SOME time ago an application was made to Government, by the University of Edinburgh, for the improvement of its museum of Natural History. For this purpose, it was requested, that instructions might be issued to the different ministers and public servants abroad, recommending that they should avail themselves of every opportunity of collecting specimens, and should transmit them to the University to be added to its museum. A favourable answer to this application having been received from Lord Castlereagh, Professor Jameson drew up the following directions as to the best mode of preserving the various objects of Natural History. We gladly avail ourselves of his obliging permission to insert them, as we are persuaded that, besides answering the object immediately in view, they will be found eminently useful to all who pursue the different branches of this extensive and important science.

Quadrupeds and Birds. -Quadrupeds and birds to be preserved by taking off their skins, which may be easily done, by making an incision in a straight line, from the vent to the throat, and removing the skin by means of a blunt knife. The skull and bones of the legs and feet are to be left. The brain, eyes, and tongue, ought also to be extracted. The skin, in order that it may be preserved from decay, should be also rubbed on the outside with some one of the following compositions: 1st, tanners' bark well dried and pounded, one part; burnt alum, one part; and in a hot climate one part of sulphur; to be well mixed together.-2d, tanners' bark well dried and pounded, one part; tobacco, perfectly dried, one part; burnt alum, one part: add to every ounce of these ingredients one ounce of camphor, and half an ounce of sulphur. (N. B. No sublimate or arsenic ought to be put on the skins, as both substances destroy their texture.) These compositions to be kept for use in well corked bottles or jars.

Skins, when thus prepared, and perfect ly dry, must be packed carefully in boxes, the lids of which ought to be pasted up, and in the paste used in fixing the paper, a little corrosive sublimate must be put, which prevents insects from eating through

the paper.

Reptiles and Fishes.-Reptiles and fishes are best preserved in spirit of wine, rum, or whisky, some of which must be injected into the stomach, through the mouth, and into the other intestines through the anus. Before putting them into bottles, jars, or barrels, they ought to be washed clean of slimy matter. If long kept in spirits be

fore they are sent, the spirits should be changed two or three times. The jars or bottles ought to be closed by means of sheet-lead and bladders. The larger reptiles, as crocodiles, and the larger fishes, may be preserved in the same manner as quadrupeds and birds.

Animal Concretions.-Concretions of various kinds are occasionally found in the brain, lungs, heart, liver, kidneys, gallbladder, intestines, and urinary bladder. The stomachs of many animals afford concretions of different kinds, particularly those known under the name of Bezoar Stones; and travellers inform us, that stones are met with in the eggs of the ostrich. of these bodies are interesting and valuable to the natural historian.

All

Skeletons.-Collectors ought not to neglect to preserve the skeletons of the different species of animals. Of man, the skull is the most interesting part, as it varies in the different races of the human species, and is also frequently singularly altered by the practices of savage tribes. The best way of cleaning bones, is to expose them to the air, and allow the insects to eat off the flesh. This being done, they ought to be washed with sea water, and afterwards freely exposed to the sun. The best skulls are obtained by putting the whole head in rum or whisky, or a strong solution of alum; and both male and female heads ought if possible to be preserved.

Molluscous Animals,-Vermes and Zoophytes.-Molluscous animals, such as cuttle-fish, the inhabitants of shells, &c. Vermes or worms, and Zoophytes, or animals of the coral and other allied kinds, ought all to be preserved in spirits; and in the two former classes, viz. the Mollusca and Vermes, the spirit of wine should be injected into the intestines, by means of a syringe, to prevent the putrefaction of the internal parts, and the consequent destruction of the organs of digestion, respiration, and of the nervous system. Many Zoophytes or Corals, or rather their houses, may be preserved dry; but fragments of every species ought to be put into spirits, that the real structure of the animal may be discovered.

Shells. Shells, or the coverings of Molluscous animals, are anxiously sought after by the naturalist, not only on account of their great beauty, but also from their intimate connection with the various fossil species met with in rocks of different kinds. The best live shells are collected by means of a trawling-net, such as is used by fishermen, if the depths are not too great; they are also brought up by the cable in weigh

ing anchor, the log-line, and in sounding.

