The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-05-02
POPULAR SCIENCE.

POPULAR SCIENCK
Electricity has been found to travel
2ss, 900 miles per second, under favor
able circumstances. t ~ {; - -,
Lake Huron is lower than the oldest
residents ever saw it. The water is two
feet below the lowest point ofa year and
half ago. =
A late plan for treating sewage with
electricity has brought out the fact that
such schemes have been quite numerous,
one patent involving eight electrical
methods dating back to 1858.
It is stated that recent observations on
the heights of various peaks of the
Andes show q considerable diminution
in their height as compared with we'll
authenticated measurements taken some
time ago. So 80 : = /, '5sss 81
A frightened Mexican hare. has. been
observed to make three successive leaps,
of twelve, twelve and thirteen feet; and
q medium:sized rabbit to jump seven
feet. The ordinary progression Of these
animals rarely, exceeds four feet and two
feet respectively at any single leap.
Tigers have lately been reported from
two extremes of Siberia, Wiadiyosto
upon the Japan Sea, and a point
to the north OF the Caspian. they have
long been known IN the Chinese forests
near Wladivistock, bot their appearance
in the region Of the Caucasus Is quite re-
markable. - :; -, ~ g.
Two telegraph wires, each about six
miles long, are to be laid in: Spain ex-
pressly for studying earth currents and
atmospheric electricity. The Lines will
cross each other at the astronomical
observatory of San Fernando, one rum
ming due east aud west, the other due
north and south. ~: sst
An African traveller says the intoxicat-
ing liquor now chiefly exported TO
Africa from Bremen and Hamburg is u
poisonous distillation from the potato
and produced very cheaply. Chemists
state that there is more fusel oil in it than
in any other known spirit. The natives
give it the appropriate name of Death.
DR.. Dallinger, says that with the aid
of the microscope he has certainly seen
objects which were between the one.
two hundred d-thousandth and one-three-
hundred. .thousandth part of AN inch.
This is worth recording, if only as .
proof of the marvellous perfection to-
which the modern microscope hast at.
tanned. - - d. d. - -. -. .
Aluminium has not hitherto been
found in Towering plants, though known
to exist in Lycopodiacea. Professor
Church has recently detected it in tha
lacquer resin of China, obtained from %
Rhus verniceAua, and in small degree
in the gum of the cherry and of other
trees. As phosphate Of alumina, Q small
trace is found in the gluten Of. wheat.
It is proposed to preserve fish alive
by placing them in vessels partly filled
with water and hermetically scaled: It
is said that fish so confined have been
found alive after, three weeks, without
either air or water having been changed,
while fish in an open jar died in forty
eight hours. If the air in, the vessel Is
compressed, the life of the fish IS still
further prolonged.
An experiment is being made on tha
California coast to. test the utility Of
ocean-wave force. At an opening in,
some cliffs great fans are suspended, and
their movement at the ebb and flow OF.
the waves is so geared as to work I'M
mense pumps which are designed to I'LL
large reservoirs on elevations, these
being used to supply water power TO
manufactures of various kinds.
1t has long been question with sci.
entists whether flying fish actually fly, or
are only carried forward through the air,
by the impulse which they give to their,
bodies while still in the water. Profess
sor Mobins expresses an authoritaHve
opinion, and claims that they are totally
unable to ay, for the reason that the
muscles which move the pectoral fins are
not sufficiently large to bear the weight
of their bodies in the air. In birds tho.
average weight of the muscles which are
concerned in themovement of the wings.
is one-sixth that of the entire body IN
bats, one-thirteenth, while in the flying
fish it is only one-thirty-fifth. He affrms,
therefore that the impulse to the propul:
sion of the fish in the air is delivered
while they are still in the water.