The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-08-12

the mean Of the observed attitudes Of more than one
hundred Of the principal mountains q tho northera
hemisphere OF the moon, which is the more extern
siyely continental, with a. many such attitudes
in the southern hemisphere. The mean Of the
former, was found to be 7702.7, and that OF the
latter s,7952 French feet-giying difference OF
terion, discrimination had also been made be.
tween the continental and the oceanic mountains in
the whole visible hemisphere and the results then
obtained were for the mean Of oceanic attitudes OPS
Feet and for the continental attitudes ABB, giving
cerenoe OF altitude Of 692 feet The former OF these
two results Is 26 times as great as the mean eleva
ton OF Europe ASIA and the two Americas as stated
" Humboldt, which results, however, are regarded
by him as extreme The mean elevation OF the
oceanic above the continental portions OF the moon
might therefore be regarded as approximating to
SIX times the mean elevation OF the observed por-
tons of the earths continents above the level OF the
sea. Professor A.. farther remarked that these de-
Guctions ssemed to indicate that the ocean, If any of
the moon had been solidiHed and not evaporated.
Had the latter been the case, the dierence OF level
would probably have been about twice as great that
the higher reflective power Of this sOidifed ocean
would serve to account for the bright appearance of
the oceanic portions and that In consequence of the
less resistance OF the portions covered by the soid
fed ocean, volcanic action had been enormously pre-
valent in them that the VIGOROUSLY bright spot
Aristarchus exhibits depression such might have
contained q lake, and that the brightness may be
owing to similar cause to that Of tho parts covered
by the solidiied ocean. Prof. A. further remarked
that the resemblances thus traced would enable US to
conjecture what would be the appearance Of the invi
sibe portion of the moon; the opposite hemisphere
exhibiting dark spots, resembling the western CONT
nent, with some notifications, Of which he gave
rough sketch. He attached, however, no importance
to this. Lastly, he alluded to recent researches Of
Prot. Ponz, with respect to the peculiar forms Of
been found to resemble extinct volcanoes in the
neighborhood of Rome, which had had their edges
worn away and were concluded to have been subma-
rne Prof Ponzi had found similar craters quite
~
moon, and also in the neighborhood Of the Tycho-
though Tycho itself was not crater Of this descrp
ton. The mountains thus described were such as
Prof Alexander found to be in the oceanic, l. e.,
brighter region Tycho being, as 1t ought to be, an
exception.
The following is a very pretty paper by very
young naturalist of Cincinnati" Indications Of
Weather, as shown by Animals Insects and Plants.
By VIM H. B. Thomas, OF Cincinnati
The possibility Of foretsiag weather has occupied the
attention Of observers OF natural facts from the earliest
period Of our records the certainty with WHOM anything
is arrived at this subject like other parts Of natural
science depends upon the kDo ulese acquired Of those
things with which nature has most intimately connected
70 ss 1ss s .
