the works of edgar allan poe-2-第55部分

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of　the　wood；　are　perfectly　entire；　and　bear　to　be　examined　with　the
strongest　magnifiers。　The　whole　are　so　thoroughly　silicified　as　to
scratch　glass　and　are　capable　of　receiving　the　highest　polish。
_Asiatic　Magazine_。

｛*3｝　The　Mammoth　Cave　of　Kentucky。

｛*4｝　In　Iceland；　1783。

｛*5｝　〃During　the　eruption　of　Hecla；　in　1766；　clouds　of　this　kind
produced　such　a　degree　of　darkness　that；　at　Glaumba；　which　is　more
than　fifty　leagues　from　the　mountain；　people　could　only　find　their
way　by　groping。　During　the　eruption　of　Vesuvius；　in　1794；　at　Caserta；
four　leagues　distant；　people　could　only　walk　by　the　light　of　torches。
On　the　first　of　May；　1812；　a　cloud　of　volcanic　ashes　and　sand；　coming
from　a　volcano　in　the　island　of　St。　Vincent；　covered　the　whole　of
Barbadoes；　spreading　over　it　so　intense　a　darkness　that；　at　mid…day；
in　the　open　air；　one　could　not　perceive　the　trees　or　other　objects
near　him；　or　even　a　white　handkerchief　placed　at　the　distance　of　six
inches　from　the　eye。_〃　　Murray；　p。　215；　Phil。　edit。_

｛*6｝　In　the　year　1790；　in　the　Caraccas　during　an　earthquake　a　portion
of　the　granite　soil　sank　and　left　a　lake　eight　hundred　yards　in
diameter；　and　from　eighty　to　a　hundred　feet　deep。　It　was　a　part　of
the　forest　of　Aripao　which　sank；　and　the　trees　remained　green　for
several　months　under　the　water。〃　　_Murray_；　p。　221

｛*7｝　The　hardest　steel　ever　manufactured　may；　under　the　action　of　a
blowpipe；　be　reduced　to　an　impalpable　powder；　which　will　float
readily　in　the　atmospheric　air。

｛*8｝　The　region　of　the　Niger。　See　Simmona's　_Colonial　Magazine_　。

｛*9｝　The　Myrmeleon…lion…ant。　The　term　〃monster〃　is　equally　applicable
to　small　abnormal　things　and　to　great；　while　such　epithets　as　〃vast〃
are　merely　comparative。　The　cavern　of　the　myrmeleon　is　vast　in
comparison　with　the　hole　of　the　common　red　ant。　A　grain　of　silex　is
also　a　〃rock。〃

｛*10｝　The　_Epidendron；　Flos　Aeris；_　of　the　family　of　the　_Orchideae_；
grows　with　merely　the　surface　of　its　roots　attached　to　a　tree　or
other　object；　from　which　it　derives　no　nutriment　　subsisting
altogether　upon　air。

｛*11｝　The　_Parasites；_　such　as　the　wonderful　_Rafflesia　Arnaldii_。

｛*12｝　_Schouw_　advocates　a　class　of　plants　that　grow　upon　living
animals　　the　_Plantae_　_Epizoae_。　Of　this　class　are　the　_Fuci_　and
_Algae_。

_Mr。　J。　B。　Williams；　of　Salem；　Mass。_；　presented　the　〃National
Institute〃　with　an　insect　from　New　Zealand；　with　the　following
description：　〃　'_The　Hotte_；a　decided　caterpillar；　or　worm；　is　found
gnawing　at　the　root　of　the　_Rota_　tree；　with　a　plant　growing　out　of
its　head。　This　most　peculiar　and　extraordinary　insect　travels　up　both
the　_Rota_　and　_Ferriri_　trees；　and　entering　into　the　top；　eats　its
way；　perforating　the　trunkof　the　trees　until　it　reaches　the　root；　and
dies；　or　remains　dormant；　and　the　plant　propagates　out　of　its　head；
the　body　remains　perfect　and　entire；　of　a　harder　substance　than　when
alive。　From　this　insect　the　natives　make　a　coloring　for　tattooing。

｛*13｝　In　mines　and　natural　caves　we　find　a　species　of　cryptogamous
_fungus_　that　emits　an　intense　phosphorescence。

