ginal in his own collection. It was remarked that this grinder was of an extraordinary size, and different from that of the American fossil elephant, having an exact resemblance to the African species. Dr. Mitchill further presented a box of West India seeds, containing upwards of 50 species, offered by Mr. Dencker of the Danish Island of St. Thomas.

Specimens of Zoophytes, Petrefactions, Carbonate of lead and other minerals, were presented by Dr. B. Akerly, Specimens of Zircon from New-Jersey, were also offered by Mr. Conrad of Philadelphia, through the medium of the Curators of the Lyceum.

Benjamin P. Kissam, M. D. delivered a lecture introductory to his course on Ornithology.

Sitting of July 28, 1817.

H. Biglow, Esq. read a paper contain ing some facts in relation to the locusts of America, communicated to him by Charles G. Olmsted, Esq. of Buffalo, and D. Brush, Esq. of this city.

Dr. S. Akerly, in the name of Dr. Rosevell Graves, assistant street commissioner, presented a prepared specimen of the Lacerta Alligator of Linnæus.

In the absence of the President, Mr. Baudoine in his behalf, read to the society a memoir written by the ingenious William Darby, Esq. author of the Map and explanatory volume of Louisiana, concerning the probable revolution of our Planet at some very remote former time, on a different axis from that on which it turns at present. Together with the memoir was shown a projection of the sphere, with the axis varying 45", from the actual one at this day, and of course with the Equator and Tropics declined just as many degrees from the positions they now occupy. This delineation forms a very curious picture of the terraqueous globe. It was beautifully executed by Mr. D. at the request of Dr. Mitchill, as a sort of test to the hypothesis that the ancient Poles and Equator were very different from those which the world exhibits at this modern period. And indeed, it applies so admirably to explain difficuities in Geology, such as the fossil remains of plants and animals; the dereliction by water of some continents, as the United States and Europe for example; the submersion of others, as the great Atlantis ; and withal helps the Geognostic inquirer so conveniently along, where nothing else assists him; that it may almost be considered a theory derived from facts by regular induction. The supposed old equinoctial line passes through the AtJantie ocean to the S. E. of the U. S.

and cuts Ireland and England about in

their middle.

Sitting of Aug. 4.

Dr. S. Akerly presented specimens of iron ore, from Morris county, New-Jersey, which is used at the iron works of alderman M'Queen of this city. It is brittle and somewhat granular, and of that kind of refactory ore called cold short. It is best adapted to make pig iron; castings from this are often porous and spongy. Dr. A. suggested that it was probably a phosphoret of iron.

The

Mr. Torrey, the lecturer on Entomology, reported that the insect presented at a late meeting, by Mr. Biglow"is_the Curculio Imperialis of Linnæus. character of the genus is to have a prominent horny snout, with club-shaped antennæ situated upon it. The species is distinguished by the following characters, wing-sheaths black with elevated striæ and spotted with golden green, base of the body gibbous and pointed. Inhabits South America. Six hundred

species of Curculio are enumerated in the last edition of Linnæus.”

Mr. Knevels offered a number of beau tiful Stalactites from a cave in the Bahama Isles, presented by James Walton, Esq.

Mr. Baudouine presented in the name of J. G. Bogert, Esq. a large and fine specimen of the saw of the Squalus Pristis.

C. S. Rafinesque, Esq. read a communication, containing a catalogue of plants, found by himself near Flatbush, L. I.

The Rev. Mr. Schaeffer presented a silicious petrefaction from the Alleghany mountains.

The President offered to the Society several publications in the German tongue from Hamburgh and Bremen, on the Elbe, evincing that their learned authors, professor Ebeling and Dr. I. A. Albers, were actuated by a spirit most friendly to the American name and character. Among these printed essays are the following; the history of the New-York Institution, very circumstantially written, with the names of the petitioners for the grant,and of the committee of the corporation who agreed to it, (in the Hamburgische Address, Comtour. Nachrichden 22 Julii 1816.) 2. An abstract of the 16th volume of the Medical Repository, exhibiting a particular view of the matters contained in that New-York publication, (in the Medicinisch chirurgische Zeitung of Saltzburgh, fol. 20. Feb. 7. 1718.) 3. A review of W.Barton's discourse before the Medical Society of Philadelphia, on the late distinguished professor Benjamin Smith Barton, (in the same Journal.) 4. A file of German newspapers, containing

