1 



462 



NATURE 



\Sept. II, 1879 



Prof. Dolbear has recently (yourn. of Frankl. hist.) described a 

 third 'genus of telephone quite unlike the other two. A short, 

 straight bar electro-magnet is furnished with a crank, so that it 

 may be rotated within its coil. Lying on the poles are the ends 

 of a bent armature (of horse-shoe form), the back of which is 

 fastened to a plate of mica, or paper, or thin iron, mounted as in 

 ordinary receivers, so that any motion of the armature poles 

 will be imparted to the plate. When a current traverses the 

 bobbin, the straight bar becomes a magnet, with strength 

 proportionate to the strength of the current, and the arma- 

 ture adheres to the poles of it with a certain strength of ad- 

 hesion. Now let the crank be turned slowly, and the adhesion 

 of the armature will result in stretching the plate, and the ces- 

 sation of the current will let the plate regain its former position 

 through its elasticity. A varying current will result in varying 

 adhesions and consequent vibrations of the plate, and talking 

 may be plainly heard with an instrument constructed thus. Prof. 

 Dolbear calls it the Rataphone. Of course there are various 

 ways in which the principle may be utilised. 



In the last number of the Astronomische Nachrichtsn Dr. 

 Hermann J. Klein, of Cologne, publishes some further remarks 

 regarding the new formations near the lunar crater Hyginus, 

 which were first noticed by him, and about which there has been 

 so much discussion in astronomical circles of late. Dr. Klein, 

 after giving some valuable selenographical details (for which we 

 must refer our readers to the serial mentioned), observes that for 

 the present it must remain undecided whether the new formations 

 near Hyginus are due to volcanic action. As far as his know- 

 ledge extends, only one observation of lunar changes may be 

 ascribed to phenomena of a volcanic nature. This observation 

 was made by Schrbter and Olbers on July 2, 1 797, and referred 

 to a mountain, V, in the Mare Vaporum. The mountain was 

 found to be 3,450 feet in height, and has never again been seen ; 

 it was probably only a mass of vapour. Almost at the very spot 

 where this mysterious object was observed a crater is now 

 visible. Dr, Klein is of opinion that at the surface of the moon 

 masses of vapour are formed now and then and are of consider- 

 able duration, and he lays particular stress on the fact that for 

 certain processes taking place upon our satelhte all analogy with 

 terrestrial phenomena is completely wanting. As an instance he 

 points to the occasional occurrences at the double crater Messier. 

 Those who are 'acquainted with the entire materials collected 

 by observations of this formation, from Gruithuisen down to 

 Schmidt, and who have themselves for some time observed the 

 crater and its appendages, will own that here they stand before 

 an unsolved enigma, and that, for the present, at least, it is the 

 wisest course to abstain from any attempt at explaining' the 

 wonderful phenomena which are taking place in those regions. 



The Austrian geologists are very busy at present with the ex- 

 cavations which are being made in the Moravian caves of Stam- 

 berg and Briinn, A few miles from the latter town the cele- 

 brated Vypustek cave is situated. This is now being investii'ated 

 by order of the Imperial Academy of Sciences of Vienna, and 

 has been repeatedly visited by Prof, von Hochstetter. The Im- 

 perial Museum at Vienna has quite recently received a collection 

 of bones of the cave-bear, of the cavehya;na, and of other pre- 

 historic inhabitants of the Vypustek cave. 



In a recent number we referred to the tides observed in the 

 subterranean waters of a coal mine at Dux, Bohemia, A 

 similar phenomenon is reported from America, where it was 

 observed in an artesian well some months ago. A Vienna 

 geologist therefore recommends that observations should be 

 made at the artesian wells in Europe, to ascertain whether 

 similar phenomena would show themselves. 



