Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-11-28

nation Bur All. Frederic ] Hsskin. Direc-
tor, Washington >. 9. This ofrer applies
strictly 20 Information The bureau can
not give advice on lesai medical and lnsn-
cInl matters IL does not attempt o settle
domestic troubles nor To undertake OK
your os questions plainly g and sdY briefly. dive Give
full name and add ess and nc Csc two
cents In stamps for return postage. MI
replies are sent direct 10 the Inquirer.
q. How long md how old are the
pythons and boas I'm the New York
Zoo7 II. X.
A. The clerk OF the New York Zoo
logical Park says "Our largest py-
tbons at present are two specimens.
one p feet long and one 20 feet. The
longest time that we have had either
OF these specimens In two or three
years We lost python n short time
ago which was 22h feet long and
which we had on exhibition for ~
years. but we can give you no idea of
It's age. The geological Gardens ia
London kept o python once for 80
years. The largest specimen Of the
boa that we have at present Is 10
feet long and we have had II three or
four years. The boas do not reach
a length of more than about II feet
We do not know it's age"
q. What is amber? u. A.
A. Amber is n fossil resin Of vege-
table origin. IL In found In great
quantities along the coasts of the
Baltic Sea. Pieces have been found
occasionally weighing ~ TO 10 pounds.
q. What vegetables are good for the
nerves2 Il. s.. T.
A. The vegetables that stand ~
on the list of nerve-tissue building
foods are spinach. celery, parsnips
string beans, asparagus and cucum-
lbers
q. Docs the moon rotate on it's Ak
is? If 30, how does it happen that
we see but one side Of the moon? r.
n. T.
A. The moon does rotate on it's axis
The exact coincidence Of the moon'f
period of axial rotation with that OF
revolution about the earth is generally
accepted as due to tidal Influence
The moon is believed 10 have been
plastic at one time and great tides
must then have been produced by the
earth's attraction.
q. What was the Plumb Plan" foi
a. Under the Plumb Plan the rail
, roads would be nationalized and oper
ated by n board Of 10 directors. nv
of whom would be appointed by tn
, President OF the United States fv
elected by the operating officers o
the companies, and five elected b.
4 the classified employees Of the roads.
: @. How can ] locate the photogra
pher that took n picture Of our com
/, pany IN France? 6. ID. y.
A. The Photographic Division of tn
. Signal Corps. 10Th and Virginia Ave
n. w. Washington. ID. G. has com
q plete file of all military photograph
A taken overseas and in this countr,
1 They can supply you with copies at
=, reasonable price.
O. How are horses classed for co
q orr r. Y.
!, A. The stud books recognize n
a following colors In horses: Gray. roal
a dun. bay. brown. black and chestnu
4 Usually. the variations Of these color
n are not recorded.
= O. What is meant by Police Verse
I think it is the name Of a pictur
o a. n. s.
ir \. This famous painting by Geron
"a is that Of the victor in gladis
; torial contest standing over his var
% t,uished rival looking toward the spe'
y tators for their verdict. They are RET
10 resented with thumbs down (the la
= ter being the meaning Of the wore
- Police Verso) which signal meal
death 10 the defeated. A well know
rhilologist has passed the opinion th
the thumb symbolizcd the short Ron
an sword, and the gesture whi'
meant the death Of the vanquish'
III gladiator was given by turning q
hand over, into an unnatural pos
or tion. with the thumb (sword) poln
ing at the defeated man.