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Every six weeks I see the retinal specialist for a procedure that involves an injection in the retina of my right eye...afterwards, because of six different numbing drops, my eye feels like a bowling ball..I see distorted lines, flashes of color, blobs of lacquer red, and a black circle which I'm guessing is the injection site that I am seeing through? and dots of black. Thankfully it is temporary. This is how I think my eye looks and what I see in those few hours after.
The common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis), also known as the Eurasian kingfisher and river kingfisher, is a small kingfisher with seven subspecies recognized within its wide distribution across Eurasia and North Africa. It is resident in much of its range, but migrates from areas where rivers freeze in winter.
This sparrow-sized bird has the typical short-tailed, large-headed kingfisher profile; it has blue upperparts, orange underparts and a long bill. It feeds mainly on fish, caught by diving, and has special visual adaptations to enable it to see prey under water. The glossy white eggs are laid in a nest at the end of a burrow in a riverbank.
This species has the typical short-tailed, dumpy-bodied, large-headed, and long-billed kingfisher shape. The adult male of the western European subspecies, A. a. ispida has green-blue upperparts with pale azure-blue back and rump, a rufous patch by the bill base, and a rufous ear-patch. It has a green-blue neck stripe, white neck blaze and throat, rufous underparts, and a black bill with some red at the base. The legs and feet are bright red. It is about 16 centimetres (6.3 in) long with a wingspan of 25 cm (9.8 in), and weighs 34–46 grams (1.2–1.6 oz). The female is identical in appearance to the male except that her lower mandible is orange-red with a black tip. The juvenile is similar to the adult, but with duller and greener upperparts and paler underparts. Its bill is black, and the legs are also initially black. Feathers are moulted gradually between July and November with the main flight feathers taking 90–100 days to moult and regrow. Some that moult late may suspend their moult during cold winter weather.
The flight of the kingfisher is fast, direct and usually low over water. The short, rounded wings whirr rapidly, and a bird flying away shows an electric-blue "flash" down its back.
In North Africa, Europe and Asia north of the Himalayas, this is the only small blue kingfisher. In south and southeast Asia, it can be confused with six other small blue-and-rufous kingfishers, but the rufous ear patches distinguish it from all but juvenile blue-eared kingfishers; details of the head pattern may be necessary to differentiate the two species where both occur.
The common kingfisher has no song. The flight call is a short, sharp whistle chee repeated two or three times. Anxious birds emit a harsh, shrit-it-it and nestlings call for food with a churring noise.
The common kingfisher is widely distributed over Europe, Asia, and North Africa, mainly south of 60°N. It is a common breeding species over much of its vast Eurasian range, but in North Africa it is mainly a winter visitor, although it is a scarce breeding resident in coastal Morocco and Tunisia. In temperate regions, this kingfisher inhabits clear, slow-flowing streams and rivers, and lakes with well-vegetated banks. It frequents scrubs and bushes with overhanging branches close to shallow open water in which it hunts. In winter it is more coastal, often feeding in estuaries or harbors and along rocky seashores. Tropical populations are found by slow-flowing rivers, in mangrove creeks and in swamps.
Common kingfishers are important members of ecosystems and good indicators of freshwater community health. The highest densities of breeding birds are found in habitats with clear water, which permits optimal prey visibility, and trees or shrubs on the banks. These habitats have also the highest quality of water, so the presence of this bird confirms the standard of the water. Measures to improve water flow can disrupt this habitat, and in particular, the replacement of natural banks by artificial confinement greatly reduces the populations of fish, amphibians and aquatic reptiles, and waterside birds are lost. It can tolerate a certain degree of urbanization, provided the water remains clean.
This species is resident in areas where the climate is mild year-round, but must migrate after breeding from regions with prolonged freezing conditions in winter. Most birds winter within the southern parts of the breeding range, but smaller numbers cross the Mediterranean into Africa or travel over the mountains of Malaysia into Southeast Asia. Kingfishers migrate mainly at night, and some Siberian breeders must travel at least 3,000 km (1,900 mi) between the breeding sites and the wintering areas.
The common kingfisher hunts from a perch 1–2 m (3.3–6.6 ft) above the water, on a branch, post or riverbank, bill pointing down as it searches for prey. It bobs its head when food is detected to gauge the distance and plunges steeply down to seize its prey usually no deeper than 25 cm (9.8 in) below the surface. The wings are opened underwater and the open eyes are protected by the transparent third eyelid. The bird rises beak-first from the surface and flies back to its perch. At the perch the fish is adjusted until it is held near its tail and beaten against the perch several times. Once dead, the fish is positioned lengthways and swallowed head-first. A few times each day, a small greyish pellet of fish bones and other indigestible remains is regurgitated.
The food is mainly fish up to 12.5 cm (4.9 in) long, but the average size is 2.3 cm (0.91 in). In Central Europe, 97% of the diet was found to be composed of fish ranging in size from 2 to 10 cm with an average of 6.5 cm (body mass range from 10 g, average 3 g). Minnows, sticklebacks, small roach and trout are typical prey. About 60% of food items are fish, but this kingfisher also catches aquatic insects such as dragonfly larvae and water beetles, and, in winter, crustaceans including freshwater shrimps. In Central Europe, however, fish represented 99.9% of the diet (data from rivers, streams, and reservoirs from years 1999 to 2013). Common kingfishers have also been observed to catch lamprey. One study found that food provisioning rate increased with brood size, from 1498 g (505 fishes for four nestlings) to 2968 g (894 fishes for eight nestlings). During the fledging period each chick consumed on average 334 g of fish, which resulted in an estimated daily food intake of 37% of the chick's body mass (average over the entire nestling period). The average daily energy intake was 73.5 kJ per chick (i.e., 1837 kJ per 25 days of the fledging period).
A challenge for any diving bird is the change in refraction between air and water. The eyes of many birds have two foveae (the fovea is the area of the retina with the greatest density of light receptors), and a kingfisher can switch from the main central fovea to the auxiliary fovea when it enters water; a retinal streak of high receptor density which connects the two foveae allows the image to swing temporally as the bird drops onto the prey. The egg-shaped lens of the eye points towards the auxiliary fovea, enabling the bird to maintain visual acuity underwater. Because of the positions of the foveae, the kingfisher has monocular vision in air, and binocular vision in water. The underwater vision is not as a sharp as in air, but the ability to judge the distance of moving prey is more important than the sharpness of the image.
Each cone cell of a bird's retina contains an oil droplet that may contain carotenoid pigments. These droplets enhance color vision and reduce glare. Aquatic kingfishers have high numbers of red pigments in their oil droplets; the reason red droplets predominate is not understood, but the droplets may help with the glare or the dispersion of light from particulate matter in the water.
For more information, please visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_kingfisher
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//Enter Key Word : Unity 7
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~ A plasma rifle. By order of supreme commander Dagger 303, all Guest should know nothing more.
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hahaha anyways enjoy this beauty.its actually some pimped up hk417 that fires plasma that is stored in a cartridge that is within a cartridge? mag? hahaha anyways it has got 20 rounds of plasma awsomeness. the blocky thing on top is the smart aim device which has the calculative power to significantly increase hit rate at extreme distances. it syncs with combat helmet too! so all that tech stuff get displayed like those sci fi HUDs :D
One thing I have noticed often in taking shots of Bald eagles is the catchlight often reflected back in good light. The large eye allows for a large retinal area where the visual image appears. Second, the eagle's eyes contain a high number of features which allow for visual accuracy and colour perception.
These features are called cones. Human eyes also contain cones, but proportionately not as many. Because of the high number of cones, as opposed to rods, perhaps this may enhance light to reflect more in good light as the eagle's vision is not particularly good at night.
QUERIDOS AMIG@S FLICKEROS DE NUEVO PUEDO COMPARTIR CON VOSOTR@S.ESTA INTERRUPCION DESDE NOVIEMBRE PASADO HA SIDO POR UN DESPRENDIMIENTO DE RETINA DE MI OJO DERECHO QUE ME IMPEDIA CUALQUIER TRABAJO. OS AGRADEZCO VUESTRAS VISITAS Y COMENTARIOS. ESPERO EN BREVE ESTAR EN CONTACTO CON TOD@S.
SALUDOS CON CARIÑO.
DEAR FRIEND S FLICKEROS AGAIN CAN SHARE WITH VOSOTR@S.ESTA INTERRUPTION SINCE NOVEMBER HAS BEEN PASSED BY A RETINAL DETACHMENT OF MY RIGHT EYE TO ME prevented any JOB. OS THANK YOUR VIEWS AND COMMENTS. I HOPE SOON BE IN CONTACT WITH TOD @ S.
GREETINGS WITH LOVE.
Thought to be from around 4,200 ybp to 3,700 ybp so neolithic final and into the calcolithic.
Romanyà de la Selva
Massif des Gavarres
El Baix Empordà
The Mallorca bell beaker archaeology group is currently dated from around 4,300 ybp to 4,100 ybp. The island's dolmenic group is from 4,100 ybp.
Both of these periods might thus coincide with the construction of the above dolmen.
With its corridor pointing close to a point from where visual contact can be made with the Balearic islands, hypothesis regarding a link between the early peoples connected to these islands and this exceptional mainland near-coastal dolmen should at least be considered. Stonehenge was built over a period of 1,700 years and additions and this site may also have arrived in phases.
With improved sailing and boat techniques, there may have been a moment in the neolithic when heading to the south of the Iberian peninsula was faster by boat than by foot. Boats would avoid the endless negotiations, handshakes, gifts and protocols that might come with passing territories. With this hypothesis, prior to the true prehistoric archaeological settlements of the Baleraric islands, there may have been a period of hopping between wind directions and temporary camps, with the island caves used for occasional burial. Today Prestwick in Scotland and Reykjavik in Iceland are both offer facilities for passing trajectory. As time moved on, and yesterday's footprints became tomorrow's foundations, trade between the islands and the mainland might have developed. Other routes may also have been established.
Positioned at the edge of the glacial maximus under the Pyrenees in the Costa Brava, the landscape around the Cova d'en Daina is littered with stones carried down from a mountain range that mixed igneous with metamorphic and sedimentary. Rocks also roll down the coast with the rise and fall of wave after wave, and the flints, so necessary for the neolithic lifestyle and so obviously missing from the Balearic islands would make up one direction of traffic. Woven goods, fish bone tools and dried fish may all have made the return trade.
To attain the altitude of 350m the above dolmen is positioned close to 7 km from the visible sea. My suggestion is that landing is not safe from to the north of this point, and that a pyre, (proto lighthouse) would tell boats to head for the target. The loss in luminosity from the distance of 7km is made up for by the 360 degree supply of wood, the ability to read weather from high, the greater use of retinal rods and the chance to bounce light onto low cloud. Today, Romanyà de la Selva is on a natural geology that might have been ideal for a pyre.
(This text works in conjunction with texts associated with images below).
AJM 03.10.17
The Flickr algorithm came up with the tag 'Giraffe' - which I thought should be kept. In the end, the computer is doing the same as me and speculating from data :)
When nightfall came I’m already stacked in my full gear. Suit? Check. Guns? Check. Safety goggles? Probably a half check, as I tip them closely to my eyes. Needless to say I have near sightedness, but the vision they have enhances my sight. I could have wore contact lenses but it’s likely they’ll dry out my eyes.
I tightened my belt a bit, proceeding to grab the “fly” out of my front pouch on the left, as I let it roam and do the scans itself. The fly does a great job of assessing the situation, as Doc gives me a head count.
Doc: “You seeing this? 14 men spread everywhere. That’s about the size of our team.”
Multi: “It’s probably one sided. There’s more. 35 on the rest, also spread in different corners.”
Doc: “Take down the heavy artillery or small gang? Your choice.”
Multi: “I might do the danger route considering how I’m stealthy enough as well. You love me being the risk taker don’t you?”
Doc: “Considering the fact I’m the one who’s cleaning up your messes.”
Multi: “Touché.”
Doc: “Now grab the stack of dosages and try not to leave any traces. I’ll keep monitoring when you do.”
Multi: “On it.”
I jump down from one of the containers, throwing sound distractors as I make a run for the manned guns. 2 of the goons seem to be attracted to the sound, as I take a detour and knock them out with a roundhouse kick. I hide them in the containers which are covered with boxes. Hmm. Looks like everyone’s going on night shift right now. There’s quite some work to do tonight.
I turn my watch on, rendering me invisible to the naked eye. Thankfully with all that juice I’ve got, I’ve taken out a couple more, say 10, then used my powers to blast 5 of them. Well, scene created. The men have their guns on me now. With the best of my abilities, I take them down quickly as well.
After tying and hiding up most of the guys (but there’s at least 15 more guards on patrol), I decide to follow the fly to the warehouse. Inside there, I spot a lot of cases. After scanning it properly, I carry two in my pack, which were surprisingly light considering how big those cases looked like they were. It’s not for long until I realise the cops should help clean this up and would bust the rest of the criminal gang, but just before I could do so—-
Oh snap. A guy’s found me.
Guard: “Freeze! Drop the cases and show yourself.”
Multi: “Alright. You got me.”
Guard: “Jon? Is that you?”
Oh double snap. It’s Chris (one of my employees that I don’t know too well). He’s figured out my voice even if I’ve got my mouth cloaked. This ain’t good...especially if he’s got good hearing when he’s worked for the sound equipment.
But I decide not to say anything. He stares at me blanklessly for 6 seconds before I knock him out cold. I give a quick sigh, knowing I’ve got extra baggage to take with me. Immediately, I contact Doc.
Multi: “Damn, we’re compromised! He knows me!”
Doc: “Oh shoot, I should have got the voice modulator and a better weave for the cloak!”
Multi: “That’s not important now!”
Doc: “Yup, shooters from 8 o’clock coming in your direction!”
Multi: “Please tell me I’m not the one with superpowers now. Call the cops!”
Doc: “Right. The cases?”
Multi: “It’s on me and we need to mindwipe Chris!”
Doc: “Ok, ok! Fine, I’ll get the needles—-“
Multi: “Just hurry!”
It seems like I’m cornered when I’m trying to leave on the other side of the fence. They sent 5 of these guys to check out what’s happening, and I’m stuck in a awkward position. Their guns aiming at me, I do not hesitate and with my left hand flaring with energy, I punch the ground, knocking the guys out. Then I hear sirens everywhere, it seems like the police are definitely hear thanks to my partner’s help.
I turn invisible quickly and slip away....
***
Ugh. Arriving home isn’t easy. I lack web swinging or flying powers, which would have made things a lot easier. Plus my strength is only above average, not even close to being very superhuman, which explains why I am trying to train myself to peak condition. The first thing I see is Doc doing his Zen meditation again.
VIVA: “Welcome home sir.”
Multi: “Well hello Alexa.”
Doc: “Safe and sound.”
Multi: “Why thank you so much man.”
Doc: “Ok?”
Multi: “You know you coulda chosen a better route for me when my grappling hook isn’t working that well...”
Doc: “I was busy analysing the boxes!”
Multi: “That doesn’t mean you have to neglect me for the entire time!”
VIVA: “Sirs, would I recommend peaceful relaxing music to ease the tension?”
Multi/Doc: “No thanks!”
VIVA: “Of course sirs. Now analysing subject....name: Chris Fields. Age: 21. Weight....”
Doc: “Yo, leave that out for now computer. Wait, so how did he find us?”
Multi: “How would I know if he’s in the gang? He’s certainly not undercover!”
(Chris starts to blink his eyes as if he’s going to get up)
Right. I quickly nod to Doc as he scrambles for the special medical case. Sonny starts barking and the computer keeps doing retinal scans. At this point, I don’t even know if I’m fit to sit yet. I decide to crouch beside Chris and keep him steady while the computer checks his heart rate.
Doc comes back with his case, sets up the needles with the vial....and just as he’s about to do so....his hands glow white. His hands start trembling, eyes looking at me with shock and fear. It’s as his powers are manifesting. He nearly drops the dosage as I manage to catch in time. Chris looks like he’s about to wake....
In the moment of conscience, I stab him through the neck. Everything goes black again....
Der NABU erklärte den Eisvogel zum Vogel des Jahres 2009 in Deutschland.
Der Eisvogel ernährt sich von Fischen, Wasserinsekten und deren Larven, Kleinkrebsen und Kaulquappen. Er kann Fische bis neun Zentimeter Länge mit einer maximalen Rückenhöhe von zwei Zentimetern verschlingen. Bei langgestreckten, dünnen Arten verschiebt sich die Höchstgrenze auf zwölf Zentimeter Körperlänge.
Die Jagdmethode des Eisvogels ist das Stoßtauchen. Von einer passenden Sitzwarte im oder nahe am Wasser wird der Stoß angesetzt. Wenn er eine mögliche Beute entdeckt, stürzt er sich schräg nach unten kopfüber ins Wasser und beschleunigt dabei meist mit kurzen Flügelschlägen. Die Augen bleiben beim Eintauchen offen und werden durch das Vorziehen der Nickhaut geschützt. Ist die Wasseroberfläche erreicht, wird der Körper gestreckt und die Flügel eng angelegt oder nach oben ausgestreckt. Bereits kurz vor dem Ergreifen der Beute wird mit ausgebreiteten Flügeln und Beinen gebremst. Zur Wasseroberfläche steigt er zuerst mit dem Nacken, wobei er den Kopf an die Brust gepresst hält. Schließlich wird der Schnabel mit einem Ruck aus dem Wasser gerissen und der Vogel startet entweder sofort oder nach einer kurzen Ruhepause zum Rückflug auf die Sitzwarte. Im Allgemeinen dauert ein Versuch nicht mehr als zwei bis drei Sekunden. Der Eisvogel kann aber auch aus einem kurzen Rüttelflug tauchen, wenn ein geeigneter Ansitz fehlt. Nicht jeder Tauchgang ist erfolgreich, er stößt oft daneben.
Der Eisvogel benötigt zur Bearbeitung der Beute in der Regel einen dicken Ast oder eine andere, möglichst wenig schwingende Unterlage. Kleinere Beute wird mit kräftigem Schnabeldrücken oft sofort verschluckt. Größere Fische werden auf den Ast zurück gebracht, dort tot geschüttelt oder auf den Ast geschlagen, im Schnabel „gewendet“ und mit dem Kopf voran verschluckt; anderenfalls könnten sich im Schlund die Schuppen des Fisches sträuben. Der Eisvogel schluckt seine Beute in einem Stück. Unverdauliches wie Fischknochen oder Insektenreste werden etwa ein bis zwei Stunden nach der Mahlzeit als Gewölle herausgewürgt.
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eisvogel
NABU (NATURE AND BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION UNION) chose this bird "Bird of the year 2009" in Germany.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Kingfisher
The Common Kingfisher hunts from a perch 1–2 m (3–6 ft) above the water, on a branch, post or riverbank, bill pointing down as it searches for prey. It bobs its head when food is detected to gauge the distance, and plunges steeply down to seizes its prey usually no deeper than 25 cm (19 in) below the surface. The wings are opened under water and the open eyes are protected by the transparent third eyelid. The bird rises beak-first from the surface and flies back to its perch. At the perch the fish is adjusted until it is held near its tail and beaten against the perch several times. Once dead, the fish is positioned lengthways and swallowed head-first. A few times each day, a small greyish pellet of fish bones and other indigestible remains is regurgitated.
