376 



The Journal of Agriculture, and the Transactions of the Highland 



and Agricultural Society of Scotland. N. S., No. 52. 8vo. 



— From the Society. 

 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. N. S., Nos. 5 & 6. 



1855. 8vo. — From the Society, 

 Bulletin de la Societe de Geographie. 4™^ Serie. Tome x. 8vo. 



— From the Society. 

 Verhandlungen der Kaist-rlichen Leopoldinisch-Carolinischen Aka- 



demie der Katurforscher. B"! xxiv., Supp. Bj xxv., Heft 1. 



4to. — From the Academy. 

 Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge. Vol. vii. 4to. — From 



the Smithsonian Institution. 

 Abhandlungen der Kaiserlich-Kianiglichen Geologischen Reiohsan- 



stalt. Band 2, 1855. Fol. 

 Jahrbuch der Kaiserlich-Koniglichen Geologischen Reichsanstalt, 



1855. No. 1. 8vo. — From the Institute. 

 Sitzuncsberichte der Kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften. 



Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Classe. B"! xvii., Heft 



3. 8vo. — From the Academy, 

 Coup d'oeil Geologique sur les Mines de la Monarchie Autrichienne. 



Par Fr. de Hauer & Fr. de Foetterle. 8vo. — From the 



Authors. 



Monday, 2\st April 1 856. 



Sir DAVID BREWSTER, K.H., V.P., in the Chair. 



The following Communications were read : — 



1. On the Prismatic Spectra of the Flames of Compounds of 

 Carbon and Hydrogen. By William Swan, Esq. 



While the prismatic spectra of the blue portions of an oil-lamp or 

 coal-gas flame, exhibit a number of bright lines, separated by dark 

 intervals, the spectra derived from the bright light of these flames 

 are perfectly continuous. Apparently inconsistent results are in like 

 manner obtained when the flames of different compounds of carbon 

 and hydrogen are compared. Thus, lines are easily seen in the 



