The suburban citizen., 1900-04-07

lively race war between the Mongo
aud the descendant Of the Malay.
CURIOUS FACTS.
Many marvellous escapes have oc
Cured in South Africa. One man was
hit in the right thumb, tho left little
finger aud the tip Of the ear; he haC
also a Craze under tho chin. He was
hit four times aud scarcely marked.
Mexico has a clever bird called the
melanarpes, which, has discovered
new use for the telegraph pole. AZ
the foot Of the pos! this bird makes s
large hcle, inwhich il rear5 its family
somewhat higher UP the post it makes
an observatory, srcm which borec
holes permit it 20 observe the horizon
in every direction; still higher this
sagacious bird makes its storehouse,
aud TINS the pole serves as its house
fortress and warehouse.
The witch house, which is still re-
garded with great interest and awe al
Salem, Mass, is supposed TO be the
oldest building in that part Of the
country, the reputed date of its con
struction being 1851. Modern addi
tions from time to time have almost
changed it's identity The witch
house is where people suspected OF
practicing the black art were tried
The original building had peaked
gables and was Of very ancient style
of architecture. The present structure
is no more than a remiuiscence.
At Winchester, England, a curious
custom was IN vogue, which, while
not without its humorous aspect, was
particularly trying to the luckless
novice. Hailed before q committee Of
seniors, he ewas solemnly asked whether
he was Of the "fouuder's kim i. e.
Of the family of William of Wykeham,
No matter what the answer might be
whether "yes" or "no, its accuracy
was tested by "breaking," or attempt
ing to break, a plate over mis- head
the theory being that ii the plate broke
first his ancestry was clearly proved
An even more barbarous bit OF bully
ing, once freely INDUCED in, was tt
''dt' the unlucky wight with q 'pai
OF tin gloves" This consistedin scor
ing his hands with n red-hot taggot.
stick by way Of breaking hsm in tt
handle heGted Things.
! enclose a hastily made sketch of
phenomenon witnessed by myself
Rev. w. II. Laird, Mrs Laird, tw,
brothers, ono sister and the family
servants, writes E. G.. Lind, of leene
Va, to the Baltimore Sun The SKY
was slightly overcast In the cast th,
sun shone brightly. On either side
at the comparative distances shown il
my sketch were two suns--fainter IL
tone, but quite distinct. Above these
with a centre cutting the centre Of tn,
true sun, was a distinct rainbow, abov,
this another, and to the right two rain
bows, whose arcs met at a tangent in
clned as yoU see on sketch. The ray
of these two ares were continued il
feathery lines toward the horizon til
lost in the cloudy atmosphere. Th'
display was first noticed by the col
ored boy Of the house, who came in tt
notify me, and it continued for more
than half an hour, when the sun dissi
pated the clouds and The phenomenon
vanished.
There is little insect found in New
Caledonia called the insect which
counts, and which seems capable o.
counting to at least six. II is fount
OH the leaves of the banana tree, an6
when the moment is favorable it MAJ
be seen to turn around, with it's head
IA q centre, describing rapid circles
st first il executes six of them, moi
one more nor one less, then it reycrso'
the movement and makes the same
number in an opposite direction. II
stops a moment and begins again, but
makes only FIVE this timo, always nj.
ternately in opposite directions. An.
other stop, then double rotation in al.
teruate ways, the turns this time be
ing only four, aud so on, diminishing
constantly in such u way TO success.
iyely three, then two and at last one
single turn. After these gymnastic
exercises, which are at the same time
mathematical, tho insect remains alb
solutely motionless until it gives itself
up again to its complicated calcula
tions with an oxactitudo which many
people might envy.
Users OF gas and electric lights will
soon be able to put in a little knick
knack by which the gas or electric
light can be put out at n predeter
mined time by ailixing the apparatus
About 1850 tons OF flowers are aunu.
ally raised on 5000 acres Of land in
southern France Tor the psrfumers.