report its contents with all convenient promptitude and con

ciseness.

Experiments and Observations relating to the Analysis of Atmospherical Air, by the Rev. Dr. J. Priestley.-After the full account which we have given of Dr. P.'s tract on the doctrine of Phlogiston, we find it necessary to say little of the paper before us. From the small diminution of air, in the process of whitening bones in it by heat, and from a similar result in heating polished steel needles, Dr. Priestley concludes against the theory of the French chemists. He asserts, next, that dephlogisticated and inflammable air will unite completely, by being confined some time together in a moist bladder.

Having mixed equal quantities of those kinds of air, I put them into a bladder, which I left floating in a trough of water, and found, after about a fortnight, that the quantity was considerably diminished; and examining it, I found it to be almost wholly phlogisticated, though there was something slightly inflammable in it. On this I put equal measures (but omitted to note the quantity) of each of the kinds of air into another bladder, and after about three weeks, found it reduced to 12.5 ounce measures, all pure phlogisticated air, without any mixture of fixed or inflammable air that I could perceive.'

Some other arguments are adduced, which we suppose will not be reckoned satisfactory by the partisans of the new chemistry.

Farther Experiments relating to the Generation of Air from Water, by the Same. In these experiments, Dr. P. states the quantity of air which he has procured from distilled water, without decomposing it. The general result is that he found it impossible to convert the whole of the water into air.

Appendix to the preceding Memoirs, by the Same.-This short paper contains some additions to and explanations of the foregoing essays. See also Dr. Woodhouse's observations, mentioned in a subsequent part of this article.

On the Expansion of Wood by Heat, in a Letter from David Rittenhouse, L.L. D. President of the Society. From experiments made with a pyrometer, Dr. Rittenhouse found that dry wood expands with heat, though much less considerably than the metals, or than glass.

Experiments on Evaporation, by C. Wistar, M. D. — Dr. Wistar's opinion respecting the evaporation which takes place from the surface of melting ice, suspended in air, reduced to

*Rev. vol. xxxvi. N. S. p. 250.

the

the temperature of o, (Fahrenheit) is here confirmed by experiment. The inelastic vapour, raised on this occasion, is attributed to the passage of heat from the moist body into the contiguous air.

A Memoir concerning the Fascinating Faculty which has been ascribed to the Rattle-Snake and other American Serpents. By Benjamin Smith Barton, M. D.-This ingenious essay will serve to eradicate the last remainsof a superstitious opinion, long maintained in natural history. Dr. Barton proves, by a variety of facts, that the motions of birds, which have been attributed to a fascinating power in the eyes of serpents, are in reality calculated to drive away the reptiles from the bird's young, or to divert their attention from the nest.

I have already observed, that the rattle-snake does not climb up trees. But the black-snake and some other species of the genus coluber do. When impelled by hunger, and incapable of satisfying it by the capture of animals on the ground, they begin to glide up trees or bushes, upon which a bird has its nest. The bird is not ignorant of the serpent's object. She leaves her nest, whether it contains eggs or young ones, and endeavours to oppose the reptile's progress. In doing this, she is actuated by the strength of her instinctive attachment to her eggs, or of affection to her young. Her cry is melancholy, her motions are tremulous. She exposes herself to the most imminent danger. Some im s, she approaches so near the reptile that he seizes her as his prey. But this is far from being universally the case. Often, she compels the serpent to leave the tree, and then returns to her nest.'

The following incident, related on the authority of Dr. Rittenhouse, strongly confirms Dr. Barton's opinion:

Some years since, this ingenious gentleman was induced to suppose, from the peculiar melancholy cry of a red-winged-maize-thief, that a snake was at no great distance from it, and that the bird was in distress. He threw a stone at the place from which the cry proceeded, which had the effect of driving the bird away. The poor animal, however, immediately returned to the same spot. Mr. Rittenhouse now went to the place where the bird alighted, and, to his great astonishment, he found it perched upon the back of a large black-snake, which it was pecking with its beak. pecking with its beak. At this very time, the serpent was in the act of swallowing a young bird, and from the enlarged size of the reptile's belly it was evident, that it had already swallowed two or three other young birds. After the snake was killed, the old bird flew away.'

