The Philipsburg mail., 1899-02-10

The University Of Pennsylvania has
act itself to answer some OF these
strange questions: Why do not mon
keys talk, when their vocal organs are
quite as perfect as those OF many hu-
man beings?
Why and how does the chameleon
change color?
Exactly how much honey will an in
dustrious bee gather in one day?
Do animals dream?
These and score OF other ZoOlOgi-
cal questions quite as interesting will
be studied in the new experimental
laboratory for live animals which the
University Of Pennsylvania is now con-
structing. Il will be the first in3titu
ton of tbs kind ever built as an ad-
junct to a college or university. There
will be cages for large animals, ayiar-
les for birds, lots for bats, aquariums
for fish, rooms for insects, and in all
Of these departments a maze Of ap-
paratus for carrying on experiments.
Scientists generally are viewing this
new departure Of the University of
Pennsylvania with much more than
ordinary interest, because it is hoped
that many Of the greatest problems in
animal life rill be solved by it. In the
past biologists have confined them
selves almost wholly to the compare
tive anatomy Of beasts, birds and in
sects without making any very sys
tematiC effort to Investigate their Curl
GUS habits, contrasts and traits, which
might, if explained, have a very def
nita bearing on the general problem Of
existence. Dosultcry efforts have been
made in the past, but no great insti-
tuition has hitherto taken up tho sub
tect On a comparative scale, conse-
uuently the experimental laboratory OF
the University OF Pennsylvania now
well under way, is looked upon with re-
markable interest.
Bees PhOtogra phed In Glass Hives
Just how the problems will be solved
has not yet been decided upon in all
cases, but some Of the proposed expert
ments are Interesting in prospect. For
instance, in the case Of the honey bee
It IS proposed to construct special OBJ
Eervation hives; for although this in
sect has been serving man for CEN
turies we are not nearly so intimate
With its habits as we might be. The
h<%es Will have glass windows, which
can Se opened on occasion and photo
graphs mad. OF what is going on inside.
1t is not known just how much honey
each bee will collect in the course of a
day, nor how long it will be gone on
each excursion among the flowers.
Special arrangements will be made for
ascertaining this information. From
the door Of each hive a long tube-like
pasaageway will lead, composed for the
most part of glass, but in places Of
wood and metal. In this tube or front
hallway Of the hive, there will be lit
tie vestibule or chamber in which the
bee can be confined momentarily on
his way in Or out Of the hive. The door
Of the vestibule will really be the plat
strument When bee starts to leave
the hive it will be allowed to walk
along the passageway, but when it
reaches the exit the-insect will find its
way obstructed by little glass door.
Immediately another glass door will be
slipped down behind the honey gather
er and then as it walks around the lit
tie chamber its weight can be had ac-
curately, the scale being adjusted to the
fraction of gram. Next a delicate
ink or other coloring substance on the
back Of the bee for the purpose of fu-
ture Identification, record being taken
of the color and shape of the shot Of
this coloring substance. The insect
will then be released and allowed to
proceed in quest of sweets. When it re-
turns note will be made Of how long
1t was absent and when it passes
through the vestibule it will again be
weighed, the increase being recorded
as equivalent to the amount of honey
gathered The different changes which
take place IN the Matching of drones
and workers among the bees will be
carefully studied; also the curious
method by which the bees are enabled
to construct" queen egg5 when the
regular queen eggs have been destroyed
and there is no resident queen to lay
others. The reason why bees live un-
der system Of pOlyandry will also be
traced to is origin, if possible.
ANT Hills with Windows.
Ants are given as much study as
bees. Large colonies will be established
IN and outside the animal house. They
will be induced to construct their nests
or hills in especially prepared places so
that at stated intervals the inside Of
the ant habitation may be examined at
will. Heretofore an intimate knowl-