410 Miscellaneous. [July, 



[We despair of being able to do justice to the beautiful drawings of these two zea- 

 lous contributors, but we will do our best to give them early publication.] 



Two bottles of Sea-water, one from the Red Sea, the other from the 

 Arabian Sea, were presented by Lieut. A. Burnes, through Lieut. 

 T. Fraser, who on his own part offered for the Society's Museum, a 

 specimen of the genuine Papyrus of Egypt. 



The remainder of the fossil bones from the bed of the Jumna, present- 

 ed by Sergeant E. Dean, now Superintendent of the Delhi Canal, were 

 laid on the table, with a descriptive catalogue from the donor. 



A collection of Insects from Kemaon, presented by Dr. McClelland, 

 containing many duplicate specimens of the collection formerly procured 

 by the Society from Sylhet, and a specimen of the silk of the Aranea 

 Diadema. 



A collection of Snakes from Midnapore, presented by P. Chiene, Esq. 



A specimen of Monoculus, from Burmah, presented by Col. Burney, 

 Resident at Ava. 



Specimens of Silicious Tufa in spherical concretions, from the hot springs 

 in Bhotan, were presented by Dr. McClelland, who furnished the fol- 

 lowing particulars of their formation. 



" They are produced from hot springs in Bhotan, brought to Almorah by the 

 merchants of that country, and sold as Duck shot. 



" The substance melts before the blue flame of the blow-pipe, with the addition of 

 borax, into a porcelaneous mass. Without borax, it is infusible, nor does it form lime. 



" From the above properties, these singular little spherical bodies appear to be 

 silicious tuff, similar to what is afforded by the boiling springs of Iceland. 



" Dr. Black, as well as Klaproth, who long ago examined the Iceland waters, 

 and the small globules of tuff ejected from them, believed the silex to be held in 

 solution by the immense heat to which it was exposed, assisted by the slightly 

 alkaline character of the waters. 



" The Iceland waters are propelled with great violence from the earth, at a boiling 

 temperature, to the height of several yards, and with the water the small globular 

 bodies of silex. 



" The only other springs that emit siliceous tuff (as far as I recollect) are those 

 of Carlsbad in Bohemia, where the temperature of the water is (I think) 178 J Fahr. 

 I am not sure that the tuff is there afforded in isolated bodies, or rather in stalactitic, 

 and coralloidal forms on the basins of the springs. 



" 1 was unable to learn the locality of the Bhotan springs, or their extent." 



VII. —Miscellaneous. 



1, — Abandoned Oriental Works, 

 The unfinished publications of the Committee of Public Instruction, the printing 

 of which was recently suspended by order of Government through fear of increas- 

 ing their accumulation of waste-paper, have been liberally (we really consider the 

 gift to be both liberal and valuable, notwithstanding the danger of being suspected 

 of irony by some members of the Society), and unreservedly placed at the entire 

 disposal of the Asiatic Society. A pledge has been offered that the Society shall 

 incur no risk of loss from its engagement to complete them, although the printer's 

 estimate amounts to upwards of twenty thousand rupees ; and although a writer in 

 the Friend of India, to whose solid judgment upon all that concerns the interests and 

 opinions of the natives the greatest deference is due, discourages the hope of any 

 patronage, or profit, from sale of the works, among the rich or the learned of the 

 country. Nevertheless, it is to these, and to the friends of oriental literature among 

 our own countrymen, that the Society can alone look for reimbursement. It 

 must be borne in mind, that the Government having made a present of one half or 

 more of these works, the price at which the Society will be able to sell them will be 

 reduced in the same proportion, and that compared with the price of manuscripts, 

 these rates will be exceedingly low. But if indeed the books are held to be worth- 

 less and unsaleable, then will the worst fears of Dr. Marshman be realized. 

 To meet this objection, and to satisfy the inquiries of those who might be alarmed at 

 spending their money on waste-p<iper, the Prospectus published by the Society 

 (and appended to our present number) has collected a few notices on the principal 



