VOL. XLIX."] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. (5^7 



Of the Earthquake felt in New York, November 18, 1735, in a Letter from 

 Cadwallader Colden, Esq. p. 443. 



A few minutes past 4 in the morning, Mr. C. was awaked with the shock of 

 the earthquake. He plainly heard the noise like that of carts on pavements, 

 going to the eastward, with now and then a noise like the explosion of a great 

 gun at a distance. It was felt about 4 o'clock at Philadelphia, and half after 4 

 at Boston, and was more violent to the eastward than the westward) and there 

 was an eruption at a place called Scituate, about 20 or 30 miles to the south- 

 ward of Boston. The summer and autumn had been unusually dry for some 

 days before the earthquake, though the sky was perfectly calm and serene, the 

 air was so light, that the smoke of the town by falling down was offensive to our 

 eyes, as we walked the streets. In the last remarkable earthquake, which hap- 

 pened about 17 years before, and nearly at the same time of the year, the wea- 

 ther preceding it was much the same as now, attended with the falling of the 

 smoke in the towni. 



Of the Earthquake felt in Pennsylvania, Nov. 18, 1755, in a Letter to Mr. 

 Peter Coilinson, F. R. S. p. 444. 



Abour 4 o'clock this province was pretty generally alarmed with the shock of 

 an earthquake. It gradually increased for 1 minute to such a degree as to open 

 the chamber door, by drawing the bolt of the lock out of the staple. Some 

 people thought they felt its continuance 5 or 6 minutes, but the writer thinks it 

 did not exceed 1, nor was it less. He felt the shock of the 1 earthquakes in 

 England ; but they were little in comparison to this. 



LX. Of Four Undescribed Fishes of Aleppo. By Alex. Russel, * M. D. p. 445. 

 Of these fishes Dr. Russel brought the drawings and descriptions from Aleppo. 



•Alexander Russel, m.d. was born in the city of Edinburgh about the year IZl*; where hi» 

 father practised the profession of the law with great reputation. After the usual course of grammati- 

 cal study in the High School at Edinburgh, and afterwards in the University, he was placed with 

 his uncle, an eminent physician in the same city. In the years 1732, 3, and 4, he attended the 

 lectures of the various professors, and having finished his studies, he settled about the year 1740, at 

 the city of Aleppo, where he was greatly esteemed by the Englisli factory. He acquired great cele- 

 brity in his profession, and was frequently consulted, not only by the Greek, Armenian, and Jewish 

 inhabitants of that region, but even by the Turks themselves, who are said to have held him in high 

 esteem, and to have placed great confidence in his opinion. 



In 1755 he returned to Britiin, and settled in London, where he composed his well-known work the 

 History of Aleppo, of which a second edition has lately been published under the care of his brother 

 the late Dr. Patrick Russel, author of the splendid work on Indian Serpents and Fishes. To Dr. 

 Alexander Russel we owe the introduction of the true scammony, as well as tliat liighly elegant 

 shrub the arbutus andrachne into the Botanic Gardens of England. About 1739 he was chosen 

 physician to St. Thomas's Hospital, and was also elected a F.a.8. He attained a verj- considerable 

 degree of eminence in his profession, and maintained a great integrity of character. He died Nov. 

 28, in the year 176"8. 



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