LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. Chapt Copyright Do... | 1%9 5 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. RT eS oe ae a & y ‘ joi lei ACAI hc es HAA ae I A ORS TOY Maes | ranean 8 ae eae . F; CTT & - pre iy WAZ } WTS MEP ONN a oe NATURAL HISTORY OF ANIMALS BY f. SANBORN TENNEY AND ABBY AS TENNEY ILLUSTRATED WITH FIVE HUNDRED WOOD ENGRAVINGS CHIEFLY OF NORTH AMERICAN ANIMALS at OF Ct is VP = Te Cs - s. cot R } © NOV \ | ow wo \ oan ) Sn, od 0 ae en S/ OF wast\* 14 REVISED EDITION NEW YORK -:- CINCINNATI -:- CHICAGO ZiektoAN BOOK COMPANY CopyricHt, 1895, BY THIS BRIEF ACCOUNT OF the Animal Xingdonr IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED LOTELE YOUNG pole Pele ACR. THIS little volume contains a brief account of the Animal Kingdom, and it is hoped that it may aid parents and teachers in interesting the young in the delightful and important study of Natural History. As indicated on the title page, it serves the purpose of a key to the Natural History Tablets, but is also complete in itself without the Tablets. It is proper to add that the engravings are the same, with few exceptions, as those in Tenney’s “ Manual of Zoology,” and that those of the Mammals” are mainly from Schinz, Audubon and Bachman, and Richardson; of the Birds, mainly from Audubon and Wilson; of the Reptiles and Batrachians, maifily from Holbrook; of the Fishes, from Storer, Holbrook, DeKay, and from nature; of the Insects, from Harris, Emmons, Say, Sanborn, and from nature; of the Crus- taceans, mainly from nature and Reports; of the Mol- lusks, from Binney, Woodward, Gould, Lea, Conrad, 7 8 | PREFACE. and from nature; of the Echinoderms, from nature, Agassiz, and Muller; of the Acalephs, from Agassiz; of the Polyps, from Dana, Milne-Edwards, Verrill, and from nature; and of the Protozoans, mainly from Ehrenberg and Huxley. Both this volume and the “ Elements of Zoology” already announced by Messrs. Scribner and Co., and which will combine the study of the Anatomy and Physiology of Animals with that of Descriptive Zoology, are intended to precede the Manual men- tioned above. , VASSAR COLLEGE, POUGHKEEPSIE, N. Y., August, 1866. In the present edition a.few changes have been made, as the volume is no longer to be used in con- nection with the Natural History Tablets. May, 1895. CODMEE.N-I S. PAGE. fone AL DESCRIPTION OF ANIMALS........... II VERTEBRATES, OR BACK BONED ANIMALG....... 19 UES SS 5 80 ee fo ais Pan AS ee eee Bae 22 Sn PRs ee See eee wt lee Pee 72 STUBS a 6S 114 2s CELI SSs Saas CRSA alana aera re eee ae er 120 LE cc 5 ee SES ne 124 ENE Str Na So cals ee ay Se dee oe ee Led eee 139 ARTHROPODS, OR JOINTED ANIMALS............ 139 TEI So oe og aw gies fs eee ey le Cees 139 (Fa TERE S oes Reg a eo a 193 Ta ELIE Sy et i se oe 197 0 En STL SS a ese ee ae 197 Memeo sks, OR SOFT-BODIED ANIMALS......... 203 MEEEAROPODS:. ...:-... .--.+.- ea Aer Oo et 205 on ST OEE DIS Se See ae 210 PeeteEOrOns ANT PTEROPODS. 2... -.......620002 506 222 PmMAMT AMEE AINE EIEN Sy, prc ona 5 ods pon 0 single @yepee Sek 6 223 9 IO CONTENTS. PAGE VERMES, OR WORMG........... Anne Pe 229 BRACHIOPODS, oo. bids «nes sio'sm es puaec ees > 231 POIVZOR. 2 oa eae SE sath a! | meetao Gaines as is er 232 PARASITIC (WORMS)... 3... er errr 233 ECHINODERMS, OR STARFISHES..... . 25... eee 233 HOLOTHURIANS wie. 5. 8 i he obs ee 233 ECHINOIDEA 2204 3. 2) 25 3S SER. a» a ee 234 SEA STARS. 6. ijj00 5 sie owen eles ie Se 238 OPHIURANS 6 5 0:04. -d.s!e vi, b cant tie se cla eee 240 CRINOIDS. 3.45.5 Ss. ew on eA wae See Ore 241 CC@ILENTERATES, OR LASSO-THROWERS 22.22 242 ACALEPUHS 5 «sissies odes oe na bee Sie Oe 242 POLYPS) 02000 oe choses ajar dw o's ss te tee ee te ee 252 SPONGES, «1c sck< mohair 2:3 a 265 PROTOZOANS..< nue ie coaches ee eoeraee Pee 266 CONCLUSION .2).2 7 shee on eee : Ce 269 IN DEX, «hes akiae cigs Sie asia ores Gite te see 273 NATURAL HISTORY OF ANIMALS. A GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF ANIMALS. ANIMALS are living beings which feed upon plants, —or, in many cases, upon animals whose food is plants,— and in which the sense of feeling and the power of motion are well developed. The kinds of animals are very numerous,— more numerous than the kinds of trees in the forest and the flowers of the meadows and fields; and they are of all sizes, from those so minute that thousands can sport in a drop of water, to those of large dimensions, like the Horse and the Ox, the Elephant and the Whale: and their forms are as various as their sizes and kinds. But the name Animal is given to them all, whatever their size or form, and whether they swim, creep, fly, walk, or run. Animals are most interesting objects for study, and the child as well as the man is delighted with learning their forms, structure, color, habits, and names, and soon becomes as eager as a naturalist to find a new Bird or a new Butterfly. Some kinds of animals, as Man, Cattle, Deer, Sheep, easts of Prey, Birds, Turtles, Lizards, Snakes, Frogs, and Fishes, have a backbone, and a spinal cord which is enlarged at the forward end into an organ KE GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF ANIMALS. Sea gh Fig. 2. — Bird — Duck. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF ANIMALS. 13 called the brain; and as the backbone is made up of parts called vertebrze, these animals have been named VERTEBRATES. See Figures 1-6. Fig. 3. — Turtle. Fig. 4. — Snake. Fig. 6. — Fish. Other animals, as Bees, Butterflies, Flies and all other Insects, Spiders, Mites, Crabs, Lobsters, and 14 GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF ANIMALS. Mita ta! a Fig. 7. — Butterfly. quien s Fig. 9. — Earthworm. Shrimps, are made up of a series of rings, or joints, each bearing a pair of jointed appendages, and hence are called ARTHROPODS from a word which means jointed legs. ‘See Fuenuresi7iand:s, GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF ANIMALS. 15 Fig. 12. — Snail Shell. Fig. 13. — Fresh-water Mussel. Other kinds of animals, as Squids, Snails, Mussels, Clams, and Oysters, have neither a backbone nor a jointed body; but the whole body is soft, usually with a shell outside, but sometimes without a shell, and they are called MOLLUSKS, from a word which ineans soft. See Figures 10-13. 16 GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF ANIMALS. Still other kinds of animals, as Sea Cucumbers, Sea Urchins, Sea Stars, Serpent Stars, and Crinoids are Fig. 14. — Sea Urchin. Ky \) avs gan Fig. 15. — Sea Star or Starfish, star-shaped, or flower-shaped, their parts radiating from acommon center or axis. They havea distinct stomach and their skin is usually hardened and covered with GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF ANIMALS. 