620 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXIV. 



The income for the year was to the nearest Rupee Es. 33,784 which com- 

 pares unfavourably with the income of the previous year (1914), amounting 

 to Rs. 47,566. 



Apart from the smaller amounts received for publications of the Society 

 such as the Snake book and the Pigeon book, the most serious item for 

 consideration in connection with this decrease in income, is a fall in the 

 amount received for entrance fees from Rs. 1,480 to Rs. 790. In other w^ords 

 new members in 1915 were only one half of those that joined in 1914. The 

 present condition is brought about by the effects of the War which has 

 withdrawn almost the whole of the regular Garrison from the countx*y and 

 this has been largely replaced by Regiments of the Territorial Force. The 

 Officers, however, of the Territorial Force are not likely to join in large 

 numbers as their stay in the country, as expected by themselves at any rate, 

 is likely to be extremely limited. 



There is also a tendency for resignations to come in. The annual subs- 

 cription is only Rs. 15 and in return members get 4 numbers of the excellent 

 Journal of the Society. It is hoped that members will cease from resigning. 



Apart from fixed deposits and cash balance, the expenditure of the Society 

 was for the year 1915 Rs. 28,098 compared with Rs. 45,172 in the previous 

 year. It will thus be seen that the decline in income has been met by 

 economy in administration. It will be noticed that the Journal account is 

 down from Rs. 20,362 to Rs. 9,309 but in addition some Rs. 3,500 have still 

 to be paid off" on account of outstanding bills so that the real cost has been 

 Rs. 12,809. The decrease is chiefly due to a smaller expenditure on illus- 

 trations. 



The invested funds of the Society have not been touched and remains at 

 Rs. 43,000 and we also have a Fixed Deposit of Rs. 5,000 with the Eastern 

 Bank. 



Mr. Kinnear, Curator of the Museum, voluntarily off"ered to go on half 

 pay as his time is now much occupied with the duties at the Brigade Staff" 

 Office and the Society owe him a debt of gratitude for his generous offer 

 which has been accepted and which will make considerable saving in expen- 

 diture in the current year. 



Mammal Survey Fund Account 



The opening balance was Rs. 14,860 and the closing balance Rs. 8,526, 

 showing a net deficit of Rs. 6,334 being the difference of Rs. 1,671 and 

 expenditure Rs. 8,005. During the year our remaining collector, Mr. 

 Crump, returned to England to join the Army. 



All the collectors having thus gone to fight for their country, field work 

 has ceased except for the operations of one assistant, who is working with 

 success in the Bhutan Duars. This costs only Rs. 100 a month and is worth 

 incurring in view of the work being done. 



When full operations are recommenced after the war, an appeal will 

 have to be made for more funds. 



A vote of thanks was passed to the Honorary Treasurer and to the 

 Honorary Secretaries for their work on behalf of the Society during the 

 year. 



Mr. Kinnear, the Cui-ator of the Museum, drew the attention of members 

 present, to the collection of squirrels exhibited which had just been 

 returned by the British Museum ^Natural History) and which had been 

 arranged in the same order as they were found to occur on the Chindwin 

 River by Mr. G. C. Shortridge and the late Capt. S. A. Macmillan when 

 collecting for the Mammal Survey. They formed what Mr. Oldfield Thomas 

 and Mr. Wroughton described as — " The most wonderful series that has 



