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Piny the Elder (A.D. 23-79) named the sea horse “hippus,” Today the generic name of the seahorse has been retained. Hippocampus mans horse-caterpillar.

The alleged medicinal properties range from a supposed aphrodisiac effect when used in a love potion to more prosaic uses as a cure for baldness and pains in the side; or when a living sea horse has been dipped into oil of roses, for chills and fever.

There are approximately two dozen species of seahorses. Seahorses are strictly marine in habitat.

The female actually deposits the eggs in the brood pouch of the male, who, in turn, incubates them for a minimum of eight to ten days

The jackknife contortions of the male seahorse, not to mention the female’s depositing eggs in the males brood pouch, are rarely observed..

In watching seahorses one will be impressed by the independent movement of the eyes, one eye may be looking in one direction and the other roving elsewhere.

Since they are unable to move rapidly enough to chase their prey, they have had to develop their own method of capture. This secret weapon consists of a netlike suction of pinpoint accuracy. A brine shrimp or other planktonic organism swimming with the 1 ½ inch range of the elongated snout is sucked into the opened mouth so rapidly that the observer cannot follow the movement of the hapless creature.

The most important biological fact about pandas is that their evolution is so linked to bamboo that the survival of bamboo is the survival of the panda. Examination of the teeth (visit the dental news) of fossil pandas from three million years ago are similar to those of today’s animals. The relationship of pandas and bamboo has existed probably as long as pandas have.

How can a panda survive on bamboo when he is a carnivore? He has a simple stomach and a short intestine adapted for digesting meat. Therefore he can’t digest bamboo efficiently and obtains only a few nutrients from the bamboo.

Because he is not anatomically equipped to eat bamboo the panda must eat 22 to 40 pounds of leaves and stems each day. The leaves contain more protein and more digestible carbohydrates and minerals than do the stems. We still don’t know why they don’t select the leaves over the bamboo.

Pandas are active for 14 hours a day which is mostly feeding time. They usually sleep from two to four hours at a time. They may be eating at any time of day or night.

Newborns are only six inches long and weigh under four ounces. A mother often gives birth to two cubs although she can only care for one. One will die and it is assumed that the two are born so that if one is weak the other one will be the survivor.

It is possible to preserve this treasured panda. There must be two species of bamboo available so that when one dies off the panda can survive. Poaching must be controlled and their must be captive breeding programs in the zoos.

Our national past time may not be baseball but instead be squirrel watching. So many of us observe them and at parks feed them. The eastern gray squirrel is a small mammal with the often observed and loved skill of gnawing. They belong to the order Rodentia which is from the Latin word rodere, which means “to gnaw”.

Fossil records of about 3.5 million years show records of the ancestors of the gray squirrel as well as their hundred of cousins flung around the world. flying squirrel, fox squirrels, red squirrels, Persian squirrels, pine squirrels and tassel-eared squirrels.

That bushy tail of the gray which reminds one of a question mark makes up more than half the size of this 18″ mammal. Squirrel observers may believe they know the males from the females but actually they are both between 12 and 26 inches in length and of the same color They make their nests in the hollow part of atree or on a branch or wedged in the fork of a tree.

Females have two litters one between February and April and another in mid summer. Pregnancy of only 40 to 44 days gives three to five newborn who are nursed for as long as ten weeks. In captivity squirrels live up to 20 years but their life span in the wild is cut drastically short to only one year because they have countless prey including dogs, red-tailed hawks, crows, weasels, owls, foxes, raccoons, cats (if you are a cat owner then you should check out Frontline for cats), cars and their greatest threat humans who have a penchant for shooting them.

Any squirrel observer has seen the mating chases of them spinning around tree trunks, and scampering together around the yard. When those hormones kick in they’ll chase around, across and over most anything. A fragrant hormone from the female scents the air when she goes into estrus. That waltz and the undulating movements are caused when the male sniffs around the private parts of a female.

She then coyly moves a step or two away which appears to be a waltz He sniffs even the grass where she sat. He sniffs her shadow and she dances away. Finally he moves in close for an embrace and like a dancer grabs her around the middle. She moves her tail to accommodate him and they mate. But this happens only if she allows him access.

There’s lots of manuals, books and Web sites which tell you all about how to train your new pup, but if you’ve ever tried to train a pup, you already know that many of these techniques don’t work, or take months to do so. Certain things are known about pups: they love to be loved, they love to eat and they love to play. Taking these things into consideration, it’s easy to do new dog training, but first know that it will not happen in one day, so have patience with your new friend.

Don’t get a new pup if you’re not ready to spend lots and lots of time with it in the beginning. To first get a dog to love you, pet and hold it often when you first get it and let it sit on your lap as much as possible. For one thing, dogs won’t potty on your lap if they’re beyond 6 weeks old, and secondly, when a pup knows you love it, it will do anything for you. Begin immediately trying to communicate with your dog, and if he understands you and obeys, or at least tries, give him a small treat. Make sure the treat is very small. This will encourage the dog to do more to please you so that he can have another reward. If you feed the dog a large snack, he’ll fill up fast and be ready to sleep.

The two main things that a dog does that drives us crazy is chewing what he’s not supposed to and using the potty where he shouldn’t. Dogs don’t like to use the bathroom near their food dish, so start off with a small section of your house where you’ll let the dog sleep and eat. Preferably, this place is near the door or the designated spot. For the first few days, take the pup out every hour or so. If he has already relieved himself in the floor, put his nose close to it – NOT IN IT – for a few seconds, then take him outside. Before doing so, take his paw and scratch the door, or ring a bell, so he’ll get used to the designated method of letting you know he’s ready to go out. If you would prefer the dog to bark when he wants out, he’ll learn this on his own in the near future. Walk the dog around the yard and as soon as he does his business, give him a treat. It could take awhile before he decides he’s ready to potty, but don’t play with him in the meanwhile. Just walk around and wait on him to go, then immediately treat him. After he has had his treat, then play with him. This teaches him that food and play will follow potty.

To keep the pup from chewing your home to pieces, have a chewable toy that is his and his alone. Every time you see him chew on anything else, remove the other object and give him his designated chew toy. If he’s chewing furniture, take him several feet away, giving him his toy. The pup will eventually learn that this is for chewing and other things are not. Don’t allow him several different chew toys for now; it’ll only make him think everything is up for grabs. Make sure he understands there is only one chew toy.

To teach the pup to stay in the yard, sprinkle small treats, like bacon bits out in the grass before letting him out. Where a dog smells food, he’ll stay. If he does start to leave the yard, call him back, and if he comes, give him a treat. If he doesn’t come back, lay a treat at the spot where you want him to come, go get him, and place him in front of the treat. This will teach the dog that a snack awaits him if he comes when you call. Overall, just show your pup lots of love, never hit him, always reward him and he’ll be your best friend for a long, long time.