summaryrefslogtreecommitdiff
path: root/51166-0.txt
diff options
context:
space:
mode:
authorRoger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org>2025-10-14 18:22:04 -0700
committerRoger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org>2025-10-14 18:22:04 -0700
commitb7e724e6b9fb1011ec5fa61cdc5d63f66530fab4 (patch)
tree043a65819dafb904e8f195e96a3261d91f7815f9 /51166-0.txt
initial commit of ebook 51166HEADmain
Diffstat (limited to '51166-0.txt')
-rw-r--r--51166-0.txt21973
1 files changed, 21973 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/51166-0.txt b/51166-0.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..597a14c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/51166-0.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,21973 @@
+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 51166 ***
+
+ [Illustration: frontispiece]
+
+
+
+
+ MRS. LOUDON’S
+ ENTERTAINING NATURALIST,
+ BEING
+ POPULAR DESCRIPTIONS, TALES, AND
+ ANECDOTES
+
+ OF MORE THAN
+
+ FIVE HUNDRED ANIMALS.
+
+ _A NEW EDITION, REVISED AND ENLARGED_.
+
+ BY
+
+ W. S. DALLAS, F.L.S.
+
+ LONDON:
+ BELL & DALDY, 6, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN,
+
+ 1867.
+
+
+ LONDON: PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, STAMFORD STREET
+ AND CHARING CROSS.
+
+
+
+
+
+_PREFACE._
+
+
+MRS. LOUDON’S _Entertaining Naturalist_ has been so deservedly popular
+that the publishers, in preparing a new edition, have striven to render
+it still more worthy of the reputation it has obtained. For this
+purpose, it has been very thoroughly revised and enlarged by Mr. W. S.
+Dallas, Member of the Zoological Society, and Curator of the Museum of
+Natural History at York, and several illustrations have been added.
+
+In its present form, it is not only a complete Popular Natural History
+of an entertaining character, with an illustration of nearly every
+animal mentioned, but its instructive introductions on the
+Classification of Animals adapt it well for use as an elementary Manual
+of the Natural History of the Animal Kingdom for the use of the Young.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+INTRODUCTION.
+
+
+ZOOLOGY is that branch of Natural History which treats of animals, and
+embraces not only their structure and functions, their habits,
+instincts, and utility, but their names and systematic arrangement.
+
+Various systems have been proposed by different naturalists for the
+scientific arrangement of the animal kingdom, but that of Cuvier, with
+some modifications, is now thought the best, and a sketch of it will be
+found under the head of the Modern System in this Introduction. As,
+however, the System of Linnæus was formerly in general use, and is still
+often referred to, it has been thought advisable to give a sketch of it
+first; that the reader may be aware of the difference between the old
+system and the new one.
+
+
+_LINNÆAN SYSTEM._
+
+According to the system of Linnæus, the objects comprehended within the
+animal kingdom were divided into six classes: Mammalia or Mammiferous
+Animals, Birds, Amphibia or Amphibious Animals, Fishes, Insects, and
+Worms, which were thus distinguished:
+
+CLASSES.
+
+ { With vertebræ { Hot Blood { Viviparous I. MAMMALIA.
+ { { { Oviparous II. BIRDS.
+ Body { { Cold red Blood { With lungs III. AMPHIBIA.
+ { { With gills IV. FISHES.
+ { Without vertebræ Cold white Blood { Having antennæ V. INSECTS.
+ { Having tentacula VI. WORMS.
+
+
+ORDERS OF MAMMALIA.
+
+The first class, or Mammalia, consists of such animals as produce living
+offspring, and nourish their young ones with milk supplied from their
+own bodies; and it comprises both the quadrupeds and the cetacea.
+
+This class was divided by Linnæus into seven Orders: viz. _primates_,
+_bruta_, _feræ_, _glires_, _pecora_, _belluæ_, and _cetacea_ (this order
+was called Cete by Linnæus) or whales. The characteristics of these were
+founded, for the most part, on the number and arrangement of the teeth;
+and on the form and construction of the feet, or of those parts in the
+seals, manati, and cetacea, which supply the place of feet:
+
+ I. PRIMATES.--Having the upper front teeth, generally four in
+ number, wedge-shaped, and parallel; and two teats situated on the
+ breast, as the apes and monkeys.
+
+ II. BRUTA.--Having no front teeth in either jaw; and the feet armed
+ with strong hoof-like nails, as the elephant.
+
+ III. FERÆ.--Having in general six front teeth in each jaw; a single
+ canine tooth on each side in both jaws; and the grinders with conic
+ projections, as the dogs and cats.
+
+ IV. GLIRES.--Having in each jaw two long projecting front teeth,
+ which stand close together; and no canine teeth in either jaw, as
+ the rats and mice.
+
+ V. PECORA.--Having no front teeth in the upper jaw; six or eight in
+ the lower jaw, situated at a considerable distance from the
+ grinders; and the feet with hoofs, as cattle and sheep.
+
+ VI. BELLUÆ.--Having blunt wedge-shaped front teeth in both jaws;
+ and the feet with hoofs, as horses.
+
+ VII. CETACEA.--Having spiracles or breathing-holes on the head;
+ fins instead of fore feet; and a tail flattened horizontally,
+ instead of hind feet. This order consists of the narvals, whales,
+ cachalots, and dolphins.
+
+
+ORDERS OF BIRDS.
+
+The second class, or Birds, comprises all such animals as have their
+bodies clad with feathers. Their jaws are elongated, and covered
+externally with a horny substance, called a bill or beak, which is
+divided into two parts called mandibles. Their eyes are furnished with a
+thin, whitish, and somewhat transparent membrane, that can at pleasure
+be drawn over the whole external surface like a curtain. Their organs of
+motion are two wings and two legs; and they are destitute of external
+ears, lips, and many other parts which are important to quadrupeds. That
+part of Zoology which treats of Birds is called Ornithology.
+
+Linnæus divided this class into six Orders:
+
+
+1. _Land Birds._
+
+ I. RAPACIOUS BIRDS (_Accipitres_).--Having the upper mandible
+ hooked, and an angular projection on each side near the point, as
+ the eagles, hawks, and owls.
+
+ II. PIES (_Picæ_).--Having their bills sharp at the edge, somewhat
+ compressed at the sides, and convex on the top, as the crow.
+
+ III. PASSERINE BIRDS (_Passeres_).--Having the bill conical and
+ pointed, and the nostrils oval, open, and naked, as the sparrow and
+ linnet.
+
+
+ IV. GALLINACEOUS BIRDS (_Gallinæ_).--Having the upper mandible
+ arched, and covering the lower one at the edge, and the nostrils
+ arched over with a cartilaginous membrane, as the common poultry.
+
+
+2. _Water Birds._
+
+ V. WADERS (_Grallæ_).--Having a roundish bill, a fleshy tongue, and
+ the legs naked above the knees, as the herons, plovers, and snipes.
+
+ VI. SWIMMERS (_Anseres_).--Having their bills broad at the top, and
+ covered with a soft skin, and the feet webbed, as ducks and geese.
+
+
+ORDERS OF AMPHIBIA.
+
+Under the third class, or Amphibia, Linnæus arranged such animals as
+have a cold, and, generally, naked body, a lurid colour, and nauseous
+smell. They respire chiefly by lungs, but they have the power of
+suspending respiration for a long time. They are extremely tenacious of
+life, and can repair certain parts of their bodies which have been lost.
+They are also able to endure hunger, sometimes even for months, without
+injury.
+
+The bodies of some of them, as the turtles and tortoises, are protected
+by a hard and horny shield or covering; those of others are clad with
+scales, as the serpents, and some of the lizards; whilst others, as the
+frogs, toads, and most of the water-lizards, are entirely naked, or have
+their skin covered with warts. Many of the species shed their skins at
+certain times of the year. Several of them are furnished with a poison,
+which they eject into wounds that are made by their teeth. They chiefly
+live in retired, watery, and marshy places; and, for the most part, feed
+on other animals, though some of them eat water-plants, and many feed on
+garbage and filth. None of these species chew their food; they swallow
+it whole, and digest it very slowly.
+
+The offspring of all these animals are produced from eggs, which, after
+they have been deposited by the parent animals in a proper place, are
+hatched by the heat of the sun. The eggs of some of the species are
+covered with a shell; those of others have a soft and tough skin or
+covering, not much unlike wet parchment; and the eggs of several are
+perfectly gelatinous. In those few that produce their offspring alive,
+as the vipers and some other serpents, the eggs are regularly formed,
+but are hatched within the bodies of the females.
+
+This class Linnæus divided into three Orders:
+
+ I. REPTILES.--Having four legs, and walking with a crawling pace,
+ as the tortoises, toads, and lizards.
+
+ II. SERPENTS.--Having no legs, but crawling on the body.
+
+ III. NANTES.--Living in the water, furnished with fins, and
+ breathing by means of gills. These are true Fishes, principally of
+ the group termed _Chondropterygii_, or Cartilaginous Fishes, by
+ Cuvier.
+
+
+
+ORDERS OF FISHES.
+
+Fishes constituted Linnæus’s fourth class of animals. They are all
+inhabitants of the water, in which they move by certain organs called
+fins. Those situated on the back are called dorsal fins; those on the
+sides, behind the gills, pectoral fins; those below the body, near the
+head, are ventral; those behind the vent are anal; and that which forms
+the tail is called the caudal fin. Fishes breathe by gills, which, in
+most species, are situated at the sides of the head. Fishes rise and
+sink in the water, generally by a kind of bladder in the interior of the
+body, called an air-bladder. Some of them do not possess this organ, and
+consequently are seldom found but at the bottom of the sea, from which
+they can only rise by an effort. The bodies of these animals are usually
+covered with scales, which keep them from injury by the contact of the
+water.
+
+The fishes were divided by Linnæus into four Orders:
+
+ I. APODAL.--Having no ventral fins, as the eel.
+
+ II. JUGULAR.--Having the ventral fins situated in front of the
+ pectoral fins, as the cod, haddock, and whiting.
+
+ III. THORACIC.--Having the ventral fins situated directly under the
+ pectoral fins, as the perch and mackerel.
+
+ IV. ABDOMINAL.--Having the ventral fins on the lower part of the
+ body below the pectoral fins, as the salmon, herring, and carp.
+
+
+ORDERS OF INSECTS.
+
+The fifth class of Linnæus comprised the Insects; and the branch of
+Zoology which treats of them is called Entomology. Nearly all insects go
+through certain great changes at different periods of their existence.
+From the egg is hatched the larva, which is a grub or caterpillar, and
+destitute of wings; this afterwards changes to a pupa, or chrysalis,
+wholly covered with a hard shell, or strong skin, from which the perfect
+or winged insect bursts forth. Spiders and their allies, which were
+included by Linnæus in the insects, issue from the egg in nearly a
+perfect state.
+
+Linnæus divided his class of insects into seven Orders:
+
+ I. COLEOPTEROUS.--Having elytra, or crustaceous cases covering the
+ wings; and which, when closed, meet in a straight line along the
+ middle of the back, as the cockchafer.
+
+ II. HEMIPTEROUS.--Having four wings, the upper ones partly
+ crustaceous, and partly membranous; not divided straight down the
+ middle of the back, but crossed, or incumbent on each other, as the
+ cockroach.
+
+ III. LEPIDOPTEROUS.--Having four wings covered with fine scales
+ almost like powder, as the butterflies and moths.
+
+ IV. NEUROPTEROUS.--Having four membranous and semi-transparent
+ wings, veined like network; and the tail without a sting, as the
+ dragon-fly and ephemera.
+ V. HYMENOPTEROUS.--Having four membranous and semi-transparent
+ wings, veined like network; and the tail armed with a sting, as the
+ wasp and bee.
+
+ VI. DIPTEROUS.--Having only two wings, as the common house-flies.
+
+ VII. APTEROUS.--Having no wings, as the spiders.
+
+
+ORDERS OF VERMES, OR WORMS.
+
+The sixth and last Linnæan class consisted of Worms, or Vermes. These
+are slow of motion, and have soft and fleshy bodies. Some of them have
+hard internal parts, and others have crustaceous coverings. In some of
+the species, eyes and ears are very perceptible, whilst others appear to
+enjoy only the senses of taste and touch. Many have no distinct head,
+and most of them are destitute of feet. They are, in general, so
+tenacious of life, that parts which have been destroyed will be
+reproduced. These animals are principally distinguished from those of
+the other classes by having tentacula, or feelers, and are divided by
+Linnæus into five Orders:
+
+ I. INTESTINA.--Are simple and naked, without limbs; some of them
+ live within other animals, as the ascarides and tape-worms; others
+ in water, as the leeches; and a few in the earth, as the
+ earth-worm.
+
+ II. MOLLUSCA.--Are simple animals, without shells, and furnished
+ with limbs, as the cuttle-fish, medusa, star-fish, and sea-urchin.
+
+ III. TESTACEA.--Are animals similar to the last, but covered with
+ shells, as oysters, cockles, snails, and limpets.
+
+ IV. LITHOPHYTA.--Are composite Polyps, dwelling in cells in a
+ calcareous base which they produce, as corals and madrepores.
+
+ V. ZOOPHYTA.--Are usually composite animals, but do not reside in
+ stony cells. The coral, sponge, and polyps are instances of this
+ order, which also includes the Infusorial Animalcules.
+
+
+_MODERN SYSTEM._
+
+It will be found by reading the following sketch of the Modern System
+that the greatest change has taken place in the latter two classes. The
+others remain nearly the same in effect, though their distinctions are
+different, and the classes are not arranged in the same order.
+
+According to Cuvier, all animals are arranged in four great divisions,
+which are subdivided into classes and orders, as follows:--
+
+ Divisions Classes No. of Orders
+ I. VERTEBRATA. } 1. Mammalia Nine.
+ Four Classes. Twenty-seven Orders. } 2. Aves Six.
+ } 3. Reptilia Four.
+ } 4. Pisces Eight.
+ II. MOLLUSCA. } 1. Cephalopoda One.
+ } 2. Pteropoda One.
+ Six Classes. Fifteen Orders. } 3. Gasteropoda Nine.
+ } 4. Acephala Two.
+ } 5. Brachiopoda One.
+ } 6. Cirrhopoda One.
+
+
+ III. ARTICULATA. } 1. Annelides Three.
+ } 2. Crustacea Seven.
+ Four Classes. Twenty-four Orders. } 3. Arachnida Two.
+ } 4. Insecta Twelve.
+
+
+ IV. RADIATA. } 1. Echinodermata Two.
+ } 2. Entozoa Two.
+ Five Classes. Eleven Orders. } 3. Acalephæ Two.
+ } 4. Polypi Three.
+ } 5. Infusoria Two.
+
+
+THE VERTEBRATED ANIMALS
+
+Have a backbone divided into vertebræ or joints, whence they take their
+name. They have also separate senses for hearing, seeing, tasting,
+smelling, and feeling; a distinct head, with a mouth opening by two
+horizontal jaws; a muscular heart, and red blood. The four classes of
+Vertebrata and their orders are as follow:--
+
+ I. THE MAMMALIA are all furnished with mammæ, or teats, through
+ which they give milk to their young, which they bring forth alive.
+ They have warm blood, which all circulates from the heart through
+ the lungs, and returns to the heart before it passes through the
+ body. Their skins are naked, or covered with wool or hair, and
+ their mouths are generally furnished with teeth. There are eleven
+ orders, which are thus distinguished:--
+
+
+SECTION I.--_Unguiculated Animals, or Mammalia having Nails or Claws._
+
+ I. _Bimana_, or two-handed. This order contains only the human
+ species.
+
+ II. _Quadrumana_, or four-handed. This order contains the apes,
+ baboons, and monkeys, and the lemurs.
+
+ III. _Cheiroptera_, the bat family.
+
+ IV. _Carnivora_, or beasts of prey. This order is divided into the
+ following three tribes:--
+
+ 1. _The Insectivora_, consisting of those animals which live upon
+ insects, as the hedgehog, the shrew, and the mole.
+
+ 2. _The Carnivora proper_, consisting chiefly of the cat family,
+ including lions, tigers, and their allies; the bear family,
+ including the badger, the coati-mondi, the racoon, &c.; the dog
+ family, including the wolf and the fox; the weasel family; the
+ civet-cats; and the hyæna.
+
+ 3. _The Amphibia_, consisting of the seals, and other allied
+ animals.
+
+
+ V. _Marsupialia_, including the opossums and the kangaroos.
+
+ VI. _Monothrema_, containing the Echidna and Ornithorhynchus of
+ Australia.
+
+ VII. _Rodentia_, or gnawing animals. The principal of these are the
+ squirrel family, mice and rats, hares and rabbits, the beaver, the
+ porcupine, and the guinea-pig.
+
+ VIII. _Edentata_, or toothless animals, that is, without front
+ teeth. The principal of these are the sloths, the armadillos, and
+ the ant-eaters.
+
+
+SECTION II.--_Ungulated or Hoofed Mammalia._
+
+ IX. _Pachydermata_, or thick-skinned animals. The principal of
+ these are the elephant, the hippopotamus, the rhinoceros; the horse
+ family, including the ass, the mule, the zebra, and the quagga; the
+ wild boar family, and the tapir.
+
+ X. _Ruminantia_, or ruminating animals, the principal of which are
+ the camel family, the deer family, the giraffe, the antelope
+ family, the goat family, the sheep family, and the ox family.
+
+
+SECTION III.--_Aquatic Mammalia, having no Hind Limbs, and the Fore
+Limbs converted into Fins._
+
+ XI. _Cetacea_, or sea mammalia, the principal of which are the
+ whale family, the dolphin family, the manati, the porpoise family,
+ and the narwhal, or sea-unicorn.
+
+
+THE AVES, OR BIRDS,
+
+Lay eggs from which their young are hatched by what is called
+incubation. Their skins are covered with feathers; and their jaws are
+horny, without teeth. Their blood is warm, and circulates like that of
+the mammalia. The six orders of Aves are as follow:--
+
+ 1. _Raptores_, or birds of prey. These birds are distinguished by a
+ very strong and sharp bill more or less curved, but always hooked
+ at the extremity of the upper mandible, which is covered at the
+ base with a kind of skin called the cere. The nostrils are usually
+ open. The legs are very strong, the feet are large, and the toes,
+ which are four in number, are armed with very strong, sharp, curved
+ claws. The principal raptorial birds are the vultures, including
+ the condor; the falcon family, including the eagles, hawks, kites,
+ and buzzards; and the owls.
+
+ 2. _Insessores_, or perching birds. These birds have all feet
+ formed for perching, the hind toe springing from the same place as
+ the other toes, which gives them great power of grasping. Their
+ legs are of moderate length, and their claws not sharply curved.
+ This order includes the thrushes, nightingales, and all the finest
+ songsters of our groves, with the robin-redbreast, the sparrow, and
+ other birds seen about dwellings, the swallows, the larks, the crow
+ family, the kingfishers, the birds of paradise, and the humming
+ birds.
+ 3. _Scansores_, or climbers. These birds have two toes before and
+ two behind. This construction gives them such great power of
+ climbing, that they can ascend the perpendicular trunk of a tree.
+ The principal birds in this order are the parrots, the cuckoos, and
+ the woodpeckers.
+
+ 4. _Rasores_, or gallinaceous birds. These birds have the head
+ small in proportion to the body. The bill is generally short, with
+ the upper mandible somewhat curved. The nostrils have usually a
+ protecting fleshy membrane. The tarsus, or lower part of the leg,
+ is long and bare, and there are four toes, those in front being
+ united by a slight membrane, while that behind is generally higher
+ up the leg, and smaller than the others. This order comprises most
+ of the birds used as food, and includes the peacock, the turkey,
+ the common cock and hen, the partridge, the pheasant, and the
+ pigeon family.
+
+ 5. _Grallatores_, or Waders. These birds are characterised by their
+ long and slender legs, and by the thighs being more or less bare.
+ There are three anterior toes, more or less united at the base by a
+ membrane, or rudimentary web. The hind toe is wanting in some
+ members of the order. This order contains the ostrich family, the
+ bustards and plovers; the cranes, herons, and storks; and the
+ snipes and woodcocks.
+
+ 6. _Palmipedes_, or web-footed birds. These birds have the legs and
+ feet short, and placed behind, with their fore toes united by a
+ thick and strong membrane. The neck is much longer than the legs,
+ and their bodies are covered with a dense layer of down beneath the
+ outer plumage, which is close, and imbued with an oily fluid that
+ repels the water. The principal birds in this order are the grebes,
+ the auks and penguins, the petrels, the pelican and cormorant and
+ the swans, ducks, and geese.
+
+ By many ornithologists the pigeons and ostriches are considered to
+ form distinct orders, called respectively _Columbæ_ and _Cursores_.
+
+
+THE REPTILIA,
+
+Or Reptiles, have neither hair, wool, nor feathers, and their bodies are
+either naked, or covered with scales. Some lay eggs, and some bring
+forth their young alive. Some have gills, and others lungs, but the
+latter have only a portion of the blood passing through them; and thus
+the blood of reptiles is cold, as it is respiration which gives the
+blood heat. The senses of reptiles are dull, and their movements are
+either slow or laborious. The following are the four orders into which
+this class is divided:--
+
+ 1. _Chelonian Reptiles._ These animals have four legs. The body is
+ enclosed in an upper buckler, called the carapace, and an under
+ one, called the plastron. They have lungs which are much expanded;
+ but they have no teeth, though they have hard horny jaws. The
+ females lay eggs covered with a hard shell. The principal animals
+ belonging to this division are the tortoises, which live on land or
+ in fresh waters, and the turtles, which inhabit the sea.
+
+
+ 2. _The Saurian Reptiles._ These animals have also expanded lungs,
+ and generally four legs, but some have only two. Their bodies are
+ covered with scales, and their mouths filled with teeth. This order
+ includes all the crocodiles and lizards. The crocodiles have broad
+ flat tongues, attached throughout to the jaws, and the lizards have
+ long narrow tongues, which many of them can extend to a great
+ distance from the mouth.
+
+ 3. _The Ophidian Reptiles_ are the snakes and serpents. The body is
+ covered with scales, but it is destitute of feet. The lungs are
+ generally well developed, only on one side. Serpents are frequently
+ furnished with poison-bags at the base of some of their teeth.
+
+ 4. _The Batrachian Reptiles_ include the frogs and toads. The body
+ is naked. The greater part of these reptiles undergo a transition
+ from a fish-like tadpole furnished with gills to a four-legged
+ animal with lungs. Others never lose their gills, though they
+ acquire lungs, and of this kind are the siren and the proteus.
+
+
+THE PISCES,
+
+Or Fishes, are defined by Cuvier to be vertebrated animals with red
+blood, breathing through the medium of water by means of their branchiæ
+or gills. To this definition may be added, that fishes have no neck, and
+that the body generally tapers from the head to the tail; that most of
+the species are furnished with air-bladders which enable them to swim;
+and that their bodies are generally covered with scales. The heart has
+only one auricle, and the blood is cold. The gills require to be kept
+moist to enable the fish to breathe, and as soon as they become dry, the
+fish dies. Thus fishes with large gill openings die almost as soon as
+they are taken out of the water; while those with very small openings,
+like the eel, live a long time. Fishes have no feet, but are furnished
+with fins. The scientific knowledge of Fishes is called Ichthyology.
+Fishes are first divided into two great series, viz. the Bony Fishes,
+and the Cartilaginous Fishes, and these are again subdivided into nine
+orders, as follows:--
+
+
+OSSEOUS OR BONY FISHES.
+
+ 1. _Acanthopterygii_, or fishes with hard fins.
+
+ 2. _Malacopterygii abdominales_, or soft-finned fishes, with the
+ ventral fins on the abdomen behind the pectorals.
+
+ 3. _Malacopterygii sub-brachiati_, or soft-finned fishes, with the
+ ventral fins under the gills.
+
+ 4. _Malacopterygii apodes_, or soft-finned fishes, without ventral
+ fins.
+
+ 5. _Lophobranchii_, or fishes with tufted gills.
+
+ 6. _Plectognathii_, or fishes with the upper jaw fixed.
+
+
+CHONDROPTERYGII, OR CARTILAGINOUS FISHES.
+
+ 7. _Cyclostomi_, or fishes with jaws fixed in an immovable ring,
+ and with holes for the gills.
+
+ 8. _Selachii_, or fishes with movable jaws and holes for the gills.
+
+ 9. _Sturiones_, with the branchiæ in the usual form.
+
+
+Of the bony fishes the _Acanthopterygii_, or fishes with hard spiny
+fins, are divided into fifteen families, the principal of which are the
+perch family, the mailed cheek fishes, including the gurnards, the
+flying fish of the Mediterranean, and the sticklebacks, or jack
+banticles; the mackerel family, including the tunny, bonito, and
+sword-fish; the pilot-fish, the dolphin of the Mediterranean, so
+celebrated for the beauty of its dying tints, and the John Dory. Among
+the _Malacopterygii abdominales_, or soft-finned fishes, that have their
+ventral fins suspended from the abdomen, the most interesting are the
+carp family, the pike family, the flying-fish of the ocean, the salmon
+family, and the herring family, including the sprat, pilchard, and
+anchovy.
+
+_The Malacopterygii sub-brachiati_ are soft-finned fishes, with the
+ventral fins beneath the pectorals; the principal of which are the cod
+family, including the haddock, whiting, and ling; the flat-fish family,
+including soles, turbots, plaice, and flounders; and the suckers or
+lump-fish.
+
+_The Malacopterygii apodes_ are confined to the eel family.
+
+_The Lophobranchii_ include the pipe fish, and other fishes of similar
+form.
+
+_The Plectognathi_ comprise the very singular forms of the balloon-fish,
+the sun-fish, and other similar fishes.
+
+_The Chondropterygii, or Cartilaginous fishes_, are divided into three
+orders, viz. _the Sturiones_, or sturgeon family; _the Selachi_, or
+sharks and rays, including the torpedo; and _the Cyclostomi_, or lamprey
+family. The last two orders were included by Cuvier in a single one.
+
+
+THE MOLLUSCOUS ANIMALS
+
+Have no bones except their shells. Their sense of feeling appears to be
+very acute, but the organs for the other senses are either wanting or
+very imperfect. The blood is cold and white, and the heart often
+consists of only one ventricle; a few of them have imperfect lungs, but
+the greater number breathe through gills. They have all the power of
+remaining a long time in a state of rest, and their movements are either
+slow or violently laborious. Some of them appear incapable of
+locomotion. They produce their young from eggs, but some lay their eggs
+on a part of their own body, where the young are hatched. The following
+are Cuvier’s six classes:--
+
+ 1. _Cephalopoda, or Head-footed Mollusca._ These animals are
+ furnished with long fleshy arms or feet, proceeding from the head,
+ which is not distinct from the body, and on which they crawl. There
+ is only one order, which includes the cuttle-fish, nautilus, and
+ belemnites.
+
+ 2. _Pteropoda, or Wing-footed Mollusca._ These animals have two
+ membranous feet or arms, like wings, proceeding from the neck.
+ There is only one order, which contains six genera, the best known
+ of which is the Hyalæa, the shell of which is commonly called
+ Venus’s chariot.
+
+ 3. _Gasteropoda, or Body-footed Mollusca._ All these animals crawl
+ with the flat part of the body, which acts as a kind of sucker.
+ There are nine orders in Cuvier’s system. The common snail will
+ give an idea of the habits of the class.
+ 4. _Acephala, or Headless Mollusca._ These animals have no apparent
+ head, and breathe by means of branchiæ, which are generally
+ ribbon-shaped. Most of them are enclosed in a bivalve shell, but
+ some are naked; the former are the _Testacea_ of Cuvier, and the
+ _Conchifera_ of Lamarck; the latter are the _Tunicata_ of Lamarck.
+ They form two orders.
+
+ 5. _Brachiopoda, or Arm-footed Mollusca._ These animals also have a
+ bivalve shell; but they have no true branchiæ, and their
+ respiration is effected by the agency of the mantle. They have two
+ spiral arms.
+
+ 6. _Cirrhopoda, or Curled-footed Mollusca._ These are generally
+ attached, and enclosed in a shell of several pieces; they are
+ furnished with a mouth, armed with jaws, and with several pairs of
+ jointed and fringed organs, called cirri, by the protrusion and
+ retraction of which they capture their prey. Examples of this class
+ are the Barnacles and Acorn shells. These animals have long ceased
+ to be regarded as Mollusca, the investigations of modern
+ naturalists having proved them to be true articulated animals most
+ nearly related to the Crustacea.
+
+
+THE ARTICULATED ANIMALS
+
+Have no back-bone. The covering of the body is sometimes hard and
+sometimes soft, but it is always divided into segments by a number of
+transverse incisions. The limbs, when the body is provided with any, are
+jointed; and they can be separated from the body without any serious
+injury being sustained by the animal, new limbs being shortly after
+formed to replace them. The senses of tasting and seeing are more
+perfect than those of the Mollusca, though that of feeling seems much
+less acute. In other respects the four classes differ considerably from
+each other.
+
+[_The Entozoa, or Intestinal Worms_, placed by Cuvier and others among
+the Radiata, are now arranged amongst the lowest forms of articulated
+animals, as are also those animalcules known as _Rotifera_.]
+
+ I. _The Annelida, or Red-blooded Worms_, have no heart, properly so
+ called, but have sometimes one or more fleshy ventricles. They
+ breathe through branchiæ. Their bodies are soft, and more or less
+ elongated, being divided into numerous rings or segments. The head,
+ which is at one extremity of the body, can scarcely be
+ distinguished from the tail, except by having a mouth. These
+ animals have no feet, properly so called, but they are furnished
+ with little fleshy projections, bearing tufts of hairs or bristles,
+ which enable them to move. They are generally of carnivorous
+ habits. They lay eggs, but the young are frequently hatched before
+ exclusion, and hence these creatures are said to be ovoviviparous.
+ Their study is called Helminthology. As examples of the three
+ orders of this class may be mentioned the serpulæ or worm-like
+ animals, often found on shells, the common earthworm, and the leech
+ family.
+
+ II. _The Crustacea_ comprise the shell-fish commonly called crabs,
+ lobsters, shrimps, and prawns. They have a distinct head, furnished
+ with antennæ, eyes, and mouth; and their bodies are covered with a
+ crust or shell, divided into segments by transverse incisions, the
+ segments being united by a strong membrane. Once a year the larger
+ species of these animals moult, throwing off their old crust or
+ shell, and forming a new one, the animal remaining in a naked and
+ greatly weakened state during the intermediate time. Many of the
+ Crustacea swim with great ease, but on land their motions are
+ generally cramped and awkward; and they are confined to crawling,
+ or leaping by means of the tail. When a limb is injured they
+ possess the extraordinary power of throwing it off, and forming a
+ new one. The Crustacea lay eggs, and the young of some of the
+ species undergo a transformation before they attain their full
+ size. The Crustacea were divided into two sections and seven orders
+ by Latreille, which are as follow:--
+
+
+SECTION I. _Malacostraca._
+
+Shell solid, legs ten or fourteen, foot-jaws six or ten, mandibles two,
+maxillæ four; mouth with a labrum.
+
+ Sub-section I. _Podophthalma_, eyes on foot-stalks.
+
+ ORDER 1. _Decapoda_, legs ten.
+
+ Sub-order 1. _Brachyura_, the crabs.
+
+ Sub-order 2. _Macroura_, the lobsters.
+
+ ORDER 2. _Stomapoda_, legs more than ten.
+
+ Sub-section II. _Edriophthalma_, eyes not on foot-stalks.
+
+ ORDER 3. _Amphipoda_, body compressed; mandibles palpigerous.
+
+ ORDER 4. _Læmodipoda_, abdomen rudimental, with only the rudiments
+ of one or two pairs of appendages.
+
+ ORDER 5. _Isopoda_, body depressed; abdominal appendages flat;
+ mandibles not palpigerous.
+
+
+SECTION II. _Entomostraca._
+
+Shell not solid; legs variable in number; mouth variable.
+
+ ORDER 6. _Branchiopoda._ Integuments horny, branchiæ feathery,
+ forming part of the feet.
+
+ It is to this division of the Crustacea that the Cirrhopoda are now
+ referred.
+
+ ORDER 7. _Pæcilopoda_, mouth suctorial.
+
+ Sub-order 1. _Xiphosura_, or king-crabs.
+
+ Sub-order 2. _Siphonostoma_, or fish parasites.
+
+ III. _The Arachnida_ are defined by Lamarck to be oviparous
+ animals, provided with six or more articulated legs, not subject to
+ metamorphosis, and never acquiring any new kinds of organs. It is
+ now known, however, that some mites undergo a sort of
+ metamorphosis, having only six legs when first hatched, and passing
+ through a quiet pupa stage before acquiring their perfect form.
+ Their respiration is either by means of air-sacks, which serve for
+ lungs, or of a kind of tube with circular openings for the
+ admission of air. There is a rudimentary heart and circulation in
+ most of the species. There are two orders; those with lungs, and
+ those without.
+
+ ORDER I. _Pulmonariæ._ The Arachnides comprised in this division
+ have air-sacks, which serve for lungs, a heart with distinct
+ vessels, and from six to eight simple eyes. There are two distinct
+ families: viz. _Araneides_, comprising all the spiders and
+ spinners; and Pedipalpi, comprising the tarantula and scorpions.
+
+ ORDER II. _Tracheariæ._ These Arachnides are distinguished by their
+ respiratory organs, which consist of radiated or branched tracheæ,
+ receiving air by two circular openings. Their eyes vary from two to
+ four. The principal animals belonging to this division are the
+ long-legged spiders (_Phalangium_), and the mites (_Acarus_),
+ including the gardener’s pest, the little red spider (_Acarus
+ telarius_), the cheese mite (_Acarus Siro_), and the harvest bug
+ (_Acarus_ or _Leptus autumnalis_).
+
+ IV. _The Insecta_ form the fourth and last class of articulated
+ animals, and they derive their name from the Latin word _insectum_,
+ which signifies “cut into,” in allusion to the distinct divisions
+ of head, thorax, and abdomen in the true insects: and in
+ contradistinction to the Annelides, the bodies of which present no
+ such divisions. The true insects are defined as animals without
+ vertebræ, possessing six feet, with a distinct head furnished with
+ antennæ, and breathing through stigmatic openings, which lead to
+ interior tracheæ. The Myriapoda have, however, more feet. The
+ following are the twelve orders into which this class is divided.
+
+
+SECTION I. _Insects undergoing Metamorphosis._
+
+ 1. _Coleoptera_ (from two Greek words signifying sheathed wings).
+ These are the beetles, which are all furnished with membranous
+ wings, with which they fly, and which are protected by horny upper
+ wings, or wing-cases, called elytra. They are all masticators, and
+ are all provided with mandibles or projecting jaws, and maxillæ.
+
+ 2. _Orthoptera_, or straight-winged insects. This order comprises
+ the crickets, grasshoppers, locusts, and similar insects. They have
+ their upper wings of the consistence of parchment, and have
+ mandibles and maxillæ.
+
+ 3. _Hemiptera_, or half-winged insects, have frequently half the
+ upper wing membranous, like the under ones, while the other half is
+ leathery. To this division belong the bugs, the water-scorpions,
+ the cicadæ or froghoppers, and the aphides. These insects have
+ neither mandibles nor maxillæ, but in their place have a sheath and
+ sucker.
+
+ 4. _Neuroptera_, or nerved-winged insects, such as the
+ dragon-flies, have both pairs of wings membranous, naked, and
+ finely reticulated. The mouth is adapted for mastication, and
+ furnished with mandibles and maxillæ.
+
+ 5. _Hymenoptera_, membranous winged insects, such as bees, wasps,
+ ichneumon flies, &c. All the four wings are membranous, but they
+ have fewer nervures, and are not reticulated like those of the
+ preceding order. The mouth is furnished with mandibles and maxillæ,
+ and the abdomen is terminated either by an ovipositor or a sting.
+
+ 6. _Lepidoptera_, or scaly-winged insects. These are the
+ butterflies and moths, which are characterised by the farinaceous
+ or scaly aspect of their wings, and the tubular or thread-like
+ extension of the parts of the mouth.
+ 7. _Strepsiptera_ or _Rhipiptera_, with twisted wings. These
+ creatures resemble the ichneumon, in laying their eggs in the
+ bodies of other insects, though they generally attack wasps and
+ bees. The principal genera are Xenos and Stylops. They are
+ generally considered to be closely allied to the Beetles.
+
+ 8. _Diptera_, or two-winged insects, including the flies. The mouth
+ is furnished with a proboscis, and there are two small wings called
+ _halteres_ placed behind the true wings, which act as balancers.
+
+ 9. _Suctoria_, or sucking insects, such as the flea, which have no
+ wings, but are furnished with an apparatus for sucking blood.
+
+
+SECTION II. _Insects not undergoing Metamorphosis._
+
+ 10. _Thysanoura_, or spring-tail insects. These creatures are of
+ small size, and without wings; they are found in crevices of
+ woodwork, or under stones. The principal genera are Lepisma and
+ Podura.
+
+ 11. _Parasita_, or parasitical insects, such as the louse. They are
+ also without wings.
+
+ 12. _Myriapoda._ This order is made a separate class by many
+ naturalists, as the creatures contained in it are distinguished
+ from the true insects by the great number of their feet; by the
+ want of distinct divisions into thorax and abdomen; and by the
+ great number of segments into which the body is divided. The
+ principal insects in this order are included in the Linnæan genera
+ _Julus_ and _Scolopendra_, commonly called centipedes.
+
+The term larva is applied to the young of all insects, included in the
+first nine orders, when first hatched. The different kinds have,
+however, other names; that is to say, the larva of a butterfly, or moth,
+is called a caterpillar; that of a beetle, a grub; and that of a fly, a
+maggot. The larva changes its skin several times, and at last goes into
+the pupa state, when it is called a chrysalis, an aurelia, or a nymph.
+Sometimes the pupa is wrapped up in a loose outer covering called a
+cocoon. From the pupa in time bursts forth the imago, or perfect insect.
+The Apterous, or wingless true insects, and the Myriapoda, which are
+also without wings, do not undergo any metamorphosis.
+
+
+THE RADIATED ANIMALS
+
+Are so called because their organs of locomotion, and even their
+internal viscera, are generally arranged in a circle round a centre, so
+as to give a radiated appearance to the whole body. The animals included
+in this class are the very lowest in the scale; they have scarcely any
+external senses; their movements are slow, and almost their only sign of
+life is a craving for food. Some of them, however, have a distinct mouth
+and alimentary canal, with an anal orifice; others have a bag-like
+stomach with a kind of mouth, through which they both take their food
+and reject their excrements; while others have no mouth, and appear only
+to absorb nourishment through pores. In the like manner, though some are
+oviparous, others may be propagated by division into plants. Of these
+Cuvier makes five classes:
+
+
+ I. _Echinodermata_, or sea-urchins. These animals have a leathery
+ or crustaceous skin or shell, commonly covered with numerous
+ tubercles. The mouth is generally in the centre of the animal, and
+ is often armed with five or more pieces of bone, which serve as
+ teeth; the stomach is a loose bag; the organs for respiration are
+ vascular; and the animals are oviparous. They are furnished with
+ tentacular tubes, which serve as arms or feet, and which they can
+ push out and draw back at pleasure; and they have yellowish or
+ orange-coloured blood, which appears to circulate. Cuvier divides
+ this class into those with feet, and those without; but Lamarck,
+ whose arrangement has been more generally followed, divides them
+ into three orders; viz.:
+
+ 1. _The Fistuloides_, or _Holothurida_, which have cylindrical
+ bodies, leathery skins, and mouths surrounded by tentacula. These
+ creatures live in the sea, or in the sands on the sea-shore; the
+ trepang, or eatable worm of the Chinese, is one of them.
+
+ 2. _The Echinides._ These are the sea-urchins, properly so called,
+ and the shells, when the animals are out of them, are called
+ sea-eggs. The Echinides live in the sea. They lay eggs, and the
+ roe, or imperfect eggs, occupy a large portion of the space within
+ the shell when the animal is still alive.
+
+ 3. _The Stellerides_, or _Asterias_, are the star-fish. The mouth
+ in these creatures is in the middle of the lower surface, and it
+ has a membranous lip, capable of great dilation, but furnished with
+ angular projections for capturing its prey. The skin is soft, but
+ leathery, and it is covered on the back with spongeous tubercles,
+ or scales. The rays are hollow beneath, and furnished with
+ tentacula, by the aid of which the star-fish manages to crawl
+ backwards, forwards, or sideways, as the case may be, any of the
+ rays serving as a leader. These animals are found on the sea-shore,
+ forming large beds, which are washed over by the sea. _The
+ Crinoidea_, or stone-lilies, of which such curious fossil specimens
+ have been found, are nearly allied to the star-fish.
+
+ II. _The Intestina_, or _Entozoa_. The intestinal worms were
+ divided into two kinds by Cuvier, viz. the _Cavitaires_, including
+ the worms of children, and other cylindrical worms; and the
+ _Parenchymateux_, or flat worms; such as the fluke in sheep and the
+ tape-worm in human beings. The Entozoa are now universally regarded
+ as belonging to the Articulated or Annulose division of the animal
+ kingdom.
+
+ III. _Acalephæ_, or _Sea-Jellies_. These creatures are of a soft
+ and jelly-like substance, with a thin skin, and an unarmed mouth.
+ The Medusides are very numerous, and produce that beautiful
+ phosphorescent light noticed by voyagers in the Australian seas.
+ The most interesting of the Acalephes is the Portuguese man-of-war,
+ or Physalia.
+
+ IV. _Polyps_, or _Anthozoa_, according to Cuvier, were divided into
+ three orders; namely:
+
+ 1. _Fleshy Polyps_ (Sea anemones);
+
+ 2. _Gelatinous Polyps_ (_Hydra_); and
+
+ 3. _Polyps with Polyparies_, the latter including all the various
+ compound zoophytes, with the Sponges. Of these the _Flustræ_, or
+ _Sea Mats_, and numerous allied species, have since been
+ recognised as belonging rather to the Mollusca, and the Sponges to
+ a distinct and lower group of animals than the Radiata; the
+ remainder have generally been divided into the following three
+ orders:--
+
+ 1. _Helianthoida._ This order includes the actinia, or sea-anemone;
+ and the madrepores, sea-mushrooms, and brainstones, which live in
+ communities, and possess the power of secreting calcareous matters,
+ which they emit to form these stony substances.
+
+ 2. _Asteroida._ Some of the animals belonging to this division are
+ called sea-pens, and others form some of the different kinds of
+ coral, particularly that used for necklaces, &c.
+
+ 3. _Hydroida._ This order includes the fresh-water polypi, which,
+ it is well known, by the experiments that have been tried, may be
+ cut in pieces and even turned inside out without destroying life.
+ It must be observed that the contents of this group in Cuvier’s
+ system consisted of all those forms of animals which he could not,
+ in accordance with the knowledge possessed in his day, conveniently
+ place anywhere else. Within the last few years, however, great
+ progress has been made in the arrangement of the animals placed in
+ this group by Cuvier. One of the most important changes has been
+ the establishment of a fifth group of animals for the Infusoria and
+ Sponges, together with certain other creatures of very low
+ organisation. To these the name of PROTOZOA has been given. The
+ _Entozoa_ have been removed amongst the articulate animals, and
+ there is a growing conviction that the _Echinodermata_ will have to
+ be transferred to the same section. There remain, consequently, the
+ _Acalephæ_ and _Polyps_ of Cuvier, which form a group characterised
+ by their soft and generally gelatinous texture; by the existence of
+ peculiar cells, called thread cells, in the skin; and by their
+ possession of an alimentary cavity with only a single orifice. To
+ these the name of CŒLENTERATA has been given. They are divided
+ into two classes: I. The ANTHOZOA, or Polyps, including the orders
+ _Helianthoida_ and _Asteroida_; and II. The HYDROZOA, composed of
+ the Hydroid Polyps and Acalephæ, the connection between which, as
+ indicated in the text (p. 609), is very intimate.
+
+ V. _The Infusoria_, or _Animalcula_, are so small as to be
+ invisible to the naked eye, and they are all inhabitants of
+ liquids. Cuvier arranged them in two orders, one of which he called
+ _Les Rotifères_, and the other _Les Infusories homogènes_, but the
+ first of these divisions is now included among the Articulata. The
+ remainder of the Infusoria of Cuvier, with the exception of some
+ which are now known to be of vegetable nature, are arranged, with
+ the Sponges and some other animals, in a separate division, called
+ Protozoa, the classification of which is still in a somewhat
+ uncertain state. The three principal classes are those of the
+ _Infusoria_, the _Sponges_, and the _Rhizopoda_; but there are
+ other forms which will not admit of being brought under any of
+ these denominations. Nearly all the Protozoa are microscopic,
+ except when, as in the case of the Sponges, they form an
+ aggregation of individuals. They are very numerous, and, although
+ exceedingly simple in their structure, their history often
+ possesses much interest.
+
+
+
+
+
+EXPLANATION
+
+OF
+
+TERMS USED IN NATURAL HISTORY.
+
+
+ _Abdomen._ The part of the body containing
+ the organs of digestion.
+ _Abdominal._ Pertaining to the abdomen.
+ _Amphibious._ Capable of living both on the land and in the water.
+ _Animalcules._ Small animals, visible only with
+ the assistance of the microscope.
+ _Annulated._ Marked with rings.
+ _Antennæ._ The horns or feelers of insects.
+ _Apex._ The top or summit of anything.
+ _Apical._ Situated at, or belonging to, the apex.
+ _Apodal._ Footless.
+ _Apterous._ Wingless.
+ _Aquatic._ Living or growing in the water.
+ _Bicuspid._ Having two points.
+ _Bifid._ Divided into two parts.
+ _Bifurcated._ Divided into two prongs.
+ _Bisulcous._ Cloven-hoofed.
+ _Bivalve._ With two shells.
+ _Branchiæ._ Gills, or organs for aquatic respiration.
+ _Buccal._ Pertaining to the mouth.
+ _Byssus._ A tuft of silky filaments produced by some Mollusca.
+ _Callosity._ A hard lump, an excrescence.
+ _Campanulate._ Bell-shaped.
+ _Canine._ Of the dog kind.
+ _Carinated._ Keeled.
+ _Carnivorous._ Feeding on flesh.
+ _Caudal._ Pertaining to the tail.
+ _Cere._ A skin over the base of the bill of birds._Cervical._
+ Belonging to the neck.
+ _Cetaceous._ Of the whale kind.
+ _Cilia._ Microscopic filaments, which,
+ by their constant vibration,
+ either cause currents in the water,
+ or move the animals
+ possessing them.
+ _Cinereous._ Of the colour of ashes.
+ _Clavate._ Clubbed.
+ _Cordiform._ Heart-shaped.
+ _Coriaceous._ Leathery.
+ _Corneous._ Horny.
+ _Crustaceous._ Covered with a shell or crust; as lobsters, crabs, &c.
+ _Dentate._ Toothed like a saw.
+ _Dorsal._ Belonging to the back.
+ _Elytra._ The wing-cases of insects of the beetle tribe.
+ _Emarginate._ Notched.
+ _Entomology._ A description of insects.
+ _Exsanguineous._ Without red blood, as worms.
+ _Feline._ Belonging to the cat kind.
+ _Ferruginous._ Of an iron or rust colour.
+ _Filiform._ Thread-like.
+ _Foliaceous._ Leaf-like.
+ _Frugivorous._ Feeding on fruits.
+ _Furcated._ Forked.
+ _Fusiform._ Spindle-shaped.
+ _Gallinaceous._ Belonging to the hen kind.
+ _Gelatinous._ Like jelly.
+ _Gemmiparous._ Capable of propagating by buds.
+ _Geniculate._ Bent like a knee.
+ _Gestation._ The time of going with young.
+ _Granivorous._ Feeding on grain.
+ _Gregarious._ Associating together.
+ _Hastate._ Formed like an arrow-head.
+ _Haustellate._ Insects with a mouth adapted for suction.
+ _Herbivorous._ Feeding on grass.
+ _Hexapod._ Having six legs.
+ _Hyaline._ Glassy.
+ _Ichthyology._ A description of fishes.
+ _Imbricated._ Tiled, or lying over each other.
+ _Incubation._ The act of hatching eggs.
+ _Insectivorous._ Feeding on insects.
+ _Intestinal._ Pertaining to the digestive organs.
+ _Laminated._ Covered with or divided into plates or scales.
+ _Larva._ The young of insects.
+ _Lateral._ Belonging to the side, placed sideways.
+ _Loricated._ Covered with hard scales or plates like
+ armour._Lunate._
+ Crescent-shaped.
+ _Mandibles._ Upper and lower, the two divisions of
+ a bird’s beak, or
+ the projecting jaws of an insect.
+ _Migratory._ Coming and going at certain seasons.
+ _Multivalve._ With many shells or openings.
+ _Nacreous._ Resembling mother-of-pearl.
+ _Nictitating._ Winking; applied to a membrane with which birds cover
+ their eyes at pleasure.
+ _Olfactory._ Relating to smell.
+ _Operculum._ A shield or cover.
+ _Ornithology._ A description of birds.
+ _Oviparous._ That lays eggs.
+ _Palmated._ Webbed.
+ _Parasitic._ Attached to and dependent on some other living body.
+ _Parturition._ The act of bringing forth young.
+ _Passerine._ Belonging to the sparrow tribe.
+ _Pectinate._ Resembling a comb.
+ _Pectoral._ Belonging to the breast.
+ _Pendulous._ Hanging down.
+ _Piscivorous._ Feeding on fishes.
+ _Plicate._ Folded.
+ _Predaceous._ Formed to pursue prey.
+ _Prehensile._ Capable of grasping.
+ _Quadrifid._ Divided into four parts.
+ _Quadruped._ Four-footed.
+ _Ramose._ Branching.
+ _Reptiles._ Animals of the serpent tribe, with legs.
+ _Rudimentary._ Small; imperfectly developed.
+ _Ruminating._ Chewing the cud.
+ _Scabrous._ Rough.
+ _Scapulars._ Shoulders.
+ _Semilunar._ In the form of a half-moon.
+ _Serrated._ Notched like a saw.
+ _Sessile._ Attached without the intervention of a stalk.
+ _Setaceous._ Having bristles or strong hairs.
+ _Spiral._ Winding like a screw.
+ _Squamose._ Scaly.
+ _Striated._ Streaked or striped.
+ _Subulated._ Formed like an awl.
+ _Sulcated._ Furrowed.
+ _Suture._ The line of junction of two hind parts.
+ _Tentacula._ The feelers of snails and other mollusca.
+ _Testaceous._ Covered with a shell, as oysters.
+ _Trifurcated._ Three-forked.
+ _Truncated._ Appearing as if cut off._Tubicolar._
+ Inhabiting a tube.
+ _Univalve._ With one shell or opening.
+ _Ventral._ Belonging to the belly.
+ _Vertebrated._ Having a jointed spine-bone.
+ _Viscera._ The organs contained in the cavities of the body.
+ _Viviparous._ Bringing forth the young alive.
+ _Webbed._ Connected by a membrane, as the toes of aquatic birds.
+ _Xylophagous._ Wood-eating.
+ _Zoologists._ Writers on animated nature.
+ _Zoology._ The history of animated nature.
+
+
+
+
+
+TABLE OF CONTENTS.
+
+
+BOOK I.
+
+QUADRUPEDS, OR FOUR-FOOTED BEASTS.
+
+POPULAR AND SCIENTIFIC NAMES OF THE ANIMALS DESCRIBED.
+
+⁂ Where no synonyme is given, the Linnæan name is the only one in use;
+and when the synonymes are seldom used, they are marked thus *. When no
+Linnæan name is given, the animal was not described by Linnæus.
+
+
+SECTION I.--CARNIVOROUS, OR FLESH-EATING ANIMALS.
+
+English Name Linnæan Name Synonymes Page
+
+LION Felis Leo *Leo vulgaris.--_Leach_ 1
+
+LIONESS Ibid. 7
+
+TIGER Felis Tigris 9
+
+LEOPARD Felis Leopardus 12
+
+PANTHER Felis Pardus 13
+
+OUNCE Felis Uncia.--_Schreb._ 14
+
+OCELOT Felis Pardalis 14
+
+HUNTING LEOPARD,}
+ or CHEETAH } Felis jubata Cynailurus jubatus.--_Wag._ 15
+
+JAGUAR Felis Onca 16
+
+ {Felis Puma.--_Trail_ }
+PUMA Felis concolor {*Leo Americanus.--_Her._} 18
+ {*Puma concolor.--_Jard._}
+
+COMMON LYNX Felis Lynx *Lyncus vulgaris.--_Gray_ 19
+
+CANADIAN LYNX {Felis Canadensis.--_Geoff._} 19
+ {*Lyncus Canadensis.--_Gray_}
+
+CARACAL Felis Caracal.--_Schreb._ 20
+
+DOMESTIC CAT Felis domestica 20
+
+WILD CAT Felis Catus 22
+
+DOGS {Canis familiaris and} 23
+ { var. }
+
+SHEPHERD’S DOG 23
+
+BLOODHOUND 25
+
+FOXHOUND 27
+
+POINTER 28
+
+MASTIFF 29
+
+BULLDOG 30
+
+TERRIER 31
+
+SPANIEL 32
+
+WATER SPANIEL 33
+
+NEWFOUNDLAND DOG 34
+
+GREYHOUND 36
+
+FOX Canis Vulpes Vulpes vulgaris.--_Briss._ 37
+
+ARCTIC FOX Canis lagopus Vulpes lagopus 39
+
+WOLF Canis Lupus *Lupus vulgaris 40
+
+JACKAL Canis aureus 42
+
+STRIPED HYÆNA Canis Hyæna Hyæna striata.--_Zimm._ 43
+
+SPOTTED HYÆNA Hyæna Crocuta 44
+
+BLACK BEAR Ursus Americanus 45
+
+GRISLY BEAR Ursus ferox 46
+
+BROWN BEAR Ursus Arctos 46
+
+MALAYAN SUN BEAR Ursus Malayanus 48
+
+POLAR BEAR Ursus maritimus.--_Gmel._ 50
+
+RACOON Ursus Lotor Procyon Lotor.--_Cuv._ 51
+
+BADGER Ursus Meles Meles Taxus.--_Blum._ 53
+
+COATI-MONDI Viverra Nasua Nasua narica.--_F. Cuv._ 53
+
+CIVET Viverra Civetta.--_Schreb._54
+
+GENET Viverra Genetta Genetta vulgaris.--_Cuv._ 55
+
+ORIENTAL CIVET Viverra Zibetha 56
+
+ICHNEUMON, or } Viverra Ichneumon Herpestes Ichneumon 56
+ EGYPTIAN }
+ MANGOUSTE }
+
+WEASEL Mustela vulgaris 58
+
+FERRET Mustela furo *Viverra furo.--_Shaw_ 60
+
+POLECAT Mustela putorius Putorius vulgaris.--_Cuv._ 61
+
+ERMINE Mustela erminea 62
+
+SKUNK Mustela or Mephitis Americana 63
+
+SABLE {Mustela or Martes} 64
+ { Zibellina }
+
+MARTEN Mustela Martes Martes foina.--_Gray_ 65
+
+OTTER Mustela Lutra Lutra vulgaris.--_Erxl._ 66
+
+SEA OTTER Mustela Lutris Enhydra Lutris.--_Gray_ 68
+
+SEAL Phoca vitulina {*Phoca variegata.--_Niel._ }
+ {Calocephalus vitulinus.--_Cuv._} 69
+
+WALRUS Trichechus Rosmarus 72
+
+
+SECTION II.--INSECT-EATING ANIMALS.
+
+HEDGEHOG Erinaceus Europæus 74
+
+MOLE Talpa Europæa Talpa vulgaris.--_Briss._ 76
+
+SHREW Sorex araneus 78
+
+WATER SHREW Sorex fodiens 79
+
+
+SECTION III.--CHEIROPTEROUS ANIMALS.
+
+BAT Vespertilio noctula 80
+
+PIPISTRELLE Vespertilio Pipistrellus 81
+
+LONG-EARED BAT Vespertilio auritus Plecotus auritus.--_Gray_ 81
+
+VAMPYRE BAT Vespertilio spectrum Phyllostoma spectrum.--_Geoff._ 82
+
+KALONG BAT Pteropus edulis.--_Péron._ 83
+
+
+SECTION IV.--MARSUPIALIA, OR POUCH-BEARING ANIMALS.
+
+KANGAROO {Macropus giganteus.--_Shaw_ and _Cuv._}
+ { *Halmaturus.--_Illig._ } 84
+ { and *Kangurus.--_Desm._ }
+
+OPOSSUM Didelphis Virginiana 86
+
+PHALANGER Phalangista vulpina.--_Desm._ 87
+
+
+SECTION V.--RODENTIA, OR GNAWING ANIMALS.
+
+BEAVER Castor Fiber 88
+
+MUSK RAT {Fiber zibethicus.--_Des._ } 90
+ { Ondatra zibethica.--_Lacep._}
+
+HARE Lepus timidus 91
+
+RABBIT (_Wild_) Lepus cuniculus 93
+
+RABBIT (_Domestic_) 94
+
+SQUIRREL Sciurus vulgaris 95
+
+DORMOUSE Mus avellanarius Myoxus muscardinus.--_Schreb._ 96
+
+MARMOT, or } Mus marmotta Arctomys Marmotta.--_Gmel._ 97
+ ALPINE RAT }
+
+GUINEA-PIG Mus porcellus {Cavia cobaya.--_Pall._ }
+ { Cavia aperea.--_Erxl._ }98
+ { Hydrochœrus aperea.--_F. Cuv._}
+
+MOUSE Mus musculus 99
+
+RAT Mus decumanus 100
+
+WATER RAT Mus amphibius {Mus aquaticus.--_Briss._ }
+ {*Lemmus aquaticus.--_F. Cuv._--Arvicola}
+ { amphibia.--_Desm._ and _Jenyns._} 102
+ { Arvicola aquatica.--_Flem._}
+
+LEMMING Mus Lemmus Myodes Lemmus.--_Pall._ 103
+
+JERBOA {Dipus Jerboa.--_Gmel._} 104
+ { Mus sagitta.--_Pall._}
+
+CHINCHILLA Chinchilla lanigera 105
+
+PORCUPINE Hystrix cristata 106
+
+COUENDOU Hystrix prehensilis Synetheres prehensilis.--_Cuv._ 106
+
+
+SECTION VI.--EDENTATA, OR TOOTHLESS ANIMALS.
+
+SLOTH Bradypus tridactylus 107
+
+ARMADILLO Dasypus sexcinctus 109
+
+ANT-EATER Myrmecophaga jubata 110
+
+DUCK-BILLED } {Ornithorhynchus paradoxus.--_Blum._}111
+ PLATYPUS } {Platypus anatinus.--_Shaw._ }
+
+SECTION VII.--PACHYDERMATA, OR THICK-SKINNED ANIMALS.
+
+ELEPHANT Elephas Indicus 113
+
+HIPPOPOTAMUS, } Hippopotamus amphibius 116
+ or RIVER HORSE}
+
+RHINOCEROS Rhinoceros unicornis 117
+
+HOG (_Domestic_) Sus scrofa 118
+
+WILD BOAR Sus scrofa Sus aper.--_Briss._ 120
+
+BABIROUSSA Sus Babyrussa Babirussa Alfurus.--_Less._ 122
+
+PECCARY Dicotyles labiatus.--_Cuv._ 122
+
+TAPIR Tapirus Americanus.--_Schreb._ 123
+
+HORSE Equus caballus 124
+
+ASS Equus Asinus Asinus vulgaris.--_Gray_ 127
+
+MULE 130
+
+KIANG Equus Hemionus.--_Pall._ 131
+
+ZEBRA Equus Zebra 132
+
+
+SECTION VIII.--RUMINATING ANIMALS.
+
+BULL {Bos Taurus, var.} 134
+ { domesticus }
+
+COW 136
+
+WILD BULL {Bos Taurus, var. } 137
+ { Scoticus }
+
+BUFFALO Bos Bubalus Bubalus Caffer 139
+
+BISON Bos Bonasus Bison Bonasus 141
+
+BRAHMIN BULL,} Bos Taurus, var.} 143
+ or ZEBU } Indicus }
+
+SHEEP Ovis Aries *Capra ovis.--_Blum._ 144
+
+RAM 146
+
+WALLACHIAN RAM 146
+
+ARGALI, or WILD} Ovis Ammon 147
+ SHEEP OF ASIA}
+
+GOAT Capra Hircus 147
+
+IBEX, or BOQUETIN Capra Ibex 148
+
+ANTELOPE Capra Cervicapra Antilope Cervicapra.--_Pall._ 149
+
+GAZELLE Capra Dorcas Antilope Dorcas--_Pall._ 150
+
+CHAMOIS Capra rupicapra Antilope rupicapra.--_Pall._ 151
+
+NYL GHAU Antilope picta.--_Pall._ 152
+
+GNU Antilope Gnu.--_Gmel._ 154
+
+STAG Cervus Elaphus 155
+
+WAPITI {Cervus Canadensis.--_Gmel._ } 157
+ {*Cervus strongyloceros.--_Schres._}
+
+ROEBUCK Cervus capreolus 158
+
+FALLOW DEER Cervus Dama 159
+
+ELK Cervus Alces 160
+
+REINDEER Cervus Tarandus {*Cervus Rangifer.--_Ray._} 161
+ { Rangifer Tarandus }
+
+AXIS Cervus axis 163
+
+MUSK DEER Moschus Moschiferus 163
+
+GIRAFFE Cervus Camelopardalis Camelopardalis Giraffa.--_Gmel.]_164
+
+CAMEL Camelus Bactrianus 168
+
+DROMEDARY Camelus Dromedarius 170
+
+LLAMA Camelus glama Auchenia glama.--_Illig._ 172
+
+
+SECTION IX.--QUADRUMANA, OR FOUR-HANDED ANIMALS.
+
+OURANG OUTAN Simia satyrus 173
+
+CHIMPANZEE Troglodytes niger.--_Geoff._ 174
+
+GORILLA Troglodytes Gorilla 176
+
+BARBARY APE Simia inuus Inuus sylvanus.--_Cuv._ 177
+
+BABOON {Cynocephalus porcarius.--_Desm._ } 174
+ { and _Cuv._ }
+
+PROBOSCIS MONKEY} Nasalis larvatus.--_Geoff._ 180
+
+DIANA MONKEY Simia Diana Cercopithecus Diana.--_Geoff._ 180
+
+CAPUCHIN MONKEY} Simia Capucina Cebus capucinus.--_Des._ 182
+
+SPIDER MONKEY Simia Paniscus Ateles Paniscus.--_Geoff._ 182
+
+OUISTIT or} Simia Jacchus Jacchus vulgaris.--_Geoff._ 183
+ MARMOZET}
+
+MARIKINA Simia Rosalia Jacchus Rosalia 183
+
+LEMUR Lemur Macaco 184
+
+MONGOOS Lemur albifrons.--_Geoff._ 184
+
+
+
+
+BOOK II.
+
+INHABITANTS OF THE AIR.
+
+
+SECTION I.--RAPTORES.--DIURNAL BIRDS OF PREY.
+
+GOLDEN EAGLE Falco chrysaëtos Aquila chrysaëtos 185
+
+SEA EAGLE Falco albicilla Haliæetus albicilla.--_Sav._ 188
+
+BALD EAGLE Falco leucocephalus Haliæetus leucocephalus.--_Sav._ 189
+
+OSPREY or } Falco haliaëtus Pandion haliaëtus.--_Cuv._ 191
+ FISHING HAWK}
+
+BLACK EAGLE Falco melanaëtos 194
+
+VULTURE Vultur Papa Sarcorhampus Papa.--_Dum._ 195
+
+CONDOR Vultur Gryphus Sarcorhampus Gryphus.--_Dum._ 196
+
+BUZZARD Falco Buteo Buteo vulgaris.--_Bech._ 197
+
+HONEY BUZZARD Falco apivorus Pernis apivorus.--_Cuv._ 199
+
+GOSHAWK Falco palumbarius Astur palumbarius.--_Bech._ 200
+
+SPARROW-HAWK Falco Nisus {Accipiter Nisus.--_Pall._ } 202
+ { Nisus communis--_Cuv._ }
+
+KITE Falco Milvus Milvus regalis.--_Cuv._ 203
+
+JER FALCON Falco Gyrfalco Falco islandicus 204
+
+PEREGRINE FALCON Falco peregrinus 205
+
+MERLIN Falco æsalon Hypotriorchis æsalon.--_Gray_ 208
+
+KESTREL Falco Tinnunculus Tinnunculus alaudarius.--_Gray_ 210
+
+SECRETARY BIRD Serpentarius reptilivorus.--_Daud._ 211
+
+HEN HARRIER Falco cyaneus Circus cyaneus--_Boié_ 213
+
+
+SECTION II.--NOCTURNAL BIRDS OF PREY.
+
+HORNED OWL Strix Bubo Bubo maximus.--_Flem._ 214
+
+HARFANG, or } Strix nyctea Surnia Nyctea--_Selby_ 215
+ SNOWY OWL }
+
+BARN OWL Strix flammea 216
+
+
+SECTION III.--INSESSORES, OR PERCHING BIRDS.
+
+BUTCHER-BIRD, } Lanius excubitor 217
+ or SHRIKE }
+
+WATER OUZEL, } {Turdus Cinclus.--_Lath._ }
+ or DIPPER } Sturnus Cinclus {Merula aquatica.--_Briss._ } 219
+ {Cinclus aquaticus.--_Bech._ }
+
+BLACKBIRD Turdus Merula 220
+
+MISSEL THRUSH Turdus viscivorus 221
+
+REDWING Turdus iliacus 222
+
+FIELDFARE Turdus pilaris 223
+
+RING OUZEL Turdus torquatus 224
+
+MOCKING BIRD Turdus polyglottus 225
+
+REDBREAST Motacilla rubecula. {Sylvia rubecula.--_Lath._ } 226
+ {Erythacus rubecula }
+
+ {Sylvia luscinia.--_Lath._ }
+NIGHTINGALE Motacilla luscinia {Curruca luscinia--_Bech._ } 228
+ {Philomela luscinia }
+
+BLACKCAP Motacilla atricapilla {Sylvia.--_Lath._ and Curruca } 231
+ { atricapilla--_Bech._ }
+
+ {Sylvia.--_Lath._ Troglodytes }
+WREN Motacilla Troglodytes { Europæus.--_Cuv._ } 232
+ { Troglodytes vulgaris.--_Flem._}
+
+WILLOW WREN Motacilla trochilus {Silvia trochilus.--_Lath._ } 233
+ {Regulus trochilus.--_Cuv._ }
+
+GOLDEN-CRESTED } Motacilla Regulus Regulus cristatus.--_Will._ 235
+ WREN }
+
+GREY WATER } Motacilla boarula 236
+ WAGTAIL }
+
+RED WAGTAILS 237
+
+SWALLOW Hirundo rustica 238
+
+MARTIN Hirundo urbica 241
+
+SWIFT Hirundo apus Cypselus apus 243
+
+GOATSUCKER Caprimulgus Europæus 244
+
+SKYLARK Alauda arvensis 245
+
+WOODLARK Alauda arborea 247
+
+TITMOUSE Parus cœruleus 248
+
+LONG-TAILED TIT Parus caudatus 248
+
+YELLOW HAMMER Emberiza citrinella 249
+
+WHEATEAR Motacilla Œnanthe {Silvia Œnanthe.--_Lath._ } 250
+ {Saxicola Œnanthe.--_Bech._ }
+WHINCHAT Motacilla Rubetra Saxicola rubetra.--_Bech._ 250
+
+SPARROW Fringilla domestica {*Pyrgita domestica.--_Cuv._ } 252
+ { Passer domesticus.--_Ray._ }
+
+LINNET Fringilla cannabina {Fringilla Linota.--_Gmel._ } 253
+ {Linaria Linota.--_Cuv._ }
+
+CANARY BIRD Fringilla Canaria Carduelis Canaria 254
+
+CHAFFINCH Fringilla cœlebs 256
+
+BULLFINCH Loxia pyrrhula Pyrrhula vulgaris.--_Tem._ 258
+
+GOLDFINCH Fringilla carduelis {Carduelis communis.--_Cuv._; } 259
+ { Carduelis elegans.--_Steph._}
+
+CROSSBILL Loxia curvirostra 261
+
+STARLING Sturnus vulgaris 262
+
+SATIN BOWER } {Ptilonorhynchus Holosericeus.--_Kuhl_}
+ BIRD } { Kitta.--_Lesson._ } 263
+ { Graucalus.--_Cuv._ }
+
+RAVEN Corvus corax 265
+
+CROW Corvus corone 268
+
+ROOK Corvus frugilegus 269
+
+JACKDAW Corvus monedula 271
+
+MAGPIE Corvus pica Pica caudata 272
+
+CHOUGH Corvus graculus {Pyrrhocorax graculus.--_Tem._ } 274
+
+JAY Corvus glandarius {Garrulus glandarius.--_Briss._ } 275
+ { and _Cuv._ }
+
+ROLLER Coracias garrula 276
+
+KINGFISHER Alcedo ispida 277
+
+BIRD OF PARADISE Paradisea apoda 279
+
+NUTHATCH Sitta Europæa 281
+
+CREEPER Certhia familiaris 281
+
+WALL CREEPER Tichodroma muraria 283
+
+LYRE BIRD Menura superba 284
+
+HUMMING-BIRD Trochilus colubris 287
+
+HOOPOE Upupa epops 288
+
+
+SECTION IV.--SCANSORES, OR CLIMBERS.
+
+CUCKOO Cuculus canorus 290
+
+WOODPECKER Picus viridis 294
+
+WRYNECK Yunx torquilla 296
+
+TOUCAN Ramphastos tucanus 297
+
+GREY PARROT Psittacus erythacus 298
+
+GREEN PARROT Psittacus Amazonicus 300
+
+BLUE and YELLOW} Psittacus aracanga Macrocereus aracanga.--_Viell._ 300
+ MACAW }
+
+RING PAROQUET Psittacus Alexandri Palæornis Alexandri.--_Vig._ 301
+
+WARBLING GRASS} Melopsittacus undulatus 302
+ PAROQUET }
+
+COCKATOO Psittacus galeritus Plyctolophus galeritus 302
+
+SECTION V.--GALLINACEOUS BIRDS.
+
+PEACOCK Pavo cristatus 304
+
+TURKEY Meleagris Gallo-Pavo 306
+
+GUINEA FOWL Numida Meleagris 308
+
+MOUND BIRD Megapodius tumulus 310
+
+PHEASANT Phasianus Colchicus 313
+
+RED-LEGGED } Tetrao Rufus Perdix rufus 315
+ PARTRIDGE}
+
+PARTRIDGE Tetrao Perdix Perdix cinerea.--_Lath._ 316
+
+QUAIL Tetrao Coturnix {Coturnix major.--_Briss._ } 318
+ { Coturnix vulgaris.--_Flem._ }
+ { Coturnix Europæus.--_Wils._ }
+ { Perdix Coturnix.--_Lath._ }
+ { Coturnix dactylisonans.--_Gould_}
+
+AMERICAN QUAIL Ortyx Virginianus 319
+
+GROUSE, or MOOR } { Lagopus Scoticus.--_Lath._ } 320
+ FOWL } {*Bonasa Scotica.--_Briss._ }
+
+PTARMIGAN Tetrao Lagopus { Lagopus vulgaris.--_Wils._ } 321
+ { Tetrao rupestris.--_Gmel._ }
+
+BLACK COCK Tetrao Tetrix *Uriogallis minor.--_Ray._ 322
+
+CAPERCAILZIE Tetrao Urogallus 323
+
+COCK Phasianus Gallus { Gallus domesticus.--_Wils._ } 324
+ { Gallus Sonnerati }
+
+BANKIVA, JAGO, } 326
+ SPANISH, and }
+ BANTAM COCKS }
+
+DODO Didus ineptus 328
+
+RINGDOVE Columba palumbus 330
+
+STOCKDOVE Columba Œnas 331
+
+ROCK DOVE Columba livia 332
+
+TURTLEDOVE Columba turtur 335
+
+
+SECTION VI.--GRALLATORES, OR WADERS.
+
+OSTRICH Struthio Camelus 337
+
+RHEA Struthio Rhea Rhea Americana 340
+
+CASSOWARY Struthio Casuarius Casuarius galeatus.--_Viel._ 341
+
+EMEU { Dromaius ater.--_Viel._ } 343
+ { Dromaius Novæ Hollandiæ }
+
+APTERYX Apteryx Australis.--_Shaw_ 344
+
+BUSTARD Otis tarda 345
+
+CRANE Ardea Grus Grus cinerea.--_Bech._ 347
+
+BALEARIC CRANE Ardea pavonina { Anthropoides pavonina.--_Viel._ } 349
+ { Balearica pavonina.--_Vig._ }
+
+STORK Ardea Ciconia Ciconia alba.--_Cuv._ 350
+
+ADJUTANT Leptoptilus argala 352
+
+HERON Ardea cinerea 354
+
+BITTERN Ardea stellaris Botaurus stellaris.--_Steph._ 356
+
+SPOONBILL Platalea leucorodia 358
+
+IBIS Ibis religiosa.--_Sav._ 359
+
+CURLEW Scolopax arquata Numenius arquatus.--_Lath._ 360
+
+REDSHANK Scolopax calidris Totanus calidris.--_Bech._ 361
+
+GODWIT Scolopax ægocephala Limosa melanura.--_Tem._ } 362
+ { Limosa ægocephala }
+
+RUFF and REEVE Tringa pugnax Machetes pugnax 363
+
+SNIPE Scolopax Gallinago 365
+
+WOODCOCK Scolopax rusticola 366
+
+KNOT Tringa Canutus Tringa cinerea.--_Gmel._ 367
+
+GREY PLOVER { Tringa squatarola } Squatarola helvetica.--_Cuv._ }368
+ { and T. helvetica } Squatarola cinerea }
+
+GOLDEN PLOVER Charadrius pluvialis 369
+
+DOTTREL Charadrius Morinellus 370
+
+LAPWING or PEEWIT Tringa vanellus Vanellus cristatus.--_Mey._ 371
+
+WATER HEN Fulica chloropus Gallinula chloropus 373
+
+CORNCRAKE, or } Rallus crex { Crex pratensis.--_Bech._ } 374
+ LAND RAIL } { Ortygometra crex }
+
+COOT Fulica atra 376
+
+
+SECTION VII.--PALMIPEDES, OR WEB-FOOTED BIRDS.
+
+PELICAN Pelicanus onocrotalus 377
+
+CORMORANT Pelicanus Carbo { Carbo Cormoranus.--_Mey._ } 379
+ { Phalacrocorax Carbo.--_Cuv._ }
+
+CRESTED CORMORANT Pelicanus graculus Phalacrocorax graculus.--_Cuv._ 380
+
+SOLAN GOOSE, or } Pelicanus Bassanus { Pelicanus maculatus.--_Gmel._ } 381
+ GANNET } { Anser bassanus.--_Ray._ }
+ { Sula alba.--_Mey._ }
+ { Sula bassana.--_Bris._ }
+
+TAME SWAN Anas olor Cygnus olor.--_Ray._ 383
+
+WILD SWAN Anas Cygnus Cygnus ferus.--_Ray._ 384
+
+GOOSE Anas anser { Anser palustris.--_Flem._ } 386
+ { Anser ferus.--_Wils._ }
+ { Anser sylvestris.--_Briss._ }
+
+DUCK Anas Boschas Anas fera.--_Briss._ 388
+
+EIDER DUCK Anas mollissima Somateria mollissima.--_Leach._ 389
+
+WIDGEON Anas Penelope { Mareca fistularis.-_Steph._ } 390
+ { Anatra Mangiana.--_Stor._ }
+
+TEAL Anas Crecca Querquedula Crecca.--_Steph._ 391
+
+COMMON GULL Laruscanus 392
+
+STORMY PETREL Procellaria pelagica Thalassidroma pelagica.--_Vigors_ 393
+
+FULMAR Procellaria glacialis 395
+
+ALBATROSS Diomedea exulans 396
+
+GREAT NORTHERN } Colymbus glacialis 397
+ DIVER }
+
+PUFFIN Alca arctica Fratercula arctica.--_Leach._ 398
+
+GREAT AUK Alca impennis 399
+
+PENGUIN 400
+
+
+
+
+
+BOOK III.
+
+INHABITANTS OF THE WATER.
+
+
+SECTION I.--CETACEA, OR SEA MAMMALIA.
+
+COMMON WHALE Balæna mysticetus 401
+
+RORQUAL Balæna Boops Balænoptera Boops.--_Lacep._ 407
+
+SPERMACETI WHALE Physeter macrocephalus 407
+
+DOLPHIN Delphinus Delphis 409
+
+WHITE WHALE { Beluga leucas.--_Gray._ } 410
+ { Beluga arctica.--_Less._ }
+ { Delphinapterus Beluga.--_Lacep._}
+
+PORPOISE Delphinus Phocæna Phocæna vulgaris 412
+
+SEA UNICORN Monodon monoceros 414
+
+MANATEE Manatus Australis.--_Tiles._ 415
+
+
+SECTION II.--CARTILAGINOUS FISHES.
+
+STURGEON Acipenser sturio 416
+
+SHARK Squalus Carcharias Carcharias vulgaris.--_Cuv._ 417
+
+GREENLAND SHARK Salachus maximus 420
+
+DOG-FISH 420
+
+HAMMER-HEADED SHARK Zygoma malleus 421
+
+THORNBACK Raia clavata 422
+
+SKATE, or MAID Raia batis 424
+
+TORPEDO Raia Torpedo Torpedo Narke.--_Risso_ 425
+
+MONK FISH, or } Squalus squatina Squatina Angelus.--_Dum._ 426
+ ANGEL FISH }
+
+SAW FISH Squalus Pristis Pristis antiquorum.--_Lath._ 427
+
+LAMPREY Petromyzon marinus 427
+
+HAG-FISH Myxine glutinosa Gastrobranchus cæcus.--_Bl._ 428
+
+
+SECTION III.--BONY FISHES.
+
+PILOT FISH Gasterosteus ductor Naucrates ductor.--_Cuv._ 429
+
+REMORA or SUCKING } Echeneis Remora 430
+ FISH }
+
+SEA WOLF Anarrhichas lupus 431
+
+HORNED SILURE Silurus militaris Ageneiosis milit.--_Lacep._ 432
+
+FATHER LASHER Cottus scorpius 433
+
+SWORD FISH Xiphias gladius 433
+
+FLYING SCORPION { Scorpæna volitans.--_Emel._ } 435
+ { Pteroïs volitans.--_Cuv._ }
+
+LUMP-SUCKER Cyclopterus lumpus 436
+
+OCELLATED-SUCKER Lepadogaster cornubicus.--_Cuv._ 437
+
+ANGLER Lophius piscatorius 438
+
+FOUR-HORNED } Ostracion quadricornis 439
+ TRUNK FISH}
+
+GLOBE FISH Tetraodon hispidus 440
+
+SUN FISH Tetraodon Mola Orthagariscus Mola.--_Schn._ 441
+
+SEA HORSE Syngnathus Hippocampus Hippocampus brevirostris.--_Cuv._ 442
+
+FLYING FISH Exocætus volitans 443
+
+GURNARD Trigla cuculus 444
+
+JOHN DORY Zeus faber 446
+
+BLEPHARIS Blepharis ciliaris.--_Bl._ 447
+
+OPAH, or KING } Lampris guttatus.--_Retz._ 447
+ FISH }
+
+COD FISH Gadus Morrhua Morrhua vulgaris.--_Cuv._ 448
+
+HADDOCK Gadus Æglefinus Morrhua Æglefinus.--_Cuv._ 449
+
+WHITING Gadus Merlangus Merlangus vulgaris.--_Cuv._ 451
+
+LING Gadus molva { Lota molva.--_Cuv._ } 451
+ { Asellus.--_Will._ }
+ { Molva vulgaris.--_Flem._}
+
+MACKEREL Scomber Scomber { Scomber Scombrus.--_Cuv._ } 453
+ { Scomber vulgaris.--_Flem._}
+
+GAR FISH Esox Belone Belone vulgaris.--_Cuv._ 454
+
+HERRING Clupea Harengus 455
+
+SPRAT Clupea Sprattus 456
+
+PILCHARD Clupea pilchardus 457
+
+WHITEBAIT Clupea alba.--_Yarrell_ 458
+
+ANCHOVY Clupea encrasicolus { Engraulis encrasicolus.--_Flem._} 458
+ { Engraulis vulgaris.--_Cuv._ }
+
+TURBOT Pleuronectes maximus Rhombus maximus.--_Cuv._ 459
+
+PLAICE Pleuronectes platessa Platessa vulgaris.--_Flem._ 460
+
+FLOUNDER Pleuronectes flesus { Platessa flesus.--_Flem._ } 461
+ { Pleuronectes fluviatilis.--_Will._}
+
+SOLE Pleuronectes solea Solea vulgaris.--_Cuv._ 461
+
+SALMON PINK 462
+
+SALMON Salmo salar 463
+
+SALMON TROUT Salmo trutta 465
+
+TROUT Salmo fario 466
+
+CHAR Salmo salvelinus Salmo alpoinus.--_Pen._ 469
+
+GRAYLING Salmo thymallus Thymallus vulgaris.--_Cuv._ 470
+
+SMELT Salmo eperlanus { Osmerus eperlanus.--_Flem._ } 471
+ { Eperlanus Rondeletii.--_Will._ }
+
+PIKE Esox lucius 472
+
+PERCH Perca fluviatilis 474
+
+POPE, or RUFFE Perca cernua Acerina cernua.--_Cuv._ 474
+
+BASSE Perca labrax Labrax lupus.--_Cuv._ 475
+
+CARP Cyprinus carpio 477
+
+TENCH Cyprinus tinca Tinca vulgaris.--_Cuv._ 478
+
+GOLD FISH Cyprinus auratus 479
+
+GUDGEON Cyprinus gobio Gobio fluviatilis.--_Will._ 480
+
+CHUB Cyprinus cephalus Leuciscus cephalus.--_Flem._ 481
+
+BARBEL Cyprinus barbus Barbus vulgaris.--_Cuv._ 482
+
+DACE Cyprinus leuciscus Leuciscus vulgaris.--_Cuv._ 482
+
+ROACH Cyprinus rutilus Leuciscus rutilus.--_Cuv._ 483
+
+BLEAK Cyprinus alburnus Leuciscus alburnus.--_Cuv._ 483
+
+BREAM Cyprinus brama Abramis brama.--_Cuv._ 484
+
+MINNOW Cyprinus phoxinus Leuciscus phoxinus.--_Cuv._ 485
+
+LOACH Cobitis barbatula 486
+
+BULLHEAD Cottus Gobio 486
+
+STICKLEBACK Gasterosteus aculiatus 487
+
+ELECTRICAL EEL Gymnotus electricus 488
+
+EEL Muræna Anguilla Anguilla vulgaris.--_Thun._ 490
+
+CONGER EEL Muræna conger Conger vulgaris.--_Cuv._ 492
+
+
+
+
+BOOK IV.
+
+REPTILES.
+
+
+SECTION I.--SERPENTS, OR OPHIDIAN REPTILES.
+
+VIPER, or ADDER Coluber Borus { Vipera Berus.--_Daud._ } 495
+ { Pelias Berus.--_Merr._ }
+
+HORNED VIPER Coluber cerastes { Vipera cerastes. Cerastes } 497
+ { Hasselquistii}
+
+RATTLE SNAKE Crotalus horridus 498
+
+HAJE Coluber Haje Naja Haje.--_Groff._ 499
+
+COBRA DI CAPELLO Coluber Naja Naja tripudians.--_Merr._ 500
+
+SNAKE Coluber natrix Natrix torquata.--_Ray._ 501
+
+BOA Boa constrictor 502
+
+AMPHISBÆNA Amphisbæna fuliginosa 503
+
+
+SECTION II.--BATRACHIAN REPTILES.
+
+FROG Rana temporaria 505
+
+TOAD Rana Bufo Bufo vulgaris.--_Laur._ 507
+
+SURINAM TOAD Rana Pipa Pipa Americana.--_Laur._ 509
+
+NEWT Lacerta aquatica Triton aquaticus 510
+
+GREAT NEWT Triton balustris 511
+
+
+SECTION III.--SAURIAN REPTILES.
+
+LIZARD Lacerta vivipara { Lacerta agilis.--_Briss._ } 512
+ { Zootoca vivipara.--_Wag._ }
+
+IGUANA Lacerta Iguana Iguana tuberculata.--_Laur._ 513
+
+FLYING LIZARD Draco volans 514
+
+CHAMELEON Lacerta Chamæleon Chamæleo vulgaris.--_Cuv._ 515
+
+CROCODILE Lacerta Crocodilus Crocodilus vulgaris.--_Cuv._ 517
+
+ALLIGATOR, or CAYMAN Lacerta Alligator Alligator Lucius.--_Cuv._ 518
+
+SECTION IV.-CHELONIAN REPTILES.
+
+TORTOISE Testudo Græca 520
+
+TURTLE Testudo midas Chelonia midas.--_Briss._ 521
+
+HAWK’S BILL TURTLE Testudo imbricata Chelonia imbricata.--_Briss._ 523
+
+LEATHERY TURTLE Testudo coriacea Sphargis coriacea 524
+
+
+
+
+BOOK V.
+
+MOLLUSCOUS ANIMALS.
+
+
+SECTION I.--BIVALVES, OR THOSE HAVING TWO SHELLS.
+
+PEARL OYSTER Mytilus Margaritiferus Avicula margaritifera.--_Lam._ 525
+
+OYSTER Ostrea edulis 526
+
+COCKLE Cardium edule Cardium fimbria 527
+
+PHOLAS Pholas dactylus 528
+
+MUSSEL Mytilus edulis 530
+
+
+SECTION II.--UNIVALVES.
+
+ADMIRAL Conus ammiralis 530
+
+TIGER COWRY Cypræa Tigris 531
+
+WHELK Buccinum undatum 531
+
+SNIPE SHELL Murex haustellus 532
+
+PERIWINKLE Littorina littorea 532
+
+LIMPET Patella vulgata 532
+
+SNAIL Helix aspersa 533
+
+CUTTLEFISH Sepia officinalis 535
+
+POULPE Sepia octopodia Octopus vulgaris.--_Lam._ 537
+
+ARGONAUT Argonauta argo 537
+
+NAUTILUS Nautilus Pompilius 538
+
+
+
+
+BOOK VI.
+
+ARTICULATED ANIMALS.
+
+
+SECTION I.--ANNELIDA, OR RINGED ANIMALS.
+
+EARTHWORMS Lumbricus terrestris 539
+
+LEECH Hirudo medicinalis Sanguisuga officinalis 540
+
+
+SECTION II.--CRUSTACEA.
+
+LOBSTER Cancer gammarus Astacus marinus.--_Leach_ 542
+
+CRAYFISH Cancer astacus { Astacus fluviatilis.--_Des._} 543
+ { Potamobius.--_Leach_ }
+
+CRAB Cancer Pagurus 543
+
+LAND CRAB 544
+
+SOLDIER CRAB Pagurus Bempardus 545
+
+SHRIMP Cancer crangon Crangon vulgaris.--_Fab._ 546
+
+PRAWN Palæmon serratus.--_Leach_ 546
+
+
+SECTION III.--ARACHNIDA.
+
+GARDEN SPIDER Aranea diadema Epeïra diadema.--_Walck._ 548
+
+TARANTULA Aranea Tarantula Lycosa tarantula.--_Lat._ 550
+
+CHEESE MITE Acarus siro 552
+
+
+SECTION IV.--INSECTS.
+
+
+ORDER I.--COLEOPTERA, OR BEETLES.
+
+COCKCHAFER Scarabæus Melolontha Melolontha vulgaris.--_Fab._ 554
+
+DOR BEETLE Scarabæus stercorarius Geotrupes stercorarius.--_Lat._555
+
+STAG BEETLE Lucanus Cervus 556
+
+ELEPHANT BEETLE Scarabæus elephas Dynastes elephas 557
+
+MUSK BEETLE, or } Cerambyx moschatus Aromia moschata.--_Serv._ 558
+ GOAT CHAFFER }
+
+GROUND BEETLE Carabus clathratus 558
+
+GLOWWORM Lampyris noctiluca 559
+
+DEATH WATCH Ptinus pertinax Anobium pertinax.--_Fab._ 560
+
+SPANISH FLY Cantharis vesicatoria 561
+
+CORN WEEVIL Curculio granarius Calandra granaria.--_Clairv._ 561
+
+LADY BIRD Coccinella septempunctata 562
+
+
+ORDER II.--ORTHOPTERA.
+
+EARWIG Forficula auricularia 563
+
+LEAF MANTIS Mantis gongylodes Empusa gongylodes--_Ill._ 564
+
+WALKING LEAF Mantis siccifolia Phyllium siccifolium.--_Ill._ 565
+
+GRASSHOPPER Locusta flavipes 566
+
+LOCUST Gryllus migratorius Locusta migratoria 567
+
+MOLE CRICKET Gryllus Gryllotalpa Gryllotalpa vulgaris.--_Lat._ 569
+
+CRICKET Gryllus domesticus Acheta domestica 570
+
+
+ORDER III.--HEMIPTERA.
+
+LANTERN FLY Fulgora lanternaria 571
+
+COCHINEAL INSECT Coccus cacti 571
+
+GREEN FLY Aphis rosæ 572
+
+ORDER IV.--NEUROPTERA.
+
+ANT-LION Myrmeleon formicarium 574
+
+DRAGON FLY Libellula grandis Æshna grandis._--Fab._ 576
+
+
+ORDER V.--HYMENOPTERA.
+
+BEE Apis mellifica 577
+
+WASP Vespa vulgaris 579
+
+ICHNEUMON Pimpla persuasoria 581
+
+ANT Formica rufa 582
+
+
+ORDER VI.--LEPIDOPTERA, MOTHS AND BUTTERFLIES.
+
+EMPEROR MOTH, } Phalœna } Saturnia.--_Schaank._ 583
+ with its CHRYSALIS} Pavonia minor}
+ and CATERPILLAR }
+
+TORTOISE-SHELL } Papilio urticæ Vanessa urticæ.--_Fab._ 585
+ BUTTERFLY }
+
+CABBAGE BUTTERFLY Papilio Brassicæ { Pieris Brassicæ.--_Lat._ } 586
+ { Pontia Brassicæ.--_Fab._ }
+
+MAGPIE MOTH Phalæna grossulariata Abraxas grossulariata.--_Leach_587
+
+WINTER MOTH Phalæna brumata Hibernia brumata.--_Lat._ 588
+
+SILKWORM Bombyx mori 589
+
+CLOTHES MOTH Tinea pellionella 590
+
+
+ORDER VII.--DIPTERA.
+
+HOUSE FLY Musca domestica 592
+
+GNAT Culex pipiens 592
+
+
+ORDER VIII.--SUCTORIA.
+
+FLEA Pulex irritans 594
+
+
+
+
+BOOK VII.
+
+RADIATA.
+
+
+STAR FISH Asterias rubens Uraster rubens 595
+
+SEA-URCHIN Echinus miliaris 596
+
+RED CORAL Isis nobilis Gorgonia nobilis 597
+
+STONY CORALS 600
+
+SPONGE 603
+
+POLYPS 604
+
+SEA ANEMONES 607
+
+JELLY FISH 609
+
+
+APPENDIX.--FABULOUS ANIMALS 611
+
+
+
+
+
+THE ENTERTAINING NATURALIST.
+
+
+
+
+BOOK I.
+
+I. QUADRUPEDS, OR FOUR-FOOTED BEASTS.
+
+
+§ I. _Carnivorous, or Flesh-eating Animals._
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE LION. (_Felis Leo._)]
+
+
+THE LION is called the king of beasts, not only from his grave and
+majestic appearance, but from his prodigious strength. Zoologists
+describe him as an animal of the cat kind, distinguished from the other
+species of the genus by the uniformity of his colour, the mane which
+decorates the male, and a tuft of hair at the tip of the tail, which
+conceals a small prickle or claw.
+
+Lions were formerly found in all the hot and warmer temperate parts of
+the whole world; but they are now confined to Africa, and some parts of
+Asia. The African Lion stands four or five feet high, and his body is
+from seven to nine feet long. The mane is thick, and somewhat curly; and
+the colour varies in different parts of Africa, but it is generally of a
+clear dark brown, deepening in some cases almost into black. The Asiatic
+Lions are smaller than those of Africa, and their colour paler. The
+Bengal Lion is of a light brown, with a long flowing mane; the Persian
+Lion is of a sort of cream-colour, with a short thick mane; and the Lion
+of Guzerat is of a reddish brown, without any mane. These varieties have
+been considered as distinct species by some naturalists.
+
+All the varieties agree in their habits; they lie hid in jungles in the
+long grass, and when aroused either walk quietly and majestically away,
+or turn and look steadily at their pursuers. Their roar is terrific: and
+in a wild state, the animal generally roars with his mouth close to the
+ground, which produces a low rumbling noise, like that of an earthquake.
+The effect is described by those who have heard it, as making the
+stoutest heart quail; and the feebler animals, when they hear it, fly in
+dismay, often in their terror falling in the way of their enemy, instead
+of avoiding him. Serpents, and some of the larger animals, will,
+however, fight with Lions, and occasionally kill them; and Lions, when
+pursued by man, are sometimes hunted with dogs, but are oftener shot, or
+speared. Those which are exhibited in menageries have generally been
+caught in pits. The pit is dug where traces have been discovered of a
+Lion’s path; and it is then covered with sticks and turf. He is deceived
+by the appearance of solidity presented by the turf, and attempts to
+walk over it; but the moment he sets his foot upon the covering of the
+trap, it breaks beneath his weight, and he falls into the pit. He is
+then kept without food for several days, shaking the ground with hisroaring,
+and fatiguing himself by vainly attempting to escape; till, at
+last, he becomes exhausted, and so tame as to permit his captors to put
+ropes round him, and drag him out. He is then put into a cage, and
+removed in a kind of waggon, wherever his captors may wish to take him.
+
+The generosity of the Lion has been much extolled; but the tales related
+of it appear to have had no other foundation than the fact, that, like
+many other beasts, when gorged with food he will not attack a man. A
+great amount of courage has also been so generally ascribed to him that
+the expression “as brave as a Lion,” has become proverbial, and he has
+been regarded as a sort of symbol of that quality. For this respectable
+character, the Lion is no doubt mainly indebted to his possession of a
+mane, and to the boldness of appearance produced by his carrying his
+head elevated; for in all other respects he is a genuine cat, with
+neither more nor less courage than belongs to the cats in general. As
+the Lion belongs to the cat tribe, his eyes are incapable of bearing a
+strong light; it is therefore generally in the night that he prowls
+about for prey, and when the sun shines in his face, he becomes confused
+and almost blinded. Lion hunters are aware of this fact. In the day-time
+they always consider themselves safe, so long as they have the sun on
+their backs. In the night, a fire has nearly the same effect; and
+travellers in Africa and the deserts of Arabia can generally protect
+themselves from Lions and Tigers by making a large fire near their
+sleeping-place. The strength of the African species is so great that he
+has been known to carry away a young heifer, and leap a ditch with it in
+his mouth. The power that man may acquire over this animal has been
+often shown in the exhibitions of Van Amburgh, Carter, and others; but
+the attachment which Lions sometimes form for their keepers, was never
+more strongly exemplified than in the following anecdote.
+
+M. Felix, the keeper of the animals in Paris, some years ago, brought
+two Lions, a male and female, to the national menagerie. About the
+beginning of the following June he was taken ill, and could no longer
+attend them; and another person was under the necessity of performing
+this duty. The male, sad and solitary, remained from that moment
+constantly seated at the end of his cage, and refused to take food from
+the stranger, whose presence was hateful to him, and whom he often
+menaced by bellowing. The company even of the female seemed now to
+displease him, and he paid no attention to her. The uneasiness of the
+animal led to a belief that he was really ill; but no one dared to
+approach him. At length Felix recovered, and, with an intention to
+surprise the Lion, crawled softly to the cage, and showed his face
+between the bars: the Lion, in a moment, made a bound, leaped against
+the bars, patted him with his paws, licked his hands and face, and
+trembled with pleasure. The female also ran to him; but the Lion drove
+her back, and seemed angry, and fearful lest she should snatch any
+favours from Felix; a quarrel was about to take place, but Felix entered
+the cage to pacify them. He caressed them by turns; and was afterwards
+frequently seen between them. He had so great a command over these
+animals, that, whenever he wished them to separate and retire to their
+cages, he had only to give the order: when he wished them to lie down,
+and show strangers their paws or throats, they would throw themselves on
+their backs on the least sign, hold up their paws one after another,
+open their jaws, and, as a recompense, obtain the favour of licking his
+hand.
+
+The Lion, like all animals of the cat kind, does not devour his prey the
+moment he has seized it. When those in cages are fed, they generally
+hide their food under them for a minute or two, before they eat it. Thus
+an instance is known of a man, who was struck down by a Lion, having
+time to draw his hunting-knife and stab the ferocious beast, who was
+growling over him, to the heart, before it had seriously injured him.
+The Lion also resembles a cat in his mode of stealing after, and
+watching his prey, a long time before seizing it.
+
+Dr. Sparrman mentions a singular instance of the animal’s habits in this
+respect. A Hottentot perceiving that he was followed by a Lion, and
+concluding that the creature only waited the approach of night to make
+him his prey, began to consider what was the best mode of providing for
+his safety, and at length adopted the following:--Observing a piece of
+broken ground with a precipitate descent on one side, he sat down by the
+edge of it; and found, to his great joy, that the Lion also made a halt,
+and kept at a distance behind him. As soon as it grew dark, the man,
+sliding gently forward, let himself down a little below the edge of the
+steep, and held up his cloak and hat on his stick, at the same time
+gently moving them backward and forward. The Lion, after a while, came
+creeping towards the object; and mistaking the cloak for the man
+himself, made a spring at it, and fell headlong down the precipice.
+
+Many interesting anecdotes of Lions and Lion-hunting may be found in the
+accounts of their travels published by Gordon Cumming, Andersson, and
+Dr. Livingstone. From the latter we may extract the following account of
+an escape literally from the very jaws of death:--“Being about thirty
+yards off,” says the doctor, “I took a good aim at his body through the
+bush, and fired both barrels into it. The men then called out, ‘He is
+shot, he is shot!’ Others cried, ‘He has been shot by another man too;
+let us go to him!’ I did not see any one else shoot at him, but I saw
+the Lion’s tail erected in anger behind the bush, and turning to the
+people, said, ‘Stop a little till I load again.’ When in the act of
+ramming down the bullets I heard a shout. Starting and looking half
+round, I saw the Lion just in the act of springing upon me. I was upon a
+little height; he caught my shoulder as he sprang, and we both came to
+the ground below together. Growling horribly close to my ear, he shook
+me as a terrier-dog does a rat. The shock produced a stupor similar to
+that which seems to be felt by a mouse after the first shake of the cat.
+It caused a sort of dreaminess, in which there was no sense of pain nor
+feeling of terror, though quite conscious of all that was happening. It
+was like what patients partially under the influence of chloroform
+describe, who see all the operation, but feel not the knife. This
+singular condition was not the result of any mental process. The shake
+annihilated fear, and allowed no sense of horror in looking round at the
+beast. This peculiar state is probably produced in all animals killed by
+the carnivora; and if so, is a merciful provision by our benevolent
+Creator for lessening the pain of death. Turning round to relieve myself
+of the weight, as he had one paw on the back of my head, I saw his eyes
+directed to Mebalwe, who was trying to shoot him at a distance of ten or
+fifteen yards. His gun, a flint one, missed fire in both barrels; the
+Lion immediately left me, and, attacking Mebalwe, bit his thigh. Another
+man, whose life I had saved before, after he had been tossed by a
+buffalo, attempted to spear the Lion while he was biting Mebalwe. He
+left Mebalwe, and caught this man by the shoulder; but at that moment
+the bullets he had received took effect, and he fell down dead. The
+whole was the work of a few moments, and must have been his paroxysm of
+dying rage.” The interesting nature of this narrative of a most
+hair-breadth escape must be our excuse for its length.
+
+Lions have been sometimes known to attain a great age; thus Pompey, a
+large male Lion that died, in 1760, in the Tower of London, was upwards
+of seventy years old. The usual period, however, seldom exceeds twenty
+years. The Lion is generally represented as the companion of Britannia,
+as a national symbol of strength, courage, and generosity. In ancient
+gems, paintings, and statuary, his skin is the attribute of Hercules. In
+Scriptural compositions, he is painted at the side of the evangelist St.
+Mark; and holds the fifth place among the signs of the zodiac, answering
+to the months of July and August.
+
+In the various sculptured Lions discovered by Mr. Layard at Nineveh in
+1848, the claw in the Lion’s tail is distinctly marked, and is
+represented as being of large size. It is, however, really a very small,
+dark, horny prickle at the tip of the fleshy part of the tail, and
+entirely hidden by the hair.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE LIONESS AND CUBS.]
+
+
+THE LIONESS is in all her dimensions about one-third less than the male,
+and has no mane. She has generally from two to four cubs at a time,
+which are born blind, like kittens, which they greatly resemble, though
+they are as large as a pug-dog, when born. When quite young they are
+striped and spotted, but these marks soon disappear; they also at first
+mew like a cat, and do not begin to roar till they are about eighteen
+months old. About the same time the mane begins to appear on the males,
+and soon after the tuft of hair on the tail, though the animal is
+generally five or six years before it attains its full size.
+
+The Lioness, though naturally less strong, less courageous, and less
+mischievous than the Lion, becomes terrible as soon as she has young
+ones to provide for. The ferocity of her disposition then appears with
+tenfold vigour; and woe be to the wretched intruder, whether man or
+beast, who should unwarily approach the precincts of her sanctuary. She
+makes incursions for food for her young with even more intrepidity than
+the Lion himself; throws herself indiscriminately among men and other
+animals; destroys without distinction; loads herself with the spoil, and
+brings it home reeking to her cubs. She usually brings forth her young
+in the most retired and inaccessible places; and when she fears the
+discovery of her retreat, often hides her track, by running back over
+the ground, or by brushing it out with her tail. She sometimes also,
+when her apprehensions are great, transports her young from one place to
+another, like a cat; and if obstructed, defends them with determined
+courage, and fights to the last.
+
+Mr. Fennel, in his _History of Quadrupeds_, relates an interesting
+anecdote of a Lioness kept at the Tower in 1773. This creature had
+become “greatly attached to a little dog, which was her constant
+companion. When the Lioness was about to whelp, the dog was removed; but
+shortly after her accouchement had taken place, the dog contrived to
+enter the den, and approached the Lioness with his usual fondness. She,
+alarmed for her cubs, immediately seized him, and seemed about to kill
+him; but, as if suddenly recollecting their former friendship, she
+carried him to the door of her den, and allowed him to escape unhurt.”
+Mr. Fennel also tells us, that the first Lioness ever brought to
+England, died in the Tower in 1773, after having attained a great age.
+
+Another Lioness, which was kept at the Tower in 1806, became extremely
+attached to a little dog, and whenever he attempted to pass through the
+bars of the den, would draw him back by the hinder parts, and place her
+paw gently upon his body, as if entreating him not to leave her.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE TIGER. (_Felis Tigris._)]
+
+
+THOUGH very inferior to the lion in majesty of appearance and
+deportment, this ferocious animal nearly equals him in size and
+strength. The Tiger is another of the feline species, and may be
+compared to an enormous cat, the whiskers and the tail being exactly
+similar; and both the Tiger and the lion resemble the cat in the form of
+their feet, and the power they possess of drawing in their claws. The
+Tiger, however, bears the strongest resemblance, and when pleased, purrs
+and curves up his back as he rubs himself against the nearest object.
+When enraged, he growls rather than roars; and springs up to a great
+height before he pounces on his prey.
+
+The Tiger has a smaller and rounder head than the lion; he has no mane;
+his tail is without any tuft at the extremity, and his body much more
+slender and flexible. His colour is yellowish on the back and sides,
+becoming white beneath, with numerous lines of a very dark rich brown,
+or glossy black, sloping from the centre of the back down the sides, and
+over the head, and continued down the tail in the form of rings. Tigers
+are only found wild in Asia; but they are very abundant and very
+destructive in the East Indies, as from their enormous strength they can
+carry off a bullock with the greatest ease.
+
+The attack of one of these animals upon Mr. Monro, son of Sir Hector
+Monro, was attended with the most tragical consequences. “We went,” says
+an eye-witness, “on shore on Sawgar Island, to shoot deer, of which we
+saw innumerable tracks, as well as of Tigers. We continued our diversion
+till near three o’clock, when sitting down by the side of a jungle to
+refresh ourselves, a roar like thunder was heard, and an immense Tiger
+seized our unfortunate friend, and rushed again into the jungle,
+dragging him through the thickest bushes and trees, everything giving
+way to his monstrous strength. All we could do was to fire on the Tiger;
+and our shots took effect, as in a few moments our unfortunate friend
+came up to us bathed in blood. Every medical assistance was vain, and he
+expired in the space of twenty-four hours, having received such deep
+wounds from the teeth and claws of the animal as rendered his recovery
+hopeless. A large fire, consisting of ten or twelve whole trees, was
+blazing near us at the time this accident took place; and ten or more of
+the natives were with us. The human mind can scarcely form any idea of
+this scene of horror.”
+
+Tiger-hunting, though very dangerous, is a very favourite sport in
+India. The hunters are mounted in carriages called howdahs, on the backs
+of elephants, well armed. The first indication is generally given by the
+elephants, who scent their enemy at some distance, and commencing a
+peculiar kind of snorting, become greatly agitated. As soon as the
+motion of the Tiger through the jungle is perceived, the nearest
+elephant is halted, and the hunter fires instantly. Should the Tiger be
+wounded, he will, in all probability, spring up with a hideous roar, and
+rush at the nearest elephant, his mouth open, his tail erect, or lashing
+his sides, and his whole fur bristled up. Sometimes, however, he
+endeavours to sneak away, artfully diminishing his size by drawing in
+his breath and creeping along the ground, and often with such success
+as to enable him to escape to ravines where it would be madness to
+attempt pursuit.
+
+The Tiger is, however, such a formidable neighbour, that, apart from the
+excitement of hunting him, the natives of the countries which he
+inhabits have recourse to various modes of killing him. In Persia a
+large and strong wooden cage is often fastened firmly down to the
+ground, in the vicinity of the Tiger’s haunts, and in this a man,
+accompanied by a dog or goat, to warn him of the approach of the Tiger,
+takes up his quarters at night. He is provided with a few strong spears,
+and when the Tiger comes, and in endeavouring to reach the enclosed prey
+rears himself against the cage, the man takes the opportunity of
+stabbing him in a mortal part. In Oude the peasants sometimes strew
+leaves smeared with birdlime in the Tiger’s path, in order that as the
+animal walks on them they may adhere to his feet; in his efforts to
+disengage himself from these encumbrances he usually smears face and
+eyes with the sticky material, or rolls himself among the treacherous
+leaves, until finally becoming blinded and very uncomfortable he gives
+vent to his dissatisfaction in the most dismal howlings, which speedily
+bring his enemies about him, when taking advantage of his helpless
+condition they dispatch him without difficulty. The destruction of a
+Tiger is handsomely rewarded by the Indian governments, and many of the
+people make a regular trade of shooting them.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE LEOPARD, (_Felis Leopardus_,)]
+
+
+DIFFERS from the tiger in being smaller, and in having the skin spotted
+instead of striped. His length from nose to tail is about four feet, the
+colour of the body is a lively yellow, and the spots of his skin are
+composed of four or five black dots arranged in a circle, and not
+imperfectly representing the print left by the animal’s foot upon the
+sand. It is found in the southern parts of Asia, and almost all over
+Africa. The panther is a variety of the Leopard.
+
+Like all animals of the cat tribe, Leopards are a compound of ferocity
+and cunning; they prey upon the smaller animals, such as antelopes,
+sheep, and monkeys; and are enabled to secure their food with great
+success, from the extraordinary flexibility of their bodies. Kolben
+informs us that, in the year 1708, two of these animals, a male and
+female, with three young ones, broke into a sheepfold at the Cape of
+Good Hope. They killed nearly a hundred sheep, and regaled themselves
+with the blood; after which they tore a carcass into three pieces, one
+of which they gave to each of their offspring; they then took each a
+whole sheep, and, thus laden, began to retire; but having been observed,
+they were waylaid on their return, and the female and young ones killed,
+while the male effected his escape. They appear afraid of man, and never
+attack him unless driven by hunger, when they spring upon him from
+behind. The Leopard is sometimes called the Tree-tiger from the ease
+with which he climbs trees.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE PANTHER. (_Felis pardus._)]
+
+
+ALTHOUGH the Panther is generally savage, and always very uncertain in
+its disposition, instances have been known of its exhibiting a certain
+amount of gentleness and even playfulness in confinement. This was the
+case with a specimen which Mrs. Bowditch brought over with her from
+Africa. This animal was called Sai. One day, at Cape Coast Castle, he
+found the servant appointed to attend on him sitting asleep, resting
+his back against a door; Sai instantly lifted up his paw, and gave the
+sleeper a tap on the side of the cheek, which knocked him over, and when
+the man awaked, he found Sai wagging his tail, and seeming to enjoy the
+fun. Another day, when a woman was scrubbing the floor, he jumped on her
+back; and when the woman screamed with fright, he sprang off, and began
+rolling over and over like a kitten. When put on board ship, he was
+first confined in a cage; and the greatest pleasure he had was when Mrs.
+Bowditch gave him a little twisted cup or cornet of stiff paper with
+some lavender-water in it, and with this he was so delighted, that he
+would roll himself over and over, and rub his paws against his face. At
+first he used to put his claws out when he attempted to snatch anything;
+but as Mrs. Bowditch would never give him any lavender-water when this
+was the case, he soon learnt to keep his claws in. This Panther died
+soon after it reached England.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE OUNCE. (_Felis Uncia_).]
