Skeleton of a IVhale. 157 



1 part. The manner of making the ink is as follows : — The wax, 

 the shellac, and half the soap are put together in an iron sauce- 

 pan, and exposed to a strong fire, until the whole mass ignites. 

 When the quantity is reduced by ignition to one half, the sauce- 

 pan is covered, or put into a pailful of water, to extinguish the 

 flame, and cool the composition. The other half of the soap is 

 then added, keeping the saucepan over a fire, at such a degree of 

 heat as is sufficient for the solution of the soap. The lamp-black, 

 which must be of the finest quality, and must have been pre- 

 viously burned in a close vessel until yellow smoke no longer is- 

 sued from it, is now added to the composition, stirring it con- 

 tinually all the while. When all has !)een well mixed, and worked 

 up until it gradually becomes cool, the composition is taken out 

 of the saucepan, when any shape may be given to it. Most of 

 it ought to be formed into small cylinders or sticks ; and in that 

 dry state preserved for occasional use ; rubbing it down, when 

 wanted, with a few drops of water in a cup, until it is about the 

 thickness of cream. — A softer ink for transferring drawings or 

 writings from paper to the stone is made in the same manner, but 

 with the following ingredients : — Shellac 3 parts; wax I part; 

 tallow G parts ; mastic 5 parts; soap 4 parts ; hunp-black 1 part. 

 [To be continued.] 



SKELETON OF A WHALE. 



A most interesting point in natural history has occurred in 

 Clackmannanshire. 



On Monday last, the 19th instant, while some workmen were 

 employed in making improvements upon the estate of Airthry, 

 the property of .Sir Robert Abercromby, bart. about 300 yards 

 south from the east porter's lodge which leads to Airthry castle, 

 they came upon a hard substance, which proved to be that of a 

 large sized whale, dimensions nearly as follow : Feet. Inches. 



The head, or crown bone, in breadth 8 5 



Ditto, in length 5 



There are nine vertebrae, some of which are in 



diameter, indcpendeiitiv of the side processes, I 8 



Breadth, including the jirocesses, 3 6 



Two bones of the swimming paws : 



One of these is in length 5 4 



The other (l)roken) 3 S 



Circumference of these bones v . . 3 8 



Six broken pieces of bone from one foot in length to 4 



Thirteen ribs of these : 



One is in length 10 



Ditto in circumference I 1 



And one in length !) 3 



Ditto in circumference 1 2 



