POPULAR MISCELLANY. 



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occurs previous to the culmination. These 

 two inverse variations of pressure may, how- 

 ever, be masked by meteorological condi- 

 tions, as when there is an ascending or a de- 

 scending current. During the winter months 

 the mean pressure in the hours following 

 the culmination of the moon is greater than 

 in the hours preceding it. A current of 

 rising air could mask the phenomenon, but 

 there rarely is one at this season. During 

 the summer months the variation is less 

 marked. Finally, if we take account of the 

 action of the sun, we shall find that these dif- 

 ferences are more accentuated at the syzygies 

 than at the quadratures, corresponding with 

 what has been observed above. The results 

 of observation thus prove that there really 

 exists an atmospheric tide. It is hardly sen- 

 sible to our instruments, because we are at 

 the bottom of the ocean, subject to the action 

 of the moon and the sun, and because the 

 elastic force of the air is constantly tending 

 to equalization of pressures. 



Art and Fun of the Eskimos. — Much as 

 has been written of the Eskimos, says Mr. E. 

 F. Payne, in a paper read before the Canadian 

 Institute, we find in almost every writing 

 something new to interest us. Mr. Payne's 

 own essay bears out the assertion. In 

 building their igloos the Eskimos take ad- 

 vantage of the tendency of the snow to 

 drift on the southeastern sides of the hills, 

 so that the author, on visiting a village after 

 a snow-storm, was struck with its resem- 

 blance to a lot of mole - hills. Nothing 

 could be seen but a little snow thrown up on 

 each side of a hole by which a passage led 

 to the igloo ; but, on a nearer approach, win- 

 dows could be seen a little below the surface, 

 from which the snow had been removed. 

 Upon entering some of those igloos, passage- 

 ways were found cut through the drifted 

 snow, so connecting the huts as to give the 

 appearance of an underground village. The 

 people are not destitute of the art-sense, 

 but have an inborn love of sketching, and 

 are proficient in carving. Good models of 

 hyacks, animals, and birds in ivory are 

 made, especially on the north side of the 

 strait, where the artists vie with one another 

 in trying to make the smallest models. The 

 art of drawing is confined for the most part 

 to describing figures on the level surface of 



the snow, either with a piece of stick, or in 

 larger figures with the feet. In several in- 

 stances correct drawings of their own peo- 

 ple were made by slowly moving along with 

 the feet close together, and afterward dex- 

 terously adding details with one foot. Per- 

 spective was a great mystery to them ; and 

 even those who were accustomed to look 

 daily at the pictures on the walls of the au- 

 thor's house could not understand it. In- 

 voluntarily their hands would steal up to 

 the picture and feel for the objects that 

 seemed to project; while other persons 

 would shift their heads to look behind 

 screens or doors in the picture. Amusements 

 are few, and only one or two excite interest. 

 Throwing the harpoon has the greatest at- 

 traction for the men, and wrestling and 

 running are occasionally practiced till the 

 weaker side loses interest. Foot - ball was 

 played with the blown bladder of a walrus 

 covered with leather. "Men, women, and 

 children all took part in it, and no quarter 

 was allowed. Here a woman, carrying her 

 child on her back, might be seen running at 

 full speed after the ball, and the next mo- 

 ment she might be lying at full length with 

 her naked child floundering in the snow a 

 few feet beyond her. A minute later the 

 child would be again in its place, and nearly 

 choking with laughter she would be seen 

 elbowing her way after the ball again. Boys 

 make small spears and throw them at marks ; 

 and girls have dolls and keep them till they 

 are married, and they play at housekeeping 

 and going a-visiting just like United States 

 girls. 



The Otter at Home. — The otter, as he 

 may be seen sunning himself on a tree- 

 trunk, looks like a large cat which has been 

 thrown into the water and crawled out. 

 Some people think that the fur of the otter 

 throws the water off like the feathers on a 

 duck's back. That is not the case ; his fur 

 protects his body in a different way. Any 

 one who has seen a water-rat come up on a 

 bank after a dive will have a good idea of 

 the general appearance of the otter's fur. 

 Now he gives his coat a shake and combs 

 his fur a bit with his short, webbed feet. 

 His head looks for the moment just like 

 that of an infuriated tiger in miniature, as, 

 with ears drawn close to his head, he snarls 



