11 
DIRECTORS’ REPORT. 
To rilK Prksidknt and council 
OK THK 
Zoological and acclimatisation society 
OK victoria. 
Okntlkmkn, 
1 have tlie honour to state that I left Melbourne for America on 
June 4th, in the S.S. Empire. On the way up the Queensland coast 
I gave several lectures on Natural History subjects, but was unable 
to illustrate theuL not having a lantern. Among our passengers 
were several members of the House of Representatives. We arrived 
at l*ort Darwin on the IBUi, and I was enabled to visit their 
Botanical Cardens, in which there are some very fine Bamboos and 
a splendid Banyan tree. Sessile hemp was also’being grown freely, 
for the purposes of fibre. I was enabled to get some Palm seeds 
here. We saw no cows or sheep, but goats in plenty, and the only 
milk we could get was preserved. We left on the I7tli for Timor, 
arriving at Dilly in that country, on the 19th. Tlierc were several 
Macaque Monkeys fastened up in the Public Gardens, tlie progeni¬ 
tors of which had probably been introduced from India by the 
Malays; we also noticed several tame deer and some cassowaries, 
and many birds wliich are common to Australia, such as the Kestrel, 
Hawk, Whitc-bclIied Graucalns, Grey Teal, Coot, Fairy Martin, 
Little Green Pigeon, Bee-eaters, Delicate Owls, and Friar Birds. 
I made arrangements to get some birds here for our Gardens. We 
arrived at Manilla on the 25th, and in one of the College ^Museums 
saw a stuffed Python 30ft. long, also a Crocodile 18ft. long, and a 
l^ealhery Turtle 6ft. long, all unusually- large specimens. In the 
Public (Jardcus were a few animals, such as Leopards, a Tiger, a 
Bear, Macaque Monkeys, Nicobar Pigeons, and some Pythons. I 
made arrangements to get some Pythons sent to our (iardens. The 
town is being very mucli improved by the Americans, but much yet 
needs to be done. 
Water Buffaloes are used by the Fili])iuos for ploughing their 
rice fields. Nearly all the fresh meat used in the city conies from 
Queensland, as well as other produce. Botli Deer ainf Monkeys are 
found in these Islands, as well as Pythons. 
We arrived at Hong Kong on the 29th, and remained four days. 
I gave an illustrated public lecture, at tlie Peak Hotel, entitled 
Natural History in Australia and our Zoo,” and had an audience of 
over one hundred of the European residents, and much of what 
was stated appeared in the newspaper on the following day. I went 
tlirough the native quarters and other unsavory jilaces, but could 
obtain little of interest to us. 1 left here on July 4th, in the ” Empress 
ofCliina.'" On the vessel were 600 Chinese coolies, going lo Canada ; 
we arrived at Woosung, the port of Shanghai, on the 6th, and leaving 
early next morning, arrived at Nagasaki, in Japan, on the 8lh ; this 
town has a very fine harbour. There are some very fine groves of 
Bamboo near the city, and beautiful vegetation, and the fruit and 
vegetables are mostly similar to what is grown in Victoria, but not 
such good flavour; birds were scarce, but we saw two snakes by the 
roadside. We left again the same evening and next day passed 
tlirough the beautiful inland sea, but the weather was foggy; we 
saw hundreds of fishing boats, and noticed that the Jajianese were 
