The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-07-28
a savaSe state are f%ar-sighted. The same

a savage state are far-sighted. The same
remark applies to man in an unciviiized
state, and even TO those who. though civil
liZed, follow avocations which oblige them
70 remain constantly in the opan air, such
aa sailors or farm laborers. The same fac.
ulty subslsts in Gagged animals, when they
nave been taken after the age of six OF
eight months, but when born in captivity
or Kept IN cages when very young, they be-
come near-sighted, which NJ. Motais at.
tributes to the narrow space in which they
are confined and the training which oblilss
them to follow the eve of the keeper or
trainer 10 obey his will. The near
s~lghtedness of school children may, in his
opinion, BIO ascribed to the same Cause.-The
hablt OF concentrating the sight 1t one
point, ana the fsct that the power of the
VISUAL organ becomes modified according to
tha requirements to which it is subjected.
Many stories told of tho crafty fox are
doubtless Incidents of the Imagination. But
a recent writer tells TN anecdote which.
though taxing belief, he SAYS is vouohed for
by an eyewitness of the affair. some fisher
men on the west coast of Ireland were in the
habit OF going to a small island, a few hun
dred yards from the mainland, in quest Of
bait. The island was inhabited by a large
number OF rabbits, and could be reached at
low tide by wading, the water there being
only 4 few inchsS deep. One morning they
went in their boat te early, it being hich
tide, and on landing saw a dead fox wing on
the beach. The fur OF the animal was all
bedragglad, and he seemed to have been
droWned. One of the men, remarkina that
mis- skin was worth something, pitched him
INTO the boat. Procuring their bait they
returned to the mainland, and the man who
had possessed himself of the fox seized him
by the tail and flung him on shore. As soon
as the animal struck the beach he picked
himself up with considerable agility for a
dead to1 and shot off like a flash up anon
the cliffs, while tho men stood glaring at
each other IN mute astonishment. The 70
concluded that he had crossed over to the
island during the night, when the tide was
low, IN search of rabbits, and finding in the
morning that he was cut off from the main
land. counterfeited death with tn g exuecta-
ton OF thereby procuring q passage 10 the
shofe IN q boat, an expectation which wag
fully renlized.
The Rev. j. Murray, in his work on the
creation, relates that on one occasion an
acquaintance of his was out SHOOTING wild
0ucks. On reaching a bend of the stream
he saw six wild geese GU. of range. Ho
cfouchea down in the hope that they would
presently come nearer. While thus con
cealed he observed a fox stealing down ia
tina bank, on reaching which he remained
motlonless, with his eye fixed on the geese.
AT length he retired, but presently reap-
Pesrea carrying in his mouth a vorv lnroe
bundle Of moss. He entered the water
J' sdhA hiHiselI. ana then, keeping
the moss above the water, himself con-
cealed, he hoated among the geese. Sud
oenly one OF them WAS drawn under the
water, ana the foI soon appeared on tho
oahK with the goose on his back. Cloas tn
the waters edge he found a hole, CAUSED Lv
the uprooting of a tree. This hole he clsared
out ana enlarged, placed his goose at the
bottom OF 1t and covered the prIzs with
leaves and dry litter, of which there was
abundance close at hand. The fox then
TOOK ms departure, and the interested
watcher went to the hole and remoyod tho
goose, taking care 80 restore tbinps to Their
former appearance. Then he resolved to
Observe what followed. In nbout half nm
hour the fox returned in COMPANY with an
other. They went straight 10 the plaoa
where the goose had been buried ana r.~
moved the earth. No goose there. They
$1,000 looking at each other for some tima,
ana then suddenly the second fox attacked
the other most furiouslv, as though enrao.d
by having a trick played on him.
In the Island of Ceylon the peonle ar.
very fond OF olephant-hunting. They be-
gin by clearing an open space near a forest.
part OF which IS strongly fenced in with
trunks OF trees. with open places for doors
This is called a corral. When 60 much Of
the work ID done the natives get behind
ana around the elephants with blazing
t~orches, shaking spears and ~rattlipp Mi
Klhas OF noisy instruments in order To
ii'ghten the huge animals, Wills ali tho
time arriving them TOWARD tho open doors
OF the corral. At last, with Ii rush. the |
great herd enter. the entrances are barred
ana the poor giants of the woods find them
selves hopelsssly imprisoned. An ele- |
Phant's rage is dreadful to witness. but thu
INGENUITY of man has found a way of aub-
dung II. One by one each prisoner ia