The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1891-02-14

Myron w. Reed. The duck Is
sociable bird and II Is good 70 eat, but
there are vastly more ducks than
hawks Ducks cooperate. They flock.
they have their labor unions. they
have their night sessions. have
heard the noise OF their evening de-
bates on the kankakee marsh. and
have seen the result in the morning.
not duck left All on their way out
OF the bad lands OF frost and gun
powder They do as men do. throw
lime dust In one another's eyes.
beetles are low order OF citizen.
but they help one another. They must
have decayiug organic matter TO lay
their eggs in and thus 10 provide the
Matched children with food. but that
matter must not decay too rapidly.
When one beetle has discovered tho
corpse OF a mouse or OF bird which
II could hardly manage to bury alone
IL calls four. six or ten other beetles
To assist In the burial. Together they
transport the corpse to n suitable soft
ground, and they bury IL in very
considerable way. without quarreNng
as 10 which OF them will enjoy the
privilege OF laying its eggs In the
buried corpse.
Some land crabs OF the West
Indies combine in large swarms in
order to travel 10 the sea. and 10 de-
post therein their spawn. that implies
concert cooperation and mutual sup
port DIR. Erasmus Darwin states that
the common crab. during the moult-
ing season. stations sentinel. an
unmoulted or hnrd-sheiled individual.
TO prevent marine enemies from ipjur-
ing moulted individuals ia their I'M
protected state l have hunted
good many days. as boy, the sandhill
crane. never found him alone or
asleep. The flock feed but the senti-
nels are out The piczctline is made.
They have a sharper longer vision
than any boy with gun. They also
apparently know the difference be-
tween shotgun ana rifle. They
know the exuct minute in which TO
light out.
IAN ants nest Is study ia cooper
alton. Every ant is under obligation
10 share its food. although swallowed.
with every member of the community
which may apply for II. III an an,
which has its crop full has been selfish
enough TO refuse feeding 10 hungry
comrade IL will be treated rs m
enemy.
The ants hold their own agains;
crickets, grasshoppers, spiders. beetles
and wasps. Their force is In mutual
support and mutual confidence They
rally on tho center Tho individual
ant is nothing by himself. but an ant
hill is TO be respected. IL is organized.
A tarantula has about rs much poison
Ia him as anything know. captur.
cd one Ia Arizona. put him in an empty
pickle bottle and corked him In. The
next day we were I'm camp and turn
ed loose my captive tarantula on
nest OF red ants. They we're ready
for him. About four OF them TO each
OF his feet pinned him TO the earth
and then the rest in scientific manner
disarticulated him and put him ia the
cellar. / was really sorry for him.
To be sorry for tarantula is about az
far as sorrow will go. But the red an,
Is uniformed. organized and drilled.
There Is no end 10 the study OF
bees. by working in common they
multiply individual force. The
pelican Is sociabIe and thrifty bird.
In fishing these birds form wide hals
circle In face OF the shore and narrow
1t like net catching all fish that
happen TO be In the circle. Sparrows
are soclable and well organized for
mutual help,
"A Greek orator once said: While
l am speaking 10 you. sparrow has
come here to tell other spnrrows that
slave has dropped on the noor a sack
OF grain and they arc all come here TO
seed.
Suppose out on our plains there is n
bunch OF cattle and few calves, and
few coyotes loahug about II is
doubtless your observation that the
whole herd will organize TO protect
those calves against murder. Tho
beaver is a social animal. They organ
ize 10 cut down trees and build dam.
One beaver by himself can do nothing.
Aluny beavers can do wonderful ihirQs.
They can make a big sufficient home
for community Of beavers But
must end this thing. Ants combine
aud birds aud beavers aud they pros
per-