New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-08-21

vid,d Itself into two streams One Of the burned
paths was xix inches vide. BE Sss led 10 think
that the lightning bad let the rod ana sooved ne
water, which was pouring down alta projecting
corner Of the eoihce
Mr. W. c. REDTIELD stated one or two facts In
confederation Of the theory Of dIvision OF TIE
charge. In New YOfk in several Instances tnere
had been apparently simultaneous dncnarSes ron
the same cloud taking different paths 70 the eirto-
Prof BAcHH followed ia some remarks u2on the
exhaustion Of air, as illustrated by the forcing oas
Of divers panes Of glass in different localities
Mr. B. A. GOULD Of Cambridge, communicated
the observations Of an eminent Engineer IN Boston,
Mr.. Poydep upon certain electncal oscnarges
- bich occurred in Philadelphia during a severe
thunder storm, when great number OF houses
was scorched and the majority Of every broken
pane had fallen outside. Mr. Gould also gave IN
stspces Of the spiral action Of an electrical dis
charge, q, mentioned by Prot. Johnson
Prot HEsRY-Mentonedin instances where ordlna-
~ electrical discharges had affected circle OF 20
miles in diameter. By an apparatus simply con
stfucted for the occasion, be had succeeded In
magnetizing a needle by ash Of lightning so far
of hat be could lot hear the thunder. de eX'
planned the Apparatus. He considered that every
fash Of electricity produces effects % great dis-
tances and De rhaps sFects half the Globe.
The next communication was made by Prof.
AGAsslz, upon the following interesting subiec:
CoMPARIsoE OF The FACE OF FISHES WITH THAT
oF OTHER VERTEBRATA AND Man.
We hear frequent remarks observed tle Pro
lessor in regard 10 the resemblance existing be
tween the human face and The aPPearaIce OF dd
ferert families Of animals People are sometimes
impressed wits recOllecsons OF some friend BY
looking at pictures of animals. This announce
Dent was Of course the signal Tor q few minutes
merrint 1t at the Proessors expense, bat he took
it very kindly and resumed. Bat as soon as We
ask 10 what the resemblance consists, we are At a
loss for sn snsTer The Professor mad been led 10
investigate these appearances, with the differences
existing in the human race, by observing dihsrenI
| races of mankind. He treated the subject 10 his
| remarks at consc cradle length. He cited the uni.
ty Of structure existing betwees all classes oil Fers
| lebiata as proof positive OF Resemblance between
| all individuals OF that great genera From the low
eat type Of Vertebrstes up TO Man, be tracde one
common structure offiame. The question is, to de.
termne the grad alton Of species and the moral ana
| pt ysic.l superiority Of individuals DE oppOled
| Campers theory of the Fsciil angle-sho wing lss
ncapscity to explain the differences be had men
toned. The effect Of many OF the principles ugnt
to be sustained by this theory were exhibited In
striking light as being calculated in effect to place
rome families Of animals above the human race -
| The Professor also traced by diagrams, the resem-
banee between the bones Of people in old age ard
the folds Of the jaws In fishes. Wnbkers and
mustaohios on mauEind he considered as very
closely related to the hairs the face OF the mon
keys. He urged the importance OF accurate por'
traits Of monkeys, and other snimals-akin to
mapkind-in order better 10 determine the relative
position OF the parts, and the connections which
| exit between individual beings. IN conclusion,
be showed that by extending the line OF the hu,
| man features q resemblance may be at once traced
| to differeI individuals Of the Animal Kingdom
| The Professors observ atobs were very curious |
! have given only the main points
Prof b. SILLIMAN, Jr. made a communication on
| the
! ORIGIN OF A CURIOUS SPBERoIDAL STRUCTURE IN
CERTAIS SEDIsENTARY Rocks.
| Prof SILLInAs said the subject Of his communi-
cation " as simple. All acquainted with the Geol-
osy of New York were, he said, familiar win
the specimens Of -- from the niagara group
and especially from the vicinity OF LockPoft. The
tpecimens exhibited presented a curious embossed
and co1caye Appearance. The concavltes were
sometimes opposite 70 he convoxties; they were
not, however, opposite to each other 10 al direc-
| tons Prof & exhibited casts taken by MI MAJ
| TOSS; and showed that similar appearances are
produced at the present day by natural causes Ii
| was noticed as somewhat remarkable, that the
II eularity OF the hrran gemeut OF these mptessols
| was such that by taking any one az center siz
others may pretty generally be counted immodl'
| stely around it. TIE appearances occur IL non
| iossililerous sediment, ry rocks. They have not
escsped the attention Of New York Geoognts-
| mir. hAll s.vipg figured some specimens On p. 80
of hi, Report upon the Fourth eec'lon OF tue Sa,.
vey The probable cause Of the phenomena b IS
| been matter of considerable curiosity with Geol-
oei,ts. The causes producing like elects at the
J present day were stated BY Professor Sulimaa'
de had found that excavations are made oy TAD
| poles identical in appearance with the older de-
posils Of the Sedim eBtary formation Blt there
are no Batna biGn. so Old as The age o! the Maya
| "a sroup The cause of the phenomena was at
tributed in this dilemma, 10 the agency OF great
| numbers OF small gregarious fishes, and o.her AMI
-. hav
| lated az that period.
| prof AGAsslZ corroborated the remarks OF Prot.
| slLLlMas. Profs HANEoRD and HESRY and Mr.
| RkpFlEID followed, with observations uPoa the
seperal principles Of spherical depresslons. PfoL
HTNRY Illustrated the tendency OF a ram drop 70
exerta contTactIle force thro wing up lltte mound
OF dirt in the center-a conclusion TO which he hRa
arrived from Iome experiments on bubblei
At the close of this discussion, Prof ELIAS Loo
MIS- of the New. York UniverAity, read paper on
ELEcrRIcAL PHENOMENA OBSERVED IL CERrAIS
HOUSES.
When this subject was announced, some curl
osi.y wal manifested to know whether the PROBES
sor was about to give us scientific exposition OF
the Mysterious RapPingsi bat although the sub
| iect was not far removed, the knockinss were no.
| noticed The Professor proceeded 70 detail and
comment Q pon curiOusly electrified houseor houses
NEW. York City-one particularly, ia Fourteenth
ST. which he had had opportunities OF examining,
where the shutting Of slipper across thick and
heavy carpets produced sudden and violent cleo.
tric,i discharge. The phenomena are observed
only where the house is large and dry, warmed BY
furnaces, and furnished with heavy cArpeti0g.
shall r,cur to this interesting theme Of domestic
lightning bat enough for today. N.
SECOND DAY .NEw.HAvEs, Tuesday Aug 20.
The Association reassembled this morning in the
Geological Lecture Room, bat remained only q
.hor, time in general session. Among the new ar
rivals are Capt WILKEs, U. 8. NJ Profs BAIRD
and LoyIRISG Of Pa; DR.. s. PARKNAS OF Boston
DR.. LIIBER, Of South Carolina SEARS G. WALK
IR, Of the U. s. Coast Survey, and others a large