+
+
+THE OUNCE is a species of cat very nearly related to the Leopard, with
+which it agrees in size and in its general habits. It differs
+principally in the thickness of its fur, its greyish colour, the
+irregular form of the spots, and the great length of its tail, which,
+from being clothed with a long thick fur, corresponding with that of the
+body, appears to be also of great thickness. This thick and somewhat
+woolly-looking coat is rendered necessary by the coldness of the
+districts inhabited by the Ounce, which is found in Thibet and other
+mountainous regions of Asia.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE OCELOT. (_Felis pardalis_).]
+
+
+THIS species, which is often called the _Tiger Cat_, is described by
+Buffon as the most beautiful of the animals of its tribe, and it must be
+confessed that the great French naturalist had some reason for so
+speaking of it. It measures about three feet in length, exclusive of the
+tail; the colour of the upper parts and sides is a tawny grey,
+beautifully marked with irregular streaks and spots of black, and the
+whole lower parts are nearly white. The Ocelot is a native of the
+forests of tropical America, where it climbs the trees with great
+agility in pursuit of monkeys and birds.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE CHEETAH, OR HUNTING LEOPARD.
+
+(_Felis jubata._)]
+
+
+THE HUNTING LEOPARD seems to form the connecting link between the cat
+and the dog tribes; as it has the long tail and flexible body of the
+cat, with the sharp nose and elongated limbs of the dog. Its claws also
+are not capable of being so completely drawn back into the toes as they
+can in other animals of the cat kind. The Cheetah is easily tamed, and
+Cuvier describes one which was accustomed to go at large in a park, and
+associated with the children and domestic animals, purring like a cat
+when pleased, and mewing when he wished to call attention to his wants.
+In the East the Cheetah is used in hunting, and is carried in a
+carriage, or chained on a pad behind the saddle of a horseman, with a
+hood over his eyes: when a herd of antelopes is found, the hood is taken
+off the Cheetah, who is let loose, and as soon as he sees the antelopes,
+steals cautiously along, till he comes within reach, when he springs
+suddenly upon them; making several bounds with the greatest rapidity,
+till he has killed his victim, when he begins instantly to suck its
+blood. The keeper then approaches, and throwing the Cheetah some pieces
+of raw meat, contrives to hoodwink and chain him again to his pad behind
+the saddle, on which he crouches like a dog. If the Cheetah is not
+successful in catching an antelope before the herd takes flight, he
+never pursues them, but returns to his keeper with a discontented and
+sullen air.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE JAGUAR. (_Felis Onca._)]
+
+
+THE JAGUAR is a native of the New World, and is sometimes called the
+American Tiger. He is generally larger and stronger than the leopard,
+which he resembles in colour; but the black ring-like marks have always
+a spot in the centre, which is not the case with those of the leopard.
+The tail is also shorter, and the head larger and rounder. The Jaguar
+has great strength, and will kill a horse or an antelope, and carry it
+off. He is, however, a cowardly animal, always springing upon his prey
+from behind, and attacking in preference the hindmost of a herd. He
+fastens upon its neck, placing one paw upon the head, which he twists
+round with the other, and thus instantly deprives it of life. His
+principal haunt is the long grass on the banks of a river, where he
+often feeds upon turtles; turning them on their backs, and then
+insinuating his paw between the shells so as to scoop out the flesh. He
+climbs trees and swims with great facility.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE PUMA. (_Felis concolor._)]
+
+
+THE PUMA, or American Lion, is smaller than the jaguar, and has a shrill
+hissing cry, very different from that of other animals of the cat kind.
+The fur is of a silvery fawn-colour, nearly white below, but becoming
+black at the head; the animal has no mane, and its tail is without any
+tuft at the tip. The cubs are spotted when young. The habits of the Puma
+are somewhat peculiar; when attacked, he climbs the nearest tree for
+safety, and there is generally shot by his hunters. When hunted with
+dogs, however, and cut off from all retreat, he stands at bay and fights
+furiously. The flesh is eaten by the Indians, and is said to be much
+prized by them. The Puma flies from the sight of man, and seldom attacks
+any animal larger than a sheep; but when he can surprise a flock of
+sheep, he kills as many as he can, only sucking the blood of each. He
+never devours the whole of his prey at once, carefully covering with
+leaves what he cannot eat: but if these should be removed, he will not
+touch the food again. In former times the Puma inhabited nearly the
+whole American continent, from Canada to Patagonia, but it is now
+extirpated in many places, especially in North America. It was formerly
+supposed that the Puma could not be tamed; but this is incorrect, as the
+late Edmund Kean, the tragedian, had one which followed him about like a
+dog, and was often permitted to come, at perfect liberty, into the
+drawing-room when it was full of company.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE COMMON LYNX. (_Felis Lynx._)]
+
+
+THERE are several species of Cats to which the common name of Lynxes is
+applied; they have short tails and small tufts or pencils of hairs at
+the tips of the ears. The Common Lynx is found in various parts of
+Europe and also in the north of Asia. It is about three feet long
+without the tail, which is six inches in length. The colour is reddish
+grey above, nearly white beneath. A very similar species, the CANADIAN
+LYNX (_Felis Canadensis_), is found in North America, and its skin is
+exported in great quantities from the Hudson’s Bay territories. The
+habits of both these species are very much alike; they swim and climb
+well, and prey upon small quadrupeds, such as hares, and upon birds.
+
+
+
+THE CARACAL. (_Felis Caracal._)
+
+
+THE CARACAL is generally supposed to be the Lynx of the ancients, which
+was so celebrated for the keenness of its sight. The name of Caracal is
+derived from two Turkish words, signifying black-ears, and the animal
+is, in fact, remarkable for the blackness of the tips of its ears. He is
+somewhat larger and stronger than the fox; his body of a reddish brown,
+becoming white below, and the tail rather short, being only about eight
+or nine inches in length. The Caracal is both irritable and sulky in
+confinement, and is very seldom tamed; indeed, on the slightest
+irritation, it expresses its anger by a sort of snarl, like what is
+called swearing in a cat, but much louder, and sometimes ending in a
+scream.
+
+When left to its own resources for support, it preys upon hares,
+rabbits, and birds; and will pursue the latter, of which it is
+immoderately fond, with remarkable activity, to the tops of the tallest
+trees. It is a native of Asia and Africa.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE CAT. (_Felis domestica._)]
+
+ “Grimalkin, to domestic vermin sworn
+ An everlasting foe, with watchful eye
+ Lies nightly brooding o’er a chinkey gap,
+ Protending her fell claws, to thoughtless mice
+ Sure ruin.”
+ JOHN PHILIPS.
+
+
+IT was formerly supposed that the common domestic Cat was nothing more
+than the wild Cat of the woods, rendered tame by education. This
+opinion is, however, now doubted, on the ground that the tail of the
+wild Cat is thick and bushy, like that of a fox, while that of the
+domestic Cat tapers to the point. The Cat of the Egyptians, of which so
+many mummies have been found, differed still more in this respect, as
+its tail was long and slender, ending in a kind of tuft. There are four
+or five distinct varieties of the domestic Cat: the tabby, the
+tortoise-shell, the Chartreuse, and the Angora. Of these the tabby bears
+most resemblance to the wild Cat, and the black Cats are from this
+breed: the tortoise-shell is said to have been brought from Spain, the
+females of this race being generally of a pure tortoise-shell, and the
+males buff, with stripes of a darker hue. All the white and whitish Cats
+are descended from the Chartreuse breed; they have all a blue tinge in
+their fur, and reddish eyelids: the tailless Cats of Cornwall and the
+Isle of Man belong to this race. The Angoras are quite distinct, and are
+well known by their long silky hair. Cats are fond of warmth, and are
+generally affected by changes in the weather. They are very
+affectionate, purring at the sight of those who are kind to them; and
+will curve up their backs and rub themselves against a door when it is
+opened for them, as if to thank the kind friend who has done them this
+service, before they take advantage of it. The female Cat has generally
+five or six kittens at a time, which she carries about in her mouth, and
+hides, when she thinks them in danger. When a Cat is enraged, its hair
+stands erect, and its tail swells to an enormous size. Cats fight
+savagely, and often tear the skin off each other’s necks: when two are
+about to fight, they stand for some time looking at each other,
+growling, and then dart at each other with the greatest fury, yelling
+with rage.
+
+Most Cats are good mousers, and some bring everything they kill to their
+master or mistress, displaying their mice and rats with as much pride as
+a sportsman would his game. They are very fond of catmint and valerian,
+rolling themselves in a kind of ecstacy when they smell the latter
+plant. They are very cleanly, often sitting stroking their faces with
+their paws, as if washing themselves.
+
+In the eye of the Cat, the pupil is perpendicularly oval, extending from
+above downwards, and when contracted appears like a straight line. This
+conformation is suited to the habits of these animals, for they are not
+content with prowling along the ground, but occasionally spring to great
+heights, their heads being directed upwards, and their eyes placed in
+front and more nearly parallel. This structure of the eyes occurs in all
+the Cat tribe.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE WILD CAT. (_Felis Catus._)]
+
+
+THE WILD CAT is a native of the forests of Europe, and was formerly
+abundant in Britain, but is now confined to some of the wilder parts of
+this country. It is a stouter and more powerful animal than the domestic
+Cat, and is of a greyish colour with black stripes, something like an
+ordinary tabby. It is a fierce creature, and is very destructive to
+birds and small quadrupeds.
+
+
+
+THE DOG. (_Canis familiaris._)
+
+
+TO no animal is mankind so much indebted for its services and affection
+as to the Dog. Among all the various orders of brute creatures, none
+have hitherto been found so entirely adapted to our use, and even to our
+protection, as this. There are many countries, both of the old and new
+continent, in which, if man were deprived of this faithful ally, he
+would unsuccessfully resist the foes that surround him, seeking
+opportunities to encroach upon his property, destroy his labour, and
+attack his person. His own vigilance, in many situations, could not
+secure him, on the one hand, against their rapacity, nor, on the other,
+against their speed. The Dog, more tractable than any other animal,
+conforms himself to the movements and habits of his master. His
+diligence, his ardour, and his obedience are inexhaustible; and his
+disposition is so friendly, that, unlike every other animal, he seems to
+remember only the benefits he receives: he soon forgets our blows; and
+instead of discovering resentment while we chastise him, exposes himself
+to torture, and even licks the hand from which it proceeds.
+
+Dogs, even of the dullest kind, seek the company of other animals; and
+by instinct take to the care of flocks and herds.
+
+
+
+
+THE SHEPHERD’S DOG.
+
+
+THE SHEPHERD’S DOG has been considered the primitive stock, from whence
+all others are derived. This animal still continues nearly in its
+original state among the poor in temperate climates: being transported
+into the colder regions, it becomes smaller, and covered with a shaggy
+coat. Whatever differences there may be among the Dogs of these cold
+countries, they are not very considerable, as they all have straight
+ears, long and thick hair, a savage aspect, and do not bark either so
+often or so loud as Dogs of the more cultivated kind. The Shepherd’s
+Dog, transported into temperate climates, and among people entirely
+civilized, such as into England, France, and Germany, will be divested
+of his savage air, his pricked ears, his rough, long, and thick hair;
+though he will still retain his large skull, abundant brain, and
+consequent great sagacity.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Many interesting anecdotes are told of the shepherd’s tyke or colley, as
+this kind of Dog is frequently called, particularly of its sagacity in
+rescuing sheep from snowdrifts. When sheep are missing in a snow-storm,
+as is frequently the case in Scotland and the North of England, the
+shepherd arms himself with a spade, and watching the motions of his
+faithful Dog, digs into the snow wherever the Dog begins to scratch it
+away, and is thus sure to find his lost sheep.
+
+This valuable boon to the shepherd is the least voracious of his kind,
+and endures fatigue and hunger with patience.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: [Chasseur and Cuba Bloodhounds.]
+
+THE BLOODHOUND.]
+
+ “---- Conscious of the recent stains, his heart
+ Beats quick; his snuffling nose, his active tail,
+ Attest his joy: then with deep opening mouth,
+ That makes the welkin tremble, he proclaims
+ Th’ audacious felon.----”
+
+
+THE BLOODHOUND is taller than the old English hound, most beautifully
+formed, and superior to every other kind in activity, speed, and
+sagacity. It is commonly of a reddish or brown colour, with long ears.
+It seldom barks, except in the chase: and never leaves its game until it
+has caught and killed it.
+
+Bloodhounds were formerly used in certain districts lying between
+England and Scotland, which were much infested by robbers and murderers;
+and a tax was laid upon the inhabitants for keeping and maintaining a
+certain number of them. But as the arm of justice is now extended over
+every part of the country, and there are no secret recesses where
+villany may lie concealed, these services are no longer necessary. In
+former times these Dogs were used to hunt runaway negroes and others in
+the Spanish West Indies, and many surprising anecdotes are told of their
+wonderful sagacity and power of scent.
+
+In Dallas’s “History of the Maroons,” an anecdote is given of the extent
+of their accomplishments in this way, which seems truly marvellous. A
+ship, attached to a fleet under convoy to England, was manned chiefly by
+Spanish sailors, who, as they passed Cuba, took the opportunity of
+running the vessel on shore, when they murdered the officers, and other
+Englishmen on board, and carried off all the available plunder into the
+mountains of the interior. The place was wild and unfrequented, and they
+fully expected to elude all pursuit. The moment, however, the news
+reached Havanna, a detachment of twelve chasseurs, with their Dogs, was
+sent off. The result was, that in a few days the whole of the murderers
+were brought in and executed, not a man having been injured by the Dogs
+in the capture.
+
+The old English Hound, the original stock of this island, and used by
+the ancient Britons in the chase, is a most valuable Dog; though the
+breed has been gradually declining, and the size studiously diminished
+by a mixture of other kinds, in order to increase their speed. It seems
+to have been accurately described by Shakspeare in the following
+lines:--
+
+ “My hounds are bred out of the Spartan kind,
+ So flew’d, so sanded; and their heads are hung
+ With ears that sweep away the morning dew;
+ Crook-kneed and dew-lapped, like Thessalian bulls;
+ Slow in pursuit; but match’d in mouth like bells
+ Each under each.”
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE FOXHOUND.]
+
+
+THIS most valuable of all the Dogs of the chase, is smaller than the
+staghound, its average height being from twenty to twenty-two inches. No
+country in Europe can boast of Foxhounds equal in fleetness, strength,
+and perseverance to those of Britain, where the utmost attention is paid
+to their breeding, education, and food. The climate also seems congenial
+to their nature, for when taken to France or Spain, and other southern
+countries of Europe, they quickly degenerate, and lose all the admirable
+qualities they possess in this country.
+
+Our predilection for fox-hunting appears to have descended from our
+forefathers, and to have gone on increasing in ardour. Certainly, no
+other country can boast of such splendid establishments for this
+valuable breed: the Duke of Richmond’s Kennel at Goodwood, cost no less
+than £19,000.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE POINTER]
+
+
+IS docile in its disposition, and when trained, is of the greatest
+service to the sportsman who delights in shooting. It is astonishing to
+see to what a degree of obedience these animals may be brought. Their
+sight is equally acute with their scent, and they are enabled to
+perceive at a distance the smallest sign from their master. So admirably
+have they been trained, that their acquired propensities seem as
+inherent as a natural instinct, and appear to be transmitted from parent
+to progeny. When they scent their game, they fix themselves like
+statues, in the very attitude in which they happen to be at the moment.
+If one of their fore feet is not on the ground when they first scent, it
+remains suspended, lest, by putting it to the ground, the game might be
+too soon alarmed by the noise. In this position they remain, until the
+sportsman comes near enough, and is prepared to take his shot; when he
+gives the word, and the dog immediately springs the game. This attitude
+has often been selected by the artist.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE MASTIFF.]
+
+
+IS the largest of the whole species: he is a strong and fierce animal,
+with short pendent ears and a large head, large and thick lips hanging
+on each side, and a noble countenance; he is a faithful guardian, and a
+powerful defender of the house.
+
+A curious account is given by Stow, of an engagement between three
+Mastiffs and a lion, in the presence of James the First. “One of the
+Dogs being put into the den, was soon disabled by the lion, which took
+him by the head and neck, and dragged him about: another Dog was then
+let loose, and served in the same manner: but the third, being put in,
+immediately seized the lion by the lip, and held him for a considerable
+time; till, being severely torn by his claws, the Dog was obliged to
+quit his hold; and the lion, greatly exhausted in the conflict, refused
+to renew the engagement; but, taking a sudden leap over the Dogs, fled
+into the interior part of the den. Two of the Dogs soon died of their
+wounds; the last survived, and was taken great care of by the king’s
+son, who said, ‘He that had fought with the king of the beasts, should
+never after fight with any inferior creature.’”
+
+The following anecdote will show that the Mastiff, conscious of its
+superior strength, knows how to chastise the impertinence of an
+inferior:--A large Dog of this kind, belonging to a gentleman near
+Newcastle, being frequently molested by a mongrel, and teased by its
+continual barking, at last took it up in his mouth, by the back, and,
+with great composure, dropped it over the quay into the river, without
+doing any further injury to an enemy so much its inferior.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE BULLDOG]
+
+
+IS much less than the mastiff, but the fiercest of all the Dog kind, and
+is probably the most courageous creature in the world. His short neck
+adds to his strength. Those of a brindled colour are accounted the best
+of the kind: they will run at and seize the fiercest bull without
+barking, making directly at his head, sometimes catch hold of his nose,
+pin the animal to the ground, and make him roar in a most tremendous
+manner, nor can they without difficulty, be made to quit their hold.
+Whenever a Bull-dog attacks in any of the extremities of the body, it is
+invariably considered a mark of his degeneracy from the original purity
+of blood.
+
+Some years since, at a bull-baiting in the north of England, when this
+barbarous custom was very common, a young man, confident of the spirit
+of his Dog, laid a wager that he would, at separate times, cut off all
+the animal’s feet, and that he would continue to attack the bull after
+each amputation. The experiment was tried, and the brutal wretch won his
+wager.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE TERRIER.]
+
+
+THE TERRIER is a small variety of the Dog, but is of high value, from
+the pertinacity and courage with which he attacks rats and other vermin.
+His name of Terrier is evidently given to him on account of his habit of
+digging into the earth, which he does with great rapidity when in
+pursuit of any animal. The English Terrier is a smooth-haired dog, and
+the best are of a black colour, with tan-coloured legs, and spots on the
+eyebrows; the Scotch Terrier is covered with rough, wiry hair, which in
+the Skye Terriers becomes very long.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SPANIEL.]
+
+
+OF this elegant animal, said to be of Spanish extraction, there are
+several varieties in this country; but it is more than probable that the
+English Spaniel, the most common and useful breed, is indigenous. It has
+received from nature a very keen smell, good understanding, and uncommon
+docility, and is employed in setting for partridges, pheasants, quails,
+&c. His steadiness in the field, his caution in approaching game, his
+patience in keeping the bird at bay till the fowler discharges his
+piece, are objects worthy of admiration. Many sportsmen prefer him to
+the pointer; and if water is plentiful he is more useful, for his feet
+are much better defended against the sharp cutting of the heath than
+those of the pointer, as he has a great deal of hair growing between the
+toes and round the ball of the feet, of which the pointer is almost
+destitute. He also ranges much faster, and can endure more fatigue.
+
+ “When milder autumn summer’s heat succeeds,
+ And in the new-shorn field the partridge feeds,
+ Before his lord the ready spaniel bounds;
+ Panting with hope, he tries the furrow’d grounds;
+ But when the tainted gales the game betray,
+ Couch’d close he lies and meditates the prey;
+ Secure they trust th’ unfaithful field beset,
+ Till hovering o’er them sweeps the swelling net.”
+ POPE’S WINDSOR FOREST
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE WATER-SPANIEL]
+
+
+IS excellent for hunting otters, wild ducks and other game whose retreat
+is among the rushes and reeds which cover the banks of rivers, the fens,
+and the ponds. He is very sagacious, and perhaps the most docile and
+tractable of all the canine tribe.
+
+The _Water-Spaniel_ will fetch and carry whatever he is bid, and often
+dives to the bottom of deep water in search of a piece of money, which
+he brings up in his mouth, and lays at the feet of whoever sent him. The
+best breed has black curly hair and long ears.
+
+The beautiful breed of Spaniels known as King Charles’s, are highly
+prized for their diminutive size and length of ears. They are found of
+all colours, but those which are black, with tanned cheeks and legs, are
+considered the purest breed.
+
+They derive their name from King Charles the Second, who, as Evelyn
+tells us, “took great delight in having a number of little spaniels
+follow him and lie in his bedchamber.”
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE NEWFOUNDLAND DOG.]
+
+
+THIS animal was originally brought into Europe from Newfoundland, whence
+it derives its name, and where it is extremely useful to the settlers,
+almost supplying the place of a horse. There are several varieties,
+differing slightly in size and appearance, but the full size is about
+six feet and a half from the nose to the tip of the tail, the length of
+which is two feet. He is noble in appearance, and covered with long
+shaggy hair of a black and white colour, in which the latter generally
+predominates.
+
+The Newfoundland Dog is affectionate, sagacious, and docile beyond all
+others; and being web-footed is excellently adapted for the water; and
+there are innumerable instances of his rescuing man from a watery grave.
+
+The anecdotes which illustrate the affection and sagacity of this animal
+would fill a volume, but we select one relating to the water, as that
+appears his noblest scene of action.
+
+Some time ago a young woman was nursing an infant on one of the quays
+on the Liffey, when it made a sudden spring from her arms, and fell into
+the water. The screaming nurse and anxious spectators saw the child
+sink, as they thought, to rise no more; when at the very instant a
+Newfoundland Dog, which was accidentally passing, rushed to the spot,
+and at the sight of the child, who at that moment re-appeared, sprang
+into the water. The child again sunk, and the faithful animal was seen
+anxiously swimming round the spot. Once more the child rose, and the Dog
+gently, but firmly, seized him and bore him to land. Meanwhile a
+gentleman arrived who appeared to take much interest in the affair, and
+on the person who had the child turning to show it him, he recognised
+the well-known features of his own son. A mixed sensation of horror,
+joy, and surprise struck him mute. When he recovered himself he lavished
+a thousand caresses on the faithful animal, and offered his master five
+hundred guineas for him; but the latter felt too much affection for the
+noble animal to part with him on any consideration whatever. We also
+subjoin another equally interesting.
+
+A native of Germany, fond of travelling, was pursuing his course through
+Holland, accompanied by a large Newfoundland Dog. Walking one evening on
+a high bank, which formed one side of a dike, or canal, so common in
+that country, his foot slipped, and he was precipitated into the water,
+and being unable to swim he soon became senseless. When he recovered his
+recollection he found himself in a cottage on the other side of the
+dike, surrounded by peasants, who had been using means to restore
+suspended animation. The account given by them was, that one of them,
+returning home from his labour, observed at a considerable distance a
+large Dog in the water swimming, and dragging the body of a man into a
+small creek on the opposite side to which the men were.
+
+The Dog having shaken himself, began industriously to lick the hands and
+face of his master, while the rustic hastened across; and, having
+obtained assistance, the body was conveyed to a neighbouring house,
+where the usual means of resuscitation soon restored him to sense and
+recollection. Two very considerable bruises, with the marks of teeth,
+appeared, one on his shoulder and the other on the nape of his neck;
+whence it was presumed that the faithful animal first seized his master
+by the shoulder, and swam with him in this manner some time; but that
+his sagacity had prompted him to let go this hold, and shift his grasp
+to the neck, by which he had been enabled to support the head out of
+water. It was in the latter position that the peasant observed the Dog
+making his way along the dike, which it appeared he had done for the
+distance of nearly a quarter of a mile.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GREYHOUND]
+
+
+IS well known, and was formerly held in such estimation, that he was the
+especial companion of a gentleman, who, in ancient times, was
+distinguished by his horse, his hawk, and his Greyhound, and it was
+penal for any person of inferior rank to keep one. He is the fleetest of
+all Dogs, and can outrun every animal of the chase. He has a long body,
+and is of an elegant shape; his head is neat and sharp, with a full eye,
+a good mouth, sharp and very white teeth; his tail is long, and curls
+round above his hind part. There are several varieties; as the Italian
+Greyhound, the Oriental Greyhound, and the Irish Greyhound, or Wolf-dog.
+They are used for coursing; that is, hunting by sight instead of scent;
+and are principally employed in chasing hares. Daniel, in his _Rural
+Sports_, tells us, that a brace of Greyhounds have been known to course
+a hare four miles in twelve minutes; turning it several times, till the
+poor creature dropped at last quite dead from fatigue.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE FOX. (_Canis Vulpes._)]
+
+
+THIS well-known animal, which is found in most countries of Europe, is
+of a reddish-brown colour, with the tip of his bushy tail white. His
+abode is generally on the skirt of a wood, as near a farm-yard as
+possible, in a hole, of which some other animal has been dispossessed or
+which it has voluntarily deserted. Thence he issues at night, and
+cautiously approaching the poultry, kills all that he can find,
+conveying them one by one to different hiding places, which he visits
+when hungry. He will continue his depredations till day-break, or until
+he is alarmed, often depopulating a whole poultry-yard in one night.
+When, however, his choice food, the chicken, is not accessible, he
+devours animal food of every description; and if his habitation be near
+the water he will even content himself with shell-fish. In France and
+Italy he does much damage to the vineyards, being very fond of grapes,
+and spoiling many for the sake of one bunch.
+
+His name has passed into a proverb for cunning and deceitfulness; and,
+unlike the dog tribe to which he belongs, he is totally unsusceptible of
+any sentiment of gratitude.
+
+His bite is tenacious and dangerous, as the severest blows cannot make
+him quit his hold; his eye is most significant, and expressive of almost
+every passion. He generally lives about twelve or fifteen years.
+
+The female produces but once a year, and seldom has more than four or
+five cubs at a litter. The first year the young is called a Cub, the
+second year a Fox, and the third year an Old Fox. The tail is very
+bushy, and is called the brush.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+In this country he is hunted with horses and hounds, and no animal
+affords greater diversion and occupation to the sportsman. When pursued
+he usually makes for his hole; but should his retreat be cut off, his
+stratagems and shifts to escape are singularly acute. He seeks woodyand uneven parts of the country, preferring the path, the most
+embarrassed by thorns and briars, and running in a straight line before
+the hounds, at no great distance from them; and, when overtaken, he
+turns on his assailants, and fighting with obstinate despair, dies in
+silence.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE ARCTIC FOX, (_Canis lagopus_,)]
+
+
+IS a smaller species than the common Fox, and has a much longer fur to
+fit him for the severe cold which he necessarily experiences in the
+Polar regions which he inhabits. The colour of the fur is frequently a
+bluish leaden gray, from which circumstance it is sometimes called the
+Blue Fox; some specimens are brownish, others nearly black. The fur
+becomes pure white in the winter, and in this state the Arctic Fox is an
+exceedingly pretty animal. This species is captured for the sake of its
+skin, the bluish specimens being preferred. He is usually taken in
+pitfalls or traps, of which he is not nearly so suspicious as his sly
+English relative. The flesh of the young is said to be very good.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE WOLF, (_Canis Lupus_,)]
+
+
+WHEN hungry, is an undaunted and most ferocious inhabitant of the woods,
+but a coward when the stimulus of appetite is no longer in action. He
+delights to roam in mountainous countries, and is a great enemy to sheep
+and goats; the watchfulness of dogs can hardly prevent his depredations,
+and he often dares to visit the haunts of men, howling at the gates of
+cities and towns. His head and neck are of a cinereous colour, and the
+rest of a pale yellowish brown. He commonly lives to the age of fifteen
+or twenty years. He possesses a most exquisite power of smelling his
+prey at a great distance. Wolves are found nearly everywhere, except in
+the British islands, where this noxious race has been entirely
+extirpated. King Edgar first attempted to effect this by remitting the
+punishment of certain crimes on producing a number of Wolves’ tongues;
+and in Wales, the tax of gold and silver was commuted for an annual
+tribute of Wolves’ heads. In the reign of Athelstan, Wolves abounded somuch in Yorkshire, that a retreat was built at Flixton, to defend
+passengers from their attacks. They infested Ireland many centuries
+after their extinction in England: the last presentment for killing
+Wolves was made in the county of Cork about the year 1710. They abound
+in the immense forests of Germany, and they are also found in
+considerable numbers in the South of France. Everywhere that they are
+wild, so great is the general detestation of this destructive creature,
+that all other animals endeavour to avoid it. In a state of captivity,
+however, the Wolf is remarkably anxious to attract the attention of man,
+and rubs itself against the bars of its cage when noticed. Indeed, the
+Wolf is by no means so untractable as is frequently supposed; but his
+temper is rather uncertain, and his destructive habits render him a
+dangerous pet. A curious instance of combined docility and
+destructiveness is related by Mr. Lloyd, which, as it also illustrates
+the cunning of this animal, we adduce here. Mr. Lloyd says--“I once had
+serious thoughts of training a fine female Wolf in my possession as a
+pointer; but was deterred, owing to the _penchant_ she exhibited for the
+neighbours’ pigs. She was chained in a little enclosure, just in front
+of my window, into which those animals, when the gate happened to be
+left open, ordinarily found their way. The devices the Wolf employed to
+get them in her power, were very amusing. When she saw a pig in the
+vicinity of her kennel, she, evidently with the purpose of putting him
+off his guard, would throw herself on her side or back, wag her tail
+most lovingly, and look innocence personified. And this amiable
+demeanour would continue until the grunter was beguiled within the
+length of her tether, when, in the twinkling of an eye, the prey was
+clutched.” The Wolf is sometimes affected with madness, in symptoms and
+consequences exactly similar to that which affects the dog; but this
+disease, as it generally happens in the depth of winter, cannot be
+attributed to the great heat of the dog-days. In the northern parts of
+the world, wolves are said, frequently, in the spring, to get upon the
+fields of ice adjoining the sea, for the purpose of preying upon the
+young seals, which they there find asleep; but vast pieces of the ice
+occasionally detaching themselves from the mass, they are carried with
+them to a great distance from the land, where they perish amidst the
+most hideous and dreadful howling. The language of the poet is
+beautifully descriptive of this creature’s insatiable fury:--
+
+ “By wintry famine roused, from all the tract
+ Of horrid mountains, which the shining Alps,
+ And wavy Apennine, and Pyrenees,
+ Branch out, stupendous, into distant lands,
+ Cruel as death! and hungry as the grave!
+ Burning for blood! bony, and gaunt, and grim!
+ Assembling Wolves, in raging troops, descend;
+ And, pouring o’er the country, bear along,
+ Keen as the north wind sweeps the glossy snow:
+ All is their prize.”
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE JACKAL, (_Canis Aureus_,)]
+
+
+COMMONLY called _the lion’s provider_, is not much larger than the fox,
+which he resembles in the appearance of the fore part of his body. His
+skin is of a bright yellowish colour. The Jackals often unite to attack
+their prey, and make a most hideous noise, which, rousing the king of
+the forest from his slumbers, brings him to the place of food and
+plunder: at his arrival, the petty thieves, awed by the greater
+strength of their new messmate, retire to a distance; and hence the
+fabulous story of their attendance on the lion, to provide for his
+food.--These animals are always seen in large flocks of forty or fifty;
+and hunt, like hounds in full cry, from evening till morning. In the
+absence of other food they drag the dead out of their tombs, and feed
+greedily on putrid corpses; but, notwithstanding their natural ferocity,
+it is said that, when taken young, they may be easily tamed, and, like
+dogs, they love to be fondled, wag their tails, and show a considerable
+degree of attachment to their masters. They are common in many parts of
+the East: and as they act as scavengers, the people do not annoy them in
+their nocturnal visits.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE STRIPED HYÆNA. (_Hyæna Striata_.)]
+
+
+THIS animal was long supposed to be the most savage and untractable of
+all quadrupeds: but it is now found that he may be tamed. He is covered
+with long, coarse, and rough ash-coloured hair, marked with long black
+stripes, from the back downwards; the tail is very hairy. His teeth and
+jaws are so constructed as to enable him to crush the largest bones
+with ease; and his tongue is as rough as a coarse file. Like the jackal,
+he attacks the flocks and herds, caring little for the watchfulness or
+strength of dogs, and when pressed with hunger, comes and howls at the
+gates of towns, and violates the repositories of the dead, tearing up
+the bodies from the graves, and devouring them. He is now only found
+wild in Asia and Africa, but is supposed to have formerly inhabited
+Europe. When receiving his food, the eyes of this fierce animal glisten,
+the bristles of his back stand erect, he grins fearfully, and utters a
+snarling growl.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SPOTTED HYÆNA. (_Hyæna Crocuta._)]
+
+
+THIS is another species which is common in Southern Africa; it is known
+amongst the colonists at the Cape of Good Hope, as the _Tiger-Wolf_. He
+has none of the mane-like hair on his back, which distinguishes the
+Striped Hyæna, and his skin is marked with spots instead of stripes. He
+is a ferocious beast, and is exceedingly destructive to sheep and
+cattle; and also frequently attacks and carries off children from the
+huts of the natives, sometimes even stealing them from their sleeping
+mothers.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: AMERICAN BLACK BEAR. (_Ursus Americanus._)]
+
+
+THIS animal inhabits the Northern districts of America, where it is
+found in considerable numbers. It is somewhat smaller than the Brown or
+European Bear; its colour of an uniform and glossy black. Its food
+consists chiefly of fruits, the young shoots, and roots of vegetables
+and grain. In quest of these it occasionally emigrates from the northern
+to the more southern regions. Their retreats, during the period of
+gestation, are so impenetrable, that although immense numbers of Bears
+are annually killed in America, a female is rarely found among them. In
+autumn, when they are become exceedingly fat by feeding on acorns and
+other similar food, their flesh is extremely delicate, the hams in
+particular are highly esteemed, and the fat is remarkably white and
+sweet. At this time and during the winter, they are hunted, and killed
+in great numbers by the American Indians.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GRISLY BEAR, (_Ursus Ferox_,)]
+
+
+WHICH is also an inhabitant of North America, is a creature of enormous
+size and strength; a specimen has been measured and found to be nine
+feet in length; and it is capable of carrying the carcass of a bison,
+weighing probably about a thousand pounds. His ferocity corresponds with
+his powers of destruction; and he is altogether one of the most
+formidable of quadrupeds.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE BROWN EUROPEAN BEAR, (_Ursus Arctos_,)]
+
+
+IS a native of the North of Europe, and also of the mountainous parts of
+the South of that continent. He is a great sleeper, and passes the whole
+winter in his den, without any particular food: but if we consider his
+being at rest, losing little by perspiration, and never retiring to his
+winter quarters before he is properly fattened, his abstinence will
+cease to be wonderful. When tamed, this animal appears mild and obedient
+to his master; he may be taught to walk upright, to dance, to lay hold
+of a pole with his paws, and perform various tricks to entertain the
+multitude, who are highly pleased to see the awkward movements of this
+rugged creature, which it seems to suit to the sound of an instrument,
+or to the voice of its leader. The discipline Bears undergo in teaching
+them to dance is so severe, that they never forget it; and an amusing
+story is told of a gentleman who was pursued by a Bear, and who, when in
+despair he turned and raised his stick against his assailant, was
+astonished to see the Bear rear itself on its hind legs, and begin to
+dance. It had escaped from captivity, and had been taught to dance when
+a stick was held up by its keeper. But to give the Bear this kind of
+education, it must be taken when young, and accustomed early to
+restraint and discipline, as an old Bear will not suffer constraint
+without discovering the most furious resentment: neither the voice nor
+the menaces of his keeper have any effect upon him; he growls equally at
+the hand that is held out to feed, and that which is raised to correct
+him. The female Bears bring forth two or three young, and are very
+careful of their offspring. The fat of the Bear is reckoned very useful
+in rheumatic complaints, and for anointing the hair: his fur affords
+comfort to the inhabitants of cold climates, and ornaments to those of
+warm. It was anciently supposed, that the young Bear, when first brought
+forth, was merely an unformed mass, till its mother licked it into
+shape; and hence the expression, “he wants licking into shape,” was
+frequently employed by the old dramatists, when speaking of an awkward,
+clownish man.
+
+The Brown Bear was at one time common in the British islands. “Many
+years ago it has been swept away so completely, that we find it imported
+for baiting, a sport in which our nobility, as well as the commonalty,of the olden time--nay, even royalty itself--delighted. A bear-bait was
+one of the recreations offered to Elizabeth at Kenilworth, and in the
+Earl of Northumberland’s Household Book we read of twenty shillings for
+his bearward. In Southwark there was a regular bear-garden, that
+disputed popularity with the Globe and Swan theatres, on the same side
+of the water. Now, however, so much do tastes alter, (in this instance
+certainly for the better) such barbarous sports are banished from the
+metropolis.”
+
+The Bear is a flat-footed animal, and can stand easily upon its broad
+hind feet, but is extremely awkward and sluggish in its movements. He
+possesses, however, the faculty of climbing to an extraordinary degree;
+and, in his native country frequently ascends lofty trees in pursuit of
+honey, of which he is excessively fond. Bears swim well, and will cross
+not only broad rivers, but sometimes even an arm of the sea.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE MALAYAN SUN-BEAR. (_Ursus Malayanus._)]
+
+
+IN this Bear the hair is short and black, except on the breast, where
+there is a large triangular or heart-shaped spot of white or tawny. He
+is very easily tamed when taken young, and becomes rather an amusing
+pet. An individual in Sir Stamford Raffles’ possession, was so tame,
+that he would play with children, and could be admitted to the
+dinner-table, when he gave proof of the soundness of his judgment as an
+epicure, by refusing to eat any fruit but mangosteens, or to drink any
+wine but champagne. The only time that he was known to be out of humour
+was, when there was no champagne for him. In a wild state, this Bear
+feeds on vegetables and honey. It is a native of Malacca and the eastern
+islands.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE POLAR, OR GREAT WHITE BEAR
+
+(_Ursus maritimus._)]
+
+
+THE POLAR BEAR is generally from six to eight feet long. The fur is long
+and white, with a tinge of yellow, which becomes darker as the animal
+advances in age; the ears are small and round, and the head long. It
+inhabits the Arctic shores of both hemispheres. It walks heavily, and is
+very clumsy in all its motions; its senses of hearing and seeing appear
+very dull, but its smell is very acute; and it does not appear destitute
+of some degree of understanding, or at least of cunning. Captain King,
+who visited the shores of the Arctic Ocean in 1835, relates a curious
+instance of the cunning of this animal: “On one occasion a Polar bear
+was seen to swim cautiously to a large piece of ice, on which two female
+walruses were lying asleep with their cubs. The Bear crept up some
+hummocks behind them, and with his fore feet loosened a large block of
+ice, which, with the help of his nose and paws, he rolled and carried
+till it was immediately over the heads of the sleepers, when he let it
+fall on one of the old animals, which was instantly killed. The other
+walrus, with its cubs, rolled into the water, but the young one of the
+murdered female remained by its dam, and on this helpless creature the
+Bear rushed, thus killing two animals at once.”
+
+The ferocity of this kind of Bear is equal to its cunning. A few years
+since, the crew of a boat belonging to a ship in the whale-fishery, shot
+at a Bear at a short distance and wounded it. The animal immediately set
+up the most dreadful yells, and ran along the ice towards the boat.
+Before it reached it, a second shot was fired, and hit it. This served
+to increase its fury. It presently swam to the boat; and in attempting
+to get on board, placed its fore foot upon the gunwale; but one of the
+crew having a hatchet, cut it off. The animal still, however, continued
+to swim after them till they arrived at the ship, and several shots were
+fired at it, which also took effect; but on reaching the ship it
+immediately ascended the deck, and the crew having fled into the
+shrouds, it was pursuing them thither, when a shot from one of them laid
+it dead on the deck.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE RACOON. (_Procyon lotor._)]
+
+
+THIS animal is a native of America, of the bear tribe: in Jamaica they
+are very numerous, and do incredible mischief to the plantations of
+sugar-cane and Indian corn, especially to the latter while it is young.
+The Racoon is less than the fox in size, and has a sharp-pointed nose.
+His fore legs are shorter than the others. The colour of his body is
+grey, with two broad rings of black round the eyes, and a dusky line
+running down the middle of the face. In the wild state the Racoon is
+savage and sanguinary, committing great destruction among both wild and
+domesticated birds, without consuming any part of them except the head,
+or the blood which flows from their wounds. It is a good climber, the
+form of its claws enabling it to adhere to the branches of trees with
+great tenacity. Racoons are easily domesticated, and then become very
+amusing animals. They are as mischievous as a monkey, seldom at rest,
+and extremely sensible of ill treatment, which they never forgive. They
+have great antipathy to sharp and harsh sounds, such as the bark of a
+dog, and the cry of a child. They eat of everything that is given them,
+and, like the cat, are good providers, hunting after eggs, fruit, corn,
+insects, snails, and worms; and generally dip their food in water before
+devouring it. A peculiarity which few other animals are found to possess
+is, that they drink as well by lapping like the dog, as by sucking like
+the horse. These animals are hunted for the sake of their fur, which is
+used by the hatters, and is considered next in value to that of the
+beaver; it is used also in linings for garments. The skins, when
+properly dressed, are made into gloves and upper-leathers for shoes. The
+negroes frequently eat the flesh of the Racoon, and are very fond of it,
+though it has a very disagreeable and rank smell. The American hunters
+pique themselves on their skill in shooting Racoons; which from the
+extraordinary vigilance and cunning of the animals, is by no means an
+easy task.
+
+When eating they support themselves on their hind feet, and carry their
+food to the mouth with their fore paws. Some of them are very fond of
+oysters and other shell-fish, and show great dexterity in keeping the
+shells open, while they extract the contents. Their most remarkable
+peculiarity, however, is that already mentioned, of dipping their food
+in water when there is any within their reach; though when there is not,
+they seem quite contented to eat it dry.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE BADGER. (_Meles Taxus._)]
+
+
+THIS animal inhabits most parts of Europe and Asia. The length of the
+body is about two feet six inches from the nose to the insertion of the
+tail, which is short, and black like the throat, breast, and belly; the
+hair of the other part of the body is long and rough, of a yellowish
+white at the roots, black in the middle, and greyish at the point: the
+toes are much enveloped in the skin, and the long claws of the fore feet
+enable the animal to dig with great effect: under the tail there is a
+receptacle, in which is secreted a white fetid substance, that
+constantly exudes through the orifice, and thus gives the body a most
+unpleasant smell. Being a solitary animal, it digs a hole for itself, at
+the bottom of which it remains in perfect security: it feeds upon young
+rabbits, birds and their eggs, and honey. The female has generally three
+or four young ones at a time.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE COATI-MONDI. (_Nasua Narica._)]
+
+
+THIS creature is a native of South America, not unlike the Racoon in the
+general form of the body, and, like that animal, frequently sits up on
+the hinder legs, and in this position, with both paws carries its food
+to its mouth. Even in a state of tameness, it will pursue poultry, and
+destroy every living thing that it has strength to conquer. When it
+sleeps it rolls itself into a ball, and remains immovable for fifteen
+hours together. Its eyes are small, but full of life; and, when
+domesticated, it is very playful and amusing. A great peculiarity
+belonging to this animal is the length of its snout, which is movable in
+every direction. The ears are round, and like those of a rat; the fore
+feet have five toes each. The hair on the back is short and rough and of
+a blackish hue; the tail marked with rings of black, like the wild cat;
+the rest of the body is a mixture of black and red. This animal is very
+apt to eat its own tail, which is very long; but this strange appetite
+is not peculiar to the Coati alone; the mococo and some of the monkey
+tribe do the same, and seem to feel no pain in wounding a part of the
+body so remote from the centre of circulation.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE CIVET, (_Viverra Civetta_,)]
+
+
+IS found in Northern Africa and Guinea, and is famous for producing the
+perfume called _civet_. He is kept for the sake of this perfume, and fed
+with a kind of soup made of millet, or rice, with a little fish or flesh
+boiled with it in water. The civet is found in a large double glandular
+receptacle, situated at a little distance beneath the tail. When a
+sufficient time for the secretion has been allowed, one of these animals
+is put into a long wooden cage, so narrow that it cannot turn itself
+round. The cage being opened by a door behind, a small spoon is
+introduced through the orifice of the pouch, which is carefully scraped;
+this is done twice or thrice a week, and the animal is said always to
+produce the most civet after being irritated. The Civet, although a
+native of the warmest climates, is yet found to live in temperate, and
+even cold countries, provided it be defended carefully from the injuries
+of the air. In a wild state, the Civet lives entirely on birds and small
+quadrupeds; and at any time a small quantity of salt is said to poison
+it.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GENET. (_Viverra Genetta._)]
+
+
+THIS animal is about the size of a small cat. The skin is spotted and
+beautiful, of a reddish grey colour. The spots on the sides are round
+and distinct, those on the back almost close; its tail is long, and
+marked with seven or eight rings of black. From an orifice beneath its
+tail it yields a kind of perfume, which smells faintly of musk. This
+little animal is meek and gentle, except when provoked, and is easily
+domesticated. In Constantinople it strays from house to house like our
+cat, and keeps whatever house it is in perfectly free from mice and
+rats, which cannot endure its smell. It is found wild in various parts
+of the south of Europe, and also throughout the continent of Africa. Its
+fur is beautiful and soft, and valuable as an article of commerce. The
+eyes of the Genet contract when exposed to the light, like those of the
+cat; and it can draw in its claws in nearly the same manner.
+
+
+
+
+THE ORIENTAL CIVET, (_Viverra Zibetha_,)
+
+
+IS an inhabitant of the south of Asia and of the islands of the Indian
+Archipelago. It is rather smaller than the African Civet, but is very
+sanguinary in its habits, causing a great destruction of poultry and
+even of lambs and young pigs. The perfume furnished by this species is
+highly esteemed by the natives of eastern countries.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE ICHNEUMON, OR EGYPTIAN MANGOUSTE, OR PHARAOH’S RAT.
+(_Herpestes Ichneumon._)]
+
+
+THIS animal bears a close resemblance to the weasel tribe, both in form
+and habits. From the tip of the nose to the root of the tail, it is
+about eighteen inches in length. At the base, the tail is very thick,
+tapering gradually towards the point, which is slightly tufted. It has a
+long, active body, short legs, lively and piercing eyes, and a pointed
+nose; the hair is rough and bristly, of a pale reddish grey.
+
+The Ichneumon is celebrated in the mythology of ancient Egypt, where it
+has long been domesticated, and where it was ranked amongst the
+divinities, on account of its great utility in destroying serpents,
+snakes, rats, mice, and other vermin: it is also fond of crocodiles’
+eggs, which it digs out of the sand where they have been deposited. It
+is a very fierce, though small animal, and will fight with dogs, foxes,
+and even jackals, with great fury. It will not breed in confinement, but
+may be easily tamed when taken young.
+
+The following particulars are related by M. D’Obsonville, in his Essays
+on the Nature of various foreign Animals:--“I had an Ichneumon very
+young, which I brought up. I fed it at first with milk, and afterward
+with baked meat mixed with rice. It soon became even tamer than a cat;
+for it came when called, and followed me, though at liberty, in the
+country. One day I brought this animal a small water-serpent alive,
+being desirous to know how far his instinct would carry him against a
+being with which he was as yet totally unacquainted. His first emotion
+seemed to be astonishment mixed with anger, for his hair became erect;
+but in an instant he slipped behind the reptile, and with remarkable
+swiftness and agility leaped upon its head, seized it, and crushed it
+between his teeth. This essay, and new food, seemed to have awakened in
+him his innate and destructive voracity, which till then had given way
+to the gentleness he had acquired from education. I had about my house
+several curious kinds of fowls, among which he had been brought up, and
+which, till then, he had suffered to go and come unmolested and
+unregarded: but a few days after, when he found himself alone, he
+strangled them every one, ate a little, and, as it appeared, drank the
+blood of two.”
+
+The MOONGUS (_Herpestes griseus_) and the GARANGAN (_Herpestes
+Javanicus_) are eastern species of Ichneumons; the former inhabits
+India, and the latter the island of Java. Like the Egyptian Ichneumon,
+they are great enemies of snakes and other reptiles, and also destroyrats, but unfortunately they often commit great havoc among poultry.
+
+The mode in which the Ichneumon seizes a serpent is thus described by
+Lucan in his _Pharsalia_:--
+
+ “Thus oft the Ichneumon, on the banks of Nile,
+ Invades the deadly aspic by a wile;
+ While artfully his slender tail is played,
+ The serpent darts upon the dancing shade,
+ Then turning on the foe with swift surprise,
+ Full on the throat the nimble traitor flies,
+ And in his grasp the panting serpent dies.”
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE WEASEL. (_Mustela vulgaris_.)]
+
+
+THE animals belonging to this genus, notwithstanding their small size,
+are all carnivorous, and from their slender and lengthened bodies, short
+legs, and the very free motion in every direction, permitted by the
+loose articulations of the spine, are well formed for pursuing their
+prey into the deepest recesses. Constituted by nature to subsist on
+animals, many of which have great strength and courage, they possess an
+undaunted and ferocious disposition. The Weasel has a long and thin
+body; its length, with its tail, is ten inches, and its height not more
+than an inch and a half. In the northern parts of Europe they are very
+numerous. Mice of every description, the field and the water-vole, rats,
+moles, and small birds, are their ordinary food, and occasionally
+rabbits and partridges. When driven by hunger, it will boldly attack the
+poultry-yard. The Weasel, when it enters a hen roost, never meddles with
+the cocks or old hens, but makes choice of the pullets and young
+chickens; these it kills with a single stroke on the head, and carries
+away one after the other. It sucks the eggs with avidity, making a small
+hole at one end, through which it draws out the yolk. In winter it
+resides in granaries and hay-lofts, and in summer chooses the low lands
+about the mills and streams, where it hides among the bushes, and in the
+hollows of old trees.
+
+It was formerly supposed that the Weasel was untamable; but Buffon, in a
+supplementary volume, corrects this error, and from a letter of a female
+correspondent, shows that it may be rendered as familiar as a cat or a
+lapdog. It frequently eat from his correspondent’s hand, and seemed
+fonder of milk and fresh meat than of any other food. “If I present my
+hands,” says this lady, “at the distance of three feet, it jumps into
+them without ever missing. It shows a great deal of address and cunning,
+in order to accomplish its ends, and seems to disobey certain
+prohibitions merely through caprice. During all its actions it seems
+solicitous to divert and be noticed, looking at every jump and at every
+turn to see whether it be observed or not. If no notice be taken of its
+gambols, it ceases them immediately, and betakes itself to sleep; and
+when awaked from the soundest sleep, it instantly resumes its gaiety,
+and frolics about in as sprightly a manner as before. It never shows any
+ill humour, unless when confined or too much teased, in which case it
+expresses its displeasure by a sort of murmur, very different from that
+which it utters when pleased.”
+
+Weasels and ferrets are used by rat-catchers to drive the rats out of
+their holes; and they kill a great many, the habit of the Weasel being
+to kill its prey by biting the head, so that the teeth penetrate the
+brain, and then to throw the body aside, or hide it till a future
+period.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE FERRET, (_Mustela furo_,)]
+
+
+IS a small, yet bold animal, and an enemy to all others but those of his
+own kind. He closely resembles the Polecat, and is considered by many
+naturalists, to be merely a domesticated variety of that animal. His
+eyes are remarkably fiery. He is much used to drive rabbits from their
+holes, and for this purpose is always muzzled, as otherwise he would
+feast upon the blood of the first rabbit he met with, and then quietly
+lay himself down in the burrow to sleep. He is such an inveterate enemy
+to the rabbit, that if a dead one be presented to a young Ferret, he
+instantly bites it with an appearance of rapacity; or, if it be living,
+the Ferret seizes it by the neck, winds himself round it, and continues
+to suck its blood till he be satiated; indeed, his appetite for blood is
+so strong, that he has been known to attack and kill children in the
+cradle. He is very soon irritated; and his bite is very difficult to be
+cured.
+
+Our figure is full large, as the length of the animal is usually about
+thirteen inches, exclusive of the tail, which is about five.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE POLECAT. (_Mustela putorius._)]
+
+
+THE strong and disagreeable smell of this animal is proverbial; its skin
+is stiff, hard, and rugged, and when well prepared, is very desirable as
+clothing. It is about seventeen inches in length, exclusive of the tail,
+which is about six inches. The breast, tail, and legs are of a blackish
+colour, but the belly and sides yellowish. It sometimes conceals itself
+in secret corners about houses, and is then a disastrous pest to the
+poultry-yard. These animals usually frequent the woods and destroy a
+great quantity of game; and some, forsaking the haunts of man, retire to
+the rocks and crevices of the cliffs on the sea shore, preferring a
+meagre and scanty diet with security, to the daintiness of chicken-flesh
+and eggs, attended with trouble and fear. Rabbits seem to be their
+favourite prey, and a single Polecat is often sufficient to destroy a
+whole warren; for with that insatiable thirst for blood which is natural
+to all the weasel tribe, it kills much more than it can devour; and
+twenty rabbits have been found dead, which one Polecat had destroyed by
+a wound hardly perceptible. The _Polecat_ is the same with the _Fitchet_
+or _Foumart_, the hair of which is made into fine brushes and pencils
+for the use of painters. This small animal is fierce and bold. When
+attacked by a dog, it will defend itself with great spirit, attack him
+in turn, fastening upon the nose of its enemy with so keen a bite, as
+frequently to oblige him to desist. When heated or enraged, the smell it
+emits is absolutely intolerable.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE ERMINE. (_Mustela erminea._)]
+
+
+THIS, which is also called the STOAT, is a smaller species than the
+Polecat, and is less common in England than the latter, although in
+Scotland it is tolerably abundant. Its colour in summer, is reddish
+brown on the back and white underneath; but in winter the whole of the
+fur becomes pure white, except on the tail, which is always black, and
+it is in this state that the fur of the Ermine is so highly esteemed. In
+the North of Europe, Siberia, and the most northern parts of America,
+Ermines are found in immense numbers, and great quantities of them are
+killed for the sake of their skins, of which several hundred thousand
+are annually exported from those inclement northern regions, to serve
+for the adornment of ladies dress, and of the state robes of peers and
+other high dignitaries, in more civilized countries. The pure white skin
+adorned with the jet black tails of the little animals, is indeed one of
+the most elegant of all furs; but from the immense quantities in which
+the skins are imported, they have become so cheap that ermine can no
+longer be regarded as a fashionable fur, and it is chiefly employed for
+those purposes to which custom has, in a manner, consecrated its use.
+
+Like the Polecat, and others of its kind, the Ermine is a bloodthirsty
+little creature, and so bold that it will attack animals much larger
+than itself. It is very destructive to poultry and game, and even
+pursues hares with success; those animals, although so fleet of foot
+appearing to be so fascinated by the approach of their little enemy,
+that they do not betake themselves to flight, but hop slowly along,
+until the fangs of the destroyer are fixed in the throat of its victim,
+when all efforts to shake him off are unavailing. The Ermine is also one
+of the great enemies of the water-rat, which it will follow into the
+water. The dwelling-place of the Ermine is a narrow burrow, usually in
+the midst of a thicket, or furze-bush; it sometimes takes up its abode
+in a rabbit burrow. In this country the female produces four or five
+young at a birth; but in North America the litter is said to consist of
+ten or twelve little ones.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SKUNK, (_Mustela_, or _Mephitis Americana_,)]
+
+
+WHICH is found in most parts of North America, is curiously marked with
+a pair of white stripes running down the sides of the back. It feeds
+upon mice and other small quadrupeds, and also in summer upon frogs. The
+Skunk is of a stout and rather heavy form, and runs but slowly, so that
+when pursued it would have but a small chance of making its escape, but
+for a singular provision with which it has been endowed by nature. This
+consists of a yellow fluid of the most horrible odour, contained in a
+small bag or pouch under the root of the tail; which the creature is
+enabled to discharge to a distance of more than four feet, so that even
+if the noisome discharge does not actually reach and smother the
+animal’s pursuers, it forms between them and their intended victim, a
+sort of invisible barrier, which few noses are able to pass. The smell
+is so strong that it has been known to produce sickness at a distance of
+a hundred yards, and so persistent, that the spot where a Skunk has been
+killed, will retain the taint for many days. The flesh of this animal
+is, however, considered excellent food by the Indians.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SABLE. (_Mustela_, or _Martes Zibellina_.)]
+
+
+THIS animal is a native of Siberia, Kamtschatka, and Asiatic Russia, and
+it frequents the banks of rivers, and the thickest parts of the woods.
+It lives in holes under the ground, and especially under the roots of
+trees; but sometimes makes its nest, like the squirrel, in the hollows
+of trees. The skin of the Sable is more valuable than that of any other
+animal of equal size. One of these skins, not more than four inches
+broad, has sometimes been valued at as high a rate as fifteen pounds;
+but the general price is from one to ten pounds, according to the
+quality. The Sable’s fur is different from all others, its peculiarity
+being, that the hair turns with equal ease either way; on which account
+fur dealers sometimes blow the fur of any article they may be selling,
+to show that it is really Sable. The tails are sold by the hundred, at
+from four to eight pounds.
+
+The AMERICAN SABLE (_M. leucopus_) is considered to be a distinct
+species.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: BEECH MARTIN]
+
+
+The common, or BEECH MARTEN, (_Mustela Martes_ or _Martes foina_,) like
+the Sable, boasts the honour of adorning with his fur the rich and the
+beautiful; as princes, ladies, and opulent people of all nations, pride
+themselves in wearing his spoils. He is about as big as a cat, but his
+body is much longer proportionately, and the legs shorter. His skin is
+of a light brown, with white under the throat. The fur of the Marten
+fetches a good price, and is much used in European countries, though
+very far inferior to that of the Sable: the best, which is called Stone
+Marten fur by the furriers, is imported from Sweden and Russia.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: YELLOW-BREASTED MARTEN]
+
+
+The Pine, or YELLOW-BREASTED MARTEN (_M. Abietum_), is another species,
+the fur of which is nearly equal to that of the Sable, though it is much
+cheaper.
+
+
+
+
+THE OTTER. (_Lutra vulgaris._)
+
+ “Forth from his den the Otter drew,--
+ Grayling and trout their tyrant knew,
+ As between reed and sedge he peers,
+ With fierce round snout and sharpened ears,
+ Or, prowling by the moonbeam cool,
+ Watches the stream or swims the pool.”
+ SCOTT.
+
+
+AS the Otter lives principally on fish, the formation of his body is
+such as will enable him to swim with the greatest facility. His body is
+flattened horizontally; his tail is flat and broad; his legs are short,
+and his toes webbed. His teeth are very strong and sharp; and his body,
+besides its fur, has an outer covering of coarse shining hair. The Otter
+is a perfect epicure in his food; he seldom eats an entire fish, but
+beginning at the head, eats that, and about half the body, always
+rejecting the tail. When the rivers and ponds are frozen so that the
+Otter can get no fish, he will visit the neighbouring farm-yards, where
+he will attack the poultry, sucking-pigs, and even lambs. An Otter may
+be tamed, and taught to catch fish enough to sustain not only himself,
+but a whole family. Goldsmith states, that he saw an Otter go to a
+gentleman’s pond at the word of command, drive the fish into a corner,
+and seize upon the largest of the whole, bring it off, and give it to
+his master.
+
+Bewick, in his History of Quadrupeds, states, that a person of the name
+of Collins, who lived at Kilmerston, near Wooler, in Northumberland, had
+a tame Otter, which followed him wherever he went. He frequently took it
+to fish in the river; and, when satiated, it never failed to return to
+him. One day, in the absence of Collins, the Otter, being taken out to
+fish by his son, instead of returning as usual, refused to come at the
+accustomed call, and was lost. The father tried every means in his power
+to recover the animal; and, after several days’ search, being near the
+place where his son had lost it, and calling it by name, to his
+inexpressible joy it came creeping to his feet, and showed many marks of
+affection and attachment.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+The female Otter produces four or five young ones at a birth, and these
+in the spring of the year. Where there have been ponds near a
+gentleman’s house, instances have occurred of their littering in cellars
+or drains. The male utters no noise when taken, but the females
+sometimes emit a shrill squeak.
+
+Otters are generally caught in traps placed near their landing-places,
+and carefully concealed in the sand. When hunted by dogs, the old ones
+defend themselves with great obstinacy. They bite severely, and do not
+readily quit their hold. Otter-hunting is a favourite sport in many
+parts of Great Britain; particularly in the midland counties of England,
+and in Wales.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SEA OTTER. (_Lutra_ or _Enhdyralutris_.)]
+
+
+THE common Otter sometimes takes to the sea; but, on the eastern coasts
+of Northern Asia and the opposite shores of North America, true Sea
+Otters are met with, chiefly about the numerous rocky islands which
+fringe those coasts. The Sea Otter in its habits resembles the seals
+more than the common species; it is about three feet long without the
+tail, and is covered with a thick, rich, dark brown, or nearly black
+fur, which is so highly prized that single fine skins have been known to
+sell for a sum equivalent to twenty pounds, and the animals have, in
+consequence, been pursued with such avidity, that their numbers are
+greatly reduced.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE COMMON SEAL. (_Phoca vitulina._)]
+
+
+THE amphibious flesh-eating animals, though nearly allied to the otter
+in their habits, are very different in the construction of their bodies.
+Their feet are so short and so enveloped in skin, that they are of
+scarcely any use in assisting the animal on dry land; so that the Seal’s
+progress on solid ground is only effected by a sort of half tumbling,
+jumping, and shuffling motion, excessively ridiculous to a looker-on.
+The feet, however, which are furnished with strong claws, are of use in
+enabling the animal to climb out of the water over a rocky shore. For
+swimming, the Seal is admirably adapted; its long flexible body is
+shaped like that of a fish, tapering to the tail; and it is furnished
+with strong webs between the toes, so as to make the fore feet act as
+oars, and the hind feet, which the animal generally drags behind it like
+a tail, to serve as a rudder. The Common Seal lives generally in the
+water, and feeds entirely on fish; only coming to shore occasionally to
+bask on the sands, and to lie there to suckle its young. The usual
+length of a Seal is four or five feet. The head is large and round; the
+neck small and short; and on each side of the mouth there are several
+strong bristles. From the shoulders the body tapers to the tail, which
+is very short. The eyes are large: there are no external ears; and the
+tongue is cleft or forked at the end. The body is covered with short
+thick-set hair, which in the common species is generally grey, but
+sometimes brown or blackish. There are, however, several species; and
+one of them, which is called the sea-leopard, has the fur spotted with
+white or yellow.
+
+Seals are hunted by the Greenlanders for the sake of their oil, and also
+for their skins, which are used for making waistcoats and other articles
+of clothing, and are much prized by the fishermen for their great
+warmth. The oil, of which a full grown specimen yields four or five
+gallons, is very clear and transparent, and destitute of the unpleasant
+odour and taste of whale-oil. When attacked, they fight with great fury;
+but when taken young, are capable of being tamed; they will follow their
+master like a dog, and come to him when called by the name given to
+them. Some years ago a young Seal was thus domesticated. It was taken at
+a little distance from the sea, and was generally kept in a vessel full
+of salt water: but sometimes it was allowed to crawl about the house,
+and even to approach the fire. Its natural food was regularly procured
+for it; and it was carried to the sea every day, and thrown in from a
+boat. It used to swim after the boat, and always allowed itself to be
+taken back. It lived thus for several weeks, and probably would have
+lived much longer, had it not been sometimes too roughly handled. The
+females in this climate bring forth in winter, and rear their young upon
+some sand-bank, rock, or desolate island, at some distance from the main
+land. When they suckle their young, they sit up on their hinder legs,
+while the little Seals, which are at first white, with woolly hair,
+cling to the teats, which are four in number. In this manner the young
+continue in the place where they are brought forth for twelve or fifteen
+days; after which the dam brings them down to the water, and accustoms
+them to swim and get their food by their own industry.
+
+In Newfoundland the Seal-fishery forms an important source of wealth,
+and numerous ships are sent out every season among the ice in search of
+Seals. One ship has been known to catch five thousand Seals, but about
+half that number is the usual quantity taken. As soon as the Seal is
+killed, it is skinned, and the pelt, as the skin and blubber together is
+called, being preserved, the body of the Seal is either eaten by the
+sailors, or left on the ice for the polar bears.
+
+The aboriginal inhabitants of the northern regions have several strange
+superstitions about Seals. They believe that Seals delight in
+thunder-storms; and say, that during these times they will sit on the
+rocks, and contemplate, with apparent pleasure and gratification, the
+convulsion of the elements. The Icelanders, in particular, are said to
+believe that these animals are the offspring of _Pharaoh_ and his host,
+who were converted into Seals when they were overwhelmed in the _Red
+Sea_.
+
+Several species of Seals are distinguished by curious appendages to the
+head, sometimes in the form of a hood, sometimes in that of a projection
+from the nose. One of the most singular is the Sea Elephant (_Morunga
+proboscidea_), an inhabitant of the shores of the numerous islands
+scattered over the great Southern Ocean. In this curious animal, which
+often measures twenty-four feet in length, the nose of the male forms a
+proboscis about a foot long and capable of considerable distension. The
+female has no such appendage. The young of the Sea Elephant, when just
+born, is said to be as large as a full grown seal of the common species.
+The skin in the old animals is very thick, and forms an excellent
+leather for harness.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE WALRUS, MORSE, OR SEA-COW.
+
+(_Trichechus Rosmarus._)]
+
+
+THIS very curious animal is nearly allied to the Seal, but is of much
+greater size, being frequently eighteen feet in length, and from ten to
+twelve feet in girth. The head is round, the eyes are small and
+brilliant, and the upper lip, which is enormously thick, is covered with
+pellucid bristles, as large as a straw. The nostrils are very large, and
+there are no external ears. The most remarkable part of the Walrus is,
+however, his two large tusks in the upper jaw; they are inverted, the
+points nearly uniting, and sometimes exceed twenty-four inches in
+length! the use which the animal makes of them is not easily explained,
+unless they help him to climb up the rocks and mountains of ice among
+which he takes up his abode, as the parrot employs his beak to get upon
+his perch. The tusks of the Walrus are superior in durability and
+whiteness to those of the elephant, and, as they keep their colour much
+longer, are preferred by dentists to any other substance for making
+artificial teeth.
+
+The Walrus is common in some of the northern seas, and will sometimes
+attack a boat full of men. They are gregarious animals, usually found in
+herds of from fifty to one hundred or more, sleeping and snoring on the
+icy shores; but when alarmed they precipitate themselves into the water
+with great bustle and trepidation, and swim with such rapidity, that it
+is difficult to overtake them with a boat. One of their number always
+keeps watch while the others sleep. They feed on shell-fish and
+sea-weeds, and yield an oil equal in goodness to that of the whale. The
+white bear is their greatest enemy. In the combats between these
+animals, the Walrus is said to be generally victorious, on account of
+the desperate wounds it inflicts with its tusks. The females have only
+one young one at a time, which, when born, resembles a good-sized pig.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+
+§ II. _Insectivorous, or Insect-eating Animals._
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE HEDGEHOG. (_Erinaceus Europæus._)]
+
+
+THIS animal is something like a porcupine in miniature, and is covered
+all over with strong and sharp spines or prickles, which he erects when
+irritated. His common food consists of worms, slugs, and snails; and
+thus, far from being a noxious animal in a garden, he is a very useful
+one, as he feeds upon all the insects he can find. Hedgehogs inhabit
+most parts of Europe. Notwithstanding its formidable appearance, it is
+one of the most harmless animals in the world. While other creatures
+trust to their force, their cunning, or their swiftness, this quadruped,
+destitute of all, has but one expedient for safety, and from this alone
+it generally finds protection. The instant it perceives an enemy, it
+withdraws all its vulnerable parts, rolls itself into a ball, and
+presents nothing to view but a round mass of spines, impervious on every
+side. When the Hedgehog is thus rolled up, the cat, the weasel, the
+ferret, and the marten, after wounding themselves with the prickles,
+quickly decline the combat; and the dog himself generally spends his
+time in empty menaces rather than in effectual efforts, while the little
+animal waits patiently till its enemy, by retiring, affords an
+opportunity for retreat.
+
+The female produces from two to four young ones at a birth. When first
+born they are blind, and their spines white and soft, but they become
+hard in a few days. The Hedgehog is said to suck the milk from cows;
+but this is impossible, as the mouth of the Hedgehog would not admit the
+teat of the cow. The Hedgehog, however, sometimes destroys eggs, and has
+been known to attack frogs, mice, and even toads, when pressed by
+hunger; it will also occasionally eat the tuberous roots of plants,
+boring under the root, so as to devour it, and yet leave the stem and
+leaves untouched. The Hedgehog makes himself a nest of leaves and soft
+wool for the winter, in the hollow trunk of an old tree, or in a hole in
+a rock or bank; and here, having coiled himself up, he passes the winter
+in one long unbroken sleep. Hedgehogs may easily be tamed, and are
+sometimes kept in the kitchens in London houses to destroy the
+black-beetles. The flesh of the Hedgehog is sometimes eaten; especially
+by gipsies, who appear to consider it a delicacy. It is said to be
+well-tasted, and to have abundance of yellow fat.
+
+In times when insect food is scarce he will also regale himself upon
+apples and pears which have fallen from the trees, but a glance at the
+structure of the creature ought to be sufficient to convince any one
+that the charges often brought against him of climbing trees to detach
+the fruit which he is said afterwards to carry off by the ingenious
+expedient of throwing himself down upon it from the branches so as to
+attach it to his spines, are totally without foundation.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE MOLE. (_Talpa Europæa._)]
+
+
+THE MOLE is a curious, awkwardly-shaped animal, with a long flexible
+snout, very small eyes, and hand-like fore feet, armed with very strong
+claws, with which it scrapes its way through the ground, when it is
+forming the subterranean passages in which it takes up its abode. The
+Mole, though it is supposed not to possess the advantage of sight, has
+the senses of hearing and feeling in great perfection; and its fur,
+which is short and thick, is set erect from its skin, so as not to
+impede its progress whether it goes forward or backwards along its runs.
+These runs are very curiously constructed: they cross each other at
+different points, but all lead to a nest in the centre, which the Mole
+makes his castle, or place of abode. The passages are made by the Mole
+in his search after the earth-worms and grubs, on which he lives; and
+the molehills are formed by the earth he scrapes out of his runs. These
+molehills do a great deal of mischief to grass lands, as they render the
+ground very difficult to mow; and on this account mole-catchers are
+employed to fix traps in the ground, so that when the mole is running
+through one of his passages, he passes through the trap, which instantly
+springs up out of the ground with the poor Mole in it. The female Mole
+makes her nest at a distance from the male’s castle. She has young only
+once a year, but she has four or five at a time.
+
+The following curious fact respecting a Mole is related by Mr. Bruce.
+“In visiting the Loch of Clunie, I observed in it a small island, at the
+distance of a hundred and eighty yards from the land. Upon this island
+Lord Airlie, the proprietor, had a castle and small shrubbery. I
+observed frequently the appearance of fresh molehills; but for some time
+took it to be the water mouse, and one day I asked the gardener if it
+was so. He replied it was the Mole, and that he had caught one or two
+lately; but that five or six years ago he had caught two in traps, and
+for two years after this he had observed none. But about four years
+since, coming ashore one summer’s evening in the dusk, he and Lord
+Airlie’s butler saw, at a small distance upon the smooth water, an
+animal paddling to and not far distant from the island; they soon closed
+with the feeble passenger, and found it to be the Common Mole, led by a
+most astonishing instinct from the nearest point of land, (the
+castle-hill,) to take possession of this island. It was at this time,
+for about the space of two years, quite free from any subterraneous
+inhabitant; but the Mole has, for more than a year past, made its
+appearance again.”
+
+The Mole is very pugnacious, and sometimes two of the males will fight
+furiously till one of them is killed.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SHREW. (_Sorex araneus._)]
+
+
+THIS curious little animal closely resembles a mouse, except in its
+snout, which is long and pointed, to enable it to grub in the ground for
+its food, which consists of earthworms, and the grubs of beetles. The
+Shrew, like the mole, is very fond of fighting; and when two are seen
+together, they are generally engaged in a furious battle. Like the
+hedgehog, it has been much scandalized by false reports, as will be seen
+by the following extract from that most amusing and interesting work,
+_White’s Selborne_: “At the south corner of the area, near the church,
+there stood, about twenty years ago, a very old, grotesque, hollow
+pollard-ash, which for ages had been looked upon with no small
+veneration as a shrew-ash. Now a shrew-ash is an ash whose twigs and
+branches, when applied to the limbs of cattle, will immediately relieve
+the pains which a beast suffers from the running of a Shrew-mouse over
+the part affected; for it is supposed that a Shrew-mouse is of so
+baneful and deleterious a nature, that whenever it creeps over a beast,
+be it a horse, or cow, or sheep, the suffering animal is afflicted with
+cruel anguish, and threatened with the loss of the use of the limb.
+Against this accident, to which they were continually liable, our
+provident forefathers always kept a shrew-ash at hand, which, when once
+medicated, would maintain its virtue for ever. A shrew-ash was made
+thus:--into the body of the tree a deep hole was bored with an auger,
+and a poor devoted Shrew mouse was thrust in alive, and plugged in.” The
+cruelty of this, and many other practices of our ancestors, ought to
+make us thankful that we live in more enlightened days.
+
+The body of the Shrew exhales a rank musky odour, which renders the
+animal so offensive to cats, that though they will readily kill them,
+they will not eat their flesh. This noisome odour probably gave rise to
+the notion that the Shrew-mouse is a venomous animal, and its bite
+dangerous to cattle, particularly horses. It is, however, neither
+venomous nor capable of biting, as its mouth is not sufficiently wide to
+seize the double thickness of the skin, which is absolutely necessary in
+order to bite.
+
+The female Shrew makes her nest in a bank, or if on the ground, she
+covers it at the top, always entering on the side; and she has generally
+from five to seven young ones at a time.
+
+The Water Shrew (_Sorex fodiens_,) is a beautiful little creature, with
+somewhat differently formed feet and tail, to enable it to paddle
+through the water, in which it dives and swims with great agility. When
+floating “on the calm surface of a quiet brook,” or diving after its
+food, its black velvety coat becomes silvered over with the innumerable
+bubbles of air that cover it when submerged; though when it rises again,
+the fur is observed to be perfectly dry, repelling the water as
+completely as the feathers of a water-fowl.
+
+
+
+§ III. _Cheiropterous Animals._
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE BAT. (_Vespertilio Noctula._)]
+
+
+THE BAT has the body of a mouse, and the wings of a bird. It has an
+enormous mouth, and large ears, which are of a kind of membrane, thin
+and almost transparent. The pinions of its wings are furnished with
+hooks, by which it hangs to trees or the crevices in old walls during
+the day, a great number of them together, as they only fly at night. The
+wings of the Bat are very large; those of the Great Bat measuring
+fifteen inches across. It feeds on insects of various kinds,
+particularly on cockchafers and other winged beetles, part of which,
+however, it always throws away. A female Bat that was caught, and kept
+in a cage, ate meat when it was given to her in little bits, and lapped
+water like a cat. She was very particular in keeping herself clean,
+using her hind feet like a comb, and parting her fur so as to make a
+straight line down the back. Her wings she cleaned by thrusting her nose
+into the folds, and shaking them. She had a young one born in the cage.
+It was blind, and quite destitute of hair, and its mother wrapped it in
+the membrane of her wing, pressing it so closely to her breast, that no
+one could see her suckle it. The next day the poor mother died, and the
+little one was found alive, hanging to her breast. It was fed with milk
+from a sponge, but only lived about a week.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE PIPISTRELLE. (_Vespertilio Pipistrellus._)]
+
+
+THIS little creature, which is only an inch and a half in length,
+appears to be the commonest of all Bats in most parts of Britain. It
+usually resides in cracks and cavities in old brick walls and in
+sheltered corners about houses, and at the approach of evening quits its
+retreat, and flies about capturing the gnats and other small
+twilight-loving insects on which it feeds.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE LONG-EARED BAT.
+
+(_Vespertilio_ or _Plecotus auritus_.)]
+
+
+THE LONG-EARED BAT, which is not uncommon in many parts of our country,
+is remarkable for the large size of its ears, which are nearly as long
+as its little mouse-like body, and composed of a membrane so delicate as
+to be almost transparent. In front of the concave part of each of these
+enormous ears there is a slender, pointed membrane, which gives the
+little creature a most singular appearance when reposing; for the great
+membranous ears are then folded up, and carefully stowed away under the
+wings, whilst these pointed lobes, being of a stronger substance, still
+project from the head, and look like a pair of little horns. The
+Long-eared Bat seems to be one of the most interesting and amiable
+species of its tribe; it may be easily tamed, and, indeed, exhibits
+great confidence from the first moment of its capture. When several are
+kept together they will play in an awkward manner, which is very
+diverting, and will soon learn to take their insect food not only from
+the hand, but even from the lips of their owner.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE VAMPYRE BAT. (_Phyllostoma Spectrum._)]
+
+
+THE VAMPYRE BAT, which is a large species, is notorious for its very bad
+habit of sucking the blood of men and cattle. In making its attacks on
+man it exercises the greatest caution, alighting close to the feet of
+its intended victim during his slumbers, and fanning him with its broad
+wings to keep him cool and comfortable during the subsequent operations.
+Having made the proper arrangements, the Vampyre proceeds to bite a
+little piece out of the great toe of the slumberer, and although the
+wound thus caused is so small that it would not receive the head of a
+pin, it is deep enough to cause a free flow of blood, which the Vampyre
+sucks until it can suck no longer. Cattle are generally bitten in the
+ear. Although there seems to be some exaggeration in many of the
+accounts given by travellers of the ferocity and sanguinary disposition
+of the Vampyre, there would appear to be little doubt that the loss of
+blood caused by its bite may occasionally prove fatal, the sucking being
+continued, as Captain Stedman says, until the sufferer sleeps “from time
+into eternity.”
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE KALONG BAT. (_Pteropus edulis._)]
+
+
+THIS Bat, which is also called the Flying Fox, is a native of the Indian
+Islands. It is a large species, measuring nearly two feet in length,
+whilst its large leathery wings, resembling those seen in the popular
+representations of flying demons, extend from tip to tip about five
+feet. During the day the Kalongs indulge in sleep, for which purpose
+they prefer an attitude which to our notions would seem very
+uncomfortable; they suspend themselves by their hind feet to the
+branches of trees, and thus hang with their heads downwards. They
+associate in large numbers, and when seen sleeping in the position above
+described, they look so little like animals that Dr. Horsfield tells us
+they “are readily mistaken for a part of the tree, or for a fruit of
+uncommon size suspended from its branches.” At the approach of evening,
+however, a very different scene presents itself. One by one these
+supposed fruits are seen to quit their hold upon the branches, and sail
+away to the plantations of various kinds, to which they do incalculable
+mischief by devouring every fruit that comes in their way.
+
+
+
+
+§ IV. _The Marsupialia, or Pouch-bearing Animals._
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE KANGAROO. (_Macropus giganteus._)]
+
+
+THIS remarkable animal was first discovered by the celebrated Captain
+Cook, in New Holland: and as it was the only quadruped discovered on the
+inland by the first settlers, they attempted to hunt it with greyhounds.
+The astonishing leaps it took, however, quite puzzled the colonists, who
+found it extremely difficult to catch. At first it was supposed that
+there was only one kind of Kangaroo, but now many species have been
+discovered, some of them not larger than a rat, and others as big as a
+calf. Kangaroos live in herds; one, older and larger than the rest,
+appearing to act as a kind of king. The ears of the Kangaroo are large,
+and in almost constant motion; it has a hare-lip, and a very small head.
+The fore legs, or rather paws, are short and weak, with five toes, each
+ending in a strong curved claw. The hind legs, on the contrary, are very
+large and strong, but the feet have only four toes, and much weaker
+claws. The tail is very long and tapering; but is so thick and strong
+near the body, that it forms a kind of third hind leg, and wonderfully
+assists the animal in supporting itself in its ordinary upright
+position. Its leaps are of extraordinary extent, being often from twenty
+to thirty feet in length, and six or eight feet high. When the animal is
+attacked, it uses its tail as a powerful instrument of defence, and also
+scratches violently with its hind feet. It generally sits upright, but
+brings its fore feet to the ground when it is grazing. It lives entirely
+on vegetable substances. The most curious part of the Kangaroo is the
+pouch which the female has in front for carrying her young. It is just
+below her breast, and the young ones sit there to suck; and even when
+they are old enough to leave the pouch, take refuge in it whenever they
+are alarmed.
+
+The Kangaroo is easily tamed, and there are many in a tame state in
+England. In Australia, Kangaroo beef, as it is called, is eaten, and
+found very nourishing; but it is hard and coarse. The female has
+generally two young ones at a time, which do not attain their full
+growth until they are a year old.
+
+When a large Kangaroo is pursued by dogs, it generally takes refuge in a
+pond, where, from the great length of its hind legs and tail, it can
+stand with its body half out of the water, while the dogs are obliged to
+swim. Thus the Kangaroo has a decided advantage; for, as each dog
+approaches him, he seizes it with his fore paws, and holds it under
+water, shaking it furiously till the dog is almost suffocated, and very
+glad to sneak off as soon as the Kangaroo lets him go.
+
+The female, when pursued and hard-pressed by the dogs, will, while
+making her bounds, put her fore paws into her pouch, take a young one
+from it, and throw it as far out of sight as she possibly can. But for
+this manœuvre, her own life and that of her young one would be
+sacrificed; whereas, she frequently contrives to escape, and returns
+afterwards to seek for her offspring.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE VIRGINIAN OPOSSUM.
+
+(_Didelphis virginiana._)]
+
+
+THIS creature, which is a native of North America, is about the size of
+a cat, and its fur is of a dingy white, except the legs, which are
+brown, and the nose and ears, which are yellowish. There is also a
+brownish circle round each eye, and the ears are nearly black at the
+base.
+
+The Opossum generally lives in trees, suspending itself by the tail, by
+means of which it swings from branch to branch. In this manner it
+catches the insects and small birds, on which it generally feeds; but
+sometimes it descends from the tree, and invades poultry-yards, where it
+devours the eggs, and sometimes the young fowls. It resembles the
+kangaroo in its pouch for carrying its young, but in no other
+particular, as it walks on four feet, and its legs are uniform in
+length; and it has a long flexible tail, which is of no use to it either
+in leaping, or as a weapon of defence. The tail is, however, of singular
+use to the young, as when they get too large to be carried in the pouch,
+they fly to their mother when alarmed, and twisting their long slender
+tails round hers, leap upon her back. The female Opossum may be
+sometimes seen thus carrying four or five at once.
+
+The Opossum may be easily tamed, but is an unpleasant inmate, from its
+awkward figure and stupidity, and its very disagreeable smell. The
+American Indians spin its hair and dye it red, and then weave it into
+girdles and other articles of clothing. The flesh of these animals is
+white and well tasted, and is preferred by the Indians to pork: that of
+the young ones eats very much like the sucking-pig.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE PHALANGER. (_Phalangista vulpina._)]
+
+
+THIS animal, which is very common in Australia, has some resemblance in
+its aspect and colour to a fox; but is much smaller. It has a long,
+furred tail, very different from that of the opossum. The Phalanger
+lives amongst the branches of the trees, on which it climbs about at
+night with great agility; its food consists partly of fruits and partly
+of small birds, which it easily captures during its nocturnal
+excursions. It is called the Opossum by the colonists of Australia.
+There are several kinds of Phalangers, some of which are known as
+Flying Phalangers, from their having a broad loose fold of skin along
+each side, which, when stretched out by means of the legs, serves to
+support the little creature for a time in the air, and enables it to
+leap to great distances.
+
+
+
+
+§ V.--_Rodentia, or Gnawing Animals._
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE BEAVER. (_Castor Fiber._)]
+
+
+THE BEAVER is about the size of the badger; his head short, his ears
+round and small, his fore teeth long, sharp, and strong, and well
+calculated for the part which Nature has allotted him: the tail is of an
+oval form, and covered with a scaly skin.
+
+Beavers are natives of North America, and more particularly the north of
+Canada. They are also found in Europe, and were formerly abundant in
+many places. Their houses are constructed with earth, stones, and
+sticks, neatly arranged and worked together by their paws. The walls are
+about two feet thick, and are surmounted by a kind of dome, which
+generally rises about four feet above them. The entrance is on one side,
+always at least three feet below the surface of the water, so as to
+prevent it being frozen up. The number of Beavers in each house is from
+two to four old ones, and about twice as many young. When Beavers form a
+new settlement, they build their houses in the summer; and then lay in
+their winter provisions, which consist principally of bark and the
+tender branches of trees, cut into certain lengths, and piled in heaps
+on the outside of their habitation, and always under the water; though
+sometimes the heap is so large as to rise above the surface. One of
+these heaps will occasionally contain more than a cart-load of bark,
+young wood, and the roots of the water-lily.
+
+Beavers are hunted for the sake of their skins, which are covered with
+long hairs, and a short thick fur beneath, which is used in making hats,
+after the long hairs have been destroyed.
+
+A great many stories have long been believed respecting the Beaver, on
+the authority of a French gentleman who had resided a long time in North
+America; but it is now ascertained that the greater part of them are
+false. The house of the Beaver is not divided into rooms, but consists
+of only one apartment; and the animals do not use their tails either as
+a trowel or a sledge, but only as an assistance in swimming. Some years
+ago a Beaver was brought to this country from America, that had been
+quite tamed by the sailors, and was called Bunney. When he arrived in
+England, he was made quite a pet of, and used to lie on the hearth-rug
+in his master’s library. One day he found out the housemaid’s closet,
+and his building propensities began immediately to display themselves.
+He seized a large sweeping brush, and dragged it along with his teeth to
+a room where he found the door open: he afterwards laid hold of a
+warming-pan in the same manner; and having laid the handles across, he
+filled up the walls of the angle made by the brushes with the wall, with
+hand-brushes, baskets, boots, books, towels, and anything he could lay
+hold of. As his walls grew high, he would often sit propped up by his
+tail (with which he supported himself admirably), to look at what he had
+done; and if the disposition of any of his building materials did not
+satisfy him, he would pull part of his work down, and lay it again more
+evenly. It was astonishing how well he managed to arrange the
+incongruous materials he had chosen, and how cleverly he contrived to
+remove them, sometimes carrying them between his right fore-paw and his
+chin, sometimes dragging them with his teeth, and sometimes pushing them
+along with his chin. When he had built his walls, he made himself a nest
+in the centre, and sat up in it, combing his hair with the nails of his
+hind feet.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE MUSK RAT, (_Fiber Zibethicus_,)]
+
+
+IS a native of Canada, and resembles the beaver in many of his habits.
+He has a fine musky scent, and makes his holes in marshes and by the
+waterside, with two or three ways to get in or go out, and several
+distinct apartments: he is said to contrive one entrance to his hole
+always below the water, that he may not be frozen out by the ice. This
+animal is called the Musquash in America, and its fur is used, like that
+of the beaver, in the manufacture of hats, four or five hundred thousand
+skins being said to be sent to Europe every year for that purpose. Musk
+Rats are always seen in pairs; and though watchful, are not timid, as
+they will often approach quite close to a boat or other vessel. In
+spring they feed on pieces of wood, which they peel carefully; and they
+are particularly fond of the roots of the sweet flag (_Acorus Calamus_).
+In Canada this animal is called the Ondatra.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE HARE. (_Lepus timidus._)]
+
+
+THIS small quadruped is well known at our tables as affording a
+favourite food, notwithstanding the dark colour of its flesh. Its
+swiftness cannot save it from the search of its enemies, among whom man
+is the most inveterate. Unarmed and fearful, the Hare appears almost to
+sleep with open eyes, so easily is it alarmed. Its hind legs are longer
+than its fore ones, to enable it to run up hills; its eyes are so
+prominently placed, that they can encompass at once the whole horizon of
+the plain where it has chosen its form, for so its seat or bed is
+called; and its ears so long, that the least noise cannot escape it. It
+seldom outlives its seventh year, and breeds plentifully. Naturally wild
+and timorous, the Hare may, however, be occasionally tamed. The
+following is from the entertaining account given by Cowper, of three
+Hares that he brought up tame in his house; the names he gave them were
+Puss, Tiney, and Bess. Tiney was a reserved and surly Hare; Bess, who
+was a Hare of great humour and drollery, died young. “Puss grew
+presently familiar, would leap into my lap, raise himself upon his
+hinder feet, and bite the hair from my temples. He would suffer me to
+take him up and carry him about in my arms, and has more than once
+fallen fast asleep upon my knee. He was ill three days, during which
+time I nursed him, kept him apart from his fellows that they might not
+molest him, (for, like many other wild animals, they persecute one of
+their own species that is sick,) and by constant care, and trying him
+with a variety of herbs, restored him to perfect health. No creature
+could be more grateful than my patient after his recovery, a sentiment
+which he most significantly expressed by licking my hand, first the back
+of it, then the palm, then every finger separately, then between all the
+fingers, as if anxious to leave no part of it unsaluted; a ceremony
+which he never performed but once again upon a similar occasion.
+
+“Finding him extremely tractable, I made it my custom to carry him
+always after breakfast into the garden, where he hid himself generally
+under the leaves of a cucumber vine, sleeping or chewing the cud, till
+evening; in the leaves also of that vine he found a favourite repast. I
+had not long habituated him to this taste of liberty, before he began to
+be impatient for the return of the time when he might enjoy it. He would
+invite me to the garden by drumming upon my knee, and by a look of such
+expression as it was not possible to misinterpret. If this rhetoric did
+not immediately succeed, he would take the skirt of my coat between his
+teeth, and pull at it with all his force. Thus Puss might be said to be
+perfectly tamed, the shyness of his nature was done away, and, on the
+whole, it was visible, by many symptoms, which I have not room to
+enumerate, that he was happier in human society than when shut up with
+his natural companions.”
+
+Hares are included in the list of animals called game, and are hunted
+with greyhounds, which is called coursing; and also by packs of dogs
+called harriers and beagles. There are white Hares in the northern
+regions, the change in colour being the effect of cold.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE RABBIT. (_Lepus cuniculus._)]
+
+
+THIS animal, in a wild state, resembles the hare in all its principal
+characters, but is distinguished from it by its smaller size, the
+comparative shortness of the head and hinder legs, the grey colour of
+the body, the absence of the black tip to the ears, and the brown colour
+of the upper part of the tail. Its habits, however, are very different,
+as being from its organization unable to outstrip its enemies in the
+chase, it seeks its safety and shelter by burrowing in the ground; and
+instead of leading a solitary life, its manners are eminently social.
+Its flesh is white and good, though not so much prized as that of the
+hare.
+
+The female begins to breed when she is about twelve months old, and
+bears at least seven times a year, generally eight at each time; now
+supposing this to happen regularly, a couple of Rabbits at the end of
+four years might see a progeny of almost a million and a half!
+Fortunately their destruction by various enemies is in proportion to
+their fecundity, or we might justly apprehend being overstocked by them.
+The young are born blind, and almost destitute of hair; while those of
+the hare can see, and are covered with hair.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE DOMESTIC RABBIT.]
+
+
+THE DOMESTIC RABBIT is larger than the wild species, owing to its taking
+more nourishment and less exercise (our example, however, is drawn
+disproportionately large). Like pigeons, they have their regular
+fanciers, and are bred of various colours--grey, reddish brown, black
+more or less mixed with white, or perfectly white. The ears are
+considered to constitute a principal feature of their beauty, and the
+animal is most valued when both ears hang down by the side of the head;
+the animal is then called a double lop; when only one ear drops, it is
+called a single or horn lop, and when both stretch out horizontally, an
+oar-lop.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SQUIRREL. (_Sciurus vulgaris._)]
+
+
+ELEGANCE of shape, spiritedness, and agility to leap from bough to bough
+in the forest, are the principal characteristics of this pretty animal.
+The Squirrel is of a deep reddish brown colour, his breast and belly
+white. He is lively, sagacious, docile, and nimble: he lives upon nuts,
+and has been seen so tame as to dive into the pocket of his mistress,
+and search after an almond or a lump of sugar. In the woods he leaps
+from tree to tree with surprising agility, living a most frolicsome
+life, surrounded with abundance, and having but few enemies. His time,
+however, is not entirely devoted to idle enjoyment, for in the luxuriant
+season of autumn he gathers provisions for the approaching winter, as if
+conscious that the forest would then be stripped of its fruits and
+foliage. His tail serves him as a parasol to defend him from the rays of
+the sun, as a parachute to secure him from dangerous falls when leaping
+from tree to tree, and, some say, as a sail in crossing the water, which
+he sometimes does in Lapland on a bit of ice or bark inverted in the
+manner of a boat.
+
+The American Flying Squirrel (_Pteromys volucella_) has a large membrane
+proceeding from the fore feet to the hind legs, which answers the same
+purpose as the Squirrel’s tail, and enables him to give surprising leaps
+that almost resemble flying. In the act of leaping, the loose skin is
+stretched out by the feet, whereby the surface of the body is augmented,
+its fall is retarded, and it appears to sail or fly from one place to
+another. Where numbers of them are seen at a time leaping, they appear
+like leaves blown off by the wind. There are many other kinds of
+Squirrels in various parts of the world; most of the Flying Squirrels
+are found in the eastern islands.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE DORMOUSE, OR SLEEPER.
+
+(_Myoxus avellanarius._)]
+
+
+THESE animals build their nests either in the hollow parts of trees, or
+near the bottom of thick shrubs, and line them most industriously with
+moss, soft lichens, and dead leaves. Conscious of the length of time
+they have to pass in their solitary cells, Dormice are very particular
+in the choice of the materials they employ to build and furnish them;
+and generally lay up a store of food, consisting of nuts, beans, and
+acorns; and on the approach of cold weather roll themselves in balls,
+their tail curled up over their head between the ears, and in a state of
+apparent lethargy pass the greatest part of the winter, till the warmth
+of the sun, pervading the whole atmosphere, kindles their congealed
+blood, and calls them back again to the enjoyment of life. Except in the
+time of breeding and bringing up its young, the Dormouse is generally
+found alone in its cell. This animal is remarkable for the very small
+degree of heat its body possesses during its torpid state, when it
+appears actually frozen with the cold, and it may be tossed or rolled
+about without being roused, though it may be quickly revived by the
+application of gentle heat, such as that of the hands. If a torpid
+Dormouse, however, be placed before a large fire, the sudden change will
+kill it.
+
+THE AMERICAN DORMOUSE, or GROUND SQUIRREL, is a very beautiful animal,
+striped down the back, and resembling the squirrel in its habits, except
+that instead of living in trees it burrows in the ground.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE MARMOT, OR ALPINE RAT.
+
+(_Arctomys Marmotta._)]
+
+
+THIS is a harmless, inoffensive animal, and seems to bear enmity to no
+creature but the dog. He is caught in Savoy, and carried about in
+several countries for the amusement of the mob. When taken young, he is
+easily tamed, and possesses great muscular power and agility. He will
+often walk on his hinder legs, and uses his fore paws to feed himself,
+like the squirrel. The Marmot makes his hole very deep, and in the form
+of the letter Y, one of the branches serving as an avenue to the
+innermost apartment, and the other sloping downwards, as a kind of sink
+or drain; in this safe retreat he sleeps throughout the winter, and if
+discovered may be killed without appearing to undergo any great pain.
+These animals produce but once a year, and bring forth three or four at
+a time. They grow very fast, and the extent of their lives is not above
+nine or ten years. They are about the size of a rabbit, but much more
+corpulent. When a number of Marmots are feeding together, one of them
+stands sentinel upon an elevated position; and on the first appearance
+of a man, a dog, an eagle, or any dangerous animal, utters a loud and
+shrill cry, as a signal for immediate retreat. The Marmot inhabits the
+highest regions of the Alps; other species are found in Poland, Russia,
+Siberia, and Canada.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GUINEAPIG. (_Cavia Cobaya._)]
+
+
+THIS animal is generally white, variegated with red and black. It is a
+native of the Brazils, but now domesticated in most parts of Europe, and
+is about the size of a large rat, though more stoutly made, and without
+any tail; and its legs and neck are so short, that the former are
+scarcely seen, and the latter seems stuck upon its shoulders.
+Guineapigs, though they have a disagreeable smell, are extremely
+cleanly, and the male and female may be often seen alternately employed
+in smoothing each other’s skins, disposing their hair, and improving its
+gloss. They sleep like the hare with their eyes half open, and continue
+watchful if they apprehend any danger. They are very fond of dark
+retreats; previously to their quitting which, they look round, and seem
+to listen attentively; then, if the road be clear, they sally forth in
+quest of food, but run back on the slightest alarm. They utter a sound
+like the snore of a young pig. The female begins to produce young when
+only two months old, and as she does so every two or three months, and
+has sometimes as many as twelve at a time, a thousand might be raised
+from a single pair in the course of a year. They are naturally gentle
+and tame; as incapable of mischief as they seem to be of good, although
+rats are said to avoid their locality. The upper lip is only half
+divided; it has two cutting teeth in each jaw, and large and broad ears.
+They feed on bread, grain, and vegetables.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE MOUSE. (_Mus musculus._)]
+
+
+THIS is a lively, active animal, and the most timid in nature, except
+the hare, and a few other defenceless species. Although timid, he eats
+in the trap as soon as he is caught; yet he never can be thoroughly
+tamed, nor does he betray any affection for his assiduous keeper. He is
+beset by a number of enemies, among which are the cat, the hawk, and
+owl, the snake, and weasel, and the rat himself, though not unlike the
+mouse in his habits and shape. The mouse is one of the most prolific of
+animals, sometimes producing seventeen at a birth; but it is supposed
+that the life of this small inmate of our habitations does not extend
+much further than three years. This creature is known all over the
+world, and breeds wherever it finds food and tranquillity. There are
+Mice of various colours, but the most common kind is of a dark,
+cinereous hue: white mice are not uncommon, particularly in Savoy and
+some parts of France.
+
+A remarkable instance of sagacity in a long-tailed Field Mouse (_Mus
+sylvaticus_) occurred to the Rev. Mr. White, as his people were pulling
+off the lining of a hotbed, in order to add some fresh dung. From the
+side of this bed something leaped with great agility, that made a most
+grotesque appearance, and was not caught without much difficulty. It
+proved to be a large Field Mouse, with three or four young ones clinging
+to her teats by their mouths and feet. It was amazing that the variousand rapid motions of the dam did not oblige her litter to quit their
+hold, especially when it appeared that they were so young as to be both
+naked and blind. Mr. White appears to be the first to describe and
+accurately examine that diminutive creature the Harvest Mouse (_Mus
+messorius_) the least of all the British quadrupeds. He measured some of
+them, and found that from the nose to the tail they were two inches and
+a quarter long. Two of them in a scale only weighed down one copper
+halfpenny, about the third of an ounce avoirdupoise! Their nest is a
+great curiosity, being made in the form of a ball, and either suspended
+between the stems of rushes and other tall slender plants, or placed
+amongst the leaves of some large thistle.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE RAT. (_Mus decumanus._)]
+
+
+THE RAT is about four times as large as the mouse, but of a dusky
+colour, with white under the body; his head is longer, his neck shorter,
+and his eyes comparatively larger. These animals are so attached to our
+dwellings, that it is almost impossible to destroy the breed, when they
+have once taken a liking to any particular place. Their produce is
+enormous, as they have from ten to twenty young ones at a litter, and
+this thrice a year. Thus their increase is such, that it is possible for
+a single pair (supposing food to be sufficiently plentiful, and that
+they had no enemies to lessen their numbers) to amount at the end of two
+years to upwards of a million; but an insatiable appetite impels them to
+destroy each other; the weaker always fall a prey to the stronger; and
+the large male Rat, which usually lives by itself, is dreaded by those
+of its own species as their most formidable enemy. The Rat is a bold and
+fierce little animal, and when closely pursued, will turn and fasten on
+its assailant. Its bite is keen, and the wound it inflicts is painful
+and difficult to heal, owing to the form of its teeth, which are long,
+sharp, and of an irregular form.
+
+It digs with great facility and vigour, making its way with rapidity
+beneath the floors of our houses, between the stones and bricks of
+walls, and often excavating the foundations of a dwelling to a dangerous
+extent. There are many instances of their totally undermining the most
+solid mason-work, or burrowing through dams which had for ages served to
+confine the waters of rivers and canals.
+
+A gentleman, some time ago, travelling through Mecklenburgh, was witness
+to a very singular circumstance respecting one of these animals, in the
+post-house at New Hargarel. After dinner, the landlord placed on the
+floor a large dish of soup, and gave a loud whistle. Immediately there
+came into the room a mastiff, an Angora cat, an old raven, and a large
+Rat with a bell about its neck. They all four went to the dish, and
+without disturbing each other, fed together; after which, the dog, cat,
+and Rat lay before the fire, while the raven hopped about the room. The
+landlord, after accounting for the familiarity which existed among these
+animals, informed his guest that the Rat was the most useful of the
+four; for that the noise he made had completely freed the house from the
+Rats and mice with which it had been before infested.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE WATER RAT, (_Arvicola amphibia_,)]
+
+
+INHABITS the banks of rivers and ponds, where he digs holes, always
+above the water-mark, and feeds on roots and aquatic plants.
+
+This animal is nearly as large as the brown Rat, but has a larger head,
+a blunter nose, and smaller eyes; its ears are very short, and almost
+hidden in the fur, and the tip of its tail is whitish; the cutting-teeth
+are of a deep yellow colour in front, very strong, and much resembling
+those of the beaver. Its head and back are covered with long black hair,
+and its belly with iron gray. Tail more than half the length of the
+body, covered with hairs. Fur thick and shining; of a rich reddish
+brown, mixed with gray above, yellowish gray beneath. The female
+produces a brood of five or six young ones once (and sometimes twice) a
+year.
+
+
+
+THE LEMMING, _(Myodes Lemmus_,)
+
+
+WHICH is a near relation of the water-rat, and of about the same size,
+is covered with fur of a yellowish colour variegated with black. This
+animal resides in the mountains of Norway and Sweden, and is remarkable
+for performing extraordinary migrations in vast bodies at the approach
+of a severe winter, and making their appearance so suddenly and
+unexpectedly that people formerly asserted they had fallen from the
+clouds. Notwithstanding their supposed celestial origin, they are,
+however, very unwelcome visitors, as they devour everything eatable that
+comes in their way, and commit devastations almost as serious as those
+of the locusts.
+
+
+
+
+THE SHORT-TAILED FIELD-MOUSE, OR FIELD-VOLE.
+
+
+THIS little animal has most wonderful powers of reproduction, and, as it
+is extremely voracious, it often causes an amount of destruction quite
+out of proportion to its size and insignificant appearance. It burrows
+in the ground, like the lemming and water-rat; and as it gnaws through
+the roots of trees that lie in its way, it has been known to cause very
+serious loss of property. In the year 1813 such immense numbers of these
+creatures were collected in some of the forests of the South of England,
+that it was feared all the young trees would be destroyed, and it was
+found necessary to organise a war of extermination against the invaders.
+It is said that in New Forest alone not less than eighty or a hundred
+thousand mice were killed in one season, and the slaughter in other
+places was quite as great.
+
+The Field-Vole’s favourite food is the bark of trees and roots, but, if
+pressed by hunger, it will attack and devour its own kind.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE JERBOA. (_Dipus ægyptius._)]
+
+
+THE principal peculiarity of this animal consists in its having very
+short fore legs, and very long hinder ones: a bird divested of its
+feathers and wings, and jumping upon its legs, would give us the nearest
+resemblance to the figure of a Jerboa when pursued. It uses, however,
+all its four feet upon ordinary occasions, and it is only when pursued
+that it presses its fore feet close to its body, and leaps on its hind
+ones. The ancients called it the two-footed rat. This creature is about
+the size of a rat; the head resembles that of a rabbit, with long
+whiskers; the tail is ten inches long, and terminated by a tuft of black
+hair. The fur of the body is tawny, except the breast and throat, and
+part of the belly, which are white. The Jerboa is very active and
+lively, and jumps and springs, when pursued, six or seven feet from the
+ground, with the assistance of its tail; but if this useful member be in
+any manner injured, the activity of the Jerboa is proportionately
+diminished; and one which had been accidentally deprived of its tail,
+was found unable to leap at all. It burrows like the rabbit, and feeds
+like the squirrel: it is a native of Egypt and the adjacent countries,
+and is also found in eastern Europe.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE CHINCHILLA. (_Chinchilla lanigera._)]
+
+
+THE CHINCHILLA is a native of America, and its coat produces the
+beautiful fur known by its name. The length of the body of this little
+animal is about nine inches, and its tail nearly five; its limbs are
+comparatively short, the hind legs being much the longest. The fur is of
+a remarkably close and fine texture, somewhat crisped, and entangled
+together; of a grayish or ash colour above, and paler beneath. It is
+used for muffs, tippets, and linings of cloaks, and is perhaps prettier
+than the Sable, although less durable, and less valuable in commerce,
+excepting when fashion rules. The form of the head resembles that of the
+rabbit; the eyes are full, large, and black; and the ears broad, naked,
+round at the tips, and nearly as long as the head. The whiskers are
+plentiful and strong, the longest being twice as long as the head, some
+of them black, others white. Four short toes, with an appearance of a
+thumb, terminate the fore feet; the hinder have the same number of toes,
+but have less the appearance of hands: on all the claws are short, and
+nearly hidden by tufts of bristly hairs. The tail is about half the
+length of the body, of equal thickness throughout, and covered with long
+bushy hairs. It resembles in some degree the jerboa, and takes its food,
+like that animal, in its fore paws, sitting on its haunches. The temper
+of the Chinchilla is mild and tractable. It dwells in burrows under
+ground, and produces young twice a year, bringing forth five or six at a
+time. It feeds upon the roots of bulbous plants.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE PORCUPINE. (_Hystrix cristata._)]
+
+
+WHEN full grown this animal measures about two feet in length, and his
+body is covered with hair and sharp quills, from ten to fourteen inches
+long, and bent backwards. When he is irritated, they stand erect; but
+the story that the Porcupine can shoot them at his enemies, is only one
+of the many fables formerly related as facts in Natural History. The
+female has only one young one at a time. It is reported to live from
+twelve to fifteen years. The Porcupine is dull, fretful, and
+inoffensive; it feeds upon fruits, roots, and vegetables; and inhabits
+the south of Europe, and almost every part of Africa, particularly
+Barbary.
+
+
+
+
+THE COUENDOU, (_Hystrix_, or _Synetheres prehensilis_,)
+
+
+WHICH is also called the Brazilian Porcupine, is chiefly found in
+Guiana, and differs from the common Porcupine, not only in the shortness
+of its spines, but also in the great length of its tail. This organ,
+which is a mere stump in the common species, and only of use to him by
+producing a rattling of its spines when shaken, in which he seems to
+take great delight, is nearly as long as the body in the Couendou, and
+as its extremity is nearly naked, and can be curled up very tightly, the
+animal makes use of it to cling to the branches of trees, amongst which
+he is fond of climbing.
+
+
+
+§ VI.--_Edentata, or Toothless Animals._
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SLOTH. (_Bradypus tridactylus._)]
+
+
+THIS animal, which is sometimes also called the Ai, in reference to a
+noise it makes when caught, and frequently when moving through the
+forest, is most curiously formed. The arms or fore legs are nearly twice
+as long as the hind legs: the claws also are larger than the foot, and
+bent inwardly, so as to prevent the animal from placing the ball of its
+foot on the ground. From these peculiarities in its construction the
+progress of the Sloth on land is extremely slow and laborious, for being
+incapable of supporting himself on his feet, he is compelled to take
+advantage of every little inequality in the ground to drag himself
+along; but he is not intended to be a terrestrial animal. He lives in
+trees, always hanging below the branch, with its back to the ground; and
+for a life of this kind, its long arms and hooked claws are admirably
+adapted. Mr. Waterton, whose long residence in the wilds of South
+America, and whose habits of close observation, render him an excellent
+authority, observes, that when the Sloth travels from branch to branch
+of the tree which it inhabits, particularly in windy weather, it moves
+with such rapidity as to make it quite a misnomer to call it a Sloth.
+“The Sloth,” says Mr. Waterton, “in its wild state, spends its whole
+life in the trees, and never leaves them, but through force or accident;
+and what is more extraordinary, not _upon_ the branches, like the
+squirrel and monkey, _but under them_. He moves suspended from the
+branch, he rests suspended from the branch, and he sleeps suspended from
+the branch. Hence his seemingly bungled composition is at once accounted
+for; and in lieu of the Sloth leading a painful life, and entailing a
+melancholy existence upon its progeny, it is but fair to conclude, that
+it enjoys life just as much as any other animal, and that its
+extraordinary formation and singular habits are but further proofs to
+engage us to admire the wonderful works of Omnipotence.”
+
+The common Sloth has always three toes; but there is another kind,
+called the Unau, which has only two toes, and much shorter fore legs.
+
+The female Sloth has only one young one at a time, which hangs to her
+breast, and makes a kind of cradle of her body, during her journeys from
+branch to branch; in fact, it appears never to quit her, till it is able
+to provide for itself. When hanging from the branch, she hides her young
+one in her thick, matted hair, which resembles in texture and appearance
+dry withered grass, and, indeed, is so like the rough bark and moss on
+old trees, as to render the animal scarcely distinguishable. It was
+formerly asserted, when the Sloth has got possession of a tree, it will
+not descend while a leaf or bud is remaining; and, that in order to
+obviate the necessity of a slow and laborious descent, it suffers itself
+to fall to the ground; the toughness of its skin and the thickness of
+its hair securing it from any unpleasant consequences. This, however,
+like many other statements regarding this much maligned animal, is
+erroneous; in the dense tropical forests which he inhabits the Sloth has
+rarely any occasion to descend to the earth; but he takes advantage of a
+windy night, when the branches of the trees become interlaced, to make
+his way with great ease from one place to another.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE ARMADILLO. (_Dasypus sexcinctus._)]
+
+
+NATURE seems to have been singularly careful in the preservation of this
+animal, for she has surrounded it with a strong coat of armour to
+protect it from its enemies. When closely pursued, it assumes the shape
+of a ball; and, if near a precipice, rolls from one rock to another, and
+escapes without receiving any injury. The shell, which covers the whole
+of the body, is composed of numerous bony plates, very hard, and of a
+square shape, united by a kind of cartilaginous substance, which gives
+flexibility to the whole. The Armadillo lives principally on roots,
+carrion, and ants; and in a wild state resides in subterranean burrows,
+like the rabbit. It is a native of South America. There are several
+species differing chiefly in the number of their bands. When naturalists
+wish to obtain a specimen of the Armadillo in its native country, they
+are obliged to employ an Indian to dig one out of its hole; and as the
+holes are almost innumerable, only a few of them containing Armadillos,
+the Indians try them first by putting a stick down, when, if a number of
+musquitos rise, the Indians know the hole contains an Armadillo, as, if
+there were none, there would be no musquitos.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GREAT ANT-EATER. (_Myrmecophaga jubata._)]
+
+
+THE body of the Great Ant-eater is covered with exceedingly coarse and
+shaggy hair. Its head is very long and slender, and the mouth but just
+large enough to admit its tongue, which is cylindrical, nearly two feet
+in length, and lies folded double within it. The tail is of enormous
+size, and covered with long black hair, somewhat like the tail of a
+horse. The whole length of the animal, from the end of the snout to the
+tip of the tail, is sometimes seven or eight feet. Its food consists
+principally of ants, which it obtains in the following manner:--When it
+comes to an ant-hill, it scratches it up with its long claws, and then
+unfolds its slender tongue, which much resembles an enormously long
+worm. This being covered with a glutinous matter or saliva, the ants
+adhere to it in great numbers: these it swallows alive, repeating the
+operation till no more are to be caught.
