1819.] Scientific Intelligence. 381 



author shows in the pursuit of his useful enterprises." This 

 •wish of the commissioners was expressed in 1814, and the 

 collection of papers now announced proves that he has realised 

 it in a great measure, and with good success. 



(To be continued.) 



i 

 - 



| 



Article XL 



SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE, AND NOTICES OF SUBJECTS 

 CONNECTED WITH SCIENCE. 



I. Chalk in Bulgaria. 



It appears from Dr. Macrnichael's Journey from Moscow to 

 Constantinople, just published, that chalk exists on the south 

 side of the Danube, near Rudschuk. This is a fact which was 

 new to me at least, and probably will be so also to most of my 

 readers. I was not aware of the existence of chalk in any part 

 of the Turkish dominions. 



II. Mount Hcemus. 



This celebrated mountain, at present known by the name of 

 Balkan, divides Bulgaria from Romelia. According to the 

 account given of it by Dr. Macmichael, the strata on the north 

 side are generally calcareous, and the summit is a blue or varie- 

 gated marble. The moment you begin to descend to the south, 

 the nature of the rock suddenly changes into a hard argillaceous 

 schist, abounding in large veins of quartz. — (Macrnichael's 

 Journey, p. 141.) 



III. Moscow. 



The neighbourhood of Moscow consists principally of an argilla- 

 ceous bed, containing numerous iridescent ammonites, and other 

 fossils, and resembling the London clay ; of a bed of sand or 

 sandstone, which probably corresponds with the Kentish rag, or 

 green sand formation ; and of an oolitic limestone approaching 

 the character of Portland stone. Considerable blocks of granite 

 are found loose on the surface of the soil. — (Ibid p. 31.) 



IV. Bathing in the Dead Sea. 



It is well known that the water of this sea is saturated with 

 salt, chiefly muriate of magnesia, and common salt. Its specific 

 gravity is 1*211. Mr. Legh, who bathed in it in 1818, informs 

 us, that he saw several shell-fish in it, not unlike periwinkles. The 

 account which he gives of the effects of bathing is singular, but 

 not very intelligible. I shall give it in his own words. " Our 

 Arab guides had endeavoured to alarm us as to the consequences 

 of bathing in these pestiferous waters ; but we made the experi- 



