of the major. The fatal bullet had pasred through the heart of the deceased, and so instantaneous must have been the death of Major Stanhope, that a sense of pain had not ford from his countenauce that smile which flie bravery of his soldiers and the applause of his commander had excited. At any period, but particularly in times when we may have to contend for our liberties as a hation on our own shores; the death of such a man must be regarded as a public loss and every lover of his country will deeply lament that so many excellent lives should have been sacrificed to so little purpose The loss of Major Stanhope to his immediate connections is irreparable: his manners were remarkably mild-his atachments strong; and his heart overflowed with the

milk of human kindness. His brother, who parted from him at the commencement of the action, and who almost saw him fall, the affliction may be conceived but cannot be described. Well might the unhappy youth exclaim on the occasion. To lose in one hour the companion of my earliest years, and most affectionate friend of my heart; and the kindest protector and best of friends in the gallant Sir John Moore; is álmost more than philosophy or human natdrė can withstand." Those only can appreciate the affectionate attachment of these brothers, who were witnesses to their growing years, and who can affirm that in their breasts, were never perceived those emotions of envy. those risings of jealousy so frequently fatal to the happiness of the nearest relations.

MONTHLY COMMERCIAL REPORT.

THE embargo, which has for fo long a time been a favourite object of policy with the government of the United States of America, fo far from having been fet afide by a yote of the legiflature, as many people in this country were led to believe, has been confirmed by the American Congrels, as a wife and neceffary measure; and fo far from any relaxation taking place with respect to this country, fteps are to be taken for rendering it more competent to its intended purpofe. Another meafure of still greater rigour, that of palling a non-intercourfe act, was in contemplation when the laft veffel came away. Thie principle of the non-intercourse restriction is to apply equally to France and Great Britain, and is understood to comprehend both private, armed, and unarmed vessels. It was generally supposed in America, that when this meafure should have been carried into effect, the em bargo will be taken off, with refpect to the few countries which are not immediately within the fcope of French and British influence. The confequence of this decifioir has already caufed a confiderable advance in the prices of Tobacco, Cotton-wool, Flaxfeed, Afhes, Staves, Timber, &c. &c.

A new tariff has been agreed on at Rio de Janerio, which confiderably reduces the valua tion on which British manufactured goods paid duty in the ports of Brazil, and which it is understood will be retrospective. A warehousing, on a principle fimilar to our own, is alfö contemplation, as well as feveral other matters of great importance, exfculated in every respect for placing the future commercial intercourse with that country on the mod liberal and refpectable footing. The whole of the regulations, it is fully underfood, are embraced by Lord Strangford, in the treaty which he was negociating with the Prince Regent. The Baltic Merchant has arrived from Rio de Janeiro, and by her our merchants have received confiderable orders for our manufactures, particularly for coarfe woullens of every defcrips tion. The communication between that port and the shores of the Rio de la Plata is non open, and a large portion of the merchandize ordered by the aforetard conveyance is intended for that market.

Little business is doing for fome days paft in the Cotton-market, chiefly owing to the large quantity of that article lately arrived at Liverpool from America, by veffels that efcaped the embargo Sugars have a dull fale in the market, owing to the diaillation from corn, and the great quantity on hand. Coffee a dull fale, except for home confumption, but not lowered in price. Old Jamaica Ram fcarce and dear. Leeward Inland Bum alranced full 6d. per gallon.

1

The

The following are the average Prices of Navigable Canal Shares, Dock Stock, Fire Office Shares, &c. in February, 1809, at the Qfice of Mr. Scott, No. 28, New Bridgefreet, Blackfriars, London:-he Erewash Canal, at 6031. 15s per fhare, dividing 37. 10s. nett per share per annum. The Melton Mowbray, 1311, dividend, 71. 10s. nett -The Leicester, 1661 dividend, 101. nett.-The Grantham,, 641. dividend, 41. neit -The Leeds and Liverpool, 1821. dividend, 81. nett. The Monmouthshire, 1061. to 1071. 10s. dividend, 51. nett Grand Junction, 1321. to 133. dividend, 41.-Wilts and Berks, 281Kennet and Aron, 231. to 231. 10s.-Afhby-de-la-Zouch, 211.-Lancaster, 171. with a dividend of 11. per share.-West India Dock Stock, 1641. to 1751. per cent.-Londen Dock, 1181. to 118) 10s.-East India Dock, 1251. 10s.-Rock Affurance, 3s. per share premium.-East London Water Works, 461. to 471. prémium.-Covent Garden New Theatre Subfcription, 311. 10s. per share premium.