Dr. Mitchill presented, at the request of Reuben Haines, Esq. the third number of the Journal published by the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, in which Mr. Nuttall's Botanical Memoir is continued; a new genus of animals belonging to the class of Mollusca, and the order of Pterepode, by Mr. Le Sueur. He calls it Firoloida, and describes three species inhabiting the Atlantic Ocean. More new species of the genus Raja or Skate family, found near Newport and Egg-harbour, on the margin of the sea, and an Entomological description of the wheat Insect called Hessian Fly, by Mr. Thomas Say. Linnæus and Degeer had exhibited a genus, Tipula, which included this pernicious animal. Latreille and Meigen, have arranged a part of the creatures belonging to it, under a new title and description. This is Cecidomyia. Our acute entomologist adopts the latter method; and describes the Hessian fly like a naturalist, under the name of Cecidomyia destructor. He does more. He brings to our acquaintance, for the first time, another insect of the ancient Ichneumon family, that preys upon the Larya of the other an ddestroys it. This enemy of the wheat insect and ally of farmers, he calls after Latreille, Ceraphron, with the specific name of destructor also. It is a remarkable coincidence, that Dr. Akerly, and Mr. Say should both have been engaged in this inquiry at the same time.

The President also laid on the table a copy of Eaton's manual of Botany, for the northern states, as published at Albany, for the members of the Botanical Class in William's College, Massachusetts.

Dr. Mitchill then read the lecture of the day, on Anatomical Studies as connected with the diseases of man, and of the other animals, more especially the horse. He called the art of dissection by the name of Zootomy. The anatomical structure of man, he called androtomy; of the horse hippotomony; of kine, bootomy; of sheep, probatotomy; of dogs, ynotomy; of swine, suatomy; of poultry alectruotomy; &c. and then founded upon each of these species of knowledge a corresponding practice in diseases, such as Medicina humana, when applied to those of human beings, m. equina to horses forming the hippiatrii or equestrian treatment; m. bovina, to those

HUMANE SOCIETY OF NEW-YORK.

At a meeting of the New-York Humane Society, held on the 13th of August 1817: The committee appointed to take into consideration the means of recovering persons apparently dead from drowning, and of preventing the fatal effects of drinking cold water, adopted and recommended to their fellow-citizens the following directions, as in their opinion best calculated to effect these important objects.

Directions for Recovering persons apparently dead from Drowning.

1st. Avoid any violent agitation of the body, such as rolling on a căsk or hanging up by the heels, but carefully convey it, with the head a little raised, to the nearest house.

2d. Strip and dry the body, and lay it in a warm blanket, which must be renewed every few minutes. If a child, place it between two persons in a warm bed.

3d. Immediately apply warm spirits or brandy to the temples, breast, belly, feet and hands; at the same time, the whole body should be diligently rubbed with warm woollen cloths, or, if at hand, immerse the body in a warm bath; taking especial care that no more persons be in the room than are actually necessary.

4th. Introduce the pipe of a pair of bellows into one nostril, keep the other nostril and the mouth closed, inflate the lungs till the breast be a little raised; the mouth and nostrils must then be left free and the chest gently pressed; the bellows should then be applied as before, and the whole process repeated and continued at least 15 or 20 minutes, alternately elevating and depressing the chest in imitation of natural respiration.

5th. Inject into the bowels, by means of a syringe, a pint of warm spirits and water, composed of one part of the former and three of the latter; this injection the Society prefer to tobacco smoke, which though usually recommended in cases of this sort, the Society cannot too strongly disapprove.

6th. When the physician who has the care of the apparatus, arrives with the same, he will, with a machine for the purpose, inject into the stomach some warm spirits and water, with a small quantity of spirits of hartshorn, or cause

such other remedies to be applied as are indicated.

7th. Renew the external application of hot spirits to the surface of the body, and diligently continue the friction with woollen cloth at least two hours.

8th. Do not despair-By perseverance in warm friction alone many lives have been restored, and in some instances where the bodies have remained in the water for nearly the space of half an hour.

Directions for preventing the fatal effects of drinking cold water.

1st. Avoid drinking whilst the body is heated, or during profuse perspiration. 2d. Wash the hands and face with cold water before drinking.

3d. If these precautions have been neglected, and cramps or convulsions have

been induced, let (in the ease of an adult) a teaspoon full of laudanum be given immediately in a cup of spirits and water, and repeat the dose in half an hour if necessary.

4th. At the same time apply fomentations of spirits and water to the stomach and bowels, and to the lower extremities, covering the body with a blanket, or immerse the body in a warm bath, if it can be immediately obtained.

5th. Inject into the bowels a pint of spirits and water, mixed in the proportion of one part of the former and three of the latter.

By order of the Society,

HUGH WILLIAMSON,
DAVID HOSACK,
JOHN W. FRANCIS,

Committee.

THE

GREAT BRITAIN. HERE are at present in the University of Cambridge, 1359 members of the Senate, and 3275 members of the boards, being the largest number on record: the number in 1804 being but 2122, and in 1748 but 1500.

Conversations on Botany, illustrated by twenty engravings, will soon be published in a 12mo. volume.