17 VB —— Vf Za We Fig. 17. — Sea Anemone. Fig. 16. — Jellyfish. Fig. 18. — Coral Polyps. Fig. 19. — Coral Polyps. NAT. HIST. AN,— 2 18 GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF ANIMALS. spines. Hence they are called ECHINODERMS or Hedgehog-skinned. See Figures 14, I5. A third kind of animals, like the Earthworm (Fig. 9), is jointed, but has no jointed legs. These are called VERMES or Worms. Such are the Sea-worms (Fig. 456), the Hair Worm, and the Vinegar Eel. There is another sort of animal in which the parts radiate from a center. These are the Jellyfishes, Sea Anemones, and Coral Polyps. In these animals there are always found microscopic lassos for capturing their food. So we may call them the Lasso-throwers. The zoologists give them the long name CCLENTERATES, from the fact that the wall of the stomach is not separate from that of the body. See Figures 16-19. There is a still lower group of animals, related to the Ccelenterates. This is the type of the SPONGES. see Pipufes 511, 542. There is a group of still simpler animals, so small that they can be seen only with the aid of the micro- scope. These are called PROTOZOANS, which word means first or simplest animals. See Figures 513-520. q : : VERTEBRATES, OR BACKBONED ANIMALS. THE Vertebrates, as stated on page 11, have a back- bone made of parts, each one of which is called a vertebra. This backbone is the most important portion of a bony frame- work called the skele- ton. Upon this skeleton is placed the flesh, and outside of the whole is the skin, which is naked, or covered with hair, fur, feathers, or scales, accord- ing to the kind of ani- mal. Within the head is a wonderful organ called the brain, which has a branch called the spinal cord, extending through the body, and contained in a tube formed above the main part of the baexpone, ~From the spinal cord and _ brain there are little branches, Ealled merves; which reach to all parts of the head and body. The brain, spinal cord, and memess are called. “the nervous system, which Fig. 20.— Skeleton of the highest Vertebrate — Man. 6, 6, backbone. A single vertebra, the round white space show- ing the place of the spi- nal cord. 20 VERTEBRATES. is much the same in its general character in all verte- brates. This system as it appears in Man, the highest Fig. 22. — Nervous system of the highest Vertebrate — Man. a, principal brain, called the hemispheres; 4, vertebrate, is shown a in Fig. 22. eames inclosing the brain and spinal cord, the skeleton protects the organs for breathing and digestion, and supplies the levers by which the muscles move the animal. As the brain and spinal cord are alike in their position and © general outlines in all vertebrates, only differing in size and in degree of perfec- tion, so also are the skeletons of all ver- tebrates alike in their principal features. The backbone of one, in its position and general outlines, cor- responds to that of all the others; so smaller brain; c, spinal cord giving off its branches with the head and of nerves. limbs. The armor Man, the arm of a Monkey, the wing of a Bat, the leg of a Mole, the leg of a Dog, the paddle of a Seal, the leg of a Sheep, the paddle of a Whale, the wing of a Arm of Man Arm of Gorilla. Wing of Bat. Leg of Mole. Leg of Dog. Paddle of Seal. Leg of Sheep. Wing of Bird. Leg of Turtle. Fin of Fish. » > = Nd ‘be “Bly ‘€z ‘SLT I Aare 1 | “Le BI 9% “BLY "92 ‘S1q ‘62 ‘314 Of “SLT "IE “Sy yg Se On ceudig ae VERTEBRATES: MAMMALS. Bird, the leg of'a Turtle, and the fin of a Fish, corres pond to one another in their most important features, each being modified according to the use to which it is put. This is quite plainly seen in Figs. 23-33, where corresponding parts are marked with the same letter. The Vertebrates are divided into Mammals, Birds, Reptiles, Batrachians, and Fishes. MAMMALS. The Mammals are Vertebrates whose skin is covered with hair and which bring forth living young and nour- ish them with milk. Man, Monkeys, Beasts of Prey, Hoofed Animals, Whales, Bats, Moles, Squirrels and Rats, Sloths, Kangaroos and Opossums, and Duckbills, come under this head. They all breathe air by means of lungs, have warm blood which is sent throughout the body by means of a heart constructed like that of Man, and the neck has only seven vertebre. MaNn. Man is at the head of the Animal Kingdom. He is the only animal to whom the upright position is nat- ural; the only one which has a perfect hand; the only one whose forward extremities — arms and hands — are not used for locomotion; the only one that laughs; the only one that speaks a language; his brain is larger than that of almost any other animal,* and he can live in all countries. But Man is also far more than an animal. He has a mind and a soul and can learn much about the things which God has made. * The brain of the Elephant and of the Whale is larger than that of Man, but the animals themselves are also far larger. MONKEYS. 23 MONKEYS, OR QUADRUMANA. Apes and Monkeys are animals all of whose four feet are hand-like, as the great toe can be shut against the other toes, like a thumb. Hence comes their z = aS Fig. 34. “26 sone ee. scientific name, Quadrumana, which means /our- handed. But though these hands are well adapted for grasping and climbing, they are much inferior to the perfect hand of Man. Some kinds of Ape can stand 24 ; VERTEBRATES: MAMMALS. upright, but not firmly, for the soles of their feet nearly face each other, and cannot be brought flat to the ground like the foot of Man. About eighty kinds of Monkey live in the forests of the warm parts of Asia and Africa, and even more kinds in@sgmen Fig. 35. — Orang-outang. America. Those of Africa and Asia have thirty-two teeth, their nostrils near together, and their tail, even when present, is not capable of grasping objects. Most of the Monkeys of America have thirty-six teeth, the MONKEYS. 25 nostrils far apart, and many of them have the tail capable of grasping objects, and thus of being used in climbing and in picking up objects which cannot be reached by the hand. Monkeys live mainly on the trees, and feed upon fruits, nuts, eggs, and insects. © They are mischievous and thievish. The Chimpanzee of Western Africa is one of the Monkeys having no tail, which are called Apes. Of all its tribe, it is thought to be the most like Man; but the great African Ape, called the Gorilla, is a larger species. Although when in an upright position the Chimpanzee somewhat resembles a human being, its long muzzle and other characters separate it widely even from the lowest tribes of the human family. The Orang-outang is an Ape which inhabits Borneo, and is smaller than the Chim- Panzee.- Ihe latter may be nearly five feet high. The BRS || Fig. 37. — Kahau. Fig. 38. — Spider Monkey. Kahau of India is about the size of a large dog, and is named from its peculiar cry. The Baboons, often 26 VERTEBRATES: MAMMALS. called Dog-headed Monkeys and Mandrills, have a very long muzzle, like that of a Dog, as shown by Fig. 36. They are common in Africa; some of them - are very large and ferocious; in appearance they are the ugliest of all the Apes. The Spider Monkey of Fig. 39. — Marmosct. Fig. 40. — Lemur. South America is so called from its long, slender legs. Its long tail is of great aid in climbing. The Marmosets of Brazil are very small and curious Monkeys, with long, soft, and beautifully col- ored fur. The Lemurs, or Makis, are pretty monkey-like ani- mals, most of which live in Madagascar. The tail is quite bushy, and in many respects they much resem- ble common four-footed animals. The Aye-aye ‘is \ Z a curious monkey-like ani- Fig. 41. — Aye-aye. mal, about as large asa Cat, FLESH—EATERS. 27 which lives in Madagascar. Its incisor teeth are like those of the Rodents, its middle finger is exceedingly elongated and slender, and its tail is bushy. Some kinds of Monkeys imitate the actions of men, and their efforts of this sort are often ludicrous. FLESH-EATERS, OR CARNIVORA. These animals have their teeth and claws very sharp, and they capture and devour other animals for food. In the Cats, the back teeth, or molars, have sharp edges, and those in the two jaws shut by each other like the blades of scissors, and thus cut the flesh into pieces fit for swallowing. fieorners, like the Bears, the back teeth are fitted for grinding, and such do not live exclusively on flesh. Cats, Hyenas, Dogs, Civets, Weasels, Bears, and Seals are the chief Carnivora. Fig. 42.