The Annual of Scientific Discovery FOR 1865. PUBLISHED BY GOULD AND LINCOLN, BOSTON. In issuing the ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY FOR 1865, the publishers would take occasion to direct special attention to the character and object of this long-established and popular work. The Annual is published near the commencement of every year, presenting a compact, carefully arranged, and easily accessible summary of all the important new facts and theories in every department of science and the industrial arts, which have been announced to the world during the preceding twelve months, -the statements being made in as popular language as the subjects will admit. The boundaries of every department of science are now enlarging so rapidly, that the publication of a yearly résumé of progress has long been felt by students and specialists to be an indispensable necessity,- -no other so ready and convenient method of "posting up" being available. But there are in addition a very large number of intelligent persons in this country who, without the time or opportunity to devote themselves to any special study or reading, nevertheless desire to become acquainted with the truths of science, and with what is going on in the scientific world. To these the Annual of Scientific Discovery especially addresses itself; and although its circulation has been large, we feel assured that the character and object of the work needs only to be made more fully known to insure for it even a much wider circulation. Appreciated, however, as the Annual has been in previous years by large numbers not only of the intelligent American people, but also the English, its publication at the present time seems more needful and opportune than ever before. The high prices which have prevailed for the last two years, and the preoccupation of the attention of the people with the incidents of a great war, have terminated the existence of some American journals, accustomed to report the details of scientific progress, and have diminished the circulation or fullness of many others. The high rates of foreign exchange have also caused the discontinuance of subscrip(1) tions to many European scientific journals, which formerly circulated very largely in this country; and have thus cut off another source of popular information. Under these circumstances, therefore, it will be seen that this is almost the only medium in the United States through which the reports of recent scientific progress, at home and abroad, are promptly rendered accessible to the public,an assertion which is strikingly illustrated by the fact, that the present volume contains the first detailed account, published on this side of the Atlantic, of the remarkable discoveries effected during the past year, through the agency of Spectrum Analysis. Among other noticeable features of the present volume, is a complete résumé of the recent discoveries respecting the "pre-historic man," and the antiquity of the human race; a report of Tyndall's recent investigations in relation to light and heat; photo-sculpture; Draper's speculations on the transition of matter; recent improvements in war implements and constructions; on the cultivation of fish; production of sexes at will; utilization of sewage; production of petroleum; use of steam expansively, &c. &c. The series has The full Series of the Annual of Scientific Discovery now numbers sixteen volumes. They constitute a most complete Encyclopedia of scientific and practical knowledge; and in the language of the N. Y. Times, "Condense a greater quantity of sterling matter than any other set of books in the world!" furthermore this advantage over any Encyclopedia, inasmuch as it chronicles the failures as well as the achievements in science; and a record of the first is equally indispensable with the last, to' all who desire to know what has been attempted or speculated upon by the pioneers of invention and discovery, as well as what has been realized. The Series contains fine steel engravings of Professors, - Agassiz, Silliman, Hitchcock, Wyman, Mitchel, Joseph Henry, A. D. Bache, H. D. Rogers, Dr. A. A. Gould, Isaac Lea, Esq., Richard M. Hoe, Esq., Capt. J. Ericsson, Admiral Dahlgren, Gen. Gilmore, &c. Price per Volume, 12mo, Cloth, Price per complete Set, 16 Volumes, uniform style, with neat, substantial box, 175 28 00 OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY: OR, YEAR-BOOK OF FACTS IN SCIENCE AND ART FOR 1865. EXHIBITING THE MOST IMPORTANT DISCOVERIES AND IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANICS, USEFUL ARTS, NATURAL PHILOSOPHY, CHEMISTRY, TOGETHER WITH NOTES ON THE PROGRESS OF SCIENCE DURING THE YEAR 1864; A LIST EDITED BY DAVID A. WELLS, A. M., M.D., AUTHOR OF PRINCIPLES OF NATURAL PHILOSOPHY, PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY, BOSTON: GOULD AND LINCOLN. 59 WASHINGTON STREET. NEW YORK: SHELDON AND COMPANY. LONDON: TRUBNER & CO. 1865. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1865, by GOULD AND LINCOLN, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the District of Massachusetts. NOTES BY THE EDITOR ON THE PROGRESS OF SCIENCE FOR THE YEAR 1864. THE most noticeable events in the history of the progress of science for the year 1864, have been, first and foremost, the remarkable discoveries made by Messrs. Huggins and Miller, of England, through the process of " spectrum analysis;" and the great additional light that has been thrown upon the subject of the “ antiquity of the human race,” and the contemporaneous existence of man with certain of the extinct animals. Other matters of prominent interest are the continued development of the business of obtaining and utilizing petroleum; the continued investigations of Tyndall and others in respect to the properties of light and heat; the application of photography to sculpture and topography; the investigations in respect to the use of steam expansively; sewage utilization; meat preservation and packing, and fish culture; and the results of unremitting experimentation in all that relates to military and naval warfare. An exceedingly interesting and suggestive paper will also be found in this volume, by Prof. Draper, in relation to the "Transitions of Matter." The discoveries of Messrs. Huggins and Miller, and especially of the first-named investigator, in respect to the nebulæ, have been truly characterized by English authority as by far the most wonderful and interesting that have ever been recorded in the whole history of science; and cannot fail to excite the most intense interest. The nebula which Mr. Huggins has observed, are six of the so-called "planetary nebula," and an equal number of nebula with a more or less distinctly bright luminous centre. The intent of the inquiry has been, What is the condition of this nebulous matter? Is it highly gaseous, expanded to an enormous area in space? or is its luminosity caused, as some have considered, by myriads of solid masses coming |