394; Mechanic^ Institution, — Royal Academy of Paris. 



the table ; likewise specimens of the Penimican, which have been 

 prepared by government for Capt. Parry's voyage; an experiment 

 upon the reflection of light at different angles ; and new publica- 

 tions. 



April 6. — A few observations were made by Mr. Webster on the 

 impulse of wind on sails. 



In the library were several line presents to the Museum of Na- 

 tural History ; amongst which was the skeleton of the Ouran Outang 

 of Borneo, given by Gen. Hardwicke. On the tables were speci- 

 mens of paper made from various substances ; books presented to 

 the library, and various literary novelties. 



The evenings were then adjourned over two Fridays, to April 27. 



LONDON mechanics' INSTITUTION. 



On Wednesday the 4th of April, Professor Millington completed 

 a course of lectures on Pneumatics at this Institution, to an exceed- 

 ingly crowded auditory of the members. Mr. Kirby commenced a 

 course of lectures on the Steam Engine, on the 1 1th of April. These 

 lectures will be succeeded about the 23rd of May, by a short course 

 on Luminiferous animals, on Phosphorescence, and on the Philo- 

 sophy of the ordinary means of producing fire ; by Mr. E. W. Bray- 

 ley, jun. The Friday evenings have been occupied with lectures on 

 Prejudice, by Mr. Chambers ; on Combustion, by Mr.Hemming; on 

 the Architectural Antiquities of Britain, by Mr. Stackhouse ; and 

 Dr. Birkbeck (the President,) commenced his course on the Struc- 

 ture and Functions of the Human Body, last Friday evening, the 27th 

 of April. ■ 



ROYAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF PARIS. 



Sittings of June 22, 1826, to the 17th of Feb. 1827. 



The President announced that after an examination of the pre- 

 cedents for the prizes founded by M. de Montyon, for Experi- 

 mental physiology, no decision excluded memoirs on the physio- 

 logy of vegetables. 



M. Arago communicated a letter from M. Boussingault, ad- 

 dressed to M. de Humboldt, and dated Bogota, in which this tra- 

 veller describes the earthquake that occurred in that city on the 

 17th of June 1826. 



MM. Dulong and Gay-Lussac reported on the Memoir of M, 

 Dumas on some points of the atomic theory. " We trust," says 

 the reporter, " that we have sufficiently shown the importance of 

 the recent researches of M. Dumas. They contain that talent for 

 observation, exactness of methodsof experimenting and justness of 

 views which characterize his other labours. We propose therefore 

 to the Academy, to bestow its approbation on this Memoir, and to 

 order its being printed in the Recueil des Savans ctrangers'' 



M. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire read A report, drawn up by himself, 

 MM. De Lamark and Boyer, on a Memoir by M. Vincent Portal, 

 D.M. entitled Description de plusieurs monslruosit^s humains anon- 

 cephales. The Memoir was approved, and advised to be printed in 

 Recueil des Savans etrangers. 



MM. Thenard 



