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ferent pieces of intelligence, which we do not remember to have met with before, and certainly not in so small a compass. 'A Glance at Switzerland' is, therefore, really deserving the notice of a traveller in that country; and we have no doubt Mr. Murray has the power of making a very fashionable guide book through the intricacies of Swiss valleys, and the impositions of Swiss innkeepers. In speaking of the Canton of Vaud, he gives a lively catalogue of the living natural objects, which are found there. We are tempted to take this as a specimen of his style:

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'The lynx sometimes appears among the Alpine regions of the Canton de Vaud, and makes considerable havoc among the flocks. In the higher Alps, the alpine or white hare is hunted, and the white mole is found among the vineyards and the fields of Lausanne. The beaver is now unknown, though a pair were killed about twenty years ago, at the lower end of the valley of Etivaz, near the sources of the river, which meanders through it. The marmot, living in societies, is found in the green patches at the foot of the Glaciers of Diablerets. The wild boar ranges in the forests at the foot of Jura, and the Chamois antelope is found in the lofty ranges around Vevey. The bouquetin (Capra ibex) is now extinct, and the lämmergyer is extremely rare. The golden eagle hovers over the mountains of the Jura; a white variety of the cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) has been seen near Morges, and the eider duck has been killed not far from Vevey. Near to Montreux the green lizard is seen to attain the length of one foot, and in the forest of Chilon the common snake has been found ten feet long. At Baume, where immense numbers of vipers are found, there is a vipèrerie for the accumulation of them, destined for medical service, and also as a restorative for the invalid. The Mantis religiosa, or as the French call it Le Prie-Dieu, occasionally presents itself in the attitude of supplication. In the Canton de Vaud the white mulberry has been planted for rearing silk worms, but no attempt of the kind has been supported with any spirit, save only that at Cassonay by an individual of the name of Gaulis. The success, however, which has for many years crowned his exertions, is a practical evidence that such would certainly succeed in other hands under proper management.

'At Montreux the rosemary fringes the edge of the torrent, and such is the range of the herbarium of this Canton, that a few hours' walk transports you from the vine, the peach tree, and the almond, to the Salix herbacea, that miniature of trees, and the Gentiana nivalis: such are the wonderful extremes in Alpine countries. The roots of Gentian being submitted to distillation, are much used in medicine, and immense quantities are sent into Germany and other parts, from the Canton de Vaud. Here the fig-tree often sheds her figs twice a-year, and the peach and almond mingle in the vineyards with the vines. Sugar is manufactured from the maple in the valley of Etivaz, with profitable returns. Potatoes, hemp, flax, &c. are a good deal cultivated.'-pp. 71-73.

This does great credit to Mr. Murray, and there are many other passages of the same kind in his book, which render it a very agreeable little volume, and we can recommend it to our readers, as containing a great deal of information and pleasant description, in a much smaller compass than a traveller's album usually occupies.

LITERARY AND MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE.

Transactions of Literary and Scientific Societies.

Royal Society, May 14th.-A paper was read, entitled "On the Brain, as an Aggregation of Parts." By G. Spurzheim, M.D.; communicated by R, Chenevix, Esq. F. R. S.

May 28.-The President in the chair.-A paper was read, "On 'the Nerves of the Face;" by Charles Bell, Esq. E. F. Maitland, Esq., M. P. was elected. Amongst the presents were Professor Bessel's important inquiries into the Length of the simple Seconds' Pendulum; Mons. Poisson's Memoir on the Equilibrium of Fluids; the Eighth Volume of the Memoirs of the Royal Academy at Paris, &c. &c.

June 4th. The President in the chair. A paper was read, entitled, "on the geometrical representation of the powers of quantities which involve the square roots of negative quantities;" by the Rev. John Warren. Another paper was also read, descriptive of a case of a tumour removed from the head by Sir Everard Home. The Hon. J. Stewart Wortley and the Rev. Joseph Bosworth were elected Fellows; and John Shaw and S. D. Broughton, Esqrs., were proposed. The presents consisted chiefly of the Memoirs of De Witt Clinton, the American statesman, by Dr. Hosack of New York; Dr. Clark's work on the Influence of Climate in Chronic Diseases; and Professor Rigaud's MS. Observations made at the Radcliffe Observatory, Oxford; several interesting foreign donations were also received through M. Moreau, from Messrs. Jomard and Serullas, and the Academies of Dijon and Bordeaux.

