AUGUST 167 



other uses to which it is applied, its insulating pro- 

 perties have made it indispensable to electrical science, 

 its waterproof properties to our comfort, its resilient 

 powers to bicyclists and carriage folk ; while last, but 

 not least, golfers would be parlously embarrassed had 

 they to fall back on the balls stuffed with feathers, 

 costing 3s. 6d. each, which contented our forefathers. 

 But it has remained quite unknown till lately that 

 any animal existed with digestive powers equal to a 

 diet of guttapercha. Such a prodigy has now been 

 brought to light in the form of a minute marine 

 organism, known as the gribble, which of late years 

 has wrought extraordinary mischief to the insulating 

 covers of the conducting wires hi submarine cables. 

 For many years after the inauguration of submarine 

 telegraphy no damage was done to the insulating 

 material, which was simply sheathed in strong iron 

 wire. The gribble had not discovered the excellence 

 of guttapercha as food. Now, however, gribbles are 

 better educated. Gribbles creep between the protect- 

 ing wire and devour hundreds of miles of guttapercha, 

 leaving the copper conductors unprotected, and, of 

 course, destroying the communication. It has become 

 necessary to wrap the cables throughout their length 

 with brass tape, which at present is found effective in 

 defeating the attacks of the most insidious gribble. 

 But the curious question remains What did gribbles 

 feed on before the sea bottom was spread with gutta- 

 percha ? to which it is as difficult to supply an answer 

 as to the old one What do midges bite when there 



