was observed to pass through these ridges, having its surface covered with loose black sand, down which fragments of rocks ejected from the crater continually descended.

After twelve hours of incessant fatigue the author gained the highest point of the mountain on the western side of the crater, 17,884 ft. above. the sea; at which station the mercury in the barometer subsided to 15.63 in., and the temperature indicated by the attached and detached thermometers, was, respectively, 39° and 33° Fahr. at 5 o'clock P.M., when exposed to the direct rays of the sun. The plain of Mexico was enveloped in a thick. haze, and the only distant objects visible at that time, were the volcanoes of Orizaba and Iztaccihuatl. The crater of Popocatapetl appeared to extend one mile in diameter, and its edges, of unequal thickness, descended towards the east. The interior walls consisted of masses of rock arranged perpendicularly, and marked by numerous vertical channels, in many places filled with black sand. Four horizontal circles of rock, differently coloured, were also noticed within the crater; and from the edges of the latter, as well as from its perpendicular walls, several small columns of vapour arose smelling strongly of sulphur. The noise was incessant, resembling that heard at a short distance from the sea shore during a storm; and at intervals of two or three minutes the sound increased, followed by an eruption of stones of various dimensions; the smaller were projected into the ravine before mentioned, the larger fell again within the crater.

The sensations experienced by the author were analogous to those usually felt by travellers at considerable elevations; viz. weariness, difficult respiration, and headache, the latter inconvenience having been first perceived at a height of 16,895 ft. Tobacco smoke and spirituous liquors were also found to produce an unusually rapid effect upon the sensorium. (Proceedings of the Geological Society of London, 1827-28. No. vii. p. 76.)

SOUTH AMERICA.

The Biscacho, or Coquimbo Owl (Strix cuniculària). (fig. 150.)-This bird, Captain Head observes, is found all over the plains of the Pampas. Like rabbits, they live in holes, which are in groups in every direction, and which make galloping over these plains very dangerous. These animals are never seen in the day; but, as soon as the lower limb of the sun reaches the horizon, they are seen issuing from their holes in all directions, which are scattered in groups like little villages all over the

Pampas. The biscachos, when full-grown, are nearly as large as badgers, but their head resembles a rabbit's, except that they have large bushy whiskers. In the evening they sit outside their holes, and they all appear to be moralising. They are the most serious-looking animals I ever saw; and even the young ones are grey-headed, have mustachios, and look thoughtful and grave. In the daytime, their holes are always guarded by two little owls, who are never an instant away from their posts. As one gallops by these owls they always stand looking at the stranger, and then at each other, moving their old-fashioned heads in a manner which is quite ridiculous, until one rushes by them, when fear gets the better of their dignified looks, and they both run into the biscacho's hole. (Head's Rough Notes, p. 82.)

ASIA.

An immense Medusa, a species of sea serpent, was thrown on shore near Bombay in 1819. It was about 40 ft. long, and must have weighed many tons. A violent gale of wind threw it high above the reach of ordinary tides; in which situation it took nine months to rot; during which process travellers were obliged to change the direction of the road for nearly a quarter of a mile, to avoid the offensive effluvia. It rotted so completely, that not a vestige of bone remained. (C. Telfair, Esq. to R. Barclay, Esq., of Bury Hill, in Jam. Journ., April, p. 406.)

Hairy Man of Ava. There is here a man covered from head to foot with hair, whose history is not less remarkable than that of the celebrated porcupine man, who excited so much curiosity in England and other parts of Europe nearly a century ago. The hair on the face of this singular being, the ears included, is shaggy, and about eight inches long on the breast and shoulders it is from four to five. It is singular that the teeth of this individual are defective in number, the molares, or grinders, being entirely wanting. This person is a native of the Shan country, or Lao, and from the banks of the upper portion of the Saluen, or Martaban River; he was presented to the king of Ava as a curiosity, by the prince of that country. At Ava he married a Burmese woman, by whom he has two daughters; the eldest resembles her mother, the youngest is covered with hair, like her father, only that it is white, or fair, whereas his is now brown or black, having, however, been fair when a child, like that of the infant. With the exceptions mentioned, both the father and his child are perfectly well formed, and, indeed, for the Burman race, rather handsome. The whole family were sent by the king to the residence of the mission, where drawings and descriptions of them were taken. (Crawford's Mission to Ava.) Himalaya Mountains. Captain Gerard, in exploring these mountains, with a view to measurement, had ascended to the height of 19,600 ft., being 400 ft. higher than Humboldt had ascended on the Andes. The latter part of Captain Gerard's ascent, for about two miles, was on an inclined plane of 42°, a nearer approach to the perpendicular than Humboldt conceived it possible to climb for any distance together. (Heber's India.)