NATURALIST's MONTHLY REPORT.

JANUARY.

Reviving Winter Month.

The horizontal fun

Broad o'er the fouth, hangs at his utmost noon,

And, ineffectual, ftrikes the gelid cliff.

ON the whole the weather during the month of January has been very unpleasant. In my laft Report I ftated that a thaw commenced in the evening of the 27th of Decémber, and continued till the 4th of January. In the morning of the 2d we bad fome fnow, but, (although the wind was north east,) no froft. It was on the night of the 4th that the frot re-commenced, and with great feverity. On the 14th we had fome fnow, and in the enfuing night a much heavier fall than is ufual in the maritime counties of the south coaft of England. On the 19th the wind changed from north-eaft to fouth-east, and the thaw was fo rapid as to flood a great portion of the low ground in the neighbourhood of the rivers. The 28th was a remarkably fine and warm day; but the 30th was one of the most tremendous days I can recollect. For many hours we had a perfect hurricane: the rain was inceffant: perfons were fcarcely able to walk abroad; and bricks and tiles were blown from many of the houfes. Confiderable damage has been done in various places. January 6. I am informed that, in fome parts of Wiltshire, the flocks of different fpecies of wild geefe, in confequence of the hard weather, are immenfely numerous. They bare devoured no finall quantity of the blades of wheat which were fpringing up. Some of the fields, till they were driven away by the fportsmen and farmers attacking them with their guns, are faid to have been almoft covered with them.

Bitterns have been more numerous in the neighbourhood of the place from which I write, than they have for many years been remembered. Several of them have been fhot. They are doubtless induced to approach the coaft in confequence of the marshes in the inland counties having been frozen.

Woodcocks have, this year, been umufually fcarce; but fnipes have been found in great numbers. During the open weather they were upon the beaths; and fince the commencement of the froft they are found about ditches and fprings in the marthes.

January 17. Several goofeanders (mergus merganser of Linnæus) have been shot. A male and female were this day brought to me for examination.

January 19. Some of the early flowers have appeared; amongst these I observe, in fheltered fituations in gardens, the winter aconite (belleborus byemalis), Christmas role (belleborus niger), and fnow-drops. The only flower which now adorns the hedges is that of the furze.

January 28. This being an unusually mild and pleasant day, I walked for two of three miles along the fea fhore, and found on the fands feveral fpecies of coleopterous infects which had been thrown back by the tide. Among it thefe I particularly remarked chrysomela staphylea, feveral kinds of bydrophilus, and two or three fpecies of dermeftes, all of them alive. There were allo feveral boat-flies, natone&a glauca, which perhaps had miftaken the fait water for fresh.

January 31. I went again to the shore, expecting that the tempeft of yesterday might have caft up fome fhells, and other marine productions that I wanted. I found mya truncats, mafira subtruncata, and matira faltorum, in great quantities, but particularly the tarmer, which is in general a fomewhat scarce thell on our coufts. There were likewite feveral kinds of sertularia, aphrodita aculeata, aphrodita squamata, afterias lacertoso, cancer tetrandon, and cancer latipes.

A bean goofe, brent goofe, and fmew, were this day brought to me.

The

The first leaves of wall-pennywort (cotyledon umbilicus), cuckoo-pint (arum maculatum), virgin's thiftle (carduus marianus), and hemlock (conium maculatam), appear.-Hepaticas, mezereon, and crocus's, are in flower.

Hampshire.

MONTHLY BOTANICAL REPORT.

