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THE AFRICAN GORILIvA IN HIS NATIVE HAUNT. Page 2. 
 
 The Popular Natural History 
 
THE POPULAR J^ ^ 
 NATURAL HISTORY 
 
 By The REV. J. G. WOOD, M. A. 
 
 Author of " The Illustrated Natural History " and "The Illustrated 
 Natural History of Man." 
 
 With 600 Itr.usTRATioNS by 
 "WOIvF, ZWECKER, WEIR, COLEMAN AND OTHERS 
 
 A. L. BURT COMPANY ^ ^ ^ 
 ^ ^ PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 It is now Just twenty-five years ago when I was asked 
 to write, for the use of the young, a book on Zoology 
 which should be tolerably comprehensive, intelligible, and 
 free from the conventional errors which had been handed 
 down from one writer to another. Since that time the book 
 has passed through many editions and now takes an entirely 
 new shape, embodying the most recent discoveries in zoology, 
 being much enlarged in size, and illustrated with many addi- 
 tional engravings. If it should be as well received as its 
 predecessors I shall be most satisfied. 
 
 J. G. W. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 In order to understand any science rightly, it needs that the student should 
 proceed to its contemplation in an orderly manner, arranging in his mind the 
 various portions of which it is composed, and endeavouring, as far as possible, 
 to follow that classification which best accords with nature. The result of 
 any infringement of this rule is always a confusion of ideas, which is sure to 
 lead to misapprehension. So, in the study of lii'ing beings, it is necessary to 
 adhere to some determinate order, or the mind becomes bewildered among 
 the countless myriads of living creatures that fill earth, air, and water. 
 
 As a general arranges his army into its greater divisions, and each division 
 into regiments and companies, so does the naturalist separate the host of living 
 beings into greater and smaller groups. The present state of zoological 
 science gives five as the number of divisions of which the animal kingdom 
 is composed. These are called Vertebrates, Molluscs, Articulates, Radiates, 
 and Protozoa. Of each of these divisions a slight description will be given, 
 and each will be considered more at length in its own place. 
 
 1st. The Vertebrates include Man and all the Mammalia, the Birds, the 
 Reptiles, and the Fish. 
 
 The term Vertebrate is applied to them because they are furnished with a 
 succession of bones called " vertebrae," running along the body and forming 
 a support and protection to the nervous cord that connects the body with the 
 brain by means of numerous branches. 
 
 2nd. The Mollusca, or soft-bodied animals, include the Cuttle-fish, the 
 Snails, Slugs, Mussels, &c. Some of them possess shells, while others are 
 entirely destitute of such defence. Their nervous system is arranged on a 
 different plan from that of the Vertebrates. They have no definite brain, 
 and no real spinal cord, but their nerves issue from certain masses of nervous 
 substance technically called ganglia. 
 
 3rd. The Articulates, or jointed animals, form an enormously large 
 division, comprising the Crustaceans, such as the Crabs and Lobsters, the 
 Insects, Spiders, Worms, and very many creatures so different from each 
 other, that it is scarcely possible to find any common characteristics. 
 
 4th. The next division, that of the Radiated animals, is so named on 
 account of the radiated or star-like form of the body, so well exhibited in the 
 Star-fishes and the Sea-anemones. 
 
 5th. The Protozoa, or primitive animals, are, as far as we know, devoid 
 of internal organs or external linbs, and in many of them the signs of 11% 
 are so feeble, that they can scarcely be distinguished from vegetable germs. 
 
 B 
 
2 QUADRUMANA. 
 
 The Sponges and Infusorial Animalcules are familiar examples of this 
 division. 
 
 VERTEBRATES. 
 
 The term Vertebrate is derived from the Latin word vertere, signifying | to 
 turn " ; and the various bones that are gathered round and defend the spinal 
 cord are named vertebrae, because they are capable of being moved upon each 
 other in order to permit the animal to flex its body. 
 
 MAMMALIA. 
 
 The vertebrated animals fall naturally into four great classes. These four 
 classes are termed Mammals, Birds, Reptiles, and Fishes, — their pre- 
 cedence in order being determined by the more or less perfect development 
 of their structure. 
 
 QUADRUMANA ; 
 
 OR, THE MONKEY TRIBE. 
 
 The QUADRUMANOUS, or Four-handed animals, are familiarly knovifn by 
 the titles of Apes, Baboons, and Monkeys. ^ 
 
 The Apes are at once distinguished from the other Quadrumana by the 
 absence of those cheek-pouches which are so usefully employed as temporary 
 larders by those monkeys which possess them ; by the total want of tails, 
 and of those callosities on the hinder quarters which are so conspicuously 
 characteristic of the baboons. 
 
 The first in order, as well as the largest of the Apes, is the enormous ape 
 from Western Africa, the Gorilla. The first modern writer who brought 
 the Gorilla before the notice of the public seems to be Mr. Bowdich, the 
 well-known African traveller ; for it is evidently of the Gorilla that he speaks 
 under the name of Ingheena. The natives of the Gaboon and its vicinity use 
 the name Gina, when mentioning the Gorilla. The many tales, too, that are 
 told of the habits, the gigantic strength, and the general appearance of the 
 Ingheena, are precisely those which are attributed to the Gorilla. 
 
 The outline of the Gorilla's face is most brutal in character, and entirely 
 destroys the slight resemblance to the human countenance which the full 
 form exhibits. As in the Chimpansee, an ape which is placed in the same 
 genus with the Gorilla, the colour of the hair is nearly black ; but in some 
 lights, and during the life of the animal, it assumes a lighter tinge of greyish 
 brown, on account of the admixture of variously coloured hairs. On the top 
 of the head and the side of the cheeks it assumes a grizzly hue. The 
 length of the hair is not very great, considering the size of the animal, and 
 is not more than two or three inches in length. 
 
 As to the habits of the Gorilla many conflicting tales have been told, anjj 
 many have been the consequent controversies. In order to settle the disputed 
 questions, Mr. Winwoode Reade undertook a journey to Western Africa, where 
 he remained for a considerable time. After careful investigation, he sums 
 up the history of the animal as follows : — 
 
 " The ordinary cry of a Gorilla is of a plaintive character, but in rage it is 
 a sharp, hoarse bark, not unlike the roar of the tiger. Owing to the negro 
 propensity for exaggeration, 1 at first heard soine very remarkable stories 
 about the ferocity of the Gorilla ; but when I questio;ied the real hunters, I 
 found them, as far as I could judge, like most courageous men. modest, and 
 rather taciturn than garrulous. Their account of the ape's feroc'ty scarcely 
 bears out those afforded by Drs. Savage and Ford. They deny that the 
 
THE GORILLA, 3 
 
 Gorilla ever attacks man without provocation. ' Leave Njina alone,' they say, 
 ' and Njina leave you alone.' But when the Gorilla, surprised while feeding 
 or asleep, is suddenly brought to bay, he goes round in a kind of half-circle, 
 keeping his eyes fixed on the man, and uttering a complaining, uneasy cry. 
 
 GORILLA. — {Troglodytes Gorilla). 
 
 If the hunter shoots at him, and the gun misses fire, or if the ape is wounded, 
 he will sometimes run away ; sometimes, however, he will charge, with his 
 fierce look, his lowered lip, his hair falling on his brow. He does not, how- 
 ever, appear to be very agile, for the hunters frequently escape from him. 
 
 B 2 
 
4 THE CHIMPANSEE. 
 
 " His charge is made on all-fours : he seizes the offensive object, and, 
 dragging it into his mouth, bites it. The story of his crushing a musket- 
 barrel between his teeth is general, and a French officer told me that a gun 
 was exhibited at the French settlements in the Gaboon, twisted ' comme une 
 papillote.' This, however, is not very wonderful, for the cheap Birmingham 
 guns, with barrels made of ' sham-dam-skelp ' iron, which are sold to the 
 natives, might easily be bent and twisted by a strong-jawed animal. I heard 
 a great deal about men being killed by Gorillas, but wherever 1 went I found 
 that the story retreated to tradition. That a man might be killed by a Gorilla 
 I do not affect to doubt for a moment, but that a man has not been killed 
 by one within the memory of the living, I can most firmly assert. 
 
 " I once saw a man who had been wounded by a Gorilla. It was Etia, 
 the Mchaga hunter, who piloted me in the forests of Ngumbi. His left hand 
 was completely crippled, and the marks of teeth were visible on the wrist 
 I asked him to show me exactly how the Gorilla attacked him. I was to be 
 the hunter, he the Gorilla. I pretended to shoot at him. He rushed towards 
 me on all-fours, and seizing my wrist with one of his hands, dragged it to 
 his mouth, bit it, and then made off. So, he said, the Njina had done to 
 him. It is by these simple tests that one can best arrive at truth among 
 the negroes. That which I can attest from my own personal experience in 
 my unsuccessful attempts to shoot a Gorilla, is as follows : — I have seen the 
 nests of the Gorillas, as I have described them ; I cannot say positively whether 
 they are used as beds, or only as lying-in couches. I have repeatedly seen 
 the tracks of the Gorillas, and could tell by the tracks that the Gorilla goes 
 habitually on all-fours." 
 
 Closkly connected with the preceding animal is the large black ape which 
 is now well known by the name of Chimpansee. 
 
 This creature is found in the same parts of Western Africa as the Gorilla, 
 being very common near the Gaboon. It ranges over a considerable space 
 of country, inhabiting a belt of land some ten or more degrees north and 
 south of the torrid zone. 
 
 The title nif;er, or black, sufficiently indicates the colour of the hair which 
 envelops the body and limbs of the Chimpansee. The tint of the hair is 
 almost precisely the same as that of the gorilla, being nearly entirely black ; 
 the exception being a few whiter hairs scattered thinly over the muzzle. 
 
 It is a remai-kable fact that the Chimpansees are partly groundlings, and are 
 not accustomed to habitual residence among the branches of trees. Although 
 these apes do not avail themselves of the protection which would be afforded 
 by a loftier habitation, yet they are individually so strong, and collectively so 
 formidable, that they dwell in security, unharmed even by the lion, leopard, 
 or other members of the cat tribes, which are so dreaded by the monkey 
 tribes generally. 
 
 The food of these creatures appears to be almost entirely of a vegetable 
 nature, and they are very unprofitable neighbours to any one who has the mis- 
 fortune to raise crops of rice, or to plant bananas, plantains, or papaus, within 
 an easy journey of a Chihipansee settlement. As is the case with many of the 
 monkey tribes, the animal will eat food of a mixed character when it is living 
 in a domesticated state 
 
 Many specimens have been brought to Europe, and some to England ; but 
 this insular climate seems to have a more deleterious effect on the constitu- 
 tion of this ape than even on that of the other Quadrumana. 
 
 As long as they resist the untoward influence of our climate, the specimens 
 which we have known have always been extremely gentle and docile. Taught 
 by the instinctive dread of cold, they soon appreciate the value of clothing, 
 and learn to wrap themselves up in mats, rugs, or blankets, with perfect 
 
THE CIIIMPANSEE. 
 
 5 
 
 gravity and decorum. Dress exercises its fascinations even over the ape, for 
 one of these animals has been known to talce such delight in a nevif and 
 handsome costume, that he repudiated the previous dress, and, in order to 
 
 THE CHiMPANSEE. — {Troglodytes niger.) 
 
 guard against the possibility of reverting to the cast-off garment, tore it to 
 shreds. 
 
 The head of the Chimpansee is remarkable for the large development of 
 the ears, which stand prominently from the sides of the head, and gives a 
 curiously peculiar expression to the contour of the head and face. 
 
 THE ORANG-OUTAN. 
 
 The Orang-OUTAN is a native of Asia, and only to be found upon a small 
 portion of that part of the globe. Borneo and Sumatra ai'e the lands most 
 
6 THE ORANG out an. 
 
 favoured by the Orang-outan, which inhabits the woody districts of those 
 islands, and there rules supreme, unless attacked by man. 
 
 THE ORANG-OtJTAN. — (.SzWa Satyrus.) 
 
 There seems to be at least two species of this animal that are found in 
 Borneo, and some zoologists consider the 3umatran ape to be a third species. 
 
 The natives distinguish the two Bornean species by the names of Mias- 
 kassar and Mias-pappan, the latter of which animals is the Simla satyrus, so 
 well represented in the engraving. 
 
 The walk of the Orang-outan is little better than an awkward hobble, and 
 the creature shuffles along uneasily by help of its arms. The hands are 
 placed on the ground, and are used as crutches in aid of the feet, which are 
 often raised entirely from the ground, and the body swung through the arms. 
 
THE GIB BO. VS. 7 
 
 Sometimes it bends considerably backwards, and throwing its long arms over 
 its head, preserves its equilibrium by their means. 
 
 Among the trees the Orang-outan is in its element, and traverses the 
 boughs with an ease and freedom that contrasts strongly with its awkward 
 movements when on the ground. It has a curious habit of making for itself 
 a temporary resting-place, by weaving together the branches so as to make a 
 rude platform or scaffold on which it reposes. The powerful limbs of the 
 animal enable it to execute this task in a very short time. 
 
 The adult male animal is singularly hideous in aspect, owing much of its 
 repulsiveness to the great projection of the jaws and the callosities that appear 
 bn the cheeks. As is the case with all the larger apes, it becomes sullen and 
 ferocious as it approaches its adult state, although in the earlier years of its 
 life it is docile, quiet, and even affectionate. Several young specimens have 
 been brought to Europe, and were quite interesting animals, having many 
 curious tricks, and exhibiting marks of strong affection to any one who treated 
 them kindly. One of these animals learned to take its meals in a civilized 
 manner, using a spoon, or a cup and saucer, with perfect propriety. 
 
 When brought to colder climates than that of its native land, the animal 
 covets warmth, and is fond of wrapping itself in any woollen clothes or 
 blankets that it can obtain. On board ship it has been known to rob the 
 sailors or passengers of their bedding, and to resist with much energy any 
 attempt to recover the stolen property. 
 
 In its natii'e woods the Orang-outm seems to be an unsocial animal, de- 
 lighting not in those noisy conversaziones which rejoice the hearts of the 
 gregarious monkeys and deafen the ears of their neighbours It does not 
 even unite in little bands of eight or ten as do many species, but leads a 
 comparatively eremitical existence arriong the trees, sitting in dreamy indo- 
 lence on the platform which it weaves, and averse to moving unless impelled 
 by hunger, anger, or some motives equally powerful. When it does move, it 
 passes with miich rapidity from tree to tree, or from one branch to another, 
 by means of its long limbs, and launches itself through a considerable dis- 
 tance, if the space between the branches be too great for its reach of arm. 
 
 The hair of the Orang-outan is of a reddish chestnut hue, deepening here 
 and there into brown. The texture of the hair is coarse, and its length vaii^.s 
 according to the part of the body on which it is placed. Over the face, back, 
 breast, shoulders, and arms, it falls in thick profusion, becoming especially 
 long at the elbow-joint, where the hairs of the upper and fore-arm meet. 
 The face is partly covered with a beard, which seems to increase in size as 
 the animal grows older. The hair of the face takes a lighter tinge of red 
 than that of the body, and merges the red or auburn tint in the brown, on 
 the inside of the limbs. 
 
 At a little distance the face appears to be black ; but if examined closely, 
 is found to present a bluish tint. 
 
 THE GIBBONS. 
 
 The Gibbons possess, although in a small degree, those singular callosi- 
 ties on the hinder quarters which are so conspicuous in the baboon family, 
 and assume such strange tints. The Gorilla, Chimpansee, and the Orangs are 
 entirely destitute of these peculiarities, but the Gibbons are found to possess 
 them; although the callosities are very small, and hidden by the fur from a 
 casual view. 
 
 As in the great apes, the arms of the Gibbons are of' enormous length, and 
 endowed with exceeding power of muscle, though the strength which resides 
 in these largely- developed hmbs is of a different character. 
 
8 
 
 THE AGILE GtBBON. 
 
 All the Gibbons are gifted with voices as powerful as their limbs, and the 
 creatures seem to lose few opportunities of exercising lungs or limbs. The 
 cry which these animals utter is a singular one, loud and piercing, and has 
 been represented by the syllables " wou-wou," which duplex combination of 
 intonations is often used as a general name common to the whole family. 
 Some writers express the sound by the words " oa-oa," and others as " woo- 
 woo," among which the reader is left to choose. 
 
 Of the habits of the Gibbons in a wild state very little is known, as they 
 are shy in their nature, and by means of their wonderful agility escape among 
 the trees in a manner that baffles pursuit or observation. As to the species 
 which is represented in the accompanying engraving, it seems to be the most 
 active of this agile family, and well deserves the name that has been given to 
 it. Rather more has been noticed of this wonderful creature, and a further 
 insight into its habits has been gained, by means of a female'specimen, which 
 was captured, and brought safely to London, where it lived for some time. 
 
 In their native woods, these animals are most interesting to the observer, if 
 he is only fortunate enough to get near them without being seen by the vigi- 
 lant creatures. A good telescope affords an excellent mode of watching the 
 customs of animals that are too timid to permit a human being to come near 
 their haunts. 
 
 When startled, the Agile Gibbon flits at once to the top of the tree, and 
 then, seizing the branch that seems best adapted to its purpose, it swings 
 
 itself once or twice to gain an im- 
 petus, and launches itself through 
 the air like a stone from a sling, 
 gaining its force very much on the 
 same principle. Seizing another 
 branch, tow ards which it had aimed 
 itself, and which it reaches with 
 unerring certainty, the creature re- 
 peats the process, and flings itself 
 with ease through distances of thirty 
 or forty feet, flying along as if by 
 magic. Those who have seen it 
 urging its flight o\ er the trees, have 
 compared its actions and appear- 
 ance to those of a bird. Indeed, 
 these creatures seem to pass a life 
 that is more aerial than that of 
 many birds, putting out of ques- 
 tion the heavy earth-walking birds 
 which have not the power of rais- 
 ing themselves from the ground 
 even if they had the will. 
 
 The colour of this species is ex- 
 tremely variable, and as may be 
 seen by reference to the figure the 
 offspring is not necessarily of the same colour as the parent. This differ- 
 ence of tint is not solely caused by age, for it frequently happens that a 
 cream-coloured mother has a dark infant, and vice versd. Of the specimens 
 in the British Museum, hardly any two are alike in the tint of their soft 
 woolly fnr. Some are nearly black, some are brown, and some are of a light 
 cream colour. 
 
 A VERY different group of animals now comes before us, separated even by 
 the outer form from the ares. 
 
 AGILE GIBBON. — (Hylobates agiiis.) 
 
THE SIMPAI. 9 
 
 The chief distinction which strikes the eye is the presence of a tail, whrch 
 is of some length, and in several species, among which we may mention the 
 SlMPAl itself, is extremely long and slender in proportion to the body. The 
 arms of these animals are not of that inordinate length which is seen in 
 the limbs of the apes, but are delicate and well proportioned. The hinder 
 paws, or hands, are extremely slender, their thumbs being short, and, as will 
 be seen by reference to the engraving, are twice the length of the fore-paws. 
 
 Some of these monkeys are furnished with small cheek-pouches, while 
 others appear to be destitute of these natural pockets. The callosities of the 
 hinder quarters are well shown. 
 
 In this group of the Quadrumana, the characteristics of the apes disap- 
 pear, and the animals betray more clearly their quadrupedal nature. Very 
 seldom do they assume the erect attitude, preferring to run on all fours like 
 a dog, that being their legitimate mode of progression. Even when they do 
 stand on their hind feet, the long tail at once deprives them of that grotesque 
 semblance of the human form, which is so painfully exhibited in the tail-less 
 
 THE SIMPAI. — (Presl/ytes melalophos.') 
 
 apes. Besides these external distinctions, there are many remarkable peculiari- 
 ties in the anatomy of the internal organs, which also serve to settle the 
 position of the animal in the order of nature. Among these internal organs, 
 the stomach displays the most remarkable construction, being very large, and 
 divided into compartments that bear some resemblance to those in the 
 stomach of ruminating animals. 
 
 These monkeys are distributed through several parts of the world, the 
 Simpai making its residence in Sumatra. 
 
 This is a beautiful little animal, and is pleasing both for elegance of shape 
 and the contrasting tints with which its fur is decorated. The prevailing 
 colour of the body is a light-chestnut, with a perceptible golden tinge showing 
 itself when the light falls obliquely on the fur. The inside of the limbs and 
 the abdomen are not so bright as the rest of the body, but take a most sober 
 tint of grey. At the top of the head^the hair is straight, and is set on nearly 
 perpendicularly, so as to form a narrow crest. The colour of the crest, 
 
ENTELLUS. — [Presiyies Entellus.) 
 
 lo TEE HOONUMAN AND PROBOSCIS MONKEY. 
 
 together with that of a narrow band, running over the eyes and temples is 
 bltck. From this conspicuous pecuharity, the Simpai is also callea 
 the Black-crested Monkey. 
 The name Fresbytes sig- 
 nifies an old man, and is 
 given to these monkeys on 
 account of the wizened, old- 
 fashioned aspect of their 
 countenances. The term 
 "melalophos" is literally 
 "black-crested," and there- 
 fore a very appropriate 
 name for this species. 
 
 The length of this animal, 
 measured from the nose to 
 the root of the tail, is about 
 twenty inches, and that of 
 the tail itself is not very far 
 from three feet. Its fur is 
 very soft and glossy. 
 
 A well-known example of 
 this group of monkeys is 
 the HoONUMAN or Entel- 
 lus. This is a consider- 
 ably larger animal than the Simpai, as the adult Hoonuman measures three 
 or four feet from the nose to the root of the tail, and the tail itself rather 
 exceeds the body in length. The colour of this monkey when young, is a grey- 
 ish brown, excepting a dark brown hne along the back and over the loins. As 
 the animal increases in yeairs, the fur darkens in colour, chiefly by means of 
 black hairs th'at are inserted at intervals. The face, hands, and f-et are 
 black. 
 
 It is a native of India, and, fortu- 
 nately for itself, the mythological reli- 
 gion is so closely connected with it that 
 it lives in perfect security. Monkeys are 
 never short-sighted in spying out an ad- 
 vantage, and the Entellus monkeys are 
 no exception to the rule. Feeling them- 
 selves masters of the situation, and 
 knowing full well that they will not be 
 punished for any delinquency, they take 
 up their position in a village with as 
 much complacency as if they had built 
 it themselves. They parade the streets, 
 they mix on equal terms with the inha- 
 bitants, they clamber over the houses, 
 they frequent the shops, especially those 
 of the pastrycooks and fruit-sellers, keep- 
 ing their proprietors constantly on the 
 watch. 
 
 The Proboscis Monkey, or Kahau, 
 as it is sometimes called, on account 
 
 of its cry bearing some resemblance to that word, is an inhabitant of Borneo 
 and probably of several neighbouring countries. It is, as may be seen bv 
 the engravmg, an animal of very unattractive features, principally on account 
 
 KAHAU. — [Fresbytes carvatus.) 
 
THE COLOBUS. 
 
 II 
 
 of its enormously lengthened nose. This feature does not present itself in 
 perfection until the Kahau has reached its maturity. 
 
 In size, the Kahau is about equal to the Hoonuman, and seems to be an 
 active animal, leaping from branch to branch, through distances of fifteen 
 feet or more. 
 
 For the preternatural ugliness of the countenance the Kahau is partially 
 compensated by the beautiful colouring of its fur, which is thick, but not 
 woolly, nor very long. The principal colour in the body is a bright chestnut 
 red : the sides of the face, part of the shoulders, and under part of the body 
 being of a golden yellow. A rich brown tint is spread over the head and 
 between the shoulders ; the arms and legs taking a whiter tinge than the 
 shoulders. 
 
 URSINE coLOBUS. — (Colobus urstnus). 
 
 THE COLOBUS. 
 
 The scientific name which is given to this genus of monkeys explains — as is 
 the proper office of names — one of the leading peculiarities of the animals. 
 The title "Colobus" is a Greek word, signifying "stunted," or "maimed," 
 and is given to these animals because the thumbs of the two fore-limbs give 
 but little external indication of their presence, so that the hand consists 
 merely of four fingers. They are exclusively African animals. They are 
 rather handsome creatures, and their hair is sufficiently long and silky to 
 be valuable as a fur. 
 
 The Ursine, or Bearlike Colobus, is so named because the general colour 
 of its long black fur, and the form of the monkey itself, with the exception of 
 the tail, has something of the bearish aspect. The cheeks and chin of this 
 animal are covered with white hair ; there is a white patch on the hind legs ; 
 and, with the exception of a few inches at its root, which retain the black hue 
 
WHi FE-NOSB MONKEY. — {CercopUhecus 
 Pstaurista.) 
 
 12 THE WHITE^NOSE MO.VKEY AiVD TBE GRIVET. 
 
 of the body, the tail is of a beautiful white, terminated with a . g an 
 
 white tuft. , ^ ,Tr .. „ 4friVa is a curious 
 
 The little animal, the White-Nose Monkey of Western Afrca^sa^ ^^ ^^^ 
 
 little creature, with an air of quaint '^o^^^^^rj:^^^, l^,, that surrounc . 
 
 ts face, and the conspicuous white 
 
 spot on the nose, which has earned 
 
 for it the title of White-Nose. As 
 is so often the case in these animals 
 the under side of the body and 
 inside of the limbs is of a much 
 lighter tint than the upper portions 
 This distinction is peculiarly well 
 marked in the long tail, which is 
 nearly black above, and beneath 
 takes a greyish hue. 
 
 It is a very graceful little creature, 
 playful, but petulant and coquettish, 
 disliking to be touched, but fond of 
 notice and nuts, and often balanced 
 in curious perplexity between its coy 
 shyness and the charms of an offered 
 dainty. When in perfect health, it 
 is seldom still, but flits with light 
 grace from one spot to another, per- 
 forming the most difficult muscular efforts with exquisite ease, and profoundly 
 sensible -of the admiration which its pretty antics never fail to excite in the 
 spectators. 
 
 It is by no means a large animal, its head and body only measuring fifteen 
 or sixteen inches, the tail being little short of two feet in length. 
 
 We now arrive at a group of small monkeys with exceedingly long names. 
 The term " Cercopifhecus " is composed from two Greek words, signifying 
 " tailed ape." 
 
 It is worth notice that the word " monkey " is derived from the name of 
 one of this group, the Mona. The diminutive of Mona is Monikin, the 
 transition from which word to our "monkey " is sufficiently evident. 
 
 The Grivet, or Tota, as it is called by some writers, is of a sombre green 
 colour ; the green being produced by alternate rings of black and yellow on 
 each hair. The limbs and tail are of a greyer tint than the rest of the body, 
 the yellow portion of the hair being changed to a dull white. The inside of 
 the limbs and the abdomen are slightly tinged with while. In the male ani- 
 mal the canine teeth are rather protuberant, showing themselves beyond the 
 lips. The naked skin of the face, ears, and palms, is black, dashed with that 
 deep violet hue that is found in so many of the monkeys. At each side of 
 the head the white hairs stand out boldly, whisker fashion, and giAC a very 
 lively character to the head. It is an African animal, and common in 
 Abyssinia. 
 
 The left hand figure of the group on the next page represents the Gri en 
 Monkey, sometimes called the Callithrix, or Beautiful-haired Monkey, on 
 account of the exquisitely delicate marking of each separate hair. The insic^e 
 of the limbs is nearly white, as is the under surface of the body, and the 
 outer side of the limbs takes a greyish tinge. The hairy fringe that grows 
 over the side of the face is of a delicate golden yellow. 
 
 This monkey is a native of Senegal and the neighbouring parts, and is 
 frequently brought to this country. 
 
THE GREEN MONKEY AND THE VERVE T. 
 
 13 
 
 The Vervet is the last of the figures. This is rather a variable animal in 
 point of colour, some specimens being decidedly pale, while others assume a 
 blackish hue. In general, the colour of the animal is as follows. The 
 
 s^v^.'-s^^^:^ ^f^^ 
 
 GRI VET. — ( Cercopi'hecus Engythithia . ) 
 
 prevailing tint of the fur is much the same as that of the Grivet, to which 
 animal the Vervet bears a strong resemblance. The head, the throat, and 
 
 GREEN MONKEY. 
 [Cercopithecus sabisus.) 
 
 VERVET. 
 ( Crj'copithecus pygerytkrus. ) 
 
 breast are of a light dun, the paws being very dark. In the male Vervet the 
 canines are rather long, and show their points beyond the lips. 
 
 MACAQUES. 
 
 The various species of monkeys which are ranged under the common title 
 of Macaques are mostly well-known animals ; being plentiful in their native 
 lands, and frequently doinesticated both in their own and ia foreign 
 countries. 
 
14 
 
 THE MA GOT, OR BARBARY APE. 
 
 The animal which is shown in the opposite engraving is one of the best 
 known of the monkey tribe ; as it is tolerably hardy, it endures the change- 
 able and chilly European climates better than most of its race. 
 
 As its name implies, it is a native of Barbary, where it is found in great 
 numbers, but has also been naturalized upon the Rock of Gibraltar. The 
 
 MAGOT, OR BARBARY APE. — (Macacus Innuus). 
 
 ' Gibraltar Magots are frequently mentioned in books of travel, and display 
 great ingenuity in avoiding pursuit and discovering food. They keep to the 
 most inaccessible portions of the rock, and scamper away hurriedly on the 
 slightest alarm. But with the aid of a moderately good telescope, theif move- 
 ments may be watched, and are very amusing. 
 
 This monkey is not very widely spread, for, with the exception of the Rock 
 of Gibraltar, it seems to be confined to Northern Africa. 
 
 It is not a very large animal, as the full-grown males only measure 
 about a yard in length, and the females are rather smaller. The general 
 size of the Magot is about that of an ordinary bull-terrier dog. 
 
 The colour of the fur is tolerably uniform, differing chiefly in depth of 
 shade, and is of a clear greyish tint. 
 
 Its walk on level ground is rather awkward, the animal making use of feet 
 and hands for that purpose ; but it climbs with ease and agility up trees 
 or rocks, and in a domesticated state is fond of running up and down 
 ropes, and swinging itself about in its cage. 
 
 One of the last of the Macaques which we shall notice in this work is the 
 monkey which is well known under the name of Wanperoo, or Ouanderoo, 
 ■ 3§ it (5 §ometim?s written, 
 
THE WANDEROO. I? 
 
 This very singular animal is a native of the East Indies, and is found 
 commonly enough in Ceylon. The heavy mass of hair that surmounts the 
 head and envelops the entire face gives it a rather dignified aspect, reminding 
 the observer of the huge peruke under whose learned shade the great legal 
 chiefs consider judgment. The hair on the top of the head is black, but 
 
 WANDEROO. — {Silenus veter). 
 
 the great beard that rolls down the face and beneath the chin is of a grey 
 tint, as if blanched by the burden of many years. In some instances this 
 beard is almost entirely white, and then the Wanderoo looks very venerable 
 indeed. 
 
 From the form of the tail, which is of a moderate length, and decorated 
 with a hairy tuft at its extremity, the Wanderoo is also known by the name 
 of the Lion-tailed Baboon. 
 
 The greater part of the fur of this animal is of a fine black, but the colour 
 assumes a lighter hue on the breast and abdomen. The callosities on the 
 hinder quarters are of a light pink. 
 
 It is not a very large animal, being rather less than three feet from the 
 nose to the tip of the tail. 
 
 In the absence of a tail, and in general form, the BLACK MACAQUE bears 
 some resemblance to the Magot, but in colour and arrangement of hair, it is 
 entirely distinct from that animal. 
 
 The tint of the fur is as deep a black as that of the Budeng, or Black 
 Colobus. Both these monkeys are possessed of crests which give a peculiar 
 character to the whole aspect. That of the Black Colobus, however, is 
 reverted forward, and curves tp a point over the forehead, while that of the 
 
I'6 THE BLACK MACAQUE AND THE BABOONS. 
 
 animal before us rises from the head and bends backward over the neck in a 
 manner not unlike that of the cockatoo. 
 
 BLACK MACAQUE. — (Macacus niger). 
 
 Like the Magot, the Black Macaque has been called an ape by some 
 writers, and a baboon by others, on account of the apology for a tail with 
 which its hinder quarters are terminated, but not decorated. It is an inhabitant 
 of the Philippines and the neighbouring countries. 
 
 BABOONS, OR DOG-HEADED MONKEYS. 
 
 A well-marked group of animals now come before us, poputerlv ktiown by 
 the name of Baboons. :r','; - 
 
 One distinguishing characteristic of these creatures is that 'the nostrils are 
 situated at the extremity of the muzzle, instead of lying nearly flat upon its 
 base, and just under the eyes, as in the apes and other quadrumanous 
 animals. The muzzle, too, is peculiar in its form, being, as it were, cut off 
 abruptly, leaving a round and flattened extremity. 
 
 Of the Dog-headed Baboons, the species which is most celebrated for its 
 feats of prowess is the well-known animal called the Chacma, or URSINE 
 Baboon. 
 
 This animal, when it has attained its full age, equals in size a large mastiff 
 or an ordinary sized wolf ; while, in bodily strength and prowess, it is a 
 match for any two dogs that can be brought to attack it. 
 
 The Chacma is a most accomplished robber, executing his burglaries openly 
 whenever he knows that he will meet with no formidable opposition, and 
 having recourse to silent craft when there are dogs to watch for trespassers, 
 and men with guns to shoot them. 
 
 With such consummate art do these animals plan, and with such admir- 
 able skill do they carry out their raids, that even the watchful band of dogs 
 
THE CHACMA. 
 
 17 
 
 is comparatively useless; and the cunning robbers actually slip past the vigi- 
 lant sentries without the stirring of a grass blade or the rustling of a dried 
 twig, to give notice to the open ears of the wakeful but beguiled sentries. 
 
 Few animals present a more grotesque mixture of fantastic embellishments 
 and repulsive ferocity than the baboon which is known under the name of 
 Mandrill. 
 
 The colours of the rainbow are emblazoned on the creature's form, but 
 always in the very spots where one would least expect to see them. 'A 
 bright azure glows, not in its " eyes of heavenly blue," but on each side of its 
 
 THE CHACMA. — ( Cynocephalus porcarius. ) 
 
 nose, where the snout is widely expanded, and swollen -into two enormous 
 masses. The surfaces of these curious and very unprepossessing projections 
 are deeply grooved, and the ridges are bedizened with the cerulean tint above 
 mentioned. Lines of brilliant scarlet and deep purple alternate with the 
 blue, and the extremity of the muzzle blazes with a fiery red like Bardolph's 
 nose. 
 
 That all things should be equally balanced, the opposite end of the body 
 is also radiant with chromatic effect, being plenteously charged with a ruddy 
 violet, that is permitted to give its full effect, by the pert, upright caniage of 
 the tail. 
 
16 
 
 THE MANDRILL. 
 
 The general colour of the fur is of an olive brown tint, fading into grey on 
 the under side of the limbs, and the chin is decorated with a small yellow 
 pointed beard. The muzzle is remarkable for a kind of rim or border, which 
 is not unlike the corresponding part in a hog, and is well shown in the 
 engraving. The ears are small, devoid of fur, and of a black colour with a 
 tinge of blue. 
 
 Only the male Mandrill possesses these strange adornments in their full 
 beauty of size and colour, the females being only gifted with he blue tint 
 upon the muzzle, and even that is of a much less brilliant hue than in the 
 male. 
 
 THE MANDRILL. — (Cynocephalus Mormon.) 
 
 In this country the Mandrill is seldom seen to equal a tolerably large 
 terrier in size, but in its native land a full-grown male measures more than 
 five feet when standing upright, a stature which equals, if not exceeds, that 
 of the Chacma. 
 
 In its native land the usual food of the Mandrill is of a vegetable nature, 
 although, in common with the rest of the Baboons, it displays a great liking 
 for ants, centipedes, and similar creatures. 
 
 The tail of this animal is a remarkable feature, if it may be so termed, in 
 
AUJiRICAN MONKEYS. 
 
 19 
 
 the general aspect of the baboon. It is short, set high on the back, and 
 curved upwards in a manner that is most singular, not to say ludicrous, in 
 the living animals, and conspicuously noticeable in the skeleton. 
 
 It is a very common animal in its own country, but on account of its great 
 strength, cunning, and ferocity, is not so often captured as might be expected. 
 Even when a specimen is made prisoner, it is generally a very young one, 
 which soon loses in captivity the individuality of its being, and learns to 
 accommodate itself to the altered circumstances among which it is placed. 
 
 Another vi^ell-known species of the Dog-headed Baboons is the Papion, 
 an animal of rather a more 
 refined aspect than the 
 Chacma, or, more pro- 
 perly speaking, not quite 
 so brutal. 
 
 The face, although un- 
 attractive enough, is yet 
 not so repulsive as that 
 of the Chacma, and the 
 colours are rather more 
 bright than those of that 
 animal. 
 
 Great reverence was paid 
 to these creatures, and 
 specially to certain selected 
 individuals which were fur- 
 nished with a safe home 
 in or near their temples, 
 liberally fed while living, 
 and honourably embalmed 
 when dead. Many mum- 
 mied forms of these ba- 
 boons have been found in 
 the temple caves of ICgypt, 
 swathed, and spiced, and 
 adorned, just as if they 
 had been human beings. 
 
 Some authors say that 
 the Thoth Baboon was an 
 
 object of worship among the Egyptians, but hardly with sufficient reason. 
 Various animal forms were used as visible living emblems of the attributes 
 of deity and the qualities of the human intelledt, but were no more objects 
 of idolatrous worship than the lion of England or the eagle of America. 
 
 The fur of the Papion is of a chestnut colour ; in some parts fading into a 
 sober fawn, and in others warmed with a wash of ruddy bay. The paws are 
 darker than the rest of the body. When young, it is of a lighter hue, and 
 deepens in colour until it reaches its full age. In the prime of existence its 
 colours are the lightest, but as years begin to lay their burden on the animal, 
 the hairs begin to be flecked with a slight grizzle, and, in process of time, the 
 snows of age descend liberally, and whiten the whole fur with hoary hairs. 
 
 THE tAViotf. —(Cymcephalus Sphinx:) 
 
 AMERICAN MONKEYS. 
 
 We have now taken a rapid survey of the varied forms which the Quadru- 
 mana of the Old World assume ; forms so diversified that there hardly 
 seems to be scope for further modifications. Yet the prolific power of nature 
 
 C 2 
 
THE COAITA. 
 
 is so inexhaustible, that the depth of our researches only brings to view 
 objects of such infinite variety of shape that the mind is lost in wonder 
 and admiration. We will now take some of the Quadrumana of the New 
 World. 
 
 The COAITA, or Quata, as the word is frequently written, is one of the 
 best known of this group of animals, which are called by the name of 
 Spider Monkeys on account of their long sprawling limbs, and their 
 peculiar action while walking. 
 
 The name "Ateles," which is given to the entire genus to which this 
 animal belongs, signifies " imperfect," and has been applied to the creatures 
 because the fore-paws are devoid of useful thumbs. Sometimes that member 
 is almost entirely absent, and in other instances it only just shows itself. 
 
 The Spider Monkeys are also remarkable for the long and prehensile 
 tail. With such singularly delicate sense of touch is it furnished, that it 
 almost seems to be possessed of the power of sight, and moves about' among 
 the branches with as much decision as if there were an eye in its tip. Should 
 the monkey discover some prize, such as a nest of eggs, or any little dainty, 
 which lies in a crevice too small for the hand to enter, it is in nowise discon- 
 certed, but inserts the end of its 
 tail into the cranny, and hooks out 
 the desired object. 
 
 There is a beautiful formation of 
 the tail of this creature, by means of 
 which the grasp of that member re- 
 tains its hold even after the death of the 
 owner. If a Spider Monkey be mor- 
 tally Wounded and not killed outright, 
 it curls its tail round a branch, and 
 thus suspended yields up its life. 
 The tail does not lose its grasp when 
 the life has departed ; and the dead 
 irionkey hangs with its head down- 
 wards until decomposition sets in and 
 the rigid muscles are relaxed. 
 
 The Coaita is by no means a 
 large animal, measuring very little 
 ■ more than a foot from the nose to the 
 root of the tail, while the tail itself is 
 two feet in length. Its colour is very 
 dark and glossy ; so dark, indeed, as 
 to be almost black. The hair varies 
 much in length and density. On the 
 back and the outside of the limbs it 
 hangs in long drooping locks, forming a thick covering through which the 
 skin cannot be seen. But on the abdoriien the hair is quite scanty, and 
 is so thinly scattered that the skin is plainly visible. The skin of the face is 
 of a dark copper colour. 
 
 Another example of this wonderful group of monkeys is found in the 
 Marimonda ; an inhabitant, like the last-named animal, of Central Ame- 
 rica, and found in greatest numbers in Spanish Guiana, where, according to 
 Humboldt, it fills the place of the Coaita. 
 
 The general shape, the formation of its limbs, and the long prehensile tail, 
 point it out at once as another of the Spider Monkeys. It is certainly a very 
 appropriate name for these animals. Their heads are so small, their bodies 
 so short, their limbs so slender, and their tail so limb-like, that the miud 
 
 COAITA. — {Ateles Paniscus.) 
 
THE MARIMONDA. 21 
 
 unconsciously draws a parallel between these monkeys and the long legged 
 spiders that scuttle so awkwardly over the ground, and are so indififerent 
 respecting their complement of legs. 
 
 The resemblance holds good even when the monkey is at rest, or when 
 it only appears before the eye in an illustration. But when the creature 
 begins to walk on level ground, and especially if it be hurried, its clumsy 
 movements are so very spider-like, that the similitude is ten times more 
 striking. Be it remarked, that both creatures are supposed to be placed in 
 uncongenial circumstances. The spider is deft and active enough among 
 the many threads of its air-suspended nets, as is the monkey among the slight 
 twigs of the air-bathed branches. But when both animals are subjected to 
 circumstances which are directly opposed to their natural mode of existence, 
 they become alike awkward, and alike afford subjects of mirth. 
 
 MARIMONDA. — (Ateles Behebuth.) 
 
 The mode by which a Spider Monkey walks on level ground is rather 
 singular, and difficult to describe, being different from that which is employed 
 by the large apes. They do not set the sole of either paw, or hand, flat upon 
 the ground, but, turning the hinder feet inwards, they walk upon their outer 
 sides. The reverse process takes place with the fore-paws, which are twisted 
 outwards, so . that the weight of the animal is thrown upon their inner 
 edges. 
 
 It will easily be seen how very awkward an animal must be which is forced 
 to employ so complicated a means for the purpose of locomotion. Although 
 the Spider Monkey has been known to walk in a manner much more steady 
 than that of any other monkey, yet this bipedal progression was only em- 
 ployed for a few paces, and with a haven of rest in view in the shape of a 
 window-sill, on v^hich the creature could rest its hands. The tail is also 
 curled over the head, like the letter S, by way of a balance. 
 
 ■■,•/ 
 
THE URSINE HOWLER. 
 
 In captivity, the Marimonda is a gentle and atfectionate animal, attaching 
 itself strongly to those persons to whom it takes a fancy, and playing many 
 fantastic gambols to attract their attention. Its angry feelings, although per- 
 haps easily roused, do not partake of the petulant malignity which so oftm 
 characterises the monkey race, and are quite free from the rancorous 
 vengeance which is found in the baboons. Very seldom does it attempt to 
 bite, and even when such an event does take place, it is rather the effect of 
 sudden terror than of deliberate malice. 
 
 On account of its amiable nature it is often brought into a domesticated 
 state, and, if we may give credence to many a traveller, is trained to become 
 not only an amusmg companion, but a useful servant. 
 
 The colour of this animal varies much, according to the age of the indi- 
 vidual. 
 
 When adult, the leading colour is of a uniform dull black, devoid of the 
 glossy lustre which throws back the sunbeams from the coaita's furry mantle. 
 On the back, the top of the head, and along the spine, the hair is of a dense, 
 dead black, which seems to have earned for the animal the very inapposite 
 name with which its nomenclators have thought fit to dedecorate the mild 
 and amiable Marimonda. 
 
 The throat, breast, inside of the limbs, and the under side of the tail are 
 much lighter in tint, while in some individuals a large, bright chestnut patch 
 covers the latter half of the sides. 
 
 It seems to be of rather a listless character, delighting to bask in the sun's 
 rays, and lying in the strangest attitudes for hours without moving. One of 
 the postures which is most in vogue is achieved by throwing the head back 
 with the eyes turned up, and then flinging the arms over the head. The 
 position in which this animal is depicted in the illustration is a very favourite 
 one with most of the Spider Monkeys. 
 The animal which is here engraved is an example of the celebrated 
 
 group of Howling Mon- 
 keys, or Alouattes, as 
 they are termed by some 
 naturalists, whose strange 
 customs have been so often 
 noticed by travellers, and 
 whose reverberating cries 
 rend their ears. Little 
 chance is there that the 
 Howling Monkeys should 
 ever fade from the memory 
 of anyone who has once 
 suffered an unwilling mar- 
 tyrdom from their mourn- 
 ful yells. 
 
 Several species of Howl- 
 ing Monkeys are known to 
 science, of which the 
 Araguato, as it is called 
 in its own land, or the 
 Ursine Howler, as it is 
 popularly named in this country, is, perhaps, the commonest and most con- 
 spicuous. It is larger than any of the New World monkeys which have 
 hitherto been noticed ; its length being very nearly three feet when it is fully 
 grown, .and the tail reaching to even a greater length. 
 The colour of the fur is a rich reddish brown, or rather bay, enlivened by 
 
 tJRSINE HOWLER. — (Mycetcs ursinus.) 
 
THE CAPUCIN. 23 
 
 a golden lustre when a brighter ray of light than usual plays over its surface. 
 The beard which so thickly decorates the chin, throat, and neck, is of a 
 deeper colour than that of the body. 
 
 Few animals deserve the name which they bear so well as the Howling 
 Monkeys. Their horrid yells are so loud, that they can be heard plainly 
 although the animals which produce them are more than a mile distant ; and 
 the sounds that issue from their curiously-formed throats are strangely simu- 
 lative of the most discordant outcries of various other animals — the jaguar 
 being one of the most favourite subjects for imitation. Throughout the 
 entire night their dismal ululations resound, persecuting the ears of the 
 involuntarily wakeful traveller with their oppressive pertinacity, and driving 
 far from his wearied senses the slumber which he courts, but courts in vain. 
 
 In order that an animal of so limited a size should be enabled to produce 
 sounds of such intensity and volume, a peculiar structure of the vocal organs 
 is necessary. 
 
 The instrument by means of which the Howlers make night dismal with 
 their funestral wailings, is found to be the " hyoid bone," a portion of the 
 
 THE CAPUCIN. — (Cebus Apella ) 
 
 form which is very slightly developed in man, but very largely in these 
 monkeys. Jn man, the bone in question gives support to the tongue and is 
 attached to numerous muscles of the neck. In the Howling Monkeys it 
 takes a wider range of duty, and, by a curious modification of structure, 
 fonns a bony drum which communicates with the windpipe and gives to the 
 voice that powerful resonance which has made the Alouattes famous. 
 
 The Capucin Monkeys, an example of which is here given, are active 
 little animals, lively and playful. In habits, all the species seem to be very 
 similar, so that the description of one will serve equally for any other. In 
 consequence of their youth and sportive manners they are frequently kept in 
 a domesticated state, both by the native Indians and by European settlers. 
 Like several other small monkeys, the Capucin often strikes up a friendship 
 for other animals that may happen to live in or near its home, the cat being 
 one of the most favoured of their allies. Sometimes it carries its familiarity 
 so far as to turn the cat into a steed for the nonce, and, seated upon her back, 
 to perambulate the premises. More unpromising subjects for equestrian 
 exercise have been pressed into the service by the Capucin. Humboldt 
 
24 
 
 THE BLACK YARKE. 
 
 mentions one of these creatures which was accustomed to catch a pig every 
 iiioniing, and, mounting upon its bacli, to retain its seat during the da/. 
 Lven while the pig was feeding in the savannas its rider remaineu firm, 
 and bestrode its victim with as much pertinacity as Sinbad's old man of 
 the sea. 
 
 There is some difficulty in settling the species of the Capucins, for their 
 fur is rather variable in tint, in some cases differing so greatly as to look like 
 another species. The general tint of the Capucin is a golden olive, a whiter 
 fur bordering the face in some individuals, though not in all. 
 
 There are several monkeys known by the name of Sakis, among which 
 are reckoned the Cuxio, a rather odd little animal, and two other species, 
 which are easily distinguished from each other by the colour of their heads, 
 
 BLACK YARKE. — (PUhecia leucocephala.) 
 
 The first of these animals is the Black Yarke, or White-HEADED Saki, 
 and the other the Cacajao, or Black-headed Saki. 
 
 The former of these Sakis is a rather elegant creature in form, and of 
 colour more varied than those of the Cuxio. As will be seen from the accom- 
 panying engraving, the head is surrounded with a thick and closely-set fringe 
 of white hair, which is rather short in the male, but long and drooping in the 
 female. The top of the head is of a deep black, and the remainder of the 
 body and tail is covered with very long and rather coarse hair of a blackish- 
 brown. Under the chin and throat the hairs are almost entirely absent, and 
 the skin is of an orange hue. 
 
 Beside the difference of length in the facial hairs of the female Yarke 
 there are several distinctions between the sexes, which are so decided as to 
 have caused many naturalists to consider the male and female to belong to 
 
THE DOUROUCOULI. 
 
 25 
 
 different species. The hair of the female Yarke is decorated near the tip with 
 several rings of a rusty brown colour, while the hair of the male is entirely- 
 devoid of these marks. 
 
 The natural food of these animals is said to consist chiefly of wild bees and 
 their honeycombs. Perhaps the long furry hair with which the Sakis are 
 covered may be useful for the purpose of defending them from the stings of 
 the angry insects. On account of the full and bushy tail with which the 
 members of this group are furnished, they are popularly classed together 
 under the title of Fox-tailed Monkeys. 
 
 The term " Nyctipithecus," or Night-monkey, which is used as the generic 
 title of the Douroucouli, refers to its habits, which are more strictly noctur- 
 nal than those of the animals heretofore mentioned. The eyes of this little 
 creature are so sensitive to light, that it cannot endure the glare of day, 
 and only awakes to activity and energy when the shades of night throw their 
 welcome veil over the face of nature. 
 
 DOUROtJCOULI. — (^Nyctipithecus trivergatus. ) 
 
 In its wild state, it seeks the shelter of some hollow tree or other darkened 
 place of refuge, and there abides during the hours of daylight, buried in a 
 slumber so deep that it can with difficulty be aroused, even though the rough 
 hand of its captor drag it from its concealment. During sleep, it gathers all 
 its four feet closely together, and drops its head between its fore-paws. It 
 seems to be one of the owls of the monkey race. 
 
 The food of this DouroucouU is mostly of an animal nature, and consists 
 chiefly of insects and small birds, which it hunts and captures in the night 
 season. After dark, the Douroucouli awakes from the torpid lethargy in 
 which it has spent the day, and, shaking off its drowsiness, becomes filled with 
 life and spirit. The large dull eyes, that shrank from the dazzling rays of the 
 sun, light up with eager animation at eventide; the listless limbs are instinct 
 with fiery activity, every sense is aroused to keen perception, and the creature 
 sets off on its nightly quest. Such is then its agile address, that it can capture 
 
26 
 
 THE MARIKINA. 
 
 even the quick-sighted and ready-winged flies as they flit by, striking rapid 
 blows at them with its httle paws. 
 
 The general colour of the Douroucouli is a greyish-white, over which a 
 silvery lustre plays in certain lights. The spine is marked with a brown line, 
 and the breast, abdomen, and inside of the limbs are marked with a very 
 light chestnut, almost amounting to orange. The face is remarkable for three 
 very distinct black lines, which radiate from each other, and which have 
 earned for the animal the title of " Trivergatus," or " Three-striped." There 
 are but very slight external indications of ears, and in order to expose the 
 organs of hearing, it is necessary to draw aside the fur of the head. On 
 account of this peculiarity, Humboldt separated the Douroucouli from its 
 neighbours, and formed it into a distinct family, which he named " Adtes," 
 or " Earless." 
 
 MARIKINA. — (Jacchm Rosalia.) 
 
 Guiana and Brazil are the countries where this curious little animal is 
 found. Although by no means an uncommon species, it is not taken very 
 plentifully, on account of its monogamous habits. The male and its mate 
 may often be discovered sleeping snugly together in one bed, but never in 
 greater numbers, unless there may be a little family at the time. I-ts cry is 
 singularly loud, considering the small size of the animal which utters it, and 
 bears some resemblance to the roar of the jaguar. Besides this deep-toned 
 voice, it can hiss or spit like an angry cat. mew with something of a cat-like 
 intonation, and utter a guttural, short, and rapidly-repeated bark. The fur 
 is used for the purpose of covering pouches and similar articles. 
 
 Among the various members of the monkey tribe there is hardly any 
 species that can compare with the exquisite little MARIKINA, either for grace 
 of form, or soft beauty of colour, 
 
THE MARMOSET. 27 
 
 The hair with which this creature is covered is of a bright and lustrous 
 chestnut, with a golden sheen playing over its long glossy locks. To the 
 touch, the fur of the Marikina is peculiarly smooth and silken ; and from this 
 circumstance it is sometimes called the Silky Monkey. 
 
 Bothjbr the texture and colour of the hair, the name is happily chosen, for 
 the tint of the Marikina's fur is just that of the orange-coloured silk as it is 
 wound from the cocoon, while in texture it almost vies with the fine fibres of 
 the unwoven silk itself. 
 
 Another name for the same animal is the Lion Monkey, because its little 
 face looks out of the mass of hair like a lion from out of his mane. 
 
 The colour of the hair is nearly uniform, but not quite so. On the paws 
 it darkens considerably, and it is of a deeper tint on the forehead and the 
 upper surface of the limbs than on the remainder of the body. Some speci- 
 mens are wholly of a darker hue. In no place is the fur very short ; but on 
 the head, and about the shoulders, it is of very great length in proportion to 
 the size of the animal. 
 
 The Marikina is rightly careful of its beautiful clothing, and is fastidious to 
 a degree about preserving its glossy brightness free from stain. Whether 
 when wild, it keeps its own house clean, or whether it has no house at all, 
 is not as yet accurately ascertained ; but in captivity, it requires that all 
 cleansing shall be performed by other hands. This slothfulness is the more 
 peculiar, because the creature is so sensitive on the subject, that if it be in 
 the least neglected, it loses its pretty gaiety, pines away, and dies. 
 
 It is fond of company, and can seldom be kept alone for any length of time. 
 The food of the Marikina is chiefly composed of fruits and insects ; but in 
 captivity, it will eat bisduit and drink milk. It is a very timid animal, unable 
 to fight a foe, but quick in escape and adroit in concealment. Its voice is 
 soft and gentle when the animal is pleased, but when it is excited by anger or 
 fear, it utters a rather sharp hiss. The dimensions of the Marikina are much 
 the same as those of the following animal. 
 
 The beautiful little creature which is so well known by the name of the 
 Marmoset, or Ouistiti, is a native of Guiana. The fur is long and 
 exquisitely soft, diversified with bold stripes of black upon a ground of 
 white and reddish yellow. The tail is long and full ; its colour is white, 
 encircled with numerous rings of a hue so deep that it may almost be called 
 black. A radiating tuft of white hairs springs from each side of the face, 
 and contrasts well with the jetty hue of the head. 
 
 On account of the beauty of its fur, and the gentleness of its demeanour 
 when rightly treated, it is frequently brought from its native land and forced 
 to lead a life of compelled civilization in foreign climes. It is peculiarly 
 sensitive to cold, and always likes to have its house well furnished with soft 
 and warm bedding, which it piles up in a corner, and under which it delights 
 to hide itself. 
 
 The Marmosets do not seem to be possessed of a very large share of 
 intelligence, but yet are very engaging little creatures if kindly treated. 
 They are very fond of flies and other insects, and will often take a fly from 
 the hand of the visitor. One of these animals, with whom I struck up an 
 acquaintance, took great pleasure in making me catch flies for its use, and 
 taking them daintily out of my hand. When it saw my hand sweep over a 
 doomed fly, the bright eyes sparkled with eager anticipation ; and when I 
 approached the cage, the little creature thrust its paw through the bars as 
 far as the wires would permit, and opened and closed the tiny fingers with 
 restless impatience. It then insinuated its hand among my closed fingers, 
 and never failed to find and capture the imprisoned fly 
 
 Generally, the Marmoset preserves silence ; but if alarmed or irritated, it 
 
28 
 
 LEMURS, 
 
 gives vent to a little sharp whistle, from vi^hich it has gained its name of 
 Ouistiti. It is sufficiently active when in the enjoyment of good health, 
 climbing and leaping about from bar to bar with an agile quickness that 
 reminds the observer of a squirrel. 
 
 MARMOSET. — (Jacchus vulgaris.) 
 
 Its food is both animal and vegetable in character ; the animal portion 
 being chiefly composed of various insects, eggs, and, it may be, an occasional 
 young bird, and the vegetable diet ranging through most of the edible fruits. 
 A tame Marmoset has been known to pounce upon a living gold fish and to 
 eat it. In consequence of this achievement, some young eels were given to 
 the animal, and' at first terrified it by their strange writhings, but in a short 
 time they were mastered and eaten. 
 
 The length of the full-grown Marmoset is from seven to eight inches, 
 exclusive of the tail, which measures about a foot. 
 
 LEMURS. 
 
 The form of the monkeys which are known by the name of Lemurs is of 
 itself sufficient to show that we are rapidly approaching the more quadru- 
 pedal mammalia. 
 
 The head of all the Lemurs is entirely unlike the usual monkey head, and 
 even in the skull the distinction is as clearly marked as in the living being. 
 Sharp, long, and pointed, the muzzle and jaws are singularly fox-like, while 
 the general form of these animals, and the mode in which they walk, would 
 lead a hasty observer to place them among the true quadrupeds. Yet, on a 
 closer examination, the quadrumanous characteristii^s are seen so plainly, 
 that the Lemurs can but be referred to their proper position among, or rather 
 at the end of, the monkey tribe. 
 
 The word Lemur signifies "a night-wandering ghost," and has been 
 applied to this group of animals on account of their nocturnal habits^and 
 
THE SLENDER LOR IS. 
 
 39 
 
 RUFFLED LEMUR. — [Lemur Macaco.) 
 
 their stealthy noiseless step, which renders their progress almost as inaudible 
 as that of the unearthly beings from whom they derive their name. 
 
 The Ruffed Lemur is one of the handsomest of this family, challenging 
 a rivalship even with the Ring- tailed Lemur in point of a'ppearance. 
 
 The texture of the fur 
 is extremely fine, and its 
 colour presents bold con- 
 trasts between pure white 
 and jetty- blackness. The 
 face of the Ruffed Lemur 
 is black, and a fringe of 
 long white hairs stands 
 out like a ruff round the 
 face. 
 
 As is the case with all the 
 Lemurs, it is a native of 
 Madagascar and of the ad- 
 jacent islands, and seems to 
 take the place of the ordin- 
 ary monkeys. Of all the 
 Lemurs this species is the 
 largest, its size equalling 
 that of a moderately 
 grown cat. Its voice is 
 a sepulchral, deep roar, 
 peculiarly loud, considering the size of the animal, and can be heard at a 
 great distance in the stilly night. 
 
 The Slender Loris is a small animal, measuring only nine inches in 
 length, and possessed of limbs so delicately slender as to have earned for it 
 
 its popular name. Its colour is 
 grey, with a slight rusty tinge, the 
 under portions of the body fading 
 into white. Round the eyes, the fur 
 takes a darker hue, which is well 
 contrasted by a white streak running 
 along tlie nose. 
 
 Small though it be, and apparently 
 without the power to harm, it is a 
 terrible enemy to the birds and in- 
 sects on which it feeds, and which it 
 captures "like Fabius, by delay." 
 
 Night, when the birds are rest- 
 ing with their heads snugly sheltered 
 by their soft feathers, is the time 
 when the Loris awakes from its daily 
 slumbers, and stealthily sets forth 
 on its search. Its movements are 
 so slow and silent, that not a sound 
 falls on the ear to indicate the presence of a living animal. 
 
 Alas for the doomed bird that has attracted the fiery eyes of the Loris ! 
 With movements as imperceptible and as silent as the shadow on the dial, 
 paw after paw is lifted from its hold, advanced a step and placed again on 
 the bough, until the destroyer stands by the side of the unconscious victim. 
 Then, tile hand is raised with equal silence, until the fingers overhang the 
 bird and nearly touch it. Suddenly the slow caution is exchanged for light- 
 
 SLENDER LORIS. — (Loris gracilis. ) 
 
3° 
 
 THE SLOW-PACED LORIS. 
 
 ning speed, and with a movement so rapid that the eye can hardly follow it, 
 the bird is torn from its perch, and almost before its eyes are opened from 
 slumber, they are closed for ever in death. 
 
 The Slow-paced Loris, or Kukang, is very similar in its habits to the 
 animal just mentioned, but differs from it in size, colour, and several parts of 
 its form. 
 
 The fur is of a texture rather more woolly than that of the Slender Loris, 
 and its colour has something of a chestnut tinge running through it, although 
 some specimens are nearly as grey as the Slender Loris. As may be seen 
 from the engraving, a dark stripe surrounds the eyes, ears, and back of the 
 head, reaching to the corners of the mouth. From thence it runs along the 
 entire length of the spine. The colour of this dark band is a deep chestnut. 
 It is rather larger than the preceding animal, being a little more than a foot 
 in length. 
 
 In the formation of these creatures some very curious structures are 
 found, among which is the singular grouping of arteries and veins in the 
 limbs. 
 
 KUKANG, OR SLOW-PACED LORIS. — {Nyctiiebi,! Javarincus.') 
 
 Instead of the usual tree-like mode in which the limbs of most animals are 
 supplied with blood — one large trunk-vessel entering the limb, and then 
 branching off into numerous subdivisions — the limbs of the Loris are 
 furnished with blood upon a strangely modified system. The arteries and 
 veins, as they enter and leave the limb, are suddenly divided into a great 
 number of cylindrical vessels, lying close to each other for some distance, 
 and giving off their tubes to the different parts of the limb. It is possible 
 that to this formation m^y be owing the power of silent movement and slow 
 patience which has been mentioned as the property of these monkeys, for a 
 \ eiy similar structure is found to exist in the sloth. 
 
THE A VAHT, OR INDRI. 
 
 31 
 
 The tongue of the Loris is aided in its task by a plate of cartilage, by 
 which it is supported, and which is, indeed, an enlargement of the tendinous 
 band that is found under the root of the tongue. It is much thicker at its 
 base than at the extremity, which is so deeply notched that it seems to have 
 been slit with a knife. It is so conspicuous an organ that it has been often 
 described as a second tongue. The throat and vocal organs seem to be but 
 little developed, as is consistent with the habits of an animal whose very sub- 
 sistence depends upon its silence. Excepting when irritated, it seldom or 
 never utters a sound ; and even then its vocal powers seem to be limited to a 
 little monotonous plaintive cry. 
 
 In captivity this Loris appears to be tolerably omnivorous, eating both 
 animal and vegetable food, preferring, however, the former. Living animals 
 best please its taste, and the greatest dainty that can be afforded to the 
 creature is a small bird, which it instantly kills, plucks, and eats entirely, the 
 
 AVAHI, OR INDRI. — [Indris laniger.) 
 
 bones included. Eggs are a favourite food with it, as are insects. It will 
 take butcher's meat, if raw, but will not touch it if cooked m any way. Of 
 vegetable substances, sugar appears to take its fancy the most, but it will eat 
 fruits of various kinds, such as oranges and plantains, and has been known 
 to suck gum arable. 
 
 Another curious inhabitant of Madagascar is the Indri, or Avahi, a 
 creature that has sometimes been considered one of the lemurs, and placed 
 among them by systematic naturalists. From the curled and woolly hair 
 with which the body is covered it derives its name of " Laniger," or Wool- 
 bearer. Just over the loins and partly down the flanks, the soft wool-like 
 h.ur takes a firmer curl than is found to be the case in any other part of the 
 body or limbs. It is but a small animal, the length of its head and body 
 being only a foot, and its tail nine inches. The general colour of the fur is a 
 
32 
 
 THE TARSIER. 
 
 lightish brown, with a white stripe on the back of the thigh, and a tinge of 
 chestnut in the tail. In some individuals a rusty red, mingled with a yellow 
 hue, takes the place of the brown ; and in all the under parts are lighter than 
 the upper. Its face is black, and the eyes are grey, with a greenish light 
 playing through their large orbs. 
 
 The name Indri is a native word, signifying, it is said, " man of the woods." 
 Its voice is not very powerful, but it can be heard at some distance. It is of 
 a melancholy wailing character, and has been likened to the cry of a child. 
 
 There are two animals which bear a close resemblance to each other, 
 namely, the Galago of Madagascar and the little animal which is here figured. 
 The ears, however, are not so large as those of the Galago, and the tail is less 
 thickly covered with fur, being almost devoid of hair, except at its extremity, 
 where it forms a small tuft. On reference to the figure, it will be seen that 
 
 TARSIER. — ( Tarsius spectrum.) 
 
 the hands are of extraordinary length, in proportion to the size of the crea- 
 ture. This peculiarity is caused by a considerable elongation of the bones 
 composing the " Tarsus," or back of the hands and feet, and has earned 
 for the animal the title of Tarsier. This pecuUarity is more strongly 
 developed in the hinder than in the fore-paws. 
 
 The colour of the Tarsier is a greyish-brown, with slight olive tint washed 
 over the body. A stripe of deeper colour surrounds the back of the head 
 and the face and forehead are of a warmer brown than the body and limbs 
 It is a native of Borneo, Celebes, the Philippine Islands, and Banca. From 
 the latter locality it is sometimes called the Banca Tarsier. Another of the 
 titles bv which it is known is the Podji. 
 
 It is a tree-inhabiting animal, and skips among the branches with little quick 
 leaps that have been likened to the hoppings of a frog. In order to give the 
 
THE A YE- A YE. 
 
 33 
 
 little creature a firmer hold of the boughs about which it is constantly leap- 
 ing, the palms of the hands are furnished with several cushions. The backs 
 of the hands are covered with soft downy fur, resembling the hair with which 
 the tail is furnished. Excepting on the hands and tail, the fur is very thick 
 and of a woolly character, but at the root of the tail, and at the wrists and 
 ankles, it suddenly changes to the short downy covering. 
 
 The true position of that very rare animal the Aye-AYE seems very doubt- 
 ful, some naturalists placing it in the position which it occupies in this work, 
 and others, such as Van der Hoeven, considering it to form a link between 
 the monkeys and the rodent animals, the incisor teeth bearing some resem- 
 blance to those of the rodents. 
 
 
 ^»\ 
 
 -*> 
 
 ^ 
 
 H'«.' 
 
 
 
 '^ 
 
 V mm ** "^t:^-^ 
 
 AYE-AYE. — (Cheiromys Madagascariensis.) 
 
 These curious teeth are extremely powerful, and are very deeply set in the 
 jawbones, their sockets extending nearly the entire depth of the bone. 
 
 They are used just like the rodent teeth, the animal biting deeply into the 
 trees, and so laying bare the burrows of various wood-boring grubs. 
 
 The colour of the animal is a dull black on the upper portions of the body, 
 the under parts, as well as the cheeks and throat, being of a light grey. The 
 paws are nearly black. The fur of the body is thickly set, and is remarkable 
 for an inner coating of downy hair of a golden tint, which sometimes shows 
 itself through the outer coating. On the tail the hair is darker than on the 
 body, greater in length, and in texture much coarser. The tail, which is jetty 
 black, seems to be always trailed at length, and never to be set up over tlij 
 
 D 
 
Si 
 
 THE COLUGO. 
 
 fiody like the well known tail of the squirrel. The ears are large, and nearly 
 destitute of hair. 
 
 The natural food of the Aye-aye, like that of the preceding animals, is of 
 a mixed character, the creature eaiing fruits and insects indiscriminately. 
 But in its wild' state it is said to search the trees for insects as well as fruits, 
 and to drag their larvae from their concealment by means of its delicate 
 fingers. 
 
 The fine specimen in the Zoological Gardens, however, does not touch in- 
 sects, but feeds on a mixture of honey and hard-boiled eggs beaten into a 
 paste and moistened with milk. Still she uses her teeth freely on the 
 branches that are placed in her cage, and very soon cuts them to pieces, as if 
 
 COLUGO. — (Galeopithecus vo/ans.) 
 
 in search after grubs. She is very active, and climbs about the cage or on 
 the branches, in almost any position. Like the squirrel, she covers herself 
 with her bushy tail when in repose. 
 
 It is a nocturnal animal like the Galagos and Lemurs, and seeks its 
 prey by night only, spending the day in sleep, curled up in the dark 
 hollow of a tree, or in some similar spot, where it can retire from view and 
 from light. 
 
 As is shown by the scientific name of the Aye-aye, it is a native of Mada- 
 gascar, and even in that island is extremely scarce, appearing to be limited 
 to the western portions of the country, and to escape even the quick eyes of 
 the natives. 
 
BATS. 35 
 
 The eyes are of a brownish yellow colour, and very sensitive to light, as 
 may be expected in a creature so entirely nocturnal in its habits. It is not a 
 very small animal, measuring almost a yard in total length, of which the tail 
 occupies one moiety. . ^ „ . 
 
 The strange animal which is known by the name of the FLYING Lemur, 
 or COLUGO, affords an intermediate link of transition between the four-handed 
 and the wing-handed mammals. , ,. , 
 
 By means of the largely-developed membrane which connects the limbs 
 with each other, and the hinder limbs with the tail, the Colugo is enabled to 
 leap through very great distances, and to pass from one bough to another with 
 ease This membrane is a prolongation of the natural skin, and is covered 
 with' hair on the upper side as thickly as any part of the body, but beneath 
 it is almost naked. When the creature desires to make one of its long 
 sweeping leaps, it spreads its limbs as widely as possible, and thus converts 
 itself into a kind of living kite, as is shown in the figure. By thus presenting 
 a large suiface to the air, it can be supported in its passage between the 
 branches, and i. said to vary its course sHghtly by the movement of its arms. 
 
 It is said that the Colugo will thus pass over nearly a hundred yards. 
 
 Among oiher bdc-like habits, the Colugo is accustomed to suspend itself by 
 its hinder paws from the branch of a tree, and in this pendent attitude it 
 sleeps. Its slumbers are mostly diurnal, for the Colugo is a night-loving animal, 
 and IS seldom seen in motion until the shades of evening draw on. But on 
 the approach of night, the Colugo awakes from its drowsiness, and unhooking 
 its claws from the branch on which it has hung suspended during the hours 
 of dayluht, sets off on its travels in search of food. 
 
 It is found in many of the islands that belong to the Indian Archipelago, 
 and is tolerably common. 
 
 The colour of the fur is very uncertain, even in the same species, some 
 specimens being of a light brown, others of a grey tint, more or less deep ; 
 while many individuals have their fur diversified with irregular marblings or 
 stripes, or spots of different shades and tints. 
 
 The Colugo is by no means a small animal, as, when it is full grown, it 
 equals a large cat in size. 
 
 CHEIROPTERA; 
 
 OR, V/ING-HANDED ANIMALS, POPULARLY CALLED BATS. 
 
 In general form the Bats are clearly separated from any other group of 
 animals, and by most evident modifications of structure, can be recognised 
 by the most cursory glance. 
 
 The first peculiarity in the Bat form which strikes the eye, is the wide — i 
 delicate membrane which stretches round the body, and which is used in the 
 place of the wings with which birds are furnished. 
 
 In order to support this beautiful membrane, o extend it to its requisite 
 width, and to strike the air with it for the purposes of flight, the bones of the 
 fore-part of the body, and especially those of the arms and hands, undergo a 
 singular modification. 
 
 The finger-bones are strangely disproportioned to the remainder of the body, 
 the middle finger being considerably longer than the head and body together. 
 The thumb is very much shorter than any of the fingers, and furnished with 
 a sharp and curved claw. By means of this claw, the Bat is enabled to proceed 
 along a level surface, and to attach itself to any object that may be conveniens. 
 
 The lower portions of the body and limbs are singularly small in proportion 
 
 D 2 
 
36 
 
 THE VAMPIKE BA T. 
 
 to the upper limbs. The legs are short and slender, and so arranged that 
 the feet are rather turned outward, for the purpose of using their sharp claws 
 freely. A kind of slender and spur-like bone is seen to proceed from the 
 heel of each foot. 
 
 The Vampire Bat is a native of Southern America, and is spread over a 
 large extent of country. It is not a very large animal, the length of its dy 
 and tail being only six inches, or perhaps seven in large specimens, and the 
 spread of the wing two feet, or rather more. The colour of the Vampire's 
 fur is a mouse tint, with a shade of brown. 
 
 Many tales have been told of the Vampire Bat, and its fearful a ks upon 
 sleeping men — tales which, although founded on fact, were so sadly exag- 
 gerated as to cause a reaction in the opposite direction. It was reported to 
 come silently by night, and to search for the exposed toes of a sound sleeper — 
 its instinct telling it whether the intended victim were thoroughly buried in 
 sleep. Poising itself above the feet of its prey, and fanning them with its 
 extended wings, it produced a cool atmosphere, which, in those hot climates, 
 
 aided in soothing the slum- 
 ber into a still deeper 
 repose. The Bat then 
 applied its needle-pointed 
 teeth to the upturned foot, 
 and inserted them into 
 the tip of a toe with such 
 adroit dexterity that no 
 pain was caused by the 
 tiny wound. The lips 
 were them brought into 
 action, and the blood was 
 sucked until the Bat was 
 satiated. It then dis- 
 gorged the food which it 
 had just taken, and began 
 afresh, continuing its al- 
 ternated feeding and dis- 
 gorging, until the victim 
 perished from sheer loss 
 of blood. 
 
 For a time this statement gained dominion, but after a while was less and 
 less believed, until at last naturalists repudiated the whole story as a " travel- 
 ler's tale." However, as usual, the truth seems to have lain between the two 
 extremes ; for it is satisfactorily ascertained, by more recent travellers, that 
 the Vampires really do bite both men and cattle during the night, but that 
 the wound is never known to be fatal, and in most instances causes but little 
 inconvenience to the sufferer. 
 
 When they direct their attacks against mankind, the Vampires almost 
 invariably select the foot as their point of operation, and their blood-loving 
 propensities are the dread of both natives and Europeans. With singular 
 audacity, the Bats even creep into human habitations, and seek out the 
 exposed feet of any sleeping inhabitant who has incautiously neglected to 
 draw a coverlet over his limbs. 
 
 One of the most common, and at the same time the most elegant, of the 
 British Cheiroptera, is the well-known Long-eared Bat. 
 
 This pretty little creature may be found in all parts of England ; and on 
 account of its singularly beautiful ears and gentle temper has frequentlv b^en 
 tamed and domesticated. I have possessed several specimens of thii Bat, 
 
 THE VAMPIRK BAT.— ( Vampyrus s/'ectrum.) 
 
THE LOMG EARED BAT. 
 
 37 
 
 LONG-EARED BAT. — {Pleistus Communis.) 
 
 and in every case have been awarded for the trouble by the curious little 
 traits of temper and disposition which have been exhibited. 
 
 One of my Bat favourites was captured under rather peculiar cir- 
 cumstances. 
 
 It had entered a grocer's shop, and to the consternation of the grocer 
 and his assistant had got among the sugar loaves which were piled on an upper 
 shelf. So terrible a foe as the Bat (nearly two inches long) put to rout their 
 united forces, and beyond poking at 
 it with a broom as it cowered 
 behind the sugar, no attempts were 
 made to dislodge it. At tliis junc- 
 ture my aid was invoked ; and I 
 accordingly drew the Bat from its 
 hiding-place. It did its best to 
 bite, but its tiny teeth could do no 
 damage even to a sensitive skin. 
 
 The Bat was then placed in an 
 empty mouse-cage, and soon be- 
 came sufficiently familiar to eat and 
 drink under observation. It would 
 never eat flies, although many of 
 these insects were offered, and 
 seemed to prefer small bits of raw 
 beef to any other food. It was a 
 troublesome animal to feed, for it 
 
 would not touch the meat unless it were freshly cut and quite moist ; forcing 
 me to prepare morsels fit for its dainty maw six or seven times daily. 
 
 It spent the day at the top or on the side of its cage, being suspended by 
 its hinder claws, and would occasionally descend from its eminence in order 
 to feed or to drink. While eating, it was accustomed to lower itself from th'; 
 cage roof, and to crawl along the floor until it reached the piece of meat. The 
 wings were then thrown forward so as 
 to envelop the food, and under the shelter 
 of its wings the Bat would drop its head 
 over the meat and then consume it. On 
 account of the sharp surface of its teeth, 
 it could not eat its food quietly, but was 
 forced to make a series of pecking bites, 
 something like the action of a cat in similar 
 circumstances. 
 
 It would drink in several ways, some- 
 times crawling up to the water vessel and 
 putting its head into the water, but usually 
 lowering itself down the side of the cage 
 until its nose dipped in the liquid. When it had thus satisfied its thirst, it 
 would re-ascend to the roof, fold its wings about itself, and betake itself to 
 slumber once more. 
 
 I kept the little animal some time, but it did not appear to thrive, having, 
 in all probability, been hurt by the broom-handle which had been used so 
 freely against it, and at last was found dead in its cage from no apparent 
 cause. Although dead, it still hung suspended, and the only circumstance 
 that appeared strange in its attitude was, that the wings drooped downwards 
 instead of being wrapped tightly round the body. 
 
 In the attitude of repose, this Bat presents a most singular figure. The 
 wings are wrapped around and held firmly to the body ; the immense ears 
 
 HEAD OF LONG-EARED BAT. 
 
38 
 
 THE FLYING FOX, OR ROUSSETTE. 
 
 are folded back, and the pointed inner ear, or " tragus," stands boldly out 
 giving the creature a totally different aspect. 
 
 The Bats which have heretofore been mentioned feed on animal substances, 
 
 FLYING FOX, OR ROUSSETTE. — {Pteropus rubricollis. ) 
 
 insects appearing to afford the principal nutriment, and ravi^ meat or fresh 
 blood being their occasional luxuries. But the Bats of which the accompany- 
 ing engraving is an example, are chiefly vegetable feeders, and, in their own 
 land, are most mischievous among the fruit-trees. 
 
THC CAT TRIBE. ^9 
 
 They are the largest of the present Bat tribe, some of them measuring neaiiy 
 five feet in expanse of wing. Their popular name is FLYING FoXES, a term 
 which has been apphed to them on account of the red, fox-hke colour of tlic 
 fur, and the very vulpine aspect of the head. Although so superior in size 
 to the Vampires, the Flying Foxes are not to be dreaded as person.J 
 enemies, for, unless roughly handled, they are not given to biting animated 
 beings. 
 
 But though their attacks are not made directly upon animal life, they arc 
 of considerable importance in an indirect point of view, for they are aimed 
 against the fruits and other vegetable substances by which animal life is 
 sustained. 
 
 I have often seen the Kalong engaged in eating fruit. It would accept a 
 slice of apple or pear, while suspended by its hind legs. It then bent its 
 head upwards, brought its winged arms forward so as to enclose head and 
 fruit together, and then would devour its meal with a series of snapping 
 bites. 
 
 The Kalongs do not seem to care much for dark and retired places of 
 abode ; and pass the day, which is their night, suspended from the trunks of 
 large trees, preferring those which belong to the fig genus. On these boughs 
 they hang in vast numbers, and by an inexperienced observer might rea'iily 
 be taken for bunches of large fruits, so closely and quietly do they hang. 
 If disturbed in their repose, they set up a chorus of sharp screams, and 
 flutter about in a state of sad bewilderment, their night-loving eyes being 
 dazzled by the hateful glare of the sun. 
 
 FELID^ ; 
 OR, THE CAT TRIBE. 
 
 The beautiful animals which are known by the general name of the Cat 
 Tribe now engage our attention. 
 
 With the exception of one or two of the enigmatical creatures which are 
 found in every group of beings, whether animal, vegetable, or mineral, the 
 Cats, or Felid^ as they are more learnedly termed, are as distinct an order as 
 the monkeys or the bats. Pre-eminently carnivorous in their diet, and destruc- 
 trive in their mode of obtaining food,' their bodily form is more exquisitely 
 adapted to carry out the instincts which are implanted in their nature. 
 
 All the members of the Cat tribe are Hght, stealthy, and silent of foot, quick 
 of ear and eye, and swift of attack. Most of them are possessed of the power 
 of climbing trees or rocks, but some few species, such as the LlON, are 
 devoid of this capability. 
 
 Of the magnificent and noble creatures called Lions, several species are 
 reported to exist, although it is thought by many experienced judges that 
 there is really but one species of Lion, which is modified into permanent 
 varieties according to the country in which it lives. 
 
 The best known of these species or varieties is the South African Lion, 
 of whom so many anecdotes have been narrated. 
 
 The colour of the Lion is a tawny yellow, lighter on the under parts of the 
 body, and darker above. The ears are blackish, and the tip of the tail is 
 decorated with a tuft of black hair. This tuft serves to distinguish the Lion 
 from any other member of the Cat tribe. The male Lion, when fully grown, 
 is furnished with a thick and shaggy mane of very long hair, which falls from 
 the neck, shoulders, and part of the throat and chin, varying in tint according 
 
40 
 
 THE LION. 
 
 to the age of the animal, and possibly according to the locality which it 
 inhabits. The Lioness possesses no mane, and even in the male Lion it is 
 not properly developed until the animal has completed his third year. 
 
 When fully grown, the male Lion measures some four feet in height at 
 the shoulder, and about eleven feet in total length. 
 
 The Lioness is a smaller animal than her mate, and the difference of size 
 appears to be much greater than really is the case, because she is devoid of 
 the thick mane which gives such grandeur and dignity to her spouse. 
 
 In the attack of large animals, the Lion seldom attempts an unaided 
 assault, but joins in the pursuit of several companions. Thus it is that the 
 stately giraffe is slain by the Lion, five of which have been seen engaged in 
 the chase of one giraffe, two actually pulling down their prey, while the other 
 three were waiting close at hand. The Lions were driven off, and the neck 
 of the giraffe was found to be bitten through by the cruel teeth of the assailants. 
 
 Owing to the uniform tawny colour of the Lion's coat, he is hardly distin- 
 guishable from surrounding objects even in broad daylight, and by night 1 ^ 
 
 ^*'-^^, 
 
 THE LION. — {Leo barbarus. ) 
 
 walks secure. Even the practised eyes of an accomplished hunter have been 
 unable to detect the bodies of Lions which were lapping water at some 
 twenty yards' distance, betraying their vicinity by the sound, but so blended 
 in form with the landscape, that they afforded no mark for the rifle even at 
 that short distance. 
 
 Upon the African continent the Lion reigns supreme, sole monarch over 
 the feline race. But in Asia his claims to undivided royalty are disputed by 
 the Tiger, an animal which equals the Lion in size, strength, and activity, 
 and certainly excels him in the elegance of its form, the grace of its move- 
 ments, and the beauty of its fur. The range of the Tiger is not so widely 
 
THE TIGER. 
 
 41 
 
 spread as that of the Lion, for it is never found in any portions of the New 
 World, nor in Africa, and, except in certain districts, is but rarely seen even 
 in the countries virhere it takes up its residence. Some portions of country 
 there are, which are absolutely infested by this fierce animal, whose very 
 appearance is sufficient to throw the natives into a state of abject terror. 
 
 In its colour the Tiger presents a most beautiful arrangement of markings 
 and contrast of tints. On a bright tawny yellow ground, sundry dark stripes 
 are placed, arranged, as may be seen by the engraving, nearly at right angles 
 with the body or limbs. Some of these stripes are double, but the greater 
 number are single dark streaks. The under parts of the body, the chest, 
 throat, and the long hair which tufts each side of the face, are almost white, 
 and upon these parts the stripes become very obscure, fading gradually into 
 I he light tint of the fur. The tail is of a whiter hue than the upper portions of 
 the body, and is decorated in like manner with dark rings. 
 
 So brilliantly adorned an animal would appear to be very conspicuous 
 among even the trees and bushes, and to thrust itselfboldly upon the view. But 
 
 THE TIGER. — (yi^m regalis.) 
 
 there is no animal that can hide itself more thoroughly than the Tiger, or 
 which can walk through the underwood with less betrayal of its presence. 
 
 The vertical stripes of the body harmonize so well with the dry, dusky 
 jungle grass among which this creature loves to dwell, that the grass and 
 fur are hardly distinguishable from each other except by a quick and 
 experienced eye. A Tiger may thus lie concealed so cleverly, that even when 
 crouching among low and scanty vegetation it may be almost trodden on 
 without being seen. 
 
 The Tiger is very clever in selecting spots from whence it can watch the 
 approach of its intended prey, itself being crouched under the shade of foliage 
 or behind the screen of some friendly rock. It is fond of lying in wait by 
 the side of moderately frequented roads, more particularly choosing those 
 
42 
 
 THE LEOPARD. 
 
 spots where the shade is the deepest, and where water may be found at hand 
 wherewith to quench the thirst that it always feels when consuming its prey. 
 From such a point of vantage it will leap with terrible effect, seldom making 
 above a single spring, and, as a rule, always being felt before it is seen or 
 heard. 
 
 It is a curious fact that the Tiger generally takes up his post on the side of 
 the road which is opposite his lair, so that he has no need to turn and drag 
 his prey across the road, but proceeds forward with his acquisition to his den. 
 Should the Tiger miss his leap, he generally seems bewildered and ashamed 
 of himself, and instead of returning to the spot to make a second attempt, 
 sneaks- off discomfited from the scene of his humiliation. The spots where 
 there is most danger of meeting a Tiger, are the crossings of nullahs, or the 
 deep ravines through which the watercourses run. In these localities the 
 Tiger is sure to find his two essentials, cover and water. So apathetic are 
 the natives, and so audacious are tne Tigers, that at some of these crossings 
 a man or a bullock may be carried jff daily, and yet no steps will be taken to 
 avert the danger, with the excepti< i of a few amulets suspended about the 
 person. Sometimes the Tigers seem to take a panic, and make a general 
 emigration, leaving, without any apparent reason, the spots which they had 
 long infested, and making a sudden appearance in some locality where they 
 had but seldom before been seen. 
 
 Many modes are adopted of killing so fearful a pest as the Tiger, and some 
 of these plans are very ingenious — such as the spring bow, which is discharged 
 by the movements of the animal itself ; the pitfall, f om which it cannot 
 escape ; the leaves smeared with bird lime, by which the Tiger blinds itself, 
 and so falls an easy prey ; the fall-trap, and many others. Among Europeans, 
 however, the Tiger is hunted in due form, the sportsmen being mounted on 
 elephants, and furnished with a perfect battery of loaded rifles. The shell 
 bullet, which explodes as it enters the body, has come much into vogue. 
 
 The Tiger is a capital swimmer, and will take to the water with perfect 
 readiness, either in search of prey, or to escape the pursuit of enemies. 
 
 It swims rather high in the water, and therefore affords a : .^d mark to 
 those who are quick of aim. The natatory abilities are by no means small, 
 and while swimming it can strike out with its paws most effectively, inflict- 
 ing deep wounds wherever its outspread talons made good their aim. So 
 cunning is the animal, that if there should be no cause for hurry, it will halt 
 on the river's brink, and deliberately put its paw into the water, so as to ascer- 
 tain the force of the stream. This point being made clear, it proceeds either 
 up or down the river, as may best suit its purpose, and so makes allowance 
 for the river stream or the ocean tide. 
 
 Unlike the Tiger, which is confined to the Asiatic portion of the world, the 
 Leopard is found in Africa as well as in Asia, and is represented in America 
 by the Jaguar, or, perhaps more rightly, by the Puma. 
 
 This animal is one of the most graceful of the graceful tribe of Cats, and, 
 although far less in dimensions than the tiger, challenges competition with 
 that animal in the beautiful markings of its fur and the easy elegance of its 
 movements. It is possessed of an accomplishment which is not within the 
 powers of the lion or tiger, being able to climb trees with singular ability, 
 and even to chase the tree-loving animals among their familiar haunts. On 
 account of this power, it is called by the natives of India " Lakree-baug," or 
 Tree-tiger. Even in Africa it is occasionally called a " Tiger," a confusion of 
 nomenclature which is quite bewildering to a non-zoologist, who may read in 
 one book that there are no tigers in Africa, and in another may peruse a 
 narrative of a tiger-hunt at the Cape. Similar mistakes are made with regard 
 to the American Felidas, not to mention the numerous examples of miscalled 
 
THE LEOPARD— THE OUNCE. 
 
 43 
 
 LEOPARn. — [Leopardtts varius. ) 
 
 animals that are insulted by false titles in almost every part of the globe. 
 For in America the Puma is popularly known by the name of the Lion, or 
 the Panther, or " Painter " as 
 the American forester prefers 
 to call it, while the Jaguar is 
 termed the " Tiger." 
 
 In Africa the Leopard is 
 well known and much dreaded, 
 for it possesses a most crafty 
 brain, as well as an agile body 
 and sharp teeth and claws. It 
 commits sad depredations on 
 flocks and herds, and has suf- 
 ficient foresight to lay up a 
 little stock of provisions for a 
 future day. 
 
 When attacked, it will gene- 
 rally endeavour to slink away, 
 and to escape the observation 
 of its pursuers ; but if it is 
 wounded, and finds no means 
 of eluding its foes, it becomes 
 furious, and charges at them with such determinate rage, that, unless it falls 
 a victim to a well-aimed shot, it may do fearful damage before it yields up 
 its life. In consequence of the ferocity and courage of the Leopard, the 
 native African races make much of those warriors who have been fortunate 
 enough to kill one of these beasts. 
 
 In its own country the Leopard is as crafty an animal as our British fox ; 
 and, being aided by its active limbs and stealthy tread, gains quiet admission 
 into many spots where no less cautious a creature could plant a step without 
 giving the alarm. It is an inveterate chicken-stealer, creeping by night into 
 the hen-roosts, in spite of the watchful dogs that are at their posts as senti- 
 nels, and destroyingin one fell 
 swoop the entire stock of poul- 
 try that happen to be collected 
 under that roof. Even should 
 they roost out of doors they 
 are no less in danger, for the 
 Leopard can clamber a pole or 
 tree with marvellous rapidity, 
 and with his ready paw strike 
 down the poor bird before it 
 is fairly awakened. 
 
 There are two titles for this 
 animal, namely the Leopard 
 and Panther, both of which 
 creatures are now acknow- 
 ledged to be but slight varie- 
 ties of the same species. The 
 Ounce, however, which was 
 once thought to be but a 
 longer-haired variety of the 
 Leopard, is now known to be truly a separate species. 
 
 In general appearance it bears a very close resemblance to the leopard, 
 but may be distinguished from that animal by the greater fulness and rough- 
 
 OUNCE. — (Leopardus uncia.) 
 
44 
 
 THE JAGUAR. 
 
 ness of its fur, as well as by some variations in the markings with which it is 
 decorated. The spots exhibit a certain tendency to form stripes, and the tail 
 is exceedingly bushy when compared with thatof a leopard of equal size. The 
 general colour of the body is rather paler than that of the leopard, being a 
 
 JAGUAR.- -{Leopardus Onca. ) 
 
 greyish white in which a slight yellow tinge is perceptible. The Ounce is an 
 inhabitant of some parts of Asia, and specimens of this fine animal have 
 been brought from the shores of the Persian Gulf. In size, it equals the 
 ordinary leopard of Asia or Africa. 
 
 Passing to the New World, we find the feline races well represented bj 
 
THE PUMA. 
 
 45 
 
 several most beautiful and graceful creatures, of which the JAGUAR is the 
 largest and most magnificent example. 
 
 Closely resembhng the leopard in external appearance, and in its arboreal 
 habits, it seems to play the same part in America as the leopard in the trans- 
 atlantic continents. It is a larger animal than the leopard, and may be dis- 
 tinguished from that animal by several characteristic diiiferences. 
 
 In the first place, across the breast of the Jaguar are drawn two or three 
 bold black streaks, which are never seen in the leopard, and which alone 
 serve as an easy guide to the species. But the chief point of distinction is 
 found in a small mark that exists in the centre of the dark spots which cover 
 the body and sides. In many instances this central mark is double, and, in 
 order to give room for it, the rosettes are very large in proportion to those of 
 the leopard. Along the spine runs a line, or chain, of black spots and 
 dashes, extending from the back of the head to the first foot, or eighteen 
 inches of the tail. 
 
 In its native land the Jaguar ranges the dense and perfumed forests in search 
 of the various creatures which fall victims, to its powerful claws. The list of 
 animals that compose its bill of fare is a large and comprehensive one, includ- 
 ing horses, deer, monkeys, capybaras, tapirs, birds of various kinds, turtles, 
 lizards, and fish ; thus comprising examples of all the four orders of verte- 
 brated animals. Nor does the Jaguar confine himself to the vertebrates. 
 Various shell-fish, insects, and other creatures fall victims to the insatiate 
 appetite of this ravenous animal. 
 
 Few animals have been known by such a variety of names as the PUMA of 
 rtmerica. Travellers have 
 
 indifferently entitled it the VrJ^ p^ 
 
 American Lion, the Pan- ii^^^ U thf A^' 
 
 ther, the Couguar, the Car- 
 cajou (which is an entirely 
 different animal), the Gou- 
 azoura, the Cuguacurana, 
 and. many other names. 
 
 It is rather a large animal, 
 but, on account of its small 
 head, appears to be a les 
 powerful creature than real 
 1y is the case. The tot; I 
 length of the Pum i is abou- 
 six feet and a half, of which 
 the tail occupies rather more 
 than two feet. The tip of 
 the tail is black, but is des- 
 titute of the long tuft of 
 
 black hair which is so clia- puma. 
 
 racteristic of the lion. 
 
 The colour of the Puma is a uniform light tawny tint, deeper in some indi- 
 viduals than in others, and fading into a greyish, white on the under parts. 
 It is remarkable that the young Puma displays a gradual change in its fur, 
 nearly in the same way as has been narrated of the lion cub. While the 
 Puma cubs are yet in their first infancy, their coat is marked with several 
 rows of dark streaks extending alongthe back and sides, and also bears upon 
 the neck, sides, and shoulders many dark spots resembling those of the ordi- 
 nary leopard. But, as the animal increases in size, the spots fade away, and, 
 when it has attained its perfect development, are altogether lost in the uniforpi 
 \-a.yiVif h^e of th? fur, 
 
THE TIGEK CATS. 
 
 The flesh of this animal is said, by those who have made trial of it, to be a 
 pleasant addition to the diet scale, being white, tender, and of good flavour. 
 When taken young, the Puma is peculiarly susceptible of domestication, and 
 has been known to follow its master just like a dog. The hunters of the 
 Pampas are expert Puma slayers, and achieve their end either by catching 
 the bewildered animal with a lasso, and then galloping off with the poor 
 creature hanging at the end of the leather cord, or by flinging the celebrated 
 bolas — metal balls or stones fastened to a rope — at the Puma, and laying it 
 senseless on the ground with a blow from the heavy weapon. 
 
 Many of the members of the large genus Leopardus are classed together 
 under the title of Ocelots, or, more popularly of Tiger Cats. They are 
 all most beautiful animals,- their fur being diversified with brilliant contrasts 
 of a dark spot, streak, or dash upon a lighter ground, and their actions filled 
 with easy grace and elegance. 
 
 The common Ocelot is a native of the tropical regions of America, where 
 it is found in some profusion. In length it rather exceeds four feet, of which 
 the tail occupies a considerable portion. Its height averages eighteen inches. 
 
 The ground colour of the fur is a very 
 light greyish fawn, on which are 
 drawn partially broken bands of a 
 very deep fawn colour, edged with 
 black, running along the line of the 
 body. The band that extends along 
 the spine is unbroken. On the head, 
 neck, and the inside of the hmbs, 
 the bands are broken up into spots 
 and dashes, which aie entirely black, 
 the fawn tint in their centre being 
 totally merged in the deeper hue; 
 the ears are black, with the ex- 
 ception of a conspicuous white spot 
 upon the back and near the base of 
 each ear. Owing to the beauty of 
 OCELOT. the fur, the Ocelo.t skin is in great 
 
 request for home use and exporta- 
 tion, and is extensively employed in the manufacture of various fancy articles 
 of dress or luxury. 
 
 In its habits the Ocelot is quick, active, and powerful, proving itself at all 
 points a true leopard, although but in miniature. 
 
 The eye of the Ocelot is a pale yellowish brown, and tolerably full, with 
 the linear pupil smaller than is found in the ordinary Felidae. 
 
 There are several species of these pretty and agile animals, among which 
 the most conspicuous are the Common, the Grey, and Painted Ocelots, and 
 the Margay, or Marjay,.as it is sometimes called. The habits of these ani- 
 mals are very similar. 
 
 Although so gentle in its demeanour when domesticated as to have earned 
 for itself the name of " Mitis," or " placid," the Chati is, when wild, a suffi- 
 ciently destructive animal. It is not quite so large as the ocelots, with which 
 creatures it is' a compatriot. 
 
 The colour of the Chati resembles that of the leopard, only is paler in 
 general hue. The dark patches that diversify the body are very irregular — 
 those which run along the back are solid, and of a deep black, while those 
 which are placed along the sides have generally a deep fawn-coloured centre. 
 Towards the extremity of the tail, the spots change into partial rings, which 
 nearly, but not quite, surrouiid th? tail, All specimens, however, are not 
 
THE CHATI. 
 
 47 
 
 precisely alike, either in the colour or the arrangement of the markings, but 
 those leading characteristics which have just been mentioned may be found 
 in almost every individual. 
 
 When at large in its native woods, it wages incessant and destructive war- 
 fare against small quadrupeds and birds, the latter creatures being its favourite 
 prey. The Chati is a vexatious and expensive neighbour to any one who 
 may keep fowls, for it seems to like nothing so well as a plump fowl, and is 
 unceasing in its visits to the henroost. It is so active and lithe an animal 
 that it can climb over any palisade, and insinuate itself through a surprisingly 
 small aperture ; and it is so wary and cautious in its nocturnal raids, that it 
 generally gives no other indication of its movements than that which is left 
 next morning by the vacant perches, and a few scattered feathers flecked 
 with blood-spots. 
 
 During the day it keeps itself closely hidden in the dark shades of the 
 forest, sleeping away its time until the sun has set, and darkness reigns over 
 its world. It then awakes from its slumber, and issues forth upon its de- 
 structive quest. On moonlight nights, however, it either stays at home, or 
 
 THE CHATI. — (Leaf Urdus mitis.) 
 
 confines its depredations to the limits of its native woods, never venturing 
 near the habitations of man. Stormy and windy nights are the best adapted 
 for its purpose, as it is sheltered from sight by the darkness, and from hearirr; 
 by the rushing wind, which drowns the slight sounds of its stealthy footsteps. 
 On such nights it behoves the farmer to keep a two-fold watch, and see weil 
 to his doors and windows, or he may chance to find an empty henroost in 
 the morning. 
 
 In two years, no less than eighteen of these animals were caught by a land- 
 owner within a space of five miles round his farm, so that their numbers mu'st 
 be truly great. They do not congregate together, but live in pairs, each pair 
 seeming to appropriate its own hunting-ground. 
 
 In captivity it is a singularly gentle, and even affectionate, animal, possessed 
 of most engaging habits, and full of pretty graceful tricks. One of these 
 creatures, which was captured by the above-mentioned landowner, became 
 
48 
 
 THE DOMESTIC CAT. 
 
 so entirely domesticated that it was permitted to range at liberty. But, 
 although so gentle and tractable towards its owner that it would sleep on the 
 skirts of its master's gown, its poultry-loving habits were too deeply implanted 
 to be thoroughly eradicated, and it was quietly destructive among his neigh- 
 bours' fowls. This propensity cost the creature its life, for the irritated 
 farmers caught it in the very deed of robbing their henroosts, and killed it 
 on the spot. 
 
 The native name for the Chati is Chibiguazu. It was found by experiment- 
 ing on the captured Chatis, that the flesh of cats and of various reptiles was 
 harmful to their constitution. CatVflesh gave them a Idnd of mange, which 
 soon killed them, while that of snakes, vipers, and toads caused a continual 
 and violent vomiting, under which they lost flesh and died. Fowls however, 
 and most birds, were ravenously devoured, being caught by the head, and killed 
 by a bite and a shake. The Chatis always stripped the feathers from the 
 birds before beginning to eat them. 
 
 Few of the Felidae are so widely spread or so generally known as the Wild 
 Cat. It is found not only in this country, but over nearly the whole of 
 Europe, and has been seen in Northern Asia and Nepaul. 
 
 
 r?" ' ■^"^"'^j-'^P 
 
 ^^-«3 
 
 ^^^SSEBbBul 
 
 
 pT 
 
 P^^HHB 
 
 H^^^^^^i^ 
 
 ^S^ 
 
 
 8^^^^^ 
 
 ^^^^^N 
 
 ^^.^^^s 
 
 ^p-^^^i^^ 
 
 -^ 
 
 I A '««*=*''^^^^S.t^' 
 
 THE cat:.— (Felts domestica.) 
 
 Whether the Wild Cat be the original progenitor of our domestic cat is 
 still a mooted point, and likely to remain so, for there is no small difficulty m 
 bringing proofs to bear on such a subject. There are several points of dis- 
 tinction between the wild and the domestic cat ; one of the most decided 
 differences being found in the shape and comparative length of their tails. 
 
 As may be seen from the accompanying figure, 
 the tails of the two animals are easily distinguished 
 from each other. The upper figure represents the 
 tail of the domestic cat, which is long, slender, and 
 tapering, while the lower represents the tail of the 
 Wild Cat, which is much shorter and more bushy. 
 
 In the eyes of any one who has really examined 
 and can support the character of the Domestic Cat, 
 she must appear to be a sadly calumniated creature. 
 She is generally contrasted with the dog, much to her disfavour. His 
 docility, affectionate disposition, and forgiveness of injuries ; hi§ trustworthy 
 
 cats' tails. 
 
THE CANADA LYNX. 
 
 49 
 
 character, and his wonderful intellectual powers, jfre spoken of, as truly 
 they deserve, with great entliusiasni and respect. But these amiable traits 
 of character are brought into violent contrast with sundry ill-conditioned 
 qualities which are attributed to the Cat, and wrongly so. The Cat is held 
 up to reprobation as a selfish animal, seeking her own comfort and dis- 
 regardful of others ; attached only to localities, and bearing no real affection 
 for her owners. She is said to be sly and treacherous, hiding her talons m 
 her velvety paws as long as she is in a good temper, but ready to use them 
 upon her best friends if she is crossed in her humours. 
 
 Whatever may have been the experience of those who gave so slanderous 
 a character to the Cat, my own rather wide acquaintance with this animal 
 has led me to very different conclusions. The Cats with which I have been 
 most familiar have been as docile, tractable, and good-tempered as any dog 
 could be, and displayed an amount of intellectual power which would be 
 equalled by very few dog-, and surpassed by none. 
 
 Returning once more to the sa\age tribe of animals, we come to a small, 
 but clearly-marked group of Cats, which are distinguishable from their f.-line 
 relations by the sharply-pointed erect ears, decorated with a tuft of hair of 
 varying dimensions. These animals are popularly known by the title of 
 Lynxes. In all the species the tail is rather short, and in some, such as the 
 Peeshoo, or Canada Lynx, it is extremely abbreviated. 
 
 By name, if not by sight, the common LYNX of Europe is familiar to us, 
 and is known as the type of a quick-sighted animal. The eyes of the Lynx 
 and the ears of the " Blind Mole " are generally placed on a par with each 
 other, as examples of especial acuteness of either sense. 
 
 The European Lynx is spread over a great portion of the Continent, being 
 found in a range of country which extends from the Pyrenees to Scandinavia. 
 It is also found in the more northern forests of Asia. 
 
 The usual colour of the Lynx is a rather dark grey, washed with red, on 
 which are placed sundry dark patches, large and few upon the body, and 
 many and small on the limbs. On the body the spots assume an oblong or 
 oval shape, but upon the limbs they are nearly circular. The tail of the 
 Lynx is short, being at the most only seven or eight inches in length, and 
 sometimes extending only six inches. The length of the body and head is 
 about three feet. 
 
 The fur of the Lynx is valuable for 
 the purposes to which the feline skin 
 is usually destined, and commands a 
 fair price in the market. Those who 
 hunt the Lynx for the purpose of 
 obtaining its fur, choose the winter 
 months for the time of their opera- 
 tions, as during the cold season the 
 Lynx possesses a richer and a warm- 
 er fur than is found upon it during 
 the warm summer months. 
 
 The New World possesses its ex- 
 amples of the Lyncine group as well 
 as the Old World, and even in the 
 cold regions of North America a re- 
 presentative of these animals may be 
 found. This is the Canada Lynx, commonly termed the "Peeshoo" by 
 the French colonists, or even dignified with the title of Le Chat. 
 
 The hair of this animal is longer than that of its southern relatives, ana is 
 generally of a dark grey, flecked or besprinkled with black. 
 
 CANADA LYNX. — (Lyncus Canadensis.) 
 
fjo 
 
 THE CHETAH. 
 
 The limbs of this Lynx are very powerful, and the thick heavily made feet 
 are furnished with strong white claws that are not seen unless the fur be put 
 aside. It is not a dangerous animal, and, as far as is known, feeds on the 
 smaller quadrupeds, the American hare being its favourite article of diet. 
 
 While running at speed it presents a singular appearance, owing to its 
 peculiar mode of leaping in successive bounds, with its back slightly arched, 
 and all the feet coming to the ground nearly at the same time. It is a good 
 swimmer, being able to cross the water for a distance of two miles or more. 
 Powerful though it be, it is easily killed by a blow on the back, a shght stick 
 being a sufficient weapon wherewith to destroy the animal. The flesh of the 
 Peeshoo is eaten by the natives, and is said, though devoid of flavour, to be 
 agreeably tender. The range of this animal is rather extensive, and, in the 
 wide district where it takes up its residence, is found in sufficient plenty to 
 render its fur an important article of commerce. The length of this animal 
 shghtly exceeds three feet. 
 The Chetah, Youze, or Hunting Cat, as it is indifferently named, is, 
 
 like the leopard, an inhabit- 
 ant of Asia and Africa. It 
 is rather a large animal, ex- 
 ceeding an ordinary leopard 
 in stature. 
 
 The title "jubata," or 
 crested, is given to the 
 Chetah on account of a 
 short, mane-like crest of 
 stiff long hairs which passes 
 from the back of the head 
 to the shoulders. 
 
 The Chetah is one of 
 those animals which gain 
 their living by mingled craft 
 and agility. Its chief food 
 is obtained from the various 
 deer and antelopes which 
 inhabit the same country, 
 and in seizing and slaying 
 its prey no little art is required. The speed of this animal is not very great, 
 and it has but little endurance ; so that an antelope or a stag could set the 
 spotted foe at defiance, and in a quarter of an hour place themselves beyond 
 his reach. But it is the business of the Chetah to hinder the active and swift- 
 footed deer from obtaining those invaluable fifteen minutes, and to strike 
 them down before they are aware of his presence. 
 
 In order to obtain this end, the Chetah watches for a herd of deer or 
 antelopes, or is content to address himself to the pursuit of a solitary indi- 
 vidual, or a little band of two or three, should they be placed in a position 
 favourable for his purpose. Crouching upon the ground so as to conceal 
 himself as much as possible from the watchful eyes of the intended prey, the 
 Chetah steals rapidly and silently upon them, never venturing to show him- 
 self until he is within reach of a single spring. Having singled out one 
 individual from the herd, the Chetah leaps upon the devoted animal and 
 dashes it to the ground. Fastening his strong grip in the throat of the dying 
 animal, the Chetah laps the hot blood, and for the time seems forgetful of 
 time or place. 
 
 Of these curious habits the restless and all-adapting mind of man has 
 taken advantage, and has diverted to his own service the wild destructive 
 
 CHETAH. — ( Gueparda jubata. ) 
 
INTERVIEW WITH TWO CHETAHS. 51 
 
 properties of the Chetah. In fact, man has established a kind of quadru- 
 pedal falconry, the Chetah taking the place of the hawk, and the chase being 
 one of earth and not of air. The Asiatics have brought this curious chase 
 to great perfection, and are able to train Chetahs for this purpose in a 
 wonderfully perfect manner. 
 
 When a Chetah is taken out for the purpose of hunting game, he is hooded 
 and placed in a light native car, in company with his keepers. When they 
 perceive a herd of deer, or other desirable game, the keepers turn the 
 Chetah's head in the proper direction, and remove the hood from his eyes. 
 The sharp-sighted animal generally perceives the prey at once, but if he fails 
 so to do, the keepers assist him by quiet gestures. 
 
 No sooner does the Chetah fairly perceive the deer than his bands are 
 loosened, and he gently slips from the car. Employing all his innate artifices, 
 he approaches the game, and with one powerful leap flings himself upon the 
 animal which he has selected. The keepers now hurry up, and take his 
 attention from the slaughtered animal by offering him a ladleful of its blood, 
 or by placing before him some food of which he is especially fond, such as 
 the head and neck of a fowl. The hood is then slipped over his head, and 
 the blinded animal is conducted patient and unresisting to the car, where he 
 is secured until another victim may be discovered. 
 
 The natural disposition of this pretty creature seems to be gentle and 
 placid, and it is peculiarly susceptible of domestication. It has been so 
 completely trained as to be permitted to wander where it chooses like a 
 domestic dog or cat, and is quite as familiar as that animal. Even in a state 
 of semi-domestication it is sufficiantly gentle. One sleek and well-conditioned 
 specimen with which I made acquaintance behaved in a very friendly manner, 
 pejrmitting me to pat its soft sides, or stroke its face, and uttering short self- 
 sufficient sounds, like the magnified purr of a gratified cat. Unfortunately, 
 the acquaintance was rudely broken up by an ill-conditioned Frenchman, who 
 came to the front of the cage, and with his stick dealt the poor animal a 
 severe thrust in the side. The Chetah instantly lost its confident expression, 
 and was so irritated by this rough treatment that it would not permit a repe- 
 tition of the former caresses. 
 
 Some time ago, while engaged in examining the larger Felidse, I wished to 
 investigate the structure of the Chetah's foot, some persons having said that 
 its claws were retractile like those of the cat, while others stated that they 
 were constructed like those of the dog. So I went into the Chetahs' cage at 
 the Zoological Gardens, and rather to the surprise of the animals. Thinking 
 that the Cat tribe were tolerably alike in disposition, and supposing that if I 
 went up to either of them they would be alarmed, I sat down with my back 
 against the wall, and quietly waited, taking no notice whatever of the 
 Chetahs. 
 
 In a short time the curiosity of the cat-nature overcame distrust, the two 
 Chetahs came closer and closer, until at last the male, who was larger and 
 stronger than his mate, began to sniff at my hand with outstretched neck. 
 Finding that no harm ensued, he came a little closer, and I began to stroke 
 his nose lightly. This he rather liked, and before long I was able to stroke 
 his head, chin, neck, and back, the animal being as pleased as a cat would 
 have been. Presently he came and^at down by me, and I then got from his 
 neck to his legs, just as Rarey used to '' gentle " a horse. 
 
 The next move was to lift up his foot and put it down again, and then, 
 taking hold lightly of his wrist, to press the fore-finger on the base of the 
 claws so as to press them from their sockets. This rather startled him, and 
 with a sharp hissing sound he struck smartly forwards. As he struck, I 
 slipped my hand up his leg, so that the blow was ineffectual, and presently 
 
 £ 2 
 
52 THE STRTPED HYyENA. 
 
 ■made another attempt. He now found out that no harm was intended, and 
 in a very short time I had his paw on my knee, and was allowed to push out 
 the claws as I liked, proving that they were as retractile as those of a cat. 
 The oddest part of the proceeding was, that he appropriated me to himself, 
 and would not allow his mate to come near me, exemplifying the jealousy of 
 all animals when brought into contact with man. 
 
 The spots which so profusely stud the body and limbs are nearly round in 
 their form and black in their tint. Excepting upon the face there seem to 
 be no stripes like those of the tiger, but upon each side of the face there is a 
 bold black streak which runs from the eye to the corner of the mouth. The 
 hair about the throat, chest, and flanks is rather long, and gives a very 
 determinate look to the animal. 
 
 The Chetah is known as an inhabitant of many parts of Asia, including 
 India, Sumatra, and Persia, while in Africa it is found in Senegal and at the 
 Cape of Good Hope. 
 
 HYENAS, 
 
 The group of animals which are so well known by the title of Hyenas, are, 
 although most repulsive to the view, and most disgusting in their habits, the 
 very saviours of life and health in the countries where they live, and where 
 there is necessity for their existence. In this land, and at the present day, 
 there is no need of such large animals as the Hyaenas to perform their 
 necessary and useful task of clearing the earth from the decaying carcases 
 which cumber its surface and poison its air, for in our utilitarian age even the 
 very hairs from a cow's hide are turned to account, and the driest bones are 
 made to subserve^many uses. 
 
 In those countries, as well as in our own, there are carnivorous and flesh- 
 burying insects, which consume the smaller animal substances ; but the 
 rough work is left to those industrious scavengers the Hyasnas, which con- 
 tent themselves with the remains of large animals. 
 
 In the semi-civilized countries of Africa and Asia, the Hysena is a public 
 benefactor, swallowing with his accommodating appetite almost every species 
 of animal substance that can be found, and even crushing to splinters 
 between his iron jaws the bones which would resist the attacks of all other 
 carnivorous animals. 
 
 Useful as is the Hysena when it remains within its proper boundaries, and 
 restricts itself to its proper food, it becomes a terrible pest when too numerous 
 to find sufficient nourishment in dead carrion. Incited by hunger, it hangs 
 on the skirts of villages and encampments, and loses few opportunities of 
 making a meal at the expense of the inhabitants. It does not openly oppose 
 even a domestic ox, but endeavours to startle its intended prey, and cause it 
 to take to flight before it will venture upon an attack. In order to alarm the 
 cattle it has a curious habit of creeping as closely as possible to them, and 
 then springing up suddenly just under their eyes. Should the startled 
 animals turn to flee, the Hyaena will attack and destroy them ; but, if they 
 should turn to bay, will stand still and venture no farther. It will not even 
 attack a knee-haltered horse. So it often happens that the Hysena destroys 
 the healthy cattle which can run away, and is afraid to touch the sickly and 
 maimed beasts which cannot flee, and are forced to stand at bay. 
 
 The Striped HYjENA is easily to be distinguished from its relations by 
 the peculiar streaks from which it derives its name. The general colour of 
 the fur is a greyish brown, diversified with blackish stripes, which run along 
 the ribs and upon the limbs. A large singular Itlack patch extends over the 
 front of the throat, and single black hairs are profusely scattered among the 
 
THE CIVET. 
 
 S3 
 
 fur. When young, the strfpes are more apparent than in the adult age, and 
 the little animal has something of a tigrine aspect about its face. 
 
 In proportion to its size, the Hyaena 
 possesses teeth and jaws of extraordi- 
 nary strength, and between their tre- 
 jnendous fangs the thigh bones of an 
 ox fly in splinters with a savage crash 
 that makes the spectator shudder. 
 
 The muzzle is but short, and the 
 rough thorn-studded tongue is used, 
 like that of the feline groups, for rasp- 
 ing every vestige of flesh from the 
 bones of the prey. 
 
 The Spotted Hy^na, or Tiger 
 Wolf, as it is generally called, is, for 
 a Hyasna, a fierce and dangerous ani- 
 mal, invading the sheepfolds and cattle- 
 pens under the cover of darkness, and 
 doing in one night more mischief than 
 can be remedied in the course of years. 
 
 The spots, or rather the blotches with which its fur is marked, are rather 
 scanty upon the back and sides, but upon the legs are much more clearly 
 marked, and are set closer together. The paws are nearly black. 
 
 The Tiger Wolf is celebrated for the strange unearthly sounds which it 
 utters when under the influence of strong excitement. The animal is olten 
 called the " Laughing Hyaena " on account of the maniacal, mirthless, hy- 
 sterical laugh which it pours forth, accompanying these horrid sounds with 
 the most absurd gestures of body and limbs. During the time that the 
 creature is engaged in uttering these wild fearful peals of laughter, it dances 
 about in a state of ludicrously frantic excitement, running backwards and 
 forwards, rising on its hind legs, and rapidly gyrating on those members, 
 nodding its head repeatedly to the ground ; and, in fine, performing the most 
 singular antics with wonderful rapidity. 
 
 STRIPED OR CRESTED HYjENA. 
 (Hyeena striata. ) 
 
 CIVETS. 
 
 The Civet, sometimes, but wrongly, called the Civet Cat, is a native of 
 Northern Africa, and is found plentifully in Abyssinia, where it is eagerly 
 sought on account of the peculiarly scented substance which is secreted in 
 certain glandular pouches. This 
 Civet perfume was formerly consi- 
 dered as a most valuable medicine, 
 and could only be obtained at a very 
 high price ; but in the present day it 
 has nearly gone out of fashion as a 
 drug, and holds its place in com- 
 merce more as a simple perfume 
 than as a costly panacea. 
 
 The substance which is so prized 
 on account of its odoriferous quali- 
 ties is secreted in a double pouch, 
 
 which exists under the abdomen, close to the insertion of the tail. As this 
 curious production is of some value in commerce, the animal which furnishes 
 the precious secretion is too valuable to be killed for the sake of its scent- 
 
 CIVET.— ( Viverra Civetta. ) 
 
£4 
 
 THE GENETTS. 
 
 poiich, and is kept in a state of captivity, so as to afford a continual supply 
 of the odoriferous material. 
 
 The claws of the Civet are only partially retractile. The eyes are of a dull 
 brown, very protuberant, and vi-ith a curiously changeable pupil, which by 
 day exhibits a rather broad linear pupil, and glows at night with a brilliant 
 emerald refulgence. The body is curiously shaped, being considerably flat- 
 tened on the sides, as if the animal had been pressed between two boards. 
 
 Altogether, the Civet is a very handsome animal, the bold dashing of black 
 and white upon its fur having a very rich effect. The face has a curious 
 appearance, owing to the white fur which fringes the lips, and the long pure 
 white whisker hairs of the lips and eyes. When young it is almost wholly 
 black, with the exception of the white whisker hairs and the white fur of the 
 lips. 
 
 GENETTS. 
 
 A small, but rather important, group of the Viverrine animals, is that the 
 members of which are known by the name of the Genetts. These crea- 
 
 Ui-ujCHJiD GEiNKTT. — (Cenetia lt;^-l.lia.) 
 
 tures are all nocturnal in their habits, as are the civets, and, like those ani- 
 mals, can live on a mixture of animal and vegetable- food, or even on vegetable 
 food alone. The Genetts possess the musk-secreting apparatus which much 
 resembles the pouch of the civet, although in size it is not so large, nor does 
 it secrete so powerfully smelling a substance as that of the civets. 
 
 The best known of these animals is the Common, or Blotched Genett, 
 an inhabitant of Southern Africa and of various other parts of the world, 
 being found even in the south of France. It is a very beautiful and gracefi 1 
 animal, and never fails to attract attention from an observer. The generrl 
 colour of the fur is grey, with a slight admixture of yellow. Upon this 
 groundwork dark patches are lavishly scattered, and the full, furry tail is 
 covered with alternate bands of black and white. The muzzle would be on- 
 
THE ICHNEUMONS. 
 
 55 
 
 tirely black but for a bold patch of white fur on the upper lip, and a less 
 decidedly white mark by the nose. The feet are supplied with retractile 
 claws, so that the animal can deal a severe blow with its outstretched talons, 
 or climb trees with the same ease and rapidity which is found in the cat 
 tribe. 
 
 Very different from the Genetts in its appearance is the Cacomixle, 
 although it is closely allied to them. 
 
 It is remarkable as being a Mexican representative of the Genett group of 
 animals, although it can hardl) oe considered as a true Genett or a true 
 Moongus. The colour of this animal is a light uniform dun, a dark bar 
 being placed like a collar over the back of the neck. In some specimen.' 
 this bar is double, and in all it is so narrow that when the animal throws its 
 head backwards the dark line is lost in the hghter fur. Along the back runs 
 
 CACOMlxi.E. — {Bassans Asftda.) 
 
 a broad, singular, darkish stripe. The tail is ringed something like that of 
 the Ringed Lemur, and is very full. The term Cacomixle is a Mexican word, 
 and the animal is sometimes called by a still stranger name, " Tepemaxthalon." 
 The scientific title " Bassaris " is from the Greek, and signifies a fox. 
 
 ICHNEUMONS. 
 
 The Ichneumons appear to be the very reptiles of the mammalian ani- 
 mals, in form, habits, and action, irresistibly reminding the spectator of the 
 serpent. The sharp and pointed snout, narrow body, short legs, and flexible 
 form, permit them to insinuate themselves into marvellously small crevices 
 and to seek and destroy their prey in localities where it might well deem 
 itself secure. 
 
 The common Ichneumon, or Pharaoh's Rat, as it is popularly but most 
 improperly termed, is plentifully found in Egypt, where it plays a most useful 
 part in keeping down the numbers of the destructive quadrupeds and dange- 
 
56 
 
 THE MOONGUS. 
 
 rous reptiles. Small and insignificant as this animal appears, it is a most 
 dangerous foe to the huge crocodile, leeding largely upon its eggs. Snaki.s, 
 rats, lizards, mice, and various birds fall a prey to this Ichneumon, which 
 will pamfuUy track its prey to its hiding-place, and wait patiently for hours 
 until it makes its appearance, or will quietly creep up to the unsuspecting 
 animal, ana flinging itself boldly upon it destroy it by rapid bites with its 
 long sharp teeth. 
 
 Taking advannge of these admirable qualities, the ancient Egyptians 
 were wont to tame the Ichneumon, and admit it to the free range of their 
 houses. 
 
 The colour of this animal is a brown, plentifully grizzled with grey, each 
 hair being ringed alternately with grey and brown. The total length of the 
 aniirial is about three feet three inches, the tail measuring about eighteen 
 
 ICH.N EL .\IO.^i . — {Herfestes Ichneumon.) 
 
 inches. The scent-gland of the Ichneumon is very large in proportion to the 
 size of its bearer, but the substance which it secretes has not as yet been 
 held of any commercial value. The claws are partially retractile. 
 The word Ichneumon is Greek, and literally signifies " a tracker." 
 The MOONGUS, sometimes called the INDIAN ICHNEUMON, is, in its 
 Asiatic home, as useful an animal as the Egyptian Ichneumon in Africa. In 
 that country it is an indefatigable destroyer of rats, mice, and the various 
 reptiles, and is on that account highly valued and protected. Being, as 
 are Ichneumons in general, extremely cleanly in manners, and very susceptible 
 of domestication, it is kept tame in many families, and does good service in 
 keeping the houses clear of the various animated pests that render an Indian 
 town a disagreeable and sometimes a dangerous residence. 
 
 In its customs it very much resembles the cat, and is gifted with all the 
 inquisitive nature of that animal. When first introduced into a new locality 
 it runs about the place, insinuating itself into every hole and corner, and 
 sniffing curiously at every object with which it conies in contact. Even in its 
 
THE CRYPTOPROCTA. 
 
 57 
 
 wild state it exhibits the same qualities, and by a careful observer may be 
 seen questing about in search of its food, exploring every little tuft of vegeta- 
 tion that comes in its way, running over every rocky projection, and thrusting 
 its sharp snout into every hollow. Sometimes it buries itself entirely in some 
 little hole, and when it returns to light drags with it a mole, a rat, or some 
 such creature, which had vainly sought security in its narrow domicile. 
 
 While eating, the Ichneumon is very tetchy in its temper, and will very 
 seldom endure an interruption of any kind. In order to secure perfect quiet 
 while taking its meals, it generally carries the food into the most secluded 
 hiding-place that it can find, and then commences its meal in solitude 
 and darkness. The colour of the Moongus is a grey, liberally flecked with 
 darker hairs, so as to produce a very pleasing mixture of tints. It is not so 
 large an animal as its Egyptian relative. 
 
 MOONGUS. — (Herpestes Griseus). 
 
 The last of the great Viverine group of animals is the Cryptoprocta a 
 creature whose rabbit-like mildness of aspect entirely belies its nature. ' 
 
 It is a native of Madagascar, and has been brought from the southern 
 portions of that wonderful island. It is much to be wished that the zoology 
 of so prolific a country should be thoroughly explored, and that competent 
 naturalists should devote much time and severe labour to the collection 
 of specimens, and the careful investigation of animals while in their wild 
 state. 
 
 Gentle and quiet as the animal appears, it is one of the fiercest little 
 creatures known. Its limbs, though small, are very powerful, their muscles 
 being extremely full and well knit together. Its appetite for blood seems to 
 be as insatiable as that of the tiger, and its activity is Very great, so that it may 
 vi-ell be imagined to be a terrible foe to any animals on whom it may choose 
 to make an attack. For this sa\age nature it has received the name of 
 " Ferox," or fierce. Its generic name of Cryptoprocta is given to it on ac- 
 count of the manner in w hich the hinder quarters suddenly t^per down and 
 
58 DOGS. 
 
 merge themselves in the tail. The word itself is from the Greek, the former 
 half of it signifying " hidden," and the latter half, " hind-quarters." 
 The colour of the Cryptoprocta is a lighi brown, tinged with red. The 
 
 CRYPTOPROCTA. — {Cryptoprocta ferox). 
 
 ears are very large and rounded, and the feet are furnished with strong claws. 
 The toes are five in number on each foot. 
 
 DOGS. 
 
 The large and important group of animals which is known by the general 
 name of the Dog Tribe embraces the wild and domesticated Dogs, the 
 Wolves, Foxes, Jackals, and that curious South African animal, the Hunting 
 Dos. Of these creatures, several have been brought under the authority of 
 man, and by continual intermixtures have assumed that exceeding variety of 
 form which is found in the different " breeds " of the domestic Dog. 
 
 The original parent of the Dog is very doubtful, some authors considering 
 that it owes its parentage to the Dhole, or the Buansuah of India ; others 
 thinking it to be an offspring of the Wolf; and others attributing to the Fox 
 the honour of being the progenitor of our canine friend and ally. 
 
 All the various Dogs which have been brought under the subjection of 
 man are evidently members of one single species, Canis familiaris, being 
 capable of variation to an almost unlimited extent. 
 
 it is hardly possible to conceive an animal which is more entirely formed 
 for speed and endurance than a well-bred Greyhound. 
 
 The chief use — if use it can be termed — of the Greyhound is in coursing 
 the hare, and exhibiting in this chase its marvellous swiftness and its endu- 
 rance of fatigue. 
 
 The narrow head and sharp nose of the Greyhound, useful as they are for 
 aiding the progress of the aniraal by removing every impediment to its pas- 
 
GREYHOUND, AND NEWFOUNDLAND DOG. 
 
 S9 
 
 sage through the atmosphere, yet deprive it of a most valuable faculty, that 
 of chasing by scent. The 
 muzzle is so narrow in pro- 
 portion to its length, that 
 the nasal nerves have no 
 room for proper develop- 
 ment, and hence the animal 
 is very deficient in its powers 
 of scent. The same circum- 
 stance may be noted in many 
 other animsls. 
 
 The large and handsome 
 animal which is called from 
 its native country the New- 
 foundland Dog belongs to 
 the group of spaniels, all of 
 which appear to be possess- 
 ed of considerable mental 
 powers, and to be capable of 
 instruction to a degree that 
 is rarely seen in animals. 
 
 As is the case with most of the large Dogs, the Newfoundland permits the 
 lesser Dogs to take all kinds of liberties without showing the least resent- 
 ment ; and if it is worried or pestered by some forward puppy, looks down 
 with calm contempt, and passes on its way. Sometimes the little conceited 
 animal presumes upon the dignified composure of the Newfoundland Dog, 
 
 GREYHOUND. — (Canis familiaris.) 
 
 NEWFOUNDLAND DOG. — ( Canis familiaris. ) 
 
 and, in that case, is sure to receive some quaint punishment for its insolence. 
 The story of the big Dog that dropped the little Dog into the water and then 
 rescued it from drowning, is so well known that it needs but a passing refe- 
 rence. But I know of a Dog, belonging to one of my friends, which behaved 
 
6o 
 
 POMERANIAN DOG. 
 
 in a very similar manner. Being provoked beyond all endurance by the con- 
 tinued annoyance, it took the little tormentor in its mouth, swam well out to 
 sea, dropped it in the water, and swam back again. 
 
 Another of the animals, belonging to a workman, was attacked by a small 
 and pugnacious bull-dog, which sprung upon the unoffending canine giant, 
 and, after the manner of bull-dogs, "pinned" him by the nose, and there 
 hung, in spite of all endeavours to shake it off. However, the big Dog 
 happened to be a clever one, and spying a pailful of boiling tar, he bolted 
 towards it, and deliberately lowered his foe into the pail. The bull-dog had 
 never calculated on such a reception, and made its escape as fast as it could 
 run, bearing with it a scalding memento of the occasion. 
 
 POMERANIAN TiOG.— (Cttfiis familiaris.) 
 
 Of late years, a Dog has come into fashion as a house-dog, or as a com- 
 panion. This is the Pomeranian Fox Dog, commonly known as the 
 " Loup-loup." 
 
 It is a great favourite with those who like a dog for a companion, and not 
 for mere use, as it is very intelligent in its character, and very handsome in 
 aspect. Its long white fur, and bushy tail, give it quite a distinguished 
 appearance, of which the animal seems to be thoroughly aware. Sometimes 
 the coat of this animal is a cream colour, and very rarely is deep black. 
 The pure white, however, seems, to be the favourite. It is a hvely little 
 creature, and makes an excellent companion in a country walk. 
 
 Of the Spaniel Dogs there are several varieties, which may be class^ed 
 under two general heads, namely. Sporting and Toy Spaniels ; the fornr.er 
 
THE SPANIELS, THE MALTESE DOG. 
 
 61 
 
 beincr used by the sportsman in finding game for him ; and the latter being 
 simply employed as companions. 
 
 The F;eld Spaniel is 
 remarkable for the intense 
 love which it bears for hunt- 
 ing game, and the energetic 
 manner in which it carries 
 out the wishes of its master. 
 There are two breeds of 
 Field Spaniels, the one 
 termed the " Springer," be- 
 ing used for heavy work 
 among thick and thorny 
 coverts, and the other be- 
 ing principally employed 
 in woodcock shooting, and 
 called in consequence the 
 " Cocker." The Blenheim 
 and King Charles Spaniels 
 derive their origin from the 
 Cocker. 
 
 While hunting, the Spaniel sweeps its feathery tail rapidly from side to 
 side, and is a very pretty object to any one who has an eye for beauty of 
 movement. It is a rule, that however spirited a Spaniel may be, it must 
 not raise its tail above the level of its back. 
 
 WATER s PAN I EL. — {Ca nis familiaris, ) 
 
 MALTESE DOG. — ( Cauis /anuliar,s.) 
 
 A very celebrated but extremely rare " toy " Dog is the Maltese Dog, 
 the prettiest and most lovable of all the little pet Dogs. 
 
 The hair of this tiny creature is very long, extremely silky, and almost 
 unique in its glossy sheen, so beautifully fine as to resemble spun glass. In 
 proportion to the size of the animal, the fur is so long that when it is in rapid 
 movement, the real shape is altogether lost in the streaming mass of flossy 
 
62 
 
 Tim POODL&. 
 
 hair. One of these aiilnials, which barely exceeded three pounds in weight, 
 measured no less than fifteen inches in length of hair across the shoulders. 
 The tail of the Maltese Dog curls strongly over the back, and adds its wreath 
 of silken fur to the already superfluous torrent of glistening tresses. 
 
 As the name implies, it was originally brought from Malta. It is a very 
 scarce animal, and at one time was thought to be extinct ; but there are 
 still specimens to be obtained by those who have no objection to pay the 
 price which is demanded for these pretty little creatures. 
 
 Of all the domesticated Dogs, the Poodle seems to be, take him all in all, 
 the most obedient and the most intellectual. Accomphshments the most 
 difficult are mastered by this clever animal, which displays an ease and 
 intelligence in its performances that appear to be far beyond the ordinary 
 canine capabilities. 
 
 A barbarous custom is prevalent of removing the greater portion of the 
 
 THE POODLE. — (Canis familtaris.) 
 
 Poodle's coat, leaving him but a r'lF round the neck and legs, and a puff on 
 the tip of the tail, as the sole relic ... nis abundant fur. 
 
 Such a deprivation is directly in jpposition to the natural state of the Dog, 
 which is furnished with a peculiarly luxuriant fur, hanging in long ringlets 
 from every portion of the head, body, and limbs. The Poodle is not the only 
 Dog that suffers a like tonsorial abridgment of coat ; for under the dry arches 
 of the many bridges that cross the Seine, in Paris, may be daily seen a mourn- 
 ful spectacle. Numerous dogs of evei-y imaginable and unimaginable breed 
 lie helpless in the shade of the arch, their legs tied together, and their eyes 
 contemplating with woeful looks the struggles of their fellows, who are being 
 shorn of their natural covering, and protesting with mournful cries against 
 the operation. 
 
THE MEXICAN LAPDOG, THE BLOODHOUND. 
 
 63 
 
 The very tiniest of the dog family is the Mexican Lapdog, a creature so 
 very minute in its dimensions as to appear almost fabulous to those who 
 have not seen the animal itself. 
 
 One of these little canine pets is to be seen in the British Museum, and 
 
 MEXICAN LAPDOG. — (Cants familiaris.) 
 
 always attracts much attention from the visitors. Indeed, if it were not in 
 so dignified a locality, it would be generally classed with the mermaid, the 
 flying serpent and the Tartar lamb, as an admirable example of clever work- 
 manship. It is precisely 
 like those white woollen 
 toy Dogs which sit upon 
 a pair of bellows, and when 
 pressed give forth a nonde- 
 script sound, intended to 
 do duty for the legitimate 
 canine bark. To say that 
 it is no larger than these 
 toys would be hardly true, 
 loi I have seen in the shop 
 windows many a toy Dog 
 which exceeded in size the 
 veritable Mexican Lapdog. 
 
 The magnificent animal 
 which is termed the Blood- 
 hound, on account of its 
 peculiar facility for tracking 
 a wounded animal through 
 all the mazes of its devious 
 course, is very scarce in England, as there is now but little need of these Dogs. 
 
