San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-07-26
CURIOSlTlES OF NATURE.
An Interesting Lecture the Lower
Forms of Animal Life.

L.
Cooper Medical college, San Francisco, TAX
ing for his theme, 1.-THE Lower Forms of
Animal Life" He treated his subject In a
popular manner. With illusions selected
from classical Authors, not wholly devoid of
humor, he commenced the lecture. by assert
ing that oysters, although having no head,
were capable of being educated.
If the shell of the adult be examined, the
overlapping shoots will be found to represent
the years growth, and thus the logic of ma
ture is illustrated. The rings ON the bole of
a tree are counted to learn its age, and a
jockey fixes the age of horse by its teeth.
The lower forms of animal life have as
keen an appreciation of the forces of nature
as man.
The pholades may be cited in illustration.
Their teeth resemble in some measure rasp
or file, and form a good weapon in boring
and perforating the rocks. Bruner, the great
engineer, tgained valuable Information from
watching the habits of the ship worm, and
much benefit has resulted to man from closely
watching the habits of the lower animal
world.
The whelk is one of the class possessing q
head. 1t possesses boring instruments ear
culated to fill the heart of an engineer with
envy. On the sea beach you may find shells
perforated with holes, a certain sign they
have surrendered their lives to one of this
family.
In the Linqual ribbons the teeth are of the
most extraordinary kind and number-it has
been estimated $4,000. The snail, which pos
sesses stomach silver and intestmes, marks
decided progression. The Roman, or edible
snail, in addition to being an article of food,
was regarded as being a certain cure for con-
sumption In England it is general belief
that the flavor of the Southdovn mutton is
owing to the sheep feeding on this snail The
removal of'the head causes little and but tenn
porary inconvenience, as is is speedily repro
duced
The starfsh in its form gives little idea re-
garding its powers of locomotion. Under
each ray may be found red spot, containing
crystal lenses helpful in finding food. Pro
fessor Forbes states that once while examin-
ing startish the eye at the end of the ten
tacle opened and shut as if actuated by rea.
soning power
There are many varieties, many of which
are on exhibition in the state museum in this
city. The sea urchin also contains eyes, but
not so perfect as in the starfish. Five teeth,
strong and symmetrical, work sad havoc, de-
spite the fact that they live on a vegetarian
diet.
The crab in its early stages resembles the
shrimp; but after losing its coat several
times, its back becomes broad, and it attains
the well known form of the crab Creeping
into the darkest places it can find, the female
with difficulty and pain loses her shell. Many
varieties possess very curious characteristics.
The robber crab of the Maurtius, the hand
crab of the West Indies and the frog crab of
India are only a few of the peculiar varieties.
The oyster crab is considered a choice morsel
in the east, and is said to have been favorite
delicacy with George Washington.
The hermit crab, not being provided by
nature with a coat of mail, seeks refuge in
the cast off whelk shells. Being of a highly
combative nature, their fights, while perhaps
not according to Queerlsberry rules, are Ger,
tainly Ito finish"
The jelly fish ranges in size from the dimen
sions of a coffee bean to a size as large as an
umbrella, with tentacles 100 feet long. A
jelly fish that has had the eye speeks removed
makes no effort to seek the hight A respor-
sive stimulus is distinctly manifested, and in,
telhgent action appears to denote nervous
system.
Every animal organism is made up of cells
The nerves, ganglia and brain of higher hfe
forms find their equivalents in the cells of the
lower forms of animal life.-Alta California