318 
THE YOUKG SCIENTIST. 
the Sun setting with the eclipse of about 8 digits 
still upon it. At San Francisco the eclipse 
begins at 3h. 4:0m. in the afternoon. Visible 
nearly as far east as the Blacli Hills in Wyo- 
ming Territory, and Denver, Colorado, where 
the eclipse begins just after sunset. At Santa 
Fe, N. M., it will be a mere contact of limbs at 
sunset. At Helena, Mont., the eclipse begins 
at 4.40 P.M. At Walla Walla the beginning 
occurs at 3h. 4:8m., and the middle at sunset. 
At Portland, Oregon, begins af 3h. 38m., and the 
middle at sunset. 
EPHEMEKIDES OF THE PKINCIPAL STAES AND 
CLUSTEES, OCT. 21ST, 1883. 
H. 
TIT 
Alpha Andromeda (Alpheratz) 
in 
meridian 
10 
2 eve. 
Omicron Ceti (Mira) variable, 
in 
meridian 
0 
17 nior. 
Beta Persei (Algol) variable, 
in 
meridian 
1 
3 " 
Eta Tauri ("Seven Stars" or Plei- 
ades) rises 
6 
12 eve. 
Alpha Tauri (Aldebaran) rises 
7 
31 
Alpha Aurigas (Capella) in merid. 
3 
11 nioi- 
Beta Ononis (Rigel) rises 
9 
38 eve. 
Alpha Orionis (Betelguese) rises 
9 
23 " 
Alpha Canis Majoris (Sirius or Dog 
Star) rises 
11 
39 " 
A^p/ta Canis Minoris (Procyon) rises 11 
14 " 
Alpha Leonis (Eegulus) rises 
1 
21 Dior. 
Alpha Virgiuis (Spica) rises 
5 
58 
Alpha Bootis f Arcturus) rises 
5 
1 
Alpha Scorpionis (Antares) sets 
6 
43 eve. 
Alpha Lyrae (Vega) sets 
1 
30 mor. 
Alpha Aqmllae (Altair) sets 
0 
1§ " 
Alpha Cygni (Deneb) " 
4 
36 " 
Alpha Pisces Austr'alis (Fomalhaut) 
sets 
0 
54 " 
De Land, Ftorida. 
Human Hair Under the Microscope. 
E. B. Tylor, in Nature, says that the micro- 
scopic examination of the cross section of a 
single human hair is sufficient to determine 
to which one of the race divisions of humanity 
the wearer belongs. If examined micro- 
scopically by Pruner's method, it shows cii- 
cular, or oval, or reniform. Its follicle curva- 
ture may be estimated by the average diamet(»r 
of the curls as proposed by Moseley. Its color- 
ing matter may be estimated by Sorby's 
method. There has been even a systematic 
classification of man published by Dr. W. 
Muller, of the Novara expedition, which is pri- 
marily arranged according to hair, in straight- 
haired races, curly-haired races, etc., with a 
secondary division according to language. 
F-- 
G- 
H-- 
I-- 
J- 
K- 
L- 
M- 
N- 
O- 
P-- 
Q-- 
Telegraphy in Rhyme. 
*' A" 's a dot and then a dash ; 
- " B," dash, three dots like a flash ; 
" C." two dots, a space, a dot ; 
Dash, two dots, and "D" you've got; 
" E " is but a period— 
Keaders, are you wear-i-ed ? 
"F" is.made thus— dot, dash, dot; 
Dash, dash, dot, to " G" allot; 
Four dots. " H "—how's that for high ? 
Two dots " I " will satisfy ; 
- "J," dash, dot, dash, dot, you sound; 
Dash, dot, dash for *' K " you've found. 
" L " 's long dash, so rest your hands ! 
Next two dashes " M " demands ; 
' N " 's dash, dot. made closely— see ? 
" 0 " 's a dot, space, dot— O, me ! 
- Five dots next for " P " suffice ; 
■ " Q," two dots, dash, dot— liow nice! 
Dot, space, two dots for " R" next; 
" S," three dots— now watch my text; 
" T " 's short dash, half size of " L " ; 
" U " 's two dots and dash— that's well ! 
- " V " is three dots, dash— art tired ? 
- " W" 's dot, two dashes wired. 
- Dot, dash, two dots, " X " you'll And ; 
■ " Y," two dots, space, two dots, mind! 
Three dots, space and dot are " Z " ; 
" & " is vice versa— see ! 
The Origin of Lightning. 
In explaining satisfactorily the phenomenon 
of lightning, a difficulty is encountered in ac- 
counting for the enormous electric tensions 
which are necessary to explain the great length 
of the spark often observed The theory is ad- 
vanced by A. Fick that the high tensions are 
produced by the sudden concentration of elec- 
tricitj^ already existing in a free state. This 
concentration is caused by the formation of 
large drops of rain from the small vesicles of 
moisture existing in the clouds, by which the 
surface upon which the electricity exists is 
greatly diminished. The sudden formation of 
drops of water from the mass of aqueous vapor 
may be due to the advance of cold-air currents. 
Mr. Fick endeavors to answer two objections 
which may be urged against this theory: 1. 
That in every rain storm lightning ought to be 
seen. 2. That it ought to rain whenever it 
lightnings. To the first objection he replies that 
the drops may be formed gradually, and not 
suddenly, in which case the tensions would be 
dissipated gradually; and to the second, that 
drops are always formed in connection with 
lightning, but that in falling to the earth thej' 
sometimes encounter a layer of dry air, and are 
absorbed in their passage. 