— Teeth of a Flesh-eater. Cats. Of all the Carnivora the Cats have the keenest senses and the quickest movements, and they are the most rapacious. Their tread is noiseless, the bottoms of their feet being like a cushion; they stealthily approach their prey, and when near enough, seize upon it witha sudden spring. The name Caz is given not only to the domestic varieties of this sort, but also to the Lion, Tiger, Panther, Leopard, Puma, Lynx, Jaguar, and Wild Cat. The Lion, Panther, and Leopard inhabit 28 VERTEBRATES: MAMMALS. Africa and Southern Asia, and the Tiger is found in Asia, the first and last being the largest of all the Cat tribe. The Puma is found from Canada to Patagonia; it is larger than the largest Dog, and preys upon Fig. 44.— Canada Lynx. deer, sheep, hares, and sometimes attacks human beings. It climbs trees, and often lies upon a limb in FLESH-EATERS. 29 wait for prey. The Jaguar inhabits South America, and is found as far north as Texas and as far south as Patagonia. The American Wild Cat and Canada Lynx much resemble each other, but the Lynx is the larger, being about three feet long, and has ears tipped with long black hairs. They feed upon small quadrupeds and birds, often pursuing the latter into tree-tops. Hyenas. Hyenas live in Africa and Asia, and are about the size of avery large Dog. They live in dens and caves, come forth at night in search of food, feeding mainly on animals which they find dead. They are ferocious and greedy, and have such stout teeth and powerful jaws that they are able to crush the bones of the largest prey, the fragments of which they swallow without masticating them. Dogs, Wolves, and Foxes. The Dog is the only animal that has followed man to all parts of the world. The varieties are numerous, and differ from one another greatly in their appearance and habits. Some of the most distinct varieties are the Greyhound, St. Bernard, Newfoundland, Eskimo, Shepherd Dog, Fox Terrier, Deerhound, Bloodhound, peamter setter, Pointer, Poodle, Terrier, Mastiff, etc. The Dog is noted for its sagacity, courage, and faith- fulness. Wolves are ferocious and greedy animals, about the size of a large Dog. They often hunt in companies or packs, and thus are able to kill animals which singly they could not master. In newly settled parts of the 30 VERTEBRATES: MAMMALS. country, they destroy sheep, calves and other animals of the farm. The White and Gray Wolf is found in nearly all the thinly settled regions of North America. The Prairie Wolf is common in the regions west of the Mississippi River. Foxes are distinguished from all the rest of the Dog family by their pointed muzzle and large bushy tail. They are the most sly and crafty of all animals, con- triving to steal turkeys, geese, chickens and whatever they want to eat, and carry them away to their lurking- places in the woods and thickets. They are hunted with hounds, which go in swift pursuit, while the hunter, knowing the habits of the animal, conceals himself in some valley or other locality where the fox will be almost sure to pass, and when it comes near enough shoots him down. But it must be stated that, in many cases, the shrewd movements of the fox deceive both the hunter and the dogs. If captured alive, which rarely happens, and struck while it is ina situation from which it cannot escape, the fox feigns itself dead, though unhurt, and when its captor is off his guard, will jump up and run away. FLESH-EATERS. 31 Civets. Civets are about the size of the house Cat, and with one exception belong to the Old World. The Civet of @evy, Sh Texas and California is of a grayish color, its tail being white with black rings. It lives upon the trees, is lively and playful, and, though shy, is easily tamed, and some- Sa, times kept as a pet. Fig. 46. — Civet. Fishers, Martens or Sables, Weasels, Otters, etc. These animals have, in most cases, a slender body, and long soft fur, especially in winter. They are quick in movement, and destructive to other small animals. The American Fisher is about the size of a Cat, but with a much more slender body, and is nearly black. The American Sable, or Pine Marten, of the Northern States and Canada, is much smaller than the Fisher, of cert ee aan 27s Fig. 4 47. — Weasel. Fig. 48. — American Sable. a brownish-yellow color, and is celebrated for its beau- tiful and valuable fur, which is generally called the Hudson Bay sable. The fur known as the Russian sable comes from a very similar animal which lives in Siberia. The Pine Marten delights in dense woods, 32 VERTEBRATES: MAMMALS. where it pursues and captures hares, birds, and squir- rels, swiftly following the latter even among the tree- tops. Its retreats, especially in winter, are hollow trees, and it is often seen by the hunter sitting with the head just out of its hole. If shot while in this position, it falls back into the hole and is lost; so the hunter, knowing its habits, walks slowly around the tree; the sable comes out to gratify its curiosity by a look at the hunter, and is then shot and falls to the ground. More than a hundred thousand skins of this animal have been collected in northern North America in a single year. True Weasels vary from five inches to a foot in length, and are generally brown in summer and white in win- ter, the tail tipped with black. There are half a dozen kinds in North America. The fur known as ermine is furnished by the Weasels, the most valuable coming from Siberia. Weasels are generally bold, courageous, and extremely bloodthirsty, eagerly attacking animals much larger than themselves. They destroy rats and birds, and commit great havoc among poultry, a single individual having been known to kill fifty chickens in one night and the evening of the following day, and to kill several chickens in a coop near which a man was standing. Minks are about a foot and a half long to the tail, and are dark brown or black. They are found about ponds and streams, and their fur is very beautiful, and is often sold under the name of American Fig. 49 — Mink. sable. FLESH-EATERS. 33 The Wolverine, found in the Northern States and Canada, and in the northern part of Europe and Asia, == Se = Fig. 50. — Wolverine. is about three feet long, of a dark color, and is very powerful and ferocious when attacked. It is very troublesome to sable hunters, breaking down their wooden traps, and eating the bait and game. It is so shrewd that it scarcely ever enters the trap, and hence is not often caught. Fig. 51. — American Otter. NAT. HIST. AN.— 3 34 VERTEBRATES: MAMMAUZS: Otters live in and about the water, and feed upon fish. They are sportive in their disposition, and amuse themselves by “sliding down hill.”” Selecting a steep bank of a river, they slide head foremost into the water, and repeat the operation many times, appa- rently with delight. Otters are three or four feet long from the nose to the tip of the tail, the color dark brown, and the fur is of two kinds, one short, fine, and thick, the other long, coarse, and scattered. When taken young, Otters are easily tamed, and become so familiar that they will lie in the lap like a cat. Skunks are found only in America, and are notorious on ac- count of their disagreeable odor. They are a foot and a half long to the tail, and the color is black and white. They live in burrows, and seek their food at night, eat- ing beetles and other small in- sects, and eggs. Since their food consists so largely of insects, they are useful to the farmer. Their fur is also of commer- cial value. Fig. 52. — Skunk. Fig. 53. — American Badger. 