Part 4

Basanite is also known as Lydian stone or touchstone on account of its use for trying the purity of metals. Its value for this purpose depends on its hardness, peculiar grain and black color. Different alloys of gold give different colors on the stone which one soon learns to recognize, and jewelers become very skillful in judging of the fineness of gold by this test. Also if an object is plated, by giving it a few strokes on the stone the different color of the gold and base will be revealed. It is simply a black variety of crypto-crystalline quartz, differing from jasper in being tougher and of finer grain and from hornstone in not being splintery.

Flint is likewise an opaque quartz of dull color. It differs from jasper in breaking with a deeply conchoidal fracture and a sharp cutting edge. It is also often slightly transparent and has a somewhat glassy luster. These properties have led to its extensive use by the Indians and by nearly all primitive peoples for the manufacture of weapons and implements. Hornstone is more brittle than flint and has a splintery rather than a conchoidal fracture. A number of other subvarieties of crypto-crystalline quartz occur, but they are not important.

Oliver Cummings Farrington.

MIDWINTER.

The air is like a beryl, clean and clear, Intensified by gleaming points of blue. Sharp-outlined, distant sounds come ringing near And crisply pierce the brittle silence through.

The sturdy trees that yester-eve were gray In dim and foggy veils, and half effaced By winter rain that compassed them, to-day Arise like knights in crystal armor laced.

The stiff, brown-fibered weeds beside the walk Have pinned, with each dull spike, a shivered star. An icy chime is rung from every stalk To wandering step that clashes them ajar.

The wood is bright as when the summer lost Her sun-gems in the deep, soft shadow-seas— Only the light is dagger-edged with frost, And breaks in spangles on the ice-mailed trees. —Hattie Whitney in The Ladies’ World.

A CATASTROPHE IN HIGH LIFE.

Tertius, as his name signifies, was the third Maltese cat to occupy a very warm place in the hearts of a certain pet-loving family that lived on a quiet, tree-shaded street in a beautiful Eastern city.

His predecessors were both noted for their wonderful sagacity and great achievements, so he felt that he must improve all his opportunities if he was to keep up to their high standard. Just how they had obtained their reputation he did not know, and perhaps it was this ignorance that caused him to make his fatal mistake.

The beautiful house in which he lived had a large veranda on one side, over which ran a grapevine, and in this grapevine a pair of robins, most unwisely, decided to build their nest.

“It is a very beautiful spot,” said Mrs. Robin.

“Yes, and that arrangement in the center there will be splendid to lay the foundation on,” replied Mr. Robin.

“It is so picturesque,” returned Mrs. R., in a rapture of delight.

“And there will be such a nice shade for you, my dear, when the leaves are out,” added the thoughtful husband.

“It is a much finer situation than Mr. and Mrs. English Sparrow have for their nest in the eaves up above. Don’t you think so, Rob?”

“Indeed I do, wifey; but we must to work, for the morning is advancing. Now, you stay here, while I fly off and get the material.”

In a very few days as pretty a little nest was in the spot selected as you would want to see. Mr. Robin had brought all the material, while his helpful little wife had constructed the nest.

All this time their movements had been watched by the large, admiring, but greedy eyes of the ambitious Tertius, and one morning the chance he had so patiently waited for came. Mr. Robin started out, thinking in his kind little heart that he would get “little wifey” a particularly large and tasty worm for her breakfast, and he was so intent in scratching in the newly turned garden for it that he did not see the slyly, softly creeping Tertius. One bound, and poor little Rob was caught. He screamed, he scolded, but all to no purpose. Now was Tertius proud. He would carry his prize to his mistress, and she would surely say that his skill and prowess was far beyond that of either of his illustrious ancestors. So, thinking, with arched back and curling tail, he hastily gained the house and at once carried his prize to his mistress’ room. But alas for his well-laid plans! Alas for the praise he had looked for! Instead, to his intense surprise and anger, he was greeted with a cry of pain and alarm. The mistress who should have praised rated him well, the hand that should have stroked his smooth coat wrenched his prize from him. In his anger he tried to scratch her in return, but she had been too quick for him, and Robin was saved. Tenderly he was laid in a bed of cotton and placed on an upper veranda, once more in the sweet, balmy air. Cautiously he lifted his head, and as no shining green eyes or sharp paw were to be seen, ventured to hop to the edge of the basket in which his kind preserver had placed him. One more look around and he stretched out his wings and soared away.

“Oh, my dear Rob! I heard your cry. Where have you been? Do tell me all about it!” exclaimed Mrs. Robin on Mr. Robin’s return, and he, in a most graphic manner, granted her request; but, as we already know all about it, we won’t stay to listen.

