Nikko was cited, a Sinico-Japanese place-name, now written with two characters, signifying the glory of the sun, but anciently with characters of somewhat similar sound signifying in Japanese futa ara, two storms, from a myth that two storms yearly issued from a cave in Nantai Futa ara might be a Japanese pronunciation of an Aino name, hence the last-mentioned myth, while the ceasing of the storms, when Kōbō changed ni kō (futa ara) into nikko, sun's glory, was involved in the latter name. In Dr. Edkins's hypothesis

Mr. Dickins could see no force whatever.

The discussion was continued by Mr. Bouverie-Pusey and Mr. Freeland, and was closed by the President.

II. PROCEEDINGS OF ASIATIC OR ORIENTAL SOCIETIES.

ASIATIC SOCIETY OF BENGAL.

1st June, 1887.-Five copper and one forged silver coin forwarded by the Deputy Commissioner of Rawal Pindi were submitted with a report by Mr. Rodgers.

In was announced that Mr. Smith's Index to General Cunningham's Archæological Report was nearly ready, and would be issued as vol. xxiv. of the series.

Papers by Dr. Führer on three grants of Govinda Chandra Deva (twelfth century), and by C. J. Rodgers, Esq., on the coinage of the kings of Ghazni, were read. They will be published in the Journal.

6th July, 1887.-Dr. Rajendralala Mitra exhibited a copper plate received from Mr. Metcalfe, the Commissioner of Orissa.

Mr. Rodgers wrote concerning coins he had purchased and archæological discoveries he had made. Of the latter one was a group of rock-cut temples near Kangra, hitherto unknown.

Dr. Rajendralāla Mitra and the Babu Sarat Chandra Das, C.I.E., read papers on Ekoțibhāva, on which a discussion followed. The Babu's paper is the same as appeared in the Academy of December the 3rd, with remarks by Professor Max Müller and Professor Rhys Davids.

Mr. Oliver read a paper on the Safwi dynasty of Persia and their coins.

Mr. Smith read a paper on sixteen gold coins of Chandra Gupta II. and Kumāra Gupta Mahendra found in Gorakhpur.

3rd August, 1887.-Mr. Bruce Foote, of the Geological Survey, read a paper on prehistoric remains in South India.

Mr. Beveridge, C.S., read a paper on the era of Lakshmaṇa Sena.

Bābu Sarat Chandra Dās, C.I.E., read a paper on the sacred and ornamental characters of Tibet.

Pandit Mahesachandra Nyayaratna read a paper on the authorship of the Mricchakaṭikā.

2. SOCIÉTÉ ASIATIQUE.

24th June, 1887.-M. J. Darmesteter read a paper in which he argued that the legend as to the renunciation and ascension of Yudishthira in the 16th Book of the Mahābhārata was a reproduction of the Persian legend in the Shah Namah of the renunciation and ascension of Kai Khosru; and that it was brought to India by the Magi at an uncertain date, probably in the second or third centuries of our era.

III. CONTENTS OF FOREIGN ORIENTAL JOURNALS.

1. ZEITSCHRIFT DER DEUTSCHEN MORGENLÄNDISCHEN GESELLSCHAFT. Vol. xli. pt. 2. 1. Georg Ebers. On Gustav Seyffarth, the Ægyptologist.

2. Carl Lang. Mu'taḍid as Prince and Regent (continuation). 3. F. Spiegel. On the Origin and Date of the Avesta (2nd article).

4. J. H. Mordtmann. The Topography of Northern Syria, from Greek inscriptions.

5. H. Hübschmann. On the Formation of Nouns in Ossetian. 6, 7. Felix Liebrecht. On a Madagascar sentiment, and on the Jus primæ noctes.

Reviews of Schwarzcose's' Waffen der Alten Araber' and Payne Smith's Thesaurus Syriacus' (Fasc. vii.).

Vol. xli. pt. 3. 1. Karl Vollers. On Arabic as now spoken in Ægypt.

2. M. Klamroth. On the Extracts from Greek Writers found in al-Ja'qubi (continuation).

3. Heinrich v. Wlislocki. Four Folk-lore Tales from Transylvania derived from the Buddhist Siddhi Kür.

4. K. Himly. Notes on Chess and allied Games. (Chiefly from the Chinese.)

5. Th. Aufrecht. Notes on Sanskrit Poets (Hevāka, Namaka, Rajanighantu, Ramagītagovinda, etc.

6. F. Bolleman. Contributions to the Criticism of the Veda.

7. H. Oldenberg. On the Arrangement of the Rig Veda (the adhyāyas).

8. O. Böhtlingk. On iti and ca in the sense of ādi.

Review of Ascherson and Schweinfurth's 'Illustration de la flore d'Egypte.'

2. JOURNAL ASIATIQUE.

Huitième Série, tome x. No. 1.

1. Proceedings, etc.

2. J. Darmesteter. On Points of Contact between the Mahābharata and the Shah Namah (see above, p. 154).

3. Victor Loret. On the Kyphi, a sacred perfume used in ancient Egypt.

4. Clément Huart. Note on three books of the Babi sect.

5. de Rochemonteix. On the Situation of Busin and Phanizoit. 6. Nouvelles et Melanges.

