b PERCY SLADEN TRUST EXPEDITION 



and did a great deal of collecting at Cascade, where he had the invaluable assistance 

 of Mr Thomasset. He further visited Felicite, Marianne, Praslin and other of the 

 outlying islands, throughout confining his attention for the most part to insects. Many 

 of these had to be pinned out at the time, but the firmer forms were sent home in sifted 

 sawdust and are only now being relaxed and set out into proper boxes. The method 

 is a most valuable one, as it allows large series of beetles, Rhynchota, Hymenoptera, 

 and Orthoptera to be kept, for which otherwise the services of one or two trained 

 attendants would be necessary in the field. Cardboard boxes of different sizes are used. 

 When the day's catch is brought in, the bulk of the insects of the above groups are 

 sorted out into sizes, only a few being set. Then boxes are taken and into the bottom 

 of each are placed a few drops of crude carbolic acid. Then this is covered with sawdust, 

 which has been sifted through fine netting, all dust being thrown away. A layer of 

 insects is placed in and covered with sawdust, and then a second and a third layer 

 until the box is filled. The lid is then placed on and the box is tapped on the table 

 so that the sawdust passes in between the legs, etc., of the insects. Space always appears, 

 and more sawdust is added, a few drops further of carbolic perhaps being placed in the 

 lid. The latter is then pinned on to the box at either end. Different sized sawdust 

 is used for different sized insects, and the boxes should never be packed in tins. The 

 sawdust boxes can be sent home by post, and the setting out of the specimens can 

 proceed at home whilst the collector is still in the field. The results of Mr Scott's 

 work will doubtless be seen in numerous reports in these volumes. I will only say here 

 that his work has revealed an insect fauna richer proportionately to the size of the 

 islands than that of the Hawaiian group, and possibly as interesting. Much, doubtless, 

 still remains to be done, but it appears certain that collections have now been secured 

 sufficiently large to work out the relationships of the Seychelles to other lands. 



In conclusion, I have to thank the Sladen Trustees for their continued confidence 

 in me, and the Royal Society, the Managers of the Balfour fund, Cambridge University, 

 and the British Association, for grants in aid of my expedition of 1908. I have also 

 to thank the Governing Body of my College for leave of absence during term time. It 

 is almost invidious to mention any one in the Seychelles, where one and all, English, 

 French and Indian, deemed nothing of too much trouble if it ministered to our efficiency 

 or comfort. I only hope that the public lectures which we delivered on " Coconut and 

 Cassava Cultivation," on " Marine Fisheries " and on " Scale Insects " (Mr H. C. Scott), 

 as well as our discussion with the Chamber of Agriculture on " Reafforestation," may 

 have proved of some aid to the Colony in its economic troubles. Besides those mentioned 

 above I must express my deep obligations to Mr H. A. Pare (Messrs Baty, Bergne 

 and Co.) for managing our banking arrangements, shipping our goods, searching out and 

 securing for us the best house, collecting, reef and jungle boys, and for many other things 

 too numerous to mention. Scientifically, we are under great obligations to Mr R. Dupont 

 and Mr H. P. Thomasset, while the Governor placed every possible facility at our 

 disposal. From M. d'Emmerez de Charmoy, the owner of Aldabra, Assumption, Astove 

 and Cosmoledo we received every kindness, and we only trust that our explorations 

 may assist him in developing the resources of these wonderful islands. 



