Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-12-16
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.


| Compiled for the SPECTATOR
statistical tpAles has made it apparent that
human lifeis dscreasing Ia quantity but i'm
proving Al Aallty y--at least in some parts of
the world. An astonishing falling off in the
births in France has taken place since the
beginning of the century, the average num-
Der of children per marriage having been
reduced nearly one-fourth. But the aver
age life has increased In length about one
sixth. Similar results are obtained in Eng
land, Austria, Prussia, and other countries
of advanced civilization. Among inferior
! races, births are more numerous, and life is
shorter. In general the lower species of
plants and animals are more fertile than the
higher The female of the white ant lays
sixty eggs per minute; queen bee, from
5000 to 5000 eggs annually. In vertebrates,
fecundity diminishes as we rise from fishes
to reptiles, from reptiles to birds, from birds
to mammals.
A CARBoNIC ACID WELL.-Near Burg
brohl on the Rhine bore-hole about 175
feet deep yields a large and steady supply
of carbonic acid gas, which is now COM
pressed in wrought-iron vessels and used for
various purposes. Its enormous expansion
is employed by Messrs. Krupp at Essen for
COMPRISING steel and other casts, and it is
also utilized for impregnating beer and ma
turaljwater for rfre-extinguishing apparatus,
as motor force for torpedoes, etc.
Trouvelot finds some reason for believing
that he has seen second new star in the
Andromeda nebula. With comparatively
small telescope, he now observes a thir-
teenth magnitude star which the large in
strument of the Harvard College Observa-
tory failed to show him in 1874.
The hundredth anniversary of the intro
duction of the potato into France is soon to
be celebrated.
ELECTRICITY IN ENaRAvING.-In new
engraving machine, Lieut.. B. Carter, of
Londen, has made an interesting ap-
plication of electricity. The machine is
chiefly intended for decorative work upon
metals, and rapidlyiproduces highly finished
results. The words or designs to be en-
graved are first furnished by a setting of
ornamental types or stereotype plate. A
fine platinum point traverses this, its mo-
ton being responded to by table carrying
the metal to be engraved under the point of
the graver. As the platinum point is rails
ed or let down by the design an electric cur
rent, acting upon an electro-magnet, pro-
duces corresponding movement of the
graver, which is thus made to accurately
cut in the metal an enlarged or reduced
copy of the types.
EFFECT OF LONG CLIMBs.-During eigh-
teen ascents of lofty mountains 5, 900
to 10, 900 feet in height-Mons. Vernet has
made number of physiological observa-
tions on himself. He finds that the strong
exertion-both in mounting and descending
caused an average rise in bodily tempera-
ture of about three degrees; a rise in the
pulse from about rs to SO in minute; and
an increase in respiration from about 81 to
% in minute.
In certain Austrian coal mines work is
suspended in dangerous places during fall
of the barometer, experiments still in pro-
gress having shown that the quantity and
intensity of explosive gases greatly increase
as the atmospheric pressure diminishes.
By the addition of small percentage of
cobalt the tenacity of copper is greatly in
creased-even as much as fifty to one hun
dred per cent, according to Mons. Guile
min. The alloys are all red.
Chemically prepared palmetto fiber has
successfully stood remarkable tests as a
covering for underground wires.
BEETLE PARASITES OF RATs.-At re-
cent meeting of the Linnean Society of New
South Wales was exhibited curious beetle
-Cryptommatus jansoni, Matt.-which is
found under the fur of the common rat in
Tasmania. The belief was expressed that
new and interesting species with similar
habits might be discovered in Australia if
the smaller mammals were examined when
freshly killed. Two allied species from
Peru are known, one being found in the fur
and nests of mice.
A remarkable dust shower which fell in
Italy one night in October is thought by
Father Denza, of the Observatory of Mon
calieri, to have been of meteOric origin. By
others the sand is supposed to have come
from the distant Sahara.
Recent observations, according to Mr.. E.
J. Miers, of the British Museum, show that
crabs do not reach great depths in the
ocean. The Challenger expedition obtained
few specimens from points more than 400
fathoms below the surface, and only sim
gle specimen was found at depth of 1000
fathoms.
The production of magnesium having
been cheapened by new electrolytic pro-
cess, efforts are being made in Europe to
extend it's use as a source of light. Two
prizes-S125 and $50-have been offered by
a Bremen firm for the best designs for
magnesium lamps with clockwork move
ment.
The continuous heating of cast iron for
several days in vacuum, without melting,
is found by Mons. L. Forquignon to cause
the metal to become malleable, with uni
formly black surface, dotted with black
grains of amorphous graphite.
A new apparatus, called the ''meldome-
ter" is designed for the microscopic study
of minerals in state of fusion.
WEBSTER AND JENNY LIND-"Webster
was a very convivial man, fond of pleasure
and social amenities. On one occasion he
was at supper, at Browns hotel, and, the
wine being good, he imbibed great deal Of
it. Jenny Lind was singing at the Canter-
bury theatre, and at late hour Webster
and his party of friends adjourned from the
hotel to the theatre. When they arrived
the curtain had just gone up for the last
act, and the cantatrice appeared on the
stage to sing Hail Columbia Webster
Joined in with his magnificent bass and ac-
companied her through the song. The au-
dience yelled, stamped and shouted. They
began again, and again sang it through
with the same enthusiasm pervading the
audience. The procedure was repeated
third, fourth, fifth, and sixth time, be-
fore they were permitted to retire. At the
close Webster made magnificent bow to
the diva, such as would have made him a
prince had he made it at drawing-room of
Louis le Grand; the singer returned it, and
Webster repeated it, and these courtesies
continued until both had bowed in the most
elaborate manner seven times. During the
whole performance Webster held his fine
silk hat in his hand and Mrs. Webster was
tugging at his coat, signaling him to desist.
| l-Louisuille Times.
ACHANeE OF OPINION. At Atlanta, Ca,
Wednesday, the entire citizens ticket was