Omaha daily bee., 1885-03-06
NJ
Plan Is and Insects that Explode with
Dynamite Force,
Philadelphia Times.

1 A ltNNEA 10 vi AANAANA "N Nv NAl4 RD
pointed aud found around a table a dozel
or more faces more oriess familiar in TIL
world Of biology. In the center of tn,
table were a number of boxes of variouI
sizes, a dish containing q substance look
ing susplciously like water and severa
| other articles of an innocent and unex
plosive character.
"Don't sit In that chair" exclaimed
some one, as the writer was about to pull
up. "There is a current of electricity
going into it strong and powerful enough
to kill an OK"
Take the lounge" said the host
"that is If you don't mind snakes" The
writer did, especially as the II upor
the lounge was a python, about ten fee.
in length, brought In to be experimental
| upon"
Hes harmless" said the first speaker.
81 ohloroformeo him about hall an hour
ago."
A chair was finally found and the
meeting was called together and the
members proceeded to business.
Speaking about dynamite" said q
naturalist, 81 have brought a few speci.
mems to illustrate that feature in low
lfe-as there are dynsmiterI in the
lower animal kingdom as well IS the
higher, and cutiously enough we might
say the same of the vegetable kingdom.
| remember a few years ago / waS trav-
cling on o email vessel between some of
the West India islands and at one place
had purchased a number Ct curious
SEEDS, placing them under my berth for
safe keeping. l was sitting at the small
table, hanging on with both hands, In
company with q negro passenger, when
there came an explosion that sounded az
II a barrel of powder had gone eff
Something whizzed past my facesoc closely
that | felt the wind, and another projectite
struck me full In the breast. The negro
was not so fortunate. He uttered g loud
yell as the sound cane, threw up his
hands and with the blood squirting from
his face, he went over backward with a
crash that brought the skipper and crew
down the yatch in a hurry. We picked
him up and first hn swore that l bad shot
him and then that L had hit him with a
club, but in o moment he recovered from
his fright and we began to investigate.
''The man had been struck fairly in
the nose-a.blow so powerful that 1t was
several hour, before the hemorrhsge
could be stopped. When | 1850 from
my seat something dropped upon the
cabin floor and L afterwards picked 1t up
and what do you suppose 1t vast
Nothing but a section OF one of the seeds
and they were the explosives. The heat
of the cabling had come way affected them
so that they went off like cartridges and
as each was made up Ct several pieces 1t
had somewhat the effect of grape ahot.
One struck the negro as related, another
missed my head and shattered a looking
glass behind me, another struck me in
the chest, while still another, curiously
enough, took off the handle of a pitcher
or monkey cooler that stood on the table.
Four of the seeds didn't go off, and you
may be sure l put them in a strong box.
A number of Seeds" continued the
speaker, shave a similar habit of eX-
ploding, and 1t is generally a provision
connected with the dispersal of seeds. In
the west l have seen trees explode with
a report that could be heard nearly a
mile; In this case the frost was the cause.
There certain insects bore great holes
i tllo pdIh u GloC5S Al ullb lUo way III
and freezes, and away goes the tree as if
you had placed a torpedo In 1t, showing
what the expansive power of water will
do"
"Speakipg of insects," said the host,
reminds me that l have a ~dynamiter
here for exhibition whenever you gentle
men are ready" All were ready, and
the table waB cleared of the
boxes except one, which was placed
in the center. "I propose, gentle
men," said the dynamite fiend, "to show
not only an explosive insect, but the eff
feet of the explosion upon others who
might possibly be enemies" Upon this
he lifted a slide that was attached to the
box, and Immediately there appeared
several medtum.s'z:d, sprightly beetles
that started off around the table In an &C.
tive correspondence race. An enclosure
was soon formed of books, and all the
beetles removed but one, and then a
beetle Of a different species was intro
duced, a wild, fiery, untamed fellow, that
ran over the other at headlong speed.
The smaller beetle at first did not seem
to notics this treatment, but finally, when
it was fairly knocked over, it seemed to
prepare itself to resent further attacks.
1t raised Itself high upon It's legs, shook
Its wing covers nervously, and, as the
larger Insect came around the ring on a
dead run, 1t turned suddenly, unlimber-
ed itself, 30 to speak, and, as the enemy
approached, IN audible report was heard,
q cloud for a moment hung In the air, and
the large beetle fell sprawllng in its
tracks, and with spasmodic struggles en-
deayored to hack away from the living
cannon.
The latter still retained its offensive
position, and upon b ing touched with o
pencil again elected, twice In quick sue
c~esslon, a volatile fluid that gave out q
decided pupgint odor that was evidently
suffocating to the larger beetle. A mouse
was now introduced, and as it ran by the
dynamite insect 1t deceived a discharge
that caused 1t to squeal with pain, and
with a c~onvulsive action it reared Itself
upon its hind legs and for q few seconds
struggled as if In a fit. A kitten sub
jected to a like discharge spit and rubbed
her nose in rage and fear; and finally,
after several discharges, the supply Of
ammunition seemed to give out.
"There's protection for you," said the
delighted owner, taking up the dyna.
mite bug, which was rather long and mar.
row, having a curious gsnerel appearance
from the fact that the head and thoraz
were narrower than the abdomen. 81
call 1t Rosa because 1t makes a distur
| hanca and avarutb{no hnlI and sx-onI