35 FLESH-EATERS. ss a Bear. izzly . — Gri Fig. 54 36 VERTEBRATES: MAMMALS. The Badger of western North America is about two feet long, with a stout body and short tail, and its color is gray. The hair is long, extending on the hind part of the body so as nearly to conceal the tail. Badgers live in burrows, and dig with astonishing rapidity. Bears and Raccoons. Bears and others. of this family walk on the sole of the foot. They feed upon flesh, berries, and roots. The Raccoon of the United States is about as large as a middle-sized Dog, with a thick body, looking some- what like a small Bear with a long tail; the color is grayish, and the tail is ringed with = black and dingy white. Ne Sh — Nis Bears are very large. Fig. 55. — Raccoon. The Grizzly, of the Rocky Mountains, is six or eight feet in length, and weighs in some cases eight hundred pounds, and the nails or claws are six inches long. It is the most powerful animal in America, and when wounded is very dangerous to the hunter. It has been seen to drag away a large bison, after killing it. The Black Bear of the Northern States is much smaller than the Grizzly and less ferocious, seldom attacking men when not molested; but if disturbed when accompa- nied by its cubs, it fights very savagely. | Seals and the Walrus. The Seals and the Walrus live in the sea, but often come upon the rocks and ice-banks to lie in the sun- HOOFED ANIMALS. 37 shine. The head of the Seal much resembles that of a Dog, and its eyes are beautiful and intelligent in ap- pearance. When taken young, Seals are easily tamed, and become attached and obedient to those who feed Fig. 56. == Seal. them, coming at call and performing curious feats ac- cording to their master’s directions. Some years ago, in a large tank of sea water in the Aquarial Gardens at Boston were two seals called “ Ned” and “ Fanny,” which were so tame that they would come to the keeper at call and allow him to handle them, would shoulder a miniature musket, turn the crank of a hand organ, shake hands with the bystanders, and ‘“ Ned,” espe- cially, would even “throw a kiss” to the ladies. Seals feed upon fish, and always eat in the water. They are from three to twenty feet long. The Walrus has a body as large as the largest Ox, and is covered with short brown hair. Two of its upper teeth, the canines, or eyeteeth, in the male grow to be tusks two feet long. These tusks assist in climbing upon the ice-banks, serve as a means of defense, and promi securing food. The Walrus is found. in the Arctic Ocean. Their skins, oil, and ivory are valuable. Hoorep ANIMALS, OR UNGULATES. These are Mammals which feed wholly upon vegeta- tion, and which have hoofed feet, and use their limbs 38 VERTEBRATES: MAMMALS. only for standing, walking, and running. Some of them, as the Hog, Deer, Antelopes, SheepyaGoats: and Oxen, have the foot divided or cleft, forming an even number of toes. Most Ungulates of this sort chew the cud, and from the latter fact are known as Ruminants, a.-name which means cud-chewers. Others, as the Horse, Ass, and Rhinoceros, have only one toe or an odd number of toes. There are thus two groups of Hoofed Mammals, the odd-toed and even-toed Ungulates. Most of the domestic animals belong to the Ungulates. Hogs. The Hog has four toes,—although only two are used in walking,—a long snout, coarse bristles, a simple stomach, and teeth fitted for a mixed diet. ‘There are incisor teeth in both jaws; the grinders are capped with rounded elevations. The purely herbivorous Cat- tle and Horses have ridges of enamel on the grinders. There are numerous kinds of Hogs, more than fifteen having been described, mostly from the old world. The Wild Boar of Europe is the race from which our Domestic Hog has sprung. Perhaps other species have been tamed in other parts of the world. Many nat- uralists think that the Hog of China and Eastern Asia came from another species. The crossing of this form with our native Hogs has given rise to many of the best breeds. The wild Hogs of America are quite different from the Wild Boar, and are small animals, called Peccaries. They are chiefly found in South America, but one kind is found as far north as northern Texas. CUD-CHEWERS. 39 Hippopotami. - The Hippopotamus is a huge hog-like animal, living in the rivers of Africa. It measures as much as twelve feet in length. It lives in herds of twenty to forty individuals in the beds and near the banks of rivers, where it finds its food. This is chiefly grass and water plants, of which it consumes an immense quantity, as its stomach can hold five or six bushels. In places inhabited by man it often does great harm to the fields and gardens, whose products it prefers to the wild vegetation. CUD-CHEWERS, OR RUMINANTS. The remainder of the even-toed Ungulates are called Ruminants, from the fact that they chew the cud. The stomach has four divisions. The food goes into the first of these, the paunch, when first swallowed, and is afterwards brought up and chewed again. When swallowed the second time it goes into the true stomach, where it is digested. To this group belong Camels, Deer, Oxen, Sheep, Goats, and Antelopes. Camels and Llamas. The Camel is a native of Central and Southern Asia, and, from the earliest times, has rendered such impor- tant services to the inhabitants of the East in carrying merchandise across the deserts, that it has been called the “ship of the desert.’’ Its feet are fitted for travel- ing in the sand, being covered with horny pads rather than with hoofs. Its strength and power of endurance are very great, it can live on the coarsest and most 40 VERTEBRATES: MAMMALS. scanty vegetation, and travel for days without drinking. It can carry from five hundred to one thousand pounds. Fig. 57. — Llama. The Camel is larger than the Horse, and stands very high. There are two kinds,—one with two large humps upon the back, and the other with only one hump. Both live in the Old World and are found only as domesticated animals. The Llamas inhabit the Andes of South America, | are much smaller than the Camel, being only four or five feet high, and have no hump. They live in herds, and are tamed and used as beasts of burden. The Alpaca is a variety of Llama with long woolly hair, which furnishes material for valuable fabrics. This is also a domestic animal; there are also wild forms known as the Guanaco and the Vicuna. Deer. The Moose, Reindeer, Deer, and Elk all belong to the Deer family. The males have solid, bony horns CUD-CHEWERS. 4I called antlers, which they shed once a year, new and larger ones growing to take the places of those which have been shed. SS Fig. 58. — Moose. The Moose is the largest of all the Deer kind. It is as large as a Horse, and has an exceedingly long head, large flattened horns, and very long legs. It travels with an awkward gait, but with great speed, easily mak- ing its way through deep snows, bushes, over brush- heaps, fallen trees, fences, and whatever obstructions lie in its path. It was quite common in some parts of 42 VERTEBRATES: MAMMALS. Maine, northern New York, and Canada, but is rapidly disappearing, The color is grayish brown. The Reindeer is a much smaller animal than the Moose, being about five feet long and three feet high. It has become celebrated for the services it renders the Laplanders, who keep large herds of Reindeer, and use them for beasts of burden and for drawing their sledges. Their milk and flesh are good for food, and their skins are used for clothing. They are very hardy animals, Fig. 59. — American Reindeer, or Caribou. and subsist on the coarsest fare, eating the tender por- tions of shrubs in summer, and in winter scraping the snow from the ground and feeding upon the “reindeer moss.” The American Reindeer, or Caribou, of Maine and Canada, and other northern parts of North Amer- ica, is by some thought to be’of the same kind as the CUD-CHEWERS. 