82 THE BORDERLAND OF SCIENCE. 



the small degree of activity which they displayed 

 under conditions which would enable men to spring 

 with ease to thrice their own height. 



But it was in the configuration of the head that these 

 beings were most markedly distinguished from the 

 human race. The ears are large and quite round, 

 somewhat resembling conch-shells, and capable of 

 changing in shape so as to gather in a greater or smaller 

 quantity of sound as the Mimasian may desire. But the 

 most remarkable feature of the Mimasian face consists 

 of two orbits immediately above the large eye-orbits, 

 and occupied by a series of delicate thread-like appen- 

 dages radially arranged. For a long time we were 

 quite unable to understand what this feature might 

 signify, especially as the Mimasian animals exhibit a 

 like peculiarity, though with characteristic differences 

 of structure. We found at length, however, that the 

 feature represents a sixth sense possessed by the Mima- 

 sians, and bearing the same relation to heat which eye- 

 sight bears to light. By means of this peculiar sense 

 the Mimasian can as readily distinguish the shape of 

 objects which approach him, as a man can tell the shape 

 of an object lying within the range of his vision. 

 But the sense enables the Mimasian to ascertain more 

 than the mere shape of objects, for while his eyesight 

 enables him to distinguish the appearance of objects, 

 this sixth sense tells him of their constitution and 

 physical condition. It is also as available in the darkest 

 Mimasian night as in full day. 



The axis of Mimas being inclined as well to the 



