Science, Art, and Manufacture.

Hawke's Bay Times, Issue 1629, 17 November 1874, Page 429

Science, Art, and Manufacture.

Instinct of Ants.—The following interesting letter appears in the Scientific American respecting the ant's instinct: — " I sailed from Philadelphia in the winter of 1859, having on board a cargo of lumber. After being at sea some ten days or more, I discovered that we had on board a large number of passengers, ants and cockroaches. Going through the cabin one evening, our colored steward said to mc, " Cap'n, jes' look ahea'h!" He was standing in the pantry doorway with a lamp in his hand. On looking into the pantry, I discovered on the lower shelf a number of large black ants in a huddle, and a half dozen by themselves, and on the opposite side of the shelf was some sugar which the ants did not seem to notice, which caused me to wonder; the reason, however, soon became apparent. A cockroach made his appearance and went for the sugar; and the group of ants went for him, and before he fairly got a taste of the sugar, they had him down and killed him in less than a minute: then the six that stood apart from the rest advanced, took up the dead cockroach, and bore him off the field. The others remained on the watch, and as soon as another appeared they all pitched in and made short work, as before. In the meantime the pall-bearers had returned and took this one off the field, as they had done the other. I watched untill I saw this enacted a half dozen times, and it was done as regularly as it could have been by men. The ants kept on killing the cockroaches until they had entirely cleared them out, which took but a short time. Cockroaches do not seem to be at all warlike, but raid about in quest of something to subsist on. But as the ants do not believe in the moiety system, they went in for total annihilation, and had everything their own way. Tbt/eman Hotchkiss."

Pasigraphy.—We have already recorded the formation of the London Pasigraphic Society, and its first conference, in which many of the leading linguists and literary men took part. The best description of the system we have yet met with is contained in the following article from an English contemporary, headed " An End to the Confusion of Tongues " :•—Who has not sighed for the universal language which shall enable everybody to understand everybody else ? Good old Bishop Wilkins thought he had solved the problem two hundred years ago, when he elaborated his Philosophical Language ; but whoever turns over the huge tome that enshrines the Bishop's civilizing idea closes it speedily with the conviction that he would rather learn half-a-dozen actual languages than commit to memory the mass of fantastical symbols spread before him. And such must ever be the fate of schemes which attempt the impossible task of making mankind linguistically symphonetical. A different method has been worked to a successful issue by Mr Anton Bachmaier, of Munich, which places within the reach of the common-sense natives of every country in the world the means of communicating with each other with ease and perfect certainty, though each person is perfectly ignorant of any language save his own. This wonderful feat is effected by Mr Bachmaier by the simple process of numbering the Hem necessary for carrying on correspondence. The numbers are the symbols written, and they express identical ideas in all the linguistic keys; thus 12136 is money in the English key, argent in the French, geld in the German, rtyai in the Ardu, penge in the Danish, &c., &c. A sentence written in these numbers may be penned by an Englishman and read with perfect ease by a Chinaman or a Bussian ; an advertisement couched in these figures will be understood all over the world by people possessed of keys in their own languages. It will be acknowledged that, for commercial purposes, Mr Bachraaier's scheme is of the greatest possible value, and we have no doubt it will be speedily taken up by practical men and brought into extensive use. Merchants carrying on business with Asiatic countries, the languages of which are so difficult to learn, will be specially grateful for so ready a means of communicating with native agents. Mr Bachmaipr calls his system Pasigraphy, and a Pasigraphical Society has been established in London, comprising a large number of learned and philanthropical gentlemenhaving Ur Samuel Birch, of the British Museum, at their head—for the purpose of making known in this country the advantages of this new universal interpreter. As an instance of the sort of thing a pasigram is, we give the following as a specimen : ? 3298. 2676. 1635. 3311. 3177. 815. 1610. 376.