As to Tertius, he has decided that to win his way to fame he must confine himself in the future to a war on mice.

M. Leila Dawson.

THE DOMESTIC CAT.

In the old, old writings of the sacred Sanskrit language, that ancient language of the Hindoos, nearly two thousand years ago reference was made to the Domestic Cat. And so we know that Cats existed long ago and are a very ancient animal. But by means of pictures we are able trace their origin to still earlier times, for the Egyptian monuments abound in pictured Cats, and, stranger yet, in Egypt are found mummies of both the domestic and common jungle Cat. How very important it must have been considered! Think of burying the body of every forlorn, luckless Cat, and then realize the pains taken, not only to give it a burial, but to preserve it for ages to come; and this the Egyptians did, for doubtless it was to them the most sacred of all sacred animals.

Herodotus says that when one of their houses was on fire they first thought of saving the Cat, and afterward considered the matter of putting out the fire; also when a Cat died they cut off their own hair as a sign of mourning. When a person unintentionally caused the death of one of these animals he forfeited his life. We can readily imagine that small boys did not find amusement in chasing and plaguing stray Cats at that period of the world’s existence.

While we really do not absolutely know where the ancestors of our modern Cat were found, it is the general opinion that the Egyptian Cat was the first to be domesticated and that it gradually spread northward and eastward and westward, although the spotted Cats of India may have had a different origin.

In the tenth century the Cat had reached Wales, as laws were recorded fixing the price of Domestic Cats, and also penalties were fixed for their ill treatment and killing. After a kitten caught its first mouse its value was doubled, and a mother Cat was expected to have perfect eyes, ears and claws, to know how to catch mice and how to bring up her kittens properly.

The Domestic Cat is so common an animal that we do not realize how very interesting the study of it may become. First of all, we must remember that our pet kittens belong to that important division of animals known as “The Cat Tribe,” and which includes such ferocious and feared beasts as the lion, the tiger, the wildcat, the leopard, the panther and many others less common and less generally known.

All of these animals are most symmetrical and graceful; all have the round head set on a stout neck, the limbs of moderate length, the long tail and the soft fur which correspond in general color to its native surroundings. Because they are beasts of prey the teeth are adapted to life-destroying action; the tongue is thick and muscular, with fine, horny thorns which point toward the throat. With these the animal can most beautifully smooth and dress its hair, as well as strip the meat from off the bone when making a meal. The claws, ordinarily drawn up and out of sight, make an effective weapon when the angry animal stretches its paws. On account of its cushioned feet its step is silent and stealthy. All Cats can jump many times their own length, and most species are great climbers. The sense of hearing is most acute, and they see well at short range. The sense of touch is extremely well developed, and the most sensitive organ is the whiskers. A Cat with the whiskers cut off is indeed in a most uncomfortable position; it is at a loss to know what to do. The sense of smell is not very acute.

Our Domestic Cat shares all these qualities with the other members of the Cat tribe, but it has many valuable qualities of its own.

It is much more intelligent than people are willing to concede. It is often compared with the dog, but they are so entirely different that it is an unfair comparison. The dog becomes very dependent upon man, while the Cat has kept a certain amount of individuality and independence through all its generations of domestic life. When a Cat is very much petted it develops an affection for its master, but otherwise it becomes more attached to the house and locality in which it lives, preferring to return to its old home and live among strangers rather than to follow its owner to a new home.

How remarkable is the fact that no one can cause a Cat to alight except upon its feet, no matter how short or long may be the distance from which it jumps or is thrown! A Cat can also swim, though in the main it abhors the water. Occasionally its great appetite for fish will overcome its dislike of getting wet, and it will jump into a pond and do its own fishing.

Mr. Scheitlin understandingly describes the Cat in the following language: “The Cat is an animal of a high order of intelligence. Its bodily structure alone indicates this. It is a pretty, diminutive lion, a tiger on a small scale. It shows the most complete symmetry of form, no one part of it too large or too small. That its every detail is rounded and beautiful is even shown by an examination of the skull, which is more symmetrical than that of any other animal. Its movements are undulating and graceful to the extent that it seems to have no bones. We value our Cats too slightly because we detest their thievish propensities, fear their claws and love their enemy, the dog, and we are not able to show equal friendship and admiration for those two opposite natures.

