The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1901-08-09
Science
Bl - NNO
! s9ss41ventiOn

AT Kimmswick, Mo, an extraordi
nary deposit of the bones and tusks Of
mastodons has been discovered. Al
though but small portion Of the de-
post has been worked by the paleon-
tologists who discovered it, the remains
already unearthed represent between
200 and 300 individuals. Mastodons
Of all ages and sizes are included in
the collection.
Prof S. II. Vines, president Of the
Section Of Botany in the British Assoc
citation, referred in a recent address to
the force by which water is raised
from the roots to the topmost leaf Of
lofty tree, and remarked that it
must be regretfully confessed that one
more century has closed without bring
ing a solution Of the old problem Of
the ascent Of the sap. One Of the sug-
gested explanations requires that in Il
tree 12O feet tall the Transportation
force must equal a pressure Of 800
pounds to the square inch. But Prof.
Vines says there is no evidence that
tension of anything like such an
amount exists in a transpiring tree.
Now that special efforts are being
made to exterminate mosquitoes. ow-
ing to the belief that certain species
of those insects are responsible for the
spread of malaria, the fact that small
fish are great destroyers Of mosquito
larvae assumes increased interest. This
fact is vouched for by DR.. L. o. How
ard of the Department of Agriculture
He tells Of two small lakes formed
nearly side by side in Connecticut by
an invasion of the sea. one of which
contained half a dozen small fish
while the other was fishless. Suisse
quent examination revealed tens OF
thousands of mosquito larvae in the
fshless lake. but the other contained
not one.
All snakes lay eggs. Some snakes
hatch out their eggs before deDositinl
them. Thus there is distinction. Tit
egg layers are said to be oviparous. thu
others viviparous. Viper, indeed. II
derived from that reptiles supposed
habit of producing it's young alive, bu
no matter what the species. ever,
snake egg. as soon as formed. begin
to hatch. Thus it matters little as t
when or how they are extruded. Bar
ring accidents, there is very sure to b
a fine brood of young snakes at
very early date. While the youn
snakes are very small the mother reI
tile guards them vigllantly. Upon tn
approach of imminent danger she open
her mouth and lets her young run dow
her throat.
Monsieur Delaney of the Frenc
Academy of Sciences has just al
nounced the result of a curious inve
tigation concerning the 'preferre
numbers" of the inhabitants of diffe
ent countries. The basis of the inve
tigation is a study of the various d
nominations of money. postage STAMP
and other measures. 1t appears tn;
nearly all races show a marked prefe
ence for the numbers two" "thre,
and Give" and their multiples. b
the 4NOAQ AAAE nuuAb
three" Neither in Turkey nor
Persia" says Monsieur Delaune
docs one find a trace of this humble
and it is scarcely found in Egypt
Among the French and other Lat
= peoples two" and five" are mo
( popular than three" while the En-
:, fish prefer 1.-TWO" and three" and d
u Germans three" and five" The CT
i nese resemble the Latin race in the
6 choice. while the people Of India ha
C. a strong liking for two" The nul
e Der "seven" is most used in RusSia al
L other Slavic countries. The high
II numbers are not much used except
Spanish countries. as I'll" in Sally
dor. III" in Mexico. 49, in Spain a
81" in the Philippines The people
- Hawaii are said to be quite fond
!, "13."