Copal resin perfectly preserves the most delicate part of the smallest insect, in consequence of which M. Dalman has been enabled to study the systematic characters of these small beings very minutely. He has made out three new genera and fifteen new species. Bull. Univ., B. xiv. 287. 7. Reproduction and use of Leeches.-The following experiments have been made, and conclusions drawn, by M. Pallas. The bottom of a box was covered with argillaceous earth to the depth of 6 inches, and then 200 leeches, which had been used six times, put in; they buried themselves in the earth. Five months after, a layer of earth 1 inches deep was removed, and a conical hole found, with smooth sides, inclosing axiform cocoons of various sizes. On further examination, 73 cocoons were found, and a loss of 88 dead or useless leeches was remarked. In another experiment, the box being arranged as before, 200 leeches, which had not been used, were put in at the same period; at the end of five months only 14 cocoons were found, and 98 leeches were lost.. From these and other researches it is concluded,-1. That leeches which have been more or less frequently used, and placed in favourable circumstances, are more apt to reproduce than those which have not been used. 2. That the enormous difference above described depends upon the difference of nourishment. 3. That the time of increase in the climate of Pampluna appears to be from the 15th or 20th of August to the end of September. The atmosphere should be at least 59° or 60° F. Argillaceous earth is the medium preferred by the leeches. 4. Each cocoon usually contains 12 individuals. 5. The cocoons are principally formed of two kinds of substance; the internal is fibrous, dense, and very close, enveloping a very thin multilocular pellicle, which contains the germs; the exterior is very light, porous, and woolly, probably destined, according to M. Chatelain, to keep out moisture, and give lightness to the cocoon; but by M. Pallas considered as intended to protect the contents of the cocoon from sudden changes of temperature, of which the young leeches are very sensible. 6. That leeches may be applied again and again, and are then more apt to produce young. Between the 1st of January and 30th of September, M. Pallas used 35,611 leeches which had been used before.Mem. de Med. Militaire, xx. 361. 8. Red Viper of Dorsetshire.-The Rev. Mr. Rackett states that a serpent, known to the gamekeepers of Dorsetshire under the name of the red viper, was recently killed in Cranbourne Chase. It does not appear to have been previously known to British naturalists, and is considered to be more poisonous than the common viper, but, fortunately, very rare. Mr. Racket describes it as of a marked red colour, and thinks it probably the Coluber Chersea of Linnæus.-N. Monthly Mag. xxiv. 403. 9. Destruction of Grasshoppers' Eggs.-Last year the Pacha of Egypt offered a reward, for all the grasshoppers' eggs that should be delivered to him, of 17 piastres per measure. By a letter from Acre, it appeared that in October last 40 garavas of 72 measures each had been sent in. The total quantity of eggs, estimated as above, would be worth 46,000 piastres to those who collected them, or about £40,000.-Asiatic Journal, 1827, p. 480. 10. Loss in weight of Meat during cooking. 11. Living Giraffes in Europe.-Besides the two living giraffes at present in Europe, in London and Paris, a third has been sent by the Pacha of Egypt to the Emperor of Austria, and arrived some time since at Venice, accompanied by Arabs as keepers, and cows to provide its food. It was to pass the last winter in Padua, and then proceed in the fine weather to Vienna. 12. Easy Method of preserving small Birds.-It may be useful to travellers to know that birds to the size of a pigeon may be preserved from putrefaction by an easy process, and by a method which will effectually guard them against the attacks of insects. Carefully remove the abdominal viscera at the vent, by means of a wire bent to a hook at one end; then introduce a small piece of the antiseptic paste, and afterwards as much clipped cotton or tow as may be thought sufficient, with some of the paste mixed with it; remove the eyes, and fill the orbits with cotton imbued with the paste; draw out the tongue, which remove, and pass a wire from the mouth into the cavity of the cranium, merely to give the antiseptic access to the brain: bind a piece of thread round the rostrum, another piece round the body and wings; then hang it up by the legs, and pour in at the vent from half an ounce to two ounces, according to the size of the bird, of alcohol; let it be hung in an airy situation, and it will soon dry, without any unpleasant smell. The antiseptic paste is made by mixing 8 parts of finely-powdered white arsenic, 4 parts of Spanish soap, 3 parts of camphor pulverised in a mortar with a few drops of alcohol, and 1 part of soft soap.—Med. Surg. Jour. i. 196. *.) 13. German Method of procuring Flowers in Winter.-According to the Recueil Industrielle,' the following method of expediting vegetation at will is practised in Germany. A branch, proportioned. to the size of the object required, is sawn off the tree, the flowers of which are to be produced, and is plunged into a spring, if one can be found, where it is left for an hour or two, to give time for such ice as may adhere to the bark to melt, and to soften the buds; it is then carried into a chamber heated by a stove, and placed in a wooden vessel, containing water; quick-lime is to be added to the water, and left for twelve hours. The branch is then to be removed into another vessel, containing fresh water, with a small quantity of vitriol, to prevent its becoming putrid. In a few hours the flowers will begin to appear, and afterwards the leaves. If more quick lime be used, the flowers will appear quicker; if, on the contrary, none be used, the branch will vegetate. more slowly, and the leaves will precede the flower.-vi. 216.. 14. Chinese Method of Planting Branches.-The following method is described as being practised by some Chinese retained by Count Linhares, in Brazil. The tree practised upon was a Brazilian myrtle. The branch to be separated and planted, already some inches in thickness, was surrounded by a band of straw, mingled with horse-dung, forming an envelope five or six times as large in diameter as the branch itself; then an annular incision was made below this part, and water was allowed to drop from a considerable height on to the wrapped part. The vessel is usually a cocoa-nut shell, pierced with very fine holes. In about two months the branch is separated from the tree and planted. To obtain rapidly growing trees the Chinese choose the upper smaller branches, but for more productive and better trees they choose stronger branches that are nearer to the earth.