HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1957-07-31, Page 7is around t4 watch what she
doe.. The intelkettial term( ity
of deice e is such that twenty
people may be lied up on the
porch to watch, but the duck
can't see them. She runs her
neck out eking the ground until
it is twice 113 long as it is,
hisses some, and then makes a
series of guttural quacks which
alarm her offspring and alert
them to the grand processional.
They are about to go to the
pond.
A duck can't walk without
stepping on everything, and at
'this point the mother 1)0011188
even worse, and herds the pro-
duct of her love under her so
she can keep clipping them with
her great big flat feet.
It the pond is 15 feet away, the
mother will plot a devious route
of about a quarter of a mile.
She always comes out on the far
side of the pond, and gazes
furtively from the weeds to see
if the coast is clear, Having, ar-
rived, she now lunges into the
drink with wild quacks of proud
parenthood, and alerts every
hawk, owl, fox, raccoon, and
pussycat within the township.
She threshes around and splashes
water, and the little ones join
her.
Then the flotilla, about as de-
lightful a sight as you'll ever
see, swims across to join the
other ducks. The drakes whack
and the other ducks whark, and
all the little ones peep, and it
is a gay reunion, The aloneness
of incubation is over, and the
dramatic appearance of another
clutch, staged better than Ring-
ling could do . it, has brought
an end to the act. The old duck
will hiss a little, and acts pos-
sessive, but most of the big front
is gone. The pomp and ceremony
are over.
It doesn't take long for baby
ducks to add on the poundage,
and before many days they are
big enough to fend for them-
selves. They don't always come,
now, when Mother calls, and
all the clutches mingle indis-
criminately. When I fill the
hopper each morning they almost
smother me. At first the drakes
push the little ones from the
feed, but the little ones soon
get wise 'to this and, getting
bigger, crawl under the ad,,rnan
and upend him. This makes him
quack, and I enjoy watching it.
Then comes this seasonal urge
to go on a trip. Mallards, no
matter how many years they've
been domesticated; can fly as
well as their wild cousins. The
difference is that they don't. Now
and then a stray dog will put
them into flight, but otherwise
they stay put, Blacks,' canvas-
backs, teal, and other wild water-
fowl have never been success-
fully domesticated, because they
will fly away unless you clip
their wings . A mallard could go
south in the fall, but he won't.
He prefers to vtralk. But every
summer, one fine morning, the
drakes will line up the whole
flock, like a boys' club on a hike,
and away they will go across
country. Some years I have a
time finding them.
This year I found them in the
back pasture, holding witan in a
circle under a beech, all talking
at once and none knowing where
to go. They were glad to see
me, and lined up again and walk-
ed home with me. I showed them
the pond and they were over-
joyed. They plunged in and
, chased each other and dove and
swam, and they'll stay „there
now until cold weather when I
chase them into the duckhouse -
for winter.
But next year it will happen
again—the incubation, the re-
union with the new members of
the tribe, the plans for a hike,
and I'll be out looking again.
Mallards are such fun.
—by John Gould in
"The Christian Science Monitor"
When a feller says it aint the
money but the principle of the
thing, it's the money,
ee
rattler being stepped on and, one
in which the snake was pre-
sumably kicked. A recent un-
fortunate fatality was the re-
stilt of a rattlesnake being pick-
ed up. It was the first instance
of death in Canada resulting
from rattlesnake bite, which
might not have been fatal ex-
cept for some delay in seeking
adequate medical attention. It
was only the second known death
in North America from rattle-
snake bite.
Although a few rattlesnakes
survive in Ontario, only about
one person per year on the aver,
age is bitten. Their range is the
Niagara River iorge and the
shores of Lake Erie, Lake Huron
and Georgian Bay but not more
than 25 miles inland nor north
of Killarney.
There are two kinds, one a
real rattler, the other so-called.
The dangerous fellow—the one
to leave strictly alone—but not
to kill unnecessarily, because he
consumes a great many rodents
in a year — is the' Massassaga
rattlesnake or pit viper. The
alternative name stems from the
pockets or pits in the snake's
cheeks which are readily visible
from outside striking range.
Other identifying features are
the Massassaga's eyes, which
have cat-like "split" pupils, and
its spotted body, dark on light.
But the harmless Hardwood
Rattler, otherwise known as the
milk snake or fox snake, is also
Upsidedown to Prevept Peeking
d 0 DOM
OMNI d NilEJEICIYMIIIIDI
11101113CHCI€1[1121101111E1
5at11211dillarglillOC1121
MIEN
111019113015
1341 1:11:10
- MOD
17111:111110-.
