H! M \ WMMMMMMMUMMMBOMMMMMM eWMMMOMMMMMMHMMMCNHNMMMII ANIMAL BIOLOGY HUMAN BIOLOGY T o THE MACMILLAN COMPANY NEW YORK BOSTON CHICAGO ATLANTA SAN FRANCISCO MACMILLAN & CO., LIMITED LONDON BOMBAY CALCUTTA MELBOURNE THE MACMILLAN CO. OF CANADA, LTD. TORONTO U pa H U o S S 3 Q ~ < J3 8* W S M > O t/3 HH H ANIMAL BIOLOGY HUMAN BIOLOGY PARTS II AND III OF FIRST COURSE IN BIOLOGY BY L. H. BAILEY AND W. M. COLEMAN Xdrr gorfe THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 1910 All rights reserved COPYRIGHT, 1908, BY THE MACMILLAN COMPANY. Set up and electrotyped. Published July, 1908. Reprinted October, 1908; February, September, 1909 ; January, 1910. Norinooti J. S. Gushing Co. Berwick & Smith Co. Norwood, Mass., U.S.A. PREFACE THE present tendency in secondary education is away from the formal technical completion of separate subjects and toward the developing of a workable training in the activities that relate the pupil to his own life. In the natural science field, the tendency is to attach less im- portance to botany and zoology and physiology as such, and to lay greater stress on the processes and adaptations of life as expressed in plants and animals and men. This tendency is a revolt against the laboratory method and research method of the college as it has been impressed into the common schools, for it is not uncommon for the pupil to study botany without really knowing plants, or physiology without knowing himself. Education that is not applicable, that does not put the pupil into touch with the living knowledge and the affairs of his time, may be of less educative value than the learning of a trade in a shop. We are coming to learn that the ideals and the abilities should be developed out of the common surround- ings and affairs of life rather than imposed on the pupil as a matter of abstract, unrelated theory. One of the marks of this new tendency in education is the introduction of unit courses in biology in the sec- ondary schools, in the place of the formal and often dry and nearly meaningless isolated courses in botany, zoology, and physiology. This result is one of the outcomes of the recent nature-study discussions. The present volume is an effort to meet the need for vi PREFACE a simple and untechnical text to cover this secondary biology in its elementary phases. The book stands be- tween the unorganized nature-study of the intermediate grades and the formal science of the more advanced courses. It is a difficult space to bridge, partly because the subjects are so diverse, and partly because some teachers do not yet understand the importance of im- parting to beginners a general rather than a special view point. Still another difficulty is the lack of uniformity in the practice of different schools. It is not urged that it is desirable to have uniformity in all respects, but the lack of it makes it difficult to prepare a book that shall equally meet all needs. It is hoped, however, that the present book is fairly adaptable to a variety of conditions, and with this thought in mind the following suggestions are made as to its use : Being in three separate parts, the teacher may begin with plants, or with animals, or with human physiology. If a one-year course is desired, the topics that are printed in large type in Parts II and III may be used, and a choice from the chapters in Part I. For three half-year courses, all the parts may be cov- ered in full. If the course in biology begins in the fall (with the school year), it may be well to study plant biology two days in the week and animal biology three days until midwinter ; when outdoor material becomes scarce, human biology may be followed five days in the week ; in spring, plants may be studied three days and animals two days. If the use of the book is begun at midyear, it will prob- ably be better to follow the order in the book consecu- tively. PREFACE vii If it is desired to take only a part of the plant biology, Chapters VI, XIV, XX, XXIII, XXIV may be omitted, and also perhaps parts of other chapters (as of X, XII, XIII) if the time is very short. The important point is to give the pupil a rational conception of what plants are and of their main activities ; therefore, the parts that deal with the underlying life processes and the relation of the plant to its surroundings should not be omitted. If more work is wanted it is best to provide the extra work by means of the study of a greater abundance of specimens rather than by the addition of more texts; but the teacher must be careful not to introduce too much detail until the general subject has first been covered. The value of biology study lies in the work with the actual things themselves. It is not possible to provide specimens for every point in the work, nor is it always desirable to do so ; for the beginning pupil may not be able to interest himself in the objects, and he may become immersed in details before he has arrived at any general view or reason of the subject. Great care must be exer- cised that the pupil is not swamped. Mere book work or memory stuffing is useless, and it may dwarf or divert the sympathies of active young minds. Every effort should be made to apply the lessons to daily life. The very reason for knowing plants and ani- mals is that one may live with them, and the reason for knowing oneself is that he may live his daily life with some degree of intelligence. The teacher should not be afraid to make all teaching useful and practical. In many cases a state syllabus designates just what subjects shall be covered ; the topics may be chosen easily from the text, and the order of them is usually left largely to the discretion of the teacher. viii PREFACE Finally, let it be repeated that it is much better for the beginning pupil to acquire a real conception of a few central principles and points of view respecting common forms that will enable him to tie his knowledge together and organize it and apply it, than to familiarize himself with any number of mere facts about the lower forms of life which, at the best, he can know only indirectly and remotely. If the pupil wishes to go farther in later years, he may then take up special groups and phases. CONTENTS ix PART II. ANIMAL BIOLOGY CHAPTER PAGE I. INTRODUCTION i II. PROTOZOANS 10 III. SPONGES 17 IV. POLYPS 22 V. ECHINODERMS 34 VI. WORMS 42 VII. CRUSTACEANS . . . . , . . . .51 VIII. INSECTS 63 IX. MOLLUSKS 97 X. FISHES .......... 109 XI. BATRACHIANS 126 XII. REPTILES 139 XIII. BIRDS 150 XIV. MAMMALS 184 PART III. HUMAN BIOLOGY I. INTRODUCTION i II. THE SKIN AND KIDNEYS 16 III. THE SKELETON 29 IV. THE MUSCLES 39 V. THE CIRCULATION 51 VI. THE RESPIRATION .70 VII. FOOD AND DIGESTION 89 VIII. THE NERVOUS SYSTEM 117 IX. THE SENSES ......... 142 X. BACTERIA AND SANITATION .158 GENERAL INDEX i GENERAL INTRODUCTION PRELIMINARY EXPERIMENTS These experiments are inserted for those pupils who have not had instruction in chemistry and physics, to give them a point of view on the subjects that follow. At least a general understanding of some of these subjects is necessary to a satisfactory elementary study of biology. Elements and Compounds. - The material world is made up of elements and compounds. An element is a sub- stance that cannot be separated into two or more sub- stances. A compound is formed by the union of two or more elements. All the material or substance of which the earth and its inhabitants is composed is formed of the chemical elements ; this substance taken all together is known as matter'. Carbon and iron are examples of elements. Compare a bit of charcoal, which is one form of carbon, with a new iron nail. Which is brighter ? Heavier for its size ? Tougher ? More brittle ? Harder ? More readily com- bustible ? Resistant to change when left exposed to air and dampness ? There are two other forms of carbon : graphite or black lead (used in pencils and stove polish); and diamond, which occurs in crystals and is the hardest known substance. Iron does not have varied forms like carbon. Sulfur is another element. What is its color ? Has it odor? Taste? Will it dissolve in water? Is it heavy or light ? Will it burn ? What is the color of the flame ? Of the fumes ? Phosphorus, another element, xi xii GENERAL INTRODUCTION burns so readily that it ignites by friction and is used in matches. Rub the tip of a match with the finger. What is the odor of phosphorus ? Phosphorus exists in nature only in combination with other elements. Lead, tin, silver, gold, copper, zinc, nickel, platinum, are elements. There are less than eighty known elements ; but the com- pounds formed of them are innumerable. Carbon is found in all substances formed by the growth of living things. That there is carbon in sugar, for example, can easily be shown by charring it on a hot shovel or a stove until its water is driven off and only charcoal is left. Part of the starch in a biscuit remains as charcoal when it has been half burned. Favorable and Unfavorable Conditions for Evaporation. Pour the same quantity of water (half a glassful) into three saucers and two bottles. Place one saucer near a hot stove ; place the other two in a cool place, having first covered one of them with a dish. Place one of the bottles by the stove and the other by the remaining saucers. After some hours, examine the saucers and bottles and compare and record the results. Explain. State three conditions that are favorable to evaporation. State three ways in which evaporation may be prevented or decreased. Tests for Acid, Alkaline, and Neutral Substances. - - For acid tests, use sour buttermilk (which contains lactic acid), or hydrochloric acid diluted in ten parts water, or strong vinegar (which contains acetic acid). Has the acid a char- acteristic (" sour") odor and taste (test it only when very dilute)? Rub dilute acid between the fingers; how does it feel? Is there any effect on the fingers ? Obtain litmus paper at a druggist's. Dip a strip of red litmus and of blue litmus paper into the acid. What result ? For alkaline tests, dissolve in a glass of water a spoonful PRELIMINARY EXPERIMENTS xiii of baking soda or some laundry soap ; or dissolve an inch stick of caustic soda in a glass of water. Test odor and " feel " of last solution as with the acid ; likewise test effect of alkaline solution on red and blue litmus paper. Record results. Alkalies are strong examples of a more general class of substances called bases, which have the opposite effect from acids. Test pure water. Has it odor ? A taste ? Test it with red and blue litmus paper. Water is a neutral substance ; that is, it is neither an acid nor an alkali (or base). After making appropriate tests, write ac, al, or neu after each name in the following list (or write in three columns): vinegar, soda, saliva, sugar, juice of apple, lemon, and other fruits, milk, baking powder, buttermilk, ammonia, salt water. Pour some of the alkaline solution into a dish, gradually add dilute acid (or sour buttermilk), stirring with glass rod and testing with litmus until the mixture does not turn red litmus blue nor blue litmus red. The acid and alkali are then said to have neutralized each other, and the resulting substance is called a salt. The salt may be obtained by evaporating the water of the solution. Most common minerals are salts. If the last experiment is tried with soda and sour buttermilk, the demonstration will show some of the facts involved in bread making with the use of these substances. Tests for Starch. - - Starch turns blue with iodine. The color may be driven away by heat, but will return again as the temperature lowers. Produce a few cents' worth of tinc- ture of iodine and dilute it. Get a half dozen pieces of paper and cardboard, all different, and test each for starch by placing it over mouth of bottle and tipping the bottle up. It much starch is present, the spot will be blue-black xiv GENERAL INTRODUCTION or dark blue ; if little starch, pale blue ; if no starch, brown or yellowish. Make pastes with wheat flour, potato starch, and corn starch. Treat a little of each with a solution of rather dilute tincture of iodine. Try grains from crushed rice with the same solution. Are they the same color? Cut a thin section from a potato, treat with iodine and examine under the microscope. To study Starch Grains. Mount in cold water a few grains of starch from each of the following : potato, wheat, arrowroot (buy at drug store), rice, oats, corn. Study under microscope the sizes, forms, layers, fissures, and location of nuclei, and make a drawing of a few grains of each. Test for Grape Sugar. Make a thick section of a bit of the edible part of a pear and place it in a bath of Fehling's solution. After a few moments boil the liquid containing the section for one or two minutes. It will turn to an orange color, showing a deposit of an oxid of copper and perhaps a little copper in the metallic form. A thin sec- tion treated in like manner may be examined under the microscope, and the fine particles, precipitated from the sugar of the pear, may be clearly seen. (Fehlings solution is made by taking one part each of these three solutions and two parts of water: (i) Copper sulfate, 9 grams in 250 cubic centimeters of water; (2) sodium hydroxid, 30 grams in 250 c.c. water ; (3) Rochelle salts, 43 grams in 250 c.c. water.) Test for Nitrogenous Substances, or Proteids. - - Put a little white of egg into a test tube and heat slowly. What change takes place in the egg? Put another part of the white of egg into a test tube and add dilute nitric acid. Compare the results of the two experiments. White of egg is an ex- ample of a proteid ; that is, it is the form of nitrogen most PRELIMINARY EXPERIMENTS XV commonly found in plant and animal tissue, and it can be formed only by life processes. Do acid and heat harden or soften most substances ? Either of the above tests reveals proteid, if present. Does cooking tend to soften or toughen lean meat ? Another test for proteid is nitric acid, which turns pro- teid (and hardly anything else) yellow. Proteid when burned has a characteristic odor ; this will be noticed if lean meat or cheese is charred in a spoon. The offensive odor from decomposing proteid is also characteristic, whether it comes from stale beans, meat, mushrooms, or other things containing proteid. Test for Fats and Oils. - - Place a little tallow from a candle on unglazed paper and warm. Hold the paper up to the lierht and examine it. What effect has the fat had O on the paper ? Place a little starch, sugar, powdered chalk, or white of egg on paper and repeat the experiment ; is the effect the same ? Place some of the tallow in a spoon, and heat. Compare the effect of heat on fat and proteid. Water also makes paper semi-transparent, but it soon evaporates : fat does not evaporate. Another test for fats is to mount a thin section of the endosperm of castor-oil seed in water and examine with high power. Small drops of oil will be quite abundant. Treat the mount with alcanin (henna root in alcohol). The drops of oil will stain red. This is a standard test for fats and oils. To make or liberate Oxygen. - - If there is a chemistry class in school, one of its members will doubtless be glad to prepare some of the gas called oxygen, and furnish several glass jars filled with it to the biology class. If it is desired to make oxygen, the following method may be employed : Provide a dry glass flask of three to four xvi GENERAL INTRODUCTION ounces capacity. It should have a glass delivery tube, inserted through a one-holed rubber stopper, and so bent as to pass under the surface of water contained in a deep dish. Fill several pint fruit-jars with water, cover with pieces of stiff pasteboard, and turn mouth down- wards in the dish of water. From one half to two thirds ounce of an equal mixture of potassium chlorate and manganese dioxid (procured at drug store) is put in the flask and heated by means of a gas or alcohol lamp. When the oxygen begins to form, collect some in jars by inserting the end of delivery tube under the jars as they stand in water. Caution : Remove delivery tube from water before cooling the flask, to prevent any water being drawn back. Oxygen and the Air. - The great activity of pure oxygen in attacking other substances can be shown by passing into a fruit-jar a lighted splinter, a piece of lighted mag- nesium ribbon, an old watch spring (or a bit of picture wire), the end of which has been dipped in sulfur and lighted. About one fifth of the air is oxygen and about four fifths is nitrogen and other inactive gases. Pure nitrogen will quickly extinguish a lighted splinter thrust into it. It is the oxygen in the air that supports all forms of burning. Less than one half of one per cent of th" air is an inactive gas called carbon dioxid, a compound of carbon and oxygen. It is formed not only when wood or coal is burned, but also by the life processes of animals and plants. Oxidation. - - That something besides wood or coal is necessary to a fire can be shown by shutting off entirely the draught of a stove. Fire and other forms of combus- tion depend on a process called oxidation. This consists in the uniting of oxygen with other substances. When PRELIMINARY EXPERIMENTS xvii wood decays, the carbon in it oxidizes (unites with oxygen) and carbon dioxid gas is formed. When wood burns, the oxidation is more rapid. When iron oxidizes, iron rust is formed. When hydrogen is oxidized, water is formed. Kerosene oil contains hydrogen, and water is formed when it is burned. Almost every one has noticed the cloud of moisture which collects on the chimney when the lamp is first lighted. By using a chimney which has been kept in a cold place, the moisture becomes apparent ; soon the chimney becomes hot and the water no longer collects, but it continues to pass into the room as long as the lamp burns. Fats also contain hydrogen. Hold a piece of cold glass or an^ inverted tumbler above the flame of a tallow candle. Does water collect on it ? Oxidation may be said to be the basis of all life processes for this reason : oxidation gives rise to heat and sets free energy, and all living things need heat and energy in order to grow and live. The heat of animals is very noticeable. The oxidation in plants also forms a slight amount of heat. In both animals and plants oxidation is much slower than in ordinary fires. That heat is formed even in slow oxida- tion is shown by fires which arise spontaneously in masses of decaying material. The rotting of wood is not only " ;companied by heat but sometimes by light, as when "fox fire" is emitted. Rub the end of a match on your finger in the dark. Explain the result. Strike a match and notice the white fumes which rise for an instant. These fumes are not ordinary smoke (particles of carbon), but they are oxid of phosphorus. Why will water (oxid of hydrogen) not burn ? Sand is oxid of silicon. Explain how throwing sand on a fire puts it out. [See also experi- ments with candle and breath, in Introduction to Human Biology.] xviii GENERAL INTRODUCTION Inorganic and Organic Matter. - - Test for Minerals. The earth was once in a molten condition, which would have destroyed any combustible material if any had then existed. Before plants and animals existed, the earth con- sisted mostly of incombustible minerals, known as inorganic matter. Substances formed by animals and plants are organic matter, so called because built up by organized or organ-bearing or living things ; starch is an example, being formed in plants. Organic substances are composed chiefly of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen. (See page I of " Animal Biology.") Coal-oil, and all combustible ma- terials have their origin in life. Hence, burning to find whether there is an incombustible residue is^al^o a test for minerals. Meat, bread, oatmeal, bone, wood, may be tested for mineral matter by burning in a spoon held over a hot fire, or flame of gas or lamp. The substance being tested should be burned until all black material (which is organic carbon and not a mineral) has disappeared. Any residue will be mineral matter. Protoplasm. - - Inside the cells of plants and animals is the living substance, known as 'protoplasm. It is a struc- tureless, nearly or quite colorless, transparent jelly-like substance of very complex and unstable composition. Eighty per cent or more is water ; the remainder is pro- teid, fats, oils, sugars, and salts. Protoplasm has the power of groivtJi and reproduction ; it can make living sub- stance from dead or lifeless substances. It has the power of movement within the cell, and it is influenced (or is irrita- ble) by heat, light, touch, and other stimuli. When proto- plasm dies the organism dies. Physics is the science that treats of the properties and phenomena (or behavior) of matter or of objects ; as of such properties or phenomena or agencies as heat, light, PRELIMINARY EXPERIMENTS xix force, electricity, sound, friction, density, weight, and the like. Chemistry is the science that treats of the composition of matter. All matter is made up, as we have seen, of ele- ments. Very few elements exist in nature in a free or uncombined form. The nitrogen and oxygen of the air *s are the leading uncombined elements. In order to express the chemical combinations clearly, symbols are used to represent each element, and these symbols are then combined to represent the proportions of each in the compound. If C stands for carbon and O for oxygen, the carbon dioxid might be represented by the formula COO. In order to avoid the repetition of any letter, however, a number is used to denote how many times the element is taken : thus the formula always used for carbon dioxid is CO 2 . The formula for hydrogen oxid, or water, is H 2 O ; that for starch is C 6 H 10 O 5 . N stands for nitrogen ; P, for phosphorus ; K, potassium ; Fe, iron ; S, sulfur. Biology is the science that treats of life ; that is, of all knowledge of plants and animals of all kinds. (See page i, " Animal Biology.") How A CANDLE BURNS Some of the foregoing suggestions may be readily explained and illustrated by simple experiments with a burning candle. The following directions for such experiments are by G. W. Cavanaugh. The materials needed for this exercise are : a piece of candle about two inches long, a lamp chimney (one with a plain top is best), a piece of white crockery or window glass, a piece of fine wire about six inches long, a bit of quicklime about half the size of an egg, and some matches. All of these, with the possible exception of the quicklime, can be obtained in any household. XX GENERAL INTRODUCTION If you perform the experiment requiring the Jime, be sure that you start with a fresh piece of quick or stone lime, which can be had of any lime or cement dealer. During the performance of the following simple experiments, the pupil should describe what he sees at each step. The questions inserted in the text are offered merely as suggestions in the development of the desired ideas. f The answers are those which it is desired the pupils shall reach or confirm by their own observation. I. Oxygen Light the candle and place it on a piece of blotting paper (A). What do you see burning ? Is anything burn- ing besides the candle ? The answer will probably be " no." Let us see. Place the lamp chimney over the lighted candle, and partly cover the top by a piece of stiff paper, as in Fig. A. Ask the pupils to observe and describe how the flame goes out ; i.e. that it is gradually extinguished and does not go out instantly. Why did the flame go out ? The probable thought will be, " Because there was no air." (If there was no air within the chimney, some could have entered at the top.) Place two pencils beside the re- lighted candle and on them the chim- ney (B\ What is the difference be- tween the way in which the candle burns now and before the chimney was placed over it? It flickers, or * SUPPLYING AIR UN- DERNEATH THE CHIM- dances about more. What makes NEY. A. THE BEGINNING OF THE CANDLE EX- PERIMENT. PRELIMINARY EXPERIMENTS xxi boys and girls feel like dancing about when they go out from a warm schoolroom ? What makes the flame dance or flicker when the chimney is raised by the pencils ? Because it gets fresh air under the chimney. Repeat the first experiment, in which the flame grows gradually smaller till it is extinguished. Why does the flame die out now ? Is it really necessary to have fresh air in order to keep a flame burning? To prove this further, let the candle be relighted. Place the chimney over it, now having the top completely closed by a piece of paper. Have ready a lighted splinter or match, and just as soon as the candle is extinguished remove the paper from the chimney top and thrust in the lighted splinter. Why does the light on the splinter go out? What became of the freshness that was in the air ? It was destroyed by the burning candle. Evidently there is some decided difference between un- burned air and burned air, since a flame can continue to burn only in air that has the quality known as freshness. This quality of fresh air is due to oxygen, represented by O. Why was the splinter put out instantly, while the candle flame died out gradually ? When the splinter was thrust in, the air had no freshness or oxygen at all, while when the candle was placed under the chimney, it had whatever oxygen was originally in the air within the chimney. Endeavor to have this point clearly understood : that the candle did not go out as long as the air had any oxygen and that the splinter was extinguished immediately because there was no oxygen left. Relight the candle. A former question may now be repeated : Is anything else burning besides the candle? When the subject of the necessity of fresh air and con- sequently of oxygen for the burning of the candle seems XX11 GENERAL INTRODUCTION to be understood, the following questions, together with any others which suggest themselves, may be asked: What is the reason that draughts are opened in stoves ? Why is the bottom of a " burner " on a lamp always full of holes ? II. Carbon Let us now observe the blackened end of a burned match or splinter. This black substance is usually known by the name of charcoal. If handled, it will blacken the fingers. Try this. The same substance is found on the bottoms of kettles which have been used over a wood fire, but it is there a fine powder. Let us see what was burning when the candle was lighted, besides the oxygen in the air. Relight the candle and hold the porcelain or glass about an inch above the bright part of the flame. What happens to it there ? Next, lower it directly into the flame (C). What is the black stuff that gets on the glass ? Look closely and see whether it is not deposited here also as a fine powder. Will this de- posit from the candle blacken the C. THE CARBON (OR SOOT) IS DEPOSITED ON THE GLASS. fingers ? Instead of using the name charcoal for this black sub- stance, let us call it carbon, the better name, because there are several kinds of carbon, and charcoal is only that kind which is rather light and easily blackens the hands. The carbon from the candle flame came mostly from the wax or tallow ; only a very small part came from the wick. It cannot be seen in the tallow, neither can it be seen in PRELIMINARY EXPERIMENTS xxiii unburned wood, and yet it can be found when the wood is partly burned. Why, now, is the glass blackened when held in the flame and not when held directly above it? It is because the carbon from the candle has not been completely burned at the middle of the flame ; but it is burned beyond the bright part of the flame. When the glass is held in the flame, the carbon that is not yet completely burned is de- posited on it, because it is cooler than that in the surround- ing flame. A fine deposit of carbon can be had from any of the luminous parts of the flame ; and it is these thousands of little particles of carbon, getting white hot, which glow like coals in the stove and make the light. Just as soon as they are completely burned, there is no more light, as coals cease to glow when burned to ashes. III. Carbon dioxid Let us now inquire what becomes of the carbon that we find in the bright part of the flame and of the oxygen that was in the air in the lamp chimney. When the candle was extinguished within the chimney, there was no oxygen left, as shown by the lighted splinter, which was put out immedi- ately. . Neither could any of the particles of carbon be found except on the wick. Yet they both still exist within the chimney, but in an entirely different condition. While the candle was burning, the little particles of carbon that we find ascending in the flame are joining with the oxygen of the air and making an entirely new substance. This new substance is a gas and cannot be seen in the air. Of what two substances is this new substance made ? It is CO 2 . XXIV GENERAL INTR OD UCTION D. THE TEST WITH THE SUS- PENDED FILM OF LlMEWATER. Place a bit of quicklime in about half a glass of water on the day previous to the experiment. When ready for use there will be a white sediment at the bottom and a thin white scum on the top of the clear lime- water. The pupils should see this white scum, as a question about it will follow. Make a loop in the end of the piece of wire by turning it around the point of a lead pencil. Remove the scum from the limewater with a piece of paper and insert the loop into the clear water. When withdrawn, the loop ought to hold a film of clear water. Pass the wire through a piece of cardboard or stiff paper, and arrange as shown in D. Place the chimney over the lighted candle. Lower the loop into the chimney and cover the top of the chimney with the paper. Withdraw the wire two minutes after the candle goes out. Note the cloudy appearance of the film of water on the wire. The cloudiness was caused by the carbon dioxid formed while the candle was burning. Omitting the candle, hang the freshly wetted wire in the empty chimney. Let the film of limewater remain within the chimney for the same length of time as when the can- dle was used. It does not become cloudy now. The cloudiness in clear limewater is a test or indication that carbon dioxid is present. What caused the white scum on the limewater which stood overnight ? How does the CO 2 get into the air ? It is formed when- ever wood, coal, oil, or gas is burned. The amount of CO 2 in ordinary air is very small, being only three parts in ten thousand. If the limewater in the PRELIMINARY EXPERIMENTS XXV loop be left long enough in the air, it will become cloudy. The reason it clouds so quickly when the candle is being burned is that a large amount of CO 2 is formed. Besides being made by real flames, CO 2 is formed every time we breathe out air. Renew the film of water in the loop and breathe against it gently for two or three minutes. The presence of CO 2 in the breath may be shown better by pouring off some of the clear limewater into a clean glass and blowing into it through a straw. Why does water put out a fire ? The answer is, not alone because it wets and shuts off the supply of free oxygen, but because it cools the carbon, which must be hot in order to unite with the oxygen, and prevents the oxygen of the air from getting as near the carbon as before. ANIMAL BIOLOGY CHAPTER I THE PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY BIOLOGY (Greek, bios, life; logos, discourse) means the science of life. It treats of animals and plants. That branch of biology which treats of animals is called zoology (Gr. zoon, animal ; logos, discourse). The biological science of botany (Gr. botanc, plant or herb) treats of plants. Living things are distinguished from the not living by a series of processes, or changes (feeding, growth, develop- ment, multiplication, etc.), which together constitute what is called life. These processes are called functions. Both plants and animals have certain parts called organs which have each a definite work, or function; hence animals and plants are said to be organized. For example, men and most animals have a certain organ (the mouth) for taking in nourishment; another (the food tube), for its digestion. Because of its organization, each animal or plant is said to be an organism. Living things constitute the organic kingdom. Things without life and not formed by life constitute the inorganic, or mineral, kingdom. Mark I for inorganic and O for organic after the proper words in this list: granite, sugar, lumber, gold, shellac, sand, coal, paper, glass, starch, copper, gelatine, cloth, air, potatoes, alcohol, oil, clay. Which of these things are used for food by animals ? Conclusion ? B i ANIMAL BIOLOGY Energy in the Organic World. - - We see animals exerting energy; that is, we see them moving about and doing work. Plants are never seen acting that way; yet they need energy in order to form their tissues, grow, and raise themselves in the air. Source of Plant Energy. - - We notice that green plants thrive only in the light, while animal growth is largely in- dependent of light. In fact, in the salt mines of Poland there are churches and villages below the ground, and children are born, become adults, and live all their lives below ground, without seeing the sun. (That these people are not very strong is doubtless due more to want of fresh air and other causes than want of sunlight.) The need of plants for sunlight shows that they must obtain something from the sun. This has been found to be energy. This enables them to lift their stems in growth, and form the various structures called tissues which make up their stems and leaves. (See Part I, Chap. XIII.) It is noticed that they take in food and water from the soil through their roots. Experiments also show that green plants take in through pores (Fig. i), on the surface of their leaves, a gas composed of carbon and oxygen, and called carbon dioxid. The energy in tJie sunligJit enables the plant to' separate out the carbon of the carbon dioxid and . FIG. 2. A LEAF STORING build mineral and water and carbon ENERGY IN SUNLIGHT. FIG. i. SURFACES OF A LEAF, magnified. Carbonic^Acid Gas in the Air going into the Leaf THE PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY into organic substances. The oxygen of the carbon dioxid is set free and returns to the air (Fig. 2). Starch, sugar, oil, and woody fiber are examples of substances thus formed. Can you think of any fuel not due to plants ? How Animals obtain Energy. You have noticed that starch, oil, etc., will burn, or oxidize -, that is, unite with the oxygen of the air ; thus the sun's energy, stored in these substances, is changed back to heat and motion. The oxidation of oil or sugar may occur in a furnace; it may also occur in the living substance of the active animal. FIG. 3. Colorless plants, as MUSH- A GREEN LEAF, even after it is cut, gives ROOMS, give off no oxygen. off oxygen (O) if kept in the sun. Fortunately for the animals the plants oxidize very little of the substances built up by them, since they do not move about nor need to keep themselves warm. We notice that animals are constantly using plant substances for food, and constantly drawing the air into their bodies. If the sun- light had not enabled the green plant to store up these substances and set free the oxygen (Fig. 3), animals would have no food to eat nor air to breathe; hence we may say that the sunlight is indirectly the source of the life and energy of animals. Mushrooms and other plants without green matter cannot set oxygen free (Fig. 3). 4 ANIMAL BIOLOGY Experiment to show the Cause of Burning, or Oxidation. -Obtain a large glass bottle (a pickle jar), a short candle, and some matches. Light the candle and put it on a table near the edge, and cover it with the glass jar. The flame slowly smothers and goes out. Why is this ? Is the air now in the jar different from that which was in it before the candle was lighted ? Some change must have taken place or the candle would continue to burn. To try whether the candle will burn again under the jar without changing the air, slide the jar to the edge of the table and let the candle drop out. Light the candle and slip it up into the jar again, the jar being held with its mouth a little over the edge of the table to receive the candle (Fig. 5). The flame goes out at once. Evidently the air in the jar is not the same as the air outside. Take up the jar and wave it to and fro a few times, so as to remove the old air and admit fresh air. The candle now burns in it with as bright a flame as at first. So we conclude that the candle will not continue to burn unless there is a constant supply of fresh air. The gas formed by the burning is carbon dioxid. It is the gas from which plants extract carbon. (See Plant Biology, Chap. V.) One test for the presence of this gas is that it forms a white, chalky cloud in lime water ; another is that it smothers a fire. Experiment to show that Animals give off Carbon Dioxid. Place a cardboard over the mouth of a bottle containing pure air. Take a long straw, the hollow stem of a weed, a glass tube, or a sheet of stiff paper rolled into a tube, and pass the tube into the bottle through a hole in the cardboard. Without drawing in a deep breath, send one long breath into the bottle through the tube, emptying the lungs by the breath as nearly as possible (Fig. 4). Next invert the bottle on the table as in the former experiment, THE PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY afterward withdrawing the cardboard. Move the bottle to the edge of the table and pass the lighted candle up into it (Fig. 5). Does the flame go out as quickly as in the former experiment ? If you breathe through a tube into clear lime water, the water turns milky. The effect of the breath on the candle and on the lime water shows that carbon dioxid is continually leaving our bodies in the breath. FlG. 4. Breathing into a bottle. 1 FlG. 5. Testing the air in the bottle. 1 Oxidation and Deoxidation. The union of oxygen with carbon and other substances, which occurs in fires and in the bodies of animals, is called oxidation. The separa- tion of the oxygen from carbon such as occurs in the leaves of plants is called deoxidation. The first process sets energy free, the other process stores it up. Animals give off carbon dioxid from their lungs or gills, and plants give off oxygen from their leaves. But plants need some energy in growing, so oxidation also occurs in plants, but to a far less extent than in animals. At night, because of the absence of sunlight, no deoxidation is taking place 1 From Coleman's " Physiology for Beginners," Macmillan Co., N.Y. 6 ANIMAL BIOLOGY in the plant, but oxidation and growth continue; so at night the plant actually breathes out some carbon dio.rid. The deepest part of the lungs contains the most carbon dioxid. Why was it necessary to empty the lungs as nearly as possible in the experiment with the candle ? Why would first drawing a deep breath interfere with the experi- ment ? Why does closing the draught of a stove, thus shutting off part of the air, lessen the burning ? Why does a " firefly " shine brighter at each breath ? Why is the pulse and breathing faster in a fever ? Very slow in a trance ? The key for understanding any animal is to find how it gets food and oxygen, and how it uses the energy thus obtained to grow, move, avoid its enemies, and get more food. Because it moves, it needs senses to guide it. The key for understanding a plant is to find how it gets food and sunlight for its growth. It makes little provision against enemies ; its food is in reach, so it needs no senses to guide it. The plant is built on the plan of having the nutritive activities near the surface (e.g. absorption by roots ; gas exchange in leaves). The animal is built on the plan of having its nutritive activities on the inside (e.g. digestion ; breathing). Cell and Protoplasm. Both plants and animals are composed of small parts called cells. Cells are usually microscopic in size. They have various shapes, as spheri- cal, flat, cylindrical, fiber-like, star-shaped. The living substance of cells is called protoplasm. It is a stiff, gluey fluid, albuminous in its nature. Every cell has a denser spot or kernel called a nucleus, and in the nucleus is a still smaller speck called a nucleolus. Most cells are denser and tougher on the outside, and are said to have a cell wall, but many cells are naked, or without a wall. Hence the indispensable part of a cell is not the wall but the nucleus, THE PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY and a cell may be defined as a bit of protoplasm containing a nucleus. This definition includes naked cells as well as cells with walls. One-celled Animals. There are countless millions of animals and plants the existence of which was not sus- pected until the invention of the micro- scope several centuries ago. They are one-celled, and hence microscopic in size. It is believed that the large animals and plants are descended from one-celled ani- mals and plants. In fact, each individual plant or animal begins life as a single cell, called an egg cell, and forms its organs by the subdivision of the egg cell into many cells. An egg cell is shown in Fig. 6, and the first stages in the development of an egg cell are shown in Fig. 7. The animals to be studied in the first chapter are one- celled animals. To understand them we must learn how FIG. 6. Egg cell of mammal with yolk. FlG. 7. Egg cell subdivides into many cells forming a sphere (morula) containing a liquid. A dimple forms and deepens to form the next stage (gastrula). they eat, breathe, feel, and move. They are called Pro- tozoans (Greek protos, first; soon, life). All other animals are composed of many cells and are called Metazoans (Greek meta, beyond or after). The cells composing the mucous membrane in man are shown in Fig. 8. The cellu- lar structure of the leaf of a many-celled plant is illustrated in Fig. i. (See also Chap. I, Human Biology.) 8 ANIMAL BIOLOGY Method of Classifying Animals. - The various animals display differences more or less marked. The question arises, are not some of them more closely related than others ? We conclude that they are, since the differ- ence between some animals is very slight, while the difference between others is quite marked. To show the different steps in classi- fying an animal, we will take an ex- ample, the cow. Even little children learn to recognize a cow, although indi- vidual cows differ somewhat in form, size, color, etc. The varieties of cows, such as short-horn, Jersey, etc., all form one species of animals, having the scientific name taurus. Let us include in a larger group the animals closest akin to a cow. We see a cat, a bison, and a dog ; rejecting the cat and the dog, we see that the bison has horns, hoofs, and other similarities. We in- elude it with the cow in a genus called 2^os y calling the cow Bos taurus, and . , . , the blson > Bos blSOn - The sacred COW of India (Bos indicus) is so like the cow and buffalo as also to belong in the genus Bos. Why is not the camel, which, like Bos bison, has a hump, placed in the genus Bos ? The Old World buffaloes, - - most abundant in Africa and India,- -the antelopes, sheep, goats, and several other genera are placed with the genus Bos in a family called the hollow-horned animals. This family, because of its even number of toes and the habit of chewing the cud, resembles the camel family, FIG. 8. Mucous MEM- BRANE formed of one layer of cells. A few cells secrete mucus. THE PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY 9 the deer family, and several other families. These are all placed together in the next higher systematic unit called an order, in this case, the order of ruminants. The ruminants, because they are covered with hair and nourish the young with milk, are in every essential respect related to the one-toed horses, the beasts of prey, the apes, etc. Hence they are all placed in a more inclusive division of animals, the class called mammals. All mammals have the skeleton, or support of the body, on the inside, the axis of which is called the verte- bral column. This feature also belongs to the classes of reptiles, amphibians, and fishes. It is therefore consistent to unite these classes by a general idea or conception into a great branch of animals called the vertebrates. Returning from the general to the particular by succes- sive steps, state the branch, class, order, family, genus, and species to which the cow belongs. The Eight Branches or Sub-kingdoms. - The simplest classification divides the whole animal kingdom into eight branches, named and characterized as follows, be- ginning with the lowest : I. PROTOZOANS. One-celled. II. SPONGES. Many openings. III. POLYPS. Circular; cup-like ; having only one opening which is both mouth and vent. IV. ECHINODERMS. Circular ; rough-skinned ; two openings. V. MOLLUSKS. No skeleton ; usually with ex- ternal shell. VI. VERMES. Elongate body, no jointed legs. VII. ARTHROPODS. External jointed skeleton; jointed legs. VIII. VERTEBRATES. Internal jointed skeleton with axis or backbone. CHAPTER II PROTOZOA (One-celled Animals) THE AMEBA SUGGESTIONS. Amebas live in the slime found on submerged stems and leaves in standing water, or in the ooze at the bottom. Water plants may be crowded into a glass dish and allowed to decay, and after about two weeks the ameba may be found in the brown slime scraped from the plants. An ameba culture sometimes lasts only three days. The most abundant supply ever used by the writer was from a bottle of water where some oats were germinating. Use ^ or -^ inch objective, and cover with a thin cover glass. Teachers who object to the use of the compound microscope in a first course should require a most careful study of the figures. FIG. 9. AMEBA PROTEUS, much enlarged. 10 PROTOZOA II PS: EC. EN FIG. 10. AMEBA. ci>, contractile vacuole; ec, ectoplasm; en, endoplasm; , nucleus; ps, pseudopod; ps' , pseudopod forming; ectoplasm pro- trudes and endoplasm flows into it. Form and Structure. The ameba (also spelled amoeba) looks so much like a clear drop of jelly that a beginner cannot be certain that he has found one until it moves. It is a speck of protoplasm (Fig. 9), with a clear outer layer, the ectoplasm ; and a granular, internal part, the endoplasm. Is there a dis- tinct line between them ? (Fig. 10.) Note the central portion and the slender prolonga- tions or pseudopods (Greek, false feet). Does the endoplasm extend into the pseudo- pods ? (Fig. 10.) Are the pseudopods arranged with any regularity ? Sometimes it is possible to see a denser appearing por- tion, called the nucleus ; also a clear space, the contractile vacuole (Fig. 10). Movements. - - Sometimes while the pseudopods are be- ing extended and contracted, the central portion remains in the same place (this is mo- tioii). Usually only one pseudo- pod is extended, and the body flows into it ; this is locomotion (Fig. 11). There is a new foot made for each step. Feeding. If the ameba crawls near a food particle, the pseudopod is pressed against it, or a depression occurs (Fig. 12), and the particle is soon embedded in the endoplasm. Often a clear space called a food vacuole is noticed around the food particle. This is the water that is taken in with FlG. ii. The same ameba seen at different times. 12 ANIMAL BIOLOGY the particle (Fig. 12). The water and the particle are soon absorbed and assimilated by the endoplasm. Excretion.- -If a particle of sand or other indigestible matter is taken in, it is left behind as the ameba moves on. There is a clear space called the contractile vacuole, which slowly contracts and disappears, then reap- pears and expands (Figs. 9 and 10). This possibly aids in excreting oxidized or useless material. Circulation in the ameba consists of the movement of its protoplasmic particles. It lacks special organs of circulation. Feeling. Jarring the glass slide seems to be felt, for it causes the activity of the ameba to vary. It does not take in for food every particle that it touches. This may be the beginning of taste, based upon mere chemical affinity. The pseudopods aid in feeling. Reproduction. Sometimes an ameba is seen FIG. 12. --THE AMEBA tak- dividing into two parts. A narrowing takes ing food. place in the middle; the nucleus also divides, a part going to each portion (Fig. 13). The mother ameba finally divides into two daughter amebas. Sex is wanting. Source of the Ameba's Energy. - - We thus see that the ameba moves without feet, eats without a mouth, digests without a stomach, feels without nerves, and, it should also be stated, breathes without lungs, for oxygen is absorbed from the water by its whole FIG. 13. AMEBA, dividing. PROTOZOA 13 surface. Its movements require energy ; this, as in all ani- mals, is furnished by the uniting of oxygen with the food. Carbon dioxid and other waste products are formed by the union ; these pass off at the surface of the ameba and taint the water with impurities. Questions. -- Why will the ameba die in a very small quantity of water, even though the water contains enough food? Why will it die still quicker if air is excluded from contact with the drop of water? The ameba never dies of old age. Can it be said to be immortal? According to the definition of a cell (Chapter /), is the ameba a unicellular or multicellular animal? Cysts. - - If the water inhabited by a protozoan dries up, it encysts, that is, it forms a tough skin called a cyst. Upon return of better conditions it breaks the cyst and comes out. Encysted protozoans may be blown through the air : this explains their appearance in vessels of water containing suitable food but previously free from proto- zoans. THE SLIPPER ANIMALCULE OR PARAMECIUM SUGGESTIONS. Stagnant water often contains the paramecium as well as the ameba ; or they may be found in a dish of water con- taining hay or finely cut clover, after the dish has been allowed to stand in the sun for several days. A white film forming on the surface is a sign of their presence. They may even be seen with the unaided eye as tiny white particles by looking through the side of the dish or jar. Use at first a \ or \ in. objective. Restrict their movements by placing cotton fibers beneath the cover glass ; then examine with \ or -J- objective. Otherwise, study figures. Shape and Structure.- The paramecium's whole body, like the ameba's, is only one cell. It resembles a slipper in shape, but the pointed end is the hind end, \htfront end being rounded (Fig. 14). The paramecium is propelled by the rapid beating of numerous fine, threadlike append- ANIMAL BIOLOGY ages on its surface, called cilia (Latin, eyelashes) (Figs.). The cilia, like the pseudopods of the ameba, are merely prolongations of the cell protoplasm, but they are permanent. The sepa- ration between the outer ectoplasm and the interior granular endoplasm is more marked than in the ameba (Fig. 14). Nucleus and Vacuoles. There is a large nucleus called the macro- nucleus, and beside it a smaller one called the micronucleus. They are hard to see. About one third of the way from each end is a clear, pul- sating space (bb. Fig. 15) called the pulsat- ing vacuole. These spaces contract until they disappear, and then reappear, gradually ex- panding. Tubes lead from the vacuoles which probably serve to keep the contents of the cell in circulation. Feeding. A depression, or groove, is seen on one side, this serves as a mouth (Figs.). A tube which serves as a gullet leads from the mouth-groove to the in- terior of the cell. The mouth-groove is lined with cilia which sweep food particles inward. -Two PARAMECIA exchanging parts of their nuclei. The particles accumulate FIG. 14. PARAMECIUM, showing cilia, c. Two contractile vacuoles, cv; the macronucleus, mg; two micronuclei, mi', the gullet (ffi), a food ball forming and ten food balls in their course from gullet to vent, a. FIG. 15. FIG. 16. PROTOZOA pj in a mass at the inner end of the gullet, become separated from it as a food ball (fig. 14), and sink into the soft pro- toplasm of the body. The food balls follow a circular course through the endoplasm, keeping near the ectoplasm. Reproduction. - This, as in the ameba, is by division, the constriction being in the middle, and part of the nucleus going to each half. Sometimes two individ- . uals come together with their mouth-grooves touching and exchange parts of their nuclei (Fig. 16). They then separate and each divides to form two new individuals. We thus see that the para- mecium, though of only one cell, is a mucJi more complex and advanced animal than tJie ameba. The tiny paddles, or cilia, the mouth-groove, etc., have their special duties similar to the specialized organs of the many-celled animals to be studied later. If time and circumstances allow a prolonged study, sev- eral additional facts may be observed by the pupil, e.g. Does the paramecium swim with the same end always foremost, and same side uppermost ? Can it move backwards ? Avoid obsta- cles ? Change shape in a narrow passage ? Does refuse FIG. 19. SHELL OF A RADIOLARIAN. FIG. 17. VORTI- CELLA (or bell animalcule), two extended, one withdrawn. FIG. 18. Euglena. 1 6 ANIMAL BIOLOGY matter leave the body at any particular place ? Trace movement of the food particles. Draw the paramecium. Which has more permanent parts, the ameba or para- mecium ? Name two anatomical similarities and three dif- ferences ; four functional similarities and three differences. The ameba belongs in the class of protozoans called Rkizopoda "root footed." Other classes of Protozoans are the Infusorians (in the broad sense of the term), which have many waving cilia (Fig. 17) or one whip-like flagellum (Fig. 18), and the Foraminifers, which possess a calcareous shell pierced with holes (Fig. 19). Much chalky limestone has been formed of their shells. To which class does the paramecium belong ? Protozoans furnish a large amount of food to the higher animals. To the Teacher. If plant, animal, and human biology are to be given in one year as planned, and full time allowed for practical work, the portions of the text in small type, as Chapter III, may be omitted or merely read and discussed. Any two of the three parts forming the course may be used for a year's course by using all of the text and spending more time on practical and field work. CHAPTER III SPONGES SUGGESTIONS. In many parts of the United States, fresh-water sponges may, by careful searching, be found growing on rocks and logs in clear water. They are brown, cream}-, or greenish in color, and re- semble more a cushion-like plant than an animal. They have a char- acteristic gritty feel. They soon die after removal to an aquarium. A number of common small bath sponges may be bought and kept for use in studying the skeleton of an ocean sponge. These sponges should not have large holes in the bottom ; if so, too much of the sponge has been cut away. A piece of marine sponge preserved in alco- hol or formalin may be used for showing the sponge with its flesh in place. Microscopic slides may be used for showing the spicules. The small fresh-water sponge (Fig. 21) lacks the more or less vase- like form typical of sponges. It is a rounded mass growing upon a rock or log. As indicated by the arrows, where does water enter the sponge? This may be tested by putting color- ing matter in the water near the living sponge. Where does the wafer come outt (Fig. 22.) Does it pass through ciliated FIG. 2i. FRESH-WATER SPONGE. FIG. 22. SECTION of fresh-water sponge (enlarged). chambers in its course? Is the i8 ANIMAL BIOLOGY FIG. 23. EGGS and SPICULES of fresh-water sponge (enlarged). surface of the sponge rough or smooth? Do any of the skeletal spicules show on the surface? (Fig. 21.) Does the sponge thin out near its edge? The egg of this sponge is shown in Fig. 23. It escapes from the parent sponge through the osculum t or large outlet. As in most sponges, the first stage after the egg is ciliated and free-swim- ming. Marine Sponges. The grantia (Fig. 24) is one of the simplest of marine sponges. What is the shape of grantia? What is its length and diameter? How does the free end differ from the fixed end? Are the spicules projecting from its body few or many? Where is the osculum, or large outlet? With what is this surrounded? The osculum opens from a central cavity called the cloaca. The canals from the pores lead to the cloaca. Buds are sometimes seen growing out from the sponge near its base. These are young sponges formed asexually. Later they become detached from the parent sponge. Commercial " Sponge." What part of the complete animal remains in the bath sponge? Slow growing sponges grow more at the top and form tall, simple, tubular or vase-like animals. Fast growing sponges grow on all sides at once and form a complicated system of canals, pores, and oscula. Which of these habits of growth do you think belonged to the bath sponge ? Is there a large hole in the base of your specimen ? If so, this is because the cloaca was reached in trimming the lower part where it was attached to a rock. Test the elasticity of the sponge when dry and when wet by squeezing it. Is it softer when wet or dry? Is it more elastic when wet or dry? FIG 2< Plan of How many oscula does your specimen have? a sponge. How many inhalent pores to a square inch ? FIG. 24. Grantia. SPONGES Using a probe (a wire with knob at end, or small hat pin), try to trace the canals from the pores to the cavities inside. Do the fibers of the sponge appear to interlace, or join, according to any system? Do you see any fringe-like growths on the surface which show that new tubes are be- ginning to form? Was the sponge growing faster at the top, on the sides, or near the bottom ? Burn a bit of the sponge ; from the odor, ., . , e . -> FlG. 26. Bath Sponge. what would you judge of its composition? Is the inner cavity more conspicuous in a simple sponge or in a compound sponge like the bath sponge? Is the bath sponge FIG. 27. Bath Sponge. FlG. 28. Bath Sponge. branched or lobed? Compare a number of specimens (Figs. 26, 27, 28) and decide whether the common sponge has a typical shape. What features do their forms possess in common? Sponges are divided into three classes, according as their skeletons are flinty (silicious), limy (calcareous), or horny. Some of the silicious sponges have skeletons that resemble spun glass in their delicacy. Flint is chemically nearly the same as glass. The skeleton shown in Fig. 29 is that of a glass sponge which lives near the Philippine Islands. The horny sponges do not have spi- cules in their skeletons, as the flinty and limy sponges have, but the skeleton FIG. 29. Skeleton of a glass sponge. is composed of interweaving fibers of 2O ANIMAL BIOLOGY spoil gin, a durable substance of the same chemical nature as silk (Figs. 30 and 31). The limy sponges have skeletons made of numerous spicules of lime. The three-rayed spicule is the commonest form. The commercial sponge, seen as it grows in the ocean, appears as a roundish mass with a smooth, dark exterior, and having about the consistency of beef liver. Several large openings (oscula), from which the water flows, are visible on the upper surface. Smaller holes (inhalent pores --many of them so small as to be indistinguishable) are on the sides. If the sponge is disturbed, the smaller holes, and perhaps the larger ones, will close. The outer layer of cells serves as a sort of skin. Since so much of the sponge is in contact with water, most of the cells do their own breathing, or absorp- tion of oxygen and giving off of carbon dioxid. Nutriment is passed on from the surface cells to nourish the rest of the body. Reproduction. Egg-cells and sperm-cells are produced by certain cells along the canals. The egg-cell, after it is fertilized by the sperm-cell, begins to divide and form new cells, some of which possess cilia. The embryo sponge passes out at an oscu- lum. By the vibration of the cilia, it swims about for a while. It afterwards settles down with the one end attached to the ocean floor and remains fixed for the rest of its life. The other end de- velops oscula. Some of the cilia continue to vibrate and create currents which bring food and oxygen. The cilia in many species .are found only in cavities called ciliated chambers. (Figs. 22, 32.) There are no distinct organs in the sponge and there is very little specialization of cells. The ciliated cells and the reproductive cells are the only specialized cells. The sponges were for a long time considered as colonies of separate one-celled animals classed as protozoans. They are, FlG. 30. A horny sponge. FlG. 31. Section of horny sponge. SPONGES 21 without doubt, many-celled animals. If a living sponge is cut into pieces, each piece will grow and form a complete sponge. That the sponge is not a colony of one-celled animals, each like an ameba, but is a many-celled animal, will be realized by exam- ining Fig. 32, which shows a bit of sponge highly magnified. A sponge may be conceived as having developed from a one-celled animal as follows : Sev- eral one-celled animals happened to live side by side ; each possessed a thread-like flagellurn (E, Fig. 32) or whip-lash for striking the water. By lashing the water, they caused a stronger cur- rent (Fig. 25) than pro- tozoans living singly could cause. Thus they obtained more food and multiplied more rapidly than those living alone. The habit of working together left its impress on the cells and was trans- mitted by inheritance. Cell joined to cell formed a ring ; ring FlG. 32. Microscopic plan of ciliated chamber. Each cell lining the chamber has a nucleus, a whip-lash, and a collar around base of whip-lash. Question : State two uses of whip-lash. joined to ring formed a tube which was still more effective than a ring in lashing the water into a current and bringing fresh food (particles of dead plants and animals) and oxygen. Few animals eat sponges ; possibly because spicules, or fibers, are found throughout the flesh, or because the taste and odor are unpleasant enough to protect them. Small animals sometimes crawl into sponges to hide. One sponge grows upon shells in- habited by hermit crabs. Moving of the shell from place to place is an advantage to the sponge, while the sponge conceals and thus protects the crab. Special Report : Sponge " Fisheries." (Localities; how sponges are taken, cleaned, dried, shipped, and sold.) CHAPTER IV FIG. 33.