306 Notes and Memoranda. 



A Sttn Fountain. — Prof. Mouchot states that if a thin vessel — silver black- 

 ened externally being the best — is filled half with air and half with water, and 

 covered over with two bell-glasses, through which the direct sun-rays penetrate, 

 its contents will grow so hot that, upon turning a stop-cock communicating with 

 the water, a jet will be thrown up thirty feet high. M, Babinet thinks that an 

 apparatus of this sort might be useful in countries like Egypt, in which the solar 

 action is intense and constant. 



Kitchen Middens and Deposits in Nova Scotia. — We learn from the 

 British Colonist, which is published at Halifax, that the Nova Scotian Institute of 

 Natural Science is prosecuting interesting inquiries into the refuse heaps and 

 deposits on the shores of the inland waters of the px*ovince. Some appear com- 

 paratively modern ; but others apparently go back to times long anterior to the 

 existence of the present races of Indians. The localities that have been examined 

 show the need of further inquiry, and it is expected that a search in the peat-bogs 

 would lead to the discovery of interesting facts. 



A Source of Ozone.- — Cosmos mentions a process of M. Boelger for obtaining 

 a continuous supply of ozone. He mixes two parts by weight of finely-powdered 

 permanganate of potash with three of sulphuric acid. A mixture of one part of 

 the permanganate with that of the acid, is so powerful an oxydizer as to produce 

 inflammation and explosion if brought into contact with essential oils. 



New Variable Star. — Mr. Joseph Baxendell has discovered a new variable 

 star inDelphinus. E..A. 20h. 30m. 51s.9 + 15° 53'.5. He noticed it as of 86 mag. 

 on 24th October, 1863, by the end of December it had fallen to 12 mag. ; on 

 July 29th this year it was 132 mag., on August 21st 9 - 4 mag., on September 5 

 8*4 mag. 



The Lampteis Itaxica. — M. Carus states the luminous matter of this insect 

 ceases to shine when dried on a plate of glass ; but regains its lustre once or twice 

 if wetted with water. 



Fermentation op "Wine. — M. Berthelot finds that the skin of grapes bears 

 on its surface not only spores of ferments, but often actual globules, and hence 

 fermentation is easily excited as soon as the grapes are crushed, notwithstanding 

 any precautions to exclude germs floating in the air. 



Proposed Solar Eye-Piece. — In a communication published in the Monthly 

 "Notices, Sir J. Herschel proposes that the sun should be viewed through a fine 

 slit in a disk revolving sufficiently often to give continuous vision, only a small 

 portion of the sun's light and heat would then affect the eye. 



