The Bossier banner., 1891-08-06
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.


Arthropods. In a recent work of great
learning and ability, by Graber, we
have the materials for settling some
vexed questions regarding the subdivi-
sions of the brain, the nature of the
upper lip or labrum, and the number
of segments in the head of insects which
appears to be six, two in front of the
mouth and four behind.
According to the Boston Transcript
the production of paper in the entire
world is estimated to be 5000, 900, 900
pounds per year. There are SS4 paper
mills and !, LOG paper machines in this
country. Germany has 800 mills and S91
machines, France 42O mills and 525 ma
chimes, England 361 mills and SAL ma
chimes, Scotland 90 mills and % ma
chimes, Ireland 13 mills and 13 machines,
Russia 1873 mills and 1877 machines and
Austria 22O mills and 27O machines.
What is termed the infinite variety
in the world of organic beings that we
can see, bears no comparison to the
immense variety in the invisible world,
which only the microscope can show us.
The scientific serials and publications
devoted to classification are full to over
flowing of new species continually being
discovered and described In the last
issue of the Proceedings of the Phila-
delphia Academy, Messrs Ellis and
Everhardt describe ninety-nine new
species of microscopic plants.
PROF. Joseph Leidy, of Philadelphia,
and his brother, DR.. Philip Leidy, be-
queathed their brains to the Anthropo-
metric society, of which the professor
was founder. "The brains of the two
brothers." a Philadelphia newspaper
tells us, ''were of the same weight to
fraction of grain. Both were notice
ably below the normal size. confirming
the deduction of anatomists that quality
of tissue rather than quantity distin-
guishes the valuable brain from the ig-
noraRt."
"A means of taking a panoramic
photograph of a long stretch of country
lin fact all around the horizon = has
been devised by M. Damoiseau, French
inventor. 1t consists of a camera,
which is pivoted on horizontal plate
supported on three legs, after the man.
ner of theodolite. The camera slowly
moves round on its pivot, while at the
same time the sensitised paper moves so
as to present a fresh surface to the
image, and the adjustment is so perfect
that the photograph is quite distinct In
every part.
The boring of artesian wells along
the coast of New Jersey has afforded a
new field to the archaeological geolo-
gist. The result of an examination of
| numerous wells in the southeastern
portion of the state leads Mr.. Woolman,
of the Philadelphia academy, to the
conclusion that there is greater thick
ness of the Miocene deposits in the
southern parts of the state than has
been generally held by geologists, and,
as consequence, increases the hereto
fore estimated dip of the underlying
Cretaceous and Eocene beds in that sec
ton of the state of New Jersey.-N. Y
Independent.
The deepest hole in the world is al
| Wheeling, w. Va, where an eight-inct
well has been sunk nearly mile. Wher
it has reached that depth the govern
ment will take up the work under the
direction of two expert officers of the
geological survey and drill into the
earth as far as human skill can pene
trate. The idea is to take the tempera
ture and magnetic conditions as far al
possible and by means of an instrument
constructed for the'purpose, complete
record of the progress and ali discov
cries made will be kept and placed il
the Geological Survey exhibit at the
worlds fair.
Most people are probably not aware
that there is one at least of the we'll
known stars compared to which the SUI
is mere pygmy. Sirius, the dog-star
which is also a sun, is believed to havG
nearly Ave thousand times the volum,
of our sun. Its immense distance, prob
ably hundred million millions of miles
makes such measurement as is applies
to the planets impossible. Hence tn
above estimate is based on compari
son of the light of Sirius with that re
ceived from the sun. 1t is the mos
brilliant star in the heavens, being ia
brighter than the first magnitude, an
its light has greenish tinge Durin
the winter months the place to look fo
Sirius is in the southern heayens.-PoI
ular Science Monthly.
Years ago it was supposed ths
! Sirius was nearer the earth than an
! other star, and its light requires owe
three years to reach US. Now, hov
ever, Alpha Centauri, comparativel
} insignificant star of the southern hea'
/ ems, is known to be our nearest neigl
: Dor, and Sirius is so far removed tn;
: the human mind fails to grasp the di
( tance when expressed in miles. tt
: fact that light requires from seventee
Z to twenty years to cross the space b
tween our little earth and this giant. o.
/ is scarcely more easy to comprehen
J If one would appreciate the magni
/ cence of this most brilliant of suns,
2 should not think of it as near, b
: rather let his mind make the vain &
s tempt to follow a ray of light thithe
t as it travels on, unwearied, day al
!. NIGHT. at the rate of 1S6. 600 miles a Sc