The meaning-of which is, " What is now the price of cotton in Bombay 1 " Of course, it would be quicker to write the sentence in any particular language ; but the advantage of the pasigram is, that it is just as intelligible to a Japanese or Hottentot, provided With a key in his own language, as it is to the original writer. The number of mental .conceptions indexed in this way by Mr Bachmaier is 4334, and this number far exceeds the necessities of ordinary communication, while the simplicity of the process makes its universal employment possible by practical men of ordinary sense; and as nothing is required beyond the materiel of typography, the printing press may be inexpensively utilized in pasigraphy,

THE SALE OF MR BELL'S SHORTI HORN CATTLE AT THE TAIERI. Otago Guardian, October 23. QUEEN OF THE BUTTERFLIES REALIZES . 335 GUINEAS, AND RUBY 290 GUINEAS. The sale of the Waimea herd of shorthorn cattle, the property of George M. Bell, Esq., was held at his farm, Meadow Bank, to-day, by Messrs. Driver, Stewart, and Co. As might have been expected, this drew together an unusually large concourse of buyers and of the public generally, who evinced no little interest in the business of the day—the most important sale of its kind that has ever been held in this colony. The breeders of the North Island and Canterbury were well represented. Victoria, too, had her buyers in the field ; but we are glad that, although a portion is to go out of Otago, the whole of the valuable herd has been secured for New Zealand. We owe it to the judgment and enterprise of Mr J. P. Kitching (acting for Joseph Clark, Esq., of Moa Flat), and Mr. Fitzclarence Roberts, of Kuriwao, that the most valuable animals, with few exceptions, are retained in this province, the former gentleman taking Queen of the Butterflies at 325 guineas, and Ruby at 290 guineas—the highest piices given for any of the cows. This celebrated herd, as our readers will have been informed by advertisement and catalogues of sale, was commenced by Mr Bell in 1867. The females were all purchased at Messrs Morton Brothers and Leach's sale, at Mount Derrimut, Victoria, in November of that year, and consisted of the April Flower and Jessamine tribes, which were nearly all prize-winners in that colony. That Mr Bell made no mistake in at that time selecting the April Flower tribe, including the champion heifer Queen of the Butterflies, the result of yesterday's sale amply testifies; and Mr Kitching, in securing nearly the whole of this tribe, and that grand old cow Jessamine the 4th, with her daughter Formosa, her sister Jessamine the 3rd, and Jessamine the 24th (the dam of the celebrated Red Prince, sold in Sydney for 378 guineas), has laid the foundation of what wo make bold to say will one day prove itself the most valuable herd in the Australian colonies. Mr F. Robert's purchases, although not so numerous, were equally judicious, and comprise Waimea, Otamete, and Lady Valentine, descendants of Jessamine the 4th, one of whose daughters (Jessamine the 11th), was pronounced by the Australasian the best cow at the Mount Derrimut sale. Mr John Duncan, of Cherry Farm, secured two, and Mr Larnach one heifer, while Mr Richard Kempshell would not be denied, and secured the only female bought for the Taieri. Mr Adams, of Hawke's Bay, made most judicious selections from the heifers, to which chiefly he confined his attention. Mr Hay, of Pigeon Bay, Canterbury, made spirited and very judicious purchases also in the young stock. Mr Bluett, of Canterbury, the well-known editor of our New Zealand Herdbook, takes back a reminder or two of his favorite shorthorns. The Victorian purchasers, although they bid spiritedly, were deterred from going to the full value by the fear of the stringent regulations and quarantine enforced in that colony ; while New South Wales, which would have been largely represented, was quite shut out, as her ports are closed to imports from New Zealand ; but notwithstanding these facts our enterprising fellow-colonist, Mr James Blues, of Tokomairiro, was all but successful in securing his two favorite cows, Queen of the Butterflies and Ruby, for the Victorian market, his bid of 300 guineas all but securing the former.

The sire selected was Prince Frederick, bred by the late William Kobertson, Esq., of Colac, out of his imported cow Fanny. Prince Frederick is most fashionably bred, his grandsire, Booth's Sir Roger, having left many prize-winners, and his services for one year were leased to the Rev. Noel Hill for 200 guineas. He was subsequently taken to Ireland, and used in the celebrated Westmeath herd. Sir Eoger's grand daughter, Lady Ann, was champion of England in her year. After an inspection of Prince Fredericks' stock, we pronounce him a most successful sire—all his decendants have faultless horns, and we did not see a cow or bull without that mossy coat so unfailing a test of fashionable short-horn blood, while behind the shoulder they are equally as good as at the hips, and all well packed on the quarter. King of the Butterflies, which Mr Kitching purchased for the bagetelle of 255 guineas, is a magnificent animal, and we doubt if he is equalled in the colonies. In a hurried inspection we made his girth over eight feet: this for his age and condition is very good. In Marquis of Lome, Mr Adams has a calf which promises to equal him, and which will do the province no discredit in Hawke's Bay. Mr Threkeld, of Canterbury, seccured a sire in Prince Imperial at 125 guineas, own brother of Ked Prince above referred to.

