VIII. Catalogue of Stars to be observed with the Moon in May, 1834. Names of b Urs. Min. 3 41 24 25 1.72 63 Leonis IX-Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. Thursday Evening, the 20th March, 1834. The Rev. Principal W. H. MILL, Vice-President, in the chair. Mr. ALEXANDER Csoma de Koros, proposed by Mr. TREVELYAN, Secondby Mr. J. PRINSEP, was elected an Honorary Member. The Secretary announced that a vacancy had been caused in the office of Vice-President, by the departure of Sir JOHN FRANKS, when a ballot was held, and the Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of Calcutta was declared unanimously elected. Read a letter from G. MONEY, Esq. expressing his wish to withdraw from the Society. Read a letter from Rev. W. YATES, stating that he would prefer publishing his Translation of the Nalodaya in this country, on his own account, under the patronage of the Asiatic Society, with the hopes that the Asiatic Society would, in addition to their own subscription, forward the specimens to the Oriental Translation Fund, with a recommendation that they should also patronize the work, or adopt it on the list of their publications. Referred to the Committee of Papers. Read a letter from the Assignees of MACKINTOSH and Co. forwarding proposals for a lottery of the household property of the late firm, and soliciting the Society as a creditor to invest a portion of its claim in the same, at 2,000 rupees per ticket, there being 2,500 tickets, and 14 prizes, valued at a total of 5,20,000 rupees. Moved by Mr. BAGSHAW, seconded by Mr. HARE, and resolved, that the Society cannot entertain the proposal. Read a letter from J. ROBISON, Esq. Secretary to the Royal Society of Edinburgh, expressing the thanks of the Society for the present of the XVII. Vol. of their Transactions. Read a letter from Mr. C. E. TREVELYAN, presenting for the Museum, on behalf of His Excellency the Right Hon'ble the Governor General, a native picture representing the interview between His Lordship and the MAHARAO and RAJ RANA of Kota, which took place at Ajmere in January, 1832. Library. The following Books were presented : Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh for the years 1832-33, Nos. 1 and 2-by the Society. Transactions of the Batavian Society, vol. 15-by the Society. The letters of T. on the employment of the English language as a medium for Native Education-by the Author. The Indian Journal of Medical Science, Nos. 2 and 3-by Messrs. J. Grant and J. T. Pearson, Editors. Ceylon Almanac, for 1834-by his Exc. Sir R. W. Horton, Gov. Ceylon. [This volume, like the preceding vol. for 1833, contains much original and valuable information on the ancient history, antiquities and geography of Ceylon.] Madras Journal of Literature and Science, No. 2-by the Madras Literary Society. Abstract of Proceedings of the Cape of Good Hope Association for Exploring Central Africa, drawn up for publication—by J. C. Chase, Esq. Secretary. Map of various routes between Europe and India, comprehending Western and Northern Asia, together with Asia Minor and Egypt-by Mr. J. B. Tassin. Meteorological Registers for January and February, 1834-by the Surveyor General. Translation of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes into the Madagascar language—by the Madagascar Mission. Journal Asiatique, Nos. 67, 68 and 69—by the Asiatic Society of Paris. Lardner's Cabinet Cyclopedia-Greeks and Romans, 1st vol. -Foreign Statesmen, 1st vol. Read a letter from Sir R. COLQUHOUN, expressing Mrs. HERBERT's desire that the Geological Specimens belonging to the Estate of the late Captain HERBERT should be presented to the Museum of the Asiatic Society. A further collection of Fossil Bones from the bed of the Jumna works were presented on the part of Captain E. SMITH, Engineers. The skin and skeleton of a large Rhinoceros were presented for the museum, by Mr. J. H. BARLOW, C. S. Read a letter from Colonel WATSON, advising the dispatch of 30 maunds of Coal from the new seam discovered by Mr. CRACROFT and himself in the Kasia hills, for trial at the Presidency. This coal agrees in composition with No. 12 of the table published in the 3rd vol. GLEANINGS, page 283. The seam is from 16 to 20 feet thick, and spreads six square miles in area; indeed it extends through the whole district. Colonel WATSON explained the particulars of the locality to the Meeting, and exhibited the model of an apparatus on the principle of a suspension rail-rope for the conveyance of the coal down the hill. The height is 4000 feet, and the longitudinal distance 11⁄2 mile, over a very rugged rocky country, where the construction of a road would be attended with great expence. Read a letter from Major JAMES WILKINSON, Governor General's Agent, Hazaribagh, forwarding a small specimen of coal picked up near Bhullea, a village in Ramghur, 14 miles south of Hazaribagh. This coal resembles the Oogadong lignite, in having an infiltration of white matter (silex?) in its natural crevices. It is a rich lignite: sp. gr. 1.325. Further specimens of the commissioner, Arracan. Aeng coal were forwarded by Mr. WALTERS, Read a note on the Chiru Antelope of Nepal, by B. H. HODGSON, Esq. [This paper appears in a foregoing page.] Geographical. 