OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS COLUMN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2813, 12 February 1908, Page 86

OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS COLUMN.

FOR SENIORS AND JUNIORS. (Conducted by Magisteb. to -whom all communications must be addressed.) [Maoisteb will be glad to receive ITatur« notes, marked papers containing educational articles, diagrams, details of experiments, etc., of scholastic interest to teachers and pupils. . Correspondents using a, pen Bam* BUit also send name and address.] A CRICKET SYMPOSIUM. This was intended for publication a-t the beginning of the cricket season, but our correspondence assumed such proportions that it was crushed out, like much more I was hoping- to crush in. But there are two te j r matches 3et to be played, and our season is jet far from over, so I think we'll have our cricket outing to-day. — Magister.] " Flamieled Fools" have now full possession of the playing grounds, though the " Muddied Oafs" will soon get ready to displace them. I think, however, before I go an" further, that it is fair to Kipling to say that he did not wish to bring football an.l cricket into contempt, but that he wanted to let us know that instead of 80,000 wstching ab*ut 30 playing " Soccer," he wanted rather to see about 30 watching 80,000 playing. I believe it is a fact that when the Romans and Greeks of old took to watching the physical displays of a few who were really profesionals, instead of developing their physique as a nation, then they began to deteriorate and to prepare themselves for conquest by the more virile im aders. There are many, I know, who think that we are putting tco much time to physical development, but Ido not. Some of last season's finest University footballers are "topnotchers'' at their professional work. It is only when games trench upon the time and thought necessary for the more serious side of life, that it is necessary to weigh pros and cons, and call a. halt. I advise yj3u all to read an article " In Praise of Rugby" in the Young Man's Magazine for September. In it the writer says: "Football should be a. means to an end, and not an end in itself, as a lot of fellows make it. Play the game for the game's sake. Play it to make-^ou fitter and stronger for your everyday work. Let it act as a tonic for body and brain, and not as a brake to clog your business sucees." And further on : Never mean vantage take, boys, or ungenerous be Always for the game's sake, lads, play with chivalry ; True sport your very life, lads, strengthens brains and frames While fal c « play leads to strife, boys, degrades both soul and games. Now, this all applies* to cricket as much as it does to the Rugby game Mr M'Larca writes in praise of. That* Yourselves. Som> time ago I read an article on ericke , the result of an interview wirh Trumper, the cricketing idol of Australia, and this is how a portion of it runs : "A= t>> training? It is largely a matter of practice, although, of course, there arc some boys who never could become firstclass cricketers. It's like schooling: whereas one fellow is always top for mathematics, ho may never be able to get placed for Latin or French. However, gain a liking for cricket ; consistent practice is what, is needed 'o bring you* to the fore and lcavp you there : practise, if possible, with bttter payers than yourself. Dieting is quite unnecessary. As long as a man keeps straight, ha need not worry as to what he il.cuk! or should not eat. Neither will smoking hurt, provided it is in moderation. Drinking, however, is sure to have a bad effect on a man's play. It is very unsteadyinsr, and the would-be rep. should give it a wide b«- J h." Mr Trumper himself is both a non-smoker and teetota l er. Asked as to the- behaviour of the members of the team on tour, he replied that they are usually very eteadv. " You see," he remarked, "the trip lasts from May to "September. During the whole of the time we never miss a day (Sundays excepted), and have to travel f<-r>m place to place at night. If any member s''nws an inc'ination to misbehave himself, the others object stronsrlv as it not only means more work for them to do. but may prejudice the chances of the whole team. Unlike your football teams, we have only two banquet= during the who'e course of the tour; =;o our fellows are not similarly tempted. ' The New South Wales Eleven boasts three abstainers How Jessop Throws. You will see I am devoting- mv columns this week alrrost entirely to cricket. And why shouldn't I? The older folk have been having 1 a. good time at bowls, a-nd youngfolk must have the field to themselves occasionally. I am putting this piece in from an article by Jessop because I was watching a schoolboys' match some time ago. and I saw that several runs were scored against the fielding side simply because the fielders were too long- in "gathering in" the ball and returning it to the wickets. Just you study this extract and practise what it teaches. "The throw required in cricket is not the deliberate, soaring, long-distance, wound-up throw tbat wins priseg g£ atbletis 8BWBta» fcitf

