this order of beings, and seem to constitute very delicate organs of touch. Their form and size vary greatly in different genera and species. When the antennæ have but one joint, they are said to be erarticulate; when they have two joints, biarticulate; when furnished with three joints, triarticulate; while those whose joints are numerous, are said to be multiarticulate. The antennæ rarely exceed two in number, but some apterous insects have as many as six. 199-Manners of Children at Meals. T. L.- Children should be encouraged to sit still at their meals, but these should be made as short as possible, that the patience of the children should not be tried too severely. Also, they should be encouraged in cheerfulness at meal times, and not in turbulence. Vigour in the digestive organs is said to be promoted by cheerfulness, but impaired by gloomy impressions, or by great anxiety of mind indulged in during meals. If this be the case, it must be desirable to keep children's spirits free from any depressing influences, and yet not forced into the opposite extreme of excitement. 200-Poultry and Game. S. C.-These can only be considered as economical provisions in certain country districts. In town they are generally too dear to be often purchased by those who are obliged to study economy; and it may be well to remember, that although useful as food for invalids, being light and not as stimulating as butcher's meat, these delicacies of the table are of less value in a family, than the more substantial joints from the shambles. They are delicacies, but not essentials. Most of them require expensive gravies and sauces, to render them agreeable as food.

201-Boa. T. H.-This is the name given to a family of serpents, including the pythons of India and Africa, destitute of venom, but formidable from their enormous size, vast muscular power, and mode of attack. They lurk in ambush, and dart upon their victim, envelope it in their powerful folds, and speedily crush it to death or strangle it. The species of the restricted genus Boa are all natives of the tropical regions of America, and are characterised by the plates on the under surface of the tail being single. Both the boas and the pythons are most beautifully coloured, and gleam in the sun.

202-Bristol. W. J.-This city may be said to have reached its commercial culminating point about the year 1828, when its gross receipts of customs were £1,204,000. At that time the West India trade was flourishing here exceedingly; the intercourse with Africa and America was also great; and vast quantities of Spanish wool were imported into Bristol for the use of the Gloucestershire cloth manufacturers. Since that period the port may have been said to have stood still; which, considering the vast increase that of late years has taken place in the population of the city-at present numbering 80,000 souls-is as much as to say that it has gone back.

203-Treatment of Leeches. Georgiana.-Our fair correspondent writes to us as follows:- Some time ago you gave directions as to the treatment of lecches (Family Friend, No. 52, vol. v., App. 56). I have had much experience, and I think my method is a better one than your correspondent's. Instead of giving them salt, I take them by the tail, the broad end of the leech, in my left fore-finger and thumb, and holding it firmly, I draw it through my right fore-finger and thumb--the blood will then spout out at the mouth. Press the leeches through the fingers two or three times until they are empty, and then put them into water."

204-Merlin. E. T.-Ambrose Merlin was a British writer who flourished about the latter end of the fifth century. He was supposed to be an enchanter and a prophet; but the accounts we have of him are so mixed up with fiction, that to disentangle his real life from the mass would be impossible. He was the greatest sage and mathematician of his time, the counsellor and friend of four English kings: Vortigern, Ambrosius, Uther Pendragon, and Arthur. The miracles ascribed to him are numerous; and, instead of dying, it was supposed that he fell into a magic sleep, from which, after a long period, he would

awake.

205-Silk Weaving. T. R. S.-The use of silk in dress was extensively adopted in England by the wealthy, soon after the Norman Conquest, but was then confined to occasions of ceremony. The destruction of the city of Antwerp in 1583, by the Duke of Parma, drove a third part of the silk-weavers to England, and they laid the foundation of the art in this country. Another political event, the revocation of the edict of Nantes in 1685, produced a similar effect, and the Spitalfields silk-weavers date from that time. But it was the introduction of the throwing machine by Sir Thomas Lombe, that completely established the silk weaving in the British dominions.

