but otherwise resembles that of the Salicaria, and between the rictus and eye are five remarkably strong bristles, forming an almost vertical range, with a small bare space in front of them, and they are curved stiffly outwards, as if the object were to defend the eyes; there are likewise small setæ at the base of the lower mandible: the wings and tail have also the true character stated of Dasyornis, as well as (it would appear) the feet. General colour olive-brown, with mesial blackish streaks to the feathers; the throat and belly white, and breast and flanks light brown, the breast having a few traces of darker specks: tail graduated, each feather tipped with fulvous-white, and the rest dusky along the centres, and brownish barred with dusky externally. Irides dark greyish olive. Bill dark olive-brown above, beneath paler; and legs light purplish-brown. The specimen described was a female.*

The other species is considerably superior in size, with proportionally much larger and stouter legs, a straight and slender bill, and long, somewhat sharp-pointed tail, the feathers of which are exceedingly graduated; rictorial bristles small and inconspicuous. Its genus would seem to be Megalurus, and the specimen has unfortunately its wings and tail so much mutilated by the bazaar people, that I shall not offer a further description. A curious feature consisted in the inside of the mouth being wholly blackish, while the bill was of a livid colour suffused above with blackish, which is probably a seasonal distinction.

Cryptonyx coronatus: recent female, from Singapore, presented by myself.

The magnificent specimen of the Himalayan Lammergeyer (Gypäetos), exhibited at the last Meeting of the Society, has been mounted, together with some other skins, and more are now in progress of being set up.

Recurring to the class of Mammalia, I noticed, in a previous Report (ante, pp. 95-8 et seq.), the existence of three species of Otter in the Hooghly, in addition to a Darjeeling species there also described; and I may now announce the existence of a fourth species in the Hooghly, or at least which I infer to have been thence obtained, since our Museum contains two specimens of the skull, marked "common Otter," and which from their size I had hitherto referred to Lutra leptonyx. Upon recently, however, having had the skulls of L. leptonyx and L. nair taken out from the skins and cleaned, it became at once apparent that the species previously referred to the former was quite distinct, the skulls differing in being very much more compressed between the orbits, in the still inferior size although the age is greater, in the further development of the post-orbital processes in both specimens, and a variety of

I have since obtained another species of the same minimum group, but so wretchedly mutilated by the bazar shikaree who caught it, and also smeared with bird-lime, that I can hardly venture upon a description. Not content with plucking out the large feathers of one wing and of the tail, the cruel brute had broken its lower mandible to prevent its biting, as is the custom of these people with Cormorants, Herons, and such other birds whose peck is worthy of some precaution to avoid : otherwise I think I might have kept it for a while alive. It is considerably larger than D. locustelloides, (striatus,) with legs proportionably larger, and the beak much less compressed laterally. Plumage very like that of the other, but a well developed whitish streak over the eye, the brown a shade less fulvous, and the blackish mesial streak to each coronal feather less defined and contrasting. Irides dusky olive: bill and inside of the mouth wholly blackish and legs dull purplishbrown. Length, to base of tail, four inches and five-eighths, of wing three inches and a half, and tarse one inch and a quarter; bill to forehead (through the feathers) nine-sixteenths of an inch, and to gape, (which is armed with five strong outward-curved setæ, as in the other,) one inch and three-fourths. I shall provisionally designate this species D. colluriceps.-E. B.

minor particulars. The difficulty of procuring specimens of these animals in this neighbourhood, however numerous they may be, is much greater than would be supposed, from the doltish apathy of the shikarees, who cannot be induced to deviate from their beaten path of procuring esculent creatures only; and it may yet be a long while, therefore, before I succeed in procuring the materials for describing the species which I have here merely indicated.

A specimen of a Remora, or Sucking-fish, (Echeneis naucrates,) has been purchased in the bazaar.

My principal occupation has, however, been lately in arranging our shells, and especially our insects. Of the latter we possess, firstly, the specimens in the cases (including many from Assam and Sylhet), which were either merely arranged according to their localities, or not arranged at all; the former method possessing some advantages, but involving great inconvenience for room, and most unnecessary successions of duplicates of the generally predominant species: secondly, the box of Swan River specimens presented by Mr. Crichton, as noticed in my report for last September: thirdly, those from Afghanistan mentioned in my last report: fourthly, a considerable number that have been taken under my own superintendence in this neighbourhood: and fifthly, a large box of specimens, chiefly Coleoptera and Hemiptera, thrown loosely upon one another, and consequently, for the most part, much injured, which were presented to the Society by Dr. O'Shaughnessy, and which I suspect (from the prevalence of certain species) to have been from Sylhet or Assam, probably the latter. Many interesting Curculionida and other hard-cased Coleoptera have been picked uninjured out of this lot, and altogether many hundred specimens have been rescued from impending destruction, affording a considerable number of duplicates of some of them, which are of essential service, as supplying the means of getting satisfactorily identified such as have already received names.

