"the inscriptions" standing alone in Mr. Gibb's allusion to the CaveTemple Commission's Report embodied in the Minutes of the last Anniversary Meeting, and proposed that the words "some of" should be added to them. He (Dr. Wilson) also requested that the following might be added to what he is therein stated to have said in vindication of the Shastree's character.

Dr. Wilson then read the following passages from the Cave-Temple Commission's "Report," which is embodied in the Minutes of the Society's last Anniversary Meeting respecting the progress of the Shastree, and begged that, as they had been stated, so they might be added to the report given of his vindication of the Shastree's character in the Minutes" of last meeting, viz :

"The Pundit wishes to compare his work at this place (Kanheri) with the transcripts of Mr. West, lately received by the Society. The Pundit thinks that another year will be required to finish the Cave Inscriptions which had been already procured. His services will be required by Dr. Wilson when the whole of this is compared with what has been done by others in the transcripts and translations of inscriptions."

Mr. Newton observed that if by "some of the inscriptions," it was distinctly understood that 88 inscriptions were meant, he would not object to the addition of the words "some of"; but he doubted if the Shastree's book contained even, up to the present day, 89 inscriptions, or one more than the number represented at the last Anniversary Meeting to be "finished."

The additions proposed by Dr. Wilson having been admitted, the "Minutes" were confirmed.

Extract of a letter from A. Rogers, Esq., C.S., dated Surat, the 31st August 1861, to the address of the Secretary, announcing his discovery of "Nummulitic Limestone" in that collectorate, as follows:

"I sent you, for your inspection and for presentation to the Bombay Branch of the Asiatic Society, some specimens of Nummulitic Limestone, which appears to correspond with that of the Rajpeepla Hills and the Cutch formation described by Colonel Grant. I found it at Turkesur, about ten or twelve miles to the east of the railway station at Keem River between this and Broach, where the country first begins to be undulating and intersected by ravines as it approaches the hilly districts of Mandwee. I had not time to ascertain the extent of the formation, but found it cropping out from the surface for above a mile from where it lies upon it. The whole appeared to be equally

abundant in fossils; in fact, I suppose the whole rock is little more than one mass of them. Those embedded in the surface are, as you will see, most of them peculiarly perfect. There is no mistaking Operculina Nummularia and Orbitoides; the latter of every size can be observed, and in every possible variety of section."

The Secretary read a note from E. Harrington, Esq., dated 3rd instant, handing in the MS. catalogue which he had prepared for the Society, and begged to know what proceeding should be taken respecting its examination.

Resolved-"That the subject of Mr. Harrington's note," and the MS. catalogue, be referred to the Committee of Management for consideration.

The following report of the Cave-Temple Commission on the work done by the late Vishnu Shastrí in the translation of the Cave-Temple Inscriptions was read by the Secretary :—

"The Cave-Temple Commission beg to report that, having attentively considered Mr. Bhaú Dají's remarks on the labours of Vishnu Shastrí, together with the "Minutes" recorded thereon by the different Members of the Commission, the majority consider those remarks to be, in all material points, correct; and holding the utter valuelessness of the work performed by the Shastri during the five years of his employment by the Society to be conclusively established, they would have felt constrained, had he been still alive, to recommend his dismissal. They beg to lay before the Society Mr. Bhaú Dají's criticisms, above alluded to, on the book containing Vishnu Shastrí's copies and renderings, and the "Minutes" thereon of the President and Members of the Commission, with an expression of their opinion that, under the circumstances, Vishnu Shastrí's resignation from the 22nd July last should be accepted, his pay ceasing from the 15th April, the date on which he was permitted to leave Bombay on medical certificate.

"That the Secretary to the Commission be requested to obtain from the relatives of the late Vishnu Shastrí all documents and other property connected with the Cave-Temple Inscriptions that may have come into his hands, or have been prepared by him in his capacity of Shastrí to the Commission.

"That, as the elucidation and interpretation of the Cave-Temple Inscriptions form no part of the duty for which the Commission was originally appointed by the Honorable the Court of Directors, though the appointment of Vishnu Shastrí was subsequently sanctioned by

13 r

Government, the Commission unanimously recommend that the performance of this work be henceforth left to private enterprise."

This report having been received with the best thanks of the Society, the Members of the Cave-Temple Commission were asked if they would be so kind as to read their "Minutes" respectively, on the works performed by Vishnu Shastrí, commencing with that of Mr. Bhaú Dají.

Mr. Bhaú Dají read his "Minute," and on account of the lateness of the hour at its termination, an adjournment was proposed; to which the Rev. Dr. Wilson, President of the Commission, objected, and claimed an audience for his "Minute" also, as he stated that, the same Members might not be present at another Meeting. This was admitted; and Dr. Wilson, having finished, a hearing was about to be claimed for Mr. Newton's "Minute," when again an adjournment was agitated, which ended in the following "Resolution," proposed by A. F. Bellasis, Esq., seconded by Colonel G. Pope, viz:

"That the Report of the Cave-Temple Committee, which has been read and received, be adopted and approved by the Society."

