The examination and arrangement of his Herbarium, the laborious duties 

 connected with the superintendence of the figures contained in this work, 

 the preparation of the illustrative details, and the time devoted to the de- 

 scription of the subjects, are by no means the only marks of friendship 

 which he has received from that distinguished Botanist ; who ever since 

 his arrival in England has afforded him his advice and assistance in his 

 researches connected with Natural History, and on many other important 

 occasions. 



Dr. Horsfield commenced his researches in the year 1802, under the au- 

 spices of the Dutch Colonial Government, by an inquiry into the-Plants em- 

 ployed by the natives in the cure of diseases. This inquiry naturally di- 

 rected his attention to the Vegetable Kingdom at large ; and being desi- 

 rous with this view to take a general survey of Java, he first examined 

 the Regencies situated south of Batavia, then traversed the provinces along 

 the northern coast, and subsequently the eastern extremity of the island. 

 Although durinirthese various iourneys, to which several years were devoted, 

 Materia Medica and Botany formed the principal objects of his researches, 

 he likewise gave occasional attention to the Zoology and Geology of the 

 districts through which he' passed. Having terminated his inquiries in 

 the northern and eastern provinces, he proceeded, in the year 1809, from 

 Samarang southward to the interior of the island, with a view to examine 

 the territories of the Native Princes. 



Soon after this period the Island of Java became, by right of conquest, 

 a possession of the Honourable East India Company, and the results of Dr. 

 Horsfi eld's researches were in consequence, in the year 1811, transferred to 

 the new Government. The energetic patronage he now received enabled 

 him to take a wider range ; and he was induced to extend his inquiries 

 more particularly to the other departments of Natural History, and also to 

 the domestic ceconomy, agriculture, and government of the inhabitants cf 

 those regions. 



In the prosecution of these various objects Dr. Horsfield made many 

 excursions through Java : in the year 1812 he was sent to Banca by the 

 Colonial Government, with instructions to examine and report on the con- 

 dition of the tin mines, and the details connected with their history and 

 adminstration ; and he was at the same time encouraged to extend his re- 

 searches to other objects of general interest. Nearly a year was devoted 

 to this mission, during which most of the mining stations were examined, 

 and a collection of plants was also made. In the year 1818 he visited 

 Bencoolen and Padang, on the west coast of Sumatra; and in a journey to 

 the Menangkabo district, situated east of Padang, he was enabled to col- 

 lect some of the Botanical and Zoological productions of Sumatra. In 

 the early months of 1819, two years after the restoration of Java to the 

 Netherlands Government, he proceeded to England to communicate the 

 results of his researches to the public. 



In his endeavours to accomplish this object he has invariably enjoved 

 the most liberal countenance and support of the Honourable Court of Di- 

 rectors of the East India Company. During his early employments in 

 arranging his Zoological Collections in the Museum at the India House, to 

 which reference has already been made, he had likewise favourable opportu- 

 nities to prepare for publication a selection of the more interesting Mam- 



