Intelligence and Miscellanies. 365 



wards the sun. But their axes are not confined to the Zodi- 

 ac. It appears that the Zodiacal hght has not always been 

 uniform in this respect, for Rees' Cyclopedia states that Mr. 

 Derman, at Essex, England, saw it on the 3d of April, a 

 quarter of an hour after sunset, perpendicular to the western 

 horizon. This in that latitude must have made an angle of 

 about 30 degrees with the Zodiac. It may be proper to ob- 

 serve that I never saw what is called backstays or water 

 drawers at the same time with what I have described. The 

 sun when above the horizon has been, I think, always unob- 

 scured. As to that seen in the water, the beams of light and 

 shade are caused, I think, by the unequal refraction of the 

 sun beams through the uneven surface of the sea, reflected 

 by the opaque particles from which sea water is never free. 

 This differs widely from the Iris, or marine bow, which may 

 generally be seen in broken water or spray when the sun 

 shines, making an angle like the rainbow of 139 degrees at 

 the eye of the spectator with the broken water. 



My former communication must be considered as only a 

 description of appearances before (at least to me) unde- 

 scribed and unexplained. 



8. Leather sheathing for ships. — Major Howard, board- 

 ing officer of all foreign vessels at New York, has forwarded 

 to the editor, through Mr. G. S. SiUiman, one of the inspect- 

 ors of that port, some barnacles and muscles, taken from 

 the bottom of the ship Atlas. This ship, owned by Mr. 

 Chase, was fitted out about twenty two months since, on a 

 whaling voyage, and sheathed with leather. In some in- 

 stances, the barnacle adhered directly to the bottom of the 

 ship ; in others, the muscle took the first place, and the bar- 

 nacle mounted upon the muscle. In both instances, the 

 neck or prominent and animal and consequently exposed 

 part of the barnacle seems to have been assailed either by 

 external friction, or by fish, and its shell left ; viz. its interior, 

 as a cell for the residence of some foreign inhabitant. From 

 some of these cells. Major Howard extracted fish, of the 

 largest class of minims, specimens of which will be forward- 

 ed to you. As this ship returned in an uncommonly foul 

 condition, the impression is, that this mode of sheathing will 

 disappoint the favorable anticipations of its projectors ; as 

 is evinced at least, in the estimation of Mr. Chase, in his now 

 dismissing the leather, and substituting the customary mate- 

 rial of copper. 



