158 Telegraph Cable penetrated by Grass. [Augtjst, 



rules of the Society. It was quite competent for Mr. Blanford to give 

 notice of motion at the ensuing ordinary meeting of the Society. 



Mr. Schwendler, in the absence of Col. Hyde, exhibited some specimens 

 of telegraph cable known as Hooper 's Gore. This core, most curiously, was 

 penetrated in several places by a kind of grass. Capt. Green had found the 

 core in this state. It had been lying first, for a long time in water, and 

 afterwards had been stored in a dry room, when he discovered that grass 

 had pierced the India rubber, almost looking as if it had been done on 

 purpose. Mr. Schwendler remarked that although it was well known, that 

 cable core, no matter if consisting of gutta percha or india rubber, was fre- 

 quently attacked by marine animals, as for instance by the teredo, (a borer) 

 and by the barnacle, a shellfish, it was quite novel to him, that vegetation 

 might also act as an enemy to subterranean and submarine telegraphy. He 

 need scarcely mention that in each place where grass had pierced the india 

 rubber, the cable had become faulty, and in the points where the grass 

 actually touched the copper wire, there was what is technically called dead 

 earth, which destroyed entirely the working efficiency of the cable. He said 

 the most probable explanation was that seeds had become attached to the 

 core when under water, and had afterwards germinated when the core was 

 stored. The store room had been dark and hot, the core wet, and thus all 

 the conditions for a vigorous growth were fulfilled. The germs having come 

 to life, not finding sufficient earth near them, pierced the core in search 

 of nourishing substance which most likely was present in the india rubber. 



The practical results of these facts were, that proper care should be taken 

 when storing up insulated core in this country. The core should either be 

 entirely dry or entirely tinder water. 



Mr. Kurz had been asked to ascertain the kind of grass, but was 

 unable to do so from the dried up specimens given to him. 



Major Godwin-Austen exhibited a Celt, found in the Khasi Hills 

 at Shillong, and made the following remarks thereon : 



This celt, presented to the Society by Capt. W. Badgley, Assistant 

 Supt. Topographical Survey, was found by him at Shillong, in the Khasi Hills, 

 on the bridge near Col. McCulloch's house, lying on the surface. It was 

 apparently of the hard slates that occur near Maoflang and had been ground 

 into shape. It was very similar in form to one presented to the Society by 

 Mr. H. B. Medlicott and which he obtained at Dibrugarh. These softer 

 kinds of stone implements, he believed, were used as hoes, and some of the 

 Kukis in the north Cachar Hills used a few years back stones set into a 

 wooden handle in this way, for when the ground is soft during the rains 

 they aid materially in tearing out the weeds. From the facility with which 

 they can now get iron implements, stone will be scarcely or ever used. 

 Col. McCulloch had told him they are very frequently found in Manipur. 



