438 Miscellaneous Intelligence. 



The soil of these mountains, which, to a certain height, is co- 

 vered with abundant herbage, is only half a foot thfclT. It is a 

 mixture of argillaceous earth, sand and earthy matter. The ice 

 gradually fuses below the verdure, has its position changed, and 

 continues growing in alower position, and in this manner one may 

 conceive it possible that, in a long series of years, the mountain 

 may disappear, and a verdant valley occupy its place." 



By observation we found the latitude of this tongue of earth 

 66°' 15" 36' N. At the bottom of the eastern part of the Bay of 

 Eschholz, high mountains were perceived. 



8. Care containing Rattlesnake Skeletons. — About (he year 1 748, 

 some labourers in working a quarry in the neighbourhood of Prince- 

 ton, in America, for the stone with which the college is built, dis- 

 covered a small cavern, which contained the entire skeletons 

 of an immense number of the rattlesnake. The bones were in 

 such quantity as to require two or three carts for their removal. 

 There can be little doubt that this cavern had once a small opening, 

 which was afterwards closed by the accidental fall of a stone, or 

 some other impediment. This cave had probably been the winter 

 abode of the rattlesnake for years, where many had died through 

 age, and others in consequence of the circumstance just men- 

 tioned. Such facts as these have gained an interest since Mr. 

 Buckland's description of the cave at Kirkdale, from the relations 

 that are evident between them. 



p. Meteors. — A very large brilliant meteor passed over the city 

 of Richmond (Virginia), on the l6th March, about rive minutes 

 after ten P. M., in a direction from the north-east to the south- 

 west. It is described as being nearly as large as a barrel, emitting 

 sparks in every direction, and leaving behind it a large train of 

 light ; some even thought they heard a hissing noise as the me- 

 teor passed over them. The light was bright, silvery, and very 

 powerful. It exploded with a loud noise, leaving a wide stream 

 of fire, which was visible for several minutes. 



On the 9th of April, about nine in the evening, a large me- 

 teor was seen at the town of Rodiz in Avignon. It appeared like 

 a pillar of fire, sending out an infinite number of sparks. After 

 some seconds it disappeared, and a loud explosion was heard. — 

 Phil. Mag. lix, p. 399. 



10. Analysis of the MetcoroUte of Juvenas. — A meteoric stone 

 fell at Juvenas on the 1 5th of June, 1 83 1 , of which a short notice 

 was given in a former number of this Journal. An analysis of it has 

 been made by M. Laugicr, who finds it to accord with that from 

 Jonzac, in containing no nickel, and in containing chromium. He 

 therefore urges it as a further proof of the propriety of considering 

 chromium as the distinctive metal of aerolites, at least till one or 

 more of them has been found without it. 



