e them
superposed upon one another in such a way as to represent figures that
recall a human profile.

[Illustration: FIG. 1. LANDSCAPE BY FATHER KIRCHER.]

In the seventeenth century, Father Kircher conceived the idea of
taking up Dinocrates' plan upon a small scale, and composed the
landscape shown in Fig. 1. The drawing remained engraved for a long
time upon a marble tablet set into the wall of Cardinal Montalte's
garden at Rome. Later on, artists improved and varied this project, as
shown in Figs. 2 and 3. By looking at these cuts from the sides of the
page, it will be seen that they form human profiles. Fig. 2 represents
an old woman, and Fig. 3 a man whose beard and hair are formed by
shrubbery.

[Illustration: FIGS. 2 AND 3.--LANDSCAPES SHOWING PROFILES OF
HUMAN FACE.]

We do not think that these conceptions have ever been realized,
although Heron in his treatise on Dioptra, and Father Scott in his
Parastatic Magic, have described instruments that permit of making the
necessary outlines to cause grounds to present a given aspect from
a given point. These instruments consist essentially of a vertical
transparent frame upon which is drawn a vertical projection of the
landscape that it is desired to obtain.

* * * * *

In the island of Goa, near Bombay, there is a singular vegetable
called "the sorrowful tree," because it only flourishes in the night.
At sunset no flowers are to be seen, and yet after half an hour it is
full of them. They yield a sweet smell, but the sun no sooner begins
to shine upon them than some of them fall off, and others close up;
and thus it continues flowering in the night during the whole year.

* * * * *

THE CRUTO INCANDESCENT LAMP.

An electrical exhibition on a comparatively small scale was opened in
Paris, March 22, 1885, with considerable eclat, the President of
the Republic being present. Engines to the extent of 200 H.P. are
employed to work the lights. Among the exhibits is the Cruto
light. _Engineering_ says: At the first glance it presents the same
appearance as an Edison lamp, having the same form of globe, and
apparently a similar luminous filament. But this latter is made in
an entirely different manner. A platinum wire is employed, 1/100 of
a millimeter in diameter. This is obtained by the Wollaston process,
that is to say, a piece of coarse platinum wire is covered with a
stout coating of s