Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1892-01-16

'!us, OF Them COmpIetely Exploded,
hnt Snnsc SUI GMrIIv-.

fIOst bhrm EtpiFsf's
bo, Sopse SIM Suryiv-.
Less than Il century ago, IN the time
hen men I'd not penetrated So deeply
utn the study of nature, there was "a
rrat deal Of poetry and romano" con-
lied with animal life that had been
.,,. sly but surely driven out as the study
u .anced.
Travellers returning from unexp'or"d
rn2iunS tod strange and incredible stories
tDout the wonderful wild animals they
uai encountered; but investigation has
sent asunuer these fanciful tales, and
,eft only cold facts in their places.
am the owner of natural history
written by one Riley, and published
about the year 1889. 1t is quaint rid
5ook, and its yellow leaves and oid type
furnish the reader with a number of
strange accounts. Among other things
may be found something like the follow
jng: "The digestive apparatus of the
ostrich is said to be very strong indeed,
that bird not only being bic to digest such
'hngs as stones. bits of glass, and iron.
nut it is even said that it makes a good
meal of live bed of Goals.
We laugh at such a statement, but no
fouht at the time of publication it was
stated for fact.
What right have we to laugh? 1t ls
DOT long since almost every one believed
the porcupine capable of shooting its
iuills like arrows, and regarded it an
animal well able to defend itself against
almost any foe, instead of the quiet. in.
offensive little creature that curls itsclt
IL q bail at the first approach of an enemy.
trusting solely to its spine covered skin
Cor protection.
Men who have lived only short tins
before us did not question but what ti,e
pretty. graceful swallows that skinned
" lightly DER the blue waters in summer
Buried themselves i'll the mud at tie
bottom of our rivers and ponds when the
season was over to await the return OF
spring.
1t has been but short time since ir-
reStigation has shown that the supposed
nappy family made up Of the prairie dog.
he burrowing owl, and the rattlesnake is
not only not happy family bat does not
axiSt at all. Gu first idea was that these
three animals, of such different habits.
lived in perfect harmony, like the sc
"aiIcd happy families of the modern Cir
MS: bat our faith in this belief is some-
what shaken by the following, which
may he found in Woods Natural His.
tory" According popular belief these
dire" creatures live very harmoniously
~, lhrr: hut observation has shown
sat the Suake and the owl are interlop-
..r>, living in the buTrow because the
-..,or owner can not turn them out. and
ding an easy subsistence on the young
ajrie dogs.
III Judge the astouishmeut created when
lott Cones. in one of his Latest writings.
81; l,r> the following statement IN speak
~ Of the burrowing owl: Il have found
r'unies in Kansas and other States, in
I'll cases occupying the deserted burrows
til" Qna 'rupeds, not living i'll common
tn th"'n as usually supposed.
Nnturalist> are now telling us that tie
opossum does not play possum. but is
'n"rely paraIyzed with fear for the time
hoing; artclesare published every day in
HliI ornlthoioGlcal pap rs ami magazines
which go to prove that owls can see
!uaIly as we'll by day as by night II is
ill an undecided question whether
snakes "charm" their prey ornot In the
Western backwoods these old storie, arr
Till believed in, the ignorant classes elm;
Vi ith fondness to them, and will not learn
anything different, and down in our own
hearts do we not all of us cling to them.
nora or less? Do we not hate to give
',tem up, and is it not with "a little r."
ret that we are forced to acknnWied g
..at the porcupine does not shoot his
.ulIs, that the bird of paradise really
,es feet and legs and that our natioua:
bird, the white headed eagle. is far from
;he noble bird we once thought him to
.c?--Forest and Stream.