Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1883-04-28
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

Mr.. Max Buchner notes that insects
form an important food of the Bantus,
"a tribe of negroes inhabiting south
eastern Africa. A black caterpillar
is harvested whenever it appears in
considerable numbers, large parties of
the negroes leaving their villages and
camping for weeks in the wilderness
to secure the crop, which is preserved
for use by pressing out the intestines,
drying before fire, and rolling in
fresh leaves. White ants, certain
fat subterranean cricket and coleOp
ferrous larva living in hollow trees are
highly relished when roasted, Snakes,
frogs and liZards-which these people
might be expected to include in their
bill of fare-are refused even in times
of famine.
DR.. I'll. w. Harknes has submitted
to the California Academy of Sciences
the following description of hitherto
undescribed species of man, to which
TIL: fossil footprints of the State pris-
on quarry at Carson, Nevada, are
attributed: Homo Nevadensis.
Hardness. Length Of track, 1917
inches; width at the ball of the foot, 8
inches; width of heel, 6 inches; aver
age length of step, p inches; length
of slide, "a inches; width of trackway,
l8 inches, as measured from the CEN
ter of the sandal to the center of the
corresponding one. Angle with the
median line, about Is degrees. Each
track being modified in form by 4
sandal, or other protection to the foot.
These few differences drawn from the
rocks are what has thus far been
learned of the extinct Nevada man,
whose probable history and eharac.
teristics will doubtless form a theme
of scientific discussion for years to
come.
The experiments in acclimating the
tea-plant in southern France are Civ
ing encouraging results.
The assertion that audible sounds
are sometimes produced by the aurora
is not new one, but the evidence
supporting such statement has not
been entirely satisfactory. The tes.
timOny of 4 careful observer is now
added. Capt. Dawson, commander OF
the British Circumpolar Expedition
| at Forth Rae. reports that while his
party was travelling northward from
| Winnipeg an aurora was observed
evidently very near-which was &C.
| cOmpanied by a distinct swishins
noise like that of sharp squall in q
ships rigging or that made by whil
| in passing through the air. He is let
to believe that the sound is heard oc
casionally, though rarely, but that il
would be more frequently noticed
were it not that the aurora is generally
at too great height.
Lecturing recently upon the geo
| logical history of Palestine, Prof. f.
Hull, F. r. s., mentioned that the
physical phenomenon which renders
the Holy Land unique among all coun
tries is the remarkable depression OF
| the Dead Sea, the surface of which is
no less than 1900 feet below the leye
| of the Mediterranean. AS the sea cal
have no outlet saline matters gathel
in great quantities, and 24.57 pounds O
| salts are found to exist in each hund
red pounds of surface water. while thu
| Atlantic contains but six pounds il
| each hundred.
Mr.. C. E. Bessey estimates tina
parasitic fungi damages the wheat
| oats, barley and Indian corn crops O.
the Urited States to the extent of a
least $5O,OO0,00O to $i00,0G0.000 anpu
ally. He therefore insists upon TIL,
| great importance of a thorough in
VestieatiOn of destructive fungi 10y
the Department Of Agriculture.
In a paper read before the Londol
| Geologist Association, Mr.. W. +
Stanley attributes the rising and fall
| ing of he land surface of the globe
chiefly to the pressure of snow and
ice at the poles. 1t is supposed tina
the glacial accumulation has nov
reached great thickness at the sQutf
pole, and it is Mr.. stanleys opinion
that the weight Of the vast mass upon
the crust of the earth causes the Elk
tensive submergence of the southern
hemisphere which now exists. HI
shows that DR.. CrOll's theory that the
earth's centre is shifted by the une
dual polaO accumulations is somewhat
| Inconsistent with fact which have
been observed.
The worlds largest animals are dis
appearing. The elephant is said to b.
rapidly approaching extinction, ant
| i'm the interest of science it is sug
gested that the British Government
| interfere to prevent the further de
struction of this gigantic creature il
India.
BARBED WIRE.-A car load o
Steel Point Barbed Wire, just received
cd x.-;ll ha cold of hnttnrn nricpS