548 



KNOWLEDGE 



[June 26, 1885. 



In some of the cells will be found the worms, in others 

 nothing but the cutting shells, lying at the large end of 

 the cell, and in others nothing at all to show how the holes 

 were bored. The interior of a teredo-eaten pile looks very 

 much like a rough sponge. 



Naturally, where the damage possible to be inflicted by 

 the teredo is so great, every art has fiom time to time been 

 employed in attempts to counteract the efiects. The old 

 method of copiiering the vessel's bottom has been long in 

 vogue, and is, of course, successful. It was found imprac- 

 ticable, that is, too costly, to use this method of preserving 

 piling and wharves. It was thought that the timber could 

 be poisoned, and many rank (loisons, such as arsenic, strych- 

 nine, corrosive sublimate, &c., were tried, but the teredo 

 seemed to thrive as well upon timber so treated as in un- 

 prepared timber. Solutions of metals, such as zinc, copper, 

 and iron, were also infused in the wood, but proved of no 

 value for the purpose of defence against the mollusk. Some 

 of the properties of coal-tar have been found effective ; but, 

 in the pure state, are so soluble in water as to quickly wash 

 out. It was found by experiment that, when combined 

 with creosote oil— which is a colourless fluid of strong 

 antiseptic qualities, distilled from wood — the properties olf 

 coal-tar were practically iusoluble in water, and that the 

 oil remains in timber after years of submersion as strong 

 as when first injected. This result seems to be the per- 

 fection of prevention, for creosoted piles and timber 

 which have been exposed to the teredo for as many as 

 forty years show no evidence of having at any time been 

 attacked, and are as good as when first placed in the water. 



It is impossible to say what there is in creosote oil 

 which makes it destructive to animals of cold blood. It 

 seems to those who have studied the matter that, aside 

 from being obnoxious in itself, the creosote oil so changes 

 the appearance and smell of the wood, that the teredo fails 

 to recognise it as such. — If. W. Lumborman. 



'.■.,=.■ VIVISECTION. 



ALADT wlio evidently feela very strongly on the subject of 

 vivisection has recently {,rone to the expense and trouble of 

 sending from abroad a circular addressed to " her " colleagues and 

 fellow-workers " for the benefit of the human race and" animal 

 emancipation." She did not confine her kind attention, however, 

 to those and those alone, or else she has been gi-avely misinformed 

 as to our sentiments, and it may be to this that we are indebted 

 for our copy. This lady makes a startling though possibly not a 

 novel proposition ; she proposes the total abolition of vivisection on 

 animals, and would substitute condemned criminals, whom she 

 would solicit as free agents to offer their degraded bodies while 

 still living for the advancement of science as some slight compen- 

 sation to society for the wrong they have done her. Should they 

 survive the experiments (a point the lady evidently entertains some 

 very serious doubts upon) a free pardon would "be their reward. 

 An;o3thetics would be allowed, but not encouraged. The author of 

 the circular touches upon a vexed question when she advances that 

 animals are at least as worthy of protection as men, because 

 having no soul, their lives are doubly precious to them. This is 

 more novel thau her first suggestion, and takes some answering — 

 we will not attempt it here. She harrows unnecessarily the feelings 

 of the scientific student by depicting in glowing colours the disgust 

 that would be felt and shown by the "fair pure girl," to whose 

 hand he has dared to aspire, if only his revolting practices were 

 brought to light. This is her aiyunieiitum ad hominem, and is 

 calculated to act seriousl-y as a deterrent to all but determined 

 bachelors. She holds up to merited opprobrium those operators 

 whoso names are published in the " book of infamy," which would 

 seem to be a directory containing their names and addresses, and 

 is anxious under the lex taUo7ns to provide for their future unhap- 

 piness. The author, in her anxiety to wipe out what she charac- 

 terises as a "hideous blot" on our fair humanity, occasionally 

 oversteps, like many of her fellows in England, the limits of both 

 courtesy and justice. Looking upon suffering as a means of regene- 

 ration, she anathematises those whose profession and pride it is 

 to alleviate it, and condemns its professors to unhappiness in this 

 world and acute suffering in the ne-s.t.— Medical Press and Circidar. 



