1868.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 7 



Journal. 

 The volume for 1867 will be less bulky than that of the previous 

 year, each part consisting of three Nos. only, six in all, of which four 

 are already issued. 



The fourth Number of the Literary and Archaeological part of the 

 Journal for 1866, did not appear until July in the past year, and 

 the 3rd Number of the Natural History Section for 1866 was 

 published in February 1867. This publication of the Journal so long 

 after its nominal date, has been due to unavoidable delays, and not 

 to any want of activity on the part of the Editors, who have done 

 their utmost to hasten the publication. No confusion as to priority 

 of authorship or publication can arise on this account, because each 

 paper is headed with the date of its authorship and receipt, and 

 the table of contents of the volume shews the date on which each part 

 is published. But the anomaly is undoubtedly objectionable, and 

 endeavours will be made in future, to publish the whole yearly Volume 

 as nearly as possible within the year. 



The Council believe that in point of interest, the volume for the 

 present year will bear comparison with that of any previous year. 

 There are doubtless several points in which the Journal is still sus- 

 ceptible of improvement, but the Council have given, and still continue 

 to give their best endeavours to raise its scientific status, and by thus 

 making it a worthy channel for the writings of the best men in the 

 country, they trust to gain for its Natural Science Section as high a 

 character among the corresponding Scientific Societies of the West, as 

 was long since gained for the Journal in its original form among 

 Archaeologists and Philologists. 



Ten numbers of the Proceedings of the Society have been published 

 during the past year. 



Library. 

 The state of the Society's Finances has not allowed of any steps 

 being taken towards the publication of the Catalogue, the MSS. of 

 which was prepared in 1866. If, however, the improvement in the 

 Society's resources during the ensuing year should be such as to justify 

 the Council in iucurring any expenditure beyond that provided in the 

 Budget, this Catalogue will have a prior claim on their attention. 

 692 works and parts of works have been added to the Library during 

 the past year. 



