The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-10-11
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

-Sound-producing ants are referred
20 by S. E. Peal, in Nature. One kind
OF Indian ant gives a series of triple
sounds, another kind a set of five or
six, gradually decreasing. The sounds
were made by rasping the horny tip Of
the last abdominal segment on any
resonant material, such as thin dry
bark, dry leaves, etc. He also refers
to the tolerably loud persuasive 'tok-
tok" of Barbes macroceps
Fishes absorb nourishment as well
as plants, but in different way. The
plant drinks in its food through its
roots from the soil and through its
leaves from the air. The fish takes its
food into its stomach, where it is di-
gested and then distributed by a won
derful circulatory process to every part
of the body. The plant lives on gases
and moisture, the fish on solid food.
victims alive
Hamburg sent out 9,175 vessels,
with an aggregate of 6,24s,275 tons,
during 1894, while Z. All loaded vessels,
with 5.s12, 2i2 tons of cargo, entered the
port, besides /, GOA vessels in ballast; II
per cent. of the vessels entering and
clearing were steamers. OF the arri-
walls ash vessels (52e, 274 tons) were
from Germany, 4, 97i vessels e, 420. 800
tons) from the rest of Europe, and 1.3sa
vessels (2.27s,747 tons) from countries
outside of Europe.
Equal parts of alu minum and cop
per were fused recently by NJ Chate-
her, and the ingot placed for twenty
four hours in a solution Of common
salt and lead chloride to dissolve the
uncombined aluminium No apparent
change could be observed in the ipgot,
SO it was taken out, washed and dried.
At the end of twelve hours the whole
mass was found reduced to powder
from the spontaneous oxidation of tho
alloy. A similar inyot that had boon
immersed was found unchanged 1T the
end of month.
-Italy's harvest this year is satisfac-
tory. The yield of silk cocoons is only
An average one, but as the quality is
excellent the value is 81 ZOO. 900 moro
THAI In 1894. Wheat, corn. oats and
barley are all good in quality, with a
yield above the average. The rice fields
are promising, as the disease calico
risone has been stamped out; 20 are
olives and hemp. The vineyards were
attacked by perenospora, but the dry
July killed the pest, and while the
vintage will be below the average the
quality of the wine will be good.
Experiments in welding metallic
bodies by simple pressure At heats be-
low their fusing points, made By the
Royal society of Belgium, show that
the most perfect joints arc obtained
with gold. lead, and tin. and the worst
with bi.muth and antimony. Cylinders
of extremely pure metal with smooth
surfaces were brought together by q
hand screw and kept At 9 constant tenn
perature between zoo and 400 degrees
for from three to twelve houra When
separated the break did not coincide
with the Joined surfaces Platinum
was softened and welded At tempera-
ture 1900 degrees below its point Of
fusion.
"A case of hypnotism in a Syrian
lizard is reported in Nature by W. L.
Van Dyck- When one is caught after
trying to escape if held firmly it falls
into a limp, motionless state, appear
ing as If dead; but it is simply in a
trance-like state, which may last sever
al minutes. The readiest way of in
ducing the trance is to take the lizards
head between ones thumb and finger.
making gentle pressure upon the an
giles of the jaw and upon the ear,
though similar pressure on the SIDES Of
the trunk, just behind the forelegA
is just about as effective These facts,
with other details given by the author,
lend. he thinks. no support whatever
TO the hypothesis that the animal 10
simply feigning death
How They Solved the Trouble