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small Europeans. Precociousness becomes less and less in proportion to the advance made by any race in civilization-a fact which is illustrated by the lowering of the standard for recruits, which has been made necessary in France twice during the present century, by the decreasing rapidity of growth of the youth of the country. Women are more precocious than men, and in all domestic animals the female is formed sooner than the male. From eight to twelve years of age, a girl gains one pound a year on a boy, and in mixed schools girls obtain the first places up to the age of twelve. The inferior tissues and organs develop before the higher ones, and the brain is the slowest of all organs to develop. M. Delaunay concludes his paper by stating that the precocity of organs and organisms is in an inverse ratio to the extent of their evolution.

NOTES.

ACCORDING to Dr. Abercrombie, a gentleman who had been a soldier dreamed that he heard a signal-gun, saw the proceedings for displaying the signals, heard the bustle of the streets, the assembling of troops, etc. Just then he was roused by his wife, who had dreamed precisely the same dream with this addition, that she saw the enemy land and a friend of her husband's killed; and she awoke in a fright. This occurred at Edinburgh, at the time when a French invasion was feared, and it had been decided to fire a signal-gun at the first approach of the foe. The dream was caused, it appears, by the fall of a pair of tongs in the room above; and the excited state of the public mind was quite sufficient to account for both dreams turning on the same subject.

THE French forestry department, according to the “Polybiblion," have arrived at the conclusion that forests directly increase the supply of water in their neighborhood. From observations at Senlis and Nancy, they have decided that it rains more abundantly in wooded tracts, and that, while the leaves and branches give back the water quickly to the air, they prevent rapid evaporation from the ground, and are thus favorable to the formation of springs.

Moser had acquired considerable reputation by his systematic and successful experiments in this department."

SPECIMENS of the volcanic ashes which rained down upon Dominica have been analyzed by M. L. Best. The lye was found to be rich in chloride of potassium. The predominant constituents of the solid part were silicates (feldspar and pyroxene), and pyrites in perfectly defined cubic crystals.

ANOTHER Severe outbreak of scarlet fever, which occurred near Manchester, England, last summer, and in which thirty-five persons belonging to eighteen different families were attacked, twenty-five within thirtysix hours, has been traced by the health authorities to the distribution of the infection through the milk-supply.

HERR BAUMGARTNER, a German, has invented a balloon for navigation, having three cars attached, each with ten or twelve rings, to be set in motion by a crank. He recently attempted an ascension with his machine at Leipsic. When the balloon was rising very slowly and skimming the house-tops his two assistants, in their alarm, jumped out. Upon this the balloon shot up to a great height, then burst and fell. The inventor was not seriously hurt, and is resolved to make a second experiment.

REV. JAMES CLIFTON WARD, F. G. S., from 1865 to 1878 an active working member of the English Geological Survey, and a popular writer on geological subjects, died April 13th, at the early age of thirty-seven.

"NATURE" quotes from the "Bombay Gazette" an account of a remarkable thunderstorm that occurred at Dharwar, in March last, during which "hailstones fell measuring no less than nine or ten inches in circumference." The thunder and lightning were terrific, and, after the fall of hail, there was a heavy down-pour of rain. We thought the hailstones mentioned above were the largest ever heard of, but it turns out, as usual, that the West is ahead in hailstones as well as meteors and other celestial commodities. The "Bulletin" of the Iowa Weather Service, for April, 1880, received since the above was written, tells of thunderstorms during the month, in that State, where hailstones fell measuring twelve inches in circumference.

THE death is announced of Karl von Seebach, the distinguished Professor of Geology at Gottingen. Although still a young man at the time of his death, he had done a large amount of valuable work, especially in the investigation of volcanic phenomena.

DR. LUDWIG MOSER, Professor of Physies in the University of Königsberg, died in the latter part of February, aged seventyfive years. "Long," says "Nature," "before A SCIENTIFIC association has been formed photography had become a practical art, Dr. in Algeria on the plan of the British and

water drains, which are also conduits for the cesspools, have slight gradients, are never flushed, and are generally the sources of

and promenades near the sea are soaked with sewage which also chokes the almost tideless bays.

