i 50 Na/ural Il/sfoiy. — Researches relative to Incuhation. 



tuinly alluvial. This river can be navigated by keels and 

 barges without any improvement in all seasons ; and it is con- 

 fidently believed by persons best acquainted with it, that 

 steam-boats of moderate, perhaps an}' size, may pass with con- 

 venience for half the year for many hundred miles up. From 

 the central position of this river, the extent, and excellence of 

 its soil, the variety of climate, the facilities with which articles 

 for new settlements can be imported, and of exporting what- 

 ever may be offered for exportation by the country, it will 

 warrant the opinion that it is destined to be the most important 

 part of that delightful and interesting province; and but little 

 doubt exists, that as soon as there are settlers sufficient for 

 their own protection and for subsisting the public functionaries, 

 tlie government will be administered at some point on that 

 river. There were at the time Gen. W. left the Brassos, a 

 number of families and other persons at the mouth of the river, 

 on their way to join the settlers, &c. Colonel Child is the per- 

 son sent to the government, as agent for the company, &c. 

 The Spaniards manifest the most sincere friendship for the 

 Americans, and wish them not only to occupy the unsettled 

 country, but even to live immediately among them. Tke In- 

 dians also show every mark of friendship. 



NATURAL HISTORY. 



The Prussian naturalists Dr. Ehrenberg and Dr. Flemprich, 

 on their travels in the North of Africa, arrived on the 15th of 

 February at the celebrated city of Dongola, the capital of 

 Nubia. Previously, in the j'ears 1820 and 1821, they had sent 

 \.&\ ciiests and four casks, with subjects of natural history, to 

 tl.e Royal Museum at Berlin, 



RESEARCHES RELATIVE TO IXCUBATION, BY M. GEOFFROY 

 ST. HILAIRE. 



Some very interesting researches have, we learn, lately occu- 

 pied tlie attention of M. Geoffroy St. Hilaire, relative to all the 

 facts of incubation. They have been carried on by disturbing 

 liens and their alhr.i ties in the operations of /c/f/Zw^^and ol hatchiiig. 

 Persuaded that it is one of the most efficacious means of draw- 

 in"- from Nature same of her secrets in the formation of or- 

 ganized beings, he has contrived to emploj' her powers so as 

 to make her produce irregularly: coiuiteracting the regular 

 trperation of the nlsus formativus, and recjuiring Nature to 

 create under circumstances so modified, that her pov»'ers are 

 employed for re-ii'.ts negative, indeed, as regards tlie prodnc- 

 tMin of beings, but instructive us to th.e anomjilous course which 

 she is obliged to take. He has suspcr.dal at discretion the 



usual 



