The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1907-03-08


certain species OF grouse and turkey
at the present day. But nature willed
that the peacock should become of all
birds the most magnificent. Thus. I'm
the second and third feathers OF the
series We can trace dimly small col
! Ored spot in the centre OF each. This
! spot is the com mencement OF the eve
| spot. and If we continue TO pass the
! feathers in review, We see this spot
/ grow larger and more brilliant. The
| cO.ors settle themselves, as il were.
| into rings. the feather itself increag-
| ing in size with eyery imDroyem ant
until. by closely linked stages. eacn
OF which IS represented by an actuai
feather in the poacOrk's train. the
triumph OF the perfect eye-spot is
reached.
Now If. as seems highly probab'e
we have Just been treated toa glimpse
o. the innumcrable stages Of gradual
Improvement through which this
wonderful ornament was brought to
perfection, We are justified in assert
ing that the eye-spot is far from be-
ing thing Of chance. It is obviously
the outcome OF intention. Some mys-
terious power has been constantly at
work, age after age with the definite
object Of producing a thing OF superb
beauty. SO far as our present knoWl-
edge enables us to Judge, this power
consists in what we may call the in
nercnt tendency 10 vary which is
eyinced by all living things. This is.
as it were, the motive force, but it is
harnessed restrained and driven
along a denn' e channel by what Dar-
win called natural selection"
SO much for the production Of the
reacock's eye-spot; nor is there any
reason for doubt that the other re-
currences Of the eye-spot in nature
are all the outcome OF similar evo-
iutionary process. For, be it noted,
the distinction Of the ocellus does not
belong only to birds The mark is
present i'm a crude form on the hides
OF certain mammals. such as the ia
suar, the leopard and the ocelot. Two
or three kinds OF fish also show it,
The North American cared sunfish,
Tor instance, has i'm the breeding sea-
son a beautiful and very perfect eye
SPOT just whore one would expect to
find the ear Of higher animal. It
is from this mark that the fish takes
lis popular name Further, among
insects, especially among certain
Groups OF butterflies and moths, the
CyC-spot is extremely common; while
it is again recognizable on severa
SHELLS of the pretty cowrie group. y
In every case of its recurrence the
Cyc-spot is not solely thing OF beau
ty, but it also has some definite and
utilitarian connection with the life
histories OF those creatures which
possess il.
Take first the mammals. It may
he said at once that the Grade eye
markings on the hides of these big
cats are certainly protective TO those
VINO know the leopard and the jaguar
only as caplyes in geological collec-
tion this may not be obvious. But all
hunters and naturalists who have OBJ
served these creatures at home i'm for
est or jungle agree that the eye-spots
resent le closely patches of shade and
sunlight, east upon the ground
through a screen OF foliage. u only
remains to be said that the jaguar
ANA the leopard are both frequenters
of forest land, and the protective
value OF their spotted hides becomes
Obvious. Moreover. besides hiding
thcu from possible enemies, the eye
spots are OF assistance to these beasts
when they are lying in wait for their
prey. Among the branches Of tree
the iaguar is unobserved by it's VIC
tim, which wanders unsuspectinsly to
its doom.
With birds there can be little
doubt that the eye-spot is al orna-
meut pure and simple. albeit an orna-
ment with very definite use. 1t
bears a most important part in bird
courtship. Birds are particularly
TuUStilious in all matters in Coanec-
ticn with love-making. and it is inya-
riably the male who makes the first
advances The female. especially in
tne case OF species where the male is
ltSlllNlNNlllg tblblNNs 10 SSutl any
COY and watchful She makes it
clear TO her suitor that she will not
surrender her liberty at once, and the
coSk birl must make use of all the
charms with which nature has en-
dowcl Eil ere he may possess him
se,t of his bride. Indeed, il may be
said that as a general rule the most
gorgeous and sprightly cock will find
the least difficulty in providing him
self with hen. These facts doubt
less account in great measure for the
brilliant colors and extraordinary or
naments which are so often the ex-
elusive characteristic OF cock birds.
They account, also. for the eye-spot.
which is borne only by the male birds
and discarded by them at the mott
which succeeds the breeding season.
Those who have watched peafowl at
the period of their courting will know
well what an important part is played