Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-12-07
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

TIE Paris society of agriculture and in
sociology, whose exhibition of preserved
specimens has just closed, proposes estab-
lisAing a menagerie Of living insects, and
the city ot Paris has contributed eonsid-
cradle sum in aid of the project.
ALCOHOL has been found by Mons
Muntz to be very widely difused in ma
ture. Il exists in nearly all water, includ-
ing rain and snow, and it is probable that
the air contains much of it in the state OF
vapor. Poor soil yields traces of it, and
rich mould has considerable quantity.
METHOD OF adulterating milk by add
ing to it solution of commercial glucose
has been exposed by Mons. Krechel in g
communication to the French Academy OF
Sciences. As the solution has the density
of good milk, the adulteration was not de-
tected by the ordinary testing instru.
ments.
The now famous fossil footprints found
last year at Carson, Nevada, and supposed
to have been made by prehistoric human
giants. are regarded by Prof. o. G. Marsh
as probable tracks of large sloth. It is
stated, however, that Dr.. Hardness still
insists that the impressions were left by q
species OF man, and that ne finds his
theory strengthened by fresh discoveries
of tracks.
LATE observations made at Lausanne
Switzerland, have shown that an intimate
| connection exists between the electrical
condition Of the atmosphere and the
weather; and it is thought that an intelli-
ant TI=a rF- ,f,ta al
enable msteoroIogists to forecast the
weather several days in advance. The
electric tension of the air is strong during
fine weather, but its rapid weakening in
dieates the approach of a storm.
PRoF. EDWARD HALL considers that
throughout the early geological epochs
known as archaean, silnrian and carbonif-
erous, the sea covered North America, the
British isles and western Europe, while q
large part OF the north Atlantic area exist
ed as dry land. He urges that if his con-
illusions prove to be well grounded the
doctrine of the peFmanency Of oceans and
continents, as tested by the case of the
north Atlantic. N ust be discarded.
LIENT. Dick, of the Russian army, has
discovered new Illuminating powder
which has attracted the favorable attsn-
ton of the German government. It causes
any objects to which If may be applied to
become luminous, and water in glass yes
sci may be converted into an illuminating
fluid by the addition of some of the pow
der. The new illuminant consumes nc
oxygen, which fact makes it desirable for
use in mining operations. Its illuminat
ing power lasts eight hours, when new
supply OF powder becomes necessary.
VIENNA scientist has perfected a re
markahle modification of the microscope
to which The name OF gastroscope ha:
| been given. It's to be used for looking in
TO the interior of the human stomach. L
consists OF tube about twenty-six inche:
| long, and half an inch thick, bent at ar
angle of so degrees ct about one-fourth
of its length from the lower end. At its
| lover extremity is an incandescent eIectris
lamp for lighting up the stomach, and q
microscope objective. Prisus are ar
ranged TO reflect the image-bearing pencil
OF light along the tube, and past the bend
70 the e7e-piece. Provision is made for
circulation of water about the lamp *
/ prevent inconvenisnt heating.
PHOTOGRAPHY of the stars now forms sn
inportsnE part OF the work done at The
Harvard observatory. a region OF ths
heavens fifteen degrees square is photo