Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-05-24
NATURES PROTECTIVE COLORs.

y NATURES PROTECTIVE COL0Rs.
Nature like careful mother, equips her
children for the battle of life. She gives to
animals colors that, by resembling their sur
roundings, protect them against their enc
mics. The brown or gray color Of the wild
rabbit blends with its surroundings and
hides it from hostile eyes. The motted
feathers of the quail and partridge closely
resemble the fallen leaves, among which the
young birds conceal themselves. Animals
that roam at night, as do the rats and mice,
bats and moles, are usually of neutral tint,
such as escapes notice in the dusk. The
helpless tree-toad takes the color of the tree
on which it lives, and his bitterest enemy
has hard work to find him. The animals
and birds Of the hot desert are taWny and
eaudy in hue. So the lion conceals himself
by crouching in the sand, and thence springs
upon his unsuspecting prey. The tiger
stalks among thejungles Of India. The YER
tical brown lines which adOrn his taWny
skin enable him to lurk unseen among the
bamboo stems. The spotted skin OF the
jaguar initiates the changing spots Of light
and shade among the leaves, and thus con-
ceals him in his lair. The puma has neith-
er bars nor spots on his skin; it does not
need them. ftwafts for its prey by crouch.
ing along the limb of tree, where its dull
color escapes notice.
White animals and white birds are, as a
rule, dwellers in Arctic regions. The white
suit of the polar bear indicates at once it's
distant home amid the snow and snOw-fields
of the north. Some animals, like the Arctic
foxes and Alpine hares, wear their white
livery only in winrer, and appear in sum-
mer clad in brown or gray. In the thick
tropical forests, whose bright foliage is never
touched by frost, live the brilliant green
parrots and paroquets that seem so out of
place here. Nature also seems to take pains
in providing for her weak and helpless crea-
lures The upper surface Of the wings Of
some of our common butterflies is of bright
color, but the lower surface is dusky. When
they light on tree or wall, and close their
wings, the color of which closely resembles
the surrounding surface, the insect collector
needs sharp eyes to find them. Moths that
fly by night are gray, or NEUTRAL in tint.
Some tropical butterflies resemble withered
leaves, and even the marks on their wings
appear like the veins Of a leaf. Our grass
hoppers take the color of the grass. Beetles
| frequenting mossy banks are green in color.
Beetles that live on the bark Of trees are
rough like bark and frequently resemble
| lichens. Some defenseless insects are pro-
tected by their resemblance of insects able
| to defend themselves. Some flies which pos
sess no means Of defense, resemble Wasps
and hornets. In these and in many other
WAYS nature watches over her children so
| that none, from the least to the greatest,
shall lack protection.
POPULAR SUPERsTITIoNs EXPLAINED
l. 1t is unlucky to spill salt. OF course,
for it shows you are either naturally clum-
sy that your hand is unsteady from over
| indulgence in tobacco, and anyhow, it is
certain to raise the wrath of your host.
2. 1t is unlucky to pass under ladder.
This is when the gentleman on the ladder
is conversing with fellOw-laborer and lets
| fall hOd of mortar or q pot OF red paint
on your head.
8. 1t is unlucky to pass outside ladder.
This is when the ladder projects to the curb
stone, the road is very muddy, and runa-
way van in your immediate neighborhood.
4. 1t is lucky to have black cat in the
house. Its presence accounts for the disap-
pearance Of cream, cold game and other Vi
ands notoriously detrimental to the health.
5. 1t is unlucky to dream of black dog.
Of course, as it shows that your present
habit of late suppers will shortly be stop
ped by your medical attendant.
6. It is unlucky to meet woman with
q squint. 1t is great misfortune to en-
counter an ugly woman anywhere.
I. 1t is unlucky to sneeze on Friday. 1t
Is particularly fortunate on any Otner uay
of the week, as probably shows you in for
a severe cold.
8. 1t is unlucky to hop up stairs as the
new year comes in. 1t ameliOrates your
grief at the follies of last year, as it shows
however capable of idiocy you were then
you are still more capable this year,
9. 1t is unlucky to see single magpie: lit
indicates that there are more in the neigh
borhood, and for discordant noises the mag
pie is pre-eminently gifted among birds.
10. 1t is unlucky to see the first lamb of
the year with it's face towards you. 1t at
any rate shows that neither your yisage nor
your apparel is so absolutely repulsive as to
frighten beast of the field.
II. 1t is unlucky to sit down to table thir-
teen in number. 1t is equally unlucky to
sit down twelve if there is only elbow room
for eight.
12 There is luck in odd numbers. This
entirely depends upon the game you are
playing, and what the other man has up his
sleeves.-EhWch.
SENSE CULTURE.-The special culture of
the senses is too much neglected by us in