Delundung

(Zool.) The Prionodon gracilis, a carnivorous animal inhabiting the forests of Java, referred to the family Viverridæ, but regarded as a con Fig . 2813.-DELUNDUNG. necting link between that family and Felidse . It is of slender form, with a long cylindrical tail, and is prettily streaked and spotted. Demagnetization of Watches. ( Elec .) The electric dynamo, useful as it is in so many directions, has developed one unpleasant feature-the tendency to magnetize the steel parts of watches in case of too close approach to the machine, which appears to be surrounded by an intense magnetic field. The results are disastrous to the performance of its duty by the timepiece. Happily it can be overcome without difficulty. Various methods of D. of W. have been proposed, of which the following is effective: The watch, held by its chain, is slowly lowered to the bottom of a conical coil of wire, and as slowly withdrawn. This coil, wound with a single turn at top and gradually increasing in number of turns to the bottom, is connected with a source of rapidly alternating currents. The watch, as it descends into the coil, becomes more and more powerfully magnetized with alternately opposite polarities. This removes all previous polarity, and as it is slowly lifted from the coil the magnetism decreases. If it be raised high above the apex of the coil before removal, all sensible traces of magnetism will disappear.