The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-02-18
ASTOR'S BEAR DOG
ExC|TES SCIENTISTS
General Opinion Seems to Be
that Mixing of Genera
Is Impossible.

New York, Feb. 1s.-Colonel John
Jacob Aston. who Is usually regarded
~ OF serious turn OF mind In mat
tcrs pertaining to science and inven-
ton and not given to practical joking.
has succeeded In stirring up scientists
over the question Of whether animals
OF different genera can produce acrea.
ture that Is neither one nor the other,
but retains semblance OF both. He
asserts that he has a wonderful ami
NAL which he calls a "bcar-dog," pur
chased a few years ago III Europe
some gypsics. which he believes to be
part bear and part dog.
Scientists here who have heard Col.
oneI Astor's story say that he must be
mistaken, that no such things as
bear-dog. in the sense Colonel Astot
uses the term, can be produced.
But Colonel Aston Is very much in
earnest about his wonderful bear-dog
and the great possibilities such an an.
final opens TO the world of science
He Is so deeply interested that he has
offered prize of $1,000 for the best
bear-dog to be entered In this ycar's
dog show as Madison Skuarc garden,
provided the owner presents a certifi.
cate OF the bear.dog's genuinenesa
from the natural history department
OF Harvard. Yale, Columbia. or Prince.
ton university.
DIR. William +. Hornaday. director
Of the Bronx Geological garden. says
II would not be "a bad idea. in Wow OF
Colonel Astor's offer. for some one in
clined to practical jokes. TO 20 Colonel
Astor one better and offer u prize OF
$4,000 for n rcindccr-horsc. because,
says DR.. Hornaday. one would be
quite as easy to find AS the other.
Dwarf Dog. Says Hornaday.
Colonel Astor's bear-dog. according
to Dr. Hornaday. "a recognized author
ity on thing geological In this country.
may turn out to be nothing but "A
dwarfcd st. Bernard, or other large
species OF dog. His view of the case
Ia shared by several other scientists
who were seen yesterday on the sub
jcct.
The so-called bcar-dog Is the begin
ming OF Colonel Astor's plan for the
mails. He Is deeply interested i'm al
legged experiments with frogs which.
according TO report from Professor
Albert Opel. OF the University Of
Halle. Germany. have resulted In the
production of n gigantic frog from the
fertilization of frog eggs.
Colonel Astor. basing his deductions
on these frog egg experiments and
having his beardog In mind. says that
II gigantic frogs can be produced by
dividing and rcarranging the divis.
ions from several eggs In one. he sees
no reason why other animals cant be
enlarged. lie even goes further and
says that the monsters OF the carbon
ferrous period thirty or forty feet high
and nearly one hundred feet long
might be cqualled, II. In addition to
the alterations In the egg. they were
able to consume food In more con-
ccntrated form. lie suggests that II
an animal could be produced that
could thrive on some cnergy-contain-
ing substance now used wastefully, or
not at all. that the food problem of the
human race would be solved at last.
Civilization itself might be trans.
formed. says Colonel Astor. IL DIR. OPP
pcl's system were supplemented by
some sort Of concentrated nourish-
mcnt. but DIR. Hornaday and other
biologists here. who have expressed
an opinion on Colonel Astor's views.
are not Mt all sympathetic. In fact.
DIR. Hornaday factiously suggested
that Colonel Aston would be doing hui
manity a real service II he would only
discover an animal that would eat dirt
which Is both cheap and plentiful He
thinks also that an animal that would
eat asphalt or crude petroleum would
help.
Colonel Astor's Views.
The expression of Colonel Astor's
views on the subject was contained in
an article signed by him and appear.
ing In a morning newspaper. He be-
gan by saying that Professor Opal and
Professor Garrett p. Serviss had open
cd up practically new and unexplor-
cd field filled with hope for the hu.
man race" lie says that while is
ssECI ETCHEDISNIv