Front Matter

The only official reprint authorized by The Royal Society of London Printed in U.S.A. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS, GIVING SOME ACCOUNT OF THE Present Undertakings, Studies, and Labours, OF THE INGENIOUS, IN MANY Considerable Parts of the WORLD. VOL. LIV. For the Year 1764. LONDON: Printed for L. Davis and C. Reymer's, Printers to the Royal Society, against Gray's-Inn Gate, in Holbourn. M.DCC.LXV. ADVERTISEMENT. The Committee appointed by the Royal Society to direct the publication of the Philosophical Transactions, take this opportunity to acquaint the public, that it fully appears, as well from the council-books and journals of the Society, as from repeated declarations, which have been made in several former Transactions, that the printing of them was always, from time to time, the single act of the respective Secretaries, till the Forty-seventh Volume. And this information was thought the more necessary, not only as it has been the common opinion, that they were published by the authority, and under the direction, of the Society itself; but also, because several authors, both at home and abroad, have in their writings called them the Transactions of the Royal Society. Whereas in truth the Society, as a body, never did interest themselves any further in their publication, than by occasionally recommending the revival of them to some of their secretaries, when, from the particular circumstances of their affairs, the Transactions had happened for any length of time to be intermitted. And this seems principally to have been done with a view to satisfy the public, that their usual meetings were then continued for the improvement of knowledge, and benefit of mankind, the great ends of their first institution by the Royal Charters, and which they have ever since steadily pursued. But the Society being of late years greatly enlarged, and their communications more numerous, it was thought adviseable, that a Committee of their Members should be appointed to reconsider the papers read before them, and select out of them such, as they ADVERTISEMENT. Should judge most proper for publication in the future Transactions; which was accordingly done upon the 26th of March 1752. And the grounds of their choice are, and will continue to be, the importance or singularity of the subjects, or the advantageous manner of treating them; without pretending to answer for the certainty of the facts, or propriety of the reasonings, contained in the several papers so published, which must still rest on the credit or judgment of their respective authors. It is likewise necessary on this occasion to remark, that it is an established rule of the Society, to which they will always adhere, never to give their opinion, as a body, upon any subject, either of nature or art, that comes before them. And therefore the thanks, which are frequently proposed from the chair, to be given to the authors of such papers, as are read at their accustomed meetings, or to the persons, through whose hands they receive them, are to be considered in no other light, than as a matter of civility, in return for the respect shewn to the Society by those communications. The like also is to be said with regard to the several projects, inventions, and curiosities of various kinds, which are often exhibited to the Society; the authors whereof, or those who exhibit them, frequently take the liberty to report, and even to certify in the public newspapers, that they have met with the highest applause and approbation. And therefore it is hoped, that no regard will hereafter be paid to such reports, and public notices; which in some instances have been too lightly credited, to the dishonour of the Society. CON- CONTENTS TO VOL. LIV. I. An Account of a Mummy inspected at London 1763. In a Letter to William Heberden, M.D. F.R.S. from John Hadley, M.D. F.R.S. page 1. II. The Sequel of the Case of Mr. Butler, of Moscow, Printed in the Philosophical Transactions, Vol. L. p. 19. Communicated by Mr. Henry Baker, F.R.S. p. 15. III. The Description of a new and safe Crane, which has four different Powers; invented by Mr. James Ferguson, F.R.S. p. 24. IV. Of the Moon's Distance and Parallax: A Letter to Andrew Reid, Esq; from P. Murdoch, D.D. and F.R.S. 12 Nov. 1763. p. 29. V. An Attempt to Account for the Origin and the Formation of the Extraneous Fossil commonly called the Belemnite. By Mr. Joshua Platt. p. 38. VI. An Account of a Singular Species of Wasp and Locust: By Samuel Felton, Esq; F.R.S. in a Letter to Henry Baker, F.R.S. p. 53. VII. An Account of an American Armadilla: By William Watson, M.D. F.R.S. p. 57. VIII. An CONTENTS. VIII. An Account of the Quantity of Rain fallen at Mount's Bay in Cornwall, and of the Weather in that Place: In a Letter from the Rev. William Borlase, M.A. and F.R.S. to the Right Rev. Charles