SCIENTIFIC NEW3. 325 



tountritfs still unknown in the centre of that quarter of 

 the globe, and more particularly the seas and great lakes 

 which he thinks must there exist. He lias indicated the 

 courses which appear to him to be proper for most spee- 

 dily exploring those countries which still remain to be 

 discovered. 



There is another description of conjectural geography, Bhiiinution of 



which seems to determine the antient state of places, from '^^ Caspian 



^ _ ^ ^ ' , . Sqa. Its anticnt 



what is at present to be seen. M. Olivier has m this state. 



manner examined how far it may be admitted that a com- 

 munication formerly existed between the Caspian and the 

 Black Sea. He thinks it existed to the north of Cauca- 

 sus, and that the alluvions of the Couban, the Wolga, and 

 the Don have interrupted it, 



Since that time, the Caspian not receiving from the ri- 

 vers which fall into it a sufficient quantity of water to sup- ^ 

 ' ply its evaporation, has continually sunk in its level, and 

 is at present sixty feGt lower than the Euxine Sea. In 

 this manner it is that it has been separated from the sea 

 of Aral, and ha« left uncovered the immense plains of 

 salt sand which surround it to the north and to the east. 



M. Dereau dc la Malle, son of one of the members of 

 the Institute, has found numerous testimonies jn the 

 Greek and Roman authors of this ancient extent of the 

 Caspian Sea, and his communications with the Euxine 

 and the Aral. He has presented along memoir on the sub- 

 ject to the Class, and to that of Ancient History and Li- 

 terature. These researches afford an additional proof of 

 the utility of connecting the exact sciences, with re- 

 searches of erudition. 



M. Monges has given some observations on two an- Ancient mill 

 tient mill stones, dug up near Abbeville, from which, stones.' 

 as well as from examination into the writings of the an- 

 tients, he determines, that they made their mill stones in 

 general of porous basaltes. 



M. Desmarets, from an examination of some antient pj^ce goods 

 garments, found in a tomb of the Abbey of St. Germain, formed by the 

 has determined that most of the processes of weaving, at ti'^^JJ times, 

 present used, were known in the 10th century, and he has 

 thrown new light upon the articles of Pliny respecting the 

 antient fabrics, » 



Several 



