1819.] Proceedings of Philosophical Societies. 463 
heat; 2. That heat changes the state of bodies, converting 
solids into liquids, and liquids into elastic fluids; 3. That heat 
favours chemical combinations and decompositions; 4. That 
heat is disengaged in every case of chemical combination ; 
5. That bodies have different capacities for heat ; 6. That when 
solids are converted into liquids or liquids into vapours, a certain 
quantity of heat always disappears. These phenomena are 
accounted for in a very simple and satisfactory manner. Indeed 
the only thing that our author’s theory of heat wants is to be 
expressed in a more precise and definite manner. 
(To be continued. ) 
ArticLe VII. 
Proceedings of Philosophical Societies. 
LINNEAN SOCIETY. 
March 2.—A Paper, by the Rev. W. Kirby, was read, on the 
characters of the Otocerus and Fulgorella, two new genera of 
Hemipterous insects belonging to the family of Cicadiade, with 
a description of several species. 
Also an account, by Mr. J. Drummond, of some experiments 
made in the Cork Botanic Garden, by sowing the powder found 
in the ripe capsules of Funaria hygrometrica. 
March 16.—Mr. Lindley’s monograph of the genus rosa was 
continued. 
April 6.—A paper, by R. Brown, Esq. was read, on Lyellia, 
anew genus of mosses, with some remarks on Leptostomum and 
Buxbaumia. 
At this meeting there was also begun a memoir on the birds 
of Greenland, by Capt. E. Sabine. 
A paper was likewise read, entitled ‘“ Remarks on the 
Changes of Plumage of Birds,” by the Rey. W. Whitear. 
April 20.—Capt. E. Sabine’s account of the birds of Green- 
land was continued. 
At this meeting was also read, an account, with drawings, of 
vegetable specimens found in the coal-pits in the neighbourhood 
of Camerton, by the Rev. Mr. Skinner. 
Artic.Le VIII. 
SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE, AND NOTICES OF SUBJECTS 
CONNECTED WITH SCIENCE, 
I. Specific Heat of Fluids and Solids, 
M. Dulong is stated to have been led to conclude from his 
recent experiments on this difficult subject that the specific heat 