Linnean Society. The anniversary meeting of this Society took place on the 25th of May, at the Society's house, in Soho-square; A. B. Lambert, Esq. vice-president, in the chair; Lord Stanley, the presi dent, not being able to attend, in consequence of family affliction. The Secretary detailed the proceedings of the Society since its last yearly meeting; from which it appeared, that thirty-nine Fellows, five Foreign Members, and six Associates, had been elected into the Society; while, during the same period, it had lost by death nine Fellows, amongst whom were the Duke de St. Carlos at Paris, and Archdeacon Cox, and Dr. Thomas Young of the Foreign Members two had died, viz. Professor Thunberg, the pupil and successor of Linnæus at Upsal, and Monsieur Bosc, professor of agriculture at the Jardin du Roi. The receipts for the year, including the subscription for the Linnæan Library and Collection, late the property of Sir James Edward Smith, amounted to 36197. 1s. 2d.; of this sum, 22007. had been paid as part of the price of the Linnæan Herbarium, &c. purchased by the Society, and now arranged, for the use of the Fellows, &c., by Mr. Don, the librarian of the Institution: a variety of valuable donations had also been added to the library and museum since the last anniversary.

Tuesday, June 16.-The last meeting of the above Society for the season, took place this evening; Robert Brown, Esquire, V.P. in the chair. A paper was read on " the anatomical construction of the organs of voice in

birds," by Mr. William Yanell, F.L.S. George Ord, Esquire, the distinguished naturalist of Philadelphia, was introduced, and took his seat, for the first time, as a Fellow. Several excellent work's were on the table: amongst them Dr. Richardson's Fauna Boreali-Americana; and Baron De Ferussac's Histoire des Mollusques, with the Zoological Atlas to Rüppell's Travels in Northern Africa, presented by these eminent writers.

Miscellaneous Intelligence.

Baron Ferussac, the spirited founder of that extraordinary periodical, the Bulletin Universel, is now in England, for the purpose of ensuring the co-operation of the scientific men of this country with those of France, in the great work of the diffusion of knowledge through the medium of the Bulletin. The reception he has met with, both from individuals and scientific bodies in London, holds out a promise of success, especially as Mr. Brougham seems to have taken up the matter, and called upon the Committee of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, to devise the best means for bringing about so noble an object, as the union of the men of science of the two nations for one great purpose.

French Coast. The second part of "The French Pilot," a work proceeding under the direction of the Minister of Marine, has been completed. It comprehends the western coast of France, from the Point of Penmarck to the Isle of Yen.

A new (the sixth) edition of the Little Villager's Verse-Book, by Mr. Bowles, is announced.

On Friday, May 8th, Professor Beck celebrated his jubilee, and received from his Sovereign and friends those marks of respect to which he was entitled, for his persevering attention to the cause of literature. He is principally known in this country by his Repertorium.

Sir Jonah Barrington has nearly ready a third volume of his amusing work.

In the Sitting of the Academy of St. Petersburg on the 17th February, it appeared, from an account of Mr. Frähn, that the Asiatic Museum of that capital contained, among other works-851 Arabic, Persian, and Turkish MSS.; 281 Chinese and Man Chu printed Books and MSS.; 28 Japanese ditto.; 180 of Tiberian, Mongol, and Kalmuck ditto.

Chinese Manuscripts.-The Archimandrite Hyacinth, who has resided for fourteen years at Pekin, and who has successfully applied himself to the study of the Chinese language, has collected several Chinese manuscripts, highly important to the history of China. The following list of them cannot fail to be interesting to the lovers of Asiatic literature: 1. Tsii-Teun-Tsian-Gang-Mou; Annals of the Chinese Empire, in 8 volumes, already known by the translations of the Jesuits. 2. History of the dynasty Ming; 1 volume, known, but very interesting. 3. Geography of the Chinese Empire; 2 volumes, with a large map: this important manuscript is in the Russian language. 4. History of the first four Khans of family Tchingis; 1 volume. 5. Sii-Schou, or the Four Books, with long explanations; 2 volumes. 6. Description of Thibet in its present state; 1 volume. 7. History of Thibet and Tangout; 1 volume. 8. Description of the Mongolian people two centuries before the birth of Christ. 9.

Description of Sungary and little Boukhary, a hundred and fifty years before Christ; 1 volume. 10. Description of the same countries in their present state; 1 volume. 11. Description of Pekin, and a plan of the city. 12. Description of the Mongolian people until the birth of Christ. 13. Treatise on inoculation for the small-pox. 14. The legal medicine of the Chinese; 1 volume. 15. System of the universe; 1 volume. 16. On the fortifications of the river Janne; 1 volume. 17. Mongolian Code; 1 volume. And, 18. Chinese Dictionary, translated into Russian; 6 vols. Dr. F. Parrot, of the university of Dorpal, who had projected a scientific journey to Ararat, has received the special permission of the Emperor of Russia, who has appointed an officer to attend them, and presented the expedition with two pocket chronometers from the Imperial Institute, in St. Petersburgh.

