1837.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 709 



collecting antiquarians. A portion had chipped off and the priests were 

 now willing to expose the whole. 



Dr. Bland of H. M. S. Wolf presented a facsimile of the ancient 

 inscription on the point of the jetty at Singapur. 



[Printed in the present number.] 

 Geography. 



G. Vigne, Esq. forwarded a note on the valley of Cashmir dated at Ban- 

 delpar on the Wuler lake, 16th June 1837. 



Mr. Vigne identifies Iskardo with the fort of Aornos assaulted by Alexander, 

 he forwards copy of the only inscription discovered in the valley, (see p. 680.) 



The Bishop of Cochin-China submitted a note on the geography of 

 Cochin-China. 



Physical. 



The Secretary of the Batavian Literary Society besrged, through Mr. A. 

 Muller, to open an intercourse with the Asiatic Society in its museum 

 department, with a view to the exchange of duplicates. 



" Some interesting reports have lately been published here on the geology of 

 Borneo, and the western districts of Java, and the museum is well supplied with 

 geological specimens from Japan, Sumatra, Borneo, &c. of which duplicates can 

 be sent to Calcutta. The collection of birds and Orang-otangs, from Borneo is 

 I suppose the finest in the east." 



A letter from Sir J. F. W. Hkrschell, dated Cape, 29th June, stated his 

 want of success hitherto in procuring a hippopotamus skeleton for the 

 society. These animals are become very rare. 



Colonel McLeod, chief engineer forwarded several fragments of coal 

 brought up by the borer in the fort from a depth of 392 feet. The depth 

 attained now being 404 feet. 



The coal has a specific gravity 1.20 and is of a fine quality, nearly resembling 

 the Assam specimens ; it is in rolled lumps evidently such as are found in the 

 beds of torrents, and such as have invariably led to the discovery of seams in the 

 vicinity. This will account for no actual beds having been penetrated by the 

 auger: the discovery is very curious, as connected with the subject of Indian 

 coal beds. 



Lieut. G. Fulljames submitted the results of an experimental boring 

 executed by him at Gogo — (Cambay GulphJ to the depth of 320 feet. 



He also announced the discovery of fossil remains down the coast of a 

 similar formation to those of Perim. And further, offered some remarks 

 on the Otisfulva, or brown florican of south India. 



Mr. D. Ross was requested by Capt. Hill, Mad. Army to present in 

 the name of Sooriah Narayana Pantalu, a zemindar of Gamsur, a speci- 

 men of steatite or soapstone of his district, where it is used for pencils, 

 &c. and sold at an anna the tola. 



The secretary begged the society's acceptance of a large collection 

 of preserved snakes and other objects given to himself by Aga Kerbalai 

 Muhammad. This collection formed part of the Aga's late purchase from 

 Dr. Pearson. It comprises 



120 bottles of preserved snakes, &c. in spirits. One Turtle Skeleton. One 

 backbone of a small Turtle. Six Alligator heads of various species. Two 

 Rhinoceros skulls. Two horse skulls. Two large and one small Tiger skulls 

 with ditto. One Hyaena cranium. Two horns of the Gaur Bos. 



Dr. Spilsbury sent some beautiful pencil drawings by Capt. Reynolds, 

 of a fossil head (horse) found a few miles from Jubulpore on the left bank 

 of the Nerbudda. 



Capt. T. Jenkins forwarded from Assam four bottles full of divers in- 

 sects, &c. including a queen-mother of the white ants. 



Dr. T. Cantor, submitted for inspection (with an explanatory notice) 

 his drawings of the Molluscs and Zoophytes taken at the Sandheads by 

 himself in a cruize of a few months. 



A black pettrel was presented in the name of Dr. Pearson : two Tetradon 

 fish and a lobster, presented and set up by Mr. Bouchez. 



