Placental Mammal Collection (#14)

Lion skull with lower jaw viewed from right side
Remains found in the moat of the Tower of London during the 1930s, now in the collections at the Natural History Museum

Panthera leo, lion
Lion skull viewed from the rear. Remains found in the moat of the Tower of London during the 1930s. Now held in the collections at the Natural History Museum, London

Pantholops hodgsonii (Tibetan antelope or chiru). View of skull BM(NH) 1843.1 12.100

Bradypus tridactylus, pale-throated three-toed sloth
Pale-throated three-toed sloths. Plate from a collection of original watercolour drawings, c. 1781-1785, by Sarah Stone, held at the Natural History Museum

The Blue Whale Annual Fundraising Ball

Microtus agrestis, field vole
Plate 214 from the Collection of Watercolour Drawings of British Vertebrates, 1830-1841, by William MacGillivray (1796-1851)

Detail of terracotta panel from the Natural History Museum

Dolphin casting, c. 1924, The Natural History Museum
Percy Stammwitz, the skilled technician captured here in the Preparators Workshop making casts of dolphins for models in the proposed new Whale Hall

Blue whale exhibit
The Whale Hall, the Natural History Museum, London

Snake and rodent by Albertus Seba
Tab 29 depicting a snake and a rodent from Thesaurus, by Albertus Seba

Detail of terracotta panel showing ibex
Part of the intricate interior architecture found in the Natural History Museums Waterhouse building, designed by Alfred Waterhouse (1830-1905)

Cebus capucinus, white-faced capuchin
Plate 2 from Museum S.R.M. Adolphi Friderici, by Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778), c. 1754-1764

Tabula
Illustration from Handlung 1 Tabula, by Kirschner, 1786

Oryx gazella, gemsbok
Specimen on display at the Natural History Museum at Tring, part of the Natural History Museum, London

Megaladapis edwardsi, giant lemur
Skull of the giant lemur, Megaladapis edwardsi. The giant lemur was roughly gorilla-sized and lived as recently as 2, 000 year ago. Specimen dates from the Quaternary, near Ampoza, S.W Madagascar

Megazostrodon
Reconstruction of Megazostrodon, a rodent-like prey animal. Megazostrodon was probably a nocturnal and one of the first insect-eating mammals

Dugong dugon, dugong
A dugong exhibit at the Natural History Museum, London

Ammodorcas clarkei, Clarks gazelle
Photograph showing detail of the tail from a male Clarks gazelle skin specimen

Lower cheek teeth of fossil horse
Shown here are the lower cheek teeth of the extinxt horse, Equus. Equus was a high-crowned grazing species and lived about 200, 000 years ago

Podogymnura truei, Mindanao gymnure
Ventral view of a male Mindanao gymnure skin specimen, collected from Mount Apo, Mindanao, Philippines

Homo erectus, Peking man cranium (reconstruction)
Reconstruction of a female Homo erectus cranium based upon the remains from many individuals discovered at Zhoukoudian Cave (Locality 1), China dating back 500, 000 years

Tail of a Glyptodon
The Glyptodon, a massive fully armoured mammal that lived during the Pleistocene period. Remains have been discovered in Argentina

Plesiadapis fodinatus, primate
Left section of a mandible of the primate, Plesiadapis fondinatus. Specimen dates from the Late Paleocene, silver coulee Quarry, Park County, Wyoming, USA

Procyon lotor, common raccoon
The right side of a common raccoon skull specimen, held at the Natural History Museum. Phototgraph published on page 250 of the Dorling Kindersley Nature Encyclopedia, 1998. See also 28779

Detail of terracotta moulding of a monkey
Part of the intricate interior architecture found in the Natural History Museums Waterhouse building, designed by Alfred Waterhouse (1830-1905)

Sciurus macrourus, long-tailed squirrel
Sydney Parkinson, Ceylon drawings ( Banks Manuscript No. 20) 1767

Pygathrix nemaeus nemaeus, red-shanked douc langur
Portrait of a red-shanked douc langur, native to north and central Vietnam, east-central Cambodia and possibly in China. Photographed by Frank Greenaway

Tortoise and armadillo comparison
A really strange picture, reminds me of 1960s New York art

Natural History display at Montagu House
Staircase near the entrance of the old British Museum in Montagu House, 1845. This housed the original collection of the Natural History Museum, London. From a watercolour by George Scharf (1788-1860)

Passerella iliaca, fox sparrow
Plate 108 from John James Audubons Birds of America, original double elephant folio (1831-34), hand-coloured aquatint. Engraved, printed and coloured by R. Havell (& Son), London

Pongo pygmaeus, orang-outang
The muscles of the Pongo pygmaeus from Orang-Outang sive Homo Sylvestris: or, The Anatomy of a Pygmie Compared with That of a Monkey, an Ape, and a Man by Edward Tyson, 1699

Mesembriomys gouldii, black-footed tree-rat (Gray 1843). BMNH 1842.5.26.18 skull with abnormal incisors collected by Gilbert, holotype

A Race For Life
Plate 12 taken from The Life and Habits of Wild Animals, illustrated by designs by Joseph Wolf, London 1874

Hunted Down
Plate 11 taken from The Life and Habits of Wild Animals, illustrated by designs by Joseph Wolf, London 1874

Catching A Tartar
Plate 17 taken from The Life and Habits of Wild Animals, illustrated by designs by Joseph Wolf, London 1874

The Siesta
Plate 9 taken from The Life and Habits of Wild Animals, illustrated by designs by Joseph Wolf, London 1874

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"Unveiling the Marvels of Placental Mammals: From Lucy to Sperm Whales" Step into a world where ancient creatures and modern marvels coexist. Meet Australopithecus afarensis, famously known as Lucy, our earliest ancestor in the hominin lineage. Her fossilized remains provide invaluable insights into human evolution. But the wonders don't stop there. Lord Walter Rothschild's zebra-drawn trap showcases his eccentricity and passion for wildlife conservation. Meanwhile, Ballyregan Bob, a majestic greyhound, exemplifies the elegance and speed of these domesticated placental mammals. Venture further back in time to encounter Megatherium, the colossal giant ground sloth that once roamed Earth. Its massive size leaves us awe-struck at nature's ability to create such extraordinary beings. The ferocious Smilodon fatalis with its iconic saber-like teeth takes center stage next. This fearsome sabre-toothed cat reminds us of prehistoric predators that ruled their habitats with unmatched prowess. In contrast to these formidable creatures, we have Mustela nivalis - the least weasel - showcasing how even small they can leave an indelible mark on our planet's biodiversity. Lord Lionel Walter Rothschild himself was not only a collector but also a pioneer in zoology. His contributions paved the way for scientific understanding and conservation efforts worldwide. Proconsul africanus represents an important link between primates and humans. Its existence sheds light on our common ancestry and offers glimpses into early primate behavior. Marvel at the sleek design of greyhounds; their streamlined bodies are perfectly adapted for high-speed pursuits—a testament to both natural selection and human intervention through selective breeding practices. Witness Homo habilis in action—an early member of our own genus who used tools skillfully millions of years ago—showcasing humanity's ingenuity from its very beginnings.