Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-01-12
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS.

ttt.sst4A
1t takes more than 100 bees to weigh an
ounce. 4...e, -. d,
The otter is growing scarce even in the
extreme Northwest. T
AN acre of pasture land contains on an
average 26, 900 worms. -.
"A Texan pony found the watch whlcn
his master had lost and brought it to him IN
his mouth.
in Ventura county, California, there Is
sulphur spring that is hot in the morning
and cool in the heat of the day.
Recently at Amador, Cal, block OF
marble weighing 100 tons was quarried and
cut up into columns for new theater.
"A French scientist declares that the
domestic pets of the world carry at least 30
per cent of the common contagious diseases
from house to house.
The fora of the east coast of Florida
contains many species from the West Indies,
which have been brought by the equatorial
currents through the caribbean Sea into the
Gulf of Mexico and around by the Gulf
Stream. .-
Some fishes have horns which are
actually outgrowths of bone on their heads.
The box fish, which inhabits the warm
waters of the globe-a little fellow six or
length. sr-
From the small island of ST. Kilda, of
Scotland, 20, 900 young gannets and an inn
mense number of eggs are annually col
lected; and although this bird lays only ono
egg per annum, and is four years in attaining
maturity, its numbers do not diminish.
"A hole 1-5OO of an inch in diameter has
been considered remarkable. but nowadays
jewels with holes much smaller in diameter
are required for several purposes. They are
inserted in plates for drawing wire and fiber,
and are used in electrical, mathematical and
nautical Instruments
There is species of crow in India
which assemblies in f1ocks of about 20 or 80 in
the recesses of forests, and whose note so
exactly resembles the human voice in loud
laughing that a person ignorant of the real
cause would fancy that a very merry party
was close at hand.
There are in the world AT educational
institutions called universities. The largest
is in Paris with 92I5 students; the next in
Vienna with 6220: the third in Berlin with
5527. The smallest is a branch of Durham
University, Fourah Bay College, in Sierra
Leone, with IL students and five professors.
For nearly half a century Mount Everest,
or Gaurisacker (as it is known in Europe
and Asia), was thought to be the apex of the
world. In 1881, however. a Captain Lawson,
sent out by the British G Geographical Society,
discovered a peak an the Isle of Papna
which is 81, 763 feet in height. He named it
Mount Hercules.
MIR. Francis Darwin has proved by ex-
pertinent that insect or meat fed plants bear
heavier and more seeds than those unfed.
He grew two lots under similar conditions,
feeding one with roast meat and the other
with nothing. The pampered plants bore 24o
seeds to the others lO0 with superiority in
weight of seeds.
The echo at the Eagles Nest on the
banks of the Killarney is removed for its re-
petition OF a bugle call. which seems to be
repeated by a hundred instruments, until it
gradually dies away in the mir. At the re-
port OF u cannon the loudest thunders re-
vertebrate from the rock and die in SEEM
ingly endless peals along the distant mount
aims.
The official report shows that 800 people
committed suicide in Paris during the past
year, 243 of whom hanged themselves, 205
were drowned, 164 asphvxiated, 138 shot, IS
jumped from windows, 33twere poisoned, "A
stabbed, 3 run over by trains, and IL left by
methods miscellaneous. Among the drowned
and window jumpers the majority were
women.
Behind the temple at Benz Hassan great
pits have been found containing multitudes
of cat mummies. The cat was regarded as
an emblem of the sun. its eyes being sup
posed 20 vary in color with the progress of
the luminary through the heavens. Like
wise its eyes we're believed to undergo
change each lunar month, for which reason
the beast was also sacred to the moon
-Four years ago no white man was per-
mitted to enter MatabeleIand without
special permit from the King, and mission
aries were advised not to attempt to settle
in his country if they valued their lives :
Lobengula has just made a new treaty with
the British south Africa Company by which
lie cedes to them a large tract of country
in addition to Mashonaland, and gives them
all the powers and privileges they require.
The company now controls 900 square
miles in Matabeleland and Mashonaland-
The present extent of the Vatican is
enormdrs, the number of rooms, at the
lowest computation, being Az Its treas
ures of marble statues, ancient gems, paint
ings books, manuscripts etc, are to be COM
pared only with those in the British Museum.
The length of the Statue Museum alone is a
fraction over mile. Conservative writers
say that the gold contained in the medals,
vessels. chains and other objects preserved
in the Vatican would make more gold coins
than tine whole of the present European cir
culation.
When all the particulars of the census
are out it will probably be found that there
are nearly 20,OO0 women in the United King
dom who, earn their living by nursing. The
mum Der seems enormous, yet becomes COM
when we consider that the nurS-
ing staff of the largest hospital in London
numbers $50 and that the nursing stats Of
the seven largest HOSPITALS reacn n total Of
] 600 And there are 123 hospitals in London,
besides the numerous institutions which
supply private nurses, of which several EN-
pIoy over leo women.
The really famous fan painters of Eu-
rope are Albert, Cheneyiee, Houghton,
Eugene Ciceri and Lassallez. Albert is q
painter OF miniatures, and his training shows
in his work on fans. His figures have a re-
mar kable beahsy of finish. Cheneviere is
strong in costumes. He delights in depict
ing gay groups OF Parisians. Houghton's
work is noticeable for delicate finish. Ciceri
is almost alone in painting Alpine scenes.
He will cover the whole face of fan with
great Alpine landscape, and one easily
by those familiar with the Alps. b
LasGllez is peculiarly rich in coloring. Fans
painted by these artists are sold for Sl25 to
500 each.
MOMENTARY SMILES. -.-