1901.] D. Fvain — Novici^ Indies^, No. XVIII. 57 



Annual grant of Rs. 3, '200 in aid of tlie operation in search of Sanskrit, 

 MSB. in Bengal. 



2. That Mr. C. Michie officiated as Treasurer of the Society 

 during the temporary absence of Mr. W. K. Dods. 



The following papers were rend : — 



1. The Sacred caves of Cachar. — By Francis J. Ede. Communi- 

 cated by the Philological Secretary. 



2. Novi'cise Indicse, No. XVIII. — The Asiatic species of Dalbergia. — 

 By Major D, Prain, I. M.S. 



(Abstract.) 



The writer, Avho has for the past four years been engaged in liis 

 spare time in studying the species of Dalbergia of S.-E. Asia with a view 

 to publishing a monograph of the genus has been able to study the 

 material contained in the following herbaria (1) Calcutta, (2) Kew, 

 (3) British Museum, (4) Heib. Wallich, (5) Herb. Linnrens, (6) Her- 

 barium of M. Drake del Castillo, Paris, (7) Herb. Peradeniya, Ceylon, 

 all of which he has visited. The following collections of Dalbergia have 

 a^so been sent to hira for study in Calcutta, (8) Herb. Berlin, lent by 

 Prof. Engler, (9) Herb. Leiden, lent by tlie late Prof. Saringar, 

 (10) Herb. De Candolle, Geneva, lent by M. de Candolle, (11) Herb. 

 Boissier, Geneva, lent by M. Barbey, (12) Herb. Beccari, Florence, lent by 

 Sig. Beccari, (13) Heib. Buitenzorg, lent by Dr. Ti-eub., (14) Herb. 

 Paris, lent by M. Bureau, (15) Herb. Saharanpur, lent by Mr. Dutliie 

 (16) Herb. Hongkonsr, lent by Mr. Ford. Specimens of the only Dalbe>gi(i 

 in Herb. Brisbane have also been sent by Mr. Bailey. Circumstances 

 rendering it necessary to forego, for the moment, t!ie publication of the 

 projected monograph the writer has drawn up a hand list of the 74 known 

 Asiatic Species of Dalbergia with a tolerably complete bibliography and 

 a full record of their distribution as indicated l)y specimens in the 

 sixteen herbaria whose collections have been studied. In all except the 

 very common and salient species reference is made to the field-numbers 

 on the various specimens in oi'der that the list may be of use not only 

 to members of our Society and to those who may study tlie specimens 

 in the herbaria the writer has examined, but also to those who may 

 work in other herbaria not yet visited by the writer in which 

 duplicates bearing these numbers are preserved. 



3. Marriage customs of the Khonds. — By J. E. Fkiend-Pere ira, 

 B.A. Communicated by the Anthropological Secretary. 



