The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1878-09-19

night. The closing of flowers, then lis
connected with the habits of insects,
| Besides, it should be remembered that
the opening and closing of flowers ar q
gradual, and that the hours Vary
much according to circumstances.
| A COLOSSAL TORTOISE.-LeS Mon.
des notes the arrival at Paris of sea
turtle weighing $50 kilogrammes 400
lbs.) The monster was installed in a
tank along with the sea lions at the
Geological Gardens, but the amphi-
bians, terrified at the presence Of the
new conner, dare not take their bath,
and refused all food. The tank being
very deep it became very difficult to
catch the turtle, which displayed as
much intelligence as vigor in eluding
pursuit. It now occupies a shallower
tank, where it is attracting greater
attention from visitors.
A leather turtle (Spargis coricea)
caught by Samuel Coon. one of the
branch pilots of New Nosk, on board
the Yonng Pilot, by way of Sandy
Hook, on the 9th of September; 1911,
weighed 900 lbs, and measured feet
inches in length. This specimen
was purchased by John Scudder, pro-
prietor of the American Museum,
then at 81 Chatham street. The
leather turtle, inhabiting the Atlantic
and Mediterranean, is said by natur-
alistS to attain sometimes the weight
of twelve hundred to two thousand
pounds.
THE SOUTH AMERICAN MANATEE.
For the second time, a living speci-
men of that singular animal, the man.
atee, OF sea COW (Manatus american
us), has been brought to England.
and may be seen disporting itself in a
large glass tank at the Westminster
Aquarium. The manatees, or, as
they are properly termed, "sea cows"
inhabit estaries and shallow parts Of
the shore in the intertropical regions
on the Atlantic coasts of South Amer
| lea and Africa. In structure they re-
semble the dugongs. being placed
with them in the order Sirenia. The
name Sirenia is derived from the fact
that these animals have habit of
sitting in semi-erect position in the
water. suggesting by their appearance
the old travellers tales of "Sirens"
and "mermaids," the illusion being
heightened by their inability to flex
their flippers over the chest, and fold
their poung in this way lit ii said) to
the breast. These animals are said to
be related to the whales on the one
hand and to the hoofed quadrupeds on
the other. They are as truly man.
mails, as are whales, seals, and wal
russes, having warm blood. breathing
by lungs, and bringing forth young
alive and sucking them. They have
hairy covering, too, although it is
but slightly developed. No outer
ears exist, and the eyes are very
small. The mouth is very singular
one, having on either side pad or
side lip covered with stiff bristles
projecting. inward, with which its
food purely vegetable) is seized and
conveyed to the mouth. The fore
lips, both upper and under. are COM
paratively small. The teeth are alb
sent from the fore part Of the jaws,
their place being occupied, as in the
upper Jaw Of a ruminant, by horny
pads. The mode of feeding has been
compared by Professor Garrod to that
of silkwOrm, or other caterpillar. in
which the jaws move horizontally in
stead of vertically. The respiratory
organs are no less remarkable; the
nostrils are circular openings, with
valves. which are closed when the
creature is below the surface OF the
water. The lungs are of unusual size
and of great length, enabling the ami.
NAL, after once taking in air at the
surface. to remain submerged for a
considerable time. AS might be in
ferred from the structure the mana
tee is purely aquatic in its habits. BY
drawing of the water from its tank,
it was ascertained that the animal Is
perfectly helpless on land, its only
movement being the aid Of its flippers
and tail.
THE SPARROW QUEsTION.-The
question as to what shall be done to
abate the English sparrow is rapidly
becoming one of national Importance.
Our able zoologist, DR., Elliott Cones,
expresses himself on this subject in
very decided terms in the American
Naturalist. He says the sparrow is
nuisance in variety Of ways; that it
does no appreciate good; that 1t does
very obvious amount OF damage;
that it harnesses, drives of and some
times destroys useful native birds:
that it has no place in the natural
economy of the country, and that the
complement of our bird faana is made
ND without the interl0per. There is
no room for these birds, and "if there
is any work for them, time has shown
that they slight it. or neglected it al
together. The only way to make
these sparrows eat the worms they
we're imported to destroy, and which
they seem especially to dislike, would
be to starve them into such unpalata-
BILE fare. Instead of this, We sedu-
lously feed them from our tables till
they are grown too fat and lazy TO
think of worms. And il we did not
do 90, it would be useless to expect.
them to take to diet they do not rel
ish. when the streets are full OF
manure, of which they are specially
fond. and the tees Of our orchards
and lawns are full of fruit and bios.
soms. and the gardens Of full Of small
fruits. and the fields are waving with
orain-all these things being the nat.
r-.1 Tod NJ birds of the SpArrOW