this useful part is by its capacity for showing whether there is more or less than the usual | quantity of watery vapor permeating the otherwise dry gases in the upper parts of the atmosphere, this watery vapor not being by any means the visible clouds themselves, but the invisible water-gas out of which they have to be formed, and by means of which, when over-abundant, they obtain their privilege for enacting rain-fall. So that never were wiser words uttered and more terse philosophy than those which are to be found in the ancient book of Job, wherein, of the wondrously "balanced clouds high up in mid-air, it is said, "They pour down rain according to the vapor thereof." More or less of this water-vapor is always in the air, even on the very clearest days, and a happy thing for men that it is so; for, as Dr. Tyndall and others have well shown, it moderates the excesses of hot solar radiation by day and cold radiation of the sky at night, and is more abundant in the hotter than in the colder parts of the earth. Wherefore, according largely to its temperature for the time being, the air-otherwise consisting almost entirely of nitrogen and oxygen-can sustain, and does assimilate, as it were, a specified amount of this watery vapor, invisibly to the naked eye, the microscope, or the telescope; but not so to the instrument of recent times, the spectroscope. And if the air vertically above any one place becomes presently charged with more than its usual dose of such transparent watery vapor (as it easily may, by various modes and processes of nature), the spectroscope shows that fact immediately, even while the sky is still blue; clouds soon after form, or thicken if already formed, and rain presently begins to descend. But how does the spectroscope show to the eye what is declared to be invisible in all ordinary optical instruments? It is partly by its power of discriminating the differently colored rays of which white light is made up, and partly by the quality impressed on the molecules of water at their primeval creation, but only recently discovered, of stopping out certain of those rays so discriminated and placed in a rainbow-colored order by the prism and slit of the spectroscope, but transmitting others freely. Hence it is that, on looking at the light of the sky through any properly adjusted spectroscope, we see, besides the Newtonian series of colors from red to violet, and besides all the thin, dark Fraunhofer, or solar originated lines, of which it is not my object now to speak, we see, I say, in one very definite part-viz., between the orange and yellow of that row of colors, or spectrum," as it is called-a dark, hazy band stretching across it. That is the chief Or 66 band of watery vapor; and to see it very dark, even black, do not look at a dark par of the sky or at black clouds therein, `but look, rather, where the sky is brightest, fullest of light to the naked eye, and where you can see through the greatest length of such well-illumined air, at a low, rather than high, angle of altitude, and either in warm weather or, above all, just before a heavy rainfall, when there is and must be an extra supply of watery vapor in the atmosphere. Any extreme darkness, therefore, seen in that water-vapor band beyond what is usual for the season of the year and the latitude of the place is an indication of rain-material accumulating abnormally; while, on the other hand, any notable deficiency in the darkness of it, other circumstances being the same, gives probability of dry weather, or absence of rain for very want of material to make it; and the band has, therefore, been called, shortly," the rain-band." Thus, also, “rainband spectroscopes" have been specially constructed by several most expert opticians in size so small as to be carriable in the waistcoat-pocket, but so powerful and true that a glance of two seconds' duration through one of them suffices to tell an experienced observer the general condition of the whole atmosphere. Especially, too, of the upper parts of it, where any changes-as they take place there almost invariably earlier than belowenable such an observer to favor his friends around him with a prevision of what they are likely soon to experience.