New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-10-19
SCIENCE FOR THE PEOPLE.

SCIENCE For THE PEOPLE.
EXPLORATIONS IN GREENLAND.-At the be-
ginning OF last Spring the Danish Government sent
small party Greenland, to explore and trisonometr
cay measure the land between The colonies OF Godthaa
and Fredrkshaa generally, aud especially to explore
inland ice-helds. The expedition has obtained yau-
able results NJ Dalnger who in 1871 had reached the
Nuuatak mountain which rises out of the ice north
OF Fredrikshaal. reported that far 10 the east ne
olfcrycda series OF mountain peaks, which he supposed
be the east OF Greenland but although TINS WAS
generally supposed 10 be error the question had not
hitherto been solved An exploring party, under the
command OF Lieutenant jensen r. ID. n. has DOW sue
ceeded reaching these mountains which were situated
about fifty miles from the border OF the icceds after
infinite toll and small amount OF suffering The eI-
petition consisting OF three Danes and one Grcenander,
entered the ce1cds July H. On the oath the foot
Of the mountain range was reached and July 81 the
highest mountain climbed. The height OF this
mountain ascerained TO be about 5000 feet above
the level OF the and the other aide OF the noun
tain ridge the ice fields observed without uierrup
tou far the eye could see, the plateau apparently
gradually rising higher and higher. Having taken a
number Of observations the exploring party set out ON
their return journey, reaching the after several
harbrcadth escapes, on the 9TH OF August, having
passed twenty three days and nights on the inland ice
fields II Is now consequently proved that this noun
tain ridge is not the east coast of Greenland.
BALLOONING SPIDERS-Thc Rev. II. c. Me
Cook, OF Philadelphia, describing the balIooning habit.
ght Of spiders says spider seeks high posi-
ton, the top OF fencepOs the point OF ascent.
The abdomen elevated to nearly right angle with
the thorax may be apcncil Of threads issues from
the spnncres the face being meanwhile turned to vari-
points until II looks I'm the direction OF the wind.
The legs then stretched upward thus raising the
body aioit, and the insect gradually position
as II resisting some force from above. suddenly the
right claws uulooscd the spider mounts with sharp
g. u, lou.
but sometimes with the position reversed At first the
abdomen seems 10 be advance but generally the body
is turned 80 that the head II I'm front. The pencil Of
threads caught by the feet and floats out in 'front.'
Upon these threads the spider viii climb upward as
Though 10 adjust the centre Of gravity Meanwhile pen
ell OF threads floats out behind leaving the spderto ride
IN the angle of Tie two, sometimes three pencils The
/ feet seem TO be united 10y delicate hlamcLts, which
serve 20 increase the luoyany Of the balloon The IN
sect is carried forward 10y the wind, riding Tor long DIS.
tauccs IN an open space and often hEh up upon ascend
Ing currents. lis anchorage appears at times To be
within It's own volIton. 10y drawing in with he claws
the forward pencil and gathering 1t IN n white roll
within tie maudb but most frequently the progress
the subsistence OF the breeze.
SPLITTING LOGS WITH PowDER.-Whcre cir
cu'ar use, not Of sufficient diameter d.!
vide large trunks 1t IL asserted that trees partly sawn
through may be neatly split with powder, spnt even
without any saving II hole be bored in the wood Of
one uca diameter and in depth little than half
the thickness Of the trunk about onehrd the length OF
the lOg from the buttend and near possible 10 the
centre powder and fuse put ill., aud the hole filed up
with sand single blast Is sufficient 10 split log Of
considerable length, which IL does generally, almost
clean the Beech and ash have been successfully
eXpermonted upon. but with OAK and other tim
Der II Is not 90 successful.
BRIGHTNESS OF VENUS AND MERCURY.-Thc
conjunction OF these two planets the morning OF sep
TENDER % afforded excellent opportunity for asccr
taining their relative brightness The marked superb
ority Of Venus that occasion apparent to every
who witnessed the conjunction. Writing on the
subject The London Times Mr. Richard Proc
tor says 1t s certain that the surface OF Mercury IL
far inferior to that OF Venus IN hight rchccngpOweT
in what ZOllner calls whteness. do not think the
difference is quite equal to that between Jupiter aud the
Moon in this respect it nearly approaches the d
accounted for by assuming that Venus les smos-
phere which IS generally coudladen, while Mercury has
but atmosphere and few clouds, whence. from
physical considerations II would follow that there
very little water the surface OF Mercury This CORE
spends well with what has been observed in ran.s of
the two plants We have as clear evidence that Venus
has dense atmosphere as that Mercury has q very
atmosphere. In fact, the observations ~ Venus in
transit December, lS1i, proved uuInztakaby that her
atmosphere II dense while those Of Mercury in transit
last May especially those OF Professor Young OF Prince
ton, NcwJcrscy0 proved As cOnynciugly that his
phere must be very teDuOus."
KEROsESR WARNING TAG.-The tag for
kerosene cans prepared by Professor Burt c. wilder OF
Cornell University has been patented. Dealers can
also obtain 1t at merely nominal pilcc.