Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles, 327 



serves particular notice is the very curious fact that the card is not 

 thrown down. 



If two bits of card be placed between the wires, instead of one as 

 in the last experiment, even then the separate bits of card will con- 

 tinue to stand, although both will be perforated. 



The motion of a single fluid from the positive to the negative 

 wire, cannot, 1 think, be reconciled with my experiment, which 

 seems to require two equal repulsive actions. 



I am, Gentlemen, your obedient servant, 



James Watson. 



London, Jan. 31, 1837. 



VOLUNTARY SOUNDS OF INSFXTS. 



We have received the following communication from a Corre- 

 spondent relative to Dr. Burmeister's paper " On the Cause of 

 Sound produced by Insects in Flying," printe^ in the Third! art of 

 the Scientific Memoirs; in which it is shown not to be caused 

 by the vibration of the wings, but by peculiar organs placed in the 

 thorax, a minute account and delineation of which are given. 



" I have several times tried the following experiment on the com- 

 mon large blue fly (Musca vomitoria). While it has been flying about 

 the room with its usual buzzing noise, I have placed a small piece 

 of meat on a table, and opened the door of the room. The fly 

 seems to be soon attracted by the meat, and on approaching and 

 hovering over it the buzz has appeared to increase in loudness ; but 

 if, when it has been thus hovering over the table, I have caught at it 

 with my hand, or attempted to strike it with a handkerchief, it has 

 immediately flown away, and generally out at the door, without 

 producing the slightest audible sound, as though it intended to con- 

 ceal the direction of its flight." X. 



[I have often witnessed the silent flight of this insect on being 

 disturbed or attempted to be caught, exactly as described by our 

 Correspondent. — E. W, B.j 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS FOR FEBRUARY 1837. 



Chistvick. — Feb. 1. Foggy: slight frost. 2. Foggy: fine. 3. Hazy. 



4. Frosty : fine. 5. Overcast. 6, 7. Sharp frost : very fine. 8. Overcast : 

 rain. 9. Fine. 10. Fine : rain : stormy at night. 1 1. Boisterous, with 

 rain : lightning at night. 12. Clear : cloudy and fine : rain. 13. Rain : 

 fine. 14. Very fine. 15. Foggy. 16, 17. Fine. 18. Slight rain; cloudy : 

 stormy: about ^ past 10 p.m. a reddish luminous arch was observed, ex- 

 tending through the zenith, in a direction nearly east and west. 19. Over- 

 cast: stormy with heavy rain. 20. Very clear: fine. 21. Stormy with 

 rain : fine. 22. Clear and fine. 23. Stormy with rain. 24. Clear and 

 cold. 25, 26. Cold and bleak. 27, 28. Overcast. 



Boston.— Feb. 1. Foggy. 2. Cloudy. 3, 4. Fine. 5 — 7. Cloudy. 

 8. Fine. 9. Cloudy. 10. Stormy. 1 1. Rain and stormy : rain early a.m. 

 12 — 14. Fine. 15. Cloudy. 16, 17. Fine. 18. Cloudy: stormy with rain 

 P.M. 19. Cloudy : rain p.m. 20. Cloudy. 21. Fine : rain early a.m. : 

 rain P.M. 22. Cloudy. 23. Rain : stormy night. 24. Stormy. 25. Fine: 

 snow P.M. 26, Fine. 27. Cloudy. 28. Fine. 



