4 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE VICTORIA INSTITUTE. 
In response to the invitation of the Government, and in 
reliance upon the promises of substantial support given at the 
initiation of the movement for the establishment of the Institute 
a sum of over $6,000 has been raised and expended upon the 
erection of a building, and upon furniture and fittings. 
The public natural history and other collections are lodged 
in the Victoria Museum under the care of the Institute. These 
at present consist of the collection of Birds given to the Colony 
by Dr. Leotaud, the collection of shells given by Governor 
Keate and the reptiles given by Dr. Court. The birds are 
numbered in accordance with a list — but it would be preferable 
if the names were attached to the specimens. The shells are 
affixed to tablets and are named. The specimens are mostly 
very fine, but the collection is almost entirely East Indian and 
very few West Indian shells are represented. We ought to 
have a good collection of West Indian and especially Trinidad 
shells. The reptiles are entirely unnamed. There are also 
some specimens of Indian antiquities and a few miscellaneous 
objects in the museum. The Field Naturalists’ Club has done 
very creditable work in procuring and preparing the specimens 
of Vertebrata which are deposited in the Museum. The Museum 
can thus exhibit a few of our native animals. Of economic pro- 
ducts the show is very limited or rather nil and this is a depart- 
ment which will require some expenditure on it for it is unlikely 
that any one will make a collection of such things on the mere 
chance of getting it paid for, when there are more alluring fields 
of research yet un worked. 
In order to carry out the various functions laid down in the 
minutes, memoranda and program of the Institute as already 
stated, courses of lectures on science and art have been estab- 
lished and it is intended as soon as possible to start classes for 
technical instruction. The means at the disposal of the com- 
mittee are insufficient to enable them to meet the expenses of 
these lectures and to provide the necessary apparatus for efficient 
