374 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society . [June, 



Presentations to the Museum of Natural History. 



Specimens of the great-eared owl, (Bubo Macrocephala ; ) Flammeous 

 Fly-catcher, (Muscicapa Flammea ; ) Gurial King-fisher, (Halcyon Gu- 

 rial; ) black-headed Oriole, (Oriolus Melanocephalus ; ) Bengal wood- 

 pecker, (Picus Bengalensis; ) — Woodpecker, (Picus Macei ;) skulls of 

 Uornbill, (Buceros Homrai ; ) and Pelican, (Pelecanus Onocrotalus,) and 

 skin of the Amethystine Python ; presented by W. B. Davis, Esq. 



Specimens of Silky-throat Raya, (Raya Sericeo-gula ; ) Nepal Bucia, 

 (Bucia Nepalensi*;) black-headed Sibia, ( Sibia Nigriceps yJPicaoid Sibia, 

 ( Sibia Picaoides; ) and blue-winged Chloropsis, ( Chloropsis Cyanopterus ; ) 

 presented by B. H. Hodgson, Esq. 



The above are specimens of new genera, instituted by Mr. Hodgson ; 

 papers on which he has favored the Society with ; and the specimens will 

 be figured in his great work on the Fauna of Nepal. 



Specimens of white eye-browed Jacana, (Parra Superciliosa,) and Girra 

 Teal, (Anas Girra,) presented by W. C. Smith, Esq. 



The internal ear of the Whale, presented by H. T. Prinsep, Esq. 



Specimens were exhibited of Birds from Almorah, mounted in the 

 Museum ; and an articulated skeleton of the Adjutant, also prepared there. 



On the conclusion of the ordinary business of the meeting, 



A letter was read from the Most Rev. the Bishop of Cochin China, 

 (who was present at the meeting) resubmitting a proposition for the pub- 

 lication of his Anamitan Dictionary, and stating that in an interview 

 with the Governor General, he had been empowered by his Lordship to 

 renew his application to Govt, through the Secretary of the Society. 



The favorable recommendation embodied in the report of the Committee 

 of Papers last year, was qualified on one point — namely, in as much as the 

 specimen of the work then before them wanted the Chinese character, which 

 was deemed essential to its perfection as a literary work. This was now 

 removed, and the Bishop was present, and ready to engage for its correct 

 insertion : he would also engage, should it be determined to publish in li- 

 thography, to write, or superintend and correct, the whole of the work on 

 transfer paper, for the consideration of 4,000 rupees. The paper and 

 printingmight costabout 1,200 more. On these new grounds it was agreed 

 th.it there would be no disrespect in submitting a second application to 

 Government in favor of the proposition, which the Secretary was requested 

 to prepare. 



Note on the Progress of the Boring in Fort William. By Captain Tay- 



lob, M. A. S. 

 In laying before the Society the accompanying section* and specimens 

 of the strata found in the recent operations carried on in Fort William 

 for the discovery of a spring of pure water, it may be expected that I 

 should give some account of the progress and state of the experiments; 

 1 therefore beg to offer the following observations. 



* We postpone this until the operations, hitherto so successful, may have 

 been brought to a close. — Ed. 



