ralseontologieal Discoverips In and 
Near Kansas City, Mo. 
Bv David H. Todd. 
[Concluded.] 
Having pnssed throu^^li the various 
divisions of fossils tViat iiiliabited the 
water, we now come to the vegetable 
kingdom known as the fossil Hora of the 
coal age. The plants of the coal measure 
teach us nianj^ important things. The 
production of vegetation must have been 
l)erfectlj' marvelous, when we consider 
the great mass of vegetable matter that 
has acciunalated. This wonderful pro- 
duction forms a very important part in 
Paheontology, and embraces a wi<ie field 
tor study. 
Every day is bringing to light new 
material, thereby adding much to the al- 
I'eady collected mass, giving new light 
on many confused points in Paheozoic 
Botany. This division of Palaeontology 
will require almost the constant attention 
of a specialist and the student who wants 
to make himself thorough in this de- 
Dartment must thoroughly understand 
not only lossil botany but recent as well. 
Our locality here does not attord much 
material as only few plants .-.re found and 
tliese are not considered good being most- 
ly matted together; among those recog- 
nized are Calamites, Neuropteris, Pecop- 
terif, Anmilaria, etc., but at Lansing. Kan- 
.-as,25 miles north of here, some very fine 
specimens are to be found in the coal beds. 
'I'he plants are colored by sulphate of 
iron giving them a bronze and gn i ii 
color. Mr. Oscar Lamb, superintendent of 
the shaft, saves all the material so that 
nothing of any value is lost. In coiuiection 
withtlielindingof plants, the only fruit 
nf luits is the Trigonocarpu); starkianvs 
found in theblueshale which is admirably 
incserved although not more than 3 or 4 
s|iec mens have been found. In making 
a rcxiesv of the ground gone ovei- 1 
omitted to call the attention of the col- 
lector to the CovMlaria crustvla, wliicli 
is the oidy representative of the Pte- 
KOP()i)A:it is found in a tliin red and 
cieaui colored seam or shale along the 
west bluff; is considered lare in other 
places but quite common here. The 
Naticopsis is represented hy several spe- 
cies and is found in the Oolite and blue 
Limestone. 
Before closing I desire to call .■ittentiou 
to the Loess formation : there are but few 
if any places, where a better observation 
and study can be had of this much con- 
fused question. The Loess is a very fine 
grained calcareous deposit. Some diflfer- 
('n(;e of opinion seems tn exist among 
Geologists as to the real nature of tliis 
formation: considerable discussion has 
been entered into, as to the cause of 
this deposit, whether from wind, drift or 
gathered in fresh water. It extends over a 
vast area of territory not oii]> in the 
iMissouri Valley but also the Mississippi, 
parts of Asia and the Rhine. The best 
place of observation here, is at Lydia 
Ave. and 1st St., where the deposit is 
some 00 feet in depth and over-lying the 
drift. A large number of concretions are 
found all through this deposit and often- 
times the collector by breaking them 
open is rewarded by finding pans of 
bones and teeth of the Rodent, Elk, Mas- 
todon and other animals. 
This my friends closes a review of our 
fossils; while not complete in every de- 
tail, yet enough is said to insure the col- 
lector of a I'ich reward for the time 
spent in gathering the material that is 
around us. 
Electricians at Kansas City. 
The eleventh semi-annu.-d cdiivenlion 
of f|ie National I'^llcctric T^ight Associa- 
tion just adjourn<'d met in Kansas 
City on the 11th. iStany important pa- 
pers were read, but the two I'eceiving 
the warmest reception were by Prof. 
Elihu Thompson, of I>ynu, Mass., on 
Safety and Safety Devices in Electrical 
Insulation, and by jNIr. Krank J. Sprague 
on I^lcctricity as Ajjplied to Street Rail- 
ways. On Friday afternoon the Coates 
Opera House was crowded and, after a 
plain explanation by Edward Johnson, 
of Xcw York, of the discovery, workings 
ami principles governing t\w Phono- 
graph, an iii])rovi (l nuichine, loaned for 
the purpose by Mr. E. 'I'. Keim, now 
manager of the Plionograjilnc l)Usincss 
in this state and operated l)y J{. H. Trous- 
lot, reproduced a cornet solo of Jules Le- 
vy and then the phonogram from Mr. 
Edison of Menlo Park, Orange, N. J. dic- 
tated Feb. 7, was given. The following 
is the phonogram complete. 
Edwin l{. Wteks, Esq., Kansas (Utv, Mo. 