As additional arguments, Dr. Barton observes that the usual food of the rattle-snake is the great frog; and that some of the stronger and more courageous American birds attack and devour the rattle-snake himself: the swallow-tailed hawk, and the larger kinds of owls, are particularly mentioned as his antagonists. The author adds, in a note;

15

• It

It is commonly believed, that the rattle-snake is a very hardy animal; but this is not the case. A very small stroke on any part of its body disables it from running at all; and the slightest stroke upon the top of the head is followed by instant death. The skullbone is remarkably thin and brittle; so much so indeed, that it is thought that a stroke from the wing of a thrush or robin would be sufficient to break it.'

By

The whole memoir will be read with much pleasure. Some Account of an American Species of Dipus, or Jerboa. the Same.-Dr. Barton has minutely described the distinctions between this animal and the Dipus Hudsonius; and an engraving of the latter is annexed to the paper. Little is yet known respecting the habits of this new species: but Dr. B. promises farther researches, which cannot fail to prove highly acceptable to the lovers of natural history.

A Letter from Mr. John Heckewalder, to Dr. Barton, giving an Account of the remarkable Instinct of a Bird cailed the Ninekiller. This curious fact cannot be better detailed than in the author's own words:

I went to a farm, about eleven miles and a half from this place, to view a young orchard, which had been planted, about five weeks ago, under my direction, where on viewing the trees, I found, to my great astonishment, almost on every one of them, one and on some two and three grasshoppers, stuck down on the sharp thorny branches, which were not pruned when the trees were planted. I immediately called the tenant, and asked the reason and his opinion of this. He was much surprised at my ignorance about the matter, and informed me, that these grasshoppers were stuck up by a small bird of prey, which the Germans calleed Neun-toedter (in Eng. lish, Nine-killer); that this bird had a practice of catching and sticking up nine grasshoppers a day, and that as he well knew they did not devour the grasshoppers, nor any other insects, he thought they must do it for pleasure. I asked him for a description of this bird, and was perfectly satisfied that it lived entirely on small animals, such as small birds, mice, &c. for I had paid attention to this bird as early as the year 1761, when, in the winter, one of the same species took a favourite little bird of mine out of my cage at the window, from which time I have watched them more closely, and have found them more numerous in the western country than here. Not being satisfied with what the tenant had told me respecting the intention of the bird's doing all this (viz. for diversion's sake), and particularly observing each and every one of these grasshoppers stuck up so regularly, and in their natural position as when on the ground, not one of them having its back downwards, I began to conjecture what might be the real intention which the bird had in this, and my determined opinion was, that this little bird-hawk, by instinet, made use of this art, in order to decoy the smaller birds, which feed on insects, and by these means have a fair opportunity of catching them. All this I communicated to my friends on my return home,

