Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1895-12-12

u esns - = . DsEsnsiss A1snst $1,000 -

+ =
= sans Il = Ds1snslss 49, 11a111s
Hssa and ncaes n. III
Osteologist Lucas of thD Naei66l
museum II pxeparing nv lEh1n1
which is designed to show Tho yarlooD
notifications Of tho akin q antmah
To begin with. there will - Q1ssr
sort Of alligator from South AmeEtoA
called the .'jacari. 1t b quite different
from any alligator from North Amsrica. Y
belonging to o peculiar genus that has
bony plates on tho under side % we'll -
on tho upper side Of the BODY. This ~
distinguishing mark ct the txibA 0uch
alligators a. are known elsewhere n tho
world being thus armored only On their
backs. Tho armor plates Il the alliga-
tors are Of true bone-the same sort q
bone al that Of tho animals akelee0u.
II you will examine tho skin On tho
back Of your hand, you will find that =
is corrugated and broken mp With nm
lines in such way that you can ees1ly
imagine its texture transformed ~ -
aggeration into scales. Now. you hayo
only to gaze upon an armadillo inotd9
60 SEQ such q modification Of tho Sdn
In Africa Is found = yet mores0ok3o0t
animal. called the .Manis mactueA
which is the most scaly OF all 90
beasts. From the tip Of its nose 70 X.
end Of very long tail It II clad & az,
horny scales that overlap one IN ner
When alarmed, 1t curls itself q. INTO =
tight ball. and the scales being quite
sharp it is pretty safe agaiues at.aok.
In this case also tho soa' ar4 only
modified akin. Il II worth ientt10f1G
BY the way, that the N.Ais sla1Epsa
possesses greater num- : Of "sfeodeD
than any other marnr
Mr.. Lucas will III h, !. the 0an1o
case with the iacari .ad tte aSf1adt1D1s
. 'scheltopusic. p Tnis I. . lizard Aum
Sicily. The casual observer .sould taes
Il for snake, its legs being rudfMan-
tary and concealed beneath it, akin. To
entire body of the reptile 10 oovsrod
with little plates Of bone. Asin tho cas-
Of the alligator, above described. the
bony plates OF the lizard are merely
modified skin. The same 10 true q IT,
very remarkable ''boxfish" Of the W1a
Indies, which is clad In complies
armor Of six sided plates ct bone. which
arc fastened to the skull and 70 tn
bases of the dorsal and anal nna An
odd point about this fab - that e can.
not bend its body at all. tho vsrtshga
save only three or four nanr the ta1i. ~
ing fused together. Tllns the backbone
10 . solid rod. 4s.t.S
Tho scales Of the nrmadillo -. &
bone, covered with horn. tho bone and
the horn corresponding respectively q
the trne skin and tho epidermis q =
human being or other animal. 6cny
plates and spines arc modi locations q ~
true skin, while horn is modified eDfd1g-4
mis-. Human beings sometimes develop
horns, but they are abnormal growtaa
Another queer fish that will DO shOseu
In connection with this exhibit il -
''globefish, :" which is found IN watG1D
Oh the coast Of South Carolina. i -
| clad In an armor Of interlockod sp9ue1
which are made to stand erect . -
will of tho animal. thus rendering -
latter nm unattractive moFsel - swal.
low. In world like this, whore 0vsgy
living creature 10 the prey md food O.
others, animals are often obliged 70 put
| ON coats Of mail Il they would suxvtvA
Mr.. Lucas will make fur and fsath-
ers part Of the exhibit FSashaD -
hair aro tho same thing. di6erently
modified, of course. A stuffed and 1sst-
full porcupine will illustrate tbo 1act
that mammals as well q birds have
quilts. This is true Of several species u
mammals, notably the European hsdoe.
hog. which IL = disagreeabls crsaturo! -
handle without gloves. Awhile 80
there were couple Of poroupinss n -
SOCIOLOGICAL collection n the roar q ~
Smithsonian institution. Ono q 49,
assailed an attendant and stuck adOut
| 80 Of its quilts into his legk He (the r..
tendant. not the porcupine) told . yEitel
for The Star that the quilts cAmo1n1 q
the porcupine much more sasilH 60
| they came ont Of his leo. -Waehin0t
Star.