10
UNIVERSITY COURIER.
A collection of about a hundred species of moths and butterflies with rich, gay, and handsomely decorated wings. They came from France, China, and the East Indies; all the species are new to the collection. Among them is the celebrated "great atlas moth" which belongs to the silk worm family.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The chemical laboratory is full and running over more than there are desks. Demand for new building is imperative. In the special laboratory Mr.Watts and the medies have full sway.
In 1880 Kansas had 183,561 farms under cultivation.
Observations made by Mr. Rafford, a member of the Sociele d' Horticulture at Limorges, show that, a castor oil plant having been placed in a room infested with flies, the latter immediately absconded. It appears that the leaves of the plant give out an essential oil, or some toxic principle which possesses very strong insecticide qualities. The cultivation of the plant about houses and in gardens might be of great service in keeping away intruding and depredating insects.
M. Muentz, of the French National Agronomical Institute, announces the somewhat startling fact that he has discovered traces of alcohol as a natural product in water, soil, and air. Though in infinitesimal proportion, nevertheless it exists. In river water the per cent. is about one thousandth, in sea water about the same, in cold rain water the proportion is somewhat greater. The statement so often heard from popular temperance lecturers and seen in text books, that "alcohol is always a product of art and is never found in nature" is erroneous.
Dr. Hannaford speaks in a most common sense manner about mineral springs. In most of the popular springs the water is composed of water and such minerals as iron, sulphur, soda, silica, etc., none of which are always needed by all persons alike. If, for example, iron is needed by a certain patient, it does not follow that all who seek the supposed virtues of these waters specially need just this element. The same is true of all other elements. You may drink the water for iron but get several other mineral ingredients which act as poisons in the system for a long time. It is claimed that some are cured at these springs. With the same change of climate, habits, food, etc., and with pure cold water to drink, more would probably be cured.
At the last meeting of the California Academy of Science Dr. H. W. Harkness read an unusually interesting paper on "The Footprints of Pliocene Man" recently found in the Carson sandstone quarries of Nevada. The bottom of the quarry gives indications of having been the shore of an ancient lake. Here, under the sandstone, in the shale floor, are imprinted the footsteps of a variety of animals and birds, and many tracks of the sandaled foot of man, showing rights and lefts, alongside of those of the mammoth, in a Pliocene formation. Many hundred footprints were examined, varying in size, form, and length of step, the stride being generally two feet three inches. Prof. Joseph LeConte, author of the standard text book of geology, says: "No one, who studied the tracks, could fail to observe their remarkable general resemblance to human foot-prints." He thought they might have been made by a foot enclosed in a raw-hide sandal. All who have seen them seem to agree that the tracks are those of a biped. If
they are not those of men like ourselves, they are probably those of the much discussed "anthropoid ape," familiarly known as the "missing link."
Since July 1, 1872, Prof. Snow has been making accurate observations of the wind at Lawrence, Kas. From his reports and records we collect the following facts on the wind's velocity:
The average daily velocity is 376.43 miles; the average hourly velocity is nearly sixteen (15.68) miles.
The greatest velocity recorded was at the rate of 80 miles an hour, from 3:30 to 3:45 a. m., April 18, 1880.
For the sake of comparison it may be mentioned that the mean hourly velocity of the wind at Philadelphia is 11 miles, at Toronto 9 miles, at Plymouth, England, 9 miles, at Liverpool 13 miles.
The velocity of the wind at Leavenworth (at the Signal Service station, on Delaware street) is hardly half that at Lawrence. This difference is undoubtedly due to the different location of the instruments.
At Emporia and Topeka, where the exposure is similar to that of the University apparatus, the velocities are about the same as at Lawrence.
Average number of miles traveled by the wind at Lawrence for each month is respectively, for January, 11,162; February, 10,774; March, 14,485; April, 14,142; May, 12,655; June, 10,628; July, 8,893; August, 8,574; September, 10,739; October, 11,968; November, 12,474; December, 11,624.
April has the greatest average hourly velocity, 19.64 miles; August the least, 11.52 miles.
The average hourly velocity for spring is 18.69 miles, for summer 12.69 miles, for autumn 16.13 miles, and for winter 15.75 miles.
LOCALS.
Ponies.
Contest.
Reception.
New session.
President Butler.
They met at last.
Berry—Hutchins.
Buckwheat cakes.
How will you vote?
How many did you meet?
Curdy dances. So does ——.
How many do you remember?
Ask Hamilton to read by-law 6.
Berry's candidate won the heat.
The days are becoming too short.
The "slate" ticket carried the day.
Stocks will represent the Orophilians.
Remember the first lecture, October 7th.
The last accession to the Phi Psis is Walter Chaliss.
The "gowns" will please give the sidewalk to the "towns."