1890.] Address. 51 



periodical entitled " Indian Museum Notes," which has taken the place 

 of the '* Notes on Economic Entom,ology," mentioned in my address 

 last year, of which only two numbers appeared. 



Two numbers of the new periodical, with notes on a large series of 

 economic insects, have already appeared, and farther numbers, including 

 detailed reports on Indian silk insects and locusts, by Mr. Cotes, and on 

 the mosquito blight on tea and the ravages of Aphides in orchards, by 

 Mr. E. T. Atkinson, are in progress. The periodical is illustrated with 

 heliogravure plates taken from the original pencil drawings by the 

 Museum artists. It is distributed to those who assist in the investiga- 

 tion, and a medium of communication is thus established between work- 

 ers in different localities. The investigation is a large and complicated 

 one, but it is gratifying to know that steady progress is being made 

 by the determination of most of the important species, while infor- 

 mation is accumulating on the subject of their life-histories. In this 

 work all can help, and with the general recognition of the importance 

 of the subject, both as'a means of counteracting the ravages of injurious 

 pests and of stimulating the production of valuable economic products, as 

 well as by the introduction of entomological teaching into the courses of 

 study at Cooper's Hill and the Forest School at Dehra Dun, the number 

 of those who take an intelligent interest in the subject is gradually in- 

 creasing in different parts of India. It should be mentioned that the 

 whole expenditure connected with this publication is borne by the Go- 

 vernment of India in the Revenue and Agricultural Department. 



A new Catalogue of the Books in the Museum Library compiled 

 under Mr. Wood-Mason's direction, by Mr. R. L. Chapman, has just 

 been issued. It contains several new features, especially in the way of 

 copious cross-references. The bulk of the books is naturally zoological 

 and the catalogue will be found of great value by students other than 

 those consulting the Library. 



Mr. W. L. Sclater, the Deputy Superintendent, is continuing the 

 Catalogue of Mammals^ commenced by Dr. Anderson, referred to in 

 last year's Address. 



During the year a taxidermist has been employed to travel in 

 various parts of the country with the object of teaching persons 

 interested in zoology to prepare skins, on condition that they collect 

 for the Museum ; in the hope that in this way a number of collectors 

 will be spread all over the country and the Museum collections en- 

 riched. The scheme was initiated by the Revenue and Agricultural 

 Department of the Government of India, and has, I am glad to say 

 worked well under the immediate superintendence of Mr. Sclater. Many 

 new specimens have been received in the Museum collected by the 