Lord Bishop of Carlisle, F.R.S. p. 59. IX. An Account of a Hernia of the Urinary Bladder including a Stone: By Mr. Percivall Pott, Surgeon to St. Bartholomew's Hospital, and F.R.S. p. 61. X. Some Observations on the Cicada of North America, Collected by Mr. P. Collinson, F.R.S. p. 65. XI. An Account of the Plague at Constantinople: In a Letter from Mordach Mackenzie, M.D. to Sir James Porter, His Majesty's Envoy Plenipotentiary at Brussels, and F.R.S. p. 69. XII. An Account of a remarkable Tide at Bristol: In a Letter to the Rev. Thomas Birch, D.D. Secret. R.S. from the Rev. Josiah Tucker, D.D. Dean of Gloucester. p. 83. XIII. A Letter containing some Experiments in Electricity, to Mr. Benjamin Wilton, F.R.S. from Mr. Torbern Bergman, of Upsal, in Sweden. p. 84. XIV. An Account of a Fish from Batavia, called Jaculator: In a Letter to Mr. Peter Collinson, F.R.S. from John Albert Schloesser, M.D. F.R.S. p. 89. XV. An Account of the Polish Cochineal: In a Letter to Mr. Henry Baker, F.R.S. from Dr. Wolfe, of Warsaw p. 91. XVI. Observations upon two antient Etruscan Coins, never before illustrated or explained; In a Letter to the Rev. Thomas Birch, D.D. Secret. R.S. from the CONTENTS. the Rev. John Swinton, B. D. F. R. S. Member of the Academy degli Apatisti at Florence, and of the Etruscan Academy of Cortona in Tuscany. p. 99. XVII. Observations of the Eclipse of the Sun, the 1st of April 1764; made in Surry-street, in the Strand, London: By James Short, M. A. F. R. S. p. *107. XVIII. Observations of the Eclipse of the Sun, April 1, 1764: In a Letter from Dr. John Bevis, to Joseph Salvador, Esq; F. R. S. p. 105. XIX. Observations on the Eclipse of the Sun, April 1, 1764: In a Letter to the Rev. Thomas Birch, D. D. Secret. R. S. from James Ferguson, F. R. S. p. 108. XX. Observations on the Eclipse of the Sun, April 1, 1764, at Brompton-Park: By Mr. Samuel Dunn. p. 114. XXI. An Account of the Degree of Cold observed in Bedfordshire: By John Howard, Esq; F. R. S. in a Letter to John Canton, M. A. F. R. S. p. 118. XXII. Some Remarks upon the first Part of M. l'Abbé Barthelemy's Memoir on the Phoenician Letters, relative to a Phoenician Inscription in the Island of Malta. In a Letter to the Reverend Thomas Birch, D. D. Secret. R. S. from the Rev. John Swinton, F. R. S. Member of the Academy degli Apatisti at Florence, and of the Etruscan Academy of Cortona in Tuscany. p. 119. XXIII. A Catalogue of the Fifty Plants from Chelsea Garden, presented to the Royal Society by the Worshipful Company of Apothecaries, for the Year 1763, pursuant to the Direction of Sir Hans Sloane, Baronet, Med. Reg. et Soc. Reg. aliquando Praes: By CONTENTS. By John Wilmer, M.D. clariss. Societatis Pharmaceut. Lond. Soc. Hort. Chelsean. Praefectus et Praelector Botanic. p. 137. XXIV. Observations on the Eclipse of the Sun, April 1, 1764: In a Letter to the Right Honourable James Earl of Morton, Pres. R.S. from the Reverend Nathanael Bliss, M.A. Savilian Professor of Mathematics at Oxford, and Astronomer Royal. p. 141. XXV. Observations on the Eclipse of the Sun, April 1, 1764: In a Letter to the Right Honourable James Earl of Morton, Pres. R.S. from the Reverend Thomas Hornsby, M.A. and Savilian Professor of Astronomy at Oxford. p. 145. XXVI. Observations on the Eclipse of the Sun, April 1, 1764: By Matthew Raper, Esq; F.R.S. p. 150. XXVII. A Table of the Places of the Comet of 1764 discovered at the Observatory of the Marine at Paris, the 3d of January, about 8 o’clock in the Evening, in the Constellation of the Dragon, concluded from its Situation observed with regard to the Stars: By Monsieur Charles Messier, Astronomer at the Depot of the Plans of the Marine of France, at Paris. p. 151. XXVIII. A Supplement to Mons. Pingré’s Memoir on the Parallax of the Sun: In a Letter from him to the Royal Society, translated by M. Maty, M.D. F.R.S. p. 152. XXIX. An Account of the Transit of Venus: In a Letter to Charles Morton, M.D. Secret. R.S. from Christian Mayer, S.J. Translated from the Latin by James Parsons, M.D. p. 163. XXX. Observationes Astronomiae Christiani Mayer, S.J. p. 165. XXXI CONTENTS. XXXI. Observations on the Eclipse of the Sun at Chatham, April 1, 1764, by Mr. Mungo Murray: Communicated to Joseph Salvadore, Esq; F. R. S. in a Letter from Dr. John Bevis. p. 171. XXXII. Observations and Experiments on different Extracts of Hemlock: By Michael Morris, M. D. F. R. S. p. 172. XXXIII. Essay on the Use of the Ganglions of the Nerves: By James Johnston, M. D. Communicated by the Right Rev. Charles Lord Bishop of Carlisle, and F. R. S. p. 177. XXXIV. An Account of several fiery Meteors seen in North America: In a Letter to John Pringle, M. D. and F. R. S. from John Winthorp, Esq; Hollifian Professor of Mathematics and Philosophy at Cambridge, in New England. p. 185. XXXV. Some New Properties in Conic Sections, discovered