1. Journal of the Route from Déra Ghazí Khan, through the Veziri country, to Cabul, by Dr. MARTIN HONIGBERGER, communicated by Captain C. M. WADE, Political Agent at Ludiana. The following extract from Captain WADE's letter was read. "This is the route used by the Lohani merchants, the great carriers of the trade between India and the countries beyond the Indus, and it has never to my knowledge been before traversed by an European traveller. Dr. HONIGBERGER is a native of Transylvania and a man of education and science. He has travelled through Turkey, Asia Minor, Egypt, Bagdad, and thence come to the Punjab in 1827, by the way of Sindh. While in the Punjáb he entered the service of Maharaja RUNJIT SINGH, and was of great use to him in shewing his people an improved method of making gun-powder, and in giving his physicians some lessons in pharmacy; but as he did not think the Maharaja placed sufficient value on his services, he applied for his discharge, which was reluctantly granted ; and he is now on his way to Europe by Bokhara and Khiva. During his stay at Cabul, he has been employed in company with Mr. MASON in exploring the antiquities in that neighbourhood; he has sent me an account of their labours, which I shall have the pleasure to translate and communicate hereafter." [The Journal will be printed as soon as the route-map can be prepared.] Antiquities. Read some remarks upon the ancient inscription (called No. 2, by Lieut. BURT), on the Allahabad pillar, by Captain A. TROYER, Secretary, Sanscrit College, &c. [This paper is printed in the present number.] A short note by the Secretary on the subject of the oldest inscription, No. 1, was also read. The Secretary exhibited to the members present the valuable and interesting collection of reliques and coins discovered by M. LE CHEVALIER VENTURA, General in the service of Maharaja RUNJIT SINGH, on opening the Tope of Manikyala in 1830, and presented by that officer to himself some months since. They were obligingly conveyed to Calcutta under charge of Colonel Sir J. BRYANT, Mem. As. Soc. [The description of these precious antiquities must unavoidably be postponed until drawings can be prepared to illustrate them in a becoming manner.] X.-Scientific Intelligence. 1.-Royle's Illustrations of the Botany of the Himalaya Mountains. Part I. The first number of Mr. ROYLE's vast undertaking has made its appearance within little more than a year from the arrival of the author in England. It contains ten excellent lithographic plates, coloured; one of Zoology (the Alpine hare) and nine of Botanical subjects*, including 15 plants of Upper India and Cashmere. The letter-press description of these is postponed, to allow space for a copious preliminary memoir on the natural history and climate of Upper India and the hills, the field of the author's labours and observations. * Anemone discolor; Ranunculus polypetalus; Isopyrum grandiflorum and microphyllum; Delphinium Cashmerianum; Aconitum heterophyllum ; Cimicifuga frigida; Meconopsis aculeata; Corydalis Cash. and goviana; Tauscheria desertorum ; Viola serpens, reniformis and Kanawurensis; Grewia elastica. From these we would fain make more ample extracts than our limited space will allow, and we can confidently assure all who would be acquainted with the features, the climate,-botany,-mineralogy of the hills, that they will be well rewarded by a perusal of the whole essay. The Court of Directors have placed at Mr. ROYLE'S disposal the portion of Dr. WALLICH'S collection, which he had not himself the opportunity of publishing; Major General HARDWICKE also put into his hands ten volumes of drawings made in the plains of Upper India, and while travelling 30 years ago in the Himalayas; but neither of these have been broached as yet, owing to the ample and novel stores accumulated by himself. Of the vegetable productions of the neighbourhood of Sehárunpúr, its khadir and bangur, or high and low land; and of the Dehra Dun, we have a correct view from the author's own pen, in the first volume of the Journal*. To this he has on the present occasion added very largely, particularly in the part relating to the hills themselves dividing the slope of the Himalaya into three several belts, and treating each separately. The first belt extends to 4 or 5000 feet of elevation, and comprehends most of the Flora of temperate climes, with some remains of tropical forms, Butea frondosa, Carissa sepiaria, Justicia adhatoda, Nyctanthes arbor tristis, Grislea tomentosa, Sterculia villosa, Kydia calycina, and Leea aspera. Nerium Oleander is found at the base of these mountains, as in Syria aud Barbary, along the banks of streams. The mangoe and the gloriosa superba attain an elevation of 4000 feet. The second belt embraces the space between 5 and 9000 feet; the limit to which the herbaceous plants of tropical genera extend. The third, thence to the highest limits, to which snow melts away on the southern face of the Himalaya. The bounds are necessarily but ill defined, and differ greatly on the northern aspect of the mountains. The arboreous vegetation of the mid region corresponds almost entirely with that of temperate climates;-Quercus, Acer, Ulmus, Carpinus, and the different pines; of smaller trees, there are species of Cornus, Benthamia, Euonymus, Rhamnus, Rhus, Ilex, Andromeda; of shrubs, Berberis, Buxus, Daphne, Crataegus, and Coriaria, &c.; of fruit trees, Juglans regia, Armeniaca vulgaris, Persica vulgaris, and Punica granatum, with species of Pyrus, Cerasus, Rubus, and Morus. But it is quite impossible to excerpt any thing like a complete catalogue of the riches of this genial clime, where man, as DE CANDOLLE observes, attains the greatest perfection. The splendid pines and cedars form the ornaments of the highest range at 11,000 feet elevation. Quercus semicarpifolia is the principal forest tree at the highest limits below, other species of Quercus, with Taxus, Betula, Acer, Cerasus, and Populus. The smaller trees of highest resort, and shrubs, are Juniperus, Salix, and Ribes. It is remarkable that one of the bamboo tribe is found at elevations of 10,000 feet; it is allied to the Chusquea of Quito. Of the cultivation at this elevation, Dr. GERARD and Capt. WEBB have furnished particulars. Buckwheat and barley flourish at 11,600 feet. In addition to the author's former observations on the plants collected by his emissaries in the valley of Cashmere, we find the following note derived from M. JACQUEMONT's visit: "The valley of Cashmere, situated between the 34th and 35th parallels of latitude, in the most northern part of the Himalaya, and to which we descend from the * Account of the Seháranpur Botanic Garden, i. 41. |