The food is mainly fish up to 12.5 cm (5 in) long, but the average size is 2.3 cm (1 in). Minnows, sticklebacks, small roach and trout are typical prey. About 60% of food items are fish, but this kingfisher also catches aquatic insects such as dragonfly larvae and water beetles, and, in winter, crustaceans including freshwater shrimps.
Sticklebacks are common prey
A challenge for any diving bird is the change in refraction between air and water. The eyes of many birds have two foveae (the fovea is the area of the retina the greatest density of light receptors), and a kingfisher is able to switch from the main central fovea to the auxiliary fovea when it enters water; a retinal streak of high receptor density which connects the two foveae allows the image to swing temporally as the bird drops onto the prey. The egg-shaped lens of the eye points towards the auxiliary fovea, enabling the bird to maintain visual acuity underwater.[14] Because of the positions of the foveae, the kingfisher has monocular vision in air, and binocular vision in water. The underwater vision is not as a sharp as in air, but the ability to judge the distance of moving prey is more important than the sharpness of the image.
Each cone cell of a bird’s retina contains a oil droplet which may contain carotenoid pigments. These droplets enhance colour vision and reduce glare. Aquatic kingfishers have high numbers of red pigments in their oil droplets; the reason red droplets predominate is not understood, but the droplets may help with the glare or the dispersion of light from particulate matter in the water.
The Mithraic are a religious faction dedicated to the sun god Sol that rose to power on Earth in the 22nd century. They were opposed by the Atheists, which instigated the Religious War. The Mithraic defeated the Atheists by 2145 due in large part to the use of Necromancers, which were far superior to the Atheists' own androids and other weapons, but the war left Earth on the verge of ecological collapse. To save humanity from extinction, the Mithraic constructed the Ark of Heaven to transport 1,000 colonists to Kepler-22b, which was marginally suitable for habitation.[1][2]
The Ark of Heaven arrived at Kepler-22b in 2157, 12 years after the Atheist Campion Sturges had secretly sent his own, much faster colony ship bearing the androids Mother, Father, and several human embryos. When a Mithraic landing party landed on Kepler-22b and attempted to take Campion, the last of the androids' six children, Mother discovered she was a reprogrammed Necromancer and used her abilities to infiltrate the Ark and cause its destruction. The remaining Mithraics under the leadership of Ambrose, and later Marcus, struggled to survive on their harsh new home.
Contents
1 Overview
1.1 Beliefs
1.2 Technology
1.3 The Mithraic Mysteries
1.4 Organization
1.5 Hierarchy
2 Throughout Raised by Wolves
2.1 Height of the Religious War
2.2 Arrival of the Imposters and Departure of the Ark
2.3 Inside the Simulation
2.4 Arrival of Soldiers to Kepler-22b
2.5 Mother's Massacre of the Crew and Kidnapping
2.6 Survivors of the Ark on Kepler-22b and Rescue Mission
3 Church Members
3.1 Current
3.2 Former
4 Church Androids
5 Trivia
6 Multimedia
6.1 Images
7 References
AD
Overview
Beliefs
The Mithraic get their name from a real-world ancient religious cult of the god Mithras. The god Mitra originally came from ancient Persia, or modern Iran. At the height of the Roman Empire, he began to be worshipped as Mithras in a Roman mystery cult. The cult became very popular, especially with soldiers. The sun god Sol was originally a separate god, but Mithras was often worshipped together with "Sol Invictus," the conquering sun.
In Raised by Wolves, the two gods have been blended into one and the Mithraists, or "Mithraic," worship a single god called Sol, who is associated with "the Light." Such is the reason as to why the Mithraic characters wear sun emblems and sun pendants.[3]
The Mithraic considered all nonbelievers to be impure. In order to purify oneself and formally join the religion, both converts and those raised in the faith were required to undergo a baptism ceremony where they proclaimed their acceptance of Sol before a cleric and other witnesses.
Technology
During the Religious War, the Mithraic held a pronounced technological advantage over the Atheists, most clearly signified by their manufacture and usage of Necromancers. Androids such as Necromancers were powered by dark photon technology, which remained poorly understood even by the Mithraic. According to Mithraic dogma, ancient Mithraic scriptures were encrypted with highly advanced scientific formulas that were "passed down from the heavens at the dawn of man". It is claimed that the Mithraic believers of the 22nd century decoded these formulas and followed them to create new technologies and devices such as androids. The Atheists dispute this explanation as Mithraic propaganda.[4]
If dark photon technology and other innovations truly were decoded from ancient Mithraic scriptures rather than discovered independently by humans, it is possible this development is what allowed the organized Mithraic religion of the 22nd century to become so influential and widespread in a relatively short amount of time. The people who first uncovered these formulas likely interpreted them as tangible proof that the ancient Mithraic religion was divine truth, and this attracted a modern religious following that eclipsed all other extant human religions.
The Mithraic Mysteries
“An orphan boy in an empty land will wield the sword forged in Sol's light, and with it, he will lead his people to the tree of knowledge, and all who eat from it will be made pure, and there they will build a city of peace, and the prophet will be made its king.”
— Paul's summary of the Mithraic prophecy
Members of the church often refer to the "Mithraic Mysteries," a prophecy which speaks of an "an orphan boy who dwells in an empty land [and] who will discover the Mithraic mysteries."[1] What these mysteries entail, as well as whether they will have anything in common with the real-world ancient mysteries, is presently unknown. Certain occurrences and objects encountered on Kepler-22b, such as the "temple" and a cave painting of a Mithraic sun, are interpreted as signs of the prophecy's imminent fulfullment.
Organization
Mithraic soldiers such as Lucius and the original Marcus, and possibly other Mithraic believers, were taught the tenets of the faith at a place called the Mithraic Academy on Earth. It is possible that soldiers also received basic military training at this school.
Criminals among the Mithraic faced a trial before the Tribunal, likely a body of clerics, who would pass judgment and decide the appropriate punishment. Rape is a crime punishable by public execution. Criminals are bound with a restrictive helmet that completely encloses their head, and are monitored by a special android designated "Limiting Emergency-Automated Servo-Habit", or Leash, which takes on the role of a "mobile prison system". The helmet is designed to crush its wearer's head in the event that it or the Leash android are tampered with in any way or separated from each other.
Hierarchy
Little is known about the Mithraic social structure. Soldiers hold conventional military ranks, such as Captain, but the Mithraic clergy is a hierarchy with unique titles. The title for the head of the Mithraic religion is unknown, but second-highest rank is "Heliodromus". Lesser ranks or positions in the hierarchy include clerics and monks.
Upon the destruction of the Ark of Heaven in 2157, the leader of the Mithraic was killed. Ambrose, possibly a Heliodromus, survived the crash and was the highest-ranking cleric still alive. Per the Mithraic line of succession, Ambrose was automatically elevated to the head of the religion and leader of the surviving Mithraic believers, who referred to him as "His Eminence". Following Ambrose's death, leadership would next have passed to Justina, but the Mithraic chose to follow Marcus instead since they believed he was communicating with Sol. When Marcus was exiled, Justina was elevated to her rightful place.
Throughout Raised by Wolves
Height of the Religious War
During the year 2145 in Boston, a squadron of soldiers run through a trench during the peak of the war, firing at initially unknown objects attacking from above. An atheist male soldier named Caleb calls out to Mary, and they press against the ditch to hide. Above them, an outstretched airborne android fails to notice them as it continues to shriek. The pair escape, though a flying vehicle crashes ahead of them, and they run towards it. Mary ignores an android pleasantly asking for help as he burns in fire to check on the pilot, who is dead. Caleb extinguishes the android and grabs him, as the group escapes the large explosions around them. They shoot an unarmed person as they enter a building, laying the android down. Caleb discovers the android to be a type A medic used for the Mithraic, who happens to have a log of all the passengers on the Ark. Caleb comes up with a plan to disguise themselves as a passenger (incidentally, Marcus), and volunteers to go first in a cosmetic surgery by the android while Mary cooks a rat dinner.
Caleb later tests her ability to test a new voice. Some time later at night, Caleb finds Mary, now without bandages, crying in the mirror. She hates it, but he replies otherwise. He takes off his own bandages, revealing his new face. He tells her it's Marcus now, and her name is Sue as she begins to break down. The newly-christened Marcus consoles her as she reiterates the Mithraic motto.[2]
Arrival of the Imposters and Departure of the Ark
The pair later travel to an abandoned, desolate structure. Inside, they find a cooking pot and demand the inhabitants to show themselves. Emerging from behind the counter are the real Marcus and Sue, staring at their imposters. The real Sue begins to say the Mithraic motto, but they are killed by the doppelgangers. 'Marcus' shuffles through their files as 'Sue' helps herself with the food, and discovers the couple have a son, much to her shock. They find their boarding keys, with papers saying he'll be delivered to his parents in the boarding area.
At a defunct stadium underneath an Ark lander, the new Marcus and Sue are in line for the boarding gates, as an intercom announces prayers and priests bless those waiting. Marcus spots a boy sitting on a bench with other children, and thinks that the son. The couple approach, nervously greeting him. The boy, Paul, replies hello to his parents without emotion. A cleric refers to Marcus as Captain Drusus, telling him Paul was taken good care of. An announcement reiterates all passengers have their identification ready, and the family get back in line. In a waiting area, where seats are replaced by seamless white pods, a large group of priests arrive and welcome the passengers as brothers and sisters, asking them to join in prayer to repent the sins committed on Earth. One priest hands Sue a circle of bread and she drinks from the goblet. Paul does likewise, though Sue reaches over to him as he says he's scared. She tells him it will be alright as Marcus finishes his ritual.
The Ark's lander then launches into space, with a view form the ground revealing dogs having been left behind.[2]
Inside the Simulation
A thousand Mithraic passengers make the thirteen-year journey to Kepler-22b aboard the Ark of Heaven. Their bodies remain in a physical state of hibernation, though their minds are able to interact with each other.
In a virtual landscape simulation inside their minds, Marcus and Sue revel in the fact their new bodies kept their appearance, and comment how time works differently. They spot Paul playing inside a Mithraic seal on the ground. Marcus says they are his parents, and they should go talk to him. Sue snaps back they're not.
Down with Paul, the pair compliment his holographic drawings. Paul, however, says she or he never talk to him and walks past them. The couple locks eyes, and Paul blames the simulation on people acting differently. Marcus notices Sue almost wretches on the floor, and tells Paul there are some places where kids can go play. When Paul leaves, Sue begins to panic, declaring she can't be his mother, can't be a mother. Marcus asks why, but Sue shoots back he knows why. She announces she'll go talk to Paul, to Marcus' encouragement.
In another section where a group of children, including Holly and Vita, are playing duck duck goose, they find Paul sitting alone. Marcus tells him to get up and asks why he isn't playing with the other kids. Paul despondently responds they think he's weird. Marcus jokes he gets that from his mother, and Sue playfully says unless he doesn't think they're cool enough as she spins him. Marcus fools around with the other kids much to their amusement as they play their own game of duck duck goose. Paul chases after Marcus and in a series of heartening moments, stumble into a cleric, who rhetorically asks if they're enjoying themselves. Conducting into a more serious manner, the cleric says she's pleased a man of war is bring back joy in his life. She adds their new Eden will never know war, and that it's best now to master happiness. They praise Sol, and the small family count back into their game.[5]
Arrival of Soldiers to Kepler-22b
Upon discovering that the Heaven's Ark is orbiting the planet, Father attempts to make contact with the ship to have them take Campion with them, as how he is not able to continue with his core objective with only one human child. Mother learns of Father's actions and becomes enraged; she temporarily deactivates him.
Several days later, Mother and Campion awaken to the sound of radio broadcasting. They witness other humans arriving to the scene. Marcus approaches behind them, announcing them as the Mithraic, who believed all of Earth's survivors were with them. He asks how they got here, though Mother refuses to answer. She kindly tells them to get off their land, but they are adamant on staying for dinner, and later, for the night.
At nightfall, Mother escorts the soldiers to the igloo. Inside, the soldiers let on they know she's an android, and remarks they must have gotten here faster on a smaller craft with human embryos. The cleric remarks on the orphan boy who dwells on an empty land, and his comrade adds the prophet who will discover the Mithraic mysterious. They speculate they're could be others - while the boy may be a prophet, they agree to take him with them as she's malfunctioning. They call on their android, Jinn, and order him to take her out. Jinn agrees, calling her a low end model and doesn't anticipate a struggle.
As first light, Campion catches the men gathering their crops though is dismissed by the majority. Marcus tells him to come, and he questions him on the android. Campion, refusing to lie, begs him if he can fix her as Mother overhears. He's assured by Marcus he can, as they got more than 1,000 people across the galaxy in one piece. He tells the boy to visit the Ark, but he's unsure. Marcus tells Campion she's becoming dangerous as she breaks down, but Campion doesn't want to leave Mother. At the mention of Marcus' son and live animals. Mother becomes enraged, and begins to walk to her son, though Jinn engages her in a battle. Marcus grabs Campion and runs as the boy screams for her. Inside the hut, Mother suffers a beating, but she overpowers Jinn. Outside, she punches the man holding Campion and in a series of supersonic screams, kills the other three soldiers. She tries to calm a scared Campion, but notices Marcus running away. Kissing him on the head, she goes after him, transforming to her metallic form and flies off.
Marcus reaches his lander and tries to power it, though the engines fail to turn on as Mother approaches, sinisterly knocking on the screen. As she strokes the surface of the ship, the camouflage feature deactivates. Marcus, realizing his fate, arms himself with a gun and shoots mother as she appears right behind him, though the shots fail to affect her. He bows his head in defeat and strokes the side of his face, sending him out of the ship, apparently dead.[1]
Mother's Massacre of the Crew and Kidnapping
Now hijacking the craft, Mother goes straight to the the bigger mothership, the Ark. Inside the command room, a female voice asks for identification, and mother assumed the form of the soldier. Evan, the main speaker, is released that 'Marcus' is back. He asks him if he found the source of the signal. 'Marcus' responds negative. Noticing his atypical behavior, Evan asks if he's alright. 'Marcus' answers the cleric is inured and needs help. The commander confirms the gate will be open and a medic group will be on standby.
Inside the landing zone, two more soldiers open the gate to find Mother resuming her original form. She belts another scream, which immediately kills the pair in a bloody explosion. A firing squad descends on her. Unaffected, Mother takes them out one by one with a scream. Once that threat passes, she examines the door in front of her, with the command room armed and wait god the other side. In a freezing breath, she punches through the weekend door as she's met with a wave of bullets.
In a final scream, they explode in balls of blood. Mother approaches the holographic console and asks for an immediate impact to Kepler-22b. The system refuses, and for an override requires a security retinal ID. Mother approaches the side of the table, and finds a live member. Forcing the scared man into a seat, she advises him to sit still or she'll hurt him badly. Ripping his eyelid out, she strikes him against the screen, which grants her request. As the system alerts the passengers for impact, a screen with the nursery catches Mother's attention, and she utters Campion's name. She blindfolds herself in a purification shower. Inside a virtual winter wonderland where a large group of children are held, she enters and blindly greets a young girl in delight, to the curiosity of the others.
Back on Kepler-22b, a launcher lands on the other side of the farming plot, and Campion runs to it. The door opens, and five children walk out, followed by a still-blindfolded Mother, who goes to greet her son. However, Campion backs away from her touch. She tells him to do his best at making his friends comfortable as she still needs to attend to some chores. The frightened children gather around in prayer.[1]
Survivors of the Ark on Kepler-22b and Rescue Mission
On Kepler-22b, Marcus outstretches his hands for warmth, and notices the long rope feathered nearby. He wraps himself and lies near the edge, noting he feels better. Much later, two of the extraterrestrial creatures find Marcus' still body near the edge of the abyss, and push him into it. However, the rope keeps him from falling into the hole. Suddenly, soldiers from the Mithraic find his body, and pull him up. They hoist him on a stretcher and make their journey through the barren wasteland.[2]
Marcus wakes to a light in his eye and finds Sue checking on him, asking if he's alright. Marcus questions where's Paul, and reluctantly Sue confesses the necromancer took him and other kids captive before the Ark crashed, and they have to get him back. The view pans to the remains on the ship, revealing a number of survivors among the wreckage.
At the Mithraic camp, Marcus explains to an elder how the necromancer must have been reprogrammed by the atheists to be a caregiver. The elder refuses the idea that atheists reprogrammed one of their necromancers. Marcus says she's reverting - she's killed all but one of the children in her charge and will kill theirs next. The elder is doubtful they're still alive as their locators can't tell them that. Marcus, however, is determined that the kids are still alive, and begs to take the soldiers for a rescue mission. The elder, as the highest ranking survivor, still won't give him the order. He says the remaining group must scavenge for food and water, and they must cremate the dead. Despite resistance given the children may not have the time, they'll be no use for the children weakened as they are. Another soldier approaches, informing the elder they found his wife.
As a body burns with the priests chanting along, Marcus tells an emotional Sue if there's one true line in their big book of bullshit, it's that you reap what you sow.[5]
Church Members
Current
Justina (Cleric, de facto leader)
Lucius
Decima (Colony ship designer; captured by Atheists; freed by Marcus)
Cassia
Bartok
Tempest
Paul
Hunter
Holly
Vita
Former
Ambrose (Cleric, de facto leader; deceased)
Sue (alive; exiled by Marcus; accepted into Atheist Colony One)
Marcus (Captain; alive, exiled by Lucius; converted to Mithraicism)
Otho (Heliodromus, prisoner; killed by Tempest)
Dorian (deceased; killed by Marcus)
Payen (deceased; killed by Mother)
Ambrose's wife (deceased; killed by Ark crash)
Unnamed landing party cleric (played by Courtney Michael) (deceased; killed by Mother)
Unnamed Ark Monk (played by Farouk Valley-Omar) (deceased; killed by Ark crash)
Church Androids
Jinn (soldier unit; deactivated by Mother)
Karl (medical unit; deactivated by Mother)
Leash (LEASH unit; assigned to guard Otho)
Varlac (bodyguard unit for Ambrose; deactivated by Sue)
Voreena (bodyguard unit for Ambrose; deactivated by Mother)
Vrille (custom child unit for Decima)
Trivia
Mithraism was chosen as a stand-in for Christianity in the show; which some theologians think is a stand-in for Paganism.
Though Mithraism is based on a real-world religion, "many elements of the Mithraic religion in the show would [in all likelihood] be completely unrecognizable to an ancient follower of Mithras."[3]
The real-world mythical founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus are seemingly important in the Mithraic religion. With the tooth of Romulus being a holy relic.