+
+He also tears up the nests of wood-lice, which it in like manner
+discovers; but should it meet with little success in its pursuit of
+food, it is able to fast for a considerable time without inconvenience.
+The motions of the Ant-eater are in general very slow. It swims,
+however, over great rivers with ease; and, on these occasions, its tail
+is always thrown over its back. With this extraordinary member, when
+asleep, or during heavy showers of rain, the animal is also said to
+cover its back; but at other times he carries it extended behind him.
+The Ant-eater is a native of South America.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE DUCK-BILLED PLATYPUS, OR WATER MOLE.
+(_Ornithorhynchus paradoxus._)]
+
+
+THIS extraordinary creature has the bill and webbed feet of a duck,
+united to the body of a mole. It is a native of Australia, where it is
+found on the banks of rivers, in the sides of which it burrows and forms
+its nest. It feeds on aquatic insects and small molluscous animals,
+always, however, rejecting the shells of the latter, after crushing them
+in its mouth, so as to extract the body. A number of these animals are
+always found together; but it is very difficult to watch their habits,
+as their sense of hearing is so acute, that they disappear at the
+slightest noise, plunging into the water, in which they swim so low,
+that they only look like a mass of weeds floating on the surface.
+
+When the animal feeds, he plunges his beak into the mud, just like a
+duck; and appears to be equally at home on land and in water. Two young
+ones that were kept for some time at Sydney, by Mr. Bennet, were very
+fond of rolling themselves up like a hedgehog, in the form of balls.
+They often slept in this position, and “awful little growls” issued from
+them when disturbed. They were fed with worms, and bread and milk; but
+captivity did not seem to agree with them, and they soon died. They
+dressed their fur by combing it with their feet, and pecking at it with
+their beaks, seeming to take great delight in keeping it smooth and
+clean.
+
+The shape of this animal is so extraordinary, that when a specimen was
+first sent to Europe, it was supposed to have been manufactured, by
+fixing the beak of a duck into the head of some small quadruped, with
+the intention to deceive. Subsequent experience has proved, beyond the
+possibility of a doubt, the existence of the animal, without in the
+smallest degree diminishing the wonder excited by its first appearance,
+as it seems to partake, in almost equal parts, of the nature of
+quadrupeds, birds, and reptiles.
+
+The Australian Hedgehog (_Echidna hystrix_), has a long and very slender
+muzzle, at the end of which is a very small mouth, containing a long
+tongue, which the creature can extend at pleasure. The body is short and
+rounded: it is covered with strong sharp spines mixed with hair; and its
+tail is so short that it was at first doubted whether it had one. The
+male has a spur upon each hind leg, which was long supposed, but it
+seems erroneously, to possess venomous properties. Both the Platypus and
+the Australian Hedgehog, although arranged here with the toothless
+quadrupeds, are generally considered by zoologists to be most closely
+related to the Marsupials, or Pouched Mammalia.
+
+
+
+§ VII.--_Pachydermata, or Thick-skinned Animals._
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE ELEPHANT. (_Elephas indicus._)]
+
+
+PROVIDENCE, always impartial in the distribution of its gifts, has given
+this bulky quadruped a quick instinct nearly approaching to reason, in
+compensation for the uncouthness of his body. The Ceylon Elephant is
+about ten or twelve feet high, and is much the largest of all living
+quadrupeds. His skin is in general a mouse colour, but is sometimes
+white and sometimes black. His eyes are rather small for the size of his
+head, and his ears, which are very expanded and of a peculiar shape,
+have the flaps hanging down, instead of standing up, as in most
+quadrupeds. The Elephant is a gregarious animal in his wild state, and
+when domesticated is susceptible of attachment and gratitude, as well as
+of anger and revenge. Several anecdotes are related of his quick
+apprehension, and particularly of his vindictive treatment of those who
+have either scoffed at or abused him. To disappoint him is dangerous, as
+he seldom fails to be revenged. The following instance is given as a
+fact, and deserves to be recorded:--An Elephant, disappointed of his
+reward, out of revenge, killed his governor. The poor man’s wife, who
+beheld the dreadful scene, took her two children and thrust them towards
+the enraged animal, saying, “Since you have slain my husband, take my
+life also, as well as those of my children!” The Elephant instantly
+stopped, relented, and, as if stung with remorse, took the eldest boy in
+his trunk, placed him on his neck, adopted him for his governor, and
+would never afterwards allow any other person to mount him.
+
+The Elephant’s mouth is armed with broad and strong grinding teeth, and
+two large tusks, which measure sometimes nine or ten feet, and from
+which the finest ivory is produced. The ivory from the tusks of the
+female is thought the best, as the tooth, being smaller, admits less
+porosity in the cellular part of the mass.
+
+Becoming tame under the mild treatment of a good master, the Elephant is
+not only a most useful servant, for the purposes of state or war, but is
+also of great assistance in taming the wild ones that have been recently
+caught. Indian superstition has paid great honours to the white race of
+this quadruped; and the island of Ceylon is supposed to breed the finest
+of the kind. This immense beast, by the wisdom of Providence, has not
+been placed among the carnivorous animals: and vegetable food being much
+more abundant than animal, he is destined to live on grass and the
+tender shoots of trees. This noble creature bears in state on his back
+the potentates of the East, and seems to delight in pompous pageantry:
+in war he carries a tower filled with archers; and in peace lends his
+assistance in domestic operations. The female is said to go a year with
+young, and to bring forth one at a time. The Elephant lives a hundred
+and twenty or a hundred and thirty years, though they have been known to
+live to the great age of four hundred. When Alexander the Great had
+conquered Porus, King of India, he took a large Elephant which had
+fought very valiantly for the king, and naming him Ajax, dedicated him
+to the sun, and then let him loose with this inscription:--“Alexander,
+the son of Jupiter, hath dedicated Ajax to the sun.” This Elephant was
+found with this inscription 350 years after.
+
+The greatest wonder the Elephant presents to the admiration of the
+intelligent observer of nature is his _proboscis_, or trunk, which
+attains a length of six or eight feet, and is so flexible that he uses
+it almost as dexterously as a man does his hand. It was erroneously
+said, that the Elephant could receive nourishment through his trunk;
+this sort of pipe is nothing but a prolongation of the snout, for the
+purpose of breathing, into which the animal can by the strength of his
+lungs draw up a great quantity of water or other liquid, which he spouts
+out again, or brings back to his mouth by inverting and shortening his
+proboscis for this purpose.
+
+Captain Marryat, in his very entertaining work called _Masterman Ready_,
+relates a curious instance of the sagacity of an Elephant in India,
+which had fallen into a deep tank. The tank was so deep that it was
+impossible to hoist the Elephant up, but when the people threw down
+several bundles of faggots, the sagacious animal laid one bundle above
+another, always standing on each tier as he arranged it, till at last he
+raised the pile high enough to allow him to walk out of the tank. But
+instances of the sagacity of this noble creature might be cited _ad
+infinitum_. In the East, where they are made available in the service of
+man, they will load a boat with singular dexterity, carefully keeping
+every article dry, and disposing and balancing the cargo with the utmost
+precision.
+
+Its strength is proportionate to its bulk: it will carry three or four
+thousand pounds weight on its back, and upwards of a thousand pounds on
+its tusks.
+
+The African Elephant is a distinct species (_E. africanus_) readily
+distinguished from his Asiatic brother, by the enormous size of his
+flapping ears. He is abundant in the southern part of Africa and is
+killed annually in great numbers for the sake of his tusks.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE HIPPOPOTAMUS, OR RIVER-HORSE.
+
+(_Hippopotamus amphibius._)]
+
+
+THIS animal lives as well on land as in water, and yields in size to
+none but the elephant: he weighs sometimes more than fifteen hundred
+pounds. His skin is naked, and of a blackish brown colour, tinged with
+red about the muzzle and on the lower surface of the body. The head is
+flattish on the top, about four feet long and nine in circumference; the
+lips are large, the jaws open about two feet wide, and the
+cutting-teeth, of which it has four in each jaw, are nearly a foot long;
+he has broad ears, and large eyes, a thick neck, and a short tail,
+tapering like that of a hog. He grazes and eats the leaves and young
+branches of trees on shore, but retires to the water if pursued, and
+will sink down to the bottom, where he can remain five or six minutes at
+a time. When he rises to the surface and remains with his head out of
+the water, he makes a bellowing noise which may be heard at a great
+distance. The female brings forth her young upon land, and it is
+supposed that she seldom produces more than one at a time. The calf at
+the instant that it comes into the world, flies to the water for
+shelter, if pursued; a circumstance which has been noticed as a
+remarkable instance of pure instinct. Fine specimens of this remarkable
+animal are to be seen in the Zoological Gardens in London; and in Paris
+they have been known to breed twice, but on both occasions the mother
+destroyed her offspring, either intentionally or by accident. The
+Hippopotamus is supposed to be the Behemoth of the Scripture. See Job,
+chap. xl.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE INDIAN RHINOCEROS, (_Rhinoceros unicornis_,)]
+
+
+SO called because of the horn on his nose, is bred in India, is of a
+dark slate-colour, and nearly as large as the elephant, as he measures
+about twelve feet in length, but has short legs. His skin, which is not
+penetrable by any ordinary weapon, is folded upon his body, in the
+manner represented in the figure above; his eyes are small and half
+closed, and the horn on his nose is attached to the skin only. In
+confinement he often wears it to a mere stump, by rubbing it against his
+crib. He is perfectly indocile and untractable; a natural enemy to the
+elephant, to whom he often gives battle, and is said never to go out of
+his way, but to endeavour to destroy whatever obstacles present
+themselves, rather than turn about. He lives on the coarsest vegetables,
+and frequents the banks of rivers, and marshy grounds; his hoofs are
+divided into four, and he grunts like a hog, which he resembles in many
+other particulars. The female produces but one at a time, and during the
+first month her young are not bigger than a large dog. The Rhinoceros is
+supposed by some to be the Unicorn of holy writ, and possesses all the
+properties ascribed to that animal,--rage, untamableness, great
+swiftness, and immense strength. It was known to the Romans in very
+early times. Augustus introduced one into the shows, on his triumph over
+Cleopatra. Some Rhinoceroses have two horns.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE COMMON OR DOMESTIC HOG, (_Sus scrofa_,)]
+
+
+DIFFERS chiefly from the wild animal in having smaller tusks, and large
+and pendant ears. Of all domestic quadrupeds this is the most filthy
+and impure. Its form is clumsy and unsightly, and its appetite
+gluttonous and excessive. Nature, however, has fitted its stomach to
+receive nutriment from a variety of things that would be otherwise
+wasted, as the refuse of the field, the garden, and the kitchen, afford
+it a luxurious repast. The Hog is naturally stupid, inactive, and
+drowsy; much inclined to increase in fat, which is disposed in a
+different manner from that of other animals, forming a thick, distinct,
+and regular layer between the flesh and skin. Their flesh, Linnæus
+observes, is a wholesome food for those that use much exercise, but
+improper for such as lead a sedentary life. It is of great importance to
+this country, as a naval and commercial nation, for it salts better than
+any other flesh, and is capable of being longer preserved.
+
+The domestic Sow brings forth twice a year, producing from ten to twenty
+at a litter. She goes four months with young, and brings forth in the
+fifth. At that time she must be carefully watched, to prevent her from
+devouring her young. Still greater attention is necessary to keep off
+the male, as he would destroy the whole litter. Jews and Mahommetans not
+only abstain from the flesh of swine from a religious principle, but
+consider themselves defiled by even touching it.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE WILD BOAR, (_Sus scrofa_,)]
+
+
+INHABITS, for the most part, marshes and woods, and is of a black or
+brown colour: his flesh is very tender and good for food. The Wild Boar
+has tusks, which are sometimes nearly a foot in length, and have often
+proved dangerous to men, as well as to dogs in the chase. His life is
+confined to about thirty years; his food consists of vegetables; but
+when pressed by hunger, he devours animal flesh. This creature is strong
+and fierce, and undauntedly turns against his pursuers. To hunt him is
+one of the principal amusements of the grandees in those countries where
+he is to be found. The dogs provided for this sport are of the slow,
+heavy kind. Those used for hunting the stag, or the roebuck, would be
+very improper, as they would too soon come up with their prey, and,
+instead of a chase, would only furnish an engagement. Small mastiffs are
+therefore chosen; nor do the hunters much regard the goodness of their
+nose, as the Wild Boar leaves so strong a scent that it is impossible
+for them to mistake his course. They never hunt any but the largest and
+the oldest, which are known by their tusks. When the boar is _reared_,
+as is the expression for driving him from his covert, he goes slowly and
+sullenly forward, without any indication of fear, not very far before
+his pursuers. At the end of every half-mile, or thereabouts, he turns
+round, stops till the hounds come up, and offers to attack them. These,
+on the other hand, knowing their danger, keep off and bay him at a
+distance. After they have for a while gazed upon each other, with mutual
+animosity, the Boar again slowly goes on his course, and the dogs renew
+the pursuit. In this manner the charge is sustained, and the chase
+continues, till the Boar is quite tired, and refuses to go any further.
+The dogs then attempt to close in upon him from behind; those which are
+young, fierce, and unaccustomed to the chase, are generally the
+foremost, and often lose their lives by their ardour. Those which are
+older, and better trained, are content to wait until the hunters come
+up, who despatch him with their spears.
+
+In former times, the Wild Boar was a native of Britain, as appears from
+the laws of the Welsh prince, Howell the Good, who permitted his grand
+huntsman to chase that animal from the middle of November to the
+beginning of December; and in the reign of William the Conqueror, those
+who were convicted of killing the Wild Boars, in any of the royal
+forests, were punished with the loss of their eyes. Our domestic pigs
+are descended from the wild race; but the tame Boar has two tusks,
+smaller than those of the wild ones, and the sow has none.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE BABIROUSSA, (_Babirussa alfurus_,)]
+
+
+IS a singular species of hog, which dwells in many of the islands of the
+eastern Archipelago. His four tusks are of enormous size, especially
+those of the upper jaw, which are turned completely upwards and bent
+back, like horns, towards the forehead, which they sometimes even touch.
+These singular tusks are only found in the male; they do not seem, from
+their construction, to be of much use to him as weapons; and it was
+formerly supposed that he employed them as hooks to hang himself up to
+the branch of a tree for his night’s rest.
+
+
+
+
+THE PECCARY. (_Dicotyles labiatus._)
+
+
+THIS is a little species of pig, of a brown colour, with pale lips,
+which is found in great troops in the forests of South America. These
+bands of Peccaries are said to travel from place to place under the
+guidance of a sort of chief, who places himself at the head of his troop
+and marches forward in a direct line, swimming boldly over the rivers,
+and often devastating the plantations. When one of these troops meets
+with any unusual object, they all stop to examine it, making a dreadful
+clattering with their teeth, which they are quite ready to use in their
+own defence, and will soon tear an assailant to pieces, unless he can
+succeed in climbing up into a tree.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE TAPIR. (_Tapirus americanus._)]
+
+
+THIS animal bears considerable resemblance to the wild boar, but is
+without tusks, and has its snout prolonged into a small fleshy
+proboscis, or trunk. This trunk, however, has not the flexibility of
+that of the elephant, and is incapable of holding anything. The colour
+of the Tapir is of a deep brown, and the male has a small mane on the
+upper part of his neck. It stands about three feet and a half high, and
+measures nearly six feet in length. It lies in thickets, the thorny
+branches of which cannot affect it from the thickness of its skin, while
+they lacerate the skins of its pursuers. Its favourite food is the
+water-melon. It is generally found alone, and always roams in search of
+food at night; and it is easily tamed if taken young. It possesses the
+same power of remaining under water as the hippopotamus, and when it
+enters a pond, can descend to the bottom, and remain there five or six
+minutes.
+
+The Malayan Tapir (_T. malayanus_), is very similar to the American
+species in form; but is larger and has no mane. It is very remarkable
+for the distribution of its colours, the anterior part and the legs
+being deep black, and the rump, back, and sides, white. This animal is
+found chiefly in Sumatra and Borneo.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE HORSE. (_Equus caballus._)]
+
+
+THE noblest conquest that man ever made over the brute creation was the
+taming of the Horse, and adapting him to his service. He lessens the
+labours of man and adds to his pleasures: shares, with equal docility
+and cheerfulness, the fatigues of hunting or the dangers of war; and
+draws with appropriate strength, rapidity, or grace, the heavy ploughs
+and carts of the husbandman, the light vehicles of the fashionable, and
+the stately carriages of the aristocratic.
+
+The Horse is now bred in most parts of the world: those of Arabia,
+Turkey, and Persia are accounted better proportioned than many others;
+but the English Race-Horse may justly claim the precedence over all the
+other European breeds, and is not inferior to any in strength and
+symmetry.
+
+The beautiful Horses produced in Arabia are in general of a brown
+colour; their mane and tail are very short, with the hair black and
+tufted. The Arabs, for the most part, use the Mares in their ordinary
+excursions; experience having taught them that they are less vicious
+than the males, and more capable of sustaining abstinence and fatigue.
+As the Arabs have no other residence than a tent, this also serves for
+a stable; the husband, the wife, the child, the mare, and the foal, lie
+together indiscriminately, and the younger branches of the family may be
+often seen embracing the neck, or reposing on the body of the Mare,
+without any idea of fear or danger.
+
+Of the remarkable attachment which the Arabs have to these animals, St.
+Pierre has given an affecting instance in his Studies of Nature.--“The
+whole stock of a poor Arabian of the desert consisted of a beautiful
+Mare: this the French consul at Said offered to purchase, with an
+intention to send her to Louis XIV. The Arab, pressed by want, hesitated
+a long time, but at length consented, on condition of receiving a very
+considerable sum of money, which he named. The consul wrote to France
+for permission to close the bargain; and having obtained it, sent the
+information to the Arab. The man, so indigent as to possess only a
+miserable covering for his body, arrived with his magnificent courser:
+he dismounted, and first looking at the gold, then steadfastly at his
+Mare, heaved a sigh, ‘To whom is it,’ exclaimed he, ‘that I am going to
+yield thee up? To Europeans? who will tie thee close, who will beat
+thee, who will render thee miserable! Return with me, my beauty, my
+jewel! and rejoice the hearts of my children:’ as he pronounced the last
+words, he sprung upon her back, and was out of sight almost in a
+moment.”
+
+The intelligence of the Horse is next to that of the elephant, and he
+obeys his rider with so much punctuality and understanding, that the
+Americans, who had never seen a man on horseback, thought, at first,
+that the Spaniards were a kind of centaurs, half men and half horses.
+The Horse, in a domestic state seldom lives longer than twenty years;
+but it is supposed that in a wild state he attains a much greater age.
+The Mare is as elegant in her shape as the Horse; and her young is
+called a foal. The age of the Horse is known from his teeth; and his
+colour, which varies from black to white, and from the darkest brown to
+a light hazel tint, has been reckoned a criterion by which to judge of
+his strength.
+
+The Horse feeds upon grass, either fresh or dry, and corn: he is liable
+to many diseases, and often dies suddenly. In the state of nature, he is
+a gregarious animal, and even when domesticated, his debased situation
+of slavery has not entirely destroyed his love of society and
+friendship; for Horses have been known to pine at the loss of their
+masters, their stable fellows, and even at the death of a dog which had
+been bred near the manger. Virgil, in his beautiful description of this
+noble animal, seems to have imitated Job:
+
+ “The fiery courser, when he hears from far
+ The sprightly trumpets, and the shouts of war,
+ Pricks up his ears, and trembling with delight,
+ Shifts place, and paws, and hopes the promised fight.
+ On his right shoulder his thick mane reclined,
+ Ruffles at speed, and dances in the wind.
+ His horny hoofs are jetty black and round,
+ His chine is double; starting with a bound,
+ He turns the turf and shakes the solid ground.
+ Fire from his eyes, clouds from his nostrils flow;
+ He bears his rider headlong on the foe.”
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE ASS. (_Equus Asinus._)]
+
+
+THE Ass is a beast of burden, and extremely serviceable to man. Of
+greater strength than most animals of his size, he bears fatigue with
+patience, and hunger with apparent cheerfulness. A bundle of dried
+herbs, or a thistle on the road, is sufficient for his daily meal, and
+he is content with the clear and pure water of a neighbouring brook (in
+the choice of which he is particularly nice) in the absence of better
+fare. It is probable that the Ass was originally a native of Arabia, and
+other parts of the East: the deserts of Libya and Numidia, and many
+parts of the Archipelago, contain vast herds of wild Asses, which run
+with such amazing swiftness, that even the fleetest horses of the
+country can hardly overtake them. At present, perhaps, the best breed in
+Europe is the Spanish; and very valuable Asses are still to be had in
+the southern continent of America, where, during the existence of the
+Spanish dominion, the breed was very carefully attended to. In the time
+of Elizabeth, we are informed, there were no Asses in this country. Our
+treatment of this very useful animal is both wanton and cruel, and most
+ungrateful, considering the great services he renders us at so little
+expense. The ears of the Ass are of an uncommon length; and he is of a
+greyish or dun colour, with a black cross on his back and shoulders.
+When very young, the Ass is sprightly, and even tolerably handsome; but
+he soon loses these qualifications, either by age or ill-treatment, and
+becomes slow, sullen, and headstrong. The female is passionately fond of
+her young one; and it is said she will even cross fire and water to
+protect or rejoin it. The Ass is also sometimes greatly attached to its
+owner, whom he scents at a distance, and plainly distinguishes from
+others in a crowd.
+
+The female goes with young eleven months, and seldom produces more than
+one foal at a time: the teeth follow the same order of appearance and
+renewal as those of the horse. Asses’ milk has long been celebrated for
+its sanative qualities; invalids suffering from debility of the
+digestive and assimilative functions make use of it with great
+advantage; and to those also who are consumptive it is very generally
+recommended.
+
+An old man who, a few years ago, sold vegetables in London, used in his
+employment an Ass, which conveyed his baskets from door to door.
+Frequently he gave the poor industrious creature a handful of hay, or
+some pieces of bread, or greens, by way of refreshment or reward. The
+old man had no need of any goad for the animal, and seldom, indeed, had
+he to lift up his hand to drive it on. His kind treatment was one day
+remarked to him, and he was asked if his beast was apt to be stubborn?
+“Ah! master,” replied he, “it is of no use to be cruel, and as for
+stubbornness, I cannot complain; for he is ready to do anything and go
+anywhere. I bred him myself. He is sometimes skittish and playful, and
+once ran away from me; you will hardly believe it, but there were more
+than fifty people after him, attempting in vain to stop him; yet he
+turned back of himself, and he never stopped till he ran his head
+kindly into my bosom.”
+
+The ancients had a great regard for this animal. The Romans had a breed
+which they held in such high estimation, that Pliny mentions one of the
+males selling for a price greater than three thousand pounds of our
+money; and he says that in Celtiberia, a province in Spain, a she Ass
+had colts that were bought for nearly the same sum. The Ass lives nearly
+to the same age as the horse. From the general resemblance between the
+Ass and the horse, it might naturally be supposed that they were closely
+allied, and that one had degenerated; they are, however, perfectly
+distinct. There is that inseparable barrier placed between them which
+nature provides for the protection and preservation of her productions;
+their mutual offspring, the mule, being incapable of reproducing its
+kind.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE MULE.]
+
+
+THIS useful and hardy animal is the offspring of the horse and the ass,
+and partakes of the good qualities of both. The common Mule is very
+healthy, and will live above thirty years. The size and strength of our
+breed have been much improved by the importation of Spanish male asses;
+and it is much to be wished that the useful qualities of this animal
+were more attended to; for, by proper care in its breaking, its natural
+obstinacy would in a great measure be corrected; and it might be formed
+with success for the saddle, the draught, or the burden. People of the
+first quality are drawn by Mules in Spain, where fifty and sixty guineas
+is no uncommon price for them; nor is it surprising, when we consider
+how far they excel the horse in travelling in a mountainous country, the
+Mule being able to tread securely where the former can hardly stand. It
+is much less dainty in its food than the horse, and not so liable to
+disease; and has been known to go a distance of eighty or a hundred
+miles in one day, with a heavy weight on its back, without much
+fatigue.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE KIANG. (_Equus Hemionus._)]
+
+
+THE Kiang, which is also called the Djiggetai, is a kind of wild ass,
+found in small herds on the great plains of Central Asia. It is a good
+deal larger than the common ass, and its fur is of a peculiar pale
+reddish chestnut tint, except on the legs and muzzle, which are nearly
+white. The ears are not so long as in the ass, and there is a black
+streak down the middle of the back.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE ZEBRA. (_Equus Zebra._)]
+
+
+THIS is one of the most elegantly marked quadrupeds in nature. He is
+striped all over with the most pleasing regularity; in size he resembles
+the mule, being smaller than the horse, and larger than the ass. The
+hair of his skin is uncommonly smooth, and he looks at a distance like
+an animal that some fanciful hand has surrounded with ribbons of white
+or buff, and jet black. He is a native of Southern Africa--chiefly of
+the Cape of Good Hope, where he resides amongst the mountains. In these
+solitudes the Zebra has nothing to restrain his liberty. He is too shy
+to be caught in traps, and therefore seldom taken alive. Were the Zebra
+inured to our climate, there is little doubt but he might be soon
+domesticated. The black cross which the ass bears on his back and
+shoulders indicates the affinity between these two animals. The Zebra
+feeds in the same manner as the horse, ass, and mule; and seems to
+delight in having clean straw and dried leaves to sleep upon. His voice
+can hardly be described; it is thought by some persons to have a
+distinct resemblance to the sound of a post-horn, and is more frequently
+exerted when the animal is alone than at other times. In former times,
+Zebras were often sent as presents to the oriental princes. A governor
+of Batavia is said to have given one to the emperor of Japan, for which
+he received as an equivalent a present to the value of sixty thousand
+crowns; and Teller informs us, that the Great Mogul gave two thousand
+ducats for one of these animals. It is usual with the African
+ambassadors to the court of Constantinople to bring Zebras with them as
+presents for the Grand Seignior. In a wild state they live in herds, and
+can only be tamed when taken young, or bred in captivity.
+
+Another kind of Zebra (_Equus Burchellii_) inhabits the plains of
+Southern Africa; it is known as the Zebra of the plains, and is also
+called Burchell’s Zebra, after the distinguished African traveller. This
+Zebra is less beautifully marked than the mountain species.
+
+Instinct having taught these beautiful animals that in union consists
+their strength, they combine in a compact body when menaced by an attack
+either from man or beast; and if overtaken by the foe, they unite for
+mutual defence, with their heads together in a close circular band,
+presenting their heels to the enemy, and dealing out kicks in equal
+force and abundance. Beset on all sides, or partially crippled, they
+rear on their hinder legs, fly at their adversary with jaws distended,
+and use both teeth and heels with the greatest freedom.
+
+The _Quagga_ is also a native of Southern Africa. It is more wild than
+the Zebra, and less beautifully marked; the stripes, indeed, do not
+extend over the whole body, but only over the head and neck. The colour
+is a reddish brown above and white beneath. The Quagga is less than the
+Zebra, and not so elegantly formed, the hind quarters being higher than
+the shoulders. The ears are also much shorter. The Quagga bears the
+reputation of being naturally vicious, and so treacherous that it is
+said that, like a cat, it will bite the hand that feeds and caresses
+it.
+
+
+
+§ VIII.--_Ruminating Animals._
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE BULL. (_Bos Taurus._)]
+
+
+THERE are, perhaps, no animals more generally useful to mankind than the
+race of oxen, in all their states of existence. They are called
+ruminating animals; that is, after they have eaten their food they
+possess the power of returning it from the first stomach into the mouth,
+to be again masticated before it is finally digested. This is called
+chewing the cud; and as the animal generally lies down, and looks very
+thoughtful while the operation is performing, it is said to be
+ruminating.
+
+The Bull is a very fierce creature, and when enraged, runs about,
+tossing up his tail, and roaring most fearfully. When attacked by men or
+dogs, he tears up the ground with his feet, and then gallops after his
+assailants, endeavouring to toss them with his horns; and very often
+pursues in this manner any one he sees, particularly if they appear
+frightened. When in danger of being attacked by a Bull, the best course
+is to stand still, and open an umbrella, or flap a shawl, or something
+of that kind, in the Bull’s face; as with all his fierceness he is a
+great coward, and only pursues those who fly from him.
+
+The Ox, or Bullock, is used in some parts of the country for drawing
+carts and waggons, and ploughing; and its flesh is called beef. The skin
+is tanned and made into leather; the hair is mixed with mortar; the
+bones are used for knife-handles, chess-men, counters, and other things,
+as a substitute for ivory; from its horns are made combs, and various
+other articles; the fat is used in making candles; the blood in refining
+sugar: and, in short, every part has some important use.
+
+The common charge of stupidity urged against the Ox is wholly unfounded,
+as the following anecdote, recorded by Mr. Bell, will show. A cow,
+feeding in a pasture, the gate of which was open, was much annoyed by a
+mischievous boy, who amused himself by throwing stones at her. The
+peaceful animal, after enduring this patiently for some time, went up to
+him, and hooking the end of her horn into his clothes, carried him out
+of the field and laid him down in the road. She then returned calmly to
+her pasture, leaving him quit for a severe fright and a torn garment.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE COW.]
+
+
+THE COW is the female of the ox tribe, and her young is called a calf. A
+young Cow, when under two years old, is called a heifer. The Cow is as
+useful to mankind as the ox, except in ploughing and drawing; but to
+make amends, she supplies us with milk, from which butter and cheese are
+made. The Cow gives from six to twenty quarts of milk in a day: and the
+faculty of giving it in such abundance, and with so much ease, is a
+striking peculiarity, for this animal differs in this part of its
+organization from most others, having a large udder, and longer and
+thicker teats, than the largest animal we know of; it has likewise four
+teats, whilst all other animals of the same nature have but two; it also
+yields the milk freely to the hand, whilst all other animals, at least
+those that do not ruminate in the same manner, refuse it, unless their
+young, or some adopted animal, be allowed to partake it. The age of the
+Cow is known by her horns; at four a ring is formed at their roots, and
+every succeeding year another ring is added. Thus, by allowing three
+years before their appearance, and then reckoning the number of rings,
+the creature’s age may be exactly known.
+
+Calves, when quite young, are helpless creatures, from the great length
+and weakness of their legs. Sometimes they are killed when young, and
+their flesh is then called veal. The stomach of the calf, when it is
+killed, is taken out, and cleaned and salted; it is then hung up to dry,
+and is called rennet. In making cheese, a bit of rennet is soaked in
+water, which when poured into milk, turns it to curd. The curd is then
+separated from the whey, and put into a press, when it becomes cheese.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE WILD BULL.]
+
+
+IN the Duke of Hamilton’s park in Scotland, Lord Tankerville’s at
+Chillingham, in Northumberland, and some other places, there is a breed
+of wild cattle, possibly the last remains of those which at one period
+overran this island. The colour is white, with muzzle and ears black, or
+very dark red.
+
+At the first appearance of any person near them, these animals set off
+at full gallop; and at the distance of two or three hundred yards wheel
+round and come boldly up again, tossing their heads in a menacing
+manner. On a sudden they make a full stop at the distance of forty or
+fifty yards, and look wildly at the object of their surprise; but on the
+least motion they all turn round, and gallop off again with equal speed,
+but not to the same distance, forming a smaller circle; and again
+returning, with a bolder and more threatening aspect than before, they
+approach much nearer, when they make another stand, and again gallop
+off. This they do several times, shortening their distance, and
+advancing nearer till they come within a few yards, when most persons
+consider it prudent to leave them, not choosing to provoke them further,
+as it is probable that in a few turns more they would make an attack.
+
+The mode of killing these animals, as was practised a few years ago, was
+the only remnant of the ancient mode of hunting that existed in this
+country. On notice being given that a Wild Bull would be killed on a
+certain day, the inhabitants of the neighbourhood assembled, sometimes
+to the number of a hundred horsemen, and four or five hundred foot, all
+armed with guns or other weapons. Those on foot stood upon the walls, or
+climbed into trees, while the horsemen separated a Bull from the rest of
+the herd, and chased him until he stood at bay, when they dismounted and
+fired. At some of these huntings, twenty or thirty shots have been
+discharged before the animal was subdued. On such occasions the bleeding
+victim grew desperately furious from the smarting of his wounds, and the
+shouts of savage joy echoing from every side.
+
+When the Cows calve, they hide their young ones for a week or ten days
+in some sequestered retreat, and go to suckle them two or three times in
+a day. If any person comes near one of the calves it crouches close upon
+the ground, and endeavours to hide itself, a proof of the native
+wildness of the animals. In one instance where a calf was disturbed, it
+pawed the ground like an old Bull, and attempted to butt with its head,
+till it fell from weakness. It had done enough, however, to raise an
+alarm, and the whole herd came to its rescue, compelling the intruder to
+decamp: for the dams will allow no one to touch their young without
+attacking him with impetuosity. In the Duke of Hamilton’s park, in the
+summer of 1841, a calf, which was disturbed by the passing of a carriage
+near it, bellowed so fearfully as to rouse the whole herd, though they
+were at a considerable distance.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE AFRICAN BUFFALO (_Bubalus Caffer._)]
+
+
+IN its general form the Buffalo has a great resemblance to the ox; but
+it differs from that animal in its horns, and in some particulars of its
+internal structure. It is larger than the ox; the head is also bigger in
+proportion, the forehead higher, and the muzzle longer. The horns are
+large, and of a compressed form, with the exterior edge sharp; they are
+straight for a considerable length from their base, and then bend
+slightly upward. The general colour of the animal is blackish, except
+the forehead and the tip of the tail, which are of a dusky white. The
+hunch is not, as many have supposed it, a large fleshy lump, but is
+occasioned by the bones that form the withers being continued, to a
+greater length than in most other animals. Buffaloes are found in most
+parts of the torrid zone, and of almost all warm climates; always
+dwelling in moist and marshy places, where they delight to roll in the
+mire. In a wild state, the Buffalo is exceedingly fierce; but in some of
+the tropical countries he is perfectly domestic, and very useful for
+many purposes, being an animal of patience and great strength. When
+employed in the labours of agriculture, he has a brass ring put through
+his nose, by which means he is led at pleasure. Buffaloes are common in
+the Pontine Marshes near Rome, where they were brought from India in the
+sixth century. In India they constitute the riches and food of the poor,
+who employ them in their fields, and make butter and cheese from their
+milk. They are much valued for their hides; of which, in several
+countries, and especially in England, military belts, boots, and other
+implements of war are made. There are various species of Buffaloes, of
+which the Cape Buffalo, from South Africa, is the best known, and most
+valuable.
+
+Buffaloes, in their native country, fight so fiercely with each other,
+that African travellers have remarked that they are seldom found without
+torn ears, and scars of various kinds on the neck and body. And they are
+no less treacherous than ferocious, lurking among the trees in
+concealment until some unfortunate passenger passes. The animal will
+then suddenly rush upon him, and there is little chance of the victim
+escaping unless a tree be at hand. The furious beast, not contented with
+throwing him down and killing him, stands over him for a long time,
+trampling on and tearing the body to pieces; he then strips off the skin
+with his rough and prickly tongue. Even after all this he repeatedly
+returns to the body to gratify afresh his savage disposition.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE BISON. (_Bos or Bison Bonasus._)]
+
+
+THERE are two kinds of Bison; one a native of Europe, and the other of
+America. The European Bison, or Bonasus, is as large as a bull or ox;
+maned about the back and neck like a lion; and his hair hanging down
+under his chin, or nether jaw, like a large beard. The fore parts of his
+body are thick and strong, but the hinder parts are comparatively
+slender. He has a little ridge along his face from his forehead down to
+his nose, which is very hairy; his horns are large, very sharp, and
+turning towards his back, like those of a wild goat. The American Bison
+(_B. Americanus_), attains a size far superior to that of the largest
+breeds of our common oxen, and is met with throughout nearly the whole
+of the uninhabited parts of North America, from Hudson’s Bay to
+Louisiana and the frontiers of Mexico. Captains Lewis and Clarke, and
+Dr. James, bear frequent testimony to the almost incredible numbers in
+which these animals assemble on the banks of the Missouri. “Such was
+their multitude,” say the first-named travellers, “that, although the
+river, including an island over which they passed, was a mile in
+breadth, the herd stretched, as thick as they could swim, completely
+from one side to the other.” And again they say: “If it be not
+impossible to calculate the moving multitude which darkened the whole
+plains, we are convinced that twenty thousand would be no exaggerated
+number.” Dr. James tells us that, “in the middle of the day countless
+thousands of them were seen coming in from every quarter to the stagnant
+pools;” their paths, as he informs us elsewhere, being “as frequent, and
+almost as conspicuous, as the roads in the most populous parts of the
+United States.”
+
+These wild cattle defend themselves from the wolves in the most
+admirable manner. When they hear their savage enemies approaching they
+form themselves adroitly into a circle. The weakest are left in the
+middle, whilst the strongest are on the outside, and present to their
+foes an impenetrable phalanx of horns. The vignette is an illustration
+of this subject.
+
+Exciting stories of the buffalo hunt, both American and African, will be
+seen in Catlin’s North American Indians, and Harris’s Wild Animals and
+Sports of Southern Africa.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE ZEBU, OR BRAHMIN BULL. (_Bos Indicus._)]
+
+
+PENNANT describes the Zebu, or Indian Ox, as sometimes surpassing in
+size the largest of the European breeds, and the hunch on his shoulders
+as weighing frequently fifty pounds. There are many varieties, with and
+without horns, differing in size from that above-named, down to the
+dimensions of an ordinary hog. They are spread over the whole of
+Southern Asia, and also in Africa. In all these countries the Zebu
+supplies the place of the Ox, both as a beast of burden and as an
+article of food. By the Hindoos they are treated with great veneration,
+and it is held sinful to deprive them of life, or eat their flesh. A
+select number are exempted from all labour, and allowed to wander about,
+and subsist on the voluntary and pious contributions of the devotees of
+their faith.
+
+Emboldened by the toleration they experience, they make free with every
+vegetable to which they take a fancy, no one daring to resist or drive
+them away; often they lie down in the street; no one must disturb them:
+every one must give place to the sacred Ox of Brahma; thus they are
+frequently nuisances, which superstition alone would endure.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SHEEP. (_Ovis Aries._)]
+
+
+THE Sheep has been so long subjected to the empire of man that it is not
+known with certainty from what race our domestic species has been
+derived. It is supposed, however, to be from the Mouflon, or Musmon, of
+Sardinia and Crete. This animal is one of the most useful ever bestowed
+on us by a bountiful Providence; and in patriarchal times the number of
+Sheep constituted the riches of kings and princes. It is universally
+known, its flesh being one of the chief kinds of human food, and its
+wool being of great use for clothing. Although of a moderate size, and
+well covered, it does not live more than nine or ten years. The Ewe has
+one or two young at a time, and the young one, which is called a lamb,
+has always been an emblem of innocence.
+
+In its domestic state it is too well known to require a detail of its
+peculiar habits, or of the methods which have been adopted to improve
+the breed. No country produces finer Sheep than England, either with
+larger fleeces or better adapted for the business of clothing. Those of
+Spain have confessedly finer wool, some of which we generally require to
+work up with our own, but the weight of a Spanish fleece is much
+inferior to one of Lincoln or Tees Water. Merino, or Spanish Sheep, have
+of late years been introduced with some success into our English
+pastures, and the wool of the hybrids, raised between the Merino Sheep
+and the South Down Sheep, is thought nearly equal to that of Spain.
+
+In stormy weather, these animals generally hide themselves in caves from
+the fury of the elements; but if such retreats are not to be found, they
+collect themselves together, and, during a fall of snow, place their
+heads near each other, with their muzzles inclined to the ground. In
+this situation they sometimes remain till hunger compels them to gnaw
+each other’s wool, which forms into hard balls in the stomach and
+destroys them. But in general they are sought out and extricated soon
+after the storm has subsided.
+
+“The Sheep,” Mr. Bell observes, “is one of the most interesting of all
+animals as regards its historical relations with man. It was the subject
+of the first sacrifices, and was used in its typical character as an
+offering of atonement; and the relation which existed between the
+patriarchal shepherds and their flock was of so intimate and even
+affectionate a nature as to have afforded the subject of many beautiful
+passages in the Holy Scriptures.”
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE RAM]
+
+
+IS the male Sheep, and is so strong and fierce that he will boldly
+attack a dog, and often comes off victorious: he has even been known,
+regardless of danger, to engage a bull; and his forehead being much
+harder than that of any other animal, he seldom fails to conquer. He
+overcomes the bull, who, by lowering his head, receives the stroke of
+the Ram between his eyes, which usually brings him to the ground.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE WALLACHIAN RAM.]
+
+
+THE singular conformation of the horns, which adorn the head of this
+breed of Sheep, has induced us to insert a figure of the animal in this
+work, though it is only a variety of the common species. The horns of
+the Ewe are twisted also, but not so much as those of the Ram, which
+form, near the head, a spiral line. The wool is much longer than that of
+the common Sheep, and resembles the hair of the goat. A fine Ram of this
+species was presented some years since to the Zoological Gardens in the
+Regent’s park, by Dr. Bowring. It is there called the Parnassian Sheep,
+having been brought from Mount Parnassus.
+
+
+
+
+THE ARGALI, OR WILD SHEEP OF ASIA,
+
+
+in figure somewhat resembles a ram, but his wool is rather like the hair
+of a goat. His horns are large and bent backwards, and his tail is
+short. He is of the size of a small deer, active, swift, wild, and found
+in flocks in the rocky, dry deserts of Asia. His flesh and fat are
+delicious. He is called also the Siberian Sheep or Goat, and is
+considered by some to be the parent stock of the domestic Sheep.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GOAT. (_Capra hircus._)]
+
+
+THE Goat, next to the cow and the sheep, has been always reckoned,
+especially in ancient and patriarchal times, the most useful domestic
+animal. Its milk is sweet, nourishing, and medicinal, and better adapted
+for persons of weak digestion than that of the cow, as it is not so apt
+to curdle on the stomach. The female has generally two young ones at a
+time, which are called kids. This animal is admirably adapted for living
+in wild places; it delights in climbing precipices, and is often seen
+reposing in peaceful security on rocks overhanging the sea. Nature
+indeed has in some measure fitted it for traversing these eminences; the
+hoof being hollow underneath, with sharp edges, so that it can walk as
+securely on the ridge of a house as on the level ground. The flesh of
+the goat is seldom eaten; but that of the kid is esteemed a very
+delicate food, and is frequently eaten on the Continent. In the East,
+the long soft hair of the goat is used in making the beautiful Cashmere
+shawls; and from the skin is manufactured morocco leather. The skin of
+the kid is well known for its use in making gloves.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE IBEX, OR BOQUETIN, (_Capra Ibex_,)]
+
+
+IS a Wild Goat, which inhabits the Pyrenean mountains, the Alps, and the
+highest mountains of Greece. He is of an admirable swiftness; his head
+is armed with two long, knotted horns, inclining backwards; his hair is
+rough, and of a deep brown colour. The male only has a beard, and the
+female is less than the male. This animal skips from rock to rock, and
+often, when pursued, leaps down enormous precipices, and is said to bend
+his head between his fore legs while springing, so as to break his fall,
+by alighting partly on his horns. The Ibex has been known to turn on the
+incautious huntsman, and tumble him down the precipice, unless he has
+time to lie down, and let the animal pass over him.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE ANTELOPE. (_Antilope cervicapra._)]
+
+
+THESE beautiful inhabitants of the temperate regions of Africa, and
+southern Asia, possess swiftness and elegance of shape in an eminent
+degree. They are timid, inoffensive, and gregarious. The males have
+horns like those of the goat, and never shed them; they are smooth,
+long, twisted spirally, and annulated. The general colour of the hair is
+brown, and, in some species, a beautiful yellow. The eyes are
+exceedingly bright, and have often been compared to those of a beautiful
+nymph by Persian and other poets. Enjoying perfect liberty, they range
+in herds through the deserts of Arabia, and bound from rock to rock with
+wonderful agility. Their long and slender legs are peculiarly suited to
+their habits and manners of life, and are, in some of the species, so
+slender and brittle as to snap with a very trifling blow. The Arabs,
+taking advantage of this circumstance, catch them by throwing sticks at
+them, by which their legs are broken.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GAZELLE. (_Antilope Dorcas._)]
+
+ “The wild Gazelle, on Judah’s hills,
+ Exulting yet may bound,
+ And drink from all the living rills
+ That gush on holy ground.
+ Its airy step and glorious eye
+ May glance in tameless transport by.”--BYRON.
+
+
+THE Gazelle is the most elegant of antelopes. The Arabian poets have
+applied their choicest epithets to the beauty of this animal, and their
+descriptions have been adopted into our own poetry. Byron, in speaking
+of the dark eyes of an eastern beauty, says:
+
+ “Go look on those of the Gazelle.”
+When the Persian describes his mistress, she is “an antelope in
+beauty,”--“his Gazelle employs all his soul;” and thus, in their
+figurative language, perfect beauty and Gazelle beauty are synonymous.
+These animals are spread, in innumerable herds, from Arabia to the river
+Senegal in Africa. Lions and panthers feed upon them; and man chases
+them with the dog, the cheetah, and the falcon. The height of the
+Gazelle is about twenty inches, the skin beautifully sleek, its body
+extremely graceful, its head unusually light, its ears flexible, its
+eyes most brilliant and glancing, and its legs as slender as a reed.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE CHAMOIS. (_Antilope Rupicapra._)]
+
+
+THE Chamois is about three feet in length and two in height; its horns
+six or seven inches long, its ears small, and its head resembling that
+of the goat. The body is covered with long brown hair, the hue of which
+varies with the season.
+
+The flesh is considered a savoury food, and the skin is wrought into a
+soft pliable leather, well known in domestic economy.
+
+The Chamois is found only in the mountainous regions of Europe, where
+they herd together on lofty and almost inaccessible cliffs and
+precipices. They are so acute and shy, that it is only by the greatest
+patience and skill that the hunter can approach near enough to shoot
+them; and they are so swift, and leap with such extraordinary sureness
+of foot, that to overtake them is impossible.
+
+ “---- ---- ---- But beasts have reason too.
+ And that we know, we men that hunt the Chamois,
+ They never turn to feed--sagacious creatures--
+ Till they have placed a sentinel a-head,
+ Who pricks his ears whenever we approach,
+ And gives alarm with clear and piercing pipe.”
+ SCHILLER’S WILLIAM TELL.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE NYL GHAU, OR BLUE OX. (_Antilope picta._)]
+
+
+THIS is a large kind of antelope, found in India. In the wild state
+these animals are very ferocious, but they may be domesticated, and in
+that condition give frequent tokens of familiarity, and even of
+gratitude, to those under whose care they are placed. The female, or
+doe, is much smaller than the male, and of a yellowish colour, by which
+she is easily distinguished from the buck, who is of a grey tint.
+
+Its manner of fighting is very peculiar, and is thus described:--Two of
+the males, at Lord Clive’s, being put into an enclosure, were observed,
+while they were at some distance from each other, to prepare for the
+attack, by falling down upon their knees; they then shuffled towards
+each other, still keeping upon their knees; and, at the distance of a
+few yards, they made a spring, and darted against each other with great
+force.
+
+The following anecdote will serve to show that these animals are
+sometimes fierce and vicious, and not to be depended upon:--A labouring
+man, without knowing that the animal was near him, went up to the
+outside of the enclosure; the Nyl Ghau, with the quickness of lightning,
+darted against the woodwork with such violence that he dashed it to
+pieces, and broke one of his horns close to the root. The death of the
+animal soon after was supposed to be owing to the injury he sustained by
+the blow.
+
+The Nyl Ghau usually keeps closely concealed in the jungle, but in the
+night or early morning it sometimes passes into the open ground, to feed
+in the corn-fields belonging to the neighbouring villages. This is the
+moment chosen by the natives to attack it. A platform is erected near
+the spot the Nyl Ghau is known to frequent, from which the hunters can
+take aim with precision and safety.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GNU. (_Antilope Gnu._)]
+
+
+THIS very singular animal is sometimes called a horned horse; as it has
+the shape and mane of a horse, with the addition of a formidable pair of
+horns, a kind of beard below the chin, and a fringe of hair below the
+body, along the breastbone. The Gnus live together in herds, and when
+alarmed, fling up their heels, and plunge and rear, tossing their heads
+and tails, before they gallop off; which they do, the whole herd
+following their leader singly, like a troop of soldiers. The Gnu
+inhabits the sandy deserts of South Africa; and its flesh, which is said
+to resemble beef, is sometimes eaten by the colonists near the Cape of
+Good Hope. When caught young the Gnu may be tamed, but its disposition
+is always uncertain, and when offended it throws itself on its knees,
+like the nyl ghau, and then springing up, butts furiously with its
+horns.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE STAG. (_Cervus Elaphus._)]
+
+
+THIS animal is the male of the red Deer, and is generally famed for long
+life, though upon no certain authority. Naturalists agree, however, upon
+this point, that his life may exceed forty years: but that his
+existence, as it has been asserted, reaches to three centuries, is too
+absurd to be believed. His horns are at first very small, but gradually
+increase in size, as they are yearly shed and renewed, till the stag has
+completed his fifth year, when they become very large and branching,
+and remain so during the remainder of his life. The Stag is one of the
+tallest of the deer kind, and is called a Hart after he has completed
+his fifth year; the female, called the Hind, is without horns. Every
+year, in the month of April, when the Stag has lost his horns, he
+appears conscious of his temporary weakness, and hides himself till his
+new ones have grown and are hardened. This is generally in about ten
+weeks, even when the Stag is full grown; his horns at this age weigh
+between twenty and thirty pounds. Little need be said of the pleasure
+taken in hunting the Stag, the Hart, and the Roebuck, it being a matter
+well known in this country, and in all parts of Europe. The following
+fact, recorded in history, will serve to show that the Stag is possessed
+of an extraordinary share of courage, when his personal safety is
+concerned:--In the reign of George the Second, William, Duke of
+Cumberland, caused a tiger and a Stag to be enclosed in the same area;
+and the Stag made so bold a defence, that the tiger was at length
+obliged to give up. The flesh of the Stag is accounted excellent food,
+and his horns are useful to cutlers; even their shavings are used to
+make ammonia, so much esteemed in medicine under the name of
+_hartshorn_. The swiftness of the Stag has become proverbial, and the
+diversion of hunting this creature has, for ages, been looked upon as a
+royal amusement. In the time of William Rufus and Henry the First, it
+was less criminal to destroy a human being than a full-grown Stag. This
+animal, when fatigued in the chase, often throws himself into a pond of
+water, or crosses a river; and, when caught, sheds tears like a child.
+
+ “To the which place a poor sequestered Stag,
+ That from the hunter’s aim had ta’en a hurt,
+ Did come to languish; and indeed, my lord,
+ The wretched animal heaved forth such groans
+ That their discharge did stretch his leathern coat
+ Almost to bursting; and the big round tears
+ Coursed one another down his innocent nose
+ In piteous chase.”
+ SHAKESPEARE.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE WAPITI, (_Cervus Canadensis_,)]
+
+
+IS a native of Canada and other northern parts of America, and is one of
+the most gigantic of the Deer tribe, growing to the height of our
+tallest oxen, and uniting great activity to strength of body and limbs.
+His horns, which he sheds annually, are very large, branching in
+serpentine curves, and measuring from tip to tip upwards of six feet.
+These animals make a shrill noise, resembling the braying of an ass, and
+are supposed to be the most stupid of the Deer kind. The flesh is
+coarse, and little esteemed, but the hide, when made into leather, is
+said not to become hard in drying after being wetted, a quality which
+entitles it to a preference over almost every other kind. There are
+several of these splendid animals in the collection of the Zoological
+Society, in the Regent’s Park, where they continue to form objects of
+singular interest and attraction. The male is, however, very fierce,
+always endeavouring to attack those who approach him; and on one
+occasion seriously injured one of the visitors to the gardens.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE ROEBUCK, (_Cervus capreolus_,)]
+
+
+IS one of the least of the Deer kind known in these climates, being not
+above three feet in length, and two in height, and seldom lives more
+than fifteen years. His horns are about nine inches long, round, and
+divided into three small branches, and his colour is of a brown shade on
+the back, his face partly black and partly ash-colour, the chest and
+belly yellow, and the rump white; his tail is short. The Roebuck is more
+graceful, more active, more cunning, and comparatively swifter than the
+stag; his flesh is much esteemed. He is very delicate in the choice of
+his food, and requires a larger tract of country, suited to the wildness
+of his nature, which can never be thoroughly subdued. No arts can teach
+him to be familiar with his keeper, nor in any degree attached to him.
+These animals are easily terrified; and in their attempts to escape will
+run with such force against the walls of their enclosure, as sometimes
+to disable themselves: they are also subject to capricious fits of
+fierceness; and, on these occasions, will strike furiously with their
+horns and feet at the object of their dislike. The only parts of Great
+Britain where they are now found are the Highlands of Scotland.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE FALLOW DEER. (_Cervus dama._)]
+
+
+THESE are the Deer now usually kept in our parks. The beautifully
+spotted kind are said to have been brought from Bengal, and the very
+deep brown from Norway by King James I. Their horns are broad and flat;
+the male is called a buck, the female a doe, and the young one a fawn.
+The buck casts his horns every spring, and they increase in size
+annually till he has attained his fifth year. The venison of this Deer
+is very far superior to that of the red deer, which is coarse and tough.
+The buck-skin and doe-skin are well known, as furnishing a peculiarly
+soft and warm leather, which is used for gloves, gaiters, &c. The horns
+are used for the handles of knives, &c., like those of the stag; and the
+refuse is, in the like manner, used in the manufacture of ammonia. The
+buck stands about three feet high, and measures about five feet in
+length; the doe is somewhat smaller. The tail is much longer than either
+that of the stag or the roebuck, being nearly seven inches and a half
+long.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE ELK, (_Cervus Alces_,)]
+
+
+IS the largest of all the Deer kind. The antlers, at first simple, and
+then divided into narrow slips, assume in the fifth year the form of a
+triangular blade, dentated on the external edge and very thick at the
+base; they increase with age, till they weigh fifty or sixty pounds, and
+have fourteen branches to each horn. The Elk lives in forests, feeding
+upon branches and sprouts of trees, and inhabits Europe, Asia, and
+America; in the last-named country he is known by the name of the Moose
+Deer. There is very little difference between the European Elk and the
+American Moose Deer, though they are larger in the New World than with
+us, owing perhaps to the extensive forests in which they range. In all
+places, however, they are timorous and gentle; content with their
+pasture, and never willing to disturb any other animal. The pace of the
+Elk is a high, shambling trot, but it runs with great swiftness.
+Formerly these animals were made use of in Sweden to draw sledges, but
+their swiftness gave criminals such means of escape, that this
+employment of them was prohibited under great penalties. The female is
+less than the male, and has no horns.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE REIN-DEER, (_Cervus Tarandus_, or _Rangifer
+Tarandus_,)]
+
+
+IS found in most of the northern regions of Europe, Asia, and America,
+and its general height is about four feet and a half. The colour is
+brown above and white beneath; but as the animal advances in age, it
+often becomes of a greyish white. The hoofs are long, large, and black.
+Both sexes are furnished with horns, but those of the male are much the
+largest. To the Laplanders this animal supplies the place of the horse,
+the cow, the goat, and the sheep; it is their only wealth. The milk
+affords them cheese; the flesh, food; the skin, clothing; of the tendons
+they make bowstrings, and when split, thread; of the horns, glue; and of
+the bones, spoons. During the winter, the Reindeer supplies the want of
+a horse, and draws sledges with amazing swiftness over the frozen lakes
+and rivers, or over the snow, which at that time covers the whole
+country. Innumerable are the uses, the comforts, and advantages which
+the poor inhabitants of this dreary climate derive from this animal. We
+cannot sum them up better than in the beautiful language of the poet:
+
+ “Their Rein-deer form their riches. These their tents,
+ Their robes, their beds, and all their homely wealth Supply, their wholesome fare, and cheerful cups:
+ Obsequious at their call, the docile tribe
+ Yield to the sled their necks, and whirl them swift
+ O’er hill and dale, heaped into one expanse
+ Of marbled snow, as far as eye can sweep,
+ With a blue crest of ice unbounded glazed.”
+
+The mode of hunting the wild Rein-deer by the Laplanders, the Esquimaux,
+and the Indians of North America, has been accurately described by late
+travellers. Captain Franklin gives the following interesting account of
+the mode practised by the Dog-rib Indians, to kill these animals. “The
+hunters go in pairs, the foremost man carrying in one hand the horns and
+part of the skin of the head of a Deer, and in the other a small bundle
+of twigs, against which he, from time to time, rubs the horns, imitating
+the gestures peculiar to the animal. His comrade follows, treading
+exactly in his footsteps, and holding the guns of both in a horizontal
+position, so that the muzzles project under the arms of him who carries
+the head. Both hunters have a fillet of white skin round their
+foreheads, and the foremost has a strip of the same round his wrists.
+They approach the herd by degrees, raising their legs very slowly, but
+setting them down somewhat suddenly, after the manner of a Deer, and
+always taking care to lift their right or left feet simultaneously. If
+any of the herd leave off feeding to gaze upon this extraordinary
+phenomenon, it instantly stops, and the head begins to play its part, by
+licking its shoulders, and performing other necessary movements. In this
+way the hunters attain the very centre of the herd without exciting
+suspicion, and have leisure to single out the fattest. The hindmost man
+then pushes forward his comrade’s gun, the head is dropped, and they
+both fire nearly at the same instant. The Deer scamper off, the hunters
+trot after them; in a short time the poor animals halt, to ascertain the
+cause of their terror; their foes stop at the same moment, and having
+loaded as they ran, greet the gazers with a second fatal discharge. The
+consternation of the Deer increases; they run to and fro in the utmost
+confusion; and sometimes a great part of the herd is destroyed within
+the space of a few hundred yards.”
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE AXIS. (_Cervus Axis._)]
+
+
+A VERY beautiful species of the Deer is found in the East Indies, of a
+light red colour, though some of the kind are of a deeper red. It is
+about the size of a fallow deer, and often variegated with beautiful
+spots of bright white. The horns are slender and triple-forked. The Axis
+is a timid and harmless creature, more ornamental to the landscape,
+where it skips and plays in a wild state, than useful to man. It is
+extremely docile, and possesses the sense of smelling to an exquisite
+degree. Though it is a native of the banks of the Ganges, it appears to
+bear the climates of Europe without injury.
+
+
+
+
+THE MUSK DEER. (_Moschus moschiferus._)
+
+
+THIS is a small species of Deer, quite destitute of horns, which lives
+on the vast plains of Central Asia. It is distinguished by possessing a
+pair of canine teeth or tusks in the upper jaw; and these teeth, which
+are not found in the ruminant animals generally, are so long in the Musk
+Deer that they project from the sides of the mouth and descend below
+the chin. The Musk Deer is exceedingly active, and leaps to an
+astonishing height. The male is remarkable for possessing a pouch about
+the size of an egg, near the navel; this contains a brown, oily matter,
+of a most powerful odour, which is the well-known perfume called _musk_,
+so highly esteemed amongst Eastern nations.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GIRAFFE, OR CAMELOPARD.
+
+(_Camelopardalis Giraffa._)]
+
+
+THIS most remarkable ruminant, which in its general structure nearly
+approaches the Deer, has points of affinity also with the antelopes and
+camels, besides very striking peculiarities of its own.
+The head is the most beautiful part of the animal: it is small, and the
+eyes are large, brilliant, and very full. Between the eyes, and above
+the nose, is a swelling very prominent and well-defined. This prominence
+is not a fleshy excrescence, but an enlargement of the bony substance;
+and it seems to be similar to the two little lumps, or horns, with which
+the top of the head is armed, and which, being several inches in length,
+spring on each side of the head, just above the ears, and are terminated
+by a thick tuft of stiff upright hairs. The neck is remarkably
+elongated, and it is furnished with a very short, stiff mane, which
+stands out erect from the skin. The height of a full-grown Giraffe in a
+wild state is said to be seventeen or eighteen feet, measuring from the
+hoofs to the tip of the ears; but none of those in England exceed
+fourteen feet. At first sight, the fore legs appear much longer than the
+hind ones; but the fact is, that the legs are of the same length, and it
+is only the height of the withers that occasions the apparent
+disproportion. Le Vaillant was the first well-informed naturalist who
+studied the habits of the Giraffe in its wild state. “If,” he says,
+“among the known quadrupeds, precedency be allowed to height, the
+Giraffe without doubt must hold the first rank. A male which I have in
+my collection measured, after I killed it, sixteen feet four inches from
+the hoof to the extremity of its horns. I use this expression in order
+to be understood; for the Giraffe has no real horns; but between its
+ears, at the upper extremity of the head, arise in a perpendicular and
+parallel direction two excrescences from the cranium, which without any
+joint stretch to the height of eight or nine inches, terminating in a
+convex knob, and are surrounded by a row of strong straight hair, which
+overtops them by several lines. The female is generally lower than the
+male.... In consequence of the number of these animals which I killed,
+or had an opportunity of seeing, I may establish as a certain rule that
+the males are generally fifteen or sixteen feet in height, and the
+females from thirteen to fourteen feet.” The colour of the Giraffe is a
+light fawn, marked with spots only a few shades darker. The legs are
+very slender; and, notwithstanding the length of the neck, it manifests
+great difficulty in taking anything from the ground. To do this, it puts
+out first one foot, and then the other; repeating the same process
+several times; and it is only after several of these experiments that it
+at length bends down its neck, and applies its lips and tongue to the
+object in question. In fact, the neck of the Giraffe, although so
+enormously long, is not very flexible, as it contains only the same
+number of vertebræ or joints (seven) that is found in other quadrupeds
+with a much shorter neck; it is admirably adapted for enabling the
+animal to browse upon the branches of trees, but is not intended to fit
+it for grazing. It willingly accepts fruit and branches of a tree when
+offered to it; and seizes the foliage in a most singular manner,
+thrusting forth a long, reddish, and very narrow tongue, which it rolls
+round whatever it wishes to secure. Indeed, the tongue is a most
+remarkable organ in this animal, and we have been witness of some
+amusing exploits with it. In the Zoological Gardens at Regent’s Park,
+many a fair lady has been robbed of the artificial flowers which have
+adorned her bonnet, by the nimble, filching tongue of the rare object of
+her admiration.
+
+The Giraffe is a native of Africa; and it was for a long time known only
+by the descriptions of travellers. It was first sent to Europe in 1829;
+but since that time many have been introduced, and several young ones
+have been born in the Zoological Gardens in the Regent’s Park.
+
+Le Vaillant, in his entertaining Travels in Africa, gives an animated
+account of a Giraffe hunt:--“After several hours’ fatigue, we
+discovered, at the turn of a hill, seven Giraffes, which my pack
+instantly pursued. Six of them went off together; but the seventh, cut
+off by my dogs, took another way. I followed it at full speed, but, in
+spite of the efforts of my horse, she got so much ahead of me that, in
+turning a little hill, I lost sight of her altogether. My dogs, however,
+were not so easily put out. They were soon so close upon her, that she
+was obliged to stop to defend herself. From the place where I was, I
+heard them give tongue with all their might; and, as their voices
+appeared all to come from the same spot, I conjectured that they had got
+the animal in a corner, and I again pushed forward. I had scarcely got
+round the hill, when I perceived her surrounded by the dogs, and
+endeavouring to drive them away by heavy kicks. In a moment I was on my
+feet, and a shot from my carbine brought her to the earth. Enchanted
+with my victory, I returned to call my people about me, that they might
+assist in skinning and cutting up the animal. On my return I found her
+standing under a large ebony-tree, assailed by my dogs. She had
+staggered to this place, and fell dead at the moment I was about to take
+a second shot.”
+
+The horns of the Giraffe, small as they are, and muffled with skin and
+hair, are by no means the insignificant weapons they seem. We have seen
+them wielded by the males against each other with fearful and reckless
+force; and we know that they are the natural arms of the Giraffe, most
+dreaded by the keeper of the present living Giraffes in the Zoological
+Gardens, because they are most commonly and suddenly put in use. The
+Giraffe does not butt by depressing and suddenly elevating the head,
+like the deer, ox, or sheep; but strikes the callous obtuse extremities
+of the horns against the object of his attack, with a sidelong sweep of
+the neck.
+
+The Giraffe has a peculiarly awkward manner of trotting, as it moves
+both the legs on one side at the same time. In galloping, the Giraffe
+separates its hind legs widely, and at each stride brings them far
+forward on each side of the fore feet; in this way the animal makes
+rapid progress, although its appearance is rather extraordinary, and the
+stones cast backwards by the force of the hind feet not unfrequently
+assist in protecting it when closely pursued. The female Giraffe in the
+Regent’s Park was a very bad mother to her first young one, as she would
+not let it suck, and beat it away whenever it approached. The poor thing
+was fed with cow’s milk, but it soon died. Later young ones have been
+more kindly treated, and have in consequence thriven well.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE BACTRIAN CAMEL. (_Camelus Bactrianus._)]
+
+ “In silent horror, o’er the boundless waste,
+ The driver Hassan with his Camels passed:
+ One cruse of water on his back he bore,
+ And his light scrip contained a scanty store:
+ A fan of painted feathers in his hand,
+ To guard his shaded face from scorching sand;
+ The sultry sun had gained the middle sky,
+ And not a tree, and not a herb was nigh:
+ The beasts with pain their dusty way pursue,
+ Shrill roar’d the winds, and dreary was the view!”
+ COLLINS.
+
+
+THE BACTRIAN CAMEL is a native of the deserts of Asia, and is generally
+of a brown or ash colour. His height is about six feet. He is one of the
+most useful quadrupeds in oriental countries; his docility and strength,
+his endurance of hunger and thirst, and his swiftness, make him a most
+valuable acquisition to the inhabitants of those desert places. The
+principal characteristics of the Camel are these:--He has two large and
+hard bunches on his back, and is destitute of horns; the upper lip is
+divided like that of the hare; and the hoofs small and placed at the end
+of two long toes, which are united below by a pad-like sole. But the
+peculiar and distinguishing characteristic of the Camel is its faculty
+of abstaining from water for a greater length of time than any other
+animal; for which nature has made a wonderful provision, by adapting the
+surface of one of the four stomachs, which it has in common with all
+ruminating animals, to serve as a reservoir for water, where it remains
+without corrupting or mixing with the other aliments. By this singular
+structure it can take a prodigious quantity of water at one draught, and
+is enabled to pass as much as fifteen days without drinking again. But
+besides this reservoir of water the animal is said in cases of emergency
+to draw sustenance from the humps on his back, which are of a fatty
+substance: thus, after long privation, they become absorbed. A large
+Camel is capable of carrying ten or even twelve hundredweight, and, like
+the elephant, is tame and tractable; but, like him, he has his
+periodical fits of rage, and at these times has been known to take up a
+man in his teeth, throw him on the ground, and trample him under his
+feet. Like the horse, he gives security to his rider; and, like the cow,
+he furnishes his owner with meat for his table, and the female with milk
+for his drink. The flesh of the young Camel is esteemed a delicacy, and
+the milk of the female, diluted in water, is the common drink of the
+Arabians. The hair or fleece, which falls off entirely in the spring, is
+superior to that of any other domestic animal, and is made into very
+fine stuffs, for clothes, coverings, tents, and other furniture. The
+female goes one year with young, and produces but one at a time. The
+Camel kneels to receive his burthen, and it is said that he refuses to
+rise if his master imposes upon him a weight above his strength. He has
+callosities on his knees and on his breast, which prevent him from being
+hurt by kneeling to take up his load; and sleeps with his knees bent
+under him, and his breast on the ground. He arrives at maturity in about
+five years, and the duration of his life is from forty to fifty years.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE ARABIAN CAMEL, OR DROMEDARY.
+
+(_Camelus Dromedarius._)]
+
+
+ANOTHER species of Camel, of less stature than the former, but much
+swifter, and having but one hard bunch on his back, is domesticated
+throughout Africa, as well as in Asia. It is said that a Dromedary can
+travel one hundred miles a day, and carry fifteen hundredweight.
+Attempts have been made to introduce the Camel and Dromedary into our
+West India islands, but they have not succeeded; they have, however,
+been comparatively naturalized near Pisa in Italy. The Camels used as
+beasts of burden in Egypt are all Dromedaries; and the first experiment
+which an European makes in bestriding one is generally a service of some
+little danger, from the peculiarity of the animal’s movement in rising.
+Denon, the French traveller, has described this with his usual vivacity:
+“During the French invasion of Egypt, a part of Dessaix’s division,” to
+which the scientific traveller was attached, “was sent with Camels to a
+distant post across the desert. The Camel, slow as he generally is in
+his actions, lifts up his hind legs very briskly at the instant the
+rider is in the saddle; the man is thus thrown forward; a similar
+movement of the fore legs throws him backward; each motion is repeated;
+and it is not till the fourth movement, when the Dromedary is fairly on
+his feet, that the rider can recover his balance. None of us could
+resist the first impulse, and thus nobody could laugh at his
+companions.” Macfarlane, in his work on Constantinople, tells us that
+upon his first Camel adventure he was so unprepared for the probable
+effect of the creature’s rising behind, that he was thrown over his
+head, to the infinite amusement of the Turks, who laughed heartily at
+his inexperience.
+
+Though the name of Dromedary is very generally applied to all the
+one-humped camels, both in common parlance and books on Natural History,
+it is said that the true Dromedary (_El Herie_) is merely a peculiarly
+swift camel. The name of Dromedary, indeed, appears to be applied in the
+East to all the higher bred camels, the genealogy of which is kept by
+the Arabs as carefully as that of their horses.
+
+Possessing strength and activity surpassing that of most beasts of
+burthen, docile, patient of hunger and thirst, and contented with small
+quantities of the coarsest provender, the camel is one of the most
+valuable gifts of Providence. There is nothing, however, in the exterior
+appearance of the animal to indicate the existence of any of its
+excellent qualities. In form and proportions it is very opposite to our
+usual ideas of perfection and beauty. A stout body, having the back
+disfigured by a great hump; limbs long, slender, and seemingly too weak
+to support the trunk; a long, thin, crooked neck, surmounted by a
+heavily-proportioned head, are all ill-suited to produce favourable
+impressions. Nevertheless, there is no creature more excellently adapted
+to its situation, nor is there one in which more of creative wisdom is
+displayed in the peculiarities of its organization. To the Arabs, and
+other wanderers of the desert, the Camel is at once wealth, subsistence,
+and protection.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE LLAMA, OR CAMEL OF AMERICA,
+
+(_Auchenia glama_,)]
+
+
+IS a mild, timorous creature, not above four feet and a half in height,
+and usually of a brown colour. It bears in form a general resemblance to
+the Camel; but, instead of a protuberance on the back, it has one on the
+breast. Llamas are used as beasts of burden by the South Americans, and
+are so capriciously vindictive, that, if their drivers strike them, they
+immediately squat down, and nothing but caresses can induce them to rise
+again. They have been known to kill themselves by striking their heads
+against the ground in their rage, when by blows they have been urged
+forward against their will. They express their anger by spitting at
+their adversary. The _Alpacas_ are much smaller than the Llamas, and of
+different colours in a domestic state. They are used for the same
+purposes, and differ little in habits and nature. The wool of both these
+animals is made use of for several purposes, and is a principal
+ingredient in the composition of hats in several parts of the new and
+old continent; and the flesh of the young Llamas is, in their native
+country, considered a great delicacy, and is as good as that of the fat
+sheep of Castile. In Peru, where the animals are found, there are public
+shambles for the sale of their flesh.
+
+
+
+§ IX.--_Quadrumana, or Four-handed Animals._
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE OURANG OUTAN. (_Simia satyrus._)]
+
+
+ANIMALS of the Monkey tribe are furnished with hands instead of paws;
+their ears, eyes, eyelids, lips, and breasts resemble those of the human
+species. For greater facility of description, the animals of this
+extensive tribe are usually arranged in the three divisions of Apes,
+Baboons, and Monkeys. Apes are destitute of tails, and the chief of this
+kind is the Ourang Outan, or Wild Man of the Woods: he is found in the
+forests of Borneo and Sumatra. He is a solitary animal, and avoids
+mankind. The largest are said to be six feet high, very active, strong,
+and intrepid, capable of overcoming the strongest man: they are likewise
+exceedingly swift, and cannot easily be taken alive. When young,
+however, the Ourang Outan is capable of being tamed: one of them, shown
+in London some years ago, was taught to sit at table, make use of a
+spoon or fork in eating, and drink wine out of a glass. It was mild and
+affectionate, much attached to its keeper, and obedient to his
+commands.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE CHIMPANZEE.
+
+(_Simia Troglodytes_, or _Troglodytes niger_.)]
+
+
+THIS Ape, which is an inhabitant of the great forests of Western Africa,
+is generally considered to be that which approaches nearest to the human
+species in its conformation. When full-grown, he measures about five
+feet in height, standing erect, but this is a posture which he does not
+naturally prefer, and when on the ground he usually walks upon all
+fours, applying the outside of his hinder feet and the knuckles of his
+fore limbs to the earth. His skin is clothed with long coarse black or
+dark-brown hair, which becomes scanty on the lower surface of the body
+and on the limbs; the face is naked and of a flesh colour, and at each
+side there hangs down a great bush of long hair like a whisker. The
+Chimpanzee lives in the trees, upon the branches of which he is very
+active, and he has intelligence enough to build himself a sort of hut of
+branches, usually about thirty or forty feet from the ground. His food
+consists chiefly of fruits, and he is said to fly from the presence of
+man.
+
+Young Chimpanzees have frequently been brought to this and other
+European countries, and several of them have been exhibited in our
+Zoological Gardens. They are generally gentle and rather melancholy in
+their deportment, and often show much affection for those who have the
+charge of them. Of a specimen exhibited in France in his time, Buffon
+gives the following interesting account: “I have seen this animal,” he
+says, “present its hand to lead out its visitors, or walk about with
+them gravely as if it belonged to the company. I have seen it seat
+itself at table, unfold its napkin and wipe its lips, use its spoon and
+fork to carry its food to its mouth, pour its drink into a glass, and
+touch glasses when invited; fetch a cup and saucer to the table, put in
+sugar, pour out its tea, and leave it to cool before drinking it; and
+all this without any other instigation than the signs and words of its
+master, and often of its own accord.” Buffon adds that it had a taste
+which, no doubt, some of our young readers partake: “It was excessively
+fond of sugar-plums.”
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GORILLA. (_Troglodytes Gorilla._)]
+
+
+THIS wonderful Ape, which has lately been discovered in the same region
+inhabited by the Chimpanzee, is thought, in some respects, to possess
+even a greater resemblance to our own species. He is said to attain a
+height of seven feet, but the largest specimens hitherto obtained have
+been rather less than six feet high. By some travellers the Gorilla is
+said to walk upright, with his hands resting on the nape of his neck,
+but the state of his knuckles shows that he usually goes, like the
+Chimpanzee, on all fours. His skin is covered with short grizzled hair,
+and the naked skin of his face and hands is black. The Gorilla is much
+dreaded by the negroes who have to pass through the forests frequented
+by him when engaged in hunting the Elephant; this is not on account of
+his teeth, although they are sufficiently formidable, but of the
+enormous strength of his hands, with which he can strangle a man in a
+moment, and it is even said that the old males never miss an opportunity
+of performing this operation. It is even said, that as a party of
+hunters is passing through the forest, one of their number will
+sometimes disappear suddenly, being caught up by a Gorilla lurking upon
+the low branches of a tree; the monster speedily strangles his victim
+and then lets the body fall.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE MAGOT, OR BARBARY APE, (_Inuus sylvanus_,)]
+
+
+IS a species of Monkey quite destitute of a tail, which inhabits the
+northern parts of Africa, and is also found on the Rock of Gibraltar.
+Caubasson relates a laughable anecdote of one of these animals, which he
+brought up tame, and which became so attached to him as to be desirous
+of accompanying him wherever he went: when, therefore, he had to perform
+divine service, he was under the necessity of shutting him up. One day,
+however, the animal escaped, and followed the father to church, where,
+silently mounting on the top of the sounding-board, above the pulpit, he
+lay perfectly quiet till the sermon began. He then crept to the edge,
+and, overlooking the preacher, imitated his gestures in so grotesque a
+manner, that the whole congregation were convulsed with laughter.
+Caubasson, surprised and displeased at this ill-timed levity, reproved
+his auditors for their inattention; and on the obvious failure of his
+reproof, he, in the warmth of zeal, redoubled his gesticulations and his
+vociferations. These the Ape so exactly imitated that all respect for
+their pastor was swallowed up in the scene before them, and they burst
+into a loud and continued roar of laughter. A friend of the preacher at
+length stepped up to him; and on perceiving the cause of this hilarity,
+it was with the utmost difficulty he could command a serious countenance
+while he ordered the Ape to be taken away.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE BABOON. (_Cynocephalus._)]
+
+
+A GENUS of Quadrumana, which comprises a large, fierce, and formidable
+race of animals, who, though they in a slight degree partake of the
+human conformation, like the Ourang Outan, &c., are in their
+dispositions and habits the very reverse of gentleness and docility. The
+Baboons are the ugliest of all the Quadrumana. Their eyes are small, and
+sunk underneath their eyebrows. Their forehead is low, and the
+development of the snout and face is enormously disproportioned to the
+size of the skull. Their great strength and fierce disposition make them
+very much dreaded in the countries they inhabit. Baboons differ from the
+apes on the one hand, and the monkeys on the other, by having short
+tails.
+
+The _Common Baboon_ is of a sandy colour, with a reddish shade on the
+shoulders, head, and back. It is playful and good-tempered when young,
+but becomes morose and savage with age. Buffon thus describes a
+full-grown specimen he saw:--“It was not altogether hideous, and yet it
+excited horror. It seemed to be always in a state of savage ferocity,
+grinding its teeth, perpetually restless, and agitated by unprovoked
+fury. It was a stout-built animal, whose nervous limbs and compressed
+form indicated great force and agility; and, though the length and
+thickness of its shaggy coat made it appear much larger than it really
+was, it was so strong and active that it might easily have repelled the
+attacks of several unarmed men.”
+
+The _Cape Baboon_, or _Chacura_ (_Cynocephalus porcarius_), is as big as
+a large mastiff, covered with hair of an olive-black colour on the back,
+and with paler hair beneath. He has a canine face; the snout resembles
+that of a hog, and the nails are flat, but sharp and very strong. It is
+said that he follows goats and sheep in order to drink their milk; he
+partakes of human dexterity in getting the kernels out of nuts, and
+loves to be covered with garments; he stands upright, and imitates with
+ease many human actions. The cunning of these animals is well
+exemplified in their mode of plunder. They form long lines, extending
+from their retreat to the object in view, and then pitch the produce of
+their theft from hand to hand till it is secure.
+
+The _Mandrill_ is the largest kind of Baboon, being nearly five feet
+high when it stands upright. It is distinguished from other Baboons by
+having a large protuberance on either cheek, which is marked with
+numerous red, blue, and purple stripes.
+
+“Those which have been observed in a domestic state are generally
+remarked to have had a strong taste for fermented and spirituous
+liquors. A remarkably fine individual which was long kept at Exeter
+Change, and afterwards at the Surrey Zoological Gardens, drank his pot
+of porter daily, and evidently enjoyed it; it was a most amusing sight
+to see him seated in his little armchair with his quart pot beside him,
+and smoking his short pipe with all the gravity and perseverance of a
+Dutchman. In a state of nature his great strength and malicious
+character render the Mandrill a truly formidable animal. As they
+generally march in large bands they prove more than a match for the
+other inhabitants of the forest. The inhabitants themselves are afraid
+to pass through the woods unless in large companies and well armed.”
+
+
+
+[Illustration:
+
+ THE PROBOSCIS.
+ (_Nasalis larvatus._)
+
+ THE DIANA MONKEY.
+ (_Cercopithecus Diana._)
+]
+
+
+THE PROBOSCIS MONKEY is so called from its long projecting and
+disproportionate nose; it is an inhabitant of the island of Borneo,
+where it lives in troops on trees in the vicinity of its rivers. It is
+of a savage disposition. The Diana Monkey is called after the goddess of
+that name, from the crescent of white hair which ornaments its brow. It
+is very playful, and one of the most graceful of the tribe; it is found
+in the hottest parts of Africa. Monkeys are less in stature, and more
+numerous, than the apes and baboons. They live almost entirely in trees.
+Their natural food is vegetable--fruit of all sorts, corn, and even
+grass; but when domesticated, they learn to eat almost anything that is
+served on our tables.
+
+There are few persons that are not acquainted with the various mimicries
+of these animals, and their capricious feats of activity. Anecdotes of
+this kind are very numerous; we shall content ourselves by giving the
+following:--Captain Stedman, while hunting among the woods of Surinam
+for provisions, says, that he shot at two of these animals, but that the
+destruction to one of them was attended with such circumstances as to
+ever afterwards deter him from going monkey hunting. “Seeing me nearly
+on the bank of the river, in the canoe,” says he, “the creature made a
+halt from skipping after his companions, and, being perched on a branch
+that overhung the water, examined me with the strongest marks of
+curiosity; while he chattered prodigiously, and kept shaking the boughs
+on which he rested, with incredible strength and agility. At this time I
+laid my piece to my shoulder and brought him down from the tree: but may
+I never again be witness to such a scene! The miserable animal was not
+dead, but mortally wounded. I seized him by the tail, and taking him in
+both my hands, to end his torment swung him round, and hit his head
+against the side of the canoe; but the poor creature still continued to
+live, and looked at me in the most affecting manner that can be
+conceived. I therefore knew no other means of ending his murder than to
+hold him under water till he was drowned: but even in doing this, my
+heart sickened; for his little dying eyes still continued to follow me
+with seeming reproach, till their light gradually forsook them, and the
+wretched animal expired.”
+
+The manner in which some of the Monkey tribe capture shell-fish is
+remarkably indicative of their cunning and ingenuity. The oysters of the
+tropical climates, being larger than ours, the Monkeys, when they reach
+the sea-side, pick up stones, and thrust them between the opening
+shells, which being thus prevented from closing, the cunning animals eat
+the fish at their ease. In order to attract crabs, they put their tails
+before the holes in which they have taken refuge; and when the creatures
+have fastened on the lure, the Monkeys suddenly withdraw their tails,
+and thus drag their prey on shore.
+
+The Monkey generally brings forth one at a time, and sometimes two. They
+are rarely found to breed when brought over into Europe; but those that
+do exhibit a very striking picture of parental affection. The male and
+female are never tired of fondling their young one. They instruct it
+with no little assiduity; and often severely correct it, if stubborn, or
+disinclined to profit by their example. They hand it from one to the
+other, and when the male has done showing his regard the female takes
+her turn in the work of affection.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE CAPUCHIN AND SPIDER MONKEYS,
+
+(_Cebus Capucinus_ and _Ateles paniscus_,)]
+
+
+ARE both natives of South America; they live in large troops, feeding on
+roots, fruits, and insects, and are much more gentle than those of the
+old world. Of the _Capuchin_ there are many species, differing from each
+other in colour only; they are very lively, active, and amusing, and
+about a foot long. The Spider Monkey, like the Capuchin, has a long
+prehensile tail, which it uses like a fifth hand. Nature seems by this
+addition to have more than recompensed them for the want of a thumb, for
+by it, when they are unable to leap from one tree to another, on account
+of the distance, they form a kind of chain, with their young upon their
+backs, hanging down by each other’s tails. One of them holds the branch
+above, and the rest swing to and fro like a pendulum, until the
+undermost is enabled to catch hold; the first then lets go his hold, and
+thus comes undermost in his turn; in this way they can travel a great
+distance without ever touching the ground. Curious illustrations of this
+are daily seen at the Zoological Gardens, where there are several of
+these Monkeys.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE OUISTITI AND MARIKINA MONKEYS.
+
+(_Jacchus vulgaris_ and _Rosalia_.)]
+
+
+THE OUISTITI, or MARMOZET, inhabits the Brazils, and is of small size,
+not measuring more than seven inches, though his tail is near eleven; he
+weighs about six ounces, and, like others of his kind, lives not only on
+vegetables, but also upon insects, the eggs of birds, and even small
+birds. His face is almost naked, of a swarthy flesh colour, with a white
+spot above the nose; the tail is full of hair, and annulated with
+ash-coloured and black rings alternately; his nails are sharp, and his
+fingers like those of a squirrel.
+
+The MARIKINA is a beautiful little animal, not above nine inches long,
+and is sometimes called the Lion Monkey; his hair is long, soft, and
+glossy; his head is round, his face brown, and his ears hid under the
+long hairs which surround his face, and which are of a bright red, while
+those on his body and tail are of a beautiful pale yellow, or gold
+colour. He is very playful, and of a seemingly robust temperament, for
+we have seen one which lived five or six years in Paris, without any
+other particular care than keeping it during the winter in a chamber in
+which there was a fire every day.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE LEMUR AND THE MONGOOS,
+
+(_Lemur macaco_ and _Lemur albifrons_,)]
+
+
+MAY be considered as the connecting link between the Monkeys and the
+genuine quadruped. Their habits are nocturnal, whence they have been
+called Lemurs, or ghosts. They pass a considerable portion of the day in
+sleep, rolled up like a ball, with the large tail passed between the
+hind legs, and twisted round the neck. They live in troops, more or less
+numerous, like the apes and monkeys, on trees, and climb with great
+quickness, and leap with so much force as frequently to rise ten feet at
+a single bound. They feed on fruits, roots, &c., and carry their food to
+their mouth with their hands, like the apes; their voice, when not
+alarmed, is a quick grunt. Their nocturnal and unobtrusive habits may
+probably account in some degree for the rarity of their appearance. They
+are all inhabitants of Madagascar, but allied species are also found in
+Bengal, and other parts of Hindostan, in Ceylon, and Java. The above
+specimens are from the Zoological Gardens, and are the White-fronted and
+the Black and White Lemurs.
+
+
+
+BOOK II.
+
+INHABITANTS OF THE AIR.
+
+
+
+
+§ I. RAPTORES. _Diurnal Birds of Prey._
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GOLDEN EAGLE. (_Aquila chrysaëtos._)]
+
+ “But who the various nations can declare,
+ That plough with busy wing the peopled air?
+ These cleave the crumbling bark for insect food,
+ Those dip the crooked beak in kindred blood:
+ Some haunt the rushy moor, the lonely woods;
+ Some bathe their silver plumage in the floods;
+ Some fly to man, his household gods implore,
+ And gather round his hospitable door,
+ Wait the known call, and find protection there
+ From all the lesser tyrants of the air.
+ The tawny Eagle seats his callow brood
+ High on the cliff, and feasts his young with blood.”
+ BARBAULD.
+
+
+THE GOLDEN EAGLE is one of the largest and most powerful of all those
+birds that have received the name of Eagle. It weighs above twelve
+pounds. Its length, from the point of the beak to the end of the tail,
+is about three feet; the breadth, when the wings are extended, is seven
+or eight feet. The beak is horny, crooked, and very strong. The feathers
+of the neck are of a rusty colour, and the rest dark brown. The feet are
+feathered down to the claws, which have a wonderful grasp; the toes are
+yellow, and the four talons are crooked and strong. As in all birds of
+prey, the female is the larger, and more powerful.
+
+Eagles are remarkable for their longevity, and their faculty of
+sustaining a long abstinence from food. Of all birds the Eagle flies
+highest; and from thence the ancients have given it the epithet of the
+_Bird of Heaven_:
+
+ “Bird of the broad and sweeping wing,
+ Thy home is high in heaven,
+ Where wide the storms their banners fling,
+ And the tempest’s clouds are driven.
+ Thy throne is on the mountain top,
+ Thy fields the boundless air;
+ And hoary peaks, that proudly prop
+ The skies, thy dwellings are.”
+
+This formidable bird may be considered among its own species what the
+lion is among quadrupeds; and in many respects they have a strong
+similitude to each other. Solitary, like the lion, he keeps the wilds to
+himself alone; it is as extraordinary to see two pairs of Eagles in the
+same mountain, as two lions in the same plain.
+
+The Eagle is found in Great Britain and Ireland, in Germany, and nearly
+all parts of Europe. It is carnivorous, and, when unable to obtain the
+flesh of larger animals, feeds on serpents and lizards. The story of the
+Eagle, brought to the ground after a severe conflict with a cat, which
+it had seized and taken up into the air with its talons, is very
+remarkable; Mr. Barlow, who was an eye-witness of the fact, made a
+drawing of it, which he afterwards engraved. Two instances are said to
+have occurred in Scotland of the Eagle having flown away with infants to
+its nest; but in both cases it is added that the children were
+recovered, without being materially injured. This bird has been often
+tamed, but in this situation it still preserves an innate love of
+liberty. The nest of the Eagle is composed of strong sticks, and
+generally built on the point of an inaccessible rock, whence it darts
+upon its prey with the rapidity of lightning. The period of incubation
+is said to be thirty days; and when the young are hatched, both the male
+and female exert all their industry to provide for their wants. In the
+county of Kerry a peasant is said once to have formed the resolution of
+plundering an Eagle’s nest built upon a small island in the beautiful
+lake of Killarney. He accordingly swam to the island while the parents
+were away; and, after robbing the nest of the young, was preparing to
+swim back with the Eaglets tied in a string; but while he was yet up to
+the chin in the water, the old Eagles returned, and, missing their
+family, fell upon the invader with such fury, that, in spite of all his
+resistance, they despatched him with their beaks and talons.
+
+Another native of Kerry was more fortunate in his dealings with the
+Eagles. During a season of scarcity he obtained sustenance for himself
+and his family by plundering an Eagle’s nest of the food brought in by
+the parents for their young ones: and he was so artful as to prolong the
+supply by cutting the wings of the Eaglets so as to prevent their
+flying, and thus compelled the old birds to continue their attention to
+their progeny.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SEA EAGLE. (_Haliaëtus albicilla._)]
+
+
+THIS bird, known also as the White-tailed Eagle, from the inside
+feathers of its tail being white, differs from the golden eagle in the
+greater length of its beak, in its sluggish and cowardly habits, and in
+its coarser taste. It is a native of Great Britain, where it inhabits
+the high rocks and cliffs that overhang the sea, and whence it pounces
+on the birds, fish, or seals that it can procure for its prey. It is
+smaller than the golden eagle, rarely reaching three feet in length; and
+in young birds the tail feathers are brown.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE WHITE-HEADED, OR BALD EAGLE.
+
+(_Haliaëtus leucocephalus._)]
+
+
+THIS bird is about three feet long, and seven feet broad, measuring to
+the tips of the extended wings. The bill resembles that of the golden
+eagle, and from the chin hang some small hairy feathers like a beard. As
+it is found alike in the frigid and the torrid zone, it is provided for
+enduring rapid changes of temperature, and its whole body is clothed
+under the feathers with a kind of down, white and soft like that of the
+swan. This bird builds its nest on lofty cliffs by the sea-shore, and on
+the banks of rivers or lakes, and feeds almost entirely upon fish.
+
+It is generally regarded by the Anglo-Americans with peculiar respect,
+as the chosen emblem of their native land. The great cataract of Niagara
+is mentioned as one of its favourite places of resort, not merely as a
+fishing station, where it is enabled to satiate its hunger upon its most
+congenial food, but also in consequence of the vast quantity of
+four-footed beasts, which, unwarily venturing into the stream above, are
+borne away by the torrent, and precipitated down those tremendous
+falls:
+
+ “High o’er the watery uproar silent seen,
+ Sailing sedate in majesty serene,
+ Now ’midst the pillar’d spray sublimely lost,
+ And now emerging, down the rapids toss’d,
+ Glides the Bald Eagle, gazing calm and slow
+ O’er all the horrors of the scene below;
+ Intent alone to sate himself with blood,
+ From the torn victim of the raging flood.”
+
+The number of birds of prey of various kinds which assemble at the foot
+of the rocks to glut themselves upon the banquet thus provided for them,
+is said to be incredibly great, but they are all compelled to give place
+to the Eagle when he deigns to feed on dead animals; and the crow and
+the vulture submit without a struggle to the exercise of that tyranny,
+which they know it would be in vain to resist. “We have ourselves,” says
+Wilson, “seen the Bald Eagle, while seated on the dead carcase of a
+horse, keep a whole flock of vultures at a respectful distance, until he
+had fully sated his own appetite:” and he adds another instance, in
+which many thousands of tree squirrels having been drowned, in one of
+their migrations, in attempting to pass the Ohio, and having furnished
+for some length of time a rich banquet to the vultures, the sudden
+appearance among them of the Bald Eagle at once put a stop to their
+festivities, and drove them to a distance from their prey, of which the
+Eagle kept sole possession for several successive days.
+
+These Eagles sometimes hunt in pairs in a manner which shows their great
+sagacity. Aware that water-fowl have the power of eluding their grasp by
+diving, they hover at a distance from each other over their prey. One of
+them then darts towards it with great swiftness, but the water-fowl
+easily avoids the first attack by diving. The pursuer then rises into
+the air, and his mate resumes the attack just as the fowl is emerging to
+breathe, and compels it to plunge again. The Eagles continue alternately
+to proceed in this manner till their victim is so exhausted that it
+falls an easy prey.
+
+This Eagle also frequently attacks the Osprey or Fish Hawk, when he is
+returning from a successful excursion loaded with a large fish, and
+compels him to drop his prey; the Eagle then descends with wonderful
+rapidity, and generally succeeds in seizing the fish before it reaches
+the water.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE OSPREY, OR FISHING HAWK.
+
+(_Pandion haliaëtus._)]
+
+ “True to the season, o’er our sea-beat shore
+ The sailing Osprey high is seen to soar
+ With broad unmoving wing; and circling slow,
+ Marks each loose straggler in the deep below;
+ Sweeps down like lightning, plunges with a roar,
+ And bears its struggling victim to the shore.”
+
+
+THIS bird is always found on the sea-shore, or near rivers or lakes, as
+it feeds entirely on fish. It is common in Great Britain, and also in
+America, where large colonies of it are found, the birds living together
+like rooks. “When looking out for its prey,” says Dr. Richardson, “it
+sails with great ease and elegance, in undulating and curved lines, at a
+considerable height above the water, till it perceives its prey, when it
+pounces down upon it. It seizes the fish with its claws, sometimes
+scarcely appearing to dip its feet in the water, and at others plunging
+entirely under the surface with force sufficient to throw up a
+considerable spray. It emerges again, however, so speedily, as to render
+it evident that it does not attack fish swimming at any great depth.”
+The toes are armed beneath with numerous sharp points, evidently
+intended to assist the bird in getting a firm hold of its slippery prey.
+
+The Osprey builds a large nest either on trees or rocks, and lays two or
+three eggs, which have a reddish tinge, and are spotted with brown at
+the larger end. The old birds feed the young ones even after they have
+left the nest, and only rear one brood in the year.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE BLACK EAGLE.]
+
+
+SOME ornithologists suppose this to be merely the golden eagle in its
+young state, but others make it a distinct species. It is about twice as
+large as the raven. The parts about the beak and the eye are bare of
+feathers, and somewhat reddish; the head, neck, and breast black; in the
+middle of the back, between the shoulders, there is a large white spot,
+dashed with red; a black streak sweeps along the feathers, and is
+followed by a white one; the remaining part of the wing to the tip is of
+a dark ash-colour. This bird has beautiful hazel eyes, full of
+animation: his legs are feathered down a little below the tarsal joint,
+the naked part being red; his talons are very long. He is found in
+France, Germany, Poland, and delights in Alpine mountains, where he
+makes the vales and woods resound with his incessant screamings when in
+search of prey.
+
+The Abbé Spallanzani had an eagle of this species, so powerful as to be
+able to kill dogs that were much larger than itself. When a dog was
+placed before it, the bird would ruffle up the feathers on its head and
+neck, cast a dreadful look at its victim, take a short flight, and
+immediately alight on its back. It held the head firmly with one foot,
+and thus secured the dog from biting, and with the other grasped one of
+his flanks, at the same time driving its talons into the body; and in
+this attitude it continued, till the dog expired with fruitless outcries
+and efforts.
+
+The eyes of eagles are celebrated for their brilliancy and strength,
+which has given rise to the popular opinion that they can gaze on the
+sun without shrinking: though this, from the overhanging eyebrow of the
+Eagle, would be an extremely difficult feat for the bird to perform. The
+eyes of all birds are curiously constructed, so as to enable them to see
+both distant objects and near ones with equal facility; and for this
+purpose they are furnished with a membrane placed near the edge of the
+crystalline lens of the eye, by which it can be moved at pleasure. The
+orbit of the eye is formed of about twelve or sixteen bony plates, which
+slide over each other when necessary. Birds are also furnished with an
+additional eyelid, of extremely thin texture, with which they
+occasionally appear to shade their eyes.
+
+
+
+THE VULTURE. (_Vultur Monachus._)
+
+
+THE first rank in the description of birds has been given to the eagle,
+not on account of its size, but because it is nobler in its habits and
+more delicate in its appetites. But it belongs to the falcon tribe, and
+should be placed after the Vultures. The eagle, unless pressed by
+famine, will not stoop to carrion; and generally devours only what he
+has earned by his own pursuit. The Vulture, on the contrary, is
+disgustingly voracious; and seldom attacks living animals when it can be
+supplied with dead. The eagle meets and singly opposes his enemy: the
+Vulture, if he expects resistance, calls in the aid of its kind, and
+overpowers its prey by combination. Putrefaction, instead of deterring,
+only serves to allure it. The Vulture seems among birds what the jackal
+and hyæna are among quadrupeds, who prey upon carcases, and root up the
+dead.
+
+Vultures may be easily distinguished from eagles by the nakedness of
+their heads and necks, which are without feathers, and only covered with
+a very slight down, or a few scattered hairs; their eyes are more
+prominent; those of the eagle being buried more in the socket, and
+shaded by an overhanging eyebrow. Their claws are shorter and less
+hooked. The inside of the wing is covered with a thick down, which is
+different in them from all other birds of prey. Their attitude is not so
+upright as that of the eagle, and their flight is more difficult and
+heavy.
+
+In this description we may include the Golden, the Ash-coloured, and the
+Brown Vulture, which are inhabitants of Europe; the Spotted and the
+Black Vulture of Egypt; the Bearded Vulture, the Brazilian Vulture and
+the King of the Vultures, of South America. They all agree in their
+nature, being equally indolent, rapacious, and unclean. The Condor also
+belongs to the Vulture tribe.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE KING VULTURE. (_Vultur_, or _Sarcorhamphus papa_.)]
+
+
+THE KING VULTURE, or King of the Vultures, is so called, because when he
+makes his appearance amongst a whole company of other birds of his kind
+engaged in a feast upon a dead carcase, they all retire before him and
+wait respectfully at a little distance until this monarch has eaten his
+fill. He is an inhabitant of South America.
+
+The head and neck of this bird are without feathers; the body above,
+reddish buff, beneath, yellowish white: quills greenish black; tail
+black; craw pendulous, and orange-coloured. It is about the size of a
+turkey; and is chiefly remarkable for the odd formation of the skin of
+the head and neck; this skin, which is of an orange colour, arises from
+the base of the bill, whence it stretches on each side of the head; the
+eyes are surrounded by a red skin, and the iris has the colour and
+lustre of pearl. Upon the naked part of the neck is a collar formed by
+soft longish feathers. Into this collar the bird sometimes withdraws his
+whole neck, and sometimes a part of its head, so that it looks as if it
+had hidden its neck in its body.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE CONDOR. (_Vultur gryphus._)]
+
+
+THIS bird measures three or four feet long, and its wings, when
+expanded, from ten to twelve feet. Its bill and talons are exceedingly
+large and strong; and its courage is equal to its strength. The throat
+is naked, and of a red colour. The upper parts in some individuals (for
+they differ greatly in colour) are variegated with black, gray, and
+white, and the body is scarlet. Round the neck it has a white ruff of
+loose hairy feathers. The feathers on the back are generally quite
+black, and perfectly bright. These enormous birds, which are inhabitants
+of South America, breed among the highest and most inaccessible rocks.
+The female makes no nest, but lays two white eggs, somewhat bigger than
+those of a turkey, on the bare rock. Some writers have affirmed that a
+Condor can carry off a sheep in its claws, and others that it has
+carried off children in the same manner; but these tales are manifestly
+absurd, as the Condor’s feet and talons are not fitted for carrying any
+great weight. Both the talons and the bill are indeed of extraordinary
+strength, but they are intended for tearing objects to pieces; and
+consequently we find that the Condor feeds chiefly on dead or dying
+cattle, or horses, which he tears to pieces and devours where they lie.
+When the Condor is gorged the hunters attack him, but his strength and
+fierceness are so great, that one of Sir Francis Head’s companions, who
+attempted to seize a gorged Condor, said he never had “such a battle in
+his life;” though he had been a Cornish miner and was reckoned an
+excellent wrestler in his own country.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE BUZZARD. (_Falco Buteo_, or _Buteo vulgaris_.)]
+
+ “The noble Buzzard ever pleased me best;
+ Of small renown, ’t is true; for, not to lie,
+ We call him but a Hawk by courtesy.”
+ HIND AND PANTHER.
+
+
+_This_ is a rapacious bird, of the hawk kind, and the most common of all
+in England. It is of a sluggish, indolent nature, often remaining
+perched on the same bough for the greater part of the day: as if,
+indifferent either to the allurements of food or of pleasure, it were
+doomed, like some of the human species, to pass its allotted span of
+life in passive contemplation. It feeds on mice, rabbits, frogs, and
+often on all sorts of carrion. Too idle to build itself a nest, it
+frequently seizes upon the old habitation of a crow, which it lines
+afresh with wool and other soft materials. In general this bird, whose
+colour varies considerably, is brown varied with yellow specks; at a
+certain age its head becomes entirely gray. The female generally lays
+two or three eggs, which are mostly white, though sometimes spotted with
+yellow. Its length is usually twenty-two inches, and its breadth upwards
+of fifty.
+
+The following anecdote, related by Buffon, will show that the Buzzard
+may be so far tamed as to be rendered a faithful domestic. A Buzzard,
+which had been caught in a snare, was brought to a gentleman, who
+undertook to tame it. It was at first wild and ferocious, but by
+depriving it of food he succeeded in constraining it to come and eat out
+of his hand. By pursuing this plan he brought it to be very familiar;
+and, after having shut it up about six weeks, he began to allow it a
+little liberty, taking the precaution, however, to tie both pinions of
+its wings. In this condition it walked out into his garden, and returned
+when called to be fed; after some time, thinking he might trust to its
+fidelity, he removed the ligatures, and fastened a small bell above its
+talon, and also attached to its breast a bit of copper with his name
+engraved on it. He then gave it entire liberty, which it soon abused;
+for it took wing and flew into the forest of Belesme. The bird was given
+up for lost; but four hours afterwards, it rushed into the gentleman’s
+hall, pursued by five other Buzzards, which had driven it into its
+former asylum. After this adventure it preserved its fidelity, coming
+every night to sleep under the window. It soon became familiar, attended
+constantly at dinner, sat on a corner of the table, and often caressed
+its master with its head and bill, emitting a weak, sharp cry, which,
+however, it sometimes softened. It had a singular propensity of seizing
+from the head and flying away with the red caps of the peasants; and so
+alert was it in whipping them off, that they found their heads bare
+without knowing what was become of their caps; it even treated the wigsof the old men in the same way, hiding its booty in the tallest trees.
+
+Wilson says that one he shot in the wing lived with him several weeks:
+but refused to eat. It amused itself by hopping from one end of the room
+to the other, and sitting for hours at the window, looking down on the
+passengers below. At first, he put himself in an attitude of defence
+when approached; but after some time became quite familiar, permitting
+himself to be handled. Though he lived so long without food, his stomach
+was found on dissection to be enveloped in solid fat of nearly an inch
+in thickness.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE HONEY-BUZZARD. (_Falco_, or _Pernis apivorus_.)]
+
+
+THIS Buzzard eats lizards, frogs, and snails. It also feeds upon the
+larvæ of bees and wasps, which form the chief food of the young birds.
+Buffon says that in winter, when fat, it is good eating, a very rare
+circumstance with birds of this genus. It seldom flies, excepting from
+one bush to another; but, when on the ground, it runs with great
+rapidity, like a domestic fowl.
+
+Willoughby observes that it builds its nest with twigs, on which it
+lays wool to receive its eggs. He saw one that took possession of an old
+kite’s nest to breed in, and that fed its young with the larvæ of wasps,
+for in the nest were found the combs of wasps’ nests, and, in the
+stomachs of the young, fragments of wasp-maggots. In the nest were two
+young ones, covered with white down, spotted with black. In the crop of
+one of them were two lizards entire, with their heads lying towards the
+mouth, as if they sought to creep out.
+
+It would be highly interesting could we discover the manner in which
+this bird conducts its attack on a wasps’ nest. The close feathering
+round the base of the bill, is, no doubt, a protection against the
+stings of the insects which they attack.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GOSHAWK, (_Falco_, or _Astur palumbarius_,)]
+
+
+BREEDS in lofty trees in Scotland, and destroys a great quantity of
+small game, which he seizes with his sharp and crooked talons, and
+carries to his nest. He is of the hawk tribe, and somewhat larger than
+the common buzzard; his bill is blue, and he has a white stripe over
+each eye, and also a large white spot on each side of the neck. The
+general colour of the plumage is deep brown; the breast and belly white,
+transversely streaked with black; and the legs yellow. Buffon, who
+brought up two young Goshawks, a male and a female, makes the following
+observations: “The Goshawk, before it has shed its feathers, that is, in
+the first year, is marked on the breast and belly with longitudinal
+brown spots; but after it has had two moultings they disappear, and
+their place is occupied by transverse bars, which continue during the
+rest of its life.” He further observes that, “though the male was much
+smaller than the female, it was fiercer and more vicious.” The Goshawk
+is found in France and Germany; it is not common in England, but is more
+so in Scotland. In former times the custom of carrying a Hawk or Falcon
+on the hand was confined to men of high distinction; so that it was a
+saying among the Welsh, “You may know a gentleman by his Hawk, horse,
+and greyhound.” Even the ladies in those times were partakers of this
+gallant sport, and have been represented in pictures with Hawks on their
+hands. At present hawking is almost entirely laid aside in this country,
+as the expense which attended it, being very considerable, confined it
+to princes and men of the highest rank. In the time of James the First,
+Sir Thomas Monson is said to have given a thousand pounds for a cast of
+Hawks. In the reign of Edward the Third it was made felony to steal a
+Hawk; to take its eggs, even in a person’s own grounds, was punishable
+with imprisonment for a year and a day, together with a fine at the
+king’s pleasure. Such was the delight our ancestors took in this royal
+sport, and such were the means by which they endeavoured to secure it.
+The Falcons, or Hawks, chiefly used in these kingdoms were the Goshawk,
+the Peregrine Falcon, Iceland Falcon, and the Ger Falcon. The game
+usually pursued were cranes, wild geese, pheasants, and partridges. The
+Duke of St. Albans is still hereditary grand falconer of England, but
+the office is not now exercised, except for the Duke’s own amusement.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SPARROWHAWK. (_Falco_, or _Accipiter nisus_.)]
+
+
+THE SPARROWHAWK is a bold-spirited bird; the length of the male is
+twelve inches, that of the female fifteen; the beak is short, crooked,
+and of a bluish tint, but very black towards the tip; the tongue black,
+and a little cleft; the eyes of a middling size. The crown of the head
+is of a dark brown; above the eyes, in the hinder part of the head,
+there are sometimes white feathers; the roots of the feathers of the
+head and neck are white, the rest of the upper side, back, shoulders,
+wings, and neck of a dark brown. The wings, when closed, scarcely reach
+to the middle of the tail; the thighs are strong and fleshy, the legs
+long, slender, and yellow; the toes also long, and the talons black. The
+female lays about five eggs, spotted near the blunt end with brown
+specks. When wild they feed only upon birds, and possess a boldness and
+courage above their size; but in a domestic state they do not refuse raw
+flesh and mice. They can be made obedient and docile, and readily
+trained to hunt quails and partridges.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE KITE. (_Falco Milvus_, or _Milvus regalis_.)]
+
+
+THIS bird, though it belongs to the falcon tribe, is called ignoble,
+because it is never used in hawking. It is easily distinguished from
+other birds of prey by its forked tail, and the slow and circular eddies
+it describes in the air whenever it spies from the regions of the clouds
+a young duck or a chicken which has strayed too far from the brood. When
+this is the case, the Kite, pouncing on it with the rapidity of a dart,
+seizes it in its talons, and carries it off to its nest. It is, however,
+a great coward, and if the hen flies at it, which she always does if she
+sees it, it will drop the chicken and fly off. It is larger than the
+common buzzard; and though it weighs somewhat less than three pounds,
+the extent of its wings is more than five feet. The head and neck are of
+a pale ash colour, varied with longitudinal lines across the shafts of
+the feathers; the back is reddish; the lesser rows of the wing feathers
+are party-coloured, of black, red, and white; the feathers covering the
+inside of the wings are red, with black spots in the middle. The eyes
+are large, the legs and feet yellow, the talons black. It is a handsome
+bird, and seems almost always on the wing. It rests itself on the air,
+and does not appear to make the smallest effort in flying, but rather to
+glide along with the gentlest breeze.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE FALCON.]
