240 Sir T. S. Raffles's Descriptive Catalogue 



collection, and used all my influence to bring into it whatever 

 was interesting in zoology. A year had scarcely elapsed when 

 circumstances rendered it necessary to discontinue this arrange- 

 ment. They advanced pretensions diametrically opposed to the 

 spirit and letter of their engagement, and altogether inconsistent 

 with Avhat I had a right to expect from them, or they from me. 

 Thus situated, I had no alternative but to undertake an imme- 

 diate description of the collection myself, or to allow the result 

 of all my endeavours and exertions to be carried to a foreign 

 country. I should observe, that the papers delivered to me as 

 containing all their observations, were for the most part so spe- 

 culative and deficient in the kind of information required, that I 

 could make no use of them myself, nor give them to the world 

 under the sanction of my authority. I have therefore returned 

 them, and left these gentlemen at liberty to publish or amend 

 them as they think proper. They are young men not deficient 

 in zeal, and though misled for the moment by private and na- 

 tional views, will, I doubt not, profit by the means I have afforded 

 them, and eventually contribute to our further knowledge of the 

 zoology of these islands. 



I have thought it necessary to say thus much respecting these 

 gentlemen, in order to prevent the possibility of misrepresenta- 

 tion ; and I need only add, that as my descriptions have been made 

 without assistance from them, and may contain particulars not 

 only unknown to them, but at variance with their ideas, they are 

 of course not responsible for any part of them. The Catalogue 

 now submitted has been drawn up by myself from actual exa- 

 mination of the subjects, combined with the result of extensive 

 personal inquiries among the best informed natives of the coun- 

 try. It has no pretensions beyond accuracy and the simple 

 statement of facts. 



Part 



