116 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). 



[Vol. XIX. 



the same way, and nipped off with the nail ; dots are thus 

 formed by applying the end of the thread of lac and cutting 

 off a tiny piece with the nail ; such dots are consequently 

 square or diamond shaped. 



The lacwork is usually limited to a small number of good 

 conventional patterns admirably adapted to the nature of the 

 material ; when, as occasionally happens, these are departed 

 from, and an endeavour is made to represent some more 

 ambitious subject, such as an elephant or lion (as occasionally 

 on book covers), the result is necessarily not quite so satis- 

 factory. Most of the work however is from a decorative point 

 of view thoroughly sound, and the colours pleasing. 



ORNAMENT FROM A K ANDY AN LACWORKED STICK. 



The following are many of the names applied to patterns 

 formed in finger-nail work — welpota (this is the pattern 

 illustrated), adarakondu (plain lines), bindu and galbindu 

 (diamond shaped spots), kola wela (an interlacing creeper 

 pattern) pala peti (petal pattern) , lanu geta (plait patterns) , 

 patura (elongated isosceles triangles), bo-kola (bo leaf) dela 

 (net pattern), suli wela (another creeper pattern). 



The Angalmaduwa and Hurikaduwa process differs from 

 that above described in that the lac is applied to the wood while 

 revolving on a turning lathe, the heat of friction softening 

 the lac and causing it to adhere. This process is more limited, 

 being only applicable to objects which can be turned on a 

 lathe, and it does not admit of the delicate pattern work of 



