Page images
PDF
EPUB

a genus intermediate between that of the sheep and of the goat. As it yields excellent wool, and resides in a climate somewhat analogous to our own, it is proposed to have some living specimens sent over to Scotland, for breeding.

On the Bed of the German Ocean, or North Sea. By Robert Stevenson, Esq. Civil Engineer. Having considerably enlarged the sphere of his personal observations since his last communication on the same subject, Mr. S. comes forwards with fresh arguments in support of his general doctrine that the waste of the lands, being conveyed by rivers into the ocean, must necessarily contribute in the lapse of ages to elevate its bed. Hence encroachments of the water on the land, in various directions: but the proofs exhibited in the present paper are principally deduced from the extensive sand-banks in different parts of the North Sea. In various districts of our coasts, however, indubitable vestiges occur of the waters of the sea having considerably receded from their antient elevation; and Mr. Stevenson himself notices the banks of the Forth, near Alloa, as an example of such a retrocession, which is not very satisfactorily explained on his own hypothesis. With regard, again, to the distribution of the surplus water, occasioned by the accumulation of debris at the bottom of the ocean, he seems to feel conscious that he can derive little aid from the doctrine of evaporation, because it may be met by the countervailing doctrine of condensation. He is, however, at no loss to make an honorable retreat.

Another view has been suggested as applicable to the distribution of the surplus waters produced by the gradual filling up of the bed of the ocean. These waters, in place of being elevated in any sensible degree, may be naturally disposed to find their level in the great polar basons, or oblate portions of the surface of the globe which are known to exist next the poles. The oblate figure of the earth at the poles makes these imaginary points the nearest to the centre of the earth, and consequently, with regard to level, they are also the lowest. It therefore appears to follow, that any filling up of the bed of the sea near the equator, or at a distance from the poles, will have the effect of promoting the retiring of the surplus waters to the polar regions by their own gravity while the centrifugal force occasioned by the earth's diurnal motion, will prevent their being farther removed from the equator, without a corresponding elevation of the waters in the great polar basons.

In this manner, such an accumulation of water may, at a former period of time, have taken place at the then poles of the globe, as to have altered the position of these points, and given rise to the flood or temporary general overflowing of the waters over the earth's surface, producing a change in the beds of the 'seas or oceans of former times. In this way may have been pro

duced

duced many of the phenomena observable in the crust of the earth, which are otherwise with much difficulty accounted for.

Óf what has now been advanced, regarding the waste of the land by the operations of the sea, it will be proper to notice, that much consists with my own personal observation. The consequences of this process must be the deposition of debris, and a tendency to raise the bottom of the ocean, and produce a proportional elevation of the water. With regard, however, to the distribution of the surplus water that is produced, what I have now said is offered with much deference, in hopes that some one better qualified than myself will turn his attention to this curious subject.'

Additional Observations on the Connection between the Primitive Forms of Minerals and the Number of their Axes of Double Refraction. By David Brewster, LL.D., &c.-These supplementary observations and tables confirm the correctness of Dr. Brewster's deductions, exhibit their accordance with the mineralogical arrangement of crystals by Mohs, and indicate the primitive forms of minerals and crystals which the Doctor had determined from their optical structure.

An Account of some of the Cryptogamous Plants of Devonshire. By Robert Kaye Greville, Esq.-This list of plants, and the annotations, are equally creditable to Mr. Greville's diligence and skill but, without greatly exceeding our limitations, we cannot encounter the various particulars which they suggest.

Account of a Beluga, or White Whale, killed in the Frith of Forth. By Dr. Barclay and Mr. Neill. The latter of these gentlemen details the external appearances of the animal, and Dr. Barclay gives its internal structure as far as it could be ascertained in the putrid state of the carcass. To persons who are strangers to the natural history of this Dolphin, we would recommend De la Cépède's interesting account of it, in conjunction with Dr. Barclay's observations.

Description of a New Species of Fucus, found in Devonshire. By R. K. Greville, Esq. M.W.S.- For this recent addition to the British Fuci, the public are indebted to Mrs. Griffiths, a lady who has devoted much of her attention and leisure to the study of cryptogamous botany, and who discovered this plant on Waldon rocks, Torbay, 14th February, 1820. It is denominated Fucus Devoniensis, and is thus defined: Frond cartilaginous, nerveless, dichotomous; branches linear, entire, rounded at the apices; tubercles spherical, situated at the apices, and immersed.'

On the British Species of the Genus Beroe. By Dr. Fleming, of Flisk. — The Doctor states that he found, in a pool in the Frith of Tay, an exhausted specimen of a Beroe, somewhat resembling the ovata of Baster, and corresponding to

Ellis's

Ellis's general description in the fifty-ninth volume of the Philosophical Transactions.

Descriptions of several New Plants from the Kingdom of Nepaul, taken from Specimens preserved in the Herbarium of Aylmer Bourke Lambert, Esq. Communicated by Mr. David Don.-The nine species, whose characters are here exhibited, are intitled, Rhododendron Setosum, R. Anthopogon, R. Campanulatum, Andromeda Cupressiformis, Lilium Nepalense, Delphinium Scabrifolium, Leontodon Eriopodum, Tragopogon Gracile, and Saussurea Gossipiphora.- The plants, which clothe the sides of the Nepaulian mountains, present the types and general physiognomy of those of the north of Tartary, Siberia, and Europe, although the species are generally distinct; and the extensive herbarium of Pallas, now in the possession of Mr. Lambert, has proved of material service in ascertaining the specific limitations.

