Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. 145 



Should uo candidate of sufficient acquirements present himself within 

 three months, the Committee recommend that the president be requested 

 to communicate with the proper scientific authorities in Europe, autho- 

 rizing the appointment and dispatch to India, of a competent individual, 

 bound to serve the Society for a period of five years, and subject to the 

 rides herein expressed. 



The Committee would not be disposed to extend to any other in- 

 dividual but Dr. M'Clelland the privilege of devoting but two hours 

 dady to the Museum, and would require four hours at least actual atten- 

 dance at the Museum, from whatever other candidate might be selected. 



(True Copy,) 



W. B. O'SHAUGHNESSY, 



Offig. Secy. Asiatic Society. 



Minute by Dr. J. Grant. 



I regret that I cannot concur in the whole of this Report, agreeing 

 with much of the general principle that pervades it. I dissent from its 

 application to our peculiar circumstances. The Report closes with a 

 well merited expression of the desirableness of securing, if possible, the 

 services of a zealous, able, industrious, and disinterested naturalist 

 upon the spot, and yet proposes to fetter him with rules, which I fear 

 might damp his ardour and circumscribe his usefulness, without any 

 commensurate benefit to the institution, or perhaps alienate him alto- 

 gether from a situation which he is well qualified to adorn. 



The Report proposes the consideration of the subject entirely on 

 abstract principles, without reference to individual fitness here, or con- 

 venience of availing ourselves of such at once, but sincerely believing as 

 I do that the readiest practicable plan is to avail ourselves of the 

 intellectual means at hand, rather than incur the delay of waiting for 

 remote and uncertain materials, I am averse to the adoption of rules 

 which I fear may deprive us of Dr. M'Clelland's services. 



The three suggestions contained in the opening paragraph of the 

 report appear to me objectionable, for the reasons to be stated as I 

 proceed. 1st. I would not tie down Dr. M'Clelland (supposing him ready 

 to undertake the office of Curator) to two hours dady in the Museum ; 

 though it is not unlikely that at an average Dr. M'Clelland would de- 

 vote so much time to the duties of the Museum ; — yet I conceive that 

 the precise locality of duties bearing on the Museum, is of less impor- 

 tance than their being essentially well produced and looked after, not 

 merely in the Museum, but out of it ; since Dr. M'Clelland might labour 

 very usefully for the Museum in his own house, without a scrupulous 

 and inconvenient measuring of time within the walls of the Museum, 

 that if left to himself might occasionally extend to more even than two 

 hours. 2nd. Monthly Reports, for some time to come, would almost 

 entirely be confined to mechanical arrangement. Quarterly or half 



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