MAN-EATING ANTS PROVE TERROR AT NIGHT
In parts of Africa and other tropical regions, a species of ant that marches as an army, destroying animals and insects as it goes and even attacking human beings, has given more than one traveler an exciting adventure. Dr. Hanns Ewers relates one experience he had with the marauders. They entered his cottage one night, killed mice, spread over the carpet and slowly came toward him. He took refuge on a chair, then on a table and finally mounted a washstand and stood in a pitcher of water. He was horrified to see that the ants made a living bridge to the stand and would have reached him had he not jumped to the bed, which was standing in pots of kerosene, one to each leg. The insects will not pass through the liquid, and he was safe. Naturalists report that these ants have been known to devour alive horses, leopards, apes and other large animals. They work with incredible swiftness, march only at night and apparently the sole obstacle that diverts them from their path is a pool of kerosene or some such liquid. As in other ant colonies, the division of labor is highly developed. Besides the warriors with their huge "jaws," the tribe has workers of various types, sorters that decide what things are to be brought into the nest or be discarded. One of the few effective enemies of the ants is a kind of beetle which secretes an intoxicating substance on its hairy body. When the ants are stupefied by this, they are killed by ant lice.
MASK FOR AERIAL CAMERA MAN AIDS IN WINTER FLYING
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Greater Comfort for the Flying Camera Man: Face Mask for Winter Picture Work
Storms and cold weather are difficult for almost all aviators, but work particular hardships with the aerial camera man who must expose his face to the wind over the side or above the cockpit as the plane speeds along. To protect himself from this discomfort, an eastern photographer has devised a special mask which covers practically all his face and fits tight without stopping the circulation.
EXAMINE TREES WITH X-RAYS TO FIND TRUNK DEFECTS
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Taking X-Ray Photo of Tree Interior
Courtest Eastman Kodak Co.
Hidden defects and diseases in tree trunks are revealed by means of an X-ray outfit which shows conditions that cannot be detected by ordinary examination. The outfit illustrated herewith is one of the first to be developed and has since been improved into a more compact form. The apparatus is also useful in inspecting poles that carry power or other wires, to determine if any of them are dangerously decayed inside.
