on the oppofite fide of the joint, and as foon as that force ceafes to act, the joint returns to the former ftate. This is one of the most beautiful inftances in nature of elafticity being employed as a fubftitute for muscular action. "The extent of the motion in each particular joint is undoubtedly fmall, but this is compenfated by their number, and the elaf ticity of the vertebræ themselves." P. 179.1 "Fish in general have their vertebræ formed with fimilar concavities to thofe of the fqualus maximus; thefe, when examined after death, contain a folid jelly, but in the living fish it is found in a fluid state." 66 Although this ftructure of the intervertebral joint appears to be common to fish in general; the form of the cavity is not in all exactly the fame; in the fkate it is very fimilar to that in the fquali, but in the common eel, it is more oblong, the lon gitudinal diameter being about one third longer than the tranfverse one. "It is evidently contrived for producing the quick vibratory lateral motion, which is peculiar to the back bones of fish while fwimming, and enables them to continue that motion for a length. of time, with a small degree of muscular action. "In the fturgeon, there are fome curious peculiarities in the ftructure of the fpine. Externally there is the common appearance of regular vertebræ, but thefe prove to be only cartilagi nous rings, the edges of which are nearly in contact, and are united together by elaftic ligaments, forming a tube the whole length of the fpine, this is lined throughout its internal furface with a firm compact elastic fubftance, about the thickness of the cartilaginous tube, within this is a foft flexible substance in a fmall degree elaftic; in the centre there is a chain of cavities in the form of lozenges, containing a fluid, and communicating with one another by very small apertures bearing a flight fimilarity to the intervertebral cavities of the fpine in other fish. "As all the different parts of which this fpine is compofed are more or lefs elaftic, except the central fluid, it must have great flexibility adapting it to the motions of this particular fish. The ftructure of the fpine in the lamprey eel resembles that of the sturgeon. "The intervertebral joint which is common to fish, is not met with in any of the whale tribe, whofe motion through the water is principally effected by means of their horizontal tail; in them the fubftance employed to unite the vertebræ together is the fame as in quadrupeds in general, and from the fize of the vertebræ it is on a larger fcale, and rendered more confpicuous. "The external portion is very firm and compact, is ranged in concentric circles with tranfverfe fibres uniting the layers together, it becomes fofter towards the middle, and in the centre there is a pliant foft fubftance without elafticity, but admitting admitting of extenfion more like a jelly than an organized body, correfponding in its ufe to the incompreffible fluid in the fish." P. 180. "In fome quadrupeds there is an approach towards the intervertebral joint in fifh, thus in the hog and rabbit in the central parts there is a cavity with a fmooth internal furface, of the extent of half the diameter of the vertebræ, in which is contained a thick gelatinous fluid. In the bullock, fheep, deer, monkey, and man, the ftructure correfponds with that of the whale, in the three laft the central fubftance appears to be the moft compact. In the alligator the vertebræ through the whole of the fpine have regular joints between them, the furfaces are covered with articulating cartilages; and there is a fynovia and a capfular ligament. In the fnake there is a regular ball and focket joint between every two vertebræ, fo that the means employed for the motion of the back bone in different animals comprehends almost every fpecies of joint with which we are acquainted." Mr. Hume concludes his paper with an account of a chemical analysis of the fluid contained in the intervertebral cavity of the fqualus maximus, made by Mr. Brande, from which it appears, "that the fluid is of a peculiar nature, that in its original properties it refembles mucus, but that under certain circumstances it is capable of being converted into modifications of gelatine and albumen.' This number concludes with a meteorological journal, kept at the Society's apartments, for the year 1808, which fhows the quantity of rain which fell that year, to have been 18.475 inches, the mean height of the barometer 29.87 inches of the thermometer 50° 8', the variation of the needle 24° 10' in the dip 70° 1. It appears by this