Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-02-23

q. What does the word "sio'' mean
when found in brackets after a quo
tation?-O. J.
A. 1t is used after an erroneoue
or astonishing quoted statement 10
indicate that the quotation Is literal
transcript
Q. Does the blowing of the wind
have any effect upon a Thermometer?
C. c. II.
A. The Weather Bureau says that
the thermometer Is not affected by
the WIND velocity after having once
attained the temperature of the wind
Inc physical discomfort usually as
ISOLATED with high winds is due to
IL rapid removal of heat from the
hc4nan body on account Of the winds
AS no heat Is generated by a Their
mometer, its readings are therefore
not affected by the wind velocity.
@. What is honeydew and what
causes It'll. r.
A. Honeydew is the sacchartne
exudate found on the leaves of MANY
plants in hot weather. 1t is some.
times caused by the punctures OF
aphids or scale insects, more rarely
by fungi. and occasionally by exces
sive turgescence.
.. Please give the chemical CON-
ponents of a human being.-H. r. NJ.
A. The following is an approximate
chemical analysis of man, feet 8
inches. weight 148 pounds: Oxygen,
92.4 pounds; hydrogen, 1916 pounds;
nitrogen. 4.6 pounds; carbon. 31.s
pounds. phosphorus, Ia pounds: cal
cium, 2.S pounds; sulphur. "a pound:
chlorine. ~ pound: sodium. IL
rn nd
"a pound; magnesium. .04 pound:
fuorine, OF pound; total, 1883 pounds.
Q. Is banshee supposed to be y
man or a woman?-M. \. D.
a. A banshee is an imaginary
female being, supposed by some of the
peasantry in Ireland and the Scot
fish Highlands to wall or Shrek near
house when one Of its inmates is
about TO die.
Q. II humming birds wing Is
broken, will Nature heal it?--A. T. B.
A. The Biological Survey saws that
a humming bird would In all probable
ity starve TO death before the healing
of wing would take place. Cases
have been known. however, where
broken wings and legs of larger birds
have healed
Q. Does sound travel faster when
the weather is warrn?-M. A r.
A. In undisturbed air. at a tenn
perature of 81 degrees Fahrenheit,
the velocity of sound is approx
mately 1000 feet per second The
velocity increases about one foot a
second for each degree as the tenn
perature rises.
Q. What is the width Of railways?
H. p.
a. The standard gauge of railways
is feet Sla inches in the United
States, Canada, Great Britain. a num-
Der of countries on the continent Of
Europe. etc, it being the gauge which
prevails on probably three-fourths of
the railways of the GLOBE There
have been various different gauges,
and in fact a number thereof are in
use at the present day. The old broad
gauge was 7 feet. There are mar
row-gauge lines Of 5 feet. In Ireland
the usual gauge is feet 3 inches;
in France there are lines of feet 9
inches: in Spain and Portugal the
normal gauge is feet So inches; in
Russia, feet in India the prevailing
gauge is feet inches; in the British
colonies, feet 6 inches; in South
America, 5 feet S inches. with various
others.
The keynote of the times is efficient
service. In supplying its readers toith
, q free Information bureau in Wash
ington The Euenfng star is liUing up
to this principle in deed and fact. We
are paying literally for this service
in order that it may be free to the
| public. Submit your queries to the
staff OF experts 1choSe services are
| put at your disposal IncloSe cents
| In stamps to couer the return postage.
Address The Erenin0 Star Informd-
| ton Bureau. Frederic J. HdSkin, d.
| rector, Wdshin Oton D. o.