New-York tribune., 1878-02-16
SCIENCE FOR THE PEOPLE.

Patent Office fire has yet developed much lneonYenl-
ence TO the official examiners in making their usna' re-
searches before patents are issued ihiS cltcu-
stance has been alleged evidence that the models
were OF little service but is too soon to take such ey
cenee TIE arguments for the abolition Of models are
not confined the expense of making anG preserv-
ipg them. There is also the consideration that the
patents which require models for their eiucidaiion,
ere themselves imperfect obscure There have heen
instances OF the alteration Of models IN the Patent once
by INSCRIPTIONS attorneys, who found opportunity for
such frauds while making Investigations Tor Their
clients Among the advantages of requiring the pre-
paraton OF a model is the fact that in making the
model the inventor is often led TO improve his nVen-
ton or possibly to discover its unpractical character
Periaps the same result would, in some measure, al
tcud the preparation Of more complete afi dehnne
rejected to give permission 20 tte inventor to S!1
tear %Sd Of o IN 1feTioF 5I mSde m be secured and tus
the foundation would ye laid Tor vastly improved '5
On FOOT for national ndustiial museum perhaps such
sn exhibition might include Tie finer models OF the
Patent Onlce.
ITALIAN AsTRONOMY.-Father Secchi has re-
Gently published popular work the stars. His own
observations largely represented in this work. AM
tne drawings he gives Of groups and nebu8 in some
differ much from the usual representations He IS
said 10 be seriously al.
CAUSES OF INsANITY.-In q recent essay read
~ DR.. n. $ Davis before the Chicago Academy OF SCI
ences the subject OF Moral Insanity was discussed
The conclusions of the essay as follows "From the
foregoing considerations am led to tho conclusion that
We shall promote science, and efficiently aid the
cause Justice, by absiainng from all attempts to con
meet any form Of partial mental arrangement WIN spe
ca faculties Of the mind with individual material Or
gaps. nefve-ces ganga; but remembering that TIE
essential character OF all insanity is change IN the hab
its thought feeling and conduct of the individual and
consequently that each individual must be JUDGED
upon ITS own merits Our main object should he TO ac
curately compare the alleged insane feature OF ea case
with the previous normal condition OF that ndNidua
This view. il will be perceived does not favor the notion
that tie question OF the sanity of tehtalOr can b aStI
tanned from pOst-morten examination OF Ills remains
THE DISTRIBUTION OF SHELLs.-At late
meeting of the Detroit Scientific Association, Mr. Bryant
Walker discoursed on the conchology of Michigan. He
stated that the number OF species OF animals nhaDmg
shells in Michigan is about 49, About onethird OF the
species are IN land shells OF the remaining two-tlrds
Of wateE. habitat, more than hall are DlYaIVes.
OBJECTION TO GOVERNMENT TELEGRAPHY.-
Dr. C. w Semens recent address President OF the
Society of Telegraph Engineers, London reviewed with
great the scope and progress OF eiegraphy espe
cialy in its most modern forms. He regards the
admitted fact that nearly all the improvements in
teegraphy have originated in the United States as
consequence of telegraph business being still under
private ownershp-n which respect this country differs
from all others that accounted as civilized Dr.
Semens gravely doubts the wisdom OF having all the
telegraph lines under Government management, and
considers that tendency of that system is 10 crush
out change, improvement and invention As partial
lines should be exempted from Government control DR.
sehens also recomeuds that the Society of Telegraph
Engineers should take official action on this subject and
make their wishes known TO the Government
CONSTANT EARTH CURRENTs.-Dr. Richard
owen. Professor Of Geology the State University o
Indiana has been conducting series of experiments TO
determine the direction Of underground currents OF
electricity He finds their general direction to be from
The Northwest continuous current FROM the atmos-
NIL IN he cTOund below IL also reUOrfeu
WHAT Is SEEN IN TIE EYES OF THE DEAD
Full accounts have been given in TIE TRIBUNE OF the
discovery of Professor Kuhne, Of Heidelberg that light
falling upon the eye changes in the pigment OF
the retina ami hence the image OF whatever
seen by eye before DEATH might remain impressed
upon the retina for hours aftorward Professor
Kuhnes aboIs rewarded by success in photograph
ing from a dead rabbits eye. the image OF window
SASH in front Of which the animal had been fixed before
death Since ben Professor Kuhnc has found the
pigment in the eye of hospital patient, who had died
during the night Dr. Capran!ca steiano has made g
fnds n the same with luteine, Substance which
detected in the yok Of eggs the SERUM OF blood
lufelne can be obtained sufficient abundance ii may
prove valuable adjunct III photography
ExIGENCIEs OF A SCIENTIFIC ENTERPRIsE.-
The Maryland Academy Of Sciences has started an
important undertakngto in its museum repre-
collection of the fauna and fora Of the entire
in appeal through the newspapers for
additional public support. that the enterprise becO-
ing burdensOlne 10 it LIBERAL projectors.
GREAT QUANTITIES OF Fossil NsECTs.-The
Presidents address before the Appalachian Mountain
Club is this year production Of permanent value It's
author Dr. Samuel II. Scudder Of Boston, has brought
together compendium Of The scientific expeditions s
OF this country during the past year. Dr. Scudders own
share such enterprises in branch Of the Hayden
Survey which he made the discovery OF the beds OF
fossil insects at Fiorssant ManOu, Colorado The
formation where the insects have hitherto been found
IL Tertary the discovery is in beds Of Miocene
age During the past year 10000 fossil insects nave
been exhumed from quarry which has touched only
the outskirts OF the deposit Dr. Scudder has won fame
by studies fossil butterflies, and authority
sycS subjects His statement that the Forissant beds
have fty times the extent OF any European deposit
tanning insects may be accepted as trustworthy esti
mate.
ADVANCE OF TIE SUTRO TUNNEL.-It is cal
culated that, within two three months, the lode
toward which the Sutro tunnel Is directed Will be
reached There yet perhaps 900 feet 10 be trayorsed
The whole length, when complete, will be between
$4,000 and $4,000 feet. The point to be reached is
about 1000 feet below the surface. The volume Of
water be discharged cannot yet he estimated but II -
expected that the tunnel VIII prove adequate iOr hlS
purpose.
NEw-YoRK STATE RvEY.-AlthOugh only
epnointed two years ago. the Commissioners for the
TrigonometI1c and Topographic Survey OF New-lork
have done good work, under the direction OF Mr. j. l.
Gardncr. The Hudson River has been taken as d base
Primary trangulaton has extended over 5000 square
miles, and secondary and tertiary triangulatOn over
LOO the latter including FIVE counties and north
west Of Albany. Along 175 miles of county boundary
granite monuments have been fixed and already in
use by the local surveyors for tranguauon and serve
rs the startIngpont in the description Of property III
deeds The needle by the local surveyors is IN