Observations by PROFESSOR SILLIMAN.

"In the month of June 1823, in company with a friend, I had just crossed the Hudson River, from the town of Catskill, and was proceeding in a carriage, by the river along the road, which is here very narrow, with the water on one side, and a steep bank covered with bushes on the other. "Our attention was at this place arrested by a number of small birds of different species flying across the road, and then back again, and turning and wheeling in manifold gyrations, and with much chirping, yet making no progress from the particular spot over which they fluttered. We were not left long in doubt, when we perceived a black snake of considerable size, partly coiled, and partly erect from the ground, with the appearance of great animation, and his tongue rapidly and incessantly brandished. This reptile we perceived to be the cause and the centre of the wild motions of the birds, which ceased as soon as the snake, alarmed by the approach of the carriage, retired into the bushes. The birds however, alighted upon the neighbouring branches, probably awaiting the reappearance of their tormentor and enemy. Our engagements did not permit us to wait to see the issue of this affair, which seems to have been similar to that observed by Mr Nash."-Silliman's Journal, June 1827.

6.-Experiments on the reproduction of domestic animals. By Mr CH. GIRON de Buzareurgues, Corresponding Member of the Royal Academy of Sciences.

The experiments alluded to, and of which a brief notice was read to the Academy on the 2d April 1827, had for their object to determine the means by which in sheep the number of male or female lambs could be diminished or increased, according to the wishes of the proprietor of the flock. The experiment is stated by its author in this manner: to divide a flock of ewes into two equal parts, and to cause to be produced by one half of the flock so divided a greater number of males or of females than in the other, according to the choice of the proprietor. This object seems to have been effected in the present instance by a selection of the ram or male; for it would appear, that, if the male be very young, there will be produced more females than males; and vice versa, that is, in order to obtain a greater proportion of male lambs to the females the ram must be four or five years of age.-Annal. des. Sc. Nat.

7.-On the Esquimaux Dog. By J. G. CHILDREN, Esq. From this brief notice by Mr Children on the Esquimaux dog, accompanied by a very beautifully executed engraving, it would appear that the editors of the splendid work on Zoology now publishing in France, under the title of L'Histoire Naturelle des Mammifères, have inadvertently committed a very great error. They have caused to be represented, as a real specimen of the Esquimaux dog, a spurious issue, the product of a cross breed between a male Newfoundland dog and the female of the true Esquimaux race, which had been presented to the French naturalists by Dr Leach.

The error thus committed is stated to have been first pointed out by

Captain Sabine in his supplement to the appendix of Captain Parry's voyage in 1819-20. Under these circumstances Mr Children gladly embraced the opportunity afforded him by the kindness of Lieutenant Elliot Morris, R. N. of giving an accurate figure of an unquestionable genuine male Esquimaux dog, brought from the Polar Seas by Mr Richards, in Captain Parry's first voyage, and by him presented to his friend, Mr Morris, in whose possession the dog still remains. Mr Children, in his notice, has given the dimensions, colouring, &c. of the dog in question; but as the Esquimaux dogs are unquestionably domesticated, and must therefore be exposed to the powerful influence of this cause, we do not think it necessary to republish details which could be interesting only with reference to a wild or undomesticated species of animal.-Zoological Journal, No. ix. January 1827.

8.-Elephant.

The dismemberment of the genus Elephas, for the purpose of establishing a new one under the name of Loxodonta, has been attempted by Messrs Geoffroy St Hilaire, and F. Cuvier in the fifty-second and fifty-third Livraisons of the L'Histoire Naturelle des Mammifères. The following remarks by the editors of the Zoological Journal will put our readers in possession of the principal facts on this subject.

"M. G. Cuvier first pointed out to the satisfaction of modern zoologists the specific distinction existing between them, and employed to designate the former the name of E. capensis, while to the latter was assigned that of E. Indicus. M. F. Cuvier has now advanced still farther, and has regarded them as the types of two genera, differing from each other as much as Canis from Hyæna, or Lagomys from Lepus. For the elephant of Asia he retains the original generic name Elephas. The surfaces of its molar teeth present fascia of enamel irregularly festooned ; while in those of the African elephant, the type of the new genus Loxodonta, the enamel is disposed in lozenges. In addition to this striking distinction derived from the dentary system, M. F. Cuvier also enumerates the other characters which have hitherto been regarded as specific,-the smaller, more elongated, and less irregular head of the African aniinal, when compared with the Asiatic; the rounded forehead of the former strongly contrasted with the deep depression in the middle of that of the latter; the ear of the former also twice the extent, while the tail is only half the length, &c.

"Since 1681 no African elephant has been seen in Europe, until the young female figured by M. Cuvier, which is now alive in Paris, having been sent as a present by the Pacha of Egypt. Its habits, so far as those of a very young animal can be relied on, exhibit none of the ferocity usually ascribed to it, and are indeed fully as mild, intelligent, and tractable as those of the elephant of Asia."

This novelty in the division of the genus Elephas will probably not be accepted by naturalists. The two species resemble each other far too closely to permit of their dislocation into separate genera. We can affirm from personal observation that the habits of the wild African elephant resemble entirely those which have been assigned to the Asiatic, and that the former generally are fully taller and larger than the latter.

ART. XXVI.-HISTORY OF MECHANICAL INVENTIONS AND OF PROCESSES AND MATERIALS USED IN THE FINE AND USEFUL ARTS.

UR

1. Mr Farey's Improved Lamp.

Our readers are doubtless well acquainted with the various contrivances both of a hydrostatic and a mechanical nature, by which oil is raised to supply the wick of a lamp, when it is required that the reservoir of oil shall not be placed above the flame. The most ingenious of these will be found described in the Article LAMP, in the Edinburgh Encyclopædia, which was written by Mr Farey, the inventor of the present improvement.

