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Mr.  Hugo  Holland 


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MRS.  LOUDON'S 

ENTERTAINING    NATURALIST, 


POPULAR  DESCRIPTIONS,  TALES,  AND 
ANECDOTES 


OF    MORE    THAN 


FIVE   HUNDRED  ANIMALS. 


A  NEW  EDITION,  REVISED  AND  ENIARGED, 


BY 

W.  S.  DALLAS,  F.L.S. 


LONDON: 
LL  &  DALDY,  6,  YORK  STREET,  GOVENT  GARDEN, 

1867. 


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As 

L6 

1867 


9034  7^ 


LONDON:   PRINTED   BY    WILLIAM   CLOWES   AND  SONS,    STAMFORD   STREET 
AND  CHARING   CROSS. 


PREFACE. 


Mrs.  Loudon's  Entertaining  Naturalist  has  been  so  de- 
servedly 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  Ani- 
mals adapt  it  well  for  use  as  an  elementary  Manual  of 
the  Natural  History  of  the  Animal  Kingdom  for  the  use 
of  the  Young. 


INTBODUCTION. 


Zoology  is  that  branch  of  Natural  History  which  treats  of  animals, 
and  embraces  not  only  their  structure  and  functions,  their  habits,  in- 
stincts, 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  Linnaeus  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. 

L1NNMAN  SYSTEM. 

According  to  the  system  of  Linnaeus,  the  objects  comprehended  within 
the  animal  kingdom  were  divided  into  six  classes  :  Mammalia  or  Mam- 
miferous  Animals,  Birds,  Amphibia  or  Amphibious  Animals,  Fishes. 
Insects,  and  Worms,  which  were  thus  distinguished  : 

Classes. 

{u^  t>i^j  (Viviparous I.  Mammalia. 

Hot  Bl00d 1  Oviparous II.  Birds. 

n  m     a  tu™h      i  With  lungs III.  Amphibia. 

Cold  red  Blood    .{Wlthgill3b IV.  Fishks. 

sai  I  t.t..,  L  ,         n  u     u-t    t>i     a  (Having  antenna;..     V.  Insects. 

I  Withoutvertebr*.  .Cold  white  Blood  {  Havin»  tentliCnl&      yj   WoRMg 

OEDEES  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 
Jtacea. 

This  class  was  divided  by  Linnaeus  into  seven  Orders  :  viz.  primates, 
tta,  ferce,  gltresy  pecora,  belluce,  and  ceiacea  (this  order  was  called 
}ete  by  Linnaeus)  or  whales.  The  characteristics  of  these  were 
founded,  for  the  most  part,  on  the  number  and  arrangement  of  the 


viii  Introduction. 

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.  Fer.^. — 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.  Gi-ires.— 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.  Bellu.*:.— 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  ex- 
ternally 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. 

Linnaeus  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  (Piece).—  Having  their  bills  sharp  at  the  edge,  somewhat  com- 

pressed 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. 


Introduction.  ix 

IV.  Gallinaceous  Birds  (Gallince). — 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  (  Grallce). — 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,  Linnaeus  arranged  such  animals 
as  have  a  cold,  and,  generally,  naked  body,  a  lurid  colour,  and  nau- 
seous smell.  They  respire  chiefly  by  lungs,  but  they  have  the  power 
of  suspending  respiration  for  a  long  time.  They  are  extremely  tena- 
cious 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  pro- 
tected 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 
shod  their  skins  at  certain  times  of  the  year.  Several  of  them  are  fur- 
nished 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  Linnaeus  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  breath- 
ing by  means  of  gills.      These  are  true  Fishes,  principally  of 
the  group  termed  Chondroptert/pii,  or  Cartilaginous  Fishes,  by 
Cuvier. 


Introduction. 


ORDERS  OF  FISHES. 

Fishes  constituted  Linnaeus'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  Linnaeus  into  four  Orders  : 

I.  Apodal.— Having  no  central  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  Linnaeus  comprised  the  Insects  ;  and  the  branch  of 
Zoology  which  treats  of  them  is  calledEntomology.  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  Linnoeus  in  the  insects,  issue  from  the  egg  in  nearly  a 
perfect  state. 

Linnaeus  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  crusta- 

ceous, 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. 


Introduction. 


XI 


V.  Htmenopterous. — Having  four  membranous  and  semi-trans- 
parent 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  Linnaean  class  consisted  of  Worms,  or  Vermes. 
These  are  slow  of  motion,  and  have  soft  and  fleshy  bodies.  Some  ot 
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  Linnaeus  into  five  Orders : 

I.  Lntestina. — 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  cal- 

careous 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  divi- 
sions, which  are  subdivided  into  classes  and  orders,  as  follows : — 


Divisions  Classes  No.  of  Orders 

I.  Vertebrata.         )  J'  Mammalia Nine. 

Four  Classes.     Twenty-  \  i'  £vef.;. S,1X' 

seven  Orders.      *  f  £ePtlha £?"r; 

;  4.  Pisces Eight. 


xii  Introduction. 

Divisions  Classes  No.  of  Orders 

II.  Mollusc  a.  \  1.  Cephalopoda One. 

I  2.  Pteropoda One. 

Six  Classes.     Fifteen     I  3.  Gasteropoda Nine. 

Orders.  [  4.  Acephala Two. 

I  5.  Brachiopoda One. 

6.  Cirrhopoda One. 

III.  Articulata.       \  1.  Annelides Three. 

I  2.  Crustacea Seven. 

Four  Classes.     Twenty-  j  3.  Arachnida Two. 

four  Orders.  J  4.  Insecta Twelve. 

nr    i?,.^T.m.                i  !•  Echinodermata  ....  Two. 

IV.  Ramata.  2    Entozoa Two 

Five  Classes.    Eleven  J'  ^Jf1"8 ^L 

Orrlprq  4-  ^olYVl Three. 

Orders.  )  5>  Infusoria Tw0# 


THE  VERTEBRATED  ANIMALS 

Have  a  backbone  divided  into  vertebra?  or  joints,  whence  they  take 
their  name.  They  have  also  separate  senses  for  hearing,  seeing,  tast- 
ing, 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  mammae,  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  distin- 
guished : — 

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.  Camivora,  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  Camivora  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,  in- 
cluding the  wolf  and  the  fox  ;  the  weasel  family  ;  the  civet-cats  ; 
and  the  hyaena. 

3.  The  Amphibia,  consisting  of  the  seals,  and  other  allied  animals. 


Introduction.  xiii 

V.  Marsupialia,  including  the  opossums  and  the  kangaroos. 

VI.  Monothrema,  containing  the  Echidna  and  Ornithorhynchus  of 
Australia. 

VII.  Rodent  ia,  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. —  JJngulaled  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  AYES,  OR  BIRDS, 

Lay  eggs  from  which  their  young  are  hatched  by  what  is  called  incu- 
bation. 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.  Insessoresf  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. 


xiv  Introduction. 

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  pro- 
tectingfleshy  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.  Gtallatores,  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  con- 
sidered to  form  distinct  orders,  called  respectively  Columlce  and 
Cursores. 

THE  KEPTILIA, 

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.  Chelanian  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  ex- 
panded ;  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. 


Introduction.  xv 

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  croco- 
diles 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  fre- 
quently 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  denned  by  Cuvier  to  be  vertebrated  animals  with  red 
blood,  breathing  through  the  medium  of  water  by  means  of  their 
branchiae  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  re- 
quire 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  scft-finned  fishes,  with  the  ventral  fins 

Ion  the  abdomen  behind  the  pectorals. 
Malacopterygii  sub-brachiati,  or  soft-finned  fishes,  with  the  ventral 
fins  under  the  gills. 
Malacopterygii  apodes,  or  soft-finned  fishes,  without  ventral  fins. 
Lophobranchii,  or  fishes  with  tufted  gills. 


ClIONDROPTERYGII,    OR    CARTILAGINOUS   FlSHES. 

Cyclostomi,  or  fishes  with  jaws  fixed  in  an  immovable  ring,  and  with 

holes  for  the  gills. 
Selachii,  or  fishes  with  movable  jaws  and  holes  for  the  gills. 
Sturiones,  with  the  branchiae  in  the  usual  form. 


xvi  Introduction. 

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,  bouito,  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  Malacop- 
teryyii  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. 

1'he  3Ialacopterygii  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  con- 
sists 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,  winch 
is  not  distinct  trom  the  boiy,  and  on  which  they  crawl.  There 
is  only  one  order,  which  includes  the  cuttle-fish,  nautilus,  and 
beiemnites. 

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  Hyalaea,  the  shell  of  which  is  com- 
monly called  Venus's  chariot. 

3.  Gasteropoda,  or  Body-footed  31ollusca.    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. 


Introduction.  xvii 

4.  Acephala,  or  Headless  Mollusca.     These  animals  have  no  apparent 

head,  and  breathe  by  means  of  branchiae,  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  branchiae,  and  their  respi- 
ration is  effected  by  the  agency  of  the  mantle.  They  have  two 
spiral  arms. 

6.  Clrrhopoda,  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  modem 
naturalists  having  proved  them  to  be  true  articulated  animals 
most  nearly  related  to  the  Crustacea. 

THE  AKTICULATED  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  Eotifera.'] 

The  Annelida,  or  Red-blooded  Worms,  have  no  heart,  properly  so 
called,  but  have  sometimes  one  or  more  fleshy  ventricles.  They 
breathe  through  branchiae.  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  ovo- 
viviparous.  Their  study  is  called  Helminthology.  As  examples 
of  the  three  orders  of  this  class  may  be  mentioned  the  serpulae 
or  worm-like  animals,  often  found  on  shells,  the  common  earth- 
worm, and  the  leech  family. 

The  Crustacea  comprise  the  shell-fish  commonly  called  crabs, 
lobsters,  shrimps,  and  prawns.  They  have  a  distinct  head,  fur- 
nished with  antennae,  eyes,  and  mouth :  and  their  bodies  are 

C 


xviii  Introduction. 

covered  with  a  crust  or  shell,  divided  into  segments  by  trans- 
verse incisions,  the  segments  being  united  by  a  strong  mem- 
brane. 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  ex- 
traordinary 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, 
maxillae  four ;  mouth  with  a  labrum. 

Sub-section  I.  Podophthalma,  eyes  on  foot-stalks. 
Order  1.  Decapoda,  legs  ten. 

Sub-order  1.  Brachyuray  the  crabs. 
Sub-order  2.  Macroura,  the  lobsters. 
Order  2.  Stomapoda,  legs  more  than  ten. 

Sub-section  11.  Edriophthalma,  eyes  not  on  foot-stalks. 
Order  3.  Amphipoda,  body  compressed  ;  mandibles  palpigerous. 
Order  4.  Lcemodipoda,  abdomen  rudimental,  with  only  the  rudiments 

of  one  or  two  pairs  of  appendages. 
Order  5.  Isopoda,  body  depressed ;  abdominal  appendages  flat ;  man- 
dibles not  palpigerous. 

Section  II.    Entomostraca. 
Shell  not  solid ;  legs  variable  in  number ;  mouth  variable. 
Order  6.  Branehiopoda.  Integuments  horny,  branchiae  feathery,  form- 
ing part  of  the  feet. 
It  is  to  this  division  of  the  Crustacea  that  the  Cirrhopoda  are  now 
referred. 
Order  7.  Peecilopoda,  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  meta- 
morphosis, and  never  acquiring  any  new  kinds  of  organs.  It  is 
now  known,  however,  that  some  mites  undergo  a  sort  of  meta- 
morphosis, 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.  Puhnonarice.  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 


Introduction.  xix 

distinct  families :  viz.  Araneides,  comprising  all  the  spider? 
and  spinners ;  and  Pedipalpi,  comprising  the  tarantula  and 
scorpions. 

Order  II.  Trachearim.  These  Arachnides  are  distinguished  hy  then 
respiratory  organs,  which  consist  of  radiated  or  branched 
tracheae,  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  contradis- 
tinction to  the  Annelides,  the  bodies  of  which  present  no  such 
divisions.  The  true  insects  are  defined  as  animals  without 
vertebrae,  possessing  six  feet,  with  a  distinct  head  furnished 
with  antennae,  and  breathing  through  stigmatic  openings,  which 
lead  to  interior  tracheae.  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  masti- 
cators, and  are  all  provided  with  mandibles  or  projecting  jaws, 
and  maxillae. 

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  maxillae. 

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  cicadae  or  froghoppers,  and  the  aphides.  These  insects  have 
neither  mandibles  nor  maxillae,  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  man- 
dibles and  maxillae. 

5.  Hymen:>pteru.,  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  maxillae,  and  the  abdomen  is  terminated  either  by  an  ovi- 
positor or  a  sting. 

Lrpidoptera,  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. 


xx  Introduction. 

7.  Strepsiptera  or  Bhipiptera,  with  twisted  wings.    These  creatures  re- 

semble the  ichneumon,  in  laying  their  eggs  in  the  bodies  oi 
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.  Sucioria,  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  wood- 
work, 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.  Mi/riapoda.    This  order  is  made  a  separate  class  by  many  natural- 

ists, 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  prin- 
cipal insects  in  this  order  are  included  in  the  Linnaean  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,  how- 
ever, 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  Myria- 
poda,  which  are  also  without  wings,  do  not  undergo  any  metamor- 
phosis. 

THE  KADIATED  ANIMALS 

Are  so  called  because  their  organs  of  locomotion,  and  even  their  inter- 
nal 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  : 


Introduction.  xxi 

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  fur- 
nished 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  cir- 
culate. 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  ten- 
tacula, by  the  aid  of  which  the  star-fish  manages  to  crawl  back- 
wards, 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  spe- 
cimens 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  Parenchyma- 
teux,  or  flat  worms ;  such  as  the  fluke  in  sheep  and  the  tape- 
worm in  human  beings.  The  Entozoa  are  now  universally  re- 
garded as  belonging  to  the  Articulated  or  Annulose  division  of 
the  animal  kingdom. 

III.  AcalephcB,  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  phos- 
phorescent 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  com- 

pound zoophytes,  with  the  Sponges.  Of  these  the  Flustrce,  or 
Sea  Mats,  and  numerous  allied  species,  have  since  been  recog- 


xxii  Introduction, 

nised  as  belonging  rather  to  the  Mollusca,  and  the  Sponges  to  a 
distinct  and  lower  group  of  animals  than  tlie  Kadiata;  the  re- 
mainder 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  arrange- 
ment 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  Acalephce 
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  pos- 
session of  an  alimentary  cavity  with  only  a  single  orifice.  To 
these  the  name  of  Ctclenterata  has  been  given.  They  are 
divided  into  two  classes  :  I.  The  Anthozoa,  or  Polyps,  in- 
cluding the  orders  Helianthoida  and  Asteroida  ;  and  II.  The 
Hxduozoa,  composed  of  the  Hydroid  Polyps  and  Acalephae, 
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  ar- 
ranged them  in  two  orders,  one  of  which  he  called  Les  Rotiferes, 
and  the  other  Les  Infusories  homogenes,  but  the  first  of  these  divi- 
sions 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  un- 
certain state.  The  three  principal  classes  are  those  of  the  Infu- 
soria, the  Sponges,  and  the  Rhizopoda  ;  but  there  are  other  forms 
which  will  not  admit  of  being  brought  under  any  of  these  deno- 
minations. 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  ex- 
ceedingly simple  in  their  structure,  their  history  often  possesses 
much  interest. 


EXPLANATION 


TERMS  USED  IN  NATURAL  HISTORY. 


Abdomen. 

The  part  of  the  body  containing  the  organs  of  diges- 

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. 

Antenna. 

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. 

Branchice. 

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. 

XXIV 


Explanation  of  Terms. 


Cervical. 

Belonging  to  the  neck. 

Cetaceous. 

Of  the  whale  kind. 

Cilia. 

Microscopic  filaments,  which,  by  their  constant  vibra- 

tion, 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  insect*  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. 

Explanation  of  Terms. 


XXV 


Lunate. 

Crescent-shaped . 

Mandible3. 

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. 

Prcdaceous. 

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. 

Stdure. 

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; 

XXVI 


Explanation  of  Terms. 


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  OP  THE  ANIMALS  DESCRIBED. 


%*  Where  no  synonyme  is  given,  the  Linnsean  name  is  the  only  one  in 
use;  and  when  the  synonymes  are  seldom  used,  they  are  marked  thus  *. 
When  no  Linnaean  name  is  given,  the  animal  was  not  described  by  Linnaeus 


Section  I.— CARNIVOROUS,  OR  FLESH-EATING  ANIMALS. 

English  Name              Linnaean  Name                        Synonymes  Page 

Lion  .         .         .     Felis  Leo       .         .  *Leo  vulgaris.— Leach       .  1 

Lioness      .         .        Ibid.  ...           .....  7 

Tiger         .         .     Felis  Tigris 9 

Leopard    .         .     Felis  Leopardus     .           .....  12 

Panther    .         .     Felis  Tardus . 13 

Ounce Felis  Uncia. — Schreb.        .  14 

Ocelot       .         .     Felis  Pardalis 14 

HorCHGE^AliAR?'}FeIisJubata  '         '     Cynailurusjubatus.-JT^.  15 

Jaguar      .         .     Felis  Onca     . 16 

r  Felis  Puma.—  Trail        .) 

Poma          .         .     Felis  concolor        .<  *Leo  Americanus.—  Her.  .  >  18 

(*Punia  concolor. — Jard.  .J 

Common  Lvnx    .     Felis  Lynx     .         .     *Lyncus  vulgaris.  —  Gray  19 

rANAnT*N  Lynx                                        3   Felis  Canadensis.—  Geoff.  \  iq 
Canadian  Lynx          .         .         .         .  j*Lyncus  Canadensis.—  Gray  \  19 

Caracal Felis  Caracal.—  Schreb.  .  20 

Domestic  Cat Felis  domestica      .         .  20 

Wild  Cat.         .     Felis  Catus 22 

jv                            \  Canis  familiaris  and )  23 

Shepherd's  Dog 23 

Bloodhound       .....                    ....  25 

Foxhound 27 

Pointer 28 

Mastiff 29 

Bulldog 30 

Terrier 31 


xxvm 


Contents. 


English  Name 

Spaniel 
Water  Spaniel 
Newfoundland 

Dog 
Greyhound 
Fox   . 
Arctic  Fox 
Wolf 
Jackal 

Striped  Hyaena 
Spotted  Hyaena 
Black  Bear 
Grisly  Bear 
Brown  Bear 
Malayan       Sun 

Bear 
Polar  Bear 
Racoon 
Badger 
Coati-Mondi 
Civet 
Genet 
Oriental  Civet 
Ichneumon,       or 

Egyptian  Man 

GOUSTE      . 

Weasel     . 

Ferret 
Polecat     . 
Ermine 

Skunk 

Sable 

Marten 
Otter 
Sea  Otter. 

Seal  . 


Linnaean  Name 


Synonymes 


Canis  Vulpes 
Canis  lagopus 
Canis  Lupus 
Canis  aureus 
Canis  Hyaena 

Ursus  Americanus 


Vulpes  vulgaris.  - 
Vulpes  lagopus 
"Lupus  vulgaris 


-Briss. 


Hyaena  striata. — Zimm. 
Hyaena  Crocuta 


Ursus  ferox 


Ursus  Arctos 


I   • 


Ursus  Lotor  . 
Ursus  Meles  . 
Viverra  Nasua 


Viverra  Genetta 
Viverra  Zibetha 


Ursus  Malay  anus     . 

Ursus  maritimus. —  Gmel 
Procyon  Lotor.  —Cuv. 
Meles  Taxus. — Blum. 
Nasua  narica. — F.  Cuv. 
Viverra  Civetta. — Schreb 
Genetta  vulgaris. —  Cuv. 


Viverra  Ichneumon    Herpestes  Ichneumon 


Mustela  vulgaris 
Mustela  furo  . 
Mustela  putorius 
Mustela  erminea 


♦Viverra  furo. — Shaw 
Putorius  vulgaris. —  Cuv. 


Mustela  or  Mephitis  Ame 
ricana  . 


Walrus 


5  Mustela  or  Martes  | 
I     Zibellina    .         .  I 
Mustela  Martes 
Mustela  Lutra 
Mustela  Lutris 

Phoca  vitulina 

{ Trichechus  Rosma- 
/     rus     . 


Martes  feina. —  Gray. 
Lutra  vulgaris. — Erxl. 
Enhydra  Lutris. —  Gray 
*  Phoca  variegata. — Niel 

Calocephalus  vitulinus.- 

Cuv. 


} 


Hedgehog  . 

Mole 
Shrew 
Water  Shrew 


Section  II.— IS  SECT-EATING  ANIMALS. 
\  Erinaceus       Euro- ) 
'  i     paeus  .  |        *         *        *        " 

Talpa  Europaea      .     Talpa  vulgaris. — Briss. 


Sorex  araneus 
Sorex  fodiens 


Bat   . 

PlPISTRELLE 

Long-eared  Bat 


Section  1II.-CHE1ROPTEROUS  ANIMALS. 

.     Vespertilio  noctula 


Vespertilio  Pipistrellus 
Vespertilio  auritus.     Plecotus  auritus. —  Gray 


32 
33 

34 

36 
37 
39 
40 
42 
43 
44 
45 
46 
46 

48 

50 
51 
53 
53 
54 
55 
56 


72 


Contents. 


xxix 


English  Name  Linnaean  Name  Synonymes  Page 

VampyreRat  j    .VetSr^tiH°     .SPeC;|Ph^°ma    ^eCtrmn-[    .82 
Kalong  Bat Pteropus  edulis. — Pe'ron.  83 

Section  IV.— MARSUPIALIA,  OR  POUCH-BEARING  ANIMALS. 

(Macropus      giganteus.  — "| 
Tr.„„A„„„  j      Shaw  and  Cuv.  *H alma-!       QA 

KangAR0° \     turns.  -Illig.  and  *Kan-f      84 

\     gurus. — Desm.       .  .) 

Opossum     .         .  j  Di£f       ]"*>;} 86 

Phalanger Phalangista  vulpina. — Desm.    87 

Section  V.-RODENTIA,  OR  GNAWING  ANIMALS. 

Beaver      .         .     Castor  Fiber .  88 

C  Fiber     zibethicus.  —  Des.^i 

Musk  Rat X     Ondatra      zibethica.  —  >  90 

(_     Lacep.  .         .         .) 

Hare  .         .     Lepus  timidus 91 

Rabbit  {Wild)  .     Lepus  cuniculus 93 

Rabbit  {Domestic)      ....  .....  94 

Squirrel    .         .     Sciurus  vulgaris      .  .....  95 

Dormouse.         .     Mus  avellanarius   .  \  Mg™^  musoardinus.  -  £  Q6 

MprNME°RATr  ^[Musmarmotta       . )  Ax^\      Mamo^-lj     97 

TCaviacobaya.— P«ZZ.Cavia"| 
Guinea-pig         .     Mus  porcellus         .<      aperea. — Erxl.     Hydro-  >     98 

(^     choerus  aperea.— F.Cuv. J 
Mouse        .         .     Mus  musculus         .  .....        99 

Rat   .         .         .     Mus  decumanus 100 

{Mus     aquaticus.  —  Briss.  \ 
*  Lemmus  aquaticus.  —  F.  J 
Cuv. —  Arvicola    amphi-  \    102 
bia. — Desm.  and  Jenyas.  j 
Arvicola  aqnatica.-i*7e/rt.  I 
Lemming    .         .     Mus  Lemmus  .     Myodes  Lemmus.— Pall.  .       103 

Jerboa \  DiPus       ^oa.-Gmel.) 

}      Mus  sagitta.— Pall.        .  \ 

Chinchilla Chinchilla  lanigera  .         .       103 

Porcupine  .     Hystrix  cristata     .  .....       106 

Couendou  .         .     Hystrix  prehensilis      Synetheres  prehensilis.: — Cuv.106 

Section  VI.— EDENTATA,  OR  TOOTHLESS  ANIMALS. 

Sloth         .  i  Bradypus       tridac-/ 1Q7 

Armadillo         .     Dasypus  sexcinctus  .         .         ,       109 

Ant-eater  .  J  W£™eCOphaga  ju"[ 110 

Duck  -  billed      )  '  f  Ornithorhyncus       para-} 

Platypus         .(     '         '         '         'i    doxus.-PW   Platypus  V  111 
J  (_    anatinus. — Shaw.    .         .) 


XXX 


Contents. 


Section  VII.— PACHYDERMATA,  OR  THICK-SKINNED  ANIMALS. 


English  Name 
Elephant  . 
Hippopotamus, 
or  Rivek  Horse 

Rhinoceros 

Hog  (Domestic) 

Wild  Boar 

Babiroussa 

Peccary 

Tapir 

Horse 


Mule 

Kiang 

Zebra 


Bull 
Cow  . 
Wild  Bull 


Linnaean  Name 

Elephas  Indicus 
)  Hippopotamus  am' 
\      phibius 
\  Rhinoceros  unicor 
(     nis 

Sus  scrofa 

Sus  scrofa 

Sus  Babyrussa 


Synonymes 


Equus  caballus 
Equus  Asinus 


Equus  Zebra 


Section  VIII.— RUMINATING  ANIMALS. 


Bos    Taurus,     var 
domesticus 


Buffalo     . 

Bison 

Brahmin     Bull,  £ 

or  Zebu  . 
Sheep 
Ram  . 
Wallachian  Ram 
Argali,  or  Wild  / 

Sheep  of  Asia  £ 
Goat. 

Ibex,  or  Boquetin 
Antelope  . 
Gazelle  . 
Chamois  . 
Nyl  Ghau. 
Gnu  . 
Stag  . 


Bos    Taurus, 

Scoticus 
Bos  Bubalus 
Bos  Bonasus 
Bos     Taurus, 

Indicus 
Ovis  Aries 


Ovis  Ammon 

Capra  Hircus 
Capra  Ibex    . 
Capra  Cervicapra 
Capra  Dorcas 
Capra  rupicapra 


Cervus  Elaphus 


Wapiti 


Roebuck    . 
Fallow  Deer 
Elk   . 

Reindeer  . 

Axis  . 
Musk  Deer 

Giraffe     . 


Cervus  capreolus 
Cervus  Dama 
Cervus  /Vices 

Cervus  Tarandus 


iMoschus  moschi 
*  (     ferus  . 

\  Cervus  Camelcpar 
'  \     dalis  . 


Sus  aper.— Briss. 
Babirussa  Alfurus.- 
Dicotyles  labiatus.  - 
Tapirus  Americanus 


Asinus  vulgaris. —  Gray 


Equus  Hemionus.— Pall 


Bubalus  Caffer 
Bison  Bonasus 


KCapra  ovis. — Blum, 


Less. 
Cuv. 
-Schreb. 


Antilope  Cervicapra. — Pall. 
Antilope  Dorcas — Pall. 
Antilope  rupicapra.—  Pall. 
Antilope  picta. — Pall. 
Antilope  Gnu. —  Gmel. 

{Cervius  Canadensis.-  Gmel 
♦Cervus  strongyloceros.— 
Schres  . 


{  *Cervus  Rangifer.  —  Ray 
I    Rangifer  Tarandus 
Cervus  axis    . 


I  Camelopardalis  Giraffa.— 
\       Gmel    . 


113 
116 

117 

118 
120 
122 
122 
123 
124 
127 
130 
131 
132 


134 

136 

137 

139 
141 

143 

144 
146 
146 

147 

147 
148 
149 
150 
151 
152 
154 
155 

157 

158 
159 
160 

161 

163  ( 

163 

164 


Contents. 


xxxi 


English  Name  Linnasan  Name  Synonymes  Page 

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 

*■— \Cyz^$:rim-.\  ™ 

Proboscis    Mon-)  _         _  Nasalislarvatus.-G«#.  .  180 

KEY  .  .  j  •*' 

Diana  Monke*  .     Simia  Diana  .         .  j  Ceg^ecns     Diana>  ~  (  180 

C"kPeUyCHIN    M0N"  I  Simia  Capucina      .     Cebus  capucinus.— JDes.  .  182 

Spider  Monkey  .     Simia  Paniscus      .     Ateles  Paniscus. —  Geoff.  .  182 

°mozet  °^MAR"  [  Simia  Jacchus        .     Jacchus  vulgaris.-  Geoff.  183 

Marikina  .         .     Simia  Rosalia         .     Jacchus  Rosalia       .         .  183 

Lemur        .         .     Lemur  Macaco 184 

Mongoos Lemur  albifrons.  — Creo^f.  184 


BOOK  II. 

INHABITANTS  OF  THE  AIR. 


Section  I.— Raptores.— DIURNAL  BIRDS  OF  PREY. 


Golden  Eagle  . 
Sea  Eagle 

Bald  Eagle 

Osprey,  or  Fish- 
ing Hawk 
Black  Eagle     . 
Vulture    . 

Condor 

Buzzard    . 
Honey  Buzzard. 
Goshawk  . 

Sparrow-hawk  . 


Falco  chrysaetos    . 
Falco  albicilla 

Falco  leucocephalus 

Falco  haliaetus 

Falco  melanaetos 
Vultur  Papa  . 

Vultur  Gryphus 

Falco  Buteo  . 
Falco  apivorus 
Falco  palumbarius 

Falco  Nisus  . 


Kite  .         .         .     Falco  Milvus 
Jer  Falcon        .     Falco  Gyrfalco 
Peregrine  FALCONFalco  peregrinus 

Merlin      .         .     Falco  session . 


Aquila  chrysaetos   . 

Haliaeetus  albicilla. — Sav. 
\  Haliaeetus  leucocephalus. 
I     — Sav. 

Pandion  haliaetus. —  Cuv. 


Sarcorhampus  Papa. — Dum. 
{  Sarcorhampus  Gryphus. —  / 
l      Dum.  .         .         .         .  £ 

Buteo  vulgaris. — Beeh.     . 

Pernis  apivorus. — Cuv.     . 

Astur  palumbarius.— Bech. 
\  Accipiter  Nisus. — Pall.  } 
\      Nisus  communis—  Cuv.  ) 

Milvus  regalis.— Cmw. 

Falco  isiandicus 


Hypotriorchis 
—  Gray 


oa  sal  on. 


185 

188 

189 

191 

194 
195 

196 

197 

199 
200 

202 

203 
204 
205 

208 


XXX11 


Contents. 


English  Name 
Kestrel    . 


Linnaean  Name 
Falco  Tinnunculus 


Synonymes 

Tinnunculus     alaudarius. 
—  Gray. 
S  Serpentarius  reptilivorus. 
Secretary  Bird         .         .         .         .  <      Baud. 

Hen  Harrier     .     Falco  cyaneus         .     Circus  cyaneus — Bole 
Section  II.— NOCTURNAL  BIRDS  OF  PREY. 
Horned  Owe     .     Strix  Bubo     .         .     Bubo  maximus.— Flem.    . 
^HTwyOwI     .[  Strix  nyctex.         .     Surnia  Nyctea  -Selby       . 
Barn  Owe  . 


Strix  flamraea 
III.— INSESSORES, 
Lanius  excubitor 


OR  PERCHING  BIRDS. 


Butcher- Bird, 
or  Shrike 

Water      Ouzel, 
or  Dipper 

Blackbird 
Missel  Thrush  . 
Redwing  . 
Fieldfare 
Ring  Ouzel 
Mocking  Bird    . 

Redbreast 


Sturnus  Cinclus 

Turdus  Merula 
Turdus  viscivorus  . 
Turdus  iliacus 
Turdus  pilaris 
Turdus  torquatus  . 
Turdus  polyglottus 

Motacilla  rubecula. 


f  Turdus  Cinclus.—  Lath. 
<  Merula  aquatica. — Briss. 
(^  Cinclus  aquaticus. — Bech. 


