366 Miscellanies. 
these and many other organic remains whose real character—espe- 
cially as regards the Saurian or Lizard fish was established by the 
personal examination of Prof. Agassiz at the great scientific meeting 
at Edinburch, Sept. 8th, 1835. 
Appended to Dr. Hibbert’s memoir is another by Arthur Con- 
nel, Esq. on the analysis of coprolites and other organic remains in 
the limestone of Burdie House. 
The coprolites consist principally of phosphate of lime with a 
little fluoride of calcium 83 to 85 parts in 100, carbonate of lime 
10.78 to 15.11, and small portions of bituminous matters, alkalies 
and silica. 
17. Refraction and polarization of heat. Ep.—From the au- 
thor, Prof. James D. Forbes of the Univ. of Edmburgh, we have 
received a very curious and important memoir on the subject named 
above. It was read before the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Jan. 
5th and 9th, 1835. We have only room to state the conclusions of 
the learned author. 
1. Heat, whether luminous or obscure, is capable of polariza- 
tion by tourmaline. 
2. It may be polarized by refraction and reflection. 
3. It may be depolarized by doubly refracting crystals. Hence, 
4. It is capable of double refraction, and the two rays are polari- 
zed. When suitably modified, these rays are capable of interfering 
like those of light. 
5. The characteristic law of depolarization in the case of light, 
holds in that of heat, viz. that the intensities in rectangular positions 
of the analyzing plate are complementary to one another. 
6. As a necessary consequence of the above, confirmed by ex- 
periment, heat is susceptible of circular and elliptical polarization. 
7. The undulations of obscure heat are probably longer than 
those of light. A method is pointed out for deducing their length 
numerically. 
18. Mémoires Geologiques et Paleontologiques, published by A. 
Boué. Ep.—This is the first number of a Geological Journal which 
is to appear occasionally. 
The present number contains 362 pages and is illustrated by 
plates. In common with the Bulletin of the Geological Society of 
France, it proves the great and increasing interest in this science 
which is felt in that country. 