A Volcano has burst forth at Bakon in Persia, producing a column of red fire, without smell, of extraordinary height, which burned for three hours, and then sunk to about 2 ft., covering a surface about 600 ft. by 400 ft. At the end of twenty-four hours it had nearly ceased to burn, and will probably become extinguished without leaving any crater. (Athenæum.)

AFRICA.

Abyssinia. The celebrated traveller, Edward Ruppel, is on the point of setting out for Abyssinia, with the intention of exploring those parts which have not hitherto been visited by any European. The senate of Frankfort, by a unanimous resolution, has granted him a thousand florins of annual income for the ensuing seven or eight years, as well in acknowledgement of his former services, as to enable him, agreeably to his wish, to continue his scientific travels and researches. (New Monthly Magazine, August, 1828.)

ART. II. Natural History in London.

MEDICO-BOTANICAL SOCIETY, June 13.-A'collection of 5000 specimens of indigenous and exotic plants was presented by Professor Frost, various books by other members, and a considerable collection of grasses by Thomas Gibbs, Esq. A letter was read from the East India Company, informing the Society that the Court of Directors had granted them duplicates of all the medical plants in their extensive herbarium. A letter was read from

His Majesty the King of Bavaria, announcing that the collection which His Majesty had ordered was, through the care of Professor Martius, now ready, and would be delivered to the Society in a short time by the Bavarian ambassador in London, Baron de Cetto. The collection was said to consist of upwards of 600 specimens. Mr. Frost, the Professor of Botany, then delivered a lecture on the genus Laúrus, a splendid collection of which was exhibited to the members, there being no less than eighteen living species from His Majesty's gardens at Kew, furnished by the kindness of W. T. Aiton, Esq. Besides these, there were thirteen other species, contributed by Messrs. Loddiges of Hackney, Mr. Richard Forrest, Mr. David Cameron, Mr. Fairbairn, and Mr. Richardson. This genus is particularly rich, as it is from it that many valuable medicines are procured, such as camphor (Laúrus Cámphora), cinnamon (Laúrus Cinnamòmum), sassafras (Laurus Sassafras), bastard cinnamon (Laúrus Cássia), &c.

A complete bowl of camphor was exhibited, as also several other pharmaceutical preparations from Mr. Battley.

The Chairman announced that a vacancy had occurred in the Professorship of Materia Medica; candidates for which were requested to send in their testimonials as early as possible, as the vacancy would be filled up at the ensuing Meeting.

The Chairman announced that the first fasciculus of the first volume of the Transactions of the Society, illustrated with two coloured engravings of the Melaleuca Cajuputi and Melaleùca Leucadendron, was now ready for delivery to the members.

The Committee also announced that a paper, on the doubtful identity of Bonplándia trifoliata and Angostura Bark, by Dr. John Hancock, would be laid before the next Meeting, to be holden July 11. 1828. (Athenæum.) July 11. The Society held their last Meeting for the season. After a number of presents were announced, and several gentlemen balloted for and elected, a paper was read, entitled Remarks on the doubtful identity of Bonplandia trifoliata, and the Angostura or Carony Bark Tree, by Dr. John Hancock. The paper was accompanied by fine native specimens of the bark, leaves, flowers, capsules, and seeds of the plant.

A Dog-faced Baboon, Símia Hamàdryas (hamadryades, nymphs who preside over trees, and are said to live and die with them, from hama, with, drys, the oak), (fig. 151.) died a week or two ago in the Tower, after having attracted a great deal

of attention during its residence in that establishment, by its extraordinary resemblance to humanity, not only in form and appearance, but also in its manners and habits. The right arm, in particular, exhibited a singular likeness to the corresponding part of the human figure; so much so, indeed, that had it not been for its hairy covering, and the somewhat unusual length of the fingers, the eye, at least, might almost have mistaken it for a portion of some brawny blacksmith, or hero of the ring. Our de

ceased friend, we understand, used, at all events, to brandish his pot of porter by its assistance, in a style that would have done honour to any of us; and would swill it off, apparently with quite a human relish.

His attentions to a dog that used to be a frequent visitor at his cage, were, we are told, in the very best style of dignified patronising; nor did the little favourite seem to recognise any difference between the pat of his brother quadruped's paw, and that of the whiter-skinned and shorter-fingered animal. This jolly tippler, however, "life's idle business o'er," sunk at last under a confirmed dropsy, the effect, we fear, of his plentiful potations, leaving only the memory of his fate as a warning to all surviving debauchees. (Verulam, No. ii. p. 164.)