Shortly after 1 o'clock Mr Driver, having disposed of the farm, proceeded to the ring, and, after a few appropriate remarks, submitted Lot 1 of the bulls, Marrow Pat, which some judges consider quite equal to the more-generally-fancied King of the Butterflies, and Mr W. A. Tolmie speedily became his owner at the very low price of 100 guineas. King of the Butterflies was next offered, but, to the auprise of all, failed to elect bids at all approaching his value, and was sent back to his box. Dawn was sacrificed for 70 guineas, and Prince Imperial went equally below his value. Seeing that buyers were apparently desirous of making their selections from the female stock before purchasing sires, Mr Driver passed on to the cows, and the wisdom of the step was at once evident, for, after Mr Kitching took lot 1, Jessamine the 4th, at 70 guineas, Mr Roberts followed with his fancies, Waimea and Otarnete, at 160 and 170 guineas respectively. The competition now became spirited, and the success of the sale assured; but when lot 24, Queen of the Butterflies, entered the ring, Mr Driver, giving time to inspect the exchampion of Victoria, waited for Mr Etching's opening bid of 200 guineas. The dry bones had now begun to move, and bid followed bid in quick succession until, at 300 guineas, she fell to the nod

of Mr Etching; but her future ownership was not yet decided, as Mr Biues claimed the bid, and upon again submitting her the hammer fiually fell at 325 guineas to Mr Kitching, who, as before mentioned, took also Ruby at 290 guineas, Buttercup at 195 guineas, and Sweetbriar at 160 guineas. The heifers sold very well throughout, and when the bulls were again led in, MiAdams took Marquis of Lome at 200 guineas, a cheap calf; and Mr Kitching jrot a dead bargain in King of the Butterflies, at 225 guineas. Lot. BULLS.

1. Marrow Eat ... 100 guineas W. A. Tolraie 3. King of the Butterflies 355 „ J. E. Kitching 3. Danton ' 70 ',. W. A. Tolraie 4. Prince Imperial 135 „ R. C. Tlirekeld, Christchuroh 5. Thorn 65 „ Robert Muir 6. Taieri 06 „ Mr Adams 7. Red Prince 3nd 55 „ Hay Brothers, 8. Marquis of Lome 200 „ Mr Adams 13. Sir Harry 45 „ Mrs Miller, West Taieri BULL CALVES. 1. Royal Butterfly... 55 „ Hay Brothers 3. Peaeoek 34 „ Mr Adams COWS AND HEIFERS. 1. Jessamine 4th ... 70 „ J. F. Kitching 3. Waimea 150 „ E. Roberts, Kuriwao 3. Otamete 170 „ „ 4. Waimea 2nd ... 165 „ Mr Adams 5. Waimea 3rd ... 95 ~ Hay Brothers 6. Formosa 100 „ J. F. Kitching 7. Formosa 2nd ... 130 „ Mr Adams 8. Formosa 3rd ..■ 75 „ „ 9. Lady Valentine... 200 „ F.Roberts 10. Lady Valentine 3ud 50 „ W.J. M. Larnach 11. Verbena 60 „ Mr Adams 13. Jessamine 3rd ... 18 „ J. F. Kitching 13. White Jessamine 90 „ „ 14. Jessamrne 30th... 70 „ Mr Bluett, Chr 15. Red Jessamiue... 60 „ „ 16. Jessamine 34th... 180 „ J. F. Kitching IS. Rose 89 „ R. Kempshell 19. Tulip 50 „ Hay Brothers 20. April Flower ... 28 „ James Gall 21. April Flower 3rd 205 „ J. F. Kitching 22. Meadow Flower... 105 „ John Duncan 23. Marchioness ... 75 ~ „ 24. Queen of the Butterflies 325 „ J. F. Kitching 35. Buttercup 195 „ „ 26. Sweetbriar ... 160 „ „ 27. Ruby! 290 „ „ 29. Otamete 2nd ... 60 „ Mr Adams 30. Countess 90 „ F. Roberts IIEIFEII CALVES. 1. Formosa 4th ... 70 „ Hay Brothers 3. Moss Rose ... 55 „ Donald Grant 3. Bridal Flower ... 75 „ Hay Brothers 4. Wild Rose ... 35 „ Mr Bluett, Chr.