136 Scientific Intelligence. 
112 pp. 4to, with 3 plates. Philadelphia, 1866. From the Transactions 
* the American Philosophical Society.—The author has here given a 
omplete treatise, as far as facts have been collected, on the North Amer- 
synonymy, and illustrations both by means of wood-cuts and plates. He 
closes his’ memoir with a chapter on the natural arrangement of the 
oda. 
ds pee of the Polyps and Corals of the North Pacific Exploring 
Expedition, under Commodore C. Ringgold and ang John Rodgers, 
U.S. N., from 1853 to 1856, collected by Dr. Wm. Stimpson, naturalist 
to the Expedition ; with descriptions of some additional species for the 
west coast of North America; by A. E. Verrixt. ee II, Aleyonaria, 
with two plates.—This paper contains descriptions of 2 new species of 
PRE ag 4 of Pavonaride, 9 of the Gorgonia ale and 8 of th 
Aleyonium tribe, besides notices of AN oe species 
Vv. ASTRONOMY. 
1. On the Physical History of Linge Gee s’ by H. C. Sorsy, F.R.S.— 
Though I am most willing to admit that much remains to be learned 
before we can look upon the following theory as anything more than pro- 
visional yet at all events it serves s to unite a great number of facts, and 
is not opposed to any with which I am now acquainted. I shall de- 
scribe the facts and Epos the h sacoigons to this and other theories in & 
communication to the Royal ety. 
s shown in my os per in the “ Proceedings of the Royal ig 
(xiii, 333) there is good proof of the material of meteorites having bee 
to some extent fused, and in the state of minute detached oe I 
had also met with facts which seemed to show that some portions h 
scopical structure leads me 0 conclude that their constituents were orig- 
inally at such a high cocipeibiee that they were in a state of vapor, like 
that in which ma many now occur in the atmosphere of the sun, as prove 
by the black lines in the solar spectrum. On cooling, this vapor con- 
densed into a sort of acer cloud, cine ef small erystals and minute 
From a sheet “printed privately” and communicated to the Editors of this. : 
