both pustules had the appearance that usually characterizes the disease on the eighth day. 3d. By a late regulation of the University of Edinburgh, the fees of each class are raised from three to five guineas, and the fee of graduation, from thirteen to twenty-six guineas; this will tend in some degree to promote the reform in the medical profession, so lately, but ineffectually proposed by Doctor Harrison, of Lincolnshire. The students have had meetings for the purpose of petitioning the Senatus Academicus for its repeal, but it is not likely they will be successful. NATURALIST'S REPORT. From December 20, till January 20. While rugged rocks refuse the opening flower, SMITH. The whole period since the last Report has been so uncommonly severe, and such continual falls of snow have covered the country, in the neighbourhood of Belfast, that our remarks are confined to Zoology alone. The immense flocks of Fieldfares (Turdus Pilaris) and Redwings (I. Iliacus which we mentioned in one of our former numbers as having arrived unusually early, have ali disappeared; several rare birds have however made their appearance as the Golden Plover (Charadrius Pluvialis) Grey Plover (Tringa squaterola) Turnstone (Tringa Interpres) Dun Diver (Mergus Castor.) On the 31st December a large flock of Wild Swans (Anas Cygnus) were flying to the West emitting by times a sound not unmusical, when combined with the noise of their wings; but certainly not meriting the high encomiums which they have had conferred on them by the ancient poets, every allowance being made for the different state of musical composition. To say that this flight of Swans indicated the severe snow storm which followed on the 5th of January, a number of observations would be necessary. On the 12th of January some of the White fronted Wild Goose (Anas albifrons) shot in the neigbourhood, were in Belfast Market. Dec. 31. A mild day. Common Wren singing. Jan. 9. 13. Coinmon Wren singing. Common Wien and Wood-lark singing. Such a uniformly severe state of weather is seldom known in this country: few days have passed without snow, and on the 5th and 6th of January so much fell as nothing was like it since February 1799. On the roads it was accumulated to the depth of 10 or 12 feet, rendering them impassible to the mail coach fur some days. Decm.21st. 22, 23, 24, 25, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, January 1st. 2, 3, Thaw apparently commenced, a trifling shower. Dark morning, snow showers. Dark calin warmish day. Calm wet days. Cold dark day with a slight shower. Sleet showers, mountain tops white. 8, 9, 10, . 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, Rain during the night, pleasant calm day. Pleasant dark day. Cold dark days. Thawing, clear day. Pleasant, bright, frosty day. Dark day with a trifling fall of snow in the afternoon. The variations of the Barometer have been uncommonly small, on the 7th and 8th of January it was 28, on the 16th and 17th at 30, all the rest of the time it was at 29. The Thermometer has had also little variation; on the 22nd of December in the morning it was 22, on the 20th of January 23, on December the 29th and 30th it was 40, the 31st 41, the rest of the time it varied little above 32. The wind was in the Northern points 6 times, Southern 7, Eastern 15, Western once. CELESTIAL PHENOMENA, FOR FEBRUARY, 1809. On the First, the Moon rises at 47 min. past 6 in the evening, being then very near Regulus, the bright star in the Lion; as she mounts the heavens we shall see that she has passed the line between the first of Hydra and the first of the Lion; and at 9, when she is 39° 27′ from Pollux in the Twins, and 52 42 from Spica in the Virgin, we may notice her peculiar situation in the eastern hemisphere; she is east of the line between the first of Hydra and the 1st, 3d, and 6th, of the Lion, and the 3d and 4th, of the Greater Bear. She sets about 8 the next morning. Fifth, She rises at 53 min. past 11, being then near Spica in the Virgin and Mars, and forms with them a very pleasing object, during the night. She passes the star at about half past 5 in the afternoon at 9 she is 43 50 from Antares, and 56' 10' from Regulus. Tenth, She rises at 34 min. past 4 in the morning, and is then a considerable distance On this day she passes the from Saturn, which will be observed to be increasing. meridian at 32 min. past 8, a. M. Fifteenth, The thin crescent of the Moon may be seen this evening, by any person who has a good view of the horizon at W. S. W. in a line almost with Mercury, and the 4 small stars in the Water-pot. The Moon, Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter, all appearing in the western hemisphere, will, no doubt, excite much admiration even in the least attentive observers. She sets at 35 min. past 6, P. M. Twentieth, She rises at 19 min. past 9. A. M. and passes the meridian at 49 min. past 4, P. M. she is now at a considerable distance from Venus. She is in a conspicuous situation between the 9 first stars of the Ram, the Pleiades, and Menkar, with the small stars in the head of the Whale. Before Mercury