Meteorological Observations. 159 



February \1th, 1839. On limestone and other substances afford- 

 ing materials for cements. 



March \2th. On artificial substances employed as substitutes for 

 stone. 



April 9th. On tliose physical and chemical properties of building 

 stones upon which their applications essentially depend. 



FRENCH EXPEDITION OF DISCOVERY TO THE SOUTH POLAR SEAS. 



This expedition, undertaken by the French Government under 

 the command of M. d'UrsdUe, has completely failed. The vessels, 

 Astrolabe and Zelee, were not able to penetrate beyond the 64" south, 

 being fully 10° short of the parallel reached by Weddel. They were 

 stopped by a compact barrier of ice, and found the whole sea in the 

 latitude we have mentioned completely frozen. — Ann. Nat. Hist., 

 No. XI. 



CURIOUS HABIT OF EARTH-WORMS. 



While staying at Whitley, near North Shields, Mr. Fryer pointed 

 out to me that the worms (Lumbrici) ,^vhich are abundant on the south 

 side of his gravel walk, just under the shade of the tuft, where the 

 walks are seldom used, gather together in a head all the loose stones 

 within 6 or 8 inches of their hole, and heap them over its opening, 

 sometimes to a considerable height. The holes when the stones are 

 removed are large, and there are often also a few straws projecting 

 from them. I do not recollect to have observed any similar habit in 

 the worm in the neighbourhood of London ; they are probably a 

 different species. — J. E. Gray. — Ann. Nat. Hist. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS FOR DECEMBER 18.38. 

 Cliiswick. — Dec. 1. Clear : rain. 2. Fine : heavy showers, with strong wind 

 and thunder and lightning at night. G, 4. Fine. 5. Drizzly. 6. Fine. 7. 

 Rain. 8. Clear; frosty. 9. Frosty and foggy. 10. Frosty: fine. 11 — 13. 

 Hazy. 14, 15. Foggy in the mornings : fine. 16 — 19. Hazy and cold. 20. 

 Frosty : fine. 21. Hazy. 22—24. Rain. 25. Very clear. 26. Frosty : 

 heavy rain at night. 27. Clear. 28. Frosty. 29. Overcast : rain. 30. Rain. 

 31. Clear and fine. 



Boiton. — Dec. 1. Fine: rain p.m. 2. Fine: rain early a.m. 3. Fine. 4. 

 Fine : rain early a.m. 5. Cloudy. 6. Fine. 7. Cloudy : rain early a.m. 

 8— 10. Fine. 11— 13. Cloudy. 14— 16. Fine. 17,18. Cloudy. 19. Cloudy : 

 rain P.M. 20,21. Cloudy. 22 — 24. Rain. 25. Fine: snow early a.m. : snow 

 r.M. 26. Fine: rain p.m. 27,28. Fine. 29,30. Cloudy. 31. Fine. 



Applegarlh Manse, Dumfries-shire. — Dec, 1. Dull and cloudy : wet p.m. 2. 

 Frequent showers. 3. Dull and cloudy : temperate. 4. Cleared up : very mild. 

 5. Clear sunshine. 6. Dull and cloudy : shower p.m. 7. Generally clear : 

 shower P.M. 8. Fine day : frosty p.m. 9. Dry, hut cloudy. 10. Cloudy and 

 moist. 11. Clear and frosty. 12. Thick fog a.m. : cleared : moist. 13. Cloudy 

 and raw. 14. Clear and sharp. 15. Dull and threatening. 16. Fog: cleared 

 up P.M. 17. Dull and cloudy. 18. Cloudy a.m., but cleared up. 19. Cloudy 

 and threatening : rain. 20. Raw after rain preceding evening. 21. Clear 



and cold: wet p.m. 22. Dry and cold, but threatening rain. 23. Dry: still 

 looking dull. 24. Dry a.m. : moist p.m. 25. Dry and clear : freezing p.m. 

 26. Wet and stormy till evening. 27. Frosty : ground very slippery. 28. 

 Frost a.m. : thawed p.m. 29. Clear, but still soft. 30. Wet and stormy all day. 

 31. Shower; and unsettled. 



