JF Ptak Science Books Quick Post
There are a number of unexpected and interesting notes and articles in the September 5, 1878 of Nature as is usually the case with is excellent journal. The first to catch my eye was “Spontaneous Combustion of Wasps’ Nests” where some unusual behavior was observed in wasps’ nests in Venezuela–the correspondent was wondering if there was any corroborating evidence anywhere else in Nature’s world. Then there was a short paper on the newly-invented telephone, the display of parental affection in Sparrows, “The Sea Serpent Explained”, the physics of photography, hypnotism (in animals), and a number of others. And then there was a letter to the editor which I think I’ve never heard before, and so I reproduce it in full:
