1836.] Miscellanea. 439 



The specimens of birds presented at the last meeting were exhibited, 

 having been mounted in the Museum. 



Physical Communications. 



A memoir on the Fossil Rhinoceros of the sub-Himalayas, was for- 

 warded by Lieuts. Baker and Durand, of the Engineers. 



[This, with the lithographs and engravings kindly prepared by the authors 

 themselves for the Journal, will be published in the ensuing number.] 



Mr. Hodgson, of Nepal, continued his contributions of new species in 

 two papers: 1, on the thick-billed finches; 2, on two genera of Colum- 

 bidse. Twenty-two ornithological plates were also added to the magnificent 

 series of illustrations now under dispatch home. 



A note on nest of the Bengal Vulture was submitted by Lieutenant 



H UTTON. 



A Register of Rain at Delhi, by the Rev. R. Everest. 



A living specimen of the new genus of venomous snakes denominated 

 Hamadryas by Dr. Cantor, was exhibited to the Society ; it measured 

 nearly 10 feet in length, and was caught in the Sundarbans. 



VII. — Miscellanea. 



Madras Journal of Literature and Science. — It has not been hitherto our 

 custom to enter into criticism of the contents of contemporary journals, but we 

 cannot refrain from noticing the number issued by our sister society of Madras 

 in July, which has just reached us and has excited — not our envy, but — our 

 astonishment and our joy. — To say that it rivals or eclipses our own humble 

 production in what is called " the getting up," would be, perhaps, considered 

 little of a compliment. The fresh zeal and exertions of a new editor, (Dr. Cole,) 

 are not less conspicuous in the judicious selections he has made from other 

 works, and the valuable notes with which he has embellished them, than in the 

 host of able contributors he has summoned to his aid ; — some of whom, alas ! 

 we have hitherto boasted as our own*, but whose transfer of allegiance is but 

 natural, when so legitimate a rival arises to claim it. The present number 

 (four-monthly ?) contains 240 pages, price only 3 rupees. Of its most rich 

 contents we should be tempted to glean with unsparing hand, could we afford 

 space. Dr. Benza has another excellent geological paper on the country 

 between Madras and the Nilgiris. Mr. Cole has done a service to geology, by 

 an accurate definition and description of the laterite formation. — Mr. Tay- 

 lor's view of the present state of astronomical science is highly interesting. 

 It shews, that he is not one of those who merely keep up a supine routine of 

 accustomed observations, but that all his observatory does is directed to useful 

 ends — to the elucidation of those desiderata in the science for which its situation 

 is best calculated. Nor is he a Flamstead, jealous of giving his labours into 

 other hands, and tardy in working out results himself ; for his third volume of 

 observations, reduced and classified in the most compendious manner, has just 

 issued from the Madras press. We may be indeed jealous that our Presidency 

 should boast no similar production, and that even the astronomical labours of 

 the Grand Trigonometrical Survey in the northern mountains should be as inac- 

 cessible and unknown as all their other operations ! Colonel Monteith, Engi- 

 neers, whose survey of part of Persia we noticed some time since, is imparting 

 the statistical contents of his note book, accumulated during 18 years' residence 

 in Persia. An account of the Thuggee system, by Lieutenant Reynolds — 

 Observations on original and derived languages, by the Rev. B. Schmid, and on 

 the language of the Battas of Sumatra, by Lieutenant Newbold, and the Rev. 

 W. Taylor, are amongst the most interesting contents of this very creditable 

 volume. 



* Dr. Benza, Mr. T. G. Taylor, Lieut. Newbold. 