-London Times. Nor light of star, nor truth of God, Through earth-born clouds and doubt On bent, misshapen lines of faith Each fails, through dim and wandering sight, But none are there so poor and blind Some knowledge of the better way, Of which, our yearning hope is both From the British Friend. UNDER HIS SHADOW. Busy footsteps coming, going, With the peace it always brings, Safe and blest beneath their shade, Pleasures, worries, griefs, and stings, Underheath My outstretched wings; "So, not only when thou'rt weary, Of thy loved and loving Lord." Thank Thee, Father! Master, thank Thee, For Friends' Intelligencer. E. M. B. brilliant collection of stars to which is given the name of Orion. The outline of this figure is made by four stars, the upper eastern one, Betelgeuse, and the lower western one, Rigel, being of the first magnitude. About midway between these two is a row of three stars, equally distant and equally bright, called the belt of Orion. The two first-magnitude stars in Orion, with two others of the same grade form a vast rhombus. If we extend a line parallel to the horizon west from Betelgeuse it will meet Aldebaran; while one drawn eastward from Rigel extends to Sirius,. the brightest of the stars. The belt of Orion is at the intersection of the two diagonals, and therefore at the centre of the rhombus. Two of the stars of this rhombus, Sirius and Betelgense, form, with Procyon, an equilateral triangle, in which Sirius makes the vertex, nearest the south, and Procyon and Betelgeuse make the base. almost parallel with the horizon. In studying these figures on an artificial representation, it is important to observe that a planisphere distorts them, their true relations being better seen on a. celestial globe. At the present time one not conversant with astronomy should be careful not to get Jupiter and Saturn into the figures formed by the stars. To those that can command a telescope,. the Bee-hive star-cluster in Cancer is an interesting object. While less brilliant to the unaided sight than the Pleiades or Hyades, the greater closeness of the stars makes it more satisfactory for telescopic observation. In viewing the sky as we now see it, we must not forget the great nebula in Orion, about half-way from the belt to the lower stars.. While no artificial aid is needed to show it when the moon is absent and the sky is clear, with the aid of a telescope it presents an appearance of rare brilliancy and attractive-ness. JOHN M. CHILD. Third mo., 8th, 1883. MEXICO. At the present season our evening sky presents a more brilliant array than at any other time in the year. In studying the grouping of stars it is desirable, where possible, to use some more satisfactory classification than that into constellations. The outlines formed by Our neighboring Republic, Mexico, is just the stars seldom give even a hint of the now claiming more than ordinary attention.. figures sketched in the maps of the constel- The extending of lines of railroad into the lations; so that the latter affords no help in newly-opened coal-fields, and among the valulearning the stars. Yet so thoroughly have able timber that is found in the more tropical. the Great Bear, the Lion, the Virgin, and the Archer become incorporated into our astro- parts of the country, will add greatly to the nomical literature, that they will probably material wealth of the nation, and be the persist as long as there is any astronomy, means of bringing about industry and enteraltogether illogical though they are. A pre-prise among the people, and doubtless lead to ferable method of studying star grouping a large immigration in the near future. is by the geometrical figures formed by the principal stars. On any clear evening, about seven o'clock, there is to be seen, immediately on the meridian, about half-way between the south point and the zenith, that Of this Republic the Public Ledger, in a late issue says: "The twenty-seven States of Mexico, it need hardly be said, are in various stages of development, yet even the Indians are described by travelers as unsatisfied until they have furnished themselves with pegged shoes and ready-made trowsers from the United States. The difficulty of transportation tends to great wastefulness in Mexican products in some districts, and to lack of industry, production and enterprise in others, because of the difficulty of getting to available markets. Thus, in one State, rosewood, ebony, cedar and mahogany are burned for firewood, while in the city of Mexico, which has no coal in its vicinity, timber for either manufacture or firewood is scarce and high. Coal, now being mined near Lampazos, a portion of the coalfield of Southern Texas, has been already used to drive the Baldwin engines on the Mexican National Railway. Mexico extends over three zones in altitude, if not in latitude. Its succession of terraces gives it cold, hot and temperate regions in a territory something greater than that of France, Spain, Great Britain, and Germany combined. At the same time, by reason of these peculiarities, its topography gives it no length of navigable rivers in the interior, though its waterfalls from the snow mountains furnish bountiful supply for mill-power and irrigation. NATURAL HISTORY STUDIES. A recent discovery.