364 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Aug. 



to promote its objects, and to aid it in carrying on upon a common system, 

 in the most distant parts of the empire, the extensive investigations which 

 it meditates. Copies of the report have been also addressed to Sir E. 

 Ryan, Major Benson, Dr. Christie, Captain Herbert, and Messrs. Calder 

 and Prinsep, who have been requested to coalesce with Mr. Swinton as 

 members of the Indian Committee. 



The purport of submitting this letter to the Physical Class was to give publicity 

 to the objects of the British Association, tbrougli the circulation of the Society's 

 proceedings, that all who are inclined to undertake any of the trains of investiga- 

 tion pointed out in the published " recommendations*," may know where they 

 may address inquiries, or transmit the results of their observations. 



Mr. J. Calder brought to the notice of the Society, as connected with 

 the communication just made known, that since the death of Doctor 

 Voysey, the situation of Geologist and Naturalist to the grand Trigonome- 

 trical Survey had remained vacant. He trusted that the present Surveyor 

 General would not lose sight of the great advantages to science of such an 

 appointment, when he should be preparing to continue his grand arc 

 through the unexplored regions of Central Hindusthan. 



5. From Dr. Strong, with copies of correspondence with Col. Sir Thos. 

 Anburey, Chief Engineer, respecting the pay of the men of the Sapper and 

 Miner Corps employed in the boring experiment. 



6. From G. Swinton, Esq. forwarding on the part of Colonel Watson 

 specimens of Kasya iron ore, smelted iron, and coal ; also some native 

 caoutchouc, manufactured into bottles, and thin sheets, at Chirra Punji. 



The latter may become a valuable article for many purposes ; the sheets 

 are very thin, pliant, and impervious to air or water. 



The coal is of the slaty kind, sp. gr. 1,447, containing volatile matter 36, carbon 

 41, and a copious white ash, 23 per cent. 



7. From Dr. J. T. Pearson, submitting his suggestions on the im- 

 provement of the Museum of the Asiatic Society. 



After some discussion, and a vote of thanks to Dr. Pearson, for the labour 

 he had taken in the consideration of a subject of such vital importance to 

 the Physical branch of the Society, — Messrs. Calder, Troyer, Tytler, 

 Everest, Wilcox, and C. Hunter, in conjunction with the President and 

 Secretaries, were nominated a Committee to report upon the best mode of 

 giving effect to the very desirable plan proposed by Dr. Pearson, previous 

 to coming before the general meeting of the Society, with any application 

 on the subject. 



Dr. Pearson exhibited a part of his entomological collection, as an example 

 of what might be effected towards the preservation of specimens in this 

 country. 



A fossil was presented by the Rev. R. Everest, supposed to be the vertebrae 

 and ribs of a saurian animal. 



Papers read. 

 1. Description of the Canis primcevus of Nepal, by B. H. Hodgson, 

 Esq. 



* These were printed at length in the last number of the Journal. 