206-Quails. R. R.-This bird is a native of the East, and abounds in the Greek islands of the Archipelago, and in Italy. It also inhabits Egypt, and formed one of the supplies which the Israelites obtained while in the wilderness. Quails are birds of passage, and migrate from warmer regions in the spring to colder in autumn. They are found, though rarely in England, some entirely quitting it, others shifting their quarters from our country to another, and sheltering themselves on the approach of winter among the woods near the sea-coast. They are not domesticated here, but may be reared and preserved in the same manner as the pheasant and partridge. 207-Discovery of Engraving. T. W.- This art originated in some experiments of Maso Finniguerra, a Florentine, in the first half of the fifteenth century. He was an artist who engraved on silver plate, and being desirous of preserving impressions of his engravings, he took casts in clay, and produced impressions of these, by a roller, in liquid sulphur, and sometimes on damp paper. Then, by engraving in reverse, in the manner of broad seals, he got impressions on paper the right way of the original. The art of block-printing came before the world in the same age, and much resembled the contrivance of the Florentine-for the pages were cut in wood, and then impressed on paper in the same manner.

208-Decanting Wine. W. L. S.-Be careful not to shake or disturb the cruet when moving it about or drawing the cork, particularly port wine. Never decant wine without a wine strainer, with some fine cambric in it, to prevent the crust and bits of cork going into the decanters. In decanting port wine, do not strain it too near; there are generally two-thirds of a wine-glass of thick dregs in each bottle, which ought not to be put in; but in white wine there is not much settling; pour it out, however, siowy, and raise the bottle up gradually. The wine should never be decanted in a hurry, therefore always let it be done before sitting down to dinner. Do not jostle the decanters against each other when moving them about, as they easily break when full.

209-Cocoa Paste. S. T. S.-To prepare cocoa paste, the cocoa beans must be heated in iron cylinders, and deprived of their husks; the kernels are then put into an iron mortar, heated by keeping lighted charcoal in it for some time, and pounded and rubbed with the pestle also heated, till the whole is quite smooth like a paste. It is then placed upon a marble, or, what is better, a porphyry slab, made thoroughly hot before the fire, and worked well with an iron roller, until it is as soft as butter. Or this process is performed more expeditiously in a mill. A little sugar is added to make it dissolve more readily when used. Sometimes it is put into tin moulds, and dried in square cakes. It is said, however, that much heat dissipates the flavour. To prepare a beverage from cocoa paste, nothing more is necessary than to stir it well in boiling water.

210-Potatoes used in washing. S. B.-The first account we have of this method is from Cudet de Vaux, a French chemist, and details were published by M. Hericard de Thury, of experiments made in the hospitals of Paris. The linen was put to soak for half an hour; then it was slightly washed, and put into a vessel with warm water; each article was then rubbed on both sides with potatoes three-parts cooked, in the same manner as if they were pieces of soap. When the whole had been thus well rubbed, it was put into the copper and boiled for half an hour; after which it was taken out again, rubbed, beat and turned, and pressed in all directions, and again plunged for some minutes in warm water, and afterwards rinsed. The linen is said to have been made perfectly white, while the expense and labour were less than by the ordinary method. A modification of this process is used by the

Scourers.

211-The Song-Thrush. T. C.-This bird is well known and admired in England; charming us not only with the sweetness, but the variety of its song, which it commences early in the spring, and continues to the beginning of autumn. It measures nine inches in length; its beak is dusky, the under mandible yellowish at the base; head, and upper parts of the body, yellowish brown, with a few obscure dusky lines on the former; the throat, neck, and sides are yellowish; the breast white, spotted with dusky; and the abdomen white. The under wing-coverts dull orange yellow; legs light brown. The food of the Song-Thrush, or Mavis, consists of insects and berries, it is also particularly fond of snails, the shells of which it breaks against stones. The female generally builds her nest in bushes, it is composed of dried grass and green moss, with a little earth or clay intermixed, and lined with rotten wood. She lays four or five eggs, of a pale blue colour, marked with dusky spots on the larger end.