-A. H. Keene, a student of Ethnology, has given in "Nature" the result of his examination of a female child about seven years of age, who is exciting much interest among English scientists, from the fact of her being human, with welldeveloped Simian characteristics. She has received the name of Krao, and is on exhibition at the Royal Aquarium, Westminster, London. Since her arrival in London, she has acquired several English words which she uses intelligently. Her articulation is said to be defective; she has already so far adapted herself to civilized ways, that the mere threat to be sent back to her own people is always sufficient to suppress any symptoms of unruly conduct. The father, mother, and this child, were found by Karl Bock, a well-known Eastern explorer, in the interior of the Laos country, Burmah, whence other specimens of hairy people have been brought, some of whom have resided in the Burmese capital. From the description given by A. H. Keene, in "Nature" of First month 11th, the following is copied : "Physically Krao presents several peculiar "The Mexican people appear to be quite features. The head and low forehead are alive at this time to the awakening business covered down to the bushy eyebrows with the enterprise in the shape of capital, which is deep black, lank, and lustreless hair, characbeing poured into their country, and one of teristic of the Mongoloid races. The whole their journals states that thirteen of the new body is also overgrown with a far less dense subsidiary lines of steam or horse railway are coating of soft, black hair about a quarter of being built by Mexican capital. Cotton mills an inch long, but nowhere close enough to and the electric light have made their appear- conceal the color of the skin, which may be ance; schools and sewing machines multiply. described as of a dark olive-brown shade. As republicans the States of Mexico appear The nose is extremely short and low, with exto have outgrown their habit of revolution, cessively broad nostrils, merging in the full and to be putting their energies, instead, into pouched cheeks, into which she appears to other governing channels. The rapid transit have the habit of stuffing her food, monkeyof their roads is beginning to take the place fashion. Like those of the anthropoids her of the (once) rapid transit of governments. feet are also prehensile, and the hands so The bulk of the population are the native flexible that they bend quite back over the Indian descendants of old Mexico, docile and wrists. The thumb also doubles completely industrious and altogether different, even in back, and of the four fingers, all the top the remotest mountain regions, from the raid-joints bend at pleasure independently inwards. ing Apaches and Comanches, against whom Mexican and American troops are alike kept under arms. It is some years since a correspondent of the Ledger called attention to the coarse dress goods and dry goods, obtained exclusively from Great Britain by the Mexican trade in the absence of competitive business enterprise in sending American manufactured goods into the country. A different state of things has already come about from the closer communication between the two countries by the opening roads, and will grow with their extension, treaty or no treaty." Prognathism (projection of the lower jaw), seems to be very slightly developed, and the beautiful round black eyes, are very large and perfectly horizontal. Hence the expression is on the whole far from unpleasing. But it should be mentioned that when in a pet, Krao's lips are said to protrude so far as to give her "quite a chimpanzee look." Soon after their capture, the father appears to have died of cholera, while the mother was detained at Bangkok by the Siamese Government so that Krao alone could be brought to England. But before his death a photograph of the father was taken by Mr. Bock, who describes him as "completely covered with a thick hairy coat, exactly like that of the anthropoid apes. On his face not only had he a heavy, bushy beard and whiskers, similar in every respect to the hairy family at the court of the King of Burmah, who also came from the same region as that in which Krao and her father were found; but every part was thoroughly enveloped in hair. The long arms and the rounded stomach also proclaimed his close alliance to the monkey-form, while his power of speech and his intelligence were so far developed that before his death he was able to utter a few words in Malay. Assuming the accuracy of these statements, and of this description, little Krao, of course, at once acquires exceptional scientific importance. She would at all events be a living proof of the presence of a hairy race in further India, a region at present mainly occupied by almost hairless Mongoloid peoples. From these races the large, straight eyes would also detach the Krao type, and point to a possible connection with the hairy, straight-eyed Aino tribes still surviving in Yesso and Sakhalin, and formerly widely diffused over Japan and the opposite mainland. A PLEA FOR THE LITTLE FOLKS. Don't expect too much of them; it has taken you forty years, it may be, to make you what you are, with all your