428 
entitled to the highest confidence, whom he 
examined personally, had occasion to split a 
large stone from the quarry which he calls 
the millstone grit. It was perfectly close- 
grained and compact. On opening it they 
discovered a black or dark brown spherical 
mass, about three inches in diameter, in a 
cavity which it filled. On examining it 
particularly, they found it to be a toad, 
much larger than the common species, and 
of adarker colour. It was perfectly stupid. 
It was laid upon a stone, and soon began to 
give signs of life. In a few hours it would 
hop moderately on being disturbed. They 
saw it in the yard moving about moderately 
for several days ; but it was not watched by 
them any further, and no one observed its 
ulterior movements. They laid one half of 
the stone in the wail, so that the cavity may 
still be seen. The millstone grit in which 
this stone was found, is the oldest of the 
secondary rocks. It must have been formed 
many centuries before the deluge. Was 
this toad more than 4,000 years old? or was 
it from an egg introduced through a minute 
and undiscovered cleavage into this cavity, a 
geode made precisely to fit the size and form 
of atoad? I was particular in my inquiry, 
and learned from them, that the whole 
stone was perfectly compact, without any 
open cleavage which would admit an egg. 
Beside, it is well known that the millstone 
grit is neither porous nor geodiferous. If 
this rock stratum was deposited upon the 
toad, it must have been in aqueous, not 
in igneous solution, and the toad must 
have been full grown at the time. Toads 
are often found in compact hard . gra- 
velly diluvial deposits, in situations which 
demonstrate that they must have lived 
from the time of the deluge. I think 
I am warranted in saying this,’’ adds the 
Professor, “without citing authorities, as it is 
a common occurrence. Then why may they 
, not have lived a few centuries longer, if we 
admit them a life of at least 3,000 years ?”’ 
New Picture, by David.—Two distin- 
guished French painters, MM. Carle and 
Horace Vernet, have discovered at a small 
village called Eza, situated two leagues from 
Nice, and near the great road to Genoa, a 
hitherto unknown picture, representing the 
baptism of our Saviour, by the ceicbrated 
David. Unfortunately it is in a most ruin- 
ous condition, and lying on the pavement. 
David and a companion were proceeding to 
Rome, and were surprised by a tempest at 
* Eza during the time the church was being 
erected. Being detained three days in the 
house of the curate of this village, as an 
acknowledgment of the hospitality he re- 
ceived, the artist promised to execute a 
painting for the church. The promise was 
fulfilled, but rendered nugatory by the care- 
lessness of those for whom it was performed. 
Discovery of Coal near Leicester.—A 
report was made in September 1827, by Mr. 
Francis Forster, mineral surveyor, on the 
probable existence of coal in the vicinity of 
Varieties. 
[APRIL, 
Leicester, arising from the supposed exten- 
sion of the Ashby coal measures, under the 
new red sand-stone formation, from Ibstock 
near Ashby, by way of Bagworth, Dorford, 
Kirby, Muxton, and Glenfield, towards 
Birstall, thus passing within about two 
miles of Leicester. The opinions expressed 
in this report have since been confirmed, in 
great measure, by the discovery of a seam of 
coal, by boring near Bagworth. 
Height of the principal Buildings in 
Europe.—A discussion haying arisen on the 
Continent respecting the height of the cathe- 
dral of Anvers, compared with that of St. 
Peter’s at Rome, the following are the re- 
sults of the inquiry, expressed in English 
fect :— 
‘The highest pyramid of Egypt .... 479,27 
The Cathedral of Anvers ......-- 472,66 
The Cathedral of Strasburgh ...... 466,27 
The spire of St. Stephen’s church, 
Viennaretix teledielste eden we dee) 402j05 
The spire of St. Martin’s church, 
Landshut ......... ceiiaai felis ¥44O75 
The cupola of St. Peter’s, Rome .. 433,76 
Spire of St. Michaels, Hamburg .. 428,43 
Spire of St. Peter’s, Rome ....... 391,13 
Cathedral of St. Paul, London .... 361,02 
Cathedral of Ulm .........+...- 309,16 
Cathedral of Milan ...........-. 358,09 
Towers degli Asinelli at Bologna .. 351,07 
Dome of the Invalides, Paris .... 344,66 
Cathedral of Magdeburg ........ 353,58 
Cupola of the Pantheon, Paris.... 259,03 
Balustrade of Notre Dame........ 216,67 
Massive Crystals.—In the vicinity of 
Paradise River, a few miles from Bridge- 
town, in Nova Scotia, gigantic crystals of 
smoky quartz, or the cairngorm stone of 
Scotland, are found among the masses of 
sienite, or imbedded in the alluvion which 
forms the banks of the Annapolis River. 
Of those most extraordinary for size, was 
one found several years ago on ihe estate of 
Mr. Langley, which, from his description, 
weighed more than 120 pounds. Another 
from the same place weighs 30 pounds. It 
is covered externally by a thin incrustation 
of common quartz, and presents within the 
richest gradation of shades, from light topaz, 
or straw yellow, through clove brown into a — 
dark almost opaque smoky colour. Clove 
brown is the predominating colour, or cha- 
racterises the greater part of the crystal. 
is rendered doubly interesting by the long 
and slender prismatic crystals of black schorl 
which traverse its surface, and even pene- 
trate or shoot into its solid substance, to the 
depth of three or four inches. This crystal 
measures in extreme length 19 inches. 
It 
It | 
is twelve inches in diameter at the base, — 
and its six lateral planes are nine inches in 
length to the acuminating planes, one of : 
which being unduly extended, nearly ob- 
scures the two adjoining ones, and is twelve 
inches in length. 
Safety Dress for Firemen.—The Cheva- 
lier Aldini has received a gold medal from 
the government of Milan, for contriving, — 