which nature has supplied When pair Of g ratory
binds have arrived In the spring they Immediately pre-
OF the place ard observing the character Of the
that is coming. 1t be windy one, they tnatch the
twgs and tho lining ana Il it be very windy, they get
plant twgs ard bind the nes firmly to the limbs secur
ire oil the small tTigs vii their saisss Il they fear
the approach Of rainy thay build their nests
to be shelter ed from the weather. But pleasant
ere they build In fair open place. without taking any
Of those extra precautions In recording these facts
have kept duly registered the of the BIRDS
the time ct arrival in spring. the commencement OF
sting the material, ., 81 nest and Tvs position the
each nest, commencement Of incubation, ap
pearancs of departure In autumn But il our
insects and smaller animals which furnish with tho
best of determining the weather. We take
the snails ard show the various phenoeps they pre-
sent These animals do not drink but imbibe moisture
IN their bodies during rain At regular periods aftsr
the they exude this moisture from their bodies We
will take for example The helix alternate The arst fluid
exuded is the pure liquid When this ID exhausted II then
changes to red then deep yed then yellow aud last
y to dark brown The helix careful not to exucs
MOI of its moisture than necessary might exuds
il all at once but this il not in conformity to its general
character, 81 this would prove too great an exeIton
The helix h S never 4 abr except before
getting the leaves. TIE helix, arbcrea, deatata
iudsrsh and mruta Also seen ascending the stems
hgsra, yennsy lvancs and elevate, ger orally begin 70
crawl about two days before the rain will descend They
and hsd rain they set the sheltered side Of the Leaf
but short enc they get on the outside lhe ue uea
have Also the same haoi.s differing only in color OF .o
mails as before the rain IT is Of yellow color, while
after i. is blus. The heices sohtaris, zaeta sbos
brs and thyroideus. not only show by means Of
Bsiofs ran the bodies Of ssls.a ard a. thyrosus have
large tubercles rsiDg from them These tubsrcles
Of ,sn they ndcste ct the end q each Of thsso tuber
olet is pore At the time Of the fal CT the rain these
tbeces with Their porss opened are stretched t, their
rain large and oeeo identsiion appears IN the n.
tbytoideus beginning the head between he ho,ns,
ano ending with the ointure at the shell Toe helces
soh.sIis aud zeleta, fen days before rsn crasI
the most exposed hillside where, II they arrive bsore
sud then close the aperture OF the shell with gluaous
substance which, wien the rain approaches, they dis.
soya, and are thau seen craving about Ia the hsir
aboiaD il the tpherces begin 10 arise after rain while
body of The snail s filed with cavities 10 receive The
moisture. The H. zaie,a, thyrodcus aud alboi.bds,
6ioug at the tate Of mule Ia 10 ty four hours.
They ipbabt The most dense forests ard regard IL
sure indication Of tsia 70 see them moving towards
exposed stustion. The hclcAs appresta tIidsptats,
falls and ptlista indicate the weather not only By
sxudipg fluids but BY the color Of the animal After aran
the animal bss very da,k appearance but II grows o
brighter color as the water expended while just bsore
the rain it Of yello ~sh ~hiJe Also Just before
rsD observed TO appear from the point head
10 the j0inture OF the shell The superior entacua
strated and the sides covered with tubercles Ths
belices a. the rate OF mile ia fourteen days snd
sixteen hours. II they observed ascending cliff
Il Indication Of rain They live in the cavities
ia the side Of cbs The helix hrsuta Is OF black
after ran but before ir is OF brown tnged with blue
around The edges Of the animal. Tine tontscula are
marked BY cross eti@ and there aso to be seen
few Gays before the rain sn der tatien which gross
6eeyer the rain approaches this helix also exudes
fluids but not with he changes of color of those before
msntoned We also forstel q change Of weather by
good baI omsters mcst OF them fer short light RAIN
win turn up receive their fill of water; but for
oug ram they bIe 80 coubed as to conduct the water
away The rama, bufo ard hyla, also iadics.
tions Of rain for they do not drink water but absorb
it into their bodies, they 10 be found out at
time they expect rain Tine locusta and grylus also
good dicatos OF storm. few hours before The rain
they 10 be found under the leaves Of trees and In the
hollow Trunks We have many ii oss found them tbus
but have known the instuc of these little fell
lows to lead them TO unnecessary caution.
This closes the papers for the session Of 1858.
They will make large volume, and many OF them
are extremely valuable. 1t is very much to be re-
GREETED that the debates arising in them have not
been properly reported. These remarks have gene
rally been more interesting and instructive than the
papers, many of which they exposed az erroneous
Ply mathematics and astronomy have greatly
predomirated at this session. Natural history aud
geology have been less noticed.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
President PIERCE in the chair.
II was moved that the resolution Of this morning,
by which the Association voted to meet on the last
Wednesday of May, 10 Washington be reconsidered