100 Haraprasad Shnstri — Antiquities of the Tantras. [Aug., 



The Secretary announced that Mr. F. E. Pargiter, Honorary 

 Antliropological Secretary, had been appointed by tlie President accord- 

 ing to Rule 47 to act as General Secretary during the absence of Mr. T. 

 H. Holland between the 21st and 30th of July. 



Major A. Alcock, I. M.S., exhibited some wood showing some of the 

 supposed results of a storm in Assam. 



The following papers were read : — 



1. Further researches on MercurouSi Nitrite and its derivatives. — 

 %Dr. P. C. Ray. ^ ' 



(Abstract.) 



The first portion of this paper deals with the preparation of mei- 

 curous nitrite on a large scale, as also obtaining it in a chemically pure 

 state. - . "^- 



The second portion takes up the preparation of ethyl nitrite and 

 its isomer nitioethane by the interaction of meicurous nitrite and 

 ethyl iodide. It is here shown that mercurous nitrite behaves just 

 like silver nitrite. 



The last portion describes certain interesting reactions between 

 mercuroiis and mercuric nitrites on the one hand and silver and sodium 

 nitrite respectively on the other. ' '' ' 



2. On Mer citrous Iodide, and a new method of its preparation. — By 

 Dr. p. C. Ray. 



(Abstract.) , , 



The Author shows that when the residue after the reaction 

 between* mercurous nitrite and ethyl iodide is heated in a tube, 

 mercurous iodide, as might have been expected, sublimes off: Some new 

 properties of this compound have also been added. , 



3. Antiquities of the Tantras and the Introduction of Tantric rites 

 in Buddhism. — By Mahamahopadhyaya Haraprasad Shastri. 



(1). I have examined one Tantrik work entitled Laijkavatara in 

 the Darbar Library, Nepal, written in later Gupta hand, bearing as the 

 date of copying, the 28th year of the Newar era which corresponds to 908 

 of the Christian era. It is a work on the treatment of fever and other 

 diseases by medicine, incantation and charms It is addressed to Bibhi- 

 sana the brother and successor of Ravana. Bibliisana is said to be 

 immortal and the work is addressed, to him. This work is to be differen- 

 tiated from the celebrated work entitled Laijkavatara siitra of the 



