April 28, 1870] 
NATURE 
663 
Shark’s teeth, and a small tooth which he regarded as belonging 
to a Hippopotamus. He indicated the nature of the teeth and 
bones of elephants found by him in the newly-discovered fissure. 
The whole of the five localities in which ossiferous fissures have 
been discovered are in the same part of the island; and the 
author concluded with some remarks upon the geological con- 
ditions under which the remains of mammalia must have been 
accumulated, and upon the probability that a connection then 
existed between Malta and Africa. In a note appended to the 
paper, Dr, A. Leith Adams stated that the supposed tooth of 
Hippopotamus was a germ true molar of one of the pigmy 
elephants, and that the shark’s teeth had probably been de- 
rived from the Miocene deposits. Prof. Busk remarked that 
there was no doubt that three species of elephants had lived 
in Malta. Capt. Spratt said that it appeared to him that the 
chief interest of the communication lay in the greater com- 
parative abnndance of the larger species of elephant in the 
new locality. 
Royal Geographical Society, April 11.—Sir R. I. Murchi- 
son, President, in the Chair. The first paper was on a Pundit’s 
explorations in Western and Central Thibet in 1868, by Major 
T. G. Montgomerie, R.E. The previous exploration having 
furnished some information as. to the districts between Rudok 
and the Thok Jalung gold-field, it was decided to send the 
third Pundit to Rudok, and through Rawung and Tingche, 
north of the Aling Gangri Peaks. A reported trade route from 
Thok Jalung to Tengri-noor lake, and thence to Lhasaon, was 
to be attempted ; failing this, the route by Majin and Shelhifuk 
to Tadum Monastery. ‘The result has been to give definite in- 
formation as to the character of the great elevated plain of Thibet, 
15 to 16,000ft. above sea level, extending probably toSew Choo, 
nearly to the great wall of China. The Pundit, as one of a party 
of Bisahiris, went from Spiti to Demchok, on the upper Indus ; the 
river was 270/t. broad, and 5ft. deep in July—velocity of stream 
2,3; miles per hour; Rudok had not been visited ; officers had 
penetrated to within 12 miles of the Fort, where the Jong-pon or 
Governor resides. The Pundit determined the position ; the Fort 
is ona hill of 250ft., with 4 monasteries and 150 houses round it. 
July 22nd.—The party proceeded eastward through Rawung 
and Tingche to Dak-korkor, a standing camp and annual fair 
Large and small salt lakes were passed, and three days’ march of 
a waterless country, the soil ofa dazzling white. Five days north 
he heard of a district called Tung Phaiyu-Pooyu, of the same 
character, very lofty, named from high snowy-peaks, probably I. 
Kiun-kuenlun. A large river is said to how N. and E. to China ; 
the population is numerous, consists of Dokpas under Lhasa: 
The snow-white plains have been noticed east of Changchennmo 
Pass ; no high peaks were seen to north and east. All accounts 
and observations confirm the existence of great plains from the 
Chang Thang of Rudok to China ; the Pundit identified ‘‘ Jiling,” 
with Sining, N. lat. 37, E. long. 102, The party reached 
Dak-korkor, 20 miles N. of Aling Gangri, during the annual 
fair. Robbers attacked the camp. The Jong-pon levied a 
black mail from the traders to avoid pillage, probably sharing 
the plunder. The Pundit proceeded eastward by the Aling Chu 
river, which falls into lake Hagongcho. He passed lake 
Chakchaka, whence Nepal, &c., is supplied with salt. These 
lakes are nearly connected. A salt field of 20 miles by 10 is 
nearly on a level with the lakes. The Pundit heard of seven 
gold-fields besides those visited, Thok Sailung and Thok Jalung, 
and those of the northern district. South of Thok Jalung the 
gold bearing rocks were left. The supply in the gold districts is 
inexhaustible. 
From Thok Jalung they passed through Majin—the country 
drained eastwards, partly undulating and partly level; all about 
16,000ft. above the sea. They reached Kinglo on the large river 
Chu Sangpo, unfordable in summer, flowing east into a large lake 
Cho Sildu, which receives three large streams but has no exit. 
Shellifuk Monastery lies south of this lake from Kinglo. They 
were obliged to turn off the Tengri-noor route, and go south-west 
to Lake Mansarowae. Crossing the Nagchail and Riego ranges, 
offshoots of Kailas Peak, numerous borax fields were passed, 
furnishing a sufficient supply for the potteries of Europe. A 
tax of 10 annas or Is, for above 240 lb. only is imposed. Large 
herds of black wild yaks, wild asses, numbers of Hodgsonian 
antelope, wild goats and sheep, including Ovis Ammon wolves, 
reddish hares, marmots, and a kind of fox were observed. The 
lakes were tenanted by quantities of geese, ducks, and storks; 
eagles and vultures were seen everywhere. Robbers abounded, 
but went off at the sight of guns, The Pundit surveyed the Man- 
sarowae Lake; the water wassweet ; no exit. He failed to join 
the Ladak ca1avan to Lhasa, but proceeded to Shigatse, where 
he was stopped, and obliged to return, His servant reached 
the Tadum Monastery, but was sent back. He crossed 
into Nepal by the Muktinath, pass of only 13,000 feet. 