“Let us examine the Cat’s qualities. We are impressed by its agility, yet its mind is as flexible as its body. Its cleanliness of habit is as much a matter of mental bias as physical choice, for it is constantly licking and cleaning itself. Every hair of its fur must be in perfect order; it never forgets as much as the tip of its tail. It has a discriminating sensibility as to both color and sound, for it knows man by his dress and by his voice. It possesses an excellent understanding of locality and practices it, for it prowls through an entire neighborhood, through basements and garrets and over roofs and haysheds without bewilderment. It is an ideally local animal, and if the family moves it either declines to accompany them, or, if carried to a new residence, returns at the first opportunity to the old homestead; and it is remarkable how unerringly it will find its way back, even when carried away in a sack for a distance of several miles.”

Large families are the custom with Cats, for usually five or six kittens are born at one time. As these cunning little objects are totally blind for nine days after birth, the devoted mother Cat must work industriously to properly care for them and especially to preserve them from danger. They must be hidden away from harm, as the father Cat would be perfectly willing to devour them, and would attack them as readily as he would a rat or a mouse. The mother Cat lifts her helpless little ones very tenderly by compressing the skin of their necks between her lips and gently carries them to a place of safety.

While attending to the duties of motherhood the Cat is in a sympathetic frame of mind and will sometimes care for the young of other animals as well as for her own. Mr. Brehm tells us that, when a boy he brought a little squirrel, yet blind, to one of his Cats, which accepted the strange child among her own and tenderly cared for it, and after her own kittens had been given away she regarded it with increased affection. They became inseparable companions and understood each other perfectly, though each talked in its own language.

Cats frequently form friendships for other animals, and even dogs and Cats become friendly, in spite of the impression to the contrary.

While living in a large city where yards were small and infrequent, I was the happy owner of a beautiful tree, which stood near the rear of the house. There were many pet Cats in the neighborhood, and all delighted to visit my tree. Undoubtedly some were attracted by the English sparrows which were almost omnipresent among the upper branches, but all enjoyed clawing, stretching and scratching up the friendly trunk. One day a strange kitten appeared, and although smallest and youngest of all the Cats, by its superior intelligence it soon became king among them and ruled them all, causing many a commotion in the previously tranquil group. This young Cat gained entrance to my next door neighbor’s house and made itself at home with an “I am come to stay” air. In fact, it refused to be evicted, and by its determined persistence became a member of the household.

The other family pet was an old pug dog—Jack—cross and uninteresting, but tolerated because he gave some amusement to an invalid daughter of the family. Jack, jealous and annoyed, received the newcomer in the most hostile manner, and the kitten seemed to take special delight in tormenting the dog in every possible way. In fact, the lack of harmony between the pets became so annoying that it was decided to sacrifice the kitten, and it was taken to a remote place. For a number of weeks quiet prevailed in the rear yards of the neighborhood, but in time, to everyone’s surprise, the Cat reappeared and refused to be turned away. Its courage and daring won recognition, and again it was received into the family circle. I wondered what Jack would do now that the kitten was restored to favor. About this time business called me from the city, and some time elapsed before my return. On reaching home again, one night I heard the dog crying and whining till nearly morning. I could not imagine the cause, but to my astonishment learned the next day that the dog and Cat had become such firm friends that the dog was perfectly inconsolable when the Cat was absent, and as his kingship had chosen to wander outside that particular night, the dog had mourned for hours. In fact, after causing the family a sleepless night, his master was obliged to rise and punish him before he would cease his cries. Such devotion put to flight all my previous theories of the inborn antagonism between Cats and dogs.

The different varieties of Domestic Cats are distinguished from one another by the difference of color, length of hair or, more rarely, length of tail.

The Cats of India are spotted, those of the Isle of Man are practically tail-less, but the European Cats are commonly “tabby,” black, white, sandy, tortoise shell, dun, gray or the so-called blue.

The most beautiful of all are the highly prized Persian or Angora Cats, with their long, silky hair and bushy tails.

John Ainslie.

“CUBBY.”

Just a little fluffy ball of fur, Fawn and brown, and smooth and soft as silk; Just two cunning little paws of tan, Velvet-gloved, to dabble in the milk. Little paws to pat my tired face, Spring and play, and help me to forget. Little, merry, restless, tireless feet— Just a little playful, happy pet.

Just a little yielding, graceful form, Cuddled softly down beside my cheek; Just two little tender, fawn-like eyes, Looking all the love they cannot speak; Just a little song of sweet content, Murmured soft and low beside my ear; Just a little kitten I have loved— Not forgotten, and to memory dear. —Mary Morrison.

SOAPWORT OR BOUNCING BET. (_Saponaria officinalis._)

The plant commonly called Soapwort or Bouncing Bet also bears other popular names, many of which are purely local. Some of these are Hedge Pink, Bruisewort, Sheepweed, Old Maid’s Pink and Fuller’s Herb. It bears the name Soapwort because of a substance called saponin which is a constituent of its roots and causes a foaming that appears like soap suds when the powdered root is shaken with water.

