ADVERTISEMENT. THE Plymouth Institution was founded in 1812, for the promotion of Literature, Science, and the Fine Arts, in the town and neighbourhood. Among other means adopted in furtherance of the objects of the Institution, it has been deemed expedient in the 18th year of its existence, to publish a volume of essays, selected from the lectures read during the annual sittings of the Society. But since the publication of their lectures is not obligatory upon the members, by the Society's laws, the present series consists exclusively of such as have been voluntarily tendered by the authors; although it has been found impracticable to include all the papers offered for that purpose, without enlarging the volume to an undesirable extent. It has been also the object of the Society to confine the present volume as much as possible to those subjects, for the discussion of which, local facilities or other circumstances, give to the members, advantages not within the reach of their fellow labourers in the field of knowledge. In this point of view, at least, the Society hopes that a volume of its Transactions may not be an unacceptable contribution to the general stock of literary and scientific information. It may be necessary to add, that the Society does not hold itself amenable for the opinions or statements advanced in the several essays. That responsibility rests with the respective authors. Athenæum, Plymouth, August, 1830. CONTENTS. A DISCOURSE, delivered at the opening of the Plymouth Athenæum, February 4th, 1819, by ROBERT LAMPEN, M. A. Member of the Society.... I.-Geological Survey of some parts of the country near Plymouth, particularly between the Plym and Tamar; by JOHN PRIDEAUX, Member of the Plymouth Institution. II.-Experimental Inquiries concerning the laws of electrical accumulations; by Mr. W. S. HARRIS, Member of the III.-Particulars of the construction of a cast-iron bridge over the Lary, near Plymouth; by JAMES M. RENDEL, IV. On the rise and decline of particular mortal diseases, during the last twenty-five years; with an attempt to ascertain the law of mortality, in respect of its distribu- tion on various ages, and in both sexes; by EDWARD BLACKMORE, M. D. Member of the Royal Medical Society of Edinburgh, and of the Plymouth Institution... 117 V.-On the Characters of Abbotia, a new genus belonging to the family Histerida, with descriptions of two species; by WILLIAM ELFORD LEACH, M. D. F. R. S. &c. Honorary Member of the Plymouth Institution.......... Description of some new species of the class Myriapoda; |