Multimedia
Images
RBW-Promo-S01-Still05
RBW-Promo-103-Marcus-Sue
RBW-Promo-103-Marcus
Videos
References
Raised by Wolves. Raised by Wolves. Season 1. Episode 1. HBO Max.
Pentagram. Raised by Wolves. Season 1. Episode 2. HBO Max.
Raised by Wolves: Mithraism and Sol Explained - Den of Geek
Mass. Raised by Wolves. Season 1. Episode 8. HBO Max.
Virtual Faith. Raised by Wolves. Season 1. Episode 3. HBO Max.
Categories
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VR Tunnel in Stereo is the type of VR that young children love. It gives them a chance to get up and move around. They are utterly unafraid.
This VR environment was another Arttechhouse work.
This is a stereo image. It contains retinal conflict. Enjoy!
The common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis), also known as the Eurasian kingfisher and river kingfisher, is a small kingfisher with seven subspecies recognized within its wide distribution across Eurasia and North Africa. It is resident in much of its range, but migrates from areas where rivers freeze in winter.
This sparrow-sized bird has the typical short-tailed, large-headed kingfisher profile; it has blue upperparts, orange underparts and a long bill. It feeds mainly on fish, caught by diving, and has special visual adaptations to enable it to see prey under water. The glossy white eggs are laid in a nest at the end of a burrow in a riverbank.
This species has the typical short-tailed, dumpy-bodied, large-headed, and long-billed kingfisher shape. The adult male of the western European subspecies, A. a. ispida has green-blue upperparts with pale azure-blue back and rump, a rufous patch by the bill base, and a rufous ear-patch. It has a green-blue neck stripe, white neck blaze and throat, rufous underparts, and a black bill with some red at the base. The legs and feet are bright red. It is about 16 centimetres (6.3 in) long with a wingspan of 25 cm (9.8 in), and weighs 34–46 grams (1.2–1.6 oz). The female is identical in appearance to the male except that her lower mandible is orange-red with a black tip. The juvenile is similar to the adult, but with duller and greener upperparts and paler underparts. Its bill is black, and the legs are also initially black. Feathers are moulted gradually between July and November with the main flight feathers taking 90–100 days to moult and regrow. Some that moult late may suspend their moult during cold winter weather.
The flight of the kingfisher is fast, direct and usually low over water. The short, rounded wings whirr rapidly, and a bird flying away shows an electric-blue "flash" down its back.
In North Africa, Europe and Asia north of the Himalayas, this is the only small blue kingfisher. In south and southeast Asia, it can be confused with six other small blue-and-rufous kingfishers, but the rufous ear patches distinguish it from all but juvenile blue-eared kingfishers; details of the head pattern may be necessary to differentiate the two species where both occur.
The common kingfisher has no song. The flight call is a short, sharp whistle chee repeated two or three times. Anxious birds emit a harsh, shrit-it-it and nestlings call for food with a churring noise.
The common kingfisher is widely distributed over Europe, Asia, and North Africa, mainly south of 60°N. It is a common breeding species over much of its vast Eurasian range, but in North Africa it is mainly a winter visitor, although it is a scarce breeding resident in coastal Morocco and Tunisia. In temperate regions, this kingfisher inhabits clear, slow-flowing streams and rivers, and lakes with well-vegetated banks. It frequents scrubs and bushes with overhanging branches close to shallow open water in which it hunts. In winter it is more coastal, often feeding in estuaries or harbors and along rocky seashores. Tropical populations are found by slow-flowing rivers, in mangrove creeks and in swamps.
Common kingfishers are important members of ecosystems and good indicators of freshwater community health. The highest densities of breeding birds are found in habitats with clear water, which permits optimal prey visibility, and trees or shrubs on the banks. These habitats have also the highest quality of water, so the presence of this bird confirms the standard of the water. Measures to improve water flow can disrupt this habitat, and in particular, the replacement of natural banks by artificial confinement greatly reduces the populations of fish, amphibians and aquatic reptiles, and waterside birds are lost. It can tolerate a certain degree of urbanization, provided the water remains clean.
This species is resident in areas where the climate is mild year-round, but must migrate after breeding from regions with prolonged freezing conditions in winter. Most birds winter within the southern parts of the breeding range, but smaller numbers cross the Mediterranean into Africa or travel over the mountains of Malaysia into Southeast Asia. Kingfishers migrate mainly at night, and some Siberian breeders must travel at least 3,000 km (1,900 mi) between the breeding sites and the wintering areas.
The common kingfisher hunts from a perch 1–2 m (3.3–6.6 ft) above the water, on a branch, post or riverbank, bill pointing down as it searches for prey. It bobs its head when food is detected to gauge the distance and plunges steeply down to seize its prey usually no deeper than 25 cm (9.8 in) below the surface. The wings are opened underwater and the open eyes are protected by the transparent third eyelid. The bird rises beak-first from the surface and flies back to its perch. At the perch the fish is adjusted until it is held near its tail and beaten against the perch several times. Once dead, the fish is positioned lengthways and swallowed head-first. A few times each day, a small greyish pellet of fish bones and other indigestible remains is regurgitated.
The food is mainly fish up to 12.5 cm (4.9 in) long, but the average size is 2.3 cm (0.91 in). In Central Europe, 97% of the diet was found to be composed of fish ranging in size from 2 to 10 cm with an average of 6.5 cm (body mass range from 10 g, average 3 g). Minnows, sticklebacks, small roach and trout are typical prey. About 60% of food items are fish, but this kingfisher also catches aquatic insects such as dragonfly larvae and water beetles, and, in winter, crustaceans including freshwater shrimps. In Central Europe, however, fish represented 99.9% of the diet (data from rivers, streams, and reservoirs from years 1999 to 2013). Common kingfishers have also been observed to catch lamprey. One study found that food provisioning rate increased with brood size, from 1498 g (505 fishes for four nestlings) to 2968 g (894 fishes for eight nestlings). During the fledging period each chick consumed on average 334 g of fish, which resulted in an estimated daily food intake of 37% of the chick's body mass (average over the entire nestling period). The average daily energy intake was 73.5 kJ per chick (i.e., 1837 kJ per 25 days of the fledging period).
A challenge for any diving bird is the change in refraction between air and water. The eyes of many birds have two foveae (the fovea is the area of the retina with the greatest density of light receptors), and a kingfisher can switch from the main central fovea to the auxiliary fovea when it enters water; a retinal streak of high receptor density which connects the two foveae allows the image to swing temporally as the bird drops onto the prey. The egg-shaped lens of the eye points towards the auxiliary fovea, enabling the bird to maintain visual acuity underwater. Because of the positions of the foveae, the kingfisher has monocular vision in air, and binocular vision in water. The underwater vision is not as a sharp as in air, but the ability to judge the distance of moving prey is more important than the sharpness of the image.
Each cone cell of a bird's retina contains an oil droplet that may contain carotenoid pigments. These droplets enhance color vision and reduce glare. Aquatic kingfishers have high numbers of red pigments in their oil droplets; the reason red droplets predominate is not understood, but the droplets may help with the glare or the dispersion of light from particulate matter in the water.
For more information, please visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_kingfisher
The common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis), also known as the Eurasian kingfisher and river kingfisher, is a small kingfisher with seven subspecies recognized within its wide distribution across Eurasia and North Africa. It is resident in much of its range, but migrates from areas where rivers freeze in winter.
This sparrow-sized bird has the typical short-tailed, large-headed kingfisher profile; it has blue upperparts, orange underparts and a long bill. It feeds mainly on fish, caught by diving, and has special visual adaptations to enable it to see prey under water. The glossy white eggs are laid in a nest at the end of a burrow in a riverbank.
This species has the typical short-tailed, dumpy-bodied, large-headed, and long-billed kingfisher shape. The adult male of the western European subspecies, A. a. ispida has green-blue upperparts with pale azure-blue back and rump, a rufous patch by the bill base, and a rufous ear-patch. It has a green-blue neck stripe, white neck blaze and throat, rufous underparts, and a black bill with some red at the base. The legs and feet are bright red. It is about 16 centimetres (6.3 in) long with a wingspan of 25 cm (9.8 in), and weighs 34–46 grams (1.2–1.6 oz). The female is identical in appearance to the male except that her lower mandible is orange-red with a black tip. The juvenile is similar to the adult, but with duller and greener upperparts and paler underparts. Its bill is black, and the legs are also initially black. Feathers are moulted gradually between July and November with the main flight feathers taking 90–100 days to moult and regrow. Some that moult late may suspend their moult during cold winter weather.
The flight of the kingfisher is fast, direct and usually low over water. The short, rounded wings whirr rapidly, and a bird flying away shows an electric-blue "flash" down its back.
In North Africa, Europe and Asia north of the Himalayas, this is the only small blue kingfisher. In south and southeast Asia, it can be confused with six other small blue-and-rufous kingfishers, but the rufous ear patches distinguish it from all but juvenile blue-eared kingfishers; details of the head pattern may be necessary to differentiate the two species where both occur.
The common kingfisher has no song. The flight call is a short, sharp whistle chee repeated two or three times. Anxious birds emit a harsh, shrit-it-it and nestlings call for food with a churring noise.
The common kingfisher is widely distributed over Europe, Asia, and North Africa, mainly south of 60°N. It is a common breeding species over much of its vast Eurasian range, but in North Africa it is mainly a winter visitor, although it is a scarce breeding resident in coastal Morocco and Tunisia. In temperate regions, this kingfisher inhabits clear, slow-flowing streams and rivers, and lakes with well-vegetated banks. It frequents scrubs and bushes with overhanging branches close to shallow open water in which it hunts. In winter it is more coastal, often feeding in estuaries or harbors and along rocky seashores. Tropical populations are found by slow-flowing rivers, in mangrove creeks and in swamps.
Common kingfishers are important members of ecosystems and good indicators of freshwater community health. The highest densities of breeding birds are found in habitats with clear water, which permits optimal prey visibility, and trees or shrubs on the banks. These habitats have also the highest quality of water, so the presence of this bird confirms the standard of the water. Measures to improve water flow can disrupt this habitat, and in particular, the replacement of natural banks by artificial confinement greatly reduces the populations of fish, amphibians and aquatic reptiles, and waterside birds are lost. It can tolerate a certain degree of urbanization, provided the water remains clean.
This species is resident in areas where the climate is mild year-round, but must migrate after breeding from regions with prolonged freezing conditions in winter. Most birds winter within the southern parts of the breeding range, but smaller numbers cross the Mediterranean into Africa or travel over the mountains of Malaysia into Southeast Asia. Kingfishers migrate mainly at night, and some Siberian breeders must travel at least 3,000 km (1,900 mi) between the breeding sites and the wintering areas.
The common kingfisher hunts from a perch 1–2 m (3.3–6.6 ft) above the water, on a branch, post or riverbank, bill pointing down as it searches for prey. It bobs its head when food is detected to gauge the distance and plunges steeply down to seize its prey usually no deeper than 25 cm (9.8 in) below the surface. The wings are opened underwater and the open eyes are protected by the transparent third eyelid. The bird rises beak-first from the surface and flies back to its perch. At the perch the fish is adjusted until it is held near its tail and beaten against the perch several times. Once dead, the fish is positioned lengthways and swallowed head-first. A few times each day, a small greyish pellet of fish bones and other indigestible remains is regurgitated.
The food is mainly fish up to 12.5 cm (4.9 in) long, but the average size is 2.3 cm (0.91 in). In Central Europe, 97% of the diet was found to be composed of fish ranging in size from 2 to 10 cm with an average of 6.5 cm (body mass range from 10 g, average 3 g). Minnows, sticklebacks, small roach and trout are typical prey. About 60% of food items are fish, but this kingfisher also catches aquatic insects such as dragonfly larvae and water beetles, and, in winter, crustaceans including freshwater shrimps. In Central Europe, however, fish represented 99.9% of the diet (data from rivers, streams, and reservoirs from years 1999 to 2013). Common kingfishers have also been observed to catch lamprey. One study found that food provisioning rate increased with brood size, from 1498 g (505 fishes for four nestlings) to 2968 g (894 fishes for eight nestlings). During the fledging period each chick consumed on average 334 g of fish, which resulted in an estimated daily food intake of 37% of the chick's body mass (average over the entire nestling period). The average daily energy intake was 73.5 kJ per chick (i.e., 1837 kJ per 25 days of the fledging period).
A challenge for any diving bird is the change in refraction between air and water. The eyes of many birds have two foveae (the fovea is the area of the retina with the greatest density of light receptors), and a kingfisher can switch from the main central fovea to the auxiliary fovea when it enters water; a retinal streak of high receptor density which connects the two foveae allows the image to swing temporally as the bird drops onto the prey. The egg-shaped lens of the eye points towards the auxiliary fovea, enabling the bird to maintain visual acuity underwater. Because of the positions of the foveae, the kingfisher has monocular vision in air, and binocular vision in water. The underwater vision is not as a sharp as in air, but the ability to judge the distance of moving prey is more important than the sharpness of the image.
Each cone cell of a bird's retina contains an oil droplet that may contain carotenoid pigments. These droplets enhance color vision and reduce glare. Aquatic kingfishers have high numbers of red pigments in their oil droplets; the reason red droplets predominate is not understood, but the droplets may help with the glare or the dispersion of light from particulate matter in the water.
For more information, please visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_kingfisher
Amy's humans are first-time dog people. Amy, like everyone else who meets her, finds Blue irresistible.
'XD Retinal, Writings about the Obscenity of Teeth' by Francesca Pennini, performed by Collettivo Cinetico (Italy) during the 1st European Festival of Contemporary Dance - Kraków/Bytom. Teatr PWST, Kraków, Poland
Our ship catches up toward the chopper, thankfully with the device Ghostforge managed to plant on Bronze Butcher’s back. But problem is, the team’s been arguing....and Riley couldn’t be more than enraged by trying to shoot at the enemy.
Harry: “What are you doing?!”
Riley: “I’m gonna kill em ole bastards for trying to hurt my boyfriend.”
Sam: “Christ, calm the heck down. What if you killed him—-and then we’re gonna lose our only source of redemption for our ally?”
Lyra: “Tout le monde a besoin de se calmer! Guys, we’ve been arguing over the last 15 minutes. Can we stop?”
Edens (voice): “Look guys, I hate to drag you into this, but autopilot’s not gonna save your trip overseas, despite the short distance. Someone man the flight. Or the hangar.”
Lyra: “The professor has a point....hmm. The storms are getting bigger. We do have to pick up the pace.”
And there we go. I decide to handle the flight controls, thanks to my aviation experience, with Harry as my co-pilot. During our initial meeting, I’ve developed quite a friendship with him, just like Sam. It is a bit odd to say I treat them as if they were cousins instead of siblings. But either way, I don’t care. Harry’s taught more on the control of powers since Kieran was too busy to handle it...and Sam teaches me medical stuff. At least, I don’t get teased for being the youngest....
Harry: “You ready for this, monk girl?”
Lyra: “Oh, stop calling me that.”
Harry: “Well, but you are from the mountains...I mean, you have a great prowess, considering in my experience I’ve met a lotta kids who are awesome.”
Lyra: “Yeah. Explosion back there almost gave me a shock. I was unprepared...but it’s like...when I got hurt, I’ve developed more healing....ç'est fantastique.”
Harry: “Well Sam was pretty good at that too. I enjoy having two combat doctors. It's a perfect combo. Anyways, position the coordinates. We’re not too far behind from those guys...get ready to uncloak. Deactivate your invisibility”
Sam: “You sure?—-“
Bronze Butcher *interrupts*: “So, you’ve finally shown yourself. I do have a robot on my hands...wanna come get it?”
Riley: “Oh yeah. I’ll be coming for you first, you f***ing knobface.”
Bronze Butcher: “Well, another challenger to eat the winds again. I’m still on my way to find my benefactor, but if you want to be my guest, my pleasure.”
Sam: “Wait a minute. You’re delivering it to whom? Third—I mean, there’s a fourth party who wants it?”
Bronze Butcher: “Yes. But given that we’re almost there, if you wanna grab it, come and get it. Surprises, surprises.”
Sam does not hesitate to accept the challenge, immediately leaving the cockpit , along with Riley following behind, because why not. Both jet and chopper are set to autopilot, as three of em’ start to unsheathe their weapons. I absorb the plane’s interior to keep myself protected. Bronze Butcher is the first to attack ,attempting to use his shoulder cannon to dispatch both agents, but the shots deflect off our plates, thankfully. He then uses his arm blade and engages in CQC, which Sam avoids and keeps clashing. The butcher proceeds to use his shortstick and tries to electrocute Sam, which he shakes off the buzz with his katana, absorbing it in.
Riley, still in her angry state, vibrates her swords, sending our carriages into a bit of a spiral due to her power effects, but all three manage to keep their foot steady. She lunges towards her enemy, eye to eye coming in contact with his mask. I knew it would be a risky move considering the fact that Riley’s smashing BB’s jet, like a ferocious tiger mauling its prey. Smoke starts welling up on the enemy jet as Sam, who gives a quick annoyed look, goes in and extracts what’s left of there. It doesn’t take long for it to almost sink in the sea. The Bronze Butcher nearly falls into the water, but Harry made sure he wouldn’t drown, thanks to his grappling hooks. We pull him quickly into our cabin, tied up like a wrapped gift.
Harry: “Gotcha now. See, I knew I repaired the jet well, especially the grappling hooks.”
Lyra: “Haha, show off.”
Harry: “Touché. That accounts for winning on that poker game by the way.”
Lyra: “Right. So, I guess we’ll have to ask him where he can take us...”
Kurt (voice): “You kids better remember not to use my fishing gear onboard....ugh.”
***
As expected, our jet manages to brace the storm and rain quickly. We have gotten closer to the borders of South Korea. After a daunting 10 minutes and still under cloak mode for most of the time, we land on the ground safely. Riley takes the lead as she grabs BB with ease. The rest of us are in toll, following behind, with a couple of confused villagers pointing us to the way we’re going.
A few more miles away, we get there eventually. A secret base, duh, obviously, thanks to the eye retinal scanners. We enter as we see someone so familiar sitting on the chairs....the White Ninja? He looks kinda the same, but with some black cybernetic parts at his back.
White Ninja: “Yeoboseyo, Paladin.”
Sam: “Since when do you started to speak Korean? How did you even wind up here after our last rematch?”
White Ninja: “Yes, Sabershift. I know you do have a lot of questions. I knew Bronze Butcher would lead you to me, somehow unexpectedly. I would like you to free him first.”
Riley: “Not if you answer, slime.”
White Ninja: “Please. I’m not going to attack anyone. Just...let him go. I mean no such harm.”
Harry: “Fine. Tell us whatcha know. You got 10 seconds before I blow your f*cking brains out. All of you.”
Spinebreaker: *appears*: Well, tis may seem like we are assassins working for Igarashi...but we’re not. Us in guild.....are a lost covenant. Lost cause.”
