Jewel # 430 (Dec. 31, 2020)

     

"And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I

make up MY JEWELS."

(Malachi 3:17)

To my dear grandchildren

The Beautiful Grebes

Thou, even Thou, art Lord alone; Thou hast made . . . the earth, and all things that are therein . . . and 

Thou preservest them all.”  Nehemiah 9:6  

Grebes are diving water birds found on almost every continent of the world.  Among various species of grebes, one called the hooded, a native of the Andes mountains in Argentina, is one of the prettiest.  From the top of its beak, pure-white feathers slope upward as far as the forehead where a red crest rises up beyond the top of its head like a hood, giving it its name.  The rest of its head, back, sides and throat are deep-velvety black atop a long, snowy-white neck.  Its body is coal black on top and white speckled with gray underneath.  Brilliant scarlet eyes add to a most beautiful example of the Creator’s handiwork.

Another interesting species is known as the black necked or eared, probably because of the group of yellow feathers pointing from its eyes to the back of its neck.  Otherwise it is plain coloured, greyish-black above and orange and white below.  One called the pied-billed grebe covers its half dozen eggs with mud in the daytime throughout incubation.  When the little ones hatch, they quickly take to the water, clinging tightly to the mother’s feathers and back.   They don’t seem a bit afraid when she dives and swims, going right along with her.  Traveling this way, the mother snatches food wherever possible, and then by twisting her long neck backward she feeds all those on board. 

The western grebe is the one most familiar to Americans.  It has a long body and thin neck with brown or black feathers on top of its head and neck, but white below and having a long, yellow-pointed bill, making it quite pretty.  The western is noted for carrying on an unusual “water dance” when mates are being chosen.  Both the male and female, while floating on the water, will suddenly rise up side by side and run swiftly on the surface of the water for quite a distance.  They also both go through elaborate head-shaking exercises to impress one another.

After the western’s nest is built, from two to six eggs are laid, and about a month’s incubation is shard by both parents until the chicks are born. Even then both the mother and father continue to share in raising them for about three months, carrying them on their backs when out on the water.

The ways of these birds show again the care of God in giving them remarkable instincts.  But He gave more than this to mankind.  In the Bible the question is asked, “Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart?”  (Job 38:36).  The answer is that the Lord, the Creator, has done this, and the Bible also tells us that "the fear of [reference for and faith in] the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10).  Do you have that wisdom and understanding?

Love you all - Grandpa

Jewel # 429 (Dec. 19, 2020)

 

Mouse Lemur

Red Ruffed Lemur

And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord 

of hosts, in that day when I 

make up  MY JEWELS.

Malachi 3:17

To my dear grandchildren

More About Lemurs

Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him?

saith the Lord.  Do not I fill heaven and earth?  

Jeremiah 23:24

The interesting animals we will learn about today are found only in the deep forests of Madagascar and are not the same as those called flying lemurs in Australia, discussed in our last issue.

The species from Madagascar comes in a variety of sizes, the largest being the indri which has a two-foot long body with a stubby tail.  The smallest is the mouse lemur, just four inches or so, plus a tail of the same length.  It weighs only about two ounces and could easily be mistaken for a mouse.

Another large one is the red-ruffed, which is slightly smaller than the indri.  Its silky fur is a rich reddish-orange with contrasting white patches, black face, hands and feet.  Its life is spent high in the trees, walking along the branches and making unusually great leaps between trees. The red-ruffed mother parks her little one on a branch while she looks for food, but other lemur mothers take their little ones with them, which cling tightly to her fur as she travels.

The mongoose lemur, about half the size of the indri, is a pretty combination of white, tan and gray and has unusually strong, flexible hands for gripping branches.  The brown, about the same size except for a longer tail, is brown all over except for its black face and tail.

One that breaks the rules and spends most of its time on the ground is the ring-tailed variety, getting its name because of its long, full tail, boldly marked with black and white rings.

Most varieties have slender bodies and narrow, pointed snouts with eyes that can see on the darkest night.  Leaves of trees, fruit, berries, insects, flowers, bark and tree gum represent the average food choices of these appealing animals.

For safety, all lemurs go after their food at night, and, as mentioned, God has given them extra special night vision to take care of this.  If they could ever stop to think about it, no doubt they would consider themselves to be well hidden and difficult to see.  But there is One who sees them as well in the dark as in the daylight—the One who is their Creator and of whom it is said: “Yea, the darkness hideth not from Thee; but the night shinieth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to Thee” (Psalm 139:12).       

They have no way of knowing they are always looked on by One who  cares for them.  But we know from the Bible that the Lord God not only always sees us, but is “beholding the evil and the good”  (Proverbs 15:3).  This should make us stop to think about what our behaviour means to Him at all times and to ask His help in finding more ways to please Him.

Love you all - Grandpa

Jewel # 426 (Dec. 13, 2020)

 

Yellow Bellied Glider                              Sugar glider

“And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up MY JEWELS.”

