Natural Histoty in Foreign Countries. Ml 



arrangements of the late Meeting, and of the extreme kindness of the king, 

 in providing, in the most liberal manner, for the comforts and accommoda- 

 tion of all the members who attended. {For. Quaii,. Eev.y Jan.) 



We hope the time is not far distant when there will be similar assem- 

 blies, not only of naturalists, but of scientific men in every department, 

 from every part of the world. — Cond. 



The Wurtemberg Society for undertaking Voyages of Natural History, has 

 hitherto sent out only botanists, whose collections in Sardinia, Istria, Smyr- 

 na, Carinthia, &c., have given entire satisfaction to the shareholders. It is 

 now proposed to send out mineralogists, and M. Kurr has already departed 

 for Scandinavia. The shares are 1 5 florins ; and, on the expiration of the 

 voyage, the shareholder receives, according to his wishes, either specimens 

 in botany or mineralogy. {For. Rev., Jan.) 



Universal Language. — M. BUrger, of Heidelberg, well known by his 

 mathematical works, has announced a system of universal language, by 

 which a correspondence may be kept up, on easy and certain principles, by 

 individuals of all nations, although totally unacquainted with each other's 

 native language. The acquisition of the system will scarcely require two 

 days. {For. Rev , Jan.) 



Remains of Tropical Plants. — M. Humboldt seems to be of opinion that 

 the existence of the remains of tropical plants, &c., in northern latitudes, 

 may be accounted for from the former internal heat of the globe, now, as 

 he imagines, greatly diminished by volcanic spiracles, &c. {Tableau de la 

 Nature.) 



HOLLAND AND THE NETHERLANDS. 



Weaih&r at Brussels. — The present winter seems likely to exceed that 

 of 1826-7 in severity. It set in on the 6th, and the frost has been keen and 

 steady ever since. As you may like to compare our weather with yours, 

 I copy my register of the height of the thermometer in the shade, at 8 

 o'clock each morning, for this month. [We have added the temperature 

 at Edmonton, near London, from the Literally Gazette, for the same days.] 



, Brussels, Jan. 21. 24°; at noon, 20^; and at 10 p.m. 10°. 



22. 9°; most bitter, with a high E. wind. 



23. 8° J most bitter, with a high E. wind. 



There was a fall of snow, 6 in. deep, on the 10th, but none since. Clear 

 and sunny on the 16th, 2 1st, and 22d; all the other days cloudy, but calm. 

 — W. S. Brussels, Jan. 20. 1829. 



Edmonton, near London, Jan. 4. — A violent hail-^storm ; hailstones of an 

 irregular shape, 3 and 4 in. in circumference ; 14th, a little snow ; 20th, 

 snow; 26th, snow; 27th, heavy shower of rain. During the first three 

 weeks, generally cloudy, and the wind N. and N.E. ; the last week cloudy, 

 and a heavy shower of rain on the 27th. Wind S.E. and N.E. 



SOUTH AMERICA. 



The Sun^s Rays reflected from a dark-coloured Sand. — In Captain Basil 

 Hall's Journal, written on the coasts of Chile, Peru, and Mexico, the fol- 

 lowing passage occurs : — " On the 26th of May, 1 821, we sailed from Val- 

 paraiso, and proceeded along the coast of Lima. During the greater part of 



Vol. IL — No. 6. a 



