1866.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 71 



languages and dialects had never been made the objects of scientific 

 study. Undoubtedly steps had been taken towards the collection of 

 materials, but the analysis which alone could be productive of useful 

 results, had never been applied. 



Mr. Campbell then addressed the meeting, as follows : — 

 " It may have come to the knowledge of some members of the Society, 

 that the Council has lately taken action with the view of obtaining in 

 connection with industrial and other exhibitions, the collection and 

 classification of various races of man. When I suggested the collection 

 of the crania of the aboriginal and other races of India, the then 

 President, Mr. Grote,. remarked that the individuals more immediately 

 interested might have some not unnatural prejudice aginst parting 

 with their crania. I felt that, even when the interests of science 

 were concerned, so reasonable a prejudice must be respected, and could 

 only hope that they would be good enough to let the Society have 

 their skulk, when they should no longer have use for them. At the 

 last meeting, we had ocular proof that endeavours to this end had not 

 been wholly unsuccessful, and I understand that on a late visit to the 

 Andamans, Dr. Smith found a mourning widow of very aboriginal 

 persuasion, wearing her husband's skull as a sort of locket, and who, with 

 great anxiety, concluded a bargain for the sale of it for the moderate 

 sum of 1 rupee. Another and more immediate solution of the difficulty 

 has, however, been suggested, viz. that the possessors of interesting 

 skulls might be not unwilling to let us examine them, while still on 

 their shoulders, and on the proposition of Dr. Fayrer the Council 

 have taken up the subject, and hope to bring about arrangements of 

 the kind on a large scale. I believe that Dr. Fayrer is entirely right : 

 that we are greatly indebted to him for bringing the matter before 

 the Council ; and that in many ways the study of the human features and 

 characteristics in living specimens will be above all things interesting 

 and advantageous. I have long thought so, and I was much struck by 

 seeing men of most interesting and curious races carrying things down 

 to the Punjab Exhibition two or three years ago ;;the men r who were not 

 to be exhibited, seemed to me much more curious than the things they 

 were taking to exhibit, and at the time I ventured to suggest that the 

 men also might be exhibited, but it was then too late. I will not now 

 detain the meeting by any details. I will only say that I understand 



