8 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. XIII. 



Society's Library. As the bulk of the work has already been done 

 by Messrs. F. H. M. Corbet and D. M. de Zilva Wickremasinghe, it 

 seems not unreasonable to hope that some Member of the Society will 

 come forward, as Messrs. H. C. P. Bell and W. E. Davidson did in 1882, 

 and by seeing through the press a new Catalogue of the Library, ensure 

 its being more widely availed of in aiding the researches and studies 

 which the Society was established to promote. 



Archaeology. 



Owing to pressure of work in the Surveyor-General's Office 

 it has been found impossible to issue the requisite drawings for 

 the Progress Reports of the Archaeological Commissioner on his work 

 at Anuradhapura during the past year and a half. This is greatly to 

 be regretted, but seems unavoidable under present circumstances. 



During the year has appeared, however, a full and elaborate 

 Report by Mr. H. C. P. Bell on the Kegalla District, the first scene 

 of the Archaeological Survey's labour. 



At Anuradhapura, in the North-Central Province, the survey has 

 been prosecuted with all the vigour possible, with a limited vote and 

 a labour force not exceeding 100 hands. The fine Monastery (or 

 Nunnery) at Panhuliya (three miles north of the Bo-tree on the left 

 bank of the Malwatu-oya) has been systematically and thoroughly 

 excavated. The solitary so-called Kiribat Veliera (dagaba), a mile 

 north-west of Pankuliya, and half a mile north of thei^Vijayarama 

 ruins, has been attacked, and one quadrant of its periphery laid bare. 

 The identification of this dagaba should greatly aid towards fixing the 

 position of other ruins in the ancient city. 



Other ruined buildings nearer the town have been dug up, and have 

 yielded interesting archaeological "finds." 



Round Abhayagiri Dagaba, at the group of the ruined monasteries, 

 excavations have extended along the southern and western faces of 

 the dagaba, and have exposed to view more than one building of great 

 interest — notably a large pilima-ge (image house), with massive walls 

 of the Polannaruwa type. 



More of the ancient roads have been followed out, and surveyed, 

 and plotted together, with the whole extensive range of ruins near 

 Jetaivanarama Dagaba. 



Vast as was the ancient city, there is every reason to hope that it is 

 gradually being made to give up its plan to steady and intelligent 

 investigation, and thus more than justifying the continuance of the 

 Archaeological Survey. 



Two circuits were also carried out, as last year, in the course of 1892 

 through a portion of the North-Central Province, and several unknown 

 inscriptions and ruined sites discovered. 



Prospects for 1893. 

 The following Papers have been received : — 



(1) Kurunegala Vistaraya ; with Notes on Kurunegala, Ancient and 

 Modern, by Mr. Frank Modder. 



(2) Chelappadikaram, by the Hon. P. Coomaraswamy. 



(3) Notes on the Nidification of Sturnornis Senex and Cissa Ornata^ 

 by Mr. Frederick Lewis. 



(4) On the Isles of Jaffna, by Mr. T. Kasipillai, f.k.h.s. 



