340 Petrified Wood. — Dryness of Air. — M. Russegger. 



it no traces of dicotyledonous plants, to which the anthracite 

 mostly owes its origin, though it also contains much fir. — 

 Prof. Ehrenberg stated that for ten months his Infusoria 

 have kept alive, without any supply of water. 



Petrified Wood. — Prof. Goppertof Breslau has treated with 

 acids different sorts of petrified wood, (those combined with 

 lime, iron, or copper, he treated with muriatic acid, and those 

 combined with silica, with fluoric acid), and thus succeeded 

 in removing the petrifying materials to such a degree, that the 

 fibre became flexible, and in many cases exhibited the gene- 

 ric character. He thus laid bare the vasa scalaria of a plant, 

 (Stigmaria fucoidss), having a very extensive geographi- 

 cal range, and which Rhode was inclined to class with the 

 Cacti, but the structure of which was before entirely unknown. 

 These vessels became flexible, and the partitions between 

 their membranes distinctly visible. The results of these en- 

 quiries give great probability to the opinion, that these petri- 

 factions have been produced by aqueous solutions of the la- 

 pidifying substances. 



Dryness of the atmosphere in Peru. — On the highest pla- 

 teaux of the southern part of Peru, the air is dryer than in 

 perhaps any other part of the globe, and the strong winds 

 which blow there at regular intervals every day, exsiccate all 

 the dead organic bodies subjected to their agency, within 

 an incredibly short time. Though the cold may contribute 

 also to preserve them from corruption, yet but a small pro- 

 portion of the result can be attributed to this cause. When 

 horses, mules, or other beasts of burden are left behind to die, 

 by their drivers, the vultures of the Cordilleras immediately 

 assail and kill them : but while the birds are opening the bel- 

 ly and feeding upon the entrails of their victim, the exsicca- 

 tion of the carcass makes such rapid progress, that the vultures 

 are not able to tear the skin and flesh, which form a natural 

 mummy, and is preserved for centuries in the open air, just 

 where it happens to fall. The flesh nearly disappears, so that 

 the skin looks as if glued to the bones. The hair, teeth, and 

 hoofs remain in a most perfect state of preservation. (Reise- 

 beschreiburg des Prof. Julius Meyen). 



M. de Russegger has now accomplished the object of his 

 journey, viz. to enquire into the mineralogical treasures of 

 all the countries subject to Mohammed Ali, from the Taurus, 

 in Asia Minor, down to Fazoglo, on the Elue River, or from 

 87° to 12° N. lat. The success with which his travels have 

 been attended, as to the immediate purpose of his mission, is 

 beyond what the most sanguine hopes of the viceroy could 

 have anticipated ; and the result promises to be highly inte- 



