2S 



Oj^ the atmospheric phenomena of light. 



[185 



able relies of former organic life. Mucli interest lias recently 

 been excited by the discovery of the bones of an animal of large 

 dimensions in tlie neighbourbood of Hamilton, -ealled an ' Ele- 

 phant,' (Mastodon ?) We have seen no scientific description of 

 the remains, although they possess singular interest and have 

 acquired considerable notoriety. 



Fossils and minerals of every description, when properly 

 arranged and described in a jiublic Museum, acquire a value 

 v.-hieh they can rarely or never attain in private hands. In this 

 new and comparatively unexplored country, the scantily furnished 

 Cabinet of an amateur, xmless he be professionally interested in 

 mineralogy or pakeontology, or possessed of industiy to describe 

 the few treasures accident or searcli may have furnished him 

 with, — ^lie shorn of more than half their value, because they do 

 not thus contribute to public knowledge, or advance the interests 

 of Science. 



Railway operations in Great Britain have given an extraordi- 

 nary impetus to Geological science during the last twenty years. 

 They have opened up the mineral treasm'es of the country in 

 marvellous abundance, and every advantage has been taken of 

 the oppoitunities so frequently oflered. It would be a matter of 

 lasting regret if the splendid facilities now within our reach, 

 should be permitted to slide from our grasp without beino- im- 

 proved to the uttermost. 



The Council of the Canadian Institute in their circular of 

 enquiry aheady referred to, have endeavored to give a practical 

 and useful du-eetion to the exertions of the members and friends 

 of the Institute by sohciting information respecting the Lime- 

 stones of Canada. It is unnecessary for us to enlarge upon the 

 economic importance of the material, or enumerate the many 

 useful purposes to which it is applied. It is not generally 

 known however, that the Farmer, the Builder, the Smelter, the 

 Soap-boOer, the Soda-maker, the Candle-maker, the Bleacher, 

 (fee., &c., all require it in processes to wliich special varieties are 

 peouharly apphcable. It is with a view to their classification 

 and analysis, tliat the Council have determined to institute the 

 subjoined : — 



EXCJUIEIES REGAUDING THE LIMESTONES OF CANADA. 



Inasmuch as it does not appear that the Limestones of Canada have 

 as yet been fully examined, by analysis or otherwise, in reference to 

 their economical values, or classified for practical purposes, it has be;:n 

 determined by the Council of the CAXAnrAX Institcte, to collect for 

 its Museum, in aid of these objects, specimens of Limestones from the 

 various localities within the Province ; tlicy accordingly request that 

 all parties who, by residence or information, may be able to assist the 

 Council in this m.attcr, will be pleased to transmit to tlie Secretary of 

 the Institute, replies to the accompanying questions, with specimens 

 of the Limestones or Limes to which they refer ; and to add to those 

 spcimens which are selected, .is ilhistratlns; tlio economical uses more 

 particularly in view, any wliich exhibit fossil remains of whatever kind. 



The following is a list of the localities in which Limpstones are 

 known to exist,* extracted from a paper prepared by W. E. Lo"-an 

 Esq, F. 11. S., the President of the Inslitule. ° ' 



Maiden — Manitoulin Islands, along the snutli side — St. Joseph 

 Island — co.ast of L:il!o Huron, from Cape Ilurd to IJiviere au Sable 

 (north) — various parts from Cabot's Head to Sydonliani, in Owen's 

 Sound ; and from Sydenham, by Euphrasia, to Noltawnsaga ; thence 

 by Mono to E^qnesing, and liy Nelson toAncastcr — Tliuroki — Matche- 

 dash Bay— Onllia— Kama— Mara, and various parts of Marmor.a— 



• NoTK. — The (luanlitius in Ihe loealilies indicaleci arc not in every case of 

 a suilieienl amount lo be profilably nvailalile, but llicy are always of sulR- 

 cienl impurlanue to draw auciilion to llie loealilies as a possible guide to llie 

 discovery of others in the vicinity where quanlilies may lie greater. 



