?^d Scientific Intelligence, — -Geology. 



tible noise. They were in their greatest splendour between five 

 and six o^clock in the morning, and continued without interrup- 

 tion till sunrise. They were observed principally by the sen- 

 tinels and by the officers, when going their rounds ; also by the 

 ecclesiastics, and by the subordinates, in the cathedral, and by 

 many other persons. Monsieur Milordou, the principal priest 

 pf the cathedral, stated, in the account which he gave of this oc- 

 currence, that the interior of the cathedral was sometimes sud- 

 denly illuminated by the light of this brilliant phenomenon. Mon- 

 sieur Itschitow, Lieutenant-Colonel of the 3d Battalion of the 

 Line of Orenburg, also confirmed these statements in his Re- 

 port, which, as an additional ground of confidence, contained 

 the accounts of the sentinels in the several positions in which 

 they had been posted. During the same night, and almost at 

 the same hour, a not less remarkable appearance was witnessed 

 at Hitzkaja-Saschtschita, about seventy-five miles to the south 

 of Orenburg. Two columns of a white colour rose from the 

 horizon equidistant from the moon, which at the time had not 

 risen far ; about the middle of their height they appeared bril- 

 liant and much curved. Several horizontal bands sprung from 

 this point, the most brilliant of which extended towards the 

 moon, in which they appeared to unite, so that in this way they 

 appeared to form a great H. In the town of Ufa, the seat of 

 the government of the same name, situated 380 miles to the 

 north of Orenburg, a phenomenon similar to that which was 

 observed at Hitzkaja-Saschtschita, was perceived, but, according 

 to the accounts which have been given, it was not quite so bril- 

 liant." 



GEOLOGY. 



2. Disengagement of InJlammaUe Gas in the Interio?- of 

 Coat Mines. — Monsieur Combes has presented a notice to the 

 Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris, which may serve as a sequel 

 to the remarks of Mr Buddie, an English engineer, upon the 

 evolution of hydrogen gas in coal-mines. It seems quite cer- 

 tain, as stated in this notice, that the evolution of carburetted 

 hydrogen in coal-mines, has frequently a relation to the pres- 

 sure exercised externally at the surface, so that there is no dis- 

 engagement where the external pressure is considerable, and 