White Ninja: “Sorry if he attacked your lover, by the way. He suffers from a bit of autism, kind of hard to communicate but I will do my best to explain. So let’s start off with the beginning. I needed the robot for a purpose—because I wanted to unlock its secrets.”
Sam: “Sounds dubious. I don't believe a single word. Literally after our encounters.”
White Ninja: “Believe what you. But you’ll never know what it was like to leave that island....North rebuilt me, then left me. He does that after his employees and the things he sees are useless. I was broke. So I decided to reform my guild....and I wanted to go find a sword, after rumours of it appeared. So I became obsessed with it...I found out the sword could revive me.”
Harry: “That doesn’t mean you could use methods like these to get what you want. Not so much of an excuse.”
White Ninja: “Do I look like I have a choice anymore? I wanted to use it to heal myself....after the numerous procedures North had used...but it all started with Igarashi! He turned me from man to monster! Abusing me like a dog!”
Riley: “Well, sorry, I guess? About that part, but still you're a real of sh*t. ”
White Ninja: “I thought I could use it for good. Years of being a cybernetic assassin did me no good. Neither did the Yakuza kept their word. Now a war breaks out and it’s us left. Three. I don’t want to be seen as some hero since we relocated here....”
Spinebreaker: “It true. White Ninja wanted to help villagers. They friends. But I.....I am scary. I don’t like myself....”
Bronze Butcher: “We originally had a code...a name....until we lost it. The master threw us out like scrap toys...unwanted puppets after we were deemed unworthy to play with....”
Lyra: “Wow. Spoiler alert. That’s...quite a revelation. I guess you guys wanted to build a reputation here?”
White Ninja: “Yes. And my real name is....Nakamura. If you allow me to take you into this temporary makeshift home. Your ship can stay outside as long as you want it to be.”
"Harry: "Please don't tell me there is something sh*ttier inside this, and I'll still shoot regardless."
***
Nakamura: “....and I always longed to wield it, but I knew I couldn’t. I grew jealous of Dusksmoke for having a reputation....but I figured he would know the situation better than me. I was too ashamed of my appearance. That had me thrown out, like the other two.”
Sam: “This all makes sense now. That’s why you wanted the head to find the location. You wanted notoriety.”
Bronze Butcher: “But he—-we couldn’t find it. To no avail. I saw Dusksmoke getting robbed of the weapon he tried to find. The culprit went somewhere to Europe, according to the last footage I deduced inside the android’s head.”
Harry: “This is all Igarashi’s doing then. Calling Jumpdeath to wipe out the other clans so he could rule as one, but you did what you had to secure the citizens here.”
Lyra: “The highest form of betrayal. But this isn’t redemption for you. But since you're not that bad on my book, I’d like to call a truce. At least. Riley?”
Riley: "Uhh...no hun. I don't think so. I want a hug instead. If we had some girl time hanging out, that'd be much better in this creepy place."
Nakamura: “Redemption? Perhaps not. I’ve lost too much shots already....yet with a fair share of chances offered. But on the other hand—-Yes. We will call it truce for now. I do thank you for everything, and restoring trust and faith in us—-and the citizens here. But one day if you need us, we might help.”
Sam: “Depends if we need it again. I still have trust issues.”
Bronze Butcher: “He keeps his word. I’m sure we will. Now, go have your mission out there. The sword must be secure—-it is in Prague. I remember it now. If you can sweep it out through the obstacles, you are all worthy to be samurai. Do it for us, Paladin....we will meet again soon.”
Nakamura teleports away with his two accomplices away in a smoke. That was it. We were left a bit speechless, but we know what to do now. Harry gives me a trusting look, knowing we could find what was there. Edens and Kurt gaze at us with sure confirmation.
Riley: "Wait, that's it? Wow, so anticlimatic."
Lyra: "Hm. Well, you can hug me more till we end this."
Kieran: "Thanks to Erin, I guess all the dots line up. The story makes sense."
Harry: “We have the location of the sword. It’s time Igarashi has to pay for it.”
Connor: “You sure? In Prague?”
Kurt: “Hundred percent it is through analysis. I’m going to rendezvous point. Edens will keep backing the other guys up.”
Ty: “Where to now?”
Connor: “We keep running. To find more answers. The only plan is to keep stalling until the other team gets the sword back....”
Once they finished their call, I nod at the rest of the guys. We decide to leave immediately after making peace with the villagers nearby, with Nakamura’s message being addressed. At least they feel safe now.
But for once, I know I’ve done my part, even if it isn’t a lot, I will do whatever it takes to get a valuable weapon back...and restore it.
# saint.
!# saint x evox - liani skin veil
Shades include: amber, ibiza, icy, , brownie, ebony, illa (worn in photo), mali, moonlight, praline, and sunkiss.
**Sàint Skin Veils are meticulously crafted to complement Boataom and Velour Tones body designs. For your convenience, we have included direct links to the official stores of the respective body developers for comprehensive support.**
!# saint x evox - glorb retinal (eyes)
Left eye - Set #3, Right eye - #4
!# saint x evox - love me lip varnish
Color is from Pack #4
InWorld location: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Willows/64/39/843
Excerpt from kmai.com: The complex program and site had many restrictions, which the design team was able to resolve, providing a solution that satisfied the jury and public alike. Ultimately, the Visitor Centre has been designed and built to create a unique identity for the Fort and to further establish it as a significant cultural landmark in the city and beyond.
The project’s strategic situation along the edge of the site is noted by Jonathan Kearns: “In effect, the building became like the edge of a mini escarpment, which exists in several paintings from the early 1800's. People have expressed that we reinvented, in a contemporary manner, the original look of the edge of Lake Ontario."
The resulting ‘fortified’ edge of the site is defined by a series of monolithic weathering steel panel walls, which resonate with the design of the Fort just beyond, and which define the horizontal datum of the battlefield immediately to the north. Beyond the weathering steel wall, the building rises up toward the Fort, ultimately providing a prospect onto the entire historic site through a belvedere located on the uppermost rooftop. Going beyond the traditional belvedere's retinal emphasis, the Visitor Centre explores the idea of a 'beautiful view' as 'deep understanding.' The Visitor Center thus offers an intimate experience of the topographical history.
Content, not quality here.
The other day I was taking pictures of Petra and the kittens. They had stopped for a few minutes so I was clicking through them on my camera to see what I had, when suddenly there was a loud crack of thunder. I looked up and saw Jenna standing in the back like she is here and I didn't even think. I raised my camera and clicked. I even got off three shots but she was blurry in all of them and this was the best one.
I tried editing out the red eye in Picnik, but I didn't like the results. However, in a way, the retinal reflections showcase how big her eyes were at the sound of that thunder.
Even if she was under care, Mason Gardner's failure to guarantee the safety of his sister sent him on a downward spiral further. Plus his family wasn’t enough to be trusted, when most of them only cared about money and luxurious lifestyles. But Yvette mattered to him no matter what, she was his anchor, and so was him to hers. The sibling bond remained strong, to say the least.
He had multiple issues with the agency his mentor worked for—-and recently started hitting him hard. With the occurring attacks, Gardner couldn’t stop thinking how the public would question him. The combined weight of everything must have sped up his incurable condition, as so he thought, from the big stress.
It all started when a Paladin agent went out on a hunt, daringly, to take down the ES but got captured in the process. Nearly two weeks he endured torture and suffered most before finally breaking his spirit on the third. Then he spilled his guts and was eventually killed. Right in a slaughterhouse in Guatemala.
North eventually knew the secrets and used it to his own advantage. Blowing up bases....hitting the list....lots of actions causes dealt a big blow to the agency itself. The board was embarrassed and cut off all ties with many of their allies in case of whistleblowing and being doublecrossed. It would be a PR nightmare, risking their reputation going down a sinkhole.
Gardner feared it more every day the feeling came by.
***
As the agents silently conversed with one another, the more they went deeper into the compound. Wreckage contained tons of damaged electronics and the floor was muddy with water. Files were spread everywhere. It looked to them as if an abandoned asylum had come to life.
Jesse: “So that’s how it started. From that very moment a tip was passed....we should be lucky they never found us.”
Harry: “Nobody knows if there’s trackers around even with our tech. It’s surveillance we’re talking about.”
Gary: “Apparently so.....it killed a couple of my friends already. They did it.”
Jesse: “You tried to save them didn’t you?”
Gary: “Maybe.....maybe the chi could”
Harry: “But it doesn’t work every time.”
Gary: “It may not all the time, but at least it's under my control. Having these powers paved me a new life to improve after I started meditating.”
Jesse: “What if there’s corpses down here? Can you feel the aura throughout?”
Gary: “Maybe....more or less. I need to tap in and see.”
Even if flashlights could be used, it wouldn’t fare well in the deep darkness. Then Jesse decided to illuminate the environment up with a spark of electricity, enough to get them through securing the area long enough for Gary to meditate.
15 minutes passed as the walked further, and scans didn’t prove much evidence around. It was far beyond destroyed. Nothing but littered by a couple more dead, rotting bodies. Files proved useless.....until Harry discovered something.
Harry: “I think this is interesting. This corpse.....looks really familiar. Gary, do a retinal scan for real.”
Gary: “Hmm....I sense no heartbeat. Yet it’s somehow twitching. Unless they’ve got rodents lurking around somewhere.”
Jesse: “Hold on.....you’re telling me this is a reanimated corpse? At least it’s not the lower half.”
Harry: “Nah. Look closely. The uniform has a badge of the ES. I’ll send this to the team.”
Gary: “No. wait. Something’s wrong again. Get behind me. I’ll activate my field.”
The three rose their weapons in a defensive position as the ground began to rumble. Right in front it led them to a door. A small one, about the size of the entrapped submarine doors.
Harry: “It’s getting darker. Charge up your powers, gentlemen. I’m going to render my invisibility.”
Jesse: “Copy.”
Gary: “Do your thing. I can try opening it.....hmm.”
Harry: “Shh....”
Jesse: “Lowering frequency. Voices down. Team, you seeing this? I hope you do.”
Gary: “There we go....slowly....my dagger should be able to lock-pick it.”
And it opened. The sight of bleak darkness opened up to the three agents. They went in one by one, slowly and carefully. Unlike the surrounding outside, the room wasn’t filled with the stench and odours, yet it looked as filthy with grease and rusting machinery. It was a room filled with clean files and a few advanced computer. Harry was the first to dig in, scrapping through the documents while Jesse lightened up the room further as Gary kept his dagger and aura in tow.
It took them much time they needed as the images were continuously sent. Then suddenly a flash of a shadow passed by, which Gary witnessed, as his instinct told him to throw a dagger at the wall. The other two looked up in surprise as the unknown shadow started to fire.
Jesse: “Take cover! I’ll see if I can fry this bastard.”
Harry: “I got a clean shot. Not sure if the tables do any good cover but ok.”
Gary: “Use the chairs!”
Harry: *keeps firing*: Hold on....I recognise that mask somehow...I can see it. Isn’t that Knifenight?”
Knifenight: *appears* Yes. You guessed correctly. Knifenight is here. Knifenight is here and would be pleased to end you Ghostforge.”
Harry: “The hell is going on?! How’d you get in here?”
Knifenight: “Knifenight survived the onslaught. Knifenight almost drowned but he found a way.”
Jesse: “Ok, lower your weapons for now....you’re telling me you were in this compound? For how long?”
Knifenight: “Knifenight stayed for 3 weeks. Knifenight can survive on his own. Knifenight needs no food nor water.”
Gary: “Ok....I’ve heard about you as well....you might wanna elaborate on that further.”
The confused trio stared at their enemy as they waited for answers. He eventually started explaining, as he had gone on a mission to deal with some black market dealers in the currently abandoned base. And then it started flooding. People started drowning, including the Spectres, but Knifenight was the lucky one, managing to get out in time, hiding himself in an abandoned room. Despite limited contact to call his boss/hirer, it went to no avail, so he believed, may have intentionally been on purpose to send him to die, condemned without help. Yet he managed to survive on his own....
Jesse: “Ok, I don’t care about your third person act or shit, but I still don’t trust you. You could have laid a trap on us like back then in Tokyo or whatever.”
Harry: “The main question is, why. Did he leave you to die as a sacrificial pawn to get rid of you? Weren’t you always loyal?”
Gary: “The threads in this is too suspicious. You gotta spill because I can see that tongue lying.”
Knifenight: “Ok....ok....Knifenight knows. Knifenight let the cat out of the bag. Because....it was a deal. It went wrong. Knifenight saw them Spectres gun down the dealers. North probably asked them to. I for my life have not witnessed him like this....as brutal and ruthless as he was. And....here, this info might serve critical. Knifenight can only do so many.”
Harry: “Can we trust you with this?”
Knifenight: “Yes. Knifenight is sure. Knifenight isn’t lying. Read more and you’ll see....Knifenight is no longer a part of North’s cabal. So, bye for now.”
***
Jesse: “And then he runs away. Just like that. Seriously, disappearing again without a trace. Not because we let him go, but just quitting in the most ninja way as possible. However, given our shared history....I really doubt it.”
Harry: “But at what cost....is critical to matter?”
Gary: “Nobody knows, but it somehow proved I can sense the good in them. Their aura. No, I’m not joking. I really can. You should try it someday.”
Jesse: “Y’know what? I’m on the verge of my post breakup with the dude....I could tell you more over green tea. This meditation thing sounds like fun.”
Gary: “Mhmm I could tell you about my ex. He was a great guy as well....”
And with that, Harry decided to call his team. They were slowly getting ahead. Maybe a chance to fight back....just maybe.
This bloom wasn't totally open yet, so I felt like a side view might prove more interesting.... Yellow is such an eyecatching cheerful color, but did you ever wonder how we are even able to perceive this color, since we don't have retinal cone receptors that correspond to yellow? Most of us have receptors for blue, green, and red, yet we are able to see yellow since that wavelength appears to stimulate red and green cone cells simultaneously. I don't know who came up with that explanation, and ironically, when I mix my artistic reds and greens, I come up with a black color. Confusing stuff; at least for me anyway, ha ha! :-):-)
Test Pattern #38 (post retinal activity)
Some element of this work remixed from content produced by
Jessica Fenlon. Check out her work at flickr:
www.flickr.com/photos/drawclose/
and at Patreon: www.patreon.com/jessicafenlon
As if the insult of gong blind were not bad enough, Blue is now losing her hearing very rapidly. Still, she bumps along through life, loving everyone, never fearful of anything.
(A helical PDW)
(WARNING: its gonna be a long story post, if you don't want to read it -in which case I hate you- be prepared to scroll down a bit to get to the comments.)
A light cheery synthetic bell chime told Salem that the tram had
reached its next destination. Here though, the tram stopped, while
heavy machinery beneath noisily checked, repaired, and reset the
computer to travel the opposite direction on the track.
End of the line for this car.
Both men stepped briskly out into the terminal, quickly locating the
proper tram to transfer over to for the next leg of the commute to
Salem's place. Anvil would have to crash there until he was set up
enough to get his own place. Mentally, Salem told himself he would
eagerly await that day. Truthfully though, the odd kid was starting to
grow on him, and the prospect of having Anvil as a partner was
increasingly looking to be a good thing. All the cold stiff handshakes,
formal protocols, impersonal meetings... working for corporations was a
bleak mechanical experience that made it hard to remember what it was
like to be a normal human. Smiles, laughter, the lame jokes and the
disgusting farts, all the things that showed up on sitcoms.
They talk about it, in the various locations where bounty hunters,
mercenaries, and acquisition agents pool around discussing their work
over a drink, talk about the "human factor" the need to communicate.
Keeps all the blood, bullets, and money from going to the head and
driving you insane. There are differing opinions as to if this is a bad
thing. The guys up top, the ones that talk to CEOs face to face, get
top of the line tech, get the world on a silver platter. Those mercs
are the crazy ones, the stone cold death-machines.
Salem wasn't too keen on the idea. What was the point of money if he
was a crazed nut who was only satisfied gunning targets down? It seemed
like a foolish end, a no win situation. To chase money just to forget
it once you have it.
No, Salem would take the lower level jobs, ones that paid enough but
let him keep himself. It was this part of his mind that started warming
to the newly instated agent Anvil.
The kid kept things human.
Salem checked his watch: time to kill. Not literally, of course, though
he mentally noted to save that for when a witty pun was needed. Good
way to start a fight.
He glanced around for the vending machine he knew was at this terminal.
Over towards the one door, a massive metal cube that looked more akin
to a vault. An automated gun store.
"Here kid, I hope you don't have any plans for that paycheck already,
because I'm going to show you your first expense."
Anvil looked up, startled from his thoughts.
"Ah, cool. I wasn't really sure what I was going to do with that
anyways."
"The money?"
"Yeah."
"You're crazy. Most people go through life with a list of things they
want to buy as soon as they have the money."
"That seemed like a pretty bleak way to live."
"Heh... Yeah well," he reached the machine, and thumped his hand
against it, "This won't have everything you want, but it is a start.
Here, this first one is on me."
He swiped a card, punched a few buttons, held still for a retinal scan,
and then the machine clunked and spat out a small black case.
"Weymouth Tech C3. Cheap, but reliable. Its the pistol I prefer to use
on the field. Works good, compact, and yet cheap enough you don't have
to feel bad if things get ugly and you lose it."
He handed the case over to Matt Anvil, and gestured to the machine.
"We'll want to figure out what you are good at, and what you prefer.
You'll want to get a little of every flavor. Sure, its a lot of guns,
but you won't regret it. Even if you don't like a type of weapon, never
hurts to practice and get familiar. Sometimes you don't get a choice of
what to defend yourself with. That, and like it or not, some guns have
their place that no amount of preference can replace.
"Like me, I hate shotguns, but I have to admit the things are perfect
for home defense. So I keep a shotty at home, and bring my pistols to
work, see? So we'll get several guns. The ones you don't like you can
keep for practice and for the few occasions they are best for."
Anvil nodded, and stepped up to the vending machine's screen.
"Sounds good, lets take a look here."
They spent the rest of the day hunting around for guns. The vending
machines didn't have a lot of variety, and were low grade in quality.
They hit bigger manned gunships of all sorts. Picked up a nice reliable
shotgun that kept things simple, but allowed for all kinds of
aftermarket modifications for later on down the road. Anvil seemed to
take a particular liking to this, his past experience being hunting
made him familiar with shotguns and simple rifles. They picked up a DMR
from another shop, to ween his hunting rifle skills into something a
little more military grade. Salem picked one that wasn't too expensive,
later on if he took well to automatic fire they may want to replace it
with a more flexible, if shorter ranged, system. They passed up on
getting any sort of machine gun, Salem figured that if they got into a
place where they needed it, they were doing their job wrong. Anvil
agreed, opting instead to purchase a small single shot grenade launcher
that'd do in a pinch if things got messy. Sure, it was pretty low tech,
but it could compact and store discretely, and was pretty light.
They were on their way to a place Salem knew where they could get a
hold of a nice quality sniper rifle, when they came across a little
shop off a side street that caught Anvil's eye. Salem had walked past it
a hundred times and never noticed.
