Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-10-31
z Model Papa.

Solomon sends US TO the a1t to.lesrn, and I
Cont see ~hy we should rot take lessons IRON
other little creatures in the world.
There's modest little fellow in the sea nov
Who sets mast beautiful example of pattern Al
auec'ion and care, vet never heard that he
s. set mp As model. To he sure he's never
more than four inches high. but that ls sixteen
times as an ant, and virtue doesn't deoeud
o. Size either. The name of this interesting
Crea'3re--the scientific name means II ppo-
campus, hnt he is better known out of the books
BY TIRE name of Sea Horse; and doubtless most
OF yen have seen dried up specimens of the
FAMILY IN museums or private collections OF
sea wonders. His wife-well We won't say much
about his wife. for she isn't q model BIZ any
me sns. In fact. she shirks all the tIme-ho ored
duties belong to a mother, hands the Young
family over TO their father, and swims off 10
have 3 good time in the world
Papa Hippo seems not at all troubled or cast
down by the unnatural behavior OF the mother.
To tell The truth, be prefers attend the babies
ana Is very nicely adapted to the work. Indeed,
don't suppose he would allow the mother to in
terfeTe In bis nursery arrangement ts il she de-
sired. What do you suppose ne does with all the
eggs he has charge OF? He has nest, nor
house OF any kind. and here are q thousand or
two of them, for fishes, you know never do
things by halves. Well. he has no trouble for
nature has provided him with pocket, ihicAy
IDed with tat, and into that convenient nursery
ne receives The family, and there they st ~
nourished, as some naturalists thirk, nv his
tat-'ill they are big enough to look out for
themselves. Ihers!-isn't that an Example for
the world?
And t at is not all. Ordinary parent. of the
FISH family eat the eggs and little ones, lot only
OF their ReighboTS, but CT their oWn family
while this admirable lIttIe papa Of tour inches
gh never was known, however hCnxrv, 10
even so much AS tSSta one OF own chIl irsn.
FISH lite.
wien this selC-denyiag father thinks the lit
tie ones big enough 70 take care If themselves,
be starts them in life by bending his tai around
ike hook, pressing IL against the bottom OF
the pocket, and just cooly SNORING them ont TO
taEc their chances in a colt, wet world
7nor F,~t IA
not the only strange thing about the sea horse.
dis lOoks are as strange as his manners. He
has mo droii fashion, a. somebody says, of uv-
ing INSIDE, irStesd OF outside, OF his bones. So
be looks as though dressed in a suit of mail.
HlS homes are ~ ghostty looking white things.
IKE the bones OF those who carry them inside
they are or soft gray color, Oru3meuted with
dainty carving. He receives his name from the
shape Of bis head. which is cOmically like that
of horse, and is always carried partly erect
in the water. He has "A fin on his back, which
looks like beautiful fan tippel with yellow
and Is or course a graceful ornament. His ewes
are the color of gold, with an edge of blue, and
are not slavish twins, As most ewes are, looking
| the same way. On She contrary, they are en-
| tireiy independent of the other, so that he can
! look two ways st orce.
! The fsvorite attitude of this little oddtv is
! holding on 70 a weed with his tail, from which
position he can dart on his food he gets sight
| OF it-either worm, fish egg. or some such deli
| Cacy. He has side fins. by means Of which he
| can swim, always standing up, as you may say,
| in the water. But 3 is not a great swi
! said.
| Perhaps his tail Is the most curious thing
! about him. Il Is four sided, like a square lille,
! and is covered with scales, like the rest Of his
| body. 1t Is long and pTehensiie, like the tails
| Of some monkeys; and TO hold on TO something
/ seems TO be the delight of his life. II two OF
them meet IN the water they are sure to grab
each other By the tail. Even tiny atoms of
sea-horses {sea-ColtS you might csll them) with
tails no bigger than a bit Of thread, will seize
each other, and hold on for dear life. ne yer Civ
E,,nr ~.
the sea horse till naturalist-Rev. Samuel
LOcETood-kept several in an aquarium, and
by closely watching them, found cut tn cir won
deriul VayS.-Oltre TiorHe, IN Christian Union.