Nightingale 


Blackcap 


1 


Wren 


Wagtail 
Red  Wagtails  . 
Swallow    . 
Martin 
Swift 

Goatsucker 

Skylark    . 
Woodlark 
Titmouse   . 
Long-tailed  Tit 
Yellow  Hammer 


C  Sylvia  rubecula. — Lath. 
}  Erythacus  rubecula 
f  Sylvia  luscinia.  —  Lath. 
Motacilla  luscinia  .  <  Curruea  luscinia  -Bech. 

(.Philomela  luscinia 
Motacilla       atrica-  V  Sylvia. — Lath,    and    Cur 
pilla  .         .         ,}      ruca  atricapilla — Bech 
f  Sylvia.  —  Lath.       Troglo 
{  Motacilla     Troglo- 1      dytes  Europaeus.—  Cuv 
'  }     dytes.         .         .  |      Troglodytes  vulgaris.— 
{      Flem. 

\  Sylvia     trochilus,— Lath 
}  Regulus  trochilus. —  Cuv 

Regulus  cristatus. —  Will 
Motacilla  boarula 


} 


Motacilla  trochilus 


Willow  Wren 

GWrenCRESTED.  (  Motacilla  Regulus 
Grey        Water  1 


Wheatear 


>      '         *         * 

H  irundo  rustica 
Hirundo  urbica 
H  irundo  apus 

{ Caprimulgus  Euro 

I     pseus . 
Alauda  arvensis 
Alauda  arborea 
Parus  coeruleus 
Parus  caudatus 
Emberiza  citrinella 

Motacilla  OSnanthe 


Cypselus  apus 


Silvia  OSnanthe. 
Saxicola  GSnanthe 


Lath. 
Bech. 


Page 

210 

211 
213 

214 
215 

216 

217 

•  219 

220 
221 
222 
223 
224 
225 

226 
228 
231 

232 

233 
235 

236 

237 
233 
241 
243 

244 

245 

247 
248 
248 
249 

250 


Contents. 


xxxm 


English  Name 
Whinciiat 
Sparrow    . 

Linnet 

Canary  Bihd 

Chaffinch 

Bullfinch. 


Goldfinch 

Crossbill 
Starling    . 

Satin         Bower  } 
Bird       .         .  \ 

Raven 

Crow 

Rook 

Jackdaw    .       ■  . 

Magpie 

Chough 

Jay    . 

Roller 
Kingfisher 
Biro  of  Paradise 
Nuthatch 
Creeper     . 
Wall  Creeper  . 
Lyre  Bird 
Humming-Bird  . 
Hoopoe 


Linusean  ISfame 
Motacilla  Rubetra. 
Fringilla  domestica 

Fringilla  cannabina 

Fringilla  Canaria  . 
Fringilla  coelebs  . 
Loxia  pyrrhula 


Fringilla  carduel 

Loxia  curvirostra 
Sturnus  vulgaris 


■•{ 


Synonymes 
Saxicola  rubetra. — JBech. 
*Pyrgita  domestica.-  Cuv 
Passer  domestteus.-ifay 
Fringilla  Linota. —  Gmel. 
Linaria  Linota. —  Cuv. 
Carduelis  canaria  . 

Pyrrhula  vulgaris.-  Tern 
Carduelis     communis. - 

Cuv.  ;     Carduelis   ele 

gans.—  Steph. 


Corvus  corax 
Corvus  corone 
Corvus  frugilegus 
Corvus  monedula 
Corvus  pica   . 

Corvus  graculus 

Corvus  glandarius 

Coracias  garrula    . 
Alcedo  ispida 
Paradisea  apoda     . 
Sitta  Europsea 
Certhia  familiaris  . 
Tichodroma  muraria 

Trochilus  colubris 
Upupa  epops 


T  Ptilonorhynchus  Holose-] 
J  riceus. — Kuhl  Kitta.  I 
J  — Lesson.  Graucalus. —  | 
I     Cuv.     . 


Pica  caudata  . 
\  Pyrrhocorax    graculus 
I      Tern.   . 

\  Garrulus       glandarius.  — 
)      Briss.  and  Cvv. 


Monma  superba 


Page 

250 

I    252 

I    253 

254 
256 

258 

i  259 


261 
262 

263 

265 
268 
269 
271 
272 

274 

275 

276 

277 
279 
281 
281 

283 

284 
287 
288 


Section  IV.-SCANSORES,  OR  CLIMBERS. 

.     Cuculus  canoius     .... 

Picusviridis  .  ... 

Yunx  torquilla        .  ... 

\  Rampbastos     tuca-  £ 
1     nus     .         .         .\ 

Psittacus  erythacus 
\  Psittacus  Amazoni- ) 
(     cus     .         .         .  C 


Cuckoo 
Woodpeckei: 
Wryneck   . 

Toucan 

Grey  Parrot 

Green  Parrot 


Blue    and    Yel-  (  p  Uf 
low  Macaw      J  Psittacus 


..   „     S  Macrocereus   aracanga. 

aracanga    j      VidL  * 


Ring  Paroquet  .     Psittacus  Alexandri 


\  Palaeornis      Alexandri. 


Warbling  Grass 
Paroquet        \ 
Cockatoo  . 


}      Viy.     . 
.     Melopsittacus  undulatus 
Psittacus  galeritus       Plyctolopbus  galeritus 


290 
294 
296 

297 

298 
300 

300 

301 

302 
302 


XXXIV 


Contents. 


Section  V.— GALLINACEOUS  BIRDS. 


English  Name 

Peacock    . 

Turkey 

Guinea  Fowl 
Mound  Bird 
Pheasant  . 
Red-legged 
Partridge 
Partridge 


Quail 


Linnaean  Name 

Pavo  cristatus 
\  Meleagris       Gallo-  < 
\      Pavo .  .  .  I 

Numida  Meleagris 

Phasianus  Colchicus 
>  Tetrao  Rufus 
Tetrao  Perdix 


Synonymes 


Megapodius  tumulus 


Tetrao  Cotumix     .« 


American  Quail 
Grouse,  or  Moor  ( 


Fowl 

Ptarmigan 

Black  Cock 
Capercailzie 


\ 


Cock. 

Bankiva,  Jago,  1 
Spanish,  and  V 
Bantam  CocksJ 

Dodo 

Ringdove 

Stockdove 

Rock  Dove 

Turtledove 


Tetrao  Lagopus 

Tetrao  Tetrix 
Tetrao  Urogallus 

Phasianus  Gallus 


Didus  ineptus 
Columba  palumbus 
Columba  OZnas 
Columba  livia 
Columba  turtur 


Perdix  rufus   . 

Perdix  cinerea. — Lath. 
Cotumix  major. -  Briss.} 
Cotumix  vulgaris.  — 
Flem.  Cotumix  Euro- 
paeus.  —  Wils.  Perdix 
Cotumix. — Lath.  Co- 
tumix dactylisonans. — 
*      Gould 

Ortyx  Virginianus  . 
\    Lagopus  Scoticus. — Lath. 
I  *Bonasa  Scotica. — Briss. 
\    Lagopus  vulgaris.-  Wils. 
I   Tetrao  rupestris. —  Gmel. 
*Uriogallis  minor. — Ray. 


Gallus  domesticus.-  Wils. 
Gallus  Sonnerati    . 


Page 
304 
306 

308 
310 
313 

315 

316 


►     318 


319 
320 

321 

322 
323 

324 


326 

328 
330 
331 
332 
335 


Section  VI.— GRALLATORES,  OR  WADERS. 


Ostrich     . 

Rhea 

Cassowary 

Emeu 

Aptertx  . 
Bustard  . 
Crane 

Balearic  Crane 

Stork 
Adjutant  . 
Heron 
Bittern 
Spoonbill. 


Struthio  Camelus   . 
Struthio  Rhea 
Struthio  Casuarius . 


Otis  tarda 
Ardea  Grus   . 

Ardea  pavonina 

Ardea  Ciconia 

Ardea  cinerea 
Ardea  stellaris 
Platalea  leucorodia 


Rhea  Americana 
Casuarius  galeatus. —  Viel 

{Dromaius  ater. —  Viel, 
Dromaius    Nova;   Hollan 
diae 
Apteryx  Australis. — Shaw 


■} 


Grus  cinerea. — Bech. 
f  Anthropoides  pavonina. — 
<       Viel.      Balearica  pavo- 
(^     nina. —  Vig. 

Ciconia  alba.  —  Guv. 

Leptoptilus  argala   . 


Botaurus  stellaris.—  Step! 


337 
340 
341 

343 

344 
345 
347 

349 

350 
352 
354 
356 
358 


Contents. 


XXXV 


English  Name 
Ibis    . 
Curlew 
Redshank  . 

Godwit 

Ruff  and  Reeve 
Snipe 

Woodcock. 
Knot 

Grey  Plover     . 

Golden  Plover 

Dottrel     . 

Lapwing,  or  Pee- 
wit 

Water  Hen 

Corncrake,  or  i 
Land  Rail      .  ' 

Coot  . 


Linnasan  Name 


Scolopax  arquata    . 
Scolopax  calidris    . 

\  Scolopax       aegoce- 

l     phala. 
Tringa  pugnax 
Scolopax  Gallinago 
Scolopax  rusticola  . 
Tringa  Canutus 

\  Tringa     squatarola 

I     and  T.  helvetica 

\  Charadrius      Mori- 
)     nellus 

Tringa  vanellus 

Fulica  chloropus 

Rallus  crex    . 

Fulica  atra     . 


Synonymes 
Ibis  religiosa. — Sav. 
Numenius  arquatus. — Lath. 
Totanus  calidris. — Beck.  . 
Limosa  melanura. —  Tern.    { 
Limosa  aegocephala  .  \ 

Machetes  pugnax     . 


Tringa  cinerea. —  Gmel.    . 
I  Squatarola  helvetica.-  Cuv. ) 
\  Squatarola  cinerea  .    \ 

Charadrius  pluvialis 


Vanellus  cristatus. — Met/. 

Gallinula  chloropus 
\  Crex    pratensis. — Bech.   .  f 
}  Ortygometra  crex    .         .  £ 


Page 
359 
360 
361 

362 

363 
365 
366 
367 

368 

369 

370 

371 
373 
374 
376 


Section  VII. 
Pelican 


•I 


-PALMIPEDES,  OR  WEB-FOOTED  BIRDS. 

Pelicanus      onocro-  £ 
talus  . 


Cormorant 


Crested  Cormo-  ) 
rant       .         .  C 


Solan  Goose,  or 
Gannet  . 

Tame  Swan 
Wild  Swan 

Goose 

Duck 
Eider  Duck 

Widgeon  . 

Teal 
Common  Gull 


:\ 


Anas  olor 
Anas  Cygnus. 

Anas  anser     . 

Anas  Boschas 
Anas  mollissima 

Anas  Penelope 

Anas  Crecca  . 
Laruscanus    . 


.      377 

f  Carbo  Cormoranus.— Mey.~\ 
Pelicanus  Carbo     .  -<      Phalacrocorax  Carbo. —  >  379 

(.     Cuv J 

Pelicanus  graculus  j  Phakcrocorax  graculus- ^    ^ 

( Pelicanus      maculatus.  — 

DAii^>m  ,„p„,         „  J    Gmel.      Anser  bassanus. 
Pelicanus  Bassanus  <^  _Ray    Sula  alba._3i^ 

I  Sulabassana. — Bris. 

Cygnus  olor. — Ray. 

Cygnus  ferus. — Ray, 

Anser  palustris.   -Flem. 
Anser  ferus 
ser  sylvestris 

Anas  fera. — Briss. 
\  Somateria     mollissima 
f      Leach. 

V  Mareca  fistularis.— Steph. 
I  Anatra  Mangiana.— Stor. 

Querquedula  Crecca. 


r  Anser  palustris.  -Flem.  .  ~\ 
■<.  Anser  ferus.-  WUs.  An-  V 
(     ser  sylvestris.— 2?ms.   .J 


381 

383 
38-1 

386 

388 
389 

390 

391 

392 


Storm y   Petrel     Procellariapelagica  |  Thalassidroma  pelagica.- /    393 


Fulmar 
Albatross 
Great  Northern 

Diver     . 
Puffin 
Great  Auk 
Penguin 


Procellaria  glacialis 
Diomedea  exulans  . 

Colymbus  glacialis 

Alca  arctica  . 
Alca  impennis 


Fratercula  arctica.-Z,etfc/i, 


395 
396 

397 

398 
399 
400 


XXXVI 


Contents. 


BOOK  III. 


English  Name 
Common  Wha.e 

Rorqual    . 

Spermaceti 

Whale  . 

Dolphin     . 


INHABITANTS  OF  THE  WATER. 
Section  I.— CETACEA,  OR  SEA  MAMMALIA. 

Synonymes 

Boops 


Linnajan  Name 
Balsena  mysticetus 

BaUena  Boops        .  j  """J** 

I  Physeter  macroce-  / 
(      phalus  .  \ 

Delphinus  Delphis  .... 

(  Beluga    leucas.  —  Gray 
)        Beluga   arctica. — Less 
*  j       Delphinapterus  Beluga 
^       — Lacep. 
Delphinus  Phocsena     Phocsena  vulgaris     . 
Monodon  monoceros         .... 
Manatee Manatus  Australis .—  Tiles. 


White  Whale 


Porpoise    . 
Sea  Unicorn 


Section  II.— CARTILAGINOUS  FISHES. 


Sturgeon  . 
Shark 
Greenland  ( 

Shark     .  . \ 

Dog-Fish   . 
Hammer-headed  ( 

Shark     .         .  \ 
Thorn back 
Skate,  or  Maid 
Torpedo    . 
Monk    Fish,    or  / 

Angel  Fish     .  \ 
Saw  Fish    . 


Acipenser  sturio     . 
Squalus  Carcharias 


Carcharias  vulgaris.-  Cuv. 
Salachus  maximus 


Zygoma  malleus 


Lamprey 
Hag-Fish 


Pilot  Fish       ■   . 

REMORA,OrSu<  K- 

ing  Fish 
Sea  Wolf  . 
Horned  Silure  . 
Father   Lasher 
Sword  Fish 

Flying  Scorpion 

Lump-sucker 

OcELLATED- 

SUCKER      . 

Angler 


Raia  clavata  . 
Raia  batis 
Raia  Torpedo 

Squalus  squatina     . 

Squalus  Pristis" 
Petromyzon    mari- 

nus     . 
Myxine  glutinosa  . 


Torpedo  Narke.— Eisso  . 
Squatina  Angelus.— Bum. 
Pristis  antiquorum.-Z/f/^/t. 

Gastrobranohus  caecus. — Bl. 


Section  III.— BONY  FISHES. 


Gasterosteus  ductor 

>  Eeheneis  Remora  . 

Anarrhiehas  lupus 
Silurus  militaris 
Cottus  scorpius 
Xiphias  gladius 


Naucrates     ductor.—  Cuv. 


Ageneiosis  milit. — Lacep 


Cyolopterus  lumpus 


\  Scorpaena  volitans.  —  Eun-1. 
)     Pterois  volitans.  —  Cuv. 


Lophius  piscatorius 


f  Lepadogaster  cornubieua 
I      -  Cuv 


401 
407 

407 
40.) 

410 

412 
414 

415 


416 
417 

420 

420 

421 

422 
424 
425 

426 

427 
427 
428 


429 

430 

4S\ 
432 
483 
433 

435 

436 

437 

438 


Contents. 


XXX  VI 1 


King 


English  Name 
Four-  horned 
Trunk  Fish 
Globe  Fish 
Sun  Fisn     . 

Sea  Horse 

Flying  Fish 
Gurnard   . 
John  Dory 
Blepharis 
Opah,    or 

Fish 
Cod  Fish 
Haddock 
Whiting 

Ling  . 


Mackerel 

Gar  Fish  . 
Herring 
Sprat 
Pilchard  . 
Whitebait 

Anchovy    . 


Turbot 
Plaice 

Flounder  . 

Sole  . 

Salmon  Pink 
Salmon 
Salmon  Trout 
Trout 
Char 
Grayling  . 

Smelt 

Pike 

Perch 

Pope,  or  Ruffe 

Basse 

Carp 

Tench 

Gold  Fish 

Gudgeon     . 

Chub 


Linnteau  Name 
Ostracion     quadri 

cornis 
Tetraodon  hispidus 
Tetraodon  Mola 
Syngnathus  Hippo 

campus 
Exocretus  volitans 
Trigla  cuculus 
Zeus  faber 


Gadus  Morrhua 
Gadus  iEglefinus 
Gadus  Merlangus 

Gadus  molva  . 


Synonymes 


Orthagariscus  Mola  —Sclm. 

Hippocampus brevirostris.  / 

—  Cuv.  .         .  .{ 


Blepharis  ciliaris. — Bl. 


Page 

439 

440 
441 

4-12 

443 
444 
446 
447 


Scomber  Scomber 

Esox  Belone  . 
Clupea  Harengus 
Clupea  Sprattus 
Clupea  pilchardus 

Clupea  encrasicolus- 

Pleuronectes    raax- 

imus  . 
Pleuronectes      pla- 

tessa  . 

Pleuronectes  flesus- 

Pleuronectes  solea  . 

Salmo  salar  . 
Salmo  trutta  . 
Salmo  fario  . 
Salmo  salvelinus  . 
Salmo  thymallus 

Salmo  eperlanus 


Esox  lucius   . 
Perca  fluviatilis 
Perca  cernua 
Perca  labrax 
Cyprinus  carpio 
Cyprinus  tinea 
Cyprinus  auratus 
Cyprinus  gobio 
Cyprinus  cephalus 


Lampris   guttatus. — Retz.      441 

Morrhua  vulgaris.  —  Cuv. 
Morrhua  iEglennus.-Cww. 
Merlangus  vulgaris.-  Cuv. 
Lota  molva. —  Cuv.    Asel- 

lus.—  Will.     Molvi 

garis. — Flem. 
Scomber  Scombrus.—  Cuv. 

Scomber  vulgaris. — Flem. 
Belone  vulgaris. —  Cuv.     . 


uv. 

sel--) 


Clupea  alba. —  Yarrell 
Engraulis    encrusicolus. — 
Flem.      Engraulis    vul- 
garis.—  Cuv.  .  .  J 

Rhombus  maximus.-  Cuv.      459 


448 
449 
451 

451 

453 

454 
455 

456 
457 
458 

45S 


-Flem. 


Platessa  vulgaris 

'Platessa      flesus.  —  Flem. 
Pleuronectes  fluviatilis 
—  Will. 
Solea  vulgaris.  —  Cuv 


m.  \ 


Salmo  alpoinus.  -/Je/t. 

Thymallus  vulgaris.-  Cuv. 
fOsmerus  eperlanus. — Flem.~\ 
\      — Eperlanus   Rondeletii.  > 


Will. 


Acerina  cernua.  —  Cuv. 
Labrax  lupus.—  Cuv. 

Tinea  vulgaris.—  Cuv. 

Gobio  fluviatilis.      Will. 
Leuciscus  cephalus.  —  Flem. 


460 

461 

461 

462 
463 
465 
466 
469 
470 

471 

472 
474 
474 
475 

477 
478 
479 
480 
481 


xxxvm 


Contents. 


English  Name 

Linnsean  Name 

Synonymes 

Page 

Barbel. 

Cyprinus  barbus     . 

Barbus  vulgaris.—  Cuv.    . 

482 

Dace 

Cypnnus  leuciscus 

Leuciscus  vulgaris. —  Cuv. 

482 

Roach 

Cyprinus  rutilus     . 

Leuciscus  rutilus. — Cuv. 

483 

Bleak 

Cyprinus  alburn  us 

Leuciscus  alburnus.-Cttt>. 

483 

Bkeam 

Cyprinus  brama     . 

Abramis  brama.—  Cuv. 

484 

Minnow 

.     Cyprinus  phoxinus 

Leuciscus  phoxinus. —  Cuv. 

485 

Loach 

.     Cobitis  barbatula  . 

486 

Bullhead 

.     Cottus  Gobio 

486 

Stickleback 

\  Gasterosteus     acu- 
(      liatus 

V  Gymnotus    electri- 
(     cus 
Muraena  Anguilla  . 

|  ■:  :  :  :  : 

Anguilla  vulgaris.—  Thun. 

487 

Electrical  Eel 

488 

Eel   . 

490 

Conger  Eel 

Muraena  conger 

Conger  vulgaris. —  Cuv.    . 

492 

BOOK  IV. 

REPTILES. 
Section  I.— SERPENTS,  OR  OPHIDIAN  REPTILES. 

V.™,  or  Aooe*    Coluber  Berus        .  j  J!B?££5£*     \  \  495 

HokMoV,pk„.    Coluber  eerastes    .{^EdSST   TTl  *97 

Rattle  Snake    .     Crotalus  horridus  .           .....  498 

Haje           .         .     Coluber  Haje           .     Naja  Haje.—  Grqff.            .  499 

Cobra  di  Capello  Coluber  Naja          .     Naja  tripudians. — Merr.  .  500 

Snake         .          .     Coluber  natrix        .     Natrix  torquata. — Ray.   .  501 

Boa  .         .         .     Boa  constrictor 502 

Amphisb^na      JAmphisbaeua    fuli- > 503 

I      ginosa         .  .  \ 

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. 

Iguana       .         .     Lacerta  Iguana      .     Iguana  tuberculata. — Laur.  513 

Flying  Lizard  .     Draco  volans          .           .....  514 

Chameleon         .     Lacerta  Chameleon    Chamaeleo  vulgaris. —  Cur.  515 

Crocodile          .     Lacerta  Crocodilus      Crocodilus  vulgaris. —  Cuv.  517 

ACaymanR'.       OTf  Lacerta  Alligator  .     Alligator  Lucius.- Cuv   .  518 


Contents. 


XXXIX 


Section  IV.-CHELONIAN  REPTILES. 


English  Name 
Tortoise    . 
Turtle 
Hawk's         Bill 

Turtle  . 
Leathery 

Turtle  . \ 


Linnsean  Name 
Testudo  Grteca 
Testudo  midas 

>  Testudo  imbricata 
Testudo  coriacea 


Synonymes 


Chelonia  midas. — Briss. 
Chelonia  imbricata. — Briss. 


Sphargis  coriacea 


Page 

520 
521 

523 

524 


BOOK  V. 

MOLLUSCOUS  ANIMALS. 
Section  I. -BIVALVES,  OR  THOSE  HAVING  TWO  SHELLS. 


Pearl  Oyster 

Oyster 
Cockle 
Pholas 

Mussel 


Admiral    . 

Tiger  Cowry 

Whelk 

Snipe  Shell 

Periwinkle 

Limpet 

Snail 

Cuttlefish 

Poulpe 

Argonaut  . 

Nautilus   . 


Avicula   margaritifera. 
Lam.   . 


Cardium  fimbria 


525 

526 

527 
528 
530 


K  Mytilus      Margari 
I     tiferus 

Ostrea  edulis 

Cardium  edule 

Pholas  dactylus 

Mytilus  edulis 

Section  II.— UNIVALVES. 

Conus  ammiralis     .           .....  530 

Cyprjaea  Tigris 531 

Buccinum  undatum           .....  531 

Murex  haustellus 532 

Littorina  littorea    .            .....  532 

Patella  vulgata      .            .....  532 

Helix  aspersa 533 

Sepia  officinalis       .           .....  535 

Sepia  octopodia      .     Octopus  vulgaris. — Lam.  537 

Argonauta  argo 537 

Nautilus  Pompilius          .....  538 


BOOK  VI. 

ARTICULATED  ANIMALS. 

Section  I. -ANNELIDA,  OR  RINGED  ANIMALS. 


Earthworms 
LEEcn 


Lobster 


3  Lumbricus     terres-  / 

}     tris  .J 

Hirudo  medicinalis    Sanguisuga  officinalis 

Section  II.— CRUSTACEA. 

Cancer  gammarus  .     Astacus  marinus. — Leach. 


539 
540 


542 


xl 


Contents. 


English  Name 

Ckayfish   . 

Crab 

Land  Crab 
Soldier  Crab 
Shrimp 
Prawn 


Linnaean  Name 

Cancer  astacus 
Cancer  Pasmrus 


Synonymes 

j  Astacus  fluviatilis. — Dcs. 
)  Potamobius. — Leach 


Pagurus  Bempardus  .... 

Cancer  crangon         Crangon  vulgaris. — Fab. 
.   Pakemonserratus. — Leach 


Garden  Spider 
Tarantula 
Ciikese  Mite 


Section  III.— ARACHNID  A. 


Aranea  diadema 
Aranea  Tarantula 
Acarus  siro    . 


Epeira  diadema. - 
Lycosa  tarantula. 


Walck.       548 

-Lot.  .       550 

552 


Cockchafer 

Dor  Beetle 

Stag  Beetle 
Elephant 

Beetle   . 
Musk  Beetle,  or 

Goat  Chaffer 
Ground  Beetle 
Glowworm 
Death  Watch  . 


Section  IV.— INSECTS. 

Order  I. — Coleoptera,  or  Beetles. 

Melo- 


>  Meiolontha  vulgaris. — Fab.     554 


{ Scarabaeus 
}      lontha 

\  Scarabaeus     stereo- ^  G eotrupeK  stercorarius. 
}      rarius  .  .  \      Lnt. 

Lucanus  Cervus  ... 

£•  Scarabaeus  elephas.     Dynastes  elephas 


Spanish  Fly 
Corn  Weevil 
Lady  Bird 


Sen. 


Anobiumpertinax-i^/6.  . 


[  CetrusmbfX  m.°SCha"  [  Ar°mia  moschata 
Carabus  clathratus 
.     Lampyris  noctiluca 
.     Ptinus  pertinax 

\  Cantharis      vesica-  / 
'  }      toria        .  \ 

.     Curculiogranarius  jCa^,a  gmnaria 

X  Coccinella   septem-  / 
"  }      punctata     .  .  \  ' 


558 

558 

559 
560 

561 
561 
562 


Earwig 

Leaf  Mantis 
Walking  Leaf 
Grasshopper 
Locust 

Mole  Cricket 
Ckicket 


Order  II. — Orthoptera. 

Forficula       auricu- ) 
laria  .  .         .  ) 

Mantis  gongylodes      Empusa  gongylodes 


Mantis  siccifolia 

Gryllus  migratorius 
Gryllus  Gryllotalpa 
Gryllus  domesticus 


III.  564 

Phy Ilium  siecifolium. — Til.  565 

Locusta  flavipes       .  .  566 

Locusta  migratoria  .  .  567 

Gryllotalpa  vulgaris. — Lat .  569 

Acheta  domestica    .         .  570 


Lantern  Fly 
Cochineal       In- 
sect 
Green  Fly 


Order  III. — Hemiptera. 
Fulgora  lanternaria 
Coccus  cacti  . 
Aphis  roB«     . 


571 
571 


Contents.  xli 

Order  IV.— Neuroptera. 

English  Name              Linnaean  Name                        Synonymes  Page 

AXT-L.ON.         .|MSum°n    f.°Imi:\ "4 

Dragon  Fly       .     Libellula  grandis  .     iEshna  grandis.— Fab.      .  576 

Order  V. — Hymenoptera 

Bee    .         .         .     Apis  mellifica 577 

Wasp          .         .     Yespa  vulgaris 579 

Ichneumon Pimpla  persuasoria .         .  581 

Ant   .         .         .     Formica  rufa          .           .....  582 

Order  VI. — Lepidoptera,  Moths  and  Butterflies. 

Emperor  Moth,^  "j 

with  its  Chry-I  Phalcena                    I  c  . .        „  ,        ,  ___ 

salis  and  Ca-  \  Pavonia  minor       .  \  SaturniB.-flbftaoi*.          .  583 

TERPILLAR  .  J  J 

T°BuTrERFrYEIiL    ( PaPilio  urtic8e        •     Vanessa  urtic8e.—.Fa6.     .  585 

Cabbage      BuxWp     m    fi       j           <  Pieris  Brassic*.--!^      .{  5g6 

terfly  .  $       *  \  Pontia  Brassicse. — Fab.    .  \ 

Magpie  Moth       \  Phalsena  grossulari-  \  Abraxas    grossulariata.—  {  5g7 

'  I     ata     .         .         .  i      Leach.  .         .         .  \ 

Winter  Moth    .     Phalaena  brumata  .     Hibernia  brumata. — Lot.  588 

Silkworm  .         .     Bombyx  mori 589 

Ceothes  Moth  .     Tinea  pellionella 590 

Order  VII.— Diptera. 

House  Fly          .     Musca  domestica 592 

Gnat          .         .     Culex  pipiens 592 

Order  VII. — Suctoria. 

Flea          •         .     Pulex  irritans        .           .....  594 


BOOK  VIL 

KADIATA. 

Star  Fish 
Sea-Urchin 
Sed  Coral 
Stony  Corals 
Sponge 

Asterias  rubens      .     Uraster  rubens 

.     Echinus  miliaris 
Isis  nobilis     .         .     Gorgonia  nobilis 

595 
596 
597 
600 
603 

Polyps 

Sea  Anemones 

Jelly  Fish 

604 

607 

.       609 

Appendix. — Fai 

julous  Animals          .          .... 

611 

THE 


ENTERTAINING  NATURALIST. 


Book  I. 
I.  QUADEUPEDS,  OE  FOUE-FOOTED  BEASTS. 

§  I.  Carnivorous,  or  Flesh-eating  Animals. 


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 
J^  B 


2  Quadrupeds. 

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  some- 
what curly  ;  and  the  colour  varies  in  different  parts  of 
Africa,  but  it  is  generally  of  a  clear  dark  brown,  deepen- 
ing 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  flow- 
ing 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  varie- 
ties 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  with- 
out food  for  several  days,  shaking  the  ground  with  his 


The  Lion.  3 

roaring,  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 

I  fire  near  their  sleeping-place.  The  strength  of  the 
African  species  is  so  great  that  he  has  been  known  to 
carry  away  a  #Toung  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  follow- 
ing June  he  was  taken  ill,  and  could  no  longer  attend 


4  Quadrupeds. 

them ;  and  another  person  was  under  the  necessity  of 
performing  this  duty.  The  male,  sad  and  solitary,  re- 
mained 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  sur- 
prise 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  plea- 
sure. 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  fre- 
quently seen  between  them.  He  had  so  great  a  com- 
mand 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  seiz- 
ing it. 

j)i\  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  Lion.  5 

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-hunt- 
ing may  be  found  in  the  accounts  of  their  travels 
published  by  Gordon  Cumming,  Andersson,  and  Dr. 
Livingstone.  From  the  latter  we  may  extract  the  fol- 
lowing account  of  an  escape  literally  from  the  very  jaws 
of  death : — "  Being  about  thirty  yards  off,'1  says  the 
doctor,  "  T  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  !' 
1  did  not  see  any  one  else  shoot  at  him,  but  I  saw  the 
Lion's  tail  erected  in  anger  behind  the  bush,  and  turn- 
ing to  the  people,  said,  '  Stop  a  little  till  1  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 


6  Quadrupeds. 

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  it*  so,  is  a  mer- 
ciful 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  Me- 
balwe, 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. 


Hie  Lioness. 


THE  LIONESS  AND  CUBS. 

The  Lioness  is  in  all  licr  dimensions  about  one-third 
less  than  the  male,  and  has  no  mane.  She  lias  gene- 
rally 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  cou- 
rageous, 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  ten- 
fold vigour ;    and  woe   be   to  •  the   wretched   intruder, 


b  Quadrupeds. 

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  thai] 
the  Lion  himself;  throws  herself  indiscriminately 
among  men  and  other  animals;  destroys  without  dis- 
tinction; 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, 
Avhen  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  friend- 
ship, 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. 


The  Tiger. 


THE  TIGEK.     (Felts  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 


JO  Quadrupeds. 

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  enor- 
mous 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  con- 
tinued 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  recoveiy  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  fa- 
vourite 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 


The  Tiger.  11 

such  success  as  to  enable  liim  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  bird- 
lime 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  the}' 
dispatch  him  without  difficult}7.  The  destruction  of  a 
Tiger  is  handsomely  rewarded  by  the  Indian  govern- 
ments, and  many  of  the  people  make  a  regular  trade  of 
shooting  them. 


