Rensselaer Union, Volume 6, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 January 1874 — Telescopic Eyes. [ARTICLE]

Telescopic Eyes.

Birds of lofty flight, as the condors, eagles, vultures and carrion-seeking prowlers of the feathered race, have telescopic vision; and thus they are enabled to look down and discover their unsuspecting victims. As they approach uoiselessly from above, the axis of vision changes, shortening, so that they see just as distinctly within one foot'of the ground as when at an elevation of one mile in the air. This fact .explains the balancing of the fish-hawk on its pinions half a mile above a still pond watching for fish. When one is selected, down the savage hunter plunges, the focal axis varying as the square of the distance, giving the hawk a distinct view of its intended prey always. As they ascend the axis is elongated by a curious muscular arrangement so as to see far again. Snails have their keen eyes at the extremity of flexible horns, which they can protrude or draw in at pleasure. By winding the instrument round the edge of a leaf or a small stalk they can see how matters stand on the opposite side. The hammer-headed shark has its wicked-looking eyes nearly two feet apart. It can bend the thin edgings of the head on which the organs are located so as to examine the two sides of an object the size of a fully grown codfish. Flies have immovable eyes. They stand out from the head like half an apple, exceedingly prominent. Instead of being smooth hemispheres, they have an immense number of facets, resembling oldfashioned glass watch seals, each one directing the light directly to the optic retina. That explains why they cannot be approached in any direction without seeing what is coming. —Nete Fork Mail. Ik bargaining, lie not at all, neither in ■ a little thing nor in the circumstance, neither in word nor deed; that is, pretend not what is false; cover not what isirue; but let the measure of your affirmation or denial be the understanding of your contractor; for he that deceives the buyer or the seller by speaking what is true in a sense not intended ,pr understood. by the other, is a liar and a thief. For in bargains, you are to avoid not only what is false, but that also'which deceives Waremy.Taylor.