MONITOR AND THE MERRIMAC

   The "Monitor" and the "Merrimac" were both warships. They were ironclads. They were, that is, built of wood, but they were covered with heavy iron plates. These two vessels fought a battle in the early days of the War between the States.
   The "Monitor" was built by a Swedish engineer for the Northern forces. It was called a "cheese box on a raft." The vessel had a flat iron deck only slightly above water level. In the center was a revolving turret with two guns. The "Monitor" was much smaller than the "Merrimac."
   The "Merrimac" belonged to the South­ern forces. The engineers who had built it had cut off the sides of an old vessel, cov­ered the vessel with iron, and mounted ten guns. This ironclad had a pointed cast-iron bow which could easily ram a hole in the side of a wooden ship.
   The "Merrimac" had sunk two Northern vessels the day before its battle with the "Monitor." But they were wooden vessels. It could not harm the "Monitor." After four hours of fighting, neither vessel had won the battle. The "Merrimac" then steamed away, badly damaged.
   The battle was only a small one, but it was one of the most important naval battles ever fought. It was the beginning of the change from wooden vessels to great steel warships.

Gorilla, the largest ape

Gorilla, largest of the anthropoid apes

   The gorilla is the largest of the four living types of anthropoid apes. This massive, powerful animal may measure as much as six feet in height and weigh 600 pounds, although females are generally smaller than males. The coat is coarse and black, becoming lighter with age so that an old gorilla may be decidedly grizzled. The face of the gorilla has a particularly formidable appearance with its large mouth, flaring nostrils, and dark, deep-set eyes beneath beetling brows. The long arms enable the animal to walk about on all fours with the fingers doubled in and the toes either flat on the ground or bent inward. Contrary to general belief, the gorilla does not habitually walk upright, an almost impossible feat considering its enormous weight and comparatively weak legs.
   Several species of gorilla are known. one found in West Africa from the Cameroons south to the mouth of the Congo and another frequenting the mountains north of Lake Tanganyika. They live in small groups and feed on various kinds of wild fruits. Males apparently sleep on the ground while females and young males build nests among the branches of trees.
   The gorilla is a quiet, self-centered animal, antagonistic to man only when wounded or provoked. Many fanciful tales regarding its ferocity have been perpetuated, most of them untrue. Of the many specimens brought to Europe or America, only few have survived in captivity. However, if the animals are very young when captured, they appear to adapt themselves fairly well. Several gorillas have lived in captivity for fifteen years or longer.

Stones

   Some of the building stones are: limestone, marble, sandstone, flagstone, flint, slate, granite, basalt (green-stone), serpentine, and porphyry. Ornamental stones, other than gems, include alabaster, fluorspar, jade, jasper, labradorite, lapis lazuli, and malachite. Mexican onyx marble (stalagmitic aragonite) and Algerian onyx marble, less handsomely colored, are relatively recent ad­ditions to the ornamental stones, as is the jasperized wood of Arizona.
   The principal sources of American marble are in the States bordering the Appalachian Mountains, and particularly Vermont, Massachusetts, western Connecticut, eastern New York, Georgia, and eastern Tennessee.

How do mother animals know their own babies?

Mother and Child
Among animals which care for their young it is important for the mother and child to recognise each other, so that they do not lose contact. This can be done through one of the senses, through smell, sound, sight or touch. Among a flock of sheep with new-born lambs every mother recognises her baby by smell, and will
The sea horse has a prehensile tail with which it can hold on to water plants.
ignore other lambs. If a mother has a still-born lamb the shepherd will take another lamb from a mother who has had twins, and place the skin of the dead lamb over it. In most cases the bereaved mother will accept it, although it is really a foster child. This recognition by smell is common among social mammals, such as deer, horses and seals, and can be watched wherever there is a group of such animals with young.
Among birds recognition is more by sound. Each parent bird has her own special 'mother' call which the baby immediately recognises on hatching. Dr Konrad Lorenz, the Austrian naturalist, has made a special study of geese. Just when some goslings were about to hatch he removed the mother goose and sat by the eggs. As the babies hatched he gave the mother call. As a result they followed him everywhere. Unfortunately he was too big for a goose, and they became bewildered when he stood up, but were quite happy to follow him when he crawled about on hands and knees!

Antonio Stradivari

   Antonio Stradivari (1644-1737) was the most celebrated violin maker of the Cremonese School, born in Cremona, Italy. He was a pupil of Nicholas Amati, and began to work on his own account about 1666. The instruments of what is termed his "grand period" (1700 to about 1725) are unrivaled for elegance of form and beauty of workmanship, and the violins of Giuseppe Guarnieri "del Gesú" alone compare with them in tone-producing qualities.

