Front Matter

The only official reprint authorized by The Royal Society of London PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS, GIVING SOME ACCOUNT OF THE Present Undertakings, Studies, and Labours, OF THE INGENIOUS, IN MANY Considerable Parts of the WORLD. VOL. XLV. For the Year 1748. LONDON: Printed for C. DAVIS, PRINTER to the ROYAL SOCIETY; over-against Gray's-Inn-Gate in Holbourn M. DCC. L. GVL. CAR. HENR. FRISONI DEI GRATIA ARAVSIONENSI ET NASSAVIO PRINCIPI ETC. ETC. ETC. TOTIVS BELGII FOEDERATI IVRE HAEREDITARIO GUBERNATORI ET ARMORVM TERRA MARIQUE PRAEFECTO ETC. ETC. ETC. NOBILISSIMI ORDINIS PERISCELIDIS EQVITI REGALIS SOCIETATIS LONDINI PRO SCIENTIA NATURALI PROMOVENDA SODALI QVOD PRAECLARISSIMO NOMINE FASTOS QVOD PRAESENTIA SVA SOCIETATIS COETVS HONESTARE DIGNATVS EST VOLUMEN HOCCE XLV. ACTORVM PHILOSOPHICORVM OBSEQVII ET CVLTVS DOCUMENTVM D. D. D. LONGAEVITATEM CVNCTAQVE PROSPERA OPTIMO PRINCIPI PATRI PATRIAE EX ANIMO SINCERO PRECATVR CROMWELL MORTIMER M. D. REGALIS SOCIETATIS SECRETARIUS COLLEG. MEDIC. LONDON. SOCIVS ACADEMIAE REGIAE SCIENT. PARISIIS AD COMMERC. LITT. ADSCRIPTVS REG. Q. SCIENT. ET LITT. ACAD. BORVSS. SODALIS LONDINI CALEND. SEPTEMBR. MDCC. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. For the Month of January, 1747-8. The CONTENTS. I. A Letter to the Right honourable George Earl of Macclesfield concerning an apparent Motion observed in some of the fixed Stars; by James Bradley D.D. Astronomer Royal, and F.R.S. Page 1 II. A Letter to Martin Folkes Esq. LL.D. Pr. R.S. containing some Observations upon certain Shell-Fish, lodg'd in a large Stone brought from Mahon Harbour by Mr. Samuel More, Purser of the Sterling-Castle Man of War, by James Parsons M.D. F.R.S. p. 44 III. A Collection of Electrical Experiments communicated to the Royal Society by Wm. Watson, F.R.S. and read at several Meetings between October 29. 1747. and Jan. 21. following. p. 49 I. An Account of the Experiments made by several Gentlemen of the Royal Society, in order The CONTENTS. order to discover whether or no the electrical Power, when the Conductors thereof were not supported by Electrics per se, would be sensible at great Distances, with an Inquiry concerning the respective Velocities of Electricity and Sound. To which is added an Appendix, containing some further Inquiries into the Nature and Properties of Electricity. p. 49 2. Some further Inquiries into the Nature and Properties of Electricity. p. 93 IV. A Letter from Mr. Francis Drake, Surgeon, F. R. S. to Martin Folkes Esq; President of the Royal Society, &c. concerning the Bones of a Fœtus being discharged thro' an Ulcer near the Navel. p. 121 V. An Account of the Giants Causeway in Ireland, in a Letter to the President from the Rev. Richard Pococke, LL.D. Archdeacon of Dublin, and F. R. S. p. 124 VI. A Letter from Maurice Johnson Esq; President of the Gentlemens Society at Spalding, to James Jurin M. D. Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, London, and F. R. S. concerning a Metalline Thermometer, in the Museum of that Society. p. 128 I. An Abstract of the remarkable Case and Cure of a Woman, from whom a Fœtus was extracted, that had been lodged thirteen Years in one of the Fallopian Tubes; sent from Riga by Dr. James Mounsey, Physician to the Army of the Czarina, together with the Bones of the said Fœtus, as a Present to the Royal Society of London, and delivered accordingly in his Name, by H. Baker F. R. S. II. The Motion of Projectiles near the Earth's Surface consider'd, independent of the Properties of the Conic Sections; in a Letter to Martin Folkes