DODiii 11100E1E1
111710- 111E110Ple E11:10111
121131:2 LI v EMI El
MAKING A CLEAN SWEEP—The world's largest vacuum cleaner„
designed to protect jet aircraft by leaving runways cleaner than
a kitchen floor, is prepared for a test run. The JARC (Jet Air-
craft Runway Cleaner) cleans an eight-foot swath of runway
with each pass, removing sand, pieces of machinery, nuts, bolts,
assorted hardware, and chunks of rock and gravel. The vacuum
developed by the JARC is more than 1,500 times more power-
ful than the most efficient home vacuum cleaner. The volume
of air handled each minute would sustain the breathing of
40,000 men. The reason for all this power is that the Air Force,
in many tests, has proved that even a quarter-inch steel bolt,
sucked into the intake of a jet, care cause an explosion and
the disintegration of the engine.
the rest of its population. She laid her eaas, eight, only 50
feet from a' runnway of to bliardict Field. Airport gardenet
Jahn MOloney exeitnitiet ohe of the 14 edgt while the phea
sant's away. Her chicks nee going Os think there are some
awfully big birds this world.
'keel 4'e
56
52
27
10
7,hl5c'aiv 8, Having two lips O. Wing...shaped 10. Persian fairy 11, Ebb and flow is, EleVated railroad
/SPY
20
37
/7
ti
5.s
28
53
'es
21
7,9
54.
T7
/8.
34,
29 30
49'4
SPECIAL DELIVERY — Residents
of 'Manhasset, Li., probably
don't even mind receiving bills
through the mail as long as
pretty Sue Voight is on the de-
livery end. Sue got her unusual
summer job merely by apply-
ing at the Manhasset Post Of-
fice. We'll bet the six-foot
lovely is one postman who
needn't ring twice.
0,44.
HOUSING-,s4OlitAci — Looks tue ,Anisaig situation is for
the birds this year. The robin, left, was so hard pressed she
fettled down On the pulley of an Overhead trails at Marietta,
Ohio. Workers there used another crane until the blessed event
took place, A hen pheasant found New York just os crowded as
THE FARM FRONT
Jokau.sseu
20.1?hilippine 10, Again
32, Wo os 34, Ductile
37. Divide
30, Itettdd r OSS 41, Leather fastener
eenerat is. (lees ahead 42, melt aiseaso
2, Paddle ' 20, 'Rubber jar 43, Medley
3. Attorney rings 45. Therefore
4. Litetary 21. Od.hy 47, Age
composition 23. Roman date 40, Cr. letter
5. While 27. instantaneous 50, Abraham's'
5, niece in Omosti re n epheiV
New SerSey 28, Tient 53, pehold
li.iswet elsewhere on this Page
Mallard. Ducks
Are Such Eon.
There comes a time every
summer when the cheeks start
roaming, and I think Fee fig-
ured Out What goes on, While
the lien docks are on their nests,
Which with mallards are always
some distance from the water,
the drakes keep lonely vigil in
the pond, and do a lot of talk-
Mg' among themselves. They no
doubt brag some, and I think
they outline things they would
do if they were single and could
get away.
They begin to moult their
spring foliage end sprout more
somber suitings for the fall trade.
Their small quacks seem to be
lining up some secret venture
when they get looking decent
again—which they may justify
as a reward to their hens for
the long weeks spent gazing at
the narrow scenery around the
hidden nests.
The debut-of a clutch of mal-
lard ducklings is an orderly and
magnificent event. The eggs pip
and the babies come out, and
presently the old lady moves off
the nest and stands akimbo to
one side. The little ones, usually
eight or nine, move over under
, her and the first night is spent
in a frenzy of 'excitement.
The little ones peep and push,
and dispute among themselves,
and the old -hen stands faith-
ful watch lest something hap-
pen. Any movement within miles
such as slamming a milk-room
door or yanking the cover off
a jar of peanut butter, causes
the mother to assume the atomic
bomb has landed, and since no-
body blew the whistle she must
take over. She swells her fea-
thers out, thinking it makes her
gruesome, and should that not
repel any and all invaders she
hisses like Milton's evil char-
ecter at the temptation. This is
.directed at the rosebuds, or the
moon—or anything handy—and
If she gets the slightest move-
ment in return she will fly at it.
A goose or swan can make you
change your mind, but a duck is
all fury and no great amount
of slam. Her whirlwind sally
will astonish ladies walking by,
and sometimes cause them to
climb the flagpole,-but old hands
like myself merely reach down
and grab the silly thing by the
bill and hold her to one side
while we count the little ones.
The little ones are at this time
merely putting in a hesitation
period between the hatch and
the dunk, Nature seems to have
fashioned' the routine so a day
elapses for them to digest their
beestings and get their legs lim-
bered before they get wet.
