NOTES AND QUERIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2437, 28 November 1900, Page 54

NOTES AND QUERIES.

Questions for reply hi coining issue to be received »«t later than MONDAY night.

Effect of Music on Animals. — " A^Rustic" sends us the following interesting remarks on i this subject : Some time ago, reading a sketch in the Witness on the mocking propensities' of the starling recalled to my mind an incident of the readiness of the 'feathered songsters to imitate what they hear. Every evening last summer for several weeks a thrush could be heard singing in a country garden a tune which he had undoubtedly learned from a piano. It was the custom of a young lady to devote an hour every morning to. pianoforte practice, and among her favourites was a piece entitled "Josephine," and judge of her astonishment one evening to hear "Josephine" warbled from an elder bush. Observation proved the musician to be a thrush, and oh, how he revelled in his accomplishment. I can recall his attitude even at his lapse of time, as he poured forth his unusual melody. Ido not know whether the: thrush 'died or sought other quarters, brit we have long missed his evening serenade. That either" starling or .thrush is an excellent mocker is true. Every farm lad generally . has a whistle peculiar to some purpose, such as a summons to a horse or a particular dog, and I have once seen a dog answering to a whistle" from the branch of a tree, much to his mystification, and he was considered an intelligent animal, as it was always neces- ',, aary to call him by his own whistle when he was required to work. The early morning is the best time to hear them, though the birds perform their best solo effects in the afternoon or evening. Around a farmyard they pick up a, great variety of sounds, and may be heard in the midst of the morning's twittering and singing- to use whistles in exact imitation of the human voice. Whistling seems their chief delight. No whistle that the ordinary boy can perform is too elaborate or ear-piercing for these mimickers to appropriate. Often have I sought about a hedge for a duckling or chicken in distress, and found a thrush -the culprit. Whilst on the subject, p§rhaps someone could tell me whether music has charms for the lower animals? Don't refer me to "The Pied Piper of Hamlin," I have read it. Some time back, in a house in which rats had not found quarters at all, some music was played on an organ. For aboxit an hour or more the player was ■ engaged, when suddenly she. observed a large grey rat creeping to the side of the organ, almost touching her dress. Almost close enough to strike the rat, a- child was building bricks on the floor, and a merry euchre party were at play in the same room, what the rat's intentions were will never be d known, as the terrified performer sought safety in distance, and in the moment lost in securing missiles, the rat escaped. Two months' passed, and the startled performer had begun to forget the shock she experienced, and ceased to dread a rat's stealthy appearance beside her as she played, when one evening, rising suddenly from the organ, she crossed the room and opened the door, and there, on the threshold, crouched a large grey rat. For a second or so both remained stationary, and then the rat darted away. One of the boys possessed a- ferret, a great pet, which ran freely about the house and yard, and the rat episode raising some comment on music affecting animals, suggested the idea of experimenting on the ferret. Miss laughingly said she would cultivate the ferret's musical instincts, and it would be an infallible safeguard against h&x

