496 Mr. Rennie on the Contrivances 



That on the 2d of October, 1608, John, or Hans Lipper- 

 shey, a native of Wezel, a spectacle-maker of Middelburg, in 

 Zeeland, was actually in the possession of the invention of 

 telescopes. 



That, on the 17th of October, of the same year 1608, Jacob 

 Adriaansz, sometimes called Metius of Alkmar, in Holland, also 

 was in possession of the art of making telescopes, and that he 

 actually made those instruments ; but that either from disgust 

 or some other reason he afterwards concealed his invention, and 

 thus actually gave up every claim attached to the honour of it. 



That there is little reason to believe that either Hans, or his 

 son Zacharias Zansz, were also inventors of the telescope ; but 

 there is every probability that this Hans, or John, or his son 

 Zacharias Zansz, invented a compound microscope about 

 1590. 



That this Lippershey used rock or mountain crystal in the 

 construction of telescopes, and that he is the inventor of the 

 Cinoculus. 



ON THE CONTRIVANCES OF SOME ANIMALS TO SECURE 

 WARMTH. 



BY J. RENNIE, A.M., A.L.S. 



Professor of Natural History, King's College, London. 



HPHOSE who adopt the opinion, that the lower animals are 

 actuated in their movements by reason, rather than by 

 what is termed blind instinct, may find abundance of facts 

 illustrative of their doctrine in the various modes employed by 

 animals to keep themselves warm. But without involving our- 

 selves deeply in the curious metaphysical controversy respect- 

 ing instinct and reason, which seems to have little chance of 

 being speedily decided, it may not be unprofitable to bring a 

 few of the facts just alluded to under review. Some of these 

 facts may be daily observed by anybody who will take the 