｛*14｝　The　orchis；　scabius　and　valisneria。

｛*15｝　The　corolla　of　this　flower　（_Aristolochia　Clematitis_）；　which
is　tubular；　but　terminating　upwards　in　a　ligulate　limb；　is　inflated
into　a　globular　figure　at　the　base。　The　tubular　part　is　internally
beset　with　stiff　hairs；　pointing　downwards。　The　globular　part
contains　the　pistil；　which　consists　merely　of　a　germen　and　stigma；
together　with　the　surrounding　stamens。　But　the　stamens；　being　shorter
than　the　germen；　cannot　discharge　the　pollen　so　as　to　throw　it　upon
the　stigma；　as　the　flower　stands　always　upright　till　after
impregnation。　And　hence；　without　some　additional　and　peculiar　aid；
the　pollen　must　necessarily　fan　down　to　the　bottom　of　the　flower。
Now；　the　aid　that　nature　has　furnished　in　this　case；　is　that　of　the
_Tiputa　Pennicornis_；　a　small　insect；　which　entering　the　tube　of　the
corrolla　in　quest　of　honey；　descends　to　the　bottom；　and　rummages
about　till　it　becomes　quite　covered　with　pollen；　but　not　being　able
to　force　its　way　out　again；　owing　to　the　downward　position　of　the
hairs；　which　converge　to　a　point　like　the　wires　of　a　mouse…trap；　and
being　somewhat　impatient　of　its　confinement　it　brushes　backwards　and
forwards；　trying　every　corner；　till；　after　repeatedly　traversing　the
stigma；　it　covers　it　with　pollen　sufficient　for　its　impregnation；　in
consequence　of　which　the　flower　soon　begins　to　droop；　and　the　hairs
to　shrink　to　the　sides　of　the　tube；　effecting　an　easy　passage　for　the
escape　of　the　insect。〃　_Rev。　P。　Keith…System　of　Physiological
Botany_。

｛*16｝　The　bees　　ever　since　bees　were　　have　been　constructing
their　cells　with　just　such　sides；　in　just　such　number；　and　at　just
such　inclinations；　as　it　has　been　demonstrated　（in　a　problem
involving　the　profoundest　mathematical　principles）　are　the　very
sides；　in　the　very　number；　and　at　the　very　angles；　which　will　afford
the　creatures　the　most　room　that　is　compatible　with　the　greatest
stability　of　structure。

During　the　latter　part　of　the　last　century；　the　question　arose　among
mathematicians〃to　determine　the　best　form　that　can　be　given　to　the
sails　of　a　windmill；　according　to　their　varying　distances　from　the
revolving　vanes　；　and　likewise　from　the　centres　of　the　revoloution。〃
This　is　an　excessively　complex　problem；　for　it　is；　in　other　words；　to
find　the　best　possible　position　at　an　infinity　of　varied　distances
and　at　an　infinity　of　points　on　the　arm。There　were　a　thousand　futile
attempts　to　answer　the　queryon　the　part　of　the　most　illustrious
mathematicians；　and　when　at　length；　an　undeniable　soloution　was
discovered；　men　found　that　the　wings　of　a　bird　had　given　it　with
absoloute　precisionrvrt　since　the　first　bird　had　traversed　the　air。

｛*17｝　He　observed　a　flock　of　pigeons　passing　betwixt　Frankfort　and
the　Indian　territory；　one　mile　at　least　in　breadth；　it　took　up　four
hours　in　passing；　which；　at　the　rate　of　one　mile　per　minute；　gives　a
length　of　240　miles；　and；　supposing　three　pigeons　to　each　square
yard；　gives　2；230；272；000　Pigeons。　　〃_Travels　in　Canada　and　the
United　States；〃　by　Lieut。　F。　Hall。_

｛*18｝　The　earth　is　upheld　by　a　cow　of　a　blue　color；　having　horns　four
hundred　in　number。〃　　_Sale's　Koran_。

｛*19｝　〃The　_Entozoa_；　or　intestinal　worms；　have　repeatedly　been
observed　in　the　muscles；　and　in　the　cerebral　substance　of　men。〃　
See　Wyatt's　Physiology；　p。　143。

｛*20｝　On　the　Great　Western　Railway；　between　London　and　Exeter；　a
speed　of　71　miles　per　hour　has　been　attained。　A　train　weighing　90
tons　was　whirled　from　Paddington　to　Didcot　（53　miles）　in　51　minutes。

｛*21｝　The　_Eccalobeion_

｛*22｝　Maelzel's　Automaton　Chess…player。

｛*23｝　Babbage's　Calculating　Machine。

｛*24｝　_Chabert_；　and　since　him；　a　hundred　others。

｛*25｝　The　Electrotype。

｛*26｝　_Wollaston_　made　of　platinum　for　the　field　of　views　in　a
telescope　a　wire　one　eighteen…thousandth　part　of　an　inch　in
thickness。　It　could　be　seen　only　by　means　of　the　microscope。

