PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 
27 
Waterford, during the three last years, and several siskins visited us in the summer 
of 1852 ; both these birds were unknown in this neighbourhood previous to 1848, 
as was also the bullfinch, which is now (or was, at least, last year) plentifully 
distributed in all directions round Waterford. The severe weather last winter 
may have affected this bird, as most of the small birds, and even blackbirds and 
thrushes, have been fearfully diminished in numbers, both by the inclemency of 
that season and also by the attacks of crows, or rooks, which, on many occasions, 
I have myself seen hawking at and killing blackbirds, thrushes, fieldfares, &c.; 
and even on one occasion a woodcock, which fell a victim to the attack of its 
assailant.” 
P.S.—I forgot to mention, some time ago Dr.Farren informed me that he saw 
some specimens of the little gull flying over the river, and about the bridge, at 
Waterford ; I think in the winter of 1849. 
G. F. Shaw, Esq., F.T.C.D., was elected an honorary member. 
W. H. Ferrar, Sch. T.C.D., F. D. Kift, Esq., T.C.D., were elected ordinary 
members. 
William Smith, Esq., Professor of Natural History, Cork, Richard Allman, 
Esq., Bandon, were elected corresponding members. 
John Bain, Esq., Curator, University Botanic Gardens, was elected an associate 
member. 
FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 1856. 
R. Ball, LL.D., President, in the chair. 
Dr. Lamprey, 15th Regiment, read the following paper— 
ON THE VEDDAHS OF CEYLON. (Plate 3.) 
Ceylon presents an interesting and comparatively uninvestigated field for ethno¬ 
logical research. Situated in such close proximity to the thickly populated conti¬ 
nent of India that the intervening channel is barely wide or deep enough to 
maintain its insular, character, it might almost be described as a promontary of 
India. It is placed between 5° 55' and 10° 18' of north latitude, and between 
79° 50' and 81° 41' of east longitude, and in superficial area may be said to equal 
Ireland. Diversified in its interior by high mountain ranges, it possesses every 
variety of climate from tropical to temperate ; and, being under the influence of the 
monsoons, it is free from any vicissitudes of excessive heat or moisture. Having a 
fertile soil, and being abundantly supplied with water by numerous rivers and tanks, 
its vegetation at all times presents the most beautiful and luxuriant appearance; 
and throughout its whole extent it is covered with dense jungle forests, which 
abound in game and vegetable products fit for food and other uses. With all these 
advantages, however, of position, climate, and fertility, Ceylon, though called the 
Garden of the East, is but a very thinly populated country. It scarcely numbers 
more than a million and a half of inhabitants at the present day, though there are 
sufficient evidences extant to show that, at one period of its history, it must have 
maintained a very large population ; and there is no reason why it should not do 
so again if the means of irrigation practised by the former inhabitants were again 
restored to their former usefulness. But if the population is small, it is not defici¬ 
ent in variety of races and castes and mixtures of races composing it, the history 
of any one of which would be sufficiently interesting to us. Thus, independent of the 
Singalese, who are Budhists in religion, and speak their own language, and who 
comprise numerous castes and families, there are Tamuls, who are next in point 
of numbers, who also are divided into several castes, speak a different language, 
are Hindoos in religion, and inhabit the northern districts of the island; there 
are Moormen and Malays, who are Mahomedans; there are descendants of the 
negro race, from Mozambique, brought as slaves by the Dutch from South Africa, 
and erroneously called Caffres ; and besides, men from the most distant parts of the 
globe, there is a motley group of mixed races to be met with in the large towns of 
