MISCELLANY. 



251 



with their soft parts preserved. These re- 

 mains have been attentively studied by Bar- 

 ral, who shows that they belong to existing 

 species. One of these birds was identified as 

 a species of cormorant, which is common 

 on the coast of Peru. Then there is a sort 

 of gannet, which frequents all parts of the 

 Pacific ; a species of petrel ; and finally the 

 penguin. There are also fragments of the 

 bones of mammals belonging to the eared 

 seal. All these species extend very much 

 farther south than the guano islands, and 

 if deposits of guano have not been found in 

 the colder islands of the Pacific Ocean, it is 

 probably because the rainfalls have removed 

 the birds' excrement, which in other locali- 

 ties has accumulated. - 



Centeuuial Display of Mineral Products. 



It is the intention of the Department of 

 the Interior to have at the Centennial Ex- 

 hibition a collection of the mineral products 

 of the United States. The Smithsonian In- 

 stitution has been charged with the work 

 of making this collection, and accordingly 

 Prof. Joseph Henry has published a circular, 

 inviting the cooperation of mine-owners, 

 superintendents, engineers, geologists, and 

 all others who are able to contribute to the 

 attainment of the object in view. " Such a 

 collection," says the circular, "formed and 

 arranged with skill and discrimination, is 

 important, for the purpose of presenting a 

 general view of the extent and variety of 

 these productions at the Exhibition, and 

 will constitute a portion of the National 

 Museum, where it will be permanently ar- 

 ranged after the Exhibition." Letters of 

 inquiry, with regard to this collection of 

 minerals, should be addressed to Prof. ^Y. 

 P. Blake, New Haven, Conn. 



Besnscitntion of the Drowned. The 



Massachusetts Humane Society has pub- 

 lished the following plain directions for sav- 

 ing the lives of persons rescued from drown- 

 ing after they have become insensible : 



1. Lose no time. Carry out these direc- 

 tions on the spot. 2. Remove the froth and 

 mucus from the mouth and nostrils. 3. 

 Hold the body, for a few seconds only, with 

 the head hanging down, so that the water 

 may run out of the lungs and windpipe. 4. 

 Loosen all tight articles of clothing about 



the neck and chest. 5. See that the tongue 

 is pulled forward if it falls back into the 

 throat. By taking hold of it with a hand- 

 kerchief, it will not slip. 6. If the breath- 

 ing has ceased, or nearly so, it must be 

 stimulated by pressure of the chest with the 

 hands, in imitation of the natural breathing, 

 forcibly expelling the air from the lungs, and 

 allowing it to reenter and expand them to 

 the full capacity of the chest. Remember 

 that this is the most important step of all. 

 To do it readily, lay the person on his back, 

 with a cushion, pillow, or some firm sub- 

 stance, under his shoulders ; then press with 

 the flat of the hands over the lower part of 

 the breastbone and the upper part of the 

 abdomen, keeping up a regular repetition 

 and relaxation of pressure twenty or thirty 

 times a minute. A pressure of thirty pounds 

 may be applied with safety to a grown per- 

 son. 7. Rub the limbs with the hands or 

 with dry cloths constantly, to aid the circu- 

 lation and keep the body warm. 8. As soon 

 as the person can swallow, give a table- 

 spoonful of spirits in hot water, or some 

 warm coffee or tea. 9. Work deliberately. 

 Do not give up too quickly. Success has 

 rewarded the efforts of hours. 



Trout-Cnltnre. In a communication to 

 Forest and Stream, Mr. M. Goldsmith, one 

 of the Fish Commissioners for Vermont, 

 states the results of an experiment in trout- 

 culture, which, if verified, cannot fail to have 

 a great influence on the development of ar- 

 tificial fish-breeding. Mr. Hale, of the town 

 of Rutland, has for some months fed the 

 trout in his ponds with bread made of Indian- 

 corn. He adds to the meal a little sugar or 

 molasses of the cheapest sort, and it is 

 stated that the trout eat the bread thus 

 prepared with as much avidity as they do 

 chopped liver or other animal food. The 

 fish are in good condition, though they do 

 not grow quite so rapidly, perhaps, as they 

 would on a flesh diet. Their flesh is firm 

 and has a fine flavor. This discovery, adds 

 Mr. Goldsmith, makes trout-culture not only 

 possible in localities where it would not oth- 

 erwise be practicable, but in all cases more 

 economical. Whether the vegetable diet 

 can be rigidly practised, is a matter for fur- 

 ther inquiry. Even if the result should 

 prove that a certain quantity of animal food 



