1841. J Asiatic Society. 753 



Kead report on some Articles of Trade sent from Khorasan by Lieut. Postans, and a 

 memorandum on Nurma Cotton, by the Officiating Curator. [Inserted in the present 

 number.] 



Read the following letter of 31st August last from the Officiating Curator, reporting 



result of his examination of Lieut. Bigge's specimens. 



H. ToRRENs, Esq. 



Secretary, Asiatic Society. 



Sir,— Upon examining Lieut. Bigge's specimens, which illness had prevented my 

 doing earlier, I find three out of four of his limestones contain organic remains, and 

 these I should say marine ! 



This is of very great importance as a geological fact, as it carries Dr. M'Clelland's 

 discoveries much farther to the Eastward. At all events, a quantity of these specimens 

 would be most highly desirable, both for the Museum, and for the Museum of the 

 Honorable the Court of Directors, say three or four maunds weight of as many sorts 

 of them as can be procured, so as to enable European geologists to compare with their 

 collections. 



You can then, doubtless, recommend this to the attention of Government, and 

 through that channel he will probably pay more attention to the recommendation 

 than if simply from the Society, which I fear is not in the best credit with collectors, 

 of late years. Yours very faithfully, 



2>\ St August, \M\. H. Piddimgton. 



P.S. — These are the specimens sent us from the Government Secretariat, with 

 Captain Tremenheere's analysis, who seems quite to have overlooked the locality, 

 for he notices them only as limestones ! 



Read letter. No. 1274, of 12th August last, from Mr. Secretary Bushby, forwarding 

 30 copies of the Cochin-Chinese Dictionary and Vocabulary for distribution. 



Resolved— That 25 copies of the Dictionary be forwarded to Messrs. W. H. Allen 

 and Co. of London, with instructions to distribute them to the learned Societies and 

 individuals in Europe, agreeably to the wish of the Government, and that five copies 

 be retained for the use of the Library of the Society. 



Read a letter. No. 792, of the 25th August last, from Mr. Secretary Bushby, intima- 

 ting the authority to the Coal Committee to make over a package received from the 

 Court of Directors, containing specimens of copper ore, exhibiting the various stages 

 of its reduction, for deposit in the Museum of Economic Geology. 



Several specimens of snakes, minerals, &c. were presented by Lieut. M. Kittoe, 

 accompanied with the following letter from that Officer : — 



To H. ToRRENs, Esq. 

 Secretary to the Asiatic Society of Bengal. 

 My dear Torrens, — I had hoped to have been able to have attended the Society's 

 meeting this evening, and have presented the few specimens of snakes and minerals, 



5 c 



