x ANNUAL REPORT. 
Change of Name. At the July meeting the important question 
of changing the Society’s name was definitely 
put to the vote. In April a circular was sent to all members men- 
tioning the proposal to change the name of the Society from the 
“Straits Branch” to the “ Mala yan Branch of the Royal Asiatic 
Society.” Arguments for and against were briefly discussed ; 
members were invited to reply by postcard stating whether they 
were in favour of the change or not. The result of this informal 
ballot was 159 members in favour and 17 against the proposed 
change, 
At the July meeting the following proposal was carried un- 
animously :— 
“That Rule 1 be rescinded and the following substituted :— 
“The name of the Society shall be ‘The Malayan Branch of 
the Royal Asiatic Society ’.” 
. The Resolution is subject to confirmation at the Annual Gene- 
ral Meeting to be held in February, 1922. 
Franking Privileges. The privilege of free postage for the 
Society's publications and _ correspon- 
dence addressed to places in the Straits Settlements has now been 
extended to the F. M. S., the four Unfederated States, and Brunei, 
Ww hose Governments have kindly agreed to accept the Hon. Secre- 
tary’s frank. This concession w ill result in a considerable reduc- 
tion of our postage expenses. : yeepet 
Journals. Three Journals were issued for the year. No. 83 
appeared in April, a general number of 173 pages. A 
Special number with only a limited number of copies was published 
in September. This is devoted to a very important Flora of 
Borneo by Dr. E. D. Merrill, Director of the Bureau of Science, 
Manila. It fills 637 pages, took 3 years to print and cost the 
Society $2,870. The Council decided to issue this Journal only 
to such members who cared to ask for it, as it was thought that 
the contents being somewhat of a technical nature would not in+ 
terest all eet of the Society. 
t 
No, 84 was printed by the end of the year, but owing to,an 
unfortunate delay over the illustrations, could not be issued until 
January, 1922. It is devoted to an articie by Mr. C, N.. Maxwell 
on Malayan Fishes, covering 102 pages, and illustrated by 72 plates. 
The total cost of this number is borne by the Department of Sup- 
plies for whom a special edition in an attractive cover cee been 
printed off for sale. 
Thirteen contributed papers to the Journal against twelve in 
1920. The variety of subjects covered was well-maintained. 
Malayan folk-lore heads the list with eight papers from Dr. Win- 
stedt. There were five Zoological papers, including three on mam- 
