THE NATURALIST.

Otago Witness, Issue 2087, 22 February 1894, Page 48

THE NATURALIST.

What Birds' Wings Are For.

What are the wings of a bird for I—For1 — For flying, of course. Always for flying ?—Certainly 1

Wrong. This is a popular mistake about birds. There are birds that cannot fly at all. Yet their wings are useful to them.

There is the penguin. His little stubs of wings are of no use to him when upon land. But when he dives into the water bis wings are of the same service to him as fins are to a fish. He swims with his wings.

There is the "steamer" bird. His queershaped wings are only of use as paddles. He uses them only when he is on the water.

And then there is the ostrich. His short wings could not raise his weight lin from the ground. But when he wishes to run before the wind he spreads his wings out and they catch the breeze like the sails of a ship. They add powerful speed to the great strength and rapid running power of hie long legs. With his legs and his wings the great bird is as swift as the swiftest horse and can tire him down and outrun him.

Birds' Tails. — Long-legged birds have short tails. A bird's tail serves as a rudder during the act of flight. When birds are provided with long legs, these are stretched directly behind when the bird is /lying, and so act as a rudder.

Fkogs' and Toads' Eggs. — Frogs and toads lay numbers of small eggs. They are dropped-in the water like fiah-spawn, in lorjg clusters or strings. The Surinam toad carries her eggs soldered together like a honeycomb on her back. The Aliphes cairies them between her legs rolled up in a bunch.

The Spider on the Lookout.— The spider keeps a keen eye open for weather changes. When there is a prospect of rain or wind he shortens the filaments from which his web is suspended, and leaves things in this state as long as the weather is variable. If the insect elongates its thread it is a sign of fine, calm weather, the duration of which may be judged by the length to which the threads are let out. If the spider remains inactive it is a sign of rain.

How Sea Birds Quench Thirst. — The question as to bow sea birds quench their thirst has been satisfactorily answered. Anold sailor says he has seen these birds at sea, far from any land that could furnish them water, hovering round and under a storm cloud, chattering like ducks on a hot day at a pond, and drinking in the drops of rain as they fell. They will smell a rain f quail 100 miles or even further off, aud scud for ib with almost inconceivable swiftness. How long sea birds can exist without water is onl> a matter of conjecture, but probably their powers of enduring thiist are increased by habit, and possibly they go without water for many days, if not for several weeks.

A Man-eating Beau. — The famous maneating bear of Puranapani, near Kusselkondah, which is said to have killed over 20 individuals, and mauled many more, has at last succumbed to the rifle of Mr Somers Eve, the executive engineer, and has bad her career of crime cut short. The 'animal's ferocity and cunning were so great that every attempt to beat it out failed, and generally culminated in some of the beaters being mauled. Mr Somers Eve, therefore, determined to " beard the lion in his den," or, rather, the bear in her stronghold, Wfien Mr Eve came upon her she had one cub on her back, whilst another shoffled along by her side. She C3rtainly kept up her reputation for ferocity, for she charged the sportsman at once, shaking the cub off her back. Mr Eve reserved his fire till the bear was within a few paces of him, and bowled her over, but she recovered herself almost diractly, and, standing up on her hind legs, endeavoured to seize her antagonist, when a well-directed shot through the braiii laid her low. The cubs, however, escaped. The death of thia bear bas been the cause of great rejoicing amongst the ryots of the district, as fear of the animal deterred them from entering the

jungles to gather fruit and fuel. In addition to this bear, Mr Somers Eve bagged two panthers and a couple of bears, the latter being accounted for very neatly right and left. There still seems to be plenty of game in the Russelkondah district, for during a trip of only 13 days last year Captain Home shot 13 bears, two panthers, and a number of deer of different varieties. — Home Paper.