The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1890-07-18
CHARACTERISTICS or ANIMAL LIFE.
Nnturo'G Curious Provisions for Protecting
Defonscless Animals.

Nnturo'G Ciirl0uR Provisions for Protecting
DefonsnIess Animals.
IT IL perfectly wonderful to notice
the phenomenal provisions nado by
nature Tor the preservation Of the
weaker and more helpless animals In
many eases tho color Of The creature IS
adapted in Il wonderful way 10 its
mode OF living and its place Of con
cealmont, contributing very mutcri.
ally to its safety. .All who live among
The green fields, which, by tho way, is
the way TO 1.-Two properly, know how
difficult il is to distinguish the grass
hopper from. the lcuf OF blade Of vcYt,-
tation upon which 10 is at rest, until
no bctrays himself BY moving. Those
BIRDS which sing in tho lcdgcrow
have feathers upon their backs which
harmonizp with the color Of The leaves
about and among which they hit,
while tho feathers Oh their breasts;
borrow the white hue from The clouds
above tliom.
Tho partridge can hardly be distin-
guislled from tho stubblo whore il
makes its ncst, while IN tho more
northorn countries tho winter dress of
the hare aud ptarmigam is white, like
the snow with which the landscape is
usually covered, and upon which these
animals nre seen. Among marine ami
mails the samo natural provisions pro-
vail, and go down, however dcop, into
the water. animal life tho Same color
will be found The frogs, living in
tho stngnant pools and muddy bitches
by the roadside, arc known to vary
tlicir color IN order to harlnonizo with
the sand or mud in which they 1.-Two
Il, ..l. y
is green, and thus is With difficulty
distinguished from Tic tree to Which
it udhclcs Fish, especially those
Which inhabit fresh water, aro so like
in color to the weeds aud stones among
which they lio that it is often vcry
difficult to detect their presence.
Ono Of tho most wonderful instances
Of natures care in providing for tie
protection Of the moro dcfcnsclcss
creatures is found in the apparatus f..r
defense with which the cuttlc(ish is
provided. The very instant its quick
eye catches Il glimpse Of an approach.
ing enemy, knowing by instinc, alone
1T is absurd to speak Of rcasr,l in con
ncction with these low forms ot animal
life the inlpossibility Of seeking safety
by Hight, and having no means Of de
tense whatever, 1t prepares at Oiico to
seek safclyin conccalnlcnt. TO this
end it sinks downward rapidly, throw
ing out from Il vessel with which it is
provided, and nature taught it to use, a
stream Of Iluid with which Tho black
est paint Ii light in comparison. This
soon colOrs the water far around and
ciicctla!iy conccals the animal aud ut
the same time is very rcpulsivc to all
forms OF animal life feeding upon it;
and, as il takes considerable tino for
tins to dispense and tho watcr to clear
itScii, The enemy is generally batllcd.
Ii, however, as IS sometimes tho case
reasoning aniini,l man = is in pur-
SUIT, and the cuttlciiSl IS Still in dan
ger, 1T pour, out another and larger
Hood OF ink, and remains perfectly
quiet until tho danger is past, when it
moves otf ina circle, making Il larger
ana larger turn till outside tho black
waite ITS INK has made. Chicago Led
tri,r.