PROCEEDINGS. 



703 



Brooks, D.S.O., Canada ; Mr. F. L. Usher, Bangalore ; the Head Master, 

 Abu High School, Mount Abu ; Mr. R. H. Corbett, Papun, Burma ; Captain 

 E. de V. Moss, Madras ; Mr. W. A. Hickie, Budge Budge, Bengal ; and 

 Brigadier-General E. Dickson, Europe. 



The following contributions to the Museum were received since 

 meeting : — 



the last 



Contribution. 



Locality. 



Donor. 



1 Nukhta (Sarcidornis melanotus).. 

 '2 Black Partridges {F. fyancolinufi) 



1 Monitor ( V. ben(jalensis) 



1 B-.ifl'-striped Keelback (7'. 

 stolatus.) 



I Common Wolf Snake (i. | 

 aulicus) J 



1 Star Tortoise {T. elegans) alive. 



2 Nilgiri Langurs {Pithecus johnii) 



Birds 



1 Phoorsa {E. carinoAa) . . 



1 Spider 



1 Red Sheep 



J 



Karimpore, Assam 

 Jhang, Punjab . . 



Kotah 



Ahmedabad 

 Nelli a m p a t t y 



Hills. 

 Karachi . . 



Bushire . . 



Persia 



Mr. J. Curror. 

 Mr. H. Whistler, 

 F.Z.S., M.B.O.U. 



Mr. H. Copley. 



Mrs. McCormack. 

 Mr, A. M. Kinloch. 



Capt. C.B.Ticehurst. 



Col. C. Bowie-Evans, 



I.M.S. 

 Major E. J. Arthur. 



Minor contributions : — Mr. G.O. Allen, Mr. D.C. Cameron and Capt. Dodds. 



CONTRIBUTIONS. 



In the course of the paper, the possibility of finding a substitute for cotton 

 was discussed in somewhat technical detail. The relative merits of silk 

 cotton and ordinary cotton for textile purposes were dwelt upon and the 

 conclusion arrived at that so far the experiments to find a suitable substi- 

 tute for cotton have not been very successful. We must not forget, in 

 addition, that vegetable silk especially Calotropis silk, was comparatively 

 expensive, because there is a great demand for it as stuffing material in the 

 manufacture of safety belts. On the other hand, there were vast stretches 

 in India, especially in the drier parts, Deccan, Gujarat, Rajputana, Punjab, 

 where nothing of economic value was growing, but where the soil was ad- 

 mirably adapted for the cultivation of Calotropis. Calotropis silk has got 

 one great advantage over other vegetable silks : its cultivation does not re- 

 (}uire any special care, and the silk is easily separated from the seeds. 

 Calotropis silk would be cheaper, comparatively, than any other vegetable 

 silk, and even if it should never develop into a substitute for cotton, it 

 would always find a good market as stuffing materials. 



