S88 Scienttfic Intelligence — Anthropology. 



say. Socrates answered not, but in a short time was convulsed.'' 

 The following were the phenomena observed when conein, or 

 the essence of hemlock, was administered : — " Six drops were 

 allowed to fall into the back of the throat of a young active 

 puppy ten weeks old. In thirty seconds there was sudden con- 

 vulsive respiration, and some stiffness of the hind legs, imme- 

 diately followed by great feebleness of those legs. In a few se- 

 conds the fore-legs became also very feeble. In sixty seconds 

 from the time the poison was introduced the breathing ceased. 

 Slight convulsive tremors followed for q, single minute more.'* 

 The author concludes that the ancient poison is still unknown 

 to us. 



26. Death of Mr David Douglas,* extracted from a Letter 

 by J. Goodrich and J, Diell, published in the Ke Kumu Hawaii, 

 a paper printed at Honolulu, Nov. 26. 1834, and inserted in 

 SilUman's American Journal, — " From Edward Gurney, an 

 Englishman, we received the following account of the tragical 

 scene : About ten minutes before six o'clock in the morning, 

 Mr Douglas arrived at his house on the mountain, and wished 

 him to point out the road to Hilo, and to go a short distance 

 with him. Mr Douglas was then alone, but said that his man 

 had gone out the day before (this was probably John, Mr 

 DeilPs coloured man). After taking breakfast, Edward accom- 

 panied Mr Douglas about three-fourths of a mile, and after di- 

 recting him on the path, and warning him of the traps, went on 

 about half a mile further with him. Mr Douglas then dismissed 

 him, after expressing an anxious wish to reach Hilo by evening, 

 thinking that he could find out the way himself. Just before Ed- 

 ward left him, he warned him particularly of three bullock traps, 

 about two miles and a half a-head, two of them directly on the 

 road, the other on the side. Edward then parted with Mr 

 Douglas, and went back to skin some bullocks which he had 

 previously killed. About eleven o'clock two natives came in 

 pursuit of him, and said that the European was dead, and that 

 they had found him in the pit in which the bullock was. They 



* Mr Douglas was Bom at Perth, Scotland, and had travelled in various 

 parts of the world as a naturalist, connected with the Horticultural Society 

 of London. He was engaged in his scientific pursuits when he met with the 

 fetal accident. It took place on the 12th of July 1834. 



