Kathy DeHaan, age 10, of Peoria, I11., for her question:

WHERE ARE THE EYES OF AN OCTOPUS?

Most of our everyday animals have an understandable body plan with a head, mouth and eyes where we expect them to be. Not so the octopus. His body plan is most unusual and not easy to understand. His body is a bulging bag, with a head tucked into one end. The head has a mouth surrounded by an umbrella of eight tentacles. His big staring eyes are placed behind the tentacles, one on each side of his head.

A giant octopus of the deep ocean has a mouth like a parrot's beak. And those staring eyes near the top of his head are quite remarkable. Researchers tell us the octopus can detect colors and his eyes are very much like human eyes. Besides, the octopus is a very smart animal, and when he stares through his watery world he knows what he sees.