The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-01-02

ripping of birds rather than human
speech.
Delving into the mighty ruins of an
cient Egypt has yielded further results.
For the first time a trace has been
found there of the presence of the Is
raelites. 1t is in the form of a hero
glyphic inscription, ProfessoD Flinders
Petrie being the discoverer.
Antiquarlans have also been busy in
the New World. on the Florida Keys,
Frank Hamilton Gushing, of the Uni
virsity of Pennsylvania, has found
relics of the people of the shell age
possibly an offshoot of the race who
were supposed to inhabit the now sub
mergen continent of Atlantis.
EXPLORATIONS IN VENEZUELA.
Professor Mark Henry of London,
has explored the interior of the Orin-
oco region in Venezuela, bringing to
light hieroglyphics which seem to
point to a Phoenician origin. In Mexi-
co ruins of a great city nave been
found in the state of Guerrero.
If we stretch the word GEOGRAPHIC
to include astronomy, which is simply
the geography of the universe, we may
note several steps taken in advance.
The corona of the sun-that is, it's
fiery envelope--has been photographed
and found to be of electrical nature.
The streamers which issue from it have
a close connection with sun spots, and
the various changes of both, it is be-
lieved, have great influence over our
terrestrial climate II is hoped that
the study of these solar agitations will
enable future meterologists to exactly
forecast the weather in advance.
Owing to q clouded sky the various
expeditions which sailed to northern
latitudes to observe the eclipse of Aug.
were almost complete failures.
On Feb. 10 a remarkable aerolite sped
across Spain, being visible in three
quarters of the peninsula. When it
exploded, not far from Madrid, every
building in the city was shaken and
light structures We're leveled. The dust
which was showered from the mys-
terious visitor covered the country,
even setting fire to two houses in the
town of Logroni. The entire visible
flight of the meteor consumed not less
than half a minute
RETURN OF PERRINE'S COMET.
Perrine's comet revisited the visible
heavens in March. For time it
seemed to be headed directly for our
world, but it vanished before the naked
eye could discern it.
The most disqueting discovery made
in astronomy of late years is that the
motion of the earth around it's axis is
not uniform; that it wobbles like a top
which has nearly spent it's force. This
conclusion was forced upon scientists
by the otherwise unaccountable vara-
tionS of latitudes, and they are now
busy in sixteen observatories studying
the direction of distant stars to find
out all they can about the cranky be-
havior of this planet.
The completion of the Yerkes tele-
scope, the greatest in the world, makes
new epoch in astronomy an great
things are expected from it when COM
petent observers get behind the eye
piece. 1t will bring the moon as near
the earth as Baltimore is to Washing
ton. Professor Hastings, of Yale, has
invented an improved lens which will
increase by 100 per cent. the power of
any size of telescope. Professor Elmer
Gates, of Washington, has invented a
lens of oxygen, said to be far better
than glass, and having the additional
advantage that there is no limit to the
size into which it can be made.
Contemplating all these new things,
which are only a. few of the contribu-
tions of the past twelve months, who
can say that the year 1896 has not done
its duty by civilization?