SCIENTIFIC SUMMARY. 
331 
years. Few Americans have attained so world- wide a renown as Mr. Morse, 
growing chiefly out of his success in devising and introducing the system of 
electric telegraphy which bears his name. Mr. Morse was the eldest son of 
Jedidiah Morse, D.D., an American clergyman, better known as a geo- 
grapher, whose writings were the first devoted to the elucidation of Ameri- 
can geography, his educational works of this character remaining for more 
than a generation in general use. Prof. Morse was born in Charlestown, 
Mass., April 27, 1791. He graduated at Yale College in 1810. 
An Improvement in Barry' swinging Flame has been devised in America by 
Mr. W. E. Geyer, and is described by him in “Silliman’s American 
Journal.” He states that a simple addition to the apparatus described by 
Barry last year has given him a flame which, by slight regulation, may be 
made either : (1) a sensitive flame merely ; that is, a flame which is 
depressed and rendered non-luminous by external noises, but which does 
not sing ; (2) a continuously singing flame, not disturbed by outward noises ; 
(3) a sensitive flame, which only sounds while disturbed; or (4) a flame 
that sings continuously, except when agitated by external sounds. The last 
two results, so far as is known to him, are novel. To produee them it is 
only neeessary to cover Barry’s flame with a moderately large tube, resting 
it loosely on the gauze. A luminous flame six to eight inches long is thus 
obtained, which is very sensitive, especially to high and sharp sounds. If 
now the gauze and tube be raised, the flame gradually shortens and appears 
less luminous, until at last it becomes violently agitated, and sings with a 
loud uniform tone, which may be maintained for any length of time. Under 
these conditions, external sounds have no effect upon it. The sensitive 
musical flame is produced by lowering the gauze, until the singing just 
ceases. It is in this position that the flame is most remarkable. At the 
slightest sharp sound, it instantly sings, continuing to do so as long as the 
disturbing cause exists, but stopping at once with it. So quick are the 
responses, that by rapping the time of a tune, or whistling or playing it, 
provided the tones are high enough, the flame faithfully sounds at every 
note. By slightly raising or lowering the jet, the flame can be made less or 
more sensitive, so that a hiss in any part of the room, the rattling of keys 
even in the pocket, turning on the water at the hydrant, folding up a piece, 
of paper, or even moving the hand over the table, will excite the sound. On 
pronouncing the word M sensitive,” it sings twice ; and in general it will 
interrupt the speaker at almost every “ s ” or other hissing sound. 
A new Seismograph has been described in a paper before the Wellington 
Philosophical Society, New Zealand, by Mr. Wm. Skey. The following is 
a partial account of the instrument. A small block of metal, having a thin 
slip of platina attached, or a small wire of this metal projecting a little apart 
from it horizontally, is connected with an electro-magnet with keeper sus- 
pended, and this with a single cell of a battery. A very fine silver wire 
(that used for sewing wounds), 3 ft. long or so, joined at its lower extremity 
by a little platina wire, depends from a point above, so that the two platina 
wires may intersect; a firm adjusting screw or other apparatus set con- 
tiguous to the point of suspension enables one to put this point in such a 
position that these wires are allowed to press but very slightly upon each 
other. The silver wire is connected with the other pole of the cell through 