What is dematerialization?

   Dematerialization is the disappearance of all or part of a medium's phys­ical body, or of other solid physical objects, during a seance, dematerialization is also the reverse of materialization, or the appearance of apports—objects that show up, seemingly out of nowhere, during a seance. Mediumistic literature is filled with accounts of spectacular dematerializations, under which heading are also included such famous "shrinkings," or compactions, of medi­ums as that of Eusapia Palladme.
   A typical account of a dematerialization is that of Dr. R Bribier, a witness to such an event. "Lucie disappeared by degrees," the doctor wrote, "in two seconds ... as she had come . . . in front of the curtains beside which I was standing. The curtains did not move. . . . Just as the last white spot was disappearing from the carpet where the figure had been, I stooped down and put my hand upon it, but could feel nothing."
   Perhaps the most marvelous dematerialization on record, however, is that experienced by a Mme. d'Esperance, a medium who dematerialized while fully conscious and with corroborating witnesses to confirm the otherwise incredible events. The supposed episode took place in Helsingibrs, Finland, on December 11, 1895. for about 15 minutes, Mme. d'Esperance's lower body simply disappeared, her skirt lying flat on the chair as though nothing lay underneath. "I relaxed my muscles and let my hands foll upon my lap," the medium recalled, "and then I found that, instead of resting against my knees, they rested against the chair in which I was sitting. This discovery disturbed me greatly and I wondered if I were dreaming. I patted my skirt carefully, all over, trying to locate my limbs and the lower half of my body. ... all ... had entirely disappeared. . . . Nevertheless, I felt just as usual—better than usual, in fact. . . . Leaning forward to see if my feet were in their proper place, I almost lost my balance. This frightened me very much. ... I reached over and took Prof. Seiling's hand, asking him to tell me if I was really seated in the chair. I awaited his answer in perfect agony of suspense. I felt his hand just as if it touched my knees; but he said: 'There is nothing there but your skirts.' "

One fact about Elephant birds

Did you know?

The eggs of the now extinct Madagascan Elephant birds could reach up to 90 cm (35 inches) in circumference.

Ground squirrel species

   Ground squirrels include two most remarkable animals, one living in hot desert, the other under arctic conditions.
   There are 230 or more species of squirrels: flying, tree and ground squirrels. It is not easy in some instances to draw a line between the last two as some tree squirrels spend a lot of time on the ground and some ground squirrels often take to the trees. In some ground squirrels the tail is bushy but never so much as in tree squirrels, and it is usually not so long.
   Ground squirrels are 8—31 in. long of which ½ is tail, the proportions varying with the species. There are three kinds of colouring: almost uniformly yellowish grey, the same but with the back lightly spotted with light buff or yellowish white, and brownish grey with dark stripes, often with lines of yellowish spots. Their ears are small. their legs short and their feet bigger by comparison with tree squirrels such as the grey and the red. A few of the 32 species live in Africa, but most of the others live in North America, from Mexico to Alaska, where some of them are called gophers. There are seven species ranging from eastern Europe across northern and central Asia, which are usually called susliks and spermophiles.

Bone

   Like buildings, the bodies of man and other backboned ani­mals are supported by a firm framework, This framework is made of bone and is called a skeleton. The skeleton supports the skin, muscles, and other body parts.
   Bone has two main parts—a close, hard outer layer, with an open web-like, spongy part inside. You can see both parts in sawed-up beef bones used for making soup. Bone is living tissue, just like other parts of the body.
   Young people's bones grow larger along with the rest of the body. Bones stop growing when full growth is reached, usually when a person is 18 to 20 years old. But bone cells continue to be replaced as they wear out. In this way, bone is like other body parts, where worn-out cells are continuously being replaced.
   Bone contains calcium and phosphorus. These minerals give bone its hardness. Bone also contains a jelly-like substance that gives it some springiness. Bone can bend some-what, but it cracks or breaks if the bending force is very strong. Get two chicken leg bones. Soak one in a jar of vinegar for 48 hours. When the soaking time is about up, put the other bone in a pan and heat it in a very hot oven (about 500° F) for an hour. When the bone cools, break it. All the soft, jelly-like material has been "cooked" out of the bone. Only brittle minerals re-main. Take the first bone out of the vinegar and try to break it. What happens? Vinegar dissolved min­erals in the bone, leaving it springy.
   Broken bones normally heal. New bone cells form around the break. The pieces join perfectly when the break is properly set by a doctor.
   Look at a bone in a slice of ham or roast beef. The bone is like a hard tube. The blood vessels and nerves, which feed and give sensation to the living bone, flt inside the tube, to keep it healthy and let it grow nor­mally. A soft material called marrow is also in the center of the tube. Red blood cells are made in the marrow of some bones.