212-German Language. T. B. This is the richest in rds of any European language, owing to the number and wer of its roots or monosyllabies. 213-Brown Dye for Straw Bonnets. L. E. T.-Take sufficient quantity of Brazil wood, sumach, bark, madr, copperas, and sadden, according to the shade required. 214-The Family Friend. "A Constant Reader" is inmed that bound volumes of this work are always to be tained from any bookseller in town or country. 215-Blackmail. Y. Y.-In Scotland this was a sort yearly payment formerly made for protection to those nds of armed men who, down to the middle of the last ntury, laid many parts of the country under contribution. 216-North Pole. F. O.-It is that point of the heaas which is 90° every way distant from the equinoctial. place is pointed out within 23° by the North Pole Star, the tail of Ursa Minor.

217-Astronomy. W. J. J.-Bailey maintains, from iental records, that Astronomy was cultivated in Egypt d Chaldea 2,800 B.C.; in Persia, 3,209; in India, 3,101; d in China, 2,952.

218-The Complexion. R. A.-This inquiry will be ind answered, by another correspondent, in the Appenx to No. 48, vol. iv. Family Friend, Questions Answered, D. 80. 219--Statistics. X. Y.- Is derived from the Latin tus, condition. This science determines the condition a country, in reference to its extent, population, instry, wealth, power, and the like. 220-Parthenon. X. Y.-In the British Museum are models of the Parthenon, on a large scale; one in its inous state, and the other a restoration, with the sculpres in their respective situations.

221-Liveries of London. R. C. C.-These are freeen, who are members of companies on taking an oath, ying fees, and being invested with a livery gown of purple, k, and fur.

rofit.

222-Carriages. T. F. W.-The first coach in England as built in 1565, for the Earl of Rutland. In 1661 a stageach was two days going from London to Oxford, and the yong coach in summer was thirteen hours. 223-Corpulency. C.-Our correspondent will find a ution to her question on referring to the Family Friend, l. iii. No. 36, Appendix No. 167.-Hints on Thorough Bass, F. J. Klose, is a work that might be consulted with 224-Glove. S. G.-This word is derived from the glo-Saxon Glof, a cover for the hand. The etymology the English word shows an early use of gloves in this untry. In the middle ages they formed a rich and costly ticle of the dress of important personages. 225-Cartoon. T. B.-This is a pattern for tapestry, ., painted or drawn upon large paper. There are thiren by Raffaelle, wonders of art, in our royal collections; id another, The Murder of the Innocents, in a private lery.

226-Wedding Breakfast. A. J.-This must, of course, pend upon the circumstances of the parties interested providing such a repast. In the absence of this inforation, we are unable to offer any suggestion to our respondent.

227-Origin of Pin-Money. T. H. C.-This term seems have been derived from an ancient tax in France for eviding the Queen with pins, whence it has been applied us to that provision for married women with which the ishaud is not to interfere.

228-Indelible Marking Ink. H. W. M.-Our corspondent will find the instructions he requires on rering to the Family Friend, No. 4. vol. i."Useful eceipts." It would be well to consult the Quadruple dex before writing for information which may have been ready supplied.

229-Gunpowder.

W. R.-The Chinese invented inpowder soon after the Christian era, and used it in mmon. In 1249, an Arabic author describes its use in eworks and shells. It appears to have been used in urope in ordnance at the beginning of the fourteenth ntury.

230-To soften Hard Water. X. Y. Z.-To two quarts water add four ounces of potash, four ounces of rose iter, two ounces of pure brandy, and two ounces of lemon ice. Keep the mixture closely corked in a bottle; and, en you wash, add to the water in the wash-handbasin e or two spoonfuls.

232-Quill Pens. T. B. R.-The oldest certain account known at present respecting the use of quill pens is a passage of Isidore, who died in the year 636, and who, among the instruments employed for writing, mentions reeds and feathers. Another proof of quills being used in the same century, is a small poem on a writing pen, to be found in the works of Althelmus.

233-Cure of the Teeth. V. O.-The water with which the teeth are cleansed should be what is called lukewarm. They should be well but gently brushed both night and morning; the brush should be neither too hard nor too soft. The best tooth-powders are made from cuttle-fish, prepared chalk, and orris-root commingled together in equal quantities.