 In the "good old times," this animal was largely used by thief-takers, for 
 the purpose of tracking and securing the robbers who in those days made 
 the country unsafe and laid the roads under a black mail. Sheep-stealers, 
 
 'Bl.ooi>novnT>.—(Canis familiaris.) 
 
64 
 
 THE FOXHOUND, THE POINTER. 
 
 FOXHOUND. — ( Canis familtaris. ) 
 
 who were much more common when the offence was visited with capital 
 punishment, were frequently detected by the dehcate nose of the Bloodhound, 
 which would, when once laid on the scent, follow it up with unerrmg precision, 
 
 unravelling the single trail 
 from among a hundred 
 crossing footsteps, and 
 only to be bafifled by water 
 or blood. 
 
 The Bloodhound is gene- 
 rally irascible in temper, 
 and therefore a rather dan- 
 gerous animal to be med- 
 dled with by any one ex- 
 cepting its owner. So fierce 
 is its desire for blood, and 
 so utterly is it excited when 
 it reaches its prey, that it 
 will often keep its master 
 at bay when he approaches, 
 and receive his overtures 
 with such unmistakable in- 
 dications of anger that he 
 will not venture to approach 
 until his Dog has satisfied 
 its appetite on the carcase of the animal which it has brought to the ground. 
 When fairly on the track of the deer, the Bloodhound utters a peculiar, long, 
 loud, and deep bay, which, if once heard, will never be forgotten. 
 
 The colour of a good Bloodhound ought to be nearly uniform, no white 
 being permitted, except on the tip of the tail. The prevailing tints are a 
 blackish tan, or a deep fawn. The tail of this Dog is long ai.d sweeping. 
 Of all the Dogs which are knc wn by the common title of " hound," the Fox- 
 hound is the best known. 
 It is supposed that the 
 modern Foxhound derives 
 its origin from the old 
 English hound, and its va- 
 rious points of perfection 
 from judicious crosses with 
 other breeds. For example, 
 inorder to increase its speed 
 the greyhound is made to 
 take part in its pedigree, 
 and the greyhound having 
 already some admixture of 
 the bull-dog blood, there is 
 an infusion of stubbornness 
 as well as of mere speed. 
 
 According to the latest 
 authorities, the best average 
 height for Foxhounds is 
 from twenty-one to twenty- five inches, the female being generally smaller than 
 the male. However the size of the Dog does not matter so much ; but it is ex- 
 pected to match the rest of the pack in height as well as in general appearance. 
 There are two breeds o^ the Pointer, namely, the modern English Pointer, 
 and the Spanish Pointer. The latter of these Dogs is now seldom used in the 
 
 POINTER. — (Canis familiaris.) 
 
THE SHEPHERD'S DOG. 
 
 65 
 
 field, as it is too slow and heavily built an animal for the present fast style 
 of sporting. 
 
 The modern English Pointer is a very different animal, built on a much 
 lighter model, and altogether with a more bold and dashing air about it. 
 While it possesses a sufficiently wide muzzle to permit the development of 
 the olfactory nerves, its hmbs are so light &nd wiry that it can match almost 
 any dog in speed. Indeed, some of these animals are known nearly to equal 
 a greyhound in point of swiftness. 
 
 This quality is specially useful, because it permits the sportsman to walk 
 forward at a moderate pace, while his Dogs are beating over the field to his 
 right and left. The sagacious animals are so obedient to the voice and gesture 
 of their master, and are so well trained to act with each other, that at a 
 wave of the hand they will separate, one going to the right and the other to 
 the left, and so traverse the entire field in a series of " tacks," to speak 
 nautically, crossing each other regularly in front of the sportsman as he walks 
 forward. 
 
 When either of them scents a bird, he stops suddenly, arresting even his 
 foot as it is raised in the air, his head thrust forward, his body and limbs fixed, 
 and his tail stretched out straight behind him. This attitude is termed a 
 " point," and on account of this peculiar mode of indicating game, the animal 
 is termed the " Pointer." The Dogs are so trained that when one of them 
 comes to a point he is backed by his companion, so as to avoid the disturb- 
 ance of more game than is necessary for the purpose of the sportsman. 
 
 The most useful variety of the canine species is the sagacious creature on 
 whose talent and energy depends the chief safety of the flock. 
 
 As the Sheep-dog is constantly exposed to the weather, it needs the 
 protection of very thick and 
 closely-set fur, which in this 
 Dog is rather woolly in its 
 character, and is especially 
 heavy about the neck and 
 breast. 
 
 The muzzle of this dog 
 is sharp, its head is of mo- 
 derate size, its eyes are 
 very bright and intelligent, 
 as might be expected in an 
 animal of so much sagacity 
 and ready resource in time 
 of need. Its feet are strongly 
 made, and sufficiently well 
 protected to endure severe 
 work among the harsh 
 stems of the heather on 
 the hills, or the sharply- 
 cutting stones of the high 
 road. Probably on account 
 of its constant exercise in the open air, and the hardy manner in which it is 
 brought up, the Sheep-dog is perhaps the most untiring of our domesticated 
 animals. 
 
 As a general rule, the Sheep-dog cares very little for any one but his master, 
 and so far from courting the notice or caresses of a stranger, will coldly with- 
 draw from them, and keep his distance. Even with other Dogs he rarely 
 makes companionship, contenting himself with the society of his master 
 a' one. 
 
 shepherd's dog. — ( Canis familiaris ) 
 
66 
 
 THE BULL DOG. 
 
 The Bull-Dog is said, by all those who have had an opportunity of judg- 
 ing its capabilities, to be, with the exception of the game-cock, the most 
 courageous animal in the world. 
 
 Its extraordinary courage is so well known as to have passed, into a 
 proverb, and to have so excited the admiration of the British nation that we 
 have been pleased to symbolize our peculiar tenacity of purpose under the 
 emblem of this small but most determined animal. In height the Bull- dog 
 is but insignificant, but in strength and courage there is no Dog that can 
 match him. Indeed, there is hardly any breed of sporting dog which does 
 not owe its high courage to an infusion of the Bull-dog blood ; and it is 
 chiefly for this purpose that the pure breed is continued. 
 
 It is generally assumed that the Bull-dog must be a very dull and brutish 
 animal, because almost every specimen which has come before the notice of 
 the public has held such a character. 
 
 BULL-DOG. — {Canis Jantiliaris .) 
 
 My ovra experience does not at all coincide with this notion. I once 
 possessed one of these animals, and a better dog I never had. He was gentle 
 almost to a fault, never taking offence except at an insult by a big dog. He 
 was docile, obedient, and wonderfully intelligent, a good retriever, and one 
 of the most accomplished water-dogs I ever saw. Active and broad-chested 
 as a greyhound, his leaping powers were astonishing ; and his brown eyes 
 had a look in them that was almost human. 
 
 The shape of this remarkable animal is worthy of notice. The fore- 
 quarters are particularly strong, massive, and muscular ; the chest wide and 
 roomy ; and the neck singularly powerful. The hind-quarters, on the con- 
 trary, are very thin and comparatively feeble ; all the vigour of the animal 
 seeming to settle in its fore-legs, chest, and head. Indeed, it gives the 
 
THE MASTIFF. 
 
 67 
 
 spectator an impression as if it were composed of two different Dogs ; the 
 one a large and powerful animal, and the other a weak and puny quadruped, 
 which had been put together by mistake. 
 
 The Mastiff, which is the largest and most powerful of the indigenous 
 English Dogs, is of a singularly mild and placid temper, seeming to delight 
 in employing its great powers in affording protection to the weak, whether 
 they be men or dogs. 
 
 Yet, with all this no- 
 bility of its gentle na- 
 ture, it is a most deter- 
 mined and courageous 
 animal in fight, and, 
 when defending its 
 master or his property, 
 becomes a foe which 
 few opponents would 
 like to face. These 
 qualifications of ming- 
 led courage and gentle- 
 ness adapt it especially 
 for the servi ce of watch- 
 dog, a task in which 
 the animal is as likely 
 to fail by overweening 
 zeal as by neglect of 
 its duty. It sometimes 
 happens that a watch- 
 dog is too hasty in its 
 judgment, and attacks 
 a harmless stranger, on 
 the supposition that it is resisting the approach of an enemy. 
 
 The head of the Mastiff bears a certain similitude to that of the blood- 
 hound and the bull-dog, possessing the pendent lips and squared muzzle of 
 the bloodhound, with the heavy muscular development of the bull-dog. The 
 under-jaw sometimes protrudes a little, but the teeth are not left uncovered 
 by the upper-lip, as is often the case with the latter animal. The fur of the 
 Mastiff is always smooth, and its colour varies between a uniform reddish 
 fawn and different brindlings and patches of dark and white. The voice is 
 peculiarly deep and mellow. The height of this animal is generally from 
 twenty-five to twenty-eight inches, but sometimes exceeds these dimensions. 
 One of these Dogs was no less than thirty-three inches in height at the 
 shoulder, measured fifty inches round his body, and weighed a hundred and 
 seventy-five pounds. 
 
 The Terrier, with all its numerous variations of crossed and mongrel 
 breeds, is more generally known in England than any other kind of Dog. 
 Of the i-ecognized breeds, four are generally acknowledged, namely, the 
 English and Scotch Terriers, the Skye, and the little Toy Terrier. 
 
 The English Terrier possesses a smooth coat, a tapering muzzle, a high 
 forehead, a bright intelligent eye, and a strong muscular jaw. As its instinct 
 leads it to dig in the ground, its shoulders and fore-legs are well developed, 
 and it is able to make quite a deep burrow in a marvellously short time, 
 throwing out the loose earth with its feet, and dragging away the stones and 
 other large substances in its mouth. It is not a large Dog, seldom weigh- 
 ing more than ten pounds, and often hardly exceeding the moiety of that 
 weight. 
 
 F 2 
 
 MASTIFF. — ( Cants familiaris .) 
 
68 ENGLISH AND SCOTCH TERRIERS— THE JACKAL. 
 
 The colour of the pure English Terrier is generally black and tan, the 
 richness of the two tints determining much of the animal's value. The nose 
 and the palate of the Dog ought to be always black, and over each eye a 
 small patch of tan colour. The tail ought to be rather long and very fine, 
 and the legs as light as is consistent with strength. 
 
 ENGLISH TERRIER. — {Canis familiaris.) SCOTCH terrier. — (Canis familiarise 
 
 The quaint-looking Skye Terrier has of late years been much affected 
 by all classes of dog-owners, and for many reasons deserves the popularity 
 which it has obtained. 
 
 When of pure breed the legs are very short, and the body extremely long 
 in proportion to the length of limb ; the neck is powerfully made, but of 
 considerable length, and the head is also rather elongated, so that the total 
 length of the animal is three times as great as its height. The " dew-claws " 
 are wanting in this variety of domestic Dog. The hair is long and straight, 
 falling heavily over the body and limbs, and hanging so thickly upon the face 
 that the eyes and nose are hardly perceptible under their luxuriant covering. 
 The quality of the hair is rather harsh and wiry in the pure-bred Skye 
 Terrier. 
 
 The size of this animal is rather small, but it ought not to imitate the 
 minute proportions of many "toy" Dogs. Its weight ought to range from 
 ten to seventeen or eighteen pounds. Even amongst these animals there are 
 at least two distinct breeds, while some dog-fanciers establish a third. 
 
 It is an amusing and clever Dog, and admirably adapted for the companion- 
 ship of mankind, being faithful and affectionate in disposition, and as brave 
 as any of its congeners, except that epitome of courage, the bull-dog. Some- 
 times, though not frequently, it is employed for sporting purposes, and is 
 said to pursue that vocation with great credit. 
 
 There are several species of the Jackal, one of which will be noticed and 
 figured in this work. 
 
 The common Jackal, or Kholah, as it is termed by the natives, is an 
 inhabitant of India, Ceylon, and neighbouring countries, where it is found in 
 very grekt numbers, forcing itself upon the notice of the traveller not only by 
 its bodily presence, but by its noisy howling, wherewith it vexes the ears of 
 the wearied and sleepy wayfarer, as he endeavours in vain to find repose. 
 Nocturnal in their habits, the Jackals are accustomed to conceal themselves 
 as much as possible during the daytime, and to issue out on their hunting 
 expeditions together with the advent of night. 
 
THE JACKAL. 
 
 69 
 
 Always ready to take advantage of every favourable opportunity, the 
 Jackal is a sad parasite, and hangs on the skirts of the larger carnivora as 
 they roam the country for prey, in the hope of securing some share of the 
 creatures which they destroy or wound. On account of this companionship 
 between the large and small marauders, the Jackal has popularly gained the 
 name of the Lion's Provider. But, in due justice, the title ought to be re- 
 versed, for the lion is in truth the Jackal's provider, and is often thereby 
 
 JACKAL. — (Canis aureus.) 
 
 deprived of the chance of making a second meal on an animal which he has 
 slain. Sometimes, it is said, the Jackal does provide the lion with a meal 
 by becoming a victim to the hungry animal in default of better and more 
 savoury prey. 
 
 The name of " aureus,'' or golden, is derived from the yellowish tinge of 
 the Jackal's fur. In size it rather exceeds a large fox, but its tail is not 
 proportionately so long or so bushy as the well-known " brush " of the fox. 
 
 WOLVES. 
 
 Few animals have earned so widely popular or so little enviable a fame 
 as the Wolves. Whether in the annals of history, in fiction, in poetry, or 
 even in the less honoured but hardly less important literature of nursery 
 fables, the Wolf holds a prominent position among animals. 
 
 There are several species of Wolf, each of which species is divided into 
 three or four varieties, which seem to be tolerably permanent, and by many 
 observers are thought to be sufficiently marked to be considered as separate 
 species. However, as even the members of the same litter partake of several 
 
?d> 
 
 The wolP. 
 
 minor varieties in form and colour, it is very possible that tEe so called 
 species may be nothing more than very distinctly marked varieties. These 
 voracious and dangerous animals are found in almost every quarter of the 
 globe ; whether the country which they infest be heated by the beams of the 
 tropical sun or frozen by the lengthened winter of the northern regions. 
 Mountain and plain, forest and field, jungle and prairie, are equally infested 
 with Wolves, which possess the power of finding nourishment for their united 
 bands in localities where even a single predacious animal might be perplexed 
 to gain a livelihood. 
 
 The colour of the common Wolf is grey, mingled with a slight tinting of 
 fawn, and diversified with many black hairs that are interspersed among the 
 lighter coloured fur. In the older animals the grey appears to predominate 
 over the fawn, while the fur of the younger Wolves is of a warmer fawn tint. 
 
 The under parts of the 
 animal, the lower jaw, and, 
 the edge of the upper lip 
 are nearly white, while the 
 interior facing of the limbs 
 is of a grey tint. Between 
 the ears the head is almost 
 entirely grey, and without 
 the mixture of black hairs, 
 which is found in greatest 
 profusion along the line of 
 the spine. 
 
 When hungry — and the 
 Wolf is almost always 
 hungry — it is a bold and 
 dangerous animal, daring 
 almost all things to reach 
 its prey, and venturing to 
 attack large and powerful 
 animals, — such as the buf- 
 falo, the elk, or the wild horse. Sometimes it has been known to oppose 
 itself to other carnivora, and to attack so unpromising a foe as the bear. 
 
 It is by no means nice in its palate, and will eat almost any living animal 
 — from human beings down to frogs, lizards, and insects. Moreover, it is a 
 sad cannibal, and is thought by several travellers who have noted its habits 
 to be especially partial to the flesh of its own kind. A weak, sickly, or 
 wounded Wolf is sure to fall under the cruel teeth of its companions ; who 
 are said to be so fearfully ravenous that if one of their companions should 
 chance to besmear himself with the blood of the prey which has just been 
 hunted down, he is instantly attacked and devoured by the remainder of 
 the pack. 
 
 In their hunting expeditions the Wolves usually unite in bands, larger or 
 smaller in number, according to circumstances, and acting simultaneously 
 for a settled purpose. If they are on the trail of a flying animal, the foot- 
 steps of their prey are followed up by one or two of the Wolves, while the 
 remainder of the band take up their positions to the right and left of the 
 leaders, so as to intercept the quarry if it should attempt to turn from its 
 course. Woe be to any animal that is unlucky enough to be chased by a pack 
 of Wolves. No matter how swift it may be, it will most surely be overtaken 
 at last by the long slouching, tireless gallop of the Wolves ; and no matter 
 what may be its strength, it must at last fail under the repeated and constant 
 attacks of the sharp teeth. 
 
 WOLF. —{Canis lupus.) 
 
the; fox and her young. Page 71. 
 
 The Popular Natural History 
 
THE FOX. 
 
 71 
 
 ACCORDIKG to some systematic naturalists the Foxes are placed in the 
 genus Canis, together with the dogs and the wolves. Those eminent zoolo- 
 gists, however, who have arranged the magnificent collections in the British 
 Museum, have decided upon separating the Foxes from the dogs and wolves, 
 and placing them in the genus Vulpes. To this decision they have come 
 for several reasons, among which may be noted the shape of the pupil of the 
 eye, which in the Foxes is elongated, but in the animals which compose the 
 genus Canis is circular. The ears of the Foxes are triangular in shape, and 
 pointed, and the tail is always exceedingly bushy. 
 
 A very powerful scent is poured forth from the Fox in consequence of some 
 glands which are placed near the root of the tail, and furnish the odorous 
 secretion. Glands of a similar nature, but not so well developed, are found 
 in the wolves. 
 
 It is by this scent that the hounds are able to follow the footsteps of a 
 flying Fox, and to run it down by their superior speed and endurance. The 
 Fox, indeed, seems to be aware that its pursuers are guided in their chase 
 by this odour, and puts in practice every expedient that its fertile brain can 
 produce in order to break 
 the continuity of the scent, 
 or to overpower it by the 
 presence of other odours, 
 which are more powerful 
 though not more agreeable. 
 
 Even when tamed it pro- 
 serves its singular cunning. 
 A tame Fox, that was kept 
 in a stable-yard, had ma- 
 naged to strike up a friend- 
 ship with several of th; 
 dogs, and would play with 
 them, but could never in- 
 duce the cats to approach 
 him. Cats are very sensi- 
 tive in their nostrils, aid 
 could not endure the odour. 
 They would not even walk 
 upon any spot where the 
 Fox had been standing, and kept as far aloof as possible from him. 
 
 The crafty animal soon perceived that the cats would not come near him, 
 and made use of his knowledge to cheat them of their breakfast. As soon 
 as the servant pjured out the cats' allowance of milk, the Fox would run to 
 the spot and walk about the saucer, well knowing that none of the rightful 
 owners would approach the defiled locality. Day after day the cats lost their 
 milk until the stratagem was discovered, and the milk was placed in a spot 
 where it could not be reached by the Fox. 
 
 The Fox resides in burrows, which it scoops out of the earth by the aid of 
 its strong digging paws, taking advantage of every peculiarity of the ground, 
 and contriving, whenever it is possible, to wind its subterranean way among 
 the roots of large trees or between heavy stones. In these " earths," as the 
 as the burrows are called in the sportsman's phraseology, the female Fox 
 prodyqes and nurtures her young, which are odd little snub-nosed creatures, 
 resembling almost any animal rather than a Fox. She watches over her 
 offspring with greit care, and teaches them by degrees to subsist on animal 
 food, which she and her mate capture for that purpose. 
 
 The colour of the common Fox is a reddish fawn, intermixed with black 
 
 FOX — ( Vulpes vu'garis.) 
 
72 
 
 THE ARCTIC FOX. 
 
 and white hairs. The hair is long and thick, being doubly thick during the 
 colder months of the year, so that the fur of a Fox which is killed in the 
 winter is more valuable than if the animal had been slain in the hot months. 
 The tail, which is technically termed the " brush," is remarkably bushy, and 
 partakes of the tints which predominate over the body, except at the tip, 
 which is white. The height of this animal is about a foot, and its length 
 about two feet and a half, exclusive of the tail. 
 
 One of the most celebrated species of the Foxes is the Arctic Fox, 
 called by the Russians Peszi, and by the Greenlanders Terrienniak. This 
 animal is in very great repute in the mercantile world on account of its 
 beautiful silky fur, which in the cold winter months becomes perfectly white. 
 During the summer the fur is generally of a grey or dirty brown, but is 
 frequently found of a leaden grey, or of a brown tint with a wash of blue. 
 Towards the change of the seasons the fur becomes mottled ; and by reason 
 
 ARCTIC FOX. — (Vul^ss lagopas.) 
 
 of this extreme variableness has caused the animal to be known by several 
 different titles. Sometimes it is called the White Fox, sometimes the Blue 
 Fox, sometimes the Sooty Fox, sometimes the Pied Fox, and sometimes the 
 Stone Fox. 
 
 This animal is found in Lapland, Iceland, Siberia, Kamtschatka, and North 
 America, in all of which places it is eagerly sought by the hunters for the 
 sake of its fur. The pure white coat of the winter season is the most valu- 
 able, and the bluish grey fur of the summer months is next to the white the 
 colour that is most in request. 
 
 In. size, the Arctic Fox is not the equal of the English species, weigh- 
 ing only eight pounds on an average, and its total length being about 
 three feet. The eye is of a hazel tint, and very bright and intelligent. It 
 
THE FBNNEC. 
 
 73 
 
 lives in burrows, which it excavates in the earth during the summer months, 
 and prefers to construct its simple dwellings in small groups of twenty or 
 thirty. 
 
 The Fennec, or Zerda, is an inhabitant of Africa, being found in Nubia 
 and Egypt. It is a very pretty and lively httle creature, running about with 
 much activity, and anon sitting upright and regarding the prospect with 
 marvellous gravity. The colour of the Fennec is a very pale fawn, or 
 " Isabel " colour, sometimes being almost of a creamy whiteness. The tail 
 is bushy, and partakes of the general colour of the fur, except at the upper 
 part of the base and the extreme tip, which are boldly marked with black. 
 The size of the adult animal is very inconsiderable, as it measures scarcely 
 more than a foot in length, exclusive of the bushy tail, which is about eight 
 inches long. 
 
 FENNEC. — {Vulpes Zaarensis.) 
 
 . It is said that the Fennec, although it is evidently a carnivorous animal, 
 delights to feed upon various fruits, especially preferring the date. Such a 
 predilection is according to vulpine and canine analogies, for the common 
 English Fox is remarkably fond of ripe fruits, such as grapes or strawberries, 
 and the domestic dog is too often a depredator of those very gardens which 
 he was enjoined to keep clear from robbers. But that the animal should 
 enjoy the power of procuring that food in wliich it so delights is a very extra- 
 ordinary circumstance, and one which would hardly be expected from a 
 creature which partakes so largely of the vulpine form and characteristics. 
 The date-palm is a tree of a very lofty growth, and the rich clusters of the fruit 
 are placed at the very summit of the bare, branchless stem. Yet the Fennec 
 is said to possess the capability of climbing the trunk of the date-palm, and 
 of procuring for itself the coveted luxury. 
 
74 
 
 THE ASSE. 
 
 Like the veritable Foxes, the Fennec is accustomed to dwell in subter- 
 ranean abodes, which it scoops in the light sandy soil of its native land. 
 
 As is the case with the greater number of predacious animals, the Fennec 
 is but seldom seen during the daytime, preferring to issue forth upon its 
 marauding expeditions under the friendly cover of night. Even when it has 
 spent some time in captivity, it retains its restless nocturnal demeanour, and 
 during the hours of daylight passes the greater portion of its time in semi- 
 somnolence or in actual sleep. 
 
 The little animal which is known by the name of the AssE, or the 
 Caama, is an inhabitant of Southern Africa, and is in great request for the 
 sake of its skin, which furnishes a very valuable fur. 
 
 It is a terrilile enemy to ostriches and other birds which lay their eggs in 
 the ground, and is in consequence detested by the birds whose nests are 
 devastated. The ingenuity of the Caama in procuring the contents of an 
 
 ASSE, OR CAAMA. — ( Vulpes caama. ) 
 
 ostrich's egg is rather remarkable. The shell of the egg is extremely thick 
 and strong ; and as the Caama is but a small animal, its teeth are unable to 
 make any impression on so large, smooth, hard, and rounded an object. In 
 order, therefore, to obviate this difficulty, the cunning animal rolls the egg 
 along by means of its fore-paws, and pushes it so violently against any hard 
 substance that may lie conveniently in its path, or against another egg, that 
 the sh-11 is broken and the contents attainable. 
 
 The fur of this animal is highly esteemed by the natives for the purpose 
 of making " karosses," or mantles. As the Asse is one of the smallest of the 
 Foxes, a great number of skins are needed to form a single mantle, and the 
 manufactured article is therefore held in high value by its posse'ssor. Indeed, 
 so valuable is its fur, that it tempts many of the Bechuana tribes to make 
 
WEASELS— THE PINE MARTEN. 
 
 75 
 
 its chase the business of their lives, and to expend their whole energies in 
 capturing the animal from whose body the much-prized fur is talcen. 
 
 The continual persecution to which the Caama is subjected, has almost 
 exterminated it in the immediate vicinity of Cape Town, where it was fonnerly 
 seen m tolerable plenty. Gradually, however, it retreats more and moie 
 northward before the tread of civilized man, and at the present day is but 
 very rarely seen within the limits of the colony. 
 
 WEASELS. 
 
 Next in order to the dogs, is placed the large and important family of the 
 Weasels, representatives of which are found in almost every portion of the 
 earth. There is something marvellously serpentine in the aspect and struc- 
 ture of the members of4this family— the Mustelidas, as they are called, from 
 the Latin word Mustela, which signifies a Weasel. Their extremely long 
 bodies and very short legs, together with the astonishing perfection of the 
 muscular powers, give them the capability of winding their little bodies into 
 the smallest possible crevices, and of waging successful battle with animals 
 of twenty times their size and strength. 
 
 First on the list of Weasels are placed the agile and lively Martens, or 
 Marten-Cats, as they are sometimes ternied. Two species of British 
 Martens are generally admitted into 
 our catalogues, although the distinc- 
 tion of the species is even as yet a 
 mooted point. 
 
 The Pine Marten is so called 
 because it is generally found in 
 those localities where the pine-trees 
 abound, and is in the habit of climb- 
 ing the pines in search of prey. It 
 is a shy and wary animal, withdraw- 
 ing itself as far as possible from 
 the sight of man ; and although a 
 fierce and dangerous antagonist when 
 brought to bay, is naturally of a timid 
 disposition, and shuns collision with 
 an enemy. 
 
 It is a tree-loving animal, being ac- 
 customed to traverse the trunks and 
 branches with wonderful address and activity, and being enabled by its rapid 
 and silent movements to steal unnoticed on many an unfortunate bird, and 
 to seize it in its deadly gripe before the startled victim can address itself to 
 flight. It is a sad robber of nests, rifling them of eggs and young, and not 
 unfrequently adding the parent bird to its list of victims. 
 
 The damage which a pair of Martens and their young will inflict upon a 
 poultry-yard is almost incredible. If they can only gain an entrance into 
 the fowl-house, they will spare but very few of the inhabitants. They will 
 carry off an entire brood of young chickens, eat the eggs, and destroy the 
 parents. 
 
 The magpie's nest is a very favourite resort of the Marten, because its 
 arched covering and small entrance afford additional security. A boy who 
 was engaged in bird-nesting, and had climbed to the top of a lofty tree in 
 order to plunder a magpie's nest, was made painfully sensible of an intruder's 
 presence by a severe bite which was inflicted upon his fingers as sppn ^s he 
 
 PINE MARTEN. — {Maries Abietum.) 
 
>j6 2'HE SABLE. 
 
 inserted his hand into the narrow entrance. This adventure occurred in 
 Belvoir Park, County Down, in Ireland. 
 
 The length of the Pine Marten is about eighteen inches, exclusive of the 
 tail, which measures about ten inches. The tail is covered with long and 
 rather bushy hair, and is slightly darker than the rest of the body, which is ' 
 covered with brown hair. The tint, however, is variable in different speci- 
 mens, and even in the same individual undergoes considerable modifications, 
 according to the time of year and the part of the world in which it is found. 
 It has rather a wide range of locality, being a native of the northern parts of 
 Europe and of a very large portion of Northern America. 
 
 One of the most highly valued of the Weasels is the celebrated Sable, 
 which produces the richly tinted fur that is in such great request. Several 
 species of this animal are sought for the sake of their fur. They are very 
 closely allied to the Martens that have already been described, and are 
 supposed by some zoologists to belong to the same species. Besides the 
 well known Afar/^J- Zibellina a North American species is known, together 
 with another which is an inhabitant of Japan. These two creatures, although 
 
 they are very similar to each other in 
 general aspect, can be distinguished 
 from each other by the different hue 
 of their legs and feet : the American 
 Sable, being tinged with white upon 
 those portions of its person, and the 
 corresponding members of the Japa- 
 nese Sable being marked with black. 
 The Sable is spread over a large ex- 
 tent of country, being found in Siberia, 
 iK-&\.-s..—i,Martes Zibellina.) Kamtschatka, and in Asiatic Russia. 
 
 Its fur is in the greatest perfection 
 during the coldest months of the year, and offers an inducement to the 
 hunter to brave the fearful inclemency of a northern winter in order to obtain 
 a higher price for his small but -valuable commodities. A really perfect Sable 
 skin is but seldom obtained, and will command an exceedingly high price. 
 An ordinary skin is considered to be worth from one to six or seven pounds, 
 but, if it should be of the very best quality, is valued at twelve or fifteen 
 pounds. 
 
 In order to obtain these much-prized skins, the Sable hunters are forced 
 to undergo the most terrible privations, and often lose their lives in the snow- 
 covered wastes in which the Sable loves to dwell. A sudden and heavy 
 snowstorm will obliterate in a single half hour every trace by which the hunter 
 had marked out his path, and, if it should be of long continuance, may 
 overwhelm him in the mountain " drifts " which are heaped so strangely by 
 the fierce tempests that sweep over those fearful regions. 
 
 The Sables take up their abode chiefly near the banks of rivers and in the 
 thickest parts of the forests that cover so vast an extent of territory in those 
 uncultivated regions. Their holes are usually made in holes which the 
 creatures burrow in the earth, and are generally made more secure by being 
 dug among the roots of trees. Sometimes, however, they prefer to make their 
 nests in the hollows of trees, and there they rear their young. Some authors 
 however, deny that the Sable inhabits subterranean burrows, and assert that 
 its nest is always made in a hollow tree. Their nests are soft and warm, 
 being composed chiefly of moss, dried leaves, and grass. 
 
 The Sables are taken in various modes. Sometimes they are captured in 
 traps, which are formed m order to secure the animal without damaging its 
 fur. Sometimes they are fairly hunted down by means of the traclis whigh 
 
THE POLECAT. 
 
 77 
 
 their little feet leave in the white snow, and are traced to their domicile. A 
 net is then placed over the orifice, and by means of a certain pungent smoke 
 which is thrown into the cavity, the inhabitant is forced to rush into the 
 open air, and is captured in the net. The hunters are forced to support 
 themselves on the soft and yielding surface of the snow by wearing " snow- 
 shoes," or they would be lost in the deep drifts, which are perfectly capable 
 of supporting so light and active an animal as the Sable, but would engulf 
 a human being before he had made a second step. 
 
 It now and then happens that the Sable is forced to take refuge in the 
 branches of a tree, and in that case it is made captive by means of a noose 
 which is dexterously flung over its head. 
 
 On examining the fur of the Sable, it will be seen to be fixed to the skin 
 in such a manner that it -will turn with equal freedom in all directions, and 
 lies smoothly in whatever direction it may be pressed. The fur is rather 
 long in proportion to the size of the animal, and extends down the limbs to 
 the claws. The colour is a rich brown, slightly mottled with white about 
 the head, and taking a grey tinge on the neck. 
 
 POLECAT. — (Putorius foetidus.) 
 
 The Polecat has earned for itself a most unenviable fame, having been 
 long celebrated as one of the most noxious pests to which the farmyard is 
 liable. Slightly smaller than the marten, and not quite so powerful, it is 
 found to be a more deadly enemy to rabbits, game, and poultry, than any 
 other animal of its size. 
 
 It is wonderfully bold when engaged upon its marauding expeditions, and 
 maintains an impertinently audacious air even when it is intercepted in the act 
 of destruction. Not only d"es it make victims of the smaller poultry, such as 
 ducks and chickens, but attacks geese, turkeys, and other larger birds with 
 perfect readiness. This ferocious little creature has a terrible habit of de- 
 stroying the life of every animal that may be in the same chamber with 
 itself, and if it should gain admission into a henhouse will kill every one of 
 the inhabitants, although it may not be able to eat the twentieth part of its 
 victims, It seems to be very fond of sucking the blood of the animals which 
 
78 THE FERRET AND THE MINK. 
 
 it destroys, and appears to commence its repast by eating the brains. If 
 several victims sliould come in its way, it will kill them all, suck their blood, 
 and eat the brains, leaving the remainder of the body untouched. 
 
 This animal is not only famous for its bloodthirsty disposition, but for the 
 horrid odour which exhales from its body, and which seems to be partially 
 under the control of the owner. When the Polecat is wounded or annoyed 
 in any way, this disgusting odour becomes almost unbearable, and has the 
 property of adhering for a long time to any substance with which it may 
 come in contact. 
 
 The Polecat does not restrict itself ';3 terrestrial game, but also wages war 
 against the inhabitants of rivers and ponds. Frogs, toads, newts, and fish 
 arc among the number of the creatures that fall victims to its rapacity. Even 
 the formidably defended nests of the wild bees are said to yield up their 
 honeyed stores to the fearless attack of this rapacious creature. 
 
 As to rabbits, hares, and other small animals, the Polecat seems to catch 
 and devour them almost at will. The hares it can capture either by stealing 
 upon them as they lie asleep in their " forms," or by patiently tracking them 
 through their meanderings, and hunting them down fairly by scent. The 
 rabbits flee in vain for safety into their subterranean strongholds, for the 
 Polecat is quite at home in such localities, and can traverse a burrow with 
 greater agility than the rabbits themselves. Even the rats that are found so 
 plentifully about the waterside are occasionally pursued into their holes and 
 there captured. Pheasants, partridges, and all kinds of game are a favourite 
 prey with the Polecat, which secures them by a happy admixture of agility 
 and Craft. So very destructive are these animals, that a single family is quite 
 sufficient to depreciate the value of a warren or a co/ert to no small extent. 
 
 The Polecat is a tolerably prolific animal, producing four or five young at 
 a litter. The locality which the mother selects for the nursery of her future 
 family is generally at the bottom of a burrow, which is scooped in light and 
 dry soil, defended if possible by the roots of trees. In this subterranean 
 abode a warm nest is constructed, composed of various dried leaves and of 
 moss, laid with singular smoothness. The young Polecats make their appear- 
 ance towards the end of May or the beginning of June. 
 
 The Ferret is well known as the constant companion of the rat-catcher 
 and the rabbit-hunter, being employed for the purpose of following its prey 
 into their deepest recesses, and of driving them from their strongholds into 
 the open air, when the pursuit is taken up by its master. The mode in which 
 the Ferret is employed is too well known to need a detailed description. 
 
 It is a fierce little animal, and is too apt to turn upon its owner and wound 
 him severely before he suspects that the creature is actuated by any ill inten- 
 tions. I once witnessed a rather curious example of the uncertainty of the 
 Ferret's temper. A lad who possessed a beautiful white Ferret had partially 
 tamed the creature, and thought that it was quite harmless. The Ferret was 
 accustomed to crawl about his person, and would permit itself to be caressed 
 almost as freely as a cat. But on one unfortunate morning, when its owner 
 was vaunting the performances of his proUgk—iox it was a female— the 
 creature made a quiet but rapid snap at his mouth, and drove its teeth through 
 both his lips, making four cuts as sharply c' fined as if they had been made 
 with a razor. 
 
 On account of its water-loving propensities, the Mink is called by various 
 names that bear relation to water. By some persons it is called the Smaller 
 Otter, or sometimes the Musk Otter, while it is known to others under 
 the title of the Water-Polecat. It also goes by the name of the NuREK 
 ViSON. 
 
 The Mink is spread over a very large extent of country, being found in ijie 
 
THE FERRET AND THE MINK. 
 
 79 
 
 most northern parts of Europe, and also in North America. Its fur is 
 usually brown, with some white about the jaws, but seems to be subject to 
 
 ^ \ ^'>^M^ 
 
 'i^\'rf^^l\ 
 
 FERRET. — (Mustela Furo.) 
 
 considerable variations of tinting. Some specimens are of a much paler 
 brown than others ; in some individuals the fur is nearly black about the 
 
 ^1 V , ^ 
 
 MINK. — {yison Lutreola.) 
 
 head, while the white patch that is found on the chin is extremely variable 
 in dimensions. The size^ too, is rather variable. 
 
8o 
 
 THE WEASEL. 
 
 It frequents the banks of ponds, rivers, and marshes, seeming to prefer 
 the stillest waters in the autumn, and the rapidly flowing currents in spring. 
 As may be supposed from the nature of its haunts, its food consists almost 
 wholly of fish, frogs, crawfish, aquatic insects, and other creatures that are 
 to be found either in the waters or in their close vicinity. The general shape 
 of its body is not quite the same as that of the marten or ferret ; and assumes 
 something of the otter aspect. The teeth, however, are nearer those of the 
 polecat than of the otter ; and its tail, although not so fully charged with 
 hair as the corresponding member in the polecat, is devoid of that muscular 
 power and tapering form which is so strongly characteristic of the otter. 
 The feet are well adapted for swimming, on account of a slight webbing 
 between the toes. 
 
 The fur of this animal is excellent in quality, and is by many persons 
 valued very highly. By the furriers it passes under the name of " Moenk," 
 and it is known by two other names, " Tutucuri" and " Ncers." As it -bears a 
 
 (WEASEL. — Mustela Vulgaris.) 
 
 great resemblance to the fur of the sable, it is often fraudulently substituted 
 for that article, — a deception which is the more to be regretted, as the fur of 
 the Mink is a really excellent one, handsome in its appearance, and extremely 
 warm in character. By some authors, the identity of the Mink with the 
 water-polecat has been doubted, but, as it appears, without sufficient reason. 
 
 There is hardly any animal which, for its size, is so much to be dreaded 
 by the creatures on which it preys as the common Weasel. Although its 
 diminutive proportions render a single Weasel ar insignificant opponent to 
 man or dog, yet it can wage a sharp battle even with such powerful foes, and 
 refuses to yield except at the last necessity. 
 
 The proportions of the Weasel are extremely small, the male being rather 
 larger than the opposite sex. In total length, a full-grown male does not 
 much exceed ten inches, of which the tail occupies more than a fifth, while 
 the female is rather more than an inch shorter than her mate. The colour 
 of its fur is a bright reddish brown on the upper parts of the body, and the 
 
HABITS OF THE WEASEL. 8i 
 
 under portions are of a pure white, the line of demarcation being tolerably 
 well defined, but not very sharply cut. 
 
 It is a terrible foe to many of the smaller rodents, such as rats and mice, 
 and performs a really good service to the farmer by destroying many of these 
 farmyard pests. It follows them wherever they may be, and mercilessly 
 destroys them, whether they have taken up their summer abode in the hedge- 
 rows and river-banks, or whether they have retired to winter quarters among 
 the barns and ricks. Many farmers are in the habit of destroying the 
 Weasels, which they look upon as " vermin," but it is now generally thought 
 that, although the Weasel may be guilty of destroying a chicken or duckling 
 now and then, it may yet plead its great services in the destruction of mice 
 as a cause of acquittal. The Weasel is specially dreaded by rats and mice, 
 because there is no hole through which either of these animals can pass 
 which will not quite as readily suffer the passage of the Weasel ; and as the 
 Weasel is most determined and pertinacious in pursuit, it seldom happens 
 that rats or mice escape when their little foe has set itself fairly on their 
 track. 
 
 The Weasel has been seen to catch and to kill a bunting by creeping 
 quietly towards a thistle on which the bird was perching, and then to leap 
 suddenly upon it before it could use its wings. When it seizes an animal 
 that is likely to make its escape, the Weasel flings its body over that of its 
 victim, as if to prevent it from struggling. In single combat with a large 
 and powerful rat, the Weasel has but little hope of success unless it should 
 be able to attack from behind, as the long chisel-edged teeth of the rat are 
 terrible weapons against so small an animal as the Weasel. The modes of 
 attack employed by the two animals are of a different character, the rat 
 making a succession of single bites, while the Weasel is accustomed to fasten 
 its teeth on the head or neck of its opponent, and there to retain its hold 
 until it has drained the blood of its victim. The fore-legs of the Weasel are 
 of very great service in such a contest, for when it has fixed its teeth, it 
 embraces its opponent firmly in its fore-limbs, and roUing over on its side, 
 holds its antagonist in its unyielding grasp, which is never relaxed as long 
 as a spark of life is left. 
 
 Like the polecat and others of the same group of animals, the Weasel is 
 most destructive in its nature, killing many more animals than it can devour, 
 simply for the mere pleasure of killing. It is curious to notice how the 
 savage mind, whether it belongs to- man or beast, actually revels in destruc- 
 tion, is maddened to absolute frenzy by the sight of blood, and is urged by 
 a kind of fiery delirium to kill and to pour out the vital fluid. Soldiers in the 
 heat of action have often declared that everything which they saw was charged 
 with a blood-red hue, but that the details of the conflict had entirely passed 
 from their minds. A single Weasel, urged by some such destructive spirit, has 
 been known to make its way into a cage full of freshly-caught song-bir(is, 
 and to destroy every single bird. The little assassin was -discovered lying 
 quite at its ease in a corner of the cage, surrounded with the dead bodies of 
 its victims. 
 
 To persons who have had but little experience in the habits of wild 
 animals, it is generally a matter of some surprise that the celebrated Ermine 
 fur, which is in such general favour, should be produced by one of those very 
 animals ^^^ich we are popularly accustomed to rank among " vermin," and 
 to exterminate in every possible way. Yet so it is. The highly-prized 
 Ermine and the much-detested .Stoat are, in fact, one and the same animal, 
 the difference in the colour of their coats being solely caused by the larger 
 or smaller proportion of heat to which they have been subjected. 
 
 In the summer-time, the fur of the Stoat — by which name the animal will 
 
 G 
 
82 
 
 THE STOAT, OR ERMINE. 
 
 be designated, whether it be wearing its winter or summer dress — is not 
 unlike that of the weasel, although the dark parts of the fur are not so ruddy 
 nor the light portions of so pure a white as in that animal. The toes and 
 the edges of the ears are also white. 
 
 The change of colour which takes place during the colder months of the 
 year is now ascertained, with tolerably accuracy, to be caused by an actual 
 whitening of the fur, and not by the gradual substitution of white for dark 
 hairs, as was for some time supposed to be the case. 
 
 The hairs are not entirely white, even in their most completely blanched 
 state, but partake of a very delicate cream-yellow, especially upon the under 
 portions, while the slightly bushy tip of the tail retains its original black 
 tinting, and presents a singular contrast to the remainder of the fur. In 
 these comparatively temperate latitudes, the Stoat is never sufficiently 
 blanched to render its fur of any commercial value. As may be supposed 
 from the extreme delicacy of the skin in its wintry whiteness, the capture of 
 the Stoat for the purpose of obtaining its fur is a matter of no small difficulty. 
 The traps which are used for the purpose of destroying the Stoat are formed 
 
 ' v ___ -^r - 
 
 STOAT OR ERMINE (Winter Diess). 
 
 SO as to kill the animal by a sudden blow, without wounding the skin ; and 
 many of the beautiful little creatures are taken in ordinary snares. 
 
 In this country, where the lowest temperature is considerably above that 
 of the ordinary wintry degrees, the Stoat is very uncertain in its change of 
 fur, and seems to yield to or to resist the effects of the cold weather accord- 
 ing to the individuality of the particular animal. 
 
 The Stoat is considerably larger than the weasel, measuring rather more 
 than fourteen inches in total length, of which the tail occupies rather more 
 than four inches. There is, however, considerable difference in the size of 
 various individuals. 
 
 It is a most determined hunter, pursuing its game with such pertinacious 
 skill that it very seldom permits its intended prey to escape, and by dint of 
 perseverance can even capture the swift-footed hare. 
 
 When the female Stoat is providing for the wants of a young family, she 
 
THE RATEL. 
 
 S3 
 
 forages far and wide for her offspring, and lays up the produce of her chase 
 in certain cunningly-contrived larders. In a wood belonging to Lord Bagot, 
 a Stoat nursery was discovered, having within it no less than six inhabitants, 
 a mother and her five young. Their larder was supplied with five hares and 
 four rabbits, neither of which had been in the least mangled, with the 
 exception of the little wound that had caused their death. 
 
 In the clumsy-looking animal which is called the Ratel, a beautiful 
 adaptation of nature is manifested. Covered from the tip of the nose to the 
 insertion of the claws with thick, coarse, and rough fur, and provided more- 
 over with a skin that lies very loosely on tie body, the Ratel is marvellously 
 adapted to the peculiar life which it leads. 
 
 Although the Ratel is in all probability indebted for its food to various 
 sources, the diet which it best loves is composed of the combs and young of 
 the honey-bee. So celebrated is the animal for its predilection for this sweet 
 dainty that it has earned for itself the title of Honey Ratel, or Honey Weasel. 
 The reason for its extremely thick coating of fur is now evident. The animal 
 is necessarily exposed to the attacks of the infuriated bees when it lays siege 
 to their fastnesses, and if it were not defended by a coating which is impene- 
 trable to their stings, it would soon fall a victim to the poisoned weapons of 
 its myriad foes. 
 
 During the daytime the Ratel remains in its burrow; but as evening begins 
 to draw near, it emerges from its place of repose, and sets off on its bee- 
 hunting expeditions. As the animal is unable to climb trees, a bees' nest 
 that is made in a hollow tree-limb is safe from its attacks. But l;he greater 
 number of wild bees make their nests in the deserted mansions of the termite, 
 or the forsaken burrows of various animals. It is said that the Ratel finds 
 its way towards the bees' nests by watching the direction in which the bees 
 return towards their homes. 
 
 The colour of the Ratel is black upon the muzzle, the limbs, and the whole 
 of the under portions of the body ; but upon the upper part of the head, 
 neck, back, ribs, and tail, the animal 
 is furnished with a thick covering of 
 long hairs, which are of an ashy grey 
 colour. A bright grey stripe, about 
 - an inch in width, runs along each side 
 and serves as a line of demarcation 
 between the light and the dark por- 
 tions of the fur. The ears of the 
 Ratel are extremely short. The 
 lighter fur of the back is variously 
 tinted in different individuals, some 
 being of the whitish grey which has 
 been already mentioned, and others 
 remarkable for a decided tinge of 
 red. The length of the Cape Ratel 
 is rather more than three feet, inclu- 
 sive of the tail, which measures eight 
 or nine inches in length. In its walk 
 it is plantigrade, and has so much of 
 
 the ursine character in its movements that it has been called the Indian 
 or Honey Bear. It is sometimes known under the title of " Bharsiah." 
 
 The animal which has just been described is an inhabitant of Southern 
 Africa, being found in great profusion at the Cape of Good Hope. There is, 
 however, an Indian species of Ratel, which very closely resembles the African 
 animal, and in the opinion of some writers is identical with it. 
 
 G 3 
 
 RATEL. — (Mdlivora Rati.) 
 
84 
 
 THE WOLVERENE. 
 
 WOLVERENE. — \Gulo luSCUS.) 
 
 mals, 
 
 The Wolverene, moro popularly known by the name of the Glutton, 
 has earned for itself a world-wide reputation for ferocity, and has given 
 occasion to some of the older writers on natural history to indulge in the 
 most unshackled liberty of description. 
 
 It is known that the Glutton feeds largely on the smaller quadrupeds, and 
 that it is a most determined foe to the beaver in the summer months. 
 
 During the winter it has little chance 
 of catching a beaver, for the animals 
 are quietly ensconced in their home, 
 and their houses are rendered so 
 strong by the intense cold, that the 
 Glutton is unable to break through 
 their ice-hardened walls. 
 
 The Wolverene is an inhabitant 
 of Northern America, Siberia, and 
 of a great part of Northern Europe. 
 It was once thought that the Glutton 
 and the Wolverene were distinct ani- 
 , but it is now ascertained that they both belong to the same species. 
 The general aspect of this animal is not unlike that of a young bear, and 
 probably on that account it was placed by Linnaeus among the bears under 
 the title of Ursus Luscus. The general colour of the Wolverene is a brownish 
 black ; the muzzle is black as far as the eyebrows, and the space between 
 the eyes of a browner hue. In some specimens a few white spots are scat- 
 tered upon the under jaw. The sides of the body are washed with a tint of a 
 ■warmer hue. The paws are quite black, and the contrast between the jetty 
 fur of the feet and the almost ivory whiteness of the claws is extremely 
 curious. These white claws are much esteemed among the natives for the 
 purpose of being manufactured into certain feminine adornments. 
 
 The Skunk, which is so celebrated for the horrible odour which emanates 
 from it, belongs to the Weasel tribe. 
 
 Scarcely less remarkable for its ill-odour than the skunk, the Teledu is 
 not brought so prominently before the public eye as the animal which has 
 just been described. 
 
 It is a native of Java, "and seems to be confined to those portions of the 
 country that are not less than seven thousand feet above the level of the sea. 
 On certain portions of these elevated spots, the Teledu, or Stinkard, as it is 
 popularly called, can always be found. The earth is lighter on these spots 
 than in the valleys, and is better suited to the habits of the Teledu, which 
 roots in the earth after the manner of hogs, in search of the worms and 
 insects which constitute its chief food. This habit of turning up the soil 
 renders it very obnoxious to the native agriculturists, as it pursues the worms 
 in their subterraneous meanderings, and makes sad havoc among the freshly- 
 planted seeds. It is also in the habit of doing much damage to the sprouting 
 plants by eating off their roots. 
 
 We are indebted to Mr. Horsfield for an elaborate and interesting account 
 of the Teledu, an animal which he contrived to tame and to watch with 
 singular success. The following passages are selected from his memoir : — 
 " The Mydaus forms its dwelling at a slight depth ben^th the surface, in 
 the black mould, with considerably ingenuity. Having selected a spot 
 defended above by the roots of a large tree, it consti'ucts a cell or chamber 
 of a globular form, having a diameter of several feet, the sides of which it 
 makes perfectly smooth and regular ; this it provides with a subterraneous 
 conduit or avenue, about six feet in length, the external entrance to which it 
 conceals with Iwigs apd dry leaves. During the day it remains concealed, 
 
THE TELEDU. 
 
 85 
 
 like a badger in its hole ; at night it proceeds in search of its food, which 
 consists of insects and other larva, and of worms of every kind. It is par- 
 ticularly fond of the common lumbrici, or earth-worms, which abound in the 
 fertile mould. These animals, agreeably to the information of the natives, 
 live in pairs, and the female produces two or three young at a birth. 
 
 " The motions of the Mydaus are slow, and it is easily taken by the natives, 
 who by no means fear it. During my abode on the Mountain Prahu, I 
 engaged them to procure me individuals for preparation ; and as they 
 received a desirable reward, they brought them to me daily in greater 
 numbers than I could employ. Whenever the natives surprise them sud- 
 denly, they prepare them for food ; the flesh is then scarcely impregnated 
 with the offensive odour, and is described as very delicious. The animals 
 are generally in excellent condition, as their food abounds in fertile mould. 
 
 " On the Mountain Prahu, the natives, who were most active in supplying 
 me with specimens of the Mydaus, assured me that it could only propel the 
 fluid to the distance of about two feet. The fetid matter itself is of a viscid 
 
 TELEDU. — (Mydaus mdiceps.') 
 
 nature : its effects depend on its great volatility, and they spread through a 
 great extent. The entire neighbourhood of a village is infected by the odour 
 of an irritated Teledu, and in the immediate vicinity of the discharge it is so 
 violent as in some persons to produce syncope. The various species of 
 Mephitis in America differ from the Mydaus in the capacity of projecting 
 the fetid matter to a greater distance. 
 
 " The Mydaus is not ferocious in its manners, and, taken young, like the 
 badger, might be easily tamed. An individual which I kept some time in 
 confinement afforded me an opportunity of observing its disposition. It 
 soon became gentle and reconciled to its situation, and did not at any time 
 emit the offensive fluid. I carried it with me from Mountain Prahu to 
 Bladeran, a village on the declivity of that mountain, where the temperature 
 was more moderate. While a drawing was made, the animal was tied to 
 a small stake. It moved about quietly, burrowing the ground with its snout 
 and feet, as if in search of food, without taking notice of the bystanders, or 
 
86 
 
 THE BADGER. 
 
 making violent efforts to disengage itself ; on earth-worms (lumbrici) beinsf 
 biought, it ate voraciously ; holding one extremity of a worm with its claws, 
 its teeth were employed in tearing the other. Having consumed about ten or 
 twelve, it became drowsy, and making a small groove in the earth, in which 
 it placed its snout, it composed itself deliberately, and was soon sound asleep." 
 The colour of the Teledu is a blackish brown, with the exception of the 
 fur upon the top of the head, a stripe along the back, and the tip of the 
 short tail, which is a yellowish-white. The under surface of the body is of a 
 lighter hue. The fur is long and of a silken texture at the base, and closely 
 set together, so as to afford to the animal the warm covering which is needed 
 in the elevated spots where it dwells. The hair is especially long on the 
 sides of the neck, and curls slightly upwards and backwards, and on the 
 top of the head there is a small transverse crest. The feet are large, and the 
 claws of the fore-limbs are nearly twice as long as those of the hinder paws. 
 In the whole aspect of the Teledu there is a great resemblance to the 
 badger, and, indeed, the animal looks very like a miniature badger, of rather 
 eccentric colours. 
 
 Although one of the most quiet and inoffensive of our indigenous animals, 
 the Badger has been subjected to such cruel persecutions as could not be 
 justified even if t/ie creature were as destructive and noisome as it is harm- 
 less or innocuous. For the purposes of so-called " sport," the Badger was 
 captured and put into a cage ready to be tormented at the cruel will of every 
 ruffian who might choose to risk his dog against the sharp teeth of the 
 captive animal. 
 
 Being naturally as harmless an animal as can be imagined, it is a terrible 
 antagonist when provoked to use the means of defence with which it is so 
 well provided. Not only are the teeth long and sharp, but the jaws are so 
 
 formed that when the animal closes 
 its mouth the jaws " lock " together 
 by a peculiar structure of their junc- 
 tion with the skull, and retain their 
 hold without any need of any special 
 effort on the part of the animal. 
 
 Unlike the generality of the weasel 
 tribe, the Badger is slow and clumsy 
 in its actions, and rolls along so awk- 
 wardly in its gait that it may easily 
 be mistaken for a young pig in the 
 dark of the evening, at which time it 
 first issues from its burrow. The dig- 
 ging capacities of the Badger are very 
 great, the animal being able to sink 
 itself into the ground with marvellous 
 rapidity. For this power the Badger 
 is indebted to the long curved claws 
 with which the fore-feet are armed, 
 and to the great development of the muscles that work the fore-limbs.. 
 
 In its burrow the female Badger makes her nest and rears her young, 
 which are generally three or four in number. 
 
 The food of the Badger is of a mixed character, being partly vegetable and 
 partly animal. Snails and worms are greedily devoured by this creature, 
 and the wild bees, wasps, and other fossorial Hymenoptera find a most 
 destructive foe in the Badger, which scrapes away the protecting earth and 
 devours honey, cells, and grubs together, without being deterred from its 
 meal by the stings of the angry bees. 
 
 BADGER. — {Meks Taxus). 
 
THE OTTER. 87 
 
 As is the case with the generality of weasels, the Badger is furnished with 
 an apparatus which secretes a substance of an exceedingly offensive odour, 
 to which circumstance is probably owing much of the popular prejudice 
 against the " stin Icing broclc." 
 
 The colours of the Badger are grey, black, and white, which are rather 
 curiously distributed. The head is white, with the exception of a rather 
 broad and very definitely marked black line on each side, commencing near 
 the snout and ending at the neck, including the eye and the ear in its course. 
 The body is of a reddish grey, changing to a white grey on the ribs and tail. 
 The throat, chest, abdomen, legs, and feet are of a deep blackish brown. 
 The average length of the Badger is two feet six inches, and its height at 
 the shoulder eleven inches. 
 
 Although by no means a large animal, the Otter has attained a 
 universal reputation as a terrible and persevering foe to fish. Being pos- 
 sessed of a very discriminating palate, and invariably choosing the finest 
 fish that can be found in the locality, the Otter is the object of the pro- 
 foundest hate to the proprietors of streams and to all human fishermen. 
 
 When the Otter is engaged in eating the fish it has captured, it holds the 
 slippery prey between its fore-paws, and, beginning with the back of the 
 neck, eats away the flesh from the neck towards the tail, rejecting the head, 
 tail, and other portions. 
 
 For pursuit of its finny prey the Otter is admirably adapted by nature. 
 The body is lithe and serpentine ; the feet are furnished with a broad web 
 that connects the toes, and is of infinite service in propelling the animal 
 through the v/ater ; the tail is long, broad, and flat, proving a powerful and 
 effectual rudder by which its movements are directed ; and the short, power- 
 ful legs are so loosely jointed that the animal can turn them in almost any 
 direction. 
 
 The colour of the Otter varies slightly according to the light in which it is 
 viewed, but is generally of a rich brown tint, intermixed with whitish grey. 
 This colour is lighter along the back and the outside of the legs than on the 
 other parts of the body, which are of a paler greyish hue. Its habitation is 
 made on the bank of the river which it frequents, and is rather inartificial in 
 its character, as the creature is fonder 
 of occupying some natural crevice or 
 deserted excavation than of digging 
 a burrow for itself The nest of the 
 Otter is composed of dry rushes, 
 flags, or other aquatic plants, and is 
 purposely placed as near the water 
 as possible, so that in case of a sud- 
 den alarm the mother Otter may _ 
 plunge into the stream together with 011^^. -{LutZ vulgaris ) 
 her young family, and find a refuge * * ' 
 among the vegetation that skirts the 
 
 river banks. The number of the young is from three to five, and they 
 make their appearance about March or April. 
 
 The fur of the Otter is so warm and handsome that it is in some request 
 for commercial purposes. The entire length of the animal is rather under 
 three feet and a half, of which the tail occupies about fourteen or fifteen 
 inches. On the average it weighs about twenty-three pounds ; but there are 
 examples which have far surpassed that weight. Mr. Bell records an instance 
 of a gigantic Otter that was captured in the River Lea, between Hertford and 
 Ware, and which weighed forty pounds. 
 
 Although so fierce and savage an animal when attacked, the Otter is 
 
88 13li.AKi>. 
 
 singularly susceptible of human influence, and can be taught to catch fish 
 for the service of its masters rather than for the gratification of its own 
 palate. The Chinese or Indian Otter affords an excellent instance of 
 this capability ; for in every part of India the trained Otters are almost as 
 common as trained dogs in England. It seems odd that the proprietors of 
 streams should not press the Otter into their service instead of destroying it, 
 and manage to convert into a faithful friend the animal which at present is 
 considered but as a ruthless enemy. 
 
 BEARS. 
 
 The Bears and their allies form a family virhich is small in point of numbers, 
 but is a very conspicuous one on account of the large size of the greater 
 number of its members. 
 
 These animals are found in almost every portion of the earth's surface, 
 and are fitted by nature to inhabit the hottest and the coldest parts of the 
 world. India, Borneo, and other burning lands are the homes of sundry 
 members of this family, such as the Bruang and the Aswail; while the 
 
 BROWN BEAR. — (Ursus Arclos.) 
 
 snowy regions of Northern Europe and the icebound coasts of the Arctic 
 Ocean are inhabited by the Brown Bear and the Nennook or Polar Bear. 
 
 The paws of the Bears are armed with long and sharp talons, which are 
 not capable of retraction, but which are most efficient weapons of offence 
 when urged by the powerful muscles which give force to the Bear's limbs. 
 Should the adversary contrive to elude the quick and heavy blows of the 
 paw, the Bear endeavours to seize the foe round the body, and by dint of 
 sheer pressure to overcome its enemy. In guarding itself from the blows 
 which are aimed at it by its adversary the Bear is singularly adroit, warding 
 off the fiercest strokes with a dexterity that might be envied by many a 
 pretender to the pugilistic art. 
 
 Several species of Bears are now recognised by systematic naturalists, the 
 principal examples of which will be noticed in the following pages. 
 
THE BROWN BEAR. 89 
 
 The Bear which is most popularly known in this country is the BROWN 
 Bear ; a creature which is found rather plentifully in forests and the moun- 
 tainous districts of many portions of Europe and Asia. As may be supposed 
 from its title, the colour of its fur is brown, slightly variable in tint in differ- 
 ent indviduals, and often in the same individual at various ages. 
 
 The size to which a well-fed and undisturbed Brown Bear will grow is 
 really surprising, for although it loses its growing properties after its 
 twentieth year, it seems permanently to retain the capability of enlargement, 
 and when in a favourable situation will live to a very great age. The weight 
 of an adult Brown Bear in good condition is very great, being sometimes 
 from seven to eight hundred pounds when the creature is remarkably fine, 
 and from five to six hundred pounds in ordinary cases. Mr. Falk remarks, 
 that a Bear which he killed was so enormously heavy, that when slung on a 
 pole it was a weighty burden for ten bearers. 
 
 Ants form a favourite article of diet with a Bear, which scrapes their nests 
 out of the earth with its powerful talons, and laps up the ants and their 
 so-called " eggs " with its ready tongue. Bees and their sweet produce are 
 greatly to the taste of the Bear, which is said to make occasional raids upon 
 the beehives, and to plunder their contents. 
 
 Vegetables of various kinds are also eaten by the Bear, and in the selec- 
 tion of these dainties the animal evinces considerable taste. According to 
 Mr. Lloyd, " the Bear feeds on roots, and the leaves and small limbs of the 
 aspen, mountain-ash, and other trees : he is also fond of succulent plants, 
 such as angelica, mountain-thistle, &c. To berries he is likewise very partial, 
 and during the autumnal months, when they are ripe, he devours vast quan- 
 tities of cranberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawlaerries, cloudberries, and 
 other berries common to the Scandinavian forests. Ripe corn he also eats, 
 and sometimes commits no small havoc amongst it ; for seating himself, as 
 it is said, on his haunches in a field of it, he collects with his outstretched 
 arms nearly a sheaf at a time, the ears of which he then devours." 
 
 During the autumn the Bear becomes extremely fat, in consequence of the 
 ample feasts which it is able to enjoy, and makes its preparations for passing 
 the cold and inhospitable months of winter. About the end of October the 
 Bear has completed its winter house, and ceases feeding for the year. 
 
 A curious phenomenon now takes place in the animal's digestive organs, 
 which gives it the capability of remaining through the entire winter in a state 
 of lethargy, without food, and yet without losing condition. 
 
 From the end of October to the middle of April the Bear remains in his 
 den, in a dull lethargic state of existence ; and it is a curious fact that if a 
 hibernating Bear be discovered and killed in its den, it is quite as fat as if it 
 had been slain before it retired to its resting-place. Experienced hunters say 
 that even at the end of its five months' sleep, the Bear is as fat asat its be- 
 ginning. Sometimes it is said that the Bear partially awakes, and in that case 
 it immediately loses its sleek condition, and becomes extremely thin. During 
 the winter the Bear gains a new skin on the balls of the feet, and Mr. Lloyd 
 suggests that the curious habit of sucking the paws, to which Bears are so 
 prone, is in order to facilitate the growth of the new integument. 
 
 The Bear is possessed of several valuable accomplishments, being a won- 
 derful climber of trees and rocks, a.i excellent swimmer, and a good digger. 
 
 The number of cubs which the female Bear produces is from one to four, 
 and they are very small during the first few days of their existence. They 
 make their appearance at the end of January or the beginning of February, 
 and it is a curious fact that, although the mother has at the time been de- 
 prived of food for nearly three months, and does not take any more food 
 until the spring, she is able to afifprd ample nourishment to her young with- 
 
go THE SYRIAN- BEAR. 
 
 out suffering any apparent diminution in her condition. It is said by those 
 who have had personal experience of the habits of the Bear, that the mother 
 takes the greatest care of her offspring during the summer, but that when 
 winter approaches, she does not suffer them to partake of her residence, but 
 prepares winter quarters for them in her immediate neighbourhood. During 
 the winter another httle family is born, and when they issue forth from their 
 home they are joined by the elder cubs, and the two families pass the next 
 winter in the mother's den. 
 
 The Syrian Bear, which is otherwise known by the name of Dubb, or 
 RiTCK, is doubly interesting to us, not only on account of its peculiarly 
 gentle character, but from the fact that it is the animal which is so often 
 mentioned in the Scriptural writings. 
 
 The colour of this animal is raiher peculiar, and varies extremely during 
 the different periods of its life. While it is in its earhest years, the colour of 
 its fur is a greyish brown, but as the animal increases in years the fur be- 
 comes gradually lighter in tint, and, when the Bear has attained maturity, is 
 nearly white. The hair is long and slightly curled, and beneati the longer 
 hair is a thick and warm covering of closely-set woolly fur, which seems to 
 defend the animal from the extremes of heat or cold. Along the shoulders 
 and front of the neck, the hair is so perpendicularly set, and projects so firmly, 
 that it gives the appearance of a mane, somewhat resembling that of the 
 hyaena. 
 
 At the present day the Syrian Bear may be found in the mountainous parts 
 of Palestine, and has been frequently seen upon the higher Lebanon mountains. 
 
 The fur of this bear is rather valuable on account of its warmth and beauty 
 and the fat and the gall are also held in much esteem for various purposes, 
 chiefly medicinal. 
 
 America furnishes several species of the Bear tribe, two of which, the 
 Grizzly Bear and the Musquaw, or Black Bear, are the most conspicuous. 
 
 The Black Bear is found in many parts of Northern America, and was 
 formerly seen in great plenty. But as the fur and the fat are articles of great 
 commercial and social value, the hunters have exercised their craft with such 
 determination that the Black Bears are sensibly diminishing in number. The 
 fur of the Black Bear is not so roughly shaggy as that of the European or 
 the Syrian Bear, but is smooth and glossy in its appearance, so that it presents 
 a very handsome aspect to the eye, while its texture is as thick and warm as 
 that of its rougher furred relations. 
 
 There are few animals which are so widely and deservedly dreaded as the 
 Grizzly Bear. This terrible animal is an inhabitant of many portions of 
 Northern America, and is the acknowledged superior of every animal that 
 ranges over the same country. 
 
 The other members of the ursine family are not given to attacking human 
 beings, unless they are alarmed or wounded, but the Grizzly, or " Ephraim," 
 as the creature is familiarly termed by the hunters, displays a most unpleasant 
 readiness to assume the offensive as soon as it perceives a man, be he mounted 
 or on foot, armed or otherwise. 
 
 So tenacious of life is the Grizzly Bear, 'that unless it receives a wound in 
 the head or heart it will continue its furious struggles, even though it be 
 riddled with bullets and its body pierced with many a gaping wound. These 
 warlike capacities render the creature respected by the natives and colonists, 
 and the slaughter of a Grizzly Bear in fair fight is considered an extremely 
 high honour. Among the native tribes that dwell in the northern portions of 
 America, the possession of a necklace formed from the claws of the Grizzly 
 Bear is considered as enviable a mark of distinction as a blue ribbon among 
 ourselves. No one is permitted to wear such an ornament unless the Bear 
 
THE GRIZZLY BEAR. 
 
 9K 
 
 has fallen under his hand ; consequently the value of the decoration is almost 
 incalculable. So largely is this marli of distinction prized, that the Indian 
 who has achieved such a dignity can hardly be induced to part with his 
 valued ornament by any remuneration that can be offered. 
 
 The colour of the Grizzly Bear is extremely variable, so much so, indeed, 
 that some zoologists have suggested the existence of two distinct species. 
 Sometimes the colour of the fur is a dullish brown, plentifully flecked with 
 grizzled hairs, and in other specimens the entire fur is of a beautiful steely 
 grey. 
 
 GRIZZLY BEAR. — [^Ursus ferox.) 
 
 There is a small group of these animals called Sun-Bears, from their 
 habit of basking in the sun instead of hiding in their dens during the hours 
 of daylight. A very curious example of the Sun-Bears is found in the 
 species which is known by the name of the Bruang, or Malayan Sun-Bear, 
 and has been rendered famous by the spirited descripiion of its appearance 
 and habits which has been given by Sir Stainford Raffles. 
 
 There is generally an aquatic member of each group of animals through- 
 out the vertebrate kingdom, and among the Bears this part is filled by the 
 Nennook, or Polar Bear, sometimes called, on account of its beautiful 
 silvery fur, the White Bear. As has already been mentioned, the Bears 
 are good swimmers, and are able to cross channels of considerable width, but 
 we have, in the person of the Nennook, an animal that is especially formed 
 for traversing the waters and for passing its existence among the ice-moun- 
 tains of the northern regions. 
 
 So active is this Bear, and so admirable are its powers oi aquatic locomo- 
 tion, that it has been seen to plunge into the water in chase of a salmon, 
 and to return to the surface with the captured fish in its mouth. And when 
 it is engaged in the pursuit of seals, as they are sleeping on a rock or an ice- 
 raft, it is said to employ a very ingenious mode of approach. Marking 
 the position in which its intended prey lies, it quietly shps into the water, and 
 diving below the surface, swims in the intended direction, until it is forced to 
 return to the surface in order to breathe. As soon as it has filled its lungs 
 vith fresh air, it again submerges itself, and resumes its course, timing its 
 
9^ 
 
 THE POLAR BEAR. 
 
 submarine journeys so well, that when it ascends to the surface for the last 
 time, it is in close proximity to the slumbering seal. The fate of the unfor^ 
 tunate victim is now settled, for it cannot take refuge in the water without 
 falling into the clutches of its pursuer, and if it endeavours to escape by land 
 it is speedily overtaken and destroyed by the swifter-footed Bear. 
 
 So powerful an animal as the Polar Bear must necessarily be very dangerous 
 when considered in the light of a foe. Sometimes it runs away as soon as it 
 sees or smells a human being, but at others it is extremely malicious, and will 
 attack a man without any apparent reason. As is the case with nearly all the 
 Bears, it is very tenacious of life, and even when pierced with many wounds, 
 will fight in the most desperate manner, employing both teeth and claws in 
 the combat, and only yielding the struggle with its life. 
 
 The colour of the Nennook's fur is a silvery white, tinged with a slight 
 yellow hue, rather variable in different individuals. Even in specimens that 
 were confined in the Zoological Gardens there was a perceptible difference in 
 
 POLAR BEAR. — {Thalarctos mariiimus.) 
 
 the tint of their fur, the coat of one of them being of a purer white than that 
 of the other. The yellowish tinge which has been just mentioned is very 
 similar to the creamy yellow hue which edges the ermine's fur. The feet are 
 armed with strong claws of no very great length, and but slightly curved, 
 rheir colour is black, so that they form a very bold contrast with the white 
 fur that falls over the feet. Even at a considerable distance, and by 
 means of its mere outline, the Polar Bear may be distinguished from every 
 other member of the Bear tribe by its peculiar shape. The neck is. although 
 extremely powerful, very long in proportion to the remainder of the body, and 
 the head is so small and sharp that there is a very snake-like aspect about that 
 portion of the animal's person. 
 
 The young of the Nennook are generally two in number, and, when they 
 make their first appearance outside the snow-built nursery in which their few 
 months of existence have been passed, are about the size of shepherds' dogs, 
 and in excellent condition. 
 
 Preserving somewhat of the ursine aspect and much of the ursine habits, 
 the Racoon, or Mapach, as it is sometimes named, is an active, spirited, and. 
 
THE RACOON. 
 
 93 
 
 amusing animal. As it is readily tamed, although rather subject to occasional 
 inhrmity of temper, and is inquisitive, quaint, and lively withal, it is a great 
 favourite with such persons as have kept it in captivity. 
 
 The colour of this animal is rather peculiar, and not very easy to describe. 
 The general tint of the body and limbs is an undecided blaclcish grey, the 
 grey and black predominating according to the position of the observer and 
 the arrangement of the fur. The hairs that form the coat of the Racoon are 
 of two kinds, the one of a soft and woolly character, lying next to the skin, 
 and the other composed of long and rather stiff hairs that project through 
 the wool for some distance. The woolly fur is of a uniform grey, while the 
 longer hairs are alternately marked with black and greyish white. Upon the 
 top of the head and across the eyes the fur is of a very dark blackish 
 brown ; and upon the knee-joint of each leg the fur is of a darker tint than 
 on the rest of the body. The tail is rather short and bushy in character, and 
 is marked with five, or sometimes six, blackish rings upon a ground of dark 
 grey. 
 
 As is indicated by the peculiar nature of its teeth, the Racoon is capable of 
 feeding on animal or vegetable food, but seems to prefer the latter. Indeed, 
 there seem to be few things which the Racoon will not eat. One of these 
 animals ate a piece of cedar pencil which it snatched out of my hand, and 
 tried very hard to eat the envelope of a letter on which I was making notes. 
 Not succeeding in the attempt, it consoled itself by tearing the paper into 
 minute morsels, employing teeth and paws in the attempt. It did its best to 
 get a ring off my finger, by hitching one of its crooked claws into the ring and 
 pulling with all its strength, which was very considerable in proportion to the 
 size of the animal. Its brown eyes lighted up with animation when engaged 
 in play, and it was very fond of pushing its paw through the bars of its cage, 
 in order to attract attention. 
 
 In its native state it is a great devourer of oysters, crabs, and other 
 similar animals, displaying singular ingenuity in opening the stubborn shells 
 of the oysters, or in despatching the 
 crabs without suffering from their 
 ready claws. Sometimes it is said 
 to fall a victim to the oyster, and to 
 be held so firmly by the closing shells 
 that it cannot extricate itself, and 
 perishes miserably by the rising tide. 
 Its oyster-eating propensities have 
 been questioned, but are now clearly 
 proven. The sand and soil that 
 frmge the oyster-beds are frequently 
 seen to be covered with the foot- 
 marks of this animal. 
 
 It is always fond of water, drink- 
 ing largely, and immersing its food, 
 so as to moisten it as much as pos- 
 sible. When engaged in this curious 
 custom it grasps the food in both its 
 
 fore-paws, and shakes it violently backward and forward in the water. On 
 account of this remarkable habit it has been dignified with the title of 
 Lotor, " a washer." The German naturalists term it Wasch-Bar, or Wash- 
 ing Bear. 
 
 Roving at night through the woods, and being gifted with singular subtlety 
 as well as agiUty, it is frequently chased by the residents, who think a 'Conn 
 hunt to be one of the most exciting of sports. Certainly, to judge from the 
 
 RACOOr , — ( "rocyon Lolor.) 
 
94 
 
 THE COAITI-MONDl. 
 
 animated descriptions of such scenes, the -whole affair must be marvellously 
 picturesque to the eye as well as exciting to the mind. The usual plan of 
 hunting the 'Coon is to set an experienced dog on its trail, and to chase it until 
 it takes refuge in a tree. A blazing fire of pine chips is then built under the 
 tree, which illuminates its branches and renders the smallest leaf perceptible. 
 A good climber then ascends the tree, and speedily dislodges the concealed 
 animal. 
 
 In size the Racoon equals a small fox, to which animal it bears a slight 
 external resemblance. The number of its young is usually two or three, and 
 they make their appearance in the month of May. 
 
 The animals which compose the curious genus that is known by the name 
 of Narica are easily recognised on account of the singular length of the nose, 
 which is prolonged so as to form a miniature and mobile proboscis. In their 
 general habits and diet they very strongly resemble the racoons, and are as 
 admirable climbers of trees as can be found in the animal kingdom. 
 
 The extraordinary snout with which the Coaitis are gifted is very useful to 
 the possessor, being employed for the purpose of rooting in the ground in 
 search of worms and insects, together with other important uses. When 
 they drink, the Coaitis lap the water after the manner of dogs, and when so 
 engaged, turn up their flexible snouts, so as to keep that useful member from 
 being wetted more than is necessary. They are inhabitants of Southern 
 America, and are found in small companies upon the trees among which they 
 reside, and on the thin branches of which they find the greater part of their 
 food. Two examples of the Coaitis will be briefly described. ' 
 
 The CoAlTl-MONDl, or Red Coaiii, derives its name from the reddish 
 chestnut hue which prevails over the greater portion of the fur, and is only 
 broken by the black ears and legs, the maroon-coloured bands upon the tail, 
 and the white hairs which edge the upper jaw and entirely cover the lower. 
 The texture of the fur is rather harsh and wiry, and of no very great im- 
 portance in commerce. Upon the paws are certain curious tubercles, which 
 alone would serve to identify the animal -were it entirely destroyed with the 
 exception of a single foot. It is extremely active in the ascent and descent 
 of trees, and pursues its prey among the limbs with great certainty. Its food 
 consists of sundry vegetable and animal substances, but the creature seems 
 to prefer the latter to the former. 
 
 It is a nocturnal animal, and does 
 not show its true liveliness until the 
 shades of evening begin to draw on, 
 but lies curled up in a curious but 
 comfortable attitude, its long and 
 bushy tail serving for blanket and 
 pillow. Towards evening, however, 
 the Coaiti arouses itself from its 
 lethargy, and becomes full of life and 
 vigour, careering about the branches 
 with extraordinary rapidity of move- 
 ment and certainty of hold, and agi- 
 tating its mobile nose with unceasing 
 energy, as if for the purpose of dis- 
 covering by the snout the presence of 
 some welcome food. It is a merci- 
 less robber of birds' nests, and will eat parent, eggs, or young with equal 
 appetite. 
 
 Although possessed of a very irritable temper, the Coaiti is tamed withr^ut 
 difficulty to a certain extent, but is always capricious in its affections, anU 
 
 COAITI-MONDI.— (A'auaa Rufa.) 
 
THE KINKAJOU. 9S 
 
 cannot be trusted without danger. When attacked by men or dogs, the 
 Coaiti fights desperately, and can inflict such dangerous wounds with its 
 double-edged canine teeth, that it is, although so small an animal, no despi- 
 cable antagonist. 
 
 Another species of Coaiti inhabits the same regions as the last-mentioned 
 animal. This is the Narica, or Quasje, which is sometimes called the 
 Brown Coaiti, in order to distinguish it from the red species. Sometimes 
 the name is spelled as " Quaschi." 
 
 The singular creature which is known under the title of KiNKAJOU, or 
 Potto, is an inhabitant of Southern America, and is spread over a very large 
 extent of country, so that it is known in different places under different 
 appellations, such as Honey Bear, Manaviri, or Guchumbi. When fully 
 grown, the Kinkajou is equal to a large cat in size, but is very much stronger 
 in proportion to the dimensions of its body. The colour of the animal is a 
 very light dun, obscurely traversed by narrow darker bands, that run over the 
 back towards the ribs, and partly follow their course. Another darker band 
 is observable round the neck, but all these marks are so very indistinct that 
 they can only be seen in a favourable light. 
 
 The most remarkable point in this animal is the extreme length and 
 flexibility of the tongue, which it is able to protrude to a marvellous extent, 
 and which it can insinuate into the smallest crevices in search of the insects 
 which have taken shelter therein. It is said that the animal employs its long 
 tongue for the purpose of thrusting that organ into the bee-cells and licking 
 out the sweet contents of the waxen treasury. With its tongue it can perform 
 many offices of an elephant's trunk, and wiU frequently seize and draw 
 
 KINKAJOU, OR POTTO. — [CercoUptes caudivolvulus.) 
 
 towards its mouth the articles of food which may be beyond the reach of its 
 lips. It has also been seen to use its tail for the same purpose. 
 
 Assisted by its prehensile tail, the Kinkajou is an admirable and fearless 
 climber, possessing the capability of suspending its body by the hinder feet 
 and the tail, and remaining in this inverted attitude for a considerable space 
 of time. It is evidently nocturnal in its habits, being sadly distressed by the 
 effect of daylight upon its eyes. 
 
 It is easily tamed, and when domesticated is of a sportful nature, delight- 
 ing to play with those persons whom it knows and trusts, and making pretence 
 
<fi THE MOLE. 
 
 to bite, after the manner of puppies and kittens. It is very susceptible to 
 kindness, and is fond of the caresses which are offered by its friends. In its 
 wild state, however, it is a rather fierce animal, and, when assaulted, offers 
 such a spirited resistance, even -to human foes, that it will beat off any but a 
 determined man, supposing him to be unarmed and unassisted,' 
 
 INSECTIVORA. 
 
 The animals which are comprised in the Insect-eating eating group are 
 well represented in England, in which country we find the Mole, the various 
 Shrews, and the Hedgehog, as examples of the TalpiDjE, or the family of 
 the Moles. 
 
 Some of these creatures, such as the shrew, present so close an external 
 resemblance to the common mice, that they are popularly supposed to belong 
 to the same class, and are called by the same general name. Many species 
 live beneath the surface of the earth, and seek in that dark hunting-ground 
 the prey which cannot be enticed to the surface in sufficient numbers to supply 
 adequate nourishment for the ever-hungry worm-devourers. 
 
 Of all the insect-eating animals, there is none which is better known by 
 name than the common Mole, and very few which are less known by their 
 
 , „ ,^ „ ^ , surprise at the sight of a creature 
 
 MOLE. -( Talpa Europ^a. ) ^^V^^ j^ naturally debarred from all 
 
 these sources of gratification, and 
 which passes its life in darkness below the surface of the ground. 
 
 Yet this pity, natural though it be, will be entirely thrown away, for there is 
 scarcely any creature that lives which is better fitted for enjoyment, or which 
 is urged by more fiery passions. Dull and harmless as it may appear to be, 
 it is in reality one of the most ferocious animals in existence, and will engage 
 in the fiercest combats upon very slight provocation. While thus employed, 
 its whole faculties are so entirely absorbed in its thirst for revenge, that it will 
 leave the subterraneous shafts which it has been so busily excavating, and 
 join battle with its foe in the full light of day. Should one of the combatants 
 overpower and kill the other, the victorious Mole springs upon the vanquished 
 enemy, tears its body open, and eagerly plunging its nose into the wound, 
 drinks the blood of its slaughtered enemy, and feasts richly on the sanguine 
 banquet. 
 
 With the exception of sight, the senses of the Mole seem to be remarkably' 
 developed. 
 
 The sense of smell is singularly acute, and enables the animal to discover 
 the presence of the earthworms on which it feeds, and to chase them success- 
 fully through their subterranean meanderings. 
 
 The hearing of the Mole is proverbially excellent ; and it is probable that 
 the animal is aided in its pursuit of worms by the sense of hearing as well as 
 that of smell. Much of the Mole's safety is probably owing to its exquisite 
 hearing, which gives it timely notice of the approach of any living being, and 
 
HABITS OF THE MOLE. 97 
 
 enables it to secure itself by rapidly sinking below the surface of the earth. 
 To tread so softly that the bhnd Mole may not hear a footfall, is an expression 
 which has become a household word. 
 
 The sense of touch is peculiarly dehcate, and seems to be chiefly resident 
 in the long and flexible nose, which is employed by the Mole for other pur- 
 poses than those of scent. When the creature is placed upon the surface of 
 the ground, and is about to sink one of its far-famed tunnels, it employs its 
 nose for that purpose almost as effectually as its armed fore-paws. 
 
 It seldom happens that all the senses of an animal are developed to an 
 equal extent, so that where one or two are singularly acute, it is generally 
 at the expense of the others. Such is the case with the Mole ; for although 
 the scent, touch, and hearing are remarkable for their excellence, the sight is 
 so extremely defective that it may almost be considered as a nullity. It is 
 true that the Mole possesses eyes ; but those organs of vision are so small, 
 and so deeply hidden in the fur, that they can be but of little use to the 
 owner, except to mark the distinctions between light and darkness. The eyes 
 are so exceedingly small that their very existence has been denied, and it is 
 only by a careful search that they can be seen at all. 
 
 The fore paws are extremely large, and furnished with strong and flattened 
 nails. They are turned rather obliquely, as seen in the figure, in order to give 
 free scope to their exertions. The paws are devoid of the soft fur that 
 shields the rest of the body, and are covered with a thick but naked skin. It 
 is chiefly to these paws that any mould is found adherent when the Mole is 
 captured, for the soft and velvet-like fur permits no earthy stain to defile its 
 glossy smoothness. 
 
 The Mole is said to bean excellent swimmer, and to be able to cross rivers 
 when led to such an act by any adequately powerful motive. How far true 
 this assertion may be I cannot prove by personal experience ; but I think it 
 is likely to be possible, for I have seen a Mole swim across the bend of a 
 brook — a distance of some few yards — and perform its natatory achievement 
 with great ease. I was not near enough to ascertain the mode of its progres- 
 sion, but it seemed to use its fore-paws as the principal instruments of loco- 
 motion. This circumstance took place in Wiltshire. 
 
 From all accounts the Mole seems to be a thirsty animal, and to stand in 
 constant need of water, drinking every few hours in the course of the day. 
 In order to supply this want it is in the habit of sinking well-likepits in diffe- 
 rent parts of its " runs," so that it may never be without the means of quench- 
 ing its thirst. Everything that the Mole does is marked with that air of 
 desperate energy which is so characteristic of the animal. The labourers in 
 different parts of England all unite in the same story, that the Mole works 
 for three hours " like a horse," and then rests for three hours, labouring and 
 resting alternately through the day, and with admirable perception of time. 
 
 The well-known " mole-hills," which stud certain lands, and which disfigure 
 them so sadly, however much their unsightliness may be compensated by 
 their real usefulness, are of various kinds, according to the sex and age of 
 the miner. The small hillocks which follow each other in rapid succession \ 
 are generally made by the female Mole before she has produced her little 
 family, and when she is not able to undergo the great labour of digging in 
 the harder soil. Sometimes the '' run" is so shallow as to permit the super- 
 incumbent earth to fall in, so that the course which the Mole has followed is 
 little more than a trench. This is said to be produced by the little coquetries 
 that take place between the Mole and its future mate, when the one flies in 
 simulated terror, and the other follows with undisguised determination. 
 Deeper in the soil is often found a very large burrow, sufficiently wide to 
 permit two Moles to pass each other. This is one of the high-roads which 
 
 H 
 
98 THE MUSK RAT. 
 
 lead from one feeding ground to another, and from which the different shafts 
 radiate. 
 
 But the finest efforts of talpine architecture are to be found in the central 
 fortress, from which the various roads diverge, and the nest which the maternal 
 Mole forms for the security of her young. 
 
 The fortress is of a very peculiar construction, and is calculated to permit the 
 ingress or egress of the Mole from almost any direction, so that when its 
 acute senses give notice of the approach of an enemy, it can make its retreat 
 without difficulty. 
 
 The first operation is to build a tolerably large hill of compact and well- 
 trodden earth. Near the summit of this mound the excavator runs a circular 
 gallery, and another near the bottom, connecting the two galleries with five 
 short passages. It then burrows into the centre of the mound, and digs a 
 moderately large spherical hole, which it connects with the lower gallery by 
 three passages. A very large passage, which is a continuation of the high- 
 road, is then driven into the spherical chamber by dipping under the lower 
 gallery, and is connected with the circular chamljer from below. Lastly, the 
 Mole drives a great number of runs, which radiate from the rest in all direc- 
 tions, and which all open into the lower circular gallery. It will be seen 
 from this short description, that if a Mole should be surprised in its nest, it 
 can withdraw through its central chamber and so reach the high road at 
 once, or can slip through either of the short connecting galleries and escape 
 into any of the numerous radiatory runs. 
 
 In the central or middle chamber of the edifice the Mole places a quantity 
 of dried grass or leaves, upon which it sleeps during its hours of repose. This 
 complicated room is seldom used during the summer months, as at that time 
 the Mole prefers to live in one of the ordinary hillocks. 
 
 The nest which the female contrives is not so complicated as the fortress, 
 but is well adapted for its purpose. The hillock in which the nest is made is 
 always a very large one, and is generally placed at some distance from the 
 fortress. Its interior is very large, and is generally filled with dried grass, 
 moss, or other similar substances, and it is said that in some of these nests 
 have been found certain roots on which the young Moles can feed. This state- 
 ment, however, is scarcely credible. The young are usually born about April, 
 but their appearance in the world is not so determinately settled as that of many 
 animals, as young Moles are found continually from March until August. 
 The average of their number is four or five, although as many as seven 
 young have been found in one nest. There is but one brood in a year. 
 
 The colour of the Mole is usually of a blackish grey, but it is extremely 
 variable in the tinting of its fur, and it is not uncommon to find in a single 
 locality specimens of every hue from brown to white. There are specimens 
 in the British Museum of almost every tint, and I have long had in my 
 possession a cream-coloured mole-skin, which .was obtained I believe in Wilt- 
 shire, as it was furnished by a mole-catcher that resided in that county. The 
 fur is so beautifully smooth and soft that it has sometimes, though rarely, 
 been employed as an article of wearing apparel, or used as a light and delicate 
 coverlet. The fur, or " felt," is best and most glossy if the animal is taken in 
 the winter. 
 
 Passing in a regular gradation from the moles to the shrews and hedge- 
 hogs, we pause for a while at the powerfully scented animal that is called, by 
 virtue of its perfumed person, the MuSK Rat of India, and is also known by 
 the titles of MONDJOUROU, and Sondeli. 
 
 This animal is a native of various parts of India, and is very well known 
 on account of the extremely powerful scent which exudes from certeiin glands 
 that are situated in the under parts of the body and on the flanks. 
 
THE SONDELI. 
 
 99 
 
 The odoriferous substance which is secreted by the above-mentioned 
 glands is of a musky nature, and possesses the property of penetrating and 
 adhering to every substance over which the Musk Rat has passed. The 
 musky odour cHngs so pertinaciously to the objects which are impregnated 
 with its tainting contact, that in many cases they become entirely useless. 
 Provisions of all kinds are frequently spoiled by the evil odour with which 
 they are saturated ; and of so penetrating a nature is the musky scent, 
 that the combined powers of glass and cork are unable to preserve the con- 
 tents of bottles from its unpleasant influence. Let a Sondeli but run over a 
 a bottle of wine, and the contained liquid will be so powerfully scented with a 
 musky savour that it will be rendered unfit for civilized palates, and must be 
 removed from the neighbourhood of other wines, lest the contaminating 
 influence should extend to them also. 
 
 In colour it is not unlike the common shrew of England, having a slight 
 chestnut or reddish tinge, upon a mouse-coloured ground, fading into grey on 
 
 SOiNDiiLl. \^^uriX ti^Ui LliUS, 
 
 the under parts of the body. In size, howeyer, it is much the superior of 
 that animal, being nearly as large as the common brown, or " Hanoverian " 
 rat. The hair is very short, and the peculiar reddish brown hue of the fur 
 is caused by the different tintings of the upper and under fur. 
 
 During the autumnal months of the year, the country roads and bypaths 
 are frequently rendered remarkable by the presence of little mouse-like 
 animals, with long snouts, that lie dead upon the ground, without mark of 
 external injury to account for the manner of their decease. 
 
 These are the bodies of the Shrew Mouse of England, otherwise known 
 by the name of Erd Shrew. 
 
 The head of the Shrew is rather long, and its apparent length is increased 
 by the long and flexible nose which gives so peculiar an aspect to the animal, 
 and serves to distinguish it at a glance from the common mouse, which it 
 SO nearly resembles in general shape and colour. The object of this elongated 
 
 H J 
 
ICO THE SHREW MOUSE. 
 
 nose is supposed to be for the purpose of enabling the animal to root in the 
 ground alter the various creatures on which it feeds, or to thrust its head 
 among the densest and closest herbage. Many insects and their larvs are 
 found in such localities, and it is upon such food that the Shrew chiefly 
 subsists. Worms are also captured and eaten by the Shrew, which in many 
 of its habits is not unlike the mole. 
 
 The bite of the shrew is so insignificant as to make hardly any impress even 
 on the delicate skin of the human hand. Popular prejudice, however, here 
 steps in, and attributes to the bite of the shrew such venomous properties, 
 that in many districts of England the viper is less feared than the little harm- 
 less Shrew. 
 
 The very touch of the Shrew's foot is' considered a certain herald of evil, 
 and animals or men. which had been " shrew-struck," were supposed to labour 
 under a malady which was incurable except by a rather singular remedy, 
 which partakes somewhat of a homoeopathic principle, that "similia similibus 
 curantur." 
 
 The curative power which alone could heal the shrew-stroke lay in the 
 branches of a shrew-ash, or an ash-tree which had been imbued with the 
 
 ERD SHREW, OR SHREW MOUSE. — [Corsira Vulgaris.') 
 
 shrewish nature by a very simple process. A living Shrew was captured and 
 carried to the ash-tree which was intended to receive the healing virtues. An 
 auger-hole was made into the trunk, the poor Shrew was introduced into the 
 cavity, and the auger-hole closed by a wooden plug. Fortunately for the 
 wretched little prisoner, the entire want of air would almost immediately cause 
 its death. But were its little life to linger for ever so long a time in the ash- 
 trunk, its incarceration would still have taken place, for where superstition 
 raises its cruel head, humanity is banished. 
 
 The nest of the Shrew is not made in the burrow, as might be supposed, 
 but is built in a suitable depression in the ground, or in a hole in a bank. It 
 is made of leaves and other similar substances, and is entered through a hole 
 
THE WATER SHkEW. 
 
 at the side. In this nest are produced the young Shrews, from five to seven 
 in number, and, as may be imagined, extremely diminutive in size. They are 
 generally born in the spring. 
 
 The total length of the adult Shrew is not quite four inches, of which the 
 tail occupies very nearly the moiety. 
 
 Similar to the Erd Shrew in general aspect, but easily to be distinguished 
 from that animal by its colour and other peculiarities, the Water Shrew 
 stands next on our list. 
 
 The fur of the Water Shrew is nearly black upon the upper portions of the 
 body, instead of the reddish brown colour which tints the fur of the Erd 
 Shrew. The under parts of the body are beautifully white, and the line of 
 demarcation between the two colours is very distinctly drawn. The fur is 
 very soft and silken in texture, and, when the animal is submerged under the 
 surface of the water, possesses the useful property of repelling moisture, 
 and preserving the body of the animal from the injurious effects of the 
 water. 
 
 When the Water Shrew is engaged in swimming, those parts of the fur 
 which are submerged below the sur- 
 face appear to be studded with an 
 infinite number of tiny silvern bead- 
 lets, that give to the whole animal a 
 very singular aspect. This pheno- 
 menon is produced by the minute 
 air-bubbles that cling to the fur, and 
 which exude from the space that is 
 left between the hairs. In fact, the 
 Shrew Mouse, when immersed, bears 
 a curious resemblance to the well- 
 known Water Spider. 
 
 A further distinction, and one which is more valuable than that which is 
 furnished by the colour of the fur, is the fringe of stiff white hairs which 
 edges the tail and the toes. 
 
 In all its movements the Water Shrew is extremely graceful and active, 
 displaying equal agility, whether its movements be terrestrial or aquatic. 
 
 I have repeatedly observed the proceedings of a little colony of these 
 animals, and was able to sit within a yard or two of their haunts, without 
 their cognizance of my person. They are most sportive little creatures, and 
 seem to enjoy a game of play with thorough appreciation, chasing each other 
 over the ground and through the water, running up the stems of aquatic plants, 
 and tumbling off the leaves into the water, scrambling hastily over the stones 
 around which the stream ripples, and playing a thousand little pranks with 
 the most evident enjoyment. Then they will suddenly cease their play, 
 and begin to search after insects with the utmost gravity, rooting in the 
 banks and picking up stray flies, as if they never had any other business 
 in view. 
 
 From repeated observations, it seems that the Water Shrew is not entirely 
 confined to the neighbourhood of water, neither is it totally dependent for its 
 subsistence on aquatic insects, for it has been frequently seen at some distance 
 from any stream or pond. It must be remarked, however, that a very small 
 rivulet is amply sufficient for the purposes of the Water Shrew, which will 
 take up its residence for several years in succession on the banks of a little 
 artificial channel that is only used for the purpose of carrying water for the 
 irrigation of low-lying fields. 
 
 The largest of the British Shrews is that species which is called the Oared 
 Shrew, on account of the oar-like formation of the feet and tail, which are 
 
 WATER SHREW. — (Crossopus Fodiens). 
 
102 THE OARED SHREW. 
 
 edged with even longer and stiffer hairs than those which decorate the same 
 parts in the Water Shrew. 
 
 As may be imagined from this structure, the habits of the animal are 
 
 aquatic in their nature, and its manners are so closely similar to those of the 
 
 preceding species, that it may easily be mistaken for that animal, when seen 
 
 " at a little distance, so as to render the difference in size less conspicuous, and 
 
 the colour of the under portions of the body less apparent. 
 
 It has already been stated that the back of the Water Shrew is of a 
 velvety black, and the abdomen and under portions of the body of a beautiful 
 and clearly defined white. In the Oared Shrew, however, the black is pro- 
 fusely sprinkled with white hairs, and the fur of the abdomen and flanks is 
 blackish grey instead of pure white. The middle of the abdomen, however, 
 together with that of the throat, is strongly tinged with yellow : the throat 
 being more of an ashy yellow than the abdomen. 
 
 Although not so common as the Efd and the Water Shrew, it is of more 
 
 OARED SHREW, OR BLACK WATER %1MX^ . —{CrOSSOpUS ciliatus.) 
 
 frequent occurrence than is generally supposed, and has been found in many 
 parts of England where it was formerly supposed to be wanting. The tota'. 
 length of the Oared Shrew is about five inches and a quarter, the head an I 
 body measuring rather more than three inches, and the tail being about two 
 inches in length. Its nose is not quite so sharp or narrow as that of the 
 Water Shrew, and the ears are decorated with a slight fringe of white hair. 
 The latter third of the tail is flattened, as if for swimming, while the remain- 
 ing two-thirds are nearly cylindiical, but are slightly squared, as has been 
 already mentioned of the common Shrew. 
 
 The elongation of the nose, which has already been noticed in the Tupaias 
 of Sumatra, seems to have reached the utmost limit in those curious inhabit- 
 ants of the Cape that are called, from their elephantine elongation of nose, 
 the Elephant Shrews. Several species of Elephant Shrews are known 
 to exist, all of which, with one exception, are inhabitants of Southern Africa. 
 The solitary exception, Macroscelides Roretti, is found in Algeria. 
 
THE ELEPHANT SHREW. 
 
 103 
 
 The peculiarly long nose of the Elephant Shrew is perforated at its extremity 
 by the nostrils, which are rather obliquely placed, and is supposed to aid the 
 animal in its search after the insects and other creatures on which it feeds. 
 The eyes are rather large in proportion to the size of the animal. 
 
 The tail is long and slender, much resembling the same organ in the 
 common mouse, and in some specimens, probably males, is furnished at the 
 base with glandular follicles, or little sacs. The legs are nearly of equal size, 
 but the hinder limbs are much longer than the forelegs, on account of the 
 very great length of the feet, which are capable of affording support to the 
 creature as it sits in an upright position. As might be presumed from the 
 great length of the hinder limbs, the Elephant Shrew is possessed of great 
 locomotive powers, and when alarmed, can skim over the ground with such 
 
 ELEPHANT ya-R.WN.—iMacroscetides Prohoscideus.) 
 
 celerity that its form becomes quite obscured by the rapidity of its move- 
 ment through the air. Its food consists of insects, which it captures in open 
 day. 
 
 Although the Elephant Shrew is a diurnal animal, seeking its prey in broad 
 daylight, its habitation is made below the surface of thegroimd, and consists 
 of a deep and tortuous burrow, the entrance to which is a perpendicularly- 
 sunk shaft of some little depth. To this place of refuge the creature always 
 flies when alarmed, and as it is so exceedingly swift in its movements, it is not 
 readily captmed or intercepted. 
 
 The colour of the fur is a dark and rather cloudy brown, which is warmed 
 with a reddish tinge upon the side and flanks, and fades on the abdomen and 
 inner portions of the limbs into a greyish-white. The generic name, Macros- 
 celides, is of Greek origin, in allusion to the great length of its hinder limbs, 
 and signifies " long-legged." It is but a small animal, as the length of the 
 
104 
 
 THE PEN- TAIL. 
 
 head and body is not quite four inches in measurement, and the tail is about 
 
 three inches and a quarter. 
 
 The extraordinary animal which has been recently brought before the 
 
 notice of zoologists, under the characteristic name of Pen-tail, is a native of 
 
 Borneo, from which country it was brought by Mr. Hugh Low. 
 
 It is about the size of a small rat, 
 but appears to be of greater dimen- 
 sions on account of its extremely 
 long tail with the remarkable ap- 
 pendage at its extremity. As may 
 be seen from the engraving, the tail 
 is of extraordinary length when 
 compared with the size of the body, 
 and is devoid of hair except at its 
 extremity, where it is furnished with 
 a double row of stiff hairs on each 
 side, which stand boldly out like the 
 barbs of a quill-pen or the feathers 
 of an arrow. The remainder of the 
 tail is covered with scales, which 
 are square in their form, like those 
 of the long-tailed rats, and of con- 
 siderable size. The colour of the 
 tail is black, and the bristly barbs 
 are white, so that this member pre- 
 sents a peculiarly quaint aspect. 
 
 The fur which covers the body of 
 the Pen-tail is extremely soft in tex- 
 ture, and is of a blackish brown 
 tint above, fading into a yellowish 
 grey beneath. As the tips of the 
 hairs are tinged with a yellow hue, 
 the precise tint of the fur is rather 
 indeterminate, and is changeable, 
 according to the position of the 
 hairs which are exposed to view. 
 The specimen which is preserved in 
 the British Museum was captured by 
 Mr. Low in the house of Sir James 
 Brook, the first Rajah of Sarawak. 
 
 The common Hedgehog, Hedge 
 PIG, or Urchin, is one of the most 
 familiar of our indigenous mam- 
 malia, being found in every part of 
 Great Britain which is capable of 
 affording food and shelter. 
 
 The hard round spines which 
 cover the upper part of its body are 
 about an inch in length, and of a 
 rather peculiar shape, which is well 
 represented in the accompanying 
 
 sketch. This form is wonderfully adapted to meet the peculiar objects which 
 
 the spine is intended to fulfil, as will be seen in the following account. 
 
 The spine, which is here gii'en, is supposed to be lying nearly horizontally 
 
 UDon the back of the animal, a position which it aabunics whenever the 
 
 ^;*«y» 
 
 PEN-TAIL. — {Ptilocercus Lowii.) 
 
THE HEDGEHOG. 
 
 105 
 
 SPINE OF HEDGEHOG. 
 
 Hedgehog chooses to relax the pecuUar muscle which governs the spines, 
 and which serves to retain the creature in its coiled attitude. The point of 
 the quill or spine is directed towards the tail. It will be seen that the quill 
 is not unlike a large pin, being sharply pointed at one ex- 
 tremity, furnished at the other with a round bead-like 
 head, and rather abruptly bent near the head. If the 
 skin be removed from the Hedgehog, the quills are seen 
 to be pinned as it were, through the skin, being retained 
 by their round heads, which are acted upon by the peculiar muscle which has 
 already been mentioned. 
 
 It is evident, therefore, that whenever the head of the quill is drawn back- 
 ward by the contraction of the muscle, the point of the quill is erected in pro- 
 portion to the force which is exerted upon the head, so that when the animal 
 is rolled up, and the greatest tension is employed, the quills stand boldly out 
 from the body, and present the bayonet-like array of points in every direction. 
 
 These curiously-formed spines are useful to the Hedgehog for other pur- 
 
 HEDGEHOG. — {Erinacms Europaus.) 
 
 poses than the very obvious one of protecting the creature from the attacks 
 of its foe. They are extremely elasric, as is found to be the case with hairs 
 and quills of all descriptions, and the natural elasticity is increasid by the 
 sharp curve into which they are bent at their insertion into the skin. Pro- 
 tected by this defence, the Hedgehog is enabled to throw itself from consider- 
 able heights, to curl itself into a ball as it descends, and to reach* the ground 
 without suffering any harm from its fall. A Hedgehog has been seen 
 repeatedly to throw itself from a wall, some twelve or fourteen feet in height, 
 and to fall upon (he hard ground without appearing even to be inconx enienced 
 by its tumble. On reaching the ground it would unroll itself and trot off 
 with perfect unconcern. 
 
 Marching securely under the guardianship of its thorn-spiked armour, the 
 Hedgehog recks httle of any foe, save man. For, with this single exception, 
 there are, in our land at least, no enemies that need be dreaded by so well- 
 
io6 A TAME HEDGEHOG. 
 
 protected an animal. Dogs, foxes, and cats are the only creatures which . 
 possess the capability of killing and eating the Hedge-hog, and of these foes 
 it is very little afraid. For dogs are but seldom abroad at night while the 
 Hedgehog is engaged in its nocturnal quests after food ; and the fox would 
 not be foolish enough to waste its time and prick its nose in weary endeavours 
 to force its intended prey out of its defences. Cats, too, are even less 
 adapted to such a proceeding than dogs and foxes. 
 
 It is indeed said that the native cunning of the Fox enables it to overreach 
 the Hedgehog, and to induce it to unrol itself by an ingenious, but, I fear, an 
 apocryphal process. Reynard is said, whenever he finds a coiled-up Hedge- 
 hog, to roll it over and' over with his paw towards some runnel, pond, or 
 puddle, and then to souse it unexpectedly into the water. The Hedgehog, 
 fearing that it is going to be drowned, straightway unrols itself, and is 
 immediately pounced on by the cunning fox, which crushes its head with a 
 single bite, and eats it afterwards at leisure. In America the puma is said to 
 eat the Hedgehog in a very curious manner. Seizing the animal by the head, 
 it gradually draws the animal through its teeth, swallowing the body and 
 stripping off the skin. 
 
 Man, however, troubles himself very little about the Hedgehog's prickles;, 
 and when disposed to such a diet, kills, cooks, and eats it without hesitation. 
 
 The legitimate mode of proceeding is to kill the animal by a blow on the 
 head, and then to envelop it, without removing the skin, in a thick layer of 
 well-kneeded clay. The enwrapped Hedgehog is then placed on the fire, 
 being carefully turned by the cook at proper intervals, and there remains 
 until the clay is perfectly dry and begins to crack. When this event has taken 
 place, the cooking is considered to be complete, and the animal is removed 
 from the fire. The clay covering is then broken off, and carries away with it 
 the whole of the skin, which is adherent by means of the prickles. By this 
 mode of cookery the juices are preserved, and the result is pronounced to be 
 supremely excellent. 
 
 This primitive but admirable form of cookery is almost entirely confined 
 to gipsies and other wanderers, as in these days there are few civilized 
 persons who would condescend to partake of such a diet. Utilitarians, 
 however, can render the creature subservient to their purposes by using it as 
 a guardian to their kitchens. Its insect-devouring powers are of such a 
 nature that it can be made a most useful inhabitant of the house, and set in 
 charge of the " black beetles.'' 
 
 The rapidity with which it extirpates the cockroaches is most marvellous, 
 for their speed and wanness are so great that the Hedgehog must possess no 
 small amount of both qualities in order to destroy them so easily. A Hedge- 
 hog which resided for some years in our house was accustomed to pass a 
 somewhat nomad existence, for as soon as it had eaten all the cockroaches in 
 our kitchen, it used to be lent to a friend, to whom it performed the same 
 valuable service. In a few months those tiresome insects had again multi- 
 plied, and the Hedgehog was restored to its former habitation. 
 
 The creature was marvellously tame, and would come at any time to a 
 saucer of milk in broad daylight. Sometimes it took a fancy to prome- 
 nading the garden, when it would trot along in its own quaint style, poking its 
 sharp nose into every crevice, and turning over every fallen leaf that lay in 
 its path. If it heard a strange step, it would immediately curl itself into a 
 ball, and lie in that posture for a few minutes until its alarm had passed 
 away, when it would cautiously unrol itself, and peer about with its bead-like 
 eyes for a moment or two, and then resume its progress. 
 
 From all appearances it might have lived for many years had it not come 
 by its death in a rather singular manner. There was a wood-shed in the 
 
FOOD OF THE HEDGEHOG. 107 
 
 kitchen garden, where the bean and pea sticks were laid up in ordinary 
 during tlie greater part of the year, and it seemed, for some unknown reason, 
 to afford a marvellous attraction to the Hedgehog. So partial to this locality 
 was the creature, that whenever it was missing we were nearly sure to find it 
 among the bean-sticks in the wood-shed. One morning, however, on search- 
 ing for the animal, in consequence of having missed its presence for some 
 days, we found it hanging by its neck in the fork of a stick, and quite dead. 
 The poor creature had probably slipped while climbing among the sticks, and 
 had been caught by the neck in the bifurcation. 
 
 The Hedgehog is accused of stealing and breaking eggs, to which indict- 
 ment it can but plead guilty. 
 
 It is very ingenious in its method of opening and eating eggs ; a feat which 
 it performs without losing any of the golden contents. Instead of breaking 
 the shell and running the chance of permitting the contents to roll out, the 
 clever animal lays the egg on the ground, holds it firmly between its fore-.feet, 
 bites a hole in the upper portion of the shell, and, inserting its tongue into 
 the orifice, licks out the contents daintily. 
 
 Not contenting itself with such comparatively meagre diet as eggs, the 
 Hedgehog is a great destroyer of snakes, frogs, and other animals, crunching 
 them together with their bones as easily as a horse will eat a carrot. Even 
 the thick bone of a mutton chop, or the big bone o! the fish, is splintered by 
 the Hedgehog's teeth with marvellous ease. On one account it is rather a 
 valuable animal, for it will attack a viper as readily as a grass-snake, trusting 
 apparently to its prickly armour as a defence against the serpent's fangs. 
 
 Whether, in its wild state, it is able to catch the little birds, is not accurately 
 known, but in captivity it eats finches and other little birds with great 
 voracity. One of these animals, that was kept in a state of domestication, 
 ate no less than seven sparrows in the course of a single night, and another 
 of these creatures crushed and ate in the course of twenty-four hours 
 more than as many sparrow, heads, eating bones, bill, and neck with equal 
 ease. 
 
 Its legitimate prey is found among the insect tribe, of which it consumes 
 vast numbers, being able, not only to chase and capture those which run upon 
 the ground, but even dig in the earth and feed upon the grubs, worms, and 
 various larvae which pass their lives beneath the surface of the ground. A 
 Hedgehog has been seen to exhume the nest of the bumblebee, which had 
 been placed in a sloping bank, as is often the case with the habitation of 
 these insects, and to eat bees, grubs, and honey, unmindful of the anger of 
 the survivors, who, however, appeared to be but little affected by the inroads 
 which the Hedgehog was making upon their offspring and their stores. 
 
 The home of the Hedgehog is made in some retired and well-protected 
 spot, such as a crevice in rocky ground, or under the stones of some old ruin. 
 It greatly affects hollow trees, wherever the decayed wood permits it to find 
 an easy entrance, and not unfrequently is found coiled up in a warm nest 
 which it has made under the large gnarled roots of some old tree, where the 
 rains have washed away the earth and left the roots projecting occasionally 
 from the ground. Besides these legitimate habitations, the Hedgehog is 
 frequently found to intrude itself upon the homes of other animals, and has 
 been often captured within rabbit burrows. Perhaps it may be led to these 
 localities by the double motive of obtaining shelter from weather and enemies, 
 and of making prey of an occasional young rabbit. 
 
 In its retreat the Hedgehog usually passes the winter in that semi-animate 
 condition which is known by the name of hibernation. 
 
 The hibernation of the Hedgehog is more complete than that of the dor- 
 mouse or any other of our indigenous hibernating quadrupeds, for they 
 
Io8 MACROPIDM. 
 
 always have a stock of food on which they can rely, and of which they sparingly 
 partake during the cold months of the year. The Hedgehog, however, lays 
 up no such stores, nor, indeed, could it do so, for, as has already been men- 
 tioned, its food is almost entirely of an animal nature. 
 
 The sight of the Hedgehog does not appear to be so excellent as its powers 
 of scent, which are admirably developed, as may be seen by opening the side 
 of a Hedgehog's face. 
 
 One of these animals has been seen to chase a partridge across a road, fol- 
 lowing her through the hedge with perfect precision ; and another was 
 observed to discover the presence of mankind by means of its powers of 
 scent, as it was in a position from whence it could not see its fancied 
 enemies. The Hedgehog had already passed the observers, who remained 
 perfectly quiet in order to watch its proceedings, but after it had run for a few 
 paces, it suddenly stopped, seemed suspicious of some danger, stretched its 
 nose in the air, and stood on its guard. In a few moments it seemed to have 
 set itself at ease, and resumed its course. The spectators then slightly 
 shifted their position, so as to bring the animal again within the range of their 
 " wind," when the creature repeated the same process, and did not appear 
 entirely at its ease for some little time. 
 
 MACROPID^. 
 
 The extraordinary animals which are grouped together under the title 
 of Macropidae are, with the exception of the well-known Opossum of 
 Virginia, inhabitants of Australasia, and the islands of the Indian Archi- 
 pelago. 
 
 The peculiarity which gives the greatest interest to this group of animals 
 is that wonderful' modification of the nutritient organs which has gained for 
 them the title of Marsupialia, or pouched animals — a name which is 
 derived from the Latin word marsupuim^ which signifies a purse or pouch. 
 This singular structure is only found in the female Marsupials, and in them is 
 variously developed according to the character of the animal and the mode 
 of life for which it is intended. 
 
 The lower part of the abdomen is furnished with a tolerably large pouch, 
 in the interior of which the mammae, or teats, are placed. When the young, 
 even of so large an animal as the kangaroo, make their appearance in the 
 world, they are exceedingly minute — the joung kangaroo being only an inch 
 in length — and entirely unable to endure the rough treatment which they 
 would meet with were they to be nurtured according to the manner in which 
 the young of all other animals are nourished. Accordingly, as soon as they 
 are born they are transferred by the mother into the pouch, when they 
 instinctively attach themselves to the teats, and there hang until they have 
 attained considerable dimensions. By degrees, as they grow older and 
 stronger, they loosen their hold, and put their little heads out of the living 
 cradle, in order to survey the world at leisure. In a few weeks more they 
 gain sufficient strength to leave the pouch entirely, and to frisk jibout under 
 the guardianship of their mother, who, however, is alwa> s ready to receive 
 them again into their cradle if there is any rumour of danger, and if any 
 necessity for flight should present itself, flies from the dangerous locality, 
 .carrying her young with her. 
 
 At the head of the Macropidae are placed a small but interesting band of 
 marsupial animals, which are called Phalangistines, on account of the curious 
 manner in which two of the toes belonging to the hinder feet are joine'd 
 together as far as the " phalanges." The feet ^re aU formed with great 
 
THE FL YING MOUSE. 
 
 109 
 
 powers -of grasp, and their structure is intended to fit them for procuring 
 their food among the branches of the trees, on which they pass the greater 
 portion of their existence. 
 
 First and least of the Phalangistines, is the beautiful little animal which is 
 called the Oppossum Mouse in some parts of the country, and the Flying 
 Mouse in others. 
 
 This pretty little creature is about the size of our common mouse, and 
 when it is resting upon a branch, with its parachute, or umbrella of skin, 
 drawn close to the body by its own elasticity, it looks very like the common 
 mouse of Europe, and at a little distance might easily be taken for that 
 animal. In total length it rather exceeds six inches, the length of its head 
 and body being about three inches and a half, and that of the tail not quite 
 
 OPOSSUM MOUSE. — {Acrobates fygmceus^ 
 
 three inches. On account of its minute size this animal is also called the 
 Pigmy Petaurist. 
 
 In the colour of the upper portions of the body the Opossum Mouse is of 
 the well known mouse tint, slightly sprinkled with a reddish hue : but on 
 the abdomen and under portions of the skin parachute, the fur is beautifully 
 white. The line of demarcation between the hair is very well defined, and 
 there is a narrow stripe of darker brown that marks out the line of juncture. 
 When the animal is at rest, the parachute closes by its own elasticity, and 
 gathers itself into folds, which have a very pretty effect, on account of the 
 delicate white fur which becomes exposed by the action, and which undulates 
 in rich and graceful folds, alternating with the dark fur of the back and the 
 still darker stripe that forms the line of demarcation. 
 
 The tail of the Opossum Mouse is nearly as long as the body, very slender, 
 and remarkable for the manner in which the hairs are affixed to it. The 
 hairs that fringe the greater part of the tail are about one-sixth of an inch 
 in length, reddish grey in colour, rather stiff, and are set on the tail in a 
 double row, like the barks of a feather. A similar formation has alieady 
 been described in the hibtory of the pen-tail of Sarawak. This znode oi 
 arrangement is called " distichous," 
 
no THE ARIEL PE TAURUS. 
 
 The food of the Petaurists is generally of a vegetable character, consisting 
 of leaves, fruits, and buds, but the sharply-pointed molars of the Opossum 
 Mouse approach so closelv to the insectivorous type that the creature is 
 probably able to vary a vegetable diet by occasional admixture with animal 
 
 food. . , 
 
 The parachute-like expansion of the skin is of very great service to the 
 animal when it wishes to pass from one branch or from one tree to another 
 without the trouble of descending and the laborious climbing up agam. 
 Trusting to the powers of its parachute, the little creature will boldly launch 
 itself into the air, stretching out all its limbs, and expanding the SKin to the 
 utmost. Upborne by this membrane, the Opossum Mouse can sweep through 
 very great intervals of space, and possesses no small power of altering its 
 course at will. It cannot, however, support itself in the air by moving its 
 limbs, like the bats, nor can it make any aerial progress when the original 
 impetus of its leap has expired. 
 
 ARIEL PETAURUS. — (Fetaurus Ariel.) 
 
 The beautiful little animal which has been called by the expressive name 
 of Ariel, is about the size of a small rat, and in the hue of the upper portions 
 of the body is not unlike that animal. 
 
 The colour of the fur upon the upper portions of the body is a light brown, 
 which darkens considerably upon the parachute membrane. On the under 
 .surface it is white, the white fur just turning over, the edge of the parachute, 
 and presenting a pretty contrast with the dark brown colour of its upper 
 surface. The tail is nearly of the same colour as the bodv, with the excep- 
 tion of the tip, which is dark. On account of its graceful movements, and 
 the easy undulating sweep of its passage through the air, it has earned for 
 itself the appropriate name of Ariel, in remembrance of the exquisite and 
 tricksy sprite that animates the world-celebrated drama of the " Tempest." 
 
 It is not an uncommon animal, and is frequently seen at Port Essington. 
 
 Fox-like in nature as well as in form, the Vulpine Phalangist has well 
 earned the name which has been given to it by common consent. It has also 
 been entitled the Vulpine Opossum, and in its native country is popularly 
 called by the latter of these names. 
 
 It is an extremely common animal, and is the widest diffused of all the 
 Australian opossum-like animals. Like tht preceding animals, it is a noc- 
 turnal being, residing during the day in the hollows of decaying trees, and 
 
THE VULPINE PHALANGIST. iif 
 
 only venturing from its retreat as evening draws on. The nature of its food 
 is of a mixed character, for the creature is capable of feeding on vegetable 
 food, like the Petaurists, and also displays a considerable taste for animal 
 food of all kinds. If a small bird be given to a Vulpine Phalangist, the 
 creature seizes it in its paws, manipulates it adroitly for a while, and then 
 tears it to pieces and eats it. It is rather a remarkable fact, that the animal 
 is peculiarly fond of the brain, and always commences its feast by crushing 
 the head between its teeth, and devouring the brain. 
 
 In all probability, therefore, the creature makes no small portion of its 
 meals on various animal substances, such as insects, reptiles, and eggs. As 
 to the birds on which it so loves to feed, it may very probably, although so 
 slow an animal, capture them in the same manner as has been related of the 
 lemurs, viz. by creeping slowly and cautiously upon them as they sleep, and 
 swiftly seizing them before they can awaken to a sense of their danger. It 
 is a tolerably large animal, equalling a large cat in dimensions, and is, there- 
 fore, able to make dire havoc among such prey whenever it chooses to issue 
 
 VULPINE PHALANGIST.— (/';^l7/'a«^Wi'3 vuljiina.) 
 
 forth with the intention of making a meal upon some small bird that may 
 chance to be sleeping in fancied security. 
 
 The fore-paws of the Vulpine Phalangist are well adapted for such pro- 
 ceedings, as they are possessed of great strength and mobility, so that the 
 animal is able to take up any small object in its paws, and to hold it after 
 the manner of the common squirrel. When feeding, ft generally takes its 
 food in its fore-paws, and so conveys it to its mouth. In captivity it does not 
 seem to be a very intelligent animal, even when night brings forth its time of 
 energy, and it but little responds to the advances of its owner, however kind 
 he may be. It will feed on bread and milk, or fruits, or leaves, or buds, or 
 any substance of a similar nature, but always seems best pleased when it is 
 supplied with some small birds or animals, and devours them with evident 
 glee. 
 
 The flesh of the Vulpine Phalangist is considered to be very good, and the 
 natives are so fond of it that, notwithstanding the laziness that is engrained 
 in their very beings, except when they are under the influence of some potent 
 excitement, they can seldom refrain from chasing an " opossum," even though 
 
112 THE KOALA. 
 
 they have been well fed by the white settlers. When the fresh body of a 
 Vulpine Phalangist is opened, a kind of camphorated odour is diffused from 
 it, which is probably occasioned by the foliage of the camphor-perfumed 
 trees in which it dwells, and the leaves of which it eats. 
 
 The fur of this animal is not valued so highly as that of the Tapoa, prob- 
 ably because it is of more common occurrence, for the colour of the hair is 
 much more elegant, and its quality seems to be really excellent. Some few 
 experiments have been made upon the capabilities of this fur, and, as far as 
 has yet been accomplished, with very great success. Good judges have de- 
 clared that articles which bad been made from this fur presented a great 
 resemblance to those which had been made from Angola wool, but appeared 
 to be of superior quality. The hat-makers have already discovered the value 
 of the fur, and are in the habit of employing it in their trade. 
 
 The natives employ the skin of the "opossum" in the matmfacture of their 
 scanty mantles, as well as for sundry other purposes, and prepare the skins 
 in a rather ingenious manner. As soon as the skin is stripped from the 
 animal's body, it is laid on the ground, with the hairy side downwards, and 
 secured from shrinking by a number of little pegs which are fixed around its 
 edges. The inner side is then continually scraped with a shell, and by de- 
 grees the skin becomes perfectly clean and pliable. When a sufficient number 
 of skins are prepared, they are ingeniously sewn together with a thread that 
 is made from the tendons of the kangaroo, which, when dried, can be separated 
 into innumerable filaments. A sharpened piece of bone stands the sable 
 tailor in place of a needle. From the skin of the same animal is also formed 
 the " kumeel," or badge of manhood, a slight belt, which no one is permitted 
 to wear until he has been solemnly admitted among the assembly of men. 
 
 In its colour, the Vulpine Phalangist is rather variable, but the general hue 
 of its fur is a greyish-brown, sometimes tinted with a ruddy hue. The tail 
 is long, thick, and woolly in its character, and in colour it resembles that of 
 the body, with the exception of the tip, which is nearly black. The dimensions 
 of an old male are given by Mr. Bennett as follows : Total length, two feet 
 seven inches ; the head being four inches in length, and the tail nearly a 
 foot. 
 
 The quaint looking animal which is popularly known by the native name of 
 Koala, or the Australian Bear, is of some importance in the zoological 
 world, as it serves to fill up the gulf that exists between the phalangistines 
 and the kangaroos. 
 
 The Koala is nocturnal in its habits, and is not very unfrequently found, 
 even in the localities which it most affects. It is not nearly so widely spread 
 as most of the preceding animals, as it is never known to exist in a wild 
 state except in the south-eastern regions of Australia. 
 
 Although well adapted by nature for climbing among the branches of trees, 
 the Koala is by no means an active animal, proceeding on its way with very 
 great deliberation, and m.aking sure of its hold as it goes along. Its feet 
 are peculiarly adapted for the slow but sure mode in which the animal pro- 
 gresses among the branches by the structure of the toes of the fore-feet or 
 paws, which are divided into two sets, the one composed of the two inner 
 toes, and the other of the three outer, in a manner which reminds the observer 
 of the feet of the scansorial birds and the chameleon. This formation, 
 although well calculated to serve the animal when it is moving among the 
 branches, is but of little use when it is upon the ground, so that the terres- 
 trial progress of the Koala is especially slow, and the creature seems to crawl 
 rather than walk. 
 
 It seems to be a very gentle creature, and will often suffer itself to be 
 captured without offering much resistance, or seeming to trouble itself about 
 
THE KOALA. 
 
 113 
 
 its captivity. But it is liable, as are many ge"tle animals, to sudden and 
 unexpected gusts of passion, and when it is excited by rage it puts on a very 
 fierce look, and utters sharp and shrill yells in a very threatening manner. 
 Its usual voice is a peculiar soft bark. 
 
 This animal is rather prettily coloured, the body being furnished with fur 
 of a fine grey colour, warmed with a slight reddish tinge in the adult animal, 
 and fading to a whitish grey in the young. The claws are considerably 
 curved, and black ; and the ears are tufted with long white hairs. In size it 
 equals a small bull-terrier dog, being, when adult, rather more than two feet 
 in length, and about ten inches in height, when standing. The circumference 
 of the body is about eighteen inches, including the fur. 
 
 ^V^ 
 
 
 KOALA, OR AUSTRALIAN BEAR. — t^Phascolaictos dnereus.) 
 
 On account of the tree-climbing habits of the Koala, it is sometimes called 
 the Australian Monkey as well as the Australian Bear. 
 
 The animals which come next under consideration are truly worthy of the 
 title of Macropida, or long-footed, as their hinder feet are most remarkable 
 for their comparative length, and in almost every instance are many times 
 longer than the fore-feet. This structure adapts them admirably for leaping, 
 an exercise in which the Kangaroos, as these creatures are familiarly termed, 
 • are pre-eminently excellent. 
 
 Among the largest of the Macropidae is the celebrated KANGAROO, an 
 animal which is found spread tolerably widely over its native land. 
 
 This species has also been called by the name of giganteus, on account 
 of its very gi-eat size, which, however, is sometimes exceeded by the Woolly 
 Kangaroo. The average dimensions of an adult male are generally as fol- 
 lows : — The total len'^th of the animal is about seven feet six inches, count- 
 ing from the nose to tlie tip of the tail ; the head and body exceed four 
 feet, and the tail is rather more than three feet in length ; the circumference 
 of the tail at its base is about a foot. When it sits erect after its curious 
 tripedal fashion, supported by its hind-quarters and tail, its -height is rather 
 more than fifty inches ; but when it wishes to survey the country, and stands 
 erect upon its toes, it surpasses in height many a well-grown man. The 
 female is very much smaller than her mate, being under six feet in total 
 
114 
 
 THE KANGAROO. 
 
 length, and the difference in size is so great that the two sexes might be 
 well taken for different species. 
 
 The weight of a full-grown male, or " Boomer,'' as it is more familiarly 
 called, is very considerable, one hundred and sixty pounds having often 
 been attained, and even greater weight being on record. The colour of the 
 animal is brown, mingled with grey, the grey predominating on the under 
 portions of the body and the under-faces of the limbs. The fore-feet are 
 black, as is also the tip of the tail. 
 
 As the Kangaroo is a valuable animal, not only for the sake of its skin, 
 but on account of its flesh, which is in some estimation among the human 
 inhabitants of the same land, it is eagerly sought after by hunters, both 
 white and black, and affords good sport to both on account of its speed, its 
 vigour, and its wariness. The native hunter, who trusts chiefly to his own 
 curming and address for stealing unobserved upon the animal and lodging 
 
 a spear in its body before 
 it is able to elude its subtle 
 enemy, finds the Kangaroo 
 an animal which will test 
 all his powers before he can 
 attam his object, and lay 
 the Kangaroo dead upon 
 he ground. 
 
 The male Kangaroo, or 
 " Boomer," is a dangerous 
 antagonist to man and dog, 
 and unless destroyed by 
 missile weapons will often 
 prove more than a mat. h 
 for the combined efforts of 
 man and beast. 
 
 When the animal finds 
 that it is overpowered in 
 endeavour by the swift and 
 powerful Kangaroo dogs, 
 which are bred for the ex- 
 press purpose of chasing 
 this one kind of prey, it 
 turns suddenly to bay, and 
 placing its back against a 
 tree-trunk, so that it cannot 
 be attacked from behind, patiently awaits the onset of its adversaries. Should 
 an unwary dog approach within too close a distance of the Kangaroo, the 
 animal launches so terrible a blow with its hinder feet, that the long and 
 pointed claw, with which the hinder foot is armed, cuts like a knife, and has 
 often laid open the entire body of the dog with a single blow. The claw 
 which is thus used is so long, hard, and sharp, that it is sometimes used as a 
 head to a spear. 
 
 When running, the creature has a curious habit of looking back every 
 now and then, and has sometimes unconsciously committed suicide by leap- 
 ing against one of the tree-stumps which are so plentifully found in the 
 districts inhabited by the Kangaroo. 
 
 The doe Kangaroo displays very little of these running or fighting capa- 
 bilities, and has been known, when chased for a very short distance, to lie 
 down and die of fear. Sometimes, when pursued, she contrives to elude the 
 dogs by rushing into some brushwood, and then making a very powerful leap 
 
 THE KANGAROO.- -(jW«fr(i/«j major.) 
 
THE KANGAROO KAT. 1 1 5 
 
 to one side, so as to throw the dogs off the scent. She hes perfectly still as the 
 dogs rush past her place of concealment, and when they have fairly passed 
 her she quietly makes good her escape in another direction. When young, 
 and before she has borne young, the female Kangaroo aflords good sport, 
 and is called, from her extraordinary speed, the " Flying Doe." 
 
 The Kangaroo is a very hardy animal and thrives well in England, where 
 it mi^ht probably be domesticated to a large extent if necessary, and where 
 it would enjoy a more genial climate than it finds in many districts of its 
 native land. One of the favoured locaHties of this species is the .bleak, wet, 
 and snow-capped summit of Mount Wellington. 
 
 The eye of the Kangaroo is very beautiful, large, round, and soft, and gives 
 to the animal a gentle, gazelle-hke expression that compensates for the savage 
 aspect of the teeth, as they gleam whitely between the cleft lips. 
 
 The Kangaroo Rat, called by the natives the Potoroo, is a native of 
 New South Wales, where it is found in very great numbers. 
 
 KANGAROO RAT. — {Hypsiprymnus minor.) 
 
 It is but a diminutive animal, the head and body being only fifteen inches 
 long, and the tail between ten and eleven inches. The colour of the fur is 
 brownish black, pencilled along the back with a grey white. The under parts 
 of the body are white, and the fore-feet are brown. The tail is equal to the 
 body in length, and is covered with scales, through the intervals of which 
 sundry short, stiff, and black hairs protrude. 
 
 This httle animal frequents the less open districts, and is very quick and 
 lively in its movements, whether it be indulging in its native gamesomeness 
 or engaged in the search for food. Roots of various kinds are the favourite 
 diet of the Kangaroo Rat, and in order to obtain these dainties the animal 
 scratches them from the ground with the powerful claws of the fore-feet. 
 
 It is not so exclusively nocturnal as many of the preceding animals, and 
 seems to be equally lively by day as by night. When the animal is sitting 
 upon its hinder portions, the tail receives part of the weight of the body, but 
 is not used in the same manner as the tail of the true Kangaroos, which, 
 when they are moving slowly and leisurely along, are accustomed to support 
 the body on the tail, and to swing the hinder legs forward like a man swinging 
 himself upon crutches. 
 
 I 2 
 
Ii6 
 
 THE WOMBAT. 
 
 The Wombat, or Australian Badger, as it is popularly called by the 
 colonists, IS so singularly unlike the preceding and succeeding animals in its 
 aspect and habits, that it might well be supposed to belong to quite a different 
 order. 
 
 As might be imagined from its heavy body and short legs, the Wombat is 
 by no means an active animal, but trudges along at its own pace, with a heavy 
 rolling waddle or hobble, like the gait of a very fat bear. It is found in 
 almost all parts of Australia. The fur of the Wombat is warm, long, and 
 very harsh to the touch, and its colour is grey, mottled with black and white. 
 The under parts of its body are greyish white, and the feet are black. The 
 muzzle is very broad and thick. The length of the animal is about three 
 ttet, the head measuring seven inches. 
 
 WOMBAT. — {Phascolomys ursinus.) 
 
 It is nocturnal in its habits, living during the day in the depths of^a 
 capacious burrow, which it excavates in the earth to such a depth that even 
 the persevering natives will seldom attempt to dig a Wombat out of its 
 tunnel. 
 
 The creature seems to be remarkably sensitive to cold, considering the 
 severe weather which often reigns in its native country. It is fond of hay, 
 which it chops into short pieces with its knife-edged teeth. The natives say 
 that if a Wombat is making a journey and happens to come across a river, 
 it is not in the least discomfited, but walks deliberately into the river, across 
 the bed of the stream, and, emerging on the opposite bank, continues its 
 course as calmly as if no impediment had been placed in its way. 
 
 The Bandicoots form a little group of animals that are easily recog- 
 nisable by means of their rat-like aspect, and a certain peculiar but indescrib- 
 able mode of carrying themselves. The gait of the Bandicoot is very 
 singular, being a kind of mixture between jumping and running, which is the 
 result of the formation of the legs and feet. 
 
THE LONG-NOSED BANDICOOT. 
 
 "7 
 
 The food of the Long-nosed Bandicoot is said to be of a purely veget- 
 able nature, and the animal is reported to occasion some havoc among the 
 
 LONG-NOSED BANDICOOT. — {Perameles nasvta.) 
 
 gardens and granaries of the colonists. Its long and powerful claws aid it 
 in obtaining roots, and it is not at all unlikely that it may, at the same time 
 that it unearths and eats a 
 root, seize and devour the 
 terrestrial larvae which are 
 found in almost every 
 square inch of ground. The 
 lengthened nose and sharp 
 teeth which present so 
 great a resemblance to the 
 same organs in insectivor- 
 ous shrews, afford good 
 reasons for conjecturing 
 that they may be employed 
 in much the same manner. 
 