Mr. Alex. Chalmers has completed that great undertaking, the new edition of the General Biographical Dictionary in 32 vols. 8vo. The magnitude of the labour may be conceived when it is known that this edition has been augmented by 3934 additional lives; of the remaining number 2176 have been rewritten, and the whole revised and corrected. The total number of articles exceeds 9000. Appended to each article are copious references to the sources whence the materials are derived.

A new work has been commenced under the title of The Continental Medical Repository; exhibiting a concise view of the latest discoveries and improvements made on the Continent in medicine, surgery, and pharmacy; conducted by E. Von Embden, and assisted by other gentlemen of the faculty. It will be published in quarterly numbers.

Dr. John Clarke, of Cambridge, has ready for publication, in two volumes, 24 Vocal Pieces, with Original Poetry, written expressly for the work, by Mrs. Joanna Baillie, Walter Scott, Esq John

Stewart, Esq. William Smyth, Esq. James Hogg, the Scots' Shepherd, and Lord Byron.

A proposal has been made in a letter addressed to a gentleman at Hull, to light up the whole of that town with the refuse of the blubber brought by the Greenland ships, which at present is not only unserviceable, but a nuisance to the neighbourhood. From a small part of this refuse, says the writer, I should, I doubt not, be able to light up the whole of Hull much better than it could be done by oil in the ordinary way, and at one-fourth of the expense, by preparing a gas from it which would excel in brilliance the gas obtained from coal, require less purification, and be less noxious. On this subject, Mr. J. B. Emmett has published some experiments which he made last summer. By distil ling various oils, previously mixed with dry sand or pulverized clay, he obtained at a temperature a little below ignition, a gas which appeared to be a mixture of carbureted and super-carbureted hydrogen gases. It produces a flame equally and often much more brilliant than coalgas; and gives out no smoke, smell or unpleasant vapour. It differed very little in quality whether obtained from mere refuse or good whale sperm, almond or olive oil, or tallow. For the sake of so important a branch of our fisheries, which is threatened with serious danger by the general adoption of coal-gas for the purpose of illumination, we shall be

highly gratified to learn that the prospect of encouragement thus held forth is likely to be speedily realized.

At a meeting of the Bath Literary and Philosophical Society, Dr. Wilkinson, in remarking upon a paper presented by Dr. Wollaston relative to the theory of the diamond cutting glass, mentioned that he had some micrometers made by the late Mr. Coventry, where the lines on glass had been so finely drawn, that the cross lines formed a series of squares, so minute that 25 millions of squares are equal to no more than one square inch!!

Mr. Southey is engaged in writing a Poem, the scene of which is laid in Connecticut, and of which the subject is King Philip's wars.

From Steel's List, May 1, 1817.-Variation of the Magnetic Needle. It does not appear, from recent observations on the variation, that the Magnetic Needle is returning again to the North; for during the last eighteen months, its declination has been found to increase several minutes; hence, its receding from its western limits becomes a question of importance to the literary world.

Among the extraordinary instances which have occurred of living animals being found deeply buried in solid substances, where they had apparently existed for ages, the following is one of the most singular.

Two coalmen, working in a coal-pit belonging to Viscount Dudley and Ward, in the parish of Tipton, in the county of Stafford, in clearing or breaking up a stratum of coal called the stone coal, about four feet thick, and lying about fifty yards from the surface of the earth, discovered a living reptile of the snake or adder kind, lying coiled up in a small cell within the said solid coal, which might be about twenty tons weight. When first discovered, the reptile moved, and soon after wards crept out of the hole, but, upon being exposed to the air, died in about ten minutes. The thickness and solidity of the coal must have kept it entirely from the air. The hollow place in which it lay was split by means of an iron wedge, and was rather moist at the bottom, but without water. The cell was about the size of a common tea-saucer, and the snake was about nine inches long, of a darkish ashy colour, and a little speckled. The above facts were sworn to before a magistrate, March 5th, 1817.

The University of Cambridge has lately received a donation of twenty thousand pounds sterling, from an un

known benefactor. The gift is to St. Pe ter's College.

Bonaparte is said to have denied the authenticity of the Conversations imputed to him in Warden's Letters.

FRANCE.

Madame de Genlis is about publishing Memoirs of the Marquis de Dangeau, written by himself, with anecdotes relating to the age and reign of Louis 14th.

Dr. Esquirol has read to the Academy of Sciences of the Institute, a memoir on the kind of mental derangement to which he gives the name of hallucination, a new term, denoting a species of insanity, in which the patient receives through one or more senses, those impressions which sight alone otherwise conveys. In support of the principles and considerations which he has developed, he adduces some very curious facts, and among others, the case of a person, almost the only sign of whose derangement consisted in his hearing secret voices, which incessantly reproached him with something that he had done.

