July 14, 1882.] 



• KNOWLEDGE 



113 



the width of such a stage as Drury Lane's, it has a decidedly 

 ridiculous eftect. We believe the close of this scene would 

 be far more impressive if Macbeth retired moodily and 

 doubtingly, watched by Lady Macbeth, as, anxious but 

 resolute, she slowly follows him. 



In all the remaining scenes Madame Ristori's acting, 

 apart from somewhat too stately and Italian action in the 

 banquet scene, was superb — the sleep-walking scene even 

 more terrible, because more natural, than a death-scene 

 by Bernhardt. 



Madame Ristori speaks English singularly well, though 

 with occasionally incorrect emphasis. Like all really great 

 actors she knows when and how to speak quickly, reserving 

 slow utterance for greater eftect in the more impressive 

 passages. Those around her on the stage, from the best to 

 the worst, or rather from the worst to the least bad, seemed 

 to regard the words belonging to their parts as oppor- 

 tunities for fixing upon themselves the attention of the 

 audience, opportunities to be made the most of by dragging 

 out the words as slowly as possible, emphasising every third 

 word, and shouting or shrieking ever}- third line. The effects 

 of changes of modulation, of varying. tones and rates of 

 utterance, they seemed to think not worth trying. And that 

 they were wise in their generation was shown by marked 

 applause from the gallery. In nio.st cases they followed 

 tradition as to action and emphasis — where they departed 

 from it they reached a lower depth. Macbeth's "Fill 

 full," solo voce, as a hint that he wanted his own goblet 

 well filled, is regarded we see by the Athenmim as a good 

 idea, not as an absurdity. Macduft"s despairing cry, " He 

 has no children," becomes a feeble, rhythmless, explanatory 

 remark, when emphasized "iTe has no children." But why 

 Jiote flaws, such as these, in what was full of faults? 

 All that followed JIadame Ristori's retirement after the 

 sleep-walking scene (including her recall, by the waj-), was 

 simply farcical— the fight between :SIacbeth and Macduff 

 unworthy of Richardson's Booth. 



BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS. 

 By W. J. H. Clakk. 



AL.\RGEIl number of bntterfliea and moths are out this month 

 than was tlie case in June, and most of those that were in 

 •full force then, still continue on the winp. 



The Purple Emperor {Apatura Iris) is to be seen in the southern 

 ■counties of England, and most of the " Fritillaries," the Red 

 Admiral {(^anessa Alalanta), Tainted Lady (T. Cardui), Marbled 

 White {Arge Oalalhea), Grcyling (Satyrus' Semele), Small Copper 

 (rolyommatus Phlras), Green, Purple, and Black Hairstreaks 

 {Thecla nubi, T. Qierrus, and T. W.-A'.bum), and several of the 

 " Blues " may now be found. 



Amonof the moths, wo may still find most of the " SpniXGlD.i: " 

 mentioned last month, and the Speckled Footman (EuUpia 

 Cribrum), Four-Spotted Footman {Litlir>sia Quadra), and Common 

 Footman (L. Complanula) are now on the wing. 



The six Belted Clearwing {Scsia Ichnrmnoniformis), VTood Swift 

 {;/i'pi"a?KsSy!i»inMs), Short-cloaked Moth {Nnla CucitUntella), Muslin 

 Moth (Arclia ifendica). Cinnabar {Euchelia Jacohim:), Brown Tail 

 (Liparis Chrysnrrhea), Gold Tail (L. Anrifiua), Satin Moth (i. Si- 

 IMs), Gipsy {L. Dispar), Black Arches {L. Monacha), Lackey 

 (^Bombyx Neustria), and Oak Eggar (B. Qucrcus) should all be 

 «ought for during the course of the month. 



Among the Geometr.*:, we may expect to find the Swallow-tailed 

 Moth (Vropteryi Sambucata), Bordered Beauty (Epione Apiriariu), 

 Little Thorn (IJ. Advenaria), Earlv Thorn {Selemia Illunaria), 

 Dotted Carpet (dlo'ia Glabraria), Mottled Beanty (Bnannia R'pan- 

 ' '•), Common Wave (Cabera Exanthemnria), Common White 

 ■ ivc (C. I'limria), Clouded Magpie (Abraxn.'! Ulmata), July High- 

 r (YpsipetcK Eiulafa), Common Carpet (Mclanippe Sublrislata), 

 "St of tho " Emeralds," and the Scalloped Oak (Crocallis Elin- 

 ■ivaria). 



