The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-10-22
(scietinc American.l

"A d1lSIs observing tue OlII1Culs
ty a butterfly has in breaking from
It's crysalis, determined in the kind
ness Of his heart-they are not all
calloused, those men of science-gent-
ly to u away certain impediments.
so that 1t could the nor easily free
itself. The result? Instead Of en-
crying strong and large and beautiful.
it al a frail thing indeed, without
strength in its body or beauty In its
wings; the very struggle Of which the
scientists mistaken kindness had re-
lieved 1t. had contained and condi-
virility. Again: Duckiings helped
from their shells differ from those
which have to fight their way out, in
being stunted weaklings-if they are
not s%till-born, or die soon after the
too-solicitous hand has helped them
out Of the shell-stage of their devel-
opment.
Biology divulg~s many forms of life
which will not take the trouble to ind
their own food. but prefer to borrow
or steal 1t from the more industrious:
this is oftentimes an acquired habit.
and a most grievous. bad one. for
dreadful penalty. The dodder begins
life with excellent intention. strikes
its root deep in the soil. means evil
IDENTIFY to be really Independent. But
after a brief period Of digniied self
support. 1t comes to fix sucking disks
into the stems and branches Of .ad-
jacent plants, until finally it does
nothing at all for its self-support. and
instead draws all Its supplies ready
made from the sap (the life-biood)
Of it's host. Having thus become a
M - ~ ~.~AWA ~ NV4NN-
away; and thus the adult dodder pre-
sents tho miserable. degraded spec
tacle Of q plant without Q root, . twis
or a leaf. and with q stem 20 trail az
inadequately to bear Its weight. In
the mistletoe the Parasite habit has
been hereditary through 80 many gem
erations that tie young forms begin
at once an ignoble and Independent
existence: the berries. which contain
the seeds Of the future plants. are
degeneration: for they glue them
ing oak and apple trees.
The ordinary crab should excite
warmest admiration. and he has q
business end" to him which COM
mands respect. He leads q rough
and p~erilous life: jasged rocks are
his habitat, and among these ne 10
dashed about by every wave. while
on every side his piscine enemies at
tack him. AZ q defense against such
environments he has developed. by
the aid Of sympathetic nature (kind
always t those who would help
themselves). a strong and serv1ceable
coat Of mail. But not so that poor
and needy relation. the hermit crab.
The latter's progenitors long ago hit
on the dubiously wise idea q reutilis-
ing the plenteous. weil.built habita-
tions that had been evacuated by 9TH
er molluses. The result Of this house.
free. purloining policy is that genera.
ton after generation this kind OF
crab. dwelling in its appropriate shell.
has ceased to bother or concern itself
about questions Of safety. wherefore
nature Gas stern a. she II just) has
written this sin against evolution. this
semi-parasitism. most plainly upon
the hermit's organisation. o the
reading Of all. to its shame. This
apology for . crab has suffered IN its
anatomy precisely In proportion ~ Il
now borrowed or dlched from its On.
vtronment: II 10 now No moro q 1usty.
perfect. commendabie crab: its body
has sadly deteriorated: several vital
organs are partially or wholly At
rophied: it, sphere Of life hes become
deplorably limited. Having by Q cheap
and unworthy expedient secured Ate-