234-To improve Jellies and Pies. I.-A small quantity of gum tragacanth (or gum dragon, as it is commonly called) will make a pint of very stiff, full-bodied jelly when dissolved in water. This preparation strengthens the consistence of savoury jellies (when added to them over boiling water, and mixed together in a liquid state), and is a great improvement to meat pies.

235-Japans. T. R. S.-Japanning is executed upon various substances, as metals, wood, papier machée, and leather; and the process varies in some degree, according to the substances to be covered. When the substances to be japanned are not perfectly smooth, a ground is first laid of strong size and whiting, in order to obtain a perfectly level surface.

236-Amphitheatres. A. T.-These were vast erections in the Roman empire, to amuse, or rather brutalize the people, and qualify them for military life, by the exhibition of murderous contests between gladiators and wild beasts. They were of an elliptical form, and invented by Julius Cæsar and Curio. Augustus caused them to be erected everywhere.

237-Indigo. W. S. S.-The dye-stuff of Indigo is obtained from the plant, by allowing it to ferment with water; during this process, it subsides in the form of a blue deposit, which is collected and dried. As it occurs in commerce, it contains several impurities, such as lime, silica, alumina, and oxide of iron, in addition to the colouring matters, which are three in number-a brown, red, and blue; as also some glutinous matter.

238-Sedentary Occupations. T. G.-The best preventive to any ill consequences arising from close application to business is walking, for which we have the authority of Jefferson, who says:- Habituate yourself to walk very far, for it is the best of all exercises. A little walk of half an hour in the morning when you first rise is advisable, it shakes off sleep, and produces other good effects in the animal economy."

239-Sponge. S. R. W.-The sponge is now allowed to be a living being; but it long remained a question whether it was a vegetable or an animal one. It is described as fixed and torpid, of various forms, composed of net-work fibres, or of masses of small species interwoven together, and clothed with a gelatinous flesh, full of small mouths on its surface, by which it absorbs and rejects

water.

240-German Literature. W. S. S.-The whole book trade in Germany centres at Leipsic, and all writings and publications have reference to its Easter fair, for there and then the whole trade is supplied by an agent. John Otto, of Nurnberg, was the first speculator in copyrights, and soon after he had two imitators at Leipsic. The first Easter catalogue was published in 1600, and regularly since. It is now a large closely printed volume of new books and new editions.

241-Electricity. B. J.-It was not until the year 1728, that a knowledge was obtained of the power of electricity, which was found to be a subtle, imponderable, and invisible fluid, of wondrous energy. In 1746, electric machines were perfected, and the power of communicating an electric shock was discovered at Leyden, in Holland, where the coated glass bottle or jar was invented, which, in England, still bears the name of Leyden Jar, and, in France, that of bouteille de Leyde.

242-Mushrooms. J. B. W.--Mushroom beds may be made with advantage in the common way; but a very simple method of raising mushrooms may be adopted with little trouble. In an out-house, or shed, secured from frost, short dung may be placed upon shelves, to the thickness of a foot, and covered with spawn; excellent crops will be raised in a short time. Another plan is, to fill pots with dung properly spawned, and place them in the houses, at a temperature from thirty-five to forty-five degrees; not more than fifty degrees at any rate.

254-Heat of the Globe. C. R.-Descartes thought that the earth differed in nothing from the sun, except that it was smaller.

255-Book. T. I. B.-The word book is derived frora the Saxon boc, the root of which is the Gothic boca, a beechtree, or more strictly the bark of such tree. This was the first material of which books were made.

256-Mysteries. S. T. R.-These were a kind of dramatic spectacles in vogue during the early part of the iniddle ages; so called because they taught the mysterious doctrines of Christianity, and represented the miracles attributed to saints and martyrs.

257-Roman Ides. M. H.-These were eight days of each month in the Roman calendar, the first day of which fell on the thirteenth of January, February, April, June, August, September, November, and December; and on the fifteenth of March, May, July, and October.

258-Hair Powder. G. G.-This was introduced into Europe in 1604. In England, at the accession of George I., only two ladies wore powder; at the coronation of George II., there were but two hair-dressers in London: in England. in 1795, there were 50,000.

