Childrens Illustrated Encyclopedia

26

AnimAl senses

Insect senses

the position of an

animal’s sense organs

depends on its way of

life. Flies, for example,

have hairs on their feet,

which act as sensors and

test their food when they

land on it. A creature’s

activities also give clues to

the kinds of senses it

uses. A grasshopper, for

instance, makes a chirping

sound when it is calling for

a mate or telling a rival to

keep its distance. For this

reason, grasshoppers also

need to hear well,

as indeed they can.

RAdAR eARs

A fennec fox’s huge ears

concentrate sound waves

deep into each ear. each

ear swivels around

independently to find

the direction of a sound.

the fennec fox can hear

a desert beetle kicking over

sand grains many yards

away. the huge ears also

give off heat from the many

blood vessels inside them,

helping the fox stay cool.

electRIc sense

Animal bodies produce

tiny bursts of electricity,

especially in the muscles.

the platypus’s leathery

bill is very sensitive to

touch and electric

currents in the water.

the animal finds crayfish

in the mud by detecting

the electrical bursts from

their flicking tails.

Find out more

Animals

Birds

dogs, wolves, and foxes

Fish

Mammals

sharks and rays

snakes

MAgnetIc sense

some animals are thought to have

built-in magnetic compasses that

they use when traveling long

distances. Monarch

butterflies migrate

across the length

of north America,

having hatched only

a few weeks earlier.

their bodies contain

a naturally magnetic

substance called

magnetite. some

scientists believe that they

may follow the lines of

earth’s magnetic field.

The cricket’s

“ears” are

mainly tuned in

to the narrow

range of sounds

made by other

crickets.

Strong legs

allow a cricket

to leap away

from danger.

A reward at

the end of

the trail

tAstIng the AIR

All snakes taste

smells in the

air by sticking

out their tongue. Odors

in the air stick to fluid on the flicking tongue

and are drawn into the mouth. In this way

a snake can follow prey, seek out a mate,

or steer clear of danger.

heAt sensORs

Pit vipers are very sensitive to warmth. they can detect the

infrared heat rays given off by warm-blooded prey such as

mice. the rays enter tiny pits on either side of the pit viper’s

nostrils and reach the heat-sensitive nerve endings inside.

By moving its head from side to side, the viper can

determine the distance and direction of its prey;

it strikes accurately, even in total darkness.

Scenting organ in

the nose is about

30 times larger

than a human’s

scenting organ.

Good eyesight

to watch for

predators.

Knee-eARs

Bush crickets, such as

the one shown above,

have ears on their

knees, while

grasshoppers have ears

at the base of their

abdomen. thin sheets

of skin on the cricket’s

legs vibrate when its

mate chirps.

Snakes can feel the vibrations

made by moving animals.

AntennAe

long feelers, or antennae, wave

continuously, picking up air currents.

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