The Ordway new era., 1908-05-08

make the forms of the Martian animal
kingdom laxcr and nimsier. and either
larger or else slenderer than earthly
types.
Since the Martian vegetation has
become adapted TO seasoned flood con.
ditions. there will be not only niers
and climbers. bu, wadcrs long legged
forms. Well. here We get something
HERS. climbers. and wadcrs. with a
sort OF backbone. Now let us bring
In another fact. the fact that the Mar
tian year Is Just twice the length of
ours. and aliernates between hot sum
mer sunshinc-like the sunshine we
experience on high mountains-and
long. frost bitten winter The day,
too. has the length of terrestrial
day. and because OF the thin air will
have Just the quick changes from heat
to cold we find on this planet upon
the higher mountains.
This means that all these birds and
beasts must be adapted to great
changes OF temperature. To meet
that they must be covered by some
thick. air.holding. non conducting GOV
ering. something analogous to fur or
feathers. which they can thin out In
summer and renew for the winters
bitterness.
And now as to the ruling inhabitants
who made the gigantic canal system
of Mars. those creatures of human or
superhuman intelligence who. unless
Mr.. Lowell is no more than n fantas
tic visionary. have taken Mars In hand
to rule and order and cultivate sys
tematically and completely. as | be-
lieve some day man will take this
earth.
How far are these ruling beings
likely to resemble terrestrial human
ity?
well. there are certain features in
which they are likely to resemble us.
The quasi-mammalian origins We have
supposed for them imply quasi
human appearance. They will prob
ably have heads and eyes and back
boned bodies: and since they must
have big brains because of their high
intelligence. and since almost all crea-
lures with big brains tend to have
them forward in their heads near
their eyes. these Martians will prob
ably have big. shapely skulls. But
their bodies will in all likelihood be
larger In size than humanity. two and
two-third times, perhaps, the mass OF
a man. That does not mean. how
ever, that they will be two and two
thirds as tall: but allowing for the
laxer texture of things on Mars, 1t
may be that they will be half as tall
again when standing up. And as like
ly as not they will be covered with
feathers or fur.
There can be no doubt of the I'M
mense part the development OF the
hand has played in the education OF
the human intelligence. So that It
would be quite natural to imagine the
Martiaps as big.headed, deep-chested
bipeds, grotesquely caricaturing hu-
manity with arms and hands.
But that is only one Of several al
mos. equally plausible possibilities.
One thing we may rely upon: that
the Martians must have some pre-
hensile organ, primarily because the
development of intelligence is almost
unthinkable without 1t; and secondly.
because in no other way could they
get their engineering done. 1t is
stranger to our imaginations. but no
less reasonable, to suppose, instead
Of a hand, an elephant-like proboscis.
or n group of tentacles or proboscis'
like organs.
Finally, here is thought that may
he reassuring to any reader who finds
these Martians alarming: II man
was transferred suddenly to the sur.
face Of Mars, he would find himself
immensely exhilarated-so soon as ne
had got over slight mountain-sick.
ness. He would weigh not a hali
what he does upon earth. He would
prance and leap; he would lift twice
his utmost earthly burden with ease.
But II a Martian came to earth MS
weight would bear him down like
cone Of lead. He would weigh two and
tvothirds OF his Martian weight, ana
probably he would find existence IN
suRerable. His limbs would not sup
mort him. Perhaps he would de- self
ere'n''' = o1S'' II. q. WELLS.