The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1903-01-09
ERR :NE EO'TJs BEIlIi
ODD tOt'.p-1O'sNyso9T7loMs NOT Ut ANIMALS t
ARE BORN OF IGN RANCE.

ODD NOTIONS ARo our A,siMALssTb 4 ii
ARE BORN OF 4 ieNo oRANc i5sS SsS
Some superstitions AboutSTonds z nd
snakes Explained Ayvny-N natI, {tss.s
Animals and Their Eyes x Lam Gti \ ~ ~
md sheep and Their TniIs.
It is commonly believed that t,kdass
cause warts. This is based upon She
following combination of facts; IT !, ;ll;
are tho only common animals tnSt ro
naturally covered with wartlilte l,l,F!,s.
They eject a clear liquid. This IS ,,,.r,-
posed to do something. Warts up, M,
mysteriously, and no one is able 10 ex.-
plain the causes of their coming unl
going. 1t Is enormously. Inferred that
they arc produced by this wert bear
Ing, nocturnal creature with peculiar
habits. upon the basls Of the doctrine
that 'like produces like" Tie com
mon belief that tadpoles shcd their
tails has FOR Its origin the facts that
while living in water each possesses q
swimming tail, but when it mc,amcv.
phoses into frog or tond it becomes
tailless. In fact. the tail does aoe
drop off, but 1t is absorbed and Glea,-
pears In the body, just as swelling
from a bump on the head disc ppenrs
How often do we hear that frogs end
toads have fallen with rain. and olInosr
every July we may read accounts cf
such phenomena. These may have for
their basis the fnct that durIug the
month nP 1,,1x fno Io o1,o d.. -
tadpole stage and aquatic hat:tRt 10
the adult form and terrestrial habitGt
and then migrate landwnrd In great
numbers. They nre active cnly :c
night or during hot weather, eftectuai-
ly concealing themselves in the lncst
common places during the dcytioit.
However, when n rain falls nt such a
time they appear by thousands, ap &c
by magic, and give the impres coli az
having fallen with rain.
There are doubtless more snpcrstl.
tons concerning snakes than ary other
creatures. This arises in part from, Tho
traditions of the form Of the original
tcmptcr and in pnrt from the fnct that
but very few persons nre willing 10
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 uIo disco
omncs." How prevalent is the bcli.4
that horse hairs turn to snakes! There
Is no other foundation for thia error
than the resemblance Of the SC calla:i
hairsnake (gordiug to common horse.
hair. Snakes are often supposed 20
charm birds. but the fact is that the
feathcred songsters are paral5 zed by
fright when they suddenly see .ha rep
tiles Mt close proximity.
The common erroneous belief tnat
snakes sting or bite by means OF Their
tongues may come from the Scripturai
quotation, "lt stingeth like IN ldtlaT.ii
The suppostlon that snakes bite thclp-
selves and die Is doubtless based ul,on
tho actions OF certain species, like the
hog noscd adder, which when tcasej
will net as though dead and thus some
times find protection. 1t Is very COM
monty thought that snakes tails ''iS.,1e
or are active until sundown. This arises
from the prolonged activity OF the tn;l,
due to the reflex action Of the cnu,fa &
nerve centers, which may continua .or
longer or shorter period OWNS Ia ten
i1c"a'Urc end nili ccn,Ilions
persons arIicvc tba. thGra IS II rlas.s
shake OF ioiAi sunlt viich may "
G.oF'n q fragments whcn struck bu
can ejphit itseti and llYa li,ig
come from ;le tact thar n co.tnin In
aru DpniusuufuS NcIA!;tlis. readily lUsns
It's tail, and while the body escape tic
caudal member wiggles and attracts
the attention of the pursuer.
The erroneous idea that tuttics
breathe under water, MS do fishes, Is de-
rived from the observations of their
having remained submerged for some
hours. But this is made possible by
their lung capacity. their limited need
Of oxygen compared with that OF ,ny1l
Dlooded animals and their abill. &.
store oxygen In their tissues and lsa J :.
MS needed.
Both species of American c,Gioos
genus coccyzus) build nests, contrarv
to the popular belief. The error cjrnes
from the fact that the EuIuErln
cuckoo (cuculus) builds no nests, b'.I Is
parasitic, laying It's eggs in the lic.ls
Of other birds, MS does our cowbttd
(molothrus). The old idcn that 81 sisnt
Of the oriole cures jaundice" doubtless
Is connected with the yellow coin ur
the bird and the homeopathic d5tcine
"Simila similibus curantur" Qiku cures
like.
Most persons believe that owls, oats
and other nocturnal animals car SEQ
In absolute darkness. This erro arssta
from the fact that In these amin is lilo
pupil Of the eye is very large or dlIat..
Bile. and In subdued or very ft.hlla
light they can sec much bette tlign
can man. One can readily dcmonstrate
the fallacy OF the supposition Us tax
ing an OWL or other nocturnal s!iiElni
into n perfectly dark room, as We ,nlTc
done, and touching 1t with the uura
1t does not move, even though 1t he an
untnmed animal. Cats and othtr noe.
turnal aninnls arc erroncously Thought
to emit light from their eyes b4cadsc
when looking toward the light Tic
crystalline lens Of the eye producaa
glaring reflection. The ideas that Hn1s
sing when. dying and moles opel' i.ihr
eyes ut the time Of death are Landcd
down from the writings of Pliny AnA
represent ignorance Of the facts o9
zoology.
We were once seriously asked by q
teacher, "At what age do tho littlc
lambs tails drop OFF," He had pccu.
rntp1y observed thOt tbo fatts ~ tl{o