THE SCRANTON TIMES, 
FRIDAY, MAY 8, 1914. 
Natural History Notes 
By DR. B. H. WARREN. 
Director of Everhart Museum. 
Zoologists assert that the opposum 
is not a native of California, but sev- 
eral years ago some of the animals | 
were in some unknown manner given 
their liberty in the San Jose region, 
where in the last two years some twen- 
ty or over have been found in a wild 
state and captured. Naturalists con- 
nected with the California university, 
the Philadelphia Ledger states, urge 
the killing of the opossum, because of 
his undue fondness for fruit, eggs and 
poultry. Were this animal to obtain a 
foothold in California their is a very 
distinct possibility not only that the 
numbers of birds, including the. Cali- | 
fornia quail, and many valuable in- 
sectivorous birds, would be much re- 
duced, but also that the opossums | 
would be very destructive in the poul- 
try yard and the fruit orchard. Vig- 
orous and immediate action, say the 
authorities, to exterminate the animals 
in California, should by all means be 
taken and the efforts of the state fish 
and game commission along this line 
ought to be supplemented by such in- 
dividual aid as can be given. If the 
animals should be allowed to get a good 
start the case might become nearly as 
hopeless as that of the English spar- 
rows, for ’~possums are very prolific, 
breeding two or three times a year, 
and having litters of from six to thir- 
teen young each time. _ 
ne ed 
Mr. R. C. Cartef, of Philadelphia, an 
experienced ruff#grouse hunter, informs 
me that on on f his. hunting trips in 
Monroe county, Pa. a shooting com- 
panion shot an old male grouse which 
had a well-filled crop. On examination 
this food receptacle revealed the pres- 
ence of thirty-two chestnuts, two small } 
acorns, together with tender leaves 
and bits of grass. The chestnuts had, | 
of course, been swallowed whole by the 
hungry bird, 
coe 
Fishermen often have odd. .experi- 
ences when in quest of the finny tribes. 
A few days ago, at Parker’s gun store 
the, writer heard several gentlemen 
who are members. of the Scranton | 
camp, No. 638, cite instances of unusual | 
catches which have been made by 
Scrantonians when fishing for trout or 
bass. One man was casting a fly for 
trout when a nighthawk darted down 
and seized: the fly as it passed through 
the air. A bat was hooked in the same | 
manner one evening by another angler. 
A black bass fisherman cited an in- 
stance where one of his friends: caught 
on a hook and line, with live minnow 
as bait, a kingfisher. Another man 
who was angling along a muddy and 
sluggish stream in the south, hooked 
a muskrat, most unexpectedly, when he 
pulled up his line to replenish the worm 
bait. Two or three reports of water 
snakes accidentally snared on sharp- 
pointed hooks by both fly and bait fish- 
ermen were made. When the writer) 
Was a small boy he was fishing for 
sunfish with earth worms as lure; all 
the bait has been nibbled from. the 
hook, the bare hook was quickly 
pulled from the water and.a fourteen- 
inch sucker was hooked in the abdo- 
men and landed on the bank. A ten- 
pound snapping turtle was secured by 
another man, who, in pulling on his 
yen hooked the luckless turtle’s hind 
The English.or Wilson’s snipe I.am 
informed is a somewhat rare but reg- 
ular breeder in some of. the extensive 
marshes in the northwestern portion of 
Pennsylvania, west of the Allegheny | 
mountain range. 
The following article, taken from, the 
| Philadelphia Bulletin, will doubtless be 
fof interest to many readers of The 
Times, as bead necklaces are one of | 
Dame Fashion's present popular ‘fads: } 
“To make salt beads, heat two hand-/} 
fuls of common salt as hot as the} 
hands will stand. Warm one cupful of | 
cornstarch and mix with the salt. Take | 
One cupful of hot water and -color it | 
any desired shade with water colors] 
or any home-made coloring, as_ spin- 
ach or raspberry juice, «nd use to 
forma paste with the salt and corn- 
starch. Mould with the hands into 
the sized bead required and have a 
large cushion ready, so that when a 
large pin is stuck through each bead 
the pin can be at once stuck into the 
cushion. One can make beads all of 
the same size or, graduate -the. sizes, 
threading the large ones in the middle 
of the string and smaller ones at the 
ends, or groups of large beads can be 
separated by smaller ones. In making 
rose beads it goes without saying that 
the petals of the most fragrant roses 
give the best results. American Beau- 
ties and the Duchess variety are among 
those especially good. When a suffi- 
cient quantity is gathered they should 
be put through the food chopper, grind- 
ing until like pulp. This pulp with its | 
juices is put into an iron pot. This is | 
to turn the mixture black, which none | 
but an iron kettle will do. When the 
contents stiffen and look like. black 
dough take off the stove, and as it cools 
form into beads quickly. Stick a pin 
through each, letting the point enter a 
board. or cushion. The beads. should 
not touch ‘anything but the pin or the 
shape will be spoiled. “Leave in this 
position until thoroughly dry. If a pol- 
ish is desired place a tiny speck of 
vaseline on the: palm of the hand and 
rub the palms together. Then mould 
the beads. Being black, they are 
usually strung in combination with 
other colors, as silver, gold, coral and 
turquoise. The mixture,. worked inte 
| balls or flat cakes and placed in draw- 
lers or boxes, will give the contents a 
delightful fragrance. 
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The common dandelion, a native of 
Europe, plentiful in pastures, lawns, 
and about roadsides, although not a 
very noxious weed—is usually more 
abundant than welcome. It is rather 
difficult to-get rid of, as myriads of 
its seeds are annually wafted over the 
country by means of the _ hair-like 
crowns on the seeds. The attractive 
yellow flowers as well as the seeds of 
the dandelion are relished by different 
species of birds. The flowers are some- 
times found in the crops of pheasants, 
quail and the wild turkey and the seeds 
are devoured by.the different kinds of 
sparrows. The beautiful’ little gold- 
finch, or, as it is known to many, “wild 
canary,’ may often be seen feeding on 
these plants. The dandelion plant is 
employed by many housekeepers as a 
table delicacy. The roots as well as 
the blossoms are also used at times for 
medicinal purposes. A good tonic and 
pleasing beverage known as dandelion 
wine is made as follows: Take four 
quarts of blossoms, pressing tightly to 
make a full measure. Put these blos- 
soms into a wooden tub, pouring four 
gallons of boiling water over them. 
Let stand for twenty-four hours.and 
}Strain through a cheesecloth bag, 
| pressing tightly to get out all the sub- 
stance of the flower. After straining, 
measure and return to the tub. If the 
i quantity lacks the four. gallons, add 
more boiling water. Add to this twelve 
Jpounds of granulated sugar (three 
pounds to each gallon of water), one 
magic yeast cake, the juice of two or- 
anges and of two lemons, which has 
been strained. Stir this quantity fre- 
aguently to dissolve the sugar and let 
Stand in a moderately warm place for 
twenty-four hours. Have ready a five. 
gallon keg, which has been thoroughly 
cleaned, and place into it the wine. 
If the keg is not full, pour into it more 
boiling water, and if you desire it 
sweeter, add more sugar. Stand the 
keg in the cellar with the bung on top 
open, and place over the bung cheese- | 
cloth to keep out insects while it is} 
|fermenting. Fill up for a few days 
; with more boiling waters and after it 
has ceased fermentation, put in the 
bung loosely, until about January, 
when it can be poured off and turned 
iwco parts and sealed for use. 
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