OUTLINES OF PERIODICAL LITEKATUKE. 337 



article on the structure and growth of the more perfect plants, extracted 

 from Professor Meyen's Report of the progress of Vegetable Physiology for 

 the year 1836, originally published in Wiegmann's journal. " January,'''' 

 concludes with Mr. Sylvester's analytical development of Fresnel's optical 

 theory of crystals, and with a supplementary number, including Mr. Walter's 

 notice on the bichromate of the perchloride of Chrome, Professor Forbes' 

 observations on Meteors, reports of learned Societies, and a dozen of brief 

 but valuable miscellanies. 



February This chilly month is introduced with a paper on a new pro- 

 perty of Nitre by Mr. Talbot : he regards this property as having an im- 

 mediate bearing upon the fundamental doctrines both of double refraction 

 and of crystalline structure, and thinks they require some modifications. 

 Col. Hall's meteorological observations made during a residence often years 

 in Colombia, include an exhibition of facts greatly conducive to the philoso- 

 phy of climate, and their usefulness is extended by his general table of tem- 

 peratures and elevations. On the results of long and patient investigation, 

 Dr. Dalton founds an essay on the constitution of the atmosphere, with an 

 account of the sulphurets of lime; and, next in order, we have Mr. Lubbock's 

 article on the divergence of the numerical coefficients of certain inequalities 

 of longitude in the lunar theory. Dr. Schleiden's observations on the deve- 

 lopment of the organization in phaenogamous plants, in an English version, 

 with a plate exhibiting thirty illustrative figures, is a paper both curious and 

 instructive. It is followed by Mr Watkins' modifications in electro-magne- 

 tic motive machines ; a plate represents his apparatus, which has the appear- 

 ances of aptitude and ingenuity. Mr. Matteucci presented to the French 

 Academy an account of his physical, chemical, and physiological researches 

 relative to the torpedo, with some remarks on the contractions of the frog 

 produced by the contact of the muscles with the nerves ; it appears here in 

 Mr. Francis' translation. Under the heads Proceedings and Miscellanies, 

 are several chemical, magnetical, electrical, and meteorological sketches ; and 

 with these the " February" is respectably finished. 



March has an experimental introduction in a letter addressed by Profes- 

 sor Schoenbein to Dr. Faraday, on the mutual voltaic relations of certain 

 peroxides, platina, and inactive iron. Three analytical articles stand in suc- 

 cession : these are, Mr. Bird's notes on indirect chemical analysis : Mr. 

 Rigg's further observations on the ultimate analysis of organic compounds : 

 and Mr. Brett's analysis of six double salts of mercury — the Moro-cyanides 

 of ammonium, of sodium, of calcium, of magnesium, of barium, and of stron- 

 tium, and mercury. Dr. Schleiden concludes admirable observations on the 

 organizations of phaenogamous plants ; and Mr. Prideaux describes the 

 Kauri or Cowdee Resin, with his experiments in relation to its employment 

 in the arts : and next in course are Mr. Lubbock's formulae on the variation 

 of the arbitrary constants in mechanical problems. Four short communica- 

 tions succeed — a chemical analysis of the substance of the electrical apparatus 

 of the torpedo, by Mr. Matteucci : Mr. Talbot on a new property of the 

 iodide of silver : Mr. Tovey's remarks on Prof. Sylvester's development of 

 Fresnell's optical theory of crystals : and Prof. Johnston on the composition 

 of certain mineral substances of organic origin ; and first, of middletcnite. 

 There is then an interesting passage selected from Macfadyen's Flora of 

 Jamaica, relating to the cultivation and uses of the indigo plant ; and lastly, 

 VOL. VIII., NO. XXIV. 43 



