The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-08-09
Scientific Miscellany.

duce the turtle into the seas of Prov
ence, Algeria and Corsica, places be-
ing arranged where the eggs may be
deposited in safety,
Pasteur has affirmed that the small
est quantity of the virus of rabies
which produces effect upon any animal
has the longest period of incubation
and gives the most furious type of the
disease
\ French writer regards the familiar
yet mysterious phenomenon known as
zodiacal light as simply a reflection of
light from the illuminated part of the
earth upon an upper stratum OF the at
mOsphere.
A French analomist, Mons. Luys,
has found that when person lies down
or stands upon his head the brain
changes its position in the skull in
obedience to the law of gravitation.
The movements take place slowly, five
or six minutes being required for the
brain to adjust itself to a new attitude
of the body,
Remarkable differences of climate
within short distances were experience
ed last winter in Norway. For in
stance, while al Christiana the ice was
from ten to twelve inches thick in
January, vegetation continued to grow
at Stpyanger, where the thermometer
fell to freezing-point only once during
the entire month.
DR.. A. Ernst, of Caracas, Vonzuela,
cites two severe earthquakes of that
vicinity as instances of the remarkable
influence of the soil on the destruction
of buildings by such shocks. In each
case the houses built on rocks were
ruined, while those standing on n
thick stratum of loose material were
scarcely injured.
The annual meeting of the British as
ISOLATION for the advancement ofscience
will open at Montreal August 9th and
will close September 81. The weeks
session of the American association be-
rims September 3D. at Philadelphia.
The fact that the British association is
visiting America for the first time will
rive unusual interest to these gather
ngs of English-speaking scientists.
Prof. j. Wiessner has pointed out
that the moistening of plant increas-
es the Transportation of its leaves and
acceerates the flow of its sap. This
effect is beneficial if the soil is suffi-
GENTLY moist to supply the increased de-
mand of the roots, and injurious if the
grouhd is very dry. The foliage OF
plants, therefore. should only be wat
cred when the roots are quite well sup
piled with moisture.
A Gigantic Insect.-The discovery of
fossil remains of remarkable insect
in the carboniferOus deposits Of Com
mentry, France, has been announced
to the Paris academy of sciences by
Mons Charles Brongniart. The crea-
ture must have been at least twenty
inches long, with an expanse of wings
of nearly twenty-eight inches. To sci
cnce, this insect of long-past age will
be known as Dictyoneura monyi.
Modern Astroiogy. Mons. Montigny,
of Brussels, has noticed in the scintil-
lations of the stars great preponder-
auce of blue, the color of water or ice
in great thickness, when the atmos-
phere is heavily charged with watery
vapor and rain is imminent. In June,
1883, he announced that for two months
the twinkGng of the stars had shown
less of the blue than in the correspond
ing months of previous years, while
Green fair weather color, had been
much more frequently seen. These
observations led him to predict that the
succeeding part OF the year would be
exceedingly dry. 1t is now stated that
this prediction was so accurately full
filled that 1888 in Brussels was the
driest year since 1879. A study Of the
atmospheric condition with the rain
band spectroscopo has enabled observ-
ers to determine the character of i'm
mediately approaching weather, but it
is believed that no spectroscopic lndl-
cations have made it possible to fore
cast, ever 50 roughly many consecutive
months weather.