554 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XVII, 



Fourmis de l'Himalaya, par Aug. Forel. 



Ficus Elastica, Forest Bulletin No. 4, 1906. 



Annual Report of the Department of Land Records in the Bombay Presi- 

 dency for 1904-05. 



Ethnographic Notes in Southern India by Edgar Thurston. Presented by 

 the Author. 



A NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY IN BOMBAY 50 YEARS AGO. 



Mr. Comber then asked permission to be allowed to say a few words about 

 a paragraph that appeared in the Bombay Gazette of 9th July last under 

 the heading of " Fifty Years Ago, " regarding the formation of a Natural 

 History Society in Bombay in the year 1859. He reminded the meeting that 

 the present Society was formed in September 1883, but from the extract that 

 was printed in the Bombay Gazette it would appear that there had been 

 a previous Natural History Society in existence in Bombay as its foundation 

 was definitely alluded to and a list of members given, numbering 25. Mr. 

 Comber then read the extract, from which it appeared that the original society 

 was more of the nature of a purely field naturalists' club than a society of 

 working naturalists with a museum and premises on a more or less elaborate 

 scale and a journal that is practically unique as the production of a purely 

 amateur club. 



The Society of 1859 appeared to have mainly devoted its attention to 

 excursions and subsequent dinners when " all manner of curious things " were 

 exhibited and discussed. 



Mr Comber enquired whether any of the older members present had any 

 recollection of this former society, as it apparently was short-lived and no 

 records of it seem to remain. 



EXHIBITS. 



A small collection of otoliths or the earbones of fishes, amongst which 

 •were those of the Pomfret, Indian Salmon, Stonefish, Ladyfish, Surmai, &c., 

 presented by Mrs, Joyce, was exhibited. 



PAPERS READ. 



The following papers were then read : — 



1. Some historical notes on the development of the complete Flora of 



the Bombay Presidency, by Rev. E. Blatter, S,J. 



2. Note on the Breeding of the Eussel's Viper (Vipera russelli) in capti- 



vity, by Lieut.-Col. W. B. Bannerman, I.M.S. 



3. Pelicans breeding in India, by C. E. Rhenius. 



4. Some notes on Heterocera, by Lieut. H. W. Kettlewell, 



