Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1884-12-17
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY,


Compiled for the WOOD RIVER TIMEsl
A monstrpus earthworm--six feet
FIVE inches iY length and proportion
ately thiok-has been sent from Cape
Colony, Africa, to the Royal ZooIog-
ical Society Of England.
A French scie enlist, Mons F. Krasen,
h.~s p;ht to demonstrate that CO. tain
anomalies in the distribution of plants,
according to altitude, must be due to a
comparatively recent change in the
elevation Of the mountains on which
they grow.
by examination and measurement
during the last two years, DR.. +. Svc-
nonius has found the glaciers of Swe-
deE to number about hundred, with
combined area at only nine Swedish
square miles (about 400 English
square miles). The glacial area Of
the country had been previously esti
mated to hs more than three times us
great.
From surveys Of the Gulf Of Mexico
it appears that its area is 50; 900
square miller, and that the area of the
surface included within the 100.
fathom line is 3S7 200 square piles
rather more than one third Of the sur
face having a depth of less than 1901
fathoms. The greatest recorded depth
in tho Gulf is 2ll9 fathoms, the mean
depth being SIS 'athoms.
The Wintun Indians of the Sacra-
mento valley, according to Major Pow.
ell, believe in three worlds, and that
each has its peculiar class of inhabit-
ants. The sky is smoke, while to the
majority Of Indians it is ice, and a few
think it quartz crystal. Mountains
were made by the burrowing Of the
mole god. Light and darkness are
maiden goddesses. Rocks and other
'"anin'ate things were once living,
and some rocks now live and speak
this being the Wintun explanation of
echoes. Whirlwind. are little spirits
seeking water to drink. Diseases are
causad by mythical animals. Bits of
nagro folk lore are found among MANY
tribes OF Indians, from whom the
slaves must have obtained them.
For many years the astronomers of
the Paris Observatory have been en-
gagged in the work Of preparing com.
plpte charts Of all stars to the th;r-
'6snth magnitude embraced in the
ao"s OF the eclipt,c, or suns apparent
path. The work requires seventy.two
charts. of which fifty two-containing
$4,000 stars--have been completed,
md four-having $4,000 stars-are
nearly finished. \ great difficulty is
low encountered, the stars in that
Dart OF the heavens where the ecliptic
crosses the Milky Way being SO ru-
nerous as to defy complete and ac-
'urate representation by the ordinary
process OF charting. n solution of b
h" difficulty, however. seems to have l..
'e.n found in a resort to photography, wi
S preliminary Photographic expert ali
nents have proven successful. A .i'
pec'al telescope is therefore being nh
with which it is anticipa.
cd that an observer will obtain in an DC %.
ours tims . chart OF the stars, to the
~r'tth magnitude at least, and prob An
bly, to the thirtsenth or fourteenth. tel
the same dimcnsions as one of the ="
ublished charts work which would foe
fher~'se require many r:ouths Of as al.
du"uS labor. The success of this ch,
Undertaking. will appear to be an i'm
artant step toward the fulillment Of A
lie recent prophecy that an essential 80. .s'
VT OF tn" astronomical library of the odd
|ture will b~ picture gallery of Sta
autographs Of the entire heavens. 9
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