Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-06-22
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zone Of the strange effects that diving
has upon those who practice it," said
diver to the writer recently, lis the in
variable bad temper felt while working at
the bottom, and as this irritablity passes
away as soon as the surface is reached
again it Is only reasonable to suppose that
il is caused by the unSual pressure of air
inside the dress, affecting probably the
lungs. and through them the brain My
experience has been that while below one
may fiy into the most violent passion 1T the
merest trife, for instance. the lifeline held
t1o tight or too slack. too much air or too
little. or some imaginary wrongdOinS on
tn" part of the tender or men above. will
often cause the temper to rise. | have
sometimes become so angry In similar
way that | have given the signal to pull up
with tn. express intention of knocking the
heads off the entire crew. but the sur
face was reached and the weight of air de-
creased. my feelings have gradually under
gone a change for the better until by the
time | reached the ladder and had the face
glass unscrewed I had forgotten for what
/ came up
English sparrows are the most daring
little robbers in the world said one of the
guides who ushers visitors through the
White House grounds and public buildings
in the city Il have often watched them
few days ago 1 never thought they would
be so bold In the White House grounds
are a large number of very large black
birds When the ground is Wet these birds
dig worms out of holes with their long bills.
The sparrow cannot do this because of his
short bill The other day | saw one of the
White House hlackbirdS induStriOuSly at
work digging into the ground for a worm
Not far away from him and tntently
watching the operation was a saucy little
sparrow. All at once the sparrow darted
toward the blacSbird there was 4 short
scrimmage, and the sparrow flew away
with long worm in its mouth The little
rascal had deliberately watched the black
bird pull the worm out of the hole and had
th-u stolen il from the larger bird, Y hich
seemed too surprised afterward - know
what 10 do Since then have watched the
same thing on several occasions.
x
The ophidiarium of the National Museum
is invaded by few sightseers. though those
that 81 there may get many thrills. The
ophidiarium is that section of the museum
set apart for The exhibition Of snakes. The
snakes exhibited there do not bite. or
writhc. OF run. They are counterfeit pre-
sentiments wrought in plaster. but so deft-
~ wrought as frequently To- deceive. The
CDloring and cOiliUg are realistic. The ok
hibits Of peculiar interest to Wash!ngto
-dl4S are those casts from ftpIllt > nd
tive TO the District of Columbia, Maryland
and Virginia. From the District there is
big pilot snake long. thick and nearly
black. looking very much like the gopher
snake of the far south Then there is a
representative of the boa family in the
form OF a long slender black snake cap
tured in the District. The District has also
contributed a dusky salamander. a little
8zlrI-like reptile. As representatives of
the District there are also TWO big bull
frogs II pale green. dull orange and mud
iy white. In the Maryland collection there
: y-romous spreading red adder cap
tUr-l near Laurel: a curious chain snake,
strong and wicked, marbled salamander
from Laurel. and a rare little red-baCk
Salamaudrr from WOodside. Virginia has
contributed a green queen snake. caught
az Arlington. a large garter snake. cap
f'red III Fairfax county; d water snake
rom Alexandra county, a red-liEe horn
So AXE from Arlington, a red snake from
Itl!s Cross Roads. and a tiny green snake.
The exhibit Is without a Maryland Viz
slnIst rattler. copperhead or viper
\ few Of the Florida snakes shown are a
Dc banded RATHER ugly water mOccasins.
a funny harlequin snake covered with red
s'ad back squares. yellow chicken snake.
"ttrr snake garter snake, chain snake.
scarlet snake. horn snake and a yellow
'.srhwhip with a black head
There Is a siren. black and eeI-like from
oakley, ). O.: a Congo snake a hel!bender
t-"M Pennsylvania. GiIa monsters from
thr southwest. a fox snake and hog
-'S-d snake from Iowa.
.r the turtle collection there are great
.'Sser-heads. diamond back and red-beI-
-.,d terrapIns from Maryland soft-shell
turtles from Georgia. western box turtles
rom Illinois. Eicatees from Jamaica and
many varieties Of the gopher from FIori-
ga and Texas.
=
rive girls employed in one of the large
G"wn-town stores which allows it's en-
poyes half an hour for lunch filed past
the cashier OF a coffee room the other day
or their way to the street. One of them
laid down two dimes and a check and