IN our prefent report we mean to give an account of the botanical part of the ninth volume of the Tranfactions of the Linnean Society, lately published The first botanical paper we meet with in this volume is the fourth in order, and from the pen of the president. It is what the author calls a sketch of the genus Conchium This genus having been characterised by Dr. Schrader of Göttingen, and published under the name of Hakea, in his Sertum Hannoverianum, before the reading of Dr. Smith's paper in the fourth volume of the Tranfactions, the latter name has the right of priority, and was accordingly adopted by Cavanilles; and the doctor allows that he might have acceded to this decifion, however sorry to part with an apt and characteristic name, were he certain that Hakea were liable to "no botanical exception." We do not exactly know what is meant by this expression, but the fact is evident, that the author very naturally feels reluctant to part with so appropriate a name in favour of one applied after a botanist perhaps unknown to him, as to us. But for this attachment to bis own offspring, we do not suppose that Dr. Smith would have made any exception to the name Hakea, having been himself perhaps a little too lavish in bestowing on his friends this unicum botanicorum premium. We do not however feel at all inclined to blame this attempt at establishing his excellent name of Conchium, taken from the form of the seed vessel, which aptly enough resembles a bivalved shell; especially as the genus is not yet recorded, under any name, in Willdenow's or other systematic work; on which account no inconvenience can arise from preferring the best name to the one having only a claim of priority, and we sincerely hope that Conchium will be adopted in the next edition of the Hortus Kewensis, as whichever name may be taken up there will probably be established, as long as our present systems and nomenclature shall remain. Twelve species of this genus are here characterised with the author's usual precision.

The next paper, from the same hand, is an inquiry into the genus Abelicea cretica of Pona, the Pseudosantalum creticum of Caspar Bauhin, which the author considers to be undoubtedly a congener of Ulmus nemoralis; but whether either belong to the genus Ulmus, cannot, for want of complete fructification, be positively decided. It is here said that Rhamnus carpinifolius of the Flora Rossica is the same tree with Ulums nemoralis, and that, from the very imperfect state of the fruit, as possessed both by Pallas and Linnæus, it does not appear very like that of an Ulmus, but it bears still less resemblance to that of a Rhamnus. We wish every botanist would follow the example of Dr. Smith, who says that he always prefers leaving things as they are, to any hasty or rash alteration.

The sixth paper is still from the same pen, and entitled an inquiry into the real Daucus pingudium, a plant which Linnæus himself, it seems, did not well understand. It is here revnarked that the synonyms of Magnol and Boccone puoted by Lumæns, are very doubttal; that the Staphylians folio latiqre of Rivinus, Pent. irr. t. 30, unquestionably belongs to Daucus gingidium, as does probably D. Inspanicus of Gouan, who does not seem to have been acquainted with the true gingidium, by name at least,, In the Supplementum Plantarum the gigidum is again taken up under the name of 1). lucidus, from a specimen of it which Linmaus had cultivated in the garden at Upsal in his declining years, and had preserved in his herbaring without applying any specific name to it, though it agrees perfectly with his uwn character of D. gingidium, and with the bgure of Matthiolus first quoted by Van Royen. In the Linnean herbarium there is a specimen of Daucus (or rather Ammi) v snaga, marked D. gingidium; and Dr. Smith remarks, that he had never seen an authentic specimen of the latter plant in any collection."

The seventh paper contains Descriptions of eight new British Lichens by Dawson Tarner, Exp

The nest is an illustration of the species of Lycium, which grow wild at the Cape of Good Hope, by Professor Thunberg. Eight species are described, and fout, viz. afrum, vetrandrum, cincereum, and horridum, are figured.

The next botanical paper is the fourteenth, and contains an account of some new species of Piper, by Mr. John Vaughan Thompson. The author has given some very sensi le remarks on this very natural genus, in which the attempt of the authors of the Flora Peruviana to esparate the herbaceous species, under the name of Peperonia, appears to us to be very judiciously condemned. Representations are given of two new species, the quadı angulare and bracteatum,

The fifteenth paper is an inquiry into the structure of seeds, and especially into the true nature of that part called, by Gartner, the Vitellus. The principal intent of this essay appears to be to show that the orgad called, by Gartner, the Vitellus, does not differ to its "MONTHLY Mac. No, 188.

