202 Scientific Intelligence — Geology. 



Kirkcudbright. — Cladium mariscus. Hah, Ravenstone Loch, 

 Wliithorn. — Lafnium intermedium. Hah. Shetland. 



Mr Campbell read a communication from Colonel P. J. Brown 

 of Eichenbiihl near Thun, containing a sketch of the botany of the 

 neighbourhood of the Lake of Thun, Switzerland, chiefly in refe- 

 rence to the geographical distribution and altitude of the species 

 enumerated. The Lake of Thun having an elevation of about 

 1900 feet above the sea, and the surrounding country being much 

 intersected by hills or long ridges, the vegetation assumes a sub- 

 alpine character on the pastures about 1800 feet above the lake, 

 comprising Trollius Eurceopus^ Hieracium aureum, Tussilago aU 

 pina, S)C. The following is given as an approximation to the spe- 

 cies usually met with at different heights on the surrounding moun- 

 tEuns: — Between 2000 and 3000 feet, Arenaria verna and ciliata, 

 Dryas octopetala, Coioneaster vulgaris^ Hieracium villosum, ^c. 

 Between 3000 and 4000 feet, Silene acaulis, Cerastium alpinum, 

 Phaca astragalina, Oxytropis uralensis, Saxifraga oppositifolia, 

 Hieracium aurantiacum^ Arhutus alpina, Ajuga alpina, Orchis pal- 

 lens, Carex atrata, ^c. Above 4000 feet, Gnaphalium alpinum 

 and Leontopodium, Petrocallis pyrenaica, Draha tomentosa, and 

 stellata, Androsace hryoides, ^c. Colonel Brown concludes his 

 paper by stating that he hopes to be able to communicate fuller in- 

 formation as to the precise elevation of the different localities men- 

 tioned, on some future occasion. 



SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE. 



GEOLOGY. 



1. Subterranean Heat. — Bischors explanation of the higher 

 temperature that prevails in the depths of the ocean, the hypo- 

 thesis of Babbage and Herschel on the heating of the solid 

 parts of the earth, the views of Keilhau, Fox and others, on 

 subterranean and submarine action, are all tending to the 

 evolution of important geological principles. 



2. Subterranean Temperatures. — M. Walferdin has com- 

 municated a notice to the Academy of Sciences of Paris, on a 

 pit sunk by M. Mulot at St Andre {departement de VEure), 

 and on observations of temperature made in that pit, at a depth 

 of 830 English feet. The sinking has been carried to a depth 

 of 862 feet, without any spouting spring being met with. The 



