1870.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 279 



their barbarous habits. The eminent among them were soon identified 

 with some Hindu gods, and ultimately the Nagas, as a race, became 

 a class of gods. Serpent-worship, in the true sense of a creature- 

 worship, was never prevalent in India, and though, under peculiar 

 circumstances, this worship may be seen at the present day among 

 the several hill tribes, still such a practice does not obtain among 

 the Aryans. The serpent, as an emblem of eternity, is respected, 

 but it is the worship of Vishnu and not of the reptile. Serpents 

 have crept into our mythological legends, but in whatever form 

 they appear, they are put down as enemies of Vishnu. Eahu is 

 darkness, and its stellar form is a snake. Sun = Hari = Vishnu, 

 the destroyer of Eahu, the first destroys as darkness, the second as 

 snake, and the third as death. 



Figures of Nagas occur in sculptured stones, but only for 

 ornamentation. 



Several trees are described in later Puranas as forms of Vishnu 

 and other gods, but they are cherished with a degree of care because 

 of their extreme usefulness in the tropical country. For instance, 

 Tulsi as an aromatic herb, the Durvd as a fodder on which the cattle 

 live, the religious fig tree as offering cool shelter, the cocoanut as a 

 refreshing fruit. Some trees again are noted as obnoxious when 

 planted near dwelling houses, because in a Hindu hygienic point of 

 view, they are considered injurious to health. The papaya plant is 

 one of those that no Hindu would like to have near his house. 



IV. — Analysis of a new Mineral from Burmah. — By D. Waldie, Esq. 



During the period extending from November, 1863, to the end of 

 1864, I had various samples of metallic ores sent to me for ana- 

 lysis by Mr. O'Kiley, the Deputy Commissioner of Martaban, 

 Burmah. They were mostly samples of Galena, but one of a 

 different kind particularly attracted my attention as of rather unu- 

 sual composition, so that I suggested to him, that it might be 

 desirable to publish it. To this proposal he assented, suggesting 

 that it should be presented to the Journal of the Society. Circum- 

 stances at the time prevented me from carrying my proposal into 

 effect, but recently I resumed the investigation which had been lying 

 long incomplete. 



