400 Notes and Memoranda. 



Acari, and he instanced the so-called Hypopus, a supposed species of mite found 

 on field mice, bumble bees, flies, ferns, etc., which he has ascertained to be the 

 male of a much larger acarus. The Hypopus has a carapace like a tortoise, and 

 no mouth, or digestive apparatus. The facts described by M. Claparede resemble 

 those elucidated by Mr. Gosse with respect to the males of the rotifers. M. Cla- 

 parede frequently found the Hypopus and the female form on the same hyacinth 

 bulbs, and he observed that some larra of the same acarus had three pairs of 

 feet, and others that were older, four. From these last he witnessed the develop- 

 ment of the Hypopus. 



Early Puberty. — M. Eamon de la Sagra communicates to the French 

 Academy a remarkable case of early puberty in a negress. Before she was three 

 years old she exhibited the development customary in girls of her race at thirteen, 

 and her head, which was well formed, and the expression of her countenance 

 would have looked appropriate if placed on the shoulders of a girl of sixteen. At 

 seven years old her figure was fully developed, and her vivacity, intelligence, and 

 manners corresponded with her appearance. M. de la Sagra was not able to 

 continue his observations, and her subsequent history is not mentioned. 



Water Spouts at Annonay. — On the 22nd October a tempest occurred in 

 the valley of the Rhone. Thunder was continuous, accompanied by heavy rain 

 and frequent water-spouts {trombes). In the streets of Annonay the floods swept 

 away objects of all kinds, including a waggon containing 2000 quintals of iron. 

 Masses of rock brought down by the floods and hurled along the roads excavated 

 the soil, and left many houses hanging over an abyss. In other places masses of 

 stone were piled up to the height of the first floors, and the town was in darkness, 

 as the gas-pipes were unearthed and broken. In the valley of La Deume work- 

 men were glad to escape from the sudden deluge by getting through the roofs of 

 the factories. A stone pillar, weighing 7,500 kilogrammes, was carried away, 

 together with another object weighing 1500 kilogrammes. The water rose about 

 twenty-six feet, and the damage to paper-mills and other works, together with the 

 ruin of private houses, was very great. 



Alleged Law of Meteoric Showers. — M. Andre Poey states in Comptes 

 Bendus, that the periodical return of meteors in August and November appears 

 to be confined to high latitudes of the temperate zone, and probably to glacial 

 regions, while extraordinary showers of meteors in swarms embrace the entire 

 surface of the globe ; and he asks whether the northern localization of periodic 

 returns can be explained by supposing the descending node of the orbit of the 

 meteoric swarm to be very much inclined towards the ecliptic. 



Volcanic Groups of Etna and Vesuvius. — M. St. Claire Deville observes 

 that sundry communications made to the French Academy by M. Fouque show 

 that the last great eruption of Etna was coincident with a diminution of eruptive 

 intensity in the Yesuvian group and in the Eolian Isles, which seems to confirm 

 the idea of their being in connection with each other. 



Preventing Boiler Incrustations. — Cosmos states that a fine clay dug at 

 Fohnsdorf, and diffused through the water in boilers, has been found to put a stop 

 to hard incriistations. The clay particles prevent the consolidation of the deposit, 

 and it accordingly assumes a soft, muddy form, which it is easy to remove. 



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