Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-06-08
SCIENCE.

A new species of fresh-water turtle
has been discovered In Siam. The
principal upper plates of the shell are
concave.
According to the French journals,
the River Seine is now lower than it
has been at any other time since the
year 1884.
Eighty-two out of every one hundred
weather predictions published by the
Central Bureau of Meteorologo (cor-
responding with our Signal Service
Weather Bureau) in France, are verified
by the results.
A hyacinth which had blossomed
six inches below the surface, in conse-
quence of being under a stone. was re-
Gently shown to the scientific committee
of the Royal Horticultural Society, Lon
don. The leaves were white but the
flowers were cOlored deep purple
An Association for the cultivation of
Science, the object of which is to en-
aLle students to pursue scientific studies
after leaving college, has been founded
in India, and the Viceroy recently laid
the foundation of its building at Cal
cutta.
The distinguished French engineer
and inventor, Henry Giffard, who re-,
Gently died in Paris. at what seems the
early age of fifty-seven, left his property
to the government of France to be en-
ployed for the advancement of science.
His fortune amounts to several millions
of francs.
The estimated cost of providing cleo.
trio means of illumination for forty-two
lighthouses on the coast of France is
an amount equal to $1,050,O0O. The
maintenance of each of these establish
ments, when lighted by electricity, will
cost about 81, 400 year more than un-
der the old oil system.
In Eoticing the introduction of the
Edison electric light system on the Hol-
born viaduct in London, the English
Mechanic says that the whole of the
current employed, which is sufficient
to supply about one thousand lamps
OF sixteen candle power, could be pass
ed through the body without injury.
A tusk discovered in a ravine in
Queensland, Australia, was submitted
for examination some months ago to
Professor Owen, who thinks it indicates
the former presence on the Australian
continent of an elephant or mastodon
somewhat smaller than the existing
elephantine species found in Africa or
Asia.
The new comet Of the present year,
which may properly be .knoNnas Wells
comet, is remarkable for the proximity
of its path to the sun. Only ten other
comets have been known to approach
the sun so closely as this one seems
likely to do. Astronomers predict that
the best view of it will be obtained
from the Southern hemisphere. 1t has
been exceptionally bright from the time
it was first detected.
A helvy oil, known as pinoieum, is
now extracted from the pine in consid-
cradle quantities in the French depart
ment of the Landes, and is utilized in
painting, and as a preServative agent
while the same tree also yields lighter
oil, which has the chemical constitu-
ton of turpentine, but does not produce
resin, and may safely be employed for
purposes of illumination. Indeed, it is
said to excel petroleum.
Two remarkable microscopes, a giant
and a pigmy. were exhibited at the
April meeting of the Royal Microscope
cal Society of London. One was four
feet and half high, and weighed
about one hundred and twenty-five
pounds. The other was four inches
high, and weighed only few ounces
Six instruments of this size could be
placed in the eye piece of the other
The member by whom they were shown
called the large one Jumbo and the
small one Midget. The former was
supposed to have been constructed
about fifty years since.
At the International Fisheries Exhi.
bition held at Edinburgh in April was
shown sea anemone which is believed
to be sixty years old. 1t was caught
in the Firth of Fourth in August, 1928
when its age was estimated at seven OF
eight years, and was then placed in the
glass jar it has occupied ever since
1t has survived three owners, and is
now in custody of a fourth, the curator
of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Edin.
burgh; but 1T is usually spoken of as
Sir John Graham Dalzell's see anemone
in recognition of its original captor,
and IS still more Familiarity known as
Granny.