5 FEBRUARY 1921, Page 22

Linguistic Studies from the Himalayas. By the Rev. T. Grahame

Bailey. (Royal Asiatic Society.)This learned mono- graph issued by the Royal Asiatic-Society illustrates the absurdity of speaking of " the Indian people." It deals with fifteen of the many different languages of India, which are spoken in the hills near Simla. and further to the north and west. Two are Tibeto- Burman ; the rest are Aryan. The author appends some curious notes on the slang used by the Qalandar, a tribe of nomads who keep performing bears, monkeys, and goats ; as well as on the secret words employed by the .Qasai and by the gamblers of the Punjab.