The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-07-15
NATURAL HISTORY.
What a Man With an Inquiring Mind OBJ
served In an Hours Drive.

Lack of opportunity is often given as
an excuse for either common, ordinary
lazincss, sometimes Incidence of body,
and often torpor of mind. Men who
had rather have their wives or families
support them than reverse the order,
complain that they can find nothing to
do. They hunt work by sitting along
the river banks in summer and loung-
ing in saloons in winter.
About the best instance of lack of OPP
portunity lately heard of is that of a
tramp who applied for food at a house
one August, saying that he would like
to work at his trade, but ''hadn't got
NO chance" When quizzed as to the
nature of his trade, he replied: Shovel
in snow"
There are numerous people who would
like to follow up some study, often
merely as a pastime, but who offer the
same old excuse, no opportunity. II
would like very much to study botany,
geology, mineralogy, or natural history,
but there is no chance to carry it on in
town." They further urge that the
specimens so necessary for Illustration
are not to be had without going to the
country, and that takes too much time.
The trouble with most of these is that
they are mentally too lazy to study the
technical terms which lie at the very
foundation of any of these branches,
and which are required in description
and elucidation.
With these thoughts in mind it was
determined to notice what objects of
natural history might be seen in an
hours drive one afternoon recently.
The drive was taken on an entirely diff
ferent mission, and the objects seen OBJ
truded themselves, unsought upon the
attention.
The first living thing appeared upon
the desk as preparations were being
made to start. 1t was nothing but a
cockroach, but even cockroach is
good for starter" To begin with, it
was strange that this little insect should
be abroad in daylight as it is exclusive
ly a nocturnal insect, and easily fright
ened back to its hole upon the approach
of light. 1t is a very curious thing how
animals of certain kinds increase the
limits of their original homes. Those
which do SO are always such as are cum
ming in evading their natural enemies.
Cockroaches escape by virtue of their
ability to run swiftly. They are sprint
ers, all of them, and can easily distance
on foot nearly every insect of their size
and weight
They are said to have come here from
Asia, their natural home. From thence,
also, they spread over Europe. We have
species of cockroaches in our own
country, but they are well-behaved,
know their places, and stay in it Ours
live in the woods, under dead wood and
leaves, and never come to our houses to
be pests like the eastern ones. The
name of the common cockroach indi-
Gates its origin. 1t is called bldttd orr
entails, or eastern bug.
The blatta is an assisted emigrant
They came to us in ships cargoes, and
are in some houses a terrible pest. They
feed indiscriminately upon animal and
vegetable matter, and will even destroy
clothing, leather, wool, and cotton. AL
though they have an omnivorous appe-
tite, there are some things which dis
agree with them, and. seeming to be no
respecter of food, their downfall lies in
their appetite, as in many of their hui
man neighbors. A mixture of red lead,
corn meal, and molasses made into a
batter and placed near their haunts will
soon rid house of them, as they eat
greedily of the feast, which causes
| speedy death. Borax is especially OBJ
noxious to the blatta, and it is said they
will leave place where it is sprinkled.
While specializing upon the great dis
| tance the cockroach was from home, a
little insect ran swiftly across the desk.
| Its name, means ''silver fish" il is the
| little silvery insect SO often seen about
the edges of carpet and in musty places.
1t has for long time been considered
harmless, but lately is accused of eating
the bindings of books and labels or any
other matter which contains paste, OF
which, like the cockroach. it is very
fond.
In walking from the office to the
stable, two more insects were seen dead
upon. the sidewalk dragon-fly and a
beautiful beetle, known as the caterpil-
lar hunter. Both are of great use to
man, and it was with regret that their
death was noted.
| Everybody is familiar with the dragon
| fly, snake-feeder, devils darning-needle.
or whatever name it may be called. 1t
has large head ornamented by inn
mense eyes, and armed with a powerful
pair of jaws. Closely following are the
two pairs of wings projecting stiffiy at
right angles with the body, dry, harsh,
and rustling, but lace-like in their
transparent beauty.
Then follows the long pointed body
striped with green and ornamented at
the extremity with two feather-like ap-
pendages.
| They fly for hours over and about
| ponds, wheeling or sailing, or lowering
nearly motionless in one spot. They
are indeed beautiful.
Their food consists entirely of insects
which they catch and devour. 1t is
hard to compute the number of gnats,
mosquitoes. and flies one single dragon
fly can devour in one summer day.
They are perfectly harmless to man, and
entirely undeserving the relentless pur-
suit with towel or broom when one by
chance enters the room in quest of mos
quitoes or flies. One dragon fly will rid
a room OF mosquitoes in half an hour if
left to his own device, and it will pay
anyone not to kill hapless wanderer
which strays into his house, and whose
greatest desire is not to frighten the
timid inmates, but to escape to the
woods, brooks, and ponds, there to kill
and devour what is mans enemy and
dragons food.
The other insect found dead is not be-
hind this one in well doing. The cat
erpil1ar-hunter is little larger than a
June bug, fatter in the body, and with
a most brilliant green gold back bor-
dered with stripe of iridescent pink or
red.
This is swift runner, living largely
upon trees, over which it rapidly moves
seeking larvae and those little green
worms which do so much damage to
vegetation. 1t is probably no exaggera-
ton to say that one beetle will Kill a
quart of slugs and worms in a season.
The limits of space forbid the relating
OF journey but only commenced, but it
is enough for illustration of the fact
that one need not go far for specimens
and that lack of opportunity is not the
real cause of failure to pursue study of
this kind.
During the hours drive there were
seen eight different species of animals,
eleven kinds of birds, four of fishes, and
enough insects with which to keep one
cudgeling his brain to become acquaint-
ed, and some of which, if he knew too
| Intimately, might cause him to cease