358 
elevated ftuations, a fufficient fupply of 
water for their cattle and other neceflary 
purpofes?”” It is to be obferved, that 
the Haut-Boulonnais is a chalky country, 
not overlooked by any neighbouring moun- 
tain ; that it contains but little wood, and 
that the wells that have been hitherto dug 
go as deep as 100 metres (111 yards.) 
For the year 11 the Society propofes 
the following prize :—‘ Confidering the 
difficulty which the farmers of the diftrict 
ef Boulogne have to procure thorn-bufhes- 
proper tor enclofures, being at a diftance 
from any of the national) forefls, and aware 
of the advantage that would refolt from 
eftablifhing a plantation of thorn near 
every farm, the Society will deliver a prize 
ef medals to every farmer who fhall have 
planted a quarter of a bediaire with quick- 
fet (crategus oxyacantha) fit for enclo- 
fures, which fhall be in a thriving condi- 
tion in the year 14. 
MUSEUM of NATURAL HISTORY. 
The lionefs of the National Menagerie 
having lately whelped three living cubs at 
her full time, an opportunity has been 
afforded of obferving feveral particulars 
relative to the propagation of this animal 
with more accuracy than has been done: 
hitherto. Both the parent animals were 
icken by the Arabs between Bonn and 
Contiastine when only fix ‘months old, and 
were believed to be of the fame litter. 
hey were brought into France -by C. 
Felix, one of the keepers of the menagerie. 
By his great attention to them they are 
now in perfect health and vigour, and the 
male is perhaps the finelt of this kind in 
Europe. They are at prefent fix years 
and a half old. The female has been 
pregnant once before, but being irritated 
in her den by fome mprudent vifitors fhe 
hurt herfelf and mifcarried. The foetus 
were then only two months old, and were 
without hair. Fifteen days afterwards 
fhe became in heat, and received the male 
feveral times. As the ialt time was the 
23d of July, it is probable that the time 
of conception may be dated from this pe- 
siod, and this fixes the time of geftation 
at 100 days, and not fix months, as Buffon 
has mentioned from the authority of Phi- 
Joftratus and Wredt. On the day of her 
delivery the lionefs appeared Janguid, and 
dragged her food within her den without 
tating it. However, the made no kind 
ot cry, nor appeared lefs mild to-her keeper 
Proceedings of Learned Socteties: 
[March ¥, 
than ufual. She dropped her firft whelp 
on the evening of the 9-10 Nov. at ten 
e’clock, the fecond three quarters of an 
hour after, and the third two haurs after 
mdnight. When firt born they were as 
big as full grown cats (and not fix or feven 
inches in length, as {ome have pretended.) 
Their head, however, was larger in pros 
pertion. They differ much from full- 
grown lions ; their {kin is of a-red-brown, 
marked with blackith {pots and bars, the 
tail is marked with biack rings on a tawny: - 
ground, The males have nomane. Their 
eyes were open from the firlt, and they 
walk dragging their legs. Their cry is a 
loud mewing, like a cat when irritated. 
The mother takes the greateft care of 
them, carries them in her mouth when the 
wants to change their place, licks thena 
conftantly, and takes great care not to 
trample on them when fhe is moving. 
LYCEUM of the REPUBLIC. ~ 
Tn the courfe of moral philofophy, C. 
DeGeR ANDO, ina preliminary difcourle,, 
explained the object, charaéter, and hif-, 
tory of this fcience. He divided the hif-. 
tory into four principal periods, the firft. 
rendered celebrated by the appearance of. 
Socrates, who founded the bafis of wifdom 
on the art of felf-knowledge; the fecond, 
‘diftinguifhed by the formation ef the feéts: 
arifing from. the doétrines of Zeno and 
Epicurus; the third, marked by the affo- 
ciation of the fcience of morals with reli-. . 
gious opinions, which took place from the _ 
introduction of Chriftianity; and the 
fourth, dating from the revival of letters. 
In the laft period, Montagne, Hobbes, 
and Bacon, were the firft who diftinguifhed . 
themfelves ; and the philofophers, Englith, 
as well‘as French, who fucceeded them, 
either colleéted the faéts which thefe had 
obferved, or reduced them to fyftematica] 
order, or applied them to practice. 
C. Degerando profeffes to avoid, in his 
courfe, all controverfies merely in Support. 
of a fyftem, and every allufion to the pe- 
riod of .calamity which is but juft gone 
by. The audience could not avoid ex. 
preffing a lively emotion at hearing uttered, 
with the moft genuine fenfibility, thefe 
words of peace :—‘ It is becaufe we have 
all fuffered that we muf all be willing ta. 
forget the paft. To dwell too long upon . 
thefe remembrances would be unkind both 
to the prefent and the future.” 
REVIEW 
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Se” se = ee ee ar i aS * 
