74 T/iunberg's Cabinet of Entomology. — Earthquake. 



thunberg's cabinet of entomology. 



Professor Thunberg, of Upsal, has proposed to sell his large 

 and valuable collection of Insects. It includes every class and 

 order, and is in very good condition. It is one of the most 

 extensive, containing at least between 25 and 30,000 speci- 

 mens: it commenced 60 years ago, and has been continued till 

 the present time ; the names of the subjects, and notes on 

 them, are affixed. They are preserved in 84 cases, which 

 contain neat boxes or drawers covered with glass, and having 

 cork at the bottom. Of each species there are in many cases 

 two or more specimens. The class of butterflies is unusually 

 complete, handsome, and enriched with specimens and species 

 the largest and most rare. The new and as yet undescribed 

 species are many. There are specimens of some which are 

 not in any other collection ; the collection is rich in those from 

 Japan, Java, Ceylon, the Cape of Good Hope, and South 

 America. 



This formation has cost the proprietor 10,000 rix dollars, 

 Hamburgh currency, for collections purchased, exclusive of 

 those which he has collected himself. For the whole the pro- 

 prietor expects 2000/. sterling. 



EARTHOUAKE. 



Ceylon, Feb. 15, 1823. 

 On Sunday last, about three minutes after one p.m. (mean 

 time), two distinct though slight shocks of earthquake were 

 felt at Colombo, following each other in the course of half a 

 minute. No damage has been sustained either here or in the 

 several other places in the island where it was also felt. We 

 have accounts of the occurrence from Kandy and different 

 places in its neighbourhood, Ratnapora, Matura, Hamban- 

 totte, and Negombo. The phaenomena, as described, seem 

 to have been nearly the same every where, and were accom- 

 panied by a rumbling noise as of heavy ordnance moving 

 along the ground. It appeared to move in a direction from 

 the north-west to south-east. Though our correspondents 

 have given us the times at which they observed the occurrence 

 at different places, yet as they have not always distinguished 

 whether the time was solar or mean time, and as the accuracy 

 of watches at out-stations is not always to be relied on, we 

 do not think the data in this respect are given with sufficient 

 accuracy to be useful. The sky was clear, but no greater 

 heat, or other difference of temperature observed from what 

 is usual at this period of the year. 



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