Naturalist

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 370, 11 June 1903, Page 2

Naturalist

A SICK ELEPHANT. STASKHEN an elephant is sick he reFmrXini •l n i res * ae service of more than Bi||bJßi9 one nurße. The elephant in question suffered from rheumatism The medical attendant prescribed some nasty medicine and a course of massage. The nastiness of the medicine was, cf course, well disquisech for no baby has a sweeter tooth than the average elephant. The massage was a more difficult matter. The ordinary method of hand rubbing had no effect on the suffering animal; even the application of a nutmeg grater had no effect on his tough hide The massage was therefore done by the 'patting' principle, the patting being effected by the feet of three strong, heavy men. Their ff orts were rewardedj for their patient soon r; covered, and'now. he once more takes his place in the circus profession and, twice a day, in the ring performances

SCRATCH A TO ID'S BACK Toads are a valuable acquisition to a greenhouse, for they are always ready and pleastd to dispose of a fly or a beetle, and their sudden darfs invariably bring down their prey. They can be easily tamed, and when once they find out that no harm is meant them their friendliness is extreme. There are few things more amusing than to watch ato id submitting to the op ration of a back ecratching. J He" will at first look somewhat suspiciously-at the twig which you are advancing towards him. But after two or three passes down his back, his manner undergoes a marked change; his eyes close with an expression of infinite rapture, he points his feet wider apart, and his body swells ont to nearly double its ordinary sizs, as if to obtain by these means more room for enjoyment. Thus he will remain until you make some movement which startles him, or until he has had as much petting as he wants, when, with a puff of regretful delight, he will reduce himsslf to his original dimension i and hop away, bent cnce more on the pleasures of fee chase

DO PAEEOTS UNDERSTAND ? To learn a thing in a parrot-like way is underttocd as signifying that the learner doea not understand what he commits to memory. But a new thing has been acdaced that parrots do really understand what they say. A correspondent