arrested the whole of Asia Minor from the Empire in the 11th century, struck the emblem of the sun in the constellation of the lion upon the obverse of their coin, and these devices have since become well known as the chivalric order of distinction in Persia: its origin is referred by Marshman to the horoscope of Gheat-ud-din Kai Khusrú, who began to reign in 1236. The earliest mention of it is in Tavernier's Travels, 1676. The kings of the Turkman or Ortokite dynasty, in the 13th century, introduced heads on their coin in imitation of the Syro-Macedonian kings, notwithstanding the supposed prejudice of the faithful against such devices. The Persian term sháh, rex, occurs for the first time on the coin of Kutb-ud-din Ghází, A. H. 580. The coins of this period are so irregular, that Christian marks and names are sometimes visible on them: signs of the zodiac were also frequently introduced. The Fatimite dynasty restored the primitive form and purity of the Kufic inscriptions. Their coins have generally more than one concentric circle of inscription. They also exhibit the several localities of Arabia, Syria, Egypt, and Sicily..

The coins of the Il-Khanian or Moghul dynasty of Persia are known by the title of Kaan, Khan, and Sultán Ahzem, in connection with the name of the sovereign. The writing is generally contained in an ornamental or scalloped frame, such as is now common in the coins of Persia, Nipal, and other oriental countries..

These very general remarks will be sufficient to afford a clue to the classification of the coins of Persia, when the legend may not be sufficiently legible to determine them: the subject has been most ably expounded by Mr. Marsden, in the work already quoted from; and to it all must refer who would pursue this branch of numismatic study.

Fig. 16. A silver coin of the Khalifs of the second century of the Hejra, bearing on the area of the obverse the usual formula in the Kufic character:

بهم الله ضرب هذا الدرهم بواسط سنة تسع وعشرين وماية

In a circle around which is inscribed

In nomine Dei cusa est hæc drachma in Wasit. Anno 129, nono et vicesimo et centesimo. (A, D. 746.)

On the reverse it has the usual inscription.

On the margin it has a quotation from the Koran (Sura ix. 33.)

محمد رسول الله ارسله بالهدى ودين الحق التظهره على الدين كله ولوكرة المشركون

Muhammed est legatus Dei, qui misit eum cum doctrina

et religione vera, quo eam extolleret super religiones omnes si vel refragarentur associantes.

In Hallenberg's Numismata Orientalia are described several coins of the same age, the nearest in point of date is one of 126 Hij. (A. D. 743.) Merwan, the son of Muhammed, &c. and 14th in descent from Ommîah, came to the Khalifat in a. H. 127; and was killed in 132, being the last Khalif of that race.

Wasit, the town at which the coin was struck, was so called, says the same authority, from being half-way (middle) between Basra and Kufa, it was built by Ibn-Gjuzí in 75 Hij. and remained the seat of the Khalifs and of the coinage until the Abbasida succeeded to the Ommian Khalifs, when the capital was established at Mohamadíah (or Bagdad) as proved by coins struck in the year 137 Hijra.

In the third volume of the GLEANINGS, Plate XXIII. are depicted four Persian gold coins, also brought from Persia by Lieut. Conolly, which appear to belong to the Seljuk dynasty. In fig. 3, the words ul-malek are legible, but it requires some experience in the Kufic character to decypher the remainder.

5th

20th

3 ft. achrom. Troughton. power 80-capital observation. Em. II. Sat. at 7 18 51 ...

same telescope, not so good, noon being too bright.

Em. I. Sat. at 7 7 43 ....

5 ft. achrom. Troughton, clear and good.

5 39 27

5 38 59

27th

Em. I. Sat. at 9 4 7.5

5 39 14.5

...

same telescope, rather hazy.

V.-A method of preparing Strychnia. By J. T. Pearson, Esq. Assistant Surgeon.

The enormous price of 120 rupees having been paid at the Hon'ble Company's Dispensary for a single half ounce of strychnia; it became my duty to attempt to prepare it, by a process, more expeditious and less expensive, than that recommended in the formulary of Magendie*; and which, at the same time, should be equal to the demands made upon the department. I hope that both these objects have been effected by the following method:

Infuse a determined quantity of Nux Vomica in boiling distilled water, until it becomes soft; take it from the liquid, bruise it coarsely in a large metal mortar, and treat it with successive infusions of boiling distilled water, till it becomes nearly tasteless. Strain the liquids, and having mingled them together, boil with calcined magnesia for half an hour, and collect the precipitate upon a filter of fine muslin. When the precipitate has become free from the liquid, wash it gently, twice, as it lies on the filter, with cold distilled water, and afterwards dry it

upon a water bath.

Treat the precipitate, dried as above-mentioned, with successive portions of boiling alcohol, sp. g. .838, or stronger, until it becomes quite exhausted, then mix the whole of the filtered alcoholic liquid, and evaporate in a water bath, till a thick crust forms upon the surface; set it aside to crystallize for twelve hours; pour off the mother waters, and collect and dry the strychnia upon filtering paper.

In this state, the strychnia is in small, but by no means microscopic, irregular crystals, of a light-brown colour; and it may be purified by redissolving and re-crystallizing it in boiling alcohol, or by pouring over it portions of rectified æther.

The following is the process given by Magendie. "Add a solution of liquid subacetate of lead to a solution of alcoholic extract of the Nux Vomica in water, until no more precipitate be thrown down; the foreign matters being thus separated, the strychnine remains in solution, with a portion of colouring matter, and sometimes an excess of acetate of lead. Separate the lead by sulphuretted hydrogen, filtrate it, and boil with magnesia, which will unite with the acetic acid, and precipitate the strychnine. Wash the precipitate in cold water, redissolve it in alcohol, to separate the excess of magnesia, and by evaporating the alcohol, the strychnine is obtained in a state of purity. If it be still not perfectly white, it must he redissolved in acetic or hydrochloric acid, and reprecipitated by means of magnesia." To prepare the alcoholic extract, the Nux Vomica must be rasped and exhausted by repeated macerations in alcohol, which must then be evaporated; a process the tediousness of which can only be duly appreciated by those who have tried it, and which it was my object to avoid.