- A HYDRA. POLYPS (CUPLIKE ANIMALS) THE HYDRA, OR FRESH WATER POLYP SUGGESTIONS. - - Except in the drier regions of the United States, the hydra can usually be found by careful search in fresh water ponds not too stagnant. It is found attached to stones, sticks, or leaves, and has a slender, cylindrical body from a quarter to half an inch long, varying in thickness from that of a fine needle to that of a common pin. The green hydra and the brown hydra, both very small, are common species, though hydras are often white or colorless. They should be kept in a large glass dish filled with water. They may be distinguished by the naked eye but are not studied satisfactorily without a magnifying glass or microscope. Place a living specimen attached to a bit of wood in a watch crystal filled with water, or on a hol- lowed slip, or on a slip with a bit of weed to support the cover glass, and examine with hand lens or lowest power of microscope. Prepared microscopical sections, both transverse and longitudinal, may be bought of dealers in mi- croscopic sup- plies. One is shown in Fig. 39. Is the hy- dra's body round or two- sided ? (Fig. 35.) What is FlG. 34, Forms assumed by Hydra. its general sJiape ? Does one individual keep the same shape ? (Fig. 34.) How does the length of the thread- 22 POLYPS (CUPLIKE ANIMALS} like tentacles compare with the length of the hydra's body ? About how many tentacles are on a hydra's body ? Do all have the same number of tentacles ? Are the tentacles knotty or smooth ? (Fig. 35.) The hydra is usually ex- tended and slender ; sometimes it is contracted and rounded. In which of these conditions is the base (the foot) larger around than the rest of the body ? (Fig. 34.) Smaller ? How many openings into the body are visible ? Is there a depression or an eminence at the base of the tentacles ? For what is the opening on top of the body probably used ? Why are the tentacles placed at the top of the hydra's body ? Does the mojitJi have the most con- venient location possible ? The conical projection bear- ing the month is called hypo- stome (Fig. 34). The mouth opens into the digestive cavity. Is this the same as the general body cavity, or does the stomach have a wall distinct from the body cavity f How far down does the body cavity extend ? Does it extend up into the tentacles ? (Fig. 39.) If a tentacle is touched, what happens? Is the body ever bent? Which is more sensitive, the columnar body or the tentacles? In searching for hydras would you be more likely to find the ten- tacles extended or drawn in? Is the hypostome ever extended or drawn in? (Fig. 34.) Locomotion. - The round surface, or disk, by which the hydra is attached, is called its foot. Can you move on one foot without hopping ? The hydra moves by alter- FIG. 35. HYDRA (much enlarged). ANIMAL BIOLOGY FIG. 36. NETTLING CELL. II. discharged, and I. not discharged. nately elongating and rounding the foot. Can you dis- cover other ways by which it moves ? Does the hydra always stand upon its foot ? Lasso Cells. Upon the tentacles (Fig. 35) are numer- ous cells provided each with a thread-like process (Fig. 36) which lies coiled within the cell, but which may be thrown out upon a water flea, or other minute animal that comes in reach. The touch of the lasso paralyzes the prey (Fig. 37). These cells are variously called lasso cells, nettling cells, or thread cells. The thread is hollow and is pushed out by the pressure of liquid within. When the pressure is withdrawn the thread goes back as the finger of a glove may be turned back into the glove by turning the finger outside in. When a minute animal, or other particle of food comes in contact with a tentacle, how does the tentacle get the food to the mouth ? By bending and bringing the end to the mouth, or by shortening and changing its form, or in both ways ? (Fig. 34, C.) Do the neighboring tentacles seem to bend over to assist a tentacle in securing prey ? (Fig. 34, C.) Digestion. The food parti- f IG. 37. HYDRA capturing a cles break up before remaining water flea. POLYPS {CUPLIKE ANIMALS} long in the stomach, and the nutritive part is absorbed by the lining cells, or endoderm (Fig. 39). The indiges- tible remnants go out through the mouth. The hydra is not provided with a special vent. Why could the vent not be situated at the end opposite the mouth ? Circulation and Respiration. - - Does water have free access to the body cavity ? Does the hydra have few or nearly all of its cells exposed to the water in which it lives ? From its structure, decide whether it can breathe like a sponge or whether special respiratory cells are necessary to supply it with oxygen and give off carbon dioxid. Blood vessels are unnecessary for transfer- ring oxygen and food from cell to cell. Reproduction. - Do you see any swellings upon the side of the hydra ? (Fig. 34, A.) If the swelling is near the tentacles, it is a spcnnary ; if near the base it is an ovary. A sperm coalesces with or fertilizes the ovum after the ovum is exposed by the breaking of the ovary wall. Sometimes the sperm from one hydra unites with the ovum of another hydra. This is called cross-fertilization. The same term is applied to the process in plants when the male element, developed in the pollen of the flower, unites with the female element of the ovule of the flower on another plant. The hydra, like most plants and some other animals, is hermaphrodite, that is to say, both sperms and ova are produced by one individual. In the autumn, eggs are produced with hard shells to withstand the cold until spring. Sexual reproduction takes place when food is FIG. 38. HYDRAS on pondweed. 26 ANIMAL BIOLOGY scarce. Asexual generation (by budding) is common with the hydra when food supply is abundant. After the bud grows to a cer- tain size, the outer layer of cells at the base of the bud con- stricts and the young hydra is detached. Compare the sponge and the hydra in the fol- lowing respects: - many celled, or one celled ; obtaining food ; breathing; tubes and cavities ; openings ; re- production ; loco- motion. Which ranks higher ECTODERM CELLS INTERSTITAL DO MUSCLE LAYER MESOGLCEA ENDODERM CELL OVARY- OVUM FLAGE1LA ENTERIC CAVITY* FlG. 39. Longitudinal section of hydra (microscopic and diagrammatic). among the metazoa ? The metazoa, or many celled ani- mals, include all animals except which branch ? Figure 39 is a microscopic view of a vertical section of a hydra to show the structure of the body wall. There is an outer layer called the ectoderm, and an inner layer called the endodenn. There is also a thin supporting layer (black in the figure) called the mesoglea. The mesoglea is the thinnest layer. Are the cells larger in the endoderm or the ectoderm ? Do both layers of cells assist in forming the reproductive bud ? The ecto- derm cells end on the inside in contractile tails which form a thin line and have the effect of muscle fibers. They serve the hydra for its remarkable changes of shape. When the hydra is cut in pieces, each piece makes a complete hydra, provided it contains both endoderm and ectoderm. POLYPS (CUPLIKE ANIMALS} 2/ In what ways does the hydra show " division of labor " ? Answer this by explaining the classes of cells specialized to serve a different purpose. Which cells of the hydra are least specialized? In what par- ticulars is the plan of the hydra different from that of a simple sponge ? An ingenious naturalist living more than a century ago, asserted that it made no difference to the hydra whether the ectoderm or the endoderm layer were outside or inside, - - that it could digest equally well with either layer. He allowed a hvdra to swallow a worm attached to a j * thread, and then by gently pulling in the thread, turned the hydra inside out. More recently a Japanese naturalist showed that the hydra could easily be turned inside out, but he also found that when left to itself it soon reversed matters and returned to its natural condition, that the cells are really specialized and each layer can do its own work and no other. Habits. The hydra's whole body is a hollow bag, the cavity extending even into the tentacles. The tentacles may increase in number as the hydra grows but seldom exceed eight. The hydra has more active motion than locomotion. It seldom moves from its place, but its ten- tacles are constantly bending, straightening, contracting, and expanding. The body is also usually in motion, bend- ing from one side to another. When the tentacles ap- proach the mouth with captured prey, the mouth (invisible without a hand lens) opens widely, showing five lobes or lips, and the booty is soon tucked within. A hydra can swallow an animal larger in diameter than itself. The endoderm cells have ameboid motion, that is, they extend pseudopods. They also resemble amebas in the power of intra-cellular digestion ; that is, they absorb the harder particles of food and digest them afterwards, re- jecting the indigestible portions. Some of these cells have flagella (see Fig. 39) which keep the fluid of the cavity in constant motion. Sometimes the hydra moves after the manner of a small caterpillar called a " measuring worm," that is, it takes hold first by the foot, then by the tentacles, looping its 28 ANIMAL BIOLOGY body at each step. Sometimes the body goes end over end in slow somersaults. The length of the extended hydra may reach one half inch. When touched, both tentacles and body contract until it looks to the unaided eye like a round speck of icily. This shows sensibility, FIG. 40. HYDROID COLONY, with J nutritive (P) reproductive (M) and and a few Small Star-shaped defensive (S) hydranths. ce]ls are believed to be nerve cells, but the hydra has not a nervous system. Hydras show their liking for light by moving to the side of the vessel or aquarium whence the light comes. The Branch Polyps (sometimes called Ccelen- teratd). The hydra is the only fresh water rep- resentative of this great branch of the animal kingdom. This branch is characterized by its members having only one opening to the body. The polyps also include the salt water animals called hydro ids, jelly- fishes, and coral polyps. Hydroids. - - Figure 40 shows a hydro id, or group of hydra-like growths, one of which FIG. 41. " PORTUGUESE MAN-O'-WAR" (compare with Fig. 40). A floating hydroid colony with long, stinging (and sensory) streamers. Troublesome to bathers in Gulf of Mexico. Notice balloon-like float. POLYPS {CUPLIKE ANIMALS} eats and digests for the group, another defends by nettling cells, another produces eggs. Each hydra-like part of a hydroid is called a hydranth. Sometimes the buds on the hydra remain attached so long that a bud forms upon the first bud. Thus three generations are represented in one organism. Such growths show us that it is not always easy to tell what consti- tutes an indi- vidual animal. Hydro ids may be con- ceived to have been developed by the failure of budding hy- QraS LO Sepa- rate from the parent, and by the gradual formation of the habit of living together and assisting each other. When each hydranth of the hydroid devoted itself to a special function of digestion, defense, or reproduction, this group lived longer and prospered ; more eggs were formed, and the habits of the group were trans- mitted to a more numerous progeny than were the habits of a group where members worked more independently of each other. As the sponge is a simple example of the devotion of special cells to special purposes, the hydroid is a primitive and simple example of the occurrence of organs, that is of special parts of the body set aside for a special work. FlG. 42. --The formation of many free swimming jelly- fishes from one fixed hydra-like form. The saucer-like parts (h) turn over after they separate and become like Fig. 43 or 44. Letters show sequence of diagrams. ANIMAL BIOLOGY How many mature hydranths are seen in the hydroid shown in Fig. 40? Why are the defensive hydranths on the outside of the colony ? Which hy- dranths have no tenta- cles ? Why not ? Jellyfish. Alterna- tion of Generations. - Medusa. With some species of hydroids, a very curious thing hap- pens. The hydranth tJiat is to produce tJie eggs falls off and be- comes independent of the colony. More sur- prising ^ ^ appear _ FIG. 43- - A JELLYFISH. ance changes entirely and instead of being hydra-like, it becomes the large and complex creature called jellyfish (Fig. 43). But the egg of tJie jellyfish pro- duces a small hydra- like ani- mal 'which gives rise by budding to a hydroid) and the cycle is complete. The bud (or reproductive hydranth) of the hydroid FIG. 44 . A JELLYFISH (medusa). POLYPS (CUPLIKE ANIMALS} does not produce a hydroid, but a jellyfish; the egg of the jellyfish does not produce a jellyfish, but a hydroid. This is called by zoologists, alternation of generations. A complete individual is the life from the germination of one egg to the production of another. So that an "individual' con- sists of a hydroid colony fixed in one place together with all the jellyfish produced from its buds, and which may now be floating miles away from it in the ocean. Bathers in the surf are sometimes touched and stung by the long, streamer-like tentacles of the jellyfish. These, like the tentacles of the hydra, have nettling cells (Fig. 41). The umbrella-shaped free swimming jellyfish is called a medusa (Fig. 44). Coral Polyps. Some of the salt water relatives of the hydra produce buds which remain attached to the parent without, however, becoming different from the parent in any way. The coral polyps and corallines are examples of colonies of this kind, possessing a common stalk which is formed as the process of multiplication goes on. In the case of coral polyps, the separate animals and the flesh connecting them secrete within themselves a hard, limy, supporting structure known as coral. In some species, the coral, or stony part, is so developed that the polyp seems to be inserted in the coral, into which it withdraws itself for partial protection (Fig. 45). The corallines secrete a smooth stalk which affords no protection, but they also secrete a coating or sheath which incloses both themselves and the stalk, The FIG. 45. CORAL POLYPS (tenta- cles, a multiple of six). Notice hypostome. ANIMAL BIOLOGY coating has apertures through which the polyps pro- trude in order to feed when no danger is near (Fig. 46). FIG. 46. RED CORAL- LINE with crust and polyps (eight tentacles) . FIG. 47. SEA FAN (a coralline). The red " corals " used for jewelry are bits of stalks of cor- allines. The corallines (Figs. 47, 48) are not so abundant nor so important as the coral polyps (Figs. 45, 49). Colonies of coral polyps grow in countless numbers in the tropical seas. The coral formed by successive colo- nies of polyps accu- mulates and builds up many islands FIG. 48. -ORGAN PIPE "Coral" (a coralline). and important addi- tions to continents. The Florida " keys," or islands, and the southern part of the mainland of Florida were so formed. POLYPS (CUPLIKE ANIMALS} 33 The Sea Anemone, like the coral polyp, lives in the sea, but like the fresh water hydra, it deposits no limy support for its body. The anemone is much larger than the hydra and most coral polyps, many spe- cie s at- taining a height of several inches. It FIG. 49. UPRIGHT CUT through coral polyp X 4. ms, mouth; tnr, gullet; Is, Is, fleshy partitions (mesen- teries) extending from outer body wall to gullet (to in- crease absorbing surface) ; s, s, shorter partitions ; nib, fb, stony support (of lime, called coral) ; t, tentacles. FIG. 50. SEA ANEMONE. does not form colo- nies. When its arms are drawn in, it looks like a large knob of shiny but opaque jelly. Polyps used to be called zoophytes (plant- animals), because of their flower-like appearance (Figs. 50, 51). FJG. 51. SEA ANEMONES. CHAPTER V ECHINODERMS (SPINY ANIMALS) THE STARFISH SUGGESTIONS. Since the echinoderms are aberrant though inter- o esting forms not in the regular line of development of animals, this chapter may be omitted if it is desired to shorten the course. The common star- fish occurs along the At- lantic coast. It is captured by wading along FIG. 52. Starfish on a rocky shore. \ the shore when the tide is out. It is killed by immersion in warm, fresh water. Specimens are usually preserved in 4 per cent formalin. Dried starfish and sea urchins are also useful. A living starfish kept in a pail of salt water will be instructive. External Features. Starfish are usually brown or yellow. Why? (See Fig. 52.) Has it a head or tail? Right and left sides? What is the shape of the 4' FIG. 53. PLAN of starfish ; III, madreporite. disk, or part which bears the five arms or rays ? (Fig. 53.) Does the body as a whole have symmetry on two sides of a line (bilateral symmetry), or around a point (radial symmetry) ? Do the separate rays have 34 ECHINODERMS (SPINY ANIMALS} 35 FlG. 55. Starfish (showing MADREPORITE) . bilateral symmetry ? The skeleton consists of limy plates embedded in the tough skin (Fig. 54). Is the skin rough or smooth? Hard or soft? Are the projections (or spines] in the skin long or short? The skin is hardened by the limy plates, ex- cept around the mouth, which is FIG. 54. LIMY PLATES at the center of in portion of a ray " the lower side and surrounded by a mem- brane. Which is rougher, the mouth side, (oral 'side) or the opposite (#&?ra/side)? Which side is more nearly flat ? The vent is at or near the center of the disk on the aboral surface. It is usually very small and sometimes absent. Why a vent is not of much use will be understood after learning how the starfish takes food. An organ peculiar to animals of this branch, and called the madreporic plate, or madreporite t is found on the aboral surface between the bases of two rays (Fig. 55). It is wartlike, and usually white or red. This plate is a sieve ; the small openings keep out sand but allow water to filter through. Movements : the Water-tube System. The water, which is filtered through the perforated madreporite, is needed to supply a system of canals (Fig. 56). The madreporite opens into a canal called the stone canal, the wall of which is hardened by the same kind of mate- rial as that found in the skin. The stone canal leads to the ring canal which sur- rounds the mouth (Fig. 56). The ring canal sends radial canals into each ray to supply the double row of tube feet found in the groove at the lower side of each ray (Fig. 57). Because of their arrangement in rows, the feet are FIG. 56. WATER tube SYSTEM of starfish. in, madreporite; sic, stone canal; ap, ampulla. ANIMAL BIOLOGY also called ambithtcral feet (Latin ambulacra, " forest walks"). There is a water holder (ampulla), or muscular water bulb at the base of each tube foot (Fig. 58). These con- tract and force the water into the tube feet and extend them. The cuplike ends of the tubes cling to the ground by suction. The feet contain delicate muscles by which they contract and shorten. Thus the animal pulls itself slowly along, hundreds of feet acting together. The tube feet, for their own protection, may contract and retire into the groove, the water which extended them being sent back into the ampulla. This system of water vessels (or water- vascular system) of the echinodermata is characteristic of them ; i.e. is not found elsewhere in the animal kindom. FlG. 57. Starfish, from below; tube feet extended. /? FIG. 58. The grooves and the plates on each side of them occupy the ambulacral areas. The rows of spines on each side of the grooves are freely movable. (What advantage?) The spines on the aboral surface are not freely movable. SECtlON OF ONE RAY arfd central portion of starfish. f\i fit fz> tube feet more or less extended; an, eye spot; k, gills; da, stomach; in, madreporite; st, stone canal; p, ampulla; ei, ovary. ECHINODERMS (SPINY ANIMALS} 37 Respiration.- -The system of wafer vessels serves the additional purpose of bringing water containing oxygen into contact with various parts of the body, and the starfish was formerly thought to have no special respiratory organs. However there are holes in the aboral wall through which the folds of the delicate lining mem- brane protrude. These are now supposed to be gills (k, Fig. 58). The nervous system is so close to the aboral surface that much of it is visible without dissection. Its chief parts are a nen>e ring around the mouth, which sends off a branch along each ray. These branches may be seen by separating the rows of tube feet. They end in a pigmented i cell at the end of each ray called the eye-spot. The food of starfish consists of such animals as crabs, snails, and oysters. When the prey is too large to be taken into the mouth, the starfish turns its stomach inside out over the prey (Fig. 59). After the shells separate, the stomach is applied to the soft digestible parts. After the animal is eaten, the stomach FIG. 59. Starfish cat- is retracted. This odd way of eating is very ..... r b, stomach everted. economical to its digestive powers, for only that part of the food which can be digested and absorbed is taken into the body. Only the lower part of the stomach is wide and extensible. The upper portion (next to the aboral surface) is not so wide. This portion receives the secretion from five pairs of digestive glands, a pair of which is situated in each ray. Jaws and teeth are absent. (Why?) The vent is sometimes wanting. Why ? Reproduction.- -There is a pair of ovaries at the base of each ray of the female starfish (Fig. 58). The spermaries of the male have the same position and form as the ovaries, but they are lighter colored, usually white. 1 Regeneration after Mutilation. - - If a starfish loses one or more rays, they are replaced by growth. Only a very ignorant oyster- man, angry at the depredations of starfish upon his oyster beds, L The sperm cells and egg cells are poured out into the water by the adults, and the sperm cell, which, like nearly all sperm cells, has a vibratory, tail- like flagellum to propel it, reaches and fertilizes the egg cell. ANIMAL BIOLOGY would chop starfish to pieces, as this only serves to multiply them. This power simulates multiplication by division in the simplest animals. Steps in Advance of Lower Branches. The starfish and other echinodermata have a more developed nervous system, sensory organs, and digestion, than forms previously studied ; most dis- tinctive of all, they have a body cavity distinct from the food cavity. The digestive glands, reproductive glands, and the fluid which serves imperfectly for blood, are in the body cavity. There is no heart or blood vessels. The motions of the stomach and the bend- ing of the rays give motion to this fluid in the body cavity. It cannot be called blood, but it contains white blood corpuscles. The starfish when first hatched is an actively swim- ming bilateral animal, but it soon becomes starlike (Fig. 60). The limy plates of the starfish belong neither to the outer nor inner layer (endoderm and ectoderm) of the body wall, but to a third or middle layer (mesoderm) ; for echinoderms, like the polyps, belong to the three-layered animals. In this its skeleton differs from the shell of a crawfish, which is formed by the hardening of the skin itself. Protective Coloration. - - Starfish are brown or yellow. This makes them inconspicuous on the brown rocks or yellow sands of the seashore. This is an example of protective coloration. THE SEA URCHIN External Features. - - What is the shape of the body ? What kind of symmetry has it? Do you find the oral (or mouth) sur- face? The aboral surface? Where is the body flattened? What is the shape of the spines? What is their use? How are the tube FlG. 60. Young starfish crawling upon their mother. (Challenger Reports.) ECHINODERMS (SPINY ANIMALS} 39 feet arranged? Where do the rows begin and end? Would you think a sea urchin placed upside down in water, could right itself less or more readily than a star- fish? What advantage in turn- ing would each have that the other would not have? The name sea urchin has no refer- ence to a mischievous boy, but means sea hedgehog (French oursin, hedgehog), the name being suggested by its spines. Comparison of Starfish and Sea Urchin. The water sys- tem of the sea urchin, consist- ing of madreporite, tubes, and water bulbs, or ampullae, is similar to that of the starfish. FIG. 61. A SEA URCHIN crawling up the glass front wall of an aquarium (showing mouth spines and tube feet). The tube feet and locomotion are alike. There is no need for well-developed respiratory organs in either animal, as the whole body, inside and out, is bathed in water. The method of repro- duction is the same. The starfish eats soft animal food. The food of the sea urchin is mainly vegetable, and it needs teeth (Fig. 62, 63 ); -fc,-jKii^'e^ =;= ' ..~'-a FIG. 62. A SEA URCHIN with spines removed, the limy plates showing the knobs on which the spines grew. FIG. 63. SECTION OF SEA URCHIN with soft parts removed, showing the jaws which bear the teeth protruding in Fig. 6e. its food tube is longer than that of a starfish, just as the food tube of a sheep, whose food digests slowly, is much longer than that of a dog. ANIMAL BIOLOGY The largest species of sea urchins are almost as big as a child's head, but such size is unusual. The spines are mounted on knobs, and the joint resembles a ball-and-socket joint, and allows a wide range of movement. Some sea urchins live on sandy shores, other species live upon the rocks. The sand dollars are lighter colored. (Why?) They are usu- ally flatter and have lighter, thinner walls than the other species. The five- holed sand cake or sand dollar has its weight still further diminished by the holes, which also allow it to rise more easily through the water. Both starfish and sea urchin rest on the flattened lower surface of the body, while the tube feet are stretching for- ward for another step. OTHER ECHINODERMS The sea cucumbers, or holothurians, re- semble the sea urchin in many respects, ^^^ A ^^-~ : - 1:"^ FIG. 64. --THE SEA OT- TER, an urchin with mouth (), and (4) a lower lip (labium, m, a, b). The grasping jaws bear two pairs of jointed jaw fingers (maxillary palpi, D, C\ and the lower lip bears a pair of similar lip fingers (labial palpi, d). The biting jaws move sideways ; they usually have several pointed notches which serve as teeth. Why should the grasping jaws be beneath the chewing jaws ? Why is it better for the lower lip to have fingers than the upper lip ? Why are the fingers (or palpi) jointed ? (Watch a grasshopper or beetle eating.) Why does an insect need grasping jaws ? The chest, or thorax, consists of three rings (Fig. 124) called the front thorax (prothorax), middle thorax (mesothorax) and hind thorax (metathorax), or first, second, and third rings. The first ring bears the first pair of legs, the second ring bears the second pair of legs and the upper or front wings, and the third ring bears the third pair of legs and the under or hind wings. The six feet of insects are characteristic of them, since no other adult animals have that number, the spider having eight, the craw- fish and crabs having ten, the centipedes still more, while the birds and beasts have less than six. Hence the insects FIG. 124. EXTERNAL PARTS OF A BEETLE. FIG. 125. LEG OF INSECT. INSECTS 75 are sometimes called the Six-Footed class (Hexapodd). The insects are the only animals that have the body in three divisions. Man, beasts, and birds have only two divisions (head and trunk) ; worms are not divided. Define the class insecta by the two facts characteristic of them (i.e. possessed by them alone), viz. : Insects are ani- mals with and . Why would it be ambig- uous to include " hard outer skeleton " in this definition ? To include "bilateral symmetry"? "Segmented body"? The definition of a class must include all the individuals of the class, and exclude all the animals that do not belong to the class. The leg of an insect (Fig. 125) has five joints (two -short joints, two long, and the foot). Named in order from above, they are (i) the hip (coxa), (2) thigh ring (trochanter), (3) thigh (femur), (4) the shin (tibia), (5) the foot, which has five parts. Which of the five joints of a wasp's leg (Fig. 122) is thickest? Slenderest? Shortest? One joint (which?) of the foot (Fig. 122) is about as long as the other four F]G I26- _ FooT OF joints of the foot combined. Is the relative FLY, with climbing length of the joints of the leg the same in P ads - grasshoppers, beetles, etc., as in the wasp (Figs.)? Figure 125 is a diagram of an insect's leg cut lengthwise. The leg consists of thick-walled tubes (o, n) with their ends held together by thin, easy-wrinkling membranes which serve as joints. Thus motion is provided for at the expense of strength. When handling live insects they should never be held by the legs, as the legs come off very easily. Does the joint motion of insects most resemble the motion of hinge joints or ball-and-socket joints? Answer by tests of living insects. There are no muscles in the foot of an insect. The claw is moved by a muscle (m) in the thigh with which it is connected by the long tendon (2, s, t, v). In which part are the breathing muscles? As the wings are developed from folds of the dorsal skin, the wing has two layers, an upper and a lower layer. These inclose the so-called " nerves " or ribs of the wing, each of which consists of a blood tube inclosed in an air tube. ANIMAL BIOLOGY The abdomen in various species consists of from five to eleven overlapping rings with their foldlike joints be- tween them. Does each ring overlap the ring in front or the one behind it ? The food tube (Fig. 127) begins at the mouth, which usually bears salivary glands (4, Fig. 127, which repre- sents internal organs of the grasshopper). The food tube expands first into a croplike enlargement ; next to this is an organ (6, Fig. 127), which resembles the gizzard FIG. 127. VISCERA OF GRASSHOPPER. Key in text. Compare with Fig. 114. FIG. 128. AIR TUBES OF INSECT. in birds, as its inner wall is furnished with chitinous teeth (b, Fig. 1 14). These reduce the food fragments that were imperfectly broken up by the biting jaws before swallow- ing. Glands comparable to the liver of higher animals open into the food tube where the stomach joins the small intestine. At the junction of the small and large intestine (9) are a number of fine tubes (8) which correspond to kidneys and empty their secretion into the large intestine. The breathing organs of the insects are peculiar to them (see Fig. 128). They consist of tubes which are INSECTS 77 ^K^, IflKa FIG. 129. INSECT'S HEART (plan). kept open by having in their walls continuous spirals of horny material called chitin. Most noticeable are the two large membranous tubes filled with air and situated on each side of the body. Do these tubes extend through the thorax? (Fig. 128.) The air reaches these two main tubes by a number of pairs of short windpipes, or tracheas, which begin at openings (spiracles). In which division are the spiracles most numerous? (Fig. 128.) Which division is without spiracles ? Could an insect be drowned, i.e. smothered, by holding its body under water ? Could it be drowned by immersing all of it but its head ? The motion of the air through the breathing tubes is caused by a bellowslike motion of the abdomen. This is readily observed in grasshoppers, beetles, and wasps. As each ring slips into the ring in front of it, the abdomen is shortened, and the impure air, laden with carbon dioxid, is forced out. As the rings slip out, the abdomen is extended and the fresh air comes in, bringing oxygen. The Circulation. Near the dorsal surface of the abdomen (Fig. 131) extends the long, slender heart (Fig. 129). The heart has divisions separated by valvelike partitions. The blood comes into each of the heart compartments through a pair of openings. The heart contracts from the rear toward FIG. 130. DIAGRAMS OF EVOLUTION OF PERICARDIAL SAC around in- sect's heart from a number of veins (Lankester). FIG. 131. POSITION OF INSECT'S HEART, food tube, and nerve chain. ANIMAL BIOLOGY the front, driving the blood forward. The blood contains bodies corresponding to the white corpuscles of human blood, but lacks the red corpuscles and the red color. The blood is sent even to the wings. The veins in the wings consist of horny tubes inclosing air tubes surrounded by blood spaces, and the purification of the blood is taking place throughout the course of the circulation. Hence the im- perfect circulation is no disadvan- tage. The perfect provision for supplying oxygen explains the remarkable activity of which in- sects are capable and their great strength, which, considering their size, is unequaled by any other animals. The Nervous System. The heart in backboned animals, e.g. man, is ventral and the chief nerve trunk is dorsal. As already stated, the heart of an insect is dorsal ; its chief nerve chain, consisting of a double row of ganglia, is near the ventral surface (Fig. 131). All the ganglia are below the food tube except the first pair in the head, which are above the gullet. This pair may be said to correspond somewhat to the brain of backboned animals ; the nerves from the eyes and feelers lead to it. With social insects, as bees and ants, it is large and complex (Fig. 132). In a typical insect they are the largest ganglia. The Senses. The sense of smell of most in- sects is believed to be located in the feelers. The organ of hearing is variously located in different in- sects. Where is it in the grasshopper ? The organs of FIG. 132. NERVOUS SYS- TEM OF BEE. FIG. 133. FEELER of a beetle. INSECTS 79 FIG. 134. Diagram of simple eye of insect. L, lens; N", optic nerve. sight are highly developed, and consist of two compound eyes on the side of the head and three simple eyes on the top or front of the head between the com- pound eyes. The simple eye has nerve cells, pigments, and a lens resembling the lens in the eyes of vertebrates (Fig. 134). The compound eye (Fig. 135) has thousands of facets, usually hexagonal, on its surface, the facets being the outer ends of cones which have their inner ends directed toward the center of the eye. It is probable that the large, or compound, eyes of insects only serve to distinguish bright objects from dark objects. The simple eyes afford dis- tinct images of objects within a few inches of the eye. In gen- eral, the sight of insects, contrary to what its complex sight organs would lead us to expect, is not at all keen. Yet an insect can fly through a forest without striking a twig or branch. Is it better for the eyes that are immovable in the head to be large or small ? Which has comparatively larger FIG. 135. COMPOUND EYE OF INSECT. i, hexagonal facets of crystalline cones. 6, blood vessel in optic nerve. Inherited Habit, or Instinct. - - Insects and other ani- mals inherit from their parents their particular form of body and of organs which perform the different functions. For example, they inherit a nervous system with a struc- ture similar to that of their parents, and hence with a ten- dency to repeat similar impulses and acts. Repeated acts constitute a habit, and an inherited habit is called an in- 8O ANIMAL BIOLOGY stinct. Moths, for example, are used to finding nectar in the night-blooming flowers, most of which are white. The habit of going to white flowers is transmitted in the struc- ture of the nervous system ; so we say that moths have an instinct to go to white objects ; it is sometimes more obscurely expressed by saying they are attracted or drawn thereby. Instincts are not Infallible. They are trustworthy in only one narrow set of conditions. Now that man makes many fires and lights at night, the instinct just mentioned often causes the death of the moth. The instinct to provide for offspring is necessary to the perpetuation of all but the simplest animals. The dirt dauber, or mud wasp, because of inherited habit, or instinct, makes the cell of the right size, lays the egg, and provides food for offspring that the mother will never see. It seals stung and semiparalyzed spiders in the cell with the egg. If you try the experiment of removing the food before the cell is closed, the insect will bring more spiders ; if they are removed again, a third supply will be brought; but if taken out the third time, the mud wasp will usually close the cell without food, and when the egg hatches the grub will starve. The Development of Insects. The growth and molting of the grasshopper from egg to adult has been studied. All insects do not develop exactly by this plan. Some hatch from the egg in a condition markedly different from the adult. The butterfly's egg produces a wormlike cater- pillar which has no resemblance to the butterfly. After it grows it forms an inclosing case in which it spends a quiet period of development and comes out a butterfly. This change from caterpillar to butterfly is called the metamorphosis. The life of an insect is divided into four INSECTS 81 FlG. 136. Measuring worm, the larva of a moth. stages : (i) egg, (2) larva, (3) pupa, and (4) imago,, or per- fect insect (Figs. 136, 137, 138). The egg stage is one of development, no nourishment being absorbed. The larval stage is one of voracious feed- ing and rapid growth. In the pupa stage no food is taken and there is no growth in size, but rapid devel- opment takes place. In the per- fect stage, food is eaten, but no growth in size takes place. In this stage the eggs are. produced. When there is very little resemblance between the larva and imago, and no pupal stage, the metamorphosis, or change, is said to be complete. When, as with the grasshopper, no very marked change takes place between the larva and imago, there being no pupal stage, the metamorphosis is said to be in- of a mosquito. complete. By studying the illustrations and specimens, and by thinking of your past .observations of insects, determine which of the insects in the following list have a complete metamorphosis : beetle, house fly, grass- hopper, butterfly, cricket, wasp. FIG. 137. Pupa FIG. 138. THE FOUR STAGES OF A BOTFLY, all enlarged. , egg on hair of horse (bitten off and swallowed) ; b, larva; c, larva with hooks for holding to lining of stomach; d, pupal stage, passed in the earth; e, adult horse fly. 82 ANIMAL BIOLOGY RECOGNITION-CHARACTERS FOR THE PRINCIPAL ORDERS OF ADULT WINGED INSECTS (All are wingless when young, and wingless adult forms occur in all the orders : order APTERA lacks wing-bearing thoracic structures.) A single pair of wings is characteristic of the order DIPTERA. A jointed beak, that is sheath-like, inclosing the other mouth parts, is characteristic of the order HEMIPTERA. A coiled sucking proboscis and a wing covering of dust-like microscopic scales are characteristic of the order LEPIDOPTERA. Horny sheath-like fore wings, covering the hind wings and meeting in a straight line down the middle of the back, will dis- tinguish the order COLEOPTERA. Hind wings folded like a fan beneath the thickened and over- lapping fore wings, will distinguish most members of the order ORTHOPTERA. The possession of a sting (in females) and of two pairs of thin membranous wings the small hind wing hooked to the rear mar- gin of the fore wing will distinguish the common HYMENOPTERA. Besides these, there remain a number of groups most of which have in the past been included under the order NEUROPTERA, among which the Mayflies will be readily recognized by the lack of mouth parts and by the possession of two or three long tails ; the dragon flies by the two pairs of large wings, enormous eyes, and minute bristle-like antennae ; the scorpion flies, by the possession of a rigid beak, with the mouth parts at its tip ; the caddis flies, by their hairy wings and lack of jaws ; the lace wings, by the exquisite regularity of the series of cross veins about the margin of their wings, etc. INSECTS FIG. 139. MAY FLY. What order (see table)? Exercise in the Use of the Table or Key. - Write the name of the order after each of the fol- lowing names of insects : - Wasp (Fig. 122) Weevil (Fig. 163) Squash bug ( Fig. 184) Ant lion (Fig. 170) Dragonfly (Fig. 177) House fly (Fig. 172) Flea (Fig. 173) Silver scale or earwig (Fig. 140) Codling moth (Fig. 141) FIG. 140. SILVER SCALE. (Order?) Ichneumon fly (Fig. 159) Botfly (Fig. 138) Moths and Butterflies. - - Order_ ? Why. - (p. 82) ? The presence of scales on the wings is a never-failing test of a moth or butterfly. The wings do not fold at all. They are so large and the legs so weak and delicate that the butterfly keeps its balance with difficulty when walking in the wind. The maxillae are developed to form the long sucking proboscis. How do they fit together to form a tube ? (See Fig. 147.) The proboscis varies from a fraction of an inch in the "miller" to five inches in some tropical moths, which use it to extract nectar from long tubular flowers. When not in use, it is held coiled like a watch spring under the head (Fig. 148). The upper lip (labrum), under lip (labium), and lip fingers (labial palpi) are very small, and the mandibles small or wanting (Fig. 146). The metamorphosis is complete, the contrast between the caterpillar or larva of the moth and butterfly and the adult form being very great. The caterpillar has the three pairs of jointed legs typical of insects; these are 84 ANIMAL BIOLOGY found near the head (Fig. 141). It has also from three to five pairs of fleshy unjointed proplegs, one pair of which is always on the last segment. How many pairs of proplegs has the silkworm caterpillar? (Fig. 143.) The measuring worm, or looper ? (Fig. 136.) The pupa has a thin shell. Can you see external signs of the antennae, wings, and legs in this stage ? (Fig. 143.) The pupa is concealed by protective coloration, and is some- times inclosed in a silken cocoon which was spun by the caterpillar before the last molt. Hairy caterpillars are uncomfortable for birds to eat. The naked and brightly marked ones (examples of warning coloration) often con- tain an acrid and distasteful fluid. The injuries from lepidoptera are done in the caterpillar stage. The codling moth (Fig. 141) destroys apples to the estimated value of $6,000,000 annually. The clothes moth (Fig. 171) is a household pest. The tent caterpillar denudes trees of their leaves. The only useful caterpillar is the silkworm (Fig. 143). In Italy and Japan many of the country dwellings have silk rooms where thousands of these caterpillars are fed and tended by women and children. Why is the cab- bage butterfly so called ? Why can it not eat cabbage ? Why does sealing clothes in a paper bag prevent the ravages of the clothes moth ? Flight of Lepidoptera. - - Which appears to use more ex- ertion to keep afloat, a bird or a butterfly ? Explain why. Of all flying insects which would more probably be found highest up mountains? How does the butterfly suddenly change direction of flight ? Does it usually fly in a straight or zigzag course ? Advantage of this ? Bright colors are protective, as lepidoptera are in greatest danger when at rest on flowers. Are the brightest colors on upper or under side of wings of butterfly ? Why ? (Think of the INSECTS colors in a flower.) Why is it better for moths to hold their wings flat out when at rest ? Where are moths dur- ing the day? How can you test whether the color of the wings is given by the scales ? State how moths and butterflies differ in respect to : body, wings, feelers, habits. Insects and Flowers.- -Perhaps we are indebted to in- sects for the bright colors and sweet honey of flowers. Flowers need insects to carry their pollen to other flowers, as cross-fertilization produces the best seeds. The insects need the nectar of the flowers for food, and the bright colors and sweet odors are the advertisements of the flowers to attract insects. Flowers of brightest hues are the ones that receive the visits of insects. Moths, butter- flies, and bees carry most pollen (see Plant Biology, Chap. VI). Comparative Study. - - Make a table like this, occupying entire page of notebook, leaving no margins, and fill in accurately : GRASS- HOPPER BUTTER- FLY FLY PP- 9 2 > 93 DRAGON FLY, p. 93 BEETLE pp. 90, QI BEE pp. 88, 89 Number and kind of wings Description of legs Antennae (length, shape, joints) Biting or sucking mouth parts Complete or incom- plete metamor- phosis Illustrated Studies FIG. 142. CABBAGE BUTTERFLY, male and female, larva and pupa. FIG. 141. CODLING MOTH, from egg to adult. (See Farmers' Bulletin, p. 95.) FIG. 143. LIFE HISTORY OF SILKWORM. FlG. 144. SCALES FROM BUTTERFLIES' WINGS, as seen under microscope. Illustrated Studies To THE TEACHER: These illustrated studies require slower and more careful study than the text. One, or at most two, studies will suffice for a lesson. The questions can be answered by studying the figures. Weak observers will often fail and they should not be told, but should try again until they succeed. FIGS. 141-148. Illustrated Study of Lepidoptera. Study the stages in the development of codling moth, silk- worm moth, and cabbage butterfly. Where does each lay its eggs ? What does the larva of each feed upon ? Describe the pupa of each. Describe the adult forms. Find the spiracles and prolegs on the silkworm. Compare antenna of moth and butterfly. Which has larger body compared to size of wings ? Describe the scales from a butterfly's wings as seen under microscope (144). How are the scales arranged on moth's wing (145) ? By what part is scale attached to wing ? Do the scales overlap ? Study butterfly's head and proboscis (Figs. 146-148). What shape is compound eye ? Are the antennae jointed ? Is the proboscis jointed ? Why not call it a tongue ? (See text.) Which mouth parts have almost disappeared ? What is the shape of cut ends of halves of proboscis ? How are the halves joined to form a tube ? If you saw a butterfly on a flower, for what purpose would you think it was there? What, if you saw it on a leaf? How many spots on fore wing of female cabbage butterfly? (Fig. 124, above.) Does the silkworm chrysalis fill its cocoon ? Eggs may be obtained from U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. i-IG. 145. SCALES ON MOTH'S WING. FIG. 146. HEAD OF BUTTERFLY. FIG. 148. HEAD OF BUTTERFLY (side view). FIG. 147. SECTION OF PROBOSCIS of butterfly showing lapping joint and dovetail joint. 88 Illustrated Studies FIG. 153. FIG. 152. FIG. 156. FIG. 157. v FIG. 158. Anatomy of bee. FIGS. 149-161. Illustrated Study of Bees and their Kin- dred. Head of worker (Fig. 149) : o, upper lip ; ok, chew- ing jaws; uk, grasping jaws; kt, jaw finger : It, lip finger ; z, tongue. How do heads of drone (150) and queen (151) differ as to mouth, size of the two compound eyes, size and position of the three simple eyes ? Is the head of a worker more like head of drone or head of queen ? Judging by the head, which is the queen, drone, and worker in Figs. 154-156 ? Which of the three is largest? Smallest ? Broadest ? Figure 152 shows hind leg of worker. What surrounds the hollow, us, which serves as pollen basket ? The point, fh, is a tool for removing wax which is secreted (c, Fig. 157) between rings on abdomen. In Fig. 158, find relative positions of heart, v, food tube, and nerve chain. Is crop, /, in thorax or abdo- men ? In this nectar is changed to honey, that it rnay not spoil. Compare nerve chain in Fig. 132. Illustrated Studies FIG. 159. Ichneumon fly. Compare the cells of bumble bee (Fig. 153) with those of hive bee. They differ not only in shape but in material, being made of web instead of wax, and they usually contain larvae instead of honey. Only a few of the queens among bumble bees and wasps survive the winter. How do ants and honey bees provide for the workers also to survive the win- ter ? Name all the social insects that you can think of. Do they all belong to the same order ? The ichneumon fly shown enlarged in Fig. 159 lays its eggs under a caterpillar's skin. What becomes of the eggs ? The true size of the insect is shown by the cross lines at a. The eggs are almost microscopic in size. The pupae shown (true size) on caterpillar are sometimes mistaken for eggs. The same mistake is made about the pupa cases of ants. Ichneumon flies also use tree-borers as " hosts " for their eggs and larva. Is this insect a friend of man ? The digging wasp (Figs. 160 and 161) supplies its larva with caterpillars and closes the hole, sometimes using a stone as pounding tool. Among the few other uses of tools among lower animals are the elephant's use of a branch for a fly brush, and the ape's use of a walking stick. This wasp digs with fore feet like a dog and kicks the dirt out of the way with its hind feet. Are the wings of bees and wasps more closely or less closely veined than the wings of dragon flies ? (Fig. 177.) For an interesting account of the order " Joined-wings " (bees and their kindred) see Comstock's " Ways of the Six- footed," Ginn & Co. FIG. 161. Wasp using pebble. From Peckham's " Solitary Wasps," Houghton, Mifflin & Co. Illustrated Studies niustrated Study of Beetles. FIG. 162. Diving beetle (Dystic-us), with larva, a. FIG. 163. Weevil. FIG. 165. FIG. 166. Click beetle FIG. 167. MAY BEETLE FlG. 169. Colorado beetle (potato bug). Illustrated Studies Illustrated Study of Beetles (Figs. 162-169) . Write the life history of the Colorado beetle, or potato bug (Fig. 169), stating where the eggs are laid and describ- ing the form and activities of each stage (the pupal strige, b, is passed in the ground). Do the same for the May beetle (Figs. 167-168). (It is a larva the white g ru b for three years; hogs root them up.) Beetles, like moths, maybe trapped with a lantern set above a tub of water. Where does a Scarab (or sacred beetle of the Egyptians, also called tumble bug (Fig. 164), lay its eggs (Fig. 165)? Why? How does the click beetle^r jack snapper (Fig. 166), throw itself into the air? For what purpose ? The large proboscis of the -weevil (Fig. 163) is used for piercing a hole in which an egg is laid in grain of corn, boll of cotton, acorn, chestnut, plum, etc. How are the legs and body of the diving beetle suited for swimming (Fig. 162) ? Describe its larva. What is the shape of the lady bug (Fig. 97) ? It feeds upon plant lice (Fig. 185) . Is any beetle of benefit to man ? ' r; i i fjlp%p" f/ ^''^iiij.i ,\f ^^^S^& FlG. 170. Life history of ant lion. Illustrated Study of Ant Lion, or Doodle Bug (Fig. 170). Find the pitfall (what shape? ) ; the larva (describe it) ; the pupa case (ball covered with web and sand) ; the imago. Compare imago with dragon fly (Fig. 177). How does ant lion prevent ant from climbing out of pitfall (see Fig. 170) ? What is on edge of -nearest pitfall ? Explain. Ant lions may be kept in a box half filled with sand and fed on ants. How is the pitfall dug? \Vhat part of ant is eaten ? How is unused food removed? How long is it in the larval state ? Pupal state ? Keep net over box to pre- vent adult from flying away when it emerges. Illustrated Studies FIG. 171. A FIG. 173. Metamorphosis of flea. **-- o FlG. 172. Metamor- phosis of house fly (enlarged). FIG. 174. Louse and its eggs attached to a hair. Natural size and magnified. ^^^;.j'Vv/!4 : t Si "S; \.'\- ,"X 'JKV '-. -''!/ uJ*' v.:1-iir3iEM3^fcr ^^^*lP'r" ; ^s^%^ s'feQ^|; : Sp^^^B FIG. 175. Bed bug. x 5. H^r-"^ ''^'^B^fc^SSS't^-SJIs&^j^BJfflE^^ ^-a^-- FlG. 176. Life history of mosquito. Illustrated Studies 93 Illustrated Study of Insect Pests (Figs. 171-176). Why does the clothes moth (171) lay its eggs upon woolen clothing ? How does the larva conceal itself? The larva can cut through paper and cotton, yet sealing clothes in bags of paper or cotton protects them. Explain. The house fly eats liquid sweets. It lays its eggs in horse dung. Describe its larval and pupal forms. Banishing horses from city would have what beneficial effect ? Describe the louse and its eggs, which are shown attached to a hair, natural size and enlarged. Describe the bed bug. Benzine poured in cracks kills bed bugs. Do bed bugs bite or suck ? Why are they wingless ? Describe the larva, f, pupa, g, and the adult flea, all shown enlarged. Its mandibles, b, b, are used for piercing. To kill fleas lather dog or cat completely and let lather remain on five minutes before washing. Eggs are laid and first stages passed in the ground. How does the mosquito lay its eggs in the water without drowning (176) ? Why are the eggs always laid in still water ? Which part of the larva (wiggletail) is held to the surface in breathing ? What part of the pupa (called tumbler, or bull head) is held to the surface in breathing ? Give differences in larva and pupa. Where does pupa change to perfect insect ? Describe mouth parts of male mosquito (at left) and female (at right). Only female mosquitoes suck blood. Males suck juice of plants. Malarial mosquito alights with hind end of body raised at an angle. For figure see Human Biology, Chap. X. Why does killing fish and frogs increase mosquitoes? i oz. of kerosene for 15 ft. of surface of water, renewed monthly, prevents mosquitoes. What is the use to the squash bug (Fig. 184) of having so bad an odor ? \ 2 5 ' FIG. 179. Trap-door spider. FIG. 178. The tarantula. FIG. 180. FIG. 181. Anatomy of spider. FIG. 182. Laying egg. FlG. 183. Foot of spider. Illustrated Study of Spiders (Figs. 178-183). The tarantula, like most spi- ders, has eight simple eyes (none compound). Find them (Fig. 178). How do spiders and insects differ in body ? Number of legs ? Which have more joints to legs? Does trap-door spider hold the door closed (Fig. 179)? How many pairs of spinnerets for spinning web has a spider (Spw, 180) ? Foot of spider has how many claws ? How many combs on claws for holding web ? Spiders spin a cocoon for holding eggs. From what part of abdomen are eggs laid (E, 182; 2, 181) ? Find spider's air sacs, lu, Fig. 181 ; spinning organs, sp ; fang, //"; poison gland, g\ palpi, kt\ eyes, au ; nerve ganglia, og, ug\ sucking tube, sr ; stomach, rf; intestine, ma ; liver, le ; heart, h, (black) ; vent, a. Give two reasons why a spider is not an insect. How does it place its feet at each step (Fig. no) ? (Does the size of its nerve ganglia indicate great or little intelligence ? Why do you think first part of body corresponds to both head and thorax of insects ? INSECTS 95 FIG. 184. Squash bug, or stink bug. The following Farmer's Bulletins are available for free distribution to those interested, by the U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. : Farmer's Bulletin No. 47, Insects affecting the Cotton Plant; No. 59, Bee Keeping; No. 70, The Principal Insect Enemies of the Grape ; No. 80, The Peach Twig Borer ; No. 99, Three Insect Enemies of Shade Trees; No. 120, The Principal Insects affecting the Tobacco Plant ; No. 127, Important Insecticides; No. 132, The Principal Insect Enemies of Growing Wheat; No. 145, Carbon Bi- sulphid as an Insecticide ; No. 146, Insecticides and Fungicides; No. 152, revised, Mange in Cattle; No. 153, Orchard Enemies in the Pacific Northwest; No. 155, How Insects affect Health in Rural Districts; No. 159, Scab in Sheep; No. 165, Silkworm Culture; No. 171, The Control of the Codling Moth; No. 172, Scale In- sects and Mites on Citrus Trees; No. 196, Usefulness of the Toad ; No. 209, Controlling the Boll Weevil in Cotton Seed and at Ginneries ; No. 211, The Use of Paris Green in controlling the / / Cotton Boll Weevil; No. 212, ' The Cotton Bollworm ; No. 216, The Control of the Boll Weevil; No. 223, Miscellane- ous Cotton Insects in Texas ; No. 247, The Control of the Codling Moth and Apple Scab. The following bulletins of the Bureau of Entomology may be obtained from the same source at the prices affixed : Bulletin No. 25 (old series), Destructive Locusts, i5c. ; No. i (new series), The Honey Bee, 150. ; No. 3, The San Jos Scale, loc. ; No. 4, The Principal Household Insects of the U. S., ice. ; No. n, The Gypsy Moth in America, 5c. ; No. 14, The Periodical Cicada, i5c. No. 15, The Chinch Bug, ice. ; No. 16, The Hessian Fly, ioc.; Nos. 19, 23, and 33, Insects Injurious to Vegetables, loc. FIG. 185. Female plant louse, with and without wings (enlarged). 9 6 ANIMAL BIOLOGY each; No. 25, Notes on Mosquitoes of the U. S., loc. ; No. 42 Some Insects attacking the Stems of Growing Wheat, Rye, Barley, and Oats, 5c. ; No. 50, The Cotton Bolhvorm, 25C. ; No. 51, The Mexican Boll Weevil, 25c. Bureau of Plant .Industry FIG. 186. - Gall fly (enlarged) and oak Bulletin No. 88, Weevil-resisting gall with larva, and one from which Adaptations of the Cotton Plant, a developed insect has escaped. JOC< ^his giyes an i nstruc tive account of the struggle of a plant for existence against an insect enemy. FIG. 187. Weevil on a Corylus or filbert. w^ ^eslrisgsisSr- 1 . v- ' . t Pearl divers. CHAPTER IX MOLLUSKS THE FRESH-WATER MUSSEL SUGGESTIONS. The mussel is usually easy to procure from streams and lakes by raking or dredging. In cities the hard- shelled clam, or quahog, is for sale at the markets, and the follow- ing descriptions apply to the anodon, unio, or quahog, with slight changes in regard to the siphons. Mussels can be kept alive for a long time in a. tub with sand in the bottom. Pairs of shells should be at hand for study. External Features.- The shell is an elongated oval, broader and blunter at one end (Fig. 188). Why does the animal close its shell ? Does it open the shell ? Why ? Does it thrust the foot forward and pull up to it, or thrust the foot back and push ? (Mussels and clams have no bones.) Does it go with the blunt or the more tapering end of the shell forward ? (Fig. 188.) Can a mussel swim ? Why, or why not ? 97 H 9 8 ANIMAL BIOLOGY ' FIG. 188. ANODON, or fresh-water mussel. Lay the shells, fitted together, in your hand with the hinge side away from yon and tJie blunt end to tJie /<*/?( Fig. 1 88). Is the right or the left shell uppermost ? Which is the top, or dorsal, side ? Which is the front, or anterior, end ? Is the straight edge at the top or the bottom ? Our word " valve " is derived from a word meaning shell, because the Romans used shells for valves in pumps. Is the mussel a univalve or a bivalve ? Which kind is the oyster ? The snail ? Does the mussel have bilateral symmetry ? Can you find a horny coveiing, or epidermis, over the limy shell of a fresh specimen ? Why is it necessary ? Does water dissolve lime ? Horn ? Find a bare spot. Does any of the shell appear to be missing there ? The bare projection on each shell is called the umbo. Is the umbo near the ventral or the dorsal line ? The posterior or anterior end ? Is the surface of the umbones worn ? Do the umbones rub against the sand as the mussel plows its way along ? How are the shells held together ? Where is the ligament attached ? (Fig. 189.) Is it opposite the um- bones or more to the front or rear? (Fig. 189.) Is the liga- ment of the same material as the shell? Is the ligament in a compressed condition when the shell is open or when it is closed ? (Fig. 189.) When is the muscle relaxed ? FIG. 189. DIAGRAM OF SHELL open and closed, showing mus- cle, m, and ligament, b. MOLLUSKS 99 ex si.. FIG. 190. MUSSEL crawl- ing in sand. Notice the lines on the outside of the shell (Figs. 188 and 190). What point do they surround? They are lines of growth. Was each line once the margin of the shell? If the shell should increase in size, what would the present margin become ? (Fig. 191.) Does growth take place on the margin only? Did the shell grow thicker as it grew larger? Where is it thinnest ? Draw the outside of the shell from the side. Draw a dorsal view. By the drawings write the names of the margins of the shell (p. 98) and of other parts learned, using lines to indicate the location of the parts. Study the surface of the shell inside and out. The inside is called mother-of-pearl. Is it of lime ? Is the deeper layer of the shell of lime ? (When weak hydro- chloric acid or strong vinegar is dropped on limy substances, a gas, carbon dioxid, bubbles up.) Compare the thickness of the epidermal layer, the middle clialky layer, and the inner, pearly layer. Anatomy of the Mussel. - - What parts protrude at any time beyond the edge of the shell ? (Fig. 190.) The shell is secreted by two folds of the outer layer of the soft body of the mus- sel. These large, flaplike folds hang down on each side, and are called the mantle. The two great flaps of the mantle hang down lower than the rest of the body and line the shell which it secretes (Fig. 192). The epidermis of the mantle secretes the shell just as the epidermis of the crawfish secretes its crust. Can you find X.JE. FIG. 191. - DIAGRAM. Change of points of attach- ment of muscles as mussel enlarges. (Morgan.) IOO ANIMAL BIOLOGY SHELL FIG. 192. CROSS SECTION OF MUSSEL. (Diagram, after Parker.) the pallial line, or the line to which the mantle extended on each shell when the animal was alive ? A free portion of the mantle extended like a fringe below the pallial line. The shells were held together by two large adductor muscles. The anterior adductor (Fig. 193) is near the front end, above the foot. The posterior adductor is toward the rear end, but not so near the end as the anterior. Can you find both muscle scars in the shells ? Are they nearer the ventral or dorsal surface ? The points of attachment traveled down- ward and farther apart as the ani- mal grew (see Fig. 191). Higher than the larger scars are small scars, or impressions, where the protractor and retractor muscles that extend and draw in the foot were attached. H The muscular foot extends downward in the middle, half- way between the shells (Fig. 193). On each side of the foot and behind it hang down the two pairs of gills, the outer pair and the in- ner pair (Fig. 192). They may be compared to four V-shaped troughs with their sides full of holes. The water enters the troughs through the holes and overflows above. Is there a marked difference in the size of the two pairs of gills ? A kind of HEART. LIVER INT ANT.AOD5 POST5 ADD" MUS. , FIG. 193. ANATOMY OF MUSSEL. (Beddard.) MOLL USKS 101 chamber for the gills is made by the joining of the mantle flaps below, along the ventral line. The mantle edges are separated at two places, leaving openings called exhalent and inJialent sipJwns. Fresh water with its oxygen, propelled by cilia at the opening and on the gills, enters through the lower or inhalent siphon, passes between the gills, and goes to an upper passage, leaving the gill chamber by a slit which separates the gills from the foot. For this passage, see arrow (Fig. 194). The movement of the water is opposite to the way the arrow points. After going upward and backward, the water emerges by the exhalent siphon. The gills originally consisted of a great number of filaments. These are now united, but not completely so, and the gills still r FIG. 194. MUSSEL. have a perforated or lattice A, left shell and mantle nap removed. structure. Thus they present a B, section through body. large surface for absorbing oxy- , Question: Guided by other figures, J identify the parts to which lines are gen from the water. drawn. The mouth is in front of the foot, between it and the anterior adductor muscle (Fig. 194). On each side of the mouth are the labial palps, which are lateral lips (Fig. 195). They have cilia which convey the food to the mouth after the inhalent siphon has sent food beyond the gill -chamber and near to the mouth. Thus both food and oxygen enter at the inhalent siphon. The foot is in the position of a lower lip, and if regarded as a greatly extended lower lip, the animal may be said to have what is to us the absurd habit of using its lower lip as a foot. The foot is some- IO2 ANIMAL BIOLOGY times said to be hatchet-shaped (Fig. 195). Do you see any resemblance ? Does the foot penetrate deep or shal- low into the sand ? (Fig. 190.) Why, or why not ? The food tube of the mussel is com- paratively simple. Behind the mouth it enlarges into a swelling called the stom- ach (Fig. 193). The bile ducts of the neighboring liver empty into the stomach. The intestine makes several turns in the substance of the upper part of the foot, and then passing upward, it runs ap- proximately straight to the vent (or anus), which is in the wall of the exhalent siphon. The intestine not only runs through the pericardial cavity (celome) surrounding the heart, but through the ventricle of the heart itself (Fig. 196). The kidneys consist of tubes which open into the pericardial chamber above FIG. 195. MUSSEL. From below. Level cut across both shells. Se, palp; P, foot; O, mouth; G, liver; Gg, Vg, Pg, gan- glia. and into the gill chamber below (Neph., Fig. 193). The tubes are surrounded by numerous blood vessels (Fig. 198) and carry off the waste matter from the blood. The nervous system consists of three pairs of ganglia and nerves (Fig. 197). The ganglia are distinguishable because of ~ their orange color. The pedal ganglia on the front of the foot are easily seen also ; the vis- ceral ganglia on the posterior '/* adductor muscle may be seen without removing the mussel from the shell (Fig. 193). The reproductive organs open into the rear portion of the gill cavity (Fig. 193). The sperms, having been set free in the water, are drawn into the ova by the same current that brings the food. The eggs \ FIG. 196. -- HEART OF MUSSEL, with intestine passing through it. MOLL USKS 103 ed are hatched in the gills. After a while the young mussels go out through the siphon. Summary.- -In the gills (Fig. 198) the blood gains what? Loses what? From the digestive tube the blood absorbs nourish- ment. In the kidneys the blood is partly purified by the loss of nitrogenous waste. The cilia of the fringes on the inhalent, or lower, siphon, vibrate continually and drive water and food particles into the mouth cavity. Food particles that are brought near the labial palps are conveyed by them ff to the mouth. As the water passes along the perforated gills, its oxygen is absorbed ; the mantle also absorbs oxygen from the water as it passes. The water, as stated before, goes next through a passage between the foot and palp into the cavity above the gills and on out through the ex- halent siphon. By stirring the water, or placing a drop of ink near the / siphons of a mussel kept in a tub, FIG. 198. -- DIAGRAM OF ,. . r . a -i MUSSEL CUT ACROSS, the direction of its flow may be seen. showing mantlC| ma . gills> The pulsations of the heart are ma. kie\ foot,/; heart, testine. ed. n- plainly visible in a living mollusk. Habits of the Mussel. Is it abundant in clear or muddy water ; swift, still, or slightly moving water ? Describe its track or furrow. What is its rate of travel ? Can you distinguish the spots where the foot was attached to the ground ? How long is one " step " compared to the length of the shell ? The animal usually has the valves opened that it may breathe and eat. The hinge ligament acts like the case spring of a watch, and holds the valves open un- less the adductor muscles draw them together (Fig. 189). 