M. Laugier, who was the first that discovered the presence of sulphur and of chromium in aerolites, has submitted to the Academy of Sciences a memoir, in which he proves by the details of chemical analysis the identity of the elements of those substances with the enormous masses of iron found in Siberia by Pallas, and which seem in their composition and origin to be like other masses found in different parts of the world, in the midst of vast plains from all the fossils of which they differ.

Dr. Alibert has completed a very important work under the title of Nosologie naturelle, ou les Maladies du Corps humain distribuees par Famille. It forms two 4to. volumes, each containing about 700 pages and 22 plates magnificently coloured after nature. From the extraordinary opportunities for observation enjoyed by the author as physician to the Hospital of St. Louis, and from the reputation which he has already acquired, a work of the highest professional authority may be expected in this new performance, the first volume of which will shortly appear.

a

M. Decandolle is engaged upon work which cannot fail to prove highly acceptable to all the lovers of botany. It is written in Latin, and entitled: Regni Vegetabilis Systema Naturale; sive Ordines, Genera, et Species Plantarum secundum Methodi naturalis Normas digestarum et descriptarum. It will be

the first general botanical work in which the species will be classed in natural families, and described according to the principles of that method, which, though still in some respects imperfect, has already rendered important services to the science. The first volume, containing introductory matter, and the five orders of Ranunculacea, Dilleniacea, Magnoliacea, Annonacea, and Menisperme, is just ready for publication, by Messrs. Treuttel and Wurtz, at whose new establishment in Soho-square, London, it may be procured.

General Jomini has obtained the Emperor's permission to visit Switzerland. He is occupied, it is said, in writing a history of the two last campaigns, from materials furnished by Field Marshal de Tolly and others.

M. Volney, who is now a Count and a Peer of France, has just published a new edition of his RUINS. This is the fifth edition, and he has accommodated it to the times, by suppressing opinions which experience has proved to be erroneous, and adding reflections which the events of a long life have suggested to him. He has also published another work, entitled, New Researches in Ancient History.

A French chemist has discovered that heated substances fall to the same temperature in elastic fluids in the inverse ratio of the gravity of the gases.

The Chevalier de Gassicourt proposes to apply the principle of the Hydraulic press of Pascal, to propelling vessels. If practicable, this would supersede the use

of steam.

Five new epic poems are announced as in progress in France. Their titles are Philip-Augustus, by M. Parsenal-GrandMaison; the Maccabees, by M. Raynouard; the Holy War, by M. Fontanes; Tasso, by M. Campenon; and Richard, by Madame de Stael.

GERMANY.

Professor Thiersch, of Munich, has published a Programma in Modern Greek, inviting the youths of the Greek nation to frequent the Atheneum founded in their favour at Munich, in 1815. Several young Greeks of Macedonia, Thrace, and Asia, have already arrived at Munich, where they receive the same instruction as the Germans.-This is delivered in the German language; and the Atheneum itself is exclusively destined to those Grecian youths who possess some acquaintance with that language. The principal points of the organization are the following:-The students must be at least twelve years of VOL. I. NO. v,

age, and be able to speak and write their own language correctly. The instruction is delivered in the Atheneum, but they will be at liberty to frequent the Lyceum also. The objects of instruction are-the languages, especially the ancient Greek, Latin, German, French, Italian, and English-Philology, or a critical knowledge of the ancient authors, the department of Criticism, Poetry, Mythology, and Archaiology;—Geography and History,-Mathematics, theoretical and prac tical;-Philosophy;-Oryctology, Botany, and Zoology, experimental Philosophy, and Chemistry. The students are lodged and boarded in the Atheneum, on the payment of one hundred florins (Dutch money); in this the expense of instruction is included.

A scientific establishment has been formed at Vienna, called the "Polytechnical Institution," upon an extensive plan, and calculated to produce very important effects, particularly upon the manufacturing and commercial interests of the Empire.

The catalogue of the late Leipsic Easter Fair occupies 330 octavo pages, being considerably thicker than of late years,- -a proof of the favourable influence of the present pacific state of affairs upon the branches of trade connected with literature and the sciences.

Professor C. D. Ebeling of Hamburgh, and Professor Herman of Lubeck, have begun the publication of a new Magazine, or Literary Journal. The American department will occupy considerable space in this work, and be conducted by Mr. Ebeling; the African and Asiatic by Mr. Herman. It is intended to devote the chief part of this work to exotic information. It will appear once in two months, and six times a year; and be regularly forwarded to New-York as fast as published, by the learned and excellent authors.

SWITZERLAND.

Mr. Maillaudet of Neufchatel, announces in a foreign Journal that he has succeeded in resolving the celebrated problem of perpetual motion, so long regarded as a scientific chimera. The piece of mechanism to which he applies his principle is thus described. It is a wheel, around the circumference of which there is a certain number of tubes which alternately radiate or turn towards the centre; rendering the moving power at one time strong, at another weak, but preserving throughout such an intensity of force, that it is necessary to keep it in check by a regulator.

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