After a storm, good shells may be picked up on sea beaches or shores, as the violent agitation of the ocean in a tempest separates them from their native beds, and often casts them on the shore. Shells that have been much tossed about by the waves, are of less value than fresh ones; but these, when other specimens are not to be got, ought to be carefully collected. Many interesting shells are found in rivers and lakes; and numerous species occur on the surface of the land.

Fresh shells, or those in which the animal is still alive, ought to be thrown into hot water, the temperature of which may be gradually brought to the boiling point, by the repeated additions of hotter portions, by which means the animal will be killed. The shells are allowed to cool for two or three minutes, and then the animal is picked out.

Insects. Beetles of every kind are speedily deprived of life by putting into boiling water, which does not injure those having black, brown, or any dark colour; but those which are covered with fine down, or have brilliant colours and lustre, should not be exposed to moisture, but are easily killed, if put into a phial, and placed in a vessel of boiling water for some time. When the insects are quite motionless, such as have been in the water should be exposed to the air and sun for a day or two, until perfectly dry. In this state, they are to be placed in boxes with cotton-wool, along with camphor. Beetles may also be preserved in spirit of wine.

Butterflies, moths, and many other tribes of insects, with delicate and tender wings, may be easily killed, by pressing the thorax or breast betwixt the finger and thumb; and it is preferable to have the wings closed, because they thus occupy less space, their colour and lustre are better preserved, and they can be expanded afterwards by the steam of hot water. Care should be taken that the antennæ or feelers and legs are not injured. A pin should be stuck through them, by means of which they are fastened to the bottom of a box lined with cork, or to one of deal, or other soft wood. Camphor ought to be put into the box.

The Arachnides or Spiders are best preserved in spirits.

In collecting insects, we use either the forceps or a net. The forceps are about ten or twelve inches in length, provided with fans of a circular or other form, and are covered with fine gauze. They are held and moved as a pair of scissars. The net is very easily made. It is of gauze, or any very fine open muslin, made upon a piece of cane of four feet long, split down the middle about the half of the length:

the split part is tied together, so as to form a hoop, upon which the gauze is sewed in the form of a bag; the lower part serves as a handle, and with this, all flying insects may be very easily caught. When the insect is once within the rim of the net, by turning it on either side, its escape is completely prevented by the pressure of the gauze or muslin against the edge of the hoop.

Crabs. Crabs, Lobsters, &c. may be suffocated in spirits of wine or turpentine, and then dried in an oven.

Crustaceous Animals.-Sea Stars, after washing in fresh water, may be extended on boards by means of pins, and when dry, laid between folds of paper, and packed in a box with a little camphor.

In Echini or Sea Eggs, the soft internal parts are to be extracted by the anus: they are then to be stuffed with cotton, and carefully packed with tow or cotton. Particular attention should be paid to the preserving of the spines.

Seeds. In collecting seeds, it is desirable that they should be well ripened, and dried in the sun. Large quantities should never be put together, but only a few, and these well selected. They retain their ve getative powers much better if tied up in linen or cotton cloth, than in any other substances; and if then packed up in small boxes, and placed in an airy part of the ship, there is every probability of their ar riving in a sound state. The same remark applies to bulbous roots. Bulbs should never be put in the same box with seeds. The boxes with seeds, and with bulbs, ought never to be put into the ship's hold.

Dried Plants. The greater part of plants dry easily between leaves of books, or other paper. If there be plenty of paper, they often dry best without shifting; but if the specimens are crowded, they must be taken out frequently, and the pa per dried before they are replaced. Those plants which are very tenacious of life, ought to be killed by the application of a hot iron, such as is used for linen, after which they are easily dried. The collec tions to be carefully packed in boxes with camphor, and closed in the same manner as directed for quadrupeds and birds.

Minerals.-I. Every mineral, from the most common clay or sand, to the gem, ought to be collected.

2. Specimens of rocks, such as granite, porphyry, limestone, &c. should, if pos sible, be broken from fixed rocks, and not from loose masses, which are generally decayed. In selecting the specimens, one set ought to represent the different varieties of appearance presented by the rock in the fresh state, another, the rock in its different states of decomposition.

