CREATURES OF MYSTERY 
139 
and informative article about a certain species of moth. Appar¬ 
ently he was thoroughly convinced that this moth under study 
was equipped by nature with both a sending radio set and 
an antenna. For the purpose of proving the point he would 
take a pair of them, enclosing one in an air-tight and light¬ 
proof box. Then he would place some mark of identification 
upon the other. Employing a high-speed automobile he would 
drive hurriedly from the scene to some isolated spot a long 
distance from where the mate was left. Presently the latter 
would appear upon the scene. 
Many of these seemingly impossible feats attributed to the 
animal and insect world have been dwelt upon merely to pre¬ 
pare the reader for an acceptance of our contention that there 
is nothing unreasonable about the rattler uttering a mating 
call, swallowing its young when danger threatens, hypnotizing 
its prey, confusing the ears and eyes of prey and enemies alike. 
Other members of the animal and insect world regularly per¬ 
form equally as amazing feats. When the scientist comes face 
to face with some seemingly impossible or unbelievable feat 
which laymen insist they have witnessed at close range, and to 
which they freely testify under oath, the former “poo poo” the 
whole of the story, theorizing ever so eloquently that such 
would be physically impossible. The layman is not particularly 
interested in the possibility or the impossibility of such feat— 
he sees him doing these things, and to him such is very con¬ 
vincing. 
The electric eel, while by no means a huge creature, is 
capable of storing within his form sufficient voltage of elec¬ 
tricity to burn out household electrical fixtures, or administer a 
fatal charge to man. Had such not been definitely established 
it, too, would surely have been disavowed by science as being 
(theoretically) impossible. 
Ornothologists have laid claim to some wonderful physical 
feats for the humming bird, one having to do with long flight 
without refueling. It is claimed by some that this tiny bird is 
capable of making a non-stop flight from the coasts of Maine 
to the depths of the Brazilian jungles. Presuming upon the 
truth of such claims, doubtless aeronautical engineers of the 
