252 Natural History in Foreign Countries. 



Fossiles faites dans le Brabant Meridional, with lithographic plates. This 

 pamphlet contains facts and observations highly interesting to the history of 

 geology. The researches and discoveries made by the author, prove that 

 there formerly existed in this country not only animals hke those of the 

 equinoctial regions, but also other species, such as still exist near the pole. 

 The fossil bones discovered in several places belong to animals of the fol- 

 lowing species : the badger, the elephant, hippo[)Otanuis, the whale, spar- 

 rows, water-fowl, reptiles of various kinds, tortoises, lizards, toads, and 

 various fishes. The quarries of St. Gilles, Milsbroek, Suventhem, Woluwe, 

 and in the environs of Brussels, have furnished the greater part of those 

 bones, which appear to be antediluvian. {Bidl. Univ.) 



RUSSIA. 



The Museum Alexandinnum, at Petersburg, is now completed, and open to 

 the public. It contains a rich collection of natural curiosities and anato- 

 mical preparations, together with a valuable library of modern books. {For. 

 Rev., and Cant. Misc., July, 1828.) 



The Museum of Natural History at Abo, an extensive philosophical appa- 

 ratus, and a library of more than 30,000 volumes, were burnt in the late 

 dreadful conflagration. Mr. John Bowring has appealed to the literary and 

 scientific world to contribute towards the reparation of this loss. He says, 

 " the inhabitants of Finland are almost universally poor, but as universally 

 deserving of instruction ; and of late many men have appeared among them 

 who have done no inconsiderable service to sciences, philosophy, and the 

 belles-lettres. So much have even the Finnish peasants been touched 

 by the destruction of the Abo library, that in some places, where money is 

 little known, they have subscribed the produce of their farms towards its 

 restoration ; and among them the villagers of Wichtis sent fifty barrels of 

 rye ; the university of Dorpal has contributed 394 scientific works, besides 

 many philosophical instruments, and collections in natural history. One 

 liberal Russian bookseller (M. Hartmann of Riga) has presented books to 

 the value of 5357 silver rubles, or nearly 800/. sterling; his townsman, 

 M. German, sent 193 volumes; Dr. Hasser, of Petersburgh, 995; and Pro- 

 fessor Storch (whose works on political economy are so well known), 269. 

 Many other useful and generous donations have been received ; and it is 

 confidently trusted that examples so honourable will find many imitators in 

 Britain. The publishers of the Foreign Review will most cheerfully assist 

 in receiving and forwarding any works, instruments, &c., which may be 

 liberally given to the Abo University Library." We have sent Vol. I. of 

 this Magazine, and a few other volumes which were presented to us for the 

 purpose of being reviewed. — Cond. 



Composition of Hailstones. — On analysing small stones enclosed in hail, 

 which fell in the circle of Sterlitamak, in the government of Oneaburg, 

 they were found to contain, in 100 parts of red oxide of iron, 70*00 of oxide 

 of manganese, 7-50 alum, 3'75 silica, 7-50 sulphur, and waste 5*00. {Bulle- 

 tin des Sciences Nat.) 



ASIA. ' 



Cochineal trans^jlanted to Java. — The success with which the cultivation 

 of the nopal and the breeding of the insect which produces cochineal have 

 been practised at Cadiz, and thence at Malta, is well known. A French 

 apothecary is said to have made the experiment in Corsica, but on a very 

 confined scale; and the King of the Netherlands, on information that the 

 Isle of Java was well adapted for the cultivation of this important article of 

 merchandise,determined on attempting the transplantation into that colony. 

 As the exportation of the trees and of the insect is prohibited by the laws 