3. When the specimens of simple minerals, or rocks, contain crystals, they ought to be wrapped in gauze-paper, then in cot

ton, and afterwards in several folds of strong wrapping-paper.

4. The specimens of rocks ought, if possible, never to be less than four inches square, and one inch in thickness, and of a square form. As soon as they have been prepared, they should be labelled, and wrapped in several folds of strong wrapping-paper. When paper cannot be procured, moss, or other soft vegetable substance, may be substituted for it.

5. The sands of deserts, steppes, and rivers, ought to be carefully collected. The sands of rivers often contain precious stones and metals, and hence become very interesting objects to the naturalist. The sands of deserts and steppes throw much light on the nature of the surrounding country, and are much prized by the geologist. 6. Numerous mineralized animal and vegetable remains occur imbedded in strata of different kinds; all these ought to be very carefully collected, and preserved. Abundance of shells in a fossil or petrified state, are met with in limestone; of vegetables in slate-clay, sandstone, &c.; and numerous bones, and even whole skeletons of quadrupeds, birds, amphibious animals, fishes, and even of insects, occur in rocks of various descriptions.

7. The mineralogist ought to provide himself with hammers of various sizes. One for common use of two pounds weight; others, three, four, and six pounds weight. He ought also to provide himself with chisels of various sizes and forms, and with a set of small boring-irons. A miner's compass, small magnifying glass, goniometer, and blow-pipe, ought also to form part of his equipment. The two first are indispensably necessary for the travelling mineralogist. Nor should he neglect to provide himself with a strong bag; the form that of a fowling-bag, lined with strong leather, covered with wax-cloth, and the outside of some durable cloth.

Antiquities, Articles of Dress, Agricultural, Hunting, and Warlike Instruments, &c. of different Nations and Tribes.-The collecting of the various articles just enumerated, is particularly recommended, as these objects illustrate, in a very interesting manner, the past and present condition of the human species.

Drawings.-Drawings of zoological and geological subjects,-also of the scenery of countries, the costume of different nations and tribes,-form valuable documents for the natural historian.

So great is the superiority of gas-light to that of the common lamp, that the whole of the New Mint, with the surrounding military way, and adjoining edifices, have been lighted with gas. The apparatus is constructed on a new plan, and is erected within the walls of the mint. The gas is VOL. J.

prepared, not by distilling coal in retorts, as hitherto, but by means of a cylinder kept red hot, and revolving round its axis. The cylinder is upwards of ten feet in diameter, and produces, in twenty-four hours, a sufficient quantity of gas to light sixteen hundred lamps. The purification of the crude coal-gas is effected by chlorine instead of quicklime, and all the inlet and outlet mains and pipes are made to open and shut by mercurial valves. The quantity of gas daily made and consumed by the burners and lamps is registered, in the absence of the observer, on a dial-plate of a machine, the moving power of which is gas. The effect of the numerous lights scattered upon so extensive a scale over the beautiful machinery of the coining processes, is very striking.

Mr James Kirk, of Smeaton, adopts the following method for preventing the mildew on peach-trees: In the months of January and February, if the trees are in a stunted or sickly state, he takes away all the old mould from the roots as carefully as possible, and puts in its place fresh rotten turf from an old pasture, without any dung; and the trees have not only completely recovered their health, but produced a crop of fine swelled fruit.

Mr Smeall, gardener to Mr Liston, of Millburn Tower, has found out a simple, cheap, and effectual method of preventing hares and rabbits from injuring fruit or other trees by eating the bark in winter. It is this Take hog's lard, and as much whale oil as will work it up into a thin paste or paint, with which gently rub the stems of the trees upwards at the fall of the leaf. If this application be repeated once in two years, it will prevent the depredations of those animals, without the slightest injury to the trees

