11. That the whole property of the body corporate be vested in the Fellows thereof; but that no disposition of any lands, tenements, or hereditaments, be

longing to the said body corporate, be made, except with the approbation and concurrence of a general meeting,

UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW.-On Thursday, November 15th, Henry Cockburn, Esq., his Majesty's Solicitor-General for Scotland, was unanimously re-elected Lord Rector for the ensuing year. The Lord Rector of the University is not appointed by the Senatus Academicus, but by the whole body of Matriculated Students.

UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH.-The Chair of Natural Philosophy, vacated by the death of Sir John Leslie, is in the gift of the Town Council. Sir John Herschell has been invited to become a candidate for it; but, in a communication made by him to the Lord Provost, while he expresses his deep sense of the honour done him by the invitation, he states, as the ground of his refusal, that the nature of his present pursuits requires his residence for some years in a distant settle

ment.

UNIVERSITY OF ST. ANDREW's.-The Rev. David Scott, M.D., Minister of Corstorphine, in the Presbytery of Edinburgh, has been appointed Professor of Oriental Languages.

UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN.-The Lord Viscount Arbuthnot has been re-elected Lord Rector of the King's College for the ensuing year; and R. W. Duff, Esq., James Urqhart, Esq., and Charles Bannerman, Esq., Assessors.

We regret to announce the death of Professor Sir John Leslie, who expired on the afternoon of the 3d inst., after a very short illness, at his seat of Coats, in Fife. The death of this distinguished philosopher will create a mighty blank in the scientific world. For original genius, profound literature, and inventive power, perhaps he had not an equal in modern times.

The University of New York was to be opened during the month of November for the reception of students. Amongst the Professors appointed, is Dr. Francis

Leiber, a German, to Lecture on the History of Commerce, Agriculture, and Manufacture.

It is our intention, in a future number, to devote some of our columns to the consideration of this National establishment. Our present limits will only permit us to notice, in a very brief manner, some facts respecting it, which may be entertaining to the public.

The Society now consists of life and honorary members, and its government is vested in the former, who have paid a certain sum in lieu of all subscriptions. The present admission fee of a member is thirty guineas. A new bye-law has just been made, which admits a class of annual subscribers, called associate annual

subscribers, at three guineas each, per annum. These subscribers have the same privileges as the incorporated members, except that they have no share in the government of the Society, and they can neither be present at its meetings, nor take a book from the library.

A new descriptive catalogue of the minerals belonging to the Society's collection, drawn up by Sir Charles Giesecke, has just been printed, and will, we understand, be sold to the members and the public at cost price.

Our partiality to the chemical department of the Society, will induce us to

give a brief notice of some interesting facts lately discovered by Professor Davy, which, we apprehend, is scarcely known among scientific men. The Society, not long since, published a paper of his, "On a new Acid (the Fulminic) and its combinations." Whilst examining these substances, he discovered a new fulminating silver, having the common properties of Howard's compound, but distinguished from it, by spontaneously exploding in Chlorine gas. A single grain of this fulminate is sufficient to produce about 100 separate explosions in this gas, and about 1,000 explosions may be produced in about a half ounce phial of the gas. The fulminate is instantly exploded when dropped into mixtures of gases containing 1-100 of chlorine gas. Hence it is a delicate test of the presence of this gas, and will probably admit of application as a substitute for the fulminating compounds at present used in the percussion locks of guns. The new fulminate of silver, according to the Professor's analysis, contains two proportions of fulminic acid and one of oxide of silver, and is the bifulminate, whereas Howard's compound, contains only half as much of the same acid and is the fulminate.

In the course of some recent experiments on the new test for chlorine gas, Mr. Davy was led to examine the gases produced by the mutual action of nitric acid and different chlorides, and also of the nitric and muriatic acids on each other, by which he discovered a new gas composed of equal volumes of chlorine and nitrous gases, hence he has called it chloro-nitrous gas. It may be made by treating fused chloride of sodium, potassium, or calcium, in powder, with as much strong nitrous acid as is sufficient to wet it. This gas is of a pale reddish yellow colour, and has an odour somewhat resembling that of chlorine, but less pungent. From its strong affinity for moisture, it fumes when brought in contact with the air. In its ordinary state of dryness, it destroys vegetable colours, but it first reddens litmus paper, before the colour is removed. Chloronitrous gas does not support combustion, but the bifulminate of silver explodes in it. It is readily absorbed by water, and in quantity, and the acid thus obtained, resembles very closely aqua-regia or nitromuriatic acid, the common solvent of gold.

We shall, lastly, notice a paper of Professor Davy's entitled, "On a simple electro-chemical method of ascertaining the presence of different metals; applied to detect minute quantities of metallic poisons."

The voltaic arrangement used by the author, consisted of small slips of different metals, generally of zinc and platina, placed in contact, and forming a circuit with the interposed fluid containing the poisonous metal, which is presently deposited on the negative surface, in the metallic state. The zinc and platina employed were commonly in the form of foil, sometimes, however, a small platina crucible, or spatula, was used. It is generally necessary to mix a drop or two of acid with the metallic compounds that are to be submitted to this test, and that are brought in contact with the platina, when on applying the zinc foil, the platina becomes coated with the reduced metal.

