420 PHILOSOPHICAL TKANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1740. 



purpose might be made here, because Hudson's river is frozen over, from 

 New- York, up to Albany, and its course is very straight, almost due north, 

 and the distance between New- York and Albany is above 150 miles; New- 

 York is in latitude of 40° 40', nearly ; so that the length of above 2° of lati- 

 tude on the earth might be measured here, with much more exactness than it 

 was possible in England or France, because of the ascents and descents, and 

 curved lines, which they would continually be obliged to make allowances for. 

 From all which difficulties the mensuration here on the ice would be entirely 

 free. 



On the Antiquities of Prussia. By James Theodore Klein, Seer, to the Re- 

 public of Dantzic, and F. R. S. N° 467, p- 384. From the Latin. 



This paper relates chiefly to a kind of antique, copper bracelet, dug up in 

 Prussia, and supposed to have been buried with its owner, some noble person- 

 age. It consists of twisted elastic copper wire, coiled into the form of a heli- 

 cal spring, of about 7 coils or rounds. 



This opinion is confirmed by the learned Bartholin, who gives a figure of a 

 bracelet, composed of several rings connected together, from the museum of 

 Olaus Wormius; and calls it a monument of stupendous antiquity, worthy the 

 memory of posterity. 



On account of affinity with the bracelet, M. Klein adds a silver ring, found 

 about a year before in a Prussian urn. It had threads twisted together in like 

 manner, to form the jewel ; the rest running out into two ends, not joined, 

 but only lying close together, and forming a circle ; so that it would, by its 

 elasticity, fit either a larger or smaller finger. 



Observations and Experiments ivith Madder-Root, which has the Property of 

 tinging the Bones of living Animals of a red Colour. By M. Du Hamel du 

 Monceau,* F. R. S. &c. N" 457, p. 3Q0. 



The fact of the bones of hogs and fowls coloured very red, by feeding on 



• Henry Louis du Hamel du Monceau may be numbered aniong the most active and useful mem- 

 bers of the French Academy of Sciences during the 18th century. The subjects to which he par- 

 ticularly directed his attention were, 1. Agriculture; including the cultivation of trees, the manage- 

 ment of forests, and the preservation of timber; the preservation of com, &c. 2. The Arts, in the 

 descriptions of which, published under the superintendence of the Parisian Academy of Sciences, 

 and illustrated by an expensive set of engravings, he bore the principal part. 3. Naval Architecture 

 and the fisheries, with other matters relative to the marine, of which he was inspector. He died 

 in 1782, aged 82. His treatises on the various subjects abovementioned, amount to a great number 

 of volumes, most of them adorned with plates. 



