Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1883-12-19

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, olive green plush chair. An investiqa-
ton of the seat brought to SHIT green
snake Of the exact hue OF the push,
coiled up and fast asleep.
"Pull up another chair" said the
snake owner with a laugh.
The reporter picked his way across
the rooza, stepping on a horned toad
that was huddled close to some Turkish
figures on q rug, only to Hud the back
OF another chair occupied by bright
green lizard from South Africa. A
third trial, however, was successful.
"No," said the naturalist, who was
busy with a microscope, "they have
not moved the biological Garden up
here. but have quite as good a display,
though On a smaller scale. The diff
Gully You bal in seeing the snake and
anolis. and the fsct of your stepping on
the toad, are illustrations of the sue
cess OF my experiments.
eff you have ever thought particu-
larly on the matter" he continued,
pouring little csrmine into a sea of
radiolarlans, You must have noticed
that in all nature there is a strong tend
ancy to adaptation to locality. This is
especially SO in regarJ to color, and
often true as to form. The little snake
that You came near sitting on is q pe--
feet mimic Of the rich green grass in
which it is found, and you would never
suspect its presence if you did not see
it move. l am confident that it can
adapt itself to darker and lighter shades.
This morning had it on light-green
cushion, and in few minutes 1t adapt
ed itself to 1t so that it was almost in
visible, and now you see it has assumed
an entirely different hue
SIS the change a physiological
secret"
Not at all. We have well-defnei
ideas concerning it. In the nrst place,
We know that many ami mails clange
| their color az a moments notica, espeoi |
| ally fishes AMI reptile.. Among the |
former the s,ickleback. perch, serranus,
and dolphin are tile moat femargab e, |
In many this change is evidently made
at the option Of the fish. This is also
true OF the reptiles, and now for the
explanation. Here is a microscopes se,-
ton Of the frogs skin. You see It con-
sists of two distinct portions, the epi.
dermis and the cuts. the former is
made up of cells. while the latter con-
tains nerves, tiners, and cavities for
cell elements. These cells are filled
with pigments or coloring matter, aud
are known as chromaIophoses, and to
their contraction or expansion is due
the coloring of various ANIMALS, for all.
from man down, have them, differing
in color In different individuals aud in
various parts OF the body. Different
colors or degrees of intensity seem to
cause contraction or expansion OF the
cells. Thus. III the Gobins, the pig
ment cells, that are now yellow when
distended, assume an -orange-colorei
hue when contracted. and the orange
or red cells when shrunk bCccme brown
or black, as the case may be. Now,
when a fish that haDituaIly lives on
white bottom passes on to q black one
the change Is conveyed by the eyes to
the brain, and telegraphed, so to speak,
to the pigment cells by way of what are
called sympathetic nerves, and the
change Is produced.
"How do We know this? By watch :
ing blind fish pass from cne colored ,
ground 20 another. In sucl a case ,
there is no change at ali, The eve is j
the medium, vet there is probably no |
intelligent appreciation on the part oI
the animsl that the chapgs has been =.
made. The experiments with the SYM !
pathetic nerves are very remarkable. a
BY cutting one fish has been shown J
spotted ON one side ana striped on the !
other, and, IN fact, the coloriIg is at \
the will Of the skilled anatomist. Tue :
anolis, our common Southern hzard. !
that seems to take the place OF the the \
il the most wonderful IN it, :
power of changing color, adapting itself
20 variety of hues. II
But probably the most striking C
mimics are those that initiate otnei
objects and animals In torn. Here, me d
0 niinued. taking out a large st-el tn 2
craving. sis fish allied to our Lophiu, q
that was capturel by the Chalien ger on r
her famous trip. You see, it is all Ii
covered with barrels of flesh that ex- n
acily resemble seaweei, both in shape d
and color, and when clinging to the z
bottom 1t is perfectly invisible, so to i
peak. d number of our fizhes are /.
equally protected. Here is sea horse "
that has recently been discovered in |
waters. 1t has prehensive tI
tail, and clings like ring-tail.d monkey {
to the seaweed, and from its back and u
tail at intervals these long PINK sh
, reans hoat. exact in their imitation Il
Of the surrounding weed. Other sea a
horses have more delicate ornaments I
that look like hLe lace OF streamers, and O
% escape detection. a
Among insects there are even more Ia
striking examples. Here is a cater p
pillar that received fror China. Toe b
Under info. ms me that when aroused il a
initiates a small slIew, 80 that bird a
that are following it suddenly draw OF, 81
when the lnofiensIve creature stops and "
raises ITS head. which appears to length d
IN out and widen, assuming ferOcious II
sspect Many insects resemble leaves o.
md sticks, and one so Iese BbIes a pink c.
)rchid that 1t is with great difficulty C;
from the flower. Ibis j. 81
! defence from large enemies, but snail 81
~ taking IT Tor the fowor come Near 81
md are caught so that its mimicry serves T.
w - NON oAo % pAOicOitOu- |
"Among moths the cases of mimicry cl
NJ often perfect, and have seen th N
.iIgLt directly IN front OF ME and been d.
unable 10 perceive them for few mo- h
nents. The little mo hs OF the genus c
atucitd are remarkable for their i'm ta- q
lun of the down Of thistles I'd various el
'iants. The wings are beautifully N
rayed ana silvered, and taey come N
and rolling towards you, oc- E
gently slign;ing on the bush
8, and you would almost always take al
hem tor the innocent down OF some b
liant. A slil more wonderful insect p
nimic is The oIange- iIted bu:tertiy. til
When outspread aud during d .sht it Is l.
cry conspicuous, bus when in the OF
'ushes 1t freguents, with Its wings p
olded, it fluids perfect protection LII Is
Is resemblance to the flowers. In fact, IN
'ersOns who VINO have been pur. uing il ..
ave been astonished at its disappear Cl
nee right under their fag.rs. In 10
rdia tnerp ar. brffarf,as thos axo Of