450 THE SENSORIAT- FUNCTIONS. 



In the magnitude of the organ compared with 

 that of the body, we may occasionally observe some 

 relation to the character of the animal and the 

 nature of its pursuits. Herbivorous animals, and 

 especially those whose bulk is great, as the Ele- 

 phant, the Rhinoceros, and the Hippopotamus, 

 have comparatively small eyes; for that of the 

 elephant does not exceed two inches in diameter. 

 The eye of the Whale is not much more than the 

 200th part of the length of the body. In the purely 

 carnivorous tribes, which are actively engaged in 

 the chase of living prey, the organ of vision is large, 

 and occupies a considerable portion of the head ; 

 the orbit is much developed, and encroaches on the 

 bones of the face ; while, at the same time, the bony 

 partition separating the globe of the eye from the 

 temporal muscle is supplied by ligament alone : so 

 that when that muscle is in strong action, the eye 

 is pressed outwards, giving a peculiar ferocity of 

 expression to the countenance. 



While nature has thus bestowed great acuteness 

 of sight on pursuing animals, she has, on the other 

 hand, been no less careful to arm those which are 

 the objects of pursuit with powers of vision, enabling 

 them to perceive their enemies from afar, and avoid 

 the impending danger. Thus, large eyes are be- 

 stowed on the Rodentia and the Ruminantia. Those 

 tribes which pursue their prey by night, or in the 

 dusk of the evening, as for example the Lemur and 

 the Cat, are furnished with large eyes. Bats, how- 

 ever, form an exception to this rule, their eyes being 

 comparatively small ; but a compensation has been 

 afforded them in the superior acuteness of their 

 other senses. In many quadrupeds a portion of 



