412 Asiatic Society. [Aug. 



a 4 or a 6. The facsimile must be lithographed to place the data before those 

 who wish to decide the point. Col. Burney's interesting paper terminated with a 

 highly curious extract-translation from the journal of the junior Burmese envoy, 

 describing the visit of the mission to " Buddha's holy tree" at Gaya, and the 

 ceremonies performed there in honor of the King of Ava. 



Physical. 



The Secretary exhibited to the members present the head of a mum- 

 my, and two mummied preparations of the ibis or sacred bird of Egypt, 

 brought round by Lieutenant Archbold, being a part of his present alluded 

 to at the last meeting. 



The effect of damp air had already begun to be perceptible on the exposed parts 

 of the head ; nothing of the under jaw remaining but the bare bone, tinged of a 

 dark brown colour from the bituminous matter of the wrapper. By keeping it in a 

 glass case hermetically closed, and containing some lumps of muriate of lime, it is 

 hoped that the specimens may be preserved for any length of time in the museum. 



A letter was read from Lieut. W. Foley, dated Khyouk Phyoo, Ram- 

 ree, 12th August, forwarding some specimens of fossil shells recently met 

 with by himself in the interior of the island ; also some coal from a new site. 



The following extract explains the particulars of this new discovery : 



" On my return to Arracan I made inquiries respecting the fossil marine shells 

 that were at one time brought to me, and I have been so fortunate as to obtain 

 them. They were found on a hill, in the neighbourhood of " Chambo" (a village 

 in the interior of Rambree island), imbedded in a grey sandstone, which is very 

 hard and gritty. The height of the hill may be as much as 100 feet above the 

 plain. The weather has been so wet and boisterous that I have not been able to 

 visit the spot, so that my information has been derived from the Mughs whom I 

 had sent out to the place. They brought me in the shells, as also pieces of the 

 sandstone. In the latter some remains of the shells are distinctly visible. The 

 natives of Arracan attach much value to the shells on account of their supposed 

 medicinal properties ; the shells are pounded up, made into a kind of paste, and 

 applied, as a salve, to sore eyes. Along with these shells I have also dispatched 

 to you a specimen of coal discovered in Rambree island, near the village of 

 " Kyong-Towng' n in the " Ladong" 1 " 1 circle ; it was found resting on a bed of clay, 

 near the surface, and did not appear to be very abundant. For the reason above 

 mentioned I was not able to visit the spot, so sent a man out for the coal. Coal, 

 I have no doubt, exists in abundance throughout Arracan ; and of that hitherto 

 discovered, I expect the Syne-Kyoung coal, if worked, would prove the best. I 

 believe it contains no iron pyrites, as is the case with the " Oogadong" and 

 ' PhooringooP coal. The coal I now sent is highly bituminous, and very much 

 resembles the " Kaldbadong'" coal. I observe an error in the sketch of the site 

 of the Oogadong coal published in your 2nd volume of the Journal As. Soc. 

 plate 19, for November, 1833 ; instead of " Syne-Kyoung' 1 '' creek, it should have 

 been " Oodagong" creek. The former word should also have been Syne-Kyoung, 

 not " Syneg-Kyoung. n 



" I have also dispatched to you a specimen of cotton obtained from some Bourbon 

 cotton seed sown by Captain Williams in the Government Garden at Rambree 

 town in November, 1833, and gathered in March, 1834. The soil was a stiff clay 

 and I believe, too cold and damp to favour the cultivation of the plant. It would 

 however thrive well on the hills, where the soil is light." 



