Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-05
SEEING In THE DARK.
1t Is Popular Error That the Owl
Does Not Need Any Light.
THE CONSTRUCTION OF HIS EYE.
Bow the Prowler Gets Into Trouble by
Staying Out Too Late.
LATEST PHOTOGRAPHIC DISCOVERY
WRITTEN FOR THE DIsPATCH.I

WRITTEN FOR THE DIsPATCH.I
How do we account for the ability of cats,
rats, evils, and other nocturnal prowlers to
see in the dark? How can the cat see the
rat at night, and how can the owl see the
sleeping bird on the limb of tree? In the
economy of nature there is no provision for
times OF inactivity, and SO certain animals
are so constituted that their working hours
begin just when those OF other animals
cease. When the weary laborer has finished
his evening meal, when the chickens are
seeking their roosts aud the little birds are
putting their heads under their wings, then
the tiger emerges from the jungle, the rat
from his hole, and the owl from his hauuts
in barn or swamp tree. In natures stillest
moments there are animals working in ac-
cordance with that first law of nature, SELF
preservation, just as we see others do in the
glare of the sunlight.
1t is mistake, however. to suppose that
any animal, whether quadruped, bird or
reptile, can see in absolute darkness. The
cat cannot see the rat in the cellar if there is
total darkness, nor can the owl see the Sleep
ing bird. Some light is an absolutely neces-
sary condition Of sight, but while this is
true, nature has provided that the natural
night workers may see with the very min
imum of light, and as an additional help, GER
tain other senses are amazingly sharpened
in order to assist the effort to see in the
dark.
The Owl and His Night Work.
The owl, which is the only night worker
that will be considered now, is popularity
supposed to be capable ofsseeing in utter
darkness. While it probably comes nearer
to this ability than any other creature, the
owl would be as helpless in total darkness
as it would be at MONDAY if it were not for
its remarkable organization for hearing and
feeling. The so-called barn owl, which is
the most common in our country, has per-
haps the best nocturnal vision of all the
blinking family. 1t can undoubtedly at
tend to business very we'll when it is SO
dark that you would hardly be able to see
your hand before your face.
All animals that prowl at night have eye
pupils that are capable of great distension.
By this means the quantity of light focused
in the inner eye is greatly enlarged. But
the owl has strange additional arrange
ment fol- the same purpose. There is a
feathery disk surrounding the eye which
answers the purpose of a reflector, concen-
tratlng the rays OF light and focusing them
upon the pupil. The favorite working hours
of the common owl are the early morning
and the late evening, when the faint light is
ample for owlish purposes, but insufficient
for the visual organs of the OWLS victims.
Stays Out too Late.
1t sometimes happens, however, that the
owl falls victim himself to bis keen noe
turnal vision. He occasionally stays out
too late at night just as large unfeathered
creatures sometimes do, and then, like the
latter, he has difficulty in Fl nding his way
home. II he forgets the flight Of time in
the pleasure of gratif ying his inordinate
appetite. if daylight comes upon him while
he is still far away from home, then he is as
helpless as child in its first walking les
SOD. When tn us caught unawares by the
dawn-and it DOESN'T often happen-the owl
makes virtue OF necessity and seeks tenl-
porary lodgings for the day. He isn't parti-
cuIar about the accommodations SO long as
they serve for hiding purposes. A corn
shuck, brush heap. or tree with thick
foliage will answer his purposes.
Woe to him, however, if the day birds, on
whom he loves to prey at night, discover
him in his temporary retreat. The small
birds at once recognize the rapacious rascal
as the awful big-eyed ogre that pounces
upon them at night when they are practic-
ally blind and helpless. Let one robin, or
jay, or even little pee-wee detect the owl
In his hiding place and with mysterious
bird telegraphy the news will quickly
spread to all the birds in the neighborhood.
IN a few minutes there will be dozens,
scores, possibly hundreds of revengeful
chirpers besieging the blinking refugee, who
by reason of his daytime blindness is now al
helpless as a drunken man. He is in
about the condition OF poor Samson
after he was shorn of hair and
strength at one operation and then deprived
of his sight. Led by a pugnacous jay or Il
plucky sparrow. the whole army OF usually
peaceful little chirpers will attack their big
enemy and worry the very life out of him if
there is time enough before darkness ap-
proaches They don't dare to get into his
clutches, for if they did the blind giant
would be as dangerous as Samson finally
was when he got hold of the two great pill
lars of the temple, tumbled the whole struc-
ture down and buried his enemies and him
self in the ruins. All the besieged owl can
hope for is to live through the lilliputian
attack until darkness restores him to sight
and freedom.
The Photograph of the Future.
1t begins to look as II the time were
drawing very near when we NAV have
photographs taken that will look like us.
In this remark there is no disparagement of
the beautiful and artistic work which our
best photographers now produce. But
photograph of your face is nothing but an
expressive shading of black and white, and
there is neither black nor white In your
face. Even if you be as pale as ghost"
your face is not white, and it is doubtful if
a purely black face could be found even in
darkest Africa" If your eyes are blue,
or gray or brown, they are only black shad-
ings in your picture. If your hair is the
most pronounced auburn the picture makes
1t the same blending OF black and white. A
true picture of your face must give the color
of your hair and eyes and all the natural
flesh tints. When you get a photograph
that will exactly initiate all of natures del
icate coloring, then, and not till then, will
you have photograph that will look like
you. This interesting consummation is just
what we have good reason to hope for as one
result of remarkable discovery that has
lately been made by M. Lippmann, Profes-
sor of Physics in a French institute.
j. H. WEBB,