Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 10.djvu/786

766 the interstices of the iron, saturating it. When the iron has remained under this liquid pressure a sufficient time, it is gradually cooled by turning cold water instead of steam into the pipes, the pressure being kept up, however, until the iron is cool.

Destruction of Birds by Telegraph-Wires.—It is the opinion of Dr. Elliott Coues that in the United States many hundred thousands of birds are yearly killed by telegraph-wires. To show that this estimate is not extravagant, he cites his own observation while journeying on horseback from Denver, Colorado, to Cheyenne, Wyoming, the road for a considerable part of the way coinciding with the line of the telegraph. The most abundant birds of that region at the time (October) were horned larks and Maccown's bunting. "Almost immediately upon riding by the telegraph-wire," writes Dr. Coues in the American Naturalist, "I noticed a dead lark; and as I passed several more in quick succession, my attention was aroused. The position of the dead birds enabled me to trace cause and effect before I actually witnessed a case of the killing. The bodies lay in every instance nearly or directly beneath the wire. A crippled bird was occasionally seen fluttering along the road. Becoming interested in the matter, I began to count, and desisted only after actually counting one hundred in the course of one hour's leisurely riding—representing perhaps a distance of three miles." During the hour he saw three birds strike the wire; of these one had a wing broken, and another was dying in convulsions.

Natural History on the Great Lakes.—Prof. Comstock, of Cornell University, proposes to organize an aquatic school of natural history for work during the summer along the shores of Lakes Erie, Huron, and Superior. A steamer is to be chartered for the use of the school, and inland excursions are to be made to the mining regions and other points of scientific interest. A strong corps of instructors for zoölogy, botany, geology, etc., will be engaged, and collections will be made illustrative of the work done in these various departments. A portion of the collection will be the property of the students, while the remainder will be disposed of to such local societies, colleges, and schools, as may desire to purchase them in advance by taking shares at $10 each. The terms for admission to the school are very reasonable, viz., not to exceed $125 for thirty days, and $3.50 for each additional day. This, however, does not include the expenses of inland trips: such trips will only be made by such pupils as desire to take part in them, and will be so arranged as to require the least possible expenditure.

Winter-Quarters in the Arctic Regions.—The ship Discovery, of last year's British Arctic Expedition, wintered in latitude 81° 40' north, longitude 64° 30' west, in a well-sheltered inlet directly opposite to the winter-quarters of the Polaris. Here she lay imbedded in the ice for ten months and a half. In preparation for the long winter, a layer of snow ten or twelve inches thick was laid on the deck, but as it was found not to bind, it was mixed with ashes and water, and soon made a good macadamized road. Then snow was piled up outside the ship about fifteen or twenty feet thick. This and the layer on deck kept the warmth in the ship, and the temperature in the lower deck ranged from 48° to 56°. Between April 26th and October 16th the ship's company shot thirty-two musk-oxen, thirty-six hares, six seals, and five eider-duck—about four months' rations of fresh meat. Captain Stevenson, commander of the Discovery, considers the long winter the most enjoyable time of the whole period spent in the arctic regions, the ship being very warm and comfortable, and all hands employed in the work most interesting to themselves.

Voice of the Elephant.—According to Major Leveson, author of "Sport in Many Lands," elephants utter four distinct sounds, each of which is indicative of a certain meaning. The first is a shrill whistling noise, produced by blowing through the trunk; this denotes satisfaction. The second is the note of alarm or surprise, a sound made by the mouth; it may be represented thus: pr-rut, pr-rut! The third is a trumpeting noise indicative of anger; when the