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can be no doubt that the increase of accommoda- 
tion thu? afforded was urgently required. The 
building was completed within the year, but was 
not ready for occupation during 1903. Far from 
prejudicing the beauty of the surroundings of the 
Museum, it produces a new and, I think, by no 
means unpleasing scenic effect, when viewed in 
conjunction with the picturesque Joliage^of the 
bacl{ground, 
PUBLICATIONS. 
The Moth Catalogue referred to last year Uas 
been completed and published, comprising a list of 
moths recorded from Oeylon up to the end of the 
year 1902. It was commenced by Mr. A Haly, and 
brought up to date by Mr. F M Mackwood. It 
makes a stout pamphlet of 299 pages containing 
the names of more than 2,000 species. A quarterly 
periodical called "Spolia Zeylanica," designed for 
the purpose of publishing in a form convenient for 
reference reports and notes on the natural resources 
of the Island and of the surrounding seas, ex- 
clusive of those sibieeta wliieh are covered by the 
publications of che Royal Sotanic Gardens at 
Peradeniya, has been inaugurated with the 
authority of Government. 'The first volume has 
been printed^ and, the first part of the second 
volume will appear early in IDO-i, The journal is 
issued by the Colombo Museum, but its pages are 
open to contributions dealing with the subjects 
which it embraces from all sources, A considerable 
amount of local interest has been evinced in the 
experiment. There is probably room for such 
a publication in Ceylon, the principal expense 
of which is due to the illustrations, without 
which such a journal would be of no use. 
Arrangements have been made to print a new 
Guide to the Collections in the Museum during 1904. 
GROUNDS. 
The Head Gardener, a capable man named N P 
Pedum Appu, unfortunately died suddenly on 8th 
October. The senior garden eooly has since been 
acting, and under his care the beauty of the 
ITounds has been maintained. The lawn in front 
of the Museum is and, 1 suppose, always has 
been bare of trees, but it is regarded as an ad- 
mirable sward in itself worthy of being preserved 
intact. A small collection of live animals has 
been exhibited in the fernery at the back of the 
Museum. This has attracted a good deal of at- 
tention and criticism both favourable and un- 
favourable. The animals which have been 
on exhibition included leopards, palm cats, 
civet cat?, mongoose, porcupines, rock 
squirrels, mouse-deer, loris, monkeys, hog- 
deer, &c. The animals which are hardiest and 
easiest to keep in captivity are deer, monkeys 
and rodents, and next to these carnivora. The 
most difficult animals to rear are insectivorous 
creatures, such as the pangolin or scaly ant-eater. 
NATURAL HISTORY GALLERIES. 
The appearance of the natural history galleries 
has been transformed by moving the tall bird cases 
away from the walls into the middle of the main 
gallery, and tronsterring most of the table cases 
from the middle to the sides of the room. This 
alteration has had the effect of relieving the 
monotony of the gallery, and at the same time 
has set free a considerable amount of space in the 
centre, which has been filled up by a jungle scene, 
Two of the large bird cases have been re stocked, 
one with peacocks and the other with flamingoes 
and other wading birds. The gro'jp referred to in 
last year's report, representing a spotted deer 
being attacked by a young leopard, has been com- 
pleted by the addition of monkeys on the trees 
overhead. This group is of a somewhat sensational 
character, and is perhaps suggestive of more action 
than is desirable. Moreover, the size of the 
leopard and the method of attack are subjects for 
criticism. It can, of course, be abolished when- 
ever it may be thought desirable to do so, as it is 
notconhned in a specially constructed case, but is 
left open. A larger group of sambur deer and a 
wild boar in the jungle has been put up in the 
centre of the gallery, and does credit to the work 
of the Museum Taxidermist, Mr H F Fernando, 
This group has received reserved approbation from 
exacting and competent critics. The moulding of 
the figures of the three deer and of the wild boar 
will stand close scrutiny, and the setting in which 
they are mounted lends picturesqueness to these 
coarsely furred pachyderms, v/hich nobody had been 
bold enough to exhibit in the Museum before. In 
addition to the large game some characteristicbirds, 
bee-eaters, kingfishers, lapwings, &e., have been 
scattered about the thorn bushes and in the grass. 
The material for this group, as well as the peacocks 
and flamingoes for the bird cases mentioned above 
and the monkeys for the spotted deer and leopard 
group, was obtained during an expedition to the 
Southern Province (Weligatta, Tissa, Palatupana, 
and Buttuwa) in March, 1903. I was accompanied 
by the tasidermist, and enjoyed the services of an 
excellent tracker, who, I regret to learn, was subse- 
quently trampled upon by a wounded elephant and 
killed. The work of preparing the groups occupied 
the taxidermist for several months, and required 
space tor his operations. The necessary space was 
secured by moving the whale skeleton out of the 
large store room at the back of the Museum and 
placing it outside under a cadjan shed. It is hoped 
that the vifhale skeleton will eventually be mounted 
in a proper manner. 
COLLECTION OF INSECTS. 
The Museum collection of Horaoptera, which 
was sent to Dr L Melichar of Vienna last year, 
has been returned, enriched by the addition of 
further specimens. The collection comprises about 
ninety named species, which are recorded in Dr 
Melichar's recently published Monograph on the 
Homopteia of Ceylon. A representative collection 
of tiger beetles (Cicindelidm) and some Elateridce, 
Chrysomelidce, and Coccinellidce were sent to Dr. 
W Horn of Berlin, and have also been returned. 
The Cicindelidce were named by Dr. Horn, and 
the Elateridce by HerrSchwarz, the Chrysomelidce 
and Coccinellidoi hy H.err VViese. A few specimens 
were kindly added to the collection by the gentle- 
men named. An illustrated report on the Cicindeli- 
dce by Dr. Horn will appear in " Spolia Zeylanica." 
The collection of butterflies has been undergoing 
re-arrangeraent by Mr E E Green, the Government) 
Entomologist, A colony of living leaf insects 
(Phyllium scythe) fed upon guava leaves has been 
shown in a vivarium at the foot of the main 
staircase, and has proved a great attraction. 
MORTALITY AMONG HORSES ON IRANATIVU. 
I paid two visits to Iranativu during the year 
and took the opportunity of looking into the 
matter of the mortality among the horses on 
Iranativu referred to in the Administration Keporb 
of the Government Agent, Northern Province, for 
1901, where it is stated that a mysterious 
ailment carried off 25 per cent of the animals 
