The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1881-02-23
Electric Discharges From Animals.

III Il recent communication W INC
Scientific AmertcdR Mr.. Jacob Thomp-
son, Of Benicia, Cal, describes an in
terestng exhibition Of electric action
observed by him on the evening OF Oct.
II. For the first time for several
months the wind was blowing a pretty
stiff breeze from the northeast, the
regular summer wind OF that part OF
California coming from the west With
the change of wind there was a marked
change from the humid air of the ocean
to the dry atmosphere of the interior,
with a corresponding change in the
electrical condition of the air. This
was especially manifested in the APP
pearance of horses and mules, whose
hair stood out in all directions, the long
hairs of their tails spreading out like u
brush. When Mr.. Thompson brought
his hand near the diyerging hairs the
brush of hair was strongly attracted by
the hand, and very preceptiblc elect
ric discharge was felt, attended by u
cracking noise. The appearance was
first noticed about half-past t. and con-
tinued until o. clock or later Never
having noticed the appearance before,
Dir. Thompson thinks it cannot be very
common in that region
II is the first time, so far as we know
that the phenomenon has been report
cd from point so near TO and so near the
level Of the sea. In a recent note to
the French academy, NJ. Amat mentions
a number of observations of a similar
kind, made by him while travelling in
Algeria, between Djelfa and Laghouat,
among the Atlas mountains Nj. Amat
SAYS that he has frequently drawn large
sparks from the hair of his horse by
means of his pocket comb. The best
results were obtained in dry weather in
the evening, between and 8 o'clock.
II the hair was little moist, or the sky
cloudy, no sparks or cracklings could
be got. Animals, and especially horses,
possess in higher degree than man
the power of exhibiting these dis
charges. Travellers on the high plateau
of Central America have remarked that
the coats of their horses discharge
sparks under the brush or currycomb
and in South Algeria it is common tc
see the hairs of the tail so much alive
with the electric forces that they diyergt
from the centre. On stroking the tai
by hand distinct cracking sounds may
be heard, especially during the day
One reason why man accumulates les
electricity than the horse is perhaps
that the horse is better insulated on hi
horny hoof. Animals, however, do no
seem to be alone in such electric
manifestations
1t appears from recent report b,
another African traveller, Mr.. A. w
hutchinson, that the natives of ives
Central Africa are quite susceptible q
electric excitation. One evening, Will
disciplining a native with cowhid
whip, he was astonished TO see spark
produced not by a blow between eye
as would have happened in MOI
civilized country, but by the action {
the whip on the natives naked ski
He saws he was "still more surprise
to find the natives themselves were quit
accustomed to the phenomenon.
Evidently their habits of scientific in
vestigation, are much more advance
or they would have improved tn
opportunity to discover whethe
sparks could be brought under Xix
conditions from a white mans skin
. Mr.. hutchinson subsequently found, h
says, that a very light touch, repeate
. several times, under certain condition
> of bodily excitement aud in certai
. states Of the atmosphere, would produc
a succession of sparks from the bodie
d of native men as well as native cattl,
!. During electric storms mountain-climl
ers not unfrequently find themselvt
: highly charged; and we have seen tn
same appearance, in a lesser degre,
among the Adirondacks during e'
= tremly cold weather,