822 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [April, 



The change from the larva to the pupa in this species appears to take place about 

 half way hetween the bark and centre of the tree ; and on changing from the pupa 

 to the imago state, the perfect insect works its way out, by eating with its strong 

 mandibles a circular hole, about the same size as that made by the larvae in the 

 interior of the tree. The general direction of the passages made by the larvae is 

 perpendicular ; while that of the exit of the imago is horizontal — the shortest way 

 in fact to the air. 



The second experimental year of the Curatorship having expired, Dr. 

 Pearson read the subjoined report on the operations of the Museum for 

 the past year. 



Report on the Museum of the Asiatic Society, by the Curator, — May 1837. 

 At the conclusion of the term of my charge of the Museum last year I stated the 

 improvements that had been made ; and how much it was to be desired that it should 

 not be allowed to fall back into the state in which I found it twelve months before. 

 I am now again called upon to report progress, and to request your attention to 

 form some arrangement by which the evils I then deprecated may be averted, and an 

 improved method adopted, if you wish to alter that which has been followed for the 

 past two years. 



The present state of your Museum maybe mentioned in a few words. The arrange- 

 ments of last year have been followed out, by improving the appearance of the 

 apartments and by matting the floors ; while by free ventilation the dampness, from 

 which so much inconvenience was formerly experienced, has altogether disappeared. 

 No enemy now remains indeed but the dust, which does much mischief by settling 

 upon the specimens, and giving a dingy appearance to them ; as well as by frequent 

 leaning being required, and the inevitable injury to which they are in consequence 

 exposed. 



Improvements have also been made in the cabinets. They have been all glazed 

 and made ready for the reception of specimens, save one, whiGh is nearly completed. 

 The subscription now on foot for this part of the Museum will render it all that can 

 be wished. 



A great number of specimens have been presented during the year ; but owing to 

 the insufficient means taken by their presenters to preserve them, only a portion 

 could be made available to the purposes of the science. I may here state that, pre- 

 parations, whether of skins or of insects, which have not been preserved by arsenical 

 soap, or by some preparation of arsenic, are not proof against the attacks of insects 

 in this country ; even the so much vaunted solution of corrosive sublimate in spirits 

 of wine is, as I have found after a fair trial, to be almost useless. But of the speci- 

 mens presented, there have been mounted two hundred and thirty birds, ten of which 

 are of large size ; twenty-eight mammalia, and sixteen reptiles ; eight skeletons 

 have been prepared and articulated in the Museum ; viz. those of the Orang-outang, 

 the cow, the ass, hog, adjutant, two terrapins and a turtle. These are complete, with 

 the exception of the first ; and those who know by experience the labour of preparing 

 and afterwards of joining together, or articulating as it is technically termed, the 

 bones of a skeleton especially in this country, will be able to appreciate the labours of 

 Mr. Bouchez, to whom the praise of executing the manual part of them belongs. The 

 bones of the Orang-outang were presented by Mr. Frith, but the hands and feet 

 having been unfortunately lost, they were restored in wood from those of the Sumatran 

 gigantic ape in the Museum. 



Besides the articulated skeletons there have been presented twenty-two other 

 osteological specimens ; consisting of the skulls of mammalia and birds, the jaw of 

 a whale and the legs of the Emeu. 



The other specimens consist of a few reptiles and fishes, and a considerable num- 

 ber of insects and shells. 