3. VIENNA ORIENTAL JOURnal.

(The first No. has also a German title, Wiener Zeitschrift für die Kunde des Morgenländes, herausgegeben und redigirt von G. Bühler, J. Karabacek, D. H. Müller, F. Müller, L. Reinisch, leitern des Orientalischen Instituts der Universität.)

I. pp. 1–82. G. Bühler.

Vaijayanti.

Gleanings from Yâdavaprakâsa's

J. Kielhorn. The Maurya Passage in the Mahâbhâshya.

G. Bühler. A Disputed Meaning of the particles iti and cha.

D. H. Müller. Arabisch-aramäische Glossen.

J. Karabacek, F. Müller. Beiträge zur Erklärung der altpersischen Keilinschriften.

Reviews. (3 books reviewed.)

Miscellaneous Notes. (3 by J. Hanusz, 1 by F. Müller.)

II. 83-164. D. H. Müller. Geographisches und epigraphisches.

F. Müller. Beiträge zur Erklärung der altpersischen Keilinschriften.

E. Hultszch. Notes on Indian Inscriptions (No. 1).

Reviews (4 books).

Miscellaneous Notes (3).

III. 165-250. G. Bühler. On the Authenticity of the Jaina Tradition.

Dr. Johann Hanusz. Beiträge zur armenischen Dialectologie. P. Jensen. Noch einmal der Kakkabmíšrí.

D. H. Müller. Eine alte hebräische Grabinschrift aus Riva (mit einer Lichtdrucktafel).

D. H. Müller. Drei neue Inschriften von Van.

F. Müller.

inschriften.

Beiträge zur Erklärung der altpersischen Keil

Dr. Ign. Goldziher. Das Princip des istishâb in der Muhammedanischen Gesetz wissenschaft.

Reviews (2 books).

Miscellaneous Notes (4).

IV. CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NOTES OF THE QUARTER BY THE

HONORARY SECRETARY.

General Philology.-Dr. Frederick Müller of Vienna has published an appendix to his "Grundriss der Sprachwissenschaft," containing materials which have come to hand betwixt the years 1877 and 1887 after his copy was made up for the Press. It comprises Grammatical Notes on twelve African languages, ten American languages, and five on Languages in Asia and Oceania.

India.-The Rev. Mr. Wade has published at the S.P.C.K. a Grammar of the Kashmíri language, the result of his own studies during a long residence in the Valley in daily contact with the people. He has also published Texts: nothing of the kind has previously existed.

Africa.-Antonio Cecchi, an Italian traveller, has published at Rome, at the expense of the Italian Geographical Society, Grammatical Notes and Vocabularies of six languages spoken in the Region South of Abyssinia, and collected by him in his Journey of exploration from Zeila on the Indian Ocean to Kaffa in the nearly unknown Regions of the Interior: their names are Galla, Kaffa,

Shangalla, Janger, Adiya, Gurague, and Afar or Danákil. This book is a valuable addition to existing knowledge.

"Review of African Philology." Dr. Büttner, the Director of the newly-established German Missions in East Africa, and well known as a Scholar of South African Languages, has published the first part of his new Review, which will appear quarterly in the German language at Berlin: it promises exceedingly well, and contains contributions on the Swahili, Suto and Ashanti languages of importance, and a notice of all books published on the subject within the period.

Niger Languages.-Two Printing Presses are in full work in this Region, one at Bonny on the Lower Niger, a second at Lokoja on the Upper Niger: they advertise to dispose of every kind of secular work, advertisements, printed catalogues and visiting cards, but their serious work is to turn off Educational works in the languages of the Region. We have before us four little works in the Brass Dialect of the Idyo language; and four in that of the Ibo, in excellent style, written and printed by Negroes. Both languages belong to the Negro Group.

Bantu Family of African Languages.-The S.P.C.K. continues to put forth volumes of an Educational character for use of African Schools, and we have on our table two volumes in the Xosa or Kafir Language in South Africa, one volume in Swahili in East Equatorial Africa, and one in the Ganda language of Victoria Nyanza, printed in London; but there is a press in full work at Rabága, the capital of King Mwanga.

Oceania. - Melanesia.-The S.P.C.K. has published a careful translation of the Acts of the Apostles in the language of Florida Island in the Solomon Group, prepared on the spot.

V. EXCERPTA ORIENTALIA.

ARABIC.-Howell's Grammar, to which allusion was made in the October Notes, is really fasciculus 2, part i, of the work entitled A Grammar of the Classical Arabic Language, translated and compiled from the most approved Native or Naturalized Authorities. The fact of its publication, at Allahabad in 1886, under sanction of the Government of the North-West Provinces, calls forth from a writer in the Saturday Review (March 26) a comment on the liberality of the Indian Government in promoting the cause of Asiatic research, contrasted with the little aid so afforded by grants from the Imperial Treasury. An appreciative notice of this volume, with illustrative