What is a herbivore?

HERBIVORE is any animal that eats chiefly plants. Herbivores are also called herbivorous ani­mals. Animals that primarily eat flesh are called carnivores. Those that eat both flesh and plants are omnivores.
There are many kinds of herbivores. Some of these animals, including cattle, deer, and horses, eat grasses. Other herbivores, including many birds, eat seeds. Earthworms are among the herbivores that eat dead plant material.

The zebra is a herbivore animal

One fact about sharks

Did you know?

When it bites, the pressure applied by the tooth of one white shark is equal to 60 kg.

One fact about the European Green Woodpecker

Did you know?

The European Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis) can eat 2,000 ants per day, or 730,000 each year.

Fact about the Brown Beadhead Serendipity

Did you know?

The Brown Beadhead Serendipity is a fly used by trout fishermen

Silk Spider, an Extraordinary Weaver

   The huge silk spider below, seven inches across, which sucks the life from its insect victims, is in turn eaten with gusto by the Lao people of northern Thailand —either raw or lightly toasted and dipped in salt. To get the insects it requires for food, this Nephila spider has developed weaving to an extraordinary art. Small birds occasionally get entangled in its huge web, which is sometimes eight feet wide and is made from golden silk stronger and more beautiful than that of the silkworm. Because of its excellent qualities, various attempts have been made over the years to harvest Nephila silk commercially, but the prob-lems involved are formidable. A spider web cannot be unraveled the way a silkworm cocoon can. The only way to obtain a usable thread is to draw the silk from the live animal—a process which involves strapping down a large number of the spiders and slowly drawing silk filaments out of each, at the same time twisting them together to form a thread of suitable thickness that is then wound on a reel.

Golden Silk Spider

Island dwarfs

water buffalo

Island mammals are often smaller than their relatives that live on the main­land. This island dwarfism is believed to be an adaptation to the smaller land area available to each animal for feeding and roaming. The water buffalo (upper), common throughout the main­land of tropical Asia and Australia, reaches a height of nearly six feet at the shoulder. An island buffalo, the anoa (lower), is the smallest of the world's wild cattle. Found only in the mountains of Celebes, this little ani­mal is slightly more than three feet tall, or half the size of its mainland relative.

The island buffalo anoa

Hyperion (mythology)

   HYPERION, in Greek mythology, was one of the 12 children of the gods Uranus and Gaea. These children were members of a race of giant gods called the Titans. They were much older and more powerful than gods like Zeus (Jupiter) and Hermes (Mercury). Uranus feared their power and shut them up, but Gaea released them. They divided the world among themselves and each one ruled a part. Hyperion was given the task of guiding the sun across the sky in his chariot. His son Helios was sun god.

Hibernation in animals

   In some parts of the world, when it gets cold for long periods, certain animals just seem to disappear. This could be, of course, because they have died from the cold. Or it might be that they suffer from cold so much, or find it so hard to obtain food, that they have moved away somewhere warmer. In the winter, many birds do migrate to warmer countries. It is easy for them, because they can fly. But many other animals do not migrate. They hide themselves away and have a long winter sleep until the warm weather returns. This is hibernation.

poorwill

   During hibernation, all the workings of the body slow down, very nearly to a stop, and the body temperature drops until it is nearly that of the surroundings. The heart slows, and so does the rate of breathing. And because the animal is in such a deep sleep, you might almost think that it had died.

Only one species of bird is known to hiber­nate. This is the poor-will of western North America. It has been found to hide away during the winter in a very sleepy state, with a body temperature only half its normal one.

One fact about Toto (The Wizard of Oz)

Did you know?

The true name of Toto the fictional dog in the 1939 film "The Wizard Of Oz" was Terry.

One fact about dog hearing

Did you know?

Men can detect frequencies at 20,000 times per second, while most dogs can hear frequencies of 60,000 times per second.

One fact about blue whales

Did you know?

An adult blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) can weigh up to 180,000 kg.

Once upon an Indian Elephant

   Domesticated as early as the cow, the Indian elephant was probably a riding ani­mal by 2500 B.C., and in Medieval times carried Oriental potentates on its magnificently caparisoned back in state ceremonies. The elephant is most in demand for the great processions, which still mark some holidays, belonged to a large and powerful breed, the Koomeriah. Rare al­binos, prized above all, were held sacred by Buddhists and Hindus; the king himself could not ride a "white elephant." The war elephant originated in Asia, where a ruler's power was reckoned by the number he put into the field. Elephants bore the crossbowmen of Kublai Khan and the archers and musketeers of Akbar, greatest of Mogul emperors, to victory against Hindu princes. But gun-powder frightened the animals, causing them to break and scatter their ranks; by 1700, elephant divisions were becoming outmoded. The last one was demobilized in the Kingdom of Annam in 1882.

