fl54 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1 768. 



well as breathing; so that it should seem, that more species than one are desti- 

 tute of auditory holes. 



XXX. Astronomical Observations, made in several Parts of the Kingdom of 

 Naples and Sicily. By J. A. Rizzi Zannoni, Member of the Acad, of Sciences 

 at Gottingen, and Geographer to his Sicilian Majesty. From the French. 

 p. 196. 



The transit of Mercury over the sun, in the year 1743, was observed at 

 Naples, by Father P. N. with a telescope of 18 palms, made by Campani. He 

 determined the first contact at l"" 57" 25% and the second at 2*' 0™ 35'. The 

 transit of the same planet in 1753 was observed at Naples, in the Royal College, 

 by Father Carcani, with a telescope of I84 palms. First contact at 23'' 5"" 51^ 

 emersion of centre, 23'' 7"" 28'; second contact at 23*^ g™ 5'. 



The transit of Venus over the sun, of the year 1 761, was observed at Naples, 

 at the same place, by the same astronomer, with an excellent telescope of 24 

 palms. The first contact at 21'' 16'" 55'; the second contact, 21'' SS"" 20'. 



The same transit was likewise observed at Malta by several people. A seijeant 

 in the marines, who is an excellent pilot, has posted himself at Valetta, and has 

 an excellent clock, and a Newtonian reflector of 3 palms. He observed the be- 

 ginning of the emersion at 21'' 17'" 5Q% and the total emersion at 21'' 36"' 33'. 

 Finally, at Tarentum, the latitude of which place is the same with that of 

 Naples, Mr. Wm. Felton observed the transit of Mercury over the sun of 1753, 

 with a very good reflector of 2 feet. The first contact at 11'' 18™ 26'; the 

 second contact, 1 1" 21"' 36^ 



XXX f. Some Experiments, by Mr. Miller of Cambridge, on the Sowing of 

 Wheat. By Jf. fVatson, M.D., F.R.S. p. 203. 



Mr. Charles Miller is a very ingenious person, and an excellent naturalist. 

 He is the son of our worthy brother Mr. Philip Miller, from whose knowledge 

 of, and publications in, botany, agriculture, and gardening, the public has re- 

 ceived very great information and advantage. In consequence of Dr. W.'s desire 

 Mr. Charles Miller informed him, that having made, in the autumn of 1765, 

 and in the spring of 17 66, an experiment of the division and transplantation of 

 wheat, by which near 2000 ears were produced from a single grain; and he hav- 

 ing reason to think, from the success attending this experiment, that a much 

 greater quantity might be produced, he determined to repeat the experiment 

 next year. Accordingly, on the 2d of June, 1766, he sowed some grains of the 

 common red wheat; and on the 8th of August, which was as soon as the plants 

 were strong enough to admit of a division, a single plant was taken up, and was 



