The Sun.
London, England, 1861-12-26 00:00:00

SCIENTIFIC JOTTINGS.

M. de Thorn has addressed a curious communication to
the Academy of Sciences on the subject of certain singing
fish that inhabit the seas as well as rivers of South Ame-
rica. He specially mentions the Bay of Pailon, situated
north of the province of Esmeraldas, in the Republic of
Ecuador, where, being in a boat, he was suddenly startled
by a deep humming noise, which he at first attributed to
some large insect, but which upon inquiry turned out to be
a kind of fish called Musicos by the people of the country.
On proceeding further, the sounds became so strong as to
remind him of the strains of a church organ. These fish
live both in salt and in fresh water, since they are also met
with in the river Mataje. They are not more than ten
inches long; their colour is white sprinkled with blue spots,
and they will continue their music for hours without mind-
ing any interrupt ion.
1 M. Lemaire advocates coal tar as a preseivativo against

the potato blight. He incorporates two parts of coal tar
with 100 parts of dry and loose earth, and strews this mix -
ture over the ground to be planted with potatoes, after
which the field is ploughed or dug in the usual way. In
this mariner the coal tar is buried to the depth of 20 centi-
metres or thereabouts, and the potatoes planted in it
thrive perfectly, and are never attacked with the blight •
M. Lemaire has also made the discovery that potatoes
planted in a part of the same field, which had been pur•
posely left without coal tar, contracted the disease, at the
same time that the others were.

M. Radozkowski announces the discovery of a new mine-
ral, which he calls Wagite, in the Ural mountains. It
presents the appearance of a concretion of crusts, the sur-
face of which bristles with small asperities which, seen
through a magnifying glass, have the appearance of bril-
liant crystals, resembling zeolite. Their colour is a light
blue, with a tendency to green. The specific
gravityof this
mineral is 2.7, its hardness 5; it is soluble in acid without
effervescence, yields water by calcination, is unfusible under
the blow pipe, becoming opaque by
the action of the flame;
with borax it yields a colourless glass.

PURE WATER IN THE OLDEN TIME.—The im-
portance of a supply of pure water for domestic use appears
to have been thoroughly recognised by the Romans. For
although the river Tiber flowed through the city of Rome,
and the Romans at a very early period had mule use of its
waters and likewise that of wells, it is now two thousand
one hundred and seventy-three years since they discovered
the unwholesome characters of such waters, yellow with
mud and mingled with sewage as they were. These ancient
people were aware of the importance of collecting the waters
of riv, rs near their source, before they had been contami-
nated with drainage, and hence they brought the sup tdies
to their fountains from the sources of the Anio and Tiber
by twenty different aqueducts, at various distances up to
62 miles, at an enormous expense. Nothing is more sur-
prising than that although moderns have devoted so much
time to the study of the Roman classics, they should have
entirely lost sight of the sanitary knowledge acquired
above two thousand years ago, and that we should find our-
selves in the middle of the nineteenth century persisting in
the metropolis of England in perpetrating experiments
upon human health and life, which a little knowledge of
history would have served to obviate,—Lordon Modica

