304 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1778. 



A. could not precisely determine its circumference, but he considered it must ex- 

 ceed half a mile. Mr. A. found it difficult to ascertain its height; but at the 

 south end, he thinks it is nearly equal to half its length: or, he might say, it 

 equalled the dome of St. Paul's church. 



It is uncertain whether it ought to be considered as the top of the hill, or a 

 detached stone, because there is no positive proof of either, unless we were to 

 dig about its base; but it would certainly impress every beholder, at first sight, 

 with the idea of its being one stone, not only from its figure, but because it is 

 really one solid uniform mass from top to bottom, without any interruption ; 

 which is contrary to the general character of the high hills of this country, being 

 commonly divided, or composed of different strata, at least if we may judge from 

 the rows of plants or shrubs which grow on the sides of the steepest, and pro- 

 bably are produced from the small quantity of earth interposed between them.. 

 It has indeed a (ew fissures, or rather impressions, which do not reach deeper 

 than 4 or 5 feet; and near its north end a stratum of a more compact stone runs 

 across, which is not above J '2 or 14 inches thick, with its surface divided into 

 little squares, or oblongs, disposed obliquely. Its surface is also so smooth, that 

 it does not appear to have formerly been joined to, or separated from, any other 

 part by violence, as is the case with many other large fragments; but enjoys the 

 exact situation where it was originally placed, and has undergone little change from 

 being exposed for so many ages to the calcining power of a very hot climate. 



f^II. On Mr. Debrmvs Improvements in the Culture of Bees.* By Nathaniel 



Polhill, Esq. p. 107. 



Mr. Polhill in this paper imagines, that Mr. Debraw's discoveries, if properly 

 pursued, may be of considerable public utility, since those who cultivate bees for 

 profit will, by adopting his method of compelling the common bees to produce 

 a queen, be able to increase the number of their stocks at pleasure. He con- 

 firms from his own observation, the existence of two sorts of drones, some no 

 larger than the common or working bees; and he conjectures that the small 

 drones alone are preserved by the working bees, after the breeding season is over, 

 in order to impregnate the eggs in the spring, in preference to the large ones, 

 because they devour less honey, which, he observes, is no inconsiderable object; 

 few hives being so well provided as to have much to spare during the very early 

 part of the spring season. • . .. . .( 



Vill. An Improved Method of Tanning Leather. By D. Macbride, M.D. p. II 1. 

 ■' The use of tanning is two-fold: fir.st, to preserve the leather from rotting; 



« See Philos. Trail"., vol. 67, p. 16; or p. 1'25, of this abridged volume. 