12 


Quadrupeds. 


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  im- 
perfectly 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  com- 
pound 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.  Kol- 
ben  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 


The  F anther. 


13 


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. 


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 


14 


Quadrupeds. 


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. 


THE  OUNCE.     (Felis  Undo). 


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  Ocelot. 


15 


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. 


THE  OCELOT.     (Folia  par 


This  species,  which  is  often  called  the  Tiger  Cat,  is  de- 
scribed 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. 


16  Quadrupeds. 


THE  CHEETAH,  OR  HUNTING  LEOPARD. 

(Felis  juhaia.) 

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  capa- 
ble 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,  con- 
trives 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. 


THE  JAGUAR.     (Felis  Onca.) 


The  Jaguar  is  a  native  of  the  New  World,  and  is  some- 
times called  the  American  Tiger.  He  is  generally 
larger  and  stronger  than  the  leopard,  which  he  re- 
sembles 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. 


18 


Quadrupeds. 


c^A 


THE  PUMA.     (Felis  concohr.) 

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  cover- 
ing 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 


The  Common  Lynx. 


19 


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  dyawing-room  when  it  was 
full  of  company. 


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. 


20  Quadrupeds. 

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  remark- 
able activity,  to  the  tops  of  the  tallest  trees.  It  is  a 
native  of  Asia  and  Africa. 


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, 


The  Cat  21 

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  oi 
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  de- 
scended 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,  growl- 
ing, and  then  dart  at  each  other  with  the  greatest  fury, 
yelling  with  rage. 

Most  Cats  are  good  mousers,  and  some  bring  every- 
thing 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, 


22 


Quadrupeds. 


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  con- 
tracted 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  occasion- 
ally 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. 


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,  some- 
thing like  an  ordinary  tabby.  It  is  a  fierce  creature, 
and  is  very  destructive  to  birds  and  small  quadrupeds. 


The  Shepherd's  Bog.  23 

THE  DOG.     (Canis  familiaris.) 

To  no  animal  is  mankind  so  much  indebted  for  its  ser- 
vices 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  tlieir  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  con- 
siderable, 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  Shep- 
herd's Dog,  transported  into  temperate  climates,  and 
among  people  entirely  civilized,  such  as  into  England, 


24 


Quadrupeds. 


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. 

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  snow- 
drifts. 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  vora- 
cious of  his  kind,  and  endures  fatigue  and  hunger  with 
patience. 


tM^T' 


[jChasseur  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. 


26  Quadrupeds. 

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  cer- 
tain 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  moun- 
tains of  the  interior.  The  place  was  wild  and  unfre- 
quented, 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  gradu- 
ally declining,  and  the  size  studiously  diminished  by  a 
mixture  of  other  kinds,  in  order  to  increase  their  speed. 
[t  seems  to  have  been  accurately  described  by  Shak- 
speare  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." 


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  Eu- 
rope 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  admjrable  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. 


28 


Quadrupeds. 


THE  POIJSTER 


Is  docile  in  its  disposition,  and  when  trained,  is  of  the 
greatest  service  to  the  sportsman  who  delights  in  shoot- 
ing. It  is  astonishing  to  see  to  what  a  degree  of  obe- 
dience these  animals  may  be  brought.  Their  sight  is 
equally  acute  with  their  scent,  and  they  are4  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  sports- 
man 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. 


The  Mastiff. 


29 


THE  MASTIFF 

Js  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 


30 


Quadrupeds. 


beasts,  should  never  after  fight  with  any  inferior  crea- 
ture.' " 

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  con- 
tinual 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. 


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  with- 
out 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 


The  Terrier. 


31 


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. 


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  dig- 
ging 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. 


32 


Quadrupeds. 


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  un- 
common docility,  and  is  employed  in  setting  for  par- 
tridges, 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  neat  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 


The  Water-Spaniel. 


33 


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." 


Quadrupeds. 


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,  differ- 
ing 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  excel- 
lently 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 


The  Newfoundland  Dog.  35 

on  one  of  the  quays  on  the  Liffey,  when  it  made  a  sud- 
den 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  accident- 
ally 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  gentle- 
man 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  pursu- 
ing 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  com- 
mon in  that  country,  his  foot  slipped,  and  he  was  pre- 
cipitated into  the  water,  and  being  unable  to  swim  he 
soon  became  senseless.  When  he  recovered  his  recol- 
lection 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 
bod}r  was  conveyed  to  a  neighbouring  house,  where  the 
usual  means  of  resuscitation  soon  restored  him  to  sense 


36 


Quadrupeds. 


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  pre- 
sumed 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. 


a»»3^*- 


THE  GKEYHOUND 

Is  well  known,  and  was  formerly  held  in  such  estima- 
tion, 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, 


The  Fox. 


37 


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  Mural  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. 


THE  FOX.  (Canis  Values.) 
This  well-known  animal,  which  is  found  in  most  coun- 
tries 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 


38 


Quadrupeds. 


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  descrip- 
tion ;  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. 

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  woody 


o^-^> 


The  Arctic  Fox. 


39 


and  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. 


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. 


40 


Quadrupeds. 


THE  WOLF,  {Cams  Lupus,) 

When  hungry,  is  an  undaunted  and  most  ferocious  inha- 
bitant 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  so 


The  Wolf.  41 

much  in  Yorkshire,  that  a  retreat  was  built  at  Flixton, 
to  defend  passengers  from  their  attacks.  They  infested 
Ireland  many  centuries  after  their  extinction  in  Eng- 
land :  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  lender  him 
a  dangerous  pet.  A  curious  instance  of  combined  doci- 
lity 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  personi- 
fied. 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  mad- 
ness, in  symptoms  and  consequences  exactly  similar  to 
that  which  affects  the  dog  ;  but  this  disease,  as  it  gene- 
rally happens  in  the  depth  of  winter,  cannot  be  attri- 
buted 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 


42 


Quadrupeds. 


they  there  find  asleep ;  but  vast  pieces  of  the  ice  occa- 
sionally 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  tra^t 
Of  horrid  mountains,  which  the  shining  Alps, 
And  wavy  Apennines  and  Pyrenees, 
Brunch  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." 


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  yel- 
lowish 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 


The  Striped  Hyaena. 


43 


thieves,  awed  by  the  greater  strength  of  their  new  mess- 
mate, 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. 


***^v^ 


THE  STKIPED  HYAENA.     (Eycena  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 


44 


Quadrupeds 


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  vio 
]ates  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 


THE  SPOTTED  HYiEXA.  (Eijarna  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  Hyaena,  and  his  skin  is  marked  with  spots 
instead  of  stripes.  He  is  a  ferocious  beast,  and  is  ex- 
ceedingly destructive  to  sheep  and  cattle  ;  and  also  fre- 
quently attacks  and  carries  off  children  from  the  huts  of 
the  natives,  sometimes  even  stealing  them  from  their 
sleeping  mothers. 


American  Black  Bear. 


45 


AMERICAN  BLACK  BEAR.  (Ursus  Americanns.) 

This  animal  inhabits  the  Northern  districts  of  America, 
where  it  is  found  in  considerable  numbers.  It  is  some- 
what 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  vege- 
tables and  grain.  In  quest  of  these  it  occasionally  emi- 
grates from  the  northern  to  the  more  southern  regions. 
Their  retreats,  during  the  period  of  gestation,  are  so 
impenetrable,  that  althongh  immense  numbers  of  Bears 
are  annually  killed  in  America,  a  female  is  rarely  found 
among  them.  In  autumn,  when  they  are  become  exceed- 
ingly fat  by  feeding  on  acorns  and  other  similar  food, 
their  fle^h  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  Ameri- 
can Indians. 


46 


Quadrupeds. 


THE  GRISLY  BEAR,  (Ursus  Ferox,) 
Which  is  also  an  inhabitant  of  North  America,  is  a  crea- 
ture 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  corre- 
sponds with  his  powers  of  destruction ;  and  he  is  alto- 
gether one  of  the  most  formidable  of  quadrupeds. 


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 


The  Brown  European  Bear.  47 

den,  without  any  particular  food :  but  if  we  consider  his 
being  at  rest,  losing  little  by  perspiration,  and  never  re- 
tiring to  his  winter  quarters  before  he  is  properly  fat- 
tened, 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  discover- 
ing 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  inha- 
bitants 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  fre- 
quently 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  bait- 
ing, a  sport  in  which  our  nobility,  as  well  as  the  com- 


48 


Quadrupeds. 


monalty,  of  the  olden  time — nay,  even  royalty  itself — 
delighted.  A  bear-bait  was  one  of  the  recreations 
offered  to  Elizabeth  at  Kenil  worth,  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  pur- 
suit 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. 


__- «    ~      .^^^>-s  —"" 


THE  MALAYAN  SUN-BEAR.     (Ursus  Malayanus.) 
Jn  this  Bear  the  hair  is  short  and  black,  except  on  the 


The  Malayan  Sun-Bear. 


49 


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. 


50  Quadrupeds. 


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  shoves  of.  both  hemispheres.  It  walks  heavily, 
and  is  very  clumsy  in  all  its  motions  ;  its  senses  of  hear- 
ing 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  cau- 
tiously 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  3roung  one  of  the  murdered  female  re- 
mained by  its  dam,  and  on  this  helpless  creature  tho 
Bear  rushed,  thus  killing  two  animals  at  once/' 


The  Racoon.  51 

The  ferocity  of  this  kind  of  Bear  is  equal  to  its  cun- 
ning. A  few  years  since,  the  crew  of  a  boat  belonging 
to  a  ship  in  the  whale-fishery,  shot  at  a  Bear  at  a  short  f 
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  boaid, 
placed  its  fore  foot  upon  the  gunwale ;  but  one  of  the 
.crew  having  a  hatchet,  cut  it  off.  The  animal  still,  how- 
ever, 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. 


THE  KACOON.     (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 


52  Quadrupeds. 

their  wounds.  It  is  a  good  climber,  the  form  of  its 
claws  enabling  it  to  adhere  to  the  branches  of  trees  with 
great  tenacity.  Eacoons  are  easily  domesticated,  and 
then  become  very  amusing  animals.  They  are  as  mis- 
chievous 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  Eacoons  ;  which  from  the  extraordinary  vigi- 
lance 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  re- 
markable 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. 


The  Coati-Mondi. 


53 


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. 


•*-*-*• 


THE  COATI-MONDI.     (Nasua  Narica.) 

This  creature  is  a  native  of  South  America,  not  unlike 
the  Eacoon  in  the  general  form  of  the  body,  and,  like 
that  animal,  frequently  sits  up  on  the  hinder  legs,  and 


54 


Quadrupeds. 


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.  AY  hen  it  sleeps  it  rolls  itself  into 
a  ball,  and  remains  immovable  for  fifteen  hours  to- 
gether. 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  mix- 
ture of  black  and  red.  This  animal  is  very  apt  to  eat 
its  own  tail,  which  is  very  long ;  but  this  strange  appe- 
tite 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. 


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  Genet.  55 

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  be- 
neath the  tail.  AVhen  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  care- 
fully 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. 


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  Con- 
stantinople 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   i3 


56  Quadrupeds. 

beautiful  and  soft,  and  valuable  as  an  article  of  com- 
merce. 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  ot  lambs 
and  young  pigs.  The  perfume  furnished  by  this  species 
is  highly  esteemed  by  the  natives  of  eastern  countries. 


"4Xk\u  Jitw 


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' 


The  Ichneumon.  57 

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  confine- 
ment, but  may  be  easily  tamed  when  taken  young. 

The  following  particulars  are  related  by  M.  D'Obson- 
ville,  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  un- 
acquainted. His  first  emotion  seemed  to  be  astonish- 
ment 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  in- 
nate 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  him- 
self alone,  he  strangled  them  everyone,  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 
lava.  Like  the  Egyptian  Ichneumon,  they  are  great 
memies  of  snakes  and  other  reptiles,  and  also  destroy 


58 


Quadrupeds. 


rats,  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  PharsaUa  : — 

"  Thus  oft  the  Ichneumon,  on  the  hanks  of  Nile, 
Invades  the  deadly  a^pic  by  a  wile  ; 
While  artfully  his  slender  tail  is  ployed, 
The  serpent  darts  upon  the  dancing  shade, 
Then  turning  on  the  foe  with  swift  surprite, 
Full  on  the  throat  the  nimble  traitor  flies, 
And  in  his  grasp  the  panting  serpent  dies." 


THE  WEASEL.     (Mustela  vulgaris.) 

The  animals  belonging  to  this  genus,  notwithstanding 
their  small  size,  are  all  carnivorous,  and  from  their  slen- 
der and  lengthened  bodies,  short  legs,  and  the  very  free 
motion  in  every  direction,  permitted  by  the  loose  articu- 
lations 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 


The  Weasel  59 

Europe  they  are  very  numerous.  Mice  of  every  descrip- 
tion, 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  e^gs  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  Wreasel  was  un- 
tamable ;  but  Bulfon,  in  a  supplementary  volume,  cor- 
rects this  error,  and  from  a  letter  of  a  female  correspond- 
ent, 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  wmch  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. 


60 


Quadrupeds. 

m 


THE  FERRET,  (Mustefa  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  rapa- 
city ;  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. 


The  Polecat.  61 


THE  POLECAT.     (Mustela  putorius.) 

The  strong  and  disagreeable  smell  of  this  animal  is  pro- 
verbial; 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  suffi- 
cient to  destroy  a  whole  warren ;  for  with  that  insa- 
tiable 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  Pole- 
cat 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. 


62 


Quadrupeds. 


THE  ERMINE.     (Mustela  erminea.) 

Tins,  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  abun- 
dant. 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,  Er- 
mines are  found  in  immense  numbers,  and  great  quan- 
tities of  them  are  killed  for  the  sake  of  their  skins, 
of  which  several  hundred  thousand  are  annually  ex- 
ported 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  fashion- 
able fur,  and  it  is  chiefly  employed  for  those  purposes  to 
which  custom  has,  in  a  maimer,  consecrated  its  use. 
Like  the  Polecat,  and  others  of  its  kind,  the  Ermine 


The  Skunk. 


()3 


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. 


THE  SKUNK,  (Mustela,  or  Mephitis  Americana,) 

Which  is  found  in  most  parts  of  North  America,  is  curi- 
ously  marked   with   a   pair   of  white   stripes  running 


o*4  Quadrupeds. 

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  sin- 
gular provision  with  which  it  has  been  endowed  by 
nature.  This  consists  of  a  yellow  fluid  of  the  most  hor- 
rible 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  bar- 
rier, 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,  how- 
ever, considered  excellent  food  by  the  Indians. 


THE  SABLE.     (Mustela,  or  Martes  Zibellina.) 

This  animal  is  a  native  of  Siberia,  Kamtschatka,  and 
Asiatic  Kussia,  and  it  frequents  the  banks  of  rivers, 
arid  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 


The  Sable. 


05 


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. 


The  common,  or  Beech  Martkn,  (Mustda  Martes  or 
Martes  foina,)  like  the  Sable,  boasts  the  honour  cf  adorn- 
ing with  his  fur  the  rich  and  the  beautiful ;  as  princes, 
ladies,  and  opulent  people  of  all  nations,  pride  them- 
selves 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  Eussia. 


66 


Quadrupedi 


The  Pine,  or  Yellow-breasted  Marten  (M.  Ahietum), 
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  fi^h,  he  will  visit  the  neighbouring 


The  Otter. 


67 


farin-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  com- 
mand, 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,  in- 
stead of  returning  as  usual,  refused  to  come  at  the  accus- 
tomed 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. 


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,  in- 
stances have  occurred  of  their  littering   in  cellars   or 


68 


Quadrupeds. 


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. 


THE  SEA  OTTEE.     (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. 


The  Common  Seal. 


THE  COMMON  SEAL.     (Phoca  vi'ulina.) 

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  deal'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  laige  and  round ; 
the  neck  small  and  short ;  and  on  each  side  of  the  mouth 


70  Quadrupeds. 

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  num- 
ber. 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. 


The  Common  Seal.  71 

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  par- 
ticular, 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  Bed  iSea. 

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. 


Quadrupeds. 


THE  WALRUS,  MORSE,  OR  SEA-COW. 

(Tricliechus  Hosmarus.) 

This  very  curious  animal  is  nearly  allied  to  the  Seal,  bul 
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  largo  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  dura- 
bility 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  them- 
selves into  the  water  with  great  bustle  and  trepidation, 


The  Walrus. 


73 


and  swim  with  such  rapidity,  that  it  is  difficult  to  oveiv 
take  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. 


74  Quadrupeds. 


§  II.  Insectivorous,  or  Insect-eating  Animals. 


4^r  ^     ._      . 

THE  HEDGEHOG.     (Erinaceus  Europcetts.) 

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.  Notwith- 
standing 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  protec- 
tion. The  instant  it  perceives  an  enemy,  it  withdraws 
all  its  vulneiable  parts,  rolls  itself  into  a  ball,  and  pre- 
sents nothing  to  view  but  a  round  mass  of  spines,  im- 
pervious 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  effec- 
tual 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. 


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,  how- 
ever, 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  Hedge- 
hog 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. 

Hi    & 


76 


Quadruped's. 


& 


^sfatft&t    ..'    9      v     > 


-.  I'd 

*am*  lit' 


THE  MOLE.     (Talpa  Europcea.) 

The  Mole  is  a  curious,  awkwardly-shaped  animal,  with 
a  long  flexible  snout,  ver}r  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  sub- 
terranean 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  Mole. 


i  i 


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  Climie,  I  ob- 
served 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  pad- 
dling 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  inhabi- 
tant ;  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. 


78 


Quadrupeds. 


THE  SHREW.     (Sorex  araneus.) 

Tins  curious  little  animal  closely  resembles  a  mouse,  ex- 
cept 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  scanda- 
lized by  false  reports,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  following 
extract  from  that  most  amusing  and  interesting  work, 
Whites  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  im- 
mediately 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  acci- 


The  Shrew.  71) 

dent,  to  which  they  were  continually  liable,  our  provi- 
dent 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  sub- 
merged :  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. 


80 


Quadrupeds. 
III.  Clieiropterous  Animals. 


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,  particu- 
larly 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  cleanC 
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. 


The  Long-Eared  Bat. 


81 


THE  PIPISTEELLE.     (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  cf  Britain.  It  usually  resides  in  cracks  and  cavi- 
ties 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 


THE  LONG-EARED  BAT. 

(Vespertilio  or  Plecotus  auritus.) 
The  Loxg-eared  Bat,  which  is  not  uncommon  in  many 


82 


Quadrupeds 


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  mem- 
brane, 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. 


THE  YAMPYEE  BAT.     (Phyllostoma  Spectrum.) 

Thu  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  in- 
tended 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  Yampyre  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 


The  Kalong  Bat. 


83 


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  exaggera- 
tion 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  " 


THE  KALOXG  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  representa- 
tions 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  asso- 
ciate 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 


84 


Quadrupeds 


for  a  part  of  the  tree,  or  for  a  fruit  of  uncommon  size 
suspended  from  its  branches/'  At  the  approach  of  even- 
ing, 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. 


THE  KANGAROO.     (Macropus  giganteus.) 

This  remarkable  animal  was  first  discovered  by  the  cele- 
brated Captain  Cook,  in  Kew  /Iolland :  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 


The  Kangaroo.  80 

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 
manoeuvre,  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. 


86 


Quadrupeds. 


THE  VIEGINIAN  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  carry- 
ing 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,  how- 
ever, 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  Phalanger. 


87 


The  Opossum  may  be  easily  tamed,  but  is  an  unplea- 
sant 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. 


THE  PHALANGER.    (Plialangista  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  dif- 
ferent 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 


88 


Quadrupeds. 


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  limo  in  the  air,  and  enables  it  to  leap 
to  great  distances. 


§   V. — Rodentia,  or  Gnawing  Animals. 


THE  BEAVEK.     (Castor  Fiber.) 

The  Bea.ver  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  par- 
ticularly 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  sur- 
mounted 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 


The  Beaver.  89 

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  be- 
neath, which  is  used  in  making  hats,  after  the  long  hairs 
have  been  destroyed. 

A  great  many  stories  have  long  been  believed  respect- 
ing 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  tho  brushes  with  the  wall,  with 
hand-brushes,  baskets,  boots,  books,  towels,  and  any- 
thing he  could  lay  hold  of.  As  his  walls  grew  high,  he 
would  often  sit  propped  up  by  his  ta;l  (with  which 
he  supported  himself  admirably),  to  lojk  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 


90 


Quadrupeds. 


work  down,  and  lay  it  again  more  evenly.  It  was  astoN 
nishing  how  well  he  managed  to  arrange  the  incom 
gruous  materials  he  had  chosen,  and  how  cleverly  he 
contrived  ^o  remove  them,  sometimes  carrying  them 
between  his  right  lore-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. 


THE  MUSK  EAT,  (Fiber  Zlbethicus,) 

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  Bats  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  (Acoras  Calamus).  In  Canada  this  animal 
is  called  the  Ondatra. 


The  Hare.  91 


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  in- 
veterate. Unarmed  and  fearful,  the  Hare  appears  almost 
to  sleep  with  open  e37es,  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  plen- 
tifully. 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  him- 
self 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, 


02  Quadrupeds. 

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  try- 
ing 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  bv  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  enume- 
rate, 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  cours- 
ing :  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. 


The  Babbit 


\\?> 


THE  RABBIT.     (Lepiu  cunkulus.) 

This  animal,  in  a  wild  stale,  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  out- 
strip its  enemies  in  the  chase,  it  seeks  its  safety  and 
shelter  by  burrowing  in  the  ground  ;  and  instead  of  lead- 
ing 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,  gene- 
rally 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  appre- 
hend 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. 


94 


Quadrupeds. 


^^-■ifff^sQ^^P 


THE  DOMESTIC  EABBIT. 


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  ani- 
mal 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. 


The  Squirrel. 


95 


THE  SQUIKKEL.     (Sciurus  vulgaris.) 

Elegance  of  shape,  spiritedness,  and  agility  to  leap  from 
bough  to  bough  in  the  forest,  are  the  principal  character- 
istics 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  ene- 
mies. 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 
hark  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  sur- 
face of  the  body  is  augmented,  its  fall  is  retarded,  and  it 


96  Quadrupeds. 

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. 


THE  DORMOUSE,  OK  SLEEPER 
(Myoxus  aveUanarius.) 

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  Marmot.  97 

The  American  Dormouse,  or  Ground  Squirrel,  is  a 
very  beautiful  animal,  striped  down  the  back,  and  re- 
sembling the  squirrel  in  its  habits,  except  that  instead  of 
living  in  trees  it  burrows  in  the  ground. 


THE  MAKMOT,  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  }<  oung,  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  sig- 
nal for  immediate  retreat.  The  Marmot  inhabits  the 
highest  regions  of  £he  Alps  ;  other  species  are  found  in 
Poland,  Russia,  Siberia,  and  Canada. 


98  Quadrupeds. 


THE  GUINEAPIG.     (Cavia  Cobaya.) 

This  animal  is  generally  white,  variegated  with  red  and 
black.  It  is  a  native  of  the  Brazils,  but  now  domesti- 
cated 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  disagree- 
able 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  veiy  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. 


The  Mouse. 


99 


THE  MOUSE.     (Mus  musculus.) 

This  is  a  lively,  active  animal,  and  the  most  timid  in  na- 
ture, 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  sup- 
posed 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  wher- 
ever 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,  particu- 
larly in  Savoy  and  some  parts  of  France. 

A  remarkable  instance  of  sagacity  in  a  long- tailed 
Field  Mouse  (Mus  sylvaticus)  occurred  to  the  Eev.  Mr. 
White,  as  his  people  were  pulling  off  the  lining  of  a  hot- 
bed, 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  with- 
out 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  various 


100 


Quadrupeds. 


and  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  mes- 
sorius),  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  half- 
penny, 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. 


-:<Vz*p-r| 


THE  KAT.     (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, 


The  Bat  101 

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  Eat,  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  Meck- 
lenburgh,  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.  Imme- 
diately 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  Ra+.s  and  mice  with  which  it  had  been 
before  infested. 


102 


Quadrupeds 


i    ^v 


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 — The  Short-tailed  Field-Mouse.    103 


THE  LEMMING-,  (My odes  Lsmmus,) 

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  moun- 
tains 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.  Not- 
withstanding their  supposed  celestial  origin,  they  are, 
however,  very  unwelcome  visitors,  as  they  devour  every- 
thing eatable  that  comes  in  their  way,  and  commit  de- 
vastations almost  as  serious  as  those  of  the  locusts. 


THE  SHORT-TAILED  FIELD-MOUSE, 
OR  FIELD-VOLE. 

This  little  animal  has  most  wonderful  powers  of  repro- 
duction, 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  de- 
stroyed, 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. 


104  Quadrupedi 


THE  JERBOA.    (Dipus  cegyptius.) 

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. 


The  Chinchilla.  105 


THE  CHINCHILLA.     (Chinchilla  lanigera.) 

The  Chinchilla  is  a  native  of  America,  and  its  coat  pro- 
duces 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  num- 
ber 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  jer- 
boa, 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. 


106  Quadrupeds. 


THE  PORCUPINE.     (Hystrix  cristata.) 

When  full  grown  this  animal  measures  about  two  feet 
in  length,  and  his  body  is  covered  with  bair  and  sharp 
quills,  from  ten  to  fourteen  inches  long,  and  bent  back- 
wards. 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  COUEKDOU,  (Hystrix,  or  Synetheres  prehensilis,) 

Which  is  also  called  the  Brazilian  Porcupine,  is  chiefly 
found  in  Guiana,  and  differs  from  the  common  Porcu- 
pine, 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. 


The  Sloth.  107 

§  VI. — Edentata,  or  Toothless  Animals. 


THE  SLOTH.     (Bradypus  tridadylus.) 

This  animal,  which  is  sometimes  also  called  the  Ai,  in 
reference  to  a  noise  it  makes  when  caught,  and  fre- 
quently when  'moving  through  the  forest,  is  most  cu- 
riously 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  com- 
pelled 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  hang- 
ing 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.  Water  ton,  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,  particu- 


108  Quadrupeds. 

larly  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  extra- 
ordinary, not  upon  the  branches,  like  the  squirrel  and 
monkey,  hut  under  them.  He  moves  suspended  from  the 
branch,  he  rests  suspended  from  the  branch,  and  he 
sleeps  suspended  from  the  branch.  Hence  his  seem- 
ingly 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  singu- 
lar habits  are  but  further  proofs  to  engage  us  to  admire 
the  wonderful  works  of  Omnipotence.'1 

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  pro- 
vide 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  posses- 
sion 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  ad- 
vantage of  a  windy  night,  when  the  branches  of  the 
trees  become  interlaced,  to  make  his  way  with  great  ease 
from  one  place  to  another. 


Tlie  Armadillo. 


103 


THE  ARMADILLO.     (Basypus  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  ene- 
mies. 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  con- 
taining Armadillos,  the  Indians  try  them  first  by  put- 
ting 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. 


110 


Quadrupeds. 


THE  GREAT  ANT-EATER.  (Myrmecophaga  jubata.) 

The  body  of  the  Great  Ant-eater  is  covered  with  ex- 
ceedingly coarse  and  shaggy  hair.  Its  head  is  very  long 
and  slender,  and  the  mouth  but  just  large  enough  to  ad- 
mit 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,  some- 
what 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  prin- 
cipally of  ants,  which  it  obtains  in  the  following  man- 
ner : — 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  con- 
siderable time  without  inconvenience.  The  motions  of 
the  Ant-eater  are  in  general  very  slow.  It  swims,  how- 
ever, over  great  rivers  with  ease ;  and,  on  these  occa- 
sions, 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. 


The  Duck-Billed  Platypus. 


Ill 


THE  DUCK-BILLED  PLATYPUS,  OK  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  dis- 


]  12  Quadrupeds. 

turbed.  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  comb- 
ing 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  sup- 
posed 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  diminish- 
ing 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  ar- 
ranged here  with  the  toothless  quadrupeds,  are  gene- 
rally considered  by  zoologists  to  be  most  closely  related 
to  the  Marsupials,  or  Pouched  Mammalia. 


The  Elephant 


113 


§  VII. — Pachydermata,  or  Tliich-slcinned  Animals. 


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  domesti- 
cated is  susceptible  of  attachment  and  gratitude,  as  well 
as  of  anger  and  revenge.     Several  anecdotes  are  related 


114  (Quadrupeds. 

of  his  quick  apprehension,  and  particularly  of  his  vin- 
dictive 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  some- 
times 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  domestio  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 


TJie  Elephant.  115 

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  inscrip- 
tion : — "  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  Beady,  relates  a  curious  instance  of  the  saga- 
city 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. 


116 


Quadrupeds, 


THE  HIPPOPOTAMUS,  OE  EIVEE-HOESE. 
(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  bot- 
tom, 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 


The  Indian  Rhinoceros. 


117 


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. 


THE  INDIAN  EHINOCEROS,  (Bliinoceros  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  pene- 
trable 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 


118 


Quadrupeds. 


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  im- 
mense strength.  It  was  known  to  the  Eomans  in  very 
early  times.  Augustus  introduced  one  into  the  shows,  on 
his  triumph  over  Cleopatra.  Some  Ehinoceroses  have 
two  horns. 


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 


The  Domestic  Hog. 


119 


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, 
Linnseus  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  pre- 
served. 

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  de- 
vouring 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. 


120  Quadrupeds. 


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  un- 
dauntedly 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  impro- 
per, as  they  would  too  soon  come  up  with  their  prey, 
and,  instead  of  a  chase,  would  only  furnish  an  engage- 
ment. Small  mastitis  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  expres- 
sion 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 


The  Wild  Boar. 


121 


slowly  goes  on  his  course,  and  the  dogs  renew  the  pur- 
suit. 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,  lierce,  and  un- 
accustomed 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  ot  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.  » 


J&Jm& 


122  Quadrupeds 


THE  BABIEOUSSA,  (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  con- 
struction, 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. 


The  Tapir.  123 


THE  TAPIE.     (Tapirus  americanus.) 

Tins  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  hippo- 
potamus, 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. 


THE  HOESE.  (Equus  caballus.) 
The  noblest  conquest  that  man  ever  made  over  the 
brute  creation  was  the  taming  of  the  Horse,  and  adapt- 
ing 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  husband- 
man, 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  Eace- 
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  excur- 
sions ;  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 


The  Horse.  125 

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  in- 
stance 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  pur- 
chase, 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, 
1  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  tentaurs,  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. 


126 


Quadrupeds. 


The  Horse  feeds  upon  grass,  either  fresh  or  dry,  and 
corn :  he  is  liable  to  many  diseases,  and  often  dies  sud- 
denly. 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, 
Ituffles  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." 


The  Ass. 


127 


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  neigh- 
bouring 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 


128  Quadrupeds. 

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  cele- 
brated 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  recom- 
mended. 

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  re- 
marked 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, 


The  Ass. 


129 


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  esti- 
mation, 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  repro- 
ducing its  kind. 


1 30  Quadrupeds. 


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  wrhere 
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. 


The  Kiang. 


131 


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. 


132 


Quadrupedi 


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  there- 
fore 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  man- 
ner as  the  horse,  ass,  and  mule :  and  seems  to  delight 


The  Zebra.  133 

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  thou- 
sand 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  Burch ell'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. 


131  Quadrupeds. 

§  Villi — 'Ruminating  Animals. 


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  fear- 
fully. 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,  parti- 
cularly if  the}''  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 


The  Bull 


135 


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  re- 
turned calmly  to  her  pasture,  leaving  him  quit  for  a 
severe  fright  and  a  torn  garment 


136  Quadrupeds. 


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  nge  of  the  Cow  is  known  by  her  horns  ; 
at  four  a  ring  is  formed  at  their  roots,  and  every  succeed- 
ing 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 


The  Wild  Bull 


137 


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. 


