464 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [May, 



ovato-oblong, unguiculate, spreading. Stamina numerous, inserted into the 

 receptacle. Stigma sessile, many cleft. Berry sub-rotund, 8-angled, 8-locular, 

 loculaments monospermous : seed oblong ovate. Skin yellow, thin and smooth, 

 pulp yellow, succulent, sweet, eatable. Size of the fruit 2 inches (he does not 

 say whether io length, breadth, or circumference). He adds, that it is frequent in 

 the woods of Cochin-China, and more so in Siam and Cambodia. I do hope that 

 this account will enable you to procure for me, specimens of the plant in flower 

 and fruit and of the gamboge obtained from it. It would appear that the flowers 

 are hermaphrodite, but possibly this may be a mistake, and it would therefore 

 be very important that this point should be examined. I have now ascertained 

 not only that the Ceylon tree has flowers of distinct sex, but that the different 

 sexes grow upon different plants. It is very possible that Louveiro's plant has 

 the several organs arranged in the same way, but the female flower looks as if it 

 were hermaphrodite, having always several abortive stamens round the germen. 

 Have the kindness to beg that the fruit may be sent either in spirits or in a 

 saturated solution of salt in water,' that the history of this important drug would 

 be cleared up*. Thus there are evidently two plants, one in Ava, the other to the 

 east of that country, and both should be procured." 



Dr. Malcolmson, in the letter above quoted, gives the following infor- 

 mation on the fossil shells of the Nerbudda basalt. 



" I have drawn up a paper on the Naypore fossils, of which Mr. Somerby has 

 furnished me with beautiful drawings. All the shells are lacusterme, and render 

 it probable that the great basaltic eruptions between the Nerbudda and Goda- 

 very and south of that river, took place in the tertiary epoch. The genera are 

 Unio-Melania, Physa, Limnea, Paludina; — 2 species of the fresh water crustacean 

 called Cypris ; a new gyrogonite. The whole are undescribed. The Sagar and 

 Jubulpoor shell is considered to be a Physa; and certainly the same as some of 

 those from the Deccan." 



Natural History. 



A letter from Mr. Wilson Saunders (late Lieut. Beng. Engineers) 

 gives some particulars of the duplicates of insects from Saugor, presented 

 by Major Hearsey, which will be interesting to Indian entomologists. 



" I have been highly delighted with your present of Indian insects, which 

 arrived in perfect order. The Lepidoptera are very beautiful. Among the Coleop- 

 tera there is a Carnonia, some undescribed Longicornes allied to Lamia, and two 

 or three insects of the family Chrysomelidee which I believe to be new. The 

 Hymerioptera offer a fine new species of Palopeus, and an Eumenes undescribed. 

 The Dipteva contain two new genera, which I shall take an early opportunity 

 of describing, the first in the family Jabauida t aod the second belongiug to 

 Jephritidce, the latter very distinct with a most singular encrassated nerve at 

 the base of the wing. In the orders I do not see any thing new as yet. Our 

 collections are all poor in Indian insects. I am most anxious to get specimens 

 of the curious coleopterous genus Paurus, and of the dipterous genus Diopsis, 

 in order to complete a description of these tribes.*' 



Mr. Saunders on the part of the Entomological Society was desirous of 

 exchanging its transactions against the Society's Journal, an arrangement 

 the secretary as Editor said he should be proud to carry into effect. 



Dr. McClelland submitted the following note, with the skin of a mole 

 from Assam. 



"Mr. Pearson in the interesting paper inserted in the last number of the 

 Society's Journal at page 359 expresses a doubt as to the existence of the mole 

 in India. I was favoured by Captain Jenkins of Assam, a few weeks since, with 

 the skin of a small animal of which he observes ' I also send you the skin of 

 a mole which I believe to be a variety here ; it was obtained by Captain HannaY 



* The Madras journal for April just published cantains Dr. Graham's reply to 

 Dr. Wight, on this subject — and a note from the latter confirming the fact of He- 

 bradendror&yambogioides being a native of Ceylon, where it is found but not abun- 

 dantly, in the forests. The tree is dioecious. — Ed. 



