PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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TELEC.O. 885
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20 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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2. The reply from the Trustees of the British Museum to the letter from the Colonial Office requesting their co-operation was read, and general satisfaction expressed at its terms.
It was pointed out that for setting or mounting specimens it might be necessary for the Committee to appoint a salaried subordinate, who could work in the room at the Museum; while in the matter of publications the Museum authorities were understood to be inclined to help by publishing monographs rather than by con- tributing towards a regular journal.
3. The nature of the instructions to be issued by the Scientific Secretary as regards the collection, preservation, and transmission of material, and certain points in connection with apparatus was, on a motion by Dr. Shipley, referred to a sub-committee composed of the Chairman, Mr. Austen, Mr. Newstead, and Mr. Marshall.
4. The Chairman, in introducing the question of what steps should be taken to initiate the observing and collecting of insects in Tropical Africa, commented on the good work done by the German Government in demanding of its colonial officials some visible signs of interest in entomology or zoology; and he suggested that the Scientific Secretary might, through the Colonial Office, be put in touch with medical and veterinary officers and other officials in the Protectorates, who could and would assist in the work.
Mr. Read thought that the Colonial Office could communicate with the Colonial Governors, referring to certain circulars already issued and sending out fresh instructions. The names of members of the staff interested in the work could be The Government Gazettes could obtained and given to the Scientific Secretary.
also be utilised for the purpose of notices, &c., and medical officers now on leave In in this country should be spoken to on the subject and interested in it at once. view of an assurance by Colonel Alcock and Mr. Newstead as to the readiness of the Schools of Tropical Medicine to give practical help, by Mr. Austen on behalf of the Natural History Museum, and Prof. Nuttall on behalf of the Cambridge Museum, a resolution, moved by Prof. Newstead, was unanimously carried that the Schools of Tropical Medicine in London and Liverpool, and the Natural History and Cambridge Museums be asked to give instruction in the mounting and pre- paration and care of natural history specimens as collected in the Tropics.
5. The question of the appointment and payment of specialists was found to involve such difficulties in the way of fixing any definite remuneration pro rata for MS. prepared that it was agreed that the Scientific Secretary be empowered to prepare a list of specialists to whom he considered it would be suitable to send invitations to help in the identification of material collected, but that the question of remuneration be deferred until he has communicated with the specialists.
6. The Scientific Secretary was also authorised to expend a sum not exceeding £50 on the material necessary for carrying out his duties, e.g., boxes, books, files, official paper.
7. The offer of special inducements to collectors was briefly discussed, and it was resolved, on Mr. Read's motion, that each case should be settled on its merits.
8. The Chairman next dealt with the impossibility of making a rigid division between insects which are of economic importance and those which are not; and, provided that the entomologist's primary duties were not interfered with, he con- sidered that in a locality where no economic insects happened to exist some time might well be spent in the collection of those of a non-economic character. It was resolved that the entomologist be given permission to use his discretion in collecting.
9. A discussion on the manner in which the material collected should be dis- posed of ensued. In the case of economic insects the Chairman held that little difficulty was to be anticipated; as, in time at any rate, there would be sufficient for all. But first and foremost should come the British Museum. Mr. Austen added that it would be of great value to have a reserve in hand for the formation of a collection for each Protectorate, which could be kept at the Muscum, in the interest of men going out. Mr. Newstead showed that the Schools of Tropical Medicine would have need of a continual supply for demonstration purposes, and his claim was strongly supported by Mr. Read.
The following resolutions were then carried :—
(a) That the type specimen be sent to the British Museum.
(b) That the second specimen, if of the other sex, be sent to the British
Museum.
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(e) That the Schools of Tropical Medicine be given a preference over the
large provincial museums.
(d) That a sub-committee, composed of the Chairman, Dr. Shipley, Colonel
Alcock, Mr. Stockman, and Mr. Marshall, be appointed to draw up a distribution list.
10. Finally it was resolved that four members of the sub-committee should constitute a quorum.
27061
No. 20.
MINUTES OF MEETING OF SUB-COMMITTEE B OF THE ENTOMO- LOGICAL RESEARCII COMMITTEE, JULY 29, 1909.
The first meeting of Sub-Committee B was held at the Colonial Office on Thursday, 29th July, at 12 noon.
PRESENT:
Lieutenant-Colonel D. PRAIN, Chairman. Prof. E. B. POULTON.
Mr. E. E. AUSTEN.
Mr. H. J. READ.
Mr. GUY MARSHALL, Scientific Secretary.
Mr. A. C. C. PARKINSON, Secretary.
1. The Chairman called the attention of the Sub-Committee to the fact that
on the previous day Sub-Committee A had dealt with the question of the duties to be imposed on the Committee's entomologist.* The three resolutions in this con- nection passed by that Sub-Committee were read, viz. :——
(1) That no objection be raised to Mr. Neave leaving for East Africa as
late as 1 January, 1910;
(2) That the Chairman and Scientific Secretary take steps to find a candi-
date for the West African appointment;
(3) That Mr. Neave be authorised to organise the collection of blood-sucking arthropods in East Africa, and to interest in the work such local men as he may think fit, the Committee reserving to itself the right of advising him to visit certain people, or to give him specific instruc- tions through the Scientific Secretary.
Mr. Read explained the relative position of the two Sub-Committees, pointing out that greater importance attached for the time being to the human and veteri- nary side of the Committee's work as there was less organisation ready made for carrying on investigation of that kind, and it would be desirable to co-operate as far as possible with the existing agricultural entomologists in the West and East African colonies and protectorates. He read at length Dr. Graham's memorandum, and touched upon the necessity of bringing local men into touch with the Scientific Secretary with a view to their receiving instructions and advice, and laid stress on the usefulness of maps if properly filled in by the collectors.
It was resolved to confirm the general instructions issued by Sub-Committee A to the Committee's entomologist, omitting the words specifying the collection of blood-sucking arthropods.
2. The replyt from the British Museum to the request from the Colonial Office for co-operation was read. The point as to the setting and mounting of specimens, on which the reply did not touch, was raised by Mr. Marshall, and the need of a salaried subordinate for this duty considered. Mr. Austen agreed with the general view that a man should not be engaged till actually required, but pointed out that a trained man would be needed and four to six weeks' training would be necessary to make him efficient. A resolution was passed in these terms—
The Sub-Committee considers the reply from the Trustees of the British Museum highly satisfactory, and expresses the opinion that ultimately a sub- ordinate will have to be engaged to undertake the work of mounting and labelling specimens.
See No. 19.
† No. 18.
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