272 journal? r.a.s. (ceylon). [Vol. II., Part II. 



I have said that, except in one or two species of poetry, 

 a stanza had an equal number of sounds in all the four lines. 

 Of the exceptions the short common metre is one ; but I 

 cannot find any rule for its construction. From observation, 

 I have however clearly ascertained that the first line consists 

 of nine sounds, the second eleven, the third nine, and the 

 fourth fourteen. 



Example, 



dzsvS) ^q®s3® GQ(3<3D(2>. — Kavminikoftdala. 

 The peacocks with their mates in the mountainous forest 

 hearing the din of tumultuous torrents, and glistening (with 

 beauty), freely play about from hill to hill. 



^ ^ ^ ^ ^ w w ; = 9 



w ^ w ^ ^ w =11 



^ w w ^ ^ ^ w =9 



w w ^ w w w w = H 



Although out of place, I must not here omit to remark 

 that the above stanza is so composed as to be used in the 

 diagram without the repetition of eight of the letters 

 found in all the lines. 



