end Prvgrefs of the Royal Society' of Lio'nilov. 173 



tijis fiociety dnriiig the laft century. The uature of vegeta- 

 tion, the circulation and defcent of the lap iu trees, the rc- 

 im;;)ii of bark to frees from which it had been feparated, &c. 

 were tiijeh- explained by Dr. Beale,.Dr. Litier, Mr. Reed, 

 M. JSlaiphiei, Mr. Hay, &c. The ufe of marie, of fea-fand, 

 (rf fait and of brine for manures, are taught in. others of thofc 

 papers. Mr. Ring comnJunicaLed a method of ir.iprovino; the 

 bogs mid loughs in Ii-eland bv drainage. Dr. Bealc ex- 

 plained the fertilizing powers of froft. The preparation of 

 oak tor tanning, of kigar from the maple-tree, of vinegar, of 

 pitch, tar, refin, and turpentine, are the fubjeetsoftome other 

 ingenious papers of the fame period. Dr. Lilter invefticated 

 with Curious paiu.s the botai>ic<iL hiftorv of the nuifhroom. 

 lletidock, opium, fnake-root, aloe americana, the amouuun 

 of the Philippine ides, and many other plants adapted to be 

 ol iiie in ilie niatcria%iediea, were examined in their trrowth 

 and qualities, under the Society's directions. Dr. Lifter proved 

 the podibility of fertilizing a fandy foil bv the addition of 

 clay. Sir Robert Moray gave a valuable paper on the procefs 

 of malting. Dr. Bcale and Mr. Dale taught how to make 

 bread frorti turnips and potatoes. 



In zoology, the papers of this period are likewifc nume- 

 rous, and illuftrative of manv of the moft intcrciiino; ipecies 

 in the animal kingdom. The hiltories ol the filkworui, 

 the whale, ihe eochineal infect, the pcarl-mufcle, the bee, 

 were, on account of the relations of thefe animals to the 

 nfeful arts, examined with extraordinary care. JMany ac- 

 counts of moi!ltv>Ais births and figures of animals were 

 from different parts iranfmittcd for the Society'.s conlidcrafion. 

 Waller's poem *■ on the Summer Iflands" appears to have 

 had ff)r its fbuntlntion a narrative concernino- whales and 

 Svhale-fifliing at the Bermudas, vi-hich was eonnnunicated to 

 the public in the Traufactions of the Koyal 'Society. Mr. 

 Kay, examiiring into the nature of ant?, difcovefed and made 

 known.to the S^jciety that which has been ii nee nAined the 

 formic acid. Others, with much curious pains, illudraled 

 the hiftory of ttic fpidcr. Dw Liiter ft)und ah acid juice in 

 another inlett befide the ant. Mr. Hovle and others cxa- 

 mmed and explained the analDinical Itructure of fifhes. la 

 regard to ihc humiin' body cfpfcifrlly were thefe philofophers 

 wondeH'ullv i^Tchrtirions in refearch. The natural accidents 

 to whreh it Is fubict^-t, and its anatomical (huciunci were 

 never bd'ore k) well iHultrated as bv the tacfs wtiicb they 

 colle»5ti*d. Crviicerning the ItruCture, external parts, anti 

 common legnineuts ot human bftdies ; the head ; the neck 

 and thorax; the aUdomcn ; the humours and general ali'ec- 



tions 



