140 Miscellaneous, 



and these cases appear in many instances to make up vast masses by 

 mere accumulation without any change. Whole rocks are composed 

 of these minute cuirasses of crystal heaped together. Prof. Ehren- 

 berg himself has examined the microscopic products of fifteen locali- 

 ties, and is still employed in extending his researches ; and we already 

 see researches of the same kind undertaken by others, to such an 

 extent, as to show us that this new path of investigation will exercise 

 a powerful influence upon the pursuits of geologists. We are sure 

 therefore that we have acted in a manner suitable to the wishes 

 of the honoured Donor of the medal, and to the interests of the 

 science which we all in common seek to promote, in assigning the 

 Wollaston medal to Prof. Ehrenberg for these discoveries. 



Although it is not necessary as a ground for this adjudication, it 

 is only justice to Prof. Ehrenberg to remark, that his services to 

 geology are not confined to the researches which I have mentioned. 

 His observations, made in the Red Sea, upon the growth of corals, 

 are of great value and interest ; and he was one of the distinguished 

 band of scientific explorers who accompanied Baron von Humboldt 

 in his expedition to the Ural Mountains. And I may further add, 

 that even since the Council adjudged this medal, Prof. Ehrenberg 

 has announced to the iloyal Academy of Sciences of Berlin new 

 discoveries ; particularly his observations on the organic structure 

 of chalk; on the freshwater Infusoria found near Newcastle and 

 Edinburgh, and on the marine animalcules observed near Dublin 

 and Gravesend ; and, what cannot but give rise to curious reflections, 

 an account of meteoric paper which fell from the sky in Courland in* 

 1686, and was found to be composed of Confervas and Infusoria*. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



A FEW PARTICULARS RESPECTING SOME RARE BIRDS WHICH HAVE 

 LATELY OCCURRED IN THE VICINITY OF YARMOUTH. 



Many varieties in ornithology having occurred in this neighbour- 

 hood since Messrs. Paget gave a list of them in their * Sketch of 

 the Natural History of Yarmouth/ it has been thought that the fol- 

 lowing notices respecting them might not be unacceptable. 



A specimen of the honey buzzard was shot at Caistor, a village 

 about two miles from hence, in the month of November 1837. From 

 its size and the appearance of its plumage it was judged to be an im- 

 mature female. This w^as not the only instance of its occurrence on 

 our ea tern coast during that season. A male bird was procured at 



* An account of this curious substance will appear in our next Number. 

 — Edit. 



