Academy of Science. 29 



carbou are so arranged as to be exposed to the influence of sound-waves. These, 

 by their condensations and rarefactions, increase or diminish the contacts of the 

 disc with the carbon, and thus var}^ the flow of the electric current. This varia- 

 tion is found to be in such exact proportion to these small pressures that an 

 ordinary Bell telephone reports with fidelity a message transmitted by Edison's 

 instrument. 



In applying the carbon button to the tasimeter, the heat rays are made to pass 

 through a slit and fall upon a little bar of hard rubber. This is very sensitive to 

 heat, and by its expansion presses on the carbon button, thus increasing the electric 

 current, as witnessed by a delicate galvanometer. Again, the carbon button is used 

 for a new kind of barometer, and also for a hypsometer, to measure the atmos- 

 pheric moisture. Hughes' microphone employs the same principle of loose con- 

 tact as the carbon button. It may have a great variety of forms, one of which 

 consists merely of three iron nails — the two being connected directly with the 

 poles of a battery, and the third nail being looselj'' laid upon these. Another way 

 is : Make a box with tin plates passing into the interior on opposite sides, which 

 are thus connected with the poles of a battery. The box is now filled with gas 

 cinders, and becomes a microphone. Three or four of these hung on the walls of 

 a room, like picture frames, were suflicient to transmit conversation going on in the 

 room, thus realizing not only the idea that walls have ears, but mouths, too. 



Time does not allow even an allusion to the many modifications that have been 

 made in the forms of the last two classes of telephones. In spite of all that has 

 been done, distinct articulation bj'^ telephones can be given, as yet, only in com- 

 paratively low and feeble tones, and we yet wait for Edison, or some other genius, 

 to complete the instrument which will deliver popular harangues or concerts, and 

 report speeches. Aside from any direct practical applications, there is a wide field 

 of interest in the purely scientific aspect of telephones. Through them we see the 

 inner workings of molecular forces from a new and most interesting standpoint. 



We discover new evidence of the marvelous delicacy of the ear, and, conjoined 

 with the kindred invention, the phonograph, we are possessed, for the first time, 

 of the means for making a complete scientific analysis of speech, and may hope to 

 make record of this fugitive aerial movement, which has hitherto been lost like the 

 track of a vessel through the sea. Finally, the telephone teaches the wonderful 

 potency of little things, and that many forces we count as lost go on and on, and 

 return, perhaps, at last, to their origin, after cycles of change. 



AMBLYCHILA CYLINDRIFORMIS SAF. 



By Prof. Frank H. Snow, of the University of Kansas. 



In considering the unintelligibility of the title of this article to one who is not 

 a professional entomologist, I am reminded of a brief dialogue which occurred 

 between Mr. Richard Foster, a member of my last summer's collecting party, and 

 a cow-boy of the plains, who passed by one evening while Mr. Foster was looking 

 for specimens. After watching him for some moments with great curiosity the 

 cow-boy asked : "What are you doing V ' Mr. Foster replied : " Hunting Ambly- 



