430 
ever can form precipitous submarine moun- 
tains rising from the depths of the ocean. 
Sharks.—The first descriptions of the 
Squalus Maximus, the large basking shark, 
that modern naturalists have considered a 
doubtfulspecies, and have accordingly describ- 
ed several large individuals of this genus as 
new species, the S. Pelerin, S. Gunneria- 
nus, S. Herianus, S. Elephas, and S. Rhi- 
noceros, as well as the S. Pereginus, pinna 
anali nulla, all belong to the S. Maximus. 
The most striking peculiarity in the S. Pe- 
reginus is the presence of the baleen. 
Each branchial opening is furnished with a 
fringe of baleen, four inches in length. 
This is composed of a great number of dis- 
tinct flattened fibres, a tenth of an inch wide 
at their origin, and tapering gradually to 
minute threads at their extremities. In 
colour, texture, and flexibility, this resembles 
very much the baleen of the Balaena Mysti- 
cete. The lamine are extremely regular in 
their position ; thirty of them are included 
within the space of an inch, and they extend 
the whole length of the branchial apertures. 
All inferences respecting the size of a shark, 
founded on the magnitude of the fossil teeth 
alone, must be erroneous, as an individual 
28 feet long, had teeth only half an inch in 
length ; by parity of reasoning, fossil sharks’ 
teeth four inches in length, and many such 
exist, must have belonged to an animal 220 
feet long. 
German Extravagance.—Absurd and ri- 
diculous as are many of the works which 
issue from the English press, we have not 
yet seen the equal of one written by a Ger- 
man of the name of Wienbrach, and pub- 
lished last year by Brockhaus, of Leipsig,; in 
which the author endeavours to demonstrate 
that the earth is hollow—that the entrance 
to it is in Poland, and that within there is 
fire, water, air, amphibious animals, fish, 
insects, birds, quadrupeds, and men. He 
then details this subterranean life, and ends 
with a description of the roads which lead 
there, and by an address to the inhabitants 
of the surface of the earth. 
Bread from Wheat that has germinated. 
—A way has been discovered in Germany, 
of making good bread with the flour of 
wheat that has germinated. The two prin- 
cipal precautions to be observed, are to 
work the corn carefully, particularly if it be 
also mouldy, and to dry it carefully in a 
stove or oven, before taking it to the mill. 
The grinding should be performed as quickly 
as possible, and the grain should not be 
ground at all fine. When it is converted 
into meal, leave it quiet for a few days to 
Varieties. « 
| [AprIt, 
get cool and aired. When the leaven (a 
yeast) is added, more than the usual quan- 
tity must be employed, and to be perfectly 
mixed up with the dough, which made 
with warm water, is to bej thinner than 
in common; the whole to’ be well and 
quickly kneaded. Iveave it to ferment from 
two to four hours, then knead it up carefully 
again, and add sufficient meal to make it of 
a proper consistency. When it is divided, 
the loaves should not weigh more than from 
two to four pounds. 
To bronze Metals.—To give to different 
objects the appearance which distinguishes 
the ancient bronzes, mix 62 grains of muri- 
ate of ammonia, and 15-5 grains of oxalic 
acid in a pint of good vinegar ; after having 
well cleaned the metal, rub it over with a 
brush dipped in this solution, taking only a 
very small quantity at a time; when it is 
dried by rubbing, take some more, and con- 
tinue so doing till the metal has acquired 
the tint desired. To render the proceeding 
more expeditious, it may be performed in 
the sun, or on a heated stove. 
Silk Worms.—The difficulty is well 
known of providing silk worms with food. 
Lettuce leaves have been employed as a sub- 
stitute, but with these, if the silk do not de- 
teriorate in quality, its quantity is much 
less than when the insect is fed upon the 
leaves of the mulberry. Recent experi- 
ments, however, on a large scale, have satis- 
factorily demonstrated that the leaves of the 
Scorzonera afford a sufficient and wholesome 
nutriment for these extremely tender in- 
sects, and the quantity of silk obtained is at 
least double what they yield when sup- 
ported by lettuce. The leaves, before they 
are given to them, should be wiped, in order 
to remove the humidity and the sort of down 
with which they are covered; they should 
then be supplied in small quantities, and 
frequently during the day. 
To destroy Weevels.—The following me- 
thod of destroying these injurious insects, is 
much too simple and valuable not to find a 
place here ; it has been successfully practised 
on the Continent, and in consequence made 
public a few weeks since. The agriculturist 
by whom it has been practised, states, that 
he was infested with them to an incredible 
extent. He moistened with urine, diluted 
with water, the floor and sides of the granary 
in which he intended to place his corn ; this 
was frequently done, and the granary care- 
fully swept in the interval between each 
watering; the success of this process was 
complete. 
