The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1905-02-18
Corrsspondence Baltimore County Union.
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.
The Earth's ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS as Star
Collectors-Nearing the Sunspot Maxi
mum-A Painting Sterilization
and Observation-Disclosures of Eggs
Not a Beastly Practice-A Freak-An
Accurate Clock-A Rising sea.
In new apparatus for measuring the radio
activity Of soils and mud, EIster and Geitel note
the increase in the conductivity of a constant
volume of air exposed in metal cylinder to the
action of the radioactive material The indica-
tions are given by a modified form of Exner's
electroscope, in which the leaves are insulated
by amber and dry atmosphere is produced by
metallic sodium. Measurements of the effect
and decay of mud from the hot springs of Bat
tagla tend to show that its activity is due solely
to radium. The same investigators offer the
theory that the conductivity of the atmosphere
Is largely or entirely due to radioactive emana-
ton from the earth's crust. and mention that
the conductivity Of the air of closed cellars and
deep holes is often fifty times as great as that of
normal air.
The study of great nebulae, like that of Orion,
has been made easier since the use of short-focus
detectives for photographing the stars. M. Max
Wolf shows that the photographs bring out in q
remarkable way fact that Herschel had pointed
out-that the great nebulae are surrounded by
nearly empty spaces that form veritable stellar
deserts. NJ. Wolf finds that the empty space
lies on only one side Of the nebula. A few rare
and brilliant stars are to be seen but all smaller
ones seem to have been grouped round the
nebula. The nebula of Andromeda and the spiral
nebulae do not follow the rule, apparently form
ing another class.
Solar activity is rapidly increasing, 6 indepen-
dent sunspots having been counted by Prof.
Stentzel of Berlin in 1901, in 1909. SO in 1908,
and Y in 1904 up to Aug. 18th. On the day mem
toned, one enormous group had a total length
Of 00.489 miles.
For two years an exhaustive monograph on
typical lake of Italy has been in course of prepa
ration by the italian Geographical Society. The
picturesque Lake of Bolsena, within easy reach
from Rome. was selected for the purpose, and
the studies include the geographical and geologi-
cal features. the rainfall and temperature and
seasonal variations, the changes of level, the
seiches or rhythmlcal pulsations of the surface,
and the life forms. The seiches constitute one
of the most interesting of the phenomena. These
have a regular period of twelve or fifteen
minutes. the rise of the water on occasions reach
ing q foot, and the oscillations are often so
marked that the natives speak of the lake as
painting. They are more conspicuous at Matra
than on the opposite side of the lake at Bolsena,
rise of seven inches at the former being cor
related with one of four inches at the latter.
A*s
There are bacteria and bacteria. DIR. Charrin,
French psychologist, has been experimenting
upon rabbits with various vegetables sterilized
by the most approved processes, and he has
shown that it is erroneous to declare that the
Iauc hon fhoro in dof1 " he
better. What is required is to weed out the
harmful organisms from the benehcent kinds.
The rabbits fed on sterilized food soon died from
maladies set up by non assimilation of the vege-
tables. but other rabbits fourished on similar
sterilized vegetables that had been afterward
treated with suitable bacteria.
-
That eggs decrease in weight during incuba-
ton has been proven by careful weighings by
Mr.. H. s. Gladstone. The average loss of
pheasants egg from the first to the twenty-frst
day was found to be 2drams IL grains and one
egg which weighed II drains 10 grains when laid
had become reduced to 10 drains 10 grains on the
twenty-third day.
The average annual rainfall of the British Isles
is 1916 inches but So inches fell in 1872 81 in 1877
and 81 in 1903.
Cannibalism appears to be unknown among the
lower animals in q state of nature. In India
some instances of snakes devouring one another
have been collected, but it has been pointed out
that in every case cited the snakes were of diff
ferent species. This, it is declared, is no more
an act of cannibalism than the devouring of
field-mouse by rat. Unquestionahle cannibal-
ism was noted some years ago in a London me-
nagerie, when python ate another Of its own
III Tn.kk
tions imposed by life in captivity.
-
The black leopard has been regarded by many
as a distinct species. A naturalist in India,
however, reports having recently found a pair
of leopard cubs, one of which was black while
the other was of the ordinary color, thus prov
ing that the black color is simply an instance of
nelanism. This tendency to blackness, it is
stated, is most marked in hot, moist climates
s~s
The worlds best timepiece, an electric clock
in the basement of the Berlin Observatory, was
installed by Prof. Forester in 1866 and has often
run two or three months with an average daily
deviation of only fifteen one-thousandths of q
second. To improve even this marvellous per-
Torrance, the astronomers in charge are arrang-
ing to place the air-tight glass case in an I'M
derground vault, securing freedom from changes
of temperature and air pressure.
-
French engineers have convinced themselves
that the Mediterranean Sea has risen at least
nine feet in about 1000 years. The conclusion is
based on the evidence of submerged bridge
5000 feet long that formerly Joined Leucade to
the mainland, a submerged mole in the bay of
Amphissa at Itea. and submerged dock at
Rhenee. These works all seem to date from
the Roman period.