the quick, Eccurate return of the ball with a low trajectory. Quickness and accuracy are the main points, and both of them depend greatly upon what state the thrower is in before the ball comes to him or he gets jto the ball. He must be ready and preI pared, . body and mind, or he loses time, and has to seek his aim. In fact, I believe a fielder should take just as much trouble as a. batsman does to shape in ready anticipation of the ball. Just think how carefully a batsman sets himself to readiness ! Why the difference? Except that the ball may not come to the fielder. But when it does? Why, then the fielder needs to be poHed on his toes almost as a sprinter on the mark, with every nerve stretched to attention, else he is slower than he need be in picking up the ball. " Now, in cricket, picking: up is part of throwing. The books tell us that we should pick up the ball and throw it in with one action, which is an impossibilty. But the ball can be so p-cked up that there is no pause before the action of the throw begins. I have found rmself two chief aids to this community of action — first, to be at the very beginning- of a stride, with the right foot on the ground and the left foot off it. at the precise moment the ball rolls mo the hand ; and, secondly, to bend the arm back directly into the throwing position when the ball js lifted. By observing these two points you will find that by the time the left foot comes down the ball is thrown, so that you have picked it up and returned it in the course of one stride. " As for the flexing 1 of the arm directly from the pick-up, it is obviously quicker than first to lift the arm back straight and then to bend it, which is what nine out of ten fielders do." Don't you think that is good advice? Try i. And now I shall give you a series of excerpts I have made at different times in anticipation of the opening of the cricket season. A Song op Cbicket. Norman Gale's songs always seem to supply and suggest their own melody. He taJks of cricket in familiar term?, brings in every technical expression with ease, is helped out in his rhymes by odd words heard only on the field. sees the humour of the gamp; he knows the romance. And he - knows the game itself. If lightning-like you send her down And yet the batsman scores With here a One and there a Two, And then a brace of Fours ; If calmly confident he stands, And makes the leather fly Past all your slips .to dash against The boundary palings, why — Toss him down a slow you see, He's sure to have a go you c cc, And ten to one the trick^is done, By just a bit of brains you see! If round the wicket, medium pace Won't make the batsman buckle. Take special note of what he likes, And all hi<? weakne«s judge. Suppose he does the lee-glance well, Or drives her hot and high Or luns to smother each good ball, And pulls the short oue«, why — Sling him in a grub you see, A ripping wicked grub, you see, And ten to one the trick is dona By just a pinch of wit. you see 1 The> burden of hard hitting: slog away! Here shalt thou make a " five " and there's a " four," And -then upon thy bat shalt lean, and say, That thou are in for an uncommon score. Yea, the loud ring applauding thee shall roar, And thou to rival Thornton shall aspire, When lo! the Umpire gives thee " leg before," "This is the end of every man's desire!" The burden of much bowling, when the stay Of all thy team is " collared," swift or slower, When " bailers " break not in their wonted way And " yorkers " come not ofi as heretofore, When length balls shoot no more, ah! never more, When all deliveries lo?e their former fire, When bats seem broader than the broad barndoor, "This is the end of every man's desire!" The burden of long fielding, when the clay Clings to thy shoon m sudden shower's downpour, And running still thou stumblest, or the ray Of blazing suns doth bite and burn thee sore, And blind thee till, forgetful of thy lore. Thou dost more mournfully misjudge a " skyer," And lose a match the Fates cannot restore, " This is the end of every man's desire!" (Envoy). Alas! yet liefer on Youth's hither shore. Would I be some poor Player on scant hire, Than Bang among the old, who play no more, " This is the end of every man's desire." The Man that Saved the Match. Our church ain't reckoned very big, but then the township's small — Ive seen the time when there were seats and elbow-room for all. The women-folk would come, of course, but working chaps was rare ; They'd rather loaf about and smoke, and take the Sunday air. But now theie's hardly standing room, and you can fairly say There am't a man we like as -well as quiet Parson Grey. We blokes was great for cricket once, we'd held our own so long, In all {he townships round about our team was reckoned strong ; And them that didn't use to play could barrack pretty fair, They liked the leather-hunting that they didn't have to share. A team from town was coming up to teach us how to play — We meant to show what we could do upon that Christmas Day. The stump 1 ; were pitched at two o'clock, but Lawson's face was grim (Lawson was Captain of the team, our crack we reckoned him), For Albert Wilson hadn't come, the safest bat of all, With no one there to take hi 3 place he counted on a fall. " Who could we get ? There's no one here iis woith our while to play In place* of Albert." At his sjde was standing Parson G rey " I used to wield the willow once,'" the Parson softly said , " If you have no one for the tail, you might take me instead " The Captain bit his fair moustache — he seemed inclined to swear; But answered sulkily enough, " All right, sir; I don't care. There's no ore here is worth his salt with breaking balls to play." " I'll try and do my best for you," said quiet . Parson Grey. " His best," Bill Lawson said to me, " what's • that, I'd like to know? To spoon an easy ball to point, ?nd walk back sad. tuid slpjr.

