Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1859-08-19
INsccrs.- Insects are largely en-.

their eyes, though unable to turn, are
infinitely multiplied, and compensate
by quantity for their want Of notion.
TO give an idea Of the numbers some
orders possess, I may mention that to
one species of butterfly, by no means
among the largest, is allotted nearly
$4,000 eyes. These are distributed
over every part of the body, and thus,
whatever may be the position of the
animal, no danger can approach un-
perceived, as sentinel keeps watch in
every quarter.
The passions Of love and fear, and
sometimes higher emotions, are exhib-
tied very signally in some orders of in
sects, and are even expressed in sounds,
which, while not without significance
to the human ear, are doubtless full of
meaning to themselves. The fact may
be demonstrated by giving chase to
common blue bottle, which will imme-
diately raise its notes in a surprising
manner, the tone being one of unmis-
taxable alarm. In tropical countries
| have noticed the same popularity,
with but little variation, in musk etoes;
and the adroitness with which these lit
tie janissaries avoid capture, indicates
an organization still more subtitle.
Few are unacquainted with the al
crtness or ferocity of spiders, exhibited
so constantly within the sphere of ia
miliar observation. Let fly be thrown
on a SPIDERS web and q strange sncc-
tacle will follow. The terror and des-
pair of the fly at the first approach Of
his memorable enemy, his energetic eff
forts to escape from the tyrant's
clutches, and lis last touching death
struggle, with the exultation, rage, and
malignant cruelty Of the spider, are a
vivid mimlcry Of tho mightier par
oxysms of man, which few will be able
to contemplate with apathy or indiffer-
, ence.
: I need not dwell here On the affec-
ton Of insects for their progeny, as
that is passion which, by the wise
providence Of the almighty, prevails,
with few differences Of degree, through
out the whole range of nature. But it
would be an omission not to say that
they experience more than usual diff
Guilty in providing for the necess tiles
. and requirements of their young, yet
pursue this object under every dlsad-
), vantage, with unwearying forecast,
, tenderness, and perseverance, Full
,, Tom.
$ THE LAW OF STORMS. Light
$ House Board, in cooperation with the
Naval Observatory in Boston, and the
, Board or Trade, (and admiralty, Lon
don, is about to institute system OF
e meteorological observations, with a
D view to further development of the law
of storms. BY reason of the great ex-
= tent Of coasts Of the United States
4 bounding portion Of the two great
r oceans, and running through many de-
grees of latitude, from the frozen re-
0 gion of the Northern lakes to the eve,
green peninsula of Florida, this BoarG
e possesses peculiar facilities for an in
e telligent cooperation in this great
o work. On every headland of this i'm.
mense coast is perched light house
and at no other expense than the cost Of
the necessary blank forms, each light
: house keeper may be converted into 8
: meteorologist. The keeper on the Pen.
obscot, equally with the keeper of Pug
{ cts Sounl, will, at given hours of the
!. day, register the condition Of the erie
L currents, and such other weather phe-
. nomena as may come under his obser.
walton. The observations are to ex.
tend through an entire year, at the enc
0 of which time, no doubt, vast mass
IL Of interesting facts, the only true foun.
), dalton of science, will have been col.
i lected for the philosopher.
Il WHAT IS SoUANrUM 3" This is 9
great country'' for new tangled terms
y The latest is "squantum,'' defined az
y "a species Of fun known to the Nan,
e tucket folks" Here's the description
: ga party Of ladies and gentlemen
. 60 to one Of the famous watering pla-
: ces of resort, where they fish, dig CLANS
= talk, laugh, sing, dance, play, battle
:. sail, eat, and have a general $4,000
~ time" The food generally consists
of chowder, baked clans, and fun. Nc
: one is admitted to the sacred circle who
: will take offense at joke, and every
: one is expected to do his or her part
: towards creating q general laugh.
S Any man who speaks Of business af,
S fairs, excepting matrimony, is imme.
$ diately reproved, and on second Of
j Tense, publicly chastised. Care is
: thrown to the wind, politics discarded
e war ignored, pride humbled, stations
leveled, wealth scorned, virtue exalted
y a. d-this is squantum."
s sI Kisses, says the author of the
Trumpet, admit of greater variety
of character than perhaps even my
: female readers are aware, or than 10.
names Secundus has recorded. Eigh
!, basial diversities are mentioned ii
: Scrip ure, viz: The kiss of
Sanitation, Sam. Xxx. IA, Thess. VIC
l. Valediction, Ruth ii 8
e Recollection, 2 Sam. xiv. 33
s Subsection, Psalms ii. IL
n Appreciation, Prov. ii. 4
Alteration, kings xix. 10
y Treachery, Matth. XVI. 80
AGook;op 49,, K