the chemical phenomena of that process; cept a white stripe on the fore arm. for in a hot air, the number of respirations was greatly increased. An interesting remark is, that cold-blooded animals show a much greater difference than others, and that heat sensibly increases the activity of their respiration; a fact which may assist us to explain several phenomena of their economy. to numerous M. Vauquelin, continuing his researches on vegetable principles, has subjected the daphne alpina experiments. This shrub is known by the excessive acridity of its bark, which is employed in medicine as a rubefacient, and the extract of which, mixed with fatty matter, forms a pomatum, which in many cases is substituted for that of cantharides. By digesting this bark in alcohol and water, he discovered in it two new principles of a very remarkable nature. The first, which he calls the acrid principle, is of an oily and resinous nature. Not becoming volatile, but at a heat superior to that of boiling alcohol, it does not rise with that liquid, but may be distilled over with water. The second principle, named bitter principle, is soluble in boiling water; and on cooling, shoots into white crystals, having the form of needles. The bark of the daphne yielded besides, like that of many other plants, a green resin, a yellow co-, louring matter, a brown substance containing azote since it yielded ammonia, and salts with a base of potash, of iron, and of lime. M. Vauquelin terminates his memoir with this important observation, that the acrid and caustic vegetable substances are oily or resinous, and contain no acid, in which respect they agree with poisonous plants. Hence he concludes, that we ought to suspect those plants as not fit for eating, which contain no acid. THE ROYAL SOCIETY, LONDON, On the 1st of March, a paper by Dr. Wells was read, giving an account of a woman, the offspring of white parents, part of whose skin was black. She was born in Sutfolk, and is at present about twenty-three years of age. She is the only child of her father; but her mother, who was married a second time, has had eleven children since, all white. Her mother, when pregnant with her, got a fright by trampling on a live lobster; and to this the spots on her skin were ascribed. The whole of her body is very white, except the right shoulder, arm, and hand, which are mosdy black, ex The black parts are darker than in a March 18. Sir E. Home, bart. com and experiments for ascertaining the origin of animal fat and adipocire. He began by detailing his experiments on fowls, and particularly alluded to the cassowary of Java, which has a colon of only twelve inches, while that of Africa has one forty-five feet long. This diversity he attributes to the wise economy of nature, the former country being extremely fertile, and the latter as sterile. This circumstance led him to examine the cause and effects of fat in the intestines, and the nourishment it affords to the entire animal; and hence he inferred, that it is the intestines in all animals which supply the system with fat. Ambergrease, he observed, is the product of a disease, and is never found in whales above seven feet from the anus; it is usually from fourteen pounds, to one hundred pounds; and in one instance a piece weighing, one hundred and eightytwo pounds, had been found. Sir E. described the state of a woman buried in Shoreditch church-yard, in 1790, ten feet below the surface of the ground, which is two feet below the level of a sewer passing through it, and leading to the Thames. In spring tides, the sewer overflows, and the dead bodies are inundated. After eleven years, in 1801, the grave was opened, and the whole body was found to consist of adipocire. According to some experiments made by Mr. Brande, the animal fibre is con. verted into adipocire, by immersion in 433 gall; hence, Sir E. concludes, that the gall-bladder assists in accumulating fat, as well as other functions of the animal economy. Fat is rapidly formed, and as quickly absorbed; it soon accumulates in dormant animals, and is again absorbed during their sleeping season; it lies near the skin, and in old people sup. plies the place of muscle, or fibre. LINNÆAN SOCIETY. On the 20th of April, a fossil turtle, from a quarry in Dorsetshire, was exhibited by Mr. Bullock. The specimen was very perfect, and exhibited the shell of the turtle almost complete. The quarry, from the pieces of stone attached to the specimen, he conceived to be limestone. Only another specimen of fossil turtle was found in this quarry, and it was broken in taking it out. A letter from Mr. Heyne was read, giving an account of a very singular change which takes place daily in the leaves of a species of cotyledon from India, which is cultivated in our hothouses. In the morning, these leaves are as sour as the leaves of sorrel; at noon, they are tasteless; and in the evening they are somewhat bitter. Heyne explains this singular change by supposing, that the plant absorbs oxygen gas during the night, and forms an acid, which is again decomposed during the day. PATENTS LATELY ENROLLED. but seldom. Mr. MRS. SARAH GUPPY'S, (BRIDGE-STREET, out such accommodations, even if wanted Warm. T HESE Urns are furnished with a small utensil, either to boil or steam eggs, without communicating with the tea-water, which may be done when required, or the steam dish or boiler laid by, and the urn used in the usual way. There is also an additional cover, so formed as to support a plate to be put on the top, (instead of the general one,) when any thing is required to be kept warm, or laid by when not wanted. The superior utility and agreeableness of the patent urns will, no doubt, be so evident to every person, as to give them a decided preference over all others; and, as the additional expense is very wifling, surely no person would be with. MONTHLY MAG. NO. 241. MR. JOSEPH MANTON'S, (DAVIES'-STREET, HANOVER-SQUARE, LONDON,) for Inprovements in Guns. These improvements consist in the following particulars-1. Inagravitating stop, which being applied to the lock of a gan or a pistol, will render the same less liable to be accidentally discharged while loading, if it should have been, inadvertently, set at the full cock.2. In an inverted breeching, which contains proper cavities to permit the escape. of any water which may fall on the breeching of a gun or pistol, when used in rainy weather.-3. In a lip added to the hammer of guns and pistols, which will turn off the water into the said cavities, and render it less liable to enter SK in.o into the pan.