Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1903-02-26
ERRONEOUS BELIEFS.
ODD NOTIONS ABOUT ANIMALS THAT
ARE BORN OF IGNORANCE.


1t is commonly believed that toads
cause warts. This is based upon the
following combination of facts: Toads
are the only common animals that are
naturally covered with wartlike Jumps
They eject a clear liquid. This is sup
posed to do something Warts appear
mysteriously. and no one is able to ex-
| plain the causes of their coming and
going. 1t is enormously inferred that
| they are produced By this wart bear
| ing, nocturnal creature with peculiar
habits, upon the basis of the doctrine
| that like produces like" The com
mon belief that tadpoles shed their
| tails has for its origin the facts that
while living in water each possesses a
| swimming TAIL but when it metamor
phoses into frog or toad it becomes
! tailless. In fact. the tail does not
| drop off, but it is absorbed and disap-
| pears in the body, just as swelling
| from a bump on the head disappears
| How often 90 we hear that frogs and
| toads have fallen with rain, and almost
| every July we may read accounts of
| such phenomena. These may have for
| their basis the fact that during the
month of July toads change from the
| tadpole stage and aquatic habitat to
| the adult form and terrestrial habitat
and then migrate landward in great
numbers. They are active only at
night or during hot weather, effectual
| ~ concealing themselves in the most
common places during the daytime.
| However, when a rain falls at such a
time they appear by thousands, as if
| by magic, and give the impression Of
| having fallen with rain.
There are doubtless more supersti-
tons concerning snakes than any other
creatures. This arises in part from the
! traditions Of the form of the original
tempter and in part from the fact that
| but very few persons are willing to
calmly observe serpents for themselves
and learn the truth directly. We have
met persons who believe that all snakes
are venomous. This doubtless comes
from the old Roman rule, cab uno disco
omnes." How prevalent is the belief
that horse hairs turn to snakes! There
is no other foundation for this error
than the resemblance of the SO called
hairsnake (gordius) to a common horse
hair. Snakes are often supposed to
charm birds, but the fact is that the
feathered songsters are paralyzed by
fright when they suddenly see the rep
tiles at close proximity.
The common erroneous belief that
snakes sting or bite by means of their
tongues may come from the Scriptural
quotation, at stingeth like an adder
The supposition that snakes bite them
selves and die is doubtless based upon
the actions of certain species, like the
hog nosed adder, which when teased
will act as though dead and thus some
times find protection. 1t is very com
monty thought that snakes tails tive
or are active until sundown. This arises
from the prolonged activity Of the tail
due to the reflex action Of the cauda
nerve centers, which may continue fol
a longer or shorter period owing to tenn
perature and other conditions. Many
persons believe that there is a glass
snake or joint snake, which may be
broken to fragments when struck, but
can rejoint itself and live. This may
come from the fact that a certain liz
ard (Ophiosaurus ventralis) readily loses
it's tail, and while the body escapes The
caudal member wiggles and attract:
the attention of the pursuer.
The erroneous idea that turtles
breathe under water, as do fishes, is de
rived from the observations of theil
| having remained submerged for some
, hours. But this is made possible By
: their lung capacity, their limited neet
of oxygen compared with that Of warn
blooded animals and their ability t.
store oxygen in their tissues and use i
as needed.
Both species of American cuckoo'
genus coccyzus) build nests, contrary
to the popular belief. The error come;
from the fact that the European
/ cuckoo (cuculus) builds no nests, but i:
parasitic, laying its eggs in the nest;
, of other birds, as does our coWbir(
molothrus). The old idea that "a sigh
of the oriole cures jaundice" doubtless
is connected with the yellow color o.
the bird and the homeopathic doctrine
'Similia similibus curantur" Qike cures
like.
Most persons believe that owls, cat
| and other nocturnal animals can SCI
? in absolute darkness. This error arises
= from the fact that in these animals TIT
pupil of the eye is very large or dilata
BILE, and in subdued or very feeble
light they can see much better thar
can man. One can readily demonstrate
: the fallacy of the supposition by tax
t ing an owl or other nocturnal ANNA
| into a perfectly dark room, as we hav'
2 done, and touching it with the hand
: 1t does not move, even though it be al
untamed animal Cats and other noe
turnal animals are enormously though
to emit light from their eyes because
when looking toward the light thu
crystalline lens of the eye produces {
5 glaring reflection. The ideas that swans
: sing when dying and moles open thei
/ eyes at the time of death are handed
down from the writings of Pliny ant
, represent ignorance of the facts o
, zoology.
We were once seriously asked by
teacher, eat what age do the ittl
lambs tails drop offY He had accu
9 rately observed that the tails of tn
4 lambs are long, while those of the oil
sheep are short, and he had obtained
false idea, which is, however, preva
lent. OF course he was shocked t.
learn that sheep raisers amputate tn
tails to prevent the soiling of the wool