Ottawa Phyllopods. 87 



lamps might be easily constructed for the production of Acetylene directly 

 from the carbide. The latter, for railway work, could be stored in steel 

 cylinders (the same in which oil gas in the Pintsch system at present is 

 compressed), and by a self-adjusting stopcock the water could be brought 

 in contact with the carbide, thus evolving the gas steadily, and illuminat- 

 ing the cars with a white, cool flame. The same principle, with minor 

 alterations in detail, has been suggested with regard to "acetylene 

 lamps " for use where other gas could not be obtained, such as 

 country houses, etc. Such lamps would contain the carbide in the 

 stand or pedestal, and the water simply be allowed to drop onto it. The 

 gas so liberated could be burned from a small steatite " hole " burner. 

 Another novel suggestion is its use for bicycle lamps and for camp 

 lights. However, the chief use of the gas would be in enriching water 

 gas or low grade coal gas, for which, providing its poisonous qualities 

 did not disqualify it, Acetylene would prove of the greatest value. 



We have not as yet any precise data as to the cost of calcium 

 carbide, although some authorities have stated its price at about $15 to 

 $20 per ton, and experiments carried out on a practical working scale 

 have shown that one ton of the carbide yields on the nice addition of 

 water between 10,000 and 1 i,coo cubic feet of Acetylene. At the same 

 time, about 1,500 pounds of lime are produced, a material of some 

 value in gas works. 



A consideration of the marvellous illuminating power of this 

 gas together with its simple and cheap production, leaves very little 

 doubt but that its manufacture bids fair to become a very formidable 

 rival of the foremost gas-enrichment processes now in practice. 



OTTAWA PHYLLOPODS. 

 By Andrew Halkett. 



Two years ago, when examining a shallow pool near New Edin- 

 burgh, I saw some transparent little creatures actively swimming about. 

 Were they the larva." of some insect ? I caught a number of specimens and 

 on placing them in a glass jar and observing their structure and move- 

 ments, set about determining what they were, as they were quite new 



