Scientific Intelligence — Hydrology. 371 



to the southward of Sholapore or northward of Siirat, or greatly to 

 the westward of Bombay or eastward of Asseerghiir — that is, be- 

 twixt the parallels of 17° and 22"" and meridians of 72° and 77°. or 

 over an area of 30<J miles north and south, and as much east and 

 west, or 90,000 square miles in all. The western margin of this 

 space for about 30 miles is a little above the level of the sea ; the 

 eastern portion for about 250 miles varies in elevation from 1900 to 

 2000 feet. — {From the Bombay Monthly Times, March 1849.)* 



2. Great mass of Atmospheric Ice. — A curious phenomenon oc- 

 curred at the farm of BalvuUich, on the estate of Ord, occupied by 

 Mr Moffat, on the evening of Monday last. Immediately after one 

 of the loudest peals of thunder heard there, a large and irregular- 

 shapfd mass of ice, reckoned to be nearly 20 feet in circumference, 

 and of a proportionate thickness, fell near the farm-house. It had 

 a beautiful crystalline appearance, being nearly all quite transparent, 

 if we except a small portion of it which consisted of hailstones of un- 

 common size, fixed together. It was principally composed of small 

 squares, diamond- shaped, of from 1 to 3 inches in size, all firmly con- 

 gealed together. The weight of this large piece of ice could not be 

 ascertained ; but it is a most fortunate circumstance, that it did not 

 fall on Mr Moffat's house, or it would have crushed it, and undoubt- 

 edly have caused the death of some of the inmates. No appearance 

 whatever of either hail or snow was discernible in the surrounding dis- 

 trict. — {Ross-shire Advertiser. — Scotsman, August 11, 1849.) 



3. Report on the Air and Water of Toivns. By Dr Smith 

 {Pro. Brit. Assoc). — In commencing his report, the author says, 

 it has long been believed that air and water have the most im- 

 portant influence on health, and superstitions have therefore con- 

 stantly attached themselves to receptacles of the one, and ema- 

 nations from the other. The town has always been found to differ 

 fi'om the country ; this general feeling is a more decisive experi- 

 ment than any that can be made in a laboratory. The author 

 proceeds to examine all the sources from which the air or water can 

 be contaminated. The various manufactories of large towns, the 

 necessary conditions to which tiie inhabitants are subjected, and 

 the deteriorating influences of man himself are explained. If 

 air be passed through water, a certain amount of the organic 

 matter poured off from the lungs is to be detected in it. By 

 continuing this experiment for three months, Dr Smith detected 

 sulpliuric acid, chlorine, and a substance resembling impure albumen. 

 These substances are constantly being condensed upon cold bodies ; 

 and, in a warm atmosphere, the albuminous matter very soon putri- 

 fies, and emits disagreeable odours. The changes which this sub- 

 stance undergoes by oxidation, &c., were next examined, and shewn 



* Mr Dawsoii'B account of the liulo observed at I'ictou, Nova Scotia, arrived 

 too late; but will appoar in our next, uitli an ongi-aving. — Ktlit. 



