STRAITS SETTLEMENTS 
Paper to be laid before the Legislative Council by Command of 
His Excellency the Governor. 
REPORT ON THE GARDENS AND FORESTS DEPARTMENT, 
STRAITS SETTLEMENTS. 
BOTANIC GARDENS, SINGAPORE. 
Staff. 
i The resignation of VINCENT CONIS at the beginning of the year, left a 
vacancy in the Up"per Garden which was filled by Cooray, - Anghalese, from the 
Agricultural College in Ceylofl, who gives satisfaction 
The Mandor, RaSIP, formerly in charge of the Upper ... tfden was transferred 
to the Economic Garden, and for a short time his services ■ fe required ; ^ an inter- 
preter in Pahang during the war. Mohammed Aniff ; s transferred from the 
Economic Garden to the" Upper Garden, but as'he pmf, < -Relent it is propose^ 
dismiss him. 
Visitors. 
^ Yne number of visitors was as large as usual, and the band performances 
once a month on moonlight nights proved highly attractive. There was less damage 
done by theft in the Gardens. and plant-houses than in previous years. 
Aviaries. 
, riin-inp- the year a number of animals and birds were purchased or presented. 
Anions the most important additions were :-One female Malay bear (Heloretos 
malayanus) presented ; one deer (male) (Rusa equinus) , presented ; two remarkable 
varieties of the large squirrel (Scmrus bicolor), purchased; gumea-pigs (Cavia 
porcella ) ; a rhinoceros hornbill (Buceros rhinoceros), presented by Mr. J. Hilty; 
{now (probably Bubo sp.) said to have come from the Philippines purchased; 
a " egret (Ardea sp.) ; a serpent eagle (Spizaetus sp.) ; a brahm.ny kite (Hal, aster 
Indus) purchased ; two pelicans (Pelicanus pkilipptnensis) 'purchased ; one lesser 
frigate tnrd (Phaethon minor) ; one large python, purchased, and others presente , 
one Ditsas cynodon presented by Mr. Hutton ; one hamadryad (Ophwphagus 
daps) raptured ; and one river turtle (Trionyx sp.) captured in Singapore, which has 
1 >Ce "'Tb e on\y remaining wild dog and a fine sea-eagle were killed by poison admin- 
istered maliciously ; though there was little doubt as to the offender, the Police were 
mTle to procure any evidence in the matter. This is the third case of malicious 
• * f ti 1P animals in the Gardens within the last few years. The ease witl 
poisoning of the a - d - n sin „ apore; a nd the difficulty of the Police in bnng- 
hig'fiofe'Uses of this kind make it by no means easy to protect the animals from 
this treatment. 
Buildings. 
4. The ready (pp'pptj))) on'theEconomec Gardens, atdre coraer near 
Sr, y TXn s.2 ■£ %■« ?• »" <j t” v/sar - 
The large plant-house was repaired at a cost of $2^5. 
New or Rare Plants. 
rv • manv new plants were obtained from various countries, and 
5 - 0 ^ ar Jof ’the Malay Peninsula, chiefly from Perak, Mount Ophir and. 
from different P f f 3 rare ly previously seen in flower here before, 
were"' the "following : — Dendrobium phalmnopsis ; Eria Kingu ; Liparts latifolia;- 
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