The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-01-26

stalks solemnly along in the gutter, oc-
casionally stepping up on the sidewalk
in the European quarter as IL he OBJ
served something of interest in the
shop windows. II he gets in your way
he budges not an inch, and for you is
reserved the privilege of taking the
curb. But, like the crow, his best work
is done in the bazaars of the native
quarter, where he demolishes many a
germ-breding pile which has escaped
the inspectors notice, and thus often
prevents an outbreak of cholera. With
snakes, too, he Is not upon friendly
terms, and his long bill no doubt often
destroys a nest of cobras in the sub
urbs.
That he is a bird possessed of much
patience may be noted by his actions
round the burning CHATS. Undoubtedly
this virtue would be an extra feather
in his moral plumage were 1t not d.
rected toward a gruesome object. 1t
being the desire of every pious Hindu
that his body after death shall rest in
the sacred Gauges or one of its trib-
utares i'm order that this sentimental
idea may be carried out in conformity
with the preservation Of public health,
the authorities provide CHATS, or burn
ing places, for the dead on the banks,
so that the ashes may be cast into
the river. This, according to the Hin
du belief, insures q certain entry into
heaven, though by a less speedy route
than if the body had been given to
the river without previous disintegra-
ton. Consequently many bodies are
struggled into the river, and 1t is for
these the adjutant bird so patiently
watches. For days he will wait around
the CHATS, first standing on one leg
and then on the other with an air so
distracted that he might be likened
to a Brahman ascetic wrapt in pro-
found meditation and constantly re-
peating to himself passages from the
Vedas. But unlike the native official,
whose duty it is to prevent such hap
penings and who has probably received
q fee to cover his eyes at the proper
moment. the adjutant birds eyes are
wide open, and before long he will be
seen sailing down the Hugh with his
talons buried i'm dark form just wish
BILE above the muddy waters. At this
sight the relatives Of the deceased take
much consolation, because they be-
leve that the wings of the bird viii
bear the soul of the departed in the
swiftest manner to heaven.
-s-e-e--
The phenomenon of "waltzing."
which is best seen if a circular object
waltz round, is due in part to confine-
ment within narrow limits. Says a
writer in Science Gossip: Il notice
that by keeping these mice in a COM
paratively large space, on u table OF
about square yard, they gradually
begin to spin less and less. When l
purchased them they used scarcely to
run about, but kept on spinning fran
tically After six or seven months
they ran about just like other mice,
only occasionally interrupting their
course by one swing round. At the
end OF this period, having to travel
during a few months and not being
able to allow the mice much space,
placed them in a very small cage and
had the pleasure of seeing them reac-
quire their characteristic spinning mo-
ton. / learn from a friend who has
been to Japan that these mice are
kept In great numbers as pets in that
country, but always in very small
cages, and thus conclude that the
spinning has been acquired by dint Of
habit from generation after generation
always having to turn round and