414 Miscellaneous Intelligence, 



zealous naturalist, Mr. Miller of Bristol, (author of the Natural 

 History of the Crinoidea, &c.) With this were found immense 

 specimens of cornu ammonis, fyc. 



Near the same spot a great number of bones were met with in 

 diluvial gravel ; a large fragment of a gigantic stag's horn: seven 

 fragments of immense jaw-bones, and teeth in great quantities. 



At no great distance some remains of antiquity were dis- 

 covered. A sort of burying-place has been distinctly traced out. 

 Wood ashes, iron nails, and rude implements, with portions of red 

 and black pottery, were dug up, and at about 2 miles' distance, 

 fragments of the same pottery were found mixed with a quantity 

 of iron-slag. 



In another spot, on the banks of the Severn, in a bed of clay, 

 9 feet below the surface, was dug up, a sort of iron shovel, much 

 corroded, accompanied by fragments of red pottery, and wood in 

 a state resembling coal. 



13. On the " Extraordinary rise of the Rio de la Plata" and on 

 the Storms of that part of South America. 



Sir, — In the last Number of the Journal of Science and the 

 Arts, p. 1S3, my attention was arrested by an article extracted 

 from the Edinburgh Phil. Journal, which, to most nautical or 

 scientific men, and particularly so to those who have visited the 

 part of South America alluded to, cannot but appear somewhat 

 astonishing. I mean that headed " Extraordinary Rise of the Rio 

 de la Plata," which is thus described: — 



" This river, as is well known, is flooded at certain periods ; 

 and, like the Nile, inundates and fertilizes the country. The 

 Indians then leave their huts and betake themselves to their 

 canoes, in which they float about until the waters have retired. 

 In April, 1793, it happened that a violent wind heaped up the 

 immense mass of waters of this river to a distance of ten leagues, 

 so that the whole country was submersed ; and the bed of the river 

 remained dry, in such a manner that it might be walked over with 

 dry feet. The vessels which had foundered and sunk were all 

 exposed again ; and there was found among others, an English 

 vessel which had perished in 1702, fyc. fyc. 



Now, supposing that water has always a natural tendency to 

 find its own level, it will appear rather strange how the adjacent 

 lands could possibly be submersed to such an extent as is here 

 described, or to any extent at all ; and the bed of the river at the 

 same time be left dry, which certainly possesses a much lower 

 level, as also a greater declivity towards the sea than the face of 

 the neighbouring country. The first part of the paragraph will 

 convey very unexpected and pleasing intelligence to the inha- 

 bitants of the right bank ; for so far from the river being flooded 

 at certain periods, and then, " like the Nile, fertilizing the country 



