The Red Cloud chief., 1881-05-05
c~ur;ous d;.connected barbel. of frinped

curious disconnected barbels of fringed
flesh, in NAM cases the exact shape OF
the sections Of its vegetable home.
The backs of the crabs are similarly
painted by nature, different shades OF
green fiecked with white. and only By
careful examination . they be de-
tected.
The physalia, q hydroid animal. al
lied 10 the jelly fishes. affords an inte-
resting case OF mimicry. The upper
part of the animal is merely n bubble
floating on the surface, surmounted
with a delicate pink membrane thai
can be raised and lowered at will. From
the lower part descend numerous
lunches Of tentacles of the most intense
blue. that are for different purposes
They are extremely poisonous. as they
conceal myriads of minute darts called
lasso cells, that instinctively are thrown
put like an exploding shell, piercing an
enemy. The writer can attest to the
power Of these minute projectiles. hav-
ing accidentally swan yer n and
been rendered unconscious. The blue
mass mad TO be scraped from the body
with knives, and only by use OF power
full stimulants was animation kept up.
A year after the occurrence the lace
like tracery of the marks could still be
seen. Close up among the death-deal-
ing darts are little fishes that evidently
find there a home and protection. In
color they are the exact shade of the
tentacles, so that close scrutiny Is nee
essary TO discriminate between them.
On the eastern coast a crab Is found
living solely in the white sand and bur-
rowing in il. From its peculiar color,
or want of il, it is called the spirit crab.
Its movements are extremely rapid.
and it is such a perfect mimic OF the
beach in color that it cannot be observed
by birds. In wandering among the
prickly pear brush on n of the Florida
Keys, in search of their fruit, which
resembles fig, although OF a rich pur-
pie in color. the writer was somewhat
astonished by being severely nipped by
what was mistaken for pear. Improved
to be an atrocious mimic. A crab with
a purple back had lodged between the
branches, and when alarmed curled up
its legs, appearing a mimic Of the fruit.
Among the mangroyeS were innumer-
able members of the Masmitg family,
insects that resemble dead and living
bare twigs and branches. and so great
is the resemblance that a previous
knowledge of their character is required
to detect them.
A walking stick m from the East
Indies, over eight inches in length, and
the peculiar woody appearance of its
Joints is most noticeable. Probably the
most wonderful insect mimic. however,
is the walking leaf, or phillium. The
wings when closed form q perfect leaf;
the legs are twigs, the color greening
some, while in others curious morbid
spots, similar TO the butterfly above de-
scribed, are shown. The veins of the
leaf can be followed exactly as they
radiate from the body, which is analO-
gouS TO the mid vein of the leaf. If the
reader possesses an oleander that does
moi thrive, let the leaves be closely eX-
amined, and a most consummate mimic
will be found sapping the life of the
plant. A microscope is needed TO full
" detect it-a mere scale of the exact
color of the leaf and flattened upon it.
forming to the naked eye a component
part of the tissues of the plant, and
easily deceiving the horticulturist who
ispuzzled at the dropping condition of
the plant.
In the examples cited the resemblance
has been used as a protection, but an-
other class of animals use their odd
shapes to procure them a living. Among
them are the lophins of our coast and
many of the gurnards. Covered with
fringed barbs of flesh and waving fins.
they lie among the muddy bottom weed,
to AL intcnts a part and parcel of it, and
the unsuspecting fish, while swimming
among these waving weeds, is engulfed
in the mouth of the mimic.-N. Y. Sun.