Where giant petrels are hatched in the snow

Giant petrel

   As the howling wind ceaselessly batters a bare cliff top on the barren island of South Georgia in the southern Atlantic, a giant petrel crouches on its one white egg. The bird is one of a breeding colony of about 100 paire, and one bird of each pair is sitting tight on their egg while the other searches for food. January is midsummer in this part of the world, but it is snowing, so the sitting birds are blanketed with white flakes. But they will not stir, or the eggs warmed by their belly feathers might be chüled.
   Bleak as it may be, the cliff-top nursery suits the giant petrel well. The bird has a wingspan of up to 6ft (1.8m), and to take off it simply unfolds its huge wings and floats away. Once airborne, the petrel has an extraordinary, stiff-winged flight, seldom flapping its wings. It cruises on updraughts from huge ocean waves, body tilted sideways and wingtips skimming the water.
   Giant petrels are scavengers. They quickly sight any seal pups or seabirds that have been caught by killer whales, for example, and cruise in to feast on the scraps. But they are also predators - partial to such meáis as penguin chicks, gulls, and shearwaters. Like all petrels, they spit foul-smelling stomach oil if threatened. Their scavenging and spitting habits may be the reason why they are known as 'stinkers'.
With a full crop, each petrel returns to feed its waiting mate or hungry chick - hatched after just over eight weeks of incubation. These large seabirds spend most of their Uves on the wing and may return to land to breed only once in two or three years. The chicks take about four months to develop and fly off.

One fact about the Archer Fish

Did you know?

The Archer Fish (Toxotidae) can spit water up to 150 centimeters (5 ft) in order to shoot down prey into the water.

What is Enochian language?

   A language of magic, Enochian was recorded by Dr. John Dee, a 16th-century magician. Dee attributed Enochian to the "angels" with whom he "communicated" through his assistant Edward Kelley, and explained that it was transmitted to him in the form of 19 "Keys," or "Calls"—formal incantations or invocations of occult powers. As a language of magic, it has been periodically adopted by occultists ever since. Aleister Crowley revived it for use in his rituals at the beginning of the 20th century, and more recently it has been appropriated by Satanist Anton La Vey.

How Does Hibernation Work?

  It is not really understood exactly what tells the body of an animal that is about to hibernate to change its working. The effect of the falling outside temperature as winter approaches is certainly one of the signals. And it may be that another unconscious signal is the increasing length of the nights. As winter approaches the increasing difficulty of finding food may be another factor that influences the animal.

   When the animal begins to hibernate, if it is warm-blooded - that is, if its body temperature is regulated, and not just that of its surround­ings - the working of the temperature regulator alters. The animal's temperature starts to fall. It is thought that the working of the temp­erature regulator may be altered by the effect of a hormone in the bloodstream. A hormone is a chemical 'messenger that is carried around the body, and affects bodily activity in many crucial ways.

   It may be that the increasing cold as winter approaches causes the production of this 'hibernating hormone'. Experiments have shown that if there is only a short spell of cold, then the animal may not respond by going into hibernation. It requires a longer and continuous cold spell before the animal's temperature control mechanism is affected, and its temp­erature begins to fall, and bodily processes slow down. When an animal is in hibernation its body's working processes may slow down to as little as one-hundredth of the normal rate.

   If there is an especially great drop in temp­erature outside, then some of the body rates speed up. Otherwise the animal would freeze to death. The heart rate, for example, will increase to make sure that the tissues of the body are getting enough blood, carrying food and oxygen, to keep them alive.

   When warm weather returns, in the spring, the process is reversed. The increase in outside temperature acts as a trigger, and the animal's own temperature begins to climb to normal. All the body processes speed up until it awakens and is active again. Very often, animals waking up from their winter sleep start shivering violently. This produces more heat in the body, and speeds the return to normal. Small animals such as ground squirrels and hamsters wake up from hibernation over a period of an hour or so. With larger animals the time taken for the normal temperature to return may take longer.

   Animals that are cold-blooded have no body temperature control, such as we and other warm-blooded animals have. By keeping the temperature of our bodies steady even though the outside temperature varies, we can keep our bodies working at an even rate. But fish, amphibians (like frogs and toads), reptiles (like snakes, lizards and tortoises), and of course insects, depend on the outside temperature.

   Fish do not normally hibernate. Even when there is a thick layer of ice on the water in the winter, most of them are able to move around, although more slowly. Some kinds of fish do very nearly hibernate. They remain motion-less in the water, sometimes partly buried in the mud, for long periods with their body processes almost at a standstill.