sets, it will be delightful to observe the groupe formed by him, Jupiter, Venus, the stars in the Ram, the Whale, the Moon, the Pleiades, and Aldebaran, near the meridian. Twenty-fifth, The Moon rises about 1 o'clock, P. M. and passes the meridian at 49 min. past 8, at this time Venus is sufficiently high above the horizon to be seen. Under the Moon are the 3d of the Twins to the west, and the first of the Little Dog to the east of the meridian, above her to the east are the 2 first of the Twins. Sirius is now near her, but West of the meridian, at 6 she is 44 19 from Regulus, and 95° 51 from Abdebaran. Twenty-eighth, She rises at 26 min. past 4. r. M. and passes the meridian at 18 min. past 11, Regulus being above her to the east of the meridian, and Mars and Spica above the horizon, south east by east.-At 6 she is 59' 14 from Spica, and 74° 25′ from Aldebaran, and at 9 she is 76° 5 from the latter, and 57° 33 from the former, Mercury is an evening Star during the whole of this month, and in the middle of it is so long above the horizon after Sun set, that any person may, if the evenings are fine, become acquainted with this planet. He is at his greatest elongation on the 17th, on which day he will not set for nearly an hour and three quarters after the sun. His motion is direct until the 24th, when he is stationary, during the remainder of the month he is retrograde. Venus is an evening Star during this month, and has a direct motion on the 1st she is distant from Jupiter only 54 deg. but her distance is continually encreasing, and as she is high above the horizon for a considerable time after Sun set, we may have every opportunity that we could desire, if the evenings are clear, of observing her appearance and motion. Mars is visible in the night during this month, on the 1st he rises about 11 at night, and on the 25th about 10 min. before 10-his motion is direct, through nearly 4° 50.— The Moon passes him on the 5th. Jupiter is an evening Star, and on the 1st is about 5° 30' from Venus,-his motion is direct and as he moves slowly, and Venus advances speedily, the distance between them will appear every night to be rapidly encreasing; but as Venus retreats from, Mercury approaches to him.--The Moon passes him on the 16th. Saturn is a morning Star, being in the meridian on the 1st at 24 min. past 7 and on the 25th at 55 min. past 5 P. M. his motion is direct-he is in a conspicuous situation, to the east of the Scorpion, and forming with Antares a pleasing ect to the early traveller. Herschell rises before midnight on the 1st, and passes the meridian on the 1st at 50" min. past 5 in the morning and on the 22d at 32 min. past 4.-On the 13th he is stationary so that his motion this month is scarcely perceptible. The 1st Star of the Balance, called Zubeneschamali, is a sufficient direction to him, from this Star he is distant about 24 deg. being to the West of it; the Moon passes him on the morning of the 7th, being then very near him. Lydia's Communication has been unintentionally delayed, but will appear in our next.....Several others are received and under consideration.....We regret that a disappointment has prevented the review of Mr. Trotter's Letter on the Veto from appearing in the present number. Dr. Neilson's Irish Grammar has been received and will, as well as Mr. Trotter's book, be noticed in our next number. ERRATA. Vol. 1, No. 3, page 242, line 4, from the bottom, for Stairs read Stares. No. 5, p. .398, 1. 28 from the bottom, for 1 Febrile, &c. read 21. Same page 1. 23, after chilblain, insert the words, both of, and dele them in the following line. Vol 2. No. 6, p. 1, col. 2, 1. 15, from the bottom, for Pyranees, read Pyrennes. P 54, 1. 4, for choires read choisies, THE BELFAST MONTHLY MAGAZINE. No. 7.] FEBRUARY 28, 1809. COMMUNICATIONS, ORIGINAL AND SELECTED. For the Belfast Monthly Magazine. SINCE a knowledge of the method of ascertaining the Specific Gravity of bodies, is attended with so many and great advantages to the chymist, merchant, agriculturist and miner, I trust any attempts which may tend to simplify that process, and render it more generally known, will not be unacceptable to many of your readers. Specific Gravity expresses the weight of any particular kind of matter, as compared with that of the same bulk of some other body of which the weight is supposed to be already known; pure or distuled water being easily procured, its temperature regulated with facility, and being then a fluid of uniform density, seems the least exceptionable for a standard of comparison, and is therefore generally used for that purpose; but as its weight varies with its temperature, that is usually taken at 60 degrees of Farenheit's thermometer. To compare the bulk of fluids and observe the difference in their weight, is comparatively easy and simple; a small bottle may be filled with the fluid we wish to examine, and its weight compared with that of the same bulk of water. Thus, if a small flask hold 1000 grains of pure water, it will contain 1850 of oil of vitriol (sulphuric acid) and only 815 of spirit of wine (alcohol.) But to