Fi

nature

nature or office from the subterraneous cotyledons, or such as do not rise out of the earth; and the author observes, that cotyledons and vitellus never occur in the same seed. Gærtner had himself remarked that there is so little difference between the subterraneous cotyledons and vitellus, that they are, in fact, united by the closest affinity, nature seeming to proceed in the formation of these organs by gradual advances from the simple texture of the albumen, to the more organised structure of the vitellus, and thence to the still more perfect cotyledons: so that, in this respect, at least, the opinion of the president does not appear to be very different from that of Gærtner. The latter, however, supposed the vitellus to be destined to afford nutriment to the young plant, at its first germination, which Dr. Smith does not allow, thinking it more reasonable to suppose that the albumen alone is destined for this purpose, whilst the vitellus and cotyledons, like the lungs of animals, appear intended for the absorption of oxygen. This is illustrated by a reference to the experiments of Dr. Priestley, showing how oxygen is absorbed in the dark by the under surface of the leaves : so the under side of the cotyledons and vitellus is always turned outwards; and those that do not ascend out of the earth may be favoured, in this operation, by exclusion from light; for which purpose the author further observes that the testa of tire seeds is frequently of a black colour. But as it is allowed that the albuminons or nutritious matter, instead of being lodged in a distinct organ, is so frequently united with the cotyledons, in which cases these organs perform the double office of supplying nutriment and absorbing oxygen; so, if we consider the vitellus in the same latitude as Gærtner has dones, it may be concluded, that, in those cases, in which it fills a considerable portion of the testa, the albuminous matter is mixed with the vitelline organization, and the double office performed as in the more perfect cotyledons. If the name of vitellus be confined to the small scale-like organ, as it occurs in grasses, where the albumen forms so large and distinct a viscus, it may safely be concluded that it does not afford nutriment to the germinating embryo, but is destined for the sole pur pose of absorbing or being acted upon by oxygen. Dr. Smith's idea of a Cotyledon is that it is "a vital organ, capable, as fuch, of being stimulated by oxygen, heat, or both, for the propulsion of its contents; while such an albumen is merely a repository of nutritious vegetable matter, subject to the laws of chemistry alone, and only passively resigning those contents to the absorbing powers of the embryo, to which it is attached." It may, bowever, be very well made a question, whether the first germination of the seed is occasioned by the propulsion of the fluids towards the embryo, as Dr. Smith imagines, or that the embryo by its vital principle first absorbs and propels the fluids into the cotyledon, to be there oxygenated, or to undergo the necessary changes, and thence returned to the embryo fitted for all the purposes of nutrition and the increase of the youg plant. The latter opinion may appear the most probable, if a comparison be made with what takes place in the animal sys. tem, in which the blood is propelled by the vascular system of the foetus into the placenta or cotyledons, for the purpose of being furnished with oxygen and nutritious particles, whence it returns to the fœtus. It must be allowed, however, that this analogy is very defective, from the want of any organ similar to a heart, in the vegetable embryo. Upon the whole, while we allow the merit of an ingenious and plausible hypothesis to this essay, it is very evident that anatomical facts, many experiments, and much patient investigation, are still necessary to explain satisfactorily the physiology of germination.

The sixteenth paper, by William Hunter, esq. secretary to the Asiatic Society, determines that the little cakes or lozenges known by the name of Gutta gambir, are not prepared from the Mimola catechus as had been suspected, but from the leaves of a species of Nauclea here described, figured and named Nauclea gambir. Two other species of Nauclea, viz,' N. acida, and N. sclerophylla, are here characterized and described.

The seventeenth paper contains observations on several British species of Hieracium, by the president. It is here observed too, that Hieracium dubium, and H. auricula, were admitted into the Flora Britannica, solely on the authority of Mr. Hudson. It having been suggested to the author of that work by a learned friend that he had taken the one for the other, he has in this paper defended himself from the supposed error; and for this purpose he has critically and chronologically examined all the Linnæ synonyms of hoth specics. It appears, by this detail, that the Linnæan names have been misapplied in the Flora Danica, the H. dubium of which work, tab. 1044, is the H. auricula of Linnæus and Dr. Smith; and H. auricula, tab. 1011, is the true H. dubium,-2. It had been suggested to the author of the Flora Britannica, that his Hieracium murorum 6. was the 4, of Linnæus; the mistake is here handsomely acknowledged and accounted for.-S. Under Hieracium sylvaticum, the synonyms of Ray, and Gerard emac. as well as Petiver's t. 13. f. 5. a copy of the latter, are to be removed from this place to designate a variety of Cineraria integrifolia: the tale of this decision is unfolded in an agreeable and interesting manuer.-4. Hieracium cerintboides is added to the British Flora, on the authority of a specimen gathered in the Highlands of Scotland by Mr. George Don; from whom we learn, that it is a plaut of common occur rence on the rocks of that country.

