NO. 58. — 1907.] JOAN GIDEON LOTEN, F.R.S. 



251 



On pp. 282-3, chap, cxxxv., is a description of plate 345 , 

 " The Hoopoe,"* in which we read :— 



It is an Insect-eater, and is found (perhaps in winter only) in 

 Ceylon in the East Indies. I have seen a very exact drawing of 

 it, as to size, shape, and colour, done from the life in the East 

 Indies by the procurement of John Gideon Loten, Esq ; F.R.S. 

 late Governor of the Island of Ceylon. 



Again, on pp. 285-7. chap, cxxxvii., plate 347, " The Red- 

 breasted Green Creeper," &c.,| is described, and we are told 

 that — 



Fig. 1 was brought from the Cape of Good Hope by Governor 

 Loten, and is now lodged in the British Museum. 



Finally, on pp. 299-300, chap, clxiv., describing plate 354, 

 " The Little Sparrow, and the Wax-bill, "J it is stated : — 



The Wax-bill was brought from the East Indies by John Gideon 

 Loten, Esq ; F.R.S. 



I have quoted these extracts for two reasons. In the 

 first place, they prove that Mr. van Houten's assertion, 

 that Loten's plates " did frequent service for those in the 

 well-known work of Edwards, Gleanings of Natural History" 

 is incorrect ; since Edwards himself states distinctly that he 

 used only two of Loten's (really de Bevere's) drawings for 

 his book, the other six plates being drawn from specimens in 

 Loten's collection. But I have made these quotations chiefly 

 to draw attention to the statement in the first extract, which 

 is repeated in briefer form in most of the other passages, to the 

 effect that Loten had presented to the British Museum§ " a 

 very large, curious, and valuable collection of original Draw- 

 ings, in water-colours, of the most curious Animals, Vegetables, 

 &c. the productions of India ; together with many speci- 

 mens of the natural productions, well preserved." I have 

 made inquiries in various departments of the British Museum, 

 and searched contemporary records, printed and manuscript, 



* Plate dated 1st September 1759. It is not copied from a Ceylon 

 specimen. 



f Plate dated 29th December 1760. 

 1 Plate dated 27th April 1761. 



§ The British Museum had been opened only a few years before 

 (in 1759) in Montague House, 