Mr. Shaw described the white plains which he had traversed 
for 10 or 12 miles as resembling ice covered with snow, one 
being soda; under it lay crystallised salt. The thieves were 
encouraged by the authorities, but were so afraid of guns, that 
a quantity of stolen sheep were voluntarily restored on the 
approach of European shooting party. Sir Henry Rawlinson 
considered there were no mountains north of Rudok, but that 
the plain descended by a gentle slope, affording facilities for a 
greatroad to be connected with the road from India. He referred 
to a Persian work, Tarik-i-Ras-chidi, written by a cousin and 
general of the great Baber, giving full topography of Thibet 
and Kashmir. Mr. Saunders exhibited a map of Thibet, he 
believed Central Asia proper was encircled by mountains with 
an escarpment descending rapidly on the north as well as the 
south, and argued against the hypothesis of a gentle slope. He 
pointed out the remarkable depth of the Himalayan gorges. 
The Pundit’s servant who had penetrated behind Mr. Everest, 
found the base of the peaks to be only on a level of 6,000ft., the 
gorges 20,000ft. deep. Dr. Campbell stated that a Chinese army 
had invaded Nepaul by the Muktinath Pass. 
The President remarked that our knowledge of the country 
had till now been derived from the Jesuits and Thibetan survey. 
The discussion made him realise our ignorance of it. 
A second paper was read by Captain I. Gregory on an attempt 
made to communicate from Assam with Catholic missionaries 
now residing at Sakka and on the Mekong and Salween rivers. 
The envoy was turned back. A letter received from the mis- 
sianaries was read, mentioning that Europeans were casting 
cannon for the Mahommedan king. They expressed their desire 
to aid English travellers, and mentioned that last year they had 
received ‘*a nice young gentleman from Bathang named Cooper.” 
The bishop is at Ta-Tsien. Col. Yule mentioned that 10 years 
ago a letter from the Vicar Apostolic at Bonga to Bishop Des 
Mesures at Rangoon first disclosed the presence of Catholic 
missionaries in Thibet. Information was sent by them concern- 
ing the rivers flowing from the plateau of Thibet, between the 
Bramapootra and the Upper Yang-tze-kiang. The upper waters 
of these and the Mekong Salween and Irrawaddy, issue from 
a higher latitude than supposed and can be traced to 35°. The 
determination of the disputed questions connected with these 
rivers is:proposed as an object of future exploration, A paper 
onthe Upper Irrawaddy is shortly to be read before the Society. 
Royal Astronomical Society, April 8.—William Lassell, 
F.R.S., president, in the chair. The minutes of the last meeting 
were read and confirmed, and 37 presents announced. A paper 
by Mr. Plummer on the Orbit of the Comet of 1683 was read. 
From the observations of Flamsteed, a parabolic orbit was de- 
cided by Halley, but recently Clausen of Dorpat has computed 
an elliptical orbit. The author, at Mr. Hind’s suggestion, re- 
examined the matter, making all possible corrections, and using 
the latest star places, and finds as the result that the orbit is 
parabolic, so that the return of the comet in a few years hence 
is not to be expected. —Mr. Tebbutt, junr., sent some observa- 
tions from Australia, of the Lunar Eclipse on January 17, 1870. 
During the totality, the details of the surface of the moon were 
distinctly seen through the copper-coloured tint pervading the 
disc, which was given at the edges. A number of telescopic stars 
became visible in the path of the moon, and seyeral occultations 
of these during the eclipse were noted. The times of contact 
were likewise given. Mr. Bird read a paper on ‘‘ The Floor of 
Plato.” ‘There are now 35 spots known on this space, 8 of them 
having been discovered since November 1869, The result of 
771 observations was given in a tabular form, showing the 
degree of visibility in the first 6 lunations of a year, in the last 6 
lunations, the increase and decrease of visibility, and the amount 
of the variation. The observations were made with telescopes 
of 6 to 9 inches aperture, the greater number coming from Mr. 
Crossby’s Reporter of the latter size, The President announced that 
there was a possibility of the Government providing the means of 
transit to and from Mediterranean ports, for observers of the 
eclipse in December next, and he invited the Fellows willing to 
take part in an organised scheme to send in their names, as 
nothing could be done until the probable number was known, 
The Astronomer Royal opened a discussion on the subject by 
tracing the course of the eclipse from Portugal to the Black 