259-Sensitive Papers. G. C.--Tuskulanum, a small town in Lombardy, possesses several paper-mills. In one of them a fiue paper is manufactured, upon which the writing, with the common black ink, turns a bright red within twenty-four hours after use, and cannot be erased. The paper is of very strong and durable character.

brighter, clearer, and fluid, and will work more freely, dry more quickly, and be very solid and durable when dry. 268-Convent of St. Bernard. C. R. B.-The Convent of St. Bernard was founded in the year 968, and is situated more than eight thousand feet above the level of the sea, being the most elevated habitation in Europe. It is bordering on the region of eternal snow; in the height of summer the thermometer descends every evening to the freezing point. The mountain was known to the Romans by the name of Mons Jovis; but Bernard, the uncle of Charlemagne, conducting an army into Italy by this route, it has been ever after called by his name."

269-Art of Working Glass. R. C.-The Venetians were the first in modern times who attained to any degree of excellence in the art of working glass; but the French became eventually so zealous of rivalling them, particularly in the construction of mirrors, that a decree was issued by the court of France, declaring not only that the manufacture of glass should not derogate from the dignity of a nobleman, but that nobles alone should be masters of glass works. Within the last thirty or forty years Great Britain has made rapid advances in this important art.

261-Peter v. Paul. W. R. C.-On the suppression of the religious houses, Henry VIII. created a Bishop of Westminster. On the accession of Edward VI., the see of Westminster was incorporated with that of London, which gave rise to the expression of "robbing Peter to pay Paul."

262-Bills of Exchange. T. W.-Exchange appears to have been known anciently at Tyre, Carthage, Athens, Corinth, Syracuse, and Alexandria. The first well-ascertained traces of it, in modern times, are found, subsequently to the 12th century, in some of the provinces of France, particularly at the fair of Champagne. Bills of exchange were first used in England in 1307.

263-Steam from a Kettle. W. G.-The steam which issues from the spout of a tea-kettle is no hotter, as measured by a thermometer, than the boiling liquid within; and yet, when condensed in a body of cold water, or ice, it gives out as much heat as one thousand times its weight of boiling water would do. This heat of steam, which is insensible to the thermometer, is called latent heat, and it differs in quantity for different kinds of vapours.

264-Frankincense. B. R. II.-Frankincense, which was used in the worship of the true God, and on the altars of the heathen temples, was obtained from trees which grew in Arabia Felix. The incense trees grew only in that part of Arabia inhabited by the Sabans; and so strict were their laws respecting them, that persons were not permitted even to see the trees, except those appointed to take care of them.

265-Labour-saving Soap. S. F.--Take two pounds of soda, two pounds of yellow soap, and two quarts of water. Cut the soap into thin slices, and boil altogether for two hours; then strain it through a cloth, let it cool, and it is then fit for use, and may be applied as follows:-Put the clothes in soak the night before you wash, and to every of water in which you boil them, add one pound of soam They will need no rubbing; merely rinse them out, and they will be perfectly clean and white.

266-Female Mathematician. C. W.-In the year 1736, the French Academy of Science proposed as a subject for a prize, the Propagation of Heat; when the Marchioness of Chatelet entered the lists of competitors. Her work was not only an elegant account of all the properties of heat, at that time known to natural philosophers, but it was also remarkable for various proposals for experiments; one, among others, which was afterwards followed up by Herschel, and from which he derived one of the chief gems in his brilliant scientific crown.

267-Copal Varnish for Fine Paintings. B.-Fuse eight pounds of the very cleanest pale African gum copal, and when completely run fluid, pour in two gallons of hot oil, old measure; let it boil until it will string very strong, and in about fifteen minutes, or while it is yet very hot, pour in three gallons of turpentine, old measure. Perhaps, during the mixing, a considerable quantity of the turpentine will escape, but the varnish will be so much the

271-The English Language. O. H.-The English language consists of about 38,000 words. This includes, of course, not only radical words, but all derivatives, except the preterites and participles of verbs; to which must be added some few terms, which, though set down in the dictionaries, are either obsolete or have never ceased to be considered foreign. Of these, about 23,000, or nearly five-eighths, are of Anglo-Saxon origin. The majority of the rest, in what proportions we cannot say, are Latin and Greek; Latin, however, has the largest share.

