St. Landry democrat., 1881-05-14
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

FRANCISCO, In the instantaneous nhoto
eraphy OF moving animals, reports of
which are given from time to time.
nese pictures, taken at different stages
.. ."e ANIMALS motion, show various
oinerent postures of the limbs and
oouy' Some time ago, Mr.. Muybridge
devised an instrument for exhibiting
I"ese photographs. 1t is called the 70
oSyfoscope, and series of pastures of
any animal being placed in it and
iap'o'y rotated gives the appearance Of
d immature moving animal, every mo-
'lon or any animal shown-even to the
wh'sk OF its tail-being faithfully re-
produced by this ingenious combination
OF the Photographic views. This sys-
TEN or course furnishes valuable
means for the study of animal motion,
advantage OF which has been taken in
various ways. Some late interesting
experiments have been made with the
skeleton OF Il horse, which was taken
apart and supplied with artificial liga-
ments to the joints. This prepared
skeleton WAS made to assume the vari-
GUS positions of the living horse, as
shown by previous photographs, and
exposed to the camera while in those
positions. The pictures thus secured
are placed in the zoogyroscope, where
the skeleton is shown in all the move
ments Of the living animal in its various
gaits OF cantering, pacing, running,
trottlng and walking, presenting sim
gular and fascinating view, especially
valuable to the veterinary surgeon, who
is thus enabled to determine in a prac-
teal manner the effect of motion on
the various joints.
The peculiarities of the Chinese Ian
guage have presented great difficulties
to telegraphists so that the new instru-
ment, the telephone, is received with
peculiar favor by the Chinese Govern
ment, which has, it is reported, resolved,
to establish system of telephon es
throughout the country.
In experiments with sugar-beets, a
German agriculturist has found that
the application of phosphoric acid in
the spring materially increases the yield
of sugar.
Prof. Scbiibeler's observations show
that the long summer days Of high lat
itudes cause flowers, fruits, ETC., to gain
in intensity of color and aroma, while
from the want of heat, the fruits be
come deficient in sweetness.
Vesta, the largest of the minute plan.
cts known as Asteroids" is computed
to have a diameter of about three hun
dred miles; and Echo the smallest, il
probably about ten miles in diameter
Some mathematician has lately fur.
nished the rough but interesting calcu
lation that the Sun is a thousand times
the volume Of Jupiter; Jupiter, &
thousand times that Of the Earth
| the Earth, a thousand times that Of
Vesta; and Vesta, thousand time'
that of Echo-the "baby" of the solar
system as at present considered. A
vast number of bodies far more minute
than Echo is doubtless revolving abou
the Sun, but these fragmentary masses
are so small as to be unseen by astron
omers except when they flash as me
teors through the upper regions of on
atmosphere on their way to the earth.
Various kinds of smoke have recent,
been examined microscopieally, ant
found to consist of particles having ;
diameter of about the fifty -thousandtI
part of An inch.
The frescoes of Pompeii represent
considerable number Of plants, and. ia
4 king advantage of the discoveries mad
during the recent excavations on TIN
occasion of the centenary of the erup
ton DR.. Comes has identified no fewe
than Fifty different plant species OF
frescoes. In this manner he has shown
among other things, that the ancien
RomaGs possessed or knew plants for
eign to Italy.
II have epdeavored to state the high
er and more abstract arguments D!
which the study Of physical scienc
may be shown to be indispensable t
the complete training of the human
mind, but do not wish it to be sup
posed that because | may be devoted
to more or less abstract and unpsacti
cal pursuits l am insensible to tn
weight which ought to he attached t
that which has been said TO be tho En-
glish conception Of paradise-nameIs
getting on Now the value OF
knowledge of physical science as
means Of getting on Ia tndabitablf
There are hardly any of our trade;
except the merely huckstering ones, ii
which some knowledge of science ma
not be directly profitable to the pursu
or of that occupation. An industry at
tains higher stages of its development
as it's processes become more eompii
Gated and refined, and the sciences al
dragged in, one by one, to take thei
share in the fray.-Huxley."
At recent sotree in Paris n. Irony
showed live fish with its body llghte
from within by his polyscope, minut
form of which, with conducting wire
passing to the hands of the operator
the fish had boep caused to swallow