1934-12-31 — Page 9

THE GREAT AUK

Bird That Had Lost 'Power Of Flight

LAST LIVING SPECIMEN

** CAUGHT IN 1840

That the two specimens of the now extinct Great Auk sold at Stevens's sale rooms two days ago are to remain in this country will give great satisfaction to most of us, says Mr. W. P.

· Pycraft, F.Z.S., one of our greatest authorities on birds living on extinct.

For skits and mounted specl- mens of this giant razor-bill are very precious: probably not more than a dozen exist, either in; private hands or museums. Yet once on a time the Great Auk bred in the British Islands."

The last survivor of his race was captured in St. Kilda in 1840. And as a storm unfortuately fol- lowed, the poor bird was done to death as a

The speci

James Dunn is in the featured role in "365 Nights In Hollywood" showing to-morrow at the King's Theatre.

¡Contiured from Page 1)

Frenchmen Most well-informed

*THE CHINA® MAIL, MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1934

WHERE FROGS

WHISTLE

Expedition's Queer Finds

ANTS ON TOAST

Amusing discoveries

by the

Today's Short Story.

No Mystery

By H. A. Manhood

FOR

OR a number of years the them, it was a marvel to me that Brazils, Moses and Priscilla, half the world wasn't aching to live Percy Sladen Zoological Expedi-husband and wife by gipsy con- as they did. A good, sane sort of tion to the British Cameroona, West tract, had wintered snugly in the life it must have been, not without Africa, were related to the Royal lane under the downs, their nest, difficulties and certainly not roman. Geographical Society recently by well-painted caravan drawn out tic since they'd always lived so, but Mr. Ivan T. Sanderson, a member of the path into a space cleared full of renewals and ever-lastingly of the expedition.

of thorns and nettles by old refreshing if one went with open Among the things they found Moses and their horse cropping eyes and no great anxiousness for

meekly where it chose,

possessions, na these two did.

were:

Proxs with hairs, claws, and eye-brows;

Frogs that whistled when dug

-out of holes;

and

Frogs that ticked like clocks;

Native

WEDNESDAY'S STORY

Wednesday's story, will be "It's A Free Country," by Alma & Paul Ellerbe.

No one minded, for they were an All summer they moved up and honest pair and it was very pleasant down the country, lapping honey to see them on a bright, frosty where few would think to find it, morning, the van fooking like a self-dependent and covering many russet fruit, rabbit-nibbled and hundreds of miles. In their slow, glowing ripe, a stalk of smoke loop-quiet way, always contriving an Frogs with black spots which ing from the chimney, the old man unsentimental visit to a lonely breast turned to silver, or stripes that and woman busy at their tasks of the Welsh hilla whore was buried Moses cutting and flattening an old Priscilla's only babe, born out of vanished when breathed on. White ants fried on buttered tin, maybe, for neg-bonds or making time in the beginning of their life toust and monitor lizards in curries nails in a tiny forge, and Priscilla, together. men in the British Museum of PARIS WORLD'S FAIR

were included in the expedition's her crooked, wizened figure be Natural History was caught in

menus, as well as "the most grotes-"

shawled into false fatness, hissing

the Orkneys in 1934. Probably

que of all mammals, a bat with a quietly like an ostler as she pegged the last survivor of his race was

Bleek head like a horse, baleful mud from pattens or the hems of the bird killed in Iceland in 1844.

greenish eyes, and cars like a cow."her heavy drab skirts, or, perched

Sprouting Table Legs

on a topmost step, knees spread, Only Recently Extinct

porters "complained pounding herbs for a curry, Spanish Yet at one time there were admit that in the last few years great colonies of this bird, not France has not enjoyed the popular bitterly if given light loads, and fashion, or mixing a drench for a neighbouring cowman, for, though merely in Britain, but also' in favour it formerly found among the the only effective punishment was she could neither read nor write,

Circum-to make the ring-leader walk in Iceland, Greenland, and New. People of other countries.

lahe had a deep, inborn knowledge of foundland.