272-Economy in Candles. T. R. B.-If you are without a rushlight, and would burn a candle all night, unless you use the following precaution, it is ten to one an ordi nary candle will gutter away in an hour or two, sometimes to the endangering the safety of a house. This may be avoided by placing as much common salt, finely powdered, as will reach from the tallow to the bottom of the black part of the wick of a partly burnt candle, when, if the same be lit, it will burn very slowly, yielding sufficient light for a bed-chamber; the salt will gradually sink as the tallow is consumed, the melted tallow being drawn through the salt, and consumed in the wick.

273-Copper in Silver Coin. S. F.-The silver coin of this, as well as of most other countries, is alloyed with copper; and the two metals may be separated by the following means:-Dissolve a sixpence or shilling, in nitric acid, diluted with two or three times its weight of water: dip into this solution a smooth piece of zinc, four inches long, and the eighth of an inch thick, when the silver will be precipitated, in a brilliant metallic state, upon the zinc, from which it may be collected, while the copper will remain dissolved. If to the solution be added a few drops of liquid ammonia, a most beautiful deep blue colour will be the result.

274-Ventriloquism. T. F.-Several of our correspondents have inquired the means of learning this art. The main secret of ventriloquism simply consists in first making a strong and deep inspiration, by which a considerabic quantity of air is introduced into the lungs, to be afterwards acted upon by the flexible powers of the larynx, or cavity situated behind the tongue and the windpipe;, thus prepared, the expiration should be slow and gradual. Any person, by practice, can, therefore, obtain, more or less expertness in this exercise, in which, though not apparently, the voice is still modified by the mouth and tongue; and it is in the concealment of this aid that much of the perfection of ventriloquism lies.

275-Musk. R. O. C.-Of all odours the most intolerable to those who do not use it is musk. Many persons are inconvenienced by it to such a degree that they could not stay for five minutes in a room containing the minutest quantity of it. It is also the odour which adheres the longest. A coat upon which musk has been thrown will smell of it at the end of two years, though it may have been during the whole time exposed to the open air; but in apartments it will endure almost for ever. The

Empress Josephine was very fond of perfumes, and, above all, of musk. Her dressing-room at Malmaison was filled with it, in spite of Napoleon's frequent remonstrances. Twenty-five years after her death, M. Hagerman, who became the owner of Malmaison, had the walls of that dressing-room repeatedly washed and painted; but neither scrubbing, aquafortis, nor paint, were able to remove the smell of the good Empress' musk.

276--Windows. T. H.-The position of windows is a most essential feature in house-building, and we cannot better assist our correspondent than by quoting the hints given on this subject by worthy old Fuller:-" Light, God's eldest daughter, is a principal beauty in a building; yet it shines not alike from all parts of heaven. An east window welcomes the infant beams of the sun, before they are of strength to do any harm, and is offensive to none but a sluggard. A south window is a chimney with a fire in 't, and needs the screen of a curtain. In a west window in summer time toward night, the sun grows low and over-familiar, with more light than delight. A north window is best for butteries and cellars, where the beere will be sowr for the sun's smiling on it. Thorow lights are best for rooms of entertainment, and windows on one side for dormitories."

277-Lantern-fly. G. R.-This insect is curious, both on account of its size and its singular properties. It is nearly three inches and a half in length, from the tip of the front to that of the tail; and about five inches and a half broad, with its wings expanded. The head is distinguished by a singular prolongation, which sometimes equals the rest of the body in size. In this projection the luminous property of the Lantern-fly is said to exist; but the luminosity of this insect-of which there are several species-is doubted by most naturalists. Madame Merian, however, in her work on the insects of Surinam, says"The Indians once brought me, before I knew that they shone by night, a number of these lantern-flies, which I shut up in a large wooden box. In the night they made such a noise that I awoke in a fright, and ordered a light to be brought; not knowing from whence the noise proceeded. As soon as we found that it came from the box, we opened it; but were still much more alarmed, and let it fall to the ground in a fright, at seeing a flame of fire ome out of it; and as many animals as came out, so many flames of fire appeared."

