Catalogue Raisonné. 313 
ture, translucent at the edges, rather soapy to the touch, and soft enough 
to yield, not easily however, to the nail. Its specific gravity (twice ta- 
ken) is 2,820. On chemical examination, it was found to differ essen- 
tially from the Shetland hydrate, (discovered by Dr. Hibbert,) which, 
according to Dr. Fyfe’s analysis, is the proto-hydrate of magnesia. It 
appears to be constituted of a soluble and insoluble portion: the former 
consisting almost entirely of an anhydrous carbonate of magnesia, and 
carbonate of lime, in the proportion of about 28 of the former to 12 of 
the latter. The insoluble portion appeared to Dr. Henry to resemble 
common talc. 
- Rose plantarum generis historia succincta, in qua Rosarum spe- 
cies tum suz terre proventu tum in hortis natas suppositicias se- 
cundum normas naturales ad stirpium besses tres primitivos revocat 
Inque speciminum ratorum fidem Rhodologorum et Rhodolphilorum 
captui accommodat, Frep. Guitu. WaLirotH. In 8vo. 300 p. 
with a complete Catalogue of Species. Nordhausen, 1828, Keehn. 
In the first chapter, the author examines what has been said to the present 
day by those who have written on the genus Rosa. The order which he 
follows is entirely new, as well as the reform which he proposes. The 
latter, however, appears to be based on a long experience, and on multi- 
plied and careful observations. The second chapter exposes the princi- 
pies on which the author has established his system. The third and 
ast chapter, the most voluminous of all, describes the species, which are 
reduced to twenty-four.—Leipzig Liter. Zeitung, June 1829, p. 1048. 

PROCEEDINGS OF SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTIONS. 
LONDON. 
Royal Societyx—Noc. 23. The President, Mr. Gilbert, in the Chair.—A 
paper on ‘‘ the Survey made by Mr. Lloyd across the Isthmus of Panama,’’ was 
read ; accompanying the paper was a copy of the Survey. Isaac Robinson Esq. 
was elected a Fellow. Dr. Turner, Capt. Blake, and T. C. Knowles, Esq., 
were proposed. Capt. Muller presented a set of his newly-invented globes. Six 
splendid folio plates, illustrative of the lymphatic system, by Professor Meckel, 
were also presented. These plates were dedicated to Professor So¢émmering of 
Frankfort, by whose very recent death science has lost an ardent supporter. Dr. 
Crombie’s Natural Philosophy and Gymnasia, and ‘several other works, were 
also presented. é 
Linnean Society.x—Dec, 1. A. B. Lambert, Esq. V.P. in the chair. The 
paper read this evening was an Account of a recent Botanical Excursion from 
Jalapa to Papantla, by Dr. Scheide and M. Ferdinand Deppe, two German na- 
turalists. The communication embraced a great many curious details. The 
travellers, in the course of their excursion, discovered three entirely new species 
of the genus pinus, or fir tree ; also a new species of sarsaparilla, possessing si- 
milar properties with the smilax sarsaparilla of South America. Besides these, 
a new species of oak was found in the hot regions of Mexico, the only instance on 
record, perhaps, of the genus qguercus growing in such a temperature: they saw 
also an abundance of the scarce parasitical plant vanilla on the bark of decayed 
trees. On the banks of the river Tecoluta the travellers Es great numbers 
~ VOL. I. R 
