118 REPORT — 1877. 



reigned about 275 a.d., seems to have done most in the formation of these vast 

 tanks. It is calculated that one which he formed, named Kanthelai, could only be 

 constructed at the present clay at a cost of upwards of one million sterling. Under 

 the vigorous and energetic government of the Eight Hon. Sir William Gregory, 

 much has been effected in the way of the restoration of many of these tanks" and 

 with the happiest results. The neglect and apathy of successive generations, both 

 of rulers and of the people, has been the main cause of the abandonment and deso- 

 lation of large tracts of lands, whose fertility was formerly indicated by such 

 names as " The Golden Plains," or "The Granary of the Kings." Foreign and 

 internal warfare no doubt caused the destruction of some irrigation works, and 

 their continued disrepair has been mainly owing to the disregard of ancient 

 customs, and to the abolition of the system of compulsory labour. The population 

 has simultaneously been seriously diminished by disease, resulting from bad food 

 and habitual violations of every principle of sanitary economy. The Tank country 

 in the North of Ceylon has also been afflicted by a terrible scourge, termed the 

 Parangi disease, or Wanni plague, an hereditary and peculiar malady which seems 

 to be amenable to no direct treatment. Probably good food and pure water will 

 ultimately tend to check it more than any thing else; and this happy result would 

 be_ chiefly due to the comprehensive scheme of restoration lately initiated ; whilst 

 it is tobe hoped that the island, which now requires an annual import of nearly 

 five million bushels of rice, will before long grow sufficient for its own require- 

 ments. 



Notes on Socotra. By F. M. Hunter. 



The author described the island and its inhabitants. The Bedouins, of the 

 interior are divided into families, but there are only a few principal tribes. One 

 tribe, called KiBshim, claims to be descendants of the Portuguese. The Momi, who 

 reside in the eastern part of the island, are said to be the result of intermarriage 

 between the aborigines and Abyssinians ; and the Camabar, who occupy Plaj air and 

 the higher ranges above Tamarida, are supposed to have resulted from mixture of 

 the aborigines with the Mahri Arabs. The manners and customs of the inhabitants 

 of Socotra were described in detail. It was observed that the mark of the cross 

 was still used on the headstones of the graves. 



On tlie proposed Exploration of certain Caves in the neighbourhood of Tenby. 



By Ed. Laws. 



In a cave near Tenby, Pembrokeshire, the author found Hyccna crocuta, Ursus 

 spetous, Rhinoceros tichorhinus, Cervus tamndus, Cervus elephas, Equus spelteus, 

 human bones, the remains of domestic animals, chips of flint, a remarkable horn- 

 stone, copper pennies of George III., and an old penknife. This cave Mr. Laws 

 advocates the exploration of. The author minutely detailed the peculiarities of such 

 of the remains as were of indubitable antiquity, and urged that in the interests of 

 paleontology further search should be made. 



The DeviVs Arrotvs ( Yorkshire). By A. L. Lewis, M.A.I. 



This name has been given to certain stones standing in aline near Boroughbridge, 

 of which three now remain out of five known to have existed formerly. Others 

 may have existed, but the five of which we know would have formed a tolerably 

 symmetrical monument by themselves. The author, while contending for the pre- 

 Ilonian origin of most of our rude stone monuments, is disposed to think that 

 these might commemorate some victory of Scandinavian invaders. The author 

 also described an easy and ingenious method by which large stones are transported 

 and erected by some hill-tribes of India. 



