Miscellanies. 385 
It was soft, tough, and well adapted for foundry purposes. The cin- 
der was a perfect glass, translucent on the edges, of a smoky color, 
readily fusible before the blow-pipe, and consequently it presents no 
ebstacle to the free running of iron ina furnace. This ore being in 
the immediate vicinity of the richest of the coals above described, 
will be a highly valuable resource, if it shall be found in beds of such 
thickness, and with such accompaniments as to render its attainment 
not too aa, aaa 
12, Paleess of the eggs of the Elm-tree Moth.—On the 15th inst. 
Inoticed several minute insects busily engaged in thrusting their 
€ggs into the eggs of the Elm-tree Canker-worm Moth,—(supposed 
to be the Geometra vernata of Peck,) which had been laid a short 
time previous. On applying a microscope, it was immediately appa- 
rent that this parasitic insect belongs to the genus Platygaster of 
Latreille. Of this genus, Say has described one American species, 
(Contrib. Macl. Lyceum, p. 81, Philad., 1829,) and Mr. F. Walker 
has published descriptions of ninety nine foreign species, in the En- 
tomological Magazine, London, October, 1835. ether the insect 
in question is new or not, I have been too much occupied to deter- 
mine. Should it prove to be new, I shall endeavor to give some 
account of it hereafter. The parasite appears quite abundant, and 
must be of great service in checking the increase of the canker-worm. 
. C. Herrick. 
New Haven, November 30, 1839. 
13. Great Earthquakes in Burmah.—The following account is 
from a letter written by Eld. E. Kincaid, Baptist 1 Missionary in Bur- 
mah, to Dr. L. C. Paine, Albion, N. Y., and published in the Utica 
Register of Jan. 17th, 
~ “ On the 23d of March, 1839, between three and four in the morn- 
ing, Ava was visited with one of the most terrible earthquakes ever 
known in this part of the world. A loud rumbling noise, like the 
roar of distant thunder, was heard, and in an instant the earth began 
to reel from east to west with motions so rapid and violent, that peo- 
ple were thrown out of their beds and obliged to support themselves 
by laying hold of posts. Boxes and furniture were thrown from side 
to side, with a violence similar to what takes place on board a ship in 
@ severe storm at sea. The waters of the river rose, and rolled back 
for some time with great impetuosity, strewing the shores with the 
Wrecks of boats and buildings. The plains between Umerapora and 
the river were rent into vast yawning caverns, running from north to 
South, and from ten to twenty feet in width. Vast quantities of wa- 
ter and black sand were thrown upon the surface, emitting at the 
Vo}. xxxvin1, No. 2.—Jan.~March, 1840. 49 
