This sea-snake was measured by Mr Shearer, a tenant of Mr Laing's, and found to be 55 feet long. The thickest part of the body was equal to the girth of an Orkney poney. The head was not larger than that of a seal, and was furnished with two spiracles, or blow-holes. Along the back was a row of filaments, hanging down like a mane. The animal had three pairs of large fins, resembling paws. Before men, with ropes, &c. could be assembled in order to secure this truly wonderful creature for the inspection of naturalists, a tempest occurred, and unfortunately beat the carcase to pieces. Some of the remains, however, have been picked up by Mr Laing, and are to be transmitted to the Museum of the University of Edinburgh. and a plan or section of the coal-mine of Kipia, in which both the miners? appellations and the scientific names of the different strata and beds were inserted. At the same meeting, Dr Ogilby, of Dublin, read a continuation of his mineralogical description of East Lothian, under the title of Observations on the Veins of the Newest Floetz-trap of East Lothian. After some preliminary observations on the general geognostic relations of the rocks of East Lothian, and of the precipitation of felspar in its different states of fineness, from earthy to glassy felspar, he proceeded to describe the different veins he had an opportunity of examining in this tract of country. These veins he considered as of three different periods of formation, viz. 1. Veins derived from partial formations subsequent to the floetz-trap, which however are of unfrequent occurrence; 2. Veins of the different rocks of the formation Monthly Memoranda in Natural Hispenetrating the older beds; and, 3. Those of cotemporaneous origin. He next enumerated and described, after the manner of Werner, the following veins,--greenstone, jasper, quartz, heavy-spar, and calcspar; and concluded with several interesting ge neral remarks. At this meeting, also, Mr P. Neill read Observations on the Great Sea Snake of the Northern Ocean. He first enumerated and read extracts from the different authors who have mentioned the existence of such an animal, or described its appearance, particularly Ramus, Egede, and Pontoppidan. He then gave an account of a vast animal, shaped like a snake, which had recently been cast ashore in Orkney. Malcolm Laing, Esq. M.P. happening to be in Orkney at the time, communicated the circumstance to his brother Gilbert Laing, Esq. advocate, Edinburgh, on whose property, at Rothesholm Bay in Stronsa, the animal had been stranded. Through this authentic channel, Mr Neill stated, he had received his information. tory. Oct. 25. WE mentioned in our last 1808. Monthly Memoranda, that the herring-fishery had commenced in the Frith of Forth, near to Queensferry. In one of the herringnets, shot nearly opposite to Hopeton House, a Shark was entangled, which measured, from the snout to the tail, 8 feet 3 inches. It was a female, of the kind denominated Beaumaris or Porbeagle Shark (Squalus Cornubicus.) Nov. 1. A large Whale having, within these few days, been stranded near Alloa, we resolved to view the animal on the spot. Before we could reach it, however, the body was already very much disfigured by the opera. tion of flenching or flaying off the fat, (which was only about one-third of the thickness of the blubber on the common Greenland whale.) Still, thro' the kindness of Mr R. Bald of Alloa, we learned all the particulars relative to its external appearance, necessary to determine the species. It was the Balana rostrata of Gmelin's edition of the Nov. 25. The Snow-bunting (Eberiza nivalis) has appeared in this neighbourhood. One was shot about a week ago near Alloa. the Systema Naturæ,--the Pike-headed perhaps even greater, are remember Whale of English authors,-Baleinop- ed; but four successive tides, of such tère museau pointu of La Cepède.-height and impetus, no one recollect The total length of the animal was 43 to have observed. The same observafeet, and, where thickest, it was near- tion has been made at other ports or ly 20 feet in circumference. Dr Wal- the Forth. ker, late Professor of Natural History, has left a description of a whale of the same species which was cast ashore at Burntisland in 1761. It was 46 feet in length. From the numerous plaits or grooves in the skin along the thorax, he called it Balana sulcata. Sibbald, in his Phalainologia, mentions another, precisely of the same kind and of the same dimensions, as having been cast ashore at the same place in 1690. This species seems, therefore, pretty frequently to leave the remoter parts of the northern ocean, and to visit the Scottish seas. The whale in question had probably been induced to run so far up the river in order to find shelter from the effects of the very tempestuous weather, which, for several days before its appearance, had kept the frith and the German ocean in furious agitation. It seems unaccountable that none of the neighbour ing farmers should have availed themselves of the krang, or carcase, to form manure. Along with peat-moss, it would, on Lord Meadowbank's principle, have produced a very rich compost: it would, indeed, have formed a dunghil equal, if not superior, in money-value, to the blubber which was so carefully flayed off, and which, we believe, was sold for about L.15 sterling. Nov. 4.-A fine specimen of the Toothed Gilt-head (Sparus dentatus) was found cast ashore near Newhaven. It has been beautifully preserved by Mr John Wilson, janitor to the University of Edinburgh, whose excellence in preparing specimens of birds, quadrupeds, and fishes, is unrivalled in this country. 