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. LXII. LONDON: Printed for LOCKYER DAVIS, in Holbourn, Printer to the Royal Society. M.DCC.LXXII. 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 had 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 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 and 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, 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. At a COUNCIL, January 28, 1773: Resolved, That after Volume LXII. the Philosophical Transactions be published twice in a year; the first publication to be of the months of November and December of the preceding year, and January and February of the current year, as soon as may be after February, under the name of the "first part" of the volume: and the second publication to be of the remaining months unto the recess of the Society, as soon as may be after the recess, under the name of the "second part" of the volume. CONTENTS TO VOL. LXII. I. A LETTER from James Badenach, M.D. to Mathew Maty, M.D. Sec. R.S. containing a technical Description of an uncommon Bird from Malacca. p. 1 II. Investigation of the specific Characters which distinguish the Rabbit from the Hare: In a Letter to Samuel Wegg, Esq; T. and Vice-President of the R.S. from the Honourable Daines Barrington, V.P.R.S. p. 4 III. An Account of the sulphureous mineral Waters of Castle-Loed and Fairburn in the County of Ross; and of the salt purging Water of Pitkeathly, in the County of Perth in Scotland: By Donald Monro, M.D. Physician to the Army, and to St. George's Hospital, Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, and of the Royal Society. p. 15 IV. Extract IV. Extract of a Letter from Mr. George Wichell, F. R. S. and Master of the Royal Academy at Portsmouth, to Charles Morton, M. D. Sec. R. S. inclosing some Account of a Solar Eclipse observed at George's Island, by Captain Wallis; and several Astronomical Observations made at Portsmouth. p. 33 V. Extract of Mr. T. Barker's Register at Lyndon in Rutland, in a Letter to James West, Esq. Pres. R. S. p. 42 VI. Directions for using the common Micrometer, taken from a Paper in the late Dr. Bradley's Hand-Writing; communicated by the Rev. Nevil Maskelyne, Astronomer Royal, and F. R. S. p. 46 VII. A Letter from Mr. John Reinhold Forster, F. R. S. to William Watson, M. D. giving some Account of the Roots used by the Indians, in the Neighbourhood of Hudson's-Bay, to dye Porcupine Quills. p. 54 VIII. An Account of a Subarated Denarius of the Plætorian Family, adorned with an Etruscan Inscription on the Reverse, never before published or explained. In a Letter to Mathew Maty, M. D. Sec. R. S. from the Rev. John Swinton. B. D. F. R. S. Custos Archivorum of the University of Oxford, Member of the Academy degli Apatisti at Florence, and of the Etruscan Academy of Cortona in Tuscany. p. 60 IX. A Deduction of the Quantity of the Sun's Parallax from the Comparison of the several Observations of the late Transit of Venus, made in Europe, with those made in George Island in the South Seas: Communicated by Mr. Euler, jun. Secretary CONTENTS. Secretary of the Imperial Academy of Petersburgh; in a Letter to Charles Morton, M. D. Sec. R. S. & Acad. Imper. Petroburg. &c. Soc. p. 69 X. A Letter to the Rev. Mr. Maskelyne, Astronomer Royal, F. R. S. accompanying a new Chart of the Red Sea, with two Draughts of the Roads of Mocha and Judda, and several Observations made during a Voyage on that Sea, by Capt. Charles Newland. p. 77 XI. Remarks and Observations made on board the Ship Kelsall, on a Voyage to Judda and Mocha, in 1769, by the same. p. 79 XII. An easy Method to distill fresh Water from Salt Water at Sea; by the same. p. 90 XIII. Observations on the milky Appearance of some Spots of Water in the Sea; by the same. p. 93 XIV. A Letter from Mr. Peter Dollond, to Nevil Maskelyne, F. R. S. and Astronomer Royal; describing some Additions and Alterations made to Hadley's Quadrant, to render it more serviceable at Sea. p. 95 XV. Remarks on the Hadley's Quadrant, tending principally to remove the Difficulties which have hitherto attended the Use of the Back-observation, and to obviate the Errors that might arise from