iv Report on iJic Zoolofjical Surrrj/ of India 



For the present we propose to work mainly in two directions, 

 firstly, in the revision of the Oriental species of certain, groups of 

 animals (such as Decapod Crustacea, Fish and Sponges) on which 

 one or other of us can claim the knowledge of a specialist, and 

 secondly, in the faunistic and biological study of fresh and brackish 

 water in India and other Asiatic countries, more particularly in 

 lakes and deltaic creeks. For the investigation of such creeks the 

 estuarine tracts of India provide unique opportunities ; so far as lakes 

 are concerned, their very paucity renders them a fit object of in- 

 vestigation on the part of a staff so small. 



In the resolution constituting the Zoological Survey the Director 

 is formally appointed Zoological Adviser to the Government of 

 India. It is, therefore, his duty to bring to the notice of Govern- 

 ment any zoological, problem that calls for investigation in this 

 country. Perhaps, however (as experience has, indeed, already shown), 

 his advisory functions can in most cases be exercised most efficaci- 

 ously by direct and informal correspondence with officers engaged 

 in research. Even when the questions submitted to him are outside 

 the knowledge of the members of the Survey, as must be the case 

 in the majority of instances, it is usually possible to obtain some 

 light upon them from the correspondents of the department. 



PROGRESS IN 1916-1917. 



In dealing with the work of the first year, or rather the first 

 eight months, of the Survey's official existence I propose to deal 

 more particularly with the field-work carried out by officers of the 

 department, the research conducted in its laboratories and the im- 

 provements in progress in the Museum galleries. 



Touring and Field-work. 

 The following statement shows the tours undertaken : — 



To Barkuda, Chilka Lake, from 14th to 23rd July, 1916 . 10 days. 



To Portuguese India and N. Canara from 2-ith August to 



19th October, 1916 57 „ 



To Bangalore and Madras from 1st to 12th October, 1916 . 12 „ 



To Allahabad, Agra, Delhi and Lahore from 17th to 30th 



November, 1916 14 „ 



To the Mutlah River from 6th to 17th December, 1910 . 12 „ 



To Mysore from 7th to 20th January, 1917 . . . 14 „ 



To Southern Shan States (Burma,) from 8th February to 



13th March, 1917 34 „ 



153 „ 



The first of these tours, to the Chilka Lake, was undertaken 

 with the object of studying the fauna of a small island (Plate A) 

 lying about a mile off the mainland and surrounded by brackish 