ROYAL ENGLISH OPERA,
COVENT GARDEN.
Unacr the management of Miss Louisa Pyne and Mr. W.
Harrison.
Unprecedented Combination of Attractions for the
Christmas Holidays.
Ealfe's Greatest Success—the NEW OPERA, and the NEW
COMIC PANTOMIME, EVERY EVENING.
THIS EVENING, Dec. 26, 1861, and the following Even-
ings, will be presented the New and Original Grand Romantic
Opera, in Three Acts, entitled
THE PURITAN'S DAUGHTER.
The Libretto by J. V. Bridgeman. Supported by Miss
Louisa Pyne, Miss Susan Pyne; Mr. Santley, Mr. 11. Corti,
Mr. George Honey, Mr. Patey, Mr. A. St. Albyn, Mr. T.
Distin, Mr. Wallworth, Mr. Eugene Dussek, Mr. C. Lyall,
and Mr. W. Harrison.
Conductor, Mr. ALFRED MELLON.
After which will be produced (written expressly by J. M.
Morton), a Grand Comic Christmas Pantomime, entitled
HARLEQUIN GULLIVER ; or, A Trip to Brobdigna,;,r, a
Peep at Lilliput, and a Flying Visit to Laputa.
With entirely new Tricks, Transf rmations, Decorations,
Machinery, and Dresses.
New splendid SCENERY, including the GRAND TRANS-
FORMATION SCENE, by W. CALCOTr, in which will
be rerresented new and patent effects never before attempted
on the stage.
Gulliver, Mr. W. H. Payne ; Mrs. Gulliver, Mr. F. Payne.
Principal danseuse, Mdlle. Lamoureux, supported by the
Ladies of the Corps de Ballet. The Harlequinade sustained
by the eminent Pantomimists, Messrs. 11. Payne, F. Payne,
11. Lauri, E. Lauri, S. Lauri, and Miss Jenny Lauri.
NOTICE.—A Morning Performance of the New Panto-
mime will take place on WEDNESDAY, Jan. 1, and on
every .-ucceeding Wednesday till further notice, commencing
at Two o'clock. Carriages to be in attendance at Four.
Stalls, 7s. ; Private Boxes, from 10s. 6d. to Xi 4s. ; Dress
Circle, ss. ; Upper Boxes, 4s. ; Amphitheatre Stalls, 3s. ; Pit,
2s. 6d. ; Amphitheatre, ls. Box-orrice open daily (except
to-day, Monday, and Wednesday), from Ten till Five, Com-
mence at Seven. Places bucked without charge.

•r 1 ti EA TR E. it Y AL, HAYMARKET,
Lwßgee. Mr. J. B. Backstonr.
J_

THIS EVENING, Dec. 2A, Sterling Coyne's Comedy,
BLACK SHEEP. Messrs. Buckstone, Compton, Howe,
Villiers, Mrs. C. Young, Mrs. Wilkins, &c.
After which, a Comic Christmas Pantomime, LITTLE
MISS MUFFET AND LITTLE BOY BLUE ; or, Harle-
quin and Old Daddy Longlegs. Louise Leclercq, Charles Le-
clercq, Herr Cole, G. Becket, and Miss Rosine.

Commenoe a 7

OYAL LYCEUM THEATRE,
Manager—Mr. Edmund Falconer.

THIS EVENING, Eec. 26, the new and original Drama,
entitled PEEP O'DAY ; or, Savourneen Deelish. Messrs.
Walter Lacy, Hermann Vezin, Charles Selby, Edmund Fal-
coner : Mrs. D. P. Bowers, Miss Clara Weston.
After which, a new and original Burlesque Extravaganza,
entitled LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD ; or, Th Fairies of
the Rose, the Thistle, and the Shamrcck. Principal charac-
ters by Mr Chas. Selby, Mr. Warlow, Miss Cicely Nott, and
Miss Lydia Thompson.

Acting* Manager-41r. F. B. Chatterton.
I.'7!ices as usual. Doors open at half-past 6, to commence at
7. Box-office open daily from 11 till 5.

LBO YA L PRINCES S'S THEATRE,-
Lesgee, Mr A. Harris.

THIS EVENING, Thursday, Dec. 26, THE CRICKET
ON THE HEARTH. After which will be produced, a
Grand Comic Christmas Pantomime, entitled WHITTING-
TON AND HIS CAT ; or, Harlequin King Kollywobbol
and the Genius of Good Humour. The grotesque opening
invented and written by Henry J. Byron, Esq., author of the
Princess's Pantomime of " Jack the Giant Killer." The
Scenery by Mr. James Gates, Mr. H. Cuthbert, and numerous
assistants. Good Humour, Miss Helen Howard ; Princess
Popsiwopsf, Miss Rose Leclercq ; Alice, Miss Pauline Le-
clercq ; Messrs. Garden, Cathcart, Morland, Collett, Hast-
ings. Raymond ; Dick Whittington, Miss Maria 11 arris ;
Robin Goodfellow and the Cat, Master John Haslem, ;pupil
of the celebrated Gabriel Ravel; Clown, Mr. Hildyard ;
Harlequin, Mr. John Lauri ; Pantaloon, Mr, Paulo; Colum-
bine, Miss Caroline Adams. Morning Performances will
take place at Two o'clock on Monday, Dec. 30, and every fol-
lowing Monday till further notice.

