400 
Scientijic Intelligence. 
jii^erties differ from those of the common kind. It appears to be 
less volatile, and its odour is not so diffusive. 
55. Varnish-Tree (^‘ Rumphius ; Stagmaria vernicijlua of 
Dr Jach. — This tree grows to a considerable size, and is met 
with in the Eastern India Islands, and also in Sumatra. Its 
wood. Dr Jack says, is of a fine dark colour towards the centre, 
and the lighter coloured near the circumference. The bark ex- 
udes a resin which is extremely acrid, and, applied to the skin, 
^uses excoriations and blisters. The people consider it dange- 
rous to handle any part of the tree, and even to sit or sleep un- 
der its shade. This resin, on exposure to the air, soon assumes 
a black colour, and becomes hard. It is collected and employ- 
ed as a varnish, and sells for this purpose at a high price. Ac- 
cording to Rumphius, it is the tree which yields the so much 
celebrated Japan lacquer or varnish, and he considers it the 
same with that of Siam and Tonquin. Loureiro, however, who 
had better opportunities of observing the latter, represents the 
varnish of these countries as the produce of a different tree, 
which he h^s described under the name Augia. The varnish 
of Siam of Cochinchina is probably thp best ; but that of Cele- 
bes and Java, which is the produce of this tree, is also employ- 
ed for the same purposes, and cannot be much inferior, as it 
bears as high a price. 
IV. GENERAL SCIENCE. 
56. On the Dutch Troy Pound. — In No. VIII of your valu- 
able Journal, p. 449., it is stated, that Mr Anderson of Perth 
demonstrated, that the original weight of the Dutch Troy pound 
had heen 7680 grains. This drew my attention, as I have been 
engaged for several years in whatever concerns the subject of 
>veights and measures in this country. I leave it to Mr Ander- 
son to determine what the Dutch Troy pound has been, but will 
venture to give my opinion on what it actually is, — a copy of 
the standard according to which Troy weight in this country has 
been adjusted for nearly a century. It was taken to Paris by 
Messrs Van Swinden and Aenea?, and there by these geiftle- 
mcn and M. Lefevre Gineau carefully compared with the kilo- 
gramme. This comparison, when accurate kilogrammes were 
