The Savannah morning news., 1901-12-25
ITEMS or INTEREST.

search on luminous mushrooms, or
which he enumerates twenty-one diff
ferent species. says the New York sun.
Eleven of these belong to the genus
Pleurotus and five of them are found
only in Australia. The luminosity is not
due to the presence of phosphor escent
bacteria, but is due to a process of
combustion, which depends on the pres
ence of oxygen and on high tempera-
ture. 1t is not affected by humidity. 1t
is probably useful in attracting the IN
sects that disseminate the spores
Prof. Trowbirdge of Harvard Uni
versity prints in the Philosophical
Magazine researches which Lead him TO
the conclusion that pure hydrogen is
a non-conductoP of electricity, An
electric discharge cannot penetrate an
atmosphere of pure hydrogen, nor, in
fact. any gas. In ordinary cases the
spark is transmitted by the ions, re-
sulting from the decomposition of wa
ter. Schumann has shown that pure
hydrogen at atmospheric pressure
transmits ultraviolet rays as freely as
the most perfect vacuum. Hence, this
gas, by MaXwell's theory. must be a
non conductor. Prof. Dewar has also
shown experimentally that liquid by
drogen is a non conductor.
Mr.. A. Pizon proposes to substitute
mechanical theory of vision for the
chemical theory, which leaves many
phenomena unexplained, says the New
York Sun. He has shown that in the
visual organs of all the vertebrates and
invertebrates, simple or complex. the
Elementary granules that accompany
the visual cells are, without exception.
in rapid motion like that of micro
cocci. The presence of these granules
in immediate contact with the visual
cells and the constancy of their mo-
tons lead naturally to the conclusion
that they serve as Intermediates in
the excitation of the cells. The granules
acquire their energy from the light and
transmit it to the rods and cones of
the retina with which they are in con-
tact. and from them it travels along the
optic nerve. This simple theory re-
moves several difficulties in the theory
of vision and changes the received no
tons of the Importance of the purple
of the retina, etc.
"A dispatch from Toledo, O., Dec. %.
says: remarkable mirage which APP
peared over Lake Erie, visible just be
yond the bay has startled a large
number of yachtsmen. The story is
vouched for by such well-known
citizens as Harry Ashley, Thomas
Carroll and others. They had
been fishing through the ice
Suddenly Ashley uttered an exclama-
ton and pointed eastward There,
strongly defined against the sky was
the mirage of a large city. 1t grad
ually became clearer until the streets
and large buildings could be plainly
distinguished. Hundreds of buildings
could be seen very distinctly Sud
denly flames broke out of one of the
largest buildings, the smoke and flames
appearing very plainly. The mirage
continued to appear brighter and peo-
pie and fire apparatus and horses were
seen pouring from other buildings in
different portions of the city. For fully
thirty minutes the strangely beautiful
spectacle held the men spellbound, then
gradually faded away.
The costliest garments worn arc
not always to be found in possession of
the wealthiest classes, says an ex-
change The Queen Dowager of Italy
IS said to be the possessor of a piece
OF lace 300 years old and valued at
10000. Point Tresse" lace, which was
made from threads of flax mixed with
Die An Indian rajah sent a London
lady a wonderful garment in return
Tor service done him by her husband
FIFTEEN thousand of the wing cases of
an Indian beetle are sewn upon the,
material and lend a shimmering green
lridescence to its flowing folds. Many
fashionable ladies wished to duplicate
1t, but found it impossible, both from
the rareness Of the insect and the diff
tlplIhfV of .1ff WING lols -
cases to the material. As for its cost,
$4,000 would be well within the limit.
Inc most costly garment in the world
is royal cloak from the Sandwich
Islands. 1t is made of red, black and
yellow feathers. The bird is now ex-
tinct, and was always so rare that it
took half century to collect enough
to make the cloak. 1t is valued at
$500, eco
There was touch of the heroic
in Judge McAdams preparation for
the surgical operation which ended in
his death this moring, says the New
York letter of the Philadelphia Record.
Dec. %. The learned jurist was
afflicted with cancerous growth of
the tongue. and had been advised TO
nave 't'cut out. So ten days ago he
decided to go to DIR. William r. Bulls
Sauitarium for the operation. But be-
fore going he passed upon every case
pending before him for decision. He
settled every matter of private BUSH
ness, and even paid in advance the cost
of the medical and surgical service.
Then, knowing that the operation
might prove fatal, he calmly entered
the sanltarium and submitted himself
to the issue. The operation, which was
performed by Dr. McBurney, was in
itself successful, but the Judge. after
a temporary rally, was unable to stand
the shock. and passed away from heart
failure. He had been for twenty-eight
years on the bench, the last few wears
as Justice of the Supreme Court. and
was an especial authority on certain
branches of the law. His record was
mat OF 1urlst of the highest integrity.
The mantle that will be thrown
over the Kings shoulders Just before
his conservation is the most interesting
of the three, however, says the New
York World. 1t must consist of a whit.
lawn surplicc. trimmed with most
precious lace; supertunic of brocaded
cloth OF gold lined with crimson. a
stole OF the same material with 81
Georges cross embroidered on II and
long train. Winterhalter's painting
OF Queen Victoria taking the Oath az
the sacrament shows the tyne of gar
ment admirably. These parments
must never be worn a second fine ana
all this product of the skill of hundreds
OF workmen, at an expense of many
thousands of dollars, rarely is soon
again after a few moments of use in