Crystal Palace International Electric Exhibition 1881-82

24 as is done in order to examine and to protect the shore ends of the great submarine cables near the sea, an insulator with, a hole in the centre is fixed to the top of the post nearest the shore, as shown in the model; which, as soon as the wire which, connects the submarine cable with the land line is run through, is closed up with a composition of wax and resin. C. NIELSON, Chief Director. Christiania, June 15th, 1881. Some Observations on the Impression Produced on Animals by the Humming Sound and Vibration of Telegraphic Wires. It is known that the wood-pecker (black or green, picus martins and piens vir idis'), specimens of which are in the Exhibition, feeds on worms and insects, which it finds under the bark and in the core of decayed trees, but never in living ones. As will be seen, the section, of wood exhibited is cut from a perfectly sound post, impregnated with, sulphate of copper and perforated with a hole, forming a circle of the diameter of 7 centimeters (about 3^ inches) which, hole has been pecked out by this bird. The same phenomenon is frequently found in Norway in certain, districts situated near pine woods where this bird is found; the holes are as a rule at the top of the post. According to the opinion of an ornithologist the phenomenon must be attributed to the humming sound produced in the post by the vibration of the wire, which, the bird imagines to proceed from worms and insects working inside the post, and that is why lie sets to work quite confidently to pick a hole with his beak. Poor bird ! after giving himself all this trouble he must find himself bitterly disappointed when, all of a sudden, he finds he has gone right through the post, to see daylight the other side. It is well known that the greatest delicacy to a bear is honey, and that duri ng his solitary prowls about the mountains, when suddenly the vibration of the telegraphic wire awakens him from his musings, it is very pardonable if the poor beast "believes he hears the joyous humming of a swarm of bees, and that he begins to lick his lips at the “bare thought of tasting the delicacy; following the delusive sound he at last arrives at the post where it is louder than ever, and as he does not find the expected beehive he very naturally thinks it must be under the heap of stones used to support the post on the bare rock; and then having set to work to scatter these stones in all directions in order to find the dreamt- of treasure, deceived in his first hopes, lie finishes, that he may at least have the satisfaction of destroying all the bees he supposes hidden inside the post, by giving the heap a tremendous blow with his paw. We have at times observed high up in the mountains the scattering of the stones (used in fixing the posts), which seemed a thing quit© unaccountable until one found the marks of the claws of the enraged "bear in the post.