Esquire, Pr. R. S. by Mr. Tho. Simpson, F. R. S. III. The Case of Henry Axford, who recover'd the Use of his Tongue, after having been four Years dumb, by means of a frightful Dream; communicated by the Rev. Mr. Archdeacon Squire, F. R. S. The CONTENTS. IV. Extract of a Letter from Mr. William Arderon, F. R. S. to Mr. H. Baker F. R.S. concerning the Hearing of Fish. 149 V. The Substance of some Experiments of planting Seeds in Moss, lately made by Mr. Charles Bonnet, of Geneva, F. R. S. 156 VI. A Continuation of an Account of an Essay towards a Natural History of Carolina, and the Bahama Islands; by Mark Catesby, F. R. S. with some Extracts out of the Appendix, by C. Mortimer, Secr. R. S. 157 VII. The Inscription upon a Roman Altar found near Stanhope in the Bishoprick of Durham; communicated to the Royal Society by the Reverend Mr. Thomas Birch, F. R. S. 173 VIII. A Letter from Mr. Henry Baker, F. R. S. to the President, concerning an extraordinary Fish, called in Russia Quab; and concerning the Stones call'd Crabs-Eyes. 174 XI. Brevis historia naturalis, sive de Vita, Genere, Moribusque Muris Alpini: Auctore Jacobo Theodoro Klein, Reipubl. Gedanens. à Secretis, et R. S. Lond. S. communicata per Petrum Collinsonum, ejusd. Soc. S. 180 The CONTENTS. X. Part of a Letter from Abbé Nollet, of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris, and F.R.S. to M. Folkes Esq; President of the same, concerning Electricity. 187 XI. Several Essays towards discovering the Laws of Electricity, communicated to the Royal Society by Mr. John Ellicott F.R.S. 1. A Letter to M. Folkes Esq; Pr. R.S. ibid. 2. An Essay towards discovering the Laws of Electricity, addressed to the Royal Society. 203 3. A Continuation of the foregoing Essay. 213 XII. A brief account of a Roman Tesser, by Mr. John Ward F.R.S. & Prof. Rhetor. Greshamens. 224 XIII. An Account of a learned Divine, who was born with two Tongues; communicated to the Royal Society by Cr. Mortimer M.D. & Secr. R.S. 232 XIV. Upon the Sounds and Hearing of Fishes, by J.T. Klein R.P. Gedan. Secr. F.R.S. or Some Account of a Treatise, intitled, "An Inquiry into the Reasons why the Author of an Epistle concerning the Hearing of Fishes endeavours to prove they are The CONTENTS. "are all mute and deaf;" by Richard Brocklesby M.D. F.R.S. 233 XV. An Account of the poisonous Root lately found mixed among the Gentian; by the same. 240 XVI. An Account of large subterraneous Caverns in the Chalk Hills near Norwich; by Mr. Wm. Arderon, F.R.S. comprised in a Letter from Mr. Henry Baker F.R.S. to the President. 244 XVII. An Account of some Observations and Experiments made in Sibiria, extracted from the Preface to the Flora Sibirica, sive Historia Plantarum Sibiriae cum tabulis æri incisis. Auct. D. Gmelin. Chem. & Hist. Nat. Prof. Petropoli 1747. 4to. Vol. I. by John Fothergill, M.D. Lic. Colleg. Med. Londin. 248 XVIII. Novum reique medicæ utile Electricitatis inventum exponit Joannes Henricus Winkler, Professor Lipsiensis, et Societatis Regalis Londinensis Sodalis. 262 XIX. A Letter from Mr. Henry Baker F.R.S. to the President, concerning several Medical Experiments of Electricity. 