+
+
+THE FALCON is a predaceous bird, of which there are several species. Of
+these the _Gerfalcon_ (_Falco Gyrfalco_) is the largest, and is found in
+the northern parts of Europe; and, next to the eagle, is the most
+formidable, active, and intrepid of all voracious birds, and the most
+esteemed for falconry. The bill is crooked and bluish; the irides of the
+eye dusky; and the whole plumage of a whitish hue, marked with dark
+lines on the breast, and dusky spots on the back.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE PEREGRINE FALCON. (_Falco peregrinus._)]
+
+
+THE PEREGRINE FALCON, which is the most common kind, is from fifteen to
+eighteen inches in length. The bill is blue at the base, and black at
+the point; the head, back, scapulars, and coverts of the wing are barred
+with deep black and blue; the throat, neck, and upper part of the breast
+are white, tinged with yellow; the bottom of the breast, belly, and
+thighs are of a grayish white; and the tail is black and blue. Wilson
+enumerates no less than ten varieties, dependent chiefly upon age, sex,
+and country. It is found, more or less abundantly, throughout the whole
+of Europe, principally in the mountain districts in North and South
+America, dwelling in the clefts of rocks, especially such as are exposed
+to the mid-day sun. It breeds upon the cliffs in several parts of
+England, but appears to be more common in Scotland and Wales. Its food
+consists principally of small birds; but it scruples not to attack the
+larger species, and sometimes gives battle even to the kite. Falcons
+rarely take their prey upon the ground, like the more ignoble birds of
+the class to which they belong; but pounce upon it from aloft, in a
+directly perpendicular descent as it flies through the air, bear it
+downwards by the united impulse of the strength and rapidity of their
+attack, and sticking their talons into its flesh, carry it off in
+triumph to the place of their retreat. Like most predatory animals, they
+are stimulated to action by the pressure of hunger alone, and remain
+inactive and almost motionless while the process of digestion is going
+on, until the renewed cravings of their appetite stimulate them to
+further exertion. In different stages of its growth, the Peregrine
+Falcon has been known by various English names. Its proper appellation
+among falconers is the Slight Falcon, the term Falcon Gentle being
+equally applicable to all the species when rendered manageable. In the
+immature state, this Falcon is also called a Red Hawk, from the
+prevailing colour of its plumage. The male is called a Tiercel, to
+distinguish it from the female, which, in the Falcon tribe, is commonly
+one-third larger than the male.
+
+In China there is said to be a variety, which is mottled with brown and
+yellow, and used by the emperor of China in his sporting excursions,
+when he is usually attended by his great falconer, and a thousand of
+inferior rank. Every bird has a silver plate fastened to its foot, with
+the name of the falconer who has the charge of it, that, in case it
+should be lost, it may be restored to the proper person; but if it
+should not be found, the name is delivered to another officer, called
+the guardian of lost birds, who, to make his situation known, erects his
+standard in a conspicuous place among the army of hunters.
+
+In Syria there is a species of Falcon, which the inhabitants call
+Shaheen (_Falco peregrinator_), and which is of so fierce and courageous
+a disposition, that it will attack any bird, however large or powerful,
+which presents itself. “Were there not,” says Dr. Russel, in his Account
+of Aleppo, “several gentlemen now in England to bear witness to the
+fact, I should hardly venture to assert that, with this bird, which is
+about the size of a pigeon, the inhabitants sometimes take large eagles.
+This Hawk was in former times taught to seize the eagle under the
+pinion, and thus depriving him of the use of one wing, both birds fell
+to the ground together; but the present mode is to teach the Hawk to fix
+on the back, between the wings, which has the same effect, only, that as
+the bird tumbles down more slowly, the falconer has more time to come to
+his Hawk’s assistance; but in either case, if he be not very
+expeditious, the falcon is inevitably destroyed. I never saw the Shaheen
+fly at eagles, that sport having been disused before my time; but I have
+often seen him take herons and storks. The Hawk, when thrown off, flies
+for some time in a horizontal line, not six feet from the ground; then
+mounting perpendicularly, with astonishing swiftness, he seizes his prey
+under the wing, and both together come tumbling to the ground.”
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE MERLIN, (_Falco æsalon_,)]
+
+
+IS the smallest British species of the Falcon tribe, and, as its name
+implies, is not very different in size from the blackbird; the word
+Merlin signifying in French a small _merle_, or blackbird. Though small
+the Merlin is not inferior in courage to any of the other Hawks; it is
+noted for its boldness and spirit, often attacking and killing at one
+stroke a full-grown partridge or a quail; but it differs from the
+Falcons and all the other rapacious kinds, in the male and female being
+of equal size. The back of this bird is party-coloured, of dark blue and
+brown; the quill feathers of the wings black, with rusty spots; the
+tail is about five inches long, of a dark brown or blackish colour, with
+transverse white bars: the breast is of a yellowish white, with streaks
+of rusty brown pointing downwards; the legs are long, slender, and
+yellow; the talons black. The head is encircled with a row of yellowish
+feathers, not unlike a coronet. In the male the feathers on the rump,
+next the tail, are bluer; a mark by which the falconers easily discern
+the sex of the bird. The Merlin does not breed here, but visits us in
+October: it flies low, and with great celerity and ease. In the days of
+falconry, the Merlin was considered the lady’s hawk.
+
+ In ancient days--in ancient days,
+ When ladies took a strange delight
+ In hawks and hounds and sporting ways,
+ A Merlin was a pleasant sight.
+
+ “’T was gentle when, in trappings gay,
+ Upon its lady’s wrist it stood;
+ Till its hood was raised and it saw its prey,
+ When its eye betrayed the bird of blood.”
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE KESTREL, (_Falco tinnunculus_,)]
+
+
+IS the commonest of all the British Hawks, and may be seen in almost all
+parts of the country hovering over the fields in search of mice and
+other small animals. His flight is very peculiar. He advances only for a
+short distance at a time, and then suspends himself in the air by very
+short but quick movements of his wings. If no prey make its appearance
+beneath him, he then goes on a little further, and again remains
+stationary, but the moment a mouse or other small quadruped stirs
+amongst the grass, his wings close, and he descends with the greatest
+velocity. The Kestrel will also feed upon small birds and insects.
+
+The Kestrel is a handsome little Hawk, from twelve to fifteen inches in
+length, with a blue beak and yellow cere and feet. Its plumage is
+reddish brown or fawn colour, elegantly marked with black spots and
+bars. Its nest is built among rocks, or in the holes and corners of old
+buildings and church towers, and the female lays four or five eggs,
+which are reddish white, with brown spots.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SECRETARY BIRD. (_Serpentarius reptilivorus._)]
+
+
+THIS singular bird, which is a native of Southern Africa, differs from
+all the other predaceous birds in the great length of its legs, which
+are so long that some naturalists have placed it among the Wading Birds.
+It stands between three and four feet high when erect, and is of a
+bluish ash colour on the back and nearly white beneath; its tail is
+long, and has the two middle feathers much longer than the others and
+nearly reaching to the ground; and the back of the head is adorned with
+a tuft of black feathers, which the bird can raise at pleasure. It is
+from this tuft that the bird has obtained his name; the Dutch colonists
+of the Cape of Good Hope fancied they saw some resemblance in it to the
+pen of a clerk stuck behind his ear, and accordingly called him the
+Secretary Bird. Clerks and secretaries are no doubt useful personages in
+their way, and the Secretary Bird, although he cannot take his pen from
+behind his ear, finds abundance of work to do, although of a kind very
+different from the peaceful labours of his namesakes. He is the great
+destroyer of the snakes and other reptiles which swarm in many parts of
+Southern Africa, and which, but for him, would increase in numbers so as
+to become a positive nuisance. And here we may call our young readers to
+admire the wonderful manner in which the structure of a hawk has been
+modified by the hand of the Creator to suit it for a particular mode of
+life. As the bird advances to attack a snake his long legs, protected by
+hard horny scales, elevate his body to a considerable height above the
+ground, thus giving him an advantageous position, and at the same time
+enabling it to move with great speed. One of the large and powerful
+wings, armed at the end with a strong spur, is raised a little from the
+body and held forward like a shield, but constantly shaken, as if to
+distract the attention of the foe, and thus, like a skilful boxer
+sparring up to his antagonist, the Secretary makes his way towards his
+intended prey. As he approaches he watches for the moment when the snake
+is about to spring upon him; a single blow from the spurred wing is
+usually sufficient to lay the reptile writhing in the ground in a
+helpless state; it is then soon despatched and as speedily swallowed.
+Some idea of the quantity of reptiles destroyed by this bird may be
+gained from Le Vaillant’s statement, that the crop of one of them
+examined by him contained eleven lizards, three snakes as long as aman’s arm, and eleven small tortoises, together with a good many
+insects. The inhabitants of the Cape Colony are quite aware of the
+services rendered to them by the Secretary Bird, and sometimes keep him
+among their poultry to protect them from injurious animals; he is said
+to behave with great propriety under these circumstances, rarely doing
+any mischief to his companions, unless his supply of food has been
+neglected.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE HEN HARRIER, (_Circus cyaneus_,)]
+
+
+IS seen about forests, heaths, and other retired places, especially in
+the neighbourhood of marshy grounds, where it destroys vast numbers of
+snipes, woodcocks, and wild ducks. It is about seventeen inches long,
+and three feet wide; its bill is black, and cere yellow. The upper part
+of its body is of a bluish gray; and the back of the head, breast,
+belly, and thighs are white. The legs are long, slender, and yellow; and
+the claws black.
+
+
+
+§ II.--_Nocturnal Birds of Prey._
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE HORNED OWL, (_Bubo maximus_,)]
+
+
+IS one of the largest of the Owls, and has two long tufts growing from
+the top of its head, above its ears, and composed of six feathers, which
+it can raise or lay down at pleasure. Its eyes are large, and encircled
+with an orange-coloured iris; the ears are large and deep, and the beak
+black; the breast, belly, and thighs, are of a dull yellow, marked with
+brown streaks; the back, coverts of the wings, and quill feathers, are
+brown and yellow; and the tail is marked with dusky and red bars. It
+inhabits the north and west of England, and Wales. The conformation of
+the organ of sight in the Owl is so peculiar, and so much in its nature
+resembling that of the feline kind, that it can see much better at dusk
+than by daylight. The Barn Owl sees in a greater degree of darkness than
+the others; and, on the contrary, the Horned Owl is enabled to pursue
+his prey by day, though with difficulty. Owls are sometimes tamed by
+persons in the country, who carefully rear them in a domestic state,
+from their propensity to chase and devour mice and other vermin, of
+which they clear the houses with as much address as cats. The Owl is a
+solitary bird, and is said to retire into holes in towers and old walls
+in the winter, and pass that season in sleep.
+
+ “The solitary bird of night,
+ Through the pale shade now wings his flight,
+ And quits the time-shook tower;
+ Where, shelter’d from the blaze of day,
+ In philosophic gloom he lay,
+ Beneath his ivy bower.” CARTER.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE HARFANG, OR GREAT SNOWY OWL.]
+
+THE HARFANG, or GREAT SNOWY OWL, (_Surnia nyctea_,) is another species
+which takes its prey occasionally by daylight. It is seldom seen in
+England, but frequently visits North Britain, particularly the Orkney
+and Shetland Islands. It is one of the few Owls that feed on fish, into
+which it strikes its talons while in the water, and carries them off to
+its nest. These Owls are very common in the northern parts of North
+America, and are eaten not only by the Indians, but by the Europeans
+engaged in the fur trade.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE WHITE, BARN, OR SCREECH OWL.
+
+(_Srix flammea._)]
+
+ “---- from yonder ivy-mantled tower,
+ The moping Owl does to the moon complain
+ Of such as, wandering near her secret bower,
+ Molest her ancient solitary reign.” GRAY.
+
+
+THIS bird is about the size of a large pigeon. Its beak, hooked at the
+end, is more than an inch and a half long. There is a circle or wreath
+of white, soft, and downy feathers, encompassed with yellow ones,
+beginning from the nostrils on each side, passing round the eye and
+under the chin, somewhat resembling the hood that women used to wear; so
+that the eyes appear to be sunk in the middle of the feathers, and only
+the tip of the beak projects from them. The breast and feathers of the
+inside of the wings are white, and marked with a few dark spots; the
+upper parts of the body are of a fine pale yellow colour, variegated
+with black and white spots. The legs are covered with a thick down to
+the feet, but the toes have only thin-set hairs around them.
+
+In ancient mythology, another common species, the _Brown Owl_ (_Syrnium
+aluco_), was consecrated to Minerva, the goddess of wisdom; in allusion
+to the lucubrations of wise men, who study in retirement and during the
+night.
+
+ “Now the Hermit Owlet peeps
+ From the barn, or twisted brake;
+ And the blue mist slowly creeps,
+ Curling on the silver lake.”
+ CUNNINGHAM.
+
+
+
+
+§ III.--_Insessores, or Perching Birds._
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE BUTCHER-BIRD, OR SHRIKE.
+
+(_Lanius excubitor._)]
+
+
+THE GREAT BUTCHER-BIRD, or SHRIKE, is about as large as a thrush; its
+bill is black, an inch long, and hooked at the end. It is only an
+occasional visitor to this country, where it is generally found between
+autumn and spring. “The Shrike,” says Mr. Yarrell, “feeds on mice,
+shrews, small birds, frogs, lizards, and large insects. After having
+killed its prey, it fixes the body in a forked branch, or upon a sharp
+thorn, the more readily to tear off small pieces from it. It is from
+their habit of killing and hanging up their meat, that the Shrikes are
+called Butcher-birds.” The head, back, and rump are ash-coloured; the
+chin and lower part of the body white; the breast and throat varied with
+dark lines crossing each other; the tips of the feathers of the wings
+are, for the most part, white; it has a black spot by the eye; the
+outermost tail feathers of the male are all over white; the two
+middlemost have only their tips white, the rest of the feathers being
+black, as well as the legs and feet. It builds its nest among thorny
+shrubs and dwarf trees, and furnishes it with moss, wool, and downy
+herbs, where the female lays five or six eggs. A peculiarity belonging
+to the birds of this kind is, that they do not, like most other birds,
+expel the young ones from the nest as soon as they can provide for
+themselves, but the whole brood live together in one family. The
+Butcher-bird will chase all the small birds upon the wing, and will
+sometimes venture to attack partridges, and even young hares. Thrushes
+and blackbirds are frequently their prey: the Shrike fixes on them with
+its talons, splits the skull with its bill, and feeds on them at
+leisure. On this account Linnæus classed the Shrikes with the birds of
+prey; but modern naturalists have placed them with the insect-eaters, as
+insects are their principal food. It is easy to distinguish these birds
+at a distance, not only from their going in companies, but also from
+their manner of flying, which is always up and down, seldom in a direct
+line, or obliquely.
+
+_The Little Butcher-bird_ (_Lanius collurio_), called in Yorkshire,
+_Flusher_, is about the size of a lark, with a large head. About the
+nostrils and corners of the mouth it has black hairs or bristles; and
+round the eyes a large black longitudinal spot; the back and upper side
+of the wings are of a rusty colour; the head and rump cinereous; the
+throat and breast white, spotted with red. It builds its nest of the
+stalks of plants, and the female lays six eggs, nearly all white, except
+at the blunt end, which is encircled with brown or dark red marks. The
+female is somewhat larger than the male; the head is of a rust colour,
+mixed with gray; the breast, belly, and sides of a dirty white; the tail
+deep brown; the exterior web of the outer feathers white. Its manners
+are similar to those of the large Butcher-bird. It frequently preys on
+young birds, which it takes in the nest; it likewise feeds on
+grasshoppers, beetles, and other insects. During the period of
+incubation, the female soon discovers herself at the approach of any
+person by her loud and violent outcries.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE WATER OUZEL, OR DIPPER,
+
+(_Cinclus aquaticus_,)]
+
+
+IS found in most parts of this island, and is about the size of the
+common blackbird. It feeds upon aquatic insects and small fish. The head
+and upper side of the neck are of a kind of umber colour, and sometimes
+black with a shade of red; the back and coverings of the wings are a
+mixture of black and ash-colour, the throat and breast perfectly white.
+
+The Dipper is said to walk along the bottom of a lake or river as easily
+as on land; but this is far from being the case, as, though it readily
+plunges into the water, it appears to tumble about in a very
+extraordinary manner, with its head downwards. Even on land the bird
+walks awkwardly, as its feet are best adapted for the slippery stones on
+which it passes the greater part of its life, watching for the insects
+which it picks up on the edge of the water. Its movements under water
+are really performed by means of the wings, the bird positively flying
+through the water. When disturbed, it usually flirts up its tail, and
+makes a chirping noise. Its song in spring is said to be very pretty. In
+some places this bird is supposed to be migratory.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE BLACKBIRD. (_Turdus Merula._)]
+
+ “The smiling morn, the breathing spring,
+ Invite the tuneful birds to sing;
+ And, while they warble from each spray,
+ Love melts the universal lay.”
+ MALLET.
+
+
+THIS well-known songster does not soar up to the clouds, like the lark,
+to make his voice resound through the air; but keeps to the shady
+groves, which he fills with his melodious notes. Early at dawn, and late
+at dusk, he continues his pleasing melody; and when incarcerated in the
+narrow space of a cage, still cheerful and merry, he strives to repay
+the kindness of his keeper by singing to him his natural strains; and
+beguiles his irksome hours of captivity by studying and imitating his
+master’s whistle. Blackbirds build their nests with great art, making
+the outside of moss and slender twigs, cemented together and lined with
+clay, and covering the clay with soft materials, as hair, wool, and fine
+grass. The female lays four or five eggs, of a bluish green colour,
+spotted all over with brown. The bill is yellow, but in the female the
+upper part and point are blackish; the inside of the mouth, and the
+circumference of the eyelids are yellow. The name of this bird is
+sufficiently expressive of the general colour of his body. He feeds on
+berries, fruit, insects, &c.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE MISSEL THRUSH. (_Turdus viscivorus._)]
+
+
+THE MISSEL THRUSH, so called from its feeding on the berries of the
+misletoe, differs but little from the Song Thrush, except in size. He is
+larger than the fieldfare, while the Throstle is smaller. The female
+lays five or six bluish eggs, with a tint of green, and marked with
+dusky spots.
+
+_The Song Thrush_ or _Throstle_, (_Turdus musicus_,) is one of the best
+songsters of the evening hymn in the grove. His voice is loud and sweet;
+the melody of his song is varied, and, although not so deep in the
+general diapason of the woodland concert as that of the blackbird, yet
+it fills up agreeably, and bursts through the inferior warblings of
+smaller performers. His breast is of a yellowish white, spotted with
+black or brown dashes, like ermine spots.
+
+The term Merle for the Blackbird, and Mavis for the Thrush, are used
+chiefly by the poets.
+
+ “Merry is it in the good green wood,
+ When the Mavis and Merle are singing,
+ When the deer sweeps by, and the hounds are in cry,
+ And the hunter’s horn is ringing.”
+ SCOTT.
+
+ “Take thy delight in yonder goodly tree,
+ Where the sweet Merle and warbling Mavis be.”
+ DRAYTON.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE REDWING, (_Turdus iliacus_,)]
+
+
+IS rather less than the song thrush; but the upper part of the body is
+of the same colour; the breast not so much spotted; the coverings of the
+feathers of the under side of the wings, which in the thrush are yellow,
+are of orange colour in this bird; by which marks it is generally
+distinguished. The body is white, the throat and breast yellowish,
+marked with dusky spots. It is migratory in this island, builds its nest
+in hedges, and lays six bluish eggs. Like the fieldfare, it leaves us in
+spring, for which reason its song is quite unknown to us; but it is
+said to be very pleasing. It is delicate eating; and the Romans held it
+in such estimation, that they kept thousands of them together in
+aviaries, and fed them on a sort of paste made of bruised figs and
+flour, to improve the delicacy and flavour of their flesh. Under this
+management these birds fattened, to the great profit of their
+proprietors, who sold them to Roman epicures for three denarii, or about
+two shillings sterling each, which at that early period was a large
+price.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE FIELDFARE, (_Turdus pilaris_,)]
+
+
+IS a well-known bird in this country. Fieldfares fly in flocks, together
+with the redwing and starling, and change their haunts according to the
+season of the year. They abide with us in winter, and disappear in
+spring, so punctually, that after that time not one is to be seen. The
+flesh is esteemed a great delicacy, and is highly prized in Germany,
+where it is known as the _Krammsvögel_, and is sold in the markets of
+Westphalia by the dozen. Their favourite food is the juniper-berry,
+whence its German name. The head is ash-coloured, and spotted with
+black: the back and coverts of the wings of deep chesnut colour; the
+rump cinereous; and the tail black, except the lower part of the two
+middle feathers, which are ash-coloured, and the upper sides of the
+exterior feathers, which are white. They collect in large flocks; and it
+is supposed they keep watch, like the crow, to mark and announce the
+approach of danger. On any person approaching a tree that is covered
+with them, they continue fearless, till one at the extremity of the
+bush, rising on its wings, gives a loud and peculiar note of alarm. They
+then all fly away, except one, which continues till the person
+approaches still nearer, to certify, as it were, the reality of the
+danger, and afterwards he also flies off, repeating the note of alarm.
+
+Mr. Knapp, in his “Journal of a Naturalist,” says, that in the county of
+Gloucestershire the extensive low-lands of the river Severn, in open
+weather, are visited by prodigious flocks of these birds.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE RING OUZEL. (_Turdus torquatus._)]
+
+
+THE RING OUZEL differs from the fieldfare and redwing, to which it is
+nearly allied, in being a summer visitor to the British islands, instead
+of a winter one. It is found only in the wildest and most mountainous
+districts; particularly among the Welsh mountains and on Dartmoor, in
+Devonshire, where it has been known to breed.
+
+
+
+THE MOCKING BIRD, (_Turdus polyglottus_,)
+
+
+WHICH is also a species, is found in both North and South America, and
+in the West Indian islands. He has a beautiful song, which he varies by
+imitating the notes of almost all other birds, so that a person passing
+by his haunt is regaled with a complete ornithological concert, all by a
+single performer. Unfortunately, the Mocking Bird’s taste is not equal
+to his musical powers. His talent for imitation is so great that he
+mimics every sound he hears, and as he introduces all his imitations
+freely into his songs, he often interrupts the most delightful melody
+with the scream of a hawk, the bark of a dog, the squalling of a cat, or
+similar discordant noises.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE ROBIN, OR REDBREAST.
+
+(_Erythacus rubecula._)]
+
+ “The Redbreast oft, at evening hours,
+ Shall kindly lend his little aid,
+ With hoary moss, and gathering flowers,
+ To deck the ground where thou art laid.”
+ COLLINS.
+
+
+THE REDBREAST, or _Robin_, as he is popularly called, seems always to
+have enjoyed the protection of man, more than any other bird. The
+prettiness of his shape, the beauty of his plumage, the quickness of his
+motions, his familiarity with us in winter, and, above all, the melody
+and sweetness of his voice, claim our admiration, and have insured him
+that security which he enjoys among us; though the aid of fable has also
+been called in, to guard him from the assaults of thoughtless boys.
+
+ “Little bird with bosom red,
+ Welcome to my humble shed!
+ Courtly domes of high degree
+ Have no room for thee and me;
+ Pride and pleasure’s fickle throng
+ Nothing mind an idle song.
+ Daily near my table steal,
+ While I pick my scanty meal;
+ Doubt not, little though there be,
+ But I’ll cast a crumb for thee; Well rewarded if I spy
+ Pleasure in thy glancing eye;
+ And see thee, when thou’st eat thy fill,
+ Plume thy breast, and wipe thy bill.”
+ LANGHORNE.
+
+In the winter season, impelled by the potent stimulus of hunger, the
+Redbreast frequents our barns, gardens, and houses, and often alights,
+on a sudden, on the rustic floor; where, with his broad eye incessantly
+open, and looking askew upon the company, he picks up eagerly the crumbs
+of bread that fall from the table, and then flies off to the
+neighbouring bush, where, by his warbling strains, he expresses his
+gratitude for the liberty he has been allowed. He is found in most parts
+of Europe, but nowhere so commonly as in Great Britain. His bill is
+dusky; his forehead, chin, throat, and breast are of a deep
+orange-colour, inclining to vermilion; the back of his head, neck, back,
+and tail are of a pale olive-brown colour; the wings are somewhat
+darker, the edges inclining to yellow; the legs and feet are the colour
+of the bill. The female generally builds her nest in the crevice of some
+mossy bank, near places which human beings frequent, or in some part of
+a human dwelling. Robins have been known to build in a sawpit where men
+worked every day, and in various other equally extraordinary places.
+When the Crystal Palace at Sydenham was being fitted up, several Robins
+built their nests in holes of the large roots used to raise the flower
+beds within the building. So little fear did they exhibit that their
+bright eyes might be seen glancing from holes close to which men were
+passing every moment. The elegant poet of The Seasons gives us a very
+exact and animated description of this bird in the following lines:
+
+ “---- ---- Half afraid, he first
+ Against the window beats: then, brisk alights
+ On the warm hearth; then, hopping on the floor,
+ Eyes all the smiling family askance,
+ And pecks, and starts, and wonders where he is,
+ Till, more familiar grown, the table-crumbs
+ Attract his slender feet.”
+
+An old Latin proverb tells us that two Robin Redbreasts will not feed
+on the same tree; it is certain that the Redbreast is a most pugnacious
+bird, and that he does not live in much harmony and friendship with
+those of his own kind and sex. The male may be known from the female by
+the colour of his legs, which are blacker.
+
+The Redbreast attends the gardener when digging his borders; and will,
+with great familiarity and tameness, pick out the worms almost close to
+his spade.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE NIGHTINGALE. (_Philomela luscinia._)]
+
+ “Sweet bird, that shunn’st the noise of folly,
+ Most musical, most melancholy!
+ Thee, chantress, oft, the woods among,
+ I woo to hear thy even song.”
+ MILTON.
+
+
+THE NIGHTINGALE has little to boast of in respect to plumage, which is
+of a pale tawny colour on the head and back, dashed with a slight shade
+of olive; the breast and upper part of the belly incline to a grayish
+tint, and the lower part of the belly is almost white; the exterior web
+of the quill feathers is of a reddish brown; the tail of a dull red; the
+legs and feet ash-coloured; the irides hazel; and the eyes large,
+bright, and staring. But it is hardly possible to give an idea of the
+extraordinary power which this small bird possesses in its throat, as to
+the extension of sound, sweetness of tone, and versatility of notes.Its song is composed of several musical passages, each of which does not
+continue more than the third part of a minute; but they are so varied,
+the passing from one tone to another is so fanciful and so rapid, and
+the melody so sweet and so mellow, that the most consummate musician is
+pleasingly led to a deep sense of admiration on hearing it. Sometimes,
+joyful and merry, it runs down the diapason with the velocity of
+lightning, touching the treble and the base nearly at the same instant;
+at other times, mournful and plaintive, the unfortunate _Philomela_
+draws heavily her lengthened notes, and breathes a delightful melancholy
+around. These have the appearance of sorrowful sighs; the other
+modulations resemble the laughter of the happy. Solitary on the twig of
+a small tree, and cautiously at a certain distance from the nest, where
+the pledges of his love are treasured under the fostering breast of his
+mate, the male fills constantly the silent woods with his harmonious
+strains, and during the whole night entertains and repays his female for
+the irksome duties of incubation. The Nightingale not only sings at
+intervals during the day, but waits till the blackbird and the thrush
+have uttered their evening call, even till the stock and ringdoves have,
+by their soft murmurings, lulled each other to rest, and then pours
+forth his full tide of melody:
+
+ “---- ---- Listening Philomela deigns
+ To let them joy, and purposes, in thought
+ Elate, to make her night excel their day.”
+ THOMSON.
+
+It is a great subject of astonishment that so small a bird should be
+endowed with such potent lungs. If the evening is calm, it is supposed
+that its song may be heard above half-a-mile. This bird, the ornament
+and charm of our spring and early summer evenings, as it arrives in
+April, and continues singing till June, disappears on a sudden about
+September or October, when it leaves us to pass the winter in the North
+of Africa and Syria. Its visits to this country are limited to certain
+counties, mostly in the south and east; as, though it is plentiful in
+the neighbourhood of London, and along the south coast in Sussex,
+Hampshire, and Dorsetshire, it is not found in either Cornwall or Wales.
+As soon as the young are hatched, the song of the male bird ceases, and
+he only utters a harsh croak, by way of giving alarm when any one
+approaches the nest. Nightingales are sometimes reared up, and doomed to
+the prison of a cage; in this state they sing ten months in the year,
+though in their wild life they sing only as many weeks. Bingley says
+that a caged Nightingale sings much more sweetly than those which we
+hear abroad in the spring.
+
+The Nightingale is the most celebrated of all the feathered race for its
+song. The poets have in all ages made it the theme of their verses; some
+of these we cannot resist giving:
+
+ “The Nightingale, as soon as April bringeth
+ Unto her rested sense a perfect waking,
+ Which late bare earth, proud of new clothing, springeth,
+ Sings out her woes----.”
+ SIR PHILIP SIDNEY.
+
+ “---- ---- ---- Beast and bird,
+ They to their grassy couch, these to their nests,
+ Were slunk; all but the wakeful Nightingale;
+ She all night long her amorous descant sung.”
+ MILTON.
+
+ “And in the violet-embroidered vale,
+ Where the lovelorn Nightingale
+ Nightly to thee her sad song mourneth well.”
+ MILTON.
+
+ “O Nightingale, that on yon bloomy spray
+ Warblest at eve, when all the woods are still,
+ Thou with fresh hope the lover’s heart dost fill,
+ While the jolly hours lead on propitious May,
+ Thy liquid notes that close the eye of day,
+ First heard before the shallow cuckoo’s bill,
+ Portend success in love. Oh, if Jove’s will
+ Have linked that amorous power to thy soft lay,
+ Now timely sing, ere the rude bird of hate
+ Foretell my hopeless doom in some grove nigh;
+ As thou from year to year hast sung too late
+ For my relief, yet hadst no reason why:
+ Whether the muse, or love, call thee his mate,
+ Both them I serve, and of their train am I.”
+ MILTON.
+ “---- ---- Now is the pleasant time,
+ The cool, the silent, save where silence yields,
+ To the night-warbling bird, that, now awake,
+ Tunes sweetest his love-laboured song.”
+ MILTON.
+
+ “How all things listen while thy muse complains,
+ Such silence waits on Philomela’s strains,
+ In some still evening, when the whispering breeze
+ Pants on the leaves, and dies upon the trees.”
+ POPE.
+
+ “There’s a bower of roses by Bendemeer’s stream,
+ And the Nightingale sings round it all the year long;
+ In the days of my childhood, ’t was like a sweet dream
+ To sit in the roses, and hear the bird’s song.
+
+ “That bower and its music I never forget,
+ But oft when alone, in the bloom of the year,
+ I think, Is the Nightingale singing there yet?
+ Are the roses still bright by the calm Bendemeer?”
+ MOORE.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE BLACK-CAP, (_Curruca atricapilla_,)]
+
+
+IS a very small warbler, not weighing above half-an-ounce. The top of
+the head is black, whence he takes his name; the neck ash-coloured, the
+back an ashy-brown, the wings of a dusky colour, the tail nearly the
+same; the nether part of the neck, throat, and upper part of the breast
+of a pale ash colour; the lower part of the belly white.
+
+The Black-cap visits us about the middle of April, and retires in
+September; it frequents gardens, and builds its nest near the ground.
+The female lays five eggs of a pale reddish-brown, sprinkled with spots
+of a darker colour. This bird sings sweetly, and so like the
+nightingale, that in Norfolk it is called the mock nightingale. White
+observes, that it has usually a full, sweet, deep, loud, and wild pipe,
+yet the strain is of short continuance, and its motions desultory; but
+when it sits calmly, and earnestly engages in song, it pours forth very
+sweet but inward melody; and expresses a great variety of modulations,
+superior perhaps to any of our warblers, the nightingale excepted. While
+it sings, its throat is greatly distended.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE WREN. (_Troglodytes vulgaris._)]
+
+ “Fast by my couch, congenial guest,
+ The Wren has wove her mossy nest;
+ From busy scenes and brighter skies
+ To lurk with innocence she flies;
+ Her hopes in safe repose to dwell,
+ Nor aught suspects the sylvan cell.”
+ T. WARTON.
+
+
+THE WREN is a very small bird; but, as if nature had intended to
+compensate the want of size and bulk in the individuals, by multiplying
+them to a greater extent, this little bird is one of the most prolific
+of the feathered tribe, its nest containing often upwards of eighteen
+eggs, of a whitish colour, and not much bigger than a pea. The male and
+female enter by a hole contrived in the middle of the nest, and which,
+by its situation and size, is accessible only to themselves. The Wren
+weighs no more than three drachms. Its notes are very sweet, and rival
+those of the robin redbreast, in the middle of winter, when the coldness
+of the weather has condemned the other songsters to silence. Like the
+redbreast, it frequently approaches the habitation of man, enlivening
+the rustic garden with its song during the greater part of the year. It
+begins to make a nest early in the spring, but frequently deserts it
+before it is lined, and searches for a more secure place. The Wren does
+not, as is usual with most other birds, begin to build the bottom of the
+nest first. When against a tree, its primary operation is to trace upon
+the bark the outline, and thus to fasten it with equal strength to all
+parts. It then, in succession, closes the sides and top, leaving only a
+small hole for entrance.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE WILLOW WREN. (_Sylvia trochilus._)]
+
+
+THE WILLOW WREN is somewhat larger than the common Wren. The upper parts
+of the body are of a pale olive-green; the under parts are pale yellow,
+and a streak of yellow passes over the eyes. The wings and tail are
+brown, edged with yellowish green; and the legs are inclined to yellow.
+This bird is migratory, visiting us usually about the middle of April,
+and taking its departure towards the end of September. The female
+constructs her nest in holes at the roots of trees, in hollows of dry
+banks, and other similar places. It is round, and not unlike the nest of
+the Wren. The eggs are dusky white, marked with reddish spots, and are
+five in number. A Willow Wren had built in a bank of one of the fields
+of Mr. White, near Selborne. This bird, a friend and himself observed as
+she sat in her nest, but were particularly careful not to disturb her,
+though she eyed them with some degree of jealousy. Some days afterwards,
+as they passed the same way, they were desirous of remarking how the
+brood went on; but no nest could be found, till Mr. White happened to
+take up a large bundle of long green moss, which had been thrown, as it
+were, carelessly over the nest, in order to mislead the eye of any
+impertinent intruder.
+
+Mr. White distinguished no fewer than three varieties of the Willow
+Wren. “I have now,” he writes, “past dispute, made out three distinct
+species of the Willow Wrens, which constantly and invariably use
+distinct notes.” “I have specimens of the three sorts now lying before
+me, and can discern that there are three gradations of sizes, and that
+the least has black legs, and the other two, flesh-coloured ones. The
+yellowest bird is considerably the largest, and has its quill feathers
+and secondary feathers tipped with white, which the others have not. The
+last haunts only the tops of trees and high beechen woods, and makes a
+sibilous grasshopper-like noise, now and then, at short intervals,
+shivering a little with its wings when it sings.” Mr. Markwich, however,
+declared that he was totally unable to discover more than one species.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GOLDEN-CRESTED WREN, (_Regulus cristatus_,)]
+
+
+IS the smallest of British birds, measuring only three inches and a half
+in length. It is of an olive colour, with a beautiful crest of golden
+yellow feathers on its head. This charming little bird is generally
+found in fir woods; it feeds on insects, and has a soft and pleasing
+song.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GREY WATER WAGTAIL. (_Motacilla boarula._)]
+
+
+THERE is not a brook purling along two flowery banks, not a rivulet
+winding through the green meadow, which is not frequented by this
+beautifully coloured and elegantly shaped little creature. We even see
+them in the streets of country towns, following with quick pace the
+half-drowned fly or moth, which the road-side streamlet carries away.
+Next to the robin redbreast and the sparrow, they are the boldest in
+approaching our habitations. The Wagtails are much in motion; seldom
+perch, and perpetually flirt their long and slender tails, (whence they
+derive their name,) principally after picking up some food from the
+ground, as if that tail were a kind of lever, or counterpoise, used to
+balance the body on the legs. They are observed to frequent, more
+commonly, those streams where women come to wash their linen; probably
+not ignorant that the soap, the froth of which floats upon the water,
+attracts those insects which are most acceptable to them.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: PIED WAGTAILS.]
+
+
+THERE are two common species of Wagtails, the Grey kind and the Pied
+Wagtail. The Grey Wagtail is retiring in its habits, and much slower in
+its motions; its breast is yellow, and its wings grayish, but the Pied
+Wagtail, which is a very lively little bird, and seems always in a
+bustle, is black, softening into ash-colour and white; it is also bold,
+and will take the food thrown to it with as much confidence as a robin
+redbreast.
+
+The Yellow Shepherdess (_Budytes flava_) is another species of Wagtail.
+The male is olive-green on the back, and yellow on the lower part of the
+body, but the breast of the female is nearly white. These birds do not
+frequent the banks of rivers, but are generally found walking among the
+grass of meadows, and following sheep. They are summer visitors to
+England.
+
+White says, that “while the cows are feeding in the moist, low pastures,
+broods of Wagtails, white and grey, run round them, close up to their
+noses, and under their very bellies, availing themselves of the flies
+that settle on their legs, and probably finding worms and larvæ that are
+roused by the trampling of their feet. Nature is such an economist that
+the most incongruous animals can avail themselves of each other.”
+
+ “Interest makes strange friendships!”
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SWALLOW. (_Hirundo rustica._)]
+
+ “From the low-roof’d cottage ridge
+ See the chattering Swallow spring;
+ Darting through the one-arch’d bridge,
+ Quick she dips her dappled wing.”
+ CUNNINGHAM.
+
+
+SWALLOWS are easily distinguished from all other birds, not only by
+their general structure, but by their twittering note and mode of
+flying, or rather darting from place to place.
+
+They appear in Britain in April, and build in some outhouse, or, in part
+of a human dwelling, where they lay their eggs and hatch their young.
+About August they disappear, and do not return till the following
+spring. Swallows kept in a cage moult about Christmas, and seldom live
+till spring.
+
+There are several species of the Swallow: the general characters of
+which are a small beak, but large, wide mouth, for the purpose of
+swallowing flying insects, their natural food; and long forked tail and
+extensive wings, to enable them to pursue their prey. The common Swallow
+builds under the eaves of houses, or in chimneys, near their top; it is
+frequently called the Chimney Swallow from its preference for the
+last-mentioned rather singular situation; the Martin also builds under
+eaves, and most commonly against the upper corner or side of our very
+windows, and seems not afraid at the sight of man, yet it cannot be
+tamed, or even kept long in a cage. The nature of the Swallow’s nest is
+worthy of close observation: how the mud is extracted from the
+sea-shores, rivers, or other watery places; how masoned and formed into
+a solid building, strong enough to support a whole family, and to face
+the “pelting storm,” are wonders which ought to raise our mind to Him
+who bestowed that instinct upon them.
+
+It is related that a pair of Swallows built their nest for two
+successive years on the handle of a pair of garden shears, that were
+stuck up against the boards of an outhouse; and, therefore, must have
+had their nest spoiled whenever the implement was wanted. And what is
+still more strange, a bird of the same species built its nest on the
+wings and body of an owl that happened to hang dead and dry from the
+rafter of a barn, and so loose as to be moved by every gust of wind.
+This owl, with the nest on its wings, and with eggs in the nest, was
+taken to the museum of Sir Ashton Leaver as a curiosity. That gentleman,
+struck with the singularity of the sight, furnished the person who
+brought it with a large shell, desiring him to fix it just where the owl
+had hung. The man did so; and in the following year a pair of Swallows,
+probably the same, built their nest in the shell and laid eggs.
+
+Modern poets have not been unmindful of the Swallows; and our immortal
+Shakspeare mentions the Martin, in Macbeth, in the following manner:
+
+ “This guest of summer,
+ The temple-haunting Martlet, does approve,
+ By his loved mansionry, that the Heaven’s
+ Breath smells wooingly here. No jutty, frieze,
+ Buttress, nor coigne of ’vantage, but this bird
+ Hath made his pendent bed and procreant cradle:
+ Where they most breed and haunt, I have observed,
+ The air is delicate.”
+
+“The Swallow,” writes Sir Humphry Davy, “is one of my favourite birds,
+and a rival of the nightingale, for he cheers my sense of seeing as much
+as the other does my sense of hearing. He is the glad prophet of the
+year, the harbinger of the best season--he lives a life of enjoyment
+amongst the liveliest forms of nature--winter is unknown to him; and he
+leaves the green meadows of England in autumn for the myrrh and orange
+groves of Italy, and for the palms of Africa; he has always objects of
+pursuit, and his success is secure. Even the beings selected for his
+prey are poetical, beautiful, and transient. The ephemeræ are saved by
+his means from a slow and lingering death in the evening, and killed in
+a moment when they have known nothing but pleasure. He is the constant
+destroyer of insects, the friend of man, and may be regarded as a sacred
+bird. His instinct, which gives him his appointed season, and teaches
+him when and where to move, may be regarded as flowing from a divine
+source; and he belongs to the oracles of nature, which speak the awful
+and intelligible language of a present Deity.”
+
+The Chimney Swallow is, on the head, neck, back, and rump, of a shining
+black colour, with purple gloss and sometimes with a blue shade; the
+throat and neck are of the same colour; the breast and belly are white,
+with a dash of red. The tail is forked, and consists of twelve
+feathers. The wings are of the same colour with the back. Swallows feed
+upon flies and other insects; and generally hunt their prey on the wing:
+
+ “Away! away! thou summer bird;
+ For Autumn’s moaning voice is heard,
+ In cadence wild, and deepening swell,
+ Of winter’s stern approach to tell.”
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: HOUSE MARTIN, OR WINDOW SWALLOW.
+
+(_Hirundo urbica._)]
+
+
+THE MARTIN is something less than the swallow, with a comparatively
+large head, and a wide mouth; the colour of the upper parts a bluish
+black, the rump and all the under parts of the body white, the bill
+black; the legs covered with short white down.
+
+These birds begin to appear about the middle of April, and for some time
+pay no attention to the business of nidification, but sport and play
+about as if to recruit themselves from the fatigue of the journey.
+
+Should the weather prove favourable, it begins to build early in May,
+placing its nest generally beneath the eaves of a house, often against
+a perpendicular wall: without any projecting ledge to support any part
+of the nest, its utmost efforts are necessary to get the first
+foundation firmly fixed, so as to carry the superstructure safely. On
+this occasion, it not only clings with its claws, but partly supports
+itself by strongly inclining its tail against the wall, making that a
+fulcrum; and thus fixed, it plasters the materials into the face of the
+brick or stone. But that this work may not, while soft, sink by its own
+weight, the provident architect has the prudence and forbearance not to
+proceed too fast; but by building only in the morning, and dedicating
+the rest of the day to food and amusement, he gives it sufficient time
+to dry and harden. By this method, in about ten days, the nest is
+formed, strong, compact, and warm, and perfectly fitted for all the
+purposes for which it is intended. But nothing is more common than for
+the house-sparrow, as soon as the shell is finished, to seize on it,
+eject the owner, and line it according to its own peculiar manner.
+Sometimes, however, the Martins prove too clever for the sparrow; when
+the intruder obstinately retained possession of the nest, the Martins
+have been known to collect from all parts of the neighbourhood, each
+bringing a pellet of mud, with which the orifice of the nest was soon
+securely closed, and the unfortunate sparrow was then left to die of
+starvation. The Martin will return for several seasons to the same nest,
+where it happens to be well sheltered and secured from the injuries of
+the weather. They breed the latest of all our swallows, often having
+unfledged young ones even so late as Michaelmas.
+
+The first hatch consists of five eggs, which are white, inclining to
+dusky at the thicker end; the second, of three or four; and of a third,
+of only two or three. While the young birds are confined to the nest the
+parents feed them, adhering by the claws to the outside; but as soon as
+they are able to fly they receive their nourishment on the wing, by a
+quick and almost imperceptible motion.
+
+ “Welcome, welcome, feathered stranger,
+ Now the sun bids Nature smile;
+ Safe arrived and free from danger,
+ Welcome to our blooming isle.”
+ FRANKLIN.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SWIFT, (_Cypselus apus_,)]
+
+
+WHICH is sometimes called the Black Martin, arrives in England later,
+and takes its departure earlier than any of our swallows. The Swift is
+the largest of the swallow tribe, and the most rapid in its flight. Its
+nest, which is generally built in the crevices of old towers and
+steeples, is constructed of dried grass, feathers, thread, and similar
+materials, glued together by a sort of spittle, with which the bird is
+provided. The bird collects them whilst on the wing, picking them up
+with great dexterity. They seldom alight upon the ground, and if by
+accident they fall upon a level surface, they recover themselves with
+difficulty, owing to the shortness of their legs, and the length of
+their wings. During the heat of the day they remain within their holes,
+and at morning and evening sally out in quest of food. They may then be
+seen in flocks, whirling round some lofty edifice, or describing in
+mid-air an endless series of circles upon circles. Swifts fly higher,
+and wheel with bolder wing than the swallows, with whom they never
+intermingle.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GOATSUCKER. (_Caprimulgus Europæus._)]
+
+
+THIS curious bird, called also the Nightjar, and the Fern Owl, comes to
+this country from Africa about the middle of May and usually leaves by
+the end of August. These birds are generally found in low bushes, or
+amongst tufts of large ferns, and generally fly at night: hence their
+name of Fern Owl. The beak is furnished with bristles, and the middle
+toe of each foot has a claw toothed like a comb. The female lays her
+eggs upon the ground, without any nest, and lays only two. The name of
+Goatsucker originated in an absurd idea that this bird sucked the goat’s
+milk, from its habit of lying on the ground near cows or she goats, and
+catching the flies that torment them by fixing on their udders. Mr.
+Waterton, who is certainly the closest observer of nature who ever wrote
+on Natural History, states, in one of his very interesting works, that
+he has frequently seen the Goatsuckers catching insects in this manner,
+and thus proving themselves the best of friends to the animals they are
+accused of annoying.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SKYLARK. (_Alauda arvensis._)]
+
+ “Go, tuneful bird, that gladd’st the skies,
+ To Daphne’s window speed thy way;
+ And there on quivering pinions rise,
+ And there thy vocal art display.”
+ SHENSTONE.
+
+
+THE SKYLARK is distinguished from most other birds by the long spur on
+the back toe, the earthy colour of his feathers, and by singing as he
+mounts in the air. These birds generally make their nest in meadows
+among the high grass, and the tint of their plumage resembles so much
+that of the ground, that the body of the bird is hardly distinguishable
+as it runs along.
+
+ “The daisied lea he loves, where tufts of grass
+ Luxuriant crown the ridge: there, with his mate,
+ He founds their lonely house, of withered herbs,
+ And coarsest spear-grass; next the inner work,
+ With finer, and still finer fibres lays,
+ Rounding it curious with his speckled breast.”
+ GRAHAME.
+
+Larks breed twice a year, in May and July, rearing their young in a
+short space of time. They are caught in great quantities in winter, and
+are considered choice and delicate food. It is a melancholy observation,
+that man should feed upon, and indulge his sense of taste with those
+very birds which have so often delighted his sense of hearing with their
+songs, when they usher to the gladdened creation the return of their
+best friend, the sun. The instinctive warmth of attachment which the
+female Skylark bears towards her own species, even when not her
+nestling, is remarkable. “In the month of May,” says Buffon, “a young
+hen bird was brought to me, which was not able to feed without
+assistance. I caused her to be reared; and she was hardly fledged, when
+I received from another place a nest of three or four unfledged larks.
+She took a strong liking to these newcomers, which were but little
+younger than herself; she tended them night and day, cherished them
+beneath her wings, and fed them with her bill. Nothing could interrupt
+her tender offices. If the young ones were torn from her she flew to
+them as soon as they were liberated, and would not think of effecting
+her own escape, which she might have done a hundred times. Her affection
+grew upon her; she neglected food and drink; she at length required the
+same support as her adopted offspring, and expired at last, consumed
+with maternal solicitude. None of the young ones long survived her. They
+died one after another; so essential were her cares, which were equally
+tender and judicious.”
+
+The Lark mounts almost perpendicularly, and by successive springs, into
+the air, where it hovers at a vast height. Its descent is in an oblique
+direction, unless threatened by some ravenous bird of prey, or attracted
+by its mate, when it drops to the ground like a stone. On its first
+leaving the earth, its notes are feeble and interrupted; but, as it
+rises, they gradually swell to their full tone. As the Lark’s flight is
+always at sun-rise, there is something in the scenery that renders its
+song peculiarly delightful: the opening morning, the landscape just
+gilded by the rays of the returning sun, and the beauty of the
+surrounding objects, all contribute to heighten our relish for its
+pleasing melody.
+
+ “---- Up springs the Lark,
+ Shrill-voiced and loud, the messenger of morn,
+ Ere yet the shadows fly, he, mounted, sings
+ Amid the dawning clouds, and from their haunts
+ Calls up the tuneful nations.”
+ THOMSON.
+ “Alas! it’s no thy neebor sweet,
+ The bonnie Lark, companion meet!
+ Bending thee ’mang the dewy weet!
+ Wi’ speckled breast,
+ When upward springing, blythe to greet
+ The purpling east.”
+ BURNS.
+
+ “Early, cheerful, mounting Lark,
+ Light’s gentle usher, morning’s clerk,
+ In merry notes delighting.”
+ SIR JOHN DAVIS.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE WOODLARK. (_Alauda arborea._)]
+
+
+THIS species is smaller than the skylark, and its voice deeper; it has
+also a circle of white feathers encompassing the head, from eye to eye,
+like a crown or wreath, and the utmost feather of the wing is much
+shorter than the second, whereas in the common lark they are nearly
+equal. This bird sometimes emulates the nightingale; for which, when
+pouring forth his sweet melody in the grove, during a silent night, he
+is often mistaken. These birds sit and perch upon trees, unlike the
+common lark, which always keeps to the ground. They build their nest at
+the foot of a bush, near the bottom of a hedge, or in high dry grass.
+The number of their eggs is about four, of a pale bloom colour,
+beautifully mottled, and clouded with red and yellow. Like the skylark,
+they assemble in large flocks during frosty weather. Their usual food
+consists of small beetles, caterpillars, and other insects, as well as
+the seeds of numerous kinds of wild plants.
+
+ “Bright o’er the green hills rose the morning ray,
+ The Woodlark’s song resounded on the plain,
+ Fair nature felt the warm embrace of day,
+ And smiled through all her animated reign.”
+ LANGBOURN.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE TITMOUSE, OR TOM-TIT. (_Parus cæruleus._)
+
+THE LONG-TAILED TIT. (_Parus caudatus._)]
+
+
+THE common Titmouse or Tom-tit is a very small bird, only four inches
+and a half in length. He has a blue head, with white cheeks and a white
+stripe over each eye; his back is greenish, his wings and tail blue, and
+the lower surface of his body yellow. This bird, and all the species
+related to it, live on insects, as well as on seeds. When kept in a
+cage, it is really amusing to see with what quickness the Titmouse darts
+at any fly or moth which comes imprudently within its reach. If this
+kind of food be deficient, as generally happens in winter, it feeds upon
+several kinds of seed, and particularly that of the sunflower, which it
+dexterously holds upright between its claws and strikes powerfully with
+its sharp little bill, till the black covering splits, and yields its
+white contents to the persevering bird. Its general food consists of
+insects, which it seeks in the crevices of the bark of trees, and when
+thus engaged, clinging in every possible position to the branches, it
+looks like a very diminutive blue parrot. In winter the Titmouse visits
+our gardens and orchards, where he is often seen picking the buds of
+fruit trees to pieces; but in doing this he inflicts little or no injury
+upon the gardener, his object being the capture of insects which would
+probably cause far more mischief in the ensuing summer. The nest of the
+Titmouse is built in the hole of a tree or wall; the female lays usually
+eight or ten eggs, and when sitting defends her nest with great courage,
+pecking at the fingers of boys so vigorously that in some parts of the
+country she is known by the name of Billy Biter. The _Long-tailed Tit_
+is also a common bird about hedges, orchards, and plantations. He is an
+active lively little fellow, and resembles the common Tit in his habits.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE YELLOWHAMMER, OR YELLOW BUNTING. (_Emberiza
+citrinella._)]
+
+
+THIS bird is somewhat larger than the sparrow. Its head is of a greenish
+yellow, spotted with brown; the throat and belly are yellow; the breast
+and sides, under the wings, mingled with red. These birds build their
+nests on the ground, near some bush, where the female lays five or six
+eggs. The Yellowhammer may be sometimes seen perched on the finger of
+some poor man or woman in the streets of London, in a state of complete
+tameness; but this is the transitory effect of intoxication, and soon
+after the bird is bought and brought home, it dies, overcome by the
+power of the laudanum that has been given it.
+
+This bird feeds on seeds and various sorts of insects, and is common in
+every lane, on every hedge, throughout the country, flitting before the
+traveller, and about the bushes. Happily for him, we have not yet
+acquired the taste of the natives of Italy, where the Yellowhammer falls
+a daily victim to the delicacy of the table, and where its flesh is
+esteemed very delicious eating. There he is often fattened, for the
+purpose of gratifying the palate of epicures.
+
+The Ortolan, (_Emberiza hortulana_,) which is another species of the
+same genus, is common in the central and southern provinces of Europe,
+where it is thought exquisitely flavoured as an article of food. When
+first taken it is frequently very lean, but if supplied with abundance
+of food, it is said to be so greedy, that it will eat till it dies of
+repletion.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE WHEATEAR, AND WHIN CHAT.
+
+(_Saxicola ænanthe_ and _S. rubetra_.)]
+
+
+THE WHEATEAR is one of our earliest visitants, and may be found in every
+part of Britain. In the North, it generally frequents heaps of stones,
+ruins, or the dry stone walls of burial-grounds, and though it is a
+very handsome bird, and in the early season sings sweetly, its haunts
+have obtained it a bad name. The common alarm-note resembles the sound
+made in breaking stones with a hammer, and as it utters that note from
+the top of the heap which haply covers the bones of one who perished by
+the storm, or his own hand, popular fancy has not unnaturally associated
+the Wheatear with the superstition that belongs to the place of graves.
+Beneath that heap of stones, or in some neighbouring fallow, its nest
+may be discovered, formed of moss and dried grass, lined with hair,
+feathers, or wool, and containing five or six eggs of a delicate bluish
+white. These birds congregate on the southern downs about the middle of
+July; they are then caught in vast numbers, in horse-hair nooses, which
+are set between two pieces of turf turned against each other.
+
+_The Whin Chat_ is a beautiful bird, compact in form, with a rich and
+elegant plumage. Its song, which is peculiarly soft and sweet, may be
+heard in spring on the bushy margins and gorse of extensive heaths. Its
+nest, constructed in thick tufts of grass and under bushes, is most
+carefully concealed. It is usually approached by a labyrinth to which
+the rising of the bird affords no clue, and it may long be sought in
+vain, though perhaps not more than a yard distant all the time. The eggs
+are bluish green, without any spots, and are never more than six in
+number.
+
+The following lines, addressed to the English Ortolan, or Wheatear, by
+Mrs. Charlotte Smith, allude to the foolish timidity of that bird:
+
+ “To take you, shepherd boys prepare
+ The hollow turf, the wiry snare,
+ Of those weak terrors well aware,
+ That bid you vainly dread
+ The shadows floating over downs,
+ Or murmuring gale, that round the stones
+ Of some old beacon, as it moans,
+ Scarce moves a thistle’s head.
+ And if a cloud obscure the sun,
+ With faint and fluttering heart you run
+ Into the pitfall you should shun,
+ And only leave when dead.”
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SPARROW. (_Passer domesticus._)]
+
+
+THIS bird is, next to the robin redbreast, the boldest of the small
+feathered tribe which frequent our barns and houses: he is a courageous
+little creature, and fights undauntedly against birds ten times bigger
+than himself. Sparrows are accused of destroying a great quantity of
+corn, and in several counties the landlord or farmer puts a price on a
+Sparrow’s head; but the farmer is the person most injured by the plan,
+as the good Sparrows, in ridding land of caterpillars, more than
+compensate for the loss of grain they destroy. Mr. Bradley, in his
+Treatise on Husbandry and Gardening, shows, by a calculation, that a
+pair of Sparrows, during the time they have their young ones to feed,
+destroy on an average, every week, three thousand three hundred and
+sixty caterpillars.
+
+This bird is easily tamed, and will hop about the house, and on the
+table with great familiarity. It will feed on anything, and is
+particularly fond of meat cut into small pieces. The song of the
+Sparrow, if we can so call its chirping, is far from agreeable: this
+arises, however, not from want of powers, but from its attending solely
+to the note of the parent bird. A Sparrow, when fledged, was taken from
+the nest and educated under a linnet: it also heard by accident a
+goldfinch; and its song was in consequence a mixture of the two. The
+male is particularly distinguished by a jet-black spot under the bill
+upon a whitish ground. Sparrows are found nearly in every country of the
+world.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE LINNET, (_Fringilla linota_ or _Linota cannabina_.)]
+
+
+IS about the size of the goldfinch; and compensates, by an extremely
+melodious voice, the want of variety in its plumage, which, except in
+the red-breasted species, is nearly all of one colour. Its musical
+talents are, like those of many other birds, repaid with captivity; for
+it is kept in cages on account of its singing.
+
+The Redpole (_Fringilla linaria_) is a small species of Linnet, little
+more than four inches in length, distinguished by a deep blood-red spot
+on the crown of his head. He visits Britain in the autumn and stays with
+us during the winter, his favourite summer residence being far away in
+the north. Redpoles are taken in great numbers by the bird-catchers in
+the autumn. Their only song is a twittering note, but they are often
+attached by a brace and chain to an open cage and trained to draw their
+water in a bucket.
+
+The Green Linnet is rather larger than the house sparrow. Its head and
+back are of a yellowish-green, the edges of the feathers grayish; the
+rump and breast more yellow. The plumage of the female is much less
+vivid, inclining to brown. Its song is trifling, but in confinement it
+becomes tame and docile, and will catch the notes of other birds.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE CANARY-BIRD. (_Fringilla_, or _Carduelis canaria_.)]
+
+
+AS his name imports, this bird is a native of the Canary Islands; where,
+in his wild state, he has a dusky gray plumage, and a much stronger
+voice than when in a cage. In our northern countries his feathers
+undergo a great alteration; and the bird often becomes entirely white or
+yellow. Of this bird, Buffon says, “that if the nightingale is the
+chantress of the woods, the Canary is the musician of the chamber; the
+first owes all to nature, the second something to art. With less
+strength of organ, less compass of voice, and less variety of note, the
+Canary has a better ear, greater facility of imitation, and a more
+retentive memory; and as the difference of genius, especially among the
+lower animals, depends in a great measure on the perfection of their
+senses, the Canary, whose organ of hearing is more susceptible of
+receiving and retaining foreign impressions, becomes more social, tame,
+and familiar; is capable of gratitude and even attachment; its caresses
+are endearing, its little humours innocent, and its anger neither hurts
+nor offends. Its education is easy; we rear it with pleasure, because we
+are able to instruct it. It leaves the melody of its own natural note,
+to listen to the melody of our voices and instruments. It accompanies
+us, and repays the pleasure it receives with interest, while the
+nightingale, more proud of his talent, seems desirous of preserving it
+in all its purity, at least it appears to attach very little value to
+ours, and it is with great difficulty that it can be taught any of our
+airs. It despises them, and never fails to return to its own wild wood
+notes. Its pipe is a masterpiece of nature, which human art can neither
+alter nor improve; while that of the Canary is a model of more pliant
+materials, which we can mould at pleasure; and therefore it contributes
+in a much greater degree to the pleasures of society. It sings at all
+seasons, cheers us in the dullest weather, and adds to our happiness, by
+amusing the young and delighting the recluse, charming the tediousness
+of the cloister, and gladdening the soul of the innocent and captive.”
+It breeds generally twice a year when domesticated; and it sometimes
+happens that the female lays her eggs for the second time before the
+first brood is fledged. The male then good-naturedly takes her place on
+the eggs while she feeds the young ones, and feeds them in his turn,
+when she sits in the nest. They are very easily tamed, when brought up
+with attention and kindness, and take their food out of the hand, often
+perching on the shoulder of their mistress, and feeding out of her
+mouth. The Canary-bird is sometimes, and with success, matched with the
+linnet or the goldfinch; and the produce is a beautiful bird, partaking
+of the talents and plumage of both.
+
+Canary-birds live twelve or thirteen years in our climate, and sing well
+to the end of their life.
+
+The following curious anecdote of one of these birds is related by Dr.
+Darwin: “On observing a Canary-bird at the house of a gentleman near
+Tutbury, in Derbyshire, I was told it always fainted away when its cage
+was cleaned; and I desired to see the experiment. The cage being taken
+from the ceiling, and the bottom drawn out, the bird began to tremble,
+and turned quite white about the root of the bill: he then opened his
+mouth, as if for breath, and respired quick; stood up straighter on his
+perch, hung his wings, spread his tail, closed his eyes, and appeared
+quite stiff for half-an-hour; till at length, with much trembling and
+deep respirations, he came gradually to himself.”
+
+Some years ago, a Frenchman exhibited in London twenty-four
+Canary-birds, many of which he said were from eighteen to twenty-five
+years of age. Some of these balanced themselves, head downward, on their
+shoulders, having their legs and tail in the air. One of them taking a
+slender stick in its claws, passed its head between its legs, and
+suffered itself to be turned round, as if in the act of being roasted.
+Another balanced itself, and was swung backward and forward on a kind of
+a slack rope. A third was dressed in military uniform, having a cap on
+its head, wearing a sword and pouch, and carrying a firelock in one
+claw: after some time sitting upright, this bird, at the word of
+command, freed itself from its dress, and flew away to the cage. A
+fourth suffered itself to be shot at, and falling down as if dead, was
+put into a little wheelbarrow, and wheeled away by one of its comrades!
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE CHAFFINCH. (_Fringilla cœlebs._)]
+
+
+THE CHAFFINCH is of the same dimensions as the sparrow, but more
+lightly and elegantly formed. Its nest, which is of the most beautiful
+and elaborate construction, is composed of mosses and lichens,
+interwoven and lined with wool, hair, and feathers. “Four or five eggs,”
+says Mr. Waterton, “are the usual number which the Chaffinch’s nest
+contains, and sometimes only three. The thorn, and most of the evergreen
+shrubs, the sprouts on the boles of forest trees, the woodbine, the
+whin, the wild rose, and occasionally the bramble, are this bird’s
+favourite places for nidification. Like all its congeners, it never
+covers its eggs on retiring from the nest, for its young are hatched
+blind. There is something peculiarly pleasing to me in the song of this
+bird. Perhaps association of ideas may add a trifle to the value of its
+melody; for when I hear the first note of the Chaffinch, I know that
+winter is on the eve of its departure, and that sunshine and fine
+weather are not far off. The Chaffinch never sings when on the wing; but
+it warbles incessantly on the trees, and on the hedgerows, from the
+early part of February to the second week in July; and then (if the bird
+be in a state of freedom) its song entirely ceases.”
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE BULLFINCH. (_Loxia pyrrhula._)]
+
+
+THIS is a very docile bird, and will nearly imitate the sound of a pipe,
+or the whistle of man, with its voice, the mellowness of which is really
+charming. It is, by bird-fanciers, considered to excel all other small
+birds, except the linnet, in the softness of its tones, and in the
+variety of its notes. In captivity, its melody seems to be as great a
+solace to itself, as it is a pleasure to its master. By day, and even
+when the evening has called for the artificial light of candles, the
+Bullfinch pursues his melodious exertions, and if there be any other
+birds in the apartment, awakes them gently to the pleasing task of
+singing in concert with him. His notes are upon one of the lowest keys
+of the gamut of birds.
+
+The plumage of the Bullfinch is beautiful, though simple and uniform,
+consisting only of three or four colours. In the male, a lovely scarlet
+or crimson colour adorns the breast, throat, and jaws, as far as the
+eyes; the crown of the head is black; the rump and tail are white; the
+neck and back grey, or lead-coloured. The name of this bird originates
+from its head and neck being, like those of the bull, very large in
+proportion to the body. The female does not share with the male the
+brightness of colours in the plumage. Bullfinches build their nests in
+gardens and orchards, and particularly in places that abound in
+fruit-trees, as they are passionately fond of fruit, which they often
+destroy before it is ripe.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GOLDFINCH.
+
+(_Fringilla carduelis_, or _Carduelis elegans_.)]
+
+
+THIS bird is also called the Thistlefinch, from his fondness for the
+seeds of that plant. He is very beautiful, his plumage being elegantly
+diversified, his form small, but pleasing, and his voice not loud, but
+sweet. He is easily tamed, and often exhibited as a captive, with a
+chain round his body, drawing up with trouble, but yet with amazing
+dexterity, two small buckets, alternately, one containing his meat, the
+other his drink. If he is old when caught, the Goldfinch, after a few
+weeks, if well attended to, and gently treated, becomes as familiar as
+if he had been brought up by the hand of his keeper. Some have been
+taught to fire a small piece of artillery, and go through the drilling
+exercise, to the great astonishment of the spectators; but the cruel and
+severe treatment that animals undergo, when taught performances
+altogether contrary to their nature, should prevent us from encouraging
+such exhibitions.
+
+This bird, as if conscious of the beauty of his plumage, likes to view
+himself in a glass, which is sometimes fixed for this purpose in the
+back of the cage. The art with which it composes and builds its nest is
+really worthy of admiration; it is generally interwoven with moss, small
+twigs, horsehair, and other pliant materials; the inside stuffed most
+carefully with fine down, and tufts of cotton grass. There the female
+deposits five or six eggs, which are whitish, marked at their upper end
+with purple dots.
+
+ “The Goldfinch weaves, with willow down inlaid,
+ And cannach tufts, his wonderful abode;
+ And oft suspended at the limber end
+ Of plane-tree spray, among the broad-leaved shoots,
+ The tiny hammock swings to every gale.
+ Sometimes in closest thickets ’tis concealed;
+ Sometimes in hedge luxuriant, where the brier,
+ The bramble, and the plum-tree branch
+ Warp through the thorn, surmounted by the flowers
+ Of climbing vetch, and honeysuckle wild.”
+ GRAHAME.
+
+The following lines were written by Cowper on a Goldfinch starved to
+death in his cage. The Goldfinch speaks:--
+
+ “Time was when I was free as air,
+ The thistle’s downy seed my fare,
+ My drink the morning dew;
+ I perched at will on every spray,
+ My form genteel, my plumage gay,
+ My strains for ever new.
+
+ “But gaudy plumage, sprightly strain,
+ And form genteel were all in vain,
+ And of a transient date;
+ For caught and caged, and starved to death,
+ In dying sighs my little breath
+ Soon passed the wiry grate.
+
+ “Thanks, gentle author of my woes,
+ Thanks for this most effectual close
+ And cure of every ill.
+ Never your cruelty repress!
+ For I, if you had shown me less,
+ Had been your prisoner still.”
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE CROSSBILL. (_Loxia curvirostra._)]
+
+
+THE CROSSBILL is a native of the vast pine forests of northern Europe,
+and is by no means abundant in England. The bill of this singular bird
+is of considerable length, and the mandibles towards the point are very
+sharp and strong, curved in opposite directions, so that when closed the
+points cross each other, from which the bird derives his name. This
+curious organization enables them to obtain their food, which chiefly
+consists of the seeds of the cones of the fir, with the greatest
+facility. These seeds, for a considerable time after they have ripened,
+are so firmly enclosed within their ligneous scales, that the bill of no
+ordinary bird could reach them. Fixing itself across the cone, the
+Crossbill brings the mandibles of its beak immediately over each other,
+and insinuates them between the scales, then forcing them laterally, the
+scales open. The mandibles are again brought in contact, between the
+scales, and the bird then picks out the seed with their tips. It is very
+interesting to find that a structure so anomalous as that of the bill of
+the Crossbill is really beneficial to the creature, and not, as was
+formerly rather flippantly asserted, a defect or error of nature.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE STARE, OR STARLING, (_Sturnus vulgaris_,)]
+
+
+IS about the size and shape of a blackbird; the tips of the feathers on
+the neck and back are yellow; the feathers under the tail of an
+ash-colour; the other parts of the plumage are black, with a purple or
+deep blue gloss, changing as it is variously exposed to the light. In
+the hen, the tips of the feathers on the breast and belly, to the very
+throat, are white; which constitutes a material point in the choice of
+the bird, as the female is no singer. She lays four or five eggs,
+lightly tinctured with a greenish cast of blue. Starlings build in
+hollow trees and clefts of rocks and walls, are very easily tamed, and
+can add to their natural notes any words or modulations which they are
+taught.
+
+In the winter season Starlings collect in vast flocks, and may be known
+at a great distance by their whirling mode of flight. The evening is the
+time when they assemble in the greatest numbers, and betake themselves
+to fens and marshes. Sterne has immortalized the Starling in his
+“Sentimental Journey:” “The bird flew to the place where I was
+attempting his deliverance, and thrusting his head through the trellis,
+pressed his head against it, as if impatient.--‘I fear, poor creature,’
+said I, ‘I can’t set thee at liberty.’--‘No,’ said the Starling, ‘I
+can’t get out.’ ‘Disguise thyself as thou wilt, still, slavery,’ said I,
+‘still thou art a bitter draught!’”
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SATIN BOWER-BIRD.
+
+(_Ptilonorhynchus holosericeus._)]
+
+
+THIS singular bird was first brought before the notice of the public by
+Mr. Gould, in his splendid work, the “Birds of Australia,” from which
+the following extracts are given by permission of its author. The most
+remarkable circumstance relating to this bird, is its construction of a
+bower-like tenement, the object of which, it should seem, is a sort of
+playing-ground, or hall of assembly.
+
+“The Satin Bower-bird,” says Mr. Gould, “is not a stationary species,
+but appears to range from one part of a district to another, either for
+the purpose of varying the nature, or of obtaining a more abundant
+supply of food. Judging from the many specimens I dissected, it would
+seem that it is altogether granivorous and frugivorous; or, if not
+exclusively so, that insects form but a small portion of its diet. The
+brushes it inhabits are studded with enormous fig-trees, some of them
+towering to the height of two hundred feet; among the lofty branches of
+which the Satin Bower-bird finds, in the small wild fig with which the
+branches are loaded, an abundant supply of a favourite food: this
+species also commits considerable depredation on ripening corn. It
+appears to have particular times in the day for feeding, and when thus
+engaged among the low shrub-like trees, I have approached within a few
+feet without creating alarm; but at other times I have found this bird
+extremely shy, especially the old males, which not unfrequently perch on
+the topmost branch of the loftiest tree, whence they can survey all
+around, and watch the movements of the females and their young in the
+brush below. Besides the loud liquid call peculiar to the male, both
+sexes frequently utter a harsh, unpleasant, guttural note, indicative of
+surprise or displeasure. The old black males are exceedingly few in
+number, as compared with the females and young male birds in the green
+dress, from which, and other circumstances, I am led to believe that at
+least two, if not three years, elapse before they attain the rich
+satin-like plumage, which, when once perfectly assumed, is, I believe,
+never again thrown off. The extraordinary bower-like structures alluded
+to above, are usually placed under the shelter of the branches of some
+overhanging tree in the most retired part of the forest, and differ
+considerably in size. The base consists of an extensive and rather
+convex platform of stick, firmly interwoven, on the centre of which the
+bower itself is built: this, like the platform on which it is placed,
+and with which it is interwoven, is formed of sticks and twigs, but of a
+more slender and flexible description, the tips of the twigs being so
+arranged as to curve inwards and nearly meet at the top: in the interior
+of the bower the materials are so placed, that the forks of the twigs
+are always presented outwards, by which arrangement not the slightest
+obstruction is offered to the passage of the birds. The interest of this
+curious bower is much enhanced by the manner in which it is decorated at
+and near the entrance with the most gaily-coloured articles that can be
+collected, such as the blue tail-feathers of the Rose-bill and
+Pennantian parrots, bleached bones, the shells of snails, &c.; some of
+the feathers are stuck in among the twigs, while others with the bones
+and shells are strewed about near the entrances. The propensity of
+these birds to pick up and fly off with any attractive object, is so
+well known to the natives, that they always search the runs for any
+small missing article, as the bowl of a pipe, &c., that may have been
+accidentally dropped in the brush. I myself found at the entrance of one
+of them a small neatly-worked stone tomahawk, of an inch and a half in
+length, together with some slips of blue cotton rags, which the birds
+had doubtless picked up at a deserted encampment of the natives. For
+what purpose these curious bowers are made is not yet, perhaps, fully
+understood; they are certainly not used as a nest, but as a place of
+resort for many individuals of both sexes, which, when there assembled,
+run through and around the bower in a sportive and playful manner, and
+that so frequently, that it is seldom entirely deserted.”
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE RAVEN. (_Corvus Corax._)]
+
+ “The Raven sits
+ On the raven-stone,
+ And his black wing flits
+ O’er the milk-white bone; To and fro, as the night-winds blow,
+ The carcass of the assassin swings:
+ And there alone, on the raven-stone,
+ The Raven flaps his dusky wings.
+ The fetters creak--and his ebon beak
+ Creaks to the close of the hollow sound:
+ And this is the tune by the light of the moon,
+ To which the witches dance their round.”
+ BYRON’S MANFRED.
+
+
+THE RAVEN is about twenty-six inches in length, and his weight about
+three pounds. The bill is strong, black, and hooked at the tip. The
+plumage of the whole body of a shining black, glossed with deep blue;
+the back of the lower part inclining to a dusky colour. He is of a
+strong and hardy disposition, and inhabits all climates of the globe. He
+builds his nest in trees; and the female lays five or six eggs of a
+palish green colour, spotted with brown. It is said that the life of
+this bird extends to a century; and even beyond that period, if we can
+believe the accounts of several naturalists on the subject. The Raven
+unites the voracious appetite of the crow to the dishonesty of the daw
+and the docility of almost every other bird. He feeds chiefly on small
+animals; and is said to destroy rabbits, young ducks, and chickens, and
+sometimes even lambs, when they happen to be dropped in a weak state. In
+the northern regions, he preys on carrion, in concert with the white
+bear, the arctic fox, and the eagle. The faculty of scent in these birds
+must be very acute; for in the coldest of the winter days, at Hudson’s
+Bay, when every kind of effluvium is almost instantaneously destroyed by
+the frost, buffaloes and other beasts have been killed, where not one of
+these birds was seen; but in a few hours scores of them have been found
+collected about the spot, to pick up the blood and offal. The Raven
+possesses many diverting and mischievous qualities; he is active,
+curious, sagacious, and impudent; by nature a glutton, by habit a thief,
+in disposition a miser, and in practice a rogue. He is fond of picking
+up any small piece of money, bits of glass or any thing that shines,
+which he carefully conceals under the eaves of roofs, or in any other
+inaccessible place. He is easily tamed; and, like the parrot and
+starling, can imitate the human voice, in articulating words. At the
+seat of the Marquis of Aylesbury, in Wiltshire, a tame Raven, that had
+been taught to speak, used to ramble about in the park, where he was
+commonly attended and beset with crows, rooks, and others of his
+inquisitive tribe. When a considerable number of these were collected
+round him, he would lift up his head, and with a hoarse and hollow voice
+shout out Holloa! This would instantly put to flight and disperse his
+sable brethren; while the Raven seemed to enjoy the fright he had
+occasioned. When domesticated, the Raven is of great service, both as a
+scavenger and in keeping watch, in the last of which he is more alert
+and vigilant than almost any other animal. The Raven was the ensign of
+the invading Danes, and the prejudice thereby engendered against the
+bird is not yet quite extinct. Of its perseverance in the act of
+incubation, Mr. White relates the following singular anecdote:
+
+“In the centre of a grove near Selborne, there stood an oak, which,
+though on the whole shapely and tall, bulged out into a large
+excrescence near the middle of the stem. On this tree a pair of Ravens
+had fixed their residence for such a series of years, that the oak was
+distinguished by the title of ‘The Raven-tree.’ Many were the attempts
+of the neighbouring youths to get at this nest: the difficulty whetted
+their inclinations, and each was ambitious of surmounting the arduous
+task; but when they arrived at the swelling, it jutted out so in their
+way, and was so far beyond their grasp, that the boldest lads were
+deterred and acknowledged the undertaking to be too hazardous. Thus the
+Ravens continued to build, nest upon nest, in perfect security, till the
+fatal day on which the wood was to be levelled. This was in the month of
+February, when those birds usually sit. The saw was applied to the
+trunk, the wedges were inserted into the opening, the wood echoed to the
+heavy blows of the mallet, the tree nodded to its fall; but still the
+dam persisted in sitting. At last, when it gave way, the bird was flung
+from her nest; and though her parental affection deserved a better fate,
+was whipped down by the twigs, which brought her dead to the ground!”
+The croaking of the Raven was formerly considered a note of ill omen:
+
+ “The Raven croaked as she sat at her meal,
+ And the old woman knew what he said;
+ And she grew pale at the Raven’s tale,
+ And sickened and went to her bed.”
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE CARRION CROW. (_Corvus corone._)]
+
+
+THIS bird is less in size than the raven. The bill is strong, thick, and
+straight. The general colour is black, except the extremities of the
+feathers, which are of a greyish tint. His delight is to feed upon
+carcasses and dead animals, or malefactors exposed on the gibbet. He
+roosts upon trees, and takes both animal and vegetable food. Crows, like
+rooks, are gregarious, and often fly in large companies in the fields or
+in the woods. On the upland moors, Crows occupy the place which rooks
+fill in the low country; and as the Crow has a very coarse and uncouth
+voice, the Lowlanders of Scotland are in the habit of saying that the
+Highland rooks “speak Gaelic.” They are great destroyers of partridges’
+eggs, as they often pierce them with their bills, and carry them in that
+manner through the air to a great distance to feed their young. The
+female lays five or six eggs.
+
+Mr. Montagu states that he once saw a Crow in pursuit of a pigeon, at
+which it made several pounces, like a hawk; but the pigeon escaped by
+flying in at the door of a house. He saw another strike a pigeon dead
+from the top of a barn. The Crow is so bold a bird that neither the
+kite, the buzzard, nor the raven, can approach its nest without being
+driven away. When it has young ones, it will even attack the peregrine
+falcon, and at a single pounce sometimes bring that bird to the ground.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE ROOK. (_Corvus frugilegus._)]
+
+
+THE cawing of these birds, on the tops of high trees near gentlemen’s
+houses, and in the middle of cities, is not very pleasing; yet old
+habits, to which we are reconciled, have as much influence upon us as if
+they were productive of amusement. Hence it has been seldom attempted to
+destroy a rookery; although the noise and other inconveniences that
+accompany these birds render their vicinity often troublesome. They feed
+entirely on corn and insects, and are little bigger than the common
+crows. In Suffolk, and in some parts of Norfolk, the farmers find it
+their interest to encourage the breed of Rooks, as the only means of
+freeing their grounds from the grub, which produces the cockchafer, and
+which in this state destroys the roots of corn and grass to such a
+degree, that instances have been known where the turf of pasture land
+might be turned up with the foot. The farmers in a northern county, a
+good many years ago, waged a war of extermination against the Rooks, but
+the very next year the crops were so completely cut up by grubs, that
+the same proprietors were at considerable expense in getting Rooks back
+again. Young Rooks are good eating, but should be skinned before they
+are dressed. The colour is black, but brighter than that of the crow,
+which the Rook resembles in shape. The female lays the same number of
+eggs; and the male shares with her the trouble of fetching sticks, and
+interweaving them to make the nest, an operation which is attended with
+a great deal of fighting and disputing with the other Rooks.
+
+New comers are often severely beaten by the old inhabitants, and are
+even frequently driven quite away; of this an instance occurred near
+Newcastle, in the year 1783. A pair of Rooks, after an unsuccessful
+attempt to establish themselves in a rookery at no great distance from
+the Exchange, were compelled to abandon the attempt, and take refuge on
+the spire of that building; and, though constantly interrupted by other
+Rooks, they built their nest on the _top of the vane_, and reared their
+young ones, undisturbed by the noise of the populace below. The nest and
+its inhabitants were of course turned about by every change of the wind!
+They returned and built their nest every year on the same place, till
+1793, soon after which year the spire was taken down. A small
+copperplate was engraved, of the size of a watchpaper, with a
+representation of the spire and the nest; and so much pleased were the
+inhabitants and other persons with it, that as many copies were sold as
+produced to the engraver a profit of ten pounds. The woodcut by Bewick,
+in the title-page to his Select Fable gives, a view of the old Exchange,
+with the Rook’s nest on the vane.
+
+It is amusing to see Rooks coming at sunset as thick as a cloud hovering
+over a grove, and, after several eddies described in the air, and
+incessant cawings, each repairing to its own nest, and settling in a few
+minutes to rest, till the dawn calls them up again to their pasture in
+the neighbouring fields.
+
+Dr. Darwin has remarked, that an instinctive feeling of danger from
+mankind is much more apparent in Rooks than in most other birds. Any one
+who has in the least observed them will see that they evidently
+distinguish that the danger is greater when a man is armed with a gun,
+than when he has no weapon with him. In the spring of the year, if a
+person happened to walk under a rookery with a gun in his hand, the
+inhabitants of the trees rise on their wings, and scream to the
+unfledged young to shrink into their nests from the sight of the enemy.
+The country people observing this circumstance so uniformly to occur,
+assert that Rooks can smell gunpowder.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE JACKDAW. (_Corvus monedula._)]
+
+
+THIS bird is much less than the crow. He has a large head and long bill,
+in proportion to the size of his body. The colour of the plumage is
+black, but on some parts inclining to a bluish hue; the fore part of the
+head is of a deeper black. The Jackdaw feeds upon nuts, fruits, seeds,
+and insects; and builds in ancient castles, towers, cliffs, and all
+desolate and ruinous places. The female lays five or six eggs, smaller,
+paler, and marked with fewer spots than those of the crow.
+
+Jackdaws are easily tamed, and may with little difficulty be taught to
+pronounce several words. They conceal such parts of their food as they
+cannot eat, and often, along with it, small pieces of money or toys,
+frequently occasioning, for the moment, suspicions of theft in persons
+who are innocent. In Switzerland there is found a variety of the
+Jackdaw, which has a white ring round its neck. In Norway, and other
+cold countries, they have been seen entirely white. In a state of
+nature, jackdaws and rooks frequently feed together, and the Jackdaws
+come to meet the rooks in the morning, and also accompany them for some
+distance on their retreat at night.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE MAGPIE. (_Pica caudata._)]
+
+ “From bough to bough the restless Magpie roves,
+ And chatters as he flies.” GISBORNE.
+
+
+THIS bird resembles the daw, except in the whiteness of the breast and
+wings, and the length of the tail. The black of the feathers is
+accompanied with a changing gloss of green and purple. It is a very
+loquacious creature, and can be taught to imitate the human voice as
+well as any of the feathered creation.
+
+Plutarch relates a singular story of a Magpie belonging to a barber at
+Rome, which could imitate, to a wonderful extent, almost every noise
+that it heard. Some trumpets happened one day to be sounded before the
+shop; and for a day or two afterwards the Magpie was quite mute, and
+seemed pensive and melancholy. This surprised all who knew it; and they
+supposed the sound of the trumpets had so stunned the bird as to deprive
+it at the same time of voice and hearing. This, however, was not the
+case; for, says the writer, the bird had been all the time occupied in
+profound meditation, and was studying how to imitate the sound of the
+trumpets; accordingly, in the first attempt, it perfectly imitated all
+their repetitions, stops, and changes. This new lesson, however, made it
+entirely forget everything that it had learned before.
+
+The Magpie feeds on everything; worms, insects, meat, cheese, bread,
+milk, and all kinds of seeds, and also on small birds, when they come in
+its way: the young of the blackbird and of the thrush, and even a
+strayed chicken, often fall a prey to its rapacity. It is fond of hiding
+pieces of money or wearing apparel, which it carries away by stealth,
+and with much dexterity, to its hole. Its cunning is also remarked in
+the manner of making its nest, which it covers all over with hawthorn
+branches, the thorns sticking outward; within, it is lined with fibrous
+roots, wool, and long grass, and then plastered all round with mud and
+clay. The canopy above is composed of the sharpest thorns, woven
+together in such a manner as to deny all entrance except at the door,
+which is just large enough to permit egress and regress to the owners.
+In this fortress the birds bring up their brood with security, safe from
+all attacks, but those of the climbing schoolboy, who often finds his
+torn and bloody hands too dear a price for the eggs or the young ones.
+
+There are many superstitions respecting Magpies; and it is singular that
+in all the southern and middle districts of England, two Magpies
+together are thought to betoken luck; while in Lancashire, and other
+northern counties, they are thought to betoken misfortune. The
+chattering of Magpies was formerly supposed to foretell the arrival of
+strangers.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE CORNISH CHOUGH, (_Pyrrhcorax graculus_,)]
+
+
+IS like the jackdaw in shape and colour, but somewhat larger. The bill
+and legs are of a red colour, and hence the bird is frequently called
+the red-legged Crow. It is an inhabitant of Cornwall, Wales, and all the
+western coasts of England, and is generally to be found among rocks near
+the sea, where it builds, as well as in old ruinous castles and churches
+on the sea-side. The voice of the Chough resembles that of the jackdaw,
+except that it exceeds it in hoarseness and strength.
+
+Mr. Montagu describing a Chough in the possession of a friend, says,
+“his curiosity is beyond bounds, never failing to examine everything new
+to him: if the gardener be pruning, he examines the nail-box, carries
+off the nails, and scatters the shreds about. Should a ladder be left
+against the wall, he instantly mounts, and goes all round the top of the
+wall: and if hungry descends at a convenient place, and immediately
+travels to the kitchen window, where he makes an incessant knocking with
+his bill, until he is fed or let in. If allowed to enter, his first
+endeavour is to get up-stairs; and if not interrupted, goes as high as
+he can, and gets into any room on the attic story; but his intention is
+to get upon the top of the house. He is excessively fond of being
+caressed, and would stand quietly by the hour to be smoothed; but
+resents an affront with violence and effect, by both bill and claws, and
+will hold so fast by the latter, that he is with difficulty
+disengaged.”
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE JAY, (_Garrulus glandarius_,)]
+
+
+IS less than the magpie, and resembles him more in the habits of his
+life than in the shape and colour of his body. Like him he is talkative,
+and ready to imitate all sounds, but boasts of ornamental colours, which
+the magpie is deprived of. The ablest painter can produce no colour to
+equal the brightness of the chequered tablets of white, black, and blue,
+which adorn the sides of his wings. His head is covered with feathers,
+which are moveable at will, and the motion of which is expressive of the
+internal affections of the bird, whether he is stimulated by fear,
+anger, or desire.
+
+A Jay, kept by a person in the north of England, had learned at the
+approach of cattle to set a cur dog upon them, by whistling and calling
+him by his name. One winter, during a severe frost, the dog was by this
+means excited to attack a cow that was big with calf, when the poor
+thing fell on the ice, and was much hurt. The Jay was complained of as a
+nuisance, and its owner was obliged to destroy it.
+
+The hen lays five or six eggs, of a dull white colour, mottled with
+brown.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE ROLLER, (_Coracias garrula_,)]
+
+
+IS about the size of the jay. Its bill is black, sharp, and somewhat
+hooked. The head is of a dirty green, mingled with blue; of which colour
+is also the throat, with white lines in the middle of each feather; the
+breast is of a pale blue, like that of the pigeon; the middle of the
+back, between the shoulders, is red; the rump and lesser coverts of the
+wings are dark blue; the feet are short, and, like those of a dove, of a
+dirty yellow colour.
+
+The Roller is wilder than the jay, and frequents the thickest woods; it
+builds its nest chiefly on birch-trees. It is a bird of passage, and
+migrates in the months of May and September. In Africa, it is said to
+fly in large flocks in the autumn, and is frequently seen on cultivated
+grounds, with rooks and other birds, searching for worms, insects,
+seeds, berries, roots, and in cases of necessity, small frogs.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE KINGFISHER, (_Alcedo ispida_,)]
+
+
+IS the Halcyon of the ancients, and his name recalls to our mind the
+most lively ideas. It was believed, that, as long as the female sat upon
+her eggs, the god of storms and tempests refrained from disturbing the
+calmness of the waves, and _Halcyon days_ were, for navigators of old,
+the most secure times to perform their voyages:
+
+ “As firm as the rock, and as calm as the flood,
+ Where the peace-loving Halcyon deposits her brood.”
+
+But although this bears analogy to a natural coincidence between the
+time of breeding assigned to the Kingfishers and a part of the year when
+the ocean is less tempestuous, yet Mythology would exercise her fancy,
+and turn into wonders that which was nothing else than the common course
+of nature.
+
+This bird is nearly as small as a common sparrow, but the head and beak
+appear proportionally too big for the body. The bright blue of the back
+and wings claims our admiration, as it changes into deep purple or
+lively green, according to the angles of light under which the bird
+presents itself to the eye. It generally haunts the banks of rivers, for
+the purpose of seizing small fish, on which it subsists, and which it
+takes in amazing quantities, by balancing itself at a distance above the
+water for a certain time, and then darting on the fish with unerring
+aim. It dives perpendicularly into the water, where it continues several
+seconds, and then brings up the fish, which it carries to land, beatsto death, and afterwards swallows. When it cannot find a projecting
+bough, it sits on some stone near the brink, or even on the gravel; but
+the moment it perceives the fish, it takes a spring upwards of twelve or
+fifteen feet, and drops from that height upon its prey.
+
+The Kingfisher lays its eggs, to the number of seven or more, in a hole
+in the bank of the river or stream that it frequents. Dr. Heysham had a
+female brought alive to him at Carlisle by a boy, who said he had taken
+it the preceding night when sitting on its eggs. His information on the
+subject was, that “having often observed these birds frequent a bank
+upon the river Peteril, he had watched them carefully, and at last he
+saw them go into a small hole in the bank. The hole was too narrow to
+admit his hand; but, as it was made in soft mould, he easily enlarged
+it. It was upwards of half a yard long; at the end of it the eggs, which
+were six in number, were placed upon the bare mould, without the
+smallest appearance of a nest.” The eggs were considerably larger than
+those of the yellow-hammer, and of a transparent white colour. It
+appears, from a still later account, that the direction of the holes is
+always upward; that they are enlarged at the end, and have there a kind
+of bedding formed of the bones of small fish, and some other substances,
+evidently the castings of the parent animals. This bedding is generally
+half an inch thick, and mixed with earth; and on it the female deposits
+and hatches her eggs. When the young ones are nearly full-feathered they
+are extremely voracious; and as the old birds do not supply them with
+all the food they can devour, they are continually chirping, and may be
+discovered by their noise.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE BIRD OF PARADISE. (_Paradisea apoda._)]
+
+
+THERE are several distinct species of these birds, of which the best
+known are the large and small Emerald Birds of Paradise, which are very
+similar in appearance, and are both imported into Europe as ornaments
+for ladies’ dress. Their appearance when flying in their native forests
+is said to be most beautiful. M. Lesson, a French naturalist, gives the
+following account:--“Soon after our arrival on this land of promise
+(New Guinea) for the naturalist, I was on a shooting excursion. Scarcely
+had I walked some hundred paces in those ancient forests, the daughters
+of time, whose sombre depth was, perhaps, the most magnificent and
+stately sight that I had ever seen, when a Bird of Paradise struck my
+view: it flew gracefully and in undulations; the feathers of its sides
+formed an elegant and aërial plume, which, without exaggeration, bore no
+remote resemblance to a brilliant meteor. Surprised, astounded, enjoying
+an inexpressible gratification, I devoured this splendid bird with my
+eyes; but my emotion was so great that I forgot to shoot at it, and did
+not recollect that I had a gun in my hand till it was far away.”
+
+The head is small, but adorned with colours which vie with the brightest
+hues of the feathered tribe; the neck is a beautiful fawn, and the body
+very small, but covered with long feathers of a browner hue, tinged with
+gold: the two middle feathers of the tail are little more than
+filaments, except at the point and near the base. Although the body is
+no larger than that of a thrush, the total length is two feet. This bird
+has long been esteemed by ladies as a head-dress; and as those sent to
+Europe for this purpose always had the legs cut off for the convenience
+of packing, it was reported, and at one time believed, that the Bird of
+Paradise had no legs, but that it lived always on the wing. Indeed, a
+very fierce controversy arose on this subject among the earlier
+naturalists.
+
+The native place of these birds is New Guinea and the neighbouring
+islands, where they are generally found in flocks of thirty and forty,
+roosting on fig or teak trees. They always fly against the wind, that it
+may not ruffle their light and spreading plumage, as, if the wind came
+from behind, it would blow their long tails over their back. They take
+shelter from storms in the most dense thickets, and feed principally on
+figs, the berries of the teak, and insects. The note of the Bird of
+Paradise is very unpleasant, and resembles the cawing of a raven; it is
+chiefly heard in windy weather, when they dread being thrown on the
+ground.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE NUTHATCH, OR NUTJOBBER,
+
+(_Sitta Europæa_,)
+
+AND THE CREEPER, (_Certhia familiaris_,)]
+
+
+IS less than the chaffinch. The head, neck, and beak are of an
+ash-colour; the sides under the wings red; the throat and breast of a
+pale yellow; the chin white, and the feathers under the tail red, with
+white tips. The Nuthatch feeds upon insects and also upon nuts, which he
+hoards in the hollow part of a tree; and it is pleasing to see him fetch
+a nut out of the hole, place it first in a chink, and standing above it
+with his head downwards, striking it with all his might, break the
+shell, and catch up the kernel. The hen is so attached to her brood,
+that, when disturbed from her nest, she flutters about the head of the
+depredator, and hisses like a snake. The Nuthatches are shy and solitary
+birds, and like the woodpeckers frequent woods, and run up and down the
+trees with surprising facility. They often move their tails in the
+manner of the wagtail. They do not migrate, but during the winter
+approach nearer to inhabited places, and are sometimes seen in orchards
+and gardens. The female lays her eggs in holes of trees.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE CREEPER. (_Certhia familiaris._)]
+
+
+THE CREEPERS are dispersed through most countries of the globe, and feed
+chiefly on insects, in search of which they run in a spiral direction
+round the stems and branches of trees, with great agility.
+
+The Common Creeper is about five inches in length; its colour is tawny,
+the quills being tipped with white or light brown. Its nest is formed of
+dry grass and bark, and is placed in the hollow of some decayed tree.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE WALL CREEPER, OR SPIDER-CATCHER,
+
+(_Tichodroma muraria_,)]
+
+
+IS larger than a house-sparrow. It has a long, slender, black bill; the
+head, neck, and back are of an ash-colour, the front of the neck and
+throat being a deep black; the breast is white; the wings a compound of
+lead-colour and red. It is a brisk and cheerful bird, and has a pleasant
+note. Clefts and crevices of rocks and the walls of old edifices are its
+favourite haunts, and sometimes, but very rarely, the trunks of trees.
+It feeds on insects, and is especially fond of spiders and their eggs.
+The nest is made in clefts of the most inaccessible rocks, and in the
+crevices of ruins, at a great height.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE LYRE-BIRD OF AUSTRALIA.
+
+(_Menura superba._)]
+
+
+THIS bird is found in New South Wales, near Port Philip, but it is the
+male only that possesses the splendid tail whence it derives its name.
+It feeds on snails, and builds a nest like a magpie.
+
+“Of all the birds I have ever met with,” says Mr. Gould, “the Menura is
+by far the most shy and difficult to procure. While among the brushes, I
+have been surrounded by these birds, pouring forth their loud andliquid calls, for days together, without being able to get a sight of
+them; and it was only by the most determined perseverance and extreme
+caution that I was enabled to effect this desirable object; which was
+rendered the more difficult by their often frequenting the almost
+inaccessible and precipitous sides of gullies and ravines, covered with
+tangled masses of creepers, and umbrageous trees: the cracking of a
+stick, the rolling down of a small stone, or any other noise, however
+slight, is sufficient to alarm it; and none but those who have traversed
+these rugged, hot, and suffocating brushes, can fully understand the
+excessive labour attendant on the pursuit of the Menura. Independently
+of climbing over rocks and fallen trunks of trees, the sportsman has to
+creep and crawl beneath and among the branches with the utmost caution,
+taking care only to advance when the bird’s attention is occupied in
+singing, or in scratching up the leaves in search of food: to watch its
+actions, it is necessary to remain perfectly motionless, not venturing
+to move even in the slightest degree, or it vanishes from sight, as if
+by magic. Although I have said thus much on the cautiousness of the
+Menura, it is not always so alert: in some of the more accessible
+brushes through which roads have been cut, it may frequently be seen,
+and even on horseback closely approached, the bird apparently evincing
+less fear of those animals than of man. At Illawarra it is sometimes
+successfully pursued by dogs trained to rush suddenly upon it, when it
+immediately leaps upon the branch of a tree, and its attention being
+attracted by the dog which stands barking below, it is easily approached
+and shot. Another successful mode of procuring specimens is, by wearing
+a tail of a full-plumaged male in the hat, keeping it constantly in
+motion, and concealing the person among the bushes, when the attention
+of the bird being arrested by the apparent intrusion of another of its
+own sex, it will be attracted within the range of the gun: if the bird
+be hidden from view by the surrounding objects, any unusual sound, as a
+shrill whistle, will generally induce him to show himself for an
+instant, by causing him to leap with a gay and sprightly air upon some
+neighbouring branch to ascertain the cause of the disturbance:immediate advantage must be taken of this circumstance, or the next
+moment it may be half-way down the gully. So totally different is the
+shooting of this bird to anything practised in Europe, that the most
+expert shot would have but little chance, until well experienced in the
+peculiar nature of the country, and the habits of the bird. The Menura
+seldom, if ever, attempts to escape by flying; it easily eludes pursuit
+by its extraordinary power of running. None are so efficient in
+obtaining specimens as the naked black, whose noiseless and gliding
+steps enable him to steal upon it unheard and unperceived, and with the
+gun in his hand, he rarely allows it to escape, and in many instances he
+will even kill it with his own weapons.
+
+“The Lyre-bird is of a wandering disposition, and although it probably
+keeps to the same brush, it is constantly engaged in traversing it from
+one end to the other, from mountain-top to the bottom of the gullies,
+whose steep and rugged sides present no obstacle to its long legs and
+powerful muscular thighs: it is also capable of performing extraordinary
+leaps; and I have heard it stated, that it will spring ten feet
+perpendicularly from the ground. It appears to be of solitary habits, as
+I have never seen more than a pair together, and these only in a single
+instance; they were both males, and were chasing each other round and
+round with extreme rapidity, apparently in play, pausing every now and
+then to utter their loud shrill calls; while thus employed they carried
+the tail horizontally, as they always do when running quickly through
+the bush, that being the only position in which this great organ could
+be conveniently borne at such times. Among its many curious habits, the
+only one at all approaching to those of the _Gallinacæa_, is that of
+forming small round hillocks, which are constantly visited during the
+day, and upon which the male is constantly trampling, at the same time
+erecting and spreading out his tail in the most graceful manner, and
+uttering his various cries, sometimes pouring forth his natural notes,
+at others mocking those of other birds, and even the howling of the
+native dog, or dingo. The early morning and the evening are the periods
+when it is most animated and active.”
+
+There is another kind of Lyre-Bird, also found in New South Wales, to
+which Mr. Gould has given the name of _Menura Alberti_, in honour of the
+late Prince Consort.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE HUMMING-BIRD. (_Trochilus colubris._)]
+
+
+THERE are numerous species of Humming-Birds, but that represented above,
+is one of the most common. They are abundant in South America,
+particularly in Brazil; and are so small and so brilliant in their
+colours, that when seen fluttering about in the brilliant rays of a
+tropical sun, they look like flying gems. They are extremely active,
+darting about, and thrusting their long beaks and flexible tongues into
+every flower they see, in search of food. Sometimes they will remain
+suspended in the air for a long time together, vibrating their wings
+with such velocity, that they cannot be seen distinctly, but appear like
+a mist round the body of the bird, while they make that curious humming
+noise from which the bird takes its name. Sometimes they quarrel, when
+their little throats become distended, their crest, tails, and wings
+expand, and they fight with inconceivable fury, till one of them falls
+exhausted on the ground. The most common species is _Trochilus
+colubris_, the Ruby-throated Humming-Bird, and one of them has been kept
+alive in a cage for more than three months, by feeding it with sugar and
+water. This species is found in North America, where it migrates to the
+north in summer, and is there seen even in Canada and the country of
+Hudson’s Bay.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE HOOPOE. (_Upupa epops._)]
+
+
+THIS is a small bird, measuring no more than twelve inches from the
+point of the bill to the end of the tail. The bill is sharp, black, and
+somewhat bending. The head is adorned with a very beautiful, large
+moveable crest, a kind of bright halo, the radiation of which places the
+head nearly in the centre of a golden circle. This pleasing ornament,
+which the bird sets up or lets fall at pleasure, is composed of a double
+row of feathers, reaching from the bill to the nape of the neck, which
+is of a pale red. The breast is white, with black streaks tending
+downwards; the wings and back are varied with white and black
+cross-lines. The food of the Hoopoe consists chiefly of insects, with
+the remains of which its nest is sometimes so filled as to become
+extremely offensive. This beautifully-crested bird is not at all common
+in this country, and is solitary, two of them being seldom seen
+together, while in Egypt, where Hoopoes are very common, they are often
+seen in small flocks. The female generally constructs her nest in a
+hollow tree, the materials employed, in addition to the remains of their
+food, being very scanty, consisting in fact of a few dried grass stalks
+and feathers. She lays from four to seven eggs at a time, of a pale
+lavender grey, about an inch and a half long. The young are generally
+hatched in June; it is said, however, that two or three broods are
+produced in the course of the year. The name alludes to the note of the
+bird, which resembles the word “hoop” repeated several times in a low
+voice.
+
+Though this bird is found occasionally both in England and Scotland, it
+rarely breeds with us. It is common in Italy, where its strange
+startling cry is often heard, without the bird being seen, as it keeps
+itself concealed among trees. It is also not uncommon on the banks of
+the Garonne in France, where it may be seen skimming along the ground
+amongst the willows in search of the insects upon which it feeds.
+
+There are several species of this magnificent family. The most brilliant
+is undoubtedly the Upupa Superba, or Grand Promerops of New Guinea.
+“There does not perhaps exist,” says Sonnerat, “a more extraordinary
+bird. Its body is delicate and slender, and, although it is of an
+elongated form, appears excessively small in comparison with the tail.
+Nature seems to have pleased herself in painting this being, already so
+singular, with her most brilliant colours. The head, the neck, and the
+belly are a glittering green; the feathers which cover these parts have
+the lustre and softness of velvet to the eye and to the touch; the back
+is changeable violet; the wings are of the same colour, and appear,
+according to the lights in which they are held, blue, violet, or deep
+black, always however imitating velvet.” This bird is rare, and a
+specimen is seldom seen even in the most complete collections.
+
+
+
+§ IV.--_Scansores, or Climbers._
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE CUCKOO. (_Cuculus canorus._)]
+
+ “Hail, beauteous stranger of the wood,
+ Attendant on the spring!
+ Now Heaven repairs thy rural seat,
+ And woods thy welcome sing.
+
+ “Soon as the daisy decks the green,
+ Thy certain voice we hear;
+ Hast thou a star to guide thy path,
+ Or mark the rolling year?
+ “Delightful visitant! with thee
+ I hail the time of flowers,
+ When heav’n is fill’d with music sweet,
+ Of birds among the bowers.”
+ LOGAN.
+
+
+THE well-known notes of this bird, in spite of their monotony, are heard
+with pleasure in spring, as a sure prognostic of fine weather. The
+Cuckoo is generally first heard about the middle of April, and ceases
+towards the end of June. This bird is so shy that he is seldom seen when
+uttering his singular note. The female does not build a nest, but lays
+her eggs in that of some other bird.
+
+The Cuckoo is somewhat less than the magpie, his length being about
+twelve inches from the tip of the bill to the end of the tail. He is
+remarkable for his round prominent nostrils; the lower part of the body
+is of a yellowish colour, with black transverse lines on the throat and
+across the breast; the head and upper part of the body and wings are
+beautifully marked with black and tawny stripes, and on the top of the
+head there are a few white spots. The tail is long, and on the exterior
+part, or edges of the feathers, there are several white marks; the
+ground colour of the body is a sort of grey. The legs are short, and
+covered with feathers, and the feet are composed of four toes, two
+before and two behind.
+
+We are indebted to the observations of Dr. Jenner for the following
+account of the habits and economy of this singular bird in the disposal
+of its eggs. He states that, during the time the hedge-sparrow is laying
+her eggs, which generally occupies four or five days, the Cuckoo
+contrives to deposit her egg among the rest, leaving the future care of
+it entirely to the hedge-sparrow. This intrusion often occasions some
+disorder; for the old hedge-sparrow, at intervals while she is sitting,
+not only throws out some of her own eggs but sometimes injures them in
+such a way that they become addled, so that it frequently happens that
+not more than two or three of the parent bird’s eggs are hatched: but,
+what is very remarkable, it has never been observed that she has either
+thrown out or injured the egg of the Cuckoo. When the hedge-sparrow has
+set her usual time, and has disengaged the young Cuckoo and some of her
+own offspring from the shell, her own young ones and any of her eggs
+that remain unhatched are soon turned out: the young Cuckoo then remains
+in full possession of the nest, and is the sole object of the future
+care of the foster parent. The young birds are not previously killed,
+nor are the eggs demolished; but they are left to perish together,
+either entangled in the bush that contains the nest, or lying on the
+ground beneath it. On the 18th June, 1787, Dr. Jenner examined a nest of
+a hedge-sparrow, which then contained a Cuckoo’s and three
+hedge-sparrow’s eggs. On inspecting it the day following, the bird had
+hatched: but the nest then contained only a young Cuckoo and one
+hedge-sparrow. The nest was placed so near the extremity of a hedge,
+that he could distinctly see what was going forward in it; and, to his
+great astonishment, he saw the young Cuckoo, though so lately hatched,
+in the act of turning out the young hedge-sparrow. The mode of
+accomplishing this was curious; the little animal, with the assistance
+of its rump and wings, contrived to get the bird upon its back, and
+making a lodgment for its burden by elevating its elbows, climbed
+backward with it up the side of the nest, till it reached the top;
+where, resting for a moment, it threw off its load with a jerk, and
+quite disengaged it from the nest. After remaining a short time in this
+situation, and feeling about with the extremities of its wings, as if to
+be convinced that the business was properly executed, it dropped into
+the nest again. Dr. Jenner made several experiments in different nests,
+by repeatedly putting in an egg to the young Cuckoo, which he always
+found to be disposed of in the same manner. It is very remarkable that
+nature seems to have provided for the singular disposition of the Cuckoo
+in its formation at this period; for, different from other newly-hatched
+birds, its back, from the scapulae downward, is very broad, with a
+considerable depression in the middle, which seems intended for the
+express purpose of giving a more secure lodgment to the egg of the
+hedge-sparrow or its young one, while the young Cuckoo is employed in
+removing either of them from the nest. When it is about twelve days
+old, this cavity is quite filled up, the back assumes the shape of that
+of nestling birds in general, and at that time the disposition of
+turning out its companion entirely ceases. The smallness of the Cuckoo’s
+egg, which in general is less than that of the hedge-sparrow, is another
+circumstance to be attended to in this surprising transaction, and seems
+to account for the parent Cuckoo’s depositing it in the nest of such
+small birds only as these. If she were to do this in the nest of a bird
+that produced a larger egg, and consequently a larger nestling, the
+design would probably be frustrated, the young Cuckoo would be unequal
+to the task of becoming sole possessor of the nest, and might fall a
+sacrifice to the superior strength of its partners. Dr. Jenner observes,
+that the egg of two Cuckoos are sometimes deposited in the same nest;
+and gives the following instance which fell under his observation. Two
+Cuckoos and a hedge-sparrow were hatched in the same nest; one
+hedge-sparrow’s egg remained unhatched. In a few hours a contest began
+between the Cuckoos for possession of the nest; and this continued
+undetermined till the afternoon of the following day, when the one which
+was somewhat superior in size, turned out the other, together with the
+young hedge-sparrow and the unhatched egg. The contest, he adds, was
+very remarkable; the combatants alternately appeared to have the
+advantage, as each carried the other several times nearly to the top of
+the nest, and again sank down oppressed by the weight of its burden;
+till at length, after various efforts, the strongest of the two
+prevailed, and was afterwards brought up by the hedge-sparrow.
+
+The American Cuckoo, or Cow bird, is quite different in its habits to
+the European Cuckoo, as it builds a nest for its eggs, and hatches its
+young itself like other birds.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE COMMON GREEN WOODPECKER,
+
+(_Picus viridis_,)]
+
+
+RECEIVES his name from his habit of pecking the insects from the chinks
+of trees and holes in the bark. The bill is straight, strong, and
+angular at the end; and in most of the species is formed like a wedge,
+for the purpose of piercing the trees. The nostrils are covered with
+bristles. The tongue is slender, and cylindrical in shape, and to the
+touch is hard and bony. The Woodpecker, in common with the Humming Bird,
+though for a different object, possesses the remarkable property of
+being able to dart out its tongue and secure insects at a considerable
+distance from its beak. For the purpose of effectually capturing the
+stronger insects, the tongue is barbed at the end, and provided with
+glutinous secretion. The toes of this bird are placed two forward and
+two backward; and the tail consists of ten hard, stiff, and
+sharp-pointed feathers. A Woodpecker is often seen hanging by his claws,
+and resting upon his breast against the stem of a tree; when, after
+darting his beak against the bark, with great strength and noise, he
+runs round the tree with much alacrity, which manœuvre has made the
+country people suppose that he goes round to see whether he has not
+pierced the tree through, though the fact is, the bird is in search of
+the insects, which he hopes to have driven out by his blow.
+
+The following lines, from Moore’s beautiful song, allude to the noise
+which the Woodpecker makes in searching for its food:
+
+ “I knew by the smoke that so gracefully curl’d
+ Above the green elms, that a cottage was near,
+ And I said, if there’s peace to be found in the world,
+ A heart that was humble might hope for it here.
