186 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 
11. An expedition to Hambantota.—I had been in Ceylon 
almost exactly two months when, in July, 1902, a Boer officer, 
Commandant Paul Krantz. prisoner of war on parole, came to 
the Museum and offered his services in mounting and remounting 
specimens of natural history, for a period of three months. 
It may be explained that Mr. Krantz had been a professional hunter 
of big game in South Africa, an expert taxidermist, and field natura- 
list. In exotic Museums there is frequently a difficulty in the 
mounting of mammals on the spot, that is to say, in the country of 
their Origin, the first tendency being to regard the skin as a pillow- 
case which has to be filled with stuffing at all hazards. It is 
therefore a great advantage when the local taxidermist is able to 
obtain first-hand instruction in European methods, but this is usually 
impossible without first making the journey to Europe. The 
fortunes of war enabled us to overcome the latter obstacle. and if the 
reader knows anything about the organization of European Museums, 
he will not be surprised to learn that Commandant Krantz’s offer 
was accepted. 
In course of time it became evident that there would be little 
reason in putting new stuffing into old skins, and a Museum expe- 
dition to Hambantota was undertaken in the following September. 
two double bullock bandies being engaged at Matara. At Tangalla, 
the circumstances being favourable and the surroundings picturesque 
the expedition was photographed in memory of an occasion not 
likely to be repeated. In the accompanying plate the gallant 
Commandant is seen standing at ease with right arm upraised. 
The expedition was successful in its objects, as I reported in my 
Administration Report for that year, and the introduction of the 
more modern methods of Mammalian taxidermy to the Colombo 
Museum, as exemplified in the prints of a wild boar, which was 
procured later, dates from this time. The form of the animal is 
moulded in clay and plaster of Paris upon a wooden and straw 
padded foundation shaped according to accurate measurements. 
The skin is subsequently stretched over the solid model. 
April 22, 1907. A. WILLEY. 

12. Hikanala and Jivama.—Mr. V. A. Julius has been good 
enough to send me papers and correspondence which he has collected 
regarding the alleged poisonous properties of the Brahminy Lizard 
(Mabuia carinata), and has suggested that the matter, to which 
reference has already been made in these pages (Spolia Zeylanica, 
vol. III., 1906, p. 231), should be brought up for further discussion. 
The principal reason for reviving this subject, which is a matter of 
strong local belief, and therefore perhaps hardly amenable to scientific 
treatment, is that fifteen deaths of persons from the bite or scratch 
ee 
