Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-04-30
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY

The pitcher plant Of Dorneo has
been found TO be q natural insect
trap. mourning ridges efiectually
preventing the escape of any creep
ing insects which may enter. In or
der to safely reach the prisoners thus
entrapPed a species Of black ant in
geriously perforstes the stalk of the
plant aud tunnels upward to the
pitcher, providing IA this manner a
highway by means Of which ready
access is had TO a sumptuous fare of
dead and decaying insects.
The hats Of natives OF British Co.
lumbia are adorned with figures re-
sambling tatto marks. DR.. Daily
has discovered that these marks all
have q definite meaning, being. in
fact, records Of events which have
taken place in the lives Of the wear
ers. Each individual thus displsys
his history upon his head.
An estimate has lately been made
by Herr Salzer placing the number
Of optic uerve-fbers at about 43S,.
600. and the number of reiinal cones
at 3, 3G0. 900 in each human eye.
NJ. Raoul Pictet suggests the use
of a great parabolic mirror, thirty
five feet in diameter as q means of
concentrating the suns rays and Sc
curing degree of heat far greater
than any ever produced artifcially.
He certain substances now
considered as elementary to be CON-
pounds, and he believes they may be
divided into their elements by the
application Of the intense heat in the
mirrors focus.
The idea was long prevalent that
the living bodies of human beings
and animals might, under certain
circumstances, take fire spontan-
eously and be more or less COM
pletely consumed. Alleged cases Of
this kind were even placed on re.
cord. The utter impossibility ofany
such result was demonstrated by
Liebig, who showed that no amount
of fat, alcohol or phosphorus which
living body could possibly contain
would render it combustible.
A remarkable discovery was lately
made in the region Of the Pyrenees.
In a cave of the paleolithic or "old
stone" period there were found
teeth Of the cave-bear adorned with
drawings, some of which represent
human beings covered with long
hair. These rude pictures must date
many thousand years before the
dawn of historic times.
It has been claimed by several
writer's that more than one of the
so-called annual rings" of trees
may be formed in a single season,
but the question has never been con.
clusively settled. The observations
of Mr.. L. Kny in England last year
seem to show that two rings may be
formed in the small branches Of
trees during a season, but that the
interruption of growth in summer
causing the division Of these rings
is too slight to extend to the trunks.
Consequently, it may be considered
that the plumber of concentric rings
of wood in the trunks OF trees re-
presents very nearly their actual age
in years.
A peculiar substance has been
found by Prof. A. Scacchi In the
lava which issued from Vesuvius
during the year 1851. He supposes
it to be new metal, and gives it the
name uesbium.
An analysis has been made of the
soil of cemetery in which no inter-
ment has been made for thirty years,
and the products of animal decom'
position are found to be still prese&
A small quantity Of tho essential
oil of aloes was recently exhibited
in Edinburgh. 1t is believed to DO
the only specimen in the world. Inc
oil exists only in minute quantity ID
aloes, but two fluid drachms having
been obtained from five hundred
pounds Of aloes.
Some two years since, according
to foreign medical report, q girl OF