THE NATURALIST.

Otago Witness, Issue 1897, 12 June 1890, Page 39

THE NATURALIST.

Supposed Fertility of a Mule. In the Field of March 22 a correspondent gave an instance of alleged fertility in a mule, and in reply to his assertions the following appeared in the succeeding issue : — Sir, — In the Field of March 22 I see it said that there is no authenticated instance of a mule producing young. In the " Cyclopaedia of Agriculture" it ia said that; "in the year 1766 a female mule, the property of David Tullo, farmer, of Auchherfcine, produced n foal. This was attested by two witnesses before George Watson, Es-q., of Ballanfcyne House. February 4, 1780." Three other cases are mentioned as having occurred in St. Domingo, and one in Malta, in the year 1837. In the last case ifc is said that " fche informant of the writer of the article was in Malta afc the time, and saw both mule and foal." The latter case especially is, I think, sufficiently well authenticated to be of interest. PONTO.

Sir,~-Regarding the possible fertility of a mule, discussed in your issue of March 22, I may mention a case which came under my own

notice last September, at the annual live-stook show held afc Cheyenne, Wyoming, U.S. America. At this fair a mare mule was exhibited, suckling a newly-born piebald foal. The owner, Mr Tim Dyer, a well-known ranchman, told me that the mare mule had been running on the range, where she had access to a stallion of the same colour as the foal. She was found one day suckling the foal, which was apparently two or three days old. Mr Dyer was convinced that the mule was the mother of the foal. Ifc was suggested by several sfcockowners who were present that mules will sometimes adopt foals, and even calves, driving the parents away, and that, as it was a matter of interest, ifc was important to have the mule examined by a competent man. This examination was, I believe, made_ by Mr A. A. Holcombe, the territorial veterinary, a gentleman who is properly qualified, and who holds (as Wyoming is a stockraising State) % most responsible official poiation. If my memory serves me rightly, Mr Holcombe told me himself that he had made an examination of the mare mule, and that she had undoubtedly given birth to a foal. Any evidence or details regarding this matter could be obtained in Cheyenne. B. [None of these cases are sufficiently well authenticated to possess any value as scientific evidence of a most doubtful occurrence. There is uo proof that the so-called mules were nofc mares affected by the first impregnation of the mothers, and only simulated mulee, as a colt or filly bred from a mare that has previously produced a zebra hybrid always shows evidence of the influence of the zebra or the dam by stripes, shape of ears, tail, &c. — Ed.]

Speed of Birds. — The vulture is said to fly at times afc fche rate of above 100 miles an hour ; fche wild goose and the swallow, in their migrations, make 90 miles an hour, and fche carrier pigeon has certainly flown long distances afc rates of speed ranging from 60 up to 80 miles an hour.

Tadpoles Building in Trees.— There occurs in Japan a species of tadpole which seems to frequent the boughs of trees. The parent frog, or toad, or newt— ifc is not known which of the three amphibians has so reckless a disregard for family traditions — builds in a tree a slimy nest, and from fche eggs which are there deposited tadpoles are produced. The tadpoles seem to prefer this airy situation, which perhaps suits them in its freedom from rapacious fishes or frogs ; for there is no evidence that they ever desert ifc. When the time comes for them to be converted into frogs they drop into the pond below ; but the American naturalist who first discovered this extraordinary fact did not succeed in tracing their future development.

The Shrewdness op Plants. — Even plants have an eye to the main chance. They are as much devoted to getting on in the world as individuals of our own race are. Nor is there any great difference in the objects which their plans take in. They like comfort and secure it in perfectly legitimate ways. The slyness wifch which the plant sometimes gives a hint of its wishes manifests a spirit of fun. " The spacious leaves of the Victoria regia lie spread out on the still waters of the Amazon. There is no occasion for the plant to develop a tough integument in these leaves. Yet what would take plane when the fishes came to the surface, as they often do, in pursuit of prey, or to escape when they are themselves pursued 1 The immense leaves would be punched through, and ripped from centre to edge. This mammoth lily protects itself against harm from this source by developing prickles and spines on the under side of the leaf, so as to deter fish from thrusting their noses against that surface. Plants are blessed wifch hearty appetites for food and drink. That they may make fche most rapid growth it is necessary that this appetite be indulged most freely. Moreover, like human beings, they are subject to disease as a penalty for overindulgence. If the leaf, for example, drinks too much, even water, its tissues will be ruptured. To guard against this danger each leaf tooth in plants like the saxifrage is furnished wifch a water gland to provide for the escape of the surplus water.

Recognition by Animals of Pictuiies. — Mr J. M. Hulberfc writes from Oxford to the Spectator : — " Thirty years ago I was staying at Langley, near Chippenham, wifch a lady who was working a large screen, on which she depicted in ' raised work ' (as ifc was then called) a life-sized cat on a cushion. The hosfc, a sportsman now dead, waa much struck with the similarity to life of the cat, so he fetched his dog (alas 1 like too many of the species), a cafe hater. The animal made a dead set at the (wool) cafe, and but for the master's vigorous clutching him by the collar the cushion would have been torn into atoms. I related this tale lately in Oxford, and my hearer told me that a friend in the Bevington road had just painted a bird on a fire screen, and her cat flew at ifc. My own old doer ' Scaramouch ' (a pet of the Duke of Albany in his undergraduate days) disliked being washed, and when I showed him a large Graphic picture of a child scrubbing a fox terrier in a tub, he turned his head away ruefully, and would not look afc his brother in adveisifcy."

Trained Monkeys and Rats.— An Italian, with two remarkably well-trained monkeys and a family of trained white rats, is coining money in the streets of San Francisco. So well trained are the monkeys and rats that at the word of command one of the monkeys takes a rat in his arms in the same manner as a mother would h.a]d » baby. The other monkey plays the doctor, and nofc only does he look at the rat's tongue, but he pours water from a bottle into a tiny spoon and gives his patient a dose of medicine. Both monkeys dress themselves, without any assistance from their master, in complete suits of clothes, even to the stockings and shoes, lacing up the latter and tying the strings neatly and securely. To prove the thoroughness of their training, the reporter was told to pick up the coat belonging to one of the monkeys and, unobserved by the animal, turn one of the sleeves inside out. This was done and the coat placed back again. The monkey, after several attemYjts to put the coat on, took ifc entirely off, discovered and righted the turned sleeve, and then, angrily chattering at being interfered with, slipped on the garment and went on wifch his part ot the show.

Group, whooping cough, aore throat, sudden cold, and the lung troubles peculiar to children, are easily controlled by promptly administering Ayer'a Oherry Pectoral. This remedy is safe to take and certain in its action.