308 Scientific Intelligence. 



" I have seen, (adds the author) a head thus prepared, 

 which had been exposed alternately to the sun and rain during 

 several years, without having suffered the slightest change. 

 It was very little deformed, and easily recognized, although 

 the flesh had become as hard as wood." 



6. Matches kindling without fire. 

 (JFrom Thenard's Chemistry, Vol. ii. p. 625.) 



This match is prepared by mingling two parts of the oxy- 

 muriate of potash and one of sulphur, which by means of a 

 little gum is attached to a common sulphur match. This match 

 on being dipped into, or rather slightly wet with, strong sul- 

 phuric acid, (oil of vitriol) immediately catches fire. 



The author has not added the caution that the sulphur and 

 salt should be pulverized separately ; if rubbed together in a 

 mortar, they will explode with some danger to the operator, 

 provided the quantity be over a few grains. 



Matches made upon this principle, have been for sometime 

 made and sold in this country. They are sometimes put up 

 in little japanned cases with a small phial, from which when in- 

 verted with the mouth open, nothing will drop, and yet the 

 match kindles on being thrust in quite to the bottom. The 

 truth is, these bottles contain a little amianthus moistened with 

 sulphuric acid, which thus kindles the match, but as the acid 

 soon weakens by attracting water from the air, it is better to 

 use a phial of the acid in the liquid state. A few drops answer 

 the purpose, and when this is weakened, it is easily renewed. 



7. Cleavelancfs Mineralogy. 



Our opinion 'of this work was fully expressed in the review 

 of it in our first number. In the Edinburgh Review for Sep- 

 tember, 1818, this work is again reviewed, and in a manner 

 which must gratify every friend to American science. It will 

 be necessary to cite only a single sentence. After commend- 

 ing the condensed and honest maQner in which the work is print- 

 ed, (for they say, that the same matter which here fills one vo- 

 lume would in England have been spread over three,) the re- 



