Scientific Intelligence. — Mineralogy. 393 



pillars were under water three months in the year during the 

 monsoon. — Alexander's Travels in Persia, S^c. p. 34. 



10. Phosplwrescence of the Sea. — Bory St Vincent maintains 

 that luminous sea-water contains no infusory animals, and that 

 the phosphoric light which it frequently exhibits is not a product 

 of vitality. 



MINERALOGY. 



11. Influence of Organic on Inorganic Bodies. — Mr Hessle, in 

 a memoir entitled " Influence of Organic on Inorganic Bodies,"" 

 { Einfluens des Organischen Korpers auf den Inorganischen^ 

 Marburg, 1826), proves, in the introduction or preface, by ex- 

 amples, that organic remains have exercised an influence upon 

 their mode of petrifying, and that the axes of the organized bo- 

 dies have determined the axis of crystalline petrifying sub- 

 stances. The petrifactions of the radiaria present crystallizations 

 of the rhombohedron, the regular six-sided prism, and the 

 straight cylinder. The author enumerates their various posi- 

 tions in petrifactions. He gives an idea of the nature and form 

 of the encrinites. The first chapter of this article contains the 

 mechanical division of the stems of encrini, and the demonstra- 

 tion that the axis of the rhombohedron of the calcareous spar 

 corresponds with that of the stem, and the rhombohedron is 

 placed in it in four diff*erent ways, &c. The second chapter is 

 devoted to considerations respecting the positions of the rhombo- 

 hedrons in the aggregations of several pieces of encrinites. The 

 author enumerates all the possible combinations at the meeting 

 of two pieces, and presents a table of them. He considers the 

 double pyramid with three faces and turned,' which results from 

 it, and describes the manner of observing these cases of meeting. 

 In the third chapter he describes all the specimens which he has 

 collected, and which appear so numerous that they present a 

 large proportion of the possible combinations enumerated. Last- 

 ly, in the fourth chapter, he begins with observing, that, in each 

 member of a branch of encrinus, the calcareous matter is placed 

 in different geometrical relations; he enumerates encrini par- 

 tially converted into pyrites and fluor; he asks of M., who 

 mentions the latter, to determine the position of the octahedron 

 of the fluor, &c. 3 



