NATURAL HISTORY NOTES 
5 
455. The Intelligrence of a Horae. — In reference to No. 431 in last 
month’s Nature Notes, I beg leave to say, with all due resp>ect to Mr. K. T. 
Lewis, that I do not see how the incident he describes can further in the slightest 
degree the theory of the reasoning power of animals. Why should not the horse 
have upset the bag because of natural emotional anger, or, possibly, to frighten 
away any pigeons either inside the bag or near it ? Surely, also, it is only natural 
to suppose that the horse, having got over his anger, would lift up the b.ag again 
to continue eating. O. C. Silverlock. 
456. White “Ants” Beaten at Last. — Not lung ago a process was 
introduced by Mr. Powell for preserving and seasoning timber by treating it with 
sugar. This invention must have far-reaching effects owing to the time which it 
saves and the improvement that is made in the wood. A most interesting, and at 
the same time important development of the idea, is the addition to the sugar of a 
poison which successfully deters white “ants” or termites from attacking the 
treated wood. Any one who is familiar with the ravages of these insects in 
tropical countries will see at once what this means to those who live where 
termites abound. Our illustration shows two pieces of wood fastened together, 
which were placed where termites could attack them, by Mr. IL M. Ridley, of 
Figure i. 
the Botanical Gardens, Singapore. The lower piece, which has been Powellised 
and specially treated, is untouched, whereas the other piece has been nearly eaten 
away, and would have entirely disappeared if the experiment had not been 
brought to a close (see figure i). W. M. W. 
457. The Adventures of a Young Swallow. — When staying with 
friends near Stafford in September, I found a young swallow about three or four 
days old, which had apparently fallen out of its nest. It was near the stable 
yard, and there were several buildings close by which we searched to find its 
nest, but we saw no sign of any but deserted ones. My friends said I must leave 
it, as I could not possibly rear it ; but thinking that if I left it the cats would be 
sure to get it, I put it into a basket near the kitchen fire for the night. Next morn- 
ing I took it out and put it near the place where I had found it ; and when I 
went there quietly an hour later, I saw that it was being fed by quite a number 
of swallows. I think there must have been a dozen of them ; some hovered round 
while the others went in search of food. This went on for nine days, during 
which we always took it in at night, and put it out again about six in the morning 
when the servants came down. We hung the basket up out of the way of the 
cats. The little bird would perch on the edge of this basket, and when it saw 
the old ones, would flap its wings and squeak, while they flew by, each one putting 
a fly into its beak as it passed. I left the place on the ninth day, and my friends 
wrote to tell me that on the tenth it flew away. 
Crynant, Tunbridge Wells. M. C. Fowler. 
