378 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. [Vol. viii. 



The deepest artesian well in the world is being bored at Pesth, 

 and has reached already a depth of 951 metres. The well at 

 Paris, which measures 547 metres, has hitherto been the first. 

 The work is undertaken by the brothers Zsigmondy, partially 

 at the expense of the city, which has granted 40,000Z. for the 

 purpose, with the intention of obtaining an unlimited supply 

 of warm water for the municipal establishments and public 

 baths. A temperature of 161° F. is shown by the water at 

 present issuing from the well, and the work will be prosecuted 

 until water of 178° is obtained. About 175,000 gallons of 

 warm water stream out daily, rising to a height of 35 feet. This 

 amount will not only supply all the wants of the city, but con- 

 vert the surrounding region into a tropical garden. Since last 

 June the boring has penetrated through 200 feet of dolomite. 

 The preceding strata have supplied a number of interesting 

 facts to the geologist, which have been recorded from time to 

 time in the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. Among some of 

 the ingenious engineering devices invented during the course of 

 the boring are especially noteworthy the arrangements for driving 

 in nails at the enormous depth mentioned above, for pulling 

 them out (with magnets), for cutting off and pulling up broken 

 tubes, and. above all, a valuable mechanical apparatus by means 

 of which the water rising from the well is used as a motive power, 

 driving the drills at a rate of speed double that previously im- 

 parted at the mouth of the well. — Ibid. 



The preliminary works for boring the British Channel Tunnel 

 are being prosecuted with great activity at Sangate. A shaft 

 has been sunk to a depth of 100 metres, and the experimental 

 gallery has been commenced. It is to be continued for a kilo- 

 metre under the sea. If no obstacle is met with, the work will 

 be contiuued without any further delay. Two powerful pumps 

 have been established for elevating the water which, of course, 

 filters in in large quantity. — Ibid. 



The Rhine Provincial Museum in Bonn has succeded in 

 purchasing the famous collection of prehistoric remains from the 

 Neander Valley, hitherto in the possession of the late Prof. 

 Fuhlrott, of Elberfeld, although a high price has been offered 

 from E norland. 



o 

 Published Dec. 29, 1877. 