The Head of a Hippopotamus has recently been brought to England, with all the flesh about it, in a high state of preservation. This amphibious animal was harpooned while in combat with a crocodile, in a lake in the interior of Africa. The head measures near four feet long, and eight feet in circumference; the jaws open two feet wide, and the cutting-teeth, of which it has four in each jaw, are above a foot long, and four inches in circumference. Its ears are not bigger than a terrier's, and are much about the same shape. This formidable and terrific creature, when full-grown, measures about 17 ft. long from the extremity of the snout to the insertion of the tail, above 16 ft. in circumference round the body, and stands above 7 ft. high. It runs with astonishing swiftness for its great bulk, at the bottom of lakes and rivers, but not with as much ease on land. When excited, it puts forth its full strength, which is prodigious. "I have seen," says a mariner, as we find it in Dampier, one of these animals open its jaws, and seizing a boat between its teeth, at once bite and sink it to the bottom. I have seen it on another occasion place itself under one of our boats, and rising under it, overset it, with six men who were in it, but who, however, happily received no other injury." At one time it was not uncommon in the Nile, but now it is no where to be found in that river, except above the cataracts. The head is intended as a present to His Majesty.-M. C. March 24.

The Trunk of a Walnut Tree, 12 ft. in diameter, hollowed out and furnished as a sitting-room, has lately been imported from America, and exhibited in London. A printed paper, delivered to spectators, states the tree to have been "unparalleled in size and beauty," the trunk 80 ft. high, without a branch, and the entire height 150 ft. The bark was 12 in. thick, and the branches from 3 to 4 ft. in diameter. It grew at the junction of the Silver and Walnut creeks, on the south shore of Lake Erie, in the state of New York. - Id.

Evils produced by the Birdcatchers in the Vicinity of London.-Sir, It is well known that the gardens in and about London are much more injured by insects, than those in comparatively distant parts of the country. This, in my opinion, is very much owing to the smaller number of insectivorous birds in and about the metropolis; and the reason there are so few of these is not, as frequently alleged, owing to the smoke, the number of houses, and the want of trees and food, because it is well known that every kind of bird will live and thrive in cages in the heart of London, but to the number of birdcatchers, and, in some respects, to the cats. The cats, perhaps, cannot so well be got rid of, on account of their utility within doors; but I am persuaded that if the legislature would pass an act to prevent birdcatchers from exercising their art within twenty miles of the metropolis, the number of birds would soon be speedily increased, and the number of insects in gardens diminished. Neither ought wild birds of any kind to be shot, or otherwise caught or destroyed, within this distance, under certain penalties; and the result would be a great increase in their numbers, great tameness and familiarity with man, great facilities of studying their habits, and a powerful accession of enjoyment to the lovers of ornithology and natural song. Kensington Gardens, Regent's Park, Greenwich Park, and all the squares and the gardens of suburban cottages, would then resound with the notes of the nightingale, the blackbird, the thrush, and probably the canary.-J. B, Fulham, May 5

Boletus (bolos, a mass; globular form). The curious deformed fungus

which I send you (fig. 152.)

grew for ten years on the oak tree whence it was taken. Unlike others of the genus, it is not a solitary, but an aggregated or branched production, hence its irregular shape, which would well justify its being called medusaformis. The pores are not

circular as in the common Bolètus, but oval; and this, it is thought, is a distinction, which separates it from its family, or, at least, is sufficient to mark it a subdivision thereof. Notwithstanding this genus seems to be one of the lowest of vegetable productions, and apparently one of the most useless to mankind, yet some of them have been applied to useful purposes; as the B. igniàrius, which is used as a styptic, and also for tinder; and, in all probability, qualities may lie hidden in their uninviting forms, which future analysts have yet to discover.-J. A. Botanic Gar den, Chelsea, February, 1828.

153

ART. III.

Natural History in the English Counties.

FRITILLARIA tessellata. (fig. 153.)- Last spring I saw this plant very abundant in some meadows near Harleston, Norfolk.-D. S. Bungay, August.

Hull Literary and Philosophical Society, April 25.-The last Meeting of this Society now took place, and Dr. Alderson being in the chair, Mr. Northen, one of the secretaries, delivered a lecture on the new and interesting science of electro-magnetism, or the relations which subsist between magnetism and electricity. Dr. Alderson announced that, next session, he should produce a paper on the migratory habits of the swallow. He gave this notice, that other members might direct their attention to the subject, and intimated that such a practice might be beneficial to the Society. Mr. W. H. Dikes, the curator, announced that several specimens of fish, with the jaws of a shark, had been presented by Captain Rossindale. Other presents have also been lately made to the Institution, including two lambs (stuffed), one with two bodies joined together at the neck, by Mr. Brownlow; and the other with two heads and six legs, by Mr. Stickney, of Ridgmont. A king parrot [?], from New South Wales, has also been presented by Mr. Parker, and a male and female brook

ouzel, or water rail, Rállus aquáticus Lin., Grallæ (fig 154.), which were in the recently-printed list of desiderata, by Mr. T. Thompson. The water rail has grey wings, spotted with brown; flanks spotted with white; bill, orange beneath. It inhabits watery places in Europe and Asia; is 1 ft. long; hides itself among the sedges; runs and swims with celerity, but flies heavily, with its

legs hanging down. Eggs yellowish, with dusky-brown spots.

154