• gjjjT Scientific InlelUgence. 235 



able mineralogists, have not been followed by any result, from 

 which one might be led to conjecture the presence of coal in any 

 cart of the Appennines, except some traces of it, which the lowest 

 parts of the sub-appenine country offer, though of very httle 



moment. 



I have the honour to be, 



Sir, your humble servant, 

 r - 90 isi-i A. B. Granville, M.D. 



IX. Ansicer to the Queries respecting Shell-Fish in a Moss 



near Elgin. ' 



(To Dr. Thomson.) 

 SIR, 



On perusing the last number of your Annals, I observed a note 

 siencd C. T. requesting information respecting live shell-hsh which 

 are said to be found at the depth of three or four feet in the solid 

 body of a moss near Elgin, in Murrayshire. 



Though extremely sceptical of the existence of this circumstance, 

 I addressed a letter to the Rev. Wm. Leslie, Minister of St. An- 

 drews near Elgin, a Gentleman well known tor the accuracy ot his 

 observation, and zeal in investigating whatever is interesting, re- 

 Questinc he would inform me if there was any foundation tor such 

 a reoort Mr L. has kindly favoured me with an account of the 

 different" mosses in the vicinity of Elgin, with whatever appeared 

 worthy of notice respecting them. He assures me there is not the 

 least measure of reality, or any kind of foundation lor the report 

 alluded to, as no trace of shell-fish, either dead or ahye were 

 found in any of the mosses near Elgin, nor to his knowledge in 

 any other mosses in the adjacent country. 



I was some time ago informed by Mr. Hughes, the Gentleman 

 who superintended tie operations in draining the lake of Spynie, in 

 the vicinity of Elgin, that a few live fresh-vvater muscles and 

 some belemnites, were found in the bed of the lake. The existence 

 of live shell-fish and petrified tangles (as the belemnites were 

 termed) in fresh water was considered by many who saw them 

 as a very extraordinary circumstance ; and it is not unlikely 

 but a continuing increase of exaggeration in the detail of this cir- 

 curnstance may have sunk the live shell-fish three or four feet into 



the solid bed of the lake. 



1 am. Sir, your most obedient servant, 



f ei IBl^ J. J. NiCOL. 



Jttvernest, Jm. 81, 1815. 



X. Notice of a remarkable Meteor which appeared on the 2d of 



December, IS 14. 



(To Luke Howard, Esq.) 

 gll{ Gr.orge Yard, Lombard-street, Dec. U, 18U. 



At your requrst 1 now give you the best account I am able te 

 afford of the laic luminous meteor. 