+ Every leaf was at rest, and I heard not a sound,
+ But the Woodpecker tapping the hollow beech-tree.”
+
+The fact is, that this beating against the bark is for no other purpose
+than to rouse the insects which the chink contains, and to force them to
+come out, which they do from their alarm at the noise, when the
+Woodpecker turning round takes them unawares, and feeds upon them: if
+the insects do not answer the delusive call, he darts his long tongue
+into the hole, and brings out, by this means, his reluctant prey. The
+plumage of this bird is a compound of red and green, two colours, the
+approximation of which is always productive of harmony in the works of
+nature. They nestle in the hollows of trees, where the female lays five
+or six whitish eggs, without making any nest, trusting to the natural
+heat of her body to hatch them.
+
+The Green Woodpecker is seen more frequently on the ground than the
+other kinds, particularly where there are ant-hills. It inserts its long
+tongue into the holes through which the ants issue, and draws them out
+in abundance. Sometimes with its feet and bill it makes a breach in the
+nest, and devours the ants and their eggs at its ease. The young ones
+climb up and down the trees before they are able to fly; they roost very
+early, and repose in their holes till day. There are many different
+kinds of Woodpecker, five of which are common to this country.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE WRYNECK. (_Yunx torquilla._)]
+
+
+THIS bird, Mr. Gould tells us, has received its English name from its
+habit of moving its head and neck in various directions, and with an
+undulating motion, like that of a snake; indeed, in some parts of
+England it is called the snake-bird. When found in its usual retreat in
+the hole of a tree, it makes a loud hissing noise, raises the feathers
+of the crown, and writhing its head and neck towards each shoulder
+alternately, with grotesque contortions, becomes an object of terror to
+a timid intruder; and the bird, taking advantage of a moment of
+indecision, darts with the rapidity of lightning from a situation where
+escape appeared impossible.
+
+The Wryneck deposits its eggs on fragments of decayed wood within a
+hollow tree, and makes scarcely any nest. The birds when caught young
+are easily tamed.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE TOUCAN, (_Rhamphastos tucanus_,)]
+
+
+IS a native of South America, very conspicuous for the magnitude and
+shape of its bill; which, in some of the species, is nearly as long and
+as large as the body itself. The length of its body is about eighteen
+inches (the size of the magpie); the head is large and strong, and the
+neck short, in order the more easily to support the bulk of such a beak.
+The head, neck, and wings are black; the breast of a most lovely orange
+saffron colour; the lower part of the body and the thighs are vermilion;
+the tail black. Mr. Gould’s specimen represents a narrow straw-coloured
+belt across the centre of the breast, dividing the orange tint from the
+vermilion. One of these birds that was kept in a cage was very fond of
+fruit, which it held for some time in its beak, touching it with great
+delight with the tip of its feathery tongue, and then tossing it into
+its throat by a sudden upright jerk; it also fed on small birds,
+insects, caterpillars, &c.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GREY PARROT. (_Psittacus erythacus._)]
+
+
+THE tongue of the Parrot is not unlike a black soft bean, and fills so
+completely the capacity of its beak, that the bird can easily modulate
+sounds and articulate words; the beak is composed of two pieces, both
+moveable, which is a peculiarity belonging almost exclusively to this
+tribe of birds. The bill of the Parrot is strongly hooked, and assists
+it in climbing, catching hold of the boughs of the trees with it, and
+then drawing its legs upwards; then again advancing the beak, and
+afterwards the feet, for its legs are not adapted for hopping from bough
+to bough, as other birds do. Several stories are told of the sagacity of
+these birds, and of the aptitude of their interrogatories and answers,
+but they have been no doubt the effect of chance.
+
+Dr. Goldsmith says that a Parrot, belonging to King Henry the Seventh,
+having been kept in a room next the Thames, in his palace of
+Westminster, had learned to repeat many sentences from the boatmen and
+passengers. One day, sporting on its perch, it unluckily fell into the
+water. The bird had no sooner discovered its situation, than it called
+out aloud, “A boat! twenty pounds for a boat!” A waterman, happening to
+be near the place where the Parrot was floating, immediately took it up,
+and restored it to the king; demanding, as the bird was a favourite,
+that he should be paid the reward the bird had called out. This was
+refused; but it was agreed that, as the Parrot had offered a reward, the
+man should again refer to its determination for the sum he was to
+receive. “Give the knave a groat,” screamed the bird the instant the
+reference was made.
+
+The memory of Parrots is very astonishing, and they can not only imitate
+discourse, but can sing verses of songs, and mimic gestures and actions.
+Scaliger saw one that performed the dance of the Savoyards at the same
+time that it repeated their song. The song was well imitated, but when
+the bird tried to caper, it was with the worst grace imaginable, as he
+turned in his toes, and kept tumbling back in a most clumsy manner.
+
+Willoughby tells us of a Parrot, which, when a person said to it,
+“Laugh, Poll, laugh,” laughed accordingly, and the instant after
+screamed out, “What a fool to make me laugh!” Another, which had grown
+old with its master, shared with him the infirmities of age. Being
+accustomed to hear scarcely anything but the words “I am sick;” when a
+person asked it, “How do you do, Poll?” “I am sick,” it replied in a
+doleful tone, stretching itself out, “I am sick.”
+
+Parrots are very numerous in the East and West Indies, where they
+assemble in companies, like rooks, and build in the hollows of trees.
+The female lays two or three eggs, marked with little specks, like those
+of the partridge. They never breed in our climate, though they live here
+to a great age. They feed entirely upon vegetables, but, when tame, will
+take from the mouth of their master or mistress any kind of chewed meat,
+and chiefly eggs, of which they seem particularly fond. They bite or
+pinch very hard, and some of them possess so much strength in their
+beak, that they could easily break a man’s finger. The Parrot is
+sensible of attachment, as well as of revenge; and if in their mimic
+attitudes they show great pleasure at the sight of their feeders, they
+also fly up with anger to the face of those who once have affronted or
+injured them.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GREEN PARROT, (_Psittacus amazonicus_,)]
+
+
+WHICH is perhaps more commonly seen in England than the African Grey
+Parrot, is a native of South America, and receives its name from the
+great river Amazon, on the banks of which it is common. In its native
+country it does much damage to the plantations, and indeed many of the
+Parrots are as injurious in this respect as they are beautiful in their
+plumage. The Green Parrot resembles the Grey species in its habits, and
+may likewise be taught to speak with much distinctness.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE BLUE AND YELLOW MACAW, (_Psittacus_, or _Macrocercus
+aracanga_,)]
+
+
+IS one of the largest of the parrot tribe, and painted with the finest
+colours Nature can bestow. The beak is uncommonly strong; and the tail
+proportionally longer than that of any of the parrot tribe. Its voice is
+fierce and tremulous, sometimes sounding like the laugh of an old man;
+and it seems to utter the word “Arara,” which occasions its bearing that
+name in its native country.
+
+When tame, it eats almost every article of human food, and is
+particularly fond of bread, beef, fried fish, pastry, and sugar. It
+cracks nuts with its bill, and dexterously picks out the kernels with
+its claws. It does not chew the soft fruits, but sucks them by pressing
+its tongue against the upper part of its beak: and the harder sort of
+food, such as bread and pastry, it bruises, or chews, by pressing the
+tip of the lower upon the most hollow part of the upper mandible.
+
+_The Scarlet Macaw_ (_M. Macao_) is another large species, of a bright
+red colour, with some blue and yellow feathers on the wings, and blue
+ones about the base of the tail. It was formerly common in the West
+Indian Islands, but has now become rare there. Its voice is very loud
+and harsh.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE RING PAROQUET. (_Palæornis Alexandri._)]
+
+
+THIS beautiful species, no less remarkable for the elegance of its form
+than for its docility and imitative powers, is supposed to have been the
+first of the parrot species known to the ancients, from the time of
+Alexander the Great down to the age of Nero. It is about fifteen inches
+long; its bill is thick and red; the head and the body a bright green;
+the neck, breast, and the whole of the under side of a paler tint. It
+has a red circle, or ring, which encompasses the neck, and is about the
+breadth of a little finger at the back; but grows narrower by degrees
+towards the sides, and ends under the lower bill. The lower part of the
+body is of so faint a green, that it seems almost yellow. The tail also
+is of a yellowish green, and the legs and feet ash-coloured.
+
+
+
+THE WARBLING GRASS PAROQUET.
+
+(_Melopsittacus undulatus._)
+
+
+GREAT numbers of Paroquets of different species are found in Australia,
+and most of these live and seek their food upon the ground rather than
+in trees. One of them is called the _Ground Paroquet_, as it is never
+seen to perch upon trees, but is always running about among the grass
+and herbage. The Warbling Grass Paroquet is a well known and beautiful
+little Australian bird, of which considerable numbers have been imported
+into this country of late years; it is deservedly a favourite, both on
+account of its elegance, and from its possessing a gentle warbling note
+very different from the harsh screaming of many species of its tribe. It
+can, however, scream vigorously for its size. In the interior of
+Australia these charming little birds occur in countless multitudes.
+They feed chiefly on the seeds of grasses, which they pick up whilst
+running upon the ground, but they perch in crowds upon the gum-trees for
+shelter from the noon-day heat, and also before starting on an
+expedition in search of water.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE COCKATOO. (_Plyctolophus galeritus._)]
+
+
+THIS bird is distinguished from the parrots, by a beautiful crest,
+composed of a tuft of elegant feathers, which he can raise or depress at
+pleasure. We meet with some of a beautiful white plumage, and the inside
+feathers of the crest of a pleasing yellow, with a spot of the same
+colour under each eye, and one upon the breast. The Cockatoos are
+natives of the Indian Islands and Australia, where they are found in
+great abundance. Their food consists of seeds and soft and stony fruits,
+which last their powerful bill enables them to break with ease. They are
+easily tamed when taken at an early age, after which they become
+familiar and even attached, but their imitative powers seldom go beyond
+a very few words added to their own cry of Cockatoo.
+
+In a wild state they are shy, and cannot easily be approached. The flesh
+of the young birds is accounted very good eating. The female is said to
+make her nest in the rotten limbs of trees, using nothing more than the
+accumulation of vegetable mould formed by the decayed parts of the
+bough. The eggs are white, without spots; there are no more than two
+young at a time. The natives first find the nest by the pieces of bark
+and twigs which the old birds strip off the trees adjoining that in
+which the nest is situated. It is a remarkable fact that the bark is
+never stripped off the tree which contains the nest.
+
+Mr. Bennet, in speaking of the large black Cockatoo of New Holland,
+says, that if this bird observes on the trunk of a tree indications of a
+larva being within, it diligently labours to get at it with its powerful
+beak, and should the object of its pursuit be deep within the wood, as
+often happens, the trunk becomes so extensively hacked, that a slight
+gust of wind will lay the tree prostrate.
+
+
+
+§ V.--_Gallinaceous Birds._
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE PEACOCK. (_Pavo cristatus._)]
+
+
+ASTONISHED at the unparalleled beauty of this bird, the ancients could
+not help indulging their lively and creative fancy, in accounting for
+the magnificence of his plumage. They made him the favourite of imperial
+Juno, sister and wife to Jupiter; and not less than the hundred eyes of
+Argus were pulled out to ornament his tail; indeed, there is scarcely
+anything in nature that can vie with the transcendent lustre of the
+Peacock’s feathers. The changing glory of his neck eclipses the deep
+azure of ultramarine; and at the least evolution, it assumes the green
+tint of the emerald, and the purple hue of the amethyst. His head, which
+is small and finely shaped, has several curious stripes of white and
+black round the eyes, and is surmounted by an elegant plume, or tuft offeathers, each of which is composed of a slender stem and a small tuft
+at the top. Displayed with conscious pride, and exposed under a variety
+of angles to the reflections of light, the broad and variegated disks of
+his train, of which the neck, head, and breast of the bird become the
+centre, claim our admiration. By an extraordinary mixture of the
+brightest colours, it displays at once the richness of gold, and the
+paler tints of silver, fringed with bronze-coloured edges, and
+surrounding eye-like spots of dark brown and sapphire. The hen does not
+share in the beauty of the cock, and her feathers are generally of a
+light brown. She lays only a few eggs at a time, generally at an
+interval of three or four days; they are white and spotted, like the
+eggs of the turkey. She sits from twenty-seven to thirty days.
+
+The loud screamings of the Peacock are worse than the harsh croakings of
+the raven, and a sure prognostic of bad weather; and his feet, more
+clumsy than those of the turkey, make a sad contrast with the elegance
+of his plumage:
+
+ “Though richest hues the Peacock’s plumes adorn,
+ Yet horror screams from his discordant throat.”
+
+The spreading of the train, the swelling of the throat, neck, and
+breast, and the puffing noise which they emit at certain times, are
+proofs that the Turkey and the Peacock stand nearly allied in the family
+chain of animated beings.
+
+The flesh of the Peacock was anciently esteemed a princely dish; and the
+whole bird used to be served on the table with the feathers of the neck
+and tail preserved; but few people could now relish such food, as it is
+much coarser than the flesh of the turkey. The Italians have given this
+laconic description of the Peacock: “He has the plumage of an angel, the
+voice of a devil, and the stomach of a thief.”
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE TURKEY, (_Meleagris Gallo-Pavo_,)]
+
+
+WAS originally an inhabitant of America, whence he was brought to Europe
+by some Jesuit missionaries, which accounts for his being called a
+Jesuit in some parts of the continent. The general colour of the
+feathers is buff and black; and turkeys have about the head, especially
+the cock, naked and tuberous lumps of flesh of a bright red colour. A
+long fleshy appendage hangs from the base of the upper mandible, and
+seems to be lengthened and shortened at pleasure. The hen lays from
+fifteen to twenty eggs, which are whitish and freckled. The chicks are
+very tender, and require great care and attentive nursing, until they
+are able to seek their food. In the county of Norfolk the breeding ofTurkeys, which is there a considerable branch of trade, is brought to
+great perfection; and some weighing upwards of twenty pounds each have
+been raised there. They appear to have a natural antipathy to everything
+of a red colour.
+
+Though extremely prone to quarrel among themselves, they are, in
+general, weak and cowardly against other animals, and fly from almost
+every creature that ventures to oppose them. On the contrary, they
+pursue everything that appears to dread them, particularly small dogs
+and children; and after having made these objects of their aversion
+scamper, they evince their pride and satisfaction by displaying their
+plumage, strutting about among their female train, and uttering their
+peculiar note of self-approbation. Some instances, however, have
+occurred, in which the Turkey-cock has exhibited a considerable share of
+courage and prowess; as will appear from the following anecdote:--A
+gentleman of New York received from a distant part a Turkey-cock and
+hen, and with them a pair of bantams; which were put all together into
+the yard with his other poultry. Some time afterwards, as he was feeding
+them from the barn-door, a large hawk suddenly turned the corner of the
+barn, and made a pounce at the bantam hen: she immediately gave the
+alarm, by a noise which is natural to her on such occasions; when the
+Turkey-cock, who was at the distance of about two yards, and without
+doubt understood the hawk’s intention, flew at the tyrant, with such
+violence, and gave him so severe a stroke with his spurs, as to knock
+him from the hen to a considerable distance; by which means the bantam
+was rescued from destruction.
+
+The wild Turkey-cock is, in the American forests, an object of
+considerable interest. It perches on the tops of the deciduous cypress
+and magnolia:
+
+ “On the top
+ Of yon magnolia, the loud Turkey’s voice
+ Is heralding the dawn: from tree to tree
+ Extends the wakening watch-note far and wide,
+ Till the whole woodlands echo with the cry.”
+ SOUTHEY.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GUINEA FOWL, OR PINTADO.
+
+(_Numida Meleagris._)]
+
+
+THIS bird, which is also called the _Pearled Hen_, was originally
+brought from Africa, where the breed is common, and seems to have been
+well known to the Romans, who used to esteem the flesh of this fowl as a
+delicacy, and admit it at their banquets. It went then by the name of
+Numidian Hen, or _Meleagris_, because it was fabled that the sisters of
+Meleager, who unceasingly deplored his death, were metamorphosed into
+Guinea Hens by Diana. In fact, although they are now domesticated with
+us, they still retain a great deal of their original freedom, and have a
+stupid look. Their noise is very disagreeable: it is a creaking note,
+which, incessantly repeated, grates upon the ear, and becomes very
+teasing and unpleasant. They belong to the class of birds called
+_pulveratores_; as they scrape the ground and roll themselves in the
+dust like common hens, in order to get rid of small insects which lodge
+in their feathers.
+
+The Pintado is somewhat larger than the common hen; the head is bare of
+feathers, and covered with a naked skin of a bluish colour; on the top
+is a callous protuberance of a conical form. At the base of the bill on
+each side hangs a loose wattle, red in the female and bluish in the
+male. The general colour of the plumage is a dark bluish grey, sprinkled
+with round white spots of different sizes, resembling pearls, from which
+circumstance the epithet of _pearled_ has been applied to this bird;
+which at first sight appears as if it had been pelted by a strong shower
+of hail.
+
+If trained when young, these birds may easily be rendered tame. M. Bruë
+informs us, that when he was on the coast of Senegal he received as a
+present from an African princess two Guinea fowls. Both these birds were
+so familiar that they would approach the table and eat out of his plate;
+and, when they had liberty to fly about upon the beach, they always
+returned to the ship when the dinner or supper bell rang.
+
+In a wild state, it is asserted that the Pintado associates in large
+flocks. Dampier speaks of having seen between two and three hundred of
+them together in the Cape de Verd Islands. They were originally
+introduced into our country from the coast of Africa somewhat earlier
+than the year 1260.
+
+In Jamaica, where they have run wild, and become very destructive to the
+plantations, they are sometimes caught, Mr. Gosse tells us, by the
+following stratagem:--A small quantity of corn is steeped for a night in
+proof rum and is then placed in a shallow vessel, with a little fresh
+rum, and the water expressed from a bitter cassava grated. This is
+deposited within an enclosed ground to which the depredators resort. A
+small quantity of the grated cassava is then strewed over it, and it is
+left. The fowls eat the medicated food greedily, and are soon found
+reeling about intoxicated, unable to escape, and content with thrusting
+their heads into a corner. It is almost unnecessary to observe that in
+this state they become an easy prey. Pigeons are sometimes caught in
+this manner in Germany by the poachers.
+
+This bird has, of late years, greatly increased in this country, and is
+often seen hanging at the poultry shops and in the markets; the great
+abundance of them has considerably reduced their value, and they now
+sell, proportionally, like other fowls. The eggs are smaller and rounder
+than those of the common hen, and of a speckled reddish-brown colour.
+They are esteemed a very delicate food.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE MOUND-BIRD OF AUSTRALIA.
+
+(_Megapodius tumulus._)]
+
+
+IT is remarkable that this bird does not hatch its eggs by incubation.
+It collects together a great heap of decaying vegetables as the place of
+deposit of its eggs, thus making a hotbed, arising from the
+decomposition of the collected matter, by the heat of which the young
+are hatched. This mound varies in quantity from two to four cart-loads,
+and is not the work of a single pair of birds, but is the result of the
+united labour of many.
+
+Mr. Gould, in his _Birds of Australia_, gives the following account of
+the discovery of one of these nests by Mr. Gilbert:--
+
+“I landed beside a thicket, and had not proceeded far from the shore,
+ere I came to a mound of sand and shells, with a slight mixture of black
+soil, the base resting on a sandy beach, only a few feet above
+high-water mark; it was enveloped in the large yellow-blossomed
+Hibiscus, and was of a conical form, twenty feet in circumference at the
+base, and about five feet in height. On pointing it out to the native,
+and asking him what it was, he replied, ‘Oooregoorga Rambal,’
+Jungle-fowls’ house or nest. I then scrambled up the sides of it, and,
+to my extreme delight, found a young bird in a hole about two feet deep;
+it was lying on a few dry withered leaves, and appeared only a few days
+old. So far I was satisfied that these mounds had some connection with
+the bird’s mode of incubation; but I was still sceptical as to the
+probability of these young birds ascending from so great a depth as the
+natives represented, and my suspicions were confirmed by my being unable
+to induce the native, in this instance, to search for the eggs, his
+excuse being that he knew it would be no use, as he saw no traces of the
+old birds having recently been there. I took the utmost care of the
+young bird, intending to rear it if possible; I therefore obtained a
+moderate-sized box, and placed in it a large portion of sand. As it fed
+rather freely on bruised Indian corn, I was in full hopes of succeeding;
+but it proved of so wild and intractable a disposition, that it would
+not reconcile itself to such close confinement, and effected its escape
+on the third day. During the period it remained in captivity, it was
+incessantly occupied in scratching up the sand into heaps, and the
+rapidity with which it threw the sand from one end of the box to the
+other was quite surprising for so young and small a bird, its size not
+being larger than that of a small quail.
+
+“At night it was so restless, that I was constantly kept awake by the
+noise it made in its endeavours to escape. In scratching up the sand it
+only used one foot, and having grasped a handful, as it were, the sand
+was thrown behind it, with but little apparent exertion, and without
+shifting its standing position on the other leg: this habit seemed to be
+the result of an innate restless disposition, and a desire to use its
+powerful feet, and to have but little connection with its feeding; for
+although Indian corn was mixed with the sand, I never detected the bird
+in picking any of it up while thus employed.
+
+“I continued to receive the eggs without having any opportunity of
+seeing them taken from the mound until the 6th of February; when, on
+again visiting Knocker’s Bay, I had the gratification of seeing two
+taken from a depth of six feet, in one of the largest mounds I had then
+seen. In this instance the holes ran down in an oblique direction from
+the centre towards the outer slope of the hillock, so that, although the
+eggs were six feet deep from the summit, they were only two or three
+feet from the side. The birds are said to lay but a single egg in each
+hole, and after the egg is deposited the earth is immediately thrown
+down lightly, until the hole is filled up; the upper part of the mound
+is then smoothed and rounded over. It is easily known when a Jungle-fowl
+has been recently excavating, from the distinct impression of its feet
+on the top and sides of the mound, and from the earth being so lightly
+thrown over, that with a slender stick the direction of the hole may
+readily be detected; the ease or difficulty of thrusting the stick down
+indicating the length of time that has elapsed since the birds’
+operations. Thus far it is easy enough; but to reach the eggs requires
+no little exertion and perseverance. The natives dig them up with their
+hands alone, and only make sufficient room to admit their bodies, and to
+throw out the earth between their legs: by grubbing with their fingers
+alone, they are enabled to fellow the direction of the hole with greater
+certainty, which will sometimes, at a depth of several feet, turn off
+abruptly at right angles, its direct course being obstructed by a clump
+of wood, or some other impediment.”
+
+In all probability, as Nature has adopted this mode of reproduction, she
+has also furnished the tender birds with the power of sustaining
+themselves from the earliest period; and the great size of the egg would
+equally lead to this conclusion, since in so large a space it is
+reasonable to suppose that the bird would be much more developed than is
+usually found in eggs of smaller dimensions. The eggs are perfectly
+white, of a long, oval form, three inches and three quarters long by two
+inches and a half in diameter.
+
+There are several other Australian birds which adopt the same singular
+mode of hatching their eggs; one of these is called the Native Pheasant
+(_Leipoa ocellata_), and another the Brush Turkey (_Talegalla Lathami_).
+The latter has its head and neck covered with a naked skin, like the
+turkey, but the lower part of this is much thickened, warty, and bright
+yellow.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE PHEASANT. (_Phasianus colchicus_.)]
+
+
+THE name of this bird implies that he was originally a native of the
+banks of the river Phasis, in Armenia; how and when he emigrated, and
+began to frequent our groves, is unknown. He is of the size of the
+common cock; the bill is of a pale horn colour; the nostrils arched; the
+eyes yellow, and surrounded by a naked warty skin, of a beautiful
+scarlet, finely spotted with black; immediately under each eye there is
+a small patch of short feathers, of a dark glossy purple; the upper
+parts of the head and neck are of a deep purple, varying to glossy
+green and blue; the lower parts of the neck and breast are of a reddish
+chesnut, with black indented edges; the sides and lower part of the
+breast are of the same colour, with tips of black to each feather,
+which, in different lights, vary to glossy purple; indeed, the whole
+colour of this half-domesticated fowl is very beautiful, uniting the
+brightness of deep yellow gold to the finest tints of the ruby and
+turquoise, with reflections of green; the whole being set off by several
+spots of shining black; but in this, as in every other kind of
+gorgeously-feathered birds, Nature has for some wise purposes, yet
+unknown to us, denied the female that admirable beauty of plumage which
+belongs to the male. The Pheasant lives in the woods, which he leaves at
+dusk to perambulate corn-fields and other sequestered places, where he
+feeds with his females, upon acorns, berries, grain, and seeds of
+plants, but chiefly on ants’ eggs, of which he is particularly fond. His
+flesh is justly accounted better meat than any of the domestic or wild
+fowls, as it unites the delicacy of the common chicken to a peculiar
+taste of its own. The female lays eighteen or twenty eggs once a year,
+in the wild state; but it is in vain that we have attempted to
+domesticate this bird entirely, as she never will remain patiently
+confined, and if she ever breeds in confinement is very careless of her
+brood.
+
+There are great varieties of Pheasants, of extraordinary beauty and
+brilliancy of colours: many of these, such as the Gold and Silver
+Pheasants (_Phasianus pictus_ and _P. Nycthemerus_), brought from the
+rich provinces of China, are kept in aviaries in this kingdom.
+
+This beautiful bird is elegantly described in the following passage:--
+
+ “See! from the brake the whirring Pheasant springs,
+ And mounts exulting on triumphant wings;
+ Short is his joy; he feels the fiery wound,
+ Flutters in blood, and panting beats the ground:
+ Ah! what avails his glossy, varying dyes,
+ His purple crest, his scarlet-circled eyes,
+ The vivid green his shining plumes unfold,
+ His painted wings, and breast that flames with gold!”
+ POPE’S WINDSOR FOREST.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE. (_Perdix rufus._)]
+
+
+THESE Partridges are natives of Guernsey and Jersey; but are also very
+frequently found on the adjoining coasts of France. Of late years they
+have spread very rapidly in England; and as they are stronger and
+fiercer than the common partridge, the latter becomes scarce wherever
+the Red-legged Partridges are abundant. In the Western districts of
+France they are very abundant, and their flesh is plump and juicy. In
+England it is as white as in France, but more dry. The side-feathers are
+very handsomely speckled, and there is a rich black mark beginning
+behind the eye and forming a kind of gorget on the breast. The eyelids
+are of a bright red, as are the bill and feet, and the claws are brown.
+They build their nests on the ground; but are sometimes found perched on
+trees, or on a fence or paling.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE COMMON PARTRIDGE, (_Perdix cinerea_,)]
+
+
+IS in weight about fourteen ounces. The plumage, although it cannot
+boast of gaudiness, is very pleasing to the eye, being a mixture of
+brown and fawn-colour, interspersed with grey and ash-colour tints. The
+head is small and pretty; the beak strong, but short, and resembling
+that of all other granivorous birds. The female lays fifteen or eighteen
+eggs, and leads her brood in the corn-fields with the utmost care. Young
+Partridges are among the birds which run fleetly the moment they come
+out of the shell, and may sometimes be found running with a piece of the
+shell still remaining on their heads. The affection of Partridges for
+their offspring is peculiarly interesting. Both the parents lead them
+out to feed: they point out to them the proper places for their food,
+and assist them in finding it by scratching the ground with their feet.
+They frequently sit close together, covering the young ones with their
+wings; and from this position they are not easily roused. If, however,
+they are disturbed, most people acquainted with rural affairs know the
+confusion that ensues. The male gives the first signal of alarm, by a
+peculiar cry of distress; throwing himself at the same moment more
+immediately into the way of danger, in order to mislead the enemy. He
+flutters along the ground, hanging his wings, and exhibiting every
+symptom of debility. By this stratagem he seldom fails of so far
+attracting the attention of the intruder as to allow the female to
+conduct the helpless unfledged brood into some place of security.
+
+The nest is usually on the ground; but on the farm of Lion Hall, in
+Essex, belonging to Colonel Hawker, a Partridge, in the year 1788,
+formed her nest, and hatched sixteen eggs, on the top of a pollard
+oak-tree! What renders this circumstance the more remarkable is, that
+the tree had fastened to it the bars of a stile, where there was a
+footpath; and the passengers, in going over, discovered and disturbed
+her before she sat close. When the brood was hatched, the birds
+scrambled down the short and rough boughs, which grew out all around the
+trunk of the tree, and reached the ground in safety. It has long been a
+received opinion among sportsmen, as well as among naturalists, that the
+female Partridge has none of the bay feathers of the breast like the
+male. This, however, is a mistake; for Mr. Montague happening to kill
+nine birds in one day, with very little variation as to the bay mark on
+the breast, he was led to open them all, and discovered five of them
+were females. On carefully examining the plumage, he found that the
+males could only be known by the superior brightness of colour about the
+head; which alone, after the first or second year, seems to be the true
+mark of distinction. They fly in coveys till about the third week in
+February, when they separate and pair; but if the weather be very
+severe, it is not unusual to see them collect together again. We are
+told that a gamekeeper, in Dorsetshire, hearing a Partridge utter a cry
+of distress, was attracted by the sound into a field of oats, when the
+bird ran round him very much agitated; upon his looking among the corn,
+he saw in the midst of her infant brood a large snake, which he killed;
+and perceiving its body much distended, he opened it, when to his
+astonishment two young Partridges ran from their prison, and joined
+their mother; two others were found dead in its stomach. Partridges have
+ever held a distinguished place at the tables of the luxurious: we have
+an old distich:
+
+ “If the Partridge had the woodcock’s thigh,
+ ’Twould be the best bird that e’er did fly.”
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE QUAIL, (_Coturnix dactylisonans_,)]
+
+
+IS a small bird, being in length no more than seven inches. The colour
+of the breast is a dirty pale yellow, and the throat has a little
+mixture of red: the head is black, and the body and wings have black
+stripes upon a hazel-coloured ground. Its habits and manner of living
+resemble those of the partridge, and it is either caught in nets by
+decoy birds, or shot by the help of the setting-dog, its call being
+easily imitated by tapping two pieces of copper one against another. The
+flesh of the Quail is very luscious, and next in flavour to that of the
+partridge. Quails are birds of passage, the only peculiarity in which
+they differ from all other of the poultry kind; and such prodigious
+numbers have sometimes appeared on the western coast of the kingdom of
+Naples, that one hundred thousand have been caught in one day, within
+the space of three or four miles. In some parts of the south of Russia
+they abound so greatly, that at the time of their migration they are
+caught by thousands, and sent in casks to Moscow and St. Petersburg. The
+female seldom lays more than six or seven eggs.
+
+The ancient Athenians kept this bird merely for the sport of fighting
+with each other, as game-cocks do, and never ate the flesh. The Quail
+was that wild fowl which God thought proper to send to the chosen people
+of Israel as a sustenance for them in the desert.
+
+The Chinese Quail is a beautiful little bird, and is often kept in cages
+in China, for the singular purpose, as it is said, of warming people’s
+hands in winter; as taking the soft, warm body of the bird in the hand
+diffuses through it an agreeable warmth. It is also very pugnacious, and
+is employed in fighting.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE AMERICAN QUAIL, (_Ortyx Virginianus_,)]
+
+
+IS larger than the Common Quail, and is something between a Quail and a
+Partridge.
+
+The CALIFORNIAN QUAIL (_O. Californicus_) is distinguished by its
+possession of a curious crest or tuft of feathers on the crown of the
+head.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE RED GROUSE. (_Lagopus scoticus._)]
+
+ “High on exulting wing the Heath-Cook rose,
+ And blew his shrill blast o’er perennial snows.”
+ ROGERS.
+
+
+THIS bird is called by some ornithologists the _Moor Cock_, and by
+others _Red Game_. The beak is black and short; over the eyes there is a
+bare skin of a bright red. The general colour of the plumage is red and
+black, variegated, and intermixed with each other, except the wings,
+which are brownish, spotted with red, and the tail, which is black; the
+feet are covered with thick feathers down to the very claws. It is
+common in the north of England, in Scotland, and in Wales; and not only
+affords great diversion to the noblemen and gentlemen of those countries
+who are fond of shooting, but also repays them well for their trouble,
+as the flesh is very delicate, and holds on our table an equal place
+with that of the partridge and the pheasant. The season of Grouse
+shooting commences on the 12th of August. In winter they are found in
+flocks of sometimes fifty to one hundred in number, which are termed by
+sportsmen _packs_, and become remarkably shy and wild, seldom allowing
+the sportsman to approach them within one hundred yards. They keep near
+the summits of the heathy hills, and seldom descend to the lower
+grounds. Here they feed on the mountain berries and on the tender tops
+of the heath. The hen lays seven or eight eggs of a reddish black
+colour.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE PTARMIGAN, OR WHITE GROUSE,
+
+(_Lagopus vulgaris_,)]
+
+
+IS somewhat larger than a pigeon; its bill is black, and its plumage in
+summer is of a pale brown colour, elegantly mottled with small bars and
+dusky spots. The head and neck are marked with broad bars of black,
+rust-colour, and white; the wings and belly are white. The White Grouse
+is fond of lofty situations, where it braves the severest cold. It is
+found in most of the northern parts of Europe and America, even as far
+as Greenland. In this country it is only to be met with on the summits
+of some of our highest hills, chiefly in Scotland, and in the Hebrides
+and Orkneys, but sometimes in Cumberland and Wales. Its plumage becomes
+pure white in winter, with the exception of the tail feathers, which
+remain black.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE BLACK COCK, (_Tetrao tetrix_,)]
+
+
+IS about four pounds in weight; but the female, which is usually called
+the Grey Hen, is often not more than two. The plumage of the whole body
+of the male is black, and glossed over the neck and rump with shining
+blue; the coverts of the wings are of a dusky brown, with the quill
+feathers black and white. The tail is much forked in the male. These
+birds never pair; but in the spring the males assemble at their
+accustomed haunts on the tops of heathy mountains, where they crow and
+clap their wings:
+
+ “And from the pine’s high top brought down
+ The giant Grouse, while boastful he display’d
+ His breast of varying green, and crow’d and clapp’d
+ His glossy wings.”
+ GISBORNE.
+
+The females, at this signal, resort to them. The males are very
+quarrelsome, and fight together like game-cocks. On these occasions they
+are so inattentive to their own safety, that two or three have sometimes
+been killed at one shot; and instances have occurred of their having
+been knocked down with a stick.
+
+Like the Capercalzie, or Cock of the Woods, a larger species of this
+genus, these birds are common in Russia, Siberia, and other northern
+countries, chiefly in wooded and mountainous situations; and in the
+northern parts of our own island on uncultivated moors.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE CAPERCALZIE, (_Tetrao urogallus_,)]
+
+
+WAS also formerly an inhabitant of the forests of Scotland, but has been
+extinct in Britain for many years. The male is as large as a good-sized
+turkey, the female considerably smaller. Several attempts have been made
+to rear the Capercalzie, and domesticate it in this country, but without
+effect. They are now most numerous in Sweden, where they are much
+esteemed as food. Of late years they have been brought to the English
+market, and are considered very good eating.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE COMMON COCK. (_Gallus domesticus._)]
+
+ “While the Cock, with lively din,
+ Scatters the rear of darkness thin;
+ And to the stack, or the barn door,
+ Stoutly struts his dames before.” MILTON.
+
+
+THIS bird is so well known that it would be needless to say much of him.
+His plumage is various and beautiful, his courage very great and
+proverbial, and his intuitive knowledge of the period of sunrise has
+baffled the most scrutinising researches of naturalists. When of a good
+breed, and well taught to fight, he will die rather than yield to his
+adversary. The hen lays a great number of eggs, and will hatch as many
+as thirteen at one sitting; but this is considered the extreme number,
+being as many as she can well cover. When in the secluded state of
+incubation she eats very little; and yet is so courageous and strong
+that she will rise and fight any men or animals that dare to approach
+her nest. It is impossible to conceive how, with such a scanty
+sustenance as she takes, she can, for twenty-one days, emit constantly
+from her body as much heat as would raise Fahrenheit’s thermometer to
+ninety-six degrees. The flesh of this bird is delicate and wholesome,
+and universally relished as nourishing and agreeable food.
+
+There are several varieties of families of this fowl. The Hamburg Cock
+has a beautiful tuft of feathers about his ears and on the top of his
+head; and the Bantam has his legs and toes entirely feathered, which is
+more an impediment than an ornament to the bird.
+
+The cruel sport of cockfighting may be traced back to the earliest
+antiquity. The Athenians seem to have received it from India, where it
+is even now followed with a kind of frenzy; and we are told that the
+Chinese will sometimes risk not only the whole of their property, but
+their wives and children, on the issue of a battle. The religion of the
+Greeks could not see that game with pleasure, and therefore cockfighting
+was allowed only once a year; but the Romans adopted the practice with
+rapture, and introduced it into this island. Henry VIII. delighted in
+this sport, and caused a commodious house to be built for the purpose,
+which, although now applied to a very different use, still retains the
+name of the Cockpit. The part of our ships so called, seems also to
+indicate that in former times the diversion of cockfighting was
+permitted, in order to beguile the tedious hours of a long voyage. The
+Cock has been a subject of considerable interest with the poets; and has
+been very commonly called by them “Chanticleer:”
+
+ “Within this homestead lived, without a peer
+ For crowing loud, the noble Chanticleer.” DRYDEN.
+
+ “The feathered songster, Chanticleer,
+ Had wound his bugle-horn,
+ And told the early villager
+ The coming of the morn.” CHATTERTON.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: BANKIVA COCK.--JAGO COCK AND HEN.--SPANISH COCK AND HEN.]
+
+
+FROM the Bankiva fowl nearly all the various kinds of fowls found in
+British poultry-yards are said to have sprung. It is a native of the
+island of Java, and is characterised by a red indented comb, red
+wattles, and ash-grey legs and feet. The cock has a thin indented or
+scalloped comb, and wattles under the mouth. The feathers of the neck
+are long, falling down, and rounded at the tips, and are of the finest
+gold colour. The head and neck are fawn-coloured, the wing-coverts dusky
+brownish and black; the tail and belly black. The hen is of a dusky
+ash-grey and yellowish colour, and has a much smaller comb and beard
+than the cock.
+
+
+
+THE PADUAN, OR JAGO FOWL.
+
+(_Gallus giganteus._)
+
+
+THE wild species, termed by Marsden the Jago fowl, is a native of Java
+and Sumatra, and is supposed by Temminck to be the original of this fine
+breed, though little is known of the wild sort, further than that it is
+double the size of the Bankiva, or common fowl. Marsden says he has seen
+in the East a cock of this species tall enough to pick crumbs from a
+dining-table. They are said to weigh from eight to ten pounds. The combs
+of both the cock and hen are large, frequently double, of the form of a
+crown, with a tufted crest of feathers, which is largest in the hen; the
+voice is stronger and harsher than that of other fowls; but the most
+singular peculiarity is, that they do not come into full feather till
+about half grown. The Cochin-China fowls are said to be a variety of the
+Jago fowls. There are numerous hybrids and varieties of the Jago fowl
+found under different names in poultry-yards, but all of them lay fine
+large eggs, and are highly esteemed for the excellent flavour of their
+flesh. One of the most interesting of these varieties is called
+
+
+THE SPANISH FOWL,
+
+the body and tail feathers of which are of a rich black, with
+occasionally a little white on the breast. The cock of this variety is a
+most majestic bird; its deportment is grave and stately, and its eyes
+are encircled with a ring of brown feathers, from which rises a black
+tuft that covers the ears. There are other similar feathers behind the
+comb and beneath the wattles. The legs and feet are of lead colour,
+except the sole of the foot, which is yellowish.
+
+
+THE BANTAM FOWL
+
+is a small variety, with short legs, most frequently feathered to the
+toes, so as sometimes to obstruct walking. Many Bantam fanciers prefer
+those which have clear bright legs, without any vestige of feathers.
+The full-bred Bantam cock should have a rose comb, a well-feathered
+tail, full hackles, a proud lively carriage, and ought not to weigh more
+than a pound. The nankeen coloured and the black are the greatest
+favourites. If of the latter colour, the bird should have no feathers of
+any other sort in his plumage. The nankeen bird should have his feathers
+edged with black, his wings barred with purple, his tail feathers black,
+his hackles slightly studded with purple, and his breast black, with
+white edges to the feathers. The hens should be small, clean-legged, and
+match in plumage with the cock.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE DODO. (_Didus ineptus._)]
+
+
+SWIFTNESS has generally been considered the attribute of birds, but the
+Dodo appears never to have had any title to this distinction. Instead of
+exciting the idea of swiftness by its appearance, in the drawings that
+have been preserved of it, it strikes the imagination as a thing the
+most unwieldy and inactive of all nature. Its body is massive, almost
+round, and covered with grey feathers. It is just barely supported upon
+two short thick legs, like pillars; while its head and neck rise from it
+in a manner truly grotesque. The neck, thick and pursy, is joined to the
+head, which consists of two immense jaws, opening far beyond the eye.
+The Dodo formerly inhabited the Isle of France; but it has been long
+extinct--so long, indeed, that the very fact of its ever having existed
+at all has been a subject of dispute amongst naturalists and scientific
+men. A great deal of evidence, in the form of old pictures as well as in
+writings, has been brought forward to prove that the Dodo is not a
+fabulous bird, and its reality is now generally admitted. In fact, we
+have very reliable testimony that a single specimen was actually
+exhibited publicly in London in the year 1638.
+
+The Dodo was supposed by the earliest naturalists who described it, to
+be a kind of turkey, as in the flavour of its flesh it resembled that
+bird. Later naturalists supposed it to be a kind of swan, and this
+opinion was followed by the celebrated Buffon. Others thought it was a
+kind of vulture; and others, judging from the shortness of its wings,
+placed it in the ostrich tribe. Modern naturalists, however, having
+carefully examined the bones of the bird, which have been preserved, are
+of opinion that it was a gigantic pigeon. An entire specimen existed
+about a hundred years ago in the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford, but only
+part of the bird and one of the feet remain; there is also a foot
+preserved in the British Museum. There is a reference to this extinct
+species in Humboldt’s Cosmos. (See Bohn’s edition, vol. i. page 29, and
+a note on the Dodo, by Dr. Mantell, at the end of the volume.)
+
+The _Solitaire_ is another remarkable bird which was formerly found in
+the Mauritius and the adjoining islands, but which has now become
+extinct.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE RINGDOVE, CUSHAT, OR WOOD PIGEON,
+
+(_Columba palumbus_,)]
+
+
+IS the largest Pigeon found in our island, by which it may be
+distinguished from all others; its weight is about twenty ounces, its
+length eighteen inches, and its circumference about thirty. It is
+usually known as the Wood Pigeon. This bird is of a bluish grey colour,
+with the feathers of the sides of the neck tipped with white, forming
+several imperfect rings; the breed is common in Britain. Its habits are
+like those of other birds of the tribe, but it is so strongly attached
+to its native freedom, that all attempts to domesticate it, with a few
+rare exceptions, have hitherto proved ineffectual.
+
+These birds build their nests chiefly on the pine, or holly, with dried
+sticks thrown rudely together; and the eggs, which may frequently be
+seen through the bottom of the nest, are larger than those of the
+domestic Pigeon.
+
+Mr. Montague bred up a curious assemblage of birds, which lived together
+in perfect amity; it consisted of a common pigeon, a ringdove, a white
+owl, and a sparrowhawk; the ringdove was master of the whole.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE STOCKDOVE. (_Columba ænas._)]
+
+ “The Stockdove, recluse, with her mate,
+ Conceals her fond bliss in the grove,
+ And murmuring seems to repeat,
+ That May is the mother of love.” CUNNINGHAM.
+
+
+THIS bird is called the Stockdove, because it builds in the stocks of
+trees which have been headed down, and are become thick and bristly; and
+not, as some have supposed, because it is the stock, or original, from
+which all the tame pigeons have sprung. Sometimes these birds lay their
+eggs in deserted rabbit-warrens, on the sod, without making any nest.
+
+The colour of the Stockdove is generally of a deep slate or lead tint,
+with rings of black about the feathers. While the beech woods were
+suffered to cover large tracts of ground, these birds used to haunt them
+in myriads, frequently extending above a mile in length, as they went
+out in the morning to feed. They are still found in considerable
+quantities in many parts of England, but never in Scotland, forming
+their nests in the hollows of trees; not like the ringdove, on boughs.
+Their murmuring strains, or cooings, in the morning and at dusk, are
+highly pleasing, and throw an agreeable melancholy on the solitude of
+the grove. The poet of the Seasons expresses this in the following
+lines, with a beautiful instance of imitative harmony:
+
+ “---- the Stockdove breathes
+ A melancholy murmur through the whole.”
+ _Spring._
+
+Wordsworth also gives a pleasing description of the mournful cooing of
+these birds:
+
+ “I heard a Stockdove sing or say
+ His homely tale this very day;
+ His voice was buried among trees,
+ Yet to be come at by the breeze;
+ He did not cease; but cooed and cooed;
+ And somewhat pensively he wooed;
+ He sang of love with quiet blending,
+ Slow to begin, and never ending;
+ Of serious faith and inward glee,
+ That was the song--the song for me.”
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE ROCKDOVE. (_Columba livia._)]
+
+
+THE shape of this bird, which is the original stock of our
+domestic Pigeons, is well known, and the plumage of the wild
+birds is exactly similar to that of the commonest kind seen in our
+dove-cots--bluish-grey, with black bands across the wings. In its wild
+state it inhabits the cavities of high rocks and cliffs on the sea
+coast, where it is found abundantly in our own country. The female
+Pigeon lays two eggs at a time, which produce generally a male and a
+female. It is pleasing to see how eager the male is to sit upon the
+eggs, in order that his mate may rest and feed herself. The young ones,
+when hatched, are fed from the crop of the mother, who has the power of
+forcing up the half-digested peas which she has swallowed to give them
+to her young. The young ones, open-mouthed, receive this tribute of
+affection, and are thus fed three times a day.
+
+There are upwards of twenty varieties of the domestic Pigeon, and of
+these the carriers are the most celebrated. They obtain their name from
+being sometimes employed to convey letters or small packets from one
+place to another. The rapidity of their flight is very wonderful.
+Lithgow assures us that one of them will carry a letter from Babylon to
+Aleppo (which, to a man, is usually thirty days’ journey) in forty-eight
+hours. To measure their speed with some degree of exactness, a
+gentleman, many years ago, on a trifling wager, sent a Carrier Pigeon
+from London, by the coach, to a friend at Bury St. Edmunds, and along
+with it a note, desiring that the Pigeon, two days after its arrival
+there, might be thrown up precisely when the town clock struck nine in
+the morning. This was accordingly done, and the Pigeon arrived in London
+at half-past eleven o’clock on the same morning, having flown
+seventy-two miles in two hours and a half. An instance of still greater
+speed is mentioned by Mr. Yarrell, in which a Carrier flew from Rouen to
+Ghent, a hundred and fifty miles in a straight line, in one hour and a
+half. From the instant of its liberation, its flight is directed through
+the clouds, at a great height, to its home. By an instinct altogether
+inconceivable, it darts onward, in a straight line, to the very spot
+whence it was taken, but how it can direct its flight so exactly will
+probably for ever remain unknown to us.
+
+ “Led by what chart, transports the timid Dove,
+ The wreaths of conquest, or the vows of love?
+ Say through the clouds what compass points her flight?
+ Monarchs have gazed, and nations blessed the sight.
+ Pile rocks on rocks, bid woods and mountains rise,
+ Eclipse her native shades, her native skies:--
+ ’Tis vain! through ether’s pathless wilds she goes,
+ And lights at last where all her cares repose.
+ Sweet bird, thy truth shall Harlem’s walls attest,
+ And unborn ages consecrate thy nest.” ROGERS.
+
+The Carrier Pigeon is easily distinguished from the other varieties by a
+broad circle of naked white skin round the eyes, by the large fleshy
+wattle at the base of its bill, and by its dark blue or blackish colour.
+
+It would be as fruitless as unnecessary to attempt to describe all the
+varieties of the Tame Pigeon; for human art has so much altered the
+colour and figure of this bird, that pigeon-fanciers, by pairing a male
+and female of different sorts, can, as they express it, “breed them to a
+feather.” Hence we have the various names of Carriers, Tumblers,
+Jacobins, Croppers, Pouters, Bunts, Turbits, Shakers, Fantails, Owls,
+Nuns, &c., all of which may, at first, have accidentally varied from the
+Rockdove, and these have been further improved by crossing, food, and
+climate. An actual post system, in which pigeons were the messengers,
+was established by the Sultan Noureddin Mahmoud, which lasted about a
+century, and ceased in 1258, when Bagdad fell into the hands of the
+Moguls.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE TURTLE DOVE. (_Columba turtur._)]
+
+ “Go, beautiful and gentle Dove,
+ And greet the morning ray;
+ For lo! the sun shines bright above,
+ And the rain is pass’d away.” BOWLES.
+
+
+THIS Dove brings to the heart and mind the most pleasing recollections;
+its name is nearly synonymous with faithfulness and unvariable
+affection. The male or female is so much attached to its respective mate
+that it is said, perhaps with more poetry than truth, that if one die
+the other will never survive; however, the author of these observations
+was an eye-witness to the death of a female Turtle Dove, who was
+unfortunately killed by a spaniel, in the absence of the male; the
+disconsolate survivor, after having in vain searched everywhere for his
+mate, came and mournfully perched upon the wonted trough, waiting
+patiently for her to repair thither in order to get food; but, after two
+days of unavailing expectation, he, by spontaneous abstinence, pined and
+died on the place. Such examples are not common; and we believe that,
+when not domesticated, the appearance of another female, in the time of
+coupling, sets at defiance all natural propensity to constancy, and puts
+an end to the much-famed disconsolate widowhood. Their general colour is
+a bluish grey; the breast and neck of a whitish purple, with a ringlet
+of beautiful white feathers with black edges about the sides of the
+neck. Nothing can express the sensation which is excited in a feeling
+mind when the tender and sweetly plaintive notes of the Turtle Dove
+breathe from the grove on a beautiful spring evening:
+
+ “Deep in the wood, thy voice I list, and love
+ Thy soft complaining song, thy tender cooing;
+ Oh, what a winning way thou hast of wooing,
+ Gentlest of all thy race--sweet Turtle Dove!
+ Thine is a note which doth not pass away
+ Like the light music of a summer’s day;
+ Hushing the voice of mirth, and staying folly,
+ And waking in the breast a gentle melancholy.”
+ INGLIS.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+
+§ VI. _Grallatores, or Waders._
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE OSTRICH. (_Struthio camelus._)]
+
+
+THIS bird is a native of Africa, and is so tall that when it holds up
+its head it is seven or eight feet in height. The head is very small in
+comparison with the body, being hardly bigger than one of the toes, and
+is covered, as well as the neck, with a kind of down, or thin-set hair,
+instead of feathers. The sides and thighs are entirely bare and
+flesh-coloured. The lower part of the neck, where the feathers begin, is
+white. The wings are very short in proportion to the size of the bird,
+and in fact are too small to enable it to fly; but when it runs, which
+it does with a strange jumping kind of motion, it raises its short
+wings and holds them quivering over its back, where they seem to serve
+as a kind of sail to gather the wind, and carry the bird onwards. The
+speed which it will thus attain is enormous. The swiftest greyhound
+cannot overtake it; and indeed an Arab on his horse cannot hope to
+capture an ostrich without having recourse to stratagem. He dexterously
+throws a stick between its legs as it runs, and so tripping it up, is
+enabled to secure it.
+
+In its flight it spurns the pebbles behind it like shot against the
+pursuer. And this is not their only mode of annoyance. They have been
+known to attack men with their claws, with which they are able to strike
+with terrific force. The feathers of the back in the cock are coal
+black, in the hen only dusky, and so soft that they resemble a kind of
+wool. The tail is thick, bushy, and round; in the cock whitish, in the
+hen dusky, with white tops. These are the feathers so generally in
+requisition to decorate the head-dress of ladies and the helmets of
+warriors.
+
+The Ostrich swallows anything that presents itself, leather, glass,
+iron, bread, hair, &c., but the old notion that the Ostrich could digest
+metals is certainly incorrect. An Ostrich in the Zoological Gardens in
+the Regent’s Park was killed by swallowing a lady’s parasol.
+
+ “O’er the wild waste the stupid Ostrich strays
+ In devious search, to pick a scanty meal,
+ Whose fierce digestion gnaws the temper’d steel.”
+ MICKLE’S LUSIAD.
+
+They are polygamous birds, one male being generally seen with two or
+three, and sometimes with five, females. The female Ostrich, after
+depositing her eggs in the sand, trusts them to be hatched by the heat
+of the climate; in the Book of Job there is a beautiful passage relating
+to this habit of the Ostrich, “which leaveth her eggs in the earth, and
+warmeth them in the dust; and forgetteth that the foot may crush them,
+or that the wild beast may break them. She is hardened against her young
+ones, as though they were not hers. Her labour is in vain; without
+fear, because God hath deprived her of wisdom; neither has he imparted
+to her understanding. What time she lifteth up her head on high, she
+scorneth the horse and his rider.” It appears, however, that the female
+Ostrich sits upon her eggs like other birds, although generally at night
+only, and brings up her young. The eggs are as large as a young child’s
+head, with a hard stony shell, and one has been known to weigh upwards
+of three pounds. The time of incubation is six weeks. That Ostriches
+have great affection for their offspring may be inferred from the
+assertion of Professor Thunberg, who says that he once rode past the
+place where a hen Ostrich was sitting in her nest, when the bird sprang
+up and pursued him, evidently with a view to prevent his noticing her
+eggs or young. Every time he turned his horse towards her she retreated
+ten or twelve paces, but as soon as he rode on again she pursued him
+till he had got to a considerable distance from the place where he had
+started her. In the tropical regions, some persons breed Ostriches in
+flocks, for they may be tamed with very little trouble. When M. Adanson
+was at Podar, a French factory on the southern bank of the river Niger,
+two young but full-grown Ostriches, belonging to the factory, afforded
+him a very amusing sight. They were so tame that two little blacks
+mounted both together on the back of the largest. No sooner did he feel
+their weight than he began to run as fast as possible, and carried them
+several times round the village, and it was impossible to stop him
+otherwise than by obstructing the passage. This sight pleased M. Adanson
+so much that he wished it to be repeated, and, to try their strength,
+directed a full-grown negro to mount the smaller, and two others the
+larger of the birds. This burden did not seem at all disproportioned to
+their strength. At first they went at a tolerably sharp trot, but when
+they became a little heated they expanded their wings, as though to
+catch the wind, and moved with such fleetness that they scarcely seemed
+to touch the ground. The foot of the Ostrich has only two toes, one of
+which is extremely large and strong.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE RHEA, (_Rhea Americana_,)]
+
+
+OR AMERICAN OSTRICH, is about half as big as the African species. It has
+its head covered with feathers, and each of its feet consists of three
+toes. It is found on the great plains of South America, and, like the
+African Ostrich, is polygamous, but the curious part of the matter is
+that the females often lay their eggs almost anywhere on the ground, and
+the male takes the trouble of collecting them into a sort of nest, and
+sitting on them until the young birds are hatched. When thus occupied,
+the males often become very fierce, and will attack any one that
+approaches them too closely.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE CASSOWARY, (_Casuarius galeatus_,)]
+
+
+INSTEAD of the beautiful plumes of the ostrich, has his wings furnished
+only with five stiff quills without barbs, which project curiously from
+the feathers of the body. His plumage is black; his head is small and
+depressed, with a horny crown or helmet, and covered with a naked red
+skin; the head and neck are deprived of feathers; about the neck are
+two protuberances of a bluish colour, in shape like the wattles of a
+cock. The feathers consist of long, slender, separate barbs, which hang
+down on each side of the body, so that at a distance he looks as if he
+were entirely covered with the hairs of a bear rather than with the
+plumage of a bird. His height is about five feet. The Cassowary is as
+voracious as the ostrich, and eats indiscriminately whatever comes in
+his way, and does not seem to have any sort of predilection in the
+choice of his food. The Dutch travellers assert that he can devour not
+only glass, iron, and stones, but even burning coals, without testifying
+the smallest fear, or sustaining the least injury; and it is said that
+the passage of his food is performed so speedily that even eggs will
+pass unbroken. He is a native of some of the Indian islands. The eggs of
+the female are nearly fifteen inches in circumference, of a greenish
+colour. It has been said of the Cassowary that he has the head of a
+warrior, the eye of a lion, the armament of a porcupine, and the
+swiftness of a courser.
+
+A Cassowary once kept in the menagerie of the museum at Paris, devoured
+every day between three and four pounds weight of bread, six or seven
+apples, and a bunch of carrots. In summer it drank about four pints of
+water in the day, and in winter somewhat more. It swallowed all its food
+without bruising it. This bird was sometimes ill-tempered and
+mischievous, and much irritated when any person approached it of a dirty
+or ragged appearance, or dressed in red clothes, and frequently
+attempted to strike at them by kicking forward with its feet. It has
+been known to leap out of its enclosure and to tear the legs of a man
+with its claws.
+
+The Cassowary is very vigorous and powerful; its beak being, in
+proportion, much stronger than that of the ostrich, it has the means of
+defending itself with great advantage, and of easily pulling down and
+breaking in pieces almost any hard substance. It strikes in a very
+dangerous manner with its feet either behind or before, not unlike the
+kicking of a horse, at any object which offends it, and runs with
+surprising swiftness.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE EMEU. (_Dromaius Novæ Hollandiæ._)]
+
+
+THE head of this bird is without any horny crest, and feathered, but the
+cheeks and throat are nearly naked. The general colour is a dull brown,
+mottled with a dingy grey, and the young are striped with black. In
+appearance it closely resembles the ostrich, next to which it is the
+tallest bird known, but is of a more thick-set and clumsy make, though
+at the same time very swift and strong, and able to make a formidable
+defence against its hunters and their dogs, by kicking in a very
+vigorous and dangerous manner. It is, however, very docile, and if taken
+young may be easily tamed. The flesh is considered excellent eating, and
+is said to possess a flavour something between a sucking-pig and a
+turkey. The only sound that this bird emits is a low drumming noise,
+produced by means of a valve attached to the lungs. The female Emeu lays
+her eggs in different places, but they are afterwards collected by the
+male, by rolling them to one place, when he sits on them.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE APTERYX. (_Apteryx Australis._)]
+
+
+THIS curious bird, which has the shortest wings of any member of its
+class, is found only in New Zealand, where it is called _Kivi-Kivi_ by
+the natives, in imitation of its cry. It is smaller than any of the
+species of wingless birds just described, and its legs are short and
+stout; it has three strong front toes on each foot, and a short hinder
+toe armed with a very strong claw. The body of the Apteryx is something
+like that of the cassowary in its form; the neck is rather long, and,
+like the head, clothed with feathers; but the most singular part of the
+bird is its bill, which is long, rather slender, and slightly curved,
+and has the nostrils situated quite at its tip. This curious structure
+of the bill is intended to enable the bird more readily to obtain the
+worms and insects upon which it feeds, and which it drags out of their
+holes in the ground. It runs quickly, but only at night, and when in
+motion it might easily be mistaken for a small dusky-brown quadruped.
+The plumage resembles that of the emeu in its texture, and the skins are
+highly esteemed by the New Zealanders, who use them for making cloaks.
+
+Among the many curious characteristics of this bird is its habit of
+leaning, when at rest, upon the tip of its long bill. When hunted it
+scrapes a hole in the sand with its powerful feet, in which it hides; or
+it runs into some natural cavity, if there is any near, where access is
+difficult for its pursuers, and often makes a valiant defence.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE BUSTARD, (_Otis tarda_,)]
+
+
+IS a large and fine bird which was formerly common in some parts of
+England, but has now become so rare here that the capture of a specimen
+is looked upon as something remarkable. It is still abundant in some
+parts of the continent of Europe. The male Bustard measures nearly four
+feet in length, and has the head and neck greyish, the back buff or pale
+chestnut, with a great many black bars, and all the lower part of the
+body white. From each side of the chin there springs a tuft of slender
+feathers about seven inches in length, standing out like a pair of stiff
+moustaches. The female is a good deal smaller than the male, or about
+three feet in length; she is also distinguished from her partner by the
+want of the tufts on the chin, although in some cases these exist in the
+female, but shorter than in the male.
+
+The Bustard feeds on green vegetables and insects, and are also said to
+kill and eat small quadrupeds and reptiles. They are polygamous, and
+when the female has laid her two or three eggs in a slight depression of
+the ground, and commenced the business of incubation, the male most
+ungallantly deserts her, and retires to take his ease in some
+neighbouring marsh. It was formerly supposed that the male Bustard paid
+so much attention to his mates as to provide them with water, which he
+was said to bring to them in a large pouch, capable of holding nearly a
+gallon, situated under his throat. It is true that the female is without
+this appendage; but modern naturalists all agree in stating that the
+male bird is never seen in company with the female after she has begun
+to sit. The use of this pouch is therefore still a subject of
+controversy.
+
+The female lays her eggs among clover, or more frequently in
+corn-fields, the nest being merely a hollow scraped in the ground. The
+eggs are two, or sometimes three, in number, and their colour is a
+yellowish-brown, inclining to green.
+
+A peculiarity of the Bustard, noticed by most naturalists, is the
+extreme rapidity with which they can run. They skim along the ground,
+raising the wings over the back in the same manner as the ostrich. It is
+said that in former times, when the breed was commoner, it was a
+practice to hunt the young birds, before they had acquired the power of
+flying, with greyhounds.
+
+As an article of food the flesh of the Bustard has always been held in
+great estimation.
+
+There are several other species peculiar both to Asia and Africa.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE CRANE. (_Grus cinerea._)]
+
+
+CRANES frequent marshy places, and live upon small fish and
+water-insects. Their long beaks enable them to search the water and mud
+for their prey, and their long necks prevent the necessity of their
+stooping to pick up from between their feet the objects of their search.
+The top of the head, the throat, and sides of the neck are of a blackish
+hue; the back, the wings, and the body are ash-coloured. The tertial
+feathers of the wings are very long, with loose webs, forming elegant
+plumes, which fall over the sides of the tail. They used to be common in
+the fen countries, Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire, but are not now so
+frequently seen in England as formerly. In their flight, Cranes mount
+high in the air, but their voices can be heard even when the birds cease
+to be perceptible to the eye, and it is said that their sight is so keen
+that they discover at a great distance any field of corn or other food
+which they are fond of, and presently alight and enjoy it. These
+depredations they generally commit during the night, trampling down the
+ground as if it had been marched over by an army. They generally form
+themselves in the air in the shape of a wedge.
+
+ “---- ---- Part more wise,
+ In common, ranged in figure, wedge their way,
+ Intelligent of seasons, and set forth
+ Their aëry caravan high over seas
+ Flying, and over lands, with mutual wing
+ Easing their flight. So steers the prudent Crane
+ Her annual voyage, borne on winds. The air
+ Floats as they pass, fann’d by unnumber’d wings.”
+ MILTON.
+
+This bird lives to a considerable age, and as it is easily tamed, it has
+been ascertained that the Crane often reaches his fortieth year. Its
+nest is usually built amongst the reeds and sedges of a marsh, but
+sometimes upon a ruined building. The female lays two eggs, of a pale
+brown colour, with darker spots.
+
+According to Kolben, they are often observed in large flocks on the
+marshes about the Cape of Good Hope. He says he never saw a flock of
+them on the ground that had not some placed apparently as sentinels, to
+keep a look out while the others are feeding, who on the approach of
+danger immediately give notice to the rest. These sentinels stand on one
+leg, and at intervals stretch out their necks, as if to observe that all
+is safe. On notice being given of danger, the whole flock are in an
+instant on the wing. Kolben also adds that in the night time each of the
+watching Cranes, which rest on their left legs, hold in their right claw
+a stone of considerable weight, in order that, if overcome by sleep, the
+falling of the stone may awaken them.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE BALEARIC CRANE, OR CROWNED DEMOISELLE, (_Balearica
+pavonina_,)]
+
+
+IS originally, as the name expresses, a native of Majorca and Minorca,
+in the Mediterranean sea, which were formerly called the Balearic Isles,
+but is chiefly found now in the Cape Verd Islands. The shape of its body
+is not unlike that of the common Crane, but it has a principal and
+distinctive mark on the head; which is, a tuft of hairs, or rather
+strong greyish bristles, standing out like rays in all directions, from
+which peculiarity this species takes its other name of the Crowned
+Heron. They roost and feed in the manner of peacocks.
+
+The Demoiselle, or Numidian Crane (_Anthropoides virgo_), is remarkable
+for the grace and symmetry of its form, and the elegance of its
+deportment. It is rather larger than the species above described, and is
+a native of many parts of Africa. It frequents damp and marshy places,
+in search of small fishes, frogs, &c., which are its favourite food. It
+is easily domesticated.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE STORK. (_Ciconia alba._)]
+
+
+THE neck, head, breast, and body of this bird are white, the rump and
+exterior feathers of the wings black; the eyelids naked; the tail white,
+and the legs long, slender, and of a red colour. Storks are birds of
+passage. When leaving Europe they assemble together on some particular
+night, and all take their flight at once. As they feed on frogs,
+lizards, serpents, and other noxious creatures, it is not to be expected
+that man should be inimical to them, and therefore they have been
+generally a favourite with the nations they visit. The Dutch have laws
+against destroying them: they are therefore very common in Holland, and
+build their nests and rear their young on the tops of houses and
+chimneys in the middle of its most frequented and populous cities, and
+may be seen by dozens familiarly walking about the markets, where they
+feed on the offal. In some places, the stork is supposed to be a herald
+of good fortune to the house on which it builds its nest, and the
+inhabitants place boxes on their roofs to induce the birds to take up
+their abode there.
+
+The Stork much resembles the crane in its conformation, but appears
+somewhat more corpulent. The former lays four eggs, whereas the latter
+lays but two.
+
+It is said that Storks visit Egypt in such abundance, that the fields
+and meadows are white with them. The Egyptians, however, are not
+displeased with the sight; as frogs are there generated in such numbers,
+that did not the Storks devour them, they would overrun everything.
+Between Belba and Gaza, the fields of Palestine are often rendered
+desert on account of the abundance of mice and rats; and were they not
+destroyed the inhabitants could have no harvest. The disposition of the
+Stork is mild and placid; it is easily tamed, and may be trained to
+reside in gardens, which it will clear of insects and reptiles. It has a
+grave air, and a mournful aspect; yet, when roused by example, exhibits
+a certain degree of gaiety; for it joins in the frolics of children,
+hopping about and playing with them.
+
+During their migrations, Storks are observed in vast quantities. Dr.
+Shaw saw three flights of them leaving Egypt, and passing over Mount
+Carmel, each of which appeared to be nearly half a mile in width; and he
+says they were three hours in passing over.
+
+The Stork, like the ibis, was an object of worship among the ancients,
+and to kill them was a crime punishable with death. The Stork is
+remarkable for its great affection towards its young. This was
+remarkably evinced during the great conflagration of Delft, in Holland,
+during which a female Stork was noticed using every endeavour to carry
+off her young family, and continuing this labour of love until the smoke
+and flames prevented her own escape, and she perished with her brood.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE ADJUTANT, (_Leptoptilus argala_,)]
+
+
+ALSO called the Gigantic Crane, is a bird of the stork kind, and a
+native of India, and other warm countries. The head and neck are bare of
+feathers, as in the ostrich; the former looking as if made of wood; the
+latter of a flesh-colour. The coverts of the wings and the back are
+black, with a bluish cast; the under part of the body whitish; the legs
+are long, without feathers, and of a greyish hue, as are the thighs,
+which seem to be as slender as the leg. The bill is of enormous size,
+and the bird is fond of clatting the two mandibles together. Under the
+chin, there is a kind of bag or pouch which hangs down in front of the
+neck, like the dewlap of a cow; in this the Adjutant stores away any
+provisions that may fall in his way, after his immediate wants are
+satisfied. He is a most voracious bird, and devours every kind of food,
+and as he has no objection to carrion, his presence is encouraged in
+towns, where he assists the vultures, crows, dogs, and jackals, in
+performing the duties of scavengers. Indeed his rapacity is so great
+that he swallows such innutritious substances as bone with such
+eagerness and relish as to have received the name of “_Bone-eater_,” or
+“Bone-taker.” When he comes about the houses he requires to be carefully
+watched, as his power of swallowing is so great that a fowl, a rabbit,
+or even a leg of mutton, is disposed of at a single mouthful. Sir E.
+Horne states that in the stomach of an Adjutant were found a tortoise
+nearly a foot long, and a large black cat; from, which we may see that
+the Adjutant is by no means squeamish in his diet.
+
+The Adjutant is indeed a very gigantic bird. Its wings often measure
+fourteen or fifteen feet from tip to tip, and it is five feet high when
+it stands erect.
+
+Dr. Latham, in his “General History of Birds,” gives some very
+interesting information about the habits of this bird. “One of them, a
+young bird about five feet high, was brought up tame, and presented to
+the chief of the Bananas, where M. Speakman lived; and being accustomed
+to be fed in the great hall, soon became familiar, daily attending that
+place at dinner-time, placing itself behind its master’s chair
+frequently before the guests entered. The servants were obliged to watch
+narrowly, and to defend the provisions with switches; but,
+notwithstanding, it would frequently seize something or other, and even
+purloined a whole boiled fowl, which it swallowed in an instant. Its
+courage is not equal to its voracity, for a child of eight or ten years
+old soon puts it to flight with a switch. Everything is swallowed whole,
+and so accommodating is its throat that not only an animal as big as a
+cat is gulped down, but a shin of beef broken asunder serves it but for
+two morsels.”
+
+Another species of Adjutant (_Leptoptilus marabou_) is found in tropical
+Africa. It is even uglier than the Indian bird, which has not much
+beauty to boast of, but is valuable not only as a scavenger, but from
+its furnishing those beautiful plumes called marabout feathers, which
+are so much used for ladies’ head-dresses.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE COMMON HERON. (_Ardea cinerea._)]
+
+
+THE habits of the Heron are peculiar. Perched on a stone, or the stump
+of a tree, by the solitary current of a brook, his neck and long beak
+half-buried between his shoulders, he will wait the whole day long,
+patient and unmoved, for the passing of a small fish, or the hopping of
+a frog; but his appetite is insatiable.
+
+This bird is about four feet long from the tip of the bill to the end of
+the claws; to the end of the tail about thirty-eight inches; its
+breadth, when the wings are extended, is about five feet. The male is
+distinguished by a crest or tuft of black feathers hanging from the
+hinder part of his head, which in chivalrous times was of great value,
+and held as a peculiar mark of distinction when worn above the plume of
+ostrich feathers.
+
+Virgil places the Heron among the birds that are affected by and
+foretell the approaching storm:
+
+ “When watchful Herons leave their watery stand,
+ And mounting upward with erected flight,
+ Gain on the skies, and soar above the sight.”
+ DRYDEN.
+
+The Heron, though living chiefly in the vicinity of marshes and lakes,
+forms its nest on the tops of the loftiest trees. It resembles the rook
+in its habits: a great number of Herons living together in what is
+called a Heronry, as rooks do in a rookery. The female lays four large
+eggs, of a pale green colour; the natural term of this bird’s life is
+said to exceed sixty years.
+
+In England, Herons were formerly ranked among the royal game, and
+protected as such by the laws; and when falconry was in fashion, the
+pursuit of the Heron was a favourite amusement.
+
+ “---- ---- Now, like the wearied stag,
+ That stands at bay, the Hern provokes their rage;
+ Close by his languid wing in downy plumes
+ Covers his fatal beak, and cautious hides
+ The well-dissembled fraud. The falcon darts
+ Like lightning from above, and in her breast
+ Receives the latent death: down plumb she falls,
+ Bounding from earth, and with her trickling gore
+ Defiles her gaudy plumage. See, alas!
+ The falconer in despair, his favourite bird
+ Dead at his feet: as of his dearest friend,
+ He weeps her fate; he meditates revenge,
+ He storms, he foams, he gives a loose to rage;
+ Nor wants he long the means; the Hern fatigued,
+ Borne down by numbers, yields, and prone on earth
+ He drops; his cruel foes wheeling around
+ Insult at will.” SOMERVILLE.
+
+It is extremely dangerous to go near a wounded Heron, and the utmost
+caution is necessary in doing so. Though apparently almost dead, he will
+yet dart at his enemy’s face, and sometimes inflict a most severe
+wound.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE BITTERN, (_Botaurus stellaris_,)]
+
+
+IS not quite so large as the common heron; its head is small, narrow,
+and compressed at the sides. The crown is black, the throat and sides of
+the neck red, with narrow black lines, and the back of a pale red, mixed
+with yellow. The claws are long and slender, the inside of the middle
+one being serrated, the better to enable it to hold its prey. The bill
+is about four inches in length. The most remarkable character in this
+bird is the hollow and yet loud rumbling of his voice; his bellowing is
+heard at the distance of a mile, at the time of sunset, and it is hardly
+possible to conceive at first how such a body of sound, resembling the
+lowing of an ox, can be produced by a bird comparatively so small. The
+booming noise was formerly believed to be made while the bird plunged
+its bill into the mud; hence Thomson:
+
+ “---- So that scarce
+ The Bittern knows his time, with bill ingulf’d
+ To shake the sounding marsh.”
+
+And Southey also describes the peculiar noise of this bird in his poem
+of Thalaba:
+
+ “And when at evening, o’er the swampy plain,
+ The Bittern’s boom came far,
+ Distinct in darkness seen--
+ Above the low horizon’s lingering light,
+ Rose the near ruins of old Babylon.”
+
+Sometimes in the evening the Bittern soars on a sudden in a straight,
+or, at other times, in a spiral line, so high in the air, that it ceases
+to be perceptible to the eye. When attacked by the buzzard, or other
+birds of prey, it defends itself with great courage, and generally beats
+off such assailants; neither does it betray any symptoms of fear when
+wounded by the sportsman, but eyes him with a keen, undaunted look; and,
+when driven to extremity, will attack him with the utmost vigour,
+wounding his legs, or aiming at his eyes with its sharp and piercing
+bill. It was formerly held in much estimation at the tables of the
+great, and is again recovering its credit as a fashionable dish. The
+flesh is considered delicious. In autumn it changes its abode, always
+commencing its journey at sunset. Its precautions for concealment and
+security seem directed with great care and circumspection. It usually
+sits in the reeds with its head erect; and thus, from its great length
+of neck, sees over their tops, without itself being perceived by the
+sportsman. The principal food of these birds, during summer, consists of
+fish and frogs; but in autumn they resort to the woods in pursuit of
+mice, which they seize with great dexterity, and always swallow whole.
+About this season they usually become very fat.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SPOONBILL, (_Platalea leucorodia_,)]
+
+
+IS a large bird; the colour of the whole body is white, and the
+resemblance of the bill to a spoon has caused the denomination of the
+bird. In some specimens the plumage inclines from white to pink colour.
+On the hind part of the head is a beautiful white crest, reclining
+backward. The legs and feet are black. The wisdom of Providence is most
+conspicuous in the conformation of the bill, which is entirely adapted
+to the habits and manner of feeding of these birds: the frogs and
+fishes, which constitute the principal food of the Spoonbill, may often
+escape the thin and narrow beak of the heron and other birds, but the
+mandibles of this bird are so large at the end, that the prey cannot
+slip aside. Like rooks and herons, Spoonbills build their nests on the
+tops of high trees, and lay three or four eggs, which are white,
+sprinkled with pale red, and the size of those of a hen. These birds are
+very noisy during the breeding season. The Spoonbill migrates northward
+in the summer, and returns to southern climes on the approach of winter;
+and is found in all the intermediate low countries between the Faroe
+Isles and the Cape of Good Hope.
+
+The _American_ or _Roseate Spoonbill_ (_Platalea Ajaja_) is very
+beautiful. Its colour is white, tinged with rose, which deepens in the
+wings and tail into the richest carmine. The feet are half-webbed, and
+the bird is generally found on the sea-coast, where it wades into the
+sea in quest of the small shell-fish of different kinds, on which it
+feeds.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE IBIS. (_Ibis religiosa._)]
+
+
+THE IBIS was regarded as a sacred bird by the ancient Egyptians, who
+used to have these birds walking about in their temples, and embalmed
+their bodies after death with as much care as those of their priests and
+kings. The cause of this veneration is not clearly ascertained, some
+authors supposing it to be due to the services rendered by the bird in
+destroying serpents and other noxious creatures; others to a fanciful
+resemblance between the bird and one of the moon’s phases; and others,
+again, to the arrival of the birds in Egypt at or about the period of
+the annual inundation of the Nile. The sacred Ibis has a long, stout,
+curved black bill; the head and neck are black and naked, and the
+plumage is white, with the tips of the wings black. Another species, the
+_Glossy Ibis_ (_Ibis falcinellus_), shared the veneration of the
+Egyptians with the Sacred Ibis; it has a more slender bill than the
+Sacred Ibis, and its plumage, which is beautifully glossy, is dark green
+above and reddish-brown beneath. This bird is common in the south of
+Europe, and specimens have been shot in England. The _Scarlet Ibis_
+(_Ibis rubra_) is a beautiful species, which adorns the banks of the
+great rivers of South America, in company with the Roseate Spoonbill.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE CURLEW. (_Numenius arquatus._)]
+
+ “Soothed by the murmurs of the sea-beat shore,
+ His dun-grey plumage floating to the gale,
+ The Curlew blends his melancholy wail
+ With those hoarse sounds the rushing waters pour.”
+ MISS WILLIAMS.
+
+ “Wild as the scream of the Curlew,
+ From rock to rock the signal flew.”
+ SIR WALTER SCOTT.
+
+
+THE CURLEW is a large bird, weighing about twenty-four ounces; and is
+found in winter on the sea-shore on all sides of England. The middle
+parts of the feathers of the head, neck, and back are black, the borders
+or outsides ash-coloured, with a mixture of red; and the lower part of
+the body white. The beak has a regular curve downward, and is soft at
+the point. This bird’s flesh may challenge for flavour and delicacy that
+of any other water-fowl, and the people of Suffolk say proverbially:
+
+ “A Curlew, be she white, be she black,
+ She carries twelve pence on her back:”
+
+but it must be confessed that the quality and goodness of the flesh of
+Curlews depend on their manner of feeding, and the season in which they
+are caught. When they dwell on the sea-shore, they acquire a kind of
+rankness, which is so strong, that, unless they are basted on the spit
+with vinegar, they are not agreeable eating.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE REDSHANK. (_Totanus calidris._)]
+
+
+THIS bird has received its name from the colour of its legs, which are
+of a crimson red. In size it is between the lapwing and the snipe, and
+is sometimes called the _Pool Snipe_. The head and back are of a dusky
+ash-colour, spotted with black, the throat party-coloured black and
+white, the black being drawn down along the feathers. The breast is
+whiter, with fewer spots. The Redshank delights in the fen countries,
+and in wet and marshy grounds, where it breeds and rears its young. The
+female lays four whitish eggs, with olive-coloured dashes, and marked
+with irregular spots of black. Pennant and Latham say, that it flies
+round its nest when disturbed, making a noise like a lapwing. It is not
+so common on the sea-shore as several others of its kindred. We must
+here observe, that this bird has often been mistaken for others. The
+fact is, that several birds changing their plumage, and increasing or
+diminishing their size according to their age, the season of the year,
+and the climate they live in, set all nomenclators at defiance, and
+confound all classifications.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GODWIT, (_Limosa ægocephala_,)]
+
+
+IS met with in various parts of Great Britain, and is rather larger than
+the woodcock, which it much resembles in appearance. In spring and
+summer it resides in the fens and marshes, where it rears its young, and
+feeds on small worms and insects; but in winter it seeks the salt
+marshes and the sea-shore, where it feeds upon the shell-fish and marine
+animals left by the retiring tide. A peculiarity belonging to this bird
+is the shape of its bill, which is a little turned upwards. The head,
+neck, and back are of a reddish brown; the under part of the body white;
+the legs dusky, and sometimes black.
+
+The Godwit is much esteemed by epicures as a great delicacy, and sells
+very high. It is caught in nets, to which it is allured by a _stale_ or
+stuffed bird, in the same manner and in the same season as the ruffs and
+reeves.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE RUFF AND REEVE. (_Machetes pugnax._)]
+
+
+IT is curious to see, in our observation of natural objects, how the
+creative power of Providence seems to have tried all forms and shapes in
+the composition of species. In the cock bird of this species a circle or
+collar of long feathers, somewhat resembling a ruff, encompasses the
+neck under the head, whence the bird has received the name of Ruff. It
+is about a foot in length, with a bill about an inch long. There is a
+wonderful and almost infinite variety in the colours of the feathers of
+the males; so that in spring there can scarcely be found two exactly
+alike; but after moulting they become all alike again.
+
+The males are sometimes called Fighters, on account of their quarrelsome
+disposition. It is a bird of passage, and arrives in the fens of
+Lincolnshire, and other similar places, in the spring. Mr. Pennant tells
+us, that in the course of a single morning more than six dozen have been
+caught in one net, and that a fowler has been known to catch between
+forty and fifty dozen in a season.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+THE female is called a Reeve, and its flesh is thought a great delicacy
+for the table. They are smaller than the cocks, and their feathers
+undergo no change. The Ruff and Reeve are taken in nets. They used to be
+seen in vast numbers in many parts of England, especially in the Isle of
+Ely and the Lincolnshire fens. The improvements in drainage and
+cultivation that have been made during the present century have deprived
+these birds of their accustomed haunts, and they are no longer common. A
+writer of the last century said he had seen the ground so covered with
+the nests and eggs of Plovers and Reeves that “one could scarce take a
+step without stepping on them.” They are now most common on the shores
+of southern Scotland and of Northumberland.
+
+Reeves are fattened for the table by feeding them on boiled rice or
+wheat, bread and milk, hemp seed, &c. They are obliged to be kept in a
+dark room during the process, as the least gleam of light is the signal
+for a furious battle.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SNIPE. (_Scolopax gallinago._)]
+
+ “The Snipe flies screaming from the marshy verge,
+ And towers in airy circles o’er the wood;
+ Still heard at intervals; and oft returns,
+ And stoops as bent to alight; then wheels aloft
+ With sudden fear, and screams and stoops again,
+ Her favourite glade reluctant to forsake.” GISBORNE.
+
+
+THE SNIPE weighs about four ounces. A pale red line divides the head
+longways; the chin under the bill is white; the neck is a mixture of
+brown and red; the lower part of the body is almost all white. The back
+and wings are of a dusky colour. The flesh is tender, sweet, and in
+flavour ranks next to that of the woodcock. Snipes feed especially upon
+small red worms, and insects, which they find in muddy and swampy
+places, on the banks of rivulets and brooks, and on the clayey margin of
+ponds. It is said that Snipes remain with us all the summer, and build
+in moors and marshes, laying four or five eggs; but most of them are
+migratory, and, when forced by severe frosts to sheltered springs, are
+often seen in large flights. Mr. Daniel states that, about thirty years
+ago, Snipes were so abundant in the fens of Cambridgeshire, that as many
+were taken in Milton fen, by means of a lark-net, in one night, and by a
+single man, as could be contained in a small hamper.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE WOODCOCK, (_Scolopax rusticola_,)]
+
+
+IS somewhat less than the partridge. The upper side of the body is
+party-coloured of red, black, and grey, and very beautiful. From the
+bill almost to the middle of the head it is of a reddish ash-colour. The
+lower part of the body is grey, with transverse brown lines; under the
+tail the colour is somewhat yellowish; the chin is white, with a
+tincture of yellow. Woodcocks are migratory birds, coming over into
+Britain in autumn, and departing again in the beginning of spring; they
+pair before they go, and are seen flying in braces.
+
+The colours of this timid bird render it difficult to discern him among
+the withered stalks and leaves of fern, sticks, moss, and grass, which
+form the background of the scenery, by which he is sheltered in his
+moist and solitary retreats. By habit only is the sportsman enabled to
+discover him, and his leading marks are the full eye and glossy silver
+white-tipped tail of the bird. The flesh is held in high estimation, and
+hence he is eagerly sought after. It is hardly necessary to observe that
+in dressing a Woodcock for the spit the entrails are not drawn, but are
+allowed to drop upon slices of toasted bread, and are relished as a
+delicious kind of sauce. By some late observations, it appears that
+several individuals of the species remain with us the whole year. They
+frequent especially wet and swampy woods, the thick hedges near
+rivulets, and places affording them their allotted food, which consists
+of very small insects found in the moist ground.
+
+ “The Woodcock’s early visit and abode
+ Of long continuance, in our temperate clime,
+ Foretell a liberal harvest.” PHILIPS.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE KNOT, (_Tringa Canutus_,)]
+
+
+IS a small bird, whose head and back are of a dusky ash-colour, or dark
+grey; while the lower part of the body is pure white, or white varied by
+black lines. The sides under the wings are spotted with brown. The bird
+weighs about four ounces and a half, and generally makes its appearance
+in Lincolnshire in the beginning of winter, and abides there for two or
+three months, after which they fly off in flocks. They are caught in
+great numbers by nets, into which they are decoyed by carved wooden
+figures, painted to represent themselves, and placed within them, much
+in the same way as the ruff. When the knot is fat, its flesh is
+considered excellent food. It is also fattened for sale, and then
+considered equal to the ruff in flavour. The season for taking it is
+from August to November, after which the frost compels it to disappear.
+This bird is said to have been a favourite dish with Canute the Great;
+and Camden observes that its name is derived from his--Knute, or Knout,
+as he was called--which, in process of time, has been changed to Knot.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GREY PLOVER, (_Squatarola cinerea_,)]
+
+
+IS about twelve inches long and twenty-four across the wings: the head,
+back, and coverts of the wings are black, with tips of a greenish white;
+the chin white; the throat spotted with brown or dusky spots; the breast
+and thighs white. The flavour of the flesh, when the bird is caught in
+the proper season, is delicate and savory; at other times it is hard,
+and has a strong and rank taste. This bird is generally found in small
+packs, and is not nearly so common as the beautiful Golden Plover. The
+male becomes entirely black on the lower surface in the spring, or black
+interspersed with patches and spots of white.
+
+The Grey Plover is found in the northern parts of Europe, and, it is
+said, breeds in Egypt, Java, and Japan. Like the Ruff, it is an
+exceedingly quarrelsome bird, and fights fiercely in the spring. The
+young, when hatched, are covered with a thick, soft down, and
+immediately begin to follow their parents about and search for food.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GOLDEN PLOVER, (_Charadrius pluvialis_,)]
+
+
+IS about the size of the former. The colour of the whole upper side is
+black, thick set with yellowish green spots; the breast brown, with
+spots as on the back; the body is white. The male of this species is
+also black beneath in the spring. The flesh is sweet and tender, and
+therefore esteemed a choice dish in this and other countries.
+
+The Golden Plover feeds principally during the night, and during the day
+time may be seen sitting or standing on the ground, asleep. The parent
+birds are very careful in guarding their young. When any intruder
+approaches their nest, they use all sorts of stratagems to divert his
+attention.
+
+The “Plover eggs,” frequently seen at the tables of the opulent and
+luxurious, are not those of the Plover, but of the Lapwing.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE DOTTREL, (_Charadrius morinellus_,)]
+
+
+IS proverbially accounted a foolish bird, yet why so it is hardly
+possible to say. Its length is about ten inches; the bill is not quite
+an inch long, and is black. The forehead is mottled with brown and grey;
+the top of the head is black; and over each eye there is an arched line
+of white. The back and wings are a light brown; the breast is a pale
+dull orange; the middle of the body is black, and the rest and the
+thighs are of a reddish white. The tail is brown, black towards the end,
+and tipped with white. This bird is migratory, and makes its appearance
+in Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, and Derbyshire in April, but soon
+leaves those counties and passes on towards the north, breeding in the
+mountains of the north of England and Scotland. In April, and sometimes
+in September, Dottrels are seen in Wiltshire and Berkshire. They are
+generally caught, like other birds, by night; when, dazzled by the light
+of a torch, they are at a loss to know where to fly for safety, the
+whole place being in darkness, and generally select the very spot which
+they should avoid. Many ridiculous stories have been propagated about
+the gestures of this bird, and its endeavouring to imitate the actions
+of the fowler, and thereby falling into the snare laid for him; but they
+ought to be entirely disbelieved.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE LAPWING, OR PEEWIT.
+
+(_Vanellus cristatus._)]
+
+
+THIS well-known bird is found in nearly all countries, and is of the
+size of a common pigeon. The female lays four or five eggs, of a yellow
+colour, varied all over with large black spots and strokes. Lapwings
+build their nests on the ground in the middle of some field or heath,
+open and exposed to view, laying only some few straws under the eggs: so
+soon as the young are hatched, they instantly forsake the nest, running
+away with the shell on their back, and following the mother, only
+covered with a kind of down, like young ducks. The parents have been
+impressed by nature with the most attentive love and care for their
+offspring; for if the fowler, or any other enemy, should come near the
+nest, the female, panting with fear, lessens her call to make her
+enemies believe that she is much further off, and thereby deceives those
+that search for her brood; she also sometimes pretends to be wounded,
+and utters a faint cry as she limps away, to lead the fowler from her
+nest. This bird is really beautiful, although it does not exhibit that
+gaudiness of colours of which other species of the feathered tribe can
+boast: it weighs about half-a-pound. The head, and the crest which
+elegantly adorns it, is black; this crest, composed of unwebbed
+feathers, is about four inches in length. The back is of a dark green,
+glossed with blue shades; the throat is black; the hinder part of the
+neck and the breast are white. The Lapwing, when in search of food,
+stamps with his feet upon the ground, and when the earth-worms, alarmed
+at the noise, appear, he seizes and devours them. His voice, on the
+swampy places along the sea-shores, heard at night, resembles the sound
+of _peewit_, or _teewit_, and hence his name in several parts of Great
+Britain; he is also called the _Great Plover_ by several ornithologists.
+This bird is one of those who attract the fowler’s attention in winter:
+
+ “With slaughtering gun th’ unwearied fowler roves,
+ When frosts have whiten’d all the naked groves;
+ Where doves in flocks the leafless trees o’ershade,
+ And lonely woodcocks haunt the watery glade.
+ He lifts his tube, and levels with his eye;
+ Straight a short thunder breaks the frozen sky:
+ Oft, as in airy rings they skim the heath,
+ The clamorous Lapwings feel the leaden death:
+ Oft, as the mounting larks their notes prepare,
+ They fall, and leave their little lives in air.” POPE.
+
+The following anecdote, from Bewick’s “History of Birds,” exhibits the
+domestic nature of the Lapwing, as well as the art with which it
+conciliates the regard of animals materially differing from itself, and
+generally considered as hostile to every species of the feathered tribe.
+Two Lapwings were given to a clergyman, who put them into his garden;
+one of them soon died, but the other continued to pick up such food as
+the place afforded, till winter deprived it of its usual supply.
+Necessity soon compelled it to draw nearer to the house, by which it
+gradually became familiarised to occasional interruptions from the
+family. At length one of the servants, when she had occasion to go into
+the back kitchen with a light, observed that the Lapwing always uttered
+his cry of “pee-wit,” to obtain admittance. The bird soon grew more
+familiar; as the winter advanced, he approached as far as the kitchen,
+but with much caution, as that part of the house was generally occupied
+by a dog and cat, whose friendship, however, the Lapwing at length
+conciliated so entirely, that it was his regular custom to resort to the
+fireside as soon as it grew dark, and spend the evening and night with
+his two associates, sitting close by them, and partaking of the comforts
+of a warm hearth. As soon as spring appeared, he discontinued his visits
+to the house, and betook himself to the garden; but, on the approach of
+winter, he had recourse to his old shelter and friends, who received him
+very cordially. Security was productive of insolence; what was at first
+obtained with caution, was afterwards taken without reserve; he
+frequently amused himself with washing in the bowl which was set for the
+dog to drink out of; and while he was thus employed, he showed marks of
+the greatest indignation if either of his companions presumed to
+interrupt him. He died in the asylum he had thus chosen, being choked
+with something that he had picked up from the floor.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE WATER-HEN, (_Gallinula chloropus_,)]
+
+
+IS also called the _Moor-Hen_, or _Moor-Coot_, and the _Gallinule_. The
+breast is of a lead-colour, the lower part of the body inclining to
+ash-colour, and the back dark olive brown. As she swims or walks, she
+often flirts up her tail. Water-hens feed upon aquatic plants and roots,
+and upon the small insects which adhere to them; they grow fat about the
+latter end of September, and their flesh is then considered nearly equal
+to that of the teal; yet it can seldom be entirely deprived of its
+fishy taste. They build their nests amongst reeds, long grass, roots,
+and stumps by the water-side, breeding twice or thrice in the course of
+a summer; the eggs are white, with a tint of green, dashed with brown
+spots.
+
+There are very few countries in the world where these birds are not to
+be found. They generally prefer the cold mountainous regions in summer,
+and lower and warmer situations during winter.
+
+ “The fish are leaping, and the Water-hen
+ Dives up and down. A storm is coming on.”
+ SCHILLER.--WILLIAM TELL.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE CORN-CRAKE, OR LAND-RAIL,
+
+(_Ortygometra crex_,)]
+
+
+IS a migratory bird, appearing in England in April, and departing in
+October. At the time of its arrival it is very lean, but becomes
+excessively fat before it quits the island. Their favourite haunts are
+cold and humid upland districts, corn-fields in the vicinity of water,
+and marshy grass-lands. Their cry is a peculiar roll of short notes,
+all in the same key and of the same length. The sound, crec, crec, crec,
+has been compared to the noise made by drawing the finger along the
+teeth of a comb. The legs of the Corn-Crake are unusually long for the
+size of the bird, and hang down while it is on the wing. Its flesh is
+greatly esteemed for its delicate flavour. This bird is never seen on
+the wing in this country, and is extremely difficult to capture; they
+cannot be made to rise like partridges and many other birds, nor is it
+of much use to invade their cover. They glide through the corn, without
+the least perceptible rustle, and with wonderful rapidity, considering
+the size of the bird, and if the sportsman follows in the direction of
+the sound, it ceases for a while, and then, perhaps, is heard far in the
+rear; if he follows it again, it is not long before the sound is heard
+setting in its former or some other direction.
+
+It is said by some writers that the Corn-Crake is a sort of natural
+ventriloquist, and can make his note appear to proceed from quite
+another direction than the spot in which he lies hid. It is probable,
+however, that the delusion arises from the astonishing swiftness with
+which the bird passes through the covers, where it is usually found. And
+as they can never be made to rise, the observer has very seldom the
+means of deciding whether the bird was in the place its cry seemed to
+proceed from or not.
+
+The nest is made in a hole in the ground, and is lined with dead leaves,
+moss, and other soft substances. There are generally ten, twelve, or
+fourteen eggs. The peculiar cry by which the bird is recognised is only
+uttered during the period of incubation.
+
+Corn-Crakes are occasionally found to have a great fondness for water.
+An anecdote is related by Craven, in his “Young Sportsman’s Manual,” of
+a young bird of this species, in the possession of a Mr. Jervis, which
+had a remarkable partiality for water, in which it would dive and
+splash, as if unused to any other element. If the habits of this bird
+could be watched more closely, perhaps we should find that this fondness
+for water is not uncommon in its wild state.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE COOT. (_Fulica atra._)]
+
+
+THIS bird has so many traits in its character, and so many features in
+its general appearance like the rails and water-hens, that to place it
+after them seems a natural and easy gradation; and accordingly this has
+been done by Cuvier, though it was considered by Linnæus to belong to a
+group distinct from those birds, and from the waders in general, on
+account of its being fin-footed, and its constant attachment to the
+waters, which, indeed, it seldom quits. The manner in which Coots build
+their nest is very ingenious. They form it of interwoven aquatic weeds,
+and place it among the rushes, in such a way that it may occasionally
+rise with, but not be washed away by, the stream: and if ever this
+accident happens, steady on her nest, the hen does not desert her brood,
+but follows with them the destiny of their floating cradle. This bird,
+in the figure and shape of its body, resembles the water-hen, and weighs
+about twenty-four ounces. The feathers about the head and neck are low,
+soft, and thick. The colour about the whole of the body is black, but of
+a deeper hue about the head. The sere rises upon the forehead in a
+peculiar manner, and appears as if Providence had designed it for a
+means of defence. It changes its whitish colour to a pale red or pink in
+the breeding season. Coots are very shy, and seldom venture abroad
+before dusk. When attacked, they defend themselves with their feet, and
+they do this so energetically, that sportsmen say, “Beware of a winged
+Coot, or he will scratch you like a cat.”
+
+
+
+§ VII. _Palmipedes, or Web-footed Birds._
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE PELICAN, (_Pelicanus onocrotalus_,)]
+
+
+IS in size about equal to the swan; the colour of the body is white,
+inclining to pink; the beak is straight and long, with a sharp hook at
+the end; the skin of the lower mandible is so capable of distension,
+that it may be dilated to contain fish in large quantities. This pouch
+Providence has allotted to the bird, that he may bring to his eyrie
+sufficient food for several days, and save himself the trouble of
+travelling through the air, and watching and diving so often. The legs
+are black, and the four toes palmated. It is a very indolent, inactive,
+and inelegant bird, often sitting whole days and nights on rocks or
+branches of trees, motionless and in a melancholy posture, till the
+resistless stimulus of hunger spurs it on, and forces it to the sea in
+search of nourishment; when thus excited to exertion, the Pelican flies
+from the spot, and, raising itself thirty or forty feet above the
+surface of the water, turns its head with one eye downward, and
+continues to fly in that position till it sees a fish near the surface.
+It then darts down with astonishing swiftness, seizes its prey with
+unerring certainty, and stores it in its pouch. Having done this, it
+rises into the air, and repeats the same action till it has procured a
+sufficient stock. The Pelican is by no means destitute of natural
+affection, either towards its young ones or towards others of its own
+species. Clavigero, in his “History of Mexico,” says, that sometimes the
+Americans, in order to procure, without trouble, a supply of fish,
+cruelly break the wing of a live Pelican, and, after tying the bird to a
+tree, conceal themselves near the place. The screams of the miserable
+bird attract other Pelicans to the place, which, he assures us, eject a
+portion of the provisions from their pouches for their imprisoned
+companion. As soon as the men observe this, they rush to the spot, and
+after leaving a small quantity for the bird, carry off the remainder.
+
+In America, Pelicans are often rendered domestic, and are so trained,
+that at command they go in the morning and return before night with
+their pouches distended with prey, part of which they are made to
+disgorge, while the rest is left them for their trouble. The bird is
+said to live sometimes a hundred years.
+
+Our forefathers attributed extraordinary affection to this bird, more
+than is attested by any save heraldic evidence. Thus, in several crests,
+it is represented in the act of feeding its young with its own blood,
+which it procures by striking its breast with the sharp point of its
+beak. And the ancients fully believed that in times of scarcity the
+female Pelican resorted to this means of supporting her brood. The nest
+of the Pelican is made with sedges and grass, close to the water’s edge;
+the female lays two or three white eggs, and the male is said to supply
+his partner with food while she is engaged in the work of incubation.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE CORMORANT, (_Phalacrocorax carbo_,)]
+
+
+IS a large water-bird, nearly allied to the pelican, possessed with a
+very voracious appetite, and consequently of a very rapacious
+disposition. It lives upon all sorts of fish; the fresh water and the
+briny waves of the sea both paying a large contribution to its craving
+stomach. The bill is about five inches in length, and of a dusky colour;
+the predominant tints of the body are black beneath, and dark brown
+above; on each thigh there is a white patch. The smell of these birds
+when alive is excessively rank and disagreeable; and their flesh is so
+disgusting that even the Greenlanders, among whom they are very common,
+will scarcely eat it. They were formerly tamed in England for the
+purpose of catching fish, as falcons and hawks were for chasing the
+fleet inhabitants of the air. This custom is still in practice in China.
+The birds are taken to the water in a boat, with leather thongs tied
+round their necks to prevent their swallowing the fish; at the word of
+command they descend into the water, swim about, and dive in pursuit ofprey, and bring whatever they capture to their owner’s boat. Sometimes
+two Cormorants will unite their efforts to capture a large fish; and if
+any of the birds neglect their business the man will slap on the water
+with a bamboo, as a schoolmaster does with his cane on the desk, to
+recall the idlers to a sense of their duty. This bird, although of the
+aquatic kind, is often seen, like the pelican, perched upon trees.
+Milton tells us that Satan
+
+ “---- ---- ---- On the tree of life,
+ The middle tree, and highest there that grew,
+ Sat like a Cormorant.”
+
+In the year 1793, one of them was observed sitting on the vane of St.
+Martin’s steeple, Ludgate Hill, London, and was shot there in the
+presence of a great number of people.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SHAG, OR CRESTED CORMORANT, (_Phalacrocorax
+graculus_,)]
+
+
+IS of a dark green, with a singular tuft on the front of the head in the
+spring. It breeds in rocky caves on the sea-coast.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GANNET, OR SOLAN GOOSE. (_Sula bassana._)]
+
+
+THESE birds are insatiably voracious, but are somewhat particular in
+their choice of prey; disdaining, unless in great want, any food worse
+than herrings or mackerel. No fewer than one hundred thousand Gannets
+are supposed to frequent the rocks of St. Kilda; and of these, including
+the young ones, at least twenty thousand are annually killed for food by
+the inhabitants. The Gannet is somewhat more than three feet in length,
+and weighs about seven pounds. The bill is six inches long, straight
+almost to the point, where it is a little bent; its edges are jagged, to
+enable it the better to secure its prey; and about an inch from the base
+of the upper mandible there is a sharp process pointing forward. The
+general colour of the plumage is a dingy white, with a greyish tinge.
+Surrounding each eye there is a naked skin of a fine blue colour; from
+the corner of the mouth a narrow slip of naked black skin extends to the
+hind part of the head; and beneath the chin there is a pouch capable of
+containing five or six herrings. The neck is long; the body flat, and
+very full of feathers. On the crown of the head, and the back part of
+the neck, is a small buff-coloured space. The quill-feathers, and some
+other parts of the wings, are black; as are also the legs, except a fine
+pea-green stripe in front. The tail is wedge-shaped, and consists of
+twelve sharp-pointed feathers.
+
+These birds chiefly resort to those uninhabited islands where man seldom
+comes to disturb them. The islands to the north, Ailsa Craig, on the
+west coast of Scotland, the Skelig Islands, off the coasts of Kerry in
+Ireland, and those that lie in the North Sea off Norway, abound with
+them. But it is on the Bass Bock, in the Frith of Forth, that they are
+seen in the greatest abundance. “There is a small island,” says the
+celebrated Harvey, “called the Bass, not more than a mile in
+circumference; the surface is almost wholly covered during the months of
+May and June with the nests of the Solan Geese, their eggs, and their
+young. It is scarcely possible to walk without treading on them: the
+flocks of birds upon the wing are so numerous as to darken the air like
+a cloud; and their noise is such, that one cannot without difficulty be
+heard by the person next to him. When one looks down upon the sea from
+the precipice, its whole surface seems covered with infinite numbers of
+birds of different kinds, swimming and pursuing their prey. If, in
+sailing round the island, one surveys its hanging cliffs, in every crag
+or fissure of the broken rocks may be seen innumerable birds, of various
+sorts and sizes, more than the stars of heaven when viewed in a serene
+night. If they are viewed at a distance, either receding or in their
+approach to the island, they seem like one vast swarm of bees.”
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SWAN. (_Cygnus olor._)]
+
+ “Fair is the Swan, whose majesty prevailing
+ O’er breezeless water, on Locarno’s lake,
+ Bears him on, while, proudly sailing,
+ He leaves behind a moon-illumined wake:
+ Behold! the mantling spirit of reserve
+ Fashions his neck into a goodly curve--
+ An arch thrown back between luxuriant wings
+ Of whitest garniture, like fir-tree boughs.
+ To which, on some unruffled morning, clings
+ A flaky weight of winter’s purest snows!
+ Behold! as with a gushing impulse heaves
+ That snowy prow, and softly cleaves
+ The mirror of the crystal flood;
+ Vanish inverted hill, and shadowy wood,
+ And pendent rocks, where’er in gliding state
+ Winds the mute creature, without visible mate
+ Or rival, save the queen of night,
+ Showering down a silver light
+ From heaven upon her chosen favourite!”
+ WORDSWORTH.
+
+
+THE two best known species of this elegantly-formed and majestic bird
+are commonly known as the Wild and the Tame, or the Whooping and Mute,
+Swans. They may easily be recognised by the peculiarities of the bill:
+the Tame Swan has the bill orange-coloured, with its base black, and
+surmounted by a black knob; the Wild Swan has no knob, and it is the tip
+instead of the base of the bill that is black.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE WILD SWAN, WHOOPING SWAN, OR WHISTLING SWAN, (_Cygnus
+ferus_,)]
+
+
+IS also a fine bird, with beautifully white plumage; unlike the Tame
+Swan, which is nearly mute, it has a loud and rather melodious voice,
+which it utters frequently, as it flies along at a great height in the
+air, during its migrations. It is found in England in the winter, but
+resides all the year in the north of Scotland. Its favourite place for
+breeding is in the extreme north. The Tame Swan is the largest of our
+web-footed water-fowl, sometimes weighing about thirty pounds: the whole
+body of the full-grown Swan is covered with a beautiful pure white
+plumage, but the young ones are grey; under the feathers is a thick,
+soft down, which is of very great use, and often employed as an
+ornament. The elegance of form which this bird displays, when, with his
+arched neck and half-displayed wings, he sails along the crystal surface
+of a tranquil stream, which reflects, as he passes, the snowy beauty of
+his dress, is worthy of admiration. Thomson describes the Swan in the
+following beautiful manner:
+
+ “---- ---- ---- The stately sailing Swan
+ Gives out his snowy plumage to the gale,
+ And arching proud his neck, with oary feet,
+ Bears forward fierce, and guards his osier isle,
+ Protective of his young.”
+
+Swans have for ages been protected on the river Thames as royal
+property; and it continues at this day to be accounted felony to steal
+their eggs: by this means their increase is secured, and they prove a
+delightful ornament to that noble river. Latham says the estimation in
+which they were held, in the reign of Edward IV., was such, that only
+those who possessed a freehold of the clear yearly value of five marks
+were permitted even to keep any. In those times, hardly a piece of water
+was left unoccupied by these birds, as they gratified the palate as well
+as the eye of their lordly owners of that period: but the fashion of
+those days has passed away, and Swans are by no means as common now as
+they were formerly, being by most people accounted a coarse kind of
+food, and consequently held in little estimation: but the Cygnets (so
+the young Swans are called) are still fattened for the table, and are
+sold very high, commonly for a guinea each, and sometimes more; hence it
+may be presumed they are better food than is generally imagined.
+
+At Abbotsbury there was generally a noble Swannery, the property of the
+Earl of Ilchester, where six or seven hundred birds were kept, but the
+collection has of late been much diminished. The Swannery belonged
+anciently to the abbot, and, previously to the dissolution of
+monasteries, the Swans frequently amounted to double the above number.
+
+From the whiteness of this bird, the expression of a “Black Swan” was
+used in ancient times as equivalent to a nonentity; but a species nearly
+entirely black has been lately discovered in Australia. This bird is as
+large as the white Swan, and its bill is of a rich scarlet. The whole
+plumage (except the primaries and secondaries, which are white) is of
+the most intense black.
+
+Swans are very long lived, sometimes attaining the great age of a
+century and a half.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE WILD GOOSE. (_Anser ferus._)]
+
+ “The farmer’s Goose, who in the stubble
+ Has fed without restraint or trouble,
+ Grown fat with corn, and sitting still,
+ Can scarce get o’er the barn-door sill;
+ And hardly waddles forth to cool
+ Her body in the neighbouring pool;
+ Nor loudly cackles at the door,
+ For cackling shows the Goose is poor.”
+ SWIFT.
+
+
+THE GOOSE is very different in outward appearance from the last-named
+bird. Stupidity in her look, uncouthness in her walk, and heaviness in
+her flight are her principal characteristics. But why should we dwell
+upon these defects? they are not such in the great scale of the
+creation. Her flesh feeds many, and is not disdained even by the great;
+her feathers keep us warm; and even the very pen I hold in my hand was
+plucked from her wing.
+
+These birds are kept in vast quantities in the fens of Lincolnshire;
+several persons there having as many as a thousand breeders. They breed
+in general only once a year, but if well kept they sometimes hatch twice
+in a season. During their sitting, the birds have spaces allotted to
+each, in rows of wicker pens placed one above another; and the
+Goose-herd, who has the care of them, drives the whole flock to water
+twice a day, and bringing them back to their habitations, places every
+bird (without missing one) in its own nest. It is scarcely credible what
+numbers of Geese are driven from the distant counties to London for
+sale, frequently two or three thousand in a drove; and, in the year
+1783, one drove passed through Chelmsford, in its way from Suffolk to
+London, that contained more than nine thousand. However simple in
+appearance or awkward in gesture the Goose may be, it is not without
+many marks of sentiment and understanding. The courage with which it
+protects its offspring and defends itself against ravenous birds, and
+certain instances of attachment, and even of gratitude, which have been
+observed in it, render our general contempt of the Goose ill-founded.
+
+The Goose was held in great veneration among the Romans, as having by
+her watchfulness saved the Capitol from the attack of the Gauls. Virgil
+says, in the seventh book of the Æneid,
+
+ “The silver goose before the shining gate
+ There flew, and by her cackle saved the state.”
+ DRYDEN.
+
+The colour of this useful bird is generally white; though we often find
+them of a mixture of white, grey, black, and sometimes yellow. The feet
+which are palmated, are orange-coloured, and the beak is serrated. The
+male of the Goose is called the Gander; and the young ones Goslings.
+Geese are very long-lived, one is known to have lived above seventy
+years.
+
+The Wild Goose is the original of the tame one, and differs much in
+colour from her, the general tint of its feathers being a greyish black.
