The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-07-09

changes it's skin, an annual custom, I
suppose, with all the batrachia.
Selzlng one Of it's hind legs in it's
mouth, the limb is worked steadily
backwards and forwards until the
skin is entirely peeled off; and the
same method is used to free the re-
manning legs. In few hours the
limbs are thus freed, the struggles of
the toad, meanwhile, causing the old
epidermis to split in central line
down the middle of the back. The
cast skin is not eaten, I think; for
pellet-like fragments are elected from
the mouth. Afterwards, with beads of
moisture exuding from thepores of the
new skin (which is lighter in COLOR, the
toad seeks the refreshment of bath,
as if exhausted by the operation The
direct cause for the transaction is the
formation of minute hairs between
the layers of the epidermis, which
clusters Of hairs are said to develop
ultimately, when they have accom-
plished the desired object, into warts
or excrescences on the surface of bat
rachian bodies. Three years running
have watched the same toad trans
form himself, each time in the month
OF March. From certain appearances
learned to know beforehand when the
change was imminent. The creature
looked i'll and listless, refused the
choicest insect food, and became more
dingy IN color. Then 1 knew what was
at hand.-By a Naturalist.
Why SnoWis White,
The pure white luster of snow is due
to the fact that all the elementary
colors of light are blended together in
the radiance that is thrown off from
the surface OF the crystal. It is quite
possible to examine the individual
snow crystals in such way as to de-
tect the several colors before they are
mingled together to constitute the
compound impression of whiteness
upon the eye. The snow is then
clothed with all the varied hues of the
rainbow. The soft whiteness Of the
snow is also in some degree referable
to the large quantity of air which is
entangled amid the the frozen parti-
cles. Snow is composed of a great
number OF minute crystals. More than
a thousand distinct forms OF
snow crystals have been enumerat-
ed by various observers One hun
dred and ffty-one were noticed during
eight days III February and March,
1855, by Mr.. Glashier, which were
carefully drawn, engraved and printed
in a paper attached to the report of
the British Meteorological Society fo;
that year. These minute crystals and
prisms reflect all the compound rays
of which white lights consist. Sheets
OF snow on the ground are known to
reflect beautiful pink and blue tints
under certain angles of sunshine, and
to fling back so much light as to be
painful to the eyes by day, and to
guide the traveller, in the absence OF
moonshine, by night.
1t is reassuring to know that the
''deadly car stove" which has played
such CHASTITY part in hundreds OF
tradgedies, will soon be no more seen
in it's place in the railway car. An
admirable system of electric heating
for cars has been invented, which is so
cheap and easily operated that it's
universal adoption is simply matter
OF time. The railway company on
whose road this system has been test
ed by course of practical work speak
OF it in the highest terms, and the
travelling public is not less gratifed
at the comfort and safety which is
now assured. After the sad experience
OF the dirty and gaseous condition of
the average coa[heated car, the abso-
lutte cleanliness aud absence of odors,
together with the even temperature
of a car electrically heated, is a revela-
ton in modern car heating.
Increasing the Efficiency and Econ
ony of Coal.
A new chemical compound has been
applied with success to coal and other
combustible substances. The objects
gained by this treatment are increase
in heat, economy of time and fuel, con-
sumption of smoke, prevention OF
SCOT, and material reduction in the
quantity of ashes. The saving in coal
is said to be from 25 to 80 per cent.
1t is further claimed that by using this
compound on bituminous coal from
so to 80 per cent. of the smoke is con-
sumed, and that all the obnoxious
gases are destroyed.
.-r- To Test Diamond.
A simple way of testing a diamond
It doesn't require an expert to tell
whether a diamond is genuine or not.
The test is very simple, and can be
made in any place, and in a moment
All you need is a piece of paper and q
lead pencil. With the latter make q
small dot on the paper; then look at
it through the diamond. Ii you can