March 20, 1685 )
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��The fnther (D. A. of Imlepeiidciice, lo.) li&s luaslly acute hearing. The degree of aculei cannot well be expressed in terms of normal audi- tion : but it irill suffice to saj that he diatingiiiahes roices, whispers, and other sounds at conHiderablj bey jnd the ordinary range; that lie t reqn en ily hears Bounds Inaudible to his companions; and that be per- ceives, discriminates, and comprehends faint rounds with great facility. Hia wife's audition was normal, and that ot the proaeny is variable. Expressing normal audition 1>y N, and arbitrnrily evaluating acuteness above and below this standard, the status of the family, iDcliidingconnorts {indicated by Italics}, Is AboDt as follows : —
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� � � ��The partially deaf members do not perceive the ordinary voice, but follow conversation readily if the voice be raised as liigli, say, as that of an out-door
It is noteworthy that none ol the family were born deaf, but that sensitiveness of the uuditory apparatus diminished during youth, either progressively or by stages coinciding with slight catarrhal attacks or other physiologic disturljances. The grandchildren born thus, scarcely reached the age at nliich deafness bcKan to appear In the second generation.
W. J. McGek.
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��reaervatioa of jelly-fishes at the Naples toological stations. Zoologists are lo be congratulated upon the success which has at last attended the efforts of Signore Lo Blan(N», the skilful conservator of the zoological ala- lion in Naples, towards the preservation of Siphon- apfanrao. So extremely delicate are these complicated organisms as to have rendered futile ail efforts hither- to made for their preservation; and students have l>een compelled to have recourse to drawings or mod- els (or the Ktud; of their structure In the absi^nce uf living specimens. The least carelessness un the part of the collector, results, as a rule. In the loss of many of the slightly attached parts ; anil If. perchance, the animals »re brought in safety to the laboratory, they are available for study only during a very brief period. for over eight years Signore Lo Blanco has carried on experiments, attended with the greatest patience Mid skill and no amnli pccuninry outlay, only to meet with the fate which hu ever attended attempts at their preservation, — to see them fall intoahundred pieces. Every working zoiilogisl can therefore readily imagine the satisfaction following the discovery of a method through which every museum may uow place upon its ihelves specimens of Mediterranean Siphon' ~~*iorae retaining all the beauty and transparency o( ng specimens. — a privilege uf which the directors mSs various European museums are by no means
��slow In availing themselves, a large nnmber of orders having already been received at the station for complete sets. Henceforth students of inland labora- tories can study these interesting animals as satisfac- torily as those at seo-^lde laboratories, specimens
��has the art of preserving marine animals attained such perfection as in the Naples station, and at no other place is it possible. Owing to the large corps of skilled collectors, and to the rich fauna of the Gulf of Naples, material Is constantly on band for experimentation, and is manipulated by experts, who are instructed to spare no time or expense in the search for methods which shall retain the animals in their natural expanded conditions, and, if possible, with the brilliant colors ot living specimens. A moat Interesting example Is that of Corallium ruhrnm; the pi'eclouB coral In which all the minute polyps are seen, with their tentacles fully expanded, furnishing a much more instructive object than the bits of dried twigs ordinarily to be seen in collections. Of the Sipbonophoroe, the most difficult of preservation were Forskalia contorto, Apolemia uvoria, AgolTna Sarsii, Halistemma rubrum, I'hysophora hydrostatica, and Praya dipbyes. These, besides many others, mny now be obtained at prices which barely cover the cu&t of preparation, varying according to size, rarity, and process required, from one to thirty francs. The last two forms, owing to their habits, are not always on band, appearing one day in hundreds, months elapsing before the collector again meets with Ihcm. American institutions have thus far been much be- hind those of Great Britain and the continent in taking advantage ot the unparalleled facilities afforded by the Naples zoological station; Williams college and the University of Ponnaylvaola being the only ones which have taken tables and sent representatives, the latter being the only one represented at pres- ent. Several Americans have been able to occupy tables for short periods through the courtesy of Ger- man universities; but It would be much more credit- able to America were her zoologists able to meet with simllai' encouragement from home Institutions,
C. S. DoLLKY.
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��Economy of fnel.
��In your No. 103 of Jan. 23, 1886, under the head- ing ' Economy of fuel,' the coal -consumption of the steamship Oregon is stated at 16 tous per mile, which is e<iuivalent to 4S.O0O tons for the Atlantic voyage! [Corrected, vol. v. p. 122.) 1 beg to request that you will publish, in correction ot the above, the accom- p.'vnying table, compiled from data furnished me through the courtesy of Mr. A. M. UnderhiU of the Guion line.
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