 The Chceropus was for- 
 merly designated by the 
 specific title of ecauiintus, or 
 "tailless," because the first 
 specimen that had been 
 captured was devoid of 
 caudal appendage, and 
 therefore its discoverers 
 naturally concluded that all 
 its kindred were equally 
 curtailed of their fair pro- 
 portions. But as new speci- 
 mens came before the notice 
 of the zoological world, it 
 wasfound thatthe Chceropus 
 was rightly possessed of a moderately long and somewhat rat-like tail, and 
 that the taillessness of the original specimen was only the result of accident 
 
 CHCEROPUS. — (Chceropus castanotis.) 
 
tl8 
 
 THE CHCEROPUS. 
 
 to the individual, and not the normal condition of the species. The size 
 u. ihe Choeropus is about equal to. that of a small rabbit, and the soft, 
 woolly fur is mui-h of the same colour as that of the common wild rabbit. 
 
 it is an inhabitant of New South Wales, and was first discovered by Sir 
 Thomas Mitchell on the banks of the Murray River, equally to the astonish- 
 ment of white men and natives, the latter declaring that they had never before 
 seen such a creature. The speed of the Choeropus is consideraUe, and its 
 usual haunts are among the masses of dense scrub foliage that cover so vast 
 an extent of ground in its native country. Its nest is similar to that of the 
 bandicoot, being made of dried grass and leaves rather artistically put to- 
 gether, the grass, however, predominating over the leaves. The locality of 
 the nest is generally at the foot of a dense bush, or of a heavy tuft of grass, 
 and It is so carefully veiled from view by the mode of its construction that 
 it can scarcely be discovered by the eyes of any but an experienced hunter. 
 
 The head of the Choeropus is rather pecuhar, being considerably length- 
 ened, cylindrically tapering towards the nose, so that its form has been rather 
 happily compared to the neck and shoulders of a champagne bottle. The 
 hinder feet are like those of the bandicoots, and there is a small swelling at 
 the base of the toes of the fore-feet, which is probably the representative 
 of the missing joints, more especially as the outermost toes are always 
 extremely small in the bandicoots, to vifhich the Choeropus is nearly allied. 
 
 The ears are very large in 
 proportion to the size of the 
 animal. The pouch opens 
 backwards. 
 
 The food of the Choeropus 
 is said to be of a mixed 
 character, and to consist ol 
 various vegetable substances 
 and of insects. 
 
 The teeth of the Dasyur- 
 ines, sharp-edged and 
 pointed, indicate the carni- 
 vorous character of those 
 animals to which they be- 
 long. 
 
 In the common Dasyure 
 the general colour of the 
 fur is brown, of a very 
 dark hue, sometimes deep- 
 ening into positive black, 
 diversified with many spots 
 of white, scattered appar- 
 ently at random over the 
 whole of the body, and 
 varying both in their posi- 
 tion and dimensions in al- 
 most every individual. In 
 some specimens the tail is 
 washed with white spots 
 similar to those of the body, but in many examples the tail is uniformly dark. 
 In all the Dasyures this member is moderately long, but not prehensile, and 
 is thickly covered with hair; a peculiarity which has caused zoologists to 
 give the title of Dasyure, or "hair-tail," to these animals. This species 
 
 DASYURE. — (Dasyurus viverrinus. 
 
THE YELLOW-FOOTED POUCHED MOUSE. 
 
 119 
 
 is the animal which is known in Australia by the popular name of 
 Native Cat. 
 
 They are all inhabitants of Australasia, the Common Dasyure being found 
 numerously enough in New Holland, Van Diemen's Land, and some parts of 
 Australia. The habits of all the Dasyures are so very similar that there is no 
 need of describing them separately. They are all rather voracious animals, 
 feeding upon the smaller quadrupeds, birds, insects, and other living beings 
 which inhabit the same country. The Dasyure is said to follow the example 
 of several allied animals, and to be fond of roaming along the sea-coasts by 
 night in search of food. 
 
 The Dasyures are all nocturnal animals, and very seldom make voluntary 
 excursions from their hiding-places so long as the sun is above the horizon. 
 They do not, like the Tasmanian wolf and the ursine Dasyure, lie hidden in 
 burrows under the earth, or in the depths of rocky ground, but follow the 
 example of the Petaurists, and make their habitations in the hollows of 
 decayed trees. 
 
 YELLOW-FOOTED POUCHED MOUSE. — (Antechinus flavifes.) 
 
 Tlie Yellow-footed Pouched Mouse is a very pretty little creature, its 
 fur being, richly tinted with various pleasing hues. 
 
 The face, the upper part of the head, and the shoulders, are dark grey, 
 diversified with yellow hairs, and the sides of the body are warmed with a 
 wash of bright chestnut. The under parts of the body, the chin, and the 
 throat are uniform white, and the tail is black. There is often a slight tufting 
 of hair on the extremity of the tail. The total length of the animal is about 
 eight inches, the head and body being rather more than four inches and a 
 half in length, and the tail a little more than three inches. 
 
 The Myrmecobius is remarkable for several parts of its structure, and 
 more especially so for the extraordinary number of its teeth, and the manner 
 in which they are placed in the jaw. Altogether, there are no less than fifty- 
 two teeth in the jaws of an adult and perfect specimen of the Myrmecobius, 
 outnumbering the teeth of every other animal, with the exception of one or 
 two cetacea and the armadillo. There is no pouch in this animal, but the 
 
MYRMECOBIUS. 
 
 tender young are defended from danger by the long hairs which clothe the 
 under portions of the body. 
 
 It is a bvautiful liitle animal, the fur being of agreeable tints and diversified 
 by several bold stripes across the back. The general colour of the fur is a 
 bright fawn on the shoulders, which deepens into blackish-brown from the 
 shoulders to the tail, the fur of the hinder portions being nearly black. Across 
 
 the back are drawn six or seven 
 white bands, broad on the back 
 and tapering off towards their 
 extremities. The under parts 
 of the body are of a yellowish- 
 white. The tail is thickly 
 covered with long bushy hair, 
 and has a grizzled aspect, 
 owing to the manner in which 
 the black and white hairs of 
 which it is composed are 
 mingled together. Some hairs 
 are annulated with white, red- 
 rust, and black, so that the 
 tints are rather variable, and 
 never precisely the same in 
 two individuals. 
 
 The length of the body is 
 about ten inches, and the tail 
 measures about seven inches, 
 so that the dimensions of the 
 animal are similar to those of 
 the common water vole of 
 Europe. 
 
 It is an active afiimal, 
 and when running, its move- 
 ments are very similar to 
 those of the common squirreL 
 When hurried it proceeds by 
 a series of small jumps, the 
 tail being elevated over its 
 back after the usual custom 
 of squirrels, and at short in- 
 tervals it pauses, sits upright, 
 and casts an anxious look in 
 all directions before it again 
 takes to flight. Although not 
 a particularly swift animal, it 
 is not an easy one to capture, 
 as it immediately makes for 
 some place of refuge, under a 
 hollow tree or a cleft in rocky ground, and when it has fairly placed itself 
 beyond the reach of its pursuers, it bids defiance to their efforts to drive 
 it from its haven of safety. Not even smoke— the usual resort of a hunter 
 when his prey has gone to "earth" and refuses to come out agam— has the 
 least effect on the Myrmecobius, wliich is either possessed of sufficient smoke- 
 resisting powers to endure the stifling vapour with impunity, or of sufficient 
 courage to yield its life in the recesses of its haven, rather than dehver 
 itself into the hands of its enemies. 
 
 MYRMECOBIUS. — (Myrmecobius fosciatus .) 
 
THE OPOSSUM. 
 
 121 
 
 The food of the Myrmecobius is supposed chiefly to consist of ants and simi- 
 lar diet, as it is generally found inhe' biting localities where ants most abound. 
 For this kind of food it is well fitted by its long tongue, which is nearly, as 
 thick as a common black-lead pencil, and is capable of protrusion to some 
 distance. In confinement a specimen of the Myrmecobius was accustomed 
 to feed on bran imong other sub- 
 stances. It is known that in the 
 wild state it will eat hay, as well as 
 the " manna " that exudes from the 
 branches of the Eucalypti. 
 
 It is a very gentle animal in its 
 disposition, as, when captured, it 
 does not bite or scratch, but only 
 vents its displeasure in a series of 
 little grunts when it finds that it is 
 unable to make its escape. The 
 number of its young is rather 
 various, but averages from five to 
 eight. The usual habitation of the 
 JMyrmecobius is placed in the de- 
 cayed trunk of a fallen tree, or, in 
 default of such lodging, is made in 
 a hollow in the ground. It is a 
 native of the borders of the Swan 
 River. 
 
 There are very few of the mar- 
 supiated aiiimals which are more 
 remarkable for their form, their 
 habits, or tneir character, than the 
 Opossums of America. They are 
 nearly all admirable climbers, and 
 are assisted in their scansorial 
 efforts by their long prehensile tails, 
 which are covered with . scales, 
 through the interstices of which a 
 few short black hairs protrude. The 
 hinder feet are also well adapted 
 for climbing, as the thumb is op- 
 posable to the other toes, so that 
 the animal is able to grasp the 
 branch of a tree with considerable 
 force, and to suspend its whole body 
 together with the additional weight 
 of its prey or its young. 
 
 The Virginian or Common 
 Opossum is, as its name imphes, a 
 native of Virginia as well as of 
 many other portions of the United 
 States of America. In size it 
 equals a tolerably large cat, being 
 rather more than three feet in 
 total length, the head and body measuring twenty-two inches, and the tail 
 fifteen. The colour of this animal is a greyish white, slightly tinged with 
 yellow, and diversified by occasional long hairs that are white towards their 
 base, but of a brownish hue towards their points. These brown-tipped hairs 
 
 OPOSSUM. — (.Didelphys Virginiaiia. ) 
 
122 MERIAN'S OPOSSUM. 
 
 are extremely prevalent upon the limbs, which are almost wholly of the brown 
 hue, which also surrounds the eye to some extent. The under fur is com- 
 paratively soft and woolly, but the general character of the fur is harsh and 
 coarse. The scaly portion of the tail is white. 
 
 It is a voracious and destructive animal, prowling about during the hours 
 of darkness, and prying into every nook and corner in hope of finding 
 something that may satisfy the cravings of imperious hunger. Young birds, 
 eggs, the smaller quadrupeds, such as young rabbits, which it eats by the 
 brood at a time, cotton rats and mice, reptiles of various kinds, and insects, 
 fall victims to the appetite of the Virginian Opossum, which is often not 
 content with the food which it finds in the open forests, but must needs in- 
 sinuate itself into the poultry-yard and make a meal on the fowls and their 
 eggs. 
 
 Besides the varied animal diet in which the Opossum indulges, it also eats 
 vegetable substances, committing as much havoc among plantations and 
 fruit-trees as among rabbits and poultry. It is very fond of maize, procuring 
 the coveted food by climbing the tall stems, or by biting them across and 
 breaking them down. It also eats acorns, beech-nuts, chestnuts, and wild 
 berries, while its fondness for the fruit of the "persimmon" tree is almost 
 proverbial. While feeding on those fruits it has been seen hanging by its 
 tail, or its hinder paws, gathering the " persimmons " with its fore-paws, and 
 eating them while thus suspended. It also feeds on various roots, which it 
 digs out of the ground with ease. 
 
 Its gait is usually slow and awkward, but when pursued it runs with con- 
 siderable speed, though in a sufficiently clumsy fashion, caused by its habit 
 of using the limbs of the right and left sides simultaneously in a kind of 
 amble. As, moreover, the creature is plantigrade in its walk, it may be 
 imagined to be anything but elegant in its mode of progress upon the ground. 
 Although it is such an adept at '"possuming," or feigning death, it does not 
 put this ruse in practice until it has used every endeavour to elude its 
 pursuers, and finds that it has no possibility of escape. It runs sulkily and 
 sneakingly forward, looking on every side for some convenient shelter, and 
 seizing the first opportunity of slipping under cover. 
 
 The nest of the Opossum is always made in some protected situation, such 
 as the hollow of a fallen or a standing tree, or under the shelter of some old 
 projecting roots. 
 
 In Merian's Opossum there is no true pouch, and the place of that curious 
 structure is only indicated by a fold of skin, so that during the infancy of 
 its young, the mother is obliged to have recourse to that singular custom 
 which has gained for it the title of dorsigerus, or " back-bearing." At a very 
 early age the young Opossums are shifted to the back of their mother, where 
 they chng tightly to their mother's fur with their little hand-like feet, and 
 further secure themselves by twining their own tails round that of the parent. 
 The little group which is here given was sketched from a stuffed specimen in 
 the British Museum, where the pecuhar altitude of mother and young is 
 wonderfully preserved, when the very minute dimensions of the young 
 Opossums are taken into consideration. 
 
 Many other species of Opossums are in the habit of carrying their young 
 upon their backs, even though they may be furnished with a well-developed 
 pouch ; but in the pouchless Opossums the young are placed on the back at 
 a very early age, and are retained there for a considerable period. 
 
 It is a very small animal, measuring when adult only six inches from the 
 nose to the root of the tail, the tail itself being more than seven inches in 
 length, thus exceeding the united measurement of the head and body. Its 
 general appearance is much like that of a very large mouse or a very small rat- 
 
MERIAN'S OPOSSUM. 
 
 123 
 
 The fur of the Merian's Opossum is very short, and lies closely upon the 
 skin. On the upper portions of the body its colour is a pale greyish brown, 
 fading'below into a yellowish white. Round the eyes is a deep brown mark, 
 which extends forward in front of each eye, and forms a small dark patch. 
 
 merian's opossum. — (Philander dorsigerus.) 
 (Size of Life.) 
 
 The forehead, the upper part of the head, and the cheeks, together with the 
 limbs and feet, are of a yellowish white, tending to grey. 
 
 Towards the base the tail is clothed with hair of the same texture and 
 colour as that of the upptr part of the body, but towards its extremity it 
 becomes white. Its native country is Surinam. 
 
 PHOCID^, OR SEALS. 
 
 We now arrive at a very wonderful series of animals, which, although they 
 breathe atmospheric air like other mammalia, are yet almost entirely aquatic 
 in their habits, and are never seen except in the water or its immediate vicinity. 
 The first family of these aquatic mammalia is that which is formed of the 
 animals which are popularly known by the name of Seals. 
 
 The Common Seal is spread very widely over many portions of the globe, 
 and is of very frequent occurrence upon our own coasts, where it is found in 
 considerable numbers, much to the annoyance of the fishermen, who look 
 upon it with intense hatred, on account of the havoc which it makes among 
 the fish. 
 
 It is rather a handsome animal, with its beautifully mottled skin and large 
 intelligent eyes, and. although not so large as other species which are also 
 found upon the British coasts, yields to none of them in point of beauty. The 
 
124 "THE SEAL. 
 
 colour of its fur is generally of a greyish yellow, sprinkled with spots of 
 brown, or brownish black, which are larger and more conspicuous along the 
 back than upon the sides. The under portions of the body are of a much 
 lighter hue. The feet are short, and the claws of the hinder feet are larger 
 than those of the anterior limbs. The total length of the adult Seal is seldom 
 more than five feet, the head being about eight or nine inches long. 
 
 This creature is wonderfully active both in water and on land, although its 
 bodily powers are but awkwardly manifested when it is removed from the 
 watery element in which it loves to roam. It is a persevering hunter of fish, 
 chasing and securing them in a manner that greatly excites the wrath of the 
 fishermen, who see their best captives taken away from them without the 
 possibihty of resistance. So cunning as well as active is the Common Seal, 
 that one of these animals will coolly hang about the fishing grounds through- 
 out the season, make itself familiar 
 with all the turns and angles of the 
 nets, and avail itself of their help 
 in capturing the fish on which it is 
 desirous to make a meal. 
 
 On the British coasts the chase 
 of the Seal is but of local %nport- 
 ance, but on the shore of Newfound- 
 land it assumes a different aspect, 
 -KPhoca vituHna.) ^"'^ becomes an important branch 
 
 of commercial enterprise, employmg 
 many vessels annually. In a successful season the number of Seals which 
 are taken amount to many hundred thousand. A large quantity of oil is 
 obtained from the bodies of the Seals, and is used for various purposes, 
 while their skins are of considerable value either when tanned into leather 
 or when prepared with the fur and used for making various articles of dress 
 and luxury. 
 
 The Common Seal is very easily tamed, and speedily becomes one of the 
 most docile of animals, attaching itself with strong affection to its himinn 
 friends, and developing a beautifully gentle and loving nature, hardly to .be 
 expected in such an animal. Many of these creatures have been taken when 
 young, and have been strongly domesticated with their captors, considering 
 themselves to belong of right to the household, and taking their share of the 
 fireside with the other members of the family. 
 
 Of late days, performing Seals have come into vogue under various titles, 
 among which the " Talking Fish " is well known. These clever animals have 
 been taught to perform sundry ingenious feats, requiring not only an intelli- 
 gent mind to comprehend, but an activity of body to execute, apparently 
 incompatible with the conformation of the animal. 
 
 Among all the strange forms which are found among the members of the 
 Seal family, there is none which presents a more terribly grotesque appear- 
 ance than that of the WALRUS, MORSE, or Sea Horse, as this extraordinary 
 animal is indifferently termed. 
 
 The most conspicuous part of this animal is the head, with its protuberant 
 muzzle bristling with long wiry hairs, and the enormous canine teeth that 
 project from the upper jaw. These huge teeth measure, in large specimens, 
 from fourteen inches to two feet in length, the girth at the base being nearly 
 seven inches, and their weight upwards of ten pounds each. In ordinary 
 specimens, however, the length is about one foot. In some examples they 
 approach each other towards their points, and in others they diverge consider- 
 ably, forming in the opinion of some writers two distinct species. As. how- 
 ever, the relative position of these teeth varies slightly Ln every spei^misiJ 
 
THE WALRUS. 
 
 «25 
 
 WALRUS, OR MORSE. — [Trichecus 
 Sosmarus.) 
 
 that has yet been examined, the structure seems to be of hardly sufficient 
 importance for the estabhshment of a separate species. The ivory which is 
 furnished by these extraordinary weapons is of very fine quality, and com- 
 mands a high price in the market. 
 
 A Walrus is a valuable animal, for even in this country its skin, teeth, and 
 oil are in much request, while among the Esquimaux its body furnishes them 
 with almost every article in common 
 use. Among civilized men, the skin 
 of the Walrus is employed for har- 
 ness and other similar purposes 
 where a thick and tough hide is 
 required. The tooth furnishes very 
 good ivory, of a beautiful texture, 
 and possessing the advantage of 
 retaining the white hue longer than 
 ivory which is made from the 
 elephant tusk. The oil is delicate, 
 but there is very little to be ob- 
 tained from each Walrus, the layer 
 of fatty matter being scarcely more 
 than a hand's-breadth in thickness. 
 Among the Esquimaux the Walrus 
 is put to a variety of uses. Fish- 
 hooks are made from its tusks, the 
 intestines are twisted into nets, its 
 oil and flesh are eaten, and its bones and skin are also turned to account by 
 these rude but ingenious workmen. 
 
 The Walrus is found in vast herds, which frequent the coasts of the arctic 
 and antarctic regions, and which congregate in such numbers that their 
 united roarings have often given timely warning to fog-bewildered sailors, 
 and acquainted them with the near proximity of shore. These herds present 
 a curious sight, as the huge clumsy animals are ever in movement, rolling 
 and tumbling over each other in a strange fashion, and constantly uttering 
 their hoarse bellowings. 
 
 The movements of the Walrus when on land are of a very clumsy character, 
 as might be supposed from the huge, unwieldy body of the animal, and the 
 evident insufficiency of the limbs to urge the weighty 
 body forward with any speed. When this creature is 
 hurried or alarmed, it contrives to get over the ground 
 at a pace that, although not very rapid, is yet wonder- 
 fully so when the size of the animal is taken into account. 
 The movement is a mixture of jerks and leaps, and the 
 Walrus is further aided in its progress by the tusks. Should 
 it be attacked, and its retreat cut off, the Walrus advances 
 fiercely upon its enemy, striking from side to side with 
 its long tusks, and endeavouring to force a passage into 
 the sea. If it should be successful in its attempt, it hurries to the water's 
 edge, lowers its head, and rolls unceremoniously into the sea, where it is in 
 comparative safety. 
 
 This animal attains to a very great size, so great, indeed, that its dimen- 
 sions can hardly be appreciated except by ocular demonstration. A full- 
 grown male Walrus is generally from twelve to fifteen feet in length, while 
 there are many specimens that have been known to attain a still greater size. 
 The skin is black and smooth, and is sparingly covered with brown hairs/ 
 which become more numerous on the feet. 
 
 WALRUS'S SKOLI,. 
 
126 
 
 THE SEA ELEPHANT. 
 
 Another powerful and grotesque Seal now engages our attention. This 
 'is the Elephant Seal, or Sea Elephant, so called not only on account 
 of the strange prolongation of the nose, which bears some analogy to the 
 proboscis of the elephant, but also on account of its elephantine size. Large 
 specimens of this monstrous Seal measure as much as thirty feet in length, 
 and fifteen or eighteen feet in circumference at the largest part of their bodies. 
 The colour of the Sea Elephant is ather variable, even in individuals of 
 the same sex and age, but is generally as follows. The fur of the male is 
 usually of a blueish grey, which sometimes deepens into dark brown, while 
 that of the female is darker, and variegated with sundry dappHngs of a yellow 
 hue. This animal is an inhabitant of the southern hemisphere, and is spread 
 through a considerable range of country. It is extensively hunted for the 
 sake of its skin and its oil, both of which are of very excellent quality, and, 
 from the enormous size of the animal, can be procured in large quantities. 
 It is not exclusively confined to the sea, but is also fond of haunting fresh- 
 water lakes or swampy ground. 
 
 It is an emigrating animal, moving southwards as the surrmer comes on, 
 and northwards when the cold weather of the winter months would make its 
 
 more southern retreats unendurable. 
 Their first emigration is generally 
 made in the middle of June, when 
 the females become mothers, and 
 remain in charge of their nurseries 
 for nearly two months. During 
 this time the males are said to form 
 a cordon between their mates and 
 the sea, in order to prevent them 
 from deserting their young charges. 
 At the expiration of this time, the 
 males relax their supervision, and 
 the whole family luxuriates together 
 in the sea, where the mothers soon 
 regain their lost condition. They 
 then seek the shore afresh, and 
 occupy themselves in settling their 
 matrimonial alliances, which are 
 understood on the principle that the strongest shall make his choice among 
 the opposite sex, and that the weakest may take those that are rejected 
 by his conquerors, or none at all, as the case may be. 
 
 During the season of courtship the males fight desperately with each other, 
 inflicting fearful wounds with their tusk-like teeth, while the females remain 
 aloof, as quiet spectators of the combat. They are polygamous animals, 
 each male being lord over a considerable number of females, whom he rules 
 with despotic sway. When the victorious combatants have chosen their 
 mates they are very careful about their safety, and refuse to quit them if they 
 should be in any danger. Knowing this fact, the seal-hunters always direct 
 their attacks upon the females, being sure to capture the male afterwards. If 
 they were to kill the male at first, his harem would immediately disperse and 
 fly in terror, but as long as he lives they will continue to crowd round him. 
 Although these animals are of so great dimensions and bodily strength, and 
 are furnished with a very formidable set of teeth, they are not nearly such 
 dangerous antagonists as the walrus, and are most apathetic in their habits, 
 '^'hen roused from sleep they open their mouths in a threatening manner, but 
 do not seem to think of using their teeth, and if they find that their disturb' rs 
 do not run away, they take that office upon themselves, and move off deliber- 
 
 SEA ELEPidAiST. — (jUaninga probosddea.) 
 
THE WHALE. 
 
 127 
 
 ately for the water. As they proceed their huge bodies tremble like masses of 
 jelly, in consequence of the fat with which they are so heavily laden. So 
 plentiful is this fat, that a single adult male will furnish about seventy gallons 
 of clear and scentless oiL 
 
 WHALES. 
 
 The Cetacea, or Whales, are more thoroughly aquatic than any other 
 animals which have already been described, and are consequently framed in 
 such a very fish-like manner that they have generally been considered as 
 fishes by those who are but little acquainted with the animal kingdom. The 
 entire livelihood of the Whale is obtained in the waters, and their entire 
 structure is only fitted for traversing the waves, so that if they should happen 
 to be cast upon the shore they have no means of regaining their native 
 element, and are sure to perish miserably from hunger. 
 
 When the Whales breathe, they are forced to rise to the surface of the sea, 
 and there make a number of huge respirations, which are technically called 
 " spoutings," because a column of mixed vapour and water is ejected from 
 the nostrils, or " blow-holes," and spouts upwards to a great height, some- 
 times as much as twenty feet. In order to enable the animal to respire 
 without exposing itself unnecessarily, the " blow-holes " are placed on the 
 upper part of the head, so that when a Whale is reposing itself on the surface 
 of the sea, there is very little of its huge carcass visible, except the upper 
 portion of the head and a part of the back. The " spoutings " are made with 
 exceeding violence, and can be heard at some distance. 
 
 The limbs of the Whales are so modified in their form that they can hardly 
 be recognised by their external appearance alone as the limbs of a 
 veritable mammal. In shape they closely resemble the fins of fish, and it 
 is not until they are stripped of the thick skin which envelopes them that 
 the true limb is developed. They are, in fact, abnormal developments of 
 the legs in order to suit an aquatic life, just as are the wings of the bat for 
 an aerial life. The chief use of these organs seems to be that they assist the 
 animal in preserving its position in the water, for the huge carcass rolls over 
 on its back as soon as it is deprived of the balancing-power of its fins. They 
 are also employed for the purpose of grasping 
 the young whenever the mother Whale is 
 anxious for the safety of her offspring, but 
 they are of little use in urging the animal 
 through the water, that duty being almost 
 entirely performed by the tail. 
 
 The skin of the Whales is devoid of hair, 
 and is of a rather peculiar structure, as is need- 
 ful to enable it to resist the enormous pressure 
 to which it is constantly subjected at the vast 
 depths to which the animal descends. The 
 skin is threefold, consisting first of the scarf- 
 skin, or epidermis ; secondly, of the rete- 
 mucosum, which gives colour to the animal ; 
 and thirdly, of the true skin, which is modi- 
 fied in order to meet the needs of the creature 
 which it defends. The blubber, indeed, is nothing more than the true skin, 
 which is composed of a number of interlacing fibres, capable of containing 
 a very great amount of oily matter. This blubber is never less than several 
 inches in thickness, and in many places is nearly two feet deep, and as 
 
 FLIPPER OF THE WHALE. 
 
128 
 
 THE GREENLAND WHALE. 
 
 elastic as caoutchouc, offering an admirable resistance to the force of the 
 waves and the pressure of the water. In a large Whale the blubber will 
 weigh thirty tons. 
 
 The Greenland Whale, Northern Whale, or Right Whale, as it 
 is indifferently termed, is an inhabitant of the Northern Seas, where it is still 
 
 found in great abund- 
 ance, although the con- 
 stant persecutions to 
 which it has been sub- 
 jected have consider- 
 ably thinned its num- 
 bers. 
 
 This animal is, when 
 fully grown, about sixty 
 or seventy feet in 
 length, and its girth 
 about thirty or forty 
 feet. Its colour is vel- 
 vety black upon the 
 upper part of the body, 
 the fins, and the tail ; 
 grey upon the junction 
 of the tail with the 
 body and the base of 
 the fins, and white 
 upon the abdomen and 
 the fore-part of the 
 lower jaw. The velvety 
 aspect of the body is 
 caused by the oil which exudes from the epidermis, and aids in destroying 
 the friction of the water. Its head is remarkably large, being one-third of 
 the length of the entire bulk. The jaw opens very far back, and in a large 
 
 Whale is about sixteen 
 feet in length, seven 
 feet wide, and ten or 
 twelve feet in height, 
 affording space, as has 
 been quaintly remark- 
 ed, for a jolly-boat and 
 her crew to float in. 
 
 The most curious 
 part of the jaw and 
 its structure is the 
 remarkable substance 
 which is popularly 
 known by the name of 
 whalebone. 
 
 The whalebone, or 
 baleen, is found in a 
 series of plates, thick 
 and solid at the inser- 
 tion into the jaw, and 
 splitting at the extremity into a multitude of hair-like fringes. On each 
 side of the jaw there are more than three hundred of these plates, which in 
 a fine specimen are about ten or twelve feet long^ and eleven inches wide 
 
 THE WHAI.E. — (BaliEna mystkeius.) 
 
 SKULL OF GREENLAND WHALE. 
 
THE SPERMACETI WHALE. 129 
 
 at their base. The weight of baleen which is furnished by a large Whale 
 is, about one ton. This substance does not take its origin directly from the 
 gum, but from a peculiar vascular formation which rests upon it. These 
 masses of baleen are placed along the sides of the mouth for the purpose of 
 aiding the Whale in procuring its food and separating it from the water. 
 
 The mode of feeding which is adopted by the Whale is as follows. The 
 animal frequents those parts of the ocean which are the best supplied with the 
 various creatures on which it feeds, and which are all of very small size, as is 
 needful from the size of its gullet, which is not quite two inches in diameter. 
 Small shrimps, crabs, and lobsters, together with various molluscs and 
 medusae, form the diet on which the vast bulk of the Greenland Whale is 
 sustained. Driving with open mouth through the congregated shoals of 
 these little creatures, the Whale engulphs them by millions in its enormous 
 jaws, and continues its destructive course until it has sufficiently charged its 
 mouth with prey. Closing its jaws and driving out through the interstices of 
 the whalebone the water which it has taken together with its prey, it retains 
 the captured animals which are entangled in the whalebone, and swallows 
 them at its ease. 
 
 The Whale is an animal of very great value to civilized and to savage men. 
 The oil which is procured in great quantities from its blubber and other 
 portions of its structure is almost invaluable to us, while the bones and 
 baleen find their use in every civilized land. To the natives of the polar 
 regions, however, the Whale is of still greater value, as they procuie many 
 necessaries of life from various parts of its body, eat the flesh, and drink the 
 oil. Repulsive as such a diet may appear to us who live in a comparatively 
 warm region, it is an absolute necessity in those ice-bound lands, such 
 oleaginous diet being needful in order to keep up the heat of the body by a 
 bountiful supply of carbon. 
 
 As far as is yet known, the Greenland Whale produces only a single cub 
 at a birth. When first born, the young Whale is without the baleen, 
 depending upon its mother for its subsistence like any other young mammal. 
 The maternal Whale keeps close to her offspring until the baleen is grown, 
 and does not forsake it until it is capable of supporting itself The young 
 Whales, before the baleen has developed itself, are technically termed 
 " suckers," and when the baleen is six feet in length they are called by the 
 name of " size." 
 
 The Cachalot, or Spermaceti Whale, is one of the largest of the 
 Whales, an adult male, or "old bull," as it is called by the whalers, measuring 
 froni seventy to eighty feet in length, and thirty feet in circumference. The 
 head is enormously long, being almost equal to one-third of the total length. 
 Upon the back there is rather a large hump, which rises abruptly in front 
 and tapers gradually towards the tail. The colour of the Cachalot is a 
 blackish grey, somewhat tinged with green upon the upper portions of the 
 body. Round the eyes and on the abdomen it is of a greyish white. 
 
 This species is chiefly notable on. account of the valuable substances which 
 are obtained from its body, including oil and spermaceti. The oil is obtained 
 from the blubber, which is not very thick in this animal, being only fourteen 
 inches in depth on the breast and eleven inches on the other parts of the 
 body, and is therefore not so abundant in proportion to the size of the 
 animal as that which is extracted from the Greenland Whale. Its superior 
 quality, however, compensates fully for its deficiency in qjiantity. The layer 
 of blubber is by the whalers technically called the " blanket," probably in 
 allusion to its office in preserving the animal heat. 
 
 The spermaceti is almost peculiar to a few species of the genus Catodon, 
 and is obtained as follows: — 
 
THE SPERMACETI WHALE. 
 
 « 
 
 ^^?i^ 
 
 "r"*XT«,|*n>.„ 
 
 
 
 The enormous and curiously formed head is the great receptacle of (hp 
 spermaceti, which lies in a liquid oily state, in two great cavities that exist 
 in the huge mass of tendinous substance of which the head is chiefly com- 
 posed. When the Whale is killed and towed to the ship's side, the head is 
 cut off and affixed to tackles for the purpose of supporting it in a convenient 
 
 position for the extrac- 
 tion of this valuable 
 ^ ~* substance. A large 
 
 ■"'■^' ---, hole is cut in the top 
 
 of the head, and a 
 number of sailors lower 
 their buckets into the 
 cavity and bale out the 
 liquid matter. 
 
 When first exposed 
 to the air it has a clear 
 oily appearance, but 
 after it has been sub- 
 jected to the action of 
 the atmosphere for a 
 few hours, the sperma- 
 ceti begins to separate 
 itself from the oil, and 
 in a short time is suffi- 
 ciently firm to be re- 
 moved and put into a 
 different vesseL 
 
 The amount of sper- 
 maceti which is pro- 
 duced from the head of a single Whale is very large indeed. From a 
 Cachalot that only measured sixty four feet in length, and was therefore by 
 
 no means a large 
 one, twenty- four 
 barrels of sperma- 
 ceti and nearly one 
 hundred barrels of 
 oil were obtained. 
 
 Ambergris, that 
 curious substance 
 whose origin so long 
 baffled the keenest 
 inquirers, and which 
 was formerly only 
 found at rare inter- 
 vals floating on the 
 waves or cast upon 
 the shore, is now 
 often discovered 
 
 within the intestines of the Cachalot, and is supposed to be a morbid secretion 
 peculiar to the animal, and analogous to biliary calculi. Fifty pounds weight 
 of this substance have been found in a single Whale, and on one occasion a 
 single piece of ambergris of the same weight was discovered on the coast of 
 the Bermudas by some sailors, who immediately deserted their ship and 
 escaped to England with their valuable prize. The value of the ambergris is 
 rather variable, but it is always a costly article. 
 
 SPERMACETI WHALE. — (tdloJou Macrociphalus.) 
 
 SKULI, OF SPERMACETI WHALli. 
 
THE KARWHAL. 131 
 
 The Spermaceti Whale, when it is in the open seas, h'ves chiefly on the 
 " squids," or cuttle-fish, which swarm in that ocean, and, when it approaches 
 land, feeds on various fish. It seems, however, to dislike the propinquity of 
 the shore, and is very seldom taken in "soundings." It is a gregarious 
 animal, being seldom seen alone, but in large herds, technically called 
 " schools," and consisting of several hundred in number. The " schools " 
 are generally divided into two bands, the one consisting of young males and 
 the other of females. Each band of females is under the command of several 
 large males, who exercise the strictest discipline over their harems, and will 
 not permit any intruder to join their society. From their office, these leaders 
 are called the schoolmasters. 
 
 The teeth of the Spermaceti Whale are conical and slightly curved, some- 
 times reaching the length of some eight or nine inches. To Europeans these 
 teeth are of great value, but to the Fijians, Tongans, &c., they are almost 
 priceless, a single tooth being thought a present fit for one king to make to 
 another, or to be laid up in a temple as an offering to the idol. 
 
 The Spermaceti Whale does not seem to choose any particular portion of 
 the year for the production of its youn.;, but is found at all seasons in 
 charge" of its offspring. Moreover, young Whales, or " cubs," are found at 
 all sizes and ages simultaneously roaming the seas, either in company with 
 their parents or turned loose upon the world to shift for themselves. There 
 is but a single cub at a birth. The milk of the animal is exceedingly rich 
 and thick, as indeed is the case with the milk of all Whales. 
 
 This animal is very widely spread over the world, as it is found in almost 
 every portion of the aqueous portions of the globe, with the exception of the 
 Polar Seas. Several of these creatures have been discovered off our own 
 coasts, and a few have been stranded on the beach. A Cachalot measuring 
 fifty-four feet in length was driven ashore in the Firth of Forth in 1769, 
 and its appearance off the Orkneys is said to be no very uncommon occurrence. 
 
 DOLPHINS. 
 
 The members of this family do not possess the enormous head which 
 characterizes the true whales, and have teeth in both jaws, although they 
 are liable to fall out at an early age. The blow-holes are united together, so 
 as to form a single semilunar opening, which is set transversely on the 
 crown of the head. 
 
 The word Narwhal is derived from the Gothic, signifying "beaked 
 whale," and is a very appropriate term for the Sea Unicorn, as the animal 
 is popularly entitled. The head of the Narwhal is round, and convex in 
 front, the lower jaw being without teeth, and not so wide as the upper jaw. 
 From the upper jaw of the Narwhal springs the curious weapon which has 
 gained for the animal a world-wide reputation. 
 
 In the upper jaw of the young or the female Narwhal are found two small 
 or hollow tusks, imbedded in the bone, which, in the female, are generally 
 undeveloped throughout the whole of the animal's existence, but in the male 
 Narwhal are strangely modified. The right tusk remains in its infantine 
 state, excepting that the hollow becomes filled with bony substance ; but the 
 left tusk rapidly increases in length, and is developed into a long, spiral, 
 tapering rod of ivory, sometimes attaining to the length of eight or ten feet. 
 The tusks are supposed to be formed by an excessive growth of the canine 
 teeth, and not of the incisors, as might be supposed from the position which 
 they occupy in the jaw. 
 
 K 3 
 
134 
 
 THE NARWHAL. 
 
 The food of the Narwiial consists chiefly of marine molluscs and of 
 occasional fish, but is found to be generally composed of the same kind of 
 squid, or cuttle-fish, which supplies the gigantic spermaceti whale with 
 subsistence. As the remains of several flat fish have been discovered in 
 the stomach of the Narwhal, it was supposed by some authors that the 
 animal made use of its tusk as a fish-spear, transfixing them as they lay 
 " sluddering"on the mud or sand, after their usual fashion, thus preventing 
 their escape from the toothless mouth into which the wounded fish are then 
 received. However this may be, the force of the tusk is terrific when urged 
 with the impetus of the creature driving through the water at full speed, for 
 the whole combined power of the weight and velocity of the animal is 
 directed along the line of the tusk. A Narwhal has been known to encounter 
 
 a ship, and to drive 
 
 ^#- 
 
 NARWHAL. — (MSnodon Mon6cei-os.) 
 
 its tusk through the 
 sheathing, and deeply 
 into the timbers. The 
 shock was probably 
 fatal to the assailant, 
 for the tooth was 
 snapped by the sudden 
 blow, remaining in the 
 hole which it had made 
 and acting as a plug 
 that effectually pre- 
 vented the water from 
 gaining admission into 
 the vessel. 
 
 The ivory of the 
 Narwhal's tusk is re- 
 markably good in 
 quality, being hard 
 and solid, capable of 
 receiving a high polish, 
 and possessing the 
 property of retaining 
 its beautiful whiteness 
 
 for a very long period, so that a large Narwhal horn is of no inconsiderable 
 commercial value. 
 
 The nati\e Greenlanders hold the Narwhal in high estimation ; for, 
 independently of its value, it is welcomed each succeeding year as the 
 harbinger of the Greenland Whale. 
 
 The oil which is extracted from the blubber is very delicate, but is not 
 present in very great amount, as the coating of fatly substance is seldom more 
 than three inches in depth. About half a ton of oil is obtained from a large 
 specimen. The flesh is much prized by the natives, and is not only eaten in 
 its fresh state, but is carefully dried and prepared over the fire. 
 
 The colour of this animal is almost entirely black upon the upper surface 
 of the body, but is slightly varied by streaks and patches of a deeper tint. 
 The sides fade into greyish white, diversified with sundry grey marks, and 
 the under portions of the body are white. 
 
 Most familiar of all the Dolphin fraternity is the well-known PORPOISE, 
 or Sea Hog, an animal which may be seen on any of our coasts, tumbling 
 about on the waves and executing various gambols in the exuberance of its 
 sportive feelings. 
 
 The Porpoise is a very gregarious animal, herding together in large shoals, 
 
THE PORPOISE. 13,^ 
 
 and sometimes swimming in " Indian file " as they shojt over llie surface of 
 the sea, just showing their blacl': and glossy backs above the water, and 
 keeping such excellent line that they seem to be animated by one spirit and 
 one will. 
 
 As might be presumed from the formidable array of sharp teeth with which 
 tbe jaws are studded, and which are so arranged that the upper and lower 
 sets interlock when the animal closes its mouth, the food of the Porpoise 
 consists entirely of animal substances, and almost wholly of fish, which it 
 consumes in large quantities, much to the disgust of human fishermen. 
 Herrings, pilchards, sprats, and other saleable fish are in great favour with 
 the Porpoise, which pursues its finny prey to the very shores, and, driving 
 among the vast shoals in which these fish congregate, destroys enormous 
 quantities of them. The fish are 
 conscious of the presence of their 
 destroyer, and flee before it in 
 terror, often flinging themselves into 
 the certain death of nets or shallow 
 water in their hope to escape from 
 the devouring jaws of the Porpoise. 
 Even salmon and such large fish 
 fall frequent victims to their pur- 
 suer, which twists, turns, and leaps „,„„„,„„ „„ ,„„„ /n; 
 
 .^,' , ,• ' . '.,., ., f.^ PORPOISE, OR PORPESSE. — {Phoccena 
 
 with such continuous agility that it 
 is more than a match for its swift 
 
 coinjutifiis.) 
 
 and nimble prey. Not even the marvellous leaping powers of the salmon 
 are sufficient to save them from the voracious Porpoise, which is not to be 
 baffled by any such impotent devices. 
 
 The Porpoise seems to keep closely to the coasts, and is seldom seen in 
 mid-ocean. It appears to be a migratory animal, as the season of its dis- 
 appearance from one locality generally coincides with its arrival on some 
 other coast. It is very widely spread, appearing to inhabit with equal security 
 the warm waters of the Mediterranean, the cool seas of our own coasts, or the 
 icy regions of the high latitudes. 
 
 The length of a full-grown Porpoise is extremely variable, the average 
 being from six to eight feet. The colour of the Porpoise is a blue-black on 
 the upper surface of the body, and a bright silvery white below ; so that when 
 the animal executes one of its favourite gyrations the contrasting tints produce 
 a strange effect as they rapidly succeed each other. The iris of the eye is 
 yellowish. 
 
 The word Porpoise is corrupted from the French term Porc-poisson, 
 i.e. " Hog fish," and bears the same signification as its German name, 
 Meerschivein. 
 
 The Dolphin is remarkable for the enormous number of teeth which stud 
 its mouth, no less than forty-seven being found on each side of both jaws, 
 the full complement being one hundred and ninety. In the head of one 
 specimen were found fifty teeth on each side of each jaw, making a comple- 
 ment of two hundred in all. Between each tooth there is a space equal to the 
 width of a single tooth, so that when the animal closes its mouth the teeth of 
 both jaws interlock perfectly. All the teeth are sharply pointed and flattened, 
 and slightly curved backwards, so that the entire apparatus is wonderfully 
 adapted for the retention of the slippery marine creatures on which the 
 Dolphin feeds. Fish of various kinds form the usual diet of the Dolphin, 
 which especially delights in the flat fishes of our coasts, and often prowls 
 about the shoals of herrings and pilchards that periodically reach our shores. 
 
 The Dolphin is not a very large animal, measuring, when fully grown, from 
 
"*%=._ 
 
 J34 THE DOLPHm. 
 
 six to ten feet in length, seven feet being tlie usual average. Tts colour is 
 black upon the back, and silvery white upon the abdomen ; while the flanks 
 are greyish white. The beautiful colours which have been said to play about 
 
 the body of a dying Dolphin are 
 not entirely mythical, but belong 
 rightly to one of the fishes, the 
 coryphene, or dorado, which is 
 popularly called the Dolphin by 
 sailors. 
 
 The eyes of the Dolphin are 
 small, and are supphed with eye- 
 lids ; the pupil of the eye is heart- 
 shaped. The ears have but a very 
 vio\.VA\v..—\va^,unusDelphis.) minute external aperture, barely 
 
 admitting an ordinary pin. 
 It is a lively and playful animal, and being remarkably active in its native 
 element, is fond of gambolling among the waves, and engaging in various 
 sports with its companions. Being of a very gregarious nature, it is seldom 
 seen alone, but prefers to associate in little flocks or herds, and is in the habit 
 of accompanying ships for considerable distances, hovering about the vessel 
 and executing various strange manoeuvres. 
 
 The Dolphin only produces a single young one at a time, and nurses her 
 offspring with exceeding tenderness and assiduity. 
 
 The common Dolphin is found in the European seas, and in the Atlantic 
 and the Mediterranean, and may possibly have a still wider range. 
 
 RODENTS. 
 
 The Rodents, or gnawing animals, derive their name from the peculiar 
 structure of their teeth, which are specially fitted for gnawing their way 
 through hard substances. The jaws of the Rodents are heavily made, and 
 very large in proportion to the head, their size being not only needful for the 
 si'j^port of the gnawing teeth, but for their continual development. There 
 an no canines, but a wide gap exists between the incisors and the molars, 
 which are nearly flat on their surfaces, and are well suited for grinding the 
 soft substances on which these animals feed. 
 
 The structure of the chisel-edged incisor teeth is very wonderful, and may 
 be easily understood by inspecting the teeth of a rat, mouse, hare, or rabbit. 
 
 As their teeth are continually worn out by the severe friction which they 
 undergo continually, there must needs be some provision for renewing their 
 substance, or the creature would soon die of starvation. In order to obviate 
 this calamity, the base of the incisor teeth pass deeply into the jaw-bone, 
 where they are continually nourished by a kind of pulpy substance from which 
 the tooth is formed, and which adds fresh material in proportion to the daily 
 waste. 
 
 Something more is needed for the well-being of the animal than the mere 
 growth of its teeth ; for unless their chisel-like edges were continually kept 
 sharp, they would he of little use for cutting their way through the hard 
 substances which the Rodents are in the habit of gnawing. This result is 
 attained as follows : — 
 
 The enamel which covers the front face of the incisor teeth is much harder 
 than that which is laid upon the remaining surfaces, while the dentine which 
 makes up the solid mass of each tooth is also harder in front than behind. 
 It is evident that when these teeth are employed in their usual task, the softer 
 
THE RAT. 135 
 
 enamel and dentine are worn away very much more rapidly than the remainder 
 of the teeth, so that the pecuhar chisel-edge of the teeth is contmually 
 preserved. Following— perhaps unconsciously— the structure of these teeth, 
 our cutlers have long been accustomed to make their chisels on the same 
 principle; a thin plate of steel bemg strengthened with a thick backing 
 of iron. 
 
 The Rodent animals are widely spread over the entire globe, and are very 
 numerous, comprising nearly one-third of the mammalia. 
 
 Few animals are so well known or so thoroughly detested as the common 
 Brown Rat, or Norway Rat, as it is sometimes erroneously called. 
 
 It is an exceedingly voracious animal, eating all kmds of strange food, and 
 not sparing its own species in times of scarcity. I'he havoc which an army 
 of Rats will make among the corn-ricks is ahnost incredible, while they carry 
 on their depredation with so much secrecy that an unpractised eye would 
 think the stacks to be sound and unharmeJ. Fortunately they can easily be 
 dislodged from any rick by taking it do.vn and replacing it on proper 
 " staddles," taking great care that no stray weeds or branches atlord a loot- 
 hold to these persevering marauders. While the rick is bemg rebuilt, no 
 particular care need be taken to shake the Rats out of the sheaves, for, as 
 they are thirsty animals, they will 
 be forced to leap from the stack 
 in search of water, and then will 
 not be able to return. 
 
 Mice can subsist in a stack by 
 means of the rain and dew which 
 moisten the thatch, and may be 
 often seen licking the straws in 
 
 order to quench their thirst. But 
 
 the Rats are less tolerant of thirst, ^^^ j^at.-{Mus D^cumanus.) 
 
 and are lorced to evacuate their 
 premises. When mice and Rats aire found inhabiting the same stack, the 
 former animals reside in the upper parts, and the Rats in the lower. 
 
 Rats are not without their use, especially in large towns, which but for 
 their never-failing appetites would often be in very sad case. Taking for 
 example the metropolis itself, we find that the sewers which underlie its whole 
 extent are inhabited by vast hordes of Rats, which perform the office of 
 scavengers by devouring the mass of vegetable and animal offal which is daily 
 cast into those subterranean passages, and which would speedily breed a 
 pestilence were it not removed by the ready teeth of the Rats. So that, when 
 kept within proper bounds, the Rat is a most useful animal, and will continue 
 to be so until the drainage of towns is constructed in a different manner. 
 
 Rats are very cleanly animals, always washing themselves after every meal, 
 and displaying the greatest assiduity in making their toilet. They also exhibit 
 considerable delicacy of palate wherever they find a sufficiency of provisions, 
 although they are in no way nice in their diet when pressed by hunger. If, 
 for example, a party of Rats discover an entrance into a butcher's storehouse, 
 they are sure to attack the best parts of the meat, utterly disdaining the neck, 
 the shin, or other coarse pieces. 
 
 ■ There is one peculiarity in the structure of the Rat which is worthy of 
 notice. These animals are able not only to ascend a perpendicular tree or 
 wall by the aid of their sharp hooked claws, but also to descend head fore- 
 most with perfect ease. In order to enable them to perform this feat, their 
 hind legs are so made that the feet can be turned outwards, and the claws 
 hitched upon any convenient projections. 
 
 However unpromising a subject the Rat may appear, it has often been tamed, 
 
136 
 
 THE MOUSE. 
 
 THE MOUSE. — {Mils M-iisculus.) 
 
 and is a very much more educatable animal than could be supposed. It will 
 obey its master's commands with promptitude, and has been known to learn 
 very curious tricks. 
 
 For further information on this subject the reader is referred to a work 
 published by Messrs. Routledge and Co., entitled "The Rat," by James 
 Rodwell, in which may be found an elaborate account of the animal and its 
 habits, together with much curious and original information. 
 
 " Y' little vulgar MOUSE," as it is quaintly termed by old Topsel, is a truly 
 pretty little creature, with its brown-grey back, grey throat and abdomen, soft 
 velvety fur, its little bright black bead-like eyes, and squirrel-like paws. A 
 
 detailed description of so familiar 
 an animal would be quite unneces- 
 sary, and we will therefore proceed 
 to its habits and manners. 
 
 Like the rat, it frequents both 
 town and country, doing an infinity 
 of damage in the former, but com- 
 paratively little harm in the latter. 
 In the country it attaches itself 
 mostly to farmyards, where it gains 
 access to the ricks, and, when once 
 firmly established, is not so easily 
 dislodged as its larger relative the rat. However, if the rick be kept under 
 cover, the Mice cannot make any lengthened stay, for the cover keeps off the 
 rain, on which they chiefly depend for drink, and they are then obliged to 
 leave the stack in search of water. If the rick be placed on staddles, it will 
 then be safe from these little pests. 
 
 They are odd little animals, and full of the quaintest gamesomeness, 
 as may be seen by anyone who will only sit quite still and watch them 
 as they run about a room which they specially affect. They are to the 
 full as inquisitive as cats, and will examine any new piece of furniture with 
 great curiosity. 
 
 The Mouse is a marvellously prolific animal, producing its young several 
 times in the course of the year, and at a very early age. The nests are made 
 in any sheltered spot, and formed from any soft substance, such as rags, 
 paper, or wool, that the mother can procure. 
 
 Smallest, and perhaps the prettiest, of the British mammalia, the elegant 
 little Harvest Mouse next claims our attention. The total length of this tiny 
 creature is not quite five inches, its tail being nearly two inches and a half in 
 length. The colour of its fur is a deUcate reddish brown, the base of each 
 hair taking the darker tint and the point warming into red, while the under 
 parts of the abdomen are white. The line of demarcation between the brown 
 and white is well defined. 
 
 The description which is given of the Harvest Mouse and its wonderful 
 nest, by the Rev. Gilbert White, is so well known that it need only be 
 casually mentioned. I have fortunately had opportunities of verifying his 
 observations by means of a nest which was found in a field in Wiltshire by 
 some mowers. 
 
 Independently of its small size, the Harvest Mouse may be distinguished 
 from a young ordinary Mouse by its short ears, narrow head, slender body, 
 and less projecting eyes. 
 
 The short, sturdy, stupid rodent which is so famous under the name of 
 the Hamster is widely spread over many parts of Northern Europe, where 
 it is an absolute pest to the agriculturists, who wage unceasing war against 
 so destructive an anmial. Before proceeding to the habits and character 
 
THE HAMSTER. 
 
 137 
 
 of the Hamster, a short description of its external appearance will be 
 necessary. 
 
 The colour of its fur is a greyish fawn on the back, deepening into black 
 on the under portions of the body, and softening into a yellow hue upon the 
 head and face. The otherwise uniform tinting of the fur is relieved by some 
 patches of whitish yellow upon the cheeks, shoulders, and sides. The 
 creature is furnished with two large cheek-pouches, which are capable 
 
 of containing a considerable 
 amount of food, and which can 
 be inflated with air at the plea- 
 sure of the animal. The length 
 of the adult Hamster is about 
 fifteen inches, the tail being only 
 three inches long. 
 
 The Hamster is most destruc- 
 tive to the crops, whether of 
 corn, peas, or beans, and, when 
 the autumn approaches, begins 
 to plunder the fields in a most 
 systematic manner, for the pur- 
 pose of laying up a winter store 
 of provisions. By dint of dexter- 
 ous management, the animal 
 fills its cheek-pouches with grain, 
 pressing it firmly with its paws, 
 so as to lose no space, and then 
 carries off its plunder to its 
 subterranean treasury, where it 
 disgorges the contents of the 
 pouches, and returns for another 
 supply. The husbandmen are 
 so well aware of this propensity 
 that they search after the habita- 
 tion of the Hamster after the 
 harvest is over, and often re- 
 cover considerable quantities 
 of the stolen grain. The de- 
 structive capability of the animal 
 may be gathered from the fact 
 that a single Hamster has been 
 known to hoard no less than 
 sixty pounds of corn in its 
 home, while a hundredweight 
 of beans have been recovered 
 from the storehouses of another 
 specimen. 
 
 HARVEST uovs¥..—(Micromys mimitus.) The skin of the Hamster is 
 
 of some value in commerce, so 
 that the hunters make a double use of a successful chase, for they not 
 only recover the stolen property of the agriculturist, but gain some profit by 
 selling the skins. 
 
 There are many animals which have been saddled with a bad reputation 
 merely on account of an unfortunate resemblance to another animal of really 
 evil character. Among these misused innocents the WATER VoLE, popularly 
 called the Water Rat, is very conspicuous, as the poor creature has been 
 
138 
 
 THE WATER VOLE. 
 
 commonly supposed to be guilty of various poaching exploits which were 
 really achieved by the ordinary brown rat. 
 
 It is quite true that rats are often seen on the river-banks in the act of 
 eating captured fish, but these culprits are only tht brown rats which have 
 
 HAMSTER. — {Cricftus frumeniarius.) 
 
 migrated from the farmyards for the summer months, and intend to return 
 as soon as autumn sets in. 'ihe food of the true Water Rat, or Water Vole, 
 as it is more correctly named, is chiefly of a vegetable nature, and consists 
 almost entirely of various aquatic plants and roots. The common " mare's- 
 
 WATER VOLE. — (Arvicola nmfihibius.) 
 
 tail," or Equisetum, is a favourite article of diet with the Water Vole, and I 
 have often seen it feeding on the bark of the common rush. Many years 
 ago I shot a Water Vole as it was sitting upon a water-lily leaf and engasred 
 in eating the green seeds ; and on noticing the kind of diet un which ihs 
 
THE CAMPAGNOL. 
 
 139 
 
 animal was feeding, I determined to watch the little creatures with more care. 
 Mv own testimony coincides precisely with those of other observers, for I 
 never yet saw the true snub-nosed, short-eared, yellow-toothed Vole engaged 
 in eating animal food, although the brown rat may be often detected in such 
 an act. 
 
 Many communications have been made to me on the subject, written for 
 the most part by persons who have seen water-side rats engaged in catching 
 and eating fish, and have thought that the delinquents were the true Water 
 Vole. Indeed, the Vole is allied very closely to the beaver, and partakes of 
 the vegetarian character of that animal. 
 
 The colour of the Water Vole is a chestnut brown, dashed with grey on 
 the upper parts and fading to grey below. The ears are so short that they 
 are hardly perceptible above the fur. The incisor teeth are of a light yellow, 
 and are very thick and strong. The tail is shorter than that of the common 
 rat, hardly exceeding half the length of the head and body. The average 
 length of a full-grown Water Vole is thirteen inches, the tail being about four 
 inches and three-quarters long. 
 
 CAMPAGNOL. — {A vicola arvdUs.) 
 
 The Campagnol, or Short-tailed Field Mouse, is even more destruc- 
 tive in the open meadows than the common grey mouse in the barns or ricks ; 
 for, not contenting itself with plundering the ripened crops of autumn, it 
 burrows beneath the ground at sowing time, and devours the seed-wheat 
 which has just been laid in the earth. Besides these open-air depredations, 
 it makes inroads into ricks and barns, and by dint of multitudinous numbers 
 does very great harm. 
 
 The colour of the Campagnol is ruddy brown on the upper surface of the 
 body, and grey on the abdomen and chest. The ears are rounded and very 
 small, closely resembling those of the water vole. The tail is only one-third 
 the length of the body, and the total length of the animal is rather more than 
 five inches. As it belongs to the same genus as the water vole, and is very 
 closely related to that animal, it sometimes goes by the name of Field Vo!e. 
 
 Ai' uncertain and distant intervals of time, many of the northern parts of 
 
I40 
 
 THE LEMMING. 
 
 Europe, such as Lapland, Norway, and Sweden, are subjected to a strange 
 invasion. Hundreds of little, dark, mouse-like animals sweep over the land, 
 like clouds of locusts suddenly changed into quadrupeds, coming from some 
 unknown home, and going no one knows whither. These creatures are the 
 Lemmings, and their sudden appearances are so entirely mysterious, that the 
 Norwegians look upon them as having been rained from the clouds upon the 
 earth. 
 
 Driven onvirards by some overpowering instinct, these vast hordes travel 
 in a straight line, permitting nothing but a smooth perpendicular wall or rock 
 to turn them from their course. If they should happen to meet with any 
 living being, they immediately attack, knowing no fear, but only urged by 
 undiscriminating rage. Any river or lake they swim without hesitation, and 
 rather seem to enjoy the water than to fear it. If a stack or a corn-rick 
 should stand in their way, they settle the matter by eating their way through 
 
 -(My ides Leinmus.) 
 
 it, and will not be turned from their direct course even by fire. The country 
 over which they pass is utterly devastated by them, and it is said that cattle 
 will not touch the grass on which a Lemming has trodden. 
 
 These migrating hosts are accompanied by clouds of predaceous birds, and 
 by many predaceous quadrupeds, who find a continual feast spread for them 
 as long as the Lemmings are on their pilgrimage. While they are crossing 
 the rivers or lakes, the fish come in for their share of the banquet, and make 
 great havoc among their columns. It is a very remarkable fact that the rein- 
 deer is often seen in chase of the Lemmines ; and the Norwegians say that 
 the deer is in the habit of eating them. This statement, however, seems to 
 be rather of doubtful character. The termination of these extraordinary 
 migrations is generally in the sea, where the survivors ol the much-reduced 
 ranks finally perish. Mr. Lloyd mentions that just before his visit to Werme- 
 land, the Lemming had overrun the whole country- The primary cause 
 of these strange migrations is generally thought to be hunger. It is fortunate 
 for the country that these razzias only occur at rare intervals, a space of 
 soniQ \<in or fifteen years generally elapsing between them, as if to fill up 
 
THE BE A VER. 141 
 
 the places of those which were drowned or otherwise killed in the preceding 
 migration. 
 
 The Lemming feeds upon various vegetable substances, such as grass, 
 reeds, and lichens, being often forced to seek the last-named plant beneath 
 the snow, and to make occasional air-shafts to the surface. Even when en- 
 gaged in their ordinary pursuits, and not excited by the migratorial instinct, 
 they are obstinately savage creatures. Mr. Metcalfe describes them as 
 swarming in the forest, sitting two or three on every stump, and biting the 
 dogs' noses as they came to investigate the character of the irritable little 
 animals. If they happened to be in a pathway, they would not turn aside to 
 permit a passenger to move by them, but boldly disputed the right of way, 
 and uttered defiance in little sharp, squeaking barks. 
 
 The colour of the Lemming is dark brownish black, mixed irregularly with 
 a tawny hue upon the back, and fading into yellowish white upon the abdo- 
 men. Its length is not quite six inches, the tail being only half an inch 
 long. 
 
 The common Beaver has earned a world-wide reputation by the vironder- 
 ful instinct which it displays, independently of its very great value in 
 producing costly fur and perfume. 
 
 This animal is found in the northern parts of Europe and Asia, but is found 
 in the greatest profusion in North America. In days long gone by, the 
 Beaver was an inhabitant of our own island. 
 
 The Beaver lives in societies, varying considerably in number, and united 
 together in the formation of works which may fairly be considered as belong- 
 ing to the profession of the engineer. They prefer to make their habitations 
 by small clear rivers and creeks, or close to large springs, although they 
 sometimes take up their abode on the banks of lakes. 
 
 Lest they should not have a sufficient depth of water in all weathers and 
 at all seasons, the Beavers are in the habit of building veritable dams, for the 
 purpose of raising the water to the required level. These dams are composed 
 of tree-branches, mud, and stones, and, in order effectually to resist the action 
 of the water, are about ten or twelve feet in thickness at the bottom, 
 although they are only tvy-o feet or so wide at the summit. 
 
 In forming the dam, the Beaver does not thrust the ends of the stakes 
 into the bed of the river, as is often supposed, but lays them down horizon- 
 tally, and keeps them in their place by heaping stones and mud upon them. 
 The logs of which the dam is composed are about three feet in length, and 
 vary extremely in thickness. Generally, they are about six or seven inches 
 in diameter, but they have been known to measure no less than eighteen 
 inches in diameter. An almost incredible number of these logs are required 
 for the completion of one dam, as mEiy be supposed from the fact that a 
 single dam will sometimes be three hundred yards in length, ten or twelve 
 feet thick at the bottom, and of a height varying according to the depth of 
 water. 
 
 Before employing the logs in this structure, the Beavers take care to 
 separate the bark, which they carry away, and lay up for a winter store of 
 food. 
 
 Near the dams are built the beaver-houses or " lodges," as they are termed ; 
 edifices as remarkable in their way as that which has just been mentioned. 
 They are chiefly composed of branches, moss, and mud, and will accommodate 
 five or six Beavers together. The form of an ordinarily sized Beaver's lodge 
 is circular, and its cavity is about seven feet in diameter by three feet in 
 height. The walls of this structure are extremely thick, so that the external 
 measurement of the same lodges will be fifteen or twenty feet m diameter, 
 and seven or eight feet in height. The roofs are all finished off with a thick 
 
142 
 
 THE BE A VER. 
 
 LEAVER. — {Castor Fiber.) 
 
 layer of mud, laid on with marvellous smoothness, and carefully renewed 
 every year. As this compost of mud, moss, and branches is congealed into 
 a solid mass by the severe frosts of a North American winter, it forms a very 
 sufficient defence against the attacks of the Beaver's great enemy, the 
 wolverene, and cannot readily be broken through, even with the help of iron 
 tools. The precise manner in which the Beavers perform their various tasks 
 is not easy to discern, as the animals work only in the dark. 
 
 Around the lodges the Beavers excavate a rather large ditch, too deep to 
 be entirely frozen, and into this ditch the various lodges open, so that the 
 
 inhabitants can pass in or out 
 without hindrance. This precaution 
 is the moi e necessary, as they are 
 poor pedestrians, and never travel 
 by land as long as they can swim 
 by water. Each lodge is inhabited 
 by a small number of Beavers, 
 whose beds are arranged against 
 the wall, each bed being separate, 
 and the centre of the chamber being 
 left unoccupied. 
 
 In order to secure a store of 
 winter food, the Beavers take a 
 vast number of small logs, and 
 carefully fasten them under water 
 in the close vicinity of their lodges. 
 When a Beaver feels hungry he 
 dives to the store-heap, drags out 
 a suitable log, carries it to a sheltered and dry spot, nibbles the bark away, 
 and then either permits the stripped log to float down the stream, or applies 
 it to the dam. 
 
 We must now bestow a little time on the curious odoriferous substance 
 which is called " castoreum " by the learned, and " bark-stone " by the 
 trappers. This substance is secrtted in two glandular sacs which are placed 
 near the root of the tail, and gives out an extremely powerful odour. 
 
 To the castoreum the trapper is mostly indebted for his success, for the 
 Beavers are strangely attracted by this substance, and if their nostrils per- 
 ceive its distant scent, the animals will sit upright, sniff about in every direc- 
 tion, and absolutely squeal with excitement. Taking advantage of this 
 curious propensity, the hunter always carries a supply of castoreum, in a 
 closed vessel, and when he comes to a convenient spot for placing his trap, 
 he sets the trap and then proceeds to manufacture his bait. This process is 
 simple enough, consisting merely of taking a little twig of wood about nine 
 inches long, chewing one end of it, and dipping it in the castoreum. The 
 trap is now laid so as to be covered by about six inches of water, and the 
 stick arranged so that its perfumed tip projects from ilie water. Any Beaver 
 which scents this bait will most certainly come to it, and will probably be 
 captured in the trap. 
 
 The Ondatra, Musquash, or Musk Rat, is a native of Northern 
 America, where it is found in various places above the twentieth degree of 
 nortli latitude. 
 
 The colour of this animal is a dark brown on the upper portions of its 
 body, tinged with a reddish hue upon its neck, ribs, and legs, the abdomen 
 being ashy grey ; the tail is of the same dark hue as the body. In total 
 length it rathei exceeds two feet, of which measurement the tail occupies 
 about ten inches. The incisor teeth ^re bright yellow, and the naiis ar? 
 
THE MUSQUASH. 
 
 143 
 
 white. The whole colouring of the animal is so wonderfully I'ke the hue of 
 the muddy banlcs on which it resides, that a practised naturalist has otten 
 mistaken the Ondatras for mere lumps of mud until they began to move aud 
 .0 dispelled the illusion. The hinder feet of the Ondatra are well webbed, 
 and their imprint on the soft mud is very like that of a common duck 
 
 The food Sf the Ondatra in a wild state appears to be almost wholly ot a 
 vegetable nature ; although, when confined in a cage, one of these animals 
 bus been seen to eat mussels and oysters, cutting open the softest shells and 
 extracting the inmates, and waiting for the hard-shelled 5?^='";="^ u"t they 
 either opened of their own accord or died. Although the Ondatra is a clum.y 
 walker, It will sometimes travel to some distance from the water-side, and nas 
 been noticed on a spot nearly three-quarters of a mile from any water 1 hese 
 animals have also been detected in ravaging a garden, which they naa 
 
 MUSQUASH, OR MUSK RAT, OR ONDATRA. — {Fiber Zibithicus.') 
 
 plundered of turnips, parsnips, carrots, maize, and other vegetables. The 
 mischievous creatures had burrowed beneath them, bitten through their roots 
 and carried them away to their subterranean storehouses. The maize they 
 had procured bv cutting the stalks near the level of the ground. 
 
 The Ondatra' lives mostly in burrows, which it digs in the banks of the 
 river in which it finds its food, but sometimes takes up its abode in a different 
 kind of habitation, according to the locahty and the soil. In the stiff clay' 
 banks of rivers the Ondatra digs a rather complicated series of tunnels, some, 
 of them extending to a distance of fifteen or twenty yards, and sloping 
 upwards. There are generally three or four entrances, all of which open 
 under water, and unite in a single chamber, where the Ondatra makes its 
 bed. The couch of the luxurious animal is composed of sedges, water-lily 
 leaves, and similar plants, and is so large as to fill a bushel basket. Oa 
 
144 
 
 THE PORCUPINE. 
 
 marshy ground, and especially if it be supplied by springs, the Ondatra 
 builds little houses that rise about three or four feet above the water, and 
 look something like small haycocks. 
 
 The Porcupine has long been rendered famous among men by the extra- 
 ordinary armoury of pointed spears which it bears upon its back, and which 
 it was formerly fabled to launch at its foes with fatal precision. 
 
 This animal inhabits many parts of the world, being found in Africa, 
 Southern Europe, and India. The spines or quills, with which it is furnished, 
 vary considerably in length, the longest quills being flexible and not capable 
 of doing much harm to an opponent. Beneath these is a plentiful supply of 
 shorter spines, from five to ten inches in length, which are the really effective 
 weapons of this imposing array. Their hold on the skin is very slight, so 
 that when they have been struck into a foe, they remain fixed in the wound, 
 and, unless immediately removed, work sad woe to the sufferer. For the 
 quill is so constructed that it gradually bores its way into the flesh, bur- 
 rowing deeper at every movement, and sometimes even causing the death of 
 
 the wounded creature. In 
 Africa and India, leopards 
 and tigers have frequently 
 been killed, in whose flesh 
 were pieces of Porcupine 
 quills that had penetrated 
 deeply into the body, and 
 had even caused suppura- 
 tion to take place. In one 
 instance a tiger was found 
 to have his paws, ears, and 
 head filled with the spines 
 of a Porcupine, which he 
 had vainly been endeavour- 
 ing to kill. 
 
 The Porcupine is a noc- 
 turnal animal, seldom ven- 
 turing out of its retreat as 
 long as the sun is above 
 the horizon, and is there- 
 fore not often seen even in the localities which it inost prefers. It is said 
 not to require the presence of water, but to quench its thirst by eating the 
 succulent roots and plants which it digs out of the ground. Its food is 
 entirely of a vegetable nature, and consists of various kinds of herbage, 
 as well as of bark, fruit, and roots. This animal takes up its abode in 
 deep burrows which it excavates, and in which it is supposed to undergo a 
 partial hibernation. 
 
 As the spines of the Porcupines are of some commercial value, and are 
 used for many purposes, the chase of the animal is rather popular in the 
 countries which it inhabits, and derives a further interest from the fact that 
 the Porcupine, although a timid creature, can make a very powerful resist- 
 ance when it is driven to despair. 
 
 The upper parts of the body are covered with hair instead of quills, and 
 upon the head and neck there is a kind of crest, composed of very long stiff 
 hairs, which can be erected or depressed at pleasure. Like the hedgehog, it 
 can coil itself into a ball when it is surprised at a distance from its haven of 
 refuge, and can present such an array of threatening spikes that it is quite 
 safe from any enemy excepting man. When, however, the animal is at peace, 
 it is capable of depressing the bristling spears, and can squeeze itself through 
 
 PORCUPINE.— (A^/jA-ut Cristdta.) 
 
THE CANADIAN PORCUPINE. 
 
 ^\^ 
 
 an opening which would appear at first sight to be hardly large enough to 
 permit the passage of an animal of only half its size. 
 
 The total length of the common Porcupine is about three feet six inches, 
 the tail being about six inches long. Its gait is plantigrade, slow, and clumsy, 
 and as it walks, its long quills shake and rattle in a very curious manner. 
 Its muzzle is thick and heavy, and its eyes small and pig-like. 
 
 The Urson, Cawquaw, or Canadian Porcupine, is a native of North 
 America, where it is most destructive to the trees among which it lives. 
 
 Its chief food consists of living bark, which it strips from the branches as 
 cleanly as if it had been furnished with a sharp knife. When it begins to 
 feed, it ascends the tree, com- 
 mences at the highest branches, 
 and eats its way regularly down- 
 ward. Having finished one tree, 
 it takes to another, and then 
 to a third, always choosing those 
 that run in the same line ; so 
 that its path through the woods 
 may easily be traced by the line 
 of barked and dying trees which 
 it leaves in its track. A single 
 Urson has been known to de- 
 stroy a hundred trees in a single 
 winter, and another is recorded 
 as having killed some two or 
 three acres of timber. 
 
 The Urson is not so fully 
 defended with spines as the 
 preceding animal, but is covered 
 with long, coarse, blackish brown 
 hair, among which the short 
 pointed quills are so deeply set, 
 that, except in the head, tail, 
 and hinder quarters, they are 
 scarcely perceptible. These 
 spines are dyed of various 
 colours by the American In- 
 dians, and are then used in the 
 decoration of their hunting- 
 pouches, mocassins, and other 
 articles, and after the quills are 
 extracted, the remainder of the 
 fur is sufficiently soft to be used 
 for clothing. The flesh .of the 
 Urson is considered eatable, 
 and is said to bear some re- 
 semblance to flabby pork. 
 
 The length of the Urson is 
 not quite four feet, the head 
 and body measuring rather more 
 than three feet, and the tail 
 about nine inches. The teeth are of a bright orange. 
 
 The Agouti is a native of Brazil, Paraguay, Guiana, and other neigh- 
 bourmg countries, but its numbers have been considerably thinned in many 
 spots where cultivation has been industriously carried on. In some of the 
 
 L 
 
 CANADIAN PORCUPINE OR URSON. 
 Eretliizon dorsdtum. 
 
146 
 
 THE AGOUTI. 
 
 AGOUTI. — {Dasyprocta Agouti.') 
 
 Antilles, where it formerly swarmed, it is now nearly extirpated, and in St. 
 Domingo is but rarely seen. 
 
 All its movements are sharp, quick, and active, and even while sitting 
 upright and engaged in feeding itself by the assistance of its fore-paws, its 
 head is continually being turned from side to side, and its bright eyes glance 
 in every direction in order to guard against a surprise. As it is a nocturnal 
 
 animal, and spends the whole of 
 the day in its dark hiding-place, its 
 ravages take place under cover of 
 night, and are the more difficult 
 to be repelled. Its usual restmg 
 place is in the cleft of a rock, or 
 in the hollow of some decaying tree, 
 where twenty 01 thirty cf these 
 animals may be found living ami- 
 cably together. 
 
 In these dark recesses the young 
 Agoutis are born, and are laid 
 upon a soft bed of leaves, where they remain for a few weeks, and then sally 
 out with their parents on their nocturnal expedition. There are generally 
 two broods in each year, and the number of young at a birth is from three 
 ;o six. 
 
 The name Dasyprocta, which has been given to the genus, refers to the thick 
 hair which falls over the hind quarters, and nearly conceals the little pointed 
 stump of a tail. The hair of this part of the body is a bright golden brown, 
 but on the back and sides the fur has a curious speckled aspect, on account 
 of the bla:ck, brown, and yellow tints with which each hair is marked.. On 
 the greater part of the body the fur is only about one inch in length, but ths 
 golden brown hair of the hinder parts is more than four inches long. In 
 character it is coarse, though glossy. 
 
 The Capybara is a native of tropical America, and is by far the largest 
 of all the hving rodent animals, rather exceeding three feel in total length, 
 and being so bulkily made that when it walks its abdomen nearly touches the 
 ground. The muzzle of this animal is heavy and blunt, the eyes are set high 
 
 in the head and are moderate in 
 size, the tail is wanting, and the 
 toes are partially connected to- 
 gether by a development of the 
 skin. The colour of the Capybara 
 is rather indeterminate, owing to 
 the manner in which the hairs are 
 marked with black and yellow, so 
 that the general idea which its coat 
 presents is a dingy, blackish grey, 
 with a tinge of ) ellow. 
 
 It is a water-loving animal, using 
 its webbed feet with great power, and fleeing instinctively to the stream ^\hen 
 terrified by real or imaginary danger. It not only swims well, but is a good 
 diver ; and when endeavouring to escape from a foe, always tries to evade 
 its pursuer by diving as long as its breath will hold out, and only permitting 
 the top of its head to appear above the surface when it rises for the purpose 
 of respiration. As, however, it can remain under water for a space of eight 
 or ten minutes, it finds no difficulty in escaping from any ordinary foe, if 
 it can only gain the shelter of the welcome stream. The food of this 
 animal is exclusively vegetable, and its curious teeth are needed in order 
 
 CAPYBARA. — {Hydrochcerus Capybdra. ) 
 
THE GUINEA PIG. 
 
 147 
 
 to bruise the herbage on which it feeds into a mass sufficiently pulpy to 
 enable it to pass through the very narrow throat. 
 
 Few animals have received less appropriate names than the Guinea Pig ; 
 for it is not a pig, but a rodent, and does not come from Guinea, but from 
 Southern America. Being a very pretty little creature, it is in some favour 
 as a domestic pet-; and as it is remarkably prolific, it very rapidly increases in 
 numbers, if it is well defended from cold and preserved from damp. 
 
 The food of the Guinea Pig is exclusively of a vegetable nature, and while 
 feeding it generally sits on its hinder feet, and carries its food to its mouth 
 v/ith its fore-paws. 
 
 An idea of the extreme fecundity of this animal may be formed from the 
 fact that it begins to breed at ten months of age, that each brood consists of 
 an average of six or eight, and that in less than six weeks after the birth ot 
 
 GUINEA PIG. — [Cdvia Aperea.) 
 
 the young family they are driven to shift for themselves, and the mother is 
 then ready for another brood. The young Guinea Pigs are born with their 
 eyes open, and covered with hair, and do not attain their full dimensions 
 until they have reached the age of eight or nine months. 
 
 The colour of the Guinea Pig is very variable ; but is generally composed 
 of white, red, and black, in patches of different size and shape in each 
 individual. The bare portions of the skin are flesh-coloured, and the eye is 
 brown. The animal is of little direct use to mankind, as its flesh is held in 
 very low estimation, and its hair is so slightly attached to the skin that its 
 coat is useless to the furrier. 
 
 The common Hare is known from the rabbit by the redder hue of its fur, 
 the great proportionate length of its black- tipped ears, which are nearly an 
 inch longer than the head ; by its very long hind legs, and its large and 
 prominent eyes. When fully grown it is of considerable size, weighing on 
 the average about eight or nine pounds, and sometimes attaining the weight 
 of twelve or even thirteen pounds. In total length it rather exceeds two feet, 
 the tail being about three inches long. The colour of the common Hare is 
 greyish brown on the upper portions of the body, mixed with a dash of yellow ; 
 the abdomen is white, and the neck and breast are yellowish white. The 
 tail is black on the upper surface and white underneath, so that when the 
 creature runs it exhibits the white tail at every leap. Sometimes the colour, 
 of the Hare deepens into black, and there are many examples of albino 
 specimiens of this animal. 
 
 t 2 
 
148 
 
 THE HARE. 
 
 It is a wonderfully cunning animal, and is said by many who have closely 
 studied its habits to surpass the fox in ready ingenuity. Appearing to under- 
 stand the method by which the hounds are enabled to track its footsteps, it 
 employs the most crafty manoeuvres for the purpose of throwing them off the 
 scent. Sometimes it will run forward for a considerable distance, and then, 
 after returning for a few hundred yards on the same track, will make a great 
 leap at right angles to its former course, and lie quietly hidden while the 
 hounds run past its spot of concealment. It then jumps back to its track, 
 and steals quietly out of sight in one direction, while the hounds are going in 
 the other. 
 
 The Hare does not live in burrows, like the rabbit, but only makes a slight 
 depression in the ground, in which she lies so flatly pressed to the earth that 
 
 HARE. — (Lepus timidus.) 
 
 she can hardly be distinguished from the soil and dried herbage among which 
 she has taken up her temporary abode. 
 
 It is a tolerably prolific animal, beginning to breed when only a year old, 
 and producing four or five young at a litter. The young Hares, or "leverets," 
 as they are technically termed, are born with their eyes open, and covered 
 with hair. For the space of four or five weeks they remain under the care of 
 their mother, but after that time they separate, and depend upon themselves 
 for subsistence. 
 
 Resembling the hare in general appearance and in many of its habits, 
 the Rabbit is readily distinguished from that animal by its smaller dimen- 
 sions, its different colour, its shorter and uniformly brown ears, and its 
 shorter limbs. 
 
 The Rabbit is one of the most familiar of British quadrupeds, having taken 
 firm possession of the soil into which it has been imported, and multiplied to 
 so great an extent that its numbers can hardly be kept within proper bounds 
 without annual and wholesale massacres. As it is more tameable than the 
 hare, it has long been ranked amongst the chief of domestic pets, and has been 
 so modified by careful management that it has developed itself into many 
 
THE RABBIT. 
 
 S49 
 
 permanent varieties, which would be considered as different species by one 
 who saw them for the first time. 
 
 The burrows in which the Rabbit lives arc extremely irregular in their 
 construction, and often communicate with each other to a remarlcable extent. 
 
 From many of its foes the Rabbit escapes by diving suddenly into its 
 burrow ; but there are some animals, such as the stoat, weasel, and ferret, 
 which follow it into its subterranean abode and slay it within the precincts of 
 its own home. 
 
 When the female Rabbit is about to become a mother, she quits the 
 ordinary burrows, and digs a special tunnel for the purpose of sheltering her 
 young family during their first few weeks of life. At the extremity of the 
 burrow she places a large quantity of dried herbage intermixed with down 
 which she plucks from her own body, so as to make a soft and warm bed for 
 the expected occupants. The young Rabbits are about seven or eight in 
 
 RABBIT. — {Lepus cunlculus.) 
 
 number, and are born without hair and with their eyes closed. Not until 
 they have attained the age of ten or twelve days are they able to open their 
 eyelids and to see the world into which they have been brought. 
 
 Rabbits are terribly destructive animals, as is too well known to all residents 
 near a warren, and are sad depredators in field, garden, and plantation, 
 destroying in very wantonness hundreds of plants which they do not care to 
 eat. They do very great damage to young trees, delighting in stripping them 
 of the tender bark as far as they can reach while standing on their hind feet. 
 Sometimes they eat the bark, but in many cases they leave it in heaps upon 
 the ground, having chiselled it from the tree on which it grew, and to which 
 it afforded nourishment, merely for the sake of exercising their teeth and keep- 
 ing them in proper order, just as a cat delights in clawing the legs of chaiss 
 and tables. 
 
 In its native state the fur of the Rabbit is nearly uniform brown, but when 
 the animal is domesticated its coat assumes a variety of hues, such as pure 
 white, jetty black, pied dun, slated grey, and many other tints. 
 
 The Chinchilla, so well known for its exquisitely soft and delicate fur, 
 belongs to the group of animals which are known to zoologists under the 
 title of Jerboidse, and which are remarkable for the great comparative length 
 of their. hinder hmbs, and their long hair-clothed tails. 
 
 The Chinchilla is an inhabitant of Southern America, living chiefly among 
 the higher mountainous districts, where its thick silken fur is of infinite 
 
'ijo THE CHINCHILLA. 
 
 service in protecting it from the cold. It is a burrowing anhnal, digging n. 
 buuterranean homes in the valleys which iniersect the hilly country in wh c • 
 u lives, and banding together in great nunibeis in certain favoured loca'itic; 
 1 he food of the Chinchilla is exclusively of a vegetable nature, and consists 
 chiefly of various bulbous roots. While feeding it sits upon its hinder feet 
 and conveys the food to its mouth with its fore-feet, which it uses with singular 
 adroitness It is a most exquisitely cleanly animal, as might be supposed 
 /rom the beautiful delicacy of its fur, for we may always remark, that when 
 
 CHINCHILLA —[Chinchilla Idniger.) 
 
 ever an animal is remarkable for the colouring or the texture of its natural 
 robes, it is always most assiduous in preserving them from any substance 
 that might stain their purity or clog their fibres. 
 
 Tlie fur of the Chinchilla is of a delicate clear grey upon the back, 
 softening into a greyish white on the under portions, and its texture is 
 marvellously soft and fine. 
 
 The Gerboas bear a curious rr semblance to the kangaroos, not only in 
 their general appearance, but in many of their habits. Like those animals, 
 they leap over distances which .ire absolutely enormoxis when the size of their 
 bodies is taken into consideration ; they constantly sit upright in order to 
 observe surrounding objects, their food is of the same nature, and they carry 
 it to their mouths in a similar manner. Their fore-limbs are extremely short, 
 while their hinder legs are developed to a very great extent, and they are all 
 furnished with a long, hair-clad tail, which serves to aid them in preserving 
 their balance while shooting through the air. 
 
 The most familiar of these singular creatures is the common Gerboa of 
 Northern Africa. This beautiful and active little animal is hardly larger than 
 an ordinary English rat, although its peculiar attitudes and its extremely long 
 tail give it an appearance of greater dimensions than it really possesses. 
 The general colour of its fur is a light dun, washed with yellow, the abdomen 
 being nearly white. The tail is of very great proportionate length, is 
 
THE GERBOA. 
 
 '51 
 
 GERBOA. — (Dipis j€,gyptius.) 
 
 cylindrical in shape, and tufted at its extremity with stiff black hairs, the 
 extreme tip being white. 
 
 The Gerboa is a burrowin^f animal, and lives in society, so that it forms 
 large natural " warrens " in those parts of the country where it takes up its 
 residence. It is much hunted by 
 the natives, who set some store 
 by its rather unpalatable flesh, and 
 is captured by stopping up as many 
 burrows as can conveniently be 
 reached, and killing the Gerboas 
 as they rush affrighted from the 
 open entrances. This is, indeed, 
 ahnost the only successful mode 
 of capturing these fleet and agile 
 creatures ; for if they can once leap 
 away from the immediate vicinity 
 of their pursuers, they scour over 
 the ground with such wonderful 
 speed that they can hardly be 
 overtaken even by a trained grey 
 hound. 
 
 The food of these animals con- 
 sists chiefly of roots and similar substances, which it digs out of the earth, 
 but it also feeds on various kinds of grain. 
 
 Next in order to the Gerboas is placed the small group of animals which 
 are sufficiently familiar by the name of Dormice. This term signifies 
 " Sleepy Mouse," and is most appropriate to the lethargic little creatures, 
 which spend the greater part of their time in somnolency. 
 
 The common Dormouse is abundantly found in many districts of England, 
 as well as on the Continent, and is in great favour as a domestic pet. The 
 total length of this pretty little animal is rather more than five inches, the 
 tail being two inches and a half long. The colour of its fur is a light reddish 
 brown upon the back, yellowish white upon the abdomen, and white on the 
 throat. These tints belong to the adult animal only, as in the juvenile 
 Dormouse the fur is nearly of the same colour as that of the common mouse, 
 the ruddy tinge only appearing on the head and sides. It is not until the 
 little creatures have nearly completed a year of existence that they assume 
 the beautiful hues of adult age. The tail is thickly covered with hair, which 
 is arranged in a double row throughout its length, and forms a slight tuft at 
 the extremity. The head is rather large in proportion to the body, the ears 
 are large and broad, and the eye full, black, and slightly prominent. 
 
 The Dormouse is a nocturnal animal, passing the whole of the day in its 
 warm and neatly constructed nest, which is generally built in the most 
 retired spot of some thick bush or small tree. It is a very active little 
 creature, leaping from branch to branch, and traversing the intricate mazes 
 of the brushwood with such ready featness that it can scarcely be taken by 
 a human hand. The food of the Dormouse consists of various fruits and 
 seeds, such as acorns, nuts, haws, and corn. 
 
 As the animal is one of the hibernators, it is in the habit of gathering 
 together a supply of dried food, to afford occasional nourishment during the 
 long wintry months when it lies in its bed, imprisoned in the bands of irre- 
 sistible sleep. Like many other hibernating animals, the Dormouse becomes 
 exceedingly fat towards the end of autumn, and is therefore enabled to 
 withstand the severity of the winter season better than if it retired into its 
 hom^ in only its ordinary condition. As soon ^s the weather becomes cold, 
 
'52 
 
 THE DORMOUSE. 
 
 the Dormouse retires into its nest, and there slumbers throughout the entire 
 winter, waking up for a short period whenever a milder temperature breaks 
 the severity of the frost, and, after taking a little nourishment, sinking again 
 into its former lethargy. 
 
 The Dormouse is rather gregarious in its habits, so that whenever one nest 
 is discovered several others may generally be found at no great distance. 
 
 These nests are of considerable 
 dimensions, being about six 
 inches in diameter, and are 
 composed of grass, leaves, and 
 similar substances. The en- 
 trance to the nest is at the side. 
 The young animals are gener- 
 ally three or four in number at 
 a birth, and make their appear- 
 ance about the end of spring or 
 the beginning of summer. It 
 is probable that there may be a 
 second brood towards the end 
 of autumn, as Mr. Bell received 
 from one locality in the month 
 of September one half-grown 
 Dormouse, which had evidently 
 been born in the spring, and 
 three very little specimens, which 
 were apparently not more than 
 a week or two old. They are 
 born blind, but are able to see in 
 a very few days, and in a remark- 
 ably short space of time become 
 independent of their parents. 
 
 The beautiful and active 
 group of animals of which our 
 English Squirrel is so familiar 
 an example, a:-e found in almost 
 every portion of the globe, and, 
 with one or two exceptions, live 
 almost exclusively among the 
 branches of trees. In order 
 to enable them to maintain a 
 firm clasp upon the branches 
 and bark, they are furnished 
 with long finger-like toes upon 
 the fore-feet, which are armed 
 with sharp curved claws. 
 In the Flying Squirrels, 
 of which the Taguan is a good example, the skin of the flanks is modified 
 in a method similar to that which has alreadv been noticed in the Petaurists. 
 The skin is so largely developed, that when the animal is sitting at its ease, 
 its paws but just appear from under the soft folds of the delicate and fur- 
 clad membrane. When the creature intends to make one of its marvellous 
 leaps, it stretches all its four limbs to their fullest extent, and is upborne 
 through the air on the parachute-like expansion which extends along its sides. 
 This animal is a native of India, where it is tolerably common. 
 It is rather a large species, as its total length is nearly three feet, the tail 
 
 L ORMOUSE. — I^Musi ardiiius avcUa ndrius. ) 
 
THE TAGVAN FLYING SQUIRREL. 
 
 IS3 
 
 occupying about one foot eight inches, measured to the extremity of the long 
 hairs witli which it is so thickly clothed. The general colour of this animal 
 is a clear chestnut, deepening into brown on the back, and becoming more 
 ruddy on the sides. The little pointed ears are covered with short and soft 
 fur of a delicate brown, and the tail is heavily clad with bushy hairs, greyish 
 black on the basal portions of that member, and sooty black towards the 
 extremity. The parachute membrane is delicately thin, scarcely thicker than 
 ordinary writing-paper, when it is stretched to its utmost, and is covered with 
 hair on both its surfaces, the fur of the upper side being chestnut, and that 
 
 TAGUAN FLYING SQV1RR-EL.~{ P/iromys Pefaurisia.) 
 
 of the lower surface nearly white. A stripe of greyish black hairs marks the 
 edge of the membrane, and the entire abdomen of the animal, together with 
 the throat and the breast, is covered with beautiful silver greyish white fur. 
 
 The true Squirrels possess no parachute flying membrane, as do the Flying 
 Squirrels, nor are they furnished with cheek-pouches, as is the case with the 
 Ground Squirrels in America. 
 
 One of the most handsome of the Squirrels is the Jelerang, or Tavan 
 SQUIRREL, a native of Java, part of India, and Cochin China. Its total 
 length is about two feet, the tail and body being equal to each other in 
 measurement. In colour it is one of the most variable of animals, so that it has 
 been more than once described under different names. In the British 
 Museum are several specimens of this animal, and all of them present many 
 varieties in point of colour, while some are so very unlike each other that 
 most persons would consider them to be separate species. Some specimens of 
 tlM^wmal are pale yellow, while others are deep brown ; in some the colour is 
 toWraply uniform, -while in others it is variously pied, but in all there seems to 
 be n tolerablj^ decided contrast between a darker and lighter tint From 
 
154 
 
 THE JELERANG. 
 
 this circumstance it has sometimes been termed ScMrus bicolor, or the Two- 
 coloured Squirrel. 
 
 In general, the darker hue prevails on the back and upper portions of the 
 body, and the lighter tint is abruptly separated from it by a decided line of 
 denuircation. ihe usual colour of the Jelerang is a dark brownish black on 
 
 the back, the top of the head 
 yellowish, and the sides and 
 abdomen golden yellow. 
 
 The Jelerang is rather com- 
 mon iii the countries which it 
 inhabiis, and as it is very retiring 
 in its habits, and dreads the 
 proximity of mankind, it is not 
 so mischievous a neighbour as 
 is the case with the greater num- 
 ber of the Squirrels. It lives 
 chiefly in the depths of the 
 forests, and feeds upon the wild 
 huits that grow without any aid 
 from the hand of mankind. It 
 is easily tamed, and being an 
 active, amusing animal, as well 
 as possessed of a beautifully 
 marked coat, is often domesti- 
 cated among the inhabitants Of 
 the same country. The flesh of 
 the Jelerang is thought to be 
 very good, and is eaten by the 
 natives. 
 
 Everyone is familiar with the 
 lively English SQUIRREL, which 
 makes the woof's joyous vith 
 its active gambols, and is so 
 often repaid for its gaiety by 
 being captured and compelled 
 to make sport for its owner 
 within the nariow precincts of 
 a wiie cage. 
 
 This little animal is plentiful 
 in many parts of England, and 
 indeed, is generally found 
 wherever there is a tolerably 
 large copse, or a wood of 
 moderate dimensions. In pri- 
 vate grounds and parks it luxuri- 
 ates, knowing instinctively that 
 it may wander at its own will, unchecked and unhaimed. Among the tree 
 branches its powers of activity are absolutely surprising, for it will fling 
 itself through such distances, and at such a height, that it seems likely to 
 be dashed to pieces every instant. Yet it very seldom makes a false step, 
 and even if it should lose its foothold, it is not at all disconcerted, but 
 spreads out its legs and bushy tail to their utmost expansion, so that it pre"seBts 
 a large surface to the air, and comes quite lightly to the earth, even tlicil|h 
 it may have leaped from a considerable height. 
 
 On the ground it is not so much at its ease as when it is careering amid 
 
 JELERANG, OR JAVAN SQUIRREL. — {ScitirUS 
 Javensis. ) 
 
THE SQUIRREL. 
 
 iSS 
 
 the branches of some large tree, and, as soon as it feels alarmed, always 
 makes the best of its way towards the nearest tree-trunk. Its gait is a kind 
 of semi-gallop, and even when ascending a perpendicular tree-stem it main- 
 tains the same galloping movements, and ascends to a considerable height 
 in a very small space of time. 
 
 During the hotter hours of the day the Squirrel is never seen, being quietly 
 asleep in its lofty nest ; but in the early morning, or in the cooler hours of 
 the afternoon, it comes from its retreat, and may be seen leaping about the 
 branches in search of the various fruits on which it feeds. 
 
 The nest of the Squirrel is an admirable specimen of natural architecture 
 and is almost invariably placed in the fork of some lofty branch, where it is 
 concealed from the view of anyone passing under the tree, and is out of the ' 
 reach of any ordinary foe, even if its situation were discovered. Sometimes 
 it is built in the hollow of a decayed bough, but it is always admirably con- 
 
 SQUIRREL. — (Schi'us Europccus. ) 
 
 cealed from sight. In form it is nearly spherical, and is made of leaves, 
 moss, grass, and other substances, woven touether in so artistic a manner 
 that it is impermeable to rain, and cannot be dislodged from its resting-place 
 by the most violent wind. A single pair of Squirrels inhabit the same nest, 
 and seem to consider some p.irticular tree as their home, remaining in it 
 year after year. 
 
 The female Squirrel produces about three or four young at a litter, the 
 little ones being born in the middle of summer, and remaining under the 
 care of their parents until the spring of the succeeding year^ when they 
 separate and shift for themselves. 
 
 The food of the Squirrel is usually of a vegetable nature, and consists of 
 nuts, acorns, whent, and other fruits and seeds. Being a hibrrnating 
 animal, the Squirrel is in the habit of laying up a winter store of provisions, 
 and towards the end of autumn, while acorns and nuts are in their prime, 
 becomes very busy in gathering certain little treasures, which it hides in all 
 kinds of nooks, crevices, and holes, near the tree in which it lodges. The 
 cr3ature must be endowed with a very accurate memory, for it always 
 
«56 
 
 THE CHIPPING SQUIRREL. 
 
 remembers the spots where it has deposited its store of food, and even when 
 the snow hes thickly upon the earth, and has covered the ground with a 
 uniform white mantle, the Squirrel betrays no perplexity, but whenever it 
 requires nourishment, goes straight to the hidden storehouse, scratches away 
 the snow, and disinters its hidden treasures. 
 
 Sometimes the food of the Squirrel is not limited to vegetable substances, 
 as the animal possesses something of the carnivorous nature, and has been 
 often found guilty of killing and eating sundry animated things. Young 
 birds, eggs, and various insects are eaten by the Squirrel, who has been 
 detected m the very act of plundering a nest, and carrying off one of the 
 young birds. 
 
 The usual colour of the Squirrel's fur is a ruddy brown upon the back, and 
 a greyish white on the under portions of the body. It is, however, a most 
 variable animal in point of colour, the tint of its fur changing according to 
 the country which it inhabits. Even in England the ruddy fur is sometimes 
 changed to grey during a severe winter, and in Siberia it is generally of 
 a bluish grey. The feathery tufts of hair which fringe the ears are liable 
 to great modification, being very long and full in winter and in cold climates, 
 and almost entirely lost during the hotter summer months of our own 
 country. 
 
 There are so many species' of the Squirrel tribe, that even a cursory 
 notice of each animal would be v/hoUy impracticable in a work of the present 
 dimensions, and we must content ourselves with a brief description of those 
 species which stand out more boldly from the rest, by reason of form, colour, 
 or peculiar ha.^iib. 
 
 GROUND SQUIRREL, OR HACKEE. — {Tdmios Lysiai.) 
 
 The Hackee, or Chipping Squirrel, as it is sometimes termed, is 
 one of the most famihar of North American quadrupeds, and is found in 
 great numbers in almost every locality. It is a truly beautiful little creature, 
 and deserving of notice both on account of the dainty elegance of its form 
 and the pleasing tints with which its coat is decked. The general colour of 
 the Hackee is a brownish grey on the back, warming into orange-brown on 
 the forehead and the hinder quarters. Upon the back and sides are drawn 
 
THE PRAIRIE DOG. I57 
 
 five longitudinal black stripes and two streaks of yellowish white, so that it 
 is a most conspicuous little creature, and by these peculiar stripes may 
 easily be distinguished from any other animal. The abdomen and throat are 
 white. It is slightly variable in colour according to the locality in which it 
 exists, and has been known to be so capricious of hue as to furnish specimens 
 of pure white and jet black. As a fur it is extremely elegant, and if it were 
 not quite so common would long since have taken nearly as high a rank as 
 the sable or ermine. 
 
 The length of the Hackee is about eleven inches, the tail being about four 
 inches and a half in length. It is, however, slightly variable in dimensions 
 as well as in colour. 
 
 The Hackee is one of the liveliest and briskest of quadrupeds, and by 
 reason of its quick and rapid movements, has not inaptly been compared 
 with the wren. It is chiefly seen among brushwood and small timber ; and 
 as it whisks about the branches, or shoots through theii interstices with its 
 peculiar quick, jerking movement-, and its odd, quaint, little clucking cry, 
 hke the chip-chipping of newly-hatched chickens, the analogy between itself 
 and the bird is very apparent. As it is found in such plenty, and is a bold 
 little creature, it is much persecuted by small boys, who, although they are 
 not big or wise enough to be entrusted with guns, wherewith to work the 
 destruction of larger game, arm themselves with long sticks, and by dexterous 
 management knock down many a Hackee as it tries to escape from its 
 pursuers by running along the rail fences. Among boys the popular name 
 of the Hackee is the " Chipmuck." 
 
 It is a burrowing animal, making its little tunnels in various retired spots, 
 but generally preferring an old tree, or the earth which is sheltered by a wall, 
 a fence, or a bank. The burrows are rather complica ted, and as they run 
 to some length, the task of digging the animal out of its retreat is no easy one. 
 
 The well-known Prairie Dog, as it is called, is not a dog at all, but 
 belongs to the Marmots. It is found in very great plenty along the coast of 
 the Missouri and its tributaries, and also near the River Platte. It congregates 
 together in vast numbers in certain spots where the soil is favourable to its 
 subterranean habits of life, and the vegetation is sufficiently luxuriant to 
 afford it nourishment. The colour of this animal is reddish brown upon the 
 back, mixed with grey and black in a rather vague manner. The abdomen 
 and throat are greyish white, and the short tail is clothed for the first half 
 of its length with hair of the same tint as that of the body, and for the 
 remaining half is covered with deep blackish brown hair, forming a kind of 
 brush. The cheek-pouches are rather small, and the incisor teeth are large 
 and protruding from the mouth. The length of the animal rather exceeds 
 sixteen inches, the tail being a little more than three inches long. The cheek- 
 pouches are about three-quarters of an inch in depth, and are half that 
 measurement in diameter. 
 
 The Prairie Dog is a burrowing animal, and as it is very gregarious in its 
 habits, the spot on which it congregates is literally heneycombed with its 
 tunnels. There is, however, a kind of order observed in the " dog-towns," 
 as these warrens are popularly called, for the animals always leave certain 
 roads or streets in which no burrow is made. The affairs of the community 
 seem to be regulated by a single leader, called the Big Dog, who sits before 
 the entrance of his burrow, and issues his orders from thence to the com- 
 munity. In front of every burrow a small heap of mould is raised, which is 
 made from the excavated soil, and which is generally employed as a seat for 
 the occupant of the burrow. 
 
 As long as no danger is apprehended the little animals are all in lively 
 motion, sitting upon their mounds, or hurrying from one tunnel to another as 
 
158 
 
 THE PRAIRIE DOG. 
 
 eagerly as if they were transacting the most important business. Suddenly 
 a sharp yelp is heard, and the peaceful scene is in a moment transformed into 
 a whirl of indistinguishable confusion. Quick barks resound on every side, 
 the air is filled with a dust-xloud, in the midst of which is indistinctly seen 
 an intermingled mass of flourishing legs and whisking tails, and in a moment 
 the populous "town " is deserted. Not a "dog" is visible, and the whole 
 spot is apparently untenanted. But in a few minutes a pair of dark eyes are 
 seen gleaming at the entrance of some burrow, a set of glistening teeth next 
 shine through the dusky recess, and in a few minutes first one and then 
 another Prairie Dog issues from his retreat, until the whole community is 
 again in lively action. 
 
 I'KAiRiE DOG, OR WISH-TON-WISH. — [Spermiphilus Ludovicidnus.) 
 
 The title of Prairie Dog has been given to this animal on account of the 
 sharp yelping sounds which it is in the habit of uttering, and which have 
 some resemblance to the barking of a very small and very peevish lap-dog. 
 Every time that it yelps it gives its tail a smart jerk. This peculiar sound 
 is evidently employed as a cry of alarm ; for as soon as it is uttered all the 
 Prairie Dogs dive into their burrows, and do not emerge again until they 
 hear the shrill whistle which tells them that the danger is past. 
 
 The burrows of the Prairie Dogs are generally made at an angle of forty 
 degrees, and after being sunk for some little distance, run horizontally, or 
 even rise towards the surface of the earth. It is well known that these 
 burrows are not only inhabited by the legitimate owners and excavators, but 
 are shared by the burrowing owl and the rattlesnake. Accordmg to popular 
 belief, the three creatures live very harmoniously together ; but careful 
 oBservatioivs have shown that the snake and the owl are mterlopers, living 
 in the burrows because the poor owners cannot turn them out, and finding 
 an easy subsistence on the young Prairie Dogs. A rattlesnake has been 
 
THE MARMOT. 
 
 iS9 
 
 killed near a burrow, and when the reptile was dissected, a Prairie Dog was 
 found in its stomach. 
 
 The common Marmot is about the size of an ordinary rabbit, and not 
 very unlike that animal in colour. The general tint of the fur is greyish 
 yellow upon the back and flanks, deepening into black-grey on the top of the 
 head, and into black on the extremity of the tail. It is very common in all 
 the mountainous districts of Northern Europe, where it associates in small 
 societies. The Marmot is an expert excavator, and digs very large and rather 
 complicated burrows, always appearing to reserve one chamber as a store- 
 house for the heap of dried grasses and other similar substances which it 
 amasses for the purpose of sustaining life during the winter. The chamber 
 in which the animal lives and sleeps is considerably larger than the store- 
 house, measuring, in some cases, as much as seven feet in diameter. The 
 tunnel which leads to these chambers is only just large enough to admit the 
 body of the animal, and is about six feet in length. 
 
 MARMOT. — (Ar'ctomys Marmotia.) 
 
 To these burrows the Marmot retires about the middle of September, and 
 after closing the entrance with grass and earth, enters into the lethargic 
 hibernating state, and does not emerge until the beginning of April, Like 
 other hibernating animals, they are very fat just before they taka up their 
 winter quarters, and as their fur is then in the best condition, they are 
 eagerly sought after by the human inhabitants of the same country. The 
 burrow of the Marmot is always dug in dry soil, and is seldom known to be 
 at all above, or very much below, the line of perpetual snow. 
 
 At the end of the rodents are placed the singular animals which are 
 grouped together under the title of AspaMT;idas, or Mole Rats, the word 
 Aspalax, or Spalax, being the Greek term for a mole. The incisor teeth of 
 these animils are extremely large, and project beyond the lips. The external 
 ears are either wholly wanting or are of very smafl dimensions. The eyes are 
 small, and in some species are concealed by the skin. The body is heavily 
 and clumsily made, the tail is either very short or entirely absent, and the 
 head is large and rounded. 
 
 The common MOLE Rat, which is also known by its Russian name of 
 
i6o 
 
 THE SLEPEZ. 
 
 Slepez, is a native of Southern Russia, Asia Minor, Mesopotamia, and 
 Syria. Like the ordinary mole, to which it bears no little external resem- 
 blance, it passes its existence in the subterranean tunnels which it excavates 
 by means of its powerful claws. As it but seldom ventures into the light 
 of day, it stands in no need of visual organs, but is compensated for their 
 absence by the very large development of the organs of hearing. The place 
 of the eyes is taken by two little round black specks, which lie under the fur- 
 covered skin, so that even if they were sensitive to light, they would be 
 unable to perceive the brightest rays of the noontide sun. The ears, however, 
 
 SLEPEZ MOLE RAT. — {Spalax Typhlus.) 
 
 are extremely large, and the hearing is exceedingly sensitive, so that the 
 nnimal receives earlier information of danger through its sense of hearing 
 than through that of sight, which latter faculty would indeed be useless in its 
 dark abode. Sometimes the Slepez leaves the burrow and lies basking in 
 the warm sunshine, but upon the least alarm or unexpected sound it plunges 
 into its tunnel, and will not again make its appearance until it feels perfectly 
 assured of safety. 
 
 The general colour of the Slepez is a very light brown, slightly tinged with 
 red in some parts, and fading into an ashen grey in others. Its total length 
 is about ten or eleven inches, and the tail is wanting. The head is broad, 
 flat on the crown, and terminates abruptly at the muzzle. The feet are short, 
 and the claws small. 
 
 The incisor teeth of the COAST Rat or Sand Mole are even larger in 
 proportion than those of the preceding animal, and those of the upper jaw are 
 marked by a groove running throughout their length. The fore-feet are 
 furnished with long and powerful claws, that of the second toe being the 
 largest. The eyes are exceedingly small, the external ears are wanting, and 
 the tail is extremely short. 
 
THE COAST RA T, OR SAND MOLE. 
 
 i6i 
 
 The Coast Rat is an inhabitant of the Cape of Good Hope and the coasts 
 of Southern Africa, where it is found in tolerable profusion, and drives such 
 multitudes of shallow tunnels that the ground which it frequents is rather 
 dangerous for horsemen, and not at all pleasant even to a man on foot. The 
 
 COAST RAT, OR SAND MOLE. — (Bathyergus Maritimus.) 
 
 burrows are made at so short a distance from the surface that the earth gives 
 way under the tread of any moderately heavy animal. Mr. Burchell, the 
 well-known African traveller, narrates that in traversing the great sand flats of 
 
 EAY BAMBOO RAT. — (Rhizomys badius.) 
 
 Southern Africa he was often endangered by his feet sinking into the burrows 
 of the Coast Rat,, which had undermined the light soil in every direction. 
 The animal is rather slow of foot upon the surface of the ground, but drives 
 its subterranean tunnels with marvellous rapidity, throwing up little sandy 
 
 M 
 
i62 THE DOMESTIC OX. 
 
 hillocks at intervals, like those of the common mole. On account of this 
 propensity it has received the name of Zand Mall, or Sand Mole, from the 
 Dutch Boers who inhabit the Cape. 
 
 The colour of the Sand Mole is a uniformly hght greyish-brown, rather 
 variable in tinting. As it is very soft and full in texture, and can be obtained 
 in great quantities, it might be profitably made a regular article of trade. 
 The Sand Mole is as large as our ordinary wild rabbit, being about fifteen 
 inches in total length, the tail measuring about three inches. 
 
 The Bay Bamboo Rat is one representative of the genus Rhizomys, of 
 which there are several species. 
 
 This animal is a native of Nepal, Malacca, and China, and is very injurious 
 to the bamboos, on the roots of which it feeds. In size it equals a rather 
 small rabbit, and in colour it is of a uniform ruddy brown, slightly paler on 
 the throat and abdomen. The long incisor teeth are faced with bright red 
 enamel, which gives them a rather conspicuous appearance ; the tail is short 
 and marked, and the claws are rather small. The head is of a peculiar form, 
 which will be better understood from the engraving than by description alone. 
 
 OXEN.' 
 
 In the large and important group of animals which now occupy our 
 attention, the incisor teeth are entirely absent in the upper jaw, and are eight 
 in number in the lower. There are six molars on each side of each jaw. 
 The two middle toes of each foot are separate, and are furnished with hoofs 
 instead of claws. From the frontal bones proceed two excrescences, which 
 are generally armed with horns, particularly in the male animal. The 
 structure of the stomach and gullet is very remarkable, and is employed in 
 producing that peculiar action which is called " ruminating," or chewing 
 the cud. 
 
 The Domestic Ox of Europe has been so modified in form, habits, and 
 dimensions, by its long intercourse with mankind, that it has developed into 
 as many permanent varieties as the dog, the pigeon, or the rabbit, and would 
 in many cases be thought to belong to different species. Among the principal 
 varieties of this animal may be noticed the Long-horned, the Short-horned, 
 and the Polled or hornless breeds, and the Alderney cow, so celebrated for 
 the quantity and quality of the milk which it daily furnishes. In almost 
 every part of the world are found examples of the Ox, variously modified in 
 order to suit the peculiar circumstances amid which they are placed, but in 
 all instances they are susceptible of domestication, and are employed in the 
 service of mankind. 
 
 There are few animals which are more thoroughly useful to man than the 
 Ox, or whose loss we should feel more deeply in the privation of so many com- 
 forts. Putting aside the two obvious benefits of its flesh and its milk — both 
 of which are so needful for our comfort that we almost forget to think about 
 them at all — we derive very great benefit from its powers while living, and 
 from many portions of its body when dead. 
 
 In many parts of England, Oxen are still employed in agricultural labour, 
 drawing the plough or waggon with a slow but stead y ploughing gait. The car- 
 penter would find himself sadly at a loss were his supply of glue to be suddenly 
 checked by the disappearance of the animal, from whose hoofs, ears, and 
 hide-parings the greater part of that useful material is manufactured. The 
 harness-maker, carriage-builder, and shoemaker would in that case be deprived 
 of a most valuable article in their trade ; the cutler and ivory turner would 
 lose a considerable portion of the rough material upon which they work ; the 
 
THE OX. 
 
 163 
 
 builder would find his best flaster sadly impaired without a proper admixture 
 of cow's hair ; Ejiid the practical chemist would be greatly at a loss for seme 
 of his most valuable productions if the entire Ox tribe were swept from the 
 earth. Not even the very intestines are allowed to be wasted, but are 
 employed for a variety 
 of purposes and in 
 a variety of trades. 
 Sometimes the bones 
 are subjected to a pro- 
 cess which extracts 
 every nutritious par- 
 ticle out of them, and 
 even in that case, the 
 remaining innutritious 
 portions of the bones 
 are made useful by 
 being calcined, and 
 manufactured into the 
 animal charcoal which 
 has lately been so 
 largely employed in 
 many of the arts and 
 sciences. 
 
 The Domestic Cow 
 is too well known to need any detailed description of form and colour. 
 Few persons, however, except those who have been personally conversant 
 with these animals, have any idea of their intelligent and affectionate 
 natures. 
 
 As the Oxen, in common with the sheep, camel, giraffe, and deer, require a 
 large amount of vegetable food, and are, while in their native regions, subject 
 to innumerable disturbing causes that would effectually prevent them from 
 Satisfying their hunger in an ordinary manner, they are furnished with a 
 peculiar arrangement of the stomach and digestive organs, by means of which 
 they are enabled to gather hastily a large amount of food in any spot where 
 the vegetation is luxuriant, and to postpone the business of mastication and 
 digestion to a time when they may be less likely to be disturbed. The 
 peculiarity of structure lies chiefly in the stomach and gullet, which are 
 formed so as to act as an internal food-pouch, analogous in its use to the 
 cheek-pouches of certain monkeys and rodents, together with an arrange- 
 ment for regurgitating the food into the mouth at the will of the animal, 
 previous to its mastication and digestion. 
 
 The domestic cattle of India are commonly known by the name of Zebu, 
 and are conspicuous for the curious fatty hump which projects from the withers. 
 These animals are further remarkable for the heavy dewlap which falls in 
 thick folds from the throat, and which gives to the forepart of the animal a 
 very characteristic aspect. The limbs are slender, and the back, after rising 
 towards the haunches, falls suddenly at the tail. 
 
 The Zebu is a quiet and intelligent animal, and is capable of being trained 
 in various modes for the service of mankind. It is a good draught animal, 
 and is harnessed either to carriages or to ploughs, which it can draw with 
 great steadiness, though with but little speed. Sometimes it is used for 
 riding, and is possessed of considerable endurance, being capable of carrying 
 a rider for fifteen hours a day, at an average rate of five or six miles per hour. 
 
 The Zebu race has a very wide range of locality, being found in India, 
 China, Madagascar, and the eastern coast of Africa. It is believed, however, 
 
 M 2 
 
1 64 
 
 THE ZEBU. 
 
 ZEBU. — [Bos Indicus.) 
 
 that its native land is India, and that it must have been imported from thence 
 into other countries. 
 
 There are various breeds of Zebu, some being about the size of our ordinary 
 cattle, and others varying in dimensions from a large Ox to a small New- 
 foundland dog. One of the 
 most familiar of these varie- 
 ties is the well-known Brah- 
 min Bull, so called because 
 it is considered to be sacred 
 to Bramah. 
 
 The more religious among 
 the Hindoos, scrupulously 
 observant of the letter of a 
 law which was intended to 
 be universal in its applica- 
 tion, but to which they give 
 only a partial interpretation, 
 indulge this animal in the 
 most absurd manner. They 
 place the sacred mark of 
 Siva on its body, and permit 
 it to wander about at its own 
 sweet will, pampered by 
 every luxury, and never op- 
 posed in any wish or caprice which it may form. A Brahmin Bull will 
 walk along the street with a quaintly dignified air, inspect anything and any- 
 body that may excite his curiosity, force any one to make way for himself, 
 and if he should happen to take a fancy to the contents of a fruiterer's or 
 greengrocer's shop, will deliberately make his choice and satisfy his wishes, 
 none daring to cross him. The indulgence which is extended to this animal 
 is carried to so great a height, that if a Brahmin Bull choses to lie down in 
 a narrow lane, no one can pass until he gets up of his own accord. 
 
 The Buffalo is spread over a wide range of country, being found in 
 Southern Europe, North Africa, India, and a few other localities. 
 
 This animal is subject to considerable modifications in external aspect, 
 according to the climate or the particular locality in which it resides, and 
 has in consequence been mentioned under very different names. In all cases 
 the wild animals are larger and more powerful than their domesticated 
 relations, and in many instances the slightly different shape and greater or 
 lesser length of the horns, or the skin denuded of hairs, have been considered 
 as sufficient evidence of separate species. 
 
 In India, the long, smooth-horned variety chiefly prevails, and is found 
 in tolerable profusion. This animal frequents wet and marshy localities, 
 being sometimes called the Water Buffalo on account of its aquatic predilec- 
 tions. It is a most fierce and dangerous animal, savage to a marvellous 
 degree, and not hesitating to charge any animal that may arouse its ready 
 ire. An angry buffalo has been known to attack a tolerably sized elephant, 
 and by a vigorous charge in the ribs to prostrate its huge foe. Even the 
 tiger is found to quail before the Buffalo, and displays the greatest uneasiness 
 in its presence. 
 
 The Arnee lives in large herds, arranged after the manner of all bovine 
 animals, the females and young being always placed in the safest spots, 
 while the males post themselves in all positions of danger. These herds are 
 never seen on elevated ground, preferring the low marshy districts where 
 water and mud are abundant. In this mud they love to wallow, and when 
 
THE CAPE BUFFALO. 
 
 165 
 
 BUFFALO. — {Bubalus btiffelus.) 
 
 suddenly roused from their strange pastime, present a most terrible appear- 
 ance, their eyes glaring fiercely from amid the mud-rovered dripping masses 
 of hair. Sometimes the Buffalo is said to fall a victim to its propensity for 
 wallowing in the mud, and to be stuck so firmly in the oozy slime, as it dries 
 under the scorching 
 
 sunbeams of that burn- 
 ing climate, that it can 
 be killed without dan- 
 ger. They generally 
 chewthecud while they 
 are lying immersed in 
 mud or water. 
 
 The Cape Buffalo 
 is quite as formidable 
 an animal as its Indi- 
 an relative, and much 
 more terrible in out- 
 ward aspect. The 
 heavy bases of the 
 horns, that nearly unite 
 over the forehead, and 
 under which the little 
 fierce eyes twinkle with 
 sullen rays, give to the 
 
 creature's countenance an appearance of morose, lowering ill-temper, which 
 is in perfect accordance with its real character. 
 
 Owing to the enormous heavy mass which is situated on the forehead, the 
 Cape Buffalo does not see very well in a straight line, so that a man may some- 
 times cross the track of a Buffalo within a hundred yards, and not be seen 
 by the animal, provided that he walks quietly, and does not attract attention 
 by the sound of his foot- 
 steps. This animal is ever 
 a dangerous neighbour, but 
 when it leads a solitary life 
 among the thickets and 
 marshy places, it is a worse 
 antagonist to a casual pas- 
 senger than even the lion 
 himself In such a case, it 
 has an unpleasant habit of 
 remaining quietly in its lair 
 until the unsuspecting travel- 
 ler passes closely to its place 
 of concealment, and then, 
 leaping suddenly upon him 
 like some terrible monster 
 of the waters, dripping with 
 mud, and filled with rage. 
 
 Many such tragical in- 
 cidents have occurred, 
 chiefly, it must be acknowledged, owing to the imprudence of the sufferer : 
 and there are few coverts in Southern Africa which are not celebrated for 
 some such terrible incident. Sometimes the animal is so recklessly furious 
 in its unreasoning anger, that it absolutely blinds itself by its heedless rush 
 through the formidable thorn-bushes which are so common in Southern 
 
 CAPE BUFFALO. — {Btibahis Caffer.) 
 
i66 
 
 THE BISON. 
 
 Africa. Even \i'hen in company with others of their own species, they are 
 liable to sudden bursts of emotion, and will rush blindly on, heedless of every- 
 thing but the impulse that drives them forward. In one instance, the leader 
 of the herd, being wounded, dropped on his knees, and was instantly crushed 
 by the trampling hoofs of his comrades, as they rushed over the prostrate 
 body of their chief. 
 
 The Cape Buffalo, although so terrible an animal, is not so large as the arnee, 
 being little larger than an ordinary ox, but possessed of much greater strength. 
 The strangely shaped horns are black in colour, and so large that the distance 
 between their points is not unfrequently from four or five feet. On account 
 of their great width at their bases, they form a kind of bony helmet, which 
 is impenetrable to an ordinary musket ball, and effectually defend their 
 owner against the severe shocks which are frequently suffered by these testy 
 animals. 
 
 The Bison is only found in Northern America, never appearing north of 
 lat. 33°. It gathers together in enormous herds, consisting of many thousand 
 in number, and in spite of the continual persecution to which it is subjected 
 by man and beast, its multitudes are even now hardly diminished. The 
 Bison is one of the most valuable of animals to the white hunter as well as 
 to the aboriginal Red Indian, as its body supplies him with almost every 
 necessary of life. 
 
 The flesh of the fat cow Bison is in great repute, being juicy, tender, and 
 well-savoured, and possesses the invaluable quality of not cloying the appetite, 
 even though it be eaten with the fierce hunger that is. generated by a day's 
 hunting. The fat is peculiarly excellent, and is said to bear some resemb- 
 lance to the celebrated green fat of the turtle. The most delicate portion of 
 
 the Bison is the flesh 
 that composes the 
 " hump," which gives to 
 the animal's back so 
 strange an aspect ; and 
 the hunters are so fond 
 of this delicacy that they 
 will often slay a magni- 
 ficent Bison merely fcr 
 the sake of the_, hump, 
 the tongue, and the 
 marrow-bones, leaving 
 the remainder of the 
 body to the wolves and 
 birds. 
 
 The hide is greatly 
 valued both by Indians 
 and civilised men, for 
 the manypurposes which 
 it fulfils. From this 
 hide the Indian makes 
 his tents, many parts of 
 his dress, his bed, and 
 his shield. For nearly 
 the whole of these uses the skin is deprived of hair, and is so dressed as 
 to be impervious to water, and yet soft and pliable. The shield is very 
 ingeniously made by pegging out the hide upon the ground with a multitude 
 of little wooden skewers round its edge, imbuing it with a kind of glue, 
 and gradually removing the pegs in proportion to the consequent shrinking 
 
 EISUN. — {Bison Americanus.) 
 
THE YAK. 
 
 167 
 
 and thickening of the skin. One of these shields, although still pliable, is 
 sufficiently strong to resist an arrow, and will often turn a bullet that does 
 not strike it fairly. 
 
 Vast quantities of Bisons are killed annually, whole herds being sometimes 
 destroyed by the cunning of their human foes. The hunters, having dis- 
 covered a herd of Bisons at no very great distance from one of the precipices 
 which abound in the prairie lands, quietly surround the doomed animals, 
 and drive them ever nearer and nearer to the precipice. When they have 
 come within half a mile or so of the edge, they suddenly dash towards the 
 Bisons, shouting, firing, waving hats in the air, and using every means to 
 terrify the intended victims. The Bisons are timid creatures, and easily take 
 alarm, so that on being startled by the unexpected sights and sounds, they 
 dash off, panic-struck, in the only direction left open to them, and which 
 leads directly to the precipice. When the leaders arrive at the edge they 
 attempt to recoil, but they are so closely pressed upon by those behind them, 
 that they are carried forward and forced into the gulf below. Many hundreds 
 of Bisons are thus destroyed in ihe space of a few minutes. 
 
 The Bison is remarkably fond of wallowing in the mud, and when he 
 cannot find a mud-hole ready excavated, sets busily to work to make one for 
 himself. Choosing some wet and marshy spot, he flings himself down on 
 his side, and whirls round and round until he wears away the soil, and forms 
 a circular and rather shallow pit, into which the water rapidly drains from 
 the surrounding earth. He now redoubles his efforts, and in a very short 
 time succeeds in covering himself with a thick coating of mud, which is 
 probably of very great service in defending him from the stings of the gnats 
 and other noxious insects which swarm in such localities. 
 
 The Bison is a marvellously active animal, and displays powers of running 
 and activity which would hardly be anticipated by one who had merely seen 
 a stuffed specimen. The body is so loaded with hair that it appears to be of 
 greater dimensions than is really the case, and seems out of all proportion to 
 the slender legs that appear from under it and seem to bend beneath its 
 weight. Yet the Bison is 
 
 r ^-^^c^ 
 
 an enduring as well as a 
 swift animal, and is also re- 
 markably sure of foot, going 
 at full speed over localities 
 where a horse would be soon 
 brought to a halt. 
 
 The Yak, or Grunting 
 Ox, derives its name from 
 its very peculiar voice, which 
 sounds much like the grunt 
 of a pig. It is a native of 
 the mountains of Thibet, 
 and according to Hodson, 
 it inhabits all the loftiest 
 plateaus of High Asia, be- 
 tween the Altai and the 
 Himalayas. 
 
 The heavy fringes of hair 
 that decorate the sides of 
 tlie Yak do not make their appearance until the animal has attained three 
 month' of age, the calves being covered with rough curling hair, not unlike 
 that of a black Newfoundland dog. The beautiful white bushy tail of the 
 Yak is in great request for various ornamental purposes, and forms quite an 
 
 YAK. — (Poephagus grunniens.) 
 
i68 
 
 THE MUSK OX.— ANTELOPES. 
 
 important article of commerce. Dyed red, it is formed into those curious 
 tufts that decorate the caps of the Chinese, and when properly mounted in 
 a silver handle, it is used as a fly-flapper in India under the name of 
 " chowrie." These tails are carried before certain officers of state, their 
 number indicating his rank. 
 
 The curiously-shaped horns of the MuSK Ox, its long woolly hair falling 
 almost to the ground in every direction, so as nearly to conceal its legs, 
 together with the pecuhar form of the head and snout, are unfailing charac- 
 teristics, whereby it can be dis- 
 criminated from any other 
 animal. The horns of the 
 Musk Ox are extremely large 
 at their base, and form a kind 
 of helmet upon the summit 
 of the forehead. They then 
 sweep boldly downwards, and 
 are again hooked upwards 
 towards the tips. This 
 curious form of the horns is 
 only noticed in the male, as 
 the horns of the female are 
 set very widely apart from 
 the sides of the forehead, and 
 are simply curved. The 
 muzzle is covered with hair, 
 with the exception of a very 
 slight line round the nostrils. 
 This animal is an inhabit- 
 ant of the extreme north of America, being seldom seen south of the sixty- 
 first degree of latitude, and ascending as high as the seventy-fifth. It 
 lives, in fact, in the same country which is inhabited by the Esquimaux, 
 and is known to them under the name of Oomingnoak. It is a fleet and 
 active animal, and traverses with such ease the rocky and precipitous 
 ground on which it loves to dwell, that it cannot be overtaken by any pursuer 
 less swift than an arrow or bullet. It is rather an irritable animal, and 
 becomes a dangerous foe to the hunters, by its habit of charging upon them 
 while they are perplexed amid the cliffs and crevices of its rocky home, 
 thus often escaping unharmed by the aid of its quick eye and agile limbs. 
 The flesh of this animal is very strongly perfumed with a musky odour, very 
 variable in its amount and strength. Excepting, however, a few weeks in 
 the year, it is perfectly fit for food, and is fat and well flavoured. 
 
 The Musk Ox is a little animal, but, owing to the huge mass of woolly hair 
 with which it is thickly covered, appears to be of considerable dimensions. 
 The colour of fhis animal is a yellowish brown, deepening upon the sides. 
 
 MUSK OX.' — {OoiOoi viOiCftatus.) 
 
 ANTELOPES. 
 
 The Antelopes form a large and important group of animals, finding 
 representatives in many portions of the globe. Resembling the deer in many 
 respects, they are easily to be distinguished from those animals by the 
 character of the horns, which are hollow at the base, set upon a solid core 
 like those of the oxen, and are permanently retained throughout the hfe of 
 the animal. Indeed, the Antelopes are allied very closely to the sheep and 
 goals, and in some instances, are very goat-like in external form. In all cases 
 
THE GAZELLE. 
 
 169 
 
 the Antelopes are light aud elegant of body, their limbs are gracefully- 
 slender, and are furnished with small cloven hoofs. The tail is never of any 
 great length, and in many species is very short. The horns, set above the 
 eyebrows, are either simply conical or are bent so as to resemble the two 
 horns of the ancient lyre, and are therefore termed " lyrate " in technical 
 language. 
 
 The well-known Gazelle is found in great numbers in Northern Africa, 
 where it lives in herds of considerable size, and is largely hunted by man 
 and beast. 
 
 Trusting to its swift limbs for its safety, the Gazelle will seldom, if ever, 
 attempt to resist a foe, unless it be actually driven to bay in some spot from 
 
 GAZELLE. — {Gazella Dorcas.) 
 
 whence it cannot escape ; but prefers to flee across the sandy plains, in which 
 it loves to dwell, with the marvellous speed for which it has long been 
 proverbial. The herd seems to be actuated by a strong spirit of mutual 
 attachment, which preserves its members from being isolated from their 
 companions, and which, in many instances, is their only safeguard against 
 the attacks of the smaller predaceous animals. The lion and the leopard can 
 always find a meal whenever they can steal upon a band of Gazelles without 
 being discovered by the sentries which watch the neighbourhood with jealous 
 precaution ; for the Gazelles are too weak to withstand the attack of such 
 terrible assailants, and do not even attempt resistance. 
 
 The eye of the Gazelle is large, soft, and lustrous, and has been long 
 celebrated by the poets of its own land as the most flattering simile of a 
 woman's eye. The colour of this pretty little animal is a hght fawn upon the 
 back, deepening into dark brown in a wide band which edges the flanks, and 
 forms a line of demarcation between the yellow-brown of the upper portions 
 
lyo 
 
 THE SPRING-BOK. 
 
 of the body and the pure white of the abdomen. The face is rather curiously 
 marked with two stripes of contrasting colours, one a dark black-brown line 
 that passes from the eye to the curves of the mouth, and the other a white 
 streak that begins at the horns agd extends as far as the muzzle. The hinder 
 quarters, too, are marked with white, which is very preceptible when the 
 animal is walking directly from the spectator. 
 
 The Spring-bok derives its very appropriate title from the extraordinary 
 leaps which it is in the constant habit of making whenever it is alarmed. 
 
 As soon as it is frightened at any real or fancied danger, or whenever it 
 desires to accelerate its pace suddenly, it leaps high into the air with a 
 
 curiously easy movement, 
 rising to a height of seven or 
 eight feet without any diffi- 
 culty, and being capable on 
 occasions of reaching the 
 height of twelve or thirteen 
 feet. When leaping, the back 
 IS greatly curved, and the 
 creature presents a very 
 curious aspect, owing to the 
 sudden exhibition of the long 
 white hairs that cover the 
 croup, and are nearly hidden 
 by the folds of skin when 
 the creature is at rest, but 
 which come boldly into view 
 as soon as the protecting 
 skin-fold is obliterated by 
 the tension of the muscles 
 
 SPRING-BOK — (AntiJorcas Euchore. ) 
 
 that serve to propel the animal in its aerial course. 
 
 The Spring-bok is a marvellously timid animal, and will never cross a road 
 if it can avoid the necessity. When it is forced to do so, it often com- 
 promises the difficulty by leaping over the spot which has been tainted by 
 the foot of man. The colour of the Spring-bok is very pleasing, the ground 
 tinting being a warm cinnamon-brown upon the upper surface of the body, 
 and pure white upon the abdomen, the two colours being separated from 
 each other by a broad band of reddish brown. The flesh of the Spring-bok 
 is held in some estimation, and the hide is in great request for many useful 
 purposes. 
 
 Inhabiting the vast plains of Southern Africa, the Spring-bok is accustomed 
 to make pilgrimages from one spot to another, vast herds being led by their 
 chiefs, and ravaging the country over which they pass as if they were locusts. 
 
 The Gems-boic, or Kookaam, is a large and powerful member of the 
 Antelope tribe, equalling the domestic ass in size, and measuring about three 
 feet ten inches at the shoulder. The manner in which the hide is decorated 
 with boldly contrasted tints gives it a very peculiar aspect. The general hue 
 is grey, but along the back, upon the hinder quarters, and along the flanks, 
 the colour is deep black. A black streak also crosses the face, and, passin-i 
 under the chin, gives it the appearance of wearing harness. It has a short, 
 erect mane, and long, sweeping, black tail, and its heavy horns are nearly 
 straight from base to tip. 
 
 The long and sharply-pointed horns with which its head is armed are 
 terrible weapons of offence, and can be wielded with marvellous skill. 
 Striking right and left with these natural bayonets, the adult Gems-bok is a 
 match for most of the smaller carnivora, and has even been known to wage a 
 
THE GEMS-BOK. 
 
 171 
 
 successful duel with the lordly lion, and fairly to beat off its antagonist. 
 Even when the lion has overcome the Gems-bok, the battle may sometimes 
 be equally claimed by both sides, for in one instance the dead bodies of a 
 lion and a Gems-bok were found lying on the plain, the horns of the Antelope 
 being driven so firmly into the lion's body, that they could not be extracted 
 by the efforts of a single man. The lion had evidently sprung upon the 
 Gems-bok, which had re- 
 ceived its foe upon the points 
 of its horns, and had sacri- 
 ficed its own life in destroy- 
 ing that of its adversary. 
 
 As is the case with many 
 long-horned animals, one of 
 the horns, usually the left, is 
 shorter than the other. In 
 a fine pair of Gems-bok horns 
 in my collection, the left horn 
 is nearly three inches shorter 
 than the right. 
 
 Although the Gems-bok 
 is nearly independent of 
 water, it stands as much in 
 need of moisture as any other 
 animal, and would speedily 
 perish in the arid deserts 
 were it not directed by its 
 instincts towards certain suc- 
 culent plants which are placed 
 in those regions, and which 
 possess the useful power of 
 attracting and retaining every 
 particle of moisture which 
 may happen to settle in their vicinity. The most common and most valuable 
 of these plants is a bulbous root, belonging to the Liliacea, called, from its 
 peculiar property of retaining the moisture, the Water-root. Only a very 
 small portion of the valuable plant appears above the ground, and the 
 water-bearing bulb is so encrusted with hardened soil that it must be dug 
 out with a knife. Several other succulent plants also possess similar qualities, 
 among which may be noticed a kind of little melon which is spread over 
 the whole of the great Kalahari desert. 
 
 Resembling the Gems-bok in many particulars, the Oryx can be easily 
 distinguished from its predecessor by the shape of the horns, which, instead 
 of being nearly straight, are considerably bent, and sweep towards the back 
 in a noble curve. 
 
 It uses these horns with as much address as its near relative the gems-bok, 
 and if it should be lying wounded on the ground, the hunter must beware of 
 approaching the seemingly quiescent animal, lest it should suddenly strike at 
 him with its long and keenly pointed horns, while its body lies prostrate on 
 the earth. Should it be standing at bay, it is a very dangerous opponent, 
 having a habit of suddenly lowering its head and charging forward with 
 a quick, lightning-like speed, from which its antagonist cannot escape with- 
 out difficulty. 
 
 The colour of this animal is greyish white upon the greater part of its 
 person, and is diversified by sundry bold markings of black and ruddy brown, 
 \yliicb are spread over the head and body in a manner that can be readily 
 
 GEMS-BOK.— (0;-j'x Gazella.) 
 
