Science Sittings

New Zealand Tablet, 22 February 1917, Page 53

Science Sittings

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v^, : y:,:,:: : .':.. -.^•.'.>■:,-■■■:■. - . ~-. -'.• : - . •.-■-..-■':....■'■■'■• ... '..■■:.■•■, '•.■■■'>: ■ Holy Bo Tree.' jThroughout the East the sacred fig-tree or peepul 5 tresis held, in great veneration by the Buddhists and Hindus. . The latter say that the birth of Vishnu, one ; of their deities, took place beneath its branches. It is a ; very handsome tree, growing often to a great height ; /an evergreen that flowers in April,' and yields, on the ;? bark being cut, - a sourish: milk containing india-rubber. The leaves are heart-shaped, long, .pointed,, and like those of; some poplars, ;I and as : tho stalks ; are , long and :slender, the leaves rustle like those of the aspenV This -vibration of the leaves, the Buddhist ! fancies, is caused by the. breath of Gautama, the founder of his faith, 4 for it was under this tree Gautama slept and dreamed that he was to become the Buddha, and when the dream was fulfilled he was again seated beneath the same tree. It is one of ■;' this ; kind which is not only the oldest tree, but the oldest still worshipped in the world. It was planted about the year 250 B.C. in the ancient city of Amuradhapoora,.in Ceylon, and became known as the Bo tree. ; Its native name is Jaya-sri-mahabodih-wahawai, which' means The Great, 1 Famous, and Triumphant Pig Tree.' ■■ : To Buddhists and Hindus alike the most binding oath is to swear by c the sacred and holy Bo tree.' " : a . Rearing Ducks in China. '■'-'■ " -■ \ : The rearing of ducks is made. an object of great importance in China. '. ,The greater part of them are •hatched by artificial warmth ; the eggs being laid in boxes of sand, are placed on a brick hearth' to which a. proper degree of heat is given during the time required for hatching. The ducklings are fed with crawfish and crabs, boiled and cut small, and afterwards mixed with boiled rice, and in about a fortnight they- are able toi shift for themselves. The Chinese provide them with an old stepmother, who leads them where they .will find provender, being first put on board a ' sampane,' or boat, which is destined for their habitation, and from which the whole flock, often three hundred or four hundred in number, go out to feed and return at command. This method is used nine months out of the twelve, for in the colder months it does not succeed, and is so far from a novelty that it may be. seen everywhere, more especially about the time of cutting the rice, when the masters of the duck boats row up and down the rivers, according to the opportunity of procuring food, which during that season is found in plenty at the ebb of the tide, on the rice plantations, which are overflowed at .high water. It is curious to see how the ducks obey their masters, for some thousands belonging to different boats will feed at large on ; the same spot, and on a signal given follow the leader to their respective boats without a stranger being found among them. Tyrants of the Deep. • .. % Like sturgeons, the sharks have their mouths under their heads, but the mouths, instead of being merely soft tubes, are armed with several rows of flat and pointed teeth which cut like razors; ~ Only the front row of the teeth is intended for use, the others being folded back, one upon the other, and coming forward when wanted, just as : takes "place: with "the "*: poison-: fangs of the venomous snakes. Some of the sharks reach a length of more than thirty; feet, and ; one of these terrible fish has been known to sever a : man's body * at a single bite. They-follow ships in order to feed upon any refuse that may be thrown overboard, and there seems to be nothing which a shark will not swallow or be capable of digesting. One remarkable shark is known by the appropriate name of the hammer-headf on account of the extraordinary shape of the head, which' almost exactly resembles that of a sledge-hammer, the eyes being set on the two opposite faces of the hammer.