Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1897-01-16
THE GAME GRAY SQUIRREL.
Timid and Wary, 1t Can Fight In Its Own
Defense.

The gray squirrel is no doubt the
gamiest quadruped that inhabits the
PENNSYLVANIA forests. TO lure the gray
squirrel from its haunts, or get within
range of the animal, is a task that re-
quires the skill of an experienced
hunter. There is as much difference in
the nature of the gray squirrels of the
forests and the gray squirrels OF the
parks as there is between the fierce
wild cats of the Rockies and the house
hold tabbies of New York. Agray SOUR.
rel is rarely seen on the ground. When
it wishes to change its position to a
neighboring tree it will hang to the
trunk within five feet of the ground,
then, surveying the surroundings, will
dart like lightning to the next tree and
soon be lost in the labyrinth OF
branches.
Although the gray squirrel is seem.
inglv the widest and most timid of
game animals, it displays great courage
when its home is invaded by an enemy,
A New Yorker wis had been hunting
in the Nippenoss valley, Lycoming coun.
ty, Pa, relates an interesting combat
between a gray squirrel and a LACK
snake. "My attention" he said, was
drawn to n rumpus of some sort in a
nearby oak tree. On making an in
vestigation l found a huge black snake
and gray squirrel in deadly combat.
The snake was making an attempt to
gain access to the squirrels nest, but
he had evidently undertaken n more
difficult task than he had %bargained for,
So ferociously and etfectually did the
courageous little animal attack the
snake that the long, 1.-the body relaxed
its hold on the limb and dropped to the
ground. All the fight was knocked ou'
of the snake by his dizzy fall, but the
squirrel was just getting warmed NJ
to his best fighting heat. He dartet
down the tree and took after his un
welcome intruder. lie then made an
other onslaught on the snake by claw
ing and biting it with his sharp claw.
and teeth. The squirrel ~cleverly avoided
the wicked strikes of his antagonist
The combatants approached to a few
feet of me before they observed my pres
ence, then they DISAPPEARED as quick a
lightning. Had not the fight been in
terrupted there would have been n
doubt one less reptile in LycominG
county."-N. Y. Mail and Express.
Turning Diamonds Into Graphite.
Elementary chemistry teaches u
that, as far as the nature Of the sub
stance composing them is concerned
there is almost no difference between
brilliant white diamond and the blacl
graphite forming the core of a lead
pencil. Both are simple forms of car
hon, and if we could readily turn on
into the other, the diamond woul,
cease to rank as the king of gems. Ii
fact, very Embellishments have recent
beenmadein this way by NJ. Moissan, tn
French chemist. Graphite can he dis
solved in molten ron, and when tn
iron cools the grapite crystallizes. B.
performing this operation in n particu
lar manner, which has heretofore bee
described In this column, NJ. Moissar
gets microscopic crystals, not O
graphite, but of diamond. Curiousl
!, enough, now that we know no,
graphite may be turned into diamond
il has also been discovered that dia
mond can be changed into graphite
This is effected by placing a damon
in an exhausted Crookes tube. In sue
n tube it is believed that invisible mole
, cules of matter are continually dartin
about, and these molecules produce
= ceaseless bo~mbardment on the surfac
of the diamond. After a time the effec
becomes visible in a black stain, @
crust, covering the diamond. On kan
nation this is found to be composed {
I eraphite.-Youth's Companion.