Storks in Turkey.—The storks, those most oriental, most scriptural of birds, were numerous and familiar beyond what I could have imagined; they rarely moved at our approach; they were picking with their long bills at the worms in the sod by the road side; and when they did move, it was not by flight, but by stalking in the most stately manner, a few yards off, where they would stand and gaze unapprehensively at us, bend their heads on their backs, or entwine their long necks with each other in fondness.

The tender regard entertained by the Turks for most of the animal creation, (one of the strange anomalies of their characters a striking contrast to their disregard of human blood and life,) is suf ficiently known, as well as the fact, that to the stork they have a peculiar and reverential affection. Few things will displease a Turk more than to molest one of these birds. They call him friend and brother-and when they could yet aspire at conquest, they sentimentally affirmed, that he would accompany them wherever they should carry their victorious arms, despite of the variety of climate, of heat, or of cold.

These sagacious birds are well aware of this predilection; they build their large nests on the mosques, on the minarets, on Turkish houses; and to them, in their migratory existence, they return year after year, but the nest is never erected on a Christian roof! I have observed in many towns, particularly in Pergamus, where they are very numerous, that in the Turkish quarter they strut about most familiarly, mixing with the people in the streets, affecting the open squares in the Turkish khans, and other places of the greatest resort; but they pass not the boundary of that quarter; they never enter the parts of the town inhabited by the Greeks or Armenians.

The turtle doves, which swarm in this part of Turkey, are almost equally favourites, and equally familiar, but their familiarity is of course less striking than that of the gigantick bird, the stork.

Towards sunset I walked in an open gallery, at Pergamus.-Thence looking over the roofs and upper apartments of curious dwellings, I saw before me, at a few yards' distance, the lofty, massy, cas. tle-like walls of the old Greek of Agios Theologos, whose rough ridges, covered with their nests, (larger than our bushel measures) and whose angles, buttresses, and every "coin of vantage," used to be

incessantly frequented by troops of stately storks. They were always divided into pairs; sometimes only the long elastick neck of one of them would be seen, towering from the nest, while the consort would stand by, on one of his long slim legs, and watch with the assiduity of affection. Sometimes one of them caressing his mate ere he left her, would spread his broad snow white wings, fly away to the town or the field, and thence return with a large twig, or other materials for the nest, or a supply of provisions for his occupied partner. Other couples would be grouped on the edges of the stupendous ruin, entwining their pliant necks, and mixing their long bills. I have thus often counted as many as fifty couple of storks at a time upon the ruins. Mixed with these large white birds, or issuing from their nests, in the crannies of the walls below those of the storks, or flitting athwart the twilight sky, were thousands of little blue turtle doves, forming an amorous choir, which never ceased its cooing, by day or by night. These sounds, and I must add the vernal voices of the cuckoos, almost equally numerous, used to compose me to sleep, and to them I awoke in the morning.-Mackfarland's Constantinople.

Champollion. We formerly gave a notice of the labours and results of this distinguished traveller, and we now rejoice to have it in our power to recommend our readers to a better and more detailed description of the relicks of old Egypt. A neat translation of his work, with notes, said to be written by Professor Stuart, has just been published, comprising an account of all the discoveries of the traveller among the tombs and temples of a once renowned, but now almost deserted country. As a confirmation of the truth of Scripture history, or as an illustration merely, the researches of Champollion possess a deep interest and value. The sojourning of the people of Israel, and their subsequent captivity, are depicted in various hieroglyphick and pictorial representations of the victorious and triumphal processions, the festival and domestick games; many facts of the Bible are distinctly related, and the names of contemporary Jewish and Egyptian kings are, in several instances, recorded. But aside from the interest which, as Christians, we take in the illustration and confirmation of the Bible, these discoveries will go far to satisfy a rational curiosity respecting the habits, learning, arts, laws, and go

vernment of a country of which so little is distinctly known-save that in learning and power, she, if not the source, was the earliest mistress.

