j#39.] Asiatic Society. 967 



on by the Government for the expenditure of the sum granted by the Honorable Court 

 for this express purpose. He therefore begged to propose that the office be offered to 

 Dr. M'Clelland on these stipulations, if he chose to accept of it. 



Mr. H. T. Prinsep thought it necessary to inquire, with reference to Dr. M'Clel- 

 land' s explanation of his views of the nature of a curator's office, whether it was 

 intended to recognize the curator as entitled to remove to his own house any objects 

 of natural curiosity or other articles he might desire. He thought that the recogni- 

 tion of such a privilege was inconsistent with the object of preserving always at hand 

 for inspection every article obtained. He wished the rules of other Museums should 

 be referred to, for of course it would be expected now that the Honorable Court had 

 specifically assigned a sum for its maintenance, that the Society should conform to the 

 practice of other similar institutions in Europe. Of course on the first arrival of any 

 article, before it was classed and located in the Museum, the curator might do what- 

 ever was necessary to examine and test it, carrying it away if he pleased for the 

 purpose. But when once placed in the Museum, Mr. Prinsep thought the articles 

 ought not on any account to be removed, and the rooms of the Society afforded facili- 

 ties sufficient for copying and comparing in them, without any removal being necessary. 



Sir E. Ryan then moved that the Committee of Papers be instructed to draw up rules 

 on which the curatorship should be held, with the stipulation that two hours a day 

 at least be allotted for the duties of the office— that reports be furnished monthly 

 of the state of the Museum — and that no specimens be allowed to be removed from the 

 Society's apartments. Similar rules in fact have invariably been observed by other 

 Societies. The President further suggested, that the Committee do make their report 

 on it at the next meeting. Dr. M'Clelland then said, that if it was intended that 

 these rules should be strictly enforced, it would be the means of greatly limiting the 

 endeavours of the curator, whoever he might be, for the interests of the Society; and he 

 thought it as well, under these stipulations, to decline accepting of the situation. 



Sir E. Ryan added that the Society were so sensible of the value of Dr. 

 M'Clelland's services, that no decision would be formed on his expressed refusal of 

 the office until the next meeting. 



The annual Report was then presented by the officiating Secretaries, but reserved for 

 perusal at the next meeting. 



The following letters from Dr. Cantor were read. 



Sir, Calcutta, January 25, 1840. 



I take the liberty to call your attention to the following extract of a letter 

 which I have received from Prof. Reinhardt, Superintendent of the Royal Museum' 

 at Copenhagen. 



" In the year 1823 or 1824, I presented a number of stuffed specimens of European, 

 (mostly northern) birds to the Asiatic Society, Calcutta. From a Calcutta Journal I 

 have learned, that the specimens had arrived in fine condition, and that the Society 

 at their monthly meeting were pleased to pass a resolution, that a number of their 

 duplicates of Indian birds were to be presented to me in return. I have however since 

 then neither heard any thing concerning this matter, nor have I received the gift of 

 the Society. If you therefore on your return to Calcutta could procure some informa- 



