Proceedings of societies. 
201 
Earl Fitzwilliam was re-elected president. New Vice-Presidents —C. H. Elsley, 
Esq.; W. Gray, jun., Esq.; Rev. C. Wellbeloved ; and R. J. Thompson, Esq. 
New Members of Council — W. Hatfield, Esq.; Thomas Meynell, jun., Esq. ; 
Dr. Goldie ; Henry Smales, Esq. Treasurer —R. Davies, Esq., in the place of 
the late lamented Alderman Gray ; Mr. W. Gray retiring from the office of 
Secretary, Mr. Henry Robinson was elected Joint-Secretary with Professor 
Phillips. 
The thanks of the meeting were given to Mr. William Gray, for his valuable 
services during eleven years, and to the officers and members of the Council.— 
York Herald. 
ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY. 
This Society met on Saturday, Feb. 3, the Right Hon. C. W* Williams 
Wynn, M.P., the president, in the chair. —Henry Laver, Esq., was elected a 
resident member. Among the donations laid upon the Society’s table, was a MS. 
Persian catalogue, accompanied by a letter from Professor Forbes, the donor, 
explanatory of its contents. The catalogue was principally valuable from con¬ 
taining the names of several works unknown or believed to be lost, such as the 
Chronicles of Tabari in the original Arabic, and the Mustafa Nama , containing 
104,000 couplets in the metre of the Shah Nameh ; and although the name of 
the possessor, as well as the place and date, is nowhere stated, there is reason to 
conclude that the books existed within forty or fifty years in the library of some 
Indian prince ; this inference may be drawn from the circumstance of “ His Sublime 
Highness” being named in the catalogue, and from many of the books being in 
the Hindustani language, and of recent date.—A paper by Lieut. Postans, “ On 
a Sect of Yogis in Cutch, known by the name of Kanphatis” was then read 
to the meeting. The Kanphatis reside in an extensive range of buildings near 
Danodhar, where their creed and practice is to give food and shelter to all persons 
demanding it, of whatever caste or sect, and without limit as to time and quan¬ 
tity. Their numbers are few, and they bind themselves to a life of celibacy, 
but their charities are large, and they have considerable revenues to enable them 
to comply with the very liberal rules of their order. The chief of the Kanphatis 
is understood to derive great dignity from his office, and he is not obliged to return 
a salute or answer a question from any one, not even from the Raja of Cutch. 
This sect has its peculiar name from the immense ear-rings which its members 
wear, by which their ears are nearly burst. The words khan and phati meaning 
“ ear-burst.” Lieutenant Postans w T as received by these people in the most 
obliging manner, and was shown every thing of interest in their establishment. 
A portrait of the present chief of the Kanphatis , and a drawing of one of the 
immense cauldrons in which rice is boiled for the numerous applicants upon their 
VOL. III.—no. xix. 2 E 
