Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-10-14
MECHANICAL AND SCIENTIFIC.

MLOHANlCAL AMI CClLN IL Az
Mention is made in the Naturalist of
two cases Of albinism recently observed
in fishes. One was a haddock, taken of
Barn gat, May7. The fish was thirty-one
inches long, and, instead Of the usual
tinis Of brownish- gray, its general hue
was pinkish- white with a pearly luster.
The other specimen was common eel
taken at Noank, Conn, in December,
1874. The colOrs of this were a dull,
pale yellow above and nearly pure white
beneath. Instances Of albinism are not
uncommon among European cells, but
they are seldom met with on our coasts
The museum Of the Peabody Academy of
Sciences contains a sample of both the
aforementioned albnos.
"A film Of sulphate Of lead is found to
afford an excellent protection for the met
al against the action of water. Ia some
experiments made in this direction lead
pipes were coated internally with sui
phide, accading To the well-known
Schwnrz method by the action OF solu.
ton of sulphde of sodium, and were sub
iccted, at the same time with others not
so treated, to the action Of rain, snow, dis
titled and ordinary Paris city water. After
the first day lead was detected in all cases
in the water from the ordinary pipes, ex-
ccpt the city water, and in it also after
several days On the other hand, in no
case did the water from the pipes treated
with sulphide afford trace of lead with.
in three months, and with access Of air
", y Sun.
There are $50 specimens Of ferns
native to New Caledonia, an island in
the South Pacific Ocean having an area Of
200 miles II length by thirty miles in
breadth. OF these ferns eighty-sx are
peculiar TO New Caledonia, and the re.
maindcr are common 10 it and other ISL
ands in the Austria. seas From study
of the distribution of these ferns NJ. Ell-
gene Fournier arrives ut the conclusion
that New Caledonia, New Holland and
New Zealand were at one time united by
means of Norfolk Island and other sub
merged islands. This hypothesis eX-
plains the presence IN countries differing
in climate Of species belonging 10
homogeneous groups that could not have
been transported by currents or by other
cNtrancous agents.
The pressure Of the atmosphere atthe
level OF The sea has given rise to a great
many experiments tending 10 scientific
results, not few otWhiCh have eluCidated
important truths, while others have been
merely curious IN their developments. 1t
Is singular and not very Unknown
TACT That, as the boiling point OF water Is
lowered IN proportion to the increase of
elevation, people living high up in the
world ure compelled to do without boiled
meats and vegetables, and to have their
food roasted or baked, since the water
cannot bc heated sufficiently to cook food.
Darwin tells otan amusing instance of the
result OF the diminished pressure of the
Andes. His companions tried for some
hours 10 boil potatoes, and though the
water bubblcd vigorously the potatoes re
fused to be cooked and the result was AT.
trlOutcd 10 the hcwitChcd pot
An Ingenious as well IA simple in.
trumcnt Tor testing mineral oils, con
structed So rs 10 enable one to compare al
once the expansion of any oil To be tested
with that ofa standard safe oil, both beng
subjected To the same degree of heat. is
coming into general use, and must prove
a valuable safeguard against explosion.
This apparatus consists of case holding
two bottles furnished with glass tubes OF
equal bore In one of these bottles il
placed the oil which serves MS the stand
ard of comparison, and in the other, to
the same height in the tube is placed the
oil 70 tl tested The bottles are mounted
upon a wooden support, suitably grad
uatcd In practice it is inserted ina yes.
sci OF water of a temperature of 10 de
.recs, and the conclusion respecting the
safety ur danger OF the article is drawn
from the cauNouary words upon the sup.
port behind the tubes.