The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1889-02-23
Correspondence Baltimore County linton.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.
SCIENCE At HOME


SCIENCE AT HOME
The Agassiz Association is defined by its
President as union of local societies which
have been organized for the study of nature by
personal observation. The students are taught
how to investigate for themselves, and questions
too difficult for them to work out may be sub
mitted to a council of fifty accomplished speci-
alists. Some idea of what members see in their
rambleS about their own homes may be gained
from this list of few of the many topics of
original notes made during thepast year: 1.-TWO
Rare Fossils from Catskill, 'Rose-Leaf Calls, ;"
White Blackbird ''Ivy--Blossoms," Curl
Gus Trees, " Animals that do not Drink, +" "Do
Salmon Eat Birds?" Complimentary Colors, I"
San Abnormal Cabbage Leaf, y IA Living Ba-
rometer, Rainbow and Sun-Dogs," Double
Adder s-Tongue," New Jersey Butterflies, +"
Eggs of the Crayfsh," Colorado Ants, =
Floating Pollen, ia Double Singer" Frost
Pictures "An Experience with Heron" "a
White Weasel, I" "A Strange Mouse" "Girls in
Silver-Mine." The Association gained over
1000 new members last year. Its chapter in
New Brunswick, n. j., numbers more than 400
members, who have about dozen professors to
guide them, with a variety of scientific appara-
tus. Some chapters are conducted entirely by
boys and girls.
NOVEL BOOK.
In a unique and beautiful publication, Mr..
Romeyn b. HOugh, of Lowville, n. Y, expects
to exhibit the structure of all important Ameri-
can woods by actual specimens: Parts the
work was lately completed and gives q speci-
mens-each consisting of three thin slices
mounted in black cardboard frames six by nine
inches in size. The scientific names and the
popular names in four languages are printed on
these frames. An accompanying pamphlet
fully describes species represented, and states
their range, properties, uses etc. A well-made
case having the appearance of an elegantly
bound octave volume, contains the whole.
AN ELECTRIC CoIN-CATCHER.
Automatic weighing and power-testing ma
chimes, and dispensers of chocolate cakes, walls
of perfumery, and other wares, have become
familiar sight in many lands during the past
been introduced by French society, and has
already found favor in the waiting rooms. gar
denS and theatres of Paris 1t is called the
Electric Magic Lantern, and serves something
of the purpose of an illustrated daily paper. 1t
is in the form of highly ornamental box or
pillar seven feet tall, bearing conspicuous in
vitation to "Give ten confines and see." The
person accepting the invitation looks through
a five-inch lens in the front of the apparatus,
drops his coin in the slot, and sees pass upward
series of seven drawings illustrative of current
events, each picture pausing for few seconds
to give time for good view oft. A Swan cleo
trio lamp illuminates the pictures, and the en-
tire mechanism is operated by electricity. The
drawings are changed daily, the list of represen-
atoms being neatly placarded on the outside.
SEA TEMPERATURES.
In a recent paper before the London Society
Telegraph Engineers Mr.. w. Liant Carpenter
mentioned that the temperature of the Mediter.
anean was found to be 54o F. at depth of 2, 900
athoms, while in the Atlantic, at no great dis
ance, $50 was met with at the same depth.
)ther instances of thermal differences between
artially land-lOcked seas and the ocean were
iven, among them the Red Sea, in which the
minimum temperature is 10. In the Sulu Sea
he lowest temperature was found to be 500 5 at
$50 fathoms, while the temperature was 800
330 at the same depth in the Indian Ocean.
FLAMES FROM WATER.
1t seems rather paradoxical to speak of water
an excitant of combustion, yet Mr.. Brereton
aker showed the London Chemical Society in
SS2 that carbon burns less freely in dried than
l moist oxygen. Continuing his researches,
he same investigator has found that selenium,
nurium, arsenic and antimony burn with
lual readiness in dry and moist oxygen; but
lat the combustion of carbon, sulphur, boron,
Id both the red and yellow notifications of
losphorus, is greatly modified by the amount
moisture present. Some oxidation took place
all cases, but its extent varied with the degree
dryness of the substances, and no flame APP
AIRED when most of the moisture had been eX-
uded. Yellow phosphorus was obtained of
CHI purity that it did not even glow in dried
:ygen, though the addition of water caused
pid combustion.
VIBRATIONS.
Ouc VI Tue IlOSI SlIlklIlS COllCepllOIiS Vi I1Ou-
nphysics is that matter is eternally trembling
tn vibrations, to the variations of which are
le our sensations. Migratory law, said Mr.. G..
Haskins in a recent thoughtful paper, lies at
every bottom of all vegetable and animal life.
it we are indebted for all that is beautiful in
: and in nature. 1t gives us all our magnetic
d electrical action. It actuates our teegraphs
d our telephones, the fire alarm and the cleo
light. Our batteries would be pOwerless
thout it. Nay, more; without these minute
)vementS, which pervade the entire universe,
re would be neither heat, nor light, nor color.
stars would cease to shine, and the sun
uld be a blank, invisible. The earth would
use to move; all sound would cease; dark
IS and death, and chaos would instantly sue
d to the present beautiful creation.
MISCELLANEOUS.
II an examination of the stomachs of over
English sparrows, according to Prof. Riley,
v g were found to contain any insect re
IIS at all, while the stomach of a single truly
ectivorous bird had $50 web worms This
would have given more aid to an orchard
than an army of the useless sparrows.
1ssuming the average depth of the Atlantic
Pacific oceans to be q miles, Prof. George
Gowan calculates that there is 312, 900
of salt in the water under each square mile
urface.
.elief models of the moon, on the scale of
ETY. miles to the inch, are being made in
ldOn by Mr.. H F. Brion.
he U. S. Signal Office has had reports from
en vessels which were saved by oil in a late
ricane off the Bahamas.