My Dear Mr. Weelcs: When I liail the 
sure of meet inji you at my labnitory in Uo- 
eeniljei' last > <ni suij:!4<'si ed lliat I sliould 
send toilic Ivansas i ily (■c>n\ent ion, wliicli 
comnieiices ..ext werlc, a iilioiio;^ ram discus, 
sion II |iun 1 lu' i he sn liji et ot my tine w ire sy s 
leni ol' distribution, which you were yciod 
enough to assure me would prove of interest 
to t lie de lej-'at es, and ever since tliat time ] 
liavcljeen irxlnj^ to lind an opportunity to 
prei)are the data. 
My failure to do .so has been tlirouyti uo 
fault of yours, as your letters liave constan t- 
ly kept i lie ma 1 1 1'r 1 lefore me ; nor has i 1 been 
tiirough want of inclination on my part lliat 
I am obliged to subst i tut e this explanal ion. 
'.Certain urgent matters of business u liicli I 
was unable to anticipate have occupied my 
attontioji tosucli an extent that 1 have even 
liad lo neglect the important work ot niy ex- 
periments. 
"'hile I could not have conti'ibuted lo tiie 
success of the convention, wliicli is already 
assured through its location in your enter- 
prising city, 1 regret ihat I am' unable to 
send somelhlng which would at least be 
more interesting tlian tliis apology. 
Yours very truly, Thomas A. Edison. 
The tones of the cornet were exact, and 
Edison's voice, though not loud, could be 
distinctly recognized from any part of 
of the house. 
Wanted: loo copies of October Na'I L'Kai,- 
IST (No. 3, Vol. iv). Will pay five cents 
each or date your subscription ahead two 
numbeis. Addres, 
Editor Natuk.ai,is r. 
'"What is Mr. Barniim's motto, [la 
'■(iive every man a .show!" 
The Anterior Arts. 
By 'TcTiNUS," 
Art is a source of instinctive emo- 
tion, from whose fountain many branches 
spring to refi'esh and elevate the mind. 
The same artistic atiect can thus be pro- 
duced by any one of the fine arts. The 
musician, the architect, the sculptor and 
the painter may each, in his own peculiar 
language express the same seiiti- 
ment, and to a certain extent arouse the 
same emotion. These several artists ply 
their crafts with intelligent minds; each 
of them know how to arouse the same 
sentiment in the minds of those who see 
or hear. The dift'erent forms of art ap- 
peal to the senses, and the senses in dif- 
ferent ways, arouse the dormant thoughts. 
An_v intelligent person may be driven in- 
to ecstacies of delight, by the lively 
strains of music; by a chaste and beauti- 
ful coiTibiuation of architectural forms; 
by sculpture, which is life carved in real 
marble; or by a painting, a picture 
of life in varied shades, and on the other 
hand, sorrow, terror, grief or fear may he 
exijressed by anv of the arts, to the ex- 
tent of their i)honetic value. The senti- 
ment thus aroused, bv one or more of the 
arts, is our artistic instinct, and it is the 
business of the professors of the arts to 
understand how to excite the artistic in- 
stinct, by means of that branch ot art to 
which they have been so highly called. 
Let a man enter a large crypt (oj' vault 
under a church), supported by many stout 
and massive columns; the interior low 
and gloom, with heavy horizontal lines, 
dying as thej- recede in the distance. 
Though he can w alk w ith ease, he will 
lower his head : sad tliouglits will present 
themselves to his mind; be will crave foi- 
air and suushrne. Let the s.aiue niwn enter 
a building whose \'aidt( d roof jieuetrates 
the sky. a temple tlooiN'd w ith air, and 
brilliant with light; he will raise hisey( s. 
]ileasant lh<uights will till his mind, and 
awaken him to a sense of the simple 
beauty that surrounds him. >V'hen a 
traveler enters the basilica of St. Peter's 
at Rome, the first thing that greets his 
eye is the immense dome that crowns the 
structure. His attention is instantly fix- 
ed upon it. The pillars of the church are of 
marble; magnificent tombs and trophies 
stand there in stately splendor; but he 
overlooks them and advancing step by 
step, he seeks to peneti'ate the depths of 
the distant cupola; he must be reminded 
that he is jostling against statues and 
vases, treading upon porphyl•3^ and des- 
ecrating the sacred place, before his 
gaze is attracted by objects near enough 
for their beauty to be seen. He is filled 
with inspiration ; he instantly feels that 
there is something grand and n(>ble in 
man, and, by the influence of that most 
sublime work of ecclesiastic architecture, 
he realizes that He who created man. and 
endowed him with aitistic instincts, is 
greater than man. Lines long or short, 
vertical or horizontal ; vaults high orlow : 
chambers gloomy or brilliant, thus arouse 