43 one found in Lapland. Unlike their relatives, both the male and the female Reindeer have horns. The American Elk, or Wapiti, is another kind of Deer which lives in the wooded regions of the north- ern parts of North America. It is nearly as large as the Moose, and has horns five or six feet long, and very much branched. . ey es (ee Ree Fig. 60.— American Elk, or Wapiti. — xs 8 The Common Deer, of the wild regions of the United States, is one of the most beautiful and graceful of all its family. Itis very timid, and, when alarmed, bounds swiftly away. It is about the size of a Sheep, but with a much more slender body and much longer legs. It 44 VERTEBRATES: MAMMALS. is hunted in the autumn and winter, and great num- bers are sent to the markets. Its flesh is called veni- son, and is highly prized for food. Fig. 61. — Common, or Virginia, Deer. The Musk Deer inhabits Thi- bet, and is much smaller than the Common Deer, and has no horns. In each side “on gene upper jaw are long canine or eyeteeth, like tusks. The musk used in making perfumery is furnished by this animal. It ‘is contained in a pouch on WES SO Fig. 62, — Musk Deer. the under side of the body. VES Antelopes. Antelopes are found in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America, but are most numerous in southern CUD-CHEWERS. AS Africa, where there are many kinds, and where herds of thousands are sometimes seen together. Their horns are hollow, composed of horn, and are variously wrinkled and curved. Antelopes vary in size from those as small as a Deer to those as large as a Horse. Most of the Antelopes belong to Africa. The Pronghorn Antelope, of the Rocky Mountains, is larger than a Sheep, with much longer neck and legs. Its hair is coarse and thick. It gets its name from the Fig. 63. — Pronghorn Antelope. prong, or branch, oneach horn. This animal was found at times in large numbers, herds of a thousand and more having often beenseen. The progress of settle- ment has exterminated the antelope over much of the region which it once inhabited and in which it was so abundant. It sheds its horns annually, and is the only Antelope which does so. The Mountain Goat of the Rocky Mountains, is an Antelope, and not a true Goat, as one would suppose 46 VERTEBRATES: MAMMALS from its name. It is, however, nearly allied to the Goats. It is entirely white, except its horns and hoofs, which are black. Its fleece is long and very fine, being equal in quality to that of the celebrated Cashmere Goat. It inhabits the lofty peaks of the mountains, frequenting the steepest places. Fig. 64.— Rocky Mountain Goat. The Gazelle, of Africa and Asia, is about the size of a small Deer, and is celebrated for its beautiful and graceful form, and for its large, dark, and lustrous Fig. 66. — Chamois. CUD-CHEWERS. 47 eyes. The Orientals, or inhabitants of the East, com- pliment a lady by comparing her eyes to those of the Gazelle. When taken young, though wild and timid, it is easily tamed, and becomes a great favorite. The Chamois, of the high mountains of western Europe, is about the size of a goat, of a dark brown color, and its horns, towards the summit, are bent back- wards like a hook. It is very shy, and on the slightest alarm bounds swiftly away over rocks and glaciers, along dizzy heights, where it would seem no animal could get a foothold, often leaping upon a rock just large enough to receive its four feet placed together. Sheep and Goats. ‘Sheep have the horns angular and directed back- a? Fig. 67. — Mountain Sheep, or Big-horn, 48 VERTEBRATES: MAMMALS. ward, then spirally curved forward, and _ yellowish- brown in color. The Mountain Sheep, or Big-horn, of the Rocky Mountains, is much larger than the Domestic Sheep, and has very large horns. The hair is of a gray color and very coarse. Goats have the horns directed upward and _ back- ward, and the chin usually has a long beard. The wild kinds live upon high and rugged mountains, most of them in Asia. The Wild Goat of Persia is supposed to be the parent of the common Domestic Goat. The Cashmere Goat of Thibet is celebrated for its fine wool. Its hair is long and silky; under it is a delicate gray wool, of which the costly Cashmere shawls are made. The Musk Ox. The Musk Ox, of Arctic America, is of the size of a small Cow, with very long, dark-brown, silky hair. It lives in herds, sometimes numbering nearly one hun- dred. It feeds upon grass in the mild season, and in \ CUD-CHEWERS. 49 winter upon mosses and lichens, from the steep sides of hills blown bare by the winds, and up which it climbs with agility. In spite of its name, it is more nearly related to the Sheep than to the true Ox. The Bison, or American Buffalo. The Bison, or Buffalo, of the western plains, is the largest quadruped of America, being of the size of a large Ox. It is covered with thick dark hair, that about Fig. 69. — Bison, or American Buffalo. the head and shoulders being long and shaggy. At the time of the discovery of America, the Buffalo was found even to the shores of the Atlantic. It was not uncommon to see the prairies covered with Buffaloes as far as the eye could reach; travelers have passed through herds of them for days in succession, with scarcely any apparent lessening of their numbers. Their paths re- sembled traveled roads; and as their routes, in most cases, extended in a straight line from one convenient crossing-place of a river or ravine to another, taking NAT Hist. AN.— 4 50 VERTEBRATES: MAMMALS. springs or streams in their course, they used to serve as highways of travel to the explorers of the plains. The Buffalo is now nearly extinct. At present there are only a few hundred alive, most of them in Yellow- stone Park. As soon as the railways were built across the continent they were rapidly exterminated, being hunted for their skins. Oxen. The true Ox is known only as a domesticated animal, although there are some half-wild herds in certain parks in England which may represent the wild stock from which the Domestic Cattle came. In the time of Cesar, wild Cattle were abundant in the forests of Europe. Perhaps the Zebu, or “ Sacred Cattle of India,” hada different source, as there are several wild forms of Cattle in Asia, nearly related to the Domestic Ox. OpDD-TOED UNGULATES. The Horse, Ass, and Zebra. In the Horse and its allies, the weight of the body is carried by the middle toe, the third in each foot. The second and fourth toes are represented by the splint bones. There are incisor teeth in each jaw and the stomach is simple. The Horse has been found in a wild state in the high plateaus of Central Asia, and perhaps this form repre- sents the ancestor of the Domestic Horse. The wild Horses of America are the offspring of domesticated animals. A great amount of variation has been pro- duced by man in the size, structure and habits of the ODD-TOED UNGULATES. 