The "Resolution" was carried, 8 having voted for, and 3 against it.12th September 1861.

Committee Meeting.-The Secretary stated that Mr. Harrington had sent in his MS. catalogue on the 30th ultimo; that it had been laid before the Society at its Meeting held on the 12th instant; that it had been resolved at the Meeting that the subject should be referred to the Committee of Management, and that, upon its being circulated to the Committee of Management, the latter had appointed the present day for meeting to consider it.

It was then resolved-"That the following Gentlemen be appointed a Sub-Committee to examine and report upon the MS. catalogue made by Mr. Harrington, and requested to state-1st, whether it be prepared according to Mr. Harrington's agreement with the Society; and 2nd, whether, in the Sub-Committee's opinion, it be such a catalogue as the Society ought to print, viz:-The Rev. Dr. Wilson; Colonel Pope; J. Gibbs, Esq.; Dr. Birdwood, and Bháu Dají, Esq.-24th September 1861.

Museum-Committee Meeting.-It having been stated by Dr. Leith that, as the Museum of the Society was very scantily catalogued, and the Secretary, under whose charge it had been for many years past, had, of course, more knowledge of its contents than other any it was person, desirable to secure this knowledge as soon as possible.

The Secretary replied that he had had "numbers" painted on all the drawers, and that it was his intention, during the course of next month (December), to enter the contents of the "drawers," generally, in the Museum Catalogue, but he could not consent to write a detailed account of each specimen. Further, he observed that most of the Indian Geological Specimens had already been mentioned generally in his Geological Papers, which had been published at different times in the Society's Journal, to insure at once, a record of the facts which they demonstrated, and that any Geologist, on reference to the "drawer" containing the specimens alluded to in these "Papers," would easily be able to recognize them individually. But if the Society wished for more, that was a detailed account of each specimen, he was willing to dictate this, so far as his knowledge extended, if any one would number the specimens first, and write down what he (the Secretary) might have to say of them afterwards.

Dr. Birdwood stated that he would be happy to undertake this part, and the Meeting, having decided on the amount of disbursement which they thought might be allowed for this purpose, was adjourned.14th November 1861.

ANNIVERSARY MEETING.

MONDAY, 25тH Nov. 1861.

The Secretary, at the request of the Honorable the President, read the following Report of the Committee of Management for the year 1860-61 :

GENTLEMEN,-During the past year 18 resident Members have 'been elected, that is, four more than last year; three have re-joined, one has withdrawn, and four are temporarily absent in Europe. There are at present on the list 98 Members, viz. 78 Resident, and 20 Non-Resident Members.

Library. To the Library 264 works, comprised in 330 volumes, have been added by purchase; 80 works, comprised in 305 volumes, have been rebound, and 74 Newspaper-files stitched; while 97 works, comprised in 259 volumes, have been presented to the Society.

Your Committee have lately had before them some suggestions for improving the means through which the Society is supplied with books, in order that a better selection may be insured; also suggestions for improving the circulating establishment, and for inspecting the Library generally, for the purpose of disencumbering it (in accordance with a

previous Resolution) of the useless ephemeral literature and duplicates which now occupy disadvantageously a large portion of the shelves.

Catalogue. In the last Annual Report, your Committee expressed hope that the new Catalogue would be made during the year 1861, as they had entered into arrangements for this purpose. The MS. of this Catalogue was sent in to the Society on the 30th of August last, and subsequently laid before a Sub-Committee for examination.* By the SubCommittee it was pronounced to be still very imperfect, and to require many corrections and additions; but on its having been returned to the gentleman who made it, he replied that "he was compelled, by causes wholly unconnected with the Society and its proceedings, to abandon, at great loss, the work of months, and withdraw from the preparation of the Catalogue." The MS. had been returned to the Compiler with a moiety of the sum agreed upon for reimbursement, but the latter was remitted, and the MS. retained. Under these circumstances, your Committee have again to seek for means of obtaining the new Catalogue. Periodicals.-The total number of Literary and Scientific Periodicals, Calendars, Army-Lists, and Almanacks received during the past year does not differ from that of 1859-60.

The Committee are glad to be able to state that the Library has sustained no damage from white-ants during the past year, and none from leakages through the roof during the last monsoon.

Museum.-There have been 17 donations to the Museum during the past year, chiefly consisting of Geological Specimens, and the Museum Committee report that they have made arrangements for obtaining a catalogue of the contents of the Museum generally, as far as may be practicable; after which, the whole may be systematized previously to its removal into the opposite apartment, as contemplated in the Annual Report of 1859-60.

Original Communications.-There have been 15 Original Communications read before the Society, of which eleven MSS. only have come into its possession, and of the four others the Society have nothing but the titles in the Minute-Book. The Honorable the President at the last Anniversary Meeting adverted to the practice of bringing incomplete "Papers" before the Society; and your Committee not only regret that this has been repeated, but recommend strongly that in future the Honorable the President's recorded observation be enforced, viz. "that all Original Papers should be delivered to the Secretary com

The MS. has since been generously presented to the Society by the gentleman who compiled it.

† See "Committee-Meeting," p. xcviii. ante.