To Balance from last Account

Tls. 150

Coolie's

"

28

"

44
1

Librarian's Report.

To the President and Council of the

CHINA BRANCH OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY, Gentlemen,

There has been little to call for remark in the position of the Library during the year 1883. I regret that I have not found it possible to continue the work of indexing, ably begun by my predecessor Mr. Max Slevogt.

During 1883 the following Societies have entered into correspondence with this one on the terms of interchange of publications:

1.-The "Ornithologischer Verein in Wien." Address:

Gustavus von Hayek, M. A., Ph. D., 1st Secretary
Vienna, Marokkanergasse, 3.

2. The "Société des Etudes Indo-Chinoises de Saigon." 3. The "Société de Géographie de Rochefort."

The Journal of the Society is printed to the end of 1882, being volume XVII; volume XVIII (1983) is half finished, and will probably be published before May 1st, while the materials for volume XIX (1884) are well in hand.

ED. ROBINSON,

Hon. Librarian for 1883.

Shanghai, March 14th 1884.

Curator's Report.'

To the President and Council of the

CHINA BRANCH OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY,

Gentlemen,

The lust Report was published in 1882, but I am unable to carry it on from that date, having only assumed charge of the Museum in February last. During the present year our collection has not been increased to any great extent, but we have to thank numerous friends for sundry contributions, among which may be mentioned as of special interest some large snakes, including a Cobra from Wenchow presented by Count D'Arnoux, and also a small Alligator from Wuhu, now alive at the Museum, presented by Mr. B. C. G. Scott.

A full account of this interesting reptile, the Alligator Sinensis, will be found in a former number of this Journal, published in 1878, Vol. XIII, p. 1.

About half a dozen new species of birds have been added, and also a specimen of the rare Michie's Deer (Lophotragus Michianus) from Ningpo.

The collection of birds, I regret to say, I found in a far from satisfactory condition, many of them being in a hopelessly dilapidated state; in this climate skins require constant care and attention to preserve them from the attacks of insects and damp, and without such care they speedily become ragged and unsightly objects of no interest or value.

Most of the spare skins were in such a state as to be perfectly useless, and it was necessary to throw them away: but

1. This report, it will be observed, was made at a later date than those which precede it in the present volume; it is published here, however, to afford readers of the Journal the latest information possible respecting the condition and needs of the Museum.-Editorial Committee.

arrangements have now been made to keep all such in tightly closed boxes, where they may safely remain any length of time, besides which they are all dressed with a special preservative which infallibly protects them from the attacks of moths.

Among the specimens exhibited in the cases a gradual process of renewal is being carried out, and all old and poorly mounted skins are being replaced by others as opportunity offers; some 70 have thus been changed, and during the coming winter it is hoped that all the commoner kinds 'may be renewed. A careful revision of the names has also been made, and each specimen labelled. A list is annexed, which though subject to modification will I trust be found in the main correct; it is intended to form the basis of a full and detailed catalogue, and in the meantime will serve to point out not only what species we possess, but also those which we still lack.

The arrangement of the species is based upon the order followed by the Zoological Society of London in its latest published catalogue.

The collection, in which something over three hundred species appear, is undoubtedly of much value, and contains many good specimens; the group of Game Birds is of great interest, that of the Herons is almost perfect, and the Wildfowl and Birds of Prey are also well represented,-but there is a marked lack of warblers and other small birds, which, not coming under the head of sport, are seldom shot and presented.

It will be seen that we have already the nucleus of what might become the most valuable collection of the birds of this country that exists; and it is hoped that members of this society may be induced to lend their assistance in rendering it as complete as possible.

Residents at many of the outports have frequent opportunities of securing local birds which never visit the Shanghai district, and doubtless if this were brought under their notice they would be glad to forward specimens of such for the benefit of the Museum.

The main difficulty of course lies in having the specimens sufficiently well skinned to be of any use for mounting; many skins have been received in a state which renders them perfectly useless, owing to the flesh not having been thoroughly removed.

Chinese taxidermy is of a very primitive nature, but anyone who understands the work himself can readily teach a native to skin birds as neatly as possible; in the case of birds sent from ports within a few days of Shanghai during the winter it would be unnecessary to have the skins removed, so long as they were exposed to the air and kept in shade; they should be hung up by the legs, and the very simple precaution takon of stuffing the mouth with wool, tow, or something soft, to prevent blood soiling the feathers; if possible, a little white dust such as powdered chalk or plaster of Paris, should be placed in the mouth and nostrils and on any wounds.

In conclusion I cannot do better than echo the words of a former Curator,-"We want everything, Mammals, Birds, Reptiles, Fishes, in fact every description of the Natural History of this country." The commonest kinds will be gratefully received, and it should be remembered that no Museum should be without a large supply of duplicates, and that such duplicates are always open to inspection by visitors, who wish to make use of them for comparison or study.

F. W. STYAN, F.Z.S.,

Shanghai, 30th September 1884.

Hon. Curator Shanghai Museum.