290 Meteorological Register at Rio Janeiro for 1832-43. 



348. A black mineral, very heavy, from the inland parts of the 

 country. (Is this the Columbite?*) 



351. A black mineral resembling burnt wood. 



Artificial things. 



352. A bundle of Indian candles, or splinters of pitch-tree. 



353. Alba mater. 



Additions to the preceding Catalogue. 



354. Shawshaws, a shell. Pectunculus fasciatus. 



364. A piece of pewter half melted by lightning, and a piece of the 

 shelf it stood on, half shattered but not burnt, with a Belemnites found 

 two feet deep in the ground underneath. The earth was black round 

 the hole, and had a strong sulphureous smell. And the smoke continu- 

 ed half an hour after in the room, though nothing was set on fire. 



Art. VI. — Abstract of a Meteorological Register for 1832-43, 

 kept at Rio de Janeiro ; by John Gardner, Esq. — (Commu- 

 nicated by I. W. Andrews, Professor of Mathematics and Nat- 

 ural Philosophy in Marietta College, Ohio.) 



During a recent short sojourn at Rio de Janeiro, I received from 

 Mr. Gardner, an intelligent merchant of that city, an abstract of 

 a register which he has kept for the last thirteen years. Although 

 limited to a single daily observation of the thermometer, and the 

 general state of the weather, yet I have thought it worthy of pre- 

 servation in a permanent form, and with that view forward it for 

 insertion in the American Journal. The thermometer was ob- 

 served each day at 12 o'clock. Its location was in the second 

 story, within the room, but close by an open window. The tem- 

 perature I should judge to be but little different from that of the 

 external air, in a place protected from direct and reflected heat. 



* It has been supposed that the original specimen on which Mr. Hatchett made 

 the discovery of columbic acid was sent in this invoice, and tiiat some hint as 

 to the locality from whence it came might be had; but we find no other entry 

 than this which corresponds at all with what Mr. Hatchett says, which is — "Upon 

 referring to Sir Hans Sloan's catalogue, I found that this specimen was only de- 

 scribed as ' a very heavy black stone with golden streaks,' which proved to be 

 yellow mica; and it appeared that it had been sent with various specimens of 

 iron ores to Sir Hans Sloane, by Mr. Winthrop of Massachusetts. The name of 

 the mine or place where it was found is also noted in the catalogue ; the writing 

 however is scarcely legible — it appears to be an Indian name, (Nautneauge.)" 

 We must therefore rest content probably in ignorance of the exact locality of that 

 interesting specimen ; although mineralogists have, on what evidence does not 

 appear, considered New London as the locality. — Eds. 



