SCIENCE SIFTINGS

New Zealand Tablet, 19 June 1919, Page 46

SCIENCE SIFTINGS

By “Volt.”

Naming' Submarines.

' i 1 Everyone knows ; what ' submarines * are ! and ' what an important factor they have become in modern naval warfare. Their nomenclature ; is rather interesting, according to the Popular Science, Monthly. In the United States Navy the first of these craft were named for various kinds of fish and reptiles, and we had such odd cognomens as Adder, Moccasin, Pike, Sturgeon, Shark, Carp, Haddock, etc., on the naval lists. Before the list of piscatorial names ran out the system was changed, and designations of A-l, A-2, B-l, B-2, etc., down to the more recent submarines known as the O class. In general the numbers applied correspond to the particular lot in which they were constructed, and the letters closely follow the number of years since they were first built. In Germany they are all known as U-boats, the U being the first letter of uiiterseeboOt, meaning submarine. .'" - , f

Nature's Camouflage.

The word "camouflage" may be a new one, but the thing it means is as old as the hills ! And, strangely enough, it is mostly protection from the aviators which it has sought from the beginning. The young grouse among the heather has only to lie still to be invisible even to the telescopic eye of the hovering hawk, so absolutely do its feathers tone with its surroundings. Visitors to a natural history museum may see many charmingly-set Nature tableaux representing Nature's camouflage. Indeed, so good an artist is Nature that she gives the Arctic fox, the ermine, and the ptarmigan the precious gift of turning white to match the allprevailing snow when winter comes, so that their enemies cannot spot them easily. It is quite possible to examine a plantsay, a rose tree — the garden with the utmost care and fail to spot a green caterpillar, and the same rose may be infested with green fly which yet require sharp eyes to see them. Doubtless the lovely wings of the butterflies are camouflage, too, seeing that these insects so often settle upon the petals of flowers. ~ Sometimes camouflage is useful for attack as well as defence. The stripes of the lurking tiger among the tall growth of the jungle make it appear only a part of the light and shade. Its prey walks into danger unaware. Even a herd of zebras is very difficult to see in the tropic forest. Their stripes look like bars of sunshine. Even our common "bunny" matches his sandy warren so well that a whole family may be- feeding and yet be invisible till they run.