668 



Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 



[July, 



thing is very backward in consequence, — and in the higher parts of the Speelee 

 valley, there is great distress from the loss of last year's crops, which were beaten 

 down and buried beneath an early fall of snow. I experienced the greatest difficulty 

 in reaching the fossil ground owing to the want of supplies and the unwillingness 

 of the Kiladar at Dunkur to allow me to proceed. On my arrival beneath the fort, 

 he sent me orders to return, as he had received instructions from Ludak to oppose 

 my advance. In this emergency, finding myself within a few miles of the desired 

 object, and unwilling that the wishes of the Society should be frustrated, particularly 

 after the fatigues and discomforts 1 had experienced on my way ; I bethought me 

 that it is sometimes expedient when "at Rome, to do as the Romans do ;" conse- 

 quently finding that I had about as many men, and better arms than my opponent, 

 I sent him back threat for threat, and told him that it was my intention to proceed 

 by force if necessary, and that if he offered to oppose me, I would burn his castle 

 about his ears. The threat had the desired effect, and I received answer that his 

 highness would pay me a visit, which he did, and having thus dismounted him from 

 his high horse, I made him furnish me with six days' provisions for my people, by 

 whicii means alone I have been able to visit the fossil ground and determine the 

 geological formation of those dreary and melancholy looking regions. The fossils 

 themselves as specimens are certainly not worth one quarter of the trouble they have 

 occasioned me, and partake of the same decomposing nature as the shales in which 

 they occur. Such as they are, however, I have collected them, and they will be 

 interesting when taken in connection with the geological specimens of the whole 

 country travelled over. In natural History this is the most barren country I have 

 ever seen; of birds there are scarcely any, and of beasts none but the wild sheep. 

 If the season be not against me, however, I may yet procure good specimens in the 

 lower hills. Here there is no covert for living creatures, but lower down in Kuna- 

 wur where the forests are thick, I shall be able to make up a collection. The geolo- 

 gy is however, I think very interesting and may perhaps cover the imperfections of 

 other branches of my work. I have the " Bhair or gigantic partridge ;" the com- 

 mon chough, and another of the genus, which I am inclined to think is new ; 

 pigeons and college pheasants also. The tragopan and monal are not found up 

 here, but occur from Wangtoo downwards. Of the wild sheep I have been able to 

 procure only one specimen, which the heat has spoiled in spite of lbs. of arsenical 

 soap ; the thermometer at 110o was almostenough to have spoiled me too. At Nako 

 in Hungrung at sunrise on the 3rd July 37o, — at Leeo at noon, 110° in sun, 100° in 

 my teut ; and sunset 70°. — I am worn to the bones with fatigue, and anxiety lest the 

 Society should feel disappointed with the results of my journey but I feel conscious 

 of having done my. utmost and must therefore wait patiently the decision of my 

 judges. I shall halt here for a day or two to rest, as there are some things worth 

 seeing in the neighbourhood, such as copper mines, &c. Poor Gerard's ac- 

 count of " excellent limestone in this neighbourhood," was premature ; he failed 

 in his attempts to burn it, so say the people, and so says the stone, for it is a 

 secondary limestone containing clay and sand and burns to a slag in consequence. 



Three more specimens of Indus jet coal were received, through Govern- 

 ment, from Captain Bubnes. 



Mr. H. B. Hodgson, addressed to the Society's care through the Honor- 

 able Col. Morison, a further roll of drawings illustrative of the zoology 

 of Nipal, 



The Secretary noticed as an omission on his part in the steps taken to pro- 

 mote the success of Mr. Hodgson's undertaking by the Society, that it had not 

 yet solicited the usual patronage of the Government to his elaborate and costly 

 publication. Having recommended the Royal Asiatic Society to solicit the patronage 

 of the Court at home, he had deemed it superfluous to do so here, but as nothing 

 had apparently been done there he thought it was now incumbent on the Society 

 to do it at once. 



Resolved, that the present roll of zoological drawings be submitted to 

 the Hon. the President in Council with a solicitation for such degree of 

 public patronage, as the national character of the publication may seem 

 to entitle it from the Government of British India. 



Lieutenant E. Conolly, 6th Cavalry, communicated the following parti- 

 culars of the recent fall of an aerolite in Central India. 



Three aerolites fell during a heavy storm and after a vivid flash of lightning, on the 

 ■ame day, i. e. about the 23rd June. — One at Burnuggur (also called Nolai) the other 

 two near Oujein. The three are said to weigh two maunds (together) and to be 

 of three colors, green, yellowish red, and French grey, but on such points native 

 authority is questionable. There seems no cause to doubt their having really 