104 ANIMAL BIOLOGY FIG. 199. OYSTER. C, mouth; a, vent; g,g', ganglia; nit, mantle; b, gill. When the mussel first hatches from the egg, it has a tri- angular shell. It soon attaches itself to some fish and thus travels about ; after two months it drops to the bottom again. Other Mollusca. - The oysters shells are not an exact pair, the shell which lies upon the bottom being hollowed out to contain the body, and the upper shell being flat. Can you tell by ex- amining an oyster shell which was the lower valve ? Does it show signs of having been attached to the bottom ? The young oyster, like the young mus- sel, is free-swimming. Like the arthropoda, most mollusks undergo a metamorphosis to reach the adult stage (Fig. 199). Examine the shells of clams, snails, scallops, and cockles. Make drawings of their shells. The slug is very similar to the snail except that it has no shell. If the shell of tl\e snail shown in Fig. 202 were removed, there would be left a very good representation of a slug. Economic Importance of Mollusca. - - Several species of clams are eaten. One of them is the hard-shell clam FIG. 201. CYPR^A. (Univalve, (quahog) found on the At- with a long opening to shell.) i , r /-* r* A lantic coast from Cape Cod to Texas. Its shell is white. It often burrows slightly beneath the surface. The soft-shell clam is better liked as food. It lives along the shores of all northern seas. It burrows a foot beneath the surface and extends its siphons FIG. 200. TROCHUS. MOLL USKS 105 through the burrow to the surface when the tide is in, and draws into its shell the water containing animalcules and oxygen. Oysters to the value of many millions of dollars are gath- ered and sold every year. The most valuable oyster fish- eries of the United States are in Chesapeake Bay. The young oysters, or " spat," after they attach themselves to the bottom in shallow water, are transplanted. New oyster beds are formed in this way. The beds are sometimes strewn with pieces of rock, broken pottery, etc., to encourage the oysters to attach themselves. The dark spot in the fleshy body of the oyster is the digestive gland, or liver. The cut ends of the tough adductor muscles are noticeable in raw oysters. The starfish is very destructive in oyster beds. Pearls are deposited by bivalves around some irritating particle that gets between the shell and the mantle. The pearl oyster furnishes most of the pearls ; sometimes pearls of great value are obtained from fresh-water mussels in the United States. Name articles that are made partly or wholly of mother- of-pearl. Study of a Live Snail or Slug.- -Is its body dry or moist ? Do land snails and slugs have lungs or gills? Why? How many pairs of tentacles has it? What is their relative length and position? The eyes are dark spots at bases of tentacles of snail and at the tips of the rear tentacles of slug. Touch the tentacles. What happens? Do the tentacles simply stretch, or do they turn inside FIG. 202. A SNAIL. /, mouth; vf, kf, feelers; e, opening of egg duct; fu, fopt; ma, mantle; lit, opening to lung; a, vent. io6 ANIMAL BIOLOGY out as they are extended? Is the respiratory opening on the right or left side of the body? On the mantle fold or on the body? (Figs. 202-3-4.) How often does the aperture open and close ? Place the snail in a FIG. 203. A SLUG. moist tumbler. Does the whole under surface seem to be used in creeping? Does the creeping surface change shape as the snail creeps ? Do any folds or wrinkles seem to move either toward the front or rear of its body? Is enough mu- cus left to mark the path traveled? The fold moves to the front, adheres, and smooths out as the slug or snail is pulled forward. Cephalopods. The highest and best de- veloped mollusks are the Cephalopods, or " head-footed ' mollusks. Surrounding the mouth are eight or ten appendages which serve both as feet and as arms. These appendages have two rows of sucking disks by which the animal attaches itself to the sea bottom, or seizes fish or other prey with a firm grip. The commonest examples are the squid, with a long body and ten arms, and the octopus, or devil- fish, with a short body and eight arms. Cephalopods have strong biting mouth parts and complex eyes somewhat resem- bling the eyes of backboned, FIG. 205. -A SQUID. . or vertebrate, animals. Ine large and staring eyes add to the uncanny, terrifying appearance. The sepia or " ink " discharged through the siphon of the squid makes a dark cloud in the water and favors its escape from FIG. 204. CIRCULATION AND RESPIRATION IN SNAIL. a, mouth; b, b, foot; c . vent; d, d, lung; 7z, heart. Blood vessels are black. (Perrier.) MOLLUSKS lO/ enemies almost as much as its swiftness (Fig. 205). The squid sometimes approaches a fish with motion so slow as to be imper- ceptible, and then sud- denly seizes it, and quickly kills it by bit- ing it on the back be- hind the head. The octopus is more sluggish than the squid. Large species called devilfish sometimes have a spread of arms of twenty-five feet. The pearly nautilus (Fig. 206) and the female of the paper argo- naut (Fig. 207) are examples of cephalopods that have shells. The cuttlefish is closely related to the squid. FIG. 206. --PEARLY NAUTILUS. (Shell sawed through to show chambers used when it was smaller, and siphuncle, S, connecting them. Ten- tacles, T.} FIG. 207. PAPER ARGONAUT (female). x % (i.e. the animal is three times as long and broad as figure) . FIG. 208. PAPER ARGO- NAUT (male), x i/ 2 . General Questions. - The living parts of the mussel are very soft, the name mollusca having been derived from the Latin word mollis, soft. Why is it that the softest animals, the mollusks, have the hardest coverings ? To which class of mollusks is the name acephala (head- less) appropriate ? Lamellibranchiata (platelike gills) ? io8 ANIMAL BIOLOGY Why is a smooth shell suited to a clam and a rough shell suited to an oyster ? Why are the turns of a snail's shell so small near the center ? Why does the mussel have no use for head, eyes, or pro- jecting feelers? In what position of the valves of a mussel is the hinge ligament in a stretched condition ? How does the shape of the mussel's gills insure that the water cur- rent and blood current are brought in close contact ? The three main classes of mollusks are : the pelecypoda (hatchet-footed); gastropoda (stomach-footed); and cepha- lopoda (head-footed). Give an example of each class. Comparison of Mollusks MUSSEL SNAIL SQUID Shell Head * Body Foot Gills Eyes i Comparative Review. - - (To occupy an entire page in notebook.) GRASS- HOPPER SPIDER CRAYFISH CENTIPEDE MUSSEL Bilateral or radiate Appendages for lo- comotion Names of divisions of body Organs and method of breathing Locomotion CHAPTER X FISHES SUGGESTIONS. The behavior of a live fish in clear water, preferably in a glass vessel or an aquarium, should be studied. A skeleton may be prepared by placing a fish in the reach of ants. Skeletons of animals placed on ant beds are cleaned very thoroughly. The study of the perch, that follows, will apply to almost any common fish. Movements and External Features.- -What is the gen- eral shape of tJie body of a fish ? How does the dorsal, or upper, region differ in form from the ventral ? Is there a narrow part or neck where the head joins the trunk? Where is the body thickest? What is the ratio between the length and height ? (Fig. 209.) Are the right and left sides alike ? Is the symmetry of the fish bilateral or radial ? The body of the fish may be divided into three regions, the head, trunk, and tail. The trunk begins with the foremost scales ; the tail is said to begin at the vent, or anus. Which regions bear appendages ? Is the head movable independently of the trunk, or do they movq together ? State the advantage or disadvantage in this, Is the body depressed (flattened vertically) or compressed 109 no ANIMAL BIOLOGY (flattened laterally) ? Do both forms occur among fishes ? (See figures on pages 123, 124.) How is the sJiape of the body advantageous for move- ment ? Can a fish turn more readily from side to side, or up and down ? Why ? Is the head wedge-shaped or coni- cal ? Are the jaws flattened laterally or vertically? The fish swims in the water, the bird swims in the air. Account for the differences in the shape of their bodies. Is the covering of tJie body like the covering of any ani- mal yet studied ? The scales are attached in little pockets, l(( , , I I <( I I " , ( i i 1 1 ii 1 1 1 1 1 !, L l -u,..i <. ^ FIG. 209. WHITE PERCH (Morone Americana). or folds, in the skin. Observe the shape and size of scales on different parts of the body. What parts of the fish are without scales ? Examine a single scale ; what is its shape ? Do you see concentric lines of growth on a scale ? Sketch a few of the scales to show their arrangement. What is the use of scales ? Why are no scales needed on the head ? How much of each scale is hidden ? Is there a film over the scale ? Are the colors in the scale or on it ? The Fins.- -Are the movements of the fish active or sluggish ? Can it remain stationary without using its fins ? FISHES 1 1 1 Can it move backward ? How are the fins set in motion ? What is the color of the flesh, or muscles, of a fish ? Count the fins. How many are in pairs ? (Fig. 209.) How many are vertical ? How many are on the side ? How many are on the middle line ? Are the paired or unpaired fins more effective in balancing the fish ? In turning it from side to side ? In raising and lowering the fish ? In pro- pelling it forward ? How are some of the fins useful to the fish besides for balancing and swimming ? The hard spines supporting the fins are called the fin rays. The fin on the dorsal line of the fish is called the dorsal fin. Are its rays larger or smaller than the rays of the other fins ? The perch is sometimes said to have two dorsal fins, since it is divided into two parts. The fin forming the tail is called the tail fin, or caudal fin. Are its upper and lower corners alike in all fishes ? (Fig. 228.) On the ventral side, just behind the vent, is the ventral fin, also called the anal fin. The three fins mentioned are unpaired fins. Of the four-paired fins, the pair higher on the sides (and usually nearer the front) are the pectoral fins. The pair nearer the ventral line are the pelvic fins. They are close together, and in many fish are joined across the ventral line. The ventral fins are compared to the legs, and the pectoral fins to the arms, of higher verte- brates. (Fig. 244.) Compare fins of fish, pages 123, 124. Make a drawing of the fish seen from the side, omit- ting the scales unless your drawing is very large. Are the eyes on the top or sides of the head, or both ? Can a fish shut its eyes ? Why, or why not ? Is the eye- ball bare, or covered by a membrane ? Is the covering of the eyeball continuous with the skin of the head ? Is there a fold or wrinkle in this membrane or the surround- ing skin ? Has the eye a pupil ? An iris ? Is the eye of 112 ANIMAL BIOLOGY FIG. 210. BLACKBOARD OUTLINE OF FISH. the fish immovable, slightly movable, or freely movable ? Can it look with both eyes at the same object ? Is the range of vision more upward or downward ? To the front or side ? In what direction is vision impossible ? Can a fish close its eyes in sleep ? Does the eyeball appear spherical or flat- tened in front ? The ball is really spherical, the lens is very convex, and fish are nearsighted. Far sight would be useless in a dense medium like water. In what direction are the nostrils from the eyes? (Fig. 211.) There are two pairs of nostrils, but only one pair of nasal cavities, with two nostrils opening into each. There are no nasal passages to the mouth, as the test with a probe shows that the cavities do not open into the mouth. What two functions has the nose in man ? What func- tion has it in the fish ? There are no external ears. The ear sacs are embedded in the bones of the skull. Is hearing acute or dull? When fish- ing, is it more necessary not to talk or to step lightly, so as not to jar the boat or bank ? What is the -use of the large openings found at the back of the head on each side ? (Fig. 211.) Under the skin at the sides of the head are thin membrane bones formed from the skin ; they aid the skin in protection. Just under these membrane bones are the gill covers, of true bone. Which FIG. 211. HEAD OF CARP. FISHES 1 1 3 consists of more parts, the membranous layer, or the true bony layer in the gill cover ? (Figs. 21 1 and 21 2.) Is the mouth large or small ? Are the teeth blunt or pointed ? Near the outer edge, or far in the mouth ? (Fig. 212.) Does the fish have lips? Are the teeth in one continuous row in either jaw? In the upper jaw there are also teeth on the premaxillary bones. These bones are in front of the maxillary bones, which are with- out teeth. Teeth are also found in the roof of the mouth, and the tongue bears horny appendages similar to teeth. Are the teeth of the fish better suited for chewing or for FIG. 212. SKELETON OF PERCH. grasping ? Why are teeth on the tongue useful ? Watch a fish eating : does it chew its food ? Can a fish taste ? Test by placing bits of brown paper and food in a vessel or jar containing a live fish. Is the throat, or gullet, of the fish large or small ? The skeleton of a fish is simpler than the skeleton of other backboned animals. Study Fig. 212 or a prepared skeleton. At first glance, the skeleton appears to have two vertebral columns. Why ? What bones does the fish have that correspond to bones in the human skeleton ? Are the projections (processes) from the vertebrae long or short ? The ribs are attached to the vertebrae of the trunk, the last rib being above the vent. The tail begins at the ANIMAL BIOLOGY vent. Are there more tail vertebrae or trunk vertebrae ? Are there any neck (cervical) vertebrae (i.e. in front of those that bear ribs)? The first few ribs (how many ?) are attached to the central body of the vertebrae. The re- FIG. 213. maining ribs are loosely attached to processes on the vertebrae. The ribs of bony fishes are not homologous with the ribs of the higher vertebrates. In most fishes there are bones called intermuscular bones attached to the first ribs (how many in the perch ?) which are possibly homol- ogous to true ribs ; that is, true ribs in the higher verte- brates may have been developed from such beginnings. Which, if any, of the fin skeletons (Fig. 214) are not attached to the general skeleton ? Which fin is composed chiefly of tapering, pointed rays ? Which fins consist of rays which sub- divide and widen FIG. 214. SOFT-RAYED AND SPINY-RAYED FINS. toward the end ? Which kind are stiff, and which are flexible ? Which of the fin rays are segmented, or in two portions ? The outer segment is called the radial, the inner the basal segment. Which segments are longer ? There is one basal segment that lacks a radial segment; find it (Fig. 212). FISHES FIG. 215. -- CARP, with right gill cover removed to show gills. What is the advantage of the backbone plan of struc- ture over the armor-plate plan ? You have seen the spool- like body of the vertebra in canned salmon. Is it concave, flat, or convex at the ends ? The gills are at the sides of the head (Fig. 215) under the opercula, or gill covers. What is the color of the gills ? Do the blood vessels appear to be very near the surface of the gills, or away from the surface ? What advan- tage in this ? Are the gills smooth or wrinkled ? (Fig. 215.) What ad- vantage ? The bony supports of the gills, called the gill arches, are shoxvn in Fig. 216 (j to 4 ). How many arches on each side? The gill arches have projections on their front sides, called gill rakers, to prevent food from being washed through the clefts between the arches. The fringes on the rear of the gill arches are called the gill filaments (a, Fig. 216). These filaments support the thin and much- wrinkled borders of the gills, for the gills are constructed on the plan of exposing the greatest possible surface to the water. Compare the plan of the gills and the human lungs. The gill opening on each side is guarded by seven rays (kh, Fig. 216) along the hinder border of the FIG. 216. SKELETON AROUND THROAT OF FISH. n6 ANIMAL BIOLOGY gill cover. These rays grow from the tongue bone. (Zu, Fig. 216. This is a rear view.) Watch a live fish and determine how the water is forced between the gills. Is the mouth opened and closed in the act of breathing? Are the openings behind the gill covers opened and closed ? How B FIG. 217. CIRCULATION IN GILLS. FIG. 218. NOSTRILS, MOUTH, AND GILL OPENINGS OF STING-RAY. many times per minute does fresh water reach the gills ? Do the mouth and gill covers open at the same time ? Why must the water in contact with the gills be changed constantly ? Why does a fish usually rest with its head up stream ? How may a fish be kept alive for a time after it is removed from the water ? Why does drying of the gills prevent breathing ? If the mouth of a fish were propped open, and the fish re- turned to the water, would it suffocate ? Why, or why not? a I FIG. 219. GILL OPENINGS OF EEL. Food Tube. The gullet is short and wide. The stomach is elongated (Fig. 220). There is a slight constriction, or narrow- ing, where it joins the intestine. Is the intestine straight, or does it lie in few or in many loops? (Fig. 220.) The liver has a gall bladder and empties into the intestine through a bile duct. Is the FISHES 117 liver large or small? Simple or lobed? The spleen (mi, Fig. 220) lies in a loop of the intestine. The last part of the intestine is straight and is called the rectum. Is it of the same size as the other portions of the intestine? The fish does not possess a pan- creas, the most important digestive gland of higher vertebrates. ma FIG. 220. ANATOMY OF CARP. (See also colored figure 4.) bf, barbels on head (for feeling) ; h, ventricle of heart; as, aortic bulb for regulating flow to gills; vk, venous sinus; ao, dorsal aorta; ma, stomach; /, liver; gb, gall cyst; mi, spleen; d, small intestine; md, large intestine; rt,vent; s, s, swim bladder; ni,ni, kidney; hi, ureter; hb, bladder; ro, eggs (roe>; mhe, opening of ducts from kidney and ovary. Questions: Are the kidneys dorsal or ventral ? The swim bladder ? Why? Why is the swim bladder double ? Does blood enter gills above or below ? The ovary lies between the intestine and the air bladder. In Fig. 220 it is shown enlarged and filled with egg masses called roe. It opens by a pore behind the vent. The silver lining of the body cavity is called the peritoneum. (See Chap. VII, Human Biology.) Is the air bladder simple or partly divided in the perch? In the carp? (Fig. 220.) Is it above or below the center of the body? Why?" The air bladder makes the body of the fish about as light as water that it may rise and sink with little effort. When a fish dies, the gases of decomposition distend the bladder and the abdomen, and the fish turns over. Why ? Where are the kidneys? (Fig. 220.) Their ends unite close under the spinal column. The ureters, or tubes, leading fro.m them, unite, and after passing a small urinary bladder, lead to a tiny urinary pore just behind the opening from the ovary. (Colored figure 4.) The Circulation. The fish, unlike other vertebrates, has its breathing organs and its heart in its head. The gills have already been described. The heart of an air-breathing vertebrate is near ANIMAL BIOLOGY its lungs. Why? The heart of a fish is near its gills for the same reason. The heart has one auricle and one ventricle. (Colored figure i.) Blood returning to the heart comes through several veins into a sinus, or antechamber, whence it passes down through a valve FIG. 221. PLAN OF CIRCULATION. A b, arteries to gills; Ba, aortic bulb; V, ventricle. into fas auricle ; from the auricle it goes forward into the ventricle. The ventricle sends it into an artery, not directly, but through a bulb (as, Fig. 220), which serves to maintain a steady flow, without pulse beats, into the large artery (aorta) leading to the gills. The arteries leading from the gills join to form a dorsal aorta (Ao, Fig. 221), which passes backward, inclosed by the lower processes of the spinal column. After going through the capillaries of the various organs, the blood returns to the heart through veins. The color of the blood is given by red corpuscles. These are nucleated, oval, and larger than the blood corpuscles of other ver- tebrates. The blood of the fish is slightly above the temperature of the water it in- habits. Notice the general shape of the brain (Fig. 222). Are its subdivisions distinct or indistinct? Are the lobes in pairs? The middle portion of the brain is the widest, and consists of the two optic lobes. From these lobes the optic nerves pass beneath the brain to the eyes (Sn, Fig. 223). In FIG. 222. BRAIN OF PERCH, from above. , end of nerve of smell ; an, eye; v, z, m, fore, mid, and hind brain; h, spinal bulb; r, spi- nal cord. FISHES 119 front of the optic lobes lie the two cerebral lobes, or the cerebrum. The small olfactory lobes are seen (Fig. 224) in front of the cere- brum. The olfactory nerves may be traced to the nostrils. Back of the optic lobes (mid brain) is the cerebellum (hind brain), and back of it is the medulla oblongata, or beginning of the spinal cord. FIG. 223. BRAIN OF PERCH, side view. FIG. 224. BRAIN OF PERCH, from above. Taking the eyeball for comparison, is the whole brain as large as one eyeball? (Fig. 222.) Judging from the size of the parts of the brain, which is more important with the fish, thinking or per- ception? Which is the most important sense? The scales along a certain line on each side of the fish, called the lateral line, are perforated over a series of lateral line sense organs, supposed to be the chief organs of touch (see Fig. 209). Questions. Which of the fins of the fish have a use which corresponds to the keel of a boat ? The rudder ? A :. "%;-**'' * - " i ^~v Njir v % .saw*.* ' " - ' . v k . *}?> ji'Y '''V/ v > S i , ,_^^*ss^: TT-T '- V- --r*f*y - - . - ^ * FlG. 225. THE STICKLEBACK. Instead of depositing the eggs on the bottom, it makes a nest of water plants the only fish that does so and bravely defends it. I2O ANIMAL BIOLOGY FIG. 226. ARTIFICIAL FECUNDATION. The egg-cells and sperm-cells are pressed out into a pan of water. paddle for sculling ? An oar? State several reasons why the head of the fish must be very large, although the brain is very small. Does all the blood go to the gills just after leaving the heart ? Make a list of the different species of fish found in the waters of your neigh- borhood ; in the markets of your town. Reproduction. The female fish deposits the unfertilized eggs, or ova, in a secluded spot on the bottom. Afterward the male fish deposits the sperms in the same place (see Fig. 225). The eggs, thus unprotected, and newly hatched fish as well, are used for food by fish of the same and other species. To compensate for this great destruction, most fish lay (spawn) many thousands of eggs, very few of which reach maturity. Higher vertebrates (e.g. birds) have, by their superior in- telligence, risen above this wasteful method of reproduction. Some kinds of marine fish, notably cod, herring, and salmon, go many miles up fresh rivers to spawn. It is possible that this is because they were originally fresh-water species ; yet they die if placed in fresh water except during the spawning season. They go FIG. 227. NEWLY HATCHED TROUT, with yolk-sac adhering, eyes large, and fins mere folds of the skin. (Enlarged.) FISHES 1 2 1 because of instinct, which is simply an inherited habit. Rivers may be safer than the ocean for their young. They are worn and exhausted by the journey, and never survive to lay eggs the second time. FIG. 228. A SHARK (Acanthias vulgaris). The air bladder is developed from tJie food tube in the embryo fish, and is homologous with lungs in the higher vertebrates. Are their functions the same ? Fish that feed on flesh have a short intestine. Those that eat plants have a long intestine. Which kind of food is more quickly digested ? There are mucous glands in the skin of a fish which supply a secretion to facilitate movement through the water ; hence a freshly caught fish, before the secretion has dried, feels very slippery. The air bladder, although homologous to lungs, is not a breathing organ in common fishes. It is filled by the formation of gases from the blood, and can be made smaller by the contraction of muscles along the sides of the body ; this causes the fish to sink. In the gar and other ganoids, the air bladder contains blood vessels, is con- nected with the gullet, and is used in breathing. Organs serving the same purpose in different animals are said to be analogous. To what in man are the gills of the fish analo- gous ? Organs having a like position and origin are said to be homologous. The air bladders of a fish are homologous with the lungs of man ; but since they have not the same use they are not analogous. 122 ANIMAL BIOLOGY How does the tail of a shark or a gar differ from the tail of common fishes ? (Fig. 228.) Do you know of fish destitute of scales ? Do you know of fish with whiplike feelers on the head ? (Figs.) Why are most fishes white on the under side ? Comparative Review. (Copy table on one page or two facing pages of notebook.) IS THERE A HEAD? A NECK? METHOD OF FEEDING DIGESTIVE ORGANS AND DIGESTION REPRODUC- TION SENSES Ameba Sponge Hydra Starfish Earthworm Wasp Mussel Fish wm^^^^j^ FIG. 229. DRAWING THE SEINE. FIG. 230. SUNFISH. FIG. 235. CARP. FIG. 231.-- TUNNY FIG. 236. HERRING. FIG. 232. SWORDFISH. FIG. 237. SPECKLED TROUT. FIG. 233. SWELLFISH. FIG. 238. PERCH. FIG. 234. --TURBOT. FIG. 239. SALMON. Seven Food Fish. Three Curious Fish. SPECIAL REPORTS. (Encyclopedia, texts, dictionary.) 123 FIG. 243. LANTERN FISH (Linophryne lucifer}. (After Collett.) FIG. 240.- SEA HORSE , ( Hippocampus) , with incubat- ing pouch, Brt. FIG. 244. LUNG FISH of Australia ( Ceratodus m iolepis) . FIG. 241. BAND FISH. FIG. 245. TRUNK FISH. FIG. 242. TORPEDO. Elec- trical organs at right and left of brain. FIG. 246. SEAWEED FISH. {Phyllopteryx egues) . Remarkable Fish. SPECIAL REPORTS. (Encyclopedia, texts, dictionary.) 124 GENERAL CLASSIFICATION 125 RECOGNITION GROUP CHARACTERS The commoner members of the several branches may be recog- nized by the following characters : 1. The Protozoans are the only one-celled animals. 2. The Sponges are the only animals having pores all over the body for the inflow of water. 3. The Polyps are the only many-celled animals having a single opening into the body, serving for both mouth and vent. They are radiate in structure, and usually possess tentacles. 4. The Echinoderms are marine animals of more or less radiate appearance, having a food tube in the body separate from the body wall. The following groups are plainly bilateral : that is, dorsal and ventral surfaces, front and hind ends are different. 5. The Vermes have usually a segmented body but lack jointed legs. 6. The Arthropods have an external skeleton and jointed legs. 7. The Mollusks have soft bodies, no legs, no skeleton, but usually a limy shell. 8. The Vertebrates have an internal skeleton of bones, and usually two pairs of legs. ^ CHAPTER XI BATRACHIA THE theory of evolution teaches that animal life began in a very simple form in the sea, and that afterward the higher sea animals lost their gills and developed lungs and legs and came out to live upon the land ; truly a marvelous procedure, and incredible to many, although the process is repeated every spring in count- less instances in pond and brook. In popular language, every cold-blooded vertebrate breathing with lungs is called a reptile. The name reptile is properly applied only to lizards, snakes, turtles, and alligators. The com- mon mistake of speaking of frogs and salamanders as reptiles arises from considering them only in their adult condition. Rep- tiles hatch from the egg as tiny reptiles resembling the adult forms ; frogs and salamanders, as every one knows, leave the egg in the form of tadpoles (Fig. 248). The fact that frogs and salamanders begin active life as fishes, breathing by gills, serves to distinguish them from other cold-blooded animals, and causes naturalists to place them in a separate class, called batrachia (twice breather) or amphibia (double life). TADPOLES SUGGESTIONS. - -Tadpoles may be studied by placing a number of frog's eggs in a jar of water, care being taken not to place a large number of eggs in a small amount of water. When they hatch, water plants (e.g. green algae) should be added for food. The behavior of frogs may be best studied in a tub of water. A toad in captivity should be given a cool, moist place, and fed well. A piece of meat placed near a toad may attract flies, and the toad may be observed while catching them, but the motion is so swift as to be almost imperceptible. Live flies IT ay be put into a glass jar with a toad. Toads do not move about until twilight, except 126 BATRACHIA 127 in cloudy, wet weather. They return to ponds and brooks in spring at the time for laying eggs. This time for both frogs and toads is shown by trilling. All frogs, except tree frogs, remain in or near the water all the year. FIG. 248. METAMORPHOSES OF THE FROG, numbered in order. Do eggs hatch and tadpoles grow more rapidly in a jar of water kept in a warm place or in a cold place ? In pond water or drinking water ? Can the tadpoles be seen to move in the eggs before hatching ? When do the external gills show ? (Fig. 248.) What parts may be described in a tadpole ? What is the shape of the tail ? Compare tJie tadpole with the fish as to (i) general shape, (2) cover- ing, (3) fins, (4) tail, (5) gills. Do the exter- nal gills disap- pear before or after any rudiments of limbs appear ? (6, 7, Fig. 248.) Can you locate the gills after they be- come internal ? (Fig. 249.) FIG. 249. TADPOLE, from below, showing intestine and internal gills. (Enlarged.) 128 ANIMAL BIOLOGY In what state of growth are the legs when the tadpole first goes to the surface to breathe ? Which legs appear first ? What advantage is this ? What becomes of the tail ? Is the tail entirely gone before the frog first leaves the water ? Are tadpoles habitually in motion or at rest ? Is the intestine visible through the skin ? (Fig. 249.) Is it straight or coiled ? Remembering why some fish have larger intestines than others, and that a cow has a long intestine and a cat a short one, state why a tad- pole has a relatively longer intestine than a frog. Compare the mouth, jaws, eyes, skin, body, and habits of tadpole and frog. FROGS Prove that frogs and toads are beneficial to man. Did you ever know of a frog or toad destroying anything useful, or harming any one, or causing warts ? How many pupils in class ever had warts ? Had they handled frogs before the warts came ? Frogs are interesting, gentle, timid animals. Why are they repulsive to some people ? Environment. Where are frogs found in greatest numbers ? What occurs when danger threatens them ? What enemies do they have ? \yhat color, or tint, is most prominent on a frog ? Does the color " mimic " or imi- tate its surroundings ? What is the color of the under side of the body ? (Fig. 250.) Why is there greater safety in that color ? What enemies would see water frogs from below ? Do tree frogs mimic the bark ? The leaves ? Can a frog stay iinder water for an indefinite time ? Why, or why not ? What part of a frog is above the BATRACHIA 129 surface when it floats or swims in a tub of water ? Why ? Do frogs croak in the water or on the bank ? Why do they croak after a rain ? Do toads croak ? Are the eggs laid in still or flowing water ? In a clear place or among sticks and stems ? Singly, or in strings or in masses ? (Fig. 248.) Describe an egg. Why do frogs dig into the mud in autumn in cold climates ? Why do they not dig in mud at the bottom of a pond ? Why is digging unnecessary in the Gulf states ? . -S FIG. 250. PAINTED FROG {Chorophilus ornatus), of Mexico. Describe the position of the frog when still (Fig. 250). What advantage in this position ? Does the frog use its fore legs in swimming or jumping ? Its hind legs ? How is the frog fitted for jumping ? Compare it in this respect with a jumping insect; a jumping mammal. How is it fitted for swimming ? Is the general build of its body better fitted for swimming or jumping? How far can a frog jump ? External Features. The frog may be said to have two regions in its body, the head and trunk. A neck hardly 130 ANIMAL BIOLOGY exists, as there is only one vertebra in front of the shoul- ders (Fig. 252), while mammals have seven neck (cervical) vertebrae. There are no tail (caudal) vertebrae, even in the tadpole state of frogs and toads. The head appears triangular in shape when viewed from what direction ? The head of a frog is more pointed than the head of a toad. Is the skull a closed case of broad bones or an open structure of narrow bones ? (Fig. 252.) Describe the mouth. Observe the extent of the mouth opening (Fig. 251). Are teeth present in the upper jaw? The lower jaw ? Are the teeth sharp or dull ? Does the frog chew its food ? Is the tongue slender or thick? (Fig. 251.) Is it attached to the front or the back of the mouth ? In what direction does the free end extend when the tongue lies flat? Is the end pointed or lobed ? How far out will the FIG. 251. HEAD OF FROG. tongue stretch ? For what is it used ? Why is it better for the teeth to be in the upper , jaw rather than in the lower jaw? That the teeth are of little service is shown by the fact that the toad with simi- lar habits of eating has no teeth. Will a toad catch and swallow a bullet or pebble rolled before it ? The toad is accustomed to living food, hence prefers a moving insect to a still one. The Senses. Compare the eyes with the eyes of a fish in respect to position and parts. Are the eyes pro- truding or deep-set ? Touch the eye of a live frog. Can it be retracted ? What is the shape of the pupil ? The color of the iris ? Is the eye bright or dull ? What probably gave rise to the superstition that a toad had a jewel in its head? Is there a third eyelid? Are the B ATRAC HI A upper and lower eyelids of the same thickness ? With which lid does it wink ? Close its eye ? Observe the large oval ear drum or tympanum. What is its direction from the eye? (Fig. 251.) The mouth? Is there a projecting ear? Does the frog hear well? What reason for your answer ? As in the human ear, a tube (the Eustachian tube) leads from the mouth to the inner side of the tympanum. How many nostrils? (Fig. 251.) Are they near to- gether or separated ? Large or small ? A bristle passed into the nostril comes into the mouth not far back in the roof. Why must it differ from a fish in this ? How do \htfore and liind legs differ ? How many toes on the fore foot or hand ? On the hind foot ? On which foot is one of the toes rudimentary ? Why is the fore limb of no assistance in propelling the body in jumping ? Do the toes turn in or out? (Fig. 250.) How does the frog give direction to the jump ? What would be the disadvantage of always jumping straight forward when fleeing? Which legs are more useful in alighting ? Divisions of the Limbs.- -Distinguish the upper arm, fore- arm, and hand in the fore limb (Figs. 252 and 253). Compare with skeleton of man (Fig. 399). Do the arms of a man and a frog both have one bone in the upper arm and two in the forearm ? Both have several closely joined bones in the wrist and FIG. 252. SKELETON OF FROG. 132 ANIMAL BIOLOGY five separate bones in the palm. Do any of the frog's fingers have three joints ? Compare also tJie leg of man and the hind leg of the frog (Figs. 253 and 399). Does the thigh have one bone in each ? The shank of man has two bones, shin and splint .bone. Do you see a groove near the end in the shank bone of a frog (Fig. 252), in- dicating that it was formed by the union of a shin and FIG. 253. SKELETON OF FROG. v i, > -ru splint bone ? The first two of the five bones of the ankle are elongated, giv- ing the hind leg the appearance of having an extra joint (Fig. 253). The foot consists of six digits, one of which, like the thumb on the fore limb, is rudimentary. The five developed toes give the five digits of the typical verte- brate foot. Besides the five bones cor- responding to the instep, the toes have two, three, or four bones each. How is the hind foot specialized for swim- ming? Which joint of the leg con- tains most muscle? (Fig. 254.) Find other bones of the frog analogous in position and similar in form to bones in the human skeleton. FIG. 254. LEG MUS- CLES OF FROG. BATRACHIA 133 Is the skin of a frog tight or loose ? Does it have any appendages corresponding to scales, feathers, or hair of other vertebrates ? Is the skin rough or smooth ? The toad is furnished with glands in the skin which are some- times swollen ; they form a bitter secretion, and may be, to some extent, a protection. Yet birds and snakes do not hesitate to swallow toads whole. Show how both upper and under surfaces of frog illustrate protective coloration. All batrachians have large and numerous blood vessels in t/ie skin by which gases are exchanged with the air, the skin being almost equal to a third lung. That the skin may function in this way, it must not become dry. Using this fact, account for certain habits of toads as well as frogs. If a frog is kept in the dark or on a dark surface, its skin will be- come darker than if kept in the light or on a white dish. Try this experi- ment, comparing two frogs. This power of changing color is believed to be due to the diminution in size of certain pigment cells by contrac- tion, and enlargement from relaxation. This power is possessed to a certain degree not only by batrachians but also by many fishes and reptiles. The chameleon, or green lizard of the Gulf states, surpasses all other animals in this respect (Fig. 280). What advantage from this power ? Digestive System. - The large mouth cavity is connected by a short throat with the gullet, or esophagus (Fig. 255). a- 9-J. FIG. 255. DIGESTIVE CANAL OF FROG. Mh, mouth; Z, tongue pulled outward; S. opening to larynx; Oe, gullet; M, stom- ach; D, intestine; P, pan- creas; L, liver; G, gall bladder; R, rectum; Hb, bladder; Cl, cloaca; A, vent. 134 ANIMAL BIOLOGY A slit called the glottis opens from the throat into the lungs (Fig. 255). Is the gullet long or short? Broad or narrow? Is the stomach short or elongated? Is the division distinct between the stomach and gullet, and stomach and intestine ? Is the liver large or small ? Is it simple or lobed ? The pancreas lies between the stomach and the first bend of the intestines (Fig. 255). What is its shape ? A bile duct connects the liver with the small intestine (Dc, Fig. 255). It passes through the pancreas, from which it re- ceives several pancreatic ducts. After many turns, the small intestine joins the large intestine. The last part of the large intestine is called the rectum (Latin, straight). The last part of the rectum is called the cloaca (Latin, a drain), and into it the ducts from the kidneys and repro- ductive glands also open. The kidneys are large, elongated, and flat. They lie under the dorsal wall. The urinary bladder is also large. Does the salamander have a similar digestive system? (Fig. 256.) Why are the liver and lungs (Fig. 256) longer in a sala- mander than in a frog ? Respiration.- -How many lungs? Are they simple or lobed ? (Fig. 256.) A lung cut open is seen to be baglike, with numerous ridges on its inner surface. This increases the surface with which the air may come in contact. In the walls of the lungs are numerous FIG. 256. ANATOMY OF SALA- MANDER. I a t heart; 2, lungs; j a, stomach; 3 b, in- testine; _j c, large intestine; 4, liver; 5, egg masses ; 10, bladder; a , vent. BATRACHIA 135 'capillaries. Does the frog breatJie with moutJi open or closed? Does the frog have any ribs for expanding the chest ? What part of the head expands and contracts ? Is this motion repeated at a slow or rapid rate ? Regu- larly or irregularly ? There are valves in the nostrils for opening and closing them. Is there any indication of opening and closing as the throat expands and contracts ? The mouth and throat (pharynx) are filled with air each time the throat swells, and the exchange of gases (which gases ?) takes place continually through their walls and the walls of the lungs. At intervals the air is forced through the glottis into the lungs. After a short time it is expelled from the lungs by the muscular abdominal walls, which press upon the abdominal organs, and so upon the lungs. Immediately the air is forced back into the lungs, so that they are kept filled. In some species the lungs regularly expand at every second con- traction of the throat. This is shown by a slight out- ward motion at the sides. Does the motion of the throat cease when the frog is under water ? Why would the frog be unable to breathe (except through the skin) if its mouth were propped open ? Why does the fact that the breathing is so slow as to almost cease when hibernat- ing, aid the frog in going through the winter without starving? (Chap. I.) Why must frogs and toads keep their skins moist ? Which looks more like a clod ? Why ? The Heart and Circulation.- -What is the shape of the heart? (Fig. 257.) Observe the two auricles in front and the conical ventricle behind them. The great arterial trunk from the ventricle passes forward beyond the auricles ; it divides into two branches which turn to the right and left (Fig. 257). Each branch im- mediately subdivides into three arteries (Fig. 257), one going to the head, one to the lungs and skin, and a third, the largest, 136 ANIMAL BIOLOGY OL passes backward in the trunk, where it is united again to its' fellow. (Colored Fig. 2.) Both of the pulmonary veins, returning to the heart with pure blood from the lungs, empty into the left auricle. Veins with the impure blood from the body empty into the right auricle. Both the auricles empty into the ventri- cles, but the pure and impure blood are prevented from thoroughly mix- ing by ridges on the inside of the ventricle. Only in an animal with a four-chambered heart does pure blood from the lungs pass unmixed and pure to all parts of the body, FIG. 257. PLAN OF FROG'S CIRCULATION. Venous system is black; the arterial, white. A U, auricles ; I', ventricle; L, lung; LIV, liver. Aorta has one FlG. 258. FROG'S BLOOD (magnified 2500 branch to right, another to left, which areas). Red cells oval, nucleated, and reunite below. Right branch only ]arger than human blood cells. Nuclei of persists in birds, left branch in beasts twQ white cel]s yisible near centen ( p ea . and man. , , , body.) and only such animals are warm-blooded. The purer (i.e. the more oxygenated) the blood, the greater the oxidation and warmth. The red corpuscles in a frog's blood are oval and larger than those of man. Are all of them nucleated ? (Fig. 258.) The flow of blood m the web of a frog's foot is a striking and interesting sight. It may be easily shown by wrapping a small frog in a wet cloth and laying it with one foot extended upon a glass slip on the stage of a miscroscope. BA TRA CHI A 137 01- cir The brain of the frog (Fig. 259) is much like that of a fish (Fig. 224). The olfactory, cerebral, and optic lobes, cerebellum and medulla are in the same relative position, although their rela- tive sizes are not the same. Compared with the other parts, are the olfactory lobes more or less developed than in a fish? The cerebral hemispheres ? The optic lobes? The cerebellum? There is a cavity in the brain. It is readily exposed on the under surface of the medulla by cut- ting the membrane, which is there its only covering (Fig. 259). FIG. 259. BRAIN OF FROG. FIG. 260. NERVOUS SYSTEM OF FROG. Frogs and toads are beneficial (why ?) and do not the slight- est injury to any interest of man. If toads are encouraged to take up their abode in a garden, they will aid in ridding it of insects. A house may be made in a shady corner with four bricks, or better still, a hole a foot deep may be dug to furnish them protection from the heat of the day. A toad's muzzle is not so tapering as a frog's (why ?), its feet are not so fully webbed (why?), and its skin is not so smooth (why ?). Incase of doubt open the mouth and rub the finger along the up- per jaw; a frog has sharp teeth, a toad none at all. The tadpoles of frogs, toads, and sala- manders are much alike. In toad's spawn the eggs lie in strings inclosed in jelly ; frogs spawn is in masses (Fig. 248). FIG. 261. Position of legs in tail- less (A) and tailed (#) amphibian. 133 ANIMAL BIOLOGY Any batrachian may easily be passed around the class after placing it in a tumbler with gauze or net tied over top. It should be kept in a box with two inches of moist earth on the bottom. If no live insects are obtainable for feeding a toad, bits of moist meat may be dangled from the end of a string. If tadpoles are placed in a pool -or tub in a garden, the toads hatched will soon make destructive garden insects become a rarity. Does a frog or a salamander have the more primitive form of body ? Why do you think so ? Salamanders are sometimes called mud puppies. The absurd belief that salamanders are poisonous is to be classed with the belief that toads cause warts. The belief among the ancients that salamanders ate fire arose perhaps from seeing them coming away from fires that had been built over their holes on river banks by travelers. Their moist skin pro- tected them until the fire became very hot. Describe the "mud puppy" shown in Fig. 262. In the West the pouched gopher, or rat (Fig. 371), is sometimes absurdly called a salamander. FIG. 262. BLIND SALAMANDER (Proteus anguinus). x . Found in caves and underground streams in Balkans. Gills external, tail finlike, legs small. CHAPTER XII REPTILIA (REPTILES) THIS class is divided into four orders which have such marked differences of external form that there is no diffi- culty in distinguishing them. These orders are represented by Lizards, Snakes, Turtles, and Alligators. Of these, only the forms of lizards and alligators have similar propor- tions, but there is a marked difference in their size, lizards being, in general, the smallest, and alligators the largest of the reptiles. Comparison of Lizards and Salamanders. - -To make clear the difference between reptiles and batrachians, it will be well to compare the orders in the two classes which re- semble each other in size and shape ; namely, lizards and - v> <-=- FIG. 263. A SALAMANDER. FIG. 264. A LIZARD. salamanders (Figs. 263 and 264). State in a tabular form their differences in skin, toe, manner of breathing, develop- ment from egg, sliape of tail, habitat, habits. Each has an elongated body, two pairs of limbs, and a long tail, yet they are easily distinguished. Are the differences sug- gested above valid for the other batrachians (frogs) and other reptiles (e.g. turtles) ? Trace the same differences 139 140 ANIMAL BIOLOGY between the toad or frog (Fig. 250) and the "horned toad," which is a lizard (Fig. 265), FIG. 265. --"HORNED TOAD" LIZARD, of the Southwest (Phrynosoma cornita). x. STUDY OF A TURTLE OR TORTOISE SUGGESTIONS. - - Because of the ease with which a tortoise or turtle may be caught and their movements and habits studied, it is suggested that one of these be studied as an example of reptiles. Besides a live specimen, a skeleton of one species and the shells of several species should be available. ^''/.r k\: . fi 1^*-^ tf$ ft -. ;-RW?i "')/%. ^M^f FIG. 283. BiG-HEADED TURTLE {Platy sternum megalocephalmri). x |. China. This and Fig. 282 suggest descent of turtles from a lizardlike form. Figure 282 shows earlier ancestors to have been gill breathers. CHAPTER XIII BIRDS SUGGESTIONS. The domestic pigeon, the fowl, and the English sparrow are most commonly within the reach of students. The last bird has become a pest and is almost the only bird whose destruction is desirable. The female is somewhat uniformly mot- tled with gray and brown in fine markings. The male has a black throat with the other markings of black, brown, and white, in stronger contrast than the marking of the female. As the different species of birds are essentially alike in structural features, the direc- tions and questions may be used with any bird at hand. When studying feathers, one or more should be provided for each pupil in the class. The feet and bills of birds should be kept for study. Does the body of the bird, like the toad and turtle, have a head, trunk, tail, and two pairs of limbs ? Do the fore and hind limbs differ from each other more or less than the limbs of other backboned animals ? Does any other vertebrate use them for \ purposes as widely different ? Eye. *\ Does the eyeball have parts corresponding to the eyeball of a fish or frog; viz., cornea, iris, pupil? Which is more movable, the upper or lower eyelid? Are there any lashes ? The bird (like what other animal?) has a third eyelid, or nictitating membrane. Compare its thickness with that of the other lids. Is it drawn over the eyeball from the inner or outer corner of the eye ? Can you see in the human eye any wrinkle or growth which might be regarded as remains, or vestige, of such a membrane ? BIRDS I 5 i How many nostrils? In which mandible are they located ? Are they nearer the tip or the base of the mandible ? (Fig. 284.) What is their shape ? Do the nasal passages go directly down through the mandible or do they go backward ? Is the inner nasal opening into the mouth or into the throat ? The beak or bill consists of the upper and lower man- dibles. The outside of the beak seems to be of what kind of material ? Examine the decapitated head of a fowl or of a dissected bird, and find if there is a covering on the bill which can be cut or scraped off. Is the mass of the bill of bony or horny material ? With what part of the human head are the mandibles FlG - *8 4 .- SKULL OF DOMESTIC FOWL. , , D /T7* o ' ("four-sided") bone by which lower nOmolOgOUS r (r Ig. 284.) j aw is Cached to skull (wanting in beasts, pres- EarS. DO birds have ent in reptiles; seeFig. 277 ). external ears ? Is there an external opening leading to the ear ? In searching for it, blow or push forward the feath- ers. If found, notice its location, size, shape, and what surrounds the opening. There is an owl spoken of as the long-eared owl. Are its ears long ? The leg has three divisions: the uppermost is the thigh (called the "second joint" in a fowl); the middle division is the shank (or "dr-um stick"); and the lowest, which is the slender bone covered with scales, is formed by the union of the ankle and instep. (The bones of the three divisions are named the femur, tibiotarsus, and tarsometa- tarsus.) The foot consists entirely of toes, the bones of which are called phalanges. Is there a bone in each claw ? (See Fig. 285.) Supply the numerals in this sentence: 152 ANIMAL BIOLOGY The pigeon has - - toes, the hind toe having joints; of the three front toes, the inner has joints (count the claw as one joint), the FIG. 286. SKELETON OF BIRD. Rh, vertebrae; Cl, clavicle; Co, coracoid; Sc, scap- ula; St, sternum; H, humerus; R, radius; U, ulna; P, thumb; Fe, femur; T, tibia. See Fig. 394. Questions : Which is the stiflest portion of the vertebral column ? How are the ribs braced against each other ? Which is longer, thigh bone or shin ? Compare shoulder blade with man's (Fig. 399) . Which is the extra shoulder bone ? Compare tail vertebrae with those of extinct bird, Fig. 290. FIG. 285. LEG BONES OF BIRD. middle has joints, and the outer toe has joints (Fig. 285). Is the thigh of a bird bare or feathered? The shin ? The ankle ? Where is the ankle joint of a bird ? Do you see the remains of another bone (the splint bone, or fibula) on the shin bone of the shank? (Fig. 285 or 286.) Why would several joints in the ankle be a disadvan tage to a bird ? BIRDS 153 The thigh hardly projects beyond the skin of the trunk, as may be noticed in a plucked fowl. The thigh extends forward from the hip joint (Figs. 286, 299) in order to bring the point of support forward under the center of weight. Why are long front toes more necessary than long hind toes ? As the bird must often bring its head to the ground, the hip joints are near the dorsal surface and the body swings between the two points of support somewhat like a silver ice pitcher on its two pivots. Hence stooping, which makes a man so unsteady, does not cause a bird to lose steadiness. The wing has three divisions which correspond to the upper arm, forearm, and hand of man (Fig. 286). When the wing is folded, the three divisions lie close alongside each other. Fold your arm in the same manner. The similarity of the bones of the first and second divisions to the bones of our upper arm and forearm is very obvious (Fig. 286). Ex- plain. The hand of a bird is furnished with only three dig- its (Fig. 287). The three palm bones (metacarpals) are firmly united (Fig. 287). This gives firmness to the stroke in flying. That the bird is descended from ani- mals which had the fingers and palm bones less firmly united is shown by comparing the hands of a chick and of an adult fowl (Figs. 287, 288). The wrist also solidifies with age, the DG.I MC.I F T0 . 287. HAND AND WRIST OF FOWL (after Parker). DG. 1-3, digits; MC. 1-3, metacarpals; CC. 3, wrist. 2MD.DIGT FIG. 288. HAND, WRIST (c\ FOREARM, AND ELBOW OF YOUNG CHICK (after Parker). 154 ANIMAL BIOLOGY FIG. 289. BREAST- BONE AND SHOUL- DER BONES OF CASSOWARY. five carpals of the chick being reduced to two in the fowl (Figs. 287, 288). The thumb or first digit has a separate covering of skin from the other digits, as may be seen in a plucked bird. The de- generate hand of the fowl is of course useless as a hand (what serves in its place ?) but is well fitted for firm support of the feathers in flying. The two bones of the forearm are also firmly joined. There are eighteen movable joints in our arm and hand ; the bird has only the three joints which enable it to fold its wing. The wrist joint is the joint in the forward angle of the wing. Since the fore limbs are taken up with loco- motion, the grasping function has been as- sumed by the jaws. How does their shape adapt them to this use ? For the same reason the neck of a bird surpasses the necks of all other ani- mals in what respect? Is the trunk of a bird flexible or inflexible? There is thus a cor- relation between struc- ture of neck and trunk. Explain. The same correlation is found in which of the reptiles ? (Why does rigidity of trunk require flexibility Question: Find two resemblances to reptiles in Of neck?) Why does this extinct bird absent from skeletons of extant birds. FIG. 290. A FOSSIL BIRD (archceopteryx) found in the rocks of a former geological epoch. BIRDS 155 the length of neck in birds correlate with the length of legs? Examples? (See Figs. 314, 315, 332.) Exceptions? (Fig. 324.) Why does a swan or a goose have a long neck, though its legs are short ? To make a firm support for the wings the vertebrae of the back are immovably joined, also there are three bones in each shoulder, the collar bone, the shoulder blade, and the coracoid bone (Fig. 286). The collar bones are united (why ?) and form the " wishbone ' or ' pulling bone." To furnish sur- face for the attachment of the large flying muscles there is a prominent ridge or keel on the breastbone (Fig. 286). It is lacking in most birds which do not fly (Fig. 289). The feathers are perhaps the most characteristic feature of birds. The large feathers of the wings and tail are called quill feathers. A quill feather (Fig. 291) is seen to consist of two parts, the shaft , or supporting axis, and the broad vane or web. What part of the shaft is round ? Hollow ? Solid ? Is the shaft straight ? Are the sides of the vane usually equal in width ? Can you tell by looking at a quill whether it belongs to the wing or tail, and which wing or which side of the tail it comes from ? Do the quills overlap with the wide side of the vane above or beneath the next feather ? Can you cause two parts of the vane to unite again FIG. 291. QUILL FEATHER. D, downy portion. i 5 6 ANIMAL BIOLOGY by pressing together the two sides of a split in the vane ? Does the web separate at the same place when pulled until it splits again ? The hollow part of the shaft of a quill feather is called the quill. The part of the shaft bearing the vane is called the rachis (ra-kis). The vane consists of slender barbs which are branches of the shaft (II, Fig. 292). As the name indicates (see dictionary), a barb resembles a hair. The barbs in turn bear second- ary branches called bar- bides, and these again have shorter branches called bar- bicels (III, Fig. 292). These are sometimes bent in the form of hooklets (Fig. 292, III), and the booklets of neighboring barbules interlock, giv- ing firmness to the vane. When two barbules are split apart, and then re- united by stroking the vane between the thumb and finger, the union may be so strong that a pull upon the vane will cause it to split in a new place next time. There are four kinds of feathers, (1) the quill feathers, just studied ; (2) the contour feathers (I, Fig. 292), which form the general surface of the body and give it its outlines ; (3) the downy feathers (Fig. 293), abundant on FIG. 292.