UNIVERSITY COURIER.
9
A collection of about nine hundred good beetles from Pennsylvania.
Of the specimens taken in the Indian Territory during Christmas vacation, two turkeys and one big golden eagle are mounted and in the cabinets on exhibition.
One of the most curious and interesting birds, the Chaparral Cock or Road-Runner' (Geococeyx Californianus) from New Mexico, contributed by Mr. B. S. Williams, a former student of K. S. U. This bird is new to the collections.
Although terrestrial for the most part in its habits and sharing many other peculiarities with gallinaceous birds, it ranks in a very different ornithological division, being classed with the Cuckoos. These birds are said to be very swift of foot and in parts of Arizona, California and Mexico, where they occur they are frequently pursued with horses and hounds. Lieutenant Couch mentions that this bird called Paisano by the Mexicans, is also held in high estimation by them on account of its enmity to the rattlesnake, which it usually succeeds in killing in fair combat. These birds can be tamed; they feed upon insects and small reptiles, etc., prefering lizards and small birds, the latter of which the swallow feathers and all. Dr. Kennedy also states that when taken alive they soon become quite tame, and willingly remain about the house, soon destroying all the mice in the vicinity, which they catch and play with, with as much dexterity as a cat.
The lowest temperature of the winter was January 22d, when at about sunrise Prof. Snow's standard thermometer, at his house near the banks of the river, indicated fourteen degrees below zero. The coldest day, however was January 20th. The mean temperature of the whole day was 7.3 below zero. The mean of January 22d was 4.5 above. During the cold spell the thermometers stood below zero for about sixty hours. This is the coldest weather we have had since January, 1879, when the thermometers indicated 16 degrees. The coldest temperature the Professor has observed in Kansas was in January, 1873, when the thermometer stood at 26 degrees.
The prizes offered for the best work done in comparative anatomy were awarded—the first to Mr. L. M. Powell and the second to Mr.C. Dean. The third if there had been any would have been given to Miss Kate E.Harrington.
At the recent meeting of the State Board of Agriculture Professor Snow was appointed State Entomologist.
The Gila Monster looks fat and well. It seems to be passing the winter in a hibernating state; it has not taken any food since fall, and never moves unless disturbed. If the animal survives well until spring, Prof. Snow will continue his experiments with the animal. There appears to be much disagreement among scientific men with regard to the poisonousness of the beast. The monster has bitten a number of Lawrence cats without any effect whatever more than would naturally result from a severe bite of a harmless animal.
The rattlesnake is not the only natural enemy that the prairie dog has. We found one of these little animals in a half-digested condition in the crop of a golden eagle.
In the Indian Territory where there is no grain, the wild turkeys, prairie chickens and quails feed on acorns
almost exclusively during the winter season and become very fat. We found nearly a pint of acorns in the crop of one gobler to the exclusion of all other kinds of food except a very few bugs.
During Christmas vacation while Prof. Snow was working with his North American beetle cases a mouse secreted itself in the back part of the open cabinet and was shut in. Result about two thousand good duplicate specimens were destroyed, much to the aggravation of the Professor as well as to the loss of the State. No one except the Professor himself knows just how much time and skilled patient labor it takes to get two thousand good beetles. The thirty cases containing the regular named cabinet specimens were covered with glass and were not injured. That mouse died.
The first session's anatomy class has finished its work and taken its examination. During the twenty weeks over fifty cats and about a dozen dogs were sacrificed for the good of the dissectors. We are of the opinion that part of the work of human dissection can be supplemented in this way without any loss to the student. Because first—skill in dissecting must be acquired before good work can be done on any subject. Second—since the animals are small they can be preserved in alcohol and kept clean, fresh and ready for use all the time. Thirdly—the arrangement of the muscles, blood vessels, bones and organs generally, agrees for the most part with those in man. The student can use Gray's anatomical descriptions with scarcely any inconvenience. Fourthly-there is always more or less unpleasantness as well as expense connected with procuring and handling human subjects while cats and dogs can be bought without money and without price.
It is indeed wonderful how easily the roots of plants and trees bore through hard, impacted soils in search of nourishment. They use for this purpose a sort of awl of immense power, situated at the end of the roots and capable, with the aid of the other root machinery, of thrusting aside heavy weights and getting through almost any obstructions. Yet the awl consists only of a mass of microscopic absorbent cells joined by protoplasm or vegetable mucus-fluid in which vital action is first set up. The roots of the elm and maple will bore through the hardest soil of wall or streets, enter drains twine about water pipes, and penetrate through the seams of stone and brick structures. The roots of some plants have been known to pass through eighteen inches of solid brick work and make their appearance in a wine cellar below. Plants have a vast power in overcoming obstacles when foraging for food. They are like a hungry animal which no fences can restrain when their food is beyond.Journal of Chemistry.
NORMAL.
CAMBRIDGE AND LONGFELLOW.
The practical part of teaching is often posaic enough, yet the teacher should not become narrow by emphasizing too much the "bread and butter" aspect of life. To the teacher of liberal mind and culture poetry must find some place in the soul. Time is not ill-spent in admiring and treasuring up the beautiful fancies crystalized by the pen of our poets. And the teacher is made purer and nobler by acquaintance with those who in death still live.
We need not go far to find much that is beautiful. Take