572 Transactions of the American Institute. 



duce a Idnd of ferruginous cocoous, which constitute the mineral 

 known under the name of " lake ore," and which is composed of 

 from twenty to sixty per cent of oxide of iron, mixed with man- 

 ganese, and ten per cent of chloric, and some phosphoric acids. 



TEXTILE FABRICS AS FOOD. 



The inhabitants of the London Zoological Gardens seem to have 

 a liking for manufactured fibrous substances, quite as marked as 

 that of the beaver for the bark of trees. Some time since the boa 

 constrictor swallowed his blanket, and quite If^tely the sea bear 

 died from eating canv^as, several pieces and a hook having been 

 found; it is supposed he was injured internally. Cases like these 

 may be noticed among tame animals; for instance, in Jersey City 

 there is a dog which has such a propensity to swallow cotton and 

 and linen cloth, that it is unsafe to leave a lady's cambric handker- 

 chief within his reach. 



WEATHER SIGNS IN THE SKY. 



The British Board of Trade has published, for the benefit of sea- 

 faring men, the following: The colors of the sky at different times 

 afford wonderfully good guidance. Not only does a bright sunset 

 presage fair weather, but there are other tints which speak with 

 clearness and accuracy. A bright yellow color in the evening 

 indicates wind; a pale yellowy wet; a neutral gray constitutes a 

 favorable sign in the evening — an unfavorable sign in the morning. 

 The clouds are full of meaning in themselves. If they are soft, 

 undefined and feathery, the weather will be fine; if the edges are 

 hard, sharp and definite, it will be foul. Generally speaking, any 

 deep, unusual hues betoken Avind and rain; while the more quiet 

 and delicate tints bespeak fair weather. 



HEAT CHANGES PRODUCED BY MIXING DIFFERENT LIQUIDS. 



In the second paper presented by Messrs. Bussy and Buignet, at 

 the French Academy of Science, the following conclusions are 

 arrived at: 



1. In all the cases under examination, with one sole excejiition, 

 the calorific capacity of the mixture is a little superior to the mean 

 capacity of the elements. 



2. By a singular opposition, the liquids for which the increase 

 of bulk is the most considerable, are exactly those which develop 

 most heat at the moment of their union, such as ether and chloro- 

 form, alcohol and water, sulphuric acid and water. Meanwhile, 