The eighteenth paper, by the same, contains specific characters of the decandrous papifionaceous plants of New Holland, the genera of which Dr. Smith had before determined in the first volume of the Annals of Botany. From this paper may be added to the list of

New Holland plants by Dryander, in the second volume of Annals of Botany: Pultnæs liptica; Gompholobium scabrum; Chorozema sericeum; C. coraceum; Daviesia incrassata; D. reticulata; D. cordata; D. alata; D. juncea; Dillwynia myrtifolia; D. glycinifolia; Callistachya lanceolata; C. elliptica; C. cuneifolia.

The Gompholobium maculatum, only mentioned here from Bot. Repository, we are pretty certain is not a Gompholobium, nor a native of New Holland, but of the Cape. Chorozema Dr. Smith derives from xogos, a dance, and tua, a drink; supposing that La Billardtere gave his name to the plant, in allusion to the joyful finding of water at the place where it was found after the party had suffered much from thirst. For this reason Dr. Smith has changed the name of Chorezema, and altered the gender, which La Billardiere had made the feminine. This latter author has not himself given the etymology; and Dr. Sims sup posing its derivation to be from xogos, a dance, and nua, a mischief, or punishment, from the inconvenience its spinous leaves must occasion to the naked-footed dancers of that country, had maintained the propriety of making it of the feminine gender. We shall not here undertake to determine whose etymology is the most probable; but Dr. Smith justifies the change he has taken the liberty to make.

The nineteenth paper is on the subject of the variegation of plants, by Thomas Andrew Knight, esq. The design is to prove, that the variegation is not always to be considered as a mark of disease or debility, although in certain instances it appears to be so: this debility appears more certain in plants variegated with white; and when they become altogether white, Mr. Knight thinks they very seldom live long. Having impregnated the flowers of the white Chasselas with the farina of the variegated or Aleppo vine, he raised many young plants from the product, every one of which was more or less variegated both in the leaves and fruit, yet all the plants were strong and vigorous. But the most important fact is, that some of these varieties of the Aleppo vine possess a more than ordinary degree of hardiness and vigour, and two of them appear much more capable of affording mature. fruit, in the climate of England, than any now cultivated.

The twentieth paper contains characters of Hookeria, a new genus of Moses, with de... scriptions of ten species, by the president. This genus is dedicated to the author's young friend, Mr. William Jackson Hooker, of Norwich.

The twenty-second paper, by R. A. Salisbury, esq. contains remarks on the plants now referred to Sophora, with characters of the genus Edwardsia. It is here very justly observed, that the last edition of the Systema Vegetabilium contains, at least, eight genera; very few, if any, of which will follow each other in a natural series. Lamarck detached two of these heterogeneous parcels, joining with them nevertheless some that are quite dissimailar in habit. Willdenow, strange to tell, not only re-united the two genera of Lamarck, bat added to them a third, still more discordant, and nearly allied to Halodendron. One of the parcels of these plants, containing Sophora tetraptera, microphylla, and chrysophylla, a new species, is here raised into a distinct genus, and named in honour of Mr. Edwards, draftsman to the Botanical Magazine.

The twenty-third paper contains characters of Platylobium, Bossima, and a new genus named Poisetia, by the president. These three genera have a very great affinity with each other, but are distinguished by a marked difference in the structure of the legunten.

The twenty-fourth paper contains descriptions of several new Mosses from Nepal; by William Jackson Hooker, esq.

This volume bears ample testimony to the ability with which Natural History is cultirated by the members of the Linnean Society, and to the zealous industry of its learned president.

METEOROLOGICAL REPORT.

Observations on the State of the Weather, from the 24th of January, to the 24th of February, 1809, inclusive, Four Miles N.N.W. of St. Paul's.

The quantity of rain fallen fince our last Report is equal to 5.54 inches in depth. We have had another very rainy month; on eighteen days out of thirty-one there has been