The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1881-07-16
1onalosonbllle Gblcf.
~ rwo iDoi}ars a Year.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

of settlement and C0iSeq hcnI CHiuNa"""'
Fragments Of celestial bodies ~ the
form of mcteors occasionally reach us
from the distant regions of space. These
stones sxemplify the same chemical ana
crystallnsraphic laws as the rocks OF the
earth and have afforded no new element
or principle Of any kind.
The researches Of Z. PIantamour
have shown that every rise IN temporal
tire is accompanied by an elevation OF
The ground, and fall Of the thermometer
is marked by sinking of the ground
level. The extent Of the movements Is
in some case quite remarkable.
is that wonderful phenomenon, the
aurora borcalis, accompanied by sound
Such is the much question which
is being revived among British scientists.
The evidence of Observers and writers
from the time of Tacit,ls to the present
day is quoted to prove that tie mystic
light Of our northern skies produces a
decided sound.
The following experiment very pref
tily shows the gain III weight by oxida-
ton. A handful of fine zinc filings is
placed on the scnlc-pan of common
balance, which is then brought into
equilibrium by weights in the other
scalc-pan. The application OF II spirit
;,,U tho finrIV
divided zinc, ard as it is slowly CONVEX
ted to a cohesive mass of oxide the scale
pan will descend, showing that in burn
in. it has gained in weight
In the tropics of the Old World the
annual rainfall is, according to Dana,
about II inches, while it is 1856 inches IN
Sout! America In the Eastern United
States, it is 40 to So inches; but west OF
The one hundre,lth meridian, beyond the
Mississippi to the Sierra Nevada, it is
mostly II to IL inches. The annual amount
in Great Britain averages 30 inches; i'll
France, 90 to II inches; farther from the
coast, in Central Germany and Russia,
only Is to 20 inches; but about the Alps,
it is mostly 35 to so inches.
BY keeping the soil beneath charged
with moisture, forest regions tend to
make gradual and constant the supply of
water to the rivers, and give uniformity
to the flow and hence, when forests are
cut away, the rains reach speedily the
streams, making them liable to alternate
periods of wastcful violence and worth.
less fccbcncss. The cutting away of tho
forests has led, in the French Alps, tt
uncomfortable floods, dcspoled fields
and an impoverished people; and, i,
America, to annual seasons Of dry mill
ponds, an immense sacrifice of available
water-powcr, and the descrtion of many
mill-sitc.
"A pair of Italian twins are now be
in. exhibited in Vienna From thu
sixth rib downward these boys arr
grown together. They have but one
abdomen and two feet. The upper part
OF the body is completely developed il
each, and the intellectual faculties OF
each head are of normal character
All the operations OF eating, drinking
sleeping, speaking and thinking are per
formed b. each child independently 0
the other. Further than this, it is quit,
possible for one to suffer All indispostiol
without affecting the other The childrc,
are III perfect health, and arc now over
three years of age.
While our knowledge Of the regions
surrounding the North Pole has bee,
greatly extended by the energy and ell
tcrprise Of modern explorers, compare
lively little has been done in the OK
ploration of corresponding portions o
the southern hemisphere. At the hcat
Of All American expedition, Lieut.. Wilkes
believed that he had established til,
existence of III Antarctic continent ant
this discovery was verified year later
by Sir James Ross, who found the ex
tcnsivo Victoria Land, with mountains
$4,000 feet high and an active volcano
Tho expedition now being fitted out TO
Antarctic exploration under the auspicc
OF the Italian Geographical Society, will
it is stated, DC furnished with cvcrythin;
necessary for !, prolonged voyage, it be
ing the intention of the party, under TIL
command Of Lieut.. Bcve, to winter il
the polar regions.
A very remarkable deposit of petru
leum is described as existing in Vcnczu
ella between the Rio Tar, and Zui;,
Near the former there rises ii sand bank
about thirty five yards in extent, and
some ten yards in height. On its surtac
isvisiblc a collection OF cy cylindrical holes
apparently artiIicially made, through
which streams OF petroleum, mixed Will
boiling water, gusil out with great vic
lcllce, accompanied With IL noise rcsem
bling that oi several boilers blowing 0!
steam. The column OF vapor that rs
crnds from the spot would doubtless b
seen from a long distance were it nu
shruulc,l by the thick forest to whic
,he petroleum beds that evidently Ii
underneath give i perpetual grccnnc>
and freshness of foliage. From one o
these holes oil has been collected ut til
rate Of tour gallons per minute. .
curlons phenomenon bias been occasion
ally seen III Venezuela, consisting of
frequent lightning unacconpaned b
thunder, which is observable from til
bar at the entrance OF tile Lake of MARI