do for ourselves
what we could not perhaps expect a weekly or monthly critic to do for
us, viz. to quote the subjects of a few of the valuable papers in the
present volume, and then leave the reader to form his own conclusions
of its intrinsic value.

In _Mechanical Science_ there are 100 closely-printed pages, or 90
articles. Among these are papers on novel applications of the gigantic
power of _Steam_ in Navigation and Agriculture, and especially in
Railway Carriages; the grand invention of the Air Engine; improvements
in Printing; machinery in manufactures; and contributions to
experimental as well as practical mechanics.

In _Chemical Science_ there are upwards of 60 New Facts. Among these is
a valuable paper on Arsenic, by Dr. Christison, (from the _Philosophical
Magazine_;) a method of ascertaining the vegeto-alkali in Bark; the
influence of the Aurora Borealis on the Magnetic Needle; Lieut.
Drummond's Plan for illuminating Light Houses by a ball of lime, (from
the _Philosophical Transactions_); Laws of electrical accumulation, and
the decomposition of water by atmospheric and ordinary electricity;
the new Indigo; the spontaneous inflammation of charcoal; the nitrous
atmosphere of Tirhoot, one of the principal districts in India for the
manufacture of salt-petre; Discovery of a mass of meteoric iron in
Bohemia; the chemical composition of cheese; Berzelius on the power of
metallic rods to decompose water after their connexion with the galvanic
pile is broken; an alkaline principle in Box-wood; Professor Davy on a
new method of detecting metallic poisons; Mr. Bennet's new alloy for the
pivot-holes of watches; experiments with Aldini's Fireproof Dresses;
Dr. Ure on the composition of Gunpowder, and on Indigo; Dr. Bostock
on the spontaneous purification of Thames water; Abstracts of Berzelius'
statement of the progress of Chemical Science for 1829; Mr. Broughton
on the effects of oxygen gas on various animals, &c.

In _Zoology_ are papers--on the Fern Owl; Mr. Rennie's interesting Notes
on the Cleanliness of Animals; Mechanism of the Voice in Singing; the
Vision of Birds of Prey; New species of British Snake; Animalculae in
Snow; Habits of the Chameleon; Peculiarity of the Negro Stomach; Growth
of Spanish Flies; British Pearl Fishery on the Conway; the cause of
Goitre; seat of the sense of touch and taste; stones found in the
stomach of Pikes; Learned Poodles at Paris; Faculties of Domestic
Animals; Increase of M