American Associations, and has already enrolled one hundred and fifty members. Its first bulletin contains a paper on the fevers of Algeria, which affords the most satisfac-foul emanations; and, to cap all, the beaches tory evidence that a great improvement has been made in the sanitary condition of the country, by the operation of the hygienic measures which have been carried out by the civil and military authorities, consisting ARTHUR JULES MORIN, born in Paris, Ocof the clearing of the ground, drainage, tober 17, 1795, died in that city on the 7th plantations of trees, etc. During the thirty of February last, in his eighty-fifth year. years from 1845 to 1875 the death-rate of Besides a brilliant military career, in which the European population fell from 50 to 38 he reached the position of artillery general per thousand inhabitants. The diminution of division, he was distinguished as an inof mortality is shown in a still more strik-vestigator, chiefly in the field of mechanics. ing degree in the army, where it fell from Ile also possessed executive abilities of a 778 per thousand men between 1837 and high order, and held for thirty years the di1846, to 12:3 per thousand in 1876, and 12.5 rectorship of the Conservatoire des Arts et in 1877. These proportions are very near Métiers, which, under his administration, to the rate of mortality in the interior of became the leading school for the artisan France itself, which was equivalent to ten classes in Paris. He was president of the deaths among a thousand effective men dur- commission for the first Universal Exposiing 1876. tion held in the French capital; in 1862 was elected President of the French Society of Civil Engineers, and has been a member of the French Academy of Sciences since 1843.

PROFESSOR BOYD DAWKINS, F. R. S., of Owens College, Manchester, has engaged to deliver a course of lectures on "Primitive Man," at the Lowell Institute, Boston, in October and November of this year.

M. RAOUL PICTET recently delivered a lecture in Paris on "Cold and its Applications to Science and Industry," in the course of which he struck a medal with fifteen kilogrammes (or thirty-three pounds) of solidi

fied mercury.

THE case mentioned by Dr. Coues of a

breed of one-toed hogs has a parallel in that of a one-toed deer, the feet of which were recently presented to the California Academy of Sciences. The third toe is described as the only one used for progression, though there were different degrees of development in the respective feet.

MR. THOMAS BALL, F. R. S., F. L. S., died at Selborne, Hampshire, England, on March 13th, aged eighty-seven. He was for a long time Professor of Zoology at King's College, and the writer of several works on natural history. The last eighteen years of his life were spent at the breakers at Selborne, the former home of Gilbert White the naturalist, which he purchased, and made the repository of numerous memorials of White, that, with the house and grounds, were al ways kept open to visitors.

A COMMISSIONER of the London "Morning Post," who has been examining the condition of the Riviera between Cannes and San Reno, reports the existence of an interesting state of things in that famous health resort. There are no sewers; cesspools are universal, and so placed as to be sources of danger to the inmates of the houses; public water-supply there is none, and the rain

MR. C. W. SIEMENS, pursuing his observations on the influence of the electric light on vegetation, finds that, by its use, the growth and ripening of fruit may be great. ly hastened. At a recent meeting of the Royal Society of London, he exhibited two pots of strawberries which had been grown in the usual way until the fruit-buds appeared, when one was exposed to daylight during the day and the electric light at night, the other being left to the influence of ordinary daylight alone. The former, or the one exposed to continuous light, bore a bunch of large, red, fragrant berries, while on the other the berries were still green with the exception of one, that bore a slight red spot.

DR. WILLIAM SHARPEY, M. D., F. R. S., the eminent physiologist, died in London, April 11th, at the age of seventy-eight. He graduated in medicine at twenty-one, practiced a short time, and then went to the Continent for the purpose of continuing his studies. Subsequently he returned to Edinburgh, and began to lecture on anatomy; and, five years later (1836) was appointed to the chair of Anatomy and Physiology of the University of London (now University College), which he occupied for thirty-eight years. During this period he became celebrated as a teacher and original investigator, and, though not a voluminous writer, his contributions have always held a high place in the literature of these departments of science. He was for some years Secretary of the Royal Society, and, from 1840 to 1863, Examiner in Anatomy and Physiology to the University of London.

[graphic]

REVENUE ACCOUNT.

OF THE

NEW YORK LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY.

OFFICE, Nos. 346 & 348 BROADWAY.

JANUARY 1, 1880.

Amount of Net Cash Assets, January 1, 1879....

Less deduction to cover decrease in value of U. S. Bonds and other assets..

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Losses by death, including Reversionary additions to same..
Endowments matured and discounted, including Reversionary additions to same. 1,015,256.22

Annuities, dividends, and returned premiums on canceled policies..
Taxes and reinsurances ..

