28 REPORT — 1844. 



A paper by John Francis Cole, Esq., of Alten, on a remarkable and sudden fall of 

 rain which took place with a clear sky on the 6th of May 1844, and which, in his 

 opinion, has much analogy with a fall of rain from a clear sky observed by Professor 

 Wartmann at Geneva, on the 31st of May 1838. Also an observation on the evapo- 

 ration of the ice on the 3rd of May 1844, at Alten. 



Meteorological tables : — 



1. Results of the meteorological observations made at Alten observatory, by 

 Messrs. J. H. Grewe and J. F. Cole, during the year 1843. 



2. A table showing the approximate forces of the winds for each month and for 

 the year, with the means of each month and the year, the latter including calms. 



3. A table showing the number of days in each month and in the year on which 

 it was calm, windy, and from what quarter. 



4. A table showing the number of days the diflFerent clouds were visible in each 

 month and in the year. 



5. A table showing the approximate forces of the driving of the clouds for each 

 month and for the year, with the means of each month and the year, the latter in- 

 cluding imperceptibles. 



6. A table showing the number of days in each month and in the year on which 

 the clouds were not observed to drive, as well as on which they were obsei-ved to 

 drive, and from what quarter, and the number of times the aurora was visible (61). 



CHEMISTRY. 



On the Mineral Springs and other Jfaters of Yorkshire. By W. West. 



The results of analysis of the waters of Harrogate and many other places were de- 

 tailed with great minuteness, and the districts from which the waters were collected 

 described. 



Account of the Phosphorite Rock in Spanish Estremadura. 

 By Professor Daubeny, F.R.S. 



In conjunction with Captain Widdrington, R.N., he had last summer undertaken 

 to explore this rock. He stated its occurrence in one solitary mass, penetrating clay- 

 slate, the dimensions being at most sixteen feet in width, its length along the surface 

 of the ground extending to about two miles, whilst its depth is unexplored, but cer- 

 tainly considerable. He stated its composition to be, about 80 per cent, triphosphate 

 of lime, and about 14 fluoride of calcium, and pointed out the final cause of the se- 

 cretion of so large a mass of both these substances in the older rocks, as being intended 

 to supply two necessary ingredients for bones and other animal matters. He stated 

 his having detected fluorine in all the bones and teeth of recent as well as of older date 

 which he had examined, and suggested, that as a rock of such a composition could 

 hardly fail to be useful as a manure, if it were found in an easily accessible locality, 

 it would be worth the while of geologists to search for veins of this mineral in the 

 older formations of this and other countries, where there might be a greater facihty 

 of transport. 



On the Theory and Practice of Amalgamation of Silver Ores in Mexico and 

 Peru. By J. C. Bowking. 



After noticing and refuting the hypotheses by which the operations for the amalga- 

 mation of silver ores in the countries mentioned have been conducted, the author pro- 

 poses the following explanation. 



The presence of mercury being necessary, not merely as a means of collecting the 

 particles of silver disseminated through the ore, but also as a chemical agent, the ac- 

 tion of bichloride of copper upon it must be considered. 



By this action, which takes place instantaneously, a protochloride of both metals is 

 formed, and that of the copper, by absorbing oxygen from the atmosphere, becomes 