After the stated interlude, the
mother gazes about and satisfies
herself that the world has be-
come depopulated and -nobody
HOT! -Llt wasn't really 185 de-
grees in Beverly, Mass., when
this picture was taken. It 'just
felt that way. Mechanics in-
vestigating the trouble found
what perspiring residents sus-
pected: Electrical wiring had
Dverhea ted,
CROSSW R
PUZZLE
ACROSS 1, IllaSY gait
ii. Bind of horse
5, Likely
12. Organs or
hearing
11, ftindu
garment
14. Ha Witi ie ti wreath 15. tin even
37, woo (ludic
19, Kind of lily 21, Eagle's nest
22, ComPatsion 24. Tait higher
point
25. Hedy of water 26. Puss 27. Impassive: 20.11tothee 3i, aim 23. City in Pm
35. Stea,nshiti (ab.) SlaA/O
OR. Rathet than 30. Tilt
40, Oiltablt,,el*
41. Ci•Sratallserl
tireOltiltation Pollutes 44, Vits tine
46. Ptinfliefe4 45. ne'y window
ittintisii.hoke St, $74fegian "CitY $4, tiiifriing voice 55.4 Necktileca 48,151ebliiiht's eat 47. Klatt of filet DOWN AMietleari.
spotted, Like all other harmless
snakes in Ontario, however, it
has a pointed tail. The Masses-
saga's tail is blunt, and does not
always have rattles,
Nevertheless and apparently,
the best way to avoid rattlesnake
bite is to steer clear of and
certainly never try to pick up
any spotted snake,
Should the unforeseen happen,
however, apply a tourniquet a
few inches above the bite, tight
enough to prevent the spread of
venom but not tight enough to
stop the blood circulation—try
hard to maintain a confident
attitude—and hurry to the near-
est doctor and arrange to be
taken as quickly as •possible to
the nearest anti-venom depot
for treatment.
CUPID WAS AN EGO
--s
Busy packing eggs in a dairy
at Vromshoop, Holland, 17-year-
old Janny Hakman was seized
with the urge to write her name
and address on one of the eggs.
Later Janny received a letter
from Rome in which Emilio
Menieri proposed marriage and
enclosed a photograph of hitt-
self. He explained that he had
bought the egg in a Rome mar-
ket.
LINDAYS01001
LESSON
By Rev, R. Dorcloy Warren
13.A., B.D.
me romigner in the Midst
Ruth 2:1-12
.nory Selaction: The stcange.r
1
that dwelleth with yon shall 14
unto pm as one horn among yogi.
Alld thou shalt love him as thy&
1 self, Leviticus 19:34.
The story of Ruth is a bright
gem shining in the troublesomll
period of the Judges, Nao
her husband and two sons ha
left Judea for Moab in a time
famine. The sons married your/
women of Moab. Then tragedY
came, The father and sons died
leaving three widows, Naomi de,
cided to go back to Judea but
advised her daughters-in-law tO
remain in Moab. But Ruth loved
her mother-in-law, She loyel
Naomi's God, too, She decide
to go with Naomi. It speaks well
for Naomi that she had so livedd
that Ruth was ready to forsaka
her gods and her people and fol-
low the God of Naomi, We Wish
that relations between mothers-
in-law and daughters-in-law
were always so harmonious.
Ruth's industry, modesty and
virtue soon won her a place
among the people of Judah,
Boaz, a near kinsman, redeemed
the inheritance of Naomi and
married Ruth, To this union was
born a son whose grandson, Da,
vid, became head of a line of
kings, Centuries later Jesus wal
born of Mary in this direct lint
of descendants from Ruth. Hem
highly honoured was Ruth!
What is our individual atti-
tude to those who come in ow
midst from other lands? Do we
snub them or do we welcome.
them? It is well for us to re,
member that unless we arm
N6rth American Indians our an
cestors came to this country 2.1
foreigners. Hence it is very im-
proper for us to assume an at-
titude of superiority toward
newcomers to our country. Let
us remember that God "bath
made of one blood all nation:
of men for to dwell on all the
face of the earth." Acts 17:26.
Can one be a Christian and
fail to carry out the instruction
Of the memory selection? Ttw
enswer is, "No." II one doesn't
love his neighbour he doesn't
really love God. See 1 John 4:20,
21. God's love embraces all.
40
44
Flamingoes Form,.
Arrow Of Fir.Q.
Between. Dar,es-Sulaana and.
Cape.. Delgado the littoral is
flanked by an endless suece:•dosn
of Islands both large and. small.
For the most part they ,are un,
inhabited, and only Marine lairds
frequent their shores and vege,
Cation,
There "are hundreds and hurt,
dreds of these islands, with the
result that progress by this
route is painfully slow; never-,
theless, schooners and similar
• small craft prefer it because of
the comparatively calm water,.
