1843.] Extract from Note Book regarding the Genus Paussus. 437 



The accompanying letters refer to the sketches of the Paussi equally 

 with the Scarabeus : a, antennae ; b, posterior tarsus ; c, abdomen ; <#, 

 side view of head ; e, inferior view of head ; /, underwing ; g, spine of 

 elytra ; h, folicle or elytra ; i, maxillary palpus and maxillar. 

 Almorah, September 16, 1842. 



Memorandum on the construction of a Portable Meridian. By E. C. 

 Ravenshaw, Esq., B. C. S. 



1st. Those who have visited the Cathedral of Florence, or the 

 Church of Saint Petronio at Bologna, may recollect having observed a 

 straight line running down the whole length of the aisle, and a small 

 round hole in the wall of the building, about fifty or sixty feet above 

 the level of the pavement. A traveller who should enter either of the 

 said churches about noon, would not fail to be struck by the mysteri- 

 ous conduct of those about him ; a dozen watches of quaint forms and 

 various sizes would be seen to spring suddenly from the fobs and 

 waistcoat pockets of people as quaint and peculiar as their timepieces. 

 Their eyes would be seen to be intently fixed on some object on the 

 ground, and the traveller would naturally imagine that the toe-nail of 

 a saint or a martyr was about to perform a miracle, the exact period of 

 which it was as important to fix as that of the transit of Venus. On 

 joining this interesting group, the traveller would find that the object 

 of solicitude was a bright round spot caused by a ray of the sun pass- 

 ing through the aperture above mentioned, which is seen slowly ap- 

 proaching the line that runs down the centre of the aisle. This line is 

 a meridian, and when the bright round spot arrives at, and is bisected 

 by this line, the sun intimates to the spectators, that he has reached 

 his meridian altitude. The watches are returned to their fobs, and 

 voices are heard muttering in Italian, German, French, and English, 

 either self-congratulations on the accuracy of their Breguets, or uncom- 

 plimentary remarks upon the artists who manufactured their watches. 



2d. Imitations of these magnificent meridians are made on a small 

 scale by individuals for private use ; a wooden rod or pedestal, about a 

 foot high, having an iron plate with a hole in the centre, fixed at right 

 angles on the top of the pedestal, forms the substitute for the wall 

 of the Cathedral ; one of this description is (or was two years ago) to 



3 M 