   Frogs, newts, salamanders and toads do hibernate. They bury themselves in the mud to keep away from the frost. Sometimes they huddle together in groups to keep in warmth, and maintain their body temperature a little above the surroundings.

   Tortoises, lizards and snakes find holes under stones and dig themselves in to hide and sleep in the rotting vegetation until the warm weather wakes them up again.

Ocelot's courtship

   Deep in the heart of a forest in Paraguay, an ear-splitting caterwauling rends the spring night. The loud yowling comes from an ocelot, a distant cousin of the domestic cat but about twice its size. Prowling the forests and scrub-lands from Mexico to northern Argentina, these skilled hunters, climbers and swimmers are normally shy and retiring. But October is mating time for the southern populations, and the males court with midnight serenades.
   Ocelots usually communicate in other ways. A male has a territory that overlaps the ranges of up to three females. The animals live alone, but keep in touch by leaving scent marks of urine and droppings, and by rubbing against trees or rocks to release scent from body glands. A receptive female leaves a special odour, and the male gives voice when they mate at night.
   The kittens - usually one or two - are born three months later and are destined for lives of secrecy and stealth. They will sleep away their days in hollow trees, and spend their nights stalking small mammals, birds and snakes.

One fact about the Ruby-throated hummingbird

Did you know?

Ruby-throated hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris) double their body weight before migrating across the Gulf of Mexico.

What is Hysteria?

   Hysteria is one of the less severe mental illnesses called neuroses. In hysteria, a person feels physically ill, but he is really mentally ill. Conflicts between thoughts and emotions that the person is not aware of cause his distress rather than any physical disease. Psychiatrists call these struggles unconscious conflicts.
   A person with hysteria may have any sort of physical complaint. He may complain of heart disease, of stomach pains, of vomiting, or of weakness of his arms or legs. In this way, hysteria may imitate any one of many physical illnesses. A hysterical person's muscles, nerves, and organs do not function properly, even though they are otherwise healthy. For this reason, doctors often call hysteria afunctional neurosis.
   People are often called hysterical when they are upset, excited, and unable to control their feelings. We often hear of "hysterical weeping" or "hysterical rage." Such outbursts of feeling may have nothing to do with the neurosis psychiatrists call hysteria. These outbursts may occur in normal persons. They may also occur in persons with mental illnesses other than hysteria, as well as in those with hysteria.
   Psychiatrists usually treat hysteria by using some type of psychotherapy designed to help the patient understand his unconscious conflicts. Treatment with drugs and hypnosis may also be used along with the
psychotherapy.

Condors - giant birds of the Andes

  A high mountain ledge amid the steep crags of the Peruvian Andes is home to the condor. One of the world's biggest birds, it has the lowest natural breeding rate of any bird. This is partly because each pair has only one egg at a time and takes two years to raise the chick. It is also because, for many, their food supply fluctuates considerably.

  Condors are vultures, feeding on carrion. As they glide and soar on air currents, they can spot a corpse or a dying animal a long distance away. Under normal conditions the condors living in the hot, dry Andean foothills in the north of Peru have a fairly meagre existence, and few breed. But every five years or so the devastation caused by storms along the South American Pacific coast as a result of El Niño enormously increases their food supply.

One fact about Dalmatian dogs

Did you know?

The Dalmatian is a dog named for the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia, where this canine is believed to have been primarily bred.

One fact about Chihuahua dogs

Did you know?

Like human babies, Chihuahua dogs are born with a soft spot (molera) in their skull which closes up with age.

One fact about Saluki dogs

Did you know?

The oldest known breed of dog is likely the Saluki – originally trained in ancient Egypt to help track game.

The Gecko

   A gecko is any of a large group of small harmless lizards that live in tropical regions throughout the world. Geckos usually have flattened dull-gray or brown bodies, short thick heads, and variously shaped tails. When seized, a gecko may escape by shedding its tail. Later it grows another tail.
   Most geckos have wide toe pads that contain claws and are studded with thousands of hooks too small to be seen with the naked eye. The hooks fasten to the tiny projections of surfaces and enable the lizard to climb walls and cross ceilings. During the day, geckos usually hide under bark or rocks, and they often live in houses. They emerge after dark to forage for insects and spiders. Unlike most reptiles, geckos are able to utter squeaks or loud calls.
   Geckos are classified as order Squamata, family Gekkonidae.

What is a Hypodermic Injection?

