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her head; however, as they have seldom such a thing as any arrows by them, they substitute pieces of jowary straw about a cubit in length, with a large cockspur thorn stuck into the end of each. On the fifth day, when the mother and infant bathe, certain ceremonies are performed to propitiate the goddess Sutwaie(a derivative of Devy)* and who presides over obstetric duties. On this occasion the arrow deposited at the head of the bed, is transferred to the bath for the time. The arrows are removed on the twelfth day, when the mother in general returns to discharge her household duties.

In the course of a day or two, or at all events, within a fortnight from the birth of the child, the father waits on the Jossy or village astrologer, to ascertain what name he is to give to his child. The Jossy having learnt whether the child is a male or female—if a boy, after a little time, he says that he is to be called Ramjee, and if a girl, her name is to be Bheemy. Should the father be a person in very poor circumstances, he will give a pyset or two to the Jossy, and probably a seer of grain. Before the Jossy determines the name, it is necessary that he should not only know the day, but the particular watch during the day or night in which the infant was born, to enable him to establish in what churun or quarter of the Nukshuttur it happened. This having been accomplished, he refers to the Aukkur Chukkur, which all the Astrologers can repeat by rote, and finding that the boy was born during the third churun or division of the Nukshuttur cheetra, he is to be named Ramjee, and if a girl her name is to be Bheemy, as she was born during the fourth churun of the Nukshuttur moell. The 28 Nukshutturs, each of them preceded by four monosyllables, constitute the Aukkur Chukkur. In this manner, Choo, Che, Cho, Laa, Asṣwiny, as each Nukshuttur occupies about six ghutkast of time, each churun or quarter has about fifteen ghutkas, (nearly six hours) one of these monosyllables is allotted to each churun, so that if the child was born during the fourth churun and was a boy, he would be called Laaroo. The particular monosyllable becomes the first syllable of the name to be fixed on. However in the Dekhan this name is scarcely ever used except du

*The Juno Pronubo of the Romans.

When it is wished to have a record of the horoscope and name ;-also the future fortune of the child told, it is necessary to reward the Brahmun for his trouble, and a rupee or two is presented to him, sometimes five and ten rupees; wealthy persons bestow larger sums. The astrologer that calculated the horoscope of the Peshwah Mhadeo Row, who was born on the Purundur hill, received thirty begahs of land in enam.

The period of each Nukshuttur varies from 54 to 65 ghutkas.

ring the marriage ceremony. On the twelfth day, when they place the infant for the first time (if a girl) in the cradle, or if a boy on the thirteenth day, the mother gives the infant the name of some god or goddess, or that of some of their ancestors. This is the name by which the child is known by through life. Unless they subsequently call the boy by one of the familiar and common, but at the same time respectful appellations of Baba, Nana, Dada, Tatiah, Appa, Kaka, Bhow, Naik, or Row Sahib. The Mharatta and Konkany Brahmuns never mention their Junnum puttur name in public. They repeat it daily in private when worshipping their household gods.

It is known to such persons as have intercourse with the natives, that a Hindoo is not in the habit of mentioning his wife's name in conversation, or when speaking to her, and that the wife is equally, if not more, scrupulous than the husband, in this respect. Any thing to the contrary is reckoned highly indecorous.

It would be almost endless, and at the same time useless, labour to attempt to explain all the supposed consequences arising from the calculations connected with their system of judicial astrology. I shall finish by subjoining a copy of the Aukkur chukkur before alluded to, and adding a few remarks regarding some of the Nukshut

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The 28 Nukshutturs are divided off into equal portions to each Zodiacal sign; so that when the Nukshuttur is known they refer to the rass or constellation, and by discovering the day, the month, and year are determined from the Junnum puttur.

The Nukshutturs Mool, Asslesha, Jestha, Veeshak, and the first churun or division of Muggah, are considered peculiarly inauspicious to be born under. It is written, that if a boy is born during the first churun of the mooll, the father will die in consequence, unless the required propitiatory offerings and sacrifices are made.

The evil effects of this birth, it is said, continue for seven years. The consequences attending the birth of a girl are similarly fatal, but the evil influence does not extend in her case longer than three years. If a child is born during the second churun of the mooll calamities of a similar nature wait the mother, and when a child is born in the third churun, all description of property belonging to its parents, will be destroyed, and if in the fourth churun the child will not be longlived. So that burnt offerings and oblations are wanted to satisfy the priests. It is however to be remarked, that during the months Magh, Ashar, Asswin, and Bhadurpuda, the Mooll is considered innocuous.

