POPULAR MISCELLANY 



141 



of the expansion of the river into the gulf, 

 says that this species is the most abundant 

 of all the seals of that locality, and roves 

 up and down the St. Lawrence in its migra- 

 tions iu immense numbers ; and he adds 

 that it is tolerably common as far up as the 

 Saguenay. From the information furnished 

 by Mr. Comeau and from other data, it ap- 

 pears to Dr. Merriam that the harp-seal is a 

 permanent resident in the St. Lawrence ; that 

 it spends the summer wandering about, some- 

 times singly or in small schools, sometimes 

 in larjre herds ; that it ascends the river at 

 least as far as the Saguenay, and is common 

 between Mille Vasches and Manicouagan ; 

 that it frequents with considerable regular- 

 ity particular shores and estuaries to feed 

 on the small fish that congregate there at 

 certain states of the tide ; that it works down 

 the river early in the winter, and is particu- 

 larly abundant about Point des Monts in 

 December, January, and the early part of 

 February ; that it then passes farther down 

 to whelp on the heavy ice in the gulf ; that 

 its young are born during the latter part 

 of February or early March ; that, as soon 

 as the young are able to shift for themselves, 

 the parents at once return, passing Point 

 des Monts in great numbers on their way 

 up the river. 



Alleged Nerve-exciting Properties of 

 American Air. A correspondent of the Lon- 

 don " Times " notices as a fact coming 

 within his own personal experience the 

 effect of the American air, particularly in 

 New York, in exciting nervous sensibility. 

 It is partly an effect of dryness, partly elec- 

 trical, as is witnessed by the power some- 

 times observed of lighting a gas-jet with 

 the electric spark developed by shuffling 

 rapidly over the carpet. It is observed also 

 in the greater intensity of the effect of spir- 

 ituous liquors in this country than in Eu- 

 rope. ' It is partly local, for it is more 

 marked in New York than in any ether 

 place. It seems to be evolving a new type 

 of mind, and ultimately possibly a new phys- 

 ical type ; and the American appears to be 

 becoming a more nervous and more spirited 

 man. Hence, we have peculiarities in our 

 statistics of insanity; our army of tramps 

 " individuals of all classes, though mainly 

 of the poorer, who can not endure the drive 



and strain necessary to keep up with their 

 fellows, and whose inertia triumphs " and 

 our cranks " people who carry eccentricity 

 almost to iusanity, but are recognized as 

 responsible persons." After noticing an 

 increasing development of insanity among 

 our native-born population, the writer men- 

 tions two questions that suggest themselves : 

 " Are we becoming a nation of madmen," or 

 " are we developing a specialized race from 

 those who can endure the pressure, and who 

 by the survival of the fittest will form the 

 future American stock, while the feeble in- 

 tellectual natures will become tramps and 

 lunatics ? " 



The Weather and Health. -Dr. J. W. 



Tripe read a paper at the Meteorological Con- 

 ference, held in connection with the London 

 Health Exhibition, on "The Relations of 

 Meteorological Phenomena to Health." It is 

 only recently that systematic observations 

 have made the collation of knowledge on 

 this subject possible. Ordinary variations 

 of the barometer at ordinary elevations pro- 

 duce but little effect on health. At consid- 

 erable elevations disagreeable feelings fol- 

 low the diminished pressure. Nevertheless, 

 consumptive and other invalids have experi- 

 enced relief at mountain-stations ; but this 

 was because the reduced temperature, with 

 the total change in the habits of life, more 

 than compensated for the effects of the 

 lessened pressure. In residences a sudden 

 diminution of atmospheric pressure is likely 

 to be attended with an escape of ground-air 

 from the soil, and thereby to cause injury 

 to health. Changes of temperature when 

 rapid are liable to cause derangements in 

 either direction ; otherwise man can with 

 precautions endure a range of about 200 

 Fahr. without serious injury. Hot climates, 

 however, eventually, unless habits are care- 

 fully adjusted to them, sap the foundations 

 of life among Europeans. The direct influ- 

 ence of rain on man is not very marked in 

 temperate regions, except by giving moist- 

 ure to the air by evaporation from the 

 ground and from vegetable life, and by al- 

 tering the level of ground- water. Consider- 

 able and sudden fluctuations in the level of 

 the ground- water generally cause ill health, 

 and if such water stands at less than five 

 feet below the surface it is dangerous. Vary- 



