The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-11-29
ARTS, SCIENCES, ETC.


the jaw, with curve of rather more than n
semi-circle, and the lower pair of incisors
form rather less than a semi-circle. Some
| times, one of these teeth gets broken, and
| then the opposite tooth continues growing
until it forms nearly complete circle. The
chewing muscle Of the beaver is strength
ened by tendOns in such way as to give
it great power. But more is needed to en-
able the beaver to eat wood. The insaliva-
ton of the dry food is provided for by the
extraordinary size of the salivary glar DIS.
Now, every part of these instruments is
of vital importance to the beavers. The
loss of an incisor involves the formation of
an obstructive circular tooth deficiency of
saliva renders the food indigestible; and
when old age comes, and the enamel is
worn down faster than it is renewed, the
beaver Is not longer able to cut branches
for its support. Old, feeble, and poor, I'M
able to borrow, and ashamed to beg, he
steals cuttings, and subjects himself to the
penalty assigned to theft. Aged beavers
arc. often found dead with gashes in their
bodies, showing that they have been killed.
by their mates. In the fall of 1864, u very
aged beaver was caught in one of the dams
OF the EscOnawba River, and this Was the.
reflection of great authority ON the occ;,
sion, one Ah-she-goes, an Ojibw:l trapper:
Had he escaped the trap he would have
been killed before the winter over by
other beavers, for stealing cuttings"
Vixen the beavers are about two Or three
years Old, their teeth are in their best con-
dition for cutting. On the Upper Missouri
they cut the cotton tree and the willow
bush; around lIudson's Bay and Lake Su-
rerior, i'll addition to the willow they cut
the poplar and MAPLE hemlock, spruce and
pine. The cutting is round and round and
deepest upon the side on which they wish
the tree to fall. Indians and trappcrs have
seen beavers cutting trees. The telling of
Il tree is family affair. No more than a
| SIr ria Y,oi,. wit
are engaged at Il time. The adults take
the cutting in turns, one gnawins and the
other watching and occasionally a young
ster trying his incisors. The beaver, whilst
gnawing, sits on his plantigrade hind legs,
which keep him conveniently upright.
When the tree begins to crackie the beav-
ers work cautiously, and when it crashes
down they plunge into the pond, fearful
lest the noise should attract an enemy to
the spot After the tree-fall comes the lop-
ping of the branches. single tree may be
| winter provision for n family. Branches
proper lengths for transport, and are then
taken home.
A strange story is related in the Lancet
of u young boy living in Kiosk, Western
Russia, who had some disease of the knee
which rendered him lame. While riding
on horseback in violent thunder Storm
he was struck by lightning and thrown to
senses he found his right leg was entirely
gone. He was rescued and conveyed to Il
neighboring village, where the violent hem
orrhage was stopped. The severed leg was
found on the grass several days after the
accident, Just where the boy had been
shrown from his horse. Il was qntc dried
up, and emitted no smell, the tiba being
black, and stripped half down the leg.
ALrAcA-Many people do not know what
.,1n L is It
from the fleece of the III paca goat, which is
found in the mountainous regions of Peru,
and feeds on the coarse, scanty heritage
that grows there. The upper part and the
sides of the animal are covered with light
chestnut brown wool, which hangs down in
curls of nearly one foot i'll length, and is
soft, fine and elastic. The face, rs well
the legs, is furnished with short, smooth
hair, while from the forehead stiff, silky
hair falls down Hpon the face. The goats
are sheared sometimes annually, aud some
times every other year. Each animal yields
about twelve pounds of wool.
GuTTA PERCHA.-This highly useful sub
stance is procured from the sap of the $50
nandra Gutta, il large forest tree, growing
in the Maayan Peninsula, and on the
islands near it. 1t was known III England
by Drs. ID. Almeida and Montgomery, at
the Society of Arts, in 1913. AS non
conductor of electricity, it has become an
! Invaluable aid i'll constructing the subma-
rine telegraph.
WAsrs.-An English gentleman lately
took small wasps nest, about the size of
an apple, and, after stupcfying-its inmates,
placed it in large case inside of hishouse,
leaving an opening for egrcss through the
wall Here the nest was enlarged to a loot
in diameter, holding thousands of wasps.
Here he was able to watch their movements,
and noted one new fact-namely, their sys
| 10 aft n
weather from four to six wasps were con-
tinualy stationed at the hole of egress !;
and, while leaving space for entrance or
exit, created steady current of fresh air by
the exceedingly rapid motion of their wings.
After IL long course of this vigorous exercise
the vent1lators were relieved ny other
wasps. During the cool weather only two
t;.,.. 1S1,nll1. fins