176 REPORT— 1872. 



J^otes on tlie LoosJia'is. By Aechibald Campbell, M.B. 



For a long time the Loo.shais were best known to U3 under the name of Kookiei?, 

 and it is even now not quite clear how far the two terms are properly convertible, 

 or should be used to designate separate tribes or the divisions of one tribe. 



The Looshais inliabit the hill-tracts of Chittagong and those adjoining that 

 British province, whence they extend north and north-east till they reach Oachar 

 on the one hand and the frontiers of Biu-mah on the other. They form one of the 

 numerous tribes generically known as the Toum/tha, or Children of the Hills. 

 Their complexion is fairer than that of the people of the plains ; their features 

 resemble those of the Malays more than the Tartar-faced people of Munipore ; 

 and their language is said to be remarkable for euphonic sweetness compared with 

 the harsh and guttural dialects of the Tartar races to the nortli. 



The Looshais diy and preserve their dead ; they have no distmctions of caste ; 

 marriage is a civil contract dissoluble at the will of the parties concerned, and there 

 is no prohibition against the marriage of widows. The men live by hunting and 

 marauding, while cultivation and all household work is left to the women. They 

 live in log-houses on the ridges of the hills, and know enough of iron- working to 

 make spear-heads and fish-hooks. 



Hitherto the Looshais have been known only as a savage and murderous race ; 

 but the author quoted from the recent ofhcial reports of Brigadier-General Brown- 

 low, C.B., Brigadier-General Bourchier, C.B., and Mr. Burland, who accom- 

 panied the expedition against the Looshais, to prove the excellent character of 

 their social organization, the mildness of their disposition, their general intelligence 

 and industry, and their aptitude for trade. The author expressed a hope that the 

 Looshais would, in the progress of tea-planting in Oachar, be induced to adopt its 

 cultivation in their ow\\ hills, and would also join the coolie bands working in the 

 British districts. 



On a Hypotjeum at Vala^uie, North Uisi. By A. A. CARiircnAEL. 



In this paper the author described an underground dwelling at Druim-nah-Uamh, 

 in Valaquie, on the north-west coast of North Uist, one of the Hebrides. Althougli 

 the structure was discovered ten years ago, but little was done to ascertain its 

 real nature until last year (1871), when the author caused the sand, which nearly 

 filled the building, to be removed, and thus exposed the true form of the hypo- 

 geum. On the floor of native sand a large quantity of bones, teeth, and shells was 

 found : the bones were chiefly those of the deer, ox, pig, and sheep ; the shells 

 were those of the limpet, mussel, cockle, and periwinkle, with a few broken scallop- 

 shells. Mingled witli these remains were charcoal ashes, broken pottery, the tine 

 and antlers of the red deer, and the upper half of a small quern. 



The ground-plan of the hypogcum is crescentic. The walls run parallel to each 

 other, and two stone lintels cross the liouse from side to side. The west end is at 

 right angles to the sides, while the east end is curved. A dome roof is raised by 

 overlapping stones, terminating in a cap, and giving the roof the appearance of a 

 flattish beeliive. The entrance is near the middle of the inner wall. There are 

 four recesses in the walls. 



The form and position of the hj'pogeum are peculiar ; but the author points out 

 its general resemblance to a structure on 31r. James Macphersou's property, described 

 by the late Sir David Brewster. 



On Sussex River-Names. By Dr. Chaenock, F.S.A. 



The paper gives the etymolog}' of the principal Sussex river-names. After a 

 dissertation on the rules relating to etymology, tiie author shows that most of the 

 names coincide with other European river-names, that many are ctymologically 

 the same word, and that most of tlieni have been named by the Kelts, eitlier 

 from a pure Keltic root or from a word corrupted by them from tlie Greek or 

 Ijatin. Among other names traceable to the same root are Adur, Bother, Ouse, 

 Asten, East[bourne], and Bitch. 



