The ratio between bore and piston stroke of modern petrol motors, according to the average of the motors fitted on cars taking part in the Automobile Club's trial, is 100, 115.6. The cylinder capacity averages 183.3 cubic centimetres per brake horse-power.

Prof. Lombroso has a curious prejudice against ambidexterity. In last month's North American Review he gives the results of his observations on left-handed and left-sided people. They are of such a character to make people hesitate even to stretch out the left hand, and it is small consolation for him to make the closing qualification : "I do not dream of saying that all left-handed people are wicked, but that left-hand-edness, united to many other traits, may contribute to form one of the worst characters among species." Even that he further discounts by bringing up the Tuscan proverb. " He is left-handed," as used to express the idea that a person is untrustworthy. The professor finds that among 1,000 soldiers and operatives the proportion of left-handed people is 4 per cent, among the men and 5 and 8 per cent, among the women. Among criminals the quota of left-handed was found more than tripled in men and more than quintupled among women.

Prof. Nikolaus Artemieff, of Kien, Russia, invented some time ago a protecting suit, consisting of an overall, with sleeves, gloves, headgear and so on, and made up of fine copper wire, interwoven in cloth, the idea being to protect the human body from dangerous currents by short circuiting with the copper. Such protecting suits, according to the Electrician of London, are now being put upon the market by Messrs Siemens & Halske, in Germany. They are said to be so dimensionized that a current of 200 amperes may flow continuously through the protection without producing undue heat, and a current of 600 amperes for a few seconds without injuring the operator.

In actual tests made with a 20 kilowatt, 150,000 volt transformer, it is stated that any two points at this pressure could be short-circuited by the operator without auy injury to the body whatever. In touching two points of different potential no contraction of the muscles took place. The resistance of the protecting suit, measured from hand to hand, is stated to be 0.01 ohm, so that 1000 amperes would produce a potential difference of 10 volts.

Thomas A Edison, the inventor, is credited with having perfected a new electrical generator which will revolutionise the methods of producing electricity. The generator derives its power from a new kind of fuel; which Mr. Edison is keeping secret. Three pounds of it is said to be sufficient to secure enough electricity to light a house or run an automobile for a day.

The Edison commercial phonograph is said to have been so far perfected that it is practicable for taking court testimony and for constant employment in the office, one record being capable of taking several dictated letters. It can be shaved 175 times, making it as cheap as letter paper.