THE TRIUMPH OF LIF] 



vault and a transparent lens. It works, how- 

 ever, in the opposite direction from an eye. The 

 light starts convulsively with the irritation of 

 the conducting nerve. The concave mirror and 

 lense throw the light far out like a good lantern. 

 Through this light the nerve of sight receives 

 its irritation and communicates backward to the 

 brain as a weighty piece of news, the outline 

 picture of an approaching enemy or a comrade 

 of the same species. A long journey was neces- 

 sary before all this could come to pass. The 

 fish is an animal high in the scale of life. Mil- 

 lions of cells go to make up its body. In the 

 association of these cells an ingenious division 

 of labor appears. In the one-celled creature the 

 whole surface of the body glowed. Then this 

 capacity concentrated itself in two spots of the 

 body, two groups of cells of the association. 

 Permanent eyes that see for all the other cells 

 have been developed and a central place, the 

 brain, directs this seeing for the good of the 

 whole cell community. Exactly in the same 

 way the power of irridescence has developed. 

 With each one-celled noctiluca the whole sur- 

 face of the body shines. Then this capacity 

 also was concentrated in a special place, espe- 

 cial light organs. What place more suitable 

 for these than just near the eyes themselves! 

 The directing power of the ruling brain has a 

 deep significance. As the eyes of the higher 

 PA 