The author details many experiments proving the efficacy of his method to detect the different combinations of arsenic, mercury, lead, and copper; and notices the precautions to be observed in the case of each metal. He was enabled not only to detect the presence of arsenic, but to exhibit its characteristic properties, when only 1-500, and in some instances, when the very minute quantity of 1-2500 of a grain was deposited on the platina.

The author's electro-chemical method was found competent to detect very minute quantities of the different metals, when their compounds were mixed with a number of vegetable and animal substances. Thus, the presence of arsenic was readily discovered when mixed with the ordinary articles of food, as wheaten flour, bread, starch, potatoes, rice, peas, soup, sugar, gruel, tea, vinegar, milk, eggs, gelatine, wines; also when mixed with the principal secretions of the alimentary canal. Arsenious acid was detected with great ease, when mixed with butter, lard, oils, &c. The results were precisely similar with corrosive sublimate, the acetate of lead, and the sulphate of copper when added in very small quantities to the most complicated mixtures of organic substances. Ahd in instances where the common tests do not act at all, or only act fallaciously, the electro-chemical method acts with the greatest certainty.

The first meeting of the Belfast Natural History Society, in the present session, took place on Wednesday, the 20th of October, when an address was delivered by the Rev. T. D. Hincks, M.R.I.A. In commencing it, he took occasion to notice the facility with which knowledge may now be acquired, contrasted with the difficulties which formerly retarded its acquisition; then dwelt on the humble commencement of the Natural History Society here, when it consisted of only eight members; and after touching on some of the different steps by which its progress had been marked, dwelt at considerable length on the vast range of objects which the science embraces, and the elevated pleasure which it affords. This address was delivered by Mr. Hincks at the request of the Society's Council; and to all the members it appeared highly gratifying to behold the same gentleman, who had so long presided over their meetings at a former period, come forward from amidst of other engrossing avocations, as the unwearied promoter of natural science. In the course of the remarks which the address elicited, Dr. Drummond, the president of the Society, mentioned that he had long conceived that a popular course of lectures, illustrative of the facts adduced in Paley's Natural Theology, would be desirable; and that he might, perhaps, take occasion in the course of the present winter, to deliver a course of about forty lectures on those parts of the animal structure and economy alluded to in that work.

The following donations were presented: -A fine specimen of a vertical section of an orthoceratite, from Castle Espie quarry, by James Birch Gilmour, Esq., Maxwell's Court, near Comber; a number of native insects, which are now in course of scientific arrangement in the Museum, collected in the neighbourhood of Belfast, by Mr. A. H. Halliday, Dr. Templeton, Mr. G. C. Hyndman, and Mr. R. Patterson; a flying fish, and the jaws of a shark, taken on the passage from New Orleans to Belfast, presented by Mr. James Vance; two alligators, both of which were living when received, from William Vance, Esq., New Orleans; the one which still survives, was exhibited, and appears about two feet and a half in length; a guana, small stuffed shark, a fine fan coral, and some shells, presented by Dr. Archer, of Liverpool.

Above one hundred members and visitors were present on this interesting occasion. It was announced that the new subscriptions to the building fund since the 1st of October, amounted to 361. 15s., and that a considerable augmentation was expected, upon the opening of the Museum for public exhibition, which will be in the course of a fortnight or three weeks. The first private meeting of the Society was fixed for Wednesday evening, the 6th November, when Mr. E. Getty read a paper on the varieties of grain lately under cultivation in the Belfast Botanic Garden. We understand that a paper was also read by Dr. H. Purdon, on the 21st November.

At a General Annual Meeting held at their House, Lower Abbey-street, on the 18th day of October, 1832, the following officers, &c., were elected.

PRESIDENT-Martin Cregan, Esq., Professor of Painting, and Trustee, in the room of William Cuming, Esq., who resigned.

SECRETARY-George Papworth, Esq., Professor of Architecture, and Trustee. KEEPER---Thomas J. Mulvany, Esq., Professor of Perspective.

TREASURER-John G. Mulvany, Esq.
LIBRARIAN-George Petrie, Esq.,

M.R.I.A.

COUNCIL-George Papworth, Esq., Robert L. West, Esq., John G. Mulvany, Esq., Joseph Peacock, Esq.

AUDITORS-George Petrie, Esq., and Thomas J. Mulvany, Esq.

HOUSE COMMITTEE--Thomas Kirk, Esq., Professor of Sculpture, and Trustee; George Papworth, Esq., Thomas J. Mulvany, Esq.

VISITERS-Samuel Lover, Esq., Robert L. West, Esq,, Thomas Kirk, Esq., George Petrie, Esq.

ASSOCIATES-T. Bridgeford and Mathew Kendrick.

