308 Analyhti of Books. [Ocf . 



some additional specimens of the jaws and teeth of the hyaena, 

 the wolf, and the fox, which have been subsequently discovered 

 in one of the caverns, from which cavity all the bones of the 

 wolf have been derived. Among these is half of the lower jaw 

 of a hyaena of very superior magnitude to any of those previously 

 discovered, and probably has belonged to the large skull before 

 mentioned. 



" The jaws of the wolf are of similar dimension with those 

 before described ; but one of them belonged to a very aged 

 individual. 



" Of the fox, there have been found only a few vertebrae, ahd 

 two canine teeth from the lower jaw, which correspond perfectly 

 in size and form with those of a recent animal ; but are equally 

 fraij;ile and absorbent with those of the other animals." 



Two engraved sketches of the caverns are annexed to Mr. 

 Whidbey's account of them ; and Mr. Chft's description of the 

 bones is illustrated with five engravings, from drawings by 

 himself. 



X. On the Chinese Year. By J. F, Davis, Esq. FRS. — (See 

 Annals, Y. 149.) 



" The Chinese year, properly considered as such, is in fact a 

 lunar year, consisting of twelve months of twenty-nine and 

 thirty days alternately, with the triennial intercalation of a thir- 

 teenth month, to make it correspond more nearly with the sun's 

 course.* It has not been discovered (with any degree of cer- 

 tainty), why they fix upon the 15th degree of Aquarius as a rule 

 for regulating the commencement of their lunar year ; but they 

 have an annual festival about the recurrence of this period 

 which bears a considerable resemblance to the deification of the 

 bull Apis ; and this resemblance is increased by the connexion 

 of both ceremonies with the labours of agriculture, and with the 

 hopes of an abundant season. This coincidence may serve to 

 fortify the opinions of those who are fond of tracing the ChiLese 

 to the Egyptians ; although the possibility of such a derivation 

 has been fully disproved by M. de Pauw." 



XI. Expenments Joi' ascertaining the Velocity of Sound at 

 Madras, in the East Indies, By John Goldingham, Esq. FRS. 



Mr. Goldingham's account of the manner in which these expe- 

 riments were conducted, and of their general results, will be 

 found in the last number of the Annals, p. 201. 



XII. On the duul)le Organs of Generation of the Lamprey, the 

 Conger Eel, the common Eel, the Barnacle, and Earth Worm, 

 vjhich impregnate themselves; thovgh the last from copulating, 

 appear mutually to impregnate one another. By Sir Everard 

 Home, Bart. VPRS.— (See Annals, v. 302.) 



« " I call this intercalation triennial," Mr. Davis remarks, " because that is the 

 netrest »ppro$imation ; but in fact it is seven times in nineteen years." 



■i 



