The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1885-07-11
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.



By exhaustive investigation the German An
thropologicaf Society has found that rather more
than one-fourth of the school children of Central
Europe are pure blondes, and about one-sxth are
brunetts, more than one half being of the mixed
type. In Germany $3.50 per cent. of the children
are fair, and 1405 per cent are dark in Austria
the dark predominant, being 23.17 per cent, while
the fair amount only to 1879; in Switzerland the
blondes only lilo per cent, whiet the brunettes
are 1870, and in Belgium the blends are 27.5O
per cent. Incorporation of dark children in Ger
many increases rapidly toward the south, and
that of light children toward the north. This
varyiny distribution of fair and dark compilations
forms the basis of speculations concerning the
early colonization Of Germany.
OYSTER LIFE.
spawning oyster, it is estimated may deposit
million eggs in a season, of which only from ten
to one hundred will reach maturity, all others be-
ing devoured by enemies. Marketable oysters
vary in age from three to seven years. The age
which oysters may reach under favorable circum-
stances is yet unknown, but specimens have been
found which were believed to be from twenty-five
10 thirty years Oius WIN OaAO ehO DA'o "-~J
be kept alive for considerable time after removal
from their habitat. 1t is stated that they have
lived on the floor of cool cellar for three months,
and one observer concludes that they may exist,
even longer if packed so as to keep their shells
closed in ventilated barrels and kept at temper
AZURE between thirty and forty-fve degrees
Fahrenheit.
THE AIRS ELECTRICITY.
Prof Palmieri, of the Vesuvian Observatory,
finds that the atmospheric electricity is usually
positive in clear weather; if negative, fall of
rain may be inferred to be in progress at some
little distance. Two maxima and two minima
daily are noticed in the electric Indications, this
periodicity being disturbed by atmospheric move
ments. With dew, rain or an overcast sky the
indications increase in intensity and are stronger
in spripg and autumn than in summer and winter.
A rain zone is positive, but is surrounded by
negative zone, which in turn is surrounded by
zone of positive electricity. Thunder and light
ming, according to this observer, do not occur
without rain.
A CONNECTING LINK.
Several live specimens of a queer little Aurtra-
liam animal-upon which the formidable name
0ornithorynchres" has been inficted-have been
brought to this country by DIR. H. A. Ward. 1t
is claimed that this creature forms perfect con-
Meeting link between birds and mammals. 1t
looks like the beaver, but instead of having hair
on its back it has scales, and in place of scales on
its tail it has hair; while long investigation mas
shown that it lays an egg like bird, but
suckles its young like mammal. Its habits are
like the beavers but it is declared to be an utter
ly heterodox creature and entirely the most I'M
natural known.
MISCELLANEOUS
The celebrated Karst region in Austria is re-
markable for its underground rivers, which COM
municate with the surface here and there by yerti
cal shafts. These rivers are subject to periodical
overfows converting large areas into temporary
lakes, and an attempt is now to be made to pre-
vent such foundations by charging the under
ground channels.
At late meeting of microscopical society in
London was shown section of a Sheffield saw
grinders lung the irritation from the steel dust
inhaled having gradually obliterated the lung
structure and rendered it perfectly useless for
breathing Sections of lungs showing carbon de-
post from London smoke were also exhibited.
The sense of taste is an almost certain guide to
the wholesomeness of foods. As rule, polsons
have very disagreeable taste, and accidental
poisoning is consequently very rare.
After numerous unsatisfactory attempts the
American whitefish has been successfully accli-
matized in English ponds.
Using an artificial gastric juice as hydrochoric
acid and pepsin, Chittenden and Cummlns nave
determined the relative digestibility of various
foods to be as follows Beef, 100; veal, 50; mutt
ton, 90; chicken Eight meat) 81; ditto OZARK
meat,) "a salmon, go; mackerel SO; haddock,
50; trout, rs; lobster (young,) So; ditto large
female,) rs; ditto large male,) 70; fresh cod, ~
record of observations on sixteen trees and
shrubs has shown DIR. N. l.. Britton that the
spring of this year was about ten days later IN
the vicinity of New York than that of 1884, and
nearly month later than that of 1878.
A forcible illustration of the weight Of the at
mosphere was given by Prof. S. P. Langley, the
American astronomer, in a recent lecture in Lon
don He remarked that the air, so limpid that it
scarcely appears to be matter at ALL is so enormous
in moss that it really presses with nearly ton to
each SQUARE foot so that the weight of all the
buildings in the worlds metropolis, for instance,
is less than that of the air above them.
The possibility of obtaining echoes from ice
bergs or vessels at sea- even at considerable dls-
lance, has been demonstrated by Prof. Bell, of
telephone fame. He suggests that shots fired
periodically from the bows of befogged vessels
may reveal the presence of obstacles ahead IN
season to avert collision.
A committee Of the British Medical Association
is collecting information concerning the expert
ence and habits of persons who have attained the
age of eighty or over. Interesting results are
expected.
Although a variety of microscopic forms of
plants have been found on bank notes and coins
in circulation, none known to be dangerous to hu-
man life have yet been discovered.
A piece of platinum wire only .OOO75 of an inch
in thickness was lately exhibited by the Royal
Sociatv of T,ondon