604 



Asiatic Society. 



[No. 126. 



minor particulars. The difficulty of procuring specimens of these animals in this 

 neighbourhood, however numerous they may be, is much greater than would be sup- 

 posed, from the doltish apathy of the shikarees, who cannot be induced to deviate from 

 their beaten path of procuring esculent creatures only ; and it may yet be a long 

 while, therefore, before I succeed in procuring the materials for describing the species 

 which I have here merely indicated. 



A specimen of a Remora, or Sucking-fish, (Echeneis naucrates,) has been pur- 

 chased in the bazaar. 



My principal occupation has, however, been lately in arranging our shells, and 

 especially our insects. Of the latter we possess, firstly, the specimens in the cases 

 (including many from Assam and Sylhet), which were either merely arranged accord- 

 ing to their localities, or not arranged at all ; the former method possessing some ad- 

 vantages, but involving great inconvenience for room, and most unnecessary successions 

 of duplicates of the generally predominant species : secondly, the box of Swan River 

 specimens presented by Mr. Crichton, as noticed in my report for last September : 

 thirdly, those from Afghanistan mentioned in my last report : fourthly, a considerable 

 number that have been taken under my own superintendence in this neighbourhood : 

 and fifthly, a large box of specimens, chiefly Coleoptera and Hemiptera, thrown loose- 

 ly upon one another, and consequently, for the most part, much injured, which were 

 presented to the Society by Dr. O'Shaughnessy, and which I suspect (from the 

 prevalence of certain species) to have been from Sylhet or Assam, probably the 

 latter. Many interesting Curculionidce and other hard-cased Coleoptera have been 

 picked uninjured out of this lot, and altogether many hundred specimens have been 

 rescued from impending destruction, affording a considerable number of duplicates of 

 some of them, which are of essential service, as supplying the means of getting sa- 

 tisfactorily identified such as have already received names. 



A package of various skins, chiefly of birds, has been shipped for the Collegium 

 Academicum of Christiana; another to the Cornish institution at Truro, through 

 Dr. Spry ; and a third box of specimens has been forwarded to Mr. Jerdon at 

 Madras, from whom, in return, we may expect, shortly, a consignment of valuable 

 specimens from Peninsular India, whitherfrom at present our Museum can boast 

 very few contributions in recent Zoology.* 



I remain, Sir, 



With much respect, 



Your's obediently, 



Edward Blyth. 



Mr, Jerdon'o valuable donation has since been received. 



