60° Analyses of Books. [Dec. 
tradiction to the belief of many, that the latter do not take place 
after the cessation of vital action. 
XXII. On the Mechanism of the Spine. By Henry Earle, 
Esq. FRS. Surgeon to the Foundling, and Assistant-Surgeon to 
St. Bartholomew’s Hospital. ; 
Mr. Earle’s account of the exquisite mechanism of the spine 
and spinal canal in birds, and his illustration from it of the phy- 
siology and pathology of the human spine, can scarcely be 
abridged ; and the first, unaided by the plate, would be difficultly 
intelligible. qa 
- XXIIL. Of the Nerves which associate the Muscles of the Chest 
in the Actions of Breathing, Speaking, and Expression ; being a 
Continuation of the Paper onthe Structure and Functions of the 
‘Nerves. By Charles Bell, Esq. (Communicated by Sir Hum- 
phry Davy, Bart. LLD. PRS.) , 
* For the anatomical and physiological details here given, and 
their applications to pathology, we must refer our readers to the 
memoir itself. 
Mr. Bell informs us in the commencement, “ that already 
practical benefits have arisen from the former paper; that the 
views presented there, as connected with general science, being 
carried into practice, have enabled the physician to make more 
accurate distinctions of disease, and the surgeon in removing 
deformity, to avoid producing distortion.” 
XXIV. Experiments and Observations on the Newry Pitch- 
stone, and its Products, and on the Formation of Pumice. By the 
Right Hon. George Knox, FRS. 
Weare informed in the commencement of this paper, that the 
locality of this mineral, and the singularity of its external charac- 
ters, having excited the curiosity of the author, he took advantage 
of the facilities afforded by the liberality of the Royal Society of 
Dublin to make an analysis of it in their laboratory ; and after 
making some observations on the varying characters of' the 
Newry pitchstone, and mentioning that Dr. Fitton seems to have 
overlooked two striking characters of it, the smed/ and strong 
oily taste, he gives from the Transactions of the Geological 
Society that gentleman’s description of its site and characters. 
Mr. Knox adds some further particulars to Dr. Fitton’s geo- 
logical statement, and a more particular account of the characters 
of the stone itself. He observes, that ‘“ although the peculiar 
character of this variety of pitchstone is its smell, yet, I believe, 
it differs from all others, including those from Arran, in the 
degree in which it is disposed to divide into thin lamine; its 
proneness to disintegrate, and the regularity of its rhomboidal 
fragments.” 
A piece of the compact specimen lost 7°75 per cent. by igni- 
tion for half an hour, was changed in colour to a pitch-brown, 
retaining its lustre; and, without actually falling in pieces, opened 
