1867.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 15 



ed, within the geographical limits of Asia, to whatever is performed by 

 man or produced by nature." 



" The annual Report, to which you have just listened, has informed 

 you of much of what has been done, and of the condition of the 

 Society at the close of the past year. It betokens activity and 

 onward movement ; it indicates that large and important questions 

 have been dealt with by the Society, not only in the Department of 

 oriental languages, in which it has always held so high a place, under 

 the direction of the eminent native and European philologists who 

 have contributed so largely to the < Bibliotheca Tndica,' but also in 

 zoology, archaeology, meteorology and other departments of natural 

 science, in which enquiry has been pushed, and progress made. 



" Questions of the day, most occupying men's minds, — those connected 

 with the origin of our species, — the history, affinities and relations of 

 the infinite number of varieties of the human race, whether illustrated 

 by physical conformation or linguistic peculiarities, have been pro- 

 minently brought before the Society, for investigation ; and are perhaps, 

 at your hands, to receive the solution of some of the most interesting 

 problems connected with the enquiry. 



" The Natural History of the Fauna and Flora of the country, its 

 mineral and other telluric treasures, already much investigated by 

 many able men, yet present ample field for research and discovery. 



" A noble Botanic Garden and herbarium, although unconnected 

 with the Society, (which we may hope to see supplemented by a 

 section of Economic Botany, in the Museum) already represent the 

 treasures of this department of the organized kingdoms of nature. 



" In Geology and Palaeontology, a museum and records worthy of the 

 distinguished Geologists who are at the head of that Department of 

 Science in India, are accessible to the scientific world, and are available 

 to you either for study or comparison. 



" For those who are interested in numismatic and archaeological re^ 

 lies, collections exist in the Society's Museum, of no mean repute ; and it 

 is with pleasure that I note the commencement of a Department of 

 Social Science under the auspices of a talented and energetic member 

 of our Society, which is thus indirectly connected with the Asiatic 

 Society. I have also the gratification of recording the initiation of a 

 movement among several members of the Society and others, for 



