CONTENTS. xxvii 



LECTURE LVI. 

 ON CLIMATES AND WINDS, 544. 



Meteorology ; Division of the subject ; Climates ; Meteorological thermome- 

 ters, 544-. Immediate effects of the sun ; Prerost's calculations ; Variations of 

 temperature, 545. Slow changes ; Heat of the sea ; Effect of freezing and thaw- 

 ing ; Heat of the atmosphere, 54*6. Summer and winter ; Temperatures of differ- 

 ent places ; Local variations, 547. Winds ; Periodical winds ; Trade winds ; 

 Hadley ; Halley's theory, 548. Greater heat of the northern hemispheres ; West- 

 erly winds ; Local modifications ; Monsoons, 549. Land and sea breezes ; Hur- 

 ricanes ; Variations of the barometer, 550. 



LECTURE LVII. 



ON AQUEOUS AND IGNEOUS METEORS, 551. 



Evaporation and its effects ; Theory of Deluc and Dalton ; Quantity of water 

 evaporating, 551. Precipitation; Moisture; Mediterranean, 552. Currents at 

 the Straights ; Attraction of moisture ; B. Prevost ; Hygrometers, 553. Natural 

 hygrometer; Water contained in air, 554. Visible vapour ; Dew ; Mists, 555. Rain ; 

 Indications of the barometer ; Effects of mountains, 556. Periodical rains ; Thun- 

 der and lightning ; Atmospherical electricity, 557. Thunder storms ; Conduc- 

 tors, 558. Sudden condensations; Waterspouts, 559. Aurora borealis ; Earth- 

 quakes and volcanos ; Volcanic countries, 560. Earthquakes of Calabria, 561. 

 Eruptions of Vesuvius, 562. Geological changes ; Reality of various changes ; 

 Effects of rivers and of the sea, 563. Shooting stars ; falling stones, 564, 565. 



LECTURE LVIII. 



ON VEGETATION, 565. 



Sketch of natural history ; Minerals, 565. Vegetables ; Animals ; Distinctions 

 of animals and vegetables, 566. Description of a vegetable ; Germination, 567. 

 Parts of plants ; Vessels, 568. Motion of the sap ; Mr. Knight's experiments, 569. 

 Grafting; Diseases of plants, 570. Exposure to the air; Linnean system, 571. 

 System of Jussieu,572. 



LECTURE LIX. 



ON ANIMAL LIFE, 573. 



Classification of animals, according to Linne, 573. Mammalia; Birds, 574. 

 Amphibia; Fishes; Insects, 575. Vermes, 576. Senses; Nutrition, 577. Ner- 

 vous system ; Nature of the nerves, 578. Diseases ; Natural cures, 579. 



LECTURE LX. 



ON THE HISTORY OF TERRESTRIAL PHYSICS, 580. 



General retrospect ; Knowledge of the ancients ; Chinese ; Numa, 580. Thales ; 

 Anaximander ; Anaximenes ; Pythagoras ; Anaxagoras ; Democritus ; Heraclitus ; 

 Plato, 581. Aristotle; Epicurus, 582. R.Bacon; Discovery of the compass ; 



