The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-10-01

THERE are certain crabs which live
on dry land, but they manage to keep
their gills wet.
The air bladder found in most fishes
is q rudiment of lung, although it is
used not for respiration but for alter
ing the specific gravity OF the fish.
The gills represent lungs only in func-
ton; they are totally distinct parts of
the organism.
CRocKoDILEs are the only reptiles
whose nostrils point in the throat be-
hind the palate, instead of directly in
to the mouth cavity. This enables the
crockodile to drown its victim without
drowning itself, for by keeping its
snout above water it can breathe while
its mouth is wide open.
EXPERIMENTS indicate that the effect
of light upon plant tissues without
chlorophyll, such as roots, rhizome,
blanched plants, and some parasitic
plants, is to decrease the intensity of
the respiration, more carbonic acid
being given off and oxygen absorbed
in darkness than in light. The amount
of oxygen absorbed is, however, in the
same proportion to the carbonic acid
given off in light as in darkness.
IT has been discovered by expert
ments with dogs placed under the in
the hypodermic injection of solution of
theme, the active principle of tea, is an
almost instantaneous antidote, natural
izing the effect of the narcotic, and re-
viving the animal, after the action Of
the heart has become impreceptible.
Caffeine possesses similar properties,
but is less immediate in its operation.
PROF. HUXLEY lends scant counte-
nance to what has been called by our
English brethren the "mackerel scare"
In O letter he says: ut is quite true
that the mackerel, like other fish, are
more or less infected by parasites, one
Of which, small thread worm is often
so abundant as to be conspicuous when
the fish is opened. But it is not true
that there is any reason to believe that
this thread worm would be injurious to
man even if swallowed uncooked and
alive, and to speak of it as q possible
cause of cholera is sheer nonsense"
The parasitic worms living within or
on the outside of other animals gener-
ally have sucker at one end, or under
meath, serving simply for attachment,
and another which is perforated. The
latter is true suctorial mouth, being
the sole inlet of food. It is often sur
| rounded with booklets, or teeth, which
serve both to scarify the victim and Sc
cure firm hold. In the leech the
| mouth is a triangular opening with
thick lips, the under one prolonged,
asG1 with three Jaws. In many worms
ID - g lSsyx4y tnbavlii3la osaa $50 ds.nyrf
n 0T extended, IKE the eye-sraIks w
the snail, and contains dental appa-
ratus inside.
THERE seems no exception to the rule
that every organic being naturally in
creases at so high rate that if not de-
stroyed the earth would soon be GOV.
cred by the progney of single pair.
If the increase Of the human race was
not checked, there would not be stand
ing room for the defendants of Adam
and Eve A pair of elephants, the
slowest breeders of all known animals,
would become the progenitors, in seven
and half centuries, of 100000 of
| elephants, If death did not interfere.
Evidently vast number OF young ami
mails must perish while immature, and
far greater host of eggs fail to ma
ture. A single cod, lying millions OF
eggs, if allowed to have its own way
would soon pack the ocean. Yet so
nicely balanced are the forces of ma
ture that the average number of each
kind remains about the same.