Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1847-12-01
CURioSITIEs OF SCIENCE.

y " hiCOl lisD VT ~ IL ~ VI
We select the following interesting facts
from an address recently delivered by Pro
lessor Mapes before the Nee hancs' Institute
Of New York
A globe, placed in water, or air in NOV.
ing, meets with resistance, and It's velocity
will be tarded. Il you alter the globe 10
the form Of an egg there will be less re.is-
lance. And then there is n form called a
solid OF least resistance, which mhthematl-
clans studied for many years 10 discover
md when they had discovered it, they
found that they had The form of a fshs
head Nature had 'rigged out the fish in
TO Just such figure.
The feathers ofbirds, aud each partlcu-
lar part Of them, are arranged at such an
angle as to be most efficient in assisting
fight The human eye hasa mirror on
which objects are reflected, and nerve by
which these reflections are conveyed 10 the
braln, and thus we are enabled 10 take an
interest IN the objects which pass before the
eye. Now, when the eye is too convex,
we use one kind Of glasses TO correct the
fault, and II i, be not convex enough, or il
we wish to look at objects at d ffercn, dis
lances, we use glasses Of entirely another
description
Bul as Birds cannot get spectaclcs, Prov.
derce has given them a method Of supply.
ing the ;fciency They have the power
Of contracting the eye, OF making 1t NOR G
convex, 50 rs to see tho specks which float
in the atmosphere and catch them for food
and also of fatcning the eye, to see great
distance and observe whenever any vullure
or other enemy is threatening to destroy
them 10 addition to this they have film
or coating, which can be suddenly thrown
down over the eye to protect II; because a
the velocity with which they fly, and with
the delicate texture OF their eye, the least
speck oldust would act upon 1t as u pen
knife thrus, into the human eve. ThH
film Is TO protect Il, md the same thing ex,
ISIS 10 some extent in the eye OF the horse
The horse has very large eye very LA
bic to take dust This coating IN the horse
eye IS called the haw. or third eyeld, an,
n you vii watch closely, YOU may see
desc end and return with electric velocity
1t clears away the dust, and protects the ey
from injury II the eye should catch cold
the haw hardens and projects, and ignoran
persons cut II oil, oni thus destroy this safe
guard.
You all know, If you take pound Of roI
and make OF II hollow rod foot long
what weight II will support; a weight ma
81 times greater than before, Nature seem
10 have taken advantage this, also, lonI
before malhematicians had discovered it, I
all the bones OF animals are hollow Tn
( bones Of birds are large, because they mus
be strong to move their large wings wit
sufficient velocity, but they must also b
light, IN order to float easily upon the air
Rirds also illustrate another TACT IA natura
philosophy II you take a bag. make II al
tight, and put 1t under water II will suppol
large wei shl, say an hundred pounds 90
But twist It, or diminish the air IN II, and
will support no such weight Now, 4 bIr
has such on air.5sg When he wishes I
descend, he congresses II at will aud fall
rapidly when be would nee, he increase
It, and floats with ease He also has III
10 yer OF forcing air INTO the hollow PAT
r Of the body. and thus to assist hts fight
The same thing NAV be observed 10 hshc
. TBey also have an air bag TO enable lher
TO rise or sink 10 the water, all they fn
their temperature.
. IfIhey wish 10 rise they increase II
they wish 10 sink they compress %, on
down they go. Sometimes the bsh, m Ell
KING, makes TOO strong al efou TO eonPfe'
r u, hen down he goes 10 The bottom, an
there remains To- the res Of has lile. Flouu
, ders. and some olheT fish. have no allbs &
aud 50 they are never found floating on II
, surface, bug mua always be caught al u
. bottom.
10 this way are The principles Of seiene
!. applied TO almos every thing You wii
20 know how to pack The greatest amoul
OF bulk IN the smalles space. The FOR
OF eyleoders leaves large spaces betwes
hem. MaihemAueiAns lAbofed bard Tor
long time to find whAs figure could be u.s.
90 as 10 lose no speek add al las ioand ~
81 wasa aHsl1~d figure, and slso ibs,
!. three. plane cndine iaa point, lorDed a
= strongest roof or door The boney bee d
covered the same things a good while ar
d, The boaev-eonb 70 made up Of siHs'd'
" ligures and he roof 10 bUi wah ihfee-plai
surfaces coming 10 point
Ifa heIbls Vesssl BE- empird o. Air,
s,3ss viii be slnOs crushed together
the pressure o. the surrounding a,mo'phti
/. AID ia tube panty filled viii fed.
smrued Of ar. he a@id 81. Tee 90 .lc 10