New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-07-07
SCIENTIFIC NOTES.

WELLS Duo by PRAIRIE DoGs.-Mr. G. M.
Bernborg in the American Naturalist raises the question
rs to the in which the PraredOg obtains its sup
ply of water He does accept the opinion expressed
by Gen. Marcy, in his "Armyfe the Border" that
the animal does not require any than s con-
tained the grass roots on which feeds The Prairie
dog towns on the Plains often situated miles away
IRON any water that be discovered on the SURFACE
could be contained IN the food OF the Praiedog TO re-
place what must be lost In TesTaton %G ana q, 0
ber October, and November At this season OF the
year 10 is not unusual for from 90 days to pass
dew the air extremely dry and the short Dualo grass
where the praiTiedog villages are commonly found be-
completely dried down 20 the roots While the roots
being but two or inches under ground become nara
and dry. As tame praredOgs are frequently seen 20
drink water, Mr. SernoeTg expresses the peieI tn ~
I'm every praredOg town there s SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF
wells TO supply the inhabitants with water From az
tempts he had made to Hood certain noes ne %
that the dogs would not IN some cases 9uLvT ~
and straight down with any other object than 10 90
tain water. such holes show signs OF being constantly
by the dogs and do not have the appearance
Of being lived in by family
CoRPUscULAR ACTIoN.-Mr. j. b. Dancer IN
remarks on this subject before section Of the Literary
and Philosophical Society Of Manchester, said he had
often met microscopcal observers using moderate
amount Of magnifyingpower and combining their atten-
tio generally 20 dry objects. who, extending ther
Investigations TO minute objects Immersed IN nui
require powers OF 1900 dlameters were starIeV
by the appearance OF particles IN AetSe ttated
oHIe eS NV each other some Single and others
an clnsters ItIs now well known that all kinks OF mat
u m IN 4seb they viii not readily sink win
bihlt these movements. AS lhis phenO,tnSuVh ~
Egg and in accompanying animal and vegetable
matter it is not surprising that early microscopes, anG
macnlR The particles which exhibit the greatest ac
tvy exceedingly minute Tapgng T nc in Diane
ter: they remain active for considerable tlne Iey
which tbsy are Immersed One mode of producing them
Is 10 rub little gambOge in water, on glass sue, aH
9S@etcTs T6ey can easily be distinguished with less
magnifyug power, bot are not so snoWn ing
counted for Some imagined that 1t is the physcal
repulsl0n OF the part'es S many exnerments win cleo
troy and magnetism without success e the absorn
movements may possibly be connected Win INC @OSoiP
ton and radiation Of heat
PARTICLES FLOATING IN THE ATMOSPHERE
Mr. j. b. Dancer recently made mieroscopieal examl'
nation Of the solid particles found In 25 ltres OF the
air Of Manchester. Eng, by DIR. Angus Smith, the ar
had been washed distilled water and the solid matter
which subsided collected in small stoppered bottle
The water containing the arwashng was first examined
by Mr. Dancer with power OF % diaheefs ony, iVl
purpose OF getting general knowledge OF l's &c
afterwhrd magnifying powers varying from ~ 70 iO
dameters were employed Dnrhg Ine s' fU as after
few living organisms were nOliced O9t as ~ Was
ward proved, the germs Of plant ana animal a,9
ty Hs most abundant Spores or SpOrdiR appeared in
numbers and to ascertain as nearly as pOsslne' te
merioal proportion Of these inmate bodies III slngS
drop of the fluid the contents Of the bottle were well
shaken ana then drop was taken up with Ppete;
inch in diameter. a magnifying power was then en-
ployed which gave 6eld of view Of an area exactly
Tooth OF an inch 10 diameter aud found that more
than 100 spores contained 10 this space; cOnse-
0uently the number OF spores in single drop
Houd be 100000 These varied from l00Ooh 10 the 5O
ofb of an iDcp diameter. There were about 100 such
drops In the bottle, that the sum total OF spores
reached the startling number of thirty seven and han
nions The myceiium Of these minute fungi were SIM
liar 10 that eff rust mildew II is commonly named
such as is found straw or deeayng vegetation
When the bottle had remained for sc hours in room al
the temperature OF COZ quantity OF fungi visb
increased, and the delicate myeeha threadlke roots
had completely entangled the hbrous objects IN me DO
tie and formed them into mass. ON the thnu uty q
number celiaed zO0spOres were observes moving Ie
ly amongst the spOTid8 He did not detece any Rrea
variety fungi IN the contents OF tho Dote as arr
than 1000 different kinds OF fngi. II ~ DIE ina
spores species hight have been present. put MOI
upder Conditions fax their Development Some
very prettv chanke bfeads Of COndta were visible IN
soue ~ the examina The other objects FOUND IN the
b0fe were tissue brown and chared particles
probably arisnan lighting fires; few hairs Ofthe leaves
~ nlspts and dbres portions OF cotton amens aud Of
% such be expected In the air OF manufactur
ing city few graDues OF starch seen by the ard OF the
poariscOpe several long eptical bodies, similar K
The pollen Of the lily, also noticed After tins dus
atmosphere had been Kept quiet for three or fo
days animalcul@ made their appearance in considerable
numbers the mOnads being the most numerous. Anima
life decreased and Ia twelve days DO animalcula
could be detected The quantity OF air from which al
these particles taken GAS Htres, or $40 gaiOus
about eqna that which would be respred ia ten hOnr
by man OF ordinary size, when actively employed. TIT
particles floating in the atmosphere viii differ ia eharac
Ter according the of the year. the direction
the wind, and the locality In which they are collected
and, might be expected are much less In quantt!
after rain.