16. Natural Prognostics of the Weather, by M. Waldeck. Signs of Fine Weather:-1st, By Birds. When the alcido hispida and ducks leave the earth and fly towards the sea; when the kites and bitterns cry as they fly; the swallows fly at great heights, because the flies then keep in the upper regions; the apodes fly after each other in the air till late in the evening, with vivacity of noise; the ravens and sparrow-hawks cry frequently and loudly; the turtle-doves coo softly; the robin rises in the air singing; the owl hoots; the wren (sylvia troglodytes) sings in the morning until nine or ten o'clock, and after mid-day till four or five o'clock -beyond this time their song announces rain. 2ndly, By other Animals. Frogs contained in glasses climb up their sides; the glow-worms fly about in great numbers in the evening; insects and flies play in the air after sun-set; the bat appears late; the spiders spin tranquilly, and extend their nets to a distance.

Indications of Rain.-1st, By Birds. When the large black sea-mew, the cormorants, aquatic birds, and birds generally, go to the rivers, and water and bathe noisily; ducks, geese, and moorhens plunge into the water, flapping it about with much noise; wild geese fly high in the air and in disorder; the plovers become restless, flying here and there, and uttering their peculiar cry; the ravens and the rooks assemble in groups, and then almost immediately separate; the ravens in the morning, and the rooks in the evening, utter continual cries, and walk solitarily on the ground; the swallows fly low in the air; the magpies cry much at other seasons than at pairing time; domestic birds rub themselves in the dust; partridges, pigeons, aud smaller birds, bathe themselves in the sand; the cock crows immediately after sun-set (when, on the contrary, the cock walks about during rain, it is a sign it will soon cease); the melancholy cry of the chaffinch is heard; the woodlark, linnet, sparrow, and robin, cry or sing during the morning; the peacocks and owls cry more frequently and strongly than usual during the night; the poultry are longer engaged in searching out the insects beneath their feathers, the latter penetrating more deeply into the skin. 2ndly, By other Animals. When the cattle pant for air towards mid-day; pastured cattle, sheep, and goats, leap much and quarrel with each other; pigs are restless and disperse their food; cats rub their ears and press their bodies against obstacles; dogs become restless, scratch the ground, eat grass, and bark in a growling manner; the foxes bark; the wolves howl; the moles raise the earth higher than ordinary; the frogs eroak much, and hide themselves in the meadows; the bats do not leave their retreats in the evening; the spiders work but little, spin short threads, and retire to their corners; the flies bite horses and cattle on the legs, are agitated, and fly confusedly together; the fish (cobitis fossilis) trouble the waters; and the worms disturb the earth.

It is considered as a presage of wind, when aquatic birds of the sea and marshes fly together towards the land and play, especially

in the morning; birds at sea take shelter on vessels; wild geese fly very high, and in bands, going towards the east; water-fowls cry, and are agitated; the lapwing cries loudly; the king-fisher flies towards the earth: the rooks (corvus frugilegus) pass rapidly through the air, and play on the borders of water. It is well known that hares have a presentiment of wind, and will often set ten hours in advance on the places where it will blow.-Sylvan, Jahrbuch für Fast Maenner.

17. On ancient Aerolites, by Dr. Noggerath.-The following notice, which has been partly omitted by Chladni, may be found in the Laboratorium Chimicum of Becher, Frankfort, 1680. Albertus Magnus relates from Avicenna, that a piece of iron of the weight of one hundred pounds fell from heaven; it is that which Chladni places in the year 1009, on the borders of the Caspian Sea. Another piece fell at Grimma, in the country of Meissen, which is placed by Chladni between 1540 and 1550. Petermann Eterlein writes in his Chronica Helvetica that there fell from heaven during a storm, a mass of iron sixteen feet in length, fifteen in width, and two in thickness: he computes that this mass should weigh 48,000 pounds. Paul Merula says in his Cosmographie, that six iron hatches fell from heaven: he adds that these were probably stones in the form of hatches, called by the Germans donneraxt. Chladni appears to have had no knowledge of the last two facts.-Journal für Chimie.

18. Fresh Water found at Sea.-Mr. Buchanan relates that “In the beginning of September 1824, I embarked with the other officers of our regiment, in a country ship, for Chittagong. We sailed out of the Madras roads with a fair wind, which continued for four days, but on the fifth we were becalmed, and continued so for fourteen days, having had only once or twice a very slight breeze, which never lasted longer than a few hours. It was towards the end of this calm that I observed a very strange appearance on the surface of the glassy ocean. It seemed to be furrowed in several directions, and much agitated in these furrows; so that when the ship was drifted into these parts, she was driven about in all directious. On the night of the 14th, a breeze sprang up. Owing to our unexpectedly tedious passage, we ran short of provisions, particularly water. You may suppose what was our joy and astonishment the next morning, in taking up the water alongside to wash decks, to find that it was fresh and much more palatable than that which remained in our casks, which were immediately replenished with it. By this day's observation, we were one hundred and twenty miles from Chittagong, and about one hundred miles from the nearest part of the Juderbunds. The water was of a more yellow tinge than in most parts of the bay, and those who drank a great deal of it suffered from it afterwards.— Jameson's Jour. 1827, p. 369,

FOR MARCH, 1827.