by Edward Waring, M. A. Lucasian Professor of the Mathematicks in the University of Cambridge, and F. R. S. to Charles Morton, M. D. Sec. R. S. p. 193. XXXVI. An Account of the Effects of Lightening at South Weald, in Essex: By W. Heberden, M. D. and F. R. S. p. 198. XL. Observations upon the Effects of Lightning, with an Account of the Apparatus proposed to prevent its Mischiefs to Buildings, more particularly to Powder Magazines; being Answers to certain Questions proposed by M. Calandrini, of Geneva, to William Watson, M. D. F. R. S. p. 201. XLI. An Account of the Effects of Lightning in St. Bride's Church, Fleet-street, on the 18th of June 1764: In a Letter to Mr. Benjamin Wilson, F. R. S. CONTENTS. F. R. S. from Edward Delaval, Esq; F. R. S. p. 227. XLII. A Letter from Thomas Lawrence, M. D. to William Heberden, M. D. and F. R. S. concerning the Effects of Lightning, in Essex-street, on the 18th of June 1764. p. 235. XLIII. An Account of what appeared on Opening the Body of an asthmatic Person: By W. Watson, M. D. F. R. S. p. 239. XLIV. A Letter to the Marquis of Rockingham, with some Observations on the Effects of Lightening. p. 246. XLV. Solis Defectus observatus in Collegio Romano a Patribus Societatis Jesu die prima Aprilis Anno MDCCCLXIV. Tempore post mediam noctem. p. 254. XLVI. The Description of a New Hygrometer, invented by James Ferguson, F. R. S. p. 259. XLVII. Experiments and Observations on the Compressibility of Water and some other Fluids, by John Canton, M. A. F. R. S. p. 261. XLVIII. Concise Rules for computing the Effects of Refraction and Parallax in varying the Apparent Distance of the Moon from the Sun or Star; also an easy Rule of Approximation for computing the Distance of the Moon from a Star, the Longitudes and Latitudes of both being given, with Demonstrations of the same: By the Rev. Nevil Maskelyne, A. M. Fellow of Trinity College, in the University of Cambridge, and F. R. S. p. 263. XLIX. Extract of a Letter from Mr. John Winthrop, Professor of Mathematicks in Cambridge, New England, to James Short, A. M. F. R. S. p. 277. L. Observation CONTENTS. L. Observation of the Transit of Venus, June 6, 1764, at St. John's, Newfoundland: By John Winthrop, Professor of Mathematicks and Philosophy at Cambridge, New England. p. 279. LI. An Account of the Effects of Lightning on three Ships in the East Indies: By Mr. Robert Veicht. Communicated by William Lewis, M.D. and F.R.S. p. 284. LII. A Demonstration of the Second Rule in the Essay towards the Solution of a Problem in the Doctrine of Chances, published in the Philosophical Transactions, Vol. LIII. Communicated by the Rev. Mr. Richard Price, in a Letter to Mr. John Canton, M.A. F.R.S. p. 296. LIII. An Account of a remarkable Meteor seen at Oxford, March 5, 1764. In a Letter to Thomas Birch, D.D. Secretary to the Royal Society, from the Rev. John Swinton, B.D. F.R.S. Member of the Academy degli Apatisti at Florence, and of the Etruscan Academy of Cortona in Tuscany. p. 326. LIV. Extract of a Letter from Mr. John Horsley Fourth Mate on board the Glatton East-India Ship, to the Rev. Mr. Nevil Maskelyne, F.R.S. dated Batavia, Nov. 16, 1763, giving an Account of his Observations, at Sea, for finding out the Longitude by the Moon. p. 329. LV. An Account of a remarkable Meteor seen at Oxford, April 23, 1764. In a Letter to the Rev. Thomas Birch, D.D. Secretary to the Royal Society, from the Rev. John Swinton, B.D. F.R.S. Member of the Academy degli Apatisti at Florence, and of the Etruscan Academy of Cortona in Tuscany. p. 332. LVI. Some CONTENTS. LVI. Some Remarks upon the Equation of Time, and the true Manner of computing it. By Nevil Maskelyne, A. M. Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, and F. R. S. p. 336. LVII. Astronomical Observations made at the Island of St. Helena. By Nevil Maskelyne, M. A. Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, and F. R. S. p. 348. LVIII. An Account of an extraordinary Disease among the Indians, in the Islands of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard, in New England. In a Letter from Andrew Oliver, Esq; Secretary of his Majesty's Province of Massachusetts Bay, to Israel Mauduitt, Esq; F. R. S. p. 386. LIX. Astronomical Observations made at the Island of Barbadoes; at Willoughby Fort; and at the Observatory on Constitution Hill, both adjoining to Bridge Town. By Nevil Maskelyne, A. M. Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, and F. R. S. p. 389. LX. Remarks upon M. l'Abbé Barthelemy's Memoir on the Phœnician Letters, containing his Reflections on certain Phœnician Monuments, and the Alphabets resulting from them. In a Letter to the Rev. Thomas Birch, D. D. Secretary to the Royal Society, from the Rev. John Swinton, B. D. F. R. S. Member of the Academy degli Apatisti at Florence, and of the Etruscan Academy of Cortona in Tuscany. p. 393.