xxxvih 



time and damp, and are all mounted in the grotesquely distorted man- 

 ner which characterized the taxidermy of former times. This collec- 

 tion is also not a local one, containing cockatoos, terriers, &c, and it 

 is highly desirable that a fresh one should be formed, strictly confined 

 for the present, to our indigenous Fauna; while the difficulty of pre- 

 serving mounted specimens proves the desirability of retaining sets of 

 each species of the rarer specimens, in what is called the skin, in which 

 state they are also far more readily available for scientific examination. 



The shells of the Society will shortly be arranged on tables under 

 glass, but in the first instance only those that are indisputably native 

 will be so classified; a member has undertaken to name these, and con- 

 tributions even of the commonest species will be most welcome. 



The reptiles can only be considered the commencement of a col- 

 lection, and as the Society has purchased numerous glass jars for their 

 reception, it is believed they will quickly be increased by donations 

 from members, until they form a complete local collection. 



The addition of fresh spirit has greatly improved the appearance 

 of the fishes and reptiles at present received- 



Specimens of local minerals are numerous, but much in want of 

 systematic arrangement; those presented by Dr. Gygax are especially 

 interesting. 



It is to be wished some members would assist in the formation of 

 collections of coins and insects, in both of which they would probably 

 find many persons willing to aid the Society. 



The Library has been enriched by the addition of 87 volumes, 

 Journals and numbers of publications. Of these 40 have been pur- 

 chases made by order of the Committee, and 47 are donations from the 

 Secretary of State for India, the Government of Ceylon, the Uni- 

 versity of Christiana, the Royal Philological and Ethnographical 

 Institute for Netherlands India, the Smithsonian Institution of the 

 United States of America, the Royal Asiatic Society, the Bengal 

 and Bombay Branches, the Bombay Geographical Society, and private 

 individuals. 



Among the most important of these may be specially mentioned. 