In place of raising the oil hydrostatically by the pressure of a column or water as in St Clair's and Keir's lamp, or by a piece of clock-work, which pumps up the oil, as in the beautiful contrivance of M. Carcel, Mr Farey puts the oil in a bladder, or other flexible vessel, which is prevented from collapsing by a helical wire spring. Above this bag is placed a disc with several ring-formed weights, which by their pressure force the oil up to the wick. Mr Farey founds his patent right on the idea of "applying the direct action of a descending weight, or the direct pressure of a spring to the raising up of oils, or other inflammable fluids in sufficient quantities, regulated by the smallness of the holes through which such oil or fluid has to pass in its ascent to the wick of his improved lamp." A drawing and more accurate description of this lamp will be found in Newton's Journal, November 1827, p. 128.

2. Notice of the new Metallic Compound Artimomantico, resembling gold in colour and weight.

This metallic compound is invented by a gentleman at Leghorn, a friend of T. Appleton, Esq. the American consul there, who has sent an account of it with specimens to Dr Mease of New York, where it has been examined by competent judges. It is of the same weight as gold of 18 carats, and can be made like that of 24. Mr Appleton's snuff box is made of it, and is always mistaken for pure gold. At a manufactory of it established at Bologna metal buttons are made of it at 50 cents per dozen ; when new they resemble the most highly gilt buttons. The inventor sells the metal to the manufacturers at Bologna at two dollars and 60 cents per lb. of 12 oz. which makes 9 dozen of coat buttons. The editor of the Franklin Journal states that the Artimomantico is soft and bends, and founds its superiority to other gold-coloured metals on its not tarnishing. -Franklin Journal.

oxygen at common temperatures, or even when artificially heated. It is formed out of many metals. It does not increase the hardness of the article to which it is applied, nor does it efface the finest lines on the surface. It does not injure the temper of knives. Four ounces of this composition is sufficient to cover an iron bedstead; and twelve ounces are valued at a dollar and 50 cents.

A company is already formed at Bologna with a capital of 100,000 dollars for coating iron work, and they are now drawing out plates which can be united to one another by heat, without any injury to the coating.-Franklin Journal.

4. Composition for washing in Sea Water. By EDWARD HEARD, Chemist, London.

This composition, which is secured by patent, is thus made. Take a highly concentrated solution of the alkalis, soda, or potash, with an equal weight of any earthy base, (China-clay or porcelain earth is best.) These materials being mixed together are to be ground in a mill in the same way as white lead is ground, and this will produce a thick paste, one pound of which is sufficient to soften four gallons of sea water.-See Newton's Journal, Nov. 1827, p. 151.

5. Process for giving Statues and Medals the appearance of Bronze. Take two drachms of sal-ammoniac, half a drachm of salt of sorrel, and dissolve them in half a pint of white vinegar; after having well-cleaned the metal from verdigrease, moisten a brush by dipping it softly into this solution, then rub it continually on the same place till the colour becomes dry and assumes the tone or depth of shade desired. In order that the drying may be more rapid, this operation is to be performed in the sunshine, or by the heat of a stove. The oftener it is repeated on the same place the deeper proportionably will be the colour of the bronze. This process is used by M. Jacob of Paris.-Journal des Connaiss. Utiles.

6. Account of an improvement in the construction of Bedsteads, Sofas, &c.

This improvement, communicated to Mr Perkins by a foreigner, is very simple and effective. The object of it is to keep the canvass bottom or sacking of a bed always in a proper state of tension. This is effected by making the two horizontal bars or rails to which the canvass is nailed, turn a little round their axis by means of a lever. They are then held in this position, which of course stretches the canvass, by a click and ratchet wheel, which has also the effect of keeping the joints of the rails and posts firmly together.-See Newton's Journal, July 1827, p. 256.

7. Account of new Bricks for building both cylindrical and curved Chimnies. By Mr J. W. HIORT, Architect.

This contrivance is a very ingenious one, and at the same time highly useful. The patent bricks are of a wedge form, as their upper and lower surfaces are not parallel, and one of their sides has the curve of a quarter of

an inch, so that four of them joined together make a complete circle. If two bricks were placed with their thickest sides exactly opposite, the upper and under surfaces of the two, when combined will be parallel, so that in this way a cylindrical chimney will be formed, but when it is necessary to bend the chimney, then two bricks are placed with their thick ends toge ther, and when it is required to bend it back again, the thin ends of the bricks are placed on the same side as the thick ends were before. This will be understood from Plate III. Fig. 4. Fig. 5 is a horizontal plan of the flue.-See Newton's Journal, Aug. 1827, p. 325.

8. Method of Mooring Ships in Roadsteads. By LIEUT. COL. MILLER, F. R. S.

The method of mooring ships proposed by Col. Miller, consists in securing a large buoy by means of a block of cast iron, so that it cannot be moved by stress of weather, to which a vessel can make fast without letting go her anchor. Col. Miller proposes to make the buoy of the following dimensions,

The buoy must be bound with iron, and coppered, and a strong iron hoop must pass round its centre, to which the chain and ring are attached. -Ann. of Phil. Aug. 1827, p. 110.

9. On the adhesion of Screw Nails. By B. BEVAN, Esq. Civil Engineer. The screws used in these experiments were about two inches long

22 100 diameter at the bottom, the

depth of the worm or thread being

35 1000'

and the number of threads in

one inch 12. They were passed through pieces of wood exactly half an inch in thickness, and drawn out by the weights given in the following

The force required to draw similar screws out of deal and the softer wood

is about half the above.-Phil. Mag. Oct. 1827, p. 291..