The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-09-23
Correspondence Of the Neaoark Daily Aduetissr
Scientific Convention at New Haven.

But he who rules on high.
Correspondence of the Ne,oayk Daily Adpetissr.
Scientific Convention at New Haven.
THURSDAY, August %.
Professor Horsford made communication 90 on
the Relation Of the Chemical Constitution of Bodies
10 Iaste." On the question, ID the similar taste OF
the sweet bodies glycocall, grape sugar, sugar Of
lead, and two thirds oxid of glycocall dependent
on a simalar arrangement of their minutest parti-
cles. The Professor early in lS4S demonstrated
that the taste is not dependent on any one OF the
elements present, as each may be replaced by an
other and not destroy the taste. Have sour bodies
a common form, to which, and not to the nature of
the PARTICLES, sourness Is owing? The acids are
composed OF one larger atom, or group Of atoms
united TO the least atom hydrogen, bound TO the
group by affinity apparently greater than that
OF any of the other elements The akaloids have
a general form in COMMON with the resins soluble
in water, and their bitterness may be conceived to
be coupled with this peculiarly of constitution.
The practical application of these speculatlons has
not yet brought about a stable combination with a
resin though the professor still expects TO produce
alkaloids artifcialy according to these views.
AMMoNIA IN THE ATMOSPHERE.
DR.. c. T. jackson read paper from DR.. A. a.
Hayes on ammonia III the general atmosphere. DR..
Hayes thinks ammonia not to be a general constit-
uent of the atmosphere. The ammonia found by
analysis in the air. the surface of the earth is
derived from substance discovered by thinner
man, and by him called Pyrrhine. To this sub
Hayes attributes their ertilizing properties, and
adduced instances of rapid vegetation produced by
it. He thinks it is poison to plants, though OF
great value, as neutralizing agent TO acids OF soils
and serving 10 convey other ingredients into the
circulation of plants such carbouic acid and the
organic acids of soils. DR.. Jackson sustained the
opinions of DR.. Hayes, 10 the state OF ammonia
| producing substances in the air.
! Mr.. Jonathan Is. Bunce, of the Yale Laboratory
| presented a communication of experiments made
by him coal of the red ash and white ash yarie-
ties from which it appeared that they very val
liable for agricultural purposes from the suphates
of lime and magnesia, well as phosphoric acid
and akales, which they contain. For want of this
know ledge there has been vast amount of fertiliz
ing clements lost for many years past. Sandy coils
would be greatly improved by the alumina con-
tanned in them. When they are TO be applied they
should be protected from the weather; otherwise
many of their valuable qualities would be washed
/ away. Professor johnson recommends the use oi
the ashes Of bituminous coal.
PsIDAY, August %.
| Prof II. d. Rodgers read communication on
the Position aud character Of The ReptiIian Foot
prints in the CdrboniferOus Red Shale Formation IN
Eastern Pennsy syyania. lie stated that the ancient
foot prints first discovered by Isaac Lee Of Pha
delphia in the Red Shalc Formation at Mount Car.
| bon in Pennsylvania, and assigned by that gentle
man to the rcd rocks Of the Divonian period, be
| longed truly to the carboniferous red shale, anc
are therefore, of an age essentially later than tina
attributed to them. They occur, indeed, in a geo
logical horizon, only few hundred feet below th,
! con nglomerate which marks the beginning OF th,
productive coal series, In which series similar foot
prints attributed 10 Bactracian reptiles had beer
previously met with in Western Pennsylvania, In
stead therefore, Of constituting register OF th'
antique life earlier than any hitherto discovered
by at least whole chapter IN the geological book
| they carry back its age only by single leaf. 1h'
surfaces upon which these interesting footprint
abound, are the smooth divisional plains separating
the beds Of red sandstone, and arc invariably coat
! ed with a fine impalpable material VI a once Shiny
=. 49, -. g. -fUHrg %
these surfaces goes 10 prove that they were in con
tact with the AIR, and we're the stages OF rest be
tween the alternate dcpositions OF the strata Mani
Of them are covered with ripple lincB and water
marks, suggestive Of the shelving shore, and, wit
few exceptions, they arc spotted over with httl
circular impressions, imputed TO the pattcrng O
/ rain.
All over the successive floors Of tho living world
as delicate and imprcssiblc In their texture az =
much wax or parchment, are the footsteps and th
trails Of various creeping things-the prints
some unknown four footed creature, thought 10
reptian in its nature, but Of whose true aibuitic
the Professor expressed his doubts trails analagou
To those of worms and moluscs, and various otho
marks written in hieroglyphicals too ancient 10
interpreted. Tie larger footprints are, for th
most part, fve-toed, alternate in the steps, an
with the fore feet large nearly as the hind ones
marks of the scratching and slipping OF the fee
and the half oflacing passage OF the tail, or OF som
soft portion Of the body, are often distinctly egibl'
The Professor concluded, by calling upon Proies
sor AgasslL 70 ASSIST III Nnt IpIttaNoh =" eht7
impressions.
Professor Agassiz stated his doubts as 10 the rcT
tilian character Of the footsteps described, an
after describing in graphic manner the diileronc
in the arrangement OF the locomotive organs Of III
modern and the ancient fishes, gave it as hls be
lief that in those early periods thore we're fishes
a structure which permitted them " walk on a
lOurs.
, NEST T-BUILpTNG FisHEs.-Proiessor Agassz d,
livered some oral remarks upon the care which cei
tain fishes take Of their young; having alluded
the lower species Of the fish, which lays its ege
and leaves its young, who never know parents, an
rise but TO be swallowed by larger species. II
f, said that whom he arrived in this country, t
heard Of hsh that did protect their young but cou
get no farther information on this subject. III
Professor then proceeded 10 detail an incident vhc
came under his own observation last May Whe
walking on the ca.shorc at -, he saw two ca
Q fab rushing from the shore 10 the water. He wei
20 the place from which they started, and he saw
black mark formed whore they bad been. Thei
we're two tadpoles in III and by and BY he sa
the two catfish return TO the spot, and looking as
10 sec If their spawn had been disturbed, They e
!, on their meats again. He watched them for Will
- and threw stone 20 disturb them They ran
z the water ss before, but in ten minutes, they r
+ turned again; and in this manner he disturbs
, them and they returned, four times, which COZ
vnced him that they anxious TO return 10 the
|, young and protect them.
9 Dr.. Robert Hare, OF Philadelphia, delivered son
| remarks on the " Theory OF storms" lie W
strongly opposed TO DR.. Red6ed and the whir
: wind Theory, and argued, that vast body
Z fluid could not revolve to constitute a whir
y wind. He attributed the phenomena Of storms
!. electrical sgoncss, and advanced his fsyorite tb