Occasionally Moses sold a bag of But when

once 'stances, political and economic, have front without any cargo.' He was such things.

nails to someone who valued their these caught the attention of put the French it the unpopular subjected to an unending fire of

In the years I knew them old rose-headed mariners their doom was sealed, position of apperring to be a static jests and taunts by the others."

excellence, In this curious land, telegraph Moses's first greeting was always enough to butter their bread and earning for they were ruthlessly exploit. drag on a dynnule world. Whether

poles grew and carried the wires the same, simple and pleasing as please their noses as he would say, ly for food. English and French the question he disarmament, treaty

'wine in the mouth. sailormen alike resorted to these revision, war debts, raport quotas, too high, table legs sprouted

A alow, astonished blink of his sale or exchange for kind of simples Priscilla adding to the fund by the breeding-grounds, driving the or the gold standard, it is undeniable

handle which took root and. In merry eyes and he'd spread his distilled from roots garnered in a green vegetation, and an axe helpless birds over planks into a that France has been made to seem,

five months grew into a "flourish brown, nimble hands as if releasing boat, "as many as shall lade her." the "backwar" defender of the

a pair of birds, turning to Priscilia: diate cures,all of them ff faith was compass_round; excellent and Imme- ing little bush." Here they were slaughtered and status quo in the midst of forces

The expedition had one

"Don't he look plump currant?" and salted down.

working for giange.

grim

Friscilla would nod emphatically and faith was absent, exactly as if a strong, but effective still even if adventure when Mr. Sanderson saw an endless drove of "driver laugh softly, as a mouse might, her

amall, deeply wrinkled face wrink measure of Priscilla's own rare!

Like children they shared a fond- whimsical consideration of your own

- ANTIDOTE TO CRITICISM

When, later, their numbers be- came so reduced as to make these, raids unprofitable, new enemies paragement ht which France has

Beyond a joubt much of the disants making for a hut where a colling still more, while Moses, after energy were included.

league was lying I

arose to comlete their doom. thus been the object is undeserved "These ants," he said, "have been For as soon as it was realised and due to hisunderstanding. Fur-known to sweep whole villages inquiry, would reply earnestly, his as for a few simple sights and that there were very few "gare-thermore, sme of this misapprehen-clean, including some of their in-scrubbearded face: "Just dukkaring Land's End equally, the one for its fine teeth shining. white in his pleasures. They liked Southend and fowl left collectors began to sion is now being gradually correct- habitants. Our army of boys fell round up and slay the remaindered. There'still remains, however, out of the house in response to my [along we are.”

ahrimps and ample joviality, "like for the sake of their skins and great dealsf widespread disapproval, shouts, and filling their mouths ample truth of it and, looking at and the other for its gulleries, grey And that seemed to be the simple ants on a cake, the jokers there." merited or not, of France's position with kerosene squirted the Van- Doubtless large numbers of and polles. This unpopularity has guard before throwing down light-

mullet and pilchards and china clay mounds like God Almighty's own these specimens have been lost. not only meant very heavy losses tuled matches. The ants choked the

fine tents. .. To-day only 75 eggs are known to French idustry and commerce, but fire to a depth of over six inches, SAAR SENSATION exist, some inprivate hands, has also been a subject of serious but eventually the whole drove some in museums. One egg, sold concern b the diplomatic authorities veered off."

eggs for museums.

เ

MORE GOLD FROM S.S. EGYPT

£100,000 Still To Be Recovered

A rainbow was as good as gold in the pocket to them (they had often hurried to stand together in the tail of a bow) and a full moon in a clear An earlier Reuter cable from aky, like the best of earth reflected

(Continued From Page 1)

Saarbrucken mentioned a sensa-in a great wine eye, pleased therm

tional allegation that a concentration deeply. Summer lightning was en- camp for prominent anti-Nazis'had Joyed because it re-tempered the been established at Nouenkirchen, mind into new appreciation of according to a sworn statement by tranquillity, "blazed off old thinking Herr Wilhelm Fischer, former Wel-corns," as Moses put it, and they fare Secretary of the Deutsche liked paddling on lonely sand-bars Front, which was made by a local and eating mountain cress pearled Nouenkirchen journal.

with dew.

