forms of his variations are by no means inelegant..

Mr. Moralt's three waltzes, for two performers on the pianoforte, are commonplace; but this may be excused, as they are evidently written for beginners.

Mr. Parry is editing a new publication of glees and other part songs, in numbers, under the title of The London Collection of Glees, Duets, and Catches. The capital recommendations of such a selection must be the judgment with which it is made its size mode of printing-and cheapness. This begins with Non Nobis, Glorious Apollo, and some other such things in general use at public dinners; after which follow some of our best wellknown glees, some still more modern. It is portable, and very legible, well calculated for reading at table, or in an or chestra.

The songs are rather of a higher description than usual. Mr. Bishop has set three from Moore's " Loves of the Angels." This composer has lately attained a very original manner in such compositions; and there are marks of strong sensibility and fine taste in these, particularly in that from the last angel's story, Though gross the air on earth I drew. These songs resemble no others that we know, and the only description we can give of them is, that they are instinct with feeling. The danger Mr. Bishop seems to incur is from a too unrestrained indulgence of modulation, which proceeds probably from carrying refinement to its extreme. Thus, too, he sometimes becomes too chromatic in his melody.

Mr. Harris has also set the Evening Song of Lea very melodiously. This, though wanting the power and originality of Mr. Bishop's productions, will probably be more popular.

My Heart and Lute, a ballad by Mr. Moore, is formed on a melody of Mr. Bishop's, and is an agreeable song, but it is by no means equal to his " National Airs," or " Irish Melodies."

Thou art the giddiest Youth alive, by Kiallmark, on Mrs. Opie's words, is simple, and well adapted to her manner.

Three Italian Ariettes, by Bertoli, are very sweet things, with an accompaniment for the Spanish guitar. They are equal to some of Sor's best-high praise.

Allan Cunningham's very spirited songs. The Lea shall have its Lily Bells, and The Mariner's Song, have been set, the former as a ballad, and the latter as glee. Miss Mainwaring is the author of the melody, which is as simple, sweet, and pathetic, as most of the compositions of the day. It exhibits another proof, if any were wanting, that amateurs are, in this department, quite upon a level with profes sors. Mr. Graham, an amateur, not less distinguished by his literary than his musical attainments, is the author of the glee. There are words, which, by the high expectations their excellence raises, may tend to discredit a composer; and such, perhaps, is the case with these. Roused as the mind is by the force and freedom of the diction, we are led to anticipate, perhaps, a more than corresponding fire in the music. Mr. Graham's glee is, however, an exceedingly creditable composition; it is pure in its construction, manly and bold in its melody, and the accompaniment is "pie turesque and masterly. It has great com petitors in Mr. Walmisley's Ye Mariners of England, and Mr., Willis's Merrily goes the Bark; things excellently well con ceived, not to mention the celebrated forerunner of them all, Ye Gentlemen of England.

1

species of ox, horse, deer, hyæna, wolf, and fox. None of them were gnawed, except one, that of the fore arm of a wolf, which presented traces of the canine teeth, and incisions of an animal, apparently about the size of a weazel. The bones of the vari ous graminivorous class were found together, but those of the carnivo rous at a distance from each other All were very fragile and white, and varied considerably in the quanti ty of animal matter. The frag ments of shells, found in one of the caves, retained their pearly matter, and seemed to belong to the oyster tribe; but they were too small to

present any satisfactory characters. The bones collected were those of twelve oxen, with short conical horns standing upright, and larger than the medium size of the present breed. A few seemed to belong to a deer; but this could not be satisfactorily determined, as there was neither the head, horns, nor teeth. Some small bones of a young animal, apparently a calf or fawn. The bones and teeth of about twelve horses, which must have been fourteen hands high. The bones of five or six hyænas, includ ing two jaw-bones with teeth, and those of several wolves of the same size as the present existing species."

ALLOYS OF STEEL

A very interesting paper on this subject has been lately published in the Philosophical Transactions, by Messrs. Stoddart and Faraday. The metals that form the most valuable alloys with steel are silver, platinum, rhodium, iridium, osmium, and palladium. After various trials it was found that steel would combine with only 1-500th of its weight of silver, The alloy was harder than the best steel, or even than iridian wootz, with no disposition to crack either under the hammer or in hardening. Some articles, for various uses, of a very superior quality, have been made from this alloy; as the additional expence of the silver is but trifling, it may be used advantage ously for almost every purpose for which good steel is required. Steel combines in any proportion with platina, rhodium, iridium, and osmium. Equal weights of steel and rhodium gave a metal, which, when polished, presented a surface of most exquisite beauty, and not liable to be tarnished by exposure to air. The same proportions of steel and platina afforded an alloy, the surface of which, when polished, had a crystal line appearance. For edge tools the best proportions seem to be 1-100th part of the alloying metal. When alloyed with this quantity of platina, the product is not so hard as that with silver, but it is much tougher; owing to which it may be used for every purpose where tenacity and hardness are required. The alloys with rhodium are by far the most valuable, but from its scarcity it cannot be expected to come into general use; and the same objection

applies to those of iridium and osmium. Perhaps, however, a sufficient quantity may be obtained for the finer kinds of instruments, as lancets and razors.

