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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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Reference :-

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It was decided that the number of copies of the Bulletin to be issued should be, for the present, 1,000; but that 1,500 copies should be printed of the first part, so that there might be a surplus for distribution in order to make the publication

known.

It was agreed that authors should receive free 25 reprints of their own papers, and that all reprints should have the titles printed on the outside of the cover.

It was ascertained that the Colonial Office would require 100 copies of the Bulletin to be delivered to them for free distribution in the Colonies.

The question of arranging for advertisements in the Bulletin was left in the hands of the Scientific Secretary, on the understanding that such advertisements should be of a reasonably appropriate character.

Annexure 2 to No. 51.

REPORT OF THE CHAIRMAN of the FinancE SUB-COMMITTEE.

Since the last General Meeting of the Committee, the Finance Sub-Committee has met twice-on the 3rd of November and the 19th of January.

We have had before our notice mainly questions of small payments, ranging from £2 to £50. The sum of £30 originally approved for the outfit of each of the Travelling Entomologists has been increased by £20; and a further sum of £15 granted in each case for the purchase of strictly scientific equipment.

Collecting outfits for distribution in East and West Africa, costing from 55 to 60 shillings apiece, have been approved. In all 50 sets have been taken out by Mr. Neave and Mr. Simpson.

The subscription for the Committee's Bulletin was discussed at our meeting of the 19th of January. The Sub-Committee was of opinion that, having regard to the fact that the Committee was prepared to expend a sum not exceeding £360 in the first year on the Bulletin, a subscription of 10s. per volume would suffice to guard against any loss; and at the same time could by no means be considered excessive. For the first year, therefore, the subscription has been fixed at 10s. per volume, subject to your approval.

With regard to arrangements in connection with the publication of the Bulletin, involving the expenditure of small sums of money, we have had no hesitation in giving Mr. Marshall a perfectly free hand.

Annexure 3 to No. 51.

REPORT OF THE SCIENTIFIC SECRETARY.

Since the last meeting of the Committee of Management our two Travelling Entomologists have left England, Mr. Simpson having sailed on the 15th December for Lagos, and Mr. Neave on the 30th December for Chinde, en route for Blantyre. A letter has been received from Mr. Simpson since his arrival in Lagos, but the only news from Mr. Neave has been a short private note to announce his arrival at Suez.

A list of requisites for collectors was prepared, and 20 sets were shipped for Mr. Simpson, while 30 sets were purchased for Mr. Neave, 20 being shipped to Mombasa and 10 to Chinde. Scientific equipments were also purchased for the use of the entomologists themselves in accordance with the list approved by the Financial Sub-Committee. The authorities of the British Museum kindly supplied all the requisite spirits, two complete taxidermist's outfits, traps, several books, and other small items.

The thanks of the Committee are specially due to Mr. Charles Rothschild, who generously presented half a gross of brass chloroform bottles, which he had speci- ally made for the use of our collectors.

The proper arrangement and packing of the outfits was a matter of some trouble, and considerable difficulties arose with regard to the shipment of the chloro- form, but thanks to the care and promptness of Messrs. Fortnum and Mason every- thing was safely shipped in time. The Colonial Office kindly sent out special instruc- tions that every facility should be given by their officials in Africa for the transport and distribution of this apparatus; and much courteous assistance was received

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from both Mr. Read and Mr. Parkinson in connection with various arrangements which had to be made.

A list is submitted herewith setting forth the items comprised in each collecting outfit, together with the price to be charged to the Colonial Governments. This price represents approximately the landed cost in Africa. The amount of £135 shown in the financial statement as expended on scientific equipments does not represent the whole cost, some of the payments having fallen in the present year. The total is actually about £160, as against the estimate of £180, which was sanc- tioned.

The "Instructions to Collectors," which were prepared by a Sub-Committee consisting of Mr. N. C. Rothschild, Mr. E. E. Austen, Mr. R. Newstead, and the Scientific Secretary, have been printed by the Colonial Office, 500 copies being issued in pamphlet form and 500 as separate leaflets. Through the kind offices of Mr. Rothschild, Dr. Enderlein, of Stettin, a recognised authority, has been per- suaded to write a similar leaflet dealing with the lice; this has been translated by Mr. Rothschild and is now in the press.

It is hoped that the first part of the "Bulletin of Entomological Research" will be published by the end of March. This is later than was anticipated, but there have been many unavoidable delays, both in connection with the writing of the papers and also in settling the numerous details which have to be considered when issuing a new publication of this kind.

The principal contents of the part will be as follows:-

An introductory article by Mr. A. E. Shipley; a long paper by Mr. W. Wesché describing the larvae and pup of 29 different species of mosquitoes, bred by Dr. W. M. Graham in West Africa, with notes by the collector, and illustrated with one text block and seven plates; descriptions by Mr. E. E. Austen of several new species of diptera likely to be of economic importance, with three text figures; a paper by Mr. R. Newstead on a collection of scale-insects sent by Mr. Crowdey from Uganda, with two text figures; notes on two West African hemiptera injurious to cacao, by Mr. G. C. Dudgeon, with one coloured plate; and notes on biting flies observed in Abyssinia by Dr. R. E. Drake-Brockman. Several other nearly com- pleted papers will have to be held over for the second part.

A brief prospectus has been prepared, of which it is proposed to distribute 2,000 copies, together with some specimen pages from the Bulletin, and one plain and one coloured plate.

Arrangements have been made with an advertisement agent, Mr. Wills Manly, who has submitted a list of some 90 likely and suitable advertisers whom he proposes to canvass as soon as a fairly definite date can be fixed for publication. He has prepared a circular for this purpose, of which we have printed 250 copies. It has been agreed to give him a commission of 20 per cent. of the amounts collected.

After some negotiations satisfactory arrangements have been made with Messrs. Longmans, Green, and Co., and Messrs. Taylor and Francis, to act as agents for the sale of the Bulletin; but in order to reduce the cost of commissions a preliminary canvass of likely subscribers will be made direct from our office.

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A financial statement is submitted showing the cash actually disbursed up the 31st December last, and the balance in hand on that date. This does not include Mr. Neave's passage, nor Mr. Simpson's salary for the latter half of December. The account cannot be brought actually up to date, as statements are only issued quarterly by the Crown Agents. Advice received from that. Office this morning indicates that the Committee's credit balance now amounts to £1,383 19s. 4d., a further sum having been paid in by the Government since the beginning of the year. It is roughly estimated that the first part of the Bulletin will cost about £90, includ- ing the 500 extra copies for distribution.

The following collections of insects have been received:—

Five consignments from Mr. C. C. Gowdey, Government Entomologist in Uganda, comprising about 370 specimens of 136 species, many being of economic importance; Mr. Gowdey's notes on these latter have already been issued by the Uganda Government in pamphlet form. A consignment of ticks, fleas, and biting flies (63 specimens of six species) sent by Dr. R. E. Drake-Brockman from British Somaliland. From Senhor J. F. Saint'Anna, of Delagoa Bay, 34 mosquitoes of nine species, with mounted larvæ of one specie. An interesting collection of nearly all orders of insects (301 specimens of 184 species) from Mr. C. F. M. Swynnerton, of Mount Chivinda, Melsetter District, Mashonaland. From Dr. T. G. Wakeling, of

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