Dr. Burrowes, Dean of Cork, announces a volume of Sermons on the First Lessons of the Morning Service, for the Sundays from Septuagesima to Trinity Sunday.

French Literary Appointments.-M. Auber has been elected a member of the Institute, in the room of M. Gossec, deceased; and M. Boissonade, member of the Academy of Inscriptions and Belles Lettres, is appointed Greek professor at the college of France, in the room of the late M. Gall.

Memoirs, by a Lady of Quality, is the present literary work à la mode. This style of authorship has a peculiar attraction for the multitude; so delightful is it to learn our neighbours' fallible points, and to be initiated into courtly gossip!-Paris Letter.

M. Cuvier has presented to the French Academy of Sciences, in his own name, and that of M. Latreille, the second edition of his work called Le Règne Animal. He has also presented to the Academy two new volumes of his large work on Fishes; a work which he is publishing in conjunction with M. Valencienne.

A work, entitled Compendious and Impartial Events in the History of Great Britain and Ireland, in relation to the Roman Catholic Question, is announced.

A New Monthly Periodical is to be published in September next, to be entitled "The Edinburgh Journal of Natural and Geographical Sciences." To be conducted by an association of naturalists.

The Life of the Rev. John Wesley, A.M., late fellow of Lincoln college, Oxford, is announced. Third edition: with additional matter. By the Rev. Henry Moore, sole surviving trustee of Mr. Wesley's papers.

Mr. E. H. Barker, of Thetford, Editor of the English edition of Professor Antoin's improved Lempriere, intends to reprint, with all possible expedition, in parts at stated periods, Dr. Webster's valuable American Dictionary of the English Language, in 2 vols. 4to.

Preparing for publication, under the superintendance of Mr. George Don, A. L. S. a new edition of Millens' Gardeners' and Botanists' Dictionary. The work, illustrated with Plates and Figures of Plants, will be published in parts, and completed in Four 4to. volumes.

473

MONTHLY LIST OF RECENT PUBLICATIONS,

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

ARTS AND SCIENCES.

Stephens's Nomenclature of British Insects, 12mo. 2 vols. 4s. 6d.

Richardson's Zoology of Northern British
America, 4to. 11. 11s. 6d. bds.
Castle's Botany, 12mo. coloured.

BIOGRAPHY.

Josephine's Memoirs (French) vol. 3, 8vo. 8s. bds.

Memoirs of Lady Fanshawe, 8vo. 14s. bds. Lord King's Life of Locke, 21. 4s. bds.

HISTORY.

Briggs' Mahomedan Power of India, 4 vols. 8vo. 41. 4s. bds.

Bloomfield's Thucydides, 3 vols. 8vo. 2l. 5s. bds.

Coxe's Pelham, 2 vols. Imp. 4to. 10l. 10s. bds.

LAW.

Petersdorff's Law Reports, vol. 10, royal 8vo. 1. 11s. 6d. bds.

Medical Witness, fcp. 8vo. 5s. bds.

MEDICINE.

Stafford on Ulcers, 8vo. 5s. bds.

Medical Transactions, vol. 15, Part I. 8vo. 10s. 6d. bds.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Spinetto's Lectures on Hieroglyphics, 8vo. 16s. bds.

Kennedy's Æschili Agamemnon, royal 8vo. 12s. bds.

Carlisle's Account of the Privy Chamber, 8vo. bds. 11.

Parry's Anthology, fep. 8vo. 5s. bds. Brockett's Glossary of North Country Words, cr. 8vo. 12s. bds.

Hunter's Hallamshire Glossary, cr. 8vo. 8s. bds.

Alfred's Boetius, by Cardale, 8vo. 11.5s. bds.

A Few Comfortable Meditations, 12mo. 3s. 6d. bds.

Hurwitz's Hebrew Elements, 8vo. 5s. 6d. bds.

Harleian Diary-Husbandry, 8vo. 11. 13s. bds.

NOVELS AND ROMANCES.

Tales of the Wars of our Times, 2 vols. post 8vo. 11. 1s. bds.

Private Life of the Author of Geraldine, 3 vols. post 8vo. 11. 4s.

Brown's Italian Tales, 8vo. 7s. 6d. Rybrent de Cruce, 3 vols. post 8vo. 11. 8s. 6d. bds.

The Chelsea Pensioners, 3 vols. post 8vo.

11. 11s.

Adventures of a King's Page, 3 vols. post 8vo. 11. 11s. 6d. bds.

Dagley's Village Nightingale, 12mo. 6s. bds.

Five Nights at St. Alban's, 3 vols. post 8vo. 1l. 11s. 6d. bds.

The Indian Chief, 3 vols. 12mo. 16s. bds.

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