17,-20. The tides at Leith have, during these days, been remarkably high. Tides equally great, or P. S. SEA-SNAKE. In our last, we announced the Rev. Mr Fleming's discovery of the Small-headed Na whal, or Sea-Unicorn, at the Sounde Weisdale in Shetland. This was excellent and rare addition to the Fauna of Scotland. But we have, th month, to congratulate zoologists the appearance, in Orkney, of a stil greater rarity;-an animal, nearly 61 feet long, yet a non-descript, or m known to the writings of Linnes and other systematic naturalists. It's the Great Sea-snake, described and f gured by Pontoppidan in his History of Norway, and which has very go nerally been considered as a fabukus monster: at least, it evidently appears to be the animal which has served a the prototype of the Serpens marine magnus of the Bishop of Bergen. Fu particulars, we refer our readers t the report of the proceedings of Wernerian Natural History Society (p. 805). The destruction of the wonderful specimen by the fury of the waves is much to be regretted. will not, in consequence, be posick to form, with precision, a generic ch racter on Linnæan principles; centuries may revolve, before anothe animal of the same sort shall again be wafted to our shores. Edinburgh, Nov. 25th 1808. S } Query respecting Dr NISBET. To the Editor. SIR, TOO often do the names and s tions of those who justly mer alled great men pass into oblivion. often is the memory of men of learning, talent, and worth, allowfade. True it is, that Il many a gem of purest ray serene, e dark unfathom'd caves of ocean bear: I have it in my power to furnish a few Your most humble servant, Il many a flower is born to blush Particulars respecting Mungo Parke. it is as true, that many who have nguished themselves as men of the elevated minds are often forgotby their contemporaries and sucors, as the morning dew by the ing traveller. Some, no doubt, e a better fate. Some kind friend ies his friendship beyond the grave, records the life of the departed. was thus that Gray, Smith, Reid, per, Beattie, found biographers in son, Stewart, Hayley, Forbes. is now nearly four years since death of Doctor Charles Nisbet, , for many years, was first minisof Montrose, and afterwards presiof the College of Carlisle, in nsylvania; yet nothing but a monoo his memory, written by Doctor h, and published anonymously, appeared in this island, to acquaint ith the particulars of his life or acter. Willingly would I endeato supply this defect through the ium of your valuable magazine, I not feel myself both destitute of ecessary materials, and every way jual to the task. The author of above-mentioned elegant monody in his preface, given us a few of characteristic traits of Dr Nisbet, he has withheld every circumSe respecting his birth, education, and death. Some of your correslents may probably be able to obyour readers with some circumes respecting these. am happy to add, Mr Editor, if any attempt was to be made to sh the letters of Doctor Nisbet, (From the Glasgow Courier.) Scarborough, Oct. 27. 1808. in many of the late HAVING seen, newspapers, paragraphs respecting the uncertainty of the fate of that enterprising traveller Mungo Park, and particularly one in your paper of Tuesday, the 18th instant, wherein his death is very much doubted, I beg leave to communicate to you circumistances which have come to my knowledge, during a residence of 20 months at and about Goree. The last letters that were received from Mr Parke and his companions, were dated the 10th of November 1805, if I recollect right, from some place in the neighbourhood of Sego; one was from Mr Parke to Dr Heddle, the Garrison Surgeon at Goree, in which he states being kindly received by the natives, who recognised him: the diseases that had swept off almost all his followers; and concludes with stating the number left alive, I think six or eight, out of forty-five that started, and saying, "From the inquiries I have been enabled to make, I think you may expect me on the coast in about three months :" the other is dated the next day, and is from Lieut. Martin, of the Royal African Corps (who commanded the detachment accompanying Mr Parke) to Mr MacGaw, Assistant Surgeon of the Corps, also at Goree. The letter is written in a strain of great spirit, ridiculing the dangers and privations to which they have been exposed, mentions the names of the survivors, and concludes thus: "From what Mr Parke has been enabled to learn, he is convinced that the long-sought Niger is the Congo, Congo, and he says, you may expect us on the coast in three months." The survivors, then, were the gentlemen who composed the heads of the Expedition, and one or two of the African Corps; not one of whom had reached the coast when I left it in October, 1806; although Mr Parke, whenever he left any sick man at a native house, promised them two slaves value on their delivering such man to a white factory. Shortly after these letters were received, an account came down the Gambia, by a Slatee, or travelling slave-dealer, of Mr Parke and his companions being put to death at Sego, by Mansong the King; a similar account was also brought down the Rio Pougons (a river three days journey from Sierra Leone) and both accounts agreed with regard to circumstances, and the cause, which was stated to be, the intrigues of the Moorish traders, jealous of their mercantile interests, if the whites should find a passage to the interior. Your paper stated