The place was full of military surplus, discarded and battle scarred
gear. Weapons and armor filched from firefights before the respective
corporations involved could get in to clean up the mess.
They browsed through it. A lot of good stuff for a little more than
they wanted to pay. Salem had corporate level connections that he could
access most of the gear through more legal means. A lot of the stuff
was broken, or very questionable. Brands, companies, and corporations
that Salem had never heard of, and screamed of being fake rip-offs.
Anvil was drawn towards a dark green crate towards the back.
A Shield Weapon Crate.
How the vendor got a hold of one of those, Salem couldn't imagine. It
was pretty well useless like this. Shield was a subsidiary of Green
Corp. managing their external security. This meant running the entrance
checkpoints to Greenwall, handling and exterminating and attempts at
smuggling through the wall, and protecting Green Corp execs when they
left their isolated Greenwall Zone to attend a meeting of any sorts.
They had some pretty fancy tech. Most of their weapons were stored and
transported in special crates, like this one here. Basically a complex
puzzle-box. Entirely physical mechanics, no electronics involved besides
a few side elements that had nothing to do with opening the crate. An
encrypted ID tag, a tracking chip that had been crudely dismantled by
the shop owner, and a small glowing holograph of the Shield icon.
That was it. Nothing to hack, and the crates were highly resilient to
most kinetic energy. They were designed to resist up to a point, but
anything over what they could resist would blast through like butter.
This posed an interesting problem to would be looters. To get enough
power to break it, would be more than enough to incinerate whatever was
inside. The charges, or whatever was being used, would just melt
straight through and decimate the contents as soon as it reached past
the resistance point of the crate.
The shopkeeper noticed Anvil studying the crate and yelled out, "That
piece of junk? I thought it'd bring me a fortune, but the damn thing
can't be opened. I wish I never laid eyes on it." Anvil only smiled at
this, and the shopkeeper grew angry. "You think that is funny? Think it
is that simple? The stupid thing is designed to destroy the contents if
you try to blow it open. Tell ya what, if you can open it, you can have
it!"
Anvil grew serious suddenly. "Really?"
"Yeah, really. Its worthless to me, worthless to everyone. You can have
it! Hell, I don't even care if you can open it anymore. Just take it,
let it be your curse. I need the shelf space."
"Thank you sir, but I couldn't take it without paying."
"Its worthless."
"Only because it is shut, the contents could be priceless."
"Yeah, that’s the problem ain't it? I don't care anymore."
"Then at least let me pay you a little."
"Its your money boy, I ain't gonna complain if you throw it away. But
that thing is worthless."
Anvil only smiled and payed the man.
He left with the crate, and carried with him the rest of the way home.
They bought a sniper rifle, and like the other guns they sent it home
on a PackBot Delivery Unit. But the case Anvil kept with him, insisting
on carrying it personally.
It wasn't until they got home to Salem's apartment that, once sure no
one was watching, he set the crate on the table and let his finger rest
on the top, feeling the plates of its surface.
"You can really open that?" Salem's voice communicated skepticism as he
made his way to a small fridge and pulled out a carton of milk.
"Shh." Was the only response he got.
Slowly then, as if following a pattern painstakingly memorized, Anvil's
fingers pushed and rotated the circular tiles, building speed until his
fingers were moving faster and faster in complicated patterns. Salem's
eyes couldn't keep up, and gave up watching to finish pouring a glass
of milk. When he looked back the crate was open. Anvil stood before it,
holding a helical SMG of sorts emblazoned with the Shield trademarks.
Salem barely caught the carton of milk before it hit the floor.
"How... I don't... Never mind, I'm too tired for this."
*NOTICE: The above text is a work in progress trial run for a planned
literary work. Though subject to change and alteration, it represents
the majority of planned content for the final product. As such, the
ideas, characters, setting, and story written above is reserved as
intellectual property of C. J. King.*
Feedback and comments on the story are more than welcome, wanted in
fact.
Credit to Xan for inspiration on the sight.
'XD Retinal, Writings about the Obscenity of Teeth' by Francesca Pennini, performed by Collettivo Cinetico (Italy) during the 1st European Festival of Contemporary Dance - Kraków/Bytom. Teatr PWST, Kraków, Poland
Stevie, a she as in Stevie Nicks, has used up at least one of her nine lives.
Stevie belongs to my youngest child. A few years ago, not that long after Stevie was adopted from a shelter she came down with neuro toxoplasmosis. At first we thought she was having seizure like activity. The office has a CT scanner and a MRI scanner. The office also has sub specialists on staff so she had her own neurologist. Stevie was hospitalized in the intensive care unit, treated with steroids and antiobiotics and now is doing fine. She also has high blood pressure, renal insufficiency, and had a breast mass that was biopsied. Let’s not forget the partial retinal detachment.
Stevie has had great health care because we can afford it. Stevie is a lot more lucky than many children and adults in America. Stevie also has a home, and a safe place to live. Come to think of it, my family is so fortunate especially when you consider the state of things in the world today.
Stevie is here for a sleep over which may be for four or five nights. She stays separate from our cats, in a different part of the house. We get to spend quality time together.
if you look closely there are water drops on her chin.
The common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) also known as the Eurasian kingfisher, and river kingfisher, is a small kingfisher with seven subspecies recognized within its wide distribution across Eurasia and North Africa. It is resident in much of its range, but migrates from areas where rivers freeze in winter.
This sparrow-sized bird has the typical short-tailed, large-headed kingfisher profile; it has blue upperparts, orange underparts and a long bill. It feeds mainly on fish, caught by diving, and has special visual adaptations to enable it to see prey under water. The glossy white eggs are laid in a nest at the end of a burrow in a riverbank.
This species has the typical short-tailed, dumpy-bodied large-headed and long-billed kingfisher shape. The adult male of the western European subspecies, A. a. ispida has green-blue upperparts with pale azure-blue back and rump, a rufous patch by the bill base, and a rufous ear-patch. It has a green-blue neck stripe, white neck blaze and throat, rufous underparts, and a black bill with some red at the base. The legs and feet are bright red. It is about 16 centimetres (6.3 in) long with a wingspan of 25 cm (9.8 in), and weighs 34–46 grams (1.2–1.6 oz). The female is identical in appearance to the male except that her lower mandible is orange-red with a black tip. The juvenile is similar to the adult, but with duller and greener upperparts and paler underparts. Its bill is black, and the legs are also initially black. Feathers are moulted gradually between July and November with the main flight feathers taking 90–100 days to moult and regrow. Some that moult late may suspend their moult during cold winter weather.
The flight of the kingfisher is fast, direct and usually low over water. The short rounded wings whirr rapidly, and a bird flying away shows an electric-blue "flash" down its back.
In North Africa, Europe and Asia north of the Himalayas this is the only small blue kingfisher. In south and southeast Asia it can be confused with six other small blue-and-rufous kingfishers, but the rufous ear patches distinguish it from all but juvenile blue-eared kingfisher; details of the head pattern may be necessary to differentiate the two species where both occur.
The common kingfisher has no song. The flight call is a short sharp whistle, chee, repeated two or three times. Anxious birds emit a harsh, shrit-it-it and nestlings call for food with a churring noise.
The common kingfisher is widely distributed over Europe, Asia, and North Africa, mainly south of 60°N. It is a common breeding species over much of its vast Eurasian range, but in North Africa it is mainly a winter visitor, although it is a scarce breeding resident in coastal Morocco and Tunisia. In temperate regions, this kingfisher inhabits clear, slow-flowing streams and rivers, and lakes with well-vegetated banks. It frequents scrubs and bushes with overhanging branches close to shallow open water in which it hunts. In winter it is more coastal, often feeding in estuaries or harbors and along rocky seashores. Tropical populations are found by slow-flowing rivers, in mangrove creeks and in swamps.
Common kingfishers are important members of ecosystems and good indicators of freshwater community health. The highest densities of breeding birds are found in habitats with clear water, which permits optimal prey visibility, and trees or shrubs on the banks. These habitats have also the highest quality of water, so the presence of this bird confirms the standard of the water. Measures to improve water flow can disrupt this habitat, and in particular, the replacement of natural banks by artificial confinement greatly reduces the populations of fish, amphibians and aquatic reptiles, and waterside birds are lost. It can tolerate a certain degree of urbanisation, provided the water remains clean.
This species is resident in areas where the climate is mild year-round, but must migrate after breeding from regions with prolonged freezing conditions in winter. Most birds winter within the southern parts of the breeding range, but smaller numbers cross the Mediterranean into Africa or travel over the mountains of Malaysia into Southeast Asia. Kingfishers migrate mainly at night, and some Siberian breeders must travel at least 3,000 km (1,900 mi) between the breeding sites and the wintering areas.
Like all kingfishers, the common kingfisher is highly territorial; since it must eat around 60% of its body weight each day, it is essential to have control of a suitable stretch of river. It is solitary for most of the year, roosting alone in heavy cover. If another kingfisher enters its territory, both birds display from perches, and fights may occur, in which a bird will grab the other's beak and try to hold it under water. Pairs form in the autumn but each bird retains a separate territory, generally at least 1 km (0.62 mi) long, but up to 3.5 km (2.2 mi) and territories are not merged until the spring.
The courtship is initiated by the male chasing the female while calling continually, and later by ritual feeding, with copulation usually following.
The nest is in a burrow excavated by both birds of the pair in a low vertical riverbank, or sometimes a quarry or other cutting. The straight, gently inclining burrow is normally 60–90 cm (24–35 in) long and ends in an enlarged chamber. The nest cavity is unlined but soon accumulates a litter of fish remains and cast pellets.
The common kingfisher typically lays two to ten glossy white eggs, which average 1.9 cm (0.75 in) in breadth, 2.2 cm (0.87 in) in length, and weigh about 4.3 g (0.15 oz), of which 5% is shell. One or two eggs in most clutches fail to hatch because the parent cannot cover them. Both sexes incubate by day, but only the female at night. An incubating bird sits trance-like, facing the tunnel; it invariably casts a pellet, breaking it up with the bill. The eggs hatch in 19–20 days, and the altricial young are in the nest for a further 24–25 days, often more. Once large enough, young birds will come to the burrow entrance to be fed. Two broods, sometimes three, may be reared in a season.
The common kingfisher hunts from a perch 1–2 m (3.3–6.6 ft) above the water, on a branch, post or riverbank, bill pointing down as it searches for prey. It bobs its head when food is detected to gauge the distance, and plunges steeply down to seize its prey usually no deeper than 25 cm (9.8 in) below the surface. The wings are opened under water and the open eyes are protected by the transparent third eyelid. The bird rises beak-first from the surface and flies back to its perch. At the perch the fish is adjusted until it is held near its tail and beaten against the perch several times. Once dead, the fish is positioned lengthways and swallowed head-first. A few times each day, a small greyish pellet of fish bones and other indigestible remains is regurgitated.
The food is mainly fish up to 12.5 cm (4.9 in) long, but the average size is 2.3 cm (0.91 in). In Central Europe, 97% of the diet was found to be composed of fish ranging in size from 2 to 10 cm with an average of 6.5 cm (body mass range from 10 g, average 3 g).[18][19] Minnows, sticklebacks, small roach and trout are typical prey. About 60% of food items are fish, but this kingfisher also catches aquatic insects such as dragonfly larvae and water beetles, and, in winter, crustaceans including freshwater shrimps. In Central Europe, however, fish represented 99.9% of the diet (data from rivers, streams and reservoirs from years 1999-2013). Common kingfishers have also been observed to catch lamprey. One study found that food provisioning rate increased with brood size, from 1498 g (505 fishes for four nestlings) to 2968 g (894 fishes for eight nestlings). During the fledging period each chick consumed on average 334 g of fish, which resulted in an estimated daily food intake of 37% of the chick's body mass (average over the entire nestling period). The average daily energy intake was 73.5 kJ per chick (i.e. 1837 kJ per 25 days of the fledging period).
A challenge for any diving bird is the change in refraction between air and water. The eyes of many birds have two foveae (the fovea is the area of the retina the greatest density of light receptors), and a kingfisher is able to switch from the main central fovea to the auxiliary fovea when it enters water; a retinal streak of high receptor density which connects the two foveae allows the image to swing temporally as the bird drops onto the prey. The egg-shaped lens of the eye points towards the auxiliary fovea, enabling the bird to maintain visual acuity underwater. Because of the positions of the foveae, the kingfisher has monocular vision in air, and binocular vision in water. The underwater vision is not as a sharp as in air, but the ability to judge the distance of moving prey is more important than the sharpness of the image.
Each cone cell of a bird's retina contains an oil droplet which may contain carotenoid pigments. These droplets enhance colour vision and reduce glare. Aquatic kingfishers have high numbers of red pigments in their oil droplets; the reason red droplets predominate is not understood, but the droplets may help with the glare or the dispersion of light from particulate matter in the water.
For more information, please visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_kingfisher
This is really just one shuttlecock (geeze, I can barely type that word lol) moving rapidly toward the camera. Just kidding. Lemme get this right out there-I love badminton. Not the bloop, bloop, rubber headed shuttle, back yard version of badminton that most North Americans are familiar with, but, the 200mph off the racket shuttle speed, requiring amazing footwork, lightening reflexes, mental acuity, and raw power version. Teaching badminton basics, and beyond, has been one of my greatest pleasures in coaching. I learned from one of the top coach/ coaches' coach in Canada. She was a former world ranked player, who now coaches internationally ranked players. And, she did it all with a birth deformity that would have caused most people to be content with just "good".
These shuttles in the pic were purchased in Malaysia about 12 or so years ago, by my son who was on a mission trip there for 6 months. He bought me a huge tube of Gosen S-260A Shuttlecocks as a gift. An amazing process goes into the precision making of each of these shuttles. Perhaps you've never heard of Gosen, but they are a Japanese manufacturer of tennis and badminton equipment. Not sure if they are even available in NA. Here in Canada, we have such badminton companies as Carlton, Black Knight, Yonex, Wilson, Prince and Head. I currently own a Yonex (also Japanese). I also own about 8 vintage rackets. Both the wooden vintage, and the modern poly carbonate/titaniun/all kinds of unique materials rackets, are like works of art. Gorgeous, sexy lines, they feel like an extension of your arm. Check out some top notch competition on Youtube if you don't believe me at how competitive this game is, when played properly. Badminton is wildly popular in many Northern European countries, as well as most of Asia/ SE Asia.
Full disclosure- I was partially blinded by a shuttlecock to the eye, back in my early days of playing. I took a smash to the lower portion of my left eye from about 6 feet away. It caught just enough of the bone, to prevent my eye from being exploded. lol For three days, there was a black band across the top of my vision. What happened was that I had a partially detached retina, which with time developed into what my ophthalmologist calls a retinal dialysis. Of course, I found this all out about 10 years after the incident. I have always been left eye dominant, so, I'm not sure how that would have affected the rest of my life had I lost my sight then, but, I didn't, so, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it. lol
Many moons ago we got in touch with Sr. X to see if he'd be up for a collaboration. After knocking a few ideas round between us we settled on the idea of a stare off using the same image of a rather angry man as our starting point and seeing where we'd end up each doing it in our own style.
Once we'd made the requisite amount of mess for his face it was just a matter of adding the stencil again and getting some shading in there. Meanwhile, Sr. X was adding his signature paint splashes that give a certain motion to the whole thing. At this point I remembered the LED's we'd brought along so it was decided to have some laser eyes that would hopefully give the whole piece a bit of a lift when darkness fell. I'm not sure who's going to win the stare off but all the loser has got to look forward to is some permanent retinal damage...
Cheers
id-iom
Photographed in Tanzania, Africa from a safari vehicle
=>Please click twice on the image to view at the largest size<=
The two horn-like structures(ossicones) on a giraffe's head are bald and knobbed on top whereas the young and female's have tufts of hair. In the case of this particular female, she has much more than tufts...I've never seen such an abundance of hair on a female giraffe's ossicones before...she's the clear winner!
Thank you for your visit and comments!
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From Wikipedia: The giraffe is a large African hoofed mammal belonging to the genus Giraffa. It is the tallest living terrestrial animal and the largest ruminant on Earth. Traditionally, giraffes were thought to be one species, Giraffa camelopardalis, with nine subspecies. Most recently, researchers proposed dividing them into up to eight extant species due to new research into their mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, as well as morphological measurements. Seven other extinct species of Giraffa are known from the fossil record.
The giraffe's chief distinguishing characteristics are its extremely long neck and legs, its horn-like ossicones, and its spotted coat patterns. It is classified under the family Giraffidae, along with its closest extant relative, the okapi. Its scattered range extends from Chad in the north to South Africa in the south, and from Niger in the west to Somalia in the east. Giraffes usually inhabit savannahs and woodlands. Their food source is leaves, fruits, and flowers of woody plants, primarily acacia species, which they browse at heights most other herbivores cannot reach.
Lions, leopards, spotted hyenas, and African wild dogs may prey upon giraffes. Giraffes live in herds of related females and their offspring or bachelor herds of unrelated adult males, but are gregarious and may gather in large aggregations. Males establish social hierarchies through "necking", combat bouts where the neck is used as a weapon. Dominant males gain mating access to females, which bear sole responsibility for rearing the young.
Head
Both sexes have prominent horn-like structures called ossicones, which can reach 13.5 cm (5.3 in). They are formed from ossified cartilage, covered in skin and fused to the skull at the parietal bones. Being vascularised, the ossicones may have a role in thermoregulation, and are used in combat between males. Appearance is a reliable guide to the sex or age of a giraffe: the ossicones of females and young are thin and display tufts of hair on top, whereas those of adult males tend to be bald and knobbed on top. A lump, which is more prominent in males, emerges in the middle of the skull. Males develop calcium deposits that form bumps on their skulls as they age. Multiple sinuses lighten a giraffe's skull. However, as males age, their skulls become heavier and more club-like, helping them become more dominant in combat. The occipital condyles at the bottom of the skull allow the animal to tip its head over 90 degrees and grab food on the branches directly above them with the tongue.
With eyes located on the sides of the head, the giraffe has a broad visual field from its great height. Compared to other ungulates, giraffe vision is more binocular and the eyes are larger with a greater retinal surface area. Giraffes may see in colour and their senses of hearing and smell are sharp. The ears are movable and the nostrils are slit-shaped, possibly to withstand blowing sand. The giraffe's tongue is about 45 cm (18 in) long. It is black, perhaps to protect against sunburn, and can grasp foliage and delicately pick off leaves. The upper lip is flexible and hairy to protect against sharp prickles.
AfrTan-4F3A5556fFlkrD
Actually, Angel is totally blind from retinal detachment. She doesn't seem to be unhappy, though; Sidi helps guide her arond, and the cottage and the yard in New Orleans is small and easy for her to navigate! She and Sidi, and our old Chloe, too- who passed away before Christmas last year- have made many happy visits here and seem to love it!
