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YIII. 



ON THE YOLCANOES AND HOT SPRINGS OE INDIA, AND 

 THE EOLK-LORE CONNECTED THEREWITH. By Y, 

 BALL, C.B., LL.D., E.R.S., Director of the Science and Art 

 Museum, Dublin. 



[Eead January 23, 1893.] 



The selection of a suitable title for this Paper has been a matter of 

 some difficulty, it being desired to convey by it that the object in 

 view is to describe the influence upon the inhabitants of India of 

 certain selected classes of physical phenomena. The subject is there- 

 fore connected with those which I have previously discussed either in 

 this Academy or elsewhere, with reference to some characteristics of 

 the animals, plants, and minerals of India, as they are regarded 

 from the natives' point of view, and as affording the origins from 

 whence sundry myths and traditions have sprung. As will be seen 

 in. the following account, the phenomena here described have exer- 

 cised a considerable effect on the habits, customs, and religious beliefs 

 of those who live in the regions where they are manifested. 



In all cases, both with regard to the subjects previously treated 

 of, and those which are discussed in the present Paper, sufficient 

 scientific descriptions of the objects have been given, to insure 

 precision of identification. Many interpreters of myths, with a sub- 

 lime indifference to the laws of geographical distribution, have 

 searched the world over in order to provide themselves with means for 

 explaining the myths they have sought to investigate. But a more 

 satisfactory method appears to be to describe, where possible, a phy- 

 sical phenomenon, a zoological or a botanical species ; then to mention 

 the views of the inhabitants on the spot where it occurs, and so pass 

 to the consideration of how those views may be connected with, or 

 have given rise to, a particular myth or tradition. "What is aimed at 

 principally in the present communication is to give a systematic account 

 of a certain group of Indian myths and traditions, which may afford 

 material for comparisons hereafter with the myths and traditions of 



