200 Scientific Intelligence, ^^Zoology . 



four periods of time, I cont inually pass eighteen in this round. Unahle 

 to move or to speak, I am yet conscious, and the time passes away 

 amid pleasing phantasies ; nor should I ever awake from the wan- 

 derings of this state had I not the most faithful and attached servants, 

 Avhose regard and religious duty impel them to watch my pulse. As 

 soon as my heart begins to falter, and my breathing is imperceptible, 

 except on a mirror, they immediately pour the solution of opium into 

 my throat, and restore me as you have seen. In these four hours, I 

 shall have swallowed several ounces ; and much time will not pass away 

 ere I relapse into my ordinary torpor." 



SCIENTIFIC TRAVELLERS. 



14. Mr Lyell's Expedition to America. — We understand that Mr 

 Lyell, having finished the new edition of his Element's of Geology in 

 two volumes, and which will be published early next month, is about 

 to proceed to the United States of America, where he proposes to re- 

 main a year, for the purpose of examining some of the great geological 

 features of that varied and highly-interesting region, including a part 

 of Canada. It is said that he is to begin with Nova Scotia — that from 

 thence he is to explore the valley of the St Lawrence, and then to go 

 through the Northern States. The investigations of this indefatigable 

 and distinguished geologist in countries hitherto so little examined by 

 those conversant with the formations of Europe, cannot fail to throw 

 much light on many obscure points connected with the comparative geo- 

 logical structure of the Old and New Continents. Mr Lyell has been 

 invited to give a course of lectures in the Lowell Institution at Boston, 

 which he has agreed to do early in November. The Lowell Institu- 

 tion is very probably unknown to most of our readers, and we propose 

 at some future time to give an account of its establishment and objects. 

 At present we merely state, that the city of Boston owes the liberal 

 endowment of a series of regular courses of public lectures to the munifi- 

 cence of the late Mr John Lowell jun. That amiable and accomplished 

 gentleman, and ardent traveller Cwho received part of his education in 

 Edinburgh), was cut off at Bombay in 1836, at the early age of .37, 

 and bequeathed the sum of L.50,000 Sterling for *^the maintenance 

 and support of public lectures, to be delivered in Boston upon philo- 

 sophy, natural history, the arts and sciences, or any of them, as the 

 trustees shall, from time to time, deem expedient for the promotion of 

 the moral, and intellectual, and physical instruction or education of the 

 citizens of Boston." An interesting memoir of Mr Lowell was de- 

 livered by Mr Edward Everett, as an introduction to the lectures on 

 his foundation, in the Odeon, Boston, on the 31st December 1839. 



