370 Notice of Scientific Societies. 
was originally instituted for the purpose of investigating and 
recording facts relative to the natural and physical history of 
the ocean. No one can be eligible as a membev, unless he 
shall have actually navigated the seas near the Cape oi Good 
Hope, or Cape Horn, either as Master or Supercargo. A 
blank journal is furnished to every member when bound to 
sea, in which he is to enter the cccurrences of the voyage, 
observations on the variation of the compass, bearings and 
distances of Capes, &c. and on his return he is to deliver the 
same to the inspector of journals. Sixty-seven of these jour- 
nals have been thus collected and preserved, and a museum 
of several thousand specimens in Natural History has been 
formed. The catalogue of this collection which was pub- 
lished in 1821, is drawn up with considerable ability, and we 
have a sufficient guaranty, as well for :he present activily as 
the future usefulness of the Society, in the fact of its being un- 
der the auspices of Nathaniel Bowditch. 
2. American AcapeMy oF ARTS AND Sciences. Boston, 
Mass. Instituted in 1780, and under the title of Memoirs of 
the Academy of Arts and Sciences have published four vol- 
umes quarto. The astronomical and mathematical papers are 
most numerous ; and the memoirs on Natural History by 
Messrs. Cutler, Cleaveland, and Peck, may be consulted 
with advantage. The paper by Mr. Cutler entitled an ac- 
count of some of the vegetable productions naturally growing 
in this part of the country botamcally arranged, is still occa- 
sionally referred to by botanists. 
' 3. Linnzan Society or New Encuanp. Boston, Mass. 
Instituted - Lam not aware that this Society has pub- 
lished any thing beside a report of a committee relative to a 
large marine animal, supposed to be a serpent seen near Cape 
Ann, Mass. 
4. Franxuin Soctery. , Proeadinee ta. di 
5. PHILOPHUSIAN SOCIETY. 
The first of these societies is in active operation. A neat 
laboratory has been established, and the members are de- 
voting much of their attention to the analysis of minerals. 
Perhaps no part of the union offers aricher field for research- 
es of this kind, than the state of Rhode Island. As the ob- 
jects of both these societies are precisely similar, we should 
imagine that more would be’eflected by a united effort, than 
by divided and rival institutions. 
