i822.] Scientific Intelligence. 155 



Altenberg, which Mr. Heuland was so kind as to transmit to me, I 

 have found it to differ essentially from all the stilbites, and even from the 

 new species into which Mr. Brooke has separated the substances for- 

 merly ranked under this name. Since I examined this mineral, I have 

 learned that it is considered by Hauy as a variety of stilbite, to which 

 he gives the name of Duo-vigesimale. D. B. — (Edin. Phil. Jour.) 



IX. On the Spurs of the OrnitJiorynchus. 



Dr. Traill, of Liverpool, has lately had an opportunity of examining 

 the skins of a male and female ornithorynchus from New South Wales. 

 The spurs of the male were remarkably strong and sharp, and the per- 

 foration in them so extremely minute, that it is not surprising that they 

 escaped the notice of the first naturalists who examined them. The 

 tubes were so fine that they would not receive a horse hair^ though 

 they admitted a human one. — (Edin. Phil. Jour.) 



X. Methods of kindling Fire on the Sandxvich Islands. 



There are various methods of producing fire. In the Caroline 

 Islands, a piece of wood being held fast on the ground, another short 

 piece, about a foot and a half long, of the thickness of a thumb, even, 

 ^s if turned, and with the end bluntly rounded off, is held perpendicu- 

 larly over it, and put in motion between ihepalm of the hand, like the 

 mill used for making chocolate. The motion is at first slow, but is 

 accumulated, and the pressure increased, when the dust produced by 

 the friction collects round the bores, and begins to be ignited. This 

 dust is the tinder which takes fire. The women of Eap are said to be 

 uncommonly clever at this process. In Radack and the Sandwich 

 Islands, they hold on the under piece of wood another piece a span 

 long, with a blunt point, at an angle of about SO degrees, the point of 

 the angle being turned from the person employed. They hold the 

 piece of wood with both hands, the thumbs below, the fingers above, 

 so that it may press firmly and equally, and thus move it backwards 

 and forwards in a straight line, about two or three inches long. When 

 the dust that collects in the groove, produced by the point of the stick, 

 begins to be heated, the pressure and the rapidity of the motion are 

 increased. It is to be observed, that in both methods two pieces of 

 the same kind of wood are used ; lor which purpose, some of equally 

 fine grains, not too hard, and not too soft, are the best. Both methods 

 require practice, dexterity, and patience. The process of the Aleu- 

 tians is the first of these methods, improved by mechanism. They 

 manage the upright stick in the same manner as the gimlet or borer 

 which they employ in their work. They hold and draw the string, 

 which is twice wound round it with both hands, the upper end turning 

 in a piece of wood, which they hold with their mouth. In this way, I 

 have seen a piece of fir turned on another piece of fir, produce fire in 

 a few seconds ; whereas, in general, a much longer time is required. 

 The Aleutians also make fire by taking two stones with sulphur rubbed 

 on them, which they strike together over dry moss strewed with sul- 

 phur.— (Kotzebue's Voyage, iiu 259.) 



XI. Method (fillumifiatingthe Dials of Public Clocks with Gas. 

 Messrs. John and Robert Hart, of Glasgow, who have been long 

 known to the public for their scientific acquirements, as well as their 



