Queries and Answers. 183 



being 100 square in., the amount, per inch, is 0*178 in., which 

 leaves nothing to desire on the score of minuteness. A gra- 

 duated jar may be procured from any seller of chemical appa- 

 ratus. The above is particularly adapted for daily or weekly 

 observations. The water being removed at every observation, 

 the effects of evaporation on the results will be diminished. — E. 



See also Newton's Journal, vol. i. p. 48. A figure and de- 

 scription of a self-registering pluviometer, the invention of a 

 Mr. Crosley, are given in Vol. I. p. 71. — J. D. 



Magnifying Power of a dense Atmosphere. (Vol. V. p. 494.) 

 — I can certainly verify the fact of the magnifying power of 

 the atmospheric medium, under similar circumstances to those 

 adverted to by Sir John Byerley. (Vol. V. p. 494.) When at 

 Bristol, about two years ago, I distinctly perceived, with the 

 naked eye, the spots on the sun's disc, and communicated the 

 circumstance to Mr. John Braham, optician, of that city. 

 The sun had not risen far above the horizon, and the dense 

 medium tempered the solar blaze. I never saw, with the 

 telescope, the spots on the sun's disc better defined, or more 

 distinct, or of greater diameter, than in this instance. The 

 phenomenon of the horizontal moon, on similar principles, is 

 a problem of easy solution. — J. Murray. Jan. 20. 1833. 



Art. II. Queries and Anstvers* 



Preserving the Colour of the Legs and Bills of stuffed 

 Birds, (p. 92.) — Sir, I take an early opportunity to inform 

 your correspondent, T. K. (p. 92.), that I consider it impos- 

 sible to preserve the colours unimpaired in the legs of stuffed 

 birds. I have seen the lake-coloured leg of the beautiful 

 yawarraciri of Guiana lose every particle of the red ; and I 

 have found that no external application can preserve the fine 

 colours in the legs of the scarlet curlew, the trumpeter, the 

 water-hen of Guiana, and many other birds too numerous to 

 mention. 



Under the outward scale of the leg, in the living bird, are 

 substances from which the leg derives its colour. They fade 

 in time after the death of the bird, and then the whole com- 

 plexion of the leg is changed. Perhaps your correspondent 

 might partially succeed in renewing the faded colours of the 

 leg, by means of paint mixed up with water: at best it is a 

 bad business. The legs of birds- stuffed on the old system 

 are so shrunk and hideous to the eye, that, in my opinion, 

 their colour is a mere secondary consideration. In the bills 

 of birds, the colours are either produced from internal sub- 



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