1818.] Royal Society. 65 



respecting the question whether the continents of Asia and 

 America are united. From the account of different travellers 

 and navigators, especially among the Russians, it would appear 

 that there is still a considerable part of what is usually laid down 

 in the maps as forming the coast of the northern ocean, which 

 has never yet been accurately traced. The maritime boundary of 

 the country of the Tchuktchi has never been explored ; and, so 

 far as can be learned from the inhabitants themselves, they are 

 ignorant of the extent of their own territory in the northern 

 direction. Captain Bhering and Captain Cook, who successively 

 made very important discoveries in the narrow part of the sea, 

 composing what is now called Bhering's Straits, were never able 

 to penetrate farther N. than about the 70° of latitude. Beyond 

 this, on the American continent, we are completely without any 

 information ; and on the Asiatic side, we seem to have little 

 certain knowledge, until we arrive at the River Kovyma, for 

 about 20° of longitude. We have some imperfect accounts of a 

 large tract of land lying beyond what is now marked on the 

 maps as the N. E. part of Asia, to which the name of New 

 Siberia has been given. This may either be an island detached 

 from either continent, or it may be a part of America, stretching 

 over to the westward ; but respecting this country, if it actually 

 exist, our information is very scanty. 



On Dec. 18, a paper by James Smithson, Esq. was read, con- 

 taining some remarks on vegetable colours. Among the sub- 

 stances which he examined were litmus, the colouring matter of 

 the violet, of the blue hyacinth, of the blue paper which is 

 employed for wrapping up loaf sugar, of the mulberry, and the 

 pigment called sap-green. Some of these are employed by 

 chemists as delicate tests of acids and alkalies ; and various 

 experiments were related respecting their action on these bodies, 

 and the manner in which they were respectively affected by them. 

 The author conceives it probable that some vegetable colours 

 may be produced by a combination of principles, that the red 

 colour of flowers may depend upon the union of carbonic acid 

 with a blue matter, and that in other cases a vegetable principle 

 may be combined with a small quantity of potash, analogous to 

 the substance which has been called ulmin. The author also 

 gave an account of some experiments which he had performed 

 upon the green colour which is procured from certain insects : 

 this he was led to conclude is of a different nature from the 

 vegetable greens. 



On the same evening a paper by Dr. John Davy was read, 

 giving an account of the mountain called Adam's Peak, in the 

 Island of Ceylon. This has been long celebrated as the resort 

 of pilgrims from all parts of the country, in consequence of i* 

 superstitious tradition that the Indian god Boodha ascended into 

 heaven from its summit, and left upon it the impression of his 

 foot. The mountain is supposed by the author to be between 



Vol. XI. N° I. E 



