SIX MEDFORD (OREGON) MAIL TRIBUNE
Sunday, April 10, 1955
Is That So?
Ever wondered at the hard
covered egg the bewildering
complexity and variety of back
boned animals hatched from it?
It's an awe-inspring parade.
The participants range from a
tiny l10th ounce hummingbird
to a 300-pound African ostrich.
From a ribbon-like water
snake to a fearsome 33-foot py
thon. From a small lizard to the
lumbering 20-foot long crocodile.
From a small box turtle to a
half-ton tortoise.
Even more remarkable, two
warm - blooded animals are
hatched from eggs, yet they are
suckled on milk the spiny
anteater and the platypus, who
live Down Under and have only
gained the lowest rung on the
mammalian ladder.
Even larger creatures were
born of hard-shelled eggs. In an
cient days, the multi-ton dino
saurs were born of eggs they
were first discovered by An
drews in Mongolia; and, in more
modern times, the skeleton and
eggshells of a ten-foot high ele
phant bird have been discovered
in Madagascar.
Among these groups of ani
mals, not all are born of eggs.
In a few snakes and lizards,
young may be born alive; too, in
some amphibians such as in sala
manders; but in birds, there are
no ifs, and, or buls every bird
emerges from a hard-shelled
fgg-
The smallest of all eggs, no
larger than a tiny pea, contains
the hummingbird; the largest
also contains a bird the os
trich. In size, the ostrich egg is
roughly the equivalent of two
dozen hen's eggs. But there were
bigger eggs. The recently-discovered
elephant bird's eggs
dwarf the ostrich's. They con-
By Eugene Burnt
Ranger-Naturalist
tained the equivalent of two gal
lons of egg whites and yolks.
Other Eggs Smaller
In contrast to birds' eggs,
those of reptiles and other ani
mals run much smaller. The
great crocodile's are about the
size of a goose egg; the long py
thon's is only slightly larger
although most snake eggs will
not exceed the size of a chicken's;
and that of the giant Galapagos
tortoise is about the size of a
tennis ball. As for the two mam
mals, the 18-inch long platypus
lays an inch long egg; the 14
inch spiny anteater lays about a
half-inch long egg, something
like that of the tiny sparrow.
In birds the shell is always
composed of carbonate of lime
and is hard, though brittle in
crocodiles and alligators, too, the
egg has a hard shell in fact,
the shell of the common land
tortoise is sometimes so dense
that it is quite difficult to pierce.
However, in snakes, the shells
are leathery-rubbery drop a
fresh egg and it bounces; and
more surprisingly, some snake
eggs grow as much as a third
before the young emerge. The
egg of the platypus has a tough
yet flexible shell; the spiny ant
eater's is thin and leathery-like.
Reptile Eggs Unglazed
Reptile eggs are usually un-
glazed, of a dull whitish color
while those of birds are frequent
ly beautifully tinted the deli
cate washes oftentimes further
enriched by darker spots, streaks
and blotches.
Size of clutch varies: Birds
lay from one to 20 eggs, depend
ing in part upon the number
which the hen can sit upon and
brood. The platypus lays one,
two, or three; the spiny anteater,
one. Reptiles lay from 50 to
100, some turtles upping the
number to 250.
With the reptiles, eggs are
usually deposited within a few
hours; in birds which lay more
than one egg, the process is long
er usually an egg is laid one-a-day
except for some of the big
predatory birds, hawks and owls,
which generally lay an egg every
other day.
Some snakes brood their eggs,
others do not, and as for birds,
one bird never knows its par
ents. But we'll discuss later the
incubation of eggs and the care
of the young or the lack of
care of the young.
(Copyright, by Eugene Burns)
(Released fay
McClurt Newspaper Syndicate)
Mississippi Mayor Bows to
Kids7 Demands for Chimes
Jackson, Miss. (U.R) Mayor
Allen Thompson bowed to de
mands of five determined young
sters Saturday. He said it would
be all right for ice cream ven
dors to have chimes on their
wagons "as long as they aren't
too lound."
The decision saved him the
threat of a "trillion dollar" law
suit. A city ordinance states that
"no vehicle shall have a bell or
any other device for attracting
attention which would tend to
disturb the peace and quiet."
"I don't think music disturbs
Free: By special arrangement
with the editors of the Encyclo
pedia Americana, my panel of
judges will award each week to
the reader who sends me the
best question on nature and wild
life a complete 30-volume set of
this world - famous reference
work in a handsome Sealcraft
binding. Each week, new ques
tions will be considered. Sorry,
I simply can't answer your many
friendly letters. Please address
your questions to: IS THAT SO!
care Medford Mail Tribune, Box
575, Sausalito, Calif .
San Francisco paid $41,000,
000 for the Crystal Springs Wa
ter company properties in San
Francisco, San Mateo, Santa
Clara and Alameda counties, in
1930.
Folsom Sends More
Troopers to Area
Of Railroad Strike
Montgomery, Ala. (U.R)
Albama Gov. James E. Folsom
Saturday ordered reinforcement
of the state Highway Patrol in
the strike-bound Birmingham
area to "protect human lives and
property."
