1889.] Address. 115 



The Journal of the Anthropological Society of Vienna (Vol. XVIII) 

 contains a very elaborate paper by Dr. Moritz Winternitz ; " Der Sarpa- 

 bali, ein Alt-indischer Schlangencult," — on ancient Indian Snake-worship. 

 Also a paper by Dr. TV. Tomaschek — ' Die Zinngewinnnng unci Bronze- 

 bereitung in Asien,' with references to the nse and working of tin and 

 bronze in various parts of India and Central Asia ; and by Dr. Haber- 

 landt, " Die Cultur der Eingeborcnen der Malediven," a study of the 

 Maldive Islanders. 



In the Journal of the Geographical Society of Vienna (XXXI) is a 

 short account of the Nicobarese, by Dr. Sroboda, with a map and figures. 



A new work by Dr. F. Max-Miiller, " Biographies of Words and the 

 home of the Aryans," deserves notice. 



Zoology. 



This is a subject of which my knowledge is so limited that any 

 attempt on my part to put before you the main points of interest in the 

 progress of this widely extended branch of science during the past year 

 in India must necessarily be very imperfect. 



The opening up of Upper Burma has already increased our know- 

 ledge of its fauna, principally of the birds and lepidoptera, but it is 

 somewhat disappointing to find that so little has been done from India 

 itself to take advantage of the numerous expeditions that have been 

 made into all parts of the country, and that the principal honors are scored 

 by foreigners. However it must be a matter of congratulation that 

 good work has been done in this new country, and it matters not by 

 whom. 



Good progress has been made in adding to our knowledge of the 

 fauna of Indian Seas, by the Marine Survey Department under Com- 

 mander Carpenter, who has enriched our Museum Collections to an 

 unprecedented extent in this direction; while the results are being 

 worked out by Mr. Wood-Mason, who is a specialist in this branch. 

 Mr. Thurston, the Director of the Madras Museum, has also been busily 

 engaged in diving operations off the Southern Coasts and obtained large 

 and interesting collections. Mr. Haly, Director of the Colombo Museum 

 has also done some di'edging on the Ceylon coasts. These marine in- 

 vestigations are of special interest in connection with the distribution 

 of animal life and the occurrence of living forms of extinct species 

 now found as fossils. 



The progress of the recently-formed Natural History and Anthro- 

 pological Societies of Bombay shews that a lively interest is taken in 

 Zoological and Anthropological studies on that side of India. 



Another advance of great importance in the interests of the 