172 
 
 THE CHAMOIS. 
 
 comprehended from the illustration. The height of the Oryx is rather more 
 than three feet six inches, and the long curved horns are upwards of three 
 feet in length. These horns are set closely together upon the head, from 
 whence they diverge gradually to their extremities. These weapons are covered 
 with rings at their bases, but at their tips they are smooth and exceedingly 
 sharp. Their colour is black. 
 
 Goat-like in aspect, and very hircine in many of its habits, the Chamois 
 is often supposed to belong to the goats rather than to the Antelopes. 
 
 It is, however, a true Antelope, and may be readily distinguished from any 
 of its relations by the peculiar form of the horns, which rise straight from the 
 top of the head for some inches, and then suddenly curve backwards, so as to 
 form a pair of sharp hooks. In descending a precipitous rock, the Chamois 
 is greatly aided by the false hoofs of the hinder feet, which it hitches upon 
 
 CRtMO\%.—{Rupicafra Tragus.) 
 
 every little irregularity in the stony surface, and which seem to retard its 
 progress as it slides downwards, guided by the sharp hoofs of the fore-feet, 
 which are placed closely together, and pushed well in advance of the body. 
 Thus flattened against the rock, the Chamois slides downwards until it comes 
 to a ledge broad enough to permit it to repose itself for a while before 
 descending further. In this manner the active creature will not hesitate 
 to descend some twenty or thirty yards along the face of an almost per- 
 pendicular cliff, being sure to make good its footing on the first broad 
 ledge that may present itself. 
 
 The Chamois is one of the most wary of Antelopes, and possesses the 
 power of scenting mankind at an almost incredible distance. Even the 
 old and half-obliterated footmarks which a man has made in the snow 
 are sufficient to startle the sensitive feai=; nf this animal, which has been 
 
THE CHAMOIS. 173 
 
 observed to stop in mid career down a mountain side, and to bound away 
 at right angles to its former course, merely because it had come across 
 the track which had been left by the steps of some mountain traveller. Like 
 all animals which live in herds, however small, they always depute one of 
 their number to act as sentinel. They are not, however, entirely dependent 
 on the vigilance of their picket, but are always on the alert to take alarm at 
 the least suspicious scent, sight, or sound, and to communicate their fears to 
 their comrades by a peculiar warning whistle. As soon as this sound is 
 heard, the entire herd take to flight. 
 
 Their ears are as acute as their nostrils, so that there are few animals which 
 are more difficult of approach than the Chamois. Only those who have 
 been trained to climb the giddy heights of the Alpine mountains, to traverse 
 the most fearful precipices with a quiet pulse and steady head, to exist 
 for days amid the terrible solitudes of ice, rock, and snow, and to sustain 
 almost every imaginable hardship in the pursuit of their game, — only these, 
 or in very rare instances those who have a natural aptitude for the sport, and 
 are, in consequence, soon initiated into its requisite accomplishments, can 
 hope even to come within long rifle range of a Chamois when the animal is at 
 large upon its native cliffs. 
 
 The food of the Chamois consists of the various herbs which grow upon the 
 mountains, and in the winter season it finds its nourishment on the buds of 
 sundry trees, mostly of an aromatic nature, such as the fir, pine, and juniper. 
 In consequence of this diet the flesh assumes a rather powerful odour, 
 which is decidedly repulsive to the palates of some persons, while others 
 seem to appreciate the peculiar flavour, and to value it as highly as the 
 modern gourmand appreciates the " gamey " flavour of long-kept venison. 
 The skin is largely employed in the manufacture of a certain leather, 
 which is widely famous for its soft though tough character. The colour of 
 the Chamois is yellowish brown upon the greater portion of the body, the 
 spinal line being marked with a black streak. In the winter months the fur 
 darkens and becomes blackish brown. The face, cheeks, and throat are of a 
 yellowish white hue, diversified by a dark brownish black band which passes 
 from the corner of the mouth to the eyes, when it suddenly dilates and forms 
 a nearly perfect ring round the eyes. The horns are jetty black and highly 
 polished, especially towards the tips, which are extremely sharp. There are 
 several obscure rings on the basal portions, and their entire surface is marked 
 with longitudinal lines. 
 
 Several varieties of the Chamois are recorded, but the distinctions between 
 them lie only in the comparative length of the horns and the hue of the coat. 
 The full-grown Chamois is rather more than two feet in height, and the horns 
 are from six to eight inches long. 
 
 Of all the Antelopes, the Gnoo presents the most extraordinary conforma- 
 tion. At the first sight of this curious animal the spectator seems to doubt 
 whether it is a horse, a bull, or an Antelope, as it appears to partake nearly 
 equally of the nature of these three animals. 
 
 The Gnoos, of which there are several species, may be easily recognized 
 by the fierce-looking head, their peculiarly shaped horns, which are bent 
 downwards and then upwards again with a sharp curve, by their broad nose, 
 and long hair-clad tail. They live together in considerable herds, often 
 mixing with zebras, ostriches, and giraffes, in one huge army of living beings. 
 In their habits they are not unlike the wild cattle which have already been 
 described. Suspicious, timid, curious of disposition, and irritable of temper, 
 they display these mingled qualities in a very ludicrous manner whenever 
 they are alarmed by a strange object. 
 
 " They commence whisking their long white tails," says Gumming, " in a 
 
«74 
 
 THE GNOO. 
 
 THE GNOO.- 
 
 -(Connochetes Gnu.) 
 
 most eccentric manner ; then, springing suddenly into the air, they begin 
 pawing and capering, and pursue each other in ci'rcles at their utmost speed 
 budden y they all pull up together to overhaul the intruder, when some of the 
 bulls will often commence fighting m the most violent manner, dropping on 
 
 their knees at every shock; 
 then, quickly wheeling about, 
 they kick up their heels, whirl 
 their tails with a fantastic 
 flourish, and scour across 
 the plain, enveloped in a 
 cloud of dust." On account 
 of these extraordinary ma- 
 noeuvres, the Gnoo is called 
 Wildebeest by the Dutch 
 settlers. The Gnoos in the 
 Zoological Gardens may often 
 be seen at their gambols. 
 
 The colour of the ordinary 
 Gnoo {Connochetes Gnu) is 
 brownish black, sometimes 
 with a blue-grey wash. The 
 mane is black, with the ex- 
 ception of the lower part, 
 which is often greyish-white, 
 as is the lower part of the tail. The nose is covered with a tuft of reversed 
 hair, and there is a mane upon the chest. 
 
 The Gnoo is about three feet nine inches high at the shoulders, and 
 measures about six feet six inches from the nose to the root of the tail. 
 
 By far the most striking and imposing of all South African Antelopes, the 
 Koodoo, now claims our attention. 
 
 This truly magnificent creature is about four feet in height at the shoulder, 
 and its body is rather heavily made, so that it is really a large animal. The 
 curiously twisted horns are nearly three feet in length, and are furnished with 
 a strong ridge or keel, which extends throughout their entire length. It is 
 not so swift or enduring as many Antelopes, and can be run down without 
 difficulty, provided that the hunter be mounted on a good horse, and the 
 ground be tolerably fair and open. Its leaping powers are very great, for 
 erne of these animals has been known to leap to a height of nearly ten feet 
 without the advantage of a run. 
 
 The flesh of the Koodoo is remarkably good, and the marrow of the prin- 
 cipal bones is thought to be one of Africa's best luxuries. So fond are the 
 natives of this dainty, that they will break the bones and suck out the marrow 
 without even cooking it in any way whatever. The skin of this animal is 
 extremely valuable, and for some purposes is almost priceless. There is no 
 skin that will make nearly so good a "fore-slock," or whip-lash, as that of the 
 Koodoo ; for its thin, tough substance is absolutely required for such a 
 purpose. Shoes, thongs, certain parts of harness, and other similar objects 
 are manufactured from the Koodoo's skin, which, when properly prepared, is 
 worth a sovereign or thirty shillings even in its own land. 
 
 The Koodoo is very retiring in disposition, and is seldom seen except by 
 those who come to look for it. It lives in little herds or families of five or 
 six in number, but it is not uncommon to find a solitary hermit here or there, 
 probably an animal which has been expelled from some family, and is awaiting 
 the time for setting up a family of his own. As it is in the habit of frequent- 
 ing brushwopd, the heavjr spiral horns would appear to be grefit hindrances 
 
THE ELAND. 
 
 m 
 
 to their owner's progress ; such is not, however, the case, for when the Koodoo 
 runs, it lays its horns upon its baclc, and is thus enabled to thread the 
 tangled bush without diffi- 
 culty. Some writers say that 
 the old males will sometimes 
 establish a bachelors' club, 
 ard live harmoniously to- 
 gether, without admitting any 
 of the opposite sex into their 
 society. 
 
 The colour of the Koodoo 
 is a reddish grey, marked 
 with several white streaks 
 running boldly over the back 
 and down the sides. The 
 females are destitute of 
 horns. 
 
 ■ The Eland, Impoofo, i 
 or Canna, is the largest ofs 
 the South African Antelopes, ' 
 being equal in dimensions to 
 a very iarge ox. 
 
 A fine specimen of an 
 adult bull Eland will measure 
 nearly six feet in height at 
 the shoulders, and is more 
 than proportionately pon- 
 derous in his build, being 
 heavily burdened with fat as well as with flesh. Owing to this great weigth 
 of body, the Eland is not so enduring as the generality of Antelopes, and 
 can usually be ridden 
 down without much 
 trouble. Indeed the 
 chase of the animal is 
 so simple a matter, that 
 the hunters generally 
 contrive to drive it to- 
 wards their encamp- 
 ment, and will not kill 
 it until it has approached 
 the waggon so closely 
 that the hunters will 
 have but little trouble in 
 conveying its flesh and 
 hide to their wheeled 
 treasure-house. 
 
 The flesh of the Eland 
 is peculiarly excellent ; 
 and as it possesses the 
 valuable quality of being 
 tender immediately after 
 the animal is killed, it is 
 highly appreciated in the 
 
 KOODOO. — (Strepsicei-os Kudu.) 
 
 
 ELAND. — (Oreas Canna.) 
 
 interior of South Africa, where usually all the meat is as tough as shoe-leather, 
 and nearly as dry. In some strange manner, the Eland contrives to live for 
 
1/6 
 
 THE NYLGHAU. 
 
 months together without drinking, and even when the herbage is so dry 
 that it crumbles into powder in the hand, the Eland preserves its good 
 condition, and is, moreover, found to contain water in its stomach if opened. 
 For its abstinence from liquids the Eland compensates by its ravenous appetite 
 for solid food, and is so large a feeder that the expense of keeping the 
 animal would be almost too great for any one who endeavoured to domesticate 
 the animal in England with any hope of profit. 
 
 Passing from Africa to Asia, we find a curious and handsome Antelope, 
 partaking of many of the characteristics which are found in the Koodoo and 
 Bosch-bok. This is the Nylghau, an inhabitant of the thickly-wooded 
 districts of India. 
 
 This magnificent Antelope is rather more than four feet high at the 
 shoulders, and its general colour is a slate-blue. The face is marked with 
 brown or sepia ; the long neck is furnished with a bold dark mane, and a 
 long tuft of course hair hangs from the throat. The female is smaller than 
 
 her mate, and hornless. Her 
 coat is generally a reddish 
 grey, instead of partaking of 
 the slate-blue tint which 
 colours the form of the male. 
 The hind legs of this animal 
 are rather shorter than the 
 fore legs. Its name. Nylghau, 
 is ,of Persian origin, and 
 signifies " Blue Ox." 
 
 It does not seem to be of 
 a social disposition, and is 
 generally found in pairs in- 
 habiting the borders of the 
 jungle. There are, however, 
 many examples of solitary 
 males. It is a shy and wary 
 animal, and the hunter who 
 desires to shoot one of these 
 animals is obliged to exert 
 his bush-craft to the utmost in order to attain his purpose. To secure a 
 Nylghau requires a good marksman as well as a good stalker, for the animal 
 is very tenacious of life, and if not struck in the proper spot will carry off a 
 heavy bullet without seeming to be much the worse at the time. The native 
 chiefs are fond of hunting the Nylghau, and employ in the chase a whole 
 army of beaters and trackers, so that the poor animal has no chance of fair 
 play. These hunts are not without their excitement, for the Nylghau's 
 temper is of the shortest, and when it feels itself aggrieved, it suddenly turns 
 upon its opponent, drops on its knees, and leaps forward with such astounding 
 rapidity that the attack can hardly be avoided, even when the intended victim 
 is aware of the animal's intentions. 
 
 "{■he Nylghau is not of very great value either to individual hunters or for 
 commercial purposes. The hide is employed in the manufacture of shields, 
 but the flesh is coarse and without flavour. There are, however, exceptions 
 to be found in the " hump " of the male, the tongue, and the marrow bones : 
 which are thought to be rather delicate articles of diet. Its gait is rather 
 clumsy, but very rapid, and generally consists of a peculiar long swinging 
 canter, which is not easily overtaken. 
 
 NYI.GHAU. — (Poiiax tragocainelus. ) 
 
THE IBEX. 
 
 177 
 
 GOATS AND SHEEP, 
 
 Closely allied to each other, the GOATS and Sheep can be easily 
 separated by a short examination. In the Goats, which will first come under 
 consideration, the horns are erect, decidedly compressed, curved backwards 
 and outwards, and are supplied with a ridge or heel of horny substance in 
 front. The males generally possess a thickly-bearded chin, and are all notable 
 for a powerful and very rank odour which is not present in the male sheep. 
 
 Of the genus Capra, which includes several species, the iBEX, or Stein- 
 BOCIC, is a familiar and excellent example. 
 
 IBEX. — {Capra Ibex.') 
 
 This animal, an inhabitant of the Alps, is remarkable for the exceeding 
 development of the horns, which are sometimes more than three feet m 
 length, and of such extraordinary dimensions that they appear to a casual 
 obseiver to be peculiarly unsuitable for an animal that traverses the craggy 
 regions of Alpine precipices. - 
 
 To hunt the Ibex successfully is as hard a matter as hunting the chamois, 
 for the Ibex is to the full as wary and active an animal, and is sometimes 
 
 ■ ■ N 
 
178 
 
 THE GOAT. 
 
 apt to turn the tables on its pursuer, and assume an offensive deportment. 
 Should the hunter approach too near the Ibex, the animal will, as if suddenly 
 urged by the reckless courage of despair, dash boldly forward at its foe, and 
 strike him from the precipitous rock over which he is forced to pass. The 
 difficulty of the chase is further increased by the fact that the Ibex is a 
 remarkably endurant animal, and is capable of abstaining from food or water 
 for a considerable time. 
 
 It lives in little bands of five or ten in number, each troop being under the 
 command of an old male, and preserving admirable order among themselves. 
 Their sentinel is ever on the watch, and at the slightest suspicious sound, 
 scent, or object, the warning whistle is blown, and the whole troop make 
 instantly for the highest attainable point. Their instinct always leads them 
 upwards, an inborn " excelsior " being woven into their very natures, and as 
 soon as they perceive danger they invariably begin to mount towards the 
 line of perpetual snow. The young of this animal are produced in April, 
 and in a few hours after their birth they are strong enough to follow their 
 parent. 
 
 The colour of the Ibex is a reddish brown in summer, and grey brown in 
 winter ; a dark stripe passes along the spine and over the face, and the 
 
 ■■■''^■^iy^ms^^^, 
 
 GOAT. — {Hircus ALgagrus.) 
 
 abdomen and interior faces of the limbs are washed with whitish grey. The 
 horns are covered from base to point with strongly-marked transverse ridges, 
 the number of which is variable, and is thought by some persons to denote 
 the age of the animal. In the females the horns are not nearly so large nor 
 so heavily ridged as in the male. The Ibex is also known under the name 
 of BOUQUETIN. 
 
 There are an enormous number of varieties of the common domestic 
 Goat, many of them being so unlike the original stock from which they 
 
THE CASHMIR GOAT. 
 
 m 
 
 sprang as to appear like different species. For the present, we will turn to 
 the common Goat of Europe, with which we are all so familiar. This animal is 
 often seen domesticated, especially in and about stables, as there is a prevalent 
 idea that the rank smell of the Goat is beneficial to horses. Be this as 
 it may, the animal seems quite at home in a stable, and a very firm 
 friendship often arises between the Goat and one of the horses. Sometimes 
 it gets so petted by the frequenters of the stables, that it becomes presump- 
 tuous, and assaults any one whom it may not happen to recognise as a 
 friend. Happily, a Goat, however belligerent he may be, is easily conquered 
 if his beard pan only be grasped, and when he is thus captured, he yields 
 at once to his conqueror, assumes a downcast air and bleats in a very pitiful 
 tone, as if asking for mercy. 
 
 In its wild state the Goat is a fleet and agile animal, delighting in rocks 
 and precipitous localities, and treading their giddy heights with a foot as 
 sure and an eye as steady as that of the chamois or ibex. Even in domesti- 
 
 CASHMIR GOAT. 
 
 cated life, this love of clambering is never eradicated, and wherever may 
 be an accessible roof, or rock, or even a hill, there the Goat may be 
 generally found. 
 
 The varieties of the Goat are almost numberless, and it will be impossible 
 to engrave, or even to notice, more than one or two of the most prominent 
 examples. One of the most valuable of these varieties is the celebrated 
 Cashmir Goat, whose soft silky hair furnishes material for the soft and costly 
 fabrics which are so highly valued in all civilized lands. 
 
 This animal is a native of Thibet and the neighbouring locality, bi.t the 
 Cashmir shawls are not manufactured in the same land which supplies the 
 
 N 2 
 
i8o 
 
 THE SHEEP. 
 
 material. The fur of the Cashmir Goat is of two sorts : a soft, woolly under- 
 coat of greyish hair, and a covering of long silken hairs that serve to defend 
 the interior coat from the effects of winter. The woolly under-coat is the 
 substance from which the Cashmir shawls are woven, and in order to make 
 a single shawl a yard and a half square, at least ten Goats are robbed of their 
 natural covering. Beautiful as are these fabrics, they would be sold at a very 
 much lower price but for the heavy and numerous taxes which are laid upon 
 the material in all the stages of its manufacture, and after its completion upon 
 the finished article. Indeed, the English buyer of a Cashmir shawl is forced 
 to pay at least a thousand per cent, on his purchase. 
 
 From time immemorial the Sheep has been subjected to the ways of 
 mankind, and has provided him with meat and clothing, as well as with many 
 articles of domestic use. The whole carcass of the Sheep is as useful as that 
 of the ox, and there is not a single portion of its body that is not converted 
 
 HIGHLAND SHEEP. 
 
 to some beneficial purpose. The animal as we now possess it, and which 
 has diverged into such innumerable varieties, is never found in a state of ab- 
 solute wildness, and has evidently derived its origin from some hitherto 
 undomesticated species. In the opinion of many naturalists, the inoufion 
 may lay claim to the parentage of our domestic Sheep, but other writers 
 have separated the mouflons from the Sheep, and placed them in a different 
 genus. 
 
 Although the Sheep is generally considered to be a timid animal, and is 
 really so when forced into adverse circumstances and deprived of its wonted 
 liberty, it is truly as bold an animal as can well be^ seep, and even in this 
 country gives many proofs of its courage. If, for example, a traveller comes 
 uQcxpectedly upon 'a flock of the little Sheep that range the \yelsh mountains, 
 
THE MERINO SBEEP. t^. 
 
 they \vill not flee from his presence, but draw together into a compact body, 
 and watch him with stern and unyielding gaze. Should he attempt to 
 advance, he would be instantly assailed by the rams, which form the first 
 hne in such cases, and would fare but badly in the encounter. A dog, if it 
 should happen to accompany the intruder, would probably be at once charged 
 and driven from the spot. 
 
 Even a single ram is no mean antagonist when he is thoroughly irritated, 
 and his charge is really formidable. Sheep differ from Goats in their 
 manner of fighting ; the latter animals rear themselves on their hind legs, 
 and then plunge sideways upon their adversary, while the former animals 
 hurl themselves forward, and strike their opponent with the whole weight as 
 well as impetus of the body. So terrible is the shock of a ram's charge, that 
 it has been known to prostrate a bull at the first blow. Nor is the sheep only 
 combative when irritated by opposition, or when danger threatens itself A 
 Sheep that had been led into a slaughter-house has been known to turn 
 fiercely upon the butcher as he was about to kill one of its companions, 
 and to butt him severely in order to make him relinquish his grasp of its 
 friend. 
 
 In the British Isles the Sheep breeds freely, producing generally one or 
 two lambs every year, and sometimes presenting its owner with three lambs at 
 a birth. One instance is on record of a wonderfully prolific ewe. She had 
 hardly passed her second year when she produced four lambs. The next 
 year she had five ; the year after that she bore twins ; and the next year five 
 again. On two successive years she bore twins. Two out of the four and 
 three out of the five were necessarily fed by hand. 
 
 We will now advert shortly to some of the principal breeds or varieties of 
 the Sheep. 
 
 Of all the domestic varieties of this useful animal, the Spanish, or Merino 
 Sheep, has attracted the greatest attention. 
 
 Originally, this animal is a native of Spain, a country which has been for 
 many centuries celebrated for the quantity and quality of its wool. The 
 Merino Sheep, from whom the long and fine Spanish wool was obtained, 
 were greatly improved by an admixture with the Cotswold Sheep of England, 
 some of which were sent to Spain in 1464, and the fleece was so improved by 
 the crossing, that famous English wool was surpassed by that which was 
 supplied by Spain. 
 
 In Spain, the Merinos are kept in vast flocks, and divided into two general 
 heads, the stationary and the migratory. The former animals remain in the 
 same locality during the whole of their lives, but the latter are accustomed to 
 undertake regular annual migrations. The summer months they spend in 
 the cool mountainous districts, but as soon as the weather begins to grow 
 cold, the flocks pass into the warmer regions of Andalusia, where they remain 
 until April. The flocks are sometimes ten thousand in number, and the 
 organization by which they are managed is very complex and perfect. Over 
 each great flock is set one experienced shepherd, who is called the " mayoral," 
 and who exercises despotic sway over his subordinates. Fifty shepherds 
 are placed under his orders, and are supplied with boys and intelligent 
 dogs. 
 
 Under the guardianship of their shepherds, the Merino Sheep, which have 
 spent the summer in the mountains, begin their downward journey about the 
 month of September ; and after a long and leisurely march they arrive at the 
 pasture-grounds, which are recognized instinctively by the Sheep. In these 
 pasturages the winter folds are prepared, and here are born the young 
 Merinos, which generally enter the world in March or the beginning of April. 
 Towards the end of that month the Sheep begin to be restless, and unless 
 
iSr. 
 
 THE GIRAFFES. 
 
 they are at once removed, will often decamp of thcr own ^^'^O'-f; S°me 
 times a whole flock will thus escape, and, gu.ded by .on.c '"^rvellous 
 ;n?Hnrt vdll make their way to their old quarters, unharmed, except pei- 
 chancebrso"et'^ 
 
 ^'^"'^S: 
 
 MEKINO, OR SPAMISH SHtEP. 
 
 The very young lambs are not without their value, although they furnish 
 no wool, for their skins are prepared and sent to France and England, where 
 %ey are manufactured into gloves, and called by the name of " kid." 
 
 GIRAFFES. 
 
 Tallest of all earthly dwellers, the Giraffe erects its stately head far 
 above any animal that walks the face of the globe. It is an inhabitant of 
 various parts of Africa, and is evidently a unique being, comprising in itself 
 an entire tribe. The colour of the coat is slightly different in the specimens 
 which inhabit the northern and the southern portions of Africa, the southern 
 animal being rather darker than its northern relative. 
 
 The height of a full-grown male Giraffe is from eighteen to twenty feet, the 
 female being somewhat less in her dimensions. The greater part of this 
 enormous stature is obtained by the extraordinarily long neck, which is 
 nevertheless possessed of only seven vertebras, as in ordinary animals. Those 
 bones are, however, exHremely elongated, and their articulation is admirably 
 
THE GIRAFFE. 183 
 
 adapted to the purpose which they are called upon to fulfil. The back of the 
 Giraffe slopes considerably from the shoulders to the tail, and at first sight 
 the fore legs of the animal appear to be longer than the hinder limbs. The 
 legs themselves are, however, of equal length, and the elevation of the 
 shoulders is due to the very great elongation of the shoulder-blades. Upon the 
 head are two excrescences which resemble horns, and are popularly called 
 by that name. They are merely growths or developments of certain bones 
 of the skull, somewhat similar to the bony cores on which the hollow horns 
 
 GIRAFFE. — ( Giraffa Caiiidopdrdalis. ) 
 
 of the oxen and antelopes are set. These quasi-horns are covered with skin, 
 and have on their summits a tuft of dark hair. On the forehead, and nearly 
 between the eyes, a third bony projection is seen occupying the same position 
 that was traditionally accredited to the horn of the unicorn. 
 
 The singular height of this animal is entirely in accordance with its habits 
 and its mode of acquiring food. As the creature is accustomed to feed upon 
 the leaves of trees, it must necessarily be of very considerable stature to be 
 ablfi to reach the leaves on which it browses, and must also be possessed of 
 
i84 THE GTRAFFE. 
 
 organs by means of which it can select and gather such portions of the 
 foliage as may suit its palate. The former object is gained by the great 
 length of the neck and legs, and the latter by the wonderful development of 
 the tongue, which is so marvellously formed that it is capable of a consider- 
 able amount of prehensile power, and can be elongated or contracted in a 
 very wonderful manner. Large as is the animal, it can contract the tip of its 
 tongue into so small a compass that it can pass into the pipe of an ordinary 
 pocket-key, while its prehensile powers enable its owner to pluck any selected 
 leaf with perfect ease. In captivity the Giraffe is rather apt to make too free 
 a use of its tongue, such as twitching the artificial flowers and foliage from 
 ladies' bonnets, or any similar freak. 
 
 For grazing upon level ground the Giraffe is peculiarly unfitted, and never 
 attempts that feat -excepting when urged by hunger or some very pressing 
 cause. It is, however, perfectly capable of bringing its mouth to the ground, 
 although with considerable effort and much straddling of the fore-legs. By 
 placing a lump of sugar on the ground, the Giraffe may be induced to lower 
 its head to the earth, and to exhibit some of that curious mixture of grace 
 and awkwardness which characterises this singular animal. 
 
 In its native country its usual food consists of the leaves of a kind of acacia, 
 named the Kameel-dorn, or Camel-thorn {Acacia giraffe). The animal is 
 exceedingly fastidious in its appetite, and carefully rejects every thorn, 
 scrupulously plucking only the freshest and greenest leaves. When supplied 
 with cut grass, the Giraffe takes each blade daintily between its Ups, and 
 nibbles gradually from the top to the stem, after the manner in which we eat 
 asparagus. As soon as it has eaten the tender and green portion of the 
 grass, it rejects the remainder as unfit for consumption. Hay, carrots, 
 onions, ana different vegetables form its principal diet while it is kept in a 
 state of captivity. 
 
 As far as is at present known, the 'Giraffe is a silent animal, like the eland 
 and the kangaroo, and has never been heard to utter a sound, even when 
 struggling in the agonies of death. When in its native land, it is so strongly 
 perfumed with the foliage on which it chiefly feeds, that it exhales a powerful 
 odour, which is compared by Captain Gumming to the scent of a hive of 
 heather honey. 
 
 To man it falls an easy prey, especially if it can be kept upon level ground, 
 where a horse can run without danger. On rough soil, however, the Giraffe 
 has by far the advantage, as it leaps easily over the various obstacles that 
 lie in its way, and gets over the ground in a curiously agile manner. It is 
 not a very swift animal, as it can easily be overtaken by a horse of ordinary 
 speed, and is frequently run down by native hunters on foot. When running, 
 it progresses in a very awkward and almost ludicrous manner, by a series of 
 frog-like leaps, its tail switching and twisting about at regular intervals, and 
 its long neck rocking stiffly up and down in a manner that irresistibly 
 reminds the observer of those toy birds whose head and tail perform alter- 
 nate obeisances by the swinging of a weight below. As the tail is switched 
 sharply hither and thither, the tuft of the bristly hairs at the extremity makes 
 a hissing sound as it passes through the air. 
 
 Besides the usual mode of hunting and stalking, the natives employ the 
 pitfall for the purpose of destroying this large and valuable animal. For this 
 purpose a very curiously-constructed pit is dug, being about ten feet in 
 depth, proportionately wide, and having a wall or bank of earth extending 
 from one side to the other, and about six or seven feet in height. When the 
 Giraffe is caught in one of these pits, its fore limbs fall on one side of the 
 wall and its hind legs on the other, the edge of the wall passing under the 
 abdomen. The poor creature is thus balanced, as it were, upon its belly 
 
THE DEER, 185 
 
 across the wall, and, in spite of all its plunging, is unable to obtain a foothold 
 sufficiently firm to enable it to leap out of the treacherous cavity into which 
 it has fallen. The pitfalls which are intended for the capture of the hippopo- 
 tamus and the rhinoceros are furnished with a sharp stake at the bottom, 
 which impales the luckless animal as it falls ; but it is found by experience 
 that, in the capture of the Giraffe, the transverse wall is even more deadly 
 than the sharpened spike. 
 
 The Giraffe is generally found in little herds, sometimes only five or six 
 in number, and sometimes containing thirty or forty members, the average 
 being about sixteen. These herds are always found either in or very close 
 to forests, where they can obtain their daily food, and where they can be 
 concealed from their enemies among the tree-trunks, to which they bear so 
 close a resemblance. 
 
 The flesh of the Giraffe is considered to be good when rightly prepared, 
 and its marrow is thought to be so great a delicacy that the natives eagerly 
 suck it from the bones as they are taken from the animal. When cooked 
 it is worthy of a place on a royal table. The flesh is well fitted for being 
 made into jerked meat. The thick, strong hide is employed in the manufacture 
 of shoe-soles, shields, and similar articles. 
 
 DEER. 
 
 From the Antelope the Deer are readily distinguished by the character 
 of the horns ; which only belong to the male animals, are composed of solid 
 bony substances, and are shed and renewed annually during the life of the 
 animal. The process by which the horns are developed, die, and are shed, 
 is a very curious one, and deserves a short notice before we proceed to 
 consider the various species of Deer which will be noticed in the present 
 work. For a familiar instance, we will take the common Stag, or Red Deer 
 of Europe. 
 
 In the beginning of the month of March he is lurking in the sequestered 
 spots of his forest home, harmless as his mate and as timorous. Soon a pair 
 of prominences make their appearance on his forehead, covered with a 
 velvety skin. In a few days these little prominences have attained some 
 length, and give the first indication of their true form. Grasp one of these in 
 the hand and it will be found burning hot to the touch, for the blood runs 
 fiercely through the velvety skin, depositing at every touch a minute portion 
 of bony matter. More and more rapidly grow the horns, the caro.tid 
 arteries enlarging in order to supply a sufficiency of nourishment, and in 
 the short period of ten weeks the enormous mass of bony matter has been 
 completed. Such a process is almost, if not entirely, without parallel in 
 the history of the animal kingdom. 
 
 When the horns have reached their due development, the bony rings at 
 their bases, through which the arteries pass, begin to thicken, and by 
 gradually filling up the holes, compress the blood-vessels, and ultimately 
 obliterate them. The velvet now having no more nourishment, loses its 
 vitality, and is soon rubbed off in shreds against tree-trunks, branches, or 
 any inanimate object. The horns fall off in February, and in a very short 
 time begin to be renewed. These ornaments are very variable at the 
 different periods of the animal's life, the age of the Stag being well indicat- 
 ed by the number of "tines" upon its horns. 
 
 The Moose or Elk is the largest of all the Deer tribe, attaining the 
 
1 86 
 
 THE ELK, OR MOOSE. 
 
 
 I 
 
 extraordinary Height of seven feet at the shoulders, thus equalling many 
 an ordinary elephant in dimensions. The horns of this animal are very 
 large, and widely palmated at their extremities, their united weight being so 
 great as to excite a feeling of wonder at the ability of the animal to carry so 
 heavy a burden. They do not reach their full development until the fourteenth 
 year. The muzzle is very large and is much lengthened in front, so as to 
 impart a most unique expression to the Elk's countenance. The colour of 
 the animal is a dark brown, the legs being washed with a yellow hue. It is 
 a native of Northern Europe and America, the Moose of the latter continent 
 and the Elk of the former being one and the same species. 
 
 As the flesh of the Elk is palatable, and the skin and the horns extremely 
 useful, the animal is much persecuted by hunters. It is a swift and enduring 
 
 animal, although its gait is 
 
 . - ■ \f,'jNi,,jj clumsy and awkward in the 
 
 U I v\"li' ''^4 extreme. The only pace of 
 
 ■ ■ ' ' ' ■' " ' the Elk is a long, swinging 
 
 trot ; but its legs are so long 
 and its paces so considerable, 
 that its speed is much greater 
 than it appears to be. Ob- 
 stacles that are almost im- 
 passable to a horse are passed 
 over easily by the Elk, which 
 has been known to trot un- 
 interruptedly over a number 
 of fallen tree-trunks, some of 
 them five feet in thickness. 
 When the ground is hard 
 and will bear the weight of 
 so large an animal, the 
 hunters are led a very long 
 and severe chase before they 
 come up with their prey ; 
 but when the snow lies soft 
 and thick on the ground, 
 the creature soon succumbs 
 to its lighter antagonists, who 
 invest themselves in snow 
 shoes and scud over the soft snow with a speed that speedily overcomes that 
 of the poor Elk, which sinks floundering into the deep snow-drifts at every 
 ctq,p, and is soon worn out by its useless efforts. 
 
 It is as wary as any of the Deer tribe, being alarmed by the slightest sound 
 or the faintest scent that gives warning of an enemy. As the Elk trots along, 
 its course is marked by a succession of sharp sounds, which are produced by 
 the snapping of the cloven hoofs, which separate at every step, and fall 
 together as the animal raises its foot from the ground. 
 
 The enormous horns form no barrier to his progress through the woods, 
 for when the Elk runs, he always throws his horns well back upon his 
 shoulders, so that they rather assist than impede him in traversing the forest 
 glades. The Elk is a capital swimmer, proceeding with great rapidity, and 
 often taking to the water for its own amusement. During the summer 
 months of the year it spends a considerable portion of its time under 
 water, its nose and horn being the only parts of its form which appear 
 above the surface. Even the very young Moose is a strong and fearless 
 swimmer, 
 
 \ • ^, •'*^a:- 
 
 MOOSK, OR ELK. — (^/.r^r Molchis.) 
 
THE REINDEER. 
 
 187 
 
 The skin of the Elk is extremely thick, -and has been manufactured into 
 clothing that would resist a sword-blow and repel an ordinary pistol-bill. 
 The flesh is sometimes dressed fresh, but is generally smoked like nams, 
 and is much esteemed. Tire large muzzle or upper lip is, however, the 
 principal object of admiration to the lovers of Elk-flesh, and is said to be 
 rich and gelatinous when boiled, resembling the celebrated green fat of 
 the turtle. 
 
 Two varieties of the Reindeer inhabit the earth ; the one, called the 
 Reindeer, being placed upon the northern portions of Europe and Asia, and 
 the other, termed the Caribou, being restricted 10 North America. 
 
 This animal is very variable in dimensions, specimens of very different 
 height being in the British Museum. The colour is also variable, according 
 to the season of the 
 year. In winter the 
 fur is long, and of a 
 greyish brown tint, 
 with the exception of 
 the neck, hinder quar- 
 ters, abdomen, and 
 end of nose, which are 
 white. In the summer, 
 the grey-brown hair 
 darkens into a sooty 
 brown, and the white 
 portions become grey. 
 
 The Laplanders 
 place their chief hap- 
 piness in the posses- 
 sion of many Reindeer, 
 which are to them the 
 only representatives of 
 wealth. Those who 
 possess a herd of a 
 thousand or more are 
 reckoned among the 
 wealthy of their coun- 
 try ; those who own only a few hundreds are considered as persons of re- 
 spectability ; while those who only possess forty or fifty are content to act 
 as servants to their richer countrymen, and to merge their little herd in 
 that of their employers. In the waste, dry parts of Lapland, grows a kind of 
 white lichen, which forms the principal food of the Reindeer during winter, 
 and is therefore highly prized by the natives. Although this lichen may be 
 deeply covered with snow, the Reindeer is taught by instinct to scrape 
 away the superincumbent snow with its head, hoofs, and snout, and to 
 lay bare the welcome food that lies beneath. Sometimes the surface of 
 the snow is frozen so firmly that the animal can make no impression ; 
 and under these circumstances it is in very poor case, many of the unfor- 
 tunate creatures dying of starvation, and the others being much reduced in 
 condition. 
 
 The Reindeer is extensively employed as a beast of draught and carriage, 
 being taught to draw sledges and to carry men or packages upon its 
 back. Each Reindeer can draw a weight of two hundred and fifty or 
 even three hundred pounds, its pace being between nine and ten miles per 
 hour. There is, however, a humane law which prohibits a weight of more 
 than one hundred and ninety pounds upon a sledge, or one hundred and 
 
 REINDEER. — (Tarandus Rdngifer.) 
 
j88 the fallow deer. 
 
 thirty upon the back. It is a very enduring animal, as it is able to keep up 
 this rate of progress for twelve or more hours together. 
 
 The eyes of the Reindeer are very quick, and his hearing is also acute ; 
 but his sense of smell is more wonderfully developed than either of the other 
 senses. 
 
 We now come to the Deer which inhabit the warm or temperate regions 
 of the world, and which include the greater portion of the family. 
 
 The Stag, or Red Deer is spread over many parts of Europe and Asia, 
 and is indigenous to the British Islands, where it still lingers, though in vastly 
 reduced numbers. 
 
 In the olden days of chivalry and Robin Hood, the Red Deer were 
 plentiful in every forest ; and especially in that sylvan chase which was made 
 by the exercise of royal tyranny at the expense of such sorrow and suffering. 
 Even in the New Forest itself the Red Deer is seldom seen, and those few 
 survivors that still serve as relics of a bygone age are scarcely to be reckoned 
 as living in a wild state, and approach nearly to the semi-domesticated con- 
 dition of the Fallow Deer. Many of these splendid animals are preserved 
 in parks or paddocks, but they no more roam the wide forests in unques- 
 tioned freedom. In Scotland, however, the Red Deer are still to be found, 
 as can be testified by many a keen hunter of the present day, who has had 
 his strength, craft, and coolness thoroughly tested before he could lay low in 
 the dust the magnificent animal whose head with its forest of horns now 
 graces his residence. 
 
 The great speed of the Stag is proverbial, and needs no mention. It is an 
 admirable swimmer, having been known to swim for a distance of six or 
 seven miles, and in one instance a Stag landed in the night upon a beach 
 which he could not have reached without having swum for a distance of ten 
 miles. The gallant beast was discovered by some dogs as he landed, and 
 being chased by them immediately after his fatiguing aquatic exploit, was 
 overcome by exhaustion, and found dead on the following morning. 
 
 The colour of the Stag varies slightly according to the time of the year. 
 In the summer the coat is a warm reddish brown, but in the winter the ruddy 
 hue becomes grey. The hind-quarters are paler than the rest of the fur. 
 The young Red Deer are born about April, and are remarkable for the 
 variegated appearance of their fur, which is mottled with white upon the 
 back and sides. As the little creatuies increase in dimensions, the white 
 marking grad\ially fades, and the fur assumes the uniform reddish brown of 
 the adult animal. 
 
 The Fallow Deer may readily be distinguished from the stag by the 
 spotted coat, the smaller size, and the spreading, palmated horns. 
 
 The colour of the Fallow Deer is generally of a reddish brown, spotted 
 with white, and with two or three white lines upon the body. There is, 
 however, another variety which scarcely exhibits any of the white spots, and 
 is of a deep blackish brown. 
 
 It is from the Fallow Deer that the best venison is procured, that of the 
 stag being comparatively hard and dry. The skin is well known as fur- 
 nishing a valuable leather, and the horns are manufactured into knife-handles 
 and other articles of common use. The shavings of the horns are employed 
 for the purpose of making ammonia, which has therefore been long popularly 
 known under the name of hartshorn. The height of the adult Fallow Deer 
 is three feet at the shoulders. It is a docile animal, and can be readily tamed. 
 Indeed, it often needs no taming, but becomes quite familiar with strangers 
 in a very short time, especially if they should happen to have any fruit, 
 bread, or biscuit, and be willing to impart some of their provisions to their 
 dappled friends. 
 
THE AXIS. 
 
 1S9 
 
 THE well-known Axis, Chittra, or Spotted Hog Deer, of India and 
 Ceylon, belong to the Rusine Deer. 
 
 FALLOW DEEK.— (ZJoOTfl! Vulgaris:) 
 
 The horns, like those of the sambur, a common Indian deer, are placed on 
 long footstalks and simply forked at their tips. The colour of this pretty 
 
 AXIS DEER. — {Axis maculata.) 
 
 animal is rather various, but is generally a rich golden brown, with a dark 
 brown stripe along the back, accompanied by two series of white spots, which 
 
igo 
 
 THE ROEBUCK. 
 
 ROEBUCK. — (Caprlolus Caprita.) 
 
 at first sight appear to be scattered irregularly, but are seen on a careful 
 inspection to be arranged in oblique curved lines. There is also a white 
 streak across the haunches. There are, however, many varieties of the Axis 
 Deer, which differ in size as well as in colour. The height of the adult Axis 
 is almost equal to that of the Fallow Deer. 
 
 The Roebuck is smaller than the Fallow Deer, being only two feet and 
 three or four inches in length at the shoulder, but, although so small, can be 
 
 really a formidable animal, on account 
 of its rapid movements and great com- 
 parative strength. 
 
 It is not found in large herds like the 
 Fallow Deer, but is strictly monogamous, 
 the single pair living together, contented 
 with each other's society. The horns of 
 this animal have no basal snag, and rise 
 straight from the forehead, throwing out 
 one antler in front, and one or two behind, 
 according to the age of the individual. 
 From the base of the horn to the first 
 antler the horn is thickly covered with 
 wrinkles. It is a most active little Deer, 
 always preferring the highest grounds, 
 thence forming a contrast to the Fallow 
 Deer, which loves the plains. It is seldom 
 seen in England in a wild state, but may 
 still be met with in many parts of Scot- 
 land. 
 
 The colour of the Roebuck is very variable, but is generally as follows, 
 The body is always of a brown tint as a ground hue, worked with either red 
 or grey, or remaining simply brown. Round the root of the tail is a 
 patch of pure white hair, and the abdomen and inside :0f the limbs are 
 greyish white. The chin is also white, and there is a white spot on each 
 side of the lips. 
 
 The Moschine Deer are readily known by the absence of horns in both 
 sexes, the extremely long canine teeth of the upper jaw in the males, and the 
 
 powerfully odorous secretion in 
 one of the species, from which 
 they derive their popular as well 
 as their scientific title. There 
 are at least eight or nine species 
 of these curious animals. 
 
 The most celebrated of these 
 little Deer is the common Musk 
 Deer, which is a native of the 
 northern p&rts of India, and is 
 found spread throughout a very 
 large range of country, always 
 preferring the cold and elevated 
 mountainous regions. The height 
 of the adult Musk Deer is about 
 two feet three inches at the 
 shoulders ; the colour is a hght brown, marked with a shade of greyish 
 yellow. Inhabiting the rocky and mountainous locations of its native home, 
 it is remarkably active and sure-footed, rivalling even the chamois or the 
 goat in the agility with which it can ascend or descend the most fearful 
 
 MUSK DEER. — {Moschus Moschiferus.) 
 
THE KANCHIL. 
 
 191 
 
 SKULL OF MUSK DEER. 
 
 precipices. The great length of the false hoofs adds much to the security 
 of the Musk Deer's footing upon the crags. 
 
 It is only in the male that the long tusks are seen, and that the perfume 
 called musk is secreted. The tusks are sometimes as much as three inches 
 in length, and therefore project considerably beyond 
 the jaw. In shape they are compressed, pointed, and 
 rather sharp-edged. The natives say that their prin- 
 cipal use is in digging up the kastoree plant, a kind of 
 subterranean bulb on which the Musk Deer feeds, and 
 which imparts the peculiar perfume to the odorous secre- 
 tion. The musk is produced in a glandular pouch 
 placed in the abdomen, and when the animal is killed 
 for the sake of this treasure, the musk-bag is carefully removed, so as to 
 defend its precious contents from exposure to the air. When recently taken 
 from the animal, the musk is of so powerfiil an odour as to cause headache 
 to those who inhale its overpowering fragrance. The affluence of perfume 
 that resides in the musk is almost incredible, for a small piece of this 
 wonderful secretion may remain in a room for many years, and at the end 
 of that time will give forth an odour which is apparently not the least 
 diminished by time. 
 
 Another member of the Moschine group is the Kanchil, or Pigmy 
 Musk {Trdgulus pygmceus), a Deer which is found in the Asiatic islands, 
 and which is as celebrated for its cunning' as is the fox among ourselves. 
 
 KANCHIL, OR PIGMY MUSK. — (Tfdgulus 
 
 This animal is not nearly so large as the Musk Deer, and although some- 
 what similar in colour, may be distinguished by a broad black stripe which 
 runs along the back of the neck, and forms a wide band across the chest. 
 
192 
 
 THE CAMEL. 
 
 Instead of living in the cold and lofty mountain ranges which are inhabited 
 by the Musk Deer, the Kanchil prefers the thickly wooded districts of the 
 Javanese forests. Like many other animals, the Kanchil is given to 
 " possuming," or feigning death when it is taken in a noose or trap, and as 
 soon as the successful hunter releases the clever actor from the retaining 
 cord, it leaps upon its feet and darts away before he has recovered from his 
 surprise. 
 
 From the earliest times that are recorded in history, the Camel is men- 
 tioned as one of the animals which are totally subject to the sway of man, 
 and which in Eastern countries contribute so much to the wealth and influence 
 of their owners. 
 
 There are two species of Camel acknowledged by zoologists, namely, the 
 common Camel of Arabia, which has but one hump, and the Mecheri, or 
 Bactrian Camel, which possesses two of these curious appendages. 
 
 As the animal is intended to traverse the parched sand-plains, and to pass 
 several consecutive days without the possibility of obtaining liquid nourish- 
 ment, there is an internal 
 structure which permits 
 the animal to store up 
 a considerable amount 
 of water for future use. 
 For this purpose the 
 honey-comb cells of 
 the "reticulum" are 
 largely developed, and 
 are enabled to receive 
 and to retain the water 
 which is received into 
 the stomach after the 
 natural thirst of the ani- 
 mal has been supplied. 
 After a Camel has been 
 accustomed to journey- 
 ing across the hot and 
 arid sand wastes, it 
 learns wisdom by ex- 
 perience, and contrives 
 to lay by a much greater 
 supply of water than 
 would be accumulated 
 by a young and untried animal. It is supposed that the Camel is, in some 
 way, able to dilate the honeycomb cells, and to force them to receive a 
 larger quantity of the priceless liquid. 
 
 A large and experienced Camel will receive five or six quarts of water into 
 its stomach, and is enabled to exist for as many days without needing to 
 drink. Aided by this internal supply of water, the Camel can satiate its 
 hunger by browsing on the hard and withered thorns that are found scattered 
 thinly through the deserts, and suffers no injury to its palate from their iron- 
 like spears, that would direfuUy wound the mouth of any less sensitive 
 creature. The Camel has even been known to eat pieces of dry wood, and to 
 derive apparent satisfaction from its strange meal. 
 
 The feet of the Camel are well adapted for walking upon the loose, dry sandi 
 than which substance there is no more uncertain footing. The toes are very 
 broad, and are furnished with soft, wide cushions, that present a considerable 
 surface to the loose soil, and enable the animal to maintain a firm hold upon 
 
 
 -iS--: 
 
 CAMEL. — (Camilus Ardbicus.) 
 
THE BACTRIAN CAMEL. 193 
 
 the shifting sands. As the Camel is constantly forced to kneel in order to be 
 loaded or relieved of its burden, it is furnished upon the knees and breast 
 with thick callous pads, which support its weight without injuring the skin. 
 1 hus fitted by nature for its strange life, the Camel faces the desert sands 
 with boldness, and traverses the arid regions with an ease and quiet celerity 
 that has gained for the creature the title of " Ship of the Desert." 
 
 The Camel is invariably employed as an animal of carriage when in its 
 native land, and is able to support a load of five or six hundred pounds' 
 weight without being overtaxed. 
 
 The pace of the Camel is not nearly so rapid as is generally supposed, and 
 even the speed of the Heirie, or swift Camel, has been greatly exaggerated. • 
 
 The speed of the Heirie is seldom more than eight or ten miles per hour, 
 but the endurance of the animal is so wonderful, that it is able to keep up- 
 this pace for twenty hours without stopping. 
 
 The " hump " of the Camel is a very curious part of its structure, and is of 
 gi-eat importance in the eyes of the Arabs, who judge of the condition of their 
 beasts by the size, shape, and firmness of the hump. They say, and truly, 
 that the Camel feeds upon his hump, for in proportion as the animal 
 traverses the sandy wastes of its desert lands, and suffers from privation 
 and fatigue, the hump diminishes. At the end of a long and painful jour- 
 ney, the hump will often nearly vanish, and it cannot be restored to its 
 pristine form until the animal has undergone a long course of good feeding. 
 When an Arab is about to set forth on a desert journey, he pays 
 great attention to the humps of his Camels, and watches them with jealous 
 care. 
 
 Independently of its value as a beast of burden, the Camel is most 
 precious to its owners, as it supplies them with food and clothing. The 
 milk mixed with meal is a favourite dish among the children of the desert, 
 and is sometimes purposely kept until it is sour, in which state it is very 
 grateful to the Arab palate, but especially nauseous to that of a European. 
 The Arabs think that any man is sadly devoid of taste who prefers the sweet 
 new milk to that which has been mellowed by time. A kind of very rancid 
 butter is churned from the cream by a remarkably simple process, consisting 
 of pouring the cream into a goatskin sack, and shaking it constantly until 
 the butter is formed. 
 
 The long hair of the Camel is spun into a coarse thread, and is employed 
 in the manufacture of broad-cloths and similar articles. At certain times 
 of the year, the Camel sheds its hair, in order to replace its old coat by a 
 new one, and the Arabs avail themselves of the looseness with which the 
 hair is at these times adherent to the skin, to pluck it away without 
 injuring the animal. 
 
 The height of an ordinary Camel at the shoulder is about six or seven feet, 
 and its colour is a light brown, of various depths in different individuals, some 
 specimens being nearly black, and others almost white. The Dromedary is 
 the lighter breed of Camel, and is chiefly used for riding, while the ordinary 
 Camel is employed as a beast of burden. Between the two animals there is 
 about the same difference as between a dray-horse and a hunter, the Heirie 
 being analogous to the racehorse. 
 
 The Bactrian Camel is readily to be distinguished from the ordinary 
 Camel by the double hump which it bears on its back, and which is precisely 
 analogous in its structure and office to that of the Arabian Camel. 
 
 The general formation of this animal ; its lofty neck, raising its head high 
 above the solar radiations from the heated ground ; its valve-like nostrils, that 
 close involuntarily if a grain of drifting sand should invade their precincts ; 
 its wide cushion-like feet, and its powers of abstinence, prove that, like its 
 
 
 
194 
 
 THE BACTRIAN CAMEL. 
 
 Arabian relative, it is intended for the purpose of traversing vast deserts 
 without needing refreshment on the way. This species is spread through 
 Central Asia, Thibet, and China, and is dbmesticated through a large portion 
 of the world. It is not so enduring an animal as the Arabian species, requir- 
 ing a fresh supply of liquid every three days ; while the Arabian Camel can 
 exist without water for five or even six days. 
 
 The height of the Bactrian Camel is rather more than that of the Arabian 
 species, and its colour is generally brown, which sometimes deepens into 
 sooty black, and sometimes fades into a dirty white. 
 
 The true camels are exclusively confined to the Old World, but find repre- 
 sentatives in the New World in four acknowledged species of the genus Llama. 
 These animals are comparatively small in their dimensions, and possess no 
 hump, so that they may easily be distinguished from the camels. Their hair 
 
 is very woolly, and their 
 countenance has a very 
 sheep-like expression, so 
 that a full-haired Llama 
 instantly reminds the 
 spectator of a long- 
 legged, long -necked 
 sheep. The feet of the 
 Llamas are very differ- 
 ent from those of the 
 camels, as their haunts 
 are always found to be 
 upon rocky ground, and 
 their feet must of neces- 
 sity be accommodated 
 to the ground on which 
 they are accustomed to 
 tread. The toes of the 
 Llama are completely 
 divided, and are each 
 furnished with a rough 
 cushion beneath, and a 
 strong, claw-like hoof 
 above, so that the mem- 
 
 BACTRIAN CAMEL. — [Camiliu Bactridnus.) 
 
 ber may take a firm hold of rocky and uneven ground. 
 
 Four species of Llamas are now acknowledged ; namely, the Vicugna, the 
 Guanaco, the Yamma, and the Alpaca. 
 
 The Vicugna is found in the most elevated localities of Batavia and 
 Northern Chili, and is a very wild and untameable animal, having resisted 
 all the attempts of the patient natives to reduce it to a state of domestication. 
 It is extremely active and sure-footed in its mountain home, and being 
 equally timid and wary, is seldom captured in a living state. It lives in herds 
 near the region of perpetual snow, and in its habits bears some resemblance 
 to the chamois. The short, soft, silken fur of this animal is very valuable. 
 The colour of the Vicugna is a nearly uniform brown, tinged with yellow on 
 the back, and fading into grey on the abdomen. Its height at the shoulder 
 is about two feet six inches. 
 
 The Guanaco is spread over a very wide range of country extending over 
 the whole of the temperate regions of Patagonia. The colour of this species 
 is a ; eddish brown, the ears and hind legs grey. The neck is long in com- 
 parison with the size of the body, and the height at the shoulder is about 
 three feet six inches. 
 
THE LLAMA. 
 
 '95 
 
 The Guanaco lives in herds varying in number from ten to thirty or forty, 
 but is sometimes seen in flocks of much greater numbers, resembhng sheep, 
 not only in their gregarious habits, but in the implicit obedience with which 
 they rely upon their leader. Should they be deprived of his guardianship, 
 they become so bewildered that they run aimlessly from spot to spot, and can 
 be easily destroyed by experienced hunters. 
 
 The Guanaco is wonderfully sure-footed upon rocky ground, and is also a 
 good swimmer, taking voluntarily to the water, and swimming from one 
 island to another. When near the sea it will drink the salt water, and has 
 often been observed in the act of drinking the briny waters of certain 
 salt springs. 
 
 
 ALPACA LLAMA. — [Llama Pacos.) 
 
 The Yamma, or Llama, is of a brown or variegated colour, and its legs 
 are long and slender. In former days this animal was the only beast of 
 burden which was possessed by the natives, and it was largely used by 
 the Spaniards (who described it as a sheep) for the same purpose. It is 
 able to carry a weight of one hundred pounds, and to traverse about fourteen 
 or fifteen miles per diem. As a beast of burden it is now being rapidly 
 supplanted by the ass, while the European sheep is gradually t^-king its place 
 as a wool-bearer. The flesh of the Llama is dark and coarse, and is accord- 
 ingly held in bad repute. 
 
 The Alpaca, or Paco, is, together with the last animal, supposed by 
 several zoologists to be only a domesticated variety of the Guanaco. Its 
 colour is generally black, but is often variegated with brown and white. The 
 wool of this species is long, soft, silky^ and extremely valuable in the com- 
 mercial world. 
 
 02 
 
196 
 
 THE ARAB HORSE. 
 
 HORSES. 
 
 The Horse has from time immemorial been made the companion and 
 servant of man, and its original progenitors are unknown. It is supposed, 
 however, that the Horse must have derived its origin from Central Asia, 
 and from thence have spread to almost ever\- portion of the globe. 
 
 The elegant, swift, and withal powerful Horses of which England is so 
 proud, and which are employed in the chase or the course, owe their best 
 qualities to the judicious admixture of the Arabian blood. The Arab 
 Horse has long been celebrated for its swift limbs, exquisite form, and 
 affectionate disposition. 
 
 There are several breeds of Arab Horses, only one of which is of very 
 great value. This variety, termed the Kochlani, is so highly prized, that a 
 
 mare of the pure breed 
 can hardly be procured 
 at any cost, and even 
 the male animal is not 
 easy of attainment. 
 The pedigree of these 
 Horses is carefiilly pre- 
 served, and written in 
 most florid terms upon 
 parchment. In some 
 cases the genealogy is 
 said to extend for 
 neaily two thousand 
 years. The body of 
 the Arab Horse is very 
 light, its neck long ai- d 
 arched, its eye full and 
 soft, and its limbs deli- 
 cate and slender. The 
 temper of the .animal 
 is remarkably sweet, 
 for as it has been born 
 and bred among the 
 family of its owner, it 
 avoids injuring even the little children that roll about among its legs as 
 carefully as if they were its own offspring. So attached to its owner is this 
 beautiful Horse, that if he should be thrown from its back, the animal will 
 stand quietly by its prostrate master, and wait until he gains strength to 
 remount. 
 
 The training of the Kochlani is not so severe as is generally imagined, 
 for the presence of water and abundant pasturage is absolutely necessary, 
 in order to rear the animal in a proper manner. Xot until the strength 
 and muscles of the animal are developed is a trial permitted, and then it 
 is truly a terrible one. \\'hen the mare — for the male animal is never 
 ridden by the Arabs — has attained her full development, she is mounted for 
 the first time, and ridden at full speed for fifty or sixty miles ^vithout respite. 
 Hot and fainting, she is then forced into deep water, which compels her to 
 swim, and if she does not feed freely immediately after this terrific trial, she 
 is rejected as unworthy of being reckoned among the true Kochlani. 
 For the animals which will stand this terrible test the Arab has almost 
 
 THE HORSE. 
 
THE RACEHORSE. \<)1 
 
 an idolatrous regard, and will oftentimes spare an enemy merely on account 
 of his steed. 
 
 The Racehorse of England is, perhaps, with the exception of the fox- 
 hound, the most admirable example of the perfection to which a domesticated 
 animal can be brought by careful breeding and training. 
 
 Whatever may have been its original source, the Racer has been greatly 
 improved by the mixture of Arab blood, through the means of the Godolphin 
 and Darley Arabians. The celebrated horse Eclipse was a descendant, on 
 the mother's side, of the Godolphin Arabian, that wonderful animal which 
 was rescued from drawing a cart in Paris, and which was afterwards destined 
 to play so important a part in regenerating the breed of English Racers. He 
 was also descended, on his father's side, from the Darley Arabian. 
 
 The best bred Horses are generally the most affectionate and docile, 
 although their spirit is very high and their temper hot and quick. There are 
 few animals which are more affectionate than a Horse, which seems to feel a 
 necessity for attachment, and if his sympathies be not aroused by human 
 means, he will make friends with the nearest living being. Cats are great 
 favourites with Horses, and even the famous Chillaby, called, from his 
 ferocity, the Mad Arabian, had his little friend in the shape of a lamb, which 
 would take any liberties with him, and was accustomed, to butt at the flies as 
 they came too near his strange ally. The Godolphin Arabian was also 
 strongly attached to a cat, which usually sat on his back or nestled in the 
 manger. When he died, the cat pined away and soon followed her loved 
 friend. 
 
 These examples are sufficient to show that the ferocity of these animals 
 was caused by the neglect or ignorance of their human associates, who either 
 did not know how to arouse the affectionate feelings of the animal, or brutally 
 despised and crushed them. The Horse is a much more intellectual animal 
 than is generally supposed, as will be acknowledged by anyone who has 
 possessed a favourite Horse and treated it with uniform kindness. 
 
 There is no need for whip or spur when the rider and steed understand 
 each other, and the bridle is reduced almost to a mei-e form, as the touch of 
 a finger, or the tone of a voice, is sufficient to direct the animal. We are all 
 familiar with the elephantine dray-horses that march so majestically along 
 with their load of casks, and which instantaneously obey the singular sounds 
 which continually issue from the throats of their conductors, and back, stop, 
 advance, or turn to the right or left, without requiring the touch of a rein oi 
 the blow of a whip. The infliction of pain is a clumsy and a barbarous 
 manner of guiding a Horse, and we shall never reap the full value of the 
 animal until we have learned to respect its feelings, and to shun the infliction 
 of torture as a brutal, a cowardly, and an unnecessary act. To maltreat a 
 child is always held to be a cowardly and unmanly act, and it is equally 
 cowardly and unworthy of the human character to maltreat a poor animal 
 which has no possibility of revenge, no hope of redress, and no words to 
 make its wrongs known. Pain is pain, whether inflicted on man or beast, 
 and we are equally responsible in either case. 
 
 As an unprejudiced observer, with no purpose to serve, and without 
 bias in either direction, I cannot here refrain from observing, that Mr. 
 Rarey s method of bringing the Horse under subjection is a considerable 
 step in the right direction, and a very great improvement on the cruel and 
 savage method which is so often employed by coarse and ignorant men, 
 and truly called "breaking." Having repeatedly witnessed the successfiil 
 operations of that gentleman in subduing Horses that had previously defied 
 all efforts, I cannot be persuaded that it is a cruel process. The method by 
 which it is achieved is now sufficiently familiar, and I will only observe that 
 
igS 
 
 THE SHETLAND PONY. 
 
 the idea is a true and philosophical one. The Horse is mostly fierce because 
 it is nervous ; and bites and kicks, not because it is enraged, but because it 
 is alarmed. Restore confidence, and the creature becomes quiet, without any 
 desire to use its hoofs and teeth m an aggressive manner. It is clearly im- 
 possible to do so as long as the animal is at liberty to annihilate its teacher, 
 and the strap is only used until the Horse is convinced that the presence of 
 a human form, or the touch of a human hand, has nothing of the terrible in 
 it. Confidence soon takes the place of fear, and the animal seems to receive 
 Its teacher at once into its good graces, following him like a dog, and rubbing 
 its nose against his shoulder. 
 
 Several breeds of partially wild Horses are still found in the British 
 Islands, the best known of which is the Shetland Pony. 
 
 This odd, quaint, spirited little animal is an inhabitant of the islands at 
 the northern extremity of Scotland, where it runs wild, and may be owned 
 
 SHETLAND I'ONY. 
 
 by anyone who can catch and hold it. Considering its diminutive proportions 
 which only average seven or eight hands in height, the Sheltie is wonderfully 
 strong, and can trot away quite easily with a tolerablv heavy man on its back 
 One of these little creatures carried a man of twelve stone weight for a 
 distance of forty miles in a single day. The head of this little animal is 
 small, the neck short and well arched, and covered with an abundance of 
 heavy mane, that falls over the face and irresistibly reminds the spectator of 
 a Skye terrier. It is an admirable draught-horse when harnessed to a 
 carriage of proportionate size ; and a pair of these spirited little creatures 
 When attached to a low lady's carriage, have a remarkably piquant and 
 Dretty appearance, ' i- n 
 
THE ASS. 
 
 log 
 
 Man has so long held the Domestic Ass under his control, that its 
 original progenitors have entirely disappeared from the face of the earth. 
 
 There are, as it is well known, abundant examples of wild Asses found in 
 various lands, but it seems that these animals are either the descendants of 
 domesticated Asses which have escaped from captivity, or the offspring of 
 wild and domesticated animals. In size and general appearance the Ass 
 varies greatly, according to the country which it inhabits and the treatment 
 to which it is subjected. The .Spanish kind, for example, is double the size 
 of the ordinary English Ass, and even the latter animal is extremely variable 
 in stature and general dimensions. 
 As a. rule, the Ass is large and sleek- 
 haired in warm countries, and small 
 and woolly-haired in the colder parts 
 of the globe. 
 
 Strong, sure-footed, hardy, and. 
 easily maintained, the Ass is of in- 
 finite use to the poorer classes of the 
 community, who need the services of 
 a beast of burden and cannot afford 
 to purchase or keep so expensive an 
 animal as a horse. 
 
 It is a very great mistake to em- 
 ploy the name of Ass or donkey as 
 a metaphor for stupidity, for the Ass 
 is truly one of the cleverest of our 
 domesticated animals, and will lose 
 no opportunity of displaying his 
 capability whenever his intelligence 
 
 from the crushing toil and constant pain that are too often the concomi- 
 tants of a donkey's life. 
 Everyone who has petted a 
 favourite donkey will remem- 
 ber many traits of its mental 
 capacities ; for, as in the case 
 of the domestic fool of the 
 olden days, there is far more 
 knavery than folly about the 
 creature. 
 
 In the East, the Ass is used 
 even more extensively than 
 in Europe, and is generally 
 employed for carrying bur- 
 dens or for the saddle, the 
 hTrse being used moi"e for 
 ostentation or for warfare 
 than for the mere convey- 
 ance of human beings from 
 one spot to another. 
 
 The colour of the Ass is 
 a uniform grey, a dark streak passing along the spine, and another stripe 
 being drawn transversely across the shoulders. In the quagga and zebra 
 these stripes are much more extended. 
 
 The Wild Asses are all celebrated for their extreme fleetness and suieness 
 of foot, and among them the Dziggetai, Khur, or KOULAN, deserves 
 especial mention. 
 
 ASS. — (Asinus vulgaris.) 
 is allowed to expand by being freed 
 
 DZIGGETAI, OR KOULAN. — {Asinus Onager.) 
 
THE QUAGGA. 
 
 This animal is so wonderfully swift that it cannot be overtaken even by a 
 fleet Arabian horse, and if it can get upon hilly or rocky ground, it bids 
 defiance to all wingless enemies. Not even the greyhound can follow it with 
 any hope of success when it once leaves level ground. This great speed 
 renders it a favourite object of chase with the natives of the country which 
 it inhabits ; and whether in Persia or India, it is held to be the noblest of 
 game. Sometimesthe falcon is trained to aid in the chase of the Wild Ass, 
 
 but the usual method of 
 securing this animal is to 
 drive it towards rocky 
 ground, and to kill it with 
 a rifle bullet as it stands in 
 fancied security upon some 
 lofty crag. 
 
 It hves in troops, descend- 
 ing to the plains during the 
 winter months, and return- 
 ing to the cooler hills as 
 soon as the summer begins 
 to be unpleasantly warm. 
 It is very common in 
 Mesopotamia, and is always 
 a most shy and wary, as 
 well as swift animal. Each 
 troop is under the command 
 of a leader, who sways his 
 subjects with unlimited 
 all needful arrangements for 
 
 QUAGGA. — {Asinus Quagga. 
 
 authority, and takes upon himself to make 
 
 their welfare. 
 
 The colour of this animal is pale reddish brown in the summer, fading 
 
 into a grey-brown in the 
 winter, and marked with 
 a black stripe along the 
 spine, becoming wider 
 upon the middle of the 
 back. 
 
 Another species of Wild 
 Ass is the Kiang, or Wild 
 Ass of Thibet, sometimes, 
 but erroneously, called the 
 Wild Horse of Thibet, be- 
 cause its noise resembles 
 the neighing of that animal 
 rather than the braying of 
 the Ass. 
 
 Africa produces some 
 most beautiful examples 
 of the Wild Asses, equal- 
 ling the Asiatic species in 
 speed and beauty of form, 
 and far surpassing them 
 
 in richness of colour and boldness of marking. 
 
 The Quagga looks at first sight like a cross between the common wild ass 
 
 and the zebra, as it only partially possesses the characteristic zebra stripes, and 
 
 is decorated merely upon the hind and fore parts of the body. The streaks 
 
 zii.iis.A.— [Asinus Zebra.) 
 
THE ELEPHANT. 201 
 
 are not so deep as they are in the zebra, and the remainder of the body is 
 brown, with the exception of the abdomen, legs, and part of the tail, which 
 are whitish grey. The Quagga lives in large herds, and is much persecuted 
 by the natives of Southern Africa, who pursue it for the sake of its skin and 
 its flesh, botli of which are in high estimation. 
 
 Among all the species of the Ass tribe, the Zebra is by far the most con- 
 spicuous and the most beautiful. 
 
 The general colour of the Zebra is a creamy white, marked regularly with 
 velvety black stripes that cover the entire head, neck, body, and limbs, and 
 extend down to the very feet. It is worthy of note that the stripes are drawn 
 nearly at riglit angles to the part of the body on which they occur, so that the 
 stripes of the legs are horizontal, while those of the body are vertical. Th>; 
 abdomen and inside faces of the thighs are cream-white, and the end of the 
 tail is nearly black. This arrangement of colouring is strangely similar to that 
 of the tiger, and has earned for the animal the name of " Hippotigris," or 
 Horse-tiger, among some zoologists ancient and modern. The skin of the neck 
 is developed into a kind of dewlap, and the tail is sparingly covered with coarse 
 black hair. By the Cape colonists it is called Wilde Paard, or Wild Horse. 
 
 At the best of times the flesh of the Zebra is not very inviting, being 
 rather tough, coarse, and of a very peculiar flavour. The Boers, who call 
 themselves by the title of " baptized men," think they would be derogating 
 from their dignity to partake of the flesh of the zebra, and generously leave 
 the animal to be consumed by their Hottentot servants. When wounded, 
 the Zebra gives a kind of groan, which is said to resemble that of a dying man. 
 
 In disposition the Zebra is fierce, obstinate, and nearly untameable. The 
 efforts used by Mr. Rarey in reducing to obedience the Zebra of the Zoological 
 Gardens are now matter of history. The little brindled animal gave him 
 more trouble than the huge savages on whom he had so successfully operated, 
 and it overset some of his calculations by the fact that it was able to kick as 
 fiercely from three legs as a horse from four. 
 
 In its habits the Zebra resembles the Dziggetai, as it is always found in 
 hilly districts, and inhabits the high craggy mountain ranges in preference to 
 the plains. It is a mild and very timid animal, fleeting instinctively to its 
 mountain home as soon as it is alarmed by the sight of a strange object. 
 
 PACHYDERMATA ; 
 
 OR, THICK-SKINNED ANIMALS. 
 
 The important family of the Elephantidffi includes, according to the catalogue 
 of the British Museum, the Elephants, Tapirs, Swine, Hyrax, Rhinoceros, 
 and Hippopotamus. AH these animals, however different their aspect, are 
 nearly related to each other by means of certain members of the family, 
 which although now extinct, have been recovered through the assistance of 
 geological researches. ,,.,.„ 
 
 Of Elephants, two distinct species are found m different continents, the 
 one inhabiting Asia, and the other taking up its residence in Africa. 
 According to some zoologists these animals belong to different genera, but 
 the distinctions between the two creatures are not sufficiently determined to 
 warrant such a suggestion. Although the Asiatic and African Elephants are 
 very similar in external form, they may at once be distinguished from each 
 other by the size of the ear. In the Asiatic animal, the ears are of moderate 
 size while in the African Elephant they are of enormous magnitude, nearly 
 meetino- on the back of the head, and hanging with their tips below the neck. 
 
202 THE ELEPHANT. 
 
 The molar teeth also afford excellent indications of the country to which 
 their owner has belonged, for the enamel upon the surface of the teeth of the 
 Asiatic Elephant is moulded into a number of narrow bands like folded 
 ribands, while that of the African species is formed into five or six diamond 
 or lozenge-shaped folds. Indeed, each molar tooth seems to be composed of 
 a number of flat, broad teeth, which are fastened closely together, so as to 
 form a single large mass. Only a portion of each tooth is externally visible, 
 the remainder being hidden in the jaw, and moving forward as the exposed 
 portion is worn away. When the whole tooth is thus worn out, it falls from 
 the jaw, and its place is taken by another which has been forming behind it. 
 In this manner the Elephant sheds its molar teeth six or seven times in the 
 course of its life. The tusks, however, are permanent, and are retained 
 during the whole of the animal's existence. In the Indian Elephant, only 
 the males are furnished with tusks, and not every individual of that sex, 
 whereas in the African species both sexes are supplied with these valuable 
 appendages, those of the male being much larger and heavier than those of 
 his mate. 
 
 The strangest portion of the Elephant's form is the trunk or proboscis. 
 This wonderful appendage is in fact a development of the upper lips and the 
 nose, and is perforated through its entire length by the nostrils, and furnished 
 at its extremity with a kind of finger-like appendage, which enables the 
 animal to pluck a single blade of grass, or to pick a minute object from the 
 ground. The value of the proboscis to the Elephant is incredible ; without 
 its aid the creature would soon starve. The short, thick neck would prevent 
 it from stooping to graze, while the projecting tusks would effectually hinder 
 it from reaching any vegetables which might grow at the level of its mouth. 
 And as it would be unable to draw water into its mouth without the use of 
 the trunk, thirst would in a very short time end its existence. 
 
 In order to support the enormous weight of the teeth, tusks, and proboscis, 
 the head is required to be of very large dimensions, so as to afford support 
 for the powerful muscles and tendons which are requisite for such a task. 
 It is also needful that lightness should be combined with magnitude, and 
 this double condition is very beautifully fulfilled. The skull of the Elephant, 
 instead of being a mere bony shell round the brain, is enormously enlarged 
 by the separation of its bony plates, the intervening space being filled with 
 a vast number of honeycomb-like bony cells, their walls being hardly thicker 
 than strong paper, and their hollows filled during the life of the animal with 
 a kind of semi-liquid fat or oil. The brain lies in a comparatively small 
 cavity within this cellular structure, and is therefore defended from the severe 
 concussions which it would otherwise experience from the frequency with 
 which the animal employs its head as a battering ram. 
 
 In order to support the enormous weight which rests upon them, the legs 
 are very stout, and are set perpendicularly, without that bend in the hinder 
 leg which is found in most animals. There is an elongated cannon bone in 
 the Elephant, so that the hind legs are without the so-called knee-joint. This 
 structure, however, is of infinite use to the animal when it chmbs or descends 
 steep acclivities, a feat which it can perform with marvellous ease. It may 
 seem strange, but it is nevertheless true, that localities which would be totally 
 inaccessible to a horse are traversed by the Elephant with perfect ease. 
 
 In descending from a height, the animal performs a very curious series of 
 manoeuvres. Kneeling down with its fore-feet stretched out in front, and its 
 hinder legs bent backward, as is their wont, the Elephant hitches one of its 
 fore-feet upon some projection or in some crevice, and bearing firmly upon 
 this support, lowers itself for a short distance. It then advances the other 
 foot, secures it in like manner, and slides still farther, never losing its hold 
 
THE ASIATIC ELEPHANT. 
 
 203 
 
 of one place of vantage until another is gained. Should no suitable projec- 
 tion be found, the Elephant scrapes a hole in the ground with its advanced 
 foot, and makes use of this artificial depression in its descent. If the declivity 
 be very steep, the animal will not descend in a direct line, but make an 
 oblique track along the face of the hill. Although the description of this 
 curious process occupies some time, the actual feat is performed with extreme 
 rapidity. 
 
 Though the foot of an Elephant is extremely large, it is most admirably 
 formed for the purpose which it is destined to fulfil, and does not, as might 
 be supposed, fall heavily upon the ground. The hoof that incloses the foot is 
 composed of a vast number of horny plates, that are arranged on the principle 
 of the common carriage-spring, and seem to guard the animal from the jarring 
 
 ASIATIC ELEPHANT. — (Elephas Indicus.) 
 
 shock of the heavy limb upon the soil. Those who for the first time witness 
 the walk or the run of the Elephant are always surprised at the silent ease of 
 the creature's free, sweeping step. As there is no short ligament in the head 
 of the thigh-bone, the hind foot is swung forward at each step, clearing the 
 ground easily, but being scarcely raised above the surface of the earth. 
 
 Having thus given a short sketch of the characteristics which are common 
 to both species of Elephants, I will proceed to a short account of the Asiatic 
 animal. 
 
 The Asiatic Elephant bears a world-wide fame for its capabilities as a 
 §eivant and companion of man, and fpjr the extraordinary development pf 
 
204 1'HE ASIATIC ELEPHANT. 
 
 its intellectual faculties. Hundreds of these animals are annually captured, 
 and in a very short period of time become wholly subjected to their owners, 
 and learn to obey their commands with implicit submission. Indeed, the 
 power of the human intellect is never so conspicuous as in the supremacy 
 which man maintains over so gigantic and clever an animal as the Elephant 
 In all work which requires the application of great strength combined with 
 singular judgment, the Elephant is supreme ; but as a mere puller and hauler it 
 is of no very great value. In piling logs, for example, the Elephant soon learns 
 the proper mode of arrangement, and will place them upon each other with 
 a regularity that would not be surpassed by human woikmen. Sir Emerson - 
 Tennent mentions a pair of Elephants that were accustomed to labour con- 
 jointly, and which had been taught to raise their wood piles to a considerable 
 height by constructing an inclined plane of sloping beams, and rolling the 
 logs up the beams. 
 
 There are two modes of capturing the Asiatic Elephant, the one by pur- 
 suing solitary individuals and binding them with ropes as they wander at 
 will through the forests, and the other by driving a herd of' Elephants into a 
 previously prepared pound, and securing the entrance so as to prevent their 
 escape. 
 
 In the former method, the hunters are aided by certain trained females, 
 termed " koomkies," which enter into the spirit of the chase with wonderfiil 
 animation, and help their riders in every possible manner. When the 
 koomkies see a fine male Elephant, they advance carelessly towards him, 
 plucking leaves and grass, as if they were perfectly indifferent to his presence. 
 He soon becomes attracted to them, when ihey overwhelm him with endear- 
 ing feminine blandishments, and occupy his attention so fully that he does 
 not observe the proceedings of the "' mahouts," or riders. These men, seeing 
 the Elephant engaged with the " koomkies," slip quietly to the ground and 
 attach their rope nooses to his legs, fastening the ends of the cords to some 
 neighbouring tree. Should no suitable tree be at hand, the koomkies are 
 sagacious enough to comprehend the dilemma, and to urge their victim 
 towards some large tree which is sufficiently strong to withstand his struggles. 
 As soon as the preparations are complete the mahouts give the word of 
 command to the koomkies, who move away, leaving the captive Elephant to 
 his fate. 
 
 Findmg himself deserted and bound, he becomes mad with rage, and 
 struggles with all his force to get free. In these furious efforts the Elephant 
 displays a flexibility and activity of body that are quite surprising, and 
 are by no means in accordance with the clumsy, stiff aspect of its body 
 and limbs. It rolls on the ground in despair, it rends the air with furious 
 cries of rage, it butts at the fatal tree with all its force, in hope of 
 bringing it to the ground, and has been known to stand with its hind legs 
 fairly off the ground, in its furious endeavours to break the rope. After a 
 while, however, it finds its exertions to be totally useless, and yields to its 
 conquerors. 
 
 The second mode of capturing Elephants is more complicated. The 
 inclosure into which the Elephants are driven is termed a " keddah," and is 
 ingeniously constructed of stout logs and posts, which are supported by strong 
 buttresses, and are so arranged that a man can pass through the interstices 
 between the logs. When the keddah is set in good order, a vast number of 
 hunters form themselves into a huge circle, inclosing one or more herds of 
 Elephants, and moving gradually towards the inclosure of the keddah, and 
 arranging themselves in such a manner as to leave the entrance towards the 
 keddah always open. When they have thus brought the herd to the proper 
 spot, a business whigh will often consume several weeks, the Elephants are 
 
THE AflilCAN ELEPHANT. 20$ 
 
 excited by shouts, the waving of hands and spears, &c., to move towards the 
 inclosure, which is cunningly concealed by the trees among which it is built. 
 If the operation should take place at night, the surrounding hunters are 
 supplied with burning torches, while the keddah is carefully kept in darkness. 
 Being alarmed by the noise and the flames, the Elephants rush instinctively 
 to the only open space, and are thus fairly brought within the precincts of 
 the keddah, from which they never emerge again save as captives. 
 
 The terrified animals run round and round the inclosure, and often attempt 
 a desperate charge, but are always driven back by the torch-bearers, who 
 wave their flaming weapons and discourage the captured animals from their 
 meditated assault. At last the poor creatures are so bewildered and fatigued 
 that they gather together in the centre of the keddah, and are then consi- 
 dered to be ready for the professional elephant hunters. These courageous 
 men enter the keddah either on foot or upon the back of their koomkies, and 
 contrive to tie every one of the captives to some spot from whence it 
 cannot move. Most ingenious stratagems are employed by the hunters in 
 this perilous task, the details of which may be found in many works on 
 the subject. 
 
 The Elephant is always guided by a mahout, who sits astride upon its neck 
 and directs the movements of the animal by means of his voice, aided 
 by a kind of spiked hook, called the haunkus, which is applied to the animal's 
 head in such a manner as to convey the driver's wishes to the Elephant. 
 The persons who ride upon the Elephant are either placed in the howdah, a 
 kind of wheelless carriage strapped on the animal's back, or sit upon a large 
 pad, which is furnished with cross ropes in order to give a firm hold. The 
 latter plan is generally preferred, as the rider is able to change his position at 
 will, and even to recline upon the Elephant's back if he should be fatigued by 
 the heavy rolling gait of the animal. The Elephant generally kneels in order 
 to permit the riders to mount, and then rises from the ground with a pecuhar 
 swinging motion. Very small Elephants are furnished with a saddle like 
 that which is used upon horses, and is fitted with stirrups. The saddle, 
 however, cannot be conveniently used on animals that are more than six 
 feet in height. 
 
 The size of Elephants has been greatly exaggerated, as sundry writers have 
 given fourteen or sixteen feet as an ordinary height, and have even mentioned 
 instances where Elephants have attained to the height of twenty feet. It is 
 true that the enormous bulk of the animal makes its height appear much 
 greater than is really the case. Eight feet is about the average height of a 
 large Elephant, and scarcely any Elephant measures much more than ten 
 feet high at the shoulder. 
 
 The general colour of the Elephant is brown, of a lighter tint when the 
 animal is at liberty, and considerably deeper when its hide is subjected to 
 rubbing with a cocoa-nut brush and plenty of oil. Sometimes an albino or 
 White Elephant is seen in the forests, the colour of the animal being a pinky 
 white, and aptly compared to the nose of a white horse. The king of Ava, one 
 of whose titles is " Lord of the White Elephants," generally contrives to 
 monopolize every White Elephant, and employs them for purposes of state, 
 decorating them with strings of priceless gems, pearls, and gold coins, and 
 lodging them in the most magnificent of houses, where their very eating- 
 troughs are of silver. 
 
 The African Elephant is spread .over a very wide range of country, 
 extendino- from Senegal and Abyssinia to the borders of the Cape Colony. 
 Several conditions are required for its existence, such as water, dense forests, 
 and the absence of human habitations. 
 
 Although it is very abundant in the locality which it inhabits, it is not often 
 
206 
 
 THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT. 
 
 seen by casual travellers, owing to its great vigilance and its wonderful power 
 of moving through the tangled forests without noise and without causing any 
 perceptible agitation of the foliage. In spite of its enormous dimensions, it 
 is one of the most invisible of forest creatures, and a herd of Elephants, of 
 eight or nine feet in height, may stand within a few yards of a hunter without 
 being detected by him, even though he is aware of their presence. 
 
 The Kaffirs are persevering elephant hunters, and are wonderfully exppr^ 
 in tracking any individual by the "spoor" or track, which is made by its 
 footsteps. The foot of a male is easily to be distinguished by the roundness 
 of its form, while that of the female is more oval, and the height of the animal 
 is also ascertained by measurement of the footmarks, twice the circumference 
 of the foot being equal to the height at the shoulder. 
 
 AFRICAN KLEFHAt^T. —(Loxueionfa Afrkana.) 
 
 The death of a large Elephant is great matter of congratulation among the 
 natives, who rejoice at the abundant supply of food which will fall to their 
 share. Almost every portion of the animal is used by the Kaffirs, whose 
 strong jaws are not to be daunted by the toughest meat, and whose accom- 
 modating palates are satisfied with various portions which would be rejected 
 by any civilized being. 
 
 Some portions of the Elephant are, however, grateful even to European 
 palates, and the foot, when baked, is really delicious. This part of the 
 animal is cooked by being laid in a hole in the earth, over which a large fire 
 has been suffered to burn itself out, and then covered over with the hot earth. 
 Another fire is then built on the spot, and permitted to burn itself out as 
 before, and when the place is thoroughly cool, the foot is properly cooked. 
 The flesh of the boiled foot is quite soft and gelatinous, something resem- 
 blmg calf's head, and is so tender that it can be scooped away with a spooni 
 
THE TAPIR. 
 
 20? 
 
 The inink and the skin around the eye are also enumerated as delicacies, 
 but have been compared by one who has had practical experience as 
 bearing a close resemblance to shoe-leather both in toughness and evil flavour. 
 
 The natives employ many methods of capturing Elephants, the pitfall 
 being the most deadly. Even this insidious snare is often rendered useless 
 by the sagacity of the crafty old leaders of the herds, who precede their little 
 troops to the water, as they advance by night to drink, and carefully beating 
 the ground with their trunks as they proceed, unmask the pitfalls that have 
 been dug in their course. They then tear away the covers of the pits and 
 render them harmless. These pits are terrible affairs when an animal gets 
 into them, for a sharp stake is set perpendicularly at the bottom, so that the 
 poor Elephant is transfixed by its own weight, and dies miserably. Each pit 
 is about eight feet long by four in width. 
 
 The ivory of the African Elephant is extremely valuable, and vast quantities 
 are imported annually into this country. The slaughter of an Elephant is 
 therefore a matter of congratulation to the white hunter, who knows that he can 
 obtain a good price for the tusks and teeth of the animal which he has slain. 
 A pair of tusks weighing about a hundred and fifty pounds will fetch nearly 
 forty pounds when sold, so that the produce of a successful chase is extremely 
 valuable. One officer contrived to purchase every step in the army by the 
 sale of the ivory which he had thus obtained. On an average, each pair of 
 tusks, taking the small with the great, will weigh about a hundred and 
 twenty pounds. 
 
 One of the links which unite the elephants to the swine and rhinoceros is 
 to be found in the genus Tapi7-us. The animals which belong to this genus 
 are remarkable for the prolonged upper lip, which is formed into a kind of 
 small proboscis, not unlike that of the elephant, but upon a smaller scale, 
 and devoid of the finger-like appendage at the extremity. Only two species 
 are at present existing. 
 
 The common or^American Tapir, sometimes called the Mbdrebi, is a 
 native ^of tropical America, where it is found in great numbers, inhabiting the 
 densely wooded regions that fringe the banks of rivers. It is a great water- 
 lover, and can swim or dive 
 with perfect ease. The 
 tough, thick hide with which 
 the Tapir is covered is of 
 great service in enabling 
 the animal to pursue its 
 headlong course through 
 the forest without suffering 
 injury from the branches. 
 When it runs, it carries its 
 head very low, as does the 
 wild boar under similar cir- 
 cumstances. 
 
 The colour of the adult 
 Tapir is a uniform brown, 
 but the young is beautifully 
 variegated with yellowish 
 fawn spots and stripes upon 
 a rich brown black ground, 
 reminding the observer of 
 the peculiar tinting of the 
 Hood's marmot. The neck is 
 
 The Tapir can easily be brought under the subjection of man, and Ts 
 
 KUDA-AYER, OR MALAYAN TAPIR. — (TaJltrUS 
 Malaydnus. ) 
 
 adorned with a short and erect black mane. 
 
2c8 
 
 THE SOAR. 
 
 readily tamed, becoming unpleasantly familiar with those persons whom it 
 knows, and taking all kinds of liberties with them, which would be well 
 enough in a little dog or a kitten, but are quite out of place with an animal 
 as large as a donkey. 
 
 The second species of Tapir is found in Malacca and Sumatra, and is a 
 most conspicuous animal, in consequence of the broad band of white that 
 encircles the body, and which at a little distance gives it the aspect of being 
 muffled up in a white sheet. 
 
 The ground colour of the adult Malayan Tapir is a deep sooty black, 
 contrasting most strongly with the greyish white of the back and flanks. 
 The young animal is as beautifully variegated as that of the preceding species, 
 being striped and spotted with yellow fawn upon the upper parts of the body, 
 and with white below. There is no mane upon the neck of the Malayan 
 Tapir, and the proboscis is even longer in proportion. In size it rather 
 exceeds the preceding animal. In many of its habits the Malayan animal is 
 exactly similar to the species which inhabits America, but it is said that 
 although the Kuda-Ayer is very fond of the water, it does not attempt to 
 swim, but contents itself with walking on the bed of the stream. Although 
 a sufficiently common animal in its native country, it is but seldom seen, 
 owing to its extremely shy habits, and its custom of concealing itself in the 
 thickest underwood. 
 
 The hide of the Tapir is employed by the natives for several useful pur- 
 poses, but the flesh is dry, tasteless, and not worth the trouble of cooking. 
 The term Kuda-Ayer is a Malayan word, signifying " river-horse," and it is 
 also known by the name of Tennu. 
 
 In the Swine, the snout is far less elephantine than in the preceding 
 animals, and, though capable of considerable mobility, cannot be curled 
 round any object so as to raise it from the ground. Nor, indeed, is such a 
 power needed, as the Swine employ the snout for the purpose of rooting in 
 
 the earth, and of distinguishing, 
 by its tactile powers and the 
 delicate sense of smell which 
 is possessed by these animals, 
 those substances which are suit- 
 able for food. 
 
 There are many species as 
 well as varieties of Swine, which 
 are found in different parts of 
 the earth, the first and most 
 familiar of which is the Do- 
 mestic Hog of Europe. 
 
 This species is spread over 
 the greater portion of the habit- 
 able globe, and was in former 
 days common in a wild state even in England, from whence it has only been 
 expelled within a comparatively late period. The chase of the wild boar was 
 a favourite amusement of the upper classes, and the animal was one of 
 those which were protected by the terribly severe forest laws which were 
 then in vogue. 
 
 At the present time the wild Swine have ceased from out of England, in 
 spite of several efforts that have been made to restore the breed by importing 
 specimens from the Continent and turning them into the forests. There are, 
 however, traces of the old wild boars still to be found in the forest pigs ot 
 Hampshire, with their high crests, broad shoulders, and thick biistling manes. 
 These animals are very active, and are much fiercer than the ordinary Swine. 
 
 THE BOAR. — (Sus scrofa.) 
 
THE BABYROUSSA. 209 
 
 In this country the Hog is used not only for food, but for the salce of the 
 hide, which, when prepared after a peculiar fashion, is found to malce the 
 best leather for saddles. The bristles which are so largely used in the manu- 
 facture of brushes are almost exclusively imported from the Continent. 
 
 In its wild and domesticated state the Hog is a most prolific animal, 
 producing from eight to twelve pigs twice in each year, when it is in full 
 vigour and in good health. GillDert White records a sow which, when she 
 died, was the parent of no less than three hundred pigs. 
 
 There is a prevalent idea, that whenever the Hog takes to the water he 
 cuts his own throat with the sharp hoofs of his fore-feet. This, however, 
 is by no means the case, for the animal is an admirable swimmer, and 
 will often take to the water intuitively. In one of the Moray Islands, three 
 domestic pigs belonging to the same litter swam a distance of five miles ; 
 and it is said that if they had belonged to a wild family they would have 
 swum to a much greater distance. 
 
 The flesh and fat of the Hog is especially valuable on account of its apti- 
 tude for taking salt without being rendered hard and indigestible by the 
 process ; and the various breeds of domesticated Swine are noted for theii 
 adaptation to form pork or bacon in the shortest time and of the best quahty. 
 A full account of the various English varieties, together with the mode of 
 breeding them and developing their peculiar characteristics, may be found in 
 many books which are devoted especially to the subject. 
 
 One of the most formidable-looking of Swine is the BABYROUSSA of 
 Malacca. This strange creature is notable for the curious manner in which 
 the tusks are arranged, four of ^^ V i »^ , _ 
 
 these weapons being seen to 
 project above the snout. The 
 tusks of the lower jaw project 
 upward on each side of the 
 upper, as is the case with the 
 ordinary boar of Europe, but 
 those of the upper jaw are 
 directed in a very strange man- 
 ner. Their sockets, instead of 
 pointing downwards, are curved 
 upwards, so that the tooth, in 
 filling the curvatures of the 
 
 socket, passes through a hole in babvroussa. -(/^aOirussa Alfurus.) 
 
 the upper lip, and curls boldly ■' ' 
 
 over the face. The curve, as well as the comparative size of these weapons, 
 is extremely variable, and is seldom precisely the same in any two individuals. 
 The upper tusks do not seem to be employed as offensive weapons ; indeed, 
 in many instances, they would be quite useless for such a purpose, as they 
 are so strongly curved that their points nearly reach the skin of the forehead. 
 The female is devoid of these curious appendages. 
 
 The skin of the Babyroussa is rather smooth, being sparsely covered with 
 short bristly hairs. The object of the upper tusks is at present unknown, 
 although certain old writers asserted that the animal was accustomed to 
 suspend himself to branches by means of the appendage. The Babyroussa 
 lives in herds of considerable size, and is found inhabiting the marshy parts 
 of its native land. 
 
 The Bosch Vark, or Bush Hog, of Southern Africa, is a very formidable 
 animal in aspect, as well as in character, the heavy, lowering look, the pro- 
 jecting tusks, and the callous protuberance on the cheek, giving it a ferocious 
 expression which is no way belied by the savage and sullen temper of the 
 
 P 
 
210 
 
 THE BOSCH VARK. 
 
 animal. The Bosch Vark inhabits the forests, and is generally found lying 
 in excavations or hollows in the ground, from which it is apt to rush if 
 suddenly disturbed, and to work dire vengeance upon its foe. In colour it is 
 extremely variable, some species being of a uniform dark brown, others of a 
 brown variegated with white, while others are tinged with bright chestnut. 
 The young is richly mottled with yellow and brown. For the following 
 account of the habits of the Bosch Vark I am indebted to Colonel Dray- 
 son's MS. 
 
 " Where the locality is sufficiently retired and wooded to afford shelter to 
 the bush bucks which I have mentioned, we may generally expect to find 
 traces of the Bush Pig. His spoor is like the letter M without the horizontal 
 marks, the extremities of the toes forming two separate points, which is not 
 the case with the Antelopes, at least very rarely so, the general impression of 
 their feet being like the letter A with a division down the centre, thus /\. 
 
 "The Bush Pig is about two feet six inches in height and five feet in 
 length ; his canine teeth are very large and strong, those in the upper jaw 
 projecting horizontally ; those in the lower upwards. He is covered with 
 
 BOSCH VARK. — (Chob-opotamus Afrkanus.) 
 
 long bristles, and, taking him all in all, he is about as formidable-looking an 
 animal, for his size, as can be seen. 
 
 " The Bosch Varks traverse the forests in herds, and subsist on roots and 
 young shrubs. A large hard-shelled sort of orange, with an interior filled 
 with seeds, grows in great quantities on the flats near the Natal forests ; this 
 is a favourite fruit of the wild pigs, and they will come out of the bush of an 
 evening and roam over the plains in search of windfalls from these fruit-trees. 
 
 " The Kaffir tribes, although they refuse to eat the flesh of the domestic 
 pig, will still feast without compunction on that of its bush brother. 
 
THE PECCARY. 
 
 211 
 
 " In the bush I always found the Kaffirs disinclined to encounter a herd of 
 these wild Swine, stating as their reason for doing so that the animals were 
 very dangerous ; they also said that the wounds given by the tusks of this 
 wild pig would not readily heal. The Berea bush of Natal was a favourite 
 resort of these wild pigs, but although their spoor could be seen in all direc- 
 tions, the animals themselves were, not so frequently encountered. 
 
 " The Kaffirs are much annoyed by these wild pigs, which force a. passage 
 through the imperfectly made fences, and root up the seeds, or destroy the 
 pumpkins in the various gardens. As a defence, the Kaffirs leave nice 
 enticing little openings in different parts of their fences, and the pigs, taking 
 advantage of these ready-made doorways, frequently walk through them, and 
 are then engulfed in a deep pit in which is a pointed stake, and they are 
 assagaied with great delight by the expecting Kaffirs, who are on the alert, 
 and who hear the cries of distress from piggy himself. 
 
 " The tusks are considered great ornaments, and are arranged on a piece 
 of string and worn round the neck." 
 
 America possesses a representative of the porcine group in the Peccaries, 
 two species of which animals inhabit the Brazils. 
 
 The common Peccary, or Tajacu, although it is of no very great dimen- 
 sions, resembling a small pig in size, is yet a terrible animal. Ever fierce 
 and irritable of temper, the Peccary is as formidable an antagonist as can be 
 
 PECCARY. — (Dicoty!es Tajacu.) 
 
 seen in any land, for it knows no fear, and will attack any foe without 
 hesitation. Although the Peccary is a very harmless animal to outward view, 
 bemg only three feet long and weighing fifty or sixty pounds, and its armature 
 consists of some short tusks that are barely seen beyond the hps, yet these 
 Ixttle tusks are as fearful weapons as the longer teeth of the Bosch Vark, foi 
 
 P Z 
 
212 
 
 THE RHINOCEROS. 
 
 ttiey are shaped like a lancet, being acutely pointed and double-edged, so 
 that they cut like knives and inflict very terrible wounds. 
 
 No animal seems to be capable of withstanding the united attacks of the 
 Peccary, even the jaguar being forced to abandon the contest and to shrink 
 from encountering the circular mass of Peccaries as they stand with angry 
 eyes and gnashing teeth ready to do their worst on the foe. 
 
 The usual resting-place of the Peccary is in the hollow of a fallen tree, or 
 in some burrow that has been dug by an armadillo and forsaken by the 
 original inhabitant. The hollow tree, however, is the favourite resort, and 
 into one of these curious habitations a party of Peccaries will retreat, each 
 backing into the aperture as far as he can penetrate the trunk, until the 
 entire hollow is filled with the odd little creatures. The one who last enters 
 becomes the sentinel, and keeps a sharp watch on the neighbourhood. 
 
 The colour of the Peccary is a grizzled brown, with the exception of a white 
 strip that is drawn over the neck, and has earned for the animal the name of 
 the Collared Peccary. 
 
 
 ^\fl. 
 
 
 INDIAN RHINOCEROS. — {Rhinoceros um'corms.) 
 
 Several species of the Rhinoceros are still inhabitants of the earth. 
 Of the existing species, two or three are found in various parts of Asia 
 and its islands, and the remainder inhabit several portions of Africa. Before 
 examining the separate species we will glance at some of the characteristics 
 which are common to all the members of this very conspicuous group. 
 
 The so-called horn which projects from the nose of the Rhinoceros is a 
 very remarkable structure, and worthy of a brief notice. It is in no way 
 connected with the skull, but is simply a growth from the skin, and may take 
 rank with hairs, spines, or quills, being indeed formed after a similar manner. 
 If a Rhinoceros' horn be examined— the species of its owner is quite imma- 
 terial—it will be seen to be polished and smooth at the tip, but rough and 
 
THE AFRICAN RHINOCEROS. 213 
 
 split into numerous filaments at the base. These filaments, which have a 
 very close resemblance to those which terminate the plates of whalebone, can 
 be stripped upwards for some length, and if the substance of the horn be cut 
 across, it will be seen to be composed of a vast number of hairy filaments 
 lying side by side. 
 
 The skin of the Rhinoceros is of very great thickness and strength, bidding 
 defiance to ordinary bullets, and forcing the hunter to provide himself with 
 balls which have been hardened with tin or solder. The extreme strength of 
 the skin is well known both to the Asiatic and African natives, who manufac- 
 ture it into shields, and set a high value on these weapons of defence. 
 
 In every species of Rhinoceros the sight appears to be rather imperfect, 
 the animal being unable to see objects which are exactly in its front. The 
 scent and hearing, however, are very acute, and seem to warn the animal of 
 the approach of danger. 
 
 The Asiatic species of Rhinoceros are remarkable for the heavy folds into 
 which the skin is gathered, and which hang massively over the shoulders, 
 throat, flanks, and hind-quarters. Upon the abdomen the skin is compara- 
 tively soft, and can be pierced by a spear which would be harmlessly 
 repelled from the thick folds of hide upon the upper portions of the body. 
 In the Indian Rhinoceros this weight of hide is especially conspicuous, 
 the skin forming great flaps that can be easily lifted up by the hand. In a 
 tamed state the Rhinoceros is pleased to be caressed on the softer skin under 
 the thick hide, and in the wild state it suffers sadly from the parasitic insects 
 that creep beneath the flaps, and lead the poor animal a miserable life, until 
 they are stifled in the muddy compost with which the Rhinoceros loves to 
 envelop its body. The horn of the Indian species is large in width, but in- 
 considerable in height, being often scare ely higher than its diameter. Yet 
 with his short heavy weapon the animal can do terrible execution, and is 
 said, upon the authority of Captain Williamson, to repel the attack of an 
 adult male Elephant. 
 
 The height of this animal when fully grown is rather more than five feet, 
 
 but the average height seems scarcely to exceed four feet. In colour it is a 
 
 deep brown black, tinged with a purple h ue, which is most perceptible when 
 
 the animal has recently left its bath. The colour of the young animal is 
 
 ^much paler than that of the mother, and partakes of a pinky hue. 
 
 Of African Rhinoceroses four species are clearly ascertained, and it is very 
 probable that others may yet be in existence. Two of the known species are 
 black, and the other two white ; the anirnals differing from each other not 
 only in colour, but in form, dimensions, habits, and disposition. The com- 
 monest of the African species is the Borele, Rhinaster, or Little Black 
 Rhinoceros, of Southern Africa ; an animal which may be easily distin- 
 guished from its relations by the shape of the horns and the upper lip. In the 
 Borele the foremost horn is of considerable length, and bent rather backward, 
 while the second horn is short, conical, and much resembles the weapon of 
 the Indian animal. The head is rather rounded, and the pointed upper lip 
 overlaps the lower, and is capable of considerable extension. 
 
 The skin of this animal does not fall in heavy folds, like that of the Asiatic 
 species, but is nevertheless extremely thick and hard, and will resist an 
 ordinary leaden bullet, unless it be fired from a small distance. The skin is 
 employed largely in the manufacture of whips, or jamboks. 
 
 The food of the Black Rhinoceros, whether the Borele or the Keitloa, is 
 composed of roots, which the animal ploughs out of the ground with its horn, 
 and of the young branches and shoots of the wait-a-bit thorn. It is rather 
 remarkable that the black species is poisoned by one of the EuphorbiaceaBj 
 Which is eaten with impunity by the two white animals. 
 
214 
 
 THE KEITLOA, OR SLOAN'S RHINOCEROS. 
 
 When wounded, the Black Rhinoceros is a truly fearful opponent, and it is 
 generally considered very unsafe to fire at the animal unless the hunter be 
 mounted on a good horse or provided with an accessible place ol refuge. An 
 old experienced hunter said that he would rather face fifty lions than one 
 wounded Borele ; but Mr. Oswell, the well-known African sportsman, always 
 preferred to shoot the Rhinoceros on foot. The best place to aim is just behind 
 the shoulder, as if the lungs are wounded the animal very soon dies. There is 
 but little blood externally, as the thick loose skin covers the bullet-hole, and 
 prevents any outward effusion. When mortally wounded the Rhinoceros 
 generally drops on its knees. 
 
 The Keitloa can readily be recognized by the horns, which are of consider- 
 able length, and nearly equal to each other in measurement. This is always 
 a morose and ill-tempered animal, and is even more to be dreaded than the 
 borele, on account of its greater size, strength, and length of horn. The 
 upper lip of the Keitloa overlaps the lower even more than that of the borele ; 
 the neck is longer in proportion, and the head is not so thickly covered with 
 wrinkles. At its birth the horns of this animal are only indicated by a 
 prominence on the nose, and at the age of two years the horn is hardly more 
 than an inch in length. At six years of age it is nine or ten inches long, 
 and does not reach its full measurement until the lapse of considerable time. 
 
 KEITLOA, OR sloan's RHINOCEROS. — (Rhinoceros Keitloa.) 
 
 The common White Rhinoceros {Rhinoceros Simus) is considerably 
 larger than the two preceding animals, and, together with the kobaoba, or 
 long-horned white Rhinoceros, is remarkable for its square muzzle and elon- 
 gated head. The foremost horn of this animal is of very considerable length, 
 attaining a measurement of more than three feet when fully grown. The 
 second horn is short and conical, like that of the borele. 
 
THE HYRAX. 
 
 2IS 
 
 One of the most curious little animals in existence is the HyrAX, interest- 
 ing not so much from its imposing external appearance, as for its importance 
 in filling up a linlc in the chain of creation. 
 
 About as large as a tolerably-sized rabbit, covered with thick soft fur, in- 
 habiting holes in the banlis, possessing incisor-lilce teeth, and, in fine, being 
 a very rabbit in habits, manners, and appearance, it was long classed among 
 the rodents, and placed among the rabbits and hares. It has, however, been 
 discovered in later years that this little rabbit-like animal is no rodent at all, 
 but is one of the pachydermata, and that it forms a natural transition from 
 the rhinoceros to the hippopotamus. On a close examination of the teeth, 
 they are seen to be wonderfully like those of the hippopotamus, their edges 
 being bevelled off in a similar manner, and therefore bearing some resem- 
 blance to the chisel-edged incisors of the rodents. There are several species 
 of Hyrax, one of which inhabits Northern Africa and Syria, while the other 
 two are found in Abyssinia and South Africa. 
 
 The South African Hyrax is termed by the colonists Klip Das, or RocK 
 Rabbit, and is found in considerable plenty among the mountainous districts 
 of its native land, being especially common on the sides of the Table Moun- 
 tain. It is largely eaten by the natives, who succeed in killing it in spite of 
 its extreme wariness 'and activity. Among the crevices and fissures in the 
 rock the Hyrax takes up its abode, and may often be seen sitting in the warm 
 
 HVRAX, OR KLIP -DAS, .—{Hyrax Capensis.) 
 
 rays of the sun, or feeding with apparent carelessness on the aromatic 
 herbage of the mountain side. It is, however, perfectly secure, in spite of its 
 apparent negligence, for a sentinel is always on guard, ready by a peculiar 
 shrill cry to warn his companions of the approach of danger. Sometimes 
 the Hyrax is seen at a considerable height, but is often observed near the 
 sea-shore, seated on rocks which are barely above high- water mark. 
 
 Besides mankind, the Hyrax has many foes, such as the birds of prey and 
 carnivorous quadrupeds, and is destroyed in considerable numbers. The 
 fore-feet of this animal are apparently furnished with claws like those of the 
 
2l6 
 
 THE HIPPOPOTAMUS. 
 
 rabbit, but on a closer inspection the supposed claws are seen to be veritable 
 hoofs, black in colour, and very similar to those of the rhinoceros in form. 
 1 he Hyrax is an agile little creature, and can climb a rugged tree-trunk with 
 great ease. It is rather hot in its temper, and if irritated becomes highly 
 excited, and moves its teeth and feet with' remarkable activity and force. 
 
 The Syrian Hyrax is the animal which is mentioned under the name of 
 " coney " in the Old Testament, and is found inhabiting the clefts and caverns 
 of rocks. In its habits and general appearance it is very similar to the Cape 
 Hyrax, and needs no further description. 
 
 The last on the list of the pachyderaiatous animals is the well-known 
 Hippopotamus, or River Horse. 
 
 HIPPOPOTAMI'S, OR ZEEKOE. — {Hippofotamus amphibius.) 
 
 This enormous quadruped is a native of various parts of Africa, and is 
 always found either in water or in its near vicinity. In absolute height it is 
 not very remarkable, as its legs are extremely short, but the actual bulk of its 
 body is very great indeed. The average height of a full-grown Hippopotamus 
 is about five feet. Its naked skin is dark brown, curiously marked with in- 
 numerable hues like those on "crackle" china or old oil-painiings, and is 
 also dappled with a number of sooty black spots, which cannot be seen except 
 on a close inspection. A vast number of pores penetrate the skin, and exude 
 a thick, oily liquid, which effectually serves to protect the animal from the 
 injurious effects of the wa'er in which it is so constantly imrnersed. Some 
 years ago, when the male Hippopotamus in the Zoological Gardens was young 
 and gentle, I patted his back, and entirely spoiled a pair of new kid gloves. 
 The mouth is enormous, and its size is greatly increased by the odd manner 
 in which the jaw is set in the head. 
 
 Within the mouth is an array of white gleaming tusks, which have a 
 
DASYPID^. 217 
 
 terrific appearance, but they are solely intended for cutting grass and other 
 vegetable substances, and are seldom employed as weapons of offence, except 
 when the animal is wounded or otherwise irritated. The incisor teeth of the 
 lower jaw lie almost horizontally, with their points directed forwards, and are 
 said to be employed as crow-bars in tearing up the various aquatic plants on 
 which the animal feeds. The canines are very large and curved, and are worn 
 obliquely, in a manner very similar to the rodent type of teeth. Their shape 
 is a bold curve, forming nearly the half of a circle, and their surface is deeply 
 channeled and ridged on the outer line of the curve, and smoother on the face. 
 
 Possessed of an enormous appetite, having a stomach that is capable of 
 containing five or six bushels of nutriment, and furnished with such powerful 
 instruments, the Hippopotamus is a terrible nuisance to the owners of culti- 
 vated lands that happen to be near the river in which the animal has taken 
 up his abode. 
 
 The Hippopotamus is, as the import of its name. River Horse, implies, 
 most aquatic in its habits. It generally prefers fresh water, but is not at all 
 averse to the sea, and will sometimes prefer salt water to fresh. It is an 
 admirable swimmer and diver, and is able to remain below the surface for a 
 very considerable length of time. • In common with thp elephant, it possesses 
 the power of sinking at will, which is the more extraordinary when the huge 
 size of the animal is taken into consideration. Perhaps it may be enabled 
 to contract itself by an exertion of the muscles whenever it desires to sink, 
 and to return to its former dimensions when it wishes to return to the surface. 
 It mostly affects the stillest reaches of the river, as it is less exposed to the 
 current, and not so liable to be swept down the stream while asleep. The 
 young Hippopotamus is not able to bear submersion so long as its parent, 
 and is therefore carefully brought to the surface at short intervals for the 
 purpose of breathing. During the first few months of the little animal's life, 
 it takes its stand on its mother's neck, and is borne by her above or through 
 the water as experience may dictate or necessity require. 
 
 The Hippopotamus is a gregarious animal, collecting in herds of twenty 
 or thirty in number, and making the air resound with their resonant snorts. 
 The snort of this creature is a most extraordinary sound, and one that is well 
 calculated to disturb the nerves of sensitive persons, especially if heard un- 
 expectedly. The animals at the Zoological Gardens make the very roof ring 
 with the strange unearthly sounds which they emit. In their native state it 
 is very difficult to ascertain even approximately the number of a herd, as the 
 animals are continually diving and rising, and never appear simultaneously 
 above the surface of the water. 
 
 DASYPID^. 
 
 This small but important family includes the Manis, the Armadillo, the 
 Ant-eater, and the Platypus, or Duck-bill. 
 
 The Phatagin is one of the numerous species that compose the strange 
 genus of Manis. All these animals are covered with a series of horny plates, 
 sharp-pointed and keen-edged, that lie with their points directed towards the 
 tail, and overlap each other like the tiles upon the roof of a. house. 
 
 The fore-claws of the Phatagin are very large, and are employed for the 
 purpose of tearing down the nests of the termite, or white ant, as it is more 
 popularly called, so as to enable it to feed upon the inmates, as they run 
 about in confusion at the destruction of their premises. Ants, termites, and 
 various insects are the favourite food of the Phatagin, which sweeps them up 
 by means of its long and extensile tongue, caring nothing for their formidable 
 
2l8 
 
 THE PHATAGm.—THE BAJJERKEIT. 
 
 PHATAGIN. — (A/n«« tetradactyla.) 
 
 jaws, which are powerful enough to drive a human being almost distracted 
 with pain. The claws are not only employed in destroying the nest of the 
 termite, but in digging burrows for its own residence, a task for which they 
 are well adapted by reason of their great size and strength, and the vigour 
 of the limbs to which they are attached. 
 
 The Phatagin is a native of Western Africa, and is of considerable dimen- 
 sions, reaching five feet in average length, of which the tail occupies three 
 
 feet. From the great 
 
 vvArNn, ^_ -^_^ length of the tail, it is 
 
 ^^"^"^^^^^ sometimes called the 
 
 Long-tailed Manis. 
 
 The Bajjerkeit, or 
 Short-tailed Manis, 
 is a native of various 
 parts of India, and is 
 also found in Ceylon. 
 Of this species Sir Emer- 
 son Tennent gives the 
 following short account : 
 " Of the Edentates, the 
 only example in Ceylon 
 is the scaly ant-eater, 
 called by the Singalese, 
 Caballaya, but usually 
 known by its Malay name of Pengolin, a word indicative of its faculty of 
 ' rolling itself up ' into a compact ball, by bending its head towards its stomach, 
 arching its back into a circle, and securing all by a powerful hold of its mail- 
 covered tail. When at liberty, they burrow in the dry ground to a depth of 
 seven or eight feet, where they reside in pairs, and produce annually two or 
 three young. 
 
 " Of two specimens which 1 kept alive at different times, one from the 
 vicinity of Kandy, about two feet in length, was a gentle and affectionate 
 
 creature, which, after wandering 
 over the house in search of ants, 
 would a*lract attention to its 
 wants by climbing up my knee, 
 laying hold of my leg by its pre- 
 hensile tail. The other, more 
 than double that length, was 
 caught in the jungle near Chilaw, 
 and brought to me in Colombo. 
 I had always understood that 
 the Pengohn was unable to chmb 
 trees, but the one last mentioned 
 frequently ascended a tree in 
 my garden in search of ants, 
 and this is effected by means of 
 its hooked feet, aided by an oblique grasp of the tail. The ants it seized by 
 extending its round and glutinous tongue along their tracks. Generally 
 . speaking, they were quiet during the day, and grew restless as evenmg and 
 night approached." , , a • j 
 
 The Armadillos are inhabitants of Central and Southern America, and 
 are tolerably common throughout the whole of the land in which they live. 
 The general structure of the armour is similar in all the species, and consists 
 Qf three large plates of horny coverin;j ; one being placed on the head, apother 
 
 BAJJERKEIT. — (Manis pentadadyla.') 
 
THE ARMADILLO.— ANT-EATERS. 
 
 219 
 
 ARMADILLO. — (Dasypus sexcinctus. ) 
 
 on the shoulders, and the third on the hind-quarters. These plates are con- 
 nected by a series of bony rings, variable in number, overlapping each other, 
 and permitting the animal to move freely. 
 
 The common ARMADILLO, or PoYOU, is about twenty inches in total length, 
 the tail occupying some six or seven inches. It is very common in Par g lay, 
 but is not easily captured, owing 
 to its remarkable agility, per- 
 severance, and wariness. En- 
 cumbered as it appears to be 
 with its load of plate-armour, it 
 runs with such speed that it can 
 hardly be overtaken by a quick- 
 footed man, and if it should con- 
 trive to reach its burrow, it can 
 never be got out except by dint 
 of hard work. 
 
 The food of the Armadillo is 
 nearly as varied as that of the 
 swine, for there are few eatable 
 substances, whether vegetable 
 or animal, which the Armadillo 
 
 will not devour, provided they are not too hard for its little teeth. Various 
 roots, potatoes, and maize are among its articles of vegetable diet, and it 
 also will eat eggs, worms, msects, and small reptiles of every description. 
 Whenever wild cattle 
 are slain, the Arma- 
 dillo is sure to make 
 its appearance in a 
 short time, for the pur- 
 pose of devouring the 
 offal which the hunter 
 leaves on the ground. 
 It is not at all parti- 
 cular in taste, and de- 
 vours the half-putrid 
 remains with great 
 eagerness, becoming 
 quite fat on the revolt- 
 ing diet. 
 
 As the Armadillo is 
 a nocturnal animal, its 
 eyes are more fitted 
 for the dark than for 
 the bright glare of sun- 
 light, which dazzles the 
 
 creature and sadly be- ^'W/i 
 
 wilders it. If it should tamanoir, or ant bear. — {Myrmecophapa juiata.) 
 be detected on the 
 
 surface of the ground, and its retreat intercepted before it can regain its 
 hole, the Armadillo rolls itself up as best it can, and, tucking its head under 
 the chest, draws in its legs and awaits the result. Even when taken in hand 
 it is not without a last resource, for it kicks so violently with its powerful 
 legs that it can inflict severe lacerations with the sharp claws. 
 
 The Ant-EatkrS, as their name imports, feed very largely on ants, as 
 well as on termites and various other insects, their long flexible tongue acting 
 
THE MIDDLE ANT-EATER. 
 
 as a hand for the purpose of conveying food into the mouth. The tongue of 
 the Ant-eater, when protruded to its fullest extent, bears some resemblance 
 to a great earth-worm, and as it is employed in its food-collecting task, it 
 coils and twists about as if it possessed a separate vitality of its own. 
 
 The Tamanoir, or Great Ant-eater, or Ant Bear, is entirely destitute 
 of teeth, possesses a wonderfully elongated and narrow head, and is thickly 
 covered with long coarse hair, which on the tail forms a heavy plume. The 
 colour of this animal is brown, washed with grey on the head and face, and 
 interspersed with pure white hairs on the head, body, and tail. The throat 
 is black, and a long triangular black mark arises from the throat, and passes 
 obliquely over the shoulders. There are four toes on the fore-feet, and five 
 on the hinder. In total length it measures between six and seven feet, the 
 tail being about two feet six inches long. 
 
 The claws of the fore-feet are extremely long and curved, and are totally 
 unfitted for locomotion. When the animal is not employing these instru- 
 ments in destroying, it folds the long claws upon a thick rough pad which is 
 placed in the palm, and seems to render the exertion of walking less difficult. 
 As, however, the Ant-bear is forced to walk upon the outer edge of its fore- 
 feet, its progress is a 
 peculiarly awkward one, 
 and cannot be kept up 
 for any long time. The 
 creature seems to pos- 
 sess considerable grasping 
 power in the toes of the 
 fore-limbs, being able to 
 pick up a small object in 
 its paws. Though not a 
 fighter, it can defend itself 
 right well by means of 
 these powerful instru- 
 ments, and can not only 
 strike with considerable 
 violence, but when attack- 
 ed by a dog or similar 
 enemy, it clasps him in 
 such a terrific grip, that 
 the half-suffocated animal 
 is only too glad to be able to escape. 
 
 The Ant Bear is said to make no burrow, but to content itself with the 
 shade of its own plumy tail whenever it retires to rest. While sleeping, the 
 creature looks very like a rough bundle of hay thrown loosely on the ground, 
 for the hair of the main and tail is so long and so harsh that it can hardly be 
 recognized at the first glance for the veritable coat of a living animal. The 
 eye of this creature has a peculiar and indescribably cunning expression. 
 The Tamanoir is a native of Guinea, Brazil, and Paraguay. 
 
 The Middle Ant-eater, or Tamandua, is not so large as the preceding 
 animal, from which it is readily distinguished by the tail, which is long and 
 tapermg, and almost devoid of hair except at the base. The tail indeed is 
 used as an organ of prehension, to assist it in climbing trees, a feat which it 
 sometimes performs, although not so often as the Little Ant-eater. 
 
 This animal produces a strong scent of musk, which is generally excited 
 when it is enraged. The scent is not pleasant, like that of the musk deer, 
 but very disagreeable, and can be perceived at a considerable distance. 
 The Little Ant-eater is a truly curious animal. The he^d of tl*'* 
 
 THE MIDDLE ANT-EATER. 
 
THE LITTLE ANT-EATER. 2IZ\ 
 
 creature is comparatively "short ; its body is covered with fine silken fur, and 
 ■ its entire length does not exceed twenty or twenty-one inches. The tail is 
 well furred, excepting three inches of the under surface at the extremity, 
 which is employed as the prehensile portion of that member, and is capable 
 of sustaining the weight of the body as it swings from a branch. On looking 
 
 LITTLE ANT-EATER. — {Cyclothurus didactylus.) 
 
 at the skeleton, a most curious structure presents itself. On a side view, the 
 cavity of the chest is completely hidden by the ribs, which are greatly 
 flattened, and overlap each other so that on a hasty glance the ribs appear to 
 be fomfd of one solid piece of bone. There ar€ only two claws on the fore- 
 feet, and four on the hinder limbs. 
 
222 
 
 THE DUCK-BILL. 
 
 The Little Ant-eater is a native of tropical America, and is always to be 
 fotind on trees, where it generally takes up its residence, and where it finds 
 its sustenance. It possesses many squirrel-like customs, using its fore-claws 
 with great dexterity, and hooking the smaller insects out of the bark crevices 
 in which they have taken unavailing refuge. While thus employed it sits 
 upon its hind limbs, supporting itself with its prehensile tail. The claws are 
 compressed, curved, and very sharp, and the little animal can use these 
 instruments with some force as offensive weapons, and can strike smart blows 
 ■with them. It is a bold little creature, attacking the nests of wasps, putting 
 its little paw into the combs, and dragging the grubs from their cells. 
 
 Like its larger relations, it is nocturnal in its habits, and sleeps during the 
 day with its tail safely twisted round the branch on which it sits. The generic 
 name, Cyclothurus, signifies "twisted tail," and is very appropriate to the 
 animal. 
 
 There are few animals which have attracted such universal attention, both 
 from scientific men and the reading world in general, ns the Mullingong, 
 Duck-bill, or Platypus, of Australia. This little creature, the largest 
 being but twenty-two inches in length, has excited more interest than animals 
 
 DUCK-BILL, OR MULLINGONG. — {Platypus Anatinus.) 
 
 of a thousand times its dimensions, on account of its extraordinary shape and 
 singular habits. It is most appropriately called the Duck-bill, on account of 
 the curious development of the intermaxillary bones, which are very much 
 flattened and elongated, and their ends turned inwards in a kind of angular 
 hook. The lower jaw is also lengthened and flattened, although not to such 
 an extent as the upper, and the bones are covered with a naked skin. 
 
 Ill the stuffed and dried specimens the "beak" appears as if it were com- 
 pose J of the black leather taken from an old shoe, but in the living animal it 
 
THE DUCK-BILL. 
 
 ii% 
 
 presents a very different aspect, being soft, rounded, and of a pinky hue at 
 its tip, mottled witli a number of little spots. Dr, Bennett, to whom the 
 zoological world is so much indebted for his researches into the habits of this 
 curious animal, kindly showed me some excellent drawings, which, gave a 
 very different idea of the animal from that which is obtained by the examin- 
 ation of stuffed skins. The beak is well supplied with nerves, and appears to 
 be a sensitive organ of touch, by means of which the animal is enabled to feel 
 as well as to smell the insects and other creatures on which it feeds. 
 
 The Mullingong is an essentially aquatic and burrowing animal, and is 
 formed expressly for its residence in the water or under the earth. The 
 fur is thick and soft, and is readily dried while the animal enjoys good 
 health, although it becomes wet and draggled when the creature is 
 weakly. The opening of the ears is small and can be closed at will, and 
 the feet are furnished with large and complete webs, extending beyond the 
 claws in the fore limbs, and to their base in the hind legs. The fore-feet 
 are employed for digging as well as for swimming, and are therefore armed ' 
 
 f^>^^ 
 
 PORCUPrNE ANT-EATER, OR ECHIDNA.- 
 
 &4i-lff& 
 
 -{Echidna Hystrix. ) 
 
 with powerful claws rather more than half an inch in length, and rounded as 
 their extremities. With such force can these natural tools be used, that the 
 Duck-bill has been seen to make a burrow two feet in length through hard 
 gravelly soil in the space of ten minutes. While digging, the animal employs 
 its beak as well as its feet, and the webbed membrane contracts between the 
 joints so as npt to be seen. The hind-feet of the male are furnished with a 
 spur, about an inch in length, curved, perforated, and connected with a gland 
 situated near the ankle. It was once supposed that this spur conveyed a 
 poisonous liquid into the wound which it made, but this opinion has been 
 disproved by Dr. Bennett, who frequently permitted, and even forced, the 
 animal to wound him with its spurs, and experienced no ill consequences 
 beyond the actual wound. The animal has the power of folding back 
 the spur so as to conceal it entirely, and is then sometimes mistaken for 
 a female. 
 
 The colour of the adult animal is a soft dark brown, interspersed with a 
 number of glistening points which are produced by the long and shining hairs 
 which protrude through the inner fur. 
 
224 
 
 THE ECHIDNA. 
 
 The food of the MullingOflg consists of worms, water insects, and little 
 molluscs, which it gathers in its cheek-pouches as long as it is engaged in its 
 search for food, and then eats quietly when it rests from its labours. 1'he 
 teeth, if 4:eeth they may be called, of this animal are very peculiar, consisting 
 of four horny channeled plates, two in each jaw, which serve to crush the 
 fragile shells and coverings of the animals on which it fe?ds. It seems 
 seldom to feed during the day, or in the depth of night, preferring for that 
 purpose the first dusk of evening or the dawn of morning. During the rest 
 of the day it is generally asleep. While sleeping, it curls itself into a round 
 ball, the tail shutting down over the head and serving to protect it. 
 
 The young MuUingongs are curious little creatures, with soft, short, 
 flexible beaks, naked skins, and almost unrecognizable as the children of 
 their long-nosed parents. When they attain to the honour of their first coat, 
 
 SLOTH. — [CholiBfus didactylus.) 
 
 they are most playful little things, knocking each other about like kittens, 
 and rolling on the ground in the exuberance of their mirth. • Their little 
 twinkling eyes are not well adapted for daylight, nor from their position can 
 they see spots directly in their front, so that a pair of these little creatures 
 that were kept by Dr. Bennett used to bump themselves against the chairs, 
 tables, or any other object that might be in their way. They bear a further 
 similitude to the cat in their scrupulous cleanliness and the continual washmg 
 and pecking of their fur. 
 
 The Echidn\ is found in several parts of Australia, where it is popularly 
 called the hedgehog, on account of the hedgehog-like spines with which the 
 body is so thickly covered, and its custom of rolling itself up when alarmed. 
 A number of coarse hairs are intermingled with the spines, and the head is 
 devoid of these weapons. The head is strangely lengthened, in a manner 
 
THE SLOTH. 
 
 225 
 
 somewhat similar to that of the Ant-eater, and there are no teeth of any kind 
 in the jaws. 
 
 The food of the Echidna consists of ants and other insects, which it gathers 
 into its mouth by means of the long extensile tongue. It is a burrowing 
 animal, and is therefore furnished with limbs and claws of proportionate 
 strength. Indeed, Lieutenant Breton, who kept one of these animals for 
 some time, considers it as the strongest quadruped in existence in pro- 
 portion to its size. On moder- 
 ately soft ground it can hardly 
 be captured, for it gathers all 
 its legs under its body, and em- 
 ploys its digging claws with such 
 extraordinary vigour that it sinks 
 into the ground as if by magic. 
 The Echidna is tolerably widely 
 spread over the sandy wastes 
 of Australia, but has not been 
 seen in the more northern por- 
 tions of that country. 
 
 In the last group of the mam- 
 malia vi^e find a very remark- 
 able structure, adapted to serve 
 a particular end, and misunder- 
 stood by zoologists. The com- 
 mon Sloth, sometimes called 
 the Two-toed Sloth, is a na- 
 tive of the West Indies, where it 
 is not very often seen, although it 
 is not a very uncommon animal. 
 The peculiarity to be noticed 
 in all the Sloths, of which there 
 are several species, is, that they 
 pass the whole of their lives 
 suspended, with their backs 
 downwards, from the branches 
 of trees. The Sloth never gets 
 upon a bough, but simply hooks 
 his curved talons over it, and 
 hangs in perfect security. In 
 order to enable the animal to 
 suspend itself without danger of 
 falling, the limbs are enormously 
 
 \ strong, the fore- legs are remark- 
 
 ■ able for their length, and the 
 toes of all fodr feet are furnished 
 with strong curved claws. Upon 
 the ground the Sloth is entirely 
 out of its element, as its limbs 
 
 AI, OR THREE-TOED SLOTH. — {Bradypm 
 tridactylus.) 
 
 are wholly unadapted for supporting the weight of the body, and its Ions' 
 claws cannot be employed as adjuncts to the feet. The only manner in 
 which a Sloth can advance, when he is unfortunately placed in such a 
 position, is by hitching his claws into any depression that may afford him a 
 hold, and so dragging himself slowly and painfully forward. On the trees 
 however, he is quite a different creature, full of hfe and animation and 
 traversing the branches at a speed which is anything but slothful. 'The 
 
 Q 
 
226 THE THREE-TOED SLOTH 
 
 Sloth travels best in wiudy weather, because the branches of trees are blown 
 against each other, and permit the animal to pass from one tree to another 
 without descending to the ground. 
 
 The food of the Sloth consists of leaves, buds, and young shoots. It 
 appears to stand in no need of water, being satisfied with the moisture which 
 clings to the herbage on which it feeds. In gathering the leaves and drawing 
 the branches within reach, the Sloth makes great use of its fore-paws, which, 
 however helpless upon the ground, can be managed with great dexterity. It 
 is very tenacious of life, and is protected from any injury which it might 
 receive from falls by the peculiar structure of its skull. In length it is 
 about two feet. 
 
 The Ai, or Three-toed Sloth, is an inhabitant of South America, and is 
 more common than the preceding animal, from which it can easily be distin- 
 guished by the third toe on its feet. The colour of this animal is rather 
 variable, but is generally of a brownish grey, slightly variegated by differ- 
 ently tinted hairs, and the head and face being darker than the body and 
 limbs. The hair has a curious hay-like aspect, being coarse, flat, and harsh 
 towards the extremity, although it is very fine towards the root. Owing 
 to t?ie colour and structure of the hair, the Ai can hardly be distinguished 
 from the bough under which it hangs, and owes much of its safety to 
 this happy resemblance ; for its flesh is very good, and, in consequence, the 
 poor creature is dreadfully persecuted by the natives, as well as by the white 
 hunters. The cry of this creature is low and plaintive, and is thought to 
 resemble the sound Ai. The head is short and round, the eyes deeply 
 sunk in the head, and nose large and very moist. 
 
 The young of the Ai, as well as those of the other Sloths, cling to their 
 mother as soon as they are born, and are carried about by her until they are 
 able to transfer their weight from their parent to the branches. Several 
 other sDecies of Sloths are known to exist, but all are similar in appearance 
 ana habits. 
 
BIRDS. 
 
 The most conspicuous external characteristic by which the BlUDS are 
 distinguished from 
 
 all other inhabit- ^-r^ *» .^Sl' 
 
 ants of earth is the ' ' ~ " 
 
 feathery robe which 
 invests their bodies, 
 and which serves 
 the double purpose 
 of clothing and pro- 
 gression. 
 
 The fuller and 
 more technical de- 
 scription of the 
 Birds runs as fol- 
 lows : They are ver- 
 tebrate animals, but 
 do not suckle their 
 young. The young 
 are not produced in 
 an actively animat- 
 ed state, but in- 
 closed in the egg, 
 from which they do 
 not emerge until 
 they have been 
 warmed into inde- 
 pendent life by the 
 effects of constant 
 warmth. Generally, 
 the eggs are hatched 
 by means of the na- 
 tural warmth which 
 proceeds from the 
 mother bird ; but 
 in some instances, 
 such as that of the 
 Tallegalla of Aus- 
 tralia, the eggs are 
 placed in a vast 
 heap of dead leaves 
 and grass, and de- 
 veloped by means 
 of the heat which 
 is exhaled from 
 decaying vegetable 
 substances. 
 
 Uir^-^ 
 
 LAMMERGEYER. — {Gypaetos barbatus.) 
 
 BIRDS OF PREY.— VULTURES. 
 
 By common consent Vultures take the first rank among Birds, and in 
 the catalogue of the British Museum the Lammergeyer, or BEARDED 
 VultOre, stands first upon the list. 
 
230 
 
 THE CONDOR. 
 
 This magnificent bird is a native of Southern Europe and Western Asia, 
 and often attains a very great size, the expanse of its wings being sometimes 
 as much as ten feet, and its length nearly four feet. 
 
 The name of Bearded Vulture has been given to the Lammergeyer on 
 account of the tufts of long and stiff bristle-like hairs which take rise at the 
 
 nostrils and beneath the 
 bill, and form a very 
 prominent characteristic 
 of the species. 
 
 The colour of the 
 Lammergeyer is a grey- 
 brown, curiously dashed 
 with white upon the up- 
 per surface, in conse- 
 quence of a white streak 
 which runs along the 
 centre of each feather. 
 The under .surface of the 
 body, together with the 
 necic, are nearly white, 
 tinged with a wash of 
 reddish brown, which 
 is variable in depth in 
 different individuals. In 
 the earlier stages of its 
 existence, the Lammer- 
 geyer is of a much darker 
 hue, and the whitedashes 
 upon the back are not 
 so purely white nor so 
 clearly defined. The 
 head and neck are dark 
 brown, and the brown 
 hue of the back is of 
 so deep a tint that the 
 young bird has been 
 classed as a separate 
 species, under the title 
 of Viiliu? fii^er,or Black 
 Vulture. 
 
 Although not ex- 
 ceeding th e lammergeyer 
 in dimensions, the Con- 
 dor has been long cele- 
 brated as a giant among 
 birds, the expanse of its 
 wings being set down at 
 eighteen or twenty feet, 
 and its length exagge- 
 rated in the same proportion. In reality, the expanse of a large Condor's 
 wings will very seldom reach eleven feet, and the average extent is from 
 eight to nine feet. 
 
 The general colour of the Condor is a greyish black, variable in depth and 
 glossiness in different individuals. The upper wing-coverts are marked 
 with white, which take a greyer tint in the female, and the exterior edges of 
 
 CONDOR. — {Sarcorfiamphus Gryphtts.) 
 
THE KING VULTURE. 231 
 
 the secondaries are also white. The adult male bird may easily be dis- 
 tinguished by the amount of white upon the feathers, so that the wings are 
 marked with a large white patch. Around the neck is set a beautifully white 
 downy collar of soft feathers, which does not entirely inclose the neck, but 
 leaves a small naked band in front. This featherless band is, however, so 
 small, that it is not perceptible except by a close examination. 
 
 The crest of the male Condor is of considerable size, occupying the 
 top of the head and extending over a fourth of the basal portion of the 
 beak. 
 
 The Condor is an inhabitant of the mountain chain of the Andes, and is 
 celebrated not only for its strength and dimensions, but for its love of 
 elevated localities. When enjoying the unrestricted advantages of its 
 native home, it is seldom found lower than the line of perpetual snow, and 
 only seems to seek lower and more temperate regions when driven by hunger 
 to make a raid on the flocks or the wild quadrupeds of its native country. 
 Although preferring carrion to the flesh of recently-killed animals, the 
 Condor is a terrible pest to the cattle-keeper, for it will frequently make an 
 attack upon a cow or a bull, and by dint of constant worrying, force the poor 
 beast to succumb to its winged pursuers. Two of these birds will attack 
 a vicugna, a deer, or even the formidable puma, and as they direct their 
 assaults chiefly upon the eyes, they soon succeed in blinding their prey, 
 who rapidly falls under the terrible blows which are delivered by the beaks 
 of its assailants. 
 
