Naturalist.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, 27 August 1903, Page 7

Naturalist.

'- FBOGS. Mk|T has taken three French Courts of §li Jußtl °o to r'eflne the status of frogs. <jsg Certainly tiappers of frogs, having been arrested for 'fishing' at night, in violation of the Conservancy laws, were indicted before the Tribunal of Auch, Which decided that frogs were not fisbes. The case was taken, on appeal, to the Oourt of Agen, which was of opinion that trogs were fiahta, Thence it went to the Uurt of Cassation, whose judgment was that frogs wore not fishes. pox tebbiebljats OATS. Until recently visitors to the Thames side village of Clifton Hampden could witness each evening a somewhat curious scone (says the 'County Gentleman') On the rait by the bridge t ouse a pan of oats used to be placed, and an old horse, descending into the shallow water, would eat out of che pan ss if it were a plate on a table. On the raft, by the side of the pan, sat a fox terrier, cracking and swallowing the oate with apparent enjoymeht, The dog, it seemed, was strangely attached to the horse, spending the whole day with him, and never taking the slightest notice of mankind. ... CANINE SOLICITUDE. A Wimbledon reader sends the * Daily Express' a pathetic little story of canine solicitude and sagacity, which has come under his notice. To the door of a chemist's Bhop came two Irish terriers. One had been badly mutilated and lost a leg by being run over on the railway near by. The uninjured dog showed its sympathy by licking and caressing its stricken companion and the chemist who sought to ease the tortured animal. Unfortunately, the injuries were so severe that the damaged dog bad to be destroyed. It was found that the two animals were mother and son, and the younger dog had half guided, half assisted his dam to the chemist's door immediately after the accident. POWER OViiR ANIMAL 3. Madame Sarah Bernhardt, whose inbred power over shy and savage creatures is marvellous, has a fierce Smth African monkey which is dangerous to anyone but herself. Though no other woman, or man for that matter, can approach or tcuch it without being snarled at, and probably badly bitten, it is as gentle as a child with its famous mistress, and always on its"beat behaviour when she is near. No male dog-owner or trainer has ever surpassed Qaeen Alexandra is gaining the confidence of dogs atd ponies, and taming both the timidest aad fiercest of them. The dog that cowers under the table or slinks out of the room before other people is confident and fearless with her, and will do anything she bids it without shrinking. Dogs, too, that are snappish with everybody else, and not to be trusted with children, are perfectly gentle and obediont to the Qaeen, even strange dogs that she has not seen before. She owns over a dozen dogs of all sorts, of all conditions o£ temper, and many of them are quiet and tractable with her alone. Ponies ehe Las a particular fascination over, and a vicious-tempered Shetland, that vents its spite on other people, knows its royal mistress well, and never shows any but its best manners with her; Qaeen Alexandra can also do anything she likes with the timidest birds, such as ringdoves and waterhens, which have entire confidence in her. R:sa Bonheur, the famous lady painter of animals, owed many of her great successes to the strange influence she had pver beasts, especially cattle and horses. She would settle her easel in a meadow close to a savage bull without a sign of fear, and the brute make no attempt to molest her. Por sul>tl9 power over horses, however, there are very few of either sex who can equal Lidy Warwick, whose influence makes tha most intractable horse quiet and easy to handle. I She uses no force, and gives no bribes to her subjects in the shap) of sugar or aniseed, as do 'tamers' who have no personal power; but her touch subdues even the most; vicious brute, and she can rido with comfott a horaa that nobody else can mount. ■■■<■•■;■•

But for all-round power of a subtle kind over all sorts and species of animals, Miss Ellen Terry i 3 unrivalled. She can even tame fish and reptiles, and has some pet carp: which know her well,, and take fcod from her hands. The timidest wild ehbw perfect confidence with her, and the has any number of friends among perfectly wild and uncaged creatures. Since her childhood she has never been bitten or' otherwise molested by any living animal she has dealt with.

MICROBES SH&KEN TO DEATH. It is well known that certain physic»l agencies exart a germicidal action, as, for example, light, electricity and heat, and to these, says the 'Lancet/ must be added 'the curious itflaence of mechanical shock. By" submitting to violent agitation certain bacterial cultures it has been found that the number of germs diminished to less than one-tenth of that originally present. Ultimately, by prolonging the treatment, the liquid was entirely freed from active germs and failed to develop further organism?, even when placed under favorable conditions. In another experiment bacterial cultures were allowed to stand in an engine room of a large manufactory; in which an inedssant vibration was produced ty the strokes of the engine, with the result that after four days the vitality of the germs was com 1 1 itely .destroyed, while in the case of samples which were left in a quiet place the germs, it was found, had retained theii iV acfci vi* y. It would appear, therefore, that minute vibrations have the power of hindering the growth of micro-organisms as well as violent shocks, while if either treatment be continued the germs at length die. Further experiments in this' direction, would be very interesting, with tie view- of determining as to how far the process would be « ff actual in regard to the destruction of microbes in food.

** THE CATS CONSTITUTIONAL, It is fashionable in Worcester, in the United States, to take cats out for walks. This practice is not unknown in England. A common eight' at St. Albans every morning is an elderly maiden lady taking her torn cat for its constitutional, a practise she has never missed for years. The cat is a tine specimen of its bi eod, with the Bleekest coat of black, relieved with, a white ' cravat,' or spot, .under its heck, and white paws. Its owner has had specially made for it a red leather leading Etrap, which is attached to red leather harness, which fits over the cat's shoulders. The cat practically leads .the lady, who all the time keeps up a running conversation with*^e^pet.,; It is understood that the authorities of the cathedral'drew the line at the animal being present at the Sunday■ jmorhing : when itl! mistress appeared there' with it'.