The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1881-06-09
POPULAR SCIENCE.

Two eggs of the extinct great aux
were recently sold by auction in Eden
burgh, both being purchased by Lord
Lillord at flOO, the other at 102
guineas-probably the largest sum ever
paid FOR a single egg with the cxcep-
ton of that Of the moa, a siugle spec
linen of which was sold ut the same
place in 1865 for GOO.
To make paste for papcr.-Take ten
parts by weight gum arabic, add three
parts OF sugar,in order to prevent the
gum from cracking; then add water I'M
til the desired consistency is obtained.
Ifa very strong paste is required, add q
quantity offiour equal in weight to the
gum without boiling the mixture The
paste improves in strength when it be-
gins TO fcrmcnt.
Ivory is readily rendered quite flcxi-
Die by immersion in a solution of pure
phosphoric acid Specific gravity LID
until il loses, or partially loses its op ic-
ity when il is washed in clean cold wa
ter and dried. In this state it is as
flexible as leather but gradually hard
ems by eNposuEe to dry air. Immersion
in hot water however restores its soft
ness and pliancy. The following method
may also be employed: Put the ivory
to soak in three ounces nitric acid mix
ed with fifteen ounces water. In three
or four days the ivory will be soft.
a curious experiment in heat is per-
formed with apparatus used by DIR.
Grassi. The apparatus consists of three
conccn,ric vessels, separated by annu-
lar spaces of about three fourth of an
inch. The outer space is filed with
oil and the inner with water. The oil
is heated 10 n point above PIP degrees
Fahrenheit, when the water begins TO
boil. Oil heated to 500 degrees is then
introduced into the central vessel. and
falls rapidly to temperature about
that of the boiling water. DIR. Grassi
finds that this central oil cools the more
quickly the greater the heat ofthe outer
ring Of ola result seemingly very
paradoxical.
Speaking Of the formation of noun
iains, Prof. Favrc, of Geneva, has
said that the three systems which
account for the origin of mount
aims do not differ greatly from each 9TH
err. Those who admit the system of ele-
vations as the principal cause would
probably admit the formation of de-
pressions as secondary cause while
those who give dcpressions the first
place would also admit elevations as a |
secondary factor. lastly in the systcm..of |
lateral crushing there is a general de- |
preston of the earth, since there is a
dimiuuiion i'm the length of the radius
of the globe, and yet there result eleya-
lions of The ground in the midst IF this
general depression.
a paper on the presence of alcohol in
the ca rih. in water and in the air, was
recently read before the French acad-
cny of sciences. The author. NJ. Muuiz
has developed the method depending on
the change of alcohol into iodoiorm,
so that one millionth OF alcohol in wa
ter can be detected. Alcohol is found
in all natural waters except very pure
spring water and in greater quantity in
snow. Rain water aud the water OF the
Seine contain about one grammc per
cubic metre. Alcohol. no doubt also
exists rs vapor in the atmosphere. In
soils. especially those which are very
rich in organic matter. there is a con-
siderable quantity. The wide diffusion
Of alcohol in nature is due TO the de-
of organic matter by various
agents OF fermentation.