1903.] General Meetings for January and February, 1903. 31 



had a large share in the origin of what is now regarded as a perfectly 

 orthodox and highly meritorious rite. The origin of the Gayawals is 

 uncertain. They are ignorant and dissolute, but during the ceremony 

 over which they preside, they are worshipped even as Vi^nu himself. 

 They are gradually dying out, and in the meautime, they have peculiar 

 practices of adoption for which there is no authority in the Castras. 

 These are described at some length in Mr. O'Malley's paper. 



3. Some Notes on the Religion and Superstitions of the OrSdns. — By 

 Rev. F. Hahn. Communicated by the Anthropological Secretary. 



(Abstract). 

 The author enumerates the various objects of worship which he 

 classifies under three heads — benevolent spirits, malevolent spirits and 

 noxious spirits and apparitions. He then proceeds to describe the 

 various priestly offices and the lands assigned for religious purposes. 

 Certain prevalent superstitions are discussed and a list is given of a 

 number of totemistic septs with the taboo attached to each. Most of 

 these totems are already enumerated in Mr. Risley's book on the tribes 

 and castes of Bengal. 



4. Notes on the Koch, Poliya and Rajvamci in Dinajpur. — By Hari- 

 mohan Sinha. Communicated by the Anthropological Secretary. 



(Abstract). 



This paper, like that by Babu Monmohan Roy, which was read at 

 the November meeting, deals with the group of tribes in North Bengal, 

 who are often classed together as Rajvamci-Kocb, but it approaches 

 the subject from a different standpoint and deals with the social dis- 

 tinctions which now exist rather than with the ethnic affinities of the 

 different groups. It appears, however, incidentally that the term 

 Rajvamci has a different application in Dinajpur from that which it 

 appears to have in the Rangpur District. It is shown that the term 

 Deci refers not to a distinct caste, but to a subdivision both of the Koch 

 and of the Poliya castes. 



A full analysis of these interesting tribes still remains to be 

 written. 



5. The green bug and other jassids as food for birds. — By H. W. 

 Peal, F.E.S. 



6. Contributions towards a Monograph of the Oriental Aleurodidse. — 

 By H. W. Peal, F.E.S. 



7. The function of the vasiform orifice of the Aleurodidse. — By 

 H. W. Peal, F.E.S. 