+Wild Geese fly by night in large flocks to more southern countries; and
+their clang is heard from the regions of the clouds, although the birds
+are out of sight.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE DUCK. (_Anas boschas._)]
+
+
+THE COMMON DUCK is of two kinds, the wild and the tame, the latter being
+but the same species altered by domestication; the difference between
+them is very trifling, save that the colour of the Mallard, or male wild
+Duck, is constantly the same in all the individuals, whereas the Drakes,
+or tame ones, are varied in their plumage. The females do not share with
+the males in beauty of plumage: the admirable scarf of glossy green and
+blue, which surrounds the neck of Drakes and Mallards, being an
+exclusive prerogative of the male sex. There is also a curious and
+invariable peculiarity belonging to the males, which consists of a few
+curled feathers rising upon the rump.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+Wild Ducks are caught by decoys in the fen countries, and in such
+prodigious numbers, that in only ten decoys in the neighbourhood of
+Wainfleet, as many as thirty-one thousand two hundred have been caught
+in one season. They do not always build their nests close to the water,
+but often at a considerable distance from it; in which case the female
+will take the young ones in her beak, or between her legs, to the water.
+They have sometimes been known to lay their eggs in a high tree, in a
+deserted magpie’s or crow’s nest; and an instance has been recorded of
+one being found at Etchingham, in Sussex, sitting upon nine eggs in an
+oak, at the height of twenty-five feet from the ground: the eggs were
+supported by some small twigs laid cross-ways.
+
+The tame Ducks, reared about mills and rivers, or wherever there is a
+sufficient quantity of water for them to indulge their sports and to
+search for food, become a branch of trade, which proves very profitable
+to their owners.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE EIDER DUCK, (_Sornateria mollissima_,)]
+
+
+WHICH is found about the coasts of the north of England and Scotland,
+becomes more numerous as we go further north, and is most abundant on
+Iceland and the Arctic shores, both of Europe and America. This bird is
+particularly valuable for the great quantity of down which it furnishes,
+as this is so light and elastic that beds and quilts made from it are
+preferable to any others. The birds line their nests with this beautiful
+material plucked from their own bodies, and it is chiefly by plundering
+the nests that the down is obtained. Each nest will furnish about half a
+pound of down in the season, and it is worth about four dollars a pound.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE WIDGEON, (_Mareca Penelope_,)]
+
+
+WEIGHS about twenty-two ounces, and feeds upon grass and roots growing
+at the bottom of lakes, rivers, and ponds. The plumage of this bird is
+much variegated, and its flesh esteemed a great delicacy, though not so
+highly praised as that of the teal. The bill of the Widgeon is black;
+the head and upper part of the neck of a bright bay; the back and sides
+under the wing waved with black and white; the breast purple; the lower
+part of the body white, and the legs are dusky. The young of both sexes
+are grey, and continue in this plain garb till the month of February;
+after which a change takes place, and the plumage of the male begins to
+assume its rich colourings, in which, it is said, he continues till the
+end of July; and then again the feathers become dark and grey, so that
+he is hardly to be distinguished from the female.
+
+Widgeons commonly fly in small flocks during the night, and may be known
+from other birds by their whistling note, while they are on the wing.
+They quit the desert morasses of the north on the approach of winter,
+and as they advance towards the ends of their destined southern journey,
+they spread themselves along the shores, and over the marshes and lakes,
+in various parts of the continent, as well as those of the British
+isles; and it is said that some of the flocks advance as far south as
+Egypt.
+
+The Widgeon is easily domesticated in places where there is plenty of
+water, and is much admired for its beauty, sprightly look, and busy,
+frolicsome manners; yet it is generally asserted that they will not
+breed in confinement, or at least that the female will not make a nest
+and perform the act of incubation; but that she will lay eggs, which are
+generally dropped into the water.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE TEAL, (_Querquedula crecca_,)]
+
+
+IS the least of the duck tribe, weighing only twelve ounces. The lower
+part of the body is of a dingy white, inclining to a grey tint. The back
+and sides under the wings are curiously varied with lines of white and
+black; the wings are all over brown, and the tail of the same colour.
+This bird is common in England during the winter months, and it is still
+uncertain whether it does not breed here as it does in France. Dr.
+Heysham says it is known to breed in the neighbourhood of Carlisle. The
+female makes her nest of reeds interwoven with grass; and, as it is
+reported, places it among the rushes, in order that it may rise and fall
+with the water. Their eggs are of the size of those of a pigeon, six or
+seven in number, and of a dull white colour, marked with small brownish
+spots; but it appears that they sometimes lay ten or twelve eggs, for
+Buffon remarks that that number of young are seen in clusters on the
+pools, feeding on cresses, chervil, and some other weeds, as well as
+upon seeds and small insects that swarm in the water. The flesh of the
+Teal is a great delicacy in the winter season, and has less of the fishy
+flavour than any of the wild duck kind. It is known to breed and remain
+throughout the year in various temperate climates of the world, and is
+in the summer met with as far northward as Iceland.
+
+
+
+
+THE COMMON GULL. (_Laruscanus._)
+
+
+THE GULLS, of which there are a great many different kinds, are very
+common birds around our coasts and at the mouths of rivers; they have
+long wings, and fly with great rapidity and buoyancy. Their plumage is
+thick, and they float very lightly on the surface of the water, but do
+not dive. The Gulls are very voracious, and not only devour great
+quantities of fishes, shell-fish, and other marine animals, but even
+condescend to feed upon the dead bodies of animals which they find
+floating on the water or cast up on the shore. Some of the smaller kinds
+come inland, and catch insects on the wing, in the same way as the
+Swallows.
+
+The Common Gull is rather a large species, being more than eighteen
+inches in length when full grown. Its plumage is pearly grey above and
+white beneath; the largest wing feathers are black, with white tips and
+white spots near the tip; and the bill and feet are greenish grey. This
+bird breeds in the salt marshes or on the ledges of cliffs. The female
+lays two or three eggs, which are olive brown, with dark brown and black
+spots.
+
+It is a very pretty sight to watch from the top of a lofty cliff the
+multitudes of these birds that often haunt our coasts; gliding with
+beautiful ease and swiftness through the air, skimming the surface of
+the water in pursuit of their prey, or reposing upon its bosom. Even
+their rather harsh and discordant cry is in harmony with the wild and
+imposing heights on which they love to dwell. This, however, does not
+protect them from the frequenters of our seaside towns, with whom
+seagull shooting is a favourite amusement; an amusement the more to be
+reprehended as the flesh of the bird is quite useless.
+
+Gulls are frequently caught alive, and, after having their wings clipped
+to prevent their escape, are kept to satisfy their voracious appetite on
+snails, slugs, and other garden pests.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE STORMY PETREL, OR MOTHER CARY’S CHICKEN.
+(_Thalassidroma pelagica._)]
+
+ “O’er the deep! o’er the deep!
+ Where the whale, and the shark, and the sword-fish sleep,
+ Outflying the blast and the driving rain,
+ The petrel telleth her tale in vain;
+ For the mariner curseth the warning bird,
+ Who bringeth him news of the storm unheard!
+ Oh! thus does the prophet, of good or ill,
+ Meet hate from creatures he serveth still;
+ Yet he ne’er falters:--So, Petrel! spring
+ Once more o’er the waves on thy stormy wing.” PROCTER.
+
+
+THE STORMY PETREL is not larger than a swallow; and its colour is
+entirely black, except the coverts of the tail, the tail itself, and the
+vent-feathers, which are white: its legs are slender. Ranging over the
+expanse of the ocean, and frequently at a vast distance from the land,
+this bird is able to brave the utmost fury of the storms. Even in the
+most tempestuous weather it is frequently observed by the mariners
+skimming with almost incredible velocity along the billows, and
+sometimes over their summits. They often follow vessels in great flocks,
+to pick up anything that is thrown overboard; but their appearance is
+looked upon by the sailors as the sure presage of stormy weather in the
+course of a few hours. It seems to seek protection from the fury of the
+wind in the wake of the vessels; and it is probable that for the same
+reason it often flies between two surges. The nest of this bird is found
+in the Orkney Islands, under loose stones, in the months of June and
+July. It lives chiefly on small fish; and although mute by day, it is
+very clamorous by night. The young of this bird are fed with an oily
+matter or chyle, which is ejected from the stomachs of the parents.
+
+Mudie, in his very entertaining work on British Birds, says that they
+are called Petrels, or “little Petrels,” because they move along the
+surface as if they were literally walking on the water. He also informs
+us that they are at times very full of oil, and that the Faroese, taking
+advantage of this circumstance, convert them into lamps, by fixing them
+in an upright position and drawing a wick through their bodies, which
+they light at the mouth.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE FULMAR, (_Procellaria glacialis_,)]
+
+
+IS a larger kind of Petrel, which is found not uncommonly on the British
+coasts, and is exceeding abundant in the Arctic seas. Here it is a
+regular attendant upon the whale-fishers when they are engaged in
+cutting up a whale. Any fragments of blubber that happen to fall into
+the water are immediately snapped by these greedy birds, which clamour
+and squabble over the feast with so little regard to the vicinity of the
+sailors, that they may be knocked on the head with a boat-hook. They are
+in high estimation in the countries they inhabit, on account of the
+large amount of oil they contain. It is only rarely they are seen in
+England, nor do they regularly frequent any part of Great Britain,
+except a few of the northernmost islands of Scotland. Like the other
+Petrels, they feed their young with a sort of oil, which they have the
+power of exuding at will.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE ALBATROSS, (_Diomedea exulans_,)]
+
+
+ALSO resembles the diminutive Petrels in some respects; but instead of
+being a pigmy it is a giant among birds. Its wings often measure as much
+as fifteen feet in extent and are of corresponding power, as they have
+to support the Albatross by the day together above the stormy waves of
+the great Southern Ocean. Indeed, so enormous is their strength and
+endurance, that they have been known to follow ships for whole days
+together, without once resting upon the water. From time to time the
+gigantic bird plunges down into the sea to capture the fishes with which
+he satisfies his hunger; and it is said that where Albatrosses are
+numerous they will even attack sailors who may happen to fall overboard.
+From their abundance at the Cape of Good Hope they are often called by
+mariners Cape sheep.
+
+Albatrosses generally weigh from twenty to thirty pounds. The plumage is
+white, except some narrow bars upon the back, and some of the long wing
+feathers, which are black, and of the head, which is a reddish grey. The
+beak is long and powerful, and curved at the end, and would be a most
+terrible weapon if the owner were of a pugnacious disposition. It is,
+however, quite inoffensive, and is even sometimes attacked by much
+smaller birds, when it invariably takes to flight, and the immense power
+of its wings generally enables it to distance its pursuers. The
+Albatross, like most sea birds, has a most insatiable appetite, and
+devours immense quantities, not only of fish, but of other
+sea-animals,--such as molluscs. They are so greedy that they are caught
+by a line baited with a piece of flesh, which the ever-hungry bird
+swallows at a gulp, paying with his life for the dear repast. They are
+taken by the natives of the countries they frequent, not for their
+flesh, which is tough and insipid, but for the sake of their entrails,
+which are very large and elastic, and are used for a number of useful
+purposes.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GREAT NORTHERN DIVER.
+
+(_Colymbus glacialis._)]
+
+
+THE GREAT NORTHERN DIVER is found most abundantly in the Arctic seas,
+but a considerable number of them dwell on the shores of Scotland. It
+has a rather long, strong, and sharply pointed bill; its back and wings
+are black, ornamented with numerous white spots; its lower surface is
+greyish-white; and its head and neck are black, with a couple of white
+collars across the front of the neck. The Great Northern Diver is a
+large bird, measuring nearly three feet in length; its wings are small
+in proportion to its size, but yet the bird is able to fly very rapidly.
+It is, however, in the water that it is most active; it swims and dives
+with the most remarkable ease, and even under water goes as fast as a
+four-oared boat. Its food consists of fishes, and it breeds amongst the
+herbage of the sea-shore, the female laying two or three eggs in a neat
+nest made of grass.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE PUFFIN, (_Fratercula arctica_,)]
+
+
+IS another short-winged water bird, but, unlike the Northern Diver, it
+visits us in the summer, and breeds on our shores. It is about a foot
+long, and has the back and wings black, the cheeks and all the lower
+parts of the body, except a band round the neck, white, and the feet
+orange. Its bill is very curious, and has obtained for it the names of
+Sea Parrot and Coulterneb in some places. This organ is large and
+strong, but flattened at the sides; it is of a bluish colour, with three
+grooves and four ridges of an orange colour. The Puffin flies swiftly,
+and swims and dives almost as well as the Great Diver; it breeds
+sometimes in crannies amongst the rocks, and sometimes in a hole which
+it digs in the turf or in a rabbit-warren.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GREAT AUK, (_Alca impennis_,)]
+
+
+WHICH is sometimes called the Northern Penguin, is a large bird,
+furnished with very small wings, which, although formed of regular
+feathers, like those of other birds, are far too weak to raise their
+owner into the air. They are, however, of use in another way. When the
+Auk dives, which it frequently does, they serve as fins, and, with its
+powerful webbed feet, enable it to swim underneath the water with even
+greater rapidity than on the surface. This bird was formerly seen
+occasionally on the northern coasts of Britain, and became more
+plentiful towards the Arctic seas; but no specimens have now been met
+with for many years, and there is reason to believe that the bird is
+quite extinct on our coasts. In the water the Great Auk, like the Diver,
+is wonderfully active, swimming on the surface or beneath the waves with
+equal ease. Mr. Bullock, when in the Orkneys, pursued a male bird for
+several hours in a six-oared boat without being able to kill him.
+
+The Great Auk is generally about three feet long, and changes its
+plumage in summer. The breeding-season is in June and July, when the
+female lays one large egg, of a yellowish colour, marked with black
+spots.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE PENGUIN, (_Speniscus demersus_,)]
+
+
+OF which numerous species abound on the shores and islands of the great
+Southern Ocean, is remarkable for its almost incredible agility in the
+water; it swims and dives like a fish, and in fact is described as
+coming to the surface for air, and descending again so suddenly as to
+give rise to the impression that it is a fish jumping in sport. It is
+found in vast numbers in hiding places, where the females are seen
+sitting upright and holding their single egg between their legs.
+
+
+
+BOOK III.
+
+INHABITANTS OF THE WATER.
+
+
+
+
+§ I. _Cetacea, or Sea Mammalia._
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE COMMON, OR GREENLAND WHALE.
+
+(_Balæna mysticetus._)]
+
+ “Nature’s strange work, vast Whales of different form,
+ Toss up the troubled flood, and are themselves a storm;
+ Uncouth the sight, when they in dreadful play,
+ Discharge their nostrils, and refund a sea;
+ Or angry lash the foam with hideous sound,
+ And scatter all the watery dust around;
+ Fearless, the fierce destructive monsters roll,
+ Ingulf the fish, and drive the flying shoal;
+ In deepest seas these living isles appear,
+ And deepest seas can scarce their pressure bear;
+ Their bulk would more than fill the shelvy strait,
+ And fathom’d depths would yield beneath their weight.”
+
+
+THE WHALE is not properly a fish; since, though it lives in the sea,
+and has fins and a tail instead of legs and feet, it resembles in most
+other respects a seal, and differs from fishes, properly so called, in
+many important points. Indeed, it is always included in the class
+Mammalia, by zoologists, as it brings forth its young alive, and
+nourishes them with its milk; and hence a conceited person, who said he
+knew every fish from the shrimp to the Whale, was justly laughed at, as
+neither the Whale nor the shrimp are included in the fishes by
+zoologists.
+
+The general form of the Whale’s body is that of a fish; but the tail is
+placed horizontally instead of vertically, and the skeleton of the fins
+exactly resembles that of a hand affixed to a contracted arm, though it
+is covered with so thick a skin that no trace of the formation of the
+bones can be discovered externally. There are only two fins, which are
+very small, and close to the head. The Whale, however, differs from
+fishes most materially in its having warm blood; and in its lungs, which
+are exactly the same as those of quadrupeds. Hence, though the Whale can
+remain a long time under water without breathing, it is compelled to
+come to the surface whenever it does breathe, and for this purpose it is
+furnished with two large nostrils, or blow-holes as they are called. The
+blow-holes are most beautifully and curiously contrived to close when
+the animal sinks under water; so that not a drop of water can enter the
+lungs, however great the pressure may be. The Whale is also provided
+with a very thick skin, containing an immense quantity of liquid oil,
+called the blubber, which is so easily detached from the flesh, that
+when a Whale is killed, the blubber, which is sometimes two feet thick,
+is taken off by passing a common spade between it and the body. This
+thick oily skin is a non-conductor of heat, and is thus admirably
+adapted for preventing the warm blood of the Whale from being chilled by
+the cold of the water. The true fishes, which are unprovided with such a
+covering, have cold blood, and are therefore not susceptible of chills.
+
+The common Whale has no teeth in either jaw, but its mouth is furnished
+with a kind of fringe of numerous long horny laminæ, which are what we
+call whalebone, and which form a kind of strainer, admitting only the
+small fish on which the Whale feeds. This Whalebone is one of the
+valuable products of the whale, though the oil is most important.
+
+ “As when enclosing harpooners assail,
+ In hyperborean seas, the slumbering Whale;
+ Soon as the javelins pierce the scaly side,
+ He groans, he darts impetuous down the tide;
+ And, rack’d all o’er with lacerating pain,
+ He flies remote beneath the flood in vain.”
+ FALCONER.
+
+Whales are taken in great numbers about Spitzbergen, Greenland, and
+other northern countries by the English, the Dutch, &c. Considerable
+fleets of ships are sent out every spring for this purpose. When they
+begin their fishery, each ship is fastened or moored with nose-hooks to
+the ice. Two boats, each manned with six men, are ordered by the
+commodore to look out for the coming of the fish for two hours, when
+they are relieved by two more, and so by turns; the two boats lie at
+some small distance from the ship, each separated from the other,
+fastened to the ice with their boat-hooks, ready to let go in an instant
+at the first sight of the Whale. Here the dexterity of the Whale hunters
+is to be admired; for as soon as the animal shows itself, every man is
+at his oar, and they all rush on the Whale with prodigious swiftness; at
+the same time taking care to come behind its head, that it may not see
+the boat, which sometimes so alarms it, that it plunges down again
+before they have time to strike it. But the greatest care is to be taken
+of the tail, with which it many times does very great damage, both to
+the boats and seamen. The harpooner, who is placed at the head or bow of
+the boat, seeing the back of the Whale, and making the onset, thrusts
+the harpoon with all his might into its body by the help of a staff
+fixed to the iron for this purpose, and leaves it in, a line being
+fastened to it of about two inches in circumference, and one hundred and
+thirty-six fathoms long. Every boat is furnished with seven of these
+lines, from the motion of which, when let run, they observe the course
+of the Whale.
+
+As soon as the Whale is struck, the third man in the boat holds up his
+oar, with something on the top, as a signal to the ship; at the sight of
+which the man who is appointed to watch gives the alarm to those that
+are asleep, who instantly let fall their other four boats, which hang on
+the tackles, two at each side, ready to let go at a minute’s warning,
+all furnished with six men each, harpoons, lances, lines, &c. Two or
+three of these boats row to the place where the Whale may be expected to
+come up again; the others to assist the boat that first struck it with
+line; as the Whale will sometimes run out three more boats’ lines, all
+fastened to each other, for when the lines of the first boat are almost
+run out, they throw the end to the second to be fastened to theirs, and
+the second boat does the same to the third, and so on. In this manner
+line is supplied to such an extent that a large Whale has been known to
+carry off three miles of it.
+
+A Whale, when he is first struck, will run out above a hundred fathoms
+of line, before the harpooner is able to take a turn round the boat’s
+stern; and with such swiftness that a man stands ready to throw water on
+the line to quench it, in case it should take fire, which it frequently
+does. There was, many years ago, a boat to be seen in the South Sea Dock
+at Deptford, the head of which was sawed off by the swiftness of the
+line running out. The harpoon would be of but little avail in the
+destruction of this animal; but part of the rowers, either at the first
+onset, or when, in order to fetch his breath, he rises to the surface
+and discovers himself to view, throwing aside their oars, and taking up
+their very sharp lances, thrust them into his body, till they see him
+spurt the blood through the blow-holes, the sight of which is a sign of
+the creature’s being mortally wounded. The fishermen, upon the killing
+of a Whale, are each entitled to some small reward. After the Whale is
+killed, they cut all the lines that were fastened to it, and then cut
+off the tail; upon this it instantly turns on its back; and in this
+manner they tow it to the ship, where they fasten ropes to keep it from
+sinking; and, when it is cold, begin to cut off the blubber.
+The blubber of a Whale is frequently found to be eighteen or twenty
+inches thick; which yields fifty or sixty puncheons of oil, each
+puncheon containing seventy-four gallons; and the upper jaw yields about
+six hundred pieces of whalebone, most of which are about twelve feet
+long, and six or eight inches broad; the whole produce of a Whale being
+worth one thousand pounds, more or less, according to the size of the
+animal. Whilst the men are at work on the back of the Whale they have
+spurs on their boots, with two prongs, which come down on each side of
+their feet, lest they should slip, the back of the Whale being very
+slippery.
+
+When the Whale feeds, it swims with considerable velocity below the
+surface of the sea, with its jaws widely extended. A stream of water
+consequently enters its mouth, carrying along with it immense quantities
+of cuttle-fish, sea-blubber, shrimps, and other small marine animals.
+The water escapes at the sides; but the food is entangled, and, as it
+were, sifted by the fringe of whalebone within the mouth; this kind of
+strainer is rendered necessary by the very small gullet, which in a
+Whale of sixty feet long, does not exceed four inches in width. The
+sailors say that a penny-loaf would choke a Whale.
+
+The Whale bellows fearfully when wounded or in distress. Its young is
+called a cub.
+
+There is also an extensive Whale fishery in the Southern Ocean, carried
+on chiefly by the Americans. The Whale found in those seas is distinct
+from the Greenland Whale, and is described by naturalists under the name
+of _Balæna Australis_.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+
+THE RORQUAL, OR FIN-BACKED WHALE,
+
+(_Balænoptera boops_,)
+
+
+IS a very large Whale, specimens sometimes measuring as much as one
+hundred feet in length. It is distinguished by its smaller head, and by
+the existence of a sort of fin on the lower part of its back. The
+Rorqual is found in the northern seas, and specimens are sometimes seen
+off our coasts. It is not of much value, as it furnishes far less
+blubber than the common Whale, and the baleen or whalebone is so short
+as to be useless.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SPERMACETI WHALE, OR CACHALOT.
+
+(_Physeter macrocephalus._)]
+
+
+THIS animal has teeth in the lower jaw only; and no whalebone. The
+substance called spermaceti is extracted from its immense head, which is
+nearly half the size of the entire animal; and the throat is so large
+that it could swallow a shark.
+
+The quantity of oil produced from the Spermaceti Whale is not so
+considerable as that obtained from the common or Greenland Whale, but in
+quality it is far preferable, as it yields a bright flame, without
+exhaling any nauseous smell. The substance known by the name of
+ambergris is also obtained from the body of this animal. It is generally
+found in the stomach, but sometimes in the intestines; and, in a
+commercial point of view, is a highly valuable production. The
+spermaceti is in a fluid state while the animal is living, and as soon
+as it is dead a hole is made in the head, and the liquid taken out with
+buckets. It becomes solid as it cools, and it is afterwards made into
+candles, &c.
+
+When we reflect that the same Power whose will has formed the immense
+bulk of this marine monster has also given animation, senses, and
+passions to the smallest of the microscopic animalcules, how lowered
+must be the pride of man, who, standing in the middle, and nearly at
+equal distance from both, is yet unable to comprehend the mechanism
+which puts them in motion, and much less that intelligence and power
+which has given them life, and has assigned to them their respective
+stations in the universe! Let us then exclaim, with astonishment and
+gratitude, with the Psalmist: “O Lord, how inscrutable are thy ways, how
+magnificent thy works!”
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE DOLPHIN. (_Delphinus delphis._)]
+
+
+THIS animal, like the whale, is not considered a fish, though it lives
+in the water, as it has warm blood and suckles its young, which are born
+alive. It has also lungs instead of gills, and is therefore obliged to
+raise its head above the surface of the water to breathe.
+
+The Dolphin is from six to ten feet in length. The body is roundish,
+gradually diminishing towards the tail; the nose is long and pointed,
+the skin smooth, the back black or dusky blue, becoming white below. It
+has numerous small teeth in each jaw; a dorsal and two pectoral fins,
+and a tail in the shape of a crescent. The beak-like snout has probably
+made the French call the Dolphin the sea-goose.
+
+Several curious stories have been related of this animal, most of which
+are fabulous. The anecdote of Arion, the musician, who, being thrown
+overboard by pirates, was indebted for his life to one of these animals,
+is well known, and acquired great credit among ancient poets, as it was
+said to be by his music that Arion charmed the Dolphin. There are
+several other fables mentioned by ancient authors to prove the
+philanthropy of the Dolphin. Since the province of _Dauphiné_ in France
+has been united to the crown, the heir-apparent has been called
+“Dauphin,” and quarters a Dolphin on his shield. Falconer, in his
+beautiful poem, “The Shipwreck,” describes the death of the Dolphin in
+the following elegant manner:
+
+ “---- Beneath the lofty vessel’s stern
+ A shoal of sporting dolphins they discern,
+ Beaming from burnished scales refulgent rays,
+ Till all the glowing ocean seems to blaze.
+ In curling wreaths they wanton on the tide;
+ Now bound aloft, now downward swiftly glide.
+ Awhile beneath the waves their tracks remain,
+ And burn in silver streams along the liquid plain;
+ Soon to the sport of death the crew repair,
+ Dart the long lance, or spread the bated snare.
+ One in redoubling mazes wheels along,
+ And glides, unhappy, near the triple prong.
+ Rodmond, unerring, o’er his head suspends
+ The barbed steel, and every turn attends:
+ Unerring aim’d, the missile weapon flew,
+ And plunging, struck the fated victim through.
+ The upturning points his pond’rous bulk sustain;
+ On deck he struggles with convulsive pain;
+ But while his heart the fatal javelin thrills,
+ And fleeting life escapes in sanguine rills,
+ What radiant changes strike the astonish’d sight,
+ What glowing hues of mingled shade and light!
+ No equal beauties gild the lucid west
+ With parting beams all o’er profusely dressed; No lovelier colours paint the vernal dawn,
+ When orient dews impearl the enamell’d lawn;
+ Than from his sides in bright suffusion flow,
+ That now with gold empyreal seem to glow;
+ Now in pellucid sapphires meet the view,
+ And emulate the soft celestial hue;
+ Now beam a flaming crimson to the eye,
+ And now assume the purple’s deeper dye:
+ But here description clouds each shining ray;
+ What terms of art can Nature’s power display?”
+
+Unfortunately for poetry, the beautiful colours of the dying Dolphin
+exist entirely in the fancy of the poet; as the Dolphin in a dying state
+displays no tints but black and white, and it is believed that the
+notion so prevalent among the ancients of the change of colour in this
+animal was derived from a true fish, the Dorado, which does exhibit this
+phenomenon.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE WHITE WHALE. (_Beluga leucas._)]
+
+
+THE WHITE WHALE, or Beluga, is included among the dolphins. The body is
+white, tinged with yellow, or rose-colour, and its proportions are more
+agreeable than those of most of the cetacea. It measures from twelve to
+eighteen feet in length. White Whales are gregarious, assembling in
+flocks or herds, and playing about with rapid and graceful movements.
+The female has two young ones at a time, over which she watches with the
+greatest apparent affection. They follow all her movements, and do not
+quit her till they are nearly full grown. This Whale is generally
+confined to the northern latitudes, though one was taken in the Firth of
+Forth in 1815. The oil is of excellent quality, and the flesh eats like
+beef. According to some writers the flesh, when pickled with vinegar and
+salt, is as well tasted as pork; and thus the body, which is generally
+thrown away when the sailors have cut off the blubber, might be used by
+them as food. The internal membranes are used by the Greenlanders for
+windows, and the sinews for thread, and the fins and tail, when properly
+prepared, are said by some of the old writers to be good eating.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE PORPOISE. (_Phocæna vulgaris._)]
+
+
+THE PORPOISE is one of the cetacea, and nearly allied to the dolphin,
+but it has not the beaked snout of that animal. The length of the
+Porpoise, from the tip of the snout to the end of the tail, is from four
+to eight feet, and its girth about two feet and a half. The figure of
+the whole body is conical; the colour of the back is deep blue,
+inclining to shining black; the sides are grey, becoming white below.
+The tail is crescent-shaped. There are only three fins, one on the back,
+and one on each shoulder. The eyes are very small. When the flesh is cut
+up, it looks very much like pork; but although it was once considered a
+sumptuous article of food, and is said to have been occasionally
+introduced at the tables of the old English nobility, it certainly has a
+disagreeable flavour. Porpoises live on small fish, and appear generally
+in large shoals, particularly in the mackerel and herring seasons, at
+which time they do very great damage to fishermen, by breaking and
+destroying the nets to get at their prey. Their motion in the water is a
+kind of circular leap; they dive deep, but soon again rise up in order
+to breathe. They are so eager in the pursuit of their prey, that they
+sometimes ascend large rivers, and have even been seen above
+Westminster Bridge. They have no gills, and blow out the water with a
+loud noise, which in calm weather may be heard at a great distance. They
+are seen nearly in all seas, and are very common upon the British
+coasts, where they sport with great activity, chiefly at the approach of
+a squall.
+
+The Grampus (_Phocæna Orca_) is a species of Porpoise, and a decided and
+inveterate enemy to whales; which they attack in great flocks, fastening
+round them like so many bull-dogs, making them roar with pain, and
+frequently killing and devouring them. They are usually from twenty to
+twenty-five feet in length, and in general form and colour resemble the
+common Porpoise; but the lower jaw is considerably wider than the upper,
+and the body is somewhat broader and more deep in proportion. The
+back-fin sometimes measures six feet in length. In one of the poems of
+Waller, a story (founded on fact) is recorded of the parental affection
+of these animals. A Grampus and her cub had got into an arm of the sea,
+where, by the desertion of the tide, they were enclosed on every side.
+The men on shore saw their situation, and ran down upon them with such
+weapons as they could at the moment collect. The poor animals were soon
+wounded in several places, so that all the immediately surrounding water
+was stained with their blood. They made many efforts to escape; and the
+old one, by superior strength, forced itself over the shallow into the
+ocean. But though in safety herself she would not leave her young one in
+the hands of assassins. She therefore again rushed in; and seemed
+resolved, since she could not prevent, at least to share the fate of her
+offspring. The story concludes with poetical justice; for the tide
+coming in, conveyed them both off in safety; and it is probable, from
+the great thickness of their skins, that their wounds had not been very
+deep.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SEA-UNICORN, OR NARWHAL,
+
+(_Monodon monoceros_,)]
+
+
+A MARINE animal, differing from all the cetacea, to which it belongs, in
+not having any teeth, properly so called, and in being armed with a horn
+of seven or eight feet in length, which projects from the head. This
+horn is white, spirally twisted throughout its whole length, and
+tapering to a point: it is harder, whiter, and more valuable than the
+ivory of the elephant, and was formerly in high repute for its supposed
+medical properties: small ones may be sometimes seen set with an elegant
+head as a walking-stick, and large specimens have been employed as
+bed-posts. The animal itself is from twenty to forty feet in length, and
+is occasionally found with two horns; indeed, there is always the germ
+of a second horn both in the male and female, though it is rarely
+developed in the former, and never in the latter, from which we may
+conjecture that the females trust entirely to the males for their
+defence, as we know is the case with several of the mammalia. When there
+is only one horn, it is always on the left side of the head; and when
+there are two, the horn on the left side is always larger than the
+other. This animal chiefly inhabits the arctic seas, and its food is
+said to consist of the smaller kinds of flat fish and other marine
+animals; its horn is useful in breaking away the ice when it wants to
+come up to breathe. The blubber supplies a small quantity of very fine
+oil, and the Greenlanders are very partial to the flesh.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE MANATEE, (_Manatus Australis_,)]
+
+
+ALSO called the Sea Cow, is a great deal smaller than the other cetacea
+just described, and differs from them in its diet, which consists
+entirely of marine plants. It haunts the coasts and estuaries of South
+America, and measures nine or ten feet in length; its head is
+comparatively small, its jaws are furnished only with grinding-teeth, of
+which it has thirty-two, its skin is provided with a good many scattered
+bristles, and its flippers, or fins, with four small nails. This animal
+not unfrequently raises its head and shoulders out of the water, when it
+is said to have some resemblance to a human being, and it is probable
+that the distant view of a nearly related species, the _Lamantin_, which
+inhabits the shores of Africa, may have given the ancients their first
+notion of the Mermaid. The Manatee is captured with harpoons, and its
+flesh is said to be very good eating. When salted and dried it will keep
+for a year. It also furnishes an excellent oil, and its skin is used for
+making harness and whips. The Dugong (_Halicore Dugong_) is a very
+similar animal, inhabiting the eastern seas. It grows to a length of
+eighteen or twenty feet.
+
+
+
+§ II. _Cartilaginous Fishes._
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE STURGEON, (_Acipenser sturio_,)]
+
+
+SOMETIMES grows to the length of eight or ten feet, and has been found
+to weigh five hundred pounds. It has a long, slender, pointed nose,
+small eyes, and a small mouth destitute of teeth, placed beneath and
+unsupported by the maxillæ; so that when the animal is dead, the mouth
+remains always open. The body is covered with five rows of large bony
+tubercles, and the under side is flat; it has one dorsal fin, two
+pectoral, two ventral, and one anal. The upper part of the body is of a
+muddy olive colour, and the under part silvery. The tail is bifurcated,
+the upper part being much longer than the under. Sturgeons subsist
+principally on insects and marine plants, which they find at the bottom
+of the water, where they mostly resort.
+
+The Sturgeon annually ascends our rivers in the summer, particularly
+those of the Eden and Esk; and when caught, as it sometimes is, in the
+salmon-nets, it scarcely makes any resistance, but is drawn out of the
+water apparently lifeless. One of the largest Sturgeons ever caught in
+our rivers was taken in the Esk a good many years ago: it weighed four
+hundred and sixty pounds. This fish is found in most of the rivers in
+Europe; it is also common in those of North America, and especially in
+the lakes and rivers of Northern Asia.
+
+The flesh of the Sturgeon is delicious; and it was so much valued in the
+time of the Emperor Severus, that it was brought to table by servants
+with coronets on their heads, and preceded by music. In London, every
+Sturgeon that is caught in the Thames is presented by the Lord Mayor to
+the Sovereign. The roe, when preserved with salt and oil, is called
+_caviar_, and is a favourite dish with many persons; the best is made in
+Russia. The flesh is also pickled or salted, and sent all over Europe.
+So prolific is this fish, that Catesby says the females frequently
+contain a bushel of spawn each; and Leeuwenhoek found in the roe of one
+of them no fewer than one hundred and fifty thousand million eggs!
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SHARK.
+
+(_Squalus carcharias_, or _Carcharias vulgaris_.)]
+
+ “Increasing still the terrors of the storms,
+ His jaws horrific arm’d with threefold fate,
+ Here dwells the direful Shark.”
+
+
+THE SHARK differs from the whale in not being one of the mammalia. It is
+cold-blooded, and does not suckle its young. It has no lungs, and its
+mode of breathing is like that of other fishes, except that its gills
+are fixed, and the water escapes by five apertures on each side. The
+body of the Shark is elongated, and tapers gradually from the head to
+the tail, or is very slightly dilated in the middle. Its muzzle or nose
+is rounded, and projects very much over the mouth, the nostrils being
+situated on the under side. The male shark is smaller than the female,
+and differs from it in appearance, in possessing two elongated
+appendages, one of which is attached to the hinder edge of each of the
+ventral fins. The purpose which these appendages are intended to serve
+is not known. Some of the Sharks produce their young alive, and others
+lay eggs contained in horny cases of an oblong shape, with long tendrils
+at each of the four corners. After the young Sharks are hatched, these
+curious cases are often washed on shore, and are called mermaids’
+purses.
+
+The bones of the Shark are like gristle, and very different from those
+of most other fishes. Hence all the fishes with bones similar to those
+of the Shark are placed in a separate order, and called cartilaginous
+fishes.
+
+The White Shark is sometimes found weighing nearly two thousand pounds.
+The throat is often large enough to swallow a man; and a human body has
+sometimes been found entire in the stomach of this tremendous animal. He
+is furnished with six rows of sharp triangular teeth, which amount in
+all to a hundred and forty-four, serrated on their edges, and capable of
+being erected or depressed at pleasure, owing to a curious muscular
+mechanism in the palate and jaws of the Shark. The whole body and fins
+are of a light ash-colour; the skin rough, and employed to smooth
+cabinet work, or to cover small boxes or cases. His eyes are large and
+staring, and he possesses great muscular strength in his tail and fins.
+Whenever he spies, from the deepest recesses of the sea, a man swimming
+or diving, he darts from the place, up to his prey, and if unable to
+take in the whole, or snatch away a limb, he follows for a long time the
+boat or vessel in which the more nimble swimmer has found a safe and
+opportune retreat: but seldom does he let any one escape his jaws, and
+get off entire. Sir Brook Watson was swimming at a little distance from
+a ship, when he saw a Shark making towards him. Struck with terror at
+its approach, he cried out for assistance. A rope was instantly thrown;
+but even while the men were in the act of drawing him up the ship’s
+side, the monster darted after him, and, at a single snap, tore off his
+leg.
+
+We are told that, in the reign of Queen Anne, some of the men of an
+English merchant-ship, which had arrived at Barbadoes, were one day
+bathing in the sea, when a large Shark appeared, and was rushing upon
+them. A person from the ship called out to warn them of their danger; on
+which they all immediately swam to the vessel, and arrived in perfect
+safety, except one poor man, who was cut in two by the Shark, almost
+within reach of the oars. A comrade and intimate friend of the
+unfortunate victim, when he observed the severed trunk of his companion,
+was seized with a degree of horror that words cannot describe. The
+insatiate Shark was seen traversing the bloody surface in search of the
+remainder of his prey, when the brave youth plunged into the water,
+determining either to make the Shark disgorge, or to be buried himself
+in the same grave. He held in his hand a long and sharp-pointed knife,
+and the rapacious animal pushed furiously towards him; he had turned on
+his side, and had opened his enormous jaws, in order to seize him, when
+the youth, diving dexterously under, seized him with his left hand,
+somewhere about the upper fins, and stabbed him several times in the
+belly. The Shark, enraged with pain, and streaming with blood, plunged
+in all directions in order to disengage himself from his enemy. The
+crews of the surrounding vessels saw that the combat was decided; but
+they were ignorant which was slain, until the Shark, weakened by loss of
+blood, made towards the shore, and along with him his conqueror; who,
+flushed with victory, pushed his foe with redoubled ardour, and, by the
+aid of an ebbing tide, dragged him on shore. Here he ripped up the
+bowels of the animal, obtained the severed remainder of his friend’s
+body, and buried it with the trunk in the same grave. This story,
+however incredible it may appear, is related in the History of
+Barbadoes, on the most satisfactory authority.
+
+Had nature allowed this fish to seize his prey with as much facility as
+many others, the Shark tribe would have soon depopulated the ocean, and
+reigned alone in the vast regions of the sea, till hunger would have
+forced them to attack and ultimately destroy each other; but the upper
+jaw of this devouring animal, is so constructed as to offer, by its
+prominency, an impediment to the Shark’s easily seizing his prey; and
+consequently when on the point of catching hold of anything, he is
+obliged to turn on one side, which troublesome evolution often gives the
+object of his pursuit time to escape. The flesh of this fish is of a
+disagreeable taste, and cannot be eaten with any kind of relish, except
+the part near the tail.
+
+Twenty different species of this family are known, and the number of
+different families of the Shark tribe is very great.
+
+
+
+
+THE GREENLAND SHARK, (_Selachus maximus_,)
+
+
+IS another very voracious species; and one extremely difficult to kill.
+It is the great enemy of the whale, and devours the bodies of those left
+by the fishers. Its teeth are very small, pointed, and numerous. The
+snout is short. It is sometimes known as the Basking Shark.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE DOG-FISHES]
+
+
+ARE so excessively voracious, that they are altogether fearless of
+mankind. They follow vessels with great eagerness, seizing with avidity
+everything eatable that is thrown overboard; and have sometimes been
+known to throw themselves on fishermen, and on persons bathing in the
+sea. As, however, they are much smaller and weaker than most of the
+other Sharks, they do not always attack their enemies by open force, but
+generally have recourse to stratagem. They, consequently, conceal
+themselves in the mud, and lie in ambush, like the ray or skate-fish,
+(also one of the cartilaginous fishes,) until they have an opportunity
+of successfully attacking their prey. On the coasts of Scarborough,
+where haddocks, cod, and Dog-fish are in great abundance, the fishermen
+universally believe that the Dog-fish make a line or semicircle to
+encompass a shoal of haddocks and cod, confining them within certain
+limits near the shore, and eating them as occasion requires: they are
+therefore considered very destructive to this fishery. The flesh of the
+Dog-fish is hard and disagreeable; its skin, when dried, is made into
+the well-known _shagreen_, and from the liver a considerable quantity of
+oil may be extracted. Shagreen is also made from the skin of other
+cartilaginous fishes.
+
+
+
+
+THE HAMMER-HEADED SHARK, (_Zygæna malleus_,)
+
+
+IS a very curious kind, having a transverse head like that of a hammer,
+with an eye at each extremity; and the Fox-Shark, or Thresher
+(_Carcharias vulpes_), is remarkable for the enormous length of the
+upper lobe of its tail, with which it is able to strike with tremendous
+force. This fish is one of the great enemies of the whale.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SKATE, (_Raia batis_,)]
+
+
+IS a species of the Ray, which was long disregarded in this country as a
+coarse, bad-tasted food, but which now appears upon our best tables. It
+is still, however, disregarded in Scotland and the north of England,
+where its flesh is principally used as a bait for other fish. On some
+parts of the continent, where these fish are caught in great abundance,
+they are dried for sale. The best season for Skate is the spring of the
+year. The body is broad and flat, of a brown colour on the back, and
+white on the lower side: the head is not distinct from the body, so that
+this fish and all belonging to this genus are apparently acephalous, or
+without a head. The peculiar form of this fish is owing to the large
+size of the pectoral fins, which extend from the head to the base of the
+tail, and are very wide in the middle, and so, combined with the
+sharpness of the snout, give the fish the shape known as rhomboidal. Dr.
+Monro has remarked, that in the gills of a large Skate there are upwards
+of one hundred and forty-four thousand subdivisions, or folds; and that
+the whole extent of this membrane, whose surface is nearly equal to that
+of the whole human body, may be seen by a microscope to be covered with
+a network of vessels, that are not only extremely minute, but
+exquisitely beautiful. The tail of the Skate is long, and generally
+prickly. The mouth is, as it were, paved with teeth, which are flat, and
+nearly square in shape. In the full-grown male the centre teeth are
+pointed, at least in some species. The eggs deposited by the female
+Skate are very similar to those laid by the shark, being in the shape of
+a square bag, with two horns at each end as here represented.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+In this horny case the embryo is contained, and grows till it has
+acquired strength enough to burst through its prison. The colour of the
+bag is maroon, and the substance like thin brown parchment or leather.
+The female begins to drop these singly in the month of May, and
+continues to do so for several months, to the number of two or three
+hundred. In some parts of Cumberland they are called, by the common
+people, Skatebarrows, on account of their resemblance to the barrows
+which are carried by two men, and used for the conveyance of goods, &c.
+
+The Skate sometimes attains a very large size. Willoughby speaks of one
+so huge that it would have served one hundred and twenty men for dinner.
+Some naturalists are of opinion that these fishes are the largest
+inhabitants of the deep, and that only the smallest of them come near
+the surface of the water, the biggest remaining flat at the bottom of
+the sea, where an unfathomable deep secures them against the wiles of
+man.
+
+Nine species of the Skate or Ray are found on the British coasts.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE THORNBACK, (_Raia clavata_,)]
+
+
+RESEMBLES the Skate in its general appearance; the principal difference
+consists in the latter having sharp teeth, and a single row of spines
+upon the tail, while the former has blunt teeth, and several rows of
+spines both upon the back and tail. A Thornback was caught near the
+island of St. Kitt’s, in the year 1634, which measured twelve feet in
+length, and nearly ten in width. It is sometimes eaten in England, but
+as its flesh is inferior to that of the Skate, it is generally sold at a
+low price. The young ones, however, which have the denomination of
+_Maids_, are delicate eating.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE TORPEDO, OR ELECTRIC RAY.
+
+(_Torpedo vulgaris._)]
+
+
+THIS curious fish is capable of giving a violent shock, like that
+produced by the electrical machine, to the person who handles it. The
+body is nearly circular, and thicker than any other of the Ray kind, and
+is sometimes so large as to weigh between seventy and eighty pounds. The
+skin is smooth, of a dusky brown colour, and white underneath. The
+ventral fins form on each side, at the end of the body, nearly a quarter
+of a circle. The tail is short, and the two dorsal fins are near its
+origin. The mouth is small, and as in the other species, there are on
+each side below it five breathing apertures.
+
+The shock imparted by the touch of the Cramp-fish, as the Torpedo is
+vulgarly called, is often attended with a sudden sickness at the
+stomach, a general tremor, a kind of convulsion, and sometimes a total
+suspension of the faculties of the mind. Such power of self-defence has
+Providence allowed this lumpish and inactive fish. Whenever an enemy
+approaches, the Torpedo emits from its body that benumbing shock, which
+incapacitates the other instantly, and it thereby gets time to escape.
+Nor is it merely a means of defence, but an advantage in other respects,
+for the Torpedo thus benumbs its prey, and easily seizes upon it. The
+animals thus killed are also supposed to become more easy of digestion.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE MONK-FISH, OR ANGEL-FISH,
+
+(_Squatina Angelus_,)]
+
+
+IS very voracious, and feeds upon all kinds of flat fish, as soles,
+flounders, &c. It is often caught on the coasts of Great Britain, and of
+such a size as to weigh sometimes a hundred pounds. This fish seems to
+be of a middle nature between the rays and sharks, and is called by
+Pliny the Squatina; a name which seems to bring this species near that
+of the skate. Its head is large; the mouth has five rows of teeth, which
+are capable of being raised or depressed at pleasure. The back is of a
+pale ash-colour; the belly white and smooth. The shores of Cornwall are
+often frequented by this fish, but its flesh does not deserve to be
+praised, being hard, and of a very indifferent flavour.
+
+It is supposed to have acquired the name of Angel-fish, from its
+extended pectoral fins bearing some similarity to wings, certainly, as
+Mr. Yarrell has remarked, not for its beauty; and of monk-fish, from its
+rounded head, appearing as if enveloped in a monk’s hood. The skin is
+rather rough, and is used for polishing, and other works in the arts.
+Mr. Donovan says that the Turks of the present day make shagreen of it.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SAW-FISH. (_Tristis antiquorum._)]
+
+
+THIS fish is found in the European and Atlantic seas. Its body is
+flattened anteriorly with four or five branchial openings below on each
+side; two spiracles behind the eyes; no anal fin; the head prolonged
+into a depressed bony beak, with strong pointed spines on each side; the
+lips are rough and sharp like a file, supplying the place of teeth. With
+its formidable weapon, which resembles a toothed saw, this fish attacks
+the largest whales, and inflicts very severe wounds. The colour of its
+body is of a greyish brown above, and paler below; its length about
+fifteen feet, the saw being about a third of the whole.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE LAMPREY. (_Petromyzon marinus._)]
+
+
+THE LAMPREY belongs to the last family of cartilaginous fishes, and is
+one of the lowest in the scale of vertebrated animals. It grows to the
+length of about three feet, although the British species, with which we
+are best acquainted, seldom exceeds twelve inches. To avoid the constant
+muscular exertions necessary to prevent their being carried away by the
+current, they attach themselves by the mouth to stones or rocks, and
+hence are called _Petromyzon_, Stone-suckers. The Lamprey, although no
+longer maintaining its ancient repute, is still considered a delicacy;
+those taken in the Severn being preferred to all others. Henry the
+First, as is well known, died of a surfeit of them; and in the reign of
+Henry the Fourth their importation was encouraged by immunities. The
+Roman epicures prized this fish so highly, that they bestowed the utmost
+care, and expended enormous sums in rearing them. Pliny tells us that
+Lucullus formed a fish-pond of such extent, that the fish it contained
+were, at his death, sold for four million sesterces. These polished
+barbarians sometimes threw a slave into the ponds where they kept their
+_Murœnæ_, or Lampreys, and considered that by this means they
+fattened the fish and gave them a superior flavour.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE HAG-FISH, (_Myxine glutinosa_,)]
+
+
+A CARTILAGINOUS FISH, which in its general appearance bears a near
+resemblance to the Lamprey. Its colour is dusky bluish above, and
+reddish towards the head and tail; its length from four to six inches.
+The Hag-fish is remarkable for its total want of eyes; its mouth is of
+an oblong form, with two beards or cirri on each side, and on the upper
+part four. On the top of the head is a small spout-hole, furnished with
+a valve, by which it can be closed at pleasure. A double row of pores
+extends beneath the body, from one extremity to the other, which on
+pressure exude a quantity of viscid fluid, which, when attacked by large
+fish, the Hag throws out, so as to cloud the surrounding element in such
+a manner as to render itself invisible to its assailants. “The habits of
+this fish are highly singular: it will enter the bodies of such fishes
+as it happens to find on the fishermen’s hooks, and which consequently
+have lost the power of escaping its attack; and gnawing its way through
+the skin, will devour all the internal parts, leaving only the bones and
+the skin. If put into a large vessel of sea-water, it is said in a very
+short space to render the whole water so glutinous that it may easily be
+drawn out in the form of threads.”
+
+
+
+
+§ III. _Bony Fishes._
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE PILOT-FISH. (_Naucrates ductor._)]
+
+
+THE body of this fish is long, the head compressed, rounding off in
+front, without scales as far as the operculum. The mouth is small, the
+jaws of equal length, and furnished with small teeth; the palate has a
+curved row of similar teeth in front, and the tongue has teeth all
+along. The colour varies in several species. The Pilot-fish will
+frequently attend a ship during its course at sea for weeks, or even
+months together; and there are many curious stories told respecting its
+habits, in occasionally directing a shark where to find a good meal, and
+also in warning him how to avoid a dangerous bait. Whether this be true
+or not will be difficult to determine; but it is certain that this
+little fish is generally found in company with the shark, and picks up
+the smaller pieces of food which his predatory master drops, either by
+accident or design.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE REMORA, OR SUCKING-FISH,
+
+(_Echeneis Remora_,)]
+
+
+RESEMBLES the herring; its head is thick, naked, depressed, and marked
+on the upper side with a curious sucker composed of numerous transverse,
+movable, serrated plates. The fins are seven in number; the under jaw is
+longer than the upper, and both furnished with teeth. This fish is
+provided by nature with a strong adhesive power, and, by means of the
+grooved space on its head, can attach itself to any animal or body
+whatever. We might suppose that a small fish with seven acting fins,
+armed like a galley with oars, would have a great power of motion in the
+water, but, for some reason unknown to us, Providence has contrived for
+him an easier way of travelling, by enabling him to fix himself to the
+hull of a ship, and even to the body of a larger animal than himself, as
+the whale, the shark, and others. Our forefathers believed that, small
+as he is, this fish had the power of arresting the progress of a ship in
+its fastest sailing by adhering to the bottom.
+
+ “The Sucking-fish beneath, with secret chains,
+ Clung to the keel, the swiftest ship detains.
+ The seamen run confused, no labour spared,
+ Let fly the sheets, and hoist the topmast yard.
+ The master bids them give her all the sails,
+ To court the winds and catch the coming gales.
+ But, though the canvas bellies with the blast,
+ And boisterous winds bend down the cracking mast,
+ The bark stands firmly rooted in the sea,
+ And will, unmoved, nor winds nor waves obey:
+ Still, as when calms have flatted all the plain,
+ And infant waves scarce wrinkle on the main.
+ No ship in harbour moor’d so careless rides,
+ When ruffling waters tell the flowing tides;
+ Appall’d, the sailors stare, through strange surprise,
+ Believe they dream, and rub their waking eyes.”
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SEA-WOLF, OR SEA-BAT,
+
+(_Anarrhichas lupus_,)]
+
+
+IS often caught in the European seas; and is about five or six feet in
+length, and has a larger and flatter head than the shark. The back,
+sides, and fins are of a bluish colour; the body is nearly white; the
+whole skin is smooth and slippery, without any appearance of scales. It
+is of a very voracious nature, and has a double row of sharp and round
+teeth, both in the upper and lower jaw. Its appetite, however, does not
+lead it to destroy fishes similar in shape to itself, as it is supposed
+to feed chiefly on crustaceous and molluscous animals, whose shells it
+breaks easily with its teeth. It is sometimes found in the northern seas
+exceeding twelve feet in length, and owes its name to its natural
+fierceness and voracity. The fishermen dread its bite, and endeavour as
+speedily as possible to strike out its fore-teeth, which are so strong,
+that they are capable of leaving an impression on an anchor. The fins
+nearest the head spread themselves, when the animal is swimming, in the
+shape of two large fans, and their motion contributes considerably to
+accelerate its natural swiftness. The flesh is good, and as it bears
+salting well it is an important article of food to the Icelanders, in
+whose seas this fish occurs in great abundance and of large size.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE HORNED SILURE,
+
+(_Silurus_, or _Ageneiosus militaris_,)]
+
+
+GROWS to a large size, weighing sometimes three hundred pounds, and
+measuring eight to ten feet in length, and two in breadth. It has a
+broad, flat, thin head; and the horns, which are on each side of the
+upper lip, are armed with short crooked spines, like teeth. A remarkable
+peculiarity in this fish is the dorsal fin, which is close to the head,
+and is long, stiff, dentated like the horns, and is, no doubt, an
+instrument of defence. In colour it resembles the eel, and has no
+scales; only one small fin on the back, and a forked tail; its flesh is
+esteemed next to that of the eel, and has a similar flavour. This fish
+is a great depredator, and makes considerable havoc among the smaller
+inhabitants of the rivers and lakes which it inhabits. It is a native of
+the fresh waters of Asia. The Danube, and several other rivers of
+Germany, and the lakes of Switzerland and Bavaria contain numerous
+specimens of Silurus.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE FATHER LASHER. (_Cottus scorpius._)]
+
+
+THE whimsical denomination of Father Lasher, given to this fish, cannot
+be easily accounted for; perhaps it may be ascribable to the quick and
+repeated lashings of its tail, when the fish is caught and thrown upon
+the sand. The length is about eight or nine inches, and it is usually
+found under stones, on the rocky coasts of our island. In Greenland
+these fish are so numerous, that the inhabitants depend largely upon
+them for their food. When made into soup, they are nutritive and
+wholesome. The head is large, and armed with spines, by which this fish
+combats every enemy that attacks it, swelling out its cheeks and
+gill-covers to an unusual size. Its colour is a dull brown, mottled with
+white, and sometimes mixed with red; the fins and tail are transparent,
+and the lower part of the body a shining white.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SWORD-FISH, (_Xiphias gladius_,)]
+
+
+WHICH belongs to the mackerel family, has received its name from its
+long snout resembling the blade of a sword. It sometimes weighs above
+one hundred pounds, and is fifteen or even twenty feet in length. The
+body is of a conical form, black on the back, white under the body; the
+mouth large, with no teeth; the tail is remarkably forked. The
+Sword-fish is often taken off the coast of Italy, in the Bay of Naples,
+and about Sicily. They are struck at by the fishermen, and their flesh
+is considered as good as that of the sturgeon by the Sicilians, who seem
+to be particularly fond of it. Other European seas are not destitute of
+this curious animal.
+
+The Sword-fish and the whale are said never to meet without coming to
+battle; and the former has the reputation of being always the aggressor.
+Sometimes two Sword-fishes join against one whale; in which case the
+combat is by no means equal. The whale uses his tail in his defence; he
+dives deeply into the water, head foremost, and makes such a blow with
+his tail, that, should it take effect, it kills the Sword-fish at a
+single stroke; but the latter is in general sufficiently adroit to avoid
+it, and immediately rushes at the whale, and buries its weapon in his
+side. When the whale discovers the Sword-fish darting upon him, he dives
+to the bottom, but is closely pursued by his antagonist, who compels him
+again to rise to the surface. The battle then begins afresh, and lasts
+until the Sword-fish loses sight of the whale, who is at length
+compelled to swim off, which his superior agility enables him to do. In
+piercing the whale’s body with the tremendous weapon at his snout, the
+Sword-fish seldom inflicts a dangerous wound, not being able to
+penetrate beyond the blubber. This animal can drive its sword with such
+force into the keel of a ship, as to bury it wholly in the timber. A
+part of the bottom of a vessel, with the sword imbedded in it, is to be
+seen in the British Museum.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE FLYING SCORPION.]
+
+
+HOW admirable is Nature! how extensive her power and how various the
+forms with which she has surrounded the united elements of animated
+matter! From the uncouth shape of the wallowing whale, of the unwieldy
+hippopotamus, or ponderous elephant, to the light and elegant form of
+the painted moth or fluttering humming-bird, she seems to have exhausted
+all ideas, all conceptions, and not to have left a single figure
+untried. The fish represented above is one of those, in the outlines and
+decorations of which appear the discordant qualities of frightfulness
+and beauty. Armed _cap-à-pie_, surrounded with spines and thorns
+bristling on his back, and fins like an armed phalanx of lance-bearers,
+and decorated on the body with yellow ribands, interwoven with white
+fillets, and on the purple fins of his breast with the milky dots of the
+pintado, the Sea Scorpion presents a very extraordinary contrast. His
+eyes, like those of which poets sang when celebrating the Nereids and
+Naiads, consist of black pupils, surrounded with a silver iris, radiated
+with alternate divisions of blue and black. The rays of the dorsal fin
+are spiny, spotted brown and yellow, conjoined below by a dark brown
+membrane, and separate above; the ventral fins are violet with white
+drops, and the tail and anal fins are a sort of tesselated work of blue,
+black, and white, united with the greatest symmetry, and not unlike
+those ancient fragments of Roman pavements often found in this island.
+
+This variegated fish is found in the rivers of Amboyna and Japan; its
+flesh is white, firm, and well tasting, like our perch, but it does not
+grow so large; it is of a very voracious disposition, feeding on the
+young of other fish, some of which, two inches in length, have been
+found in its craw. The skin has both the appearance and smoothness of
+parchment. To the tremendous armour of its back, fins, and tail, this
+fish owes the name of Scorpion.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE LUMP-SUCKER, OR SEA-OWL.
+
+(_Cyclopterus lumpus._)]
+
+
+THIS odd-shaped fish derives its name chiefly from the clumsiness of its
+form; it is also called the Cock Paddle. Its colour, when in the highest
+perfection, combines various shades of blue, purple, and rich orange;
+the abdomen is red; it has no scales, but on all sides sharp black
+tubercles, in shape like warts; on each side are three rows of sharp
+prickles, and on the back two distinct fins. The great resort of this
+species is in the Northern seas, about the coast of Greenland; it is
+also caught in many parts of the British seas during the spring season,
+when it approaches the shore for the purpose of depositing its spawn;
+and in the month of March it may be seen at the stalls of the London
+markets. This unseemly fish is usually about a foot in length, and ten
+or more inches in breadth, and sometimes weighs seven pounds. The flesh
+is but indifferent.
+
+The Lump-sucker is very remarkable for the manner in which its ventral
+fins are arranged. They are united by a membrane so as to form a kind of
+oval and concave disc, by means of which it is enabled to adhere with
+great force to any substance to which it fastens itself. Pennant says,
+that, on throwing an individual of this species into a pail of water, it
+adhered so firmly to the bottom that, on taking the fish by the tail,
+the whole pail was lifted up, though it held some gallons.
+
+In the Northern seas great numbers of the different species of
+Lump-suckers are devoured by the seals, who swallow all but the skins,
+quantities of which thus emptied are seen floating about in the spring
+months; it is said that the spots where the seals carry on their
+depredations can be readily distinguished by the smoothness of the
+water.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE OCELLATED SUCKER,
+
+(_Lepadogaster cornubicus_,)]
+
+
+ANOTHER Malacopterygious fish, a relative of the Lump-sucker, and
+chiefly remarkable for the singular appendage observable on its head. It
+possesses similar tenacity of suction. The utility of this faculty to
+animals inhabiting the rocky shores and turbulent seas of Greenland is
+sufficiently obvious.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE ANGLER. (_Lophius piscatorius._)]
+
+
+THIS extraordinary fish is occasionally met with on our coasts, and is
+commonly known by the names of the Fishing Frog, Toad Fish, and Sea
+Devil. In shape it is the most uncouth and unsightly of the piscatory
+tribe, resembling the frog in its tadpole state. It grows to a large
+size. A specimen taken in the sea, near Scarborough, was between four
+and five feet in length, the head considerably larger than the body,
+round at the circumference, flat above; the mouth is of a prodigious
+size, being a yard in width, and armed with sharp teeth. It lives, as it
+were, in ambush at the bottom of the sea, and by means of its fins stirs
+up the mud and sand, so as to conceal itself from other fishes on whom
+it preys. The manner in which it procures its prey is very
+extraordinary, the peculiarity of its construction forbidding the
+possibility of rapid movement. Two long tough filaments are placed above
+the nose, each of them furnished with a thin appendage, closely
+resembling a fishing-line when baited and flung out. The back is
+provided with three others, united by a web, and forming the first
+dorsal fin. Pliny notices these remarkable appendages, and explains
+their use. “The Fishing Frog,” says he, “puts forth the slender horns
+situated beneath his eyes, enticing by that means the little fish to
+play around till they come within his reach, when he springs upon them.”
+But it is not only the lesser inhabitants of the water that the Angler
+ensnares! Codfish of good size are often found in his stomach, and he
+occasionally seizes upon fishes as they are being drawn up by the line.
+Mr. Yarrell mentions an instance of an Angler attacking a conger-eel
+under these circumstances: the eel wriggled through the branchial
+aperture of his captor, and both were drawn up together.
+
+Cicero also notices this extraordinary creature, in his Treatise on the
+Nature of the Gods. He observed its wonderful construction when musing
+on the shores of Sicily.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE FOUR-HORNED TRUNK FISH.
+
+(_Ostracion quadricornis._)]
+
+
+THESE singular fishes are distinguished from most others by the bony
+covering which envelopes them. The head and body are covered with plates
+of bone, forming an inflexible cuirass, and leaving exposed only the
+tail, fins, mouth, and a portion of the gill opening. They have no
+ventral fins, and the dorsal and anal are placed far back. Their liver
+is large, and abounds with oil. The Trunk-fish is a native of the Indian
+and American seas. Some of the species are considered excellent eating.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GLOBE FISH, (_Tetraodon hispidus_,)]
+
+
+IS an oblong fish, inhabiting the seas of Carolina, and endowed with an
+extraordinary power of swelling its under surface into a large globe.
+This sudden enlargement not only alarms the enemies of the Tetrodon, but
+prevents them from making good their hold, by presenting to their grasp
+little more than an inflated bag. It is also covered with spines, which
+merely adhere to the skin, and are capable of being erected on any
+sudden emergency; thus giving to an innocent and defenceless creature a
+most formidable appearance.
+
+When inflated, they roll over on their backs, floating in this position,
+without any power of directing their course. Some species are reckoned
+poisonous. One is electrical, (_Tetraodon lineatus_,) and is found in
+the Nile; when left on shore by the inundations, it always inflates its
+body, becomes dried in this condition, and is then picked up by the
+children, and used as a ball.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SUN FISH, (_Orthagoriscus mola_,)]
+
+
+APPEARS like the fore part of the body of a large fish, which has been
+amputated in the middle. The mouth is small, with two broad teeth only
+in each jaw. Its nearly circular form, and the silvery whiteness of the
+sides, together with their brilliant phosphorescence during the night,
+have obtained for it very generally the appellations of sun or moon
+fish. While swimming, it turns round like a wheel, and sometimes floats
+with its head above water, when it appears like a dying fish. It grows
+to a large size; sometimes being four or five feet in length, and
+weighing from three to five hundred pounds. The back of this curious
+marine animal is of a rich blue colour. It frequents the coasts of both
+the ancient and new continent, and has been found on the shores of
+England.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE CAVALLO-MARINO, OR SEA-HORSE.
+
+(_Hippocampus brevirostris._)]
+
+
+THIS is a small fish, of a curious shape. The length is from six to ten,
+and sometimes twelve, inches; the head bears some resemblance to that of
+a horse, whence originates its name. A series of longitudinal and
+transverse ridges run from the head to the tail, which is spirally
+curved and prehensile.
+
+The following account of two specimens taken alive at Guernsey, in June,
+1835, by F. C. Lukis, Esq., is extracted from Yarrell’s “British
+Fishes.” These creatures were kept about twelve days in a glass vessel,
+and their actions were equally novel and amusing. “An appearance of
+search for a resting-place induced me,” says Mr. Lukis, “to consult
+their wishes, by placing seaweed and straws in the vessel: the desired
+effect was obtained, and has afforded me much to reflect upon in their
+habits. They now exhibit many of their peculiarities, and few subjects
+of the deep have displayed, _in prison_, more sport or more
+intelligence.
+
+“When swimming about, they maintain a vertical position; but the tail is
+ready to grasp whatever meets it in the water, quickly entwines in any
+direction round the weeds, and, when fixed, the animal intently watches
+the surrounding objects, and darts at its prey with the greatest
+dexterity.
+
+“When the animals approach each other, they often twist their tails
+together, and struggle to separate or attach themselves to the weeds:
+this is done by the under part of their cheeks or chin, which is also
+used for raising the body when a new spot is wanted for the tail to
+entwine afresh. The eyes move independently of each other, as in the
+chameleon, and this, with the brilliant changeable iridescence about the
+head, and its blue bands, forcibly reminds the observer of that animal.”
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE FLYING FISH OF THE OCEAN.
+
+(_Exocætus volitans._)]
+
+
+THIS fish has a slender body, a projecting under-lip, and very large and
+prominent eyes. The ventral fins are small, but the pectoral fins are so
+long and wide as to answer the purpose of wings, and aided by them the
+fish is enabled to rise out of the water, and support itself in the air.
+It must not be supposed, however, that the Flying-fish can soar like a
+bird; on the contrary, it can only spring from the water to a
+considerable height (sometimes as much as twenty feet), and fly about a
+hundred and fifty, or two hundred yards; most commonly, however, it does
+not rise above two or three feet from the water, and remains fluttering
+over the surface for about a hundred yards, when it again drops into its
+native element. There is another Flying-fish (_Exocætus exiliens_) in
+the Mediterranean.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GURNARD. (_Trigla cuculus._)]
+
+
+THIS genus is divided into several species. The Red Gurnard has fins and
+body of a bright red colour; and the head is large, and covered with
+strong bony plates. The eyes are large, round, and vertical; the mouth
+is large; and the palate and jaws are armed with sharp teeth. The
+gill-membrane has seven rays. The back has a longitudinal spinous groove
+on each side. There are slender articulate appendages at the base of
+each pectoral fin. This fish is not unfrequently met with on the
+southern shores of England; and is often seen exposed in the
+fish-markets of the maritime towns of Dorset and Devonshire, as well as
+in Cornwall. It is a pleasant-tasting fish, when properly stuffed and
+baked, the flavour being similar to that of the haddock.
+
+Whilst in the water, the colours of the Red Gurnard are almost
+inconceivably brilliant and beautiful, particularly in the broad glare
+of sunshine, as they then vary, in the most pleasing manner, with every
+motion of the fish.
+
+The Grey Gurnard (_Trigla gurnardus_) usually measures from one to two
+feet in length. The extremity of the head, in front, is armed on each
+side with three short spines. The forehead and the covers of the gills
+are silvery; the latter being finely radiated. The body is covered with
+small scales; the upper parts are of a deep grey, spotted with white and
+yellow, and sometimes with black; and the lower parts silvery. About the
+months of May and June, the Grey Gurnards approach the shores in
+considerable shoals, for the purpose of depositing their spawn in the
+shallows; at other times they reside in the depths of the ocean, where
+they have a plentiful supply of food in crabs, lobsters, and other
+shell-fish, on which it is supposed they for the most part feed. They
+are occasionally found on the shores of Great Britain and Ireland, in
+the spawning season.
+
+The _Lucerna_ is caught in the Mediterranean Sea, and is of a very
+curious shape; its fins about the gills being so large, and spreading so
+much like a fan on each side, that they appear somewhat like wings. The
+tail is bifid, and the scales very small. The flesh is esteemed among
+the Italians, and the Lucerna is often seen in the fish-markets of
+Naples, Venice, and other towns on the sea-shore. This fish much
+resembles the Father Lasher and the Gurnard; and it is called Lucerna
+because it shines in the dark.
+
+The Flying Gurnard (_Dactyloptera Mediterranea_), which is the commonest
+flying-fish of the Mediterranean Sea, is about a foot long; it is brown
+above, reddish below, and has blackish fins spotted with blue. The
+pectoral fins with which it supports itself in the air are of immense
+extent. On each operculum there is a long and pointed spine, with which
+the fish can inflict severe wounds.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE JOHN DORY. (_Zeus faber._)]
+
+
+IT would be an inexcusable neglect to pass this fish unnoticed, not on
+account of its disputing with the haddock the honour of having been
+pressed by the fingers of the apostle, nor of its having been trodden
+upon by the gigantic foot of St. Christopher, when he carried on his
+shoulders a divine burden across an arm of the sea, but for the
+excellence of its flesh. It has been for some years in such favour with
+our epicures, that one of them, a comedian of high repute (Quin), took a
+journey to Plymouth merely to eat this fish in perfection. Its body
+presents the shape of a rhomboid, but the sides are much compressed; the
+mouth is large, and the snout long, composed of several cartilaginous
+plates, which wrap and fold one over another, in order to enable the
+fish to catch its prey. The colour is a dark green, marked with black
+spots, with a golden gloss, whence the name originated. They inhabit the
+coasts of England, and particularly Torbay, whence they are sent to the
+fish-markets of London.
+
+When the Dory is taken alive out of the water, it is able to compress
+its internal organs so rapidly that the air, in rushing through the
+openings of the gills, produces a kind of noise somewhat like that
+which, on similar occasions, is emitted by the gurnards.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE BLEPHARIS. (_Blepharis ciliaris._)]
+
+
+THIS species of the Dory is of a bright silver colour, with a cast of
+bluish-green on the back. Several of the last rays, both of the dorsal
+and anal fin, extend beyond the membrane, reaching even farther than the
+tail itself. It has been supposed that the smaller kind of fishes may be
+attracted with these long flexible filaments, and mistake them for
+worms, while the Zeus, concealed among the sea-weeds, lies in wait for
+its prey. It is a native of the Indian seas.
+
+
+
+
+THE OPAH, OR KING FISH. (_Lampris guttatus._)
+
+
+THIS is a most splendid fish, of a fine green colour on the back, and
+yellowish green on the belly. The back and sides exhibit brilliant
+purplish and golden tints, the whole surface is covered with numerous
+white spots, and the fins are of a beautiful vermilion colour; so
+magnificent is its costume, that it has been justly remarked that it
+looks “like one of Neptune’s lords dressed for a court day.” The King
+Fish is found apparently in the seas of all parts of the world; it is
+nowhere common, but seems to be more abundant in warm climates.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE COD-FISH, (_Gadus morrhua_,)]
+
+
+IS a noble inhabitant of the seas; not only on account of its size, but
+also for the goodness of its flesh, either fresh or salted. The body
+measures sometimes above three, and even four feet in length, with a
+proportionable thickness. The back is of a brown olive colour, with
+white spots on the sides, and the lower part of the body is entirely
+white. The eyes are large and staring. The head is broad and fleshy, and
+esteemed a delicious dish.
+
+The fecundity of all fishes must be an object of the greatest
+astonishment to every observer of nature. In the year 1790, a Cod-fish
+was sold in Workington market, Cumberland, for one shilling: it weighed
+fifteen pounds, and measured two feet nine inches in length, and seven
+inches in breadth: the roe weighed two pounds ten ounces, one grain of
+which contained three hundred and twenty eggs. The whole, therefore,
+might contain, by fair estimation, three million nine hundred and four
+thousand four hundred and forty eggs. From such a trifle as this we may
+observe the prodigious value of the fishing trade to a commercial
+nation, and hence draw a useful hint for increasing it; for, supposing
+that each of the above eggs should arrive at the same perfection and
+size, its produce would weigh twenty-six thousand one hundred and
+twenty-three tons; and consequently would load two hundred and sixty-one
+sail of ships, each of one hundred tons burden. If each fish were
+brought to market, and sold as the original one, for one shilling, the
+produce then would be one hundred and ninety-five thousand pounds; that
+is to say, the first shilling would produce twenty times one hundred and
+ninety-five thousand, or three million nine hundred thousand shillings.
+
+In the European seas, the Cod begins to spawn in January, and deposits
+its eggs in rough ground among rocks. Some continue in roe until the
+beginning of April. Cod-fish are reckoned best for the table from
+October to Christmas. The air-bladders, under the name of sounds, are
+pickled, and sold separately.
+
+The chief fisheries for Cod are in the Bay of Canada, on the great bank
+of Newfoundland, and off the isle of St. Peter, and the isle of Sable.
+The vessels frequenting these fisheries are from a hundred to two
+hundred tons burden, and will each catch thirty thousand Cod, or more.
+The best season is from the beginning of February to the end of April.
+Each fisherman takes only one Cod at a time, and yet the more
+experienced will catch from three to four hundred in a day. It is a
+fatiguing work, owing particularly to the intense cold they are obliged
+to suffer during the operation.
+
+Cod frequently grow to a very great size. The largest that is known to
+have been caught in this kingdom was taken at Scarborough, in the year
+1775; it measured five feet eight inches in length, and five feet in
+circumference, and weighed seventy-eight pounds. The usual weight of
+this fish is from fourteen to forty pounds.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE HADDOCK, (_Gadus æglefinus_,)]
+
+
+IS much less in size than the cod-fish, and differs somewhat from it in
+shape; it is of a bluish colour on the back, with small scales; a black
+line is carried on from the upper corner of the gills on both sides down
+to the tail; in the middle of the sides, under the line a littlebeneath the gills, is a black spot on each shoulder, which resembles the
+mark of a man’s finger and thumb; from which circumstance it is called
+_St. Peter’s_ fish, alluding to the fact recorded in the seventeenth
+chapter of St. Matthew: “Go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take
+up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth,
+thou shalt find a piece of money; that take, and give unto them for me
+and thee.” And while St. Peter held the fish with his fore-finger and
+thumb, it is fabled, that the skin received, and preserved to this day,
+the hereditary impression.
+
+Haddocks migrate in immense shoals, which usually arrive on the
+Yorkshire coast about the middle of winter. These shoals are sometimes
+known to extend from the shore nearly three miles in breadth, and in
+length from Flamborough Head to Tynemouth Castle, a distance of fifty
+miles; and, perhaps, even farther. An idea of the number of Haddocks may
+be formed from the following circumstance: three fishermen, within a
+mile of the harbour of Scarborough, frequently loaded their boat with
+these fish twice a day, taking each time a ton weight of them!
+
+The flesh of the Haddock is harder and thicker than that of the whiting,
+and not so good; but it is often brought upon the table, either broiled,
+boiled, or baked, and is by many much esteemed. The Haddocks caught on
+the Irish coast, near Dublin, are unusually large, and of a fine
+flavour, and unite to the firmness of the turbot much of its sweetness.
+They are in season from October to January.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE WHITING,
+
+(_Gadus Merlangus_, or _Merlangus vulgaris_,)]
+
+
+IS seldom more than twelve inches in length, and of a slender and
+tapering form. The scales are small and fine. The back is silvery, and
+when just taken out of the sea reflects the rays of light with great
+lustre and gloss. The flesh is light, wholesome, and nourishing; and is
+often recommended to sick or convalescent patients, when other food is
+not approved of. The Whiting is found on the coasts of England, and is
+in its proper season from August to February.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE LING, (_Lota molva_,)]
+
+
+IS usually from three to four feet in length, though some have been
+caught much larger. The body is long, the head flat, the teeth in the
+upper jaw small and numerous, with a small beard on the chin; its dorsal
+and anal fins are very long.
+
+These fish abound on the coasts of Great Britain and Ireland, and great
+quantities are salted for home consumption and exportation. On the
+eastern coasts of England they are in their greatest perfection from the
+beginning of February to the end of May. They spawn in June: at this
+season, the males separate from the females, who deposit their eggs in
+the soft oozy ground at the mouth of large rivers.
+
+In a commercial point of view, the Ling may be considered a very
+important fish. Nine hundred thousand pounds weight are annually
+exported from Norway. In England, these fish are caught and cured in
+somewhat the same manner as the cod. Those which are caught off the
+shores of America are by no means so much esteemed as those which
+frequent the coasts of Great Britain and Norway; and the Ling in the
+neighbourhood of Iceland are so bad, that the inhabitants are unable to
+find a sale for them in any country except their own. The roe and
+air-bladders, or sounds of the Ling, are pickled, and sold separately.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE HAKE, (_Gadus merluccius_,)]
+
+
+IS a coarse fish, nearly allied to the Ling, and is caught in great
+abundance on the Devonshire and Cornwall coast. It is also found on the
+coasts of Ireland and Scotland, where it is called stock-fish, and is
+often confounded with cod.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE MACKEREL, (_Scomber Scomber_,)]
+
+
+IS taken and well known in all parts of the world. It is usually about a
+foot or more in length; the body is thick, firm, and fleshy, slender
+towards the tail; the snout sharp, the tail forked, the back of a lovely
+green, beautifully variegated, or, as it were, painted with black
+strokes; the under part of the body is of a silvery colour, reflecting,
+as well as the sides, the most elegant tints of the opal and the
+mother-of-pearl. Nothing can be more interesting and pleasing to the eye
+than to see Mackerel, just caught, brought on shore by the fishermen,
+and spread, with all their radiancy, upon the pebbles of the beach, at
+the first rays of the rising sun; but when taken out of their element,
+they quickly die.
+
+Mackerel visit our shores in vast shoals; but, from being very tender
+and unfit for long carriage, they are found less useful than other
+gregarious fish. The usual bait is a bit of red cloth, or a piece of the
+tail of the Mackerel. The great fishery for them is in some parts of the
+south and west coasts of England: this is of such an extent as to
+employ, in the whole, a capital of nearly two hundred thousand pounds.
+The fishermen go out to the distance of several leagues from the shore,
+and stretch their nets, which are sometimes miles in extent, across the
+tide during the night. A single boat has been known to bring in, after
+one night’s fishing, a cargo that has been sold for nearly seventy
+pounds. The roes of the Mackerel are used in the Mediterranean for
+_caviar_. In Cornwall, and also in several parts of the continent,
+Mackerel are preserved by pickling and salting; and in this state
+possess a flavour somewhat like that of the salmon. Their voracity has
+scarcely any bounds; and when they get among a shoal of herrings, they
+will make such havoc as frequently to drive it away. Mackerel are in
+season from March to June.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GAR-FISH, (_Belone vulgaris_,)]
+
+
+OF which the figure above is an exact representation, is of a very
+extraordinary form. The body, in shape and colour, is not unlike that of
+a mackerel, but is much more elongated, and the jaws are protracted into
+a kind of lance, nearly half as long as the rest of the body. It is
+vulgarly supposed that this fish leads the phalanxes of mackerel through
+the regions of the deep; and, like a faithful and experienced pilot,
+traces their journey, points out their dangers, and conducts them to
+their destination. A curious singularity of this creature is, that its
+bones are of a bright green colour; the flesh is not so firm nor of so
+good a flavour as that of the mackerel, but it sells pretty well
+whenever it comes to market.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE HERRING. (_Clupea Harengus._)]
+
+
+THIS fish is somewhat like the mackerel in shape, as well as in delicacy
+of taste, although it differs much in flavour. It is about nine or ten
+inches long, and about two and a half broad, and has blood-shot eyes;
+the scales large and roundish; the tail forked; the body of a fat, soft,
+delicate flesh, but more rank than that of the mackerel, and therefore
+less wholesome. Yet some people are so very fond of it, that they call
+the Herring _the King of Fishes_. They swim in shoals, and spawn once a
+year, about the autumnal equinox, at which time they are the best. They
+come into shallow water to spawn, like the mackerel; and hence they
+periodically visit our coasts, retiring again to the deep waters when
+the spawning season is over.
+
+The fecundity of the Herring is astonishing. It has been calculated that
+if the offspring of a single pair of Herrings could be suffered to
+multiply unmolested and undiminished for twenty years, they would
+exhibit a bulk ten times the size of the earth. But, happily, Providence
+has contrived the balance of nature by giving them innumerable enemies.
+All the monsters of the deep find them an easy prey; and, in addition to
+these, immense flocks of sea-fowl watch their outset, and spread
+devastation on all sides.
+
+In the year 1773, the Herrings for two months were in such immense
+shoals on the Scotch coasts, that it appears from tolerably accurate
+computations, no fewer than one thousand six hundred and fifty
+boat-loads were taken in Loch Torridon in one night. These would, in the
+whole, amount to nearly twenty thousand barrels.
+
+This fish is prepared in different ways, in order to be kept for use
+through the year. The white, or pickled Herrings, are washed in fresh
+water, and left the space of twelve or fifteen hours in a tub full of
+strong brine, made of fresh water and sea-salt. When taken out, they are
+drained, and put in rows or layers in barrels, with salt.
+
+Red Herrings are prepared in the same manner, with this difference, that
+they are left in the brine double the time above mentioned; and when
+taken out, placed in a large chimney constructed for the purpose, and
+containing about twelve thousand, where they are smoked by means of a
+fire underneath, made of brushwood, for the space of twenty-four hours.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SPRAT, (_Clupea Sprattus_,)]
+
+
+A WELL-KNOWN fish, between four and five inches in length, the back fin
+very remote from the nose; the lower jaw longer than the upper, and the
+eyes blood-shot, like those of the herring, to which it is nearly
+allied. Sprats arrive yearly in the beginning of November in the river
+Thames; and generally a large dish of them is presented on the table at
+Guildhall, on Lord Mayor’s Day, November 9th. They continue through the
+winter, and depart in March. They are sold by measure, and yield a great
+deal of sustenance to poor people in the winter season. It is reported
+that they have been taken yearly about Easter-time in a lake in
+Cheshire, called Kostern Mere, and in the river Mersey, in which the sea
+ebbs and flows seven or eight miles below the lake.
+
+The Sardine (_Clupea Sardina_) is caught on the southern shores of
+France, where it is held in great repute; and from its abounding in the
+neighbourhood of the island of Sardinia, it is called the Sardine. It is
+sent here pickled in the same way as herrings, and packed in barrels.
+
+
+
+
+THE PILCHARD. (_Clupea Pilchardus._)
+
+
+THE chief difference between this fish and the herring is, that the body
+of the Pilchard is more round and thick; the nose shorter in proportion,
+turning up; and the under jaw shorter. The back is more elevated, and
+the belly not so sharp. The scales adhere very closely, whilst those of
+the herring easily drop off. It is also, in general, of considerably
+smaller size.
+
+About the middle of July, Pilchards appear in vast shoals off the coast
+of Cornwall. These shoals remain till the latter end of October, when it
+is probable they retire to some undisturbed deep, at a little distance,
+for the winter.
+
+The Pilchard fishery is an important branch of commerce. From a
+statement of the number of hogsheads exported each year, for ten years,
+from 1747 to 1756 inclusive, from the four ports of Fowy, Falmouth,
+Penzance, and St. Ives, it appears that Fowy exported yearly one
+thousand seven hundred and thirty-two hogsheads; Falmouth, fourteen
+thousand six hundred and thirty-one; Penzance and Mount’s Bay, twelve
+thousand one hundred and forty-nine; St. Ives, one thousand two hundred
+and eighty-two: in all, twenty-nine thousand seven hundred and
+ninety-four hogsheads. Every hogshead, for ten years last past, together
+with the bounty allowed for exportation, and the oil made out of it, has
+amounted, one year with another, at an average, to the price of one
+pound thirteen shillings and three pence; so that the cash paid for
+Pilchards exported has, at a medium, annually amounted to the sum of
+forty-nine thousand five hundred and thirty-two pounds. The above was
+the state of the fishing several years ago; at present it is still more
+extensive, the average annual produce of the Cornish fisheries amounting
+to about twenty-one thousand hogsheads, which contain no less than sixty
+millions of Pilchards.
+
+
+
+
+THE WHITEBAIT. (_Clupea alba._)
+
+
+THIS beautiful little fish is a pure white, without spots on either
+side. Immense quantities are caught from the beginning of April to the
+end of September, in the Thames; but they are so delicate as scarcely to
+bear carriage, and are therefore thought best when eaten as near as
+possible to the place where they were taken; and hence the custom of
+having Whitebait dinners at the taverns at Greenwich and Blackwall. It
+was long supposed that the Whitebait was the fry of the shad, but it is
+now proved to be a distinct species.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE ANCHOVY. (_Engraulis encrasicolus._)]
+
+
+LIKE the herring and sprat, these fish leave the depths of the open sea,
+in order to frequent the smooth and shallow places of the coast, for the
+purpose of spawning. The fishermen generally light a fire on the shore,
+for the purpose of attracting the Anchovies, when they fish for them in
+the night. After they are cleaned, and their heads cut off, they are
+cured in a particular way, and packed in small barrels for sale and
+exportation. Anchovies are occasionally found both in the North Sea and
+in the Baltic; but they are in much greater number in the Mediterranean
+than in any other part of the world. They have sometimes, though rarely,
+been caught in the river Dee, on the coasts of Flintshire and Cheshire.
+The upper jaw of this fish is longer than the under; the back is brown;
+the sides silvery; fins short; the dorsal fin, opposite the ventrals,
+transparent; the tail fin-forked. Its length is about three inches.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE TURBOT. (_Rhombus maximus._)]
+
+
+THE TURBOT is a well-known fish, and much esteemed for the delicate
+taste, firmness, and sweetness of its flesh. Juvenal, in his fourth
+Satire, gives us a very ludicrous description of the Roman emperor
+Domitian assembling the Senate to decide how and with what sauce this
+fish should be eaten. The Turbot is sometimes two feet and a half long,
+and about two broad. The scales on the skin are so very small that they
+are hardly perceptible. The colour of the upper side of the body is a
+dark brown, spotted with dirty yellow; the under side a pure white,
+tinged on the edges with a somewhat flesh-colour, or pale pink. There is
+a great difficulty in baiting the Turbot, as it is very fastidious in
+its food. Nothing can allure it but herrings or small slices of
+haddocks, and lampreys; and as it lies in deep water, flirting and
+paddling on the ooze at the bottom of the sea, no net can reach it, so
+that it is generally caught by hook and line. It is found chiefly on the
+northern coasts of England, Scotland, and Holland.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE PLAICE, (_Platessa vulgaris_,)]
+
+
+A WELL-KNOWN English fish, nearly allied to the turbot. It has smooth
+sides, an anal spine, and the eyes and six tubercles are placed on the
+same side of the head. The body is very flat, and the upper part of the
+fish of a clear brown colour, marked with orange-coloured spots, and the
+belly white. Plaice spawn in the beginning of February, and when
+full-grown assume something like the shape of a turbot; but the flesh is
+very different, being soft and nearly tasteless.
+
+When near the ground they swim slowly and horizontally, but if suddenly
+disturbed they change the horizontal to the vertical position, darting
+along with meteor-like rapidity, and then again quickly resuming their
+inactive habits at the bottom of the water. Plaice feed on small fish
+and young crustacea, and have sometimes been taken on our coasts
+weighing fifteen pounds, but a fish half that weight is considered very
+large. The finest kind, called Diamond Plaice, are caught on the Sussex
+coast. These fish are in considerable demand as food, though by no means
+equal to the turbot and sole. Those of a moderate size are reckoned the
+best eating.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE FLOUNDER. (_Platessa flesus._)]
+
+
+THE principal distinction between the plaice and the Flounder consists
+in the former having a row of six tubercles behind the left eye, of
+which this fish is entirely destitute; it is also a little longer in the
+body, and, when full-grown, somewhat thicker. The back is of a dark
+olive colour, spotted. In taste, they are reckoned more delicate than
+the plaice. They live long after being taken out of their element, and
+are often cried in the streets of London, but they seldom appear on the
+tables of the rich and dainty. They are common in the British rivers,
+and in all large rivers which obey the impression of the tide, and they
+feed upon worms bred in the mud at the bottom of the water.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SOLE, (_Solea vulgaris_,)]
+
+
+IS well known as a very excellent fish, whose flesh is firm, delicate,
+and of a pleasing flavour. Soles grow to the length of eighteen inches,
+and even more, in some of our seas. They are often found of this size
+and superiority in Torbay, whence they are sent to market at Exeter and
+several other towns in Devonshire and the adjacent counties. They are
+found also in the Mediterranean and several other seas, and, when in
+season, are in great requisition for the most luxurious tables. The
+upper part of the body is brown; the under part white; one of the
+pectoral fins is tipped with black, the sides are yellow, and the tail
+rounded at the extremity. It is said that the small Soles, caught in the
+northern seas, are of a much superior taste to the large ones, which the
+southern and western coasts afford.
+
+This fish has also the quality of keeping sweet and good for several
+days, even in hot weather, and is thought to acquire a more delicate
+flavour by being thus kept. On this account it is that Soles in the
+London markets are frequently more esteemed than those which are cooked
+immediately after they are taken out of the sea.
+
+In the economy of flat fish we have an account of one circumstance which
+is very remarkable: among various other marine productions, they have
+been known to feed on shell-fish, although they are furnished with no
+apparatus whatever in their mouth which would seem to be adapted for
+reducing these to a state calculated for digestion.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SALMON-PINK, BRANDLING, PAR, OR SKEGGER.]
+
+
+THIS brilliant little fish is the smallest of the _salmonidæ_, and is
+only found in rivers frequented by salmon; for whenever a river becomes
+deserted by them, the samlet also disappears. This fish is considered to
+be the fry of the true salmon, and Mr. Young, in a recent essay, has,
+we think, fairly established the fact; but Mr. Yarrell and other
+naturalists assert it to be a distinct species.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SALMON, (_Salmo salar_,)]
+
+
+IS the boast of large rivers, and one of the noblest inhabitants of the
+sea, if we esteem it by its bulk, colour, and the sweetness of its
+flesh. Salmon are found of a great weight, and sometimes measure five
+feet in length. The colour is beautiful, a dark blue dotted with black
+spots on the back, merging to silvery white on the sides, and white with
+a little shade of pink below. The fins are comparatively small. These
+fish, though they live principally in the sea, come up the rivers at the
+spawning season, to a considerable distance inland, where the female
+deposits her eggs. Soon after, both she and the male take an excursion
+to the vast regions of the sea, and do not visit any of the land streams
+again till the next year, when they return for the same purpose. They
+are so powerfully impelled by this natural impulse, that, if they are
+stopped when swimming up a river by a fall of water, they spring up
+with such a force through the descending torrent, that they stem it till
+they reach the higher bed of the stream; and on this account small
+cascades on the Tweed and other rivers are often called Salmon-leaps.
+The Salmon is in a great measure confined to the northern seas, being
+unknown in the Mediterranean, and in the waters of other warm climates.
+The flesh is red when raw, rather paler when salted or boiled; it is an
+agreeable food, fat, tender, and sweet, and excels in richness all other
+fresh-water fish; however, it does not agree with every stomach, and is
+often injurious when eaten by sick persons.
+
+In the river Tweed, about the month of July, the capture of Salmon is
+astonishing: often a boat-load, and sometimes nearly two, may be taken
+at a tide; and in one instance more than seven hundred fish were caught
+at a single haul of the net. From fifty to a hundred at a haul are very
+common. Some of these are sent to London by the railway; but part are
+slightly salted and pickled, in which state they are called kipper. The
+season for fishing commences in the Tweed in February, and ends about
+old Michaelmas-day. On this river there are about forty considerable
+fisheries, which extend upwards, about fourteen miles from the mouth;
+besides many others of less consequence. These, several years ago, were
+let at an annual rent of more than ten thousand pounds; and to defray
+this expense, it has been calculated that upwards of two hundred
+thousand Salmon must be caught there, one year with another. The
+principal Salmon fisheries in Europe are in the rivers, or on the
+sea-coasts adjoining the large rivers of England, Scotland, and Ireland.
+The chief English rivers in which they are now caught are the Tyne, the
+Trent, the Severn, and the Tweed. They were formerly found in the
+Thames, but none have been taken there for many years. The Salmon fry go
+down the river to the sea in April. A young Salmon under two pounds in
+weight is called a Salmon Peel, and a larger one a Grilse. Salmon cannot
+be eaten too fresh, and is very unwholesome when stale.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SALMON TROUT, (_Salmo Trutta_,)]
+
+
+ALSO called the Bull Trout, or Sea Trout, is thicker in the body than
+the common trout, and weighs about three pounds; it has a large smooth
+head, which, as well as the back, is of a bluish tint, with a green
+gloss; the sides are marked with numerous black spots, and the tail is
+broadest at the end. It is said that in the beginning of summer the
+flesh of this fish reddens, and remains this colour till the month of
+August; which is very probably owing to their being on the point of
+spawning. Like the salmon, this fish inhabits the sea; but in the months
+of November and December it enters the rivers, in order to deposit its
+roe; and consequently, in the spawning season, it is occasionally found
+in lakes and streams, at a great distance from the sea. It is very
+delicate, and much esteemed on our tables. Some people prefer this fish
+to salmon; but they are both apt to cause illness when eaten in too
+great a quantity.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE TROUT. (_Salmo-fario._]
+
+
+THIS fish, in figure, resembles the salmon; it has a short roundish
+head, and a blunt snout. Trouts are fresh-water fish, and they breed and
+live constantly in rivers and small pellucid streams which sparkle over
+clean pebbles and beds of sand.
+
+They feed on river flies and other water insects, and are so fond of
+them, and so blindly voracious, that anglers deceive them with
+artificial flies made of feathers, wool, and other materials, which
+resemble very closely the natural ones. In Lough Neagh, in Ireland,
+Trouts have been caught weighing thirty pounds; and we are told, that in
+the Lake of Geneva, and in the northern lakes of England, they are found
+of a still larger size. It holds the first place among the river fish,
+and its flesh is very delicious, but difficult of digestion when old, or
+kept too long. They spawn in the month of December, and deposit their
+eggs in the gravel at the bottom of rivers, dykes, and ponds. Unlike
+most other fish, the Trouts are least esteemed when near spawning. They
+are properly in season in the months of July and August, being then fat
+and well-tasted.
+
+The beautiful silvery Trout is the most voracious of fresh-water fish,
+and will devour every living thing which the water produces--even its
+own spawn in all its stages, and will lie upon the bed or hill, watching
+to seize its young fry, as they become vivified and rise from under
+their gravelly birthplace. Neither does he confine himself to any given
+sort of fish, but luxuriates his rapacious stomach upon all the
+varieties, from instinct occasionally changing his food to larvæ,
+caddis, ephemera, worms, and even the young of the water-snail, all of
+which act as alternatives. Owing to his large fins and broad tail, his
+movements are extremely rapid, and, from his muscular power and
+pliability, he seldom misses his prey. His habits are solitary, being
+only accompanied by one, and that at some distance from him, in the
+summer season; and as the autumn approaches, when larvæ, &c., are
+diminishing, he keeps entirely alone until the pairing season returns.
+The period of spawning differs in various rivers from natural causes,
+such as snow, cold rains, or inclement weather; for, as Trout, like
+salmon, spawn on gravel beds in shallow water, the cold readily affects
+them. When they cannot reach the spot prepared for the deposit of their
+eggs, they frequently abstain from spawning for weeks. The younger Trout
+generally hill, as it is termed, earlier than those of larger growth.
+They begin to throw up their bed early in December, when the female and
+male may be seen working together, the former mostly in advance. By
+constant labour they dig a hollow in the gravel, throwing it up on each
+side, and at last forming a heap, which is called a hill, or bed. At
+this period they are very shy and stupid, and even the shadow of a cloud
+will frighten them from their hill, when they retreat into deeper water;
+but upon finding all quiet they return. This preparation generally
+occupies two or three weeks; and frequently the hill is shared both in
+labour and occupation by several pairs of Trout. It often measures many
+feet in diameter, and is two or three feet higher than the bed of the
+stream. From the middle of December to the end of January the Trout is
+in full spawning operation; when the fish deposit their eggs in the
+hollow, and afterwards work the gravel over them to the depth of about
+three inches. If the temperature of the water is not altered during the
+period of incubation, the young make their appearance on the fiftieth
+day; never earlier, frequently later. Nature has endowed the young fry
+with so much instinct of self-preservation, that for many days they keep
+under the gravel, and it is curious to see the shoal hiding together
+under large stones to protect themselves from danger: this they continue
+to do until the eggshell, in which they remain partially enveloped,
+falls off from their delicate frames. This shell, which adheres to them
+for fourteen days, contains a proportion of fluid necessary for their
+support during this period of helplessness. After this they resort to
+the shallows and scours to avoid the larger fish, where they remain
+solitary for a year, during which time, in good keep, they attain the
+weight of three to four ounces; the second year, eight to ten ounces;
+after which they begin to breed. A fish, like every animal, becomes fat
+when it has abundance of food with little or no exertion; so that the
+growth is entirely regulated by the relative proportion of food and
+labour. I have observed this difference in the same brood of Trout,
+artificially bred upon my system: the one brood being placed in water
+well supplied with food, the other in a spring-stream where little food
+existed; the former, at ten months old, were four inches long, and three
+and a half ounces in weight, while the latter were only an inch and a
+half long, and less than an ounce in weight. Although Trout are not
+migratory, yet, when they become large, they run up stream to purer
+water. The small Trout are carried down the stream against their habit,
+by the flushes of water or floods during the autumn months, being unable
+to stem the thickened torrent, which fills their gills with alluvial
+deposit, and hinders their respiration, whence they become weak and
+sickly. In this state of water all fish sicken more or less, and it
+destroys vast numbers in the very young state. I have known thousands
+destroyed by the overflowing of a river, as well old as young. The cause
+of all our rivers falling off in the quantity of fish, is from the
+increasing impurity of the water, as fish especially require pure water.
+
+ _The above interesting notice of the Trout has been communicated to
+ the publisher by_ MR. BOCCIUS, _who devotes himself professionally
+ to the increase of fish in rivers and ponds, and has performed
+ marvels._
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE CHAR, OR ALPINE TROUT,
+
+(_Salmo salvelinus_,)]
+
+
+IS not unlike the trout; the scales are very small; the colour of the
+body marked with numerous spots and points of black, red, and silver,
+mixed with yellow, and without a circle; the back tinged with
+olive-green; the belly white, the snout bluish. All the fins, except
+those of the back, are reddish, and the adipose one is red on its edge.
+This fish is about twelve inches in length, and is esteemed very
+delicate as an article of food, especially by the Italians. It is
+abundant in the Lago di Garda, near Venice; and is also found, not only
+in our northern lakes in Westmoreland and Scotland, but also in the
+large sheets of water at the foot of the mountains in Lapland. The
+potted Char enjoys a high and deserved reputation in several parts of
+the Continent, as well as in England. The Char is a fresh-water fish,
+and is generally found in the deepest parts of lakes; it is never taken
+by the angler, only by the net.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GRAYLING. (_Salmo thymallus._)]
+
+
+THIS fish never exceeds fifteen inches in length, and seldom arrives at
+three pounds weight. The back and sides are of a silvery grey, and when
+the fish is first taken out of the water, slightly varied with blue and
+gold. The coverts of the gills are of a glossy green, and the scales are
+large.
+
+The Grayling is a fresh-water fish, and delights chiefly in clear and
+not too rapid streams, where it affords great amusement to the angler,
+as it is very voracious, and rises eagerly to the fly. They are bolder
+than trout, and even if missed by the hook several times successively,
+they will still pursue the bait. They feed principally on worms,
+insects, and water-snails; and the shells of the latter are often found
+in great quantities on their stomachs. They spawn in the months of April
+and May. The largest fish of this species ever heard of was one caught
+in the Severn, and weighed five pounds.
+
+Ancient writers strongly recommended this fish as food for sick persons,
+as they considered it peculiarly wholesome and easy of digestion.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SMELT, OR SPARLING. (_Osmerus eperlanus._)]
+
+
+THIS fish is in length about eight or nine inches, and nearly one in
+breadth; the body is of a light olive green, inclining to silver white.
+The smell, when the fish is fresh and raw, is not unlike that of ripe
+cucumbers, but it goes off in the frying-pan, and the Smelt then yields
+a tender and most delicious food. Smelts are sea-fish, and inhabit the
+sea-coast and harbours; but they are often taken in the Thames, the
+Medway, and other large rivers, which they ascend in the spawning
+season. The skin of this fish is so transparent, that with the help of a
+microscope, its blood may be seen to circulate.
+
+Smelts are found on the coasts of all the northern countries of Europe,
+and also in the Mediterranean. They vary considerably in size. Mr.
+Pennant states that the largest he had ever heard of measured thirteen
+inches in length, and weighed half a pound.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE PIKE. (_Esox lucius._)]
+
+
+THE body of this fish is a pale olive-grey, deepest on the back, and
+marked on the sides by several yellowish spots or patches; the abdomen
+white, slightly spotted with black; its length is from one to eight
+feet, and its weight from one or two to forty or fifty pounds. The flesh
+is white and firm, and considered very wholesome; the larger and older
+it is, the more it is esteemed. There is scarcely any fish of its size
+in the world that in voracity can equal the Pike.[A] It lives in rivers,
+lakes, and ponds; and in a confined piece of water will soon destroy all
+other fish, as it generally does not feed upon anything else, and often
+swallows one nearly as big as itself; for through its greediness in
+eating, it takes the head foremost, and so draws it in by little and
+little at a time, till it has swallowed the whole. A gudgeon of good
+size has been found in the stomach of a large Pike, the head of which
+had already received clear marks of the power of digestion, whilst the
+rest of the fish was still fresh and unimpaired.
+
+[A] Mr. Boccius has, however, shown that the Trout is even more
+voracious.
+
+“I have been assured (says Walton) by my friend Mr. Seagrave, who keeps
+tame otters, that he has known a Pike, in extreme hunger, fight with one
+of his otters for a carp that the otter had caught, and was then
+bringing out of the water.”
+
+Boulker, in his Art of Angling, says, that his father caught a Pike,
+which he presented to Lord Cholmondeley, that was an ell long, and
+weighed thirty-six pounds. His lordship directed it to be put into a
+canal in his garden, which at that time contained a great quantity of
+fish. Twelve months afterwards the water was drawn off, and it was
+discovered that the Pike had devoured all the fish, except a large carp
+that weighed between nine and ten pounds, and even this had been bitten
+in several places. The Pike was again put in, and an entire fresh stock
+of fish for him to feed on: all these he devoured in less than a year.
+Several times he was observed by workmen who were standing near, to draw
+ducks and other water-fowl under water. Crows were shot and thrown in,
+which he took in the presence of the men. From this time the
+slaughtermen had orders to feed him with the garbage of the
+slaughter-house; but being afterwards neglected, he died, as is
+supposed, from want of food.
+
+In December, 1765, a Pike was caught in the river Ouse, that weighed
+upwards of twenty-eight pounds, and was sold for a guinea. When it was
+opened, a watch with a black riband and two seals were found in its
+body. These, it was afterwards found, had belonged to a gentleman’s
+servant, who had been drowned in the river about a month before.
+
+The Pike is a very long-lived fish. In the year 1497, one was caught at
+Heilbrun, in Swabia, to which was affixed a brazen ring, with the
+following words engraved on it in Greek characters: “I am the fish,
+which was first of all put into this lake, by the hands of the governor
+of the universe, Frederick the Second, the fifth of October, 1230.”
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE PERCH, (_Perca fluviatilis_,)]
+
+
+SELDOM grows to any great size; yet we have an account of one which is
+said to have weighed nine pounds. The body is deep, the scales rough,
+the back arched, and the side-lines placed near the back. For beauty of
+colours, the Perch vies with the gaudiest inhabitants of the waters; the
+back glows with the deep reflections of the brightest emeralds, divided
+by five broad black stripes; the abdomen imitates the tints of the opal
+and mother-of-pearl; and the ruby hue of the fins completes an
+assemblage of colours most harmonious and elegant. It is a gregarious
+fish, and is caught in several rivers of these islands; the flesh is
+firm, delicate, and much esteemed.
+
+It is generally believed that a pike will not attack a full-grown Perch:
+he is deterred from so doing by the spiny or dorsal fin on the back,
+which this fish always erects at the approach of an enemy. Perch are so
+voracious, that, if an expert angler happens to find a shoal of them, he
+may catch every one. If, however, a single fish escape that has felt the
+hook, all is over; as this fish becomes so restless, as soon to occasion
+the whole shoal to leave the place. Perch are so bold, that they are
+generally the first fish caught by a young angler; they will also soon
+learn to take bread thrown into the water to feed them. A large-sized
+Perch weighs about three pounds; but generally the Perches caught in
+ponds do not exceed eight or ten ounces in weight.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE BASSE, OR SEA PERCH, (_Labrax lupus_,)]
+
+
+IS found in abundance on our southern coasts, and is still more common
+in the Mediterranean. It has one long dorsal fin, like the ruffe. The
+flesh of this fish is highly esteemed.
+
+The Climbing Perch, (_Anabas scandens_,) a native of the fresh waters of
+India, possesses a very singular apparatus for enabling it to quit the
+water, and pass a considerable time on dry ground. This consists of a
+curiously folded portion of thin bone on each side of the head near the
+gills, in the cavities of which a good deal of water is contained; this
+keeps the gills in a moist state while the fish is out of the water, and
+thus enables it to breathe in the air. This fish is said to employ its
+singular power of quitting the water for the purpose of climbing trees,
+although what it expects to gain by so doing is quite unknown. Its power
+of climbing has been denied by some naturalists, but Daldorf says that
+he once caught one which had clambered to a height of six feet on the
+stem of a palm, and was in the act of going still higher.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE POPE, OR RUFFE. (_Acerina cernua._)]
+
+
+THE POPE is very like a small perch, but with a curiously formed single
+dorsal fin: the colour of the back is a dusky olive green; the sides
+light brownish green and copper colour; and small brown spots are spread
+over the dorsal fin, the back, and tail. The pectoral, ventral, and anal
+fins are pale brown. This fish rarely exceeds six inches in length; but
+it is nearly as good as a perch of the same size, which it resembles,
+both in its haunts and habits; it spawns in April, and feeds on small
+fry, worms, or aquatic insects.
+
+Cuvier assigns the credit of the first discovery of this fish to an
+Englishman of the name of Caius, who found it in the river Yare, near
+Norwich, and called it Aspredo, a translation of our name Ruffe,
+(rough,) which is well applied to it, on account of the harsh feel of
+its denticulated scales.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE CARP, (_Cyprinus carpio_,)]
+
+
+IS famous for the sweetness of its flesh, when of moderate size, that
+is, when measuring about twelve to fifteen inches in length, and
+weighing about three pounds. The scales are large, with a golden gloss
+upon a dark green ground. These fish sometimes grow to the length of
+three or four feet, and contain a great quantity of fat. The soft roe of
+the Carp is esteemed a great delicacy among epicures. In the canals of
+Chantilly, formerly the seat of the Prince of Condé, Carps have been
+kept for above one hundred years, most of them appearing hoary through
+old age, and so tame that they answered to their names when the keeper
+called them to be fed. This fish has large molar teeth only, situate at
+the back part of the head or throat, and a broad tongue; the tail is
+widely spread as well as the fins, which are inclined to a reddish tint.
+Carp that live in rivers and running streams are preferred for the
+table, as those which inhabit pools and ponds have generally a muddy and
+disagreeable taste. Though so cunning in general as to be called the
+River Fox, yet at spawning time they suffer themselves to be tickled and
+caught without attempting to escape. It is said that Carp were first
+brought to England about three hundred years ago. They are very
+tenacious of life, and at the inns in Holland are often kept alive a
+month or six weeks, by being fed with bread and milk, and laid on wet
+moss in a net, which is hung from the ceiling in an airy place. The moss
+is kept moist, and water is thrown over the fish twice a day.
+
+Carp is always considered a delicacy for the table, especially when
+stewed in port wine; and it appears to have been long held in high
+estimation on that account, as we find, from the privy purse expenses of
+Henry VIII., that the bluff king was exceedingly fond of Carp.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE TENCH, (_Cyprinus tinca_,)]
+
+
+LIKE the carp, is remarkably tenacious of life. Its body is thick and
+short, and seldom exceeds twelve inches in length, or four pounds in
+weight. The eyes are red; the back, dorsal, and ventral fins dusky; the
+head, sides, and abdomen of a greenish hue, mixed with gold; and the
+tail very broad. The Tench delights in still water, in the muddy parts
+of ponds, where it is the most secure from the voracious ramblings and
+fierce attacks of the tyrant pike, and from the hook of the angler; here
+it lives nearly motionless, lurking beneath flags, reeds, and weeds.
+This inactive life has enabled some individuals of this species to
+attain an extraordinary bulk. We have read, as a well-authenticated
+fact, that in the northern part of England, in a piece of water, which
+having been long neglected, was filled with timber, stones, and rubbish,
+two hundred Tench, and as many perch of good size were found; and that
+one fish in particular, which seemed to have been shut up in a nook, had
+not only surpassed all the others in size, but had also taken the form
+of the hole in which it had been accidentally confined. The body was in
+the shape of a half-moon, conforming in the convexity of its outlines to
+the concavity of the dungeon where this innocent sufferer had been
+immured for a number of years; it weighed eleven pounds.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GOLD-FISH, OR GOLDEN CARP,
+
+(_Cyprinus auratus_,)]
+
+
+WAS originally brought from China, and first introduced into England in
+1661, but is now become quite common, and will breed as freely in ponds
+as the carp. The average size is about five inches, and it scarcely ever
+exceeds seven and a half. Gold-fish are highly prized in China, and are
+extensively introduced in the ornamental waters of our own country.
+Nothing is more pleasing than to see them glide along and play in the
+transparent crystal, whilst their broad and glittering scales reflect
+the rays of the sun. They are often kept within the small compass of a
+glass bowl, where they become tame and docile, and after a short time
+seem to recognise their feeders.