--!, CONTOUR FEATHER. II, III, PARTS OF QUILL FEATHER, enlarged. -Sh. FIG. 293. A DOWN FEATHER, enlarged. BIRDS 157 nestlings and found among the contour feathers of the adult but not showing on the surface ; (4) the pin feathers, which are hair-like, and which are removed from a plucked bird by singeing. The contour feathers are similar in structure to the quill feathers. They protect the body from blows, overlap so as to shed the rain, and, with the aid of the downy feathers retain the heat, thus accounting for the high temperature of the bird. The downy feathers are soft and fluffy, as they possess few or no barbicels ; sometimes they lack the rachis (Fig. 293). The pin feath- ers are delicate horny shafts, greatly resembling hairs, but they may have a tuft of barbs at the ends. A feather grows from a small projection (or papilla) found at the bottom of a depression of the skin. The quill is formed by being molded around the papilla. Do you see any opening at the tip of the quill for blood vessels to enter and nourish the feather ? What is in the quill ? (Fig. 291.) The rachis ? A young con- tour or quill feather is in- closed in a delicate sheath which is cast off when the feather has been formed. Have you seen the sheath incasing a young feather in a molting bird ? There are considerable areas or tracts on a bird's skin without contour feath- ers. Such bare tracts are found along the ridge of the breast and on the sides of the neck. However, the contour feathers lie so as to over- lap and cover the whole body perfectly (Fig. 294). The shedding of the feathers is called molting. Feathers, FIG. 294. DORSAL AND VENTRAL VIE\V OF PLUCKED BIRD, showing regions where feathers grow. 158 ANIMAL BIOLOGY like the leaves of trees, are delicate structures and lose perfect condition with age. Hence the annual renewal of the feathers is an advantage. Most birds shed twice a year, and with many the summer plum- age is brighter col- ored than the winter plumage. When a feather is shed on one side, the corre- sponding feather on the other side is always shed with it. (What need for this ?) A large oil gland is easily found on the dorsal side of the tail. How does the bird apply the oil to the feathers ? FIG. 295. WING OF BIRD. /, false quills (on thumb) ; 2, primaries; 5, secondaries; tertiaries (dark) are one above another at right; a, b t coverts. A FIG. 296. A t point dividing primaries from second- aries; B, coverts. In describing and classifying birds, it is necessary to know the names of the various external regions of the body and plum- age, These may be learned by studying Figs. 295, 296, 297, 298. FIG. 297. CEDAR WAXWING, with regions of body marked. S, forehead; Sc, crown (with crest); Hh, nape; K, throat; Br, breast; Ba, lower parts; R, back; Rt, tail; B, tail coverts; P, shoulder feathers (scapulars) ; T, wing coverts; HS, primaries; AS, secondaries; A I, thumb feathers. The quills on the hand BIRDS 159 are called primaries, those on the forearm are the sec- ondaries, those on the upper arm are the tertiaries. Those on the tail are called the tail quills. The feathers at the base of the quills are called the coverts. The thumb bears one or more quills called the spurious quills. Is the wing concave on the lower or upper side ? What advantage is this when the bird is at rest ? When it is flying ? Control of Flight. - - Did you ever see a bird sitting on a swinging limb ? What was its chief means of balancing itself ? When flying, what does a bird do to direct its course upward ? Downward ? Is the body level when it turns to either side? Birds with long, pointed wings excel in what respect ? Examples ? Birds with great wing surface excel in what kind of flight ? Ex- amples. Name a common bird with short wings which has a labored, whirring flight. Is its tail large or small ? Does it avoid obstacles and direct its flight well ? Why or why not ? When a boat is to be turned to the right, must the rudder be pulled to the right or the left ? (The rudder drags in the water and thus pulls the boat around.) When the bird wishes to FIG. 299. POSITION OF g O upward, must its tail be turned up LIMBS OF PIGEON. .. or down ? How when it wishes to go down ? When a buzzard soars for an hour without flapping its wings, does it move at a uniform rate ? For what does it use the momentum gained when going with the wind ? FIG. 298. PLAN OF BIRD. s, center of gravity. i6o ANIMAL BIOLOGY Flying. When studying the quill feathers of the wing, you saw that the wider side of the vane is beneath the feather next behind it. During the downward stroke of the wing this side of the vane is pressed by the air against m FIG. 300. a, clambering foot of chimney sweep; b, climbing foot of woodpecker; c, perching foot of thrush; d, seizing foot of hawk; e, scratching foot of pheasant ; f, stalking foot of king- fisher; g, running foot of ostrich; 7t, wading foot of heron; i, paddling foot of gull; k, swimming foot of duck; /, steering foot of cormorant; m, diving foot of grebe; n, skim- ming foot of coot. Question: Does any bird use its foot as a hand? (Fig. 320.) the feather above it and the air cannot pass through the wing. As the wing is raised the vanes separate and the air passes through. The convex upper surface of the wing also prevents the wing from catching air as it is raised. Spread a wing and blow strongly against BIRDS 161 its lower surface ; its upper surface. What effects are noticed ? Study the scales on the leg of a bird (Fig. 300). Why is the leg scaly rather than feathered from the ankle down- ward ? Which scales are largest? (Fig. 300.) How do the scales on the front and back differ ? What can you say of the scales at the bottom of the foot ; at the joints of the toes ? Explain. How does the covering of the nails and bill compare in color, texture, hardness and firm- ness of attachment with the scales of the leg ? Draw an outline of the bird seen from the side. Make drawings of the head and feet more detailed and on a larger scale. Why does a goose have more feathers suitable for making pil- lows than a fowl ? In what country did the domestic fowl originate? (Encyclopedia.) Why does a cock crow for day ? (Consider animal life in jungle.) Activities of a Bird. Observe a bird eating. Does it seem to chew or break its food before swallowing ? Does it have to lift its head in order to swallow food ? To swallow drink ? W 7 hy is there a difference ? After feed- ing the bird, can you feel the food in the crop, or enlargement of the gullet at the base of the neck ? (Fig. 304.) Feel and look for any move- M FIG. 301. AN ALTRICAL BIRD, i.e. poorly developed at hatch- ing. Young pigeon, naked, beak too weak for eating. FIG. 302. A PRECOCIAL BIRD (well developed at hatching). Feathered, able to run and to pick up food. Precocity is a sign of instinctive life and low intelligence. A baby is not pre- cocious. Question: Is pigeon or fowl ex- posed to more dangers in infancy ? l62 ANIMAL BIOLOGY ments in breathing. Can you find how often it breathes per minute ? Place hand under the bird's wing. What do you think of its temperature ; or better, what tempera- ture is shown by a thermometer held under its wing ? Do you see any connection between the breathing rate and the temperature ? Test (as with the crayfish) whether a bird can see behind its head ? Notice the movements of the nictitating membrane. Does it appear to be transparent ? Watch a bird fly around a closed room and review the questions on Control of Flight. Bend a bird's leg and see if it has any effect upon its toes. Notice a bird (especially a large fowl) walk to see if it bends its toes as the foot is lifted. Pull the rear tendon in a foot cut from a fowl for the kitchen. Does the bird have to use muscular exertion to grasp a stick upon which it sits ? Why, or why not ? When is this bending of the toes by bending the legs of special ad- vantage to a hawk ? To a duck ? A wading bird ? Why is a fowl safe from a hawk if it stands close to a tree ? Do you see any signs of teeth in the bird's jaws? Why are duck's " teeth ' (so called by children) not teeth ? Can the tongue of a bird be pulled forward ? (Fig. 303.) What is its shape ? If there is opportunity, dissect and study the slender, bony (hyoid) apparatus to which the base of the tongue is attached (Fig. 303), the open- ing of the windpipe, or trachea, the slit-like opening of windpipe which is so narrow as to prevent food falling into the windpipe. ...f FIG. 303. HEAD OF WOODPECKER. c, tongue; a, b, d, hyoid bone; e, g, wind- pipe; f, salivary gland. BIRDS I6 3 The Internal Organs, or Viscera (Figs. 304 and 305). The viscera (vis'se-ra), as in most vertebrates, include the food tube ancl its glands; the lungs, the heart, and larger blood vessels; the kidneys and bladder and the reproductive organs. The lower part, or gullet, is en- larged into a crop. It is largest in grain-eating birds. It M FIG. 304. ANATOMY OF DOVE x%. bk, keel of breastbone; G, g, brain; lr, windpipe; In, lung; h. heart; sr, gul- let; k, crop; dr, glandular stomach; mm, gizzard; d, intestine; , kidney; hi, ureter; eil, openings of ureter and egg duct into cloaca, kl. FIG. 305. FOOD TUBE OF BIRD. P, pancreas; C, caeca. Question: Identify each part by means of Fig. 304. is found in the V-shaped depression at the angle of the wishbone, just before the food tube enters the thorax. The food is stored and softened in the crop. From the crop the food passes at intervals into the glandular stomach. Close to this is the muscular stomach, or gizzard. Are the places of entrance and exit on opposite sides of the gizzard, or near together ? (Fig. 304.) Is the lining of the gizzard 164 ANIMAL BIOLOGY rough or smooth? Why? Is the gizzard tough or weak? Why are small stones in the gizzard ? Why do not hawks and other birds of prey need a muscular gizzard ? The liver and pancreas empty their secretions into the intestines by several ducts a little way beyond the gizzard. Beyond the mouths of two caeca (Fig. 305) the many-coiled intestine empties into the straight rectum, which terminates in a widened part called the cloaca. Not only the intestine, but the two ureters of the urinary system and the two genital ducts of the reproductive system all empty into the cloaca (Figs. 304, 305). The lungs have their rear sur- faces attached to the spinal column and ribs (/;/, Fig. 304). They are connected with thin- walled, transparent air sacs which aid in purifying the blood. When inflated with warm air, they prob- ably make the body of the bird more buoyant. For the names, location, and shape of several pairs of air sacs, see Fig. 306. The connection of the air sacs with hollows in the humerus bones is also shown in the figure. Many of the bones are hollow ; this adds to the buoyancy of the bird. The pulmonary artery, as in man, takes dark blood to the lungs to exchange its carbon dioxide for oxygen. Of two animals of the same weight, which ex- pends more energy, the one that flies, or the one that runs the same distance ? Does a bird require more oxygen FIG. 306. POSITION OF LUNGS AND AIR SACS (Pigeon). TV, windpipe; P, lungs; Lm, sac under clavicle with prolongation (Lh} into humerus; La, sacs in abdomen. BIRDS I6 5 FIG. 307. POSITION OF VOCAL CORDS (str) OF MAMMAL AND BIRD. Question : Does a fowl ever croak after its head and part of its neck are cut off? Explain. or less, in proportion to its weight, than an animal that lives on the ground ? Are the vocal cords of a bird higher or lower in the wind- pipe than those of a man? (Fig. 307-) The heart of a bird, like a man's heart, has four cham- bers ; hence it keeps the purified blood separate from the impure blood. Since pure blood reaches the or- gans of a bird, oxidation is more perfect than in the body of any animals yet studied. Birds have higher temperature than any other class of animals whatsoever. Tell how the jaws, tail, and wings of the fossil bird Archaeopteryx differed from living birds (Fig. 290). SUGGESTIONS. In the field work, besides seeking the answers to definite questions, pupils may be required to hand in a record of the places and times of seeing a certain number of birds (20 to 40), with the actions and features which made each distinguishable. Also, and more important, each pupil should hand in a record of a careful and thorough outdoor study of one common species (see below) as regards habits, nesting, relation to environment, etc. Field Study of a Common Species. (For written report.) Name of species. Haunts. Method of locomotion when not flying. Flying (rate, sailing, accompanying sound if any, soaring) . What is the food? How obtained? Association with birds of its own species. Relation to birds of other species. Where does it build its nest? Why is such a situation selected? Of what is the nest built? How is the material carried, and how built into the nest? Does the bird's body fill the nest? Describe the eggs. Does the male bird ever sit or otherwise assist female before hatching? Does it assist after hatching? 1 66 ANIMAL BIOLOGY How long is taken to lay a sitting of eggs? How long before the birds are hatched? When hatched are they helpless? Blind? Feathered? (Figs. 301, 302.) Do the nest- lings require much food ? How many times is food brought in an hour? How distributed? Even if the old birds some- times eat fruit do they take fruit to the young? What do they feed to the young? How long be- FIG. 308. EUROPEAN TOMTIT'S NEST. What are the advantages of its shape ? fore they leave the nest? Do the parents try to teach them to fly? Do the par- ents care for them after the nest is left ? What songs or calls has the bird? General Field Study. {For written report.} Name the best and poorest flyers you know ; birds that fly most of the time ; birds that seldom fly. Observe birds that pair ; live in flocks. Does their sociability vary with the season? Do you ever see birds quarreling? gag FIG. 309. TAILOR BIRD'S NEST (India). Instinct for nest building highly perfected. BIRDS 167 Fighting? What birds do you observe whipping or driving birds larger than themselves? Which parent do young birds most re- semble ? Name the purposes for which birds sing. Which senses are very acute? Why? Dull? Why? Can you test your state- ments by experiment? A partridge usually sits with 18 to 24 eggs in nest. About how long after laying first egg before sitting begins? Do several partridge hens lay in the same nest? Haunts. Name some birds that are found most often in the following localities : about our homes, in gardens and or- chards, fields and meadows, in bushes, in the woods, in secluded woods, around streams of water, in thick- ets, in pine woods. Size. - - Name birds as large as a robin or larger, nearly as large, half as large, much smaller. Colors. - - Which sex is more brilliant? What ad- vantage are bright colors to one sex? What advantage are dull colors to the other FlG ' 3i HOUSE WREN. sex? Which have yellow breasts, red patch on heads, red or chestnut breasts, blue backs, black all over? Habits. Name the birds that walk, jump, swim, live in flocks, -sing while flying, fly in undulations, in circles, have labored flight. Such books as Wright's "Birdcraft" (Macmillan, N. Y.), Clark's "Birds of Lakeside and Prairie" (Mumford, Chicago), and Pear- son's "Stories of Bird Life" (B. F. Johnson, Richmond), will be of great help. The last book is delightfully written, and is one of the few treating of bird life in the South. Economic Importance of Birds. Farmers find their most valuable allies in the class aves, as birds are the dead- liest enemies of insects and gnawing animals. To the in- numerable robbers which devastate our fields and gardens, nature opposes the army of birds. They are less numerous 1 68 ANIMAL BIOLOGY ifv< . V" '~ . " : " 'iOLS 'ff,'*"^,! " ^v' $',',' 'i 1 ' ^ ~ ' ,/ ,'' '' 4' >TT * -' : X- 4f, 7 ' "S^r' ; 'v5t,v ;$- r ;.!' V'v'> im-''.' r^m^' ^-V'. ppf//' FIG. 311. SCREECH OWL {Megascops asio). Question: Compare posture of body," position of eyes, and size of eyes, with other birds. than insects and other robbers, it is true, but they are skillful and zealous in pursuit, keen of eye, quick, active, and remarkably vora- cious. The purely in- sectivorous birds are the most useful, but the omnivorous and grami- nivorous birds do not disdain insects. The perchcrs and the wood- peckers should be pro- tected most ca (and those of the day to a less degree) are very destructive to field mice, rabbits, and other gnawing animals. Some igno- rant farmers complain continu- ally about the harm done by birds. To destroy them is as unwise as it would be to destroy the skin which protects the hu- man body because it has a spot upon it! It cannot be repeated too plainly that to hunt useful birds is a wrong and mischievous act, and it is stupid and barba- rous to destroy their nests. Injurious birds are few. Of course birds which are the ene- FIG. 312. GOSHAWK, mies of other birds are enemies or chicken hawk. BIRDS 169 % -,J .-_ -v\ ' . - ' ' ' ^1^. X. \,\l > FIG. 313. ROAD RUNNER, or chaparral bird (Tex. to Cal.). What order? (Key, p. 177.) of mankind, but examples are scarce (some owls and hawks). Many birds of prey are classed thus by mistake. Sparrow hawks, for instance, do not eat birds except in rare instances ; they feed chiefly upon insects. A sparrow hawk often keeps watch over a field where grasshoppers are plentiful and destroys great numbers of them. When a bird is killed because it is supposed to be injurious, the crop should always be examined, and its contents will often surprise those who are sure it is a harmful bird. The writer once found two frogs, three grasshoppers, and five beetles that had been swallowed by a " chicken hawk ' killed by an irate farmer, but no sign of birds having been used for food. Fowls should not be raised in open places, but among trees and bushes, where hawks cannot swoop. Birds which live exclusively upon fish are, of course, opposed to human interests. Pigeons are destructive to grain ; eagles feed chiefly upon other birds. If the birds eat the grapes, do not kill the birds, but plant more grapes. People with two or three fruit trees or a small 170 ANIMAL BIOLOGY garden are the only ones that lose a noticeable amount of food. We cut down the forests from which the birds ob- tain part of their food. We destroy insect pests at great cost of spraying, etc. The commission the birds charge for such work is very small indeed. (See pages 177-183.) FlG. 314. WOOD DUCK, male (Aix sponsa). Nests in hollow trees throughout North America. Also called summer duck in South. Why ? The English sparrow is one bird of which no good word may be said. Among birds, it holds the place held by rats among beasts. It is crafty, quarrelsome, thieving, and a nuisance. It was imported in 1852 to eat moths. The results show how ignorant we are of animal life, and how slow we should be to tamper with the arrangements of nature. In Southern cities it produces five or six broods each year with four to six young in each brood. (Notice what it feeds its young.) It fights, competes with and drives away our native useful birds. It also eats grain and preys upon gardens. They have multiplied more in Aus- BIRDS 171 tralia and the United States than in Europe, because they left behind them their native enemies and their new ene- mies (crows, jays, shrikes, etc.) have not yet developed, to a sufficient extent, the habit of preying upon them. Nature will, perhaps, after a long time, restore the equilibrium destroyed by presumptuous man. Protection of Birds.--:. Leave as many trees and bushes standing as possible. Plant trees, encourage bushes. 2. Do not keep a cat. A mouse trap is more useful than a cat. A tax should be imposed upon owners of cats. 3. Make a bird house and place on a pole ; remove bark from pole that cats may not climb it, or put a broad band of tin around the pole. 4. Scatter food in winter. In dry regions and in hot weather keep a shallow tin vessel containing water on the roof of an outhouse, or out-of-the-way place for shy birds. 5. Do not wear feathers obtained by the killing of birds. What feathers are not so obtained ? 6. Report all violators of laws for protection of birds. 7. Destroy English sparrows. Migration. - - Many birds, in fact most birds, migrate to warmer climates to spend the winter. Naturalists were once content to speak of the migra- tion of birds as a wonderful instinct, and made no attempt to explain it. As birds have the warmest covering of all animals, the winter mi- gration is not for the pur- FIG. 315. -GREAT BLUE HERON, pose of escaping the cold; it in flight, balancing with legs. is pro b a bly to escape starva- tion, because in cold countries food is largely hidden by snow in winter. On the other hand, if the birds remained 1 72 ANIMAL BIOLOGY in the warm countries in summer, the food found in north- ern countries in summer would be unused, while they would have to compete with the numerous tropical birds for food, and they and their eggs would be in danger from snakes, wild cats, and other beasts of prey so numerous in warm climates. These are the best reasons so far given for migration. The manner and methods of migration have been studied more carefully in Europe than in America. Migration is m FIG. 316. EUROPEAN SWALLOWS (Hirundo urbicd), assembling for autumn flight to South. not a blind, infallible instinct, but the route is learned and taught by the old birds to the young ones ; they go in flocks to keep from losing the way (Fig. 316); the oldest and strongest birds guide the flocks (Fig. 317). The birds which lose their way are young ones of the last brood, or mothers that turn aside to look for their strayed young. The adult males seldom lose their way unless scattered by a storm. Birds are sometimes caught in storms or join flocks of another species and arrive in countries unsuited for them, and perish. For example, a sea or BIRDS 1 73 marsh bird would die of hunger on arriving in a very dry country. The landmarks of the route are mountains, rivers, valleys, and coast lines. This knowledge is handed down from one generation to another. It includes the location of certain places on the route where food is plentiful and the birds can rest in security. Siebohm and others have studied the routes of migration in the Old World. The route from the nesting places in northern Eu- Africa fol- JT ^S^SL ^ ... r P e to lows the Rhine, the Lake of Geneva, the Rhone, whence some spe- cies follow the Italian and others the Span- Fl( , CRANES ish coast line to Africa. Birds choose the MIGRATING, with , . r-r,, . , , ATr , , leader at point of lowest mountain passes. The Old World v-shaped line martin travels every year from the North Cape to the Cape of Good Hope and back again ! An- other route has been traced from Egypt along the coast of Asia Minor, the Black Sea and Ural Mts. to Siberia. Field Study of Migration. Three columns may be filled on the blackboard in an unused corner, taking several months in spring or fall for the work. First column, birds that stay all the year. Second column, birds that come from the south and are seen in the summer only. Third column, birds that come from the north and are seen in winter only. Exact dates of arrival and departure and flight overhead should be recorded in notebooks. Many such records will enable American zoologists to trace the migration routes of our birds. Reports may be sent to the chief of the Biological Survey, Washington, D.C, 174 ANIMAL BIOLOGY Molting. - How do birds arrange their feathers after they have been ruffled ? Do they ever bathe in water? FIG. 318. APTERYX, of New Zealand. Size of a hen, wings and tail rudimentary, feathers hair-like. In dust ? Dust helps to remove old oil. At what season are birds brightest feathered ? Why ? Have you ever seen FIG. 319. GOLDEN, SILVER, AND NOBLE PHEASANTS, males. Order? (Key, p. 177.) Ornaments of males, brightest in season of courtship, are due to sexual selection (Figs. 321-7-9, 333). evidence of the molting of birds ? Describe the molting process (page 120). BIRDS 175 FIG. 320. COCKATOO. Adaptations for Flying. Flight is the most diffi- cult and energy- consuming meth- od of moving found among ani- mals, and care- ful adjustment is necessary. For balancing, the heaviest muscles are placed at the lower and central portion of the body. These are the flying muscles, and in some birds (humming birds) they make half of the entire weight. Teeth are the densest of ani- mal structures ; teeth and the strong chew- ing muscles required would make the head heavy and balancing difficult ; hence the chewing apparatus is transferred to the heavy gizzard near the center of gravity of the body. The bird's neck is long and excels all other necks in flexibility, but it is very slender (although apparently heavy), being inclosed in a loose, feathered skin. A cone is the best -]-. ^ \ . FIG. 321. BIRD OF PARADISE (Asia). ANIMAL BIOLOGY shape to enable the body to penetrate the air, and a small neck would destroy the conical form. The internal organs are compactly arranged and rest in the cavity of the breast bone. The bellows-like air sacs filled with warm air lighten the bird's weight. The bones are hollow and very thin. The large tail quills are used by the bird only in guiding its flight up and down, or balancing on a limb. The feet also aid a flying bird in bal- ancing. The wing is so constructed as to present to the air a remarkably large surface com- pared with the small bony support in the wing skele- ton. Are tubes ever resorted to by FIG. 322. HERRING GULL. (Order?) human architects when lightness combined with strength is desired ? Which quills in the wing serve to lengthen it? (Fig. 296.) To broaden it? Is flight more difficult for a bird or a butterfly ? Which of them do the flying machines more closely resemble ? Can any bird fly for a long time without flapping its wings ? Exercise in the Use of the Key. Copy this list and write the name of the order to which each of the birds belongs. (Key, page 177.) Cockatoo (Fig. 320) Sacred Ibis (Fig. 328) Screech Owl ( Fig. 311) Nightingale (Fig. 325) Top-knot Quail (Fig. 329) Wren (Fig. 310) Apteryx (Fig. 318) Lyre bird (Fig. 327) Road Runner (Fig. 3 1 3) Ostrich (Fig. 332) Penguin (Fig. 330) Pheasant (Fig. 319) Wood Duck (Fig. 314) Jacana (Fig. 324) Sea Gull (Fig. 322) Heron (Fig. 315) Hawk (Fig. 312) BIRDS 177 KEY, OR TABLE, FOR CLASSIFYING BIRDS (Class Aves) INTO ORDERS ORDERS Aj Wings not suited for flight, 2 or 3 toes A 2 Wings suited for flight (except the penguin) Bj Toes united by a web for sii'iiriming, legs short Cj Feet placed far back ; wings short, tip not reaching to base of tail (Fig. 300) C, Bill flattened, horny plates under margin of upper bill (Fig. 323) C 3 Wings long and pointed, bill slender C 4 All four toes webbed, bare sac under throat B 2 Toes not united by web for swimming Cj Three front toes, neck and legs long, tibia (shin, or " drumstick ") partly bare Co Three front toes, neck and legs not long D! Claws short and blunt (e, Fig. 300) E t Feet and beak stout, young feathered, base of hind toe elevated E 2 Feet and beak weak, young naked Do Claws long, curved and sharp, bill hooked and sharp D 3 Claws long, slightly curved, bill nearly straight C 3 Two front and two hind toes (Fig. 300) Dj Bill straight, feet used for climbing D l Bill hooked, 'both bill and feet used for climbing RUNNERS DIVERS BILL-STRAINERS SEA-FLIERS GORGERS WADERS SCRATCHERS MESSENGERS ROBBERS PERCHERS FOOT-CLIMBERS BILL-CLIMBERS The Food of Birds. Extracts from Bulletin No. 54 (United States Dept. of Agriculture), by F. E. L. Beal. The practical value of birds in controlling insect pests should be more generally recognized. It may be an easy matter to exterminate the birds in an orchard or grain field, but it is an extremely difficult one to control the insect pests. It is certain, too, that the value of our native sparrows as weed destroyers is not appreciated. Weed seed forms an important item of the winter food of many of these birds, and it is impossible to estimate the immense numbers of noxious weeds which are thus annually N ANIMAL BIOLOGY destroyed. If crows or blackbirds are seen in numbers about j cornfields, or it woodpeckers are noticed at work in an orchard, it is perhaps not surprising that they are accused of doing harm. Careful in- vestigation, however, often shows that they are actually destroying noxious in- sects ; arid also that even those which do harm at one season may compensate for it by eating insect pests at another. Insects are eaten at all times by the majority of land birds. During the breeding season most kinds subsist largely on this food, and rear their young exclusively upon it. Partridges.- - Speaking of 13 birds which he shot, Dr. Judd says : These 13 had taken weed seed to the extent of 63 per cent of FIG. 323. HEAD OF DUCK. FIG. 324. JACANA. (Mexico, Southwest Texas, and Florida.) Questions: What appears to be the use of such long toes? What peculiarity of wing? head? their food. Thirty-eight per cent was ragweed, 2 per cent tick trefoil, partridge pea, and locust seeds, and 23 per cent seeds of miscellaneous weeds. About 14 per cent of the quail's food for BIRDS 179 the year consists of animal matter (insects and their allies). Prominent among these are the Colorado potato beetle, the striped squash beetle, the cottonboll-weevil, grasshoppers. As a weed destroyer the quail has few, if any, superiors. Moreover, its habits are such that it is almost constantly on the ground, where it is brought in close contact with both weed seeds and ground-living insects. It is a good ranger, and, if undisturbed, will patrol every day all the fields in its vicinity as it searches for food. v * ' - . ; FIG. 325. NIGHTINGALE, > *. FIG. 326. SKYLARK, x . Two celebrated European songsters. Doves.- -The food of the dove consists of seeds of weeds, together with some grain. The examination of the contents of 237 stomachs shows that over 99 per cent of the food consists wholly of vegetable matter. Cuckoos. - - An examination of the stomachs of 46 black-billed cuckoos, taken during the summer months, showed the remains of 906 caterpillars, 44 beetles, 96 grasshoppers, 100 sawflies, 30 stink bugs, and 15 spiders. Of the yellow-billed cuckoos, or " rain-crow," 109 stomachs collected from May to October, in- clusive, were examined. The contents consisted of 1,865 cater ~ pillars, 93 beetles, 242 grasshoppers, 37 sawflies, 69 bugs, 6 flies, and 86 spiders. i8o ANIMAL BIOLOGY Woodpeckers. Careful observers have noticed that, excepting a single species, these birds rarely leave any conspicuous mark on a healthy tree, except when it is affected by wood-boring larvae, which are accurately located, dis- lodged, and devoured by the wood- pecker. Of the flickers' or yellow- hammers' stomachs examined, three were completely filled with ants. Two of the birds each contained more than 3,000 ants, while the third bird contained fully 5,000. These ants be- long to species which live in the ground. It is these insects for which the flicker is reaching when it runs about in the grass. The yellow-bellied woodpecker or sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) was shown to be guilty of pecking holes in the bark of various forest trees, and sometimes in that of apple trees, and of drinking the sap when the pits became filled. It has been proved, however, that besides tak- ing the sap the bird cap- tures large numbers of insects which are attracted by the sweet fluid, and that these form a very considerable portion of its diet. The woodpeck- ers seem the only agents FIG. 328. -SACRED IBIS. (Order?) which can success f u n y cope with certain insect enemies of the forests, and, to some extent, with those of fruit trees also. For this reason, if for no other, they should be protected in every possible way. FIG. 327. LYRE BIRD, male. BIRDS 181 The night hawk, or "bull bat," may be seen most often soaring high in air in the afternoon or early evening. It nests upon rocks or bare knolls and flat city roofs. Its food consists of insects taken on the wing ; and so greedy is the bird that when food is plentiful, it fills its stomach almost to bursting. Ants (except workers) have wings and fly as they are preparing to propagate. In destroying ants night hawks rank next to, or even with, the woodpeckers, the acknowledged ant-eaters among birds. FIG. 329. --TOP-KNOT QUAIL, or California Partridge. (West Texas to California.) The kingbird, or martin, is largely insectivorous. In an ex- amination of 62 stomachs of this bird, great care was taken to identify every insect or fragment that had any resemblance to a honeybee ; as a result, 30 honeybees were identified, of which 29 were males or drones and i was a worker. Blue Jay. - - In an investigation of the food of the blue jay 300 stomachs were examined, which showed that animal matter com- prised 24 per cent and vegetable matter 76 per cent of the bird's diet. The jay's favorite food is mast (i.e. acorns, chestnuts, chinquapins, etc.), which was found in 200 of the 300 stomachs, and amounted to more than 42 per cent of the whole food. 182 ANIMAL BIOLOGY FIG. 330. PENGUIN OF PATA- GONIA. Wings used as flip- pers for swimming. Crow. That he does pull up sprouting corn, destroy chickens, and rob the nests of small birds has been repeatedly proved. Nor are these all of his sins. He is known to eat frogs, toads, sala- manders, and some small snakes, all harmless creatures that do some good by eating insects. Experience has shown that they may be prevented from pulling up young corn by tarring the seed, which not only saves the corn but forces them to turn their at- tention to insects. May beetles, " dor- bugs," or June bugs, and others of the same family constitute the princi- pal food during spring and early sum- mer, and are fed to the young in immense quantities. Ricebird. The annual loss to rice growers on account of bobolinks has been estimated at $2,000,000. Meadow Lark. --Next to grasshop- pers, beetles make up the most impor- tant item of the meadow lark's food, amounting to nearly 21 per cent. May is the month when the dreaded cut-worm begins its deadly career, and then the lark does some of its best work. Most of these caterpillars are ground feeders, and are overlooked FIG. 331. Umbrella holding by birds which habitually frequent trees, but the meadow lark finds and devours them bv thousands. j Sparrows. - - Examination of many stomachs shows that in winter the tree sparrow feeds entirely upon seeds of weeds. Probably each bird consumes about one fourth of an ounce a day. Farther south the tree sparrow is replaced in winter by the white-throated sparrow, the white-crowned sparrow, the fox spar- row, the song sparrow, the field sparrow, and several others ; so that all over the land a vast number of these seed eaters are at the nests of social weaver bird of Africa; polygamous. BIRDS 183 work during the colder months reducing next year's crop of worse than useless plants. Robin. --An examination of 500 stomachs shows that over 42 per cent of its food is animal matter, principally insects, while the remainder is made up largely of small fruits or berries. Vegetable food forms nearly 58 per cent of the stom- ach contents, over 47 per cent being wild fruits, and only a little more than 4 per cent being possibly cultivated varieties. Cultivated fruit amounting to about 25 per cent was found in the stomachs in June and July, but only a trifle in August. Wild fruit, on the contrary, is eaten in every month, and constitutes during half the year a staple food. Questions. - - Which of these birds are com- mon in your neighborhood? Which of them according to the foregoing report are plainly inju- rious? Clearly beneficial? Doubtful? Which are great destroyers of weed seeds? Wood-borers? Ants? Grain? Why is the j destruction of an ant by a night hawk of greater benefit than the destruction of an ant by a woodpecker ? Name the only wood- pecker that injures trees. If a bird eats two ounces of grain and one ounce of in- sects, has it probably done more good or more evil? F IG- 332. AFRICAN OSTRICH, x 5 V (Order?) r- CHAPTER XIV MAMMALS (BEASTS AND MAN) SUGGESTIONS. - -A tame rabbit, a house cat, or a pet squirrel may be taken to the school and observed by the class. Domestic ani- mals may be observed at home and on the street. A study of the teeth will give a key to the life of the animal, and the teacher should collect a few mammalian skulls as opportunities offer. The pupils should be required to identify them by means of the chart of skulls (p. 194). If some enthusiastic students fond of anatomy should dissect small mammals, the specimens should be killed with chloroform, and the directions for dissection usual in laboratory works on this subject may be followed. There is a brief guide on page 223. The following outline for the study of a live mammal will apply almost as well to the rabbit or squirrel as to the cat. The Cat.- The house cat (Fe/is domesticd) is probably descended from the Nubian v&\.(Felis maniculata t Fig. 333) found in Africa. The wild species is about half again as large as the domestic cat, grayish brown with darker stripes ; the tail has dark rings. The lynx, or wild cat of America {Lynx rufus\ is quite different. Compare the figures (333, 335) and state three obvious differences. To which American species is the house cat closer akin, the lynx (Fig. 335) or the ocelot (Fig. 334)? The domes- tic cat is found among all nations of the world. What is concluded, as to its nearest relatives, from the fact that the Indians had no cats when America was discovered ? It was considered sacred by the ancient Egyptians, and after death its body was embalmed. The body of the cat is very flexible. It may be divided into five regions, the head, neck, trunk, tail, and limbs. Its 184 MAMMALS 185 / FIG. 333. WILD CAT OK AFRICA (Felis maniculatd), x %. eyes have the same parts as the eyes of other mammals. Which part of its eye is most peculiar? (Fig. 333.) What part is lacking that is present in birds ? How are the eyes especially adapted for seeing at night ? Does the pupil in the light extend up or down or across the iris ? Does it ever become round ? What is the shape and position of the ears? Are they large or small compared with those of most mammals ? They are fitted best for catching sound from what direc- tion ? What is thus indicated in regard to the cat's habits ? (Compare with ears of rabbit.) Touch the whiskers of the cat. What result ? Was it voluntary or involuntary mo- tion ? Are the nostrils relatively large or small compared with those of a cow ? Of man ? Is the neck long or short ? Animals that have long fore legs usually have what kind of a neck ? Those with short legs ? Why ? How many toes on a fore foot ? Hind foot ? Why is this arrangement better than the reverse ? Some mammals are sole walkers (plantigrade), some are toe walkers (digitigrade). To which kind does the cat 1 86 ANIMAL BIOLOGY \ ' i i i^'-V- >V -'-""- ' '"' " ' '"' , V : ilSl ..ii ; ^' '.': LsirSstfytiaiii: ' : -\\ . .. FIG. 334. OCELOT (Felis pardalis), of Texas and Mexico, x |. belong ? Does it walk on the ends of the toes ? Does it walk with all the joints of the toes on the ground ? Where is the heel of the cat? (Fig. 334.) The wrist? To make sure of the location of the wrist, begin above : find the shoul- der blade, the upper arm (one or two bones ?), the lower arm (one or two bones?), the wrist, the palm, and the fingers (Fig. 337). Is the heel bone prominent or small? In what direction does the knee of the cat point ? The heel ? The elbow ? The wrist ? Compare the front and hind leg in length; straightness ; heaviness; number and position of toes ; sharpness of the claws. What makes the dogs claivs duller than a cat's ? What differences in habit go with this ? Judging from the toe that has become use- less on the fore foot of the cat, which toe is lacking in the hind foot ? Is it the cat's thumb or little finger that does not touch the ground ? (Fig. 337.) Locate on your own hand the parts corresponding to the pads on the forefoot of a cat. Of what use are soft pads on a cat's foot ? Some animals have short, soft fur and long, coarse over hair. Does the cat have both ? Is the cat's fur soft or coarse ? Does the fur have a color near the skin different MAMMALS I8 7 from that at the tip ? Why is hair better suited as a cover- ing for the cat than feathers would be? Scales? Where are long, stiff bristles found on the cat ? Their length suggests that they would be of what use to a cat in going through narrow places ? Why is it necessary for a cat to be noiseless in its movements ? - ^ - x FIG. 335- LYNX rufus). The " Bob-tailed cat" (North America). Observe the movements of the cat.- -Why cannot a cat come down a tall tree head foremost ? Did you ever see a cat catch a bird? How does a cat approach its prey? Name a jumping insect that has long hind legs; an am- phibian; several mammals (Figs. 362, 374). Does a cat ever trot ? Gallop ? Does a cat chase its prey ? When does the cat move with its heel on the ground ? The claws of a cat are withdrawn by means of a tendon (see Fig. 338). Does a cat seize its prey with its mouth or its feet ? How does a cat make the purring sound ? (Do the lips move ? The sides ?) How does a cat drink ? Do a cat 1 88 ANIMAL BIOLOGY and dog drink exactly the same way ? Is the cat's tongue rough or smooth ? How is the tongue used in getting the flesh off close to the bone ? Can a cat clean a bone entirely of meat? In what state of development is a newly born kitten ? With what does the cat nourisli its young f Name ten animals of various kinds whose young are simi- larly nourished. What is this class of ani- mals called ? Why does a FIG. 336. JAGUAR, of tropical America. cat bend its back when it is frightened or angry ? Does a cat or a dog eat a greater variety of food ? Which refuses to eat an animal found dead ? Will either bury food for future use ? Which is sometimes trouble- some by digging holes in the garden ? Explain this in- stinct. Which lived a solitary life when wild ? Which had a definite haunt, or home ? Why are dogs more sociable than cats? A dog is more devoted to his master. Why? A cat is more de- voted to its home, and will return if carried away. Why? Why does a dog turn around before lying down ? (Con- sider its original environment.) FlG - 337- - SKELETON OF CAT. The Skeleton (Fig. 337).- -Compare the spinal column of a cat in form and flexibility with the spinal column of a fish, a snake, and a bird. MAMMALS 189 The skull is joined to the spinal column by two knobs (or condyls\ which fit into sockets in the first vertebra. Compare the jaws with those of a bird and a reptile. There is a prominent ridge in the temple to which the powerful chewing muscles are attached. There is also a ridge at the back of the head where the muscles which support the head are attached (Fig. 348). Count the ribs. Are there more or fewer than in man ? The breastbone is in a number of parts, joined, like the vertebrae, by cartilages. Compare it with a bird's ster- num ; why the difference ? The shoulder girdle, by which the front legs are attached to the trunk, is hardly to be called a gir- dle, as the collar bones (clavicles) are rudimentary. (They often es- cape notice during dissection, being hidden by muscles.) The shoulder \ -*" blades, the other bones of this gir- die, are large, but relatively not so F ' G ; 338 ' ~ ''/'' \N s ; -"" X , .,&M,v; -.. ,.-. V I >?Aa FIG. 343. POLAR BEAR (Ursus maritimus). MAMMALS 193 KEY, OR TABLE, FOR CLASSIFYING MAMMALS (class Mammalia} INTO ORDERS Imperfect Mammals, young hatched or pre- maturely born BI Jaws a birdlike beak, egg-laying Bo Jaws not beaklike, young carried in pouch A 2 Perfect Mammals, young not hatched, nor prematurely born Cj Front part of both jaws lack teeth C 2 Teeth with sharp points for piercing shells of insects C 3 Canines very long, molars suited for tearing .C 4 Canines lacking, incisors very large Digits with claws B 2 Digits not distinct Digits with nails or hoofs C 1 Head large ; carnivorous C 2 Head small ; herbivorous C 1 Five toes, nose prolonged into a snout C 9 Toes odd number, less than five C 3 Toes even number, upper front teeth lacking, chew the cud C 4 Toes even number, upper front teeth present, not cud-chewers C- All limbs having hands C 6 Two limbs having hands ORDERS Mon'otrentes Marsu'pials Eden 1 tales Insect'ivors Car'nivors Rodents Ceta'ceans Sire'neans Proboscideans Equities Ru' minants Swine Quad' rumans Bf mans Exercise in Classification. Copy the following list, and by refer- ence to figures write the name of its order after each mammal : - Ape (Figs. 405, 406) Cow (Figs. 344, 386) Antelope (Fig. 391) Rabbit (Fig. 345) Dog (Figs. 356, 408) Hog (Figs. 357, 393) Bat (Figs. 347, 370) Cat (Figs. 337, 348) Armadillo (Figs. 349, 365) Walrus (Fig. 340) Monkey (Figs. 352,401) Horse (Figs. 355, 395) Ant-eater Mole (Figs. 367, 368) Beaver (Figs. 372, 373) Duckbill (Fig. 359) Tapir (Fig. 384) (Figs. 354, 364) Dolphin (379, 397) Use chart of skulls and Figs. 381, 382, 395-400 in working out this exercise. o (194) Chart of Mammalian Skulls (Illustrated Study) Man's dental formula is ( At >, C- , / - } = 32. V 5 i / In like manner fill out formulas below: Cow (M C- - fY 2 = 32 Rabbit (M C I}' 2 = 28 Walrus (M C- - /~Y 2 = 34 Bat (M C / )2 = 34 Cat (M CIV- = 30 Armadillo (M C- - / )- = 28 Horse (M C / ) 2 = 40 Whale ( M C / )2 = o Am. Monkey. . .(M C / )2 3 6 Sloth (M C I )2 = 18 Ant-eater (M C / )2 = o Dog (M C--/Y 2 = 42 Hog (M- C / )2 = 44 Sheep (M C I )2= o 2 FlG. 344. Skull and front of lower jaw of Cow. FIG. 346. WALRUS (see Fig. 341). FIG. 347. BAT. FIG. 345. RABBIT. , ^, incisors; C, molars. FIG. 348. CAT. Chart of Mammalian Skulls (195) FIG. 349. ARMADILLO. FIG. 354. ANT-EATER (Fig. 364). FIG. 350. HORSE (front of jaw). FIG. 351. GREENLAND WHALE. FlG - 355. HORSE. FIG. 356. DOG. Upper (A) and lower (B) jaw. FlG - 357- HOG. FIG. 352. AMERICAN MONKEY. FlG - 353- SLOTH (Fig. 363). FIG. 358. SHEEP. 196 ANIMAL BIOLOGY FlG. 359. DUCKBILL ( Ornith orhynchus paradoxus) . The lowest order of mammals contains only two species, the duckbill and the porcupine ant-eater, both living in the Australian re- gion. Do you judge that the duckbill of Tasmania -(Fig. 359) lives chiefly in water or on land ? Why? Is it prob- ably active or slow in movement ? It dabbles in mud and slime for worms and mussels, etc. How is it fitted for doing this ? Which feet are markedly webbed ? How far does the web extend ? The web can be folded back when not in use. It lays two eggs in a nest of grass at the end of a burrow. Trace re- semblances and dif- ferences between this animal and birds. The porcupine ant- eater has numerous quill-like spines (Fig. 360) interspersed with its hairs. (Use ?) De- scribe its claws. It has a long prehensile tongue. It rolls into a ball when attacked. Compare its jaws with a bird's bill. It lays one egg, which is carried FIG. 360. SPINY ANT-EATER (Echidna acu- leata). View of under surface to show pouch. (After Haacke.) MAMMALS 197 in a fold of the skin until hatched. Since it is pouched it could be classed with the pouched mammals (next order), but it is egg-laying. Suppose the two animals in this order did not nourish their young with milk after hatching, would they most resemble mammals, birds, or reptiles ? Write the name of this order. _ (See Table, p. 193.) WJiy do you place them in this order (_ _)? See p. 193.) The name of the order comes from two Greek \\ FlG. 361. OPOSSUM (Didelphys Virginianus). words meaning u one opening," because the ducts from the bladder and egg glands unite with the large intestine and form a cloaca. What other classes of vertebrates are similar in this ? Pouched Mammals.- These animals, like the last, are numerous in the Australian region, but are also found in South America, thus indicating that a bridge of land once connected the two regions. The opossum is the only species which has penetrated to North America (Fig. 361). Are its jaws slender or short ? What kinship is thus sug- gested ? As shown by its grinning, its lips are not well de- 198 ANIMAL BIOLOGY veloped. Does this mean a low or a well-developed mam- mal? Where does it have a thumb? (Fig. 361.) Does the thumb have a nail ? Is the tail hairy or bare ? Why ? Do you think it prefers the ground or the trees ? State two reasons for your answer. It hides in a cave or bank or hollow tree all day, and seeks food at night. Can it run fast on the ground ? It feigns death when captured, and watches for a chance for stealthy escape. The kangaroo (Fig. 362), like the opossum, gives birth to imperfectly developed young. (Kinship with what classes is thus in- dicated ?) After birth, the young (about three fourths of an inch long) are carried in a ventral pouch and suckled for seven or eight months. They begin to reach down and nibble grass before leaving the pouch. Compare fore legs with hind legs, front half of body with last half. Describe tail. What is it used for when kangaroo is at rest? In jump- ing, would it be useful for propelling and also for balanc- ing the body ? Describe hind and fore feet. Order _ _. Why?. See key, page 193. Imperfectly Toothed Mammals. - - These animals live chiefly in South America (sloth, armadillo, giant ant-eater) and Africa (pangolin). The sloth (Fig. 363) eats leaves. Its movements are remarkably slow, and a vegetable growth FIG. 362. GIANT KANGAROO. MAMMALS 199 X . ' \ ' FIG. 363. SLOTH of South America. resembling moss often gives its hair a green color. (What advantage?) How many toes has it? How are its nails suited to its man- ner of living? Does it save exertion by hanging from the branches of trees instead of walking upon them ? Judging from the figures (363, 364, 365), are the mem- bers of this order better suited for at- tack, active resistance, passive resistance, or concealment when contend- ing with other animals ? The ant-eater's claws (Fig. 364) on the fore feet seem to be a hin- drance in walk- ing ; for what are they useful ? Why are its jaws so slender? Jfi*K<^ H* FIG. 364. GIANT ANT-EATER of South America. (See Fig. 354.) Find evidences that the edentates are a the degenerate order. Describe another ant-eater (Fig. 360). What is prob- ably the use of enorniOUS rail ? nine-banded armadillo (Fig. 365) lives in Mexico and Texas. It is omnivorous. To escape its enemies, it burrows into 2OO ANIMAL BIOLOGY the ground with surprising rapidity. If unable to escape when pursued, its hard, stout tail and head are turned under to protect the lower side of the body where there are no scales. The three-banded species (Fig. 366) lives in Argentina. Compare the ears FIG. 365. NINE-BANDED ARMADILLO of Texas and Mexico. (Dasypus novemcinctus.') It is increas- ing in numbers; it is very useful, as it digs up and destroys insects. (See Fig. 347.) and tail of the two species ; give rea- sons for differences. Why are the eyes so small ? The claws so large ? Order _. WJiy?- 7;i%^jN _ |f A/^rM'^: : \ ' ".^^s^i-l m FIG. 366. THREE-BANDED ARMADILLO (Tolypeutes tricinctus) . Insect Eaters. - The soft interior and crusty covering of insects makes it unnecessary for animals that prey upon them to have flat-topped teeth for grinding them to MAMMALS 2OI powder, or long cusps for tearing them to pieces. The teeth of insect eaters, even the molars (Fig. 368), have many sharp tubercles, or points, for holding insects and piercing the crusty outer skeleton and reducing it to bits. As most insects dig in the ground or fly in the air, we are not surprised to learn that some insect-eating mam- FIG. 367. THE MOLE. mals (the bats) fly and others (the moles) burrow. Are the members of this order friends or competitors of man? FIG. 368. SKELETON OF MOLE. (Shoulder blade is turned upward.) Why does tJie mole have very small eyes ? Small ears ? Compare the shape of the body of a mole and a rat. What difference ? Why ? Compare the front and the hind legs of a mole. Why are the hind legs so small and weak ? Bearing in mind that the body must be arranged for digging and using narrow tunnels, study the skeleton 202 ANIMAL BIOLOGY (Fig. 368) in respect to the following : Bones of arm (length and shape), fingers, claws, shoulder bones, breast- bone (why with ridge like a bird ?), vertebrae (why are the first two so large ?), skull (shape). There are no eye sockets, but there is a snout gristle ; for the long, sensitive snout must serve in place of the small and almost useless eyes hidden deep in the fur. Is the fur sleek or rough ? Why ? Close or thin ? It serves to keep the mole clean. The muscles of neck, breast, and shoulders are very strong. Why ? The mole eats earthworms as well as insects. It injures plants by breaking and drying out their roots. Experiments show that the Western mole will eat moist grain, though it prefers insects. If a mole is caught, repeat the experiment, making a careful record of the food placed within its reach. FIG. 369. SKELETON OF BAT. As with the mole, the skeletal adaptations of tJie bat are most remarkable in the hand. How many fingers ? (Fig. 369.) How many nails on the hand ? Use of nail when at rest? When creeping? (Fig. 369.) In- stead of feathers, the flying organs are made of a pair of extended folds of the skin supported by elongated bones, which form a framework like the ribs of an um- brella or a fan. How many digits are prolonged ? Does MAMMALS 203 FIG. 370. VAMPIRE (Phyllostoma spectrum) of South America. : . the fold of the skin extend to the hind legs ? The tail ? Are the finger bones or the palm bones more prolonged to form the wing skeleton ? The skin of the wing is rich in blood vessels and nerves, and serves, by its sensitiveness to the slightest current of air, to guide the bat in the thickest darkness. Would you judge that the bat has sharp sight ? Acute hearing? The moles do not hibernate ; the bats do. Give the reason for the difference. If bats are aroused out of a trance-like condition in winter, they may die of starvation. Why ? The mother bat carries the young about with her, since, unlike birds, she has no nest. How are the young nourished? Order. _. Why? _. (Key, p. 193.) The Gnawing Mammals. These animals form the most numerous order of mammals. They lack canine teeth. In- ference ? The incisors are four in number in all species 204 ANIMAL BIOLOGY except the rabbits, which have six (see Fig. 345). They are readily recognized by their large incisors. These teeth grow throughout life, and if they are not constantly worn FlG. 371. POUCHED GOPHER (Geomys bursarius] X |, a large, burrowing field rat, with cheek pouches for carrying grain. away by gnawing upon hard food, they become incon- veniently long, and may prevent closing of the mouth and cause starvation. The hard enamel is all on the front sur- face, the dentine in the rear being softer ; hence the in- cisors sharpen themselves by use to a chisel-like edge. FlG. 372. Hind foot a, fore foot b, tail c, of BEAVER. FIG. 373. BEAVER. The molars are set close together and have their upper surfaces level with each other. The ridges on them run crosswise so as to form a continuous filelike surface for MAMMALS 205 reducing the food still finer after it has been gnawed off (Fig. 345). The lower jaw fits into grooves in place of sockets. This allows the jaw to work back and forth in- stead of sidewise. The rabbits and some squirrels have a hare lip ; i.e. the upper lip is split. What advantage is this in eating ? In England the species that burrow are called rabbits ; those that do not are called hares. Name six enemies of rabbits. Why does a rabbit usually sit motionless unless approached very close ? Do you usually see one before it dashes off ? A rabbit has from three to five litters of from three to six young each year. Squirrels have fewer and smaller litters. Why must the rabbit multiply more rapidly than the squirrel in order to survive ? English rabbits have increased in Australia until they are a plague. Sheep raising is inter- fered with by the loss of grass. The Australians now ship them to England in cold storage for food. Rabbits and most rodents lead a watchful, timid, and alert life. An exception is the porcupine, which, because of the defense of its barbed quills, is dull and sluggish. The common rodents are : FIG. 374. POSITION OF LIMBS IN RABBIT. porcupines pouched gopher ground hog prairie dog field mouse prairie squirrel guinea pig chipmunk Which of the above rodents are commercially important ? Which are injurious to an important degree ? Which have long tails? Why? Short tails? Why? Long ears ? Why? squirrels beavers rabbits muskrats rats mice 2O6 ANIMAL BIOLOGY Short ears ? Why ? Which are aquatic ? Which dig or bur- row ? Which are largely nocturnal in habits ? Which are arboreal ? Which are protected by coloration ? Which escape by running ? By seeking holes ? Economic Importance. - - Rabbits and squirrels destroy the eggs and young of birds. Are rabbits useful ? Do they destroy useful food ? The use of beaver and muskrat skins as furs will probably soon lead to their extinction. Millions of rabbits' skins are used annually, the hair being made into FIG. 375. FLYING SQUIRREL (Pteromysvolucella). x V 4 . felt hats. There are also millions of squirrel skins used in the fur trade. The hairs of the tail are made into fine paint brushes. The skins of common rats are used for the thumbs of kid gloves. Order _. Why? Elephants. - - Elephants, strange to say, have several noteworthy resemblances to rodents. Like them, elephants have no canine teeth ; their molar teeth are few, and marked by transverse ridges and the incisors present are promi- nently developed (Figs. 376, 3/7). Instead of four incisors, however, they have only two, the enormous tusks, for there are no incisors in the lower jaw. Elephants and rodents MAMMALS 207 FIG. 376. HEAD OF AFRICAN ELEPHANT. both subsist upon plant food. Both have peaceful disposi- tions, but one order has found safety and ability to survive by attaining enormous size and strength ; the other (e.g. rats, squirrels) has found safety in small size. Explain. Suppose you were to observe an elephant for the first time, with- out knowing any of its habits. How would you know that it does not eat meat ? That it does eat plant food ? That it can defend it- self ? Why would you make the mistake of thinking that it is very clumsy and stupid ? Why is its skin naked ? Thick? Why must its legs be so straight? Why must it have either a very long neck or a substitute for one ? (Fig. 376.) Are the eyes large or small? The ears? The brain cavity ? What anatomical feature correlates with the long proboscis ? Is the proboscis a new organ not found in other animals, or is it a specialization of one or more old ones ? Reasons ? What senses are especially active in the proboscis ? How is it used in drinking ? In grasping ? What evidence that it is a development of the nose ? The upper lip ? The tusks are of use in up- rooting trees for their foliage and in digging soft roots for food. Can the elephant graze ? Why, or why not ? There is a finger-like projection on the end of the snout which is useful in delicate manipulations. The feet have pads to prevent jarring ; the nails are short and hardly touch the ground. Order. _. Why?. _. Key, page 193. FIG. 377. MOLAR TOOTH OF AFRICAN ELEPHANT. 208 ANIMAL BIOLOGY Whales, Porpoises, Dolphins. - - As the absurd mistake is sometimes made of confusing whales with fish, the pupil may compare them in the following respects : eggs, nour- ishment of young, fins, skin, eyes, size, breathing, tem- perature, skeleton (Figs. 209, 379, and 397). ' H *T FIG. 378. HARPOONING GREENLAND WHALE "(see Fig. 351). Porpoises and dolphins, which are smaller species of whales, live near the shore and eat fish. Explain the ex- pression " blow like a porpoise." They do not exceed five or eight feet in length, while the deep-sea whales are from thirty to seventy-five feet in length, being by far the largest animals in the world. The size of the elephant is limited by the weight that the bones and muscles support and move. The whale's size is not so limited. The whale bears one young (rarely twins) at a time. The mother carefully attends the young for a long time. The blubber, or thick layer of fat beneath the skin, serves to retain heat and keep the body up to the usual tempera- ture of mammals in spite of the cold water. It also serves, along with the immense lungs, to give lightness to the body. MAMMALS 2O9 Why does a whale need large lungs ? The tail of a whale _ __ _ is horizontal instead 1 ^J of vertical, that it may steer upward rapidly from the depths when needing to breathe. The teeth of some FIG. 379. -DOLPHIN. whales do not cut the gum, but are reabsorbed and are replaced by horny plates of "whalebone," which act as strainers. Give evidence, from the flippers, lungs, and other organs, that the whale is descended from a land mammal (Fig. 397). Compare the whale with a typical land mammal, as the dog, and enumerate the specializations of the whale for living in water. What change took place in the general form of the body ? It is believed that on account of scarcity of food the land ancestors of the whale, hundreds of thousands of years ago, took to living upon fish, etc., and, gradually be- coming swimmers and divers, lost the power of locomotion on land. Order _ _ . Why ? Elephants are rapidly becoming extinct because of the value of their ivory tusks. Whales also furnish valua- ble products, but they will probably exist much longer. Why? The manatees and dugongs (sea cows) are a closely re- lated order living upon water plants, and hence living close to shore and in the mouths of rivers. Order Why f_ _. -. -' - -315 jj~ FIG. 380. MANATEE, or sea cow ; it lives near the shore and eats seaweed. (Florida to Brazil.) 2IO ANIMAL BIOLOGY Hoofed Mammals.- -All the animals in this order walk on the tips of their toes, which have been adapted to this use by the claws having developed into hoofs. The order is subdivided into the odd-toed (such as the horse with one toe and the rhinoceros with three) and the even-toed (as the ox with two toes and the pig with four). All the even- toed forms except the pig and hippopotamus chew the cud and are given the name of ruminants. Horse and Man Compared (Figs. 381, 399). To which finger and toe on man's hand and foot does the toe of a horse's foot correspond ? Has the horse kneecaps ? Is its heel bone large or small ? Is the fetlock on toe, instep, or ankle ? Does the part of a horse's hind leg that is most elon- gated correspond to the thigh, calf, or foot in man ? On the fore leg, is the elongated part the upper arm, forearm, or hand ? Does the most elongated part of the fore foot correspond to the finger, palm, or wrist ? On the hind foot is it toe, instep, or ankle ? Is the fetlock at the toe, instep, or heel ? (Fig. 385.) Is the hock at the toe, in- step, heel, or knee ? Order - WJiy ? Specializations of the Mammals. The early mammals, of which the present marsupials are believed to be typical, had five toes provided with claws. They were not very rapid in motion nor dangerous in fight, and probably ate both animal and vegetable food. FlG. 381. Left leg of man, left hind leg of dog and horse ; homologous parts lettered alike. MAMMALS 211 *$-*. xs / fil\u\\ ?a/>Afc\< Miohippus \J Mcsottippus' FIG. 382. SKELETONS OF FEET OF MAMMALS. P, horse; D, dolphin; E, elephant; A, monkey; T, tiger; O, aurochs; F, sloth ; M, mole. Question: Explain how each is adapted to its specialized function. According to the usual rule, they tended to u B increase faster than the food supply, and there were continual contests for food. Those whose claws and teeth were sharper drove the others from the food, or preyed upon them. Thus the specialization into the bold flesh eating beasts of prey and the timid vegetable feeders began. Which of the flesh eaters has already been stud- ied at length ? The insectivora escaped their enemies and found food by learning to burrow or fly. The rodents accomplished the same result either by acquiring great agility in climbing, or by living in holes, or by running. The proboscidians acquired enormous size and strength. The hoofed animals found safety in flight. FIG. 383. Feet of the ancestors of the horse. 212 ANIMAL BIOLOGY ' i-)f * ..-''/ :-'- ;, ;-'-; | ''> i ' .. : ' \ , r - .,, -. . ' '" - - ' - - *f -- * - . '! -.. " .;/* ;-,<,. . .,:,-.* ;..,v/- $/.) . 2 brain of rabbit: a, olfactory nerves; b, cerebrum: c, midbrain; d, cerebellum. .k Table for Review FISH FROG TURTLE BIRD CAT HORSE MAN Names of limbs Acutest sense Digits on fore and hind limb Locomotion Kind of food Care of young i St. Bernard Eskimo Poodle Dachshund German mastiff English* bloodhound Pointer Bulldog Greyhound Newfoundland Shepherd Spitz FIG. 408. ARTIFICIAL SELECTION. Its effects in causing varieties in one species. Which of the dogs is specialized for speed ? Driving cattle ? Stopping cattle ? Trailing by scent ? Finding game ? Drawing vehicles ? Going into holes ? House pet ? Cold weather ? In Mexico there is a hairless dog specialized for hot climates. The widely differing environments under various forms of domestica- tion cause " sports " which breeders are quick to take advantage of when wishing to develop new varieties. Professor De Vries by cultivating American evening primroses in Europe has shown that a sudden change of environment may cause not only varieties but new species to arise. 224 HUMAN BIOLOGY CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION To which ' branch of animals does man belong ? To which class and order in that branch ? (Animal Biology, pages 125, 193.) There is no other animal species in the same genus or order with man. This shows a wide pliysi- cal difference be- tween man and other animals, but man's mind iso- lates him among the other animals still more. The human species is divided into five varieties or races: I. Cau- casian (Fig. i). Skin fair, hair wavy, eyes oval. (Europe except Finns and Lapps, Western Asia, America.) 2. Mongolian. Skin yellow, hair straight and black, face flat, nose blunt, almond eyes. (Central Asia, China, Japan, Lapps and Finns of Europe, Eskimos of North America.) 3. Americans. Skin copper red, hair straight, nose straight or arched. (North and South America.) 4. Malay. Skin brown, face flat, hair black. (Australia and Islands of Pacific.) 5. Ethi- B I * . , , FIG. i. FACIAL ANGLES of Caucasian (nearly 90) and Ethiopian (about 70). The angle between lines crossing at front of upper jaw near base of nose, one line drawn from most prominent part of forehead, the other through hole of ear. HUMAN BIOLOGY opian (Fig. i). Skin dark, hair woolly, nose broad, lips thick, jaws and teeth prominent, forehead retreating, great toe shorter than next toe and separate. (Africa, America.) There is a struggle between the races for the possession of different lands. The Caucasian is gaining in Australia, Africa, and America. With difficulty the Mongolians are kept from the western shores of America. The Ethiopian in America shows a lessened rate of increase every decade ; this may be due to the tendency of the race to crowd into cities and the strain of suddenly changing from jungle life in less than two centuries. Civilization is a strain upon any race. It is destroying the American Indian. The Mongolian and Caucasian survive civiliza- tion best, but insanity is increasing rapidly among the latter. FIG. 2. INDIAN WEAPONS: LANCE AND ARROW HEADS. From a bank of mussel shells (remains of savage feast) at Keyport, N.J. Man's Original Environment. - - Primitive man lived without the use of fire or weapons other than sticks or stones. His first home was in the tropics, where his needs were readily supplied, and probably in Asia. Many nations have a tradition of a home in a garden (Greek, paradisos). His food was chiefly tree fruits and nuts. When because of crowding he left nature's garden, he acquired skill in hunting and fishing and the use of fire that flesh might sup- plement the meager fruits of colder climates. His weapons were of rough (chipped) stone at first in the old stone age. In this age the mammoth lived. FIG. 3. INDIAN TOMAHAWK. Stone. Keyport, N.J. Polished He learned to polish implements in the new stone age. The Indians were in that stage when Columbus came to America (Figs. 2, 3). The cultivation of grain and the domestication of animals probably began in this age. The bronze and iron ages followed the stone age. INTRODUCTION 3 The Reaction between Man and his Environment. - - The estimates by various geologists of the time man has existed as a species vary from 20,000 to 200,000 years. The active life out of doors which man led for ages (Fig. 4) has thoroughly adapted his body only for such a life. Now steam and other forces work for him, and his muscles dwindle ; his lungs are seldom fully expanded, and the unused portions become unsound ; he lives in tight houses, and the impure air makes his blood impure and his skin delicate ; he eats soft concentrated food, and his teeth decay and his too roomy food tube becomes sluggish. His nerves and brain are fully active and they become unsound from overwork and impure blood. 1 FIG. 4. PRIMITIVE MAN, showing clothing and weapons of chase and war. Degeneration of Unused Parts. -- Several facts just stated illustrate the oiological law that disuse causes degeneration. Man's Modification of his Environment.- -The energy of the world, whether of coal, waterfall, oil, forest, or rich soil, has the sun as its source. All of these are being destroyed by man, often with recklessness and wantonness. The promised land which u flowed with milk and honey 11 is now almost a desert. Other examples are Italy, Carthage, Spain. The destruction of forests causes floods which wash away the soil. It is estimated that there are only one fourth as many song birds in the United States as there were fifteen years ago. Insects and weeds or deserts replace rich soil, noble quadrupeds, singing birds, and stately trees. Many farmers, however, preserve the fertility of the soil. To the erect posture is due man's free use of his hands and the cooperation of hands and senses. This has given man his intellectual 1 It has been prophesied that the future man will be a brownie-like crea- ture with near-sighted eyes, shrunken body, slim little legs and arms, large hairless head, toothless gums, a stomach using only predigested food, muscles suited only to push an electric button or pull a lever, and mind very active. But this disregards the indispensable need of a sound mind for a sound body. There cannot even be a play of emotion without a change in the circulation. 