 The Condor deposits its eggs, for it makes no nest whatever, upon a bare 
 shelf of some lofty rock. The eggs are two in number, greyish white in 
 colour, and are laid about November or December. When the young Con- 
 dor is hatched it is nearly naked, but is furnished with a scanty covering 
 of down, which in a short time becomes very plentiful, enveloping the body 
 in a complete vestment of soft black plumage. The deep black grey of the 
 adult bird is not attained until a lapse of three years, the colour of the 
 plumage being a yellowish brown. 
 
 The King Vulture has gained its regal title from a supposition which is 
 prevalent among the natives of the country which it inhabits, that it wields 
 royal sway over the aura, or zopilote Vultures, and that the latter birds will 
 not venture to touch a dead carcass until the King Vulture has taken his 
 share. There is some truth for this supposition, for the King Vulture will 
 not permit any other bird to begin its meal until its own hunger is satisfied. 
 The same habit may be seen in many other creatures, the more powerful 
 lording it over the weaker, and leaving theiri only the remains of the feast 
 instead of permitting them to partake of it on equal terms. But if the King 
 Vulture should not happen to be present when the dead animal has reached 
 a state of decomposition which irenders it palatable to vuhurine tastes, the 
 subject Vultures would pay but little rtgard to the privileges of their absent 
 monarch, and would leave him but a slight prospect of getting a meal on the 
 remains of the feast. 
 
 Waterton, who often mentions this species in his interesting works, gives 
 several curious instances of the sway which the King Vulture exercises over 
 the inferior birds. " When I had done with the carcass of the large snake, it 
 was conveyed into the forest, as 1 expected that it would attract the king of 
 the Vultures, as soon as time should have rendered it sufficiently savoury. In 
 a few days it sent forth the odour which a carcass should send forth, and 
 about twenty of the common Vultures came and perched on the neighbouring 
 trees. The king of tiie Vultures came too, and I observed that none of the 
 common ones seemed inclined to begin breakfast until his majesty had 
 finished. When he had consumed as much snake as nature informed him 
 
232 
 
 KING VULTURE. 
 
 would do him good, he retired to the top of a high mora-tree, and then all 
 the common Vultures fell to and made a hearty meal." 
 
 The King Vulture is a native of tropical America, and is most common 
 near the equator, though it is found as far as the thirtieth degree of south . 
 
 ^/f^^^.f^^iir' 
 
 KING VULTURE. — (Sarcorhamphus Papa.) 
 
 latitude, and the thirty-second of north latitude. Peru, Brazil, Guiana, 
 Paraguay and Mexico are the chosen residences of this fine species. It is a 
 forest-loving bird, caring nothing for the lofty home of the condor, but taking 
 up its residence upon the low and heavily-wooded regions in close proximity 
 (o swampy and marshy places, where it is most likely to find abundance of 
 
KING VULTURE. 
 
 233 
 
 dead and putrefying animal substances. Its nest, or rather the spot on 
 which it deposits its eggs, is within the hollow of some decaying tree. The 
 eggs are two in number. 
 
 In its adult state the King Vulture is a most gorgeously decorated bird, 
 though its general aspect and the whole expression of its demeanour are 
 
 FULVOUS, OR GRIFFIN VULTURE. — (G}ps Jlllvus.) 
 
 rather repulsive than otherwise. The greater part of the feathers upon the 
 back are of a beautiful satiny white, tinged more or less deeply with fawn, 
 and the abdomen is of a pure white. On account of its colour, the bird is 
 termed the White Crow by the Spaniards of Paraguay. The loijg pinions of 
 
234 FULVOUS, OR GRIFFIN VULTURE. 
 
 the wing and tail are deep black, and the base of the neck is surrounded 
 with a thick ruff or collar of downy grey feathers. 
 
 The most brilliant tints are, however, those of the naked skin of the head 
 and neck. " The throat and back of the neck," says Waterton, " are of a 
 fine lemon colour ; both sides of the neck, from the ears downwards, of a 
 rich scarlet ; behind the corrugated part there is a white spot. The crown 
 of the head is scarlet, betwixt the lower mandible and the eye, and close by 
 the ear, there is a part which has a fine silvery-blue appearance. Just above 
 the white spot a portion of the skin is blue, and the rest scarlet ; the skin 
 which juts out behind the neck, and appear s hke an oblong carbuncle, is blue 
 in part, and part orange. The bill is orange and black, ihe caruncles on the 
 forehead orange, and the cere orange, the orbits scarlet, and the irides 
 white." 
 
 These gorgeous tints belong only to the adult bird of four years old, and 
 in the previous years of its life the colours are very obscure. In the first 
 year, for example, the general colour is deep blue-grey, the abdomen white, 
 and the crest hardly distinguishable either for its colour or its size. In the 
 second year of its age the plumage of the bird is nearly black, diversified 
 with white, spots, and the naked portions of the head and neck are violet- 
 black interspersed with a few dashes of yellow. The third year gives the 
 bird a very near approach to the beautiful satin fawn of the adult plumage, 
 the back being nearly of the same hue as that of the four-year-old bird, but 
 marked with many of the blue-black feathers of the second year. When full 
 grown, the King Vulture is about the size of an ordinai-y goose. 
 
 The Fulvous or Griffin Vulture is one of the most familiar of these 
 useful birds, being spread widely over nearly the whole of the Old World, 
 and found in very many portions of Europe, Asia, and Africa. 
 
 It is one of the large Vultures, measuring four feet in length, and its ex- 
 panse of v/ing being exceedingly wide. Like many of its relations, it is a 
 high-roving b rd, loving to rise out of the ken of ordinary eyes, and from 
 that vast elevation to view the panorama which lies beneath its gaze ; not, 
 however, tor the purpose of admiring the beauty of the prospect but for the 
 more sensual object of seeking for food. Whenever it has discovered a dead 
 or dying animal, the Vulture takes its stand on some adjoining tree or rock, 
 and there patiently awaits the time when decomposition shall render the skin 
 sufificiently soft to permit the entrance of the eager beak. As soon as its 
 olfactory organs tell of that desired change, the Vulture descends upon its 
 prey, and will not retire until it is so gorged with food that it can hardly stir. 
 If it be suddenly attacked while in this condition, it can easily be overtaken 
 and killed ; but if a pause of a few minutes only be allowed, the bird ejects 
 by a spasmodic effort the load of food which it has taken into its interior, and 
 is then ready for flight. 
 
 A controversy has long raged concerning the manner in which the Vulture 
 obtains knowledge of the presence of food. Some naturalists assert that the 
 wonderful powers of food-finding which are possessed by the Vulture are 
 owing wholly to tlie eyes, while others as warmly attribute to the nose this 
 currious capability. Others again, desirous of steering a middle course, 
 beUeve that the eyes and the nost.ils give equal aid in this never-ending 
 duty of finding food, and many experiments have been made, with a view to 
 extracting the real truth of the matter. The following account has been 
 kindly transmitted to me by Colonel Drayson, R.A., who has already con- 
 tributed much original information to the present work : — 
 
 " Having shot an ourebi early in the morning, and when about three miles 
 from home, I was not desirous of carrying the animal behind my saddle 
 during the day's shooting, and I therefore sought for some method of con- 
 
TURKEY BUZZARD. 
 
 235 
 
 cealment by which to preserve the dead quarry from jackals and Vultures. 
 An ant-bear's hole offered a very convenient hiding-place, into vi^hich the 
 buck was pushed, and the carcass was covered over with some grass cut for 
 the purpose. As usual in South Africa there were some Vultures wheeling 
 round at an enormous 
 height above the horizon ; 
 these I believed would 
 soon come down and 
 push aside the grass and 
 tear off the most assail- 
 able parts of the buck. 
 There was, however, no, 
 better means of protec- 
 tion, so I left the animal 
 and rode away. When 
 at about a quarter of a 
 mile from the antbear's 
 hole, I thought that it 
 might be interesting to 
 watch how the Vuhures 
 would approach and com- 
 mence operations, so I 
 ' off-saddled,' and kept 
 watch. 
 
 " After about half an 
 hour, I saw a Vulture 
 coming down from the 
 sky, followed by two or 
 three others. They came 
 down to the spot where 
 the buck had been killed, 
 and flew past this. They 
 then returned and again 
 overshot the mark. After 
 circling several times 
 within a radius of four 
 hundred yards, they flew 
 away. Other Vultures 
 then came and performed 
 similar manoeuvres, but 
 not one appeared to 
 know where the buck 
 was concealed. I then 
 rode off to a greater dis- 
 tance, but the same re- 
 sults occurred. 
 
 " In the evening I re- 
 turned for my buck, which 
 
 however was totally useless in consequence of the intense heat of the sun, 
 but which hid not been touched by the Vultures." 
 
 One of th<? Ijest known of the Vultures is the Turkey Buzzard, more 
 rightly termed the Carrion Vulture. Its name of Turkey Buzzard 
 is earned from the strange resemblance which a Carrion Vulture bears to a 
 turkey as it walks slowly and with a dignified air, stretching its long bare 
 neck, and esdiibiting the fleshly appendages which bear some likeness to the 
 
 ARABIAN VULTURE. — (Vultur Monachus.) 
 
236 
 
 THE ARABIAN iTULTURE. 
 
 wattles of the turkey. This bird is chiefly found in North America, but is 
 also an inhabitant of Jamaica, where it is popularly known as the John Crow. 
 The nest of the Turkey Buzzard is a very inartistical affair, consisting 
 merely of some suitable hollow tree or decayed log, in which there may be a 
 depression of sufficient depth to contain the eggs. In this simple cradle the 
 female deposits from two to four eggs, which are of a dull cream-white, 
 blotched with irregular chocolate splashes, which seem to congregate 
 towards the largest end. The young birds are covered with a plentiful 
 supply of white down. 
 
 The adult Turkey Buzzard 
 is rather a large bird, mea- 
 suring two feet six inches in 
 length, and six feet ten 
 inches across the expanded 
 wings. The weight is about' 
 five pounds. The general 
 colour of the plumage is 
 black, mingled with brown, 
 the secondaries being sUght- 
 ly tipped with white, and a 
 few of the coverts edged with 
 tlie same tint. On the neck, 
 the back, the shoulders, and 
 the scapularies, the black 
 hue is shot with bronze, 
 green, and purple. Beneath 
 the thick plumage is a light 
 coating of soft white down, 
 which apparently serves to 
 preserve the creature at a 
 proper temperature. The 
 bare skin of the neck is not 
 as wrinkled as in several 
 Vultures, and the feathers 
 make a complete ring round 
 the neck. There is but little 
 difference in the plumage of 
 the two sexes, but the bill 
 of the male is pure white. 
 
 We now arrive at the true 
 Vultures, the best known of 
 
 TURKEY BUZZfLRV>. — {CatAartsia Ama.) 
 
 which is the common Arabian Vulture, a bird which is spread over a very 
 large portion of the globe, being found in various parts of Europe, Asia and 
 Africa. 
 
 It is a large bird, measuring nearly four feet in length, and the expansion 
 of its wings being proportionately wide. The general colour of this species 
 is a chocolate brown, the naked portions of the neck and head are of a 
 bluish hue, and it is specially notable for a tuft of long soft feathers which 
 spring from the insertion of the wings. In spite of its large size and great 
 muscular powers, the Arabian Vulture is not a dangerous neighbour even to 
 the farmer, for unless it is pressed by severe hunger, it seems rather to have 
 a dread of living animals, and contents itself with feeding on any carrion 
 which may come in its way. Sometimes, however, after a protracted fast, its 
 frars are overruled by its hunger, and the bird makes a raid upon the sheep- 
 folds or the goat -flocks, in the hope cf carrying off a tender latjib or kid- 
 
THE ALPINE, OR EGYPTIAN VULTURE. 
 
 237 
 
 The usual haunts of this species are situated on the mountain tops, and 
 the bird does not descend into the valleys except when pressed by hunger. 
 
 The specific title of Monackus, or Monk, has been given to this species on 
 account of the hood-like ruff around its neck, which is thought to bear a 
 fanciful resemblance to the hood of a monk. 
 
 ALPINE, OR EGYPTIAN VULTURE.- — (Neophron percnopterus.) 
 
 The Alpine, or Egyptian Vulture, is, as its name imports, an inhabit- 
 ant of Egypt and Southern Europe. It is also found in many parts of 
 Asia, and as it has once been captured on our shores, has been placed 
 among the Ust of British birds, 
 
238 EAGLES. 
 
 The general colour of the adult bird is nearly white, with the exception of 
 the quill feathers of the wing, which are dark brown. The face, bill, and 
 legs are bright yellow, so that the aspect of the bird is sufficiently curious. 
 The sexes are clotlied alilce when adult. On account of the colour of its 
 plumage, the Egyptian Vulture, is popularly termed the White Crow by 
 the Dutch colonists, and Akbobas, or White Father, by the Turks. It is 
 also familiarly known by the name of PHARAOH'S CHICKEN, because it is 
 so frequently represented in the hieroglyphical inscriptions of Egypt. When 
 young the colour of its plumage is a chocolate brown, tlie neck and shoulders 
 are covered with grey-tipped feathers, and the beak and feet are a very dull 
 ochry yellow. The white plumage of the adult state is not attained until the 
 bird 1 as completed its third year. 
 
 As is the case with the Vultures in general, the Egyptian Vulture is 
 protected from injury by the strictest laws, a heavy penalty being laid 
 upon any one who should wilfully destroy one of these useful birds Secure 
 under its human protection, the bird walks fearlessly about the streets of its 
 native land, perches upon the houses, and, in common with the pariah dogs, 
 soon clears away any refuse substances that are thrown into the open streets 
 in those evil-smelling and undrained localities. This bird will eat almost 
 anything which is not too hard for its beak, and renders great service to the 
 husbandman by devouring myriads of lizards, rats, and mice, which would 
 render all cultivation useless were not their numbers kept within limits by 
 the exertion of this useful Vulture. It has been also seen to feed on the 
 nara, a rough water-bearing melon, in common with cats, leopards, mice, 
 ostriches, and many other creatures. The eggs of the ostrich are said to 
 be a favourite food with the Egyptian Vulture, who is unable to break their 
 strong shells with his beak, but attains his object by carrying a great pebble 
 in the air, and letting it drop upon the eggs. 
 
 The wings of this species are extremely long in proportion to the size of 
 the bird, and their lofty soaring flight is peculiarly graceful. It is but a small 
 bird in comparison with many of those which have already been mentioned, 
 being not much larger than the common rook of Europe. The nest of the 
 Egyptian Vulture is made upon the shelf or in the cleft of a lofty rock, and 
 the grey-white eggs are three or four in number. It is a curious fact, that 
 durmg the season of reproduction the male bird slightly changes his aspect, 
 the yellow bill becoming orange, and retaining that tint until the breeding 
 season is over. Like many rapacious animals and birds, the Egyptian 
 Vulture does not disdain to feed on insects, and has been observed in the 
 act of following a ploughman along his furrows, picking up the worms and 
 grubs after the fashion of the common rook. 
 
 EAGLES. 
 
 Next in order to the Vultures are placed the splendid birds which are so 
 familiar to us under the general title of Eagles, and which form the first 
 group of the great family Falconidse, which includes the Eagles, Falcons, 
 and Hawks. 
 
 The first and one of the finest of these grand birds is the well-known 
 Golden Eagle. This magnificent bird is spread over a large portion of 
 the world, being found in the British Islands, and in various parts of Europe, 
 Asia, Africa, and America. The colour of this bird is a rich blackish brown 
 on the greater part of the body, the head and neck being covered with 
 feathers of a rich golden red, which have earned for the bird its popular 
 name. The legs and sides of the thighs are grey-brown, and tho tail is a 
 
THE GOLDEN EAGLE. 339 
 
 deep grey, diversified with several regular dark-brown bars. lii its immature 
 state the plumage of the Golden Eagle is differently tinged, the whole of the 
 feathers being reddish brown, the legs and sides of the thighs nearly white, 
 and the tail white for the first three quarters of its length. So different an 
 
 GOLDEN EAGLE. — (Afiuila chrysaetos.) 
 
 asnect does the immature bird present, that it has been often reckoned as 
 a separate species, and named accordingly. It is a truly magnificent bird 
 in point of size, for an adult female measures about three feet six inches in 
 length, and the expanse of her wings is nine feet. The male is less by 
 nearly six inches. 
 
240 THE OSPREY. 
 
 In England the. Golden Eagle has long been extinct ; but it is still found 
 in some plenty in the highlands of Scotland and Ireland, where it io observed 
 to frequent certain favourite haunts, and to breed regularly in the same spot 
 for a long series of years. The nest is always made upon some elevated 
 spot, generally upon a ledge of rock, and is most inartistically constructed of 
 sticks, which are thrown apparently at random, and rudely arranged for the 
 purpose of containing the eggs and young. A neighbouring ledge of rock is 
 generally reserved for a larder where the parent Eagles store up the food 
 which they bring from the plains below. 
 
 In hunting for their prey, the Eagle and his mate mutually assist each 
 other. It may here be mentioned that the Eagles are all monogamous, 
 keeping themselves to a single mate, and living together in perfect harmony 
 through their lives. As the rabbits and hares are generally under cover 
 during the day, the Eagle is forced to drive them from their place of con- 
 cealment, and manages the matter in a very clever and sportsmanlike 
 manner. One of the Eagles conceals itself near the cover which is to be 
 beaten, and its companion then dashes among the bushes, screaming and 
 making such a disturbance that the terrified inmates rush out in hopes of 
 escape, and are immediately pounced upon by the watchful confederate. 
 
 The prey is immediately taken to the nest, and distributed to the young, 
 if there should be any eaglets in the lofty cradle. 
 
 Owing to the expanse of the wings and the great power of the muscles, 
 the flight of this bird is peculiarly bold, striking, and graceful. It sweeps 
 through the air in a succession of spiral curves, rising with every spire, and 
 making no perceptible motion with its wings, until it has attained an altitude 
 at which it is hardly visible. From that post of vantage the Eagle marks 
 the ground below, and swoops down with lightning rapidity upon bird or 
 beast that may happen to take its fancy. It is not, however, so active at 
 rising from the ground as might be imagined, and can be disabled by a 
 comparatively slight injury on the wing. One of these birds, that was 
 detected by a young shepherd boy in the act of devouring some ^lead sheep, 
 was disabled by a pebble hurled at him from a sling and was at last 
 ignominiously stoned to death. 
 
 The Eagle is supposed to be a very long-lived bird, and is thought to 
 compass a century of existence when it is living wild and unrestrained in its 
 native land. Even in captivity it has been known to attain a good old age, 
 one of these birds which lived at Vienna being rather more than a hundred 
 years old when it died. 
 
 One of the most interesting of the predaceous birds which belong to Great 
 Britain is the celebrated Osprey, or Fishing Hawk. This fine bird was 
 formerly very common in England, but is now but rarely seen within the 
 confines of the British Isles, although isolated species are now and then 
 seen. 
 
 As the bird -is a fish-eater, it is generally observed on the sea-coast or on 
 the banks of some large river, but has occasionally been observed in some 
 comparatively waterless situation, where it has probably been driven by 
 stress of weather. In some parts of Scotland the Osprey still holds its own, 
 and breeds year after year on the same spot, generally choosing the summit 
 of an old ruined building or the top of a large tree for that purpose. The 
 nest is a very large one, composed almost wholly of sticks, and contains two 
 or three whitish eggs, largely blotched with reddish brown, the dark patches 
 being collected towards the large end of the egg. As is the case with the 
 Eagles, the Osprey is monogamous ; but on the death of either of the pair, 
 the survivor soon finds another mate, and is straightway consoled by a new 
 alliance. From all accounts it is an affectionate and domestic bird, paying 
 
THE OS PREY. 
 
 241 
 
 the greatest attention to its mate and home, and displaying a constancy 
 which is not to be surpassed by that of the turile-dove, so celebrated for 
 matrimonial felicity. 
 
 OSPREY. — (Pandion Tialiaetus.) 
 
 The flight of the Osprey is peculiarly easy and elegant, as might be 
 expected from a bird the length of whose body is only twenty-two inches 
 and the expanse of wing nearly five feet and a half. Living almost wholly 
 on fish, the Osprey sails in wide undulating circles, hovering over the water 
 and intently watching for its prey. No sooner does a fish come into view 
 than the Osprey shoots through the air like a meteor, descends upon the 
 
 K 
 
242 
 
 THE OSPSEY. 
 
 luckless fish with such force that it drives a shower of spray in every 
 direction, and soon emerging, flies away to its nest, bearing its prey in its 
 grasp. In order to enable it to seize and retain so slippery a creature as a 
 fish, the claws of the Osprey axe long, curved, and very sharp, the soles of 
 
 BALD, OR WHITE-HF.ADED EAGLE. — {Halioetus Leucocephalus.) 
 
 the feet are rough, and the outer toe is capable of great versatility. When 
 the bird has settled upon its nest, or upon any spot where it intends to 
 eat its prey, it does not relinquish its hold, but, as if fearful that the fish 
 should escape, continues its grasp, and daintily picks away the flesh from 
 between its toes. 
 
THE OS PR BY. 
 
 243 
 
 Harmless though the Osprey be — except to the fish — it is a much per- 
 secuted bird, being not only annoyed by rooks and crows, but robbed by 
 the more powerful white-headed Eagle. Mr. Thompson records an instance 
 where an Osprey, which had been fishing in Loch Ruthven, was greatly 
 
 BUZZARD. — {Buteo vulgaris.) 
 
 harassed by an impertinent Royston crow, which attacked the noble bird as 
 soon as it had caught a fish, and, as if knowing that it was incapable of 
 retaliation, actually struck it while on the wing. The Osprey kept quietly 
 on its way, but was so wearied by the repeated attacks of the crow, that 
 
 R 2 
 
244 THE OSPREY, 
 
 when pursued and pursuer had vanished out of sight, the poor Osprey had 
 not been able to commence his repast. 
 
 The general colour of the Osprey is dark brown, but it is pleasingly 
 variegated with various shades of black, grey, and white. The crown of 
 
 KITE. — [Milvus regalis. ) 
 
 the head and the nape of the neck are covered with long grey-white feathers, 
 streaked with dark brown. The under surface of the body is white, with 
 the exception of a hght-brown band which extends across the chest. The 
 primaries are brown tipped with black, and the tail is barjed above with a 
 
THE BALD OR WHITE-HEADED EAGLE. i\s 
 
 liglit and a deep brown, and below with brown and white. The legs, toes, 
 and cere are blue, the eyes golden yellow, and the beak and claws black. 
 
 The noble bird which is represented on page 242 is celebrated as being 
 the type which has been chosen by the Americans as the emblem of 
 their nation. 
 
 The name of Bald or White-headed Eagle has been applied to this 
 bird on account of the snowy white colour of the head and neck, a peculi- 
 arity which renders it a most conspicuous bird when at large in its native 
 land. The remainder of the body is a deep chocolate brown, inclining to 
 black along the back. The tail and upper tail-coverts are of the same white 
 hue as the head and neck. In its eariier stages of existence the creature is 
 of more sombre tints not obtaining the beautifully white head and tail until 
 it is four years of age. 
 
 The nest of the Bald Eagle is generally made upon some lofty tree, and in 
 the course of years becomes of very grsat size, as the bird is in the habit of 
 laying her eggs year after year in the same nest, and making additions of 
 fresh building materials at every fresh breeding season. She commences 
 this task at a very early period of the year, depositing her eggs in January, 
 and hatching her young by the middle of February. 
 
 It is always a very affectionate bird, tends its young as long as they are 
 helpless and unfledged, and will not forsake them even if the tree on which 
 they rest be enveloped in flames. 
 
 The Bald Eagle often takes advantage of the fishing talents of the Osprey 
 by robbing the lesser bird of its prey. The Eagle is. in truth, no very great 
 fisher, but is very fond of fish, and finds that the easiest mode of obtaining 
 the desired dainty is to rob those who are l^etter qualified than himself for 
 the sport. 
 
 The Bald Eagle is very accommodating in his appetite, and will eat 
 almost anything that has ever possessed animal fife. He is by no means 
 averse to carrion, and has been seen seated regally upon a dead horse, 
 keeping at a distance a horde of vultures which were collected round the 
 carcase, and not permitting them to approach until he had gorged himself 
 to the full. Another individual was seen by Wilson in a similar state of 
 things. He had taken possession of a heap of dead squirrels that had been 
 accidentally drowned, and prevented any other bird, or beast of prey, from 
 approaching his treasure. He is especially fond of lambs, and is more than 
 suspected of aiding the death of many a sickly sheep by the dexterous use 
 of his beak and claws. 
 
 The Bald Eagle is found throughout the whole of North America, and 
 may be seen haunting the greater part of the sea-coasts, as well as the 
 mouths of the large rivers. 
 
 The common Buzzard is one of our handsomest Falconidas, and is one 
 which, although banished from che greater part of England, is still found 
 plentifully in many parts of Scotland and Ireland. 
 
 The plumage of this bird is looser and more downy than is seen in the 
 generality of the hawk tribe, and bears a certain resemblance to that of the 
 owl. This peculiarity is explained by the habits of the bird, which will 
 presently be narrated. The average length of a Buzzard is from twenty to 
 twenty-two inches, and the tinling of its plumage is extremely variable, even 
 in adult birds. The usual colouring is as follows. The back and whole of 
 the upper surface is a rich brown, becoming lighter on the head and neck, 
 and diversified with longitudinal streaks of the darker hue. The tail is also 
 dark brown, but is varied with stripes of a lighter colour, and the primary 
 feathers of the wings are nearly black. The under portions of the body are 
 grey-white, rr-'^'ked on the neck, chest, and abdomen with spots and strealis 
 
246 
 
 THE BUZZARD. 
 
 of brown. The claws are black, the bill is a deep blue-black, and the legs, 
 lues, and ears are yellow. 
 
 The nest of the Buzzard is made either li some suitable tree or upon the 
 rocks, according to the locality, and is generally composed of grass and 
 
 SWALLOW-TAILED KITE. — (Elanoides futcatM. ) 
 
 heather stems, intermingled with long, soft roots, and lined with wool, 
 heather, leaves, and other substances. 
 
 The flight of the Buzzard is rather variable. At times the bird seems 
 inspired with the very soul of laziness, and contents itself with pouncing 
 
THE KITE. 247 
 
 leisurely upon its prey, and returning to the branch on which it has been 
 perched. Sometimes, however, and especially in the breeding season, it 
 rises high in the air, and displays a power of wing and an easy grace of 
 flight which would hardly be anticipated from its formerly sluggish move- 
 ments. This fine bird may still be seen in the New Forest, where I have 
 often watched its airy circling flight. 
 
 The Kite may be known, even on the wing, from all other British birds 
 of prey, by its beautifully easy flight and the long forked tail. Indeed, while 
 flying, the Kite bears no small resemblance to a very large swallow, excepting 
 that the flight is more gliding, and the wings are seldom flapped. 
 
 It was in former days one of the commonest of the British birds, 
 swarming in every forest, building its nest near every village, and being 
 the greatest pest of the farmer and poultry-keeper, on account of its voracity, 
 craft, and swiftness. Even the Metropolis was filled with these birds, which 
 acted the same part that is played by vultures in more eastern lands, and 
 were accustomed to haunt the streets for the purpose of eating the offal 
 which was so liberally flung out of doors in the good old times, and which, 
 but for the providential instincts of the Kit^s, would have been, permitted to 
 decompose in the open streets. 
 
 In the present day, however, the Kite is comparatively seldom seen in 
 England, and when observed, is of sufficient rarity to be mentioned in the 
 floating records of natural history. 
 
 The flight of this bird is peculiarly easy and graceful, as the wings are 
 seldom, flapped, and the Kite sails through the air as by the mere power of 
 volition. From the gliding movements of the Kite when on the wing it has 
 derived the name of Gled, from the old Saxon word glida. When in 
 pursuit of prey, the Kite sails in circles, at a considerable height from the 
 ground, watching with its penetrating gaze the ground beneath, and sweep- 
 ing with unerring aim upon any bird, quadruped, or reptile that may take 
 its fancy. 
 
 The food of the Kite is rather general in its nature, consisting of various 
 quadrupeds, young rabbits, hares, rats, mice, and moles, of which latter 
 animals no less than twenty-two were discovered in the nest of a single 
 Kite, showing how rapid and noiseless must be its movements when it can 
 secure so wary and keen-eared an animal as a mole. It does not chase the 
 swift-winged birds through the air, but pounces on many a partridge as it 
 sits on the ground, and is remarkably fond of taking young and unfledged 
 birds from their nests ; reptiles of different kinds, such as snakes, frogs, 
 lizards and newts, also form part of its food, and it will not disdain to pick 
 up a bee or a grasshopper when it can find no larger prey. The Kite is 
 also a good fisher, waging nearly as successful war against the finny 
 inhabitants of the rivers or ponds as the osprey itself; sweeping suddenly 
 down upon the fish as they rise to the surface in search of food, or in their 
 accustomed gamboUings, and bearing them away to the shore, where it 
 settles down and eats them in peace. 
 
 The nest of the Kite is chiefly built with sticks as a foundation, upon 
 which is placed a layer of moss, wool, hair, and other soft and warm articles. 
 The locaHty which is chosen for the nest is generally in some thick wood, 
 and the bird prefers a strong, forked branch for the resting-place. The eggs 
 are generally two in number, and sometimes three, of a greyish or lighl- 
 ' brownish white colour, speckled with reddish chestnut blotches, which, as is 
 the case with so many hawk's eggs, are gathered towards the larger end. 
 
 The ordinary length of the common Kite is about twenty inches, but the 
 sexes are rather variable in that respect, the females being always larger 
 than the males.. The colouring of the bird is very elegant, althougti 
 
248 THE SWALLOW-TAILED KITE. 
 
 composed of few tints, and is remarkable more on account of the delicate 
 gradations and contrasts of tiue than for any peculiar brilliancy of the 
 feathers. The general aspect of the Kite is reddish brown, which on a close 
 inspection is resolved into the following tints. The back and upper portions 
 are dark brown, relieved by a reddish tinge upon the edges of the feathers ; 
 the primaries are black, and the upper tail-coverts chestnut. There is a 
 little white upon the edges of the tertiaries, and the head and back of the 
 neck are covered with greyish white feathers, the centre of each feather 
 being streaked with brown. The forked tail is reddish brown, barred on 
 the under surface with dark brown stripes, the centre feathers being the 
 darkest. The chin and throat are coloured like the head, and the abdomen 
 and under portions are reddish brown. The under tail-coverts are white, 
 with a slight reddish tinge,- and the under surface of the rectrices are also 
 white, but washed with grey. 
 
 The beautiful bird which is so well known under the appropriate title of 
 the Swallow-tailed Kite is an inhabitant of various parts of America, 
 though it has occasionally been noticed on the British shores. 
 
 This bird bears so strong an external resemblance to the swallow, that it 
 might easily 'be taken for a common swallow or swift, as it flies circling in 
 the air in search of the insect prey on which it usually feeds. Even the 
 flight is very much of the same character in both birds, and the mode of 
 feeding very similar. The usual food of the Swallow- tailed Kite consists of 
 the larger insects, which it either catches on the wing or snatches from the 
 leaves as it shoots past the bushes. Reptiles, such as small snakes, lizards, 
 and frogs, also form part of the food of this elegant bird. While it is 
 engaged in the pursuit of such prey, or in catching the large insects upon 
 the branches, it may be approached and shot without much difificulty, as it 
 is so intent upon its prey that it fails to notice its human foe. 
 
 The nest of the Swallow-tailed Kite is generally found on the very 
 summit of some lofty rock or pine, and is almost invariably in the near vicinity 
 of water. It is composed of smiU sticks externally, and is Hned with 
 grasses, moss, and feathers. The eggs are rather more numerous than is 
 generally the case with the Hawks, being from four to six in number. Their 
 colour is white with a greenish tinge, and they are marked with some dark 
 brown blotches which are gathered towards the larger end. There is only 
 one brood in the year, and when the young birds are first hatched, they are 
 covered with a uniformly buff-coloured downy coat. The colour of the adult 
 bird is variable, consisting mostly of white and black, but, on account of 
 the bold manner in which their hues are contrasted, is remarkably pleasing 
 in its effect. The back, the upper part of the wings, with the exception 
 of the inner webs of the tertiaries, upper tail-coverts and rectrices, are a 
 deep purple-black, the head, neck, and all other parts of the plumage being 
 pure white. The legs and toes are blue with a green tinge, the cere is blue, 
 and the beak blue-black. The claws are orange-brown. The length of this 
 bird averages twenty inches. 
 
 The true Falcons are known by their strong, thick, and curved beak, the 
 upper mandible having a projecting tooth near the curve, which fits into a 
 corresponding socket in the under mandible. The talons are strongly 
 curved, sharp-pointed, and are either flat or grooved in their under sides. 
 The Falcons all obtain their prey by striking it while on the wing ; and 
 with such terrible force is the attack made, that a Peregrine Falcon has been 
 known to strike the head completely from the shoulders of its quarry, while 
 the mere force of its stroke, without the use of its claws, is sufficient to kill 
 a pi.;eon or a partridge, and send it dead to the ground. 
 
 In striking their prey the Falcons make no use of the beak, reserving 
 
THE jer-falcon: 
 
 249 
 
 that weapon for the purpose of completing the slaughter when they and the 
 wounded quarry are struggling on the ground. 
 
 Among the true Falcons the J er- falcon is the most conspicuous on 
 account of the superior dimensions of its body and the striking power 
 of its wing. 
 
 This splendid bird is a native of Northern Europe, being mostly found in 
 Iceland and Norway, and it also inhabits parts of both Americas. Some 
 naturalists believe that the Norwe- 
 gian and Icelandic birds ought to 
 be reckoned as different species, but 
 others think that any differences be- 
 tween them are occasioned by age 
 and sex. It is said that of the two 
 birds the Iceland variety is the more 
 powerful, of bolder flight, and greater 
 age, and therefore better adapted for 
 the purpose of falconry. Sometimes 
 it is seen in the northern parts of 
 the British Islands, having evidently 
 flown over the five hundred miles or 
 so of sea that divides Scotland from 
 Iceland ; this journey, however, is no 
 difficult task for the Jer-falcon, who 
 is quite capable of paying a morning 
 visit to these islands and returning to 
 its home on the same day. In 1859 
 one of these birds was shot in N orth- 
 umberland, and others have been ob- 
 served in the more southern counties. 
 Towards the south, however, it has 
 seldom if ever been obser\ed. 
 
 The colour of the adult Jer-falcon 
 is nearly white, being purely white on the under surface and flecked with 
 narrow transverse bars of greyish brown upon the upper parts. The sharp 
 claws are black, the beak of a bluish tint, and the cere, tarsus, and toes 
 yellow. When young, however, the bird presents a very different aspect, 
 and would hardly be recognized as belongir.g to the same species. In its 
 earlier stages of life it is almost wholly of a greyish brown tint, the fea- 
 thers being slightly marked Avith a little white upon their edges. As the 
 bird increases in age the white edges become wider and by degrees the 
 entire feather is of a snowy whiteness. The name Jer-falcon is supposed to 
 be a corruption of " Geier-falcon," or Vulture Falcon. 
 
 Less powerful, but more graceful than the Jer-falcon, the PEREGRINE 
 Falcon has ever held the first place among the hawks that are trained 
 for the chase. 
 
 When thoroughly tamed, the Peregrine Falcon displays a very con- 
 siderable amount of attachment to its owner, and even while flying at 
 perfect liberty will single him out from a large company, fly voluntarily 
 towards him, and perch lovingly on his hand or shoulder. 
 
 It will chase and kill many of the coast birds, such as the dunlin, the gull, 
 and the plover. The curlew is a very favourite prey, and, being a strong- 
 winged bird, affords great sport. It is rather remarkable that the dunlin, 
 together with birds of similar habits, fly instinctively to the sea, lake, or 
 river, when attacked by the Peregrine Falcon, as if knowing that the winged ^ 
 hunter is very unwilling to swoop upon any object that is flying upon the 
 
 JER-FALCON. — {Falco Gyrfalco.) 
 
250 THE PEREGRINE FALCON. 
 
 surface of the water. The Falcon has been seen to drive a dunlin re- 
 peatedly into the sea before it could intercept the poor bird between the 
 dry land and its watery refuge. It will also strike at the grey crows, or at 
 herons, but unless specially trained to the pursuit, will not trouble itself 
 further about them. 
 
 PEREGRINE FALCON. (Falco peregrinus.) 
 
 The full speed of the Peregrine Falcon has been computed at a hundred 
 
 and fifty miles per hour, and a single chase will often occupy a space of 
 
 eight or ten miles. Its power of wing is not only useful in enabling it to 
 
 • wage successful pursuit of swift-winged birds, but in giving it sufficient 
 
 buoyancy to carry off the prey which it has secured. So strong is the 
 
THE PEREGRINE FALCON: 2.%^ 
 
 Peregrine's wing, that it has often been observed to bear in its talons a bird 
 larger than itself, and to carry it to the nest without difficulty. Even i- 
 guillemot has been struck and carried off by the Peregrine. 
 
 The eggs of this bird are generally two or three in number, although a 
 fourth is sometimes known to be laid in the same nest. The colour of the 
 egg is a very pale reddish brown, usually mottled with a darker tint. 
 
 In its adult state, the Peregrine Falcon is very elegantly coloured. The 
 top of the head, the back of the neck, the primaries, and a stripe beneath 
 the eye, are of a deep black-brown ; the upper parts of the body are ashy 
 brown, the latter tint becoming fainter in each successive moult, and being 
 always marked with a series of dark bars upon its back, tail, and wing- 
 coverts : the breast is white, deepening into a chestnut hue, and being 
 barred transversely with reddish brown upon the breast, and marked on 
 the front of the throat with longitudinal dashes of very dark brown. The 
 remainder of thi under plumage is greyish white, profusely barred with dark 
 brown. When young the plumage is altogether of a more ruddy hue, and 
 the birds are termed in the language of falconry, Red Tercels, or Red 
 Falcons, according to their sex. 
 
 Th^ small but exquisitely shaped HoBBY is found spread over the greater 
 part of the old world, specimens having been taken in'Northern Africa, and in 
 many portions of Asia, as well as in Europe, which seems to be its chief 
 residence. It was formerly very common in England, but is year by year 
 less seldom seen in our island, as is the case with all its predaceous relations. 
 From all accounts, it seems to be rather a local bird, being partially influ- 
 enced by the nature of the ground and thejjuantity of food which it is able 
 to procure. 
 
 This bird appears to favour inland and well-wooded lands rather than the 
 sea-shore or the barren rocks ; thus presenting a strong contrast to the 
 ■ Peregrine Falcon. We may find an obvious reason for this preference in 
 the fact that a considerable proportion of its food is composed of the larger 
 insects, especially of the fat-bodied beeries, which it seizes on the wing. 
 Chafers of various kinds are a favourite prey with the Hobby, and in several 
 cases the stomachs of Hobbies that had been shot were found to contain 
 nothing but the shelly portions of the larger dung-chafer {geotrupes sterco- 
 rarius). As therefore the connnon cock-chafer is a leaf eating insect and 
 frequents forest lands for the purpose of attaining its food, the Hobby will 
 constantly be found in the same locality for the object of feeding on the cock- 
 chafer. And as the dung-chafer swarms wherever cattle are most abun- 
 dantly nourished, the Hobby is attracted lo the same spot for the sake of the 
 plentiful supply of food which it can obtain. 
 
 Although of the smallest of the British Falconidae, being only from ten 
 to thirteen inches in length, accoiding to the sex of the individual, the 
 Merlin is one of the most dashing and brilliant of all the hawks whici. 
 frequent our island. 
 
 This beautiful little bird is almost invaluable to the young falconer, as it is 
 so docile in disposition and so remarkably intelligent in character, that it 
 repays his instructions much sooner than any of the more showy but less 
 teachable falcons. Every movement of this admirable little hawk is full of 
 life and vivacity ; its head turns sharply from side to side as it sits on its 
 master's hand ; its eyes almost flame with fiery eagerness, and it ever and 
 anon gives vent to its impatience by a volley of ear-piercing shrieks. 
 
 Before the young bird is able to tear to pieces its winged prey, it should 
 always be accustomed to have its food placed upon the stuffed skin of a 
 partridge, and when it has attained sufficient strength, the breast of a real 
 partridge should be cut open, and a small portion of its ordinary fo94 
 
252 
 
 THE MERLIN. 
 
 placed within the aperture, so as to encourage the bird to tear away the 
 flesh in order to satiate its hunger. The next step is to substitute an entire 
 partridge for the ordinary diet, and by degrees to teach it to pounce upon 
 the dead bird as it is flung to a daily increasing distance. It is a good 
 
 MJiKLlN. — (UypotriorcAis lesalon.) 
 
 pigeon-hunter, and if the owner choose to train it for smaller game, it is 
 unrivalled as a chaser of thrushes, larks, and similar birds, owing to the 
 pertinacity with which it carries on the pursuit, and the resolutely agile 
 manner with which it will thread the mazes of branch and le^f in ?hase of a 
 bird which seeks for refuge in the covert. 
 
THE MERLIN. 253 
 
 The Merlin frequently breeds in England, and makes its nest on the 
 ground, generally choosing for that purpose some spot where large stones 
 are tolerably plentiful, and may serve as a protection to the nest, as well as 
 for a perch on which the Merlin, like the harrier, loves to sit and survey the 
 prospect. From this habit of perching on pieces of stone it has derived the 
 name of Stone Falcon, a title which has been applied to this bird in 
 Germany and France as well as in England. Sometimes, but not often, the 
 nest is made on some rocky shelf on a precipice. The eggs are four or five 
 in number, of a light reddish brown hue, covered with mottlings and splash- 
 ings of a deeper tint. 
 
 The colour of the JVIerlin is very pleasing, but not .'ery easy to describe, 
 as it is not so conspicuous as in many of the hawks, and moreover is rather 
 different in the two sexes. 
 
 The top of the head is a slaty grey, marked with dark streaks running 
 along the line of the head ; the beak and upper portions of the body are of 
 a similar slaty grey, but without the dark lines. The shafts of each feather 
 are, however, of a dark brown, and give a very rich and peculiar colouring 
 to those portions of the plumage. The pinions are black, the upper surface 
 of the tail is nearly grey, with the e.'cception of three faint dark bands, the 
 last being the broadest, and the tip white. The chin and throat are white, 
 and the under parts of the body are reddish fawn, thickly marked with 
 patches of a darker colour and streaks of deep brown. The cere, legs, and 
 toes are yellow, the claws black, and the beak a slaty grey, deepening to- 
 wards the point, and slightly marked with longitudinal dark lines. Round 
 the neck runs a band of pale reddish brown, which also extends to the 
 cheeks, and there forms a patch on each side. 
 
 This description belongs to the male bird, the colouring of the female 
 feeing of a rather different nature. The beautiful blue-grey which tints the 
 upper parts of the male bird is in the female of a dark reddish brown, 
 marked with slender longitudinal streaks covered by the black-brown shafts 
 of each feather. The secondaries and the wing-coverts are of the sjime hue 
 as the back. The tail is brown, varied with five narrow streaks of dark 
 brown, and the under surface of the body is a very pale brown, marked with 
 longitudinal dashes of a darker hue. The young of both sexes are nearly 
 alike for the first year, after which time the males assume their peculiar 
 colouring, and the females retain the same tints. 
 
 The common Kestrel is one of the most familiar of the British hawks, 
 being seen in almost every part of the country where a mouse, a lizard, or a 
 beetle may be found. 
 
 It may be easily distinguished while on the wing from any other hawk, by 
 the peculiar manner in which it remains poised in air in a single spot, its 
 head invariably pointing towards the wind, its tail spread, and its wings 
 widely extended, almost as if it were a toy kite raised in the air by artificial 
 means, and preserved in the same spot by the trammels of a string. While 
 hanging thus strangely suspended in the air, its head is bent downwards, and 
 its keen eyes glance restlessly in every direction, watching every blade of 
 grass beneath its ken, and shooting down with unerring certainty of aim 
 upon any unhappy field-mouse that may be foolish enough to poke his red 
 face out of his hole while the Kestrel is on the watch. 
 
 The number of field-mice consumed by this hawk is very great, for it is 
 hardly possible to open the stomach of a Kestrel without finding the remains 
 of one or more of these destructive little animals. On account of its mouse- 
 eating propensities, the Kestrel is a most useful bird to the farmer, who in 
 his ignorance confounds all hawks together, and now shoots the Kestrel 
 which catches mice because kites used formerly to steal chicken?. 
 
254 
 
 THE KESTREL. 
 
 In the use of its claws the Kestrel is remarkably quick and ready, and 
 being also a swift-winged bird, it is in the habit of chasing cock-chafifers and 
 other large beetles on the wing, and catching them neatly with its claws as 
 it shoots past their course. Without pausing in its flight, the bird transfers 
 
 KESTREL. — ( Tinnunculus Alaudarms. ) 
 
 the insect from the foot to the mouth, and eats it without taking the trouble 
 to alight. With such eagerness does it pursue this kind of prey, which we 
 may suppose to be taken as a dessert after a more substantial meal upon 
 pipuse-flesh, that it continues jts chase far into the evening, and may be seen 
 
THE KESTREL. 255 
 
 in hot pursuit of tlie high-flying beetles long after dusk. Caterpillars and 
 other larvae are also eaten by the Kestrel, which does not disdain to alight 
 on the ground and draw the earthworms out of their holes. 
 
 Mice, however, are always its favourite diet, and as the multiplication of 
 these little pests is much increased by the abundant food which they find in 
 cultivated grounds and stacks and barns, the Kestrel has learnt to attach 
 itself to human residences, instead of becoming self-banished, as is the case 
 with almost every other hawk. There is hardly a village where the Kestrel 
 may not be seen hovering with outspread wings, and surveying the fields 
 below. 
 
 With the aid of a good telescope, every movement of the bird may be dis- 
 covered as it hangs in the air, and the sight is a very interesting one. Its 
 wings keep up a continual shivering, its widely-spread tail is occasionally 
 moved so as to suit the slight changes of the breeze, the spirited little head 
 is in perpetual motion, and the dark brown eyes gleam with animation as 
 they keep their restless watch. It seems from various observations that each 
 Kestrel has its regular beat or hunting-grounds, and may be observed 
 punctually repairing to the same spot at the same hour, much after the 
 manner of the golden eagle. 
 
 The Kestrel is known by various names in different parts of the country. 
 
 Its most common name is Windhover, in allusion to its peculiar mode of 
 flight. For the same reason it is termed Stannel, Stand-gall, or Stand-gale, 
 and has also obtained the title of Vanner Hawk. 
 
 The nest of the Kestrel is generally placed upon the topmost bough of 
 some lofty tree, although it is sometimes found upon a ledge of some preci- 
 pitous cliff, should the bird have taken up its residence in a mountainous 
 country. Many of these birds have built their nests upon the rocky heights 
 of Dovedale in Derbyshire, and may be seen hovering in mid-air near the 
 spot where their young are nourished. The nest itself is a veiy simple con- 
 struction of sticks and moss ; and the bird is so averse to trouble that it 
 often takes possession of the deserted nest of the carrion crow. I have 
 several times been greatly surprised in my nest-hunting expeditions, by find- 
 ing the ruddy eggs of the Kestrel lying in the nest which 1 thought only to 
 be that of the crow. This bird also deposits its eggs in the crannies of old 
 ruined buildings and lofty towers, but I have never as yet been fortunate 
 enough to find them in such a situation. 
 
 The colour of the male Kestrel is briefly as follows. The head, cheeks, 
 and back of the neck are ashen grey, marked with narrow longitudinal 
 streaks of deeper grey. The back and upper portions of the body, together 
 with the tertiaries and wing-coverts, are bright ruddy fawn, dotted with little 
 triangular black spots, caused by the extreme tips of the feathers being 
 black. The larger quill feathers of the wing are black-grey, marked with a 
 paler hue ; the under portions of the body are pale reddish fawn, marked 
 with dark streaks on the chest and spotted on the abdomen ; the thighs and 
 under tail-coverts are of the same hue as the abdomen, but without the spots. 
 The upper surface of the tail is of the same hue as the head, marked with a 
 single broad band of black near its extremity and tipped with white, while 
 its under surface is grey-white, marked with a number of narrow ii'regular 
 bars of a darker hue, in addition to the black band and white tip, which are 
 the same as on the upper surface. The legs, toes, cere, and orbits of the 
 eyes are yellow, the claws are black, and the beak is slaty blue, deepening 
 towards the point. 
 
 TEe females and young males are differently marked, and are altogether of 
 a darker and more ruddy hue. The head and neck are ruddy fawn, marked 
 with many transverse darker stripes, and the back, upper portions, and tail 
 
2S6 THE GOSHAWK. 
 
 are red-brown covered with numerous irregular blue-black bars. The males 
 do not assume their appropriate plumage until they have completed their first 
 year. The length of the male bird is about thirteen inches, and that of the 
 female fifteen inches. 
 
 GOSHAWK. — {Astur palumbaritts .) 
 
 We now come to a large and important genus of Hawks, which is repre- 
 sented in England by the Goshawk. 
 
 This handsome bird is even larger than the jer-falcon, the length of an 
 adult male being eighteen inches, and that of his mate rather more than two 
 feet. It is not, however, so powerful or so swift-winged a bird as the jer- 
 falcon, and its mode of taking prey is entirely different. 
 
THE GOSHAWK. 257 
 
 When trained, the Goshawk is best employed at-hares, rabbits, and other 
 furred game, and in this particular sport is unrivalled. Its mode of hunting 
 is singularly like that of the chetah, which has already been mentioned on 
 page 50. Like that animal, it is not nearly so swift as its prey, and therefore 
 is obliged to steal upon them, and seize its victim by a -sudden and unex- 
 pected pounce. When it has once grasped its prey it is rarely found to 
 loose its hold, even after the most violent struggles or the most furious 
 attack. 
 
 This species is found spread over nearly the whole of Europe and Asia, 
 and has also been seen in Northern Africa. The nest of this bird is 
 generally placed on the topmost boughs of some lofty tree, and the eggs are 
 of a uniform spotless blue-white. Their number is from three to four, and 
 the young are hatched about May or the beginning of June. 
 
 In colour, the adult birds of both sexes are very similar to each other, 
 the tinting ot the plumage being briefly as follows. The top of the head 
 and the entire upper portions of the body and wings are grey-brown, and 
 the under portions of the body, together with a band over the cheeks and 
 the back of the neck, are nearly white, diversified with numerous irregular 
 spots, splashes, and partial bars of black. The cheeks and ear-coverts are 
 dark greyish browji, the upper surface of the tail is the same hue as the 
 back, and barred with dark brown ; the under tail-coverts are white. The 
 cere, legs, and toes are yellow, the claws black, and the beak blue-black. 
 In the female the grey-brown of the back is a more ruddy hue, and in 
 the young the plumage is curiously diversified with reddish white, buff, 
 and grey. 
 
 The well-known Sparrow Hawk is almost as familiar to us as the 
 kestrel, the two birds being, indeed, often confounded with each other by 
 those who ought to know better. This fine and active little bird is an 
 inhabitant of many portions of the world, being very common in nearly all 
 parts of Europe, equally so in Egypt and Northern Africa, and being very 
 frequently found in India and other Asiatic countries. 
 
 The courage of the Sparrow Hawk is of the most reckless character, for 
 the bird will fly unhesitatingly at almost any other inhabitant of air, no 
 matter what its size may be. 
 
 In consequence of the headlong courage possessed by this handsome 
 little hawk, it is very valuable to the falconer if properly trained, for it will 
 dash at any quarry which may be pointed out to it. Unfortunately, how- 
 ever, the Sparrow Hawk is one of the most difficult and refractory, of pupils, 
 being shy to a singular degree, slow at receiving a lesson and quick at 
 forgetting it. Besides, its temper is of a very crabbed and uncertain nature, 
 and it is so quarrelsome, that if several of these birds should be fastened to 
 the same perch, or placed in the same cage, they will certainly fight each 
 other, and, in all probabilitv, the conqueror will eat his vanquished foe. 
 Such an event has actually occurred ; the victrix — for it was a female — 
 killing and devouring her intended spouse. 
 
 One of these birds afforded an excellent example of the shyness above 
 mentioned. Although he was most kindly treated and liberally fed, he used 
 to scream in the most ear-piercing manner when approached, even by the 
 person who generally carried his food. The only companion whose presence 
 he would tolerate was a httle Skye terrier, named Rosy, and the two 
 strangely matched comrades used to execute the most singular gambols 
 together, the dog generally taking the initiative and persecuting the Hawk, 
 until she forced him to fly. 
 
 The nest of the Sparrow Hawk is placed in some elevated spot, and 
 contains three or four eggs, rather variable in their marking, but always 
 
 S 
 
258 
 
 THE SPARROW HAWK. 
 
 possessing a certain unmistalcable character. The ground tint of the egg is 
 a greyish white, slightly tinged with blue, and a number of bold blotches of 
 a very dark brown are placed upon the surface, sometimes scattered rather 
 irregularly, but generally forming a broad ring round the larger end. The 
 bird seldom troubles itself to build a new nest, but takes possession of the 
 deserted tenement of a crow or rook. 
 
 SPARROW HAWK. — (Accipiter Nisus.) 
 
 The very remarkable Secretary Bird derives its name from the curious 
 feathery plumes which project from each side of its head, and bear a 
 fanciful resemblance to pens carried behind the ear by human secretaries. 
 
 It is an inhabitant of Southern Africa, and is most valuable in destroy 
 
THE SECRETARY BIRD. 
 
 259 
 
 ing the serpent race, on which creatures it most exckisively feeds. Undaunted 
 by the deadly teeth of the cobra, the Secretary Bird comes boldly to tlie 
 attack, and in spite of all the efforts of the infuriated and desperate reptiie, 
 is sure to come off victorious. Many other creatures fall victims to the 
 ravenous appetite of the Secretary, and in the stomach of one of these birds 
 which was found by Le Vaillant, were discovered eleven rather large lizards, 
 eleven stnali tortoises, a great number of insects nearly entire, and three 
 snakes as thick as a man's arm. 
 
 The nest of the Secretary is built on the summit of a lofty tree, and 
 contains two or three large white eggs. 
 
 The ordinary length of the adult Secretary Bird is about three feet, and 
 its colour is almost wholly a slaty grey. The peculiar feathers which form 
 the crest are black, as are the primaries and the feathers of the thigh. There 
 is a lighter patch towards the abdomen. The tail is black with the exception 
 of the two central rectrices, 
 which are grey, with a white 
 tip and a broad black bar 
 towards their extremities. 
 
 We now arrive at the 
 Harriers, probably so 
 called because they "harry " 
 and persecute the game. 
 Several species of this genus 
 are found in England, the 
 most common of which is 
 the Hen Harrier. 
 
 The Harrier may be read- 
 ily distinguished from the 
 other hawks by the manner 
 in which the feathers radiate 
 around the eyes, forming a 
 kind of funnel-shaped de- 
 pression, somewhat similar 
 to but not so perfect as that 
 of the owl. The flight of 
 the Harrier is very low, 
 seldom being more than a 
 few yards above the ground, 
 and as the bird flies along the secretary bird. — (Serfentaritis Secretarius.) 
 it beats every bush and pries 
 
 into every little covert in search of prey. There are few of the smaller 
 animals that do not fall victims to the Hen Harrier, which is always 
 ready to pick up a field-mouse, a lizard, a small snake, a newt, or a 
 bird, and will even pounce upon so large a bird as a partridge or a pheasant. 
 Sometimes it sits on a stone or small hillock, and from that post keeps up 
 a vigilant watch on the surrounding country, swooping off as soon as it 
 observes indications of any creature on which it may feed. 
 
 The flight of the Hen Harrier, although it is not remarkable for its power, 
 is yet very swift, easy, and gliding, and, as the bird quarters the ground after 
 its prey, is remarkably graceful. The Harriers prefer to live on moors and 
 similiar localities, where they can pursue their rather peculiar mode of 
 hunting, and where they may find a secluded spot for a secure home. Like 
 the kestrel, the Hen Harrier appears to have regular hunting-grounds, and 
 is very punctual in its visits. The nest of this bird is generally placed under 
 the shadow of some convenient furze-bush, and is composed of a few sticks 
 
 s 2 
 
56o 
 
 THE HEN HARRIER. 
 
 thrown loosely together, in which are deposited four or five very pale- blue 
 eggs. The young are hatched about the middle of June. 
 
 The two sexes differ very greatly in colour, and until comparatively recent 
 times were recorded as distinct species. The general colour of the adult 
 
 HEN HARRIER. — (Circus cyaneus.) 
 
 male is ashen grey from the beak and upper parts, the only exception being 
 the primaries, which are black. The throat and chin are nearly of the same 
 hue as the beak, but the chest and abdomen are white, with a slight blue 
 tinge, which is lost upon the plumage of the thigh. On the under surface 
 of the tail are several indistinct dark bars, and the hair-like feathers 
 
THE SNCWY OWL. 
 
 261 
 
 between the eye and the base of the beak are black. The legs, toes, and cere 
 are yellow, the claws black, and the beak nearly blick, with a bluish 
 tinge. The length of the male bird is about eighteen inches. 
 
 The female is a much darker bird, the back and upper portions being of a 
 deep dusky brown, and the primaries being but a little darker than the 
 plumage of the back. The feathers of the under parts are lighter brown, 
 with pale margins, so as to present a kind of mottled buff and chestnut 
 aspect ; the upper surface of the tail is marked with partial dark bands, and 
 its under surface is very distinctly bound with broad bands of black and 
 greyish white. The funnel-shaped depression round the eyes, technically 
 called the concha, or shell, is brown towards the base of the feathers, but 
 merges into a white eyebrow above, reaching to the cere. Her length is 
 about two inches more than that of the male, and her spread of wing is about 
 three feet six inches. 
 
 OWLS. 
 
 There are few groups of birds which are so decidedly marked as the Owls, 
 and so easy of recognition. The round, puffy head, the little hooked beak 
 just appearing from the downy plumage with which it is surrounded, the 
 large, soft, blinking eyes, and the curious disk of feathers which radiate from 
 the eye, and form a funnel-shaped depression, are such characteristic distinc- 
 tions, that an Owl, even of 
 the least owl-like aspect, 
 can at once be detected and 
 referred to its proper place 
 in the animal kingdom. 
 
 These birds are, almost 
 without an exception, noc- 
 turnal in their habits, and 
 are fitted for their peculiar 
 life by a most wonderfully 
 adapted form and structure. 
 The eyes are made so as to 
 take in every ray of light, 
 and are so sensitive to its in- 
 fluence that they are unable 
 to endure the glare of day- 
 light, being formed expressly 
 for the dim light of evening or 
 earliest dawn. An ordinary 
 Owl of almost any species, 
 when brought into the full 
 light of d^y, becomes quite 
 bewildered with the unwont- 
 ed glare, and sits blinking 
 uncomfortably, in a pitiable 
 manner. 
 
 The Snowy Owl is one 
 of the handsomest of this group, not so much on account of its dimen- 
 sions, which are not very considerable, but by reason of the beautiful white 
 mantle with which it is clothed, and the large orange eyeballs. 
 
 This bird is properly a native of the north of Europe and America, but 
 has also a few domains in the more northern parts of England, being 
 constantly seen, though rather a scarce bird, in the Shetland and Orloiey 
 
 THE SNOWY OWL. — {Nyctea nivea.) 
 
262 
 
 THE BURROWING OWL. 
 
 f ilands, where it builds and rears its young. Like the Hawk Owl, it isaday- 
 llying bird, and is a terrible foe to the smaller mammalia and to various 
 birds. 
 
 In proportion to its size the Snowy Owl is a mighty hunter, having been 
 detected in chasing the American hare, and carrying of wounded grouse 
 before the sportsman can secure his prey. According to Yarrell, the 
 Swedish name of Harfang, which has been given to this bird, is derived 
 from its habit of feeding on hares. It is also a good fisherman, posting 
 itself on some convenient spot overhanging the water, and securing its finny 
 prey with a lightning-like grasp of the claw. Sometimes it will sail over the 
 surface of the stream, and snatch the fish as they rise for food, but its general 
 mode of angling is tliat which has just been mentioned. It is also a great 
 eater of lemmings ; and in the destruction of these quadrupedal pests does 
 infinite service to the agriculturist and the population in general. 
 
 COQUIMBO, OR HURROWING OWL. — (Athene cunicularia.) 
 
 The colour of an old snowy Owl is pure white without any markings what- 
 ever ; but in the earlier years of its life its plumage is covered with numerous 
 dark brown spots and bars caused by a dark tip to each feather. Upon the 
 breast and abdomen these markings form short abrupt curves, but on the 
 back and upper surface they are nearly straight. The beak and claws are 
 black. The length of the male Snowy Owl is about twenty-two inches, and 
 that of the female twenty-six or twenty-seven. 
 
 The quaint, long-legged little Owl which is represented in the accompany- 
 ing illustration is a native of many parts of America, where it inhabits the 
 same locality with the prairie dog. The description of that curious marmot 
 and its peculiar burrow may be found on pages 157, 158. 
 
 The prairie dogs and Burrowing Owls live together very harmoniously ; 
 
THE VIRGINIAN EARED OWL. 
 
 963 
 
 and this strange society is said also to be augmented by a third member, 
 namely, the rattlesnake. It is now, however, ascertained with tolerable 
 accuracy that the rattlesnake is nothing but a very unwelcome intruder upon 
 the marmot, and, as has been shown by the Hon. G. F. Berkeley's experi- 
 ments, is liable to be attacked and destroyed by the legal owner of the 
 burrow. If all had their rights, it would seem that the Owl is nearly as 
 much an intruder as the snake, and that it only takes possession of the 
 burrow excavated by the prairie 
 dog in order to save itself the .^ -— ^ 
 
 trouble of making a subterranean 
 abode for itself Indeed, there 
 are some parts of the country 
 where the Owl is perforce obliged 
 to be its own workman, and, in 
 default of convenient " dog " bur- 
 rows, is fain to employ its claws 
 and IdiU in excavating a home for 
 itself. 
 
 The tunnel which is made by 
 the Owl is not nearly so deep or 
 so neatly constructed as that which 
 is dug by the marmot, being only 
 eighteen inches or two feet in 
 depth, and very rough in the inte- 
 rior. At the bottom of this bur- 
 row is placed a tolerably seized 
 heap of dried grass, moss, leaves, 
 and other soft substances, upon 
 which are deposited its white- 
 shelled eggs. 
 
 The Coquimbo Owl is by no 
 , means a nocturnal bird, facing 
 the glare of the mid-day sun with- 
 out inconvenience, and standing 
 at all times in the day or evening 
 on the little heaps of earth which 
 are thrown up at the entrance of 
 the burrow. It is a lively little 
 bird, moving about among the 
 burrows with considerable viva- 
 city, rising on the wing if sud- 
 ■ denly disturbed, and making a 
 short undulating aerial journey 
 before it again settles upon the 
 ground. When it has alighted 
 from one of these little flights it 
 turns round and earnestly regards 
 the pursuer. Sometimes it will 
 dive into one of the burrows, heed- 
 less of prior occupants, and thus it is that marmot, owl, and snake come 
 to be found in the same burrow. 
 
 The colour of the Burrowing Owl is a rather rich brown upon the upper 
 parts of the body, diversified with a number of small grey-white spots, and 
 altogether darker upon the upper surface of the wings. The under "parts ars 
 greyish white. The length of the bird is not quite eleven inches. The cry 
 
 VIRGINIAN EARED-OWL.— (.5«^i? Virginianus.) 
 
264 
 
 THE BROWN OWL. 
 
 of this curious bird is unlike that of aay other Owl, and bears a very great 
 resemblance to the short, sharp baric of the prairie dog. 
 
 We now arrive at a large group of Owls which are remarkable for 
 two tufts of feathers which rise irom the head, and occupy nearly the 
 same relative position as the ears of quadrupeds. These " ears," as 
 they are called, have, however nothing to do with the organs 0/ 
 hearing, but are simply tufts of feathers, which can be raised or depressed 
 at the will of the bird, and give a most singular expression to the 
 countenance. 
 
 The Virginian-Eared Owl is found spread over the greater portion 0/ 
 North America, and in former days did great damage among the poultry ot 
 the agriculturists, being a bold as well as a voracious bird. Now, however, 
 the ever-ready rifle of the farmer has thinned its numbers greatly, and has 
 
 inspired the survivors with 
 such awe that they mostly 
 keep clear of cultivated lands, 
 and confine themselves to 
 ' seeking after their legitimat^^^ 
 prey. •"' . 
 
 It is a terrible destroyer of 
 ' game, snatching up grouse, 
 partridges, hares, ducks, 
 sparrows, squirrels, and many 
 other furred and feathered 
 , creatures, and not unfre- 
 quently striving after largef 
 quarry. The wild turkey is 
 a favourite article of diet 
 with this Owl ; but on ac- 
 count of the extreme wari- 
 ness of the turkey nature, 
 the depredator finds an un- 
 seen approach to be no easy 
 , matter. The usual mode in 
 which the Owl catches the 
 turkey is, to find out a spot 
 where its intended prey is 
 quietly sleeping at night, and 
 then to swoop down sud- 
 denly upon the slumbering 
 bird before it awakes. Some- 
 times, however, the Owl is baffled in a very curious manner. When the 
 turkey happens to be roused by the rush of the winged foe, it" instinc- 
 tively ducks its head and spreads its tail flatly over its back. The Owl, 
 impinging upon the slippery plane of stiff tail-feathers, finds no hold for its 
 claws, and glides off the back of its intended victim, which immediately dives 
 into the brushwood before the Owl can recover from the surprise of its unex- 
 pected failure. 
 
 The flight of this bird is remarkably powerful, easy, and graceful, as may 
 be gathered from the enormous expanse of wing in comparison with the 
 weight and dimensions of the body. Its voice is of a hollow and weird-like 
 character, and when heard by night from some spot on which the Owl has 
 silently settled, is apt to cause many a manly cheek to pale. As Wilson well 
 observes, the loud and sudden cry of " Waugh O ! Waugh O ! " is sufficient 
 to alarm a whole garrison of soldiers. Probably on account of the peculiar 
 
 BROWN OWL. — [Surnium Aluco. 
 
7 HE SCOPS EARE£i-OWL. 
 
 265 
 
 sounds which are uttered by this bird, .the Cree Indians know it by the name 
 of Ottvwuck-oho ! 
 
 The Virginian Horned Owl takes up its residence in the deep swampy 
 forests, where it remains hidden during the day, and comes out at night and 
 morning, heralding its approach with its loud unearthly cries, as of an un- 
 quiet wandering spirit. Sometimes, according to Wilson, "he has other 
 nocturnal solos, one of which very strikingly resembles the half-suppressed 
 screams of a person suffocating or throttled." 
 
 The common Brown Owl, or Tawny Owl, as it is often named, is, with 
 the exception of the Barn Owl, one of the best known of the British Owls. 
 
 Although rather a small bird, being only about fifteen inches in total length 
 it is possessed of a powerful pounce and an audacious spirit, and, when 
 roused to anger or urged by despair, is a remarkably unchancy antagonist. 
 
 The food of this Owl is of a very varied nature, consisting of all the 
 smaller mammalia, many reptiles, some birds, fishes when it can get them, 
 and insects. It seems to be a good fisherman, and catches its finny prey by 
 waiting on the stones that project a little 
 above the water, and adroitly snatching 
 the fish from the stream by a rapid move- 
 ment of the foot. Sometimes it flies at 
 much higher game, especially when it 
 has a young family to maintain, and will 
 then attack birds and quadrupeds of very 
 great size when compared with its own 
 dimensions In a single nest of this bird 
 have been found according to a writer in 
 the Field, three young Owls, five leverets, 
 four young rabbits, three thrushes, and 
 one trout weighing nearly half a pound. 
 
 The voice of the Brown Owl is a loud 
 monotonous hoot, that may be often heard 
 in the evening in localities where the bird 
 has made its home. 
 
 The nest is usually placed in the hol- 
 low of a tree, and contains several white 
 eggs. The colour of the Brown or Tawny 
 Owl is an ashen grey upon the upper 
 parts of the body, variegated with choco- 
 late and wood-brown. Several whitish grey bars are seen upon the pri- 
 maries, and there are several rows of whitish spots upon the wings and 
 scapularies. The facial disc is nearly white, edged with brown, and the 
 under surface of the body is of the same hue, covered with longitudinal 
 mottlings of variously tinted brown. The claws are nearly white at their 
 base, darkening towards their extremities, and the beak is nearly of the 
 same colour. The eyes are of a very dark black-blue. 
 
 This species is found in many parts of Europe, and is said to be one of 
 the indigenous birds of Japan. 
 
 We now come to an example of the British Owls, a bird that has attracted 
 great notice on account of its singular aspect. 
 
 The Scops Eared-Owl has been once or twice found in Yorkshire, but 
 usually resides in the southern parts of the Continent. It is remarkable for 
 the regularity with which it utters its monotonous cry, as if a person were 
 constantly repeating the letter Q at regular intervals of two seconds. It does 
 not seem to prey upon mice and other animals, hke most of its relations, but 
 feeds on large insects, such as beetles and grasshoppers. The size of this 
 
 scops (Gr. 'XK&i/, an Owl), the Scops 
 Eared-Owl. 
 
266 
 
 THE BARN OWL. 
 
 owl is Tery small, as it only measures seven inches in length ; the third 
 primary feather is the longest. It lays from two to four white eggs in a 
 simple nest made in a hollow tree or in a cleft in the rock 
 
 The best known of the British Owls is the Whiie, BaRN, or SCREECH 
 Owl, by either of which appellations the bird is familiarly known over the 
 whole of England. 
 
 This delicately-coloured and soft-plumed bird is always found near human 
 habitations, and is generally in the vicinity of farmyards, where it loves to 
 dwell, not for the sake of devouring the young poultry, but of eating the 
 various mice which make such havoc in the ricks, fields, and barns. The 
 " feathered cat," as this bird has happily been termed, is a terrible foe to 
 mice, especially to the common field-mouse, great numbers of which are 
 killed daily by a single pair of Owls when they are bringing up their young 
 family. In the evening dusk, when the mice begin to stir abroad in search 
 of a mole, the Owl starts in search of the mice, and with noiseless flight 
 quarters the ground in a sportsmanlike and systematic manner, watching with 
 
 wuuji, OR BARN OWL. — (Strix flammea.) 
 
 its great round eyes every movement of a grass-blade, and catching with its 
 sensitive ears every sound that issues from behind. Never a field-mouse can 
 come within ken of the bird's eye, or make the least rustling among the 
 leaves within hearing of the Owl's ear, that is not detected and captured. 
 The claws are the instruments by which the Owl seizes its victim, and it does 
 not employ the beak until it desires to devour the prey. 
 
 This bird is easily tamed when taken young, and is a very amusing pet 
 If properly treated, and fed with appropriate diet, it will live for a consider- 
 able time without requiring very close attendance. Even if it be set at 
 liberty, and its wings permitted to reach their full growth, it will voluntarily 
 remain with its owner, whom it recognizes with evident pleasure, evincing its 
 dislike of strangers by a sharp hiss and an impatient snap of the bill. 
 
 The nest of this species is placed either in a hollow tree or in a crevice of 
 some old building, where it deposits its white, rough-surfaced eggs upon a 
 soft layer of dried " castings." These nests have a most ill-conditioned and 
 penetrating odour, which taints the hand which is introduced, and cannot be 
 removed without considerable care and several lavations. The young are 
 
THE GOAT-SUCKER. 267 
 
 curious little puffs of white down, and the Barn Owl is so prolific, that it has 
 been known to be sitting on one brood of eggs while it is feeding the young 
 of a previous hatching. 
 
 As may be supposed from its popular title of White Owl, this species is 
 very light in its colouring. The general colour of this bird is buff of different 
 tints, with grey, white, and black variegations. The head and neck are light 
 buff, speckled slightly with black and white spots, and the back and. wings 
 are of a deeper buff, spotted with grey, black, and white. The tail is also 
 buff, with several broad bars of grey. The facial disc is nearly white, be- 
 coming rusty brown towards the eye, and a deeper brown round the edge. 
 
 The under surface of the male bird is beautifully white, the claws are 
 brown, the beak nearly white, and the eyes blue- black. The sexes are very 
 sirnilar in their colouring, but the females and young males may be distin- 
 guished by the under surface of the body, which is fawn instead of white. 
 
 GOAT-SUCKERS. 
 
 With the owls closes the history of these birds which are called predaceous, 
 although to a considerable extent nearly all birds are somewhat predaceous, 
 even if they prey upon smaller victims than do the vultures, eagles, falcons, 
 or owls. Next to the predaceous birds come the Passeres, distinguished by 
 their cereless and pointed beak, their legs feathered as far as the heel, their 
 tarsus covered in front with shield-like scales, and their sligthly-curved and 
 sharply-pointed claws. This oider is a very large one, and embraces a vast 
 variety of birds. 
 
 First among the Passerine birds are placed the Fissirostres, or cleft -beaked 
 birds, so called from the enormous gape of the mouth, a structure which is 
 intended to aid them in the capture of the agile prey on which they feed. 
 
 The GOAT-suCKERS, as they are familiarly termed, from a stupid notion 
 that was formerly in great vogue among farmers, and is not even yet quite 
 extinct, that these birds were in the habit of sucking the wild goats, cows, 
 and sheep, are placed first among the Fissirostres on account of the wonder- 
 fully perfect manner in which their structure is adapted to the chasing and 
 securing of the swift-winged insects on which they feed. The colour of all 
 these birds is sombre ; black, brown, and grey being the prevailing tints. 
 The gape of the mouth is so large that when the bird^pens its beak to its 
 fullest extent, it seems to have been severely wounded across the mouth, and 
 the plumage is lax and soft like that of the owl. 
 
 There are many well-known proverbs relating to the power of calumny, 
 and the readiness with which an evil report is received and retained, notwith- 
 standing that it has been repeatedly proved to be false and libellous. The 
 common GOAT-suCKER is a good instance of the truth of this remark, for it 
 was called Aigotheles, or Goat-sucker, by Aristotle in the da) s of old, and 
 has been religiously supposed to have sucked goats ever afterwards. The 
 Latin word caprimulgus heaxs the same signification. It was even supposed 
 that after the bird had succeeded in sucking some unfortunate goat, the fount 
 of nature was immediately dried up, and the poor beast also lost its sight. 
 Starting from this report, all kinds of strange rumours flew about the world, 
 and the poor Goat-sucker, or Nightjar, as it ought more rightly to be 
 called, has been invariably hated as a bird of ill omen to man and beast. 
 
 As usual, mankind reviles its best benefactors, for there are very few crea- 
 tures which do such service to mankind as the Nightjar. Arriving in this 
 country in the month of May or June, it reaches our shores just in time to 
 
268 
 
 THE GOAT-SUCKER. 
 
 catch the cockchafers, as they fly about during the night in search of their 
 food, and does not leave us until it has done its best to eat every chafer that 
 comes across its path. 
 
 The Nightjar also feeds on moths of various kinds, and catches them by 
 sweeping quickly and silently among the branches of the trees near which 
 the moth tribes most love to congregate. While engaged in their sport, they 
 will occasionally settle on a bank, a wall, a post, or other convenient perch, 
 crouch downward until they bring their head almost on a level with their 
 feet, and utter the peculiar churning note which has earned for them the 
 name of Churn-Owls, Jar-Owls, and Spinners. Their cry has been rather 
 well compared to that sound which is produced by the larger beetles of the 
 night, but of course much louder, and with the addition of the characteristic 
 " chur-r-r ! — chur-r-r ! " Sometimes, although but seldom, the Nightjar 
 
 utters its cry while on the wing. 
 When it settles, it always seats 
 itself along a branch, and almost 
 invariably with its head pointing 
 towards the trunk of the tree. 
 
 There is also a strange squeak- 
 ing sound which is emitted by 
 the Nightjar while playing round 
 the trees at night, and which is 
 supposed to be a cry of play- 
 fulness or a call to its mate. 
 
 Unlike the Falconidas, the 
 Goat-sucker catches its prey, not 
 with its claws, but with its mouth, 
 and is aided in retaining them 
 m that very wide receptacle, by 
 the glutinous secretion with 
 which it is lined, and the " vi- 
 brissae" or hair-like feathers 
 which surroimd its margin. On 
 an examinatibn of the foot of 
 this bird, the claw of the middle 
 toe is seen to be serrated like 
 the teeth of a comb, a structure 
 which has never yet been satis- 
 factorily explained, notwith- 
 standing the various theories which have been put forward concerning 
 its use. The hind toe of each foot is very mobile, and can be brought 
 round to the remaining toes, so that all the claws take their hold in the 
 same direction. Apparently, this structure is intended to enable the bird 
 to run along the branches of trees, in its nocturnal chase after beetles and 
 other insects. 
 
 The Nightjar makes no nest, but choosing some sheltered hollow under 
 the shade of a grass tuft, a bunch of fern, bramble, or other defence, there 
 lays two eggs on the bare ground. The colour of the egg is greyish white, 
 plentifully mottled with pale buff and grey. The young are very similar to 
 those of the cuckoo. The plumage of the nightjar is very rich in its colour- 
 ing, the tints of buff, grey, black, white, brown, and chestnut being arranged 
 in pleasing but most intricate patterns, and easier to be understood from a 
 pencil illustration than a description of the pen. 
 
 EUROPEAN GOATSUCKER. — [JUaprimulgUS 
 EuropiEus, ) 
 
THE SWIFT. 
 
 269 
 
 SWALLOWS, 
 
 The close-set plumage of the Swallow tribe, their long sickle-like wings, 
 their stiff, firm tail, forked in most of the species, and their slight legs and 
 toes, are characteristics which mark them out as birds which spend the 
 greater part of their existence in the air, and exercise their wings far more 
 than their feet. 
 
 They all feed upon insects, and capture their prey in the air, ascending at 
 one time to such a height that they are hardly perceptible to the naked eye, 
 and look merely like tiny dots moving upon the sky ; while at other seasons 
 they skim the earth and play for hours together over the surface of the water, 
 in chase of the gnats that emerge in myriads from the streams. The gape 
 of the mouth is therefore exceedingly great in these birds, reaching as far as 
 a point below the eyes. The bill itself is very short, flattened, pointed, 
 slightly curved downwards, and broad at the base. 
 
 SWIFT. — (Cypselus apus.) 
 
 The group which is scientifically termed the Hirundinidffi is a very large 
 one, and is divided into two lesser groups, the members of one bemg classed 
 together under the title of Swifts, while the others are known by the name of 
 Swallows. With the former birds we have first to deal. 
 
 The Swifts are readily distinguished from the Swallows by the very great 
 comparative length of the two first primary feathers of the wmg, which are 
 either equal to each other, or have the second feather longer than the first. 
 The secondaries are remarkably small, being nearly concealed under the 
 coverts. There are ten primaries in the wing, and the same number of quill 
 feathers in the tail. . 
 
 The true Swifts, of which England affords two examples, one very fami- 
 liarly known, and the other a very rare and almost unnoticed species, are 
 remarkable for the feathered tarsus, the long wings, and the pecuhai form of 
 the feet In this member, all the toes are directed forward, a structure which 
 is admirably adapted to the purpose which it fulfils. The Swifts build their 
 nests or rather lay their eggs, for the nest is hardly worthy of the nanie, in 
 holes under the eaves of houses, or in similar localities, and would find them- 
 
270 
 
 THE SWIFT. 
 
 selves greatly inconvenienced when seeking admission into their domiciles, 
 but for the shape of the feet, which enables them to cling to the slightest 
 projection, and to clamber up a perpendicular surface with perfect ease and 
 safety. 
 
 Devoid of all pretensions to the brilliantly-tinted plumage which decorates 
 so many of its relations, and clad only in sober black and grey, the common 
 Swift is, nevertheless, one of the most pleasing and interesting of the 
 British birds ; resting its claims to favourable notice upon its graceful form 
 and its unrivalled powers of wing. 
 
 There are very few birds which are so essentially inhabitants of the air as our 
 common Swift, which cuts the atmosphere with its sabre-like wings with such 
 marvellous ease and rapidity that at times its form is hardly discernible as it 
 shoots along, and it leaves the impression of a dark black streak upon the 
 eyes of the observer. The plumage of this bird is constructed especially 
 with a view to securing great speed, as may be seen by an inspection of the 
 closely-set and firmly-webbed feathers with which the entire body and hmbs 
 are clad. The muscles which move the wings are enormously developed, 
 and in consequence the breast-bone is furnished with a remarkably strong 
 and deep " keel." 
 
 The fl: j,ht of the Swift is quite peculiar to the bird, and cannot be mistaken 
 even foi that of ihe swallow by any one who has a practical acquaintance with 
 the habiis of the two species. The Swift does not flap its wings so often as 
 the swallow, and has a curious mode of shooting through the air as if hurled 
 from some invisible bow, and guiding itself in its headlong course by means 
 of its wings and tail. 
 
 This indefatigable bird is an early riser, and very late in returning to rest, 
 later indeed than any of the diurnal birds. Though engaged in flight during 
 the live-long day, the Swift appears to be proof against fatigue, and will, 
 during the long summer days, remain upon the wing until after nine in the 
 evening'. As the days Decome shorter, the Swift is found to retire earlier, 
 but during its st. y in this country it is almost invariably later than other 
 birds, sometimes bemg on the wing together with the owl. Indeed, the air 
 seems to the Swift even a more familiar element than the earth, and the bird 
 is able to pass the whole of its life, and to perform all the bodily functions 
 except those of sleep, while upborne on the untiring pinions with which it is 
 furnished. The Swift that has a nest to take care of is forced to descend at 
 intervals for the purpose of supplying its family with food, but except when 
 urged by such considerations, it is able to remain in the air for many succes- 
 sive hours without needing to rest. 
 
 The Swifts may generally be found near buildings, rocks, and cliffs, for in 
 such localities they build their nest, and from their home they seldon 
 wander to any great distance, as long as they remain in the country. 
 
 In general, the Swift loves to build its nest in a hole under a roof, 
 whether slated, tiled, or thatched, preferring, however, the warm, thick straw- 
 thatch to the tile or slate. Sometimes it makes a hole in the thatch, through 
 which it gains access to the nest, but in most instances it makes use of some 
 already existing crevice for that purpose. In all cases the nest is placed 
 above the entrance, and generally may be found about eighteen inches or two 
 feet from the orifice. Even by the touch, the eggs of the Swift may be dis- 
 cerned from those of any other bird, as their length is singularly dispropor- 
 tionate to their width. 
 
 The sound which these birds utter is of the most piercing description, and 
 can be heard at a very great distance, thus betraying them when they are 
 hawking after the high-flying insects at such an altitude that their forms are 
 hardly perceptible to the unassisted eye. 
 
TttE ESCiJLEN'T SWALLOW. 
 
 i,1i 
 
 The nest is a very firmly made but yet rude and inartificial structure. 
 The materials of which it is made are generally straw, hay, and feathers, 
 pieces of rag, or any soft and warm substance which the bird may find in its 
 rambles, and, when woven into a kind of nest, are firmly cemented together 
 with a kind of glutinous substance secreted by certain glands. In Norway 
 and Sweden the Swift builds in hollow trees. The eggs are from two to five 
 in number, not often, however, exceeding three, and in colour they are pure 
 white. In this country the Swift pays but a very short visit, as the bird 
 evidently requires a very high temperature, and is forced to depart as soon as 
 the weather becomes chilly. Generally the Swifts leave England by the end of 
 August, but there 
 are often instances 
 wbere a solitary 
 bird has delayed its 
 voyages for some 
 good reason. 
 
 Among the many 
 " travellers' tales " 
 which called forth 
 such repudiation 
 and ridicule from 
 the sceptical readers 
 of the earlier voy- 
 agers, the accounts 
 of the Chinese cui- 
 sine were held to be 
 amongst the most 
 extravagant. 
 
 That civilized be- 
 ings should conde- 
 scend to eat dogs 
 and rats specially 
 fattened for the 
 table was an idea 
 from which their 
 
 own better sense revolted, that the same nation should reckon sharks' fins 
 and sea-slugs among their delicacies was clearly an invention of the writer ; 
 but that the Chinese should make soup out of birds' nests was an absurdity 
 so self-evident that it destroyed all possibility of faith in the writers' pre- 
 vious assertions. 
 
 The birds that make these remarkable nests belong to several species, four 
 of which have been acknowledged. There are the Esculent Swallow, 
 the Linchi {Collocalia fuciphagd), the White-backed Swallow {Collocalia 
 troglodytes), and the Grey-backed Swallow {Collocalia Francicd). 
 
 These nests could hardily be recognised as specimens of bird architecture 
 by any one who had not previously seen them, as they look much more like a 
 set of sponges, corals, or fungi, than nests of birds. They are most irregular 
 in shape, are adherent to each other, and are so rudely made that the hollow 
 in which the eggs and young are intended to live is barely perceptible. They 
 are always placed against the face of a perpendicular rock, generally upon 
 the side of one of the tremendous caverns in Java and other places where 
 these strange birds love to dwell. The men who procure the nests are 
 lowered by ropes from above, and their occupation is always considered as 
 perilous in the extreme. 
 
 The nests are of very different value, those which have been used in rear- 
 
 ESCULENT SWALLOW. — {Cuuucauu, nui.jaa.) 
 
272 
 
 THE SWALLOW. 
 
 ing a brood of young being comparatively low in price, while those which 
 are quite new and nearly white are held in such esteem that they are worth 
 their weight in silver. 
 
 In the British Museum may be seen a very fine specimen of the nest of 
 the Esculent Swallow, comprehending a mass of the nests still adhering to 
 the rock. It is rather remarkable that the birds have a habit of building 
 these curious nests in horizontal layers. 
 
 The Esculent Swallow is a small bird, and its colour is brown on the 
 upper parts of the body, and white beneath. The extremity of the tail is 
 ■greyish white. The British Museum possesses specimens of all the Swal- 
 lows which are known to make these curious edible nests. 
 
 The elegantly-shaped and beautifully-coloured Swallow may be readily 
 distinguished from any of its British relations by the very great elongation 
 of the feathers which edge its tale, and which form nearly two-thirds of the 
 bird's entire length. 
 
 SWALLOW. — {Hirundo rustica.) 
 
 It is the most familiar of all the Hirundinidae of England, and from its 
 great familiarity with man, and the trustfulness with which it fixes its domi- 
 cile under the shelter of human habitations, is generally held as an almost 
 sacred bird, in common with the robin and the wren. 
 
 The Swallow wages a never-ceasing war against many species of insects, 
 and seems to be as capricious in its feeding as are the roach and other river 
 fish. 
 
 The nest of the Swallow is always placed in some locality where it is 
 effectually sheltered from wind and rain. Generally it is constructed under 
 the eaves of houses, but as it is frequently built within disused chimneys it 
 has given to the species the popular title of Chimney Swallow. The bird is 
 probably attracted to the chimney by the warmth of some neighbour fire. 
 
 The nest is composed externally of mud or clay, which is brought by the 
 bird in small lumps and stuck in irregular rows so as to build up the sides of 
 its little edifice. There is an attempt at smoothing the surface of the nest 
 but each lump of clay is easily distinguishable upon the spot where it has 
 been stuck. While engaged at the commencement of its labours the 
 Swallow clings perpendicularly to the wall of the house or chimney, clinging 
 
THE FAIRY MARTIN. 
 
 273 
 
 with its sharp little claws to any small projection, and sticking itself by the 
 pressure of its tail against the wall. The interior of the nest is lined with 
 grass and other soft substances. 
 
 There are sometimes two broods in the year, and when the second brood 
 has been hatched at a very late period of the year, the young are frequently 
 deserted and left to starve by their parents, who are unable to resist the 
 innate impulse that urges them to seek a warmer climate. When fully 
 fledged, and before they are forced to migrate, the young birds generally 
 roost for the night in osiers and other water-loving trees. 
 
 Except in confinement, the Swallow knows not the existence of frost, nor 
 the extreme of heat, passing from Europe to Africa as soon as the cold 
 weather begins to draw in, and migrating again to the cooler climes as soon 
 as the temoerature of its second home becomes inconvenient to its sensitive 
 
 FAIRY MARTIN. — (Hiruudo Ariel.) 
 
 existence. The time of its arrival in England is various, and depends 
 almost entirely on the state of the weather. Solitary individuals are now and 
 then seen in very early months, but, as a general fact, the Swallow does not 
 arrive until the second week in April ; the time of its departure is generally 
 about the middle of September, although some few lingerers remain in the 
 country for more than a month after the departure of their fellows. 
 
 Guided by some wondrous instinct, the Swallow always finds its way back 
 to the nest which it had made, or in which it had been reared, as has 
 frequently been proved by affixing certain marks to individual birds, and 
 watching for their return. Sometimes it happens that the house on which 
 they had built has been taken down during their absence, and in that case 
 the distress of the poor birds is quite pitiable. They fly to and fro over the 
 
 T 
 
274 
 
 THE SAND MARTIN. 
 
 spot in vain search after their lost homes, and fill the air with the mournful 
 dies that tell of their sonoivs. 
 
 The Swallow is widely spread over various parts of the world, being fami- 
 liarly known throughout the whole of Europe, not excepting Norway 
 Sweden, and the northern portions of the Continent. It is also seen m 
 Western Alrica, and Mr. Yarrell mentions an instance where it was observed 
 m the Island of St. Thomas, which is situated upon the equator. The 
 martin and the swift were seen at the same place. 
 
 The colour of the Swallow is very beautiful. Upon the forehead the 
 feathers are of a light chestnut, which gives place to deep glossy steel- 
 blue upon the upper portions of the body and wings. The primaries and 
 secondaries are black, as are the tail feathers, with the exception of a few 
 white patches. Ihe throat is chestnut, and a very dark-blue band crosses 
 the upper part of the chest. The under parts are white, and the beak, legs, 
 and toes black. The female is distinguished by the smaUer chestnut on the 
 
 SAND MARTIN. — {Cotile riparia.) 
 
 forehead, the smaller tint of the feathers, and the narrowness of the dark 
 band across the chest. 
 
 Many examples of white Swallows are on record, and specimens may be 
 seen in almost every collection of British birds. 
 
 Among the most ingenious of bird architects, the Fairy Martin holds a 
 very high place in virtue of the singular nest which it constructs. 
 
 The nest of the Fairy Martin has a very close resemblance to a common 
 oil-flask, and reminds the observer of the flask-shaped nests which are con- 
 structed by the Pensile Oriole and similar birds, although made of harder 
 materials. ' The Fairy Martin builds its curious house of mud and clay, 
 which it kneads thoroughly in its beak before bringing it to the spot where 
 it will be required. Six or seven birds work amicably at each nest, one 
 remaining in the interior enacting the part of chief architect, while others act 
 as hodsmen, and bring material as fast as it is required. Except upon wet 
 days, this bird only works in the evening and early morning, as the heat of 
 
THE HOUSE MARTIN. 
 
 m 
 
 midday seems to dry the mud so rapidly that it cannot be rightly kneaded 
 together. I'he mouths, or "spouts," of these nests vary from eight to ten 
 inches in length, and point indifferently in all directions. The diameter of 
 the widest portion of the nest is very variable, and ranges between four and 
 seven inches. 
 
 The exterior of the nests is as rough as that of the common swallow of 
 England, but the interior is comparatively smooth, and is lined with feathers 
 and fine grass. The eggs are generally four or five in number, and the bird 
 rears two broods in the course of the year. 
 
 The pretty little Sand Martin is, in spite of its sober plumage and 
 diminutive form, a very interesting bird, and one which adds much to the 
 liveliness of any spot where it may take up its abode. 
 
 In size it is less than any other British Hirundinida, being less than five 
 inches in total length. The colour of this bird is very simple, the general 
 tint of the entire upper surface of the head and body being a soft brown, 
 
 HOUSE MARTIN. — (Chdidon urbica.) 
 
 relieved from too great uniformity by the sooty black quill feathers of the 
 •wings and tail. The under surface is pure white, with the exception of a 
 band of brown across the upper part of the chest. The young bird possesses 
 a lighter plumage than the adult, owing to the yellowish white tips of the 
 back, tertiaries, and upper coverts. The beak is dark brown, and the eyes 
 hazel. 
 
 Although its little beak and slender claws would seem at first sight to be 
 utterly inadequate for the performance of miner's work, the Sand Martin is 
 in its way as good a tunnel driver as the mole or the rat, and can manage to 
 dig a burrow of considerable depth. The soil which it most loves is light 
 sandstone, because the labour which is expended in the tunnelling is very 
 little more than that which would be required for softer soils, and the sides 
 of its burrow are sufficiently firm to escape the likelihood of breaking down. 
 
 The depth of the burrow is extremely variable, some tunnels being only 
 eighteen inches or two feet deep, while others run to a depth of nearly five 
 feet. During some five years' experience and constant watching of these 
 
 T 2 
 
476 THE HOUSE MARTIN: 
 
 birds in Derbyshire, I generally found that the hand could reach to the end 
 (if the burrows, and remove the eggs, provideu that the birds had not been 
 forced to change the direction of the tunnel by the intervention of a stone 
 or a piece of rock too hard for their bills to penetrate. 
 
 As is generally the case with burrowing birds, the Sand Martin takes very 
 little trouble about the construction of its nest, but contents itself with laying 
 down a small handful of various soft substances, such as moss, hay, and 
 feathers. The eggs are very small and fragile, and are not easily removed 
 from the burrow without being fractured. Their colour is, when freshly laid, 
 a delicate semi-transparent pmk, which darkens to a dull opaque grey when 
 incubation has proceeded to some extent, and changes to a beautiful white 
 when the contents are removed from the shell. Their number is from four 
 to six. 
 
 The food of this bird is composed of insects, and, in spite of the small 
 dimensions of the little creature, it will pursue, capture, and eat insects of 
 considerable dimensions and strength of wing, such as wasps and dragon- 
 flies. Gnats and similar insects, however, form the staple of its diet. 
 
 This bird generally makes its appearance in England about the beginning 
 of April, and has even been noticed before the end of March, so that its 
 ajrival is earlier than that of the swallow or martin. It departs about the 
 beginning of September, and, like other British Hirundinidas, makes its way 
 to Africa, where it remains until the succeeding year. 
 
 Resembling the common swallow in habits and general appearance, the 
 House Martin may easily be distinguished from that bird by the large 
 white patch upon the upper tail-coveils, a peculiarity which is even more 
 notable when the bird is engaged in flight than when it is seated on the 
 ground or clinging to its nest. In the dusk of evening the Martins may 
 often be seen flying about at so late an hour that their bodies are almost in- 
 visible in the dim and fading twilight, and their presence is only indicated by 
 the white patches upon their backs, which reflect every fading ray, and tear 
 a singular resemblance to white moths or butterflies darting through the air. 
 
 This beautiful little bird is found in all parts of England, and is equally 
 familiar with the swallow and sand martin. It places its clay-built nest 
 principally under the shelter afforded by human habitations, and becomes so 
 trustful and fearless that it will often fix its nest close to' a window, and will 
 rear its young without being dismayed at the near presence of human beings. 
 
 The nest of this species is extremely variable in shape and size, no two 
 being precisely similar in both respects. Generally the edifice is cup-shaped, 
 with the rim closely pressed against the eaves of some friendy house, and 
 having a small semicircular aperture cut out of the edge in order to permit 
 the ingress and egress of the birds. Sometimes, however, the nest is sup- 
 ported on a kind of solid pedestal, composed of mud, and often containing 
 nearly as much material as would have made an ordinary nest. These 
 pedestals are generally constructed in spots where the Martin finds that her 
 nest does not find adequate support from the wall. 
 
 There are generally several broods in the course of the year, two being the 
 usual number, three or even four being sometimes noticed. In such cases, 
 hov.-ever, the young birds seldom reach maturity, for they are hatched at 
 ■-■uch a late period of the year that the parents are unable to withstand the 
 instinct which leads them to migrate, and in obeying the promptings of this 
 principle, leave their unfortunate family to perish miserably of hunger. The 
 parents do not seem to grieve over their dead children, and when they return 
 to the nest in the succeeding season, they unconcernedly puU the dry and 
 shrivelled bodies out of the nest, and rearrange it in readiness for the next 
 brood. 
 
THE GARRULOUS ROLLER. 
 
 277 
 
 The general colouring of this bird is composed of rich blue-black and 
 white, arranged in bold masses, so as to present a fine contrast of two very- 
 opposite tints. The head and upper portions of the body are of a very deep 
 glossy blue, with the exception of the quill-feathers of the wings and tail, 
 which are sooty black, and the upper tail-coverts, which are snowy white. 
 The chin, breast, and abdomen are of the same pure white as the upper tail- 
 coverts, except in the young birds, which are greyish white beneath. The 
 female bird is rather grey on the under portions of the body. A number of 
 tiny white feathers are spread over the legs and toes, and the beak is black 
 uftd the eyes brown. The total length of the Martin is rather more than five 
 inches. 
 
 ROLLERS. 
 
 The Rollers evidently form one of the connecting links between the 
 swallows and the bee-eaters, as may be seen by the shape of their feet, which 
 have the two hinder toes partially joined together, while those of the bee- 
 eaters are wholly connected, or, as it were, soldered together. The Rollers, 
 as is evident from their long pointed wings, stiff tail, and comparatively 
 feeble legs and feet, are to a great extent feeders on the wing, although they 
 do not depend wholly on their powers of flight for subsistence, but take 
 many insects, worms, and grubs, from the ground. 
 
 GARRULOUS ROLLER. — [Coracius garrula.) 
 
 Although tolerably common on several parts of the Continent, GARRU- 
 LOUS Roller is at the present time a very rare visitant to this country. 
 There seems, however, to be reason to believe that in foriner days, when 
 England was less cultivated and more covered with pathless woods, the 
 Roller was frequently seen in the ancient forests, and that it probably built 
 its nest in the hollows of trees, as it does in the German forests at the 
 present day. 
 
278 
 
 THE GREEN TODY. 
 
 Africa is the legitimate home of the Roller, which passes from that land in 
 the early spring, and makes its way to Europe, vid Malta and the Mediter- 
 ranean islands, which afford it resting-places during its long journey. 
 
 Accordingly, in those islands the Rollers are found in great plenty, and as 
 they are considered a great delicacy when fat and in good condition, they 
 are killed in considerable numbers, and exposed for sale like pigeons, whose 
 flesh they are said greatly to resemble. Even in its flight it possesses some- 
 thing of the pigeon character, 
 havmg often been observed 
 while flying at a considerable 
 elevation to " tumble " after 
 the manner of the well-known 
 tumbler pigeons. It is rather 
 curious that throughout Asia 
 Minor the Rollers and mag- 
 pies were always found in 
 close proximity to each other. 
 The food of the Roller is al- 
 most wholly of an insect nature, 
 but is diversified with a few 
 berries and other vegetable 
 productions. It has even been 
 known to become carnivorous 
 in its habits, for, according to 
 Temminck, it sometimes feeds 
 on the smaller mammalia. 
 
 Worms, slugs, millipedes, 
 and similar creatures also fall 
 victims to its voracity. 
 
 In the colouring of its 
 plumage it is truly a gorgeous 
 bird. The general tint of the 
 head, neck, breast, and abdo- 
 men is that peculiar green 
 blue termed " verditer " by 
 artists, changing into pale green in certain lights, and deepening into rich 
 azure upon the shoulders. The back is a warm chestnut-brown, changmg- to 
 purple upon the upper tail-coverts. The tail is of the same verditer hue as 
 the head and neck, with the exception of the exterior feathers, which are 
 furnished with black tips. The quill feathers of the wings are of at dark 
 blue-black, becoming lighter at their edges, and the legs are covered with 
 chestnut-brown feathers like those of the back. These gorgeous hues are 
 not attained until the bird has passed through the moult of its second year. 
 Both male and female are nearly equally decorated, the latter being slightly 
 less brilliant than her mate. It is not a very large bird, scarcely exceeding a 
 
 foot in total length. -j ui 
 
 The curious little birds which are termed TODIES bear a considerable 
 
 resemblance to the kingfishers, from which they may be easily distinguished 
 
 by the flattened bill. 
 
 The Todies are natives of tropical America, and are very conspicuous 
 
 among the brilhant-plumaged and strangely-shaped birds of that part of the 
 
 ^^ The Green Tody is a very small bird, being hardly larger than the 
 rommon wren of England, but yet very conspicuous on account of the brilliant 
 hues with which its plumage is decorated. The whole of the upper surface 
 
 GREEN TOPy. — [Todus viridis.) 
 
THE RESPLEMDENT TROGON. 
 
 279 
 
 is a light green, the flanks are rose-coloured, deepening into scarlet upon the 
 throat and fading into a pale yellow upon the abdomen and under the tail- 
 coverts. 
 
 TROGONS. 
 
 For our systematic knowledge of the magnificent tribe of the Trogons 
 we are now almost wholly indebted to Mr. Gould, who by the most persever- 
 ing labour and the most careful investigations has reduced to order this most 
 perplexing group of birds, and brought into one volume a mass of informa- 
 tion that is rarely found in similar compass. There are few groups of birds 
 which are more attractive to 
 the eye than the Trogons, 
 with all their glowing hues 
 of carmine, orange, green, 
 and gold ; and few there 
 are which presented greater 
 difficulties to the ornitho- 
 logist until their various cha- 
 racteristics were thoroughly 
 sifted and compared together. 
 The two sexes are so different 
 from each other, both in 
 the colour and shape of the 
 feathers, that they would 
 hardly be recognizable as be- 
 longing to a single species, 
 and even the young bird is 
 very differentlycoloured from 
 his older relatives. 
 
 These beautiful birds are 
 found in the Old and the 
 New Worlds, those which 
 inhabit the latter locality 
 being easily distinguishable 
 by their deeply-barred tails. 
 Those of the Old World are 
 generally found in Ceylon, 
 Sumatra, Java, and Borneo, while only a single species, the Narina Trogon, 
 is as yet known to inhabit Africa. 
 
 The Trogons are mostly silent birds, the only cry used being that of the 
 male during the season of pairing. It is not a very agreeable sound, being 
 of a sombre and -melancholy cast, and thought to resemble the word " courou- 
 courou." 
 
 Several of the Trogons are distinguished from their relatives by the 
 length and downy looseness of many of the feathers, more especially the 
 lance-shaped feathers of the shoulders and the elongated upper tail-coverts. 
 On account of this structure of the plumage, they are gathered into a 
 separate genus under the appropriate title of Calurus, or Beautiful-tailed 
 Trogons. 
 
 The Resplendent Trogon is a native of Central America, and was in 
 former days one of the most honoured by the ancient Mexican monarchs, 
 who assumed the sole right of wearing the long plumes, and permitted none 
 but the members of the royal family to decorate themselves with the flowin'^' 
 feathers of this beautiful bird, ° 
 
 RESPLENDENT TROGON. — (Calurus respUndens.') 
 
28o THE LAUGHING JACKASS. 
 
 This species is fond of inhabiting the densest forests of Southern Mexico, 
 and generally haunts the topmost branches of the loftiest trees, where it 
 clings to the boughs like a parrot, and traverses their ramifications with 
 much address. 
 
 The colour of the adult male bird is generally of a rich golden green on 
 the upper parts of the body, including the graceful rounded crest, the head, 
 neck, throat, chest, and long lancet-shaped plumes of the shoulders. The 
 breast and under-parts are brilliant scarlet, the central feathers of the tail 
 are black, and the exterior white, with black bars. The wonderful plumes 
 which hang over the tail are generally about three feet in length, and in 
 particularly fine specimens have been known to exceed that measurement by 
 four inches, so that the entire length of the bird may be reckoned at four feet. 
 The bill is light yellow. 
 
 As is often the case with birds, where the male is remarkable for the beauty 
 of his plumage, the female is altogether an ordinary and comparatively insig- 
 nificant bird. 
 
 KINGFISHERS. 
 
 The Kingfishers form a tolerably well-marked group of birds all of 
 which are remarkable for their long bills and the comparative shortness of 
 their bodies, which give them a peculiar bearing that is not to be mistaken. 
 
 The bills of these birds are all long and sharp, and in most cases are 
 straight. Their front toes are always joined together more or less, and the 
 number of the toes is very variable in form and arrangement ; some species 
 possessing them in pairs, like ■ those of the parrots ; others having them 
 arranged three in front and one behind, as is usually the case with birds ; 
 while a few species have only three toes altogether, two in front and one 
 behind. The wings are rounded. As may be gathered from their popular 
 name, they mostly feed upon fish, which they capture by pouncing upon the 
 finny prey. 
 
 Our first example of the Kingfisher is the Laughing Jackass, or Giant 
 Kingfisher, its former title being derived from the strange character of its 
 cry. 
 
 This bird is an inhabitant of Australia, being found chiefly in the south- 
 eastern district of that country, and in New South Wales. In Van Diemen's 
 Land Mr. Gould believes that it does not exist. In no place is it found in 
 any great numbers ; for although it is sufficiently common, it is but thinly 
 dispersed over the country. It is rather a large bird, being eighteen inches 
 in total length, and is powerful in proportion, being able to wage successful 
 war against creatures of considerable size. 
 
 Although one of the true Kingfishers, it so far departs from the habits of 
 the family as to be comparatively careless about catching fish, and often 
 resides in the vast arid plains where it can find no stream sufficiently large to 
 harbour fish in their waters. Crabs of various kinds are a favourite food 
 with this bird, which also eats insects, small mammalia, and reptiles. Mr. 
 Gould mentions an instance where he shot one of these birds for the sake of 
 possessing a rare and valuable species of rat which it was carrying ofi" in its 
 bill. It is also known to eat snakes, catching them with great dexterity by 
 the tail, and crushing their heads with its powerful beak. Sometimes it is 
 known to pounce upon fish, but it usually adheres to the above-mentioned diet. 
 
 The cry of this bird is a singular, dissonant, abrupt laugh, even more 
 startling than that of the hyasna, and raising strange panics in the heart 
 of the novice who first hears it while bivouacking in the " bush." Being 
 of a mightily inquisitive nature, the Laughing Jackass seems to find great 
 
THE KINGFISHER. Page 282. 
 
 The Popular Natural History 
 
THE LAUGHING JACKASS. 
 
 281 
 
 attraction in the glare of a fire, and in the evening is apt to glide silently 
 through the branches towards the blaze, and, perching upon a neighbouring 
 bough, to pour forth its loud yelling cry. The " old hands " are in no wise 
 disconcerted at the sudden disturbance, but shoot the intruder on the spot, 
 
 LAUGHING JACKASS. — {Dacelo gigas.) 
 
 and in a very few minutes convert him into a savoury broil over the fire 
 which he had come to inspect. 
 
 At the rising and the setting of the sun the Laughing Jackass becomes 
 very lively, and is the first to welcome the approach of dawn, and to chant 
 its strange exiilting paeans at the return of darkness. From this peculiarity 
 
282 
 
 THE COMMON KINGFISHER. 
 
 it has been called the Settler's clock. In allusion to the cry of this bird, 
 which has been compared by Sturt to the yelling chorus of unquiet demons, 
 the natives call it by the name Gogobera. 
 
 The home of the Laughing Jackass is usually made in the hole of a gum- 
 tree {Eucalyptus), where it makes no sort of nest, but simply lays its eggs 
 upon the soft decaying wood. The eggs are pearly white, and the bird keeps 
 a vigilant watch over the burrow which holds its treasures, fiercely combat- 
 ing any creature that may approach the entrance, and aiming the most 
 desperate blows with its long pointed nnd po\verful beak. 
 
 It is a really handsome bird, and, although not possessing such an array 
 of brilliant plumage as fall: to the lot of many Kingfishers, is yet very richly 
 coloured. The bird is decorated with a dark brown crest, and the general 
 tint of the back and upper surface is olive brown. The wings are brown- 
 black, a few of the feathers being slightly tipped with verditer and the breast 
 and under portions are white, washed with pale brown, which forms a series 
 of faint bars across the breast. The tail is rather long, and rounded at the 
 
 extremity, and is of a rich chestnut colour, 
 banded with -deep black and tipped with 
 white. 
 
 The common Kingfisher is by far the 
 most gorgeously decorated of all our in- 
 digenous birds, and can bear comparison 
 with many of the gaily decorated inhabit- 
 ants of tropical climates. 
 
 It is a sufficiently common bird, although 
 ■ distributed very thinly over the whole 
 country ; and considering the great number 
 of eggs which it lays, and the large pro- 
 portion of young which it rears, is probably 
 more plentiful than is generally supposed 
 to be the case. The straight, glancing 
 flight of the Kingfisher, as it shoots along 
 the river-bank, its azure back gleaming in 
 the sunlight with meteoric splendour, is a 
 sight familiar to all those who have been 
 accustomed to wander by the sides of 
 rivers, whether for the purpose of angling 
 or merely to study the beauties of nature. So swift is the flight of this 
 bird, and with such wonderful rapidity does it move its short wings, that its 
 shape is hardly perceptible as it passes through the air, and it leaves upon 
 the eye of the observer the impression of a blue streak of light. 
 
 The food of this bird consists chiefly, though not exclusively, of fish, which 
 it takes, kills, and eats in the following manner : — 
 
 Seated upon a convenient bough or rail that overhangs a stream where the 
 smaller fish love to pass, the Kingfisher waits very patiently until he sees an 
 unsuspecting minnow or stickleback pass below his perch, and then, with a 
 rapid movement, drops into the water like a stone and secures his prey. 
 Should it be a small fish, he swallows it at once ; but if it should be' of 
 rather large dimensions, he carries it to a stone or stump, beats it two or three 
 times against the hard substance, and then swallows it without any trouble. 
 
 With the fish it generally feeds its >oung, being able to disgorge at will the 
 semi-digested food which it has swallowed, after the manner of most birds of 
 prey. Fish, however, do not constitute its sole nourishment, as it is known 
 to eat various insects, such as dragon-flies and water-beetles, and will often 
 in cold weather pay a visit to the sea-shore for the purpose of fe?4ing "poi 
 
 KINGFISHER. — (Alcedo Ipsida.) 
 
THE COMMON KINGFISHER. 28J 
 
 the little crabs, shrimps, and sandhoppers that are found upon the edge of 
 the tide. 
 
 The nest of the Kingfisher is always made in some convenient bank, at 
 the extremity of a hole which has previously been occupied and deserted by 
 the water-rat or other mining quadrupeds, and been enlarged and 
 adapted for use by, the Kingfisher. Now and then the nest of this bird has 
 been found built in the deserted hole of a rabbit warren. It is always found 
 that the tunnel slopes gently upward, and that the bird has shaped the 
 extremity into a globular form in order to contain the parent bird, the nest, 
 and eggs. Sometimes the nest is placed in the natural crevices formed by 
 the roots of trees growing on the water's edge. In many cases it is easily 
 detected, for the birds are very careless about the concealment of their nest 
 even before the eggs are hatched ; and after the young have made their 
 appearance in the world, they are so clamorous for food and so insatiable in 
 their appetite, that their noisy voices can be heard for some distance, and 
 indicate with great precision the direction of their home. 
 
 Some writers say that the interior of the burrow is kept so scrupulously 
 clean that it is free from all evil scents. My own experience, however, 
 contradicts this assertion, for after introducing the hand into a Kingfisher's 
 nest, I have always found it imbued with so offensive an odour that I was 
 fain to wash it repeatedly in the nearest stream. As the Kingfisher is so 
 piscatorial in its habits it would naturally be imagined that the nest would 
 be placed in close connection with the stream from which the parent birds 
 obtained their daily food. I have, however, several times seen a Kingfisher's 
 nest, and obtained the eggs, in spots that were not within half a mile of a 
 fish-inhabited stream. The bird is greatly attached to the burrow in which 
 it has once made its nest, and will make use of the same spot year after year, 
 even though the nest be plundered and the eggs stolen. 
 
 The eggs are from six to eight in number, rather globular in form, and of 
 an exquisitely delicate pink in colour while fresh, changing to a pearly 
 white when the contents are removed. As soon as the young are able to 
 exert themselves, they perch on a neighbouring twig or other convenient 
 resting-place, and squall incessantly for food. In a very short time they 
 assume their yearling plumage, which is very nearly the same as that of the 
 adult bird, and soon learn to fish on their own account. 
 
 The nest of the Kingfisher has long been known to consist of the bones, 
 scales, and other indigestible portions of the food, which are ejected from the 
 mouth by " castings," like those of the hawk or owl ; but until Mr. Gould 
 recently procured a perfect Kingfisher's nest, its shape and the manner of 
 construction were entirely unknown. His account of its discovery, and the 
 ingenious manner in which it was procured, is so interesting that it must be 
 given in his own words. 
 
 " Ornithologists are divided in opinion as to whether the fish-bones found 
 in the cavity in which the Kingfisher deposits its eggs are to be considered 
 in the light of a nest, or as merely the castings from the bird during the period 
 of incubation. Some are disposed to consider these bones as entirely the 
 castings and fasges of the young brood of the year before they quit the nest, 
 and that the s^me hole being frequented for a succession of years, a great 
 mass is at length formed ; while others believe that they are deposited by 
 the parents as a platform for the eggs, constituting, in fact, a nest ; in which 
 latter view I fully concur, and the following are my reason for so doing :— 
 
 " On the 1 8th of the past month of April, during one of my fishing excur- 
 sions on the Thames, I saw a hole in a precipitous bank, which I felt sure 
 was a nesting-place of the Kingfisher, and on passing a spare top of my fly. 
 rod to the extremity of the hole, a distance of nearly three feet, I brought 
 
284 THE BEE-EATER. 
 
 out some freshly-cast bones of fish, convincing me that I was right in my 
 surmise. On a subsequent day, the 9th of May, I again visited the spot 
 vpith a spade, and after moving nearly two feet square of the turf, dug down 
 to the nest without disturbing the entrance hole or the passage which led 10 
 it. Here I found four eggs placed on the usual layers of fish-bones ; all of 
 these 1 removed with care, and then filled up the hole, beating the earth 
 down as hard as the bank itself, and replacing the sod on the top in order 
 that barge-horses passing to and fro might not put a foot in the hol<". A 
 fortnight afterwards the bird was seen to leave the hole again, and my sus- 
 picion was awakened that she had taken to her old breeding-quarters a 
 second time. 
 
 "The first opportunity I had of again visiting this place, which w.as exactly 
 twenty -one days from the date of my former exploration and taking the eggs, 
 I again passed the top of my fly-rod up the hole, and found not only that the 
 hole was of the former length, but that the female was within. I then took 
 a large mass of cotton-wool from my collecting-box, and stuffed it to the 
 extremity of the hole, in order to preserve the eggs and nest from damage 
 during my again laying it open from above. On removing the sod and 
 digging down as before, I came upon the cotton-wool, and beneath it a well- 
 formed nest of fish-bones, the size of a small saucer, the walls of which were 
 fully half an inch thick, together with eight beautiful eggs and the old female 
 herself This nest and eggs 1 removed with the greatest care, and I now 
 have the pleasure of exhibiting it to the Society, before its transmission to 
 the British Museum, the proper resting-place of so interesting a bird's nest 
 This mass of bones then, weighing 700 grains, had been cast up and 
 deposited by the bird, or the bird and its mate, besides the unusual number 
 of eight eggs, in the short space of twenty-one days. 
 
 " To gain anything like an approximate idea of the number of fish that 
 had been taken to form this mass, the skeleton of a minnow, their usual 
 food, must be carefully made and weighed, and this I may probably do upon 
 some future occasion. I think we may now conclude, from what I have 
 adduced, that the bird purposely deposits these bones as a nest ; and 
 nothing can be better adapted, as a platform, to defend the eggs from the 
 damp earth." 
 
 The voice of the Kingfisher is a peculiarly shrill and piping cry, that can 
 be heard at some distance, and is not easily mistaken for any other sound. 
 
 The colour of this bird is very gorgeous, and rather complicated in its 
 arrangement. The top of the head and back of the neck are dark green, 
 flecked with many spots of verditer blue upon the tips of the feathers. The 
 upper part of the back is aiso dark green, and the lower part is light violet 
 or blue, gleaming vividly under a strong light, and being very conspicuous 
 as the bird is on the wing. The tail is deep indigo, and the quill feathers of 
 the wing are dark blackish green, lightened by a brighter hue of green on 
 the outer webs, and set off by the verditer blue spots of the tertiaries. A 
 white patch or streak passes from the eye to the back of tt.e neck, and a 
 dark green streak is drawn immediately under the white patch. The throat 
 and chin are yellowish white, and the whole of the under surface is chestnut. 
 The eyes are crimson, and the bill is black, with the exception of the orange- 
 tinted base of the lower mandible. The total length of the bird is about 
 seven inches. 
 
 BEE-EATERS. 
 
 The Bee-eaters may at once be distinguished by the shape of the bill, 
 which is curved, and by the formation of the v.ings, which are long and 
 
THE COMMON BEE-EATER. 
 
 28s 
 
 pointed, and give to their owners a wonderful command of the air, while 
 engaged in chasing their winged prey. 
 
 The common Bee-eater of Europe is very frequently found in many 
 parts of the Continent, and has been several times talcen in England. 
 It is, however, a scarce bird in Great Britain, and is of sufficient rarity 
 to excite some curiosity whenever it is found within the confines of 
 our shores. 
 
 The food of the Bee-eater consists wholly of insects, hive-bees and others 
 of the hymenopterous order being the favourite article of diet. In chasing 
 these insects, which are for the most part very active of flight, the Bee-eater 
 displays very great command of wing, and while urging its pursuit, can twist 
 and turn in the air with as much ease and skill as is exhibited by the swallow 
 or the roller. 
 
 To the apiarian, who resides in the same country with the Bee-eater, the 
 bird is a terrible foe, as it has an insatiable appetite for the honey-making 
 insects, and haunts every spot where it is likely to meet them. The hives 
 are constantly visited by the Bee-eaters, who are ingenious enough to resort 
 to the turpentine pines for the sake of catching the bees that come to carry 
 away the exudations for the purpose of converting them into " propolis," or 
 that substance with which they har- 
 den the edges of their cells, caulk the 
 crevices of the hives, and perform 
 many other useful tasks. It does not, 
 however, confine itself to the hymen- 
 opterous insects, but is fond of bee- 
 tles, cicadae, grasshoppers, and similar 
 creatures. 
 
 The nest of the Bee-eater is not 
 unlike that of the kingfisher, being 
 placed at the extremity of a burrow 
 made in some convenient bank. The 
 burrow is excavated by the bird itself, 
 and it often happens that the Bee- 
 eaters are as gregarious in their nest- 
 ing as in their flight, honeycombing 
 the clay banks in a manner very simi- 
 lar to that of the sand martin. The 
 burrows do not run to any great depth, seldom exceeding six or eight inches 
 in length. The nest is composed of moss, and contains about five or six 
 beautifully white and pearly eggs. 
 
 The colours of the adult male bird are extremely varied and very beautiful. 
 The top of the head is rich chestnut brown, extending to the neck, back, and 
 wing-coverts. Over the rump the chestnut changes to light reddish yellow. 
 The primaries and secondaries of the wing are bright blue-green, tipped with 
 black, and their shafts painted with the same colour, and the tertiaries are 
 green throughout their entire length. The upper tail-coverts are of the 
 same hue as the wings, and the tail is likewise green, tinted with a darker 
 hue, graphically called by Mr. Yarrell "duck-green." The chin and throat 
 are a reddish yellow, and round the throat runs a band of deep blue-black. 
 The under part of the body is green with a blue tinge, and the under 
 surface of the wings and tail is greyish brown. The ear-coverts are black 
 and the eye is light scarlet, which contrasts beautifully with the chestnut 
 black, and yellow of the head and neck. 
 
 The female may be distinguished from the male by the paler hue of the 
 reddish yellow on the throatj and the reddish tinge that, runs throughout the 
 
 BEE-EATER. — (Merops apiaster). 
 
286 
 
 THE HOOPOE. 
 
 green of the body and wings, 
 the English starting. 
 
 In size the Bee-eater is nearly equal to 
 
 SLENDER-BILLED BIRDS. 
 
 upupidjE, or hoopoes. 
 
 The large group of birds which are termed Tenuirostral, or Slender- 
 billed, always possess a long and slender beak, sometimes curved, as in the 
 creepers, hoopoes, and many humming birds ; and sometimes straight, as in 
 the nuthatch and other humming birds. The feet are furnished with 
 lengthened toes, and the outer toe is generally connected at the base with 
 the middle toe. 
 
 The first family of the Tenuirostres is called after the hoopoe, and termed 
 Upupidee. In all these birds the bill is curved throughout its entire length, 
 long, slender, and sharply pointed. The wings are rounded, showing that 
 
 the birds are not intended for aerial 
 feats, and the tail is rather long. The 
 legs are short, and the claws strong 
 and decidedly curved. 
 
 The common Hoopoe enjoys a very 
 wide range of country, being found in 
 Northern Africa, where its principal 
 home is generally stationed, in several 
 parts of Asia, and nearly the whole of 
 Europe. On account of its very strik- 
 ing and remarkable form it has at- 
 tracted much notice, and has been the 
 subject of innumerable legends and 
 strange tales, nearly all of which relate 
 to its feathery crest. 
 
 The Turks call the Hoopoe Tir- 
 Chaous, or Courier-Bird, because its 
 feathery crown bears some resem- 
 blance to the plume of feathers which 
 the chaous, or courier, wears as a 
 token of his office. The Swedes are 
 rather fearful of the Hoopoe, and 
 dread its presence, which is rare in 
 their country, as a presage of war, con- 
 sidering the plume as analogous to a helmet. Even in our own country the 
 uneducated rustics think it an unlucky bird, most probably on account of 
 some old legend which, although forgotten has not entirely lost its power 
 of exciting prejudice. 
 
 The food of the Hoopoe is almost entirely of an insect nature, although 
 the bird will frequently vary its diet with tadpoles and other small creatures. 
 Beetles and their larvae, caterpillars and grubs of all kinds, are a favourite 
 food with the Hoopoe, which displays much ingenuity in digging them out 
 of the decayed wood in which they are often found. The jet-ant {Formica 
 fuliginosa), which greatly haunts the centre of decaying trees, is also eaten 
 by this bird. 
 
 The nest is made in hollow trees, and consists of dried grass-stems, 
 feathers, and other soft substances. The eggs are of a light grey colour, and 
 in number vary from four to seven. They are laid in May, and the young 
 
 HOOPOE. —(6^«^(7 epops). 
 
SU.V-BIRDS. 287 
 
 make their appearance in June. It is worthy of notice that the beak of the 
 young Hoopoe is short and quite straight, not attaining its long curved form 
 until the bird has attained its full growth. The nest of the Hoopoe has a 
 very pungent and disgusting odour. 
 
 The general colours of the Hoopoe are white, buff, and black, distributed 
 in the following manner : — The plumes of the crest, which is composed of a 
 double row of feathers, are of a reddish buff, each feather being tipped with 
 black. The remainder of the head, neck, and breast is purphsh buff, and 
 the upper part of the beak purple-grey. Three semicircular black bands are 
 drawn across the back, and the quill feathers of the wings are marked with 
 broad bands of black and white. The tail is also black, with the exception 
 of a sharply-defined white semicircular band that runs across the centre. 
 
 The under portions of the body are pale yellowish buff, and the under tail- 
 coverts are white. In their colours the two sexes are rather different from 
 each other, the male being of a more ruddy hue than his mate, and having 
 a larger crest. The total length of the adult Hoopoe is not quite thirteen 
 inches. 
 
 SUN-BIRDS. 
 
 The beautiful and glittering Sun-BIRDS evidently represent in the Old 
 World the humming birds of the New. In their dimensions, colour, general 
 form, and habits, they are very similar to their brilliant representatives in 
 the western hemisphere, although not quite so gorgeous in plumage, nor so 
 powerful and enduring of wing. They are termed Sun-birds because the 
 hues with which their feathers are so lavishly embellished gleam out with 
 peculiar brilliancy in the sunlight. 
 
 These exquisite little birds feed on the juice of flowers and the minute 
 insects that are found in their interior, but are not in the habit of feeding 
 while on the wing, hovering over a flower and sweeping up its nectar with the 
 tongue, as is the case among the humming-birds. 
 
 The Collared Sun-bird is an inhabitant of many parts of Africa, 
 stretching from the noi'thern portions of that continent as far as the western 
 coasts. It is extremely plentiful in the larger forests of the Cape and the 
 interior, but there is very little information concerning its habits, saving that 
 they resemble those of its relations. The nidification of this species differs 
 according to the locality, for it places its nest in the interior of hollow trees 
 wherein it resides in the forests, and is content with the shelter of a thick 
 bough when there are no decaying trees within reach. 
 
 The male Collared Sun-bird is a most beautiful httle creature, bedecked 
 with glowing tints of wonderful intensity. The general colour of the upper 
 parts of the body and breast is a rich golden green, the upper surface of tlie 
 wings and tail being blackish brown with green reflections. Across the 
 breast are drawn several coloured bands, which have earned for the bird its 
 popular and expressive name, as all names should be. A narrow band of 
 bright steel-blue runs across the upper part of the breast, being rather wide 
 in the centre and harrowing rapidly towards the sides of the neck. Below 
 this blue band runs a broad belt of rich carmine, and immediately below the 
 carmine is a third narrow band of bright golden yellow. From the sides of 
 the breast proceed several small feathery plumes of the same golden hue. The 
 remainder of the abdomen is greyish brown, and the upper tail-coverts are 
 violet-purple. 
 
 The female is rather less in dimensions than her mate, and is very sober 
 in her attire, wearing a suit of uniform olive-brown^ darker upon the wings 
 
288 
 
 THE JA VANESE SUN-BIRD. 
 
 nnd tail, and very pale behind. The total length of this species is rather 
 more than four and a half inches. 
 
 The Javanese Sun-bird is a native of the country from which it derives 
 its name. It is a very pretty little creature, although its colours are not so 
 
 COLLARED SUN-BIRD.— (A'irrfanTOo chalyieia.) 
 JAVANESE SUN-BIRD. — (Nectarinia yavanica.) 
 
 resplendent as in several of the species. The upper parts of the body are 
 shining steely-purple, and the under surface is olive-yellow. The throat is 
 chestnut, and a bright violet streak runs from the angle of the mouth to the 
 breast. 
 
THE AUSTRALIAN DICALUM. 289 
 
 The beautiful little Dic/eum, although very common throughout the whole 
 of Australia, and a remarkably mteresting little bird, was, when Mr- <^o|'ld 
 wrote his animated description, so httle known among the colonists that 
 there was no popular name for the 
 bright little creature. -7 ==^'~=^-^__^ 
 
 This tiny bird is fond of inha- 
 biting the extreme summits of the 
 tallest trees, and habitually dwells 
 at so great an elevation that its 
 minute form is hardly perceptible, 
 and not even the bright scarlet 
 hue of the throat and breast can 
 betray its position to the unaccus- 
 tomed eye of a passenger below. 
 
 The flight of the Uicasum is very 
 quick and dlarting, and it makes 
 more use of its wings and less of 
 its feet than any of ihe insect- 
 hunting birds. The nest is re- 
 markaljly pretty, being woven as 
 it were out of white cotton cloth, 
 and suspended from a branch as 
 if the twigs had been pushed 
 through its substance. The pecu- 
 Har purse-like shape of the nest 
 is shown in the illustration. The 
 material of which it is woven is 
 the soft cottony down which is 
 found in the seed-vessels of many 
 plants. The eggs are four or five 
 in number, and their colour is a 
 dull greyish white, profusely co- 
 vered with minute speckks of 
 brown. 
 
 The head, back, and upper parts 
 of the adult male are deep black, 
 with a beatiful steely blue gloss, 
 the sides are brownish grey, and 
 the throat, breast, and under tail- 
 coverts are a bright glaring scar- 
 let. The abdomen is snowy white, 
 with the exception of a tolerably 
 large black patch on its centre. 
 The female is more sombre in her 
 apparel, the head and back being 
 of a dull sooty black, and the steel-blue reflection only appearing on the 
 upper surface of the wings and tail. The throat and centre of the abdomen 
 are buff, the sides are pale greyish brown, and the under tail-coverts scarlet, 
 of a less brilliant hue than in the male. In its dimensions the Dicseum is 
 hardly so large as our common wren. 
 
 AUSTRALIAN DICTUM.— (Z3iV«a?« hirunJi- 
 naceum.) 
 
 HONEY-EATERS. 
 
 The true Honey-eaters form a very numerous group of birds, all of which 
 are graceful in their forms and pleasing in the colour of their plumage, while 
 
 u 
 
ago 
 
 THE FOE BIRD. 
 
 in some instances the hues with which they are decorated are so bright as to 
 afford ground for classing them among the really beautiful birds. They all 
 feed on sunilar substances, which, as indicated by their name, consis; 
 chiefly of honey and the sweet juices of flowers, although they also vary theii- 
 diet by insects and other small living beings. 
 
 
 POE BIRD. — (Prosthemadera Zeelanciia.) 
 
 Among this group of birds the PoE Bird, or TuE, or Parson Bird, is 
 one of the most conspicuous, being nearly as remarkable for its peculiar 
 colouring as the rifle bird itself, although the hues of its feathers are not 
 quite so resplendently brilliant as in that creature. 
 
HUMMING-BIRDS. 291 
 
 The Poe Bird is a native of New Zealand, where it is far from uncommon, 
 and is captured by the natives for tlie purpose of sale. Many individuals are 
 brought over to Sydney, where, according to Dr. Bennett, they are kept in 
 cages, and are very amusing in their habits, being easily domesticated and 
 becoming very familiar with those who belong to the household. Indepen- 
 dently of its handsome and rather pecuHar colour, which makes it very 
 effective in a room, it possesses several other qualifications which render it a 
 very desirable inhabitant of an aviary. Its native notes are very fine, the 
 bird being considered a remarkably fine songster, and it also possesses the 
 p )wer of mimicking in a degree surpassing that of the common magpie or 
 raven, and hardly yielding even to the famous mocking-bird himself It 
 learns to speak with great accuracy and fluency, and readily imitates any 
 sound that may reach its ear, being especially successful in its reproduction 
 of the song of other birds. 
 
 While at liberty in its native land it is remarkable for its quick, restless 
 activity, as it flits rapidly about the branches, pecking here and there at a 
 stray insect, diving into the recesses of a newly-opened flower, and con- 
 tinually uttering its shrill sharp whistle. Although one of the large group of 
 Mehphagidffi, or Honey-eaters, the Poe Bird feeds less upon honey than 
 upon insects, which it discovers with great sharpness of vision and catches 
 in a particularly adroit manner. It will also feed upon worms, and some- 
 times varies its diet by fruits. 
 
 In New Zealand it is often killed for the sake of its flesh, which is said to 
 be very delicate and well flavoured. 
 
 The general colour of the Poe Bird is a very deep metallic green, becom- 
 ing black in certain lights, and having a decided bronze reflection in others. 
 The back is deep brown, also with a bronze reflection, and upon the 
 shoulders there is a patch of pure white. On the back of the neck the 
 feathers are long and lancet shaped, each feather having a very narrow 
 white streak along its centre. From each side of the neck depends a tuft of 
 snowy curling downy feathers, spreading in fan-like fashion froii their bases 
 This creature is called the Parson Bird because these white tufts are thought 
 to bear some resemblance to the absurd parallelograms of white lawn that 
 are denominated " bands." 
 
 HUMMING-BIRDS, OR TROCHILID^. 
 
 "Bright Humming-bird of gem-like plumeletage, 
 By western Indians 'Living Sun-beam' named." — Bailey, Mystic. 
 
 The wonderful httle Humming-birds are only found in America and the 
 adjacent islands, where they take the place of the sun-birds of the Old 
 World. It is rather remarkable that, as yet, no Humming-birds have been 
 discovered in Australia. 
 
 These little winged gems are most capricious in their choice of locality, 
 some being spread over a vast range of country, while others are confined, 
 within the limits of a narrow belt of earth hardly more than a few hundred 
 yards in widtli, and some refuse to roam beyond the narrow precincts of a 
 single mountain. Some of these birds are furnished with comparatively short 
 and feeble wings, and, in consequence, are obliged to remain in the same 
 land throughout the year, while others are strong of flight, and migrate over 
 numerous tracts of country. They gather most thickly in Mexico and about 
 the equator, the number of species diminishing rapidly as they recede from 
 the equatorial line. 
 
 The name of Humming-birds is given to them on account of the humming 
 
 u 2 
 
292 
 
 HUMMIXG-BIRDS. 
 
 or buzzing sound which they produce with their wings, especially while they 
 are hovering in iheir cur oua fasiiion over a tempting bloisom, and feed- 
 ing on its contents while suspended in the air. 
 
 The legs of these birds are remarkably weak and delicate, and the winjis 
 are proportionately strong, a combination which shows that the creatures aie 
 intended to pass more of their time in the air than on foot. Even when 
 feeding they very seldom trouble themselves to perch, but suspend them- 
 selves in the air before the flower on which they desire to operate, and with 
 their long slender tongues are able to feed at ease without alighting. In the 
 skeleton, especially in the shape of the breast-bone and wings, as well as in 
 the comparative small size of the feet, the Humming-birds bear some 
 analogy to the swifts, and, like those birds, never lay more than two eggs. 
 
 The flight of these birds is inconceivably rapid, so rapid indeed that the 
 eye cannot follow it when the bird puts forth its full speed ; and with such 
 
 wonderful rapidity do 
 the httle sharp-cut 
 wings beat the air, that 
 their form is quite lost, 
 and while the bird is 
 hovering near a single 
 spot, the wings look 
 like two filmy grey fans 
 attached to the sides. 
 While darting from one 
 flower to another the 
 bird can hardly be seen 
 at all, and it seems to 
 come suddenly into ex- 
 istence at some spot,' 
 and as suddenly to van- 
 ish from sight. Some 
 Humming-birds are 
 fond of towering to a 
 great height in the air, 
 and descending from 
 thence to their nests or 
 to feed, while others 
 keep near the ground, 
 and are seldom ?een at an elevation of many yards. 
 
