226 Royal Society. 



ductions made) 30,000,000 would probably be the utmost attainable 

 limits of duty but for two expedients; 1st, causing the steam to 

 act expansively after exerting its whole force through a certain 

 part of the cylinder ; 2diy, raising its temperature by an increased 

 expense of fuel much above 212°. 



Both these means are considered, and occasion is taken to com- 

 pare the efficiency of the methods invented by Messrs. Watt and 

 Hornblower, for the former purpose ; the preference in point of 

 simplicity and advantage being given, however, to the former. With 

 regard to the latter, it is concluded, that in certain cases ad- 

 vantage is really gained by the use of strong steam. The author 

 then alludes -with approbation to a method recently attempted, 

 where a small quantity of water is forced at each stroke into a mi- 

 nute boiler, presenting, however, a very large surface in proportion 

 to its capacity, and kept at an equable high temperature by im- 

 mersion in fused metal. But he considers the greatest hopes of 

 increased power to rest on the application to mechanical purposes 

 of some fluid more elastic than the vapour of water, according to 

 the suggestion of the President in the Phil. Trans, for 1823. 



The author concludes this paper by a statement of the duties 

 actually performed by the engines in Cornwall ; from which it ap- 

 pears that several of the large engines there at work are actually 

 performing a duty greater than the whole efficiency of the steam, 

 unaided by expansive working or high pressure, on the assumptions 

 here made, while others apparently similar in every respect fail of 

 performing half that duty, and no satisfactory cause has been as. 

 signed for this important difference. 



Feb. 1. — G. Poulett Scrope, Esq. was admitted a Fellow of the 

 Society ; and a paper was read, entitled " Account of a new genus 

 of serpcntiform sea-animals; by J. Harwood, M.D. F.L.S., Pro- 

 fessor of Natural History at the Royal Institution : communicated 

 by Daniel Moore, Esq. F.R.S." 



In the introductory portion of this paper Dr. Harwood alludes to 

 the notion entertained by the ancients, that the sea was peopled by 

 monsters and animals of anomalous nature ; and to the modern fa- 

 bulous relations concerning the kraken and the sea-serpent. The 

 last subject he mentions as having of late years attracted consider- 

 able attention and given rise to much exaggerated narrative. He 

 then states his gratification at being enabled to present to the Royal 

 Society an account of a new marine serpentiform animal, which 

 he has recently examined. 



This animal was taken up at sea, in latitude 62° N., and longitude 

 57° W., by Capt. Sawyer, of the ship Harmony, of Hull, whilst he 

 was pursuing the bottle-nosed porpoise. It was found lying on the 

 surface of the water, and was at first supposed to be an inflated 

 seal-skin, as employed by the Esquimaux to attach to their har- 

 poons, for the purpose of wearying out the larger aquatic animals by 

 its buoyant power. 



From its continued endeavours, apparently, to gorge a species of 

 perch, of greater circumference than itself^ it was in a very ex- 

 hausted state; and made scarcely any efforts to resist its capture. 



The 