Phenomenon in the Tide.-A Liverpool paper of Sept. 9, says-A remarkable change in the usual flowing of the tide took place in Bristol, on Friday week. Instead of high water being at 58 minutes after twelve, which, according to the correct calculations of the tide table, ought to be the case, the tide flowed only till ten minutes before twelve, and then began to ebb, causing a variation of an hour and eight minutes. About three years ago an irregularity of the same kind was observed in this port and other places, which was ultimately traced to an earthquake in the Peninsula. It is not unlikely that the present variation in the tide has been caused by some disorganization, remote from our shores.

New Metallic Mirror.-M. Dobereiner, while making experiments upon platina and its combinations, discovered that when the chloruret of this metal is heated gently with alcohol, a brown substance is obtained, which is easily blackened at a higher temperature, and may be dissolved without difficulty in alcohol. This substance is excellent for rubbing glass, in order to make mirrors of platina; to effect which, the glass is to be dipped into the alcoholick solution, care being taken that it is spread uniformly on its surface, and is afterwards made red hot with the flame of a lamp of spirits of wine. The coat of platina thus deposited on the glass in its metallic state, adheres so strongly to it, that it will be impossible to detach it. If, however, a mirror so made, be plunged in hydrochlorick acid, diluted with water, and if, at the same time, a layer of zinc is placed in it, the whole layer of platina will dissolve instantly. A burnishing stick may be used to polish the platina.

Chloride of Lime.-The Journal des Connaissances Usuelles, in the course of an article on the employment of chlorurets of lime, to prevent infection, says it may also be advantageously used to destroy the unpleasant smell of fresh paint. In a newly painted apartment, boards three feet long by two broad, should be laid, and a quantity of hay, slightly damped, spread over them, upon which the chloru. ret should be sprinkled. If the room is carefully closed, it will be found that the decomposing action of the carbonick acid of the air will neutralise the smell of the paint. The chloruret of lime may also be employed to disinfect any nauseous receptacle.

Crown Diamonds.-The two most valuable diamonds of the French crown are

called the Sanci and the Regent. The Sanci takes its name from Nicolas de Harlai de Sanci, who was once its owner. The Sanci was sold for a crown to the Duke of Burgundy, by a Swiss, in the fifteenth century. In 1589, it was in the possession of Antonio, king of Portugal, and by him it was first pledged to De Sanci, for 40,000 livres, and subsequently sold for 100,000 livres. De Sancì, in like manner, disposed of it to James II., of England, then resident at St. Germain's, from whom it passed into the hands of Louis XIV. The Regent is the most beautiful diamond known-it is often called the Pitt.

Grating Nutmeg 8.-It is a fact well known to most house-keepers that, in grating a nutmeg, if we begin at the end next the stem, it will generally be hollow all the way through, and is very liable to break, whereas if we begin at the other end it will continue sound to the last. The centre of a nutmeg is composed chiefly of a mass of fibres, united and held together at the stem end. If grated first at that end, they are cut off the point of union, and thus liberated, so that they come out and make the nutmeg hollow; but if grated at the other end, they continue to be held firmly in their place, and the nutmeg consequently remains sound.-Massachusetts Spy.

The Nature of Flame.-Flame is the rapid combustion of volatilized matter. The tallow, or the wax, is melted and drawn up to the top of the wick of the candle. Here it is boiled and converted into vapour, which ascends in the form of a column. This vapour is raised to such a temperature, that it combines rapidly with the oxygen of the surrounding atmosphere, and the heat evolved is such as to heat the vapour to whiteness. Flame then is merely volatile, combustible matter, heated white hot. The combustion can only take place in that part of the column of hot vapour that is in contact with the atmosphere, namely, the exterior surface. The flame of a candle, then, is merely a thin film of white hot vapour, enclosing within a quantity of hot vapour, which, for want of oxygen, is incapable of burning. But as it advances upward, in consequence of the outer film being already consumed, it gradually constitutes the outer surface of the column, and assumes the form of flame. And as the supply of hot vapour diminishes as it ascends, and at last fails altogether, the flame of a candle gradually tapers to a point.