Description of a New Species of Potentilla, from the West Coast of Greenland, with some Account of the Arctic Flora. By R. K. Greville, Esq.- Mr. G. has designed this elegant Potentilla, Jamesoniana, in compliment to Mr. Jameson; surgeon, who found it on Hare Island, in June, 1818. The rest of the paper is occupied with some pertinent remarks on the Arctic Flora, and with an arranged catalogue of plants observed by Mr. Jameson in Greenland, as well as of those that were found in Spitzbergen by Mr. Scoresby.

-

Account of the Lutra Vittata, and of the Viverra Poliocephalus. By T. S. Traill, M.D., &c. As all the feet of the former of these quadrupeds are perfectly webbed, Dr. Traill has removed it to the family of Otters. It seems to corre

spond to the Martin of Guiana, described by Buffon; and, in its young state, to the Grison of the same writer, and Mustela vittata of Gmelin and Shaw. Under the designation of Viverra Poliocephalus, the author describes, from a stuffed specimen imported from Demarara, Buffon's Great Martin of Guiana.

On the Leaves, Capsule, and Root of Buxbaumia Aphylla. By R. K. Greville, Esq.-These remarks furnish an interesting supplement to the excellent account of this minute and rare moss by Dr. Hooker, in the fourth number of the New Series of the Flora Londinensis. Some of our botanical readers may be gratified by the information that the Buxbaumia has been found on the hills in the neighbourhood of Peebles, in North Britain.

Account of a Singular Fossil-Skeleton, discovered at Whitby, in February, 1819. By the Rev. George Young, A. M. Whitby, Yorkshire. The most feasible conjecture, to be

--

drawn

drawn from the figure and description of this curious fossilremain, is that it has belonged to the family of Dolphins, although it does not exactly correspond with any of the species at present known.

Physiological Notice concerning the early State of the Common Frog. By James Wilson, Esq.-From an observation which an accident prevented him from repeating, Mr. Wilson is inclined to believe that the Tadpole, while enveloped in the gelatinous matter which is supposed to contribute to its nourishment, is attached to it by an umbilical cord. He likewise notes the several periods of its progress to the state of a perfect frog, and the faculty which it possesses of reproducing the tail, when that member has been cut off.

[ocr errors]

On the Luminosity of the Sea. By John Murray, Esq. This brief communication does not materially augment our former stock of knowlege relative to the phænomenon in question: but it contributes to confirm the prevailing notion of its being attributable to marine animals, and in particular to some of the minute Medusæ.

Explanation of an Apparatus, suggested by Colonel Yule, for discharging Ordnance upon Mr. Forsyth's Plan, and an Account of some Experiments performed with it. By Mr. John Deuchar.Without intending the slightest disparagement to Colonel Yule's ingenious invention, or to Mr. Deuchar's discovery of a powder which never fails to inflame the cartridge, we may be allowed to demur to the legitimacy of the present article in a work devoted to botanical, mineralogical, and zoological pursuits. The apparatus will be best understood by the help of the plate.

Description of two new Philosophical Instruments. By Alexander Adie, F.R.S. E., &c.-The first of these instruments is denominated a Sympiesometer, and is constructed for the purpose of indicating the changes in the pressure of the atmosphere by means of hydrogen gas, and an unctuous oil. From the report of Captain Ross, and other competent judges, we learn that it is well adapted for use at sea. The other instrument is a Hygrometer, which is thus constructed:

A small bag, made of the internal membrane of the Arundo Phrogmites, is attached to the lower end of a thermometer-tube, so as to form, as it were, its bulb. It is then nearly filled with quicksilver, which rises and falls, in consequence of the contraction and dilatation of the membrane, by any change of moisture; and these changes are indicated upon a scale attached to the tube, the zero of this scale marking absolute humidity, and the other extremity of the scale absolute dryness. The lower end of the glass-tube, instead of being merely inserted into the top of the

bag,

bag, may pass through it, the quicksilver in the bag commu nicating with that in the tube by one or more openings made through the sides of the tube. By this means, the bag is supported by the glass, and prevented from being injured by any. slight accident; and the instrument is also less affected by any change of temperature.'

Description of an Instrument for ascertaining the Specific Gravity of Bodies, without the Use of Weights or Calculation. By the Same. This appears to be an ingenious and useful contrivance, being an improvement of that of Dr. Coates : but we can convey no adequate idea of its nature and application, in the form of an abstract.

Continuation of an Account of some Experiments performed with an Apparatus for discharging Ordnance, without the Use of a Light or Match-lock; in which several Inferences are drawn with regard to the Nature and Source of the Flame. By John Deuchar, M. W. S., &c.- This learned lecturer again returns to the charge, and satisfies us that he has succeeded in firing cartridges by means of his fulminating powder and Colonel Yule's apparatus: but the particular cases in which the gun-powder was not inflamed, and other circumstances attending his experiments, have involved him in a train of theoretical discussion which we cannot venture to pursue.

An Appendix comprizes a series of minutes of the history of the Society, since the publication of the second volume; many of which have a reference to the papers just reported. The closing entry runs thus:

The Secretary read two notices from Dr. Colladon; one relative to Cinchonin and Quinin, or the Alkaline Substance existing in Cinchona; the other relative to the Travels in Brazil of Messrs. Spix and Martens, sent thither by the King of Bavaria. Professor Jameson also read a notice in regard to the use of Iodine in the cure of Goître, and of the existence of Iodine in the Peat of this country, and in cryptogamous land-plants. The Professor then exhibited, 1. A preserved head of a New Zealand chief, having. the skin and tatooing of the face in a very perfect condition. 2. A section of a log of Elm, containing the nest of a titmouse, completely encircled by the solid wood of the tree, the specimen having occurred in one of the Royal Dock-yards, and being sent by Lord Melville to Professor Jameson, for the Regius Museum of the University.'

The list of members recently elected is both numerous and respectable.

ART.

« PreviousContinue »