I. BOTANY.--The Relation of Tabasheer to Mineral Substances.--The
composition of this curious secretion of the bamboo.--Analyses
and properties of the material, according to various
observers.--Its appearance under the microscope. 1 illustration.
II. CHEMISTRY.--Apparatus for Drying Flour.--An apparatus for
determining the moisture in flour. 1 illustration.
III. ELECTRICITY.--Automatic Commutator for Incandescent
Lamps.--An apparatus for lighting automatically a new lamp to
replace one that has failed. 1 illustration.
Definitions and Designations in Electro-Technics.--Mr. Jamieson's
proposed code of electric symbols--literal and graphic. 4
illustrations.
IV. ENGINEERING.--New Dredging Machinery.--The dredger Ajax,
recently built in California.--Its dimensions and capacity. 1
illustration.
Reservoir Dams.--By DAVID GRAVELL.--The engineering details
of dams.--Typical masonry and earthwork dams of the world. 23
illustrations.
The Flexible Girder Tramway.--A new type of suspended railway--a
modification of the wire tramway system. 21 illustrations.
V. HYGIENE.--Climate in its Relation to Health.--By G.V. POORE,
M.D.--The third lecture of this series.--Consideration of the
floating matter of the air and diseases caused thereby.--Causation
of hay fever.
VI. MATHEMATICS.--Radii of Curvature Geometrically Determined.--By
Prof. C.W. MACCORD, Sc.D.--No. VII. Path of a
point on a connecting rod. 3 illustrations.
VII. MICROSCOPY.--Improved Microscopical Settling Tube.--By F.
VANDERPOEL.--New tubes for use in urinary analysis. 4
illustrations.
VIII. MISCELLANEOUS.--Apparatus for Manufacturing Bouquets.--An
ingenious machine for facilitating the construction of
bouquets. 1 illustration.
Bozerian's Refrigerant Punkas.--A fan worked by the feet, a
substitute for the Indian punka. 2 illustrations.
How to Make a Kite without a Tail.--An improved form of kite
described and illustrated. 1 illustration.
Punkas.--By J. WALLACE, C.E.--The mechanics of punkas;
experiments on their rate of swing.
The Edible Earth of Java.--An account of this curious substance,
its taste and appearance.
IX. NAVAL ENGINEERING.--Another Remarkable Torpedo Boat.--Over
twenty-eight miles an hour.--Full particulars of the trial of
one of the new Italian torpedo boats, built by Yarrow & Co.
Copeman & Pinhey's Life Rafts.--A new life raft for use on
steamers, folding into deck settees. 3 illustrations.
X. PHYSICS.--Sunlight Colors--By Capt. W. DE W. ABNEY.--A valuable
lecture on the cause of the colors of the sun, and their relative
intensities. 3 illustrations.
The Wave Theory of Sound Considered.--By HENRY A. MOTT,
Ph.D., LL.D.--Arguments against the generally accepted theory
of sound.
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