The alloys with gold, tin, copper, and chromium, have been made only on a small scale, but they are not so valuable as those already mentioned; indeed, copper and tin do not seem to improve steel. It is a curious fact, that when pure iron is used instead of steel, the alloys are much less subject to oxidation. Three per cent. of iridium and osmium fused with iron afforded a metal, which, when exposed along with other alloys to a moist atmosphere, was the last in acquiring rust on its surface. The colour of this alloy was blue, and it had the property of becoming hard when heated and suddenly plunged into a cold fluid..

PARACHUTE ROCKET.

A newly invented rocket, of a very peculiar and curious construction, has been lately let off at Chatham, in the presence of the officers of the garrison. After rising a considerable way in the air it explodes, and a parachute is discharged, having a fire ball of considerable magnitude at tached to it, which gives sufficient light to illuminate the country for nearly a mile around, and as the pa rachute, when discharged, immedi ately expands, it prevents the ball from falling. This rocket is intended to show the position and movements of an enemy's army, or any body of troops, during night.

ADVANTAGES OF OIL GAS ESTA
BLISHMENTS.

THE following remarks on this subject are by M. Ricardo, Esq., deduced from observations on the Whitechapel Road gas-works, situated at Oldford. Two sets of retorts, with necessary apparatus, a gasometer containing 8000 cubic feet, and capacious reservoirs for oil, have been constructed; seven miles of main pipe have been laid, the total cost being 7300l. At present, the average number of burners is from 500 to 600; besides which, there are 180 public lights supplied at a price which yields no profit. One man as gas máker, and a boy to assist him, are the only labourers required; and, without any addition, these might supply double the number of lights,

for which the only additional charge would be the cost of oil and coal, as the wear and tear of apparatus, rent, &c. would be the same as at present. Two pair of retorts are suffis cient to supply the requisite quantity of gas, amounting to about 6000 feet per night, the expense of preparing which is about 36s.; but were more required, it would be much less.

The quantity of gas procured from different oils varies considerably. Whale oil is considered the best, and next to it is cod oil, from eight tons of which 201,500 cubic feet were obtained. There are other oils of inferior price, but these ought not to be used, because they not only give less gas, but are injurious to the works. In conveying coal gas through the pipes, there is a considerable waste, either from it sacting on them, or escaping; but this does not happen with oil gas. To the consumer the advantages are equally great; an individual, near the works, has in his shop five large burners, burning from sunset till nine, and on Saturdays till eleven. He has other three, but as these do not burn so long, they are estimated at one and a half, making in all six and a half. The average number of hours of burning per week is twenty, or 1040 in the year. The consumption of gas, 8800 cubic feet, for which he is charged 211. The light of the burners consuming one and a quarter foot per hour, is fully equal to, if not exceed ing, that of coal gas, consuming at the rate of five feet. The benefits arising from its introduction into private houses are equally great. There is not a single annoyance, nor the slightest inconvenience, from its use, while the brilliancy of the light is superior to that of coal gas. Supposing the same expense incurred as for common tallow candles, double or even treble the light is afforded; four or five times as much, if compared with sperm oil; and above twelve times as much, if the comparison be made with wax candles.

ORNAMENTING STEEL AND OTHER METALS WITH THE PRISMATIC

COLOURS.

The production of the prismatic tints by scratches on the surface of metallic and transparent bodies was first observed by Boyle, but after

wards more particularly examined by Dr. Young, who ranked them in the class of optical phenomena, known by the name of the "colours of striated surfaces."

Mr. Barton, of the Mint, has lately conceived the idea of ornamenting steel and other articles in this way, and has secured, by patent, the exclusive privilege of applying this principle to practical purposes. The excellence of Mr. Barton's instrument, which was constructed by the late Mr. Harrison, depends chiefly on the beauty and correctness of the screw. The plate of this is not di vided higher than the 2000th part of an inch; but Mr. Barton has drawn divisions on steel and glass so minute as the 10,000th part of an inchi In drawing lines of the former di mension, he often leaves out one line intentionally; and the greatest proof of the stability of the engine is, that having taken off the brass table with the work on it (when the omission is distinctly perceived), he can restore it to its place, and introduce the line without its being distinguished from the rest. In applying the principle of striated colours to ornament steel, the pattern is produced on the po lished surface by the point of mond, so that either the whole or a part of the surface is covered with grooves, the distance of which from each other may vary from the 1000th to the 10,000th of an inch. When these lines are most distant, the prismatic images of a candle, seen by reflexion from the polished surface, are nearest one another, and the com mon colourless image; and when the lines are least distant, the coloured images are farthest from one another, and the colours are most vivid. - In day-light, the colours produced by these minute grooves are scarcely distinguishable, unless at the boundary between a dark and a luminous object. In sharp lights, however, particularly in that of the sun, they shine with extraordinary brilliancy; and the play of tints, which accom pany every luminous image, can be equalled only by their matchless exhibition in the reflexions of the diamond. The surface of fine steel, therefore, when grooved by the delicate instrument of Mr. Barton, is peculiarly fitted for imitative jewels, and other articles of female dress;