EIV THEATRE-ROYAL, ADELPHL-
u Solo Proprietor and Manager, Mr. B. Webster.
309th, 310th, 311th Nights of the Engagement of Mr. and 31re,
Dion Boucicault.
The Two Great Dramas.

THIS EVENING, and during the week the great Drama,
entitled THE OCTOROON ; or, LIFE IN LOUISIANA:
Messrs. Grace, Billington, Emery, Phillip Jamison, Smith,
Stephenson, Romer. Lewis ; Mrs. Billington, Mrs. H. Mar-
ston, Miss C. Denvil, Miss Latimer, and Mrs. H. Lewis.

After wh,ch, at 20 minutes past 9, the great Irish Drama
of THE COLLEEN BAWN. Mr. and Mrs. Dion Boucicault,
Mr. Fisher, Miss Woolgar, ttc.
Box Office open from 10 till 5.

NEW ROYALTY THEATRE,
Dean-street, Oxford-street.

Under the Direction of Mdlle. Albina di Rhona.
THIS EVENING, A LESSON FOR HUSBANDS ;
characters by Mr. Sinclair, Mesas. Clifford and Terry. After
which, CAMELIA ; Camelia, Mdlle. Albina di Rhona. Fol-
lowed by a New Operatic Burlesque, entitled THE VERY
LATEST EDITION OF IL TROVATORE ; or. Who
Killed the -; Messrs. Graham, Robins, James, Warren,
W. Worboys ; Mesds. Mason, Craven, and Hodson. To
con lude with new and oricinal Farce, A NICE QUIET
DAY.--Commence at half-past 7.

CANTERBURY HALL CONCERTS,
AND FINE ARTS GALLERY.
Immense Entertainment for the Christmas Holidays.
Mr. MARSHALL'S Grand Christmas Dish, "THE EN-
CHANTED HASH " (SECOND EDITION), written ex-
Drrees,,scliy,f7leTrinealpysnke's'.
anndeti'vuerlLlll:iseq-,-311cIaiiisrreder!cjk
G. Forde.—Miss Ilarriet Coveney, and Miss Greene.
Grand Selections from
TROVATORE and LA TRAVIATA,
By Miss Russell, Mr. Herbert, Signor Tivoli, and full Chorus.
Musical Director, Mr. Jonghmans.
Admisslon—Hall, 6d. ; Stalls mad Balcony, ls.

OANTERBURY HALL.—VICTOR JULIEN,
v " THE FLYING MAN " (from Paris), on the Trapeze,
will make his First Appearance on MONDAY, the 30th De-
cember.

T H

E 0 X F O R D,
6, OXFORD-STREET,
EVERY EVENING.

Grand Selections from " LA CERCASSIENNE," "Mac-
beth," and " Ernani," by Miss Russell, Miss Ernst, and
Machine Enderssohn; Messrs. Albert, W. Morley, Greene,
and C. Greville. Full Band and Chorus.—Conductor, Mr. F.
Jorighmans. Varied Vocal and;lnstrumental Entertainments,
the Comic portion by Messrs. Sam Collins, M. P. Foster, E.
Marshall, W. Randall. and Miss Harriet Coveney.
- -

Commence at 6 o'clock during the Christmas Holidays.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
THIS DAY.—Morning, Bh. sm.—Afternoon, Bh. 36m.
To-MORROW.-Morning, 9h. 13m.—Aftenioon, 9h. 48m.

THE WEATHER.—SUN OFFICE, DECEMBER 26, 1861.
THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE.
38—:ighest since noon yesterday.
28—lowest this morning and during the night.
35—this day at noon.

BAROMETER-30.30.
WlND—Easterly ; light, with hazy but fine frosty
weather.

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