In an article in the August number of the Entomologist's 

 Monthly Magazine, on the recent abundance of Vanessa cardui 



over a great part of Europe, Mr. McLachlan suggests that 

 possibly "the insect may be able to rest quiescent in the perfect 

 state over a series of years, until the accumulated numbers 

 simultaneously wake up," 



The Russian Commercial and Technical Societies propose to 

 send to the Berlin International Fishing Exhibition several col- 

 lections of living fishes and detailed descriptions of the fishing in 

 Russia. 



In the last (August) number of the Annali di Chimica appli- 

 cata alia Medicina of Dr. G. Polli of Milan, an interesting note 

 by Dr. Finardi Sante of Salara (Rovigo), reports the discovery 

 of a new method of conserving chloride of lime unchanged, i.e., 

 free from carbonate or moisture. It consists in placing into the 

 jars containing this substance a small vessel containing a mixture 

 of salicylic acid and salicylate of potash, then closing the jars 

 with a non-porous stopper and preserving them in the dark. 



We have received the Amtatio del Obsei-vatorio de Madrid for 

 1876 and 1877; it contains much useful astronomical and 

 statistical information. \Ve have also received the meteoro- 

 logical publications of the same observatory for 1875-8 ; these 

 we hope to notice at length. 



During a thunderstorm at St. Cergues, in the Jura, the rare 

 phenomenon known as St. Elmo's fire was observed. A pine 

 forest in that neighbourhood is reported to have appeared as if 

 on fire, presenting a magnificent aspect. 



A STEP in the right direction has been taken by the citizens of 

 Colorado in the formation of a Historical and Natural History 

 Society at Denver, The leading citizens of the State have 

 become members of the new society, the main object of which 

 is the preservation of records, documents, relics, &c,, referring 

 to the State of Colorado, The accumulation of works on 

 natural history and of specimens illustrating the natural wealth 

 of the State is another object the Society has in view. 



In a note to the Berlin Physiological Society, Herr Fritsch, 

 after remarking on the dilKculty of rendering bacteria in infected 

 tissues visible, recommends Abbe's illuminating arrangement for 

 the purpose. This consists of a hemispherical lens-system, the 

 plane siurface of which is placed close under the object. To the 

 middle point of the system is directed a considerable quantity of 

 daylight by means of a plane mirror, and the intensity is so 

 regulated that, with different combinations, differently incident 

 cones of rays are obtained. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include a Tiger (Felis tigris), two Indian Leopards 

 (Felts Jiardus), from India, presented by His Excellency the Right 

 Hon. Lord Lytton, G.C.B., G.M.S.I, ; a Macaque Monkey 

 (Macacus cynomolgus), a Bonnet Monkey (Macacus radiatus) 

 from India, presented by Mr, B. Raver ; two great Bustards 

 (Otis tarda) from Andalusia, presented by Mr, Forster ; two All 

 Green Parrakects (Brotogerys tiriacula) from Brazil, presented 

 by Dr. A. Stradling ; two Common Chameleons (Chamaleon 

 vulgaris) from Cyprus, presented by Mr, Alfred Ely ; a European: 

 Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) from Spain, deposited; 

 a Soemmerring's Gazelle ( Gazilla Scemmerri/igii) from Abyssinia, 

 a Rock Cavy ( Ceredon rupestris), a Crab-eating Opossum (Didel- 

 phys cancrivorus), an Ashy-headed Goose (Berniclapflioccphala), 

 an Upland Goose (Bernida magcllanicd) from South America, 

 a Superb Tanager (Calliste fastucsa), a Black- shouldered 

 Tanager (Calliste melanonota), a Palm Tanager (Tanagra 

 paltnarum), a Thick-billed Violet Tanager (Eiiphonia crassi- 

 rostris), a Brazilian Blue Grosbeak (Gttiraca carulea), two 

 Tuberculated Iguanas (Iguana tuherculata), two Horrid Rattle- 

 snakes (Crotalus horridus) from Brazil, two Elegant Parrakeets 

 (Euphcma elegans), from South Australia, two King Crabs 

 (Limtilui Polyphemus) from North America, purcliased. 