ס

sweet

They would

at this sale, was believed to have at the Quai d'Orsay. been owned by the great explorer] The cming exhibition is particu- Captain Cook: and this has now larly wel designed to help to remedy passed into the keeping of Sir this alpation by calling the atten Bernard Eckstein..

tion of other peoples to the best In shape and coloration the qualitifs and capacities of the eggs of the Great Auk resemble French people. These attributes, in- those of its near relations, the clude, especially, a highly developed guillemot and the razor-bill, sense of beauty, of proportion and which breed still, in large num-the aft of applying this artistic bers, on our coasts to-day. And sened happily to their everyday

The Italian salvage steamer Arti- like them they present a singu-existence in such a way as toglio is still recovering gold from the larly wide range in coloration, no brighten and beautify its every mo-wreck of the Egypt off Ushant, and the Deutsche Front instructed him like multi-coloured petals pleased It was alleged that the leader of The chime of bells spinning down two eggs being ever quite alike, ment either in the ground-colour of the The official title which has just Plymouth about £30,000 worth of Germany was preparing to occupy echo and they knew a hundred

during September she landed at last March to arrange a camp as them nearly as much as shell or in its markings.

beer adopted for the exposition in-bar gold and sovereigns. The great the Saar by force If necessary. places where each could be enjoyed Like the razor-bill the summer diedes its preoccupation with this bulk of the bullion has already been Herr Fischer accordingly took ver freely and privately. dress differed from that assumed side of the French national charac-salved, and what now remains is "the people's kitchen" in a building go thirsty rather than drink stand- at the autumn moult, and in both ter! It is to be called: "Paris Inter-scattered in small quantities all at Nouenkirchen as an ideal cortening water and liked burning rare the beak is marked by deep national Exposition, 1937-Art and over the wreck, making salvage ex-tration camp, and collected subscrip- black bog oak in their brass-knobbed grooves, lined with white, Technique fri Modern Life." Its tremely difficult.

Too Easily Caught ain is officially described as being

tions for what was nominal a stove and drinking a hot Jumper What made the capture of "to prove that art can beautify and timated at about £100,000, so that this belief, even the municipality Not much harm in folk of such

The total yet to be salved is es-"children's kitchen," to which, under brew before bedding down. these birds so easy is the fact uplift life for all, that no lucornpa-with two or three reasonable work-subscribed. that they had lost the power of tiblity exists between the beautifuling days the operations should be

simple habits you'd be ready to fight. Breeding on low, shely-and the useful--that art and techni- finished. It is expected that 98 personers were to be lodged in the

Herr Fischer alleges that pri-swear, but there were, nevertheless. Ang shores, they could land for qué should be indissolubly linked."

a few witherbrains who mistrusted] breeding without the aid of

The site of the exposition has is necessary to wait for favourable leader had denounced to Gerikany will to hurt. The few could be cent. of the total will be salved. It vaulted cellars, and that the local them, but one with the power and wings, and since save for this been definitely chosen. It will cen weather and tide conditions before for interament some 300 persons, avoided, but it was the business and purpose they had no need for tre around hte Eiffel Tower-which working. wings, except as flippers when will celebrate its semicentenary in

constant pleasure of the one to make under water, they gradually 1837, the spacious gardens of the

trouble, and a pretty job he made shrank in size, till, as wings they Champ de Mars and the Trocadero,

of it in this case. And this was the were practically useless.

on the banks of the Seine. The

way of it, so neat and simple that Our guillemots and razor-bills Trocadero itself is to be temporarily

you'll be wondering how safe your are in no danger of a like fate, transformed from a rather unaesthe

on footing is. for they are, perforce, compelled the "Victorian Byzantine" building to nest, throughout the greater into a modern structure by an effec part of their range, an the ledges Bive but economical "false front." of steep cliffs, which can only be

reached by flying.

But once the breeding seaso

is over these birds, like the Great AMERICA ON EVE OF CONGRESS Auk, put to sea, never once re-

turning to land until the duties (Continued From Page 1)

of rearing a family compel them.

Yet!

EXECUTIONS AS PIECE WORK Increase In Salary Demanded

:

the conservatives and deflationists

GOLF STARTING TIMES

To-morrow's Pairing

The following are the Royal Hong Kong Golf Club starting. times for fauling to-morrow:

OLD COURSE

9.86 a.m. L. Goldman, R. L. 6. Webb

W. S. Hillier, W. Paterson.

9.40

"

9.44.