pet aversion — the rat. The ferret was brought and the door unfortunately left open, as the ferret was considered too petted to dream of escaping — it being always allowed freedom. . Open on uhe organ lay the ''"Wearing of the \ green,'/ and in an evil moment it was selected, 1 for the ferret's edification. Ere the conclusion of the piece the ferret had disappeared — I gone, as an onlooker expressed it, " lilte a I strealc of greased lightning, ' and, strange j to relate, it has never been seen since. Search ! was instantly made (though no one dreamed, of him running wild) to find and leassure the petted animal, but no trace of him could ever be found, though for weeks a steady search was kept up. It was all the more peculiar j because the ferret was hand fed, and as a | safeguard against attacking poultry, it was J allowed a certain amount of freedom amongst them, and could always be called by any of the family. The solution of the p'.oblem per- i haps lies in the query since put forward, "What other effect could you expect 'The ; wearing of the green' to have on a yellow j ferret? '' That may be, but th,e "Boyne : water" has so far been powerless to briiig | him back. Cottager. — (1) I. M. I. kindly replies : — Swan's : egg pear is a fine old variety. The tree is ■ very hardy,- and an excellent bearer, useful i ajid profitable. The fruit is medium-sized, ovate, skin > smooth, yellowish green on shaded side and clear brownish red next the sun, and covered with pale brown russet; eye small, partly closed, slightly depressed; flesh tender, very juicy, with a sweet and sprightly flavour and musky aroma. This description does not tally witii your fruit, which you say is very hard. A twelve-year-old pear should be in fair bearing condition, provided the graft has been j worked on a- suitable stock, and the tree properly attended to. The tree blossoming and the fruit not setting may arise from various causes — -such as affinity between the graft and stock, condition of the roots, or being ■ too deeply planted. Not knowing the position of your trees, I should advise your lifting them, cutting back all strong wood-pro- ' ducing roots to about 4ft from the bole; replant, carefully spread out all the tender fibrous roots, cover with dry free loam, cast- j ing it from the bole outward, not against j the roots, and leave it loose, not treading j down ; then tie down securely to three stakes, j and next year should produce a good crop. The roots snould not be covered to more than 12in to 18in from the bo-Mom of the pit, and transplanting should be done immediately on the fall of the leaf. (2) Will be dealt with by " Agricola," in "Notes on Rural Topics." Miniatube. — We have referred your question to an authority on the point, and he says if - you will for yard an exact replica of the signature he will endeavour to unravel the mystery, but that he cannot do anything with the indefinite information given so far. Rustic. — The Women's Christian Association, Moray Place, is no doubt the body you alhide to. Land Abea. — Will the correspondent who sent a query -with a diagram of land send it over aga-in, as the original one has been mislaid. F. H. W.— (l) The s.s. Harlech Castle, with our returning troopers on board, arrived at Albany on Monday, 26th inst. " Our boys " niay be expected here about the end of next week. (2) The following is the .recipe for making Worcester sauce: — One gallon ripe tomatoes washed and cut up; pour over three quarts of water; let it boil down half, stir occasionally to prevent tomatoes sticking (a double kettle porcelain lined is best for sauces) ; strain through a sieve ; add two tablespooniuls of ginger, same of black pepper, same of salt, one tablespoonful of cloves, one of red pepper. Boil down to a quart; strain, bottle, cork tightly. (3) The following recipe is for Indian pickles: — Pull in small branches a white cauliflower; peel and slice the stalks; cut a small white-hearted cab- j bage in pieces; slice a corresponding quan- , tity^of onion, turnip, and carrot; immerse j the whole in a- boiling brine for two minutes ; • drain and afterwards shrivel them in a warm I place ; prepare a pickle of four quarts of vine- j gar, .two ounces each of ginger and long pep- ! per, a few shalots, four ounces of horse-, radish, and two ounces of mustard flour; make scalding hot; pour it; over the vegetables in a stone jar, and when cold tie down. | It will be ready in a month's time. Instead ! of the mustard meal, half the ounces of mustard seed may be strewn amongst the other j ingredients. I Htjt-bat. — There is no difference between a ; (£oot square and a square foot ; but there is a i considerable differeace between 10ft square ! and 10 square feet, 10ft sqxiare containing 100 square feet. Sigma. — A covenant on the part of the tenant to leave btiildings and fences in repair J therefore B must leave the fences in repair when he quits. j Consolidated, Blue Spur. — (1) The Union Jack ■would be th&^ippropriate flag to be flown ashore. The use of the red ensign is restricted to the British mercantile marine. (2) The Union Jack was hoisted by Lord Roberts on the occupation of Pretoria. (3) Colonel Webb informs us- that strictly speaking no private individual has the right to fly the Union Jack, but there is no penalty attached to the use of it ashore, and custom may now be said to sanction its being flown. (4) Not more than 20s; from Mr A. Thompson, sailmaker, Princes street.