The northern half of this gallery is devoted to the exhibited series of Insects. Next to the door on the east side are the nests of White Ants or Termites, while on the opposite side are some remarkable cocoons of social Caterpillars of various Moths, and also a series of preparations showing the metamorphoses or changes undergone by Insects as they grow to maturity. At the sides of the gallery are models of various galls, with drawings of the insects which cause them; and others showing the life-histories of certain Beetles, Bees, and Moths. Beneath a shelf, on the west side, are four cabinets containing a collection of British Butterflies and Moths with their caterpillars, prepared and presented by Lord Walsingham; and near by stands a cabinet containing a collection of the Butterflies and Moths of the British islands formed by the late Mr. William Buckler, most of the specimens in which were bred by him during the preparation of his “Larvæ of British Butterflies and Moths.” Above these are maps illustrating the geographical distribution of certain Beetles (_Calosoma_, _Carabus_, _Julodis_ and _Stigmodera_); actual specimens of the insects being placed in position on the maps. The wall-cases at the end of the gallery are devoted exclusively to the nests of Ants, Wasps, and Bees. On the east wall is a large case containing specimens and drawings explaining the structure of Insects. On the west side, next the Walsingham collection, are cabinets containing a selection of British Insects. Lower down are other cabinets in the series of foreign Butterflies; while foreign Moths and other Insects are arranged in adjacent cabinets. In another part of the gallery are exhibited coloured drawings of a few of the smallest Insects known, namely the _Mymaridæ_, a group of minute parasitic Hymenoptera; and above is a drawing of a House-Fly, enlarged in the same proportion--thirty diameters--to show the contrast. A few specimens of the insects themselves are placed in the microscope below. In the table-cases in the middle of the gallery are specimens and illustrations of some of the principal families of Insects, with explanations of the characters by which these may be recognised. The first case (next to the west door) contains an introductory series, and then follow the various orders in sequence commencing with the most primitive forms or Aptera, among which _Campodea_, a small British insect, may be specially noticed. The classification of Butterflies, Bees and Ants, and Beetles is shown in the last three cases; and attention may be specially directed to a series of drawings illustrating the transformations of Fleas, Gnats, Midges, etc. The main collection of insects is kept in cabinets in the “Insect Room” in the basement, but is open to students under the regulations mentioned at the end of this guide. [Sidenote: Reptile Gallery.[13]]