The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1883-09-01
The DoDaIdsopyiIIe Chief,
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.
Two Dollars q Year.

Following the example of Paris, the mu
,nicipality of Algiers has established a chem
ical laboratory for the analysis Of food sub
stances and the detection of adulteration.
A novel method is adopted in China te
protect carrier pigeons from birds of prey
bamboo tubes is attached to the pigeons
tail in such way that shriIl whistling
sound is produced by tho rush of air across
the tubes.
Herr Weller, experimenting at Tubingen,
has discovered that the growth of plants il
more rapid under diminished atmospheric
pressure all other external conditions be
ing the sanle--than at normal pressure. On
the other hand, increasing the pressure
lessons the rate of growth, the minimum
being reached at two Or two and one-half
atnlospheres.
A letter from Capt. Dawson, commander
of the British Circumpolar Expedition,
states that the Indians have reported the
existence of ruins about twenty miles dis
tant from Fort Rae, and that, if the de-
scriptions given are correct, the remains
must resemble those of Mexico and Yucca
tan. The Indians arc superstitiously afraid
to approach the ruins, but Capt Dawson's
communication announces his intention to
make an early trip to them.
The doctors disagree 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 rs probable tracks of
large sloth. 1t is stated however, that
the impressions were left by species of
man, and that he finds his theory strength
ened by fresh discoveries of tracks even
more clearly defined than those first un
covered.
Mons. Faye has shown that the whirl-
winds Of dust observed by Prejevalsky in
Central Asia, like those of Mexico, India
and the Sahara, have the same origin and
mechanical action as the tornadoes of the
United States and all waterspouts. They are
all alike spiral movements descending with
upright axis and always travelling hori-
zontaliy in nearly straight line. The
general belief that the dust on land and the
water at sea ascend from the surface hion
into the air is due, Mons. Faye tells us, to
an optical illusion.
Attention has again been called-this
time by Mons. j. Girard-to the supposed
Chap ges of level of the earth's surface re-
ported from certain parts Of Europe, Vii
lagos Ill the Jura which were hidden from
!, each other no longer than forty years ago
have gradually risen in sight, wtlile il, q Mi
lage OF bohemia the inhabitants now see
nall OF a distant church-spire of which only
The top was visible thirty years ago. The
apparent rising of these places must, if *
Thought, be result of the warping of the
soild crust OF the earth. To detect further
changes in the Bohemian locality line of
levels has been run.
In recent lecture before the Royal In
st1tut1on of London, Sir William Thomson
presented four lines of argument by which
physicists have been enabled to estimate
the SIG OF molecules-the invisible PARTICLES
winch are supposed to constitute all matter. !
Stated roughly, it is shown by this reason
lng--with high degree of probability
that, IN ordinary liquids, transparent solids
or seemingly Opaque solids, tho average
distance between the centres Of contiguous
molecules is less than ono four-hundred- |
mllllonth part of an inch. If n globe Of
water or glass six and one-third inches in |
diameter were magrifed to the size of the
earth, the size Of each constituent molecule
being increased in the same proportion.
then the magnifed mass would be more
coarse-grained than heap of small shot,
but probably less coarse-grained than q
heap Of six-and-a-third inch globes.
Previous 20 1870, according to a new work
fby Prof. Wlttrock, the o-caIled red snow'' !
was thought to be the only plant growing
On ice and snow. Since that time, how
ever, Nordenskjod and Berggren have dis
covered several ice and snow algn in Green
land, one of them, 1ncylonema Norden-
s&)otdtt, being very abundant. Still later
Investigation has proven these plants to be
10AS AAabiOioua SSt, III. hJGii0lan nllQIQp |
ut spltzbergen not only "red snow,n but
green snow which contained more than
a dozen plant forms. The snow fora now
includes thirty-seVen species, and the ice
flora ten species. These plants are almost
entirely algse of microscopicaI size and very
low organization, growing sometimes sing,y
ana sometimes in colonies. They are CEN
orally OF bright colors--red, purplish- brown
and green being common. Under the dar,.
mass OF the plants the ice melts very rapid
ly, and Nordenskjold even suggests that the
very abundant Ancylonema may have great
~ hastened the disappearance CT the ice
oeS ss which once covered SO large part
OF Europe and America.
------s~o9s
Heart affections, kidney and liver troubles
affect nearly one-half of all mankind Yet how
many heediessly pass through shortened life
giving no care to these complaints which cause
the human family such great distress, Docs
hp ri haoY -,,1,,, ,t--f N |