FRANCIS HAMILTON (ONCE BUCHANAN), li 
ix 
Hamilton published in 1820 an epitomé of the information derived by him from 
1008 sou i 
various sources regarding the corundum quarry of Singraula. 
Two brief botanical papers, both of some economic importance, and both refer 
ring mainly, if not wholly, to Bengal were published in the Edinburgh J l of 
Science іп 71824 and 1597. The particular year in which the notes Fidi cds а 
made cannot be traced from the existing papers and correspondence. Тһе E 4 
with a plant used іп many parts of India іп refining wagers? it has, ho ung 
considerable scientific as well as economie interest, and shows ‘that Hamilt ай 
come to very sound conclusions as to the relative position of the genera "n d 
natural family Hydrocharidee, а family that, when he wrote, was ih etl da 
stood. The second, mainly an economic paper, deals with two vegetables £ fairl 
common use in Bengal? “These exhaust the list of papers, bell oí ог аа 
from the reports and journals of the Bengal survey of 1807-14, that were published 
prior to Montgomery Martin's attempt to issue these documents as a whole in 1838. 
° Hamilton’s brief visit to Galle on his way home in 1815 provided material fora 
short zoological note published in the Edinburgh Journal of Science in 18973 
At the time that Hamilton was engaged in preparing his accounts of Nepal and 
of Assam, which were the two first subjects taken up by him оп his return to Scotland, 
he arranged for publication tables of the ‘genealogies of Hindu dynasties and other 
remarkable personalities, extracted from the Puranas and other sacred writings by his 
Pandit. These were published in 1819. Only 50 copies were printed, one of these is 
in the library of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. 
As soon as these works were completed Hamilton arranged for publication the most 
sustained and notable of bis zoological works, the account of the Gangetic fishes? In 
this treatise Hamilton has embodied the observations of nearly 20 years. His attention 
was first given to Indian fishes in 1796; his studies were carried on with hardly a break 
till the end of 1799; they were renewed while he had charge of the menagerie at 
Barrackpur during 1804-05, and were continued while he was engaged in the Bengal 
Survey of 1807-14. The numerous drawings made at Puttahaut and at Baruipur were 
his own property and there is reason to believe that copies of the Barrackpur drawings 
were also at his disposal. Those made between 1807-14 were, under circumstances 
already dealt with, taken from him, so that the volume of plates accompanying the 
text is less complete than it otherwise might have been, 
M'Clelland says ihat Hamilton’s specific descriptions are so obscure as to render 
the task of identifying individual species most difficult and uncertain, and implies that 
! Account of the mine or quarry cf Ccrundum in Singraula : Edinb, Phil. Journ. ii, 1820. 
2 An account of the Jangi, or Vallisneria alternifolia of Dr. Roxburgh, the plant used in India in refining 
sugar: Edinb. Journ. Sci. i. 1824. 
3 Deseription of а plant (Beta bengalensis) used in Bengal as а common green vegetable (Olus) and of another 
neerly allied to it: Edinb. Journ. Sci. vii. 1827. 
* Notice respecting the Vanderon Monkey, «r t 
pg н ed H 4 Remarkable P of the Hindus, eztrarted from 
5 : ities, Princes, Heroes апа Kemarnable І ersonages қ е 
жел е TP an Introduction and Index. Edinburgh: 1 vol fol. 1819. Genealogie 
Edinburgh : 1 vol. 8vo. 1819. 
its branches. Edinburgh: 1 vol 40. With а 
he Guenon a face pcurpre of Buffon : Edinb. Journ. 
the sacred writings of that people. 
of the Hindus, extracted from their sacred writings. 
6 Ап Account of the fishes found in the River Ganges and 
volume of plates; 1 vol. Royal 4to. 1822. 4 
