Evening star., 1938-09-25

phantom glass tank, standing there
by that central mound"
DR.. Garcia laughed rather gruffly.
The phantom tank is right. That
was just an ordinary glass case in
which l put my first specimens. You
notice the gaps? 1t looks like lace.
That's because they burrowed right
through it," said DR.. Garcia.
Through glass?" Paddy exclaimed.
"You mean they burrow through glass;"
Absolutely. They thrive on it.
They are, am proud to say, a hybrid
product of my own laboratory. They
are sort of aquatic termite; they can
burrow into almost anything. The
parent stock occurs in only one spot
in the Isthmus - a rocky pool near
the old Darien Pass. have succeeded
in crossing them with another aquatic
turnover of even more destructive
habits - and you see the RESULT!
His deep voice grew deeper with the
enthusiasm of the specialist.
''One can watch three generations
come and 60 in as many hours. They
are prolific as sand shrimps. For
tunately. there are several species of
fish which prey upon them. In those
tanks at the end. there. have speci-
mems of such fish. Science has named
these queer creatures after myself,
their foster father! Look at those
sponge-like masses beside the Jumps
of rock. Well, they we're Jumps of rock
two days ago - solid rock - now
honeycombed by those tireless work.
ers! So far as can make out, they live
on rock and on one another!
you notice that the glass of their
tank has sort of yellow tinge? That's
because it's vanished inside. varnish
made from pure gum arabic the
only thing have discovered. as yet.
which these creatures won't eat!'
As we sat in the little bungalow with
DR.. Garcia: "You have some Of the
most remarkable specimens here. Doc
tor" said Trevvy. lever assembled, l
assume, by one man."
Its small collection" DR.. Garcia
replied, but fairly representative of
the Zone"
II was thinking" Trevvy went on.
that it is wholly unprotected. You
tell me that you have two native ser
wants who also act as keepers and who
live in a compound down there beyond
the laboratory: but should have sup
posed that in such a remote spot you
would have been troubled by thieves"
'Thievesr' The doctor gave his
great. deep laugh. who would steal
any of these things? And why? Can
you see burglar dropping into the pit
to steal that black spider? Or running
away with the young puma? No, sir!
Thieves don't worry me-!
II was thinking more particularly.
Trevvy murmured. ''of those strange
aquatic insects" He had set his mono-
Gle in place and was staring hxedly at
DR.. Garcia. Their habits, l rather
thought. we're of great interest. The
point may not have occurred to you.
The point had not occurred to me"
DR.. Garcia admitted; and saw the
light of startling idea spring to his
eyes. Il find it necessary to reduce
their numbers from time to time be-
cause of the amazing way in which
they multiply. But. now you mention
it. one of my fellows who looks after
the things has tried to persuade me on
three separate occasions that their
numbers have been mysteriously re.
duced. I am disposed to believe. how
ever. that during the mating season
they devour one another. Neverthe-
less" - he stared hard at Trevvy -
''you have set me thinking i. Nature
has her own methods of adjusting
things -"
glanced at Paddy - and her ex-
preston startled me. She suddenly
stood up.