SCIENTIFIC NEWS, 



SCIENTIFIC NEWS, 



Anatomical Cabinet. 



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' THERE hss appeared at Berlin, a complete defcrlption of Anatomical ca- 

 tlje anatomical cabinet of M. Waller, which the king has pur- ^'"^^' 

 jchafed, almoft a year ago, for the fum of 400,000 francs. 

 This catalogue is compofed of fixty-two printed (heets. 



Shoiver of Peas. 



Dr. Hiem, of Berlin, has publiftied a note, in which he ex~ Shower of peaj^ 

 plains that the peas, vyhich were faid to have fallen from the 

 atmofphere in a fliower at ]Landfchut,' in Silefia, were merely 

 tubercles which are feparated from the roots of fevera! plants. 

 Thofe in queftion, according to the Doctor, were afforded by 

 Jhe roots of the aquatic plant Ranunculus Ficaria. He pre- 

 tends that an enormous mafs of thefe tubercules may have been 

 formed in certain cavities, whence they might be carried to ^ 

 diftance by the whirl or eddy of ftrong wind. He fupports 

 "his opinion by the accounts of fliowers of this nature giveri 

 by the celebrated Klaproth in his Journal of Chemiftry. — - 

 The Do<51or concludes by remarking, (hat thefe tubercles 

 pontain a farinaceous fubftance equal in goodnefs to that of 

 potatoes, and recommends an at tention to the ficaria for thi? 

 purpofe. 



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Univerfal Language. 



THE Celtic academy, in a fitting of laft April, made Unlvarfal laij- 

 proof of a nevy difcovery by oneof its members; which gives ^"*^** 

 the power of correfponding, and difcourfing, with men, 

 whofe language is unknown, with expedition, without pre- 

 vious ftudy, any expence, the leaft trouble, or the fmaileft 

 labour of the mind. The proof made at that fitting by 

 twenty-five academicians, on the languages of Europe, afcer- 

 lained, that by the aid of this invention, a man may travel 

 any where without an interpreter, demand what he wants, 

 difcourfe on whatever fubjedls can interefi; any fort of travellers, 

 and even exprefs metaphyfical thoughts. It is intended to 

 rna^e this difcovery public at the return of the Emperor. 



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