Notices respecting New Books* — Electric Column. 7 J 



»f 100 ducats for the best memoir on the following subject : 

 *' Give an easy method for ascertaining, independent of all 

 knowledge of botany, poisonous plants in an indubitable 

 manner. " Three memoirs were consequently given in; 

 but the prize has not been awarded to either. 



A similar prize has been offered for the best " chrono- 

 logy of the Byzantine authors from the foundation or the 

 cov of Constantinople to its conquest by the Turks, ' The 

 memoirs on the above subject must be transmitted to St. 

 fetersburgh on or before the 1st of July 1811. 



XI. Notices respecting New Books. 



*■ 



IE Medical Society of London have in the press a vo- 

 lume of memoirs, containing several valuable communica- 

 tions, in medical and surgical science, from eminent resi- 

 dent and corresponding members of the society. The title 

 of the volume vvijl be " Transactions of the Medical Society 

 ot London, Vol. I. Part I." and it will be accompanied by 

 engravings. Fart 11 will appear in a few months after- 

 wajrcUj the society having come to the determination of 

 giving publicity to the^r transactions more frequently than 

 heretofore* 



XI I. Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles, 



PE J,UC\S EL' CTRIC COLUMN, 



Jo Mr. Tillock. 



NJuIy 23*1, 1810. 

 otwithstandixg the changes which have hap- 

 pened in the. state of the atmosphere, the small bells, which 

 are in communication with De Luc's electric column, have 

 pontmued to ring without ceasing, as far as my observa- 

 tions have gone, from the 25th ot March to this day. Al- 

 though we have of late had heavy rain accompanied with 

 thunder and lightning, we have not had any very damp 

 weather, which 1 imagine is the most likely to stop the mo» 

 tion ol the small clapper, by depositing moisture on the 

 insulating parts of the apparatus. — If you, or any of vour 

 readers, are acquainted With a method of preparing varnish 

 of a better insulating power than those varnishes mentioned 

 in Cavallo's Treatise on Electricity, I shall be glad to have 

 it communicated to me, and others who are interesting 

 (bemstjves in making experiments with this new column. 



1 wish 



