The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1874-11-26
SCIENTIFIC NOTES.

neared on the northern side Of Mt. Etna.
Twenty fresh craters situated upon one
long line have been thrown up. The
first crater opened forms a cone seventy
five feet high.
AT the Botanic Garden, Oxford, the
Mexican Dasylicion orcotrichUna recently
threw up a flower stem which, when u
feet high, grew at the rate of ST inches
in twenty-four hours. The Ne7asnab,ans
luteuna (the sacred BEAM in the same
collection is reported tins season to be
producing perfect seeds.
THE Adrian Mich Times says that
as a Mr.. Tuttle was lately digging a
ditch on his farm, at Senaca. about II
miles south of Adrian, he discovered q
number of immense bones, probably
those Of a 1nastodon. One was a tooth
about 4 inches square, weighing Il
pounds. This tooth is broken off at the
base but the enamel on the upper part
is perfect. Mr.. futile has three pieces
nine feet in all-of rib, Of which, per-
haps a foot or two has not been found.
He found ,besides,a horn o. tusk broken
off at both ends This is eight feet seven
inches long, and, three feet from the
butt end, measures tWenty-one and one
half inches in circumference.
A NEW car-brake, known as the ''Mc
hoe
recently inyentad in Pennsylvania. The
principal advantages claimed Tor it are
its extreme simplicity, there being no
air pumps or pistons to get out Of order,
and it's instantaneous application to all
the cars OF a train, by the simple
turning of faucet on the engine. a
water-pipe runs under the train, coupled
between the cars by p strong India-rub-
er hose, and filed with a column Of wa
ter; by opening the faucet on the en-
CINE the pressure on the square inch is
produced at the brake equal to the
boiler at the locomotive. Freezing in
the winter is prevented by the mixture
of small quantity Of glycerine with the
water.
SETH GREEN, the pisoieulturist, while
exhibiting tank Of fish in public re-
Gently, made few remarks on the na
ture and habits of these animals, and re-
ferring to the mooted question: ''Do
Fish hear?" answered emphatically in
the negative. To demonstrate his opin-
ion he asked the band to arrange them
selves in close proximity to the tanks
and blow their loudest blast This they
did; but not one of the multitude Of
fishes stirred fin Mr. Green then
said that although fish were thus unsus
ceptible to sound they were keen Of Wis
ion and sensitive to the slightest jar.
To illustrate the latter point he tapped
on the bottom of one of the trout tanks
with just enough force to cause a slight
vibration in the water, when every in
mate of the tank Immediately darted off
like fish.
A DISTINGUISHED medical authority
warns the drinkers of water of wells
near dwellings to beware of the typhoid
poison sure to be found sooner or later
in these reservoirs, if any Of the house
drainage can percolate to them. The
gelatinous matter often found upon the
stones Of well is poison TO the human
system, probably causing by its spores
fermentation of the blood, with the alb
normal heat of fever. Wholesome, I'M
tainted water is always free from all color
and odor. To test it thoroughly, place
in it few grains of white sugar, and ex-
pose it, stoppered, to sunlight, in a win
dow. If, even after an exposure OF eight
or ten days, the water becomes turbid,
be sure that it has been contaminated by
sewerage Of some kind. IF it remains
clear, it is pure and safe.
A CITIZEN of Cincinnati has put upon
the streets Of that city a vehicle designed
to supersede street ears. 1t is about the
size of q common street car, and viii
seat sixteen passengers. Inc WneelS
are similar to those on carriages, but the
axle is curved in such manner as to
allow the floor of the car to be on a level
with the pavement. The driver sits IN
front, and uses an ordinary foot brake
in place of those common to street cars.
The entrance for the passengers is pecu-
liar. The steps are parallel with the
sides of the car, but the doorways, one
on each side, are placed diagonally
across the end. The arrangement is
made to allow passengers to step directly
into the car from the sidewalk It is
said that these cars cost less than others
in use, require no track to be laid
down, and owing to the double action