TO-DAY’S NATURE NOTE

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 86, 5 January 1935, Page 10

TO-DAY’S NATURE NOTE

Award For tjie Week , Those who read the observation by “J.D.” (Wanganui) in. Thursday’s issue were acquainted with some of the amazing habits of ths praying mantis, an insect that always arouses the interest of the nature lover. This note has been .adjudged the prize-winning effort of the week, and to its author goes the award for the week. A Natural Sea-garden Wandering about on the rocks at the seaside’, when the tide is out, one is never at a loss to find something interesting to look <at. There is always open warfare going on among the inhabitants of the sea: a crab being chased by some un-. seen foe; or a erayfish having a standup fight with an octopus, ijnd using its powerful claws to more than likely get the best of it. Then there are the deep pools in the rocks where one sees all shades and colours of seaweed —pink,: brown, green and white—-so wonderfully arrayed by nature that it looks like a beautiful garden. • On the bottom of the pool may be a clear space of white sand : while here and there are scattered a few big stones, under which a family of crabs probably lives. It looks, very peaceful until oiie throws a stone in the pool, but then it. comes to life. There are big and little crabs running in all directions, and small, grey, black, and brown fish about an inch long come out of the seaweed and then disappear again. Then there arc shell fisli of all descriplions crawling about .ami after a little while they too disappear in the seaweed, mid the pool resumes its peaceful appearance.—ll. Browne (Wellington). llllllllEI!i;ill!IIHIIIil!llinillllllUKIIIIIIIII