A child born during the fourth churun of the Asslesha, will entail the most fatal consequences on its father, and if in the third churun it will prove fatal to the mother-in-law. However, the evil influence is to be removed by timely donations.

The Jestha is wholly unlucky; the first and second churuns to the brothers-in-law. Offerings and charity will remove the evil consequences. One of the many ways of trying to remove the evil influence supposed to arise on these occasions, by wealthy persons, is thus; they put the new born babe into a soop, (a basket,) and having selected a good milk cow with a calf, the infant is placed before

the cow, in order that she may lick it, by which operation the noxious qualities which the child has derived from its birth are removed. The cow and calf are afterwards presented to the priest, who prays that every blessing may be poured down on the head of the donor, that he may long enjoy his health, and possess the power and will of bestowing alms on the needy.

The Nukshutturs, Cheetra, Bhurny, Poonurwussoo, Poosh, Asswiny, Rewuty, and Kritika, are reckoned rather inauspicious, and will entail misery on the infant that happens to be born while they are dominant, or on its parents or relations; but charitable acts will remove the evil.

The Yeogs Veetypaat and Vydritty. The Kalleany Bhudra, Sunkrant, and the Amwass, are considered unlucky to be born under: the gow prussawa or the ceremony of placing the child before a cow is performed for good luck.

It is to be remarked, that we frequently find a considerable discrepancy exists between the writers on the subject of judicial astrology.

(To be continued.)

II.—Illustrations of the Botany and other branches of the Natural History of the Himalayan Mountains and of the Flora of Cashmere. By John F. Royle, F. L. S. and G. S. M. R. A. S. &c.

The recent appearance of three large works on Indian Botany* and the anticipation of a fourth which may be soon expected, induce us thus early in our career to devote a few pages to an article on that subject.

We do this, not only from a desire to gratify public taste so strongly indicated by that event, but from a wish, on our own part, to aid, to the utmost of our power, the diffusion of a science, so worthy of our attention, and in that way assist in removing, the not altogether unmerited reflection cast upon us, that with all India

* Roxburghs Flora Indica 3 Vols. 8vo. This work was nearly 20 years in MSS. before publication. It is notwithstanding a valuable work of which unfortunately a few copies only were printed.

2d. Wallizi's Plante Asiat: Rarieores 3 Vols. Folio. with 300 coloured plates. The most splendid contribution to Botanical science that has appeared in the course of the present century.

3d. Royle's Illustrations which we are about to notice.

4th. Wight and Arnott's Prodromus Flora Peninsula India Orientalis. Advertised as nearly ready for publication.

under our sway, we know little of its natural history beyond what enterprising foreigners have taught us.

We have long considered Botany a pursuit, which would amply repay the trouble of mastering its difficulties, by the gratification it would afterwards afford; but it will do more in an unexplored country like this, where there is a wide field and few labourers, it will reward the diligent by adding celebrity to their names, by the important discoveries they are likely to make, both to mankind and to science. From motives such as these, we hope many, now that they have the means, will be induced to study it, but putting interest out of the question we would recommend " Botany for its own sake, since, as a mental exercise or study for raising curiosity, gratifying a taste for beauty of contrivance, and sharpening the powers of discrimination, nothing can exceed it" To this well merited panegyric we may add, that no branch of natural history has been so much cultivated, or had the talents of so many eminent men devoted to its extension and improvement. Nor is this to be wondered at, when we bear in mind that to the vegetable kingdom, man, even in his rudest state, is largely indebted for his food, clothing, shelter, and medicine: how much more in a high state of civilization, can only be estimated by those who are acquainted with the thousands of necessaries, conveniencies, and luxuries of life, we derive from plants.

The better to enable our readers to follow us in our after remarks, we shall devote the first part of this article, to a concise view of the objects of the science, and then proceed with our review.

Botany may be divided into two principal branches, economical, and systematical or practical Botany. To the first belong agricultural and medical botany; both taken in the widest sense of the terms to the second, the anatomy, physiology, classification, description, and geographical distribution of plants. The first treats of the cultivation of those plants from which products useful to man are procured. The second teaches; 1st, The structure or oganization of plants; 2d, The functions which the different organs perform, either in supporting life or in elaborating those principles which render them useful or otherwise to mankind; 3d, The rules by which they have been methodically arranged and distinguished from each other; and 4th, The laws which regulate their distribution over the surface of the globe.

From this enumeration of the objects of the two branches, it must be evident, that though the first is the most cultivated and most

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