416 REPORT— 1903. 



Much time was devoted to the study of the sociology and religion o£ 

 the Todas. It was found that genealogies were preserved, and the 

 pedigrees of over seventy families were collected. Largely by their means 

 a detailed study was made of the social organisation, system of kinship, 

 and regulation of marriage. 



Much attention was devoted to the details of the ritual of the Toda 

 dairy, which was found to be of a definitely religious character. Many 

 other ceremonies were recoi'ded, and whenever possible witnessed. These 

 include ceremonies performed during pregnancy and after childbirtli ; 

 ceremonies performed when naming and piercing the ears of children ; 

 ceremonies performed when men are fined for any offences against the 

 dairy ; the well-known prolonged funeral ceremonies ; ceremonies of 

 animal sacrifice and of lighting tires on certain hills. 



It is intended to publish shortly a full account of the ceremonies and 

 of the general results of the investigation of the sociology and religion. 



Botanical Photograplis. — Report of the Gommittee, consisting of Pro- 

 fessor L. C. MlALL (Chairman). Professor F. E. Weiss (Secretar;/), 

 Mr. Francis Darwin, Mr. G. F. 8cott-Elliot, and Mr. A. K. 

 CooMAl{ASWAMy, appointed to consider ami report npon a scJieme for 

 the liei list ration of Neijat'ives of Botanical Photo(irap}ts. 



A LEAFLET giving information regarding the collection, preservation, and 

 systematic registration of photographs has been prepared by the com- 

 mittee appointed at Belfast, and has been distributed by the Secretary of 

 the Association to all the Corresponding Societies, together with blank regis- 

 tration forms. The same pamphlet and form were also sent to a number of 

 private individuals interested in botany and photography, and it is hoped 

 that as a result a number of photographs taken during the summer 

 months will be sent in for registration. Up to the present some fifty or 

 sixty have been received, of which a considerable number are suitable for 

 registration. The grant to the Committee has been sufficient to defray 

 the expenses of purchasing cards and printing forms and cards for regis- 

 tration, but insufficient to provide mounts for the photographs. It is 

 hoped that this may be done out of next year's grant. 



The Committee desire to be reappointed, with a grant of 51. 



LEAFLET ABOVE REFERRED TO. 



Botanical Bhotofjraphs Committee. — Professor L. C. Miall, F.B.S. 

 {Chairman), Professor F. E. Weiss, B.Sc, F.L.S. (SecretaTij), 

 Francis Darwin, F.K.S., A. K. CoomAraswamy, F.G.8., and 

 G. F. Scott-Elliott, B.Sc , F.L.S. 



This Committee was appointed by the British Association for the 

 Advancement of Science at its meeting in Belfast in 1902 for the pur- 

 pose of arranging for the ' Collection, Preservation, and Systematic 

 Registration of Photographs of Botanical Interest.' 



A similar committee was appointed in 1889 to collect and preserve 

 photographs of geological interest, and in 1898 a committee was ap- 

 pointed to collect and preserve photographs of anthropological interest. 



