J.V2 Asiatic Society. [Feb, 



' To' the Secretary of the Asiatic Society, &;c. 8$c. Calcutta. 



'Sir, Agra, December 2nd, 1838. 



' I beg- to forward for the consideration of the President and members of the 

 Asiatic Society some papers connected with a collection of natural curiosities lately 

 accumulated by myself on a visit to the Cape of Good Hope, and Islands in the Eastern 

 Archipelago. 



' In the first instance, I will briefly state my views in forming it ; and afterwards 

 proceed, as far as I am able, to give details. Until the publication of Swainson's vo- 

 lumes on the Classification of Animals, and afterwards of the Quadrupeds and Birds, I 

 never prosecuted the science with that ardour which these books enticed me to. His 

 distinctions, however, appearing so beautifully clear, it occurred to me that a Museum 

 classified from these books, upon one uniform principle, could not fail to prove interest- 

 ing ; and that such was much wanting in Calcutta, I had not a doubt. I was then at 

 the Cape of Good Hope for the benefit of my health, and having much leisure time, I 

 took the thing in hand. My first care was to get the specimens in the vicinity of the 

 Cape, selecting chiefly those in illustration of genera. I then became acquainted 

 Avith that unexceptionable, practical naturalist and taxidermist, Monsieur Verreaux, 

 who had been extolled for his art by his master Cuvier ; had been the personal friend 

 of Levaillant; the intimate associate of Ruppell and Lesson ; and well known to seve- 

 ral other naturalists of note. In such a person how could I fail to be interested ? 

 Through this individual I procured the only duplicate skins existing of the large col- 

 lection formed by that zealous naturalist, Dr. A. Smith, who had just returned from 

 the scientific expedition into the interior of Africa, and whose work of African Zoology 

 is only now in course of publication. My original purchase was limited to one hundred 

 pounds, adding for this sum only twenty genera, and a few new species. Finding 

 however my little stock, by the addition of new discoveries, increase in interest, I deter- 

 mined to endeavour to procure from South America those gorgeous specimens for 

 which that country is so celebrated, to add to the beauty of the whole. With this view 

 I made a list of the most interesting genera, and wrote to Rio Janeiro, where I knew 

 Dr. Natterer, the German naturalist, had been collecting for the Emperor of Austria. 

 From that country I procured many rare and interesting birds, and a vast collection of 

 insects. Monsieur Verreaux hearing of the illness of his father in Paris, determined 

 upon a hasty return to his own country, and wishing to go immediately, unincumbered, 

 offered me the whole of his remaining specimens then at the Cape, mounted and in 

 skin. I had now become the purchaser of animals, birds, &c. to the amount of fifteen 

 hundred pounds. The remainder of my purchases at the Cape from different natu- 

 ralists being about five hundred more. I shortly determined upon leaving the Cape and 

 proceeding to Java, with the intention of returning to India via the Eastern Archipe- 

 lago, for the purpose of adding largly to (what I shall now denominate) the Museum. 

 On this tour I was obliged to content myself with skins, obtaining large numbers, and 

 curing them myself. From the Buggeese I was fortunate enough to procure some rare 

 and interesting specimens from the Moluccas and Borneo: in fact I left no part of the 

 Eastern Archipelago untouched, and have now brought to Calcutta the whole of my 

 labours. 



' Here, however, my difficulties commence. Upon my arrival I find my circum- 

 stances changed, and that independent of the whole of my private means expended in 

 the forming this Museum, when my accounts are closed, I shall have a balance against 

 me of about, twenty thousand rupees, to meet which I supposed I had resources, but 

 sundry misfortunes have left me none. 



' My return to Calcutta had been so arranged that I should have had three months 

 remaining of unexpired leave to devote to the arrangement of all I had gathered toge- 

 ther ; instead of which I found myself hampered by the most unforeseen difficulties, 

 with no immediate funds to defray the expenses Obliged to hurry to the Upper Pro- 



