358 



SCIENCE. 



[Vol. XXI. No 543 



eotne time in Grace Church, New York. In this system the hammers 

 of the bells are worked from a key-board, like that of a piano, 

 and the largest sized bells can be played as easily and quickly as 

 a. piano itself. The mechanism is very simple, the keys making 

 contacts which actuate relays, and these in turn excite solenoids 

 with iron plungers, to which are attached the bell ropes. In- 

 stead of the key-board, a small cylinder, like that of a music-box, 

 can be used, which automatically plays the chimes every hour or 

 quarter. 



The most valuable part, however, is the electric tower-clock 

 arrangement. In this, instead of the ordinary cumbersome clock- 

 movement requiring frequent rewindings, an ordinary clock is 

 -used, which may be placed anywhere, in an otRce, for instance. 

 Every minute this clock makes a contact, which actuates a little 

 ■battery motor, and this turns the hands of the tower-clock one 

 minute ahead. As the impulse is given at the middle of the 

 minute, the tower hands are never more than half a minute out of 

 time. The actuating clock may be synchronized from Washing- 

 ton if desired. This system seems to give a very good tower 

 clock for a fraction of the present price. One advantage is the 

 fact that no winding is required, six or seven Leclanche cells fur- 

 nishing enough current to run the clock for several years. 



Another exhibit which will be gladly hailed by those who have 

 had to do much telephoning will be the automatic telephone ex- 

 change in the gallery of the electrical building. In this system, 

 the telephones are the same as usual, but in front of the wooden 

 box which supports the transmitter are placed a number of keys. 

 If a subscriber wishes to call up number 1324, for instance, he 

 presses key number 1, once; key number 2, three times; key 3, 

 twice; and key 4, four times. He then presses another key, and 

 if the subscriber he wishes to communicate with is talking to 

 some one else, it signals him that fact ; if the line is open, it puts 

 him in communication. When he is through, he presses the key 

 again, and it disconnects him. 



Several central oflBces have been put in, and are working satis- 

 factorily, and a number of other cities have decided to replace 

 their present central office by this automatic system. 



At present there is one disadvantage which the system has, i.e., 

 the need of four wires instead of two ; but, from an examination 

 •of the machines, there seem to be several ways by which two 

 wires could do all the work, and doubtless this improvement will 

 fioon be made. Even with the increased expense, the better ser- 

 vice will more than compensate for the increased cost in wiring, 

 and, of course, the central station expenses will be much re- 

 duced. 



A very complete exhibit is that of the Bell Telephone Company. 

 This includes an interesting historical exhibit of the various forms 

 ■of telephone receivers and transmitters invented by Mr. Bell. A 

 central station is shown at work, the methods of connecting up 

 the lines, etc. 



One of the new things is the use of paper insulation for tele- 

 phone cables. Seemingly impracticable as this seemed to be a 

 few years ago, it is now a complete success. Of course, it is evi- 

 ■dent that its low specific inductive capacity gives it marked ad- 

 vantages over any other kind of insulation, and that by its use 

 speech could be made clearer, and transmitted further, but it 

 would at first sight appear that it would be difficult to keep up its 

 insulating qualities. This, however, has been done, and nearly 

 •every switchboard observed was wired with this insulation. The 

 ■operation of putting it on the wire is shown in the Electrical 

 Building. R. A. F. 



LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. 



-»•« Correspondents are requested to be as brief as possible. The writer's name 

 is in all cases required as proof of good faith. 



On request in advance, one hundred copies of the number containing his 

 communication will be furnished free to any correspondent. 



The editor will be glad to publish any queries consonant with the character 

 of the journal. 



Peculiar Nesting of a King-Bird. 



