1807.] 
great number of trees which are fallen on 
the river sides. The question arising 
from this fact, if admitted, is, whether 
these beavers live in societies, in pairs, or 
solitary? 
FRANCE, 
Messrs. Descostizis and HAssenFrAtz, 
have found from repeated trials, that the 
mineral commonly termed spathic iron is 
extremely variable in its degree of fusibi- 
lity, and that it produces a metal of very 
ditterent qualities. M. Descostils is of opi- 
nion, that the difficult fusibility of some 
Specimens proceeds from the magnesia 
which enters into their composition, since 
all the infusible kinds of spathic iron he 
had analysed, contained this earth; and 
even when he added a portion of it to fu- 
sible specimens, it had the effect of de- 
priving them of this quality.. Hence, ke 
explains the effect of exposure to air and 
humidity, in facilitating the fufion of 
these minerals, from sulphuric acid being 
formed, by the decomposition of pyrites, 
and dissolving the magnesia. M. Has- 
senfratz, on the contrary, rejects this 
theory, and contends, that he has exa- 
mined several kinds of infusible spathic 
iron which contained no magnesia in 
their composition; and he explains the 
action of air and moisture, from their 
destroying the cohesion of the mineral. 
We promise our readers an early account 
of the experiments undertaken by thesc 
two ingenious chemists, in order to de- 
cide this important metallurgic question. 
The first and second volumes of the 
Asiatic Researches have lately been trans- 
lated into French, and printed at the im- 
perial printing-office. 
Coal is actually worked in forty-seven 
departments of France, ahd indications 
of its existence have been traced in 
sixteen others. ‘The yearly produce from 
the mines of thirty-four departments has 
been estimated at 77,600,000 quintals. 
More than 60,000 individuals earn their 
subsistence at the French collieries. 
Tt is well known that various substances 
diffuse, under different circumstances, a 
phosphoric light more or less vivid and 
permanent. Such are the fluate of lime, 
and some kinds of phosphat of lime, 
when thrown in powder on heated bodies. 
The Bologna phosphorus, after being ex- 
posed to light, emits it again in the dark. 
Some sulphurets of zinc, when strongly 
rubbed with: hard bodies, rotten wood, 
certain fishes, and other animal sub- 
stances, when in a state of putrescence 
display also similar phenomena. The 
physical and mathematical class of the 
French National Lnstitute has proposed 
. Montury Mas, No. 161, 
Literary and Philosophical Intelligence. 
‘the following question. 
- 1803. 
169 
as the subject of a prize, to be adjudged 
on the first Monday of January, 1809, 
“To ascertain, 
by experiments, the relations which sub- 
sist between the different modes of phose 
phorescence, and che cause to which each: 
species is owing, excluding from exami= 
nation the phenomena of this kind which 
are observed in living animals.” The 
prize is a gold medal of the value of three 
thonsand francs. The memoirs must be 
transmitted to the secretary of the Insti- 
tute, previous to the first of October, 
The same class had proposed at its 
last public sitting but one, as the subject 
of a prize to be adjudged on the 26th of ~ 
June, 1807, the following question. 
“To determine, by anatomical and che- 
mica! experiments and observations, what 
are the phenomena attendant on the tor 
por which certain animals, such as mare 
mots, dormice, &c. undergo during win- 
ter, with respect to the circulation of the.” 
biood, respiration, and irritability, and to 
ascertain what are the causes of this sleep, 
and why it is peculiar to these animals?" 
The memoirs ought to have been sent to 
the secretary of the Institute before the 
24st of March, 1807; but as the change 
of the period of its public sittings does 
not permit the class to adjudge the prize - 
till the month of January, 1808, it ex-. 
tends the term, during which, essays 
can be received till the first of October, 
1BOF 3 
M. Sacr, a Member of the Institute, 
gives the following curious account of the ~ 
soporific effects produced, by the exhala- 
tions of saffron. This plant, it would ap- 
pear, iS cultivated in great abundance in 
Gatinais, one of the former provinces of 
“France, and is gathered during the au- 
tumn. The farmers after carefully col- 
lecting the flowers, spread them on lie - 
nen cloths, in their dwelling-houses. In 
the evening the females are employed. in 
picking off the pistils, the odour of which 
produces the most alarming effects on the 
Rervous system. ‘The disease induced in 
this way is termed by the inhabitants, the 
soporific fever, and with which they are 
never affected but during the satiron har- 
vest, which usually lasts one month. The 
narcotic effect of this odorous emanation 
greatly resembles that produced by 
opium; it is capable of occasioning death, - 
especially ga feeble patients and children, 
Like the affection produced by opium, it 
is most effectually combated by the em= 
ployment of vinegar, of which the follows 
ine facts afordaconfirmation. Madame 
G — being in the Gatinais saw-a- 
child laid out for dead, but who, in fact, . 
Z was 
