Mineralogy, Medicine, S^c. 197 



to exceed Mont Blanc in height, but these measurements want 

 verification.— BtftftoiAeg'Me Universelle, XII., p. 143. 



8. Temperature beneath the Earth's Surface. — The thermome- 

 ter placed in the caves at Paris varied last year only -^ of a de- 

 gree ; the mean result is 11.697, (53°.05 Fahr.,) and is above 

 the mean temperature of the atmosphere by half a degree. 



9. Formation of an Island. — A curious island has been formed 

 within tlie last few years in the Bay of Bengal, by the accumu- 

 lation of alluvial matters brought together by the waters that 

 flow into the Bay. It was not visible four or five years ago, 

 but was discovered in 1816, together with the canal, by vessels 

 trading to Saugur. Its situation is 21° 35' latitude, and 88° 

 20' east longitude from Greenwich, agreeing precisely with 

 that assigned to the bank of Saugur. The island is at present 

 only a sand-bank, but is continually receiving rapid additions. 

 It is about two miles long from east to west, and half-a-mile 

 wide from north to south. At the western extremity are little 

 elevations, and it is high enough in the centre to afford shelter, 

 except during the violence of a tempest. The south shore con- 

 sists of fine solid sand with a gentle declivity. In some parts 

 the island is covered with and manured by the dung of birds. 

 Myriads of small crabs cover the northern shore. The central 

 part appears at a distance like a green lawn ; herbage has taken 

 root there, and there are a number of tufts of long cass, (saccharum 

 spontaneum,) that thrive very well. It is visited at present only by 

 fishermen, who have raised two huts on it in honour of Siva, 

 an Indian divinity. The canal that separates the island from 

 Saugur is well stocked with fish, and the southern shore is fre- 

 quented by tortoises. 



10. Dr. Wilson Philips Experiments. — In consequence of a 

 paper which appeared in this Journal relating to a repetition of 

 an experiment of Dr. W. Philip, by three Fellows of the Royal 

 Society, a correspondence has taken place between him and 

 Mr. Brodie, (recently published in two medical Journals,) from 

 which it appears that Mr. Brodie, who was one of the above- 

 mentioned gentlemen, allows there was in the repetition of the 



