Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-02

day, when we felt particularly lonely our isola-
ton was relieved by visit from an unlimited
leopard. The visitor paid his respects to our
chickens one dark night, and thereafter re-
now TO prepare for him, with the result that
thereafter he was heard to express his loud dis
approval OF finding his chicken house locked
traps having failed to ensnare him, we ap-
peaIeo 10 some OF our friends of the HottentoE
C1ne 1or aid in catching the prowler. In due
course OF time the native captain commissioned
a crowd of stalwart boys to 60 after the out
law. So that In a short time armed with clubs
and abetted by dogs the youths gave Mr..
Leopard a beating that spelled his quick de-
mise"
The ringhals cobra, a snake that grows tn
SIX feet in length, was a frequent visitor at
the Mount Brukkaros Observatory More than
a half dozen were killed near the house Snake
bite serums were kept necessarily in the ice box
at all times.
Once cobra had the impudence to curl
himself right on the front porch Another time
as Mr. Hoover entered the store house he felt
moisture on his cheek and looked up to see a
ringhals cobra lying above the door, The snake
had spit its poison at him. The scientist ran
outside, got his gun and killed the vicious
animal
1t was mighty lucky, Mr. Hoover explains
tnat the shot OF poison did not catch him In
the eye, for then it causes great pain and Is
dangerous to the sight
{ NONCERNING the Importance of solar nh
servations, DR.. G. G. Abbot, head of the
smithsonian and himself world renowned
expert on the suns heat, says:
THE very life of all the plant kingdom de-
ponds upon sunlight. But why does the Smith,
sonlan choose to locate its research centers for
studying the suns heat ON remote mountain
peaks In desert lands II we could set up a
Cuoe reaching to the outer limit of the atmoS-
phere and large enough to see through 1t and
the whole disk of the sum- and entirely exhaust
the air from the atmosphere, then the measure
ment OF the suns intensity Of radiation would
De very simple to calculate. But situated as
we are, underneath an ocean of air charged
with dust, clouds, water vapor, carbon dioxide.
such solar researches In most regions of the
earth are very difficult. In order to minimize
tneSe olmculties as far as possible, such studies
are oest conducted in the most dry and cloud
less regions at high-altitude stations"
DIR. Abbot goes on to explain that science ia
interested In studying the possible connection
between solar radiation and the phenomena
winch the average person knows as the north
ern lights: ut has been long known that tina
aurora borealis. or northern lights have been
particularly active at times of sun-spot maxi-
mum. and as these lights are electrical dis
turpanceS IN our atmosphere it has come to be
believed that the sun furnishes not only LIGHT
rays but also bombards us with electric ions
Electric ions are known from laboratory exc
permentS to promote the formation of clouds
Hence, 1t Is quite possible that the electric
commandment of the earth by the SUM- being
more vigorous at times of sun-spot maximum.
tends to promote clcudiness; which, in turn.
diminishes the amount available to warm the
earth, although the direct tendency Of increased
solar activity Is to increase the earths supply
Of radiation"