mes, which he had observed on the shores of the Frith of Forth, and the coasts of the Orkney and Shetland Islands; and also some interesting observations on the different precious stones found in Scotland, particularly the topaz, of which he exhibited a series of specimens lately found in Aberdeenshire: among these was a crystal weighing nearly eight ounces Averdupois, which is probably the largest crystallized specimen hitherto discovered in any country. The Secretary laid before the meeting a communication from the Rev. Mr Fleming of Bressay, describing several uncommon marine vermes lately observed by him in Shetland; and a list of rare plants to be found within a day's excursion from Edinburgh, by Mr R. Maughan, sen. meeting, the following gentlemen were elected Office-bearers, for 1810:

Robert Jameson, Esq. Prof. Nat. Hist. President.

Dr William Wright, Rev. Dr Macknight, Dr John Barclay, Dr Thomas Thomson, Vice-Presidents. Patrick Walker, Esq. Treasurer. Pat. Neill, Esq. Secretary. P. Sime, Esq. Painter.

Of the Council:- James Russell, Esq. C. S. Menteith, Esq. C. Anderson, Esq. Dr James Home, Dr Yule, Brig. Gen. Dirom, Dr John Thomson, Dr Tennant..

Monthles

88.4

December. T

tory. HIS month has, upon

the whole, been uncommonly mild. A sprinkling of snow has once or twice covered the ground; but there has not yet been a single

snow-storm.

Towards the end of the month, se veral flocks of Bohemian Chatterers (Ampelis garrulus) came to this neighbourhood. They have been shot in Hope Park, at Restalrig, and near Roslin. A flock was also observed about Luffness in East Lothian, and several of them killed. Ornithologists have in general said, that the male wants the red appendages, resembling sealing-wax, at the ends of the quill-feathers, as well as the yellow on the wings: but a female killed near Edinburgh, and dissected by John Wilson, College buildings, actually possessed the red appendages, four on each side, while she was destitute of the yellow on the wings, all the quill-feathers being tipped with white. It appears however that the males have five or six horny appendages on each side; the females fewer. QUARTZ-CRYSTAL and TOPAZ.In the Scots Magazine for November, we gave an account of an uncommonly large quartz-crystal brought from Aberdeenshire. We stated that it was 13 inches in length, and 74 inches in circumference, and weighed about 19 lbs. This was the largest specimen then known to have been found in this country. Since that time, however, another has been brought to town from the same district of country, which, for massiveness and stature, entirely eclipses the former. This latter is 1 foot 5 inches in length, and, where thickest, no less than 3 feet in circumference. It weighs 78 lbs. English. It is not, however, a complete or perfectly formed crystal. Its crystallization is indeed regular on the upper extremity; but the lateral

a dozen of

In last number of this Magazine, also, we drew a distinction between the wine-coloured rock crystal or Cairngorm stones (which have been sometimes erroneously called Scotch topazes) and the real topaz; and we remarked, that in Britain, " topaz has been found only in the county of Cornwall." Since that time, however, the interesting discovery has been made, that real topaz exists in the Highlands of Scotland. About specimens were brought from Aberdeenshire along with the gigantic and ponderous rock-crystal which wehave just commemorated. Two of these are regularly crystallized eight-sided prisms; and, what is very remarkable, one of them weighs no less than 3450 grains, or nearly 8 oz. English, and is therefore by much the largest crystallized topaz known to exist. The largest Brazilian topaz in the National Museum at Paris is not much more than half the size of this Scottish to

paz (about 1908 grains). All the Aberdeenshire specimens are more or less rounded or water-worn. are of a pale yellow colour; others greenish, and some of them beautifully opalescent. These rare Scottish gems were found, last autumn, in the course of digging for cairngorm stones at the base of the mountain Beinaan, or Beiniain, on of the Grampians, on the Duke of Gordon's estate in Aberdeenshire. Digging for crystals has now become a trade among the Highlanders of this district of the Grampians. Almost a hundred acres of surface at the base of the hills have here been dug up, in this pursuit, within these few years. The topazes

were found about the depth of twelve Feet below ground, nearly at the same spot with the enormous quartz-crystal.