   Hypodermic injection is a method for administering drugs under the skin. The equipment for the injection includes a syringe and a hollow needle. A syringe is a tube with a plunger attached. The needle has a sharp point, and it slips easily into the skin. The doctor attaches the needle to the syringe barrel, puts the liquid medicine in the syringe, and inserts the needle into the patient's skin. Then, the doctor presses on the plunger to force the medicine through the needle. Charles Pravaz, a French physician, invented the hypodermic syringe in 1853.
   Hypodermic injections are often named for the tissue into which the injection is made. Intradermal injections are made between the layers of skin. For these, the doctor inserts a needle just under the top layer of skin.
   Injections made beneath the layers of skin are called subcutaneous injections. Intramuscular injections are given into deep muscle tissue. A hypodermic needle can be inserted into a vein to give medicine intravenously.

What is strontium?

   Strontium is a metallic element, with atomic number 38, atomic weight 87.6, and symbol Sr. It belongs to the group of elements called the alkaline earth metals, the other members of which are calcium, barium, and radium. Metallic strontium was first isolated by the English chemist Sir Humphry Davy in 1808; the oxide had been known as early as 1790. The element is never found in the native state, occurring chiefly as strontianite, SrCO₃, and celestite, SrSO₄. Strontium is 15th among the elements in order of abundance, and is widely dis-tributed in small quantities, the greatest amounts being mined in England and Scotland. Strontium is a brass-yellow metal with a specific gravity of 2.6. It melts at 800 °C. (1472 °F.) and has a boiling point of 1150 °C. (2102 °F.). It is malleable and ductile. oxidizes readily upon exposure to air, and reacts with water to produce strontium hydroxide and hydrogen gas. Like the other alkaline earth metals, it is prepared by transforming the carbonate or sulfate into the chloride which, upon hydrolysis, yields the metal. Because it emits a brilliant red color when burned in air, strontium is used in the manufacture of fireworks and railroad flares. Strontia (strontium oxide) SrO, is used in recovering sugar from beet-sugar molasses.

The Warthog

   The warthog (Phacochoerus africanus) a genus of Suidae, closely resembles the true hogs in most of their characters, and particularly in their feet, but remarkably differing from them in their dentition: The number of teeth is much reduced; the canines become the large tusks, and in the adult the last molar only is found in each jaw, which grows to an enormous size as in the elephant. The head is very large, and the muzzle very broad; the cheeks are furnished with large wart-like excrescences, so that the appearance is altogether very remarkable and uncouth. The species are all natives of Africa. They feed very much on the roots of plants, which they dig up by means of their enor­mous tusks.

Which animal has the most teeth?

   The spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris) has the most teeth: 225 or more. This acrobatic champion leaps high out of the water, then twists and spins horizontally before nose-diving back in. The maximum length of a mature adult is 6 feet; maximum weight is 200 pounds. In deep tropical waters—particularly around Hawaii, Mexico, and Japan—dolphins live in groups as large as 300. They feed on small fish, squid, and shrimp.
   Thousands of dolphins are killed yearly for their meat (especially in Sri Lanka and Japan) and their oil. Schools of yellow fin tuna like to swim under spinner dolphins, making them innocent victims of huge commercial fishing nets. The spinner dolphin population has been reduced by 85 percent since the 1970s, but awareness of the problem has led to new fishing techniques that do not harm the dolphins.

The Australian boomerang

   The boomerang is a curved wooden throwing stick. It has been used for centuries for sport, hunting, and war by the Australian aborigines. The Hopi Indians of Arizona and primitive peoples in certain parts of India and Africa have also used boomerangs.
   The return boomerang is used mainly for sport, although it can also serve as a weapon for killing birds. It is nearly V-shaped, and its arms are slightly twisted in opposite directions. One side is flat, while the other is rounded, like the top of an airplane wing. The thrower hurls the boomerang forward, giving it a slight twist, which causes it to spin. An expert can make it sail through the air for more than 300 feet, rise 150 feet, and then circle several times before returning.
   The non-return boomerang, although not quite so fascinating, is a much deadlier weapon than the return type. It is also larger, heavier, and straighter. An aborigine can kill an enemy with it or bring down a large animal at 500 feet.

What are Ions?

