142 Asiatic Society. 
A letter was also read from M. du Trachet, transmitting to 
the Society his Researches on the Membranes of the Foetus and 
on the Rotiferes. 
A communication was received from Dr. N. Wallich, superin- 
tendant of the botanical gardens, submitting to the Society de- 
scriptions and drawings of some interesting Asiatic plants, viz. 
the Daphne involucrata, Daphne cannabina, and Menispermum 
Cocculus, with remarks. Dr. Wallich also favoured the’Society 
with some samples of paper made of the bark of the paper-shrub, 
x species of Daphne, and probably the same that is described by 
Father Louriero in his Flora of Cochin-China. The paper ma- 
nufactured from this ‘substance is extremely cheap and durable. 
It is said to be particularly calculated for cartridges, being strong, 
tough, not liable to crack or break, however much bent or fold- 
ed, proof against being moth-eaten, and not in the least subject 
to dampness from any change in the weather. If kept in water 
forany considerable time, it will not rot, and is invariably used 
all over Kemaoon, and in great request in many parts of the 
plains, for the purpose of writing genealogical records, deeds, &c. 
The method of preparing the paper is extremely simple. The 
external surface of the bark being scraped off, that which re- 
mains is boiled in clean water, with asmall quantity of the ashes 
of the oak, which whitens the material. .It is then washed, beat 
toa pulp, and, after being mixed up with the fairest water, is 
spread on moulds of frames made of common bamboo mats. Be- 
sides these, Dr. Wallich presented to the Museum a specimen of 
the Bhojputtra of the natives, being the outer rind of anew 
species of birch. It is much used in the mountainous countries 
to the north for writing upon, particularly by the religious. On 
one of the pieces was a letter written by the Rawal (head-priest) 
of Kiddernath, a temple on one of the mountains of the: Himu- 
layah, and a great place of Hindoo pilgrimage. For these spe- 
cimens Dr. Wallich was indebted to the liberality and kindness 
of the Hon. E. Gardner, Resident at Katmandoo, who has already 
enriched the botanie garden with many valuable vegetable pro- 
ductions of Nepaul. 
In presenting a Mémoire sur 1’ Elévation des Montagnes des 
Indes, by M. de Humbeldt, Dr. Wallich laid before the Society 
some observations on several passages in that work by Capt. W. 
S. Webb, from which it appears that an incomplete manuscript - 
copy of Capt. Webb’s survey of the Himulayah mountains, or 
artial extracts from it only, had been seen by M. Hamboldt, 
which has led that writer into a mistake respecting the height of 
the highest peak of that range. 
Two Javanese works, one entitled Jaya Alancara, or Annals 
of 