4 HUMAN BIOLOGY development. The erect position has given greater freedom to the chest. Man uses fewer organs of locomotion than any other animal. The opossum has two hands, but they are on the hind limbs. The ape has four hands, but must use them all in locomotion. (What is a hand ?) The erect position, however, makes spinal deformity easier to acquire, and the whole weight being upon one hip at each step man is liable to hip-joint diseases. In the horizontal trunk the organs lie one behind another ; in man they lie one upon another, and are more liable to crowding and displacement. The prone position in sickness helps to restore them. Large blood vessels at neck, armpits, and groins, which occupy protected positions in quadrupeds, are held to the front and exposed to danger. The open end of the vermiform appendix and of the windpipe are upward in the erect trunk of man. Valves are lacking in some vertical veins and present where little needed in hori- zontal veins. But the freedom of the hands more than makes up for all the disadvantages of erectness. The Survival of the Fittest. - - Those who do not work degenerate. Those who overwork, or work with only a few organs, as the brain and nerves, degenerate. The workers survive and increase in numbers, the O ' idle perish and leave few descendants. What rate of adjustment to new environment is possi- ble for man? This has not been ascertained; it is prob- ably much slower than has been generally imagined. The natives of Tasmania, New Zealand, and many of the Pacific Islands became extinct in less than a century after adopting clothing and copying other habits from Euro- peans. Life in the country in civilized lands differs less from the environment of primitive man than does life in cities. Cities have been likened to the lion's cave in the fable, to which many tracks led, but from which none led. The care of health in cities is now making rapid strides along the biological basis of purer air, more open space, less noise, simple food, and pure water. Biology, by supplying as a standard the conditions which molded man's body for ages, furnishes a simple and sure basis for hygiene. To mention one instance among many, man blundered for centuries in attempting the cure of consumption, and well- INTRODUCTION 5 nigh gave up in despair. Yet it has recently been shown that if the sufferer returns only in a measure to the open- air habits of his remote ancestors, tuberculosis is one of the most preventable of diseases. The biological guide to health is surer and simpler than tinkering with drugs, fuss- ing with dietetics, and avoiding exposure. Man is of all animals least thoroughly adjusted to his environment, be- cause of his continual and rapid progress. Disease may be defined as the process by ivJiicli tJie body adapts, or at- tempts to adapt, itself to so sudden a change of environ- ment that some organ has failed to work in harmony with the others. By disease the body comes into adjustment with the new condition, or attempts to do so. Protoplasm.- -The life and growth of man's body, as the life and growth of all animals and plants, depend upon the activity of the living substance called proto- plasm, as manifested in minute bodies called cells. In fact, protoplasm can- not exist outside of cells. The cells of the human body and their relation to the body as a whole will next be considered. FIG. 5. AN AMEBA, highly magnified. , nucleus; psd, false foot. The Ameba. Of all the animal kingdom, the minute creatures that can be seen only with a microscope are most different from man. One of the most interesting of these is the a-me'ba (Fig. 5 ; spelled also amaba, see Animal Biology, Chap. II). A thousand of them placed in a row would hardly reach an inch. Some may doubt whether the ameba is a complete animal. Study the figures of it, and no head, or arms, or legs, or mouth can be found. It appears, when still, to be merely a lump of jelly. But the ameba can push out any part of its body as a foot, and move slowly by rolling its body into the 6 HUMAN BIOLOGY a. foot. 77 can put out any part of its body as an arm, and take in a speck of food ; or, if the food happens to be near, the ameba can make a mouth in any part of its body, and swallow the food by closing around it (Animal Biology, Fig. 12). The ameba has no lungs, but breathes with all the surface of its body. Any part of its body can do anything that another part can do. When the ameba grows to a certain size, Lt multiplies by squeezing together near the middle (Animal Biology, Fig. 13) and dividing into two parts. Amebas have not been observed to die of old age ; starvation and accident aside, they are immortal. The Ameba and Man Compared.- -The microscope shows us that the skin, the muscles, the blood, in fact, all parts of the body, contain numberless small Parts called cells. These cells are continually chang- ing with the activi- ties of the body. One of the most interesting kinds of cells we shall find to be the white blood cells, or corpuscles. One is shown in Fig. 6, with the changes that it had undergone at intervals of one minute. The thought readily occurs that these cells, although part of mail's body, resemble tJie ameba that lives an independent life. A man or a horse or a fish in fact any animal not a protozoan has something of the nature of a colony, or collection, of one-celled ani- mals. We are now prepared to understand a little as to how the body grows, and how a cut in the skin is re- paired. The cells take the nourishment brought by the blood, use it, and grow and multiply like the ameba. Thus new tissue is formed. All animals and vege- tables --that is to say, all living things are made of cells. FIG. 6. A WHITE BLOOD CELL, magnified ; forms noticed at intervals of one minute. A living cell always contains a still smaller body called a nucleus (Fig. 7). There is sometimes a small dot in the nucleus, called the nucleohis. TJie main body of the cell consists of the living substance called protoplasm, con- taining nitrogen. Usually, but not always, there is a wall FIG. 7. DIAGRAM OF A CELL. protoplasm; n, nucleus; ', nu- cleolus. INTR OD UCTION J surrounding the cell, called the cell wall. Workers with the microscope found long ago that animals and plants are constructed of little chambers which they called cells. It was found later that the soft contents in the little chambers is of more importance than the walls which the protoplasm builds around itself. A living cell is not like a cell in a honeycomb or a prison. In biology we define a cell as a bit of protoplasm containing a nucleus. No smaller part of living matter can live alone. The protoplasm of the nu- cleus is called nucleoplasm ; the rest of the protoplasm is called cytoplasm. A fiber is threadlike, and is either a slender cell (Fig. 8), a slender row of cells (Fig. 10), or a branch of a cell. A -n, FIG. 8. A CELL (from involuntary muscle), so slender that it is called a fiber. tissue is defined as a network of fibers or a mass of similar cells serving the same purpose, or doing the same work. A membrane is a thin sheetlike tissue. The Nature of the Human Body. The human body is a community of cells, and may be compared to a community of people. It is a crowded community, for all the citizens live side by side as they work. They are so small that it takes several hundred of them to make a line an inch long. We should never have suspected the existence of cells had it not been for the microscope ; but now we know that they eat and breathe and work and divide into young cells which take the place of the old ones. A child that is born in a community of people may become a railroad man and carry food and other freight from place to place ; so, in the great community of cells (see Fig. 9) making up the human body, the red blood cells, like the railroad man, are employed in carrying material from place to place. But the community is old-fashioned, for the 8 HUMAN BIOLOGY citizens build canals instead of railroads for their commerce (see Fig. 84). Just as a child may grow up to be ^farmer and aid in the con- version of crude soil into things suitable for the use of man, so the digestive cells take the food we eat and change it into material with which the cells can build tissue. Some of the citizens of a community must, at times, take the part of soldiers and policemen, and protect the community against the attacks of ene- mies. The ivhite blood cells, already referred to, may be called the soldiers ; for they go to any part attacked by injurious germs, a particle of poison, or other enemy, and try to destroy the ene- sSSi^SiS^^^ g/fc mies by devouring or digesting them. At other times they help to repair a break in the skin. If a splin- ter gets into the skin, the white blood cells form a white pus around the splinter and remove it. In fact, the white blood cell has been re- ferred to as a kind of Jack-at-all-trades. In the human community there are certain persons who reach the positions of teachers, law- makers, and governors ; they instruct and direct the other members of the community. Just so, in the community of cells, there are certain cells called nerve cells (see Fig. n) that have the duty of governing and directing the other cells. The nerve cells are most abundant in the brain. Large cities must have scavengers. Likewise in the human body, a community composed of millions of cells, there are certain cells in the skin and the kidneys which have this duty. They are continually removing impurities from the body. 1 Division of Labor. There is a great advantage in each cell of the human body having its special work, instead of having to do everything for itself, as each ameba cell must do. Under tJiis system each cell can do its own work better than a cell of any other kind can do it. Among wild tribes 1 From Coleman's " Hygienic Physiology," The Macmillan Co., N.Y. FIG. 9. VARIOUS CELLS of the body. (Jegi.) Tiny citizens of the bodily community. INTR OD UC TION 9 there is very little division of labor. Each man makes his own weapons, each knows how to weave coarse cloth, how to cook, how to farm, etc. Savages do not have as good weapons as do people who leave the making of weapons to certain men whose special business it is. What kind ol pocketknives or pencils do you think the boys of this country would have if each boy had to make his own pocketknife or pencil ? What kind of scissors and thread would the girls have if each girl had to make them her- self ? Our muscle cells can contract better than the ameba ; the cells in the lungs can absorb oxygen better than the ameba. We have just as great an advantage in digestion, feeling, and other processes ; for the ameba eats without a mouth, digests without a stomach, feels without nerves, breathes without lungs, and moves without muscles. Division of labor between the sexes also occurs among the higher animals. Those who desire that man and woman should have the same education and work would violate the biological law of "progress by specialization," which could only cause race degeneration. A part of the body which is somewhat distinct from surrounding parts, and has special work to do, is called an organ ; the special work which the organ does is called its function. The eye is the organ of sight. The skin is an organ ; its function is to protect the body. This book will treat of (i) the structure, appearance, and position of each organ, or anatomy; (2) the function of each organ, or physiology; (3) the conditions of health for each organ, or hygiene ; (4) the conditions under which each organ worked in the primitive life of the race 5(5) the effects of change of environment ; (6) the anatomy of man compared with the lower animals. (5) belongs to the science of Ecology. These sciences are parts of the science of Biology. 10 HUMAN BIOLOGy FIG. 10. - - THREE MUSCLE FIBERS from the heart (showing the nu- clei of six cells). The Tissues. - - As the organs have dif- ferent functions, tJiey must have different structures that they may be adapted to their work. Just as a house must have brick for the chimney, shingles for the roof, and nails to hold the timbers and other parts together, so the body has various tissues to serve different purposes. The bones must not be constructed like the muscles, and the muscles cannot be like the skin. The chief work of the cells is to construct the tissues and repair them. During life changes are constantly going on. Careful little workmen are keeping watch over every part of the body; thrifty little builders are busy in repairing and restor- ing. No sooner is one particle removed than another takes its place. In one di- rection the cells, acting as undertakers, are hurrying away matter which is dead ; in the other direction the unseen builders are filling the vacant places with matter that is living. The Seven Tissues. There are seven kinds of tissues. Two of them, the mus- cular and nervous tissues, are called the master tissues, since they control and ex- pend the energies of the body. The other five tissues are called the supporting tis- sues, since they supply the energy to the FIG. n. NERVE master tissues, support them in place, CELLS showing their branches nourish and protect them. interlacing. INTRODUCTION II FIG. 12. CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS, removed from among the fibers of Fig. 13. t/, c, nucleus; /. branches. The Master Tissues.- -The muscular tissue consists chiefly of rows of cells placed end to end (Fig. 10). These cells have the remarkable property of becoming broader and shorter when stimulated by impulses from nerve cells The nerve tissue consists of cells with long, spiderlike branches (Fig. u). Some nerve cells have branches several feet long, so long that they go from the backbone to the foot. The branches are called nerve fibers (Fig. 142). Nerve fibers which carry impulses to the nerve cells are called sensory fibers. The nerve fibers which carry impulses from the nerve cells are called motor fibers. The organs are set to work by impulses through the motor fibers. Besides these two master tissues there are five supporting tissues. Connective tissue, like all other tissues, contains cells (see Fig. 12), but it consists , . n . f, -, , FIG. 13. CONNECTIVE TISSUE chiefly of fine fibers. These FIBERS fibers are of two kinds, - very fine white fibers which are inelastic, and larger yellow fibers which are very elastic (see Fig. 13). Connective tissue is found in every organ, binding together the other tissues and cells. It is inter- woven among the muscle cells, and the tendons at the C a, b, bundles of white fibers; c, a yellow fiber. 12 HUMAN BIOLOGY ends of the muscles are composed almost wholly of it. If every other tissue were removed, the connective tissue would still give a perfect model of all the organs. How abundant this tissue is in the skin may be known from the fact that leather consists entirely of it. Fatty (Adipose) Tissue. - - Fatty tissue is formed by the deposit of oil in connective tissue cells (see Fig. 14). Fat is held in meshes of connective tissue fibers. That fatty tissue consists not alone of fat, but of fibers also, is shown when hog fat is rendered into lard, certain tough parts called "crack- lings" being left. What is the differ- ence between beef fat and tallow ? Epithelial tissue consists of one or more layers of dis- tinct cells packed close together (see Fig. 15). It con- tains no connective tissue or other fibers, and is the simplest of the tissues. Epithelial tissue forms the outer layer of the skin, called the epidermis, and the mucous membrane lining the interior of the body. It contains no blood ves- sels, the epithelial cells obtaining their nourishment from the watery portion of the blood which soaks through the FIG. 14. FATTY TISSUE. Five fat cells, held in bundles of connective tissue fibers. a is a large oil drop; ;;z, cell wall; nucleus () and proto- plasm (_/) have been pushed aside by oil drop (a). INTRODUCTION underlying tissues. Epithelial cells are usually transparent ; for instance, the blood is visible beneath the mucous membrane of the lips. The finger nails are made of epithelial cells, and they are nearly transparent. There are two classes of epithelial cells ; one class forms protective cover- ings (Fig. 15) ; the other class forms the lining of glands (Fig. 16). Glands are cavities whose lining of epithelial cells (Fig. 17) form either useful fluids called secretions to aid the body in its work, or harmful fluids called excretions to be cast out, or excreted. Most glands empty their fluids through tubes called ducts. Cartilaginous tissue is tough, yet elastic. Cartilage or gristle may be readily felt in the ears, the windpipe, and the lower half of the nose. This tissue consists of cartilage cells embedded in an intercellular substance through > which run connective tissue fibers (see Fig. 1 8). If yellow fibers predominate, the cartilage is yellow and very elastic, as in the ear ; if white fibers predomi- nate, it is white and less elastic, as in the pads of gristle between the bones of the spinal column. Cartilage is to prevent jars, and, in movable joints, to lessen friction. Bony (Osseous) Tissue.- -Solid bone is seen under the microscope to contain FIG. 15. EPITHELIAL TISSUE (epidermis ol skin, magnified). FIG. 16. EPITHELIAL TISSUE; cells form- ing two glands in wall of stomach. FIG. 17. Six GLAND CELLS : at left, shrunken after activ- ity ; at right, rested, full of granules. HUMAN BIOLOGY FIG. 18. CARTILAGINOUS TJSSUE. A thin slice highly magnified. a, b, c, groups of cells; m, inter- cellular substance. many minute cavities (Fig. 19). /;/ these cavities the bone cells lie self -imprisoned in walls of stone ; for these cells have formed the bone by deposit- ing limestone and phosphate of lime around themselves. There are minute canals (3, Fig. 19), however, through which nourish- ment comes to the cells. The watery portion of the blood passes through these small canals from the blood vessels that flow through the larger canals (i, Fig. 19). Bone cells may live for years, al- though some of the other cells of the body live only a few hours. New cells to repair the tissues are formed by subdivision of the cells, as with the ameba. Unlike protozoans, many-celled animals are mortal because the outer cells prevent the deeper cells from purifying themselves perfectly and obtaining pure food and oxygen. Even the arteries of an old man become hard- ened by the deposit of mineral matter which the body has been unable to ex- crete. The body is kept alive anc warm by burning, or oxidation, One fifth of the air is oxygen gas. We breathe it during every min- ute of our existence. It is car- ried by the blood to all the tis- r __ FIG. 19. BONY TISSUE. Thin slice across bone, as viewed through microscope. Larger blood tubes pass through the large holes (i) ; the cavities containing bone cells lie in cir- cles, and are connected by fine tubes (3) with the larger tubes. sues. Not one of the cells could work without oxygen. Without it the body would soon be cold and dead, for oxygen keeps the body alive and warm INTR OD UC TION I 5 by uniting in the cells with sugar, fat, and all other sub- stances in the body except water and salt. Oxygen burns or consumes the substances with which it unites, and the process is called oxidation. Hence the cells have to be continually growing and multiplying to repair the tissue and replace the material used up by oxidation. Sugar and flour and fat oxidize, or burn, outside of the body, as well as in it, as can be proved by throwing them into a fire. Water and salt are two foods that do not burn. Hence they can furnish no heat or energy to the body. Water puts out a fire instead of helping it, and so does salt. Throw salt into a fire or on a stove; it will pop like sand, but will not burn. The cells need the oxygen of fresh air ; they need food for the oxygen to unite with, but they arc injured by many substances called poisons. Arsenic destroys the red blood cells. Strychnine attacks the nerve cells in the spinal cord. Alcohol attacks the epithelial cells lining the stomach and, when it is absorbed, attacks the nerve cells and other cells. Morphine attacks the nerve cells. WRITTEN EXERCISES. - - Draw a series of seven pictures to show the seven tissues (Figs. 10. 14, 15, 18, 19). Write the "Autobiography 11 of a White Blood Cell (see also pages 59 and 68). The Rewards of Caring for the Health. Health and the Disposition. Which is more important, a Thorough Knowledge of Geography or of Physiology? Five Things which people Value above Health (and lose health to ob- tain). The Blessings that follow Good Health. The Tissues Com- pared (function, proportion of cells, intercellular material and fibers, activity, rate of change). See also pages 50, 116. Pupils should choose their own subjects. CHAPTER II THE SKIN NOTE TO TEACHER.- -The experiments should be assigned in turn to the pupils as each chapter is reached : e.g. this set of 13 will leave 3 pupils in a class of 39 to stand responsible for each experiment. Each pupil should do the work separately and credit may be given for the best results. Encourage (or require) each pupil to try every experi- ment and record them in a note book. Experiment i. (At home or in class.) Albinism. --Study a white rabbit as an example of albinism. Does albinism affect only the skin? What evidence that its blood is of normal color? Experiment 2. Use of Hairs on the Skin. - - Let one pupil rest his hand upon the desk behind him while another touches a hair on his hand with a pencil. He should speak at the moment, if it is felt. Do the hairs increase the sensitiveness of the skin? What was their use with primitive man? Are the hands of all your acquaintances equally hairy? Are the hairs to be classed as rudimentary? Will they disap- pear? Will the race become baldheaded? Experiment 3. (Home or school.) Invisible Perspiration. -- Hold a piece of cold glass near the hand or place the cheek near a cold win- dow pane and notice for evidence of moisture. Its source? Experiment 4. Effect of Evaporation on Temperature. Read a thermometer and cover its bulb with a moist cloth. Read again after twenty minutes. Repeat experiment in breeze. Experiment 5. Moisten one hand and allow it to dry. Touch the other hand with it. Explain result. Experiment 6. Absorbing Power of Fabrics. - - Wet the hands and dry them upon a piece of cotton cloth. Repeat with woolen, linen, and silk. Arrange in list according to readiness in absorbing water. Experiment 7. Rates of Drying. -- Immerse the cloths in water and hang them up to dry. Test their rates of drying with dry powder or by touch. Experiment 8. Test Looseness of Weave of above cloths by measur- ing the distance pieces of equal length will stretch. Experiment 9. Does Cotton or Wool protect better from Radiant Heat? --Lay a thermometer in the sun for ten minutes, first covering 16 \-^t^zp& i& COLORED FIGURE i. SECTION OF SKIN (diagram, enlarged 25 times). On the left the connective tissue fibers of the true skin are shown. in cutis (c), or dermis, find capillaries, nerve fibers, fat cells, /7t^ sweat glands and ducts, four oil glands (two in section), two hairs, three nerve papillae, five papillae containing capillaries, t2uo muscles for erecting hairs. In epidermis find flat cells, round cells, and pigment cells. FIG. 2. WHERE THE FOOD is ABSORBED (villus Of intestine). FIG. 3. WHERE THE FOOD is USED (cells with lymph spaces). i,j, jaws; ol, nerve of smell; op, nerve of sight : ^, brain; /, tongue; ep, epi glottis; oe, gullet; th, thymus gland; Ig, lung; //, heart; /, liver; g, stom- ach; s. spleen; /, pancreas; k, kidney; d. diaphragm; m, muscle; it, bladder; ch, spinal cord; 7', ver- tebrae. /fi/sc/e ce//s t ///SI Itftlffff af , ////////// .','> ' .-. FIG. 2. FIG. 4. - IDEAL SEC- TION OF MAMMAL. Compare with organs of man (colored Fig. 6). THE SKIN I/ it with a woolen cloth. Note change in reading. After it regains first reading, repeat, covering it with a cotton cloth of same weight and tex- ture ? Conclusion ? Expose wrists or arms to sun for five minutes, one protected by the cotton, the other by the wool. Result ? Conclusion? Experiment 10. Rates of Heat Absorption and Radiation by Different Colors. -- Expose thermometer to sunlight, covered successively by pieces of cloth of same thickness, material, and texture. Use black, blue, red, yellow, and white cloth. Note rise of temperature for equal times in each case ; also the fall of temperature for equal times after removal to shade. Experiment 1 1. Effects of Dry Powders. - - Prepare two squares from the same piece of leather (e.g. an old shoe). Moisten them both, and apply face powder to one. Which dries more quickly? Repeat after oiling them. Powder a portion of the face or arm daily for a week and compare with the clean portion. Experimejit \ 2. Dissect the kidney of an ox or sheep, making out the parts mentioned in the text, p. 26. Experiment 13. (In class.) Emergency Drill. - - Have one pupil wet an imaginary burn on the arm of another, treat it with flour or soda, and bandage. (See text.) The Skin has Two Layers.- The outer layer is called the epidermis ; it is thinner, more transparent, and less elastic than the inner layer, or dcrmis. The epidermis is com- posed of epithelial cells packed close together (see colored Fig. i). The dermis, or inner layer, is a closely woven sheet of connective tissue (colored Fig. i) containing a great num- ber of sweat and oil glands, roots of hairs, blood vessels, absorbent vessels (lymphatics), and nerves (colored Fig. i). The dermis is sometimes called the true skin because it is of greater importance than the epidermis. It is united loosely to the underlying organs by a layer of connective tissue. It is in this layer that fat is stored. The upper surface of the dermis rises into a multitude of projections (see colored Fig. i) called papiVlcE (singular, papilla). The epidermis fits closely over them and completely levels up the spaces between them except on the palms and the soles. Here the papillae are in rows, and there is a fine i8 HUMAN BIOLOGY ridge in the skin above each row of papillae (Fig. 24). In the papillae are small loops of blood vessels and sometimes a nerve fiber (colored Fig. i). The epidermis is composed of a mass of cells held to- gether by a cement resembling the white of an egg. The cells near the surface are hard and flattened ; those deeper down near the dermis are round and soft (see Fig. 21). These cells are liv- ing cells. They are kept alive by the nourishment in the watery portion of the blood which soaks through from the blood tubes in the neighboring pa- pillae. Hence these cells are growing cells; they subdivide when they reach a certain size, and re- place those wearing away at the surface, thus constantly repairing the epider- mis. The dry outer cells wear away rapidly. They have no nuclei and are dead cells. The new cells forming be- neath push them so far away from the dermis that nour- ishment no longer reaches them, and they die. Pigment. The cells in the lower layers of the epidermis contain grains of coloring matter, or pigment. All other cells of the epidermis are transparent ; the pigment has the function of absorbing and arresting light. Albinos or animals entirely without pigment have pallid skins and pink eyes (Exp. i). FIG. 20. EPIDERMIS OF ETHIOPIAN. FIG. 21. EPIDERMIS OF CAUCASIAN. THE SKIN 19 Immigrants from a Cloudy to a Sunny Climate. Adaptation. The cells of the deeper tissues can readily be exhausted by the stimulation of too much light. The sunnier the climate, the greater the need of pigment ; hence the dark skin of the negro and the blonde skin and hair of the Norwegian. European immigrants to sunny America will grow darker. The Indian's skin is better suited to our climate than is a fair skin. Brunettes have a better chance for adaptation than blondes. The American type when developed will doubtless be brunette. The hair grows from a pit or follicle (Fig. 22). Blood vessels and a nerve fiber go to the root or bulb from which a hair grows. The hair will grow un- til this papilla, or bulb, is destroyed (Exp. 2). Adaptation of the scalp to a tight warm cov- ering is accomplished through the shedding of the hair rendered useless by the covering. It is impossible to stop the growth of superfluous hair unless the hair papillae are destroyed with an electric needle, such is the vitality of hair; yet many men, by overheating the head and cutting off the circulation with tight hats, destroy much FlG - 22> ' DEVELOP ' , .. ..' ~, MEXT OF A HAIR of the hair before reaching middle age. 1 he AND TWQ health of the hair can be restored and its loss GLANDS. be stopped by going bareheaded except in the hot sun or in extremely cold weather. This frees the circulation; cold air and light stimulate the cells of the scalp. Some men wear hats, even at night in summer. The brain needs the protection of the hair. Beard protects the larynx or voice box. which is large and exposed in man. It was also a protection in hunting wild beasts and in war. Compare mane of lion, not possessed by lioness. " Goose-flesh " after a cold bath is caused by the contraction of small muscles (colored Fig. i), raising the now tiny hairs in an absurdly useless effort to keep the body warm. The nails are dense, thick plates of epidermis growing from a number of papillae situated in a groove, or fold, of the skin ; there are many fine papillae along the bed from which the nail grows. Since it grows from its under side as well as from the little fold of skin at its rcot, the nail is thicker at the end than near the root. 20 HUMAN BIOLOGY FIG. 23. A, DEVELOPMENT OF SWEAT GLAND; B, SWEAT TUBE DEVELOPED. The oil glands empty into the hair follicles (colored Fig. I ). They form an oil from the blood that keeps the hair glossy A and the surface of tJie skin soft t and flexible by preventing ex- cessive drying. Hair oil should never be used upon the hair, as the oil soon becomes rancid, and besides causes dust and dirt to stick to the hair. The sweat glands (Fig. 23), like the hair bulbs, are deep in the lowest part of the dermis. A sweat gland Jias the form of a tube coiled into a ^//(colored Fig. i). This tube continues as a duct through the two layers of skin, and its opening at the surface is called a. pore (Fig. 24). The perspiration evaporates as fast as it flows out through the pores, if the secretion is slow ; but if poured out rapidly, it gathers into drops (Exp. 3). The perspiration is chiefly water, contain- ing in solution several salts, including common salt and a trace of a white, crystalline substance called urea. The material for the perspiration is fur- nished by the blood flowing around the gland in a network of fine tubes. The amount of the perspiration is con- trolled in two ways : by nerves that regulate the activity of the epithelial cells lining the gland, and by nerves that regulate the size of the blood ves- sels supplying the gland (Fig. 25). FIG. 24. PORES on ridges in palm of hand. THOUGHT QUESTIONS. Freckles, Warts, Moles, Scars, Proud Flesh, Pimples, Blackheads. Use these names in the proper places below : THE SKIN 21 A rough prominence formed by several papillae growing through the epidermis at a weak spot and enlarging is called a - . Small patches of pigment developing on the hands and face from much exposure to the sun are called - . The growth of exposed dermis sprouting through an opening in the epidermis due to accident is called - -. (This should be scraped off and cauterized to aid the epidermis to grow over it again.) Sometimes a cut heals in such a way that no epidermis and therefore no pigment cells cover the place of injury, which is occu- pied only by white fibrous tissue (cicatricial tissue) of the true skin. In this case the mark left is called a cicatrice or -. If pores or the openings of oil glands become clogged, but not enlarged, little swell- ings called - - may result. An enlarged pore filled with oil and dirt is called a - . A spot present since birth, dark with pigment, and often containing hairs and blood vessels, is called a - . Regulation of Temperature. - -As is well known, rapid running or violent exercise of any kind causes profuse per- spiration. The sweat glands are connected with the brain by means of nerves, and when the body has too much heat, a nerve impulse from tJie lowest part of the brain causes the sweat glands to form sweat more rapidly. Heat and exer- cise may cause the activity of the sweat glands to increase to forty times the usual rate. The evaporation of the sweat cools the body, for a large amount of heat is required to evaporate a small amount of water (Exp. 4 and 5). This is shown by the cooling effect of sprinkling water on the floor on a warm day. By fanning we hasten the cooling of the body (Exp. 4). Exercise tends to heat the body, but it also causes us to breathe faster and causes much blood to flow through the skin. Both of these effects aid in cooling the body, for the cool air is drawn into the lungs, becomes warm, and takes away heat when it leaves ; and the warm blood flow- ing in the skin loses some of its heat to the cool air in con- tact with the skin. Effects of Alcohol upon the Skin. - The more blood goes to the skin, the more blood is cooled. The body 22 HUMAN BIOLOGY as a whole may be cooler, but we fed warmer ivJien tJierc is more blood in tJie skin because of tJie effect of t/ie warm blood upon the nerves of temperature. There are no nerves for perceiving temperature except in the skin and mucous membrane, and the body has practically no sensation of heat or cold except from the skin or mucous membrane. That alcoholic drinks make the skin red is commonly noticed. Often the skin is flushed by one drink ; the bloodshot eyes and purple nose of the toper are the results of habitual use. Can you explain why alcohol brings a deceptive feeling of warmth ? Why does alcohol increase the danger of freezing during ex- posure in very cold weather ? During the chill which pre- cedes a fever, the body (except the skin) is really warmer than usual. Exercise will relieve internal congestion and send the blood to the skin better than alcohol. This is the effect sought by sedentary people who use it to replace exercise. The long and sad experience of the race with alcohol proves that the attempt to adapt the body to its use should be given up. THOUGHT QUESTIONS. The Functions of the Skin. 1. State a fact which shows that the skin is a protection ; gives off offensive sub- stances ; regulates the temperature. 2. What is lacking in the skin when it cracks or chaps ? Why does this occur more often in cold weather? When the hands are bathed with great frequency? Effects of Indoor and Outdoor Life. Those who live much out of doors, exposed to sunlight and pure, cold air, are robust and hardy ; while those whose occupations keep them constantly indoors, especially if no physical labor is necessary, show by their pale skins, their fat and flabby, or their thin and emaciated bodies, the weakening effect of such a life. We are descended from ancestors who lived in the open air, and it is impossible for a human being to live much indoors without de- generation of the body and shortening of life. A Well-trained Skin. --We hear a great, deal about training the muscles, the brain, the eye, the hand ; yet we may fail to realize that THE SKIN the skin also can be trained and its powers developed, or it can be allowed to become weak and powerless. Soundness of the skin is as es- sential to health as soundness of any other organ. A rosy color indicates good health because of a well-balanced circulation. Paleness often means internal congestion and great liability to indigestion, colds, etc. Hence we think a rosy skin beautiful and a pale skin ugly. With the skin in a healthy condition, the danger of taking most diseases is removed. Characteristics of a Vigorous Skin. --A person who readily takes cold, who is fearful of drafts of air at all times, has a weak skin. To one who has a healthy skin drafts are dangerous only when the skin is moist with perspira- tion, and the body is inactive ; cold drafts may then do harm. Cold air and cold water are the best means of toughening a tender skin. A batJi is to tJie skin what gymnastic exercises are to the muscles. The muscle fibers in the walls of the blood vessels and .the nerves controlling them need exercise as well as the rest of the body (Fig. 25). Importance of Bathing. -If we followed tlie out- FIG. 25. BLOOD VESSELS, with the VASO-MOTOR NERVES which accompany and control them. door life and wore tJie scanty clothing of savage races, tJie rains , the cool air, and the sunlight would keep our skins vigorous and sound. But want of exercise to induce perspiration allows the sweat glands to become stopped up. The wearing of clothes is a very uncleanly custom. Clothes make the skin inactive, yet confine the impurities which the weakened skin may still be able to excrete. Thick and o 24 HUMAN BIOLOGY heavy clothing and overheated rooms prevent the nerves from being stimulated by cold air and sunlight. The best way to counteract these weakening conditions is by frequent cool or cold bat/is. An air bath, which consists of exposing the bare skin to the air for half an hour or more before dressing in the morning, may take the place of a cold bath. Even the lower animals bathe : birds, dogs, and many lower animals bathe in the rivers. An elephant sometimes takes a bath by showering water over his back with his trunk. Treatment of Burns. Wet the burn with a little water and sprinkle common baking soda or flour thickly on it. Bind with a narrow bandage. For deeper burns soak a small square of cloth in a strong solution of baking soda, bandage it on wound, and keep it wet with the solution. Olive, cotton seed, and linseed oils are excellent for burns (Exp. 13). Hygiene of Bathing. - - A bath should not be taken within an hour after a meal. Cold baths (i) should never be taken in a cold room nor when the skin is* cold ; (2) are more beneficial in summer and in warm cli- mates, but are necessary in winter for those who live in overheated houses or dress very warmly; (3) should be followed in winter by vigorous rubbing and a glowing re- action ; (4) should usually not last longer than one minute in winter. Warm baths (i) are more cleansing than cold baths ; (2) should not be used alone but should always be followed by a dash of cold water ; (3) are better than cold baths if the body is greatly fatigued ; (4) are more benefi- cial when going to bed than upon rising. Cold baths and very hot baths are both stimulants to the nervous system and cause an expenditure of nervous energy. For one whose nervous energy is at a very low THE SKIN 25 ebb cold baths may be weakening if prolonged beyond a few seconds. For one with skin relaxed and body sluggish from indoor life, cool baths arouse activity, tone up the body, and may be as beneficial as outdoor exercise in restor- ing vigorous health. As with every hygienic measure, each person must find out by experience what suits him best. Clothing was first employed for ornament. In cold climates it aids in maintaining the uniform temperature of the body ; to it man owes his distinction of being the most widely distributed of animal species. Clothing prevents rapid escape of bodily heat by confining air, a non- conductor of heat, in its meshes. Hence, the effect of clothing varies with the weave ; likewise with the tendency of its fibers to keep dry, for if water replaces air in the meshes, the body loses heat rapidly. For cool clothing the weave should be hard and tight, for warm clothing it should be soft and loose. The warmth of clothing is affected more by its weave than by its weight. The weave may be tested by stretching; the fabric with softest weave will stretch the most (Exp. 8). Linen makes the coolest of all clothing because it weaves hard with small meshes ; silk ranks next in coolness. When warmth is desired, linen or cotton garments should be made of fabrics woven like stockings. Linen and cotton both absorb water rapidly and dry rapidly (Exp. 6) ; if woolen did also, it would make the warmest of all clothing, but it dries so slowly (Exp. 7) that it cools the body after the activity is over instead of drying rapidly and, as with linen and cotton, keeping the body cool during the exertion (Exp. o) . Woolen weaves with the largest air meshes of all materials ; hence its warmth increases perspi- ration, but woolen removes perspiration most slowly and tends to relax the skin if the wearer has an active skin or makes active exertion. Woolen is best for underclothing during extreme cold only or for per- sons who neve'r make such vigorous muscular exertion as to perspire. In general, cotton or linen is best for underwear. They possess the added advantages of less cost and of not shrinking out of size and shape when washed. A mixture of cotton and silk or of cotton and wool is more durable than either alone. Cotton and linen, unlike woolen, are not attacked by insect pests. It is better to depend more upon outer clothing than underclothing for warmth. In the Gulf states the wearing of woolen outer clothing indoors during warm weather (which lasts eight months) is unhealth- ful and uncleanly because of the perspiration absorbed ; this is as 26 HUMAN BIOLOGY absurd as to wear cotton outer clothing in Northern states during the eight cold months. Black clothing absorbs twice, blue almost twice, red and yellow almost one and a half times, as much heat as white clothing (Exp. 10). Which material protects best from radiant heat ? (Exp. 9.) Because large blood vessels are near the surface at the neck, wrists, and ankles very thin or no covering at those points aids greatly in keeping the body cool. High collars, long sleeves, and high shoes are unhealth- ful in warm climates and in summer. What objection to black shoes in summer ? Patent leather ? Show how women dress more sensibly in hot weather than men. The kidneys are located on each side of the spinal col- umn in the " small of the back " and extend slightly above the level of the waist. They are bean-shaped or- gans about four incites long (Fig. 26). The kidneys of a sheep or ox closely re- semble those of man. They are outside of the perito- neum (Fig. 99) and at- tached to the rear wall of the abdomen. A large artery (12, colored Fig. 5) goes to each kidney and divides into many capilla- ries which surround tubules in the kidneys (Fig. 27). The secretion, containing nitrogenous impurities of the blood, is continually being deposited in the tubules, which take it to a funnel-shaped cavity at the inner edge of the kidney (Fig. 26). From this cavity a white tube called the ureter leads down to a storage organ in the pelvis called the bladder. FIG. 26. SECTION OF KIDNEY. RA, renal artery; Py, pyramids surrounding hollow space from which the ureter (U) leads the secretion to the bladder. THE SKIN A. TT> 1 '!<;. 27. PLAN OF A URINARY TUBULE, Tb, with artery A, and V in p V. Changes in Blood in the Kidneys. The water holding the nitrogenous waste varies in amount with the amount of water drunk and with the activity of the skin, being less in sum- mer when the perspiration is great. The lungs aid the skin and kidneys in disposing, of superfluous moisture. The kidneys have almost the entire responsibility of relieving the body of certain mineral salts and a white crys- talline solid called urea. This is very injurious if retained, causing headaches, rheumatism, and other troubles. THOUGHT QUESTIONS. Hygiene of the Skin.--l. What kind of a scar is not affected by freckles or tan? 2. Can a scar on a negro be white? 3. Does a scar on a child grow in size? 4. Why is heat most oppressive in moist weather? 5. How do you account for the shape and location of the usual bald spot? 6. How does the wearing away of the outer cells of the epidermis contribute to the cleanliness of the body? 7. Why does the palm of the hand absorb water more rapidly than the back of the hand? 8. Is it more necessary for mental workers to bathe often or change their clothes often? For physical workers? 9. Is cotton or woolen clothing more liable to stretch or shrink out of shape or size? To catch fire? To make the skin clammy with moisture? To cost mor?.? To be eaten by moths? Os frontale Maxilla superior Maxilla inferior Clavicula Humerus Costae Os parietale Os temporale Os- occipitis Vertebrae Scapula Sternum Radius Ulna Fibula Metatarsus Tarsus Digiti pedis FIG. 28. THE SKELETON. 28 CHAPTER III THE SKELETON Experiment \. (At home.) Is the Arch of the Foot Elastic? Wet the foot in a basin of water and, while sitting, place the foot flat upon a piece of paper. Draw the outline of the track. Repeat, but stand with your whole weight upon the foot. Draw track. Con- clusion? (Take sketches to school. Which sketch shows the flattest foot?) Devise a method for measuring the length of the foot with and without the weight of the body upon it. What difference? Con- clusion ? Experiment 2. Composition of Bone. - - Place a bone in a hot fire and let it remain for three or four hours. It will keep its shape however long you burn it ; but unless you handle it carefully when you take it out, it will crumble to pieces. If not thoroughly burned, the bone will be black from the carbon of the animal matter still left in it. Experiment 3. Obtain a slender bone like the rib of a hog or the leg bone of a fowl, and put the raw bone into a vessel containing strong vinegar or two ounces of muriatic acid and a pint of water. Leave it there for four days. When the bone is taken out, it can be tied into a knot. The acid may be washed off, and the bone preserved in a bottle of alcohol or glycerine. Experiment 4. The Forms of Joints. --Obtain the disjointed bones of a fowl or small mammal and place them one at a time in their sockets and study the fit and motion of the joints. Experiment 5. Pivot Joints. - - Through what fraction of a circle do the pivot joints in the forearm and neck allow the hand and head to rotate ? Review Questions. - -Where are the bone cells? How does nour- ishment reach them ? How has the mineral part of the bones been de- posited? How long may bone cells live? Name animals with outside skeletons. Inside skeletons. No skeleton. Forms and Uses of Bones. - The three chief uses of bones are protection, motion, and support. In order to fulfill these purposes, the bones must have different sizes, shapes, and positions. The bones are classed by shape, as long, 29 HUMAN BIOLOGY Spongy tissue, : j C Marrow. Compact or dense tissue and compact near - o flat, and irregular. Those whose chief use is to protect are broad and flat. The bones which furnish support are tJiick and solid ; those designed to aid in motion are long and straigJit. Including six small bones in the ear, there are two hundred and six bones g in the adult skeleton. Gross Structure of Bones. The structure of a long bone is shown in Fig. 29. It has a long, Jwllow sJiaft of hard, compact bone, and enlarged ends composed of spongy bone. The hollow in the shaft is filled witJi yellow mar- row, which is composed of blood vessels and fat, and aids in nourishing thebone. Thelongbones are found in the limbs (Fig. 28). The ribs and other flat bones and the FIG. 29. -FEMUR, sawed irregular bones contain lengthwise. The red no yellow marrow ; they blood cells are formed . in the red marrow of are spongy inside, and the spongy part. FIG. 30. the surface. There is a red marrow in the FRONT VIEW OF f . /T ^. RIGHT FEMUR. cavities in the spongy parts 01 bones (r ig. 29). New red blood cells are formed in tJiis marrow. The bones have a close-clinging, fibrous covering composed of con- nective tissue and blood vessels. It is called periosteum. THE SKELETON Chemical Composition of Bone. Experiments (2 and 3) show that the bones contain a mineral or earthy substance, which makes them hard and stiff, and ,, a certain amount of animal matter, called gelatine, which binds the min- eral matter together and makes the bones tough and somewhat elastic. The fire burned out the animal matter rj of the first bone, and the acid dissolved out the mineral matter of the second bone. The mineral matter is cJiiefly lime, and makes up about two thirds of the weight of the bone. (Why is more mineral than animal matter needed ?) The animal gelatine is a gristly sub- stance. As the body grows old, the animal matter of the bones decreases, and they become lighter. They are L. more easily broken and do not heal so readily as the bones of young persons. The skeleton is subdivided into the bones of the head, trunk, and limbs. The bones of the trunk are those of the spine, the chest, the shoulder blades, collar bone, and hip bones. The spinal or vertebral column is made up of twenty-six bones (Fig. 31). It is the axis of the human skeleton, to which all other bones are directly or indirectly attached. Animals with FIG. 31. --VERTEBRAL inside skeletons have this column, and CoLUMN - Side view - are called vertebrates. Fish, reptiles, birds, beasts, apes, and man are vertebrates. The spine, as this column is some- CLJ HUMAN BIOLOGY times called, is not only the main connecting structure and support of the body, but it forms a channel through which passes the spinal cord. Fig. 32 shows a vertebra, or one of the bones that compose the column. The three projecting points or processes are for the attachment of ligaments and muscles. The main body of each vertebra is for supporting the weight transmitted by the column above. Just behind this thick body is a half ring (Fig. 32), which with the half rings on the other vertebrae form the channel for the spinal cord. Between the vertebras are thick pads of gristle, or cartilage, which act as cushions to prevent jars, and by compression allow bending of the spinal column in all directions. The Chest (see Fig. 75). The twelve pairs of ribs are attached FIG. 32. SIDE AND UNDER to the spinal column behind, and VIEW OF A VERTEBRA. , extend around toward the front of the body, somewhat like hoops. The first seven pairs, called true ribs, are attached directly to the flat breastbone, or sternum. Each of the next three pairs, called false ribs, is attached to the pair above it. The last two pairs, called floating ribs, are free in front. The Shoulder Girdle. - - The collar bones (Fig. 28) can be traced from the shoulders until they nearly meet on the breastbone at the top of the chest. The collar bone is shaped like the italic letter/"/ it helps to form the shoulder joint and holds the shoulder blade out from the chest that the motions of the arm may be free. The flat, triangular shoulder blade (Fig. 75) can be felt by reaching with the right hand over the left shoulder. It spreads over the ribs like a fan. Its edges can be made out, especially if the shoulder is moved while it is being THE SKELETON 33 Parietal Frontal Ethmoid nasal Malar Occipital FIG. 33. HUMAN SKULL, disjointed. felt. The high ridge which runs across the bone can be felt extending to the top of the shoulder. The Pelvic Girdle. - The edges of the hip bones can be felt at the sides of the hips (Fig. 28). The hip bones, with the base of the spine, form a kind of basin called the pelvis. The skull (Fig. 33) rocks, or nods, on the top vertebra. It consists of the cranium, or brain case, and the bones of the face. The shapes and names of the bones of the skull are shown in Fig. 33. Adaptations of the Skull for Protection. - - Its arched form is best for resisting pressure and turning aside blows. Like all flat bones, the skull has a spongy layer of bone between the layers of compact bone forming the outer and inner surfaces ; hence it is elastic and not easily cracked. The nose, brow, and cheek bones project around the eye for its protection. The delicate portions of the ear are embedded in the strongest portion of the skull. The branches of the nerves of smell end in the lining of the bony nasal chambers. The spinal cord rests securely in the spinal canal. The arms and legs have bones that closely correspond to each other. The Latin names of these bones, as well as of all the other bones, are given in Fig. 28. There are 30 bones in each arm and 30 in each leg (Fig. 34). Here is a list of the bones of the arm, followed by the names in brackets of the corresponding leg bones : upper arm bone [thigh bone], 2 forearm bones [shin bone and 34 HUMAN BIOLOGY splint bone], 8 wrist bones [7 ankle bones], 5 palm bones [5 bones of instep], 14 finger bones [14 toe bones]. The shin bone is the larger bone between knee and ankle. The long, slender splint bone and the shin bone are bound side by side. Differences between Arm and Leg. There is a saucer-like bone, called the kneecap, embedded in the large liga- ment which passes over each knee. There is no such bone in the elbow. There is one less bone in the ankle than in the wrist, hence there are the same number of bones in the arm and leg. The shoulder joint is more freely movable than the hip joint. The fin- gers are longer and more movable than the toes; the thumb moves far more freely than the big toe. The instep is much stronger than the palm ; for each instep must support, unaided, the weight of the whole body at each step, with any other weight that the person may be carrying. The palm is nearly flat, but the instep is arched to prevent jars. When the weight of the body is thrown on the foot at each step, the top of the arch is pressed downward, making the foot longer than before. The arch springs up when the weight is removed (Exp. i). ILLUSTRATED STUDY. The Shapes of Bones. Write Z,, F, or 1 after these names (see Fig. 28, etc.). according as the bones are long, flat, or irregular : face, cranium, vertebra, hip, rib, bone, collar bone, shoulder blade, upper arm bone, arm bones, wrist, palm, fingers, thigh bone, splint bone, ankle, instep, toes, kneecap. FIG. 34. BONES OF ARM AND LEG. breast- lower shin bone. THE SKELETON 35 Structure of Joints. The meeting of two bones forms a joint (Exp. 4). Some of the joints are immovable. The skull bones join in zigzag lines called sutures, formed by the interlocking of sawlike projections (Fig. 35). These immovable joints are necessary for the protection of the brain, which is the most delicate of the organs. The brain attains almost its full size by the seventh year of life ; its bony case needs to grow very little after that. The joints of the pelvis are also immovable. All movable joints have two cartilages, and as the bones turn, one cartilage slips over the other. There is an intermediate class of joints found between the vertebrae and where the ribs join the breastbone. These joints de- FIG. 35. SUTURES pend for their motion upon the flexibility OF SKULL - and compressibility of their cartilages. They are called mixed, or elastic, joints, and allow slight motion. Such a joint has only one cartilage. Kinds of Movable Joints. The movable joints are found chiefly in the limbs. When one end of the bone is rounded and fits into a cuplike hollow, the joint allows motion in all directions, and is known as a ball-and-socket joint. The hip joints and shoulder joints are examples. A hinge joint allows motion in only two (opposite) directions ; for exam- ple, the to-and-fro motion of the elbow. A pivot joint allows a rotary motion ; examples, the first vertebra on the second, one bone of forearm upon the other. A glid- ing joint consists of several bones that slide upon one another, as at the wrists and ankles. The Four Features presented by a Movable Joint (Fig. 36). If not held in place, the bones would slip out of their sockets, hence there are ligaments, or tough bands, HUMAN BIOLOGY to bind the bones together. Sudden jolts would jar the bones and injure them; shocks are prevented by a layer of elastic cartilage over the end of each bone. The mov- ing of one bone over another in bending a joint would wear the bone with friction un- less the cartilages were very smooth and lubricated with a fluid called the synovial fluid. The synovial fluid would be constantly escaping into the surrounding tissues except for the collarlike ligament called Joint cartilage L. Joint capsule O! Synovial membrane FIG. 36. DIAGRAM OF A JOINT. the capsule, which surrounds the joint and is attached to each bone entirely around the joint (Fig. 36). THOUGHT QUESTIONS. The Kinds of Joints. --Write B, H, G, E, P, or /after these names according to the kind of joint (ball-and-socket, hinge, gliding, elastic, pivot, immovable) : between bones of skull, head nodding, head turning, vertebrae, lower jaw, ribs to breastbone (Fig. 75), shoulder, elbow, wrist, fingers, hip, knee, ankle, toes. Growth of Bones.- -The blood vessels pass into the bones from the periosteum. If the periosteum is removed, the larger blood vessels are taken away and the bone beneath it perishes. If the underlying bone is removed and the periosteum left, the bone will be replaced. A curious proof of the active circulation in the bone is furnished when madder is mixed with the food of pigs. In a few hours the bones become a darker pink than usual ; and if the madder is fed to the pigs for a few days, their bones become red. A child grows in height chiefly during three or four months in spring and summer; but its body broadens and becomes heavier during autumn. Health of the Bones. - -It is plain that a strong and free circulation of pure blood contributes to the health and strength of the bones ; good food and pure air make pure blood. Cases of " delayed union," or slow mending of broken bones, occur more often with intemperate than with sober people. This is because the vitality of the bone cells has THE SKELETON 37 been weakened by the use of alcohol. Many surgeons dislike to operate on an old drunkard. Posterior Curvature of the Spine. - -The spine (see Figs. 28, 31) has two backward curves (opposite chest and hips) and two forward curves (at loins and neck). The deformity called posterior curvature is chiefly an exaggeration of the upper posterior curve. Round shoulders is the slightest, and hunchback the most marked, degree of this deformity. Causes : i, bending over the work while either standing or sitting ; 2. slipping down in the seat, as in Fig- ure 51 ; 3, working habitually with the work low in front, as reading and writing at too low a desk (Fig. 49), or bend- ing over while hoeing, sitting on the floor (Japanese and Chinese) ; 4, weak muscles in the back ; 5, wearing shoes with high heels; 6, binding the ribs down with tigJit cloth- ing; 7, walking with the head drooped forward or the chest flat ; 8, wearing suspenders without a pulley, or lever, at the back ; 9, carrying the hands in the pockets. (Swing the arms to keep the hands out of the pockets and break the habit) : 10, wearing a coat or vest that is tight at the back of the neck. This deformity is brought about by stretching t /i e ligaments at the back side of the spine, and by compressing the cartilages until tJiey become wedge- shaped, with the thin part of the wedge in front. The flexibility of the spine is a great advantage, but it in- creases the risk of deformity. One of the most serious evils of posterior curvature is a flat chest and restricted breathing. Lateral Curvature of the Spine. -- A perfect spine curves to neither side (Fig. 47), but is perfectly erect. The least habitual lateral curvature is deformity. Causes: i, writing at a desk that is too JiigJi ; 2, habitually carrying a book, satchel, or other weight in the same hand ; 3. carrying the head on one side (Fig. 46) ; 4, habitually standing with the weight on the same foot ; 5, a certain defect of vision (astigmatism. Chap. IX). To overcome Spinal Deformities.- -The work, or the manner of doing the work, should be so changed as to give extra labor to the neglected muscles. Avoid the habits mentioned above as causing deformity. Sit and stand in the manner described in the next paragraph. Sleeping on the back upon a hard mattress without a pillow tends to ^ ut stra ined cure posterior curvature and flat chest. and stiff. FIG. 37. - INCORRECT POSTURE. ' CORRECT HUMAN BIOLOGY The correct position in standing is : chest forward, chin in, hips back (Figs. 38, 39). To sit correctly, sit far back in tJie chair (Figs. 60, 61, 62) with the body erect and balanced. In youth the bones are soft and growing ; they will readily grow into perfect shape, and will almost as readily grow deformed. Sprains. -- Immerse the part in hot water for half an hour, then bandage to keep the part at rest. Use the litnb as little as possible. It may be necessary for a physician to apply a plaster dressing to a very bad sprain where the ligament is torn from the bone. Broken Bones. To prevent bone from cutting flesh and skin, do not move the person until a temporary splint has been provided by tying sticks or umbrellas around the limb with handkerchiefs. PRACTICAL QUESTIONS. The Skeleton. --1. What kind of a chair back causes one to slide forward in the seat? 2. What fault in sitting is made necessary by using a chair with so large a seat that the front edge strikes the occupant behind the knee? 3. Why is the shoulder more often dislocated than the hip? 4. High pil- lows may cause what deformity? 5. Find three bones in the body not attached to other bones. Find twenty-five bones at- tached to other bones by one end only (Figs. 28 and 39). 6. What deformities may result from urging a young child to stand or walk ? 7. Which bone is most often broken by falling upon the shoul- der? 8. Where in bones is fat stored for FIG. 39. THE HUMAN SKELETON IN ACTION. future use? 9. Liga- ments grow very slowly. Why is recovery from a sprain often tedious? CHAPTER IV THE MUSCLES IT has already been stated that there are at least two muscles attached to a bone to move it in opposite direc- tions. Since there are two hundred and six bones, you are not surprised to learn that to move the bones and accomplish the various purposes just stated, there are five hundred and twenty-six (526) skeletal muscles. Two Kinds of Muscles. - - All muscles are controlled by means of the nervous system. Some of them are directed by parts of the brain that work consciously ; others are controlled by the spinal cord and the parts of the brain that work unconsciously. Those of the first kind are usually controlled by tJie will, but they sometimes act invol- untarily. They are called voluntary muscles. They move the bones and are located in the limbs and near the surface of the trunk (Fig. 44). The other kind of muscles are never controlled by tJie will, and are called involuntary muscles. We cannot cause them to act, nor can we prevent them from acting. They contract more slowly than the voluntary muscles. Most of them are tubular and found in the cavity of the trunk. The involuntary muscles belong to the internal organs, and relieve the will of the responsi- bility and trouble of the activity of these organs ; other- wise, the mind would have no time for voluntary actions. Gross Structure of Voluntary Muscles. A beefsteak is seen to be chiefly red, although parts of it are white or yellowish. The white or yellowish flesh is fat ; the red, 39 HUMAN BIOLOGY FIG. 40. - - MUSCLE BUNDLES bound to- gether by connective tissue sheaths. lean flesh is voluntary muscle. If a piece of beef is thoroughly boiled, it may be easily separated into bundles the size of large cords. These bun- dles may, by the use of needles, be picked apart and separated into thread- like fibers (Fig. 40). Microscopic Structure of Muscles. These threadlike fibers may, under a magnifying glass, be separated into fine strands called fibrils. TJiese last are the true muscle cells ; they are shown by the micro- scope to be crossed by many dark lines (Fig. 48). Hence voluntary muscles are called striated or striped muscles. Pro- longed boiling and patient picking with a needle are needed to dissect muscle, because the bundles are held together by thin, glistening sheets of connective tissue by which they are surrounded. This connective tissue surrounds and holds in place the separate fibers of each bundle (Fig. 40). The fibrils of invol- untary muscles are spindle-shaped (see Fig. 42). There are no cross lines on the fibrils ; hence involuntary mus- cles are called smooth FIG. 42. INVOLUNTARY MUSCLE CELLS (or fibers). or 2instriped imiscles. FIG. 41. --Two MUS- CLE FIBERS OF HEART. THE MUSCLES The heart fibers are exceptional ; they are the only invol- untary muscle fibers that are striped (Fig. 41). THOUGHT QUESTIONS. Classification of Some of the Muscles. Copy the following list and mark / for involuntary and V for voluntary after the appropriate muscles. Muscles for chewing. Muscles of gullet. Muscles of the heart. Muscles that move arms. Muscles for breathing. Muscles in the skin that cause the hair to stand on end. Muscles that move eyelids. Muscles that contract pupil of eye. Muscles for talking. Muscles that contract and expand the arteries (in blushing and turning pale). Muscles that move eyeball. Muscles that give expression to the face. Tendons. The connective tissue ivJiich binds the fibers of muscles into bundles, and forms sJicatJis for the bundles, extends beyond the ends of tJie muscles and unites to form tough, inelastic white cords called tendons. Some muscles are without tendons, and are attached directly to bones. Study the figures and find examples of this (see Figs. 44, 75). To realize the toughness of tendons, feel the tendons under the bent knee or elbow, where they feel almost as hard as wires. The tendons save space in places where there is not room enough for the muscles, and permit the bulky muscles to be located where they are out of the way. Wher- ever the tendons would rise out of position when a joint is bent, as at the wrist and ankle, they are bound down by a ligament. Arrangement of Voluntary Mus- cles. Circular muscles, called sphincter muscles, are found around the mouth and eyes. Muscles that extend straight along the limb either bend it and are called flexors, or straighten it and are called extensors. Most of FIG. 43. (For blackboard.) BICEPS relaxed and contracted. 