86 CJironicles of Science. [Jan., 



Beems, however, to have abeady aroused attention in India ; and 

 in the April number of the ' Proceedings of the Asiatic Society 

 of Bengal ' is an interesting paper by Mv. Mulheran, " On the 

 Crosses and Cromlechs Avhich are found in great abundance on 

 both banks of the Godavery, at Katapur, and elsewhere." The 

 cromlechs, in which the remains of either one or two bodies 

 appear to have been interred, usually consist of a number of 

 upright stones sunk in the ground in the form of a square, covered 

 by one or two large slabs of sandstone. They are considered by 

 the author to be of Buddhist origin. 



The crosses are of the Latin form, and are made of one piece of 

 stone 10 or 11 feet high, of which about 7 feet are exposed above the 

 ground. They do not appear to have had any connection with the 

 cromlechs, and were probably erected as memorials of the faith of 

 Christians buried in their vicinity. 



In a subsequent number of the Proceedings of the same Society, 

 Lieut. J. S. F. Mackenzie reports the discovery of a great number 

 of cromlechs in the vicinity of the town of Veerajpett, in South 

 Coorg. The cromlechs were foimd covered by large mounds of 

 earth, evidently artificial. One of them consisted of six large 

 stones, surmounted by a huge flat slab, the whole being divided 

 into two compartments by a large centre-stone. The two front 

 slabs had each, at the top and immediately below the super- 

 incumbent stone, peculiar apertures of a segmental form, about 

 2 feet by 1 foot 8 inches. Many other cromlechs were discovered, 

 possessing similar openings, which the natives consider proof of 

 these structures having been the abodes of the pigmy race 

 described in their legends, the apertures having supplied them with 

 the means of ingress and egress. Lieut. Mackenzie, however, 

 considers that these openings were simply used for the purpose 

 of introducing cinerary urns and the bones of the members of 

 the iiimily, as they died one after the other. In these sejmltures 

 several antique-shaped urns and pots were discovered, composed of 

 thick red and black highly glazed pottery. Some of the vessels 

 were tripods, while others were supported on four feet. No bones 

 Avere found in them, either calcined or in their natural condition ; 

 but iron weapons were tolerably abmidant, and included a spear, 

 some large javelins and arrows, and the hilts of daggers. It is 

 satisfactory to find that upon the discoveries of these remains being 

 made kno\Mi to the Indian Government, sums of money were 

 granted to carry on the investigations. 



During Dr. Erdmanu's survey of the Quaternary formations 

 of Sweden,* he has been able to throw considerable light ujion the 

 nature and position of the most ancient monuments of that 



* 'Expose ties fonuatious Qimt<Tiiaivi.'i3 do la Suodo," jur A. Eiduiaim. 



