6. Bucco. 



7. Oriolus Melanocephalus. 



8. Brack)/ pus Jacosus. 



9. Pavo Cristatus. 



10. Anastomus Coromandelianus. 



11. Canis Familiaris Extrarius. 



1835.] Asiatic Society. 475 



A letter from Lieutenant Newbold, announced the despatch for present- 

 ation of a series of Geological Specimens of the Malay Peninsula. 

 The following mounted specimens were presented by M. Buuche': 



1. Loxia Oryzivora, (the Ploceus 

 Oryzivora of Cuvier.) 



2. Merops Viridis. 



3. Columla Tigrina. 



4. Muscicapa (?) Saularis. 



5. Bncco Cyanops. 

 Also a nest of the Loxia (Ploceus) Phil/ppinus. 



A live specimen of the Python Amethystina, was presented by P. Chiene, Esq. 

 3-ith R e gt. N. I. 



Literary and Antiquities. 



Read a letter from W. H. Wathen, Esq. dated Bombay, June 183.5, 

 enclosing facsimiles of two ancient grants on copper, dug up in Gujerat, 

 with an analysis of the form of Na^ari in which they are engraved, a 

 translation, and a memoir on the subject. 



[This valuable paper will appear in our next.] 



A letter from C. Norris, Esq. Chief Secretary to the Bombay Govern- 

 ment, forwarded copy of a Report on some inscriptions found at Hummum, 

 on the Southern Coast of Arabia, by Assistant Surgeon Hulton, and Mr. 

 Smith of the Palinurus, while that vessel was employed under command 

 of Captain Haines, in negociating with the Sultan of Kishen, for the pur- 

 chase of the Island of Socotra, and subsequently on the survey of the South 

 Coast of Arabia. 



[This paper will have early attention.] 

 A letter from G. W. Traill, Esq., Commissioner of Kemaon, forwarded 

 copies of several inscriptions in unknown characters (ancient iNagari), at 

 Barahdt and Gopeswar in Gurhwal. 



A letter from M. Ricuy, communicated a late discovery of a singular 

 inscription on the passage leading to the theatre at Pompeii, of which an 

 account has been lately published by M. De Clarac, Curator of Antiqui- 

 ties in the Louvre at Paris. 



The inscription is as follows : ad xi k decemb. a xv, epapra, acvtus, 

 avctvs ad locvm dvxervnt mvlierem tychen et pretivm in singvlos a. 

 viii m. messala l. lentvlo cos. 



Without adverting to the shameless nature of the advertisement of the three 

 freedmen, this inscription is deemed a curiosity from its containing a specific date 

 (the only one found at Pompeii), and the name of two consuls, who had been ths 

 subject of controversy among antiquarians. 



Casts of three gold coins of the Indo-Scythic King Kadphises, were pre- 

 sented in the name of Colonel T. P. Smith. 



These highly curious coins were procured in the common bazar at Benares, 

 whither they were brought two years ago by a Marhatta pilgrim. The Greek in- 

 scription on all is most clear, BAClAEVC OOKMO KAA*ICHC, and the devices 

 diifer from all hitherto discovered. One of them represents the king in a Grecian 

 war-chariot. We shall hasten to present our readers with au engraving of them. 



The Secretary exhibited to the Members present, Colonel Stacy's exten- 

 sive collection of Indian coins, just arrived from the Upper Provinces. 



The series of ancient Hindu coins filling one cabinet is highly interesting, 

 and more complete perhaps than any hitherto collected. Of the Canouj groupe, 

 one coin attracted particular notice from its bearing in most legible characters 

 the name of Samudka Gupta, the sovereign mentioned on the Allahabad Lath; 

 but no where else that has hitherto been discovered. We propose immediately 

 to glean some of the riches from Colonel Stacy's labours, in illustration of our 

 Indian Numismatics. 



