226 



SCIENCE. 



[Vol. V., No. 111. 



strikingly exemplified in the case of a recent 

 pamphlet containing ' a few facts about car- 

 pets ; ' but the result is the more interesting, 

 since in this one example the analogies of the 

 various stages of percolation are clearly seen. 

 The writer starts with his pure spiritus vini 

 Gallici, good in itself, but capable of being 

 considerably changed by the maceration of 

 improper substances. This alcohol is the fact, 

 capable of scientific demonstration, that moths 

 destroy carpets. Thus he runs on : "Moths. 

 — Many are not aware that all the present 

 damage is done when the millers commence to 

 fly, as their ver}' presence indicates the absence 

 of the worm. It is to prevent the miller's 

 incubating, that precautions should be taken." 

 The alcohol with the next step begins to be 

 discolored in the following manner, though 

 to a slight extent : "A large proportion of 

 the millers never hatch eggs, but die without 

 causing any harm." We will let it soak 

 awhile, and then this result is found: "The 

 male miller, which does not fly, but runs very 

 rapidly, is easily detected by his triangular- 

 shaped figure ; but, keeping himself out of 

 sight, he is not so easily found." 



our percolate ; by degeneration our moth has 

 evolved a tlrysanure. Our alcohol is spoiled : 

 what shall we do with it ? 



Dropping our simile for the moment, we 

 wish to call attention to a peculiar and repre- 

 hensible bit of wickedness of the ' males ' in 

 hiding from their lawful ' better halves ; ' for, 

 so our author says, "his hiding explains the 

 devious flights of the female in his search." 

 Give ear now, good housewife, and recollect, 

 that, besides protecting your carpets, you are 

 avenging a great slight upon your sex — a 

 slight which brings about a perpetual leap- 

 year — by following out to its fullest extent 

 the suggestion embraced in the following sen- 

 tence, which, to return to our simile, renders 

 our percolate still darker : ' ' The killing of one 

 male is equal to the extinction of many ordi- 

 nary millers." Our alcohol is now almost 

 saturated. Let us draw the stopper from the 

 percolator, and allow the fluid to run out. It 

 appears as follows : c ' The male miller is com- 

 monly known by the name of ' silver-fish.' " 

 The process is complete ; we have obtained 



A newspaper rumor from Washington, 

 printed in the Boston Advertiser last Monday, 

 to the effect, that, in consequence of a charge 

 of extravagance in the conduct of the U. S. 

 geological survey, Professor Shaler of Cam- 

 bridge was ' talked of to succeed Major Pow- 

 ell,' brought out an immediate rejoinder from 

 the former on the following day, defending the 

 survey from a charge so injurious and so untrue. 

 "It is my firm belief," says Mr. Shaler, "that 

 no one of the scientific departments of the 

 government has been so well and economically 

 managed as the geological survey since it came 

 under the able direction of Major Powell." 

 The same conclusion will be reached by any 

 one who gives the subject any proper attention, 

 or who is acquainted with the character and 

 methods of the able chief of this survey. A 

 change made on such a charge, without honest 

 and open investigation, would be iniquitous : 

 after such investigation, there could be no doubt 

 of the result. 



LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. 



*** Correspondents are requested to be as brief as possible. The 

 writer's name is in all cases required as proof of good faith. 



Solar eclipse of March 16. 



The solar eclipse was very successfully observed 

 here to-day, under good atmospheric conditions. 

 Cumulus clouds were scattered here and there about 

 the sky, but fortunately they did not obscure the 

 sun at any critical moment. 



The photographic apparatus was in perfect work- 

 ing-order, and about fifty pictures of the eclipse were 

 secured, with the assistance of Mr. J. L. Lovell. All 

 of these developed well; and the exposures were so 

 distributed with reference to the times of the two 

 contacts, and to the occultation of solar spots, that 

 they may be expected to give good results for the 

 relative positions of the centres of the sun and moon. 



The last contact was also observed optically by 

 Professor Esty, Mr. B. Eush Rhees, Mr. Thomas C. 

 Esty, and myself, the results all agreeing within 

 seven seconds. David P. Todd. 



Lawrence observatory, Amherst, Mass., 

 March 16. 



Hereditary abnormality of sense-organs. 



Dr. Mason's note on 'Hereditary malformation' 

 {Science, v. 1885, 189) reminds me. of a case in which 

 inherited abnormality of sensitiveness in sense-organs 

 is of opposite signs. 



