, 1868-10-16
Minute Wonders of Nature and Art.


animaleulse, which are discovered in common
water, are not altogether 50 large as grain
OF sand. In the milt Of a single Goldfish there
are more animals than there are upon the
whole earth; for a grain of sand is bigger
than four millions of them. The white mat
ter that sticks to the teeth also abounds with
animalcul@ of various figures, to which vim.
egar is fatal, and it is known that vinegar
CONTAINS animalcules in the shape of ees A
mite was anciently thought the limit of litI
tleness; but we are not now surprised to be
told of animals seven million times smaller
than a mite. Monsisa de lIsle has given
the computation of the velocity of little
creature scarce visible by its smalness, which
be found to run three inches in half a Sec
ond /; suppOsing now its feet to be the 50th
part of line, it must make 500 steps in the
space Of three inches-that is, it must shift
its legs 500 times in a second, or in the ordi.
nary pulsation of an artery. The itch is
known to be disorder arising from the irri-
tation of species of animalcula found in
the pustules of the aliment it is a very mi
mute animal, in shape resembling the tortoise,
Of a whitish color, but darker on the back
than elsewhere, with some long aud thick
hairs issuing from it, very nimble in its mo-
tiOn, having six legs, sharp head, aud two
little horns. The proboscis of butterfly.
which winds round in spiral form, like the
spring of a watch, serves both for mouth and
tongue, by entering into the hollows of how-
eTs and extracting their deWs and juices. The
seeds of strawberries rise out of the pulp Of
the fruit, aud appear themselves like straw
berries when viewed by the microscope. The
farina of the sunhower seems composed of fat
circular, minute bodies, sharp pointed round
the edges; the middle of them appears trans
parent, and exhibits some resemblance to the
flower it proceeds from. The powder Of the
tulip is exactly shaped like the seeds Of Gu
cumbers aud melons. The farina of the poppy
appears ike pearl barley. That of the lily is
great deal like the tulip. The hairs of men
are long tubular ibres through which the
blood circulates. The sting of a bee is horny
sheath or scabbard, that includes two beard-
ed darts. A wasp's sting has eight boards on
the side of each dart, somewhat like the
boards of 6sh-hooks. The eyes of gnats are
pearled, or composed of many rows Of little
semi circular protuberances ranged with the
utmost exactness. The wandering or hunting
spider, who spins no web, has two tufts of
feathers affixed to its fore paws, of exquisite
beauty and coloring. A grain of sand will
cover 200 scales of the skin, and also cover
20,0 900 places where perspiration may issue
forth. Mr.. Baker has justly observed with
respect to the Deity, that with Him "an atom
is world, and world bnt as an atom"
Mr.. Power says he saw golden chain at
Tredescant's Museum, South Lambeth, of
three hundred links, not more than an inch
in length fastened to and pulled away by q
flea. And 1 myself (says Baksr, in his es-
say on the microscopy, have seen very
latel y, near Durhamyard in the Strand, and
have examined with my microscope chaise
made by Mr.. Boverick, watch maker, hav-
ing four wheels, with all the proper appara-
tus belonging to them, turning readily on
their axles together with a man sitting in
the chaise all formed of ivory, and drawn
along by flea without any seeming dificul>
ty. l weighed it with the greatest care
was able, and found the chaise man and flea
were barely equal to a single grain. l also
weighed, at the same time and place, brass
chain made by the same hand, about two
inches long, containing two hundred links,
with a hook at one end aud paddock and
key at the other, aud found it less than the
third part of a grain. likewise have seen
a quardrille table with a drawer in it, an
eating table, a sideboard table, looking
glass, twelve chairs with skeleton backs,
two dozen plates, six dishes, dozen knives,
and as many forks, twelve spoons, two salts,
frame and castOrs, together with a gentle-
man, lady and footman, all contained in
cherry stone, and not filling much more than
half of it At the present day are to be
purchased cherry stones highly polished, with
ivory screws, which contain each 120 perfect
silver spoons, au ingenious baubIe worthy the
patronage of the juvenile part of the commun
ity. We are told that one Oswald Merlinger
made cup of a peppercorn, which held
twelve hundred other little cups, all turned
in ivory, each of them being gilt on the
edges and standing npon foot. and that, SO
far from being crowded or wanting room, the
peppercorn would have held four hundred
more. One penny worth of crude iron can
by art be manufactured into watch springs,
so as to produce some thousand pounds.
----<Or-------~---
PAY OF THE FIRST CONGRESS. = The
Continental Congress met on the 10th May,
l775; the nRpber of members was GA. At
this session q member appeared from St.
John's narish Georoia and Afterwards the