42 HUMAN BIOLOGY the voluntary muscles are arranged in pairs and cause motion in opposite directions ; they are said to be antago- nists. The biceps (Fig. 43) bends the arm. Its antagonist is the triceps on the back of the arm. By feeling them swell and harden as they shorten, locate on your own body the muscles mentioned in Fig. 44. How a Muscle grows Stronger ; its Blood Supply. Nature has provided that any part of the body shall receive more blood when it is working than when it is resting. WJien it works the hardest, the blood tubes expand the most and its blood supply is greatest. So whenever a muscle is used a great deal, an unusual amount of material is carried to it by the blood, the cells enlarge and multiply, and the muscle grows. The walls of the capillaries are so thin that the food which is in the blood readily passes from them to the muscle. Because of the oxidation taking place, a work- ing muscle is warmer than one at rest. By use a muscle grows large, firm, and of a darker red ; by disuse, it be- comes small, flabby, and pale. But if muscles are worked too constantly, especially in youth, their cells do not have time to assimilate food and oxygen, and their growth is stunted. Unless the meal has been a very light one, vigorous exercise should not be taken after eating, as the blood will be drawn from the food tube to the muscles and the secre- tion of the digestive fluids will be hindered. Persons whose entire circulation is weak may find that light exercise after a meal, such as walking slowly, may help circulation and digestion. Why the Muscles work in Harmony. WJien a boy throws a stone, almost every part of the body is concerned in tJie action. His arms, his legs, his eyes, the breathing, the beating of the heart, are all modified to assist in the effort. Illustrated Study of Muscular Function Draw a dotted line from each function mentioned on margin to the muscle or muscles having that function. Bows the head? Draws shoulder back? Straightens the elbow? Straightens the fingers? Swings leg outward? Bends the knee? Straightens the knee? Crosses the leg? Straightens toes? Lifts the whole arm outward and upward? Draws who'e arm downward and forward? Bends the elbow? Bends the fingers? Raises the body on the toes? Raises toes? FIG. 44. SUPERFICIAL MUSCLES AFTER THE STATUE OF "THE DIGGER (Lami). 43 44 HUMAN BIOLOGY As the boy wills to throw the stone, nerve impulses are sent to all the organs that can assist, and they are excited to just the amount of action needed. The Nerve Impulse and the Contraction. - - Each nerve that goes to a muscle is composed of many fibers ; the fibers soon separate and go to all parts of the muscle, and each muscle fiber receives its nerve fiber (see Fig. 45). In the brain each fiber is stimulated at once, and all the fibers shorten'and thicken together. This change is spoken of as contraction ; but since the muscle does not be- come smaller, the word may be misleading. When the muscle shortens, it thickens in proportion and occupies as much space as it did when relaxed. Where does Muscular En- ergy come from? - - The nerve does not furnish tJie energy which the muscle uses when b FIG. 45. MOTOR NERVE FIBERS, ending among fibrils of voluntary muscle. Compare with Fie. 48. , TV / // contracting. 1 he muscle cells have already stored up energy from the food and oxygen brougJit to them by the blood, and the process called oxida- tion sets free the energy. Activity of muscle may increase the carbon dioxid output fivefold. Mental work has prac- tically no effect upon it. How a Muscle stays Contracted. - -The muscle relaxes at once after contraction ; and in order to keep it contracted, nerve impulses must be sent in quick succession, causing in fact many contractions ; the effect of this is sometimes THE MUSCLES 45 visible, as the trembling of the muscle. Figure 47 shows an easy standing posture. What causes Fatigue. - - Fatigue or exhaustion is due to the using up of the living material in the nerve cells and muscle cells by oxidation. Rest is necessary to give cells opportunity to repair themselves. Why is it less fatiguing to walk for an hour than to stand perfectly still for ten minutes ? FIG. 46. IMPROPER POSITION; causes spine to curve to side ; raises one hip and shoulder above the other. FK;. 47. P>KST POSITION; chest is free to expand, and weight is easily shifted from one foot to other. Degeneration of Muscles begins with habitual disuse. We dare not furnish a substitute for the work of a muscle, if we wish the muscle to remain sound. A belt or a stay at the waist will cause the muscles of the trunk to become flabby and the abdomen to relax and protrude. How Muscular Activity helps the Health. - - Life is change, stagnation is death. Muscular activity uses up the 4 6 HUMAN BIOLOGY food, g ives a good appetite, and sets the digestive organs to work ; it uses up the oxygen and sets the lungs to work ; but most of all, every contraction of a muscle helps the blood to flow. As a muscle contracts, it presses upon the veins and lymphatics, and, by this pressure, forces the blood and lymph along (Fig. 48). In any ordinary activity, dozens of mus- cles are being used. That the effect upon the circulation is very pow- erful, is shown by the rosy skin, deep breath- ing, and rapid heart beat. The many benefits of an active circulation of the blood and lymph will be discussed in the next chapter See page 67. A grave danger from athletics is that of developing the muscles, including the heart, to an enormous extent by training ; then ivhen training ceases the muscles undergo fatty degeneration from disuse. Heart disease and other diseases may follow. Many athletes die young, killed by trying to turn their bodies into mere machines for run- ning, boxing, or rowing, instead of living complete lives. The athletic ideal is not the highest ideal of health ; gen- eral activity, resembling the occupations of hunting and farming by which the early race supported itself, is best for health. Many kinds of factory work use only one set of muscles. The savage did not lead a monoto- nous life, and monotony is bad for both muscles and nerves. FIG. 48. CAPILLARIES among fibers of voluntary (cross striped) muscle. (Peabody.) THE MUSCLES 47 Advantages of Work and Play over Gymnastic Exer- cises. The interest that comes from doing something useful, makes muscular exer- tion doubly beneficial to the health. The lifting of dumb- bells, Indian clubs, and pulley weights, and letting them down again, tends to become very irksome, even though done with the knowledge that the exercise will benefit the health. Useful labor and games place definite objects in view and do not require so great an effort of the will nor exhaust the nerves so much as mere exercise. The interest in the work or the game serves to arouse all the nerves and muscles to work in harmony. An Advantage of Gymnas- tics over Work and Play. - Gymnastics can furnish anv j * required variety of exercises and can develop exactly the muscles that need develop- ment and leave those idle that have become overdeveloped by doing constantly one kind of work or playing continually the same game. The deform- ity of a flat chest (and round shoulders which always ac- company it) does not so often indicate a weak chest or small lungs as it indicates weak or relaxed muscles of the back and the habit of sitting in a relaxed position at work (Figs. 49, 50, 51). Gymnas- FIG. 49. DESK TOO Low. (Jegi.) FIG. 50. CORRECT POSITION. FIG. 51. SLIPPING DOWN IN SEAT. 48 HUMAN BIOLOGY * tic exercise is not wholly an artificial custom. Cats stretch themselves, stretching each leg in succession ; many animals gambol and play. A gymnastic drill, taken to music and with large numbers of pupils in the drill, is interesting as work or play, and should not be neglected for any study, however important. Environment of Early Man and Modern Man. --A well-developed man of one hundred and fifty pounds weight should have sixty pounds of muscles. The proportion is often different in the puny bodies of the average civilized men, such as clerks, merchants, lawyers, and other men with sedentary occupations ; their bodies are as likely to be lean and scrawny or fat and flabby as to be correctly proportioned. Why does a normal man have sixty pounds of muscles instead of twenty pounds of puny strings such as would have sufficed for a clerk, student, or a writer? This is because, in his native condition, he had to seek his food by roaming through the forest, contending with wild beasts or with other savage men, often traveling many miles a day, climbing trees, etc. Too Rapid Change of Environment ; Destructive Tendencies of Civil- ization. --// is impossible for the human body to change greatly in a few hundred years. The body of man served him for many ages for the manner of life outlined above. It was suited for these conditions, and the muscles and the organs that support them cannot accommodate themselves to changed conditions in a few generations. It has only been a few hundred years since the ancestors of the Britons and Ger- mans, for instance, were running wild in the German forests, clad in the skins of wild beasts. Yet civilized man lets his muscles fall into disuse, he takes a trolley car or horse vehicle to go half a mile, an elevator to climb to the height of thirty feet. He neglects all his muscles except those that move the tongue and the fingers of the right hand. He never makes enough exertion to cause him to draw a deep breath, and his lungs contract and shrivel. He seldom looks at anything farther than a few inches frpm his nose, and his eyes become weak. At the same time that he neglects his muscles and his lungs, he overworks his brain and his stomach ; yet he expects his body to undergo the rapid changes to suit the demands of his life. Such rapid changes in the human race are impossible. A man that does not see that sound health is the most valuable thing in the world, except a clear conscience, is in danger both of wrecking his own happiness and of failing in his duty to others. THOUGHT QUESTIONS. Shoes. 1. What the faults of shoes may be in size ; shape; sole; heel; toe; instep. 2. Name deformities re- sulting to skin of foot ; nails ; joints ; arch ; ankle ; spine. 3. State effects THE MUSCLES 49 of uncomfortable shoes on muscular activity : mind and disposition. 4. State effect of aversion to walking on muscles ; circulation. 5. If a shoe is too loose, it slips up and down at the heel and chafes the skin there ; if too tight, there is pres- sure on the toes, which causes a corn or ingrowing nail. Have your shoes been correct, or have they been too loose or too tight ? According to this test, what pro- FIG. 52. ARCH OF FOOT. It forms an portion of people wear shoes that elastic springi are too tight? 6. How many sprained ankles have you known among boys; girls? 7. Why is it that people who grow up in warm climates have high, arched insteps, and short, broad, elastic feet, but people of the same race who pass their childhood in cold climates often have long narrow feet with low arches and sometimes have the deformity called " flat foot " ? Instinct as a Guide for using the Muscles. - - The instinctive feeling called fatigue tells us when to rest. There is also a restless, uneasy feeling that conies over a normal human being ic/icn confinemejit and restraint of the muscles have reached an unhealthy limit. This feeling should not be repressed for long at a time. Many, ruled by avarice, ambition, interest in sedentary work, a silly notion of respectability, or a false conception of duty, have repressed this feeling and have lost it. There is then a feeling of languor, and a disinclination to the very activity which health demands. An unheeded instinct is as useless as an alarm clock that has been habitually disregarded. Exercise and Climate. --In our warmest states and in the tropics, one hour's vigorous physical labor a day, combined with the ordinary activities of life, will keep a person in good condition. In the colder states, muscular exertion for several hours is needed daily. Complete Living. - - Numberless people have devoted themselves to an intellectual occupation, and planned to keep their bodies sound by gymnastics and special exercises. Because of the monotony of exer- cises, they are soon given up in nearly every instance. The safest -way is never to allow all the energies to be devoted to a one-sided occupation, but so to plan one^s life and work that a part of the time is devoted to some physical work, whether it be in a garden, workshop, or orchard ; in walking a long distance to the office : at bookbinding, cooking, wood carving, or any one of various other useful occupations. The result of manual training shows that not only strength of body, but strength of mind, is promoted by physical labor. Problems of war and of the chase kept active both the body and mind of the savage. Hence he led E 50 HUMAN BIOLOGY a more nearly complete life than his civilized descendants, and his body was strong accordingly. We should admit the hopelessness of having permanent good health without muscular activity and should determine that muscular exertion shall be as much a habit and pleasure as eating and sleeping. Alcohol and Muscular Strength. Benjamin Franklin, one of the wisest and greatest of Americans, was a printer when he was a young man. In his autobiography he gives an account of his experience as a printer in London. He says: "I drank only water; the other work- men, fifteen in number, were great drinkers of beer. On occasion I carried up and down stairs a large form of types in each hand, when others carried but one in both hands. They wondered to see, from this and several instances, that the Water-American, as they called me, was stronger than themselves, who drank strong beer. My companion at the press drank every day a pint before breakfast, a pint at breakfast with his bread and cheese, a pint between breakfast and dinner, a pint at dinner, a pint in the afternoon about 6 o'clock, and another when he had done his day's work. I thought it a detestable custom, but it was neces- sary, he supposed, to drink strong beer that he might be strong to labor. 1 ' EXERCISES IN WRITING.- -The Right and the Wrong Way to ride a Bicycle. Pay Day at a Factory. A Graceful Form : how Acquired ; how Lost. A Drinking Engineer and a Railway Wreck. PRACTICAL QUESTIONS. 1. Can we always control the voluntary muscles? Do we shiver with the voluntary or involuntary muscles? 2. If a man had absolute control over his muscles of respiration, what might he do that he cannot now do? 3. Why is one who uses alcoholic drinks not likely to be a good marksman? 4. Why should a youth who wishes to excel in athletic contests abstain from the use of tobacco? 5. Is there any relation between the amount of bodily exertion necessary for a person's health and the amount of wealth or the amount of intelligence he possesses ? 6. Can you relax the chewing muscles so that the lower jaw will swing loosely when the head is shaken? Can you relax your arm so that it falls like a rope if another person raises it and lets it fall? 7. The average man has sixty pounds of muscle and two pounds of brain ; one half of the blood goes through the muscles and less than one fifth goes through the brain. What inference may you draw as to the kind of life we should lead? 8. Why is a slow walk of little value as exercise? 9. How can we best prove that we have admiration and respect for our wonderful bodies? 10. Why is the ability to relax the muscles thoroughly of great benefit to the health? How is this ability tested ? (Question 6.) 11. Why is it as correct to say that the muscles support the skeleton as the reverse ? 1. Head arteries (carotid). 2. Nameless arteries (innominate). 3. Collar bone (sub- clavian) artery. 4. Great bend of the aorta. t8. Ascending vena cava. 19. Vein from liver (hepatic). 20. Vein from stom- ach (gastric). 21. Vein from spleen. i 5. Pulmonary arteries. 6. Thoracic aorta. 7. 10. Abdominal aorta. 8. Artery to liver i hepatic). : 9. Artery to spleen ? (splenic). 11. Artery to in- testine (mesenteric). 12. Artery to kidney (renal). 13. Descending vena cava. i t. Nameless vein (innominate, 15 and 16 be- fore branching). 15. Collar bone vein (subclavian). J 6- Jugular vein. 17. Pulmonary vein. 22. Vein from intestine. 23 Vein to liver (portal). 24. Vein from kidney. 25. Right auricle. R 26. Left auricle. 27. Right ven- tricle. 28. Left ventri- cle. 29. Thoracic duct. 30. Stomach. 31. Spleen. 32. Liver. 33. Kidneys. 34. Duodenum. 35. Ascending colon, 36. Descending colon. 37. Lymphatic glands of mesentery. COLORED FIGURE 5. DIAGRAM OF CIRCULATION. CHAPTER V THE CIRCULATION Experiment i . Anatomy of Mammalian Heart. Get a sheep's or beef's heart from the butcher. Get the whole heart, not simply the ventricles (as usually sold). Note the blood vessels, four chambers, thickness of di fife re nt walls, valves, cords, openings. Experiment 2. Does Gravity affect the Blood Flow? --Hold the right hand above the head for a few minutes. At the same time let the left hand hang straight down. Then bring the hands together and see which is of a darker red because of containing more blood. Now re- verse the position of the hands for a few minutes, and find whether the effect is reversed. (Entire class.) Experiment 3. Study of Human Blood. --Examine a drop of blood under the microscope, first diluting it with a little saliva. See Fig. 60. Experiment 4. The Circulation in a Frog. - -Wrap a small frog in a moist cloth, lay on a slip of glass, place under the microscope, and study the circulation in the web of its foot. Experiment 5. (Entire class.) Effect of Exercise upon the Pulse. Tap a bell as the second hand of a watch begins a minute and let the pupils count the pulse at the radial artery on the wrist above base of thumb. Repeat standing, or after gymnastics or recess. Result? Experiment 6. The Action of the Valves in the Veins. --Place the tip of the middle finger on one of the large veins of the wrist ; with the forefinger then stroke the vein toward the elbow so as to push the blood from a portion of it, keeping both fingers in place. The vein remains empty between the fingers. Lift the finder nearer the heart and no blood enters the vein ; there is a valve above which holds it back. Lift the other finger and the vein fills instantly. Stroke a vein toward the hand, and notice that the the veins swell up into little knots where the valves are. Stroke in the reverse direction. Result ? Experiment 7. Finding the Capillary Pressure. This is found by pressing a glass plate or tumbler upon a red part of the skin. When the skin becomes pale the capillary pressure is counterbalanced. Experiment 8. Emergency Drill. Let one pupil come forward, mark with blue chalk or pencil the position on his arm of a supposedly cut vein. Let another pupil use means to stop the imagined blood flow. 51 HUMAN BIOLOGY Experiment 9. Let another pupil stop the flow from an imaginary cut artery marked red. See text. Experiment 10. In a case of nose bleed do not let pupil lean over a bowl. (Why?) Cause him to stand rather than lie. (Why? See Exp. 2.) Apply cold water to contract arteries to nose, also have pupil hold a small roll of paper or a coin under upper lip (to make muscular pressure on arteries to nose). Experitnoit 11. Let one pupil treat another for a bruise (seep. 62). Experiment 12. Emergency drill, restoration from fainting (see p. 57). The Cells have a Liquid Home. - - The cells in the body of man, like the ameba, live in a watery liquid. This liquid is called lympJi. The cells cannot move about as the ameba does to obtain food, so the blood brings the food near them and it soaks through the blood tubes into the lymph spaces next to the cells (see colored Fig. 3). The ameba gives off waste material into the water ; the cells of the body give it off into the lymph to be carried off by the circulation. The blood, then, has two functions : (i) to take nourishment to the tissues ; (2) to take away waste material from them. The Organs of Circulation. - These are the Jieart, which propels the blood ; the arteries, which take blood away from the heart ; the veins, which take the blood back to the heart ; and the capillaries (Fig. 53), which take the blood from the arteries to the veins. The heart is a cone-shaped organ about the size of its owner's fist. It lies in a diagonal position behind the breastbone, with the small end of the cone extending toward the left. The smaller end (Exp. i) taps or beats against the chest wall at a point be- tween the fifth and sixth ribs on the left side. The breastbone and ribs protect it from blows. An inclosing membrane called the pericardium secretes a serous fluid and lessens the friction from its beating. Why the Heart is Double. - - There must be a pump to move the impure blood from the body to the lungs to get oxygen FIG. 53. CAPILLARIES, connecting artery (l>) with vein (a}. THE CIRCULATION 53 from the air, and there must be another pump to send the pure blood from the lungs back to the body. Hence there are two pumps bound together into one heart, beating at the same time like two men keeping step, or like two car- penters keeping time with their hammers. There are valves in the heart, as in other pumps. These valves are so arranged that when any part of the heart contracts and forces the blood onward, the blood cannot return after that part of the heart relaxes. Are the pumps placed one behind the other? Or is one above the other? Neither; they are side by side, with a fleshy partition between them (Fig. 54). The pump on the right moves the impure blood from the body to the lungs, and the one on the left moves the pure blood from the lungs to the body. There is no direct connection between the right and left sides of the heart. To trace one complete circuit of the blood (Fig. 54), let us begin with the blood in the capillaries of the outer tissues, such as the skin or muscles. pulmonary veins pulmonary veins The blood goes through small FIG. 54. DIAGRAM OF HEART. Notice the two dark spots in the right auricle, and four dark spots in left auricle, where the veins enter. Does the aorta pass in front of, or behind, the pulmonary artery? veins which unite into two large veins, through which it enters the receiving chamber, or right auricle, goes through the tricuspid valve into the expelling chamber, or right ventricle, then through a semilunar valve into the pulmo- nary artery leading to the lungs. Becoming purified while 54 HUMAN BIOLOGY passing through the capillaries of the lungs, the blood goes throngJi tJie pulmonary veins to the left auricle (Fig. 54), then through the bicuspid or mitral valve, to the left ventri- cle, whence it is forced through a semilunar valve into the largest artery of the body, called the great aorta (Fig. 54). Thence it goes to the smaller arteries, and then to the capil- laries of the tissues in general, thus completing the circuit vm. v.s vm.. FIG. 55. THE LEFT SIDE OF HEART (plan), showing the left ventricle at the mo- ment when relaxing and receiving the blood from the auricle; and the same at the beginning of contraction to send blood into aorta. Notice action of the valve. Structure of Veins and Arteries. Seen under the micro- scope the arteries and veins show that they are made of three kinds of tissues arranged in three coats (Fig. 56) : a tissue resembling epithelial tissue (Chap. I), as a lining to lessen friction ; an outer connective tissue (Chap. I), to give elasticity ; and a middle coat of muscular tissue to enable the vessels to change in size. Let us see why blood vessels must have these three properties? Why the Blood Vessels must be Elastic. - -The aorta and its branches are always full of blood. When the left ventricle with its strong, mus- cular walls contracts, the blood in the aorta and small blood tubes can- not move forward fast enough to make room for the new supply so suddenly sent out of the ventricle. Where can this blood go ? If a THE CIRCULATION' 55 cup is full, it cannot become more full; not so with an artery. The elastic connective tissue allows it to expand as a rubber hose does under pressure. The first part of the aorta having expanded to receive the incoming blood, the stretched walls contract because of the elas- ticity of the outer connective tissue coat and force blood into the por- tion of the aorta just ahead, forcing it to expand in turn. Thus a wave of expansion travels along the arteries. This wave is called the pulse. The Pulse may be most easily felt in the wrists and neck. As the artery stretches and springs back, one beat of the pulse is felt. In men there are about seventy heart beats or pulse beats a minute. In women the rate is about eighty a minute. It is slowest when one is lying down, faster while sitting, still faster when stand- ing, and fastest of all during running or violent exercise. (Exp. 5.) It should not be thought that the muscular or middle layer of the artery actively con- tracts and helps to send along the pulse wave ; for this wave is simply the pas- sive stretching and contracting of the outer connective coat, and travels like a wave crossing a pond when a stone is dropped into the water. The force of the pulse is furnished, not by the muscle fibers in the artery, but by the beat of the heart ; the outer, or con- nective tissue, coat enables the pulse to travel. Why must there be a mid- dle, or muscular^ coat for variation in size? Use of the Middle Coat ; Quantity of Blood and its Distribution.- -The body of an adult contains about five quarts of blood. The blood furnishes the nourishment needed for the activity of each organ. The more vigorous the work of any organ, the greater is the amount of blood needed. The whole amount of blood in the body cannot be suddenly increased, but the muscular coat of the arteries going to the working organ relaxes, and allows the arteries to become enlarged by the pressure from the heart. Consequently, more blood goes to the active organ, and the other organs get along with less blood for the time. When we are studying, our brains get more blood ; when running, the FIG. 56. SECTION OF ARTERY, A, AND VEIN, y, showing inner coat, e (endothelial) ; middle coat, m (muscular) ; and third coat, a (connective tissue). HUMAN BIOLOGY r leg muscles get more ; after a hearty dinner, the stomach and intestines get more than any other part of the body. Why is it difficult to do the best studying and digest a meal at the same time? We see that the muscu- lar coat of the arteries is a very useful coat, for // enables the supply of blood to be increased in any organ which is in temporary need of it. Why the Blood Vessels must be Smooth. - - The inner coat of the heart and other blood vessels is made of tissue like the epithelial tissue which forms the epidermis and the smooth lining of the mouth and other organs. The purpose of this lining is to lessen friction, and thus save the work of the heart. The friction is greatest in FIG. 57. CAPILLARIES MAGNI- FIED, SHOWING CELLS forming their walls. Notice that each cell has a nucleus and three branches. the capillaries because of their small size. The inner coat of smooth cells is the only coat that is prolonged to form the capillaries (see Fig. 57). The capillaries are small, thin, short, and very numerous. They are very small so that they may go in between the cells of the tissues. The capillaries are very tJiin so that the nourishment from the blood may pass readily into the tissues, and the waste material pass readily into the blood. They are very sJwrt so that the friction may be less ; and they are very numerous so that all parts of the tissues may be supplied with blood, and that the blood may flow very slowly through them. Because of the number of the cap- illaries, their total volume is several hundred times larger than the volume of the arteries that empty into them, or of the veins that flow from them. Hence the blood flows slowly through the capillaries, as water flows slowly through a lake along the course of a river. All the changes between the blood and the lungs, and between the blood and the tissues, take place in the capillaries, and THE CIRCULATION 57 the object of the other parts of the circulation is merely to move the blood continually through the capillaries. The effect of gravity is to retard the flow in certain parts of the body and aid the flow in other parts, according to the position of the body (Exp. 2). Fainting is usually due to lack of blood in the brain, which in turn results from a weakening of the heart beat. Since the brain cannot work with- out fresh blood, fainting is accompanied by unconsciousness. Recov- ery from fainting is aided by loosening the clothing at the neck and by placing the head of the patient a little lower than the body so that the weight of the blood may aid the flow to the brain. Dashing a little cold water in the face shocks the nerves and arouses the heart to stronger beats. The veins have valves placed frequently along their course (Fig. 58). These valves are pockets made by a fold in the inner coat of the wall of the vein. When a boy places his hand in his pocket, the pocket swells out ; but if he rubs his hand on the outside of the pocket from the bottom toward the top, it flat- tens down. So with the action of the blood upon the valves in the veins. (Repeat Exp. 6 in class.) How Muscular Exercise aids the Heart. T , v , . , , , FIG. 58. VALVES IN VEINS. II hen a muscle contracts, it hardens and (Jegi.) presses upon a vein which goes through the muscle, and the blood is pressed out of the vein (see Fig. 58). The blood cannot go toward the capillaries, for the valves fill and close when it starts that way ; so it must all go out toward the heart. When the muscle relaxes, the blood that has been pressed forward cannot go back because of the valves, but the valves nearer the capillaries open, and the veins are filled from the capillaries (Fig. 53). When the muscle con- tracts again, the same effect on the blood movement is repeated. We see, therefore, that every contracting muscle converts into a pump the vein running through it, and when a person works or exercises, many little pumps are working all over the body, aiding the heart in its function. HUMAN BIOLOGY This aid makes the blood flow faster and relieves the heart of part of its work, so that it beats faster, just as a horse might trot faster if another horse helped to draw the load (Exp. 3). The pressure of a contracting muscle upon an artery does not aid the blood flow in the artery because the latter is destitute of valves. How Breathing aids the Heart. --Breathing is a blood-pumping pro- cess as well as an air-renewing process. When the chest expands, biood is drawn into it. When the chest con- tracts, the flow of blood away from it is aided. As the chest expands, the downward pressure of a great, broad muscle, the diaphragm (Fig. 74) compresses the liver, stomach, and other ab- dominal organs, and forces the venous biood up- ward into the expanding chest, thus helping it on its way to the heart. But if the abdominal wall is weakened by tight lacing or by the pres- sure of belts and bands which support the cloth- ing, the weak abdominal wall yields to the downward pressure of the diaphragm, and no compression of the liver or aid to the circulation will result. How the Blood Vessels are Controlled. Evi- dently the biood vessels are not regulated by the will. We cannot voluntarily increase the teat- ing of the heart, or cause it to slacken its action. Even an actor cannot cause his face to turn pale or to blush at will. This is because the tiny muscies in the walls of the blood vessels are involuntary muscles. They are controlled by nerves of the sympathetic system called vaso- motors. They are not subject to the will (see Fig. 25). The nerve cen- ter which controls the biood vessels is located in the top of the spinal cord at the base of the brain. When cold air strikes the skin the nerves near the arteries are stimulated, the arteries in the skin contract, and the skin turns white. When the heat from a hot fire strikes the skin, the nerves are soothed, the arteries relax, and the face becomes red. When the stomach is filled with food, the heart beats faster and sends more biood to aid in digestion. When we run fast, the heart beats fast to supply more blood to the muscles, but it slows down as sleep comes on, that the body and brain may rest. Parts of the Blood. - The blood which flows from a cut finger seems to be a bright red throughout. When a drop of it is looked at through a microscope, however, the FIG. 59. --THE VEN- TRICLES OF A DOG'S HEART relaxed (above), and contracted (be- low). THE CIRCULATION 59 liquid itself is seen to be almost as clear as water. This liquid is called the plasma. Floating in it are millions of biconcave disks contain- ing a pigment (hemo- globin) which gives the red color to the blood. The disks are called red corpuscles (Fig. 60). A few irregularly shaped bodies, nucleated and almost transparent, and called ^cvJiite corpuscles, are also found in the blood. The red corpus- cles go only where the FlG - 60. -HUMAN BLOOD CELLS (magni- plasma carries them (Exps. 3, 4). The white corpuscles sometimes leave the blood vessels entirely. At times one may be seen shaped like a dumb-bell, half of it through the wall of the blood vessel and half still in the blood vessel. After the corpuscle is out, no hole can be found to account for its mysterious passage. The ^cvJdte corpuscles consist of protoplasm. TJie red corpuscles contain no protoplasm. Hence tJie latter are not really alive. The Use of Each Part of the Blood.- The plasma keeps the blood in a liquid state, so that it may flow readily ; the plasma also transports the food that has been eaten and digested, and carries carbon dioxid to the lungs and other waste material to the kidneys. The red fied 40,000 areas), showing many red cells and a single white blood cell on left, larger than red cells. (Peabody.) FIG. 61. SIDE AND FRONT VIEWS OF FROG'S AND MAN'S RED CORPUSCLES, drawn to same scale. Compare outline, concavity, diameters. 60 HUMAN BIOLOGY corpuscles transport the oxygen from the lungs to the tis- sues. The ivliite corpuscles devour and destroy irritating particles, such as drugs, poisons, and germs. They are of great importance in purifying the blood and as a protec- tion against disease. One is shown in Fig. 60. The sounds of the heart beat may be heard by applying the ear to the chest. They are two, a long, dull sound and a sliort, clear one. The first comes from the vibration of the bicuspid valve together with an unexplained tone aris- ing from large contracting muscles, in this case the walls of the ventricles. The second, or short, clear sound, is produced by the sudden closing and vibration of the semi- lunar valves. Changes in the Composition of the Blood as it passes through the Various Organs. - - When the blood is forced out by the heart, part of it goes to the stomach and intestines through arteries which divide into capillaries. These capillaries absorb all kinds of food from the ali- mentary canal except the fats (see p. 64), and unite to form the portal vein, which takes the absorbed food to the liver. In the liver some of the impurities of the blood are burned up and changed into bile. The blood, purified and laden with food, is carried from the liver to the heart, where it reenters the general blood stream. The blood flow from the food tube through portal vein and liver to the heart, as just described, is called the Portal circulation. Renal circulation. Two branches from the aorta carry blood to the kidneys. There the urea and a large amount of water are taken out, and the purified blood is emptied into the large vein that leads up to the heart. Pulmonary circulation (Fig. 67). This is the circulation through the lungs. During this circulation carbon dioxid gas is removed from the blood and oxygen is added to it. THE CIRCULATION 6l FIG. 62. BLOOD CLOT separated from serum. Some impurities and a large amount of water escape from the blood as it passes through the skin. Coagulation. - - So long as blood is in an uninjured blood vessel it remains a liquid. In a few minutes after it flows from a blood vessel, it forms into a stiff, jelly like mass called a clot (Fig. 62). The process of forming the clot is called coagulation, and it is brought about by the albuminous substance called fibrin, which is always in the plasma of healthy blood. On expos- ure to air the fibrin forms into a net- work of fine tJireads tJirougJwnt tJie mass (Fig. 63) and the corpuscles become entangled in the meshes. The clot consists of the fibrin of the plasma and corpuscles ; the watery portion of the plasma, called the serum, separates from the clot (Fig. 62 ). The property of coagulating is a great safe- guard, as a clot often plugs up a cut blood vessel. What is the difference between se- rum and plasma ? Veins and Arteries com- pared. - The veins have tJiin, soft walls and the arteries have tJiick, tongJi, elastic walls. When a vein is cut, it may FIG. 6 3 . NETWORK OF FIBRIN IN usually be closed by pinching HUMAN BLOOD (enlarged). tne wa u s Q f the end together. If an artery is cut, the walls will not readily stick together, but often stand open until the end of the artery is tied. For this reason, and because an artery is subject to the direct pressure of the heart, a cut artery is more dangerous 62 HUMAN BIOLOGY to life than a cut vein. Because of the toughness of the arteries, and because they are located close to the bones, they are less likely to be cut than the veins, which are softer and nearer the surface. The veins begin in capil- laries and empty into tJie auricles ; the arteries begin at tJie ventricles and empty into capillaries ; and there is a semi- lunar valve at the origin of each artery. Cuts and Bruises.- - 1. Wash a cut under running water. 2. Stop the bleeding. The washing in cold water may do this. Elevating an injured arm or leg will aid the blood greatly in forming a clot at the opening. 3. Bandage firmly with a strip of cloth and sew the end. Keep wet the part of the bandage where the cut is ; this lowers the temperature of the wound. It may be necessary to hold a gaping wound closed with strips of surgeon's plaster placed across the cut. A handkerchief folded first into a triangle and then into a narrow bandage is often useful. A cut artery may be known from a cut vein by the brighter color of the blood, and by the flow being stronger at eacJi heart beat, while the flow from a vein is uniform. Pressure to stop the flow of blood from an artery should be applied between the cut and the heart ; but when the blood comes from a vein, the pressure should be applied to the side of the cut farthest from the heart. Apply hot water immediately for several minutes to a bruise. Either a bruise or a cut may be washed with a weak solution of some antiseptic such as carbolic acid. After washing a bruise it may be bound with a cloth soaked in witch hazel or arnica. THE LYMPHATIC SYSTEM This system contains and conveys a liquid called the lymph. It consists of lymph spaces, lymph tubes, THE CIRCULATION 63 (lymphatics), and lymphatic ghnds. Lymph corresponds nearly to tJic blood without the led corpuscles. It is the familiar liquid seen in a blister, or oozing out where the skin has been grazed without breaking a blood vessel. Necessity for Lymph and Lymph Spaces. - The body cannot be nourished with the albumin, sugar, oxygen, and other digested food in the blood, until this food passes out of the blood vessels. The food leaves the blood through the thi r walls of the capillaries. Many of the cells do not tr/uch the capillaries, and the lymph penetrates tJie spaces between ilie cells to reach them (see colored Fig. 3). If there were no lymp^ spaces, these cells could not get any food. The lymph bathes the cells, and the cells absorb what they want from the nourishing fluid. The red corpus- cles bearing the oxygen cannot pass through the capillary walls. Oxygen, being a gas, readily passes through the walls and reaches the cells through the lymph in the lymph spaces. The waste materials must go back into the blood; carbon dioxid passes back through the capillary walls and is taken to the lungs ; how the other waste materials formed in the cells pass back will soon be explained. Need of Lymphatics. The plasma continually passes into the tissues, but it cannot return directly into the blood. The lymph contains waste material which must be removed, and also much unused food which nature, like an economical housekeeper, will offer to the tissues again. TJiere are vessels called lymphatics that take the lymph back into the blood (see Fig. 64). The Lymphatic Circulation (Fig. 64). The blood flow does not begin nor end, but makes a never ending circle. The countless lymphatics begin, ivith open ends, in the lymph spaces between the cells (colored Fig. 3). The smaller lymphatics unite into larger ones until finally they all unite into two large ones that empty into the large veins 6 4 HUMAN BIOLOGY under the collar bones, near the neck. The one that empties under the left collar bone (3, Fig. 66) is called the thoracic duct because it goes FIG. 64. SURFACE LYMPHATICS OF HAND. up through the thorax just in front of the spinal column (i. Fig. 66). The other at the right side of the neck is called the right lymphatic duct (see Figs. 64, 65). In persons with the dropsy, the lymph accumulates in the lymph spaces and is not drained away by the lymph flow. Dropsy usually shows itself first by swelling of the feet and the leg below the knee. (Why ? See Exp. 2.) There is a set of lymphatics called lacteals, situated in the abdomen, which have the func- tion of absorbing digested fats from the intes- tine (Figs. 66, 100, and colored figure 2). What makes the Lymph Flow ? - - The heart does not, for its pressure is not transmitted be- yond the blood tubes. The successive pressures of a working muscle move the lymph forward in the lymphatics in the same way that the blood is moved forward in the veins, and the valves keep it from moving back. When riding a trot- ting horse, or in a jolting vehicle, the lymph is moved beyond the valves at every jolt (Fig. 64). Without exercise the lymph stagnates, and the body becomes poisoned by its own wastes. At every expansion of the lungs lymph is drawn into the chest ; and it is forced out of the chest at every con- traction. Deep breathing is as great a benefit to the body in moving stagnant lymph as it is in purifying the blood. B'IG. 65. DIAGRAM TO SHOW THE Two PARTS OF THE BODY DRAINED BY THE Two LYMPH DUCTS. THE CIRCULATION The lymphatic glands are kernel-like enlargements along the lymphatics, and they contain a great many lymph cells which purify the lymph as it passes through FIG. 66. CHIEF LYMPHATIC VESSELS AND GLANDS of trunk, i, 3, Thoracic duct (emptying at 3) ; 2, receptacle for chyle (lacteals below it). them. The lymphatic glands are numerous in the armpits and the groins. The cells in the lymph glands multi- ply, and some of them are carried by the lymph into the blood to become those remarkable little bodies, the white corpuscles. 66 HUMAN BIOLOGY HYGIENE OF THE CIRCULATION Effects of Work, Fresh Air, and Rest on Corpuscles and Plasma. Work uses up the nutritious elements in the blood. A few hours after food is eaten the nutritious ma- terials in the blood are found to be increased. By the breathing of fresh air the carbon dioxid in the ,plasma is diminished and the oxygen in the colored corpuscles is in- creased, changing the blood to a brighter red. Sleep gives time for the exhausted cells and depleted blood to be re- plenished. Loss of sleep means longer hours of activity and greater consumption of nutriment with shorter hours for replacing the nutriment. The pale skin of one who has lost sleep tells of the exhausted condition of the blood. How the Muscles help the Circulation. The imperative need of muscular exercise to keep the body sound exists because of the lack of other means to cause movement in the veins and lymphatics. Good food, pure air, and plenty of exercise are necessary for healthy blood. Many so- called " blood purifiers ' are advertised to entrap the ignorant. It is impossible to imagine how "blood puri- fiers ' can aid the blood. The blood is purified, not by putting anything into the blood, but by something going out of it as it passes through the skin, kidneys, liver, and lungs. These organs all send out impurities brought to them by the blood. The one great hygienic effect of muscular exercise is an active circulation, and from an active circulation nine chief effects may be traced. The effects upon the body will be given in order, beginning with the surface- -skin, fat, muscles, bones ; and the effects upon the internal organs are given in order of position, beginning with the highest brain, lungs, heart, digestive organs. THE CIRCULATION 6/ Effects of Exercise and Improved Circulation. - i . The skin is made fresh, pink, and smooth from the flushing of the capillaries ; it is purified by the perspiration and the renewal of cells. 2. If the fat is too great in amount, it is burned up ; if it is too small in amount, the better nourish- ment brought by the blood increases it. 3. The muscles are better fed (see Fig. 48) and grow firm, strong, and large. 4. The skeleton is held in proper position by the stronger muscles, and deformity is prevented. 5. The brain. The pure, fresh blood, loaded with oxygen from expanded lungs, flushes every capillary of the brain, clears the mind, and doubles or trebles its power to work. 6. The lungs are expanded by deep breathing if the exer- cise be rapid and vigorous. A slow stroll or saunter is not of value. 7. The circulation. Every contracting muscle aids the heart in its work. The deep breathing moves stagnant lymph. 8. The stomach. Exercise burns up the food and increases the appetite. 9. General effects. Ex- ercise promotes good humor, decreases loafing, cigarette smoking, gossiping, and other vices. The effect of tobacco on the heart, if cigarettes or cigars are used, is sometimes to cause attacks of irregular beating ; the heart flutters faintly for a while, then palpi- tates strongly, then flutters again. This condition is called tobacco heart, or trotting- heart. Effect of Alcohol upon the Circulation.- -After a person has taken an alcoholic drink his face and skin are likely to become flushed, and perhaps his heart beats faster. Most investigators have found that the alcohol itself does not directly increase or strengthen the action of the heart. Hence it is probably wrong to call alcohol a heart stimu- lant. The flushing of the skin is believed to be due to the relaxing effect of alcohol. It relaxes, it paralyzes, the 68 HUMAN BIOLOGY vasomotor nerves which control the little muscle fibers in the walls of the blood vessels. The relaxing and enlarging of the blood vessels decreases the resistance to the blood flow, and the heart beats faster under its lighter load. The narcotic effect of alcohol is much more power- ful than its irritating or stimulating effect. The effect of alcohol in causing fatty degeneration of the muscles often weakens the heart and other blood vessels. Climate and Brain Work. --In going to sleep the vessels in the skin dilate and blood is drawn from the brain to tJie skin. It is difficult to go to sleep when cold, for cold sends the blood to the brain and keeps the mind active. On the same principle, mental work is difficult in very warm weather because of the enlarged capillaries in the skin and the withdrawal of blood from the brain to the skin. This increases the perspiration and keeps the temperature of the body down to normal, but it deprives the brain of blood needed for good mental work. Mental workers in warm weather and in warm climates should seek every con- dition favoring coolness. Benjamin Franklin was accustomed to strip himself almost entirely of clothing when he was writing and wanted his brain to work at its best. The wearing of barefoot sandals and the thin- nest cotton clothing^ light in color, helps to prevent mental inertia in hot weather. In the Gulf states in summer and in our tropical islands the best mental work can be done by rising at dawn and working before the hot part of the day begins. Some of the greatest thinkers in the world have lived in warm climates (Greece and India), but they wore very few clothes and ate moderately of the simplest food (see p. 44). Congestion is a swelling of the blood vessels of some part, with the accumulation of blood therein. Congestion is active when a rapid flow of blood distends the capillaries. Example, flushing of face when running. Congestion is passive when there is a narrowing of the out- let of the capillaries, the blood moves slowly and partly stagnates in the swollen vessels. Example, when the nose feels stopped up during a cold. If a syringe is worked so fast that the rubber tube swells, this is like active congestion ; if the end of the tube is pinched together so that moderate pumping causes it to swell, this is like passive con- gestion. Inflammation is congestion where the vessels of any part are strained and injured. White corpuscles collect there to repair the vessels and devour the blood that escapes and stagnates there. They also destroy germs that have usually found lodgment and begun to multiply. The THE CIRCULATION 69 serum of the blood also destroys the germs by the antitoxins in it. Inflammatory troubles are : colds, rheumatism, diarrhoea, and all dis- eases with name ending "itis" An inflamed part is red, swollen, hot, and painful. Prevention and Care of Colds. --A cold is an inflammation of a mucous membrane. Colds are prevented by so living as to encourage nfree, vigorous circulation, and especially by not coddling the body so tenderly that the circulation becomes deranged by the least exposure. The circulation may be deranged by overheating as well as by chilling the body ; usually it would be more appropriate to say that the person caught '-a hot" than u a cold." 1 At the first sign of a cold vigorous exercise, a cold bath, or going outdoors into cold air may aid in sending fresh blood to remove the stagnation and stop the inflammation. A warm foot bath and hot drinks may relieve by drawing blood from the congested mucous membrane. After the cold has become fixed such measures will not help, but the cure is aided by helping the skin to keep its full share of blood. The cold must run its course. The cells will be given every chance to repair the injury and destroy the germs (if any) by avoiding hard work, eating moderately of digestible food, avoiding drugs, especially infallible drugs advertised in newspapers, even if recommended by otherwise intelligent people. Repeated colds tend to become a disgusting disease called chronic catarrh. Con- stricting the blood vessels of the skin causes congestion of the (internal) mucous membranes. A skin tenderly protected constricts more readily than one accustomed to cold. Cold is the best preventive of cold. Cold baths, pure air, light clothing, free breathing, moderate eating, ward off colds. Fussing with sprays, gargles, and drugs will not; for the main factor in bringing on a cold is not germs, nor temperature, but the state of the system itself. Persons who have suffered much with colds have found that after substituting cotton underwear for woolen, colds became very rare. Linen will have a similar effect, but it is not as dur- able, soft, or heat-retaining as cotton (see p. 16). PRACTICAL QUESTIONS. 1. Through what kind of skin do the blue veins in the wrist show most plainly? 2. Which is more com- pressible, a vein or an artery? 3. Why are those who take little exer- cise likely to have cold feet? (p. 57.) 4. Where does the so-called venous blood flow through an artery? 5. What vein begins and ends in capillaries? (The portal vein, colored Fig. 5.) 6. To what purifying organ, after leaving the lungs, does the heart send part of the blood for further purification. (Colored Fig. 5.) 7. What keeps the blood moving between the beats of the heart ? CHAPTER VI THE RESPIRATION Experiment i. (Home.) Study of the Throat. Sit with the back to the light. Study the open mouth and throat with a mirror and make out the uvula, tonsils, and other parts shown in Fig. 68. Experiment 2. Anatomy of Lungs. -- Study fresh lungs of sheep, hog, fowl, or frog. Will they float ? Will they contract when expanded by air blown in through a quill or other tube? What is the structure of the windpipe? Can you distinguish the arteries from the veins by the stiffness of their walls? Which contain pure b'ood? Study branching of air tubes. Make a sketch. Experiment 3. Tests of Expired Air. Breathe upon a mirror, bright knife blade, or cold window pane. Result? State your conclusion? Experiment 4 Carbon dioxid added to limewater will cause a white cloud consisting of particles of limestone. Breathe through a tube or straw or the hollow stem of a reed into clear limewater. Result ? Con- clusion? (Limewater may be had at druggists or made by pouring water upon a lump of unslackened lime and draining it off when lime has settled.) Experiment 5. Breathe for several minutes upon the bulb of a thermometer. Result? Conclusion? Experiment 6. Breathe a few times into a large, carefully cleaned pickle jar, or a bottle. Cork it tightly, and set it in a warm place for several days. Then uncork and smell the air in it. Result? Conclusion? Experiment 7. Pierce a small hole in a card, place card over a wide-mouthed bottle, and breathe into bottle through a tube, lemonade straw, or hollow reed. Pull out straw. Place bottle, mouth downward, on table, and slip out card. Slide bottle to edge of table and lift lighted candle into bottle. Result? Experiment 8. Place bottle of fresh air over lighted candle. Result? Conclusion? (See Animal Biology, p. 14.) Experiment 9. (School.) Testing the Air of a Room. Fill a fruit jar or large bottle with water, and take it into a room containing many people. Pour out the water. (This insures that all the air now in the jar is air obtained in the room to be tested.) Seal the jar if test is not to be made at once. Test by pouring in two tablespoonfuls of clear lime- water and shake. If the limewater turns milky, the ventilation is bad. Experimejit 10. (Home and school.) Homemade Current Detector. Dangle a bit of paper by means of a spider web or thread from the 70 THE RESPIRATION 1 71 end of a walking stick or ruler. (Or test with the flame of a candle.) Hold it near cracks of window, above and below doors, and especially before openings intended for entry and exit of air, and test if air moves as desired. Experiment 11. Ventilation of the Schoolroom. -- Let the whole class rise, and with the fingers test cracks around doors and windows. Wherever the air feels cold to the hand the air is entering. Experiment 12. Dust. --With a mirror cause a sunbeam to play like a search light into a closed room several, hours after it has been swept. Result? Do the same in a room where every window and door were open during sweeping and left open afterwards. Result? Conclusion? Note also the amount of dust on the furniture of each room. Experiment 13. Study of Habitual Quiet Breathing. - -Without any more disturbance of the breathing than can be helped, direct your atten- tion to your breathing while sitting quietly. Record motions of any parts of chest and abdominal walls that may be noticeable. If neces- sary, lay the hands successively against different parts of the wall to test for motion. Think of another subject, and later repeat observations. Experiment 14. Study of Deep Breathing. -- Place your hands suc- cessively upon the front and sides of your chest, waist, and abdomen, while drawing in and sending out deep breaths. What motions of the several parts are observed at each stage ? Experiment 15. Study of Elasticity as a Factor in Breathing. - (i) Notice whether in quiet breathing there is an elastic rebound as the breath goes either in or out. If so, it is due to the elasticity of the cartilages or air cells of lungs, or both. (2) Breathe by inflating the lungs strongly at each breath. Is the air then forced out without effort? (3) Breathe by flattening the chest and abdomen as much as possible at each breath. Does the air then rush in without effort? Experiment 16. Chest Breathing. - -Try to breathe wholly by deep expansions and contractions of chest wall. What motions, if any, are noticed in abdominal wall as breath goes in ? As it goes out ? (Test motions with hand.) Experiment 17. Abdominal Breathing. - -Try to hold the chest walls still and breathe by strong contraction and expansion of abdomen. Do the chest walls move at all? Neither ''chest breathing 1 ' nor < 4 abdominal breathing " is the normal way. See text. Experiment 18. Full Breathing.- -Try breathing by outward and inward movement of walls of chest, waist, and abdomen. Do you suc- ceed? This is normal breathing. Is the motion greater at the front or the sides of the waist? Put a belt around the waist tight enough to stay in place and repeat. Is the wais* motion interfered with? HUMAN BIOLOGY Experiment 19. How the Ribs are Lifted. Make a model like sketch to represent backbone, breastbone, and two ribs, using pins to make joints loose at corners. Use cords for diagonals. What happens when cord ac is pulled? When cord bd is pulled? The cords correspond to the two sets of muscles between the ribs. Experiment 20. Study of Laughing. Place the hands upon the waist and abdomen when laughing. What motion occurs at each sound of laugh ? Draw in the abdominal wall with a jerk. What is the effect upon the breath ? Experiment 21. Modifications of the Breath. - Write I, E, or IE after each word in this list, accord- ing as inspiration, expiration, or both, are involved in the action. (Test with sham acts if possible.) Sighing, sobbing, crying (of a child), coughing, laughing, yawning, sneezing, hiccoughing, snoring. Experiment 22. Effects of Exercise. --Count and record the rates of breathing before and after vigorous exercise. Experiment 23. Comparative Study. -- Observe and record the rate and manner of breathing of cow, horse, dog, cat, etc. Is the air drawn in or sent out more quickly? Is there a pause? If so, after which stage of breathing? Experiment 24. Emergency Drill. Resuscitation from drowning, etc. See Coleman''s " Elements -of Physiology," page 356. Necessity for Breathing and for Specialized Organs of Breathing.- The body is a self-regulating machine which possesses energy. This energy, like that of steam engines, arises from oxidation which takes place continually, but at a varying rate. Food for fuel is taken at intervals, but oxygen must be taken in continually. Man breathes about eighteen times per minute. The blood in the tissues soon becomes dark because of loss of oxygen and absorption of carbon dioxid. It is then pumped through the heart to the organ which has the function of absorbing oxygen and giving off carbon dioxid (Fig. 67). In some animals, as the ameba and the earthworm, the surface of the body suffices for breathing. This cell breathing is the true essential respiration ; it is universal among living things, THE RESPIRATION 73 both plants and animals. To siipply the deeper cells large animals require a breathing surface greater than the area of the skin. TJiis is supplied by having the oxygen-absorb- ing surface folded inward to form folds, tubes, and cavities of great complexity. If the lungs of a man were unfolded and all their tubes and cavities spread upon one surface, an area of more than one hundred square feet (or ten feet square) would be covered. Each respiration, or breath, consists of the passing in of the air, or inspiration, sending it out, or expiration^ and a pause after one but not after both of the other stages. The Air Passages. The air usually passes in at the nose and returns by the same way, except during talk- ing or singing. Ob- serve your mouth with a mirror (Fig. 68); at the back part, an arch is seen which is the rear boundary line of the mouth (Exp. i). Just above the arch is likewise the rear boundary line of the nasal pas- sages. The funnel-shaped cavity beyond, into which both the mouth and nasal passages open, is called the pJiarynx (far'inks), or throat (see Fig. 68, also Fig. 83). Below, FIG. 67. CIRCULATION THROUGH LUNGS (sche- matic) : " venous " blood (in pulmonary artery) black; "arterial" blood (in pulmonary veins) white. 74 HUMAN BIOLOGY Palate Uvula Posterior arch Pharynx Tonsil Anterior arch Tongue FIG. 68. OPEN MOUTH, showing palate and tonsils. two tubes open from the phar- ynx. One is the tracJiea (tra'kea) or windpipe, the other is the esoph- agus or gullet. At the top of the trachea is the cartilaginous lar- ynx, or voice box. If the finger is placed upon the larynx or Adam's apple, it is plainly felt to move up and down when swallowing. The opening into the larynx is provided with a lid of cartilage, the epiglottis. Inside the larynx, the vocal cords are stretched from front to back. Just below the larynx comes the trachea proper, which is a tube about three fourths of an inch in diameter and about four inches long (Fig. 69). It consists of hoops of cartilage (Fig. 69) which are not complete circles, but are shaped somewhat like the letter C, being completed at FiG.69. - - LUNGS P- with trachea, ^ ^ b invohmtary mus . TA\ thyroid gland, th ; larynx, L\ J J and hyoid bone, H. cular tissue, whose function THE RESPIRATION 75 FIG. 70. LOBULE OF LUNG. is to draw the ends together at times (for instance, during coughing) and reduce the size of the tube. The function of the hoops of cartilage is to keep the windpipe open at all times. If it should be closed by pressure, life might be lost. These rings of cartilage may be felt in the neck. The lower end of the trachea is just behind the upper end of the breastbone; there it divides into two large tubes. These subdivide into a great number of smaller branches called bron- chial tubes. Cartilage is found in the walls of all but the smallest of the tubes. The subdivision continues, somewhat like the branching of a tree, until the whole lung is,, penetrated by bronchial tubes. Each tiny tube finally ends in a wider funnel-shaped chamber called a lobule (Fig. 70), into which so many dilated sacs, called air cells, open, that the walls of the terminal chamber or lobule may be said to consist of tiny cups, or air cells, placed side by side. The lobules, or clusters of air cells, are chiefly near the surface of the lung. (The word " cell ' is here used in its original sense to de- note a cavity or cham- ber, and not in the sense of a protoplasmic cell.) The air cells are elastic FIG. 71. CAPILLARIES AROUND AIR SACS and enlarge by stretch- OF LUNGS (enlarged 30 diameters). Air ^ the chegt x _ sacs in white spaces. Dark lines are capil- laries. (Peabody.) pands ; hence, the cells 7 6 HUMAN BIOLOGY must have many of i\\Q yellow elastic fibers of connective tissue in their walls. They are lined with an exceedingly thin membrane of- epithelial cells through which oxygen and carbon dioxid are exchanged. In the walls of the air cells there is a network of capillaries (Fig. 71). The dark red blood comes into these capillaries from the pulmonary arteries, and is changed to a bright red by the time it leaves them to enter the pulmonary veins. The air leaves the lungs warmer, moister, and containing more carbon dioxid than when it entered. Most of the mucous membrane lining the air passages has a surface layer of ciliated cells. Cilia are tiny thread- like projections (Fig. 72) which con- tinually wave to and fro, the quicker stroke always being outward ; for their function is to remove particles of dust and germs that may find entrance to the air passages. When the mucus containing the dust is raised nearly to the larynx, it may be thrown out by coughing. Near the opening of the nos- trils are placed many hairs, hundreds of times larger than cilia, through which the air is strained as it enters the nose. Hairs are multicellular ; cilia are parts of cells. See Animal Biology, Fig. 14. The Lungs.