Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1886-05-26
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.
Compiled for the SPECTATOR. !

CURIOUS MTMICRY.-During his expedi-
tion to Mount Kilimanjaro Mr.. FL. Fl. John
son noticed singular resemblance or
'smimicry" between the appearance OF the
tall red brown antelope and the mounds
built by the white ant. The color being the
same and the long grass hiding the animals
legs, it was really difficult to distinguish an
antelope from an ant-hill. A more ludicrous
exactness was sometimes given to the
mimicry by the sharply pointed leaves of
kind of squill, which suggested the horns
of an antelope.
THE COMING CONvEYANCE.-BalloOn as
an adjunct of warfare are attracting much
attention in European military circles, and
their possible value in times Of peace is not
entirely overlooked. An English writer re-
marks that the recent successful attempts
at balloon-steerage in France have led
many thoughtful persons to believe the day
not to be far distant when we shall see bal
looms plying in well-paying passenger traf-
&c between England and the Continent
Another writer adds that such a result
would be no more wonderful in its way
than the discovery and development of the
telephone, which, though scarcely decade
old, is already so familiar to us that it no
longer seems strange.
An ingenious astronomical theory is that
of Mr.. Monck, of Dublin, who suggests that
as shooting stars are known to be dark
bodies rendered luminous for short time
by rushing through our atmosphere, new
stars are dark or family luminous bodies
which acquire short-lved brilliancy by
rushing through some of the gaseous masses
visible, perhaps, as nebulae-which exist
III space.
A gradual increase in the average size of
the skull among the natives is believed by
a Bombay physician to be taking place as
an effect of civilization in India.
THE UNITY OF LIFE.-sIn the old de-
flnition of the three kingdoms of nature"
says Mr.. Edward Clodd, eve were taught
that plants grow and live, while animals
grow, live and move. But this no longer
holds good, at least in respect Of the lower
forms. There are locomotive plants and
stationary animals The swarm-cells or
zoospores which are expelled from some of
the lower plants, as algae and certain fungi,
behave like animals, darting through the
water by the aid of hair-like fiiaments called
vibratile ella, finally settling down and
growing into new plants; others, as diatoms
and desmids, are locomotive throughout
life; certain marine animals, as sponges and
grow; whilo there are organisms which ap-
pear to be plants at one stage of their growth
and animals at another stage" Other
marks of supposed unlikeness have vanish
ed and that which was once thought spe-
cial to one is found to be common to both.
So to the biologist it appears that sail, from
the lowest to the highest, have their unity
and kinship in ancestral life which was
neither plant nor animal"
THE WATER OF TREEs.-In the latitude
Of New York Prof. P D. Penhallow has
found the proportion of water in trees and
shrubs to vary according to these general
laws: 1. The water in woody plants is not
constant for all seasons, and depends upon
conditions of growth. 2. 1t is in greatest
amount late in May or early in June, and
least in January. 8. 1t is in greatest pro-
portion in the sap wood; least in that which
is older. 4. When plants grow most rapid
ly they have most water.
A sum equivalent to $125, 1000 has been
presented to the German Government by
DR.. Werner Siemens to establish an insti-
tute for carrying on experiments in natural
science.
The fall of meteor on ice was lately wit
messed on the coast of Norway, hole a
lOOb duu d. Adll Ill QldmoGol UCluR Ludu6
through eight inches of ice.
CHANGING THE VoICE.-As the result of
an experimental inquiry, DR.. Sandras, a
physician of Paris, claims to be able to
change the nature, intensity, pitch and ex-
tent of the voice in surprising degree by
the use of different inhalations. A few in
SEPARATIONS of alcoholic vapor impart a de-
cided hoarseness. Some vapors weaken the
voice, while others strengthen it to such
an extent that it acquires new notes, high
and low. If the same effects are produced
upon people generally, this curious dis
covery must prove of great practical value
10 public speakers, singers, and all who use
the voice considerably.
PNEUMATIC LIGHTING.-A new method
of lighting, called the pneumatic system,
has been described by a Frenchman, nj.
Bender. He employs the fatty residues
Obtained from the rectifcation of crude
mineral oils, through which he passes a
current of air. The air takes up definite
quantity of this hydro-carbon, and the flame
produced is very brilliant, giving off no
smoke. Cheapness and Immunity from ex
blossoms are advantages claimed.
Poison IN EDIBLE MoLLUsKs.-The oc-
currence of poisonous mussels and star
fishes in a German locality has led to an
investigation from which it appears that