Invention and Discovery: Curious Facts and Characteristic SketchesAnonymous
History
Invention and Discovery: Curious Facts and Characteristic Sketches
Anonymous
Inventions
Captain C. Kennedy, in his "Journey through Algeria and Tunis,"
notes:--"We were anxious to know if there was any chance of another lion
being found in the neighbourhood, and were informed that doubtless there
were plenty; but such was the nature of the ground, that, unless their
exact haunts were known (in which case they were generally killed), we
might go out for a fortnight, and never encounter a single beast. The
skins of all lions killed throughout the regency are sent to the Bey,
who pays a handsome premium upon each. The flesh is eaten: contrary to
our expectation, we found it excellent, and made a capital supper upon
the ends of the ribs, stewed with a little salt and red pepper; it
tasted like very young beef, and was neither tough nor strong
flavoured."
------------------
THE MOON SEEN THROUGH LORD ROSSE'S
TELESCOPE.
In 1846, the Rev. Dr. Scoresby had the gratification of observing the
moon through the stupendous telescope constructed by Lord Rosse, at
Parsonstown. It appeared like a globe of molten silver, and every object
of the extent of one hundred yards was quite visible. Edifices,
therefore, of the size of York Minster, or even of the ruins of Whitby
Abbey, might be easily perceived, if they had existed. But there was no
appearance of anything of that nature; neither was there any indication
of the existence of water, or of an atmosphere. There were a great
number of extinct volcanoes, several miles in breadth; through one of
them there was a line of continuance about 150 miles in length, which
ran in a straight direction, like a railway. The general appearance,
however, was like one vast ruin of nature; and many of the pieces of
rock driven out of the volcanoes, appeared to lie at various distances.
------------------
LONGEVITY OF THE BEETLE.
Some facts recently stated to the British Association may, perhaps,
shake faith in the "corporal sufferance" of the beetle, whose cause has
been so eloquently pleaded by Shakspeare. Sir G. Richardson has
exhibited a beetle found imbedded in some artificial concrete, where it
must have been at least sixteen years; yet, when the animal was brought
to him, it was alive, and lived for six weeks after--the ordinary
duration of the life of this species of beetle being but two or three
years. Mr. Darwin left one of the same kind of beetles in a covered
vessel for a year, without its being killed; he also dropped upon one
hydrocyanic acid, but it walked off, quite unaffected by the poison.
------------------
TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account