1890.] Address. 101 



In the MittTiellungen der AnthropologiscJien Gesellschaft in Wien, in a 

 paper entitled " Ueber tulapurusha der Inder ", Dr. M. Haberlandt 

 discusses the practice of Tulpurusha, Tulddhdna or Tuldbhara, or weigh- 

 ment of royal personages or notabilities against precious metals, or other 

 commodities, for purposes of alms-giving or atonement in cases of sick- 

 ness &c., formerly and even recently practised in India, both by Hindus 

 and Muhammadans, as well as in other countries. 



The Revue Scientifique contains an interesting account of the Siah 

 Posh Kafirs and other inhabitants of Chitral, by Mons. G. Capus, in a 

 paper " Les Kafirs et le Kafiristan." 



In a paper on the Sonthals of N. E. Bengal, published by Dr. S. 

 Kneeland in the Bulletin of the Essex Institute, Salem, Mass., he brino-s 

 forward evidence pointing to the pro-Malay origin of these tribes. 



Professor Dr. Aurel von Toiok, has described, in the Internationale 

 Monatschrift fiir Anatomie und Physiologie, a new universal Craniophor, or 

 machine for measuring skulls, by the aid of which accurate drawino-g 

 of different sections of the skull can be laid down on paper. 



In Mr. Holt S. Hallett's recent work on Burma and Siam, already 

 noticed, he has given a most interesting account of the races found in 

 Indo-China. The aborigines of Lower Indo-China appear to have been 

 Negritos, probably akin to those of the Andaman Islands, and the hills 

 of the Malay Peninsula. Other dwarf races of Negrito origin were met 

 with, belonging to the tribes about Luang Prabang. The Ban Lawa 

 tribes of the Shan States, the Mon race of Lower Burma, and the Chams 

 or Cambodians are mongoloid tribes of a race with Malaysian affinities. 

 This Mon race is represented in Western Bengal and Central India by 

 Kolarian tribes. 



Although beyond the limits, I have necessarily confined myself to, 

 it seems desirable to mention a very elaborate work presented to the 

 Society by the author, Signor Elio Modigliani, entitled " Un viaggio a 

 Nias." Nias is an island of some size, lying to the south of Sumatra and 

 the work is an account of the author's travels and scientific exploration. 

 He seems to have paid particular attention to the people of the country 

 and discusses fully their social constitution, the social and domestic 

 position of women, their arts and industries, agriculture and commerce 

 . their superstitions and religious beliefs and language. The work is 

 copiously illustrated with collotype plates of the people and their dwell- 

 ings and with wood-cuts of their clothing, weapons, domestic utensils 

 &c. Vocabularies in Italian and Nias are also given. Judo-ino" from 

 the photographs the inhab itants seem to be of the Malay type, resem- 

 bling the Nicobarese, but their costumes are much more elaborate 

 The Zoology of the Island is also discussed and coloured plates are given 

 of birds and other fauna. 



