The Daytona gazette=news. (Daytona, Fla.) 1901-1922, 1903-01-10

| lR Us BELIEFS.
| 90 =, = i + = se 1ssA1
| "a 80 & ] slllsek
| - pes11oooon AnDut 49, -
/ snnnsS 1zyanansa AuaDl eeouusna
| Annnnas - yAsse 0Ven~ 50
90 sAesD 90 rAsas 1a1nsA
II b eommooiy believed thak tsada
cause warts This b hassd 60 ~
following combination II facts: 49,
are the only common animals TIT 80
naturally covered with wartiks lnmea
They eject a clear liquid This = mp
posed to do something Warts appear
n,ysteriously, and no one ii able to ex-
plain the causes of their coming and
going. It 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 I'm water each possesses
swimming tail, but when 1t metamor-
phoses into frog or a toad 1t becomes
tailless. In fact. the tall does not
drop of. but II is absorbed and disap-
pears in the body, just as swelling
from a bump on the head disappears
Bow often do we hear that frogs and
toids 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. efectual-
ly concealing themselves In the most
common places during the daytime.
However, when q rain falls at such
time they appear by thousands. as II
by magic, and give the Impression Of
having fallen with rain.
There are doubtless more supersti-
lions concerning snakes than any other
,reatures. 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. "Ab 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 CT the so called
hair. Snakes are often supposed to
charm birds. but the fact is that the
featbered songsters are paralyzed by
fright when they suddenly see the rep
tiles at close proximity.
The common erroneous belief that
snakes sting or bite l5y means OF their
tongues may come from the Scriptural
quotation. 1t 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 nored adder, which when leased
will act as though dead and thus some
times tind protection. 1t is very COM
monty thought that snakes tails live"
OF are active until sundown. This arises
from the prolonged activity of the tail,
due to The reflex action Of the caudal
nerve ccnters, which may continue for
Il longer or shorter period owing to tenn
perature and other conditions Many
persons believe that there Is glass
snake or joint snake. which may be
broken to fragments when struck. but
can rcjont itself and live. This may
come from the fact that certain liz
ard (OphioSaurus ventralis) readily loses
its tail and while the body escapes the
caudal member wisgles and attracts
the attention of the pursuer.
The erroneous idea that turtles
breathe under water. aa 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 warm
blOodrd animals and their ability TO
store oxygen in their tissues and use II
as needed.
Both species of American cuckoos
genus coccyZus) build nests, contrary
To the popular belief. The error comes
from the fact that the European
cuckoo (cucuIusl builds no nests, but is
parasitic, laying It's rs in the nests
of other birds. as does our cowbird
(molothrus) The old idea that ~ sight
of the 0riole cures jaundice" doubtless
* connected with the yellow color of
the bird aud the homeopathic doctrine
Similia similibus curantur" Nike cures
like.
Most persons believe that owls. cats
and other nocturnal animals can see
in absolute darkness. This error arises
from the fact that In these animals the
pupil OF the eye is YcTy large or diiata
bic. ANA in subducd or very feeble
light they can see much better than
can man. One can readily demonstrate
the rallacy of the suppositlon 10y tax