lessons of experience; and I will -dare say you are a faulty being at best. Above all, don't expect judgment in a child or patience under trials. Sympathize in their mistakes and troubles: don't ridicule them. Remember not to measure a child's trials by your standard. "As one whom his mother comforteth,' says the inspired writer; and beautifully does he convey to us the deep, faithful love that ought to be found in every woman's heart, the unfailing sympathy with all her children's griefs. Let the memories of their childhood be as bright as you can make them. Grant them every innocent pleasure in your power. We have often felt our temper rise to see how carelessly their little plans were thwarted by older persons, when a little trouble on their part would have given the child pleasure, the memory of which would last a lifetime. Lastly, don't think a child hopeless because. it betrays some very bad habits. We have known children that seemed to have been born thieves and liars, so early did they display these undesirable traits; yet we have lived to see those same children become noble men and women, and ornaments to society. We must confess they had wise, affectionate parents. And, whatever else you may be compelled to deny your child by your circumstances in life, give it what it most values, plenty of love.-Central Christian Advocate. ITEMS. A NATIONAL exhibition is to be held at Cara cas, Venezuela, beginning July 24th, 1883. ment in Swedish will be published next year. THE charter of the Florida Ship Canal Company was signed by the Governor of Florida on Saturday. A REVISED translation of the New Testa THE Emperor of Germany has given 1,000 marks to the fund for the relief of sufferers by the floods in America. acclimatizing a species of spider which has FRENCH Silk merchants are thinking about been discovered on the African coast. This spider makes a thread very like yellow silk and almost as strong. A SOUTHERN Exposition will be held at Louisville, Ky., beginning August 1st, 1883, and continuing one hundred days. The main building, now in progress, is 900 by 600 feet, covering about thirteen acres. THE Asiatic Society of India have taken steps to erect a monument ou the site of the Black Hole of Calcutta, the dungeon in which 146 British prisoners were confined on June 20, 1756, of which number 123 died the same night. A LETTER from the Bishop of Raphoe, county Donegal, is published, in which he says the only chance the destitute people have to maintain life is through charity. He says the policy of the government is evidently one of extermination. WITHIN twelve months about four thousand patents applying electricity in some shape or other have been granted. As naturally to be expected, the great proportion of these refer to processes and improvements for furnishing light and power. THE great flood which inundated Bristol, England, last autumn, is to be commemorated by forty ornamental lamp-posts placed in the streets, their heights varying to correspond with the level which the water reached at the points where they stand. THE first anthracite coal-breaker outside of Pennsylvania in the United States started up at Crested Butte, Col., on January 26th. This is a matter of no small importance to Colorado. In Gunnison county an abundance of anthracite coal is found, but it has heretofore not been possible to bring it into the market in good shape for want of machinery to prepare it properly, THE Ohio river and its tributaries continues to fall, and the Mississippi to rise. The Chief flood will continue to increase until about the Signal Officer gives notice that the Mississippi 4th of March when it will reach its maximum, "and in many places will prove as destructive as the floods of last year. The Life-Saving 17th ult. rescued or relieved from suffering in Service men sent to Louisville had up to the the submerged districts no fewer than 35,000 human beings. THE distress among the people in Loughrea, Ireland, is alarming. Crowds of persons are besieging the houses of the priests, clamoring for food. The Town Commissioners have been hurriedly convened to take measures toward relieving the wants of the people. THE new comet was viewed on the 26th of last month from the observatory of Mr. George Gildersleeve, Baltimore, its position being near the horizon just after twilight, northwest by west. Mr. Gildersleeve says: "The tail is very faint, and about thirty minutes long. On the dark sky away from the twilight the comet has been eastward 11 degrees, and northward could be seen by the naked eye. Its motion there around the sun and is going off into space. If THE earnings of the Union Pacific Railway for the year 1882 were $30,363,900, an increase of $329,800 over 1881. The expenses were $16,081,950, a decrease of $750,700, and the sur-1 degrees, an indication that it has been plus $14,301,970, an increase of $1,080,500. This statement