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,  pos- 
sibly the  last  remains  of  those  which  at  one  period  over- 
ran 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  sur- 
prise ;  but  on  the  least  motion  they  all  turn  round,  and 
k gallop  off  again  with  equal  speed,  but  not  to  tho  same 
distance,  forming  a  smaller  circle  ;  and  again  returning, 
__ 


138  Quadrupeds. 

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,  some- 
times 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  impe- 
tuosity. 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. 


The  African  Buffalo. 


139 


THE  AFRICAN  BUFFALO     (Buhalus  Coffer.) 

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  fore- 
head 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  tKan  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  ex- 
ceedingly fierce  ;  but  in -some  of  the  tropical  countries  he 


140 


Quadrupeds. 


is  perfectly  domestic,  and  very  useful  for  many  purposes, 
being  an  animal  of  patience  and  great  strength.  \\  hen 
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. 


The  Bison. 


141 


THE  BISON.     (Bos  or  Bison  Bouasus.) 

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  testi- 
mony 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, 
11  that,   although  the  river,   including   an  island  over 


142 


Quadrupeds. 


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. 


The  Zebu.  143 


THE  ZEBU,  OK  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  volun- 
tary 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. 


144  Quadrupeds. 


THE  SHEEP.     (Ovis  Aries.) 

The  Sheep  has  been  so  long  subjected  to  the  empire  cf 
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  Sar- 
dinia 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.  Ko  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 


The  Sheep.  145 

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  them- 
selves 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  extri- 
cated soon  after  the  storm  has  subsided. 

M  The  Sheep,"  Mr.  Bell  observes,  "  is  one  of  the  most 
interesting  of  all  animals  as  regards  its  historical  rela- 
tions 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  Scrip- 
tures." 


146 


Quadrupedi 


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  Earn  between  his  eyes,  which  usually 
brings  him  to  the  ground. 


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 


The  Goat.  147 

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. 


THE  GOAT.     (Caprahircus.) 

The  Goat,  next  to  the  cow  and  the  sheep,  has  been  al- 
ways 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 


148 


Quadrupeds. 


wild  places;  it  delights  in  climbing  precipices,  and  is 
often  seen  reposing  in  peaceful  security  on  rocks  over- 
hanging 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  fre- 
quently 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. 


THE  IBEX,  OK  BOQUETIN,  (Capra  Ibex,) 

Is  a  Wild  Goat,  which  inhabits  the  Pyrenean  moun- 
tains, 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 


The  Antelope. 


149 


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  hunts- 
man, and  tumble  him  down  the  precipice,  unless  he  has 
time  to  lie  down,  and  let  the  animal  pass  over  him. 


THE  ANTELOPE.     (Antilope  cervicapra.) 

These  beautiful  inhabitants  of  the  temperate  regions  of 
Africa,  and  southern  Asia,  possess  swiftness  and  ele- 
gance 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  beau- 
tiful yellow.  The  eyes  are  exceedingly  bright,  and  have 
often  been  compared  to  those  of  a  beautiful  nymph  by 
Persian  and  other  poets.     Enjoying  perfect  li*    rty,  they 


150 


Quadrupeds. 


range  in  herds  through  the  deserts  of  Arabia,  and  bound 
from  rock  to  rock  with  wonderful  agility.  Their  Ijong 
and  slender  legs  are  peculiarly  suited  to  their  habits  and 
manners  of  life,  and  are,  in  some  of  the  species,  so  slen- 
der 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. 


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  Ara- 
bian 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." 


The  Chamois. 


151 


When  the  Persian  describes  his  mistress,  she  is  "  an  an- 
telope 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  ex- 
tremely graceful,  its  head  unusually  light,  its  ears  flexi- 
ble, its  eyes  most  brilliant  and  glancing,  and  its  legs  as 
slender  as  a  reed. 


THE  CHAMOIS.     (Antilope  Bupicapra.) 

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. 


152 


Quadrupeds. 


The  flesh  is  considered  a  savoury  food,  and  the  skin  is 
wrought  into  a  soft  pliable  leather,  well  known  in  do- 
mestic 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. 


~c>V-:'.  --.i,j» 


THE  NYL  GHAU,  OR  BLUE  OX.     (Antilope  pkta.) 
This  is  a  large  kind  of  antelope,  found  in  India.    In  the 


The  Nyl  Ghau.  153 

wild  state  these  animals  are  very  ferocious,  but  they 
may  be  domesticated,  and  in  that  condition  give  fre- 
quent 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  Olive'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  vio- 
lence 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  cornfields 
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. 


154 


Quadrupeds. 


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  uncer- 
tain, and  when  offended  it  throws  itself  on  its  knees, 
like  the  nyl  ghau,  and  then  springing  up,  butts  furiously 
with  its  horns. 


The  Stag. 


155 


THE  STAG.     (Cervus  ElapTius.) 

This  animal  is  the  male  of  the  red  Deer,  and  is  gene- 
rally 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  exist- 
ence, 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 


156  Quadrupeds. 

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  con- 
scious 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  extraordi- 
nary share  of  courage,  when  his  personal  safety  is  con- 
cerned : — 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. 


The  Wapiti.  157 


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  Eegent'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. 


158  Quadrupeds. 


THE  EOEBUCK,   (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  Eoebuck  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  them- 
selves :  they  are  also  subject  to  capricious  fits  of  fierce- 
ness ;  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. 


The  Fallow  Deer. 


159 


^ 


THE  FALLOW  DEER.     (Germs  dama.) 

These  are  the  Deer  now  usually  kept  in  our  parks.  The 
beautifully  spotted  kind  are  said  to  have  been  brought 
from  Bengal,  aud  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  veiy  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. 


160  Quadrupeds 


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. 


The  liein-deer.  161 


^&m? 


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  in- 
habitants of  this  dreary  climate  derive  from  this  animal. 
We  cannot  sura  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 

M 


162  Quadrupeds. 

Supply,  their  wholesome  fare,  and  cheerful  cups : 

Obsequious  at  tlieir  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  Lap- 
landers, the  Esquimaux,  and  the  Indians  of  North 
America,  has  been  accurately  described  by  late  tra- 
vellers. Captain  Franklin  gives  the  following  interest- 
ing 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  necessar}?-  movements.  In  this  way  the  hunters 
attain  the  very  centre  of  the  herd  without  exciting  sus- 
picion, 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." 


The  Axis. 


163 


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  DEEE.     (Moschus  moscMferus.) 

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 


164 


Quadrupeds. 


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. 


'  "Jr.  u 


THE  GIRAFFE,  OR  CAMELOPARD. 

(Camelopardalis  Giraffa.) 

This  most  remarkable  ruminant,  which  in  its  general 
structure  nearly  approaches  the  Deer,  has  points  of  affi- 
nity also  with  the  antelopes  and  camels,  besides  very 
striking  peculiarities  of  its  own. 


The  Giraffe.  165 

The  head  is  the  most  beautiful  part  of  the  animal :  it 
is  small,  ami  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  sub- 
stance ;  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  re- 
markably elongated,  and  it  is  furnished  with  a  very 
short,  stiff  mane,  which  stands  out  erect  from  the  skin. 
The  height  of  a  full-grown  Giraife  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  ex- 
pression in  order  to  be  understood ;  for  the  Giratfe  has 
no  real  horns ;  but  between  its  ears,  at  the  upper  ex- 
tremity 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  sur- 
rounded by  a  row  of  strong  straight  hair,  which  over- 
tops 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  op- 
portunity 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  Giraife  is  a  light  fawn,  marked  with 
spots   only  a   few  shades   darker.      The  legs  are  very 


166  Quadrupeds. 

.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  vertebrae 
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  nar- 
row 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  amus- 
ing 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 


The  Giraffe.  167 

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  muf- 
fled 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  trot- 
ting, 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  extra- 
ordinary, 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. 


168 


Quadrupeds. 


THE  BACTIilAN  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  lie  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  Bactriax  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  quadru- 
peds 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 
pesert  places.    The  principal  characteristics  of  the  Camel 


The  Bactrian  Camel.  169 

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  provi- 
sion, 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  sin- 
gular 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  oft*  entirely  in  the  spring,  is  superior  to  that 
of  any  other  domestic  animal,  and  is  made  into  very  flue 
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. 


170 


Quadrupeds 


THE  ARABIAN  CAMEL,  OR  DROMEDARY. 

(Camelns  Dromedarius.) 

Another  species  of  Camel,  of  less  stature  than  the  former, 
but  much  swifter,  and  having  but  one  hard  bunch  on  nis 
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 


The  Dromedary.  171 

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  for- 
ward ;  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  lis 
could  resist  the  first  impulse,  and  thus  nobody  could  laugh 
at  his  companions."  Macfarlane,  in  his  work  on  Con- 
stantinople, tells  us  that  upon  his  first  Camel  adventure 
he  was  so  unprepared  for  the  probable  effect  of  the  crea- 
ture'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,  sur- 
mounted 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. 


172 


Quadrupeds. 


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  Ame- 
ricans, 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  Viave  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,  aud  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  compo- 
sition of  hats  in  several  parts  of  the  new  and  old  con- 
tinent ;  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. 


The  Ourang  Outan.  173 

§  IX. —  Quadrumana,  or  Four-handed  Animals. 


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  in- 
trepid, 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. 


174 


Quadrupeds. 


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  conforma- 
tion. 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 


The  Chimpanzee.  175 

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  Chim- 
panzee 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  interest- 
ing 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." 


176 


Quadrupeds. 


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  rest- 
ing 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  perform- 
ing 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. 


The  Barbary  Ape. 


Ill 


THE  MAGOT,  OR  BARBARY  A'PE,  (Inuus  sijlvanus,) 

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,  overlook- 
ing 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  in- 
attention ;  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  con- 
tinued 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. 

N 


178 


Quadrupeds. 


^.v»s>N 


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  eye- 
brows. 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  coun- 
tries 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  red- 
dish shade  on  the  shoulders,  head,  and  back.  It  is 
playful  and  good-tempered  when  young,  but  becomes 
morose  and  savage  with  age.  Button  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, 


The  Baboon.  179 

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  Ghacura  (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  arm- 
chair 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  formid- 
able 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." 


1 80  Quadrupeds. 


THE  PROBOSCIS.    THE  DIANA  MONKEY. 

(Nasalis  larvatus.)  (Cercopithecus  Diana.) 

The  Proboscis  Monkey  is  so  called  from  its  long  project- 
ing 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  grace- 
ful 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  ca- 
pricious 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 


Monkeys.  181 

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  cap- 
ture 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  with- 
draw 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 
veiy  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. 


182  Quadrupeds. 


THE  CAPUCHIN  AND  SPIDER  MONKEYS, 

(Cebus  Capvcinus  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  with- 
out ever  touching  the  ground.  Curious  illustrations  of 
this  are  daily  seen  at  the  Zoological  Gardens,  where 
there  are  several  of  these  Monkeys. 


Monkeys.  183 


THE  OUISTITI  AND  MAKIKINA  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  Mon- 
key ;  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. 


184 


Quadrupeds. 


THE  LEMUE  AND  THE  MOXGOOS, 

(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  AIE. 

§  I.  Raptores.     Diurnal  Birds  of  Prey. 


THE  GOLDEN  EAGLE.     (Aquila  chrysaetos.) 

"  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  power- 
ful 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 


186  Birds. 

about  three  feet ;  the  breadth,  when  the  wings  are  ex- 
tended, 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  wonder- 
ful 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  carni- 
vorous, 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 


The  Golden  Eagle.  187 

sticks,  and  generally  built  on  the  point  of  an  inacces- 
sible rock,  whence  it  darts  upon  its  prey  with  the  rapi- 
dity 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,  thev  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. 


188 


Birds. 


THE  SEA  EAGLE.     (Haliaetus  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. 


The  White-headed  Eagle. 


189 


THE  WHITE-HEADED,  OE  BALD  EAGLE. 

(Haliaetus  leucocejpltalus.) 

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  pro- 
vided 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 


190  Birds 

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  incredi- 
bly 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  alter- 
nately 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 


The  Ospreij. 


191 


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. 


THE  OSPEEY,  OR  FISHING  HAWK. 

(Pandion  lialiaetus.) 

"  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  com- 
mon 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 


192 


Birds. 


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  nume- 
rous 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. 


THE  BLACK  EAGLE. 

Some  ornithologists  suppose  this  to  be  merely  the  golden 


The  Black  Eagle.  193 

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,  Ger- 
many, Poland,  and  delights  in  Alpine  mountains,  where 
he  makes  the  vales  and  woods  resound  with  his  incessant 
screamings  when  in  search  of  prey. 

The  Abbe  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  or.  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  con- 
structed, 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. 

o 


194  Birds. 


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.  Putre- 
faction, instead  of  deterring,  only  serves  to  allure  it. 
The  Vulture  seems  among  birds  what  the  jackal  and 
hyaena  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  with- 
out feathers,  and  only  covered  with  a  very  slight  down, 
or  a  few  scattered  hairs;  their  eyes  are  more  promi- 
nent :  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  diffi- 
cult and  heavy. 

In  this  description  we  may  include  the  Golden,  the 
Ash-coloured,  and  the  Brown  Vulture,  which  are  inhabi- 
tants 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. 


The  Vulture. 


195 


THE    KING   VULTUKE.      (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  sur- 
rounded 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  some- 
times a  part  of  its  head,  so  that  it  looks  as  if  it  had 
hidden  its  neck  in  its  bod  v. 


196 


Birds. 


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  in- 
habitants of  South  America,  breed  among  the  highest 
and  most  inaccessible  rocks.  The  female  makes  no 
nest,  but  laj^s  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 


The  Buzzard. 


197 


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. 


THE  BUZZARD.     (Falco  Buteo,  or  Buteo  vulgaris.) 

"  The  no.ble  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 


198  Birds. 

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  Buifon,  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  ad- 
venture 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  wigs 


The  Honey-Buzzard. 


191) 


of  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  nearlv  an  inch  in  thickness. 


THE  HONEY-BUZZARD.     (Falco,  or  Pernis  apivorus.) 

This  Buzzard  eats  lizards,  frogs,  and  snails.  It  also 
feeds  upon  the  larvae  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  circum- 
stance with  birds  of  this  genus.  It  seldom  flies,  ex- 
cepting 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, 


200 


Birds. 


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  larva}  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. 


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 


Tlie  Goshawk  201 

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  con- 
tinue 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  gentle- 
man 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  par- 
tridges. 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. 


202 


Birds. 


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. 


The  Kite. 


203 


THE  KITE.     (Falco  Mdvus,  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  \i  she  sees  it,  it  will  drop  the  chicken  and 
fly  oif.  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  longi- 
tudinal 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 


204: 


Birds. 


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. 


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. 


The- Falcon. 


205 


THE  PEEEGBINE  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 


206  Birds. 

country.  It  is  found,  more  or  less  abundantly,  through- 
out 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  some- 
times 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  im- 
pulse 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  re- 
newed cravings  of  their  appetite  stimulate  them  to  fur- 
ther exertion.  In  different  stages  of  its  growth,  the  Pere- 
grine 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  im- 
mature state,  this  Falcon  is  also  called  a  Eed  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  deli- 
vered 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  in- 


The  Falcon.  207 

habitants  call  Shaheen  (Falco  peregrinator),  and  which  is 
of  so  fierce  and  courageous  a  disposition,  that  it  will 
attack  any  bird,  however  Jarge  or  powerful,  which  pre- 
sents itself.  *«  Were  there  not,"  says  Dr.  Eussel,  in  his 
Account  of  Aleppo,  "  several  gentlemen  now  in  Eng- 
land 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." 


208 


Birds. 


THE  MERLIN,  (Falco  cesalon,) 

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 


The  Merlin.  209 

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  con- 
sidered 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." 


210 


Birds. 


%m- 


.if ' 


S    - 

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,  elegantfy  marked  with  black  spots  and  bars.  Its 
nest  is  built  among  rocks,  or  in  the  holes  and  corners  of 


The  Secretarij  Bird. 


211 


old  buildings  and  church  towers,  and  the  female  lays 
four  or  five  eggs,  which  are  reddish  white,  with  brown 
spots. 


THE   SECRETARY  BIRD.     (Serpentarius  reptiliwrus.) 

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  be- 


212  Birds. 

tvveen  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  per- 
sonages in  their  way,  and  the  Secretary  Bird,  although 
he  cannot  take  his  pen  from  behind  his  ear,  finds  abund- 
ance 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,  pro- 
tected by  hard  horny  scales,  elevate  his  body  to  a  con- 
siderable 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  power- 
ful 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  atten- 
tion 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  m  a 
helpless  state;  it  is  then  soon  despatched  and  as  speedily 
swallowed.  Some  idea  of  the  quantity  of  reptiles  de- 
stroyed 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  a 


The  Hen  Harrier. 


213 


man'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  circum- 
stances, rarely  doing  any  mischief  to  his  companions, 
unless  his  supply  of  food  has  been  neglected. 


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. 


214 


Birds. 


IT. — Nocturnal  Birds  of  Prey. 


THE  HOKNED  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 


The  Harfang,  or  Great  Snowy  Owl.  215 

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 
1 1< uned  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  clay, 

In  philosophic  gloom  he  lay, 

Beneath  his  ivy  bower.''  CAKTEn. 


THE  HARFANG,  OK  GREAT  SNOWY  OWL. 

The  Harfang,  or  Great  Snowy  Owl,  (Surnia  nydea,)  is 
another  species  which  takes  its  prey  occasionally  by  day- 


216 


Birds. 


light.  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  com- 
mon in  the  northern  parts  of  North  America,  and  are 
eaten  not  only  by  the  Indians,  but  by  the  Europeans 
engaged  in  the  fur  trade. 


THE  WHITE,  BARN,  OR  SCREECH  OWL. 
(Srix  flammed.) 


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." 

This  bird  is  about  the  size  of  a  large  pigeon. 


Gray. 
Its  beak, 


The  Butcher-Bird,  or  Shrike.  217 

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. 


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 


218  Birds. 

end.  It  is  only  an  occasional  visitor  to  this  country, 
where  it  is  generally  found  between  autumn  and  spring. 
M  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,  fov  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  Linnseus  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  York- 
shire, 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  cine- 


The  Water  Ouzel,  or  Dipper.  219 

reous;  the  throat  and  breast  white,  spotted  with  red. 
Tt  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  ex- 
terior 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  dis- 
covers herself  at  the  approach  of  any  person  by  her  loud 
and  violent  outcries. 


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, 


220 


Birds. 


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. 


THE  BLACKBIRD.     {Turdus  Merula.) 

"  The  smiling  morn,  the  breathing  spring, 
Invite  the  tuneful  birds  to  sing; 
c       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  mas- 
ter's whistle.  Blackbirds  build  their  nests  with  great 
art,  making  the   outside  of  moss  and   slender   twigs, 


The  Missel  Thrush  221 

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 
3Tellow,  but  in  the  female  the  upper  part  and  point  are 
blackish;  the  inside  of  the  mouth,  and  the  circum- 
ference of  the  eyelids  are  yellow.  The  name  of  this 
bird  is  sufficiently  expressive  of  the  general  colour  of 
his  bod}7.     He  feeds  on  berries,  fruit,  insects,  &c. 


fcWs 


THE  MISSEL  THRUSH.     (Turdus  viscivorus.) 

The  Misskl  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. 

Tfw  Song  Thrush  or  TJirostle,  (Tardus  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 


222 


Birds. 


varied,  and,  although  not  so  deep  in  the  general  diapa- 
son 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  hi  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. 


THE  EEDWING,  (Turdus  iliaeus,) 

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 


The  Fieldfare. 


223 


us  ;  but  it  is  said  to  be  very  pleasing.  It  is  delicate 
eating ;  and  the  liomans  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. 


THE  FIELDFAKE,  (Tardus  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  Kramms- 
vogel,  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 


224 


Birds. 


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. 


THE  KING  OUZEL.     (Turdus  torquatus.) 

The  Eing  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  dis- 
tricts ;  particularly  among  the  Welsh  mountains  and  on 
Dartmoor,  in  Devonshire,  where  it  has  been  known  to 
breed. 


The  Mocking  Bird. 


22; 


<*> 


THE  MOCKING  BIKD,  (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  de- 
lightful melody  with  the  scream  of  a  hawk,  the  bark 
of  a  dog,  the  squalling  of  a  cat,  or  similar  discordant 
noises. 


226 


Birds. 


THE  ROBIN,  OR  REDBREAST. 

(Erythacus  rubecida.) 

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  admira- 
tion, 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 ; 


The  Robin,  or  Redbreast  227 

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  Eedbreast  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  war- 
bling 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,  lie  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  Red- 


228  Birds. 

breasts  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. 


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  ex- 
tension of  sound,  sweetness  of  tone,  and  versatility  of  notes. 


The  Nightingale.  229 

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 
no  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 
dowrn  the  diapason  with  the  velocity  of  lightning,  touch- 
ing 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  modula- 
tions 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  harmo- 
nious strains,  and  during  the  whole  night  entertains 
and  repays  his  female  for  the  irksome  duties  of  incu- 
bation. The  iSightingale  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,  dis- 
appears 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 


230  Birds. 

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  lovers  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. 


The  BlacJc-Cap. 

Now  is  the  pleasant  time, 


231 


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. 


THE  BLACK-CAP,  (Curruca  atricapiUa,) 

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 


232 


Birds. 


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. 


THE  WEEN.     {Troglodytes  vulgaris.) 

"  Fast  by  my  couch,  congenial  guest, 
The  Wren  lias  wove  her  mossy  nest  ; 
From  busy  scenes  and  brighter  skies 
To  lurk  with  iimocenee  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  multiprying  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  Willow  Wren. 


233 


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  pri- 
mary 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. 


THE  WILLOW  WEEN.    (Sylvia  trochilus.) 

The  Willow  Wren  is  somewhat  larger  than  the  common 
Wren.     The  upper  parts  of  the  body  are  of  a  pale  olive- 


234  Birds. 

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  depar- 
ture towards  the  end  of  September.  The  female  con- 
structs 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  num- 
ber. 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  par- 
ticularly 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  remark- 
ing  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,  care- 
lessly 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. 


The  Golden-Crested  Wren 


235 


THE  GOLDEN-CEESTED  WEEN,  (Begulus  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 


236 


Birds. 


THE  GREY  WATER  WAGTAIL.  (Motacilla  boaruhi. , 

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  ele-* 
gantly  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  habita- 
tions. 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  comnionty, 
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. 


Pied  Wagtails. 


237 


PIED  WAGTAILS. 

There  are  two  common  species  of  Wagtails,  the  Grey 
kind  and  the  Pied  Wagtail.  The  Grey  Wagtail  is  retir- 
ing 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 


238 


Birds. 


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  larvae  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  !  " 


THE  SWALLOW.     (Eirundo  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  twitter- 


The  Swallow.  23\) 

ing  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  Swal- 
low 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  sin- 
gular 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  won- 
ders 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  out- 
house ;  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  gen- 
tleman, 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 


240  Birds. 

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  Swal- 
lows ;  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,  hut  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  enjoy- 
ment 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  ephemerae  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.  Pie  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  House  Martin,  or  Window  Swallow.         241 

The  wings  are  of  the  same  colour  with  the  back.  Swal- 
lows 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." 


HOUSE  MAETIN,  OK  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  bod}r  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 

it 


242  Birds. 

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  forbear- 
ance 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  un- 
fledged 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. 


The  Swift.  243 


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 
difficult}',  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 
salty  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  swal- 
lows, with  whom  they  never  intermingle. 


244 


THE  GOATSUCKER.     (Caprimulgus  Europceus.) 

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  Goat- 
sucker 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  tor- 
ment 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  in- 
teresting works,  that  he  has  frequently  seen  the  Goat- 
suckers catching  insects  in  this  manner,  and  thus  prov- 
ing themselves  the  best  of  friends  to  the  animals  they 
are  accused  of  annoying. 


The  Skylark. 


245 


*®2S9§5? 


THE  SKYLAKK     (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  tjnt  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, 
Bounding  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 


246  Birds. 

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  suc- 
cessive 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,  Ms  notes  are  feeble  and  in- 
terrupted ;  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  pecu- 
liarly 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." 

Thomsox. 


The  Woodlark. 


247 


"  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." 

Bukns. 

11  Early,  cheerful,  mounting  Lark, 
Light's  gentle  usher,  morning's  clerk, 
In  merry  notes  delighting." 

Sir  John  Davis. 


THE  WOODLARK.     (Alauda  arborea.) 

This  species  is  smaller  than  the  skylark,  and  its  voice 
deeper ;  it  has  also  a  circle  of  white  feathers  encompass- 
ing 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 


248 


Birds. 


insects,  as  well  as  the  seeds  of  numerous  kinds  of  wild 
plants. 

"  Bright  o'er  the  green  hills  rose  the  morning  ray, 
The  Wood  lark's  song  resounded  on  the  plain, 
Fair  nature  felt  the  warm  embrace  of  day, 
And  smiled  through  all  her  animated  reign." 

Laxgbourx. 


THE  TITMOUSE,  OR  TOM-TIT.     (Parti*  evruleus.) 

THE  LOAG-T  AILED  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  quick- 
ness 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  sun- 
flower, 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, 


The  Yellowhammer,  or  Yellow  Bunting.        249 

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  Lorrg-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. 


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,  over- 
come by  the  power  of  the  laudanum  that  has  been  given  it. 
This  bird  feeds  on  seeds  and  various  sorts  of  insects, 


250 


Birds. 


and  is  common  in  everj'  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  liortulana^)  which  is  another 
species  of  the  same  genus,  is  common  in  the  central  and 
southern  provinces  of  Europe,  where  it  is  thought  exqui- 
sitely 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. 


THE  WHEATEAB,  AND  WHIN  CHAT. 

(Saxicola  amanthe  and  S.  ruhetra.) 

The  Wheatkar  is  one  of  our  earliest  visitants,  and  may 
be  found  in  every  part  of  Britain.  In  the  North,  it  gene- 
rally frequents  heaps  of  stones,  ruins,  or  the  dry  stone 


The  WJieatear,  and  Whin  Chat  251 

walls  of  burial-grounds,  and  though  it  is  a  very  hand- 
some 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  supersti- 
tion 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." 


252 


Birds. 


THE  SPAEROW.     (Passer  domestkus.) 

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  per- 
son 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  cal- 
culation, 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 


The  Linnet. 


253 


so  call  its  chirping,  is  far  from  agreeable :  this  arises, 
however,  not  from  want  of  powers,  but  from  its  attend- 
ing 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. 


THE  L1N.NET,  {Fringiila  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  Eedpole  (Fringiila  linaria)  is  a  small  species  of 
Linnet,  little  more  than  four  inches  in  length,  distin- 
guished 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.  Eedpoles  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  spar- 
row.    Its  head  and  back  are  of  a  yellowish-green,  the 


254  Birds. 

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  confine- 
ment it  becomes  tame  and  docile,  and  will  catch  the  notes 
of  other  birds. 


THE  CANARY-BIED.    (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  nightin- 
gale 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,  espe- 
cially among  the  lower  animals,  depends  in  a  great  mea- 
sure 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  attach- 
ment; 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 


The  Canary-Bird.  255 

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  Derby- 
shire, 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, 


256  Birds. 

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 ! 


THE  CHAFFINCH.     (Fringilla  ccelebs.) 
The  Chaffinch  is  of  the  same  dimensions  as  the  sparrow, 


The  Chaffinch.  257 

but  more  lightly  and  elegantly  formed.  Its  nest,  which 
is  of  the  most  beautiful  and  elaborate  construction,  is  com- 
posed 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." 


258 


Birds. 


THE  BULLFINCH.     (Loxia  pyrrMa.) 

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  apart- 
ment, 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.  ^Fn  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. 


The  Goldfinch. 


259 


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  en- 
couraging 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, 


260  Birds. 

which   are  whitish,   marked  at  their  upper  end  with 
purple  dots. 

"  The  Goldfinch  weaves,  with  willow  down  inlaid, 
And  cannaeh  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  iu  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." 

Gkahame. 

The  following  lines  were  written  by  Cowper  on  a  Gold- 
finch 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. 

41  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." 


The  Crossbill. 


261 


THE  CROSSBILL.     (Lcxia  curvirostra.) 

The  Crossbill  is  a  native  of  the  vast  pine  foiests  of 
northern  Europe,  and  is  by  no  means  abundant  in  Eng- 
land. 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  oreature,  and 
not,  as  was  formerly  rather  flippantly  asserted,  a  defect 
or  error  of  nature. 


2(52 


Birds. 


THE  STAKE,  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. 
Jn  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  modula- 
tions 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  Star- 
ling in  his  "  Sentimental  Journey : "  "  The  bird  flew  to  the 
place  where  I  was  attempting  his  deliverance,  and  thrust- 
ing 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.'  c  Disguise  thyself  as  thou  wilt,  still, 
slavery,'  said  I,  '  still  thou  art  a  bitter  draught !'  " 


The  Satin  Bower-Bird. 


263 


THE  SATIN  BOWER-BIRD. 

(  Ptilonorhynchus  holoscriceus.) 

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  remark- 
able 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  fru- 
givorous  ;  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 


264  Birds. 

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  amoug  the  low  shrub-like  trees, 
I  have  approached  within  a  few  feet  without  creating 
alarm ;  but  at  other  times  I  have  found  this  bird  ex- 
tremely shy,  especially  the  old  males,  which  not  unfre- 
quently  perch  on  the  topmost  branch  of  the  loftiest  tree, 
whence  they  can  survey  all  around,  and  watch  the  move- 
ments 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,  indica- 
tive 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  pre- 
sented outwards,  by  which  arrangement  not  the  slightest 
obstruction  is  offered  j,o  the  passage  of  the  birds.  The  in- 
terest 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  Kose-bill  and  Pen- 
nantian  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  Haven. 


265 


the  entrances.  The  propensity  of  these  birds  to  pick  up 
and  fly  oft'  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,  toge- 
ther 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  cer- 
tainly 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  th  ,  bower  in  a  sportive  and 
playful  manner,  and  that  so  frequently,  that  it  is  seldom 
entirely  deserted." 


THE  KAVEN.     (Corvus  Corax.) 

"  The  Raven  sits 

On  the  raven-stone, 
And  his  black  wing  flits 
O'er  the  milk-white  bone  : 


266  Birds. 

To  and  fro,  as  the  night-winds  blow, 

The  carcass  of  the  assassin  swings  : 
And  there  alone,  on  the  raven-stone, 

The  Kaven  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  Manfked. 

The  Eaven  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  Hud- 
son's Bay,  when  every  kind  of  effluvium  is  almost  instan- 
taneously 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  Kaven  possesses  many  diverting  and  mis- 
chievous qualities;  he  is  active,  curious, sagacious,  and 
impudent ;  by  nature  a  glutton,  by  habit  a  thief,  in  dispo- 
sition 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 


Tlie  Raven.  267 

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  col- 
lected 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  Eaven  seemed  to  enjoy  the  fright  he  had 
occasioned.  When  domesticated,  the  Eaven  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  Eaven  was  the  ensign  of  the 
invading  Danes,  and  the  prejudice  thereby  engendered 
against  the  bird  is  not  yet  quite  extinct.  Of  its  per- 
severance 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  Eavens  had  fixed  their 
residence  for  such  a  series  of  years,  that  the  oak  was  dis- 
tinguished by  the  title  of  •  The  Eaven-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  under- 
taking to  be  too  hazardous.  Thus  the  Eavens  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  affec- 
tion deserved  a  better  fate,  was  whipped  down  by  the 
twigs,  which  brought  her  dead  to  the  ground  !" 


268  Birds. 

The  croaking  of  the  Raven  was  formerly  considered  a 
note  of  ill  omen  : 

"The  Eaven  croaked  as  she  sat  at  her  meal, 
And  the  old  woman  knew  what  he  said  ; 
And  she  grew  pule  at  the  Raven's  tale, 
And  sickened  and  went  to  her  bed." 