register, that on the 13th July, 1808, the thermometer was as high as 9310, which is perhaps the most intense heat ever experienced in this country. ART. III. Defcriptive Travels in the Southern and Eaftern SIR John Carr is in our opinion an entertaining traveller, and if his publications fhould not be found very materially to increase our ftores of geographical knowledge, they will all be found pleafing and agreeable companions. The prefent volume reprefents an excurfion made by the author Gg 4 first norca. firft to Cadiz, and afterwards through the maritime provinces of Granada, Murcia, Valencia, and Catalonia. From this laft place Sir John vifited the Islands of Majorca and MiThe work will be found to contain a lively reprefentation of Spanish mánners, as they now appear in the places which were vifited, together with numerous anecdotes, many of which are highly interefting, of the prefent times, and of modern and popular characters. If this traveller fhould repeat his vifits among the Spanish ladies, it may be a matter of reasonable doubt whether the following extract will secure him an equally favourable reception. 1 "In the evening we walked upon the Alameda, fo called from alamo a poplar. This is the name of a promenade with which every town of any confideration in Spain, is embel lished. It is certainly a very agreeable walk, commanding on one fide a fine view of the fea. The feats with which it is furnished are of ftone and handfome; but the trees intended for its ornament fhow by their wretched appearance, how unpropitious to their growth is their marine fituation. Here I had an opportunity of feeing the Andalufian ladies to the greatest advantage, in that portion of their ancient costume which they never fail to affume whenever they go abroad. This dress is compofed of the mantilla or veil, which amongst the higher orders is ufually of black gauze, and fometimes of lace, and defcends from the head, to which it is faftened, over the back and arms, is just croffed in front, and then falls very gracefully a little below the knee, the monilio or jacket, and petticoat, called in Andalufia the saya, and in other provinces the bafquina, both black and generally of filk, under which appear two pretty feet, dreffed in white filk stockings and fhoes. To thefe latter articles of drefs the Spanish ladies pay much attention. The gala drefs of the ladies was formerly very fine and prepofterous, and frequently defcended from generation to generation; at marriages this drefs was often let out to the humble claffes. The grace and majefty of their walk, in which the Spanish ladies take great pride, never fail to excite the admiration of every foreigner: but ftrange to tell, whenever they dress after the English fashion, or as they call it en cuerpo, of which they are very fond, a vulgar waddle fuperfedes the bewitching movements they difplay in their native attire. Nor ought the kill with which they use the fan, a much larger inftrument than that carried by our ladies, to be paffed over. It is fcarcely ever out of their hands; they manage it with the moft fafcinating dexterity. To the fan thus ufed by fome of the Andalufian ladies, a beautiful couplet of the late Rev. Mr. Homer might be applied: Go fan mifcall'd! go feek a better name, Little girls fcarcely twice the height of a fan are alfo eom. pletely at home in the management of one. At first, the univer fal black nefs of the female drefs produces rather a melancholy ef fect; but a stranger foon becomes accustomed to it, and finds it productive of a thoufand agreeable fenfations. A beautiful Spanith lady is never feen to fo much advantage as in this dress, which however is immediately laid afide when the enters her houfe. It feems very fingular, confidering the tendency of black to imbibe heat, that fuch a coftume fhould ever have found its way into a fultry climate. The priests are faid to have enjoined that part of it, which formerly, more than at prefent, covers the bofom. At fun-fet the bell of an adjoining convent tolled, when in a moment every one feemed fixed to the earth, (the men uncovered,) and repeated an evening prayer called the Oraciones. A profound filence followed until the bell tolled again, when every one refuined his former gaiety. This devotional act is very folemn and im preffive, and is obferved nearly at the fame time all over Spain, Although the Spanish ladies were always celebrated for being attentive to the neatnefs and decoration of their feet, yet it is faid by those who have lived a long time in the country, that formerly they were fo negligent of every other