( 16 ) 
•which would have pieseived to posterity thn like- 
ness of numberless species that are rapidly bee jniing 
extinct. 
MoTHB. — 1 have to thank Messrs. F M Mackwood, 
B E Greeu, and .1 Pole for their liod assistance in 
naming the moths and for numerous valuable do- 
nations. A large number have al.so been purchased. 
Rhvncota. — The species of liicania forwarded to 
Professor Meliohar have been returned. They were 
all con ectly named, so that we hav ; obtained ikj 
fresh iiifuniiation. 
OuTHOPTEUA. — Three species of locusts new to the 
collection have been collected. 
Othkb Inverterrates. — The following names 
have been received from the ITorniraun Museum, be- 
side the Sepia and Sea Here motitioned previously: — 
Echinoidea. — The two beautiful sea urchins eo abun- 
dant in Weligama Bay, but which I cannot find 
anywhere else, are ToxojiHKtuU's /tileolu.i, Agass, and 
T. macalatus, Bell. 
HoLoTHUnioiDEA — Our extraordinarilv abundant sea 
cucumber found everywhere is doubtfully referred to 
Actinopyya milinris, Bell. 
FoitAMiNiFUBA.— The late Mr. H B Brady, f b s., 
presented the museum some years ago with a small 
collection of Foraminifera mounted by liimself. They 
were all obtained in two fathoms off Kalpitiya. The 
collection is of importance, as not only were they 
identified by the greatest authority on the subject, 
but all the species are figured in the "Challenger 
Monograph." 
Ceylon Products. — The following are the additions 
during the last twelve months : — (a long list.) 
Weights and Measuhes. — A most interesting col- 
lection of Kuruni Measures has been presented by 
the Government Agent of the Western Province. 
Ahms.— The above numbers are not consecutive with 
last year's report, as a new register is being prepared. 
A good deal of difficulty has been experienced in this 
work. The metal work, for instance, is more than 
half poxked away and had to be unearthed from 
various quarters ; consequently some of the objects 
were very diffionlt to identify and some had lost their 
numbers altogether. I fear the collection of kuruni 
measures which are mostly very nerishable, will 
ultimately be lost or become much damaged and 
indeterminable, although I have taken the greatest 
care in numbering and packing them. The Mal- 
divian collection is by no means improving. Objects 
not exhibited are certain to deteriorate, as tho Museum 
was coiisitructed from a purely local point of view, and 
there is no proper accommodation for duplicate collec- 
tions other than N itutal History specimens. Another 
Ceylon Products Room, the same size as the present, 
could be filled at ouce. 
ANTIQUITIES.— I have mentioned above that the 
Oommitiee decided to have Mr. A. C. Murray's tracings 
of frescoes at Polonnaruwa painted and exhibited. 
They were painted by Bliss G. Vandort under that 
gentleman's personal supervison and framed and hung 
by Mr. A. W. Andree. 
They nre f lOm the Demala Maha Saya, and repre- 
sent the following subjects : — 
The birth of Padmavati in a lotus flower, from 
the south wall. 
The god Indra sketching the hare on the moon 
Main hall, south wall. No. 1 bay. middle panel. 
Indra listening to Gootila's music. The same No. 
2 bay, lower panel. The upper part of Gootila's 
body is obliterated. 
Buddhi personating a deaf and dumb mendicant, 
who dies and is ordered to be buried by the king ; 
on the arrival of the body at the grave, Buddha 
revives as a prince, and points out to the sexton 
the folly of digging his grave. North wall, No. 4bay. 
expenditure, 
The cost of the Colombo Museum was as follows : — 
Total R24,042 88. A. Haly, Director. 
Colombo, February, 1899. 
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY AND LIBRA- 
RIAN FOR 1898. 
Accommodation. — How to provi !> > • and 
future needs in the matter of i-^ a 
question which should engage the lo : ■.•■•■n 
of the Govaroment. The insaflicieucT ol i j 
ia the Institution has existed and has been ; 
in preceding reports on the Library d .'! 
eight years. Tne necessity f«r the eaUi < 
building, more eapeciallv in conoecii .i. i 
Library, has been strongly represented by itie com- 
mittee to Government 
It seems snperflaous, alter what has been ^^ y 
me on this question of accommodation, to : 
the subject, so I shall merely direct att> i. .1 
refer to what has been set forth at length in my pre- 
vious reports. Thowantof room is every year inlcuoi- 
fi'd and interferes with iheprogress and dev.-' 
of the Library. It is it be hoped that the ; ■ 
providing room for the legitimate needs and • , n 
of the Library will engage the Governmeul a early 
attentiou. 
UOOKS UaUKb rail Bt.AUINO. 
The number of works issued to readers from the 
shelves was 981, as agaiust i)3<) in Hi*7, the bocks 
chiefly consulted were works on Zoology, Darwinism, 
Ceylon, Buddhism, Dictionaries, Encyclopselias, and 
other books of reference. 
ACCESSIONS. 
The past year has not been remarkable for any ac- 
quisitions of special value. Some books on Zoology and 
on Ceylon and some books of general reference were 
added to the collection. 
The nntnljer of volumes added to the Museum 
Library was 152. 
B00K6 OM CEYL.OK. 
A Dutch Manuscript on Elephants in Ceylon, by 
Cornells Taay van Wezel. acting " Gez ighebber " of 
the " Commandment " of GaJle also "L and-drost " 
and " Hoofd " orer the lauds of Matara, 1713 A.D. 
Presented by O. Collett, Esq., f,u.m s. 
[This work was considered sufficiently interesting 
to be translated for the Ceylon Branch of the Boyal 
Asiatic Society, and is published in the Journal oi 
the Society for 1898.] 
Original document of the Capitulation of Trinco- 
malee, 26th August, 1795. Presented by Mr. Gerard 
A. Joseph. Au Loin : Impressions Hinduoes (con- 
taining an account of Ceylon). 
Translations of the Entomological Society of Lon- 
don containing a chapter entitled '■ On a Visit to 
Ceylon and the relation of Ceyloneae Beetles to the 
Vegetation there," by George Lewis). 
Letchimey : a Tale of 0 d Ceylon. 
A Narrative of Events which have recently occurred 
in the Island of Ceylon, written by a gentleman on 
the spot. London, 1815. 
Charters, &c., containing — 
(1) The Charter or Letters Patent establishing the 
Supreme Court of Judicature in the Island of Ceylon 
and the High Court of Appeal in the said Island. 
London, 1801. 
(2) The Charter or Letters Patent for making 
certain alterations in the Snpre:ae Court of Judi- 
cature in the Island of Ceylon and ii the High 
Court of Appeal in the said Island, an i for abolish- 
ing the Provincial Courts and re-establisbiug the 
Courts of Landraad in the said Island. London, 1810. 
(3) The Oharter or Letters Patent for making 
further alterations in the Supreme Court of Judi- 
cature in the Lsland of Ceylon and in the mode of 
administering Justice in the said Sdttlements 
Colombo, 1812. 
Cases heard and determined in Appeal by the 
Supreme Court of the Island of Ceylon from De- 
cember, 1846, to Auijnst, 1347, by Alex. Murray, 
Solicitor-at-Law. Colombo, 1848. 
