PROCEEDINGS OP MEETINGS. 



The Governor had approved of the proposed plan for adding & 

 floor to the present building, by which means it would be made to> 

 correspond with the opposite wing of the buildings occupied by the 

 Treasury, but there were difficulties in carrying out the plan, owing 

 to the large amount of work on hand in the Civil Engineer's De- 

 partment. The cost of the building was estimated at £450 and 

 there was no doubt that His Excellency would sanction the appro- 

 priation of such a sum. At present the contents of the Military 

 Museum remained in their original rooms which might at any time 

 be required for other purposes. 



After reading a list of the books and Periodicals received since 

 the last meeting and the election of new members, the following 

 papers were read. 



On the romanization of the Sinhalese Alphabet by R. C. Guilders, 

 Esq. 



Remarks on the weather during 1862 by J. Maitland, Esq. 

 Translation of a portion of the Salalhini Sanxeo by R. C. Guil- 

 ders, Esq. 



General Meeting, October Zlst, 1863. 



Rev. B. Boake, Vice-President, in the Chair. 



After the transaction of general business the Secretar}?- reported 

 that the Governor had sanctioned the introduction into the Supply 

 Bill for 1864 of a vote for £513, the estimated cost of enlarging the 

 premises occupied by the Society, in order to enable it to receive 

 the Museum of the Military Medical Department. 



Mr. Ondaatjie exhibited a specimen of the inspissated juice of. 

 the Alstonia Scholaris, which he stated to be a substitute for 

 Gutta-percha. It possesses the same properties and is as workable 

 as the latter. It readily softens when plunged into boiling water, 

 is soluble in Turpentine and Chloroform, receives and returns im- 

 pressions, and is adapted for seals to documents. The tree abounds 

 with milky juice like the Gutta-percha, has a fleshy bark and 

 porous wood, and belongs to the order Apocynea. 



