29 



One part of alkaline matter can absorb as uiiich as four parts of sugar, 

 and some kinds of molasses contain as much as eight per cent, of alkali. 



Various means have been used to remedy this defect ; among them, 

 more particularly sulphuric and phosphoric acids, the use of which, 

 hoAvever, is, in most instances, un advisable for various reasons. Sul- 

 phurous acid has also been recommended, and used with excellent ad- 

 vantage. 



The method of Dr. Seyforth consists in introducing the sulphurous 

 acid either in the form of gas, or as a weak active solution, into the 

 vacuum pans. In this way it becomes possible to bring all particles of 

 the sugar solution (or sirup) into contact with the sulphurous acid, and 

 to eliminate, by the joint action of heat and vacuum, any excess of that 

 acid which, however, not only saturates free alkalies and carbonate of 

 lime, but also sets the organic acids which may be present, as alkaline 

 salts, free from those combinations. The sulphurous acid thus takes 

 hold of the bases they were combined with, while the greater part of 

 the organic acids are volatilized along with the steam. Thus the sul- 

 phurous acid promotes the good and ready crystallization of the sugar, 

 while its action as a decolorizer comes also into play. Tlie details of the 

 new process embrace the two operations of the manufacture of the acid 

 in a simple form, and its introduction into the vacuum pans. The quan- 

 tity to be applied in any solution varies from four to eight, or from ten 

 to fifteen per cent, of the bulk of liquid sirup to be evaporated. The 

 process is said to involve very little cost, to require no inconveniently 

 large space, to be applicable to any existing manufactory, and to be 

 very easily understood by manufacturers. 



C03IPARATIVE FECUNDITY OF DrCKS AND HENS. 



Some interesting experiments have recently been made upon the com- 

 parative fecundity of ducks and hens so as to determine from which of 

 the two the larger number of eggs can be obtained in the same time. 

 For this purpose three hens and three ducks were selected, all hatched 

 in February, and nourished with suitable food. In the following autumn 

 the ducks laid 225 eggs, while the hens laid none. In the next Febru- 

 ary tlie laying season began again with the ducks and continued unin- 

 terruptedly fill August. They showed no inclination to set, but became 

 very thin, although they afterward fattened up somewhat. The total 

 number of eggs laid by the hens amounted to 257, or 80 eggs each ; and 

 392, or 131 each for the ducks. Although the eggs of the ducks were 

 rather smaller than those of the hens, yet they proved to be decidedly 

 sujierior in nutritive material, so that the superiority in productiveness 

 appears to be decidedly with the ducks. 



PREHISTORIC HORSE. 



According to Professor Owen, who has lately been examining animal 

 remains from the cavern of Bruniquel, the human bones show most af- 

 finity with the Celtic types, the cranium being oval and rather dolico- 

 cephalous than brachy-cephalous in general i^roportion. The cranial ca- 

 pacity corresponds to that of uneducated Europeans of Celtic origin, 

 and exceeds that of the average of Australiaii aborigines. 



Professor Owen, referring to certain carvings on the animal bones 

 accompanying the remains, says that some of them are pictures of the 

 heads of horses, and show much artistic skill. They rejn-esent an ani- 

 mal with short pointed ears, the stallions having beard-like hairs. The 

 tails of the horses also appear to have been short, and furnished with 

 long hairs to their base iuvstead of having these liairs form a kind of 