-Bull. Univ. D. ix. 342. 15. On a Plant living entirely in the Air.-This plant, which is described by M. Loureiro, in the Lisbon Memoirs,' ii. 83, is not the Epidendrum flos aëris of Linnæus, but a different species, which grows in Cochin China, and in one part of China itself. The calyx is small, oval, and of one flower; the corolla has five equal petals; the nectarium consists of two horizontal petals, of which the lower is oblong, fleshy, concave, and shaped like a boat; it is covered by the upper nectary, which rises and turns at one side into the form of a tube, whilst the other side extends horizontally. The stamina are two short elastic filaments united to the internal extremity of the lower leaf of the nectary; the anthers are oblate, simple, and covered; the pistillum consists of a three-sided, thin curved stem which supports the flower; the flower is of a yellow colour, larger than that of the jessamine, of an agreeable appearance, and pleasant odour. The root consists of intertwined bulbs. This plant is found in the woods, suspended from the branches of trees; being removed and hung upon a string, or some other support, it continues to vegetate, though slowly, and flowers every autumn. It is multiplied by producing each year new filaments, which send out roots, be come covered with leaves, and separating from the parent plant, still continue to vegetate and increase. 16. Culture of Aquatic Plants in China.-The Chinese take advantage of their lakes, pools, and rivulets, by cultivating different aquatic plants in them, many of which are considered as food. The government has planted these vegetables in the lakes, marshes, and uncultivated watery grounds belonging to the state, and the emperor has introduced them into all the canals of his gardens. These and other aquatic vegetables may generally be introduced into Europe, for they are not so, sensible of changes in climate as those which grow in the earth,-Bull. Univ. D, ix. 367. 17. Benzoic Acid in the Grasses.-Benzoic acid has been found by M. Vogel in the sweet-scented vernal grass (anthoxanthum odoratum), and in the sweet-scented soft grass (holcus odoratus). It is these two grasses which communicate to hay the aroma peculiar to themselves, 18. Eradication of Meadow Saffron.-Colchicum, or meadow saffron, is highly injurious in meadows, in consequence of its poisonous qualities, especially when green. Instances are not at all uncommon of cattle, pigs, &c., being poisoned by it. It is not easily eradicated, propagating itself readily both by its seeds and roots, and the latter lying deep in the earth. The best method is to pull it up in the beginning of May, before the seeds are ripe. It is only necessary that the stem should be separated at the neck of the bulb, for it has been ascertained that then the plant no longer has the power of reproduction.-Bull. Univ. D. ix. 320. 19. Native Arseniuretted Iron.-A mineral substance was given to Professor Silliman by Mr. P. Baldwin, who said that it was from the Bedford county, Pennsylvania. Professor Silliman considered it' as a new variety of native iron, and gave it to Mr. Shepard for analysis. The following are the general results : The fragment weighed 2 or 3 ounces, and, though injured in form, was evidently a crystal. It was ascertained to belong to the class of rhombic prisms, but whether right or oblique could not be determined. The natural planes were not good, and although the cleavage planes seemed quite perfect, they gave irregular results. The inclination of the primary planes are about 121° and 56°, those of the secondary (intersecting the base parallel to its greatest diagonal) to the primary 149°. With cleavage planes the angles were 120°, 121°, and 122°; cleavage parallel to the lateral planes is easily effected. The fracture in the other direction is uneven and sub-hackly. The original planes were dull, but fresh cleavages presented a fine metallic lustre, and a colour between silver-white and steel-gray. The substance breaks with difficulty: small masses often flatten under the hammer; its hardness is nearly that of ordinary steel; specific gravity 7.337, highly magnetic and polar; it melts before the compound blow-pipe flame, giving the smell of arsenic when in the exterior flame, and burning brightly like iron in the inner flame. No odour of sulphurous acid was perceived, and by chemical examination the substance was found free from sulphur. When dissolved in nitric acid, black flakes of plumbago were separated, and, besides the iron, arsenic acid existed in the solution: no other metals were present. The proportions are as follows:Iron Arsenic Plumbago Loss 97.05 1.55 0.40 1. 100,00 20. Muriate of Ammonia in Turkistan.-M. Timkovski states in his Travels in China, (second part,) that there are mountains to the north of the town of Kutscha, containing numerous caverns, in which, during spring, summer, and autumn, flames appear, resembling at a distance lighted lamps, but difficult to approach. During the winter, when ice and snow abound, the flames disappear.` The inhabitants of the country then enter the caves, and collect much sal ammoniac.—Bull. Univ. B. xiv. 220. 21. New Minerals containing Selenium.-Two mineral substances from Culebras in Mexico were given to Professor del Rio, and by him examined. One was red, like cinnabar, with a specific gravity of 5.66, the other gray, like light gray silver ore, with a specific gravity of 5.56. Both burnt before the blow-pipe with a violet flame, evolving an offensive smoke, smelling like rotten cabbage, and leaving a grayish white earthy matter. When heated in a retort, mercury, selenium, and a small quantity of sulphur rose, and a suboxide of zinc remained. The gray mineral being analyzed in the moist way gave Selenium. 49. 24. 19. ... 1.5 93.5 besides which were also 6 grains of lime from the matrix. The mineral is therefore a biseleniuret of zinc, united to a proto-sulphuret of mercury. The red mineral is stated also to be a biseleniuret of zinc, but united to a bisulphuret of mercury or cinnabar, which gives the red colour to it.-Phil. Mag. iv. 113. 22. Common Salt on the Coast of Chili.-The officers of the |