CHEMISTRY.
[Errata.—A few typographical errors in articles of this series have escaped correction. Page 254, change “300,000,000” to 3,000,000; for “alcohol,” thirty-third line, page 325, substitute paraffine; same page, eighth line, second column, use not for “but;” in “experiment,” same column, use heat for “sensation,” and in next to the last line of the article change “topics” to optics.—Prof. J. T. Edwards.]
[1.] “Geysers,” gīˈsers. Intermittent hot springs, found in different parts of the world. Those of Iceland are the best known. More than one hundred of these springs are there found, within a space of two miles. The geysers of the Yellowstone are the most wonderful ever discovered. The country lying between latitude 43° and 47° north, and longitude 110° and 114° west, is dotted with groups of springs. Some of them, when in action, send up columns of water to a height of 200 feet.
[2.] “Hugh Miller.” (1802-1856.) A British geologist. He was by trade a stone mason, but he devoted all his leisure hours to study. Soon “detecting the wonders of the fossil world” in the quarries in which he worked, he made them the special subject of his thought, and soon became an eminent geologist. He published many works, most of them bearing on this subject. He worked so incessantly, taking little sleep or exercise, that his mind was on the verge of giving way. Realizing this with terror, he took his own life. A note left for his wife read as follows: “A fearful dream rises upon me. I can not bear the horrible thought.”
The old red sandstone is the name given to the rock in Great Britain formed in the Devonian age, or age of fishes. Its thickness is in some parts 8,000 to 10,000 feet. It includes sandstone, marlytes of red and other colors, and some limestone.
The sandstone of the Triassic period, which includes the latest formations of the earth’s crust, is also characterized by fossils, and is often red in color; hence the name, new red sandstone, has been applied to it.
[3.] “Dr. Hitchcock.” (1793-1864.) An American geologist and author.
[4.] “Minute animals.” The carbonate of lime which is found in rocks is most of it formed directly of shells, corals, and other animal remains. These little creatures take their stony-like structures from the water or from their food through the power of secretion, just as man forms his bones, and after their death they are given over to be made into rocks. The great extent and thickness of the limestone rocks of the earth give some idea of the amount of life that flourished there in past time.
[5.] “Anhydride.” For definition see “Chemistry,” page 151.
[6.] “Old Stone Mill.” It is asserted by some antiquaries that this structure was built by the Northmen, 500 years before Columbus landed on these shores. Its purpose, as well as its origin, has been a theme of much discussion. Its present appearance is that of a large round tower overgrown with vines.
[7.] “The Stone age.” One of the divisions of prehistoric time. In this age men were not acquainted with the use of metal and fashioned their rude implements exclusively out of stone.
[8.] “Ceramic,” se-ramˈic.
[9.] “Cesnola collection.” Cesnola was an American soldier and archæological explorer, born in Italy in 1832. He served in the Crimean war, and in the civil war, was for a long time in Libby Prison. At the close of the war he was sent as consul to Cyprus. Having his attention attracted by some fragments of terra cotta and some coins, he began making excavations in search of relics. He met with such rewards that he continued his work for three years, employing hundreds of men. Among his discoveries were statues, lamps, vases, coins, glassware, gold ornaments, bronzes, and inscriptions, in all about 13,000 articles. This remarkable collection is now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
[10.] “The mound builders.” The race of people found in America by its first settlers had clearly been preceded by a race of higher type and attainments. Relics proving this have been discovered throughout the Mississippi valley. Earthworks are their principal testimony, of which many thousands have been found in Ohio alone. These mounds vary in size and shape, but are always regularly formed, sometimes being square, sometimes round, hexagonal, octagonal, or truncated. They are ascended by spiral paths, and frequently contain skeletons. Sometimes the earthworks are thrown up so as to represent in outline men and animals, and appear as huge “bas-reliefs on the surface of the ground.”
[11.] “Humboldt,” Baron von. (1769-1859.) A German naturalist, the most distinguished scholar of the nineteenth century. After a thorough education, under the best masters in different universities, he determined to devote himself to finance as a business, and familiarized himself with everything pertaining to this calling. He changed his career and wished to engage in practical mining. And again he went through with a full preparation for this work. He was sent to explore several mining districts, and made many experiments to discover the nature of fire-damp. Later he made a great scientific expedition which only led the way to others, until he had visited as a scientist almost every land. He is distinguished for the comprehensiveness of his researches. During his travels he made astronomical, botanical and magnetic researches, measured elevations, investigated the nature of the soil, and the thermometrical relations; he also collected herbariums, and founded the new science of the geography of plants. Of his numerous published works, “Kosmos” has perhaps attracted public attention most widely. It has been without an equal in giving an impulse to natural studies.
[12.] “Lord Lytton,” Sir Edward George. Earle Lytton, son of General William Earle Bulwer, born in 1805. Upon his succeeding to the vast estates of his mother, the heiress of the Lyttons, he by royal license assumed this name, writing it after his own. He is the author of several works, mostly of fiction.