1822.] Dr. Davfs Travels in Ceylon, 63 



of the Museum, such obstacles were thrown in the way as to 

 induce Sir H. Davy to desist from all further operations. 



This paper is accompanied with several engravings of copies 

 of a few of the fragments, selected from nearly 100, for the pur- 

 pose of showing their nature. 



{.To be contimied.) 



2. An Account of the Interior of Ceylon and of its Inhabitants, 

 loith Travels in that Island. By John Davy, MD. FRS. 



Dr. Davy informs us in the preface, that his work is formed 

 from original materials collected in Ceylon during a residence 

 on that station on the medical staff of the army from Aug. 1816, 

 to Feb. 1820. 



The substance of the three first chapters is on the physical state 

 of the island in general, and on some particular branches of 

 natural history ; and it is to these chapters that our atten- 

 tion will be particularly directed, though much curious matter 

 is contained in other parts of the book which has been col- 

 lected with a judgment and perseverance that justify the ge- 

 neral and high estimation in which its author's abilities are 

 held. 



Dr. Davy remarks that the name of Ceylon, familiar to us, 

 but unknown to the languages of the east, is derived probably 

 from Sinhala, the ancient appellation, for which Lakka, and in 

 Pali, Lanka, is now substituted by the natives and commonly 

 used. The island is in the tropic of Cancer, situated nearly 

 between the parallel of 6° and 10° N. latitude, and between 80° 

 and 82° E. longitude. 



We shall now proceed to make extracts from the observations 

 contained upon the subjects most interesting to our scientific 

 readers under various heads. 



Geographical Notices of the Interior. — The country is low, and 

 almost flat, with the exception chiefly of the southern extremity ; 

 Adam's Peak, the Samenella of the Singalese, the most lofty 

 mountain of Ceylon, is about 6,152 feet perpendicular height, 

 and Namana Cooli Kandy, which there is reason to infer is the 

 next loftiest, is about 5,548 feet high. 



The character of the interior, in relation to surface, greatly 

 varies. No where is the distinction of high and low land more 

 obvious. With tolerable precision it may be divided into flat 

 country, hilly, and mountainous. The mountainous division is 

 skirted by the hilly, and the latter is generally bounded by flat 

 country. Dividing the island into two equal parts by an imaginary 

 line across, from west to east, the mountainous regions will 

 occupy the middle of the southern half. The centre of this 

 region is about 7° N. and 80° 46' E. Its great length is about 



