1839.] Note on the discovery of Isinglass. 685 



large fish of the genus Cyprinus that was brought for sale, and 

 extracting the air bladder, from which I made Isinglass. While re- 

 siding at Calpee, on the Jumna, in 1832, I made a quantity large 

 enough to fill the drawer of a writing desk, from every large fish such 

 as Rohoo, Kutla, Muhaseer, and various others which were brought 

 for sale. The weights of the pods varied according to the size of the 

 fish, (which was never above forty pounds) from half a drachm to half 

 an ounce. I rejected the fibrous and soaked the gelatinous coat in 

 strong limewater for five or six days, (in the cold weather) when 

 it was ready for use as Isinglass, and equal to any for sale. I am of 

 opinion that the article may be found in every fish that rises to 

 breathe, whether whale, grampus, porpoise, shark, &c; that the quan- 

 tity will depend on the size of the fish, and the quality be found 



nearly similar in all. 



I am Sir, &c. &c. 



S. C. DAVIDSON. 



Allahabad, \5th Sept., 1839. 



Art. VIII. — Note on the Scapes of Xanthorhcea and Fossil Steins of 

 Lepidodendra. — By Lieut. N. Vicary. 

 To the Secretary to the Asiatic Society. 



I have the pleasure to send you some remarks on the resemblance, 

 existing between the stems of " Xanthorhoza ;" a native of New South 

 Wales, and the fossil stems of " Lepidodendra." It is an object of such 

 great interest to trace any affinity between fossils and existing species, 

 that I make no apology for obtruding my rough note upon you, and 

 asking you to publish it. 



Xanthorhsea belongs to the tribe Asphodelese and is well known 

 in N. S. Wales under the name of " Grass Tree," the naked flower 

 scapes rise to ten or twelve feet in height, from the bosom of a tuft of 

 grass like leaves, and are used by the Aborigines as shafts for their 

 spears, for which they are well suited from their lightness and strength ; 

 there are seven species described, some of which do not form a distinct 

 stem, and others form a stem often eight or ten feet in height, and 

 occasionally branched in an irregular manner, not symmetrical as in 

 Coniferae, from which in the fossil state, that alone would be sufficient 

 to distinguish them — they have no true bark, but as in Cycadese an 

 outer coat formed by the bases of the fallen leaves, the coat is from one 

 to two inches in thickness, rough outside, but becoming smoother on 

 the older parts, exhibiting the bases of the leaves, arranged in quin- 