 The food of the Humming-bird is much the same as that of the honey- 
 suckers, except, perliaps, that they consume more honey and fewer flies. 
 Still, they are extremely fond of small insects, and if kept away from this 
 kind of diet soon pine away, in spite of unlimited supplies of syrup and 
 other sweet food. 
 
 In order to enable the Humming-bird to extract the various substances on 
 which it feeds from the interior of the flowers, the beak is always long and 
 delicate, and in shape is extremely variable, probably on account of the 
 particular flowers on which the bird feeds. In some instances the bill is 
 nea,rly straight, in others it takes a sharp sickle-like downward curve, while 
 in sOme it possesses a double curve. The general form of the beak is 
 however a very gently downward curve, and in all instances it is pointed at its 
 extremity. At the base the upper mandible is wider than ti.e lower, which 
 is received into its hollow. Their nostrils are placed at the base of the 
 beak, and defended by a little scale-like shield. 
 
 The plumage is very closely set on the body, and is possessed of a metallic 
 
 HUMMING-BIRDS. 
 
HUMMING-BIRDS. 
 
 293 
 
 brilliancy in every species, the males being always more gorgeously 
 decorated than their mates. 
 
 The tongue is a very curious structure, being extremely long, filamentous, 
 and double nearly to its base. At the throat it is taken up by that curious 
 forked bony structure called the hyoid bone, the forks of which are 
 enormously elongated, and, passing under the throat and round the head, 
 are terminated upon the forehead. By means of this structure the 
 Humming-bird is enabled to project the tongue to a great distance from 
 the bill, and to probe the inmost recesses of the largest flowers. The com- 
 mon woodpecker has a 
 very similar description 
 of tongue and employs it 
 in a similar manner. 
 
 In their habits the Hum- 
 ming-birds are mostly di- 
 urnal, although many spe- 
 cies are only seen at dawn 
 and just after sunset. 
 Many, indeed, live in such 
 dense recesses of their tro- 
 pical woods, that the beams 
 of the sun never fairly 
 penetrate into their gloomy 
 depths, and the Humming- 
 bird dwells in a permanent 
 twilight beneath the foli- 
 age. It is worthy of notice 
 that the name Trochilidoe 
 is not a very apt one, as 
 the Trochilus was evi- 
 dently a bird which had 
 nothing in common with 
 the Humming-bird, and 
 was most probably the zic- 
 zac of Egypt. 
 
 The upper figure in the 
 illustration on page 292 
 represents the Cora 
 Humming-bird, a native 
 of Peru. The head and 
 back are gold-green, the 
 wings are purple, and the 
 throat is violet or crimson 
 according to the direction 
 of the hght. 
 
 In the centre is the Doublf-crest, a Brazilian species. It derives ita 
 name from the crest-like feathers that start from either side of the head 
 1 he top of the head is azure, and the throat fiery crimson. The side= oi 
 the face and the chm are velvet black. 
 
 The Bar-tail occupies the right of the illustration. It is a native ot 
 Bolivia, and derives its name from the black tips of the crimson tail feathers 
 The body is green. 
 
 On the left is GOULD'S Humming-bird, a lovely little creature remark- 
 alDle for the beautiful neck-tufts, with their pure white feathers tipped with 
 green. It is found in the Amazon district. 
 
 SLENDER SHEAR-TAIL HUMMING-BIRD.--(7%az<.. 
 maslura encicura. ) 
 
25+ 
 
 COPPER-BELLIL. V PUFF-LEG HUMMJNG-BIRD. 
 
 The Slender Shear-tail is an inhabitant of Central America, and 
 appears to be rather a local bird. It is supposed not to be found south of 
 the Isthmus of Panama, nor to extend more than eighteen degrees north- 
 ward. As its wings are rather short, and not remarkable for strength, it is 
 conjectured to be a non-migratory bird. The country where it is seen in the 
 greatest plenty is Guatemala. 
 
 The sexes of this creature are very different in their form and colour of 
 their plumage, and could hardly be recognized as belonging to the same 
 species. In tlae adult male bird the upper parts of the body are a deep 
 shining green, becoming brown on the head, and changing into bronze on 
 the back and wing-coverts. The wings are purple-brown. The long and 
 deep forked tail is black, with the exception of a little brown upon the inner 
 web of the two uttermost leathers. The chin is black glossed with green, the 
 
 throat is deep metallic pur- 
 ple, and upon the upper ^ art 
 of the chest is placed a large 
 crescent-shaped mark of buff. 
 The abdomen is bronze, with 
 a grey spot in its centre ; and 
 there is a buff spot on each 
 flank. The under tail-coverts 
 are of a greenish hue. 
 
 The female does not pos- 
 sess the long tail, and her 
 colours are golden-green 
 above and reddish buff be- 
 low. The tail is very curi- 
 ously marked. The central 
 feathers are entirely gold- 
 green ; the exterior feathers 
 are rusty red at their base, 
 black for a considerable por- 
 tion of their length, and 
 tipped with white. 
 
 Several of the Humming- 
 birds are remarkable for a 
 tuft of pure white downy fea- 
 thers which envelop each 
 leg, and which has obtained 
 for them the popular title of 
 Puff-legs, because the white 
 tufts bear some resemblance 
 to a powder-puff. The Copper-bellied Puff-leg is an inhabitant of 
 Santa Y€ de Bogdta, and is a very common bird in that locality. It may 
 easily be found, as it is a remarkably local bird, being confined to a narrow 
 strip or belt of land, which possesses the requisite characteristics of tempera- 
 ture and vegetation. 
 
 It is a very beautiful little bird, and both the sexes are nearly similar in their 
 colour and general appearance, except that in the female the puffs of white 
 down are not so large nor so conspicuous as in her mate. In the adult male, 
 the top of the head, the sides of the neck, and the back are green, washed 
 with a decided tint of bronze, except upon the upper tail-coverts, where the 
 green is very pure and of a metallic brilliancy. As is generally the case with 
 Humming-birds, the fine and sharply-cut wings are brown washed with 
 purple, The tail is black, with a purple glos? in a side light. The throat 15 
 
 COPPER-BELLIED PUFF-LEG HUMMING-BIRD. 
 (Eriocnemis cupreiventris. ) 
 
WHITE-BOOTED RACKET-TAIL. 
 
 295 
 
 of a beautiful shining metallie green, and the general colour of the breast 
 and under portions of the body is green glossed with gold, with the excep- 
 tion of the abdomen, where the green takes a coppery hue, from which the 
 bird has received its popular name. The " puffs" are of a snowy whiteness, 
 iind. look like refined swan's-down. 
 
 WHITE-BOOTED RACKET-TAIL. — {Spathura Underwoodii — male and female.) 
 
 The female is very similar in colour, except that the hues of the throat are 
 not possessed of so metallic a brilliancy, and, as has already been stated, the 
 leg-tufts are comparatively small. 
 
 We have in the Racket-tailed Humming-birds one of those singular foiTOS 
 which are so often found among these strange litile birds. 
 
296 
 
 THE SPANGLED COQUETTE. 
 
 The White-booted Racket-tail inhabits the Columbian Andes, and is 
 very common near Santa F^ de Bogdta. It is a hill-loving bird, being 
 generally found at an elevation of five or ten thousand feet above the level 
 of the sea. It is thought to be confined within the third and tenth degrees 
 of north latitude. This bird is remarkably swift of wing, its darling flight 
 reminding the spectator of the passage of an arrow through the air. At one 
 time it will hover close to the ground, hanging over some favourite flower 
 and extracting the sweet contents of the blossoms ; and at the next moment 
 it will sh30t to the very summit of some lofty tree, as if impelled from a 
 bow, and leave but the impression of an emerald-green line of light upon the 
 observer's eye. While hovering over the flowers the long racket-shaped 
 feathers of the tail are in constant motion, waving gently in the air, crossing 
 each other, opening and closing in the most graceful manner. But when the 
 bird darts off with its peculiar arrowy flight, the tail-feathers lie straight 
 behind it. 
 
 The male of this species is bronze-green upon the greater part of the body, 
 the green takin<T a richer and rerlr'er hue I'pon the upper tail-coverts. The 
 
 throat and breast are bril- 
 liant emerald green. The 
 wings are purple-brown, 
 and the tail is brown, with 
 ihe exception of the rack- 
 ets, which are black "shot " 
 with green. The feet are 
 jellow, and upon the legs 
 are placed two beautiful 
 white puffs. The whole 
 length of the bird is rather 
 more than three inches. 
 The female bird does not 
 possess the racket-shaped 
 tail-feathers, and is of a 
 bronze - green upon the 
 upper surface. The tail is 
 brown, with the exception 
 of the two middle feathers, 
 which are bronze-green like the body. The two exterior feathers are tipped 
 with white, and the others with bronie-green. The under surface is white, 
 diversified with bronze-green spots on the breast and flanks. The pul'S 
 are smaller than in the male 
 
 The accompanying illustration represents another remarkable little bird 
 possessed of a most beautiful and graceful crest. The SPANGLED COQUETTE 
 is an excellent example of the very remarkable genus to which it belongs 
 All the Coquettes possess a well-defined crest upon the head and a series of 
 projecting feathers from the neck, some being especially notable for the one 
 ornament, and others for the other. 
 
 The crown of the head and the crest are light ruddy chestnut, each 
 feather having a ball-like spot of dark bronze-green at the tip. The throat 
 and face are shining metallic green, below which is a small tuft of pointed 
 white feathers ihat have a very curious effect as they protude from benealli 
 )he gorget. The upper part; are bronze-green as far as the lower part of the 
 back, where a band crosses from side to side, and the rest of the plumage is 
 dark ruddy chestnut as far as the tail. The tail is also chestnut-brown, 
 with a slight wash of metallic green. The female has no crest nor green 
 gorget. 
 
 SPANGLED coQUiilTE. — (Lophornis Kfgiiia;.) 
 
RUBY AND TOPAZ HUMMING-BIRD. 
 
 297 
 
 The Ruby and Topaz Humming-bird derives its name from the colour- 
 ing of its head and throat, the former being of a deep ruby tint, and the 
 latter of a resplendent topaz. Sometimes it is called the Ruby-headed 
 Humming-bird, and it is also known under the name of the Aurora. It is 
 very common in Bahia, the Guianas, Trinidad, and the Caraccas, and, as it 
 is in great request for the dealers, is killed by thousands annually. There is 
 no species so common in orna- 
 mental cases of Humming-birds 
 as the Ruby and Topaz. 1 1 makes 
 a very beautiful nest, round, cup- 
 like, and delicately woven of cot- 
 ton and various fibres, and covered 
 externally with little leaves and 
 bits of lichen. 
 
 The plumage of this species is 
 extremely variable, but may be 
 described briefly as follows. The 
 forehead, the crown, and the nape 
 of the neck are metallic ruby-red ; 
 and the chin, throat, and chest 
 are effulgent topaz. The upper 
 parts of the body are velvety 
 bronze-brown, and the wings are 
 purple-brown. The tail is rich 
 chestnut-red, tipped with black, 
 and the abdomen is a dark olive- 
 brown. The female has none of 
 the ruby patches on the head, but 
 retains a little of the topaz on the 
 throat. 
 
 The Ruby-throated Hum- 
 ming-bird inhabits North Amer- 
 ica, and derives its name from the 
 brilliant ruby hue of the feathers 
 that adorn its throat. It is one 
 of the commonest as well as the 
 most beautiful of this lovely 
 group. 
 
 The beautiful little Vervain 
 Humming-bird is one of the 
 minutest examples of feathered 
 life that are at present known to 
 zoologists. In total length this 
 bird does not measure thiee 
 inches ; while, as the tail occu- 
 pies nearly an inch and the head 
 half an inch, the actual length of 
 the body will be seen to be not 
 
 quite an inch and a half. It is a native of Jamaica, and has been admir- 
 ably described by Mr. Gosse, while treating of rhe birds which inhabit 
 that island. 
 
 The name of Vervain Humming-bird has been given to this tiny creature 
 because it is in the habit of feeding on the blossoms of the West Indian 
 \ ervain, but it is also known under a variety of other titles, and has been 
 described by many scientific writers under different names, 
 
 RUBY AND TOPAZ HUMMING-BIRD.— (C/S;^- 
 solampis moschitus.) 
 
29$ 
 
 THE VERVAIN HUMMING-BIRD. 
 
 The general colour of this beautiful little bird is a brilliant metallic green, 
 the wings being, as usual, purple-brown, and the tail deep black. The throat 
 and chin are white, sprinkled profusely with little black spots, and the breast 
 is pure white. The abdomen is also white, but diversified with a slight green 
 tip to each feather, and the flanks are bright metallic green, nearly as resplen- 
 dent as upon the back. The under 
 tail-coverts are white, with a few 
 very pale green spots. The colours 
 of the female are rather more dull 
 than those of her mate, the green 
 being tinged with yellow, and the 
 under parts without the green spots. 
 The first half of the tail is yellowish 
 green, and all the feathers of the 
 tail, with the exception of the two 
 central feathers, are furnished with 
 white tips. 
 
 The nest of the Vervain Humming- 
 bird is very small, in accordance with 
 the dimensions of the architect, is 
 round and cup-like in shape, and 
 beautifully constructed of cotton 
 fibres and other soft and warm sub- 
 stances. As is the case with the 
 nests of almost all the species of Trochilidae, the rim is so made as to curve 
 slightly inwards, and is, in all probability, constructed for the purpose of 
 preventing the eggs from rolling out of the nest when the " procreant cradle" 
 is rocked by the tempestuous winds of the tropics. 
 
 RUBY-THROATED HtTMMING-BIRD. 
 (Colubris.) 
 
 VERVAIN HOMMING-BIKD. — {JUellliUga miiiWUl.) 
 
 We now arrive at the Certhid^ or CREEPERS, the best known of which 
 is our EngUsh Creeper. 
 
 This little bird is one of the prettiest and most interesting of the feathered 
 tribes that are found in this country. It is a very small bird, hardly so large 
 as a sparrow, arid beautifully slender in shape. The bill is rather long, 
 
COMMON TREE CREEPER. 
 
 299 
 
 pointed, and curved, and the tail-feathers are stiff and pointed at their extre- 
 mities. The food of the Creeper consists chiefly of insects, although the 
 bird will sometimes vary its diet by seeds and other vegetable substances. 
 Vhe insects on which it feeds live principally under the bark of various 
 rough-skinned trees, and when it is engaged in running after its food, it runs 
 spirally up the trunk with wonderful ease and celerity, probing every crevice 
 with ready adroitness, its whole frame instinct with sparkling eagerness, and 
 its little black eyes glancing with the exuberance of its delight. While 
 running on the side of the tree which is nearest to the spectator, it presents 
 a very curious appearance, as its dark-brown back and quick tripping move- 
 ments give it a great resemblance to a mouse, and ever and anon, as it comes 
 again into sight from the opposite side of the trunk, its beautifully white 
 breast gleams suddenly in contrast with the sombre-coloured bark. Its eyes 
 are wonderfully keen, as it 
 will discern insects of so mi- \ 
 nute a form that the human 
 eye can hardly perceive them, 
 and it seems to possess some 
 instinctive mode of detect- 
 ing the presence of its insect 
 prey beneath moss or lichens, 
 and will perseveringly bore 
 through the substance in 
 which they are hidden, never 
 failing to secure them at 
 last. 
 
 The Creeper is a very timid 
 bird, and if it is alarmed at 
 the sight of a human being, 
 it will either fly off to a dis- 
 tant tree, or will quietly slip 
 round the trunk of the tree 
 on which it is running, and 
 keep itself carefully out of 
 sight. It soon, however, gains 
 confidence, and, provided that 
 the spectator remains per- 
 fectly quiet, the little head 
 and white lareast may soon 
 be seen peering anxiously 
 round the trunk, and in a few 
 minutes the bird will resume 
 its progress upon the tree, and run cheerily up the bark, accompanying itself 
 with its faint trilling song. It seldom attempts a long flight, seeming to con- 
 tent itself with flitting from tree to tree. 
 
 The nest of the Creeper is usually made in the hollow of some decaying 
 tree, and is made of grasses, leaves, and vegetable fibres, and lined with 
 feathers. The eggs are very small, about seven or eight in number, and of 
 an ashen grey colour, sprinkled with little grey-brown spots. Sometimes it 
 builds in the hole of an old wall, and has been known to make its nest in a 
 disused spout. 
 
 The Nuthatches are represented in England by the common Nuthatch 
 of our woods. They are all remarkable for their peculiarly stout and sturdy 
 build, their strong, pointed, cylindrical beaks, and their very short tails. 
 
 The Nuthatch, although by no means a rare bird, is seldom seen except by 
 
 COMMON TREE CREEPER. — (Certhia fafniliaris ) 
 
30O 
 
 NUTHATCH. 
 
 those who are acquainted with its haunts, on account of its shy and retiring 
 habits. As it feeds mostly on nuts, it is seldom seen except in woods or 
 their immediate vicinity, although it will sometimes become rather bold, and 
 frequent gardens and orchards where nuts are grown. The bird also feeds 
 upon insects, which it procures from under the bark after the manner of the 
 creepers, and it is not unlikely that many of the nuts which are eaten by ttie 
 Nuthatch have been inhabited by the grub of the nut weevil. It will also 
 feed upon the seeds of different plants, especially preferring those which it 
 pecks off the fir-cones. 
 
 In order to extract the kernel of the nut, the bird fixes the fruit securely in 
 some convenient crevice, and, by dint of repeated hammerings with its beak, 
 breaks a large ragged hole in the shell, through which the kernel is readily 
 extracted. The blows are not merely given by the stroke of the beak, but 
 the bird grasps firmly with its strong claws, and, swinging its whole body 
 upon its feet, delivers its stroke with the full weight and sway of the body. 
 
 NUTHATCH. — [Sitta Europaa.) 
 
 The nest of the Nuthatch is placed in the hollow of a decaying tree, and 
 the bird always chooses some hole to which there is but a small entrance. 
 Should the orifice be too large to please its taste, it ingeniously builds up 
 the hole with clay and mud, probably to prevent the intrusion of any other 
 bird. If any foe should venture too near the nest, the mother bird becomes 
 exceedingly valiant, and dashing boldly at her enemy, bites and pecks so 
 vigorously with her powerful beak, hissing and scolding the while, that she 
 mostly succeeds in driving away the assailant. The nest is a very inartificial 
 structure, made chiefly of dried leaves laid loosely upon the decaying wood, 
 and rudely scraped into the form of a nest. 
 
 In its colour the Nuthatch is rather a pretty bird, of pleasing though not 
 of brilliantly tinted plumage. The general colour of the upper parts is a 
 delicate bluish grey, the throat is white, and the abdomen and under parts 
 fire reddish brown, warming into rich chestnut on the flanks. From the 
 angle of the mouth a narrow blagk band passes towards the back of the 
 
THE LYRE BIRD. 
 
 301 
 
 lieck, enveloping the eye in its course and terminating suddenly before it 
 reaches the shoulders. The tail is black on the base and grey towards the 
 tip, except the two outer tail-feathers, which have each a blapk spot near the 
 extremity. The shafts are also black. 
 
 LYRE BIRD. — {Menura superba.) 
 
 We now arrive at the family of the WRENS, in which group we find two 
 birds so dissimilar in outward appearance as apparently to belong to 
 different orders, the one being the common Wren of England, and the other 
 the celebrated Lyre-bird of Australia. 
 
 This bird, which also goes under the name of Native Pheasant among 
 the colonists, and is generally called Bullen-bullen by the natives, on 
 
30£ THE LYRE BIRD. 
 
 account of its peculiar try, would, if it had been known to the ancients, 
 have been consecrated to Apollo, its lyre-shaped tail and flexible voice giving 
 it a double claim to such honours. The extraordinary tail of this bird is 
 often upwards of two feet in length, and consists of sixteen feathers, formed 
 and arranged in a very curious and graceful manner. The two outer feathers 
 are broadly webbed, and, as may be seen in the illustration, are curved in a 
 manner that gives to the widely-spread tail the appearance of an ancient 
 lyre. When the tail is merely held erect and not spread, the two lyre-shaped 
 feathers cross each other, and produce an entirely different outline. The two 
 central tail-feathers are narrowly webbed, and all the others are modified 
 with long slender shafts, bearded by alternate feathery filaments, and well 
 representing the strings of the lyre. 
 
 The tail is seen in its greatest beauty between the months of June and 
 September, after which time it is shed, to make its first reappearance in the 
 ensuing February or March. The halDits of this bird are very curious, and 
 are so well and graphically related by Mr. Gould, that they must be given in 
 his own words : — 
 
 "The great stronghold of the Lyre-bird is the colony of New South 
 Wales, and, from what I could learn, its range does not extend so far to the 
 eastward as Moreton Bay, neither have I been able to trace it to the west- 
 ward of Port Phillip on the southern coast ; but further research can only 
 determine these points. It inhabits equally the bushes on the coast and 
 those that clothe the sides of the mountains in the interior. On the coast 
 it is especially abundant at the Western Port, and lUawarra ; in the interior 
 the cedar brushes of the Liverpool range, and, according to Mr. G. Bennett, 
 the mountains of the Tumat country are among the places of which it is 
 the denizen. 
 
 " Of all the birds I have ever met with, the Menura is far the most shy 
 and difficult to procure. While among the mountains I have been sur- 
 rounded by these birds, pouring forth their loud and 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 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 bushes, can fully understand the. 
 anxious labour attendant on the pursuit of the Menura. 
 
 " At lUawarra it is sometimes successfully pursued by dogs trained to rush 
 suddenly upon it, when it immediatey leaps upon the branch of a tree, 
 and, its attention being attracted by the dog below barking, it is easily 
 approached and shot. Another successful mode of procuring specimens is 
 by wearing the tail of a fuU-plumaged male in the hat, keeping it constantly 
 in motion, and concealing the person among the bushes, when, the attention 
 of the bird being arrested by the apparent intrusion of another of its own 
 sex, it will be attracted within the range of the gun. If the bird be hidden 
 from view by surrounding objects, any unusual sound, such as a shrill 
 whistle, will generally induce him to show himself for an instant, by causing 
 him to leap with a gay and sprightly air upon some neighbouring branch- to 
 ascertain the cause of the disturbance ; advantage must be taken of this 
 circumstance immediately, or the next moment it may be half-way down the 
 gully. 
 
 " The Menura seldom,, if ever, attempts to escape by flight, but easily 
 eludes pursuit by its extraordinary powers of running. None are so efficient 
 
THE WREN. 
 
 303 
 
 in obtaining specimens as the naked black, whose noiseless and gliding steps 
 enable him to steal upon it unheard or unperceived, and with a gun in his 
 hand he rarely allows it to escape, and in many instances he will even kill it 
 with his own weapons. 
 
 " The food of the Menura appears to consist principally of insects, par- 
 ticularly of centipedes and coleoptera. I also found the remains of shelled 
 snails in the gizzard, which is very strong and muscular." 
 
 The nest of the Lyre-bird is a large, loosely-built, domed structure, com- 
 posed of small sticks, roots, and leaves, and of an oven-like shape, the 
 entrance being in front. The lining is warm and soft, being composed of 
 downy feathers. 
 
 The egg of this singular bird is quite as curious as its general form, and 
 presents the curious anomaly of an egg as large as that of a common fowl, 
 possessing all the character- 
 istics of the insessorial egg. 
 The general colour of the 
 egg is a deep chocolate tint, 
 marked with purple more or 
 less deep in different speci- 
 mens, and its surface is co- 
 vered with a number of stains 
 and blotches of a darker hue, 
 which are gathered towards 
 the larger end, as is usual in 
 spotted eggs. 
 
 We are all familiar with 
 the Wren. 
 
 The long and harsh name 
 of Troglodytes, which has 
 been given to this bird, sig- 
 nifies a diver into caves, and 
 has been attributed to the 
 Wren on account of its shy 
 and retiring habits, and its 
 custom of hiding its nest in 
 some hollow or crevice where 
 it may escape observation. 
 The Wren is seldom to be 
 seen in the open country, and 
 does not venture upon any 
 lengthened flight, but con- 
 fines itself to the hedge-rows and brushwood, where it may often be observed 
 hopping and skipping like a tiny feathered mouse among the branches. 
 It especially haunts the hedges which are flanked by ditches, as it can 
 easily hide itself in such locahties, and can also obtain a plentiful supply 
 of food. By remaining perfectly quiet, the observer can readily watch its 
 movements, and it is really an interesting sight to see the Httle creature 
 flitting about the brushwood, flirting its saucily expressive tail, and uttering its 
 quick and cheering note. 
 
 The voice of the Wren is very sweet and melodious, and of a more 
 powerful character than would be imagined from the dimensions of the bird. 
 The Wren is a merry httle creature, and chants its gay song on the slightest 
 encouragement of weather. Even in winter there needs but the gleam of a 
 few stray sunbeams to set the Wren a-singing, and the cold Christmas season 
 is often cheered with its happy notes. 
 
 WREN. — {Troglodytes vulgaris.') 
 
304 
 
 THE TAILOR-BIRD. 
 
 The nest of the Wren is rather an ambitious structure, being a completely 
 domed edifice, and built in a singularly mgenious manner. If, however, tue 
 bird can find a suitable spot, such as the hole of a decaying tree, the gnarled 
 and knotted branches of old ivy, or the overhanging eaves of a deserted 
 building, where a natural, dome is formed, it is sure to seize upon the oppor- 
 tunity and to make a dome of very slight workmanship. The dome, how- 
 ever, always exists in some form. 
 
 The materials of which the nest is composed are always leaves, mos", 
 grass, and lichens, and it is almost always so neatly built that it can hardjy 
 be seen by one who was not previously aware of its position. The opening 
 of the nest is always at the side, so that the eggs are securely shielded from 
 the effects of weather. 
 
 As to the locality and position in which the nest is placed, no definite 
 rule is observed, for the Wren is more capricious than the generality of birds 
 in fixing upon a house for her young. Wrens' nests have been found in 
 branches, hedges, hayricks, waterspouts, hollow trees, barns and outhouses. 
 Sometimes the Wren becomes absolutely eccentric in its choice, and builds 
 its nest in spots which no one would conjecture that a bird would select. A 
 Wren has been known to make its nest in the body of a dead hawk which 
 had been killed and nailed to the side of a barn. Another Wren chose to 
 make her house in the throat of a dead calf, which had been hung upon a 
 tree, and another of these curious little birds was seen to build in the interior 
 of a pump, gaining access to her eggs and young through the spout. 
 
 The eggs of the Wren are very small, and are generally from six to eight 
 in number. 
 
 During the winter, the Wren generally shelters itself from the weather in 
 the same nest which it had inhabited during the breeding season, and in 
 very cold seasons it is not an uncommon event to find six or seven Wrens 
 all huddled into a heap for the sake of warmth, and presenting to the eye or 
 hand of the spectator nothing but a shapeless mass of soft brown feathers. 
 It is probable that these little gatherings may be composed of members of 
 the same family. 
 
 The colour of the Wren is a rich reddish brown, paling considerably on 
 the under surface of the body, and darkening into dusky brown upon the 
 quill feathers of the wings and tail. The outer webs of the former are 
 sprinkled with reddish brown spots, and the short tail-feathers are barred 
 with the same hue. The bill is slender, and rather long in proportion to the 
 general dimensions of the bird. The total length of the Wren is rather 
 more than four inches. White and pied varieties are not uncommon. 
 
 We now arrive at the very large family of the Warblers. 
 
 The first example of the Warblers is the celebrated Tailor-BIRD of India 
 and the Indian Archipelago. 
 
 The Tailor-bird is a sober little creature, not more conspicuous than a 
 common sparrow, and is chiefly remarkable- for its curious nest, which is 
 made in a singular and most ingenious manner. Taking two leaves at the 
 extremity of a slender twig, the bird literally sews them together at their 
 edges, its bill taking the place of the needle, and vegetable fibres constituting 
 the thread. A quantity of soft cottony down is then pushed between the 
 leaves, and a convenient hollow scraped out in which the eggs may lie and 
 the young birds may rest at their ease. Sometimes, if the leaf be large 
 enough, its two edges are drawn together, but in general a pair of leaves are 
 needed. A few feathers are sometimes mixed with the down. 
 
 This curious nest is evidently hung at the very extremity of the twigs, in 
 order to keep it out of the way of the monkeys, snakes, and other enemies 
 which might otherwise attack and devour mother and young together. 
 
THE GOLDEM-CRESTED WREN. 
 
 305 
 
 The tiny Golden-crested Wren, as it is popularly called, is very 
 common throughout England, and may be seen hopping and flitting merrily 
 among the branches in copses, orchards, and plantations. Although from its 
 diminutive size it has gained the title of Wren, it has no claim to that 
 designation, and is more rightly termed the Kinglet, or Regulus. 
 
 TAILOR-BtRD. — (Ortholomus lungicaudus.) 
 
 The Golden-crested Wren is notable for the crest of golden-coloured 
 feathers which is placed upon the crown of its head, which it can raise or 
 depress at pleasure, and which gives so pert and changeful an expression to 
 the little creature. But for this golden crest, which is not at allconspicuous 
 when the feathers are lowered, the bird might easily be mistaken for a tree- 
 
 X 
 
3o6 
 
 THE GOLDEN-CRESTED WREN. 
 
 GOLDEN-CRESTED WREN. 
 cristatus.) 
 
 -(Regulus 
 
 creeper as it rurts up and down the branches, searching into the crevices of 
 the bark for the little insects on which it feeds. 'I'he first specimen that I 
 ever saw was traversing the branches of a fine " Blenhean Orange" apple- 
 tree in an adjoining garden, and by my inexperienced eves was at first taken 
 for a very young creeper. Like the creeper, it can even run up a perpen- 
 dicular wall, peering into every 
 little crevice, and stocking up the 
 moss and lichens for the purpose 
 of obtaining the insects and their 
 eggs that are lying concealed. It 
 will also eat the chrysalides that 
 are found so abundantly upon the 
 walls. 
 
 All the movements of the Golden- 
 crested Wren are full of spring 
 and fiery activity, and the manner 
 in which it will launch itself from 
 one tree to another, and then, with- 
 out a pause, commence traversing 
 the branches, is a sight well worth 
 seeing. Perhaps it is seen to best 
 advantage among the fir trees, 
 where it finds great scope for its 
 active habits. Up one branch it 
 scuds, down another, then whisks 
 itself through the air to a fresh tree, 
 and then flings itself back again to its former perch. Along the twigs it runs 
 with astonishing rapidity, sometimes clinging with its head downward, 
 sometimes running round and round them spirally, always twisting its pert 
 little head in every direction, and probing each hole and crevice with its 
 
 sharp, slender little bill. The rough- 
 est-barked trees are its favourite 
 resort, because in such localities it 
 finds its best supply of insect food. 
 
 The nest of this beautiful little bird 
 is exquisitely woven of various soft 
 substances, and is generally suspended 
 to a trunk where it is well sheltered 
 from the weather. I have often found 
 their nests, and in every instance 
 have noticed that they are shaded 
 by leaves, the projecting portion of a 
 banch, or some such protection. In 
 onecase the nest, which was suspended 
 to a fir-branch, was almost invisible 
 beneath a heavy bunch of large cones 
 -{Sylvia atncapilla.) that drooped over it, and forced the 
 bird to gain admission by creeping 
 along the branch to which the nest was suspended. The edifice is usually 
 supported by three branches, one above and one at either side. The nest 
 is usually lined with feathers, and contains a considerable number of eggs, 
 generally from six to ten. These eggs are hardly bigger than peas, and, 
 as may be supposed, their shells are so delicately thin, that to extract the 
 interior without damaging them is a very difficult matter. 
 The entire length of this bird is about three inches and a half, and its 
 
 BLACKCAP WARBLER.- 
 
THE NIGHTINGALE. 3^7 
 
 general colour is brownish above, marked with olive-green, and ilanked with 
 white on the wing-coverts. The under surface is yellowish gtey, the beak is 
 black, and the eye hazel-brown. The forehead is marked with greyish 
 white ; the crest is brilliant yellow tipped with orange, and on each side of 
 the crest runs a black line. The female is not so brilliant in her colouring, 
 and the crest is wholly of a pale yellow. 
 
 The Fire-crested Wren is very similar to the preceding species, but 
 may be distinguished from it by the ruddy hue of the forehead, the fiery 
 orange of the crest, and the decidedly yellow hue of the sides of the neck. 
 It is an inhabitant of England, but it is a much rarer bird than the Golden- 
 crest. Owing to the great resemblance between the two species, they have 
 often been mistaken for each other, and it is only within a comparatively 
 recent period that their diversity was established. 
 
 With the exception of the nightingale, the Blackcap Warbler is the 
 sweetest and richest of all the British song-birds, and in many points the 
 voice of the Blackcap is even superior to that of the far-famed Philomel. 
 
 The Blackcap derives its name from the tuft of dark feathers which crown 
 the head, and which in the males are coal black, but in the females are deep 
 reddish brown. It is rather late 
 in arriving, seldom being seen 
 or heard until the end of April, 
 and it remains with us until the 
 middle of September. As seve- 
 ral specimens of this pretty bird 
 have been noticed in England in 
 the months of December and 
 January, it is probable that some 
 individuals maynot migrate at all, 
 but remain in this country through- 
 out the entire winter. Should 
 it do so, it might easily escape 
 notice, as it would not be likely 
 to sing much during the cold 
 months, and owing to its retiring nightingale.— (Zaj««M Philomela.) 
 
 habits it is at all times more 
 likely to be heard than seen. 
 
 The food of the Blackcap consists chiefly of insects, but it also pays 
 attention to the ripe fruit in the autumn, being especially fond of rasp- 
 berries. Perhaps it may choose this fruit on account of the little white 
 maggots that are so often found in the centre of the over-ripe raspberry. 
 
 The nest of the Blackcap is generally placed only a foot or so above the 
 ground, within the shelter of a dense bush or tuft of rank herbage, and is 
 composed of vegetable fibres and hairs rather loosely put together. The 
 eggs are four or five in number, and are of a pale reddish brown, dappled 
 with a deeper hue of brown. The general colour of the Blackcap is grey, 
 with- a wash of dark green upon the upper surface and ashen grey upon the 
 lower surface. The total length of the bird is not quite six inches, its extent 
 of wings nearly nine inches, and its weight not quite half an ounce. 
 
 The well-known and far-famed NIGHTINGALE is, happily for us, an in- 
 habitant of England, visiting us about the middle of April and remaining 
 until the breeding season is over. 
 
 It seems to be rather a local bird, some parts of England appearing to be 
 quite unsuited to its habits. The northern counties are seldom visited by 
 this bird, and in Ireland and Scotland it is almost unknown. 
 
 The food of the Nightingale consists principally of various insects, and it 
 
 X 2 
 
3o8 
 
 THE NIGHTINGALE. 
 
 IS so powerfully attracted by the common mealworm, that one of these crea- 
 tines employed as a bait is sure to attract the bird to its destruction. It 
 appears to make great havoc among the caterpillars, which come out to feed 
 at night, and are to be seen so abundantly on damp warm evenings. In the 
 autumn it is somewhat of a fruit-eater, and has been seen in the act of eating 
 " blackheart " cherries, plucking them from the tree and carrying them to its 
 young. 
 
 As is well known, the song of the Nightingale is mostly uttered after sun- 
 set, but the bird may be heard in full song throughout the day. Towards 
 the end of June, whea the young birds are hatched, the song changes into a 
 kind of rough croaking sound, which is uttered by way of warning, and 
 accompanied with a sharp snapping sound of the beak. The time when the 
 Nightingales sing loudest and most constantly is during the week or two 
 after their arrival, for they are then engaged in attracting their mates, and 
 sing in fierce rivalry of each other, hoping to fascinate their brides by the 
 
 WHEATEAR. — (Saxicola cenanihe.) 
 
 splendour of their voices. When once the bird has procured a partner, he 
 becomes deeply attached to her, and if he should be captured, soon pines 
 away and dies, full of sorrowful remembrances. The bird-dealers are there- 
 fore anxious to catch the Nightingale before the first week has elapsed, as 
 they can then, by dint of care and attention, preserve the bird in full song to 
 a very late period. Mr. Yarrel mentions an instance where a caged Night- 
 ingale sang upon a hundred and fourteen successive days. 
 
 The nest of the Nightingale is always placed upon or very near the 
 ground, and is generally carefully hidden beneath heavy foliage. One such 
 nest that I discovered in Wiltshire was placed among the knotted and 
 gnarled roots of an old ivy-covered thorn-stump that still maintained its 
 place within a yard of a footpath. The nest is made of grass and leaves, 
 and is of exceedingly slight construction, so slight, indeed, that to remove it 
 without damage is a very difficult process, and requires the careful use of the 
 hands. The eggs are generally four and sometimes five in number, and are 
 
THE WHEATEAR. 
 
 309 
 
 of a peculiar smooth olive-brown, which distinguishes them at once from the 
 egg of any other British bird of the same size. 
 
 The colour of the Nightingale is a rich hair-brown upon the upper part of 
 the body, and greyish white below, the throat being of a lighter hue than the 
 breast and abdomen. The entire length of the bird rather exceeds six 
 inches. 
 
 A SMALL but very interesting group of birds now claim our attention. 
 These are the Erythacinse, or Redbreast kind, including the Redbreast, the 
 Wheatear, and other birds. 
 
 The Wheatear, or Fallow Chat, is a well-known visitant of tlie British 
 Isles, and on account of the delicate flavour of its flesh when fat, is sadly 
 persecuted throughout the whole time of its sojourn. 
 
 Being in great favour for the table, where it is popularly known as the 
 English ortolan, and consequently fetching a good price in the market, it is 
 caught in great numbers, and sold to the game-dealers of London. The trap 
 by which it is captured is a remarkably simple affair, consisting merely of an 
 oblong piece of turf cut from the soil, and arranged crosswise over the 
 cavity from which it was taken. A horsehair noose is supported under the 
 turf by means of a stick, and the trap is complete, needing no bait or super- 
 vision. It is the nature of the Wheat- 
 ear to run under shelter at the least 
 alarm ; a passing cloud sufficing to 
 drive it under a stone or into a hole 
 in a bank. Seeing, therefore, the 
 sheltering turf, the Wheatear runs 
 beneath it, and is caught in the noose. 
 These simple traps are much used by 
 the shepherds, who can make and 
 attend to four or five hundred in a day, 
 and have been known to catch upwards 
 of a thousand Wheatears within twenty- 
 four hours. 
 
 As a general rule, the nest of the, 
 Wheatear is hidden in the most per- 
 fect manner, the bird ordinarily choos- 
 ing to place its domicile within the 
 recesses of large stone-heaps, in deep 
 rocky crannies, and in similar loca- 
 lities ; so that, even if it should be discovered, the work of obtaining it is 
 very severe. In some pats of the cliff-bound sea-coast, the Wheatear's nest 
 is so deeply buried in the rocky crevices, that the only mode of obtaining 
 the eggs is to hook out the nest by means of a bent wire at the end of a 
 long stick. 
 
 The upper part of the body is light silver-grey, and the quill feathers of 
 the wings, together with their coverts, are deep black. The middle tail- 
 feathers and the tips of the various rectrices, are of the same hue, and a 
 black streak passes from the edge of the beak to the ear, enveloping the eye, 
 and spreading widely upon the ear-coverts. The breast is buff, with a 
 decided orange tinge, and the abdomen is beautifully white. The female is 
 not quite so handsome ; the wings, tail, and ear-coverts being dark brown, 
 and the lighter portions of the body tinged with brown. The total length of 
 the bird is about six inches and a half. 
 
 The specific title of phmnicura, which is given to the REDi5TART, signifies 
 " ruddy-tail," and is attributed to the bird in consequence of the light ruddy 
 chestnut feathers of the tail and upper tail-coverts. 
 
 REDSTART. — {Ruticilla phmnicura.) 
 
310 
 
 THE REDSTART. 
 
 It is a handsomely-coloured and elegantly-shaped bird, and is a great 
 ornament to our fields and hedge-rows. The name of Redstart is a very 
 appropriate one, and has been given to the bird in allusion to the peculiar 
 character of its flight. While walking quietly along the hedge-rows, the 
 observer may often see a bird flash suddenly out of the leafage, flirt its tail in 
 the air, displaying strongly a bright gleam of ruddy hue, and after a sharp 
 dash of a few yards, turn into the hedge again with as much suddenness as 
 it had displayed in its exit. These manoeuvres it will repeat frequently, 
 always keeping well in front, and at last it will quietly slip through the 
 hedge, double back on the opposite side, and return to the spot whence it 
 had started. 
 
 No one need fancy, from seeing the bird in the hedge, that its nest is in 
 close proximity, for the Redstart seldom builds in such localities, only haunt- 
 ing them for the sake of obtaining food for its young. The nest is almost 
 invariably built in the hole of an old wall, in a crevice of rock, a heap of 
 
 REDBREAST. — (Erythacus ruiecula.) 
 
 large stones, in a hollow tree, or in very thick ivy. The eggs are generally 
 five in number, although they vary from four to seven, and are of a beautiful 
 blue, with a slight tinge of green. They are not unlike those of the common 
 hedge-sparrow, but are shorter and of a different contour. 
 
 The Redstart has a very sweet song, which, although not very powerful, is 
 soft and melodious, bearing some resemblance to that of the nightingale. 
 
 The food of the Redstart is mostly of an insect nature, and is obtained in 
 various ways. Sometimes the bird dashes from its perch upon a passing 
 insect, after the manner of the flycatcher ; sometimes it chases beetles and 
 other creeping insects upon the leaves and branches of the hedges ; some- 
 times it hunts for worms, grubs, and snails from the ground ; and it often 
 picks maggots out of fungi, decaying wood, mosses, and lichens. Soft ripe 
 fruit is also eaten by the Redstart, which, however, ought to be allowed its 
 free range of the garden in recompense for the great service which it has 
 pertormedin the eailier portion of the year, by devouring the myriad insects 
 
THE REDBREAST. 311 
 
 that feed upon the blossoms of fruit-trees. The softer berries form part of 
 the Redstart's diet, but the bird does not seem to care about the hard seeds. 
 There are few birds which are more famihar to us than the Redbreast, 
 or Robin, a bird which is interwoven among our earhest recollections, 
 through the medium of " The Children in the Wood " and the mournful 
 ballad of " The Death and Burial of Cock Robin." 
 
 Although the Redbreast remains in England throughout the winter, it is 
 very susceptible to cold, and one of the first birds to seek for shelter, its 
 appearance among the outhouses being always an indication of coming 
 inclemency. In cold weather, the Redbreast seldom perches upon twigs and 
 branches, but crouches in holes or sits upon the ground. The bird seems 
 strongly attached to man and his home, and will follow the ploughman over 
 the fields, picking up the worms which he turns up with the ploughshare, or 
 enter his house and partake of his evening meal. 
 
 The nest of this bird is generally placed near the ground in a thick leafy 
 bush, or in a bank, and is composed of dry leaves, moss, grass, hair, and 
 feathers. I have seen the nest very well concealed among the thick ivy that 
 had wreathed round a tree-trunk, and placed about eight feet from the 
 ground. The bird seldgm flies directly to its nest, or leaves it directly, but 
 alights at a little distance, and creeps through the leaves or branches until it 
 enters its home. 
 
 The eggs of the Redbreast are generally five in number, as is the case with 
 most of the song-birds, and their colour is greyish white, covered with 
 variously-sized spots of pale rusty red. The song of this bird is very sweet 
 and pleasing ; and it is a pretty sight to observe two or more Redbreasts 
 perched on different trees, and answering each other with their musical cries. 
 Whenever the Redbreast perches on the top of a tree or other elevated spot, 
 and begins to sing menily, it is an unfailing indication that the weather of 
 the coming day promises to be fair. The bird sings throughout the greater 
 part of the year, beginning early in spring, and continuing it very late into 
 the autumn. Even in the winter months, a bright sunny day is apt to excite 
 the Robin to perch upon a twig and pour forth a sweet though broken 
 melody. 
 
 The colour of the male Robin is bright olive-brown on the back, orange- 
 red on the throat, chin, breast, forehead, and round the eye. A stripe of 
 blue-grey runs round the red, and the abdomen and lower part of the breast 
 are white. The bill and eyes are black. The female is coloured after the 
 same manner, but the tints are not so vivid as in her mate. The total length 
 of the bird is nearly six inches, and its weight about half an ounce. 
 
 Of the pretty though sober-plum aged Accentors, we have one or two 
 British examples, that which is best known being the Hedge Accentor, or 
 Hedge Sparrow, as it is often, though wrongly, called, as it by no means 
 belongs to the same group of birds. 
 
 The Hedge Accentor is very common through the whole of England, and 
 may be heard in the gardens, copses, and hedge-rows, chanting its pleasing 
 and plaintive melody without displaying much fear of its auditors. 
 
 It is especially adapted for living among hedges, as it possesses a singular 
 facihty in threading its way through the twigs, stems, and branches. It 
 seems equally at home in dried brushwood, and may often be seen traversing 
 the interior of a woodpile with perfect ease. The nest is one of the earliest 
 to be built, and is frequently completed and the eggs laid before the genial 
 warmth of spring has induced the green leaves to burst their inclosures. 
 
 The nest is generally placed at a very low elevation, seldom more than 
 two or three feet from the ground, and it is rather large in proportion to the 
 size of the bird. The materials of which the structure is made are various 
 
3ia 
 
 THE HEDGE SPARROW. 
 
 HEDGE SPARROW, OR ACCENTOR. 
 {^Accentor modidarius .) 
 
 mosses, wool, and hair, and the eggs are usually five in number, of a bright 
 bluish green colour. Sometimes, but very rarely, six eggs are found in a 
 single nest. 
 
 The song ol the Hedge Accentor is sweet, but not varied nor powerful, 
 and has a peculiar plaintive air about it. The bird is a persevering songster, 
 continuing to sing turoughout a large portion of the year, and only ceasing 
 
 during the time of the ordinary moult. 
 Like many other warbling birds, it 
 possesses considerable powers of imi- 
 tation, and can mock with some suc- 
 cess, the greater number of British 
 song-birds. 
 
 1 he colour of the Hedge Accentor 
 is bluish grey, covered with small 
 brown streaks upon the head and the 
 back and sides of the neck. The back 
 and wings are brown, streaked with a 
 deeper tint of the same hue, and the 
 quill feathers of the wings and tail 
 are of a rather darker brown, and not 
 quite so glossy. The chin, the throat, 
 and upper part of the breast are grey, 
 and the lower part of the breast and 
 the abdomen are white with a wash 
 of pale buff, The legs and toes are 
 brown, with a decided orange tinge, and the beak is dark brown. The 
 total length of the bird is nearly six inches. 
 
 The group of birds which are distinguished by the name of Parinae or 
 
 Titmice, are easily 
 recognizable, having 
 all a kind of famliy 
 resemblance which 
 guards the observer 
 from mistakingthem 
 for any other bird. 
 
 The first example 
 of these birds is the 
 Great Titmouse, 
 an inhabitant of 
 England and many 
 parts of Europe. 
 
 It does not mi- 
 grate, finding a suf- 
 ficiency of winter 
 food in its native 
 land. During the 
 summer it generally 
 haunts the forests, 
 gardens, or shrub- 
 beries, and may be 
 seen hopping and 
 running about the 
 branches of the trees in a most adroit manner, searching for insects, and 
 occasionallv knocking them out of their hiding-places by sharp blows of 
 the bill. The beak of the Great Titmouse is, although so small, a very 
 
 GREAT TITMOUSE — (Furus major.) 
 
TITMICE. 
 
 313 
 
 formidable one, for the creature has often been known to set upon the 
 smaller birds and to kill them by repeated blows on the head, afterwards 
 pulling the skull to pieces and picking out the brains. During the winter 
 the Great Titmouse draws near to human habitations, and by foraging 
 among the barns and outhouses, seldom fails in discovering an ample 
 supply of food. 
 
 The nest is always made in some convenient hollow, generally that of 
 a tree, but often in the holes of old walls, and in the cavities that are 
 formed by thick gnarled roots in the sides of a bank. Hollow trees, how- 
 ever, are the favourite nesting-places of this bird, which is able to shape 
 the hollow to its liking, by chiselling away the decaying wood with its 
 sharp strong beak. The materials of which the nest is made vary accord- 
 ing to the locality. There are generally from eight to twelve eggs in each 
 
 BLUE TITMOUSE — {Parus cceruleus.) 
 
 nest, and their colour is whitish grey, covered with mottlings of a rusty red, 
 which are thickly gathered towards the larger end. 
 
 The colouring of this species is very bold, and is briefly as follows : The 
 top of the head a.nd throat, as far as the middle of the neck, together with 
 a rather broad streak down the centre of the chest and abdomen, are rich 
 purple-black, relieved by a spi't of pure white on the nape of the neck, and 
 a large flask-shaped patch vmder each eye. The back and shoulders are 
 ashy green, the greater wing-coverts are blue-black, each feather being tipped 
 with white, so as to form a bar across the wings. The quill feathers are dark 
 green-grey, the primaries being edged with greyish white. The tail-feathers 
 are the same green-grey, except that the extreme feathers are white on their 
 outer ends. The under parts are light sulphurous yellow, and the under tail- 
 coverts are white. The total length of the bird is not quite six inches. 
 
 The little Blue Titmouse is one of the most familiar birds of England, 
 as it is widely spread throughout the land, and is of so bold a nature that it 
 exhibits itself fearlessly to any observer. In many of its habits it resembles 
 the last-mentioned species, but it nevertheless possesses a very marked 
 character, and has peculiarities which are all its own. As it trips glancingly 
 
314 
 
 TITMICE. 
 
 -^/ 
 
 over the branches, it hardly looks like a bird, for its quick limbs and strong 
 claws carry it over the twigs with such rapidity that it resembles a blue 
 mouse rather than one of the feathered tribe. Being almost exclusively an 
 insect-eating bird, and a most voracious little creature, it renders invaluable 
 service to the agriculturist and the gardener by discovermg and destroying 
 the insects whicii crowd upon the trees and plants in the early days of 
 spring, and which, if not removed, would effectually injure a very large pro- 
 portion of the fruit and produce. 
 
 The nest of this species may be found in the most extraordinary localities, 
 such as hollow trees, holes in old walls, the interior of disused spouts, sides 
 of gravel-pits, the hat of a scarecrow, the inside of a porcelain jar, or the 
 cylinder of a pump. One bird had actually chosen a bee-hive as its 
 residence, and had succeeded in building its nest and rearing its young while 
 surrounded by the bees going to and returning from their work. Another 
 Titmouse contrived to get into a weathercock on the summit of a spire, 
 and there made its nest in security. The eggs are small and rather 
 numerous, lieing generally about eight or ten, but sometimes exceeding the 
 latter number. 
 
 The Long-tailed Tit- 
 mouse is familiarly known 
 throughout England, and is 
 designated under different 
 titles, according to the locality 
 in which it resides, some of iis 
 popular names being derived 
 from its shape, and others 
 from its crest. In some parts 
 of the country it is called 
 " Long Tom," while others 
 it goes by the name of" Lottie- 
 crested Tit," or "Poke-Pud- 
 ding," the latter word being a 
 provincial rendering of the 
 useful culinary apparatus 
 termed a pudding-'^ag. 
 
 This pretty little bird is a 
 notable frequenter of trees, 
 hedgerows, and orchards, and 
 is remarkable for its sociable habits, being generally seen in little troops of 
 six or eight in number. It appears that the young birds always remain with 
 their parents throughout the whole of the first year, so that when the brood 
 happens to be a large one, as many as sixteen Long-tailed Titmice may be 
 seen hopping and skipping about together. 
 
 As far as is known, the Long-tailed Titmouse feeds exclusively on insects, 
 and on account of its microscopical eyes is able to see and to catch the very 
 minutest. The service which is rendered to agriculture by even a single nest 
 of these birds is almost invaluable, for at all seasons of the year they con- 
 tinue to obtain their food, catching the perfect insect in the summer, and 
 feeding on the eggs, hidden larvse, and chrysalides in the winter. 
 
 The nest of this species is undoubtedly the most wonderful example of 
 bird architecture that is to be found in the British Islands, and is not 
 exceeded in beauty by the home of any bird whatever. In form it somewhat 
 resembles an egg, and it is built of moss, hair, a very little wool, the cocoon 
 webs of spiders, and the silken hammocks of certain caterpillars, all woven 
 into each other in the most admirable manner. The exterior of the nest is 
 
 LONG-TAii.fD TITMOUSE. — (Parus caudatus.) 
 
THE PIED WAGTAIL. 315 
 
 spangled with silvery lichens, which generally correspond in colour with the 
 bark of the tree on which it is placed, and serve to render it as little con- 
 spicuous as possible. The interior of the nest is wonderfully soft and warm, 
 being literally crammed with downy feathers to such an extent that the eggs 
 are deeply buried in the feathery bed, and cannot be counted until the whole 
 lining of the nest is removed. The nest is generally placed rather near the 
 ground, and is so well concealed that it is not easily seen except by expe- 
 rienced eyes. 
 
 The number of eggs which this little bird lays is really surprising. Very 
 seldom does it content itself with eight, and double that number has been 
 frequently counted in a single nest. In consequence, the young birds are 
 packed like so many herrings in a barrel, and the ingenuity which must be 
 exerted by the parent birds in giving each little one its food in proper 
 rotation must be very great indeed. 
 
 The colouring of this species is as follows. The upper part of the head, 
 the cheeks, the throat, and the whole of the under suiface are greyish white, 
 warming into a rosy hue upon the sides, flanks, and under tail-coverts. A 
 broad stripe of deep black passes over the eye and ear-coverts, and joins 
 a. large triangular patch of the same jetty hue, which extends from the 
 shoulders as far as the upper tail-coverts. The shoulders, the scapularies, 
 and the lower part of the back are washed with a decided tinge of a ruddy 
 hue. The wings are mostly black, with the exception of the tertiary quill 
 feathers, which are edged with white. The long central feathers of the tail 
 are black, and the remainder are black on the inner webs and white on the 
 outer. They are regularly graduated in length, each pair being about half 
 an inch shorter than the preceding pair. Both sexes are similar in their 
 colouring. The total' length of the bird is about five inches and a half. 
 
 WAGTAILS. 
 
 We now arrive at a small group of birds which is sufficiently familiar to 
 every observer of nature through the different representatives which inhabit 
 this country. The Wagtails, so called from their well-known habit of 
 jerking their tails while running on the ground or on settling immediately 
 after a flight, are found in both hemispheres, and are all well known by the 
 habit from which they derive their popular title. N ess than nine species 
 of this group occur in Britain, some of which are nearly as well known as the 
 common sparrow, while others are less familiar to the casual observer. 
 
 The Pied Wagtail is the most common of all the British examples of 
 this genus, and may be seen at the proper season of the year near almost 
 every pond or brook, or even in the open road, tripping daintily over the 
 ground, pecking away at the insects and wagging its tail with hearty 
 good-will. 
 
 Mr. Yarrell mentions that this bird is an accomplished fisher, and excels 
 in snapping up the smaller minnows and fry as they come to the surface of 
 the water. It also haunts the fields where sheep, horses, or horned cattle are 
 kept, and hovers confidingly close to their hoofs, pecking away briskly at the 
 little insects which are disturbed by their tread. It also delights in newly 
 mown lawns, and runs over the smooth surface with great agility, peering 
 between every grass-blade in search of the insects which may be lying con- 
 cealed in their green shelter. The flight of the Pied Wagtail is short and 
 jerking, the bird rising and falling in a very peculiar manner with every 
 stroke of the wings. 
 
 The Pied Wagtail remains in England throughout the vear, but generally 
 
3i6 
 
 FIPITS. 
 
 retires to the southern counties during the winter, as it would othewise be 
 unable to obtain its food. 
 
 The nest of the Wagtail is generally placed at no great distance from water, 
 and is always built in some retired situation. Holes in walls, the hollows 
 of aged trees, or niches in old gravel-pits are favourite localities with this bird. 
 Heaps of large stones are also in great favour with the Wagtail, and I have 
 generally found that where^ er a pile of rough stones has remained for some time 
 in the vicinity of water, a Wagtail's nest is almost invariably somewhere with- 
 in it. I have also found the nest in heaps of dry brushwood piled up for the 
 purpose of being cut into faggots. In every case the nest is placed at a con- 
 siderable depth. The eggs are generally four or five in number, and their 
 colour is grey-white, speckled with a great number of very small brown spots. 
 The colouring of the Pied Wagtail is almost entirely b ack and white, very 
 boldly disposed and distributed as follows. The top of the head, the nape 
 of the neck, part of the shoulders, the chin, neck, and throat, are jetty black, 
 contrasting boldly with the pure snowy white of the sides of the face and the 
 white patch on the sides of the neck. The upper tail-coverts and the coverts 
 of the wings are also black. The quill feathers of the wings are black, edged 
 
 on the outer web with a lighter 
 hue. The two exterior feathers 
 of the tail are pure while, edged 
 on the inner web with white, and 
 the remainder jetty black. The 
 under parts of the body are grey- 
 ish white, taking a blue tint upon 
 the flanks. The entire length of 
 the bird is between seven and 
 eight inches. This is the summer 
 plumage of the male bird. In 
 the winter the chin and throat 
 exchange their jetty hue for a 
 pure white, leaving only a collar 
 of black round the throat. The 
 female much resembles her mate 
 in the general colouring of her 
 plumage, but is about half an inch shorter. 
 
 The Pipits, or Titlarks as they are sometimes called, form a well- 
 marked group, which possesses the long hind toe of the hawk, together with 
 very simdar plumage, and also bears the long tail which is found in the 
 Wagtails Several species of Pipit inhabit England. 
 
 The best-known is the common Meadow Pipit, or Meadow Titling, a 
 bird which may be seen tliroughout the year upon moors, waste lands, and 
 marshy ground, changing its locality according to the season of year. It is 
 a pretty though rather sombre little bird, and is quick and active in its move- 
 ments, often jerking its long tail in a fashion that reminds the observer of 
 the Wagtail's habits. It moves with considerable celerity, tripping over the 
 rough and rocky ground which it frequents, and picking up insects with the 
 stroke of its unerring beak. Its food, however, is of a mixed description, as 
 in the crops of several individuals weie found seeds, insect and water-shells, 
 some of the latter being entire. 
 
 The nest of this species is placed on the ground, and generally hidden in 
 a large grass-tuft. 
 
 The very large family of the Thrushes now engages our attention. 
 Many of these birds are renowned for their sung, and some of them are 
 remarkable for their imitative power-. 
 
 PIED WAGTAIL. — (MotiuUla Yarrdlii.) 
 
THE DIPPER, OR WATER OUSEL. 
 
 317 
 
 The Ant Thrushes find an English representative in the well-known 
 Dipper, or Water Ousel, of our river banks. 
 
 Possessing neither brilliant plumage nor graceful shape, it is yet one of the 
 most interesting of British birds when watched in its favourite haunts. It 
 always frequents rapid streams and channels, and being a very shy and 
 retiring bird, invariably prefers those spots where the banks overhang the 
 water, and are clothed with thick brushwood. Should the bed of the 
 stream be broken up with rocks or large stones, and he fall be sufficiently 
 sharp to wear away an occasional pool, the Dipper is aa the better pleased 
 with its home, and in such a locahty may generally be found by a patient 
 observer. 
 
 All the movements of this little bird are quick, jerking, and wren-like, a 
 similitude which is enhanced by its habit of continually flirting its apology 
 for a tail. Caring nothing for the frosts of winter, so long as the water 
 
 MEADOW PIPIT. — (Anthus pratensis.) 
 
 remains free from ice, the Dipper may be seen throughout the winter months 
 flitting from stone to stone with the most animated gestures, occasionally 
 stopping to pick up some morsel of food, and ever and anon taking to the 
 water, where it sometimes dives entirely out of sight, and at others merely 
 walks into the shallows and there flaps about with great rapidity. 
 
 The food of the Dipper seems to be exclusively of an animal character, 
 and, in the various specimens which have been exarhined, consists of insects 
 in their different stages, small crustaceae, and the spawn and fry of various 
 fishes. Its fish-eating propensities have been questioned by some writers, 
 but the matter has been entirely set at rest by the discovery of fish-bones 
 and half-digested fish in the stomachs of Dippers that had been shot. 
 Generally, however, the food consists of water-beetles, particularly of the 
 genus known by the name of Hydrophilus, a flat, oval-shaped insect, with 
 hard wing-cases and oar-like hind-legs. The bird has also been known to 
 pick up the caddis worms, taking them on shore, pulling and knocking to 
 pieces the tough case in which the fat white grub is enveloped, and swallow- 
 ing the contents. 
 
3i8 
 
 THE MOCKING BIRD. 
 
 DIPPER. — {Hydrobates cinclus.) 
 
 The song of the Dipper is a lively and cheerful performance, and is 
 uttered most frequently in the bright frosty mornings. Sometimes it will 
 stand upon a stone when singing, and accompany its song with the oddest 
 imaginable gestures, hopping and skipping about, twisting its head in all 
 
 directions and acting as if it 
 were performing for the amuse- 
 ment of the spectator. 
 
 The nest is not unlike that of 
 the wren, being chiefly composed 
 of mosses built into a dome-like 
 shape with a single aperture in 
 the side. It is generally placed 
 near the water, and always under 
 some sort of cover, usually a hole 
 in the bank. 
 
 The nest is not, however, al- 
 ways so close to the water, for 
 I found one near Swindon, in 
 the side of an old disused pit, at 
 some little distance from the 
 great Swindon reservoir. It was discovered more by accident than by 
 intention, the touch having given the first intimation of its presence. The 
 moss always remains in a green state, as it is placed in a damp locality, so 
 that it can with great difficulty be distinguished from the vegetation' of the 
 spot whereon it is situated. 
 
 Tlie eggs are pure white, and rather long in proportion to their breadth. 
 Their full number is five, and the young remain with their parents for a 
 
 considerable period, forming 
 little companies of five or 
 six of these curious birds. 
 
 The general colour of this 
 bird is brown on the upper 
 surface of the body ; the 
 throat and upper parts of 
 the chest are white, and the 
 abdomen is rusty red. The 
 young birds possess a rather 
 variegated plumage of black, 
 brown, ash colour, and white. 
 The total length of the adult 
 bird is about seven inches. 
 
 The Mocking Bird of 
 America is universally al- 
 lowed to be the most won- 
 derful of all songsters, as it 
 not only possesses a very 
 fine and melodious voice, 
 but is also endowed with the capacity for imitating the notes of any other 
 bird, and, indeed, of immediately reproducing with* the most astonishing 
 exactness any sound which it may hear. 
 
 All persons who come within the sound of the Mocking Bird's voice are 
 fascinated with the thrilling strains that are poured without effort from the 
 melodious throat, and every professed ornithologist who has heard this 
 wonderful bird has exhausted the powers of his language in endeavouring 
 to describe the varied and entrancmg melody of the Mocking Bird. Within 
 
 MOCKING BIRD. — {MilKUS polyglottUS. ) 
 
THE MISSEL THRUSH. 
 
 319 
 
 the ^^ompass of one single throat the whole feathered race seems to be com- 
 prised, for the Mocking Bird can with equal ease imitate, or rather reproduce, 
 the sweet and gentle twittering of the blue-bird, the rich full song of the 
 thrush, or the harsh ear-piercing scream of the eagle. 
 
 Let it but approach the habitation of man, and it straightway adds a new 
 series of sounds to its already vast store, laying up in its most retentive 
 memory the various noises that are produced by man and his surroundings, 
 and introducing among its other imitations the barking of dogs, the harsh 
 " setting " of saws, the whirring buzz of the millstone, the everlasting clack 
 of the hoppers, the dull heavy blow of the mallet, and the cracking of 
 splitting timbers, the fragments of songs whistled by the labourers, the 
 creaking of ungreased wheels, the neighing of horses, the plaintive " baa " 
 of the sheep, and the deep lowing of the oxen, together with ail the innumer- 
 able and accidental sounds which are necessarily produced through human 
 means. Unfortunately, the bird is rather apt to spoil his own wonderful song 
 by a sudden introduction of one of these inharmonious sounds, so that the 
 listener, whose ear is being delighted with a succession of the softest and 
 richest toned vocalists, will 
 suddenly be electrified with 
 the loud shriek of the angry 
 hawk or the grating whirr of 
 the grindstone. 
 
 The nest of this bird is 
 usually placed in some thick 
 bush, and is in general very 
 carefully concealed. Some- 
 times, however, when the 
 bird builds in locaUties 
 where it knows that it will 
 be protected from human in- 
 terference, it is quite indif- 
 ferent about the concealment 
 of its home, and trusts to its 
 own prowess for the defence 
 of its mate and young. The 
 nest is always placed at a 
 short distance from the 
 ground, being seldom seen 
 at an elevation of more than eight feet. 
 
 The materials of which the nest is composed are generally dried weeds 
 and very slender twigs as a foundation ; straw, hay, wool, dried leaves, and 
 moss, as the main wall ; and fine vegetable fibres as the lining. The' eggs 
 are four or five in number, and there are often two broods in the course of 
 the year. The colour of the eggs is greenish blue, spotted with amber- 
 brown. 
 
 The first example of the true Thrushes is the MiSSEL THRUSH, one of 
 the largest and handsomest of the species. 
 
 It is one of our resident birds, and on account of its great size, its com- 
 bative nature, its brightly-feathered breast, its rich voice and gregarious 
 habits, is one of the best known of the British birds. About the beginning 
 of April the Missel Thrush sets about its nest, and in general builds a large 
 weighty edifice, that can be seen through the leafless bushes from a o-reat 
 distance. 
 
 The materials of which the nest is composed are the most heterogeneous 
 that can be imagined. Every substance that can be woven into a^nest is 
 
 MISSEL THRUSH. — (TurJui viscivorus.) 
 
',2o THE BLACKBIRD. 
 
 pressed into the service. Moss, hay, straw, dead leaves, and grasses are 
 among the ruling substances that are employed for the purpose, and the bird 
 often adds manufactured products, such as scraps of rag, paper, or shavings. 
 I once found one of these nests that was ingeniously placed in the crown of 
 an old hat which had evidently been flung into the tree by some traveller. 
 At first, it hardly looked like a nest, but there were a few bits of grass lying 
 over the brim that had a very suspicious aspect, and on climbing the tree, 
 the old hat was proved to have been made the basis of a warm nest, with 
 the proper complement of eggs. 
 
 Towards the end of the summer the Missel Thrushes assemble in flocks of 
 considerable size, and in the autumn often do great harm to gardens and 
 plantations, by devouring the fruit. They are particularly fond of rasp- 
 berries and cherries, and have been known entirely to ruin the crop of these 
 fruits. They are also fond of the berries of the mountain ash and the 
 arbutus, and are so partial to the viscid berries of the mistletoe plant that 
 they have been called by its name. Insects of various kinds, caterpillars, 
 and spiders also form part of the Missel Thrush's diet, and a partly-digested 
 lizard has been found in the interior of one of these birds. 
 
 The song of the Missel Thrush is rich, loud, clear, and ringing, and is 
 often uttered during the stormiest period of the year, the bird seeming to 
 prefer the roughest and most inclement weather for the exercise of its voice. 
 
 Another large example of the British Thrushes is found in the Fieldfare. 
 
 This bird is one of the migratory species, making only a winter visit to 
 this country, and often meeting a very inhospitable reception from the gnn 
 of the winter sports-boy. Very seldom is it seen in this country till 
 November, and is often absent until the cold month of December, when it 
 makes its appearance in great flocks, searching eagerly for food over the 
 fields. When the snow lies heavily upon the fields, this bird betakes itself 
 to the hedge-rows and outskirts of woods and copses, and there feeds on the 
 various berries that have survived the autumn. During this inclement 
 season the Fieldfare may be approached and shot without much difficulty. 
 Their shyness, however, depends greatly on the amount of persecution which 
 they have sustained. 
 
 In its colour the Fieldfare bears a decided resemblance to the generality of 
 tne Thrushes. The upper parts of the body as far as the shoulders are ashen 
 grey, dotted with dark-ftrown spots upon the head ; the back and wings are 
 rich brown, and the tail is dark blackish brown. The chin and throat are a 
 peculiar golden hue, not unlike amber, and covered with numerous black 
 streaks ; the breast is reddish brown, also spotted with black, and the abdo- 
 men and under parts are white, spotted on the flanks and under tail-coverts 
 with brown of various shades. The Fieldfare is not quite so large a bird as 
 the Missel Thrush, being about ten inches in total length. 
 
 Among the best-known and best-loved of our British songsters, the 
 Blackbird is one of the most conspicuous. 
 
 This well-known bird derives its popular name from the uniformly black 
 hue of its plumage, which is only relieved by the bright orange-coloured bill 
 of the male bird. The song of this creature is remarkable for its full mellow- 
 ness of note, and is ever a welcome sound to the lover of nature and her 
 vocal and visual harmonies. 
 
 The Blackbird feeds usually on insects, but it also possesses a great love 
 of fruit, and in the autumn ravages the gardens and orchards in a most de- 
 structive manner, picking out all the best and ripest fruit, and wisely leaving 
 the still immatured produce to ripen on the branches. 
 
 The nest of this bird is made very early in the spring, and is always care- 
 fully placed in the centre of some thick bush, a spreading holly-tree being a 
 
THE THRUSH. 
 
 3Z1 
 
 veiy favourite locality. It is a large, rough, but carefully-constructed habita- 
 tion, being made externally of grass-stems and roots, plastered on the interior 
 with a rather thick lining of coarse mud, which, when thoroughly dried, 
 forms a kind of rude earthenware cup. A lining of fine grass is placed 
 within the earthen cup, and upon this lining the five eggs are laid These 
 eggs are of a light greyish blue ground colour, splashed, spotted and 
 freckled over their entire surface with brown of various shades and intensity. 
 The colouring of these eggs is extremely variable, even those of a single nest 
 being very different in their appearance. 
 
 The Blackbird is very courageous in defence of its nest, and will attack 
 almost any animal that threatens the security of its home. On one occasion 
 a prowling cat was forced to retreat ignominiously from the united assaults 
 of two Blackbirds near whose domicile she had ventured. 
 
 The well-known Song Thrush, or Throstle as it is sometimes called, 
 bears a deservedly high rank among our British birds of song. 
 
 It is plentifully found in most parts 
 of England, and favours us with its 
 vocal efforts throughout a consider- 
 able portion of the year. The song of 
 the Thrush is peculiarly rich, mellow, 
 and sustained, and is remarkable for 
 the fuU purity of its intonation and 
 the variety of its notes. The Thrush 
 begins to sing as soon as incubation 
 commences, and continues its song 
 from the beginning of the spring until 
 the middle of autumn. In many 
 cases the bird sings to a very late 
 period of the year, and has been heard 
 in the months of November and 
 December. 
 
 The food of the Thrush is mostly 
 of an animal character, and consists 
 largely of worms, snails, slugs, and 
 similar creatures. In eating snails it 
 is very dexterous, taking them in its 
 bill, battering them against a stone 
 until the shells are entirely crushed, 
 and then swallowing the inclosed 
 mollusc. When a Thrush has found 
 
 a stone that suits his purpose peculiarly well, he brings all his snails to the 
 spot, and leaves quite a large heap of empty snail shells under the stone. 
 One of the best examples that I have ever seen was a large squared boulder- 
 stone, forming part of a rustic stile in Wiltshire. There was a large pile of 
 shells immediately under the stone, and the ground was strewed for some 
 distance with the crushed fragments that had evidently been trodden upon 
 and carried away by the feet of passengers. 
 
 The Thrush does not, however, confine itself wholly to this kind of diet 
 but in the autumn months feeds largely on berries and different fruits, being 
 very fond of cherries, and often \yorking great havoc in an orchard or fruit- 
 garden. But in spite of its occasional inroads upon the gardens, it deserves 
 the gratitude of the agriculturist on account of its service in destroying the 
 snails and other garden pests, and may well be allowed to take its autumnal 
 toll of a few of the fruits of which it has been such an efficient preserver. 
 The nest of the Thrush is rather large, and shaped like a basin. The 
 
 Y 
 
 BLACKBIRD.— (TarA.f msrula.) 
 
322 
 
 THE GOLDEN OHIOLE. 
 
 SONG THRUSH. — {Twdus musicus.) 
 
 shell of the nest is composed of roots and mosses, inside which is worked a 
 rather thin but wonderfully compact layer of cow-dung and decayed wood, 
 so strongly kneaded that when dry it will hold water almost as well as an 
 earthenware vessel. There are usually five eggs, of a beautiful blue spotted 
 with black. The spots are small, round, and well marked, and are extremely 
 
 variable in size and number ; 
 they are always gathered 
 towards the larger end of 
 the egg. 
 
 The Golden Oriole is 
 an extremely rare visitant of 
 this country, having been 
 but seldom observed within 
 our coasts, but is far from 
 uncommon in many parts of 
 the Continent, especially the 
 more southern portions of 
 Europe, such as the shores 
 of the Mediterranean and 
 Southern Italy. 
 
 It derives its name from 
 the bright golden yellow 
 with which the feathers of 
 the adult male bird are large- 
 ly tinged ; but as the full 
 glory of its plumage is not 
 displayed until the bird has entered its third year, it is possible that many 
 specimens may have visited this country and again departed without having 
 
 attracted particular atten- 
 tion. 
 
 It is rather gregarious in 
 its habits, generally associat- 
 ing in little flocks, and fre- 
 quenting lofty trees and or- 
 chards, where it can obtain 
 abundance of food. 
 
 The nest of this bird is 
 a very elegantly-formed and 
 well-constructed edifice, of a 
 shallow cup-like shape, and 
 usually placed in a horizon- 
 tal fork of a convenient 
 branch. The materials of 
 which it is made are mostly 
 delicate grass-stems, inter- 
 woven with wool so firmly 
 that the whole structure is 
 strong and warm. The eggs 
 are generally four or five in 
 number, and their colour is purplish white, sparingly marked with blotches 
 of a deep red and ashen grey. It is believed that there is but one brood 
 in the year, so, that the species does not multiply very rapidly. Sometimes 
 the bird is said to build a deep and purse-like nest, which is suspended 
 from a forked branch instead of being placed upon it. 
 The interesting family of Flycatchers is composed of a large number of 
 
 
 GOLDEN os.ioi.E.—{Orio/us galbula.) 
 
FLYCATCHERS. 
 
 323 
 
 species, extremely variable in size, form, and colour. The average dimen- 
 sions of these birds are about equal to those of a large sparrow, and many 
 are smaller than that bird, although two or three species nearly equal the 
 thrush in size. 
 
 WA 
 
 .imii* 
 
 PIED FLYCATCHER. — (Muscicapa atricapilla.) 
 SPOTTED FLYCATCHER. — (Muscicapa grlsola. ) 
 
 The Spotted Flycatcher has received several local names in allusion 
 to its habits, the titles Wall Bird and Beam Bird being those by which 
 it is most frequently designated. It is one of the migrating birds, arriving 
 in this country at a rather late season, being seldom seen before the middle 
 or even towards the end of May. 
 
324 FLYCATCHERS. 
 
 This, bird is fond of haunting parks, gardens, meadows, and shrubberies, 
 always choosing those spots where flies are most common, and aiia^uing 
 itself to the same perch for many days in succession. When the Flycatcher 
 inhabits any place where it has been accustomed to live undisturbed, it is a 
 remarkably trustful bird, and permits the near approach of man, even avail- 
 ing itself of his assistance. 
 
 The Spotted Flycatcher builds a very neatly made nest, and is in the habit 
 of fixing its home in the most curious and unsuspected localities. The hinge 
 of a door has on more than one occasion been selected for the purpose, 
 and in one instance the nest retained its position although the door was 
 repeatedly opened and closed, until a more severe shock than ordinary 
 shook the eggs out of the nest and broke them. It is fond of selecting 
 some human habitation for the locality in which it builds its nest, and its 
 titles of Beam Bird and Wall Bird have been given to it because it is in the 
 habit of making its home on beams or in the holes of walls. The branches 
 of a pear, apricot, vine, or honeysuckle are favourite resorts of the Spotted 
 Flycatcher, when the tree has been trained against a wall. 
 
 The nest is generally round and cup-shaped, and is made of fine grasses, 
 moss, roots, hair, and feathers, the harder materials forming the walls of the 
 nest, and the softer being employed as lining. 
 
 The eggs of the Spotted Flycatcher are four or five in number, and their 
 colour is a very pale bluish white, spotted with ruddy speckles. As the nest 
 is made at so late a period of the year, being but just begun when some 
 birds have hatched their first brood, there is not often more than a sinoli 
 family in the course of the season. Sometimes, however, it has been knowii 
 to hatch and rear a second brood in safety. 
 
 The general colour of the Spotted Flycatcher is a delicate brown on the 
 upper parts of the body, the quill feathers of the wings and tail being, as is 
 usually the case, of a blacker hue than the feathers of the back. There are 
 a few dark spots on the top of the head, and the tertial feathers of the wings 
 are edged with light brown. The breast is white, with a patch of very light 
 dull brown across its upper portion, and both the chin and breast are marked 
 with dark brown longitudinal streaks. 
 
 The other species of British Flycatchers is much more rare than the bird 
 just described, and may easily be distinguished from it by the peculiarity of 
 plumage, from which it derives its popular title. The Pied Flycatcher 
 has been observed in most parts of England, but seems to be of very rare 
 occurrence, except in the counties of Cumberland and Westmoreland, where 
 it is found in the vicinity of the lakes. 
 
 The colouring of this bird is as follows : In the adult male, the top of the 
 head, back of the neck, back, and wings, are dark blackish brown, with the 
 exception of a white patch upon the forehead, and a broad stripe of white 
 on the tertiary and greater wing-coverts. The tail is black, except some bold 
 white marks on some of the outer feathers, and the whole of the under 
 surface is pure white. The female is of a delicate brown on the upper parts 
 of the body, and those portions which in the male are pure white are in tlie 
 female of a dull whitish grey. In dimensions the bird is not equal to the 
 Spotted Flycatcher, barely exceeding five inches in total length. 
 
 A SMALL but interesting group of birds has been designated by the name of 
 Ampelinse, or Chatterers, in allusion to the loquacity for which some of the 
 species are remarkable. They all have a wide mouth, opening nearly as far 
 as the eyes, but without the bristly appendages which so often accompany a 
 large extent of gape. 
 
 One well-known species, the Waxen Chatterer, is a tolerably frequent 
 visitor of England, though it cannot be reckoned among the common British 
 
THE WAXEN CHATTERER. 
 
 32s 
 
 llirds. It is also known by the name of the BOHEMIAN CHATTERER, the 
 latter name being singularly inappropriate, as the bird is quite as rare in 
 Bohemia as in Engand. 
 
 It is a very gregarious bird, assembling in very large flocks, and congre- 
 gating so closely together that great numbers have been killed at a single 
 discharge of a gun. 
 
 The long, flat, scarlet appendages to the wings are usually confined to the 
 secondaries and tertiaries, at whose extremities they dangle as if they had 
 been formed separately, and fastened to the feathers as an after thought. 
 Indeed they so precisely resemble red sealing-wax, that anyone on seeing 
 the bird for the first time would probably suppose that a trick had been 
 played upon him by some one who desired to tax his credulity to a very great 
 extent. 
 
 BOHEMIAN WAXWING, OR WAXEN CHATTERER.— (^?»/f/w^a?rK/a.) 
 
 To this country it only comes in the winter months, although there has 
 been an example of its appearance as early as August. 
 
 In its plumage the Bohemian Waxwing is a very pretty and striking bird 
 being as notable for the silken softness of its feathers as for its pleasingly 
 blended colours and the remarkable appendage from which it derives its 
 popular name. The colouring of the bird is very varied, but may briefly be 
 described as follows. The top of the head and crest are a light soft brown, 
 warming into ruddy chestnut on the forehead. A well-defined band of bla._k 
 passes over the upper base of the beak, and runs round the back of the head, 
 developing the eyes on each side, and there is a patch of the same jetty hue 
 on the chin. The general colour of the bird is grey-brown, the primary and 
 secondary feathers of the wings and tail are black, tipped with yellow, the 
 primary \\ ing-coverts are tipped with white, and the tertiaries are purplish 
 
326 THE RED-BACKED SHRIKE. 
 
 brown, also tipped with white. The under surface of the bird is sober grey, 
 and the under tail-coverts are rich ruddy brown. The length of the Waxen 
 Chatterer is about eight inches. 
 
 We now arrive at the family of Lanida;, or Shrikes, or Butcher Birds, 
 whose character is given in the names by which they are distinguished The 
 scientific term " Lanida; " is of Latin origin, and is derived from a word 
 which signifies lacerating or tearing, in allusion to the habits of the bird. 
 These birds are found in all parts of the globe, and in all countries are cele- 
 brated for their sanguinary and savage character. They are quite as 
 rapacious as any of the hawk tribe, and in proportion to their size are much 
 more destructive and bloodthirsty. They feed upon small and disabled 
 mammalia, and birds of various kinds, especially preferring them while young 
 and still unfledged, and upon several kinds of reptiles, and also find great 
 part of their subsistence among the members of the insect world. 
 
 In oxAi-x to fit them for these rapacious pursuits, the bill is strong, rather 
 elongated, sharp-edged, curved at the tip, and armed on each side with a 
 well-marked tooth. The wings are powerful, the plumage closely set, and the 
 claws strong, curved, and sharp. The Shrikes are separated for convenience 
 of reference into two groups or sub-families, namely, the true Shrikes, or 
 Laninae, and the Bush Shrikes, or Thamnophilinae. 
 
 The Red-Backed Shrike is 
 a summer visitant to this country, 
 and is tolerably common. Its 
 winter quarters seem to be situ- 
 ated in Africa, and it reaches us 
 at the end of April, or the begin- 
 ning of May, passing through 
 Italy on its passage. 
 
 During the time of its residence 
 
 it may often be seen flitting about 
 
 the tops of hedges and small 
 
 trees, evidently in search of its 
 
 prey, and even at a considerable 
 
 ^ distance may be recognized by 
 
 Tr- ^ 7; _•„» its habit of wagging its tail up 
 
 RED-BACKED ^n-^v^^.-^Enneoctonus colluno.) ^^^ ^^^^ whenever it settles, in 
 
 a manner very similar to that of 
 the wag-tails. Usually it is seen in pairs ; but when the eggs are laid, the 
 male bird is generally engaged in procuring food while the mother bird 
 stays at home and attends to her domestic affairs. 
 
 The food of the Red-Backed Shrike chiefly consists of the larger insects, 
 such as grasshoppers, b?et\es, and chafers, and it is in the habit of impahng 
 them on the thorns near its nest, probably to save the mother bird the trouble 
 of going to look for her i wn meals. 
 
 The nest of this Shrike is situated in hedges or bushes, generally from 
 five to ten feet from the ground, the average elevation being about seven feet. 
 It is large, rather clumsy, and very easily seen through the foliage, heing 
 made of thick grass-stems, moss, and roots on the exterior, and lined with 
 very fine grasses and hair. In some places the nests are quite common, and 
 I have foundthree in a hedge surrounding a single field of no very great 
 extent. The eggs are generally five in number, and are rather variable in 
 colouring, their ground colour being always white, tinged in some cases with 
 blue, in others with green, and in a few specimens with rusty red. The spots 
 v\\\\ which they are marked are quite as variable, sometimes being numerous, 
 dark, and gathered into a ring at the large end of the egg, and sometimes 
 
JIIK CROW TRIBE. 3*7 
 
 being only grey and light brown scattered irregularly. In all cases, however, 
 they are gathered upon the large end of the egg. 
 
 In the adult male, the head, neck, and upper parts of the shoulders are 
 pearly grey, with a black stripe across the iDase of the beak and running 
 through the eye. The back and wing-coverts are ruddy chestnut, fading into 
 reddish grey upon the upper tail-coverts. The quill feathers of the wings 
 are black, edged with red upon their outer webs, and the quill feathers of 
 the tail are white at the basal half, and the remainder of each feather is 
 black tipped with a very narrow line of white. The chin and under tail- 
 coverts are white, and the rest of the under surface is pale rusty red. The 
 strongly notched and hooked beak is deep shining black. The female bird 
 may at once be known by the absence of the black streak across the eye, 
 which in lier case is replaced by a light-coloured stripe over the eye. The 
 head and all the upper parts of the body are reddish brown, and the red 
 edges of the wing-feathers are narrower than in the male. The under side 
 of the body is wholly greyish white, covered with very numerous transverse 
 lines of a darker hue. 
 
 We now arrive at a very large and important group, called from the shape 
 of their beaks the Conirostres, or Cone-billed Birds. In these birds the 
 bill varies in length and development, in some being exceedingly short, while 
 in others it is much elongated ; in some being straight and simple, while in 
 Others it is curiously curved and furnished with singular appendages ; in some 
 being toothless, while in others there is a small but perceptible tooth near 
 the tip. In all, however, the bill is more or less conical in form, being very 
 thick and rounded at the base, and diminishing to a point at the extremity. 
 There are no less than eight recognized families of this large group, contain- 
 ing some of the most important and most remarkable members of the 
 feathered race. 
 
 The first family is that which is well known under the title of Corvidas, 
 or Crows, containing the crows, rooks, magpies, starlings, and other familiar 
 birds, together with the equally celebrated bower birds but less known paradise 
 birds, troopials, and orioles. The beak of all these birds is long, powerful, and 
 somewhat compressed — i.e., flattened at the sides — curved more or less on the 
 ridge of the upper mandible, and with a notch at the extremity. 
 
 The best known of the Garruline, or talkative birds, is our common English 
 Jay, one of the handsomest of our resident birds. 
 
 The ordinary note of the Jay is a rather soft cry, but the bird is a most 
 adroit imitator of various sounds, particularly those of a harsh character. It 
 has one especially harsh scream, which is its note of alarm, and serves to set 
 on the alert not only its own kind but every other bird that happens to be within 
 hearing. The sportsman is often baffled in his endeavours to get a shot at 
 his game by the mingled curiosity and timidity of the Jay, which cannot 
 hear a strange rustling or see an unaccustomed object without sneaking 
 silently up to inspect it, and is so terribly frightened at the sight of a man 
 a dog, and a gun, that it dashes off in alarm, uttering its loud " squawk," 
 which indicates to every bird and beast that danger is abroad. 
 
 The Jay, like all the crow tribe, will eat animal or vegetable substances 
 with equal zest, and will plunder the hcards of small quadrupeds or swallow the 
 owner with perfect impartiality. Young birds are a favourite food of the Jay, 
 which is wonderfully clever at discovering nests and devouring the fledgelings. 
 Occasionally it even feeds upon birds, and as been seen to catch a full 
 grown thrush. Eggs also are great dainties with this bird, particularly those 
 of pheasants and partridges, so that it is ranked among the "vermin "by 
 all gamekeepers or owners of preserves. So fond is it of eggs, that it can 
 almost invariably be enticed into a trap by means of an egg or two placed aS 
 
328 
 
 THE J A Y. 
 
 bait, and it is a curious fact that the Jay does not seem to be aware of the 
 right season for eggs, and suspects no guile even when it finds a nest full of 
 fine eggs in the depth of winter. 
 
 It also eats caterpillars, moths, beetles, and various similar insects 
 preferring the soft, fat, and full-bodied species to those of a more siei dcr 
 shape. Fruits and berries form a considerable portion of the autumnal lood 
 of this bird, and it occasionally makes great havoc in the cherry orchaids, 
 slipping in quietly at the early dawn, accompanied by its mate and young 
 family, and stripping the branches of the bark and finest fruit. The kitchen 
 garden also suffers severely from the attacks of the Jay, which has a great 
 liking for young peas and beans. It also eats chestnuts, nuts, and acorns, 
 being so fond of the last-mentioned fruit as to have received the title of 
 glandarius, meaning " a lover of acorns." Sometimes it becomes rrjore re- 
 fined in its taste, and eats the flower of several cruciferous plants, vphich, 
 according to Mudie, it plucks slowly and carefully, petal by petal. 
 
 The nest of the Jay is a flattish kind of edifice, constructed of sticks, grass, 
 and roots, the sticks acting as the foundations, and a rude superstructure of 
 
 the softer substances being 
 placed upon them. It is 
 always situated at a con- 
 siderable elevation from the 
 ground. There are gene- 
 rally four or five eggs, and 
 the bird mostly brings up 
 two broods m the year. 
 
 In size, the Jay equals a 
 rather large pigeon ; and 
 the colouring of its plum- 
 age is very attractive. The 
 general tint of the upper part 
 of the body is light reddish 
 brown, with a perceptible 
 purple tinge, varying in in- 
 tensity in different specunens. 
 The primary wing-coverts 
 are bright azure, banded 
 with jetty black, and form 
 a most conspicuous orna- 
 ment on the sides as the bird sits with closed wings. The head is decorated 
 with a crest, which can be raised or lowered at pleasure, and the feathers of 
 which it is composed are whitish grey, spotted with black. 
 
 The true Crows are known by their beaks, which have no tooth in the 
 upper mandible, and by their wings, which are tolerably long and ample. 
 There are Very many species spread over the world, and they are well repre- 
 sented in our own country. 
 
 The first of these birds on our list is the celebrated Raven, our finest 
 representative of the family. 
 
 This truly handsome bird is spread over almost all portions of the habit- 
 able globe, finding a livelihood wherever there are wide expanses of un- 
 cultivated ground, and only being driven from its home by the advance of 
 cultivation and consequent inhabitance of the soil by human beings. It is a 
 solitary birH, living in the wildest district that it can find, and especially 
 preferring those that are intersected with hills. In such localities the Raven 
 reigns supreme, hardly the eagle himself daring to contest the supremacy 
 with so powerful, crafty, and strong-beaked a bird. 
 
 JAY. — (Garrulus glandarius.) 
 
THE RA VEN. 
 
 329 
 
 The food of the Raven is almost entirely of an animal nature, and there 
 are few living things which the Raven will not eat whenever it finds an oppor 
 tunity of so doing. Worms, grubs, caterpillars, and insects of all kinds arc 
 swallowed by hundreds, but the diet in which the Raven most delights is 
 dead carrion. In conse- 
 quence of this taste, the v 
 Raven may be found rather 
 plentiful on the Scottish 
 sheep-feeding grounds,where 
 the flocks are of such im 
 mense size that the bird i- 
 sure to find a sufficiency cf 
 food among the daily dead ; 
 for its wings are large and 
 powerful, and its daily range 
 of flight is so great, that 
 many thousands of sheep 
 pass daily under its ken, 
 and it is tolerably sure in the 
 course of the day to find at 
 least one dead sheep or lamb. 
 Sometimes the Raven ac- 
 celerates matters, for if it 
 should find an unfortunate 
 sheep lying in a ditch, amis- 
 fortune to which these ani- 
 mals are especially prone, it 
 is sure to cause the speedy 
 death of the poor creature 
 by repeated attacks upon its 
 eyes. Weakly or ailing sheep 
 are also favourite subjects with the Raven, who soon puts an end to their 
 sufferings by the strokes of his long and powerful beak. Even the larger 
 cattle are not free from the assaults of this voracious bird, which performs 
 in every case the office of a vulture. 
 
 The cunning of the Raven is proverbial, and anecdotes of its extraordinary 
 intellectual powers abound in various works. 
 
 The Raven is an excellent linguist, acquiring the art of conversation with 
 wonderful rapidity, and retaining with a singularly powerful memory many 
 sounds which it has once learned. Whole sentences are acquired by this 
 strange bird, and repeated with great accuracy of intonation, the voice being 
 a good imitation of human speech, but always sounding as if spoken from 
 behind a thick woollen wrapper. 
 
 The Raven is celebrated for its longevity, many instances being known 
 where it has attained the age of seventy or eighty years, without losing one 
 jot of its activity, or the fading of one spark from its eyes. Whut may be the 
 duration of a. Raven's life in its wild state is quite unknown. 
 
 The colour of the Raven is a uniform blue-black, with green reflections in 
 certain lights. The female is always larger than her mate. 
 
 The common Carrion Crow, so plentiful in this country, much resembles 
 in habits and appearance the bird which has just been described, and may 
 almost be reckoned as a miniature raven. In many of its customs the 
 Crow is very raven-like, especially in its love for carrion, and its propensity 
 f 'I- attacking the eyes of any dead or dying animal. Like the raven, it has 
 \)^px known to attack game of various kinds, although its inferipr size forces 
 
 RAVEN. — {Corvus Corax.) 
 
33° 
 
 THE ROOK. 
 
 it to call to its assistance the aid of one or more of its fellows, before it can 
 successfully cope with the larger creatures. Rabbits and hares are frequently 
 the prey of this bird, which pounces on them as they steal abroad to feed, 
 and while they are young is able to kill and carry them off without difficulty. 
 The Crow also eats reptiles of various sorts, frogs and lizards being common 
 dainties, and is a confirmed plunderer of other birds' nests, even carrying 
 away the eggs of game and poultry by the simple device of driving the 
 beak througti ihem ana liymg away with them when thus impaled. Even the 
 
 large egg of the 
 duck has thus been 
 stolen by the Crow. 
 Sometimes it goes 
 to feed on the sea- 
 shore, and there 
 finds plenty of food 
 among the crabs, 
 shrimps, and shells 
 that are found 
 near low ■ water 
 mark, and ingeni- 
 ously cracks the 
 CROW. — ( Corvus Corone. ) harder shelled crea- 
 
 tures by flying with 
 them to a great height and letting them fall upon a convenient rock. 
 
 The nest of the Crow is invariably placed in some tree remote from the 
 habitations of other birds, and is a structure of considerable dimensions, and 
 very conspicuous at a distance. It is always fixed on one of the topmost 
 branches, so that to obtain the eggs safely requires a steady head, a practised 
 foot, and a ready hand. 
 
 The materials of which the Crow's nest is made are very various, but 
 always consist of a foundation of sticks, upon which the softer substances 
 
 are laid. The interior of the 
 nest is made of grasses, 
 fibrous roots, the hair of 
 cows and horses, which the 
 Crow mostly obtains from 
 trees and posts where the 
 cattle are in. the habit of 
 rubbing themselves, mosses,' 
 and wool. 
 
 The colour of the Crow 
 is a uniform blue-black, like 
 that of the raven, but varie- 
 ties are known in which the 
 feathers have been pied or 
 i even cream-white. 
 
 The most familiar of all 
 the British Corvidae is the 
 common ROOK, a bird which 
 has attached itself to the 
 habitations of mankind, and 
 in course of time has partially domesticated itself in his dominions. 
 
 The habits of the Rook are very interesting, and easily watched. Its 
 extreme caution is very remarkable, when combined with its attachment lo 
 human homes, A colony of a thousand birds may form a rookery in a park, 
 
 ROOK. — ( Corvus frugilegus. ) 
 
THE JACKDAW. 
 
 331 
 
 placing themselves under the protection of its owner ; and yet, if they see a 
 Dnan with a gun, or even with a suspicious-looking stick, they fly off their 
 nests with astounding clamour, and will not return until the cause of their 
 alarm is dissipated. During the "rook-shooting" time, all the strong-winged 
 birds leave their nests at the first report of the gun, and, rising to an 
 enormous elevation, sail about like so many black midges over their deserted 
 homes, and pour out their complaints in loud and doleful cries, which are 
 plainly audible even from the great height at which they are soaring. 
 
 The nest of the Rook is large, and rather clumsily built ; consisting chiefly 
 of sticks, upon which are laid sundry softer materials as a resting-place for the 
 eggs. The Rook is a very gregarious bird, building in numbers on the boughs 
 of contiguous trees, and having a kind of social compact that often rises into 
 the dignity of law. For example, the elder Rooks will not permit the younger 
 members of the community to build their nests upon an isolated tree at a 
 distance from the general assemblage; and, if they attempt to infringe this 
 regulation, always attack the offending nest in a body, and tear it to pieces. 
 
 The number of birds which are- to be found in such rookeries is 
 enormously great, several thousands having been counted in a single 
 assemblage. In such cases they do great damage to the upper branches of 
 the trees, and in some in- 
 stances have been known to 
 kill the tree, by the con- 
 tinual destruction of the 
 growing boughs. 
 
 The colour of the Rook is 
 a glossy deep blue-black, the 
 blue being more conspicious 
 on the wing-coverts and the 
 sides of the head and neck. 
 The length of an adult Rook 
 is about eighteen or nineteen 
 inches. 
 
 The smallest of the British 
 Corvidas is the well-known 
 Jackdaw, a bird of infinite 
 wit and humour, and one 
 that has an extraordinary 
 attachment for man and his 
 habitations. 
 
 The Jackdaw may easily be 
 distinguished from either the rook or the crow by the grey patch upon the 
 crown of the head and back of the neck, which is very conspicuous, and can 
 be seen at a considerable distance. The voice, too, is entirely different from 
 the caw of the rook or the hoarse cry of the crow ; and as the bird js very 
 loquacious, it soon announces itself by the tone of its voice. It generally 
 takes up its home near houses, and is fond of nesting in old buildings, espe- 
 cially preferring the steeples and towers of churches and similar edifices, 
 where its nest and young are safe from the depredations of stoats, weasels' 
 and other destroyers. 
 
 The grey patch on the head and neck is not seen until the bird attains 
 maturity, the feathers being of the same black hue as on the remainder of 
 the body until the first moult, when the juvenile plumage is shed and the 
 adult garments assumed. 
 
 The nest of the Jackdaw is a very rude structure of sticks, hned, or 
 rather covered with hay, wool, feathers, and all kinds of miscellaneous sub- 
 
 JACKDAW. — (Corvus monedula.) 
 
332 
 
 THE HOODED CHOW. 
 
 stances of a warm kind for the eggs and young. It is placed in various 
 localities, generally in buildings or rocks, but has often been found in hollow 
 trees and even in the holes of rabbit warrens, the last-mentioned locality 
 being a very remarkable one, as the young birds must be in constant danger 
 ol marauding stoats and weasels. In one instance a quantity of broken 
 lass was employed in the foundation of the nest. The Jackdaw is not 
 choice in the selection of feathered neighbours, for I have found in the same 
 tower the nests of pigeons, jackdaws, and starlings, in amicable proximity 
 to each other. The eggs are smaller and much paler than those of the rook 
 or crow, but have a similar general aspect. Their number is about five. 
 
 The Royston Crow, or Hooded Crow, or Grey Crow, is a very 
 conspicuous bird, on account of the curiously pied plumage with which it is 
 invested. 
 
 This bird is not very common in England, but is plentifully found both in 
 Ireland, Scotland, and the Scottish isles, having been seen in large flocks of 
 several hundreds in number on the east coast of Jura. Generally it is not 
 
 very gregarious, the male 
 and female only being found 
 in company ; but it some- 
 times chooses to associate 
 in little flocks of fifteen or 
 sixteen in number. It seems 
 to prefer the sea-coast to 
 any inland locality, as it 
 there finds a great variety of 
 food, and is not much ex- 
 posed to danger. I have often 
 seen these birds in the Bay 
 of Dublin, perched upon the 
 rocks at low water, and 
 searching for food among 
 the dank seaweed and 
 in the rock puddles that 
 are left by the retreating 
 tide. They seemed always 
 extremely bold, and would 
 permit a very close approach without exhibiting any alarm. 1 he banks of 
 the Medway between Rochester and Sheerness are much frequented by the 
 Hooded Crow. 
 
 The Hooded Crow never breeds in society, but always builds its nest at 
 some distance from the homes of any other of the same species, so that, 
 although a forest or a range of cliffs may be inhabited by these birds, the 
 nests are scattered very sparingly over the whole extent. The structure of 
 the nest is somewhat similar to that of the crows and rooks, being a mass 
 of sticks and heather stalks as a foundation, upon which is placed a layer of 
 wool, hair, and other soft substances. Sometii-.es the bird builds a better 
 and more compact nest with the bark of tre»s ; and in all cases this species 
 breeds very early in the season. 
 
 The Hooded Crow is boldly and conspicuously pied with grey and black, 
 distributed as follows: — The head, back of the neck, and throat, together 
 with the wings and tail, are a glossy bluish black, while the remainder of the 
 body is a peculiar grey, with a slight blackish wash. 
 
 Who does not know the MAGPIE, the pert, the gay, the mischievous ? 
 What denizen of the country is not familiar with his many exploits in the 
 (vay of barefaced and audacious theft, his dipping flight, and bis ingenuity in 
 
 ROYSTON, OR HOODED CROW.— (Corvus cornix ) 
 
THE MAPGIE. 
 
 3J3 
 
 baffling the devices of the fowler and the gunner ? What inhabitant of the 
 town has not seen him cooped in his wicker dweUirtg, dull and begrimed 
 with the daily smoke, but yet pert as ever, talkative, and a wonderful admirer 
 of his dingy plumage and ragged tail ? 
 
 The food of the Magpie is as multifarious as that of the crow or raven, 
 and consists of various animal and vegetable substances. It is a determined 
 robber of other birds' nests, dragging the unfledged young out of their homes, 
 or driving its bill through their eggs, and thus carrying them away. 
 
 The nest of the Magpie is a rather complicated edifice, domed, with an en- 
 trance at the side, and mostly formed at the juncture of three branches, so 
 as to afford an effectual protection against any foe who endeavoms to force 
 admittance into so strong a fortress. Generally the nest is placed at the very 
 summit of some lofty tree, the bird usually preferring those trees which run for 
 many feet without a branch. The tops of tall pines are favourite localities 
 for the M agpie's nest, as the 
 trunk of these trees is bare 
 of branches except at the 
 summit, and the dark-green 
 foliage of the spreading bran- 
 ches is so thick that it affords 
 an effectual shelter to the 
 large and conspicuous edifice 
 whichrests upon the boughs. 
 
 When tame, it is a most 
 amusing bird, teaching itself 
 all kinds of odd tricks, and 
 learning to talk with an ac- 
 curacy and volubility little 
 inferior to that of the parrot. 
 It is, however, a most incor- 
 rigibly mischievous bird, and 
 unless subjected to the most 
 careful supervision is capable 
 of doing a very great amount 
 of damage in a wonderfully 
 short space of time. I have witnessed a multitude of these exploits, but as 
 I have already related many of them in " My Feathered Friends," the 
 reader is referred to the pages of that little work for a tolerably long series 
 of new and original Magpie anecdotes. 
 
 The plumage of this bird is remarkably handsome both in colour and 
 form. The head, neck, back, and upper tail-coverts are deep black, with a 
 light green gloss in certain lights ; and the same colour is found on the 
 chin, the throat, the upper part of the breast, and the base, tips, and 
 outer edges of the primary quill feathers. The secondaries are also 
 black, but with a blue gloss, which becomes peculiarly rich on the tertials and 
 wing-coverts. The inner web of the primaries is white for a considerable 
 portion of its length, presenting a bold and conspicuous appearance when 
 the bird spreads its wings. The central feathers of the tail are nearly eleven 
 inches in length, and they decrease gradually in size ; those on the exterior 
 being hardly five inches long. Their colour is a wonderfully rich mixture 
 of the deepest blue, purple, and green, the green being towards the base, and 
 the blue and purple towards the extremity. The under surface of the tail- 
 feathers is dull black. The lower parts of the breast, abdomen, and flanks 
 are snowy white. 
 
 Of the next little group of Corvidae, named the Pyrrhocoracinae, or Scarlet 
 
 MAGPIE. — [Pica caudata.) 
 
334 
 
 BIRDS OF PARADISE. 
 
 Crows, in allusion to the red bill and legs of some of the species, England 
 possesses a good example in the common Chough. In all these birds the beak 
 is long and slender, slightly curved downwards, and with a small notch at 
 the extremity. 
 
 The Chough is .essentially a coast bird, loving rocks and stones, and 
 having a great dislike to grass or hedges of every kind. When in search of 
 food it will venture for some little distance inland, and has been observed in 
 the act of following the ploughman after the manner of the rook, busily en- 
 gaged in picking up the grubs that are unearthed. Sometimes it will feed 
 upon berries and grain, but evidently prefers animal food, pecking its prey 
 out of the crevices among the rocks with great rapidity and certainty of aim, 
 its long and curved beak aiding it in drawing the concealed insects out of 
 their hiding-places. 
 
 As is the case with nearly all coast birds, the Chough builds its nest at no 
 great distance from the sea, generally choosing some convenient crevice in a 
 chff, or an old ruin near the sea-shore. The nest is always placed at a con- 
 siderable elevation from the ground, and is made of sticks lined with wool, 
 
 hair, and other soft sub- 
 ^_^ stances. The eggs are usally 
 
 five in number, and in 
 colour they are yellower 
 than those of the crow or 
 rook but are spotted with 
 similar tints. The general 
 colour of the Chough is 
 black, with a rich blue gloss, 
 contrasting well with the ver- 
 milion-red of the beak, legs, 
 and toes. The claws are blade, 
 and the eyes are curiously 
 coloured with red and blue 
 in concentric circles. The 
 total length of the adult 
 male Chough is about seven- 
 teen inches, and the female 
 is about three inches shorter. 
 
 caavQ.-R.—(Coracia sracMa.) jjjj, supremely glorious 
 
 members of the feathered 
 tribe which have by common consent been termed Birds of Paradise are 
 not very nurrierous in species, but are so different in form and colour, according 
 to the sex and age, that they have been considered far more numerous than 
 is really the case. The plumage of these birds is wonderfully rich and varied, 
 and not even the humming-birds themselves present such an inexhaustible 
 treasury of form and colour as is found among the comparatively few species 
 of the Birds of Paradise. In all, the feathers glow with resplendent radi- 
 ance ; in nearly all there is some strange and altogether unique arrangement 
 of the plumage ; and in many the feathers are modified into plumes, rib- 
 bons, and streamers, that produce the most surprising and lovely effects. 
 
 The Emerald Bird of Paradise is the species which is -most generally 
 known, and is the one of which were related many absurd tales. The specific 
 term, apoda, signifies "footless," and was given to the bird by Linnaeus in 
 allusion to those fables which were then current, but which he did not believe. 
 
 This most lovely bird is a native of New Guinea, where it is far from 
 uncommon, and is annually killed in great numbers for the sake of its 
 
THE EMERALD BIRD OF PARADISE. 
 
 31S 
 
 plumage, wliicli always commands a high price in the market. It is a very 
 retiring bird, concealing itself during the day in the thick foliage of the teak- 
 tree, and only coming from the green shelter at the rising and setting 
 of the sun, for the purpose of obtaining food. Almost the only successful 
 method of shooting the Emerald Paradise Bird is to visit a teak or fig-tree 
 before dawn, take up a position under the branches, and there wait patiently 
 until one of the birds comes to settle upon the branches, or leaves the spot 
 which has sheltered it during the night. This bird is rather tenacious of life, 
 and unless killed instantly is sure to make its escape amid the dense brush- 
 wood that grows luxuriantly beneath the trees, and if the sportsman ventured 
 to chase a wounded bird amid the bushes, he would, in all probability, lose 
 his way and perish of hunger. Those sportsmen, therefore, who desire to 
 shoot this bird, always provide themselves with guns that will carry their 
 charge to a great distance, and employ very large shot for the purpose, as 
 the bird always perches on the summits of the loftiest trees of the neigh- 
 bourhood, and would not be 
 much damaged by the shot 
 ordinarily used in shooting. 
 
 Thi^ species is very sus- 
 picious, so that the sports- 
 man must maintain a pro- 
 found silence, or not a bird 
 will show itself or utter its 
 loud full cry, by which the 
 hunter's attention is directed 
 to his victim. 
 
 The large and important 
 family of the Starlings 
 row claims our attention. 
 These birds are seldom of 
 great size, the common Star- 
 ling of England being about 
 an average example of their 
 dimensions. The bill of the 
 Starling tribe is straight until 
 near its extremity, when it 
 suddenly curves downward, 
 and is generally armed with 
 a slight notch. The first 
 sub-family of these birds is 
 that which is known by the 
 name of Glossy Starlings, 
 so called on account of the silken sheen of their plumage. 
 
 The best representative of this little group is the celebrated Satin Bower 
 Bird of Australia. This beautiful and remarkable bird is found in many 
 parts of New South Wales, and although it is by no means uncommon, is so 
 cautious in the concealment of its home, that even the hawk-eyed natives 
 seem never to have discovered its nest. 
 
 The chief peculiarity for which this bird is famous is a kind of bower or 
 arbour, which it constructs from twigs in a manner almost unique among 
 the feathered tribes. The form of this bower may be seen in the illustration, 
 and the mode of construction, together with the use to which the bird puts 
 the building, may be learned from Mr. Gould's account : — 
 
 " On visiting the cedar brushes of the Liverpool range, I discovered 
 several of these bowers or playing-places ; they are usually placed under the 
 
 EMERALD BIRD OF PARADISE. — (Paradiseopoda.) 
 
336 
 
 THE SATIN BOWER BIRD. 
 
 shelter of the branches of some overhanging tree in the most retired part of 
 the forest ; they differ considerably in size, some being larger, while others 
 are much smaller. The base consists of an exterior and rather convex plat- 
 form of sticks, firmly interwoven, on the centre of which the bower itself is 
 built. This, like the platform on which it is placed and with which it is 
 interwoven, is formed of sticks and twigs, but of a more slender and flexible 
 description, the tips of the twigs being so arranged as to curve inwards and 
 nearly meet at the top ; in the interior of the bower, the materials are so placed 
 that the forks of the twigs are always presented outwards, by which arrange- 
 ment not the slightest obstruction is offered to the passage of the birds. 
 
 " For what purpose these curious bowers are made is not yet, perhaps, fully 
 understood ; they are certainly not used as a nest, but as a place of resort 
 for many individuals of both sexes, who when there assembled run through 
 and round the bower in a sportive and playful manner, and that so frequently 
 that it is seldom entirely deserted. 
 
 " The interest of this curious bower is much enhanced by the mannsr in 
 which it is decorated, at and nea): the entrance, with the most gaily coloured 
 
 articles that can be collected, such 
 as the blue tail-feathers of the Rose 
 Hill and Lory 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 entrance. The propensity 
 of these birds to fly off with any 
 attractive object is so well known 
 that the blacks always search the 
 runs for any missing article." 
 
 So persevering are these birds in 
 carrying off anything that may strike 
 their fancy, that they have been 
 known to steal a stone tomahawk, 
 some blue cotton rags, and an old 
 tobacco-pipe. Two of these bowers 
 are now in the nest-room of the 
 British Museum, and at the Zoolo- 
 gical Gardens the Bower Bird may 
 be seen hard at work at its surface, 
 fastening the twigs or adorning the 
 entrances, and ever and anon running 
 through the edifice with a curious 
 loud full cry that always attracts the attention of a passer-by. The Satin 
 Bower Bird bears confinement well, and although it will not breed in 
 captivity, it is very industrious in building bowers for recreation. 
 
 The food of this bird seems to consist chiefly of fruit and berries, as the 
 stomachs of several specimens were found to contain nothing but vegetable 
 remains. Those which are caged in Australia are fed upon rice, friut, 
 moistened bread, and a very little meat at intervals, a diet on which they 
 th'-ive well. The plumage of the adult male is a very glossy satin-like 
 purple, so deep as to appear black in a faint light, but the young males and 
 the females are almost entirely of an olive-green. 
 
 We now come to the true Starlings. In these birds the bill .is almost 
 straight, tapering and elongated, shghtly flattened at the top, and with a 
 hardly perceptible notch. 
 
 SATIN BOWER BIRD. — (PHlonorhynchus 
 holosericeus. ) 
 
THE STARLING. 
 
 '33'' 
 
 The common Starling is one of the handsomest of our British birds, 
 the bright mottlings of its plumage, the vivacity of its movements, and the 
 elegance of its form, rendering it a truly beautiful bird. 
 
 COMMON STARLING. — {Stumus vulgaris^) 
 
 It is very common in all parts of the British Isles, as well as in many 
 other countries, and assembles in vast flocks of many thousands in number, 
 enormous accessions being made to their ranks after the breeding season. 
 These vast assemblies are seen to best advantage in the fenny districts, where 
 they couch for the night amid the osiers and aquatic plants, and often crush 
 whole acres to the ground by their united weight. In their flight the Starlings 
 are most wonderful birds, each flock, no matter how large its dimensions, 
 
 z 
 
338 FINCHES. 
 
 seeming to be under the command of one single hiid, and to obey his orders 
 witli an instantaneous action which appears little short of a m'racle. A whole 
 cloud of Starlings may often be seen flying along at a considerable elevation 
 from the ground, darkening the sky as they pass overhead, when of a sudden 
 the flock becomes momentarily indistinguishable, every bird having simul- 
 taneously turned itself on its side so as to present only the edge of its wings 
 to the eye. The whole body will then separate into several divisions, each 
 division wheeling with the most wonderful accuracy, and after again uniting 
 their forces they will execute some singular manoeuvre, and then resume their 
 onward progress to the feeding-ground or resting-place. 
 
 The nest of the Starling is a very loose kind of affair, composed of straw, 
 roots, and grasses, thrust carelessly together, and hardly deserving the name 
 of a nest. In many cases the bird is so heedless that it allows bits of straw or 
 grass to hang from the hole in which the nest is placed, just as if it had inten- 
 tionally furnished the bird-nesting boy with a clue to the position of the nest. 
 Although this bird makes its home in some retired spot, such as the cleft of 
 a rock, a niche in some old ruin, a ledge in a church-tower, or a hole in a 
 decaying tree, there are few nests more easy to discover ; for not only does 
 the bird leave indications of its home in the manner already described, but 
 is so very loquacious that it cannot resist the temptation of squalling loudly 
 at intervals, especially when returning to its domicile laden with food for its 
 young, and so betrays the position of its home. The eggs are generally five 
 in number, and of the faintest imaginable blue. 
 
 The food of the Starling is very varied, but consists chiefly of insects. These 
 birds have a habit of following cows, sheep, and horses, fluttering about them 
 as they move for the purpose of preying upon the insects which are put to 
 flight by their feet The Starlings also perch upon the backs of the cattle, 
 and rid them of the parasitic insects that infest them. From the sheep the 
 Starling often takes toll, pulling out a beakful of wool now and then, and 
 carrying it away to its nest. It is a voracious bird, the stomach of one of 
 these birds having been found to contain more than twenty shells, some 
 of no small size, and all nearly perfect; a great number of insects, and 
 some grain. Another Starling had eaten fifteen molluscs of different kinds, 
 a number of perfect beetles, and many grubs. 
 
 The colour of this bird is very beautiful, and is briefly as follows : The 
 general tint is an extremely dark purplish green, having an almost metallic 
 glitter in a strong light The feathers of the shoulders are tipped with buff, and 
 the wing-coverts, together with the quill feathers of the tail and wings, are 
 edged with pale reddish brown. The beak is a fine yellow. The feathers of 
 the upper part of the breast are elongated and pointed. This is the plumage 
 of the adult male, and is not brought to ks perfection until three years have 
 elapsed. The first year's bird, before its autumnal moult, is almost wholly of 
 a brownish grey, and after its moult is partly brown and partly purple and 
 green. In the second year the plumage is more decided in its tints, but is 
 variegated with a great number of light-coloured spots on the under and 
 upjjer surfaces, and the beak does not attain its beautiful yellow tinge. 
 
 We now arrive at the large and important families of the FINCHES. In all 
 these birds the bill is conical, short, and stout, sharp at the extremity and 
 without any notch in the upper mandible. 
 
 The first group of the Finches is composed of a number of species which, 
 although for the most part not conspicuous either for size, beauty of form, or 
 brilliancy of colour, are yet among the most remarkable of the feathered tribe, 
 on account of their architectural powers. Dissimilar in shape, form, and 
 material, there is yet a nameless something in the construction of their edifices 
 which at once points them out as the workmanship of the Weaver Birds. Some 
 
IVEA VER BIRDS. 
 
 339 
 
 of them are huge, heavy, and massive, clustered together in vast multitudes, 
 and bearing down the branches with their weight. Others are light, delicate 
 and airy, woven so thinly as to permit the breeze to pass through their 
 net-like interior, and dangling dairitily from the extremity of some slender 
 twig. Others, again, are so firmly built of flattened reeds and glass blades, 
 
 SOCIABLE VVKAVER DiKLi.— i/%.<t.,^ us socius.) 
 
 that they can be detached from their branches and subjected to very rough 
 handling without losing their shape, while others are so curiously formed of 
 stiff grass-stalks that their interior is studded with sharp points hke the skin 
 of a hedgehog. 
 The true Weaver Birds all inhabit the hotter portions of the Old World, the 
 
340 THE GROSBEAKS, OR HA WFINCHES, 
 
 greater number of them being found in Africa, and the remainder in various 
 parts of India. 
 
 The Sociable Weaver Bird is found in several parts of Africa, and has 
 always attracted the attention of travellers from the very remarkable edifice 
 which it constructs. The large social nests of this bird are so conspicuous 
 as to be notable objects at many miles' distance, and it is found i,that they 
 generally build in the branches of the giraffe thorn or " kameeldorn," one of 
 the acacia tribe. 
 
 The Sociable Weaver Bird, which is by some writers termed the " Sociable 
 Grosbeak,'' in choosing a place for its residence, is careful to select a tree 
 which grows in a retired and sheltered situation, secluded as far as may be 
 from the fierce wind-storms which are so common in hot countries. When a 
 pair of these birds have determined to make a new habitation, they proceed 
 after the following fashion : — They gather a vast amount of dry grasses, 
 the favourite being a long, tough, and wiry species, called " Booschmanees- 
 grass," and by hanging the long stems over the branches and ingeniously 
 interweaving them, they make a kind of roof, or thatch, which is destmed 
 to shelter the habitations of the community. 
 
 In the under sides of this thatch they fasten a number of separate nests, 
 each being inhabited by a single pair of birds, and only divided by its walls 
 from the neighbouring habitation. All these nests are placed with their mouths 
 downwards, so that when an entire edifice is completed, it reminds the 
 observer very strongly of a common wasp's nest. This curious resemblance 
 is often further strengthened by the manner in which these birds will build 
 one row of nests immediately above or below another, so that the nest- 
 gruups are arranged in layers precisely similar to those of the wasp or hornet. 
 The number of habitations -ihus placed under a single roof is often very 
 great. Le Vaillant mentions that in one nest which he examined there 
 were three hundred and twenty inhabited cells, each of which was in the 
 possession of a distinct pair of birds, and would at the close of the breeding 
 season have quadrupled their numbers. 
 
 The number of eggs in each nest is usually from three to five, and their 
 colour is bluish white, dotted towards the larger end with small brown spots. 
 The food of this bird seems to consist mostly of insects, as, when the nests 
 aie pulled to pieces, wings, legs, and other hard portions of various insects 
 are often found in the interior of the cells. It is said that the Sociable 
 Weaver Birds have but one enemy to fear in the persons of the small par- 
 rots, who also delight in assembling together in society, and will sometimes 
 make forcible entries into the Weaver Bird's nest and disperse the rightful 
 inhabitants. 
 
 The colour of the Sociable Weaver Bird is brown, taking a pale buff tint 
 on the under surface of the body, and mottled on the back with the same 
 hue. It is quite a small bird, measuring only five inches in length. 
 
 There are several allied species, which are remarkable for the structure of 
 their nests. There is the Mahali Weaver Bird, whose nest is shaped hke 
 a Florence flask ; the Taha, the Rufous-necked Weaver, and others, all 
 of which suspend their nests to the ends of branches that overhang water, 
 thus ensuring safety against almost any enemy. 
 
 The Grosbeaks or H, yi inches now claim our attention. They are all 
 remarkable for their very large, broad, and thick beaks, a peculiarity of 
 construction which is intended to serve them in their seed-crushing habits. 
 
 England possesses a good example of this group in the well-known Haw- 
 finch, ,or Grosbeak. 
 
 This bird was once thought to be exceedingly scarce, but is now known to 
 be anything but unconunon, although it is rarely seen, owing to its very shy 
 
THE CHAFFINCH. 
 
 341 
 
 and retiring habits, which lead it to eschew the vicinity of man and to bury 
 itself in the recesses of forests. So extremely wary is the Hawfinch, that to 
 approach within gunshot is a very difficult matter, and can seldom be accom- 
 plished without the assistance of a decoy-bird, or by imitating the call-note, 
 which bears some resemblance to that of a robin. It feeds chiefly on the 
 various wild berries, not rejecting even the hard stones of plums and the 
 laurel berries. In the spring, it is apt to make inroads in the early dawn 
 upon the cultivated grounds, and has an especial liking for peas, among 
 which it often works dire havoc. 
 
 The nest of the Hawfinch is not remarkable either for elegance or pecu- 
 liarity of form. It is very simply built of slender twigs, bits of dried creepers, 
 grey lichens, roots, and hairs, and is so carelessly put together that it can 
 hardly be moved entire. The eggs are from four to six in number, and their 
 colour is very pale olive-green, streaked with grey and spotted with black 
 dots. The birds pair in the middle of 
 April, begin to build their nests about 
 the end of that month, and the young 
 are hatched about the third week in 
 May. 
 
 The true Finches are known by 
 their rather short and conical beak, 
 their long and pointed wings, and the 
 absence of nostrils in the beak. Eng- 
 land possesses many examples of 
 these birds. 
 
 The Chaffinch is one of our com- 
 monest field birds, being spread over 
 the whole of England in very great 
 numbers. 
 
 The specific title of Ccelebs which 
 is given to the Chaffinch, signifies 
 " a bachelor," and refers to the annual 
 separation of the sexes, which takes 
 place in the autumn, the females 
 departing to some other region, and 
 the males congregating in vast multitudes, consoling themselves as they best 
 can by the pleasures of society for the absence of the gentler portion of 
 the community. 
 
 1~he note of this bird is a merry kind of whistle, and the call-note is very 
 musical and ringing, somewhat resembling the word " pinck," which has 
 therefore been often applied to the bird as its piovincial name. 
 
 The nest of the Chaffinch is one of the prettiest and neatest among the 
 British nests. It is deeply cup-shaoed, and the materials of which it is com- 
 posed are moss, wool, hair, and liciens, the latter substances being always 
 stuck profusely over the surface, so as to give it a resemblance to the bough 
 on which it has been built. The nest is almost invariably made in the up- 
 right fork of a branch, just at its junction with the main stem or bough from 
 which it sprang, and is so beautifully worked into harmony with the bark of 
 the particular tree on which it is placed, that it escapes the eye of any but a 
 practised observer. Great pains are taken by the female in making her nest, 
 and the structure occupies her about three weeks. The eggs are from four tO 
 five in number, and their colour is a pale brownish buff, decorated with 
 several largish spots and streaks of very dark brown. 
 
 The colour of this pretty bird is as follows. At the base of the beak the 
 feathers are jetty black, and the same hue, but with a slight dash of brown. 
 
 HAWFINCH OR GROSBEAK. — (Cocco- 
 thraustes vulgaris. ) 
 
342 
 
 THE GOLDFINCH. 
 
 CHAFFINCH. — (Fringilla ccelebs.) 
 
 is found on the wings and the greater wing-coverts. The top of the head 
 and back of the neck are slaty grey, the back is chestnut, and the sides of 
 the head, the chin, throat, and breast are bright ruddy chestnut, fading into a 
 colder tint upon the abdomen. I'he larger wing-coverts are tipped with 
 white, the lesser coverts are entirely of the same hue, and the tertials are 
 edged with yellowish white. The tail has the two central feathers greyish 
 
 black, the next three pairs black, and 
 the remaining feathers variegated with 
 black and white. The total length of 
 the bird is six inches. The female 
 is coloured something like the male, 
 but not so brilliantly. 
 
 Of all the British Finches, none if 
 so truly handsome as the Goldfinch, 
 a bird whose bright yellow-orange 
 hues suffer but little even when it is 
 placed in close proximity to the more 
 gaudy Finches of tropical climates. 
 Like the chaffinch, it is spread over 
 the whole of England, and may be 
 seen in great numbers feeding on the 
 white thistledown. There are few 
 prettier sights than to watch a cloud 
 of Goldfinches fluttering along a 
 hedge, chasing the thistledown as it is whirled away by the breeze, and 
 uttering all the while their sweet merry notes. 
 
 The birds are not very shy, and by lying quietly in the hedge the observer 
 may watch them as they come flying along, ever and anon perching upon 
 the thistle tops, dragging out a beakful of down, and biting off the seeds with 
 infinite satisfaction. Sometimes a Goldfinch will make a dart at a thistle or 
 burdock, and without perching snatch several of the seeds from their bed, 
 and then alighting on the stem, will run up it as nimbly as a squirrel, and 
 peck away at the seeds, quite careless as to the attitude it may be forced to 
 adopt. These beautiful little birds are most useful to the farmer, for they 
 
 not only devour multitudes of 
 insects during the spring months, 
 but in the autumn they turn 
 their attention to the thistle, bur- 
 dock, groundsel, plantain, and 
 other weeds, and work more 
 effectual destruction than the 
 farmer could hope to attain with 
 all his labourers. Several Gold- 
 finches may often be seen at one 
 time on the stem and top of a 
 single thistle, and two or three 
 are frequently busily engaged on 
 the same plant of groundsel. 
 
 The nest of the Goldfinch is 
 very neat and prettily made, 
 sometimes built in a hedge or thick bush, but mostly placed towards the 
 extremity of a thickly foliaged tree-branch, such being a favourite for this 
 purpose. In this position the nest is so ingeniously concealed from the gaze 
 of every one beneath, by the disposition of the branches and leaves and by 
 the manner in which the exterior of the nest is made to harmonize in tint 
 
 GOLDFINCH. — (Fringilla carduelis. ) 
 
THE GREENFINCH. 
 
 343 
 
 with the bark, that it can scarcely be discerned even when the observer has 
 chmbed the tree and is looking down upon the nest. The bird, too, seldom 
 flies directly in or out of the nest, but alights at a little distance from her 
 tree, and then slips quietly through the leaves until she reaches her eggs or 
 young. 
 
 The materials of which the exterior of the nest is made differ according tc 
 the tree in which it is placed. In general, fine grasses, wool, hairs, and very 
 slender twigs are employed in constructing the walls, and the interior is 
 softly lined with feathers, down, and hairs. The eggs are generally four or 
 five in number, and delicately marked with small dots and streaks of light 
 purplish brown upon a white ground, having a tinge of blue, something like 
 " sky-blue " milk. 
 
 The Greenfinch is one of our commonest birds, being resident in this 
 country throughout the year, and not even requiring a partial migration. 
 It is mostly found in hedges, bushes, and copses ; and as it is a bold and 
 familiar bird, is in the habit of frequenting the habitations of men, and even 
 building its nest within close proximity to houses or gardens. When young 
 the bird is fed almost wholly upon cater- 
 pillars and various insects, and not 
 until it has attained its full growth 
 does it try upon the hard seeds the 
 large bill which has obtained for it the 
 title of Green Grosbeak. 
 
 The nest of this bird is generally 
 built rather later than is usual with 
 the Finches, and is seldom completed 
 until May has fairly set in. Its sub- 
 stance is not unike that of the chaf- 
 finch, being composed of roots, wool, 
 moss, and feathers. It is not, however, 
 so neatly made, nor so finely woven 
 together, as the nest of that bird. The 
 eggs are from three to five in num- 
 ber, and the colour is bluish white, 
 covered at the larger end with spots of brown and grey. 
 
 Few birds are better known than the Common Linnet, although the 
 change of plumage to which it is subject in the different seasons of the year 
 has caused the same bird, while in its winter plumage, tr be considered as 
 distinct from the same individual in its summer dress. Except during the 
 breeding season, the Linnets associate in flocks, flying fron: spot to spot, and 
 feeding upon the seeds of various plants, evidently preferring those of the 
 thistle, dandelion, and various cruciferous plants. 
 
 The nest of this bird is strangely variable in the positions which it occupies, 
 sometimes being placed at a considerable height upon a tree, and at other times 
 built in some bush quite close to the ground, the latter being the usual 
 locality chosen by the bird. The full number of the eggs is five, and the 
 colour is mostly blue, spotted with dark brown, and a rather faint and 
 undecided purple. 
 
 The summer plumage of the male bird is as follows : On the top of the 
 head the feathers are greyish brown at their base, but are tipped with bright 
 vermilion, a tint which contrasts well with the ashen grey-brown of the face 
 and back of the neck. The upper parts of the body are warm chestnut, and 
 the wing is black, excepting the narrower exterior webs, which are white. 
 The chin and throat are grey, the breast bright red slightly dappled with 
 brown, and the under, portions of the body are grey-brown, taking a yellowish 
 
 GREENFINCH.— (jSV-jV?^7/a ch/oTtS.) 
 
344 
 
 THE CANARY BIRD. 
 
 tint on the flanks. The tail is rather forked, and the feathers are black, 
 
 edged with white. 
 
 The pretty little Canary Bird, so prized as a domestic pet, derives its 
 
 name from the locality whence it was originally brought. 
 
 Rather more than three hundred years ago, a ship was partly laden with 
 
 little green birds captured in the Canary Islands, and having been wreclied 
 
 near Elba, the birds made their es- 
 cape, flew to the island and theie 
 settled themselves. Numbers of them 
 were caught by the inhabitants, and 
 on account of their sprightly vivacity 
 and the brilliancy of their voice, they 
 soon became great favourites, and 
 rapidly spread over Europe. 
 
 The original colour of the Canary is 
 not the bright yellow with which its 
 feathers are generally tinted, but a 
 kind of dappled olive-green, black, 
 and yellow, either colour predomi- 
 nating according to circumstani.es. 
 
 I have kept Canaries for many 
 years, and could fill pages with anec- 
 dotes and histories of them and their 
 habits, but as I have already written 
 rather a long biography of my Canaries 
 with instructions for the management 
 
 CANARY. — [Ca^difeli' cnnaria.) 
 
 in " M> Feathered Friends," together 
 
 and rearing of these pretty birds, there is no need to repeat the account in 
 
 the present pages. 
 The Siskin is hardly to be considered more than an occasional visitor 
 
 in England, but in Scotland it sometimes breeds, as may be seen from the 
 
 following extract :-- 
 
 " The Siskm is a coinmon bird in all the high parts of Aberdeenshire, 
 
 which abound in tii-vvoods. They build generally near the extremities of the 
 
 branches of tall fir-trees, or near the 
 summit of the tree. Sometimes the 
 nest is found in plantations of young 
 fir-wood.' In one instance I met with 
 a ne-t not three feet from the ground. 
 I visited it every day until four or five 
 eggs were deposited. During incu- 
 bation the female showed no fear at 
 my approach. On bringing my hand 
 close to the nest, she showed some , 
 inclination to pugnacity, and tried to 
 friginen me away with her open bill, 
 folli'wing my hand round and round 
 when I attempted to touch her. At 
 last she would only look anxiously 
 round to my finger without making any 
 attack on me. The nest was formed 
 
 of small twigs of birch or heath outside and neatly lined with hair." Its 
 
 eggs are a bluish-white spotted with purplish red. 
 
 The noisy, familiar, impatient Sparrow, is one of those creatures thai 
 
 has attached itself to man, and f )llows him wherever he goes. 
 
 Nothing seems to daunt this bold little bird, which is equallv at home in 
 
 SISKIN. — (Fringillus spinus. 
 
THE SFARROW. 
 
 345 
 
 the fresh air of the country farm, in the midst of a crowded city, or among 
 the strange sights and sounds of a large railway station; treating with equal 
 indifference the slow-paced waggon-horses, as they deliberately drag their 
 load over the country roads, the noisy cabs and omnibuses as they rattle 
 over the city pavements, and the snorting, puffing engines, as they dash 
 through the stations with a velocity that makes the earth tremble beneath 
 their terrible rush. 
 
 Although its ordinary food consists of insects and grain, both of which 
 articles it can only obtain in the open country, it accommodates itself to a 
 town life with perfect ease, and picks up a 
 plentiful subsistence upon the various re- 
 fuse that is thrown daily out of town houses, 
 and which, before it is handed over to the 
 dustman, is made by the Sparrow to yield 
 many a meal. 
 
 When in the country the Sparrow feeds 
 almost wholly on insects and grain, the 
 former being procured in the spring and 
 early summer, and the latter in autumn 
 md winter. As these birds assemble in 
 large flocks and are always very plentiful, 
 they devour great quantities of grain, and 
 are consequently much persecuted by the 
 farmer, and th' ir numbers thinned by guns, 
 traps, nets, and all kinds of devices. Yet 
 their services m insect-killing are so great as 
 to render them most useful birds to the agri- 
 culturist. A single pair of these birds have 
 been watched during a whole day, and 
 were seen to convey to their young no less than forty grubs per hour, 
 making an average exceeding three thousand in the course of the week. 
 In every case where the Sparrows have been extirpated, there has been a pro- 
 portional decrease in the crops from the ravages of injects. At Maine, for 
 example, the total destruction of the Sparrow s was ordered by Govern- 
 ment, and the consequence was that in tl.e succteding year even the trees 
 were killed by caterpillars, and a similar occurrence took place near Auxerre. 
 
 The nest of the ^parrow is a very inartihcial structure, composed of hay, 
 straw, leaves, and various similar substances, ;and always filled with a pro- 
 digious lining of feathers. For, 
 although the Sparrow is as hardy 
 a bird as can be seen, and appears 
 to care little for snow or frost, it 
 likes a warm bed to which it 
 may retire after the toils of the 
 day, and always stuffs its resting- 
 p'ace full of feathers, which it ilj 
 g.'ts from all kinds of sources. 
 Even their loosting-places are 
 often crammed with feathers. 
 
 Generally the nest is built in , 
 some convenient crevice, such as 
 an old wall, especially if it be 
 covered with ivy ; but the bird 
 is by no means particular in the 
 choice of a locality, and will build in many other situations. 
 
 SPARROW. — [Passer domesticiis. ) 
 
 YELLOW HAMMER. — (Embeiiza cilrinella.) 
 
 There are 
 
546 
 
 THE YELLOW HAMMER. 
 
 generally five eggs, though they sometimes reach the number of six, and 
 their colour is greyish white, profusely covered with spots and dashes of 
 grey-brown. They are, however, extremely variable, and even in the same 
 nest it is not uncommon to find some eggs that are almost black with the 
 mottlings, while others have hardly a spot about them. The Sparrow is a very 
 prolific bird, bringing up several broods in the course of a season, and has 
 been known to rear no less than fourteen young in a single breeding season. 
 The Buntings are known by their sharp conical bills, with the edges of 
 the upper mandible rounded and slightly turned inwards, and the knob on the 
 
 palate. They are common in 
 ^ most parts of the world, are gre- 
 
 garious during the winter months, 
 and in some cases become so fat 
 upon the autumn grain that they 
 are considered great dainties. 
 
 One of the most familiar of all 
 these birds is the Yellow Bunt- 
 ing, or Yellow Hammer, as it 
 is often called. 
 
