3862.] 
63 
Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 
X 
11 From the October and November meetings, I was unfortunately 
absent, but Colonel Yule, I see, read at the first, a paper on the 
Indian remains in Java, and at the last Mr. H. F. Blanford read an 
abstract of his paper on the Gerard collection of Spiti fossils which 
have so long lain undescribed in our museum. Both these papers 
will appear at length in the Journal; at the same meeting was com¬ 
municated Mr. Pogson’s observation on the new planet Asia, the first 
discovery of this kind I believe in India. 
“The Nos. of the Journal too which have been published during 
the year, contain a larger proportion of papers on Oriental literature 
than the Nos. for the previous years. The Paris Society in Mr. 
Mohl’s annual report of July last, has again noticed the marked 
tendency towards natural history which characterizes our Journal for 
I860—attributing it, however, to other causes than what appears to 
me to be the real one. I hope now that sanction has been given to 
Colonel Cunningham’s archaeological mission, that our proceedings 
in the coming year will give proofs of our constancy to those tastes 
which have so materially helped to found our Society’s reputation. 
I anticipate loud approbation from European Orientalists of the work 
done in the past year by the editors of the 31 Nos. which have 
been published in the Bib. Indica. For our successful progress in 
the publication of this series, the Society is mainly indebted to Mr. 
% 
Cowell, Babu Bajendralal Mitra and Captain Lees, whose press and 
able staff of Moulavies at the Madrassa remained at our service 
during Captain Lees’ absence in England. 
“ Altogether the year has been an interesting one, and if the meet¬ 
ing agree with me in thinking so, they will probably also agree with 
me in thinking that our success has been owing in no small degree 
to the general attention given to the Society’s affairs by its late 
Council and Secretaries. 
“ I regret extremely that our obituary should contain the name of 
one of our office-bearers so useful and active as Colonel Baird Smith, 
.whose papers extend over our Journal for the last twenty years.” 
The report was then put and adopted. 
The meeting then proceeded to ballot for the Council and officers 
for the ensuing year. The Hon’ble IT. B. Devereux and Mr. J. 
Sandars, were appointed Scrutineers, and at the close of the ballot, 
the chairman announced the following result. 
