Oct. 1844.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. cxvii 



943. Geschichte des Ormanischen Reichs v. J. v. Hammer, Pesth, 1827— 183S, 

 vol. 3d wanting. 



Report of the Curator Museum of Economic Geology, and Mineralo- 

 gical and Geological Departments, for the month of September. 



My report for this month will be brief, for 1 have been still much engaged in Labo- 

 ratory arrangements, which occupy more time than 1 anticipated. 



Mineralogical and Geological. — Learning from the Introduction to Dr. Cantor's 

 Chusan Report, that he had brought some Geological specimens with him, I deemed it 

 my duty to make some enquiry for the collection. 1 learn, that it has been forwarded 

 by the Government to the Honorable the Court of Directors. I should suggest, how- 

 ever, that if there be any duplicates, or the specimens admit of division, we might per- 

 haps on application be favoured with a part of the collection; and nothing from a coun- 

 try so utterly unknown as China, can be without interest. 



Dr. Rowe of the Artillery at Dum-Dum, sometime ago, forwarded me the four small 

 specimens now on the table : of these two are of much interest ; No. 4 is a true corun- 

 dum, and No. 2 also is that variety of this little known stone which approaches to the 

 emery of Naxos. Both these are new as Bengal minerals though found in Southern 

 India, and I have written to Dr. Rowe for as exact an account of his locality as he can 

 give me, for the purpose of requesting any one in the neighbourhood, and especially 

 our active associate, Lieut. Sherwill, to investigate this spot carefully if he can visit it. 

 A true emery corundum might be a valuable discovery if within moderate reach of 

 carriage. 



I now read Dr. Rowe's letter : — 



My dear Sir,— I shall feel extremely obliged, if you will at your leisure examine 

 the accompanying specimens, and name them for me. 



No. 1. — In indenting on the Commissariat Department for a medicine called 

 " Toorbut," a Native substitute for Jalap,* the Commissariat Agent at this station 

 bought a quantity of the accompanying, which I of course detected not to be a root, 

 but a fossil, which on inquiry I find a Bunneea at the bazar here had obtained to 

 cure Rheumatism, in the Burra-bazar at Calcutta. This is all the information I can 

 obtain of it. 1 should much like to know what it is, and it has occurred to me, that 

 you might be able to enlighten me. Its locality of course we cannot learn. While 

 sending these articles, I have taken the liberty of sending three other small specimens 

 of rocks, picked up by myself in marching down from Benares via the Old Hazareebaug 

 and Bancoora route. May I ask the favor of your naming them also for me. 

 Dum-Dum, 8th August, 1844. J. Rowe, Surgeon, Artillery. 



Upon examining this curious fossil, the first impression, looking at the stalk, is that it 

 must be a fruit, but 1 am inclined to think (and Dr. Wallich is so with me,) that it is 

 not so, but that it is a petrified Zoophyte. The regular lines upon it much resemble 

 those of some species of Cyathophyllum and Caryophyllum, and the articulation of the 

 stem which 1 have been fortunate enough to obtain with some specimens, reminds us 

 of that of some encrinites. Upon enquiry in the bazar, 1 find they are plentiful there ; 

 that they are brought by the Arab ships from Arabia, and called Huzoor el-e'hood.f 



* The root of the Convolvulus Turpethum. 



j More probably Huzor-al Loheid, i. e. Lohcida stones ? Hence, brought from Loheida 1 



