A SOCIETY OF BOTANICAL AMATEURS. 
685 
as the la«t words of Roger Bacon ; a manu- 
script of which has been discovered by M. 
Cousin, and is the only copy to be found in 
France. He has, besides, recently discover- 
ed at Amiens another manuscript by Bacon, 
the existence of which had never been sus- 
pected. It contains questions on the physics 
and metaphysics of Aristotle. These three 
manuscripts, of which M. Cousin is preparing 
a memorial, will throw a light upon the his- 
tory of scholastic philosophy^ and inform 
us whether or not Roger Bacon was really, 
as has been asserted, the inventor of the 
telescope, the microscope, and gunpow'der. 
This is a question wdiich, for want of authen- 
tic documents, it has hitherto been impossible 
to solve . — French Paper. 
PORCISLAIN COLOURS. 
The pink colour which ornaments the Eng- 
lish porcelain has been hitherto unknown in 
France, and w-hen required in that country 
was always bought here. M. Mallagutti, of 
the manufactory of Sevres, has analysed this 
colour till he is now able to compose it. In 
the course of his experiments he discovered 
another colour similar to crimson lake, which 
is much more durable than any derived from 
the animal kingdom, and which may be 
advantageously employed in oil-painting.— 
Mechanics' Magazine. 
BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. 
A number of botanists, amateurs, &c. 
have recently held several meetings at the 
Crown and Anchor Tavern, Strand, for the 
purpose of forming themselves into a So- 
ciety, bearing the above title. One striking 
feature of this Society is, that ladies will be 
admitted members ; this we think highly 
deserving of commendation, as many ladies 
are not only excellent botanists, but they can 
generally devote a considerable portion of 
time daily to practical botany. Among the 
leading objects the Society propose are the 
following : — The advancement of botanical 
science in general; the particular cultivation 
of descriptive and systematic botany; the 
formation of a library, herbarium, and mu- 
seum; the reading of original papers, extracts, 
and translations ; the exchange of specimens 
with other societies or individual colections ; 
and every other available means that may 
promote the objects of the Society. It is 
further intended that the Society shall consist 
of the following classes of members ; viz. 
resident,! corresponding, honorary, and life 
members. We are glad to find, among: the 
mighty mass of bricks and mortar, ladies and 
gentlemen so ardently devoted to so healthy 
and endearing a pursuit as botany. We shall be 
happy to hear of their complete success. — I: id. 
WIRE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. 
— Admiring much the tones- ot the newly 
invented musical instrvtmeat; the Seraphine, 
I endeavoured to construct one, and have 
succeeded in accomplishing the task ; but 
find great disappointment in its not keeping 
in tune. In making the tongues, or vibra- 
tors, I have tried both brass and German 
silver ; the latter producing the finest tones, 
but subject to the before-named defect. If 
any of your intelligent correspondents could 
point out the best metal to articulate quick, 
and stand in tune, and sufficiently flexible 
as not to be liable to break with the pressure 
of air during its vibration, and also where it 
can be be purchased, he would much oblige 
A Mechanic. August 30, 1836. — Ibid. 
BALLOONING ADAPTED FOR INDIA 
Sir, — I think that if, as has been lately- 
stated, there are at different altitudes op- 
posite currents of air always blowing in the 
same direction, aerostation may, notkwith- 
standing all that has been said about it, 
prove a pleasant but sure method of travel- 
ling to the Contiuent and back again. Now, 
as is well known, directly any portion of the 
atmosphere gets heated, it becomes rarefied, 
and as such it is lighter than it was before, 
and consequently it rises, and the cooler 
air rushes into the space that it before oc- 
cupied, and thus forms a wind. As the sun 
may be considered always over the equator, 
the air directly under it, or that in the mid- 
dle of the torrid zone must become consider- 
ably warmed, and ^consequently rise, and 
there must be a coi’respondi'ng rush of 
cooler air below from the north and south 
to supply its place. That there is such, is 
known in the form of the trade winds, and 
the reason of their not being due north and 
south is owing to the whirling of the earth ; 
but the heated air becoming cooled as it 
ascends, must in the upper regions form an 
opposite blast to the trade winds ; and it 
has been clearly seen that there is such, by 
large masses of clouds being observed rapidly 
moving at a great height in a contrary direc- 
tion to the wind, at the surface of the earth. 
A balloon taken to almost any part, within 
thirty degrees of the equator, would quickly 
ascertain at what height the change took 
place, and ballooning might prove of utility- 
out there, if it never does in this country. 
Although the winds near the earth in the 
temperate zones are not, from various local 
circumstances, very steady, there is great 
probability that there may be different 
currents at some height, and it could be 
easily ascertained by a few aerial trips made 
by an experienced person onji purpose for that 
intent. 
With respect to guiding balloons by sails, 
supposing that by placing them obliquely 
you were enabled to obtain a little side way, 
it would, 1 think, be too trifling, compared 
with the length you would have gone in the 
same time with the wind, to be of any prac- 
tical advantage, and to compensate for the 
greater size and expense of the balloon. It 
is as unreasonable, in the words of Dr. Ar- 
