SEPTEMBER 1850. At a meeting of the Asiatic Society held on the 4th instant- The Proceedings of the preceding meeting were read and confirmed. The following gentlemen, having been duly proposed and seconded at the last meeting, were balloted for and elected Members. Rev. W. Smith. L. S. Jackson, Esq. Notes were recorded from Dr. Macrae and Rev. S. Slater, withdrawing from the Society. Read a letter from W. Jackson, Esq. presenting a copy of a work on the Statistics of Agra, by C. C. Jackson, Esq. The Secretary submitted an application from Mr. H. Roberts, Assistant to the Zoological Curator, soliciting an increase of Salary, also a note from the Council, stating that under the present state of the Society's Funds, they do not think themselves justified in recommending any increase of Salary to Mr. Roberts. The Librarian and Zoological Curator having submitted their usual monthly reports, the meeting adjourned. Confirmed, 2nd October, 1850. WELBY JACKSON, Vice-President. Report of the Curator, Zoological Department, for August, 1850. SIR,-My present Report records the presentation of the following dona tions. 1. Bábu Rájendra Mallika—A dead Lemur, the skin and skeleton of which have been prepared. 2. Rájá Pertáb Chand Singh-A recent specimen of a Shark. 3. Capt. Berdmore, Madras Artillery, Moulmein. A collection of skins chiefly procured at Mergui. Among them is that of a Squirrel which does not exactly tally with any previously examined. In the bird class, it adds a very beautiful Malayan Owl, Syrnium seloputo, (Horsfield,) to the Society's collection; and there are specimens of the young of Sturnia sinensis, a species stated by Mr. Lesson to inhabit the Malayan peninsula and Cochin China as well as China. Also specimens of Argus giganteus and Euplocomus ignitus, neither of which magnificent Gallinacea had previously been observed so far to the north.* And Capt. Berdmore has sent examples of Collocalia (the edible-nest building Swiftlets) from the Mergui Archipelago, both skins and examples in spirit, with the nests and eggs, the former old and of inferior quality. The species resembles C. brevirostris, (McClelland,) but is larger than I had previously seen. I may further remark that I am indebted to Capt. Berdmore for some living specimens of the new Duck described in J. A. S. XVIII, p. 820, by the name Sarcidiornis? leucopterus; but it to be a typical species of Casarca. I have the honour to be, Sir, proves The following books have been received since the last meeting. Presented. The Report of the British Association for the advancement of Science, for 1849.-PRESENTED BY THE ASSOCIATION. Statistics of Agra; by C. C. Jackson, Esq.-PRESENTED BY W. JACKSON, ESQ. ' The Calcutta Christian Observer, for September 1850.-BY THE EDITORS. The Oriental Christian Spectator, for July 1850.—BY THE EDITORS. Journal of the Indian Archipelago, for May. and June 1850, 2 copies.BY THE GOVERNMENT of BENGAL. Meteorological Register kept at the Surveyor General's office, Calcutta, for the month of July, 1850.-BY THE DEPUTY SURVEYOR GENERAL. The Tattvabodhiní Patriká. No. 85.-BY THE TATTVABODHINI'SABHAʼ. Rájabyabastha, or a Bengali Translation of Mr. Beaufort's Digest of the Criminal Law of Bengal. By Hemachandra Mukarjya of Janáï.—BY THE TRANSLATOR. The Athenæum. No. 1120. Exchanged. Purchased. Bopp's Comparative Grammar, Vol. III. Wallace's Memoirs of India. Flügel's German Dictionary. Edinburgh Review, No. 182. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, No. 31. Journal des Savants, for May and June. * Hardwicke erroneously states that A. giganteus inhabits Sylhet. Vide MS. in British Museum. Meteorological Register kept at the Surveyor General's Office, Calcutta, for the Month of June, 1850. [Meteorological Register, continued.] Minimum Pressure observed at 4 p. m. Temperature. | Wind.] Bar. red. to 32° F. Of Mer. Of Air. W.Bulb. Aspect of Sky. Observations made at sun-set. Temperature. Wind.] Bar. red. to 32° F. Of Mer. Of Air. W. Bulb Aspect of Sky. Max. Mean. Min. Maximum Inches 29.524 95.0 93.6 81.0 81.0 w N.w. Cumulo-strati .542 94.0 91.5 83 0 S. W. Cloudy .457 86.2 86,0 81 4 S.S. E. Ditto 418 91.4 90.7 82.7 .407 96.2 95.0 84.3 S. W. Cirro-strati .490 98.0 96.2 82.8 W. S. .543 83.4 82.0 77.0 E. Cumulo-strati .490 90.3 89.7 80.8 .491 86.2 84.5 80.0 W. Cumulo-strati 29.534 90.7 88.8 81.5 S.SW. Cirro-strati .532 89.0 88.0 80.4 S. E. Ditto .532 90.4 88.3 80.4 SS. W. Cloudy .522 87.6 87.0 80.0 S. E. Cloudy Inch. Inch. ค 95.5 87.1 78.7 103.0 1231 92.0 88.0 84.0 100.3 2.54 S. Cloudy 96.9 90.1 83.2 101.0 14 .500 91.2 90.7 85.3 S. Scatd. clouds 98.3 91.7 85.0 113.0 15 E. Ditto .571 81.8 82.3 77.2 E. Cloudy 97.9 91.3 84.7 110.0 16 .528 85.3 85.3 78.4 WSW Cirro-strati 97.0 88.4 79.7 112.8 D17 Cloudy 93.0 87.5 82.0 109,3 0.50 .469 83.3 83.2 80.2 EN.E. Scatd. clouds 91.8 86.0 80.2 115.8 0.38 19 Cumulo-strati .510 85.0 84.8 80.0 S. Cirro-cumuli 91.0 86 0 81.0 103.0 0.56 20 Cloudy .500 82.8 83.0 80.0 S. Cirro-strati 92.0 85.7 79.4 106.0 0.46 21 .460 82,3 83.0 81.0 S. Rainy 89.0 84.5 79.9 98.6 1.50 22 .466 83.2 83.4 81.0 S. E. Cloudy .422 86.7 86.3 80.8 SS. W. Zenith-clear 91.9 86.9 81.9 106.0 ...... 129.447 88.8 87.6 81.4 .... ...... 92.8 86.5 80.2 O JOURNAL OF THE ASIATIC SOCIETY. No. VII.-1850. Conspectus of the Ornithology of India, Burma, and the Malayan Peninsula, inclusive of Sindh, Asám, Ceylon, and the Nicobar islands.*-By E. BLYTH, Esq. Fam. VULTURIDÆ.† Gidh, H.: Shukuni, Beng.: Gid, or Gerni (Tickell). Subfam. VULTURINÆ. Genus VULTUR, L. (as restricted). 72. V. MONACHUS, L. (Edwards, pl. 290; Tem., Pl. Col. 426; HAB. Mountainous parts of Europe and Asia; Himalaya. *Continued from p. 342. † The restricted VULTURIDA divide into 1. VULTURINE. Comprising the genera Vultur and Otogyps. 3. SARCORHAMPHINE. Sarcorhamphus, Cathartes, and Neophron. 3 т No. XLIII.-NEW SERIES. |