Bits of Natural History.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XX, Issue 6167, 24 January 1895, Page 3

Bits of Natural History.

(St. Louis Globe Democrat.) The ayeaye of Madagascar is remarkable chiefly for its eyes, which are larger, in proportion to its size, than those of any other creature. The beaver has more skill than a government engineer. The dams constructed by beavers are never washed away, while every freshet witnesses the destruction of at least a portion of government works on the river. The alligator never leaves fresh water, while the crocodile frequently travels long distances by sea. It has been seen one thousand miles from land, and it is possible that these sea-going crocodiles have given rise to sea serpent stories. The frog deposits its eggs in shallow water, where the warmth of the sun promotes speedy hatching. The common snake often selects a bed of decomposing vegetable matter. The crocodile and the clumsy sea tortoise go ashore to lay their eggs. WTien the common earthworm is cut in two to the tail there grows a head and to the head there grows a tail, and two animals are formed. As the wound heals a small white button is formed, which afterward develops into rings and a perfect extremity. The serpent moves by elevating the scales on its abdomen and using them to push the body forward. The windings are always horizontal. The artists who represent the sinuosities as vertical have never observed the animal in motion. It is impossible for it to move in that way. The camel's foot is a soft cushion peculiarly well adapted to the stones and gravel over which it is constantly walking. During a single journey through the Sahara horses have worn out three sets of shoes, while the camel's feet are not even sore. Sea anemones and some other marine creatures of low degree increase their species by budding. A small knot or wart appears on the body of the animal, and by and by develops into a perfect, though minute, animal of the same species, separates from its parent and sets up in business for itself. Animals are often able to bear very protracted fasting. In the Italian earthquakes of 1795 two hogs were buried at Soriano in the ruins of a building. They were taken out alive 42 days later, but very lean and weak. A dog, at the same time and place, was buried for 23 days and recovered. A country cat can always be kept at home by cutting off her ears, or for a time by clipping out the hairs in the interior. The long hairs serve to keep out the drops of dew that fall from the leaves of plants and grasses, and when the hairs are removed the cat will stay at home rather than claw the water out of her ears. The teeth of rats are kept sharp by a very peculiar provision of nature. The outer edge of the incisors is covered with a layer of enamel as hard as flint, while the under side is much softer. The layers of enamel on the under side, therefore, wear away much faster than those on the upper surface, and a keen cutting edge is always presented.