1885.] Annual Beport. 17 



him to devote so mucli time to them as he wished. His sojourn in the 

 Punjab immediately after its acquisition by the British Government 

 gave him excellent opportunities, which he utilized to the utmost, for 

 collecting old coins, and as an accomplished numismatist he made 

 for himself a name which is honorably known in Europe. The study 

 of numismatics necessarily attracted his attention to Indian epigraphy, 

 and he devoted much attention to inscriptions. Since his retirement 

 from India he wrote two valuable essays on the genesis of the Indian 

 Alphabet and of the Indian numerals. While engaged in translating 

 extracts from the works of Muhammadan writers, and subsequently 

 during his sojourn at Agra and Delhi, he paid much attention to 

 mediaeval Indian history, and he was well known to be one of the 

 most enthusiastic and able expounders of the history of the Muhamma- 

 dans in India. He contributed to the Society nine papers on history, 

 numismatics, ancient inscriptions, and sculptures, and published several 

 others in Europe. These learned papers were received with respect by, 

 and have ably assisted, the archaeologists of this country, and his name is 

 intimately associated with the progress of this Society. 



The other 3 ordinary members who died during the year were Dr. 

 H. W. McCann, the Society's General Secretary, whose loss has been 

 feelingly acknowledged, and an account of whose life and labours has been 

 published in the Proceedings for July ; Mr. J. B. Chalmers and Mr. R. 

 Pawsey. 



An Associate Member was elected during the year, Mr. F. Moore, 



F. Z. S., in recognition of his contributions to Indian Entomology. 



At the Centenary Meeting, held on the 18th January 1884, to cele- 

 brate the Hundredth Anniversary of the first meeting of the Asiatic So- 

 ciety, the following six gentlemen, on the proposal of the Council, were 

 unanimously elected Special Centenary Honorary Members. 



1. James Prescott Joule, Esq., LL. D., P. R. S., Manchester. 



2. Dr. Ernst Haeckel, Professor in the University of Jena. 



3. Charles Meldrum, Esq., M. A., F. R. S., Mauritius. 



4. A. H. Sayce, Esq., Professor of Comp. Philology, Oxford. 

 6. M. Emile Senart, Member of the Institute of France, Paris. 

 6. Monier Williams, Esq., Boden Prof, of Sanskrit, Oxford. 



Indian Museum. 



The following presentations made to the Society have been tran sfer- 

 red to the Indian Museum, under the provisions of Act XXII of 1876. 

 2 Brass objects, one of which looks like a seal, presented by Col. M. 



G. Clerk, and found by him in an excavation in Accra near Bannu in the 

 Punjab. 