Malachi 3:17

To my dear grandchildren

True Flying (Gliding) Lemurs of Australia  (Part 2)

“Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.”  Revelation 4:11

In the previous issue we learned of an interesting animal in southeast Asia, incorrectly named the flying lemur, because it is not a lemur at all.  It is correctly called a colugo.

Australia is the home of most of the true flying (gliding) lemurs of which there are at least five varieties.  These are, for the most part, cute little animals with soft, pretty fur.

The largest of the lemurs (three feet long) is called the greater glider.  These are usually golden-brown or cinnamon-red set off with a pretty white throat and underparts.  Its inquisitive face is topped with widespread ears and large brown eyes.  It has a pink buttton nose and a long furry tail with a feather-duster tip.  The tail acts as a rudder as the lemur spreads its legs and glides through the air—steering and keeping it on course.  It glides from one tree to another—sometimes as much as 300 feet, dodging branches along the way.  Like pandas, they mostly eat leaves from certain eucalyptus trees.

The feather-tailed glider is the smallest of all of the lemurs.  It has only about a three-inch body and a tail of the same length.  This little fellow is very tidy and keeps itself clean by wetting its hands to clean its snout, ears and whole face with long strokes.  Whiskers are cleaned by sliding them through its moisoned hands.  All of the members of the feather-tailed group, both large and small, take long rest periods during the hottest time of the year, living off accumulated fat in their tails.

Another small lemur is called the yellow-bellied glider.  It is interesting because of the bubbly whistling noise it makes while gliding through the air.

In addition, there are the sugar and and squirrel gliders,  neatly clothed in gray fur edged in white with with black on their underparts.  They are very active gliders, but cannot glide as far as the “greater” species.  Both the sugar and the squirrel lemurs live primarily on nectar found in eucalyptus blossoms, which they lick out with their tongues.  However, they like other food, too, including large and small insects and fruits.

Some animals, like the sloth, are extremely lazy and do not keep themselves clean.  Others, like the wolverine, have mean tempers and like to ruin people’s property and make a terrible mess of it.  It almost seems as if they insult the One who created and cares for them.  But these lively lemurs with good habits and clean ways, cause us to think of the Lord God’s special pleasure in creating and watching over them, as the above Bible verses expresses so well.  We can take pleasure, too,  in seeing the wise and loving hand of the Creator in all He has done and is doing.

Another group of lemurs will be discussed in the next issue

Love you all - Grandpa       

Jewel # 427 (Dec. 9, 2020)

 

Flying Lemur

"And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up MY JEWELS.”

Malachi 3:17

To my dear grandchildren

The So-Called Flying Lemur  (PART 1)

These wait all upon Thee; that Thou mayest give them their meat in due season. That Thou givest them they gather: Thou openest Thine hand, they are filled with good.” Psalm 104:27-28  

Although called a flyings lemur, the cat-sized animal we will learn about today is not really part of the lemur family, but is properly called a colugo.  It lives in the forests of Southeast Asia where it spends most of its life high in the trees.  It is a pretty animal with brownish gray fur, or light brown spotted with white.  As the Creator has done for so many animals and birds, the colugo has been provided with good colouring for concealment in the trees.

Colugos are night workers.  Resting in daylight, some curl up in holes in tree trunks, and others hang from branches or big palm leaves, gripping them firmly with sharp, curved claws.  They never seem to have to drink water, securing all the moisture they need either from their food or by licking rainwater form leaves.

The colugo has a long tail and, like some monkeys, it can curl it tightly around a tree limb so it can use both hands while eating leaves or fruit, or it keeps it safe while asleep.

This is the largest of all “flying” mammals.  Its long, slender, flexible underbody is covered by loose skin that stretches tight when its legs are spread apart, providing a flat, kite-like area.  In this way they travel from tree to tree, gliding swiftly as much as 200 feet.  Of course, they cannot actually fly, but they appear to as they make frequent trips between trees.  In gliding they always land lower on the tree they are going to than the point from which they take off.  Since they have to be able to climb trunks and cling to branches, the Creator has given them strong legs and sharp claws.

While gliding through the air, the colugo’s tail acts as a rudder as it leans its body from one side to another to keep a true course.  When preparing to land, its tail lifts hight, acting as a brake; at the same time, it raises the front of its body so it comes in for a perfect landing.

Females have just one baby a year.  A short while after birth the baby learns to cling to the soft silky fur under its mother’s stomach and to hang on tightly, upside down, when she glides between trees.

These rather cute animals live in a warm climate and do not need to store food as some others do. They seem happy, rarely fighting, innocently unaware of the way their Creator, the Lord God, cares for them.  But boys and girls, as well as adults, are taught in the Bible that He is the loving provider to us of every good and perfect gift.  Above all, He has given the gift of the Lord Jesus as Saviour to any who will believe on Him.  Animals cannot give thanks, but we have no excuse for not doing so, as the Bible verse says: “giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20).  It is good to remember to give thanks to God.

Love you all- Grandpa