   lons is a term applied to the elements of an electrolyte, or a compound body undergoing the chemical process of electrolysis, as in silver-plating and other indus­trial uses. Those elements of an elec­trolyte which are evolved at the anode, or positive pole, are termed anions, and those which are evolved at the cathode, or negative pole, are called cations. When these are spoken of together, they are termed ions. Thus, .water when electrolyzed evolves two ions, oxygen and hydrogen, the former being an anion and the latter a cation. When the electric current is passed through water, bubbles of oxygen may be collected at one pole and bubbles of hydrogen at the other pole. Many scientists believe that free atoms of oxygen travel in one direction and free atoms of hydrogen in the opposite direction through the water. Hence, the term ion, which in Greek signifies a traveler, is applied to the atoms which travel to the two poles. The molecule of water consists of two atoms of hydrogen and one of oxygen, and the electric current splits up each molecule of water into the two groups of traveling atoms, going in different directions. The two kinds of ions, anions and cations, are believed to carry equal but opposite charges of electricity. The ion with a positive charge is attracted to the negative pole, and the ion with he negative charge of electricity to the positive pole. At the poles, or electrodes, each ion, whether an anion or a cation, is relieved of its elec­tric charge and resumes its chemical status as an ordinary atom of gas. Science has even measured the speeds of the traveling atoms during electrolysis, and it is said that the heaviest ions move faster than those of less atomic weight; due probably to the fact that the slower ions carry along with them some molecules of water, or whatever the solvent may be. In the pro­cess of silver-plating, and similar arts, the practical application of the theory of ions is seen. Thus a brass article, such as a fork, is dipped by a wire into a solution of silver cyanide in potassium cyanide, or some other silver salt. A small quantity of silver forms one of the electrodes or poles of the electric circuit—the anode. The fork is the other pole, or cathode. When an electric current is passed through the liquid bath, or electrolyte, positive ions of silver, or cations, are deposited on the brass fork, and it emerges from the electric bath as a silver-plated fork.

What is hyperesthesia?

HYPERESTHESIA is a condition in which the skin or the special sense organs are extremely sensitive. A light touch on the arm or leg may be felt as a burning pain. When the special senses are affected the patient is abnormally sensitive to light, sound, or odor.

Which insect is the most destructive?

   The desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) is the world's most destructive insect. Living in the deserts of the Middle East, Africa, and western Asia, the locust becomes destructive when gathered into swarms. As many as 250 billion locusts flying together have been known to cover 2,000 square miles, blocking sunlight and making travel hazardous. The migrating plagues of crop-destroying locusts are not predictable. Sometimes several years pass without the sighting of a migrating swarm; when established, a plague may last 2 to 10 years.
   In many countries, locusts are captured with nets and then cooked and eaten. Here is one locust recipe from Cambodia: Collect a couple dozen desert locusts, preferably female. Slit them lengthwise on the abdomen. Stuff each one with a single peanut. Lightly grill them in a wok or a frying pan with a little oil and salt.

What is Hypochondria?

Hypochondria is a state of mind in which the patient persistently and morbidly worries about his health, even though he has no disease. The patient, convinced that he is ill, complains of puzzling symptoms. He seeks, and may receive, various medical treatments. But at best, he gets only temporary relief. Although hypochondria is not an official medical term, vague symptoms of this kind are frequently seen in persons with various neuroses. In popular usage, any person complaining of vague or persistent symptoms may be called a hypochondriac.

Sheeps in Ancient Egypt

Did you know?

The meat from sheep (Ovis aries) was not considered appropriate food for purified persons of Ancient Egypt.

One fact about Boxer dogs

Did you know?

Boxer dogs were named after their peculiar habit of playing. At the beginning of play with another dog, a Boxer will stand on his hind legs and 'box' at his opponent

Which mammal runs the fastest?

   The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is the fastest land mammal. When chasing prey, an adult can accelerate to 70 miles per hour, but it can maintain this speed for only 300 yards. The flexible spine acts like a spring for the powerful hind legs, and the claws provide traction. A mature chee­tah weighs up to 130 pounds and averages 6 feet in length, including the 30-inch tail, which maintains balance during quick turns.
   With fewer than 15,000 in the wild, the cheetah is an endangered species. The cats were first killed for their pelts; now encroaching civilization is severely limiting their range and food supply. Cheetahs live on the grassy plains of eastern and southern Africa, Iran, Turkmenistan, and Afghanistan.
   The antelope (Antilocapra americana) is the champion long-distance runner, maintaining up to 35 miles per hour for 4 miles when pursued.

Some facts about fish

• The whale shark (Rhincodon typus) is the largest fish.
• Marble plunder, rat-tail and deep-water dragon are all names of fish you would find in Antarctica.
• A group of jellyfish is a smuth or fluther.
• Salmon (Salmonidae) can swim against river currents.
• The gold color of goldfish (Carassius auratus auratus) is a mutation that has occurred over time.
• In its natural state, a goldfish is either dull green or brown in color.
• Nymph and streamer are both types of flies for trout fishing.

What is hypo?

   Hypo (chemical formula, Na₂S₂O₃-5H₂O) is the common name for sodium thiosulfate. It is called hypo because it was once incorrectly named sodium hyposulfite. Hypo is used chiefly to "fix" photographic negatives and prints. The English scientist Sir John F. W. Herschel discovered that hypo readily dissolves silver salts. In 1839, he recommended the use of "sodium hypo­sulfite" to dissolve the unexposed silver salts in the talbotype photographic process. The technique has been used since that time.

