Union gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1899-1900, 1900-04-13
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The male butterflies have the proud
privilege Of a pocket, but the pocket
of butterfly Is wonderfully made. 1t
is really an extension of the under
wing folded back on the upper side, but
it is exquisitely colored and marked
like the upper side, so that 1t is very
hard to detect, and no one has yet dis
covered how 1t is opened, although, un-
doubtedly, the butterfly can throw it
open while he is flying.
The recent trials at Indian Head, on
the Potomac, OF the armor made for
the Russian battleship Retvizan. build
Ing In this country, seemed to show
made in America has the advantage in
the endless contest between guns and
armor. Five-inch projectiles with a
striking velocity of more than 1000
feet per second failed to penetrate more
than two inches In a five-inch plate,
and the projectiles were broken in
pieces, while the plate was not cracked.
In a Brussels street traversed by an
electric tram car line, 1t has been no.
ticed that the trees on one side Of the
way begin to lose their foliage early
in August, the leaves turning brown
and dropping off. But in October the
same trees begin to bud again. and
sometimes even blossom. Meanwhile
the trees on the oposite side of the
street are unaffected. losing their foli-
age late In the autumn and budding
only in the spring. The cause Of the
anomaly is supposed to be leaking cleo
tric currents, which stimulate the
growth of the trees affected.
At the recent scientific conference at
Munich, Prof. Chun exhibited the re-
suits Of the German deep-sea expedi-
ton. Some of the fish found at depth
Of about 10000 feet resembled. he said,
the fossil species in the rocks of the
Mesozoic era, when the earth's atmos-
phere was dense with carbon. These
fish. in many cases, had special means
of collecting light. Some possessed
enormous eyes, occupying nearly the
whole side of the head, and some were
supplied with telescope organs. 9th
ers carried their light on their heads in
a manner similar to that of the glow
worm.
The National Museum In Washington
has come into possession Of meteorite
which fell on Thomas hill, In AIlegan.
Michigan, on July 10. 1899. The fall
occurred about o'clock in the morn
ing. Observers noticed slight blush
tinge and hazy appearance In the
track of the descending stone. Some
report that they heard rumbling and
rushing noise. The meteorite probably
weighed originally seventy pounds,
but it was shattered by its
fall, the largest piece weighing
sixty-two and half pounds.
1t buried itself eighteen inches In the
ground, and was picked up while yet
warm. 1t is friable, and contains finely
disseminated metallic iron, olivine in
the form of black glass, and some un-
determined sulphides.
Deadly snakes are seldom seen NOV
ing about. This is to be accounted for
in two ways. First, they are nocturnal
in their habits and generally In repose
when discovered. Secondly. If they
should be on the move their colors are
SO much In harmony with their sur
roundings that they see the intruder
first and gather themselves into coil,
SO as to escape observation by remain
ing still and to be ready for defense If
necessary. They always strike from a
coil. AS to the distance to which they
can strike, great deal depends on the
manner of the coil and the position of
the object struck at. From a good po-
sition snake can generally strike an
object distant one-half or even two
thirds of the creatures length. No
snake can jump. In the true sense of
the word, and so long as one remains
extended at full length it Is practically
harmless. In such position it may be
easily killed or avoided.