Madoc — Belleville — Kingston — MaeNab — Bytown, and various parts 

 of Plantageuet and Hawkesbury — Cornwall — Isle Bizard — Beauhar- 



nois Island — Cauglm.awag.a Montreal — Isle Jesus — Teirebone — 



Philipsburgh — St. Dominique — Grondines — Deschambault — Beauport 

 — Bay St. Paul, and Murray Bay — Upton — .\oton — Wickham — Stan- 

 stead — Ilatley — Dudswell — Temiscouata Lake — Gasp6 — Port Daniel 

 — Richmond — Anticosti Island. 



Hydraulic Lime is found in the following places : — Point Douglas, 

 Lake Huron — Cayuga, 31.< miles below the village, on the Grand River 

 — Thorold — Kingston — Nepean, near Bytown — Argenteuil. 



Magnesian — Exit of Lake Mazinaw — North Sherbrooke, C.W.— 

 Drumniond — St. Arraand — Durham — Sutton — Ely — Durham — Mel- 

 bourne — Kingsley — Shipton — Chester — Halifax — Inverness — Leeds — 

 St. Giles Seigniory — St. Mary Seigniory — St. Joseph Seigniory. 



Replies to the following questions or other information on the sub- 

 ject wdl be thankfully acknowledged : — 



1st. The number of the specimen referred to (if any be forwarded.) 



2i]d. The name of the locality (No. of the lot, concession, and name 

 of township and county) from which the same has been taken. 



31. The geological position of the bed, its thickness, dip, superior 

 and inferior strata, the nature of the surface, soil, itc. <tc. dec, if known. 



4th. The analysis : if it has been ascertained. 



5th. Whether it exists in quantity and position to warrant its econom- 

 ical use as an article of commerce, and the facilities for transportation. 



Cth. AVhcther it exhibits any hydraulic properties and to what extent, 



7th. If Lime has already been mai, ufactured from the stone referred 

 to — transmit a sample — and state the manner of its manufacture — if 

 peculiar — and in what works the same has been used. 



We shall advert to other important subjects of enquiry iu 



future numbers of the Journal ; in the meantime, we call attention 



to the admirable paper by Capt. Lefroy, which has especial 



reference to the highly interesting subject of climate. 



On the Atmospheric Phenomena of Li^ht ; by J. Bradford 

 Cherriman, 91. A., F. C. P. S., 



(Fello w of St. John's College, Cambridge, and Dep. Prof, of 

 Mathematics and Natural Philosophj in the University of 

 Toronto.) 



(continued from page 6.) 



There is still remaining an extensive class of phenomena known 

 under the generic name of halo, and comprehending a great 

 diversity of appearances, about which much ditference of opinion 

 has prevailed among philosophers. It is now, however, generallj- 

 conceded, that the tlieory proposed by Mariotti, and permitted 

 for a long time to lie dormant, until re-discovered and worked 

 out by Young, is sufficient to account for most, if not all, of the 

 observed facts, its results agreeing with them not only in general 

 character but even in the details of measurement. According to 

 this tlieorj', the phenomena aiise from the various refractions and 

 reflections of the rays of light by the ciystals of snow or ice in 

 the air ; which crystal.*, as is well known, all exhibit more or less 

 the angle of 60°, their general form being that of triano-ular or 

 hexagonal equilateral prisms, terminated by plane bases at right 

 angles to their sides. 



The following is an account of a hah obser\"ed near Toronto 

 by Mr. II. Y. Hind, on Sth March, 1847:— 



" A ring of a dull orange colour towards its inner boundary, 

 w.is \isiblu about 24° from the Sim, together with a second ring 

 of fainter colour, distant about 24° from the fornicr. In the 

 cii-cumforence of the inner ling, exactly opposite each other, and 

 cqitally distant from the horizon, were two mock-suns, well 

 deh'ned towartls the Sun itself, and of a dull orange colour, but 

 shooting out into a vivid streak of light, siime 10° on the oppo- 

 site side, parallel to the horizon. Two other coloured arcs of 

 more vivid coloui's than the former, and seemingly of nearly tho 

 same nidii, touched them in their vertical point.s, with their 

 convexities turned towanls tho Sun. At the points of cont.tct, 



