Notices respecting New Books. 59 
readily be made so, by shifting a moveable weight, with which 
the body is to be furnished, in a line between the centres of sus- 
pension and oscillation; when the distance between the two 
points about which the vibrations were performed being mea- 
sured, the length of a simple pendulum, and the time of its vi- 
bration, will at once be known, uninfluenced by any irregularity 
of density or figure.” 
The following, including this paper of Capt. Kater’s, are the 
contents of the present part of the Transactions : 
“J, On the great Strength given to Ships of War by the Ap- 
plication of Diagonal Braces. By Robert Seppings, Esq. F.R.S. 
‘II. A Memoir on the Geography of the North-eastern Part of 
Asia, and on the Question whether Asia and America are con- 
tiguous, or are separated by the Sea. By Captain James Bur- 
ney, F.R.S.—III. Additional Facts respecting the fossil Remains 
of an Animal, on the Subject of which two Papers have been 
printed in the Philosophical Transactions, showing that the 
Bones of the Sternum resemble those of the Ornithorhynchus 
paradoxus. By Sir Everard Home, Bart. V.P.R.S.—IV. An 
Account of Experiments for determining the Length of the Pen- 
dulum vibrating Seconds in the Latitude of London. By Capt. 
Henry Kater, F.R.S.—V. On the Length of the French Métre 
estimated in Parts of the English Standard. By Captain Henry 
Kater, F.R.S.—VI. A few Facts relative to the colouring Mat- 
ters of some Vegetables, By James Smithson, Esq. F.R.S.— 
VII. An Account of Experiments made on the Strength of Ma- 
terials. By George Rennie jun. Esq. In a Letter to Thomas 
Young, M.D. For. Sec. R.S.—VII1. On the Office of the Heart 
Wood of Trees. By T. A. Knight, Esq. F.R.S. In a Letter 
addressed to the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. G.C.B. 
P.R.S.—IX. On circulating Functions, and on the Integration 
of a Class of Equations of finite Differences into which they en- 
ter as Coefficients. By John F. W. Herschel, Esq. F.R.S.— 
X. On the Fallacy of the Experiments in which Water is said 
to have been formed by the Decomposition of Chlorine. By 
Sir H. Davy, LL.D.F.R.S.—XI. The Croonian Lecture. On 
the Changes the Blood undergoes in the Act of Coagulation. By 
Sir Everard Home, Bart. V.P.R.S. — XII. Some Additions to 
the Croonian Lecture, on the Changes the Blood undergoes in 
the Act of Coagulation. By Sir Everard Home, Bart. V.P.R.S. 
—XIII. On the Laws of Polarisation and double Refraction in 
regularly crystallized Bodies. By David Brewster, LL.D. F.R.S. 
Lond. and Edin. In a Letter to the Right Hon. Sir Joseph 
Banks, Bart. G.C. B. PRS.” "i 
Transactions 