+
+The smallest fish are preferred, not only from their being the most
+beautiful, but because a greater number of them can be kept in a small
+circumference. These are of a fine orange red colour, appearing as if
+sprinkled over with gold-dust. Some, however, are white, like silver;
+and others white, spotted with red.
+
+When Gold-fish are kept in ponds, they are often taught to rise to the
+surface of the water at the sound of a bell, to be fed.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GUDGEON, (_Cyprinus gobio_,)]
+
+
+A WELL-KNOWN fresh-water fish, generally found in gentle streams, on
+gravelly scours. The average length of this fish is from six to eight
+inches, and its weight is from two to three ounces. The back is brown,
+the abdomen white, and the sides tinged with red; the tail is forked. It
+is beautified with black spots both on the body and tail. Gudgeons spawn
+early in summer, and feed upon worms and aquatic insects. Their flesh is
+white, of excellent flavour, and easy of digestion. In the months of
+September and October these fish are taken in the rivers of some parts
+of the Continent in great abundance; and the markets are well supplied
+with them. They are not uncommon in the river Thames, where persons are
+frequently to be seen fishing for them from punts. As these fish bite
+with great eagerness, large numbers are often taken in this manner. They
+are also caught in nets, as well as with hooks and lines.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE CHUB, (_Cyprinus cephalus_,)]
+
+
+IS of a coarse nature, and full of bones; it seldom exceeds the weight
+of five pounds. The body is of an oblong shape, nearly round; the head,
+which is large, and the back, are of a deep dusky green; the sides
+silvery, and the abdomen white; the pectoral fins are of a pale yellow,
+the ventral and anal ones red; and the tail brown, tinged with blue at
+its extremity, and slightly forked. This fish frequents the deep holes
+of rivers, but in the summer, when the sun shines, it rises to the
+surface, and lies quiet under the shade of the trees, that spread their
+foliage on the verdant banks; but yet, though it seems to indulge itself
+in slumber, it is easily awakened, and at the least alarm dives rapidly
+to the bottom. Although a leather-mouthed fish, it takes every species
+of food, including small fish, the same as a trout, though it is not so
+voracious. In March and April this fish may be caught with large red
+worms; in June and July, with flies, snails, and cherries; in August,
+and September, with cheese pounded in a mortar, mixed with saffron and
+butter. When the Chub seizes a bait, it bites so eagerly that its jaws
+are often heard to chop like those of a dog. It, however, seldom breaks
+its hold, and, when once struck, is soon tired.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE BARBEL. (_Cyprinus Barbus._)]
+
+
+THE BARBEL is readily distinguished from the other carps by the four
+barbs or wattels attached to its mouth. Its upper jaw is very
+considerably extended beyond the lower jaw. The Lea, the Thames, and
+various other rivers in the neighbourhood of London, abound in this
+fish, which affords excellent sport to the angler. “During summer,” says
+Mr. Gorrell, “this fish, in shoals, frequents the weedy parts of the
+river; but as soon as the weeds begin to decay in autumn it seeks the
+deeper water, and shelters itself near piles, locks, and bridges, which
+it frequents till the following spring.” It is sometimes found to weigh
+from fifteen to eighteen pounds, and to measure three feet in length,
+but its usual length is from twelve to eighteen inches. The flesh is
+coarse and unsavory, and held in no estimation.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE DACE, (_Cyprinus leuciscus_,)]
+
+
+RESEMBLES the chub in its form, but is smaller, and of a lighter colour;
+it is gregarious and remarkably prolific. It is seldom more than ten
+inches in length; the back is of a dusky colour, tinged with yellow and
+green, and the sides have a silvery cast.
+
+Dace spawn in March, and are in season about three weeks afterwards.
+They improve, and are good about Michaelmas; but in February they are
+best. The flesh is, however, at all times woolly and insipid. They are
+very lively creatures, and, if kept in ponds, may live a considerable
+time.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE ROACH, (_Cyprinus rutilus_,)]
+
+
+BELONGS also to the carp family, and is remarkable for its numerous
+progeny. It is a deep yet thin-made fish, in shape somewhat resembling
+the bream, but approaching the carp in the breadth and shape of its
+scales, which are large and deciduous. The soundness of the flesh is
+become proverbial, and pleases the taste by a peculiar delicacy of
+flavour. The ventral fins are, like those of the perch, of a bright
+crimson, and the irides of the eye sparkle like rubies and garnets. The
+length of the Roach is commonly between nine and ten inches, but
+sometimes much greater.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE BLEAK, (_Cyprinus alburnus_,)]
+
+
+IS nearly allied to the roach. It is a small glittering fish, familiar
+to most persons from its playing about on warm summer evenings on the
+surface of rivers in chase of flies, bread-crumbs, &c. The scales are
+employed in making artificial pearls.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE BREAM, (_Cyprinus Brama_,)]
+
+
+IS a flatfish fish, not unlike the carp in several points, but much
+broader in proportion to its length and thickness. Its head is
+truncated, the upper jaw a little projecting; the forehead a bluish
+black; cheeks yellowish; body olive, paler below; fins obscure, with an
+oblong conical process at the base of the ventral fins; twenty-nine rays
+in the anal fin; its greatest length is about two feet. The scales are
+large, and of a bright colour; the tail has the form of a crescent. It
+frequents the deepest parts of rivers, lakes, and ponds. These fish
+spawn in May, secluding themselves at that time so carefully in the ooze
+at the bottom of the water that they are seldom found with either soft
+or hard roe in them, so that in some countries the name is often used to
+denote sterility. The flesh is not comparable to that of the carp.
+
+The White Bream never exceeds a pound in weight, and is consequently
+much smaller than the Common or Carp Bream, which frequently weighs
+seven or eight pounds.
+
+In some of the lakes of Ireland great quantities of Bream are taken,
+many of them of very large size, sometimes weighing as much as twelve or
+even fourteen pounds each. A place conveniently situated for the
+fishing is baited with grain, or other coarse food, for ten days or a
+fortnight regularly, after which great sport is usually obtained. The
+party frequently catch several hundredweight, which are distributed
+among the poor of the vicinity, who split and dry them with great care,
+to eat with their potatoes.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE MINNOW. (_Cyprinus phoxinus._)]
+
+
+THE body of the Minnow is of a blackish green, with blue and yellow
+variegations; the abdomen silvery; scales small; ten rays in the
+ventral, anal, and dorsal fins; tail forked, and marked near the base
+with a dusky spot. Its length is about three inches.
+
+This beautiful and well-known fish is gregarious, and is frequent in
+clear gravelly streams and rivulets in many parts of Europe. In Britain
+it appears in March, and is seldom seen after October. It spawns in
+June, and is, indeed, found in roe during the greater part of the
+summer. It is easily tamed: and, in captivity, may be taught to pick
+flies or filaments of beef from the hand.
+
+The flesh of the Minnow is extremely delicate, but the fish is so small
+that it would take a great number to make a dish, and consequently it is
+seldom used for human food. Its chief value is as a bait for catching
+other fish. In some parts of England it is so abundant as sometimes to
+be used as manure.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE LOACH, (_Cobitis barbatula_,)]
+
+
+WHICH also belongs to the family of the carps, is a small fish, with six
+barbs at the mouth. It inhabits small, gravelly streams, and lies at the
+bottom among the stones; it is easily caught with a small worm.
+
+It is considered an extremely well-flavoured fish, though, on account of
+its small size, and the difficulty of catching a sufficient quantity,
+seldom seen at table. The Loach is very sensitive to atmospheric
+changes, which it shows by its restless movements. They have sometimes
+been kept alive in glass vessels, in which state they indicate the
+approach of storms with almost the accuracy of a barometer.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE BULL-HEAD, OR MILLER’S THUMB,
+
+(_Cottus gobio_,)]
+
+
+IS found in clear brooks and rivers in most parts of Europe. It is from
+four to five inches long; the head is large in proportion to the body,
+broad and depressed; the gill fins round, and beautifully notched. The
+mouth is large and full of small teeth; the general colour of the body
+is a dark brownish black. This fish is remarkably stupid, and may be
+caught with ease by the most inexperienced angler, even with a bent pin
+and coarse thread. Its hiding-places are among loose stones, under which
+the peculiar flattened form of its head enables it to thrust itself. Its
+popular name seems to have suggested itself from the resemblance the
+head of the fish is supposed to bear to the form of a miller’s thumb,
+the peculiar conformation of which is produced by his mode of testing
+samples of meal.
+
+
+
+
+THE STICKLEBACK, (_Gastuostius aculiatus_,)
+
+
+IS one of our smallest fishes, and appears to live indifferently in
+fresh and salt water. It is exceedingly common in every pond, and may be
+caught easily, either with a hand-net, or by fishing for it with a small
+worm tied to the end of a piece of cotton; he bites at this so boldly
+that he may be drawn out of the water without the aid of a hook. His
+name of Stickleback is given to him from his having thin spines on the
+back instead of a fin; the sides of his body are covered with thin bony
+plates, and his ventral fins consist of single, strong, and sharp
+spines, which constitute formidable offensive weapons.
+
+The Stickleback, although so common, is one of the most interesting of
+fishes, on account of the singularity of its habits in the breeding
+season. Instead of depositing its eggs in the sand or mud, and leaving
+them to take care of themselves, the Stickleback builds a curious nest
+of fragments of vegetable matter, and defends this most valiantly
+against all intruders until the hatching of the young; the parental
+solicitude does not cease until the young Sticklebacks have grown too
+big to be any longer controlled. One curious feature in the business is,
+that it is the male that takes all this trouble; he builds the nest,
+exposes himself to every danger in its defence, and watches anxiously
+over the vagaries of his young progeny, the female having nothing to do
+but to deposit her eggs in the already prepared nest.
+
+The Stickleback is an extremely pugnacious fish. The males fight
+together furiously, and the colours of their bodies become much more
+brilliant while they are so occupied than at any other time.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE ELECTRICAL EEL. (_Gymnotus Electricus._)]
+
+
+THIS very remarkable fish is about five or six feet in length, and
+twelve inches in circumference, in the thickest part of the body. The
+head is broad, flat, and large; the mouth wide and destitute of teeth;
+the rostrum obtuse and rounded; the eyes small and of a bluish colour;
+the back of a darkish brown, the sides grey, and the abdomen of a dingy
+white. Across the body there are several annular divisions, or rather
+ridges of the skin, which give the fish the power of contracting or
+dilating itself at pleasure. There is no dorsal fin, and the ventral
+fins are also wanting, as in all the Eels. It is able to swim backwards
+as well as forwards.
+
+Mr. Bryant mentions an instance of the shock from one of these fish
+being felt through a considerable thickness of wood. One morning, while
+he was standing by, as a servant was emptying a tub, in which an
+Electrical Eel was contained, he had lifted it entirely from the ground,
+and was pouring off the water to renew it, when he received a shock so
+violent as occasioned him to let the tub fall. He then called another
+person to his assistance, and they lifted up the tub together, each
+laying hold only on the outside. When they were pouring off the
+remainder of the water, they received a shock so smart that they were
+compelled to desist.
+
+Persons have been knocked down with a stroke. One of these fish having
+been taken from a net and laid upon the grass, an English sailor,
+notwithstanding all the persuasions that were used to prevent him, would
+insist on taking it up; but the moment he grasped it he dropped down in
+a fit; his eyes were fixed, his face became livid, and it was not
+without difficulty that his senses were restored. He said that the
+instant he touched it “the cold ran swiftly up his arm into his body,
+and pierced him to the heart.”
+
+Humboldt tells us that when the Indians wish to catch these Eels they
+drive some wild horses through the pools which the fish inhabit; and
+that when the Eels have exhausted their electrical power upon the
+horses, the Indians take them without difficulty. He relates an instance
+in which he says that the horses, stunned with the shocks they received,
+sank under water, but most of them rose again, and gained the shore,
+where they lay stretched out on the ground, apparently quite exhausted
+and without the power of moving, so much were they stupefied and
+benumbed. In about a quarter of an hour, however, the Eels appeared to
+have exhausted themselves, and, instead of attacking fresh horses that
+were driven into the pond, fled before them. The Indians then entered
+the water and caught as many fish as they liked.[B]
+
+[B] See a very animated account of the capture of this fish, in
+Humboldt’s “Views of Nature,” page 16 (_Bohn’s Edition_).
+
+This most singular fish is peculiar to South America, where it is found
+only in stagnant pools, at a great distance from the sea.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE EEL. (_Anguilla vulgaris._)]
+
+
+THE EEL resembles a serpent in its form, though no two animals can be
+more different in every other respect. Eels are fresh-water fish; but as
+they are very susceptible of cold, those which inhabit rivers go down
+every autumn towards the sea, which is always warmer than a river, and
+return in spring. They are said also to spawn in the sea, and great
+numbers of young Eels are seen in spring ascending tidal rivers. Mr.
+Edward Jesse, in his edition of “Walton’s Angler,” says: “A column of
+them has been traced in the Thames from Somerset House to Oxford, about
+the middle of May, and I have watched their progress with much interest.
+No impediment stops them. They keep as much as possible close
+alongshore, and as they pass watercourses, open ditches, and brooks,
+&c., some of them leave the column and enter these places, along which
+they eventually make their way to ponds, smaller rivers, &c. So strong
+is the migratory instinct in these little eels, that when I have taken
+some in a bucket and returned them to the river at some distance from
+the column, they have immediately rejoined it without any deviation to
+the right or left. On the banks of the Thames the passage is called
+_Eel-fare_. Two observers, watching their progress at Kingston,
+calculated that from sixteen to eighteen hundred passed a given line per
+minute. Rennie saw (on the 13th of May) a column of young eels of
+uniform size, about as thick as a crow-quill, and three inches long,
+returning to the river Clyde, in almost military order, keeping within
+parallel lines of about six inches. He traced it for several hours
+without perceiving any diminution.” Those that live in ponds seek the
+deep water for their winter quarters, and sometimes bury themselves in
+the mud at the bottom. They are very tenacious of life, and will live
+for a long time out of water; they are even sometimes found on the
+grass, passing from one pond to another, in search, it is said, of food.
+
+They are voracious feeders, eating frogs, snails, and other molluscous
+animals, worms, the fry of fishes, and the larvæ of various insects, as
+well as grass and aquatic weeds. Mr. Jesse states that he has known them
+to eat young ducks, and even water-rats.
+
+The Eel is caught in many different ways. As it seldom stirs during the
+day, the best method is found to be by setting night-lines. The baits
+most commonly used are lob-worms, loach, minnows, small perch, with the
+fins cut off, or small pieces of any fish; but such is the voracity of
+this animal that it will take almost any bait.
+
+Spearing for Eels is a method very commonly resorted to during the
+winter, when Eels imbed themselves in a state of torpidity in the muddy
+banks of streams and ponds. Eel-spears have usually six or seven prongs,
+with long handles. The process consists merely in plunging them into the
+mud in likely places, and pulling them out again.
+
+There seems to be no reason for supposing, as is commonly done, that
+Eels are viviparous; parasitic worms have sometimes been mistaken for
+the young animals.
+
+The common Eel often weighs upwards of twenty pounds. The flesh is
+tender, soft, and nourishing, but does not agree with all stomachs.
+
+
+
+THE CONGER, OR SEA EEL, (_Conger vulgaris_,)
+
+
+IS very large and thick. Its body is dusky above, and silvery below; the
+dorsal and anal fins are edged with black; and the lateral line is
+dotted with white. Its flesh is firm, and was much esteemed by the
+ancients. It is still eaten by the poorer classes, especially in seaside
+towns, but would be considered coarse and tasteless by most people in
+the present day.
+
+The voracity of the Conger Eel is very great, and it is one of the most
+powerful enemies with which the fishermen of the British islands have to
+contend. Being usually caught by a hook and line, it requires some care
+to land and kill the large ones without danger. We are informed that, on
+such occasions, they have been known to entwine themselves round the
+legs of a fisherman, and fight with the utmost fury. They are almost
+incredibly strong and tenacious of life. When pulled up by the line and
+landed in a boat, they make a loud, hoarse, grating sound, almost
+resembling the angry snarling of a dog, which often terrifies the
+amateur fisherman. Unless seized with great care, they bite most
+severely. It is even said that men have occasionally been permanently
+maimed by them. A Conger, six feet in length, was caught in the Wash, at
+Yarmouth, in April, 1808: but not without a severe contest with the man
+who had seized it. The animal is stated to have risen half erect, and to
+have actually knocked the fisherman down before he could secure it. This
+Conger weighed only about sixty pounds: but some of the largest exceed
+even a hundredweight.
+
+
+
+Book IV.
+
+REPTILES.
+
+
+
+
+§ 1. _Serpents, or Ophidian Reptiles._
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: SERPENTS.]
+
+
+SERPENTS are characterised by an elongated body, clothed in scales and
+destitute of limbs, but furnished with a tail. They move by lateral
+undulations of the body; and in this manner they glide with equal ease
+along the bare ground, through entangled thickets or water, and up the
+trunks of trees. They possess the power of fasting a great length of
+time, and when they feed always swallow their prey whole, which they are
+enabled to accomplish by their faculty of dilating their bodies to an
+enormous size. This power is carried to such an extent that a Boa
+Constrictor can swallow a bullock whole, suffering no other
+inconvenience than that of lying in a state of torpor while digestion is
+proceeding. Serpents generally roll themselves up when in a state of
+repose, with the head in the centre; and when disturbed raise the head
+before they uncoil the body. The Serpent is often made a subject of
+poetry; and as it was the form adopted by the arch fiend to seduce Eve,
+it is generally considered the emblem of insinuation and flattery:
+
+ “---- ---- ---- ---- on his rear,
+ Circular base of rising folds that tower’d
+ Fold above fold, surprising maze, his head
+ Crested aloft, and carbuncle his eyes. With burnish’d neck of verdant gold, erect
+ Amidst his circling spires that on the grass
+ Floated redundant; pleasing was his shape
+ And lovely.... Oft he bow’d
+ His turret crest and sleek enamell’d neck,
+ Fawning, and lick’d the ground whereon she trod.”
+ PARADISE LOST.
+
+The ancients paid great honours to Serpents, and sometimes called them
+good genii: they frequented sepulchres and burying-places, and were
+addressed like the tutelary divinities of these places. We read, in the
+fifth book of the Æneid, that when the Trojan hero sacrificed to his
+father’s ghost, a Serpent of this kind made his appearance:
+
+ “---- ---- and from the tomb begun to glide
+ His hugy bulk on seven high volumes roll’d;
+ Blue was his breadth of back, and streak’d with scaly gold.
+ Thus riding on his curls he seemed to pass
+ A rolling fire along, and singe the grass;
+ More various colours through his body run,
+ Than Iris when her bow imbibes the sun.
+ Between the rising altars and around,
+ The sacred monster shot along the ground;
+ With harmless play among the bowls he pass’d,
+ And with his lolling tongue assay’d the taste:
+ Thus fed with holy food, the wondrous guest
+ Within the hollow tomb retired to rest.”
+ DRYDEN.
+
+This animal was exalted to the honour of being an emblem of prudence,
+and even of eternity; and is often represented as the latter in Egyptian
+hieroglyphics, biting his tail, so as to form a circle. Serpents are
+very numerous in Africa; and Lucan, in his “Pharsalia,” gives us a very
+extraordinary account of the different species, which he seems to have
+drawn partly from ancient Greek authors, partly from actual traditions.
+He says:
+
+ “Why plagues like these infect the Libyan air;
+ Why deaths unknown in various shapes appear;
+ Why, fruitful to destroy, the cursed land
+ Is temper’d thus by Nature’s secret hand;
+ Dark and obscure the hidden cause remains,
+ And still deludes the vain inquirer’s pains.”
+ ROWE’S “LUCAN."
+Serpents differ very much in size. We are told of Serpents in the Isle
+of Java measuring fifty feet in length; and in the British Museum there
+is a skin of one thirty-two feet long.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE VIPER, OR ADDER, (_Vipera berus_,)]
+
+
+IS a venomous species of serpent that seldom exceeds the length of two
+or three feet, and is of a dull yellowish brown colour with black spots,
+the abdomen being entirely black; the head is nearly in the shape of a
+lozenge, and much thicker than the body. The Viper is viviparous; yet it
+is ascertained that the eggs are formed, though they are hatched in the
+body of the mother.
+
+The Reverend Mr. White, of Selborne, in company with a friend, surprised
+a large female Viper, as she lay on the grass, basking in the sun, which
+seemed very heavy and bloated. As Vipers are so venomous that they
+should be destroyed, they killed her; and afterwards, being curious to
+know what made her so large, they opened her, and found in her abdomen
+fifteen young ones, about the size of full-grown earth-worms. This
+little fry issued into the world with the true Viper spirit about them,
+showing great alertness as soon as they were disengaged from the body of
+their parent. They twisted and wriggled about, set themselves up, and
+gaped very wide when touched with a stick; exhibiting manifest tokens of
+menace and defiance, though as yet no fangs could be discovered, even by
+the help of glasses.
+
+Vipers attain their full growth in seven years; they feed on frogs,
+toads, lizards, and other animals of that kind, and it is even asserted
+that they catch mice and small birds, of which they seem very fond. They
+cast their skin every year. The two front teeth in the upper jaw of the
+Viper are furnished with a small bladder containing poison. There is no
+doubt but this poison, which appears to have been infused into the jaws
+of the Viper and other serpents by Providence, as a means of revenge
+upon their enemies, is so harmless to the animal itself, that when
+swallowed by it it only serves to accelerate its digestion. These
+venomous teeth or fangs stand, each by itself, upon a small movable
+bone; this arrangement enables the creature to fold down its fearful
+weapons in the mouth, and to erect them instantly when it has occasion
+to make use of them. The Viper is very patient of hunger, and may be
+kept more than six months without food. When in confinement, it refuses
+all sustenance, and the sharpness of its poison decreases in proportion:
+when at liberty, it remains torpid throughout the winter; yet, when
+confined, it has never been observed to take its annual repose.
+
+The Viper is a native of many parts of this island, chiefly the dry and
+chalky counties. Its flesh was formerly used for broth, and much
+esteemed in medicine, particularly to restore debilitated constitutions.
+It was also used as a cosmetic, being supposed to render the complexion
+fair. It was probably from the use made by the ancients of this animal
+in medicine that Esculapius is represented with a serpent. The best
+remedy against the bite of the Viper is to suck the wound, which may be
+done without danger, and after this to rub it with sweet oil, and
+poultice it with bread and milk.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE HORNED VIPER. (_Cerastes Hasselquistii._)]
+
+
+THIS species of Viper is nearly allied to the asp, and has a pointed and
+solid horny substance on each eyelid, formed of two projecting scales:
+its body is of a pale yellowish or greyish colour, with distant
+sub-ovate transverse brown spots; and in length it is from one to two
+feet.
+
+This species is often mentioned by the ancients. Pliny tells us that
+“the serpent Cerastes hath many times four small horns, standing out
+double; with moving whereof she amuseth the birds, and traineth them
+unto her for to catch them, hiding all the rest of her body.”
+
+It is found in the sandy deserts of Egypt and the neighbouring
+countries, and is believed to be the Asp with which Cleopatra eluded the
+disgrace of becoming a prisoner to her Roman conqueror.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE RATTLE-SNAKE, (_Crotalus horridus_,)]
+
+
+IS a native of the New World, and grows to five or six, and sometimes to
+eight feet in length, and is nearly as thick as a man’s leg. It is not
+unlike the viper, having a large head and small neck, and inflicting a
+very dangerous wound. Over each eye is a large pendulous scale, the use
+of which has not yet been ascertained; the body is scaly and hard,
+variegated with several different colours. The principal characteristic
+of this justly dreaded serpent is the rattle, a kind of instrument
+resembling the curb-chain of a bridle, at the extremity of the tail; it
+is formed of thin, hard, hollow bones, linked together, and rattling on
+the least motion. When disturbed, the creature shakes this rattle with
+considerable noise and rapidity, striking terror into all the smaller
+animals, which are afraid of the destructive venom that this serpent
+communicates to the wounded limb with his bite. The wound the
+Rattle-snake inflicts, through the uncommon sharpness and rapid fluency
+of the poison, generally terminates the torment and life of the unhappy
+victim in the course of six or seven hours.
+
+A snake of this kind exhibited in London at a menagerie of foreign
+animals, in the year 1810, wounded a carpenter’s hand, who was repairing
+its cage, and seeking for his rule. The man suffered the most
+excruciating pain, and his life could not be saved, although medical
+assistance was immediately applied, and every effort made to prevent
+the dire effect of the poison. The proprietor was condemned to pay a
+deodand for the injury done by the serpent.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE HAJE, OR EGYPTIAN ASP. (_Naja Haje._)]
+
+
+THE HAJE, or Egyptian Asp, is from three to six feet in length; it has
+two teeth longer than the rest, through which the venom flows. The body
+is covered with small round scales, and is of a greenish colour,
+bordered with brown; its neck is capable of inflation. The jugglers of
+Egypt, by pressing this Asp on the nape of the neck with the finger,
+throw the animal into a kind of catalepsy, which renders it stiff and
+immovable; when they say that they have changed it into a rod. The habit
+which this species has of raising itself up when approached, induced the
+ancient Egyptians to believe that it guarded the fields where it was
+found; and it is sculptured on the gates of their temples as an emblem
+of the protecting divinity of the world.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE HOODED SERPENT, OR COBRA DI CAPELLO, (_Naja
+tripudians_,)]
+
+
+CALLED by the Indians the _Nagao_, is from three to eight feet long,
+with two long fangs in the upper jaw. It has a broad neck, and a mark of
+dark brown on the forehead; which, when viewed frontwise, looks like a
+pair of spectacles; but behind, like the head of a cat. The eyes are
+fierce and full of fire; the head is small, and the nose flat, though
+covered with very large scales, of a yellowish ash-colour: the skin is
+white, and the large tumour on the neck is flat and covered with oblong
+smooth scales. This serpent is extremely dreaded by the British
+residents in India, as its bite has hitherto been found to be incurable,
+and the sufferer generally dies in half an hour.
+
+Of this kind are the dancing-snakes, which are carried in baskets
+throughout Hindoostan, and procure a maintenance for a set of people,
+who play a few simple notes on the flute, with which the snakes seem
+much delighted, and keep time by a graceful motion of the head; erecting
+about half their length from the ground, and following the music with
+gentle curves, like the undulating lines of a swan’s neck. It is a
+well-attested fact, that, when a house is infested with these snakes,
+and some other of the coluber genus, which destroy poultry and small
+domestic animals, as also by the larger serpents of the boa tribe, the
+musicians are sent for; who, by playing on a flageolet, find out their
+hiding places, and charm them to destruction: for no sooner do the
+snakes hear the music, than they come softly from their retreat, and are
+easily taken. I imagine these musical snakes were known in Palestine,
+from the Psalmist comparing the ungodly to the deaf adder, which
+stoppeth her ears, and refuseth to hear the voice of the charmer, charm
+he never so wisely.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SNAKE, (_Coluber natrix_,)]
+
+
+IS the largest of all English serpents, sometimes exceeding four feet in
+length. The colour of the body is variegated with yellow, green, white,
+and regular spots of brown and black. They seem to enjoy themselves when
+basking in the sun, at the foot of an old wall. This animal is perfectly
+innoxious, although many reports have been circulated and believed to
+the contrary; it feeds on frogs, worms, mice, and various kinds of
+insects, and passes the greater part of the winter in a state of
+torpidity. In the spring they re-appear, and at this season uniformly
+cast their skins. This is a process that they also seem to undergo in
+autumn. Mr. White says: “About the middle of September we found in a
+field, near a hedge, the slough of a large snake, which seemed to have
+been newly cast. It appeared as if turned wrong side outward, and as if
+it had been drawn off backward, like a stocking or a woman’s glove. Not
+only the whole skin, but even the scales from the eyes were peeled off,
+and appeared in the slough like a pair of spectacles. The reptile, at
+the time of changing his coat, had entangled himself intricately in the
+grass and weeds, in order that the friction of the stalks and blades
+might promote this curious shifting of his exuvia.”
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE BOA CONSTRICTOR.]
+
+
+THIS immense animal is often twenty feet in length, and sometimes even
+thirty-five; the ground colour of its skin is yellowish grey, on which
+is distributed, along the back, a series of large chain-like, reddish
+brown, and sometimes perfectly red, variegations, with other smaller and
+more irregular marks and spots. It is a native of South America, where
+it chiefly resides in the most retired situations in woods and marshes.
+
+The bite of this snake is not venomous, nor is the animal believed to
+bite at all, except to seize its prey. It kills its prey by twining
+round it and crushing its bones.
+
+The _Python_ and the _Anaconda_, which are at least as large as the Boa
+Constrictor, are found chiefly in the Indian Islands: they are very
+similar both in form and colouring to the Boa, and have exactly the same
+habits.
+
+These monsters will attack and devour the largest animals, of which the
+following is an instance: A Boa had for some time been waiting near the
+brink of a pool in expectation of its prey, when a buffalo appeared.
+Having darted upon the affrighted beast, it instantly began to encircle
+him with its voluminous twistings, and at every twist the bones of the
+buffalo were heard to crack as loud as the report of a gun. It was in
+vain that the animal struggled and bellowed; its enormous enemy entwined
+it so closely that at length all its bones were crushed to pieces, like
+those of a malefactor on the wheel, and the whole body was reduced to
+one uniform mass: the serpent then untwined its folds in order to
+swallow its prey at leisure. To prepare for this, and also to make it
+slip down the throat more smoothly, it licked the whole body over,
+covering it with a mucilaginous substance. It then began to swallow it,
+at the end that afforded the least resistance, and in the act of
+swallowing, the throat suffered so great a dilation as to take in a
+substance that was thrice its own ordinary thickness.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE AMPHISBÆNA. (_Amphisbæna fuliginosa._)]
+
+
+THIS name is now applied only to a genus of South American reptiles,
+which are of a harmless nature, being destitute of those fangs which
+prepare the venom in poisonous serpents. It is indeed doubtful whether
+the Amphisbænas are really snakes, and by many naturalists they are
+arranged amongst the lizards, although they have no limbs. The head is
+so small, and the tail so thick and short, that at first sight it is
+difficult to distinguish one from the other; and this circumstance,
+united to the animal’s habit of proceeding either backwards or forwards
+as occasion may require, gave rise to the supposition throughout the
+native regions of the Amphisbæna, that it had two heads, one at each
+extremity, and that it was impossible to destroy one by simple cutting,
+as the two heads would mutually seek one another and reunite! The colour
+of the commonest species is a deep brown varied with patches of white.
+The body is ornamented by more than two hundred rings, and the tail by
+about twenty-five. The eyes are almost concealed by a thick membrane,
+and this, together with their small size, has given rise to the idea
+that the Amphisbæna is blind. It grows to the length of eighteen inches
+or two feet. Its food consists of worms and insects, and especially
+ants, in the mounds of which it generally conceals itself. The ancients
+gave the name of Amphisbæna to what they considered a two-headed
+serpent; but it is not known with certainty which of the serpent tribe
+they meant, as their Amphisbæna is described by Lucan as venomous,
+though in his lines elegance of language, beauty of versification, and
+liveliness of fancy, have perhaps a greater claim than truth to the
+admiration of the reader:--
+
+ “With hissings fierce, dire Amphisbænas rear
+ Their double heads, and rouse the soldier’s fear.
+ Eager he flies: more eager they pursue;
+ On every side the onset quick renew!
+ With equal swiftness face or shun the prey,
+ And follow fast when thought to run away.
+ Thus on the looms the busy shuttles glide,
+ Alternate fly, and shoot at either side.”
+
+
+
+§ II. _Batrachian Reptiles._
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE FROG. (_Rana temporaria._)]
+
+
+WHEN this reptile issues from the egg it is merely a black, oval mass,
+with a slender tail. This tadpole, as it is then called, is the embryo
+of the Frog, and when it has attained a certain size its body gradually
+acquires the form of that of the Frog, its legs sprout from its sides,
+and finally its tail is cast off. This metamorphosis is one of the most
+curious in nature, and deserves our observation. Like other reptiles, it
+is not necessary for it to breathe in order to put its blood into
+circulation, as it has a communication between the two ventricles of the
+heart. It lives during spring in ponds, brooks, muddy ditches, marshy
+grounds, and other watery places, in summer in corn-fields and pasture
+land. Its voice proceeds from two bladders, one on each side of the
+mouth, which it can fill with wind. When it croaks, it puts its head
+out of the water. The hinder legs of the Frog are much longer than the
+fore ones, to help it in its repeated and extensive leaps. The whole of
+the body bears a little resemblance to some of the warm-blooded animals,
+principally about the thighs and the toes. The Frog is extremely
+tenacious of life, and often survives the abscission of its head for
+several hours. It is supposed that Frogs spend the whole winter at the
+bottom of some stagnant water in a state of torpidity.
+
+There are several species of the Frog; they are all oviparous, and the
+eggs are gelatinous. The _Edible Frog_ is the species used in France and
+Germany for food; it is considerably larger than the common kind, and
+though rare in England, is very plentiful in France, Germany, and Italy.
+Its colour is olive green, marked with black patches on the back, and on
+its limbs with transverse bars of the same. From the tip of the nose
+three distinct stripes of pale yellow extend to the extremity of the
+body, the middle one slightly depressed, and the lateral ones
+considerably elevated. The upper parts are of a pale whitish colour,
+tinged with green, and marked with irregular brown spots. These
+creatures are brought from the country, thirty or forty thousand at a
+time, to Vienna, and sold to the great dealers, who have froggeries for
+them, which are pits four or five feet deep, dug in the ground, the
+mouth covered with a board, and in severe weather with straw. In the
+year 1793, there were but three great dealers in Vienna, by whom those
+persons who brought them to the markets ready for the cook were
+supplied. Only the legs and thighs are eaten, and these are always
+skinned. They are rather dear, being considered a great delicacy. The
+Edible Frogs are caught in various ways, sometimes in the night, by
+means of nets, into which they are attracted by the light of torches
+that are carried out for the purpose, and sometimes by hooks, baited
+with worms, insects, flesh, or even a bit of red cloth. They are
+exceedingly voracious, and seize everything that moves before them.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE TOAD, (_Bufo vulgaris_,)]
+
+
+WHOSE very name seems to carry with it something of an opprobrious
+meaning, is not unworthy the attention of the observer of nature; for,
+though prejudice and false associations have affixed a stigma on certain
+species of animals, none of the works of our Creator are despicable, but
+all, the more minutely they are examined, the greater claim they are
+found to have to our admiration. Somewhat like the frog in the body, it
+also resembles that animal in its habits; but the frog leaps, while the
+Toad crawls. It is an error to suppose the Toad to be a noxious and
+venomous animal; it is as harmless as the frog, and, like some of the
+human kind, only labours under the stigma of undeserved calumny. Several
+stories have been related of its spitting poison, or knowing how to
+expel the venom it may have received from the spider or any other
+animals; but these fables have been long exploded. A curious and yet
+inexplicable phenomenon is that Toads have been said to be found alive
+in the centre of large blocks of stone, where they must have subsisted
+without food and respiration for a number of years. The following are
+recorded examples: In the year 1719, M. Hubert, professor of philosophy
+at Caen, was witness to a living Toad being taken from the solid trunk
+of an elm-tree. It was lodged exactly in the centre, and filled the
+whole of the space that contained it. The tree was in every other
+respect firm and sound. Dr. Bradley saw a Toad taken from the trunk of a
+large oak. In the year 1733, a live Toad was discovered by M. Grayburg
+in a hard and solid block of stone which had been dug up in a quarry in
+Gothland. On being touched with a stick upon the head, he informs us, it
+contracted its eyes as if asleep, and when the stick was moved gradually
+opened them. Its mouth had no aperture, but was closed round with a
+yellowish skin. On being pressed with the stick on the back, a small
+quantity of clear water issued from it behind, and it immediately died.
+A living Toad was found in a block of marble at Chillingham Castle,
+belonging to Lord Tankerville, near Alnwick, in Northumberland.
+
+Some of these cases are related in a manner which renders it difficult
+to doubt that the observers described _what they thought they saw_; but
+the occurrence of the phenomena, as described, seems to be so utterly
+impossible that we are forced to suppose that those writers have been
+misled in some way. That there is some foundation for many of the
+stories in question we can have no doubt, but we must look forward to
+further observations for their explanation; as Mr. Bell says: “To
+believe that a Toad, inclosed within a mass of clay, or other similar
+substance, shall exist wholly without air or food, for hundreds of
+years, and at length be liberated alive, and capable of crawling, on the
+breaking up of the matrix, now become a solid rock, is certainly a
+demand upon our credulity which few would be ready to answer.”
+
+With regard to the length of life of these animals, it is impossible to
+state anything decisive, but several facts prove that some of them have
+been gifted with astonishing longevity.
+
+A correspondent of Mr. Pennant’s supplied him with some curious
+particulars respecting a domestic Toad, which continued in the same
+place for _thirty-six_ years. It frequented the steps before the
+hall-door of a gentleman’s house in Devonshire. By being constantly fed,
+it was rendered so tame as always to come out of its hole in the evening
+when a candle was brought, and to look up as if expecting to be carried
+into the house, where it was frequently fed with insects. An animal of
+this description being so much noticed and befriended excited the
+curiosity of all who came to the house, and even females so far
+conquered the horrors instilled into them by their nurses as generally
+to request to see it fed. It appeared most partial to flesh-maggots,
+which were kept for it in bran. It would follow them on the table, and,
+when within a proper distance, would fix its eyes and remain motionless
+for a little while, apparently to prepare for the stroke which was to
+follow, and which was instantaneous. It threw out its tongue to a great
+distance, and the insect, stuck by the glutinous matter to its tip, was
+swallowed by a motion quicker than the eye could follow. After having
+been kept more than thirty-six years it was at length destroyed by a
+tame raven, which one day seeing it at the mouth of its hole pulled it
+out, and so wounded it that it died.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SURINAM TOAD, (_Pipa Americana_,)]
+
+
+WHICH is one of the ugliest of all Toads, is remarkable for the mode in
+which the young are developed. The female, like that of the common Toad,
+deposits her eggs at the edge of the water, but instead of leaving them
+there, the male takes the mass of eggs and places them on the back of
+his partner, pressing them down into a number of curious pits, which are
+produced in that part at the breeding season. When each of the pits has
+received its egg, the orifice becomes closed by a sort of lid, and the
+young animal goes through all its changes from the tadpole to the
+perfect Toad in this rather confined space. This curious Toad is found
+in Guiana; it frequents the dark corners of the houses, and,
+notwithstanding its intense ugliness, is eaten by the natives.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE COMMON NEWT. (_Triton aquaticus._)]
+
+
+BESIDES the frogs and toads, which have no tails when arrived at their
+perfect form, there are several Batrachian Reptiles in which this
+appendage is permanent. The best known of these are the Newts, of which
+two kinds are very common in ponds during the spring. The common Newt is
+three or four inches in length, and is of a pale brown colour above, and
+orange with black spots below. It has four little webbed feet and a
+flattened tail. In swimming, the legs are turned backwards to lessen
+resistance, and the animal is propelled principally by the tail. Their
+progression at the bottom of the water and on land is performed
+creepingly with their small and weak feet. These animals live during the
+autumn and winter under stones and clods of earth, and come down to the
+water in February or March for the purpose of depositing their eggs
+there. The eggs are carefully inclosed by the parents in the leaves of
+aquatic plants. The young, when first hatched, are in the form of
+tadpoles; the legs afterwards sprout from the sides of the body, but the
+tail is not cast off, as in the frogs. The old Newts remain in the water
+until July or August.
+
+
+
+
+THE GREAT NEWT. (_Triton palustris._)
+
+
+THIS, the largest British species of the Newt, is by no means uncommon
+in our ponds and ditches. It is about six inches in length; its back is
+dark, and its under side is orange-coloured, sprinkled with small black
+spots; altogether it is darker and richer in colour than the common
+species. During the breeding season the males of both species, but
+especially those of the larger one, are adorned with membranous crests,
+and their colours become much more vivid. Their tenacity of life is very
+great; when mutilated, they will reproduce the lost parts, and they may
+be frozen into a solid lump of ice without losing their vitality. With
+regard to its habits, this animal is a most voracious creature, and
+devours unsparingly aquatic insects, and, in fact, any small animal
+which happens to come in its way. For tadpoles it seems to have a
+special predilection, and its greediness is such that it has not escaped
+the charge of cannibalism. These Newts have more than once been taken in
+the act of devouring individuals of the smaller species, but of such a
+size that there seems to have been considerable difficulty in swallowing
+them.
+
+
+
+§ III. _Saurian Reptiles._
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE LIZARD. (_Lacerta vivipara._)]
+
+
+THIS is a British species, and is one of the very few reptiles found in
+Ireland. Its movements are most graceful. It comes out of its
+hiding-place during the day to bask in the sun, and when it sees an
+insect it darts like lightning upon it, seizing it with its sharp little
+teeth, and soon swallowing it. The young are produced in eggs, which are
+generally hatched the moment they are laid, the skin of the egg being so
+thin that the young Lizard can be seen through it.
+
+The _Green Lizard_ (_Lacerta viridis_) is a beautiful creature. Its
+colours are more brilliant and beautiful than those of any other
+European species, and exhibit a rich and varied mixture of darker and
+lighter green, interspersed with specks and marks of yellow, brown,
+black, and sometimes even red. The head is covered with large angular
+scales, and the rest of the upper parts with very small ones. The tail
+is generally much longer than the body. Beneath the throat there is a
+kind of collar, formed by scales of much darker colour than the rest of
+the animal.
+
+The Lizard seems occasionally to lay aside its natural gentleness of
+disposition, but no further than for the purpose of obtaining food. Mr.
+Edwards once surprised a Lizard in the act of fighting with a small
+bird, as she sat on her nest in a vine against a wall, with
+newly-hatched young. He supposed that the Lizard would have made a prey
+of the latter, could it have driven the old bird from her nest. He
+watched the contest for some time; but, on his near approach, the Lizard
+dropped to the ground, and the bird flew off.
+
+
+
+
+THE IGUANA, (_Iguana tuberculata_,)
+
+
+WHICH is found commonly in the tropical parts of America, is a large
+kind of lizard, often measuring four or five feet in length. It has a
+crest of long teeth, looking like a comb, along its back; its tail is
+long, tapering, and slender; and beneath its throat it has a sort of
+pouch which it can dilate considerably. The colour of this lizard is
+greenish, with brown bands on the tail. The Iguana is found in trees,
+and feeds chiefly on fruits and other vegetable substances. It is
+usually caught when reposing upon a branch, and by a very simple
+process: the hunter approaches it whistling, and the animal is stupid
+enough to sit still, no doubt enjoying the music, until a noose,
+attached to the end of a stick, is passed over its head. It is captured
+for the sake of its flesh, which is regarded as very delicate.
+
+An Iguana, which was kept for some time in a hothouse at Bristol, was
+fed on the leaves of kidney bean plants, which it devoured eagerly,
+after refusing every other kind of food that had been offered it. It
+seems certain that Iguanas in their natural state are not entirely
+herbivorous, but feed on insects, the eggs of birds, and other animal
+matter, as well as on plants. They will occasionally take to the water,
+and seem to swim with ease. Notwithstanding its repulsive and even
+frightful appearance, the Iguana is perfectly harmless and inoffensive.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE FLYING LIZARD, OR DRAGON.
+
+(_Draco volans._)]
+
+
+THE Flying Dragons, those terrible creatures described by the older
+naturalists, are undoubtedly fabulous and, indeed, impossible creatures,
+and either entirely products of the imagination of the vulgar, or
+founded upon specimens manufactured for the express purpose of taking in
+the naturalist, who, in old times, was a little too ready to believe in
+wonders of this kind. The wings of a bat attached to a body and legs
+made up from half a dozen animals would furnish a capital Dragon in
+former times. Modern naturalists apply the name of Dragon to some little
+lizards inhabiting the East Indies, and which have none of those
+terrible qualities ascribed to the fabled monsters of antiquity. They
+are related to the Iguanas, but have on each side of the body a
+membranous expansion, stiffened by the prolongation into it of the first
+six false ribs; this acts as a sort of parachute, and enables the little
+creatures, not to fly, but to leap or glide through the air to
+considerable distances between one tree and another. They live entirely
+in trees, and feed on insects.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE CHAMELEON. (_Chamæleo vulgaris._)]
+
+ “A lizard’s body, lean and long,
+ A fish’s head, a serpent’s tongue;
+ Its foot with triple claw disjoin’d;
+ And what a length of tail behind!
+ How slow its pace! and then its hue!”
+ MERRICK.
+
+
+THE CHAMELEON is a small animal, about ten inches long, and its tail
+nearly the same length. Its body is covered with small compressed scaly
+granules; its back is edged, and its tail round, long, and tapering. Its
+feet have each five toes, which are situated three one way and two
+another, in order to enable it to lay firm hold of the branches: but
+wherever it happens that these are too large for the animal to grasp
+with its feet, it coils round them its long, prehensile tail, and fixes
+its claws strongly into the bark. When walking on the ground, it steps
+forward in an extremely cautious manner, seeming never to lift one foot
+until it is well assured of the firmness of the rest. From these
+precautions, its motions have a ridiculous appearance of gravity, when
+contrasted with the smallness of its size, and the activity that might
+be expected from an animal so nearly allied to some of the most lively
+in the creation. Though the Chameleon is repulsive in its appearance, it
+is perfectly harmless. It feeds only on insects, for which the structure
+of its tongue is well adapted, being long and protrusive, and furnished
+with a dilated, glutinous, and somewhat tubular tip. With this it seizes
+on insects with the greatest ease, darting it out and immediately
+retracting it, with the prey thus secured, which it swallows whole. The
+strange notion that Chameleons were able to feed on air, seems to have
+arisen merely from the circumstance of these animals, like all others of
+the lizard family, being able to subsist for a great length of time
+without food. The eyes of the Chameleon have the singular property of
+looking at the same instant in different directions; one of them may be
+seen to move when the other is at rest, or one will be directed forward,
+whilst the other is attending to some object behind, or in a similar
+manner upward and downward. It has the power of inflating its body to
+double its ordinary size, and at these times it is transparent. It can
+undoubtedly change its colour, but it is not true that it takes that of
+any object it may be near. On the contrary, its change of colour depends
+on its being exposed to a very strong light; and it only changes from
+its natural dull grey to a beautiful green, spotted unequally with red.
+Africa is the native country of the Chameleons, of which there are
+fourteen species; but two of them are found also in different parts of
+Asia and New Holland, and one (_C. vulgaris_) in the south of Europe;
+but this animal has never been found in any part of America.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE CROCODILE OF THE NILE.
+
+(_Crocodilus vulgaris._)]
+
+
+THIS animal is frequently thirty feet long. The female lays its eggs in
+the sand, where they are hatched by the heat of the sun; and the mother
+is said to take no care of the young ones. The head of this species, as
+of all the true Crocodiles, is twice as long as it is broad; the snout
+is pointed and unequal, and the eyes, which are small, are placed very
+far asunder. The colour is a greenish bronze, speckled with brown, and
+of a yellowish green underneath: six rows of nearly equal-sized plates
+run along the back. This Crocodile is less ferocious than some of the
+other kinds, and, when taken young, may be tamed. It is common in
+Senegal and other parts of Africa, as well as in the Nile.
+
+The method which the African adopts to kill this formidable creature
+displays considerable ingenuity and courage. Having wrapped a thick
+cloth round his arm, and provided himself with a long knife, he proceeds
+to the known haunt, usually a reedy swamp or river. The moment the
+Crocodile perceives him it rushes at him with open mouth, but is coolly
+received by its antagonist, who thrusts his covered arm between its
+jaws. The teeth cannot pierce through the thick folds of the cloth, so
+that his arm only gets a smart squeeze, and before the creature can
+disengage itself, he adroitly cuts its throat.
+
+The _Gavials_ have very long, slender snouts, and their hind feet are
+webbed to the ends of the toes. These animals grow to the length of
+twenty-five feet, and when large are as dangerous and destructive as the
+Nilotic Crocodile. They are found abundantly in the Ganges, and in the
+fresh waters of most parts of India and its islands.
+
+A short time before M. Navarette was at the Manillas, he was told that,
+as a young woman was washing her feet at one of the rivers, an Alligator
+seized and carried her off. Her husband, to whom she had been but just
+married, hearing her screams, threw himself headlong into the water,
+and, with a dagger in his hand, pursued the robber. He overtook and
+fought the animal with such success as to recover his wife; but,
+unfortunately for her brave rescuer, she died before she could be
+brought to the shore.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE ALLIGATOR, OR CAYMAN.
+
+(_Alligator lucius._)]
+
+
+THE habits of the Alligator are much the same as those of the
+crocodile. The principal mark of distinction is, that the former has its
+head and part of the neck more smooth than the latter, and the snout is
+considerably more wide and flat, as well as more rounded at the
+extremity. The largest of these animals do not usually exceed eighteen
+feet. Alligators are natives of the warmer parts of America, and are the
+dread of all living animals. Their voracity is so great that they do not
+spare even mankind.
+
+The voice of the Alligator is loud and harsh. They have an unpleasant
+and powerful musky scent. M. Pagés says, that near one of the rivers in
+America, where they were numerous, their effluvia was so strong as to
+impregnate his provisions, and even to give them the nauseous taste of
+rotten musk. This effluvium proceeds chiefly from four glands, two of
+which are situated in the groin, near each thigh, and the other two at
+the breast, under each fore leg. Dampier informs us that, when his men
+killed an Alligator, they generally took out these glands, and, after
+having dried them, wore them in their hats by way of perfume.
+
+The following anecdote of the voracity of this animal is related by
+Waterton, in his “Wanderings in South America”:--“One Sunday evening,
+some years ago, as I was walking with Don Felipe de Ynciarte, governor
+of Angustura, on the bank of the Oroonoque, ‘Stop here a minute or two,
+Don Carlos,’ said he to me, ‘while I recount a sad accident. One fine
+evening last year, as the people of Angustura were sauntering up and
+down here, in the Alameda, I was within twenty yards of this place, when
+I saw a large Cayman rush out of the river, seize a man, and carry him
+down, before anybody had it in his power to assist him. The screams of
+the poor fellow were terrible, as the Cayman was running off with him.
+He plunged into the river with his prey: we instantly lost sight of him,
+and never saw or heard him more.’”
+
+
+
+§ IV. _Chelonian Reptiles._
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE COMMON, OR GREEK TORTOISE.
+
+(_Testudo Græca._)]
+
+
+THIS animal has a small head, four feet, and a tail, which it can gather
+within the shell in such a way that the top and under part meet
+together, and so closely, that the greatest strength cannot separate
+them. The eye is destitute of an upper lid, the under one serving to
+defend that organ. The upper shell, composed of thirty-seven
+compartments, is convex, and so strong, that a loaded cart can pass over
+it without injuring the creature inside. In winter, Tortoises are said
+to bury themselves in the ground, or retire to some cavern or hole,
+which they line with moss, grass, and leaves, and where they pass in
+safe and solitary retirement the whole of this season. The Tortoise is
+very tenacious of life, and is no less remarkable for its longevity, as
+it is ascertained that one lived upwards of one hundred and twenty years
+in the garden of Lambeth Palace.
+
+This animal is found in most of the countries near the Mediterranean
+Sea, in Corsica, Sardinia, and some of the islands of the Archipelago,
+as well as in many parts of the north of Africa.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GREEN TURTLE. (_Chelonia midas._)]
+
+
+MOST of the Turtles are considered very delicate food, especially the
+green species. Some of them are so large as to weigh from four to eight
+hundred pounds. Dampier mentions an immensely large one that was caught
+at Port Royal, in the Bay of Campeachy. It was nearly six feet long, and
+four feet broad. A son of Captain Roch, a boy about ten years old, went
+in the shell, from the shore to his father’s ship, which was about a
+quarter of a mile distant.
+
+Turtle generally ascend from the sea, and crawl on the beach, for the
+purpose of laying their eggs (which are as large sometimes as those of a
+common hen), sometimes to the number of fifty or sixty at a time. The
+young ones, as soon as they are hatched, crawl down to the water.
+Turtles are caught, when sleeping on land, by turning them on their
+backs; for as they cannot turn themselves over again, all means of
+escape is denied them. The lean of the Green Turtle tastes and looks
+like veal, without any fishy flavour. The fat is as green as grass, and
+very sweet. The introduction of Turtle as an article of food into
+England, appears to have taken place within the last eighty or ninety
+years. They are common in Jamaica, and in most of the islands of the
+East and West Indies. Green Turtles are sometimes caught on the shores
+of Europe, driven thither by stress of weather. In the year 1752, one,
+six feet long and four feet broad, weighing between eight and nine
+hundred pounds, was caught in the harbour of Dieppe, after a storm. In
+1754, a still larger one, upwards of eight feet long, was caught near
+Antioche, and was carried to the Abbey of Longveau, near Vannes, in
+Brittany; and in the year 1810, a small one was caught amongst the
+submarine rocks near Christchurch, in Hampshire.
+
+The reader will remember how delighted Robinson Crusoe was to find a
+large Turtle which, he says, contained three score eggs. Behold him
+dragging it home.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE HAWK’S-BILL TURTLE, (_Chelonia imbricata_,)]
+
+
+HAS received its name from the peculiar formation of the upper jaw,
+which terminates in a curved point, like the beak of a bird of prey. It
+is smaller than the Green Turtle, the largest specimens being about
+three feet in length. Its flesh is a very indifferent, if not
+unwholesome, article of food; but the horny plates with which its back
+is covered, and which lie over one another like the slates on the roof
+of a house, are beautifully mottled, and constitute the well-known
+tortoiseshell of commerce, which is so much used for making combs and
+various ornamental articles. It is only the best kind of tortoiseshell,
+however, that is taken from the Hawk’s-bill Turtle. The shell that is
+usually seen is taken from commoner kinds. A very large quantity of
+tortoise-shell is imported into Europe every year, and the traffic in it
+forms a very important part of the trade of those countries in which
+turtles abound.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE LEATHERY TURTLE, (_Sphargis coriacea_,)]
+
+
+HAS its back covered with a sort of leathery skin, instead of the horny
+plates of the other turtles. It is a very large species, measuring eight
+feet or more in length, and weighing as much as a thousand pounds. It is
+chiefly found in the Mediterranean; it is, however, occasionally found
+on the other coasts of Europe, and a few specimens, some of them
+weighing seven or eight hundred pounds, have been caught in England. The
+flesh is not considered good, and in some cases great suffering has been
+occasioned by eating it. In 1748, a Leathery Turtle, which had been
+caught near Scarborough, was purchased by a gentleman, who invited
+several friends to taste it. Though warned that the flesh was
+unwholesome, one of the guests ate some, but was seized soon after with
+dreadful sickness. This should be a warning to the curious to be careful
+how they “eat strange flesh.”
+
+
+
+BOOK V.
+
+MOLLUSCOUS ANIMALS.
+
+
+
+
+§ I. _Bivalves, or those having two shells._
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE PEARL OYSTER. (_Avicula Margaritifera._)]
+
+
+WHO that sees the beauty and delicacy of pearls would imagine that they
+were the production of disease? Such, however, is the case, as they are
+either formed in the body of the oyster which inhabits the shell; or
+they rise from cracks in the shell itself, the delicate, silvery,
+half-transparent lining of which forms the substance generally called
+Mother-of-Pearl, or Nacre. Their formation is generally caused by the
+introduction of some foreign body between the mantle or skin of the
+animal and its shell; the irritation thus produced causes successive
+coats of pearly matter to be deposited on the intruding object, and thus
+the pearl is formed. The best pearls are those which are fairly imbedded
+in the substance of the mantle. These shells are found in the Persian
+Gulf and at Ceylon, where they form an important article of commerce.
+
+The Chinese form pearls by casting into the shell of a certain kind of
+muscle artificial beads, which at the end of a year become covered with
+a pearly crust, in such a manner that they cannot be distinguished from
+the natural pearl.[C]
+
+[C] For a very interesting article on this subject, see Beckmann’s
+“History of Inventions,” vol. i. p. 259. (_Bohn’s Standard Library._)
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE COMMON OYSTER, (_Ostrea edulis_,]
+
+
+HAS long been in favour with man for its delicacy as an article of food;
+the Lucrine lake used to be as much in renown among the Romans for the
+choicest kind of Oysters, as Cancalle Bay with the French, and the
+Colchester beds with us. The two shells of the Oyster are generally
+unequal in size; the hinge is without teeth, but furnished with a
+somewhat oval cavity, and generally with lateral transverse grooves.
+Oysters sometimes grow to a very large size; in the East Indies they are
+said sometimes to measure nearly two feet in diameter.
+
+The principal breeding season of oysters is in the months of April and
+May, when they cast their young, which are enveloped in slime, and in
+this state called _spats_ by the fishermen, upon rocks, stones, shells,
+or any other hard substance that happens to be near the place where they
+lie; and to these the spats immediately adhere. Till they obtain their
+film or crust, they are somewhat like the end of a candle, but of a
+greenish hue. The substances to which they adhere, of whatever nature,
+are called _cultch_. From the spawning time till about the end of July,
+Oysters are said to be sick; but by the end of August they become
+perfectly recovered; from May till August they are out of season and
+unwholesome. The Oyster-fishery of our principal coasts is regulated by
+a court of admiralty. In the month of May the fishermen are allowed to
+take the Oysters, in order to separate the spawn from the cultch, the
+latter of which is thrown in again, for the purpose of preserving the
+bed for the future. After this month it is felony to carry away the
+cultch, and otherwise punishable to take any Oyster, between whose
+shells, when closed, a shilling will rattle. The reason of the heavy
+penalty on destroying the cultch is, that when this is taken away,
+muscles and cockles will breed on the bed; and, by gradually occupying
+all the places on which the spawn should be cast, will destroy the
+Oysters.
+
+The Oyster has been represented, by many authors, as an animal destitute
+not only of motion, but of every species of sensation. It is able,
+however, to perform movements which are perfectly consonant to its
+wants, to the dangers it apprehends, and to the enemies by which it is
+attacked. The gills, through which the Oyster breathes, are what is
+commonly called the beard, and are very indigestible. The scallop is
+nearly allied to the Oyster.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE COMMON COCKLE. (_Cardium edule._)]
+
+
+FEW of our shell-fish are more common, in inlets and bays near the
+mouths of rivers, than these. In such situations they are usually found
+immersed at the depth of two or three inches in the sand, the place of
+each being marked by a small, circular, depressed spot. When they open
+their shells, the entrance into them is protected by a soft membrane,
+which entirely closes up the front, except in two places, at each of
+which there is a small, yellow, and fringed tube; by means of which they
+receive and eject the water which conveys to their body the nutriment
+necessary for their support.
+
+Cockles are in great request as food among the labouring classes, and
+are caught chiefly in the winter months. Their size varies from five or
+six inches to half an inch in diameter. The shell is generally white; it
+has twenty-six longitudinal ridges, is transversely wrinkled, and has
+somewhat imbricated striæ. The foot of these animals is largely
+developed, and is to them a most important organ, as they use it not
+merely for progression, but in the excavation of hollows in the sand or
+mud in which they dwell.
+
+The _Chama_, which is akin to the cockle, was used by the ancients to
+engrave various figures upon, from which circumstance those small
+bas-reliefs, so valued now, have obtained among the Italians and
+collectors the name of _Cameos_. The shells of some of these are
+decorated with red or yellow stripes, diverging from the hinge, and
+spreading to the edges. The _Giant Chama_ has been found to weigh more
+than five hundred pounds, and the oyster-like animal within was large
+enough to furnish a meal for twenty men. The animals which inhabit these
+shells are sometimes called Clams. The shells are often used in Catholic
+countries for containing holy water.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE PHOLAS. (_Pholas dactylus._)]
+
+
+THIS is a shell of a rather elongated form, gaping at both ends, and
+terminated in front by a point; it is white and chalky in its
+appearance, and the anterior end is roughened by numerous sharp spines
+and tubercles. The animal which inhabits this shell bores deeply into
+the rocks of the sea-shore, forming cylindrical holes, in which it
+lives; and the water which it requires for its food and respiration is
+conveyed to and from the interior of the shell by a pair of tubes which
+reach to the outer orifice of its dwelling-place. It is supposed that
+the Pholas is enabled to bore into the hard rock by means of its large
+and strong foot, but this is still a matter of dispute.
+
+There are many other boring shells, most of which are related to the
+Pholas. Some of them burrow in rocks, others in wood, and some
+indifferently in either material. Of the wood-borers, the most
+remarkable is the _Ship Worm_ (_Teredo navalis_), which penetrates
+deeply into floating or submerged timber, and lines the cavity of its
+burrow with a coating of shell. In this way the Teredo has often done
+much injury to piles and other woodwork exposed to the sea, and in 1731
+and 1732 it excited so much alarm in Holland by attacking the piles of
+the great dikes, that even statesmen condescended to study its natural
+history. We must remember, however, that in the grand economy of nature
+even this destructive creature has its use; by penetrating in every
+direction through any floating mass of timber it promotes the breaking
+up of the latter, and prevents the surface of the sea from being
+encumbered with quantities of wreck.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: 1. THE MUSSEL. (_Mytilus edulis._)]
+
+
+LIKE the oyster, the Mussel inhabits a bivalve shell, to which it
+adheres by a strong cartilaginous tie. The shells of several of the
+species are beautiful. The Mussel possesses the property of locomotion,
+which it performs with the member called its tongue, by which it gets
+hold of the rock, and is enabled to draw itself along; it has also the
+property of emitting a kind of thread, called the byssus, which, fixing
+the sides of the shell upon the ground, answers the purpose of a cable,
+to keep the body of the fish steady.
+
+
+
+
+§ II. _Univalves._
+
+
+
+
+2. THE ADMIRAL.
+
+
+ONE of the cone-shells, the inhabitant of which is a kind of snail, with
+a very distinct head. If nature has taken a delight in painting the
+wings of birds, the skins of quadrupeds, and the scales of fishes, she
+seems not to have been less pleased in pencilling the shells of these
+inhabitants of the deep. The variety, brightness, and versatility of the
+colouring have long been deservedly the object of man’s admiration; and
+we cannot help being astonished at the richness which a cabinet of
+well-selected shells presents to the eye.
+
+
+
+THE TIGER COWRY. (_Cypræa Tigris._)
+
+
+THE Cowries or Porcelain shells are amongst the most beautiful of the
+univalves. The shells are generally of an elegant oval form, with no
+visible spire; the mouth is a long slit on the middle of the lower
+surface, with two nearly equal lips toothed along their margins; the
+surface is most beautifully polished, and generally adorned with rich
+colours, arranged in varied and elegant patterns. The Tiger Cowry, which
+is one of the commonest, is rather broad, and very convex; it is of a
+white colour, covered with numerous dark brown spots. It is usually four
+or five inches in length, and inhabits the seas of India. The _Money
+Cowry_ (_Cypræa moneta_) is a little Indian species, which is used in
+place of money in some countries, especially the interior of Africa. It
+is imported into England for exportation to Africa in large quantities;
+as much as 300 tons having been landed at Liverpool in one year.
+
+
+
+
+THE WHELK, (_Buccinum undatum_,)
+
+
+IS a common British shell-fish of considerable size, which is obtained
+in large quantities by dredging, and used as food. In London it is sold
+commonly at stalls in the streets, we believe in a pickled state. The
+mouth of this animal is furnished with a powerful rasping proboscis, by
+means of which it is able to bore through the shells of other mollusca.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SNIPE SHELL, (_Murex haustellus_, or _cornutus_,)]
+
+
+SO called on account of the length of a prominency coming out of the
+shell. It is surrounded with blunt prickles, and the colour of the whole
+is elegantly variegated.
+
+
+
+
+THE PERIWINKLE, (_Littornia littorea_,)
+
+
+IS too well known to require any description. It is found in
+incalculable numbers all round the European coasts, and captured in
+immense quantities as an article of food.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE LIMPET. (_Patella._)]
+
+
+THE shape of this shell is pyramidal; it adheres to the rock with such
+strength, that it can only be removed by means of a knife or a strong
+blow. The apex of the shell is sometimes sharp, sometimes obtuse, and
+often surrounded with points and sharp prickles. When thoroughly
+cleansed the shell is generally of a beautiful purple tint of great
+brilliancy, though the animal that lives under this magnificent roof is
+a kind of snail, disagreeable to the eye and insipid to the palate. They
+are found on the rocks, which are incessantly beaten by the surges and
+breakers, on the sea-shores of almost every country in the world. It is
+not by any glutinous liquid, as it has been asserted, that this fish
+adheres so strongly to the rock; but by the simple process of producing
+a vacuum between its foot and the rock to which it affixes itself.
+
+The variety which is thrown into the sum of animated beings is so
+wonderfully great, that naturalists have reckoned more than a hundred
+and twenty-nine species of Limpets, and nearly allied genera; the
+difference arising principally out of the diversity of the shells in
+form and colour.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GARDEN SNAIL, (_Helix aspersa_,)]
+
+
+IS furnished with four tentacula, two of which are smaller than the
+others; at the end of these tentacula, which the animal pushes out or
+draws back, like telescopes, are blackish knobs, which are the eyes.
+The snail lays eggs, which are about the size of small peas,
+semi-transparent, and of a soft substance. By closely examining with a
+magnifying lens the eggs which a Water Snail, kept in a bottle of water,
+had deposited against the glass, the young Snail was seen in the egg,
+with its embryo shell on its back; two have also been observed in one
+egg, each of them with the rudiments of the shell.
+
+The Garden Snail is extremely tenacious of life, and remains in a state
+of torpor during the winter. It is said, indeed, that it can remain in
+this state for many years, and the following instance is probably
+without parallel in any other animal:--Mr. S. Simon, a merchant of
+Dublin, whose father, a Fellow of the Royal Society, and a lover of
+natural history, left him a small collection of fossils and other
+curiosities, had, among them, the shells of some Snails. About _fifteen
+years_ after his father’s death, he gave to his son, a child of ten
+years old, some of these Snail-shells to play with. The boy placed them
+in a flower-pot, which he filled with water, and the next day put them
+into a basin. Having occasion to use this, Mr. Simon observed that the
+animals had come out of their shells. He examined the child respecting
+them, and was assured that they were the same which had been in the
+cabinet. The boy said he had a few more, and brought them. Mr. S. put
+one of these into water, and, in an hour and a half afterwards, observed
+that it had put out its horns and body, which it moved but slowly,
+probably from weakness. Major Vallancy, Dr. Span, and other gentlemen,
+were afterwards present, and saw one of these Snails crawl out; the rest
+being dead, probably from their remaining some days in the water.
+Similar observations have since been so frequently repeated, that there
+is now no doubt that Snails of various kinds may retain their vitality
+for years when preserved in a dry state.
+
+
+
+
+THE SMALL GREY SLUG, (_Limax cinereus_,)
+
+
+RESEMBLES a Snail in all points except that it has no shell,
+consequently the brown skin of the back is rougher and stronger than
+that of the Snail. Its progress on the ground may easily be traced by
+the slime which it leaves in its track. Few animals are more destructive
+to vegetation than these.
+
+
+
+
+THE BLACK SLUG, (_Arion ater_,)
+
+
+IS a well-known inhabitant of our fields and meadows, during the summer
+season. The country people consider its appearance as an indication of
+approaching rain; but this is rather to be accounted for by the moisture
+of the ground and plants. Indeed, it very seldom appears abroad during
+dry weather. The Black Slug feeds on the leaves of different kinds of
+plants.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SEPIA, OR CUTTLE-FISH. (_Sepia officinalis._)]
+
+
+THE structure of these animals is very remarkable. Their body is nearly
+cylindrical, and, in some of the species, entirely covered with a
+fleshy sheath; in others the sheath reaches only to the middle of the
+body. They have eight arms, or rather legs, and in general two feelers,
+much longer than the arms. Both the feelers and arms are furnished with
+strong circular cups or suckers. The mouth is hard, strong, and horny,
+resembling in texture the beak of the parrot. The body is of a
+jelly-like substance, and usually covered with a coarse skin, having the
+appearance of leather. This skin contains cells of different colours,
+which are capable of changing their relative position, so that the
+Cuttle-fish is able to change the colour of its skin. By means of the
+numerous circular cups or suckers with which the arms are furnished,
+they seize their prey, and firmly attach themselves to the rocks. Their
+adhesive power is so great, that it is generally more easy to tear off
+the arms than to separate them from the substance to which they are
+affixed: if the arms happen to be broken off, they are soon reproduced.
+The size to which this creature grows has been variously stated; and,
+although evidently exaggerated by some authors, it undoubtedly attains
+to a very considerable magnitude. When attacked in its own element, it
+has been known to overcome a large dog. Its jaws are extremely strong
+and powerful, and with its beak it can crush in pieces the shells of the
+fish on which it feeds. In the body is a bladder filled with a dark inky
+fluid, which it emits when alarmed, and which not only tinges the water
+so as to conceal its retreat, but is so bitter as immediately to drive
+off its enemies. This inky fluid, when dried, forms a very valuable
+colour, used by artists, and known as Sepia.
+
+The bone, or calcareous plate of the _Sepia Officinalis_, a species
+common on our coasts, is a well-known substance, and is much employed in
+the manufacture of toothpowder; and by silversmiths for moulds, to cast
+their small work, such as rings, &c. It is also converted into that
+useful article of stationery, called pounce.
+
+
+
+THE POULPE, (_Octopus vulgaris_,)
+
+
+HAS only eight arms, the two long tentacles of the Sepia being absent.
+It is found on our coasts, and is especially abundant in the
+Mediterranean, where it is regularly brought to market as an article of
+food.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE ARGONAUT, OE PAPER NAUTILUS,]
+
+
+IS a kind of Poulpe, in which only six of the arms present the ordinary
+form, the other pair being expanded into broad, flat organs. It was
+supposed by the ancients, and, indeed, until very recently, that these
+expanded arms were used by the animal as sails; it was described as
+floating at the surface of the sea, with the back of the shell
+downwards, the six arms sticking into the water like so many oars, and
+the two broad members elevated to catch the breeze; but it is now known
+that the so-called sails are used to embrace the shell when the animal
+is swimming backwards, in the same way as its allies, and it also
+appears that it is by these arms that the shell is enlarged. The
+Argonaut is found in the Mediterranean.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE NAUTILUS, OR PEARLY NAUTILUS,
+
+(_Nautilus Pompilius_,)]
+
+
+IS a very different creature, and instead of the eight arms of the
+Argonaut has its head surrounded by numerous ringed and sheathed
+tentacles. It is remarkable for the structure of its shell, the cavity
+of which is divided into numerous chambers by transverse partitions;
+these chambers, of which the outermost alone is occupied by the animal,
+are filled with air, but a narrow tube passes through the whole of them,
+and communicates with the cavity of the body. By this arrangement the
+Nautilus is enabled to alter his specific gravity so as either to rise
+to the surface or sink to the bottom of the water. The few existing
+species of Nautilus are all found in the Indian and South Pacific
+Oceans.
+
+
+
+BOOK VI.
+
+ARTICULATED ANIMALS.
+
+
+
+
+§ I. _Annelida, or Ringed Animals._
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: WORMS. (_Vermes._)]
+
+
+THESE creatures constitute a class by themselves, under the name of
+_Annelida_, in the works of modern naturalists. They are distinguished
+from the caterpillar and maggot, by undergoing no change, and crawling
+by means of the annular structure of their bodies.
+
+The _Earth Worm_ has neither bones, eyes, or ears; it has a round,
+annulated body, with generally an elevated fleshy belt near the head.
+Though considered a great nuisance by gardeners, Earth Worms perforate,
+and loosen the soil, and render it pervious to rains and the fibres of
+plants, by drawing into it straws and the stalks of leaves: and chiefly
+by throwing infinite numbers of lumps called worm-casts, which form a
+fine manure for grass and corn. They are, however, very injurious to
+plants in pots.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE LEECH, (_Sanguisuga officinalis_,)]
+
+
+IS about three inches in length, and in its exterior form somewhat
+resembles the worm, when extended, but often contracts itself greatly in
+length, at the same time expanding in thickness. It has a small head, a
+black skin, with six yellow lines above, and spotted with yellow below.
+The mouth of the Leech is of curious construction; it has three jaws,
+each of which is armed with two ranges of very fine teeth, with which it
+pierces the skin; and then draws up, as through a siphon, the blood,
+upon which it feeds. The progressive movement of the Leech is effected
+by sticking, by suction, its mouth to a certain spot, then bringing its
+tail, which also has the property of sticking, in the same manner as the
+head, and then advancing its head further on, quickly followed by the
+tail, and so on. The common Leech is very often met with in brooks and
+rivulets. Its uses in medicine are well known, as by its means the blood
+can be extracted from diseased parts, to which the lancet cannot be
+applied.
+
+The blood which the Leech sucks out of the wound it makes supplies it
+with nutriment for so great a period of time, that a Leech, after having
+been satisfied with blood, has been known to live three years withoutany food. It is usual, however, to make them disgorge the greater part
+of the blood they have swallowed by sprinkling them with salt; as
+otherwise they would not bite again till the blood they had taken was
+fully digested.
+
+Leeches lay eggs, which are covered with a kind of membrane, which
+serves to protect them when they are deposited in the clay and holes in
+the sides of ponds. They appear to live on the eggs of fish or frogs,
+but eagerly attach themselves to the legs of human beings, horses, or
+cows, whenever they have an opportunity. As there is a prejudice among
+the country people that Leeches never breed well till they have tasted
+blood, it is said that they drive their horses and cows into the water
+inhabited by the Leeches, and consequently that the Leech districts are
+remarkable for their wretched-looking horses and cattle. Leeches must be
+five years old before they are fit for medical purposes; and they are
+caught in shallow water in spring by people going in with naked feet and
+ankles, to which the Leeches adhere, when they are picked off and put in
+baskets provided for the purpose. In summer a raft is made of twigs, and
+the waters being disturbed with a stick, the Leeches rise to the
+surface, and get entangled in the raft. When caught, they are washed in
+water with a very little salt in it, and packed in wet linen cloths,
+which are put into a barrel with a canvas cover, and sent away for sale.
+London used to be chiefly supplied from the fenny districts of
+Lincolnshire, but the consumption of these useful worms has been so
+great that most of our Leeches are now imported through Hambro’ from the
+east of Europe. Some years since Dr. Pereira stated that the number of
+Leeches imported by the four principal dealers in London amounted to
+7,200,000 annually. They are also, when kept in a glass bottle with
+water, a good barometer, as they always come up to the neck of the
+bottle when rainy weather is approaching, remain at the bottom in dry
+weather, and move anxiously up and down when the weather is stormy.
+Horse-Leeches are larger than the common species, more voracious, and
+narrower at each extremity.
+
+
+
+§ II. _Crustacea._
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE LOBSTER, (_Astacus marinus_,)]
+
+
+HAS a cylindrical body, long antennæ, and a broad tail. Its large claws
+enable it to seize on its prey, to fix itself on the small prominences
+of rocks in the sea, to resist the motion of the waves, and to defend
+itself against its enemies. When the Lobster wants to spring off the
+rocks, it makes a fulcrum of its tail, which has the action of a
+powerful spring. Its gait is awkward, as in all the crustacea. Besides
+its claws, it has four small legs on each side, to assist it in its
+movements. Under the tail the hen Lobster preserves her eggs till they
+are hatched. They are extremely prolific. Dr. Baxter says he counted
+twelve thousand four hundred and forty-four eggs under the tail of a
+female Lobster, besides those that remained in the body undeveloped.
+Like the rest of their tribe, they cast their shells annually, previous
+to which they appear languid and restless: they acquire an entirely new
+covering in a few days.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE CRAYFISH, (_Astacus fluviatilis_,)]
+
+
+MAY be called the lobster of fresh water, and its presence is generally
+esteemed an evidence of the goodness of the water. Crayfish are
+considered a very strengthening food. They are caught in shallow brooks,
+hid under large stones, out of which they crawl backwards to seek for
+their prey, which consists of small insects; the hooks employed to catch
+them are baited with liver or flesh, which they nibble most greedily.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE CRAB. (_Cancer pagurus._)]
+
+
+CRABS are of various sizes, some weighing several pounds, and others
+only a few grains, all of different species. They do not move forward,
+but sideways. They have a small tail closed on the body; which forms a
+considerable and essential difference between them and the lobsters,
+prawns, shrimps, and crayfish.
+
+The most remarkable circumstance in the history of these animals is the
+changing of their shells and the renewal of their broken claws. The
+former, as it is stated, take place once a year, and usually between
+Christmas and Easter. During the operation they retire among the
+cavities of rocks, and under great stones. Crabs are naturally
+quarrelsome amongst themselves, and frequently have serious contests, by
+means of those formidable weapons, their great claws. With these they
+lay hold of their adversary’s legs; and wherever they seize, it is not
+easy to make them forego their hold. The animal seized has, therefore,
+no other alternative but to leave part of the leg behind in token of
+victory.
+
+An experiment was tried to prove the extremely tenacious disposition of
+the Crab. By irritating it, a fisherman made a Crab seize one of its own
+small claws with a large one. The animal did not distinguish that it was
+itself the aggressor, but exerted its strength, and soon cracked the
+shell of the small claw. Feeling itself wounded, it cast off the piece
+in the usual place, but continued to hold it with the great claw for a
+long time afterwards.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+The _Violet Land-Crabs_ of the Caribbee Islands are most singular in
+their habits; they descend in annual and regular caravans from the
+mountains, their natural abode, to the sea-shores, in order to deposit
+their spawn, after which they again return to the mountains. These Crabs
+form, in their procession, a body of fifty paces broad, and three miles
+in length. This battalion moves slowly, but with regularity and
+uniformity, either when they descend or ascend the hills. They abound in
+Jamaica, where they are accounted a great delicacy by the natives, and
+are common in the adjacent islands.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SOLDIER CRAB, OE HERMIT CRAB,
+
+(_Pagurus bempardus_,)]
+
+
+IS a curious animal, and ought to be noticed here for its singular
+habits. It is somewhat like a lobster divested of its shell; it is about
+four inches in length, and has no shell on the hinder part, but is
+covered down to the tail with a rough skin; it is also armed with strong
+hard nippers. This Crab has not been provided by nature with a shell,
+and is obliged to seek for one which has been deserted by its legitimate
+tenant; but as this covering cannot grow of course proportionally with
+him, he is forced out of it by his increasing size, and finds himself
+under the necessity of looking out for a new one: it is curious to see
+him when in want of a new house, crawling from one empty shell to
+another, examining and trying his new habitation. Sometimes, when two
+competitors happen to eye the same premises, a great contest arises, and
+of course the strongest gets the manor.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: 1. THE SHRIMP. (_Crangon vulgaris._)]
+
+
+THE SHRIMP is a well-known small crustaceous animal, nearly allied to
+the lobster, which it resembles in shape. Its length is rather more than
+two inches; in colour it is greenish-grey, dotted with brown. It has
+long slender feelers, between which are two projecting laminæ; ten feet
+and five fins, but no claws. This animal breeds on all the sandy shores
+of Great Britain: it is frequently found in harbours, and even in the
+ditches and ponds of salt marshes; it is also very common on the French
+coast. During life the body is semi-transparent, and so much resembles
+sea-water that the animal is distinguished with difficulty. Its ordinary
+motion consists of leaps. Its flavour is very delicate.
+
+
+
+
+2. THE PRAWN. (_Palæmon serratus._)
+
+
+THE PRAWN is not unlike the shrimp, but exceeds it considerably in size,
+its length being between three and four inches. It has a projecting
+ridge down the back, furnished with sharp teeth. Its natural colour is
+greyish, with small red and brown spots, but when boiled it assumes a
+most beautiful pink tint. The flesh is very delicate, although perhaps
+inferior in flavour to that of the shrimp.
+
+Prawns are very common on the coasts of France and England; they are
+chiefly found among sea-weed, and in the vicinity of rocks, at a little
+distance from the shore. They seldom enter the mouths of rivers. They
+feed on all the smaller kinds of marine animals, which they seize and
+devour with great voracity. In their turn, they are the prey of numerous
+species of fish, although the sharp and serrated horn in front of their
+head constitutes a powerful weapon of defence against the attacks of all
+the smaller kinds. At the side of the head there is frequently to be
+observed a large and apparently unnatural lump. This, if examined, will
+be found to contain, under the thoracic plate, a species of parasitic
+animal, which occupies the whole cavity, and there feeds and perfects
+its growth. The same tumour or lump may also be observed on the shrimp.
+
+Being in great request for the table, both shrimps and Prawns are
+eagerly sought for by fishermen, who catch them either in osier baskets,
+similar to those employed in catching lobsters, or in a kind of net
+called a _Putting-net_. These, which are well known to all frequenters
+of the sea-coast, are five or six feet in width, and flat at the bottom;
+and are pushed along in the shallow water, upon the sandy shores, by a
+man who walks behind. There is a great number of other species belonging
+to the same family as the shrimp and prawn, but they are for the most
+part inhabitants of foreign seas, and what other British species exist
+are rare in comparison to the two we have described.
+
+Fossil crustaceans, which are apparently members of the same family,
+have also been found in France and Germany.
+
+
+
+§ III. _Arachnida._
+
+
+THIS ORDER, according to Lamarck, and other modern zoologists, contains
+the Spiders, Scorpions, and Mites, which do not undergo any
+metamorphoses. These creatures differ from the true insects in the
+number of their feet, which are generally eight, while those of the true
+insects never exceed six.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GARDEN SPIDER. (_Epeïra diadema._)]
+
+
+ALL the Spiders are distinguished by having no antennæ, eight legs, and
+generally eight eyes; mandibles terminated by a movable claw, which
+sometimes emits poison; and an abdomen without rings, furnished at its
+point with four or six spinnerets, from which the Spider emits the
+threads used in spinning its web. This web is wonderful in its
+formation. It consists of a number of stout threads radiating from the
+centre to various objects in the neighbourhood, and crossed by a great
+quantity of finer threads arranged in a close spiral, so as to produce
+the impression of a number of concentric circles. These fine threads are
+braided and glutinous, so that any unfortunate fly that comes in contact
+with them adheres readily:
+
+ “The Spider’s touch, how exquisitely fine!
+ Feels at each thread, and lives along the line.”
+ POPE.
+
+The Spider sits in the middle, and at the least motion caused by a fly
+or other insect pressing against it, rushes on his prey, and sucks its
+juices; if, however, it should appear at all formidable, the Spider
+carefully encloses it in a shroud of web, which, of course, quite
+disables it; and then feasts on it at his convenience. The most
+difficult part of the business is to eject the remains, which is often
+attended with great detriment to the net. The female generally lays from
+nine hundred to a thousand eggs, which are contained in a kind of bag,
+and thus an immense number of Spiders are hatched every year, which
+would soon become troublesome from their numbers, if they were not kept
+in check by the numerous birds which prey upon them. The silk which the
+Spider produces is not strong enough to be employed for any useful
+purposes, though, out of curiosity, gloves and stockings have been woven
+out of it. A great difficulty, however, arises in the pugnacious habits
+of Spiders, as, when a number of them are kept together, they fight so
+dreadfully, that in a short time only a very few are left alive; and a
+great number would be required, as twelve Spiders do not produce so much
+silk as a single silkworm. Spiders resemble the crustacea in having the
+power of reproducing the legs which they lose.
+
+
+
+
+THE HOUSE SPIDER, (_Tegenaria domestica_,)
+
+
+IS a very different species from the Garden Spider. It dwells in the
+dark corners of houses and outbuildings, forming a dingy web of
+irregular threads, all of which communicate with a concealed chamber or
+den in which the Spider lurks.
+
+
+
+THE DIVING SPIDER, (_Argyroneta aquatica_,)
+
+
+IS another kind, which forms a sort of tent by stretching its threads
+between the stems of aquatic plants far below the surface. In this den
+it dwells, and here it devours the prey which it captures during its
+excursions; and in order to provide a stock of air for its respiration,
+it carries down successive small portions entangled amongst the hairs of
+its abdomen. This process is exactly similar to that by which
+diving-bells used to be supplied with air, and indeed the dome-like
+habitation of this Spider is constructed precisely on the same principle
+as the diving-bell.
+
+There are also several kinds of _Water Mites_, the most abundant of
+which is of a rich red colour, and grows to nearly the bulk of a pea. It
+may commonly be seen swimming among the plants in pools and ditches.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE TARANTULA. (_Lycosa Tarantula._)]
+
+
+THIS Spider is a native of the South of Europe. It lives in fields, and
+its dwelling is about four inches deep in the ground, half an inch wide,
+and closed at the mouth with a net. They lay about seven hundred and
+thirty eggs, which are hatched in the spring. These Spiders do not live
+quite a year; the parents never survive the winter.
+
+Inflammation, difficulty of breathing, and sickness, are said to be the
+inevitable consequences of the bite of this animal. Dr. Mead, and other
+medical men, have countenanced the popular story of these effects being
+counteracted by the power of music. It is, however, now well known, that
+this singular mode of cure was nothing more than a trick frequently
+practised on credulous travellers, who were desirous of witnessing it.
+Mr. Swinburne, when he was in Italy, minutely investigated every
+particular relative to the Tarantula. The season was not far enough
+advanced, and it was pretended that no persons had as yet been bitten
+that year: he, however, prevailed upon a woman, who had formerly been
+bitten, to dance the part before him. Several musicians were summoned,
+and she performed the dance, as everyone present assured him, to
+perfection. At first she lolled stupidly on a chair, while the
+instruments played a dull strain. They touched at length the chord
+supposed to vibrate to her heart; and up she sprung with a hideous yell,
+staggered about the room like a drunken person, holding a handkerchief
+in both hands, raising them alternately, and moving in very true time.
+As the music grew brisker, her motions quickened, and she skipped about
+with great vigour, and in a variety of steps, every now and then
+shrieking very loud. The scene was unpleasant, and, at his request, an
+end was put to it before the woman was tired.
+
+He informs us, that, whenever they are to dance, a place is prepared for
+them, hung round with bunches of grapes and ribbons. The patients are
+dressed in white, with red, green, or yellow ribbons; on their shoulders
+they have a white scarf; they let their hair fall loose about their
+ears, and throw the head quite back. He says that they are exact copies
+of the ancient priestesses of Bacchus. The introduction of Christianity
+abolished all public exhibitions of heathenish rites; but the women,
+unwilling to give up their darling amusement, in performing the frantic
+character of Bacchantes, devised other pretences; and he supposes that
+accident led them to the discovery of the Tarantula, of which they took
+advantage for that purpose.
+
+
+
+THE CHEESE MITE. (_Acarus siro._)
+
+
+THESE destructive little creatures differ from spiders in having the
+thorax and abdomen united and covered with the same skin, though it is
+contracted in one part. They have also, when young, only six legs,
+though the two others appear afterwards; and their feet are armed with
+strong hooks, which enable them to retain hold of the cheese or other
+food, in which they take up their abode. Their bodies are covered with
+hair, and their mouths are furnished with strong mandibles, with which
+they soon hew down huge rocks and mountains of cheese. The eggs of these
+Mites are so small, that it has been computed that a pigeon’s egg would
+contain thirty millions of them. It must be observed that this Mite is
+only found in dry cheese, in which it looks like reddish dust. The
+cheese-hopper, found in moist rotten cheese, is the maggot of a kind of
+fly. (_Piophila Casei._)
+
+
+
+
+§ IV. _Insects._
+
+
+INSECTS have all six legs and two antennæ or feelers; and though the
+transformations they undergo differ slightly in the different kinds, the
+following is the order in which they occur:--The perfect insect lays
+eggs, which when hatched produce larvæ; and which are called grubs when
+they belong to beetles, maggots to flies, and caterpillars to
+butterflies and moths. These larvæ eat voraciously; and as they rapidly
+increase in size, they generally moult, that is, change their skins, two
+or three times. When the larvæ are full grown, they go into the pupa
+state, in which they remain torpid and without food for a considerable
+length of time, sometimes first spinning a loose covering for the pupa
+called a cocoon. The pupa is generally called a chrysalis; but it is
+also sometimes called a nymph, and sometimes an aurelia. The last
+transformation is when the insect breaks from its covering in a perfect
+form, when it is called the imago. There are, however, some insects
+which are active throughout their lives, and in these the larvæ and pupæ
+are very similar to the perfect insect. The perfect insect is divided
+into three segments, or parts, called the head, the thorax, and the
+abdomen.
+
+
+
+
+ORDER I. _Coleoptera, or Beetles._
+
+
+THE larva of the beetle is a grub, which often continues in that state
+three or four years, eating voraciously during the whole period. When
+full grown it in most cases either descends into the ground, where it
+undergoes its transformations, first into a nymph, or pupa, and then
+into a beetle; or it makes itself a rough cocoon of bits of stick and
+dead leaves, in which it changes into a pupa, and afterwards into a
+beetle. The wood-eating beetles undergo their transformations in the
+tree on which they feed. The pupa of the beetle is termed incomplete,
+because all the parts of the insect are visible in it, instead of being
+enclosed in one thick covering, as in the moths and butterflies. The
+head of the beetle is furnished with two compound eyes; two antennæ
+(differing in shape in the various species, but having usually eleven
+joints); and a mouth, consisting of a labrum, or upper lip, a labium, or
+under lip, two mandibles, or upper jaws, and two maxillæ, or under jaws.
+There is also the mentum, or chin, and a part called the clypeus, to
+which the upper lip is attached.
+
+The thorax is the part which supports the legs and wings. The legs are
+divided into five portions, of which the part terminated by the claw is
+called the tarsus. There are two membranous wings, covered by two
+hardened wings or wing-cases, called the elytra, which generally open by
+a straight line down the back; and hence the name of Coleoptera, which
+signifies wing in a case: the abdomen is simply the body.
+
+The number of beetles is very great, and indeed Mr. Westwood informs us
+that more than thirty thousand species have been described, of which
+about three thousand five hundred are natives of Britain.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE COCKCHAFER. (_Melolontha vulgaris._)]
+
+
+THE COCKCHAFER is one of the lamellicorn beetles. The female lays her
+eggs in the ground, and the grubs, when hatched, are soft, thick, and
+whitish. It is from its white appearance that the grub of the Cockchafer
+is called _le ver blanc_ by the French. These grubs, sometimes in
+immense numbers, work between the turf and the soil in the richest
+meadows, devouring the roots of the grass to such a degree that the turf
+rises, and will roll up with almost as much ease as if it had been cut
+with a turfing knife; the soil underneath appearing, for more than an
+inch in depth, like the bed of a garden. In this the grubs lie, on their
+backs, in a curved position, the head and tail uppermost, and the rest
+of the body buried in the mould. It is also said that a whole field of
+fine flourishing grass has become, in a few weeks, withered, dry, and as
+brittle as hay, in consequence of these grubs devouring the roots.
+
+In the year 1688 great numbers of Cockchafers appeared on the hedges and
+trees of the south-west coast of the county of Galway, in clusters of
+thousands, clinging to each others’ backs, in the manner of bees when
+they swarm. During the day they continued quiet, but towards sunset the
+whole were in motion; and the humming noise of their wings sounded like
+distant drums. Their numbers were so great that, for the space of two or
+three square miles, they entirely darkened the air. Persons travelling
+on the roads, or who were abroad in the fields, found it difficult to
+make their way home, as the insects were continually beating against
+their faces, and occasioned great pain. In a very short time the leaves
+of all the trees, for several miles round, were destroyed, leaving the
+whole country, though it was near midsummer, as naked and desolate as it
+would have been in the middle of winter. The noise which these enormous
+swarms made, in seizing and devouring the leaves, was so loud, as to be
+compared to the distant sawing of timber. Swine and poultry destroyed
+them in vast numbers; waiting under the trees for the clusters of
+insects to drop, and then devouring such swarms as to become fat upon
+them alone. Even the native Irish, from the insects having eaten up the
+whole produce of the ground, adopted a mode of cooking them, and thus
+used them as food. Towards the end of the summer they disappeared so
+suddenly that in a few days there was not one left.
+
+Rooks are very fond of eating these grubs, and often, when they are seen
+in a newly-sown field, apparently devouring the grain, they are, in
+fact, rendering the greatest service to the farmer, by destroying his
+great enemy, the white worm.
+
+
+
+
+THE DOR, OR BLIND BEETLE.
+
+(_Geotrupes stercorarius._)
+
+
+THIS well-known insect, which is sometimes also called “the shard-borne
+beetle,” has been often noticed by the poets. Amongst others,
+Shakespeare makes Macbeth say:
+
+ “Ere to black Hecate’s summons
+ The shard-borne beetle, with its drowsy hum,
+ Hath rung night’s yawning peal, there shall be done
+ A deed of dreadful note.”
+
+This beetle, which is a British insect, lays its eggs in a mass of
+cow-dung, which it afterwards buries in the earth. It makes a dull
+drowsy noise when it flies, and often strikes itself against any person
+or object it may meet, as though it were blind. It has also the habit of
+stretching out its limbs and pretending to be dead when caught.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE STAG BEETLE. (_Lucanus cervus._)]
+
+ “See the proud giant of the beetle race;
+ What shining arms his polished limbs encase!
+ Like some stern warrior, formidably bright,
+ His steely sides reflect a gleamy light;
+ On his large forehead spreading horns he wears,
+ And high in air the branching antlers bears;
+ O’er many an inch extends his wide domain,
+ And his rich treasury swells with hoarded grain.”
+ BARBAULD.
+
+
+THIS insect is the largest, and most singular in shape, of any in this
+country. It is known by two horn-like mandibles, projecting from its
+head, and resembling those of a stag, with which it is able to pinch
+very severely. These mandibles are strongly dentated from the root to
+the point. The wing-cases have neither streaks nor spots. The whole
+insect is of a deep brown. It is sometimes found in hollow oaks and
+beeches, near London.
+
+The larvæ, or grubs, lodge under the bark, or in the hollow of old
+trees; which they bite and reduce to fine powder. The larvæ are supposed
+to exist three or four years before they form their cocoons. These
+insects are mostly found in Kent and Sussex. In Germany there is a
+popular but idle notion, that they sometimes, by means of their jaws,
+carry burning coals into houses; and that, in consequence of this
+mischievous propensity, dreadful fires have been occasioned. The Stag
+Beetle is one of the lamellicorn Coleoptera.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE ELEPHANT BEETLE,
+
+(_Scarabæus_, or _Dynastes Elephas_,)]
+
+
+IS found in South America, particularly in Guiana and Surinam, as well
+as near the river Orinoko. It is one of the largest beetles of its kind;
+it is black, and the whole body is covered with a very hard shell, quite
+as thick and as strong as that of a small crab. Its length, from the
+hinder part to the eyes, is almost four inches; and from the same part
+to the end of the large horn on the head (from the resemblance of which
+to the proboscis of an elephant, and its great size, the beetle has
+obtained its name) four inches and three quarters. The transverse
+diameter of the body is two inches and a quarter; and the breadth of
+each case, for the wings, upwards of an inch. The horns are about an
+inch long, and terminate in points. The head-horn is an inch and a
+quarter long, and turns upwards, making a crooked line terminating in
+two horns, each of which is nearly a quarter of an inch long. Above the
+head is a prominence, or small horn, which, if the rest of the trunk
+were away, would cause this part to resemble the horn of a rhinoceros.
+There is, indeed, a beetle named after that animal, whose lower horn
+resembles this: its scientific name is _Oryctes Rhinoceros_.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE MUSK BEETLE, OR GOAT CHAFFER.
+
+(_Cerambyx moschatus_, or _Aromia moschata_.)]
+
+
+THIS is one of the longicorn beetles. It is a very beautiful insect, of
+a glossy bluish-green colour, with a cast of shining gold; the under
+part of the body is bluish. It is about an inch and a half in length,
+and is elongated in form, its breadth being small in proportion to its
+length; the wings under the case are black; the legs are of the same
+bluish-green colour, only somewhat paler; and the breast is pointed at
+each extremity. Between these points are three little tubercles near the
+wings, and three smaller towards the head. The cases of the wings are
+oblong, and somewhat in the shape of a lance, with three ribs a little
+raised, and running lengthwise. The feelers are as long as the body,
+composed of many joints, which grow smaller near the ends. This Beetle
+is very common in the south of England, and is chiefly to be found on
+old pollard willows. It emits a strong and agreeable odour, which is not
+unlike attar of roses. It certainly has not the slightest resemblance to
+musk, though those who named it appear to have thought that it had.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GROUND BEETLE. (_Carabus clathratus._)]
+
+
+THE GROUND BEETLE is not only one of the largest, but the most beautiful
+and brilliant that this country produces. The head, breast, and
+wing-cases are of a coppery green; the latter having three longitudinal
+rows of oblong raised spots. All the under part of the insect is black.
+Having only very short wings beneath the cases, Nature has
+providentially supplied it with such legs as enable it to run with
+amazing swiftness. This insect is frequently found in damp places, under
+stones and heaps of decayed plants in gardens. There are several
+species, one of which (_Carabus violaceus_) is of a beautiful purple.
+
+The larvæ live under ground, or in decayed wood, where they remain until
+metamorphosed to their perfect state, when they proceed to devour the
+larvæ of other insects, and all weaker animals that they can conquer.
+
+The Ground Beetles are found as early as the beginning of March, in
+paths and near old walls, where the sun warms the earth with its
+vivifying beams. Many of the large species have been found between the
+decayed bark and wood of willow trees.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GLOWWORM. (_Lampyris noctiluca._)]
+
+
+IT is only the female Glowworm which produces the beautiful light for
+which the insect is so well known, and she frequently communicates this
+light to her eggs. She is without wings or wing-cases, and possesses no
+beauty when seen by daylight. The male has wings, and leathery elytra.
+The larva is a very ugly and very voracious grub, which feeds greedily
+on snails and slugs.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE DEATH-WATCH. (_Anobium tesselatum._)]
+
+
+THIS creature is called the Death-Watch, from a superstitious notion
+that, when its beating is heard, it is a sign that some one in the house
+is going to die. The insect lives in wood, and the noise is produced by
+its striking its head against whatever is near it. These insects, in the
+larva state, do a great deal of mischief to old furniture, in which they
+perforate numerous round holes. To enable them to do this they are
+furnished with two maxillæ formed like two cutting pincers, with the
+help of which they bore the holes so neatly that the French call them
+_vrillettes_, from _vrille_, a gimlet. They also perforate books in the
+same way, and thus do much damage in old libraries:
+
+ “Insatiate brute, whose teeth abuse
+ The sweetest servants of the muse!
+ His roses nipt in every page,
+ My poor Anacreon mourns thy rage;
+ By thee my Ovid wounded lies;
+ By thee my Lesbia’s sparrow dies;
+ Thy rabid teeth have half destroyed
+ The work of love in Biddy Floyd;
+ They rent Belinda’s locks away,
+ And spoiled the Blouzelind of Gay;
+ For all, for every single deed,
+ Relentless justice bids thee bleed.
+ Then fall a victim to the Nine,
+ Myself the priest, my desk the shrine.”
+ PARNELL.
+
+Sometimes two of these insects may be heard ticking, answering each
+other; and sometimes the Death-Watch may be made to tick by tapping with
+the finger-nail upon a table. These creatures imitate death with great
+exactness when they are caught, or when they think themselves in
+danger.
+
+
+
+THE SPANISH FLY, OR CANTHARIS.
+
+(_Cantharis vesicatoria._)
+
+
+THESE insects are found but rarely in this country; they are more common
+in France, but Spain, Italy, and Russia seem to be their favourite
+localities. They make their appearance in July, and are generally found
+upon ash trees, the leaves of which form their food. They are of great
+commercial importance, for they are found very useful in medicine on
+account of their remarkable blistering powers. They have a very
+disagreeable smell, and emit a fluid of so corrosive a nature that many
+persons have suffered greatly from gathering them; and it is said to be
+extremely dangerous to sleep under a tree infested by them, as their
+smell produces a lethargic sleep, which frequently terminates in death.
+They are generally caught by laying linen cloths under the trees they
+infest, and beating the boughs; they are then put into hair sieves, and
+held over vessels of boiling vinegar, till the vapour kills them. After
+this they are dried in ovens, or on hurdles, exposed to the sun, and
+then packed up for sale. When dried, fifty of them hardly weigh a
+drachm, but they do not lose their medicinal properties by age unless
+allowed to get damp. Though bearing the name Spanish Flies, the greatest
+quantity is obtained from St. Petersburg, the Russian insects being
+considered the best.
+
+They are of a highly poisonous nature, and there are many instances,
+some even recent, of their producing violent hemorrhage and death.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE CORN-WEEVIL. (_Calandra granaria._)]
+
+
+THIS is a little beetle about an eighth of an inch in length, of a
+reddish-brown colour, with a slender proboscis projecting from the
+front of the head, at the extremity of which the mouth is situated. As
+this proboscis is not thicker than a fine needle, our readers may form
+some notion of the minute size of the jaws with which the mouth is
+furnished; nevertheless, they are sufficiently powerful to enable the
+little creature to eat corn and biscuit. In the larva state they are
+exceedingly destructive to corn in granaries, sometimes abounding to
+such an extent in a heap of grain as to leave nothing of it but the
+husks.
+
+There are an immense number of Weevils, all of which have the front of
+the head elongated into a proboscis or beak. A very common one is the
+_Nut-Weevil_ (_Balaninus micum_), which has a very long and slender
+beak; with this the female eats into the soft shells of young nuts, and
+deposits her eggs in the hole; the grubs devour the kernel of the nut,
+and leave nothing but dust in the interior of the shell.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE LADY BIRD, OR LADY COW.
+
+(_Coccinella septem-punctata._)]
+
+
+THE larva of this well-known and beautiful little beetle is disagreeable
+and almost disgusting in its appearance; but to compensate for this it
+is extremely useful in destroying the aphis, or green fly. In the
+perfect insect the elytra are scarlet, beautifully spotted with black;
+some species having seven, and others five spots, and one of the most
+beautiful, eighteen. The head is very small, the antennæ and legs very
+short, and the body nearly round. This beetle is generally regarded with
+much favour in almost all countries, and in Catholic times was in a
+manner dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Hence its name of Lady Bird.
+
+
+
+ORDER II. _Orthoptera._
+
+
+IN this order the elytra, or wing-cases, are much softer and more
+flexible than in the beetles; they are frequently membranous or webbed,
+and when closed they do not form a straight line down the back. The
+mouth is also different; the maxillæ being terminated by a horny,
+toothed piece called the galea. There is also a kind of tongue, and the
+metamorphosis is incomplete.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE EARWIG. (_Forficula auricularia._)]
+
+
+_Unlike_ most other insects, the female Earwig watches over her eggs
+until they are hatched, and afterwards attends upon her young progeny
+for some time. At the beginning of the month of June, M. de Geer found,
+under a stone, a female Earwig, accompanied by many little ones,
+evidently her young. They continued close to her, and often placed
+themselves under her body, as chickens do under a hen.
+
+This little animal is very nimble, and perfectly harmless, except to
+flowers, notwithstanding the fabulous charge which was so long believed
+against it, of its entering the human ear, and depositing its eggs
+there, which were said to cause intolerable pain when hatched, and the
+young began to gnaw the inside of the ear. The Earwig possesses wings,
+which, when extended, cover nearly the whole insect. The elytra, or
+wing-cases, are short, and do not extend along the whole body, but only
+over the breast. The wings are concealed beneath these, and are somewhat
+of an oval shape. There is great elegance in the manner in which the
+insect folds its wings beneath its elytra.
+
+
+
+
+THE BLACK BEETLE, OR COCKROACH,
+
+(_Blatta Orientalis_,)
+
+
+SO common in London kitchens, is nearly allied to the Earwig.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE LEAF MANTIS. (_Empusa gongylodes._)]
+
+
+THIS insect is remarkably shaped. The head is joined to the body by a
+neck, longer than the rest of the body. It has two polished eyes, and
+two short feelers. This neck consists of the first segment of the waist
+or thorax. The wing-cases, which cover two-thirds of the body, are
+veined and reticulated, or netted. The wings are veined and transparent.
+The hinder legs are very long, the next shorter; and the foremost pair
+of thighs are terminated with spines: the others have membranous lobes,
+which serve them as wings in their flight. The top of the head is
+membranous, shaped like an awl, and divided at its extremity. This
+animal is one of the innumerable instances which Nature affords of the
+infinite wisdom of the Creator; for, whenever an animal is found to
+deviate in shape from the general system, it is still formed to answer
+the design of its existence. Thus this insect, having such long legs,
+could never have sustained itself in the air had not Providence bestowed
+on the legs themselves a species of wings to balance their weight. These
+are instances with which Nature teems; and which would make the atheist
+tremble did he but contemplate the admirable design and system with
+which they are characterised as
+
+ “Parts of one stupendous whole;
+ Whose body Nature is, and God the soul.”
+
+These insects are partly of a pale yellowish green, and partly brown; so
+that they look like dead leaves, whence their English name. They are
+found in the East Indies and China.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+THE ordinary Mantides, or _Praying Insects_, as they are sometimes
+called, from their apparently devotional attitudes, resemble the species
+just described in their general structure, but are seldom furnished with
+so long a neck and so leaf-like a body. They carry the head erect, and
+the long fore-feet, which shut together like a clasp-knife, are used in
+catching their prey; it is while thus engaged that their postures have
+been considered to resemble an attitude of devotion.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE WALKING LEAF, (_Phyllium siccifolium_,)]
+
+
+HAS a shorter neck than the Mantis, and its fore-legs are not
+constructed as claspers, but the body is very flat and leaf-like, and
+the wing-cases are veined so as to look exactly like a leaf; indeed, if
+seen adhering motionless to the branch of a tree, it would certainly be
+mistaken for a leaf. They are found in the East Indies. It is curious
+that while these creatures present such a deceptive resemblance to
+leaves, there are some near relatives of theirs which are equally
+similar to sticks and twigs, so that the semblance of a leafy branch
+might easily be made by fixing the former upon the latter. Some of these
+_Walking Sticks_ are eight or nine inches in length, and the whole body
+and legs are of precisely the colour and texture of bark.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GRASSHOPPER, (_Locusta flavipes_,)]
+
+
+IS of a green colour, with the wing-cases brown, and the head somewhat
+resembling that of a horse; the corselet is armed with a strong buckler.
+Of its six legs the hinder two are much longer than the others, to
+assist the insect in leaping. The male makes a chirping noise, which is
+caused by the thighs being rubbed against the sides of the wing-cases:
+if handled roughly, the Grasshopper bites very sharply.
+
+Toward the end of autumn the female deposits her eggs in a hole, which
+she makes in the earth for the purpose. These eggs sometimes amount to a
+hundred and fifty; they are about the size of caraway-seeds, white,
+oval, and of a horny substance. The female, having thus performed her
+duty, soon languishes and dies. In the beginning of May following a
+small white larva issues out of each egg. The creature passes about
+twenty days under this humble form; after which, having assumed the
+pupa shape, while all the rudiments of the future Grasshopper are
+concealed under a thin outward skin, it retires under a thistle or a
+thorn-bush, most likely in order to be more secure; and there, after a
+variety of laborious exertions, writhings, and palpitations, the
+temporary covering divides, and the insect jumps out of its _exuviæ_.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE LOCUST. (_Locusta migratoria._)]
+
+
+THE Bible, which was written in a country where the Locust made a
+distinguished figure among natural productions, has given us several
+very striking images of these animals’ numbers and rapacity. It compares
+an army to a swarm of locusts: it describes them as rising out of the
+earth, where they are produced; as pursuing a settled march to destroy
+the fruits of the earth; and as the frequent instruments of Divine
+indignation.
+
+The native countries of the Locust are Central Asia and the North of
+Africa, but they migrate every year to Europe, where they destroy every
+green thing they meet with. Other species of Locusts are met with in
+various parts of the world, which, like the true migratory Locust, pass
+from place to place in vast flocks, causing immense damage wherever they
+take up their temporary abode.
+
+When the Locusts take the field they have a leader at their head, whose
+flight they observe, and to whose motions they pay a strict attention.
+They appear at a distance like a black cloud, which, as it approaches,
+gathers upon the horizon, and almost hides the light of the day. It
+often happens that the husbandman sees this imminent calamity pass away
+without doing him any mischief; and the whole swarm proceed onward, to
+settle upon the labours of some less fortunate country. But wretched is
+the district upon which they fix; they ravage the meadow and the corn
+land; strip the trees of their leaves, and the gardens of their beauty;
+the visitation of a few minutes destroys the expectations of a year; and
+a famine but too frequently ensues. In their native climates they are
+not so injurious as in the south of Europe, for in Syria and Palestine,
+though the plain and the forest be stripped of their verdure, the power
+of vegetation is so great, that an interval of three or four days
+repairs the calamity; but our verdure is the produce of a season; and we
+must wait till the ensuing spring repairs the damage. Besides, in their
+long flights to this part of the world, the Locusts are famished by the
+tediousness of their journey, and are therefore more voracious wherever
+they happen to settle. But it is not by what they devour that they do so
+much damage as by what they destroy. Their very bite contaminates the
+plant, and injures its future vegetation. To use the expression of the
+husbandman, they burn whatever they touch, and leave the marks of their
+devastation for two or three years ensuing. And if so noxious while
+living, they are still more so when dead; for wherever they fall they
+infect the air in such a manner that the smell is insupportable.
+
+In the year 1690 clouds of Locusts were seen to enter Russia in three
+different places; and thence to spread themselves over Poland and
+Lithuania in such astonishing multitudes, that the air was darkened, and
+the earth covered with their numbers. In some places they were seen
+lying dead, heaped upon each other to the depth of four feet; in others
+they covered the surface like a black cloth: the trees bent beneath
+their weight, and the damage which the country sustained exceeded
+computation. In Barbary their numbers are formidable, and their visits
+frequent. In the year 1724 Dr. Shaw was a witness of their devastations
+in that country. Their first appearance was about the latter end of
+March, when the wind had been southerly for some time. In the beginning
+of April their numbers were so much increased, that in the heat of the
+day they formed themselves into large swarms, which appeared like
+clouds, and darkened the sun. In the middle of May they began to
+disappear, retiring into the plains to deposit their eggs. In the next
+month, being June, the young brood began to make their appearance,
+forming many compact bodies of several hundred yards square; which,
+marching forward, climbed the trees, walls, and houses, eating
+everything that was green in their way:
+
+ “---- To their general’s voice they soon obeyed
+ Innumerable. As when the potent rod
+ Of Amram’s son, in Egypt’s evil day,
+ Waved round the coast, upcalled a pitchy cloud
+ Of Locusts, warping on the eastern wind,
+ That o’er the plains of impious Pharaoh hung
+ Like night, and darkened all the land of Nile;
+ So numberless were those bad angels seen,
+ Hovering on wings, under the cope of Hell,
+ ’Twixt upper, nether, and surrounding fires.”
