7 8 4 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



motives for fear. If a person is afraid, it is because the images of 

 pain and death are before him. 



Fear is, therefore, on final analysis, a protection against death. 

 But salutary as it is, and inspired by nature, the feeling is one that 

 must be energetically contended against, because it is an emotion of 

 the lower class which it is necessary to try to dominate and make sub- 

 missive to the moral conditions of our existence. We should try to 

 conquer ourselves, and replace the notions of terror by the higher ideas 

 which will perhaps triumph over fear, of self-forgetfulness, abnega- 

 tion, duty. These ideas will certainly not be without use ; but a more 

 effective means, perhaps, though a more humble one, is to habituate 

 one's self to danger, and look in the face as often as possible, but with- 

 out bravado and without anxiety, the figure of the death which awaits 

 us all. Translated for the Popular Science Monthly from the Revue 

 des Deux Mondes. 



++*- 



SOME PECULIAE HABITS OF THE CKAY-FISH. 



By C. F. HOLDER. 



IN hardly any other order of animals do we find such a diversity of 

 habits as among the crustaceans, that include the crabs, lobsters, 

 shrimps, etc. Some are of the sea, others of the land, and others of 

 either ; in fact, there seems to be no condition in life they do not 

 share. They are found in the deep sea, and floating on the surface 

 in the Gulf Stream. Some are luminous, others transparent, or have 

 the faculty of changing color. Certain species live in caves, finding 

 their homes in subterranean streams. Others, again, are found in hot 

 springs or in the icy sludge of the Arctic Ocean, while in the south or 

 Antarctic region we have a group that are attached to the wings of 

 birds, thus leading a roving, migratory life. From this hasty glance 

 at the possibilities of " crab-life," we may expect almost anything and 

 not be surprised. 



Some weeks ago I left Chicago for a short trip on the Northwestern 

 Railroad up into Northern Illinois. The trains do not make particu- 

 larly fast time, allowing the tourist an opportunity to obtain a more 

 than casual glance as they move along. In observing the fields and 

 farms in this region, I was struck with one peculiarity not seen in the 

 East. In almost every small valley, especially where there appeared 

 to be a stream, the ground was raised in mounds from eight to twelve 

 inches high, and from six to twelve inches in diameter. Generally 

 they were flat on top, and in almost every case were grassed over the 

 entire surface. A few of these would not have attracted especial at- 

 tention ; but, as we proceeded north, they grew more frequent, and 

 finally patches were seen, several acres in extent, completely covered 

 by the curious mounds. Later on I took occasion to visit one of these 