Miss every catch that oom«s to him and fumble every ball, And loie his way about the field at every ' over ' call. The blooming team can go below after this Christmas Day; I'm, hanged if I'm to captain it when parsons stait to play. ' Bill won the toss, we went in first. I might as well say here That I'm a weary kind of bat — to stick in for a year. I can't hit out — it ain't no use; it saddens me to think A bloke that bowled against us once has taken since to drink. He couldn't get my wicket, and his balls came m that way I batted through the innings withxmt a nin all day.

The fun began. By George! to think thf> way our stump 3 went down ! Our boys was made the laughing-stock for them swell blokes from town. I kept my end vp — tbat was all, Lawson was bowled first ball, And six of them went strolling back without a run at all. Nine wickets down for fourteen runs was all our score that day When the last man came in to bat, and that was Parson Grey. The bowler with the break from leg sent down a hardish ball, I thought to see the parson squirm and hear •the wicket fall ; It did'n't happen, for he played a pretty f orwai'd stroke ; I knew that mom-ent he could bat, that quiet preaching bloke. And when a careless ball came down the boys began to roar, He drove it haid along the gxoxrad — yre took

and run a four. Then it -was ' over/ and of course mine was a maiden one, I broke -ths bowler's hearts that day for just a single run. The Parson p!ayed a dashing game, his cuts were clean and fine ; I only wish that strokes like them could now and then be mine. He had a fifty to his name in just an hour's play, And then — well, then — I run him out, I own, iha-t Christmas Day. "By George'" said Lrawso*n, "who'd have thought that he could bat so well! I could have gone and drowned myselt when Bryant's wicket fell; But, man, he must have been a bat whan he was at his best, I'm glad that Wilson wasn't heTe, or any of the rest ; Now, if our chaps axe on the spot, and bowl as well to-day, We'll give them news to carry home how country clubs can play." Our bowling always has been fair, we couldn't well complain. We got a wicket now and then — they didn't fall like rain ; But runs were coming rather slow, and fifty was the score x When the ninth man was given out — an honest " leg before." It was a single innings game, and plainly on the play It seemed the glory would bs ours upon that Christmas Day. Last man! The bowling crack came in — of course he couldn't bat, He cou'd lasj^ out and chance the stroke to Show us what was what ; Our hopes were down to freezing-point, twelve runs were to his score, To win the match he only bad to hit another four. He swiped ; we groaned to think that we were beaten after all ; The stroke was high — a splendid catch — THE Parson held the ball. Then how we yelled, and yelled again ; he'd fairly won the mat^h — The splendid batting that he showed, the more than splendid catch ; Why, chaps, you'd hardly credit it, that almost every bloke Goes in to church on Sunday now, and does without his smoke ; And no one's likely to forget that sunny Chi Ist mas Day, When we were all surprised a bit at quiet Parson Grey. CORRESPONDENCE. Two little folk sent me, during the holidays, a stick insect, and I promised last week to give them a little information about if, but I am afraid I cannot say much. Hudson, in his " Manual of New Zealand Entomology," in writing of the family it belong to, says: "A more systematic investigation of this family is needed before we can pretend to correctly determine the various species." That doesn't interest youritr. folk much, does it? But it might older ones. What about this? " Stick insects are easily kept in captivity, and will not bo found devoid of interest. The|p are great eaters, and grow with considerable rapidity, frequently casting their 6kin, a task of no easy accomplishment, which I *once had the pleasure of watching. . . . '" The insect first suspends itself by its hind pair of log's, keeping- the others in the same position as when walking; the hoad is bent in, and the antennas are placed along the bie.p?t. the long abdomen hanging over backward. The skin then splits along the back of the thorax, and j the head and thorax are gradually pushed out. The front and middle legs are immediately afterwards extracted, the long femora and tibias easily passing the sharp angles in the e\cuvia, owing to their complete flexibilnv. When these are finally clear the insect roaches forward with i(.s forelegs and draws the abdomen and hind legs out of the old skin, which remains attached to the branch until dislodged by some accident." Perhaps "tibiae," "thorax," '"exeuvia." and one or two other words will worry '■Bert" and "Ted"; if so, turn up the dictionary and see what thpy moan. If you haven't one, get "The Twentieth Century Dictionary," which is about the cheapest for its contents of any I know. In any ca.°e, there will not be much trouble in watching a few in captivity.. Perhaps older readers will investigate andexperiment with the stick insect Mr Hudson says that during the SDring months I great numbers can be found on the para1 sitic ferns covering the tree stems in the forest, and that, their antics are amusing. As little is known concerning them, he ' sugarftst.i that they should be caught youns and koot until mature, so that our scanty i knowledge- of this branch of cntomolosv misrht be added to. The stick insect belongs to the order of Orthoptera, and the family, Phaimidse i Orthoptera means " straight-winged," and j refers to the manner in which the under win#s are folded under the upper. If you ' want a more exact meaning of Orthoptera 1 perhaps this will suit you: "An order of I ametabolouß (manifestmd no regular meta- I t mw£bj£ig—shapg» of shape) omptibulwte 1

