to rise in the side of the tube, and
closes the valve.' Besides this, there was 'an improved
magneto-electric machine, for medical use, with a new arrangement, by
which the shock is graduated by means of a glass tube, in which a wire
is made to communicate with water, so as to produce at first a slight
shock; by gradually pressing down the wire attached to a spiral
spring, the shock is received in its full force.'

It now appears that Mr Robertson of Brighton claims priority of
discovery touching the boring power of _Pholades_. His statements are
founded on daily observation of the creatures at work for three
months. 'The _Pholas dactylus_' he says, 'makes its hole by grating
the chalk with its rasp-like valves, licking it up, when pulverised,
with its foot, forcing it up through its principal or bronchial
syphon, and squirting it out in oblong nodules. The crypt protects the
_Pholas_ from confervae, which, when they get at it, grow not merely
outside, but even within the lips of the valves, preventing the action
of the syphons. In the foot there is a gelatinous spring or style,
which, even when taken out, has great elasticity, and which seems the
mainspring of the motions of the _Pholas dactylus_.'

At last, steam communication with Australia seems about to become a
reality, for the first vessel is announced to start in May for Sydney,
to touch at the Cape and other colonies on her way out; and
accommodation is promised for two hundred passengers of different
classes. There is also a project on foot for a line of steamers from
Panama to Australia, and to Valparaiso, which, if brought into
operation, will make a voyage round the world little more than a
bagman's journey. Apropos of Australia, Mr Clarke, who first predicted
that gold would be found in that country, says, 'that just 90 degrees
west of the auriferous range in Australia, we find an auriferous band
in the Urals; and just 90 degrees west of the Urals, occur the
auriferous mountains of California.' A speculation for cosmogonists.
In our own country, we are finding metalliferous deposits: vast
accumulations of lead-ore have come to light in Wales, which are said
to contain six ounces of silver, and fifteen hundredweight of lead to
the ton; and in Northamptonshire, an abundant and timely supply of
iron-ore has just been met with. We might perhaps turn our metallic
treasures to still better account, if some one would only set to work
and win the prize offered b