Effect of Terror upon the Imagination. -The late Dr. Good, in early life, served an apprenticeship at Yarmouth, and had to sleep at the top of his master's house,

in a room in which there was a skeleton. "One night," says he, "I went to bed; the moonlight, which fell bright into my room, showed me, distinctly, the pannel of the door, behind which hung my silent acquaintance. I could not help thinking of him. I tried to think of something else, but in vain. I shut my eyes, and began to forget myself, when, whether I was awake or asleep, or between both, I cannot tell-but suddenly I felt two bony hands grasp my ancles, and pull me down the bed; if it had been real, it could not have been more distinct.

Weather. A gentleman who kept an account of the changes of weather for

fifty years of his life, within a hundred miles of the city of Philadelphia; says that he could not observe that the moon had any influence in producing the changes. That he always observed four or five days cold weather in continuance would be followed by moderate weather, and generally rain. That three cold nights in succession would produce rain; commonly known by three white frosts. That although five severe cold days would produce rain, yet he had known twenty days of severe heat without rain.

Northerly winds seldom continued be. yond four days at a time; the severest storms are generally in August.-Register of Pennsylvania.

Aware of the interest which many of our readers take in the cause of Foreign Missions, especially of those conducted by the American Board, we have, for the present month, devoted the greater part of this department of our Miscellany to a summary account of the proceedings and statements of that Board, at their last annual meeting. Our account is taken from the Boston Recorder, of the 13th ult. somewhat abridged. The Board met on the 6th of October.

The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions commenced their annual meeting in this city on Wednesday. On Thursday afternoon, at half past two o'clock, the Communion of the Lord's Supper was celebrated in Park Street Church, where about 1500 professed disciples of Christ, from different parts of the United States, commemorated the atoning death of their Master. The communion services were performed by the Rev. Dr. Proudfit, of Salem, N. Y.; Dr. McMurray, of New York city; Dr. Porter, of Catskill, N. Y.; Dr. Tyler, of Portland, Me.; and Rev. S. Holmes, of New Bedford, Me.

In the evening another meeting was held in Park Street Church, and after prayer, by Rev. President Day of Yale College, a part of the Annual Report was read by Mr. Evarts, the Secretary of the Board; and the audience was addressed by Rev. President Allen, of Bowdoin College; President Bates, of Middlebury College; and Dr. Miller, of Princeton, N. J.

There are forty-seven Missionary stations under the direction of the Board; forty-six ordained preachers of the Gospel to the heathen; five licensed preachers, and four men who have completed their theological course, and are now rea dy to be ordained. The whole number of labourers of both sexes, sent from this country, and supported by the funds of the Board, is about two hundred and twenty-five. One of the stations is at Bombay, five in Ceylon, one at Malta, one at Beyroot, six at the Sandwich Islands, and thirty-three among the North American Indians. About 1100 converted heathens have been received into the mission churches, a large portion of them within the last year; and great numbers are brought under religious restraint, giving more or less evidence of piety. At least 50,000 learners are enrolled in the mission schools, and about 600 teachers, most of them natives, who have themselves been taught by missionary influence, are employed in them. The missionaries and the Board have made use of the press for the dissemination of knowledge in eleven languages; four of them spoken principally in Asia; one in Europe, principally; one in Europe and Asia, equally; four in the forests of North America; and one in Polynesia, viz. the Mahratta, Tamul, Armeno-Turkish, Arabick, Greek, Italian, Che

rokee, Choctaw, Seneca, Abernakee, and Hawaiian. The last, (with some help from Mr. Ellis, English missionary,) together with the Choctaw and Abernakee, persons employed by the Board were the first to reduce to writing. This is true also of the Cherokee, so far as the Roman alphabet is used. The Board has presses

under the direction of the missions at Bombay, in Ceylon, Malta, and the Sandwich Islands. The works printed are, the New Testament; other portions of Scripture; various religious books and tracts; and school books. All these are put in circulation among the heathen, and the field is constantly opening for a wider and still wider circulation, and for an indefinite increase of all these evangelical operations.

