964 Asiatic Society. [Nov. 



missions still holding collections of Insects unappropriated, under the supposition, 

 perhaps, that such objects would be less appreciated than the large animals; on the 

 contrary, Dr. Horsfield states that contributions to this department of the Museum 

 would be as likely as any other means to promote the interests of science, and to secure 

 the approval of those who are interested in the collection at the India House. 



With regard to Insects. The public collections which remain, I believe, unappro- 

 priated, are those made by Dr. Wallich, Mr. Griffith, and myself, when employed 

 on the Assam deputation, and Dr. Helfer's collection. That which was made by 

 the Assam deputation is still, I believe, at the Botanic Garden, and like Dr. Helfer's 

 collection has not yet been transferred to the Government With regard to the former, 

 perhaps the Society has no authority to interfere ; but as the Society has been autho- 

 rized to take one series of Dr. Helfer's collection for our own Museum, and to select 

 another for that of the India House, it might be necessary to address Dr. Helfer 

 on the subject, particularly as his collection of birds for the Honorable Court has 

 been packed up for some time in the Museum, and are only detained till the insects 

 which have not yet been submitted to the Society should accompany them. 



The large collections of birds and insects made by Captain Pemberton during 

 his mission to Boutan, and the officers who accompanied him on that occasion, have 

 been long almost unobserved in the Museum, owing to the late repairs of the house. 

 The greater part of the birds composing that collection were previously in our posses- 

 sion, bu tsuch as were new to it were transferred to our cabinets, and the rest enclosed 

 in cases for transmission to the India House. The insects of the same collection which 

 are numerous, and no doubt rich in undescribed forms, are also in course of being 

 dispatched with the birds ; a series having been reserved for our own collection. The 

 pains taken during Captain Pemberton's Journey, to mark the localities in which 

 the different objects were collected, cannot be too highly applauded, especially as this 

 very important ch-cumstance has been hitherto altogether neglected on such occasions. 



Mr. Lyell in a letter addressed to Mr. M'Clelland, dated 7th September 1839, 

 states, that he is very anxious for accurate information respecting the geography of 

 living testacea and Indian tertiary shells, and if furnished with duplicates from the 

 Museum of the Asiatic Society, proposes in return to supply the Society with fossil 

 and recent shells in exchange. 



The Society, it is to be regretted, has few fossil shells from Indian beds, and a very 

 imperfect collection of recent species. Indeed the little attention that has been paid 

 to these important subjects in India, seems to have induced collectors to send their 

 contributions elsewhere. Several members, and others interested in the advancement 

 of science, are most favourably placed on the Malay coast, at various points from 

 Chittagong to Mergui, and we may look, I trust, with confidence for large collections 

 from this quarter in the peculiar department alluded to. I have myself been already 

 indebted for a miscellaneous collection of shells from Dr. Helfer, and slight contri- 

 butions have been made to our Museum from time to time by different individuals; 

 but I question if we have as yet a tenth part of the species of the Bay, while we are alto- 

 gether without the corals, polypes, and radiata, so abundant in all the Eastern seas. 



Mr. A. P. Phayre, assistant to the commissioner of Arracan, kindly sent me some 

 time since a few interesting specimens of the rocks in the vicinity of Akyab, which are 

 perforated to the height of six feet above the greatest elevation of spring tides, the 

 same as beneath the level of the water, by a species of Pholas. Mr. Phayre justly 