But Folsom said, "I do not in
tend to use the state militia as a
strike-breaking organization.
Trie Birmingham industrial
area, one of the largest in the
South, has been plagued by re
peated clashes between pickets
and non-striking workers, by cut
ting of telephone cables and
dynamiting of no n-striker's
homes.
A half dozen strikes, includ
ing the 27-day Southwide walk
out of 50,000 employees of the
Southern Bell Telephone Com
pany and the strike of non-operating
engineers of the Louis
ville & Nashville Railroad, are
in progress in the area.
the peace," 10-year-old James
Conner Halfacre said.
Thompson met with the
youngsters Friday and agreed to
amend the ordinance on a 60
day trial basis on two conditions
the chimes must be toned
down to a "more soothing" level,
and the kids accept the mayor's
invitation to an ice cream party
Saturday night with orchestra
leader Guy Lombardo furnishing
the music. ,
Issued Invitation
Lombardo, whose band has
scheduled a concert here, wrote
a letter to Thompson inviting the
children to hear his orchestra if
the mayor would supply the ice
cream.
"I hope you aren't anti-music,"
said Lombardo. "Or anti-ice
Sheriff of Douglas
County Quits Post
Roseburg (U.R) Douglas
County Sheriff Cal Baird Satur
day announced his resignation
effective April 18 to accept a po
sition with the U.S. Justice De
partment. Baird did not say what the po
sition was but said he would
move from this area. He has
been sheriff since Jan. 1, 1953.
A successor will be selected by
the Douglas County Court be
fore April 18.
cream for that matter."
Young Halfacre was joined in
his threatened suit by Garland
Richmond, 10, Buddy Lowther,
7, Sandra Richmond, 9, and Ann
Shaddock, 8.
Dead line Sunday Classified is at
noon Saturday: 1 a.m. Monday for
Monday; other days 5:30 previous day.
Albany Boy's Dog
Returns After Year
Albany, Ore, (U.R) Jerry
McDonald, 14, was the hap
piest kid in town Saturday
End his dog, Taffy, was prob
ably the happiest canine in
the state.
About a year ago Taffy
wandered away from the Mc
Donald family car at Triangle
Lake, 70 miles away,. He
couldn't be found.
This week, Jerry's mother
was in downtown Albany
when she saw a dog investi
gating various cars, perhaps
looking for his own. It was
Taffy.
Mrs. McDonald said some
one apparently had taken care
of the dog since he disap
peared since his collar had
been changed.
The original "safety nets" used
by firemen were not nets at all
but "catch canvas."
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"A Certain Voice In These
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WHERE WILL THE RUSSIAN BEAK HEAD NEXT? WHAT ES
THE RECENT SHAKE ..UP IN THE KREMLIN TOESTENB)?
"Russia Is a Riddle, Wrapped in an Enigma and Surrounded by a Mystery"- Winston Churchill
See' the azzliirag March of Beasts Across the (Giant Screen audi on
the CoDorama Board as (Described in EDaniel 7.
Hundreds have thrilled to the power
ful messages of dynamic Evangelist
Gordon Dalrymple in the last few
weeks.
Hear Startling Revelations from Bible Prophecy . . . Also ..View Beautiful Easter
Portraying the Resurrection - Unforgettable for Their Loveliness
Slides
DBecannse if ttlhe Mirage (Cirn walls CaDimttSmMiiimg tto IPaelk ttlhe
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PROGRAM FOR THE WEEK
DATE
Wed.f April 13
Fri., April 15
Sat., April 16
Sun., April 17
ic LECTURES
FILMS
"The Other Side of Death."
What lies ahead in the great
beyond? See vivid colorame
and screen slides that will
move your soul.
"Greatest Prophetic Date m
This World's History." What
is it? See it revealed on the
colorama board.
"Medford'a Great Shame."
Every person in Medford
should hear this lecture.
"79 Signs of the Coming of
Christ Seen in Medford."
What are they? They're be
ing fulfilled before our eyes.
"Hidden Treasure." Epic col
or film on fantastically beau
tiful scenes from God's book
ef nature.
"The Neighbor Next Door."
A dispute between neighbors
leads toward trouble until
love wins out in the end.
"Seal Island." Beautiful Dis
ney nature film in color.
"I leheld Hi Glory." Tre
mendous color 'film on the
life of Christ.
Attend the Session of Your Choice-but Come Early. Seats
Are at a Premium. Also See the Tremendous Color Film-
it
5 YEAIRS EEF(S)IftE Y(S)UIR EYES
Newsreel shots taken during the last half century are pieced together with sound narration to make a film,
you'll acclaim as one of the best yet. See Teddy Roosevelt deliver an impassioned speech, highlights of
-Gay Nineties, Woodrow Wilson as President, colorful twenties, scenes from great depression of the
thirties, World War II and other events spanning the last 50 years. The film highlights the lateness of
the hour.
Beautiful Pictures of Christ the Good Shepherd Will Be Given Away Learn How You Can Receive Yoursl
11
If
f
.I B
Enjoy audience singing with
Music Leader Clifton Walter