Evening journal., 1904-04-21
SENSES OF ANIMALS.
WONDERFUL DEVELOPMENT OF THE
POWER OF SIGHT AND SMELL

tion In LenvfnE Trails.
In walking through a geological park
Or a natural history museum, the great
difference between birds and animals
or, more correctly, mammals--in regard
TO color is noticeable. Many OF the
feathered creatures have brilliant tints
and hues, and the coats OF hair OF the
four footed kindred. the deer. the bears
and the monkeys, are comparatively
dull colored. The reason for all this is
most interesting and, when unlocked
from its hard sheathing OF scientific
words, will add pleasure to any visit
we may pay hereafter 60 a ZOO, mu-
scum or even a circus
Birds and animals have no system Of
postofsices. no letters or even addresses.
When the children of the jungle and
desert are lost. no policeman or de-
tective hastens 10 find them, no tele-
phone or telegraph aids. the search
Yet without any OF these necessaries
the wild creatures haye wonderful sys-
TENS OF communication-more accurate
and trustworthy than any we can ever
hope 70 invent The Eve senses land
perhaps a mysterious sixth, Of which
we can only guessl are the telephones
and the police, the automatic alarms
and sontinels Of our Wild friends. Our
own abilities in using eyes, nose and
ears arc pitiful when compared with
the same functions In birds and anil
mails.
Eyes and noses are important keys to
the bright colors OF birds and the COM
paratlve somberness OF hairy coated
creatures. Take dog and an oriolo
as good examples OF the two extremes.
when q dog hos lost his master, he first
looks about. He strains his eyes with
the intense expression Of shortslght-
ed person. and after few moments OF
this usually yelps with disappoint-
ment. drops his nose to the ground, and
with unfailing accuracy follows the
track OF his master When the fresh
ness Of the trail tells him that he is
near its end he resorts TO eyes again,
and Is now near enough to recognize
the face he seeks. A fox when run
ming before a hound may double back
his trail. passing in full view without
the hounds seeing him or stopping IN
following out the full curve OF the trail
ahead so completely does the wonder
fu power OF smell absorb the entire
attention Of the dog.
Now turn 70 the oriole,- AS we might
imagine, the nostrils incased IN horn
render tie sense OF smell Of slight ac-
count II Is hard 70 tell how much
bird can distinguish in this way-prob-
ably only the odor Of food near at
hand when we examine the eye OF
our bird we End sense organ OF a
very high order. Bright, intelligent,
full clrcled. o. great size compared to
the bulk OF the skull protected by
three complete eyelids; we realize that
this must play an important part in
the life Of the bird. There are, Of
course. many exceptions TO such a gen
eralization as this. For instance, many
species OF sparrows are dull colored.
We must remember that the voice
Tie calls and songs Of birds-is highly
developed. and 10 many Instances ren
Gers bright coloring needless in at
lfacine tie mate or locating a youns
blrC.
AS we have seen. the sense or smell
b very highly developed among our
four footed animals. but TO make this
shcieut There must be something for
< 10 net on, ana in this regard we find
sona interesting facts Of which little
las been written outside Of scientific
text books. Birds have only one gland
,n the entire hody-the oil gland above
the base OF the tail. which supplies an
hnctuous dressing for the feathers.
Birds. therefore. have not the power Of
iweating, but make up for this by very
lapid breathing. Four footed animals.
IN the contrary. have glands on many
portions OF the DOdy. Nature rs selOori
tontented with the one function which
ln organ or tissue primarily performs.
but adjusts and adapts it 10 others IN
most ingenious ways hence when an
lnimal perspires the pores Of the skin
allow the contained moisture 10 es.
tspe and moisten the surface Of the
body, but IN addition 20 This, In many
inimals. collections Of these pores IN
lus odors which serve important uses
ln the skunk such a gland is a prac
Ideally perfect protection against at
acks from his enemies lie never hur
lies and does not know what fear is
I single wave of his conspicuous dan
ger signal is sufficient 70 clear his
path It Is said that the puma, greai
horned owl and harpy eagle have beer
known to attack and XIII skunks. They
must have been very hungry indeed
In certain species OF the rhinocerol
here are large glands in the foot
These animals live among grass ans
herbage, which they brush against a
hey walk and thus blaze" a plail
rail for the mate or young to follow
There are few II any animals whicl
sare TO face a rhinoceros. so the seen
B incidentally useful to other creature
Is a warning. c
II is believed that the hard callositie
IN the legs OF horses are the remain
" glands which were once upon a tim
Useful. 'Civet," which is obtaine
from the civet cat. and musk" fror
he queer little hornless musk deer, ar
Decretions OF glands It.has been suS
rested that the defenseless musk dee
escapes many OF its enemies from th
similarity Of its secretion to the musk
bdor OF a crocodile. In many animal
which live together in herds, such {
Ieer and antelopes, and which haN
4.