Happy Fence Friday!!
We can see nebulae clearer than before. Whitish reflection nebula, Witch Head Nebula got far clearer in full length near the center.
Strait dark filaments got less visible on this version. It means that we could recognize them with existence of small stars.
In general, we can recognize something with absence of something. For example, our retinal cells, more especially cone cells have almost no sensibility at wavelength of hydrogen-alpha light, but we can feel existence of the vast hydrogen-alpha emission, Gum nebula as area of fewer stars as below:
Gum Nebula with Sigma 35mmF1.4 December 2014 Colorless Version: www.flickr.com/photos/hiroc/16311565540
We could not recognize fine dark filaments on this starless version, which was clearly visible before starless conversion as below.
Orion and Surroundings HII OIII Enhanced December 2025:
www.flickr.com/photos/hiroc/54330118548
*We may be able to detect those faint and fine dark filaments as less star areas after mapping of star population density with fine tiles.*
Exposure: 12 times x 1,800 seconds, 10 x 900 sec, 11 x 240 sec, and 20 x 60 seconds at ISO 6,400 and f/3.5 with NB12 Filter and 18 times x 900 seconds, 10 x 240 sec, and 17 x 60 seconds at ISO 1,600 and f/3.5 with Clear Filter
site: 2,434m above sea level at lat. 24 39 52 south and long. 70 16 11 west near Cerro Armazones in Sierra Vicuña Mackenna in Coast Range of Chile
Ambient temperature was 11 degrees Celsius or 52 degrees Fahrenheit. Wind was mild. Sky was dark, and SQML was 21.69 at the night.
Thank you all for the kind words on my last post, it was greatly appreciated.
Eye Update - Last Wednesday I underwent emergency surgery in Ottawa for my left eye’s retinal detachment. I got the infamous scleral buckle surgery plus a vitrectomy. The procedure went well and I’m now recovering. I can’t see out of the operated eye yet as it is filled with gas and this will take many weeks (4 to 6) to dissipate and regain vision. Amazingly the pain this time around was negligible as compared to the buckle I got back in 2007. I don’t know if it’s because this procedure was performed while I was awake (no general anesthesia) or if the technique has imporved but I can tell you I’m so happy I didn’t go through the excruciating pain of 2007. Now I sit and wait to see well again.
From Hobby to Craft
The retinal detachment of 2007 was a life changing experience and a turning point in my photography. My deep appreciation and gratification for seeing turned my hobby into a craft and provided a source of endless motivation to get out there and capture Mother Nature’s beauty. Over the last few months I’ve been absent from my craft as I built my garage and had to get cataract surgery(yes in the eye that just got operated). This time away combined with this new detachment made me realize just how much I miss my photography and how much I can’t wait to get back at capturing the beauties I see.
Don’t expect anything from my stream for awhile and I look forward to coming back.
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Copyright © 2010 Pierre Contant. All rights reserved. Use without permission is prohibited.
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pierre.contant@yahoo.com
A Life in the Lab: Four decades of working with Jerry Lutty
I met Jerry in the fall of 1974 when I joined Bernie Hochheimer’s lab at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab (APL) as a photographer in an NEI-funded study to examine dyes for possible use in clinical ocular angiography. Bernie, who was a brilliant physicist in optical systems, and subsequently worked on the repair of the Hubble Telescope mirror, co-developed ICG angiography in the early 70’s with Bob Flower who I would later go on to work with. Prior to joining Bernie’s lab, I had been a cinematographers assistant at APL, working on a documentary film about the life of Dr. R.E. Gibson. He was, at that time, Director Emeritus of the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab and and Professor of biomedical engineering of The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. One day after filming wrapped, he invited me to join him for lunch in his office at APL. Dr. Gibson suggested that I would be better served if I pursued a career in science, even though I had no formal training in that field. He asked me to meet with Bernie to discuss working in his research lab at APL and Wilmer. Needless to say, when Dr. Gibson spoke, I listened.
I met with Bernie shortly thereafter, and was offered the position which I promptly accepted. Bernie was such a good man and someone who made a tremendous contribution to the field of ophthalmology. In addition to ICG angiography, he helped develop, (in collaboration with Dr. Arnall Patz), laser photocoagulation as a method for treating diabetic retinopathy. I reported to work the following week and was introduced to Jerry who was, at that time, conducting the toxicological aspect of the dye study. I later found out that Jerry also had a connection to Dr. Gibson who steered me to Bernie’s lab. His father-in-law, Dr. Alfred J. Zmuda (A.J.), was a specialist at APL in geomagnetism, ionospheric physics and space physics, and an expert on the Aurora Borealis. I had to admire Bernie for hiring two guys who looked like they could have been at a political protest or an Earth Day celebration on the National Mall the day before. We both had hair well below our shoulders and Jerry had a big beard which he wore for the remainder of the subsequent 40+ years we worked together. We hit it off immediately and would take walks around APL’s campus at lunch time discussing art, music, politics and photography. I looked up to Jerry as I found him to be a kind and gentle soul, with a passion for knowledge and a temperament for teaching.
Following the completion of the dye study in the 70’s, Jerry and I worked in different labs on the same floor of the Woods Research Building at Wilmer. Jerry became involved in ocular angiogenesis research under Dr. Arnall Patz (who was director of the Wilmer Eye Institute at the time) and I worked with Bob Flower to further develop ICG angiography for clinical use. Later, in the early 80’s, Jerry and I collaborated on studies of Retinopathy of Prematurity under Patz and Flower. Dr. Patz had received the Lasker Award in 1956 for his research showing that giving high levels of oxygen to premature infants was causing an epidemic of blindness in those babies. We felt that a key to understanding the vasculopathy of ROP was a better understanding of normal retinal vascular development. Jerry and I worked closely on the project for the next several years and developed a new technique for visualization of the retinal vasculature. In the 80’s, the number of NIH biomedical research grants to be funded was slashed by 23%. Even though we kept the project going for the following several years, primarily through the generosity of donors to Wilmer, I eventually was forced to return to APL for several years until the biomedical research funding situation improved. While Jerry was fortunate to remain at Wilmer, we did manage to collaborate part-time on several projects during that period.
In the early 90’s Jerry received an NIH grant to study sickle cell retinopathy, and an RPB grant to study diabetic retinopathy. I returned to Wilmer again on a full time basis. I was incredibly lucky to have worked with both Jerry and Dr. Morton Goldberg on the sickle cell project. Dr. Goldberg was Wilmer’s Director at the time and an expert on sickle cell retinopathy. We were very productive during that period and gained valuable insights into vaso-occlusive processes in both diabetic and sickle cell retinopathy. We identified growth factors in sickle cell retina and showed that arteriovenous crossings were a preferred site of seafan formation. Seafan was the term coined for the neovascularization that formed at the interface between perfused and nonperfused peripheral retina which resembled the marine invertebrate Gorgonia flabellum.
In diabetic retina, we showed increased levels of the cell adhesion molecule ICAM-1 in retinal vessels. This protein could contribute to the retinal microangiopathy observed in diabetics by enhancing leukocyte adhesion to endothelium and consequently the incidence of capillary obstruction. Our study and subsequent work demonstrated ICAM-1 and its binding partners are operative in diabetic retinopathy and may serve as potential targets for therapeutic interventions. The publication of that work, in The American Journal of Pathology, has been one one of our most cited papers.
In addition to our work in diabetic and sickle cell retinopathy, Jerry also received NIH funding to continue our work on Retinopathy of Prematurity during the late 90’s and early 2000’s. We demonstrated the anti-VEGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor) therapy was effective in reducing neovacularization in animal models of ROP, but that therapeutic doses should be carefully considered clinically so that retinal revascularization wasn’t inhibited.
The 2000’s brought continued success and renewed interest in normal fetal development of retinal and choroidal vasculatures. The discovery that the fetal choriocapillaris formed by a process of hemovasculogenesis, a process in which vasculogenesis and hematopoiesis occur simultaneously, was intriguing. Our work in fetal choroid led us to begin studying the choroidal vasculature in disease states, particularly, in Age-Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD). We showed that choriocapillaris dropout occurs in eyes of ARMD prior to clinical manifestations of disease. Additionally, we found that mast cells in choroid may contribute to the dry form of ARMD. These studies are still ongoing by Dr.’s Malia Edwards and Imran Bhutto at Wilmer.
I officially retired from Wilmer in 2018, however, I continued working with Jerry on a part-time basis to finish up some papers for publication. I had known and worked with him for over 45 years. He had been a mentor, a collaborator and one of my dearest friends during that time. He was a remarkable human being and I consider myself extremely lucky to have been a part of his lab and his life. He mentored countless high school students, undergrads, medical students and postdocs during his career. His teaching style, patience and desire to inspire future generations in science was an attribute to his impeccable character. I was deeply saddened by his passing as many in his circle were. We lost a a giant in science, a kind human being, dear friend and a devoted family man!
Nikon D800E & Nikon AF-S Zoom Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8G ED AF Lens photos of my HDR Hero's Journey Mythology LA Gallery photos taken with a Nikon D800E & Nikon AF-S Zoom Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8G ED AF Lens! If I keep this up I may create a black hole! See the full-seize photos here:
www.flickr.com/photos/herosjourneymythology45surf/sets/72...
dx4/dt=ic & 45SURF "Theoretical Physicist hosts Hero's Journey Mythology Photography Gallery Show in Honor of Moving Dimensions Theory Physics Research." Ph.D physicist and photographer Dr. E signs all of his fine art with dx4/dt=ic -- the foundational equation for Moving Dimensions Theory, which stipulates that the fourth dimension is expanding relative to the three spatial dimensions at the rate of c--the velocity of light. His Princeton advisor, the late J.A. Wheeler, wrote "More intellectual curiosity, versatility and yen for physics than Elliot McGucken's I have never seen in any senior or graduate student," and Dr. E's award-winning artificial retina dissertation, titled Multiple Unit Artificial Retina Chipset to Aid the Visually Impaired and Enhanced CMOS Phototransistors is now helping the blind see. Though seemingly disparate pursuits, all three endeavors--the photography, retinal prosthesis, and MDT are united in light. For MDT stipulates that photons surf the fourth expanding dimension on their way to exciting electrons in our our retinas or camera chips. The Hero's Odyssey Mythology motif derives from the heroic pursuit of truth and beauty, calling the viewer to adventure--to turn up Beethoven's Eroica and join the fellowship. When Dr. E's Princeton mentor J.A. Wheeler passed away, the National Post wrote, "At 96, he had been the last notable figure from the Heroic Age of Physics lingering among us. . . the student of Bohr, teacher of Feynman, and close colleague of Einstein. . . Wheeler was as much philosopher-poet as scientist, seizing on Einsteinian relativity early . . . He was ready to believe in the new world before most physicists. . ." And so it is that in honor of the noble Wheeler and all the heroes of yore, the Hero's Odyssey Mythology Photography seeks to remind us that the heroic age has not yet passed, that it is everywhere we look, should we only look towards the immutable ideals which mark both nature's sublime beauty and the imperishable soul. Words alone can do little to honor those who came before, but only action in the service of truth and beauty--serving those who come hence--can truly honor those heroic spirits of all ages. — in Malibu, CA.
Leica m3 summicron 50 f2 v3
I had a retinal lesion for a while. I sold my second black summicron 50 lens that I had been using for a long time, and exchanged these and other lenses to comfort me with a brief sense of despair. What am I looking at now?
Named after the song by the same name, by Reba McEntire, which was playing when I found this abandoned kitten, 1991.
Like most Owls, Spotted Owlet is nocturnal, meaning they are most active at night. What helps them see well at night?
First, owl eyes have densely packed retinal rods. All eyes including human, have photo-receptors called cones and rods. Retinal cones function best in bright light and are responsible for color vision. Rods are much more sensitive and function best in dim lights. Owls have almost a million rods per sq mm (1,550 per sq inch). Humans have only about 200,000 rods per sq mm (310 per sq inch).
Finally, owls have “eyeshine.” Their eyes glow. Eyeshine is a result of an animal’s tapetum lucidum, a layer of tissue behind the retina that reflects visible light back to retina. This reflection dramatically increases the light available to the animal’s photo-receptors and gives a superior night vision. Humans dont have tapetum lucidum!
As you can imagine from the previous image, cleaving to produce retinal can be tiring work and post-cleft carotenoids are usually pretty tuckered out. What you may not know is that endoreduplication results in an increase in the nuclear DNA content, thus permitting amplification of the genome of specialized cells - in this case, well-deserved vacation spot cells. The locale is usually left to the cells having their genomes amplified and here they've chosen a Schloß in den Bergen replete with spa facilities.
Sheep (pl.: sheep) or domestic sheep (Ovis aries) are a domesticated, ruminant mammal typically kept as livestock. Although the term sheep can apply to other species in the genus Ovis, in everyday usage it almost always refers to domesticated sheep. Like all ruminants, sheep are members of the order Artiodactyla, the even-toed ungulates. Numbering a little over one billion, domestic sheep are also the most numerous species of sheep. An adult female is referred to as a ewe (/juː/ yoo), an intact male as a ram, occasionally a tup, a castrated male as a wether, and a young sheep as a lamb.
Sheep are most likely descended from the wild mouflon of Europe and Asia, with Iran being a geographic envelope of the domestication center. One of the earliest animals to be domesticated for agricultural purposes, sheep are raised for fleeces, meat (lamb, hogget or mutton) and milk. A sheep's wool is the most widely used animal fiber, and is usually harvested by shearing. In Commonwealth countries, ovine meat is called lamb when from younger animals and mutton when from older ones; in the United States, meat from both older and younger animals is usually called lamb. Sheep continue to be important for wool and meat today, and are also occasionally raised for pelts, as dairy animals, or as model organisms for science.
Sheep husbandry is practised throughout the majority of the inhabited world, and has been fundamental to many civilizations. In the modern era, Australia, New Zealand, the southern and central South American nations, and the British Isles are most closely associated with sheep production.
There is a large lexicon of unique terms for sheep husbandry which vary considerably by region and dialect. Use of the word sheep began in Middle English as a derivation of the Old English word scēap. A group of sheep is called a flock. Many other specific terms for the various life stages of sheep exist, generally related to lambing, shearing, and age.
Being a key animal in the history of farming, sheep have a deeply entrenched place in human culture, and are represented in much modern language and symbolism. As livestock, sheep are most often associated with pastoral, Arcadian imagery. Sheep figure in many mythologies—such as the Golden Fleece—and major religions, especially the Abrahamic traditions. In both ancient and modern religious ritual, sheep are used as sacrificial animals.
History
Main article: History of the domestic sheep
The exact line of descent from wild ancestors to domestic sheep is unclear. The most common hypothesis states that Ovis aries is descended from the Asiatic (O. gmelini) species of mouflon; the European mouflon (Ovis aries musimon) is a direct descendant of this population. Sheep were among the first animals to be domesticated by humankind (although the domestication of dogs probably took place 10 to 20 thousand years earlier); the domestication date is estimated to fall between 11,000 and 9000 B.C in Mesopotamia and possibly around 7000 BC in Mehrgarh in the Indus Valley. The rearing of sheep for secondary products, and the resulting breed development, began in either southwest Asia or western Europe. Initially, sheep were kept solely for meat, milk and skins. Archaeological evidence from statuary found at sites in Iran suggests that selection for woolly sheep may have begun around 6000 BC, and the earliest woven wool garments have been dated to two to three thousand years later.
Sheep husbandry spread quickly in Europe. Excavations show that in about 6000 BC, during the Neolithic period of prehistory, the Castelnovien people, living around Châteauneuf-les-Martigues near present-day Marseille in the south of France, were among the first in Europe to keep domestic sheep. Practically from its inception, ancient Greek civilization relied on sheep as primary livestock, and were even said to name individual animals. Ancient Romans kept sheep on a wide scale, and were an important agent in the spread of sheep raising. Pliny the Elder, in his Natural History (Naturalis Historia), speaks at length about sheep and wool. European colonists spread the practice to the New World from 1493 onwards.
Characteristics
Domestic sheep are relatively small ruminants, usually with a crimped hair called wool and often with horns forming a lateral spiral. They differ from their wild relatives and ancestors in several respects, having become uniquely neotenic as a result of selective breeding by humans. A few primitive breeds of sheep retain some of the characteristics of their wild cousins, such as short tails. Depending on breed, domestic sheep may have no horns at all (i.e. polled), or horns in both sexes, or in males only. Most horned breeds have a single pair, but a few breeds may have several.
Sheep in Turkmenistan
Another trait unique to domestic sheep as compared to wild ovines is their wide variation in color. Wild sheep are largely variations of brown hues, and variation within species is extremely limited. Colors of domestic sheep range from pure white to dark chocolate brown, and even spotted or piebald. Sheep keepers also sometimes artificially paint "smit marks" onto their sheep in any pattern or color for identification. Selection for easily dyeable white fleeces began early in sheep domestication, and as white wool is a dominant trait it spread quickly. However, colored sheep do appear in many modern breeds, and may even appear as a recessive trait in white flocks. While white wool is desirable for large commercial markets, there is a niche market for colored fleeces, mostly for handspinning. The nature of the fleece varies widely among the breeds, from dense and highly crimped, to long and hairlike. There is variation of wool type and quality even among members of the same flock, so wool classing is a step in the commercial processing of the fibre.
Suffolks are a medium wool, black-faced breed of meat sheep that make up 60% of the sheep population in the U.S.
Depending on breed, sheep show a range of heights and weights. Their rate of growth and mature weight is a heritable trait that is often selected for in breeding. Ewes typically weigh between 45 and 100 kilograms (100 and 220 lb), and rams between 45 and 160 kilograms (100 and 350 lb). When all deciduous teeth have erupted, the sheep has 20 teeth. Mature sheep have 32 teeth. As with other ruminants, the front teeth in the lower jaw bite against a hard, toothless pad in the upper jaw. These are used to pick off vegetation, then the rear teeth grind it before it is swallowed. There are eight lower front teeth in ruminants, but there is some disagreement as to whether these are eight incisors, or six incisors and two incisor-shaped canines. This means that the dental formula for sheep is either
0.0.3.3
4.0.3.3
or
0.0.3.3
3.1.3.3
There is a large diastema between the incisors and the molars.
In the first few years of life one can calculate the age of sheep from their front teeth, as a pair of milk teeth is replaced by larger adult teeth each year, the full set of eight adult front teeth being complete at about four years of age. The front teeth are then gradually lost as sheep age, making it harder for them to feed and hindering the health and productivity of the animal. For this reason, domestic sheep on normal pasture begin to slowly decline from four years on, and the life expectancy of a sheep is 10 to 12 years, though some sheep may live as long as 20 years.
