Earthquakes. — Meteor and Earthquake. — Fossils. 315 



of Silesia, spheroids of this description, so piled upon each 

 other as to resemble Dutch cheeses ; and appearances no less 

 illustrative of the phenomenon may be seen from the signal 

 station to which we have just alluded. The fact of the upper 

 part of the cliff being more exposed to atmospheric agency, 

 than the parts beneath, will sufficiently explain why these 

 rounded masses so frequently rest on blocks which still pre- 

 serve the tabular form; and since such spheroidal blocks must 

 obviously rest in that position in which their lesser axes are 

 perpendicular to the horizon, it is equally evident, that when- 

 ever an adequate force is applied, they must vibrate on their 

 point of support." 



EARTHQUAKES. 



At San Pietro in Bagno, in the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, 

 several earthquakes of minor importance have been lately felt. 

 In the morning between the 12th and 13th of August, not less 

 than twenty shocks were distinctly perceived. Three, tolerably 

 strong, occurred about seven o'clock, which made the church 

 bells ring. At Salva-piana, which was the spot most affected, 

 a wall was thrown down, but happily without injuring any 

 person. During the following day and night the earthquakes 

 continued, but with trifling effect. A haziness of the atmo- 

 sphere and a particular kind of obscurity about the sun were 

 the phenomena remarked immediately previous to these con- 

 vulsions of Nature. 



METEOR AND EARTHQUAKE. 



A traveller, who happened during the nights of the 11th 

 and 1 2th of August to be upon the Alps, reports that he saw 

 a globe of fire which lighted the atmosphere for three minutes; 

 and about the same time the shocks of an earthquake were felt 

 in several parts of Italy. 



FOSSILS. 



The labourers engaged in excavating the bed of Wallasey 

 Pool, for the purpose of making a wet dock, have lately disco- 

 vered several fine stags' horns, in the most perfect state of pre- 

 servation. It is probable that what is now termed Wallasey 

 Pool was anciently part of a wood or forest, as in the neigh- 

 bourhood the remains of large trees are frequently found at 

 different depths below the surface, of a very dark colour ; some 

 as black as coal, and so hard that the farmers use them as 

 gate-posts. The horns were found nearly thirty feet below 

 the bed of the pool. The workmen, it is said, have alo dis- 

 covered evident traces of an ancient road having once existed 

 thereat the same depth. — Liverpool Courier. 



K r 2 loss] i 