278-Use of Cats' Whiskers. J. R.-The whiskers on a cat's upper lip are very important. They are organs of touch. They are attached to a bed of close glands under the skin, and each of these long hairs is connected with the nerve of the lip. The slightest contact of these whiskers with any surrounding object, is thus felt most distinctly by the animal, although the hairs of themselves are insensible. They stand out on each side of the lion as well as in the common cat, so that, from point to point, they are equal to the width of the animal's body. If we imagine, therefore, a lion stealing through a covert of wood, in an imperfect light, we shall at once see the use of these long hairs. They indicate to him, through the nicest feeling, any obstacle which may present itself to the passage of his body; they prevent the rustle of boughs and leaves, which would give warning to his prey if he were to attempt to pass through too close a bush; and thus, in conjunction with the soft cushions of his feet, and the fur upon which he treads (the retractile claws never come in contact with the ground), they enable him to

move towards his victim with a stillness even greater than that of the snake, who creeps along the grass, and is not perceived until he is coiled around his prey.

279-Sunlight, Talbotype, &c. R. A.-The effect of dry chlorine upon organic colouring matters depends, in a great measure, upon light, as is proved by the fact that this, and other bleaching agents, may be left for years in contact with coloured bodies without any effect, if the access of sunlight is prevented. Hence the failure of the experiments of R. A., whose only opportunity for experimental study of chemistry is "after office hours," when artificial light alone can be used. Dr. G. Wilson states, that a fortnight of sunshine is more than equal to a year of darkness, in determining the decolorizing action of dry chlorine. Some interesting particulars will be found in Mr. Hunt's book, and in his papers in Jameson's Journal, No. 98. With respect to the influence of solar rays upon inorganic bodies, Mr. Hunt thinks it established beyond a doubt:-1. That the maximum of chemical phenomena is to be found where there is the least quantity of heat and light. 2. That as the luminous power increases, either in the spectrum or in natural phenomena, the chemical power diminishes until it comes to a minimum, where light, or luminous power, exists at its maximum. 3. That although the chemical influence extends to the red, or heat-giving rays, its operations are materially modified, and, to al appearance, changed by the combined operation of the calorific power; and that results, standing in direct oppo sition to those obtained by the pure chemical rays, are given by the chemico-calorific rays. The application of sunlight in producing chemical effects, is illustrated by the process of Daguerreotype, Talbotype, &c. The former are upon metal, and are incapable of being multiplied; the latter are negative pictures, in which there is no reversion, and a single negative will supply a thousand positive copies, so that books may be illustrated with pictures drawn by the sun. The difficulty of procuring gold paper for the negative picture, led to the discovery, that a tim of albumen, spread upon glass, could be similarly acted upon. With a modification of this method, the colours of a landscape have been obtained, and this has renewed the hope that sun pictures, preserving the colours of the subject, may yet be procured. M. Niepce discovered a mode of accelerating the process of using albumen. In the Athenæum, May 2nd, 1850, Mr. Malone explains this process, of which a sketch is as follows: white of egg is mixed with its own bulk of water, and the surface of the plate-glass having been most carefully cleaned, the albumen is allowed to spread itself over it equally. The plate is then dried, so as to preserve its transparency. Iodine, being mixed with dry white sand, is placed in a glass trough, beneath the albumined plate, till the latter becomes yellow, when it must be removed to a room lighted by artificial illumination. The plate is here plunged into a solution of aceto-nitrate of silver, till the yellow tint disappears, and is displaced by a milky looking film of oxide of silver. Washing with distilled water prepares the film for the camera. After it has beea exposed to light, a saturated solution of gallic acid is poured over it, and a negative talbotype image is the result, which is finished by washing in water, before and after immersion, and finally in a solution of hyposulphate of soda. Further information is contained in the Atheneum, Nos. 1205, 1185, and 1197; also in the Philosophici Magazine, No. 249.