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XVII. Descriptive Catalogue of a Zoological Collection, made on 

 account of the Honourable East India Company, in the Island 

 of Sumatra and its Vicinity, under the Direction of Sir Thomas 

 Stamford Raffles, Lieutenant-Governor of Fort Marlborough ; 

 with additional Notices illustrative of the Natural History of 

 those Countries. By Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, Knt. F.R.S. 

 Communicated by Sir Everard Home, Bart., F.R.S. and L.S. 



Read December 5, 1820. 



Ah 3 interest excited by the researches carried on during my 

 administration in Java, early induced me to extend similar in- 

 quiries to the more extensive island of Sumatra ; and I esteemed 

 myself fortunate in obtaining the assistance of Dr. Joseph Arnold, 

 a gentleman already advantageously known to the scientific 

 world. Unhappily he fell an early sacrifice to his zeal in the 

 cause, and his loss cannot be more regretted in a public view, 

 than it is lamented by those who were best able to appreciate his 

 amiable disposition and private virtues. He lived, however, long 

 enough to lay the foundation of an extensive plan of research. 

 I was subsequently induced to engage the services of two French 

 gentlemen, who appeared qualified to assist in the collection and 

 preservation of the zoological specimens, and to furnish such 

 anatomical details as might require observation in recent sub- 

 jects, it being stipulated that on the payment of the monthly 

 sum of 500 dollars, the whole of their collections and observa- 

 tions should be the exclusive property of the East India Com- 

 pany. On these terms I intrusted to them the charge of the 



collection, 



