NOTES, 35 
among the Basutos performed as ceremoniously as among the 
ancient Greeks, while some of the folklore tales of this nation, given 
by Cassalis, can be paralleled, incident for incident, with some of the 
Greek tales, which in many instances were borrowed from the 
Egyptians. I should explain that I am thinking of the god Obas 
(Vulcan), not as the blacksmith of later mythology, but as ae very 
essence of supreme being.” 
Apropos of the above it may be of some interest to know that 
among the nrinor relics of the Dutch occupation of Ceylon which are 
exhibited in the Colombo Museum, there is a silver heirloom plate 
upwards of six inches in diameter, the general shape square, with 
the angles elegantly scalloped, bearing the following inscription in 
Dutch, indicating that it was dedicated to the memory of one 
Nicolaas Kuyselaar, a master coppersmith, who died in Colombo 
on the 19th April, 1774 :— 
Ter 
Gedagtenis: Van den 
EKersamen 
Nicolaas Kuyselaar, 
In Zyn Leven Baas der 
Smits, en Kuypers ; 
Gebooren te Stynbach, 
Den 13 April, 1714, Overleeden 
te Kolombo, ~ 
Den 19 April, 1774 
Oud 60 Jaaren 
En 6 daagen. 
It may be added that the silver plate bearing the above inscription 
is the only example preserved in this Museum in which the word 
“Baas” (which has been anglicized or ‘‘ americanized’’ into 
** boss’) occurs. 
Ep., S. Z. 
6. Flying-foxes (Pteropus medius) at Barberyn.—Having lately 
been afforded an opportunity of landing on Barberyn island, of 
whose flying-foxes and crows Dr. Willey* has already given a most 
interesting account, I was enabled to make a few additional 
observations on these bats. 

* Spol. Zeyl., Vol. II., Part V., p. 50. 