-4. In what the patentee calls a musical spring, or bar, which, being applied within the trigger plate, will cause the speaking, or the click, that is the sound produced by drawing back the cock, to be a pleasant and musical sound. The particulars of these inventions are explained by drawings attached to the specification, for want of which it will be difficult to afford the reader the explanation required. The gravitating stop is a bent lever, moveable on a centre pin, which is supported by a bridge, screwed against the plate of the lock: the circular part is a weight or counterpoise, which governs the action of the gravitation stop. The arm is so situated that it may be moved towards the centre of the cock; and passing under a hook, formed out of the cock, it becomes a stop to the cock, and prevents its striking the hammer, although the trigger is discharged whenever the gun is used for shooting. The inverted breeching is made so as to prevent the water which falls upon the barrels of a double-barrelled gun, from entering the pan; because, by the improvement here specified, the water drains down two inclined planes, which pass beneath the top-piece, and are brought together into one mortise form. ed between the breeches of both barrels, and the mortise being confined down through the stock, permits the water to pass away from the gun. The lip of the hammer overhangs the upper edge of the inclined plane, and turns off any water which may drop upon it, rendering it less liable to get into the pan. The musical spring consists in a spring, or bar, screwed to the plate, and each of the triggers has a small pin fixed into it when the cock is drawn back, and the seer gives the trigger a sudden jerk by falling into the bents of the tumbler. These pins strike upon the spring, or musical bar, and, as the triggers return instantly, they suffer the spring to vibrate and produce a vibrating sound, which will be more pleasing to the ear than the dead elick produced by the trigger in the common manner, striking upon the trigger-plate of the spring. MR. TIMMIN'S, (MOUNT-STREET, BIRMINGHAM,) for an improved Method of making and erecting Hot-Houses. The object of this invention is to remove the complaints made against wood, as quickly going to decay, and ist cast iron, on account of its oxidation; evils that are occasioned by the damps and steam necessarily existing in all horticultural buildings. To avoid these, the patentee makes use of copper in the rafters, and all other parts of the building that are liable to the action of the steam: this, though not half the size of wood or cast iron, is stronger than either, and will not only last a longer time, but will admit a much larger proportion of sun and light, which are of great importance to the gardener. The expense must, however, we conceive, be proportionally greater. This method is applicable and well adapted to all other purposes where sash-windows are used, in which light, strength, and durability are desirable. MR. HANBURY'S (FLUSH, HECKMONDWICKE, near LEEDS,) for Flush Carpeting. On comparing the methods of weaving Scotch and Kidderminster carpeting with the new Flush carpeting, the principal difference that appears is, that the webs of the Scotch and Kidderminster carpets are united only by the intersections at the edges of the figure and ground, while the webs in the Flush carpeting are, throughout, fi dy and entirely united. The soliday thus acquired is very considerable, but an adequate idea of the comparative strength and firm ness can only be acquired by inspection. - By a particular method of contrasting the ground and the pattern, or figure, (independant of colour,) the texture is so varied in appearance as to give a prominency to the pattern, which is also very novel and pleasing; but the ground and figure may be woven plain, as for merly, and yet retain the superior durability produced by the union of the webs. - Distinct (and particularly large) patterus could not be advantageously introduced by the old method, as the intersections were fewer, and the webs were consequently so disunited as to give a flimsiness to the fabric; all which, in the Flush carpet, is wholly obviated. MR. BALL'S, (WORMWOOD-STREET, BISHOPSGATE,) for an improved CookingStove. The stoves manufactured on the prin ciple to be described in this article, are of different sizes; perhaps the one best adapted to a family, consisting of from eight to twelve or fourteea persons, is de nominated E, which contains an oven twenty-one inches wide and of the same depths 1813.] List of New Publications in May. depth: of which the price is twentyseven guineas. The oven is intended for baking and roasting. When baking is the only operation, the heat proceeding from a small fire is made to go entirely round the oven: but if roasting only be required, then there is a contrivance to prevent the heat from communicating its whole force to the lower part of the oven, so that the meat, &c. which are turned on spits, (two joints may be roasted at once) are dressed by the heat communicated chiefly to the upper part of the oven. By this method the unpleasant flavour occasioned in common ovens, by the dropping of fat on the bottom, is said to be prevented; and the more so, as a common drippingpan is introduced, as well for the purpose of basting, as for receiving what proceeds from the meat. If baking and roasting be required at the same time, there is a contrivance to regulate the heat so as to answer both purposes at the same time, and without the one interfering with the other. When broiling is required, a gridiron may be in. troduced, and the operation is performed in the oven. Boiling, stewing, frying, &c. are done with saucepans, and other vessels, placed on the top of the stove, which is always sufficiently hot for these purposes. In this apparatus there is apparently a inuch smaller consumption of fire than in any cooking apparatus we 485 have ever seen; the principal objection seems to be in the roasting within an oven, and by heat communicated through iron, instead of by an open fire, though it must be admitted that by means of a small hole near the bottom on one side, and by not shutting the door quite close on the other, there is a constant current of fresh air passing through it while the meat is roasting. The fire place is in front of the apparatus, and under it is a box, easily removed, to catch the ashes, Attached to the stove are the following articles: an iron tube for a chimney to conduct the smoke into the common flue, with a frame, and door to admit a chimney-sweeper: spindle and pulleys to fix under a jack, supposed to be in a kitchen; a wooden drawer underneath the stove, to form a hot closet; spits and racks; a gridiron; dripping-pan; moveable oven bottom; baster; dredger; trivet and fender; two scrapers; coalshovel and crook. We think it will be thought an objection to this invention that the soot must be cleared away on each morning, because, though every facility is given to the performance of the operation, yet the perpetual repetition of a dirty job must be disagreeable to those who have to perform it. 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