- -The entire chest cavity is occupied by the lungs except the space occupied by the heart, the larger blood vessels, and the gullet. The right lung has three lobes, or divisions, and the left lung has two lobes. The lungs are light pink in early life, but become grayish and darker as age advances. This change is more marked in those who dwell in cities, or wherever the atmosphere is smoky and dusty. The lungs are covered and inclosed by FIG. 72. CILIATED CELLS, lining the air passages. THE RESPIRATION 77 a smooth membrane called the pleura. This membrane turns back and lines the chest wall, so that when the chest expands, the two sleek membranes glide over each other with far less friction than would be the case if the lungs and chest wall were touching (Exp. 2). The Respiratory Muscles. - -(Repeat Exps. 13, 14, 15.) The chief breathing muscles are the diaphragm (see Figs. 73 and 74), the muscles forming tJic abdominal walls (see Fig. 44), and tivo sets of si tort mus- cles (an internal and an external set), between the ribs. They are called intercostals. (They are the flesh eaten when eating pork ribs.) The diaphragm, which is shaped like a bowl turned upside down, rounds up under the base of the lungs somewhat like a dome and sepa- rates the chest from the ab- domen. Its hollow side is toward the abdomen and its edges are attached to the lowest ribs and the vertebra of the loins. Inspiration is brought about by the rising of the ribs and the descent of the dia- phragm. Expiration takes place when the ribs descend, the abdominal walls draw in, and the transmitted pressure lifts the relaxed diaphragm. Inspiration.- -To cause inspiration the diaphragm con- tracts, it flattens and descends, since its edges are attached FIG. 73. VERTICAL SECTION OF TRUNK, showing dia- phragm, cavities of thorax and abdomen. HUMAN BIOLOGY lower than its middle (Fig. 73); the lungs descend with it, thus lengthening the chest from top to bottom ; at the Inferior vena cava (Esophagus Aorta Internal ligament External ligament FIG. 74. DIAPHRAGM (or midriff), seen from below. (Cunningham.) The central portion (light) is tendinous. As the diaphragm descends, it acts like the piston of a great pump and the blood is forced up through the vena cava, and the lymph through the thoracic duct (Fig. 66). \ same time the ribs are raised upward and outward (Fig. 76) by the contraction of the outer set of muscles between the ribs. Thus the cJicst is made longer, broader, and deeper from front to back. The lungs expand when the chest expands, and the air rushes in. Why is this? The lungs contain no muscles and cannot expand themselves ; the air cannot be pulled in, for its parts do not stick to- gether. The true reason is that the air has weight. The THE RESPIRATION atmosphere has a height of many miles, and the air above is pressing on that be- low. When the chest walls are raised there would be an empty space or vacuum be- tween these walls and the lungs, did not the pressure of the outside air pusJi air through tJie windpipe into tfie lu tigs a n d exp and tli cm (Ex p. 19). FIG. 75. FRAMEWORK OF CHEST. Expiration. - - In very active breathing the abdominal walls actively contract so that they press strongly upon the digestive organs, which in turn press the diaphragm ?//. The ribs are also drawn down and in. Thus the chest be- comes smaller and forces the air to flow out through the windpipe (Exps. 20 and 21). THOUGHT QUESTIONS. Why breathing with the waist is easier than breathing with the itpper chest. Effects of confining the waist. i . There are two pairs of - FIG. 76. BLACKBOARD SKETCH, to show how the chest is expanded when the ribs move upward and outward. ribs below, while there are none 8o HUMAN BIOLOGY above. 2. There are three pairs of - none above, but all ribs of the upper chest are ribs below, while there are ribs. 3. The lower of the joints between the seven pairs of true ribs and the sternum are more flexible than the upper joints because . (Observe the joints in Fig. 75.) 4. The walls of the waist swing - -and , while the walls of the upper chest must move - - and - . 5. The bones of the - - rest upon the upper chest. In upper chest breathing their weight, and the weight of both of the lifted. (Fig. 28.) Test by trying it. must, therefore, be Hygienic Habits of Breathing. - - Chest breathing uses chest chiefly, abdominal breathing uses abdomen chiefly, FIG. 77. FIG. 78. FIG. 79. FIG. 77. FEMALE FIGURE ENCASED IN CORSET. Expansion at the waist is here impossi- ble and the breathing is called " collar-bone breathing." FIG. 78. MALE FIGURE. Here, owing to pressure of clothing and faulty position, expan- sion of chest is hindered and breath is taken by the " abdominal method." FIG. 79. FIGURE PROPERLY POISED AND FREE. Here the entire thorax can move freely, and natural breathing is the result. (For blackboard.) From Latson. full breathing uses both. These three forms depend upon whether the breathing is carried on by using the muscles of (i) the chest, (2) the abdomen, or (3) both (see Figs. 77, 78, 79). There has been much debate among physicians, surgeons, and singers as to which of these methods is best. Probably this question would not have been raised but for the confining and deforming effect of clothing upon the waist. Full breathing is used THE RESPIRATION 8 I by children of all races, by both men and women of wild tribes, and by men of civilized countries. It is undoubtedly the natural way, as well as the easiest and most effective way (Exps. 16, 17, 18). Breathing with the upper chest is exhausting because of the stiffness of the upper part of the bony cage (see Fig. 75) ; for it is inclosed by true ribs fixed to the breastbone bv short cartilages. The ribs in the , liver; g, gall bladder; s, stomach; jr, spleen; , mesentery with vessels; d t small intestine; gd, large intestine; b, caecum; -w, vermiform appendix ; /t, bladder. CHAPTER VII FOOD AND DIGESTION Experiment i. Tests for Acid, Alkaline, and Neutral Substances.* - Repeat tests described in General Introduction. 1 Experiment 2. Test for Starch. --See General Introduction. Experiment 3. Test for Grape Sugar. -- See General Introduction. Experiment 4. Test for Proteid. - - See General Introduction. Experiment 5. Test for Fats. --See General Introduction. Experiment 6. Human Teeth. -- Study the form of teeth from every part of the mouth. Get a handful from a dentist. Break some of the teeth to make out their structure. Classify them. Draw section, enlarged. Experiment 7. Study of the Teeth. (At home.) - - Sit with the back to the light and look into a mirror, with the mouth wide open. Do you see the four kinds of teeth named in text ? Which are fitted for cut- ting ? Which for grinding? Are any suited for tearing ? Are any of the teeth pointed? What is the difference in the bicuspids and molars? Are there any decayed places ? Are the teeth clean ? Are the so-called canine teeth so long that they project beyond the line of the other teeth, as they do in a dog? Do the edges of the upper and lower incisors meet when the mouth is closed, or do they miss each other like the blades of scissors? How many roots has each lower tooth? (See Fig. 92.) Which tooth has the longest root? Experiment^. Structure of Mammalian Stomach. --Get a piece of tripe from the market. Study its several coats. The velvety inner coat is covered with mucous membrane. (Photomicrograph, Fig. 95.) Experiment 9. Model of Human Food Tube. --Make a model of the food tube out of yellow cambric, giving to each organ its correct size. Follow the dimensions given in text. Necessity for Foods. - - Growing plants and growing ani- mals need new material to enable them to increase in size or grow. Plants never cease to grow while they live; most mammals attain their full size in one fifth of the time 1 See also Peabody's " Laboratory Exercises in Physiology," Holt, N.Y. 89 QO HUMAN BIOLOGY occupied by their whole lives. (By this rule how long ought man to live?) Animals, moreover, move from place to place, and work with their muscles. The energy for this comes from the food they eat. Plants do not use food for this purpose. Another need for food comes from the necessity for Jieat in all living things. The activities of animals cause the tissues to wear out, or break down, and food furnishes material with which new living matter is built up by the cells and the tissues repaired. We have already stated the role of oxygen in setting free energy in the living substance of the cell by oxidizing it. There is no furnace in the body as in an engine, but the oxidation occurs in the cells themselves and the fuel is built up into living matter by the cells before it is oxidized. Plants must lift mineral from the inorganic to the organic world before it can be food for animals. Plants can assimilate minerals ; animals cannot. The body cannot make bone out of limewater. The iron in iron tonics cannot be used. Iron makes the grain brown, and the peach red. There is ten times as much iron in our food as the body needs. State four reasons why animals need food. Which of these reasons is very powerful with plants ? Least powerful ? Absent altogether ? Why is constant breathing necessary for life ? When is breathing more rapid ? Why? People who lead what kind of lives usually have poor appetites ? Good appetites ? Why ? What was the first distinct or- gan evolved by animals ? (Animal Biology, Chap. IV.) The Body is a Machine for transferring Energy. - - Energy cannot be destroyed, but it can be transferred and changed in form. When a coin is rubbed on the table, muscular energy, supplied by oxidation in the muscle, produces the motion. Friction may change motion into heat, and the coin will become very hot. The uniting of food and FOOD AND DIGESTION 91 oxygen in the cells of the body gives the heat and motion (energy) of the body. Only substances which will oxidize, or burn, are true foods. Water, salt, and carbon dioxid will not burn ; hence, they cannot give rise to energy in the body. But the sun energy, acting in the green leaf, tears apart the carbon from the oxygen (Plant Biology, Chap. XIII), sets free the oxygen, and the carbon is stored in starch for future burning. Sunshine is energy (light and heat). The sun sustains the life of plants and through them the life of animals. The oxidation in the body is so slow that it can hardly be called a burning, but it is faster than the oxidation of iron in rusting or of wood in rotting, and is about equal to the continual burning of two candles. The Four Kinds of Nutrients, or Food Stuffs.- -The kinds of food which we cat seem, to be numberless, but they con- tain only f am' kinds of food stuffs, starches, fats, proteids, and minerals. Many foods contain all four classes of food stuffs. Milk contains sugar (a changed form of starch), cream (a fat), curd (a proteid), and water (a min- eral). Oatmeal contains starch, oil, gluten, and water. USES OF THE NUTRIENTS, OR FOOD STUFFS 1. Proteids. The tissue-building foods (also of value as fuel). 2. Starches (and sugars) 1 Energy and heat (fuel) and 3. Fats (and oils) J fat producing foods. 4. Minerals (water, salt). Important aids in using other foods. Relative Fuel Value.- -A pound of fat produces as much heat in the body as 2.3 Ib. of proteid or 2.3 Ib. of starch, the last two having equal fuel value in the body. Starch and the sugars are closely related; starch readily changes into sugar. They contain much carbon and are called carbohydrates. Starch is especially abundant in grains, seeds, and fleshy roots (Fig. 88). The sugar in ripe fruit and in honey is called fruit sugar. Milk sugat HUMAN BIOLOGY is found in sweet milk. Grape sugar is found in grapes and honey ; the small grains seen in raisins consist of i rs ^ ^$^f,r^'- |J IF ^$B^VN** T : : ' :^^7j;ji?^^ \ X^^^"* > V\ >Vt, V'l I' .* " .* "-' ' - \ - 5 H "i"^ . *~>i ..fVf * 'X'S -'( fl^VYVft i i II ill ' fl is-- .. _ - ' i b : . - i :* -T-\V-'i -\ m** > FIG. 88. A TINY BIT OF POTATO, highly magnified, showing cells filled with grains of starch. Cooking bursts these cells. be prepared artificially from starch. Cane sugar is found in cane, in sap of the maple, and in the sugar beet (Exps. 2, 3). Fats include the fats and oils found in milk, flesh, and plants. A fat, such as tallow, is solid at the ordinary temperature ; while an oil, such as olive oil, is liquid at the same tem- perature. Tallow was oil while it was in the warm body of the ox. Sugar is transformed into fatty tissue as readily as is fatty food itself. Proteids are the only foods that contain the tissue- building nitrogen. Protoplasm cannot be formed without nitrogen. We do not often see a pure proteid food, for this food stuff is not so readily separated from foods containing it as are starch, sugar, and fat. Albu;;zr;/, or white-of-egg, is proteid united with four times its weight of water. Pure proteid is also called albu;;//;/. Coagulation by heat is one test for proteid (Exp. 4). These are the names of proteids, or albumins, found in several common foods : casein, the curd or cheesy part of milk ; myosin of lean meat ; fibrin in blood ; legumin in beans and peas; gluten, or the sticky part of wet flour; gelatin in bones. Proteid is valuable to the body as fuel FOOD AND DIGESTION 93 as well as a tissue builder. We could burn beans and peas as well as the strictly fuel foods, starch and fat, in an engine, and get heat to move the engine. If one takes up athletics or hard physical labor, he should increase the amount of fats and carbohydrates eaten, but not of proteid. Muscular activity increases the carbon waste but not the nitrogen waste of the body. Minerals.- The iron of the blood and the mineral salts in bone (carbonate and phosphate of lime) must enter the body in organic form in order to be used. Water and salt are mineral foods. The body is about two thirds water. The cells must do their work under water. They cannot live when dried. Water enables the blood to flow ; and the blood is not only the feeder, but also the washer and cleanser of the tissues. Some persons get out of the habit of drinking plenty of water, and their health surfers thereby. In such a case drinking plenty of water will be safer and more effective than taking poisonous drugs to restore health. Adulteration of Food. - - Sometimes cheaper materials, of little or no value as food but of no great injury to health, are added to foods. Examples: water added to milk, sawdust to ground spices, chicory to coffee, glucose to maple syrup. Other forms of adulteration not only cheat the purse but tend to destroy health, or actually do so. Examples: Boracic acid or formalin added to milk to prevent souring, copper to canned peas, etc., to give a bright green color ; salicylic acid or borax used in minute quantities as a preservative with canned corn, tomatoes, etc. ; acids added to " apple " vinegar; dried fruit treated with sulphur to prevent a dull color. Pure food laws tend to repress these evils. It is best to buy foods in their original form. For instance, lemons are more reliable than vinegar. A bit of lemon at each plate, in house- 94 HUMAN BIOLOGY holds that can afford it, is far preferable to vinegar. We should always buy from neighbors when possible. Farmers and gardeners should do their own drying and canning. For purity of water, see Chap. X. The Daily Ration. - -A quarter of a pound (4 oz.) of pro- teid foods and one pound (16 oz.) of fuel foods (total 20 oz. of water-free foods) are needed to replace the daily waste of the body. Hence a balanced ration has proteid and fuel food in the ratio of 4 to 16, or i to 4. But recent experi- ments at Yale University indicate that 2 oz. of proteid daily are more strengthening than four. Appetite is a perfect guide for those wJw lead an active life and eat slowly of simple food. Highly seasoned food and complex mixtures deprave the appetite ; it then leads astray, instead of guiding safely. Of course the appetite cannot guide one to eat the right kind and quantity of food at a table where the food lacks any of the four neces- sary food stuffs, or where innutritious or indigestible food is provided. It is well to select one food for a meal be- cause it is rich in proteids, another because it is rich in fat, and the third because it is rich in starch or sugar. (See table, p. 95.) Intelligence in regard to diet enables a housekeeper to provide nourishing food for less money than an ignorant housekeeper often pays for food deficient in nourishing qualities. A Balanced Ration. - - A deficiency of starch may be supplied by an excess of fat or sugar. It is most essential to provide proteid as it cannot be replaced by any other food stuff. An excess of proteid is most harmful. An ex- cess of starch or fat is oxidized into water and carbon dioxid, which are harmless waste products ; an excess of proteid is changed into urea which may become harmful by overworking the liver and kidneys which excrete it. FOOD AVD DIGESTION 95 COMPOSITION OF ONE OUNCE OF VARIOUS FOODS IN FRACTIONS OF AN OUNCE PRO TEIDS FATS CARBOHY- DRATES WATER MINERAL SALTS WOODY FIBER Daily Ration 4 oz. 2 OZ. 14 oz. 2 qt. I. NUTS. Pecan .103 .708 .147 Q>~> .017 / ^ J / Walnut .... if 574 .16 03 .014 Almonds .... 53 .12 .078 Cocoanut .... .050 5 1 35 .04 Chestnut .... 037 .02 38 54 .009 .02 II. FRUITS. Sugar Peach .007 .04; 8c. .007 .OJ. Apple / ^ j .072 !S4 / .OO Z ^t T^ j * j Blackberry . . . .005 .040 .86 .004 .OI Cherrv , .cos .10 .84 .007 .02 J j T^ / Grape .1C .70 .OO C j / j Fig (dried) . . . .040 .014 5 Banana .... .050 .20 75 III. ANIMAL FOOL. Lean beef . . . .20 035 .009 75 .016 Fat pork .... .098 .489 390 .023 Smoked ham 25 365 .278 .101 Whitensh .... .181 .029 .780 .OIO Poultry .... .210 .038 .740 .012 Oysters .... '75 .005 .800 .015 Cow's milk 035 .040 .040 .870 .007 Eggs .121; .120 7~" C. .OIO j Cheese .... 335 243 .368 054 Butter .003 .QIO .060 .021 IV. PODS OR LEGUMES. s Starch 2? .020 C2 12' Q^r .060 ' j * 3 ~ A ** ^ * J ' Peas 217 .oiq C77 .12 .028 O^2 / .^s A -y j 1 1 Peanuts .... 2947 465 .162 .02 .028 043 V. GRAINS. Wheat flour (white) .110 .O2O 703 .150 .017 .003 Wheat bread .080 .015 .490 .400 .OI2 .003 Oatmeal .... .126 .056 .630 .150 .030 .016 Maize (corn) . . .IOO .067 .706 !35 .OI4 .015 Rice .050 .008 St T O O \ -^' .IOO .OO5 .040 VI. VEGETABLES. Potatoes .... .012 .001 .205 .767 .OO9 .OO6 Cabbage .... .02 .030 .058 .910 .007 .015 96 HUMAN BIOLOGY Studies based on Table. - -What nuts are rich in proteids ? What fruits? What animal foods? What legumes? What grains? What foods are rich in fats? What are rich in carbohydrates? Which grains have much starch? Which nut? Which fruits have much sugar? A family was living chiefly on corn bread, potatoes, syrup, cakes, and sweetmeats : what two of the four food stuffs were deficient in their diet? Another family lived chiefly on fat pork, bread, rice, vegetables, and fruit : which food stuff was deficient ? A dozen eggs weigh \\ Ib. Which give cheaper nourishment, eggs at 15 cents a dozen or beef at 15 cents a pound? Which is cheapest among the foods abounding in proteid? Fat ? Carbohydrates? Which is cheaper food, a pound of beef at 20 cents or a pound of pecans at the same price? (Fig. 101.) What food contains most water? Least water? Which of the foods abounding in o proteid is costliest? Cheapest? Notice that nearly all foods contain- ing much proteid are costly. Water and woody fiber are not counted as nutriment. What weight of nutriment in I oz. of cow's milk ? If a quart of whole milk costs 12 cts., what is a quart of skimmed milk worth ? How the Right Proportions of Fuel Foods and Proteid are reached by Different Nations. -- Milk has an excess of nitrogen, and oatmeal an excess of carbon ; oatmeal and milk form a popular food with the Scotch. Potatoes are mostly starch and water, and an Irishman who tried to live on potatoes alone would have to eat seven pounds a day to get enough proteid. The Irish peasant keeps a cow and chickens ; by eating milk and eggs he gets along on half the amount of potatoes named above. The Mexicans eat bread made of corn meal, and supply the proteid by using beans as a constant article of diet. Hundreds of millions of people in Asia (the Hindus, Chinese, and others) subsist mainly on rice, which contains only five per cent of proteid and no fat ; the chief addition they make is butter, or other fat, and beans, which contain vegetable proteid. Outline of Digestion. The food is made soluble in the alimentary canal and is absorbed by the blood vessels and lymphatics in its walls. This canal is about thirty feet long (Figs. 89, 90) and consists of - (1) The mouth, where the food remains about a minute, while it is chewed and mixed with the saliva ; the saliva changes a portion of the starch to malt sugar. (2) The gullet, a tube nine inches long, running from FOOD AND DIGESTION 97 mouth to stomach and lying in front of the spinal column* Illustrated Study of Food Tract. FIG. 89. ORGANS OF TRUNK from the side. L, larynx; th, thyroid gland; T, trachea; St y breastbone ; C, heart ; D, dia- phragm ; F, liver ; E, stomach ; /. intestine ; Co, colon ; R, rectum ; V, bladder. Question : Parts of which organs are far- ther back than spinal column? Com- pare this figure with colored Fig. 6. FIG. 90. DIGESTIVE ORGANS, from the front (liver turned up). i, gullet ; 2, stomach ; 3, spleen ; 4, pancreas ; 5, liver (turned upward) ; 6, gall bladder; 7, 8, 9, small intestine; 9', junction of small with large intestine ; 10, caecum (blind sac) ; n, vermiform appendix ; 12, 12', 12", ascend- ing, transverse, and descending colon ; 13, rectum (straight) just below S-shaped flexure of colon. Question: Compare with Fig. 89, and colored Fig. 6. (3) The stomach, a large pouch where the food is stored, and from which it passes in the course of several hours, H 9 8 HUMAN BIOLOGY Crown Enamel Dentine having become semi-liquid, and the proteids having been partly digested by the gastric juice, an acid secretion from the small glands in the stomach walls. (4) The small intestine, a narrow tube more than twenty feet long, where the fats are acted upon for the first time, and where the starches and proteids are also acted upon, and where, after about ten hours, the digestion of the three classes of foods is completed by pancreatic juice from the pancreas, and bile from the liver. (5) The large intestine, about five feet long, where the last remnant of nutriment is absorbed, and the indigestible materials in the food are gathered together (Exp. 9). The Teeth. - The main body of the tooth consists of bone- like dentine, or ivory. Hard, shining enamel protects the crown, or visible portion. The part of the tooth beneath the gum is called the neck, and the part in the bony socket is called the root. The enamel ends just beneath the gum, where it is overlapped by cement of the root. There is a pulp cavity in every tooth (Fig. 91); it contains pulp made up of con- nective tissue, with nerves and blood vessels which enter at the tip of the root (Exp. 6). The temporary set of teeth is completed at about two years of age and consists of twenty teeth. The teeth cannot grow as the jaw grows, and soon a larger and permanent set starts to growing deeper in the cavity Heck r.oot Bone Cement or crust.i petrosa Alveolar periosteum or root- membrane FIG. 91. CANINE TOOTH CUT LENGTHWISE. FOOD AND DIGESTION 99 jaw. At the age of twelve or thirteen years all the permanent set have appeared except the four wisdom teeth, which appear between the ages of seventeen and 3rd rnolar 1st molar 1st premolar y Lateral incisor 2nd molar 2nd premolar Ca;ime Central incisor FIG. 92. THE PERMANENT TEETH in right half of lower jaw. twenty-five. The second set not only replaces the twenty of the first set, but to fill the larger jaws twelve molars are added, three at the back in each half jaw, making thirty- two teeth in the second set(Exp. 7). The teeth in each quarter of the mouth, named in order from the front, are : two incisors, one canine, two premolars, three molars. Care of the Teeth. - The best way to care for the teeth is to keep the digestion perfect. Perfect digestion' tends to preserve the teeth, and sound teeth tend to keep the digestion perfect. The teeth should be washed regularly. Prepared chalk is the best dentifrice. Do not rub across, but from gums to teeth, to prevent rubbing the gums loose from the teeth. An unclean brush may har- bor germs. Toothpicks and dental floss are useful. If one eats only soft food, in which the mill and the cooking stove have left no work for the teeth, the teeth will decay ; for it seems to be a law of nature that useless organs are removed. The pressure from chewing - Fi(i. 93. UPPER JAW WITH TEETH. 100 HUMAN BIOLOGY hard food is an aid to the teeth by helping the circulation and nerves in the pulp. To take a very hot or very cold drink into the mouth may cause the enamel to crack. If a tooth aches, or a small decayed place is found in it, a dentist should be consulted at once. A tooth is so valu- able to the health that no tooth should be extracted when it can be saved. The process of digestion consists in liquefying the food that it may pass through the walls of the food tube into the blood, and through the walls of the blood vessels into the tissues. It is accomplished: (i) by mechanical means, including the chewing muscles, the teeth, and three layers of muscles in the walls of the food tube ; (2) by chemical means, or the action of alkalies and acids upon the food ; (3) by organic agency, or the action of ferments. A ferment (or enzyme) is a vegetable substance which has the power of producing a chemical change in large quanti- ties of substance brought in contact with it, without being itself changed. There is one ferment secreted in the mouth, two in the stomach, and three in the small intestine. Digestion in the Mouth. Saliva is formed by six glands : one in the cheek in front of each ear, one at the angle of each lower jaw, and one pair is beneath the tongue. Each gland opens into the mouth by a duct. Saliva is ropy because it is mixed with mucus formed by the mucous membrane lining the mouth ; it usually contains air bub- bles. There is a ferment in the saliva called ptyalin, which has the power of changing starch to malt sugar. If a bit of bread is chewed for a long time, it becomes sweet, because some of the starch is changed to sugar. The flow of saliva is caused by chewing, or by the sight, or even the thought, of agreeable food. Dryness of food is by far more powerful than anything else in causing the saliva to FOOD AND DIGESTION 101 flow. Saliva is secreted only one fourth as fast when eat- ing oatmeal and milk as when eating dry toast (Fig. 94). FIG. 94. CELLS OF A SALIVARY GLAND A, after rest, full of granules ; B, after short activity ; C, after prolonged activity, cells shriveled and granules lost. Starchy grains and fruits were eaten by early man without cooking, and required more chewing than sweet, ripe fruits or oils or proteids. Hence the saliva was given the power of acting upon the starch, for it must remain in the mouth longer. The saliva is alkaline ; and if the food is not thoroughly mixed with it, the stomach digestion will also be imperfect, for the alkaline saliva is necessary to excite an abundant flow of gastric juice iti tJie stomach (Exp. i). Eating slowly is difficult because of the grinding and cooking of food; hence the common practice of overeating. To eat slowly (i) do not take large mouthfuls ; (2) do not take a second morsel until the first has been swallowed ; (3) sit erect or lean back after putting food into the mouth; (4) the hands should lie idle most of the time. To lean forward and keep food traveling to the mouth like coal into a chute means overeating with all its bad effects. Chewing gum is a coarse and impolite habit, and wastes the saliva, besides weakening the glands and irritating the stomach by the saliva that is continually swallowed. Chewing tobacco has several of these disadvantages, besides allowing the poison in the tobacco to be absorbed by the mucous lining of the mouth. The pharynx (far'inks), or throat, is a muscular bag sus- pended behind the nose and mouth. (See Fig. 89, also Fig. 83.) There are seven openings into the pharynx : two from the nostrils, two from the ears, one each from the mouth, larynx, and gullet. Which of these openings are downward ?. Forward ? Lateral ? The gullet (or esophagus) is a muscular tube about nine IO2 HUMAN BIOLOGY inches long. (See Fig. 89.) Like the rest of the food tube, it is lined with mucous membrane. It has two layers of muscles in its walls, the fibers of one layer running length- wise, and the fibers of the other layer being circular. In swallowing, the food does not fall down the gullet of its own weight, but the circular bands of muscle in front of the food relax, and those behind it contract and push it on into t/ie stoniacJi. This wavelike motion is called peristalsis. The stomach, the greatest enlargement of the food tube, is like a large bag lying sideways. It lies to the left side of the abdomen. The walls of the stomach con- sist chiefly of muscular fibers which run lengthwise > 1 crosswise, and slantwise, making three coats (Exp. 7, also Fig. 95). As soon as the food reaches the stomach, the layers of muscles begin to contract, changing the size of the stomach, first in length, then in breadth, thus churning the food to and y. --* \ \ ' . ' *3 . - jviiBSKSSfiaPW _T*!sisiB-:r V 1 FIG. 95. MUSCULAR AND OTHER LAYERS IN WALL OF STOMACH. i, mucous lining ; 2, layer of blood vessels and connective tissue ; 3, muscular layers (involuntary muscles) ; 4, con- nective-tissue fibers. (Peabody.) fro, and mixing it with the gastric juice, a fluid more active than the saliva. For as the food enters the stom- ach, the mucous membrane lining it turns a bright red, and many little gastric glands in the lining begin to secrete gastric juice. Digestion in the Stomach. The stomach churns the food from two to four hours after the meal, according to FOOD AND DIGESTION 103 the kind of food eaten, the way it has been cooked, and the thoroughness with which it has been chewed. The gastric juice is chiefly water, and contains two ferments called pepsin and rennin, and a small quantity of hydro- chloric acid. Rennin acts upon the curd of milk, and is abundant only during infancy. Hydrochloric acid kills germs that may enter the stomach, and changes the food which has been made alkaline by the saliva into an acid condition (Exp. i). This enables \\\e pepsin to act upon tJie proteid part of the food, for pepsin will not act while the food is alkaline. Gastric juice digests lean meat, which is a proteid food, by first dissolving the connective tissue that holds the fibers in place, and they fall apart ; it then acts upon the fibers separately and makes them soluble. Like human fatty tissue (Fig. 14), fat meat consists of cells filled with fat and held together by threads of connective tissue. The cell walls and the threads, both being proteid, are soon dissolved by the gastric juice, and the free fat is melted into oil, but still undigested. The food is reduced in the stomach to a creamy, half-fluid mass called chyme. Where the stomach opens into the small intestine, there is a folding in or narrowing of the tube so as to form a kind of valve called the pylorus. After the food has been changed to chyme, this fold relaxes every minute or two, and allows some of the chyme to escape into the intestine. The small intestine is about one inch in diameter and twenty feet long, with FIG. 96. A PORTION ij, -, /-n" OF SMALL INTES- many coils and turns in its course (Fig. TINEcutopentoshow 90). Its mucous lining is wrinkled into the folds in its lining. IO4 HUMAN BIOLOGY FIG. 97. LINING OF SMALL INTESTINE, magnified, showing villi and mouths of intestinal glands. numerous folds in order to increase the secreting and absorbing surface (Fig. 96). On and between the folds are thousands of little threadlike projections called villi (Fig. 97). In each villus are found fine capil- laries and a small lymphatic called a lacteal (colored Fig. 2). The villi are so thick that they make the lining of the intestine like velvet, and enormously increase the absorb- ing surface. Digestion in the Small Intestine. - This is by far the most active and important of the digestive organs. The mouth digests a small part of the starch, and the stomach digests a small part of the proteid ; the small intestine digests most of the starcJi, most of tJie proteid, and all of tJie fats. The food is in the mouth a few minutes, and in the stomach two or three hours ; it is in the small intestine ten or twelve hours. There are thousands of small glands called intestinal glands that open between the villi (Fig. 97) and secrete the intestinal juice, which digests cane sugar. Besides these, there are two very large and active glands, the pancreas and liver, which empty into the intestine by ducts. The Pancreas. The small intestine is the most impor- tant of the digestive organs, chiefly because it receives the secretion from the pancreas, the most important of diges- tive glands. The pancreas is a long, fiat, pinkisJi gland situated behind tJie stomach (see Fig. 90). The pancreatic juice contains three powerful ferments > one of which (amy- lopsin) digests the starches, another (trypsin) digests pro- teids, and the third (steapsin),. with the aid of the bile, FOOD AND DIGESTION 105 breaks up the fats into tiny globules. Fat in small glob- ules floating in a liquid is called an emulsion ; fresh milk is an emulsion of cream (Fig. 98). Fat is not changed to another substance by digestion, but it is emulsified, and in this condition it readily passes through the walls of the intestines and is absorbed by the lymphatics called lacteals (colored Fig. 5) found in the villi. It then ascends through the tlioracic duct to a large vein SMALL INTESTINE Mi VERMIFORM APPENDIX FIG. 98. JUNCTION OF LARGE AND SMALL INTESTINE. at the left side of the neck (Fig. 100). TJie digested proteid, starch, and sugar pass into tJie capillaries of the portal vein, and go to tJie liver on their way to the general circulation (Fig. 100). The portal circulation empties into the large ascending vein leading to the right auricle (Fig. 100). The Liver. This large, chocolate-colored gland is located just beneath the diaphragm on the right side (Fig. 90, colored Fig. 6). It is on a level with the stomach, which it partly overlaps in front. The liver has three important functions: (i) // is a storeroom; digested sugar and starch are stored in it as a substance called liver starch (or gly'cogen). (2) It is a guardian, and destroys poisonous substances which may be swallowed, and which would otherwise enter the blood. Twice as much morphine or other poison is necessary to kill a man when.it is taken by the mouth and passes through the liver as when it is injected through the skin. Alcohol, morphine, coffee, and drugs are partly burned up in the liver. (3) It is a gland, and secretes bile. The bile is made chiefly from waste products and impurities in the io6 HUMAN BIOLOGY blood; it is an excretion. Although an excretion, it is of use on its way out of the body. It is alkaline and helps to neutralize the acid in the chyme ; it excites the peristalsis, or wavelike motion, of the intes- tines, and it aids the pancreatic juice to emulsify the fats. The large intestine, or colon, is about two and one half inches in diameter and five feet long. The small intestine joins it in tlie lower rig Jit side of tJie abdomen (Fig. 90). There is a fold, or valve, at the juncture, and just below the juncture there is a tube attached to the large intestine, called the appendix, which sometimes be- comes inflamed, causing a disease called appendicitis (Figs. 90, 98). The appendix is a vestigial (vesti- gium, trace) or rudimentary organ, long since useless. Absorption of the watery part of the food continues in the colon, but the colon secretes no digestive fluid. The undigested and innutritious parts of the food are regu- liver, stomach, and in- testines. FIG. 99. DIAGRAM OF TRUNK to show the many folds of the PERI- TONEUM supporting the larly cast out of the colon. 1 tone 1 nm is a membrane with many folds that supports the food tube (Fig. 99). Absorption. - The way in which the various digested foods are absorbed has been stated in several preceding topics. What is the name of the organs of absorption in the small intestine ? Which of the following pass into the lacteals, and which into the capillaries of the portal vein : sugar, digested proteid, emulsified fats ? Water and salt need no digestion, and are absorbed all along the ^food 1 No truly refined person will allow business, pleasure, haste, or neglect to interfere with regular attention to emptying the colon. This is more neces- sary for real cleanliness than regular baths. FOOD AND DIGESTION IO7 tube, the absorption beginning even in the mouth. What reasons can you give for the absorption of food being many times greater in the small intestine than in the stomach ? Through what large tube is the fat carried in passing from the lacteals to the veins ? Into what large vein do all the capillaries that take part in ab- sorption empty ? (Colored Fig. 5.) What is the provision for storing the sugar so that it will not pass suddenly into the blood after a meal, but may be given to the blood gradually ? Food is assimilated, or changed into living matter (proto- plasm), in the cells. Blood and lymph (except the white corpuscles) are not living matter. (Fig. 100.) FIG. zoo. THE Two PATHS OF FOOD ABSORP- TION. Thoracic duct (for fats) ; through the portal vein and liver (for all other foods). THOUGHT QUESTIONS. The Digestive Organs. 1. In which of the digestive organs is only one kind of secretion fur- nished by glands? 2. In which organ are three kinds of secretions furnished by glands? 3. Which class of food goes through the lymphatics ? 4. Which classes of foods go through the liver ? 5. Which classes of foods are digested in only one organ ? 6. Which classes of foods are digested in two organs ? 7. Which division of the food tube is longest ? Broadest ? Least active ? Most active ? 8. Soup is absorbed quickly ; why does eating it at the beginning of a meal tend to prevent overeating? Hygienic Habits of Eating. In hot weather much blood goes to the skin and little to the food tube, and di- gestion is less vigorous. Hearty eaters suffer from heat in summer because of much fuel, and because the blood is kept away from the skin where it would become cool and then cool the whole body. Some persons believe that the 108 HUMAN BIOLOGY stomach should be humored and given nothing that it di- gests with difficulty ; others believe that it should be gradu- ally trained to digest any nutritious food. Some believe that no animal food should be eaten ; others believe that animal food is as valuable as any. Some believe that all food should be eaten raw, but this would irritate a delicate stomach. It is doubtless best to use no stimulant, either tea or coffee, pepper or alcohol. Some eat fast and drink freely at meals ; it is better to eat slowly and drink very little or none at all while eating, nor soon afterwards. Some eat five meals a day, and between meals if anything that tastes good is offered them ; others eat only two or three meals a day, and never between meals, thus allow- ing the digestive organs time to rest. Some omit break- fast and some omit supper. Some prepare most of the food with grease ; this is a tax upon digestion. Physical workers often believe in eating the peelings and seeds of fruits, and partaking freely of weedy vegetables, such as cabbage, turnip tops, string beans. Mental workers usually try to reject all woody fiber and indigestible pulp from the food before swallowing it. Some eat large quantities of food and digest a small portion ; others eat little but digest nearly all. The Power of Adaptation of the Digestive Organs. Of course some habits of eating are better for the health than others, yet the un- desirable ways often bring so little injury that they are not discontinued. This shows that the food tube has great powers of adaptation to dif- ferent conditions. But there are limits to this adaptation ; there is an old saying that what is one man's meat is another maiVs poison. A brain worker cannot follow the same diet as a field hand without work- ing at a disadvantage. An irritable stomach may be injured by coarse food that would furnish only a healthful stimulus to a less sensitive one. A business man who has little leisure at noon should take the heaviest meal after business hours. In general, it may be said that it does not make so much difference what is eaten as how it is eaten, and how FOOD AND DIGESTION 1 09 much is eaten. There is a common tendency to exaggerate the im- portance of dietetics. THOUGHT QUESTIONS. Indigestion.-- 1. A Fetid Breath. 1. Name three causes of bad breath. 2. Let us investigate whether indigestion could cause a bad breath. In what kind (two qualities) of weather does meat spoil the quickest? 3. Suppose, that meat or other food is put into a stomach with its gastric glands exhausted and its muscular walls tired out, what will be the rate of digestion, and what might hap- pen to the food ? 4. Odorous contents of the stomach (e.g. onion) can be taken by the blood to the lungs where it will taint the breath. After answering the above questions, write in a few words how indi- gestion may cause a bad breath. II. A Coated or Foul Tongue. 1. When the doctor visits you, at what does he first look ? 2. What sometimes forms on old bread ? (p. 158.) 3. Do you think such a growth possible on undigested bread in the stomach ? 4. The microscope shows the coating on the bread to be a growth of mold. If it forms on the walls of the stomach, it may extend to what ? III. Stomach Ache. 1. How can you tell whether fruit preserved in a sealed glass jar is fermenting ? 2. What connection is there be- tween belching after eating too freely of sweet or starchy food, and the observation above ? 3. A muscle gives pain when it is stretched. Why does belching sometimes give relief to an uneasy stomach ? 4. Can you, by using these facts, explain a cause of stomach ache ? For what Kind of Man were the Human Digestive Organs created ? - That food is best to which the food tube has been longest accustomed. It would be of the greatest value as a guide to diet if we knew the food eaten by early man during the many ages when he led a wild life in the open air. The organs of early man were doubtless perfectly adapted to the life he led. The food tube is adapted to the needs of those long ages, for a few centuries of civilization cannot change the nature of the digestive organs ; yet some people disregard natural appetites and try to force the digestive organs to undergo greater changes in a few months than centuries could bring about. To test whether an Article of Food belonged to Man's Original Diet. - Scientists agree that the human race began in a warm country : that early man was without gristmills , stoves, or fire, and ate his food raw. If an article of food is pleasant to the taste in its raw, pure state, there is little doubt that it, or a similar food, was eaten by primitive man before he knew the use of fire in preparing his food. Apply this test to the following foods, underlining those foods that pass the test : apples, bananas, lettuce, turnip greens, turnips, fruits, nuts, beef, fowls, I IO HUMAN BIOLOGY Bread Bananas c o ?*=. * ; . v. .- * ., .. ^0:1, .-i. M ..,_- .-- ..-,. .:>.:; FIG. 108. SECTION OF SPINAL CORD, showing nerve cells (large black spots) with their branches (black dots and lines). Five bundles of nerve fibers are shown near upper margin. (Peabody.) 122 HUMAN BIOLOGY Reflex Action, Consciousness, and Will. - -Usually not all of the force of the impulse is transferred to the motor cell. The sensory cell by means of another of its many branches may transfer part of tJie impulse to a cell which sends it to the brain. Hence a reflex act is not necessarily an uncon- scious one. If you unintentionally touch the hand to a hot stove pipe, you may be conscious of the pain and the involuntary jerking away of the hand at the same time. Reflex Action and the Will. - The will may inhibit, or prevent, an expected reflex act. Yet many reflex acts occur in spite of the effort of the will to prevent them. One cannot always keep from closing the eyes before a threatened blow even if from the other side of a plate glass window, and it is known there is no danger. Sneezing is a reflex act and can- not always be prevented. The forming of saliva and other secretions are reflex acts. Reflex acts are quicker than voluntary acts. An eighth of a second is about the time required for a person to press an electric button after seeing a signal ; a reflex act may occur in a shorter time. The Brain consists of Three Chief Parts. -(i) There is an enlargement at the top of the spinal cord called the medulla, or the medulla oblongata. It may be re- garded as the part of the spinal cord within the skull (see Figs. 109, no, 114). (2) Above the medulla is the cerebellum, or little brain. (3) The cerebrum, or large tfa gkull except the sma n CORD. part occupied by the medulla and cere- I K H FIG. I0 9 . BRAIN brai fin AND SPINAL THE NERVOUS SYSTEM 123 bellum. The cerebrum covers the cerebellum. (Fig. no.) Is this true of the monkey's brain? (See Fig. US-) The work of the medulla is chiefly to control the vital functions (see Figs, no, 114). Here are located the centers for regulating the breathing, the heart beat, the size of the blood vessels (thus regulating nutrition), and also the less important centers that control swallowing, secre- tion of saliva, and vomiting. The center for breathing is FIG. no. --THE BRAIN (cerebrum, cerebellum, medulla). sometimes called the vital knot, because although the cerebrum and cerebellum may be removed from an animal without causing immediate death, the slightest injury to the vital knot kills the animal at once. In cases of hanging, death is caused by injury to this center. Automatic Action.- The center called the vital knot is said to regulate the breathing automatically, not reflexly. Reflex acts start in the skin ; automatic acts start in the interior of the body. The condition of the blood regulates the breathing automatically during sleep, and partly regulates it during waking. If too much carbon dioxid accumulates in the blood this excites the vital knot, which sends out stronger impulses to the respiratory muscles. Deeper breathing follows, which purifies the blood, and the breathing is then FIG. in. ASSOCIATION FIBERS, con- necting cells within the cerebrum. (Jegi.) 124 HUMAN BIOLOGY shallow or slow until carbon dioxid accumulates again. The Four Kinds of Nerve Action and the Centers that con- trol them. The cord controls chiefly reflex action ; the medulla controls chiefly automatic action ; the cerebellum controls chiefly coordinate, or harmonizing, action ; the cere- brum controls the purely vol- untary acts, for it is the seat of consciousness and thought. The medulla, like the cord, has the gray matter on the inside (Fig. 109). Structure of the Cere- FlG. 112. SENSORY AND MOTOR FIBERS. (Jegi.) bellum. - The cerebellum, like the cerebrum, has the gray matter or cells on the outside. The gray matter is folded into furrows that are not nearly so winding as the folds in the cerebrum (see Fig. 115). The fibers going to the surface cells have a branched arrange- ment called the arbor vita, or tree of life, which is shown where the cerebellum is cut. FIG. 113. BRAIN OF A MONKEY. Numerals show location of motor centers. (See Fig. 115.) The cerebellum, like the cere- brum, is deeply cleft and thus divided into halves, called hemispheres, connected by a band of white matter. The work of the cerebellum is to aid the cerebrum in controlling the muscles. It coordinates the muscular move- THE NERVOUS SYSTEM 125 ments ; that is, it makes the muscles act at the right time and with due force in complex acts, such as stand- ing, walking, talking. A man could strike just as hard without the action of the cerebellum, but he would not be likely to hit what he aimed at. A drunken man staggers and fails to control the muscles in walk- ing because the alcohol has caused the blood to collect and congest around the cerebellum and press upon it. One whose cerebellum has been injured by accident Cereb^m FIG. 114. --THE LOBES OF THE RIGHT SIDE OF BRAIN and their functions. (Jegi.) The speech center is true only for left-handed persons. Medulla is marked " Bulb." staggers like a drunken man. Coverings of the Brain. - - Lin- ing the skull and covering the cere- brum are found two membranes which inclose a lymph-like fluid. Thus a kind of water bedis made which surrounds the soft and deli- cate cerebrum FIG. 115. MOTOR AND SENSORY AREAS OF LEFT HEMISPHERE. Speech center marked " Lips." P 1 In what region are the motor centers? The sensory centers? I T O IT1 jars. J\ 126 HUMAN BIOLOGY membraneous net, or meshwork, of blood vessels covers the cerebrum and plentifully supplies it with blood. Structure of the Cerebrum. - - The gray matter, or cell mass of the cerebrum, forms a surface layer, called the cortex (" bark "), about one eighth of an inch thick. This gray layer is deeply folded, the folds, or convolutions, being separated by deep furrows, some of them an inch deep (see Fig. no). Thus the area of the surface layer is increased to several times what it would be if smooth. Intelligence increases with increase in the number and depth of the convolutions. The greater part of the cere- brum is white matter. This consists largely of associa- tion aly^r.*- (Fig. in) which connect the cells in the gray matter with eacJi other and with important interior ganglia at the base of the cerebrum (Fig. 112). These basal ganglia are the largest parts of the brains of the lower vertebrates (Animal Biology, Figs. 222, 259). Why do these animals not need large cerebrums ? The human cerebrum comprises nearly seven eighths of the weight of the brain. A deep fissure divides it into the right and left cerebral hemispheres. A band of white matter con- nects the hemispheres. Functions of the Cerebrum. The cerebrum is the seat of consciousness and thought, and of all activity controlled by the will. It also directs the work of tJie lower nerve centers in the spinal cord, medulla, and cerebellum. It receives sensory messages from all parts of the skin and through the special senses. It sends out motor mes- sages to all the voluntary muscles, and more indirectly to the involuntary muscles. The cerebral fibers are of three kinds : sensory, associational (connecting cells in cere- brum), and motor (Figs. 111,112). It is estimated that the cerebrum alone contains 9,200,000,000 cells. THE NERVOUS SYSTEM I2/ Spinal and Cranial Nerves. - - The nerves from the spinal cord go out through notches between the vertebrae. Since there are tliirty-one pairs of spinal nerves (Fig. 109) and only twenty-four vertebras, some of the nerves go out through holes in the sacrum. The cranial nerves (to eyes, ears, tongue, nose, face, etc.) leave the brain through holes in the cranium, or skull. There are twelve pairs of them. Relation of the Cerebrum to the Lower Centers. As already stated, nerve activities are of four kinds, reflex, automatic, coordinate, and voluntary. A manufactory has more complex work than a shop. A man with a shop may enlarge it into a factory and leave trained assist- ants in charge of the different shops, keeping only the general man- agement for himself. If he should cease to control his assistants entirely, the work of the factory would soon be in disorder. If the manager should try to direct everything, he would become exhausted. So the cerebrum, the seat of the will and the reason, leaves the reflex centers in the spinal cord, medulla, and cerebellum to do most of the work. If the mind wishes the hand to move and grasp the hand of a friend, the motor center in the cerebrum sends a message to the cerebellum; and if the cerebellum has been well trained, the act is accurately performed. A less imperfect wisdom than that of the mind is in the lower nerve centers. The reason and will control the lo\ver centers through O the cerebrum, but the control is very limited. It is well that this is so, not only for the relief of the cerebrum, but for the safety of the body. Can you change the rate of the heart beat by the exercise of the will? Can you blush at will, or prevent the flushing of the capil- laries when you are embarrassed, or when you go close to a hot fire? It is impossible for a person to commit suicide by holding the breath. What change in the blood would soon force a breath to be taken? Repeat the two examples of reflex action triumphing over the will which have already been given. We shall next take up a system of nerves almost independent of the will. The ganglionic or sympathetic portion of the nervous system controls the viscera (vis'se-ra\ or internal organs, e.g. peristalsis of food tube, tone of arteries. The nerves that go to the viscera branch off from the spinal nerves not far from the spinal column, and enter a row of ganglia on each side of the spine (see Fig. 115). Each ganglion is connected by nerves with the one above and below it, so that they appear like two knotted cords suspended one 128 HUMAN BIOLOGY on each side of the spinal column and tied together below ; for both chains of ganglia end in the same ganglion in the pelvis. Some of the fibers from the spinal cord pass through these ganglia on their way to the viscera, losing their white sheaths in the ganglia and emerging as gray fibers. The spinal cord and brain with the fibers which do not pass through the double chain of ganglia are called the cerebro - spinal system. The double chain of ganglia and the fibers which go through them are called the ganglionic or sympathetic system. Why these Nerves are called the Sympathetic System.- These nerves, after leaving the double chain of ganglia, form many intricate networks of ganglia and fibers. Each network is called a plexus (Fig. 116). The largest of the plexuses is just back of the stomach, and is called the solar plexus. A blow upon the stomach may paralyze this plexus and cause sudden death. The plexuses and fibers con- nect tJie viscera so perfectly tJiat one organ cannot suffer without the otJiers changing their activity, or sympathizing with it. An overloaded stomach causes the heart to beat faster and send it more blood ; a loss of appetite usually accompanies illness and allows the stomach to rest. This sympathy is necessary, for if one organ is FIG. 116. DIAGRAM OF SYMPA- THETIC SYSTEM showing double chain of ganglia ; also plexus at heart and solar plexus. THE NERVOUS SYSTEM 129 diseased, the others do not continue to work and tax the strength of the ailing organ. How the Sympathetic and Cerebro-spinal Nerves Differ. The ganglionic nerves (i) contain mostly gray fibers ; (2) pass through ganglia after leaving the spinal cord ; (3) control the unconscious activities of the body ; (4) pass to organs which contain slow-acting involuntary muscles, not to sense organs and quick-acting voluntary muscles ; (5) transmit impulses sloivly (about 20 ft. instead of 100 ft. per second). Crawfish and insects have hardly more than the ganglionic system of nerves (Animal Biology, Figs. 92, 132, 197). Examples of the Supervisory Functions of the Sympa- thetic System. - - Regulation of the heart beat and of the size of the blood vessels ; secretion of sweat glands ; con- traction of pupils of eyes in a brigrBbght; peristalsis. Examples of Sympathetic Nerve Impulses reaching Con- sciousness. Pain in colic and cramps; "heartburn' (pain in stomach from indigestion); backache (from nerves in organs prolapsed by tight clothing pulling upon their attachments at spine) ; hunger ; thirst. The Mind and Health. --A contented or peaceful mind is indispen- sable to soundest health. Worry causes difficult breathing with bated breath. Happiness brings full, easy breathing. Biological study of physiology shows the futility of making health a care or anxiety, and teaches "'no meddling 1 ' with the body, whether by stimulating it, drug- ging it, deforming it, overheating it, half smothering it in close rooms, cultivating artificial instincts, etc. If the body degenerates through wrong living, and disease ensues, a new way of living is needed, not some quick and wonderful remedy. The new life will renew the body and nothing else can. HYGIENE OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM Necessity of Food, Fresh Air, and Rest for Sound Nerves. - The health of the nerves depends upon a free supply of K 130 HUMAN BIOLOGY B. pure, nutritious blood. Nearly one fifth of the blood goes to the brain. It is clear that the brain cannot give out energy until it has first received it; the blood supplies energy to the brain. The blood in turn receives the nour- ishment from food and pure air. A rested cell is full of nourishment ; a tired cell is shriveled (see Fig. 117). Sleep. During waking hours energy is used up faster than it is stored in the cells, and protoplasm is oxidized faster than the cells can replace it. Dur- ing sleep the opposite is true ; repair is more rapid than waste. During sleep the muscles are strength- ened, the breathing is less, the heart beats more slowly, less heat is produced, diges- tion is slower, less blood goes to the brain. Why is it necessary to be more warmly protected by clothing or bed covering when asleep than when awake ? Above all, the nervous system has an opportunity to recuperate from the constant activity of waking hours. The eye and the ear are rested by darkness and silence. Sleep caused by morphine or other drug is not normal sleep and brings little refreshment. Practical Suggestions. - - Sleep is deepest during the second hour after going to sleep, and a greater shock is given to the nervous system by waking a sleeper during that hour than at another time. An alarm clock is a very unhealthful device. One who cannot trust to nature FIG. 117. EFFECTS OF FATIGUE ON NERVE CELLS. A, resting cell, B, fatigued cell, with its body and nucleus shrunken. THE NERVOUS SYSTEM 131 even to awaken has great presumption. If one does not rise promptly upon waking naturally, the instinct to awake when enough sleep has been taken will be lost, and the habit of sleeping too much will be formed, and the brain, like the muscles, will become weak from inactivity. Infants sleep most of the time, and it is injurious to them to be waked. Adults usually require about eight hours of sleep. There is a risk in going to sleep in a warm room, for the bed covering which is comfortable then may not be enough to prevent taking cold when the fire goes out. Sleep usually comes more promptly to one who goes to bed at the same hour each night. The muscles are relaxed in sleep, and relaxing them perfectly upon lying down and breathing slowly, tends to bring sleep. One who is sleepless usually finds that he is breathing fast and is holding the head stiff on the shoulders, the teeth clenched, and the muscles contracted, even though he is lying down. Excitement and worry during the day, but especially just before retiring, tend to produce sleeplessness. One who overworks his mind by too great attention to business is inviting ruin. A student who loses sleep while preparing for an examination will probably fail. Rested brain cells and pure blood are needed for good w r ork. Rules for Preventing Sleepiness. -- (i) Do not sit close to stove or especially a fireplace or in very warm room, and do not wear very warm clothing in the house. (2) Let in fresh air freely. (3) Do not sit in rocking chair nor with chest flattened. (4) Make the last meal a very light one. Habits. - - Our habits of doing and thinking and feeling really constitute our characters. This shows the impor- tance of right habits. By gradually changing our habits we can strengthen our characters and form them somewhat as we wish. When a muscle contracts in a certain way, this act makes it easier for the muscle to contract in that way the next time ; thus great muscular strength may be developed. When a nerve cell acts, the circulation around the cell is increased, tJie fibers develop by use, and tlie act is easier tJie next time. We cannot entirely get rid of our habits, because we cannot get rid of our brains. Healthy fatigue is caused by the accumulation of waste products resulting from the oxidation of substances in nerve, muscle, and gland cells. The presence of waste in 132 HUMAN BIOLOGY the tissues affects the nerves. We are rested and strong when these wastes are removed and the tissues are sup- plied with fresh food and oxygen. Work causes the ac- cumulation of carbon dioxid, wJiicJi is nature s narcotic! The drowsy feeling that ensues is more pleasant than the drowsy feeling from alcohol or opium. Those who do not employ nature's narcotic but free themselves of it by hurried, anxious breathing become restless and crave arti- ficial narcotics. Fatigue without work occurs with people who are idle. The oxidation in their cells is not complete, and poisonous products of the incomplete burning result. This is known as self-poisoning (auto-toxemia). The poisons are taken by the blood to the nerves and brain, and give a tired feel- ing as effectually as does hard work ; or the food may fer- ment in the food tube and form poi- sons which increase the tired feeling. Such persons are usually irritable, while persons who are fatigued by use- ful labor are likely to be dull and drowsy. Headaches are caused by poisons in the blood or by pressure of blood congested in the head. Like all other pains they should be a source of benefit in 1 It has been found that it is injurious to rebreathe expired air containing one per cent of carbon dioxid, but a far greater percentage is harmless if intro- duced into fresh air, thus indicating that the injury from poor ventilation comes chiefly from the " crowd poison," or organic particles thrown off. DYSPEPSIA .