The photographing of the interior of the Pyramids, by Prof. Piazzi Smith, has not proved successful in an artistic point of view, on account of the extremely vitiated state of the air within the close passages constantly visited by travelers with numerous torches and candles, by reason of which the magnesium wire burned with much impaired brilliancy. Some limited views, sufficing however to establish disputed measurements, were taken, though only one picture could be obtained within twenty-four hours, the magnesia smoke requiring this time to settle. A mixture of magnesium filings and mealed powder was said to produce a better effect than the wire.

The following comparison of the magnesium wire with other sources of light is of interest. Four wires weighing three grains per foot, each burning at the rate of eight inches per minute, or eight grains in that time, give a light equal to 288 sperm candles, or 214 Argand gas-burners. At this rate of consumption one ounce of wire, costing $6.50 would last one hour.

British Journal of Photography.-A curious French toy has lately been exciting much attention. It is called the egg of Pharaoh's serpent, and consists of sulpho-cyanide of mercury made into a little conical pellet like a pastel. This being ignited, burns with a blue flame giving out a long coil of a consistent material resembling a snake in its length and convolutions, and seemingly a hundred times larger than its parent egg.

Professor John F. Frazer here showed the operation of some of these serpent eggs, prepared by the Messrs. Wyeth, and explained their action, as, also, the history of the substance mellon which is the bulky product of their combustion.

Mr. Coleman Sellers showed some others made by Messrs. Bullock & Crenshaw.

The meeting was then, on motion, adjourned.

H. MORTON, Secretary.

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE.

The Practical Entomologist. A monthly bulletin published by the Entomological Society of Philadelphia, for gratuitous distribution among farmers and agriculturists.

A very neatly printed journal, apparently devoted to the distribution of information on the subject of insects noxious and useful (?) to plants and farmers.

We do not doubt the value of the knowledge thus disseminated, and we believe that the gratuitous distribution by the Society may carry it where it will be useful. At all events, we are glad to see this indication of health and energy in this young Society.

ERRATA.

Page 351, line 6 from top, for "inclends," read "materials."

A Comparison of some of the Meteorological Phenomena of OCTOBER, 1865, with those of OCTOBER, 1864, and of the same month for FIFTEEN years, at Philadelphia, Pa. Barometer 60 feet above mean tide in the Delaware River. Latitude 39° 57′ N.; Longitude 75° 11′ W. from Greenwich. By JAMES A. KIRKPATRICK, A. M.

INDEX.

Air prior to the Discovery of Oxygen,-On the Supposed Nature of

138, 195, 248, 341

Albumen; Its Application to Calico Printing and Photographing,-F. C.

Calvert's Lecture on

336

Ammonium,—Pharaoh's Serpents' Eggs,―The preparation of Sulphocyanide of 142
Aniline Black,-M. Lauth on

Animal Charcoal,-On the Revivification of

Fatty Matters,-F. C. Calvert's Lecture on

Atmospheric Pressure as a source of Mechanical Power,

Railways,—On a new Method of working

Anti-Fouling Composition,

Avanturine Glass,-New Green

Bile, its properties; Blood, its Composition and Application in Refining
Sugar and Manufacture of Albumen,-F. C. Calvert's Lecture on

Blasting Powder.-Substitute for

58

114

187, 244

28, 279

88

413

421

Bourdon Pressure Gauge,-J. D. Van Buren on the

Bouton, (W.) on Minimum Material in a Trussed Girder,
Bridge,-Intersection of the Joints of an Oblique

365

73

175

Bridges,-On the size of Pins for Connecting Flat Links in Chains of

Suspension

Bryson, (W.) on the Strength of Cast Iron and Timber Pillars,
Buoy,-An Electric

Bibliographical Notices-

Cadet Engineer; or, Steam for the Student. By John H. Long,
Quartz Operators' Hand Book. By Wheeler and Rand,

8

179

422

287

288

Curious Facts in the History of Insects. By Frank Cowan,

Cadet Engineer; or, Steam for the Student. By J. H. Long,-Notice of the 287
Cast Steel; its Progress and Employment as a Substitute for Wrought

Iron,-H Bessemer on the Manufacture of

Cements, Mortars, and Concretes,-C. H. Haswell on Limes,
Charcoal,-On the Revivification of Animal