 This lively bird frequents our 
 fields and hedge-rows, and is re- 
 markable for a curious mixture of 
 wariness and curiosity, the latter 
 feeling impelling it to observe a 
 traveller with great attention, and 
 the former to keep out of reach 
 of any missile. So, in walking 
 along a country lane, the pas- 
 senger is often preceded by one 
 or more of these birds, which 
 always keeps about seventy or 
 eighty yards in advance, and flut- 
 ters in and out of the hedges or 
 trees with a peculiar and unmis- 
 takable flirt of the wings and 
 tail 
 
 The song — if it may so be called 
 — of the bird has a peculiar in- 
 tonation, which is almost arti- 
 culate, and is variously rendered 
 in different parts of England. 
 For example, among the southern 
 counties it is well represented 
 by the words, " A little bit of bread 
 and no che-ee-ee-ee-se ! " In 
 Scotland it assumes a sense quite 
 in accordance with the character 
 of its auditors, and is supposed 
 to say, " De'il, de'il, de'il take ye- 
 ee-ee-ee." 
 
 The nest of the Yellow Bunting is generally placed upon or very close to 
 the earth, and the best place to seek for the structure is the bottom of a 
 hedge where the grass has been allowed to grow freely, and the ground has 
 been well drained by the ditch. In rustic pai-lance, a "rough gripe" is the 
 place wherein to look for the Yellow Hammer's nest. It is a neatly built 
 
 ORTOLAN. — {Emienza hortulana. ) 
 
THE SKYLARK. 
 
 347 
 
 edifice, composed chiefly of grasses, and lined with hair. The eggs are five 
 in number, and their colour is white, with a dash of very pale purple, and 
 dotted and scribbled all over with dark purple-brown. Both dots and lines 
 are most variable, and it also frequently happens that an egg appears with 
 hardly a mark upon it, while others in the same nest are entirely covered 
 with the quaint-looking decorations. 
 
 The general colour of this bird is bright yellow, variegated with patches of 
 dark brown, and having a richly-mottled brownish yellow on the back, with a 
 decided warm ruddy tinge. The primary feathers of the wing are black, edged 
 with yellow, and the remainder of the feathers throughout, with all the wing- 
 coverts, are deep brown-black, edged with ruddy brown. The chin, throat, 
 and all the under parts of the body are bright pure yellow, sobering into 
 rusty brown on the flanks. The female is similarly marked, but is not so 
 brilliant in her hues. The total length of the bird is about seven inches. 
 
 The Ortolan, or Garden Bunting, is widely celebrated for the delicacy 
 of its flesh, or rather for that of its fat ; the fat of the Ortolan being some- 
 what analogous to the green fat of the turtle in the opinion of gourmands. 
 
 The Ortolan has occasionally been shot in England, but it is most fre- 
 quently found on the Continent, where its advent is expected with great 
 anxiety, and vast numbers are 
 annually captured for the table. ^'S 
 
 These birds are not killed at once, ' ^ ' 
 
 as they would not be in proper 
 condition, but they are placed in 
 a dark room, so as to prevent 
 them from moving about, and are 
 fed largely with oats and millet, 
 until they become mere lumps 
 of fat, weighing nearly three 
 ounces, and are then killed and 
 sent to table. 
 
 The colouring of this bird is 
 as follows : The head is grey, 
 with a green tinge, and the back 
 is ruddy brown, beautifully mot- 
 tled with black. The wings are black, with brown edges to the feathers ; 
 the chin, throat, and upper portions of the breast are greenish yellow ; and 
 the abdomen is warm buff. The total length of the Ortolan is rather more 
 than six inches. 
 
 The Larks may be readily recognized by the very great length of the 
 claw of the hind toe, the short and conical bill, and the great length of the 
 tertiary quill feathers of the wing, which are often as long as the primaries. 
 
 The first example of these birds is the well-known Skylark, so deservedly 
 famous for its song and its aspiring character. 
 
 This most interesting bird is happily a native of our land, and has cheered 
 many a sad heart by its blithe jubilant notes as it wings skyward on strong 
 pinions, or flutters between cloud and earth, pouring out its very soul in its 
 rich wild melody. Early in the spring the Lark begins its song, and con- 
 tinues its musical efforts for nearly eight months, so that on almost every 
 warm day of the year on which a country walk is pacticable, the Skylark's 
 happy notes may be heard ringing throughout the air, long after the bird 
 which utters them has dwindled to a mere speck, hardly distinguishable from 
 a midge floating in the sunbeams. 
 
 The nest of the Skylark is always placed on the ground, and generally in 
 some little depression, such as the imprint of a horse's hoof, the side of a 
 
 SKYLARK. — (Alauda arvensis.) 
 
348 
 
 THE BULLFISCH. 
 
 mole-hill, or the old furrow of a plough. It is very well concealed, the top 
 of the nest being only just on a level with the surface of the ground, and 
 sometimes below it. I have known several instances where the young Larks 
 would suffer themselves to be fed by hand as they sat in their nests, but the 
 parent birds always seemed distressed at the intrusion into their premises. 
 The materials of which it is made are dry grasses, bents, leaves, and hair, 
 the hair being generally used in the hning. It will be seen that the sober 
 colouring of those substances renders the nest so uniform in tint with the 
 surrounding soil, that to discover it is no easy matter. The eggs are four or 
 five in number, and their colour is grey-yellow, washed with light brown, 
 and speckled with brown of a darker hue. They are laid in May, and are 
 hatched in about a fortnight. 
 
 Towards the end of autumn and throughout the winter the Lark becomes 
 very gregarious, " packing " in flocks of thousands in number, and becoming 
 very fat when snow should cover the ground, in vvhii.h case they speedily 
 lose their condition. These flocks are often augmented by the arrival of 
 numerous little flocks from the Continent that come flying over the sea about 
 the end of autumn, so that the bird catchers generally reap a rich harve=t in 
 a sharp winter. 
 
 The next group is that of the Pyrrhulinas, of which our Bullfinch is a 
 familiar example. 
 
 It cares little for open country, preferring cultivated grounds, woods, and 
 
 copses, and is very fond of orchards and 
 fruit-gardens, finding there its greatest 
 supply of food. This bird seems to feed 
 almost wholly on buds during their season, 
 and is consequently shot without mercy by 
 the owners of fruit-gardens. The Bull- 
 finch has a curious propensity for selecting 
 those buds which would produce fruit, so 
 that the leafage of the tree is not at all 
 * diminished. Although the general verdict 
 
 of the garden-keeping public goes against 
 > the Bullfinch, there are, nevertheless, some 
 ^, owners of gardens who are willing to say 
 a kind word for Bully, and who assert that 
 ^ its mischievous propensities have been 
 much overated. 
 
 It is true that the bird will oftentimes 
 set hard to work upon a fruit-tree, and 
 BULLFINCH.— (/>>-»-/5/«a rublcillh.) ruthlessly strip off every single flower-bud, 
 
 thereby destroying to all appearance ttie 
 prospects of the crop for that season. Yet there are cases when a goose- 
 berry-bush has thus been completely disbudded, and yet borne a heavy crop 
 of fruit. The reason of this curious phenomenon may probably be, that some 
 of the buds were attacked by insects, and that the kind of pruning process 
 achieved by the Bullfinch was beneficial rather than hurtful to the plant. 
 
 The Bullfinch aff'ords a curious instance of the change wrought by 
 domestication. In its natural state its notes are by no means remarkable, 
 but its memory is so good, and its powers of imitation so singular, that it 
 can be taught to pipe tunes with a sweet and flute-like intonation, having 
 some of that peculiar " woody " quality that is observable in the flute. 
 
 Those who desire to find the nest of the Bullfinch must search in the 
 thickets and most retired parts of woods or copses, and they may perhaps 
 find the nest hidden very carefully away in some leafy branch at no great 
 
THE CROSSBILL. 
 
 349 
 
 ' core," from which it 
 
 height from the ground. A thick bush is a very favourite spot for the nest ; 
 but I have more than once found them in hazel branches so slender that 
 the mere weight of the nest has bent them aside. The eggs are very prettily 
 marked with deep violet and purple-brown streaks and mottlings upon a 
 greenish white ground, and are easily recognizable by the more or less 
 perfect ring which they form round the larger end of the egg. The eggs are 
 generally five in number. t- t- i j 
 
 The Crossbills, of which three species are known to inhabit England, 
 are most remarkable birds, and have long been celebrated on account of the 
 singular form of beak from which they derive their name. 
 
 In all these birds, the two mandibles completely cross one another, so that 
 at first sight the structure appears to be a malformation, and to prohibit the 
 bird from picking up seeds or feeding itself in any way. But when the 
 Crossbill is seen feeding, it speedily proves itself to be favoured with all the 
 ordinary faculties of birds, and to be as capable of obtaining its food as any 
 of the straight-beaked birds. 
 
 The food of the Crossbill consists almost, if not wholly, of seeds, which it 
 obtains in a very curious manner. It is very fond of apple-pips, and settling 
 on the tree where ripe apples are to be found, attacks the fruit with its beak, 
 and in a very few moments cuts a hole fairly into the " '-"'-'' " *''•"'" wViir-h it- 
 picks out the seeds daintily and eats them, 
 rejecting the ripe pulpy fruit irj which they 
 had been enveloped. As the Crossbill is 
 rather a voracious bird, the havoc which it 
 will make in an orchard may be imgined. 
 
 This bird is also very fond of the seeds 
 of cone-bearing trees, and haunts the pine- 
 forests in great numbers. While engaged 
 in eating, it breaks the cones from branch- 
 es, and, holding them firmly in its feet 
 after the fashion of the parrots, inserts its 
 beak below the scales, wrenches them 
 away, and with its tongue scoops out the 
 seed. 
 
 The Crossbill is not common in this 
 country, although when it does make its 
 appearance it generally comes over in flocks. 
 Usually it consorts in little assemblies 
 consisting of the parents and their young, 
 but it has often been known to associate 
 in considerable numbers. It is a very shy bird, and has a peculiar knack of 
 concealing itself at a moment's notice, pressing itself closely upon the 
 branches at the least alarm, and remaining without a movement or a sound 
 to indicate its position until the danger has departed. 
 
 In Sweden and Norway the Crossbill is a very common bird ; and the 
 North of Europe seems to be their proper breeding-place. 
 
 The nests are always placed in rather close proximity, so that if one nest 
 is found, others are sure to be at no great distance. The nest is made of 
 little fir-twigs, mosses, and wool, and is of rather a loose texture. It is 
 always found upon the part of the branch that is nearest the stem. The fir 
 is the tree that is almost always if not invariably employed by this bird as 
 its nesting-place. The eggs are generally three, but sometimes four in 
 number, and are something like those of the greenfinch, but rather larger. 
 
 CROSSBILL. {Lu:xia cuiziirosliis.) 
 
35'^ 
 
 THE HOIiNBILLS. 
 
 SCANSORES, OR CLIMBING BIRDS. 
 
 A LARGE group of birds is arranged by naturalists under the title ot 
 ScANSORES, or Climbing Birds, and may be recognized by the structure of 
 their feet. Two toes are directed forward, and the other two backward, so 
 that the bird is able to take a very powerful hold of the substance on which 
 it is sitting, and enables some species, as the woodpeckers, to run nimbly up 
 tree- trunks and to hold themselves tightly on the bark while they hammer 
 away with their beaks ; and other species, of which the parrots are familiar 
 examples, to clasp the bough as with a hand. 
 
 There are many strange and wonderful forms among the feathered tribes ; 
 but there are, perhaps, none which more astonish the beholder who sees 
 
 them for the first time, than 
 the group of birds known by 
 the name of Hornbills. 
 
 They are all distinguished 
 by a very large beak, to 
 which is added a singular 
 helmet-like appendage, equal- 
 ling the beak itself in some 
 species, while in others it is 
 so small as to attract but 
 little notice. On account ot 
 the enormous size of the beak 
 and the helmet, which in some 
 species recede to the crown 
 of the head, the bird appears 
 to be overweighted by the 
 mass of horny substance 
 which it has to carry ; but 
 on a closer investigation, the 
 whole structure is found to 
 be singularly light, and yet 
 very strong. 
 
 On cutting asunder the 
 beak and helmet of a Horn- 
 bill, we shall find that the 
 outer shell of horny sub- 
 stance is very thin indeed, 
 scarcely thicker than the paper on which this description is printed, and 
 that the whole interior is composed of numerous honey-combed cells, with 
 very thin walls and very wide spaces, the walls of the cells being so arranged 
 as to give very great strength when the bill is used for biting, and with a 
 very slight expenditure of material. 
 
 Perhaps the greatest development of beak and helmet is found in the 
 Rhinoceros Hornbill. 
 
 As is the case with all the Hornbills, the beak varies greatly in proportion 
 to the age of the individual, the helmet being almost imperceptible when it 
 is first hatched, and the bill not very striking in its dimensions. But as the 
 bird gains in strength, so does the beak gain in size, and when it is adult the 
 helmet and beak attain their full proportions. 
 
 When at liberty in its native forests, the Hornbill is lively and active, 
 leaping from bough to bough with great lightness, and appearing not to be 
 in the least incommoded by its large beak. It' ascends the tree by a succes- 
 
 RHINOCEROS HORNBILL. — {Buceros Rhinoceros.') 
 
THE TOUCAX. 
 
 35' 
 
 sion of easy jumps, each of which brings it to a higher branch, and when it 
 has attained the very summit of the tree, it stops and pours forth a succession 
 of loud roaring sounds, which can be heard at a considerable distance. 
 
 The food of the Hornbill seems to consist both of animal and vegetable 
 matters, and Lesson remarks that those species which inhabit Africa live on 
 carrion, while those that are found in Asia feed on fruits, and that their flesh 
 acquires thereby an agreeable and peculiar flavour. While on the ground, 
 the movements of the Hornbill are rather peculiar, for instead of walking 
 soberly along, as might be expected from a bird of its size, it hops along by a 
 succession of jumps. It is but seldom seen on the ground, preferring 
 the trunks of trees, which its powerful feet are well calculated to clasp 
 firmly. 
 
 The very curious birds that go by the name of TOUCANS are not one whit 
 less remarkable than hornbills, their beak being often as extravagantly large, 
 and their colours by far 
 superior. They are inhabit- 
 ants of America, the greater 
 number of species being 
 found in the tropical regions 
 of that country. 
 
 Of these birds there are 
 many species, of which no 
 less than five were living in 
 the Zoological Gardens in a 
 single year. Mr. Gould, in 
 his magnificent work, the 
 " Monograph of the Rham- 
 phastidse," figures fifty-one 
 species, and ranks them 
 under six genera. 
 
 The most extraordinary 
 part of these birds is the 
 enormous beak, which in 
 some species, such as the 
 Toco Toucan, is of gigantic 
 dimensions, seeming big 
 enough to give its owner a 
 perpetual headache ; while 
 in others, such as the Tou- 
 canets, it is not so large as 
 to attract much attention. 
 
 As in the case of the hornbills, their beak is very thin and is strengthened 
 by a vast number of honeycomb-cells, so that it is very light and does not 
 incommode the bird in the least. The beak partakes of the brilliant colour- 
 ing which decorates the plumage, but its beautiful hues are sadly evanescent, 
 often disappearing or changing so thoroughly as to give no intimation of 
 their former beauty. 
 
 The voice of the Toucan is hoarse and rather disagreeable, and is in many 
 cases rather articulate. In one species the cry resembles the word " Tucano," 
 which has given origin to the peculiar name by which the whole group is 
 designated. They have a habit of sitting on the branches in flocks, having 
 a sentinel to guard them, and are fond of lifting up their beaks, clattering 
 them together, and shouting hoarsely, from which custom the natives term 
 them Preacher-birds. Sometimes the whole party, including the sentinel, set 
 up a simultaneous yell, which is so deafeningly loud that it can be heard at 
 
 COMMON TOUCAN. — (Rhamphaitos Ariel.) 
 
3S2 
 
 THE RINGED PARRAKEET. 
 
 the distance of a mile. They are very loquacious birds, and are often 
 discovered through their perpetual chattering. 
 
 When settling itself to sleep, the Toucan packs itself up in a very 
 systematic manner, supporting its huge beak by resting it on its back, and 
 tucking it completely among the feathers, while it doubles its tail across its 
 back, just as if it moved on a spring hinge. So completely is the bill hidden 
 among the feathers, that hardly a trace of it is visible m spite of its great 
 size and bright colour, and the bird when sleeping looks like a great ball of 
 
 loose feathers. 
 
 PARROTS. 
 
 The general form of the Parrots is too well known to need description. 
 All birds belonging to this large and splendid group can be recognized by 
 
 the shape of their beaks, which are large, and 
 have the upper mandible extensively curved 
 and hanging far over the lower ; in some species 
 the upper mandible is of extraordinary length. 
 The tongue is short, thick, and fleshy, and the 
 structure of this member aids the bird in no 
 slight degree in its singular powers of articu- 
 lation. The wings and tail are generally long, 
 and in some species, such as the Macaws, the 
 tail is of very great length, while in most of the 
 Parrakeets it is longer than the body. 
 
 The genus Pateornis, of which the RINGED 
 Parrakeet is an excellent example, is a very 
 extensive one, and has representatives in almost 
 every hot portion of the world, even including 
 Australia. 
 
 The Ringed Parrakeet is found both in Africa 
 and Asia, the only difference perceptible be- 
 tween the individuals brought from the two 
 continents being that the Asiatic species is 
 rather larger than its African relative. It has 
 long been the favourite of man as a caged bird, 
 and is one of the species to which such frequent 
 reference is made by the ancient writers, the 
 other species being the Alexandrine Ringed Parrakeet I^Palaornis Alexandri). 
 This species of Parrakeet is not very good at talking, though it can learn 
 to repeat a few words, and is very apt at communicating its own ideas by a 
 language of gesture and information especially its own. It is, however, very 
 docile, and will soon learn any lesson that may be imposed, even that most 
 difficult task to a Parrot — remaining silent while anyone is speaking. 
 
 The general colour of this species is grass-green, variegated in the adult 
 male as follows:— The feathers of the forehead are light green, which take a 
 bluish tinge as they approach tlie crown and nape of the neck, where they are 
 of a lovely purple blue. Just below the purple runs a narrow band of rose 
 colour, and immediately below the rosy line is a streak of black, which is 
 narrow towards the back of the neck but soon becomes broader, and envelops 
 the cheek and chin. It does not go quite round the neck, as there is an 
 interval of nearly half an inch on the back of the neck. The quill feathers of 
 both wings and tail are darkish green ; the wings are black beneath, and the 
 tail yellowish. 
 
 One of the very prettiest and most interesting of the Parrot tribe is the 
 Grass or Zebra Parrakeet, deriving its names from its habits and the 
 markings of its plumage. 
 
 RINGED PARRAKEET. 
 (Palceornis torquatus. ) 
 
THE GRASS PARRAKEET. 353 
 
 It is a native of Australia, and may be found in almost all the central 
 portions of that land, whence it has been imported in such great numbers as 
 an inhabitant of our aviaries, that when Dr. Bennett was last in England he 
 found that he could purchase the birds at a cheaper rate in England than in 
 New South Wales. This graceful little creature derives its name of Grass 
 Parrakeet from its fondness for the grass lands, where it may be seen in great 
 
 WARBLING GRASS Yk^l.tJ/iY.wc. — (MelopsittacusunduIatus.) 
 
 numbers, running amid the thick grass blades, clinging to their stems, or 
 feeding on their seeds. It is always an inland bird, being very seldom seen 
 between the mountain ranges and the coasts. 
 
 The voice of this bird is quite unlike the rough screeching sounds in which 
 Parrots seem to delight, and is a gentle, soft, warbling kind of song, which 
 seems to be contained within the body, and is not poured out with tha! 
 
 A A 
 
354 
 
 MACAWS, 
 
 decision which is usually found in birds that can sing, however small their 
 efforts may be. This song, if it may be so called, belongs only to the male 
 bird, who seems to have an idea that his voice must be very agreeable to his 
 mate, for in light warm weather he will warble nearly all day long, and often 
 pushes his beak almost into the ear of his mate, so as- to give her the 
 full benefit of his song. 
 
 The food of this Parrakeet consists almost chiefly of seeds, those of 
 the grass plant being their constant food in their native country. In 
 England they take well to canary-seed, and it is somewhat remarkable that 
 they do not pick up food with their feet, but always with their beaks. It is a 
 great mistake to confine these lively little birds in a small cage, as their wild 
 habits are peculiarly lively and active, and require much space. The 
 difference between a Grass Parrakeet when in a little cage and after it 
 
 has been removed into a 
 large house, where it has 
 plenty of space to move 
 about, is really wonderful. 
 
 In its native land it is a 
 migratory bird, assembling 
 after the breeding season in 
 enormous flocks as a prepa- 
 ration for their intended jour- 
 ney. The general number of 
 the eggs is three or four, and 
 they are merely laid in the 
 holes of the gum-tree without 
 requiring a nest. 
 
 The Macaws are mostly 
 inhabitants of Southern Ame- 
 rica, in which country so 
 many magnificent birds find 
 their home. 
 
 They are all very splendid 
 birds, and are remarkable for 
 their great size, their very 
 long tails, and the splendid 
 hues of their plumage. The 
 BLUE AND YELLOW MACAW.— (^ra Ararauna.) beak is also very large and 
 
 powerful, and in some spe- 
 cies the ring round the eyes and part of the face is devoid of covering. As 
 their habits are all very similar, only one example has been figured. This is 
 the great Blue and Yellow Macaw, a bird which is mostly found in 
 Demerara. It is a wood-loving bird, particularly haunting those places 
 where the ground is wet and swampy, and where grows a certain pahn on 
 the fruit of which it chiefly feeds. 
 
 The wings of this species are strong, and the long tail is so firmly set that 
 considerable powers of flight are manifested. The Macaws often fly at a 
 very great elevation, in large flocks, and are fond of executing sundry aerial 
 evolutions before they alight. With one or two exceptions they care little 
 for the ground, and are generally seen on the summit of the highest trees. 
 
 The true Parrots constitute a group which are easily recognized by their 
 short squared tails, the absence of any crest upon the head, and the toothed 
 edges of the upper mandible. 
 
 The Grey Parrot has long been celebrated for its wonderful powers of 
 imitation and its excellent memory. 
 
 -aJt)' 
 
THE GREY PARROT. 
 
 35S 
 
 It is a native of Western Africa, and is one of tlie commonest mhabitants 
 of our aviaries, being brought over in great numbers by sailors, and always 
 finding a ready sale as soon as the vessel arrives in port. 
 
 Its power of imitating all kinds of sounds is really astonishmg. I have 
 heard a Parrot imitate, or rather reproduce, in rapid succession the most 
 
 GREY PARROT. — [Psittacus erythacus.) 
 dissimilar of sounds, without the least effort and with the most astonishing 
 truthfulness. He could whistle lazily like a street idler, cry prawns and 
 shrimps as well as any costermonger, creak like an ungreased "sheave" in 
 the pulley that is set in the blocks through which ropes run for sundry nautical 
 purposes, or keep up a quiet and gentle monologue about his own accom- 
 plishments with a simplicity of attitude that was most absurd. 
 
 A A 2 
 
356 THE GREEN PARROT. 
 
 Even in the imitation of louder noises lie was equally expert, and could 
 sound the danger-whistle or blow off steam with astonishing accuracy. 
 Until I came to understand the bird, I used to wonder why some invisible 
 person was always turning an imperceptible capstan in my close vicinity, 
 for the Parrot had also learned to imitate the grinding of the capstan bars 
 and the metallic clink of the catch as it falls rapidly upon the cogs. 
 
 GREEN PARROT. — ( Chrysotis festivus. 
 
 As for the ordinary accomplishments of Parrots, he possessed them in 
 perfection, but in my mind his most perfect performance was the imitation of 
 a dog having his foot run over by a can-wheel. First there came the sudden 
 hnlf-fiightened bark, as the beast found itself in unexpected danger, and 
 then the loud shriek of pain, followed by the series of howls that is popularly 
 
COCKATOOS. 
 
 357 
 
 termed "pen and ink." Lastly the howls grew fainter, as the dog was 
 supposed to be limping away, and you really seemed to hear him turn the 
 corner and retreat into the distance. The memory of the bird must have 
 been most tenacious, and its powers of observation far beyond the common 
 order ; for he could not have been witness to such a canine accident more 
 than once. 
 
 The food of this Parrot consists chiefly of seeds of various kinds, and 
 in captivity may 'be varied to some extent. Hemp-seed, grain, canary- 
 seed, and the cones of fir-trees are favourite articles of diet with this bird. 
 Of the cones it is especially fond, nibbling them to pieces when they aie 
 young and tender ; but, when they are old and ripe, breaking away the hard 
 scales and scooping out the seeds with its very useful tongue. Hawthorn 
 berries are very good for the Parrot, as are several vegetables. These, how- 
 ever, should be given with great caution, as several, such as parsley and 
 chick-weed, are exceedingly hurtful to the bird. 
 
 When proper precautions are taken, the Parrot is one of our haidiest 
 cage-birds, and will Uve to a great age even in captivity. Some of these 
 birds have been known to attain an age of sixty or seventy years, and one 
 which was seen by Le Vaillant had attained the patriarchal age of ninety- 
 three. At sixty its memory began to fail ; and at sixty-five the moult 
 became very irregular, and the tail changed to yellow. At ninety it was a 
 very decrepit creature, almost blind and quite silent, having forgotten its 
 former abundant stock of words. 
 
 The general colour of this bird is a very pure ashen grey, except the tail, 
 which is deep scarlet. 
 
 Two species of Green Parrot are tolerably common, the one being the 
 Festive Green Parrot, and the other the Amazon Green Parrot. 
 
 The Amazon Green Parrot is the 
 species most commonly seen in England. 
 It is a native of Southern America, and 
 especially frequents the banks of the 
 Amazon. It is not, however, so retiring in ■ 
 its habits as most Parrots, and will often 
 leave the woods for the sake of preying 
 upon the orange plantations, among which 
 it works great havoc. Its nest is made in 
 the decayed trunks of trees. 
 
 As a general fact, it is not so apt at 
 learning and repeating phrases as the Grey 
 Parrot, but 1 have known more than one 
 instance where its powers of speech could 
 hardly be exceeded, and very seldom 
 rivalled. One of these birds, which used 
 to five in a little garden into which my t\,'^ ijj 
 window looked, was, on our first entrance V^// -^ "'^^i^"*^ 
 
 into the house, the cause of much per- ^^ 
 
 plexity to ourselves and the servants. The sulphur-crested cockatoo. 
 nurserymaid's name was Sarah, and the (l acatua galerita.) 
 
 unfortunate girl was continually running up 
 
 and down stairs, fancymg herself called by one of the children in distress. 
 The voire of the Parrot was just that of a child, and it would call Sarah 
 m every imaginable tone, varying from a mere enunciation of the name as if 
 m conversation, to angry remonstrance, petulant peevishness, or sudden 
 terror. 
 
 The Cockatoos are very familiar birds, as several species are common 
 
 *:*- 
 
r,s 
 
 COCK A TOOS. 
 
 inhabitants of our aviaries, where they create much amusement by their 
 grotesque movements, their exceeding love of approbation, and their repeated 
 inentipn of their own name. Wherever two or three of these birds are found 
 in the same apartment, however silent they may be when left alone, the 
 presence of a visitor excites them to immediate conversation, and the air 
 
 LEADBEATEr's cockatoo.— (Cara/'aa Lmdbtaleri.") 
 
 resounds with " Cockatoo ! " " Pretty Cocky ! " in all directions, diversified 
 with an occasional yell, if the utterer be not immediately noticed. 
 
 They are confined to the Eastern Archipelago and Australia, in which 
 latter country a considerable number of large and splendid species are found. 
 The nesting-place of the Cockatoos is always in the holes of decaying trees, 
 and by means of their very powerful beaks fhey tear away the wood until 
 
COCKATOOS. 359 
 
 they have enlarged the hollow to their liking. Their food consists almost 
 wholly of fruits and seeds, and they are often very great pests to the 
 agriculturist, settling in large flocks upon the fields of maize and corn, and 
 devouring the ripened ears or disinterring the newly-sown seeds with hearty 
 good-will. The wrath of the farmer is naturally aroused by these frequent 
 raids, and the Cockatoos perish annually in great numbers from the constant 
 persecution to which they are subjected, their nests being destroyed, and 
 themselves shot and trapped. 
 
 To those, however, who own no land and are anxious about no crops, a 
 flock of Cockatoos is a most beautiful and welcome sight, as they flit among 
 the heavy-leaved trees of the Australian forest, their pinky-white plumage 
 relieved against the dark masses of umbrageous shade, as they appear and 
 vanish among the branches like the bright visions of a dream. 
 
 The remarkably handsome bird which is represented on the opposite page 
 is a native of Austraha. It is called by several names, such as the Tricolor 
 Crested Cockatoo, and the Pink. Cockatoo, by which latter name it is 
 known to the colonists. The title of Leadbeater's Cockatoo was given to 
 the bird in honour of the well-known naturalist, who possessed the first speci- 
 men brought to England. 
 
 It is not so noisy as the common species, and may possibly prove a 
 favourite inhabitant of our aviaries, its soft blush-white plumage and 
 splendid crest well meriting the attention of bird-fanciers. The crest is 
 remarkable for its great development, and for the manner in which the bird 
 can raise it like a fan over its head, or depress it upon the back of its neck 
 at will. In either case it has a very fine effect, and especially so when it is 
 elevated, and the bird is excited with anger or pleasure. 
 
 The general colour of this bird is white, with a slight pinkish flush. 
 Round the base of the beak runs a very narrow crimson line, and the feathers 
 of the crest are long and pointed, each feather being crimson at the base, then 
 broadly barred with golden yellow, then with crimson, and the remainder is 
 white. The neck, breast, flanks, and under-tail coverts are deeply stained 
 with crimson, and the under surface of the wing is deep crimson-red. The 
 beak is pale greyish white, the eyes brown, and the feet and legs dark. grey, 
 each scale being edged with a lighter tint. In size it is rather superior to the 
 common white Cockatoo. 
 
 The species of Cockatoo which is most common in England is the 
 Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo, a representation of which will be found on 
 page 357. 
 
 This bird is an inhabitant of different parts of Australia, and is especially 
 common in Van Diemen's Land, where it may be found in flocks of a 
 thousand in number. Owing to the ease with which it is obtained, it is 
 frequently brought to England and is held in much estimation as a pet. 
 
 The colour of this species is white, with the exception of the crest, which is 
 of a bright sulphur-yellow, and the under surface of the wings and the basal 
 portions of the inner webs of the tail-feathers, which are of the same colour, 
 but much paler in hue. The total length of this species is about eighteen inches. 
 
 ^VE now take our leave of the Parrots, and come to a very interesting 
 family of scansorial birds, known popularly as Woodpeckers ; and scien- 
 tifically as Picidffi. 
 
 As is well known, the name of Woodpecker is given to these birds from their 
 habit of pecking among the decaying wood of trees in order to feed upon the 
 insects that are found within. They also chip away the wo^d for the purpose 
 of making the holes or tunnels wherein their eggs are deposited. In order to 
 enable them to perform these duties, the structure of the Woodpecker is very 
 curiously modified. The feet are extremely powerful, and the claws are 
 
36o WOODPECKERS. 
 
 strong and sharply hooked, so that the bird can retain a firm hold of the tree 
 to which it is clinging while it works away at the bark or wood with its bill. 
 The tail, too, is furnished with very stiff and pointed feathers, which are 
 pressed against the bark, and form a kind of support on which the bird can 
 rest a large proportion of its weight. The breast-bone is not so prominent 
 
 GREAT SPOTTEU WOODPECKER. — {P.CUS major.) 
 
 as in the generality of flying birds, in order to enable the Woodpecker to press 
 its breast closely to the tree; and the beak is long, strong, and sharp. 
 
 Ihese modifications aid the bird in cutting away the wood, but there is yet 
 a provision needful to render the Woodpecker capable of seizing the little 
 ii»?§cts on which it feeds, : nd which lurk in small holes and crannies uito 
 
WOODPECKERS. 361 
 
 which the beak of the Woodpecker could not penetrate. This structure is 
 shown when a Woodpecker's head is carefully dissected. The tongue-bones or 
 "hyoid" bones are greatly lengthened, and pass over the top of the head, being 
 fastened in the skull just above the right nostril. These long tendinous-looking 
 bones are accompanied by a narrow strip of muscle by which they are moveu. 
 
 The tongue is furnished at the tip with a long horny appendage covered 
 with barbs and sharply pointed at the extremity, so that the bird is enabled 
 to project this instrument to a considerable distance from the bill, transfix an 
 insect, and draw it into the mouth. Those insects that are too small to be 
 thus treated are captured by means of a glutinous liquid poured upon the 
 tongue from certain glands within the mouth, and which cause the little 
 insects to adhere to the weapon suddenly projected among them. Some 
 authors deny the transfixion. 
 
 The Great Spoited Woodpecker is one of the five British species, and 
 is also known by the names of Frenchpie and Woodpie. 
 
 It is found in many parts of England, and, like the other Woodpeckers, 
 must be sought in the forests and woods rather than in orchards and gardens. 
 Like other shy birds, however, it soon finds out where it may take up its 
 abode unmolested, and will occasionally make its nest in some cultivated 
 ground, where it has the instinctive assurance of safety, rather than entrust 
 itself to the uncertain security of the forest. 
 
 Although the Woodpeckers were formerly much persecuted, under the 
 idea that they killed the trees by pecking holes in them, they are most useful 
 birds, cutting away the decaying wood, as a surgeon removes a gangrened 
 spot, and eating the hosts of insects which encamp in dead or dying wood, 
 and would soon bring the whole tree to the ground. They do not confine 
 themselves to trees, but seek their food wherever they can find it, searching 
 old posts and rails, and especially delighting in those trees that are much 
 infested with the green-fly, or aphis, as the wood-ants swarm in such trees 
 for the purpose of obtaining the " honey-dew," as it distils from the aphides, 
 and then the Woodpeckers eat the ants. Those destructive creatures generally 
 called wood-lice, and known to boys as "monkey -peas," are a favourite article 
 of diet with the Woodpeckers, to whom our best thanks are therefore due. 
 
 But the Woodpeckers, although living mostly on insects, do not confine 
 themselves wholly to that diet, but are very fond of fruits, always choosing 
 the ripest. 
 
 As is the case with all its congeners, the Great Spotted Woodpecker lays 
 its eggs in the hollow of a tree. 
 
 The locality chosen for this purpose is carefully selected, and is a tunnel 
 excavated, or at all events altered, by the bird for the special purpose of nidi- 
 fication. Before commencing the operation, the Woodpeckers always find 
 out whether the tree is sound or rotten, and they can ascertain the latter fact 
 even through several layers of sound wood. When they have fixed upon a site 
 for their domicile, they set determinately to work, and speedily cut out a cir- 
 cular tunnel just large enough to admit their bodies, but no larger. Sometimes 
 this tunnel is tolerably straight, but it generally turns off in another direction. 
 
 At the bottom of the hole the female bird collects the little chips of decayi d 
 wood that have been cut off during the boring process, and deposits her eggs 
 upon them without any attempt at nest-making. Some excellent examples 
 of these nests are in the British Museum. The eggs are generally five in 
 number, but six have been taken from the nest of this species. 
 
 Generally the nests of birds are kept scrupulously clean, but that of the 
 Woodpecker is a sad exception to the rule, the amount of filth and potency 
 of stench being quite beyond human endurance. The colour of the eggs is 
 white, and their surface glossy, and they are remarkable, ■yvhen fresh, for 
 
363 THE GREEN WOODPECKER. 
 
 some very faint and very narrow lines, which run longitudinally down the 
 shell towards the small end. 
 
 The general colour of this species is black and white, curiously disposed, 
 with the exception of the back of the head, which is light scarlet, and 
 contrasts strongly with the sober hues of the body. Taking the black to be 
 
 GRKEN WOODPECKER. — (Gecinus viridis.) 
 
 the ground colour, the white is thus arranged. The forehead and ear-coverts, 
 a patch on each side of the neck, the scapularies, and part of the wing- 
 coverts, several little squared spots on the wings, and large patches on the 
 tail, are pure white. The throat and the whole of the under surface are also 
 white, but with a greyish cast, and the under tail-coverts are red. The total 
 length of the ^dult male is rather more than nine inches. The female has no 
 
THE WRYNECK. 
 
 363 
 
 red on the head and the young birds of the first year are remarkable for 
 having the back of the head black and the top of the head red, often mixed 
 with a few little black feathers. 
 
 The commonest of the British Woodpeckers is that which is generally 
 known by the name of the Green Woodpecker. It has, however, many 
 popular titles, such as Rain-bird, Wood-spite, Hew-hole, and Wood-wall. 
 This bird is our representative of the Gecinse, or Green Woodpeckers. 
 
 Although the Green Woodpecker is a haunter of woods and forests, it will 
 sometimes leave those favoured localities and visit the neighbourhood of 
 man. The grounds between the Isis and Merton College, Oxford, are rather 
 favourite resorts of this pretty bird. 
 
 The name of Rain-bird has been given to this species because it becomes 
 very vociferous at the approach of 
 wet weather, and is, as Mr. Yarrell 
 well observes, "a living barometer 
 to good observers." Most birds, 
 however, will answer the same purpose 
 to those who know how and where to 
 look for them. The other titles are 
 equally appropriate. Wood-spite be- 
 ing clearly a corruption of the German 
 term specht. Hew-hole speaks for 
 itself ; and Wood-wall is an ancient 
 name for the bird, occurring in the 
 old English poets. 
 
 The other British species are the 
 Great Black Woodpecker {Dryocopus 
 Martius), the Northern Three-toed 
 Woodpecker [Picoides tridactylus), 
 and the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker 
 {Picus minor). 
 
 The curious bird known under the popular and appropriate name of the 
 Wryneck is by some considered to be closely allied to the woodpeckers. 
 
 The Wryneck is a summer visitant to this country, appearing just before 
 the cuckoo, and therefore known in some parts of England as the cuckoo's 
 footman. There is a Welsh name for this bird, signifying " Cuckoo's knave," 
 — Gwas-y-g6g. 
 
 The tongue of this bird is long, slender, and capable of being projected to 
 the distance of an inch or so from the extremity of the beak, and its con- 
 struction is almost exactly the same as that of the woodpecker. As might 
 be supposed, it is employed for the same purpose, being used in capturing 
 little insects, of which ants form its favourite diet. Sci fond, indeed, is the 
 Wryneck of these insects, that in some parts of England it is popularly 
 known by the name of Emmet-hunter. In pursuit of ants it trips nimbly 
 about the trunks and branches of trees, picking them off neatly with its 
 tongue as they run their untiring course. It also frequents ant-hills, espe- 
 cially when the insects are bringing out their pupae to he in the sun, and 
 swallows ants and pupae at a great pace. When the ants remain within their 
 fortress, the Wryneck pecks briskly at the hillock until it breaks its way 
 through the fragile walls of the nest, and as the warlike insects come rushing 
 out to attack the intruder of their home and to repair damages, it makes 
 an excellent meal of them in spite of their anger and their stings. 
 
 When ants are scarce and scantily spread over the ground, the Wryneck 
 runs after them in a very agile fashion ; but when it comes upon a well- 
 stocked spot, it stands motionless, with the exception of the head, which is 
 
 WRYNECK. — ( Yunx torquilla.) 
 
364 
 
 CUCKOOS. 
 
 darted rapidly in every direction, the neck and central line of the back 
 twisting in a manner that reminds the observer of a snake. When captured 
 Or wounded, it will lie on its back, ruffle up its feathers, erect its neck, and 
 hiss so like an angry serpent that it is in some places known by the name of 
 the snake-bird. 
 
 The nest of the Wryneck is hardly deserving of that name, being merely 
 composed of chips of decaying wood. The eggs are laid in the hollow of a 
 tree, not wholly excavated by the bird, as is the case with the woodpeckers, its 
 beak not being sufficiently strong for such a task, but adapted to the purpose 
 from some already existing hole. 
 
 The number of eggs laid by the Wryneck is rather great, as many as ten 
 having often been found in a single nest. In one instance no less than 
 twenty-two eggs were taken at four intervals. Their colour is beautiful 
 white with a pinky tinge, not unlike those of the kingfisher ; and as this 
 pink colour is produced by the yolk showing itself through the delicate shell, 
 
 it is, of course, lost when 
 the egg is emptied of its 
 contents. The plumage 
 of this little bird, al- 
 though devoid of bril- 
 liant hues, and decked 
 only with brown, black, 
 and grey, is really hand- 
 some, from the manner 
 in which those appa- 
 rently sombre tints are 
 disposed. 
 
 The Cuckoos consti- 
 tute a large family, con- 
 taining several smaller 
 groups and many spe- 
 cies. Two representa- 
 tives of the groups will 
 be found in the following 
 pages. All these birds 
 have a rather long, 
 slender, and somewhat 
 curved beak, which in 
 some species takes a curve so decided, that it gives quite a predaceous air • 
 to its owner. Examples of the Cuckoo tribe are to be found in almost every 
 portion of the globe, and are most plentiful about the tropics. 
 
 There are few birds which are more widely known by good and evil 
 report than the common CuCKOO. 
 
 It is well known that the female Cuckoo does not make any nest, but 
 places her egg in the nest of some small bird, and leaves it to the care of its 
 unwitting foster-parents. Various birds are burdened with this charge, such 
 as the hedge-warbler, the pied-wagtail, the meadow-pipit, the red-backed 
 shrike, the blackbird, and various finches. Generally, however, the three 
 first are those preferred. Considering the size of the mother-bird, the egg 
 of the Cuckoo is remarkably small, being about the same size as that of the 
 skylark, although the latter bird has barely one-fourth the dimensions of the 
 former. The little birds, therefore, which are always careless about the 
 colour or form of an egg, provided that it be nearly the size of their own 
 productions, do not detect the imposition, and hatch the interloper o^cther 
 V.'ith their own young. 
 
 Cuckoo. — (Cuculus Canorus.) 
 
PIGEONS. 365 
 
 The general colour of the Cuckoo's egg is mottled reddish grey, but the 
 tint is very variable in different individuals, as 1 can testify from personal 
 experience. It has also been noted that the colour of the egg varies with 
 the species in whose nest it is to be placed, so that the egg which is intended 
 to be hatched by the hedge-warbler is not precisely of the same colour as 
 that which is destined for the nest of the pipit. 
 
 The mode by which the Cuckoo contrives to deposit her eggs in the nest 
 of sundry birds was extremely dubious, until a key was found to the problem 
 by a chance discovery made by Le Vaillant. He had shot a female Cuckoo, 
 and on opening its mouth in order to stuff it with tow, he found an egg 
 lodged very snugly within the throat. 
 
 The peculiar note of the Cuckoo is so well known as to need no particular 
 description, but the public is not quite so familiar with the fact that the note 
 changes according to the time of year. When the bird first begins to sing, 
 the notes are full and clear; but towards the end of the season they become 
 hesitating, hoarse, and broken, like the breaking voice of a young lad. This 
 peculiarity was noticed long ago by observant persons, and many are the 
 country rhymes which bear allusion to the voice and the sojourn of the 
 Cuckoo. For example; — 
 
 " In April He alters his tune. 
 
 Come he will. In July 
 
 In May He prepares to fly. 
 
 He sings all day. In August 
 
 In June Go he must." 
 
 In general appearance the Cuckoo bears some resemblance to a bird of 
 prey, but it has little of the predaceous nature. It is rather curious that 
 small birds have a tendency to treat the Cuckoo much as they treat the 
 hawks and owls, following it wherever it flies in the open country, and 
 attending it through the air. 
 
 The colour of the plumage is bluish grey above, with the exception of the 
 wings and tail, which are black, and barred with white on the exterior 
 feathers. The chin, neck, and breast are ashen grey, and the abdomen and 
 under wing-coverts are white, barred with slaty grey. 
 
 COLUMB^; OR DOVES AND PIGEONS. 
 
 The large order of CoLUMRiE, or the Pigeon tribe, comes now under our 
 notice. It contains many beautiful and interesting birds ; but as its members 
 are so extremely numerous, only a few typical examples can be mentioned. 
 
 All the Pigeons maybe distinguished from the poultry, and the gallinaceous 
 birds in general, by the form of the bill, which is arched towards the tip, and 
 has a convex swelling at the base, caused by a gristly kind of plate which covers 
 the nasal cavities, and which in some species is very curiously developed. 
 
 Among the most extraordinary of birds, the Passenger Pigeon may take 
 very high rank, not on account of its size or beauty, but on account of the 
 extraordinary multitudes in which it sometimes migrates from one place to 
 another. The scenes which take place during these migrations are so 
 strange, so wonderful, and so entirely unHke any events on this side of the 
 Atlantic, that they could not be believed but for the trustworthy testimony by 
 which they are corroborated. 
 
 Wilson, who was fortunate enoug^i to witness some of these migrations, 
 has written a most vivid account of them. After professing his belief that 
 the chief object of" the migration is the search after food, and that the birds 
 having devoured all the nutriment in one part of the country take wing in 
 order to feed on the beech-mast of another region, he proceeds to describe a 
 breeding-place seen by himself in Kentucky, which was several miles in 
 
366 
 
 THE STOCK-DOVE. 
 
 PASSENGER PIGEON. — (Ectopistes migratoyius.) 
 
 breadth, was said to be nearly forty miles in length, and in which every tree 
 was absolutely loaded with nests. All the smaller branches were destroyed 
 
 by the birds, many of the 
 large limbs were broken off 
 and thrown on the ground, 
 while no few of the grand 
 forest-trees themselves were 
 killed as surely as if the axe 
 had been employed for their 
 destruction. The Pigeons 
 had arrived about the loth of 
 April, and left it by the end 
 of May. 
 
 The Stock-Dove derives 
 its name from its habit of 
 building its nest in the stocks 
 or stumps of trees. It is 
 one of our British Pigeons, 
 and is tolerably common in 
 many parts of England. 
 
 It is seldom found far 
 northward, and even when 
 it does visit such localities 
 it is only as a summer resi- 
 dent, making its nest in 
 warmer districts. As has 
 already been mentioned, the 
 nest of this species is made in the stocks or stumps of trees, the birds find- 
 ing out some convenient hollow, and placing their eggs within. Other locali- 
 ties are, however, selected for 
 the purpose of incubation, 
 among which a deserted 
 rabbit burrow is among the 
 most common. The nest is 
 hardly worthy of the name, 
 being a mere collection of 
 dry fibrous roots, laid about 
 three or four feet within the 
 entrance, just thick enou,L,h 
 vO keep the eggs from the 
 ground, but not sufficiently 
 woven to constitute a true 
 nest. 
 
 The head, neck, and back 
 and wing-coverts are bluish 
 grey, the primary quill fea- 
 thers of the wing taking a 
 deeper hue, the secondaries 
 being pearl-grey deepening 
 at the tips, and the tertials 
 being blue-grey with two or 
 three spots. The chin is 
 blue-grey, the sides of the 
 neck slaty-grey glossed wi^n 
 The specific name of cr/tas, or " vvir.2- 
 
 stoCk-dove. — ( Columha anas.) 
 green, and the breast purplish red, 
 
THE RING-DOVE. 
 
 367 
 
 coloured," is given to the bird on account of the peculiar hue of the throat 
 Tlie whole of the under surface is grey, and the tail-feathers are colourea 
 with grey of several tones, the outside feathers having the basal portion ot 
 the outer web white. The beak is deep orange, the eyes scarlet, and the 
 legs and toes red. The total length is about fourteen inches, the female 
 being a little smaller. 
 
 The bird which now comes before our notice is familiar to all residents in 
 the country under the titles of RiNG-DOVE, Wood Pigeon, Wood Guest, 
 and Cushat. 
 
 This pretty dove is one of the commonest of our British birds, breeding in 
 almost every little copse or tuft of trees, and inhabiting the forest grounds in 
 great abundance. Towards and during the breeding season, its soft compla- 
 cent cooing is heard in every direction, and with a very slight search its nest 
 may be found. It is a strange nest, and hardly deserving that name, being 
 nothing more than a mere platform of sticks resting upon the fork of a 
 bough, and placed so loosely across each other that when the maternal bird 
 is away the light may sometimes be seen through the interstices of the nest, 
 and the outline of the eggs made out. Generally the Ring-dove chooses a rathe- 
 lofty branch for its nesting- 
 place, but it occasionally 
 builds at a very low elevation. 
 
 The eggs are never more 
 than two in number, and per- 
 fectly white, looking some- 
 thing like hen's eggs on a 
 small scale, save that the ends 
 are more equally rounded. 
 
 The food of this Dove con- 
 sists of grain and seeds of 
 various kinds, together with the 
 green blades of newly sprung 
 corn and the leaves of turnips, 
 clover, and other vegetables. 
 Quiet and harmless as it may 
 look, the Ring-dove is a won- 
 derful gormandizer, and can 
 consume great quantities of 
 food. The crop is capacious to 
 suit the appetite, and can con- 
 tain a singular amount of solid 
 food, as indeed seems to be the 
 
 case with most of the Pis; eon ,„ , , , , , . 
 
 tribe, so that when the birds as- ^i^G r,o^^ -(Columia palumbus.) 
 
 semble together in the autumn, the flocks will do great damage to the farmer. 
 
 The Ring-dove may be easily known by the peculiarity from which it 
 derives its name, the feathers upon the side of the neck being tipped with 
 white so as to form portions of rings set obliquely on the neck. 
 
 The many varieties of size, form, and colour which may be seen in the 
 accompanying illustration afford an excellent example of the wonderful 
 variations of which animals are susceptible under certain circumstances. 
 Different as are the Domestic Pigeons, which are most ably figured on the 
 ■next page by a practical pigeon-fancier as well as an accomplished artist, 
 they all are modifications of the common Blue Rock Pigeon, and, if 
 permitted to mix freely with each other, display an inveterate tendency to 
 return to the original form, with its simple plumage of black bars across the 
 
 
368 
 
 THE TURTLE-DOVE. 
 
 wing, just as the finest breeds of lop-eared rabbits will now and then produce 
 upright-eared young. 
 
 The Rock-dove derives its popular name from its habit of frequenting 
 rocks rather than trees, an idiosyncrasy which is so inherent in its progeny, 
 that even the domestic Pigeons, which have not seen anything except their 
 wooden cotes for a long series of generations, will, if they escape, take to 
 rocks or buildings, and never trouble themselves about trees, though they 
 should be at hand. 
 
 This species seems to have a very considerable geographical range, for it 
 is common over most parts of Europe, Northern Africa, the coasts of ihe 
 Mediterranean, and has even been found in Japan. 
 
 From this stock, the varieties that have been reared by careful manage- 
 ment are almost innumerable, and are so different in appearance that if thev 
 
 were seen for the first 
 time, almost any 
 systematic naturalist 
 would set them down 
 as belonging not only 
 to different species, 
 but to different genera. 
 Such, for example, as 
 the pouter, the jacobin, 
 the trumpeter, and the 
 fan tail, the last-men- 
 tioned bird having a 
 greater number of fea- 
 thers in its tail than 
 any of the others. 
 
 The world-famed 
 TURTLE-DoVE is, al- 
 though a regular visi- 
 tor of this country, 
 better known by fame 
 and tradition than 
 by actual observation. 
 This bird has, from 
 classic time until the 
 present day, been conventionally accepted as the type of matrimonial per- 
 fection, loving but its mate and caring for no other until death steps in to part 
 the wedded couple. Yet it is by no means the only instance of such con- 
 jugal affection among the feathered tribes, for there are hundreds of birds 
 which can lay claim to the same excellent qualities, the fierce eagle and 
 the ill-omened raven being among their number. 
 
 The Turtle-dove seems to divide its attention pretty equally between Africr, 
 and England, pausing for some little time in Southern Italy as a kind of 
 half-way house. It arrives here about the beginning of May, or perhaps a 
 little earlier in case the weather be warm, and after resting for a little while, 
 sets about making its very simple nest and laying its white eggs. The nest 
 of this bird is built lower than is generally the case with the wood-pigeon, 
 and is usually placed on a forked branch of some convenient tree, about ten 
 feet or so from the ground. The eggs are laid rather late in the season, so 
 that there is seldom more than a single brood of two young in the course of 
 the year. 
 
 The Turtle-dove may be readily known by the four rows of black feathers, 
 tipped with white, which are found on the sides of the neck. 
 
 GROUP OF PIGEONS. 
 
THE DODO. 
 
 369 
 
 The position held by the celebrated Dodo among birds was long doubtful, 
 
 and was only settled in comparatively late years by careful examination of 
 
 the few relics which are our sole and scanty records of this very remarkable 
 
 bird. 
 
 So plentiful were the Dodos at one time, and so easily were they killed, 
 
 that the sailors were in the habit 
 
 of slaying the birds merely for 
 
 the sake of the stones in their 
 
 stomachs, these being found very 
 
 efficacious in sharpening their 
 
 clasp-knives. The nest of the 
 
 Dodo was a mere heap of fallen 
 
 leaves gathered together on the 
 
 ground, and the bird laid but one 
 
 large egg. The weight of one 
 
 full-grown Dodo was said to be 
 
 between forty and fifty pounds. 
 
 The colour of the plumage was 
 
 a greyish brown in the adult turtle dove. -(r«^to;- a«r»te) 
 
 males, not unlike that of the 
 
 ostrich, while the plumage of the females was of a paler hue. 
 
 Leaving the pigeons, we now come to the large and important order of 
 
 birds termed scientifically the Gallinas, and, more popularly, the Poultry. 
 
 Sometimes they are termed Rasores, or Scrapers, from their habit of scraping 
 
 up the ground in search of food. To this order belong our domestic poultry, 
 
 the grouse, partridges, and quails, the turkeys, pheasants, and many other 
 
 useful and interesting birds. 
 
 Our first example of these birds is the Crested Curassow, the repre- 
 sentative of the genus 
 
 Crax, in which are to 
 
 be found a number of 
 truly splendid birds. 
 All the Curassows are 
 natives of tropical Ame- 
 rica, and are found al- 
 most wholly in the 
 forests. 
 
 The Crested Curas- 
 sow inhabits the thickly 
 wooded districts of Gui- 
 ana, Mexico, and Brazil, 
 and is very plentifully 
 found in those coun- 
 tries. It is a really 
 handsome bird, nearly 
 as large as the turkey, 
 and more imposing in 
 form and colour. It is 
 gregarious in its habits, 
 and assembles together 
 in large troops, mostly 
 perched on the branches 
 of trees. It is suscepti- 
 ble of domestication, and, to all appearances, may be acclimatized to this 
 country as well as the turkey or the pheasant. 
 
 B B 
 
 DODO. — (Didus itiepius.) 
 
370 , THE CRESTED CURASSOIV. 
 
 In their native country the Curassows build among the trees, making a 
 large and rather clumsy-iooking nest of sticks, grass stems, leaves, and grass 
 blades. There are generally six or seven eggs, not unlike those of the fowl, 
 but larger and thicker shelled. 
 
 The colour of the Crested Curassow is very dark violet, with a purplish 
 green gloss above and on the breast, and the abdomen is the purest snowy 
 white, contrasting beautifully with the dark velvety plumage of the upper 
 parts. The bright golden yellow of the crest adds in no small degree to the 
 beauty of the bird 
 
 CRESTED CURASSOW. — (Crax AlectoT.) 
 
 Several very singular birds are found in Australia and New Guinea, called 
 by the name of Megapodinas, or Great-footed birds, on account o( 
 the very large size of their feet ; a provision of nature which is necessary 
 for their very peculiar mode of laying their eggs and hatching their 
 young. 
 
 The first of these birds is the Australian Jungle Fowl, which is found 
 in several parts of Australia, but especially about Port Essington. In that 
 country great numbers of high and large mounds of earth exist, which were 
 
THE BRUSH TURKEY. 
 
 371 
 
 formerly thought to be the tombs of departed natives, and, indeed, have been 
 more than once figured as such. The natives, however, disclaimed the 
 sepulchral character, saying that they were the artificial ovens in which the 
 eggs of the Jungle Fowl were laid, and which, by the heat that is always 
 disengaged from decaying vegetable substances, preserved sufficient warmth 
 to hatch the eggs. 
 
 The size of these tumuli is sometimes quite marvellous ; in one instance, 
 where measurements were taken, it was fifteen feet in perpendicular height, 
 and sixty feet in circumference at its base. The whole of this enormous 
 mound was made by the industrious Jungle Fowl, by gathering up the earth, 
 fallen leaves, and grasses with its feet, and throwing them backwards while 
 it stands on the other leg. If the hand be inserted into the heap, the interior 
 will always be found to be quite hot. In almost every case the mound is 
 placed under the shelter of densely-leaved trees, so as to prevent the sun 
 from shining upon any part of it. 
 
 The bird seems to deposit her eggs by digging holes from the top of the 
 mound, laying the egg at the bottom, and then making its way out again, 
 throwing back the earth that it had scooped away. The direction, however, 
 of the holes is by no means uniform, some running towards the centre and 
 others radiating towards the sides. They do not seem to be dug quite per- 
 pendicularly ; so that 
 although the holes in 
 which the eggs are 
 found may be some six 
 or seven feet in depth, 
 the eggs themselves 
 may be only two or 
 three feet from the 
 surface. 
 
 AUSTRALIAN JUNGLE FOWL. — (Megapodius tumulus.) 
 
 The colouring of 
 this bird is simple, but 
 the tints are soft and 
 pleasing. The head is 
 rich ruddy brown, the 
 back of the neck black- 
 ish grey, and the back 
 and wings brownish 
 cinnamon, deepening 
 into dark chestnut on 
 the tail-coverts. The 
 whole under surface 
 is blackish grey. The legs are orange, and the bill rusty brown. 
 
 The Brush Turkey is principally found in the thick brushwood of 
 New South Wales. Mr. Gould, who first brought it before the public, 
 gives this curious account of their nests : — "The mode in which the 
 materials composing these mounds are accumulated is equally singu- 
 lar, the bird never using its bill, but always grasping a quantity in its 
 foot, throwing it backwards to one common centre, and thus clearing 
 the surface of the ground for a considerable distance so completely that 
 scarcely a leaf or a blade of grass is left. The heap being accumulated, 
 and time allowed for a sufficient heat to be engendered, the eggs are de- 
 posited, not side by side as is ordinarily the case, but planted at the dis- 
 tance of nine or twelve inches from each other, and buried at nearly an 
 arm's depth, perfectly upright, with the large end upwards. Tb^" are 
 covered up as they are laid, and allowed to . remain until hatched. I am 
 
 B B 2 
 
372 
 
 THE PEACOCK. 
 
 credibly informed, both by natives and settlers living near their haunts, that 
 it is not an unusual event to obtain nearly a bushel of eggs at one time 
 from a single- heap; and as they are dehcious eating they are eagerly 
 sought after." 
 
 When the Brush Turkey is disturbed, it either runs through the tangled 
 underwood with singular rapidity, or springs upon a low branch of some tree, 
 and reaches the summit by a succession of leaps from branch to branch. 
 This latter peculiarity renders it an easy prey to the sportsman. 
 
 The large family of 
 the Peacocks, or Pa- 
 vonidae, now cianns 
 our attention. 
 
 The Peacock may 
 safely be termed one of 
 the most magniticent of 
 the feathered tribe, and 
 may even lay a well- 
 founded claim to the 
 chief ra nk among birds 
 in splendour of plum- 
 age and effulgence of 
 colouring. We are so 
 familiar with the Pea- 
 cock that we think little 
 of its real splendour ; 
 but if one of these birds 
 had been brought to 
 Europe for the first 
 time, it would create a 
 greater sensation than 
 even the hippopotamus 
 or the gorilla. 
 
 The Peacock is an 
 Asiatic bird, the ordinary species being found chiefly in India, and the 
 Javanese Peacock in the country from which it derives its name. In some 
 parts of India the Peacock is extremely common, flocking together in bands 
 of thirty or forty in number, covering the trees with their splendid plumage, 
 and filling the air with their horridly dissonant voices. Captain WiUiamson, 
 in his " Oriental Field Sports," mentions that he has seen at least twelve 
 or fifteen hundred peacocks within sight of the spot where he stood. 
 
 They abound chiefly in close-wooded forests, particularly where there is an 
 extent of long grass for them to range in. They are very thirsty birds, and 
 will only remain where they can have access to water. Rhur plantations are 
 their favourite shelter, being close above so as to keep off the solar rays, and 
 open at the bottom sufficiently to admit a free passage for the air. If there 
 be trees near such spots, the Peacocks' may be seen mounting into them 
 every evening towards dark to roost ; and in which they generally continue 
 till the sun rises, when they descend to feed, and pass the mid-day in the 
 heavy coverts. 
 
 Though Pea-fowls invariably roost in trees, yet they make their nest on the 
 ground, and ordinarily on a bank raised above the common level, where in 
 some sufficient bush they collect leaves, small sticks, &c., and sit very close. 
 I have on several occasions seen them in their nests, but as I refrained from 
 disturbing them, they did not offer to move, though they could not fail to 
 know that they were discovered. They usually sit on about a dozen or fifteen 
 
 BRUSH TURKEY.— (7rt/(ya//«j I.at/mmi.) 
 
THE PEACOCK. 
 
 273r 
 
 eggs. They are generally hatched about the beginning of November ; and 
 from January to the end of March, when the corn is standing, are remarkably 
 juicy and tender. When the dry season comes on, they feed on the seeds 
 of weeds and insects, and their flesh becomes dry and musculdr. 
 
 The train of the male Peacock, although popularly called its tail, is in 
 reality composed of the upper tail-coverts, which are enormously lengthened, 
 and finished at their extremities with broad rounded webs, or with spear- 
 shaped ends. The shafts of these feathers are almost bare of web for some 
 fourteen or fifteen 
 inches of their length, 
 and then throw out 
 a number of long loose 
 vanes of a light cop- 
 pery green. These are 
 very brittle, and apt to 
 snap off at different 
 lengths. In the central 
 feathers the extremity 
 is modified into a wide 
 flattened battledore- 
 shaped form, each bar- 
 bule being coloured 
 with refulgent emerald 
 green, deep violet pur- 
 ple, greenish bronze, 
 gold and blue, in sucii 
 a manner as to form 
 a distinct " eye," tht' 
 centre being violet o 
 two shades, surrounded 
 with emerald, and the 
 other tints being ar- 
 ranged concentrically 
 around it. In the fea- 
 thers that edge thetrain 
 there is no " eye," the 
 feathers coming to a 
 point at the extremity, 
 and having rather Wide 
 but loose emerald- 
 green barbules on its 
 outer web and a few 
 
 scattered coppery barbules in the place of the inner web. The tail-feathers 
 are only seven or eight inches in length, are of a greyish bro'.vn colour, and 
 can be seen when the train is erected, that being their appointed task. 
 
 The Pheasants come next in order, and the grandest and most imposing 
 of this group, although there are many others that surpass its brilUant 
 colouring, is the Argus Pheasant so called in remembrance of the ill-fated 
 Argus of mythology, whose hundred eyes never slept simultaneously until 
 charmed by the magic lyre of Mercury. 
 
 This magnificent bird is remarkable for the very great length of its tail- 
 feathers and the extraordinary development of the secondary feathers of the 
 wings. While walking on the ground, or sitting on a bough, the singular 
 length of the feathers is not very striking, but when the bird 
 spreads its wings, as shown in the figure, they come out in all their 
 
 PEACOCK. — (favo criitatus.) 
 
374 
 
 THE ARGUS PHEASANT. 
 
 beauty. As might be supposed from the general arrangement of the 
 plumage, the bird is by no means a good flyer, and when it takes to the 
 air only flies for a short distance. In running its wings are said to be 
 efificient aids. 
 
 Although the Argus is hardly larger than an ordinary fowl the plumage is 
 so greatly developed that its total length measures more than five feet. The 
 head and back of the neck are covered with short brown feathers, and the 
 
 neck and upper part of the breast 
 are warm chestnut-brown, covered 
 with spots of yellow and black, and 
 similar tints are formed on the 
 back. The tail is deep chestnut, 
 covered with white spots, each spot 
 being surrounded with a black ring. 
 \ The Argus Pheasant inhabits 
 Sumatra and neighbouring local- 
 ities. 
 
 The well known Pheasant 
 affords a triumphant instance of 
 the success with which a bird of a 
 strange countrymay be acclimatized 
 to this island with some little assist- 
 ance from its owners. 
 
 Originally the Pheasant was an 
 inhabitant of Asia Minor, and has 
 been by degrees introduced into 
 many European countries, where its 
 beauty of form and plumage and 
 the delicacy of its flesh made it a 
 welcome visitor. 
 
 The food of this bird is extremely 
 varied. When young it is generally 
 fed on ants' eggs, maggots, grits, 
 and similar food, but when it is 
 fully grown it is possessed of an 
 accommodating appetite, and will 
 eat many kinds of seeds, roots, and 
 leaves. The tubers of the common 
 buttercup form a considerable item 
 in its diet, and the bird will also eat 
 beans, peas, acorns, and berries of various kinds. 
 
 The Pheasant is a ground-loving bird, running with great speed, and always 
 preferring to trust to its legs rather than its wings. It is a crafty creature, 
 and when alarmed, instead of rising on the wing, it slips quietly out of sight 
 behind a bush or through a hedge, and then runs away with astonishing 
 rapidity, always remaining under cover until it reaches some spot where it 
 deems itself to be safe. 
 
 The nest of the Pheasant is a very rude attempt at building, being merely 
 a heap of leaves and grasses collected together upon the ground, and with a 
 very shght depression, caused apparently quite as much by the weight of the 
 eggs as by the art of the bird. The eggs are numerous, generally about 
 eleven or twelve, and their colour is a uniform olive-biown. Their surface is 
 very smooth. 
 
 The Bankiva Jungle Fowl is now supposed to be the original stock of 
 the domesticated poultry. 
 
 ARGUS PHEASANT. — (Argus giganteus.) 
 
DOMESTIC POULTRY. 
 
 375 
 
 PHEASANT. — {Phasianus Colchicus.) 
 
 It is a native of Java, and the male very closely resembles the gamecock 
 of England. It is a splendid creature, with its light scarlet comb and 
 
 wattles, its drooping 
 
 hackles, its long arched /^^^^ ^"^^X^^ 
 
 tail, and its flashing "^ ""»* <-«f*>ii«- 
 
 eye. The comb and 
 wattles are of bright- 
 est scarlet, the long 
 hackles of the neck and 
 lower part of the back 
 are fine orange-red, the 
 upper part of the back 
 is deep blue-black, and 
 the shoulders are ruddy 
 chestnut. The second- 
 aries and greater coverts 
 are deep steely blue, 
 and the quill feathers 
 of the wing are black- 
 ish brown edged with 
 rusty yellow. The long, 
 arched and drooping 
 tailisblue-blackglossed 
 with green, and the 
 breast and under parts 
 black, so that in general 
 aspect it is very like the black-breasted red gamecock. 
 
 The domesticated bird is of all the feathered tribe the most directl y useful 
 to man, and is the subject of so many valuable treatises that the reader is 
 referred to them for the 
 best mode of breeding, 
 rearing, and general 
 management of poultry. 
 On the accompanying 
 illustration are shown 
 some of the most useful 
 or remarkable of the 
 varieties of this bird. 
 
 The now well-known 
 Turkey is another 
 example of the success 
 with which foreign birds 
 can be acclimatized in 
 this country. 
 
 The Turkey is spread 
 over many parts of 
 America, such as the 
 wooded parts of Ark- 
 ansas, Louisiana, Ala- 
 bama, Indiana, &c., but 
 does not seem to ex- 
 tend beyond the Rocky 
 ?4ountains. It begins 
 to mate about the middle of February, and the males then utter those 
 Uidicrnus gobbling sounds which have caused the bird to be called Gobbler, 
 pr Bubbljr-Jock by the whites, and Oo-coo-coo by the Cherokees, 
 
 DOMESTIC FOWL. — {Gallus Bankiva.) 
 
376 
 
 THE TURKEY. 
 
 The female makes her nest in some secluded spot, and is very guarded in 
 her approaches, seldom employing the same path twice in succession: and, if 
 discovered, using various wiles by which to draw the intruder from the spot. 
 As soon as the young are hatched she takes them under her charge, and the 
 
 wholefamilygo wander- 
 ing about to great dis- 
 tances, at first returning 
 to the nest for the night, 
 but afterwards crouch- 
 ing in any suitable spot. 
 Marshy places are 
 avoided by the Turkey, 
 as wet is fatal to the 
 young birds until they 
 have attained their se- 
 cond suit of clothes 
 and wear feathers in- 
 stead of down. When 
 they are about a fort- 
 night old they are able 
 to get up into trees, 
 and roost in the 
 branches, safe from 
 most of the numerous 
 enemies which beset 
 their path through life. 
 The Turkey is a very 
 migratory bird, pass- 
 ing over great distances 
 and retaining the habit in its tamed state, giving no small amount of trouble 
 to the poultry owner. 
 
 The prettily spotted Guinea Fowl, or Pintado, sometimes called 
 Gallini, is, although now domesticated in England, a native of Africa, and 
 has much of the habits and propensities of the turkey. 
 
 Both in the wild and the captive state the Guinea Fowl is wary and 
 suspicious, and particularly careful not to betray the position of its nest, thus 
 often gi\'ing great trouble to the farmer. Sometimes when the breeding season 
 approaches, the female Pintado will hide herself and nest so effectually 
 that the only indication of her proceedings is her subsequent appearance 
 with a brood of young round her. The number of eggs is rather large, being 
 seldom below ten, and often double that number. Their colour is yellowish 
 red, covered with very little dark spots, and their size is less than that of the 
 common fowl. Their shells are extremely hard and thick, and when boiled 
 for the table require some little exertion to open properly. 
 
 Everyone knows the curious, almost articulate cry of the Guinea Fowl, its 
 " Come-back ! come-back," being continually uttered wherever the bird is 
 kept, and often affording a clue to its presence. 
 
 The forehead of the Guinea Fowl is surmounted with a horny casque, and 
 the naked skin round the eyes falls in wattles below the throat. In the male 
 the wattles are purplish red, and in the feinale they are red without any 
 mixture, of blue, and are of smaller size. The legs are without spurs. The 
 pretty spotted plumage of this bird is too well known to need description. 
 
 Of the many members of the Perdicine group, we shall only lake one 
 example, the well known English Partridge. 
 This bird, so dear to British sportsmen, is found spread over the greater 
 
 TU RKEY. — [Meleagris gallopavo. ) 
 
THE PARTRIDGE. 
 
 377 
 
 part of Europe, always being found most plentifully near cultivated ground. 
 It feeds upon various substances, such as grain and seeds in the autumn, and 
 green leaves and insects in the spring and early summer. 
 
 Small slugs are a favourite diet with the Partridge, which has aspecial faculty 
 for discovering them in the recesses where they hide themselves during the 
 da)', and can even hunt successfully after the eggs of these destructive crea- 
 tures. Caterpillars are also eaten by this bird, and the terrible black grub of 
 the turnip is consumed in great numbers. Even the white cabbage butter- 
 fly, whose numerous offspring are so hurtful in the kitchen garden, falls a 
 victim to the quick-eyed Paitridge, which leaps into the air and seizes it in 
 its beak as it comes fluttering unsuspectingly over the bird's head. 
 
 The Partridge begins to lay about the end of April, gathering together a 
 bundle of dry grasses into some shallow depression in the ground, and de- 
 positing therein a clutch of eggs, generally from twelve to twenty in number. 
 
 GUINEA FOWL — (Numida meleagris.) 
 
 PARTRIDGE. — (Perdix cinereus.) 
 
 Sometimes a still greater number have been found, but in these cases it is 
 tolerably evident from many observations that several birds have laid in the 
 same nest. 
 
 When the young are hatched they are strong on their legs at once, running 
 about with ease, and mostly leaving the nest on the same day. The mother 
 takes her little new-born brood to their feeding-places, generally ant-hills or 
 caterpillar-hai nted spots, and aids them in their search after food by scratch- 
 ing away the soil with her feet. 
 
 The nests of the wood ant, which are mostly found in fir plantations or hilly 
 ground, being very full of inhabitants, very easily torn to pieces, and the ants ' 
 and their larvae and pupa being very large, are favourite feeding-places of 
 ♦he Partridge, which in such localities is said to acquire a better flavour than 
 among the lower pasture lands. 
 
 The young brood, technically called a " covey," associate together, and 
 have a very strong local tendency, adhering with great pertinacity to the 
 same field or patch of land. When together they are mostly rather wild, and 
 dart off at the least alarm with their well-knowrt whirring flight, just topping a 
 hedge or wall and settling on the other side till again put up ; but when the 
 members of the covey are separated they seem to dread the air, and crouch 
 closely to the ground, so that it is the object of the sportsman to scatter ih^ 
 covey and to pick th'.m up singly. 
 
378 
 
 THE QUAIL. 
 
 The plumage of the Partridge is brown of several shades above, mingled 
 with grey. The breast is grey, with a horsehoe-like patch of rich chestnut 
 on its lower portion, and the sides and flanks are barred with chestnut. The 
 total length of the male bird is rather more than a foot ; the female is smaller 
 than her mate, and the chestnut bars on the flanks are broader than those of 
 the male. 
 
 The odd, short-legged, round-bodied, quick-footed C2uail is closely allied 
 to the partridge in form and many of its habits. Of these birds there are 
 
 many species ; but as all are 
 much alike, there is no need of 
 many examples. 
 
 The common Quail is found 
 spread over the greater part of 
 Europe and portions of Asia and 
 Africa, coming to our island in 
 the summer, though not in very 
 great numbers. In England the 
 bird is not sufficiently plentiful 
 to be of any commercial value ; 
 but in Italy and some of the 
 warmer lands which the Quails 
 traverse during their periodical 
 migrations, the inhabitants look 
 the greatest anxiety. In those 
 
 QUAIL. — [Coturnix conimiinu.] 
 
 forward to the arrival of the Quail with 
 
 countries they are shot, snared, and netted by thousands ; and it is chiefly 
 from the foreign markets that our game-shops are supplied with these birds. 
 When fat, the flesh of the Quail is very delicious ; and the most approved 
 way of cooking the bird is to envelop it in a very thin slice of bacon, tie it up 
 in a large vine-leaf, and then roast it. 
 
 In their migrations 
 the Quails fly by night, 
 a peculiarity which has 
 been noted in the Scrip- 
 tural record of the Exo- 
 dus, where it is men- 
 tioned, that " at even 
 the Quails came up and 
 covered fie camp." 
 
 It is rather curious 
 that the males precede 
 the femiles by several 
 days, and are conse- 
 quently more persecuted 
 by the professional foivl- 
 ers. 
 
 The male bird does 
 not pair like the par- 
 tridge, but takes to him- 
 self a plurality of wives, 
 and, as is generally the 
 case with such poly- 
 gamists, has to fight 
 many desperate battles 
 with others of its own sex. Although ill provided with weapons of offence, 
 the Quail is as fiery and courageous a bird as the gamecock ; and iil ]&ast?rn 
 
 CAPERCAii.LiE. — { Tetrao urogallm.) 
 
THE BLACK GROUSE. 
 
 379 
 
 countries is largely kept and trained for the purpose of fighting prize-battles, 
 on the result of which the owners stake large sums. The note of the male 
 IS a kind of shrill whistle, which is only heard during the breeding season. 
 
 The nest of the Quail is of no better construction than that of the par- 
 tridge, being merely a few bits of hay and dried herbage gathered into some 
 little depression in the bare ground, and generally entrusted to the protec- 
 tion of corn-stalks, clover, or a tuft of rank grass. The number of eggs is 
 generally about fourteen or fifteen, and their colour is buffy white, marked 
 with patches or speckles of brown. 
 
 Although once a common inhabitant of the highland districts of Great 
 Britain, the Capercaillie has now been almost wholly extinct for some 
 years, a stragghng specimen being occasionally seen in Scotland, and shot 
 " for the benefit of science." This bird is also known by the following 
 names : — Cock of the Woods, Mountain Cock, Auerhahn, and Capercailzie. 
 
 It is now most frequently found in the northern parts of Europe, Norway 
 and Sweden being very favourite homes. From those countries it is largely 
 imported into England by the game-dealers. 
 
 The CapercaiUie is celebrated not only for its great size and the excellence 
 of its flesh, but for its singular habit just previous to and during the breeding 
 season. 
 
 During this season it holds its "play" or lovp song, called in Norway the 
 
 " lek " He struts about with drooping wings, spread tail, and ruffled feathers, 
 
 ana utters a peculiar cry. This is a call to the hens, and always attracts 
 
 them. While the bird is thus engaged, he is so intent upon his " play," that 
 
 however wary he may be at other times, he can easily be approached and shot. 
 The nest of the Capercaillie is made upon the ground, and contains eight 
 
 or ten eggs ; when hatched the young are fed upon insects, more especially 
 
 ants and their pupae. The adult birds 
 
 feed mostly on vegetable substances, such 
 
 as juniper, cranberry, and bilberries, and 
 
 the leaves and buds of several trees. 
 The colour of the adult male bird is 
 
 chestnut-brown, covered with a number of 
 
 black lines irregularly dispersed ; the 
 
 breast is black with a gloss of green, and 
 
 the abdomen is simply black, as are the 
 
 lengthened feathers of the throat and tail. 
 
 The female is easily known by the bars 
 
 of red and black which traverse the head 
 
 and neck, and the reddish yellow barred 
 
 with black of the under surface. In size 
 
 the Capercaillie is nearly equal to a turkey. 
 The well-known Black Grouse, or 
 
 Black Cock, is a native of the more 
 
 southern countries of Europe, and still 
 
 survives in many portions of the British 
 
 Isles, especially those localities where the 
 
 pine-woods and heaths afford it shelter, and it is not dislodged by the 
 
 presence of human habitations. 
 
 Like the two preceding species, the male bird resorts at the beginning of 
 
 the breeding season to some open spot where he utters his love-calls, and 
 
 displays his new clothes to the greatest advantage, for the purpose of 
 
 attracting to his harem as many wives as possible. The note of the Black 
 
 Cock when thus engaged is loud and resonant, and can be heard at a con- 
 siderable distance. This crowing sound is accompanisd by a harsh, grating, 
 
 BLACK GROUSE. — (Tetrao tetrix.) 
 
38o 
 
 THE OSTRICH. 
 
 stridulous kind of cry, which has been likened to the noise produced b\' 
 whetting a scythe. 
 
 In the autumn the young males separate themselves from the othtr sex, 
 and form a number of little bachelor establishments of their own, living 
 together in harmony trntil the next breeding season, when they all begin to 
 fall in love. The apple of discord is then thrown among them by the charms 
 of the hitherto repudiated sex, and their rivalries lead them into determined 
 and continual battles, which do not cease until the end of the season restores 
 them to peace and sobriety. 
 
 The general colour of the adult male, bird is black glossed with blue and 
 purple, except a white band across each wing. The under tail-coverts are white. 
 
 CURSORES. 
 
 With the Ostrich commences a most important group of birds, contain- 
 ing the largest and most powerful members of the feathered tribe, and termed 
 Cursores, or Running Birds, on account of their great speed of foot and 
 
 total impotence of wing. All the 
 birds belonging to this order have 
 their legs developed to an extraor- 
 dinary degree, the bones being long, 
 stout, and nearly as solid as those 
 of a horse, and almost devoid of the 
 air-cells which give such lightness 
 to the bones of most birds. The 
 wings are almost wanting exter- 
 nally, their bones, although retaining 
 the same number and form as in 
 ordinary birds, being very small, 
 as if suddenly checked in their 
 growth. 
 
 This magnificent creature, the 
 largest of all existing birds, inha- 
 bits the hot sandy deserts of Africa, 
 for which mode of life it is wonder- 
 fully fitted. In height it measures 
 from six to eight feet, the males 
 being larger than their mates, and 
 of a blacker tint. The food of the 
 Ostrich consists mostly of wild 
 melons, which are so beneficently 
 scattered over the sandv wastes. 
 
 The Ostrich is a gregarious bird, 
 associating in flocks, and being fre- 
 quently found mixed up with the 
 vast herds of quaggas, zebras, 
 giraffes, and antelopes, which in- 
 habit the same desert plains. It is 
 also polygamous, each male bird 
 having from two to seven wives. 
 The nest of the Ostrich is a mere shallow hole scooped in the sand, in 
 which are placed a large number of eggs, all set upright, and with a number 
 of supplementary eggs laid round the margin. 
 
 The eggs are hatched mostly by the heat of the sun ; but, contrary to tlie 
 I 'ipular belief, the parent birds are very watchful over their nests, and aid in 
 hd-tching the eggs by sitting upon them during the night. Both parents give 
 
 OSTRICH. — {Strutkio Camelus.) 
 
THE EMEU. 
 
 ^51 
 
 their assistance in this task. The eggs which are laid around the margin of 
 the nest are not sat upon, and consequently are not hatched, so that when 
 the eggs within the nest are quite hard, and the young bird is nearly developed, 
 those around are quite fit for food. Their object is supposed to be to give 
 nourishment to the young birds before they are strong enough to follow their 
 parents and forage for themselves. These eggs are put to various useful 
 purposes. Not only are they eaten, but the shell is carefully preserved and 
 chipped into spoons and ladles, or the entire shell employed as a water 
 vessel, the aperture at the top being stuffed with grass. 
 
 The feathers are too well known to need description. On an average, each 
 feather is worth about a shilling. 
 
 The flesh of the Ostrich is tolerably good, and is said to resemble that of 
 the zebra. It is, however, only the young Ostrich that furnishes a good enter- 
 tamment, for the flesh of the old bird is rank and tough. The fat is highly 
 valued, and when melted is of a bright orange colour. It is mostly eaten 
 with millet flour, and is also stirred into the egg while roasting, so as 
 to make a rude but well-flavoured omelet. 
 
 The voice of the Ostrich is a deep, hollow, rumbling sound, so like the roar 
 of the lion that even practised ears have been deceived by it, and taken 
 the harmless Ostrich for a 
 prowling lion. In its wild 
 state the Ostrich is thought 
 to live from twenty to thirty 
 years. 
 
 In the male bird, the 
 lower part of the neck and 
 the body are deep glossy 
 black, with a few white fea- 
 thers, which are barely visi- 
 ble except when the plumage 
 is ruffled. The plumes of 
 the wings and tail are white. 
 The female is ashen brown, 
 sprinkled with white, and 
 her tail and wing plumes 
 are white, like those of the 
 male. The weight of a fine 
 adult male seems to be be- 
 tween two and three hun- 
 dred pounds. 
 
 The Emeu inhabits the 
 plains and open forest 
 country of Central Australia, 
 where it was in former days 
 very common, but now 
 seems to be decreasing so 
 
 rapidly in numbers that Dr. Bennett, who has had much personal ex- 
 perience of this fine bird, fears that it will, ere many years, be numbered with 
 the Dodo, the Great Auk, the Nestor, and other extinct species. 
 
 The food of the Emeu consists of grass and various fruits. Its voice 
 is a curious, hollow, booming, or drumming kind of note, produced by 
 the pecuhar construction of the windpipe. The legs of this bird are shorter 
 and stouter m proportion than those of the ostrich, and the wings are very 
 short, and so small that when they lie closely against the body they can 
 nardly be distinguished from the general plumage. 
 
 EMEU.— (-O/Cwaw Novce Bollandice.) 
 
383 
 
 THE CASSOWARY. 
 
 The nest of the Emeu is made by scooping a shallow hole in the ground 
 in some scrubby spot, and in this depression a variable number of eggs are 
 laid. Dr. Bennett remarks that " there is always an odd number, some nests 
 having been discovered with nine, others with eleven, and others, again, with 
 thirteen." The colour of the eggs is, while fresh, a rich green, of varying 
 quality, but after the shells are emptied and exposed to the light, the beautiful 
 green hue fades into an unwholesome greenish brown. The parent birds sit 
 upon their eggs, as has been related of the ostrich. The Emeu is not poly- 
 gamous, one male being apportioned to a single female. 
 
 America is not without representatives of this fine group of birds, three 
 distinct species being in the gardens of the Zoological Society. 
 
 The Rhea is a native of South America, and is especially plentiful along 
 the River Plata. It is generally seen in pairs, though it sometimes associates 
 together in flocks of twenty or thirty in number. Like all the members of 
 this group, it is a swift-footed and wary bird, but possesses so little presence 
 of mind that it becomes confused when threatened with danger, runs aim- 
 lessly in one direction and then in another, thus giving time for the hunter to 
 
 come up and shoot it, or 
 bring it to the ground vfith 
 his " bolas " — a terrible 
 weapon, consisting of a cord 
 with a heavy ball at each 
 end, which is flung at the 
 bird, and winds its coils 
 round its neck and legs, so 
 as to entangle it and bring 
 it to the ground. 
 
 The food of the Rhea con- 
 sists mainly of grasses, roots, 
 and other vegetable sub- 
 stances, but it will occa- 
 sionally eat animal food, 
 being known to come down 
 to the mud-banks of the 
 river for the purpose of 
 eating^ the little fish that 
 have been stranded in the 
 shallows. 
 
 The well-known CASSO- 
 WARY is found in the Ma- 
 laccas. 
 
 This fine bird is notable 
 ,., , , for the glossy black hair- 
 
 like plumage, the helmet-like protuberance upon the head, and the light 
 azure, purple, and scarlet of the upper part of the neck. The " helmet " is 
 a truly remarkable apparatus, being composed of a honeycombed cellular 
 bony substance, made on a principle that much resembles the structure of 
 the elephant's skuU, mentioned in an earlier portion of this work. 
 
 The plumage of the body is very hair-like, being composed of long and 
 almost naked shafts, two springing from the same tube, and one always 
 being longer than the other. At the roots of the shafts there is a small tuft 
 of delicate down, sufficiently thick to supply a warm and soft inner garment, 
 biit yet so small as to be hidden by the long hair-like plumage. Even the 
 tail is furnished with the same curious covering, and the wings are clothed 
 after a similar manner, with the exception of five black, stiff, strong, pointed 
 
 CASSOWARY.— (Caf«arjW.) 
 
THE APTERYX. 
 
 383 
 
 quills, very like the large quills of the norcupine, snd being of different 
 lengths, the largest not exceeding one foot, -ind ?ypnrrally being much battered 
 about the point. When stripped of its feathers, the whole wing only extends 
 some three inches in length, and is evidently a mere indication of the hmb. 
 
 The food of this bird in a wild state consists of herbage and various fruits, 
 and in captivity it is fed on bran, apples, carrots, and similar substances, and 
 is said to drink nearly half a gallon of water per diem. 
 
 Perhaps the very strangest and most weird-like of all living birds is the 
 Apteryx, or Kiwi-Kiwi. 
 
 This singular bird is a native of New Zealand, where it was once very 
 common, but, like ihe dinornis, is in a very fair way of becoming extinct, a 
 fate from which it has probably been hitherto preserved by its nocturnal 
 and retiring habits. 
 
 In this bird there is scarcely the slightest trace of wings, a peculiarity 
 which has gained for it the title of Apteryx, or " wingless." The plumage 
 is composed of rather curiously-shaped flat feathers, each being wide and 
 furnished with a soft, shining, silken down, for the basal third of its length, 
 and then narrowing rapidly towards the extremity, which is a single shaft 
 with hair-like webs at each side. The 
 quill portion of the feathers is re- 
 markably small and short, being even 
 overlapped by the down when the 
 feather is removed from the bird. 
 
 The skin is very tough, and yet 
 flexible, and the Chiefs set great value 
 upon it for the manufacture of their 
 state mantles, permitting no inferior 
 person to wear them, and being ex- 
 tremely unwilling to part with them 
 even for a valuable consideration. 
 The bird lives mostly among the fern ; 
 and as it always remains concealed 
 during the day in deep recesses of 
 rocks, ground or tree roots, and is re- 
 markably fleet of foot, diving among 
 the heavy fern-leaves with smgular 
 adroitness, it is not very easy of cap- 
 ture. It feeds upon insects of various 
 kinds, more especially on worms, 
 which it is said to attract to the sur- 
 face by jumping and striking on the 
 ground with its powerful feet. The 
 natives always hunt the Kiwi-kiwi at night, taking with them torches 
 and spears. The speed of this bird is very considerable, and when running 
 it sets its head rather back, raises its neck, and plies its legs with a vigour 
 little inferior to that of the ostrich. 
 
 The fine specimen in the Zoological Gardens has already proved a very 
 valuable bird, as she has laid several eggs, thereby setting at rest some dis- 
 puted questions on the subject, and well illustrates the natural habits of the 
 species. 
 
 Upon her box is placed, under a glass shade, the shell of one of her eggs. 
 These eggs are indeed wonderful, for the bird weighs a little more than four 
 pounds, and each egg weighs between fourteen and fifteen ounces, its length 
 being four inches and three-quarters, and its width rather more than two 
 inches, thus being very nearly one-fourth of the weight of the parent bird. 
 
 APTERYX. 
 
 -(Apteryx Ausimlis.) 
 
%H 
 
 GREAT BUSTARD. 
 
 riie long curved beak of the Apteryx has the nostrils very narrow, ver*- 
 Siriall, and, set on at each side of the tip, so that the bird is enabled to pry 
 out the worms, and other nocturnal creatures on which it feeds, without 
 trusting only to the eyes. The general colour of the Apteryx is chestnut- 
 brown, each feather being tipped with a darker hue, and the under parts are 
 lighter than the upper. The height is about two feet. 
 Several species of the Apteryx are known. 
 
 Although the progress of civilization has conferred many benefits on this 
 country, it has deprived it of many of its aboriginal inhabitants, whether 
 furred or feathered, the Great Bustard being in the latter category. 
 This splendid bird, although in former days quite a usual tenant of plains 
 
 and commons, and having been an 
 ordinary object of chase on New- 
 market Heath, is now so rare, that 
 an occasional specimen only makes 
 its appearance at very distant inter- 
 vals. 
 
 The Great Bustard is not fond of 
 flying, its wings having but a slow 
 and deliberate movement ; but on 
 foot It is very swift, and tests the 
 speed of dog' and horse before it can 
 be captured. 
 
 The nest — if a hole in the ground 
 may be called a nest — of this bird 
 is generally made among corn, rye, 
 &c., although it is sometimes situ- 
 ated in rather unexpected localities. 
 T he eggs are two or three in num- 
 ber, and of an olive-brown colour, 
 splashed with light brown in which 
 a green tinge is perceptible. The 
 food of the bird is almost wholly 
 of a vegetable nature, though it 
 it is said to feed occasionally upon 
 mice, lizards, and other small vertebrates. The flesh of the Bustard is very 
 excellent, but the extreme rarity of these birds prevents it from being often 
 seen upon English tables. When caught young, the Bustard can be readily 
 tamed, and soon becomes quite familiar with those who treat it kindly. 
 
 The head and upper part of the neck are greyish white, and upon the side 
 of the neck there is a small patch of slaty blue bare skin, almost concealed 
 by the curious feather tuft which hangs over it. The upper part of the body 
 is pale chestnut barred with black, and the tail is of similar tints with a 
 white tip, and a very broad black band next to the white extremity. The 
 wing-coverts, togelher with the tertials, are white, and the primaries black. 
 The under surface of the body is white. The total length of an adult male 
 is about forty-five inches. 
 
 The Wading Birds are well furnished with legs and feet formed for 
 walking, and in many species the legs are greatly elongated, so as to enable 
 them to walk in the water while they pick their food out of the waves. 
 In the British Museum the Plovers head the list of Waders. 
 The well-known Lapwing, or Peewit, is celebrated for many reasons. 
 Its wheeling flapping flight is so peculiar as to aitract the notice of everyone 
 who has visited the localities in which it resides, and its strange, almost 
 articulate, cry is equally familiar. When it fears danger, it rises from its 
 
 GREAT BUSTARD. — [O'is tar-da.) 
 
THE GOLDEN-BREASTED TRV'MPETER. 385 
 
 nest, or rather from the eggs, into the air, and continually wheels around the 
 intruder, its black and white plumage flashing out as it inclines itself lu its 
 flight, and its mournful cry almost fatiguing the ear with its piercing 
 frequency. " Wee-whit ! wee-e-whit ! " tills the air, as the birds endeavour 
 to draw away attention from their home ; and the look and cry are so weird- 
 like that the observer ceases to wonder at the superstitious dread in which 
 these birds were formerly held. The French call the Lapwing " Dix-huit," 
 from its cry. 
 
 It is the male bird which thus soars above and around the intruder, the 
 female sitting closely on her eggs until disturbed, when she runs away, 
 tumbling and flapping about as if she had broken her wing, in hopes that the 
 foe may give chase and so miss 
 her eggs. It is certainly very 
 tempting, for she imitates the 
 movements of a wounded bird 
 with marvellous fidehty. 
 
 The eggs of the Lapwing are 
 laid in a httle depression in the 
 earth, in which a few grass stalks 
 are loosely pressed. The full 
 number of eggs is four, very 
 large at one end and very sharply 
 pointed at the other, and the 
 bird always arranges them with 
 
 their small end inwards, so that .,^--_ 
 
 they present a somewhat cross- lapwing.— (F"aw//«j rmCatej.) 
 
 like shape as they lie in the nest. 
 
 Their colour is olive, blotched and spotted irregularly with dark blackish 
 brown, and they harmonize so well with the ground on which they are laid 
 that they can hardly be discerned from the surrounding earth at a few yards' 
 distance. Under the title of " Plover's eggs " they are in great request for 
 the table, and are sought by persons who make a trade of them, and who 
 attain a wonderful expertness at the business. 
 
 The food of the Lapwing consists almost wholly of grubs, slugs, worms, 
 and insects. It is easily tamed, and is often kept in gardens for the purpose 
 of ridding them of these destructive creatures. In the garden next our 
 own a Lapwing was kept, and lived for some years, tripping featly over the 
 grass and thoroughly at home. 
 
 The Golden-breasted Trumpeter is a handsome bird, remarkable for 
 the short velvety feathers of the head and neck, and their beautiful golden 
 green lustre on the breast. The body of this bird is hardly larger than that 
 of a fowl, but its legs and neck are so long as to give it the aspect of being 
 much larger than it really is. Like most birds of similar structure, it trusts 
 more to its legs than its wings, and is able to run with great speed and 
 activity. It is generally found in the forests. 
 
 The name of Trumpeter is derived from the strange hollow cry which it 
 utters without seeming to open the beak. This cry is- evidently produced by 
 means of the curiously-formed windpipe, which is furnished with two mem- 
 branous expansions, and, during the utterance of the cry, puffs out the neck 
 very forcibly, just as the rhea does when grunting. The nest of the Trumpeter 
 is said to be a hole scratched in the ground at the foot of a tree, and to contain 
 about ten or tweve light green eggs. The head and neck are velvety black, 
 and on the breast the feathers become large, and more scale-like, and their 
 edges beautifully bedecked with rich shining green, with a purplish gloss in 
 some lights and a lustrous golden hue in others. The back is grey, the 
 
 c c ' 
 
386 
 
 TitE CRaUE, 
 
 feathers being long and silken, and hanging over the wings. The wings, 
 under surface, and tail are black, and the fMithers of the tail are soft and 
 short. 
 
 Although in former days tolerably common in England, the Crane has 
 now, with the bustard, almost disappeared from this land, a single specimen 
 being seen at very long and increasing intervals. In some parts of England 
 and Ireland the popular name of the heron is the Crane, so that the occasional 
 reports which sometimes find admission into local newspapers respecting the 
 Crane have often reference, not to that bird, but to the heron. 
 
 THE GOLDEN-BREASTED TRUMPETER. —{/"j-ff/A/a <:;-^««KJ . 
 
 The Crane makes its nest mostly on marshy ground, placing it among 
 osiers, reeds, or the heavy vegetation which generally flourishes in such 
 localities. Sometimes, however, it prefers more elevated situations, and will 
 make its nest on the summit of an old deserted ruin. The eggs are two in 
 number, and their colour is light olive, covered with dashes of a deeper hue 
 and brown. The well-known plumes of the Crane are the elongated tertials, 
 with their long drooping loose webi, which, when on the wings of the bird, 
 reach beyond the primaries. 
 
THE HEJiON. 387 
 
 The forehead, top of the head, and neck are rather dark slaty ash, and a 
 patch of greyish white extends from behind the eyes, partially down the neck 
 on each side. The general surface of the body is soft ashen grey, and the 
 primaries are black. The long plumy tertials form two crest-like ornaments, 
 which can be raised or depressed at will. The eyes are red, and the beak is 
 yellow with a green tinge. The total length of the adult crane is about four 
 feet, but it is rather variable in point of size, and the males are rather larger 
 than the females. 
 
 The Demoiselle, or Numidian Crane is common in many parts of 
 Africa, and has been seen in some portions of Asia, and occasionally in 
 Eastern Europe. 
 
 It is a very pretty bird, the soft texture of the flowing plumage, and the 
 delicate greys of the feathers, harmonizing with eaeh other in a very agreeable 
 manner. The general tint of 
 tl;ie plumage is blue-grey, 
 taking a more leaden tone 
 on the head and neck, and 
 offering a beautiful contrast 
 to the snowy white ear-tufts, 
 issuing from velvety black, 
 which decorate the head. 
 There is also a tuft of long 
 flowing plumes of a deep 
 black-grey hanging from the 
 breast. Its secondaries are 
 much elongated, and hang 
 over the primaries and tail- 
 feathers. In height the De- 
 moiselle Crane is about three 
 feet six inches. 
 
 The well-known Heron 
 was once one of our com- 
 monest English birds, but on 
 account of the draining of 
 swamps and their conver- 
 sion into fertilized and ha- 
 bitable ground, is now sel- 
 dom to be seen except in 
 certain localities which still 
 
 CRANE. — {Grus cinerea.) 
 
 retain the conditions that render them so acceptable to this bird. There 
 are some places where Herons are yet plentiful, especially those localities 
 where the owner of the land has established or protected the nests, or where 
 a wide expanse of wild uncultivated ground affords them a retreat. Only 
 a few days ago I came suddenly on three of these beautiful birds fishing 
 quietly in the Avon, and permitting my approach within a few yards before 
 they spread their wide wings ior n ght. 
 
 The food of the Heron consists mostly of fish and reptiles, but it will eat 
 small mammalia, such as mice, or even water-rats. In the stomach of one of 
 these birds were found seven small trout, a mouse, and a thrush. Eels also are 
 a favourite food of the Heron, but on account of their lithe bodies and active 
 wrigglings are not so easy to despatch as ordinary fish, and are accordingly 
 taken on shore and banged against the ground until disabled. 
 
 Like many other birds, the Heron is able to disgorge the food which it has 
 swallowed, and resorts to this measure when it is chased by birds of prey 
 while going home after a day's fishing. 
 
 C C 2 
 
3^8 
 
 THE BITTERAT. 
 
 While engaged in its search for food, the Heron stands on the water's edge 
 mostly with its feet or foot immersed, and there remains still, as if carved out 
 of wood, with its neck retracted, and its head resting between the shoulders. 
 In this attitude its solder plumage and total stillness render it very incon- 
 spicuous, and as it mostly prefers to stand under the shadow of a tree, bush, 
 or bank, it cannot be seen except by a practised eye, in spite of its large size. 
 
 The long beak of the Heron is very sharp and dagger-like, and can be 
 used with terrible force as an offensive weapon. The bird instinctively aims 
 its blow at the eye of its adversary, and if incautiously handled is sure to 
 deliver a stroke quick as lightning at the captor's eye. The beak of a species 
 of Heron set upon a stick is used by some savage tribes as a spear. 
 
 DEMOISELLE CRANE. — (ScopS Virgo.) 
 
 HERON. — (Anfca ■iniTia.\ 
 
 The nest of the Heron is almost invariably built upon some elevated spot, 
 mostly the top of a large tree, but sometimes on rocks near the coast. It is 
 a large and rather clumsy-looking edifice, made of sticks and lined with 
 wool. The eggs are from four to five in number, and their colour is pale grfeen. 
 
 The Bittern is now seldom seen in this country, partly because it is a 
 rare bird and becoming scarcer almost yearly, and partly because its habits 
 are nocturnal, and it sits all day in the thickest reeds or other aquatic vege- 
 tation. The marshy grounds of Essex seem to be the spots most favoured 
 by this bird at the present day, although specimens are annually killed in 
 various parts of the country. 
 
 In habits and food, the Bittern resembles the heron, except that it feeds by 
 night instead of by day. Like that bird, it uses its long sharp beak as a 
 weapon of offence, and chooses the eye of its adversary as the point at 
 which to aim. The feet and legs are also powerful weapons, and when dis- 
 abled from flight, the Bittern will fling itself on its back and fight des- 
 perately with foot and bill. 
 
 The nest of the Bittern is placed on the ground near water, and concealed 
 among the rank vegetation that is foimd in such localities. It is made of 
 sticks and reeds, and generally contains about four or five pale brown eggs. Ths 
 
THE SPOONBILL. 
 
 sSjs 
 
 Usually it is a sharp 
 
 BITTERN. — (Botaurus siellaris.) 
 
 voice of the Bittern varies with the season of the year, 
 harsh cry uttered on rising, 
 but in the breeding season 
 the bird utters a loud boom- 
 ing cry that can be heard at 
 a great distance. 
 
 The general colour of this 
 fine bird is rich brownish 
 buff covered with irregular 
 streaks and mottlings of 
 black, dark brown, grey and 
 cliestnut. The top of the 
 head is black with a gloss of 
 bronze, the cheeks are buff, 
 aiid the chin white tinged 
 with buff. Down the front 
 of the neck the feathers are 
 marked with bold lon- 
 gitudinal dashes of black- 
 ish and reddish brown, and 
 the feathers of the breast 
 are dark brown broadly 
 edged with buff. The under 
 surface of the body is buff 
 streaked with brown, the 
 beak is greenish yellow, and 
 the- feet and legs are green. 
 In total length the Bittern measures about thirty inches. 
 
 The well-known Spoonbill affords an instance of the endless variety 
 of forms assumed by the beak. 
 
 It has a very wide range of country, 
 being spread over the greater part of 
 Europe and Asia, and inhabiting a por- 
 tion of Africa. This species is one of 
 the Waders, frequenting the waters, and 
 obtaining a subsistence from the tish, 
 reptiles, and smaller aqnatic inhabitants, 
 which it captures in the broad spoon- 
 like extremity of its beak. It is also 
 fond of frequenting the sea-shore, 
 where it finds a bountiful supply of 
 food along the edge of the waves and 
 in the little pools that are left by the 
 retiring waters, where shrimps, crabs, 
 sand-hoppers, and similar animals are 
 crowded closely together as the water 
 sinks through the sand. The bird also 
 eats some vegetable substances, such 
 as the roots of aquatic herbage, and 
 when in confinement will feed upon 
 almost any kind of animal or vege- 
 table matter, providing it be soft and 
 moist. The beak of an adult Spoon- 
 bill is about eight inches in length, very 
 mucJi flattened, and is channelled and 
 grooved at the base. In some countries the beak is taken from the bird, 
 
 THE WHITE SPOONBILL. 
 ( ' latalea leiicorodia.) 
 
390 
 
 THE STORK. 
 
 scraped very thin, and polished, and is then used as a spoon, and is thought 
 a valuable article, being sometimes set in silver. 
 
 The breeding-places of the Spoonbill are usually open trees, the banks of 
 rivers, or in little islands and tufts of aquatic herbage. In the latter cases 
 the nest is rather large, and is made of reeds piled loosely together, and set 
 on a foundation of water -weeds heaped sufficiently high to keep the eggs 
 from the wet. There is no lining to the nest. The eggs are generally four in 
 number, and their colour is greyish white, spotted with rather pale rusty brown. 
 The Stork is another of the birds which, in the olden days, were tolerably 
 frequent visitors to the British Islands, but which now seldom make their 
 
 appearance in such inhospitable re- 
 gions, where food is scarce and guns 
 are many. 
 
 It is sufficiently common in many 
 parts of Europe, whither it migrates 
 yearly from its winter quarters in Af- 
 rica, makes its nest, and rears its 
 young. 
 
 The Stork attaches itself to man 
 and his habitations, building its 
 huge nest on the top of his house, and 
 walking about in his streets as fami- 
 liarly as if it had built them. It espe- 
 cially parades about the fish-markets, 
 where it finds no lack of subsistence 
 in the offal ; and in Holland, where 
 it is very common, it does good Ser- 
 vice by destroying the frogs and other 
 reptiles which would be likely to be- 
 come a public nuisance unless kept 
 down by the powerful aid of this bird. 
 The Stork is fond of making its 
 nest upon some elpvated spot, such as 
 the top of a house, a chimney, or a 
 church spire ; and, in the ruined cities of the East, almost every solitary pillar 
 has its Stork's nest upon the summit. The nest is little more than a hetero- 
 geneous bundle of sticks, reeds, and similar substances heaped together and 
 with a slight depression for tl e eggs. These are usually three or four in 
 number, and their colour is white with a tinge of huff. 
 
 The colour of the adult Stork is pure white, with the exception of the quill 
 feathers of the wmgs, the scapularies, and greater wing-coverts, which are 
 black. The skin round the eye is black, the eyes are brown, and the beak, 
 legs, and toes red. The length of the full-grown bird is alaout three feet 
 six inches, and when erect, its head is about four feet from the ground. 
 
 There are several remarkable members of this group, one of which is the 
 well-known Adjutant, or Argala, of India, the former name being derived 
 from its habit of frequenting the parade-grounds. 
 
 This fine bird is notable for the enormous size of the beak, which is 
 capable of seizing and swallowing objects of considerable size, a full-grown 
 cat, a fowl, or a leg of mutton being ingulfed without any apparent difficulty. 
 The Adjutant is a most useful bird in the countries which it inhabits, and is 
 protected with the utmost care, as it thoroughly cleans the streets and public 
 places of the various offal which is flung carelessly in the way, and would be 
 left to putrefy but for the constant services of the Adjutant and creatures of 
 similar habits. 
 
 STORK. — (Ciconia alba.) 
 
THE ADJUTANT. 
 
 391 
 
 It is easily tamed, and soon attaches itself to a kind owner ; sometimes 
 indeed becoming absolutely troublesome in its familiarity. Mr. Smeathman 
 mentions an instance where •ni •! these birds was domesticated, and was 
 
 ADJUTANT. — {LeftoptUos Argala., 
 
 accustomed to stand behind its master's chair at dinner-time and take its 
 share of the meal. It was, however, an incorrigible thief, and was always 
 looking for some opportunity of stealing the provisions, so that the servant? 
 
392 
 
 THE SACRED IBIS. 
 
 were forced to keep watch with sticks over the table. In spite of their 
 vigilance it was often too quick for them ; and once it snatched a boiled 
 fowl off the dish and swallowed it on the spot. 
 
 The exquisitely fine and flowing plumes, termed " Marabou feathers," are 
 obtained from the Adjutant and a kindred species, the Marabou of Africa 
 (Leptoptilos Marabou). 
 
 I'he general colour of the Adjutant is delicate ashen grey above, and white 
 beneath. The great head and proportionately large neck are ahnost bare of 
 covering, having only a scanty supply of down instead of feathers. From 
 the lower part of the neck hangs a kind of dewlap, which can be inflated at 
 the will of the bird, but generally hangs loose and flabby. 
 
 The Sacred Ibis is one of a rather curious group of birds. With one 
 exception they are not possessed of brilliant colouring, the feathers being 
 mostly white and deep purplish black. 'Ihe Scarlet Ibis, however, is a most 
 magnificent, though not very large bird, its plumage being of a glowing 
 scarlet, relieved by a few patches of black. 
 
 SACRED IBIS. — (Ibis religiosa.) 
 
 CURLEW. — (Numenius arquata.) 
 
 The Sacred Ibis is so called because it figures largely in an evidently 
 sacred character on the hieroglyphs of ancient Egypt. It is a migratory 
 bird, arriving in Egypt as soon as the waters of the Nile begin to rise, and 
 remaining in that l^nd until the waters have subsided, and dierefore deprived 
 it of its daily supplies of food. The bird probably owes its sacred character 
 to the fact that its appearance denotes the rising of the Nile, an annual 
 phenomenon on which depends the prosperity of the whole country. 
 
 Ry the n.itives of Egypt it is called the Abou H mnes, i.e , Father John, or 
 Abou Menzel, i.e.. Father Sickle-bill, the former nauie being in use in 
 Upper and the other in Lower Egypt. 
 
 The colour of the adult bird is mostly pure silvery white, the fe.ithers being 
 glossv and closely set, with the exception of some of the secondaries, which 
 are elongated and hang gracefully over the wings and tail. These, together 
 with tht tips of the primaries, are deep glossy black, and the head and neck 
 are also b ack. but being devoid of feathers have a slight brownish tinge, 
 Jjke that of an iil-blacked boot, or an old crumpled black kid glove. While 
 
THE AVOCET. 
 
 393 
 
 young, the head and neck are clothed with a blackish down, but when the 
 bird reaches maturity, even this slender covering is shed, and the whole skin 
 is left bare. The body is little larger than that of a common fowl. 
 
 Another species, the Gl-OSSY Ibis, is also an inhabitant of Northern 
 Africa, but is sometimes round in this country, where the fishermen know it 
 by the name of black Curlew. It is probably the Black Ibis mentioned by 
 Herodotus. 
 
 The Curlew, or Whaup, is mostly found upon the sea-shore and open 
 moorlands, and partly on account of its wild, shy habits, and partly because 
 its flesh is very delicate and well flavoured, is greatly pursued by sportsmen. 
 These birds are mostly annoying to a gunner who does not understand their 
 ways, having a fa'shion of keeping just out of gun range, rising from the 
 ground with a wila mournful cry which has the effect of alarming every other 
 bird within hearing, and frying off to a distance, where they alight only to 
 play the same trick again. Moreover, they are strong on the wing and well 
 feathered, so that they require a sharp blow to bring them down, and 
 necessitate the use of large shot. 
 
 The breeding-grounds of the Curlew are inland, the locality varying 
 according to the character of the district, wild heath and high hilly grounds 
 being chosen in some places, while marshy and boggy soils are favoured iii 
 others. The nest of this bird is very slight, being only a small heap of dry 
 leaves or grasses scraped together under the shelter of a tuft of heather or a 
 bunch of rank grass. There are usually four eggs, placed, as is customary 
 with such birds, with their small ends together, and being much laigcr ;.t 
 one end than at the other. 
 Their colour is brownish 
 green, with some blotches 
 and splashes of dark brown 
 and a darker green. 
 
 The Avolet is one of the 
 most remarkableamong Eng- 
 lish birds, and is easily re- 
 cognizable by its long, curi- 
 ously-curved beak, and its 
 boldly pied plumage. 
 
 It is not a common bird 
 in England, and is now but 
 seldom seen, though in for- 
 mer days it used to be 
 tolerably plentiful on the 
 sea-coasts and in marshy 
 lands. The long and oddly 
 curved beak is very slender 
 and pointed, and from its 
 peculiar shape has earned 
 
 for its owner the name of Cobbler's-Awl Bird. The food of the Avocet con- 
 sists almost wholly of worms, insects, and little crustaceans ; and while the 
 bird is engaged in the search after these creatures it paddles over the 
 oozy mud with its webbed feet, and traverses the soft surface with much 
 ease and some celerity. 
 
 The nest of the Avocet is placed on the ground in some convenient 
 hollow, and the eggs are yellowish brown with Mack marks. 
 
 Like many other birds which depend for their existence upon marshy and 
 untultivated grounds, the Ruff is gradually being turned out of England, 
 jjnd may in time be nothing mor? than a rar? and occasional visitor, 
 
 AVOCET. — (Recurvirostra avoceita.) 
 
394 
 
 THE COMMON SNIPE. 
 
 It is one of the migratory species, arriving in this country in April and 
 leaving by the end of September. Formerly it was so common in the fenny 
 districts that six dozen have been taken by one bird catcher in a single day. 
 
 The RufF is a most pugnacious bird, rivalling if not exceeding the game^ 
 cock in irritability of temper and reckless courage. The attitude of fighting 
 is not unlike that of the cock, but as they have no spurs, they cannot inflict 
 severe wounds, and after a fierce contest neither party will be much the 
 worse. Prolonged and obstinate combats are waged among the Ruffs for the 
 possession of the females, popularly called Reeves, and as the birds make a 
 great noise about their affairs, and in their eager combat trample down the 
 grass on the litile hills where they love to resort, the fowler knows well 
 where to lay his nets. 
 
 The Ruff is chiefly remarkable for the pecuharity from which it derives its 
 name, the projecting ruff of long, closely set feathers, which surrounds the 
 neck, and can be raised or lowered at pleasure. This ruff only belongs to the 
 
 RUFF. — {Philomachus pugnax.') 
 
 SNIPE. — (Namenius scolofiacinus.) 
 
 adult males, and is assumed by them during the short breeding season, being 
 in greatest perfection about the beginning of June, and falling off by degrees 
 from July to August and September. 
 
 The Common Snipe is too well known to need much description. Its 
 habits, however, are interesting, and deserve some notice. 
 
 This bird may be seen all over England wherever damp and swampy 
 places are found. When first flushed it shoots off in a straight line for a few 
 yards, and then begins to twist and turn in a strangely zigzag fashion, and at 
 last darts away, thereby puzzling juvenile sportsmen greatly, and often 
 escaping before its enemy has got his aim. 
 
 The male bird has a curious habit of rising to a great height in the air, 
 circling repeatedly over the same ground, and uttering continually a peculiar 
 cry like the words " Chic ! chic ! chic-a, chic-a, chic-a," constantly repeated. 
 Every now and then the bird makes a downward stoop, and then emits a 
 very singular sound, something between the bleating of a goat and the 
 buzzing of a slack harp-string. How this sound is produced has long been 
 a controversy, but 1 am convinced that it is produced by the wings — at all 
 events that it is not from the mouth. 
 
 During a recent stay in the New Forest, I set myself to the elucidation of 
 this problem, and in company with two friends went towards sur.set toan 
 ^XC^Iknt cover near a large mar^h, in which Snipes were almost as plentiful as 
 
THE WOODCOCK. 
 
 39S 
 
 sparrows. From this post we could watch the Snipes to great advantage, 
 and the birds would come circling over our heads, piping and drumming 
 vigorously. On several occasions, when a Snipe was passing over us at so 
 low an elevation that his long drooping beak was distinctly visible, he 
 stooped over our heads and uttered his " chic-a ! chic-a ! " simultaneously 
 with the " drumming," both sounds being distinctly heard at the same time. 
 The first time that we clearly heard the double sound was on June 27, but 
 we repeatedly heard it on subsequent occasions. The Snipe -emains a 
 long time upon the wing while thus engaged, contrary to its usual habit, 
 which is to fly for a short distance and then to pitch agniri. 
 
 The nest of the Snipe is a simple heap of leaves pl^'ced under the shelter 
 of a tuft of furze, heath, or grass, and the eggs are four in number, of an olive- 
 white, spotted and dashed with brown of different tones towards and upon 
 the large end. The mother bird has been known to carry away her young 
 when threatened by danger. 
 
 The Woodcock is nearly as well known, though not so plentiful as the 
 snipe, to which bird it bears a considerable resemblance in form, plumage, 
 and many habits. 
 
 Generally it is only a winter visitor, arriving about October, and leaving 
 England in March or April. Sometimes, however, it will breed within the 
 British Isles, and there remain throughout 
 the summer. During their migration the 
 Woodcocks fly at a great altitude, and de- 
 scend almost perpendicularly upon the spot 
 where they intend to rest. They fly in com- 
 panies of varying numbers, and prefer 
 hazy and calm weather for their journey. 
 
 The food of the Woodcock consists 
 mostly of worms, which it obtains with 
 extraordinary skill, thrusting its beak as 
 far as the nostrils into the soft moist earth, 
 and hitting upon the hidden worms with 
 unerring skill. A tame Woodcock has 
 been seen to probe large turfs with its bill, 
 and to draw out a worm at every thrust 
 of the long slender beak. It is thought 
 that the sense of smell enables the bird to 
 discover the worms beneath the surface. 
 It moves about chiefly on misty days, and 
 is said by experienced woodcock shooters 
 to prefer the northern side of a hill to the southern. 
 
 It is a very silent bird, seldom uttering its cry except when first starting 
 for its feeding-places, and hardly even crying when flushed. The flight of 
 the Woodcock is wonderfully swilt, although the wings do not appear to 
 move very fast ; and the bird has a custom of jerking and dodging about so 
 quickly when it sees the sportsman, that it often escapes his shot. One bird, 
 mentioned by Mr. Thompson, used to baffle an experienced sportsman by 
 always feeding near an archway, and slipping through it before the gun could 
 be brought to bear. 
 
 The nest of the Woodcock is made of leaves — those of the fern being 
 favourites — closely laid together, but without any particular skill in arrange- 
 ment, and without lining. The full number of eggs is four, and their colour 
 is buffy white with rusty brown blotches. 
 
 The Jacanas are found in Asia. Africa, and America. Their light bodies 
 and wide!)' extended cl9.ws enable them to walk on the leaves of aquatic plants 
 
 WOODCOCK. — (Scolopax rusiicola.) 
 
396 
 
 THE CHINESE JACANA. — THE CORNRAKE. 
 
 \ 
 
 with equal ease and safety. As their weight is just sufficient to sink the 
 leaf a little below the surface, they have quite the appearance of wallcing on 
 the water itself. Tlie Common Jacana inhabits the hotter parts of South 
 America, and is abundant in Brazil and Guiana. It possesses large and 
 
 sharp spurs on the wing. It is not a 
 very large bird, barely exceeding a 
 pigeon in bulk. 
 
 We now come to the large family of 
 the Rails, a curious group of birds, 
 formed fur rapid movement, either on 
 the ground or through the water, but 
 not paiticularly adapted for long flights. 
 M^ny species inhabit England.' 
 
 The well-known Corncrake, or 
 Landrail, is common in almost every 
 part of the British Islands, its rough 
 grating call being heard wherever the 
 hay-grass is long enough to hide the 
 utterer. 
 
 The bird runs with wonderful speed 
 through the tall^rass, and its cry may 
 be heard now close at hand, now in the 
 distance, now right, and now left,without 
 any other indicaiion of the bird'swhere- 
 abouts; for so deftly does it thread the 
 grass-stems that scarcely a shaken blade 
 indicates its presence, and it is-so wary 
 that it keeps itself well hidden among the 
 thickherbage. The cry of the Corncrake 
 may be exactly imitated by drawing a quill or a piece of slick smartly o er 
 the large teeth of a comb, or by rubbing together two jagged strips of bone. 
 In either case the bird may be decoyed within sight by this simple 
 procedure. 
 
 The nest of the Corncrake is placed on the ground, and is made of dry 
 grass arranged in a suitable depression. It generally contains from eight 
 to twelve eggs, of a buffy white covered with rusty brown spots. The shell 
 
 is rather thick, and the size of the 
 egg large in proportion to the dimen- 
 sions of the bird. 
 
 The upper parts of the body are 
 elegantly mottled with dark blackish 
 brown, ashen, and warm chestnut ; 
 the first tint occupying the centre of 
 each feather, the second the edges, 
 and the third the tips. The wing- 
 coverts are rusty red. The throat and 
 abdomen are white, and the breast 
 is greenish ash, warming into reddish 
 mst striped with white on the sides. 
 In total length the Cornrake is not 
 quite ten inches. 
 
 Our most familiar example of the 
 Gallinules is the Water Hen, some- 
 times called the MOOR H FN, 
 Jbis bird may be seen in plenty in every river in England, and mostly on 
 
 CHINESE JACANA. 
 (Hydrofihastanns Sinensis.] 
 
 CORNCAKE.- 
 
 -(Ortygovieira cnx.) 
 
THE COOT. 
 
 39? 
 
 e^'efy pond or sheet of water where the reedy or rushy banks offer it a ret" ige. 
 When startled it often dives on the instant, and. emerging under floating 
 weeds or rubbish, just pokes its bill above the surface, so that the nostrils are 
 uncovered by the water, and remains submerged until the danger is past, 
 holding itself in the proper position by the grasp of its strong toes upon the 
 weeds. 
 
 The nesting of this bird is very peculiar. The Water Hen builds a large 
 editice of sedges, sticks, and leaves, either on the bank close to the water's 
 edge, upon little reedy islands, or on low banks overhanging the water, and 
 generally very conspicuous. The mother bird has a habit of scraping leaves 
 and rushes over her eggs when she leaves the nest — not, as some persons 
 fancy, to keep the eggs warm, but to hide them from the prying eyes of 
 crows and magpies, jays, and other egg-devouring birds. 
 
 I) Vl VI MW V TBSg^^, 
 
 WATER HEN.— (Ga/A'«a/a Moropus.) 
 
 The young are able to swim almost as soon as hatched, and for some time 
 remain close to their parents. I once, to my great regret, shot by mistake 
 several young Moor Hens, still in their first suit of black puffy down, and 
 paddling about among the water-lilies and other aquatic herbage where I 
 could not see them. Pike are rather apt to carry off the little creatures, by 
 coming quickly under the weeds and jerking them under water before they 
 take the alarm. 
 
 The Common Coot, or Bald Coot, as it is sometimes called, is anothe. 
 of our familiar British water-birds, being seen chiefly in lakes, large ponds, 
 and the quiet banks of wide rivers. 
 
 The habits of the Coot much resemble those of the water hen, and it feeds 
 after a similar fashion upon molluscs, insects, and similar creatures, which 
 it finds either in the water or upon land. 
 
 The nest of the Coot is a huge edifice of reeds and rank-water herbage, 
 sometimes placed at the edge of the water, and sometimes on little islan.ls 
 at some distance from shore. I have often had to Vade for thirty or forty 
 yards to these nests, which have been founded upon the tops of little hillocks 
 almost covered with water. The whole nest is strongly though rudely made ; 
 and if the water should suddenly rise and set the nest floating, the Coot is 
 very little troubled at the change, but sits quietly on her eggs waiting for 
 
39S 
 
 THE FLAMINGO. 
 
 the nest to be stranded. The eggs are generally about eight or ten in num- 
 ber, and their colour is olive-white sprinkled profusely with brown. The 
 shell is rather thick in proportion to the size of the egg, so that Coots's eggs can 
 be carried away in a handkerchief without much danger of being broken. 
 
 The well-known FLAMINGO brings us to the large and important order of 
 Anseres, or the Goose tribe. 
 
 The common Flamingo is plentiful in many parts of the Old World, and 
 may be seen in great numbers on the sea-shore, or the banks of large and 
 pestilential marshes, the evil atmosphere of which has no effect on these birds, 
 though to many animals it is most injurious, and to man certain death. 
 When feeding, the Flamingo bends its neck, and, placing the upper mandible 
 of the curiously bent beak on the ground or under the water, separates the 
 nutritive portions with a kind of spattering sound, like that of a duck when 
 feeding. The tongue of the Flamingo is very thick, and of a soft oily con- 
 sistence, covered with curved spines pointing backwards, and not muscular. 
 
 COOT. — [Fulica atra.) 
 
 A flock of these birds feeding along the sea-shore has a curious appear- 
 ance, bending their long necks in regular succession as the waves dash upon 
 the shore, and raising them as the ripple passes away along the strand. At 
 each wing is always placed a sentinel bird, which makes no attempt to feed 
 but remains with neck erect and head turning constantly about to detect the, 
 least indication of danger. When a flock of Flamingos is passing overhead, 
 they have a wonderfully fine effect, their plumage changing from pure white 
 to flashing rose as they wave their broad wings. 
 
 When at rest and lying on the ground, with the legs doubled under the 
 body, the Flamingo is still graceful, bending its neck into snaky coils, and 
 preening every part of its plumage with an ease almost incredible. Its long 
 and apparently clumsy legs are equally under comm'.ad, for the bird can 
 scratch its cheeks with its toes as easily as a sparrow or a canary. 
 
 When flying, the Flamingo still associates itself with its comrades, and 
 the flock form themselves into regular shapes, each band evidently acting 
 under the command of a leader. The eggs are white, their number is two 
 or three, and the young birds are all able to run at an early age. Like many 
 
THE BERNICLE GOOSE. 
 
 399 
 
 other long-legged birds, the Flamingo has a habit of standing on one leg, 
 the other beijig drawn up and hid- 
 den among the plumage. 
 
 The curious beak of this bird is 
 orange-yellow at the base, and 
 black at the extremity ; and the 
 cere is flesh-coloured. When in 
 full plumage the colour is brilliant 
 scarlet, with the exception of the 
 quill feathers, which are jetty black. 
 A full-grown bird will measure from 
 five to six feet in height. 
 
 The Bernicle Goose is found 
 on our shores, and seems to prefer 
 the western to the eastern coasts. 
 
 The name of Bernicle Goose 
 is given to this bird because the 
 olden voyagers thought that it was 
 produced from the conmon bar- 
 nacle shell, and this notion had 
 taken so strong a hold of their 
 minds that they published several 
 engravings representing the bird 
 in various stages of its transfor- 
 mation. 
 
 The Bernicle Goose generally 
 assembles in large flocks and 
 haunts large salt-marshes near the 
 coast, and feeds on grasses and 
 various alg». It is a very wary 
 bird, and not easily approached. 
 The eggs of this species are large 
 and white. The flesh is considered 
 good. The bill of the Bernicle 
 Goose is black, with a reddish streak on each side. The cheeks and throat 
 are white, a black streak runs from the beak to the eye, the upper parts are 
 bold and marked with black and white, 
 and the lower parts are white. It is 
 rather a small bird, the total length 
 barely exceeding two feet. 
 
 The beaut ful Swans now come 
 before our notice. There are nine or 
 ten species of these fine birds, which 
 are well represented in the British 
 Isles, four species being acknowledged 
 as English birds. 
 
 Our most familiar species is the 
 Tame or Mute Swan, so called from 
 its silent habits. This elegant and 
 graceful bird has long been partially 
 domesticated throughout England, and 
 enjoys legal protection to a great ex- 
 tent ; heavy penalties being proclaimed 
 against anyone who kills a Swan with- 
 out a legal right. 
 
 FLAMINGO. — (Phankopierus ruver. ) 
 
 
 BERNICLE GOOSE. — (Bernicla leucopsis.) 
 
400 
 
 THE MUTE SWAN.—THE WIIISTLIMG SWAM. 
 
 THE MUTE SWAN. — [Qgnusolcr.) 
 
 The food of the Swan consists mostly of vegetable substances, and the 
 bird can be readily fattenea on barley, like oidiiiaiy imliiy. The young 
 
 birds, called cygnets, 
 ought not to be killed 
 after No\ember, as 
 they then lose their 
 fat, and the flesh be- 
 comes dark and tough. 
 The nest of the 
 Swan is a very large 
 mass of reeds, rushes, 
 and grasses set upon 
 the bank, close to the 
 water, in some shel- 
 tered spot. Generally 
 the bird prefers the 
 shore of a little island 
 as a resting-place for 
 is nest. Like other 
 w^ter-birds, the Swan 
 will raise the nest by 
 adding fresh material 
 before the rising of the 
 water near which it is 
 placed. There are 
 generally six or sevtn 
 eggs, large, and of a dull greenish white. The young are of a light bluish 
 grey colour, and do not assume the beiiutiful white plumage until maturity. 
 
 The mother is very 
 watchful over her nest 
 and young, and in 
 company with her 
 mate assaults any in- 
 truder upon the pre- 
 mises. During the 
 first period of their 
 life the young Swans 
 mount on their mo- 
 tl er's back, and are 
 thus carried from one 
 place to another. If 
 in the water, the Swan 
 is able to sink herself 
 so low that the young 
 can scramble upon her 
 back out of the water ; 
 and if on land, she 
 helps them up by 
 means of one leg. 
 
 The Hooper, Elk 
 Swan, or Whistling 
 Swan, may at once 
 be distinguished from the preceding species by the shape and colour of the 
 beak, which is slender, without the black tubercle, and is black at the lip 
 and yellow at the base, the latter colour stretching as far as the eye. 
 
 THE WHISTLING SWAN. — (Cygnus fertis.) 
 
SWAMS.^DUCKS. 
 
 4dl 
 
 The nest of the Hooper is like that of the Mute Swan, and the eggs are 
 pale brownish white. The length of the Hooper is about the same as that 
 of the mute species, i.e., five feet. 
 
 However emblematical of ornithological fiction a Black Swan might 
 have been in ancient times, it is now almost as familiar to English eyes as 
 any of the white species. 
 
 This fine bird comes from Australia, where it was first discovered in 1698. 
 
 It is a striking and handsome bird, the blood-red bill and the white primaries 
 
 ^^ contrasting beautifully 
 
 with the deep black of 
 the plumage. It is not 
 so elegant in its move- 
 ments as the white Swan, 
 and holds its neek stiffly, 
 without the easy serpen- 
 tine grace to which we 
 are so well accustomed in 
 our British Swans. 
 
 There are very many 
 species of Ducks, of 
 which we can take but a 
 few examples. 
 
 The well-known Wid- 
 geon is very plentiful in 
 this country, arriving 
 about the end of Sep- 
 tember or the beginning 
 of October, and assem- 
 bling in large flocks. 
 
 These' birds, although 
 wary on some occasions, 
 are little afraid of the proximity of man and his habitations, feeding boldly 
 by day, instead of postponing their feeding-time to the night, as is often the 
 case with water -fowl. The food of the Widgeon mostly consists of grass, 
 
 BLACK SWAN. — {Cygnus atrnfus.) 
 
 which it eats after 
 
 common goose. 
 
 nest of the 
 
 (WIDGEON. — Marera Pene''op 
 
 (MILLARD. — Anas SoscAas.) 
 
 Widgeon is made of decayed reeds and rushes, and is lined with the soft 
 down torn from the parent's body. The eggs are rather small, and of a 
 creamy white colour. The number of eggs is from five to eight. The flesh 
 of this bird is very delicate, and it is largely sold in our markets. 
 The common Mallard, or Wild Duck, now comes before our notice. 
 
 D O 
 
402 
 
 TSAL. 
 
 This is by no means one of the least handsome of if; tribe ; the rich glossy 
 green of the head and neck, the snowy white collar, and the velvet black of 
 the odd little curly feathers of the tail, giving it a bold and striking 
 appearance, which, but for its familiarity, would receive greater admiration 
 than it at present obtains. It is the stock from which descended our well-known 
 domestic Duck, to which we are so much indebted for its flesh and its eggs. 
 
 In its wild state the Mallard arrives in this country about Octobei', 
 assembling in large flocks, and is immediately persecuted in every way that 
 the mgenuity of man can devise. 
 
 The nest of the Mallard is made of grass, lined and mixed with down, and 
 is almost always placed on the ground near water, and sheltered by reeds, 
 osiers, or other aquatic plants. Sometimes, however, the nest is placed in a 
 more inland spot, and it noiv and then happens that a Duck of more than 
 usual eccentricity builds her nest in a tree at some elevation from the ground, 
 so that, when her young are hatched, she is driven to exert all her ingenuity 
 in conveying them safely from their lofty cradle to the ground or the water. 
 Such a nest has been observed in an oak-tree twenty-five feet from the 
 ground, and at Heath VV ood, near Chesterfield, onr of these birds usurped 
 
 TE < L. — ( Qiierjufitula Crecca. ) 
 
 possession of a deserted crow's nest in an oak-tree. Many similar instances 
 are on record. 
 
 The eggs of the Mallard are numerous, but variable, according to the indi- 
 vidual which lays them, some being far more prolific than others. The eggs 
 are rather large, and of a greenish white colour. 
 
 The pretty little Teal is the smallest and one of the most valuable of the 
 British Ducks, its flesh being peculiarly delicate and its numbers plentiful. 
 
 In the southern parts of England the EiDER DuCK is only a winter visi- 
 tant, but remains throughout the year in the more northern portions of our 
 island, and in the north of Scotland. 
 
 This bird is widely celebrated on account of the exquisitely soft and bright 
 down which the parent plucks from its breast and lays over the eggs during 
 the process of incubation. Taking these nests is with some a regular 
 business, not devoid of risk, on account of the precipitous localities in which 
 
DIVERS. 
 
 403 
 
 the Eider Duck often breeds. The nest is made of fine sea-weeds, and after 
 the mother bird has laid her compliment of eggs, she covers them with the 
 soft down, adding to the heap daily until she completely hides them from 
 view. 
 
 The plan usually adopted is to remove both eggs and down, when the 
 female lays another set of eggs and covers them with fresh down. These 
 are again taken, and then the male is obliged to give his help by taking down 
 from his own breast and supplying the place of that which was stolen. The 
 down of the male bird is pale-coloured, and as soon as it is seen in the nest, 
 the feggs and down are left untouched in order to keep up the breed. 
 
 EIDER DUCK. — [Somaterh mollissima.) 
 
 We now come to the family of Colymbidae, or Divers. 
 
 The Great Northern Diver is common on the northern coasts of the 
 British Islands, where it may be seen pursuing its arrowy course through and 
 over the water, occasionally dashing through the air on strong pinions, but 
 very seldom taking to the shore, where it is quite at a disadvantage. 
 
 The eggs of the Northern Divers are generally two in number, and of a 
 dark olive-brown, spotted sparingly with brown of another tone They 
 are laid upon the bare ground, or on a rude nest of flattened herbage near 
 water, and the mother bird does not sit, but lies flat on the eggs. If dis- 
 turbed, she scrambles into the water and dives away, cautiously keeping her- 
 self out of gunshot, and waiting until the danger is past. Should she be 
 driven to fight, her long beak is a dangerous weapon, and is darted at the foe 
 with great force and rapidity. 
 
 The head of the adult Northern Diver is black, glossed with green and 
 purple, and the cheeks and back of the neck are black without the green 
 gloss. The back is black, variegated with short white streaks, lengthening 
 
 D D 2 
 
404 
 
 GREBES. 
 
 towards the breast, and the neck and upper part of the breast are white, spot- 
 ted with black, and cinctured with two collars of deep black. The breast and 
 abdomen are white. The total Icnjjtii of the bird is not quite three feet. 
 The immature bird is greyish black above, each feather being edged with a 
 lighter hue, and the under parts of the body are dull white. In some 
 places this bird is called the Loon. 
 
 The sub-family of the Grebes is represented in England by several well- 
 known species. All these birds may be readily distinguished by the peculiar 
 form of the foot, in which each toe is furnished with a flattened web, the 
 whole foot looking something like a horse-chestnut leaf with three lobes. 
 
 GREAT NORTHERN DIVER. — {Co!ym'-vs g'acialis.) 
 
