— 44 — 



" In pointing out tlie Royal College, it is our opinion 

 " that no better site could be chosen. It is in that build- 

 " ing, — a sign of the deep interest taken by the Govern- 

 " ment in public education, that the Museum should be 

 " placed. Being within the reach of the student it would 

 *' attract their attention, and would be useful to tlie 

 " classes in the new establishment, and for the course of 

 " Natural History which will probably be inaugurated 

 " at a future period. '^ 



The letter reached its address : this the ^\Titers 

 ascertained — but no answer was vouchesafed. It was very 

 like what in legal parlance is called a preliminary objec- 

 tion. 



Several years (14 or 15) elapsed — no thought was 

 given in Mauritius to such an institution, whilst other 

 colonies of more recent date had already set to work. 



But Desjardins did not remain idle in the interval — 

 residing in the district of Flacq, he had converted the 

 upper floor of a pavilion on Argij estate into a room for 

 his collections of Natural History. Mr L. Bouton had 

 added to them his own private collections. 



Travellers to Flacq, military officers stationed there, 

 and other persons coming for the express purpose from 

 town, admired and enjoyed the sight new for Mauritius, 

 of collections bright, cletin and arranged in perfect order. 



As I have just said, the collections were in the upper 

 story ; a chosen library containing the latest works on 

 scientific subjects filled the lower floor. 



About that time, in 1837 or 1838, Mr Desjardins 

 left Mauritius for the second time for Paris, with the 

 intention of putting in order his notes and observations 

 and publishing his work on the Zoology of Maiu-itius, at 

 which he had long been labouring. It was in Paris that 



