Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 172, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 July 1914 — CURIOUS RESEMBLANCES [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

CURIOUS RESEMBLANCES

by Robert H.Moulton

O TRACE in natural objects a resemblance, either structural or pictorial, to other objects with which they have no real connection is a diverting pastime. Moreover, though at first thought it may seem somewhat puerile, it can in fact be turned to good ,account as a means of stimulating the imagination, and inducing the min’d to embark upon h course of truly scientific investigation which may lead to important discoveries.

youthful student. All those who have gained experience as teachers will readily admit the initial difficulty which exists in arousing the intelligent interest of a class) in study. In other words, something is needed tp Bet 016 machinery of the mind In motion. For example, a flower or an insect, as such, may fail to evoke the desired response.' But if we can point out some curious or grotesque likeness which it bears tp a familiar creature or thing, we are able from this starting point to lead on by •carefully planned stages to such great questions as i structure, natural affinity, and adaptation to environment * When nature is in one of her imitative moods, the products of her workshop frequently bear all the ear-marks of a deliberate fake. Occasionally they seem to have been conceived and executed in a spirit of sportiveness. As an. indication of this mood, the remarkable Taira crab of Japan, which has lately attracted the attention of science, stands forth as a conspicuous example. In Japanese tradition there is a story to the effect that many years ago a great naval battle was fought in the Sea of Japan between a force of pb Tates and Japanese, resulting in the total destruction of the pirate fleet. The story continues that since that , day all of the crabs of a certain specieß found on that part of the coast have borne on their backs the face of a Japanese warrior. An examination of one of these crabs reveals at * glance the somewhat startling visage. The hu-man-like face is not only there, and typically oriental in appearance at that, but actually resembles

the face of a drowned man, with open mouth and greatly swollen features. Whether the Japanese Idea that the crab offers good evidence of the transmigration of the souls of dead bodies Into the bodies of lower animals be accepted or not, the phenomenon described is certainly ▼ery interesting. Another curious thing about this crab is the fact that it is equipped on its back with four short supplementary legs, which are shown in the accompanying photograph at the corners of the mouth of the face, so that if accidentally turned upside down,

it is able to run quite as well in that fashion as in its ordinary position. The advantages of such an equipment will readily be appreciated by those who have witnessed the awkward efforts of other species of crabs, turtles, and various kinds of bugs to right or propel themselves when lying on their backs. Another remarkable example of typical racial features is found in the earbone of a finback whale which was picked up on a Norway beach It has all the features of a Scandinavian face, of low caste, with rounded cheek bones, flat nosebridge, small upper Up and receding jaw. In general appearance, however, the face is more like a death mask than that of a living person. That this was not a freak formation is proved by an examination of the ear-boiteß of other finback whales at the Smithsonian institution in Washington, All of which have substantially the same fornf. In the plant kingdom nature’s imitations are equally astonishing and much more numerous than in either the animal or vegetable kingdoms. There are several species of orchids, for Instance, bearing popular names which suggest the likeness of the flower to some member of the animal kingdom, among them being the man orchid, the bee orchid, the spider orchid, the lizard orchid, and the holy ghost orchid. While it is true that some of the supposed likenesses are more ,or less imaginative, others are wonderfully distinct and will bear close scrutiny. This is particularly true of the holy ghost orchid, which contains within each of its blossoms a pigeon with half spread wings. It Is necessary to view the blossom from squarely in front, as in the case of the lower blossom shown in the accompanying photograph, to get the full effect of the resemblance. When viewed from this position, the bird is so perfect that it looks as if ready to take flight. The plant, which is a native of the Isthmus of Panama, is very rare, there being perhaps not more than half a dozen specimens in the United States, Including two in the greenhouses of the White House at Washington. It growß sturdily, but, in order to thrive, has to be kept in a hothouse With the temperature of a Turkish bath. In all of the instances referred to above the resemblance is mainly due to the lip or labellum of the bloom. Now orchids rank admittedly among the most highly specialised flowers, while their extraordinary modifications are the result largely if' not entirely of insect interference. Many of these flowers depend entirely upon the visits of insects for pollination, and without the aid of these winged emissaries of Cupid they are quite unable to get seed. The labellum is the recognised alighting platform upon which the insect stands while it probes the recesses of the Sower in aeardh of nectar; and as orchids are so closely associated with Injects, we must as : some that the special shape of the labellum in each Instance is more or less definitely related to the convenience of the guests that are specially catered for by the flower in question. In certain fnrf«n«w this Is actually known to be the case. Throughout the great orchid family the labellum exhibits an almost endless variety of configuration, and we are justified in the assumption that --swob- form Is exactly adapted to attract, or uphold, a particular kind of insect

Most young people are familiar with the ca-nary-bird flower or common canary creeper, and here again we find that the unusual form of the blossom is due to insect visits. The blooms of this group of plants seem especially designed to meet the needs of long-tongued moths, which seldom or never settle on the flower, but hover in front of it, lightly poised on their rapidlymoving wings.' While in this position the tongue Is unrolled and thrust far back into the “spuuP of the flower where the nectar is stored. Meanwhile, the head or body of the moth comes into conflict with the pistil or stamens, and pollen is deposited or removed, as the case may he.~ A very curious plant, which has been famous siiice ancient times, is the “Scythian lamb” — otherwise known as the "vegetable lamb,” or by the Chinese as the “golden-haired dog ” It looks remarkably like an animal, and in early days was popularly supposed to combine in some mys-\ terious way the attributes of animal and plant. The belief was that it sprang from a seed and turned on its root until it devoured all green food within reach, whereupon it perished of starvations! As a matter of fact, it is merely the root stock of a plant, which, densely covered with soft, golden-brown hairs, -suggests a likeness to a quadruped. A strange plant found in New Zealand is known as the “vegetable sheep” because of Its wool-like foliage. In fact, the vegetable kingdom offers an almost endless variety of curious imitations. The seed-pods of the common garden snapdragon look exactly like small human heads arranged on the stalks like "poles of skulls,” such as are set up in certain countries where head-hunting is a popular amusement. These show not merely the head and face, but dried

portions of the scalp, eyelids and pps. Their color is like that of mummied Hhads. The Insect world i« full of mimicry. Butter' flies that imitate dead leaves are familiar, aqd the same may be said of the “walking stick,” which bears so close a likeness to a twig that, though common enough in the woods, it is rarely detected or captured. The “measuring worm” assumes the attitude of a twig, and remains motionless for boars together. Moths, to project themselves against enemies, mimic wasps, and other insects adopt the aspedt Of the spider. Native to Africa is la remarkable insect, a species of Spalgls, the cnrysalis of wfckth looks like the head of a chimpanzee. Even s he hair and the pupiis of the eyes are shown. itt*t more wonderful yet ip the chrysalis'of a butterfly, Fenlscea, which is a likeness, seemingly a mask, of the Roman king, Tarquln. x