This species was received from the Botanic Garden, Calcutta, under the name here adopted, in 1823, its native country uncertain, probably Nepal. It approaches nearly to E. echinata and E. vagans of Flora Indica ; but is distinguished from the former by the oblique veins of the leaves, and from the latter by its rooting stem, and probably by its spiny fruit, though, as this has not yet ripened in the Botanic Garden, the appearance of the germen only can be stated.

Liparia sphærica.

Mirbelia speciosa.

Penæa squamosa.

Perdicium brasiliense.

Celestial Phenomena from April 1. to July 1. 1827, calculated for the Meridian of Edinburgh, Mean Time. By Mr GEORGE INNES, Aberdeen.

The times are inserted according to the Civil reckoning, the day beginning at midnight.
-The Conjunctions of the Moom with the Stars are given in Right Ascension.

1826, Dec. 16.—THE Secretary read Mr Audubon's ac

count of the habits of the Vultur Aura, or Turkey-Buzzard, in which he exploded the opinion generally entertained of its extraordinary power of smelling. (See preceding Number of this Journal, p. 172-184.) Mr Audubon being present, afterwards shewed to the Society his mode of fixing recently killed birds in various attitudes, against a board marked with squares or division lines, corresponding to similar lines pencilled on the sheet of paper on which the drawing is to be made.

A specimen of the Sword-fish, Xiphias Gladius, seven feet in length, found in the Firth of Forth, and transmitted by Mr Slight, assistant to Robert Stevenson, Esq. civil engineer, was JANUARY-MARCH 1827.

сс

exhibited, and described by Professor Jameson. The Professor also shewed specimens of Jet-coal, the sort used on the continent for making ornaments, found in Wigtonshire, by Sir Andrew Agnew, Bart. These specimens, he mentioned, were found under peat-moss and above clay, on the property of Sir Andrew Agnew.

1827, Jan. 13.-At this meeting the following gentlemen were admitted members:

NON-RESIDENT.

WILLIAM BALD, Esq. Civil Engineer, Ireland.
GEORGE BENTHAM, Esq. Montpellier.

FOREIGN.

JOHN JAMES AUDUBON, Esq. Louisiana.

Mr CHARLES FRED. HARTT MAN.

(See

Mr Audubon read a memoir on the habits of the Alligator, containing much new information regarding that animal. the present Number of this Journal, p. 270, et seq.)—Dr Grânt then read an account of the anatomy of the Octopus ventricosus, and exhibited a dissected specimen from the Firth of Forth, of large size, and apparently of full growth.

A stuffed specimen of the Tapir of America was exhibited at this meeting; and the members were then invited by the President to view, in another apartment, some live animals, lately brought from Chili, by the Right Hon. Captain Lord Napier, of the Diamond frigate, particularly the Felis Puma, or American lion.

Jan. 27.-At this meeting Dr Grant read an account of the structure of the eye of the Sword-fish, illustrated by a magnified sketch, and by preserved parts of the eye, taken from the animal lately killed in the Firth of Forth.

The Rev. Dr Scott of Corstorphine then read a dissertation on the Saphan of the Sacred Writings, proving it to be the Hyrax Syriacus, although rendered coney in our common ver

sion.

Feb. 10.-At this meeting the Secretary read a communication from the Rev. William Scoresby of Bridlington, containing descriptions of some remarkable Rainbows. (Printed in the present Number, p. 235, et seq.)

Professor Jameson then read Mr William Bald's geological

survey of Clare Island, on the west coast of Ireland, illustrating the same by maps and sections executed by Mr Bald.

The Professor then gave a general descriptive account of a splendid series of the Pheasants and Peacocks of India, specimens of which were placed on the table. A stufféd specimen of a Persian Sheep, presented to the Royal Museum by James Gibson Craig, Esq. was also exhibited. Mr Audubon laid before the meeting several specimens of the coloured Plates of his great work on American Ornithology, executed by Mr Lizars of this city; and they excited general admiration.

SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE.

NATURAL PHILOSOPHY.

1. Repulsion of Heat inversely as the square of the distance. -Sir Isaac Newton has shewn, Principia, Lib. ii. Prop. 23 *, that if the repulsion between the particles of a gas were inversely as the square of the distance of their centres, the cube of the pressure would be as the fourth power of the density, and vicc versa. Now this is precisely the relation which we formerly saw should subsist between the pressure and density of air containing a constant quantity of heat, if, as appears from experiment, the specific heat under a constant volume be to that under a constant pressure as 3 to 4†; and, therefore, whilst the quan tity of heat connected with each particle of air is constant, the repulsion between them is inversely as the square of their distance. This being the law common to magnetism and gravitation, scarcely leaves a doubt that the true ratio is that of 3 to 4. It is also the actual law of gaseous repulsion; for that first given by Newton, and generally adopted, making the repulsion inversely as the simple distance, really compares the re

* Some allege that this proposition requires each particle to act only on those next it; but it holds equally true, whilst each acts on a constant number, however great, if similarly situated.

+ See equation (C) page 336. vol. i. of this Journal.

Any tendency in the particles to gravitate toward each other, would not

affect a law similar to its own.