The NocTU.E that fly this month ate far too numerous to mention, 

 but amongst others we may expect to find tho following :— Tho Buff 



Arches (Gonnphora Dedrasa), Peach Blossom (Thyalira Balis), 

 Marbled Beauty (Bryophila I'erla), Brown-line Bright-eyo (Leucania 

 Conijura), Common Wainscot (Leucania palUns), Dark Arches 

 (Xylophasia polyodon). Bordered Gothic {Neuria Saponariac), Straw 

 L'ndcrwing {Ceriyo Cytheria), Dot Moth (Mamestra persicarioe) , 

 Garden Dart {Agrotis nigricans). Gray Arches {Apleefa nebulosa), 

 Marbled Clover (Heliothis dipsaceus), Golden Y (Phisia Iota), 

 Burnished Brass (P. chrysitis), Broad Bordered Yellow Underwing 

 (Trvphaina fimbria). Large Yellow Underwing (T. pronuba), and 

 the Old Lady {Mania Maura). 



On the 2Sth ult. I had a Death's Head Moth {Acheroniia afropos) 

 brought to -me by a farm labourer, but I am sorry to say it was in 

 a very damaged state, though still alive. Have any of our readers 

 heard of this insect appearing so early in the summer .' 



FIRE RISKS FROM ELECTRIC LIGHTING. 



rpiIK following rules and regulations for the prevention of fire 

 J_ risks arising from electric lighting have been recommended by 

 the Council of the Society of Telegiaph Engineers and Electricians, 

 in accordance with the report of the committee appointed by them 

 on May 11, 1SS2, to consider the subject : — 



The members of the committee were — Professor W. G. Adams, 

 E.E.S., vice-president, Sir Charles T. Bright, T. Knssell Crampton, 

 R. E. Crompton, W. Crookes, F.B.S., Warren De la Rue, D.C.L., 

 F.R.S., Professor G. C. Foster, F.R.S., past president, Edward 

 Graves, J. E. H. Gordon, Dr. J. Hopkinson, F.R.S., Professor D. E. 

 Hughes, F.R.S., rice-president, W. H. Preece, F.H.S., past presi- 

 dent, Alexander Siemens, C. E. Spagnoletti, vice-president, James 

 N. Shoolbred, Augustus Stroh, Sir William Thomson, F.R.S., past 

 president, Lieutenant-Colonel C. E. Webber, R.E., president. 



These rules and regulations are drawn np not only for the 

 guidance and instruction of those who have electric lighting appa- 

 ratus installed on their premises, but for the reduction to a minimum 

 of those risks of fire which are inherent to every system of arti- 

 ficial illumination. The chief dangers of every new application of 

 electricity arise mainly from ignorance and inexperience on the part 

 of those who supply and fit np the requisite plant. The difficulties 

 that beset the electrical engineer are chiefly internal and invisible, 

 and they can only be effectually gnarded against by " testing " or 

 probing with electric currents. They depend chiefly on leakage, 

 undue resistance in the conductor, and bad joints, which lead to 

 waste of energy and the production of heat. These defects can 

 only be detected by measuring, by means of special apparatus, 

 the currents that are, either ordinarily or for the purpose of testing, 

 passed through the circuit. Bare or exposed conductors should 

 always bo within visual inspection, since the accidental falling on 

 to or the thoughtless placing of other conducting bodies upon such 

 conductors might lead to "short circuiting," or the sudden gene- 

 ration of heat due to a powerful current of eleetricity in con- 

 ductors too small to carry it. It cannot be too strongly urged that 

 among tho chief enemies to be guarded against are the presence of 

 moisture and the use of " earth " as part of the circuit. Moisture 

 leads to loss of cnrreot, and to the destruction of the conductor by 

 electrolytic corrosion, and the injudicious use of " earth " as a part 

 of the circuit tends to magnify every other source of difficulty and 

 danger. The chief element of safety is tho employment of skilled 

 and experienced electricians to supervise the work. 



I. The Dynamo Machixk. 



1. The dynamo machine should be fixed in a dry place. 



2. It should not be exposed to dust or flyings. 



3. It should bo kept perfectly clean and its bearings well oiled. 



4. Tho insulation of its coils and conductors should be perfect. 



5. It is bettor, when practicable, to fix it on an insulating bed. 



(). All conductors iu the dynamo-room should bo firmly snp- 

 ported, well insulated, conveniently arranged for inspection, and 

 marked or numbered. 



II. TiiK Wires. 



7. Every switch or commutator used for turning the current on 

 or off should bo constructed so that, when it is moved and loft to 

 itself, it cannot permit of n permanent arc or of heating, and its 

 stand should bo made of slate, stone ware, or sorao other incom- 

 bustible substance. 



8. There should bo in connection with the main circuit a safety 

 fuse constructed of easily fusible metnl which would bo mcltod if 

 the current attain any undue magnitude, and would thus cause tho 

 circuit to be broken. 



9. Every part of the circuit should be so determined that the 

 gauge of wire to bo used is properly proportioned to the currents it 

 will have to carry, and changes of circuit, from a larger to a smaller 