(having biting jaws) insects, with hind wings membranous and fore wings coriaceous (leathery in texture) and generally, straight, including locusts, crickets, mantids, cockroaches, grasshoppers, dragon flies, etc." This is the meaning as taken fron» the Standard Dictionary, and I give the meaning to show that an inquiring lad with a good dictionary may sometimes spend several minutes before he really satisfies himself. But the stick insect doesn't appear to ha-ve wings, dees it? Why, then classified under the order Ortboptera? Does the pupa possess rudimentary wings? The word " Phasmidse " is very* applicable, for it means a phantasm, a phantom, an apparition, though tho scientific definition is "a family of orthopterous insects with legs atnbulatorial [fitted for walking], antennae [feelers] filiform [like threads or filaments}, and external lobe of lower lip muoh larger than internal ; including walking-leaves and walking-sticks." I should have eaid that the bracketed expressions are mine, and I give them to show what is now being; dono in pome schools to «et to bed-rock meanings. There is no use in looking up a meaning unless you are sure of the meanings of words in that meaning; and rierhaps it will be necessary to look up 20 references before a clear idea of what a words means is arrived at.

"Theta," Balclutha, sends along a crabs It is the ordinary burrowing crab, covered with seaweed, perhaps an instance of -orotection by mimicry. Dr Benham. says its name is Maorophthalmus hirtiues — tha long-legged, big-eyed crab. Did "Theta" notice how the eye stood out on long eya stalks?

"Dorothy's" "beast" is one o£ one largest beetles. I identified it by » mounted specimen in the Museum, and Dr Benham confirmed my identification. It belongs to order Coleoptera; class, ineecta; type, Arthropoda (haying jointed legs) and is called Prionoplus reticularis

