652 Miscellaneous. [Dec. 



saw several other fish fallen before me. I picked up some of these fish — hut one 

 named Banchha Ram Chung forbade me, saying-, ' Do not touch these fish ; you dpi 

 not know what fish they are, and how they have fallen here.' Listening to him, I' 

 threw away all the fish, and went away. This is my account of the fish." * 



[Several other depositions of those who were not immediately eye-witnesses 

 are omitted.] 



6. — Fossil h ells near Herat. 

 [Extracts of a letter from Dr. J. G. Gerard, dated Herat, 2\st June, 1833.] 



" I have discovered the locality of a large deposit of organic exuvise within 

 thirty miles of this place (Herat), but have not thought it prudent to visit the spot, 

 lest I should find myself unexpectedly in the hands of the Turkomans. 



" The fossils correspond to the species represented asPecten, — they abound in the 

 side of a mountain, which is evidently calcai'eous, but are especially found in a 

 water-course, being rolled from their situs by that agency. Judging from the eleva- 

 tion of this city, which by the ebullition of water (207 J) approaches to 2,800 feet, if the 

 barometer stood then at 30,000* the locality of the fossils maybe deduced at a height 

 of between 3 and 4000 feet. Elevation in such objects has ceased to be interest- 

 ing, since the new theory of subterranean projection has deprived it of a miraculous 

 aspect. Monsieur Jaquemont when at Simla, read to me (explained) a letter he 

 had received from another traveller, Mons. Elie pe Beaumont in South America, 

 I think, wherein it was mentioned, that there was a subterranean connexion betwixt 

 the most distant mountain ranges, and that a simultaneous movement was actually 

 going on (traceable) by which their masses were gradually elevated." 



7. — Cochineal. 



"I hear the Cochineal insect is here, but not appreciable, that is, it cannot be 

 turned to account, from the inability of the people to dry it properly ; this is at 

 least one cause. I have been asked the method of its preparation, but all my know- 

 ledge extends to a faint recollection of the process adopted by the South Americans, 

 treated of in Humboldt's published Account of New Spain. Artificial heat is there 

 used to kill the insect. Query, may not the very mode of extinguishing life affect 

 the properties of the colouring matter ? Certain it is, that in preparations of 

 insects, this is so much a necessary precaution that various gases, the air-pump, &c. 

 have been resorted to for the better preservation of the hues and form of the 

 specimens. Do we not know that there is virtue in the manner of killing animals 

 for our daily aliment ? — that the anatomist can readily discover the effects of disoxy- 

 genation (in suffocation) upon the blood and even the muscular fibre, that electri- 

 city (lightning) and the Simoom not only change the color, but produce decompo- 

 sition of animal matter when their effects are fatal. I don't remember what Humboldt 

 savs on the subject, but the complaint here is, that the insect cannot be killed 

 without adegradation of its virtues. It is found in the root of a plant that flourishes 

 in a marsh, and many people here have exhausted their skill in endeavours to 

 appreciate its value : most of what reaches Herat is imported from Bokhara where 

 it is received from Russia, and 1 believe from Yarkhund ; the latter need not surprise 

 us if indeed the insect is an inhabitant of that country; the industry and artificial 

 expertness of the Chinese almost lead us to the conclusion. 



A species of Cochineal, or at least a substitute, is found in India, but I suspect 

 that the mercantile article is an import from South America. As climate has such 



* As the observation was made in June, when the sea barometer would stand at 

 29.5, the altitude may be more correctly assumed to be 2,000 feet. See page 199. — Ed. 



