1843.] Asiatic Society. 1111 



This form of the rule is, I think, preferable to the former, it being more regular to 

 fix a certain period for the keeping of the books, and also as it does not exclude other 

 Members from the use of a particular work. 



II. To add the following rules :— 



1. The Librarian should be authorised to call in any work which is detained beyond 

 the time fixed by the preceding rule. 



2. All works, borrowed from the Library, should be returned once a year, viz. the 

 first of October, in order to enable the Librarian to have the most efficient control over 

 them, and to report to the Secretary on the state of the Library. 



3. Valuable manuscripts should not be removed from the Library, and no work of 

 the Oriental division of the Library should be borrowed by Native gentlemen, not 

 Members of the Society, without a special order of the Secretary. 



In conclusion, I would propose, that the rules of the Library be printed and annexed 

 to the Catalogue. I have the honour to be, Sir, 



Asiatic Society, \kth October, 1843. Your most obedient servant, 



G. Roer. 

 Memorandum by the Sub- Secretary. 



With reference to new arrangements respecting the Library, I beg on the part of the 

 Curators to suggest, that some rule like the following be laid down for the guidance 

 of the Librarian, and for assuring to the Curators that control over the books which are 

 specially required for their several departments, without which they must be seriously 

 impeded, and may often be totally stopped in the progress of their labours. 



" Rule. — All books being books of general or special reference in the various branch- 

 es of Natural History, in the departments of the Zoological, Geological, and Mineralogi- 

 cal Curators, to be understood by the Librarian to be books of reference for the use of 

 those officers, and as such, not to be lent out of the Library. 



" The Curators are farther to be allowed to take over for daily use, such books as they 

 may select for that purpose, giving the usual receipt to the Librarian." 



The motive for this rule is, farther, not only to assure to the Curators the use of books 

 often bought specially for their use, but moreover because there is no question, not only 

 that books of daily reference to the working Naturalist are in a manner almost appropri- 

 ated and kept for months, and even years, by parties who often make but little use of 

 them, but that such works often disappear entirely from the Library ;— this has certainly 

 occurred with books relating to my own department, and which I cannot now obtain 

 in Calcutta. H. Piddington, 



Sub-Secretary and Curator Museum Econ. 



Geol. and Mineral. Geol. Dept. 4?c. 



Memorandum by the Secretary. 

 I have the honor to submit a new Rule for the Library, having special reference to 

 the class of works ordinarily required by the Curators to the Society in the course of 

 their labours. 



Hand books and text books of science should evidently be kept in the reach of 

 parties actively engaged in Scientific investigation. For this purpose they either be 

 detained in the Library as proposed, or, as opportunity occurs, procured in duplicate, 

 one copy being always reserved as the Museum copy. H. Torrens, 



Vice President and Secretary, Asiatic Society. 

 7 G 



