530: 
iv. p. 412. 
The. Shocks of Earthquakes felt at Sea ‘are. 
phenomena which, promise, to, throw.con- 
siderable, light on; the cause of these shocks, 
in case that captains of ships would he 
careful and particular to note correctly the 
place of the ship, the’ time, and other cir- 
cumstances of the shocks, and communicate 
the same for early publication in some sci- 
entific or literary journal. The ship Layton, 
on her voyage from London to Bombay, on 
the 27th of July 1823, in lat. 35° 19'S., 
not far from Tristan d’ Acunha, at 113 P.M., 
experienced a shock which awoke every one 
sleeping on board. The motion was tremu- 
lous, like thatof.a ship forced over a wreck 
or arock: of coral, and-accompanied by a 
hissitig ‘noise : on examination, the ship's 
bottom had experienced no injury. what- 
ever. 0 On ‘the following. night, at half-past 
two; another and amore violent shock was 
felfjiand! lasted a few. seconds, but net so 
long as the first.shock,, On the 3lst, after 
hayitig Tin five or six degrees eastward, the 
Dutchbrig » Phelentait, bound to» Batavia, 
was spoken with, in. lat. 36° 51’ S., whose 
master reported that ‘the first of the above 
shocks had been felt; but not the second, 
on bdatd: his vessel; but, unfortunately, 
neither the place of the ship or time of oc- 
currénce liave been published. 
SPHE Nearchus, bound from South Ame- 
rica to Caleutta, in’ May 1823, experienced 
a vidlent shock “at sea; which lasted near 
four minutes ; but no other particulars have 
been ‘publicly stated. 
The ship Orpheus, on her voyage from 
London to Ceylon, on the 10th of February 
1823, at fifteen minutes past one P.M., in 
lat. 1° 10’ N., long. 84° & E., when steer- 
ing N,N,W., at the rate of five miles per 
hour; with alittle swellfrom the S.S.E., the 
crew felt a motion, as)if»the ship was run- 
ning:over-they ground, or-some other solid 
substance’y and at) the same time, during 
sixty:toisixty-five seconds, heard.a confused 
grinding tremulous noise, affecting the ship 
in’ every part: they sounded, with twenty 
fathoms ‘of line, up ‘and down,, but .felt, no 
ground.'« The ship kept upright, in her way 
through the water, and answered the helm, 
and therefore had not. struck, nor did she 
make any: water,in consequence of the 
shocks experienced, although the first of 
them was so violent as to unship one of thé 
compass cards in the binnacle., At five 
minutes past two-P.M. of the same day, 
being in Jat. 1°-15/.N., and, long. 84° 4/, E.., 
another. shock. was: experienced, much 
slighter than the first; and about,three P.M. 
a third, ,which: was only just perceptible. 
See our 56th volume; p. 5953. 
Caltanisetta, tz Sicily, has hitherto escaped 
the destructive shocks of the ‘earthquakes, 
which have successively ruined most other 
places in’ its neighbourhood; and this cir- 
cimstance has been conjectured to arise 
Spirit.of Philosophical Discovery... 
“ Annals of Philosophy,” Seconil Series? 
sso ADs ds, 
fron? a! temdrkable fisstite) OF! CREE Hr the! 
ets which extends from the mud Foleane 
of “Ferrdpilatas several miles) t6 the lheigie ’ 
pourhood “of Ste Petronilivy! whieh “eracky™ 
during thé ‘shocks! /in“other parts ‘of thes 
island; opens; to the “extéht oP Ghe “to tt" 
feet in width, and thus; prébablyy harmidselyp’ 
dischargés the ‘stéain'! or ther elastic Wase 
pours, which, but for thisventawotld aece 
quire, from ‘the ‘subterraiieviis fires OF these? 
parts, sufficient foreé! to'shakesthenr de 
structively. |’ On’the® last? violent® eruption 
of mud,-in Marelh..1823,.the) fissure, opened 
as-usual, and no furthe: mischief ensued 3, 
Meteorie Stones of Ayeiakzh hse ve valor 
these fell in March’ last; near tothe Hitaee! 
of this name, in the papal doniinions’? Torta: 
reports, like thunder, preceded: their, fall. 
The largest of these stones; weighing 12 lhs.3, 
has fortunately been conveyed) to, the, Ob-, 
servatory of Bologna; :and jis, there -pre- 
serve(. 199) 
Astronomy. —The: fature perihelion of, 
Mr. Pond’s comet has‘ been ‘ ¢aletlated; by 
Professor Enche, of Seebetg, near Gotha; 
from which it appears that if Will be‘most 
clearly visible on the 14th of August 1825." 
Dr. Westphal, in a communication from 
Dongola, 4° 19/ with the ‘tropic’ of Cuiteety 
observes that it is impossible for an’/inkia/ 
bitant of our northern tegiotis’ to: form’ & 
conception of the magnificence and Splen4 
dour of the southern firmament. “Byen' the 
smallest star sparkles with extraordinary 
radiance, and the large ones blaze witha 
dazzling brilliancy. The'zodiacallightjevery , 
morning and evening, is like the reflection 
of an immense fire ; the effect ‘of which’ is 
heightened to an inconceivable‘ degree’by 
the splendour of the five southerm constel- 
lations. ING) veo 
Black Tea.—The Chinese, it appears, 
from recent experiments, ‘have a mode of 
adulterating black tea, by means ‘of se 
particles, or minute crystals of magneti 
iron; sometimes to such ‘a degree, thai 
parts of the leaves may be lifted by a magnet. 
These ‘particles may. occasionally be jde- 
tected at the bottom of a tea-cup.\oijo9 os 
Preserving Birds. —Tt has bééen ascértairied 
by M. Temmick, Director lof thé “Dutth 
Museum, that © placing’ ‘a Small! wooden 
basin, containing tallow, ‘in -edeh ‘case, ‘is 
more effectual’ in preserving birds. from’ ‘the 
attacks of minute insects than éithéréam- 
phor or Russian leather. © (77!) & ned 
Fossil Bones.—The discovery of fossilated 
remains of unexpected animals, aa subestiat 
of the earth, seems to be the ‘principal fee - 
tural result of the geological, researches of 
the present day. Count de Laiser, President 
of the Mineralogical and Botanical Academy 
of Auvergne, ‘has taken;from: the 'great-pla- 
teau of basalt and ‘tuffa, between the two 
rivers of Corezeé, ‘and which is entirely :com- 
posed° of "pumice and: trachitez}> bones« of 
very large animals, completely transformed 
into 