We announce with feelings of sincere pleasure, the success of our highly-gifted fellow-countryman, Mr. George Petrie, in having obtained the first prize, a gold medal and fifty guineas, presented by the Roal Irish Academy, for the best Essay upon the origin and use of the Round Towers of Ireland. We trust Mr. Petrie may be induced to submit speedily to the public, the results of his judgment

and experience upon one of the most interesting topics connected with Irish antiquities; enhanced, as they will be, of course, by beautiful and accurate illustrations, for which Mr. Petrie's well known and deservedly appreciated taste and ability have long since ranked him among the most distinguished professors of the Fine Arts.

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hands, £89 4 1 The visitors who paid for admission at the garden during the above period amounted to 36,497 persons.

There is a building fund in the hands of Mr. Cusack, the produce of a separate subscription, amounting to £44. Some of the members of your Society are disposed to lend sums of money, to be vested in the hands of trustees, for the purpose of erecting buildings required for the animals, for which interest, at 4 per cent. is to be paid, until the principal is discharged. On this arrangement your opinion is requested.

We have voted Mr. Decimus Burton £75 for laying out a plan of your garden, and he very liberally became a life subscriber. He is supposed to be one of the best judges of such constructions, as you require.

LIST OF ANIMALS IN THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS.

QUADRUPEDS.-Two Wapeti Deer; one Nylghau; four large Zebus; two small Zebus; one Sambér Deer; one Peccary; one Wild Boar; one Bear; two Foxes; one Otter; one Badger; one Hyena; one Coatimundi; one Aguati; one Lemur; one Ichneumon; two Squirrels; one Cape Sheep; two Racoons; one Wolf; two Russian Rabbits; one Boar Hound; two green Monkies; one Bonnet Monkey; one Rib-nosed Monkey; one Spider Monkey; one Black Monkey; one Angola Cat; one Seal; eight small Monkies; seven small Tortoises; two large ditto.

BIRDS.-TWO Ostriches; two Emus; two Land Eagles; two Sea Eagles; two African Cranes; three Golden Pheasants (one hen); two Silver Pheasants; one common Pheasant; Six Owls; one red-legged Partridge; six common Partridge; five Canada and Poland Geese; three Wild Ducks ; three Muscovy Ducks; three Peacocks; two Bantam Fowl; four Gulls; one Barnacle; one Pelican; two Macaws; one Cockatoo; three Parroquetts; five Parrots; three African Doves; one Jay; two Kestrils; one Kite; two Hawks; one Curassow.

THE DUBLIN UNIVERSITY CALENDAR for 1833, 1 Vol. small 8vo. Dublin; -WM. CURRY, Jun. & Co. and MILLIKEN & SON.

WE Confess that we sat down to the perusal of the Dublin University Calendar, with minds not sufficiently unbiassed, to enable us to speak impartially of its merits. We had long looked in vain for such a record of our University, which should fully develope its chequered and instructive history, and present us with tangible information on a thousand points of interest, connected with a place so endeared to us by association, and possessing such claims on our respect and gratitude. We had learned, besides, somewhat of the progress of the work during the early stages of its advancement, and we felt we might rely much on the powers of the learned gentleman from whose pen it proceeds, while we could not but admire the laborious and determined course he pursued, in draining every source of necessary information, for the fulfilment of the task he had undertaken.

With such grounds of prejudice, we repeat, that we took up the volume before us, and yet we think we shall but echo general opinion in saying, that when we sought for an acquaintance with the origin, the annals and the discipline of our University, our desires have been abundantly answered, and whatsoever hopes we naturally entertained, from our knowledge of Mr. Todd's ability, discretion, and research, have been as fully realised.

Than the "Historical Introduction" to the University Calendar, we have never met sixty pages filled with more useful and entertaining information: Antiquarian lore, cautious enquiry after facts and dates, and an accurate examination of important MSS. afford strong evidence of the author's unwearied assiduity, and cannot fail to enVOL. I.

gage the reader's attention, as well by the comprehensiveness of its style, as the clearness and accuracy of its detail.

Commencing with the golden age of Ireland, when she was looked up to by other nations as a model of learning and piety. Mr. Todd gives us a cursory, but a distinct view of the ancient extent and flourishing of national erudition-of its decay and disappearance, and, subsequently, of its progressive revival-until, at the present day, it is found enshrined in the Institution of which he has proved himself a no less useful than intelligent member. Each part of this sketch brings with it claims on our consideration-the first, for the view it affords of the primitive national character and pursuits, when the present haunts of violence and superstition were the favourite retreats of religious and scientific seclusion; the next, for its developement of the state that succeeded, and the interest it lends to the early efforts of the University, at permanent independence; the conclusion, for an accurate and graphic record of the ultimate success they gradually attained.

So much we can say, with sincerity, for the historical introduction to the Calendar. The remainder of the volume refers only to the details of College discipline, and the minor facts of its annals, such as its institutions, and their origin, its occupants, and the names of all in any way distinguished, which will be found of deep importance to the student; and, we hesitate not to say, must secure to the University, with any who peruse them and are unacquainted with its merits, a very high place in their admiration and respect.

On the whole, we think Mr. Todd's book calculated to disabuse those who are strangers to the Institution, whence it emanates of many unfavourable and prevailing prejudices, and this object we deem especially desirable. One we shall

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