NATURE STUDY LESSONS. 1 19 



sheep, deer and antelopes live ? Do they hunt, or are they 

 hunted ? Where are their eyes ? We begin to see the 

 reasons for the facts we have observed, and are surprised 

 tliat we had not thought of them before. 



Those animals which hunt other animals must catch 

 something to eat or starve to death. Hunger is their 

 greatest foe, and their eyes are placed in the front of the 

 head that they may pursue their prey successfully. Those 

 hunting animals whose eyes were on the sides of the head, 

 if there ever were any, all died of starvation long ago. 



Those animals which graze or browse, or live on nuts 

 and seeds, commonl}^ find food abundant, but are constant- 

 ly liable to attacks from beasts of prey. With eyes on the 

 sides of the head, they have a wide range of vision, and by 

 turning the head a little either way, can take in the entire 

 horizon at a glance. A cow, in grazing, moves her head 

 from side to side. It is not as much in expectation of lar- 

 ger or sweeter mouthfuls, as that she may see what is go- 

 ing on around her. Most cows in America have never been 

 in danger from beasts of prey in all their life time, but 

 their ancestors were often in such danger, and they have 

 not lost the habit of watchfulness. 



Notice the owl's eyes, as shown in a picture or stuffed 

 specimen. Where are they placed ? How does an owl 

 get its living ? Notice a hen, a dove, a robin or any of the 

 song birds. Where are their eyes placed ? They are al- 

 most always in danger of being seized by an owl, a hawk, 

 a fox or some other bird or beast of prey. What is the 

 effect, in their case, of moving the head from side to side ? 

 Watch them, and see what a constant and universal habit 

 this movement of the head has come to be. 



Some day visit a brook or pond and watch the minnows. 

 They live upon insects and other tiny living things in the 

 water, but they are almost constantly pursued by larger 

 fishes that prey upon them. How are their eyes placed ? 



