Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1897-06-24

pressive incidents of Sir John Moore y
disastrous retreat to Carunna, in Spain.
not the least striking is the recorded
fact that many of his soldiers steadily
pursued their march while fast asleep
Burdach, however, afir that this is
not uncommon among soldiers. Frank
lin slept nearly an hour while swim
ming on his back. An acquaintance of
DR.. B.. travelling with party in North
Carolina, being greatly tatigued, was
observed to be asleep in his saddle.
His horse being better walker went
far in advance of the rest. On crossing
hill, they found him on the ground,
snoring gently. His horse had fallen'
as was evident from his bruised knees,
and had thrown his llder on his head
on IL hard surface without waking him.
Animals of the lower orders obey pc.
culiar laws in regard to sleep. Fish
are said to sleep soundly; and we are
told by Aristotle that the tench may be
taken in this state, if approached eau
!iously. Many birds and beasts of
prey take their repose in daytime.
When kept in captivity, this habit UNI
dergoes change,-which makes US
doubt whether it was not the rule of
necessity which demanded that they
should take advantage of the darkness,
silence, and the unguarded state Of
their victims. In the menagerie at
Paris, even the hyena sleeps at night.
aud is awake by day. They all, how.
eyer. seek, as favoring the pupose. a
certain degree of secluslon and shade,
with the exception of the lien, who,
Burdach informs us, sleeps at MONDAY,
in the open plain; aid the eagle and
condor will poise themselves on the
most elevated pinnacle of rock, in the
clear blue atmosphere and dazzling
sunlight. Birds, however, are fur
nished with Il winking membrane, gen
orally, to shelter the eye from light.
Fish prefer to retire to sleep under
the shadow of a rock or woody bank.
OF domestic animals. tie holse seems to
require least sleep; and that he usually
takes in the cree. posture.
Birds that roost IN sitting posture
are furnished with well adapted
mechanism, which keeps them firmly
supported without voluntary or con,
scious action. The tendon of the claws
is so arranged as to be frightened by
their weight when the thighs are bent,
thus contracting closely and grasping
the bough or perch In certain other
animals which sleep erect, the articula.
tions of the foot and knee are described
by Dumeril as resembling the spring of
a pocket, knife, which opens the instru-
ment and serves to keep the blade in a
line with the handle.
The following calculation is interest.
ing. Suppose one boy aged ten years
determines to rise at FIVE clock all the
year round. Another of the same age,
indolent and fond Of ease, rises at eight,
or an average of eight, every morning.
If they both live to be seventy years
old, the one will have gained over the
other, during the intervening period of
sixty years, sixty five thousand seven
hundred and forty five hours. which is
equal to two thousand seven hundred
and thirty nine and third days, Or
just seven and half years. If sim.
liar calculation were applied to the
whole country, how many millions Of
years of individual usefulness would it
prove to be lost to society!
Still, we agree with Sancho Papza,
when he said God bless the man who
first invented sleep!'