"

8.48

0.56

10.12

including 160 catholic priests and prominent industrialists.

KING CAROL READY TO MAKE SETTLEMENT ON MADAM LUPESCU

Just a week before the Brazils returned to camp in the lane, the local constable, slow and murmurous as a pound of bubbling glue, died.[{-15. as was expected, of pewter poison- ing, and his place was taken by a pen heavy-fisted, scowling martinet by the woman for whom he once fave seedy origin with neither love nor sign that he is disposed to desert name of Sprenoble, a townsman of

(Continued From Page 1)

King Carol has given no

C. Bond, W. Pittendrigh. up his wife and his claim to the knowledge of the country round, who

H. N. Williamson, W. W. C. throne, when he was crown prace. began immediately a new-broom Shewan..

Laren

He has been defended in the Sen-campaign against local crime, gain-

C. H. Bradley, J. S. Macate by, a spokesman who dacared ing convictions for all the petty E. Taylor, P. Collason. the King has the right to love smellegalities overlooked by his amiable

G. Marsatile, A. B. Raworth, one who is helpful and devotel to predecessor.

5. T. Butlin, N. K. Little him

john.

Summonses sped like infuriated

are prepared to resist to the utmost, 9.52 on the grounds that, if there were more money In circulation, including 10.00 the bonus, it would simply be used 10.04 for the repayment of old debts and therefore quickly find itself back in 10.08 the bank vaults.")

$10.10 It is admitted, however, that the bonus is one of President Roose-10.20 The Polish hangman, Brann, velt's most difficultest problems, due Wante an increase in palary, me to the belief that more than two- says that there are so few execu-thirds is in favour of its payment MAMAK HOCKEY ENCOUNTER tions that he needs more than the The Administration, by employing

315, which he at present re strategy, hopes to compromise. ceives for each client

The demande of the navy are During the six months which second to none, due to Japan's de A Mamak hockey match between Mantu, lender of the pensant party, which could be ended on October 28, Braun car-nunciation of the Washir eaty, the HMS Cornwall and the HMS, who w premier when Carol-ra dervis und rled out only four death senten- which is excepted to precipitate con- Suffolk will take place at o'clock turned in dramatic fashion by

K. S. Morrison, L. H. Geare. Pressure on the ruler, who re- wasps through the parish. Fines K. K. Rounds, J, W: Mayhew turned from exile in 1980, has leen were paid and murder contemplated,

ces, so he has petitioned the Min- alderable, discussion - Unite

latry of Justice for higher pay

per. 3. E. Levy and Compar

H. F. Sommers, B A exerted by his mother, the Dowger and Spranoble roamed daily farther Rodgers

Queen Marie, who, from Belgade, afield, sniffing and snailing, finding „J. 'Hunter, E. MacMahon, Caddies from Superintendent.

has been bombarding him with let the Brazils at last in their harbour ters urging him not to put hia're- age. Once, it appeared, he had been the safety of the dynasty, Iations, with time" Linesdunlave well faped by a masterful gipsy family and his enmity for all Buch

Serverlosti

THIS AFTERNOON

The outstanding leader of the was apposition to the woman is Jillo exact

at King's Part

ress, this afternoon on the Naval Ground, plane from his exile.—Amociated

Pres

inued

valy He knew the

of all the charger laid against the wan-

Sached

intent!

LANE, CRAWFORD'S

STORE WIDE

SALE

COMMENCES

2nd JANUARY

All

Departments

Participating

2nd

WORTHWHILE BARGAINS!

LOW PRICES! BIG DISCOUNTS! BIG SAVINGS!

HAPPY

AND

PROSPEROUS

1935

The above Greeting is cordially extended

to You All by

THE WING ON CO., LTD.

Hong Kong's Largest Department Store

NEW YEAR HOLIDAYS Jan. 1st & 2nd.

(TWO DAYS ONLY). ALL DEPARTMENTS WILL BE RE-OPENED TO BUSI-;

NESS ON JAN. 3rd,

Happy NEW-YEAR

to all our

CUSTOMERS & Friends

Hong Kong

China Bldg., Tel. 27945. Chiropody Service

195 Des Voeux Road (near Sun Co.)

191 Johnston Road, Wanchal

SHOE

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