and

and they were not less astonished at what I had related to them, than I had been on discovering the fact. It being agreed that one or more gentlemen of learning and observation should more minutely examine into this matter, the proprietor of this farm, with another gentleman and myself, went this day out for the purpose; and viewing the grasshoppers on a number of these small trees (some of which we cut off, and took home), we returned to the tenant, who not only himself but also his father and sister gave us the best assur ances, that they had, long since, and from time to time, observed this hird catching grasshoppers and sticking them up in the manner already related, and that sometimes they had observed, in places where this species of bird keeps, numbers of grasshoppers stuck up on a thorn-bush in like manner. The Reverend Mr. V Vleck is perfectly satisfied that this bird-hawk is the Lanius Canadensis (in Bartram, and has obligingly communicated the following account of this little bird-hawk to me: it is extracted from a German publication printed at Goettingen, in 1778, under the title of " Natural History for Children, by M. George Christian Paff," who after giving a description of the different species of this bird, concludes thus: "Why is this bird of prey called the nine-killer? Because it is said to have the habit of sticking beetles or other insects, and perhaps sometimes nine of them in succession, upon thorns, that they may not escape until he has leisure to devour them all at once. And for the same reason, it is sometimes called the thorn-sticker." Now by, the above account, we see that it is known in Europe that this same species of birds actually does stick up insec's of different kinds on thorns, Ste. but it is supposed they eat them immediately after being stuck up. Here the case is quite otherwise. They remain stuck up, for we must suppose these to have been stuck up at least some weeks ago, and before the haid frosts set in. The very birds (as we suppose that stuck them up are now on the same ground, watching the smaller bird, that come out to feed, and have been seen catching the latter but a few days ago. If it were true, that this little hawk had stuck them up for himself, how long would he be feeding on one or two hundred grasshoppers? But if it be in. tended to seduce the smaller birds to feed on these insects, in order to have an opportunity of catching them, that number, or even one half, or less, may be a good bait all winter; and all of us, who have considered these circumstances, are firmly of opinion, that these insects thus stuck up, are to serve as a bait, &c. through the course of the winter?

An Enquiry into the Causes of the Insalubrity of flat and marshy Situations; and Directions for preventing or correcting the Effects thereof; by William Currie.-This gentleman imputes the unhealthiness of marshes to their action on the surrounding atmosphere, in which he supposes them to diminish the proportion of oxygen. This may perhaps be one cause of the mischief produced by them: but we apprehend that it is insufficient to account for the whole of the phænomena, in which moisture certainly has a considerable share. Mr. Currie's

3

peculiar

peculiar hypothesis has not led him to propose any new mode of prevention: draining and cultivation, which he recommends, are old and well known means of redress.

A Letter from Colonel Winthrop Sargent, to Dr. Benjamin Smith Barton, accompanying Drawings and some Account of certain Articles, which were taken out of an ancient Tumulus, or Grave, in the Western Country.

Explanations of the Engravings of these Antiquities.

Observations and Conjectures concerning certain Articles which were taken out of an ancient Tumulus, or Grave, in the County of Hamilton, and Territory of the United States, N. W. of the River Ohio; in a Letter from Dr. Barton to the Rev. Dr. Priestley.

--

In this latter paper, Dr. Barton endeavours to establish two points; 1. the early population of America; and 2. the superior civilization of the aboriginal inhabitants over the present Indians. His account of the field-fortifications, barrows, and hieroglyphics, discovered in different parts of the western territory, will remind the reader strongly of similar antiquities in the north of Europe.

In a second part of this paper, Dr. Barton offers conjectures respecting the articles found in this place of interment, some of which he supposes to have been personal ornaments, and others to have served for superstitious purposes. He concludes with proposing to extend the researches on this subject, by opening the tumuli existing in the northern parts of America.

Miscellaneous Observations relative to the Western Parts of Pennsylvania, particularly those in the Neighbourhood of Lake Erie. By Andrew Ellicott.-The author of this paper thinks that the ebbings and flowings of lake Erie, which have been supposed to be tides, are occasioned by the prevalence of strong easterly or westerly winds, which drive a portion of the water towards the upper or lower end of the lake. Some other circumstances, of less importance, are mentioned; and Mr. E. concludes with an account of the falls of Niagara. The general view of the cause of this cataract is curious:

Lake Erie is situated upon one of those horizontal strata in a region elevated about three hundred feet above the country which, contains Lake Ontario. The descent which separates the two countries, is in some places almost perpendicular, and the immense declivity formed by these strata occasions both the cataract of Niagara and the great falls of Cheneseco. This remarkable precipice generally runs in a south-western direction from a place near the Bay of Toronto on the northern side of Ontario, round the western angle of the lake; from thence it continues its course generally in an east

ern