$36,213,457.61 $135,966.93

$36,077,490.68

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DISBURSEMENT ACCOUNT.

844,114,176.84

$1,569,854.22

2,236,379-97

173,608.64

Commissions, brokerages, agency expenses, and physicians' fees.
Office and law expenses, salaries, advertising, printing, etc.

626,253-30

307,392.81-$5,928,745.16

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Cash in bank, on hand, and in transit (since received).
Invested in United States, New York City, and other stocks (market value
$14,356,192.94).

$1,961,701.48

Real estate..

13,544,671.96
4,974,573.68

Bonds and mortgages, first lien on real estate (buildings thereon insured for $14,287,000.00, and the policies assigned to the company as additional collateral security).

15,313,278.95

Temporary loans (secured by stocks, market value $1,300,000).

850,000.00

* Loans on existing policies (the reserve held by the company on these policies amounts to $3,160,000)..

621,403.02

* Quarterly and semi-annual premiums on existing policies, due subsequent to January 1, 1880.

367,989.02

* Premiums on existing policies in course of transmission and collection (estimated reserve on these policies, $330,000, included in liabilities).

Agents' balances..

Accrued interest on investments January 1, 1880.

A detailed schedule of these items will accompany the usual annual report filed with the Insurance
Department of the State of New York.

Excess of market value of securities over cost..

CASH ASSETS, January 1, 1880....

Appropriated as follows:

Adjusted losses, due subsequent to January 1, 1880..

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211,625.23
22,199.23

317,989.11-$38,185,431.68

811,520.98 $38,996,952.66

$225,662.64
213,271.31
32,780.98

Reserved for reinsurance on existing policies; participating insurance at 4 per ct.
Carlisle net premium; non-participating at 5 per ct. Carlisle net premium. 34,016,840.82
Reserved for contingent liabilities to Tontine Dividend Fund, over and above a

4 per cent, reserve on existing policies of that class.

Reserved for premiums paid in advance.

Divisible surplus at 4 per cent...

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Surplus, estimated by the New York State Standard at 4 1-2 per cent., over..$7,000,000.00
From the undivided surplus of $3,120,371.48 the Board of Trustees has declared a Reversionary dividend to par-
ticipating policies in proportion to their contribution to surplus, available on settlement of next annual premium.
During the year 5,524 policies have been issued, insuring $17,098,173.
Number of policies in force January 1, 1876, 44,661.
Number of policies in force January 1, 1877, 45,421.
Number of policies in force January 1, 1878, 45,605.
Number of policies in force January 1, 1879, 45,005.
Number of policies in force January 1, 1880, 45,705.
Death-claims paid 1875,
Death-claims paid 1876,
Death-claims paid 1877,
Death-claims paid 1878,
Death-claims paid 1879,

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Amount at risk, 1876, $126,132,119.
Amount at risk, 1877, 127,748-473-
Amount at risk, 1878, 127,901,887.
Amount at risk, 1879, 125,232,144.
Amount at risk, 1880, 127,417,763.
Income from Interest, 1875, $1,870,658.
Income from Interest, 1876, 1,906,950.
Income from Interest, 1877, 1,867,457.
Income from Interest, 1878, 1,948,665.
Income from Interest, 1879, 2,033,650.
Divisible surplus at 4 per cent. Jan. 1, 1878, $2,664,144
Divisible surplus at 4 per cent. Jan. 1, 1879, 2,811,436

Divisible surplus at 4 per cent. Jan. 1, 1880, $3,120,371.
TRUSTEES.

H. B. CLAFLIN,

JOHN M. FURMAN,
DAVID DOWs,

GEORGE A. OSGOOD,

HENRY BOWERS,
LOOMIS L. WHITE,
ROBERT B. COLLINS,
S. S. FISHER,

ALEXANDER STUDWELL,

HENRY TUCK, M. D.,

THEODORE M. BANTA, Cashier.

D. O'DELL, Superintendent of Agencies.

CHARLES WRIGHT, M. D., Residence, 109 E. 26th St.,
HENRY TUCK, M. D., Residence, 15 E. 31st St.,

CHARLES WRIGHT, M. D.,
EDWARD MARTIN,

JOHN MAIRS,

EDW. A. WHITTEMORE,

WILLIAM H. BEERS.

MORRIS FRANKLIN,

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