A cuRlotrs incident, showing a peculiarity of bird-life, came 



Tinder my notice within the last month (June, 1893). We have 



been boring an artesian well about five miles south of Beaumont, 



mound rising out of the great coastal prairie lying 



between Beaumont and Sabine Pass, in Jefferson County, Texas, 

 and in the course of the operations have built a derrick about 

 seventy-five feet high. After the derrick had been built a few 

 weeks, it was visited by a great number of birds of various kinds, 

 whether with a view of locating or not, I do not know, but one 

 would think a well outfit, with all its noise and wet, a very un- 

 favorable location for bird-life. Among the visitors came a pair 

 of king-birds (Tyrannus tyrannus), which, after an apparently 

 careful inspection, became convinced that they had found a satis- 

 factory location for their home. A sheltered point, where two 

 of the cross-beams came together in a corner of the derrick about 

 twelve feet from the ground, was selected and the pair began 

 building a nest. Notwithstanding the noise of the machinery and 

 the continual passing up and down of the man in the derrick (the 

 nest was built in the same corner as the ladder is located on the 

 outside of) the nest was completed and three eggs deposited. Then 

 something occurred that killed the female, and the male, after 

 moping around for a day or two, also disappeared. That, I 

 thought, was the end of that pair's nesting ; but apparently not, 

 as in a day or two the same male bird returned, bringing with 

 him another mate. The outlook was again considered, and the 

 pair began building another nest in the same location, resting the 

 new nest on the top of the old one, building, as it were, a second 

 story to it. After the new nest was completed, but before any 

 eggs had been deposited, wondering what could have become of 

 the eggs already laid, I went up the deiTick, and, carefully raising 

 the new structure, brought out the old eggs. Replacing the new 

 nest as best I could, the birds continued to occupy it, and the 

 female is now setting upon a full nest of eggs of her own laying, 

 and I am now looking forward with considerable intwest to the 

 advent of a young brood to see how they will thrive under the 

 circumstances. 



I have asked several of my ornithological friends if such an 

 occurrence has anywhere come under their observations, but have 

 in all cases received a negative answer. Wm. Kennedy. 



Austin, Texas, June, 1893. 



The Tucumcari Fossils. 



In Science, May 26, pp. 282-283, there is an article by Mr. W. F. 

 Cummins of the Texas Geological Survey, entitled "Geology of 

 Tucumcari, New Mexico," in which he says: "Mr. Marcou . . . 

 endeavors to avoid the conclusion (that the beds are Cretaceous) 

 by saying that either the determinations of the fossils found by 

 me were incorrect or that they did not come from that locality, 

 and suggests that the labels on my packages were loosely put on 

 and became mixed with collections made elsewhere ; and on this 

 flimsy subterfuge (to give it no harder name) still insists on the 

 correctness of his reference to the Jurassic." 



Mr. Cummins tells at length of the good care he took not to 

 have any confusion of labels. So my suggestion cannot stand. I 

 accept fully the explanation. 



Now there remain two points, which are the most important : 

 First, the correctness of the determination of the fossils ; second, 

 the stratigrapbic position of the Jurassic strata of the Tucumcari 

 between the Trias and the lower beds of the Neocomian, at Comet 

 Creek, an affluent of Washita River, and at the great band of the 

 Canadian River. 



1. Mr. Cummins says: " myself and my assistants discussed the 

 fossils in the field as we picked them up, and our note-books show 

 that we then determined them as they are now designated." . . . 

 "I made up small suits and sent them to various parties for de- 

 termination, . . . and there was unanimous agreement as to all 

 the species I have published." It is important to add an explana- 

 tion as regards the species published. Only one species has been 

 published by Mr. Cummins, a leaf of a fossil plant; all the inver- 

 tebrate fossils are only quoted, without descriptions or figures. 

 Here is the list given by lili. Cummins: — 



'■•Gryphoa dilataia, var.Tuoumcarii Marcou; Ostrea marshii, as 

 determined by Marcou, but in reality Ostrea subovata, Shumard; 

 Gryphoa pitcheri, Morton ; Exogyra texana, Romer; Ostrea quad- 

 riplicata, Shumard; Trigonia emoryi. Con.; Cardium hillanium, 

 Sow.; Cytheria leonensis, Con.; and a single leaf of a dycotyle- 

 donous plant, which I described and figured under the name 