compare the weight of an irregular solid, with that of its bulk of a standard fluid, is a more difficult problem, and was considered impossible, previous to the discovery of the illustrious, but unfortunate Archimedes, who ascertained on the principles of hydrostatics, that a lighter, and less valuable metal had been substituted for part of the gold in King Hiero's crown; a discovery to which he was led, by observing the ascent BELFAST MAG. NO. VII. [Vol. 2. of the water on the sides of the bath, when he immersed himself in it. When a solid is immersed in a fluid, it is plain, that the former displaces its own bulk of the latter; now the weight of the portion of fluid displaced, may be known by observing the loss of weight, sustained by the solid on immersion, and this gives also a very easy method of taking the specific gravity of liquids; thus, if a body weigh 50 grains in air, and only 40 in water, the bulk of that body of water, weighs 10 grains (the difference) which 10 grains if made a divisor, and the 50 grains or weight in air a dividend, the quotient 5 will be the specific gravity of that body; or in other words a cubic inch (or any given measure) of the solid, compared in weight, with the fluid, stands in the proportion of 5 to 1. The relative weight of grain, sand, ore, powders, or soil of any kind, may be also ascertained in the following easy manner; take a small phial capable of holding a known quantity of water, and introduce into it, equal parts of sand (for exemple) and water; this may be done by pouring water into the vessel, till it be halt full, and then adding as much sand, as will make the water rise in the bottle so as to fill it, the difference between the weight of the water and sand, will give the result; thus if the phial contains 100 grains of pure water, and gavas 50 grains by having the half of that water displaced, by an equal bulk of sand, it is evident, that the weight of the sand will be to that of water, as 2 to 1. Salts may be weighed in the same manner, in some fluid, in which they are not soluble, such as ol of turpentine, or naphtha. If therefore there be a variety of substances, the respective value of which are in any ratio, whether inver-e, or direct, connected with their weight, L 82 Method of Ascertaining the Specific Gravity of Bodies. [Feb. by this simple procedure, we discover their comparative goodness. The purity of various medicines, may be in this manner determined, so that this rule is evidently of infinite use in pharmacy; yet where is the Pharmacopolist, who understands, or uses an hydrostatic balance? The value of barilla, kelp, pot, and pearl ashes, (so closely connected with our staple manufactures) may be readily found in this way, as well as the value of oil of vitriol, which is at present prepared by the rules of commerce, of a particular standard strength; so that if a person purchase it below the standard specific gravity, he may return it to the manufacturer, or deduct a sum from its price, equivalent to its want of weight. In agriculture there can be no doubt of the universal and important application of this rule, not only in ascertaining the comparative value of different samples of the same kinds of grain, roots, &c. but also that of lime, marle, and some other manures; thus if pure lime be of greater value, than any admixture of that earth with clay, sand, iron, &c. the nearer the stone which we use approaches to the specific gravity of pure carbonate of lime (chalk, marble, or good lime-stone) the greater will be the price, at which the farmer can afford to purchase it. No doubt the fertility and composition of different soils, could also be investigated in this way, but this view of the subject has not yet I believe been proposed or practised; at least, not in this country. In mining and mineralogy the rule being universally admitted, and applied, I think I need not exemplify its use; suffice it to say, that in the British Mineralogy, now publishing with so much credit, and expense, by Sowerby, the generic characters of all the fossils, are traced to their specific gravities: to this extraordinary work I may refer the reader for the best account of the specific gravity of British minerals; even the comparative value of different species of coal, may, I conceive, be readily ascertained by finding their specific gravity, which if simplified according to the following method, may be easily applied by any careful domestic. EL The method of weighing the body to be examined, has I think been hitherto rather objectionable, for from the length of time necessary in adjusting the weights, or the balance, the result of the process, will be often inaccurate, when the body inmersed in the water imbibes that fluid, in it; a consideration of this, and of or is partially soluble or diffusible the difficulty, expense and loss of and operose, induced me to form the time attending a method so tedious, contrived like the pocket-steel-yard instrument represented in the plate, spring, but that so delicate, as to be (or ouncel) on the principle of the sensible to the weight of one fourth |