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  vege- 
table 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  Scot- 
land 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  pur- 
suit of  a  pigeon,  at  which  it  made  several  pounces,  like 


The  Book  269 

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. 


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  pro- 
ductive of  amusement.  Hence  it  has  been  seldom  at- 
tempted 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  com- 
mon crows.  In  Suffolk,  and  in  some  parts  of  ISorfolk,  the 
farmers  find  it  their  interest  to  encourage  the  breed  of 
Books,  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  Eooks,  but 
the  very  next  year  the  crops  were  so  completely  cut  up 
by  grubs,  that  the  same  proprietors  were  at  considerable 


270  Birds. 

expense  in  getting  Books  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  inter- 
weaving 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  inha- 
bitants, 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  at- 
tempt, and  take  refuge  on  the  spire  of  that  building ;  and, 
though  constantly  interrupted  by  other  Rooks,  the)' 
built  their  nest  on  the  top  of  the  vane,  and  reared  their 
young  ones,  undisturbed  by  the  noise  of  the  populace  be- 
low. 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  watch- 
paper,  with  a  representation  of  the  spire  and  the  nest ; 
and  so  much  pleased  were  the  inhabitants  and  other  per- 
sons 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  givess,  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  pas- 
ture 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 


The  Jackdaw. 


271 


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  Hooks  can  smell  gun- 
powder. 


THE    JACKDAW.     (Corvus  monedula.) 

Tins  bird  is  muck  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  diffi- 


272 


Birds, 


culty  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  per- 
sons 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. 


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  crea- 
ture, 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  belong- 
ing 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 


The  Magpie.  273 

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 
c;hat  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  haw- 
thorn 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. 


274 


Birds. 


THE  CORNISH  CHOUGH,  (Pyrrhcorax  gracuats,) 
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  gar- 
dener be  pruning,  he  examines  the  nail-box,  carries  oil 
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  etfect,  by  both  bill 
and  claws,  and  will  hold  so  fast  by  the  latter,  that  he  is 
with  difficulty  disengaged." 


The  Jay. 


27.1 


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  read}7  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. 


276 


Birds. 


THE  ROLLER,  (Coiacias  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  yel- 
low 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,  search- 
ing for  worms,  insects,  seeds,  berries,  roots,  and  in  cases 
of  necessity,  small  frogs. 


The  Kingfisher.  217 


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  calm- 
ness 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  coinci- 
dence 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,  beats 


278  Birds. 

to  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  per- 
ceives 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  informa- 
tion 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  sub- 
stances, 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. 


The  Bird  of  Paradise. 


279 


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 


280  Birds. 

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  aerial  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  fila- 
ments, 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  con- 
venience 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  ma}  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. 


Nuthatch  and  Creeper.  281 


THE  NUTHATCH,  OK  NUTJOBBEK, 

(Sitta  Europcea,) 

AND  THE  CREEPER,  (Certhia  familiaris,) 

Is  less  than  the  chaffinch.  The  head,  neck,  and  heak  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  Nut- 
hatches are  shy  and  solitary  birds,  and  like  the  wood- 
peckers 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. 


282 


Birds 


THE  CKEEPER.     (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. 


The  Wall  Creepet 


283 


THE  WALL  CREEPER,  OK  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. 


284 


Birds. 


THE  LYKE-BIKD  OF  AUSTBALIA. 

(Menura  superba.) 

This  bird  is  found  in  New  South  Wales,  near  Port 
Philip,  but  it  is  the  male  only  that  possesses  the  splen- 
did 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  sur- 
rounded by  these  birds,  pouring  forth  their  loud  and 


The  Lyre-Bird  of  Australia.  285 

liquid  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  exces- 
sive labour  attendant  on  the  pursuit  of  the  Menura.  In- 
dependently 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.  Al- 
though 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  suc- 
cessfully pursued  by  dogs  trained  to  rush  suddenty  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  con- 
stantly 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  dis- 


286  Birds. 

turbance :  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  noise- 
less 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  con- 
stantly 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  em- 
ployed 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  Gallinaccea,  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,  some- 
times pouring  forth  his  natural  notes,  at  others  mock- 
ing those  of  other  birds,  and  even  the  howling  of  the 
native    dog,   or    dingo.      The   early  morning  and   the 


The  Humming-Bird.  287 

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. 


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  ex- 
tremely 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  dis- 
tinctly, 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  Humining-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 


288 


Birds. 


America,  where  it  migrates  to  the  north  in  summer,  and 
is  there  seen  even  in  Canada  and  the  country  of  Hudson's 
Bay. 


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,  reach- 
ing from  the  bill  to  the  nape  of  the  neck,  which  is  of  a 
pale  red.  The  breast  is  white,  with  black  streaks  tend- 
ing 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  offen- 
sive. This  beautifully- crested  bird  is  not  at  all  common 
in  this  country,  and  is  solitary,  two  of  them  being  seldom 


Tiu?Roo$oe.  289 

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  ma- 
terials 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. 


290 


Birds. 


§  IV. — Scansores,  or  Climbers. 


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  ? 


The  Cuckoo.  291 

u  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  com- 
posed 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. 


292  Birds. 

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  follow- 
ing, 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-spaiTOw.  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  situa- 
tion, 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 


The  Cuckoo.  293 

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  transac- 
tion, 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  con- 
test, 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  differ- 
ent in  its  habits  to  the  European  Cuckoo,  as  it  builds  a 
nest  for  its  eggs,  and  hatches  its  young  itself  like  other 
birds. 


294 


Birds. 


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  Wood- 
pecker, 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  al  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  secre- 
tion. 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  manoeuvre 
has  made  the  country  people  suppose  that  he  goes  round 


The  Common  Green  Woodpecker.  295 

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. 


296 


Birds. 


THE  WKYNECK.     (Tunx  torquilh.) 

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  in- 
truder ;  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. 


The  Toucan. 


297 


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  nar- 
row 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. 


298  Birds. 


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  tbe  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  in- 
terrogatories 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 


The  Grey  Parrot.  299 

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,  stretch- 
ing 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  attach- 
ment, as  well  as  of  revenge  ;  and  if  in  their  mimic  atti- 
tudes 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. 


300  Birds. 


THE  GREEN  PARROT,  (Psittacus  amazonicns,) 

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  distinct 
ness. 


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  Ring  Paroquet. 


301 


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. 

Tlie  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  ot 
the  tail.  It  was  formerly  common  in  the  West  Indian 
Islands,  but  has  now  become  rare  there.  Its  voice  is 
very  loud  and  harsh. 


THE  RING  PAROQUET.     (Palaornis  Alexandri.) 

This  beautiful  species,  no  less  remarkable  for  the  ele- 
gance 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  Alex- 
ander 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  nar- 
rower 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. 


302 


Birds. 


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 
thern  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  im- 
ported 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. 


THE  COCKATOO.     (Plydobphus  galeritus. , 
This  bird  is  distinguished  from  the  parrots,  by  a  beau 


The  Cockatoo.  303 

tiful  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  ex- 
tensively hacked,  that  a  slight  gust  of  wind  will  lay 
the  tree  prostrate. 


304 


Birds. 


V. — Gallinaceous  Birds. 


-■^  =  . 


THE  PEACOCK.    (Paw  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  of 


The  Peacock.  305 

feathers,  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  Pea- 
cock 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." 


306 


Birds. 


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 
ot  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  ot 
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  of 


The  Turkey.  307 

Turkeys,  which  is  there  a  considerable  branch  of  trade, 
is  brought  to  great  perfection ;  and  some  weighing  up- 
wards 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  every- 
thing 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  sa- 
tisfaction by  displaying  their  plumage,  strutting  about 
among' their  female  train,  and  uttering  their  peculiar  note 
of  self-approbation.  Some  instances,  however,  have  oc- 
curred, in  which  the  Turkey-cock  has  exhibited  a  consi- 
derable 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. 


308 


Birds. 


THE  GUINEA  FOWL,  OR  PINTADO. 

(Numida  Meleagris.^) 

Tins  bird,  which  is  also  called  the  Pearled  Hen,  was 
originally  brought  from  Africa,  where  the  breed  is  com- 
mon, 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  domes- 
ticated 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,  in- 
cessantly repeated,  grates  upon  the  ear,  and  becomes 
very  teasing  and  unpleasant.  They  belong  to  the  class 
of  birds  called  puheratores ;  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  protuber- 
ance 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 


The  Guinea  Fowl,  or  Pintado.  309 

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  ren- 
dered tame.  M.  Brue  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,  the}7  always  returned  to  the  ship 
when  the  dinner  or  supper  bell  rang. 

In  a  wild  state,  it  is  asserted  that  the  Pintado  associ- 
ates in  large  flocks.  Dampier  speaks  of  having  seen  be- 
tween 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. 


310 


Birds. 


S         r 


o.A^n-> 


V>» 


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  decay- 
ing vegetables  as  the  place  of  deposit  of  ixs  eggs,  thus 
making  a  hotbed,  arising  from  the  decomposition  of  the 
collected  matter,  by  the  heat  ot  which  the  young  are 
hatched.  This  mound  varies  in  quantity  from  two  to 
four  cart-loads,  and  is  not  the  work  01  a  single  pair  of 
birds,  but  is  the  result  of  the  united  labour  of  many0 

Mr.  Gould,  in  his  Birds  of  Australia,  gives  the  follow- 
ing account  of  the  discovery  of  one  of  these  nests  by 
Mr.  Gilbert  :— 

"  I  landed  beside  a  thicket,  and  had  not  proceeded  tar 
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 


The  Mound-Bird  of  Australia.  311 

out  to  the  native,  and  asking  him  what  it  was,  he  replied, 
*  Oooregoorga  Kambal,'  Jungle-fowls'  house  or  nest.  I 
then  scrambled  up  the  sides  of  it,  and,  to  my  extreme  de- 
light, 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  in- 
cubation ;  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  con- 
firmed 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 


S12  Birds. 

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  imme- 
diately 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'  opera- 
tions. 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  direc- 
tion of  the  hole  with  greater  certainty,  which  will  some- 
times, 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  reason- 
able to  suppose  that  the  bird  would  be  much  more  de- 
veloped than  is  usually  found  in  eggs  of  smaller  dimen- 
sions. 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, 


The  Pheasant. 


313 


like  the  turkey,  but  the  lower  part  of  this  is   much 
thickened,  warty,  and  bright  yellow. 


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, 


314  Birds. 

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  reflec- 
tions 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.  Nydhemerus),  brought  from  the  rich  provinces  of 
China,  are  kept  in  aviaries  in  this  kingdom. 

This  beautiful  bird  is  elegantly  described  in  the  fol- 
lowing 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, 


The  Red-legged  Partridge. 


315 


A 


itir 


JfcHJ^.. 


THE  RED-LEGGED  PARTRIDGE.     (Perdwj  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  Ked-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. 


316  Birds. 


THE   COMMON   PAKTRIDGE,   (Perdix  cinerea,) 

Is  in  weight  about  fourteen  ounces.  The  plumage, 
although  it  cannot  boast  of  gaudiness,  is  very  pleasing  to 
the  eye,  beiug  a  mixture  of  brown  and  fawn -colour,  inter- 
spersed 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 


The  Common  Partridge.  317 

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  strata- 
gem he  seldom  fails  of  so  far  attracting  the  attention  of 
the  intruder  as  to  allow  the  female  to  conduct  the  help- 
less 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  plu- 
mage, 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  agi- 
tated ;  upon  his  looking  among  the  corn,  he  saw  in  the 
midst  of  her  infant  brood  a  laige  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 


318 


Birds. 


held  a  distinguished  place  at  the  tables  of  the  luxurious 
we  have  an  old  distich : 

"  If  the  Partridge  had  the  woodcock's  thigh, 
'T  would  be  tue  best  bird  that  e'er  did  fly." 


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  oy  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  some- 
times appeared  on  the  western  coast  of  the  kingdom  of 
Kaples,  that  one  hundred  thousand  have  been  caught  in 


Quails. 


319 


one  day,  within  the  space  of  three  or  four  miles.  In 
some  parts  of  the  south  of  Kussia  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. 


THE  AMEKICAN  QUAIL,  (Ortyx  Virginianus,) 

Is  larger  than  the  Common  Quail,  and  is  something  be- 
tweeu  a  Quail  and  a  Partridge. 

The  Californian  Quail  (0.  Califwnicus)  is  distin- 
guished by  its  possession  of  a  curious  crest  or  tuft  of 
feathers  on  the  crown  of  the  head. 


320 


Birds. 


THE  EED  GROUSE.     (Lagopus  scoticus.) 

"  High  on  exulting  wing  the  Heath-Cock  rose, 
And  blew  his  shrill  blast  o'er  perennial  snows." 

Rogers 

This  bird  is  called  by  some  ornithologists  tho  Moor 
Cock,  and  by  others  Bed  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  gentle- 
men 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. 


The  Ptarmigan,  or  White  Grouse.  321 

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. 


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,  elegantl} 
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. 


322  Birds. 


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. 


The  Cajpercalzie. 


323 


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. 


THE  CAPERCALZIE,  (Tetrao  urogallus,) 

Was  also  formerly  an  inhabitant  of  the  forests  of  Scot- 
land, 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  coun- 
Iry,  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. 


324 


Birds. 


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  io 
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.  \A  hen  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 


The  Common  Cock.  325 

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  suste- 
nance 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  univer- 
sally 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  re- 
ceived 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  plea- 
sure, and  therefore  cockfighting  was  allowed  only  once  a 
year;  but  the  Romans  adopted  the  practice  with  rap- 
ture, 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  cockfight- 
ing was  permitted,  in  order  to  beguile  the  tedious  hours 
of  a  long  voyage.  The  Cock  has  been  a  subject  of  con- 
siderable 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. 


326 


Birds. 


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  cha- 
racterised 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,  Spanish,  and  Bantam  Fowls.     327 

THE  PADUAN,  OR  JAGO  FOWL. 

(G  alius  giganteus.) 

The  wild  species,  termed  by  Marsden  the  Jago  fowl,  is  a 
native  of  Java  and  Sumatra,  and  is  supposed  by  Tem- 
minck  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  walk- 
ing.     Many  Bantam  fanciers  prefer  those  which  have 


328  Birds. 

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. 


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  swift- 
ness 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. 


The  Dodo.  329 

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  inha- 
bited 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  fla- 
vour of  its  flesh  it  resembled  that  bird.  Later  natural- 
ists 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,  placrd  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  speci- 
men 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. 


330 


Birds. 


THE  RINGDOVE,  CUSHAT,  OR  WOOD 
PIGEON, 

(Columha  jpalumbus,) 

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 


The  Stockdove. 


331 


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  sparrow- 
hawk  ;  the  ringdove  was  master  of  the  whole. 


THE  STOCKDOVE.     (Columba  cenas.) 

"  The  Stockdove,  recluse,  with  her  mate, 
Conceals  her  fond  bliss  in  the  grove, 
And  murmuring  seems  to  repeat, 

That  May  id  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, 


332 


Birds. 


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  agree- 
able 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."' 


THE  EOCKDOVE.     (Columba  lima.) 

The  shape  of  this  bird,  which  is  the  original  stock  of 
our  domestic  Pigeons,  is  well  known,  and  the  plumage 


The  Bochdove.  333 

of  the  wild  birds  is  exactly  similar  to  that  of  the  com- 
monest kind  seen  in  our  dove-cots — bluish-grey,  with 
black  bands  across  the  wings.  In  its  wild  state  it  in- 
habits 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  pro- 
duce 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 
Kouen  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. 


334  Birds. 

"  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  trutli  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  Pock- 
dove,  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  Koureddin  Mahmoud,  which  lasted  about  a  cen- 
tury, and  ceased  in  1258,  when  Bagdad  fell  into  the 
hands  of  the  Moguls. 


The  Turtle  Love. 


335 


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  unfortu- 
nately killed  by  a  spaniel,  in  the  absence  of  the  male  ; 
the  disconsolate  survivor,  after  having  in  vain  searched 


336 


Birds. 


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  domesti- 
cated, the  appearance  of  another  female,  in  the  time  of 
coupling,  sets  at  defiance  all  natural  propensity  to  con- 
stancy, 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." 

Inglbs. 


The  Ostrich. 


337 


§  VI.   Grallatores,  or  Waders. 


THE  OSTEICH.     (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 

z 


338  Birds. 

motion,  it  raises  its  short  wings  and  holds  them  quiver- 
ing 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  ter- 
rific force.  The  feathers  of  the  back  in  the  cock  are  coal 
black,  in  the  hen  only  dusky,  and  so  soft  that  they  re- 
semble 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  in- 
correct. 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  tempered  steel." 

Mickle's  LrsiAD. 

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. 


The  Ostrich.  339 

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  ot 
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  consider- 
able 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. 


340 


Birds. 


THE  EHEA,  (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, 


The  Cassowary. 


341 


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. 


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 ; 


342  Birds. 

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  mu- 
seum 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  for- 
ward 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. 


The  Emeu.  34* 


THE  EMEU.     (Dromaius  Novce  Hollandice.) 

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  appear- 
ance 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  con- 
sidered excellent  eating,  and  is  said  to  possess  a  flavour 
something  between  a  sucking-pig  and  a  turkey.  The 
only  sound  that  this  biid  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. 


344 


Birds. 


THE  APTEEYX.     ( Apteryx  Australia.) 

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. 


The  Bustard. 


345 


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  some- 
thing 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 


346  Birds. 

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  ap- 
pendage; 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  fre- 
quently 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  natur- 
alists, 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. 


The  Crane. 


347 


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, 


348  Birds. 

but  are  not  now  so  frequently  seen  in  England  as  for- 
merly. 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  aery  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  unnuinber'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. 


The  Balearic  Crane. 


349 


THE  BALEAKIC  CRANE,  OR  CROWNED 
DEMOISELLE,  (Balearica  pavonina,) 

Is  originally,  as  the  name  expresses,  a  native  of  Majorca 
and  Minorca,  in  the  Mediterranean  sea,  which  were  for- 
merly 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  prin- 
cipal 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. 


350 


Birds. 


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,  slen- 
der, 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 


The  Stork  351 

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  inhabi- 
tants place  boxes  on  their  roofs  to  induce  the  birds  to 
take  up  their  abode  there. 

The  Stork  much  resembles  the  crane  in  its  confor- 
mation, 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  every- 
thing. 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  in- 
habitants could  have  no  harvest.  The  disposition  ol 
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  mourn- 
ful aspect;  yet,  when  roused  by  example,  exhibits  a 
certain  degree  of  gaiety ;  for  it  joins  in  the  frolics  ol 
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  re- 
markably 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. 


352 


Birds. 


A*wr\ 


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, 


The  Adjutant.  .'5. 53 

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  mouth- 
ful. Sir  E.  Home  states  that  in  the  stomach  of  an  Adju- 
tant 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  fa- 
miliar, 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  some- 
thing or  other,  and  even  purloined  a  whole  boiled  fowl, 
wliioh  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  fur- 
nishing those  beautiful  plumes  called  marabout  feathers, 
which  are  so  much  used  for  ladies'  head-dresses. 


354 


Birds 


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 


The  Common  Heron.  355 

of  great  value,  and  held  as  a  peculiar  mark  of  distinc- 
tion 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  fe- 
male 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 

Eeceives  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  iocs  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. 


350 


Birds. 


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  nar- 
row 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  hol- 
low 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  boom- 
ing noise  was  formerly  believed  to  be  made  while  the 
bird  plunged  its  bill  into  the  mud;  hence  Thomson  : 


The  Bittern.  357 

" 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  sud- 
den 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  precau- 
tions 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  alwa}<s 
swallow  whole.  About  this  season  they  usually  become 
very  fat. 


358 


Birds. 


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,  re- 
clining backward.  The  legs  and  feet  are  black.  The 
wisdom  of  Providence  is  most  conspicuous  in  the  con- 
formation 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 


The  Ibis. 


359 


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. 

Tlie  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. 


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 


360 


Birds. 


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  vene- 
ration 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  Eng- 
land. The  Scarlet  Ibis  (Ibis  rubra)  is  a  beautiful  species, 
which  adorns  the  banks  of  the  great  rivers  of  South 
America,  in  company  with  the  Eoseate  Spoonbill. 


THE  CUKLEW.     (Numenius  arquatus.) 

"  Soothed  by  the  murmurs  of  the  sea-beat  shore, 
His  duu-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 


The  Redshank.  361 

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  out- 
sides  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  feed- 
ing, 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 


THE  EEDSHANK.     (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 
Kedshank  delights  in  the  fen  countries, -and  in  wet  and 
marshy  grounds,  where  it  breeds  and  rears  its  young. 


362 


Birds. 


The  female  lays  four  whitish  eggs,  with  olive-coloured 
dashes,  and  marked  with  irregular  spots  of  black.  Pen- 
nant 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. 


THE  GODWIT,  (Limosa  cegocephah,) 

Is  met  with  in  various  parts  of  Great  Britain,  and  is 
rather  larger  than  the  woodcock,  which  it  much  re- 
sembles 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. 


The  Buff  and,  Beeve. 


363 


THE  BUFF  AND  EEEVE.     (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  Buff.  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. 


364 


Birds. 


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  Keeve  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  improve- 
ments 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. 


The  Snipe. 


365 


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. 

Thk  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. 


366 


Birds. 


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  gre}',  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  indi- 
viduals 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 


The  Knot. 


367 


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. 


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  dis- 
appear. 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. 


868 


Birds. 


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. 


The  Golden  Plover. 


369 


fSft*. 


THE  GOLDEN  PLOVEE,  (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  there- 
fore 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  stand- 
ing 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. 

2b 


370 


Birds. 


THE  DOTTEEL,   (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  fore- 
head 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  appear- 
ance 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  Berk- 
shire. 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 


The  Lapwing.  371 

endeavouring  to  imitate  the  actions  of  the  fowler,  and 
thereby  falling  into  the  snare  laid  for  him ;  but  they 
ought  to  be  entirely  disbelieved. 


THE  LAPWING,  OE  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  pre- 
tends 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  gaudi- 
ness  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  ; 


372  Birds. 

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,  re- 
sembles 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.  Ne- 
cessity soon  compelled  it  to  draw  nearer  to  the  house,  by 
which  it  gradually  became  familiarised  to  occasional  in- 
terruptions from  the  family.  At  length  one  of  the  ser- 
vants, 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 


. 


The  Water-Hen.  373 


ength  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  discon- 
tinued 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  com- 
panions 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. 


THE  WATER-HEN,  (Gallinvla  chhropus,) 

Is  also  called  the  Moor-Hen,  on  Moor-Coot,  and  the  Galli- 
nide.  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 ; 


374 


Birds. 


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. 


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 


The  Corn-Crake.  375 

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  extremel}'  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  ihe  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  ob- 
server 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  pecu- 
liar ciy  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. 


376 


Birds. 


THE  COOT.    (Fulicaatra.) 

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 
Linnaeus  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." 


The  Pelican. 


377 


§  VII.  Palmipedes,  or  Web-footed  Birds. 


THE  PELICAN,    (Pelicarms  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 
liimself  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  melan- 
choly posture,  till  the  resistless  stimulus  of  hunger  spurs 


378  Birds. 

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  down- 
ward, and  continues  to  fly  in  that  position  till  it  sees  a 
fish  near  the  surface.  It  then  darts  down  with  astonish- 
ing 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  pro- 
cured 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  Ameri- 
cans, in  order  to  procure,  without  trouble,  a  ssupply  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  por- 
tion of  the  provisions  from  their  pouches  for  their  impri- 
soned 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  evi- 
dence. 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. 


The  Cormorant.  379 


THE  CORMORANT,   (Phalacrocorax  carbo,) 

Is  a  large  water-bird,  nearly  allied  to  the  pelican,  pos- 
sessed 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  inha- 
bitants 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  de- 
scend into  the  water,  swim  about,  and  dive  in  pursuit  of 


380 


Birds. 


prey,  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. 


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, 
sea-coast. 


It  breeds  in  rocky  caves  on  the 


The  Gannet. 


381 


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. 
Xo  fewer  than  one  hundred  thousand  Gannets  are  sup- 
posed 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 


382  Birds. 

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  Eock,  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,  swim-, 
ming  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  ap- 
proach to  the  island,  they  seem  like  one  vast  swarm  of 
bees." 


The  Swan. 


383 


THE  SWAN.     (Cygnus  dor.) 

"  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  goodry  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 


384 


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. 


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  fre- 
quently, 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 


The  Wild  Duck  385 

is  of  very  great  use,  and  often  employed  as  an  orna- 
ment. 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  estima- 
tion 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  esti- 
mation :  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  llchester,  where  six  or  seven 
hundred  birds  were  kept,  but  the  collection  has  of  late 
been  much  diminished.  The  Swannery  belonged  an- 
ciently 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 

2c 


386 


Birds. 


"  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  seconda- 
ries, 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. 


THE  WILD  GOOSE.     (Anser  fetus.) 

"  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,  uncouth- 
ness  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  dis- 
dained even  by  the  great ;  her  feathers  keep  us  warm  ; 


The  Wild  Goose.  387 

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  the}'  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  thou- 
sand. 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,  ren- 
der 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  JEneid, 

"  The  silver  goose  before  the  shining  gate 
There  flew,  and  by  her  cackle  saved  the  state." 

Dbyden. 

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  pal- 
mated,  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 


388 


Birds. 


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. 


THE  DUCK.     (Anas  bosdias.) 

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  Mal- 
lards, being  an  exclusive  prerogative  of  the  male  sex. 
There  is  also  a  curious  and  invariable  peculiarity  be- 
longing to  the  males,  which  consists  of  a  few  curled 
feathers  rising  upon  the  rump. 


The  Eider  Duck. 


389 


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  sea- 
son. 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  sup- 
ported 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. 


THE  EIDER  DUCK,  (Sornateria  mollissima,) 
Which  is  found  about  the  coasts  of  the  north  of  England 


390  Birds. 

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  par- 
ticularly 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. 


THE  WIDGEON,  (Mar eca 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 


The  Teal. 


391 


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. 


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 


392  Birds. 

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  through- 
out 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 


r»nv    nnocf 


The  Stormy  Petrel  393 


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  har- 
mony 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. 


5^ 


THE  STOEMY  PETEEL,  OE  MOTHEE  CAEY'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 


394  Birds. 

colour  is  entirely  black,  except  the  coverts  of  the  tail,  the 
tail  itself,  and  the  vent-feathers,  which  are  white  :  its  legs 
are  slender.  Banging  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  velo- 
city along  the  billows,  and  sometimes  over  their  summits. 
They  often  follow  vessels  in  great  flocks,  to  pick  up  any- 
thing 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,"  be- 
cause 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  ad- 
vantage of  this  circumstance,  convert  them  into  lamps, 
by  fixing  them  in  an  upright  position  and  drawing  a 
wick  through  their  bodies,  which  thej'  light  at  the 
mouth. 


The  Fulmar. 


395 


THE  FULMAK,  (Procellaria  glacialis,) 

Is  a  larger  kind  of  Petrel,  which  is  found  not  uncom- 
monly 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  ac- 
count of  the  large  amount  of  oil  they  contain.  It  is 
only  rarely  they  are  seen  in  England,  nor  do  they  regu- 
larly 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. 


396  Birds. 


THE   ALBATEOSS,    (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  enor- 
mous 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. 


The  Great  Northern  Diver. 


397 


THE  GKEAT  NOKTHEEN  DIVER 
(Colymhus  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  re- 
markable 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. 


398 


Birds. 


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. 


The  Great  Auk. 


399 


THE  GKEAT  AUK,  (Aim  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  un- 
derneath 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  honors 
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. 


400 


Birds. 


v>:   s-<W+  - 


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. 


THE  COMMON,  OR  GREENLAND  WHALE. 

(Balama  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 

2d 


402  Fishes. 

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.  In- 
deed, 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  when- 
ever 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  con- 
trived 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  de- 
tached 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  ihe  warm  blood 
of  the  Whale  from  being  chilled  by  the  cold  of  the  water. 
The  true  fishes,  which  are  unprovided  with  such  a  cover- 
ing, have  cold  blood,  and  are  therefore  not  susceptible  of 
chills. 

The  common  AJhale  has  no  teeth  in  either  jaw,  but  its 
mouth  is  furnished  with  a  kind  of  fringe  of  numerous 
long  horny  lamina^  which  are  what  we  call  whalebone, 


The  Common,  or  Greenland  Whale.  403 

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  A\  hale  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  swift- 
ness ;  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  circum- 
ference, 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. 


404  Fishes. 

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  AVhale  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  swift- 
ness 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  Common,  or  Greenland  Whale.  405 

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  whale- 
bone 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  dis- 
tress.    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  Balcena  Australis. 


406 


The  Rorqual— The  Spermaceti  Wliale.         407 

THE  KORQUAL,  OR  FIN-BACKED  WHALE, 

(Balcenoptera  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. 


THE  SPERMACETI  WHALE,  OR  CACHALOT. 

(Physeter  macrocephalus.) 

This  animal  has  teeth  in  the  lower  jaw  onl}r ;  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' 


408  Fishes. 

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  sper- 
maceti 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  respec- 
tive stations  in  the  universe !  Let  us  then  exclaim, 
with  astonishment  and  gratitude,  with  the  Psalmist : 
"  O  Lord,  how  inscrutable  are  thy  ways,  how  magnifi- 
cent thy  works  !" 


THE  DOLPHIN.     (Delpliinus  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 


The  Dolphin.  409 

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  stones  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  Dauphine  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  Ship- 
wreck," describes  the  death  of  the  Dolphin  in  the  fol- 
lowing 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  bum  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. 
Ilodmond,  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 ; 


410 


Fishes. 


No  lovelier  colours  paint  the  vernal  dawn, 
When  orient  dews  impearl  the  enamell'd  lawn ; 
Than  from  his  sides  in  blight  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  poetr}T,  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. 


THE  WHITE  WHALE.     {Beluga  leucas.) 

The  White  Whale,  or  Beluga,  is  included  among  the 
dolphins.     The  body  is  white,  tinged  with  yellow,  or 


The  Wliite  Whale, 


411 


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  move- 
ments, and  do  not  quit  her  till  they  are  nearly  full  grown. 
This  Whale  is  generally  confined  to  the  northern  lati- 
tudes, 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. 


412  Fishes. 


«%* 


THE  POEPOISE.     (Phoccena  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  destroy- 
ing 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  West- 


The  Porpoise.  413 

minster  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  (Phocoena  Oreo)  is  a  species  of  Torpoise, 
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  Por- 
poise ;  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. 


414  Fishes. 


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  for- 
merly in  high  repute  for  its  supposed  medical  proper- 
ties :  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 
genu  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. 


The  Manatee, 


415 


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 
nippers, 'or  fins,  with  four  small  nails.  This  animal 
not  un frequently  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. 


416  Fishes. 


II.  Cartilaginous  Fishes. 


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  unsup- 
ported by  the  maxillae  ;  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  ven- 
tral, 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  sum- 
mer, 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 


The  Shark.  417 

was  brought  to  table  by  servants  with  coronets  on  their 
heads,  and  preceded  by  music.  In  London,  every  Stur- 
geon 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  Eussia.  The 
flesh  is  also  pickled  or  salted,  and  sent  all  over  Europe. 
So  prolific  is  this  fish,  that  Catesby  says  the  females  fre- 
quently contain  a  bushel  of  spawn  each ;  and  Leeuwen- 
hoek  found  in  the  roe  of  one  of  them  no  fewer  than  one 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  million  eggs ! 


THE  SHARK. 

(Squalas  carcharias,  or  Carcharias  vulgaris.) 

"  Increasing  still  the  terrors  of  the  storms, 
His  jaw3  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 

2e 


418  Fishes. 

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  dif- 
ferent 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  tri- 
angular 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  re- 
cesses 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  swim- 
mer 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. 


The  Shark.  419 

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  in- 
satiate 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  con- 
queror ;  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 


420 


Fishes. 


