28 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Jan. 



There are four vacancies among the honorary members, and it will be 

 the duty of the Council to submit certain names distinguished either 

 in Philological or Physical science, that I believe will command 

 universal approval. 



In addition to the subjects discussed at the monthly meetings, 

 there are others that require notice. In Dec. 1865, 1 proposed to the 

 Council that an effort should be made, with the aid of Government, 

 to bring together in one great congress, representatives of the races of 

 man of the old world, pointing out, at the same time, that Calcutta was 

 peculiarly favorably situated for the accomplishment of such a pro- 

 ject ; the suggestion was well received by the Council, and it has been 

 approved by scientific men generally, Great difficulties lay in the way, 

 but none, it appeared to me, that science, aided by money, could not 

 overcome ; and as the object was one of universal interest, it was not 

 surprising that it excited attention, for surely on no point of natural 

 science could investigation be better bestowed, than on that which 

 might throw light on some of the most interesting problems in the 

 natural history, age, and affinities of our race. 



I must here express my acknowledgments to Mr. E. C. Bayley the 

 President, to the Council, and to Dr. J. Anderson, the Nat. Hist. 

 Secretary, for the encouragement and assistance I received from 

 them towards the development of the project. The Society is also 

 deeply indebted to the Government for the part it has taken in ad- 

 vancing the subject of ethnological enquiry. Reports have been 

 called for by all the Governments from their subordinates in India, 

 and already a large collection of valuable papers on the various 

 tribes under their jurisdiction have been received. Photographic 

 representations of many of the Hill races have been presented, and not 

 only has sanction been accorded to Colonel Dalton to edit a work 

 on certain of the Indian tribes, of which work four chapters are 

 already finished, but Dr. Simpson, who has done so much already for 

 Ethnology with his Camera, has been permitted by Government to 

 complete the photographs still wanting to illustrate the work. It 

 has been a subject of great gratification to the Ethnological Com- 

 mittee to find that so many of these gentlemen, notwithstanding 

 their multifarious and arduous duties, have entered into the enquiry 

 with spirit, and have furnished reports that are as creditable to them as 



