1832.] Scientific Intelligence. 303 



The President announced that Mr. Hampton had commissioned from Mada- 

 gascar two pair of crows, to attempt their multiplication on the Island. 



Mr. W.Boyer presented a list of objects collected and lodged in the Museum by 

 15 of his pupils since the 1st August. 



Mr. Lienard, sen. read a note on a new species of zanclus, differing from tliat 

 delineated in Cuvier, having one filament less in the dorsal fin, and one thorny ray 

 in the pectoral fin. 



Mr. J. Desjardins read the description of two new species of chetodons, a fish 

 vulgarly called pavilions in the Island, as is the zanclus mentioned above. He 

 gives them the names of chetodon queue d'or, [ch&todon chagsuries, — J. Desj.] and 

 le C.Joyeux \chet.festivus, J. Desj.] 



The following gentlemen were proposed as honorary members — MM. Ivoneff 

 Dupont, (resident,) F. Eydoux, J. Baume, J. O. Westwood, W. Twining, J. 

 Verreaux, Richard, Dir. Bot. Gard. Bourbon, and J. Goudot, nat. Madagascar. 



VI. — Scientific Intelligence. 



I. — Boring for water in France. 



In Mr. Hericart de Thury's recent work on Artesian springs, the following 

 curious fact is noticed relative to the distance to which subterranean currents 

 percolate. A perforation made at Tours, brought up from a depth of 363 feet 

 a quantity of fine sand, and the remains of vegetables and shells. Branches of the 

 thorn were recognized, some inches in length, blackened by their long exposure 

 to the water ; also the stalks and roots, still white, of many marsh plants, and the 

 seeds of many plants in a state of preservation, particularly of a species or variety 

 of Gallium ; fresh water shells were also discovered. It was supposed that the water 

 of this well could not have taken more than four months to traverse its subter- 

 raneous course, because the seeds from their fresh state must have fallen on 

 the preceding autumn ; and that the. supply came from some valley in Auvergne, 

 or Vivarais, which is not so easily proved ; but the fact is not the less curious. 



In many of the departments of France, funds have been publicly subscribed for 

 the purchase of a set of boring rods : in some, associations have been formed to use 

 them, and great attention is paid to the enumeration of the strata pierced through 

 by the instrument. At a shaft sunk at the Saint Oven gate, near St. Denis, in 

 January 1829, no less than six springs of water were cut through, one stationary, 

 and the five others ascending to different heights. — Joum. des Savans, 1831. 



2. — Meteorological Averages at Canton and Macao. 



Thermometer at Canton, Lat. 23° 12'. A 7 , 



Annual 

 Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May. June. July. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Mean. 



Noon, ^* 



64 



57 



72 



77 



78 



85 



85 



85 



83 



77 



67 



62 



74.5 



Sight,— 



50 



49 



60 



68 



72 



70 



81 



78 



76 



69 



57 



52 



65.1 



Highest, 



74 



78 



82 



86 



88 



90 



94 



80 



88 



85 



80 



70 



82.9 



Lowest,-, 



29 



38 



40 



55 



64 



74 



79 



75 



70 



57 



40 



45 



55.5 



Mean temperature of Canton, 69.5 



