108 



Aquatic JUtc 



The Axolotl Again 



No apology is needed in referring 

 again and again to this salamander. The 

 results of investigations have a distinct 

 and valuable relation to possibilities 

 from fishes to the human subject. 



I have lately been engaged in inquiring 

 into the feeding of this creature in order 

 to ascertain the effect of certain natural 

 foods upon its growth. It occurred to 

 me that I might do a little glandular 

 feeding in my own way without recourse 

 to either extracted glands or glandular 

 preparations. My idea was to try and 

 find the quickest growing larvae — that is, 

 something which completes its metamor- 

 phosis in a very short time, and in con- 

 sequence likely to possess glandular mat- 

 ter either in abundance or the best form. 



I made use of the larvae of one of our 

 midges — species not determined, and by 

 feeding the young axolotl with the best 

 developed larvae which they were able 

 to negotiate, I have produced axolotl this 

 year exceeding in size for age anything 

 I have previously been able to turn out. 



I am not an entomologist, consequent- 

 ly am not able to suggest any particular 

 species. This is where the entomologist 

 comes in with his valuable assistance — ■ 

 someone who has made a special study of 

 the subject. The relation between the 

 entomologist and medical science is much 

 closer than is usually credited. 



I remember when the medical faculty 

 first suspected, or more than suspected, 

 the mosquito to be responsible for the 

 spread of yellow fever, they, the doctors, 

 felt that it was improbable that all the 

 numerous species of mosquitos were to 

 be blamed ; if so, the efforts to check the 

 spread of the fever might be much 

 easier ; they wanted to know how many 

 kinds of mosquitos were known and their 

 habits. The entomologists supplied this 

 information at once. — IV. T. Webster, in 

 The Pishing Gazette. 



"That one looks old enough to be a 

 grandfather," said a woman Saturday at 

 the pet fish exhibition in Horticultural 

 Hall, Fairmount Park, Philadelphia. "Is 

 he?" 



"That is a roe fish, madam," said a 

 committeeman. 



"I mean the biggest one, there, that 

 one with the long whiskers," continued 

 the woman. 



"That is a roe fish, madam," repeated 

 the committeeman. 



"I am not asking you what sort of a 

 fish it is, but whether it is not old enough 

 to be a grandfather? It certainly is big 

 enough." 



"It is big enough, madam, but it is a 

 roe fish," answered the committeeman. 



"Well, can't a row fish be a grand- 

 father, as well as any other kind ?" quer- 

 ied the woman, a touch of irritation 

 noticeable in her voice. 



"No, madam, a roe fish cannot be a 

 grandfather," once more said the com- 

 mitteeman. 



"Well, I never had an aquarium," said 

 the woman, "but I can't see why the 

 'kind' it is has anything to do with its 

 becoming a grandfather," that in a tone 

 between disgust and despair. 



"But, madam, you will never be a 

 grandfather, no matter how long you 

 live," said the committeeman. 



"No, sir, I shall not," retorted the 

 woman indignantly, "but I am a lady." 



"So also is the fish," asserted the com- 

 mitteeman politely, but firmly. 



"Well, why on earth didn't you say so 

 in the first place." — Public Ledger. 



The greatest profit is where the profits 

 are reinvested in a business — it becomes 

 compound profit. 



The pen may be mightier than the 

 sword, but truth doesn't always lie at the 

 bottom of the inkwell. 



