The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1880-05-15
Compiled for the CARBON ADVOCATE.
POPULAR SCIENCE NOTES.

Schafhault estimates the salt in the ocean
ut S,O5l, ,S42 cubic geographical miles,. or
about four times moro than the mass OF the
Alps.
1t is said that the saliva Of an infant. be-
fore the child has cut its teeth, is incapable
of converting starch into sugar This ex
plains at once why all attempts at substl-
tuting larinaceous food in place of mothers
milk, in the case OF infants, invariably fails
Prof. James D. Dana, noted Gcoiogian |
places the epoch OF the forming of the
Green Mountain in the system of which
he includes the whole region between the
Connecticut and the Hudson, at the close of
the Lower Siluran period.
A successful journey to the source Of the
Niger, has been made by two men, zmeiier
and Mouster, of Sierra Leone, placing its
main source on the frontier of Kirsi aud
Koranka, on the northern side Of the Kong
Mountains, some three hundred mies from
Sierre Leone.
The general theory and belief that fish are
cold booded-that is, that they take on
the temperature Of the water which sur
rounds them, with no power to resist it, aud
that they develop little or no animal heat
themselves, has by thorough investigation,
been found to be untrue. In series OF in
vestigatons, most of the fishes showed o per-
ceptibly higher temperature than that OF the
water, varying from 3 to 20 degrees warmer,
The tests were made by opening the fish as
soon after they were taken out as possible
and inserting the bulb of a thermometer in
to the cavity of the heart, or the bronchial
artery.
1t has been thoroughly demonstrated that
no human remains are found except in the
loose soil, alluvium, hence Geological science
places man among the most recent Of created
things. The most conclusive evidence Of
this fact is composed to the depth of miles,
of rocks, and that these rocks are full of the
remains Of animals and plants, thousands OF
species of them, all differing somewhat from
any now in ex:stence-no human bones or
REMAINS DelnB among JnelH'
The Russian and Prussian Governments
have adopted kind of biscuit for horses
containing much nutritive matter in small
volume. They are formed of the meal OF
oats, peas and linseed.
An electric railway, with three cars, cap.
able of carrying twenty passengers, has been
constructed at London, England. A steam
engine drives a dynamo-electric machine,
and the current produced is transmitted to
another machine which works the train,
which travels at the rate of soYen miles an
hour. A still more powerful machine is be-
ing constructed, and some electricians are Of
the belief that these electric engines will
eventually take the place of the locomotives,
ut least for the running of light passenger
trains.
A prize of ESQ ($25O) has been offered by
the council of the London chronological
Society, for the best and most complete life
history OF SeleroStemd Syhgamus, supposed to
produce the so-called "gapes" in poultry,
game, and other birds essays on the subject
7 to be sent in on or before October Is, 1882.
An eminent German philosopher declares
that the simplest method of bringing about
phosphorescence is to place marine fish in a
three per cent. solution of salt, when the
phenomenon will be observed the second
evening. The luminosity, il seems, begins
in the eyes, and thence spreads all oyer the
fish, increasing from day to day in intensity,
| its duration depending upon the tempera-
Iture.
An immense quantity of articles are now
being made of an imitation amber, and sold
for the natural material which are said to
be beautiful in appearance, and SO near the
genuine as to battle even experts to detect
the difference. The principal ingredients
in the counterfeit is colaphony-a resin OBJ
tanned by the decomposition Of turpentine,
though other articles are also used to give it
the requisite qualities.
Due TO the action Of the prolonged day
light of the summer months, in the north
| plants in high laLitudes are said to have
more aromatic lrultsi lollage OF deeper
green, and richer essential oils than similar
plants, growing in more southerly regions.
The deepest mine now being worked in
the world is said to be the Adalbcrt mine
in Australia which is worked with perpen
dcular shaft, three thousand two hundred
and eighty feet deep. This is a lead silver
mine and has been worked with profit fol
many years.
A new kind Of artificial fuel is now being
mGnulactured in Germany, which is said L
be better and much cheaper than wood o
corn. 1t is made in the form of bricks o
blocks, out of peat, coal dust and other com
bustible material, which after beiug mould
ed into shape aud dried is covered oyer viii
] Of nit oh