone were observed with great interest, as were also some enormous sub-fossil eggs, one of which measures upwards of thirty inches in circumference. The Members now proceeded to the Department of Fossil Mammalia. Here Professor Morris delivered a lecture on the geographical distribution of the larger animals, and showed that in the latest geological deposits the orders, if not the genera, were the same as those now inhabiting the same zoological provinces of the globe. The Professor's lecture was illustrated by the fine specimens in this portion of the Museum. The lectures were listened to with great interest, and the thanks of the Members present were cordially given to Mr. Carruthers, Mr. Henry Woodward, and Professor Morris. o