PREFACE. 
THE /,iK>logical collectiuns of the Raffles Museum are prac- 
ticaliy restricted to the Malay region so that this book, 
besides being a Guide to the Museum, is a popular 
introduction to the study of the Malay Fauna. In fact 
it would have been more correct to entitle the book ' An Intro- 
duction to the study of the Fauna of the Malay region, as 
ilhmrated by the specimens in the Raffles Museum/ especially 
as no attempt has been made in its pages actually to guide the 
visitor from case to case and shelf to shelf. The visitor is 
expected to use his eyes, and if here and there he should experi- 
ence a little difficulty in finding a particular bird or insect, he 
wsil also, when successful, partake of the joy of the numerous 
collectors who brought the specimens together. 
Of the visitors to this Museum the vast majority arc 
unfortunately not acquainted with the English language. This 
* Guide * will therefore mainly reach the Singapore European 
resident, the Passenger and the Singapore schoolboy. The first 
with his scanty leisure and the second with his short hours on 
shore cannot be expected tt> pay more than a hasty visit to the 
Museum- But the case is different with the Singapore school- 
boy, and it is hoped that the book will be welcome to him and 
that he will make ample use of it. Of recent years the number 
of sch<:>o!boys, who have been goin^f round the galleries note 
book in hand, has been steadily increasing, and this has always 
been a pleasing sight. The writer would be fully rewarded for 
the trouble of compiling the following pages, if this 'Guide' 
should be their constant companion on their future visits to 
the Museum. 
The tilust rat ions are photographs of specimens actually 
in the collection. For many of them I am indebted to Mr. Si in 
Boon Kwang and to his brother, Mr. Sim Boon Eng, who totik 
the photographs and most generously presented them to the 
Museum for the purpose of this "Guide.' A few pictures 
were taken by myself and the rest by local firms. The 
photograph of the Entrance Hall (plate II) is reproduced with 
the kind permission of Messrs, Lambert & Co. 
Finally I wish to tender my best thanks to Mr. Makepeace 
for his kind help in discussing with mc the scope and arrange- 
ment of this * Guide,* in selecting the illustrations and reading 
the proofs. 
Raffles Museum. R. Hanitsch. 
Singapore, Director, 
N (member, 
