The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1882-01-08
SCIENTIFIC MIsCELLANY.


A captive balloon is TO be used at the
Paris Observatory for making meteoro-
logical observations at a height of a
mile and a half above the surface Of
the earth.
A Russian saudnt offers the novel but
absurd hypothesis that hail is of COS
mical origin, and is captured by our
world in its journey through space in
the same way that meteorites are at
tracted to this planet.
A new celluloid, made by treating
potatoes with sulphuric acid, is said to
make pipes equal to meerschaum, and
is employed for that purpose in France.
Under heavy pressure the material be-
comes SO hard that billiard balls may
be manufactured from it.
When a drop of nitric acid is allowed
to remain a few moments upon the sur
face of a piece of metal, filed until
bright and clean, a pale ashy-gray spot
is left if the metal is wrought iron, a
brownish black il steel, a deep black IL
iron. The carbon present in various
proportions produces the differences in
color. This is therefore considered a
sure test.
The curious phenomenon Of phospho-
resent ice, observed in the Arctic reg
ions, has been described by Mr.. j. Allen.
When ever the observer saw a lump of
ice shattered at night by the vessel
carrying him, he perceived a peculiar
light emitted by the frozen fragments.
The light is very like that produced by
breaking a piece OF sugar in the dark.
In a recent address, DIR. Slemens
commended the open fireplace for its
sanitary advantages. Unlike radiating
stoves, it warns the walls and furni-
ture Of a more than the air. If
the air with a room is hotter than the
walls moisture condenses on the latter
causing mildew and fermentation, with
resulting liability to disease on the part
OF the occupants of the loom.
Mr.. e. Z. Fish has noticed that many
birds seem to possess powers of ventrilo-
quism. From a distance of a few feet,
the cuckoo makes its voice appear to
come from a furlong away; singing on a
low branch, the thrush seems to be In
the tree-top; the vesper-sparrow and
the field-sparrow are apparently in a
distant field, although really on a neigh
boring fence. The robin and the cat
bird are endowed with a similar power;
and the oven-bird, singing at a distance,
almost causes the listener to believe 1t
to be within reach by its sharp, ringing
notes.
Many coffee drinkers have undoubt-
eddy been disturbed by the widely pub
lished theories OF DR.. Book, of Leipsic,
who pronounces coffee and tea to be
the chief causes Of nerousnessa and peev-
ishness 80 common in our time. Upon
this point, however, doctors disagree,
and we Ind DR.. Henry Segur arguing
that the effects OF these beverages are
iar from injurious. AS a remedial
agent he believes coffee TO be of great
value, while its use promotes digestion,
and otherwise exerts a healthful in
.hi. ha,,ash ~
habitual coffee-drinkers are generally
w O' ago
CURIOUS appilcaelon OF electricity Is
no" employed IN the spanish army
Oonscripts wishing TO escape military
service nave, IL seems, often resorted to
the trick OF Dcnding Inc body while be-
ing measured SO as o bring their stature
peio" tne limit prescribed Tor The SER
vice. 10 prevent fraud OF this kind is
The object OF the new device. When
the man Is standing perfectly erect the
backs OF the legs at the knees press