90 ES.C. Proceedings of the Ninth [N.S., XVIII, 
Zoology throughout the world owes a great debt to the 
Government of India as the only Government that has found- 
ed a zoological survey on a basis of pure research. At the 
present time zoological posts sanctioned in previous years are 
kept vacant in Great Britain in the interests of so-called 
economy, while in India the Government is at any rate attempt- 
ing to place zoological research on a sound financial basis. 
The constitution of the Indian Museum is now, especially in 
the matter of zoology, much more liberal than that of the 
British Museum from which it was originally copied. We have, 
therefore, in India justification for the hope of a brighter age. 
With faith in our calling and hope in its future we zoologists 
are in a very strong position. 
In the whole course of human history there is nothing 
that has caused more waste of genius, the rarest and most pre- 
cious of human possessions, than the opposition of officialdom 
to the progress of knowledge; but even in our struggle with 
the spirit of officialdom we must preserve two essential quali- 
ties, reason and good humour, and the latter does not exclude 
done as much harm as the ignorance and stupidity of officials. 
Charity is not only a virtue but also a very powerful weapon 
in the cause of science, which is the cause of truth. The Scot’s 
half-reverential pity for the Devil, the great Adversary, but 
for all that the “ puir De’il,” has done good work for morality 
and efficiency. The fever of fanaticism is all-powerful in 
initiative, but in the end produces without fail an antitoxin of 
officialdom. Science can afford to be magnanimous, and the 
petty politics of the passing hour need not concern us. Truth 
is great and will prevail. Whatever may be our political 
views, whatever our race, or creed, or caste, Pope’s words 
stand true in science :— 
‘* For Forms of Government let fools contest ; 
hate’r is best administered is best: 
For Modes of Faith let graceless zealots fight ; 
His can’t be wrong whose life is in the right: 
In Faith and Hope the World will disagree 
But all Mankind’s concern is Charity.” 
Pearl production in the Indian pearl oyster —By J. 
ELL. 
This paper embodies the results of twenty years’ acquaintance with 
pearl oyster research; it sums up the definite conclusions at which the 
author has arrived. 
ar o 
concentric layers around a nucleus, Any of the four shell layers ( including 
the peri s. The 
best are cyst-pearls which arise from a saccate invagination of the mantle 
epithel losi irritati bject. Cyst-pearls are of two kinds, 

J 
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