Skull
Sheep have good hearing, and are sensitive to noise when being handled. Sheep have horizontal slit-shaped pupils, with excellent peripheral vision; with visual fields of about 270° to 320°, sheep can see behind themselves without turning their heads. Many breeds have only short hair on the face, and some have facial wool (if any) confined to the poll and or the area of the mandibular angle; the wide angles of peripheral vision apply to these breeds. A few breeds tend to have considerable wool on the face; for some individuals of these breeds, peripheral vision may be greatly reduced by "wool blindness", unless recently shorn about the face. Sheep have poor depth perception; shadows and dips in the ground may cause sheep to baulk. In general, sheep have a tendency to move out of the dark and into well-lit areas, and prefer to move uphill when disturbed. Sheep also have an excellent sense of smell, and, like all species of their genus, have scent glands just in front of the eyes, and interdigitally on the feet. The purpose of these glands is uncertain, but those on the face may be used in breeding behaviors. The foot glands might also be related to reproduction, but alternative functions, such as secretion of a waste product or a scent marker to help lost sheep find their flock, have also been proposed.
Comparison with goats
Sheep and goats are closely related: both are in the subfamily Caprinae. However, they are separate species, so hybrids rarely occur and are always infertile. A hybrid of a ewe and a buck (a male goat) is called a sheep-goat hybrid, known as geep. Visual differences between sheep and goats include the beard of goats and divided upper lip of sheep. Sheep tails also hang down, even when short or docked, while the short tails of goats are held upwards. Also, sheep breeds are often naturally polled (either in both sexes or just in the female), while naturally polled goats are rare (though many are polled artificially). Males of the two species differ in that buck goats acquire a unique and strong odor during the rut, whereas rams do not.
Breeds
The domestic sheep is a multi-purpose animal, and the more than 200 breeds now in existence were created to serve these diverse purposes. Some sources give a count of a thousand or more breeds, but these numbers cannot be verified, according to some sources. However, several hundred breeds of sheep have been identified by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), with the estimated number varying somewhat from time to time: e.g. 863 breeds as of 1993, 1314 breeds as of 1995 and 1229 breeds as of 2006. (These numbers exclude extinct breeds, which are also tallied by the FAO.) For the purpose of such tallies, the FAO definition of a breed is "either a subspecific group of domestic livestock with definable and identifiable external characteristics that enable it to be separated by visual appraisal from other similarly defined groups within the same species or a group for which geographical and/or cultural separation from phenotypically similar groups has led to acceptance of its separate identity." Almost all sheep are classified as being best suited to furnishing a certain product: wool, meat, milk, hides, or a combination in a dual-purpose breed. Other features used when classifying sheep include face color (generally white or black), tail length, presence or lack of horns, and the topography for which the breed has been developed. This last point is especially stressed in the UK, where breeds are described as either upland (hill or mountain) or lowland breeds. A sheep may also be of a fat-tailed type, which is a dual-purpose sheep common in Africa and Asia with larger deposits of fat within and around its tail.
Breeds are often categorized by the type of their wool. Fine wool breeds are those that have wool of great crimp and density, which are preferred for textiles. Most of these were derived from Merino sheep, and the breed continues to dominate the world sheep industry. Downs breeds have wool between the extremes, and are typically fast-growing meat and ram breeds with dark faces. Some major medium wool breeds, such as the Corriedale, are dual-purpose crosses of long and fine-wooled breeds and were created for high-production commercial flocks. Long wool breeds are the largest of sheep, with long wool and a slow rate of growth. Long wool sheep are most valued for crossbreeding to improve the attributes of other sheep types. For example: the American Columbia breed was developed by crossing Lincoln rams (a long wool breed) with fine-wooled Rambouillet ewes.
Coarse or carpet wool sheep are those with a medium to long length wool of characteristic coarseness. Breeds traditionally used for carpet wool show great variability, but the chief requirement is a wool that will not break down under heavy use (as would that of the finer breeds). As the demand for carpet-quality wool declines, some breeders of this type of sheep are attempting to use a few of these traditional breeds for alternative purposes. Others have always been primarily meat-class sheep.
A minor class of sheep are the dairy breeds. Dual-purpose breeds that may primarily be meat or wool sheep are often used secondarily as milking animals, but there are a few breeds that are predominantly used for milking. These sheep produce a higher quantity of milk and have slightly longer lactation curves. In the quality of their milk, the fat and protein content percentages of dairy sheep vary from non-dairy breeds, but lactose content does not.
A last group of sheep breeds is that of fur or hair sheep, which do not grow wool at all. Hair sheep are similar to the early domesticated sheep kept before woolly breeds were developed, and are raised for meat and pelts. Some modern breeds of hair sheep, such as the Dorper, result from crosses between wool and hair breeds. For meat and hide producers, hair sheep are cheaper to keep, as they do not need shearing. Hair sheep are also more resistant to parasites and hot weather.
With the modern rise of corporate agribusiness and the decline of localized family farms, many breeds of sheep are in danger of extinction. The Rare Breeds Survival Trust of the UK lists 22 native breeds as having only 3,000 registered animals (each), and The Livestock Conservancy lists 14 as either "critical" or "threatened". Preferences for breeds with uniform characteristics and fast growth have pushed heritage (or heirloom) breeds to the margins of the sheep industry. Those that remain are maintained through the efforts of conservation organizations, breed registries, and individual farmers dedicated to their preservation.
Diet
Sheep are herbivorous mammals. Most breeds prefer to graze on grass and other short roughage, avoiding the taller woody parts of plants that goats readily consume. Both sheep and goats use their lips and tongues to select parts of the plant that are easier to digest or higher in nutrition. Sheep, however, graze well in monoculture pastures where most goats fare poorly.
Ruminant system of a sheep
Like all ruminants, sheep have a complex digestive system composed of four chambers, allowing them to break down cellulose from stems, leaves, and seed hulls into simpler carbohydrates. When sheep graze, vegetation is chewed into a mass called a bolus, which is then passed into the rumen, via the reticulum. The rumen is a 19- to 38-liter (5 to 10 gallon) organ in which feed is fermented. The fermenting organisms include bacteria, fungi, and protozoa. (Other important rumen organisms include some archaea, which produce methane from carbon dioxide.) The bolus is periodically regurgitated back to the mouth as cud for additional chewing and salivation. After fermentation in the rumen, feed passes into the reticulum and the omasum; special feeds such as grains may bypass the rumen altogether. After the first three chambers, food moves into the abomasum for final digestion before processing by the intestines. The abomasum is the only one of the four chambers analogous to the human stomach, and is sometimes called the "true stomach".
Other than forage, the other staple feed for sheep is hay, often during the winter months. The ability to thrive solely on pasture (even without hay) varies with breed, but all sheep can survive on this diet. Also included in some sheep's diets are minerals, either in a trace mix or in licks. Feed provided to sheep must be specially formulated, as most cattle, poultry, pig, and even some goat feeds contain levels of copper that are lethal to sheep. The same danger applies to mineral supplements such as salt licks.
Grazing behavior
Sheep follow a diurnal pattern of activity, feeding from dawn to dusk, stopping sporadically to rest and chew their cud. Ideal pasture for sheep is not lawnlike grass, but an array of grasses, legumes and forbs. Types of land where sheep are raised vary widely, from pastures that are seeded and improved intentionally to rough, native lands. Common plants toxic to sheep are present in most of the world, and include (but are not limited to) cherry, some oaks and acorns, tomato, yew, rhubarb, potato, and rhododendron.
Effects on pasture
Sheep are largely grazing herbivores, unlike browsing animals such as goats and deer that prefer taller foliage. With a much narrower face, sheep crop plants very close to the ground and can overgraze a pasture much faster than cattle. For this reason, many shepherds use managed intensive rotational grazing, where a flock is rotated through multiple pastures, giving plants time to recover. Paradoxically, sheep can both cause and solve the spread of invasive plant species. By disturbing the natural state of pasture, sheep and other livestock can pave the way for invasive plants. However, sheep also prefer to eat invasives such as cheatgrass, leafy spurge, kudzu and spotted knapweed over native species such as sagebrush, making grazing sheep effective for conservation grazing. Research conducted in Imperial County, California compared lamb grazing with herbicides for weed control in seedling alfalfa fields. Three trials demonstrated that grazing lambs were just as effective as herbicides in controlling winter weeds. Entomologists also compared grazing lambs to insecticides for insect control in winter alfalfa. In this trial, lambs provided insect control as effectively as insecticides.
Behavior
Sheep are flock animals and strongly gregarious; much sheep behavior can be understood on the basis of these tendencies. The dominance hierarchy of sheep and their natural inclination to follow a leader to new pastures were the pivotal factors in sheep being one of the first domesticated livestock species. Furthermore, in contrast to the red deer and gazelle (two other ungulates of primary importance to meat production in prehistoric times), sheep do not defend territories although they do form home ranges. All sheep have a tendency to congregate close to other members of a flock, although this behavior varies with breed, and sheep can become stressed when separated from their flock members. During flocking, sheep have a strong tendency to follow, and a leader may simply be the first individual to move. Relationships in flocks tend to be closest among related sheep: in mixed-breed flocks, subgroups of the same breed tend to form, and a ewe and her direct descendants often move as a unit within large flocks. Sheep can become hefted to one particular local pasture (heft) so they do not roam freely in unfenced landscapes. Lambs learn the heft from ewes and if whole flocks are culled it must be retaught to the replacement animals.
Flock behaviour in sheep is generally only exhibited in groups of four or more sheep; fewer sheep may not react as expected when alone or with few other sheep. Being a prey species, the primary defense mechanism of sheep is to flee from danger when their flight zone is entered. Cornered sheep may charge and butt, or threaten by hoof stamping and adopting an aggressive posture. This is particularly true for ewes with newborn lambs.
In regions where sheep have no natural predators, none of the native breeds of sheep exhibit a strong flocking behavior.
Herding
Farmers exploit flocking behavior to keep sheep together on unfenced pastures such as hill farming, and to move them more easily. For this purpose shepherds may use herding dogs in this effort, with a highly bred herding ability. Sheep are food-oriented, and association of humans with regular feeding often results in sheep soliciting people for food. Those who are moving sheep may exploit this behavior by leading sheep with buckets of feed.
Dominance hierarchy
Sheep establish a dominance hierarchy through fighting, threats and competitiveness. Dominant animals are inclined to be more aggressive with other sheep, and usually feed first at troughs. Primarily among rams, horn size is a factor in the flock hierarchy. Rams with different size horns may be less inclined to fight to establish the dominance order, while rams with similarly sized horns are more so. Merinos have an almost linear hierarchy whereas there is a less rigid structure in Border Leicesters when a competitive feeding situation arises.
In sheep, position in a moving flock is highly correlated with social dominance, but there is no definitive study to show consistent voluntary leadership by an individual sheep.
Intelligence and learning ability
Sheep are frequently thought of as unintelligent animals. Their flocking behavior and quickness to flee and panic can make shepherding a difficult endeavor for the uninitiated. Despite these perceptions, a University of Illinois monograph on sheep reported their intelligence to be just below that of pigs and on par with that of cattle. Sheep can recognize individual human and ovine faces and remember them for years; they can remember 50 other different sheep faces for over two years; they can recognize and are attracted to individual sheep and humans by their faces, as they possess similar specialized neural systems in the temporal and frontal lobes of their brains to humans and have a greater involvement of the right brain hemisphere. In addition to long-term facial recognition of individuals, sheep can also differentiate emotional states through facial characteristics.[68][69] If worked with patiently, sheep may learn their names, and many sheep are trained to be led by halter for showing and other purposes. Sheep have also responded well to clicker training. Sheep have been used as pack animals; Tibetan nomads distribute baggage equally throughout a flock as it is herded between living sites.
It has been reported that some sheep have apparently shown problem-solving abilities; a flock in West Yorkshire, England allegedly found a way to get over cattle grids by rolling on their backs, although documentation of this has relied on anecdotal accounts.
Vocalisations
Sounds made by domestic sheep include bleats, grunts, rumbles and snorts. Bleating ("baaing") is used mostly for contact communication, especially between dam and lambs, but also at times between other flock members. The bleats of individual sheep are distinctive, enabling the ewe and her lambs to recognize each other's vocalizations. Vocal communication between lambs and their dam declines to a very low level within several weeks after parturition. A variety of bleats may be heard, depending on sheep age and circumstances. Apart from contact communication, bleating may signal distress, frustration or impatience; however, sheep are usually silent when in pain. Isolation commonly prompts bleating by sheep. Pregnant ewes may grunt when in labor. Rumbling sounds are made by the ram during courting; somewhat similar rumbling sounds may be made by the ewe, especially when with her neonate lambs. A snort (explosive exhalation through the nostrils) may signal aggression or a warning, and is often elicited from startled sheep.
Lamb
In sheep breeds lacking facial wool, the visual field is wide. In 10 sheep (Cambridge, Lleyn and Welsh Mountain breeds, which lack facial wool), the visual field ranged from 298° to 325°, averaging 313.1°, with binocular overlap ranging from 44.5° to 74°, averaging 61.7°. In some breeds, unshorn facial wool can limit the visual field; in some individuals, this may be enough to cause "wool blindness". In 60 Merinos, visual fields ranged from 219.1° to 303.0°, averaging 269.9°, and the binocular field ranged from 8.9° to 77.7°, averaging 47.5°; 36% of the measurements were limited by wool, although photographs of the experiments indicate that only limited facial wool regrowth had occurred since shearing. In addition to facial wool (in some breeds), visual field limitations can include ears and (in some breeds) horns, so the visual field can be extended by tilting the head. Sheep eyes exhibit very low hyperopia and little astigmatism. Such visual characteristics are likely to produce a well-focused retinal image of objects in both the middle and long distance. Because sheep eyes have no accommodation, one might expect the image of very near objects to be blurred, but a rather clear near image could be provided by the tapetum and large retinal image of the sheep's eye, and adequate close vision may occur at muzzle length. Good depth perception, inferred from the sheep's sure-footedness, was confirmed in "visual cliff" experiments; behavioral responses indicating depth perception are seen in lambs at one day old. Sheep are thought to have colour vision, and can distinguish between a variety of colours: black, red, brown, green, yellow and white. Sight is a vital part of sheep communication, and when grazing, they maintain visual contact with each other. Each sheep lifts its head upwards to check the position of other sheep in the flock. This constant monitoring is probably what keeps the sheep in a flock as they move along grazing. Sheep become stressed when isolated; this stress is reduced if they are provided with a mirror, indicating that the sight of other sheep reduces stress.
Taste is the most important sense in sheep, establishing forage preferences, with sweet and sour plants being preferred and bitter plants being more commonly rejected. Touch and sight are also important in relation to specific plant characteristics, such as succulence and growth form.
The ram uses his vomeronasal organ (sometimes called the Jacobson's organ) to sense the pheromones of ewes and detect when they are in estrus. The ewe uses her vomeronasal organ for early recognition of her neonate lamb.
Reproduction
Sheep follow a similar reproductive strategy to other herd animals. A group of ewes is generally mated by a single ram, who has either been chosen by a breeder or (in feral populations) has established dominance through physical contest with other rams. Most sheep are seasonal breeders, although some are able to breed year-round. Ewes generally reach sexual maturity at six to eight months old, and rams generally at four to six months. However, there are exceptions. For example, Finnsheep ewe lambs may reach puberty as early as 3 to 4 months, and Merino ewes sometimes reach puberty at 18 to 20 months. Ewes have estrus cycles about every 17 days, during which they emit a scent and indicate readiness through physical displays towards rams.
In feral sheep, rams may fight during the rut to determine which individuals may mate with ewes. Rams, especially unfamiliar ones, will also fight outside the breeding period to establish dominance; rams can kill one another if allowed to mix freely. During the rut, even usually friendly rams may become aggressive towards humans due to increases in their hormone levels.
After mating, sheep have a gestation period of about five months, and normal labor takes one to three hours. Although some breeds regularly throw larger litters of lambs, most produce single or twin lambs. During or soon after labor, ewes and lambs may be confined to small lambing jugs, small pens designed to aid both careful observation of ewes and to cement the bond between them and their lambs.
A lamb's first steps
Ovine obstetrics can be problematic. By selectively breeding ewes that produce multiple offspring with higher birth weights for generations, sheep producers have inadvertently caused some domestic sheep to have difficulty lambing; balancing ease of lambing with high productivity is one of the dilemmas of sheep breeding. In the case of any such problems, those present at lambing may assist the ewe by extracting or repositioning lambs. After the birth, ewes ideally break the amniotic sac (if it is not broken during labor), and begin licking clean the lamb. Most lambs will begin standing within an hour of birth. In normal situations, lambs nurse after standing, receiving vital colostrum milk. Lambs that either fail to nurse or are rejected by the ewe require help to survive, such as bottle-feeding or fostering by another ewe.
Most lambs begin life being born outdoors. After lambs are several weeks old, lamb marking (ear tagging, docking, mulesing, and castrating) is carried out. Vaccinations are usually carried out at this point as well. Ear tags with numbers are attached, or ear marks are applied, for ease of later identification of sheep. Docking and castration are commonly done after 24 hours (to avoid interference with maternal bonding and consumption of colostrum) and are often done not later than one week after birth, to minimize pain, stress, recovery time and complications. The first course of vaccinations (commonly anti-clostridial) is commonly given at an age of about 10 to 12 weeks; i.e. when the concentration of maternal antibodies passively acquired via colostrum is expected to have fallen low enough to permit development of active immunity. Ewes are often revaccinated annually about 3 weeks before lambing, to provide high antibody concentrations in colostrum during the first several hours after lambing. Ram lambs that will either be slaughtered or separated from ewes before sexual maturity are not usually castrated. Objections to all these procedures have been raised by animal rights groups, but farmers defend them by saying they save money, and inflict only temporary pain.
Homosexuality
Sheep are the only species of mammal except for humans which exhibits exclusive homosexual behavior. About 10% of rams refuse to mate with ewes but readily mate with other rams, and thirty percent of all rams demonstrate at least some homosexual behavior. Additionally, a small number of females that were accompanied by a male fetus in utero (i.e. as fraternal twins) are freemartins (female animals that are behaviorally masculine and lack functioning ovaries).
Health
Sheep may fall victim to poisons, infectious diseases, and physical injuries. As a prey species, a sheep's system is adapted to hide the obvious signs of illness, to prevent being targeted by predators. However, some signs of ill health are obvious, with sick sheep eating little, vocalizing excessively, and being generally listless. Throughout history, much of the money and labor of sheep husbandry has aimed to prevent sheep ailments. Historically, shepherds often created remedies by experimentation on the farm. In some developed countries, including the United States, sheep lack the economic importance for drug companies to perform expensive clinical trials required to approve more than a relatively limited number of drugs for ovine use. However, extra-label drug use in sheep production is permitted in many jurisdictions, subject to certain restrictions. In the US, for example, regulations governing extra-label drug use in animals are found in 21 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) Part 530. In the 20th and 21st centuries, a minority of sheep owners have turned to alternative treatments such as homeopathy, herbalism and even traditional Chinese medicine to treat sheep veterinary problems. Despite some favorable anecdotal evidence, the effectiveness of alternative veterinary medicine has been met with skepticism in scientific journals. The need for traditional anti-parasite drugs and antibiotics is widespread, and is the main impediment to certified organic farming with sheep.
