174 Foreign Literature and Science. 



time Alps, called the mistral, and which produces a sudden, 

 and most unpleasant change of temperature, is of itself suf- 

 ficient to discourage delicate, and phthisical patients from 

 exposing themselves to its attacks. These winds in gene- 

 ral, produce hemoptisis in those whose lungs are affected ; 

 even the physicians of Nice, who are strongly disposed to 

 recommend that place to the sick, in the months of Novem- 

 ber, December, and January, acknowledge that the cold 

 winds of the three following months are very unfavourable. 

 But in the middle of winter it is very difficult for sick peo- 

 ple to find the means of retreating from these warm, and 

 comfortable quarters, without exposing themselves to the 

 attacks of the mistral. Dr. Vodici, a very enlightened 

 physician of Nice, said to Dr. Clark, " you may assure 

 your colleagues, and countrymen that it is a miserable prac- 

 tice to send their consumptive patients to die at Nice. The 

 English make this fatal trial every year, and the cemet- 

 ery of la Croix de marbre, but too clearly attests the conse- 

 quences. Rev. Encyclopedique. 



^.Pressure of the atmosphere. — PereBiseln, Prior of the 

 hospital of mount St. Bernard, states that the atmospheric 

 pressure is so diminished that water boils at a temperature 

 of 78. 8. Reaumur, which renders it necessary to cook 

 their meat from five, to five and a half hours, which on ac- 

 count of the scarcity of wood, is a serious inconvenience. 

 In consequence of this, it has been proposed to supply those 

 good monks with Papin's digester, as a remedy for this dif- 

 ficulty. 



4. Zoology. — Neiv species of Salamander. — Dr. Paolo Savi, 

 adjunct professor of Botany, in the University of Pisa, has 

 found in various places, in the Appenines of Tuscany, and 

 especially at Mugello, a new species of Salamander, very 

 remarkable from its figure, and colours, and endowed with 

 characters so particular, that it appears hitherto to have 

 been undescribed. He calls it Salamandra perspicillata 

 quinque palmis plantisque tetradactylis. It has a spot in 

 the superior part of the head, which resembles very nearly, 

 •a pair of spectacles. But what is still more characteristic, 

 is the fact, that it has four toes on each foot : so that it can- 

 not be confounded with the Salamander of three toes men- 



