The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1882-03-16
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> For THE HERALD.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

For THE HERALD.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.
A year or more ago gate-post
which had been painted with So
called zlnc-white was noticed TO ap
pear black all day, gray in the twi
light and white during the night,
changing to black again very
soon after sunrise. Mr.. T. l..
Phipson was led to Investigate
this singular chameleon property
of the paint, and after much re-
search has shown the cause TO ex-
ist in a new metal, which has been
named actinum on account of its
peculiar actinic effects. 1t is
found in zinc ores, and resembles
zinc.
In an experiment by NJ. Paul
Bert upon live crocodile, The ami
| NAL being made to forcibly close
it's mouth exerted a pulling force
of 3O8 pounds upon a rope at.
tached to the end Of its upper
jaw. The extremity Of the jaw
being the end Of a long lever, the
real power exerted by the mus
cles was much greater and was
computed to be 1910 pounds.
This experiment was made upon
a crocodile already weakened BY
cold and fatigue.
A scboolmaster of Nice has
formed among his pupils society
for the protection of vegetation.
The members are to destroy in
furious larvae ard protect harm
less birds. Their interest 10 the
work is kept up by the election Of
laureates and tho award of prizes.
In four months of 1881 the chill
dren destroyed 4,555 belts Of moth
eggs, representing no fewer than
1,363,500 larvae; 194,3 cabbage
larvae; 1883 grasshoppers 629
butterflies ,91l slugs and snails !;
1924 grubs; and 1921 insects Of
various kinds. The work is both
very valuable and very instruc-
tive.
Attention has been called to
some new facts in relation to
color-blindness. Careful investi-
cations have shown the Chinese
and the Nubians to be practically
free from the defect. DR.. Roberts
has observed that color-blindness
is most common among persons
Of reddish or red hair, and it is
very prevalent among the Jews,
who are the most decidedly red
haired Of all known races. 1t is
thought probable, therefore, that
there may be some correlation OF
color blindness with pigmentation
and Indirectly with racial pecu
liarities.
| Sounds produce in certain in
dividuals the impression of color
This curious phenomenon, whlc b
was first described by Nussbau m er
in 1873, has recently been made
The subject of systematic study by
Herren BIeulen and Leh mann, o:
Zurich. They find that the col
ors associated with different notes
differ with the Individuals, beng
as a rule light for high notes anc
dark for low notes. Chords either
cause the colors which correspond
to their notes to appear to thF
mind side by side or give a mixture
of those colors. The same note il
different keys changes in color
and to many persons differen
colors appear when the same piec'
is played by different instruments
Noises, as we'll as musical notes
, are accompanied by colors, vary
: ing with the intensity and pitcl
of the sound. OF 500 individual
, examined, one-eighth were color
r hearers Four persons perceived
sound as result Of sensations o
light and color. A broad, quietly
burning gas fame led to the per
ception of sound formed of Z
and a light vowel like e; bu
when the fame fickered th
sound became that Of ]. Thes
cases can generally be explained
by an association Of sounds witt
colors by the individual minds
and the phenomenon is largel.
II hereditary.
The newly completed observs
- tory on Mount Etna is 5000 fee
10 above the sea-level, and the clear