Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1883-01-18
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

One Of its principles is that organs or
functions Of living creatures gradually
disappear if unused. A familiar illus
tration is furnished by the blind fish
Of caves, whose eyes through long dis
use have been reduced to rudimentary |
and sightless state. 1t appears, how
ever, that the evolution view does not
always hold good. if it be true, as late
ly stated, that in some European in
stances mice have been raised in abso
Lutte darkness for many GENERATIONS
without appearing to have lost in the
slightest degree the sensitiveness Of the
eye TO light.
Of hundred peas preserved in the
free air by Messr1. Van lieghem aud
Castor BONNER, ninety afterward germ
mated; Of q hundred enclosed with air
in sealed tube, only forty five; while
Of q like lot kept in carLon.c acid gas,
meme grew. Similar results were Oh
tanned with Other seeds, showing clear
y that all seeds should be stored where
pure air may have full access to them.
A substitute for cod liver oil which
has met with considerable favor is ex-
tracted from the dugong, an herbivor.
or cetacean inhabiting the warm seas
near Australia and the Eastern Arch
ipelago. The dugong oil is free from
the unpleasant odor and tsste SO objec.
tionable in cod liver oil, and is less
liable to change in keeping.
A volcanic eruption from the Kara
betow mountain in the Caucasus is re-
ported. This mountain has not before
shown volcanic Phenomena during his.
tnric times.
A curious observation concerning
seme Of the Australian acacias Acacia
dealbata) acclimatized 10 India is re-
recorded by DR.. Brands, director Of
the Indian Forest Department. These
trees were probably introduced on the
Nilgiris several years before lS45.
They we're known to flower in l845 in
October, the month Of their Australian
covering time; but in 1860 they flow
cred in September; in 1870 in August;
in 1878 in July; and in 1882 they be-
gan to flower in June--the spring
month in India, corresponding to Octo-
Der in Australia. 1t is remarkable
that it should have taken the trees
nearly forty years after removal to re-
gain their habit Of Towering in spring
II has been found that sunlight has
considerable action upon glass. Color.
less glass. for example. has become yel.
low, and light yellow, green and blue
have turned to the darker or mellow
shades Of those colors, while coffee col
ored glass has been known to material
" change to rose and amber in the
short space Of five years. 1t is sug
gested tina. the rich ,ints so much ad.
mired in the stained windows Of old
cathedrals may be dus - the action Of
ths sun light during many years in
tonins down the originally quite bright
Or harsh colors.
A medical authority slater that the
oyster contains fourteen per cent. Of
flesh forming material, which 10 about
the amount obtained from eggs. 1t ha.
but i've per cent. less of muscle making
matter and two per cent. less of fat
than lean beef. 1t seems surprising
that among the thousands Of species of
shell-fsh only very few kinds are eat
en-, such as oysters, CLAIMS, psriwinkles,
cookies and mussels. But two or tire q
species are known to be poisonous.
In his last contribution to science,
Darwin showed the wonderful work
that is performed by earth worms in
the formation Of the vegetable mould
OF soil which covers the earth in all
moderately humid countries. The mum.
Der Of these creatures is vas, Henson's
calcula'ion-quoted by Darwin--b-ins
that each acre Of garden mould con
tains 53,767 worms, while about half
that numb-r must exist to the acre m
corn fields. A recent careful exanina
ton in New Zealand by Mr.. A T.
Uruuhart proves that even these &.
nres may be far below the truth. On
digging up u quarter Of an acre 4 pas
ture land, and testing the soil in many
places over a considerable area, from
four to twenty six earth. worms per
square loot were found. The aliuyial
fats. slopes aud richer parts of the up
v,~r topls .vorooal 49,,