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. 


THE  DOG-FISHES 

Are  so  excessively  voracious,  that  they  are  altogether 


The  Hammer-headed  Shark.  421 

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  bath- 
ing 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,  con- 
ceal 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  had- 
docks, 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  there- 
fore 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,  (Zygoma  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. 


422  Fishes. 


THE  SKATE,  (Baia  batis,) 

Is  a  species  of  the  Kay,  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,  dis- 
regarded 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  sub- 
divisions, 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 


The  Skate.  423 

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. 


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  sub- 
stance 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  num- 
ber of  two  or  three  hundred.  In  some  parts  of  Cum- 
berland they  are  called,  by  the  common  people,  Skate- 
barrows,  on  account  of  their  resemblance  to  the  barrows 
which  are  carried  by  two  men,  and  used  for  the  convey- 
ance of  goods,  &c. 

The  Skate  sometimes  attains  a  very  large  size.  Wil- 
loughby  speaks  of  one  so  huge  that  it  would  have  served 
one  hundred  and  twenty  men  for  dinner.  Some  natural- 
ists are  of  opinion  that  these  fishes  are  the  largest  in- 
habitants of  the  deep,  and  that  only  the  smallest  of  them 
come  near  the  surface  of  the  water,  the  biggest  remain 
ing  flat  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  where  an  unfathomable 
deep  secures  them  against  the  wiles  of  man. 

Nine  species  of  the  Skate  or  Kay  are  found  on  the 
British  coasts. 


424 


Fishes. 


THE  THOKNBACK,  (Raia  clavata,) 

Resembles  the  Skate  in  its  general  appearance ;  the  prin- 
cipal 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. 


The  Torpedo. 


425 


THE  TORPEDO,  OE  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  under- 
neath. 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  merel}r  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. 


426  Fishes. 


THE  MONK-FISH,  OK  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  he  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,  appear- 
ing 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. 


The  Lamprey. 


427 


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  in- 
flicts very  severe  wounds.  The  colour  of  its  body  is 
of  a  grejnsh  brown  above,  and  paler  below;  its  length 
about  fifteen  feet,  the  saw  being  about  a  third  of  the 
whole. 


THE  LAMPREY.    (Petromyzon  mminus.) 

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  ac- 
quainted, seldom  exceeds  twelve  inches.  To  avoid  the 
constant  muscular  exertions  necessary  to  prevent  their 
being  carried  away  by  the  current,  they  attach  them- 
selves by  the  mouth  to  stones  or  rocks,  and  hence  are 
called  Petromyzon,  Stone-suckers.  The  Lamprey,  although 


428  Fishes. 

no  longer  maintaining  its  ancient  repute,  is  still  con- 
sidered a  delicacy  ;  those  taken  in  the  Severn  being  pre- 
ferred 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  Koman  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  Muroence,  or  Lampreys,  and 
considered  that  by  this  means  they  fattened  the  fish  and 
gave  them  a  superior  flavour. 


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 


The  Pilot-Fish.  429 

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  de- 
vour all  the  internal  parts,  leaving  only  the  hones  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  glu- 
tinous that  it  may  easily  be  drawn  out  in  the  form  of 
threads." 


§   III.  Bony  Fishes. 


THE  PILOT-FISH.  (Naucrates  dudor.) 

The  body  of  this  fish  is  long,  the  head  compressed, 
rounding  off  in  front,  without  scales  as  far  as  the  oper- 
culum. 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  com- 
pany with  the  shark,  and  picks  up  the  smaller  pieces  of 
food  which  his  predatory  master  drops,  either  by  accident 
or  design. 


430  Fishes. 


THE  REMORA,  OR  SUCKING-FISH, 

(Eclieneis  Bemora,) 

Resembles  the  herring  ;  its  head  is  thick,  naked,  de- 
pressed, and  marked  on  the  upper  side  with  a  curious 
sucker  composed  of  numerous  transverse,  movable,  ser- 
rated 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  ad- 
hesive 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  him- 
self, 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 ; 
AppallVl,  the  sailors  stare,  through  strange  surprise, 
Believe  they  dream,  and  rub  their  waking  eyes." 


The  Sea-Wolf.  431 


THE  SEA-WOLF,  OE  SEA-BAT, 

(Anarrhichas  lupus,) 

Is  often  caught  in  the  European  seas ;  and  is  ahout  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  an- 
chor. 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  salt- 
ing well  it  is  an  important  article  of  food  to  the  Icelanders, 
in  whose  seas  this  fish  occurs  in  great  abundance  and  of 
large  size. 


432 


Fishes. 


THE  HOKNED  SILURE, 

(Silurus,  or  Ageneiosus  militarist 

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  pe- 
culiarity 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  re- 
sembles 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  in- 
habits. 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. 


The  Father  Lasher^-The  Sword-Fish.        433 


THE  FATHER  LASHER.    (Coitus  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  inhabit- 
ants 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. 


THE  SWORD-FISH,  (Xiphias  gladius,) 

Which  belongs  to  the  mackerel  family,  has  received  its 

2  F 


434  Fishes. 

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.  The}'  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  repu- 
tation 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  im- 
mediately rushes  at  the  whale,  and  buries  its  weapon  in 
his  side.  When  the  whale  discovers  the  Sword-fish  dart- 
ing upon  him,  he  dives  to  the  bottom,  but  is  closely  pur- 
sued 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  be- 
yond 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. 


The  Flying  Scorpion. 


435 


THE   FLYING   SCORPION. 

How  admirable  is  Nature !  how  extensive  her  power 
and  how  various  the  forms  with  which  she  has  sur- 
rounded the  united  elements  of  animated  matter !  From 
the  uncouth  shape  of  the  wallowing  whale,  of  the  un- 
wieldy 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  out- 
lines and  decorations  of  which  appear  the  discordant 
qualities  of  frightfulness  and  beauty.  Armed  cap-a-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,  inter- 
woven 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,  sur- 
rounded 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, 


436  Fishes. 

and  not  unlike  those  ancient  fragments  of  Roman  pave- 
ments 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. 


THE  LUMP-SUCKER,  OR  SEA-OWL. 

(jCydopterus  lumpus.) 

Tins  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  mar- 
kets. This  unseemly  fish  is  usually  about  a  foot  in 
length,  and  ten  or  more  inches  in  breadth,  and  some- 
times weighs  seven  pounds.    The  flesh  is  but  indifferent. 


The  Ocellated  Sucker. 


437 


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. 


THE  OCELLATED  SUCKER, 

(Lepadogaster  cornubicus,) 
Another  Malacopterygious  fish,  a  relative  of  the  Lump- 


438 


Fishes. 


sucker,  and  chiefly  remarkable  for  the  singular  append- 
age observable  on  its  head.  It  possesses  similar  tenacity 
of  suction.  The  utility  of  this  faculty  to  animals  inha- 
biting the  rocky  shores  and  turbulent  seas  of  Greenland 
is  sufficiently  obvious. 


THE  ANGLER.     (Lopliius  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  Scar- 
borough, 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  remark- 
able appendages,  and  explains  their  use.    "  The  Fishing 


TJie  Four-homed  Trunk  Fish. 


439 


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  beiug 
drawn  up  by  the  line.  Mr.  Yarrell  mentions  an  in- 
stance 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  to- 
gether. 

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. 


THE  FOUK-HOKNED  TETJNK  FISH. 

(Ostracim  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. 


440  Fishes. 


THE  GLOBE  FISH,  (Tetraodon  Mspidus,) 

Is  an  oblong  fish,  inhabiting  the  seas  of  Carolina,  and 
endowed  with  an  extraordinary  power  of  swelling  its 
nnder  surface  into  a  large  globe.  This  sudden'  enlarge- 
ment not  only  alarms  the  enemies  of  the  Tetrodon,  but 
prevents  them  from  making  good  their  hold,  by  pre- 
senting 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  de- 
fenceless creature  a  most  formidable  appearance. 

\\  hen  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. 


The  Sun  Fish. 


441 


THE  SUN  FISH,  (Orthagoriscus  mola,) 

Appeaks  like  the  fore  part  of  the  body  of  a  large  fish, 
which  has  been  amputated  in  the  middle.  The  month 
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  dur- 
ing 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. 


442 


Fishes. 


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  trans- 
verse 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.  Irakis,  Esq.,  is  ex- 
tracted 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  appear- 
ance 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. 


The  Flying  Fish  of  the  Ocean. 


443 


"  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  bril- 
liant changeable  iridescence  about  the  head,  and  its  blue 
bands,  forcibly  reminds  the  observer  of  that  animal." 


THE  FLYING  FISH  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

(Exoccetus  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 


444  Fishes. 

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  com- 
monly, 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  (Exoccetus 
exiliens)  in  the  Mediterranean. 


THE  GUENAED.     (Triglot  cuculus.) 

This  genus  is  divided  into  several  species.  The  Eed 
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  ex- 
posed 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  Eed  Gurnard 
are  almost  inconceivably  brilliant  and  beautiful,  particu- 
larly in  the  broad  glare  of  sunshine,  as  they  then  vary, 
in  the  most  pleasing  manner,  with  every  motion  of  the 
fish. 


The  Gurnard,  445 

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  some- 
times with  black  ;  and  the  lower  parts  silvery.  About 
the  months  of  May  and  June,  the  Grey  Gurnards  ap 
proach  the  shores  in  considerable  shoals,  for  the  pur- 
pose 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  (Dadyloptera  M editerranea),  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  im- 
mense extent.  On  each  operculum  there  is  a  long  and 
pointed  spine,  with  which  the  fish  can  inflict  severe 
wounds. 


446  Fishes. 


THE  JOHN  DORY.     (Zeusfaber.) 

It  would  be  an  inexcusable  neglect  to  pass  this  fish 
unnoticed,  not  on  account  of  its  disputing  with  the  had- 
dock 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  Eng- 
land, 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,  pro- 
duces a  kind  of  noise  somewhat  like  that  which,  on 
similar  occasions,  is  emitted  by  the  gurnards. 


The  Blepharis — The  Opah. 


447 


THE  BLEPHAEIS.    (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  mis- 
take 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,  OE  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  magnifi- 
cent 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. 


448  Fishes. 


THE  COD-FISH,    (Gadus  morrhm,) 

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  thick- 
ness. The  back  is  of  a  brown  olive  colour,  with  white 
spots  on  the  sides,  and  the  lower  part  of  the  body  is  en- 
tirely 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  thou- 
sand, or  three  million  nine  hundred  thousand  shillings. 

In  the  European  seas,  the  Cod  begins  to  spawn  in 


The  Haddock  449 

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. 


THE  HADDOCK,  (Gadus  ceglefinus,) 

Is  much  less  in  size  than  the  cod-fish,  and  differs  some- 
what 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  little 

2g 


450  Fishes. 

beneath  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.  Peters  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  har- 
bour 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. 


The  Whiting — The  Ling. 


451 


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  pa- 
tients, 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. 


THE  LING,    (Lota  molva,) 

Is  usually  from  three  to  four  feet  in  length,  though  sonic 
have  been  caught  much  larger.  The  body  is  long,  the 
head  flat,  the  teeth  in  the  upper  jaw  small  and  nume- 
rous, 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  con- 


452  Fishes. 

sumption  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  con- 
sidered a  very  important  fish.  Nine  hundred  thousand 
pounds  weight  are  annually  exported  from  Norway.  In 
England,  these  fish  are  canght  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  es- 
teemed as  those  which  frequent  the  coasts  of  Great  Bri- 
tain 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. 


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  con- 
founded with  cod. 


The  Mackerel 


453 


THE   MACKEREL,  {Scomber  Scomber,) 

Is  taken  aiid  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,  reflect- 
ing, as  well  as  the  sides,  the  most  elegant  tints  of  the 
opal  and  the  mother-of-pearl.  Nothing  can  be  more  in- 
teresting 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 


454  Fishes. 

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. 


THE  GAK-FISH,  (Bebne  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  destina- 
tion. 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. 


The  Herring. 


455 


mfJ:  ^"wm 


THE  HERRING.    (Chpea  Earengus.) 

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  spawn- 
ing 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,  the}'  would  exhibit  a 
bulk  ten  times  the  size  of  the  earth.  But,  happily,  Pro- 
vidence 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 


456  Fishes. 

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.  AYhen  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  contain- 
ing about  twelve  thousand,  where  they  are  smoked  by 
means  of  a  fire  underneath,  made  of  brushwood,  for  the 
space  of  twenty-four  hours. 


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  Novem- 
ber 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  mea- 
sure, and  yield  a  great  deal  of  sustenance  to  poor  people 
in  the  winter  season.    It  is  reported  that  they  have  been 


The  Pilchard.  457. 

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  PILCHAED.     (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  com- 
merce. From  a  statement  of  the  number  of  hogsheads 
exported  each  year,  for  ten  years,  from  1747  to  1756  in- 
clusive, from  the  four  ports  of  Fowy,  Falmouth,  Pen- 
zance, and  St.  -Ives,  it  appears  that  Fowy  exported 
yearly  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  thirty-two  hogs- 
heads; 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  hogs- 
head, 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 


.458  Fishes. 

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. 


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 


The  Turbot.  459 

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. 


THE  TUEBOT.     (Bhombus  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  some- 
times 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 


460  Fishes. 

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. 


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  horizon- 
tally, but  if  suddenly  disturbed  they  change  the  hori- 
zontal 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  some- 
times 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  eatinjr. 


The  Flounder—The  Sole. 


461 


§^R^ 


THE  FLOUNDEK.     (Phtessa  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  en- 
tirely 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. 


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  supe- 
riority in  Tor  bay,  whence  they  are  sent  to  market  at 
Exeter  and  several  other  towns  in  Devonshire  and  the 


462 


Fishes. 


adjacent  counties.  They  are  found  also  in  the  Mediter- 
ranean 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,  the}^  have  been  known  to  feed 
on  shell-fish,  although  they  are  furnished  with  no  appa- 
ratus whatever  in  their  mouth  which  would  seem  to  be 
adapted  for  reducing  these  to  a  state  calculated  for 
digestion. 


THE  SALMON-PINK,  BEANDLING,  PAE, 
SKEGGEE. 


OE 


This  brilliant  little  fish  is  the  smallest  of  the  salrno7iidce, 
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 


The  Salmon. 


463 


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. 


THE  SALMON,  {Salmo  solar,) 

Is  the  boast  of  large  rivers,  and  one  of  the  noblest  inha- 
bitants 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  spawn- 
ing 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  legions  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 


464  Fishes. 

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  cli- 
mates. 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  ex- 
tend upwards,  about  fourteen  miles  from  the  mouth ; 
besides  many,  others  of  less  consequence.  These,  se- 
veral 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  paught  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. 


The  Salmon  Trout. 


465 


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. 

2h 


466 


Fishes. 


THE  TEOUT.    (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  an- 
glers 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 


The  Trout.  467 

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  in- 
stinct occasionally  changing  his  food  to  larvae,  caddis, 
ephemera,  worms,  and  even  the  young  of  the  water- 
snail,  all  of  which  act  as  alteratives.  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  larvae,  &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  shal- 
low 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,  ear- 
lier 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  sha- 
dow of  a  cloud  will  frighten  them  from  their  hill,  when 
they  retreat  into  deeper  water;  but  iipon  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 


468  Fishes. 

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  tem- 
perature 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  37ear,  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  allu- 
vial 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 


The  Char. 


469 


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  offish  in  rivers  and  ponds,  and  has  performed  marvels. 


THE  CHAK,  OK  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.  Alf  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,  espe- 
cially 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  de- 
served reputation  in  several  parts  of  the  Continent,  as 


470 


Fishes. 


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. 


THE  GRAYLING.     (Sdmo  thymdlus.) 

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  quanti  ies 
on  their  stomachs.  They  spawn  in  the  months  of  April 
and  May.     The  largest  fish  of  this  species  ever  heard 


The  Smelt 


471 


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. 


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  micro- 
scope, its  blood  may  be  seen  to  circulate. 

Smelts  are  found  on  the  coasts  of  all  the  northern  coun- 
tries 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. 


472 


Fishes. 


THE  PIKE.     (Esox  Indus.) 

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.*  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. 

"  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." 

*  Mr.  Boccius  has,  however,  shown  that  the  Trout  is  even  moro 
voracious.  \ 


The  Pike.  473 

Boulker,  in  his  Art  of  Angling,  says,  that  his  father 
caught  a  Tike,  which  he  presented  to  Lord  Cholmon- 
deley,  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  gover- 
nor of  the  universe,  Frederick  the  Secoud,  the  fifth  of 
October,  1230." 


474  Fishes. 


THE  PEECH,    (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  vora- 
cious, 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. 


The  Basse. 


475 


THE  BASSE,  OE  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  ap- 
paratus 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. 


476 


Fishes. 


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  denticu- 
lated scales. 


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THE  CAEP,    (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  Caip  is  esteemed  a  great  delicacy 
among  epicures.  In  the  canals  of  Chantilly,  formerly 
the  seat  of  the  Prince  of  Conde,  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  disagree- 
able 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 


478 


Fishes. 


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. 


THE  TENCH,  (Cyprinus  tinea,) 

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 


The  Gold-Fish.  479 

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  rub- 
ish,  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  con- 
cavity of  the  dungeon  where  this  innocent  sufferer  had 
been  immured  for  a  number  of  years ;  it  weighed  eleven 
pounds. 


THE  GOLD-FISH,  OK  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  orna- 
mental waters  of  our  own  countr}\  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. 


480  Fishes, 

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. 


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. 


The  Chub.  481 


THE  CHUB,  (Cyprinus  cepMus,) 

Is  of  a  coarse  nature,  and  full  of  bones ;  it  seldom  ex- 
ceeds the  weight  of  live  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. 


482 


Fishes. 


THE  BARBEL.    (Cyprinus  Barhus.) 

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,  fre- 
quents 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. 


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. 


The  Boach—The  Bleak 


483 


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. 


THE  KOACH,  (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  approach- 
ing 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  Eoach 
is  commonly  between  nine  and  ten  inches,  but  sometimes 
much  greater. 


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 


484  Fishes. 

summer  evenings  on  the  surface  of  rivers  in  chase  of  flies, 
bread-crumbs,  &c.  The  scales  are  employed  in  making 
artificial  pearls. 


THE  BREAM,  (Cyprinus  Brama,) 

Is  a  flattish  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,  some- 
times weighing  as  much  as  twelve  or  even  fourteen  pounds 


The  Minnow.  485 

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  hundred- 
weight, which  are  distributed  among  the  poor  of  the  vici- 
nity, who  split  and  dry  them  with  great  care,  to  eat  with 
their  potatoes. 


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. 


486 


Fishes. 


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. 


THE  BULL-HEAD,  OE  MILLER'S  THUMB, 

{Cottus  gobio,) 

Is  found  in  clear  brooks  and  livers  in  most  parts  ot 
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  in  ex- 


The  Stickleback.  487 

perienced  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  con- 
formation 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  indiffer- 
ently 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  deposit- 
ing 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. 


48S  Fishes. 


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  bodj' .  The  head  is  broad,  flat,  and 
large  ;  the  mouth  wide  and  destitute  of  teeth ;  the  ros- 
trum 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  re- 
ceived a  shock  so  violent  as  occasioned  him  to  let  the 
tub  fall.  He  then  called  another  person  to  his  assist- 
ance, 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 


The  Electrical  Eel  489 

of  these  fish  having  been  taken  from  a  net  and  laid  upon 
the  grass,  an  English  sailor,  notwithstanding  all  the  per- 
suasions 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  in- 
stance 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  them- 
selves, 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.* 

This  most  singular  fish  is  peculiar  to  South  America, 
where  it  is  found  only  in  stagnant  pools,  at  a  great  dis- 
tance from  the  sea. 

*  See  a  very  animated  account  of  the  capture  of  this  fish,  in  Hum- 
boldt's "  Views  of  Nature,"  page  16  (Bohn's  Edition). 


490 


Fishes. 


THE  EEL.    (Anguilh  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  suscep- 
tible 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  impedi- 
ment 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  imme- 
diately rejoined  it  without  any  deviation  to  the  right  or 


The  Eel  491 

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  hun- 
dred passed  a  given  line  per  minute.  Rennie  saw  (on 
the  loth  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  lor  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  larvae  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  sel- 
dom 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  pull- 
ing 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. 


492  .  Fishes. 


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  sea- 
side 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  fisher- 
men 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  en- 
twine 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  per- 
manently 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.    . 
KEPTILES. 

1.  Serpents,  or  Ophidian  Reptiles, 


SEBPENTS. 

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  fast- 
ing 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. 


494  Reptiles. 

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  some- 
times called  them  good  genii :  they  frequented  sepul- 
chres and  burying-places,  and  were  addressed  like  the 
tutelary  divinities  of  these  places.  We  read,  in  the  fifth 
book  of  the  iEneid,  that  when  the  Trojan  hero  sacrificed 
to  his  father's  ghost,  a  Serpent  of  this  kind  made  his 
appearance : 


and  from  the  tomb  began  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  varkms  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.'* 

Kowe's  "  Lucan." 


The  Viper. 


495 


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. 


Ik  ^ 


THE  VIPER,  OK  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  en- 
tirely black  ;  the  head  is  nearly  in  the  shape  of  a  lozenge, 
and  much  thicker  than  the  body.  The  Yiper  is  vivi- 
parous ;  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  Yiper,  as  she  lay 
on  the  grass,  basking  in  the  sun,  which  seemed  very 
heavy  and  bloated.  As  Yipers  are  so  venomous  that 
they  should  be  destroyed,  they  killed  her ;  and  after- 
wards, being  curious  to  know  what  made  her  so  large, 
they  opened  her,  and   found   in   her  abdomen   fifteen 


496  Reptiles. 

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  }*et 
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  ac- 
celerate 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  sus- 
tenance, and  the  sharpness  of  its  poison  decreases  in 
proportion  :  when  at  liberty,  it  remains  torpid  through- 
out 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  for- 
merly 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  Escula- 
pius  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. 


The  Homed  Viper. 


497 


THE  HORNED  VIPER.     {Cerastes  Hasselquistil) 

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. 


2  K 


498  Reptiles. 


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  dan- 
gerous 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  re- 
sembling 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  dis- 
turbed, 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  mena- 
gerie 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 


The  Haje.  499 

made  to  prevent  the  dire  effect  of  the  poison.  The  pro- 
prietor was  condemned  to  pay  a  deodand  for  the  injury 
done  by  the  serpent. 


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  jug- 
glers 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. 


500 


Reptile 


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  npper  jaw. 
Tt  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. 


The  Snake.  501 

Of  this  kind  are  the  dancing-snakes,  which  are  carried 
in  baskets  throughout  Hindoostan,  and  procure  a  main- 
tenance 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;  erect- 
ing about  half  their  length  from  the  ground,  and  follow- 
ing 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  stop- 
peth  her  ears,  and  refuseth  to  hear  the  voice  of  the 
charmer,  charm  he  never  so  wisely. 


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  bask- 
ing 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 


502 


Reptiles. 


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." 


THE  BOA  CONSTKICTOE. 

This  immense  animal  is  often  twent}^  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 


The  Amphisbtena.  503 

South  America,  where  it  chiefly  resides  in  the  most  re- 
tired 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  ani- 
mals, 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. 


THE  AMPHISB^NA.     (Amphisbama fuliginosa.) 
This  name  is  now  applied  only  to  a  genus  of  South 


504  .  Reptiles. 

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 
Amphisbaenas  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  Amphisbaana,  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  Amphisbaana  is 
blind.  It  grows  to  the  length  of  eighteen  inches  or  two 
feet.  Its  food  consists  of  worms  and  insects,  and  espe- 
cially ants,  in  the  mounds  of  which  it  generally  con- 
ceals itself.  The  ancients  gave  the  name  of  Amphisbsena 
to  what  they  considered  a  two-headed  serpent ;  but  it 
is  not  known  with  certainty  which  of  the  serpent  tribe 
they  meant,  as  their  Amphisbasna  is  described  by  Lucan 
as  venomous,  though  in  his  lines  elegance  of  language, 
beaut}7  of  versification,  and  liveliness  of  fancy,  have 
perhaps  a  greater  claim  than  truth  to  the  admiration  of 
the  reader  : — 

"  "With  hissings  fierce,  dire  Amphisbsenas  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." 


The  Frog. 
§  II.     BatracMan  Reptiles. 


505 


%}& 


THE  FEOG.     (Bana  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  at- 
tained 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 


506  Reptiles. 

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,  prin- 
cipally about  the  thighs  and  the  toes.  The  Frog  is  ex- 
tremely 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  frog- 
geries  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  some- 
times 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. 


The  Toad. 


507 


iS^~*^ 


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  ex- 
amined, 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  beeA  related  of  its  spitting  poison, 
or  knowing  how  to  expel  the  venom  it  may  have  re- 
ceived from  the  spider  or  any  other  animals ;  but-  these 
fables  have  been  long  exploded.  A  curious  and  yet  in- 
explicable 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  respi- 
ration 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  1 733,  a  live  Toad 
was  discovered  b}' M.  Gray  burg  in  a  hard  and  solid  block 


508  Beptiles. 

of  stone  which  had  been  dug  up  in  a  quarry  in  Goth- 
land. On  being  touched  with  a  stick  upon  the  head,  he 
informs  ns,  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  im- 
possible that  we  are  forced  to  suppose  that  those  writers 
have  been  misled  in  some  way.  That  there  is  some  foun- 
dation for  many  of  the  stories  in  question  we  can  have 
no  doubt,  but  we  must  look  forward  to  further  observa- 
tions 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  astonish- 
ing 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  gentle- 
man'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  descrip- 
tion being  so  much  noticed  and  befriended  excited  the 
curiosity  of  all  who  came  to  the  house,  and  even  females 


The  Surinam  Toad.  509 

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  instan- 
taneous. 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  fol- 
low. 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. 


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 


510 


Reptiles. 


from  the  tadpole  to  the  perfect  Toad  in  this  rather  con- 
fined space.  This  curious  Toad  is  found  in  Guiana ;  it 
frequents  the  dark  corners  of  the  houses,  and,  notwith- 
standing its  intense  ugliness,  is  eaten  by  the  natives. 


THE  COMMON  NEWT.     (Triton  aquaticus.) 

Besides  the  frogs  and  toads,  which  have  no  tails  when 
arrived  at  their  perfect  form,  there  are  several  Batrachian 
Eeptiles  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  princi- 
pally by  the  tail.  Their  progression  at  the  bottcm  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 


The  Great  Newt.  511 

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  GKEAT  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. 


512 


Reptiles. 
§  III.     Saurian  Beptiles. 


THE  LIZAED.     {Lacerta  vivipara.) 

This  is  a  British  species,  and  is  one  of  the  very  few 
reptiles  found  in  Ireland.  Its  movements  are  most  grace- 
ful. 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 


The  Iguana.  513 

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  Ame- 
rica, 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  herbi- 

2  L 


514  Reptiles. 

vorous,  but  feed  on  insects,  the  eggs  of  birds,  and  other 
animal  matter,  as  well  as  on  plants.  They  will  occa- 
sionally take  to  the  water,  and  seem  to  swim  with  ease. 
Notwithstanding  its  repulsive  and  even  frightful  appear- 
ance, the  Iguana  is  perfectly  harmless  and  inoffensive. 


THE  FLYING  LIZAED,  OR  DRAGON. 

(Draco  vohns.) 

The  Flying  Dragons,  those  terrible  creatures  described 
by  the  older  naturalists,  are  undoubtedly  fabulous  and, 
indeed,  impossible  creatures,  and  either  entirely  pro- 
ducts 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  mem- 
branous 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. 


The  Chameleon 


515 


THE  CHAMELEON.     (Chamoeleo  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  man- 
ner, seeming  never  to  lift  one  foot  until  it  is  well  assured 


516  Beptiles. 

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  struc- 
ture of  its  tongue  is  well  adapted,  being  long  and  pro- 
trusive, 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  swal- 
lows 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  for- 
ward, 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  un- 
doubtedly change  its  colour,  but  it  is  not  true  that  it 
takes  that  of  any  object  it  may  be  near.  On  the  con- 
trary, 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  Chame- 
leons, of  which  there  are  fourteen  species ;  but  two  of 
them  are  found  also  in  different  parts  of  Asia  and  New 
Holland,  and  one  (G.  vulgaris)  in  the  south  of  Europe ; 
but  this  animal  has  never  been  found  in  any  part  of 
America. 


The  Crocodile  of  the  Nile.  517 


THE  CEOCODILE  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  verj'-  far  asunder.  The  colour  is  a 
greenish  bronze,  speckled  with  brown,  and  of  a  yellow- 
ish green  underneath :  six  rows  of  nearly  equal-sized 
plates  run  along  the  back.  This  Crocodile  is  less  fero- 
cious 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  for- 
midable 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 


518 


Beptiles. 


moment  the  Crocodile  perceives  him  it  rushes  at  him 
with  open  mouth,  but  is  coolly  received  by  its  antago- 
nist, 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. 


THE  ALLIGATOR,  OR  CAYMAN. 

(Alligator  lucius.) 
The  habits  of  the  Alligator  are  much  the  same  as  those 


The  Alligator.  519 

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  ex- 
tremity. 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.  Pages 
says,  that  near  one  of  the  rivers  in  America,  where  they 
were  numerous,  their  effluvia  was  so  strong  as  to  impreg- 
nate 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  re- 
count 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.' " 


520  Beptiles. 

§  IV.  Chelonian  Reptiles. 


THE  COMMON,  OK  GKEEK  TOETOISE. 

(Testudo  Grceca.) 

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  de- 
fend 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  crea- 
ture inside.  In  winter,  Tortoises  are  said  to  bury  them- 
selves in  the  ground,  or  retire  to  some  cavern  or  hole, 
which  the}^  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. 


The  Green  Turtle. 


521 


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.  Dam- 
pier  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  laj'ing  their  eggs  (which 
are  as  large  sometimes  as  those  of  a  common  hen),  some- 
times 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 


522 


Reptiles. 


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  hun- 
dred 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  BrittanjT ;  and 
in  the  year  1810,  a  small  one  was  caught  amongst  the 
submarine  rocks  near  Christchurch,  in  Hampshire. 

The  reader  will  remember  how  delighted  Eobinson 
Crusoe  was  to  find  a  large  Turtle  which,  he  says,  con- 
tained three  score  eggs.     Behold  him  dragging  it  home. 


The  Hawlcs-Ml  Turtle.  523 


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  pre}7.  It  is  smaller  than  the  Green 
Turtle,  the  largest  specimens  being  about  three  feet  in 
length.  Its  flesh  is  a  very  indifferent,  if  not  unwhole- 
some, 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  tortoise- 
shell,  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  im- 
ported into  Europe  every  year,  and  the  traffic  in  it  forms 
a  very  important  part  of  the  trade  of  those  countries  in 
which  turtles  abound. 


524 


Reptiles. 


THE  LEATHERY  TURTLE,  (SpJiargis  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  Scar- 
borough, 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. 


THE  PEABL  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  for- 
mation 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  succes- 
sive coats  of  pearly  matter  to  be  deposited  on  the  in- 
truding object,  and  thus  the  pearl  is  formed.  The  best 
pearls  are  those  which  are  fairly  imbedded  in  the  sub- 
stance of  the  mantle.     These  shells  are  found  in  the 


526  Mollusca. 

Persian  Gnlf  and  at  Ceylon,  where  they  form  an  impor- 
tant 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.* 


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  Col- 
chester 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  gene- 
rally 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 

*  For  a  very  interesting  article  on  this  subject,  see  Bockmann's 
"  History  of  Inventions."  vol.  i.  p.  259.     (JBohn's  Standard  Library.  | 


The  Common  Cockle.  527 

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  un- 
wholesome. 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  preserv- 
ing 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. 

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  labour- 


528 


MoUusca. 


ing  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  striae.  The  foot  of  these 
animals  is  largely  developed,  and  is  to  them  a  most  im- 
portant 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  arc 
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. 


