182 2.) 
be produced: the very instrument of 
terror being converted into an aux- 
iliary of operation. 
Itis not the lighter gases only, that 
are objects of alarm-to the miner ; for 
the choke-damp, as it is called, is also 
as certainly destructive. ‘This consists 
principally of carbonic acid gas, or 
fixed air, which being of greater spe- 
cific gravity than atmospheric air, ne- 
cessarily lies in a stratum on the floor 
of the mine ; and, if accumulated to 
Literary and Philosophical Intelligence. 
345 
such a depth as to equal the greatest 
possible height of the miner's head, 
must be inhaled by him; when almost 
instant death would ensue. In order, 
then, to draw off this ponderous gas, 
Mr. Ryan bores apertures level with 
the floor of the workings, and carried 
into the surrounding head-way, so that 
both that on the floor level, and the 
carburetted hydrogen in contact with 
the line of roof, are carried off hy the 
same general outlet. 
VARIETIES, LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL; 
Including Notices of Works in Hand, Domestic and Foreign. 
i 
Dp; Simeon SHaw, master of the 
Grammar School at Hanley, in 
Staffordshire, will publish about Christ- 
‘mas a work in three volumes, rich in 
engravings; under the title of Nature 
Displayed. The once-popular work 
of La Pluche, of which at least twenty 
editions, under this title, were printed 
in England between the years 1730 
-and 1760, being out of date, and su- 
perseded by new discoveries, a reno- 
vated work, having the same title and 
objects, has long been a desideratum. 
The former work was in four volumes, 
but it contained many superfluities ; 
and an English supplement was added, 
in three volumes, altogether foreign to 
the title; and these brought the work 
into discredit. No work, however, ef- 
fected more for the diffusion of know- 
ledge; and we trust Dr. Shaw’s work 
will prove as successful and useful. 
We have already noticed in the 
Monthly Magazine the importation of 
a creature generally regarded as fabu- 
lous, from the Cape of Good Hope, 
where it is said to have been brought 
fromthe coast of Japan. It possesses, 
therefore, one of the characteristics 
which frequently distinguish impos- 
ture, in regard to the remoteness of its 
origin. The animal has, however, 
been exhibited in London; and, as 
might be expected, has excited con- 
siderable curiosity, particularly among 
naturalists. As it has not been dis- 
sected, nor indeed handled, by any 
scientific authorities, (being exhibited 
under a glass case,) many persons are 
still sceptical with respect to its being 
an entire animal. Some boldly assert 
that it consists of the body of a mon- 
key, ingenuously united to the tail of 
a fish; at the same time no evidence of 
such union is visible, and it may be 
what is professed by its owner. Seep- 
Montuty Mae, No. 374. 
ticism will doubtless lead to a per- 
mission to examine it by accredited 
persons, and in that case we shall 
have pleasure in laying their report 
before our readers. About half a 
century since, a similar discovery is 
reported to baye been made by some 
fishermen at Plymouth; and a mer- 
maid is recorded to have been exhi- 
bited at that port, but no authenticated 
account. of it exisis. About fifteen 
years since, Sir John Sinclair also 
published some documents on the same 
subject in this Magazine; and, a few 
years since, the newspapers were filled 
with affidavits relative to a mermaid 
seen on the north-west coast of Tre- 
Jand; but, on our writing to the place 
Yy mentioned 
