674 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS, [aNNO I693, 



the back is of a greyish colour, the belly is whiter, and is that part filled with 

 the cells from one end to the other : the skin which covers it is very like that 

 of stock-fish, or other dried fish. 



Accompanying this, is another shell, found in the river of Goa, which holds 

 a sort of oyster*. It is very rare, and in the Indies, as well as here, the shell 

 powdered is esteemed a good medicine. 



The like to this oyster-shell is to be found in the West Indies, whether the 

 same species I cannot determine, having never seen them entire together, to 

 compare them. But considering the hint that is here given, of its being thought 

 medicinal at Goa, where it is found ; and also that calcined shells -f- are the most 

 common entertainment all over the Indies, chewing them all day long with the 

 leaves of a certain hot piperate and spicy plant,:}: and a sort of nut|| mixed ; we 

 may reasonably suspect the Goa stone to be made up of them, or such like 

 ingredients. 



On some unknown Ancient Characters ; by Mr. Flower : with Remarks by Francis 

 Aston, Esq. S. R. S. N° 203, p. 872 



These characters, being 22 in number, are all that could be distinctly col- 

 lected out of the ancient sculptures even to this day, to be found at the hills of 

 Canary ; where there are divers receptacles cut out of the main rock, with in- 

 credible industry by the ancient inhabitants of those parts, supposed to be Moors 

 or negroes of Ethiopia, rather than Gentoos ; on account of the size of their 

 usual statures, which are at least 8 feet in height, having great lips, full eyes, 

 fiat nose, and curled hair. So far Mr. Flower. 



The intent of this paper, probably, was to compare these ancient characters 

 with those at Persepolis, the gentlemen having got together several other 

 alphabets, which had been used in the eastern parts of the world. The places 

 here pointed at, are chiefly three, two on the island Salsete, and one on the 

 island Pory, called the Pagode of Olifant, of such a size, that one of them is 

 described by Linschoten to be equal to a village of 400 houses, to consist of 4 

 ranges of building, one over another, within the mountain ; and to contain no 

 less than 300 rooms or habitations ; adorned throughout with strange frightful 

 statues of idols, of lions, tigers, elephants, amazons, and a hundred other 

 things, so well designed and curious, that Andrea Corsali, in the year 1515, 

 had thoughts to send some of them to Julyan de Medices. Who were the 



• Ostrea Firginica. Linn. Gmel. 



f Called chinam or chunara. 



X Betel, a plant belonging to the Linnasan genus piper. 



II The areca-nut, or pinang, the fruit of a tree belonging to the natural order palmx. 



