TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 16 September 1908, Page 2

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

—^— •—^— j Sot the least interesting in the pursuit of natural history ia paiusites. the study of para-site. 1 ;. ■ Striking instance ot the usefulness of parasites has recently Oeen afforded by the introduction into N'«»w Zealand of certain insects for freeing fruit trees of blight. Scientists nave, described some extraordinary dx- i imDles of the association of marine animals, sometimes for mutual benofit, ' more often in pure parasitism. A small fish known as the remora attaches itself by a sucker to sharks a-nd other large •ish. and is carried along by them ior weeks at a. time, only dashing away now and then to eecurs food. Barnacles attach themselves to whales as they would to a stone, an association can scarcely be of benefit to the whales. Many small animals take shel- : j ter in sponges, and conversely some species of sponga always grow on the hack of a. crab. In the coral reefs there is a huue sea-anemone 2ft. across, in tho oDen stomach of which small, brieht coloured fishes livo. The fish gain shelter, and as they dart about they act as decoys, bringing a pursuer into thfl clutches of the "friend's" tentacles. Little crabs live in the mouths of some fishes any may act tho part of tooth brushes. Illustrations of closer association are also numerous. A sea- anemono lives on the head of the hermit crab, which it defonds with ita stinging tentacles. If the sea-anemone is torn away tho crab wanders about till he finds another, which he will release from its place and fix on his shell. A 1 very surprising case of symbiosis is one between animals and plants. Much ox- ■ citemont was at one time caused by announcements that certain animals Dossessed the creen-colouring of plants. Closer examination showed that tha chlorophyll belonged to green algae em- i bedded in the skin of tho animal. . What purpose they served was not at .ill clear. Some insects are commonly found with a fungus growing on them and Drotectini; them. The association of in.'i-x-ts for mutual help is well known. ' -Many ants harbour other insects and feed them, setting them apparently to do useful tasks. , I The eyes of tho British Empire havo ■ been turned upon India, j England although during the last i and india. week or two the gaze has not be?n so attentive owing to n slight rise in the cloud. Will kngland retain India ? Such is tho title of an article by Alexander Ular in "La Revue." The writer begins his article by saying that Asiatics are more individualistic than Europeans. The great psychological difference between Asiatics and Europeans lies in tho fact that Europeans are essentially envious, while Orientals accept in principle the status quo because they believe it to be the result of a fatal evolution. Asiatics see in the strict application of codified laws an intolerable constraint and injustice. They have never organised a republic, because in it power is necessarily imp«rsonal, and they support a despotism because in it power is personal. To them the State is tho man in power, law is the judge, and prosperity the capitalist. They know nothing of pity and charity in the Christian sense, because everyone gete what he is supposed to deS s r ?£ ; , and env y* the supreme stimulus of Westerns, is unknown to them. From the European point of view British rule, which has restored order in the peninsula, has been a beneficial and prodkious work. But while such a peace nSy be desirable for the lower social classes these people do not represent the live moral forces of a nation, and the writer considers that British rale in India has been detrimental to the superior caste* *rom the moral point of view the Brahmin does not differ much from the Mussulman, and the English are wrong in thmkimr the latter superior. But the 2 W i' ?} r6! y , come > sa y s M. Ular, onlt 70 rm r^, M?V Who now number only 70,000,000, will be strong enour-h to strike • groat Wow, and British rulers will find their force, inefficient to rule the n»w politico-religiona power. Hie form which the movement for autonomy may take ia not of consequence in whTTI °*JJew* e w generaJ t«nd«ncie B ', lX h i'rX^ EnSland Ca ° nOt __^ 1 ]