San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-04-27
c,p,osIrIEs OF NATURAL HISTORY.
60. Littls.Kaows Facts About Some wsliksswn
W. Animals.
From the Washington ID. o. POst

s'- Animals.
From the Washington ID, o. Post
The lecture yesterday afternoon at
Aha National Museum by Prof. Riley on
Aha subject, tle-Known Facts about
wsll.Known Animals" was very inter
sstipg, and was thoroughly enjoyed by
the large audience present.
THE OYSTER.
The Professor touched first upon tho
fish. How many persons, he said, while
annoying their oysters-stewed, fried,
broiled, scalloped or on the she'll ever
nause to consider anything but the
flavor? The oyster is older than man.
At q very early period of the earth's
history we find that the shells of its an
eestors are scattered throughout the
world wherever former ancient oceans
had their shores, while they particu-
Iarly abound in the cretaceous forIha-
ton. While the present horse was
evolving through the various forms
from a typically fve-toed ancestor
quite unlike it's present self, the oyster
retained essentially the same form.
What is known as the fat of the oyster
forms the reproductive part. The
milky fluid from it, in gravid female,
when spread out in thin film, will
show innumerable white ovarian specks.
This fluid is expelled in the water at
the breeding season, and the egg, once
adrift, must meet male cell or perish.
The average number of ova produced
by q female is perhaps 100000,
and larger sized one may produce as
many as 6O,OOO;0OO. Owing to its nu-
nervous enemies probably not more
than several millions reach maturity.
In nature it is fundamental principle
that the individual should be sacrificed
without limit to secure the good and
perpetuity of the race, and the princi-
pie might be kept in mind to advantage
by those who discuss social problems
that concern man. The young oyster
is soft, irregularly-shaped creature
with numerous feelers or ella, by ro-
tating which it swims about quite rap
idly. These young oysters are called
"spats" or Spawn" by fishermen, and
they swim about until they come in
contact with some submarine body, on
which they settle, when they are known
as "blisters." They will adhere to any
hard, clean object, but not to mud or
dirt. They are very sensitive, and will
close their shells at the slightest vibra-
ton, and die from sudden jar, so that
loud thunder clap will kill instantly @
whole boat load. There is good evil
dence that oysters attain the age of 30
years. and no one knows how much
longer they may live. The oyster has
many enemies. All creatures have en-
emies of one kind or another, checks to
their undue multiplication. Even the
slow breeding elephant, if left I'M
checked, would soon people the earth
to the exclusion of all other animals.
THE FROG.
The COMMON frog, which occurs both
here and in Europe, passes the wintre
buried in the mud of stagnant waters,
in torpid condition; aye, and it may
even be frozen till it is so brittle as to
clink without the loss of life. The
frogs are now issuing forth to join with
their peculiar croak in the geological
concert of spring. After developing
from tadpole the frog comes on land
in search of worms and Insects, and in
such number in damp weather as to
give rise to the belief, still popularity
adhered to in many sections, that it has
rained frogs. When the frog awakens
he feels dull and stiff, and does not like
to appear in society till he has thrown
OF his old, WORKOUT garments and put
on new ones, never hesitating about the
fashion, but folio wing the pattern of is
ancestors for generations upon genera
tions. He begins by pressing his ell
bows hard against his sides, and, rub
bling downwards, he keeps on until the
skin on the back bursts, and The then
works it into folds on his sides and
hips. Now grasping one hind leg with
his hands he hauls off one leg of his