Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1907-09-20


only very imperfect understanding
of what the various animals eau see,
but from late experiments Leon j.
Cole, Harvard zooIogist, finds that
insects and reptiles may be divided
by the acuteness of their vision into
four types. The first, of which the
earthworm Is representative, Is
without eyes, sensitive skin enabl-
ing it to distinguish between dark
ness and light. A second type has
visual organs, but they form no de-
finite images and are affected only by
the intensity and direction of the
light. Creatures of the third type
have eyes that distinguish between
equally lighted objects of different
size. In the fourth type, the eyes
perceive objects, and vision Is much
like our own. Just what is the use
of the many small images formed by
the compound eyes OF insects is still
uncertain.
Electro chemistry Is IN its infancy,
but It's products already include
mineral and artificial organic colors
that promise to become serious COM
petitors of the coal tar dyes. The
new coloring matters are precipitated
by the electric current from suitable
solutions. In this way ScheeIe's
green, Berlin green. vermlIlon,
japanese red, cherry red, cadmium
yellow, zinc white and certain
organic colors are now obtained on
a commercial scale, and the list will
doubtless be rapidly extended.
A curious mirage reported by DR..
G. q. Knott was seen in South Africa
by members of a cadet corps. With
the town of Worcester behind them,
they saw about four miles oil. appar-
emily on the other side OF the river, a
recognizable image OF the town itself.
A strange phenomenon in land of
strange natural history Is the recent
Transformation of one of New Zea-
lands harmless insect eating birds
into fierce and cruel bird of prey.
Less than forty years ago number of
curiously torn sheep were brought to
the notice of some farmers and about,
the carcasses we're seen several speci-
mems of the kea, mountain parrot
found only in the South Island,
where it ted on insects and berries.
Convicted on this feeble circunl-
stantial evidence, the kea has been
regarded as the slaughterer of thou
sands of sheep that have been since
destroyed. To give the accused bird
a tair trial and settle an important
scientific question. Prof. q. K.
Mariner, of Canterbury College, has
been lately seeking more conclusive
evidence than that recorded, and has
succeeded in finding over thirty men
who have witnessed the killing. One
or two of the keas usually attack a
selected sheep with their strong
beaks, while other look on and come
in for share of the spoil. DR.. A..
K. Wallace and others have asserted
that the kidney is sought as special
delicacy, but it appears instead that
the handiest portion of the flesh is
torn out and eaten. Prof. Mariner
favors the theory that the birds
acquired taste for meat while hunt
Ing maegots on dead sheep.
Chain lightning and other lumin-
GUS phenomena near earthquakes have
been attributed to friction of the
rocks. Noticing that a chalk pit near
his house seemed to glow at times
with a varying light, Prof. John
Milne has exposed strips OF photo.
graphic paper moved by cIockwork
near the rock in the Isle of Wight
and in Cornwall, and development
has shown curious spots, bands and
other markings, with intervals oil
many days with No record. These
dark patches cannot be initiated by
electric discharges.
The physical effects of several days
of automobiling. upon both norma
and anaemic persons are found by A
MouneyIat to be those of a stay il
the mountains-red blood being in
creased, with stimulation of respira
ton, circulation and nervous system
Several ether explosions that occurr.
ed in chemical works in 1906 have
been Investigated by Dr. NJ. Richter
and it is shown that the evaporation
of very volatile liquids may charge
objects in contact with electricity
and give rise to sparks. In a few
instances, men holding a funnel
through which ether was being poured
have received shocks and even seer
sparks. Wool agitated with I1ghl
either became positively charged witt
potential as high as 1000 volts, bul
the charge was much slighter witt
heavier ether. Evaporation of carbon
bisulphide may give a charge up tc
$4,000 volts, making it surprising
that this substance is not Otter
ignited spontaneously by sparkling
Addition of some impurity may lesser
risk in some cases, and one hundredth
of one per cent of magnesium oIeatc
prevents danger of the electrical
sparkling of benzine. 1t is recon
mended that in handling these liquid
all metallic vessels, retorts and pipel