Dr Richard Pearson, of Sutton Coldfield, states, that, after various attempts, he has succeeded in forming a vegetable compound, by which persons engaged in exploring hot and desert regions might be saved from perishing by hunger and thirst. The ingredients are few, reducible to a small bulk, and not liable, in the state of composition, to spoil by keeping. With a pint of jelly made from starch with boiling water, mix two ounces of gum arabic and half a drachm of catechu, both previously reduced to powder, and to the whole then add one drachm of crystallized citric acid, also pulverized. Spread the compound upon a clean board or paper, and gradually dry it in an oven of a gentle heat, till it becomes hard and brittle, when it may be broken into pieces of a proper size for being carried in the pocket. Dr Pearson calculates that two ounces of this compour.d will sustain life for 24 hours, but supposes, that, during the exertion of travelling, four ounces may be required; so that 2 lbs,

3 в

would last a person, totally destitute of every other sort of aliment, eight days, by which time, he would probably arrive at some place where other food might be procured.

A supplement to the first three volumes of Mithridates, commenced by Adelung, and continued by Dr J. S. Vater, has just appeared. A memoir by Baron Von Humboldt on the Basque language forms part of this volume.

Professor Ewers has published in German, at Petersburgh, the first volume of his History of Russia, in which particular regard is paid to the internal devolopement of the Russian monarchy. This volume comes down to Peter the Great. The same writer, in association with M. Von Engelhardt, has also published the first part of the first volume of Contributions to the Knowledge of Russia and its History. M. Von Engelhardt has moreover given to the public an Introduction to Geognosy.

ITALY.

The Abbé Jannelli has discovered in the royal library at Naples, a MS. of Dracontius, a Christian poet of the fifth century. It contains ten short Latin poems, not only inedited, but absolutely unknown. This collection has furnished Jannelli with interesting particulars, which enable him to speak with precision of various circumstances of the life of Dracontius, concerning whom other writers have recorded so many fables. He has not thought fit to publish all these pieces, because most of them ought rather to be called declamations, resembling those of Aristides and Libanius in Greek prose; but merely quotes the principal passages in his life of Dracontius. He has introduced entire only two of the best and most interesting: these are also the longest. The subjects of them are mythological; one is entitled Media, and the other the Rape of Helen.

Among the MSS. recently discovered in the same library, and since published or about to be published, are the following:

Treatise on the Pulse, by Mercury, the monk. The Greek text is translated into Latin, and illustrated with a commentary by M. Salvadore Cirillo, secretary of the royal library. The same M. Cirillo has also published

A Homily of St John Chrysostom, held on Whitsunday, translated from the original Greek into Latin.

A Monody for the Queen, (Irene Paleologa,) written in Latin, by George Gemistius Pletho, with commentaries.

Manuel of Geography, by Nicephorus Blemmidas, translated into Latin from the Greek MS. At press.

Complete Treatise on Urine, by Albiz. giano, translated into Greek by John Ac

tuarius, from the original Arabic of Avicenna, and into Latin from the Greek version, At press.

Answers of Photius, Patriarch of Con stantinople, to the Questions of Amphilochus, translated from the Greek into Latin, with commentaries by the Abbé Angel. Antonio Scotti.

Researches have been commenced at Pompeii behind the house of Sallust, otherwise denominated di Atteone, from the superb picture of Diana and Acteon which adorns the court-yard. At the depth of seven palms were found four skeletons, two of men, one of a woman, and the fourth of a child. They were covered with a vitrified stratum, of the kind of lava called rapillo, volcanic ashes and brown stones. This family had doubtless sought shelter there, when the explosion of Vesuvius threatened destruction to Pompeii and the neighbouring towns. The bones of the child were mingled with those of the mother. It would appear that these unfortunate people had fled with such valuables as they could carry away; and, overtaken by the calamity, had retired to this hut, where they were buried beneath the ashes. On examining the volcanic matter which covered the skeletons, there were found a candelabrium with three feet, in good preservation; a small patera; a fine vase, the handle wanting; another vase partly broken; a mould for pastry, in the form of a shell; three strigiles; a fine antique head of a faun in marble; gold bracelets, car-rings, and rings with engraved stones; 32 pieces of small silver coin, and some other articles. On searching the other parts of the house, various things, which certainly belonged to another family, were found. The munificence of the government spares no expence in prosecuting these researches, and workmen are employ ed in clearing the ancient road between the Basilica and the temples of Jupiter and Venus, and the house of Fortunata. This space, of abont 100 paces, was nearly the centre of the town. In this direction a transverse street has been laid open, with houses on either side, and a fountain.

