THE

AMERICAN JOURNAL

OF

SCIENCE AND ARTS.

CONDUCTED BY

PROFESSORS B. SILLIMAN, B. SILLIMAN, JR.,

AND

JAMES D. DANA.

AIDED

IN THE DEPARTMENTS OF CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS

BY

DR. WOLCOTT GIBBS.

SECOND SERIES.

VOL. XII.-NOVEMBER, 1851.

WITH EIGHT PLATES.

NEW HAVEN:

PUBLISHED BY THE EDITORS.

Printed by B. L. HAMLEN-Printer to Yale College.

st

253521

CONTENTS OF VOLUME XII.

NUMBER XXXIV.

ART. I. On Certain Meteorological Coincidences; by J. H.

ALEXANDER, Esq.,

II. On a Method for distinguishing between Biaxial and Uniaxial

Crystals when in thin plates,—and the results of the exam-

ination of several supposed Uniaxial Micas; by W. P. BLAKE,

III. On some of the Thermal Waters of Asia Minor; by Dr.

J. LAWRENCE SMITH,

IV. Uses of the Stillingia sebifera or Tallow Tree, with a no-

tice of the Pe-la, an Insect-wax of China; by D. J. MAC-

GOWAN, M.D.,

V. On the sudden disappearance of the Ice on Lake Champlain,

at the breaking up of Winter; by Rev. ZADOCK THOMPSON,

VI. On Coral Reefs and Islands; by James D. Dana,

VII. A description of a new Sand-Bath with Water-Bath and Dis-

tilling Apparatus attached, erected in the Yale Analytical

Laboratory; by Prof. JOHN P. NORTON,

VIII. On Microscopes and Microscopy; by W. I. BURNETT,

IX. On the Connection of Chemical Forces with the Polarization

of Light; by NEVIL STORY MASKELYNE, Esq., M.A.,

X. On Atmospheric Magnetism; by Prof. FARADAY,

XI. On Eupyrchroite of Crown Point, New York; by CHARLES

T. JACKSON, M.D.,

Page.

1

6

10

52

56

64

69

73

75

83

97

106

109

XII. On the Recent Condition of Kilauea; by Rev. C. S. LYMAN,
including a letter from Rev. T. COAN,
XIII. On the causes of the disengagement of Electricity in Plants,
and upon Vegeto-terrestrial Currents; by M. BECQUEREL,
XIV. On the Rings of Saturn; by G. P. BOND,

XV. On the Constitution of Saturn's Ring; by Prof. B. PEIRCE,
XVI. On Saturn's Ring; by DANIEL KIRKWOOD, A.M.,