writer was at that time a very young man, but the circumstances are full in his recollection; and the attendant phenomena were None of the officers were nearly as I have described above. previously acquainted with the coast; the ship, bound to the Plate, was running down before the wind, going between nine and ten knots through the water, with a steady, moderate breeze between the north and east; studding sails on both sides, and, with the exception of the threatening cloud above-mentioned, which none on board then suspected indicated danger, a perfectly clear atmosphere. In one instant the gale burst upon the ship; she was taken a-back; the studding-sail-booms snapt in pieces, and she was forced with such velocity a-stern, that, notwithstanding her previous head-way, the sea came half-way up the ward-room windows. Fortunately, she paid sound off, the sails filled, the sheets and halyards which had been let go, rendered; the sails were quickly taken in; and no injury, save the loss of studding-sail booms, was sustained. This occurred in the middle watch, the whole was but the work of a minute; and in course there was only the regular watch on deck: but the Agamemnon possessed at that time one of the very best ship's companies in the service. Sunderland, Nov. 19th, 1825. J. C. W. 14. Remarkable Phenomena observed in the Island of Melida, Province of Ragusa.-The phenomena referred to were described by Dr. Stulli to the Editors of the Bibliothèque Universelle, under the date of June 4, 1825. The Isle of Melida is situated in the Adriatic Sea, opposite Ragusa, in the latitude of 42° 30' N. Its length is 7 leagues, its greatest breadth about 1 league. Towards the middle of it is the Valley of Babino-poglie, about half a league in extent, and surrounded by mountains of considerable elevation. A village of the same name is situated in the centre of the valley. At break of day on the 20th of March, 1822, there was heard for the first time at Babino-poglie, a noise resembling the sound of a cannon; though it appeared to be the result of distant explosions, still it occasioned a degree of vibration in the doors and windows of the houses. From that time the noise was heard daily. For the first three months, it was supposed by some to be produced by a vesse! practising in the open sea, or in one of the Dalmatian ports; others thought it the noise of Turkish artillery practising at some frontier village: a proof that no local movement of the earth or atmosphere accompanied the sound. After a time, persons were posted on the neighbouring heights, but they could not make out the direction of the sound; it seemed to come from all points. The effect, however, was found to be most sensible at Babino-poglie, and almost null at the extremities of the island. The pastor of the island descended into various deep and spacious grottoes, but perfect silence reigned there. The number of detonations per day varied from four to six, and even at times, to a hundred; their force increased now and then until they resembled the noise of large artillery. They occurred in all seasons, at all hours of the day, in fine and in stormy weather, during the flux and the reflux of the sea, and whether it were calm or agitated. The most violent were in August, 1823; no rain had fallen for the preceding four months, the rivulets were dry, and the rivers very low. The noises occurred until February, 1824, when they ceased for seven months; the detonations recommenced in September of the same year, and continued until the middle of March, 1825, though more feeble and rare of occurrence; since which time they had ceased, though perhaps only for a limited period. There were during the phenomena intermittences of several months; these never took place except after very strong detonations, and the sounds recommenced suddenly and with intensity. The present cessation, however, was after sounds more and more feeble. The last sounds were profound and dull, like the echo of the report of a cannon, and gave an idea of the gradual diminution of the cause of this extraordinary effect. The detonations were never accompanied by any luminous phenomena of a meteoric nature, nor was any local modification of the atmosphere observed during their continuance, nor accumulation of clouds, nor impetuous winds, nor great claps of thunder, nor abundant snows, nor adverse winds; the barometer and electrometer never exhibited any peculiar movement. The nature of the sound did not indicate a subterraneous cause, but rather an explosion in the ambient atmosphere. No probable explanation of this curious natural phenomenon has yet been suggested. - Bib. Univ. xxix. 267. 15. Edinburgh Prize Essay. Royal Medical Hall, Edinburgh, 22d Nov. 1825. The Royal Medical Society of Edinburgh propose, as the subject of their prize essay, the following questions: 1st. What is the respective agency of the veins and the lymphatics in the process of absorption? 2nd. By what means or mechanism do these vessels accomplish this process ? What are the proofs which shew that the substances absorbed are taken up by open mouths or orifices, or pass through the coats in the manner of imbibition or transudation? 3d. Is there any reason to believe that the individual animal tissues possess a distinct power of absorption, or that this process is influenced by the nature of the animal tissues? The sum of twenty guineas, a medal, or a set of books of that value, will be given to the author of the best dissertation on the subject proposed by the society, for which all men of science are invited to compete. The dissertation may be written in English, French, or Latin, and must be transmitted to the secretary on or before the 1st of December, 1826, and the adjudication of the prize will take place in the last week of the month of February following. To each dissertation must be prefixed a motto, which must likewise be written on the outside of a sealed packet, containing the name and address of the author. No dissertation will be received with the author's name affixed; and all dissertations, except the successful one, will be returned, if desired, with the sealed packet unopened. NICOLSON BAIN, Secretary. Copy of a Letter from John Pond, Esq., A.R., to Mr. South, relative to the Star Boutis "Dear Sir, I first observed Bootis to be a close double star at Lisbon, in the year 1795, with a seven-feet reflector, which the late Sir W. Herschel made for me expressly, with the greatest care. I immediately communicated the circumstance to him, and he wrote me in answer, that in consequence of my information, he had examined the star, and found it as I described, but reckoned it at that time among the most difficult. I brought the same telescope to England, and used it afterwards in Somersetshire for several years, but could never again see the same star distinctly double, which I attributed to change of climate; the star is now much more easily seen; our transit telescope separates it with ease. I recollect at Lisbon, that it was only on very favourable nights that I could see it double. Yours very truly, "Royal Observatory, "Thursday, 22nd December. "J. POND." ART. XIV.-METEOROLOGICAL DIARY for the Months of September, October, and November, 1825, kept at The Thermometer hangs in a North-eastern Aspect, about five feet from the ground, and a foot from the wall. ACHROMATIC Telescope, large, of the Royal Observatory at Aerolites, composition of, notice of, 185 Air of marshes bordering upon the sea, insalubrity of, 401-403 rectification of, at common temperatures, 400 Algebraical and fluxional notation, remarks on the principles of, 321-325 America, Tyrant Shrikes of, observations on, 267-285 Amethyst, globules of water found in, 187 Analysis of Scientific Books, 113-160, 329-356, 374 Anatomical preparations, notice on the preservation of, 200 Ancient glass, composition of, 180 Animal system, effects of lightning on the, 404 Arago, (M.) on the polarized state of halo light, 167-168. Anti-attrition preparation, effects of an, 375 Antimony, combinations of, with chlorine and sulphur, 396-398 Arsenic, test for the presence of, 398, 399 Artificial gold, notice of, 399 Astronomical and Nautical Collections, 94-112, 308-328 Atmosphere, variation in the composition of, 393 Attraction, manifested at sensible distances by solid surfaces, Babbage, (C., Esq.) and J. F. W. Herschel, Esq., account by, of Balance, sensible one described, 161, 162 Barometer, on one of the causes of the movements of the, and of Beans, ancient, recent vegetation of, 189 Ben Lomond, meteoric appearance of, 182, 183 Berkshire, county. U. S., notice of the flexible marble of, 185 Bladder, instrument for destroying stone in the, description of, 21-24 Blue matter from urine, notice of, 409-411 Brande, (W. T., Esq.) outlines of geology by, being the sub- |