+ MILTON.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE MOLE CRICKET. (_Gryllotalpa vulgaris._)]
+
+
+THE two fore-feet of this insect, placed very near the head, are short
+and broad, and, like those of the mole, are contrived to help the insect
+in burrowing under ground. The Mole Cricket is very destructive in
+gardens, as it attacks the roots of young plants, and causes them soon
+to rot and die. The female forms a nest of clammy earth, in which she
+lays from two to four hundred eggs. The nest is carefully closed up on
+every side, to secure the brood from the incursions of grubs and other
+subterraneous depredators. The song of the Mole Cricket is a low, dull,
+jarring note, which is continued for a long time with great
+pertinacity.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE CRICKET. (_Acheta domesticata._)]
+
+
+THE domestic Crickets generally inhabit houses, selecting for their
+place of retirement the chimneys or backs of ovens; and feeding upon
+anything that comes in their way, flour, bread, meat, and especially
+sugar, of which they seem to be particularly fond. The chirping noise,
+which they make nearly without intermission, proceeds only from the
+males, who produce it by rubbing the bases of their wing-cases one over
+the other.
+
+Crickets are generally of a brown rusty colour, and the organ of vision
+appears in them to be very weak and imperfect, as they find their way
+much better in the dark than when dazzled by the sudden light of a
+candle. The Field Cricket (_A. campestris_) has the same form, but is of
+a different species to the House Cricket, and is black, with a fine
+gloss. Its noise is heard at a great distance, and is so similar to that
+of the grasshopper, that it is difficult to distinguish one from the
+other.
+
+
+
+
+ORDER III. _Hemiptera._
+
+
+THESE insects have neither mandibles nor maxillæ, but in lieu of them
+they have a tubular articulated rostrum, adapted for suction. Insects
+thus formed are called haustellated. The four wings are all membranous,
+but the outer ones are leathery at the base. Some of the species are
+without wings. The antennæ are often small, and sometimes scarcely
+perceptible. The metamorphoses of these insects are incomplete.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE LANTERN FLY. (_Fulgora laternaria._)]
+
+
+THIS Lantern Fly is a nocturnal insect, with a hood or bladder on the
+head, which is semi-transparent, and very curiously ornamented with red
+and green stripes. By some writers it has been affirmed that this part
+of the insect shines brilliantly at night, so that it is even possible
+to read by it. No modern entomologist has, however, witnessed this
+phenomenon, and it is generally believed that the supposed luminosity of
+the Lantern Fly exists only in the stories of the natives of South
+America. The wings and whole body are elegantly adorned with a mixture
+of red, green, yellow, and other splendid colours.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE COCHINEAL INSECT. (_Coccus cacti._)]
+
+
+THE Cochineal Insect is of the same genus as the scale insect on the
+vine, which looks like a little bit of wool attached to the branch, but
+which, when pressed, stains the fingers with a red liquid. The Cochineal
+Insect in the like manner affixes itself to the leafy stems of the
+nopal-tree, a kind of opuntia, or prickly-pear, common in Mexico and
+South America, whence the Cochineal used in Europe is principally
+imported.
+
+When the Mexicans have gathered the Cochineal Insects, they put them
+into holes in the ground, where they kill them with boiling water, and
+afterwards dry them in the sun; or they kill them by putting them into
+an oven, or laying them upon hot plates. From the various methods of
+killing them arise the different colours in which they appear when
+brought to us. While they are living, they seem to be sprinkled over
+with a white powder, which they lose when the boiling water is poured
+upon them, but preserve when killed in an oven. Those dried upon hot
+plates are the best.
+
+The quantity of Cochineal annually exported from Mexico and South
+America is said to be worth more than five hundred thousand pounds
+sterling--a vast sum to arise from so minute an insect; and the present
+annual consumption of Cochineal in England has been estimated at about
+one hundred and fifty thousand pounds weight. The Mexicans think so
+highly of their trade in this insect, that the republic has adopted the
+nopal-tree as part of its arms.
+
+It is for dyeing scarlet that Cochineal is chiefly in demand; but,
+although a peculiarly brilliant dye is now obtained from it, this
+substance gave only a dull crimson colour until a chemist of the name of
+Kuster, who lived at Bow, near London, about the middle of the
+seventeenth century, discovered the art of preparing it with a solution
+of tin. Cochineal, if kept in a dry place, may be preserved without
+injury for a great length of time. An instance has been mentioned of
+some of this dye, one hundred and thirty years old, having been found to
+produce the same effect as though it had been perfectly fresh.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE PLANT LOUSE, OR GREEN FLY. (_Aphis._)]
+
+
+THE APHIDES are sometimes viviparous, and at other times oviparous,
+according to the season of the year. Those of the rose-tree have been
+particularly noticed, and of ten generations produced in one spring,
+summer, and autumn, the first nine were viviparous, and the last
+oviparous. The first nine generations consisted of females only; but in
+the tenth there were males. In this singular aberration from the common
+laws of nature this insect is a remarkable anomaly. They multiply at
+such an extraordinary rate--the whole ten generations within three
+months--that from a single Aphis ten thousand million millions may be
+produced in that short period, and it has been calculated that the
+progeny of a single Aphis during a single summer, supposing its
+multiplication to be subject to no check, might exceed in weight the
+entire human population of China.
+
+The moss-rose, the hop, the vine, the apple-tree, the bean, the willow,
+and privet, are all particularly liable to be infested with this insect;
+the various species of which take their names according to the plants on
+which they are usually found. The red tumours, commonly called galls,
+which are seen on the surfaces of leaves, especially on those of the
+willow, varying from the size of a ladybird to that of a pigeon’s egg,
+are produced by Aphides, and contain thousands of small lice. From a
+pair of small tubes placed near the end of the body of these insects
+exudes a saccharine fluid, of which ants are very fond; and it is this
+fluid dropped upon the adjacent leaves, or the extravasated sap flowing
+from the wounds caused by the punctures of the insects, which is known
+under the name of honeydew.
+
+After a mild spring, most of the species of Aphis become so numerous as
+to destroy all the young shoots of the plants on which they are found.
+No successful mode of destroying them has yet been discovered, but the
+best remedy against them is to wash the infested shoots with tobacco
+water or soap lees; and to repeat the operation when any Aphides are
+seen.
+
+
+
+ORDER IV. _Neuroptera._
+
+
+THESE insects have four transparent wings, strongly and beautifully
+varied, so as to resemble net-work. The mouth has mandibles and maxillæ.
+The abdomen of the female has neither ovipositor nor sting.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE ANT-LION. (_Myrmeleon formicarium._)]
+
+
+THIS insect is hatched from an egg laid in soft moving ground, or sand;
+the larva soon increases in size, and assumes the shape of a small
+spider--with this difference, that the legs are constructed in such a
+way that it can only proceed backwards or sideways. The abdomen is very
+large and fleshy; and the head, which is small, is armed with two long
+jaws like horns, somewhat resembling those of the stag-beetle. What must
+create our utmost admiration is, that this insect, which can only move
+in a retrograde direction, is doomed by nature to feed upon flies and
+ants, the quickness and agility of which would at all times deprive him
+of his prey were he not endowed with an uncommon instinct, which prompts
+him to the following stratagem:--He makes a kind of funnel-shaped hole
+in the loose earth or sand, and, placing himself at the bottom of it,
+waits there with the utmost patience, till an incautious ant or giddy
+fly falls into the deathful pit. Then all his skill is put in
+requisition; he throws out, by the shaking of his large jaws, a great
+quantity of sand upon the insect, to prevent its climbing up the steep
+sides of the hole; and when the prey appears strong and nimble, he gives
+such a general commotion, that the whole construction crumbles down, and
+the unfortunate insect, overwhelmed with the ruins, falls into the jaws
+of the Ant-lion, which open like a pair of forceps. When the Ant-lion
+has sucked out the blood and inside of his prey, he takes it upon his
+head, and, by a sudden jerk, throws the carcase to a distance from his
+abode. When the larva has attained its full size, it spins for itself a
+cocoon of white shining silk, with an external covering of sand. In
+about three weeks there bursts from this pupa case a slender-waisted
+winged insect, which, after fluttering about for a few weeks, and
+depositing eggs in the sand, resigns its life. The winged insect
+resembles a beautiful dragon-fly; it has a head of a chestnut colour;
+the body is of a pearly grey, the legs short, and the wings, which
+resemble the finest lace, are beautifully marked with dark lines and
+spots. This fly is often seen fluttering about the sides of roads and
+dry banks exposed to the east, in the months of June and July; it
+continues for a little time, and then entirely disappears. The Ant-lion
+is not found in this country; but in the south of France and Italy there
+is not a bank on the sides of a public road, or a sandy ridge at the
+foot of an old wall, which does not harbour a great number of these
+insects.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GREAT DRAGON FLY. (_Libellula grandis._)]
+
+
+THIS genus of insects is well known to every one. The larva lives in the
+water, and wears a kind of mask, which it moves at will, and which
+serves to hold its prey while it devours it. The pupa closely resembles
+the larva in its form, except that at the sides of the body the wings
+are seen enclosed in thin cases. The period of transformation being
+come, the pupa goes to the water-side, and fixes on a plant, or sticks
+fast to a piece of dry wood, in which position it remains for some
+little time, when the skin of the nymph splitting at the upper part of
+the thorax, the winged insect issues forth gradually, throws off its
+slough, expands its wings, flutters, and then flies off with
+gracefulness and ease. The elegance of its slender shape, the richness
+of its colours, the delicacy and resplendent texture of its wings,
+render it a beautiful object. It is in length about four inches.
+
+The female deposits her eggs in the water, from which spring the larvæ,
+which afterwards undergo the same transformations.
+
+The Day Fly (_Ephemera_), so called on account of the shortness of its
+life, is a small insect originating from a larva residing in rivers.
+After remaining several months in the creeping state, a nymph is formed,
+from which the perfect insect changes, three or four hours after
+mid-day, into the fly form, and dies soon after. This fly has the
+singular characteristic of casting off its entire skin very soon after
+it has attained its perfect state; and the empty coat may often be seen
+lying about after its occupant has deserted it.
+
+
+
+
+ORDER V. _Hymenoptera._
+
+
+IN this order the wings are neither so large nor so strongly veined as
+in the previous one. The mouth is furnished with mandibles, maxillæ, and
+an upper and lower lip; and the abdomen of the female is terminated
+either with an ovipositor or a sting. The metamorphosis of these insects
+is complete.
+
+This order contains the Bees, of which there are hundreds of different
+species. The most interesting of these is the common Hive Bee, from
+whose industry we obtain wax, and by whose provident habits we are
+supplied with honey. The inhabitants of a hive are of three kinds: one
+Queen, a few hundred drones or males, and several thousand workers. The
+Queen, or Parent Bee, is the soul of the community; to her all the rest
+are so attached, that they will follow her wherever she goes. She has
+the power of quelling any disturbance which may arise among her subjects
+by making a peculiar humming noise. She is so prolific as to lay fifteen
+or eighteen thousand eggs, which produce about eight hundred males or
+drones, four or five Queen Bees, and the rest Working Bees or Neuters.
+The combs of a hive consist of a number of cells, formed of wax, a
+substance which is secreted by the Working Bees after gorging themselves
+with honey. These cells are for the habitation and breeding of the young
+Bees, and are also used as stores for honey, and bee-bread, or the
+pollen of flowers. The royal cells, in which are laid the eggs of future
+Queens, are the largest, and shaped like the cup of an acorn. All the
+other cells are of a beautiful hexagonal form, and of two kinds, one
+larger than the other: the larger for the young drones, the smaller forthe workers. In two or three days the eggs are hatched, when the Neuters
+nurse the young grubs, whom they feed most tenderly with bee-bread and
+honey. After twenty-one days, the young Bees are able to form cells with
+such indefatigable activity that they will then do more in one week than
+during all the rest of the year. No more than one Queen is ever
+permitted to inhabit a hive. When a young Queen is about to be hatched,
+the old one leads away a swarm from the old colony to form a new one. If
+the Queen die or is lost to the hive by accident, and there be no young
+Queens in the royal cells, the Bees can repair their loss. They choose a
+grub of the Neuter species, enlarge its cell by adding to it three or
+four adjacent ones, feed the young grub on royal food, and it is then
+developed into a Queen. Sometimes there are Bees who, less laborious
+than the others, support themselves by pillaging the hives of the rest;
+upon which a battle ensues between the industrious and the despoiling
+insects. Their foes are the wasp, the hornet, and various kinds of
+birds.
+
+The Bee collects the honey by means of its proboscis, or trunk, which is
+a most astonishing piece of mechanism, consisting of more than twenty
+parts. Entering the hive, the insect disgorges the honey into cells, for
+winter subsistence; or else presents it to the labouring Bees.
+
+The combs of cells formed by these industrious insects are constructed
+with an instinctive ingenuity which must always be regarded as one of
+the most marvellous things in nature. Each comb consists of two sets of
+hexagonal cells placed back to back, and not only do the insects adopt
+this form which enables them to construct the greatest number of cells
+of the requisite size within the smallest possible space, and with the
+least possible amount of material, but each cell on one side of the comb
+is placed opposite to the junction of three cells on the opposite side,
+so that its centre may be deepened without interfering with the latter,
+the three diamond-shaped pieces forming the bottom of each cell
+belonging to three distinct cells of the opposite side of the comb. By
+all these contrivances the Bees manage to get the greatest possible
+amount of accommodation in the smallest possible space; and it has been
+found, by mathematical calculation, that if it were desired to construct
+a series of cavities of a given size within the smallest possible space
+and with the smallest possible amount of materials, we should have to
+adopt precisely the same plan, even to the forms of the sides of the
+cells and the angles at which they are attached to each other, that has
+been instinctively adopted by the little Bee. At the entrance of every
+cell the Bee architect places a flange of wax, which fortifies the
+aperture, and prevents the injuries it might receive from the frequent
+ingress and egress of the Bees.
+
+Bees produce honey, which they lay up for winter consumption; wax, of
+which they form their cells; and a substance called bee-bread, which
+they extract chiefly from the pollen of flowers, and which they use for
+feeding their young.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Above are given representations of, first, the _Queen Bee_, placed on
+the left-hand side; second, the _Drone_; and, third, the _Working Bee_.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE WASP, (_Vespa vulgaris_,)]
+
+
+IS a very fierce, dangerous, and rapacious insect; it is much larger
+than the bee, and furnished with a powerful sting. The abdomen is
+striped with yellow and black. All kinds of Wasps make curious nests;
+some attach them to the beams of a barn or other building, or place them
+in the hollow of a large tree, but the common Wasp digs a hole in the
+ground. Wasps do not construct their combs with quite the same care and
+accuracy as the bee; nevertheless, their nests are often very
+ingeniously made, and the material employed by most of them is curious,
+being a sort of paper or card made from fibres of wood masticated
+between the jaws of the insects. As they do not lay up a store of honey
+for their support during winter, they mostly die at that season; and the
+few that live remain in a torpid state till spring. Their sting is very
+large; and the poisonous liquor of it, when introduced into the human
+body, excites inflammation and creates very considerable pain.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE ICHNEUMON FLY. (_Pimpla persuasoria._)]
+
+
+THE mouth of this insect has jaws, but no sucking tongue. The antennæ
+contain more than thirty joints; and the abdomen is joined to the body
+by a slender pedicle. The ovipositor is enclosed in a cylindrical
+sheath, composed of two valves.
+
+One distinguishing and striking characteristic of all the species of
+this kind of fly is the almost continual agitation of their antennæ. The
+name of Ichneumon has been applied to them from the service they do us
+by destroying caterpillars, plant-lice, and other insects; as the
+Ichneumon or Mangouste destroys the crocodile in the East. The tip of
+the abdomen of the females is armed with an ovipositor, visible in some
+species, though not in others; and this instrument, though so fine, is
+able to penetrate through mortar and plaster. The female fly uses it to
+deposit her eggs in the body of other insects when in the egg,
+caterpillar, or pupa state; so that the young as soon as they are
+hatched may feed upon the caterpillar, penetrating to its very entrails.
+These larvæ, however, contrive to suck out the nutritious juices of
+their prey without attacking its vitals; for the caterpillar continues
+to live for a long time, so as to afford them food till they have
+attained their full size. It is not uncommon to see caterpillars fixed
+upon trees, as if they were sitting upon their eggs; when it is
+afterwards discovered that the larvæ, which were within their bodies,
+have spun their threads, with which, as with cords, the caterpillars are
+fastened down, and so perish miserably.
+
+“A friend of mine,” says Dr. Derham, “put about forty large
+caterpillars, collected from cabbages, on some bran and a few leaves in
+a box, and covered it with gauze to prevent their escape. After a few
+days we saw, from the backs of more than three-fourths of them, about
+eight or ten little caterpillars of one of the Ichneumon flies come out
+and spin each a small cocoon of silk; and in a few days the large
+caterpillars died.”
+
+The Ichneumons performed great service in the years 1731 and 1732, by
+multiplying in the same proportion as the caterpillars, and their larvæ
+destroyed more of these destructive creatures than could any efforts of
+human industry.
+
+They are found of all sizes, suitable to the various insects they are
+parasitic upon, and in their ceaseless rummaging about in every hole and
+corner, millions of destructive larvæ are discovered and destroyed by
+them, which would otherwise have reached maturity, and left a progeny to
+renew their ravages in the ensuing summer. Even those larvæ which feed
+in concealment are readily discovered by the Ichneumons destined to live
+upon them, and the farmer is often made aware of the presence of his
+enemies by observing the activity of his friends.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE LABOURING AND SOLDIER ANT.
+
+(_Formica rufa._)]
+
+
+THE colour of the Ant is in general a dark red or brown, with a fine
+gloss on the abdomen. They are like the bees, divided into three
+kinds--males, females, and neuters. The females and neuters are
+furnished with stings for their defence; the males are wholly destitute
+of them. The males and females are in proper season furnished with
+wings, but the neuters have none, and they are doomed always to labour
+and drudgery on the hill. This hill is constructed with considerable art
+and labour; it is composed of leaves, bits of wood, sand, earth, and gum
+from the trees, which are all united into a mass, perforated with
+galleries to give access to the numerous cells which it contains. From
+this hill there are several paths, worn by the constant passing and
+repassing of these creatures; and it is worthy the admiration of the
+naturalist to consider how busy the whole legion appears in bringing
+bits of straw, dead bodies of other insects, or in carrying away their
+eggs, if any danger threatens their republic. Their sense of smell is
+very keen, and they discover at a great distance any food they may be in
+search of.
+
+
+
+
+ORDER VI. _Lepidoptera._ _The Moths and Butterflies._
+
+
+THE insects included in this order are all remarkable for their beauty.
+Their wings are membranous and veined, like those of the dragon flies
+and their allies, but instead of being naked they are covered by
+close-set scales of the most delicate texture and most brilliant
+colours. The mouth is furnished with a spiral trunk or tongue, by which
+nectar is sucked from the flowers; but in other respects it only differs
+from the mouths of the masticating mandibulated orders in the smallness
+of its parts. The antennæ vary in the different kinds: but those of all
+the diurnal lepidoptera, or butterflies, are terminated by a small
+inflation or knob; while those of the nocturnal species, or moths, taper
+to a point, and are often feathery, or comb-shaped. The transformations
+of the species belonging to this order are all complete.
+
+Over the larvæ of this order the ichneumons reign with undisputed sway;
+attacking all indiscriminately, from the minute insect that forms its
+labyrinth within the thickness of a leaf, to the giant caterpillar of
+the hawk moth. The most useful of all, however, the silkworm, appears,
+at least with us, to be exempted from this scourge. De Geer, out of
+fifteen larvæ that were mining between the two cuticles of a rose-leaf,
+found that fourteen were destroyed by one of these insects.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE EMPEROR MOTH WITH ITS CHRYSALIS AND CATERPILLAR.]
+
+
+THE larva of all the lepidoptera is a Caterpillar composed of twelve
+ring-like segments, exclusive of the head, which is harder than the
+other parts, and always of a deeper colour than the body. Each
+Caterpillar has nine breathing-holes on each side; and each of the three
+segments nearest the head is furnished with a pair of short legs, ending
+in a kind of claw, which are the true legs of the insect. The
+Caterpillar has, however, eight or ten other legs on the hinder segments
+of its body. The head has twelve eyes, and two very short conical
+antennæ; and the mouth is furnished with two strong mandibles, two
+maxillæ, a labrum, and four palpi.
+
+The habits of Caterpillars differ: some, which are called Geometers, or
+Loopers, advance by a succession of steps, first extending the body to
+its full length and adhering by the fore legs, then drawing up the
+hinder part of the body close to the forepart so as to form a loop, and
+then again repeating this process; these Caterpillars, when at rest,
+often adhere by their hinder feet, and extend the body stiffly, like a
+little dry twig; others, which are furnished with more prolegs, adhere
+by these to the branch or leaf, and raise the forepart of the body a
+little, an attitude which induced Linnæus to give the name of _Sphinx_
+to the moths in whose Caterpillars this habit prevails; some small
+species live between the upper and lower surfaces of leaves, in which
+they excavate mines; others dwell in small cases, which they manufacture
+of various materials; whilst others, dwelling in large societies, spin
+for themselves a sort of silken tent, in which they take their repose,
+and from which they issue daily in search of food in a regularly
+marshalled procession. Many make themselves cocoons; but others have no
+other covering in the pupa state than a smooth shining skin, or a dark
+mummy-like cerement. The chrysalis of a butterfly is generally angular,
+and that of a moth cylindrical.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: TORTOISE-SHELL BUTTERFLY.
+
+(_Vanessa urticæ._)]
+
+
+THE Caterpillar, which feeds on the nettle, is about an inch in length,
+covered with bristles, and of a reddish brown colour. After having
+changed its skin three times when in the shape of a Caterpillar, it
+crawls up to a branching part of the stalk; and, hanging itself by the
+hinder part or tail, swells and bursts in such a curious way, that the
+Caterpillar’s skin drops to the ground, and the chrysalis, or aurelia,
+remains suspended; till after a fortnight of torpor it bursts its skin
+again, and escapes into the air, under the beautiful form of a
+variegated Butterfly. The golden line which shines through the pupa case
+of this Butterfly is supposed to have suggested the words chrysalis and
+aurelia, both of which signify golden. The wings of the perfect insect
+are about two inches in extent, of a deep orange colour above, and their
+base and hinder margin black, with a series of blue crescents. These
+Butterflies, which are very common in England, appear in spring, and at
+the end of June and beginning of September.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE CABBAGE BUTTERFLY.
+
+(_Pontia_, or _Pieris Brassicæ_.)]
+
+
+WHEN the colewort and cauliflower are nearly mature, the perfect insect
+of this Caterpillar is found depositing her eggs upon the leaves. The
+heat of the sun soon vivifies them and brings forth the Caterpillars,
+which immediately proceed to consume the vegetables on which they
+received being. They bear the heat of the sun without inconvenience, but
+cannot endure long rains, and in wet weather they soon disappear. There
+are several species of this Butterfly, but the common white, with a
+black spot on each of the under wings, is the earliest seen in our
+gardens. It lays its eggs in May; and its Caterpillars, which are soon
+hatched, feed together till the end of June, when they go into the pupa
+state, from which the perfect Butterfly appears in July. The eggs laid
+by the second brood of Butterflies produce Caterpillars which feed
+during the remainder of the summer, and remain in the pupa state all the
+winter, to be hatched the following spring.
+
+From the astonishing fecundity of these insects, it may be wondered that
+they do not, in the course of time, completely overspread the face of
+the earth, and totally consume every green plant. This would certainly
+be the case if Providence had not provided a check to their progress.
+One of the kinds of the ichneumon fly deposits her eggs within the
+caterpillar of this Butterfly, and they are there hatched. In their
+larva state they continue preying on the vitals of the animal; they then
+pass to the pupa condition, and eventually emerge as perfect insects. So
+greatly are we indebted to this apparently contemptible little parasite,
+for keeping down the increase of an insect which would otherwise become
+a serious and alarming evil.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE MAGPIE, OR CURRANT MOTH.
+
+(_Geometra_, or _Abraxas grossulariata_.)]
+
+
+THE Caterpillar of this Moth is one of the kind called loopers, and is
+very destructive. The chrysalis is naked and shining; and its colour is
+a bright yellow with black bands. The Moth is white, spotted with black,
+and hence its name of Magpie.
+
+The black and white caterpillar of this Moth is very destructive to
+currant and gooseberry bushes, and in some seasons particularly so. Mr.
+Kirby especially cites the devastations at Hull in the spring of 1814.
+He also confirms Boerhaave’s assertion, that the severity of winter has
+no effect in destroying the larvæ of those insects, as these abounded
+even more after a winter when Fahrenheit’s thermometer stood at zero,
+than after a winter which was remarkably mild.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE WINTER MOTH.
+
+(_Geometra_, or _Cheimatobia brumata_.)]
+
+
+THE Caterpillar delights in newly-opened leaves; it is not so ravenous
+as many others, making long intervals between its meals, but it seldom
+quits a leaf until it has entirely consumed it. The colour is very
+elegant. The upper part of the body is of a fine yellowish green; but it
+is by no means so beautiful after as before feeding, its skin being so
+thin as to transmit the hue of whatever food it eats. They are also
+called looper Caterpillars, because when they crawl they draw their hind
+and fore feet together, so as to form their bodies into a loop. They go
+into the pupa state towards the end of June, burying themselves for that
+purpose in the earth; and in November or December the perfect insect is
+brought forth.
+
+It is evident that they possess great muscular power, and hence their
+positions during repose are very striking. Fixing themselves by their
+hinder feet alone, they extend their bodies in a straight line, holding
+it in that position for a long time. This, together with their obscure
+colours, and the warts on their bodies, render it often difficult to
+distinguish them from the twigs of the trees on which they feed. When
+alarmed, these Caterpillars have the instinct to drop from the leaves,
+and suspend themselves by a thread, which enables them to remount when
+the danger is over.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SILKWORM. (_Bombyx mori._)]
+
+
+WITHOUT entering into a very minute description of this Caterpillar, we
+shall confine ourselves to what we think will be at once more
+interesting and more useful. As the Silkworm is an insect of universal
+service, and not of singular beauty, we are induced to prefer giving an
+account of its utility, rather than any elaborate description of its
+figure or colour.
+
+This larva feeds on the leaves of the mulberry tree, and when first
+produced is extremely small, and entirely black. In a few days it
+appears in a new habit, which is white, tinged with the colour of its
+food; and before it goes into its chrysalis state it changes its skin
+several times. When full grown it spins its cone of silk, which is its
+cocoon, in the same manner as other insects. The Moth possesses no
+beauty. The Silkworm is a native of China, whence the greater part of
+our silk is still imported; but the insect was introduced into the south
+of Europe during the reign of the Emperor Justinian, and is now reared
+in large quantities both in France and Italy.
+
+The art of manufacturing silk was known to the ancients. We are informed
+that, in the third century, the wife of the Roman emperor Aurelian
+entreated him to give her a robe of purple silk, which he refused on
+account of its enormous price.
+
+It is not certain at what precise period the manufacture of silk was
+first introduced into England; but in the year 1242, we are told that
+part of the streets of London were covered or shaded with silk, for the
+reception of Richard, the brother of Henry III., on his return from the
+Holy Land. In 1454 the silk manufactures of England are said to have
+been confined merely to ribbons, laces, and other trifling articles.
+Queen Elizabeth, in the third year of her reign, was furnished by her
+silk-woman with a pair of black knit silk stockings, which she is stated
+to have admired as “marvellous delicate wear;” and after the using of
+which she no longer had cloth ones as before. James I., whilst king of
+Scotland, requested of the Earl of Mar the loan of a pair of silk
+stockings to appear in before the English ambassador, enforcing his
+request with the cogent appeal, “For ye would not, sure, that your king
+should appear as a scrub before strangers.”
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE CLOTHES MOTH. (_Tinea pellionella._)]
+
+
+THE larva of this little Moth is well known from the damage it commits
+in woollen cloth and furs. These substances constitute the principal
+support of the Caterpillar, and therefore the parent is, by its natural
+instinct, directed to deposit its eggs in them. As soon as it quits the
+egg, the Caterpillar begins to form for itself a nest: for this purpose,
+after having spun a fine coating of silk immediately around its body,
+it eats the filaments of the cloth or fur, close to the thread of the
+cloth, or to the skin. This operation is performed by its jaws, which
+act in the manner of scissors. The pieces are cut into convenient
+lengths, and applied, with great dexterity, one by one, to the outside
+of its case; and to this it fastens them by means of its silk. Its
+covering being thus formed, the little Caterpillar never quits it but on
+the most urgent necessity. When it wants to feed, it puts out its head
+at either end of its case, as best suits its conveniency. When it wishes
+to change its place, it puts out its head and its six fore legs, by
+means of which it moves forward, taking care first to fix its hind legs
+into the inside of the case, so as to drag it along. After having
+changed within its case into a chrysalis, it issues, in about three
+weeks, a small, winged, mealy-looking Moth, of silvery drab colour, too
+well known to almost every mistress of a family. The best mode of
+destroying this insect, when in the cloth, is to place a saucer of oil
+of turpentine with the articles affected in a close place, when the
+vapour raised by the warm air will immediately destroy it. Should the
+Caterpillar be old and strong, it may be necessary to brush the clothes
+with a brush, the points of which have been dipped in turpentine.
+Camphor wrapped up with furs will protect them from the Moth.
+
+
+
+
+ORDER VII. _Diptera, or Flies._
+
+
+THIS order is characterised by having only two wings, which are
+transparent, and which have two little movable bodies, called halteres
+or balancers, placed close behind them. The head is almost covered with
+a pair of enormous eyes; and the mouth is furnished with a proboscis or
+sucker. The legs are long in proportion to the body, and are in many
+species terminated by two or three small cushion-like expansions, which,
+it is supposed, enable them to walk on glass. Each foot has also two
+hooks or claws.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE HOUSE FLY. (_Musca domestica._)]
+
+
+THIS insect lays its eggs in sinks, dunghills, or any other place where
+there is decaying vegetable matter tolerably moist. The larvæ, or
+maggots, are thick and fleshy, without legs, but having the mouth
+furnished with hooks, by means of which they drag themselves along when
+they wish to move. They go into the pupa state without throwing off the
+skin of the maggot; and when the perfect insect appears, it forces off a
+kind of cap from one end of the pupa case, in order to make its escape.
+The _Blue Bottle flies_ (_Musca erythrocephala_ and _Vomitoria_) are
+only too well known from their habit of depositing their eggs upon our
+meat in summer. In the _Flesh fly_ (_Musca_ or _Sarcophaga carnaria_)
+and some allied species, the eggs are hatched within the body of the
+parent, which thus deposits living larvæ upon the decomposing animal
+matter that constitutes their food. These flies are so prolific and
+their larvæ so voracious that Linnæus says the progeny of them would
+devour a horse as quickly as a lion could do it.
+
+
+
+
+THE GNAT. (_Culex pipiens._)
+
+
+THIS is an insect which deserves the observation of the naturalist, not
+only for the very curious conformation of its proboscis (which so
+quickly and powerfully penetrates into our skin, and through which it
+sucks our blood into its body), but also for the several metamorphoses
+it undergoes before it arrives at its winged state. The Gnat deposits
+its eggs upon the surface of stagnant water, and sets them upright one
+against another, in the form of a small boat: after floating upon the
+water for several days, as soon as the time of hatching arrives thelarvæ, which the eggs contain, escape into the water in which they swim
+about with vigorous jerking movements. They are compelled to visit the
+surface to take in a supply of air, and for this purpose the tail is
+furnished with a short tube, surrounded at its extremity with a star of
+bristles, which, when spread out, prevent the water from flowing into
+the air tube. The change to the pupa state is a curious one. In this
+condition the insect exhibits a rather slender body with a bulky
+anterior extremity, in which the head, wings, and limbs are enclosed;
+the tail is furnished with a pair of leaves or membranous plates, the
+matting tube has vanished from this part and in place of it we find two
+tubes situated on the sides of the thorax: having passed about ten days
+in this state, its increase being at an end, it keeps longer near the
+surface, and at last the outer skin bursts, and the winged insect,
+standing upon the _exuviæ_ it is going to leave behind, smooths its
+new-born wings, springs into the air, and begins its depredations. The
+fecundity of the Gnat is so remarkable, that in the course of one summer
+they might increase to the amazing number of five or six hundred
+thousands, if Providence had not ordered that they should become the
+prey of birds, who by this means prevent their multiplying more than
+they generally do. These insects are very annoying from their
+blood-sucking propensities; and as the sucker is horny at the tip, it
+inflicts a severe wound, into which the insect emits a small quantity of
+poison, which occasions the pain and inflammation always felt from a
+Gnat bite.
+
+
+
+ORDER VIII. _Suctoria._
+
+
+THESE insects are without wings. The mouth is furnished with a trunk or
+beak, formed to wound as well as to suck.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE FLEA, (_Pulex irritans_,)]
+
+
+IS one of those little creatures with which want of cleanliness in
+mankind is punished. It is one of the most annoying insects that infest
+the human race, as, by its leapings, it often escapes being caught. It
+is oviparous, and the egg, which is hardly discernible with the naked
+eye, contains at maturity a small white worm, beset with hairs. This
+worm soon spins for itself a little silk cocoon, from which the perfect
+insect issues. The Flea is an active, troublesome, blood-thirsty insect;
+it has a small head, large eyes, and a roundish, but compressed body,
+which is covered with a kind of armour resembling the tortoise shell in
+colour and transparency. The plates of which this skin is composed are
+also armed with spines or bristles. It has six legs, two of which are
+much longer than the others, in order to enable the insect to make such
+wondrous leaps, as to raise the body above two hundred times its
+diameter. The great strength and agility of the Flea are well known,
+from the exhibition of the industrious Fleas.
+
+
+
+BOOK VII.
+
+RADIATA.
+
+
+
+
+THE STAR-FISH. (_Asterias_, or _Uraster rubens_.)
+
+
+THIS animal is often found adhering to rocks on the sea-shores. The
+common species is furnished with five rays, and is of a yellow or red
+colour. It has a slow progressive motion, and is often found on the
+beach among seaweeds after a storm.
+
+Mr. Bingley describes an animal of this kind, which he kept by him for
+some time alive; it had more than four thousand tentacula on the under
+sides of the rays. These it frequently retracted, and again pushed out,
+as a snail does its horns; and by means of them it was enabled firmly to
+adhere to the dish containing the salt-water in which it was kept.
+Whenever he touched the tentacula with his finger, all those of that ray
+or limb were gradually withdrawn, but those of the other rays were not
+in the least affected by it.
+
+There are many other kinds of Star-fishes, especially in warm climates.
+Amongst our native species we may notice the _Great Sun Star_ (_Solaster
+papposa_) with a large disc and thirteen short rays; the _Luidia
+fragilissima_ with five long rays, which it usually casts off
+immediately on finding itself in danger, so as to render it a most
+difficult matter to obtain perfect specimens of this species. The
+_Feathered Star_ (_Comatula rosacea_) is also deserving of
+mention.--This is a small species, with the arms distinct from the body
+as in the last species and jointed, but furnished with numerous slender
+jointed tentacles which give them the appearance of plumes. There are
+ten of these arms and the number of little calcareous joints contained
+in them is most astonishing. The small cuplike body of the Feather Star
+bears other slender jointed appendages, by means of which the creature
+clings to the rocks with its mouth and arms directed upwards; and in the
+young state it is even supported on a jointed stalk, from which it
+eventually casts itself free.
+
+
+
+THE SEA-URCHIN. (_Echinus miliaris._)
+
+
+THIS animal, which lodges in the cavities of rocks just beneath
+low-water mark, on most of the British coasts, is nearly of a globular
+shape, not much unlike that of an orange, having its shell marked into
+ten partitions, with rows of projections like beads, which divide it. On
+the outside of the shell there are a great number of sharp, moveable
+spines, of a dull violet and greenish colour, curiously articulated,
+like balls and sockets, with tubercles on the surface, and connected by
+strong ligaments to the skin or epidermis with which the shell is
+covered. The mouth is situated in the under part, and is armed with five
+strong and sharpened teeth. The animal can move from place to place by
+means of its contractile tubular feet and its spines; but its movements
+are slow and laborious. So tenacious of life are the Sea-urchins, that
+the ancients, according to Appian, believed that the body retained life
+even when cut to pieces.
+
+ “If in the sea the mangled parts you cast,
+ The conscious pieces to their fellows haste;
+ Again they aptly join, their whole compose,
+ Move as before, nor life nor vigour lose.”
+
+In Marseilles, and some other towns on the continent, the Sea-urchin is
+exposed for sale in the markets, as oysters are with us, and is eaten
+boiled as an egg. The Romans adopted it as food, and dressed it with
+vinegar, mead, parsley, and mint.
+
+
+
+
+ZOOPHYTES.
+
+
+ZOOPHYTES were long supposed to hold a middle station between animals
+and vegetables. Most of them, deprived altogether of the power of
+locomotion, are fixed by stems that take root in the crevices of rocks,
+among sand, or in such other situations as Nature has destined for their
+abode; these, by degrees, send off branches, till at length some of them
+attain the size and extent of large shrubs. The Zoophytes were placed
+by Linnæus in two divisions. The stony branches of the first division,
+which have the general appellation of coral, are full of hollow cells,
+which are habitations of the animals. The next division consists of such
+Zoophytes as have softer, fleshy, or horny, stems, and in which the
+individual polypes are, as it were, amalgamated with their common
+plant-like habitation.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration:
+
+Magnified branch, exhibiting the Animals. Gorgonia Nobilis.
+
+THE RED CORAL.]
+
+
+THE CORAL, or Gorgonia, is a hard, stony, branched, and cylindrical
+substance, which is formed at the bottom of the sea by animals called
+polyps, or, to use the Latin and now established term, _polypi_. The
+whole form a living mass, or polypidom, all the polypi in which are
+united under one skin, and have one common stomach. Each of these polypi
+resides in a distinct cell; they are generally dormant during winter,
+and like the blossoms of plants, push forth buds, and expand in the
+summer season. The stems and branches of the Gorgoniæ, which are of a
+somewhat horny and flexible nature, may be considered as the true
+skeletons of the nests of the sea polypi, being covered with a fleshy or
+pulpy substance, the surface of which is porous. These pores are the
+mouths or openings of the cells, in which the polypi are lodged; and it
+is the number, disposition, and varied structure of these, in addition
+to the general aspect of the plant-like nest of habitations, that
+constitute the distinguishing difference of the species.
+
+The bone of the Red Coral constitutes that beautiful and much esteemed
+production, the true or red coral of the jewellers. It is found in the
+Mediterranean, Adriatic, and Red Sea, and appears to be nowhere more
+abundant than in the seas about Marseilles, Corsica, Sicily, the coasts
+of Africa, and in the vicinity of Barbary; where the Coral fisheries are
+carried on with great spirit, and prove very lucrative. It is equal in
+hardness and durability to the most compact marble; and these qualities,
+in addition to its beautiful texture and colour, have rendered it
+valuable in all ages. Thus in the book of Job, “No mention shall be made
+of corals, or of pearls; for the price of wisdom is above rubies.”
+
+Travellers in tropical lands often speak of the exquisite beauty of the
+coral beds that lie at the bottom of the ocean. The water is so clear in
+those regions, that these wonderful formations are clearly visible at a
+great depth, growing like stony forests, mingled with waving seaweeds of
+many brilliant dyes.
+
+The mode of obtaining Coral is by a very simple machine, consisting of
+two strong bars of wood or iron, tied across each other, with a weight
+suspending from their centre of union. Each of the bars is loosely
+surrounded, throughout its whole length, with twisted hemp; and, at the
+extremity, there is a small open net. The machine is suspended by a
+rope, and dragged along those rocks where the Coral is most abundant:
+and such as is broken off either becomes entangled in the hemp, or falls
+into the nets.
+
+Coral is bought by weight, and its value increases according to its
+size. Beads of large size are worth about forty shillings an ounce,
+whilst small ones do not sell for more than four shillings. Large pieces
+of Coral are sometimes cut into balls, and exported to China, to be worn
+as insignia in the caps of officers of state. These, if perfectly sound
+and of good colour, and upwards of an inch in diameter, have been known
+to produce in that market, as much as three to four hundred pounds
+sterling each. There are extant many beautiful pieces of sculpture in
+coral, as this substance has in all ages been considered an admirable
+material on which to exhibit the artist’s taste and skill. Probably the
+finest specimen of sculptured Coral yet known is a chess-board and men
+in the palace of the Tuileries.
+
+The Chinese have, within the last few years, succeeded in cutting coral
+beads of much smaller dimension than has hitherto been effected by any
+European artist. These, which are not larger than small pins’ heads, are
+called Seed Coral, and are now imported from China into this country, in
+very considerable quantity for necklaces. There are modes by which Coral
+may be so exactly imitated, that without a close inspection, it is
+sometimes impossible to detect the counterfeit.
+
+
+
+STONY CORALS.
+
+
+THE RED CORAL, just described, belongs to the section of zoophytes
+called Asteroida by Cuvier, in which the surface of the polypidom is
+fleshy, and each polypus has only eight arms. The polypi which form the
+massive stony corals of the tropical reefs, are furnished with numerous
+tentacles, and resemble in their general conformation the Sea Anemones
+which are so well known now-a-days as inhabitants of aquaria. The coral
+consists of a deposit of carbonate of lime, and each polypus dwells in a
+cell which exhibits a number of thin stony rays nearly meeting in the
+middle. The masses of coral differ exceedingly in size, some consisting
+of the habitations of only two or three polypi, whilst others are the
+gradual production of a vast and constantly succeeding population; some
+form branched trees and shrubs of the most various and elegant forms,
+others grow in solid masses, but all, when living, present a most
+beautiful appearance from the charming and often brilliant diversity of
+colours with which they are adorned.
+
+In the Pacific Ocean several of the coral reefs are extremely beautiful,
+and the voyager is astonished with the curious and fantastic forms of
+the various marine productions of which they are composed.
+Wheat-sheaves, mushrooms, cabbage leaves, with innumerable plants and
+flowers, are vividly represented by different kinds of Coral, and glow
+beneath the water in brilliant tints of brown and purple, white or
+green; each with a peculiar form and shade of colouring, equal in
+richness and variety to the most beautiful productions of the vegetable
+world. Corals and fungi start from between the fissures of the rocks;
+while large portions of the former, in a dead state, connected into a
+solid mass, of a dull white colour, compose the stone-work of the reef.
+Solid masses, termed negro heads, of different dusky hues, and generally
+dry and blackened by exposure to the weather, are also occasionally
+conspicuous. Even these are not without ornament, for nature delights in
+the variety of her decorations. They are studded with small shells, and
+beautifully marked with outlines expressive of their origin. The edges
+of the reefs, particularly those exposed to the waves, partake of a
+considerable degree of lightness, and form small coves and caverns, the
+resort of live corals, sponges, sea-eggs, and trefangs, or sea traces,
+(valued in China, for their invigorating quality,) and enormous cockles,
+which are scarcely to be distinguished from the rock, excepting when
+they suddenly close their shells, and discharge living fountains, which
+rise to the height of four or five feet.
+
+With regard to the formation of coral reefs, it has been conjectured,
+from the appearance of the low islands in some parts of the South Sea
+and Indian Ocean (where they occur in rows or groups, while they are
+totally absent in other parts of the same seas), that Coral animals rear
+their habitations on marine shoals, or, to speak more properly, at or
+near the top of sub-marine mountains. As it is known, however, that the
+polypes can only build their coral within a small distance of the
+surface of the sea, and the water is often of immense depth close to the
+coral reefs, it has been supposed that in the Pacific Ocean, where the
+greater part of the Coral reefs and islands are met with, the bottom of
+the sea has been gradually undergoing changes, deepening in some places
+and becoming shallower in others, and by this supposition most of the
+peculiarities of the Coral reefs and islands may easily be accounted
+for. Where reefs are formed the bottom is generally sinking; islands
+indicate that the bottom is stationary or rising. In the latter case,
+when the Corals approach close to the surface, floating substances of
+every kind are caught by their stony tree-like fabrics, till at length a
+solid mass of rock is formed, which gradually advances to the surface of
+the water. The deposits of the ocean no longer tenaciously adhere, but
+remain in a loose state, and form what is termed by mariners a key upon
+the summit of the reef; while the sea, by throwing up sand and mud on
+the top of these animal rocks, progressively raises them above its
+level. The new island, for such it may now be called, is soon visited by
+sea-birds; plants successively appear, and carpet the sterile soil with
+a luxuriant covering. As these decay, vegetable mould is gradually
+deposited; cocoa-nuts, or some floating seeds, flung on shore by the
+impetuosity of the waves, take root, and soon begin to grow; land-birds,
+attracted by the verdant appearance of the bank, fly thither in quest of
+provisions, and deposit the seeds of shrubs and trees; every high tide
+and every gale adds some new treasure: the appearance of an island is
+gradually assumed, and at length man comes to take possession.
+
+[Illustration: CORAL POLYPI, MAGNIFIED.
+
+ 1. Coral of the Astrea _annanas_.
+
+ 2. Animal of the Caryophyllia _solitaria_.
+
+ 3. Animal of the Tubipora _musica_.
+
+ 4. Animal and dwelling of the Cellepora _hyalina_.
+
+ 5. Animal and central axis of the Gorgonia _patula_.
+]
+
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: SPONGE.]
+
+
+SPONGE is a substance of a soft, light, porous, and elastic nature,
+which is found adhering to rocks at the bottom of the sea, in several
+parts of the Mediterranean, and particularly near the islands of the
+Grecian Archipelago; and which, in its natural state, is filled with
+animal jelly. The general uses of Sponge, arising from its ready
+absorption of fluids, and distension by moisture, are well known and of
+great importance. It is collected from rocks, in water five or six
+fathoms deep, chiefly by divers. When first taken from the sea, it has a
+strong and fishy smell, from the animal matter it contains, of which it
+is divested by being washed in clear water. No other preparation than
+this is requisite previously to its being packed up for exportation and
+sale. The growth of Sponge is so rapid, that it is frequently found in
+perfection on rocks, from which, only two years before, it had been
+entirely cleared.
+
+As they are never designed to move from their places of abode, the
+surface of the Sponges is covered with innumerable small apertures or
+pores, communicating with a network of fine canals, which permeate every
+part of the substance and convey to the minute and simple creatures
+which form the living part of this curious compound animal, the food and
+water necessary for their support and respiration. These fine canals
+unite into larger passages, leading to orifices of considerable size
+usually placed on prominences of the surface; from these the water
+streams forth with such force, according to some observers, as to be
+perceptible by the eye.
+
+The inherent chemical properties of this curious Zoophyte are very
+remarkable. When a Sponge has been immersed for fourteen or sixteen days
+in nitric acid (diluted with three parts of distilled water) it becomes
+nearly transparent, and when touched with ammonia, assumes a deep orange
+colour, inclining to a brownish red. But if much softened by the acid,
+the whole fabric immediately disappears, on being immersed in ammonia,
+and forms a deep orange-coloured solution. A Sponge, when boiled, gives
+out a considerable portion of animal jelly. The infusion of a small
+quantity of oak bark causes this to fall to the bottom of the vessel, as
+a sediment, and so entirely changes the nature of the Sponge, that, when
+dry, it crumbles between the fingers; and, when moist, it may be torn
+like wetted paper. In this state we should naturally conclude that it is
+entirely useless: but no; the operations of chemistry resemble a magic
+wand. Boil the same in water, with caustic potash, its latent qualities
+will be called forth; and, behold, a deposition of animal soap!
+
+
+
+
+THE FRESH-WATER POLYPI AND THEIR MARINE ALLIES. (_Hydroida._)
+
+
+THESE are two species, which will fully illustrate the nature of the
+whole tribe. They are found in clear waters, and may generally be seen
+in small ditches and trenches of fields, especially in the months of
+April and May. They affix themselves to the under-parts of leaves, and
+to the stalks of such vegetables as happen to grow in the same water;
+and feed on the various species of small worms and other aquatic animals
+within their reach. When any of these pass near a Polyp, the latter
+suddenly catches it with its arms, and dragging it to its mouth,
+swallows it by degrees, much in the same manner as a snake gorges its
+prey. Two Polypi may occasionally be seen in the act of seizing the same
+worm at different ends, and dragging it in opposite directions with
+great force. It sometimes happens, that while one is swallowing the end
+it has seized, the other is employed in the same manner; and thus they
+continue swallowing, each his part, until their mouths meet. They then
+rest for some time in this situation, till the worm breaks between them,
+and each goes off with his share. But sometimes when the mouths of both
+are thus joined together a combat ensues, and the largest Polyp usually
+swallows his antagonist; the animal thus swallowed, however, seems to be
+a gainer by its misfortune, as after it has lain in the conqueror’s body
+for about an hour it issues unhurt, and often in possession of the prey
+that had been the original cause of contention. The remains of the
+animal, on which the Polyp feeds, are evacuated at the mouth, the only
+opening in the body. The species are multiplied by a kind of vegetation,
+one or two, or even more young ones, emerging gradually from the sides
+of the parent animal; and these young ones are frequently again prolific
+before they drop off; so that it is no uncommon thing to see two or
+three generations at once on the same Polyp. But the most astonishing
+fact respecting this animal is, that if a Polyp be cut in pieces, it is
+not destroyed, but is multiplied by dissection. It may be cut in every
+direction that fancy can suggest, and even into very minute divisions,
+and not only the parent stock will remain uninjured, but every section
+will become an animal. Even when turned inside out, it suffers no
+material injury; for, in that state it will soon begin to take food, and
+to perform all its other natural functions.
+
+M. Trembley, of Geneva, ascertained that different portions of one Polyp
+could be engrafted on another. Two transverse sections brought into
+contact will quickly unite and form one animal, though each section
+should belong to a different species. The head of one species may be
+engrafted on the body of another. When one Polyp is introduced by the
+tail into another’s body, the two heads unite and form one individual.
+Pursuing these strange operations, M. Trembley gave scope to his fancy
+by repeatedly splitting the head and part of the body; he thus formed
+hydras more complicated than ever struck the imagination of the most
+romantic fabulist.
+
+Though so difficult to destroy by division, all the Polyps, even those
+which form the corals, may be easily killed by depriving them of
+moisture, when they soon shrivel up, and the tissue of their skins is
+completely destroyed.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+OF these Fresh-water Polypi, only a few kinds are known, but the sea
+nourishes a multitude of species which closely resemble the Hydras in
+their structure, from hence called Hydroid Polyps by Cuvier and many
+other naturalists. Most of these are compound creatures, of the kind
+shown in the above engraving, of which many species may be found on all
+our shores. A horny tube runs branching over the surface of a seaweed,
+or some other object, and from this, at intervals, rise slender stalks,
+often branched in the most elegant manner. Upon the delicate branches we
+find little horny cups, each of which is the habitation of a tiny Polyp,
+furnished with a mouth and stomach, and with a circlet of slender arms
+to enable it to capture its prey. Other species are enclosed only in a
+soft membrane, but all rise from creeping roots.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SEA ANEMONES.]
+
+
+BESIDES the Polypi just mentioned as nearly related to the fresh-water
+_Hydra_ and those forming the different kinds of Corals, the sea
+produces a vast number of other Zoophytes, the commonest kinds of which
+are well known as Sea Anemones. These animals are found adhering to
+rocks on all shores; they consist of a rather thick column, the base of
+which forms an adhesive disc, while its summit, which is also a disc,
+shows a puckered mouth in the centre surrounded by several rows oftentacles. The tentacles are sometimes short and stout, sometimes long
+and slender; they are generally adorned with vivid or delicate colours,
+often disposed in rings and contrasting beautifully with the colours of
+the stem and disc. In their expanded state they present a close
+resemblance to a flower, and indeed vie with many flowers in beauty;
+hence the name of _Animal Flowers_ was given to them formerly, and has
+now given place to that of Sea Anemones, although they are rather to be
+compared with those composite flowers in which numerous petal-like
+flowerets radiate from a central disc. When contracted, the Sea Anemones
+resemble soft knobs or buttons, with a depression at the top.
+
+In describing the Stony Corals, the fact has been mentioned that the
+Polyps, which may be regarded as the architects of those extraordinary
+structures, are very similar to the Sea Anemones. In the latter, the
+cavity surrounding the central stomach is partially divided into
+chambers, by partitions, which run inwards from the circumference
+towards the centre; in the Coral Polyps each of these partitions
+produces a stony plate in its substance, and these plates form the rays
+which occupy the interior of the Polyp-cell.
+
+The Sea Anemones move slowly along by the action of their adhering disc,
+somewhat in the same way that a snail or slug crawls upon the ground.
+Their food is obtained by means of the tentacles which give them their
+beautiful flower-like character, and to render them efficient organs for
+this purpose they are endowed with a singular provision. The skin of the
+tentacles, and, indeed, of most parts of the Sea Anemone is filled with
+little cells or vesicles, each containing a spiral thread, which when
+touched instantly darts forth, and penetrates the body coming in contact
+with it. In this way, if a worm, a small fish, or any other soft animal
+touches the tentacles of an Anemone, it is instantly transfixed with
+innumerable delicate darts, which not only assist the tentacles in
+holding the destined prey, but also seem to exercise a sort of numbing
+influence upon the victim, deadening his struggles and rendering him an
+easy conquest. He is then speedily passed by the tentacles to the
+orifice of the mouth, and swallowed without mercy.
+
+One of the commonest kinds of these Polyps is the _Mesembryanthemum_
+(_Actinia Mesembryanthemum_), a large, usually liver-coloured species,
+with a row of blue warts round the margin just outside the tentacles. It
+is found abundantly on the rocks of our Southern coast especially. The
+_Thick-horned Anemone_ (_Actinia_ or _Brusodes crassicornis_) is another
+large and fine species, usually of a red colour, with very thick
+tentacles, which are generally white with pinkish bands.--The _Sea
+Cereus_ (_Anthea Cereus_) has long slender tentacles, which are not
+retracted in the same way as those of the Sea Anemones generally. The
+tentacles are usually tipped with a pink or purple tint; they are
+constantly waving about in the water in search of prey; and instantly
+seize upon any creature that passes over them.--The _Parasitic Anemone_
+(_Actinia parasitica_) and the _Cloak Anemone_ (_Adamsia palliata_)
+always attach themselves to univalve shells which are occupied by Hermit
+Crabs.
+
+
+
+
+JELLY FISHES.
+
+
+THE animals commonly known as Jelly Fishes are free-swimming Radiata;
+they were described by Cuvier and most succeeding naturalists under the
+name of _Acalephæ_, from a Greek word signifying “_nettles_,” because
+many of them produce a stinging sensation when they come in contact with
+the skin. Their name in several languages signifies “Sea Nettles.” The
+Acalephæ of Cuvier are now regarded as belonging to the same class as
+the Hydroid Polyps.
+
+The common Medusa (_Medusa amita_), which may serve as an example of
+this group, is found in great abundance round our coasts; it is of a
+circular form, convex above, concave beneath, like an umbrella, the
+stick of which is represented by a thick stalk, containing the mouth and
+stomach, and terminated by four long arms for seizing the animal’s food.
+The skin of these, and of the body and its appendages generally is full
+of the thread-cells described as occurring in the Sea Anemones, and it
+is to these that the stinging power of the Medusæ is due. The motion of
+the Medusæ through the water is effected by the alternate expansion and
+contraction of its umbrella, which is slightly inclined in the direction
+towards which the creature is moving, and it is a most beautiful sight
+to look down upon a fleet of these animals, all advancing in the same
+direction at a depth of two or three feet in the water, as may often be
+seen in fine weather at the mouths of our rivers.
+
+At first sight it may be thought that the Medusæ have but little in
+common with the Hydroid or any other Polyps, but it has been fully
+proved by late researches that the young animal produced from the egg of
+the Medusa is a regular Polyp, which adheres by its base, and obtains
+its food by the agency of a crown of tentacles surrounding its mouth;
+nay, it even propagates in this form by pushing out buds exactly in the
+manner described in the case of the fresh-water Hydra. In course of
+time, however, the body of this Polyp becomes elongated, and its surface
+is marked into rings, the grooves separating which gradually become
+deeper until the whole body breaks up into a number of saucer-like
+segments, each of which becomes a Medusa. How fully does this
+extraordinary mode of reproduction show that the wonders of the Creator
+are no less striking in the lowest than in the highest of his creatures,
+and that for all, from the highest to the lowest, the same prescient
+care has been exercised, the same goodness evinced. Verily, we may
+follow the pious example of the great Linnæus, and exclaim with the
+Psalmist, “O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made
+them all.”
+
+
+
+APPENDIX
+
+OF
+
+FABULOUS ANIMALS.
+
+
+OUR OBJECT in the previous pages has been to combine interest with
+amusement, and to present truth unmixed with fable. Yet considering that
+some fictitious animals are conventionally recognised in poetry and
+painting, we have thought it desirable to subjoin an account of them.
+The Sphinx, the Dragon, the Unicorn, Pegasus, and the Centaur, are so
+familiar to us, both in sculpture and fable, that some notice of these
+mythological creations seems indispensable.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE SPHINX.]
+
+
+PROVIDENCE has ordered, that as the plains of Egypt are not visited by
+showers, they should be fertilized by the overflowing of the Nile, which
+takes place annually, a little after the summer solstice. This
+phenomenon, the source of unfailing fertility in the vales of the Delta
+up to Memphis, and around the bases of the majestic and venerable
+pyramids, was of the greatest importance to the people of Misraim, from
+the far-famed Pharos to the frontiers of Ethiopia. It was therefore
+their interest to calculate correctly the season, the month, and nearly
+the hour, when the flood should begin; the more so, as the sudden
+invasion of the waters was dangerous to the inhabitants of the low
+lands, the meadows, and the fens, and often destroyed the cottages, and
+drowned the flocks and the improvident villagers. The star Sirius was
+remarked to emerge from the blazing halo of the sun about the time of
+the rising of the Nile; it was a warning, and was accordingly called the
+Dog-star, as if barking from the heavens to apprise the inhabitants of
+the valleys of the impending rise of the waters. The Egyptian
+astronomers, to mark the period, combined the signs of the zodiac
+answering to the two months during which the overflowing took place.
+These signs happening to be Leo and Virgo, the mystical fancy of the
+ancient Egyptians united them in one, and thus formed the figure of the
+Sphinx, which has the head and breast of a woman, and the body of a
+lion. This was a great enigma to the Greeks and Phœnicians who
+travelled to Egypt; they saw the monster, but could not comprehend its
+meaning. On returning to their respective countries, they invented the
+fable of the Sphinx offering riddles at the gates of Thebes, and
+destroying those who could not unravel them; having probably been told
+by the supercilious sages of that nation, that they who could not guess
+the meaning of the Sphinx were to forfeit their life in atonement for
+their ignorance. Long afterwards, the real sense of the symbol was
+forgotten, and Egypt in her superstition began to worship the emblem, of
+which innumerable figures still exist in that once flourishing country.
+
+The Sphinx has been introduced in heraldry to adorn the gorgets of those
+general officers who distinguished themselves against the French on the
+banks of the Nile; it has also been adopted as an ornament in various
+decorations; and two specimens, exquisitely wrought, are seen on the
+front wall of Syon House, at Brentford, the seat of his Grace the Duke
+of Northumberland.
+
+This chimerical figure is generally represented as sitting and at rest;
+a graceful attitude adopted by Egyptian sculptors, and imitated by the
+Greeks and Romans.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE DRAGON.]
+
+
+THIS fabulous animal, which figures largely in ancient romances, was
+supposed to be the tutelary genius of fresh-water springs in the bosom
+of dark forests and enchanted rocks. Dragons were harnessed to the car
+of Ceres; they were the guardians of the golden apples of the
+Hesperides, and of the golden fleece of Colchis; and in several parts of
+the world set as protectors to the carbuncles and other precious stones
+hidden at the bottom of wells and fountains. They are represented as
+scaly serpents, with webbed feet, and with wings similar to those of a
+bat; having been, it seems, originally a hieroglyphic emblem of the
+dangerous influence of an undue combination of air and water. Thus the
+serpent Python was the allegory of a pestilence, originating from a
+union of mephitic air and moisture. They have been long supporters to
+the arms of the city of London, as if the guardians of the wealth which
+commerce brings hither from all the parts of the world. Four of them are
+placed in fanciful attitudes, and beautifully carved, on the pedestal of
+the monument of London.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE WIVERN, WOLVERINE.]
+
+
+THIS fabulous animal somewhat resembles the dragon, only that, instead
+of four, it has two legs, which are webbed, and armed with claws. There
+is no doubt that this imaginary being was originally conceived in the
+brains of the poets and romancers, in times of chivalry, when the
+Crusaders overran the plains of Palestine and Assyria. The heat of the
+climate in some vales at the foot of the mountains, which intersect the
+deserts of those countries, was favourable to the breeding of all sorts
+of serpents, some of an immense size. The European soldiers of Godfrey
+and Richard, unaccustomed to such sights, were easily frightened,
+whenever they met those monsters on the sedgy banks of small lakes,
+under the shade of cedars and palm-trees, where they appeared as if
+posted to guard the sacred waters, so precious in so hot a country; and
+magnified in their idle tales, when inactive in camps, the bulk of the
+serpent they had seen. The castle of Lusignan, in the province of
+Poitou, was supposed to contain one of those winged serpents. It is a
+very ancient armorial bearing, and now stands as supporter to the arms
+of several illustrious houses.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE COCKATRICE, OE BASILISK.]
+
+
+THE fruitful imagination of man knows hardly any bounds. The animal
+which bears the name of Basilisk was originally supposed to be a
+serpent, with a sort of comb or crown on its head: but that was not
+sufficiently marvellous. It was supposed also to be hatched from a
+cock’s egg, upon which a snake had performed the office of incubation;
+and the animal had the head of a cock, and the wings and tail of a
+dragon. Hatched near a spring of water, the common resort of serpents,
+it was asserted that, frightened at his own extraordinary shape, he soon
+precipitated himself to the bottom, whence, by the mortal look from his
+fiery eyes, he had the power of killing whoever dared to gaze at him.
+There are no less than four kinds of basilisks mentioned by various
+authors. One burnt up everything near him, and reduced the place he
+lived in to a complete desert; another kind had the power of producing a
+stony rigidity in whoever looked at them, which was followed by death;
+or the gazers’ flesh fell from their bones. The basilisk was said to be
+killed by carrying a mirror to its lair; and the creature encountering
+the reflection of its own baleful glance, was killed with its own
+weapons.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE GRYPHON, OR GRIFFIN,]
+
+
+WAS originally an emblem of life. It was used to adorn funeral monuments
+and sepulchres. The upper part of this allegorical animal resembles the
+eagle, the king of the birds, and the rest the lion, the king of beasts;
+which is said to imply that man, who lives upon the earth, cannot
+subsist without air. In later times it was supposed that the Gryphon was
+posted as a jailor at the entrance of enchanted castles and caverns
+where subterraneous treasures were concealed. Milton compares Satan in
+his flight to the Gryphon, in the following beautiful passage:
+
+ “As when a Gryphon through the wilderness,
+ With winged course o’er hill or moory dale,
+ Pursues the Arimaspian, who, by stealth,
+ Had from his wakeful custody purloined
+ The guarded gold; so eagerly the fiend,
+ O’er bog or steep, through strait, rough, dense, or rare,
+ With head, hands, wings, or feet, pursues his way,
+ And swims, or sinks, or wades, or creeps, or flies.”
+
+The _Arimaspians_ were Asiatic wizards, who, by magic, used to obtain a
+knowledge of the places where treasures lay hidden. Their incessant
+wranglings with the Gryphons about gold-mines are mentioned by Herodotus
+and Pliny. Lucan says that they inhabited Scythia, and adorned their
+hair with gold; that they had but one eye in the middle of the forehead,
+and lived on the banks of the gold-sanded river Arimaspes.
+Virgil, in his eighth Pastoral, mentions this animal as if really
+existing, but does not give us any description of it; and Claudian, in
+his Epistle to Serena, alludes to the supposed fact of their keeping
+watch over masses of gold in the bosom of northern mountains.
+
+
+
+
+THE PHŒNIX.
+
+
+HERODOTUS, Pliny, and nearly sixty other classical authors, have related
+marvellous stories of this bird, all of which are of course fabulous.
+The Phœnix, they say, inhabits the plains of Arabia, and is about the
+size of an eagle, with gorgeous plumage of purple and gold. He is the
+only one of his kind in the world. At the approach of death, he builds
+himself a nest of aromatic herbs, and on it yields up his life. From his
+marrow proceeds a worm, which shortly becomes a young Phœnix, whose
+first duty is to discharge the obsequies of his sire. For this purpose
+he collects a quantity of myrrh, which he moulds into the shape of an
+egg, as large as he can conveniently carry, and then scooping it out, he
+deposits the body of his sire in the inside. Having stopped it up again
+with myrrh, he carries it to the Temple of the Sun in Egypt, where he
+devoutly places it on the altar. This is the only time that he is seen
+during his life, which lasts five hundred years. According to others,
+after preparing a funeral pile of rich herbs and spices, he burns
+himself, but from his ashes revives in all the freshness of youth.
+
+From late mythological researches it is conjectured that the Phœnix
+is a symbol of five hundred years, of which the conclusion was
+celebrated by a solemn sacrifice, in which the figure of a bird was
+burnt. His being restored to youth signifies that the new springs from
+the old.
+
+
+
+
+THE MERMAID, OR SIREN.
+
+
+THE existence of this animal, half a woman and half a fish, has long
+been talked of, believed, disbelieved, and doubted. Homer is the first
+who speaks of such beings, which he styles _Sirens_; but we do not find
+that he gives any description of their shape; however, it was soon
+asserted that the Sirens were, as Horace, in his “Art of Poetry,”
+describes them:
+
+ “Above, a lovely maid; a fish below.”
+
+The Sirens were three sisters, whose voice was so delightfully
+harmonious and enticing, that no resistance could be made against its
+powerful charms; but “’twas death to hear,” for they led the navigators
+and their ships to certain destruction among the rocks that bordered the
+dangerous coasts which they inhabited, near the shores of Italy.
+
+The belief in the existence of Mermaids has been current at different
+periods; indeed, some years ago, several persons made depositions before
+a magistrate, that they had seen Mermaids come out of the sea and play
+on the rocks, but that they sprang into their element before they were
+able to secure them.
+
+A creature, said to be a dried Mermaid, was exhibited in London about
+the year 1828; but it was afterwards discovered to be the body of a
+monkey artfully attached to the dried tail of a salmon.
+
+
+
+
+THE KRAKEN.
+
+
+THIS creature is another fabulous inhabitant of the sea. It is said to
+be three or four miles in breadth, and to live generally at the bottom
+of the sea, on the Norway coast. When it moves the commotion of the sea
+is so violent that it upsets boats and even small ships; and when it
+comes to the surface, it is generally mistaken for an island.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE DOLPHIN.]
+
+
+THIS is the Dolphin of heraldry, and as fabulous an animal as any here
+mentioned, as may be seen by comparing it with the figure of the real
+Dolphin, given with the description in a former part of this work. This
+fish was said to curl up his back to carry his favourites over the seas
+without wetting them; and to assume the most brilliant colours in dying,
+changing from a bright blue to as bright a yellow, and then to red and
+green, &c. &c.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE UNICORN.]
+
+
+THIS is another offspring of the lively and fruitful fancy of man. It is
+represented as a compound of the horse and stag, the head and body
+belong to the former, and the hoofs to the latter, while the horn, the
+tufts, and the tail are anomalies. This animal holds a high rank in
+heraldry, and is one of the supporters of the royal arms of England.
+
+The Unicorn is often mentioned in the Scriptures, and by many
+commentators is supposed to be the rhinoceros. From the book of Job we
+learn that it was not only an animal of considerable strength, but also
+of a very fierce and intractable disposition--“Will the Unicorn be
+willing to serve thee, or abide by thy crib? Canst thou bind the Unicorn
+with his band in the furrow? or will he harrow the valleys for thee?
+Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? or wilt thou leave
+thy labour to him? Wilt thou believe him, that he will bring home thy
+seed, and gather it into thy barn?” Ch. xxxix. ver. 9--11. In the book
+of Psalms, xcii. ver. 10. “My horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of a
+Unicorn.”
+
+
+
+
+THE PEGASUS.
+
+
+ANOTHER liberty has been taken with the horse. Mythology has added wings
+to its elegant figure, and called it _Pegasus_. This animal, it is said,
+sprang from the blood of Medusa, when Perseus had cut off her head; and
+immediately afterwards flew upwards towards heaven, but stopped short,
+and alighted on Mount Helicon, where he struck the ground with his foot,
+and instantly the fountain Hippocrene burst from the ground. During his
+residence on Mount Helicon, Pegasus became a great favourite with the
+Muses, who resided occasionally on that lofty mountain; and still, when
+any one attempts extravagant flights of poetry, he is said to have
+mounted on his Pegasus, as it was difficult to approach the Muses when
+raised so high. On the contrary, the Castalian fountain on Mount
+Parnassus was more accessible, and inspired poetry of a gentler nature.
+But to return to Pegasus; he was at length tamed by Neptune, or Minerva,
+and lent by the latter to Bellerophon, to enable him to conquer the
+horrid monster called the Chimera, which was always shifting its place,
+and vomiting forth flames and smoke. After the victory was achieved,
+Bellerophon attempted to fly up to heaven; but Pegasus threw his rider,
+and flying up to heaven without him, was changed into the constellation
+of stars which still bears his name. Pegasus is sometimes confounded
+with the Hippogriph, or _Ippogrifo_ of Ariosto, which is often seen in
+coats of arms.
+
+
+
+
+THE CENTAUR.
+
+
+LIKE the Sphinx, this creature is a compound of the brute and human
+form, exhibiting the body of a man united to that of a horse, the former
+rising from the chest of the latter. Absurd as such a combination must
+appear to the anatomist, and ill adapted as it seems for agility, it is
+not wholly devoid of grace, and is very frequently met with in antique
+sculpture. According to Grecian mythology, these beings inhabited
+Thessaly; and poetry has celebrated their combats with Hercules,
+Theseus, and Pirithous, the latter of whom was the leader of the
+Lapithæ, a people who vanquished the Centaurs. Their fabulous existence
+had its origin in that love of the marvellous, which is always found to
+exist in the earlier stages of society. Hence the natives of Thessaly
+being distinguished for their skill in horsemanship, at a time when
+their neighbours were unacquainted with the art of riding, they would be
+described as combining the powers both of the human and the equine race;
+in the same manner as some of the American tribes, when they first
+beheld the Spaniards mounted on horses, mistook them for a different
+race of beings from themselves, supposing them to be half men and half
+quadrupeds. It is by such errors that fiction, whether poetry or
+painting be its vehicle, creates those fanciful beings and shapes which
+delight the imagination.
+
+
+
+
+THE SATYR.
+
+
+ALTHOUGH the Satyr of the ancient poets can hardly be termed an animal,
+as the human form predominates, he may be introduced here as our final
+example of fabulous creatures. Satyrs and Fauns are represented as men
+with goats’ legs and horns, and were supposed to be the attendants of
+Bacchus, with whose worship they are generally connected. The idea of
+such beings was probably derived from some of the larger species of
+apes. They are described as inhabiting woods and forests, of which they
+were regarded as the protecting deities. Probably they were partly
+personifications, intended to express the debasing influence of animal
+propensities and sensual indulgence: and as nothing tends more than
+intoxication to reduce man to a level with the brutes, since it deprives
+reason of all control over the passions, the form of the Satyr may have
+been ingeniously intended as a visible representation of the degraded
+state of those who surrender up the noblest prerogative of man. Whether
+such was really or not the idea of those who first feigned the existence
+of such creatures, we may very rationally adopt this explanation, and
+thereby deduce an important moral lesson from what is in itself an
+extravagant fiction.
+
+
+
+INDEX.
+
+
+A.
+
+ Page
+
+Abraxas grossulariata 587
+
+Acelephæ 609
+
+Acarus siro 552
+
+Accipiter nisus 202
+
+Acerina cernua 476
+
+Acheta campestris 570
+
+---- domesticata 570
+
+Acipenser sturio 416
+
+Actinia crassicornis 609
+
+---- mesembryanthemum 609
+
+---- parasitica 609
+
+Adamsia palliata 609
+
+Adder 495
+
+Adjutant 352
+
+Admiral 530
+
+Ageneiosus militaris 432
+
+Ai 107
+
+Alauda arborea 247
+
+---- arvensis 245
+
+Albatross 396
+
+Alca impennis 399
+
+Alcedo ispida 277
+
+Alligator (lucius) 518
+
+Amphisbæna (fuliginosa) 503
+
+Anabas scandens 475
+
+Anaconda 503
+
+Anarrhichas lupus 431
+
+Anas boschas 388
+
+Anchovy 458
+
+Angel fish 426
+
+Angler 438
+
+Anguilla vulgaris 490
+
+Anobium tesselatum 560
+
+Anser ferus 380
+
+Anthea cereus 696
+
+Ants 582
+
+Ant-eater, great 110
+
+Antelope (cervicapra) 149
+
+---- Dorcas 150
+
+---- Gnu 154
+
+---- picta 152
+
+---- Rupicapra 151
+
+---- Virgo 349
+
+Anthropoides virgo 349
+
+Ant-lion 574
+
+Aphis 572
+
+Apteryx (Australis) 344
+
+Aquila chrysaëtos 185
+
+Arctic Fox 39
+
+Arctomys Marmotta 97
+
+Ardea cinerea 354
+
+Argali 147
+
+Argonaut 537
+
+Argyroneta aquatica 550
+
+Arion ater 535
+
+Armadillo 109
+
+Aromia moschata 558
+
+Arvicola amphibia 102
+
+Asp, Egyptian 499
+
+Ass 127
+
+Astacus fluviatilis 543
+
+---- marinus 542
+
+Asterias rubens 595
+
+Astur palumbarius 200
+
+Ateles paniscus 182
+
+Auchenia glama 172
+
+Auk, Great 399
+
+Avicula Margaritifera 525
+
+Axis 163
+
+
+B.
+
+Babiroussa 122
+
+Babirussa alfurus 122
+
+Baboon 178
+
+----, Cape 179
+
+Badger 53
+
+Balaninus micum 562
+
+Balæna Australis 405
+
+---- mysticetus 401
+
+Balænoptera boops 407
+
+Balearica pavonina 349
+
+Barbary Ape 177
+
+Barbel 482
+
+Basilisk 615
+
+Basse 475
+
+Bat 80
+
+----, Kalong 83
+Bat, Long-eared 81
+
+----, Vampyre 82
+
+Bear, American (Black) 45
+
+----, European (Brown) 46
+
+----, Grisly 46
+
+----, Malayan 48
+
+----, Polar 50
+
+Beaver 88
+
+Bees 577
+
+Beetle, Black 563
+
+----, Blind 555
+
+----, Elephant 557
+
+----, Ground 558
+
+----, Musk 558
+
+----, Stag 556
+
+Belone vulgaris 454
+
+Beluga (leucas) 410
+
+Billy Biter 249
+
+Bird of Paradise 279
+
+Bison (Bonasus) 141
+
+----, American 141
+
+Bittern 356
+
+Blackbird 220
+
+Black Cap 231
+
+Black Cock 322
+
+Blatta orientalis 563
+
+Bleak 483
+
+Blepharis (ciliaris) 447
+
+Blue Ox 152
+
+Boa Constrictor 502
+
+Boar, Wild 120
+
+Bombyx mori 589
+
+Boquetin 148
+
+Bos Bonasus 141
+
+---- Indicus 143
+
+---- Taurus 134
+
+Botaurus stellaris 356
+
+Bower-Bird 263
+
+Bradypus tridactylus 107
+
+Brandling 462
+
+Bream 484
+
+Brusodes crassicornis 609
+
+Bubalus Caffer 139
+
+Bubo Maximus 214
+
+Buccinum undatum 531
+
+Budytes flava 237
+
+Bufo vulgaris 507
+
+Buffalo, African 139
+
+Bull 134
+
+----, Brahmin 143
+
+----, Wild 137
+
+Bullfinch 258
+
+Bullhead 486
+
+Bunting, Yellow 249
+
+Bustard 345
+
+Bulteo vulgaris 197
+
+Butcher-bird, Great 217
+
+----, Little 218
+
+Butterfly, Cabbage 586
+
+----, Tortoiseshell 585
+
+Buzzard 197
+
+----, Honey 199
+
+
+C.
+
+Cachalot 407
+
+Calandra granaria 561
+
+Camel, Arabian 170
+
+----, Bactrian 168
+
+---- of America 172
+
+Camelopardalis Giraffa 164
+
+Camelus Bactrianus 168
+
+---- Dromedarius 170
+
+Canary Bird 254
+
+Cancer pagurus 543
+
+Canis aureus 42
+
+---- familiaris 23
+
+---- lagopus 39
+
+---- lupus 40
+
+---- vulpes 37
+
+Cantharis (vesicatoria) 561
+
+Capercalzie 323
+
+Capra hircus 147
+
+---- ibex 148
+
+Caprimulgus Europæus 244
+
+Carabus clathratus 558
+
+---- violaceus 559
+
+Caracal 20
+
+Carcharias vulgaris 417
+
+---- vulpes 421
+
+Cardium edule 527
+
+Carduelis canaria 254
+
+---- elegans 259
+
+Carp 477
+
+----, Golden 479
+
+Carrion Crow 268
+
+Cassowary 341
+
+Castor Fiber 88
+
+Casuarius galeatus 341
+
+Cat 20
+
+Cavallo-Marino 442
+
+Cavia Cobaya 98
+
+Cayman 518
+
+Cebus Capucinus 182
+
+Centaur 621
+
+Cerambyx moschatus 558
+
+Cerastes Hasselquistii 497
+
+Cercopithecus Diana 180
+
+Certhia familiaris 281, 282
+
+Cervus Alces 160
+
+---- axis 163
+Cervus Canadensis 157
+
+---- capreolus 158
+
+---- dama 159
+
+---- Elaphus 155
+
+---- Tarandus 161
+
+Chacura 179
+
+Chaffinch 256
+
+Chama 528
+
+Chamæleo vulgaris 515
+
+Chameleon 515
+
+Chamois 151
+
+Charadrius morinellus 370
+
+---- pluvialis 369
+
+Char 469
+
+Cheese Hopper 552
+
+---- Mite 552
+
+Cheetah 15
+
+Cheimatobia brumata 588
+
+Chelonia imbricata 523
+
+---- midas 521
+
+Chimpanzee 174
+
+Chinchilla lanigera 105
+
+Chough 274
+
+Chub 481
+
+Ciconia alba 350
+
+Cinclus aquaticus 219
+
+Circus cyaneus 213
+
+Civet 54
+
+----, Oriental 56
+
+Clam 528
+
+Clupea alba 458
+
+---- Harengus 455
+
+---- Pilchardus 457
+
+---- Sardina 457
+
+---- Sprattus 456
+
+Coati-Mondi 53
+
+Cobitis barbatula 486
+
+Cobra di Capello 500
+
+Coccinella septem-punctata 562
+
+Coccus cacti 571
+
+Cochineal Insect 571
+
+Cockatoo 303
+
+Cockatrice 615
+
+Cockchafer 554
+
+Cockle 527
+
+Cockroach 563
+
+Cod-fish 448
+
+Coluber natrix 501
+
+Columba ænas 331
+
+---- livia 332
+
+---- palumbus 330
+
+---- Turtur 335
+
+Colymbus glacialis 397
+
+Comatula rosacea 595
+
+Condor 196
+
+Conger vulgaris 492
+
+Coot 376
+
+Coracias garrula 276
+
+Coral, Red 597
+
+----, Stony 600
+
+Cormorant 379
+
+----, Crested 380
+
+Corn Crake 374
+
+---- Weevil 561
+
+Corvus corone 268
+
+---- Corax 265
+
+---- frugilegus 269
+
+---- monedula 271
+
+Cottus scorpius 433
+
+---- gobio 486
+
+Coturnix dactylisonans 318
+
+Couendou 106
+
+Cow 136
+
+Cow Bird 293
+
+Cowry, Money 531
+
+----, Tiger 531
+
+Crab 543
+
+----, Violet land 544
+
+----, Soldier, or hermit 545
+
+Crane 347
+
+----, Balearic 349
+
+----, Gigantic 352
+
+----, Numidian 349
+
+Crangon vulgaris 546
+
+Crayfish 543
+
+Creeper 281, 282
+
+----, Wall 283
+
+Cricket 570
+
+----, Field 570
+
+----, Mole 569
+
+Crocodile of the Nile 517
+
+Crocodilus vulgaris 517
+
+Crossbill 261
+
+Crotalus horridus 498
+
+Cuckoo 290
+
+----, American 293
+
+Cuculus canorus 290
+
+Culex pipiens 592
+
+Curlew 360
+
+Curruca atricapilla 231
+
+Cushat 330
+
+Cuttle-fish 535
+
+Cyclopterus lumpus 436
+
+Cynocephalus 178
+
+---- porcarius 179
+
+Cygnus ferus 384
+
+---- olor 383
+
+Cypræa moneta 531
+
+---- tigris 531
+
+Cyprinus alburnus 483
+Cyprinus auratus 479
+
+---- barbus 482
+
+---- brama 484
+
+---- carpio 477
+
+---- cephalus 481
+
+---- gobio 480
+
+---- leuciscus 482
+
+---- phoxinus 485
+
+---- rutilus 483
+
+---- tinca 478
+
+Cypselus apus 243
+
+
+D.
+
+Dace 482
+
+Dactyloptera Mediterranea 445
+
+Dasypus sexcinctus 109
+
+Day-fly 576
+
+Death-Watch 560
+
+Deer, Fallow 159
+
+----, Musk 163
+
+Delphinus Delphis 408
+
+Demoiselle 349
+
+Dicotyles labiatus 122
+
+Didelphis Virginiana 86
+
+Didus ineptus 328
+
+Diomedea exulans 396
+
+Dipper 219
+
+Dipus Ægyptius 104
+
+Djeggetai 131
+
+Dodo 328
+
+Dog-fishes 420
+
+Dog 23
+
+---- Bloodhound 25
+
+---- Bulldog 30
+
+---- Foxhound 27
+
+---- Greyhound 36
+
+---- Mastiff 29
+
+---- Newfoundland 34
+
+---- Pointer 28
+
+---- Shepherd’s 23
+
+---- Spaniel 32
+
+---- Terrier 31
+
+---- Water Spaniel 33
+
+Dolphin 408
+
+---- of mythology 619
+
+Dor 555
+
+Dorado 410
+
+Dormouse 96
+
+----, American 97
+
+Dottrel 370
+
+Dove, Ring 330
+
+----, Rock 332
+
+----, Stock 331
+
+----, Turtle 335
+
+Draco volans 514
+
+Dragon 613
+
+Dragon-fly, Great 576
+
+Dromaius Novæ Hollandiæ 343
+
+Dromedary 170
+
+Duck 388
+
+----, Eider 389
+
+Duck-billed Platypus 111
+
+Dugong 415
+
+Dynastes elephas 557
+
+
+E.
+
+Eagle, Black 192
+
+----, Golden 185
+
+----, Sea, or White-tailed 188
+
+----, White-headed or Bald 189
+
+Earwig 563
+
+Echeneis remora 430
+
+Echidna hystrix 112
+
+Echinus miliaris 596
+
+Eel 490
+
+----, Conger, or sea 492
+
+----, Electrical 488
+
+Electric Ray 425
+
+Elephant 113
+
+Elephas Africanus 115
+
+---- Indicus 113
+
+Elk 160
+
+Emberiza citrinella 249
+
+---- hortulana 250
+
+Emeu 343
+
+Empusa gongylodes 564
+
+Engraulis encrasicolus 458
+
+Enhydra Lutris 68
+
+Epeïra diadema 548
+
+Ephemera 576
+
+Equus Asinus 127
+
+---- Burchellii 133
+
+---- caballus 124
+
+---- Hemionus 131
+
+---- Zebra 132
+
+Erinaceus Europæus 74
+
+Ermine 62
+
+Erythacus rubecula 226
+
+Esox lucius 472
+
+Exocætus exiliens 444
+
+---- volitans 443
+
+
+F.
+
+Falcon 204
+
+----, Peregrine 205
+
+Falco æsalon 208
+
+---- apivorus 199
+
+---- Buteo 197
+
+---- gyrfalco 204
+
+---- Milvus 203
+Falco nisus 202
+
+---- palumbarius 200
+
+---- peregrinus 205
+
+---- peregrinator 207
+
+---- tinnunculus 210
+
+Father-Lasher 433
+
+Felis Canadensis 19
+
+---- Caracal 20
+
+---- Catus 22
+
+---- concolor 18
+
+---- domestica 20
+
+---- jubata 15
+
+---- Leo 1
+
+---- Leopardus 12
+
+---- Lynx 19
+
+---- Onca 17
+
+---- Pardalis 15
+
+---- Pardus 13
+
+---- Tigris 9
+
+---- uncia 14
+
+Fern Owl 244
+
+Ferret 60
+
+Fiber Zibethecus 90
+
+Fieldfare 223
+
+Fitchet, or Foumart 61
+
+Flea 594
+
+Flounder 461
+
+Flusher 218
+
+Flying Dragon 514
+
+---- Fish 443
+
+---- Scorpion 435
+
+Forficula auricularia 563
+
+Formica rufa 582
+
+Fowls, Bankiva 326
+
+---- Bantam 327
+
+---- Jago, or Paduan 327
+
+---- Spanish 327
+
+Fox 37
+
+----, Arctic 39
+
+Fratercula arctica 398
+
+Fringilla cœlebs 256
+
+---- canaria 254
+
+---- carduelis 259
+
+---- linaria 253
+
+---- linota 253
+
+Frog 505
+
+----, edible 506
+
+Fulgora laternaria 571
+
+Fulica atra 376
+
+Fulmar 395
+
+
+G.
+
+Gadus æglefinus 449
+
+---- Merlangus 451
+
+---- merluccius 452
+
+Gadus morrhua 448
+
+Gallinula chloropus 373
+
+Gallus domesticus 324
+
+---- giganteus 327
+
+Gannet 381
+
+Garangan 57
+
+Gar-fish 454
+
+Garrulus glandarius 275
+
+Gastuostius aculiatus 487
+
+Gavial 518
+
+Gazelle 150
+
+Genet 55
+
+Geometra brumata 588
+
+---- grossulariata 587
+
+Geotrupes stercorarius 555
+
+Gerfalcon 204
+
+Giraffe 164
+
+Globe Fish 440
+
+---- Electrical 440
+
+Glowworm 559
+
+Gnat 592
+
+Gnu 154
+
+Goat 147
+
+Goat Chaffer 558
+
+Goatsucker 244
+
+Godwit 362
+
+Gorgonia nobilis 597
+
+Goldfinch 259
+
+Gold-fish 479
+
+Goose, wild 386
+
+Gorilla 176
+
+Goshawk 200
+
+Grampus 413
+
+Grand Promerooks 289
+
+Grasshopper 566
+
+Grayling 470
+
+Great Northern Diver 397
+
+Green Fly 572
+
+Griffin, or Gryphon 616
+
+Grisly Bear 46
+
+Grouse, red 320
+
+----, white 321
+
+Grus cinerca 347
+
+Gryllotalpa vulgaris 569
+
+Gudgeon 480
+
+Guinea Fowl 308
+
+Guinea-pig 98
+
+Gull 392
+
+Gurnard 444
+
+----, Flying 445
+
+----, Grey 445
+
+Gymnotus electricus 488
+
+
+H.
+
+Haddock 449
+Hag-fish 428
+
+Haje 499
+
+Hake 452
+
+Halcyon 277
+
+Haliaëtus albicilla 188
+
+---- leucocephalus 189
+
+Halicore Dugong 415
+
+Hare 91
+
+Harfang 215
+
+Hawk, Fishing 191
+
+Hedgehog 74
+
+----, Australian 112
+
+Helix aspersa 533
+
+Hen Harrier 213
+
+Heron 354
+
+Herpestes, griseus 57
+
+---- Ichneumon 56
+
+---- Javonicus 57
+
+Herring 455
+
+Hippocampus brevirostris 442
+
+Hippopotamus amphibius 116
+
+Hirundo rustica 238
+
+---- urbica 241
+
+Hog, domestic 118
+
+Honey-Buzzard 199
+
+Hooded serpent 500
+
+Hoopoe 288
+
+Horned Silure 432
+
+---- Viper 497
+
+Horse 124
+
+House-fly 592
+
+Humming-bird 287
+
+Hyæna, striped (Striata) 43
+
+----, spotted (Crocuta) 44
+
+Hydras 606
+
+Hydroida 604
+
+Hystrix cristata 106
+
+---- prehensilis 106
+
+
+I.
+
+Ibex 148
+
+Ibis falcinellus 360
+
+---- religiosa 359
+
+---- rubra 360
+
+Ichneumon Fly 580
+
+Ichneumon, or Egyptian Mangouste 56
+
+Iguana tuberculata 513
+
+Inuus sylvanus 177
+
+
+J.
+
+Jacchus Rosalia 183
+
+---- vulgaris 183
+
+Jackal 42
+
+Jackdaw 271
+
+Jaguar 17
+
+Jay 275
+
+Jelly Fishes 609
+
+Jerboa 104
+
+John Dory 446
+
+Jungle Fowl 310
+
+
+K.
+
+Kangaroo 84
+
+Kestrel 210
+
+Kiang 131
+
+King-fish 447
+
+Kingfisher 277
+
+Kite 203
+
+Kivi-Kivi 344
+
+Knot 367
+
+Kraken 618
+
+
+L.
+
+Labrax lupus 475
+
+Lacerta viridis 512
+
+---- vivipara 512
+
+Lady Bird, or Lady Cow 562
+
+Lagopus Scoticus 320
+
+---- vulgaris 321
+
+Lamantin 415
+
+Lamprey 427
+
+Lampris guttatus 447
+
+Lampyris noctiluca 559
+
+Land Rail 374
+
+Lanius collurio 218
+
+---- excubitor 217
+
+Lantern-Fly 571
+
+Lapwing 371
+
+Laruscanus 392
+
+Leaf Mantis 564
+
+----, Walking 565
+
+Leech 540
+
+Leipoa ocellata 312
+
+Lemming 103
+
+Lemur albifrons 184
+
+---- macaco 184
+
+Leopard 12
+
+----, hunting 15
+
+Lepadogaster cornubicus 437
+
+Leptoptilus argala 352
+
+---- marabou 353
+
+Lepus cuniculus 93
+
+---- timidus 91
+
+Libellula grandis 576
+
+Limax cinereus 534
+
+Limosa ægocephala 362
+
+Limpet 532
+Ling 451
+
+Linnet 253
+
+Linota cannabina 253
+
+Lion 1
+
+Lioness and Cubs 7
+
+Littornia littorea 532
+
+Lizard 512
+
+----, Flying and Green 514
+
+Llama 172
+
+Loach 486
+
+Lobster 542
+
+Locust 567
+
+Locusta migratoria 567
+
+---- flavipes 566
+
+Lophius piscatorius 438
+
+Lota molva 451
+
+Loxia curvirostra 261
+
+---- pyrrhula 258
+
+Lucanus cervus 556
+
+Lucerna 445
+
+Luidia fragilissima 595
+
+Lump-sucker 436
+
+Lutra 68
+
+---- vulgaris 66
+
+Lycosa tarantula 550
+
+Lynx, common 19
+
+Lyre-Bird of Australia 284
+
+---- N. S. Wales 287
+
+
+M.
+
+Macaw 300
+
+----, Scarlet 301
+
+Machetes pugnax 363
+
+Mackerel 453
+
+Macrocercus aracanga 300
+
+---- Macao 301
+
+Macropus giganteus 84
+
+Magot 177
+
+Magpie 272, 587
+
+Maid 422, 424
+
+Manatee 415
+
+Manatus Australis 415
+
+Mandrill 179
+
+Mangouste, Egyptian 56
+
+Mantis, Leaf 564
+
+Mareca Penelope 390
+
+Marikina Monkey 183
+
+Marmot 97
+
+Marmozet 183
+
+Marten, Common or Beech 65
+
+----, Pine or yellow-breasted 66
+
+Martes foina 65
+
+---- Zibellina 64
+
+Martin 241
+
+----, Black 243
+
+Mavis 222
+
+Medusa amita 609
+
+Megapodius tumulus 310
+
+Meleagris Gallo-Pavo 306
+
+Meles Taxus 53
+
+Melolontha vulgaris 554
+
+Melopsittacus undulatus 302
+
+Menura Alberti 287
+
+---- superba 284
+
+Mephitis Americana 63
+
+Merlangus vulgaris 451
+
+Merle 222
+
+Merlin 208
+
+Mermaid 617
+
+Miller’s Thumb 486
+
+Milvus regalis 203
+
+Minnow 485
+
+Missel-Thrush 221
+
+Mite, Cheese 552
+
+----, Water 550
+
+Mocking-bird 225
+
+Mole 76
+
+----, Cricket 569
+
+----, Water 111
+
+Mongoos 184
+
+Monkey, Capuchin 182
+
+----, Diana 180
+
+----, Oustiti 183
+
+----, Marikina 183
+
+----, Proboscis 180
+
+----, Spider 182
+
+Monk-fish 426
+
+Monodon monoceros 414
+
+Moongus 57
+
+Moor Cock 320
+
+---- Hen, or Coot 373
+
+Morunga proboscidea 71
+
+Morse 72
+
+Moschus moschiferus 163
+
+Motacilla boarula 236
+
+Moth, Clothes 590
+
+----, Emperor 583
+
+----, Magpie, or Currant 587
+
+----, Winter 588
+
+Mother Cary’s Chicken 393
+
+Mound-Bird of Australia 310
+
+Mouse 99
+
+----, Field 99
+
+----, Harvest 100
+
+Mule 130
+
+Murex haustellus, or cornutus 532
+
+Musca domestica 592
+
+Mus decumanus 100
+
+---- messorius 100
+Mus musculus 99
+
+---- sylvaticus 99
+
+Musk Rat 90
+
+Mussel 530
+
+Mustela Abietum 66
+
+---- Americana 63
+
+---- erminea 62
+
+---- furo 60
+
+---- leucopus 65
+
+---- martes 65
+
+---- putorius 61
+
+---- vulgaris 58
+
+---- Zibellina 64
+
+Myodes Lemmus 103
+
+Myoxus avellanarius 96
+
+Myrmecophaga jubata 110
+
+Myrmeleon formicarium 574
+
+Mytilus edulis 530
+
+Myxine glutinosa 428
+
+
+N.
+
+Nagao 500
+
+Naja Haje 499
+
+---- tripudians 500
+
+Narwhal 414
+
+Nasalis larvatus 180
+
+Nasua narica 53
+
+Naucrates ductor 429
+
+Nautilus, Paper 537
+
+----, Pearly 538
+
+----, Pompilius 538
+
+Newt 510
+
+----, Great 511
+
+Nightingale 228
+
+Night-jar 244
+
+Numenius arquatus 360
+
+Numida Meleagris 308
+
+Nuthatch, or Nutjobber 281
+
+Nyl Ghau 152
+
+
+O.
+
+Ocelot 15
+
+Octopus vulgaris 537
+
+Ondatra 90
+
+Opah 447
+
+Opossum, Virginian 86
+
+Ornithorhynchus paradoxus 111
+
+Orthagoriscus mola 441
+
+Ortolan 250
+
+----, English 251
+
+Ortygometra crex 374
+
+Ortyx Californicus 319
+
+---- Virginianus 319
+
+Oryctes rhinoceros 557
+
+Osmerus eperlanus 471
+
+Osprey 191
+
+Ostracion quadricornis 439
+
+Ostrea edulis 526
+
+Ostrich 337
+
+----, American 340
+
+Otis tarda 345
+
+Otter 66
+
+----, Sea 68
+
+Ounce 14
+
+Ouistiti Monkey 183
+
+Ourang Outan 173
+
+Ouzel, Ring 224
+
+----, Water 219
+
+Ovis Aries 144
+
+Owl, Brown 217
+
+----, Great Snowy 215
+
+----, Horned 214
+
+----, White, Barn, or Screech 216
+
+Oyster, Pearl 525
+
+----, Common 526
+
+
+P.
+
+Pagurus Bempardus 545
+
+Palæornis Alexandri 301
+
+Palæmon serratus 546
+
+Pandion haliaëtus 191
+
+Panther 13
+
+Par 462
+
+Paradisea apoda 279
+
+Paroquet, Ground 302
+
+----, Ring 301
+
+----, Warbling Grass 302
+
+Partridge, common 316
+
+----, Red-legged 315
+
+Parrot, Green 300
+
+----, Grey 298
+
+Parus cæruleus 248
+
+---- caudatus 248
+
+Passer domesticus 252
+
+Patella 532
+
+Pavo cristatus 304
+
+Peacock 304
+
+Peccary 122
+
+Peewit 371
+
+Pegasus 620
+
+Pelicanus onocrotalus 377
+
+Pelican 377
+
+Penguin 400
+
+Perca fluviatilis 474
+
+Perch 474
+
+----, Climbing 475
+
+----, Sea 475
+
+Perdix cinerea 316
+
+---- rufus 315
+Pearled Hen 308
+
+Periwinkle 532
+
+Pernis apivorus 199
+
+Petrel, Stormy 393
+
+Petromyzon marinus 427
+
+Phalacrocorax carbo 379
+
+---- graculus 380
+
+Phalanger 87
+
+Phalangista vulpina 87
+
+Pharaoh’s Rat 56
+
+Phasianus colchicus 313
+
+---- Nycthemerus 314
+
+---- pictus 314
+
+Phœnix 617
+
+Pheasant 313
+
+----, Australian 312
+
+----, Gold 314
+
+----, Silver 314
+
+Philomela luscinia 228
+
+Phoca vitulina 69
+
+Phocæna orca 413
+
+---- vulgaris 412
+
+Pholas dactylus 528
+
+Phyllium siccifolium 565
+
+Phyllostoma spectrum 82
+
+Physeter macrocephalus 407
+
+Pica caudata 272
+
+Picus viridis 294
+
+Pieris Brassicæ 586
+
+Pigeon, carrier 333
+
+----, wood 330
+
+Pike 472
+
+Pilchard 457
+
+Pilot Fish 429
+
+Pimpla persuasoria 580
+
+Pintado 308
+
+Piophila casei 552
+
+Pipa Americana 509
+
+Pipistrelle 81
+
+Plaice 460
+
+Plant Louse 572
+
+Platalea Ajaja 359
+
+---- leucorodia 358
+
+Platessa flesus 461
+
+---- vulgaris 460
+
+Platypus, duck-billed 111
+
+Plecotus auritus 81
+
+Plover, golden 369
+
+----, grey 368
+
+Plyctolophus galeritus 303
+
+Polar, or White Bear 50
+
+Polecat 61
+
+Polypi 604
+
+Pontia Brassicæ 586
+
+Pool Snipe 361
+
+Pope 476
+
+Porcelain shells 531
+
+Porcupine 106
+
+Porpoise 412
+
+Poulpe 537
+
+Praying insects 563
+
+Prawn 546
+
+Procellaria glacialis 395
+
+Procyon lotor 51
+
+Promerooks, Grand 289
+
+Psittacus Amazonicus 300
+
+---- aracanga 300
+
+---- erythacus 298
+
+Ptarmigan 321
+
+Pteromys volucella 95
+
+Pteropus edulis 83
+
+Ptilonorhynchus holosericeus 263
+
+Puffin 398
+
+Pulex irritans 594
+
+Puma 18
+
+Pyrrhcorax graculus 274
+
+Python 503
+
+
+Q.
+
+Quagga 133
+
+Quail 318
+
+----, American 319
+
+----, Californian 319
+
+----, Chinese 319
+
+Querquedula crecca 391
+
+
+R.
+
+Rabbit, wild 93
+
+----, domestic 94
+
+Racoon 51
+
+Raia batis 422
+
+---- clavata 424
+
+Ram 146
+
+----, Wallachian 146
+
+Rana temporaria 505
+
+Rangifer Tarandus 161
+
+Rat 100
+
+----, Alpine 97
+
+----, Musk 90
+
+----, Water 102
+
+Rattle Snake 498
+
+Raven 265
+
+Red Game 320
+
+Redpole 253
+
+Redshank 361
+
+Redwing 222
+
+Reeve 364
+
+Regulus cristatus 235
+Rein-Deer 161
+
+Remora 430
+
+Rhamphastos tucanus 297
+
+Rhea Americana 340
+
+Rhinoceros unicornis 117
+
+Rhombus maximus 459
+
+Ring Dove 330
+
+---- Ouzel 224
+
+---- Paroquet 301
+
+River Fox 477
+
+---- Horse 116
+
+Roach 483
+
+Robin, or Redbreast 226
+
+Rockdove 332
+
+Roebuck 158
+
+Roller 276
+
+Rook 269
+
+Rorqual 407
+
+Ruff and Reeve 363
+
+Ruffe 476
+
+
+S.
+
+Sable 64
+
+----, American 65
+
+Salmon 463
+
+----, Pink 462
+
+Salmo fario 466
+
+---- salar 463
+
+---- salvelinus 469
+
+---- thymallus 470
+
+---- Trutta 465
+
+Sanguisuga officinalis 540
+
+Sarcorhamphus papa 195
+
+Sardine 457
+
+Satin Bower Bird 263
+
+Satyr 621
+
+Saw Fish 427
+
+Saxicola ænanthe 250
+
+---- rubetra 250
+
+Scarabeus elephas 557
+
+Sciurus vulgaris 95
+
+Scolopax gallinago 365
+
+---- rusticola 366
+
+Scomber Scomber 453
+
+Seal 69
+
+Sea Anemones 607
+
+----, Cloak 609
+
+----, Mesembryanthemum 609
+
+----, Parasitic 609
+
+----, Sea Cereus 609
+
+----, Thick-horned 609
+
+Sea-Bat 431
+
+Sea-Cow 72, 415
+
+Sea-Elephant 71
+
+Sea-Horse 442
+
+Sea-Nettles 609
+
+Sea-Owl 436
+
+Sea-Parrot 398
+
+Sea-Unicorn 414
+
+Sea-Urchin 596
+
+Sea-Wolf 431
+
+Secretary Bird 211
+
+Selachus maximus 420
+
+Sepia officinalis 535
+
+Serpentarius reptilivorus 211
+
+Serpents 493
+
+Shag 380
+
+Shaheen 207
+
+Shark 417
+
+----, Fox 421
+
+----, Greenland, or Basking 420
+
+----, Hammer-headed 421
+
+Sheep 144
+
+----, Wild, of Asia 147
+
+Ship Worm 529
+
+Shrew 78
+
+----, Water 79
+
+Shrike 217
+
+Shrimp 546
+
+Silkworm 589
+
+Silurus militaris 432
+
+Simia satyrus 173
+
+---- troglodytes 174
+
+Siren 617
+
+Sitta Europæa 281
+
+Skate 422
+
+Skegger 462
+
+Skunk 63
+
+Skylark 245
+
+Sleeper 96
+
+Sloth 107
+
+Slug, small grey 534
+
+----, black 535
+
+Smelt 471
+
+Snail, Garden 533
+
+Snake, Common 501
+
+Snipe 365
+
+Snipe-shell 532
+
+Solan Goose 381
+
+Solaster papposa 595
+
+Sole 461
+
+Solea vulgaris 461
+
+Solitaire 329
+
+Sorex araneus 78
+
+---- fodiens 79
+
+Sornateria mollissima 389
+
+Spanish Fly 561
+
+Sparling 471
+
+Sparrow 252
+Sparrowhawk 202
+
+Speniscus demersus 400
+
+Sphargis coriacea 524
+
+Sphinx 611
+
+Spider-catcher 283
+
+Spider, Diving 550
+
+----, Garden 548
+
+----, House 549
+
+Sponge 603
+
+Spoonbill 358
+
+----, American or Roseate 359
+
+Sprat 456
+
+Squalus carcharias 417
+
+Squatarola cinerea 368
+
+Squatina Angelus 426
+
+Squirrel 95
+
+----, Flying 95
+
+----, Ground 97
+
+Stag 155
+
+Stare 262
+
+Star-fish 595
+
+Starling 262
+
+Stickleback 487
+
+Stoat 62
+
+Stockdove 331
+
+Stork 350
+
+St. Peter’s Fish 449
+
+Strix flammea 216
+
+Struthio camelus 337
+
+Sturgeon 416
+
+Sturnus vulgaris 262
+
+Sucker, ocellated 437
+
+Sucking-fish 430
+
+Sula bassana 381
+
+Sun-fish 441
+
+Surnia nyctea 215
+
+Sus scrofa 118, 120
+
+Swallow 238
+
+----, Window 241
+
+Swan 383, 384
+
+Swift 243
+
+Sword-fish 433
+
+Sylvia trochilus 233
+
+Synetheres prehensilis 106
+
+Syrnium aluco 217
+
+
+T.
+
+Talegalla Lathami 312
+
+Talpa Europea 76
+
+Tapir, American 123
+
+----, Malayan 123
+
+Tarantula 550
+
+Teal 391
+
+Tegenaria domestica 549
+
+Tench 478
+
+Teredo navalis 529
+
+Testudo Græca 520
+
+Tetrao tetrix 322
+
+---- urogallus 323
+
+Tetraodon hispidus 440
+
+---- lineatus 440
+
+Thalassidroma pelagica 393
+
+Thornback 424
+
+Thresher 421
+
+Thrush, Song, or Throstle 221
+
+----, Missel 221
+
+Tichodroma muraria 283
+
+Tiger 9
+
+Tiger Cat 15
+
+Tiger Wolf 44
+
+Tinea pellionella 590
+
+Titmouse 248
+
+Tit, Long-tailed 248
+
+Toad 507
+
+----, Surinam 509
+
+Tomtit 248
+
+Torpedo vulgaris 425
+
+Tortoise, Common, or Greek 520
+
+Totanus calidris 361
+
+Toucan 297
+
+Trichechus Rosmarus 72
+
+Trigla cuculus 444
+
+---- gurnudus 445
+
+Tringa Canutus 367
+
+Tristis antiquorum 427
+
+Triton aquaticus 510
+
+---- palustris 511
+
+Trochilus colubris 287
+
+Troglodytes gorilla 176
+
+---- niger 174
+
+---- vulgaris 232
+
+Trout 466
+
+----, Alpine 469
+
+----, Salmon, Bull, or Sea 465
+
+----, Silvery 467
+
+Trunk-fish 439
+
+Turbot 459
+
+Turdus iliacus 222
+
+---- Merula 220
+
+---- musicus 221
+
+---- pilaris 223
+
+---- polyglottus 225
+
+---- torquatus 224
+
+---- viscivorus 221
+
+Turkey 306
+
+----, Brush 312
+
+Turtle, Green 521
+
+----, Hawk’s-bill 523
+
+----, Leathery 524
+
+U.
+
+Unau 108
+
+Unicorn 619
+
+Upupa epops 288
+
+---- superba 289
+
+Uraster rubens 595
+
+Ursus Americanus 45
+
+---- Arctos 46
+
+---- ferox 46
+
+---- Malayanus 48
+
+---- maritimus 50
+
+
+V.
+
+Vampire Bat 81
+
+Vanellus cristatus 371
+
+Vanessa urticæ 585
+
+Vespa vulgaris 579
+
+Vespertilio auritus 81
+
+---- noctula 80
+
+---- pipistrellus 81
+
+Vipera berus 495
+
+---- cerastes 495
+
+Viper 495
+
+----, Horned 497
+
+Viverra Civetta 54
+
+---- Genetta 55
+
+---- Zibetha 56
+
+Vulture 194
+
+---- King 195
+
+Vultur gryphus 196
+
+---- monachus 194
+
+---- papa 195
+
+
+W.
+
+Wagtail, Grey 236
+
+----, Pied 237
+
+----, Yellow Shepherdess 237
+
+Walking Leaf 565
+
+Wall Creeper 283
+
+Walrus 72
+
+Wapiti 157
+
+Wasp 578
+
+Water Hen 373
+
+---- Mites 550
+
+---- Ouzel 219
+
+Weasel 58
+
+Weevil, Corn 561
+
+----, Nut 562
+
+Whale, Fin-backed 407
+
+----, Greenland 401
+
+----, Spermaceti 407
+
+----, White 410
+
+Wheat-ear 250
+
+Whelk 331
+
+Whinchat 250
+
+Whitebait 458
+
+White-headed Eagle 189
+
+Whiting 451
+
+Widgeon 390
+
+Window Swallow 241
+
+Winter Moth 588
+
+Wivern, or Wolverine 614
+
+Wolf 40
+
+Woodcock 366
+
+Woodlark 247
+
+Woodpecker 294
+
+Wolf-Dog 37
+
+Worm, Earth 539
+
+Wren 232
+
+----, Golden-crested 235
+
+----, Willow 233
+
+Wryneck 296
+
+
+X.
+
+Xiphias gladius 433
+
+
+Y.
+
+Yellowhammer, or Yellow Bunting 249
+
+Yellow Shepherdess 237
+
+Yunx torquilla 296
+
+
+Z.
+
+Zebra 132
+
+----, Burchell’s 133
+
+Zebu, or Brahmin Bull 143
+
+Zeus faber 446
+
+Zygæna malleus 421
+
+
+LONDON: PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING
+CROSS.
+
+
+Typographical errors corrected by the etext transcriber:
+
+Les Infusories homogenes=> Les Infusories homogènes {pg xxii}
+
+that althongh immense numbers=> that although immense numbers {pg 45}
+
+the inhabitants of those pesert places=> the inhabitants of those desert
+places {pg 168}
+
+his Select Fable givess=> his Select Fable gives {pg 270}
+
+which act as alteratives=> which act as alternatives {pg 467}
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Mrs. Loudon's Entertaining Naturalist, by
+Jane Loudon
+
+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 51166 ***
generated by cgit v1.2.3 (git 2.25.1) at 2026-02-15 15:50:27 +0000