part of their perfon, that they made it a fubject of gratitude to Heaven, that no part of their frame had ever been touched with water, except at their baptifm. Even now they are behind their fex in England in the cleanlinefs of their perfons. The Spanish women in general drefs. for the treet, and upon their return home, take off their good cloathes, filk ftockings and white fhoes, and difplay an appearance for which even the effects of a fultry climate can fcarcely offer any apology. They alfo feem to think that there is no charm in clean teeth, which they corrode and render offenfive at an early age by immoderately eating fweetmeats and confectionary, and by the lefs feminine indulgence of occafionally fmoking. A toothbrush they never think of ufing; and I knew a British captain who was confidered as a great coxcomb by feveral ladies at Cadiz, because that inftrument was found in his dreffing-cafe. When a lady walks out fhe is always followed by a female fervant, attired in the drefs I have before defcribed, but of coarfer materials, carrying an enormous green fan in her hand. This attendant is in general old and ugly, efpccially if her mistrets be young and handfome, I at first regarded the fervant as a duenna, but foon learnt that the guardian fo offenfive, and who often acted as the infidi dious tool of jealoufy, had long been withdrawn; and that these female attendants are now the mere appendages of a little excufa ble pride." P. 13. Whoever fhall follow the fteps of Sir John Carr, will of neceffity take this publication with them. The parts of the work which moft interefted us in the perufal before the author's departure for Tarragona, were his descriptions of the pro vinces of Valencia and Catalonia. Thefe defcriptions exhibit confiderable vigour, and fufficiently demonftrate that were the author to vifit fome region not familiarly known, he is fully capable of producing a work which would live beyond the tranfient curiofity of the day. The following anecdote of two refugees of the royal family of Spain, whom Sir John Carr met with at Majorca, cannnot be perused without intereft, "The next day, attended by an Englishman long refident at Palma as an interpreter, we had the honour of an interview with two members of the unfortunate royal family of Spain, Donna Maria Theresa de Vallabriga, and her daughter the Infanta Donna Maria Luifa de Bourbon. The former is the niece of the late Don Pedro Estuardo (Stuart) Marques di San Leonardo, a bro, ther of the old Marshal Duke of Berwick, and who, with the confent of Charles the Third, was married to his youngest brother the Infant Don Louis, upon condition that the fhould not be ac knowledged, nor the iffue of the marriage entitled to any privi leges. Don Louis had been bred to the church originally, was raifed to the rank of cardinal, and appointed archbishop of Toledo, which he refigned on being difpenfed from his vows. Soon after his death, leaving three children, a boy and two girls, it was publicly declared that the early and fingular inclination, which thefe children had exhibited for the church, had determined his Majefty to yield to their pious propenfities; and accordingly the girls were placed in a convent, and the boy committed to the care of the cardinal Lorenzana, then archbishop of Toledo, and edu cated in the palace of that town, to which elevated rank he has fince fucceeded, and is likewife a cardinal and archbishop of Seville. On the death of the King, the eldeft of the girls, as before noticed, was married to Godoy the Prince of the Peace, the words of the patent; for the Spaniards deem it impious to fay Prince of Peace, an attribute of our Saviour, though commonly called fo by the English. Shortly after thefe nuptials, performed by the bro ther with royal magnificence, a proclamation appeared, reftoring the children of the late Infant Don Louis to their just rights, in which King Charles the Fourth endeavoured to apologize for the conduct of his father towards them, and confequently, had Spain remained in tranquillity, the fucceffion to the Spanish monarchy would have been as open to them, as to the other branches of the royal family, it being generally believed that the cortes, holden upon Charles the Fourth's acceffion, had refcinded the pragmatic fanction of Philip the Fifth, fon to Louis the Fourteenth, by which the crown was limited to male iffue alone, and thus the fe males, as formerly practifed in Old Spain, were admitted to an equal right. "Donna Maria Therefa, and her youngest daughter, were living in great retirement in the palace of the Marquis of Solle |