Receipts and Expenditures.

The receipts of the Board, from donations and legacies, during the year, which closed on the 31st of August, amounted to $80,788 16, while the receipts from the same sources, during the year preceding, amounted to $104,542 24; leaving a deficiency of receipts in the way of contribution or donation, (which are the only sources of income worthy to be considered,) of $23,754 08. The transfer of $4000 from the permanent fund to current expenses, with some variations in the interest of money received in the two years, presents the total receipts of the year, ending August 31, 1829, at $106,928 26, and of the year just closed, at $87,019 37, leaving a deficiency of $19,908 89. But the real deficiency, and that which should be the basis of all our calculations, and all our action, is $4000 more, viz. $23,908 89.

Abstract.

Messrs.

1. BOMBAY. One Station. Graves, Stone, and Allen, Missionaries; Mr. Garret, Printer; Miss Farrar, Teacher of Females.

During the first six months of last year, 12,000 copies of portions of the Scripture and Tracts were worked off at the mission press, amounting to 510,000 pages. Connected with the Mission are 31 schools; 12 of them for females. About 1000 boys and 400 girls attend. Female education is advancing. Sir John Malcolm, governor of Bombay, has given 300 rupees, (about 130 dollars,) to the American Missionaries, for the benefit of female schools, and other benevolent individuals gave 1200 rupees. Mr. Hall's tract entitled the "Three Worlds," and Mr. Newell's, entitled "Glad Tidings," are said to be producing a very salutary influence on the people and the Brahmins. Messrs. Her vey, Read, and Ramsey, who sailed from

Boston in August last, are designed as a reinforcement to this mission.

2. CEYLON.-Five stations. Tillipally. -Mr. Spaulding, Missionary; 9 native Teachers and Assistants, 879 boys, and 170 girls in the schools. Cornelius Atwood, a member of the preparatory school, admitted to the church last year.

Batticotta.-Messrs. Meigs and Poor, Missionaries; 4 native assistants. Mr. Poor has published 3000 copies of a tract entitled the "Remembrancer," for distribution among the natives. The seminary contains 79 students, of whom 22 are professors of the Christian faith. Donations to the amount of 650 dollars were made to the seminary by English residents. There are 13 free schools, containing 601 boys, and 89 girls.

Oodooville.-Mr. Winslow, Missionary; 5 native assistants, 17 free schools, 624 boys, and 132 girls; and a central school of 23 girls, 8 of whom are members of the church.

Panditeripo.-Mr. Scudder, Missionary; 3 native assistants, 14 free schools, 300 boys and 105 girls. The power of the Brahmins in the neighbourhood of this station is evidently on the decline.

Manepy. Mr. Woodward, Missionary; 4 native assistants, 14 free schools, 300 boys and 175 girls.

At all the stations, 130 natives have been received to the church.

3. WESTERN ASIA.-Two stations. Malta.-Messrs. Temple and Goodel, Missionaries; Mr. Hallock, printer. The number of works published at the mission press in 1829, was as follows; in modern Greek, 12; in Armeno-Turkish, 16, and in Italian, 5. Whole number of copies, 69,300; number of pages, 2,943,200; average number of pages in a copy, 52. Mr. Goodell, with the aid of an Armenian bishop, has translated the New Testament, from the original Greek, into Armeno-Turkish. This translation is to be printed at the Mission press, for the Bri. tish and Foreign Bible Society. The Mission press has furnished Greece with many school books. The report gives an account of the exploring tour of Mr. Anderson in Greece; and of Mr. Bird, on the northern coast of Africa. Messrs. Dwight and Whiting sailed from Boston as a reinforcement to this mission, January last.

Beyroot.-Messrs. Bird and Whiting ar rived at this station in May last. Messrs. Smith and Dwight had commenced an exploring tour through Armenia. In June last they were at Tocat, where they had visited the grave of Martyn.

4. CHINA.-Messrs. Abeel and Bridgman, Missionaries. This mission has but just commenced. The Missionaries arrived at Canton last February.