51 Horse. The size of different breeds ranges from the Shetland Pony, weighing hardly 150 pounds, to the Draught Horse, weighing nearly a ton. Equally great are differences in speed and bodily proportions. The Ass is a native of the Old World, where it is still found wild in Asia and northern Africa. It was one of the earliest animals to be tamed by man. The striped Zebras, of which there are three or four kinds, are all inhabitants of Africa. None of them have ever been domesticated. The Rhinoceros. The Rhinoceros is readily recognized by the horn placed onthe nose. This horn differs in structure from those of either the Deer or the Ox. In the Deer, the horn or antler is made of true bone and is shed and re- placed annually. In the Ox, the horn is developed from the skin, is hollow, and is borne on a bony core. It is not shed. The horn of the Rhinoceros is also per- manent, but is composed of hair-like fibers fastened together. In some kinds of Rhinoceros there are two horns placed one behind the other. The forward horn may be as much as four feet long. The animal has three toes on each foot. The skin is very thick and is arranged in shield-like folds in the Indian Rhinoceros. In the African forms this arrange- ment is not found, though the skin is exceedingly dense and is used by the natives for shields. The Rhinoceros is the largest animal after the Ele- phant. Some are over fifteen feet long and six or more feet high. Even these, however, probably weigh but little more than the Hippopotamus. 52 VERTEBRATES: MAMMALS. In former geological times, the Rhinoceros lived in Europe and northern Asia. It was adapted to a cold climate by a thick coat of long hair and wool. Its body has been found preserved in the frozen soil of Siberia. Tapirs. The Tapirs are found in Central and South America and in the Malay Islands. They are large, heavy animals living in swamps and wet places, feeding on vegetation. They conceal themselves by day. They are hunted for the sake of their flesh and hides. ELEPHANTS, OR PROBOSCIDEA. The Elephant is the largest land animal, being some- times nearly ten feet in height and weighing over 8,000 pounds. The name of the group comes from the proboscis, or trunk, which is the greatly elongated nose. The head is very large and the neck is short, so that all food and water are obtained by the trunk. There are five toes on each foot, although there are not so many hoofs. The Asiatic Elephant has four hoofs on each foot, while the African form has only three on the hind feet. The tusks of the Elephant are its incisor teeth. Most of the ivory of commerce comes from Africa, where perhaps one hundred thousand Elephants are annually killed for their ivory. The tusks of the African Ele: phant are much larger than those of the Asiatic, and are borne by both males and females, while only the male of the Asiatic Elephant has tusks. The Asiatic Elephant is further distinguished from the African, by the fact that the forehead is concave WHALES. 53 and the ears far smaller than those of its African rela- tive. The Asiatic form has been tamed from very early times, and many stories are told of its strength and sagacity. The African Elephant was tamed by the ancient Egyptians, but no nation at present employs it in domestic service. The Elephant rarely breeds in captivity, and the supply is kept up by annual hunts for new animals, which are soon tamed and set to work. The Elephants are now far less widely distributed over the world than in former times. The Mastodon and Elephant were formerly found both in America and Europe, even after the coming of man to those regions. In France a piece of the tusk of the Elephant has been found with a picture scratched upon it of the Elephant, drawn by some prehistoric artist. WHALES, OR CETACEANS. These Mammals live in the water, have their limbs paddle-like and fitted for swimming, and their whole appearance is fishlike; but they are true mammals, nourishing their young with milk, breathing air for which they come often to the surface of the water, and their blood is warm. Most of them are large, some being the largest of living animals. They are covered with a smooth skin. They breathe through a hole, or holes, on the top of the back part of the head, through which some kinds spout spray to great heights. Right and Sperm Whales. The Greenland, or Right, Whale attains the length of sixty or seventy feet. It has no real teeth, but in the upper jaw are rows of upright horny plates, called 54 VERTEBRATES: MAMMALS. whalebone, which are fringed on their inner edges. Its food is small marine animals. Swimming through schools of these, the Whale takes millions into its mouth at once, and strains off the water through the whalebone plates, leaving the food in its mouth. This Whale supplies Fig. 70. — Skull the Right eile icc, whale Whale, showing the and also furnishes more oil whalebone. than any other. Its home is in cool and frigid seas. The great Sperm Whale, of the warm parts of the ocean, is fully equal to the Right Whale in size. The upper jaw has neither teeth nor whalebone, but the ~~ — -- Fig. 71.— Head of the Sperm Whale. lower has teeth. In the upper portion of the head there are cavities filled with oil, which hardens when cool and is known as spermaceti. The body yields sperm oil. Ambergris, a substance used by chemists in making perfumery, is found in the intestines of this Whale. The spouting, or blowing, is different in these two Whales; for the Right Whale has two blow-holes on the top of the head, and the spout goes straight up or 7 a Ww) WHALES. 56 VERTEBRATES: MAMMALS. turns backward ; the Sperm Whale has only one blow- hole at the end of the nose, and sends up a low bushy spout, which turns forward. The spout is caused by the condensation of water from the lungs and by the water which lies in the blow-hole, which is violently forced out and blown into spray. No Whale takes water into the mouth and blows it out at the nostrils. The chase of the Whale was formerly a very impor- tant industry in which many American vessels were engaged. It is estimated that more than a quarter of a million Whales were killed between 1835 and 1878. The Whales are now far less abundant and the demand for their products is far smaller. The whalebone is probably now more valuable than the oil. Nowadays, the Whale is hunted with the steam whaler and killed by harpoon guns and bomb lances. Off the coast of Norway, the smaller kinds of Whale are hunted with steam tugs, which tow their catch to the harbor. Dolphins, Porpoises, and the White Whale. These animals live in herds, and prey upon fishes. The Common Dolphin is about eight feet long, black Fig. 73. — Dolphin. above and white below. The ancients believed this animal to be very docile and fond of music. The BATS. D, White Whale lives in the northern seas, and is from ten to twenty feet long. It often ascends rivers, and Fig. 74. — White Whale. feeisequently seen in the St. Lawrence. One about ten feet long, was kept for two years in the Aquarial Gardens in Boston. He was quite docile, knew his keeper, would take food from his hand, was trained to a harness, and drew a car prepared for the purpose. The Mammals already described are mostly of large size; we now come to the smaller ones. BaTs, OR CHEIROPTERA. Bats are animals which have a thin skin reaching from the arm to the hind legs, and extending to the ends of their long fingers. By means of this skin they can fly as easily as birds, and their flight is noiseless Fig. 75. — Hoary Bat. and rapid. The body is covered with soft fur. Their eyes are very small, their ears large, and the thumb has 58 VERTEBRATES: MAMMALS. a sharp hook. Inthe daytime they stay in caves, hollow trees, or other dark places, hanging by their hooks, or by the sharp claws of their hind feet. Bats can fly through the most winding and crooked passages with- out harm, even after their eyes have been destroyed. Some of the larger Bats of the East Indies eat fruits and birds, but most kinds feed upon insects, which they are catching when we see them flitting in the dusk of evening. The Red, and the Hoary Bat, three on four inches long, are common in North America. INSECT-EATERS, OR INSECTIVORA. The Insect-eaters include the Shrews, Moles, and Hedgehogs. Many naturalists also place here the Gale- Fig. 77. — Teeth of an Insect- eater. Galeopithecus. opithecus, a curious batlike animal found on trees in the Indian Archipelago. The Insectivora sleep during the day, and go forth at night in search of food. In cool regions, many of them sleep all winter. Shrews. Shrews are little mouselike animals, — some of them smaller than the smallest Mice,— with a long and taper- INSECT-EATERS. 