THE  PHOLAS.     (Pholas  dactylus.) 
This  is  a  shell  of  a  rather  elongated  form,  gaping  at  both 


The  Pholas.  529 

ends,  and  terminated  in  front  by  a  point ;  it  is  while 
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  destruc- 
tive creature  has  its  use  ;  by  penetrating  in  every  direc- 
tion 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. 


2  M 


530 


Mollusca. 


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— The  Whelk.  531 


THE  TIGER  COWRY.     (Gypraa  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  (Cyprcea 
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. 


532 


MoUusca. 


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  varie- 
gated. 

THE  PERIWINKLE,  (Littornialittorea,) 

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. 


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 


The  Garden  Snail. 


533 


lives  under  this  magnificent  roof  is  a  kind  of  snail,  dis- 
agreeable 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  pro- 
ducing 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. 


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  tele- 
scopes, are  blackish  knobs,  which  are  the  eyes.     The 


534  Mollusca. 

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  Eoyal  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  occa- 
sion 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 
Valiancy,  Dr.  Span,  and  other  gentlemen,  were  after- 
wards 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,  (Umax  cinereus,) 

Resembles  a  Snail  in  all  points  except  that  it  has 
no  shell,  consequently  the  brown  skin  of  the  back  is 


The  Sepia. 


535 


rougher  and  stronger  than  that  of  the  Snail.  Its  pro- 
gress 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,  {Avion  ater,) 

Is  a  well-known  inhabitant  of  our  fields  and  meadows, 
during  the  summer  season.  The  country  people  con- 
sider 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. 


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 


536  Mollusca. 

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  tooth- 
powder  ;  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 — The  Argonaut. 


537 


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. 


THE  ARGONAUT,  OR  PAPER  NAUTILUS, 

Is  a  kind  of  Poulpe,  in  which  only  six  of  the  arms 
present  the  ordinary  form,  the  other  pair  being  ex- 
panded 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. 


538 


MoUusca. 


THE  NAUTILUS,  OK  PEARLY  NAUTILUS, 

(Nautilus  Pompilim,) 

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  remark- 
able for  the  structure  of  its  shell,  the  cavity  of  which  is 
divided  into  numerous  chambers  by  transverse  parti- 
tions :  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  communi- 
cates 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  Binged  Animals. 


Sis\.V>^ »•— 


WOEMS.     (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 


540  Articulated  Animals. 

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. 


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  without 


The  Leech.  .  541 

any  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  con- 
sumption 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  ap- 
proaching, remain  at  the  bottom  in  dr}>-  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. 


542 


Crustacea. 
§  II.  Crustacea. 


THE  LOBSTEK,  (Astacus  marinus,) 

Has  a  cylindrical  bod}'',  long  antennae,  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,  be- 
sides those  that  remained  in  the  body  undeveloped. 
Like  the  rest  of  their  tribe,  they  cast  their  shells  an- 
nually, previous  to  which  they  appear  languid  and 
restless  :  they  acquire  an  entirely  new  covering  in  a 
few  days. 


The  Crayfish-The  Crab. 


543 


THE  CRAYFISH,  (Astacus  fluviatilis,) 

May  be  called  the  lobster  of  fresh  water,  and  its  pre- 
sence is  generally  esteemed  an  evidence  of  the  goodness 
of  the  water.  Crayfish  are  considered  a  very  strength- 
ening 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. 


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  con- 


544  Crustacea. 

siderable  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  al- 
ternative 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. 


The  Violet  Land-Crabs  of  the   Caribbee   Islands   aro 


The  Soldier  Crab.  545 

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,  wrhere  they  are  accounted  a  great  delicacy  by 
the  natives,  and  are  common  in  the  adjacent  islands. 


THE  SOLDIER  CEAB,  OR  HERMIT  CRAB, 

(Paguru.s  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. 

2x 


546 


Crustacea. 


1.  THE  SHEIMP.     (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  laminae ;  ten 
feet  and  five  fins,  but  no  claws.  This  animal  breeds 
on  all  the  sandy  shores  of  Great  Britain:  it  is  fre- 
quently 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  con-t 
sists  of  leaps.     Its  flavour  is  very  delicate. 

2.  THE  PKAWN.     (Pala>mon  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. 


The  Prawn.  547 

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  con- 
stitutes 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  em- 
ployed in  catching  lobsters,  or  in  a  kind  of  net  called  a 
Putting-net.  These,  which  are  well  known  to  all  fre- 
quenters 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. 


548 


Arachnida. 


§  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. 


THE  GARDEN  SPIDER.     (Epeira  diadema.) 

All  the  Spiders  are  distinguished  by  having  no  antenna, 
eight  legs,  and  generally  eight  eyes;  mandibles  termi- 
nated 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 


Spiders.  549 

in  its  formation.  It  consists  of  a  number  of  stout  threads 
radiating  from  the  centre  to  various  objects  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood, and  crossed  by  a  great  quantity  of  finer  threads 
arranged  in  a  close  spiral,  so  as  to  produce  the  impres- 
sion 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  diffi- 
cult 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  num- 
bers, 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  stock- 
ings have  been  woven  out  of  it.  A  great  difficult}', 
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  silk- 
worm. Spiders  resemble  the  Crustacea  in  having  the 
power  of  reproducing  the  legs  which  they  lose. 

THE  HOUSE  SPIDEB,  (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. 


550 


Arachnida. 


THE  DIVING  SPIDER,  (Argyroneta  aquatica,) 

Is  another  kind,  which  forms  a  sort  of  tent  by  stretch- 
ing 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  habi- 
tation 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. 


«3K^ 


THE  TAKANTULA.     (Lycosa  Tarantula.) 

This  Spider  is  a  native  of  the  South  of  Europe.  It  lives 
iu  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. 


The  Tarantula.  551 

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  coun- 
tenanced the  popular  story  of  these  effects  being  coun- 
teracted 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,  how- 
ever, 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  every- 
one 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  sup- 
posed 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  per- 
forming 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. 


552  Insects. 


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  jToung,  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  mil- 
lions 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  antennas  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  hatcheM  produce  larvae ;  and  which  are  called 
grubs  when  they  belong  to  beetles,  maggots  to  flies,  and 
caterpillars  to  butterflies  and  moths.  These  larvae  eat 
voraciously ;  and  as  they  rapidly  increase  in  size,  they 
generally  moult,  that  is,  change  their  skins,  two  or  three 
times.  When  the  larvae  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 


Coleoptera,  or  Beetles.  553 

imago.  There  are,  however,  some  insects  which  are 
active  throughout  their  lives,  and  in  these  the  larvae  and 
pupae  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  under- 
goes 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  in- 
complete, 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  antennae 
(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  man- 
dibles, or  upper  jaws,  and  two  maxillae,  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  thou- 
sand five  hundred  are  natives  of  Britain. 


554  ,  Insects. 


THE  COCKCHAFER.     (Melolonthx  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,  some- 
times 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  1G88  great  numbers  of  Cockchafers  ap- 
peared on  the  hedges  and  trees  of  the  south-west  coast 
of  the  county  of  Gal  way,  in  clusters  of  thousands,  cling- 
ing 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  Dor.  555 

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  clus- 
ters 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  pro- 
duce 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. 

Eooks  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  DOE,  OR  BLIND  BEETLE. 

(Geotrujpes  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 
eaueht. 


556  Insects. 


THE  STAG  BEETLE.     (Lucanus  cervus.) 

"  See  the  proud  giant  of  the  beetle  race  ; 
What  shining  arras  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  larvae,  or  grubs,  lodge  under  the  bark,  or  in  the 
hollow  of  old  trees  ;  which  they  bite  and  reduce  to  fine 
powder.  The  larvae  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. 


The  Elephant  Beetle.  557 


THE   ELEPHANT  BEETLE, 

(Scarabceus,  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  e}7es,  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  trans- 
verse 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  termi- 
nate in  points.  The  head-horn  is  an  inch  and  a  quarter 
long,  and  turns  upwards,  making  a  crooked  line  termi- 
nating 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,  wrould 
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 
lildnoceros. 


558  Insects. 

THE  MUSK  BEETLE,  OR  GOAT  CHAFFER. 

(Cerambyx  mosehatus,  or  Aromia  moschata.) 

This  is  one  of  the  longicorn  beetles.  It  is  a  very  beau- 
tiful 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  length- 
wise. 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  resem- 
blance to  musk,  though  those  who  named  it  appear  to 
have  thought  that  it  had. 


*\ 


THE  GROUND  BEETLE.     (Carabus  chthratus.) 

The  Ground  Beetle  is  not  only  one  of  the  largest,  but 
the  most  beautiful  and  brilliant  that  this  country  pro- 
duces.    The  head,  breast,  and  wing-cases  are  of  a  cop- 


The  Glowworm.  559 

pery  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  spe- 
cies, one  of  which  (Cardbus  violaceus)  is  of  a  beautiful 
purple. 

The  larvae  live  under  ground,  or  in  decayed  wood, 
where  they  remain  until  metamorphosed  to  their  per- 
fect state,  when  they  proceed  to  devour  the  larvae  of 
other  insects,  and  all  weaker  animals  that  they  can 
conquer. 

The  Ground  Beetles  are  found  as  early  as  the  begin 
ning  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 
baik  and  wood  of  willow  trees. 


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. 


560  Insects. 


THE  DEATH-WATCH.     (Anobium  tesselatum.) 

This  creature  is  called  the  Death- Watch,  from  a  super- 
stitious 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  maxilla3  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."        Pahnell. 

Sometimes  two  of  these  insects  maybe  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— The  Corn-Weevil.         561 

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  blister- 
ing 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  haemorrhage  and  death. 


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  pro- 

2o 


562  Insects. 

boscis  projecting  from  the  front  of  the  head,  at  the  ex- 
tremity of  which  the  mouth  is  situated.  As  this  pro- 
boscis 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  in- 
terior of  the  shell. 


THE  LADY  BIRD,  OE  LADY  COW. 

(Coccinella  septem-punctata.) 

Thp:  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  de- 
stroying the  aphis,  or  green  fly.  Jn  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  antennas  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  Ladv  Bird. 


The  Earwig.  563 

Order  IT.  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  maxillae  being  terminated  by  a  horny, 
toothed  piece  called  the  galea.  There  is  also  a  kind  of 
tongue,  and  the  metamorphosis  is  incomplete. 


THE  EAKWIG.    (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  harm- 
less, except  to  flowers,  notwithstanding  the  fabulous 
charge  which  was  so  long  believed  against  it,  of  its  en- 
tering 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 
mearly  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  ele- 
gance 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. 


564 


Insects. 


THE  LEAF  MANTIS.  (Emjpusa  gongyhdes.) 
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  termi- 
nated 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  di- 
vided at  its  extremity.  This  animal  is  one  of  the  innu- 
merable 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  contem- 
plate 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, 


The  Walking  Leaf. 


565 


whence  their  English  name.     They  are  found  in  the 
East  Indies  and  China. 


The  ordinary  Mantides,  or  Praying  Insects,  as  they  are 
sometimes  called,  from  their  apparently  devotional  atti- 
tudes, 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. 


THE  WALKING  LEAF,  (Phyllium  siccifolium,) 
Has  a  shorter  neck  than  the  Mantis,  and  its  fore-legs  are 


566  Insects. 

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. 


THE  GEASSHOPPEE,  (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  Grass- 
hopper 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 


The  Locust.  567 

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  di- 
vides, and  the  insect  jumps  out  of  its  exuuice. 


THE  LOCUST.     (Locusta  migratoria.) 

The  Bible,  which  was  written  in  a  country  where  the 
Locust  made  a  distinguished  figure  among  natural  pro- 
ductions, 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  e/irth,  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  Lo- 
cust, pass  from  place  to  place  ,jn  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  da}T.  It  often  happens  that  the  husbandman  sees 
this  imminent  calamity  pass  away  without  doing  him  any 


568  Insects. 

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  cli- 
mates 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  husband- 
man, 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  astonish- 
ing 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  dam- 
age 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, 


The  Mole  Cricket.  569 

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  ap- 
pearance, forming  many  compact  bodies  of  several  hun- 
dred 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. 


THE  MOLE  CKICKET.    (Grylbtalpa  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  subter- 
raneous depredators.  The  song  of  the  Mole  Cricket  is 
a  low,  dull,  jarring  note,  which  is  continued  for  a  long 
time  with  great  pertinacity. 


570  Insects. 


THE  CRICKET.    (Acheta  domesticata.) 

Thh:  domestic  Crickets  generally  inhabit  houses,  select- 
ing for  their  place  of  retirement  the  chimneys  or  backs  of 
ovens ;  and  feeding  upon  anythirig  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  im- 
perfect, 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.     Remijptera. 

These  insects  have  neither  mandibles  nor  maxillae,  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  antennae  are  often 
small,  and  sometimes  scarcely  perceptible.  The  meta- 
morphoses of  these  insects  are  incomplete. 


The  Lantern  Fly — The  Cochineal  Insect.      571 


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  pos- 
sible to  read  by  it.  No  modern  entomologist  has,  how- 
ever, 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. 


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. 


572  Insects. 

When  the  Mexicans  have  gathered  the  Cochineal  In- 
sects, 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  esti- 
mated 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  crim- 
son 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. 


THE  PLANT  LOUSE,  OE  GEEEN  FLY.      (Aphis.) 

The  Aphides  are  sometimes  viviparous,  and  at  other 
times  oviparous,  according  to  the  season  of  the  year. 


The  Plant  Louse,  or  Green  Fly.  573 

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  mul- 
tiplication 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. 


574  Insects. 


Order  IV.     Neuroptera. 

These  insects  have  four  transparent  wings,  strongly 
and  beautifully  varied,  so  as  to  resemble  net-work.  The 
mouth  has  mandibles  and  maxillas.  The  abdomen  of  the 
female  has  neither  ovipositor  nor  sting. 


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  differ- 
ence, that  the  legs  are  constructed  in  such  a  way  that 
it  can  only  proceed  backwards  or  sideways.  The  abdo- 
men is  very  large  and  fleshy ;  and  the  head,  which  is 
small,  is  armed  with  two  long  jaws  like  horns,  some- 
what 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 


The  Ant-Lion.  575 

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  car- 
case 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  beau- 
tiful 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  flutter- 
ing 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. 


576 


Insects. 


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  gra- 
dually, throws  off  its  slough,  expands  its  wings,  flutters, 
and  then  flies  off  with  gracefulness  and  ease.  The  ele- 
gance 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  larvas,  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  Bees.  577 

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.     Hymenojptera. 

In  this  order  the  wings  are  neither  so  large  nor  so 
strongly  veined  as  in  the  previous  one.  The  mouth  is 
furnished  with  mandibles,  maxillae,  and  an  upper  and 
lower  lip ;  and  the  abdomen  of  the  female  is  terminated 
either  with  an  ovipositor  or  a  sting.  The  metamor- 
phosis of  these  insects  is  complete. 

This  order  contains  the  Bees,  of  which  there  are  hun- 
dreds 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  sup- 
plied 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  pecu- 
liar 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  habita- 
tion 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  for 

2p 


578  Insects. 

the  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  mecha- 
nism, 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  in- 
sects 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  con- 
struct 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  Wasp. 


579 


the  smallest  possible  space ;  and  it  has  been  found,  by 
mathematical  calculation,  that  if  it  were  desired  to  con- 
struct 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  feed- 
ing their  young. 


Above  are  given  representations  of,  first,  the  Queen 
Bee,  placed  on  the  left-hand  side ;  second,  the  Drone ; 
and,  third,  the  Working  Bee. 


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. 


580 


Insects. 


All  kinds  of  Wasps  make  curious  nests ;  some  attach 
them  to  the  beams  of  a  bam  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  in- 
geniously 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  bod}%  excites  inflam- 
mation and  creates  very  considerable  pain. 


,"~ 


THE  ICHNEUMON  FLY.     (Pimpla persuasoria.) 

The  mouth  of  this  insect  has  jaws,  but  no  sucking  tongue. 
The  antennae  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  antennae.  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  Fly.  581 

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  fesd 
upon  the  caterpillar,  penetrating  to  its  very  entrails. 
These  larva?,  however,  contrive  to  suck  out  the  nutri- 
tious 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  larvae,  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  j'ears 
1731  and  1732,  by  multiplying  in  the  same  proportion  as 
the  caterpillars,  and  their  larvae  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  larvae  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  larvae  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. 


582  Insects. 


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  neu 
ters.  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 


The  Emperor  Moth. 


583 


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 
antennae  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  larvse  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  silk- 
worm, appears,  at  least  with  us,  to  be  exempted  from  this 
scourge.  De  Geer,  out  of  fifteen  larvse  that  were  mining 
between  the  two  cuticles  of  a  rose-leaf,  found  that  four- 
teen were  destroyed  by  one  of  these  insects. 


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 


584  Insects. 

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  antennae  ;  and  the  mouth 
is  furnished  with  two  strong  mandibles,  two  maxillae,  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  ex- 
tend 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  Linnaeus  to  give  the  name  of 
Sphinx  to  the  moths  in  whose  Caterpillars  this  habit  pre- 
vails ;  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. 


Tortoise-shell  Butterfly. 


585 


a, 


TORTOISE-SHELL  BUTTERFLY. 

(Vanessa  urticce.) 

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. 


586 


Insects. 


THE  CABBAGE  BUTTERFLY. 

(Pontia,  or  Pieris  Brassicce.) 

When  the  cole  wort  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  imme- 
diately 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,  com- 
pletely overspread  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  totally  con- 
sume every  green  plant.    This  would  certainly  be  the  case 


The  Magpie,  or  Currant  Moth. 


587 


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  contemp- 
tible little  parasite,  for  keeping  down  the  increase  of  an 
insect  which  would  otherwise  become  a  serious  and 
alarming  evil. 


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  larvae  of  those  in- 
sects, as  these  abounded  even  more  after  a  winter  when 
Fahrenheit's  thermometer  stood  at  zero,  than  after  a 
winter  which  was  remarkably  mild. 


588 


Insects. 


F%' 


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  to- 
gether, 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  Novem- 
ber 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  posi- 
tion 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. 


The  Silkworm.  589 


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  ac- 
count 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  an- 
cients. 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  manufac- 
ture of  silk  was  first  introduced  into  England ;  but  in 


590 


Inscets. 


the  year  1242,  we  are  told  that  part  of  the  streets  of 
London  were  covered  or  shaded  with  silk,  for  the  recep- 
tion 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  rib- 
bons, 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  L,  whilst  king  of 
Scotland,  requested  of  the  Earl  of  Mar  the  loan  of  a  pair 
of  silk  stockings  to  appear  in  before  the  English  am- 
bassador, enforcing  his  request  with  the  cogent  appeal, 
"  For  ye  would  not,  sure,  that  your  king  should  appear 
as  a  scrub  before  strangers." 


iiiilliiiiiiiw 


THE  CLOTHES  MOTH.    (Tinea  pdlionella.) 

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  Cater- 
pillar, 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 


Diptera,  or  Flies.  591 

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  con- 
venient 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  imme- 
diately 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  turpen- 
tine. 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  mov- 
able 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  sup- 
posed, enable  them  to  walk  on  glass.  Each  foot  has  also 
two  hooks  or  claws. 


592  Insects. 


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  larvae,  or  maggots,  are  thick  and  fleshy,  with- 
out 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  oif  the  skin  of  the  maggot ;  and  when  the  per- 
fect 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  eryihrocephala  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  larvae  upon  the  decomposing  animal 
matter  that  constitutes  their  food.  These  flies  are  so 
prolific  and  their  larvae  so  voracious  that  Linnaeus  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  pene- 
trates into  our  skin,  and  through  which  it  sucks  our 
blood  into  its  body),  but  also  for  the  several  metamor- 
phoses 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  the 


The  Gnat.  593 

larvse,  which  the  eggs  contain,  escape  into  the  water  in 
which  they  swim  about  with  vigorous  jerking  move- 
ments. They  are  compelled  to  visit  the  surface  to  take 
in  a  supply  of  air,  and  for  this  purpose  the  tail  is  fur- 
nished 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  an- 
terior 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  exuvice  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. 


2Q 


594  Insects. 


Order  VIII.     Sudor ia. 


These  insects  are  without  wings.  The  mouth  is  fur- 
nished with  a  trunk  or  beak,  formed  to  wound  as  well  as 
to  suck. 


THE  FLEA,  (Pulex  irritans,) 

Is  one  of  those  little  creatures  with  which  want  of  clean- 
liness 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  co- 
coon, 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. 

KADIATA. 


THE  STAK-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  progres- 
sive motion,  and  is  often  found  on  the  beach  among  sea- 
weeds 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  ena- 
bled firmly  to  adhere  to  the  dish  containing  the  salt-water 
in  which  it  was  kept.  Whenever  he  touched  the  tenta- 
cula 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  pajpjposa)  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  diffi- 
cult 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  fur- 
nished 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  cup- 
like 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. 


596  Badiata. 


THE  SEA-URCHIN.     (Echinus  miliaria.) 

This  animal,  which  lodges  in  the  cavities  of  rocks  just 
beneath  low-watev  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  tuber- 
cles 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 
Eomans  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  lar^e  shrubs. 


The  Bed  Coral 


597 


The  Zoophytes  were  placed  by  Linnaeus  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  con- 
sists of  such  Zoophytes  as  have  softer,  flesh}*,  or  horny, 
sterns,  and  in  which  the  individual  polypes  are,  as  it  were, 
amalgamated  with  their  common  plant-like  habitation. 


Magnified  branch,  exhibiting  the  Animals.  Gorgonia  Nobilis. 

THE  EED  CORAL. 

The  Coral,  or  Gorgonia,  is  a  hard,  stony,  branched,  and 
cylindrical  substance,  which  is  formed  at  the  bottom  of 


598  Badiata. 

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 
steins  and  branches  of  the  Gorgonise,  which  are  of  a  some- 
what 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  ad- 
dition 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  dura- 
bility 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  exqui- 
site 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  ma- 
chine, 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  Red  Coral  599 

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  pro- 
duce 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. 


600  Radiata. 


STON¥  CORALS. 

The  Red  Coral,  just  described,  belongs  to  the  section  of 
zoophytes  called  Asteroida  by  Cuvier,  in  which  the 
surface  of  the  polypidom  is  fleslvy,  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  confor- 
mation 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  ex- 
ceedingly 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  popula- 
tion ;  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  pro- 
ductions of  which  they  are  composed.  ^  heat-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  vege- 
table 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 


Stony  Corals.  601 

her  decorations.  They  are  studded  with  small  shells, 
and  beautifully  marked  with  outlines  expressive  of  their 
origin.  The  edges  of  the  reefs,  particularly  those  ex- 
posed 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  distin- 
guished 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  supposi- 
tion 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, 


602 


Badiata. 


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. 


CORAL   POLYPI,  MAGNIFIED. 

1.  Coral  of  the  A strea  annanas.  4.  Animal  and  dwelling  of  the  Cellepora 

2.  Animal  of  the  Caryophyllia  folitaria.  hyaliva. 

3.  Animal  of  the  Tubipora  mmica.  5.  Animal  and  central  axis  of  the  Gorgonia 

patula. 


Sponge. 


603 


^^^^S^P^wwn^ 


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  colled ed  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  pre- 
paration 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  perfec- 
tion 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  innu- 


604  Badiata. 

merable  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  Zoo- 
phyte 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  sedi- 
ment, 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.     (Bydroida.) 

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  Fresh-Water  Polypi.  605 

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  sud- 
denly catches  it  with  its  arms,  and  dragging  it  to  its 
mouth,  swallows  it  by  degrees,  much  in  the  same  man- 
ner 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  swallow- 
ing, 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  fre- 
quently 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 


606 


Badiata. 


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. 


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 


The  Sea  Anemones. 


607 


some  other  object,  and  from  this,  at  intervals,  rise  slen- 
der 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,  fur- 
nished 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. 


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  of 


608  Badiata. 

tentacles.  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  com- 
pared 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  adheiing  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  effi- 
cient 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 


Jelly  Fishes.  609 

to   the  orifice  of  the   mouth,   and  swallowed  without 
mercy. 

One  of  the  commonest  kinds  of  these  Polyps  is  the 
Mesembryanihemum  (Actinia  Mesernbryaniliemum),  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-korned  Anemone  (Actinia  or  Brusodes  crassi- 
cornis)  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  bv  Hermit  Crabs. 


JELLY  FISHES. 

The  animals  commonly  known  as  Jelly  Fishes  are  free- 
swimming  Eadiata ;  they  were  described  by  Cuvier  and 
most  succeeding  naturalists  under  the  name  of  Acalephce, 
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  Acalephae  of  Cuvier  are 
now  regarded  as  belonging  to  the  same  class  as  the 
Hydroid  Polyps. 

The  common  Medusa  (Medusa  amitd),  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 

2r 


610  Badiata. 

described  as  occurring  in  the  Sea  Anemones,  and  it  is  to 
these  that  the  stinging  power  of  the  Medusae  is  due. 
The  motion  of  the  Medusas  through  the  water  is  effected 
by  the  alternate  expansion  and  contraction  of  its  um- 
brella, 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  Medusae  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  Me- 
dusa is  a  regular  Polyp,  which  adheres  by  its  base,  and 
obtains  its  food  by  the  agency  of  a  crown  of  tentacles  sur- 
rounding 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  sepa- 
rating 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  won- 
ders 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  Linnaeus, 
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. 


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, 


612  Fabulous  Animals. 

a  little  after  the  summer  solstice.  This  phenomenon,  the 
source  of  unfailing  fertility  in  the  vales  of  the  Delta  np 
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  Kile ;  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  Egyp- 
tians 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  Phoenicians  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  decora- 
tions ;  and  two  specimens,  exquisitely  wrought,  are  seen 


The  Dragon. 


613 


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  sit- 
ting and  at  rest ;  a  graceful  attitude  adopted  by  Egyptian 
sculptors,  and  imitated  by  the  Greeks  and  Romans. 


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  car- 
buncles 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  hiero- 
glyphic 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  pe- 
destal of  the  monument  of  London. 


614 


Fabulous  Animals. 


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  sol- 
diers 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  sup- 
porter to  the  arms  of  several  illustrious  houses. 


The  Cockatrice,  or  Basilisk. 


615 


THE  COCKATEICE,  OR  BASILISK. 

The  fruitful  imagination  of  man  knows  hardly  any  bounds. 
The  animal  which  bears  the  name  of  Basilisk  was  ori- 
ginally supposed  to  be  a  serpent,  with  a  sort  of  comb  or 
crown  on  its  head  :  but  that  was  not  sufficiently  marvel- 
lous. It  was  supposed  also  to  be  hatched  from  a  cock's 
egg,  upon  which  a  snake  had  performed  the  office  of  in- 
cubation ;  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. 


616 


Fabulous  Animals. 


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,  can- 
not 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  Gry- 
phons 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. 


The  Phoenix  — The  Mermaid,  or  Siren.        617 

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  PHOENIX. 

Herodotus,  Pliny,  and  nearly  sixty  other  classical  authors, 
have  related  marvellous  stories  of  this  bird,  all  of  which 
are  of  course  fabulous.  The  Phoenix,  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  Phoenix,  whose  first  duty 
is  to  discharge  the  obsequies  of  his  sire.  For  this  pur- 
pose 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  pre- 
paring 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  Phoenix  is  a  symbol  of  five  hundred  years,  of 
which  the  conclusion  was  celebrated  by  a  solemn  sacri- 
fice, 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, 


618  Fabulous  Animals. 

which  he  styles  Sirens  ;  but  we  do  not  find  that  he  gives 
any  description  of  their  shape  ;  however,  it  was  soon  as- 
serted 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  de- 
lightfully 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  cur- 
rent 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  KKAKEN. 

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. 


The  Dolphin — The  Unicorn. 


619 


THE  DOLPHIN. 

This  is  the  Dolphin  of  heraldry,  and  as  fabulous  an  ani- 
mal 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  bril- 
liant colours  in  dying,  changing  from  a  bright  blue  to  as 
bright  a  yellow,  and  then  to  red  and  green,  &c.  &c. 


"^^E^-fZJ** 


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 


620  Fabulous  Animals. 

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  he  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  will- 
ing to  serve  thee,  or  abide  by  thy  crib?  Canst  thou  bind 
the  Unicorn  with  his  band  in  the  furrow?  or  will  he  har- 
row 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.  My- 
thology 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  im- 
mediately 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  moun- 
tain; 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 


The  Centaur—The  Satyr.  621 

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  Ippo- 
grifo  of  Ariosto,  which  is  often  seen  in  coats  of  arms. 


THE  CENTAUE. 

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 
Lapithse,  a  people  who  vanquished  the  Centaurs.  Their 
fabulous  existence  had  its  origin  in  that  love  of  the  mar- 
vellous, 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 


622  Fabulous  Animals. 

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  ge- 
nerally 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  de- 
prives 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  extrava- 
gant fiction. 


A. 

Abraxas  grossulariati 
Acelephse 
Acarus  siro 
Accipiter  nisus 
Acerina  cernua 
Acheta  campestris 
• — > —  domesticata 
Acipenser  sturio 
Actinia  crassicornis 

mesembryanthemum 

parasitica     . 

Adamsia  palliata 

Adder 

Adjutant 

Admiral 

Ageneiosus  militaris 

Ai   . 

Alauda  arborea 

arvensis 

Albatross 
Alca  impennis 
Alcedo  ispida   . 
Alligator  (lucius)    . 
Amphisbaena  (fuliginosa) 
Anabas  scandens     . 
Anaconda 

Anarrhichas  lupus  . 
Anas  boschas. 
Anchovy      . 
Angel  fish 
Angler 

Anguilla  vulgaris 
Anobium  tesselatum 
Anser  ferus 
Anthea  cereus         . 
Ants 

Ant-eater,  great 
Antelope  (cervicapra) 

Dorcas     . 

Gnu  . 

picta 

Kupicapra 

Virgo 


INDEX. 

Page 
587 

Anthropoides  virgo 

Page 
349 

Ant-lion 

.     574 

609 

Aphis   . 

572 

552 

Apteryx  (Australis) 

.     344 

202 

Aquila  chrysaetos 

185 

476 

Arctic  Fox 

.       39 

570 

Arctomys  Marmotta 

97 

570 

Ardea  cinerea 

.     354 

416 

Argali  . 

147 

609 

Argonaut 

.     537 

i    609 

Argyroneta  aquatica 

550 

609 

Arion  ater  . 

.     535 

609 

Armadillo 

109 

495 

Aromia  moschata    . 

.     558 

352 

Arvicola  amphibia 

102 

530 

Asp,  Egyptian 

.     499 

432 

Ass 

127 

107 

Astacus  fluviatilis  . 

.     543 

247 

marinus 

542 

245 

Asterias  rubens 

.     595 

396 

Astur  palumbarius 

200 

399 

Ateles  paniscus       . 

.     182 

277 

Auchenia  glama 

172 

518 

Auk,  Great 

.     399 

503 

Avicula  Margaritifera 

525 

475 

Axis 

.     163 

503 

431 

B. 

388 

Babiroussa 

.     122 

458 

Babirussa  alfurus 

122 

426 

Baboon 

.     178 

438 

179 

490 

Badger 

.       53 

560 

Balaninus  micum 

562 

380 

Balaena  Australis     . 

.     405 

696 

401 

mysiiceius 

582 

Balaenoptera  boops 

.     407 

110 

Balearica  pavonina 

349 

149 

Barbary  Ape 

.     177 

150 

Barbel 

482 

154 

Basilisk 

.     615 

152 

Basse    . 

475 

151 

Bat 

.       80 

349 

|  ,  Kalong    . 

83 

624 


Index. 


Page 

Page 

Bat,  Long-eared 

81 

Bulteo  vulgaris 

197 

Vampyre  . 