They sail without the aid of
instruments, 'and when the 'sun
sets they have to find an anchor-
age for the night. The pilot ac-
cordingly makes for land, head-
ing, for the leeward side of the
nearest
Our favourite island, the One
whose name always crops, up
when we recall those days, was
Songa-Songa — not because it
looked any different, nor be-
cause, having explored it from
end to end, we knew it better
than the others, but simply be-
cause of , the impression it made
on us at the moment of land-
ing.,
When we arrived there it was
late evening and the low clouds
that veiled the horizon were
tinged with the colours • of sun-
set, From the island, at right
angles to the beach, there pro-
truded towards us a tongue of
• sand, culminating in a promon-
tory dotted with clumps of
shrubs, On the shore a flock of
sea-birds had gathered—puffins„
sea-gtills, plovers, herons, grebes,
godwits and various other
species.
Standing well apart from the
rest was a group of flamingoes,
the first we had seen since our
arrival in Africa. Their gleam-
ing white bodies were supported
by incredibly long legs, but the
gracefulness of their carriage
lent harmony even to the move-
ments of their ill-proportioned
limbs. We beached the dinghies
and walked quite' openly towards
them. As we drew nearer they
closed their ranks, ,huddling to-
gether and lifting their heads to
watch us.
Flamingoes are timid crea-
tures, and these would not allow
us to come within fifty yards
of them. Wtih a great flapping
of wings they rose into the air,
and it was then that the miracle
occurred. The white of their
feathers turned to brilliant red,
and suddenly the whole sky
seemed to burst in flame, Never
had we seen such gorgeous
colouring, never had we seen
a dawn or sunset of such breath-
taking splendour, never had we
seen a flower unfolding petals
of such fiery red.
The ektraordinay phenomenon
was explained by the sudden
appearance• of the scarlet fea-
thers which until a moment be-
fore had been completely hidden
by their wings. The cloud of
birds, whoSe coloUrihg varied
tontintially between pink and
crimson, was rapidly transform-
ed into an arrow of fire that
flashed across the sky, The Fla-
reingees arranged themselves in
line, one behind the other, end
paeSed over our heads in a
southerly direction, MeatiVehild
the see, very calm now that the
wind had dropped, had acquired
an Oily- consistency arid the
sparkle Cif mother-Of-pearl, and
we-dotild see the flight of the
birds mirrored in the water.
Front "Vanished deittlileht," by
Franco Prospett, translated by
David Moore.
The chance of receiving a
rattlesnake bite in Ontario is one
in several million. But the On-
tario Department of Health has
made sure that, should it happen,
it will not mean certain death.
According to Health Minister
Mackinnon Phillips, treatment
units of anti-venom—the active
substance in rattlesnake venom
antiserum—have been supplied
to a number of hospitals and
other depots free of charge.
Speedy treatment at these con-
veniently located depots Will
minimize the danger of the bite
being fatal.
Here are the hospitals at which
anti-venom units are kept on
hand: Little Current, Espanola,
Parry Sound, Bracebridge, Oril-
lia, Midland, Penetanguishene,
Barrie, Collingwdod, Meaford,
Owen Sound, Wiarton, Lion's
Head, Southampton, Kincardine,
Goderich, Sarnia, Chatham, St.
Thomas, Welland and Hamilton.
Units are also stocked at the
municipal' health department of-
fices of Sudbury and Windsor,
and at the District Forester's of-
fice (Department of Lands and
Forests) at Parry Sound, Reserve
supplies are maintained at the
Provincial Control Laboratory,
Toronto.
The mere fact that rattle-'
snakes are found occasionally
In Ontario need not spoil any-
one's holiday any more than
the fact that there are forest
fires and automobile accidents.
Rattlers are rarely reported and
it is doubtful if anyone living in
or visiting the areas in which
rattlesnakes do occur ever worry
about them—except that they
leave spotted snakes strictly
alone. For they know that two
snakes in Ontario are spotted
and one is a rattler. They know
also that it will not attack and
will not or cannot bite as long
as a discreet distance is main-
tained.
Of course, if a rattlesnake' is
picked up or stepped on it will
bite, or attempt to. But there is
only one record in the Royal
'Ontario Museum's files of a
THE FEMININE TOUCH—Mrs, Beulah Leonard lures two of her wandering bulls home with
bucket of grain after the police emergency squad met their match. The squad received a
complaint that "three cows" were molesting n eighbor's flowers and arrived on the scene
with lariats, but required Mrs, Leonard's exper t help when they discovered two of the "cows"
were bulls.
23 •Se 2'f
26
31
/5
C
22
43
39,
la
36
3i
46
51
4
.,-