The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1881-07-19

4ur.ti - ~ de1issss ofsks spiasies
5ufIssed mech from Il This year the
bees hsye made provision against sim
ilar emerseney by filing large number
Of tlspxtapnal els in eyerY hire wilh
tufe water inste2d Of honey. Il h
believed thst the instinct Of che insects
Ieads them TO anticipate hot summer
and to provide against it
-AftT a,cruise Of few months in the
South Pacific OCEAN, q French man-Of-
war was recently found to have speci-
mems of living coral growing upon its
hull, which interesting discovery has
thrown some light on the question Of the
rapidity Of growth of corals. The eyi-
dence tends to show that the vessel on
passing . reef of the Gambler Islands,
against which it rubbed, had picked up a
young .fmgia, which adhered to the
sheathing Of the ship, and grew to the
size and weight it had when observed-a
diameter of nine inches and weight of
two and one-half pounds-in nine weeks.
"A new use for photography in con-
nection with the higher arts has been
found in the discovery that it may be re-
lied upon to detect any restoration or
tampering with old paintings. On re-
Gently examining the first proof of we'll
known Madonna, in the British National
Gallery, the photographer observed a
disfguring blur over the forehead. No
such blur was discernible, in the original,
except upon close inspection with the aid
of mAgnifying glass. The microscopic
examination showed that the restorer had
repaired some casual damage with skill
that reproduced the color and the texture
of the painter; but he had not used the
same pigments, and this was instantly
detected by the subtle chemistry of light.
Probably no man has more thorough
ly explored or more carefully studied the
ancient caves of Great Britain and their
contents than Prof. w. Boyd Dawkins,
F. II. s., who recently lectured in Lon
dor upon the early inhabitants whose
traces are found in these caverns. Among
the interesting results of his investiga-
tions be mentioned that the horse was
used for food by these primitive people,
and probably also the dog. The dog OF
those times appears to have been much
larger animal than the average dog of
the present day. Fire was obtained by
striking a light from the familiar mineral,
iron pyrites. The potter's wheel does
not seem to have been known, but pot
terry was made by hand. The cave i'm
plements show that the prehistoric inhab-
itants ground corn, and engaged to some
extent in mining operations.
The journal he Physiq1e-long edi,
ted by NJ. d'Almeida, lately deceased
narrates this interesting episode: During
the investment and siege of Paris by the
German armies in 1901, NJ. d. Almeida
took prominent part in certain attempts
to re-establish telegraphic communication
between Paris and the provinces, using
the River Seine as a conductor This
suggestion originated with NJ Bourbouzt
(of galvanometer fame), who was, after
the war, created a cheyalier for his sug
gestion. It was proposed to send power
full currents into the River Seine from
batteries at the nearest available point
outside the German lines, and to receive
in Paris, by delicate galvanometers, from
the river such portion of these currents
as might not have leaked into the earth
After some preliminary experiments, il
was decided to make the attempt, and
accordingly on Dec. II, 1870, M. d'Al
media was despatched by balloon to tn.
provinces in order to try to establish this
novel mode of telegraphy without wires
The balloon descended after sundry perili
in the Arcadian solitudes Of Champagne
outside the Prussian lines. Thence ht
proceeded to Havre, where he was com
PEELED to wait for the arrival of apparatus
lfrom England. The Instruments were
conveyed to POissy, where M d'Almeids
arrived on Jan. IA, 1871. Ice in the
river now interfered, and ere the attemp
at communication could be made tn,
armistice was proclaimed 1t was too
late and the world missed famous sci
enti6c exploit from among those which
made the siege Of Paris notable beyonc
all other sjeges Of history. illG
/ Prof Henry Draper, Of New York
succeeded in taking photograph Of tn,