Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-09
FISH DIG MUD
GRAVES TO LIVE
Animals and Plants Take
Steps to Cope With
Long DroughtS.

A drought" extending over period
of several weeks greatly affects the life
Of man by destroying his crops and
gardens, yet in certain parts Of the
world, q drought often lasts for one or
even two years. Since long periods Of
dry weather are constantly recurring in
such regions plants and animals,
scientists say, know so to speak, what
20 expect and take steps accordingly.
As the naturalist knows, the flsh OF
Che tropical rivers are examples of this
care, for during the dry season" their
physical environment, the water, van
lshes. Before this takes place, however,
che animal burrows deep into the still
LIQUID mud and there they are speedily
made prisoners, for the mud gets baked
rs hard as bricks, so only when the
rains come is it possible for them to
VeUain their freedom. The African
hung fish is one Of these.
Curling itself up so that the tail
covers the snout, and exuding from the
skin o quantity of slime to keep the
walls of the closely hitting cavity moist,
this Ash" biologists say, can survive
Gesiccation for six months and longer
with ease" A still further provision
must be made, however, for this pro-
longed and unacceptable fast, it was
pointed out, and this takes the form
az an accumulation Of fat around the
kidneys and other internal organs.
Should the dry season be prolonged SO
as to exhaust this fat-store, the animal
then draws upon the muscles Of the tai,
after the fashion Of tadpoles.
Certain other fish, which have to face
this ordeal of being temporarily buried
alive do not breath by means of the air
bladder, but by especially developed
cavities in the gill chamber, which being
richly supplied with blood vessels, serve
rs respiratory organs. The Indian climb
ing-perch and the Serpent-heads De-
have after this fashion. A still more
striking example Of adaptation OF ma
rine life to conditions of environment
n the catfish which, Savants say, spends
several months of the dry season In
open burrows, from which 1t emerges
ut night and Squirms about In search OF
food. Crocodiles and alligators, as well
rs many species Of water totoise, as the
rivers dry up, burrow into the mud
where, baked In by the sun, they mus
remain till the rains.
OF all the land-dwellers, one would
suppose that the frogs and toads would
be the least capable Of surviving Q pro-
tracted drought, for their shiny skins
require constant supply Of moisture
yet several species Of frogs and toadS
Of Central Australia display almost In
credible powers of resistance to these
trying conditions with the approach
Of the dry season, 1t Is said, these ami
mails store up bladderS full of water
and close themselves In great spherical
chambers Q few feet below the surface
In these living graves, many species OF
Australian toadS and frogs remain IN
. state Of coma over periods of IL "a
10 months.
OF all plants, the cactus, perhaps Il
best adapted to drought conditions. The
barrel cactus, sometimes called the "well
Of the desert" is pleated like an &C.
Gordon, which enables it 10 store 9
large amount Of water by expanding
during the rainy season. II the tor
b cut OF and the pulp ehurned with :
stick, It win produce several cups o.
water,