The Sun.
London, England, 1856-01-02 00:00:00

THE SENSE OF SIGHT IN BIRDS.

( From Putman's American Magazine. )
Audubon has written an amusing book, I had almost
said of fables, called Ornithological Biography. By a
number of cruel experiments, he has proved to his own
entire satisfaction, and that of many other., that vul-
tures are led to their food by the sense of sight alone ;
the sense of smell, which they were supposed to possess
in an exquisite degree, affording them not the slightest
assistance. Hie experiments prove quite too much for
his purpose, for they equally deprive the poor bird in
question of both sight and smell. It is certain that this
bird possesses both senses in great perfection, and
equally certain that neither nor both are the sole means
it' employs for obtaining its food. Though the senses
in animals are means of obtaining them food, they are
not the sole means, as we very well know.
It is a most curious question, and well worth more
attention than it has ever yet received. For want of a
better explanation, we usually say, there is an instinct
that enables animals to find their food. Many go from
great distances directly to it. Pigeons find out newly-
sown fields immediately, and will frequently go several
miles to a field the very first nsorning after it is sown.
Wild ducks that feed at night aro equally quick in find-
ing their food ; and in this case I would be glad to know
what sense they employ. The red.deer invariably knows
when the shepherd's patch of grain is fit for his food,
and will frequently come down in such number, as to eat
up the entire crop in a single night. In fact all birds,
whatever their food may be, have an instinctive power
of discovering it immediately, and that from such dis-
tance!' as no acuteness of either sight or smell will ac-
count for. Without allowing this, you cannot explain
facts too numerous, and too well authenticated, to be
doubted. It is precisely the same faculty, whatever it
may be, that enables the carrier pigeon to find it, way
home, take it what distance, and any way covered lip,
you will. Toss it np in the air, and, after circling for a
few moments, it adopts its line of flight, without hesita-
tion and without mistake. Audubon himself furniihes
an instance of the exercise of this faculty, in his descrip-
tion of the razorbill,The instinct or sagacity which
enables the razorbills, after being scattered in all direc-
tioue, in quest of food, during the long night, often at
great distances from each other, to congregate towards
morning, previously to their alighting on a spot to rest,
has appeared to me truly wonderful ; and I have been
tempted to believe that their place of rendezvous had
been agreed upon the evening before."
In disputing about the comparative value of the senses
of sight and smell in birdie, authors notice a much more
curious fact—the great power birds possess of altering
the focal length of their eyes. To see equally well an
object at a distance of many miles, and a minute seed or
insect an inch from the bill, may well amaze us. Ob-
serve the first person of your acquaintance you meet
who happens to wear spectacles. If he looks at an ob-
ject near him, he looks through his glasses ; if at a more
distant one, over them. Go to a practical optician and
desire him to construct an instrument that will enable
you to do what birds are constantly doing in this, and
ho will, most likely, tell you the thing is impossibile.
Man probably surpasses birds in extent of vision, as
much as birds surpass man in sharpness. floss, in his
voyage to Baffin's Bay, proved that a man, under favour-
able circumstances, could see over the surface of the sea
150 miles. It is not probable that any animal can equal
this for extent. In sharpness of sight, on the other
hand, birds greatly excel us. The eagle soaring at such
a height that he seems a mere speck, sees the grouse
walking in the heather, which it so closely resembles in
colour as readily to escape the sportsman's eye. Schmidt
threw to a considerable distance from a thrush a number
of beetles, of a pale gray colour, which the unassisted
human eye failed to detect, yet the bird observed them
immediately. Many birds readily perceive insects on
branches where the sharpest-sighted person can detect
nothing.
The eyes of birds are remarkable for their great com-
parative size, the great convexity of the cornea, and for
having the sclerotic coat formed anteriorly to a circle of
I bony plates. The optic nerves are very large, and unite
so intimately as to appear perfectly incorporated. The
iris is exceedingly contractile—as all may have observed
who bye watched a bird dying. Birds do not expire with
eayseawreithextphierinmga,ryi
ouandmatyherelaodwielyr
contracting the pupil. The muscles, as in man, are in
aeoynbiesmesra°vlres:tnah'neadgsrweigahttein'peothweer they possess of dilating and
number-4 straight and 2 oblique. In many birds the eye-
ball possesses very little mobility, and in some of the owls
it is so closely fitted into the orbit as to be immovable.
How the eye adapts itself to near and distant objects
is one of the most abstruse questions in physiology.
Three explanations have been offered. 1. By bringing
forward the crystalline lens nearer to the cornea, with-
out altering the form of the whole eye or the crystalline
itself. 2. By changing the figure of the globe of the eye,
so as to increase the distance between the cornea, and
retina, as you pull out the joints of a common spy-glass ;
and 3, without altering the general form of the eye by
increasing the sphericity of the crystalline, and thus in-
creasing its refractive power. The first was the opinion
of Haller and the earlier physiologists. The second was
adopted by Blumenbach and many able men. The third
was the opinion of Lewenhoek, Descartes, and Dr.
Young, and is, perhaps, the true explanation. Sir Lye-
rand Home and Mr. Itamsden performed many experi-
ments to elucidate the question, but they proved nothing

THE PARISIAN FASHIONS AND FABRICS.