FRANCE.

M. Grivaud de la Vincelle, who possesses a fine cabinet of antiquities at Paris, has just published a very learned work, with the title of Recueil de Monumens Antiques, la plupart inedits et decouverts dans l'ancienne Gaule, in 2 vols. 4to, and a volume of plates, which may be considered as a continuation of the collections of Count de Caylus and la Sauvagère. Great part of the antiquities, here described and represented by M. Grivaud, are in his own cabinet, which is worthy of the inspection of all travellers who have any taste for the arts.

In 1815 M. Yvart read some memoirs to the Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris, to prove that the barberry is the cause of that most destructive disease of cornmildew. He grounded this inference not only on the results of experiments made by himself in 1802, in a field which was for thirteen days covered by an inundation of the Seine, and in 1815 in a field situated at the conflux of that river and the Marne; but also on the vulgar opinion in various parts of France, England, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, and America, and its adoption by persons eminent for agricultural knowledge. M. Yvart therefore assumes it as a fact, that the presence of the barberry is more or less injurious to the growth of corn; that it even powerfully opposes the formation of the germs, and renders the straw very unwholesome for cattle. This opinion is nevertheless attacked in the Bibliotheque Physico-economique; and a report on this subject made to the Academy of Sciences at Bourdeaux, by a committee appointed for the purpose, attests, that their experiments have been attended with results contrary to those of M. Yvart; and the committee are therefore of opinion that the barberry, between the flowering of which shrub and that of wheat there is an interval of two months, cannot have any influence upon that grain. This report is inserted in the Bulletin Polymathique, which has for se. veral years past been published in month ly numbers at Bourdeaux.

into Lake Superior from the south. It is reported to measure in circumference twelve feet at one end, and fourteen feet round at the other. As far as a judgment can be formed, the mass is compact throughout, and of singular purity. The specimen was accompanied by a curious map of the western half of Lake Superior, drawn by a youth of the Chippewa tribe. On this are delineated the Onatanagan, and the place where the native copper exists; as are also all the memorable streams, bays, and is lands to the bottom of the Lake.

ISLAND OF JAVA.

The Penang Gazette of Feb. 10, 1816, contains the following article on the vol canic springs of boiling mud in Java:

Having received an extraordinary account of a natural phenomenon in the plains of Grobogna, fifty paals north-east of Solo, a party set off from Solo, the 25th September 1814, to examine it. On approaching the dass or village of Kuhoo, they saw, between two topes of trees, in a plain, an appearance like the surf breaking over rocks, with a strong spray falling to leeward. Alighting, they went to the "Bluddugs," as the Javanese call them. They are situated in the village of Kuhoo, and by Europeans are called by that name. We found them to be on an elevated plain of mud, about two miles in circumference, in the centre of which immense bodies of soft mud were thrown up to the height of ten to fifteen feet, in the form of large bubbles, which bursting, emitted great volumes of dense white smoke. These large bubbles, of which there were two, continued throwing up and bursting seven or eight times in a minute by the watch ;-at times they threw up two or three tons of mud. They got to leeward of the smoke, and found it to stink like the washings of a gunbarrel. As the bubbles burst, they threw the mud out from the centre, with a pretty loud noise, occasioned by the falling of the mud on that which surrounded it, and of which the plain is composed. It was difficult and dangerous to approach the large bubbles, as the ground was all a quagmire, except where the surface of the mud had become hardened by the sun; upon this, we approached cautiously to within fifty yards of one of the largest bub bles, or mud-pudding as it might properly be called, for it was of the consistency of custard-pudding, and was about one hundred yards in diameter; here and there, where the foot accidentally rested on a spot not sufficiently hardened to bear, it sunk, to the no small distress of the walker.

They also got close to small bubble, (the plain was full of them, of different sizes,) and observed it closely for some time. It appeared to heave and swell, and, when the internal air had raised it to some