1839.] Conference between Krishna and Ndrada. 21 



The dissertation of Sir W. Jones, on the musical notes of the Hindoos, may be 

 consulted (A. R. vol. iii. p. 45). Murchana is hei-e rendered according to the passage 

 quoted by the Scholiast from a musical treatise. " The ascent and descent of the 

 seven notes in due order are called Murchha." There are seven in each octave, 

 and consequently twenty-one in the three octaves. 



V. 11. The knowledge of God is attained by completely subduing worldly appetites. 

 The discus is Krishna's weapon of offence. 



V. 13. Dhatri is a title of Brahma. Devaki was mother of Krishna. In the 

 infernal regions vast serpents, analogous in figure to the common Naga, are supposed 

 by Hindu mythology to uphold the world on .their dilated necks. 



Their sensation of Narada's weight as he alighted, is termed by the Scholiast a 

 beautiful exaggeration. 



V. 14. Water with rice and grass presented to a guest in an oval vessel is named 

 Arghya. It is one of the most auspicious ceremonies at the solemn reception of a 

 guest. 



V. 15. Primeval sage, like primeval being in the preceding verse, is a title of 

 Vishnu, applied like all other titles and attributes of that deity, to Krishna. 



V. 16. Kansa was slain by Krishna. The Scholiast cites a passage from Agastya 

 where sapphires (if this gem be really meant by the Sanscrit terms Maha Nila and 

 Indra Nila) are described as produced in mines in the island of Sinhala or Silan. 



The earth is supposed by Hindu poets and mythologists to be terminated by 

 mountains. The Sun rises from behind the eastern range, and sets behind the western. 



V. 18. Narada, like other ascetics, bearsa gourd by way of water-pot; making con- 

 tinual pilgrimages he had attached water from every holy river or lake. 



V . 19. In conformity with the opinion of the Scholiast, Jumbu is here taken for the 

 fruit of the Eugenia, which when ripe is of a very dark colour ; but Jumbu is also the 

 name of a river which flows from the mountain Sumeru. 



V. 20-, The notion of submarine fire may be founded on volcanic phenomena ob- 

 served in ancient times. 



Art. III. — On the Geographic Distribution of Birds, but more par- 

 ticularly of the European Species ; with a critical examination 

 of Mr. Swainson's account. 1 By Wm. Jameson,, Esq., Bengal 

 Medical Service. 



The advantages to be derived from a study of the geographic distribu- 

 tion of the organic and inorganic kingdoms, as presented to our view 

 at the present day, are of the greatest importance, seeing that until 

 this subject has been properly examined, that of a former world 

 must remain imperfect ; and probably if more attention had been paid 

 to it, many of the numerous errors connected with the distribution 

 of fossil animals would not have been committed. Lately the foot- 

 marks of birds 2 have been discovered in a formation said to be as old 

 as the new red sandstone ; and the author, from an examination of 

 these marks, has not only been able to point out the genus, but even 

 characterise the species. The presumption in doing this, is scarcely 



1 Read to the Wernerian Natural History Society of Edinburgh. 



2 Prof. Hitchcock in Sillim. American Journ. of Science. 



