1839.] Memoranda on the Museum of the Asiatic Society. 417 



questing that lists may be returned to the Society with the scientific 

 names inserted opposite to the corresponding numbers, from such lists 

 the names may then be transferred to the objects in the Museum. 

 We should thus not only secure a perfect nomenclature, but at the same 

 time disseminate a knowledge of the productions of India, and give 

 a publicity to the contents of our collection far more important to the 

 advancement of science than could be effected by any other means. 



On the establishments of the Museum as they relate to expenditure, 

 I am incompetent to offer any suggestions. It appears from the 

 pecuniary accounts published in the January number of the Journal, 

 that the Museum expenses in 1838 exceeded the Government grant of 

 200 Rupees per mensem by 1171 Rupees, although 246 Rupees only of 

 that excess appears to be set down for cabinets. During the present 

 year if the requisite cabinets be procured, and the other expenses of the 

 Museum be continued as before, the excess beyond the Government 

 grant for the support of the Museum, will necessarily amount to several 

 thousand rupees. 



The persons employed in the Museum at present are — two taxider- 

 mists, one on the receipt of 50 and the other 12 Rupees per mensem ; 

 two carpenters at 8 Rupees each ; and two native servants ; whose 

 salaries altogether amount to 88 Rupees per mensem. 



The principal taxidermist cannot write, and as he is therefore incapa- 

 ble of keeping any record, it would be necessary to have some one else 

 on the spot to wait on visitors, and assist in carrying on the business 

 of the Museum. In the Library there is an assistant librarian who 

 has been employed for several years on a salary of 30 Rupees a month, 

 it would be necessary that his duties should be extended to the Museum, 

 and that his salary should be raised, say from 30 to 50, or 60 Ru- 

 pees a month, which would still leave a balance of 70 or 80 a month 

 for petty expenses, so that the Government grant would thus just meet 

 the current expenses of the Museum, exclusive of cabinets and Cura- 

 tor's salary. 



If we have a Museum, we must have cabinets ; the salary of a Cura- 

 tor is not however considered so essential, and some of the members of 

 the Society have already protested against such an expenditure. 



In proposing that the office should be an honorary one, I am guided 

 entirely by what I conceive would be the sentiments of all votaries of 

 science, without any affectation of disinterestedness on my own part. 

 Indeed under any circumstances I could not undertake to hold the 

 office of Curator longer than the plans here proposed should be placed 

 in proper training, after which, the whole might be conducted by a 

 subordinate establishment under the direction of the Committee of 



