212 UEPoirr~1880. 



Report of the Committee, consisting of ]\Ir. Sclater, Dr. Gr. 

 Hartlaub, Sir Joseph Hooker, Captain F. M. Hunter, and 

 Lieut.-Col. H. H. GtOdwin-Austen, appointed to take steps for the 

 Invest! jation of the Natural History of Socotra. 



Colonel Godwin- Austen having been unable to carry out his intention of 

 going to Soootra, the Committee were fortmiate enough to obtain the 

 services of Dr. I. B. Balfour, Professor of Botany in the University of 

 Glasgow, for this purpose. Prof. Balfour left this country on January 9, 

 for Aden, and returned home on April 21. As his report of proceeding?, 

 &c. (appended), will show, he has, considering the short time (only six 

 weeks) that could be devoted to the investigation of the island, and the 

 inevitable delays and difficulties always attending the first exploration of 

 an unknown country, not only achieved a remarkable amount of success, 

 but has proved how much more rich the island is than was anticipated, 

 and how much is left for future explorers. 



The total expenditure of Prof. Balfour on his expedition amounted to 

 about 420Z. The Committee having received 100/. from this Association, 

 and 300?. from the Government Grant Fund of the Royal Society, there 

 remains a debt of about 20Z. due to Prof. Balfour. 



The Committee request that a grant of 50Z. may be made to them to 

 enable them to discharge this debt. The balance they propose to devote 

 in aid of the publication of the results obtained by the expedition. 



The Committee consider that the best thanks of the Association are 

 due to Prof. Balfour for having undertaken this expedition, and for the 

 zeal and industry with which he has carried it through. 



The Committee consider that the best thanks of the Association are 

 also due to Brigadier- General Loch, C.B., Resident at Aden, Major Good- 

 fellow, Assistant Political Agent, and Captain Heron, of H.M.S. Seagull, 

 for the great assistance they have rendered to Prof. Balfour on this occa- 

 Bion. The success of the expedition is, as Prof. Balfour informs us, 

 mainly due to the cordial co-operation of these gentlemen. 



Referring to the report of Prof. Balfour, the Committee feel no doubt 

 that in every branch of science considerable results are yet to be obtained 

 by further investigations in Socotra, and are of opinion that a second 

 expedition should be sent out as soon as the necessary facilities can be 

 obtained. 



Report to the Socotra Committee of the British Association for the Advance- 

 ment of Science of the proceedings of the Expedition to the Island of 

 Socotra. By Batley Balfour, Sc.D., M.B., Regius Professor of Botany, 

 University of Olasgoio, in charge of the Expedition. 



Having undertaken at the request of the Committee the work of an 

 expedition to the Island of Socotra, for the purpose of investigating its 

 Natural History, I left England on January 9, and joining the French 

 mail steamer Ava at Marseilles, reached Aden on the 24th of that month. 

 I was accompanied by Alexander Scott, a gardener from the Royal 

 Botanic Garden, Edinburgh. 



On arrival at Aden, 1 met my friend Dr. Hay, the Port Surgeon, to 