59 ing head and soft silky fur. They live under rubbish or dig homes in the ground, are very quarrelsome, and Fig. 78. — Thompson’s Shrew. Fig. 79. — Water Shrew. if two are confined together the weaker is soon killed. North America has more than a dozen kinds. Moles. Moles have a stout, thick body; short, strong legs; a short tail; and very large fore feet fitted for digging. They feed on earthworms and insects. Their long burrows are their hunting grounds, which they range in fearen of food. Their eyes are very small, and their fur is soft, thick, and menwer tee. The Shrew Mole of North America is of the size of a very large Mouse, and its eyes are so small that many suppose it to be blind. The hole for the eye is only about the size of a hair, and the eyeballs are smaller than a mus- tard seed. The Star-nosed Mole is about the size of Fig. 80. -— Shrew Mole. Fig. 81. — Nose of Star-nosed Fig. 82. — Skull of Star-nosed Mole. Mole. the Shrew Mole, and is so named from the form of the end of the nose, which is star-shaped. 60 VERTEBRATES: MAMMALS. Hedgehogs. These animals are short and thick, and the back is covered with spines. When alarmed, they take the Fig. 83. — Madagascar Hedgehog, or Tenrec. form of a ball, presenting the spines in every direction, to ward off attacks. They sleep during the day in concealed places, and come forth at night to feed upon insects, fruits, and roots. In cold climates they sleep all winter. They live in the Old World and are all small, the European Hedgehog being about ten inches long. The so-called American Hedgehog is a Porcupine. GNAWERS, OR RODENTS. The Rodents are readily known by their teeth. In each jaw they have the two front ones chisel-shaped, GNAWERS. 61 and between these and the grinders there is a wide Space without teeth. The cutting teeth have the hard enamel only on the front of the tooth; thus they wear in such a man- Mer that the more they are used the sharper they become, and they grow at the base as fast as they wear away Zend at the top. Hundreds of Rodents are Fig. 85.—Skull of known, most of which are small. a Rodent. The Rodents include the Squirrels, Gophers, Wood- chucks, Rats and Mice, Porcupines, Hares, etc. Squirrels. Squirrels are small and very pretty animals, with large bright eyes, long ears, divided upper lip, and long bushy tail. They are lightly built, agile, and live in trees, feeding upon fruits and nuts. There are about one hundred kinds in North America, many new kinds having recently been discovered. The most prominent are the large Fox Squirrels of the Middle, South- ern, and Western States, and the well-known Gray, Red, and Flying Squirrels found over a large part of the United States. The Gray Squirrels are noted for their occasional ex- tensive migrations. Assemb- ling in large numbers, they cross the country, swimming Fig. 86. — Gray Squirrel. 62 VERTEBRATES :° MAMMAULS. rivers, and turning aside for no obstacle. Gray squirrels occur of every shade from gray to jet black. The Red Squirrel is seen at all seasons and in all weathers. In the northern forests, the deepest snows of winter are soon covered with its tracks, and pene- trated by holes bored to find the cones of spruce and pine, and the nuts scattered or hidden beneath. It often sits for hours upon a stump or limb of a tree, and, holding a cone or nut in its fore paws, gnaws it briskly till it gets all the food it contains. If disturbed while upon the ground, this squirrel runs up the nearest tree, leaping from branch to branch, and tree to tree, soon passing out of sight. Sometimes, when startled, it commences chattering with great fury, and leaping about as if in defiance of the intruder. The Flying Squirrels have a thin skin, or membrane, covered with fur, which extends along the sides of the body between the fore and hind legs, and which, when spread out, serves as a support in leaping from tree to tree, and enables them to perform a sort of flight. They are nocturnal, and therefore not oftenseen. Their nests are made in the hollows of trees, where large companies often live to- gether. The Common Flying Squirrel of the United States is about five inches long, and the | fur is soft, silky, and yellowish brown. It is quite easily tamed, and, being gentle and very beautiful, makes a pleasant pet. The Striped Squirrels have cheek-pouches, in which they carry grain and nuts to their holes, and they have a shorter and less bushy tail than the others. The Fig. 87.— Flying Squirrel. GNAWERS. 63 Common Striped Squirrel, or Chipmunk, is about five inches long to the tail, and the color is yellowish gray with five black stripes on the back and sides. In au- Fig. 88. — Striped Squirrel, or Chipmunk. tumn the Chipmunks may be seen with their cheek- pouches full of nuts or grain, which they store up for winter, at which time they remain in their holes. Gophers. The Striped Gopher, of Michigan and westward, is a very beautiful animal, about the size of the Red Squir- rel, of a dark brown color, with light lines and rows of light spots. It livesin burrows, and when alarmed pops into its hole with achirp. The Prairie Dog is larger than the Striped Gopher, appearing somewhat like a small Woodchuck. It utters a sharp chirp, called bark- Fig. 89. — Striped Gopher. Fig: 90. — Prairie Dax, 64 VERTEBRATES: MAMMALS. ing; hence its name. It lives in burrows, and large nitasers are found together, forming communities called dog towns. Before each hole is a little hill of earth, upon which the Prairie Dog sits on the lookout for intruders. At the slightest alarm it dives into its hole, but soon reappears. Their holes are also the home of the Burrowing Owls and Rattlesnakes. The Pocket Gopher, Pouched Rat, or Geomys, of the prairies of the Western States, is nine of tem tenes long, with large front teeth, strong fore feet, and a short tail. Opening on the outside of the mouth are large a vals Dia Fig. gt.— Pocket Gopher. cheek-pouches, which reach back even to the shoulders; and these pouches are lined with fur, and are entirely different from the much smaller cheek-pouches of the Striped Gopher, which open within the mouth. The Pocket Gopher throws up a mound of earth which, in some instances, is ten feet in diameter, and two feet high; and within this mound is its nest, where it rears its young. From the mound it digs numerous gal- leries in different directions, one or two feet below the surface of the ground. It uses its curious pouches for carrying food, and for carrying away the earth which it removes in digging its galleries. Coming to the sur- face with its pouches full of earth, it empties them so quickly as to puzzle the looker-on, and instantly re- treats into its hole. Pocket Gophers feed mainly upon GNAWERS. 