82 

Butcher-bird,  Great 

.     217 

Bear,  American  (Black) 

45 

,  Little 

218 

,  European  (Brown) 

46 

Butterfly,  Cabbage 

.     586 

,  Grisly 

46 

,  Tortoiseshel 

I            585 

,  Malayan  . 

48 

Buzzard 

.     197 

,  Polar 

50 

Honey 

199 

Beaver . 

88 

Bees 

577 

C. 

Beetle,  Black  . 

563 

Cachalot 

407 

,  Blind 

555 

Calandra  granaria  . 

.     561 

557 

Camel,  Arabian 

170 

,  Ground 

558 

,  Bactrian 

.      168 

,  Musk  . 

558 

of  America 

172 

,  Stag 

556 

Camelopardalis  Giraffa 

.     164 

Belone  vulgaris 

454 

Camelus  Bactrianus 

168 

Beluga  (leucas) 

410 

Dromedarius 

.     170 

Billy  Biter 

249 

Canary  Bird     . 

254 

Bird  of  Paradise 

279 

Cancer  pagurus 

.     543 

Bison  (Bonasus) 

141 

Canis  aureus    . 

42 

,  American 

141 

familiaris 

.       23 

Bittern. 

356 

lagopus 

39 

Blackbird    . 

220 

■  lupus 

.       40 

Black  Cap 
Black  Cock. 

231 
322 

37 
.     561 

Cantharis  (vesicatoria) 

Blatta  orientalis 

563 

Capercalzie 

323 

Bleak 

483 

Capra  hi  reus 

.     147 

Blepharis  (ciliaris) 

447 

ibex 

148 

Blue  Ox 

152 

Caprimulgus  Europasu 

3        .      244 

Boa  Constrictor 

502 

Carabus  clathratus 

558 

Boar,  Wild 

120 

violaceus    . 

.     559 

Bom  by  x  mori  . 

589 

Caracal 

20 

Boquctin 

148 

Carcharias  vulgaris 

.     417 

Bos  Bonasus 
Indicus 

141 

.     143 

421 
.     527 

Cardium  edule 

Taurus 

134 

Carduelis  canaria 

254 

Botaurus  stellaris    . 

.     356 

.     24 

Bower- Bird 

263 

Carp     . 

477 

Bradypus  tridact)lus 

107 

,  Golden 

.     479 

Brandling 

462 

Carrion  Crow  . 

268 

Bream 

.     484 

Cassowary 

.     341 

Brusodes  crassicornis   . 

609 

Castor  Fiber     . 

88 

Bubalus  Caffer 

139 

Casuarius  galeatus 

.     341 

Bubo  Maximus. 

214 

Cat 

20 

Buccinum  undatum 

531 

Cavallo-Marino 

.     442 

Budytes  flava   . 

237 

Cavia  Cobaya  . 

98 

Bufo  vulgaris 

507 

Cayman 

.     518 

Buffalo,  African 

139 

Cebus  Capucinus 

182 

Bull 

134 

Centaur' 

.     621 

,  Brahmin  . 

143 

Cerambyx  meschatus 

558 

.  Wild  . 

.     137 

Cerastes  Hasselquistii 

.     4.(7 

Bullfinch 

258 

Cercopithecus  Diana 

180 

Bullhead      . 

486 

Certhia  familiaris 

281,  282 

Bunting,  Yellow 

249 

Cervus  Alces 

.     160 

Bustard 

345 

axis 

163 

Index, 


625 


Cervus  Canadensis 

capreolus 

dama 

Elaphus 

Tarandus     . 

Chacura 

Chaffinch     . 

Chama 

Chamaeleo  vulgaris 

Chameleon 

Chamois 

Charadrius  morinellus 

pluvialis 

Char     . 
Cheese  Hopper 


Mite 


Cheetah 

Cheimatohia  brumata 
Chelonia  imbricata 

midas 

Chimpanzee 
Chinchilla  lanigera 
Chough 
Chub    . 
Ciconia  alba 
Cinclus  aquaticus 
Circus  cyaneus 
Civet    . 

■ ,  Oriental 

Clam    . 
Clupea  alba 

Harengus 

Pilchardus   . 

• Sardina 

Sprattus 

Coati-Mondi 

Cobitis  barbatula    . 

Cobra  di  Capello 

Coccinella  septem-punctata 

Coccus  cacti     . 

Cochineal  Insect 

Cockatoo 

Cockatrice  . 

Cockchafer 

Cockle 

Cockroach 

Cod-fish 

Coluber  natrix 

Columba  senas 

livia  . 

palumbus 

Turtur 

Colymbus  glacialis 
Comatula  rosacea 
Condor 


Page 
157 
158 
159 
155 
161 
179 
256 
528 
515 
515 
151 
370 
369 
469 
552 
552 

15 
588 
523 
521 
174 
105 
274 
481 
350 
219 
213 

54 

56 
528 
458 
455 
457 
457 
456 

53 
486 
500 
562 
571 
571 
303 
615 
554 
527 
563 
448 
501 
331 
332 
330 
335 
397 
595 
196 


Conger  vulgaris 
Coot 

Coracias  garrula 
Coral,  Red. 

,  Stony 

Cormorant  . 

,  Crested 

Corn  Crake 

Weevil 

Corvus  corone 

Corax   . 

frugilegus    . 

monedula 

Cottus  scorpius 

gobio 

Coturnix  dactylisonans 

Couendou 

Cow 

Cow  Bird 

Cowry,  Money 

■ ,  Tiger  . 

Crab 

,  Violet  land 

,  Soldier,  or  hermit 

Crane  . 

,  Balearic 

,  Gigantic 

■ ,  Numidian 

Crangon  vulgaris 

Crayfish 

Creeper 

,  Wall 

Cricket 


Field 
Mole 


Crocodile  of  the  Nile 
Crocodilus  vulgaris 
Crossbill 
Crotalus  horridus 
Cuckoo 

,  American 

Cuculus  canorus 

Culex  pipiens  . 

Curlew 

Curruca  atricapilla 

Cushat 

Cuttle-fish 

Cyclopterus  lumpus 

Cynocephalus 

porcarius 

Cygnus  ferus    . 

olor 

Cypraea  moneta 

tigris 

Cyprinus  alburnus 


Page 

492 
.  376 

276 
.  597 

600 
.  379 

380 
.  374 

561 
.  268 

265 
.  269 

271 
.  433 

486 
.  318 

106 
.  136 

293 
.  531 

531 
.  543 

544 
.   545 

347 
.  349 

352 
.  349 

546 

.  543 

281,  282 

.  283 

570 
.  570 

569 
.  517 

517 
.  261 

498 
.  290 

293 
.  290 

592 
.  360 

231 
.  330 

535 
.  436 

178 
.  179 

384 
.  383 

531 
.  531 

483 


2s 


626 


Index. 


Cyprinus  auratus    . 

barbus 

bra  ma 

—  carpio 

cephalus  . 

go  bio 

leuciscus  . 

phoxinus 

rutilus 

tinea 

Cypselus  apus 

D. 
Dace     . 

Dactyloptera  Mediterranea 
Dasypus  sexcinctus 
Day-fly 
Death-Watch 
Deer,  Fallow    . 

,  Musk 

Delphinus  Delphis 

Demoiselle  . 

Dicotyles  labiatus 

Didelphis  Virginiana 

Didus  ineptus  . 

Diomedea  exulans  . 

Dipper 

Dipus  iEgyptius 

Djeggetai 

Dodo 

Dog-fishes 

Dog 

Bloodhound 

Bulldog 

Foxhound 

Greyhound 

Mastiff      . 

Newfoundland 

Pointer     . 

Shepherd's 

Spaniel     . 

Terrier 

Water  Spaniel 

Dolphin 

■ —  of  mythology 

Dor 
Dorado 
Dormouse    . 


American 


Dottrel 
Dove,  Ring 

,  Rock 

,  Stock 

,  Turtle 

Draco  volans 


Page 
479 
482 
484 
477 
481 
480 
482 
485 
483 
478 
243 


482 

445 

109 

576 

560 

159 

163 

408 

34) 

122 

86 

328 

396 

219 

104 

131 

328 

420 

23 

25 

30 

27 

36 

29 

34 

28 

23 

32 

31 

33 

408 

619 

555 

410 

96 

97 

370 

330 

332 

331 

335 

514 


Page 
Dragon        .  .  .613 

Dragon-fly,  Great         .  576 

Dromaius  Novae  Hollandiae      343 
Dromedary        .  .  170 

Duck  .  .  .388 

,  Eider     .  .  389 

Duck-billed  Platypus  .     Ill 

Dugong  .  .  415 

Dynastes  elephas    .  .     557 


Eagle,   Black  .  .  192 

,  Golden        .  .     185 

,  Sea,  or  White-tailed     188 

,  White-headed  or  Bald  189 

Earwig 

Echeneis  remora     . 

Echidna  hystrix 

Echinus  miliaris 

Eel 

— ,  Conger,  or  sea  . 

,  Electrical . 

Flectric  Ray 
Elephant 

Elephas  Africanus  . 
Indicus 


Elk    . 

Emberiza  citrinella 

hortulana 

Emeu 

Empusa  gongy lodes 

Engraulis  encrasicolus 

Enhydra  Lutris 

Epeira  diadema 

Ephemera  . 

Equus  Asinus  . 

Burchel.ii    . 

cabal  lus 

Hemionus     . 

Zebra    . 

Erinaceus  Europseus 
Ermine 

Erythacus  rubecula 
Esox  lucius 
Exocaetus  exiliens  . 

volitans 


Falcon 
Falco 


F. 

,  Peregrine 

aesalon 

apivorus 

Buteo 

gyrfalco 

Milvus 


563 
430 
112 
596 
490 
492 
488 
425 
113 
115 
113 
160 
249 
250 
343 
564 
458 
68 
548 
576 
127 
133 
124 
131 
132 
74 
62 
226 
472 
444 
443 


204 
205 
208 
199 
197 
204 
203 


Index, 


627 


Page 

Page 

Falco   nisus 

202 

Gadus  morrhua 

.     448 

200 

Gallinula  chloropus 

373 

peregrin  us 

205 

Gallus  domesticus  . 

.     324 

peregrin  a  tor 

207 

327 

■  giganteus 

tinnunculus 

210 

Gannet 

.     381 

Father-Lasher 

433 

Garangan 

57 

Felis  Canadensis 

19 

Gar-fish 

.     454 

Caracal 

20 

Garrulus  glandarius 

275 

— —  Catus 

22 

Gastuostius  aculiatus 

.     487 

concolor 

18 

Gavial 

518 

domestica 

20 

Gazelle 

.     150 

■ jubata 

Leo 

.       15 

Genet  . 

55 

1 

Geometra  brumata 

.     588 

Leopardus 

12 

grossulariat. 

i           587 

Lynx 

19 

Geotrupes  stercorarius 

.     555 

Onca 

.       17 

G  erfalcon 

204 

Pardalis    . 

15 

Giraffe 

.     164 

Pardus 

13 

Globe  Fish 

440 

Tigris 

9 

Electrical     . 

.     440 

uncia 

14 

Glowworm 

559 

Fern  Owl 

244 

Gnat 

.     592 

Ferret 

60 

Gnu      . 

154 

Fiber  Zibethecus 

90 

Goat 

.     147 

Fieldfare     . 

223 

Goat  Chaffer    . 

558 

Fitchet,  or  Foumart     . 

61 

Goatsucker 

.     244 

Flea 

594 

Godwit 

362 

Flounder 

461 

Gorgonia  nobilis     . 

.     597 

Flusher 

218 

Goldfinch 

259 

Flying  Dragon 

514 

Gold-fish     . 

.     479 

Fish. 

.     443 

Goose,  wild 

386 

435 

Gorilla 

.     176 

Forficula  auricularia 

.     563 

Goshawk 

200 

Formica  rufa   . 

582 

Grampus     . 

.     413 

Fowls,  Bankiva 

.     326 

Grand  Promerooks 

289 

Bantam 

327 

Grasshopper 

.     566 

Jago,  or  Paduan 

.     327 

Grayling 

470 

Spanish 

327 

Great  Northern  Diver 

.     397 

Fox 

37 

Green  Fly 

572 

— — ,  Arctic 

39 

Griffin,  or  Gryphon 

.     616 

Fratercula  arctica  . 

398 

Grisly  Bear 

46 

Fringilla  coelebs 

256 

Grouse,  red 

.     320 

canaria     . 

carduelis 

254 
259 

321 
.     347 

Grus  cinerea 

linnrin. 

253 

Gryllotalpa  vulgaris 

569 

253 

Gudgeon 
Guinea  Fowl     . 

.     480 
308 

Frog 

.     505 

,  edible 

506 

Guinea-pig 

.       98 

Fulgora  laternaria  . 

571 

Gull      . 

392 

Fulica  atra 

376 

Gurnard 

.     444 

Fulmar 

395 

,  Flying 

445 

G. 

,  Grey 

.     445 

Gymnotus  electricus 

488 

Gadus  seglefinus 

449 

Merlangus    . 

451 

H. 

merluccius 

452 

Haddock 

449 

628 


Index. 


Hag-fish      . 

Haje     . 

Hake  .  . 

Halcyon 

Haliaetus  albicilla  . 

leucocephalus 

Halicore  Dugong    . 

Hare     . 

Harfang 

Hawk,  Fishing 

Hedgehog    .  .  . 

,  Australian  . 

Helix  aspersa 

Hen  Harrier     .  . 

Heron 

Herpestes,  griseus 

Ichneumon 

Javonicus  . 

Herring 

Hippocampus  brevirostris 
Hippopotamus  amphibius 
Hirundo  rustica 

urbica 

Hog,  domestic 
Honey- Buzzard 
Hooded  serpent 
Hoopoe 
Horned  Silure 

Viper  . 

Horse 

House-fly 

Humming-bird 

Hyaena,    striped  (Striata) 

spotted  (Crocuta) 

Hydras 

Hydroida    . 
Hystrix  cristata 

prehensilis . 

I. 

Ibex 

Ibis  falcinellus 

religiosa 

rubra 

Ichneumon  Fly 
Ichneumon,     or     Egyptian 

Mangouste    . 
Iguana  tuberculata 
Inuus  sylvanus 

J. 

Jacchus  Rosalia 

vulgaris 

Jackal 


Page 
428 
499 
452 
277 
188 
189 
415 
91 
215 
191 
74 
112 
533 
213 
354 
57 
56 
57 
455 
442 
116 
238 
2+1 
118 
199 
500 
288 
432 
497 
124 
592 
287 
43 
44 
606 
604 
106 
106 


148 
360 
359 
360 
580 

56 
513 
177 


183 
183 
42 


Jackdaw 

Jaguar 

Jay 

Jelly  Fishes 

Jerboa 

John  Dory 

Jungle  Fowl 


Kangaroo 

Kestrel 

Kiang 

King-fish 

Kingfisher 

Kite     . 

Kivi-Kivi 

Knot    . 

Kraken 


L. 


Labrax  lupus 
Lacerta  viridis 

vivipara 

Lady  Bird,  or  Lady 
Lagopus  Scoticus 

vulgaris 

Lamantin     . 
Lamprey 
Lampris  guttatus 
Lampyris  noctiluca 
Land  Kail   . 
Lanius  collurio 

excubitor 

Lantern-Fly 
Lapwing 
Laruscanus 
Leaf  Mantis 

,  Walking  . 

Leech 

Leipoa  ocellata 
Lemming     . 
Lemur  albifrons 


Leopard 


hunting 


Lepadogaster  cornubicus 
Leptoptilus  argala 

marabci 

Lepus  cuniculus 

iimidus    . 

Libellula  grandis 
Limax  cinereus 
Limosa  aegocephala 
Limpet 


Cow 


Page 
271 
17 
275 
609 
104 
446 
310 


84 
210 
131 
447 
277 
203 
344 
367 
618 


475 
512 
512 
562 
320 
321 
415 
427 
447 
559 
374 
218 
217 
571 
371 
392 
564 
565 
540 
312 
103 
184 
184 
12 
15 
437 
352 
353 
93 
91 
576 
534 
362 
532 


Index. 


629 


Page 

Page 

Ling 

.     451 

Mavis 

222 

Linnet 

253 

Medusa  amita 

609 

Linota  cannabina     - 

.     253 

Megapodius  tumulus 

310 

Lion 

1 

Meleagris  Gallo-Pavo  . 

306 

Lioness  and  Cubs    . 

7 

Meles  Taxus 

53 

Littornia  littorea 

532 

Melolontha  vulgaris     . 

554 

Lizard 

.     512 

Melopsittacus  undulatus     . 

302 

T^liTinrr  inrl    (*V( 

>en        514 
.     172 

Menura  Alberti 

287 
284 

Llama 

■-  superba      .            . 

Loach 

486 

Mephitis  Americana    . 

63 

Lobster 

.     542 

Merlangus  vulgaris 

451 

Locust 

567 

Merle   . 

222 

Locusta  migratoria 

.     567 

Merlin 

208 

566 
.     438 

JNXermaid 

617 

486 

Lophius  piscatorius 

Miller's  Thumb 

Lota  molva 

451 

Milvus  regalis 

203 

Loxia  curvirostra    . 

.     261 

Minnow 

485 

pyrrhula 

258 

Missel-Thrush 

221 

Lucanus  cervus 

.     556 

Mite,  Cheese 

552 

Lucerna 

445 

,  Water    . 

550 

Luidia  fragilissima 

.     595 

Mocking-bird 

225 

Lump-sucker    . 

436 

Mole     . 

76 

Lutra 

.       68 

,  Cricket 

569 

vulgaris  . 

66 

,  Water      . 

111 

Lycosa  tarantula    . 

.     550 

Mongoos      . 

184 

Lynx,  common 

19 

Monkey,  Capuchin 

182 

Lyre-Bird  of  Australia 

.     284 

,  Diana 

180 

N.S.Wales 

,  Oustiti 

183 

,  Marikina 

183 

M. 

,  Proboscis 

180 

Macaw 
,  Scarlet 

.     300 
301 

182 
426 

Monk-fish 

Machetes  pugnax    . 

.     363 

Monodon  monoceros 

414 

Mackerel 

453 

Moongus 

57 

Macrocercus  aracanga 

.     300 

Moor  Cock 

320 

Macao 

301 

Hen,  or  Coot 

373 

Macropus  giganteus 

.       84 

Morunga  proboscidea 

71 

Magot  . 

177 

Morse  . 

72 

Magpie 

272,  587 

Moschus  moschiferus 

163 

Maid    . 

.    422,424 

Motacilla  boarula 

236 

Manatee 

.     415 

Moth,  Clothes 

590 

Manatus  Australia 

415 

,  Emperor 

583 

Mandrill 

.     179 

,  Magpie,  or  Currant 

587 

Mangouste,  Egyptian 

56 

,  Winter. 

588 

Mantis,  Leaf 

.     564 

Mother  Cary's  Chicken 

393 

Mareca  Penelope 

390 

Mound-Bird  of  Australia    . 

310 

Marikina  Monkey   . 

.     183 

Mouse 

99 

Marmot 

97 

,  Field 

99 

Marmozet    . 

.     183 

,  Harvest 

100 

Marten,  Common  or  B< 

;ech        65 

Mule 

130 

,  Pine  or  y  ellow-l 

reasted  66 

Murex  haustellus,   or    cor- 

Martes  foina 

.       65 

nutus 

532 

Zibellina 

64 

Musca  domestica     . 

592 

Martin 

.     241 

Mus  decumanus 

100 

,  Black  . 

243 

messorius 

100 

630 


Index, 


Mus  musculus  . 

sylvaticus 

Musk  Rat 

Mussel 

Mustela  Abietum 

Americana 


erminea 

furo 

leucopus 

martes 

putorius 

vulgaris 

Zibellina 


Myodes  Lemmus 
Myoxus  avellanarius 
Myrmecophaga  jubata 
Myrmeleon  formicarium 
Mytilus  edulis 
Myxine  glutinosa 

N. 

Nagao 
Naja  Haje 

tripudians 

Narwhal 
Nasalis  larvatus 
Nasua  narica    . 
Naucrates  due  tor 
Nautilus,  Paper 

,  Pearly 

Pompilius 

Newt 

,  Great     . 

Nightingale 
Night-jar 

Numenius  arquatus 
Numida  Meleagris 
Nuthatch,  or  Nutjobber 
Nyl  Ghau 

O. 


Ocelot 

Octopus  vulgaris 

Ondatra 

Opah    . 

Opossum,  Virginian 

Ornithorhynchus  paradoxus 

Orthagoriscus  mola 

Ortolan 

,   English     . 

Ortygometra  crex 
Ortyx  Californicus 

Virginianus 

Oryctes  rhinoceros 


Page 

99 

99 

90 

530 

66 

63 

62 

60 

65 

65 

61 

58 

64 

103 

96 

110 

574 

530 

428 


500 
499 
500 
414 
180 
53 
429 
537 
538 
538 
510 
511 
228 
244 
360 
308 
281 
152 


15 
537 

90 
447 

86 
111 
441 
250 
251 
374 
319 
319 
557 


Page 

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 

PalaBornis  Alexandri 

301 

Pal3gmon  serratus 

546 

Pandion  haliaetus  . 

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 

298 

,  urey 

Parus  caeruleus 

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 

Index. 


631 


Page 

Page 

Pearled  Hen 

.     308 

Pope     . 

476 

Periwinkle 

532 

Porcelain  shells 

531 

Pernis  apivorus 

.     199 

Porcupine 

106 

Petrel,  Stormy 

393 

Porpoise 

412 

Petromyzon  marinus 

.     427 

Poulpe 

537 

Phalacrocorax  carbo    . 

379 

Praying  insects 

563 

.     380 

Prawn  . 

546 

Phalanger 

87 

Procellaria  glacialis 

395 

Phalangista  vulpina 

.       87 

Procyon  lotor 

51 

Pharaoh's  Rat  . 

56 

Promerooks,  Grand 

.     289 

Phasianus  colchicus 

.     313 

Psittacus  Amazonicus  . 

300 

314 

300 

—         ■  x>yctnemerus 

pictus 

.     314 

«»»it*-V^  g\  *%*i  n 

298 

Phoenix 

617 

Ptarmigan  . 

321 

Pheasant     . 

.     313 

Pteromys  volucella 

95 

— ,  Australian    . 

312 

Pteropus  edulis 

83 

,  Gold 

.     314 

Ptilonorhynchus     holoseri 

- 

314 

ceus 

263 

-  ■        ,  Oliver             . 

Philomela  luscinia  . 

.     228 

Puffin  . 

398 

Phoca  vitulina 

69 

Pulex  irritans 

594 

Phocasna  orca 

.     413 

Puma  . 

18 

vulgaris 

412 

Pyrrhcorax  graculus 

274 

Pholas  dactylus 

.     528 

Python 

503 

Phyllium  siccifolium    . 

565 

Phyllostoma  spectrum 

.       82 

Q. 

Physeter  macrocephalus 
Pica  caudata  . 
Picus  viridis     . 
Pieris  Brassicae 

407 
.     272 

294 
.     586 

Quagga 
Quail    . 

,  American 

,  Californian 

133 
318 
319 
319 

Pigeon,  carrier 

333 

,  Chinese 

319 

,  wood 

Pike     . 

.     330 
472 

Querquedula  crecca     . 

391 

Pilchard 

.     457 

R. 

Pilot  Fish 

429 

Pimpla  persuasoria 

.     580 

Rabbit,  wild     . 

93 

Pintado 

308 

,  domestic     . 

94 

Piophila  casei 

.     552 

Racoon 

51 

Pipa  Americana 

509 

Raia  batis   . 

422 

Pipistrelle  . 

.       81 

clavata     . 

424 

Plaice  . 

460 

Ram 

146 

Plant  Louse 

.     572 

,  Wallachian 

146 

Platalea  Ajaja 

359 

Rana  temporaria 

505 

leucorodia 

.     358 

Rangifer  Tarandus 

161 

Platessa  flesus 

461 

Rat 

100 

■vii  1  rrtiT*ii 

.     460 

,  Alpine 

97 

Platypus,  duck-billed  . 

111 

,  Musk  . 

90 

Plecotus  auritus 

.       81 

,  Water 

102 

Plover,  golden 

369 

Rattle  Snake 

498 

>  grey 

.     368 

Raven  . 

265 

Plyctolophus  galeritus 

303 

Red  Game  . 

320 

Polar,  or  White  Bear 

.       50 

Redpole 

253 

Polecat 

61 

Redshank    . 

.     361 

Polypi 

.     604 

Redwing 

222 

Pontia  Brassiest: 

686 

Reeve 

364 

Pool  Snipe  . 

361 

Regulus  cristatus 

235 

632 


Index. 


Rein-Deer  . 
Remora 

Rhamphastos  tucanus 
Rhea  Americana 
Rhinoceros  unicornis 
Rhombus  maximus 
Ring  Dove 

Ouzel 

Paroquet 

River  Fox 

Horse 

Roach  . 

Robin,  or  Redbreast 

Rockdove 

Roebuck 

Roller  . 

Rook 

Rorqual 

Ruff  and  Reeve 

Ruffe    . 

S. 
Sable    . 

,  American 

Salmon 

,  Pink 

Salmo  fario 

. salar 

salvelinus 

thymallus     . 

Trutta  .  . 

Sanguisuga  officinalis 

Sarcorhamphus  papa    . 

Sardine 

Satin  Bower  Bird 

Satyr 

Saw  Fish 

Saxicola  aenanthe    . 

rubetra 

Scarabeus  elephas    . 
Sciurus  vulgaris 
Scolopax  gallinago 

rusticola 

Scomber  Scomber    . 

Seal      . 

Sea  Anemones 

,  Cloak     . 

,  Mesembryan- 

themum         .  .  609 

,  Parasitic       .     609 

,  Sea  Cereus         609 

,  Thick-horned    609 

Sea-Bat  .  .  431 

Sea-Cow      .  .  72,415 

Sea-Elephant    .  .  71 


Page 
161 
430 
297 
340 
117 
459 
330 
224 
301 
477 
116 
483 
226 
332 
158 
276 
269 
407 
363 
476 


64 

65 
463 
462 
466 
463 
469 
470 
465 
540 
195 
457 
263 
621 
427 
250 
250 
557 

95 
365 
366 
453 

69 
607 
609 


Sea-Horse    .             .  .442 

Sea-Nettles       .             .  609 

Sea-Owl       .             .  .     436 

Sea-Parrot        .             .  398 

Sea-Unicorn             .  .414 

Sea-Urchin       .             .  596 

Sea-Wolf     .             .  .431 

Secretary  Bird              .  21 1 

Selachus  maximus  .  .     420 

Sepia  officinalis              .  535 

Serpentarius  reptilivorus  211 

Serpents      .             .  .493 

Shag     ...  380 

Shaheen       .             .  .207 

Shark    .             .             .  417 

,  Fox               .  .     421 

,  Greenland,  or  Basking  420 


Sheep 


Hammer-headed 
-,  Wild,  of  Asia 


Ship  Worm 
Shrew  . 

,  Water 

Shrike  . 
Shrimp 
Silkworm 
Silurus  militaris 
Simia  satyrus  . 

troglodytes 

Siren    . 

Sitta  Europaea 

Skate    . 

Skegger 

Skunk  . 

Skylark 

Sleeper 

Sloth 

Slug,  small  grey 

,  black 

Smelt   . 

Snail,  Garden 

Snake,  Common 

Snipe 

Snipe-shell 

Solan  Goose 

Solaster  papposa 

Sole 

Solea  vulgaris  . 

Solitaire 

Sorex  araneus  . 

fodiens 

Sornateria  mollissima 
Spanish  Fly 
Sparling 
Sparrow 


421 
144 
147 

529 
78 
79 
217 
546 
589 
432 
173 
174 
617 
281 
422 
462 
63 
245 
96 
107 
534 
535 
471 
533 
501 
365 
532 
381 
595 
461 
461 
329 
78 
79 
389 
561 
471 
252 


Index. 


633 


Page 

202 
.     400 

524 
.     611 

283 
.     550 

548 
.     549 

603 

.     358 

American  or  Roseate  359 

.     456 


Sparrowhawk    . 
Speniscus  demersus 
Sphargis  coriacea 
Sphinx 

Spider-catcher 
Spider,  Diving 

,  Garden 

,  House 

Sponge 
Spoonbill 


Sprat 

Squalus  carcharias 

Squatarola  cinerea 

Squatina  Angelus 

Squirrel 

,  Flying 

,  Ground 


Stag      . 

Stare        .    . 

Star-fish 

Starling 

Stickleback 

Stoat 

Stockdove 

Stork 

St.  Peter's  Fish 

Strix  flammea 

Struthio  camelus 

Sturgeon 

Sturnus  vulgaris  , 

Sucker,  ocellated    . 

Sucking-fish 

Sula  bassana 

Sun-fish 

Surnia  nyctea 

Sus  scrota 

Swallow 

,  Window 

Swan 
Swift     . 
Sword-fish   . 
Sylvia  trochilus 
Synetheres  prehensilis 
Syrnium  aluco 

T. 

Talegalla  Lathami 
Talpa  Europea 
Tapir,  American 

,  Malayan 

Tarantula 

Teal 

Tegenaria  domestica    . 


417 
368 
426 
95 
95 
97 
155 
262 
595 
262 
487 
62 
331 
350 
449 
216 
337 
416 
262 
437 
430 
381 
441 
215 
120 

.  '238 

241 

383, 384 

243 

.  433 
233 

.  106 
217 


312 

76 

123 

123 

550 
391 
549 


18, 


Tench  .             .  .             478 

Teredo  navalis         .  .     52> 

Testudo  Grseca  .            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 

2  T 


634 


Index. 


u. 

Unau  . 
Unicorn 
Upupa  epops    . 

■  superba 

Uraster  rubens 
Ursus   Americanus 
Arctos  . 

ferox 

Malay  anus 

maritimus    . 

V. 

Vampire  Bat    . 
Vanellus  cristatus  . 
Vanessa  urticae 
Vespa  vulgaris 
Vespertilio  auritus 

noctula 

pipistrellus 

Vipera  berus 

cerastes 

Viper 


Horned 


Page 

108 

619 

288 

289 

595 

45 

46 

46 

48 

50 


81 

371 

585 

579 

81 

80 

81 

495 

495 

495 

497 

54 

55 

56 

194 

195 

196 

194 

195 


Viverra  Civetta 

Genetta 

Zibetha 

Vulture 

King 

Vultur  gryphus 

monachus     . 

papa 

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 
Weevil,  Corn  . 

,  Nut 

Whale,  Fin-backed 

,  Greenland  . 

,  Spermaceti 

,  White 

Wheat-ear 

Whelk 

Whinchat 

Whitebait 

White-headed  Eagle 

Whiting 

Widgeon 

Window  Swallow     . 

Winter  Moth    . 

Wivern,  or  Wolverine 

Wolf     . 

Woodcock  . 

Woodlark 

Woodpecker 

Wolf-Dog 

Worm,  Earth 

Wren    . 

,  Golden-crested 

,  Willow 


Wryneck 


X. 


Xiphias  gladius 

Y. 

Yellowhammer,  or 

Bunting  . 
Yellow  Shepherdess 
Yunx  torquilla 


Zebra 

,  Burchell's 

Zebu,  or  Brahmin  Bui! 
Zeus  faber 
Zygsena  malleus 


Yellow 


Page 
58 
561 
562 
407 
401 
407 
410 
250 
331 
250 
458 
189 
451 
390 
241 
588 
614 
40 
366 
247 
294 
37 
539 
232 
235 
233 
296 


433 


249 
237 
296 


132 
133 
143 
446 
421 


PRINTED    BY  WILLIAM  CLOWES  AND  SONS,  STAMrOKD 
AND   CHARING   CROSS. 


49 
L6 
1867 


Loudon,  Jane  (Webb J 

Mrs*  Loudon1 s 
Entertaining  naturalist 
A  new  ed.,  rev.  and  enl 


Biological 
&  Medical 


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