JL&23.3 Scientific NoHces-^Miscetlaneous, t^ 



marking the phsenomenon. All had been calmly beautiful dur- 

 ing the day, and they were returning homewards from Ben 

 Cruachan when, the sky becoming suddenly gloomy, they rowed 

 more smartly towards the shore in order to avoid the threatened 

 storm. In a few minutes, however, they were overtaken by a 

 shower of snow ; and immediately after, the lake, which was of 

 glassy smoothness, with their boat, clothes, and all around, pre- 

 sented a luminous surface, forming one huge sheet of fire. JVofr 

 were the exposed parts of their bodies singular in this respect, 

 for to the eye they all seemed to burn, although without any' 

 feeling even of warmth. When they apphed their hands to any 

 ef the melting snow, the luminous substance adhered to themaS: 

 well as the moisture, and this property was not lost by the snow 

 for twelve or fifteen minutes. The eveniug became again mild- 

 and calm, but lowering and very dark. The natives had not 

 witnessed any similar appearance before ; and many of them 

 believed it the forerunner of some dire calamity that was to 

 befal their mountain land. Rev. Colin Smith. — ^(Edin. Phil. 

 Jour.) 



Ijl, Mr. Mackintosh's Process for rendering impervious to Water 

 and Air all Kinds of Qlot lis; also Leather and Paper , S^c. 



This very valuable process, which we owe to the ingenuity of 

 our countryman Mr. Charles Mackintosh, consists in joining the 

 surfaces of two pieces of cloth by a flexible varnish, made of 

 caoutchouc dissolved in the naptha obtained from the distillation' 

 of coal. The caoutchouc, after being cut into thin shreds, is 

 steeped in the varnish composed of twelve ounces of caoutchouc 

 to one wine-glass full of the oil. Heat may be applied, and the 

 thick varnish must be strained through a sieve of wire or horse- 

 hair. The cloth is stretched on a frame, and then covered by 

 means of a brush with a coat of the elastic varnish. When the 

 varnish has become sticky, another piece of similar cloth, simi- 

 larly varnished, is laid upon the first, the surfaces being placed 

 face to face ; and to promote the adhesion^ they are pressed" 

 between a pair of plain rollers, and then dried in a warm room. 

 This cloth, of which we have now several very fine specimens 

 before us, besides being used for outer garments to keep ofFrain,^ 

 will be found highly useful for various purposes in the arts and 

 sciences. — (Edin. Jour, of Science.) 