One fact about Lassie

Did you know?

The real name of the canine star of the classic "Lassie Come Home" movie (1943) was Pal.

Where is the largest caribou herd?

   Herd populations of the caribou (Rangifer tarandus) are cyclical, but three are consistently large: the Western Arctic herd, northwest Alaska (225,000); the Taimyr Peninsula herd, Siberia (500,000); and the George River herd, northern Quebec (750,000). Total world population is about 3 million domesticated, 2 million wild.
   Slightly larger than deer, caribou keep moving—up to 3,000 miles per year—in search of adequate food. Herds tend to calve in the same area every year, but they will suddenly switch to different migration routes that have more abundant food. These changes affect the indigenous people who depend on caribou for food, clothing, and shelter. Since caribou is an important economic resource in many countries—for meat, milk, and clothing; for sport hunters; and as a tourist attraction—the long-term effect of global warming on caribou is a focus of worldwide research.

Edwin Dickinson

Edwin Dickinson was an American painter. Born Seneca Falls, N.Y., Oct. 11, 1891.
Dickinson has been a leading painter in the Realist style. His paintings, noted for their exact detail and somber color, include The Fossil Hunters (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York City), Ruin at Daphne, and Villa La Louette (both at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City). He has sometimes painted in a Surrealistic style, portraying ambiguous objects and scenes with strange, symbolic meanings. Dickinson studied at the Art Students League in New York and with the famous art teacher William M. Chase.

Mrs Humphry Ward

   Mrs. Humphry Ward (Mary Augusta Arnold), an English novelist; born in Hobart Town, Tasmania, June 11, 1851; eldest daughter of Thomas Arnold, second son of the great Dr. Arnold of Rugby. In 1872 she married Thomas Humphry Ward (born in 1845), the editor of The English Poets (4 vols. 1880-1881). She began early to con­tribute to Macmillan's Magazine, and to write short stories. Her translation of Amiel's Prívate Journal (1885) prepared the way for the widely read spiritual ro­mance of Robert Elsmere (1888). The book was an attempt to represent the struggle of a soul in its voyage toward newer theistic aspirations after losing the landmarks of the old faith. Profound spiritual insight, broad human sympathy, and strong thinking are manifest throughout, but as a work of art it is marred by diffuseness, its didactic persistency of purpose, and a fatal want of mastery over the fundamental secret of the novelist — the power to make his puppets live rather than preach. Its successor, David Grieve (1892), showed all its faults but hardly all its merits. Marcella appeared in 1894. Her later works include Lady Rose's Daughter, Diana Ulallory, The Case of Richard Meynell, and Eltham House. Mrs. Humphry Ward died in 1920.

Can people get parrot fever?

   Parrot fever, also known as psittacosis, can be passed along to people from infected birds. Al­though the disease occurs most often in members of the parrot family, it is also found in other birds such as pigeons. In people, the disease is an infection somewhat like pneumonía. It can spread to humans when they handle sick birds or come into contact with infectious articles (bird droppings, perches, cages). The best way to avoid it is to buy pet birds from a reliable dealer, keep their cages clean. and never handle sick birds.

Music boxes

   The little music box in the image (right) was made in Switzerland. Switzerland is noted for its music boxes. Some music boxes have little figures that dance to the music.
   A small metal cylinder is an important part of many music boxes. The cylinder has "pins" sticking up from it. A spring makes the cylinder turn around. As it turns, the pins strike the teeth of a metal "comb." Each tooth gives off a certain note when it is struck. As the teeth are struck, a tune is played. Of course, the pins must be in exactly the right place on the cylin­der. A music box with a cylinder has its tunes buüt in.
   Some music boxes have metal disks instead of cylinders. Little tabs projecting downward from the disk strike the comb beneath as the disk turns round. Before the phonograph was invented, music box­es were made with disks that could be changed like phonograph records.
   Music boxes have a tinkly sound. And sometimes it is hard to tell what tune is being played. But many people think that music boxes are fun. Collecting music boxes, in fact, is a rather common hobby.

What is a Planchette?

   Invented by a French spiritualist in the mid-19th century, a planchette is an instrument used to aid communication with spirits through the phenomenon known as automatic writing. An improvement on the Ouija board, the planchette consists of a thin, heart-shaped piece of wood resting on small wheeled casters, fitted with a pen or pencil pointing downward. The hand of the user—presumably guided by the subconscious mind, if not by the force of a departed spirit—rests on the planchette and moves it to create messages on a sheet of paper below. It has also been popular as a toy.