172 Miscellaneous Scientific Proceedings 



which is in Burmese, and the other in Bengalese. Smaller figures 

 in bronze and lead represent other and secondary divinities. One of 

 the rarest pieces is a small group representing eight divinities pre- 

 sent at the birth of a Shakia. There is also a fine and large bas-relief 

 in terra cotta, of Burmese workmanship, which was intended to be 

 placed over the entrance of a temple j it represents two lions, painted 

 red, in an attitude of repose, and separated by stalks of ananas, 

 reminding us of the celebrated religious monuments of Western 

 Asia. The objects not relating to religious ceremonies are figures 

 of different classes of Hindoos in their proper costume; the bodies 

 are in terra cotta, and the dresses in real stuffs ; many of them are 

 executed with great perfection, although the Hindoos of Kishna- 

 gore, by whom they are done, have not practised that kind of work 

 more than fifteen years. There are also a great variety of domestic 

 utensils of the Hindoos calculated to throw great light on their 

 habits and manners. The reporters, in conclusion, bestowed the 

 highest praise on the persevering assiduity of M. Lamare-Picquot, 

 and strongly recommend the formation of an Ethnographic Museum, 

 similar to those existing at St. Petersburgh and various towns of 

 Germany, for the preservation of all the objects of every nation, 

 calculated to throw light on the manners and customs of any nation 

 of the globe. 



SOCIETE D'ENCOURAGEMENT DES ARTS ET DE L'!NDUSTRIE. 



Enamel Painting. On the 1st of June M. Merinnee made a 

 report on a new application of enamel painting, which promises to 

 be of great importance to the arts. This branch of art has hitherto 

 been confined to painting on enamelled metallic plates, or on porce- 

 lain : the objection to the former is that, in consequence of the 

 action of the fire on their shape, they can never be used beyond a 

 certain and small size; while the latter, though presenting the ad- 

 vantage of greater dimensions, has the inconvenience of not being 

 susceptible of being passed above three times through the fire, 

 because the enamel of the porcelain not having the same fusibility 

 as the colours, the latter scale off when the action of the fire is pro- 

 longed beyond a certain point. The difficulty, therefore, was to find 

 a substance which, while, it afforded equal dimensions with the 

 plates of porcelain, would support the action of the fire without 

 breaking or losing its form. This want has been supplied by the 

 discovery of the properties of the lava which is found in great quan- 

 tities in the mountains of Puy-le Dome, and to which the distin- 

 guishing name of tephrine has been given : that procured from 

 Volvie is the best. This lava is very porous, and consequently 

 lighter than common stone. It is sawn into plates of moderate 

 thickness (about half an inch) ; and when these plates have been 

 cut perfectly even, the small cavities of the surface are stopped up 

 with a vitrifiable paste, which, by the action of the fire, forms one 

 substance with the lava, and subsequently unites itself firmly with 

 the layer of enamel which is placed over it. Plates of three and 