a Want of Parallelism in the two Surfaces of the Index-Glass. By Nevil Maskelyne, F. R. S. Astronomer Royal. p. 99 * XV. Account of the Irruption of Solway Moss on December 16, 1772; in a Letter from Mr. John Walker, to the Earl of Bute, and communicated by his Lordship to the Royal Society. p. 123 XVI. A XVI. A Letter from John Zephaniah Holwell, Esq; F. R. S. to John Campbell, Esq; F. R. S. giving an Account of a new Species of Oak. p. 128 XVII. An Account of the Death of a Person destroyed by Lightning in the Chapel in Tottenham-Court-Road and its Effects on the Building; as observed by Mr. William Henly, Mr. Edward Nairne, and Mr. William Jones. The Account written by Mr. Henly. p. 131 XVIII. A Letter from Thomas Ronayne, Esq; to Benjamin Franklin, LL. D. F. R. S. inclosing an Account of some Observations on Atmospheric Electricity; in regard of Fogs, Mists, &c. with some Remarks; communicated by Mr. William Henley. p. 137 XIX. Observations on different Kinds of Air: By Joseph Priestley, LL. D. F. R. S. p. 147 XX. An Essay on the periodical Appearing and Disappearing of certain Birds, at different Times of the Year. In a Letter from the Honourable Daines Barrington, Vice-Pres. R. S. to William Watson, M.D. F. R. S. p. 265 XXII. ΚΟΣΚΙΝΟΝ ΕΡΑΤΟΣΘΕΝΟΥΣ, or, the Sieve of Eratosthenes. Being an Account of his Method of finding all the Prime Numbers; by the Rev. Samuel Horsley, F. R. S. p. 327 XXIII. A Letter from Mr. Christopher Gullet to Mathew Maty, M. D. Sec. R. S. on the Effects of Elder, in preserving Growing Plants from Insects and Flies. p. 348 XXIV. A XXIV. A Letter from John Call, Esq; to Nevil Maskelyne, F. R. S. Astronomer Royal, containing a Sketch of the Signs of the Zodiac, found in a Pagoda, near Cape Comorin in India. p. 353 XXV. An Account of the Flowing of the Tides in the South Sea, as observed on board of His Majesty's Bark the Endeavour, by Lieut. J. Cook, Commander, in a Letter to Nevil Maskelyne, Astronomer Royal, and F. R. S. p. 357 XXVI. An Account of a new Electrometer, contrived by Mr. William Henly, and of several Electrical Experiments made by him, in a Letter from Dr. Priestley, F. R. S. to Dr. Franklin, F. R. S. p. 359 XXVII. Meteorological Observations at Ludgvan in Mount's Bay, Cornwall, 1771: By William Borlase, D. D. F. R. S. Communicated by Dr. Jeremiah Milles, Dean of Exeter, and F. R. S. p. 365 XXVIII. Account of several Quadrupeds from Hudson's Bay, by Mr. John Reinhold Forster, F. R. S. p. 370 XXIX. An Account of the Birds sent from Hudson's Bay; with Observations relative to their Natural History; and Latin Descriptions of some of the most uncommon. By the Same. p. 382 XXX. Geometrical Solutions of three celebrated Astronomical Problems, by the late Dr. Henry Pemberton, F. R. S. Communicated by Matthew Raper, Esq; F. R. S. p. 434 XXXI. On the Digestion of the Stomach after Death, by John Hunter, F. R. S. and Surgeon to St. George's Hospital. p. 447 XXXII. Experiments and Observations on the Waters of Buxton and Matlock, in Derbyshire, by Thomas Percival, of Manchester, M. D. F. R. S. p. 455 XXXIII. Some Account of a Body lately found in uncommon Preservation, under the Ruins of the Abbey, at St. Edmund’s-Bury, Suffolk; with some Reflections upon the Subject: By Charles Collignon, M. D. F. R. S. and Professor of Anatomy at Cambridge. p. 465 XXXIV. A Letter from Richard Pulteney, M. D. F. R. S. to William Watson, M. D. F. R. S. concerning the medicinal Effects of a poisonous Plant exhibited instead of the Water Parsnep. p. 469 XXXV. April 21, 1772. Experiments on two Dipping-Needles; which Dipping-Needles were made agreeable to a Plan of the Reverend Mr. Mitchell, of Thornhill in Yorkshire, and executed for the Board of Longitude, by Mr. Edward Nairne of Cornhill, London. p. 476 PRESENTS MADE TO THE ROYAL SOCIETY In the YEAR 1772; WITH The NAMES of the DONORS. Donors Names. Presents made. Jan. 10. Rev. Nevil Maskelyne, Giuseppe Toaldo, Saggio Meteorologico Ast. R. della vera influenza degli Astri. 4° 23. Donald Monro, M. D. Specimens of Salts, Earths, &c. from Mineral purging Waters in North Britain. Mr. J. Reinhold Forster. Voyage round the World, translated from the French of Mr. de Bougainville. 