The black beetle sent in by * correspondent whose note I have misplaced ie called Cilibe phosphußoidea, though I am not quite sure if I have the correct spelling — my fault. And let ma state here what I have stated before. If at any time an error should creep in in any description the blame must be attached to me. Dr Benham is generous with time and assistance, and pcesiblv at times I may trust too much to memory or to brief notes, and so fall into error. It generally happens that I get much more from the doctor than I so for, and am therefore iust a little apt to forget my main obiect. "W. M. P.'s " little curiosity, like the stick insect, is another instance of protective coloration. It is a case~ containing the larva of the Orophora unicolour moth. As it moves about covered with the bita of pine needles and grass stalks it so closely resembles its surroundings as to defy detection. Dr Benham is sendinsr it on to Mr Hudson, who mentions it in one of his books, but who has (or had) not come across many specimens of it. As far as he knew when he described it, it appeared to be found only in a few river-beds in the South Island. Where was it found? A Gore correspondent sent mo. before Christmas, a fern to identify. When I called on Mr G. M. Thomson he was oat, but having it with me when I went to the Museum to consult Dr Benham that eenfcleman named it Pteris eoaberula. But the piece of tho frond 6ent was not large enough, for differences are sometimes so minute. Will my correspondent 6end twp or three more pieces? The doctor showed me a book I had not seen before — "Ferns of New Zealand," by Field. Mr G. M. Thomson, F.L.S., some time ago published a eheapsr volume, in which our ferns are perhaps more 6vstematically dealt with ; at anvrate. for the ordinary fern-gatherer it is a stood guide. "E. A.'s" nest came to hand. A little chap I showed it to immediately 6aid: " That's a wren's nest," and the broken eprrr was identified also. Better late than never, Aliek. Perhaps this year we can persuade some school children in different parts to 6unnlv data, and fo institute move comparisons. Chemical tests showed that " Sport's " little specimen was <ome veeetable matter and not any insect life. " J." some time ago sent mo a very good specimen of a lamprey, so I do not want another — at anyrate, just now ; but thank " Sport ' for his offer. Last week I appended two extracts to two letters, but they were crushed out. If any correspondent has been overlooked consequent upon the Christmas and \ew Year's festivities please repeat queries. December 21. Dear "Msgister,"— l am sending you a specimen which I picked up on the road. It looks like c piece of tu=°ock. but I t&ink if you examine it you wi'l find an insect inside it. I was waking a!on? the Toad; I noticed it moving, and on looking more closely at it I saw there was an insect about a. quarter of an inch long sticking out from the end of it. When I picked it up it drew inside, and seemed to c1of« up the end of the roll of tussock. I had never noticed anything of the kind before, and took my knife out t-> cut it o -en when I thcught it might be of some interest to you. and perhaps you may be able to tell me fomething about it through vcur column — I am, etc., W. M. P. Balclutha. January 17. Dear "Ma^ister,"— l am sending you a crab which was picked up the other day at Pounawea. at the juuctioii of the Owaka and the Catlin's Rive-s You will notice that it has a green-colcured seaweed growing on to it. As I have net ssen anything like it before, I should 'ike to know if such things are common. — I am, etc , a Thbta. Sutton. January 11. Dear " Ma^ister," — I am sending you in d separate box a curious little thing I picked up in the grass. It looks like the covering a sp.der or some other insect wcu'd have for laying its eggs in. As I have never seen anything of the s-ort before, I send it on to you. I made no effort to open it and examine it, as if it is anything out of the common it would spoil tha interest in it. I can also send jou (if you car^ for it) a very small s-ecimen of the lamprey eel, which " J.," R mv, very clearly describes in his -letter of Xovember 8. Ycu will remember some time ago the discussion in your column about where cc's breed. Some say they go to the ?ea. while others hold they breed in fresh water. Jvow, I have been working in. a crack this last few weeks, where both 'sorts of eala are plentiful, and in almost every shovelful of sand I lift up one or more (sometimes half a dozen) young lamprey eels are seen, but never one of the ordinary eel. I have examined dozens of them, and find them all the same sort, which makes me more convinced than ever that they do not breed in fresh water. — I am, etc., Spobt. Warrington, January 20. Dew " Mftgitter,"— fag mmc xutii. *• uft

■ending yon a moth or beetle so wrge that we ■vroruia like you to see it, and ask if you would kindly tell us the name. Mother found it one day whilst sweeping the floor. Ye are staying at 'Warrington during the school holidays, and are having a lovely time. My blather has made us a flat-bottomed boat, which we are all learning to row and steer. Thanking you in anticipation. — I am, etc., Dobothy Teknet.

Gladbrook, Jamiary 18.

Dear Sir, — I am Eorry that I have not cent you the rainfall for December before this, so I nape you wi'l excuse me. The rainfall for JCecember was 3.51 i n; the number >f days on which rain fe 1 was 9 ; the minimum temperature was 34deg, and the maximum 99deg m the shade on the 29th ; the minimum average temperature for the month was 46.13deg, and the maxiimim 80.64deg m the shade. — I am, etc.,

Alex. D. M'Ejnnon.