Bob Mount: Time to put on your thinking caps

By: Bob Mount Columnist | Opelika Auburn News
Published: January 06, 2009

1. President Bush is proposing to weaken the Endangered Species Act. What entity is suing to prevent his action? (a) ADEM; (b) Audubon Society; (c) Alaska; (d) California; (e) Hawaii

2. The League of Conservation Voters lists 12 U.S. congressmen as the “Dirty Dozen,” who rank among the lowest on the basis of their voting records on environmental issues and vulnerability. How many of these were defeated in the last election cycle? (a) 4; (b) 5; (c) 8; (d) 10; (e) 12

3. A senator from one southern state made the list and was defeated. The senator was from (a) Mississippi; (b) Florida; (c) Texas; (d) Tennessee; (e) North Carolina

4. How many Democrats were on LCV’s dirty dozen list? (a) 3; (b) 4; (c) 5; (d) 6; (e) none

5. LCV endorsed and supported which of the following in a race in Alabama? (a) Vivian Figures; (b) Lucy Baxley; (c) Twinkle Cavanaugh; (d) Bob Bright; (e) Greg Wren

6. What Alabama state agency is comprised solely of females? (a) Supreme Court; (b) ADEM; (c) Court of Cival Appeals; (d) Public Service Commission; (e) State Board of Education

7. Alabama’s official jewel is the star blue quartz, the only specimens of which are in the possession of (a) Gov. Bob Riley; (b) Lt. Gov. Jim Folsom; (c) C.C. Torbert Jr.; (d) Husky Kirkwood; (e) John Robert Dudley

8. What introduced snakes are now competing with alligators as the “top predators” in the Florida Everglades? (a) boa constrictors; (b) reticulated pythons; (c) king cobras; (d) Burmese pythons; (e) African crocodiles

9. Which of the following cause more fatalities in Alabama each year than venomous snakes? (a) stinging insects; (b) horses; (c) cows; (d) dogs; (e) all of those listed

10. The entire course of what Alabama river is on a mountain? (a) Little River; (b) Sipsey River; (c) New River; (d) Cahaba River; (e) Sepulga River

11. “Blackwater streams” in southern Alabama are notable for having high concentrations of (a) lead; (b) mercury; (c) cadmium; (d) sulphur; (e) chlorine

12. Consumption of large amounts of what fish can be hazardous? (a) sardines; (b) bluegill bream; (c) bass; (d) crappie; (e) pond-raised catfish

13. Consumption of which in no. 12 is deemed healthful (more than the others)?

14. Federal law permits the killing of which of the following but prohibits keeping them in captivity? (a) house sparrows; (b) pigeons; (c) Eurasion ring-necked doves; (d) starlings; (e) common crows

15. Which of the following was once common in Lee County but is now rarely if ever seen? (a) sharp-skinned hawk; (b) loggerhead shrike; (c) wood thrush; (d) screech owl; (e) downy woodpecker

Answers: 1,d; 2,c; 3,e; 4,e; 5,b; 6,d; 7,d; 8,d; 9,e; 10,a; 11,b; 12,c; 13,a; 14,e; 15,b

Scoring: 13-15 correct, exceptional; 10-12 correct, very good; 8-9 correct, average for newspaper readers; 6-7 correct, average for TV and internet addicts; 4-5 correct, good guessers; below 4 correct, average for cave dwellers.

Bob Mount is emeritus professor of zoology and entomology at Auburn University and writes a weekly column for the Opelika-Auburn News.