These gems and the quartz-crystal are now in the possession of Mr John White, lapidary, 34. North BridgeStreet, where they may be viewed by the curious. We cannot conclude without remarking, that it will be disgraceful if the finest crystallized topaz known to exist, be allowed to go out of this island; and yet we fear that the Museum at Paris would give much more for it than any institution in Great Britain. But we would rather hear of its being even sent to France, than of its being cut up for toys in Scotland. How praiseworthy would it be for the Magistes and Council of the City of Edinburgh to purchase this matchless specimen, and present it to the University Museum. There it would remain as a lasting monument of the taste and public spirit of our present city rulers. Canonmills, 27th Dec. 1809.

}

wards maturity, till the patient took up his residence in a garret, or, after some unsuccessful attempts in the character of a noblemans valet de chambre, at last trod the boards of a theatre, in the humble capacity of a waiter, or a scene-shifter. It has generally been considered as incurable, and I am afraid with no small reason: however, if any of your numerous readers could point out an easy and effectual cure, they would extremely oblige both my friend, and Your very humble servant,

I take the liberty to trouble you with a few lines upon a subject which distresses me very much, and to re

some

SIR,

the FINE ARTS.

To the Editor.

Humbly beg leave to offer the following case to the attention of your readers. It was sent to me by a very honest and industrious tradesman of this city (to whom I am related,) for my consideration and advice. Not being able to suggest any remedy for this unfortunate caccethes, I thought that by making the case public, some of your correspondents might perhaps hit upon a method of cure. The disorder which has seized part of his family, is by no means uncommon: I myself have seen a great many instances of it, chiefly among young shopkeepers and apprentices; and have had opportunities of observing its progress to

live, and that after my death, my children will have nothing to depend upon for subsistence but their own industry. My five sons, thank heaven, are stout and healthy, and by a proper attention to business, might make their way through the world respectably. But alas! Sir my three eldest sons have lately been seized by such a passion for the Fine Arts, that things are left at sixes and sevens in order to afford time for the study of Milton and Pope, or Sir Joshua Reynolds' Lectures on Painting. They can hardly answer me except in poetical language, and they converse with each other about nothing but poets and painters, fire, harmony, invention, taste and effect.It grieves me beyond measure to see them wasting their best days in scribbling wretched poetry, and daubing paper and canvas; but all my remonstrances have no effect, and their mo. ther never fails to take their part, and encourage their folly and perverseness. I believe they have contrived to turn her head as well as their own; for when I attempt to reason with her on the absurdity and danger of encouraging their idleness, she overwhelms me with a torrent of names of poets and painters, who, she says, were children of tradesmen like myself, and raised themselves by their talents to fame and independence. I know that some men of genius have advanced from obscurity into notice solely by their own merit ; but I believe that for every instance of indigent genius succeeding in the world, twenty of the reverse might be produced. Nay, if my boys had really talents for poetry or painting, I might perhaps sacrifice my own wishes to their inclinations, but unfortunately there is not a single spark of genius among them for either art; of this I have been assured by several sincere and candid friends, who were well qualified to judge of these matters, and to whom I showed some of my sons' performances. Neither is this silly extravagance inspired by Nature; the confounded itch for painting and versifying has affected them only within these 2 or 3 months, and since they began to attend a society (as they call it) of Shopkeepers' Clerks and Apprentices, where some wag, I suppose, seeing their weakness, has determined to amuse himself and friends at their expence. But their madness does not stop even here, for I overheard them yesterday talking of publishing some poetry by subscription, and disputing about the characters they were to personate in a private play. -This last specimen of insanity convinced me that some decisive measure must be immediately adopted, otherwise the disease will be past all cure, and the ruin of my boys certain. Have the goodness to favour me with

Some experiments have been tried in the course of the present month, in the presence of a considerable number of London Surveyors, on a new Fire and Water Proof Terras, for roofs and ceilings, and it has been found to answer the most sanguine expectations.

Mr W. J. Hooker, F.L.S. of Norwich, is lately returned from Iceland, where he spent the summer, in investigating the natural history of that country. He travelled with a retinue of Icelanders, as far up the country as the perennial snow would permit; pitching his tent wherever interesting objects, such as the Geyser springs, invited. He made a large collection of specimens of quadrupeds, birds, insects, plants, and minerals. He likewise purchased, in different places, Icelandic books, weapons, dresses, &c. at high prices. It is to be regretted, however, that nearly the whole of his labours were lost, by the vessel in which he embarked for London taking fire, and being burnt to the water'sedge. The crew and passengers were