The hours in the Samscred language are called _Shalkshana_; in the Tamulic and Malabar, _Nàliga_; in the Nepalic, _Ghahu_; and in Hindostan, _Palà_. They are announced from the summits of the pagodas, or heathen temples, by beating upon copper basons, the sound of which can be heard at a great distance. Is it not possible that these basons or copper vessels, which were employed for this purpose in the earliest ages, may have given rise to the invention of our bells? On some pagodas the hours are announced by means of a large cow’s horn, which emits a strong and penetrating sound. Some reckon the time by water-clocks, and others by lamps; some by the position of the sun, and others by the flux and reflux of the sea, which, when the moon is visible, they can determine with wonderful accuracy. Here and there may be found a few Indians who make use of the Berosian clocks. The astronomical year of the Indians consists of 365 days, six hours, twelve minutes and thirty seconds. When this division and the astronomical tables of the Brahmans are closely examined, it appears that they agree perfectly with the Egyptian, Chaldean and Babylonian; and that they were long known among them before the origin of the Alexandrian school, from which Anquetil du Perron deduces the astronomical knowledge of the Brahmans. * * * * * The Indian books which treat of astronomy are: 1. The _Sùrya Sidhànda_, that is, observations of the sun. 2. _Sòma Sidhànda_, observations of the moon. 3. _Vashista Sidhànda_, observations of _Vashista_. 4. _Graha làghava_, observations of the stars. 5. _Grahanamala_, or a catalogue of eclipses. * * * * * The astrological books of the Indians are: 1. _Giodisha Shástra_, that is, the science of casting horoscopes, and observing the constellations. 2. _Giadagàrnava_, that is, the light by the help of which one can discover what is good or bad in the hour of a person’s nativity. 3. _Kramadìpiga_: Instructions for the knowledge of good or bad actions; the production of which depends on the constellations. 4. _Suhudidìpiga_: Instructions how to perform ablutions and purifications by observing the revolution of the heavens. In the scientific writings of the Brahmans, astronomy is treated in a manner entirely different from that of the so-called _Purana_, or ancient histories. The latter contain nothing but a multitude of insipid fables, the foundation of which is astronomy; but which are entirely destitute of probability. Anquetil, Bailly, and other learned men have however suffered themselves to be so far misled by them, as to consider the astronomy of the Brahmans in a very erroneous point of view.