464 Proceedings of Learned Societies. 



merged without injuring its original properties, remaining un- 

 changed after drying in the open air, and at ordinary temperatures. 



The great drawback of its liability to spontaneous combustion 

 having now been proved to depend on imperfect manufacture, and 

 to be altogether removed when suitable provisions are adopted in 

 its manufacture. 



At the conclusion of the anniversary meeting, the Copley medal 

 was presented to the Rev. Adam Sedgwick, for his discoveries in 

 geology. Eoyal Society's medals to the Rev. M. J. Berkeley, for 

 his researches in cryptogamic botany, and to Mr. J. P. Gassiot, 

 for his discoveries in voltaic electricity. 



ROYAL SOCIETY OF LITERATURE.— Nov. 25. 



Ancient Knowledge of African Lakes. — Mr. Hogg read a paper 

 descriptive of the old maps of Africa, showing that our recently ac- 

 quired knowledge was known to the ancient geographers. In a map 

 in the possession of the College de Propaganda Fide, at Rome, 

 probably copied from an Arabian one of the ninth century, the Nile 

 is represented as rising from a lake on the equator. 



In a map of J. Senex, F.R.S., dedicated to Sir I. Newton, Lake 

 Nyanza is placed in the same position as in Capt. Speke's recent 

 map, and in Walker's map Lake Zambre is laid down in the position 

 of the recently discovered Lake Tanganyiake. It is singular that 

 since the time of Senex the maps have been published with con- 

 tinually increasing inaccuracies until the promulgation of the recent 

 discoveries of the several African explorers. It is presumed that the 

 information contained in these old maps must have been obtained 

 from the Portuguese traders, who penetrated long distances into the 

 interior. 



ETHNOLOGICAL SOCIETY.—!)^. 9. 



The Weddos, or "Widdos, of Ceylon. — A description of this 

 remarkable tribe, living in the jungle in the interior of Ceylon, was 

 read before the Society. It was written by one of the Tamil natives. 

 The Weddos are generally supposed to be the direct descendants of 

 s-ome royal families or chiefs, who were driven into the forests of the 

 interior when the island was invaded, nearly 2200 years since. 



The descendants of these families have remained perfectly dis- 

 tinct, not associating with the other races of the island. The males, 

 however, exchange wax, ivory, and dried venison for salt, and also 

 for farinaceous substances, such as arrowroot. They capture their 

 game and defend themselves by the use of the bow and arrow, 

 being sufficiently expert to destroy their enemies at a distance of 

 sixty yards. They are quite ignorant of the use of firearms. Within 

 a comparatively recent period they have commenced to cultivate the 

 land, but they subsist chiefly on the flesh of wild animals, which 

 they preserve in honey, and in times of scarcity they will eat decayed 



