65 Foreign 
it sgon opened (in the same way) a second 
time, and a third, when the back of the 
snake was quite broken. This done, the 
hedgehog stood by the snake’s side, and, 
passing the whole body, successively, 
through its jaws, cracked and broke the 
bones, at intervals of half an inch or more: 
it then placed itself at the tip of the snake’s 
tail, and began to eat upwafds, as‘ one 
would a raddish, till about half was eaten, 
when it ceased from mere repletion: but 
during the night the remainder was eaten. 
The number of degrees conferred at the 
late Cambridge Commencement was un- 
usually great—it is supposed, from the pro- 
spect of an approaching election: it is said 
that upwards of fifty M. A.’s were com- 
pleted, more than at the same time last 
year. 
Barometers.—Mr Daniell has found that 
air insinuates itself into the vacuum of the 
best made barometers, by creeping up be- 
tween the mercury and the glass, and that 
it will insinuate itself between any fluid and 
any solid, when it has ngt attraction enough 
for the former to cause it to wet it. If any 
gas be confined in a glass jar for a length 
of time, over mercury, it will make its 
escape, and its place be occupied by atmos- 
pheric air; whereas the same gas, if con- 
fined by water, will be preserved unmixed. 
Hence the best made barometers -are often 
studded with air bubbles. To cure this, 
Mr. Daniell welds a narrow ring of plati- 
num to the open end of the tube, which is 
immersed in the cistern.. Boiling mercury 
amalgamates itself with platinum, and 
adheres to it when cold, wetting, but not 
dissolving it, by which ‘means the passage 
of the air is prevented as effectually as if 
the whole:tube were wetted by it. 
FOREIGN. 
‘FRANCE. 
Periodical Literature of France.— Among 
the numerous journals edited in the French 
capital, the Revue Encyclopédique ; or, Ana- 
lysis of the most remarkable productions 
in Literature, Sciences and the Arts, is 
unquestionably entitled to the very first rank. 
It is published in Paris monthly, in the 
street of St. Michel D’Enfer, and is circu- 
lated in most of the principal cities and towns 
of Europe (in London, for example, by M. 
Rolandi, No. 20, Berners street). It is 
eonducted upon a new plan, comprizing a 
complete monthly digest of the state of the 
science, letters, fine-arts and industry, 
throughout the world. The 78th No. for 
June, consisting of 310 pages, which com- 
pletes the twenty-sixth volume of this 
valuable collection, contains, among other 
articles of interest and importance, a learn- 
éd report (by M. Geoffroy St. Hilaire) upon 
the zoological relations of a voyage round 
the world, by M. Freyconet ; a-sketeh of 
a course of economy -and morality, 4 M. 
Diserer 3 ens “interesting analysis of 
the- 
Varieties. 
[Aug. 1], 
various works published in different king- 
doms, respecting Greece, &c., by M. Sis- 
mondi. A hundred and forty. new works, 
American, Danish, English, French, 
Italian, Russian, Se! +» are noticed ; thus 
presenting a concise view of the literary and 
critical opinions of our neighbours, under a 
variety of circumstances.* Brougham’s 
Inaugural Discourse—Parry’s Last Days 
of Lord Byron—Lambeth and the Vati- 
can—Fairy Legends of Ireland, &c., are 
treated with much intelligence and impar- 
tiality. Among the many co-labourers, in 
the conduct of this work, are found the 
celebrated names of M.M. Chaptal, C. Du- 
pin, de Lacépéede, Magendie, Lanjuinais, 
Champollion, Jullien, J. B. Say, De Ségur, 
Andrieux, Lemercier, Tissot, Montemont, 
and many others we cannot here enumerate. 
The work has already attained to very 
creditable consideration in France, and well 
deserves to fix the attention of the English 
public ; one of our native cotemporaries 
has said— 
«* There are only two periodical works in France, 
which approach within any measurable degree of 
comparison w:th our leading reviews or magazines. 
These are, the Revue Encyclopédique and the Revue 
Européenne; whichiatter, having only started within 
the last few months, and being also printed in En- 
glish, we shall not further mention in this place (it 
has, we understand, already gone to the ‘‘ tomb of 
the Capulets”). The Revue Encyclopédique enjoys a 
considerable reputation in the French provinces, and 
in foreign countries; but its pages are rarely opened 
in Paris, where the piquant style of the daily jour- 
nals is more suited to public taste.” 
Paris.—The daughter of Madame Gai, 
a young lady of great beauty and accom- 
plishments, about 19 years of age, bids 
fair to become the Delphine of Paris; her 
poetry may be termed complete inspira- 
tions.. Her mother is well known in the 
circles of rank and fashion; she was the 
rival in dress and equipage of Josephine, 
and, consequently was out of Napoleon’s 
favour, who could not endure that a 
banker’s wife should wear jewels as splen- 
did, and be as much admired as his em- 
press. : 
M. Gambart, of the Marseilles observa- 
tory, on the 19th May discovered a small 
comet in Cassiopeia. It appeared as a 
nebula of about 2’ in diameter, round and 
well defined. Right ascension 20’; de- 
clination 48° 22’ N. On Ist June, about 
midnight, its right ascension was 1° 51’, 
and its declination 73° 29. Thus it ap- 
pears to move at the rate of 2° a day, in 
declination. We believe that it has escaped 
the observations of our English astrono- 
mers. 
Electrical Eel —A specimen of the Gym- 
notus Electricus has lately been examined 
by the Parisian savans; the greater num- 
ber 
* ‘The value of this part of our cotemporaries’ 
work is greatly increased by the many known names 
appended to the various articles. —Eait. a4 