270 I. A Proposal for Checking in some Degree the Progress of Fires; by the Rev. Stephen Hales, D.D. & Page 277 II. Some Observations, made during the last three Years, of the Quantity of the Variation of the Magnetic Horizontal Needle to the Westward; by Mr. Geo. Graham, F.R.S. at his House in Fleetstreet, London. p. 279 III. A Letter from the Right Hon. John Earl of Orrery to Martin Folkes Esquire, Pr. R.S. inclosing an Account of the Cornel-Caterpillar, contained in a Letter from the Reverend Mr. Philip Skelton to His Lordship. p. 281 The Rev. Mr. Skelton's Letter to the Earl of Orrery. p. 282 IV. The Extract of a Letter from Dr. James Mounsey, Physician of the Czarina's Army, The CONTENTS, to Henry Baker F. R. S. concerning the Everlasting Fire in Persia. p. 296 V. An Abstract of Mr. Bonnet, F. R. S. his Memoir concerning Caterpillars: drawn up in French by Mr. Abraham Trembley, F.R.S. here translated into English. p. 300 VI. Divers Means for preserving from Corruption dead Birds, intended to be sent to remote Countries, so that they may arrive there in a good Condition. Some of the same Means may be employed for preserving Quadrupeds, Reptiles, Fishes, and Insects, by M. de Reaumur, F. R. S. and Member of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris translated from the French by Phil. Hen. Zollman, Esq; F. R. S. p. 309 VII. A beautiful Nautilites, shewn to the Royal Society by the Rev. Charles Lyttleton LL.D. F. R. S. and Archdeacon of Exeter. p. 320 VIII. The Substance of a Letter from Mr. William Arderon F. R. S. to Mr. Henry Baker F. R. S. p. 321 IX. A Letter from Mr. Robert Roche to the President, of a Fustian Frock being set on Fire by Electricity. p. 323 The CONTENTS. X. A Letter from John Huxham M.D. F.R.S. to C. Mortimer Secr. R.S. concerning a Child born with an extraordinary Tumour near the Anus, containing some Rudiments of an Embryo in it. p. 325 XI. Of the Fluents of Multinomials, and Series affected by radical Signs, which do not begin to converge till after the second Term; in a Letter from T. Simpson F.R.S. to W. Jones Esq; V.P.R.S. p. 328 XII. A Letter from Dr. John Lining to C. Mortimer M.D. Sec. R.S. concerning the Weather in South-Carolina; with Abstracts of the Tables of his Meteorological Observations in Charles-Town. p. 336 XIII. An Abstract of the Bills of Mortality in Bridge-Town in Barbados for the Years 1737 —— 1744. communicated by the Rev. Mr. John Clark. p. 345 XIV. The Elements of a Short Hand, by Samuel Jeake Esq;. ibid. XV. An Account of a Treatise by Wm. Brownrigg M.D. F.R.S. intituled, "The Art of making common Salt, as now practised in most Parts of the World;" The CONTENTS. "with several Improvements proposed in "that Art, for the Use of the British Do- "minions;" abstracted by W. Watson F. R. S. p. 351 XVI. A Catalogue of the Immersions and Emerisions of the Satellites of Jupiter, that will happen in the Year 1750, of which there are 173 of the First, 85 of the Second, 94 of the Third, and none of the Fourth, by reason of its great Latitude; in all 322. Computed to the Meridian of London from the Flamsteedian Tables: Corrected by James Hodgson F. R. S. Master of the Royal Mathematical School in Christ's Hospital. p. 373 I. A Letter from the Rev. Henry Miles D.D. F.R.S. to the President, concerning the Storm of Thunder, which happen'd June 1. 1748. p. 383 II. A Letter from John Byrom M.A. F.R.S. to the President, containing some Remarks on Mr. Jeake's Plan for Short-Hand. p. 388 III. Part of two Letters from Mr. B. Cooke F.R.S. to Mr. Peter Collinson F.R.S. concerning the Sparkling of Flanel, and the Hair of Animals in the dark. p. 394 IV. A Letter from the Reverend Mr. John Forster to Mr. Henry Baker F.R.S. concerning an Earthquake at Taunton. V. A Letter from John Byrom M.A. and F.R.S. to the President, containing some Remarks on Mr. Lodwick's Alphabet. p. 401 The CONTENTS. VI. A Roman Inscription found at Bath, communicated to the Royal Society by the Rev. William Stukely M.D. Fellow of the Coll. of Phys. F.R.S. and Rector of St. George the Martyr, London. p. 