4 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Jan. 



ration oi' the specimens, which, since the departure of Mr. Blyth, had 

 necessarily only received such care as was absolutely requisite to ensure 

 their simple preservation. The museum was at the same time closed to 

 the public for repairs, and for re-painting and whitewashing the interior. 

 With a view to provide more light, especially in the lower rooms, the 

 interior of the cases, the stands of the specimens, &c. were painted 

 white, and the cases and larger specimens at the same time so re- 

 arranged, as to obstruct as little as possible the side lights of the lower 

 rooms. The smaller osteological specimens, which had previously been 

 exposed to dust and injury, were arranged in cases, and the larger 

 re-arranged with less crowding than before, and protected by a light 

 railing. The stuffed animals were re-arranged and protected in a 

 similar manner, in the room formerly occupied by the reptiles and 

 fishes ; and the valuable antiquities, which had previously been exposed 

 to the deteriorating action of the weather in the museum compound, and 

 many of which had been lost to sight amid the vegetation, were brought 

 into the museum, thoroughly cleaned, and arranged along the walls of 

 the museum, so as to display them in a manner previously unattempt- 

 ed. In order to provide more space for these and the Zoological 

 specimens, the collections of rock specimens and minerals, which were 

 of comparatively little interest to the public, and the importance of 

 which has been in a great measure superseded by the formation of the 

 Geological Museum in Hastings Street, were removed from their cases, 

 carefully labelled and packed in cases, to be kept in the museum 

 godowns, until the provision of more space may permit of their being 

 arranged in drawers and thus rendered available to those who may 

 wish to refer to them. Notwithstanding these measures, the space 

 available for the Zoological collections has been found insufficient, and 

 the specimens remain inconveniently crowded, but the Council have 

 addressed Government with a view to the temporary provision of space 

 elsewhere, until such time as the new museum building may be made 

 ready ; and they trust that it may shortly be in their power so to provide 

 for this part of their collections, as to place them beyond risk of further 

 injury. In addition to effecting these important improvements, Dr. 

 Anderson has addressed himself to enlarge the Ethnological collection, 

 and a circular, drawn up by him, has been issued in the name of the 

 Society, soliciting the assistance of the different Governments of India 



