New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-11
SCIENCE FOR THE PEOPLE
HAWAIIAN VOLCANOES.


of Science from liio. Hawaii. in the early part
of last NAV describing the eruptions of Mauna
Loa and Kilauca. Hllo," he says, Is IN a
haze of sulphur smoke, and we see the sun as
through smoked glass. We have grand
volcanic eruption. On the LIST inst. a little before
daylight, n herusman, who lives about two miles
out of town, reported that he had seen lieht
on MauGa Ioa. At s p. H. OF the same day,
my wife called my attention to an unusual light
in the direction of the mountain. AT first II
was partly obscured by clouds so that we
hesitated TO pronounce 1t volcanic. In
few minutes, however. the revelation was
clear The clouds dispersed and the spectacle
of burning mountain opened to our sight.
The action was intense. The appearance was
rs if a vast column of melted rock, mile IN
diameter, was being poured out OF the
mountain with amazing force ana Venemeht
heat. Brilliant corIuscatODs shot out IN all
directions, lighting up the clouds 10 the ap-
parent height of so and spreading ont Tor
many miles along the summit OF the eastern
side of the mountain. 1hls eruption occur
ring in the night, we were unable 10 determine
Mt once its exact locality. Since that night the
mountain has been so yelled Ia CLOUDS anu hu
smoke that we nave not Oecn abie 10 see tue
fire. We have however, learned by people
coming from Puma and from Kan, via kilauea,
that the roaring furnace is still in fierce blast,
and that its locality Is probably IN the terminal
crater MOkuaweOweO. Some affirm that there
are three points Of active eruption unon the
mountain, and that lava streams are moving,
but these rtpOl Us are DOt luilN lillSl
"Since my letter of June 20, 1879, kllauea has
resumed great activity. Rarely I'D It's recorded
history have the fires been more intense or the
| filing up more rapid. Lateral streams OF
| liquid rock are bursting through the sc0riaceons
sides of Halemaumau-the lake and cone III the
south crust of the crater-and flowing down the
! declivities into the central depression, AIDING
stratum to stratum while the great lake bolls,
and dashes its waves against It's walls ana
sends its burning spray nigh INTO the an
THE SWIMMING BLADDER OF FISHES.
| In a recent note to the Paris Academy,
! Professor Marangonl gives the results ne mas
arrived at III q study of the swlmmlhg-oiad-
der. lie states, first. That IL Is the organ
| which regulates the migration or hshes, tnose
| fishes that are without 1t not migrating from
! bottoms of little depth. where they find tepid
water; while fishes which have bladder
are such as live IN deep, cold wa
ter. and migrate to deposit their
ova in warmer water near the sur
face. Next fishes do not rise like the Carte
sian diver (in the weli-known experiment.,
and they have to cOunteract the influence OF
| tbeir swimming bladder with their inns. III
some small dead and living fishes be put in a
vessel tlree-0uarters full of water and the ar
| be compressed or raTeied, one finds In the
| former case the dead fish descend while the
| living ones rise, head III ADVANCE 10 the sur
| face. Rarefying has the opposite effect
| Fishes have reason to fear the passive IN
fuences due to hydIOstatic pressure; when
fshed from a great depth, their bladder
il often found to be ruptured. Thirdly
the swimming bladder produces IN nshes
| twofold instabi!ity-One of level, the other or
position. A fish, having once adapted us
| bladder to live at a certain depth' nay
through the slightest variation OF pressure De
either forced downwards or upwards, ana
| fins they are in unstable equilibrium as 10
level. As to position. the bladder being III
the ventral region. the centre OF gravity Is
above the centre of pressure, so that hshes
are always threatened with inversion ana,
indeed, they take the inverted position wbeh
| dead or diving This double instability forces
fishes to n continual gymnastlc movement,
and doubtless helps to render them strong
and agile. The most agile of terrestrial AM
mails are also those which have least stability
CLEAKNESS OF ITALIAN SKIES.
Professor s. p. Langley. of Allegheny
Observatory Penn. gives In ne Amerlca'
Journal of Science some account OF his obserya
tons on Mount Etna during his recent vlsi
TO Europe. The observations were maue ~ :
lava hut, known as Casa del BOsco' on th'
| southeast slope OF the mountain at an elevator
| of 4 300 it,, with n telescope OF ga mche
onertnre. Mr. Langley's eyeslght Is not above
an average. Ordinarily he sees only SIX star
in the Pleiades, and on a clear nlGht q
Allegheny cannot see the companion OF FOlar
| 1tbe Pole starr with less than two inches o
The following are some of the results on thu
slOpe of Etna between Dec -, 1910, an'
January -, 1879: ~ Pielades with nake'
eve. moon not set, nine stars steadily vlsloe
G2) Companion of Polaris position previousI!
unknown. recognized with 1.6 In. aperture
, IN COMPANION Of Rigel steadily seen with IL
in. aperture not seen with IA in. a. Bet
LeD0ris. Companion mag. ID seen with fUi
aperture. 90 Aldebaran. Companion (mag
ii ~ an easy object with full aperture 10
The nebula in ORION being about 4O' high ant
moon half full, the 9Th star in the trapezun
was seen with full apertu Z. 90 iota Orl0nis
The Sd star Q1th mag) seen with ia inches
A little later, however, the definition BEN
! worse, could not discern the llth mag sta
: preceding Sigma Orions. (S). 9th star i
, trapczjun of Orion steadily seen. but coul,
not be sure of 9th. (9) Sd star lota O1onl
9th mag seen with ga in III spite OF moon
I hight
{ REACHING THE POLE IN BALLOON.
Commander Cheyne, of the British navy, |
still endeavOrng TO carry out his plan oil reach
! ing the North Pole by means OF BALLOONS.
London committee, consisting OF the Dean o
Westminster. the Master of the Temple, ID
D Vaughan. the Minister OF Finance for canada
G and seventy members OF Parliament an
scientific men, has been formed and owe
S7. 900 collected towards the purpose OF carry
! Ing ont the new venture, the ultimate cost 0