｛*27｝　Newton　demonstrated　that　the　retina　beneath　the　influence　of
the　violet　ray　of　the　spectrum；　vibrated　900；000；000　of　times　in　a
second。

｛*28｝　Voltaic　pile。

｛*29｝　The　Electro　Telegraph　Printing　Apparatus。

｛*30｝　The　Electro　telegraph　transmits　intelligence　instantaneously…
at　least　at　so　far　as　regards　any　distance　upon　the　earth。

｛*31｝　Common　experiments　in　Natural　Philosophy。　If　two　red　rays　from
two　luminous　points　be　admitted　into　a　dark　chamber　so　as　to　fall　on
a　white　surface；　and　differ　in　their　length　by　0。0000258　of　an　inch；
their　intensity　is　doubled。　So　also　if　the　difference　in　length　be
any　whole…number　multiple　of　that　fraction。　A　multiple　by　2　1/4；　3
1/4；　&c。；　gives　an　intensity　equal　to　one　ray　only；　but　a　multiple　by
2　1/2；　3　1/2；　&c。；　gives　the　result　of　total　darkness。　In　violet　rays
similar　effects　arise　when　the　difference　in　length　is　0。000157　of　an
inch；　and　with　all　other　rays　the　results　are　the　same　　the
difference　varying　with　a　uniform　increase　from　the　violet　to　the　red。

｛*32｝　Place　a　platina　crucible　over　a　spirit　lamp；　and　keep　it　a　red
heat；　pour　in　some　sulphuric　acid；　which；　though　the　most　volatile　of
bodies　at　a　common　temperature；　will　be　found　to　become　completely
fixed　in　a　hot　crucible；　and　not　a　drop　evaporates　　being
surrounded　by　an　atmosphere　of　its　own；　it　does　not；　in　fact；　touch
the　sides。　A　few　drops　of　water　are　now　introduced；　when　the　acid；
immediately　coming　in　contact　with　the　heated　sides　of　the　crucible；
flies　off　in　sulphurous　acid　vapor；　and　so　rapid　is　its　progress；
that　the　caloric　of　the　water　passes　off　with　it；　which　falls　a　lump
of　ice　to　the　bottom；　by　taking　advantage　of　the　moment　before　it　is
allowed　to　remelt；　it　may　be　turned　out　a　lump　of　ice　from　a　red…hot
vessel。

｛*33｝　The　Daguerreotype。

｛*34）　Although　light　travels　167；000　miles　in　a　second；　the　distance
of　61　Cygni　（the　only　star　whose　distance　is　ascertained）　is　so
inconceivably　great；　that　its　rays　would　require　more　than　ten　years
to　reach　the　earth。　For　stars　beyond　this；　20　　or　even　1000　years
　would　be　a　moderate　estimate。　Thus；　if　they　had　been　annihilated
20；　or　1000　years　ago；　we　might　still　see　them　to…day　by　the　light
which　started　from　their　surfaces　20　or　1000　years　in　the　past　time。
That　many　which　we　see　daily　are　really　extinct；　is　not　impossible　
not　even　improbable。

NotesMaelstrom

｛*1｝　See　Archimedes；　〃_De　Incidentibus　in　Fluido_。〃　…　lib。　2。

NotesIsland　of　the　Fay

｛*1｝　Moraux　is　here　derived　from　moeurs；　and　its　meaning　is
〃fashionable〃　or　more　strictly　〃of　manners。〃

｛*2｝　Speaking　of　the　tides；　Pomponius　Mela；　in　his　treatise　〃De　Situ
Orbis；〃　says　〃either　the　world　is　a　great　animal；　or〃　etc

｛*3｝　Balzacin　substanceI　do　not　remember　the　words

｛*4｝　Florem　putares　nare　per　liquidum　aethera。　　P。　Commire。

Notes　Domain　of　Arnheim

｛*1｝　An　incident；　similar　in　outline　to　the　one　here　imagined；
occurred；　not　very　long　ago；　in　England。　The　name　of　the　fortunate
heir　was　Thelluson。　I　first　saw　an　account　of　this　matter　in　the
〃Tour〃　of　Prince　Puckler　Muskau；　who　makes　the　sum　inherited　_ninety
millions　of　pounds_；　and　justly　observes　that　〃in　the　contemplation
of　so　va