324 SClENTli^lC VETTS. 



The editors of the Journal des Mines remark' in a note 

 that M. Ilaiiy had already conjectured, as was announ- 

 ced in their 61st number, that oisanite, which he denomi- 

 nates anatase, must include a metallic- substance. His 

 observations on the form and several other characters of 

 that mineral prove that it constitutes a particular species, 

 which must be separated from the oxides of titanium and 

 placed in the genus of the metal itself. 



SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 

 A Keport of the Transactions of the Class of Mafhemattcal 

 and Physical . Sciences of the National Institute of 

 France for the preceding Year^ zcas made at the pub- 

 lic Meeting of the 7 th of July last^jof Khiqh the folloK- 

 ing ii an Abridgement,' * * • 



Topography of IxyjL o OLTVIEH presented an account of the <^ Topo- 

 drvness and g^^P^/ of Persia." He has described i\\G chains of moun- 

 Bterility of the tains, the courses of the streams, and the productions 

 *^* ' ^* peculiar to the climate. The nearly absolute drought 



which prevails, is the cause why not more than one twen- 

 tieth part of this vast empire is cultivated. Entire pro- 

 vinces have not a single tree which is not planted and 

 watered by the hands of men. This evil constantly in-, 

 creases by the dilapidation of the canals by which the 

 water from the mountains was formerly conducted to the 

 lands, and the territory becoming impregnated with salt, 

 becomes eternally barren. 

 Conjcctuiec of The reflections of the studious and sedentary cultivator 

 Lacepede res- of natural history, may lead to results^ well calculated to 



DCCtllT^ SC3.S •/ y w 



and lakes in divert the pursuits of travellers. M. de Lacepede, by 

 the interior of examining what is at present known of Africa, by compa- 

 ' ring the volume of the rivers which arrive at the sea, 



with the extent of the regions upon which the rains of the 

 torrid zone fall, and the quantity of evaporation to be 

 observed, and lastly, assisting his judgment by the 

 number and direction of the chains of inland moun- 

 tains, as described by travellers, has oflered som« 

 conjectures respecting the physical disposition of the 



countries 



