1877.] G. H. Damant — Note on the old Ilanipuri Cliaraeter. 101 



The left half of the slab is broken off. The characters of the inscrip- 

 tion are the same as on the I'rich inscription of A. H. 815, published by 

 me in Proceedings, A. S. Bengal, for March 1874, pp. 69, 70. On both 

 inscrij)tions the word *^ hih is spelt ^ ke, though the metre shews that 

 ^ is short. 



IV. 



From a stone at the Dargah of Pir Kdshdni in Muhammaddhdd Khdsy 

 Parganah Muhammaddhdd. 



The rubbing is illegible, and the name of this 'saint from the town of 

 Kashan (in Persia) is not known to me. 



The following papers were read — 



1. Note on the old Manipuri Character. — Bg G. H. Damant, C. S., 



Officiating Political Agent, Manipur. 



(Abstract.) 



The Manipuri alphabet appears to be a form of the Devanagari, and was, 

 in all probability, introduced from Bengal along with Hinduism by some 

 wandering sanydsi in the reign of Charairongba (1700 A. D.). The alpha- 

 bet is ill-adapted to the wants of the language, but is used by the ' maibees/ 

 or priests, who keep up a national chronicle, in which every event of im- 

 portance is recorded. 



The number of Manipuri MSS. is exceedingly limited. Mr. Damant 

 mentions five, and gives a facsimile, transliteration, and translation, of the 

 first page of the ' Samsokgnamba.' Vide Journal and Proceedings for 

 1875. 



The paper will appear in No. 1, of Pt. I, for 1877. 



Majoe Godwin- Austen said — There is but little doubt that the Mani- 

 puris are a mixed race drawn from the Hill-tribes that encircle the valley, 

 particularly the Naga. Even now a certain intermixture of blood goes on 

 through the connections formed by Manipuris with Hill women that come 

 down into or live in villages contiguous to the valley, or take service in 

 Manipuri households. He believed also that men of the Hill-tribes are 

 admitted into the Hindu community. 



2. Descriptions of three new species of Birds belonging to the genera Po- 

 matorhinus, Actinura, and Pellorneum, from 8addya, Assam. — Bg 

 Major H. H. Godwin-Austen. 



(Abstract.) 

 This paper contains the descriptions of three interesting new forms 



recently collected by Mr. M. T. Ogle in the neighbourhood of Saddya, 



