1816.] ; Linnean Society. 135 
and explained several phenomena which had been described in some 
of his preceding papers. He showed, likewise, that a thermometer 
might be constructed by means of the different coloured fringes 
exhibited by plates of glass of various degrees of heat. This ther- 
mometer might be made capable of indicating a change of tempe- 
rature not exceeding one degree of Fahrenheit’s thermometer. 
At the same meeting a paper by Sir Humphry Davy was read, 
giving an account of a new method of preventing explosions in 
coal-mines from fire-damp. His method is to surround the flame 
of the lamp or candle with a wire sieve, the meshes of which 
amount at least to 250 in aninch. Such a sieve completely pre- 
vents the explosion from setting fire to the gas on the outside of it, 
even though the most inflammable mixtures of gases, as oxygen and 
hydrogen, be present. This is certainly one of the most extraordi- 
nary and unaccountable facts connected with the propagation of 
heat and combustion. It is possible (supposing the fact to be correct) 
that so great an attraction may exist between the wires and the air 
surrounding them, that the internal combustion and expansion is 
not able to displace it. If we suppose such a fixedness to exist, it 
would account for the explosion not kindling the surrounding mix- 
ture on the outside of the sieve. This contrivance (supposing it 
effectual) would completely answer the purposes of the miner. Such 
sieves might be made for a halfpenny apiece, and they would not in 
the least obstruct the light, or prevent the candle from being used 
by the miner as it is at present; whereas the bulk, and little light 
given out by the lamps, constitutes a serious objection to their use. 
LINNZAN SOCIETY. 
On Tuesday, Dec. 5, the remainder of Dr. Acharius’s paper 
describing two new genera of lichens was concluded. 
A curious paper was likewise read, giving an account of the 
ancient inhabitants of Guadaloupe near the spot where the fossil 
human skeleton was found. Two different tribes existed, to whom 
the writer of the paper gives the names of Caribes and Galipees. 
About the year 1710 they quarrelled, and a battle was fought be- 
tween them on the spot where the skeleton was found. .The 
Galipees were routed, and disappeared in consequence, having no 
doubt emigrated. The author seems to conceive that the skeletons 
of the warriors slain in that battle were speedily encrusted with the 
calcareous sand of the place, and that this recently formed stone 
constitutes the rock in which the fossil skeleton was found. 
On Tuesday, Dec. 19, a paper was read endeavouring to explain 
the way in which the rock containing the Guadaloupe skeleton was 
agglutinated. It contained, likewise, an enumeration of the diffe- 
rent species of shells and madrepores the fragments of which occur 
in the rock. 
At the same meeting a paper by Dr. Macbride, of South Carolina, 
was read, giving an account of the fly-catching qualities of the 
leaves of the Saracenia flava and adunca, These leaves constitute 