Many breeders take a variety of preventive measures to ward off problems. The first is to ensure all sheep are healthy when purchased. Many buyers avoid outlets known to be clearing houses for animals culled from healthy flocks as either sick or simply inferior. This can also mean maintaining a closed flock, and quarantining new sheep for a month. Two fundamental preventive programs are maintaining good nutrition and reducing stress in the sheep. Restraint, isolation, loud noises, novel situations, pain, heat, extreme cold, fatigue and other stressors can lead to secretion of cortisol, a stress hormone, in amounts that may indicate welfare problems. Excessive stress can compromise the immune system. "Shipping fever" (pneumonic mannheimiosis, formerly called pasteurellosis) is a disease of particular concern, that can occur as a result of stress, notably during transport and (or) handling. Pain, fear and several other stressors can cause secretion of epinephrine (adrenaline). Considerable epinephrine secretion in the final days before slaughter can adversely affect meat quality (by causing glycogenolysis, removing the substrate for normal post-slaughter acidification of meat) and result in meat becoming more susceptible to colonization by spoilage bacteria. Because of such issues, low-stress handling is essential in sheep management. Avoiding poisoning is also important; common poisons are pesticide sprays, inorganic fertilizer, motor oil, as well as radiator coolant containing ethylene glycol.
Common forms of preventive medication for sheep are vaccinations and treatments for parasites. Both external and internal parasites are the most prevalent malady in sheep, and are either fatal, or reduce the productivity of flocks. Worms are the most common internal parasites. They are ingested during grazing, incubate within the sheep, and are expelled through the digestive system (beginning the cycle again). Oral anti-parasitic medicines, known as drenches, are given to a flock to treat worms, sometimes after worm eggs in the feces has been counted to assess infestation levels. Afterwards, sheep may be moved to a new pasture to avoid ingesting the same parasites. External sheep parasites include: lice (for different parts of the body), sheep keds, nose bots, sheep itch mites, and maggots. Keds are blood-sucking parasites that cause general malnutrition and decreased productivity, but are not fatal. Maggots are those of the bot fly and the blow-fly, commonly Lucilia sericata or its relative L. cuprina. Fly maggots cause the extremely destructive condition of flystrike. Flies lay their eggs in wounds or wet, manure-soiled wool; when the maggots hatch they burrow into a sheep's flesh, eventually causing death if untreated. In addition to other treatments, crutching (shearing wool from a sheep's rump) is a common preventive method. Some countries allow mulesing, a practice that involves stripping away the skin on the rump to prevent fly-strike, normally performed when the sheep is a lamb. Nose bots are fly larvae that inhabit a sheep's sinuses, causing breathing difficulties and discomfort. Common signs are a discharge from the nasal passage, sneezing, and frantic movement such as head shaking. External parasites may be controlled through the use of backliners, sprays or immersive sheep dips.
A wide array of bacterial and viral diseases affect sheep. Diseases of the hoof, such as foot rot and foot scald may occur, and are treated with footbaths and other remedies. Foot rot is present in over 97% of flocks in the UK. These painful conditions cause lameness and hinder feeding. Ovine Johne's disease is a wasting disease that affects young sheep. Bluetongue disease is an insect-borne illness causing fever and inflammation of the mucous membranes. Ovine rinderpest (or peste des petits ruminants) is a highly contagious and often fatal viral disease affecting sheep and goats. Sheep may also be affected by primary or secondary photosensitization. Tetanus can also afflict sheep through wounds from shearing, docking, castration, or vaccination. The organism also can be introduced into the reproductive tract by unsanitary humans who assist ewes during lambing.
A few sheep conditions are transmissible to humans. Orf (also known as scabby mouth, contagious ecthyma or soremouth) is a skin disease leaving lesions that is transmitted through skin-to-skin contact. Cutaneous anthrax is also called woolsorter's disease, as the spores can be transmitted in unwashed wool. More seriously, the organisms that can cause spontaneous enzootic abortion in sheep are easily transmitted to pregnant women. Also of concern are the prion disease scrapie and the virus that causes foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), as both can devastate flocks. The latter poses a slight risk to humans. During the 2001 FMD pandemic in the UK, hundreds of sheep were culled and some rare British breeds were at risk of extinction due to this.
Of the 600,300 sheep lost to the US economy in 2004, 37.3% were lost to predators, while 26.5% were lost to some form of disease. Poisoning accounted for 1.7% of non-productive deaths.
Predators
A lamb being attacked by coyotes with a bite to the throat
Other than parasites and disease, predation is a threat to sheep and the profitability of sheep raising. Sheep have little ability to defend themselves, compared with other species kept as livestock. Even if sheep survive an attack, they may die from their injuries or simply from panic. However, the impact of predation varies dramatically with region. In Africa, Australia, the Americas, and parts of Europe and Asia predators are a serious problem. In the United States, for instance, over one third of sheep deaths in 2004 were caused by predation. In contrast, other nations are virtually devoid of sheep predators, particularly islands known for extensive sheep husbandry. Worldwide, canids—including the domestic dog—are responsible for most sheep deaths. Other animals that occasionally prey on sheep include: felines, bears, birds of prey, ravens and feral hogs.
Sheep producers have used a wide variety of measures to combat predation. Pre-modern shepherds used their own presence, livestock guardian dogs, and protective structures such as barns and fencing. Fencing (both regular and electric), penning sheep at night and lambing indoors all continue to be widely used. More modern shepherds used guns, traps, and poisons to kill predators, causing significant decreases in predator populations. In the wake of the environmental and conservation movements, the use of these methods now usually falls under the purview of specially designated government agencies in most developed countries.
The 1970s saw a resurgence in the use of livestock guardian dogs and the development of new methods of predator control by sheep producers, many of them non-lethal. Donkeys and guard llamas have been used since the 1980s in sheep operations, using the same basic principle as livestock guardian dogs. Interspecific pasturing, usually with larger livestock such as cattle or horses, may help to deter predators, even if such species do not actively guard sheep. In addition to animal guardians, contemporary sheep operations may use non-lethal predator deterrents such as motion-activated lights and noisy alarms.
Economic importance
Main article: Agricultural economics
Global sheep stock
in 2019
Number in millions
1. China163.5 (13.19%)
2. India74.3 (5.99%)
3. Australia65.8 (5.31%)
4. Nigeria46.9 (3.78%)
5. Iran41.3 (3.33%)
6. Sudan40.9 (3.3%)
7. Chad35.9 (2.9%)
8. Turkey35.2 (2.84%)
9. United Kingdom33.6 (2.71%)
10. Mongolia32.3 (2.61%)
World total1,239.8
Source: UN Food and Agriculture Organization
Sheep are an important part of the global agricultural economy. However, their once vital status has been largely replaced by other livestock species, especially the pig, chicken, and cow. China, Australia, India, and Iran have the largest modern flocks, and serve both local and exportation needs for wool and mutton. Other countries such as New Zealand have smaller flocks but retain a large international economic impact due to their export of sheep products. Sheep also play a major role in many local economies, which may be niche markets focused on organic or sustainable agriculture and local food customers. Especially in developing countries, such flocks may be a part of subsistence agriculture rather than a system of trade. Sheep themselves may be a medium of trade in barter economies.
Domestic sheep provide a wide array of raw materials. Wool was one of the first textiles, although in the late 20th century wool prices began to fall dramatically as the result of the popularity and cheap prices for synthetic fabrics. For many sheep owners, the cost of shearing is greater than the possible profit from the fleece, making subsisting on wool production alone practically impossible without farm subsidies. Fleeces are used as material in making alternative products such as wool insulation. In the 21st century, the sale of meat is the most profitable enterprise in the sheep industry, even though far less sheep meat is consumed than chicken, pork or beef.
Sheepskin is likewise used for making clothes, footwear, rugs, and other products. Byproducts from the slaughter of sheep are also of value: sheep tallow can be used in candle and soap making, sheep bone and cartilage has been used to furnish carved items such as dice and buttons as well as rendered glue and gelatin. Sheep intestine can be formed into sausage casings, and lamb intestine has been formed into surgical sutures, as well as strings for musical instruments and tennis rackets. Sheep droppings, which are high in cellulose, have even been sterilized and mixed with traditional pulp materials to make paper. Of all sheep byproducts, perhaps the most valuable is lanolin: the waterproof, fatty substance found naturally in sheep's wool and used as a base for innumerable cosmetics and other products.
Some farmers who keep sheep also make a profit from live sheep. Providing lambs for youth programs such as 4-H and competition at agricultural shows is often a dependable avenue for the sale of sheep. Farmers may also choose to focus on a particular breed of sheep in order to sell registered purebred animals, as well as provide a ram rental service for breeding. A new option for deriving profit from live sheep is the rental of flocks for grazing; these "mowing services" are hired in order to keep unwanted vegetation down in public spaces and to lessen fire hazard.
Despite the falling demand and price for sheep products in many markets, sheep have distinct economic advantages when compared with other livestock. They do not require expensive housing, such as that used in the intensive farming of chickens or pigs. They are an efficient use of land; roughly six sheep can be kept on the amount that would suffice for a single cow or horse. Sheep can also consume plants, such as noxious weeds, that most other animals will not touch, and produce more young at a faster rate. Also, in contrast to most livestock species, the cost of raising sheep is not necessarily tied to the price of feed crops such as grain, soybeans and corn. Combined with the lower cost of quality sheep, all these factors combine to equal a lower overhead for sheep producers, thus entailing a higher profitability potential for the small farmer. Sheep are especially beneficial for independent producers, including family farms with limited resources, as the sheep industry is one of the few types of animal agriculture that has not been vertically integrated by agribusiness. However, small flocks, from 10 to 50 ewes, often are not profitable because they tend to be poorly managed. The primary reason is that mechanization is not feasible, so return per hour of labor is not maximized. Small farm flocks generally are used simply to control weeds on irrigation ditches or maintained as a hobby.
Shoulder of lamb
Sheep meat and milk were one of the earliest staple proteins consumed by human civilization after the transition from hunting and gathering to agriculture. Sheep meat prepared for food is known as either mutton or lamb, and approximately 540 million sheep are slaughtered each year for meat worldwide. "Mutton" is derived from the Old French moton, which was the word for sheep used by the Anglo-Norman rulers of much of the British Isles in the Middle Ages. This became the name for sheep meat in English, while the Old English word sceap was kept for the live animal. Throughout modern history, "mutton" has been limited to the meat of mature sheep usually at least two years of age; "lamb" is used for that of immature sheep less than a year.
In the 21st century, the nations with the highest consumption of sheep meat are the Arab states of the Persian Gulf, New Zealand, Australia, Greece, Uruguay, the United Kingdom and Ireland. These countries eat 14–40 lbs (3–18 kg) of sheep meat per capita, per annum. Sheep meat is also popular in France, Africa (especially the Arab world), the Caribbean, the rest of the Middle East, India, and parts of China. This often reflects a history of sheep production. In these countries in particular, dishes comprising alternative cuts and offal may be popular or traditional. Sheep testicles—called animelles or lamb fries—are considered a delicacy in many parts of the world. Perhaps the most unusual dish of sheep meat is the Scottish haggis, composed of various sheep innards cooked along with oatmeal and chopped onions inside its stomach. In comparison, countries such as the U.S. consume only a pound or less (under 0.5 kg), with Americans eating 50 pounds (22 kg) of pork and 65 pounds (29 kg) of beef. In addition, such countries rarely eat mutton, and may favor the more expensive cuts of lamb: mostly lamb chops and leg of lamb.
Though sheep's milk may be drunk rarely in fresh form, today it is used predominantly in cheese and yogurt making. Sheep have only two teats, and produce a far smaller volume of milk than cows. However, as sheep's milk contains far more fat, solids, and minerals than cow's milk, it is ideal for the cheese-making process. It also resists contamination during cooling better because of its much higher calcium content. Well-known cheeses made from sheep milk include the feta of Bulgaria and Greece, Roquefort of France, Manchego from Spain, the pecorino romano (the Italian word for "sheep" is pecore) and ricotta of Italy. Yogurts, especially some forms of strained yogurt, may also be made from sheep milk. Many of these products are now often made with cow's milk, especially when produced outside their country of origin. Sheep milk contains 4.8% lactose, which may affect those who are intolerant.
As with other domestic animals, the meat of uncastrated males is inferior in quality, especially as they grow. A "bucky" lamb is a lamb which was not castrated early enough, or which was castrated improperly (resulting in one testicle being retained). These lambs are worth less at market.
In science
Sheep are generally too large and reproduce too slowly to make ideal research subjects, and thus are not a common model organism. They have, however, played an influential role in some fields of science. In particular, the Roslin Institute of Edinburgh, Scotland used sheep for genetics research that produced groundbreaking results. In 1995, two ewes named Megan and Morag were the first mammals cloned from differentiated cells, also referred to as gynomerogony. A year later, a Finnish Dorset sheep named Dolly, dubbed "the world's most famous sheep" in Scientific American, was the first mammal to be cloned from an adult somatic cell. Following this, Polly and Molly were the first mammals to be simultaneously cloned and transgenic.
As of 2008, the sheep genome has not been fully sequenced, although a detailed genetic map has been published, and a draft version of the complete genome produced by assembling sheep DNA sequences using information given by the genomes of other mammals. In 2012, a transgenic sheep named "Peng Peng" was cloned by Chinese scientists, who spliced his genes with that of a roundworm (C. elegans) in order to increase production of fats healthier for human consumption.
In the study of natural selection, the population of Soay sheep that remain on the island of Hirta have been used to explore the relation of body size and coloration to reproductive success. Soay sheep come in several colors, and researchers investigated why the larger, darker sheep were in decline; this occurrence contradicted the rule of thumb that larger members of a population tend to be more successful reproductively. The feral Soays on Hirta are especially useful subjects because they are isolated.
Domestic sheep are sometimes used in medical research, particularly for researching cardiovascular physiology, in areas such as hypertension and heart failure. Pregnant sheep are also a useful model for human pregnancy, and have been used to investigate the effects on fetal development of malnutrition and hypoxia. In behavioral sciences, sheep have been used in isolated cases for the study of facial recognition, as their mental process of recognition is qualitatively similar to humans.
Cultural impact
Sheep have had a strong presence in many cultures, especially in areas where they form the most common type of livestock. In the English language, to call someone a sheep or ovine may allude that they are timid and easily led. In contradiction to this image, male sheep are often used as symbols of virility and power; the logos of the Los Angeles Rams football team and the Dodge Ram pickup truck allude to males of the bighorn sheep, Ovis canadensis.
Counting sheep is popularly said to be an aid to sleep, and some ancient systems of counting sheep persist today. Sheep also enter in colloquial sayings and idiom frequently with such phrases as "black sheep". To call an individual a black sheep implies that they are an odd or disreputable member of a group. This usage derives from the recessive trait that causes an occasional black lamb to be born into an entirely white flock. These black sheep were considered undesirable by shepherds, as black wool is not as commercially viable as white wool. Citizens who accept overbearing governments have been referred to by the Portmanteau neologism of sheeple. Somewhat differently, the adjective "sheepish" is also used to describe embarrassment.
In heraldry
In British heraldry, sheep appear in the form of rams, sheep proper and lambs. These are distinguished by the ram being depicted with horns and a tail, the sheep with neither and the lamb with its tail only. A further variant of the lamb, termed the Paschal lamb, is depicted as carrying a Christian cross and with a halo over its head. Rams' heads, portrayed without a neck and facing the viewer, are also found in British armories. The fleece, depicted as an entire sheepskin carried by a ring around its midsection, originally became known through its use in the arms of the Order of the Golden Fleece and was later adopted by towns and individuals with connections to the wool industry. A sheep on a blue field is depicted on the greater/royal arms of the king of Denmark to represent the Faroe Islands. In 2004 a modernized arms has been adopted by the Faroe Islands, which based on a 15th century coat of arms.
Religion and folklore
In antiquity, symbolism involving sheep cropped up in religions in the ancient Near East, the Mideast, and the Mediterranean area: Çatalhöyük, ancient Egyptian religion, the Cana'anite and Phoenician tradition, Judaism, Greek religion, and others. Religious symbolism and ritual involving sheep began with some of the first known faiths: Skulls of rams (along with bulls) occupied central placement in shrines at the Çatalhöyük settlement in 8,000 BCE. In Ancient Egyptian religion, the ram was the symbol of several gods: Khnum, Heryshaf and Amun (in his incarnation as a god of fertility). Other deities occasionally shown with ram features include the goddess Ishtar, the Phoenician god Baal-Hamon, and the Babylonian god Ea-Oannes. In Madagascar, sheep were not eaten as they were believed to be incarnations of the souls of ancestors.
There are many ancient Greek references to sheep: that of Chrysomallos, the golden-fleeced ram, continuing to be told through into the modern era. Astrologically, Aries, the ram, is the first sign of the classical Greek zodiac, and the sheep is the eighth of the twelve animals associated with the 12-year cycle of in the Chinese zodiac, related to the Chinese calendar. It is said in Chinese traditions that Hou ji sacrificed sheep. Mongolia, shagai are an ancient form of dice made from the cuboid bones of sheep that are often used for fortunetelling purposes.
Sheep play an important role in all the Abrahamic faiths; Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and King David were all shepherds. According to the Biblical story of the Binding of Isaac, a ram is sacrificed as a substitute for Isaac after an angel stays Abraham's hand (in the Islamic tradition, Abraham was about to sacrifice Ishmael). Eid al-Adha is a major annual festival in Islam in which sheep (or other animals) are sacrificed in remembrance of this act. Sheep are occasionally sacrificed to commemorate important secular events in Islamic cultures. Greeks and Romans sacrificed sheep regularly in religious practice, and Judaism once sacrificed sheep as a Korban (sacrifice), such as the Passover lamb. Ovine symbols—such as the ceremonial blowing of a shofar—still find a presence in modern Judaic traditions.
Collectively, followers of Christianity are often referred to as a flock, with Christ as the Good Shepherd, and sheep are an element in the Christian iconography of the birth of Jesus. Some Christian saints are considered patrons of shepherds, and even of sheep themselves. Christ is also portrayed as the Sacrificial lamb of God (Agnus Dei) and Easter celebrations in Greece and Romania traditionally feature a meal of Paschal lamb. A church leader is often called the pastor, which is derived from the Latin word for shepherd. In many western Christian traditions bishops carry a staff, which also serves as a symbol of the episcopal office, known as a crosier, which is modeled on the shepherd's crook.
Sheep are key symbols in fables and nursery rhymes like The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing, Little Bo Peep, Baa, Baa, Black Sheep, and Mary Had a Little Lamb; novels such as George Orwell's Animal Farm and Haruki Murakami's A Wild Sheep Chase; songs such as Bach's Sheep may safely graze (Schafe können sicher weiden) and Pink Floyd's "Sheep", and poems like William Blake's "The Lamb".