[ 59 1 ] 
down from the neigbouring mountains, into the fea, 
a great quantity of earth and ftones. The waves, 
beating againft the fhores of the continent and iflands, 
detach many maffes, which, are fpread upon the bot- 
tom of the fea. The rivers carry the mud with their 
waters into the fea, at the bottom of which that mud 
depofits itfelf. 
From the rifmg of the bottom of the fea, that of 
the level of the water naturally follows. Dr. Do- 
nati furnifhes us with a great number of facts in 
proof of this. He obferved, that at Venice, in Iflria, 
and in Dalmatia, the level of the waters is feveral 
feet higher than it was formerly. This elevation of 
the waters is obferved only on the northern and 
eaflern coafts of the Adriatic. The fea feems, on the 
contrary, to abandon the weftern coafl, that of Italy. 
Th is Dr. Donati has fhewn by many very interefting 
facets. 
He proceeds then to the obfervations, which he 
made upon the plants and animals of the Adriatic 
Sea. 
He begins with fome general reflections upon the 
nature of both. Upon this occafion he treats of the 
queftion concerning the refemblance between plants 
and animals, and in general of the chain, which 
thefe different organifed bodies form by the affinity 
between them eftablifhed by nature. 
Dr. Donati, in mentioning the fads, which ffiew 
this imperceptible tranfition from the clafs of ani- 
mals to that of plants, feems inclined to believe, 
that thefe fads are mod: frequently to be met with in 
the waters. 
4F 2 
After 
