i8 U'est A^nerican Scientist 



NOTES AND NEWS. 



Charles H. Marsh of San Diego is making some fine ornitholo- 

 gical specimens this season. 



No. 19 of this journal was issued October 30th. 



Picotite has been found lately in the basalt of Mt. Shasta. 



A plant possessing electrical properties has been discovered in 

 South America. 



Agassiz was born May 28, 1807, and died Dec. 14, 1873. 



Mr. Lanfear, a man engaged in breeding camels in Texas, says 

 of them that it is no more trouble to raise them than it is to raise 

 horses and cattle. The colts for the first three or four days re- 

 quire close attention, but after that take their chances with the 

 rest of the herd. They feed on cactus and brush, eschewing all 

 grasses that horses and cattle eat if the favorite cactus can be had. 

 Mr. Lanfear says there is one camel in his herd that has traveled 

 150 miles between sun and sun, and that almost any well-broken 

 camel can travel more than one hundred miles a day. 



The world can ill afford to lose those who out of their riches 

 are continually doing good to the cause of religion. It can well 

 afford to part with those who do nothing for its progress in a 

 religious or philanthropic way. 



The icebergs of the Southern hemispheres are much larger than 

 those of the Northern and frequently attain a height of 1,000 feet. 



Paper can be made transparent by spreading over it, with a 

 feather, a very thin layer of resin dissolved in alcohol, applied to 

 both sides. 



Salt — or better still — saltpetre, finely powdered, placed about 

 the wick of a candle, will prevent it from sputtering and cause it 

 to burn slowly. 



An essential oil is obtained from cloves by repeated distilla- 

 tions. It is a common trick to mix cloves thus deprived of their 

 oil with others. 



The production of manganese is steadily increasing. Owing to 

 the imperfect means of conveyance it is estimated that two-thirds 

 of the total quantity extracted is wasted. 



From one ton of ordinary gas-coal may be produced 1,500 

 pounds of coke, 20 gallons of ammonia water, and 140 pounds of 

 coal tar. 



The torch of the Statue of Liberty on Bedloe's Island, New 

 York bay, will contain eight electric lamps of six thousand candle 

 power each, the light from which will be thrown directly up, 

 making a powerful beam and cloud illumination. 



J. G. Lemmon and wife are botanizing near San Luis Obispo. 



