SCIENtlPiC StWS, 337 



double curvature does not change the longest of their sides 

 nearly so much as one centimetre. These results are 

 confirmed by anticipation in the learned analysis of Le- 

 gendre. 



[The Conclusion of this Repdrt in our next.] 



Ifniversiti/ of Gottingen. 



The foreign Journals give accounts of the new model- 

 ing of the constitution of this University, under the 

 Prussian government, which the disastrous events of war 

 have since shaken to its ceni^e. I shall not copy this 

 part of their intelligence) so little likely to be perma- Mayer on pla- 

 nent, but shall confine myself to the notice of the first netary affinity 

 part of the Meteorologic Researches, which Professor ^' i»fl««ce. 

 Mayer has read to the Society. 



, j.Jp this paper he treats of the chemical affinity of the 

 heavenly bodies, or the influence they appear to exercise 

 upon each other independent of gravity, which influence 

 is manifested in their atmospheres. He particularly ati 

 tends to that of the moon upon ours, which leads him to 

 treat of globes of fire, and stones, said to have fallen 

 from the sky. He remarks, that almost all these pheno- 

 mena have taken place when the moon was near one of 

 its nodes, and in that half of its orbit in which its light 

 is on the wane. In the cases which seem to oppose this 

 observation, the coincidence of the passage of the moon 

 through one of these nodes, with its last quarter, tOok 

 place the preceding lunation. Thus it was in 1803, in 

 the lunation which preceded that of the shower of «tone» 

 at L'Aigle. 



Academy of Useful Sciences at Erfurt* 



In the ordinary sitting of the Academy of Useful Sci- Ore of pUtowi. 

 ences a*. Erfurt, on the 4th of March, M. Bucholz pre- 

 sented a memoir, transmitted by M. Tromsdorff", intitled, 

 *' New Experiments to afiford a more accurate know- 

 ledge of the Ore of Platina." The author endeavours to 



V©i. XV.— Pec. 1806. Zz monciW 