^fay-^ CONSTIPATION DISTURBANCES Of N05, EAR, Af/0 TTH -MERVQUS EXHAUSTION -SPINAL MfilTAJKSH FIG. 118. THE SITUATION OF HEADACHES with reference to their causes. THE NERVOUS SYSTEM 133 that they show us ways of living to be shunned in the future. Many persons, however, not only derive no profit from a headache, but by unwise efforts to cure the pain, bring permanent injury to themselves in addition to the suffering of the headache. Bromides, opium, and other poisons deaden and weaken the nervous system while preventing the headache from being felt. HeadacJie powders, phenacetin, acetanelid, an- tikamnia, and other vile poisons made from coal tar, shock and weaken the heart and reduce the vital activities so that the headache is no longer felt. In consequence of shocks from repeated doses of such drugs, the heart will not work so well, and may give way some time in the future when an effort or strain makes unusual demands upon it. Their use has made heart disease more preva- lent. The liver and kidney cells and the white corpuscles have to destroy and remove the drugs. Many people are foolish enough to injure their bodies and risk death rather than suffer pain or avoid pain by prudent living. Sick headaches are foretold by a dull feeling, sleepiness after eating, a coated tongue, and constipation. It would be better to remove the undigested, spoiled food from the stomach (four glasses of water will cause vomiting) than to take a drug. At the first indication of trouble, ab- stain from eating, or use a fruit diet for twenty-four hours, and drink water freely. This will enable the body to dispose of the excess of waste matter. The Highest Living Medical Authority on Drugs. Dr. Osier, formerly of Johns Hopkins University and now of Oxford University, says : " But the new school does not feel itself under obligation to give any medicines whatever, while a generation ago not only could few phy- sicians have held their practice unless they did, but few would have 134 HUMAN BIOLOGY thought it safe or scientific. Of course there are still many cases where the patient or the patient's friends must be humored by administering medicine, or alleged medicine, where it is not really needed, and indeed often where the buoyancy of mind, which is the real curative agent, can only be created by making him wait hopefully for the expected action of medicine ; and some physicians still cannot unlearn their old train- ing. But the change is great. The modern treatment of disease relies very greatly on the old so-called natural methods, diet and exer- cise, bathing and massage, in other words giving the natural forces the fullest scope by easy and thorough nutrition, increased flow of blood, and removal of obstructions to the excretory systems or the circulation in the tissues. One notable example is typhoid fever. At the outset of the nineteenth century it was treated with " remedies 1 ' of the extremest violence, bleeding and blistering, vomiting and purging, antimony and calomel, and other heroic remedies. Now the patient is bathed and nursed and carefully tended, but rarely given medicine. This is there- suit partly of the remarkable experiments of the Paris and Vienna schools into the action of drugs which have shaken the stoutest faiths ; and partly of the constant and reproachful object lesson of homeopathy. No regular physician would ever admit that the homeopathic " infini- tesimals " could do any good as direct curative agents ; and yet it was perfectly certain that homeopaths lost no more of their patients than others. There was but one conclusion to draw, that most drugs had no effect whatever on the diseases for which they were administered." " Encyclopaedia Americana," Vol. X. (Munn & Co., New York.) Applying Hygienic Tests Systematically. The cause of ill health (e.g. a headache) should be sought with system and thoroughness, ap- plying the tests in rotation to every function of the body : Lungs. Is the air habitually breathed fresh and free from dust? Is the body held up, and is the chest or waist cramped by clothing? Muscles. Is enough physical exertion made to cause deep breaths to be drawn? Food. Is it simple, digestible, and eaten properly? Drink. Is the water pure? Cleanliness, Work and Rest, Clothing, Ventilation, and Mental State may be inquired into until the source of trouble is found and the cause of ill health removed. To give drugs and leave the cause of ill health untouched, is to fail. There are signs of coming weakness or illness which, if heeded and the ways of living improved, will usually prevent illness. Among these signs are headaches, paleness, sensi- tiveness to cold, heavy feeling or pain after meals, constipation. Huxley says that young people should so learn physiology and so understand their bodies that they will heed the first sign of nature^s displeasure, and not wait for a box on the ear. THE NERVOUS SYSTEM 135 Nervous Children. A report on the health of the school children in one of our large cities shows that one third of the children in those schools have some disorder of the nerves. Nervousness (weakened control of the nerves) may show itself by sluggishness of mind, great irritability of temper, frequent spells of the " bluest or by involuntary movements of a jerky or fidgety kind. Sound development of city children's nerves is hindered because of the constant noise in cities both day and night ; by shortening of the hours of sleep ; by excessive use of sugar for food ; by living much among people with no chance to be alone and let the nerves rest, and among boys by the use of cigarettes. How to Prevent the School from injuring Children. - (i) Ventilation is of first importance. Breathing the breath of fifty other children does far more harm than overstudy. (2) The time devoted to work should not be long, especially in the lower grades (no study out of school). (3) The work sJiould be diversified; not only printed words, but pictures, natural objects, and the out- door world should be studied. (4) The teacher and parent should see that the habitual poise of the child is favorable to health. (5) The children should be encouraged to play. Running games at recess are of the greatest value, and are as indispensable to the health of a boy or girl as of a colt. (6) Physical exercise should be provided at short intervals between lessons, especially stretching exercises and movements that straighten the spine and hips and ele- vate the chest. The Effect of Alcohol upon Nerve Function. - - In attack- ing the nerve centers, alcohol begins with the cerebrum, the highest, and proceeds toward the lowest. Hence as a man becomes drunk he first talks foolishly (cerebrum affected), then he staggers (cerebellum affected), and he finally goes to sleep and breathes very hard (medulla affected) in a drunken stupor. It rarely happens that the breathing center is completely disabled and the man dies from the strong poison. The greatest evil of alcohol is 136 HUMAN BIOLOGY seen in the case of steady drinking. This gradually de- troys the soundness of the nervous system and weakens self-control. The tendency with nearly all drinkers is to increase the amount taken. Not Total Abstainers, but the Advocates of Universal Moderation are the Visionaries. The evil results from alcohol are so great as to be almost incredible. The plainest statements of its effects are sometimes denounced as unscientific by persons prejudiced in its favor. A part of the two billion dollars annually paid for liquors is used in influencing public opinion through the press. PRACTICAL QUESTIONS.--!. Why does travel often cure a sick person when all else fails ? 2. Why is working more healthful than "taking exercise''? (p. 47.) 3. Is it better for children to play or to take exercise ? 4. Why can one walk and carry on a conversation at the same time ? (p. 127.) 5. How does indigestion cause a headache? (P- I 33-) 6. Does perfectly comfortable clothing from head to foot help to make one at ease in company ? Does uncomfortable clothing tend to make one awkward ? 7. Why is it as important to have the shoes and clothes perfectly comfortable when going out as when stay- ing at home ? 8. When one's finger is cut, where is the pain ? 9. In what two ways may opening a window when a student is becom- ing dull and drowsy at his books enable him to wake up and study with ease? 10. What kinds of cells shrivel like a baked apple when they become fatigued? (Fig. 117.) 11. A nerve or nerve fiber can hardly become tired or fatigued, for the nerve cell supplies the energy. What do we mean when we say the nerves are worn out? (Fig. 117.) 12. Why do you throw cold water upon a fainting person ? 13. Why does constant, moderate drinking undermine the health more than occasional intoxication? 14. Why does stoppage of the circulation cause one to faint ? (See Chap. VI.) 15. Why is grazing the skin often more pain- ful than cutting it ? (Colored Fig. I.) 16. Why do the lower ani- mals always act upon sudden impulse ? What part of the brain enables man to retain sensations and not act upon them until later ? 17. Does " nervousness " more probably indicate a bright mind or a high temper ? 18. What is the effect of a cold bath upon the nerves ? (Chap. II.) 19. Did you ever know a cigarette smoker whose hand trembled ? 20. Need there be any fear of a sobbing child holding its breath until it dies ? 21. Why is muscle tone greater in cold weather ? THE NERVOUS SYSTEM 137 The True Function of Stimulants. - - One whose heart has nearly given out because of exposure to severe weather may be temporarily revived by alcohol. It will not be wise to do so unless it is certain that a warm fire and protection will be reached before tJie reaction comes. Much less would be necessary to revive an abstainer than a drunkard. Ha- bitually disturbing the body with stimulants makes them ineffective in a time of emergency. A cup of coffee will not keep a watcher awake if he is used to coffee. Definitions : Stimulant, Narcotic, Poison. - - A stimulant is anything that excites the body to activity, but is of no help or of insignificant help, in replacing the strength used up. A narcotic is anything that deadens or dulls the nervous system. It comes from a word meaning " to benumb." Poisons are active substances, which, taken in quantities, as man takes food, destroy life ; in smaller quantities they injure the body and may destroy life. Alcohol is a poison. Wine, beer, whisky, contain varying quantities of it. The Narcotic and Stimulant Effects of Poisons. Ex- amples of poisons are alcohol, nicotin, opium, arsenic, strychnin. Poisons excite the body when taken in small doses, while in large doses they produce paralysis and death. The irritating or stimulating effect is due to de- rangement of the functions or to the efforts of the cells to free the body of the destructive substance. The narcotic effect is due to the poison having so benumbed the nerves and injured the cells that their activities cease, or become less for a time. You readily see how the same poison can be both a stimulant and a narcotic : the stimulating effect ahvays comes first, followed by the stupefying effect. If the dose is very small, the stimulating effect will last longer ; if it is large, the narcotic effect is greater and felt more quickly. A habit of using stimulants is an invariable sign 138 HUMAN BIOLOGY of weakness. The first dose of morphine or cocaine may be the first step in a lifelong blight of strength and happi- ness. If physicians whose treatment of a case results in leaving a patient with a drug or alcohol habit were sued for malpractice, they would be less reckless. The annual consumption of morphine is estimated at twenty-seven grains per capita in China, and fifty grains in the United States. Reaction.- This is tJie depressed and exhausted condition that comes on after a period of unnatural activity. It fol- lows the exciting effects of a stimulant. Natural Stimulants. - - If there were nothing to arouse activity, life would be impossible. A cold wind is a natural stimulant. The activity aroused by a cold wind is just enough to help the body withstand the cold ; artificial stimulants cause an expenditure having no relation to the needs of the body. Hence there is a great waste of energy. Feelings may stimulate, as love for his family may stimu- late a man to labor. The desire for knowledge may stimu- late a boy to study. Hunger may stimulate a man to eat. Hunger is a natural stimulant, and is not likely to make him eat to excess ; tea, coffee, pepper, etc., arouse a false appetite. These things are used chiefly for their stimu- lant effect, for they contain little or no nourishment. We will now study about artificial stimulants. Such stimulants always cause an unregulated and unhealthy action, and are always follo^cved by reaction, How much Strength is stored in the Body? Dr. Tanner of Minnesota believed that most people eat too much. Another physician said that no human being could go forty days without food. Dr. Tanner made the experiment. He lost thirty-six pounds in weight, but he weighed 12 1 J pounds and had considerable strength at the end of the THE NERVOUS SYSTEM 139 forty days. The first thing he ate at the close of his fast was the juice of a ripe watermelon. Once some miners were shut in by the caving of a part of a mine. But, unlike the case just described, they were without water as well as food. When, by digging, the rescuers reached them seven days after, several were still found alive, although most of them had died. The miners, no doubt, had nourishment in their bodies for some weeks more of life, but the body lacked water to dissolve it and bring it within the reach of the cells most needing it. A Stupendous Fact.- These incidents show how wisely the body is made, and prove that the cells store up nourish- ment for weeks ahead. The large amount of nourishment stored in the human body is one of the most striking and important facts with which the science of physiology has to deal, and it should be borne in mind, or we may make great mistakes about some very simple matters and espe- cially in regard to the effects of stimulants. Foolisli Rashness. - - Did you ever get so tired that you had to give up and stop, however much you would have liked to continue at work or play ? To rest was tJie wise tiling to do. Because you know there is much energy stored in the body, this need not tempt you to go on until you almost break down. Probably you know/^0//*? who are conceited about their bodies and say they are "made of cast iron " ; that nothing can hurt them. Such conceit will be almost sure to get its possessor into trouble. How a Safeguard may be broken down. - - It is a very wise arrangement that, under ordinary conditions, we can- not get at the surplus energy we have. Carbon dioxid and other wastes accumulate in the tissues and paralyze the nerves. Fatigue and other feelings compel us to be provi- dent, as it were ; yet stimulants and narcotics, by irritating 140 HUMAN BIOLOGY the nerve cells, arouse them and cause us to expend some of this reserve energy. Thus man is enabled to get at this precious store which he should save for emergencies, when he is sick and cannot digest food, or when he is making some mighty effort. A weak, ill man who has eaten very little for weeks, when delirious is sometimes so powerful that it takes several strong men to hold him in bed. But the delirious mania often uses up the little energy left, and costs the man his life. The only source of energy for man's body is the union of food and oxygen ; he must get his energy from the same source that the engine does ; and this is from his food, which serves as fuel, and the oxygen which burns it. If one has been working hard preparing for examinations, or gathering hay, or in attending to some important busi- ness, or has been under the excitement of some pleasure trip, and feels " blue ' and worn out, tJicn let Jiini bear tJie result like a man, or like a true boy or girl, as the case may be. Giving up for a while, or "toughing it out " with the blues, or losing a little time from business, will not hurt, but will restore strength, while a stimulant will leave him less of a man than before. Nervousness. The attempt to divide the race into brain workers, muscle workers, and loafers, whether men or women, is a powerful factor in race degeneration. Leonard Hill says : " Hysteria and nervous exhaustion are the fruits not of overwork, but of lack of varied and interesting employment. The absurd opinion that hard work is menial and low, leads to most pernicious consequences. The girl who, turning from brain work to manual labor, can cook, scrub, wash, and garden, invites the bloom of health to her cheeks ; while the fine do-nothing lady loses her good looks, suffers from the blues, and is a nuisance to her friends and a misery to herself." A Japanese lady holds views similar to those of Dr. Hill. Read footnote. 1 1 Statement by Madame Toyi Niku of Yeddo, Japan, after a six months' visit to the United States. " Worry and inactivity, it seems to me, sharply THE NERVOUS SYSTEM 141 SUBJECTS FOR DEBATE. - - (i) Does the Chinese woman deform her body less than the Caucasian woman and suffer less from it ? (2) Does as much disease originate in the dining room as the barroom ? (3) Are drugs a necessary evil ? (4) Does pride cause as much illness as ignorance ? (5) Is it ever right to neglect the health ? (6) Does the mind or the way of living have more effect upon the health ? Disuse and Degeneration. Many persons in civilized countries cherish a vain hope of having sound muscles without habitual use of them, pure blood without deep breathing, a strong circulation in an inactive body, a fresh skin without keeping the body sound, a hearty appetite without enough physical labor to use the food already eaten, steady nerves with a part of the body overworked and a part stagnating from disuse. Their flabby muscles, pale skins, highly seasoned food tc arouse appetite, narcotics to deaden irritable nerves, and the wide use of drugs as a fancied substitute for right living all show the attempt to be a miserable failure. If the parents leading such a life escape with fairly good health and average length of life, they leave a few unhealthy chil- dren in whom physical degeneration is plain. Complete, balanced liv- ing only prevents degeneration. Although there are cases of illness which are not necessarily a disgrace, disease usually originates in weak- ness of character or lack of common sense. The snob who thinks him- self above physical labor, the dupes who at the bidding of avaricious fashion mongers think more of clothes than of a free body, the narrow, unbalanced man, who concentrates all his energies on one ambition, the short-sighted one who worries, all grow into a diseased state. mark the women of your middle classes. I did not attempt to study your leaders of society, for they are much alike the world over-- the same fuss, the same display of jewels and finery, the same scandals, the same uselessness. Your women do not diversify enough. If they are good cooks, they stop there; perhaps another is a good housekeeper, -another can sew finely; but doing one thing makes narrow-mindedness. In Japan we strive to do many things. The worry troubles of your women, it seems to me, come largely from improper eating and overeating. I have sat at many of your tables and there is too much food on them and too much variety. First, women overeat, then they doctor, then they starve, and then they become nervous. A woman's diet, especially a mother's, should always be simple. Cut down eating and increase variety of labor and exercise. My own people live that way with a result that we have better feminine bodies, better skins, and better tempers than your women. I like the brightness of your young women. Perhaps you will take the hideous hats off them some day, find a substitute for the bad corset, and let them wear clothes that are loose, yet are soft and clinging. They are bound up in their clothes too much now and their judgment of colors and combina- tions is not good. Their clothing is either garish or very dull in hue. The simplest girl in Japan knows how to harmonize color with herself. Mother^ Magazine, November, 1907. CHAPTER IX THE SENSES Experiment I. Where are the Nerves of Touch most Abundant? Open a pair of scissors so that the points are one eighth of an inch apart, and touch both points to the tip of the finger. Are they felt as one or as two points ? Find how far they must be separated to be felt as two points when applied to the back of the neck. Record results. Caution: The person should be blindfolded, or should look away while the tests are being made. Two pins stuck in a cork will be more con- venient to use than scissors. Experiment 2. Nerves of Temperature, or Thermic Nerves. - - Draw the end of a cold wire along the skin. Does the wire feel cold all the time ? Repeat with a hot wire. Do you conclude that temperature is felt only in spots ? Muscular Sense. --Experiment 3. Make tests of the ability to distin- guish the weight of objects weighing nearly the same, when laid by another in outstretched hand ; also by laying them in the hand while it rests upon a table. Which test showed more delicate distinctions ? In which were muscles brought into use ? Experi- ment 4. Close the eyes and let some one move your left arm to a new position ; then see if you can with the forefinger of the right hand touch the forefinger of the left hand in its new position at the first attempt. Experiment 5. Functions of the Several Parts of the Tongue. Test the tip, edges, and back of the tongue with sugar, vinegar, qui- nine, and salt. Where is the taste of each most acute ? Record results. Flavors. --Experiment 6. Blindfold a member of the class, and while he holds his nostrils firmly closed by pinching them, have him place successively upon his tongue a bit of potato and of onion. Can he distinguish them ? Experiment 7. Mark Rafter each of the following 142 FIG. 119. "COLD" SPOTS (light shading). " HOT" SPOTS (dark), skin of thigh. THE SENSES 143 foods that have a flavor (see text) : vanilla, apple, lemon, beef, peaches, grapes, coffee, onion, potato, cinnamon. Experiment 8. A Smelling Contest. - - Place the following and other things having taste in vials around which paper has been pasted to con- ceal their contents : pepper sauce, vinegar, kerosene, flavoring extracts (diluted), several perfumes, iodine, bits of banana, lemon, apple, etc. Number the vials and have pupils test and write results in a list. Correct the lists and announce pupil having keenest sense of smell. Experiment 9. A tasting contest may be arranged in a similar way. Smelling and tasting tests should be made quickly as these senses are soon dulled by repeating a sensation. Experiment 10. Advantage of Two Eyes over One.- -Try to touch forefinger to something held by another at arm's length from you, bringing the finger in from the side: (i) with one eye closed; (2) with both eyes open. Result ? Conclusion ? We tell the dis- tance of an object by the amount of convergence of the eyeballs needed to look at it. Experiment u. Duration of Impression. - -Whirl a stick with a glowing coal on one end (see Fig. 123). Experiment 12. Color Blindness. - -Provide a number of yarns of different tints, and the same tints. Test color blindness by having each pupil match tints and assort the yarns. Experiment 13. Fatigue of Optic Nerve. Gaze long and steadily at a moderately bright object, then close the eyes. Result ? Conclusion ? Experiment 14. Dissection of Eye.- -The eye of an ox is an in- teresting subject for dissection. The lens is like a clear crystal. Make out all parts named in the text (see Fig. 122). Experiment 15. Image formed by a Convex Lens. --For a few cents obtain from a jeweler a convex lens, or use a strong pair of spectacles worn by an old person. Hold the lens a few feet from a window (darken any other windows near). A little beyond the lens hold a white card or book open at a blank page to catch the image. Have some one walk before the window. Experiment 16. Work of Iris. -- Notice the size of the pupils. Cover one eye with the hand for a few minutes. Uncover and look in a mirror. Gaze at bright window and look again in the mirror. Con- clusion ? Do the two pupils still keep the same size w r hen one eye is shaded ? Experiment 17. Accommodation. -- By holding your finger or a pencil in line with writing on the blackboard, you find that you cannot see both finger and blackboard distinctly at the same time first one and then the other is distinct. Explain (see text). 144 HUMAN BIOLOGY Experiment 18. Astigmatism (effect of unequal curvature of cornea or lens along certain lines). With end of crayon draw aboti't twelve straight, even lines crossing at one point on the blackboard. Have the lines of equal distinctness. How many pupils report that the lines in certain directions are blurred? Inquire whether these pupils have frequent headaches from eye strain. Experiment 19. Can Sound reach the Ear through the Bones? Hold a watch between the lips and notice its ticking. Close the teeth down upon it and notice any change in the sound. Cover one, then both ears, and note the result. Experiment 20. Test keenness of hearing by having pupils walk away from a ticking watch until it becomes inaudible. Test each ear. A " stop " watch is preferable. Experiment 21 . Advantage of Two Ears over One. - - Have the class stand in a circle. Blindfold some one and place him in the middle of the circle. Let various pupils clap the hands as the teacher points to each. Can the blindfolded one point in the direction whence the sound comes ? Stop one ear with a handkerchief and repeat. Result? Con- clusion ? From what two points in the circle does the sound fall upon both ears alike ? Experiment 22. The Cause of Nasal Tones. - - Let a pupil go to the back of the room and read a paragraph, and hold his nose until partly through the reading. Or the teacher may read with his face and hand hidden by a large book. Let the other 'pupils raise their hands when they notice a change in the quality of the reader's voice. Does the experiment show that a " nasal Vl tone comes partly through the nose or through the mouth only? Does stoppage of the nostrils by catarrh cause a nasal tone ? Five Differences between Special and General Sensation. - - First, the nerves of special sense all end in special organs at the surface ; for instance, the touch corpuscles are for touch, the eye is for sight, etc. There are many nerves in the body that do not end in special organs ; these nerves give what is called general sensation. A second difference is that general sensation tells of tJie condition of t lie interior of the body* while special sensations tell us of the condition of the surface of the body and of the outside world. Third, general sensations are not so exact as the reports of the special senses. One can locate a point on the skin that has been touched much more accurately than he can locate an internal pain. A fourth difference is that the meaning of each special sensation must be learned (usually in infancy) ; but the meaning of gen- eral sensations is inherited. This inherited knowledge of what general sensations mean is also called instinct. Fifth, the sympathetic nerves THE SENSES 145 usually bring general sensations ; the spinal and cranial nerves usually bring special sensations. Examples of general sensations are hunger, thirst, satiety, nausea, faintness, giddiness, fatigue, weight, aching, shuddering, restlessness, blues, creepy feeling, tingling, sleepiness, pain, illness. Any nerve can convey the general sensation of pain, if injured along its course. If a nerve of touch is cut, there is no sensation of touch, but of pain. Touch sensations come only from the ends of the nerves. General sensations are of many kinds. We are only half conscious of some of them ; many of them are hard even to describe. Hygiene of the General Sensations. --General sensation is an invalu- able aid to the health. Without it as a guide, the body could not remain alive a single day. Pain should be heeded as our best friend, and not killed with poisonous drugs as if it were our worst enemy. We should not deaden the stomach ache with an after-dinner cigar. If we do not go to bed when sleepy, the desire for sleep may leave us, and we will undergo untold suffering from sleeplessness. Thirst should be satisfied with cool water, which quenches it the best ; he who makes his teeth ache with ice water will inflame his stomach and be continually thirsty. He who does not stop eating when his hunger is satisfied, will distend his stomach with food, and the stretched organ will be harder to satisfy thereafter ; in fact, eating after a feeling of satiety may cause indigestion so that the cells will not get the food. A dyspeptic is always hungry, for the cells are starving. Fatigue of body or mind gives us wise counsel ; but this feeling may be deadened by alcohol or tobacco, and work continued until the body is injured. We should heed the warning of pain or fatigue or restlessness as promptly as an engineer heeds a red flag on the railway track. One who uses narcotics acts like a reckless engineer who removes the danger signal and goes ahead, hoping by good luck to escape an accident. Most of the nerves of touch end in papillae of the dermis as microscopic, cgg-sJiapcd bodies (Fig. 120). There are also many in the interior of the mouth, especially on the tongue. On the palms they are arranged in curved lines, and on the tips of the fingers they are in circular lines, with one papilla in the center. The delicacy of the sense of touch varies very much in different parts of the skin. This delicacy refers to two tilings : the ability to feel the slightest pressure and the ability to tell the exact point of 146 HUMAN BIOLOGY B A, from cornea of the eye ; B, from the tongue of a duck ; C, D, E, from the skin of the fingers. (Jegi.) the skin that is touched. A lighter pressure can be felt on the forehead and temples than with any part of the body. (Why is it best for this to be the case ?) The greatest delicacy in locating the point of the skin touched is found to be located in the tip of the tongue, the lips, and the ends of the fingers (Exp. i). (Why is it best that this is so ?) This deli- FIG. 120. DIFFERENT KINDS OF TOUCH BODIES AT ENDS OF NERVES. cacy is least in the middle of the back. The delicacy varies with the number of touch corpuscles in different parts of the skin. The sense of touch is capable of great cultivation, as in the case of the blind. The temperature sense is given by special nerves called the thermic nerves (Exp. 2). That the thermic nerves are easily fatigued is noticed soon after entering a bath of hot water ; it is also shown by the fact that in cold countries the nose or ears of a person may freeze without his feeling it. The Muscular Sense. - - The special sense of touch gives some sense of weight. A weight upon the skin must be increased by one third before it feels heavier, but by lifting an object so as to bring into action tlic muscular sense residing in nerves ending in the muscles an increase of only one seventeenth of the original weight can be noticed (Exp. 3). This sense gives us a continual account of the position of the limbs (Exp. 4). The end organs of taste are located in the papillae of the tongue. The tongue has a fuzzy look because of the numerous papillae. THE SENSES 147 The principal tastes are only four ; namely, sweet (tasted chiefly by tip of tongue), sour and saline (sides of tongue), bitter (tasted on the back of tongue) (Exp. 5). The nerves of smell end in the mucous membrane of the upper half of the two nasal chambers ; the fibers are spread over the upper proportion of the walls. The direct current of air does not pass as high as these nerve endings ; hence sniffing aids the perception of odors. This sense is able to bring up the associations of early life more powerfully than any of the senses. The odor of a flower like one that grew in an old garden can almost restore the con- sciousness of the past. We swell gases only ; solids and liquids cannot affect this pair of nerves (Exp. 8). Flavors. - The tastes that we call flavors are really smells. We confuse them with taste, because they accom- pany food that is in the mouth. Name some foods that seem " tasteless" when one has a severe cold in the head. Why is this ? Some of the most repulsive drugs can be easily swallowed if the nose is held (Exp. 6 and 7). Hygiene of the Senses of Taste and Smell. -- A savage or a beast uses the senses of taste and smell to find out whether things are good to eat or not. If a civilized man's senses are not perverted, and he eats only simple foods that have a pleasant taste, they will not injure him or cause him sickness. Things that are poisonous usually have unpleasant tastes and often have unpleasant odors. These senses are naturally of wonderful delicacy. They can be cultivated to a still more remark- able degree, or they can be blunted and almost destroyed. Chronic catarrh dulls or destroys the sense of smell. The loss or even the weakening of the perception of flavors is an injury to the working of the closely related sense of taste. When a person loses the enjoyment of delicate flavors, he wants food to have strong seasoning and more decided taste to prevent it from being insipid. Everything must be either very greasy or very sweet or very salty or very sour, to please his degenerate senses. Wheat, corn, and other grains have each its own pleasant taste, yet such persons must have lard in their bread because they are not capable of appreciating anything with a delicate taste. In 148 HUMAN BIOLOGY England, butter is not salted and its delicate taste is enjoyed ; in America, salt is added to preserve it, and most people have come to prefer the strong taste of salty butter to the delicate taste of pure butter, and do not like it unless its true taste is partly hidden by the taste of salt (Exp. 9). Deceiving the Sense of Taste. - - The habit of using narcotics like tea and coffee is usually begun by concealing the repulsive bitter taste of the substance by mixing sugar, cream, and other agreeable things with it. Licorice is sometimes mixed with tobacco to weaken its biting taste. Pure alcohol would never be drunk by any one who had the least respect for the sense of taste, but the agreeable flavor of grapes, apples, and other fruit which still remains in wine, cider, and brandy, conceals the repulsive taste of the alcohol. Beer has the insipid taste of grain which has undergone decomposition or partial rotting, and hops are added because the strong bitter taste of hops is needed to hide the stale, rancid taste of the rotted grain. Eggnog is made of eggs, a nourishing food ; sugar, which has an agreeable taste ; water, a refreshing drink, and alcohol, a fiery poison. A very good eggnog is often made without alcohol, but a good one could hardly be made with any of the pleasant ingredients left out. The best eggnog is made by using the fresh juice of lemon, orange, or grape, instead of alcohol. Effect of Narcotics. Tobacco, alcohol, opium, and other narcotics dull the senses of taste and smell and prevent the enjoyment of delicate flavors. They accomplish this as much by their effect upon the brain as upon the nerves themselves. It is Wrong to eat Food that is not Relished. - - Unpalatable food is not likely to be well digested. It is a law of the body that the food li'/iich is enjoyed the most is digested tJie best. This applies to a hungry person eating food with its own honest taste, not to food disguised by the taste of something else. The rule does not apply to a taste per- verted by having been forced to become accustomed to poisonous things. People who munch their food slowly enjoy the pleasures of taste the most, and digest their food the best. The nerves of taste and smell easily become fatigued. The first whiff from a cologne bottle is the strongest. Highly flavored foods should be eaten moderately, if we would obtain the greatest enjoyment from them. THOUGHT QUESTIONS. 1. Interfering with the Body. What is the natural direction of growth of the big toe? 2. Think of six evil results, direct or indirect, which will follow from displacing it by tight shoes (p. 48). 3. Which part of the spinal column, designed in infinite wisdom to be most flexible, do some people try to make the most inflexible? 4. The mobility of the false and floating ribs was THE SENSES 149 A pressure upon the eye- intended as a blessing. Some people interpret the blessing as an opportunity to do what ? 5. Name six articles which warn us to avoid them by their bitter, burning, or nauseating tastes, yet which are used by man. 6. Name six feelings which are intended as warnings for our guidance, but which are commonly disregarded. The eyes on the rays of the starfish are mere spots of pigment. Insects have lenses in their eyes. The eyes of vertebrates are all formed on the same general plan as the human eye. The eyeballs are globes about an inch in diameter. They are placed in deep, bony sockets, called orbits, in the front part of the skull. The optic nerve, other nerves, and several large blood vessels pass to the eye through a hole in the back of the orbit. A soft cushion of fat is in the orbit behind the eyeball, ball causes the eye to sink into the socket, for the fat yields to the pressure. This is a protection to the eye. The eyelids protect the eyes from dust, and at times from the light. They are aided in this by the eyelashes. The tears are formed by tear glands situated above the eyeball in the portion of the orbit farthest from the nose, just beneath the bony brow where it feels the sharpest (Fig. 12 1). They are about the size of almonds. A salt- ish liquid is continually oozing from the tear glands and passing over the eyeball ; it is carried into the nose through the nasal duct (Fig. 121). The tears reach this duct through two small canals, which open into the eye in the little fleshy elevation at the inner corners of the Ducts Fie. 12;. --TEAR GLANDS AND DUCTS of right eye. (Jegi.) ISO HUMAN BIOLOGY eye (Fig. 121). The opening of one of the canals may be seen by looking into a mirror. Sometimes these canals are stopped up, and what is called a " weeping eye ' results. A temporary stoppage may occur during a cold in the head. Tears prevent friction between eye and lid. Winking applies the tears to the ball. Small glands along the edges of the lids form a kind of oil which usually prevents the tears from flowing over the lids. Sometimes this oily secretion is so abundant, especially during sleep, as to cause the lids to stick together. The mucous membrane of the eyelids continues as a transparent membrane (the c o n j un c t iva) which passes over the front of the ball. The globe of the eye consists of its outer wall and the soft con- tents (Fig. 122). The wall has three layers or coats. The outer coat is the tough sclerotic (Greek, skleros, hard), composed of dense connective tissue (Exp. 14). It gives strength and firm- ness to the eyeball. It shows between the lids as the ''white of the eye." It is white and opaque except in front; there it bulges out to form the transparent cornea. This clear portion of the wall may be seen by looking at the eye of another from the side. The second coat, called the cJwroid, consists of blood VITREOUS HUMOR Iri ''Retina Chore id Vclerotic coat FIG. 122. THE ANATOMY OF THE EYE. THE SENSES vessels and a loose connective tissue containing many dark brown or black pigment granules. The choroid absorbs superfluous light. Cats' eyes shine at night because this coat in their eyes reflects some light. The choroid separates from the sclerotic toward the front of the eye and forms the colored ins. The iris makes the eyes beautiful, and it also serves the useful purpose of regulating the amount of light. The hole in the iris is called the /;//// (Exp. 15). The third and innermost coat, the sensitive pinkish layer called the rcfin-a, is the most important and characteristic tissue in the eye. It re- ceives the light rays, and retains the image for a fraction of a second (Exp. n). Hence the pictures in a kinetoscope (Fig. 123) appear as one moving pic- ture. The retina is made chiefly of the fibers of the optic nerve. This nerve contains about five hundred thousand fibers, and enters at the back of the ball. The spot where it enters contains no nerve endings FIG. 123. STROBOSCOPE, the original of the kinetoscope. The observer looks through the slits of a rapidly revolving disk and a new image falls on the retina before the last image has faded. Com- pare the pictures in the figure. and is not sensitive to light. It is called the blind spot. The spot where the light most often falls is most sensitive to light. It is the yellow spot (Fig. 122). Test for the Blind Spot.- -In this experiment shut the right eye and be careful not to let the left eye waver. 152 HUMAN BIOLOGY ^ Read this line slowly. Can you see the star all the time ? (If so, hold the book farther or closer and repeat.) Within the coats of the ball, like the pulp within the rind of an orange, are the soft contents, divided into three parts. The first is a watery liquid in front, which serves to keep the cornea bulged out (Fig. 122). It is called the a'qne-oiis humor. The main cavity of the ball is occupied by a clear, jelly like substance called the vit^re-ous hninor, which serves to keep the ball distended. Back of the iris, and separating the two humors just named, is the crystal- line leus, a beautiful clear lens, convex or rounded out on both sides (Exp. 14). It serves to bring the light to a focus on the retina, thereby forming images of outside objects. The eye, like a camera, has a dark lining, the choroid; the retina corresponds to the sensitive plate, and the lens brings the rays to a focus on it and forms the image. The Path of Light in the Eye. The light enters through the transparent cornea and passes through the aqueous humor. As it goes through the pupil, the iris shuts off all the light that is not needed. The crystalline lens receives the light that has been al- lowed to pass, and so bends the rays that by the time they FIG. 124. CROSSING OF OPTIC have passed through the vit- NERVES showing that one nerve ^^ ^^ th ^ R reaches same half of both eyes. the retina in just the right way to form a tiny image of anything outside (Exp. 11). The choroid absorbs any light that passes the retina. The iris and choroid of albinos have no pigment; hence albinos squint their eyes to shut out some of the light. THE SENSES 153 FlG. 125. Change of lens in accom- modation. (Jegi.) Accommodation. - - In order to focus the light upon the retina, the lens must change shape for every change in the distance of the object looked tf/(see Fig. 125). The shape of the lens can be readily changed, for it is elastic and has muscular fibers around its edges (Exp. 17). Defects in the Eye.- -Some eyeballs are too long, and the lens brings the rays to a focus before they reach the retina. Such eyes are near- sighted (Fig. 126) and require glasses that round inward (con- cave). Some eyeballs are too flat, and the rays are not brought to a focus soon enough. Such eyes are farsighted and require glasses that round outward (convex). See Fig. 127. (Re- peat Exp. 15.) Care of the Eyes. - - Because the eyes can do a large amount of work without giving pain, they are often abused. When reading or doing intricate work, turn the eyes from the work occasionally and look at some distant object ; stop work before the eyes are tired. Twilight of early evening has ruined many good eyes. You should FIG. 127. --FARSIGHTED EYE (ball a] g st work before too short) which needs convex lens to focus rays upon retina. the twilight begins, for the FIG. 126. -- (i) NEARSIGHTED EYE (ball too long), which only focuses rays for near objects (2) when concave glasses are used (3). 154 HUMAN BIOLOGY light fades so gradually that you will surely be straining the eyes before you know it. Do not work with the light in front ; the glare of the light makes objects appear dim. The light should come from above, and (for right-handed people) from the left. Do not read papers or books printed in fine type. We should not read when convales- cing from illness ; with the head bent down ; when the eyes are sore ; in jolting cars. Heating the eyes by a burner, or drying the eyeballs in a dry, stove-heated at- mosphere, using a light without a shade, cause trouble with students' eyes. Of what are blood-shot eyes often a sign? Our eyes are best suited for seeing at a distance because primitive man had no houses, books, sewed clothes. Effort is required to shape the lens for seeing near objects. Most cases of nearsightedne3s begin when children are taught to read under eight years old. The eyes are sometimes injured by the use of tobacco. THOUGHT QUESTIONS. The Eye. --1. The eye is shielded from blows by bony projections of , - , and - -. 2. The hairs of the eyebrows lie inclined toward - , in order to turn - from the . 3. I find by trying it that I (can or cannot?) see the position of a window with my eyes closed. 4. The pupil appears to be black, because no - is - - from the interior wall of the eye. I know that the iris is partly muscle, because it - the size of the . Sound. --Anything that is sending off sound does so by or shaking to and fro, very rapidly. For instance, a vibrating violin string sets every particle of air near it swinging to and fro. The near- est particles of air strike the next ones and bounce back, these in turn strike against others, and thus vibrations called sound waves are sent through space in all directions from the sounding body. We feel these waves with the ear. The ear consists of three portions : the external ear, the middle ear (or drum), and the internal ear (or lauyrinth, see Fig. 128). The cranial nerve connecting the ear with the brain is called the auditory nerve. The outer and THE SENSES 155 middle ear pass on the vibrations of air to the ends of the fibers of the auditory nerve in the internal ear. The external ear consists of a large wrinkled cartilage on the exterior of the head and a canal leading from it, called the meatus. This passage is closed at its inner end by the drum membrane or drum skin. It is often called the drum, but this name is properly applied to the whole middle ear. A trial will show that the drum skin cannot The Hammer (Malleus). Moatus The Drum of the Ear (Tympanic Membrane}. The . Loops (jStmirirctilar The Shell Tube [Cochlea). The Anvi] (Incus). The Stirrup (Stapes). Eustachian Tube FIG. 128. MIDDLE AND INTERNAL EAR (greatly enlarged). be seer even with the aid of a bright light, for the passage is siifciiJy curved (see Fig. 128). Hence a missile or a flying insect cannot go straight against the ear drum. The skin lining this passage contains wax glands > which secrete a bitter sticky wax, which helps to keep the passage flex- ible. This wax catches dust and usually stops insects that may enter. If an insect enters the ear, it may often be coaxed. out by a bright light held close to the ear. The ear wax in a healthy ear dries with dust and scales of epi- dermis and falls out in flakes, thus cleansing the ear. It 156 HUMAN BIOLOGY is unwise to probe into the ear with a hard object or even with the corner of a towel. It is not necessary to insert the finger in the meatus to cleanse it ; it is one inch long, but only about one fourth inch across. (How large is the little finger ?) The cartilaginous ears on the sides of the head should be carefully washed because of their many crevices. If ear wax is deposited too fast, it will cause temporary deafness and earache. It may be syringed out with warm water. Earache is usually caused by a small boil which requires time to relieve itself by bursting. Warm water poured into the upturned ear, or hot flannels or compresses applied to the side of the head will lessen the suffering. Each ear has three muscles for moving it. Once they were doubtless useful to all, but like the scalp muscle they have become so weakened by disuse as to be useless to most people. They are vestigial organs. The middle ear, or drum chamber, contains air (Fig. 128). It is separated from the outer ear by the drum membrane. It contains three bones which stretch across it and conduct the sound waves from the drum membrane to the inner ear. State the order in which they are placed (see Fig. 128). The middle ear is connected with the pharynx by a tube (the Eustachian tube ; pronounced yoo-stake'e-an, see Fig. 128). This tube is opened every time we swallow. It allows the air from the throat to enter the middle ear and keep the air pressure equal on each side of the drum skin. This tube and the middle ear are lined with mucous membrane. A cold in the head or a sore throat may extend through this tube to the middle ear and affect the hearing. This occurs because the tube is closed by congestion of its lin- ing; the air of the middle ear may be partly absorbed, and the pressure of the outside air may cause the drum THE SENSES 157 membrane to bulge inward, and to be stretched so tight that it cannot vibrate freely. The inner ear is called the labyrinth^ because of its wind- ing passages. There is a spiral passage called the snail shell 23\& three simpler passages called the loops (Fig. 128). The inner ear is filled with a limpid liquid which conveys the vibrations to the ends of the auditory newe found in the snail shell. If the auditory nerve or labyrinth becomes diseased, the deafness is probably incurable. Quinine and other drugs may cause deafness. Sense of Equilibrium. -- Some fibers of the auditory nerve end in the loops and are not believed to be used in hearing. It is believed that each loop acts like a carpenter's level, and the varying pressure of the fluid upon the nerves in the loops tells us the position of the body and constitutes the sense of equilibrium. There are how many of these loops in each ear ? (Fig. 128.) CHAPTER X rfm ' * '$* , E ..'&& ^3 1:^ f^-' - " ' V^^ ; >. ,- Uro^; Vj *X: - TVV :*?/ CD 1 BACTERIA AND SANITATION Experiment I. Yeast Plants. With a microscope examine a drop from a glass of water in which you have washed grapes or apples (Fig. 129). Experiment 2. Fermentation. Put a tablespoonful of sugar into this water and set the glass in a warm place for a day or two. Do you see any bubbles of gas ? Have the odor and taste changed ? Does the micro- scope show that the yeast plants are now more abun- dant ? By fermentation, or the growth of yeast in sugar, sugar is changed into carbon dioxid, a gas, and alcohol, a liquid. Experiment 3. A Sani- tary Map. Construct a sanitary map of the com- munity. Indicate houses where consumption, typhoid fever, or other transmissible diseases have occurred, with number of cases. Mark loca- tion of stagnant waters where mosquitoes breed, mark garbage dumps, unclean streets. Suggest where improvements may be made in drainage, dust, noises, sunshine, shade, etc. Bacteria, or microbes, the smallest living things, are visible only under a microscope of high power. (See "Plant Biology," p. 182.) They obtain food either from dead tissue or from degenerate tissue of living plants, and 158 FIG. 129. YEAST CELLS magnified 200 diameters, or 40,000 areas). Yeast plants multiply by budding. Notice small cells growing on larger and older ones. BACTERIA AND SANITATION 159 animals. The green plants and the animals now upon the earth have proved their fitness to survive by successfully resisting these one-celled vegetable germs, or bacteria. Microbe diseases attack only the weaker individuals of the human species, or those who have gone to regions where there are microbes which their bodies have not yet ac- quired the power of resisting. Usefulness of Bacteria. Their chief work is to destroy dead tissue and return it to the soil and air for the use of green plants again, otherwise the earth would be filled with carcasses, etc. They are indispensable in soil forma- tion. They give the agreeable flavors to butter and cheese, and cause milk to sour. A rod-shaped bacterium is called a bacillus (Fig. 130); a spherical one is a coccus. Multiplication of Bacteria. - This is by division or fis- sion. Sometimes, instead of dividing, a little rounded mass known as a spore appears. The spore breaks out and the bacterium itself perishes. Species which do not produce spores are readily destroyed, but spores have a hard, tough shell, and they may be dried or heated even to boiling with- out being killed. Spores float through the air a*nd start new colonies. Most common bacteria grow best between 70 and 95 F. They render it difficult to preserve foods, espe- cially proteid foods (cheese, lean meat, eggs, etc.). Food decays slowly if at all below 70 and above 125. Direct sunlight, or the temperature of boiling water (212 F.) kills bacteria but not spores. Pantries, kitchen, and sick- rooms should have bright walls and all the light possible. Boiling water should be poured into the sink, and dish cloths should be thoroughly washed in boiling water. Diseases due to Bacteria. A germ disease is usually due partly or wholly to substances called toxins produced by the bacteria. Most disease germs attack a single organ 160 HUMAN BIOLOGY of the body. Diphtheria is caused by a species (Fig. 130) that grows on the mucous membrane of the throat ; this germ produces a powerful toxin. The germs of typhoid fever (Fig. 131) and Asiatic cholera multiply in the small intestine. In both these diseases the source of infection is the diarrhoeal dis- FIG. 130. BACILLUS charges from the alimentary canal. Flies OF DIPHTHERIA. . . may carry the germs on their feet from the discharge to food. Sometimes typhoid fever cases occur throughout a town because the water supply has become contaminated by sewage. Cases may occur only in families that buy milk from a certain dairy, because the milk cans have been washed in con- taminated water. Jn caring for a ty- phoid patient all suspicious material should be disinfected or burned. "'**- ^*^ ^ Germs of tuberculosis (called con- FIG. 131.- BACILLUS OF TYPHOID FEVER. sumption if the disease is in the lungs) may float through the air. Recent investigations indicate, however, that infection usually occurs through the alimentary canal, the germs being swallowed, then absorbed and taken to the lungs in the blood or lymph. To prevent a patient from reinfecting himself in new parts of the lungs or elsewhere, he should carefully cleanse his teeth, mouth, and throat (by gargling with formal or lysol) before eating. Mosquito Fevers. Malaria, yellow fever, and probably dengue are transmitted each by a different genus of mosquito (Fig. 132). A mosquito of the malarial genus may bite a patient and suck into its body blood-corpuscles containing spores of the malarial parasite (a protozoan BACTERIA AND SANITATION 161 animal, see "Animal Biology," p. 7). Afterwards a spore (in another stage) may be transmitted by this mosquito when it bites another person. The germ enters a red corpuscle, grows, and finally divides into many little spores. At this moment the cor- puscle itself breaks up, setting free in the blood the spores and toxin formed. This causes the chill and fever. This develop- ment usually takes forty-eight hours, hence the fever occurs every other day. These mos- quitoes begin to fly at dusk. How are they recognized? (Fig. 132.) They should be kept out of houses FIG. 132. CULEX OR COM- , , , , MON MOSQUITO, above (pos- by screens or from the, beds by sibly carries dengue fever)- netting. Kerosene should be poured on breeding places at the rate of one ounce for fifteen square feet of standing water. This should be repeated twice a month. Cactus macer- ANOPHELES OR MALARIAL MOSQUITO, below (not always infected). Body of malarial mosquito is never held paral- lel to the supporting surface (unless a leg is missing) ; it has five long appendages to the head, the culex (above) has only three. (Draw.) ated in water may be used, and forms a permanent film on the water. Stagnant pools may be filled or drained (Exp. 4). FIG. 133. PROTECTIVE . 777 j WHITE CORPUSCLE Malarial patients should themselves oe (phagocyte) digesting screened, as the chief source of danger to a microbe. others ; tor only mosquitoes who suck the blood of malarial patients will transmit the disease. Even then it is only transmitted to those whose white blood corpuscles are unable to protect them (Fig. 133). l62 HUMAN BIOLOGY Further Means of Protection against Disease Germs. The best protection is physical vigor. There are certain substances called opsonins which exist in the plasma of the blood of disease-resisting persons ; these opsonins give the white corpuscles the power to devour disease germs. The serum of the blood also develops antitoxins which neutral- ize the toxins formed in disease. Not only can the white corpuscles and serum kill bacteria, but most of the secre- tions of the healthy body (gastric juice, nasal secretions, etc.) are bacteria-killing as well. Persons in a low state of health most readily succumb to disease. Excess in eat- ing may lessen the germicidal power of gastric juice and inactivity that of the lymph. The same germ disease does not usually attack the same person twice, as the body becomes immune; that is, an opsonin, or an anti- toxin, is developed which cures the first attack and remains to protect the body in future. The periods of quarantine or isolation for several com- mon germ diseases are given in the following table : FROM EXPOSURE NAME OF TILL FIRST PATIENT is INFECTIOUS DISEASE SYMPTOMS TO OTHERS Diphtheria 2 days 14 days after membrane disappears. Mumps 10-22 days 14 days from commencement. Scarlet fever 4 days Until all scaling has ceased. Smallpox 12-17 days Until all scabs have fallen. Measles 14 days 3 days before eruption till scaling and cough cease. Typhoid fever ii days Until diarrhoea ceases. Whooping cough 14 days 3 weeks before until 3 weeks after beginning to whoop. Water Supply. - - Bacteria are more abundant in flowing streams than in water standing in lakes or reservoirs (con- BACTERIA AND SANITATION 163 trary to the usual belief). They are most abundant in rivers that flow through populous regions. They are com- paratively scarce in dry, sandy soils, and very numerous in moist, loamy soils. The water of cities should never be taken from a stream or lake into which sewerage flows unless it is thoroughly filtered. Filters are constructed thus : first a layer of small stones, next a layer of coarse sand, lastly a layer of very fine sand on top, the total thick- ness being four or five feet. Beneficial microbes live upon the grains of sand and destroy all, or nearly all, of the dangerous microbes as the water slowly soaks through. The construction of such waterworks is left to sanitary engineers, of course, and the average citizen does not need to know the details. The department of street cleaning should receive the willing cooperation of all citizens. Banana peelings, paper, etc., should not be thrown upon the street or school grounds. Garbage, ashes, and rubbish should be placed in separate cans, as the rules provide. Garbage cans, if not thoroughly cleaned, acquire unpleasant odors and breed flies and bacteria. They should be thoroughly washed with very hot water and sal soda and scalded with boiling water and scrubbed with an old broom. 1 The chief duties of the Health Department are: quar- antine isolation and disinfection, with the purpose of pre- venting or controlling contagious and infectious diseases ; 1 The chief Disinfectants are : fresh air, sunshine, heat, formaldehyde, etc. Airing and sunning will destroy some germs in bedding and clothing as effec- tually as chemicals. Boiling and steaming are the best ways of applying heat. Formaldehyde is a volatile liquid. After room is sealed and strips of paper pasted all over cracks, a specially constructed generator is applied to keyhole, and room kept closed for 12 hours. Alercuric chloride (corrosive sublimate) is used I part to 1000 parts of water for disinfecting soiled clothing, towels, utensils, surgeon's instruments, and wounds. In place of this, carbolic acid, 5 per cent solution, may be used, but it is not so good a germicide. 1 64 HUMAN BIOLOGY inspection of dairies, slaughterhouses, and other sanitary work; inspection of milk 1 and other food stuffs; the de- partment gathers vital statistics ; it enforces the rules for disinfection of public buildings. Importance of Cooperation with the Health Department. Only an ignorant and short-sighted person' would fail to cooperate promptly and cheerfully with local or state health officers. It is for the benefit and protection of every one that the truth concerning contagious diseases be reported promptly. Only in this way may outbreaks of disease be prevented and many lives saved. He is a bad citizen and a public enemy who will conceal a case of disease dangerous to the community. Outbreaks of fatal diseases may be easily prevented or stamped out if the health officer is sustained and his directions carried out. 1 Milk may be sterilized by boiling, but boiled milk is not digestible nor nutritious. Milk may be Pasteurized by immersing bottles of milk in water which is kept nearly (but not quite) at boiling point (160 F.) for five min- utes. But this makes the milk less valuable than fresh milk, and destroys beneficent microbes. Buttermilk has many such microbes, which kill injurious microbes and purify the stomach. Cleanliness, or an aseptic condition, is far preferable to antiseptics. LESSONS IN HYGIENIC PHYSIOLOGY By W. M. COLEMAN. x+2yi pages. 198 illustrations (16 colored, 13 full-page plates). 60 cents net. In Lessons in Hygienic Physiology the study of physiology is simplified without weakening the presentation of its three essential principles - - the biological principle of environment, the chemical principle of oxidation, and the physical principle of energy. The subject is approached throughout from the standpoint of health, because this is the most useful as well as the most interesting point of view. The question of temper- ance is treated fully, but at the same time in a conservative manner. The book is fully illustrated, one hundred and ninety- eight figures being furnished, sixteen of which are colored. The Lessons is suited to the needs of teachers who may find the Elements somewhat too advanced for their classes. ELEMENTS OF PHYSIOLOGY By W. M. COLEMAN. xii + 364 pages. A very full course in Physiology and Hygiene. Profusely illustrated in black and white and in colors. 90 cents net. This book has an exceptionally large number of illustrations two hundred and forty-eight, of which eight are full-page colored plates. The need for a compound microscope is largely obviated by sixty microscopic views of cells and tissues. The Elements is provided with a Colored Manikin arranged to show every important organ in its natural position with refer- ence to the organs before it, behind it, and around it. Since every pupil has the manikin while studying each lesson, it is really more serviceable than the manikins usually found in schools. This book contains twenty-five Thought Lessons of about ten questions each, logically developing different lines of thought ; also three hundred questions in Applied Physiology. THE MACMILLAN COMPANY Sixty-four and Sixty- six Fifth Avenue, New York BOTANY An Elementary Text for Schools. By L. II. BAILEY, Director of the Col- lege of Agriculture, and Professor of Rural Economy in Cornell University. Revised and enlarged. Illustrated. I2mo. Half leather, xiv + 355 pages. $1.10 net. The subjects treated are four in number : the nature of the plant itself, the relation of the plant to its surroundings, the minute structures of plants, and the determination of the kinds of plants. Each of these subjects is practically distinct, so that the teacher may begin where he will. Theyfe? hundred illustrations in the book are an important as well as an attractive feature. They are not pictures merely they are illustrations of the subject-matter; many of them are reproductions of photographs. A flora containing descriptions of more than six hundred common wild and cultivated plants, with keys to the natural orders, completes the book. LESSONS WITH PLANTS Suggestions for Seeing and Interpreting Some of the Common Forms of Vegetation. By Professor L. H. BAILEY. Illustrated. 121110. Half leather, xxxi + 491 pages. $1.10 net. The book is based upon the idea that the proper way to begin the study of plants is by means of plants, instead of formal ideas or definitions. Instead of a definition as a model telling the pupil what he is to see, the plant shows him what there is to be seen, and the definition follows. In this way the pupil soon begins to generalize, and the conclusion reached is the true definition. THE MACMILLAN COMPANY Sixty-four and Sixty-six Fifth Avenue, New York