A package of various skins, chiefly of birds, has been shipped for the Collegium Academicum of Christiana; another to the Cornish institution at Truro, through Dr. Spry; and a third box of specimens has been forwarded to Mr. Jerdon at Madras, from whom, in return, we may expect, shortly, a consignment of valuable specimens from Peninsular India, whitherfrom at present our Museum can boast very few contributions in recent Zoology.*

I remain, Sir,

With much respect,

Your's obediently,

EDWARD BLYTH.

Mr. Jerdon's valuable donation has since been received.

Museum of Economic Geology.

Read report of the Curator in this Department for the Month of May last. Report of the Curator Museum Economic Geology for the month of May. Museum Economic Geology.—The Memoir alluded to in my last report, explaining briefly the object and wants of the institution, and soliciting contributions has been with the approbation of the Honourable the President and Secretary, printed, and is now on the table. It will be circulated as widely as possible in all the Presidencies, and in Europe, so as to insure us every chance of assistance.

I have resumed the arrangement of the Museum, and hope to get through with it, and the Catalogues shortly.

We are indebted to Mr. Hodgson of Nepal, for a small collection of iron, copper, and lead ores from Nepal, of which one or two are new to the Museum, and all valuable as contributing to our Indian series.*

Geological and Mineralogical.-We have at length to announce the arrival from Kemaon of three, out of five volumes of Captain Herbert's Journals, the remaining two being for the present with Mr. Batten, as explained in his letter.

Upon examining these volumes with reference to the collection in our cabinets, I find they relate first to from numbers 1 to about 375, then from 1 to 379 of the second thousand, and lastly from 1563 to 1612, leaving thus a blank of about 800 names and localities, which I doubt not, or at least I hope, will be found in the other books.

From a cursory examination of these volumes, I will venture to congratulate the Society very sincerely upon the amount of Geological and Mineralogical knowledge, which we have thus, I hope, obtained the means of giving to the world; (if we can but connect Captain Herbert's complicated systems of numbers,) and his friends upon the justice which these volumes will I trust enable us to do to his memory.

Major Manson who was Captain Herbert's Assistant, has been written to, to obtain any assistance which he can give us. We have received in this Department seven specimens (Geological) from Mr. H. Stanley. And I have been chiefly occupied in part with Captain Herbert's collections, and in part with our own Geological series. H. PIDDINGTON.

Museum, 31st May, 1842.

Read letter from Mr. Secretary BUSHBY of the 2nd February 1842, forwarding a box of specimens of Magnetic Iron Ore, from Tavoy, Sulphuret of Antimony from the neighbourhood of Moulmein, and of the Mergui coal received from Captain TREMEN

HEERE.

An interesting Chart of the Barometrical curve, during the late storm, was exhibited to the Meeting by Mr. Piddington, who explained that he was in hopes of obtaining through the data he looked for from this storm, a Barometrical measure of the distance

* I have to mention also, that permission has been obtained from Government to indent upon the Honorable Company's Dispensary, for such re-agents and apparatus as it may possess, which will be required for the Laboratory of the Museum.

of the centre of a hurricane; which conjointly with the method of estimating the distance by mathematical projection, as given in his "Notes on the Law of Storms," published by Government for the use of the China Expedition, would enable the seaman to estimate pretty correctly his distance from the centres, and thus guide his judgment as to the best course to pursue.

For these presentations and contributions the thanks of the Society were accorded.

EXTRA NUMBER.

[Issued gratis to Members of the Society, and to Subscribers to the Journal.]

JOURNAL

OF THE

ASIATIC SOCIETY.

Report of the Mineralogical Survey of the Himmalaya Mountains lying between the Rivers Sutlej and Kalee. Illustrated by a Geological Map,* By Captain J. D. HERBERT, Superintendent.

To some of our Indian, and to many of our European readers, it may be necessary to explain the circumstances which gave rise to the following report, and those under which it has so long remained unpublished.

Captain Herbert of the Bengal Infantry, Deputy Surveyor General of Bengal, and Superintendent of Kemaon Surveys, was appointed by the Government of India, then under the Marquis of Hastings, to undertake a Mineralogical Survey of that part of the Himalya Mountains, which form the British Frontier to the North-West; but it would appear that this was not fully executed, though much was done; and the elements of much more which might have been accomplished at a small expence were already collected.

Captain Herbert, after editing for three years the valuable Gleanings in Science, the parent of our Journal, was appointed Astronomer to the King of Oude, whither he proceeded, but enjoyed for a very short time his post, dying of an apoplectic attack in 1833.

When our present Curator of the Museum of Economic Geology, Mr. Piddington, assumed temporary charge of the Museum, he found 12 cases filled with what were well known by the Assistants to be "Captain Herbert's specimens," but beyond this fact, not a line of Catalogue, Journal, or Note relating to the specimens could be discovered; It became then an object of great importance to the Society, and to Science, to trace out, if possible, any records which could throw light upon this valuable collection, and after a persevering search of eighteen months by the Secretary and himself, their labour was rewarded, first by the discovery of five volumes of Captain Herbert's Notes, which had been carried into KEMAON! but fortunately left there in the care of a zealous friend to Science, and a valuable associate of the So