FIRST STAR LESSONS. 



By Richard A. Proctok. 



THE constellations included in the twenty-four maps of 

 this series are numbered throughout as follows (the 

 names being omitted on the maps, to clear these as far as 

 possible from all that might render the star-grouping less 

 distinct) : — 



0. 

 10. 



11. 



12. 

 13. 

 14. 

 15. 



16. 

 17. 



18. 

 19. 

 20. 



21. 



Ursa Minor, the Little Bear 



{a, the Pole Star). 

 Draco, the Drarjon (o, 



Thulam) 

 Cephei(s, King Ceplicns. 

 CassiojJeia, the Lady in tlie 



Chair. 

 Perse^ts, the Champion (/5, 



Al'jol, famous variable). 

 Anriga, the Charioteer (a, 



Caiiella) 

 Ursa Major, the Greater 



Bear (a, j3, the Pointers). 

 Canes Venatici, the Hunting 



Dogs (a. Cor Caroli). 

 Co'ina Berenices, Queen 



Berenice's Hair. 

 Bootes, the Herdsman (n, 



Arcturus). 

 Corona Borealis, the Nor- 

 thern Crown. 

 Serpens, the Serpent. 

 Hercules, the Kneeler. 

 Lyra, the Lyre {a, Vega). 

 Cygnus, the Swan (a, 



Aridcd; P, Alhires). 

 Pegasus, the Winged Horse. 

 Andromeda, the Chained 



Lady. 

 Triangula, the Triangles. 

 Aries, the Ram. 

 Taurus, the Bull (a. Aide- 



b«?'«?i ; 7j, Alcyone, chief 



Pleiad). 

 Gemini, the Twins (a, 



Castor ; fi, Pollux). 



22. 



23. 



24. 

 25. 

 26. 



27. 

 28. 

 29. 

 30. 

 31. 



32. 

 33. 



34. 



35. 



36. 

 87. 

 38. 



39. 

 40. 

 41. 



42. 

 43. 

 44. 



45. 



Cancer, the Crab (the 

 cluster is the Beehive). 



Leo, the Lion (o, Regulus). 



Virgo, the Virgin (o, Spicay 



Lilira, the Scales. 



Ophiv.chus, the Serpent 

 Holder. 



Aquila,ihe Eagle (a,Altair), 



Delphinus, the Dolphin. 



Aquarius, the Water Carrier. 



Pisces, the Fishes. 



Cetus, the Sea Monster (o, 

 Mira, remarkable va- 

 riable). 



Eridanus, the Eiver. 



Orion, the Giant Hunter 

 (a, Betelgeux; /3, Rigel). 



Can is Minor, the Lesser Dog 

 (a, Procyon). 



Hydra, the Sea Serpent (a, 

 Alphard). 



Crater, the Cup (a, Alices). 



Corviis, the Croiv. 



Scorpio, the Scorpion (a, 

 Antares). 



Sagittarius, the Archer. 



Capricornus, the Sea Goat. 



Piscis Australis, the Sou- 

 thern Fish (a, Fomal- 

 haul). 



Lepus, the Hare. 



Columla, the Dove. 



Canis Major, the Greater 

 Dog (a, Sirius). 



Argo, the Ship. 



PLEASANT HOURS WITH THE 



MICROSCOPE. 



By Henry J. Slack, F.G.S., F.R.M.S. 



THE minute structure of the anthers of plants does not 

 appear to have received sufficient attention either on 

 the part of those who are on the lookout for fresh objects. 



Anther tissue-cells ( x 700) of Laniiiim galeobdolon. 



of beauty, or on that of the morphologist. Most observers 

 who look at anthers content themselves with doing so with 

 low powers, that suffice to show whether the pollen is dis- 