includes the earnings and expenses of the entire Union Pacific Railway system. DR. TUKE, in a lecture lately delivered before the Edinburgh Health Society, remarked that one of the great causes of over-strain in early youth was the vicious system of competitive examinations. It deflected the mind of the child from the proper object of education, and too frequently left the physical, as well as the mental, constitution a wreck. It is said that a trial of paper rails is about to be made on a prominent Western line. It is claimed that the pulp of which the rails are entirely composed is by pressure made as solid as metal and much more durable, while the safety thus obtained is multiplied by exemption from atmospheric changes that comprise the main drawback to steel. On the 20th of last month a panic was caused in the school-house attached to the Roman Catholic Church of the Most Holy Redeemer, in New York, by an outbreak of fire under the stairs on the second floor. Several hundred children rushed wildly down the stairs, and the railing giving way the struggling mass were thrown to the floor below. Sixteen children were killed and six injured, several dangerously. THE Russian Minister of the Interior, having proposed to close the academy where women are studying for the medical profession, on the plea that it was a hotbed for Nihilism, was prevented by the personal interference of the Empress, who is very anxious that the number of surgeons and physicians should be largely increased in Russia, so as to be able to reduce the chronic epidemics, especially diphtheria and small-pox, which annually carry off so many victims. CIRCULARS relative to the collection and distribution of astronomical intelligence have been sent out by the Harvard College Observatory since it was made the American centre of such collection and distribution in an international scheme-Kiel being the corresponding European centre. Mr. John Ritchie, Jr., has been placed in charge of this service. Observatories and private individuals are admitted to the benefits of the special circulars, or telegrams at their own expense. THE incoming steamships report having passed large quantities of ice on the banks of Newfoundland. The steamer Rhynland, which arrived at New York last week from Antwerp, passed, on the 20th of last month, thirteen icebergs, two of them being about 200 feet high, and another apparently leaving a reef, extending to the north about half a mile, over which the sea broke furiously. The vessel also passed through large quantities of field ice, and reports that ice was forming on the Banks. THE FLOODS.-The total loss by the floods in the Ohio and Wabash rivers are estimated by the New York Herald at $8,048,000, of which $2,250,000 falls on Cincinnati and its suburbs, and $1,000,000 on Louisville. More than 6,000 dwellings in the Ohio Valley were swept away or wrecked beyond repair. The figures given do not include the losses from a sdspension of busines and trade. The subsidence of the floods is taking place very slowly, and it may be a month after the waters have resumed their usual limits before the manufacturers along the river banks can get to work. The inhabitants of the inundated districts suffer terribly, the principal needs being provisions, bedding and clothing. From some of the smaller towns come appeals for medicines, and it is feared that as the waters subside there will be a prevalence of typhoid and malarial fevers. The Cincinnati Commercial Gazette prints a detailed report of the losses by the flood at Lawrenceburg Indiana, which foots up $435,000. Philadelphia has responded liberally to the appeal for aid, and has thought it proper to send a special committee to the scenes of disaster to ascertain by personal inspeciion the points where the gifts of the citizens of Philadelphia would do the most good. NOTICES. The Circular Meeting's Committee of Abington Quarterly Meeting, will attend the meeting at Warminster on First-day, Third mo. 18th, at 10 A.M. The Committee appointed by Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting, will attend Germantown Meeting, School above Main street, on Firstday, Third mo. 11th, at 103 A.M. A meeting of the Joint Committee on Indian Affairs of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of Friends, will be held in Philadelphia, at Řace Street Meeting House, Room 1, on Seventhday, Third mo. 17th, 1883, at 11 o'clock A. M. BARCLAY WHITE, Clerk. Third mo. 2d, 1883. At a meeting of the Educational Committee of Baltimore Yearly Meeting, held at Waterford, Va., on the 18th ult., it was concluded to meet in general conference with friends at Lombard street Meeting House, in Baltimore, on the Tenth-day of Third mo. next at 8 o'clock in the evening. Seventh-day preceding Quarterly Meeting at same place. All interested in a guarded liberal education of Friends' children, are invited. GEO. B. PASSMORE, Clerk. |