Mop ill Society. — Wernerian Natural History Society. 360 



lie considered phosphorus as a compound of a small 

 quantity of oxygen and hydrogen, with a peculiar basis 5 

 and both sulphur and phosphorus, - as analogous to the resi- 

 nous and oily bodies, except that the base of these last bo- 

 dies is carbon. 



In the fifth section, plumbago, charcoal, and the diamond,! 

 were considered as to their affections by the new methods 

 of analysis. Plumbago, Mr. Davy considers as a combi- 

 nation of the pure carbonaceous element and iron. Char- 

 coal, as a compound of the carbonaceous element and a lit- 

 tle hydrogen : and the diamond, as composed of the same 

 element with a minute quantity of oxygen. 



In the sixth section, the decomposition and composition of 

 the boracic acid are detailed. This acid is decomposed both 

 by voltaic electricity and the action of potassium ; and its 

 base, by being combined with oxygen, reproduces boracic. 

 acid, — thus confirming former analogies. 



The reading of the remainder of the lecture was deferred 

 till the next meeting of the Society in January. 



By attending to the second reading of Mr. Children's 

 paper on galvanic batteries, we find that we reported it in- 

 correctly in our last number (p. 185 of this volume). Mr. 

 Children stated that batteries with large plates should be 

 used for operations on perfect conductors, and small plates, 

 in great numbers, for operations on imperfect conductors. 

 This principle is of great importance in the construction of 

 the machine; 



WERNEBIAN NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 



At the meeting of this Society, 10th December, the se- 

 cretary read a communication from the Rev. John Fleming 

 of Bressay, describing a Narwhal or Sea Unicorn, of the 

 sort denominated he NariVal microcephalism byJLaCepede, 

 which had been lately cast ashore alive at Weisdale Sound 

 in Mainland, the largest of the Zetland islands.' The de- 

 scription was accompanied with a correct drawing of the ani- 

 mal, which is to be engraved. 



At the same met ting, Dr. Ogilby, of Dublin, read a 

 Vol. 32. No. 127. Dec. 1808. A a paper 



