Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1880-03-22
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

A recent course of experiments made
to determine the heating power of gas
shows that one cubic foot of ordinary
sixteen-candle coal gas will develop 3l8
heat units, while water gas will give
only about 1877 heat units per cubic foot.
Dana estimates the upward increase
of coral reefs to be an average rate of an
eighth of an inch year, at which rate
more than 100000 years must have
been occupied in the formation of reef
1000 feet in thickness.
An examination was lately made of a
quantity of butter taken from an alabas-
ter vase found in an Egyptian tomb. 1t
had evidently been melted and poured
into the vase, which had then been seal
ed. After $500 years the butter had
become only slightly rancid, and had
fully retained the chemical properties,
taste and general appearance of genuine
butter.
In the Ashmolean Museum at oxford
is one of the oldest monuments of civili-
cation 10 existence, if indeed it is not
the very eldest 1t is the lintel-stone of
tomb which formed the last resting
place of an official who lived in the time
of king Sent, of the second Egyptian dy-
nasty, whose date is placed by M. Mari
cite more than six thousand years ago
The stone is covered with hleroglyphics
and delicate and finished sculpture.
Among matters of prehistoric archal
ology which of late have attracted atten
tion in Germany are the "high-felds" OF
"heathen-felds," where the marks o.
ancient tillage are traced on ground nov
waste or forest-grown. These resemble
the "elf-furrows" of Scotland, but il
neither country has the old agriculture
race been identified.
Swedish meterologists have furnished
material for unlimited speculation b,
preparing catalogue of the auroras seel
during the space of more than thre,
centuries-that is, from 1886 to 1877
The record shows that in the periot
from 1922 to 1899 auroras were observed
on 1915 nights.
The life of Mafuka, who lived som
time at Dresden, is among the most in
structive of ape-biographies, as illustrat
ing the striking intelligence of tn
anthropoid, knowing how to unlock he
cage with the key, she stole and hid
for future use; she took the carpenter
brad-awl and bored holes with it throug
her own table; when pouring drink fror
a jug into her cup. she would CAREFUL
stop short of over6lling it. Her deaf
had an almost human pathos: she thre'
her arms around the neck of the directc
of the gardens, Herr Schopf, kissed hin
and putting her hand in his, lay dow
and died.
By means of delicate microphone
Prof. Milne of Toxic, Japan, detec
shocks of earthquake SO feeble as to
unnoticed by other instruments.
\
The malady commonly known as tf
cholera of fowls is caused by minut
living organism. In its natural sta
this organism is very fatal, but by
peculiar mode of culture NJ. Pasteur, tt
French chemist, claims to be able
| greatly reduce its virulenee. If fow
{ are inoculated with the attenuated virl
he produces they become sick, but vel
few die, and those which recover a
secure from the more virulent form
5 the disorder The fatal effects of Il
cholera of fowls may thus be prevente
} M. Pasteur hopes to be able to adapt b
5 plan of artificial culture to all kinds
S virus with the result of securing Il
: means of reducing the severity of a
virulent maladies.
!, Mining at great depths is attended
: greater difficulty on account of the he
4 than is generally supposed. At if
Y feet beneath the earth's surface it is |
e lieved a point is reached where t
/; temperature is entirely unaffected by t
b sun or any external influence. the temp
g rature at that depth being consequent