Paris is very brilliant just now, revelling not only in
the joyous blaze of the gas of its streets, but still inure
,n the marvels of industry, fashion, and art with which
is shops are replete for the attraction of customers.
Now is the harvest time : New Year's Day is near, and
no one dares show himself without both hands and pocket
full of gifts and suprises. Accordingly, see how all are
crowding to our fashionable establishments. At the
Magasins du Louvre they know not whom toanswer fist;
the el6gantes aro inquiring for velvets, for brocatelles,
far those magnificent stuffs, in a word, that recall the
days of our grandmothers. Humbler visitors aro in
quest of plain silks and other modest articles ; some want
carpets, others curtains, others again lace, and all that
they desire is at once presented to them as if by enchant-
ment. A visit to the Magasins du Louvre is, in truth,
an Arabian tale in action ! So at Tahan's where there is
a splendid assortment of furniture of all sizes and prices,
but all intended for positive use, and all executed with artis-
tic iikill,sueh as bureaux,prie-lieus, tea-caddies, and flower
baskets that seem to have come from the Versailles of far-
mer days ; also toilette and band mirrors, boxes for all sorts
4,1 contents, and worthy of enclosing jewels, if the tradi-
tional sugar-plums and chocolates be not preferred. If
you wish rather to make presents of elegant toilettes, at
once rich and simple, but always distingries, you must
call upon Mme. Fadvet, rue de 11/4r:tars, No. 4, for it is
she who supplies all the ladies who hold any rank what.
over in the world of diplomacy, or art, or fashion,
Young ladies find there their modest trousseaux, and
brides their beautiful corbelles, and no one in Paris
knows as well as Madame Fauvet how to choose what is
best adapted to the style of each and the taste of all. A
mother may give to her daughter, a husband to his wif
a sister to a sister, one of those elegant corsets in white
watered silk for which Mme. Clemencon, rue du Pert-
Mahon, No. 8, is unrivalled, and this present, SO useful, is
also very agreeable, as with it one is always sure of being
well-dressed. If you wish a rich necklace, you must go
to Kramer, the jeweller par excellence of all the dldgantes.
The necklace is again worn, and he will furnish you with
those pretty ornaments which repose the eye fatigued
with the glitter of diamonds. Susse and Gueslais are
also visited by the fashionables : the first, for all those
charming nothings so appropriate as gifts, and also for
albums, pastels, screens, books of all sorts, stationery at
all prices, and other artistic objects for which be is re-
nowned, and Guerlain for essences as fragrant as flowers,
perfume boxes, smelling bottles, tortoiseshell combs,
sachets for gloves and handkerchiefs, scented pates for
the band—in a word, for the useful and agreeable coin-
bined in the same object. The establishment of Lemon-
nier, at the corner of the Passage de I'Opera and the Bou-
levards, offers gifts of affection, for theirhair is set with a
skill that is marvellous, whilst the rings, bracelets, neck-
laces, pictures, are all exquisite. Another useful present
is a
box of Cologne water from the house of J. M. Farina,
rue St. Honore, 333, the great superiority of which is
abundantly proved by the fact of its baying been brevete by
the Courts of France and England, and almost every
other country of Europe. Or, if you prefer a bonnet for
the street, or a bead-dress for balls or concerts, go to
Mme. Soifer, 45, rue. St. Augustin, for nothing can he
more distingnde and elegant than her master-pieees of
taste, her feathers, her flowers, and lace. But if you
should visit Mme. Tilman,
wear flowers, yonwho seems
to have fixed the abode of spring in Paris, so fresh, co-
quettish, fragrant,
and natural are the wreaths and
bouquets which come from her hands. But, if you wish
to go
from gay to grave, you must call upon Graux-
Marly, to admire and purchase bronzes which are worthy
of ancient days. Then, as bad weather will return, enter
the shop of Cazal, where you will find such light, elf)•
gant, coevenient umbrellas that the difficulty of selec-
tion will keep you for awhile in suspense before resuming
your way home, which you will at length reach with
your mind and imagination enriched with what you have
seen in your promenade.

The funeral of Mr. J. Conder will take place on
Thursday.

SOIREE TO MESSRS. GIBSON AND BRIGHT.—TI e
usual annual soiree to the members for Manchester is to
be held in the Corn E;change in that city, on the eve of
the meeting of Parliament. •

THE CRYSTAL PALACE AND THE PARIS
EXHIBITORS.

The following circular has been issued to the British
exhibitors at the late Paris Exposition :
" The Crystal Palace, Sydenham, Dec. 2ti.
' "I have the honour to inform you that the directors,
being desirous of reproducing at the Crystal Palace the
contributions in arts, manufactures, and materials, from
the United Kingdom to the Paris Universal Exhibition,
have resolved to grant space for that purpose, free of
rent for one year. It is proposed to open this Special
Exhibition on the lst of May next. A form of appli-
cation for space is annexed, which you will be good
enough to fill up, and return to Mr. John C. Deane,
Crystal Palace, Sydenham, on or before the Ist of Feb-
ruary next, in order that he may be enabled to take the
necessary steps for the arrangement and disposition of
the goods and cases. Free admission, within certain
limits, will be given to exhibitors and assistants, and
every facility will be afforded for obtaining orders
from the samples exhibited, but no direct sales by deli-
♦ery will be permitted.—l am, yours obediently,
" G. GROVE, Secretary.
"N.B.—The directors reserve to themselves the right
of selection, in respect of the goods for which space may
be applied for under this circular."