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 SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE. 



METEOROLOGY AND HYDROLOGY, 



1. Researches on the Constitution of the Atmosphere. — M.. 

 Doyere having had particular occasion to examine the phenomena of 

 respiration of man and animals exposed to the influence of the vapour 

 of ether, he was induced to try the protochloride of copper as an ab- 

 sorbent of oxygen in gaseous mixtures. The favourable results of 

 the employment of this reagent having induced him to pursue the 

 study of eudiometry, he succeeded in effecting a combination of in- 

 struments with simple means of correction and easy management, 

 which gave the original volume of a gas, and that of the residue 

 which any absorbent leaves, within a ten-thousandth part. 



The author was surprised to find that this method indicated larger 

 proportions of oxygen than those generally admitted, and that even 

 among them considerable variations occurred. M. Doyere continued 

 his operations for four months, and the results proved that the com- 

 position of the air varies incessantly. In general, the variation is 

 slight, and the proportions of oxygen varying between 208 and 210 

 parts in 1000; but this variation was found to go as low as 205, 

 and as high as 212. These great diflPerences never occurred suddenly ; 

 the quantity having diminished or increased as gradually as consists 

 with such a description of facts. M. Doyere shews that his results 

 harmonize perfectly with those of MM. Boussingault and Dumas 

 obtained at Paris ; with those which were obtained by M. Stas at 

 Brussels, and with the great work achieved by M. Lewy with re- 

 spect to the air of the North Sea and that of Guadaloupe. He also 

 proves that Dr Trout's experiments on the weight of the air, and 

 those published by M. Regnault, agree with his view of the subject, 

 and prove that the air is continually varying. 



He shews also, that the densities of oxygen and nitrogen given by 

 M. Regnault, do not agree with the composition of the air, when 

 stated to contain only 209 of oxygen ; and that they indicate 

 T'oVo^lis of oxygen if the mean density of nitrogen be adopted, and 

 212 to 215, if the extreme densities resulting from the expei-iments 

 of M. Regnault be preferred. — {Comptes Rendus, Fevrier 14, 

 1848 ; Philosophical Magazine, vol. xxxiii. No. 220, p. 165, Third 

 Series.) 



2. An Account of some Observations made on the Depth of Rain 

 which falls in the same localities at different altitudes in the Hilly 

 Districts of Lancashire, Cheshire, and Derbyshire. By S. C. Ho- 

 mersham, C.E. Communicated by George Newport, Esq., F.R.S. 

 — The author states, that having been present at a meeting of the 

 Royal Society, when a paper was read on the Meteorology of the 

 Lake Districts of Westmoreland and Cumberland, by J. Miller, Esq., 

 of Kendal, in which it was stated that the quantity of rain falling in 



