Prognostications of the Weather. 545 



Mining Journal. — We certainly feel that an apology is 

 due to Mr. English for having so long neglected to notice 

 the Mining Journal, a work which we regularly receive, and 

 always peruse with pleasure, from the able manner in which 

 its leading articles are written, and from the nature of the 

 scientific information which is brought forward in its pages. 

 When first announced, we thought it a bold attempt to start 

 a weekly mining publication ; but we believe its success has 

 fully realised the expectations of the conductor, and com- 

 pletely justified his venturing upon so important an under- 

 taking. Its circulation, indeed, must be very considerable, 

 for many take it in, solely from the judicious selections of 

 articles from foreign publications upon scientific subjects, 

 which are translated and inserted in its columns, whilst it 

 is indispensable to every one interested in mining affairs, 

 whether in a scientific or commercial point of view. One or 

 two rival publications have made unsuccessful attempts to 

 establish themselves ; but Mr. English is now in undisputed 

 possession of the field; and though, from his determination to 

 expose abuses wherever he can detect them, without any 

 respect to " companies " or individuals, he has raised a con- 

 siderable party against him, we feel sure that he will be no 

 loser in the end by persevering in the same spirited and 

 straightforward line of proceeding. A supplementary sheet 

 is published every two or three weeks, devoted exclusively to 

 reviews and general scientific intelligence. 



SHORT COMMUNICATIONS, SCIENTIFIC 

 INTELLIGENCE, ETC. 



Mr. Murphy's Prognostications of the Weather. — It will 

 probably be fresh in the recollection of our readers, that, at the 



to establish the Naturalist ; because we have neither room, nor would it be 

 at all edifying to our readers ; we may refer, however, to one instance of 

 gross perversion of truth, as a justification of our strictures upon them. 

 The prospectuses circulated at the commencement of the second volume 

 intimated that the contents of the Naturalist were double that of any other 

 similar periodical, published at the same price; meaning, of course, the 

 Magazine of Natural History. Now, the Naturalist contains 56 pages 

 large octavo, the letterpress being placed so far apart, that each page has 

 from 6 to 12 lines less than is found in the same space in the Magazine of 

 Natural History. Instead of the former work containing double the amount 

 of the latter, it therefore actually has one fifth less, to say nothing of the 

 almost entire absence of illustrations ; a deficiency, however, probably arising 

 from their having nothing to illustrate. This circumstance connected with 

 quantity is a simple matter of fact : the respective value of the articles in 

 each is, of course, one of opinion. 



