64 



Popular Science MontJily 



Combination Christmas Tree-Holder, 

 Telephone Stand, and Tabouret 



A CHRISTMAS tree holder has been 

 jr\. invented which will prevent the usual 

 litter, because it keeps the base of the 

 tree in water. This keeps the branches 

 fresh and alive so that the "needles" are 

 not so prone to drop off. The device may 

 also be used as a telephone stand, a jar- 

 diniere stand, a vase support, or a hang- 

 ing flower-pot holder. 



When the device is used as a Christmas 

 tree holder, the tree stands in a cone with 

 the pointed end down. This may be filled 

 with water to keep the branches supplied 

 with moisture, so as to preserve the green- 

 ness for the longest possible time. Thus 

 the danger of fire is diminished, although 

 it is ever present where the old- 

 fashioned candles are employed. 

 The total elimination of the fire 

 danger is accomplished by the 

 use of electric-light sets, which 

 are supplied with varicolored 

 bulbs and batteries complete 

 at hardware and depart- 

 ment stores. 



The holder is adjust- 

 able for various sizes of 

 trees. The legs may be 

 detached and the cone 

 suspended as a hanging 

 flower-pot. The Christ- 

 mas tree may be trim- 

 med, sawed off at the 

 proper height, and a 

 board attached to make 

 a telephone stand or 

 tabouret. 



The receptacle for the 

 water does not touch the 

 floor. Hence, there is no 

 damage to polished sur- 

 faces from sweating. 



The tree is held rigidly upright with 

 its stem in a vessel of fresh water 



How Do Birds Always Know Where 

 They Are? 



PROFESSOR K. S. LASHLEY has com- 

 pleted an investigation of the sense of 

 direction in birds. This is called the 

 problem of "orientation." To "orient" 

 means in straight English to know where 

 you are. 



Dr. Lashley used the wild birds of the 

 Florida Keys, known as noddy and sooty 

 terns, in experiments. In their recognition 

 of their nests, it was found that their 

 eyes as well as their muscles are concerned. 

 The birds showed no evidence of any special 

 sense of locality such as a "magnetic sense" 

 or a "second sight." Birds are no more 

 "mind readers" than men are. 



Nor do they have any ability to re- 

 trace their paths of flight by mem- 

 ory. They recognize their nests 

 and their own young by muscle 

 habits and eyesight. 



Dr. F. A. McDermoth , another 

 investigator, has observed the 

 oddities in the behavior of 

 houseflies. They have a 

 strong tendency to go with 

 air currents between 80 

 and 100 degrees. This 

 explains why flies are so 

 bad in hot weather, when 

 it is about to rain. The 

 heat usually ranges up- 

 wards towards one hun- 

 dred, and the air travels 

 along too slowly to cause 

 the vapor in it to evapo- 

 rate. The heat, humidity, 

 and slow movement of the 

 air gives the housefly its 

 "fly time." As pests, they 

 are then in their glory. 



The Christmas-tree support has all-the-year- 'round uses. It makes an attractive 

 telephone stand, tabouret or flower-stand, and may even be used for hanging plants 



