Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 381 



out notice. Few works have been more frequently reprinted than "The 

 Wisdom of God manifested in the Works of the Creation," and none 

 have better deserved the popularity they have enjoyed. On the 

 character of its author, whether as a naturalist or a divine, that 

 lasting monument of his knowledge and his piety confers equal and 

 immortal honour. 



Ray was born on the 29th of November 1628. The two hun- 

 dredth anniversary of his birth-day is now rapidly approaching. It 

 will be celebrated in a manner worthy of the man and of the occasion. 

 The cultivators of Natural Science in each of its various branches 

 are anxious to take a share in the commemoration of the event. 



The President of the Royal Society, Davies Gilbert, Esq. M.P., 

 has consented to act as Chairman at the proposed dinner, and the 

 following gentlemen have already accepted the office of Stewards : 



P. M. Roget, M.D. Sec. R.S. 



E. Forster, Esq. V.P. and Treas. L.S. 



J. Sabine, Esq. Sec. Hort. Soc. 



Rev. W. Kirby, F.R.S., &c. 



J. E. Bicheno, Esq. Sec.Linn. Soc. 



R. Taylor, Esq. Assistant-Sec. Linn. Soc. 



W. J. Broderip, Esq. Sec. Geol. Soc. 



N. A. Vigors, Esq. Sec. Zool. Soc. 



E. T. Bennett, Esq. Vice-Sec. Zool. Soc. 



T. Bell, Esq. F.R.S. &c. 



J. Brookes, Esq. F.R.S. &c. 



Rev. W. Buckland, D.D. F.R.S. Prof.Min. & Geol. Oxford. 



J. G. Children, Esq. F.R.S. &c. 



Rev. J. Goodall, D.D. 



R. E. Grant, M.D. Prof. Zool. Univ. London. 



G. B. Greenough, Esq. F.R.S. &c. 



Maj.-gen. Hardwicke, F.R.S. &c. 



Rev. J. S. Henslow, F.L.S. Reg. Prof. Bot. Cambridge. 



A. B. Lambert, Esq. V.P.L.S. 



J. Lindley, Esq. F.R.S. Prof. Bot. Univ. London. 



J. Morgan, Esq. F.L.S. 



J. F. Stephens, Esq. F.L.S. 



N. Wallich, M.D. F.R.S. Ed. Cur. Bot. Gard. Calcutta. 



W. Yarrell, Esq. F.L S. 

 To this list additions are still making daily. 



AGENCY OF CARBONIC ACID IN DECOMPOSING WATER BY THE 

 CONTACT OF IRON. 



Dr. Marshall Hall has lately investigated the supposed decompo- 

 sition of water by the contact of iron, and finds that it does not occur 

 without the presence of carbonic acid, and consequently that it is not 

 derived either from the agency of light, electricity, or the relative 

 quantities of metal and water, as has been supposed. The following 

 is extracted from Dr. Hall's paper on the subject, contained in the 

 Institution Journal for July last. " That this phenomenon (of the 

 decomposition of water) is not dependent upon the agency of light, 



is 