Chemistry Applied to the Arts,-Lectures by F. C. Calvert on

Clark (J.) on the Problem of the Gyroscope,

Coal Gas,-Results of the Experiments on the Carburation of
Mines,-Notice of the New Zealand

of the World,-Statistics of the

per Horse Power,-On the Average Consumption of

Colburn (Z.) on Certain Methods of Treating Cast Iron in the Foundry,
Compasses at Sea,—On the Correction of Ships

Cotton Fibre,-F. C. Calvert on the Action of Silicate and Carbonate

of Soda in

Cut-offs,-On Expansion by

Decay of Material in Tropical Climates and the Methods Employed for

Arresting and Preventing it,

Draft Regulator,-Self-acting Pressure and

Drainage Works and Water Supply,-Suggestions on

Electric Buoy,

Elements and their Compounds,-On the Specific Refractive Energies of the

Electricity,-Measurement of Inductive Resistances

Engines from 1851 to the Present time,-On Marine

Engineering,-On the Peculiarities of Indian

Engraving,-Another New Process of

Entomologist,-Notice of the Practical

Erith Explosion and the Repair of the Thames Embankment,-On the
Expansion and Propulsion,

by Cut-offs,

Exploration of Palestine,-Notice of the

Fatty Matters,-F. C. Calvert's Lecture on Animal

406

161

254, 257

421

312

422

261

Field Boiler, its Principle, Construction, and Action,-Description of the
Formic Acids and the Formic Ethers,-New Mode of Preparing

Fouling Composition,-Anti-

Foundry,—On Certain Methods of Treating Cast Iron in the

Fuel,-On the use of Petroleum as a Steam

Furnace,-On the Rachelle

Franklin Institute-

Proceedings of Monthly Meetings,

110, 121, 268
71

59, 281, 352, 424

Occurrence of Petroleum in Canada,-T. D. Rand's paper on
Secretary's Reports,

Gas,-Results of the Experiments on the Carburation of Coal
Gauge,-J. D. Van Buren on the Bourdon Pressure

Gauges and other Instruments used in Steam Engineering,-Pressure
Giffard Injector,-An Improvement in the

Girder,-W. Bouton on Minimum Materials in a Truss

Work,-On Uniform Stress in

Girders,-D. V. Wood on General Problem of Trussed

Glass,-New Green Avanturine

Process and Appliances in the Manufacture of Polished Sheet
Gold from Auriferous Ores; Applicable to Pyrites and Ores containing
Gold in small quantities,-A new Process for extracting

Green Pigment,-A new

Gun Cotton,-On the Preservation of

Gyroscope,―James Clark on the Problem of the

Haswell (C. H.) On Limes, Cements, Mortars, and Concretes,

Indian Engineering,-On the Peculiarities of

Inductive Resistances,-Electricity,-Measurement of
Insects,-Curious Facts in the History of-By Frank Cowan,

Inventors and the Crown; an Infringement by the Admiralty of England,

Iron and Timber Pillars,-W. Bryson on Strength of Cast .

H Bessemer on the Manufacture of Cast Steel, its Progress, and
Employment as a Substitute for Wrought

in the Foundry,-On Certain Methods of Treating Cast
Ships,-Particulars of

· Water Pipes,-On the Strength of Cast

Jackson (H.) and Ott (W. A.),—On a new Process for Extracting Gold
from Auriferous Ores, applicable to Pyrites, and Ores containing
Gold in small quantities,

179

387

41

330

135

Lead,-On the Erosion of

---Poisoning by

Leather, F. C. Calvert's Lecture on

Limes, Cements, Mortars, and Concretes,-C. H. Haswell on
Lyrics of Life. By Robert Browning,-Notice of

24

274

Meteorological Observations in Philadelphia,

72, 144, 215, 360, 428

Milk; its Composition, Properties, and Preservation,—F. C. Calvert's

Mortars, and Concretes,-C. H. Haswell on Limes, Cements,

171

Oxygen,-On the Supposed Nature of Air prior to the Discovery of

138, 195, 248, 341

324

110, 121, 268

59

Palestine,-Notice of the Exploration of

Petroleum as Steam Fuel,-On the Use of

in Canada, T. D. Rand on the Occurrence of

Pharaoh's Serpents' Eggs,-The Preparation of Sulphocyanide of Ammonium 412
Photographic Figures,-On Moving

Pillars,-W. Bryson on Strength of Cast Iron and Timber

Pins for connecting Flat Links in Chains of Suspension Bridges,-

Pumping Engine Practically and Commercially considered,-The Economy of 200

Railway Collision,-On the Prevention of