150 



NATURE 



\Augtist 1 1, 1887 



I metre in diameter, and of thin metal, allowing the supports to 

 be far apart, say 800 metres. In the tube, a train of ten to 

 fifteen small waggons should run on rails on a floor, the motive 

 power compressed and rarefied air actuating a piston. The 

 lower j5art of one tube should hold telegraphic, and that of the 

 other telephonic wires. The metallic foundation-piers, some of 

 which should be as much as 70 metres high, should be of 

 Iruncated-pyramid shape, and capable of floating at first, but 

 gradually filled with masonry and water, and sunk to the 

 bottom. These should support tall pillars having suspension- 

 cables at the top. By the pumping out of the water, these piers 

 could be raised and shifted if necessary. 



In the Exhibition recently opened at Havre there is an in- 

 teresting collection of specimens of poisonous fishes. Sone are 

 poisonous when eaten ; others are merely venomous. Among 

 the first' are many Sparoids, a Tetrodon, and many Clupca, 

 which are abundant near the Cape of Good Hope. In the 

 Japan Sea is found a very peculiar Tetrodon, which is some- 

 times used as a means of suicide. It brings on sensations like 

 those produced by morphia, and then death. Another interest- 

 ing collection in the Exhibition is that of a number of Bacteria, 

 and pathogenetic microbes. This collection was formed by 

 Prof. Cornil, of Paris. 



At the annual meeting of the Seismological Society of Japan, 

 on May 27, Prof S. Sekiya exhibited an interesting model of 

 liis own design, showing the motion of the ground at the time 

 ■of an earthquake. The actual motion was magnified fifty times. 

 At the same meeting. Prof Milne read a paper on the effects 

 produced by earthquakes upon the lower animals. Animals 

 often show signs of alarm not only while an earthquake is going 

 on, but before the shock is felt. Prof. Milne's friend, Mr. 

 James Bissett, of Yokohama, testifies that thirty seconds before 

 the first shock on the 15th of last January one of his ponies 

 suddenly got up on its feet and pranced about in the stall, 

 evidently terrified at the coming shake. A pony at Tokio was 

 observed to act in a similar manner. Prof. Milne has had many 

 opportunities, just before earthquakes, of confirming the fact 

 that pheasants scream ; and several observers have assured him 

 that in like circumstances frogs suddenly cease croaking. Of all 

 animals, geese, swine, and dogs a'e said to give the clearest 

 indications of an approaching earthquake. It is said, too, 

 that many birds show uneasiness, hiding their heads beneath 

 their wings, and behaving in an unusual manner. Prof Milne 

 suggests that some of the lower animals may be sensitive to 

 small motions which we do not notice. The terror manifested 

 by intelligent animals like dogs and horses may be, he thinks, 

 the result of their own experience, which has taught them that 

 slight tremors are premonitory of movements more alarming. 

 In the case of pheasants, frogs, and geese, alarm may be due 

 solely to the tremors. Strange behaviour on the part of animals 

 several hours or days before an earthquake Prof Milne attri- 

 butes for the most part to accidental causes. In volcanic 

 •districts, however, as he shows, it has sometimes happened that 

 before an earthquake certain gases have emanated from the 

 •earth ; and where this has occurred the smaller animals have 

 not only been alarmed, but sometimes killed. 



A VIOLENT shock of earthquake was felt on August 26 at 

 Laghouat. It caused much consternation, these phenomena 

 being very rare in the vicinity. 



Early in December, an Exhibition of winter flowers, plants, 

 and fruit will be opened at Mayence. 



The locust plague has done much damage this year in Algiers. 

 All the efforts of the authorities to cope with it have proved 

 fruitless, and it is feared thattthe evil will be not less formidable 

 next year, the eggs deposited being' numberless. 



The annual meeting of the North of England Institute of 

 Mining and Mechanical Engineers was held on Saturday last 

 in the building of the Newcastle Exhibition. Sir Lowthian 

 Bell delivered his presidential address. Dealing with the 

 progress of railroads and navigation, he pointed out that 

 fifty years ago the tonnage sailing under the British flag 

 might be taken at 750,000, of which a little above 50,000 con- 

 sisted of steamers. By the end of 1885 this country possessed 

 3,456,562 tons of sailing ships, and 3,973,483 tons of steam 

 vessels, making a total of 7,430,045 tons. Referring to com- 

 pound engines, he said they all knew how the dangers attending 

 the use of steam at a high pre sure had been met by the intro- 

 duction of the compound system, in which, by the use of three 

 cylinders, a great addition to the expansive force of the steam 

 was now extensively employed. To such an extent had this 

 been carried that 350 tons of coal were now doing the work 

 which formerly required 750. Mr. T. W, Bunning read a paper 

 in which he advocated the federation of the different mining and 

 mechanical associations in the kingdom on the lines of the 

 Society of Chemical Industry. Sir Lowthian Bell was re-elected 

 President. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include a Malbrouck Monkey {Cercofifheacs cyno- 

 surus $ ) from West Africa, presented by Mr. T, Sutton Flack ; 

 a Blue and Yellow Macaw {A7-a araraund) and a Red and 

 Yellow Macaw {Ara chloroplera) from South America, presented 

 by Mr. W. Reid Revell ; a Green Turtle {Chelone -vlridis) from 

 the West Indies, presented by Mr. James McGregor ; two 

 Griffon Vultures {Gyps ftdviis), European, a Dark-green 

 Snake {Zamenis atrovirens), European, deposited ; a One- 

 streaked Hawk (Melierax vionogrammicus) from West Africa, 

 an Elegant-grass Parakeet {Eupherra elegans'i) from South 

 Australia, purchased. 



ASTRONOMICAL PHENOMENA FOR THE 

 WEEK 1887 AUGUST 14-20. 



/POR the reckoning of time the civil day, commencing at 

 ^ " Greenwich mean midnight, counting the hours on to 24, 

 js here employed.) 



At Greenwich on August 14 

 San rises, 4h. 45m. ; souths, I2h. 4m. 30-3s. ; sets, igh. 24m. ; 



decl. on meridian, 14° 24' N. : Sidereal Time at Sunset, 



l6h. S6m. 

 Moon (New, August 19, 6h.) rises, 23h. 52m.*; souths, 7h. 40m. ; 



sets, I5h. 35m. ; decl. on meridian, 18" 18' N. 



Mercury 

 Venus ... 

 Mars ... 

 Jupiter... 

 Saturn... 



Rises, 

 h. m. 



3 9 

 8 45 



1 55 

 II II 



2 40 



Souths, 

 h. m. 

 10 49 

 14 28 



10 5 



16 21 



10 •;6 



Sets, 



h. m. 



18 29 



20 II 

 18 15 



21 31 

 18 32 



Decl. on meridia 



... 1758N. 



... 3 57 S. 



... 22 32 N, 



... 10 24 S, 



... 20 27 N. 



August. 

 16 ., 



16 . 



19 



Inrlicates that the rising is that of the preceding evening. 



h. 



— ... Venus at her point of greatest evening 

 brilliancy. 

 , 20 ... r.Iercury at greatest elongation from the Sun, 



19° west. 

 21 ... Mercuiy in conjunction with and 0° 33' nort 



of the Moon. 

 , — ... Total eclipse of the Sun. The central hne 

 of totality passes from south of the Baltic 

 across Europe, Asia, and Japan. At 

 Greenwich and in England and Scotland 

 generally the sun will rise partially eclipsed 

 a few minutes only before termination of 

 the eclipse. In Ireland the eclipse ends 

 before sunrise. 



A 