4° Feb. 6. Mr. T. S. Kuckhan, Wm. Jones, Esq; M. Bouchard. Specimens of Flies and other Insects from Jamaica. Histoire de Nadir Chah, traduit d'un M. S. Persan. 4° Essai sur la Poésie Rhythmique. 8° De l'Impot du vingtimee sur les Succesions, chez les Romains. 8° Donors Names. Feb. 6. Tho. Percival, M.D. Rd. Watson, Th. R. Pr. Mr. Wm. Hewson. R. P. Bertier. M. de la Lande. 13. Benj. Booth, Esq; Richard Price, D. D. M. F. D. Michelotti. 29. Ac. El. Palatin. Geo. Scott, LL.D. Mr. J. Miller. 27. J. C. Lettsom. Mar. 5. Adol. Murray. Cha. de Geer. Ac. R. Stockholm. 12. Miss Blackbourne. Mr. William Browne. Execut. of late Mr. Hyde. John Ellis, Esq. 19. Joseph Priestley, LL.D. Felice Fontana. Chrift. Mayer. 26. Mr. White. Apr. 2. Prof. Titius. James Ferguson. Presenta made. Essays Medical and Experimental. 8° A Plan of a Course of Chemical Lectures. 8° An experimental enquiry into the properties of the Blood. 12° Principes Physiques, &c. 12° Connoissance des temps pour 1772, 1773, 2 tom. 8° A collection of Butterflies from Fort St. George, East India. Observations on reversionary Payments, edit. 2. 8° Sperimenti Idraulici, 2 vol. 4° Historia et Commentationes, Vol. II. 4° Camden's Britannia, translated by Edm. Gibson, Bishop of London, Edit. 1772, 2 Vol. Fol. System of Botany, coloured Prints, No 4. Fol. The natural history of the Tea tree. 4° The Naturalist's and Traveller's companion. 8° Fundamenta Testaceologiae. 4° Memoires pour servir à l'histoire des Insects, 2 vol. 4° Their Transactions, from July 1770, to June 1771, 4 vol. 8° Specimens of Birds from N. America, 50. A dialogue on Painting, from the Italian of Lud. Dolce. 8° Some manuscript papers on Tides. Two large Bezoars taken from a Miller's Horse. The History and present State of Discoveries relating to Vision, Light, and Colours. 4° De i Moti dell' Iride. 4° Directio Meridiani Palatini 4° A fine Specimen of the Phoenicopterus, or Flamingo. Phil. Trans. for 1755, Wittemberg 1770, from the Lond. Edit. 4° Astronomy explained upon Sir If. Newton's principles. 8° Lectures in Experimental Philosophy. 8° Donors Donors Names. Apr. 2. James Ferguson. 9. Alex. Dalrymple, Esq; William Jones, Esq; 30. Alex. Dalrymple, Esq; Coll. of Physicians. J. F. Mecheil. Edw. Bancroft. Nath. Hulme. Don Jorge Juan. May 7. Mr. J. Belchier. M. de Chamouflet, Felice Fontana. Vito Caravelli. May 14. Felice Fontana. 21. Carol. Barletti. Mr. John Hunter. John Call, Esq. May 28. Wm. Ger. de Brahm. J. Reinhold Forster. Dr. Andrew Duncan. June 4. Joan. Sajnoire. Jean Bernoulli. Prefers made. Tables and Tracts on Arts and Sciences. An easy Introduction to Astronomy. An Introduction to Electricity. A collection of Charts and Memoirs. Poems from the Asiatic languages. Prints of six Charts and Maps relating to E. India. Medical Transactions, vol. II. Tractatus de Morbo hernioso congenito. Nova Experimenta et Observationes de finibus Venarum ac Vasorum Lymphaticorum. An Essay on the Natural History of Guiana. A Treatise on the Puerperal Fever. Libellus de Scorbuto, and to prevent the Scurvy in Ships. Examen Maritimo-Theorico-Practico, 2 vol. A half length Portrait of Mr. J. Flamsteed, Astronomer Royal. Lettres sur l'uiage d'une Nouvelle découverte de Pâtes, &c. Nuove Osservazioni sopra i globetti rossi del Sangue. Elementi di Mathematica, per uso della Ac. Milit., 11 vol. Ricerche Fisiche sopra il Veleno della Vipera. Nova inventa Electrica, one sheet. Fol. The Natural History of the Human Teeth. Several Papers of the late Mr. Benj. Robins. The Atlantic Pilot. Method of assaying and classing Mineral Substances. Elements of Therapeutics. Observations on the Operation and Use of Mercury. Demonstratio Idiomata Ungarorum et Lapponum idem effe. Fol. Recueil pour les Astronomes, tom. I. Lettres Astronomiques. Donors Donors Names. June 4. John Lawson. 18. A. M. Lorgna. M. de la Lande. M. Romé Delisle. July 9. James Burrow, Esq; Presents made. Two books of Apollonius Pergæus on Tangencies. De modi di migliorare l'Aria di Mantoua. Ricerche intorno alla distributione delle velocita nelle sectioni de fiumi. Differtatione, &c. Memoire sur le passage de Venus, 1769. Essai de Crystallographie. An Essay upon typographical pointing, new edit.