FOR APRIL, 1827.

Barometer.

Wind.

Eve. Morn. Eve.

Saturday...

29.78 29.80 SE

Wednesday. 16

46

29.22 29.43

W

NbW

Tuesday 17 33

29.94 29.90 NE

ENE

Wednesday. 23

43

56

29.87 29.81 W

Tuesday

24

Saturday..
Sunday

Monday..

68

Tuesday 29

504

INDEX.

Abraham, (Mr.) his mode of correcting the magnetism of watch-
works, 223

Acids, new, obtained from animal substances by alkalies, 239
Acid, hydrocyanic, on the detection of, in animal bodies, 480
Achromatic microscopes, with a description of certain objects for
trying their defining and penetrating power, 410

Action of nitric acid on hogs'-lard, 489

Aerolites, ancient notice of, 502

Agriculture, on the introduction of salt as an agent in, 337
Ainger, (Mr. A.) on the principle of security in the various kinds
of locks, 212-remarks on suspension-bridges, 456

Air, heat evolved from, by compression, 228

Alcock, (Mr.) his account of the extensive application of the chlo-
rurets of lime and soda as disinfecting agents, 211

Alcohol, method of destroying the empyreumatic odour of, 239
Ammonia, presence of, in the material oxide of iron, 481-muriate
of, volcanic, 481

Ammonia and mercury, nitrate of, 482

Animal substances, new acids obtained from, by the action of
alkalies, 239

Ancient glass-bottles, notice of, 500

Arago, (M.) remarks by, on the change of inclination in the
dipping-needle, 124-on the electro-conducting power of metals,

470

Architecture of the metropolis, remarks on, 352

Arcs perpendicular to the meridian which are now measuring on
the continent of Europe, account of, 177

Arrangement, natural botanical dependant on chemical characters,
498

Arsenic, preparation of the chloride of, 234

Asbestus, crystallization of, 241

Assamese poison, notice of, 211

Astronomical and nautical collections, 122, 434

Atlas Ethnographique du Globe, analysis of, 393

Atmospheric phenomena, 242

Atwater, (Mr.) on atmospheric phenomena at Ohio, U.S., 242
Aurora Borealis, its influence on the magnetic-needle, 229

Balls, velocity of, 468

Baron, (Dr. John) his life of Dr. Edward Jenner, with illustrations
of his doctrines, and selections from his correspondence, 141
Bartholomew, (Mr.) his ornamental revolving-lamp, 210
Baths, warm, hints respecting the construction of, 62

Baumgartner, (Mr. A.) his experiments on the effect of the direct
white light of the sun in making steel magnetic, 125

Bees, on the culture of in forests, 494

Bergmann, (Dr.) his remarks on a sabulous formation in the brain,

492

Biting-in, menstruum for, on plates of soft steel, 226.

Blackadder, (Mr.) notice of his night-lamp, 210

Bones, on the best method of extracting the nutritious portion of,
and its economical application, 56, 386

Boron, preparation of the chloride of, 234

Bottles of ancient glass, notice of, 500

Bouilland, (M.) his treatment of poisoned wounds, 245

Brain, notice of a sabulous formation in, 492

Brande, (W. T., Esq.) on the manufacture of dies for medals and
coinage, 116

Brande's (Prof.) results of his observations on falling stars, 222
Bridges of suspension, remarks on the principles and construction
of, 456

Brockedon (Mr.) observations by, on the tenacity of metals, 462
Bromine, on the existence and nature of its compounds, 233, 476
Burchell, (Mr.) notice of his travels in South America, 242

Cafeine, preparation of, 488

Calculus, analysis of, 492

Carbon and hydrogen, on the probable decomposition of certain
gaseous compounds of, during sudden expansion, 204

Carbonic acid gas, deleterious effects of, 238

Castor-oil, substances obtained from, 488

Cathery, (Mr.) his method of etching on ivory, 226

Change of inclination of the dipping-needle, remarks on, 124

Charcoal, quantity of, from wood, 479

Chemical compounds produced by physical powers, 230

Chemistry, Ottley's Dictionary of, remarks on, 54

Chevreul and Gay-Lussac, (MM.) on new acids obtained from
animal substances by alkalies, 239

Chile, orchideous plants of, remarks upon, 43

Chlorides or Chlorurets of lime and soda, account of the recent
applications of, as disinfecting agents, 211

Chloride of arsenic, notice of its preparation, 234-of boron, no-
tice of its preparation, 234-of Soda, preparation of, for medical
use, 236

Chlorides, disinfecting, their mode of action, 237
Chlorine and compounds, chemical action of, 461
APRIL-JUNE, 1827.

2 L