Morris tribune., 1884-03-05
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

r. Sutherland Treasurer.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.
| -Four new asteroids were discovered
in 1883, increasing the number OF
known minor planets to 235.
The French Association for the
Advancement of sciences has received
a bequest of $4,000. of which the in.
terest is to encourage research con-
corning the antiquity of man.
An English naturalist asserts that
the hedgehog cannot be poisoned,
neither strychnine, arsenic nor prussic
acid having any effect upon it. 1t
eats adders regardless of their enor-
nous fangs.
The Swedish Government, ever
ready to extend scientific aid to the
industries of the country, propose es-
tablishing a station in the north of
Sweden for the study of the native
plants and the diseases of crops in
that section.
Crystals of oxygen have been pro-
duced in Paris by first liquefying the
gas under great pressure and then re-
moving the pressure. This gives rise
to a great lowering of the temperature
of the liquid, and oxygen crystals are
formed in it.
DR.. Moffat, in lecture at Glasgow,
has suggested chemical means of
training the voice. He considers that
the beautiful vocal tone of Italian
people is in some manner due to the
presence of peroxide of hydrogen in
the air and dew of Italy, and has
shown experiments in which the in
halation OF an imitation of the Italian
air has tended to produce in indiyidu-
ais full, clear, rich and mellow tone
of voice.
The copper-workers Of the French
village Of Durfort inhale for twelve
hours daily an atmosphere laden with
copper-dust, and their skin and hair
become discolored with copper, while
the metal can be detected in their Sc.
cretions and excretions, and after
death in their homes. Yet, according
to a report by two investigators to the
French Academy of Sciences. the cop.
per appears to have no influence upon
the health of these people. They
neither suffer from special trade dis
eases, nor are they protected from
cholera, typhoid fever OF other affec-
TONS.
A remarkable instrument is in use
among the natives Of the Chloe is
lands, according to a description given
by Baron Maclay to the Linnean Soci-
ETY. of New South Wales. 1t consists
merely of the shell of species of
crab, but as a kind Of barometer,
being very sensitive to atmospheric
changes, and foretelling the approach
of wet or dry weather. in dry wealth
Ell the shell is nearly white, but small
red spots appear on it with the ap.
proach of moisture,and increase in
number and size as the dampness in
creases, until during the wet season it
becomes completely red.
Reports of extremely low tempera-
ture should be received with caution,
as thermometers are by no means
infallible, DR., John Rae, F. r. S.
tells of twenty thermometers which
were tested by freezing mercury and
of which eighteen gave results about
two degrees too high, while two beau
tifully-fnished instruments, by a
London maker Of high repute, indica-
ted a. temperature about nineteen
degrees below the true one. In add,
ton to faulty construction, another
source of error in spirit thermometers
is the Condensation of part of the
spiritin the upper end of the tube,
and DR.. Rae states that the error
produced in this way may amount to
eight degrees or more.
Some English scientists have been
trying to explain why it is that per-
sons who become lost in fog, OF who
for any reaon are unable to see their
way, usually walk in a circle instead
of following a strait line. Mr.. w.
Larden thinks that the cause may be
found In a difference in the strength
Of the legs, the stronger of the two
outwalking the other when not con-
trolled by the will. In confirmation
|of this view, Mr. g. IF. Darwin re-
counts some experiments in which
several schooEboys were blind.folded
and told to walk straight ahead, when
the s'rightlegged,' ones circled to the
left and the aIeft.legged'' to the right,
exactly as they should do if the theory
is correct, while one hoy, who seemed
to be neither right-legged nor left-leg-
ged but to use the two limbs with
equal facility, walked irregularly but
deviated much less from a straight
course than any of the others, An
mother writer, MI. Thomaa Hawksley
supposes that few PERSONS have both
legs of eaunl length, in which case the
longer must have u tendency to out
Fstrip the ether in walking.