Soapwort belongs to a large group of plants called the Caryophyllaceæ, or pink family. In this family there are about fifteen hundred species. These are widely distributed, but are most abundant in the Northern Hemisphere, extending to the Arctic regions and to the tops of very high mountains. The popular and beautiful carnations and some of the most common plants that grow abundantly in waste places also belong to the pink family. The Soapwort comes to us from Europe, where in some localities it is a common wild flower. In this country when it was first introduced it was simply a pretty cultivated garden plant. However, it lives from year to year and spreads by means of underground stems. It was not very long before it had escaped from yards to roadsides, where frequently large patches may be seen. The flowers are large and quite showy. The color of the petals is usually pinkish white. Blossoming in July, August and September, the Soapwort often beautifies waste places which other plants seem to shun. It is perhaps more generally loved than any other of our old-fashioned garden flowers. It grows luxuriantly without cultivation and seems to quite hold its own even among rank growths of weeds and grass. It is hard to tell what is the significance of the name Bouncing Bet, perhaps the most popular of all the names by which this plant is known.

Alice Lounsberry says: “It was always a mystery to Dickens that a doornail should have been considered so much more dead than any other inanimate object, and it seems also strange that this plant should have suggested the idea of bouncing more than other plants. Dear Bettie does not bounce, nor could she if she would. She sits most firmly on her stem, and her characteristics seem to be home-loving and simple. We are sure to find her peeping through the garden fence.”

TURTLE-HEAD OR SNAKE-HEAD. (_Chelone glabra._)

The Turtle-head or Snake-head is one of three species that are natives of eastern North America. This plant is well supplied with common names, as it is also called Shell-flower, Cod-head, Bitter-herb and Balmony. The generic name of this flower of the swamps and moist banks of streams is from the Greek word which means tortoise, the name having been given to the plant because of the fancied resemblance between the flowers and the head of a turtle or snake. One may be able, by stretching his imagination, to see this resemblance in the flowers of our illustration.

The custom of giving names to plants that are suggestive of their real or fancied resemblance to various objects of nature, or are indicative of their beneficial or injurious qualities, is as old as history itself. In this way a large number of plants have become associated with good or evil spirits, Christian or pagan saints or martyrs, animate nature or some of the phenomena of nature. To the Indian the likeness of the flower of the Turtle-head to the head of a reptile not only gave it its name, but at the same time invested the plant with certain sacred associations by reason of the fact that not only among the Indians of North America, but among the uncivilized peoples in all parts of the world the tortoise has been considered sacred and highly symbolical.

Though commonly found in low altitudes, it is found in moist places in the Adirondacks, even at a height of three thousand feet.

This plant is not rare, and with its upright stem and its rather large and clustered white or slightly rose-colored flowers it is a dignified and beautiful feature of any floral community.

THE POCKET BIRD.

About the middle of May a gaily colored bird from his winter home in neo-tropical regions visits the United States. His body is bright scarlet, his slightly forked tail and his wings intense black and his bill sea green. The ornithologist names him the scarlet tanager—tanager being a Brazilian word applied to this class of birds. But he is also sometimes called the “pocket bird,” because his jetty wings when closed upon his red sides are fancifully thought to resemble pockets. He is also known as the black-winged redbird. It takes three years for his gaudy plumage to become perfect. His mate is clad in green, so that she is easily concealed when on her nest amid the leaves of the swamp oak or some other favorite nesting tree. The nest is shallow and loosely woven, so that the eggs may be seen from beneath. But it is strong enough to hold the young birds securely until fledged. The eggs, three to five in number, are greenish-blue, spotted with brown and purple. The young birds are a clownish looking set in parti-colored robes of scarlet yellow and olive green. The song of the tanager somewhat resembles that of the robin in modulation; but the quality of the song is so soft and wavering that there are observers who call him a lazy bird, too lazy to sing. But others declare that it is worth while to take a long tramp in order to listen to his beautiful notes. Mr. Abbott calls him a “gayly colored blunder” without peculiarity of voice or manner. His song has been translated “Pshaw—wait—wait—wait for me.” His call note is “Chirp-chirr.”

There are some three hundred and eighty species of tanagers, and they are peculiar to America. They are perching birds and have usually conical bills, triangular at the base, with cutting edges near the tip of the upper mandible: this distinguishes them from the finches, to which they are closely allied. It is said that this genus is remarkable in having no gizzard.

The tanagers feed chiefly on ripe fruits and insects.