1809.] 
domen, the arms and fingers of the-size of a 
full grown body of the human species; the 
fingers, from the action in which the hands 
were employed, did not appear to be webbed, 
but as to thisI am not positive. It remained 
on the rock three or fuur minutes after I ob- 
served it, and was exercised during that time 
in combing its hair, which was long and 
thick, and of which it appeared proud, and 
then dropped into the sea, which was level 
with the abdomen, from whence it did not re- 
appear to me. I had a distinct view of iits 
features, being at no great distance, on an 
eminence above the rock on which it was 
sitting, and the sun brightly shining. 
mediately before its getting into its natural 
element, it seemed to have observed me, as 
its eyes were directed towards the eminence 
on which I stood. It may be necessary to 
remark, that previous to the period I beheld . 
this object, I had heard it frequently re- 
ported by several persons, and some of them 
persins whose’ veracity I never heard dis- 
puted, that they had seen sucha phenomenon 
as I have described, though then, like many 
others, I was not disposed to credit their 
testimony on this subject. I can say of a 
truth, that it was only by seeing the phe- 
nomenon I was perfectly convinced of its 
existence, 
If the above narrative can in any degree be. 
subservient towards establishing the existence 
ofa phenomenon, hitherto almost incredible 
to naturalists, or to remove the scepticism of 
others, who are ready to dispute every thing 
which they cannot fully comprehend, you 
are welcome to it from, 
Dear Sir, your most obliged, 
And mist humble servant, 
(Signed) WiILLiaM Mvnro. 
To Dr. terrence, Thurso. 
FRANCE, 
M. Lrvormanv has succeeded in pro- 
ducing a fine colourless varnish with co- 
pal. Asall copal is not fit for shis_parpose, 
and to ascertain such pieces as: are good, 
-each must be taken, ‘separately, and a 
single drop of pure esseutial oil of rose- 
mary, not altered by keeping, must be 
let fall on-it. ‘Fhose pieces which soften 
at the part that imbibes the oil, are good ; 
reduce them to powder, which - sift 
through a very five hair -sieve, and put 
it into a glass, on the bottom of which it 
must not le more than a finger’s-breadth 
thick. Pour upon it esseuce of rose- 
mary toa similar height; stir the whole 
for a few minutes, when the copal will 
dissolve into a viscous fluid, Let it stand 
for tvo hours, and then pour gently on 
it two or three drops of very pure alcor 
hol, which distribute over the oily mass, 
by inclining the bottle in different direc- 
tions with a a gentle motion, - Repeat 
Literary and Philosophical Intelligence. 
Im. 
‘bird was obtained. 
311 
this operation by little and little, till the: 
incorporation is effected, and the varnish 
reduced to a proper degree of fluidity. 
It must then be left to stand a few 
days, and when very clear be decanted 
off. This varnish, thus made without 
heat, may be applied with equal suc- 
cess to pasteboard, wood, and mecals, 
and takes a better polish than any oiher, 
It may be used on paintings, the beauty 
of which it greatly heightens. 
M. Cuvier has published a brief de- 
scription of a bird produced by a swan 
and a goose. She laid nine egys, and 
began to hatch thein, but only one living 
On quitting the shell, 
this young one differed very little froma 
gosling ; it was covered with a yellowish 
down, with a dark olive tint on the back, 
neck, and head. The upper mandible 
of the bill was black, except the point, 
where it was white; and the lower was 
orange-coloured, T he feet were also of the 
latter colour, and disproportionably large ; 
the circle of the iris was brown, and tha. 
eyelids yellow. The only change which 
it has since. undergone is in its size, 
which considerably exceeds that of the 
mother, though it bears-a much greater 
resemblance to her than to the swany, 
M.Fournrer has invented an appara- 
tus, for determining, with precision, the © 
quantity of spit contained in any liquid, 
to which he gives the name of alcohome- 
ter, or cenometer. ‘This instrument 1s 
composed of a glass tube, six or seven 
inches long, and placed vertically upon a 
cap of copper, and having a_ graduated 
bar of the same metal attached to its cen- 
tre. At the place where the bar enters 
the tube adjusted to its base, there is a 
screw, by which it is hermetically closed, 
and which prevents the liguid to be anae. 
lized from spilling. This little -appara- 
tus stands upon three legs: at the foot is 
a lamp with spirit of wine, placed under 
the copper cap, and directly. beneath the 
bar, to heat it quickly; -On one of the 
legs isa moveable fer‘ule, with a a damper, 
for the purpose of moderating, at pleasure, 
the action of the flame, and thus pre- 
venting the liquid in the tube from ran. 
ning over. 
A fossil palra-tree has recently = 
found above straia of plaster at Bagnolet, 
near Paris. It was «deposited in the 
earthy strata about twelve or fifteen 
feet above the first stratum of plaster. 
A tree of the same species was a few 
years since discovered in a similar situa. 
tion at Montmartre. 
M. Favien, having ee that black 
iuufiles 
