From: Syd Curtis
> Thank you Walter, for taking the time to give us that fascinating account of
> those important practical aspects of your frog recording techniques.
You're welcome
> On another occasion we students watched a similar face-saving exercise, by a
> girder cutter. He was demonstrating the technique of using a broad axe to
> trim a log into a girder. Possibly he was a bit disconcerted by having a
> bunch of students standing watching him. Anyway, one axe stroke went a bit
> astray and glancing off the side of the log hit the toe of his boot.
>
> He never missed a stroke. Just went on shaping the girder as though
> nothing had happened ... while we watched in horror, the blood oozing out of
> the cut in his boot!
My father worked, in his early days, on a survey crew. As some may
realize a large part of that work in forested country is clearing sight
lines. The crew were all equipped with razor sharp axes and such like,
and were all strong young men. One of the other members of the crew came
across a deadfall up in the air in the sight line, a couple feet in
diameter. So, expecting a workout his first swing was forceful. However,
the log was rotted, and his axe went straight through the log and
completely sliced off the toe of the heavy engineers boot he was
wearing. Luckily just ahead of his toes. Not that he was that happy
about losing a expensive boot.
We are our own worst danger in the woods sometimes.
> As you may have heard, Walter, given your marital connections with this part
> of the world, fire ants have jumped ship and become established in part of
> Brisbane. (It is still hoped that we can eliminate them, but it is proving
> to be a long and costly exercise.)
>
> I have no intention of testing them to compare their stings to those of
> jumper ants.
The jumper ants sound worse. Though fire ants will get your attention
and then some. Fire ants don't jump, but just pour at you in large
numbers, and don't give up. Their bite is not quite as bad individually
as a beesting, but you get lots of bites in a hurry.
Walt
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