409 VII. Extract of a Letter from the Rev. Dr. Stephen Hales F.R.S. to the Rev. Mr. Westly Hall, concerning some Electrical Experiments. ibid. VIII. Extract of a Letter from Tho. Aery M.D. to Cromwell Mortimer M.D. Secret. R.S. containing the Particulars of the Cure of a Wound in the Cornea, and a Laceration of the Uvea in the Eye of a Woman. p. 411 IX. Tables of specific Gravities, extracted from various Authors, with some Observations upon the same; communicated in a Letter to Martin Folkes Esq; President of the Royal Society, by Richard Davies M.D. p. 416 I. An Account of the Experiments made by some Gentlemen of the Royal Society, in order to measure the absolute Velocity of Electricity; communicated to the Royal Society by Mr. W. Watson F.R.S. p.491 II. An Account of double Foetus's of Calves, by Mons. le Cat, M.D. F.R.S. &c. dated at Rouen, August 20. 1748. N. S. Translated from the French by T.S. M.D. F.R.S. p. 497 III. Extract of a Letter from the Rev. Dr. Doddridge to Henry Baker F.R.S. concerning cerning a Wether giving Suck to a Lamb; and of a monstrous Lamb. p. 502 IV. Abstract from a Letter sent by Monsieur Buffon, Member of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris, &c. to Martin Folkes Esquire, Pr. R. S. concerning his Re-invention of Archimedes's Burning Specula. p. 504 V. An Essay on Quantity; occasioned by reading a Treatise, in which Simple and Compound Ratio's are applied to Virtue and Merit, by the Rev. Mr. Reid; communicated in a Letter from the Rev. Henry Miles D.D. & F.R.S. to Martin Folkes Esq; Pr. R.S. p. 505 VI. A Letter from Rich. Hassel Esq; F.R.S. to Peter Daval Esq; Secr. R. S. concerning a large Picce of a Lath being thrust into a Man's Eye, who recover'd of it. p. 520 VII. The Sun's Eclipse of July 14, 1748. observed at Marlborough House, with the The CONTENTS. the twelve Foot refracting Telescope, fix'd as a Finder to the Tube of the great twelve Foot Reflector; by John Bevis M.D. p. 521 VIII. An Observation of an extraordinary Lunar Circle, and of two Paraselenes, made at Paris, October 20. 1747. N.S. and of the Eclipse of the Sun, July 14. 1748. O.S. by Augustine Nathaniel Greschow, Member of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Berlin, &c. p. 524 IX. A Letter from James Parsons M.D. F.R.S. to the President, containing an Account of a preternatural Conjunction of two Female Children. p. 526 X. An Account of the Preparation and Uses of the various Kinds of Pot-ash; by John Mitchell M.D. & F.R.S. p. 541 The CONTENTS. XI. A Letter from Dr. Laurence Garcin, of Neuchatel, F. R. S. to Sir Hans Sloane Bart. late P. R. S. concerning the Cyprus of the Ancients: Done from the French by W. Watson, F. R. S. p. 564 Printed for C. Davis. over-against Gray's Inn Gate in Holbourn, Printer to the Royal Society, M.DCC.XLIX. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. For the Month of December, 1748. I. An Account of an antient Shrine, formerly belonging to the Abbey of Croyland; by Wm. Stukely M.D. Coll. Med. Lond. Soc. & Eccles. D. Georgii Martyr. Lond. Rector. p. 579 II. An Eclipse of the Sun, July 14. 1748. observed by the Right Honourable James Earl of Morton, Mr. le Monnier, Royal Astronomer and Member of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris, and Mr. Ja. Short, Fellows of the Royal Society. p. 582 III. A Letter from Mr. David Erskin Baker to Martin Folkes Esq; Pr. R. S. containing Considerations on two extraordinary Belemnitæ. p. 598 IV. A Letter from Benj. Cooke F.R.S. to Peter Collinson F.R.S. concerning a mixed Breed of Apples, from the Mixture of the Farina. p. 602