that a fort on the Niger had Been stormed, and all Christians found in it were put to death. As to a fort on the Niger, I do not imagine such a thing to he iu existence; and, you may depend upon it, that Parke and his companions were the only Christians who have reached that river for many years. Had I not at present trespassed so far on your time and patience, I would endeavour to offer such remarks on the subject as many enquiries and local advantages gave me an opportunity of making, which might tend to throw the least light on so interesting a subject. I am, Sir, your obedient servant. the Portuguese service, is desirous, må finds it necessary in his present sitetion, to have his pedigree on the f ther and mother's side properly a ed from the Lyon Office; and as le is just now in a foreign country, where it may be of consequence, it is hoped that Mr Donaldson will make o such certificate in the usual form wii all possible dispatch, and deliver tr same to Colonel John M'Donald, wit will talk to him upon the subject, and pay the ordinary fees, being at press in Edinburgh. The above-mentioned Col. Forin is second son of George Forbes Skellater, whose predecessor was to Forbes of Towie, and Forbes d Towie was a son of Lord Forbes'sThe family of Skellater have flourish ed in Aberdeenshire, and have be very respectable for three cent past; and their genealogy, as abo mentioned, can be instructed, by che ters and infeftments, and by an thentick manuscript history of the i mily of Forbes, to be found in t hands of Sir Robert Douglas, who be a proper person to give assistance a making out the certificate necesty Col. Forbes's mother is Chris Gordon, daughter to the late Ja Gordon of Glenbucket, whose gene logy can be had from the history the family of Gordon, wrote by W liam Gordon; and assistance the may also be had from Sir Ro Douglas. It is believed, that tho' Skella an old family, their coat of arms never matriculate; but it is suppo that the armorial bearing should the arms of the family of Forbes, a mallet, as the distinction of awa son; and a crescent, as a mark of a and such motto as the present Ska dency from him, with a proper c ter uses, and will be hereto subjins Motto-SOLUS INTER PLURIN Took leave of you in my last at a very alarming crisis, when we were 1 expecting in a few moments to be lunged in the deep, and in all probaility into eternity. The case was us: We had got within the rocky oint which bounds the north side of e harbour, and just when endeavourng to put the vessel about for the last me on that side, a tremendous gale ommenced, which threw her so much ver, that the main-sail dashed into he sea, and rendered fruitless every ffort, not only to bring about the hip, but even to get down the mainheet, in order to let her scud out to ea, clear of the rocks. She was, duing the time of this short struggle, riving with great force straight upon he rocks; and the men, not being ble to effect any thing in the consteration they were in, a moment of awul pause ensued. Every man quitted is hold, save old Hugh at the helm, nd if my chops had not been so much lackened at the inner end, I would ave raised the tinker's whistle; when, y a singular interposition of Provilence, the ship gave a great roll backvards, and the main-sail dropped down of itself, the ropes having been previusly loosened, and the vessel whirled ound clear of the rocks, tho' within ix, or at most, seven yards of them. Old Hugh thanked his Maker aloud or this signal deliverance, and indeed very heart seemed sensibly affected by it. We now stood out to the open ound, intending to weather out the torm without risking the vessel a nong rocks, to gain a harbour a seNov. 1808. cond time. It was now wearing late, and I shall never forget the stormy appearance of that awful night: the sun, when about to sink into the waves beyond the isles of Bara, frowned upon us through a veil of pale vapour, and seemed swelled to three times his ordinary size. The atmosphere was all in a ferment, having a thin white scum settled stedfastly on its surface, over the face of which, at short intervals, small clouds flew with amazing velocity. It was not long ere they were convinced that their plan of keeping the sea was impracticable, for, besides that the rigging began to give way, the ship was gradually driving towards the rough coast of Morven. We now steered southward, purposing to try for an anchorage at the green islands in the middle of the sound; this also was rejected as of no avail, and it was determined to turn and run for Loch-Sunart, Donald M'Eachern of Mull having some acquantance with it. This Loch-Sunart is a narrow arm of the sea, running about twenty miles into the country, and dividing the districts of Ardnamurchan and Morven. It is a most dangerous place, being all over interspersed with rocks, islands, and narrow rugged points. Towards this place, then, we ran before the wind, depending wholly on Donald, who even confessed that his knowledge of it was but partial: we entered the mouth of it before it was quite dark, and shaping our course for an island that lay about mid-way up, came in sight of it a little after eleven at night. The storm was all this time rather increasing, and such another night I never witnessed at that season, if ever in my life: the elements were in a tumult, and seemed to be taking flame: the pale, vivid bolts, bursting from the rolling clouds, added horror to the scene, and to minds already nearly stupified: the sea seemed covered with sparkling fire, an appear ance |