338 jouknal, e.a.s. (ceylon). [Yol. II., Part II. 



But your Committee desire not to take leave of this subject 

 without recording their sense of the inconvenience and disadvan- 

 tage under which the Society labours, especially in regard to its 

 Museum, by having to share with the Loan Board the room 

 originally devoted to its use by the Government. 



They have further to report the non-arrival of the Taxidermist 

 whom they expected from Calcutta ; nor can they assign any 

 reason for his withdrawing from the engagement which the 

 Society was willing to make with him. "Tour Committee have 

 long since given up all expectation of him, and would probably 

 find no difficulty in getting his place supplied ; but as many of the 

 circumstances are now changed which would have rendered his 

 services desirable, your Committee reserve for future consideration 

 whether they shall recommend this course to be adopted. 



As a token of the prosperity of the Society and of the position 

 which it begins to assume among its contemporaries, your Com- 

 mittee refer to the number and character of the learned bodies 

 with which it at present corresponds. Besides those with which 

 it was in communication at the beginning of the year, its co-opera- 

 tion has been sought by the Smithsonian Institution of America, 

 under the immediate direction of the United States Govern- 

 ment ; the Geological Society of Bombay ; the Antiquarian 

 Society ; and the Syro-Phoenician Society of London ; while from 

 itself has emanated a correspondence with the Asiatic Society of 

 Paris. It would not be fair to pass by the circumstance that an 

 assembly of the Members at and about Jaffna has recently been 

 brought about by the energetic perseverance of your late Secretary, 

 Mr. Edgar Layard, for the purpose of promoting the interests 

 and furthering the views of the Society. 



The Treasurer's accounts, too, show a larger balance than at 

 the close of any previous year ; and thus, notwithstanding that, 

 the whole expense of publication has for some time past devolved 

 on the Society, and that considerable expenses have been incurred 

 in the purchase of cases and almirahs to furnish the Society's 

 Museum, your Treasurer reports a balance in hand : — 



£ s. d. 



On account of the General Funds of the Society of... 20 14 0^ 

 On account of the Museum Fund of ... ... 28 0 10 



Total ... 48 14 10± 



To that, whether regard be had to the external relations of 

 the Society, its internal economy, or the number and activity of 

 its Members, your Committee deem that it has now reached a 

 position and a stability to which it never yet approached at any 

 previous period of its existence. 



