140 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 



16. A Curious Tree. — About 2-|- miles from Maho railway station, 

 along the road leading to Buttala and Nikaweratiya, stands a tree — 

 about a hundred yards from the roadside — bearing on its trunk 

 what appears to be the figure of a human being, thought to be a 

 woman. Looking at it from the roadside it suggests an image carved 

 in stone. The tree, which is a Strychnos nux vomica (common 

 enough in the locality) , is near a tank known by the village name 

 of Attawarali. One is naturally led to think that the figure was 

 carved on the tree trmik, but a close inspection makes it clear that 

 the outline of the human form is the result of an irregular develop- 

 ment of bark which has produced a sort of embossed surface. At 

 close quarters the semblance disappears, and is onl}' brought into 

 relief by a distant view. As a peculiarity the tree is well known to 

 the people about the place, and is said to be an <5ld landmark. 

 Strange to say there is no legend associated with the tree, though 

 there is one connected with a stone image in the same neighbourhood 

 which is said to represent a petrified woman. 



I inspected the tree on the 3rd instant. 



C. DRIEBERG. 



17. The Ceylo7i Natural History Society .^-In connection with the 

 founding of the Ceylon Natural History Society one is reminded of 

 the fact that no Ceylonese except Dr. Kelaart* of the Ai-my has ever 

 seriously taken up the study of Natural History in any way. This 

 lack of study by the people of the country is partly responsible 

 for the most vague and incorrect statements which are accepted and 

 repeated. If nothing else, this formation of a Ceylon Natural 

 History Society will tend to first-hand observation and accurate 

 statement of fact. Animals figure largely in sacred and legendary 

 lore in Ceylon, and there is a literary harvest in this connection for 

 anybody to write about ; though such a compilation may have " no 

 root in actual life," it would help the present and the future by 

 explaining many things un-understandable except when considered 

 with Ceylon mythology and folklore. 



♦ Kelaart, E.F., M.D., F.L.S., F.G.S., author of Notes on the Geology of 

 Ceylon : Laterite Formation ; Fluviatile Deposit of Nuwara Eliya — in Journal, 

 R.A.S. (C.B.), 1850, p. 87. List of MammaHa of Ceylon Observed or Collected, 

 ditto, p. 201. Description of New Species and Varieties of Mammals found in 

 Ceylon, ditto, p. 207. Prodromus Faunae Zeylanicaj, being contributions to the 

 Zoology of Ceylon, Vol. I., 8vo,, Colombo, 1852. Catalogue of Ceylon Birds 

 by (and Edgar Layard), in Journal, R.A.S. (C.B.), 1853, pp. 54 and 57. Notes 

 of Cultivation of Cotton in Ceylon, in Ceylon Calendar for 1854, appendix. 

 Report on the Pearl Oyster, in Ceylon Calendar, 1858, appendix. Description 

 of New or Little-know 11 Species of Reptiles found in Ceylon, in Joui'nal, R.A.S. 

 (C.B.), 1855, p. 102. Coylon Ornithology, ditto, p. 143. Ditto of Nudibranchi- 

 ate Mollusca and Zoophytes, ditto, 185(i-58, p. 84. Contributions to Marine 

 Zoology, being Descriptions of Ceylon Nudibranchiate Molluscs, Sea Anemones, 

 and Entozoa, Vol. I., 8vo., Colombo, 1859.— G.A.J. 