65 the roots of plants. They are savage and offer battle to man. If two are placed together, they instantly attack each other, and the stronger eats up the weaker. Beavers. Beavers are about three feet long to the tail, and are the largest of the Rodents, excepting an animal called the Capybara which lives about the rivers of South America. Beavers havea flat, scaly tail, and are wholly aquatic in their habits. Their food is chiefly bark and aquatic plants. Their teeth are very sharp and Fig. 92 — American Beaver. powerful, enabling them to gnaw down trees of the hardest wood. Beavers prefer running water, that the wood which they cut may be carried to the desired spot. They keep the water at a given height by dams, built of trees and branches mixed with stones and mud; winter houses are built of the same materials. Each house consists of two stories; the upper is above water and dry, and serves asashelter; the lower is be- NAT. HIST. AN.— 5 06 VERTEBRATES: MAMMALS. neath the water, and contains stores of barks and roots; the only opening is beneath the water. The Beaver is reddish-brown; the fur is soft and fine. It lives in unsettled parts of North America, but is nearly extinct. Rats and Mice. There are more than three hundred kinds of these animals, all of which are small. More than one hun- dred and fifty kinds inhabit North America. They devour all sorts of edible substances, animal as well as vegetable, and some even attack living animals. The largest, except the Muskrat, is the Norway, Brown, or Wharf Rat, originally from Asia, but now exceedingly abundant in Europe and in this country. —- Fig. 93. ~ White-footed Mouse. The Black Rat, which was introduced into this coun- try from Europe more than three hundred years ago, is nearly as large as the Brown, and was formerly the most common large Rat in stores, houses, barns, and other buildings, but has now nearly disappeared before its more powerful rival, the Brown Rat, which pursues, captures and devours it. If a rat gets wounded, his companions, instead of aiding him, fall upon and devour him. The Roof Rat, of the Southern States, originally from Egypt, where it lives in the thatched roofs of the houses; the House Mouse, originally from . Asia, but now found in all countries; the Harvest GNAWERS. 67 Mouse, the White-footed Mouse, the Field Mouse, and the Jumping Mouse, are other kinds which are found in the United States, but which cannot be described here forwant of room. For further description, see Tenney’s Manual of Zoology. The Jumping Mouse, however, is too interesting to be omitted. It is found over a large part of North America, and is about three inches long to the tail, which, in some instances, is even six inches in length. Its color is yellowish-brown, lined with EA | If iy SP go ? y y 4 on Th te 2 WEE Fig. 94. — American Jumping Mouse. black, the lower parts white. It moves by very long and rapid leaps. It is found in the meadows and grain-fields. The Muskrat, mentioned above, is very common about ponds, rivers, and brooks in North America. It is a foot long, besides the tail, which is about as long as the body, and the color is dark brown above and rusty brown below. The fur is now sold under the name of river sable. Muskrats build winter houses of mud, sticks, and grass, the entrance being beneath the water, and leading to a dry apartment above. Porcupines,. Porcupines are distinguished from all other Rodents by their spines, or quills, which are very sharp. The North American Porcupine is about two feet long, 68 VERTEBRATES: MAMMALS. brown in color, with long white-tipped hairs, and has the tail and upper parts covered with white spines. It lives in hollow trees and in holes among the rocks, and readily climbs trees. It. eats bark, leaves, and green corn. It is often called the Hedgehog, but is a very different animal from the true Hedgehog (p. 60). See Figure 95. The Crested Porcupine, of Southern Eu- rope, has quills nearly a foot long. “G\ / Vi — American Porcupine. fy) Fig. 95. Hares. Hares are found in nearly all countries. In America there are about thirty kinds. They are timid, and have a habit of stamping with the hind feet when alarmed. The Common Hare, or White Rabbit, about twenty inches long, is brown in summer, and white in winter. It lives in the thick swamps, rarely enters holes when pursued, but depends for safety upon its TOOTHLESS MAMMALS: MARSUPIALS. 69 fleetness. It always follows the same paths. The Gray Rabbit is smaller and does not turn white in winter. TOOTHLESS MAMMALS, OR EDENTATES. The Edentates are Sloths, Armadillos, and Ant-eaters. Some of these animals have no teeth, and others are only destitute of front teeth. Many of them have a bony or scaly covering. They live in warm countries. Armadillos, The word Armadillo means clad in armor, and is given to these animals on account of their bony or horny covering. They live mainly in the warm and “ide LE BZA Ze Wie AUN pes = — SS Fig. 96. — Nine-banded Armadillo. hot parts of South America, dig burrows, and feed upon vegetables, carrion, insects, and worms. The Nine-banded Armadillo is about two feet long, and is fouNdeas far north as Texas. MARSUPIALS. The Marsupials have a pouch, or sack, beneath the body, in which the young are kept fora time after they are born; even after they are able to walk they re- sort to the pouch of the mother when danger is near. With the exception of the Opossums of America, all the Marsupials are in Australia and adjacent islands. 70 VERTEBRATES: MAMMALS. Opossums. Opossums are small animals, the largest being scarcely larger than the Common Cat, and the smallest but little larger thana Mouse. They feed upon birds, bird’s eggs, insects, and other small animals. The tail is long and is capable of being twisted around objects, thus aiding in climbing. The Opossum of the United States is about the size of a Cat, the hair whitish with brown tips. Ba It often lies motionless for hours in d WAN the warm sunshine. When slightly “SS wounded it has the habit of feigning Fig. 97.— Opossum. . : ie itself dead, or “playing ’possum, and often escapes from the inexperienced hunter. Kangaroos. Kangaroos are Marsupials which are remarkable for the great development of their hinder parts, — the hind MONOTREMES. fi legs and tail being very long and powerful, and the fore legs very short, weak, and but little used in locomotion, which is accomplished by leaps of enormous extent. They live in troops, feed upon vegetation, and are harm- less and easily tamed. They vary in size from that of a Rabbit to that of a Deer. Fig. 99. — Wombat. Fig. 100. — Skull of Wombat. The Wombat isa curious Australian animal, three feet long. Its habits are not unlike those of the Wood- chuck; it feeds upon grass, and burrows in the ground. MONOTREMES. These are animals which vary much from all other Mammals, having their organic structure in some re- spects much like that of Birds. They belong to Aus- tralia and adjacent islands. One of the most interesting Fig. 101. — Pecebal ae Platypus. kinds is called the Duckbill, or sometimes Platypus. Its muzzle is flat and appears very much like that of a Duck, its legs are short, its feet webbed, and its body is 72 VERTEBRATES: BERDS. covered with short, brown fur. It is less than two feet long, lives about ponds and streams, and digs burrows in the banks. Its young are born from eggs which it lays in its burrows. The only other member of this group, the Spiny Ant-eater of New Guinea, lays an egg which it carries in its pouch until hatched. BIRDS. Of all animals, perhaps, none are more interesting to both young and old than Birds. Their presence in the fields and hedges, the groves and forests, their beau- tiful and splendid colors, their sweet songs, and their curious and wonderful habits, charm and delight all. Birds are egg-laying vertebrates which are covered with feathers, furnished with a bill, and fitted for flight,—their form as well as their structure being adapted for easy and rapid movement through the ----Crown. 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