 The best known of the English Grebes is the common Dabchick, or 
 Little Grebe, the smallest and the commonest of British species. It is 
 a pretty little bird, quick and alert in its movements. When alarmed, it 
 dives so instantaneously that the eye can hardly follow its movements, and if 
 at the moment of its emergence it perceives itself still in danger, it ag^in 
 dives, not having been on the surface for a single second of time. Like 
 many other aquatic birds, it can sink itself in the water slowly, and o'ten 
 does so when uneasy, rising again if relieved from its anxiety, or disappearinsj 
 as if jerked under the surface from below. I have often seen them in a little 
 pond only a few yards across, thus diving and popping up again with almost 
 ludicrous rapidity. 
 
 This bird can fly moderately well, and can rise from the water without 
 difficulty, when it will circle about the spot whence it rose, and keep some five 
 or six feet above the surface, uttering the while its curious rattling crv. 
 
 The nest of this bird is made of water-weeds, and is placed among the rank 
 aquatic herbage. It is scarcely raised above the. surface, and is mostly wet. 
 
 The eggs are five or six in number, and.their normal colour is white, though 
 they soow become stained with the deraying vegetable matter on which they 
 rest, and before hatching are of a muddy brown hue. 
 
THE GREA7 AUK. 
 
 40s 
 
 The food of the Dabchick consists of insects, molluscs, little fish, and the 
 smaller crustaceans. 
 
 The Crested Grebe is found in some of the fens of the Midland counties 
 of England, and also inhabits parts of Scotland. This bird, together with the 
 other Grebes, builds its nest of a mass of roots and reeds, among sedges. 
 The female, like the water-hen, covers up her eggs when she leaves her nest, 
 wliich, unlike the nests of most of the aquatic birds, floats upon the 
 surface of the water. 
 
 The sub-family of the Alcinse, or Auks, has several British representatives, 
 among which the Great Auk is the rarest. 
 
 This bird, formerly to be found in several parts of Northern Europe, in 
 Labrador, and very rarely in the British Islands, has not been observed for 
 many years, and is as completely extinct as tlie Dodo. Almost the last living 
 specimens known were seen in the Orkneys, and were quite familiar to the 
 inhabitants under the name of the King and Queen of the Auks. 
 
 DABCHIcit — {Podicips minor.') 
 
 According to Mr. Lloyd, this bird formerly frequented certain parts of Ice- 
 land, a certain locality called the Auk-Skar being celebrated for the number 
 of Auks which nested upon it. The Skar, however, is so difficult of approach 
 on a'xount of the heavy surf which beats upon it, that few persons have the 
 daring to land. In 1813 a number of Auks were taken from the Skar, and, 
 horrible to relate, they were all eaten except one. 
 
 The eggs are variable in size, and colour, and markings, some being of a 
 silvery white, and others of a yellowish white ground ; and the spots and 
 stre^-ks are greatly different in colour and form, some being yelloivish 
 brown and purple, others purple and black, and ofhers ijitepse blue an4 
 green, 
 
4o6 
 
 TBE PUFFIM. 
 
 The upper surface of this bird is black, except a patch of pure white round 
 and in front of the eye and the ends of the secondaries, which are white. 
 The whole of the under surface is white, and in winter the chin and throat 
 are also white. The total length of the bird is thirty-two inches. 
 The odd little Puffin, so common on our coasts, is remarkable for the sin- 
 gular shape, enormous size, 
 and light colours of its beak, 
 which really looks as if it 
 had been originally made for 
 some much larger bird. Ow- 
 ing to the dimensions and 
 shape of the beak it is often 
 called the Se4 Parrot, or 
 
 the COULTERNEB. 
 
 The Puffin can fiy rapidly 
 and walk tolerably, but it 
 dives and swims supremely 
 well, chasing fish in the 
 water, and often bringing 
 out a whole row of sprats at 
 a time ranged along the side 
 of its bill, all the heads being 
 within the mouth and all the 
 tails dangling outside. It 
 breeds upon the rocks and 
 in the rabbit-warrens near 
 the sea, finding the ready- 
 made burrows of the rab- 
 bit very convenient for 
 GREAT AUK. — {Alca imfennis.) the reception of its eggs, 
 
 and fighting with the 
 owner for possession of the burrow. Where rabbits do not exist, 
 the Puffin digs its own burrow, and 
 works hard at its labour. The egg is 
 g'enerally placed several feet with- 
 in the holes, and the parents 
 defend it vigorously. Even the raven 
 makes little of an attack, for the 
 Puffin grips his foe as he best 
 can, and tries to tumble into the 
 sea, where the raven is soon drown- 
 ed, and the little champion re- 
 turns home in triumph. The egg 
 is white, but soon becomes 
 stained by the earth. The food 
 of this bird consists of fish, crus- 
 taceans, and insects. 
 
 The top of the head, the back, 
 and a ring round the neck are 
 black, and the cheeks and under 
 surfaces are white. The beak is 
 curiously striped with orange upon 
 bluish grey, and the legs and 
 toes are orange. The length of 
 this bird is about one foot, 
 
 CRESTED Q^^^^.—^Podicefs cmtatus.) 
 
PENGUINS. 
 
 407 
 
 PUFFIN. — {Fratercula arctica. ) 
 
 The Penguins form a very remiirkable sub-family, all its members having 
 their wings modified into paddles useless for flight, but capable of being em- 
 ployed as fore-legs in terrestrial progression when the bird is in a hurry, and 
 probably as oars or paddles in the water. There are many species of Pen- 
 guins, but as they are very similar in 
 general habits, we must be content with 
 a single example.. 
 
 The Cape Penguin is very common 
 at the Cape of Good Hope and the Falk- 
 land Islands. From the extraordinary 
 sound it produces while on shore, it is 
 called the Jackass Penguin. Darwin gives 
 the following interesting account of this 
 bird: — " Indiving, its little plumeless wings 
 are used as fins, but on the land, as front 
 legs. When crawling (it may be said 
 on four legs) through the tussocks, or on 
 the side of a grassy cliff, it moved so 
 very quickly that it might readily have 
 been mistaken for a quadruped. When at 
 sea and fishing, it comes to. the sur- 
 face for the purpose of breathing, with 
 such a spring, and dives again so instan- 
 taneously, that I defy anyone at first 
 sight to be sure that it is not a fish leaping for sport." 
 
 These birds feed their young in a very singular manner. The parent bird 
 gets on a hillock, and apparently deUvers a very impassioned speech for a 
 few minutes, at the end of which, it lowers its head and opens its beak. The 
 young one, who has been a patient auditor, thrusts its head into the open 
 beak of the mother, and seems to 
 suck its subsistence from the throat 
 of the parent bird. Another speech 
 is immediately made, and the same 
 process repeated, until the young is 
 satisfied. 
 
 This Penguin is very courageous, 
 but utterly destitute of the better 
 part of courage — discretion ; for 
 it will boldly charge at a man just 
 as Don Quixote charged the wind- 
 mills, and with the same success, as 
 a few blows from a stick is sufficient 
 to lay a dozen birds prostrate. 
 
 The common Guillemot is an 
 example of the next sub-family. 
 
 This bird is found plentifully on 
 our coasts throughout the year, and 
 may be seen swimming and diving 
 with a skill little inferior to that of 
 the divers. It can, however, use its 
 legs and wings tolerably well, and is 
 said to convey its young from the rocks on which it is hatched, by taking 
 it on the back and flying down to the water. 
 
 The Guillemot lays one egg, singularly variable in colour. I possess 
 ^s,all unlike, and Mr. Champley has five hundred, no two of v>'h)QP 
 
 (cape penguin. — Spheniscus demersus.) 
 
4oS 
 
 PETRELS. 
 
 are similar, the ground colouring being of every shade, from pure white to 
 intense red, and from pale stone-colour to light and dark green. 
 
 The curious family of the Petrels now comes before us. A well-known 
 British example is the Stormy Petrel, known to sailors as Mother 
 Carey's Chicken, and hated by them after a most illogical manner 
 because it foretells an approaching storm. 
 
 This bird has long been celebrated for the manner in which it passes over 
 the waves, pattering with its webbed feet and flapping its wings so as to 
 
 keep itself just above the surface. 
 It thus traverses the ocean with 
 wonderful ease, the billows roll- 
 ing beneath its feet and pass- 
 ing away under the bird with- 
 out in the least disturbing it. It 
 is mostly on the move in windy 
 weather, because the marine 
 creatures are flung to the surface 
 by the chopping waves and can 
 be easily picked up as the bird 
 pursues its course. It feeds on 
 the little fish, crustaceans, and 
 molluscs, which are found in 
 abundance on the surface of the 
 sea, especially on the floating 
 masses of algae, and will for days 
 keep pace with a ship for the 
 sake of picking up the refuse 
 food thrown overboard. Indeed 
 to throw the garbage of fish 
 into the sea is a tolerably certain 
 method of attracting these birds, 
 who are sharp-sighted, and sel- 
 dom fail to perceive anything 
 eatable. The name of Petrel is 
 given to the bird on account of 
 its powers of walking on the 
 water, as is related of St. Peter. 
 This Petrel breeds on our 
 northern coasts, laying a white 
 egg in some convenient recess, 
 a rabbit burrow being often em- 
 ployed for the purpose. 
 
 The well-known Wandering 
 Albatross is the largest of all 
 the species. 
 
 This fine bird is possessed of 
 wondrous powers of wing, sail- 
 ing along for days together with- 
 out requiring rest, and hardly 
 ever flapping its wings, merely 
 with extended pinions. It is 
 
 GirilLEMOT.— (i/'na Troile.) 
 
 side 
 
 swaying itself easily from side to 
 
 found in the Southern Seas, and is very familiar to all those v/ho have 
 voyaged through that portion of the ocean. Like the petrel, it follow s the 
 ships for the sake of obtaining food, and so voracious is the bird that a has 
 been observed to dash at a piece of blubber weighing between ihr?? ajid iouj" 
 pvunds. an4 i,ulp it down enU^'e. 
 
GULLS. 
 
 409 
 
 WANDERING ALBATROSS. — {Diomedta (xu/am.) 
 
 The Albatross malces its home on the lofty precipices of Tristan d'Acunha,> 
 the Crozettes, the Marion Islands, and other similar localities. 
 
 The Fulmar Petrel is rather a large bird, being about nineteen inches 
 long, and stoutly built. It is very plentiful at St. Kilda, and is used for 
 various purposes, furnishing down and oil, besides being itself eaten. Like 
 several other Petrels, the Fulmar is able, when alarmed, to eject from the 
 mouth the oil with which 
 they are so liberally sup- 
 plied. The egg -for there 
 is never more than one — of 
 the Fulmar Petrel is laid 
 upon a narrow ledge of 
 cliff, and always at a con- 
 siderable distance from the 
 summit and the bottom of 
 the rock. 
 
 The large family of the 
 Gulls is here represented 
 by two species, both of which 
 are among our British birds. 
 
 The GRE.4T Black- 
 backed Gull is a very 
 fine bird, not very plentiful 
 on our coasts, but spread 
 over the greater part of the 
 British shores. 
 
 This bird prefers low-lying 
 and marshy lands, and is found on the flat shores of Kent and Essex at 
 the mouth of the Thames, where it is popularly known under the name of 
 the Cob. It is very plentiful on the shores of Sweden and Norway, and on 
 some of the islands of Shetland and Orkney it breeds in abundance, the eggs 
 being highly valued on account of their rich flavour and their large size. 
 
 It is a fierce bird, and when wounded will fight vigorously for its liberty. 
 The nest of this species is of grass, and generally contains three eggs of 
 greenish dun flecked with grey 
 and brown. In the summer 
 plumage the head and neck of 
 the Great Black-backed Gull 
 are white ; the upper surface of 
 the body is dark leaden grey, 
 with some white upon the quill 
 feathers of the wings ; tlie 
 whole of the under surface is 
 pure white, and the legs and feet 
 are pinkish. The length of this 
 bird is about thirty inches. 
 
 The common Tern, or Sea 
 SWALLOVif, is very plentiful on 
 ourcoasts,andmay be seen flying 
 along on rapid wing, its long 
 forked tail giving it so decidedly 
 a swallow? -like air, that its popular name of Sea Swallow is well applied. 
 
 The Tern breeds on low-lying lands, and makes a very rude nest, 
 being indeed nothing more than a shallow depression in the earth, into 
 which are scraped a few sticks, stones, and dry grasses. The Tern reaches 
 
 FULMAR PETREL. — (Procellaria glacialis.) 
 
^lO 
 
 THE PELICANS. 
 
 TERN. — [Sidrna kirunuu.) 
 
 this countty about May and departs in September. An adult bird in summer 
 plumage has the tip of the head and nape of the neck jet-black, the upper 
 part of the body ashen grey, the under surface white, and the legs, feet, and 
 bill coral-red, the bill deepening into black at the tip. Tie length of the 
 
 Tern rather exceeds fourteen 
 inches ; much of it is due to 
 the long forked feathers of the 
 tail. 
 
 We now arrive at the last 
 family of birds, the Pelicans, 
 a group which includes many 
 species, all remarkable for some 
 peculiarity, and many of them 
 really fine and handsome birds. 
 
 As its name implies, the Tro- 
 pic Bird is seldom to be seen 
 outside the tropics unless driven 
 by storms. It is wonderfully 
 powerful on the wing, being 
 able to soar for a considerable 
 period, and passing whole days in the air without needing to settle. 
 
 As a general fact they do not fly to very great distances from land, three 
 hundred miles being about the usual limit ; but Dr. Bennett observed them on 
 one occasion when the nearest land was about one thousand miles distant. The 
 
 long tail-shafts of the Tropic 
 Bird are much valued in 
 many lands, the natives 
 wearing them as ornaments, 
 or weaving them into various 
 implements. 
 
 The Tropic Bird breeds in 
 the Mauritius. The total 
 length of this bird is about 
 two feet six inches, of 
 which the tail feathers oc- 
 cupy about fifteen inches. 
 
 The Gannf.t, Solan 
 Goose, or Spectacled 
 Goose, is a well-known 
 resident on our coasts, its 
 chief home being the Bass 
 Rock in the Frith of Forth, 
 on which it congregates in 
 vast numbers. 
 The Gannet is a large 
 bird, nearly three feet long ; and being powerful on the wing, and possessed 
 of a large appetite, it makes great havoc among the fish which it devours. 
 Herrings, pilchards, sprats, and similar fish are the favourite food of 
 the Gannet, and as soon as the shoals of herrings approach the coast the 
 Gannets assemble in flocks and indicate to the fishermen the presence and 
 position of the fish. 
 
 The nest of the Gannet is a heap of grass, seaweed, and similar sub- 
 stances, on which is laid one very pale blue egg, which, however, does not 
 lonij retain its purity. The young are clothed with white puffy down, wliicli 
 attttt a while changes to nearly black feathers, the white plumage pot being 
 
 TEOPIC BIKD. — (Phaeton sthereus.) 
 
THE CORMORANT. 
 
 -('> 
 
 GANNET OR SOLAN GOOSE.— (^»/rt SoSSattea.) 
 
 assumed until the bird has reached full age. The head and neck of the full- 
 grown bird are buff, the primaries black, and the rest of the plumage white. 
 The yearling bird is almost wholly black covered with streaks and triangular 
 marks of greyish white. 
 The total length of this 
 bird is about thirty-four 
 inches. 
 
 The common Cormorant 
 is well known for its voracious 
 habits, its capacities of di- 
 gestion having long become 
 proverbial. 
 
 This bird is common on all 
 our rocky coasts, wliere it 
 may be seen sitting on some 
 projecting ledge, or diving 
 and swimming with great 
 agility, and ever and anon 
 returning to its resting-place 
 on the rock. It is an admi- 
 rable swimmer and a good 
 diver, and chases fish with 
 equal perseverance and suc- 
 cess, both qualities being needful to satisfy the wants of its ever-craving 
 maw. 
 
 The Cormorant can easily be tamed, and in China, where everything 
 living or dead is utilized, the bird is employed for the purpose of catching 
 fish. The Cormorants are regularly 
 trained to the task, and go out with 
 their master in a boat, where they sit 
 quietly on the edge until they receive 
 his orders. They then dash into the 
 water, seize the fish in their beaks, and 
 bring them to their owner. Should 
 one of these birds pounce upon a fish 
 too large for it to carry alone, one of 
 its companions will come to its assist- 
 ance, and the two together will take the 
 fish and bring it to the boat. Some- 
 times a Cormorant takes an idle fit, 
 and swims playfully about instead of 
 attending to its business, when it is 
 recalled to a sense of duty by its 
 master, who strikes the water with his 
 oar and shouts at the bird, who ac- 
 cepts the rebuke at once and dives 
 after its prey. When the task is com- 
 pleted, the birds are allowed their 
 share of fish. A detailed and interest- 
 ing account of these birds may be 
 founri in Mr. Fortune's work on China. 
 
 The nest of the Cormorant is made of a large mass of sticks, seaweed, and 
 grass, and the eggs are from four to six in number, rather small in proportion 
 to the dimensions of the parent bird, and of a curious chalky texture ex- 
 ternally, varied with a pale greenish blue, 
 
 CORMORANT.— (Crafa/aj Carbo.) 
 
412 
 
 THE FRIGATE BIRD. 
 
 Another well-known British species of this genus is the Crested Cor- 
 morant, Green Cormorant, or Shag, a bird which can at once be 
 distinguished from the preceding species by the green colour of the plumage 
 and the difference in size, the length of an adult male being only twenty- 
 seven inches. In habits this species resembles the common Cormorant. 
 
 We now arrive at the well-known PEtiCAN, which is universally accepted 
 as the type of the family. This bird is found spread over many portions of 
 Africa and Asia, and is also found in some parts of Southern Europe. 
 
 The pouch of the Pelican is enor- 
 mously large, capable of containing 
 two gallons of water, and is emplo) ed 
 by the bird as a basket wherein to 
 carry the fish which it has caught. 
 The Pehcan is a good fisherman, 
 hovering above the water watching 
 for a shoal of fish near the surface. 
 Down sweeps the bird, scoops up a 
 number of fish in its capacious pouch, 
 and then generally goes off home- 
 ward. 
 
 The nest of the Pelican is placed 
 on the ground in some retired spot, 
 i'ljjtifciix usually an island in the sea, or the 
 ''*^ ' borders of some inland lake or a 
 river. It is made of grasses, and con- 
 tains two or three white eggs. The 
 female sits on the eggs, and her 
 mate goes off to fish for her ; and 
 when the young are hatched they are 
 fed b' the parents, who turn the fish 
 out of their pouches into the mouths 
 of the young. 
 
 The colour of the Pelican is white, with a dehcate roseate tinge like 
 that of a blush rose. On the breast the feathers are elongated and of a 
 golden yellow. The quill feathers are black, and the bill is yellow tipped 
 
 with n d. The length of the 
 bird is almost six feet, and the 
 expanse of wing about twelve 
 feet. 
 
 The last bird on our list is the 
 well-known FRIGATE BiKD, Sea 
 Havitk, or Man-of-war Bird, 
 an inhabitant of the tropical seas. 
 It derives its name of Man-of- 
 war Bird from its habit of watch- 
 ing the gannets when they fish, 
 and then swooping upon them 
 and robbing them of their prey. 
 The long black feathers of the 
 tail are in great request among 
 the Society Islanders, being 
 woven as ornaments into the head-dresses of the chiefs. The nest of the 
 Frigate Bird is sometimes built upon trees and bushes where the low shores 
 afford no cliffs, but its usual locality for breedin-z is on the summit of some 
 rocky cliff, On the rock there is uo r.sst, but when the bird breeds among 
 
 PELICAN. — (Pelecanus onocrotalus.) 
 
 FRIGATE BIRD.— {A/ag-ett Aguila). 
 
THE FRIGATE BIRD. 413 
 
 trees, it makes a rude scaffolding of sticks like the nest of the wood pigeon. 
 There is only one egg, of a peculiar chalky whiteness, and while sitting, the 
 bird is very bold and will not stir even if pushed with a stick, snapping and 
 biting at the obnoxious implement. The voice of this bird is rough and 
 harsh, and is hkened to the sound produced by turning a winch. 
 
 The colour of the adult Frigate Bird is shining black glossed with green, 
 the female being dull black above, and white streaked with cinnamon upon 
 the head, breast, and under parts. The pouch on the throat is scarlet, and 
 when distended has a very curious effect against the dark black of the throat 
 and neck. Including the long tail, the male measures three feet in length, 
 but the body is extremely small. The expanse of the wings is about eight 
 feet. 
 
REPTILES. 
 
REPTILES. 
 
 The remarkable beings which are classed together under the general title 
 of Reptiles, or creeping animals, are spread over those portions of the globe 
 where the climate is tolerably warm, and are found in the greatest profusion 
 under the hotter latitudes. 
 
 Some reptiles inhabit the dry and burning deserts, but the generality of 
 these creatures are semi-aquatic in their habits, are fitted by their structure 
 for progression on land or in water, and are able to pass a considerable time 
 below the surface without requiring to breathe. This capacity is mostly the 
 result of the manner in which the circulation and aeration of their blood is 
 effected. 
 
 In all Mammalia and Birds, the heart is divided into a double set of com- 
 partments, each having a direct communication with the other. In the Rep- 
 tiles, however, this structure is considerably modified, so that the blood is 
 never so perfectly aerated as in the higher animals. The blood is conse- 
 quently much colder than in the creatures where the oxygen obtains a freer 
 access to its particles. 
 
 In consequence of this organization the whole character of the Reptiles is 
 widely different from that of the higher animals. Dull sluggishness seems 
 to be the general character of a Reptile, for though there are some species 
 which whisk about with lightning speed, and others, especially the larger 
 lizards, can be lashed into a state of terrific frenzy by love, rage, or hunger, 
 their ordinary movements are inert, their gestures express no feeling, a.ni 
 their eyes, though bright, are stony, cold, and passionless. 
 
 The young of Reptiles are produced from eggs, mostly being hatched aftet 
 they have been laid, but in some cases the young escape from the eggs before 
 they make their appearance in the world. As a general fact, however, the eggs 
 of Reptiles are placed in some convenient spot where they are hatched by 
 the heat of the sun. 
 
 TORTOISES. 
 
 The very curious reptiles which are known by the general name of Tor- 
 toises are remarkable for affording the first example of a skeleton brought 
 to the exterior of the body, a formation which is frequent enough in the 
 lower orders, the crustaceans and insects being familiar examples thereof 
 In these reptiles the bones of the chest are developed into a curious kind of 
 box, more or less perfect, which contains within itself all the muscles and 
 the viscera, and in most cases can receive into its cavity the head, neck, and 
 hmbs ; in one genus so effectually, that when the animal has withdrawn its 
 limbs and head, it is contained in a tightly-closed case without any apparent 
 opening. 
 
 In the true Tortoises the feet are club-shaped and the claws blunt, and the 
 neck can be wholly withdrawn within the shell. 
 
 Perhaps the best known species of these creatures is the COMMON Land 
 Tortoise, so frequently exposed for sale in our markets, and so favourite an 
 inhabitant of gardens. 
 
 This appears to be the only species that inhabits Europe, and even in that 
 continent it is by no means widely spread, being confined to those countries 
 which border the Mediterranean. 
 
 £ E 
 
4iS 
 
 TERRAPINS. 
 
 It is one of the vegetable feeders, eating various plants, and being very 
 fond of lettuce leaves, which it crops in a very curious manner, biting them 
 off sharply when fresh and crisp, but dragging them asunder when stringy, 
 by putting the fore-feet upon them, and pulling with the jaws. This Tortoise 
 will drink milk, and does so by opening its mouth, scooping up the milk in 
 its lower jaw as if with a spoon, and then raising its head to let the liquid run 
 down its throat. 
 
 One of these animals, which I kept for some time, displayed a remarkable 
 capacity for climbing, and was very fond of mounting upon various articles 
 of furniture, stools being its favourite resort. It revelled in warmth, and could 
 not be kept away from the hearthrug, especially delighting to chmb upon a 
 footstool that generally lay beside the fender. 
 
 This Tortoise had a curious kind of voice, not unlike the mewing of a little 
 kitten. The Common Tortoise is known to live to a great age. 
 
 COMMON LAND TORTOI^^E. — [Tesiudo Grctca.) 
 
 Another specimen, a very large one, has been in my possession for several 
 years. At the end of autumn it burrows under a heap of leaf-mould, and 
 waits there until the warm days of spring. It feeds mostly on f rass, and eats 
 its way in a Une, leaving a groove of cut srrass to mark its track. With the 
 exception of strawberry eating, it does no harm in the garden. It has a most 
 inexplicable objection to rain, of which not one drop can penetrate its shell ; 
 and whenever a shower comes, it makes its way to an earth-bank, forces itself 
 partly into the loose soil, and remains there with retracted head and limbs 
 until the rain has ceased. 
 
 We now come to a group of Tortoises called Terrapins. 
 
 These creatures are inhabitants of the water, and are mostly found in rivers. 
 They are carnivorous in their diet, and take their food while in the water. 
 They may be known by their flattened heads, covered with skin, sometimes 
 
THE HAWKSBILL TURTLE. 
 
 419 
 
 hard, but often of a soft consistency, and their broad feet with the toes 
 webbed as far the claws. 
 
 The Chicken Tortoise is found in North America. 
 
 It is very common in ponds, lalces, or marshy grounds, and though very 
 plentiful, and by no means quick in its movements, is not easily caught, owing 
 to its extreme wariness. 
 
 The Chicken Tortoise swims well, but not rapidly, and as it passes along' 
 with its head and neck elevated above the surface, it looks so like the dark 
 water-snake of the same country, that at a little distance it might readily be 
 mistaken for that reptile. 
 
 I have kept several of these reptiles, and found no difficulty in preserving 
 them in health. They lived in a tank in which were several large stones that 
 projected above the surface of the water. On the top of these stones the 
 Chicken Tortoises loved to sit, and so exactly did their bodies harmonize 
 with the stones, that it was not easy to decide at a hasty glance whether the 
 stones were bare or covered with the little Tortoises. At first, the least 
 movement or sound would send them tumbling into the water, but after a 
 while they became used to captivity, and would even leed out of the hand 
 
 CHICKEN TORTOISE. — {Emys reticularia.) 
 
 Their diet consisted of meat, either raw or cooked. They used to seize it in 
 their mouths, and then, placing a foot on its side, push away the meat, so as 
 to cut a piece completely out with their sharp edged jaws. They will even 
 seize fish and serve them in like manner, and indeed it is not safe to place 
 them in tanks wherein are any other living creatures. 
 
 It is rather a small species, seldom exceeding ten inches in length. Its 
 flesh is remarkably excellent, very tender and delicately flavoured, something 
 like that of a young chicken, so that this Tortoise is in great request as an 
 article of food, and is largely sold in the markets, though not so plentifully 
 as the common s=ilt-water terrapin. Its colour is dark brown above, and the 
 plates are scribbled with yellow lines, and wrinkled longitudinally. The 
 neck is long in proportion to the size of the animal, so long indeed that the 
 head and neck together are almost as long as the shell. The lower jaw is 
 hooked in front. 
 
 The well-known Caret, or Hawksbill Turtle, so called from the forma- 
 tion of the mouth, is a native of the warm American and Indian seas, and is 
 common in many of the islands nf those oceans. 
 
 . The Hawksbill Turtle is the animal which furnishes the valuable "tortoise- 
 
 E E 2 
 
/120 
 
 CROCODILES AND ALLIGATORS. 
 
 shell " of commerce, and is therefore a creature of great importance. The 
 scales of the back are thirteen in number, and as they overlap each other 
 for about one-third of their length, they are larger than in any other species 
 where the edges only meet. In this species, too, the scales are thicker 
 stronger, and more beautifully clouded than in any other Turtle. 
 
 The uses to which this costly and beautiful substance are put are in- 
 numerable. The most familiar form in which the tortoiseshell is presented 
 
 .„ to us is the comb, but it is 
 
 also employed for knife 
 handles, boxes, and many 
 other articles of ornament 
 or use. 
 
 The best known of all 
 the Turtles is the celebrated 
 Green Turtle, so called 
 from the green colour of its 
 fat. 
 
 This useful animal is 
 found in the seas and on 
 the shores of both conti- 
 nents, and is most plentiful 
 about the Island of Ascen- 
 sion and the Antilles, where 
 it is subject to incessant 
 persecution for the sake of 
 its flesh. The shell of this 
 reptile is of very little use, 
 and of small value, but the flesh is remarkably "^ich and well-flavoured, and 
 the green fat has long enjoyed a world-wide and fully deserved reputation. 
 
 The eggs of the Turtle are thought as great delicacies as its flesh. It is 
 while the female Turtle is visiting the shore for the purpose of depositing her 
 eggs that she is usually captured, as these sea-loving reptiles care little for 
 the shore except for this purpose. 
 
 GREEN TURTLE. — (Chelonia viridii.) 
 
 CROCODILES AND ALLIGATORS. 
 
 According to the arrangement of the national collection in the British 
 Museum, the link next to the tortoise tribe is formed of an important group 
 of reptiles, containing the largest of the reptilian order, larger indeed than 
 most present inhabitants of the earth. 
 
 These great reptiles are divided, or rather fall natufally, into two families, 
 namely, the Crocodiles and the Alligators. All the members of these 
 families can be easily distinguished by the shape of their jaws and teeth, the 
 lower canine teeth of the Crocodiles fitting into a notch in the edge of the 
 upper jaw, and those of the Alligators fitting into a pit in the upper jaw. 
 This peculiarity causes an obvious difference in the outline of the head, the 
 muzzle of the Crocodiles being narrowed behind the nostrils, while that of 
 the Alligators forms an unbroken line to the extremity. A glance therefore 
 at the head will suffice to settle the family to which any species belongs. In 
 the Crocodiles, moreover, the hind-legs are fringed behind with a series of 
 compressed scales. 
 
 The most peculiar of these reptiles is the long-celebrated Crocodile of 
 Northern Alrica. 
 
CROCODILES. 
 
 421 
 
 EGYPTIAN CROCODILE. — {Crocodilus vulgaris.) 
 
 This terrible creature is found chiefly in the Nile, where it absolutely 
 swarms, and though a most destructive and greatly dreaied animal, is 
 without doubt as valu- 
 able in the water as 
 the hyasna and vulture 
 upon the land. Living 
 exclusively on animal 
 food, and rather prefer- 
 ring tainted or even 
 putrefying to fresh 
 meat, it is of great ser- 
 vice in devouring the 
 dead animals that 
 would otherwise pollute 
 the waters and sur- 
 rounding atmosphere. 
 
 Human beings have 
 a great dread of this 
 voracious reptile. Many 
 instances are known 
 where men have been 
 surprised near the 
 water's edge, or cap- 
 tured when they have 
 fallen into the river. 
 There is, it is said, 
 only one way of escape from the jaws of the Crocodile, and that is to turn 
 boldly upon the scaly foe, and press the thumbs into his eyes, so as to force 
 him to relax his hold or rehnquish the pursuit. 
 
 The eggs of the 
 Crocodile are about as 
 large as those of the 
 goose, and many in 
 number, so that these 
 terrible reptiles would 
 overrun the country 
 were they noi persecut- 
 ed in the earliest stages 
 by many creatures, who 
 discover and eat the 
 eggs almost as soon as 
 they are laid. It is 
 curious that the Croco- 
 dile is attended by a 
 bird which warns it of 
 danger, just as the rlii- 
 noceros has its wing- 
 ed attendant, and the 
 sharlc its pilot fish. The 
 Crocodile bird is popu- 
 larly called the Ziczac, 
 from its peculiar cry. alligator. — {Alligalor Mississipensis.) 
 
 We now come to the ALLIGATORS, the second family of those huee 
 reptiles, which may be known, as has already been mentionL-d, by t.he lowe, 
 canine teeth fitting mio pus m the upper jaw 
 
422 
 
 ALLIGATORS. 
 
 The Common Alligator inhabits Northern America, and is plentifully 
 found in' the Mississippi, the lakes and rivers of Louisiana and Carolina, 
 and similar localities. It is a fierce and dangerous reptile, in many of its 
 habits bearing a close resemblance to the crocodiles and the other members 
 of the family. 
 
 Unlike the crocodile, however, it avoids the salt vcater, and is but seldom 
 seen even near the mouths of rivers, where the tide gives a brackish taste to 
 their waters. It is mostly a fish-eater, haunting those portions of the rivers 
 where its prey most abounds, and catching them by diving under a passing 
 shoal, snapping up one or two victims as it passes throu,'h them, tossing 
 them in the air for the purpose of ejecting the water which has necessarily 
 filled its mouth, catching them adroitly as they fall, and then swallowing 
 them. 
 
 The eggs of the Alligator are small and numerous. The parent deposits 
 them in the sand of the river side, scratching a hole with her paws, and placing 
 
 SCALY LIZARD. — [Zoofoca vivifiafa.) 
 
 the eggs in a regular layer therein. She then scrapes some sand, dry 
 leaves, grass, and mud over them, smoothes it, and deposits a second layer 
 upon them. These eggs are then covered in a similar manner, and another 
 layer deposited until the mother reptile has laid from fifty to sixty eggs. 
 Although they are hatched by the heat of the sun and the decaying vege- 
 table matter, the mother does not desert her young, but leads them to the 
 water and takes care of them until their limbs are sufficiently strong and 
 their scales sufficiently firm to permit them to roam the waters without 
 assistance. 
 
 During the winter months the Alligator buries itself in the mud, but a very 
 little warmth is sufficient to make it quit its retreat and come into the open 
 air again. While lively, especially at night, it is a most noisy animal, bellow- 
 ing in so loud a tone and in so singular a cadence that even the nightly 
 concert of jaguars and monkeys is hardly heard when the Alligators are 
 roaring. 
 
 It sometimes attains to a great size, and is then formidable to man. Mr. 
 Waterton mentions a case where one of these creatures was seen to rush out 
 
LIZARDS. 
 
 423 
 
 of the water, seize a man, and carry him away in spite of his cries and 
 struggles. The beast plunged into the river with his prey, and neither 
 Alligator nor man was afterwards seen. 
 
 The true Lizards have four limbs, generally visible, but in a few instances 
 hidden under the skin. Their body is long and rounded, and the tail is 
 tapering and mostly covered with scales set in regular circles or " whorls." 
 
 England possesses at least two examples of the true Lizards, one of 
 which, the Scaly Lizard, is extremely common. This pretty little reptile 
 is extremely plentiful upon heaths, banks, and commons, where it may be 
 seen darting about in its own quick, lively manner, flitting among the grass 
 stalks with a series of sharp, twisting springs, snapping up the unsuspecting 
 flies as they rest on the grass-blades, and ever and anon slipping under 
 shelter of a gorse bush, or heather tuft, only to emerge, in another moment, 
 brisk and lively as ever. 
 
 This is one of the reptiles that produces living young,_ the eggs being 
 hatched just before the young Lizards are born. With rep'tiles, the general 
 plan is to place the eggs in some spot where they are exposed to the heat of 
 the sunbeams ; but this Lizard, together with the viper, is in the habit of 
 lying on a sunny bank before her young ones are born, apparently for the 
 purpose of gaining sufficient heat to hatch the eggs. This process is aided 
 by the thinness of the membrane covering the eggs. 
 
 Until comparatively recent years, the Sand Lizard was confounded with 
 the Scaly Lizard, which has just been described. 
 
 SAND LIZARD. — (Laceria allies.) 
 
 Though quick and lively in its movements, it is not so dashingly active as the 
 scaly lizard, havinj:; a touch of deliberation as it runs from one spot to another, 
 while the scaly lizard seems almost to be acted upon by hidden springs. 
 
 Unlike the scaly liz ird, this species lays its eggs in a convenient spot, and 
 then leaves them to be hatched by the warm sunbeams. Sandy banks with 
 a southern aspect are the favoured resorts of this reptile, which scoops out 
 certain shallow pits in the sand, deposits her eggs, covers them up. and then 
 leaves them to their fate. Mr. Bell, who has paid great attention to this 
 
424 
 
 SICINJ^S. 
 
 subject, has remarked that the eggs are probably laid for a considerable 
 period before the young are hatched from them. 
 
 A SECOND tribe of Lizards now comes before our notice. These are the 
 Geissosauri, a title derived from two Greek words, the former signifying 
 " tlie eaves of a house," and the latter.'' a lizard." As in this tribe there are 
 many families, and more than eighiy genera, it will be impossible to give more 
 than a very slight account of these reptiles, or even to mention more than a 
 small number selected as types of the large or small groups which they 
 represent. 
 
 The large and important family of the Skinks contains between forty and 
 fifty genera, nearly each of which possesses one or more species, concerning 
 wliich there is something worthy of notice. 
 
 This family finds a fau iliar representative in the common Blindworm, or 
 Slow- Worm, of England, which, from its snake-like form and extreme 
 fiagility, might v/ell deserve the title of the English Glass Snake. In this 
 reptile there is no external trace of limOs, the L>ody being uniformly smooth 
 
 BT.INDWORM. — (Anguis fragilis. ) 
 
 as that of a serpent, and even more so than in some of the snakes, where the 
 presence of the hinder pair of limbs is indicated by a couple of little hook- 
 like appendages. Under the skin, however, the traces of limbs may be dis- 
 covered, but the bones of the shoulders, the breast, and the pelvis are very 
 small and quite rudimentary. 
 
 Th!s elegant little reptile is very common throughout England, and is 
 spread over the greater part of Europe .and portions of Asia, not, however, 
 being found in the extreme north of Europe. In this country it is plentiful 
 along hedge-rows, heaths, forest lands, and similar situations, where it can 
 find immediate shelter from its few enemies, and be abundantly supplied 
 with food. It may often be seen crawling leisurely over a beaten footpath, 
 and I have once captured it while crossing a wide turnpike road near Oxford. 
 
 Why the name of the Blindworm should have been given to this creature I 
 cannot even conjecture, for it has a pair of conspicuous though not very large 
 eyes, which shine as brightly as those of any animal, and are capable of good 
 service. Indeed, all animals which prey upon insects ;ind similar nn v ng 
 (bings must of necessity possess well-developed eyes, unless they are gilteS 
 
THE BLIND WORM. 42S 
 
 with the means of attracting their prey within reach, as is the case with some 
 well-known fishes, or chase it by the senses of hearing and touch, as is done 
 by the mole. Moreover, the chief food of the Blindworm consists of sliias, 
 which glide so noiselessly that the creature needs the use of its eyes to detect 
 the soft mollusc as it slides over the ground on it slimy course. Speed is not 
 needful for such a chase, and the Blindworm accordingly is slow and delibe- 
 rate in all its movements, except when very young, when it twists and wriggles 
 about in a singular fashion as often as it is touched. 
 
 The great fragility of the Blindworm is well known. By a rather curious 
 structure of the muscles and bones of the spine, the reptile is able to stiffen 
 itself to such a degree, that on a slight pressure or trifling blow, or even by the 
 voluntary contraction of the body, the tail is snapped away from the body, 
 and, on account of its proportionate length, looks just as if the creature had 
 been broken in half. The object of this curious property seems to be to 
 ensure the safety of the animal. The severed tail retains, or rather acquires, 
 an extraordinary amount of irritability, and for several minutes after its 
 amputation leaps and twists about with such violence that the attention of 
 the foe is drawn to its singular vagaries, and the Blindworm itself creeps 
 quietly away to some place of shelter. 
 
 When the tail of the Blindworm is thus snapped off, the scales of the body 
 project all round the fractured portion, forming a kind of hollow into which 
 the broken end of the tail can be slipped. 
 
 According to popular notions, the Bhndworm is a terribly poisonous 
 creature, and by many persons is thought to be even more venomous than 
 the viper, whereas it is perfectly harmless, having neither the nill nor the 
 ability to bite, its temper being as quiet as its movements, and its teeth as 
 innocuous as its jaws are weak. . I fancy that the origin of this opinion may 
 be foicnd in the habit of constantly thrusting out its broad, black, flat tongue 
 with its slightly forked tip ; for the popular mind considers the tongue to be 
 the sting, imagining it to be both the source of the venom and the weapon 
 by which it is injected into the body, and so logically classes all creatures 
 with forked tongues under the common denomination of poisonous animals. 
 
 It is said that chis reptile will bite when handled, but that its minute teeth 
 and feeble jaws can make no impression upon the skin ; and also that when 
 it has thus fastened on the hand of its captor, it will not release its hold 
 unless its jaws be forced open. For my own part, and I have handled very 
 many of these reptiles, I never knew them attempt to bite, or even to assume 
 a threatening attitude. They will suddenly curl themselves up tightly, and 
 snap off their tails, but to use their jaws in self-defence is an idea that seldom 
 appears to occur to them. 
 
 The specimen whose portrait is given in the illustration was in my posses- 
 sion for a considerable time, and was fed on the white garden slug. 
 
 In its wild state the Blindworm feeds mostly on slugs, but will also eat 
 worms and various insects. Some persons assert that it devours mice and 
 reptiles ; but that it should do so is a physical impossibility, owing to the very 
 small dimensions of the mouth and the structure of the jaw, the bones of 
 which are firmly knitted together, and cannot be separated while the prey is 
 being swallowed, as is the case with the snakes. 
 
 In captivity it seems to reject almost any food except slugs, but these 
 molluscs it will eat quite freely. 
 
 The Blindworm generally retires to its winter quarters towards the end 
 of August, or even sooner, should the weather be chilly. The localities which 
 it chooses for this purpose are generally dry and warm spots, where the 
 dried leaves and dead twigs of decayed branches have congregated into 
 beaps, so as to afford it a safe refuge. Sometimes it bores its way into 
 
426 
 
 THE GECKO. 
 
 masses of rotten wood ; and on heathery soils, where the ground slopes con- 
 siderably, it selects a spot where it will be well sheltered from the winter's 
 rains and snows, and burrows deeply into the dry loose soil. 
 
 Like the snakes, the Blindworm casts its skin at regular intervals, seeming 
 to effect its object in various modes, sometimes pulling it off in pieces but 
 usually stripping it away, hke the snakes, by turning it inside out, just as an 
 eel is skinned. 
 
 A NEW group now comes before our notice, the members of which are 
 distinguished by the formation of their tongues, which, instead of being flat 
 and comparatively slender, as in the preceding Lizards, are thick, convex, and 
 have a slight nick at the end. On account of this structure, the species of 
 this sub order are termed PachyglosS/E, or Thick-tongued Lizards. 
 
 These reptiles are divided into sundry groups, the first of which is termed 
 the Nyctisaura, or Nocturnal Lizards. These creatures have eyes formed 
 
 for seeing in the dusk ; cir- 
 '"^^'i ]''^C . ■;a«P'''*"5^ cular eyelids, which, how- 
 
 j% ^SAV. 2' ^ 'I JS tL ^^^^' "^^"^""^ To&^x. over the 
 
 ^i -f ,-\, ^j^fz^'^y^ eyeball, and in almost every 
 J ^ ^VHIH^' K 11 "^^^^ ^^ pupil is a long nar- 
 row slit like that of the cat. 
 The body is always flattened. 
 The limbs are four in num- 
 ber, tolerably powerful, and 
 are used in progression. 
 
 Of these Lizards, the first 
 family is the Geckotid^e, 
 or Geckos, a very curious 
 group of reptiles, common 
 in many hot countries, and 
 looked upon with dread or 
 adoration by the natives, 
 sometimes with both, where 
 the genius of the nation 
 leads them to reverence the 
 object of their fears, and to form no other conception of supreme power than 
 the capability of doing harm. 
 
 The Common Gecko, or Ringed Gecko, is an Asiatic species, being as 
 common in India as the preceding species in North Africa. It may be 
 easily known from allied Fan-foot by the large tubercles upon the back. 
 
 This reptile has much the same habits as the fan-foot, and possesses 
 equally the ability to run over a perpendicular wall. During the day-time it 
 conceals itself in some chink or dark crevice, but in the evening it leaves its 
 retreaf, moving rapidly and with such perfectly silent tread, that the ignorant 
 natives may well be excused for classing it among supernatural beings. The 
 Gecko occasionally utters a curious cry, which has been compared to that 
 peculiar clucking sound employed by riders to stimulate their horses, and in 
 some species the cry is very distinct and said to resemble the word " Geck-o," 
 the last syllable being given smartly and sharply. On account of this cry, 
 the Geckos are variously called Spitters, Postilions, and Claquers. 
 
 During the cold months of the year the Geckos retire to winter quarters, 
 and are thought to retain their condition during this foodless season by 
 means of two fatty masses at the base of the abdomen, which are supposed 
 to nourish them as the camel is nourished by the hump. The male is smaller 
 than the female, and the eggs are very spherical, and covered with a brittle 
 chalky shell. The colour of the Gecko is reddish grey with white spots. 
 
 GECKO. — (Gecko vertts.) 
 
LIZARDS. 
 
 4«7 
 
 The scales of the back are flat and smooth, and there is also a series of 
 rather large tubercular projections arranged in twelve distinct rows. 
 
 We now arrive at an important tribe of Lizards, called by the name of 
 Strobilosaura, a title derived from two Greek words, one signifying a 
 "fir-cone" and the other "a lizard," and given to these creatures because 
 the scales that cover their tails are set in regular whorls, and bear some 
 resemblance to the projecting scales of the fir-cone. In all these reptiles the 
 tongue is thick, short, and very slightly nicked at the tip. The eyes have 
 circular pupils, and are formed for day use. 
 
 The first family of these Lizards consists of those creatures which are 
 grouped together under the general title of Iguana. Our illustration 
 depicts the Common Iguana. 
 
 This conspicuous, and, in spite of its rather repulsive shape, reall) hand- 
 some Lizard, is a native of Brazil, Cayenne, the Bahamas, and neighbouring 
 localities, and was at one r 
 
 trnie very common m J a- ^■' 
 
 niaica, from which, however, 
 it seems to be in process of 
 gradual extirpation. 
 
 In common with those 
 members of the family which 
 have their body rather com- 
 pressed and covered with 
 squared scales, the Iguana 
 is a percher on trees, living 
 almost wholly among the 
 branches, to which it clings 
 with its powerful feet, and 
 on which it finds the greater 
 part of its food. It is al- 
 most always to be found 
 on the trees that are in the 
 vicinity of water, and espe- 
 cially favours those that 
 grow upon the banks of a river where the branches overhang the stream. 
 
 Though not one of the aquatic Lizards, the Iguana is quite at home in the 
 ■wat«r, and if alarmed will often plunge into the stream, and either dive or 
 swim rapidly away. While swimming, it lays its fore-legs against the sides, 
 so as to afford the smallest possible resistance to the v^^ater, stretches, out the 
 hinder legs, and, by a rapid serpentine movement of its long and flexible tail, 
 passes swiftly through the waves. It has considerable power of enduring 
 immersion, as indeed is the case with nearly all reptiles, and has been known 
 to remain under water for an entire hour, and at the end of that time to 
 emerge in perfect vigour. 
 
 From the aspect of this long-tailed, dewlapped, scaly, spiny Lizard, most 
 persons would rather recoil than feel attracted, and the idea of eating the 
 flesh of so repulsive a creature would not be likely to occur to them. Yet, 
 in truth, the flesh of the Iguana is justly reckoned among one of the delicacies 
 of the country where it resides, being tender, and of a peculiarly delicate 
 flavour, not unlike the breast of a spring chicken. There are various modes 
 of cooking the Iguana, roasting and boiling being the most common. Making 
 it into a fricassee, however, is the mode which has met with the largest 
 general approval, and a dish of Iguana cutlets, when properly dressed, takes 
 a very high place among the delicacies of a well-spread table. 
 The eggs, too, of which the female Iguana lays from four to six dozen, are 
 
 IGUANA. — {Iguana tuberculata.) 
 
42S 
 
 THE FLYING DRAGON. 
 
 very well flavoured and in high repute. It is rather curious that they contain 
 very little albumen, the yellow filling almost the entire shell. As is the case 
 with the eggs of the turtle, they never harden by boiling, and only assume a 
 little tnicker consistence. Some persons of peculiar constitutions cannot eat 
 either the flesh or the eggs of the Iguana, and it is said that this diet is very 
 injurious in some diseases. The eggs are hid by the female Iguana in sandy 
 soil, near rivers, lakes, or the sea-coast, and after covering them with sand 
 she leaves them to be hatched by the heat of the sun. 
 
 The family which comes next in order is that in which are included the 
 Agamas, a group of Lizards which have been appropriately termed the 
 Iguanas of the Old World. In the members of this family the teeth are set 
 upon the edge of the jaws, and not upon their inner side, as in the true 
 Iguanas of the New World. Between thirty and forty genera are contained 
 in this family, and some of the species are interesting as well as peculiar 
 beings. 
 
 1 erhaps the most curious of all this family, if not, indeed, the most curious 
 of all the reptiles, is the little Lizard which is well known under the title of 
 the Flying Dragon. 
 
 This singular reptile is a native of Java, Borneo, the Philippines, and 
 neighbouring islands, and is tolerably common. The most conspicuous 
 characteristic of this reptile is the singularly developed membranous lobes 
 
 on either side, which are strength- 
 ened by certain slender processes 
 from the first six false ribs, and 
 serve to support the animal du- 
 ring its bold leaps from branch 
 to branch. Many of the pre- 
 viously mentioned Lizards are 
 admirable leapers, but they are 
 all outdone by the Dragon, which 
 is able, by means of the mem- 
 branous parachute with which it 
 is furnished, to sweep through 
 distances of thirty paces, the so- 
 called flight being almost iden- 
 tical with that of the flying squir- 
 rels and flying fish. 
 
 When the Dragon is at rest, 
 or even when tra\ersing the branches of trees, the parachute lies in folds 
 along the sides, but when it prepares to leap from one bough to another, it 
 spreads its winged sides, launches boldly into the air, and sails easily, with 
 a slight fluttering of the wings, towards the point on which it had fixed, 
 looking almost like a stray leaf blown by the breeze. As if in order to 
 make itself still more buoyant, it inflates the three membranous sacs that 
 depend from its throat, suffering them to collapse again when it has settled 
 upon the branch. It is a perfectly harmless creature, and can be handled 
 with impunity. The food of the Flying Dragon consists of insects. 
 
 The last tribe of the Lizards contains but one genus and very few species. 
 From their habit of constantly living on trees, these creatures are called 
 Dendrosaura, or Tree Lizards. In these, the scales of the whole body 
 are small and granular, and arranged in circular bands. The tongue is very 
 curious, being cylindrical and greatly extensile, reminding the observer of a 
 common earthworm, and swollen at the tip. The eyes are as pecuHar as the 
 tongue, being very large, globular, and projecting, and the ball is closely 
 covered with a circular Ud, through which a little round hole is pierced. 
 
 FLYING DRAGON. — (Draco volans.) 
 
The Chameleon. 429 
 
 touch like the wooden snow-spectacles of the Esquimaux. The body is 
 rather compressed, the ears are concealed under the skin, and the toes are 
 separated into two opposable groups, so that the creature can hold very 
 firmly upon the boughs. The tail is very long and prehensile, and is almost 
 invariably seen coiled round the bough on which the reptile is standing. 
 
 The most familiar example of the Dendrosaura is the common Cha- 
 meleon, a reptile which is found both in Africa and Asia. 
 
 This singular reptile has long been famous for its power of changing 
 colour ; a property, however, which has been greatly exaggerated, as will be 
 presently seen. Nearly all the Lizards are constitutionally torpid, though 
 some of them are gifted with great rapidity of movement during certam 
 seasons of the year. The Chameleon, however, carries this sluggishness to 
 an extreme, its only change being from total immobility to the slightest 
 imaginable degree of activity. 
 
 When it moves along the branch upon which it is clinging, the reptile first 
 raises one foot very slowly indeed, and will sometimes remain foot in air for a 
 considerable time, as if it had gone to sleep in the interim. It then puts the 
 foot as slowly forward, and takes a good grasp of the branch. Having 
 satisfied itself that it is firmly secured, it leisurely unwinds its tail, which has 
 been tightly twisted round the branch, shifts it a little forward, coils it round 
 again, and then rests for a while. With the same elaborate precaution, each 
 foot is successively lifted and advanced, so that the forward movements seem 
 but little faster than the hour-hand of a watch. 
 
 If placed on level ground, it is perforce obliged to walk, but it does so very 
 awkwardly, though it gets over the ground faster than would be imagined 
 from its movements on a tree. 
 
 The food of the Chameleon consists of insects, mostly flies, but, like many 
 other reptiles, the Chameleon is able to live for some months without taking 
 food at all. This capacity for fasting, together with the singular manner in 
 which the reptile takes its prey, gave rise to the absurd fable that the 
 Chameleon lived only upon air. To judge by external appearance, there 
 never was an animal less fitted than the Chameleon for capturing the winged 
 and active flies ; but when we come to examine its structure, we find that it 
 is even better fitted for this purpose than many of the more active insect- 
 eating Lizards. 
 
 The tongue is the instrument by which the fly is captured, being first 
 deliberately aimed, like a billiard-player aiming a stroke with his cue, and 
 then darted out with singular velocity. This member is very muscular, and 
 is furnished at the tip with a kind of viscid secretion which causes the fly to 
 adhere to it. Its mouth is well furnished with teeth, which are set firmly 
 into its jaw, and enable it to bruise the insects after getting them into its 
 mouth by means of the tongue. 
 
 The eyes have a most singular appearance, and are worked quite independ- 
 ently of each other, one rolling backwards, while the other is directed for- 
 wards or upwards. There is not the least spark of expression in the eye of 
 the Chameleon, which looks about as intellectual as a green-pea with a dot 
 of ink upon it. 
 
 A few words on the change of colour will not be out of place. 
 
 I kept a Chameleon for a long time, and carefully watched its changes of 
 colour. Its primary hue was grey-black, but other colours were constantly 
 passing over its body. Sometimes it would be striped like a zebra with light 
 yellow, or covered with circular yellow spots. Sometimes it was all chestnut 
 and black Uke a leopard, and sometimes it was brilliant green. Sometimes it 
 would be grey, covered with black spots ; and once, when it was sitting on a 
 branch, it took the hue of the autumnal leaves so exactly that it could 
 
'^io SNAKES. 
 
 scarcely be distinguished from them. A detailed account of this specimen is 
 
 given m my " Ghmpses mto Petland," published by Messrs. Bell and Daldy. 
 
 The young of the Chameleon are produced from ej;gs, which are very 
 
 spherical, white in colour, and 
 covered with a chalky and very 
 porous shell. They are placed on 
 the ground under leaves, and 
 there left to hatch by the heat of 
 the sun and the warmth produced 
 by the decomposition of the leaves. 
 The two sexes can be distinguished 
 from each other by the shape of the 
 tail, which in the male is thick and 
 swollen at the base. 
 
 CHAMELEON. — (ChatneUo vulgaris.) 
 
 The large and important order 
 at which we now arrive consists of 
 reptiles which are popularly known 
 as Snakes, or more scientifically 
 as Ophidia, and to which all the true Serpents are to be referred. 
 
 The movements of the Serpent tribe are performed without the aid of 
 limbs, and are, as a general rule, achieved by means of the ribs and the 
 large curved scales that cover the lower surface. Each of these scales over- 
 laps its successor, leaving a bold horny ridge whenever it is partially erected 
 by the action of the muscles. The reader will easily see that a reptile so 
 constructed can move with some rapidity by successively thrusting each scale 
 a little forward, hitching the projecting edge on any rough substance, and 
 drawing itself forward until it can repeat the process with the next scale. 
 The movements are consequently very quiet and gliding, and the creature is 
 able to pursue its way under circumstances of considerable difficulty. 
 
 The tongue of the Snake is long, black, and deeply forked at its extremity, 
 and when at rest is drawn into a sheath in the lower jaw. Li these days 
 it is perhaps hardly necessary to state that the tongue is perfectly harmless, 
 even in a poisonous serpent, and that the popular idea of the "sting "is 
 entirely erroneous. The Snakes all seem to employ the tongue largely as 
 a feeler, and may be seen to touch gently with the forked extremities the 
 objects over which they are about to crawl, or which they desire to examine. 
 The external organs of hearing are absent. 
 
 The vertebral column is most wonderfully formed, and is constructed with 
 a special view to the peculiar movements of the serpent tribe. Each 
 vertebra is rather elongated, and is furnished at one end with a ball and at the 
 other with a corresponding socket, into which the ball of the succeeding 
 vetebra exactly fits, thus enabling the creature to writhe and twine in all 
 directions without danger of dislocating its spine. This ball and-socket 
 principle extends even to the ribs, which are jointed to certain rounded 
 projections of the vertebrse in a manner almost identical with the articu- 
 lation of the vertebrae upon each other, and, as they are moved by very 
 powerful muscles, perform most important functions in the economy of the 
 creature to which they belong. 
 
 The bones of the jaws are very loosely constructed, their different portions 
 being separable, and giving way while the creature exerts its wonderful powers 
 of swallowing. The great python Snakes are well known to swallow animals 
 of great proportionate size, and anyone may witness the singular process by 
 taking a common field snake, keeping it without food for a month or so, and 
 then giving it a large frog. As it seizes its prey, the idea of getting so stout 
 
SIVAKES. 431 
 
 an animal down that slender neck and through those little jaws appears too 
 absurd to be entertained for a moment, and even the leg which it has 
 grasped appears to be several times too large to pass through the throat. 
 But by slow degrees the frog disappears, the mouth of the snake gradually 
 widening until the bones separate from each other to some distance, and are 
 only held by the ligaments, and the whole jaw becoming dislocated, until the 
 head and neck of the Snake look as if the skin had been stripped from the 
 reptile, spread thin and flat, and drawn like a glove over the frog. 
 
 The Serpents, in common with other reptiles, have their bodies covered 
 by a delicate epidermis, popularly called the skin, which Ues over the scales, 
 and is renewed at tolerably regular intervals. Towards the time of changing 
 its skin, the Snake becomes dull and sluggish, the eyes look white and blind, 
 owing to the thickening of the epidermis that covers thera, and the bright 
 colours become dim and ill-defined. Presently, however, the skin splits upon 
 the back, mostly near the head, and the Snake contrives to wriggle itself 
 out of the whole integument, usually turning it inside out in the process. 
 This shed skin is transparent, having the shape of each scale impressed 
 upon it, being fine and delicate as goldbeater's skin, and being applicable to 
 many of the same uses, such as shielding a small wound from the external air. 
 
 The first sub-order of Snakes consists of those serpents which are classed 
 under the name of Viperina. 
 
 All these reptiles are devoid of teeth in the upper jaw, except two long 
 poison-bearing fangs, set one at each side and near the muzzle. The lower 
 jaw is well furnished with teeth, and both jaws are feeble. The scales of the 
 abdomen are bold, broad, and arranged like overlapping bands. The head 
 is large in proportion to the neck, and very wide behind, so that the head 
 of these Snakes has been well compared to an ace of spades. The hinder 
 limbs are not seen. 
 
 In the first family of the Viperine Snakes, called the Crotalidas, the face is 
 marked with a large pit or depression on each side, between the eye and the 
 nostril. The celebrated and dreaded Rattlesnake belongs to this family. 
 
 This dreaded reptile is a native of North America, and is remarkable for 
 the singular termination to the tail, from which it derives its popular name. 
 
 At the extremity of the tail are a number of curious loose horny structures, 
 formed of the same substance as the scales, and varying greatly in number 
 according to the size of the individual. It is now generally considered that 
 the number of joints on the " rattle " is an indication of the reptile's age, a fresh 
 joint being gained each year immediately after it changes its skin and before 
 it goes into winter quarters. 
 
 The joints of this remarkable apparatus are arranged in a very curious 
 manner, each being of a somewhat pyramidal shape, but rounded at the 
 edges, and being slipped within its predecessor as far as a protuberant ring 
 which runs round the edge. In fact, a very good idea of the structure of 
 the rattle may be formed by slipping a number of thimbles loosely into 
 each other. The last joint is smaller than the rest, and rounded. As was 
 lately mentioned, the number of these joints is variable, but the average 
 number is from five or six to fourteen or fifteen. There are occasional 
 specimens found that possess more than twenty joints in the rattle, but such 
 examples are very rare. 
 
 When in repose, the Rattlesnake usually lies coiled in some suitable 
 spot, with its head lying flat, and the tip of its tail elevated in the middle of 
 the coil. Should it be irritated by a passenger, or feel annoyed or alarmed, 
 it instantly communicates a quivering movement to the tail, which causes the 
 joints of the rattle to shake against each other, with a peculiar skirring ruffle 
 very much like the sound of the escaping steam of a railway engine. 
 
432 
 
 THE KATTLES.VArCE. 
 
 Fnitunately for the human inhabitants of the same land, the Rattlesnake 
 is blow and torpid in its movements, and seldom attempts to bite unless it is 
 provoked, even suffering itself to be handled without avenging itself. Mr. 
 Waterton tells me, in connection with these reptiles : " I never feared the bite 
 of a snake, relying entirely on my own movements. Thus, in the presence 
 of several professional gentlemen, I once transferred twenty-seven Rattle- 
 snakes from one apartment to another with my hand alone. They hissed 
 and rattled when I meddled with them, but they did not offer to bite me." 
 When about to inflict the fatal blow, the reptile seems to swell with anger, 
 its throat dilating, and its whole body rising and sinking as if inflated by 
 bellows. The tail is agitated with increasing vehemence, the rattle sounds 
 its threatening war-note, with sharper ruffle, the head becomes flattened as 
 
 RrfTTLESNAKE. — ( Uropsophtis durissus. ) 
 
 itis drawn back ready for the stroke, and the whole creature seems a very in- 
 carnation of deadly rage. Yet, even in such moments, if the intruder with- 
 draw, the reptile will gradually lay aside its angry aspect, the coils settle 
 down in their place, the flashing eyes lose their lustre, the rattle become 
 stationary, and the serpent sink back into its previous state of lethargy. 
 
 The general colour of the Rattlesnake is pale brown. A dark streak runs 
 along the temples from the back of the eye, and expands at the comer of the 
 mouth into a large spot. A series of irregular dark brown bands are drawn 
 across the back, a number of round spots of the same hue are scattered along 
 the sides, upon the nape of the neck, and back of the head. 
 
 We now come to the second great family of poisonous serpents, namely, the 
 Vipers, or Viperidas. All the members of this family may be distinguished by 
 
THE PVFF ADDER. 
 
 433 
 
 \ the abseace of the pil between the eyes and the nostrils. There are no teeth 
 in the upper jaw, except the two poison -fangs. 
 
 The terrible PuFF Adder belongs to this family. 
 
 This reptile is a native of Southern Africa, and is one of the commonest, 
 as well as one of the most deadly, of poisonous snakes. It is slow and 
 apparently torpid in all its movements, except when it is going to strike, and 
 the colonists say that it is able to leap backwards so as to bite a person who 
 is standing by its tail. 
 
 • There is in nature no more fearful object than a full-grown Puff Adder. 
 It grovels on the sand, winding its body so as to bury itself almost wholly in 
 the tawny soil, and just leaving its flat, cruel-looking head, lying on the ground 
 and free from sand. The steady, malignant, stony glare of those eyes is 
 absolutely freezing as the creature lies motionless, contident in its deadly 
 
 PUFF ADDER. — {Clotho arietans.) 
 
 powers, and when roused by the approach of a passenger, merely exhibiting 
 its annoyance by raising its head an inch or two, and uttering a sharp angry 
 hiss. .Even horses have been bitten by this reptile, and died within a few 
 hours after the injury was inflicted. The peculiar attitude which is exhibited 
 in the illustration is taken from life, one of the Puff Adders in the collection 
 of the Zoological Society having been purposely irritated, so as to force 
 it to raise itself from the sand, and assume the attitude of offence. 
 
 The Bushmen are in the habit of procuring from the teeth of this serpent 
 the poison with which they arm their tiny but most fearful arrows. In the 
 capture of the Puff Adder they display very great courage and address. 
 Taking advantage of the reptile's sluggish habits, they plant their bare feet 
 upon its neck before it has quite made up its reptilian mind to action, and, 
 holding it firmly down, cut off its head and extract the poision at their 
 
 F F 
 
434 
 
 THE CERASTES. 
 
 leisure. In order to make it adhesive to the arrow-point, it is mixed with 
 tiie glutinous juice of tne amaryllis. 
 
 The colour of the Puff Adder is brown, chequered with dark brown and 
 white, and with a reddish band between the eyes. The under parts are paler 
 than the upper. 
 
 The true Cerastes, or Horned Viper, is a native of Northern Africa, 
 and divides with the cobra of the same country the questionable honour of 
 being the "worm of Nile" to whose venomous tooth Cleopatra's death was 
 due. 
 
 The bite of this most ungainly-looking serpent is extremely dangerous, 
 iliough perhaps not quite so deadly as that of the cobra, and the creature 
 IS tiierefore not quite so much dreaded as might be imagined. The Cerastes 
 lias a most curious appearance, owing to a rather large horn-iike scale 
 ivhich projects over each eye, and which, according to the natives, is 
 possessed of wonderful virtues. 
 
 The Cerastes has, according to Bruce, an awkward habit of crawling until 
 it is alongside of the creature A^hom it is about to attack, and then making 
 a side-long leap at its victim. He relates an instance where he saw a 
 Cerastes perform a certainly curious feat :— '' I saw one of them at Cairo 
 
 crawj up the side of a box 
 / ''~"^^S^^^\ \ '"^ which there were many, 
 
 ^' -^ Xv\\\ \ and there lie still as if hid- 
 
 ing himself, till one of the 
 people who brought them to 
 us came near him, and 
 though in a very disadvan- 
 tageous position, sticking, as 
 it were, perpendicularly to 
 the side of the box, he 
 leaped near the distance of 
 three feet, and fastened be- 
 tween the man's fore-finger 
 and thumb, so as to bring 
 the blood." 
 
 The Cerastes usually lives 
 in the driest and hottest 
 parts of Northern Africa, 
 and lies half buried in the 
 sand until its prey should 
 come within reach. Like 
 many serpents, it can endure a very prolonged frost without appearing to 
 suffer any inconvenience ; those kept by Bruce lived for two years in a 
 glass jar without partaking of food, and seemed perfectly brisk and lively, 
 casting their skins as usual, and not even becoming torpid during the winter. 
 The colour cf the Cerastes is pale brownish white, covered irregularly with 
 brown spots. Its length is about two feet. 
 
 The common Viper, or Adder, is very -well known in many parts of 
 England, but in some localities is very plentiful, while in others it is never 
 seen from one year's end to another. 
 
 Many persons mistake the common grass snake for the Viper, and dread 
 it accordingly. They may, however, always distinguish the poisonous reptile 
 from the innocuous, by the chain of dark spots that runs along the spine, 
 and forms an unfailing guide to its identific?tion. Fortunately for our- 
 selves, it is the only poisonous reptile inhabiting England, the variously 
 coloured specimens being nothing more than varieties of the same species. 
 
 OR HORNED VIPER,- 
 Hassilquistii. ) 
 
 -(Cerastes 
 
THE VIPER. 435 
 
 Like most reptiles, whether poisonous or not, the Viper is a very timid 
 creature, always preferring to glide away from a foe rather than to attack, 
 and only biting when driven to do so under great provocation. 
 
 The head of the Viper affords a very good example of the venomous 
 apparatus of the poisonous serpents, and is well worthy of dissection, 
 which is better accomplished under water than in air. The poison-fangs 
 lie on the sides of the upper jaw, folded back and almost undistinguishable 
 until lifted with a needle. They are singularly fine d.nd delicate, hardly 
 larger than a lady's needle, and are covered almost to their tips with a 
 muscular envelope through which the points just peep. The poison- 
 secreting glands and the reservoir in which the venom is stored are found 
 at the back and sides of the head, and give to the venomous serpents that 
 peculiar width of head which is so unfailing a characteristic. The colour of 
 the poison is a very pale yellow, and its consistence is very like that of salad 
 oil, which, indeed, it much resembles, both in look and taste. There is but 
 Uttle in each individual, and it is possible that the superior power of the 
 
 viPiiR, oii Ai>DKK.—{PtHas Berus.) 
 
 large venonious snakes of other lands, especially those under the tropics, 
 may be due as much to its quantity as its absolute intensity. In a full-grown 
 rattlesnake, for example, there are six or eight drops of this poison, whereas 
 the Viper has hardly a twentieth part of that amount. 
 
 On examining carefully the poison-fangs of a Viper, the structure by 
 which the venom is injected into the wound will be easily understood. On 
 removing the lower jaw, the two fangs are seen in the upper jaw, folded 
 down in a kind of groove between the teeth of the palate and the skin of 
 the head, so as to allow any food to slide over them without being pierced 
 by their points. The end of the teeth reach about halfway from the nose to 
 the angle of the jaw, just behind the corner of the eye. 
 
 Only the tips of the fangs are seen, and they glisten bright, smooth, and 
 translucent, as if they were curved needles made from isi.iglass, and almost 
 as fine as a bee's sting. On raising them with a needle or the point of the 
 forceps, a large mass of muscular tissue comes into view, enveloping the 
 tooth for the greater part of its length, and being, in fact, the means by 
 which the fang is elevated or depressed. When the creature draws back its 
 
 F F 2 
 
436 
 
 THE BOA COlsrSTRICTOR. 
 
 he^d and opens its mouth to strike, the depressing muscles are relaxed^ the 
 o posite series are contracted, and the two deadly fangs spring up with their 
 points ready for action. It is needful while dissecting the head to be 
 exceedingly careful, as the fangs are so sharp that they penetrate the skin 
 with a very slight touch, and their poisonous distilment does not lose its 
 potency even after the lapse of time. 
 
 There are generally several of the fangs in each jaw, lying one below the 
 other in regular succession. From the specimen which has just been 
 described, I removed four teeth on each side, varying in length from half to 
 one-eighth the dimensions of the poison-fangs. 
 
 The ordinary food of the Viper is much the same as that of the common 
 snake, and consists of mice, birds, frogs, and similar creatures. It is, 
 however, less partial to frogs than the common snake, and seems to prefer 
 the smaller mammalia to any other prey. 
 
 We now arrive at a very important family of serpents, including the 
 largest species found in the order. These snakes are known by the popular 
 
 title of Boas, and 
 scientifically as Boidae, 
 and are all remarkable, 
 not only for their great 
 size and curious mode 
 of taking their prey, 
 but for the partial de- 
 velopment of their 
 hinder limbs, which 
 are externally visible 
 as a pair of horny 
 spurs, set one on each 
 side of the base of the 
 tail, and moderately 
 well developed under 
 the skin, consisting of 
 several bones jointed 
 together. 
 
 The Boa Con- 
 strictor is a native 
 of Southern and Tro- 
 pical America, and is 
 one of those serpents 
 that were formerly 
 held sacred and wor- 
 shipped with divine honours. It attains a very large size, often exceeding twenty 
 feet in length, and being said to reach thirty feet in some cases. It is worthy 
 of mention, that before swallowing their prey the Boas do not cover it with 
 saliva, as has been asserted. Indeed, the very narrow and slender forked 
 tongue of the serpent is about the worst possible implement for such a pur- 
 pose. A very large amount of this substance is certainly secreted by the 
 reptile while in the act of swallowing, and is of great use in lubricating the 
 prey so as to aid it in its passage down the throat and into the body, but it 
 is only poured upon the victim during the act of swallowing, and is not 
 prepared and applied beforehand. 
 
 The dilating powers of the Boa are wonderful. The skin stretches to a 
 degree which seems absolutely impossible, and the comparison between the 
 diameter of the prey and that of the mouth through which it has to pass, and 
 •he throat down which it has to glide, is almost ludicrous in its apparent 
 
 BOA CONSTRICTOR. — [Boa Constrictor.) 
 
THE COLUBRINAi. 437 
 
 impracticability, and, unless proved by frequent experience, would seem more 
 like the prelude to a juggler's trick than an event of every-day occurrence. 
 To such an extent is the body dilatable that the shape of the animal 
 swallowed can often be traced through the skin, and the very fur is visible 
 through the translucent eyes, as the dead victim passes through the jaws and 
 down the throat. 
 
 An equally celebrated snake, the ANACONr>0,is a native of Tropical America, 
 where it is known under several names. La Culebra de Agua, or " water ser- 
 pent," and El Traga Venado, or " deer swallower," being the most familiar. 
 
 Sir R. Ker Porter has some curious remarks on the Anaconda : — " This 
 serpent is not venomous, nor known to injure men (at least not in this part 
 of the New World) ; however, the natives stand in great fear of it, never 
 bathing in waters where it is known to exist. Its common haunt, or rather 
 domicile, is invariably near lakes, swamps, and rivers ; likewise close to wet 
 ravines produced by inundations of the periodical rains ; hence, from its 
 aquatic habits, its first appellation {i.e., Water Serpent). Fish, and those 
 animals which repair there to drink, are the objects of its prey. The crea- 
 ture lurks watchfully under cover of the water, and while the unsuspecting 
 animal is drinking, suddenly makes a dart at the nose, and, with a grip of its 
 back-reclining double range of teeth, never fails to secure the terrified beast 
 beyond the power of escape." 
 
 Compression is the only method employed by the Anacondo for killing its 
 prey, and the pestilent breath which has been attributed to this reptile is 
 wholly fabulous. Indeed, it is doutbtful whether any snake whatever 
 possesses a fetid breath, and Mr. Waterton, who has handled snakes, bo'h 
 poisonous and inoffensive, as much as most living persons, utterly denies the 
 existence of any perceptible odour in the snake's breath. It is very possible 
 that the pestilent and most horrible odour which can be emitted by many 
 snakes, when they are irritated, may have been mistaken for the scent of the 
 breath. This evil odour, however, is produced from a substance secreted in 
 the glands near the tail, and has no connection with the breath. 
 
 We now come to another section of the serpents, termed the ColubriN/E, 
 the members of which are known by the broad band-like plates of the abdo- 
 men, the shielded head, the conical tail, and the teeth of both jaws. Some 
 of them are harmless and unfurnished with fangs, whereas some are ex- 
 tremely venomous and are furnished with poison-fangs in the upper jaw. 
 These, however, do not fold down like those of the viper and rattlesnake, but 
 remain perfectly erect. 
 
 Our common GRASS SNAKE, or RINGED Snake, is a good example of 
 these reptiles. 
 
 It is extremely plentiful throughout England, being found in almost every 
 wood, copse, or hedgerow, where it may be seen during the warm months of 
 the year sunning itself on the banks, or gently gliding along in search of 
 prey, always, however, betraying itself to the initiated ear by a peculiar 
 rustling among the herbage. Sometimes it may be detected while in the act 
 of creeping up a perpendicular trunk or stem, a feat which it accomplishes, 
 not by a spiral movement, as is generally represented by artists, but by 
 pressing itself lirmly against the object, so as to render its body flatter and 
 wider, and crawling up by the movement of the large banded scales of the 
 belly, the body being straight and rigid as a stick, and ascending in a 
 manner that seems almost in^xpli cable. 
 
 The Ringed Snake is perfectly harmless, having no venomous fangs, and 
 all its teeth being of so small a size that, even if the creature were to snap 
 at the hand, the skin would not be injured. 
 
 The food of the Ringed Snake consists mostly of insects and reptiles, 
 
43S 
 
 THE RINGED OR GRASS SNAKE. 
 
 
 
 % 
 
 frogs being the favourite prey. I have known snakes to eat the common 
 newt, and in such cases the victim was invariably swallowed head first, 
 • whereas the frog is eaten in just the opposite direction. Usually the frog, 
 when pursued by the serpent, seems to lose all its energy, and instead of 
 jumping away, as it would do if chased by a human being, crawls slowly like 
 a toad, dragging itself painfully along as if paralysed. The snake, on 
 coming up with its prey, stretches out its neck and quietly grasps one hind 
 foot of the frog, which thenceforward delivers itself up to its destroyer an 
 unresisting victun. 
 
 The whole process of swallowing a frog is very curious, as the creature is 
 greatly wider than the mouth of the snalie, and in many cases, when the 
 frog is very large and the snake rather small, the neck of the serpent is 
 hardly as wide as a single hind-leg of the frog, while the body is so utterly 
 
 disproportioned that its reception 
 seems wholly impossible. Moreover, 
 the snake generally swallows one leg 
 first, the other leg kicking freely in the 
 air. However, the serpent contrives 
 to catch either the knee or the foot 
 in its mouth during these convulsive 
 struggles, and by slow degrees swal- 
 lows both legs. The limbs seems to 
 act as a kind of wedge, making the 
 body follow easily, and in half an 
 hour or so the frog has disappeared 
 from sight, but its exact position in 
 the body of the snake is accurately 
 defined by the swollen abdomen. 
 Should the frog be small, it is snap- 
 ped up by the side and swallowed 
 without more ado. ^ 
 
 The Ringed Snake is fond of water, 
 and is a good swimmer, sometimes 
 diving with great ease and remaining 
 below the surface for a considerable 
 length of time, and sometimes swim- 
 ming boldly for a distance that seems 
 very great for a terrestrial creature to 
 undertake. This reptile will even take to the sea, and has been noticed swim- 
 ming between Wales and Anglesea. 
 
 During winter the snake retires to some sheltered spot, where it remains 
 until the warm days of spring call it again to action. The locahties which 
 it chooses for its winter quarters are always in some well-sheltered spot, 
 generally under the gnarled roots of ancient trees, under heaps of dry brush- 
 wood, or deep crevices. In these places the snakes will congregate in great 
 numbers, more than a hundred having been taken from one hollow. A few 
 years ago I saw a hole from which a great number of Ringed Snakes had 
 been taken ; it was situated in a bank at some depth. Th ; colour of the 
 Ringed Snake is greyish green above and blue-black below, often mottled 
 with deep black. Behind the head is a collar of golden yellow, often broken 
 in the middle so as to look like two patches of yellow. Behind the yellow 
 collar is anotlier of black, sometimes broken in the middle also. Along the 
 back run two rows of small dark spots, and a row of large oblong spots is 
 arranged down each side. Both the colour and the shape of the spots are 
 very variable, 
 
 RINGED SNAKE, OR GRASS SNAKE.- 
 (Tropidonolus natrix.) 
 
TREE SNAKES. 439 
 
 One group of snakes is composed of the Tree Serpents, or Dendro- 
 phidas, so called from the habit of residing among the branches of trees. 
 
 Our first example of this family is the well-known Boomslange of South- 
 ern Africa. In 'pronouncing this word, which is of Dutch or German origin, 
 and signifies Tree Snake, the reader must remember that it is a word of 
 
 BOOyiSLMiGZ.— (Bucephalus Capensis.) 
 
 three syllables. The Boomslange is a native of Southern Africa, and is 
 among the most variable of serpents in colouring, being green, olive, or brown, 
 of such different colours, that it has often been separated into several 
 distinct species. 
 
 Dr. A. Smith has given the following valuable description of the Boom- 
 slange and its habits; — 
 
44° THE COBRA. 
 
 " The natives of South Africa regard the Boomslange as poisonous, but in 
 their opinion we cannot concur, as we have not been able to discover the exist- 
 ence of any gland manifestly organized for the secretion of poison. The 
 fangs are inclosed in a soft pulpy sheath, the inner surface of which is 
 commonly coated with a thin glairy secretion. This secretion possibly may 
 have something acrid and irritating in its quality, which may, when it enters 
 a wound, occasion pain and swelling, but nothing of great importance. 
 
 " The Boomslange is generally found on trees, to which it resorts for the 
 purpose of catching birds, upon which it delights to feed. The presence of 
 a specimen in a tree is generally soon discovered by the birds of the neigh-: 
 bourhood, who collect around it and fly to and fro, uttering the most piercing 
 cries, until some one, more terror-struck than the rest, actually scans its lips, 
 and almost without resistance becomes a meal for its enemy. Puring such 
 a proceeding the snake is generally observed with its head raised about ten 
 or twelve inches above the branch round which its body and tail are 
 entwined, with its mouth open and its neck inflated, as if anxiously endea- 
 rouring to mcrease the terror which it would almost appear it was aware 
 Would sooner or later bring within its grasp some one of the feathered group. 
 
 " Whatever may be said in ridicule of fascination, it is nevertheless true 
 that birds, and even quadrupeds also, are, under certain circumstances, 
 unable to retire from the presence of certain of their enemies ; and, what is 
 even more extraordinary, unable to resist the propensity to advance from a 
 situation of actual safety into one of the most imminent danger. This I have 
 often seen exemplified in the case of birds and snakes ; and I have heard of 
 instances equally curious, in which antelopes and other quadrupeds have been 
 so bewildered by the sudden appeaiance of crocodiles, and by the grimaces 
 and contortions they practised, as to be unable to fly or even move from the 
 spot towards which they were approaching to seize them." 
 
 We now come to one of the most deadly of the serpent tribe, the well- 
 known CoBR*. Di Capello, or Hooded Cobra, of India. 
 
 This celebrated serpent has long been famous, not only for the deadly power 
 of its venom, but for the singular performances in which it takes part. The 
 Cobra inhabits many parts of Asia, and in almost every place where it is 
 found certain daring men take upon themselves the profession of serpent 
 charmers, and handle these fearful reptiles with impunity, cause them to 
 move in time to certain musical sounds, and assert that they bear a life charmed 
 against the bite of their reptilian playmates. One of these men will take a 
 Cobra in his bare hands, to'is it about with perfect nonchalance, allow it to twine 
 about his naked breast, tie it round his neck, and treat it with as little cere- 
 mony as if it were an earthworm He will then take the same serpent— or 
 apparently the same — make it bite a fowl, which soon dies from the poison, 
 and will then renew his performances. 
 
 Some persons say that the whole affair is but an exhibition of that jugglery 
 in which the Indians are such wondrous adepts ; that the serpents with 
 which the man plays are harmless having been deprived of their fangs, and 
 that a really venomous specimen is adroitly substituted for the purpose of 
 killing the fowl. It is moreover said, and truly, that a snake, thought to 
 have been rendered innocuous by the deprivation of its fangs, has bitten one 
 of its masters and killed him, thus proving the imposture. 
 
 Still, neither of these explanations will entirely disprove the mastery of 
 man over a venomous serpent. In the first instance, it is surely as perilous 
 an action to substitute a venomous serpent as to play with it. Where was 
 it hidden, why did it not bite the man instead of the fowl, and how did the 
 juggler prevent it from using its teeth while he was conveying it away? 
 And, in the seconjl instance, the detection of an impostor is by no means a 
 
SNAKE-CHARMERS. 
 
 441 
 
 proof that all who pretend to the same powers are likewise impostors. The 
 following narrative of Mr. H. E. Reyne, quoted by Sir J. E. Tennent in his 
 " Natural History of Ceylon," seems to be a sufficient proof that the man 
 did possess sufficient power to induce a truly poisonous serpent to leave its 
 hole and to perform certain antics at his command: — "A snake-charmer 
 
 COBRA ni CAPEI.LO. — {Naja tripudims.) 
 
 came to my bungalow in 1854, requesting me to allow him to show me his 
 snakes dancing. As I had frequently seen them, I told him I would give him 
 a rupee if he would accompany me to the jungle and catch a Cobra that I 
 knew frequented the place. 
 
 " He was willing, and as I was anxious to test the truth of the charm, I 
 counted his tame snakes, and put a watch over them until I returned witl) 
 
442 THE BATIiACUIANS. 
 
 him. Before going, I examined the man, and satisfied myself he had no 
 snake about his person. When we arrived at the spot, he played upon a 
 small pipe, and after persevering for some time, out came a large Cobra from 
 an ant-hill which I knew it occupied. On seeing the man it tried to escape, 
 but he caught it by the tail and kept swinging it round until we reached the 
 bungalow. He then made it dance, but before long it bit him above the 
 knee. He immediately bandaged the leg above the bite, and applied a 
 snake-stone to the wound to extract the poison. He was in great pain 
 for a few minutes, but after that it gradually went away, the stone falling oif 
 just before he was relieved. 
 
 " When he recovered, he held up a cloth, at which the snake flew, and 
 caught its fangs in it. While in that position, the man passed his hand up 
 its back, and, having seized it by the throat, he extracted the fangs in my 
 presence and gave them to me. He then squeezed out the poison on to a 
 leaf It was a clear oily substance, and, when rubbed on the hand, produced 
 a fine lather. I carefully watched the whole operation, which was also 
 witnessed by my clerk and two or three other persons." 
 
 One notable peculiarity in the Cobra is the expansion of the neck, popu- 
 larly called the hood. This phenomenon is attributable not only to the skin 
 and muscles, but to the skeleton. About twenty pairs of the ribs of the 
 neck and fore-part of the back are flat instead of curved, and increase 
 gradually from the head to the eleventh or twelfth pair, from which they 
 decrease until they are merged into the ordinary curved ribs of the body. 
 
 When the snake is excited, it brings these ribs forward so as to spread 
 the skin, and then displays the oval hood to the best advantage. In this 
 species the back of the hood is ornamented with two large eye-like spots, 
 united by a curved black stripe, so formed that the whole mark bears a sin- 
 gular resemblance to a pair of spectacles. 
 
 It is rather curious that many persons fancy that the Cobra loses a joint 
 of its tail every time that it sheds its poison, this belief being exactly oppo- 
 site to the popular notion that the rattlesnake gains a new joint to its rattle 
 for every being which it has killed. 
 
 The Batrachians are separated from the true reptiles on account of 
 their peculiar development, which gives them a strong likeness to the fishes, 
 and affords a good ground for considering these animals to form a distinct 
 order. On their extrusion from the egg they bear no resemblance to their 
 parents, but are in a kind of intermediate existence, closely analogous to the 
 caterpillar or larval state of insects, and called by the same name. Like the 
 fish, they exist wholly in the water, and breathe through gills instead of 
 lungs, obtaining the needful oxvgen from the water which washes the dehcate 
 gill-membranes. At this early period they have no external limbs, mo nng 
 by the rapid vibration of the flat and fan-like tail with which they are sup- 
 plied. While in this state they are popularly called tadpoles, those of the 
 frog sometimes bearing the provincial name of pollywogs. The skin of the 
 Batrachians is not scaly, and in most instances is smooth and soft. Further 
 peculiarities will be mentioned in connection with the different species. 
 
 These creatures fall naturally into two sub-orders, the Leaping or Tail-less 
 Batrachians, and the Crawling Batrachians. The Leaping Batrachians, 
 comprising the Frogs and Toads, are familiar in almost all lands, and in 
 England are well known on account of their British representatives. 
 
 The most familiar of all the Batrachians, is the Common Frog of Europe. 
 
 The general form and appearance of this creature are too well known to 
 need much description. It is found plentifully in all parts of England, wan- 
 dering to considerable distances from water, and sometimes getting into 
 pits, cellars, and similar localities, where it lives for years ■^ithput ?ver seeing 
 
THE COMMON FROG. 
 
 443 
 
 water. The food of the adult Frog is wholly of an animal character, and 
 consists of slugs, possibly worms, and insects of nearly every Icind, the wire- 
 worm being a favourite article of diet. A little colony of Frogs is most 
 useful in a garden, as they will do more to keep down the various insect 
 vermin that injure the garden than can be achieved by the constant labour 
 of a human being. 
 
 The chief interest of the 
 Frog lies in the curious 
 changes which it under- 
 goes before it attains its 
 perfect condition. Every- 
 one is familiar with the 
 huge masses of transpa- 
 rent jelly-like substance, 
 profusely and regularly 
 dotted with black spots, 
 which lie in the shallows 
 of a river or the ordinary 
 ditches that intersect the 
 fields. Each of these 
 little black spots is the 
 egg of a Frog, and is 
 surrounded with a glo- 
 bular gelatinous envelope 
 about a quarter of an 
 inch in diameter. 
 
 In process of time, 
 certam various changes 
 take place in the egg, and 
 at the proper period the 
 form -of the young Frog 
 begins to become appa- 
 rent. In this state it is 
 a black grub-like creature, with a large head and a flattened tail. By degrees 
 it gains strength, and at' last fairly breaks its way through the egg. and is 
 launched upon a world of dangers, under the 
 various names of tadpole, pollywog, toe-biter, or 
 horsenail. . , , 
 
 As it is intended for the present to lead an 
 aquatic life, its breathing apparatus is formed on 
 the same principle, as the giUs of a fish, but is 
 visible 'externally, and when fully developed con- 
 sists of a double tuft of finger-like appendage^ 
 on each side of the head. The tadpole, with the 
 fuUy-developed branchiae, is shown at Fig. a on 
 the accompanying illustration. No sooner, how- 
 ever, have these organs attained their size than 
 they begin again to diminish, the shape of the 
 body and head being at the same time much altered, 
 as is seen in Fig. b. In a short time they entirely 
 disappear, being drawn into the cavity of the 
 chest and guarded externally by a kind of gill-cover. i aui-oi-es. 
 
 Other changes are taking place meanwhile. Just behind the head tv/o little 
 projections appear through the skin, which soon develop into legs, which, 
 however, are not at all employed for progression, as the tadpole wriggles its way 
 
 COMMON FROG.- 
 
 (Rana temporaria. ) 
 
444 
 
 THE EDIBLE FROG. 
 
 through the water with that quick undulation of the flat tail which is so 
 familiar to us all. The creature then bears the appearance represented in 
 Fig. c. Presently another pair of legs make their appearance in front, the 
 tail is gradually absorbed into the body — not falling off, according to the 
 popular belief— the branchiae vanish,. and the lungs are developed. Fig. d 
 represents a young Frog just before the tail is fulU' absorbed. 
 
 The internal changes are as marvellous as the external. When first 
 hatched, the young tadpole is to all intents and purposes a fish, has fish- 
 like bones, fish-like gills, and a heart composed of only two chambers, one 
 auricle and one ventricle. But, m proportion to its age, these organs receive 
 corresponding modifications, a third chamber for the heart being formed 
 by the expansion of one of the large arteries, the \essels of the branchiae 
 
 TOAD. — (Bufo vulgaris.) 
 
 becoming gradually suppressed and their place supplied by beautifully cellular 
 lungs, formed by a development of certain membranous sacs that appear to 
 be analogous to the air-bladders of the fishes. 
 
 The celebrated Edible Frog, or Green Frog of Europe [liana 
 esculentd), also belongs to this large genus. This handsome species is com- 
 mon in all the warmer parts of the Continent, but in the vicinity of large 
 cities is seldom seen, except in the ponds where it is preserved, and whence 
 issues a horrid nocturnal concert in the breeding-time. The proprietors of 
 these frogiferies supply the market regularly, and draw out the Frogs with 
 large wooden rakes as they are wanted. In Paris these creatures are sold at 
 a rather high price for the table, and as only the hind-legs are eaten, a dish 
 of Frogs is rather an expensive article of diet. 
 
 We now arrive at another section of Batrachians, including those creatures 
 which ""-e known under the title of Toads, and of which the COMMON Toad 
 of Europe is so familiar an example. The members of this section may be 
 known by the absence of teeth in the jaws and the well-developed ears. 
 
 The general aspect and habits of this creature are too well known to require 
 
THE COMMON TOAD. 
 
 44S 
 
 more than a cursory notice. Few creatures, perhaps, have been more reviled 
 and maligned than the Toad, and none with less reason. In the olden days, 
 the Toad was held to be the very compendium of poison, and to have so 
 deadly an effect upon human beings, that two persons were related to have died 
 from eatmg a leaf of a sage-bush under which a Toad had burrowed. 
 
 In France this poor creature' is shamefully persecuted, the idea of its 
 venomous and spiteful nature being widely disseminated and deeply rooted. 
 The popular notion is that the Toad is poisonous throughout its life, but that 
 after the age of fifty years it acquires venomous fangs like those of the 
 serpents. 
 
 In point of fact, the Toad is a most useful animal, devouring all kinds of 
 insect vermin, and making its rounds by night when the slugs, caterpillars, 
 
 NATTERJACK. — [Bufo calamita.) 
 
 eanvigs, and other creatures are abroad on their destructive mission. Many 
 of the market gardeners are so well aware of the extreme value of the Toad's 
 services, that they purchase Toads at a certain sum per dozen, and turn them 
 out in their grounds. 
 
 Last year, my children had several large Toads which were quite tame. 
 They used to carry the Toads in their hands round the garden, and then hold 
 them up to flowers on which insects had settled. The Toads were quite 
 accustomed to this mode of feeding, and always caught the insects. 
 
 Entomologists sometimes make a curious use of the Toad. Going into 
 the fields soon after daybreak, they catch all the Toads they can find, kill 
 them, and turn the contents of their stomachs into water. On examining the 
 mass of insects that are found in the stomach, and which are floated apart in 
 the water, there are almost always some specimens of valuable insects, gene- 
 rally beetles, which, from their nocturnal habits, small dimensions, and 
 sober colouring, cannot readily be detected by human eyes. 
 
 The Toad will also eat worms, and in swallowing them it finds its fore- 
 feet of great use. The worm is seized by the middle, and writhes itself fran- 
 tically into such contortions that the Toad would not be able to swallow it but 
 
446 
 
 7REE-FR0GS. 
 
 by the aid of its fore-feet, which it uses as if they were hands. Sitting 
 quietly down with the worm in its mouth, the Toad pushes it further between 
 the jaws, first with one paw and then with another, until it succeeds by 
 alternate gulps and pushes in forcing the worm fairly down its throat. 
 
 This animal is extremely tenacious of life, and is said to possess the 
 power of retaining life for an unlimited period if shut up in a completely air- 
 tight cell. Many accounts are in existence of Toads which have been 
 discovered in blocks of stone when split open, and the inference has been 
 ^rawn that they were enclosed in the stone while it was still in the liquid 
 state, some hundreds of thousands of years ago, according to the particular 
 geological period, and had remained without food or air until the stroke of 
 the pick brought them once more to the light of day. 
 
 Tne development of the Toad is much like that of the Frog, except that 
 the eggs are not laid in masses, but in long strings, containing a double 
 series of eggs placed alternately. These chains are about three or four feet in 
 length, and one-eighth of an inch in diameter. They are deposited rather 
 
 later than those of the 
 Frog, and the reptiles, 
 which are smaller and 
 blacker than the Frog 
 larvas, do not assume 
 their perfect form until 
 August or September. 
 
 Another species of 
 Toad, the NATTERJACK, 
 is found in many parts 
 of England. It may be 
 known from the common 
 species by the short hind- 
 legs, the more prominent 
 eyes, the less webbed 
 feet, the yellow line 
 along the middle of the 
 back, and the black bands 
 on the legs. It is not so 
 aquatic as the common 
 Toad, haunting dry 
 places, and seldom ap- 
 proaching water except 
 during the breeding sea- 
 son. Its ordinary length 
 is about three inches. 
 ' This is really a prett)- 
 creature, its colour being 
 green, diversified with a 
 several of these Toads for a 
 No matter how large or active 
 
 GREEN TREE-FROG. — (Hyla arborea.) 
 
 line of bright yellow along the back. I kept 
 long time, feeding them with various insects, 
 the insect might be which was put into the box, sooner or later the Natter- 
 jacks were sure to catch it. 
 
 We now come to the Tree-Frogs, or Tree-Toads, so called from their 
 habits of climbing trees and attaching themselves to the branches or leaves 
 by means of certain discs on the toes, like those of the geckos. 
 
 The best known species is the common Green Tree-Frog of Europe, 
 now so familiar from its frequent introduction into fern cases and terrestrial 
 
THE POUCHED FROG. 
 
 447 
 
 This pretty creatui'e is mostly found upon trees, clinging either to their 
 branches or leaves, and being generally in the habit of attaching itself to the 
 under side of the leaves, which it resembles so strongly in colour, that it is 
 almost invisible even when its situation is pointed out. When kept in a 
 fern-case, it is fond of ascending the perpendicular glass sides, and there 
 sticking firmly and motionless, its legs drawn closely to the body, and its 
 abdomen flattened against the glass. 
 
 The food of the Tree-Frog consists almost entirely of insects, worms, and 
 similar creatures, which are captured as they pass near the leaf whereto their 
 green foe is adhering. It is seldom seen on the ground except during the breed- 
 ing season, when it seeks the water, and there deposits its eggs much in the 
 same manner as the common Frog. The tadpole is hatched rather late in 
 the season, and does not attain its perfect form until two full months have 
 elapsed. Like the Toad, the Tree-Frog swallows its skin after the change. 
 The common Tree-Frog is wonderfully tenacious of life, suffering the severest 
 wounds without seeming to be much distressed, and havmg even been frozen 
 quite stiff in a mass of ice without perishing. 
 
 The colour of this species is green above, sometimes spotted with olive 
 and a greyish yellow streak runs through each eye towards the sides, where 
 it becomes gradually fainter, and is at last lost in the green colour of the skin, 
 in some specimens there is a greyish spot on the loins. Below, it is of a 
 
 POUCHED FROG. — [No'otrema inarsupuuuin.) 
 
 paler hue, and a black streak runs along the side, dividing the vivid green of 
 the back from the white hue of the abdomen. 
 
 In the Pouched Frog we find a most singular example of structure, the 
 female being furnished with a pouch on her back, in which the eggs are 
 placed when hatched, and carried about for a considerable period. 
 
 This pouch is clearly analogous to the living cradle of the marsupial 
 animals. It is not merely developed when wanted, but is permanent, and 
 
448 
 
 THE RHINOPHRYNE. 
 
 lined with skiji like that of the back. The pouch does not attain its full 
 development until the creature is of mature age, and the male does not 
 possess it at all. When filled with eggs, the pouch is much dilated, and 
 extends over the whole back nearly as far as the back of the head. The 
 opening is not easily seen without careful examination, being very narrow, 
 and hidden in folds of the skin. 
 
 The RHINOPHRYNE is remarkable as being the only known example 
 among the Frogs where the tongue has its free end pointing forward, instead 
 of being directed towards the throat. 
 
 This curious species inhabits Mexico, and can easily be recognized by the 
 peculiar form of its head, which is rounded, merged into the body, and has 
 the muzzle abruptly truncated, so as to form a. small circular disc in front. 
 The gape is extremely small, and the head would, if separated, be hardly 
 recognizable as having belonged to a Frog. The legs are very short and 
 thick, and the-feet are half-webbed. Each hind-foot is furnished with a flat, 
 
 RHINOPHRYNE. — {Rhinophrynus dorsalis.) 
 
 oval, horny spur formed by the development of one of the bones. There are 
 no teeth in the jaws, and the ear is imperfect. The colour of the Rhino- 
 phryne is slate grey, with yellow spots on the sides and a row of similar 
 spots along the back. Sometimes these latter spots unite so as to form a 
 jagged line down the back. 
 
 We now arrive at the Crawling Batrachians, technically called Amphibia 
 Gradientia. All these creatures have a much-elongated body, a tail which 
 is never thrown off as in the frogs and toads, and. limbs nearly equal in 
 development, but never very powerful. Like the preceding sub-order, the 
 young are hatched from eggs, pass through the preliminary or tadpole state, 
 and, except in very few instances, the gills are lost when the animal attains 
 its perfect form. Both jaws are furnished with teeth, and the palate is 
 toothed in some species. The skin is without scales, and either smooth or 
 covered with wart-like excrescences. There is no true breast-bone, but some 
 species have ribs. 
 
 The celebrated Salamander, the subject of so many strange fables, is a 
 species found in many parts of the continent of Europe. 
 
 This creature was formerly thought to be able to withstand the action of 
 
THE SALAMANDER. 
 
 449 
 
 fire, and to quench even the most glowing furnace with its icy body. It 
 is singular how such ideas should have been so long promulgated, for 
 although Aristotle repeated the tale on hearsay, Pliny tried the experiment 
 by putting a Salamander into the fire, and remarks, with evident surprise, 
 that it was burned to a powder. A piece of cloth dipped in the blood of a 
 Salamander was said to be unhurt by fire, and certain persons had in their 
 
 SALAMANDER. — [Salamatidra maciiloja.) 
 
 possession a fireproof fabric, made, as they stated, of Salamander's wool, 
 but which proved to be asbestos. 
 
 The Salaniander is a terrestrial species, only frequenting the water for the 
 purpose of depositing its , , . 
 
 voung, which leave the egg 
 before they enter into inde- 
 pendent existence. It is a 
 slow and timid animal, gene- 
 rally hiding itself in some 
 convenient crevice during 
 the day, and seldom ven- 
 turing out except at night or 
 in rainy weather. It feeds 
 on slugs, insects, and simi- 
 lar creatures. During the 
 cold months it retires into 
 winter quarters, generally 
 the hollow of some decay- 
 ing tree, or beneath mossy 
 stones, and does not reap- 
 pear until the spring. 
 
 The ground colour of this 
 species is black, and the 
 spots are light yellow, 
 tubercles. 
 
 The common Newt, Asker, Effet, Eft, or Evat, as it is indifferently 
 termed, is well known throughout England. At least two species of Newt 
 
 G G 
 
 COMMON ^■i'EWT.— (Triton cristatus.') 
 Along the sides are scattered numerous small 
 
45° 
 
 THE NEWT. 
 
 inhabit England, and some authors consider that the number of species is 
 still greater. We shall, however, according to the system employed in this 
 work, follow the arrangement of the British Museum, which accepts only 
 two species, the others being merely noted as varieties. 
 
 The Crested Newt derives its popular name from the membranous crest 
 which appears on the back and upper edge of the tail during the breeding 
 season, and which adds so much to the beauty of the adult male 
 
 This creature is found plentifully in ponds and ditches during the warm 
 months of the year, and may be captured without difficulty. It is tolerably 
 hardy in confinement, being easily reared even from a very tender age, so 
 that its habits can be carefully noted. 
 
 At Oxford we had some of these animals in a large slate tank through 
 which water was constandy running, and which was paved with pebbles, 
 and furnished with vallisneria and other aquatic plants, for the purpose of 
 imitating as nearly as possible the natural condition of the water from which 
 the creatures had been taken. Here they lived for some time, and here the 
 eggs were hatched and the young developed. 
 
 It was a very curious sight to watch the clever manner in which the female 
 
 N ewts secured their eggs ; 
 for which purpose they used 
 chiefly to employ the vallis- 
 neria, its long slender blades 
 being exactly the leaves 
 best suited for that purpose. 
 They deposited an egg on 
 one of the leaves, and then, 
 by dexterous management of 
 the feet, twisted the leaf 
 round the egg, so as to con- 
 ceal it, and contrived to 
 fasten it so firmly that the 
 twist always retained its 
 form. The apparent shape 
 of the egg is oval and semi- 
 transparent, but on looking 
 more closely it is seen to be nearly spherical, of a very pale yellow-brown, 
 and enclosed within an oval envelope of gelatinous substince. 
 
 \Vhen the young Newt is hatched it much resembles the common tadpole, 
 but is of a hghter colour, and its gills are more developed. It rapidly increases 
 m size until it attains a length of nearly two inches, the fore-legs being then 
 tolerably strong, and the hinder pair very small and weak. 
 
 Towards the breeding season the male changes sensibly in appearance ; 
 his colours are brighter, and his movements more brisk. The beautiful 
 wavmg crest now begins to show itself, and grows with great rapidity, until 
 It assumes an appearance not unlike that of a very thin cock's-comb, extending 
 from the head to the insertion of the hinder limbs, and being deeply toothed 
 at the edge. The tail is also furnished with a crest, but with smooth edges. 
 When the animal leaves the water, this crest is hardly visible, because it is 
 so delicate that it folds upon the body and is confounded with the skin ; but 
 when supported by the water, it waves with every movement of its owner, 
 and has a most graceful aspect. 
 
 After the breeding season, the crest diminishes as rapidly as it arose, and in 
 a short time is almost wholly absorbed. Some remnants of it, however, always 
 remain, so that the male may be known even in winter by the line of irregular 
 excrescences along the back. The use of this crest is not known, but it evidently 
 
 SMOOTH NEWT. — {Lophitms punctatus.) 
 
THE PROTEUS. 45? 
 
 bears a close analogy to the gorgeous nuptial plumage of many birds, which 
 at other times are dressed in quite sober garments. 
 
 The Newt feeds upon small worms, insects, and similar creatures, and 
 may be' captured by the simple process of tying a worm on a thread by the 
 middle, so as to allow both ends to hang down, and then angling as if for fish. 
 The Newt is a ravenous creature, and when it catches a worm, closes its 
 mouth so firmly that it may be neatly landed before it loosens its hold. Some 
 writers recommend a hook, but I can assert, from much practical experience, 
 that the hook is quite needless, and that the Newt may be captured by the 
 simple worm and thread, not even a rod being required. 
 
 It is curious to see the Newt eat a worm. It seizes it by the middle with 
 a sudden snap, as it the jaws were moved by springs, and remains quiet for a 
 few seconds, when it makes another snap, which causes the worm to pass 
 farther into its mouth. Six or seven such bites are usually required before 
 the worm finally disappears. 
 
 The skin or epidermis of the Newt is very delicate, and is frequently changed, 
 coming off in the water in flakes. I found that my (Vn specimens always 
 changed their skin as often as I changed the water, and it was very curious to 
 see them swimming about with the flakes of transparent membrane clinging to 
 their sides. The skin 
 of the paws is drawn 
 off just like a glove, 
 every finger being per- 
 fect, and even the little 
 wrinkles in the palms 
 being marked. These 
 gloves look very pretty 
 as they float in the 
 water, but if removed 
 they collapse into a 
 shapeless lump. proteus.— (/"/-(pfe-wj anguinus.) 
 
 The food of the Newt 
 consists of worms, insects, and even the young of aquatic reptiles. I have 
 seen a large male Crested Newt make a savage dart at a younger individual 
 of the same species, but it did not succeed in eating the intended victim. 
 
 The next order of Cra^vling Batrachians is called by the name of 
 Meantia, and contains a very few but very remarkable species. In all these 
 creatures the body is long and smooth, without scales, and the gills are very 
 conspicuous, retaining their position throughout the life of the animal. 
 There are always two or four limbs furnished with toes, but these members 
 are very weak, and indeed rudimentary, and both the palate and the lower 
 jaw are toothed. 
 
 The first example of this order is the celebrated Proteus, discovered by 
 the Baron de Zois, in the extraordinary locality in which it dwells. 
 
 At Adelsberg, in the Duchy of Carniola, is a most wonderful cavern, called 
 the Grotto of the Maddalena, extending many hundred feet below the 
 surface of the earth, and consequently buried in the profoundest darkness. 
 In this cavern exists a little lake, roofed with stalactites, surrounded with 
 masses of rock, and floored with a bed of soft mud, upon which the Proteus 
 may be seen crawling uneasily, as if endeavouring to avoid the unwelcome 
 light by which its presence is known. These creatures are not always to be 
 found in the lake, though after heavy rains they are tolerably abundant, and 
 the road by which they gain admission is at present a mystery. 
 
 The theory of Sir H. Davy is, " that their natural residence is a deep subter- 
 raneous lake, from which in great floods they are sometimes forced through 
 
 G G 2 
 
452 THE PROTEUS. 
 
 the crevices of the rocks into the places where they are found ; and it does 
 not appear to me impossible, when the peculiar nature of the country is con- 
 sidered, that the same great cavity may furnish the individuals which have 
 been found at Adelsberg and at Sittich." 
 
 Whatever may be the solution of the problem, the discovery of this animal 
 is extremely valuable, not only as an aid to thescience of comparative anatomv, 
 but as affording another instance of the strange and wondrous forms of 
 animal life which still survive in hidden and unsuspected nooks of the earth. 
 
 Many of these animals have been brought in a living state to this country, 
 and have survived for a considerable time when their owners have taken 
 pains to accommodate their condition as nearly as possible to that of their 
 native waters. I have had many opportunities of seeing some fine specimens, 
 brought by Dr. Lionel Beale from the cave at Adelsberg. They could hardly 
 be said to have any habits, and their only custom seemed to be the systematic 
 avoidance of light. 
 
 The gills of the Proteus are very apparent,- and of a reddish colour, on 
 account of the blood that circulates through them. I have often witnessed 
 this phenomenon by means of the ingenious arrangement invented by Dr. 
 Beale, by which the creature was held firmly in its place while a stream of 
 water was kept constantly flowing through the tube in which it was confined. 
 The blood-discs of this animal are of extraordinary size; so large, indeed, 
 that they can be distinguished with a common pocket magnifier, even while 
 passinsT through the vessels. Some of the blood-corpuscles of the specimen 
 described above are now in my possession, and, together with those of the 
 lepidosiren, form a singular contrast to the blood-corpuscles of man, the 
 former exceeding the latter in dimensions as an ostrich egg exceeds that of a 
 pigeon. _ 
 
 The colour of the Proteus is pale faded flesh tint, with a wash of grey. 
 The eyes are quite useless, and are hidden beneath the skin, those organs 
 being needless in the dark recesses where the Proteus lives. Its length is 
 about a foot. 
 
FISHES. 
 
FISHES. 
 
 In the Fishes, the last class of vertebrated animals, the chief and most 
 obvious distinction lies in their adaptation to a sub-aqueous existence, and 
 their unfitness for life upon dry land. 
 
 There are many vertebrate animals which pass the whole of their lives in 
 the water, and would die if transferred to the land, such as the whales and 
 the whole of the cetacean tribe, an account of wnich may be found in page 
 127. But these creatures are generally incapable of passing their life beneath 
 the waters, as their lungs are formed like those of the mammalia, and they 
 are forced to breathe atmospheric air at the surface of the v/aves. And 
 though they would die if left upon land, their death would occur from 
 inability to move about in search of food, and in almost every case a 
 submersion of two continuous hours would drown the longest breathed whale 
 that swims the seas. 
 
 The Fishes, on the contrary, are expressly formed for aquatic existence ; 
 and the beautiful respiratory organs, which we know by the popular term of 
 " gills," are so constructed that they can supply sufficient oxygen for the 
 aeration of the blood. 
 
 The reason that Fishes die when removed from the water is not because 
 the air is poisonous to them, as some seem to fancy, but because the delicate 
 gill-membranes become dry and collapse against each other, so that the cir- 
 culation of the blood is stopped, and the oxygen of the atmosphere can no 
 longer act upon it. It necessarily follows, that those Fishes whose gills can 
 longest retain moisture will live longest on dry land, and that those whose 
 gills dry most rapidly will die the soonest. The herring, for example, where 
 the delicate membranes are not sufficiently guarded from the effects of heat 
 and evaporation, dies almost immediately it is taken out of the water ; 
 whereas the carp, a fish whose gill-covers can retain much moisture, will 
 survive for an astonishingly long time upon dry land; and the anabas, or 
 climbing perch, is actually able to travel from one pool to another, ascending 
 the banks, and even traversing hot and dusty roads. 
 
 The power by which the Fishes propel themselves through the water is 
 almost entirely obtained by the lateral movement of the tail. The fins are 
 scarcely employed at all in progression, but are usually used as balancers, and 
 occasionally to check an onward movement. 
 
 Before proceeding further, I may mention that all the fins of a Fish are 
 distinguished by appropriate names. As they are extremely important in 
 determining the species and even the genus of the individual, and as these 
 members will be repeatedly mentioned in the following pages, I will briefly 
 describe them. 
 
 Beginning at the head and following the line of the back, we come upon a 
 fin, called from its position the ■' dorsal " fin. In very many species there are 
 two such fins, called, from their relative ppsidons, the first and the second 
 dorsal fins. The extremity of the body is furnished with another fin, 
 popularly called the tail, but more correctly the "caudal " fin. The fins which 
 are set on that part of the body which corresponds to the shoulders are 
 termed the " pectoral " fins ; that which is found on the under surface and in 
 front of the vent is called the " abdominal " fin, and that which is also on the 
 lower surface, and between the vent and tail, is known by the name of the 
 " anal " fin. All these fins vary extremely in shape, size, and even in position. 
 . The gill-cover, or operculum as it is technically called, is separated into 
 four portions, and is so extensively used in determining the genus and specie^, 
 
4S6 THE STURGEON. 
 
 that a brief description must be given. The front portion, which starts 
 immediately below the eye, is called the " prseoperculum," and immediately 
 behind it comes the " operculum." Below the latter is another piece, termed 
 from its position the " sub-operculum, " and the lowest piece, which touches 
 all the three above it, is called the " inter-operculum." Below the chin and 
 reaching to the sub-operculura, are the slender bones, termed the " branchi- 
 ostegous rays," which differ in shape and number according to the kind of 
 Fish. 
 
 The scales with which most of the Fish are covered are very beautiful in 
 structure, and are formed by successive lamina, increasing therefore in size 
 according to the age of the Fish. They are attached to the skin by one 
 edge, and they overlap each other in such a manner as to allow the creature 
 to pass through the water with the least possible resistance. The precise 
 mode of overlapping varies materially in different genera. Along each side 
 of the Fish runs a series of pores, through which passes a mucous secretion 
 formed in some glands beneath. In order to permit this secretion to reach 
 the outer surface of the body, each scale upon the row which comes upon the 
 pores is pierced with a little tubular aperture, which is very perceptible on the 
 exterior, and constitutes the " lateral line." The shape and position of this 
 line are also used in determining the precise position held by any species. 
 In comparing the scales taken from different Fishes, it is always better to 
 take those from the lateral line. 
 
 The heart of the Fish is very simple, consisting of two chambers only, one 
 auricle and one ventricle. The blood is in consequence cold. 
 
 The hearing of Fishes appears in most cases to be dull, and some persons 
 have asserted that they are totally destitute of this faculty. It is now, how- 
 ever, known that many species have been proved capable of hearing sounds, 
 and that carp and other fish can be taught to come for their food at the 
 sound of a bell or whistle. The internal structure of the ear is moderately 
 developed, and there are some curious little bones found within the cavity, 
 technically called the otoliths. 
 
 The fishes comprised in the first order are called by the rather harshly 
 sounding title of Chondropterygii, a term derived from two Greek words, the 
 former signifying " cartilage" and the latter " a fin," and given to these crea- 
 tures because their bones contain a very large amount of cartilaginous sub- 
 stance, and are consequently soft and flexible. The bones of the head are 
 rather harder than those of the body and fins. 
 
 The first family, of which the common Sturgeon is a good and familiar 
 example, is at once known by the cartilaginous or bony shields with which 
 the head and body are at intervals covered. 
 
 In this remarkable fish the mouth is placed well under the head, and in 
 fact seems to be set almost in the throat, the long snout appearing to be 
 entirely a superfluous ornament. The mouth projects downwards like a 
 short and wide tube, much wider than long, and on looking into this tube no 
 teeth are to be seen. Between the mouth and the extremity of the snout is 
 a row of fleshy finger-like appendages, four in number, and apparently 
 organs of touch. 
 
 One or two species of Sturgeon are important in commerce, as two 
 valuable articles, namely, isinglass and caviare, are made from them. The 
 former substance is too well known to need a description, and the mode of 
 preparing it for use is briefly as follows. The air-bladder is removed from 
 the fish, washed carefully in fresh water, and then hung up in the air for a 
 day or two, so as to stiffen. The outer coat or membrane is then peeled off, 
 and the remainder is cut up into strips of greiter or lesser length, technically 
 failed staples, the long staples being the most valuable. This substance 
 
DOG-FISHES. 
 
 457 
 
 STURGEON. — [Aiipenser attilus. 
 
 affords so large a quantity of gelatinous matter, that one part of isinglass 
 dissolved in a hundred parts of boiling water will form a stiff jelly when 
 cold. 
 
 Caviare is made from the roe of this 6sh, and as nearly three millions of 
 eggs have been taken from a single fish, the amount of caviare that one 
 Sturgeon can afford is rather large. 
 
 The body of the Sturgeon is elongated, and slightly five-sided from the 
 head to the tail. Along 
 the body run five rows 
 of flattened bony plates, 
 each plate being mark- 
 ed with slight grooves 
 in a radiating fashion, 
 and having a pointed 
 and partly conical spine 
 on each plate, the 
 points being directed 
 to Awards the tail. The 
 plates along the sum- 
 mit of the back are the 
 largest. 
 
 The fishes belonging to the next group have their gills fixed by their 
 outer edge to the divisions in the gill-openings at the side of the neck. This 
 group includes the Sharks and the Rays, many representatives of which 
 creatures are found on the British coasts. 
 
 The first family of this large and important group is known by the name 
 of Scyllidffi, and its members can be recognized by several distinguishing 
 characteristics. They have spout-holes on the head, and the gill-openings 
 are five in number on each side. Sometimes there only seem to be four 
 openings, but on closer examination the fourth and fifth are found set closely 
 together, the opening of the fifth appearing within that of the fourth. The 
 teeth are sharp and pointed, and the tail is long, notched on the outer side, 
 and is not furnished with a fin. 
 
 One of the commonest British species is the Little Dog-fish, called by 
 several other names, as is usual with a familiar species that is found in many 
 localities. Among such 
 names are Small Spotted 
 Dog-fish, Lesser Spot- 
 ted Shark, Morgay, and 
 Robin Huss. 
 
 This fish is plentiful on 
 our coasts, especially in the 
 southern extremity of Eng- 
 land, and is often thought a 
 great nuisance by fishermen, 
 whose bait it takes instead 
 of the more valuable fish 
 for which the hook was set. 
 
 Itgener?lly remains near the bottom of the water, and is a voracious creature, 
 feeding upon crustaceans and small fish. It often follows the shoals of 
 migrating fish, and on account of that custom is called the Dog-fish. 
 Generally its flesh is neglected, but when properly dressed it is by no means 
 unpalatable, and is said to be sometimes trimmed and dressed in fraudulent 
 imitation of more valuable fish. 
 The skin of this and other smiilar specie^ is rough and tileiikc, and i* 
 
 CS 
 
 LITTLE DOG FISH. — \Scyllium caniculum.) 
 
4S8 
 
 THE HAMMER.HEADED SHARK. 
 
 employed for many purposes. The handles of swords, where a firm hold is 
 required, are sometimes bound with this substance ; and joiners use it in 
 polishing the surface of fine woods so as to bring out the grain. It is also 
 employed instead of sand-paper upon match-boxes. 
 
 The egg of this species is very curious in form and structure, and is often 
 found on the sea-shore, flung up by the waves, 
 especially after a storm. These objects are 
 familiar to all observant wanderers by the sea- 
 shore, under the name of mermaid's purses, 
 sailor's purses, or sea purses. Their form is 
 oblong, with curved sides, and at each angle there 
 is a long tendril-like appendage, having a strong 
 curl, and in form not unlike the tendrils of the 
 vine. The use of these appendages is to enable 
 the egg to cling to the growing seaweed at the 
 bottom of the ocean, and to prevent it from being 
 washed away by the tide. 
 
 For the escape of the young shark, when strong 
 enough to make its own way in the wider world 
 of waters, an outlet is provided in the opened end 
 of the envelope, which opens when pushed from 
 within, and permits the little creature to make 
 its way out, though it effectually bars the entrance 
 against any external foe. 
 
 The head of the Little Dog-fish is rather flat 
 upon the top, there is a little spiracle or blow-hole 
 behind each eye, and the shape of the mouth is 
 somewhat like a horse-shoe. The general colour 
 of the body is pale reddish on the upper parts, 
 covered with many little spots of dark reddish 
 brown; below it is yellowish white. The length of 
 this species is about eighteen inches. The colour 
 is beautiful slate-blue above, and white below. 
 
 The remarkable fish depicted in the illustration 
 affords a striking instance of the wild and won- 
 drous modifications of form assumed by certain 
 creatures, without any ascertained purpose being 
 gained thereby. We know by analogous reasoning 
 that some wise purpose is served by this astonish- 
 ing variation in form ; but as far as is yet 
 known there is nothing in the habits of this spe- 
 cies that accounts for the necessity of this strange 
 shape. 
 
 The shape of the body is not unlike that of the 
 generality of sharks, but it is upon the head that 
 the attention is at once riveted. As may be seen 
 from the figure the head is expanded laterally in a 
 most singular manner, bearing, indeed, no small resemblance to the head of 
 a hammer. The eyes are placed at either end of the projecting extremities, 
 and the mouth is set quite below, its corners just coinciding with a line 
 drawn through the two projecting lobes of the head. 
 
 This species attains to a considerable size, seven or eight feet being a 
 common measurement, and specimens of eleven or twelve feet having been 
 known. Its flesh is said to be almost uneatable, being hard, coarse, and ill 
 flavoured, The Hammer-heaped Shark produces livmg young, and from tha 
 
 Egg of Dog-fish. 
 
THE WHITE SHARK. 
 
 459 
 
 HAMMER-HEADED %Yi.kS.Vi.—{Sphyrnias zygana.) 
 
 interior of a very fine specimen captured near Tenby in 1839, and measuring 
 more than ten feet in length, were taken no less than thirty-nine young, all 
 perfectly formed, and averaging nineteen inches in length. The general 
 colour of this species is greyish brown above, and greyish white below. 
 
 The dreaded White Shark, the finny pirate of the ocean, is happily 
 almost a stranger to our shores, though a stray specimen may now and 
 then visit the British Islands, there to find but scant hospitality. 
 
 This is one ofthe large species thatrange the ocean, andin some seas they are 
 so numerous that they 
 
 are the terror of sailors j^^^^ "^ '^ 
 
 and natives. One indi- 
 vidual, whose jaws are 
 still preserved, was said 
 to have measured thirty- 
 seven feet in length; 
 and when we take into 
 consideration the many 
 instances where the leg 
 of a man has been bit- 
 ten off through flesh 
 and bone as easily as if 
 it had been a carrot, and even the body of a boy or woman severed at a 
 single bite, this great length will not seem to be exaggerated. 
 
 Many portions of this fish are used in commerce. The sailors are fond of 
 cleaning and preparing the skull, which, when brought to England, is sure of 
 a ready sale, either for a public museum, or to private individuals who are 
 struck with its strange form and temble armature. The spine, too, is 
 frequently taken from this fish, and when dried it passes into the hands of 
 walking-stick makers, who polish it neatly, fit it with a gold handle, and sell 
 it at a very high price. One of these sticks will sometimes fetch six or seven 
 pounds. There is also 
 a large amount of oil 
 in the shark, which is 
 thought rather valuable, 
 so that in Ceylon and 
 other places a regular 
 trade in this commodity 
 is carried on. 
 
 The fins are very rich 
 in gelatine, and in 
 
 SJloyed'iargelJ'inl^e ^"'™ ^"^■^'^' °^ ^^^^^-{Carcharodon RondeUtii.) 
 manufacture of that gelatinous soup in which the soul of a Chinese 
 epicure delights, and of which the turtle soup of our metropolis is 
 thought by Chinese judges to be a faint penumbra or distant imitation. The 
 flesh is eaten by the natives of many Pacific islands ; and in some places the 
 liver is looked upon as a royal luxury, being hung on boards in the sun until 
 all the contained oil has drained away, and then carefully wrapped up in 
 leaves and reserved as a delicacy. 
 
 The colour of the White Shark is ashen brown above, and white below. 
 
 We now arrive at the Rays. The first family of these fishes is evidentlv 
 intermediate between the sharks and the skates, and is in many respects 
 a very interesting and remarkable group of fishes. The common Saw-fish, 
 so well known from the singular development of the snout, is a good example 
 of this family. 
 
460 
 
 THE SAW-FISH. 
 
 SAW-FISH. — [Prisiis antiquomm.) 
 
 It has a very wide range of locality, being found in almost all the warmer 
 seas, and even in the cold regions near the pole. 
 
 The snout of this fish is greatly prolonged, and flattened like a sword- 
 blade. On either edge it bears a row of tooth-like projections, firmly 
 imbeddt d in the bone, few, short, and wide apart at the base of the beak, 
 but becoming larger and set closer together towards the point. The form of 
 
 the sockets into which 
 the teeth are received, 
 and their rather en- 
 larged termination, are 
 conspicuously indicated 
 on the surface of the 
 saw-blade. The tip of 
 the saw is covered with 
 hard granular scales. 
 The number of teeth is 
 not the same in every 
 individual ; in a speci- 
 men in my possession 
 there are twenty-eight on each side of the saw. 
 
 It is said that, like the sword-fish, this creature will attack the whale, 
 thrusting its armed beak into the soft blubber-covered body of the huge 
 cetacean, and avoiding, by its superior agility, the strokes of the tortured 
 animal's tail, any blow of which, if it succeeded in its aim, would crush the 
 assailant to death. The Saw-fish does certainly use this weapon for the 
 destruction of fish. Colonel Drayson has informed me that when lying 
 becalmed off the Cape, he has more than once seen a Saw-fish come charging 
 among a shoal of fishes, striking right and left with the serrated edges of 
 the saw, and killing or disabling numbers of the fish by this process. 
 
 In all the Saw-fishes the skin is covered with minute rounded or hexagonal 
 scales, arranged like the stones of a mosaic. The temporal orifices are very 
 _ large, and are set some 
 
 ■^ %y -<?j'~^ distance behindtheeyes. 
 
 ~ The mouth is on the 
 
 under surface of the 
 head, and is furnished 
 with a crushing appara- 
 tus, made exactly on the 
 principle of the stone- 
 crushing machines of 
 the present day. 
 
 In the true Rays, or 
 Raidffi, the fore-part of 
 the body is flattened 
 and formed into a disc- 
 Wj-^^y\J like shape, by the con- 
 ' (j) junction of the breast- 
 fins with the snout. 
 
 Our first example of 
 the Rays is the Tor- 
 pedo, a fish long cele- 
 brated for its power of 
 emitting at will electrical shocks of considerable intensity. In conse- 
 quence of this property, it is sometimes called the Cramp-fish, Cramp 
 Ray, Electric Ray, or Numb-fish, 
 
 EYED TORPEDO. — {Torpedo oculata.) 
 
Ttik TMORN BACK SKATE. 
 
 461 
 
 The object of this strange power seeiilS to be twofold, namely, to defend 
 itself from the attacks of foes, and to benumb the swift and active tisfi on 
 wliich it feeds, and which its slow movements would not permit it to catch 
 in fair chase. It does not always deliver the electric shock wiien touched, 
 though it is generally rather prodigal of exercising its potent though invisible 
 arms, but will allow itself to be touched, and even handled, without infiicting 
 a shock. But if the creature be continually annoyed, the shock is sure to 
 come at last, and in such cases with double violence. It has been observed, 
 moreover, that the fi4i depresses its eyes just before giving its shock. 
 
 That the stroke of the Torpedo is veritable electricity is a fact which was 
 once much disputed, but is now conclusively proved by a host of experiments. 
 Needles have been magnetized by it just as if the shock had been that of a 
 galvanic battery, the electrometer showed decided proofs of the nature of 
 the fluid that had been sent through it, and even the electric spark has been 
 obtained from the Torpedo — very small, it is true, but still recognizably 
 apparent. It is rather curious, that in the course of the experimenis it was 
 discovered that the upper surface of the Torpedo corresponded with the 
 copper plate of a battery, and the loii-er surface with the zinc plate. 
 
 The structure of the electrical organ is far too complex to be fully de- 
 scribed in this work, as it would require at least forty or fifty pages, and a 
 large number of illustrations. Any of my readers who would Uke to examine 
 it in detail will find ample information in an article on the subject by Dr. 
 Coldstream, in the " Cyclopaedia of Anatomy and Physiology," and from a 
 valuable series of wax models in the museum of the College of .Surgeons. 
 
 This fish is found in the Mediterranean andthe In dian and Pacific Oceans, 
 and occasionally off the Cape, and has now and then been captured on our 
 
 coasts. Happily, the __-=-= 
 
 Torpedo does not attain ■ "=! — ' ^ _ 
 
 a very great size, one of ^^^^^^ ^ T lfl^ =ff 
 
 the largest specimens ^ 
 
 being about four feet 
 
 long, and weighin; sixty 
 
 or seventy pounds. 
 The Rays are well 
 
 represented in England 
 
 by several large and 
 
 curious species. One of 
 
 the commonest e.'iam- 
 
 ples is the Thornback 
 
 Skate, or Ray, so called 
 
 from the 1 irge number 
 
 of thorny projections 
 
 which are scattered over 
 
 its back, and especially 
 
 along the spine. 
 
 The Thornback is one 
 
 of our common Rays, 
 
 THORNBACK SKATE. — {Raia clavata.) 
 
 and is taken plentifully on the shores of England, Scotland, and Ireland. 
 As is the case with many of the same genus, the flesh is considered rather 
 good, and is eaten both when fresh and when salted for consumption during 
 stormy weather. Autumn and winter are the best seasons for procuring this 
 fish, as the flesh is then firm and white, while during the rest of the year 
 it is rather liable to become flabby. Thornbacks taken in November are 
 thought to be the best. 
 
 This species, like the rest of the Rays, feeds on crustacea, flat-fish, and 
 
462 THE STICKLEBACK. 
 
 molluscs ; and as many of these creatures possess very hard shells, the Rays 
 are furnished with a crushing-mill of teeth, which roll on each other in such 
 a way that even the stony shell of a crab is broken up under the pressure. 
 
 The younff of this and other Skates are produced from eggs, whose form is 
 familiar to every visitor to the sea-shore, where they go by the popular name 
 of Skate-bairovvs. Their colour is black, their texture leathery, thin, and 
 tough, and their form wonderfully like a common hand-barrow, the body of the 
 barrow being represented by the middle of the egg, and the handles by the 
 four projections at the angles. The empty cases are continually thrown on the 
 beach, but it is seldom that the young are found enclosed, except after a 
 violent storm, or when obtained by means of the dredge. 
 
 This species is notable for certain thorny appendages to the skin, which are 
 profusely sown over the back and whole upper surface, and among which 
 stand out conspicuously a few very large tubercular spines, with broad, oval, 
 bony bases, and curved, sharp-pointed projections. Fifteen or sixteen of 
 these bony thorns are found on the back. Along the spine runs a single row 
 of similar spines, and at the commencement of the tail it is accompanied by 
 another row on either side, making that member a very formidable instrument 
 of offence. In point of fact, the tail is as formidable a weapon as can be met 
 with, and the manner in which this living quarter-staff is wielded adds in no 
 slight degree to its power. When angered, the Skate bends its body into a 
 bow-like form, so that the tail nearly touches the snout, and then, with a 
 sudden fling, lashes out with the tail in the direction of the offender, never 
 failing to inflict a most painful stroke if the blow should happen to take effect. 
 
 The colour of the Thornback Skate is brown, diversified with many spots 
 of brownish grey, and the under parts are pure white. 
 
 The Common Skate, sometimes called the Tinker, is so well known 
 that only a very short description is needed. 
 
 This fish is found on all our coasts in great plenty, and sometimes attains 
 to a really large size, a fine specimen having been known to weigh two 
 hundred pounds. The fishermen have a custom of calling the female Skaie 
 a Maid, and the male, in consequence of the two elongated appendages at the 
 base of the tail, is called the Three-tailed Skate. It is a very voracious creature, 
 eating various kinds of fish, crustaceans, and other inhabitants of the deep. 
 
 We now arrive at the vast order of the Spine-finned Fishes, known 
 scientifically as the ACANTHOPlERYGll. In all these fishes the skeleton is 
 entirely bony, and part of the rays of the dorsal, anal, and ventral fins are 
 formed into spines, in some species very short, and in others of extraordinary 
 length. 
 
 The first family is well represented in England by many pretty and 
 interesting species, of which the creature figured in the engraving is a 
 familiar example. 
 
 The Three-spfned Stickleback is one of our commonest British fishes, 
 and is known in different parts of England under the names of Tittlebat, 
 Prickle- Fish, and Sharplin. It is a most bold and lively little fish, 
 haidly knowing fear, pugnacious to an absurd degree, and remarkably 
 interesting iri its habits. Even more voracious than the perch, it renders 
 great service to mankind by keeping within due bounds the many aquatic 
 and terrestrial insects which, although performing their indispensable duties 
 ill the world, are so extremely prolific that they would render the country 
 uninhabitable were they allowed to increase without some check. 
 
 Should the reader be disposed to place specimens in an aquarium, he must 
 make up his mind that they will fight desperately at first, and until they have 
 satisfactorily settled the championship of the tank their intercourse will be 
 of the most aggressive character. Never were such creatures to fight as the 
 
THE STICKLEBACK. 
 
 463 
 
 Stirklebacks, for they will even go out of their way to attack anything which 
 they think may possibly offend them, and they have no more hesitation in 
 charging at a human being than at one of their own species. I hnve known 
 one of these belligerent fish make repeated dashes at my walking-stick, 
 knocking his nose so hard against his inanimate antagonist that he inflicted 
 a perceptible jar upon it, and, in spite of the blows which his nose must have 
 suffered, returning to the combat time after time with undiminished spirit. 
 
 These combats are, however, most common about the breeding season, 
 when every adult Stickleback challenges every other of his own sex, and 
 they do little but fight from morning to evening. They areas jealous as they 
 are courageous, and will not allow another fish to pass within a certain 
 distance of their home without darting out and offering battle. 
 
 Anyone may see these spirited little combats by quietly watching the 
 inhabitants of a clear streamlet on a summer day. The two antagonists dart 
 at each other with spears in rest, snap at each other's gills or head, and 
 retain their grasp with the tenacity of a bull-dog. They whirl round and 
 round in the water, they drop, feint, attack, and retreat, with astonishing 
 quickness, until one confesses itself 
 beaten and makes off for shelter, the 
 conqueror snapping at its tail and 
 inflicting a parting bite. 
 
 ■Then is the time to see the trium- 
 phant little creature in all the glory of 
 his radiant apparel ; for with his con- 
 quest he assumes the victor's crown ; 
 his back glows with shining green, his 
 sides and head are glorious with gold 
 and scarlet, and his belly is silvery 
 white. It is a little creature, certainly, 
 but even among the brilliant inha- 
 bitants of the southern seas a more 
 gorgeously-coloured fish can hardly 
 be found. If the conqueror Stickle- 
 back could only be enlarged to the 
 size of a full-grown perch or roach, 
 it would excite the greatest admiration. 
 It is curious, that the vanquished 
 antagonist loses in brillance as much 
 
 as the conqueror has gained ; he sneaks off ignominiously after his defeat, 
 and hides himself, dull and sombre, until the time comes when he too may 
 conquer in fight, and proudly wear the gold and scarlet insignia of victory. 
 
 These struggles are not only for mastery, but are in so far praiseworthy 
 that they are waged in defence of home and family. 
 
 The Stickleback is one of the very few fish who build houses for their 
 young, as a defence against the many foes which are ever lying in wait for 
 the destruction of the eggs or the newly-hatched young. These nests are 
 built of various vegetable substances, fastened together with a kind of slime 
 that exudes from the body of the male. The Fifteen-spined Stickleback, a 
 marine species, also makes a nest, though hardly of so careful a construc- 
 tion. 
 
 The Three-spined Stickleback is very fond of inhabiting the mouths of 
 rivers where they empty themselves into the sea, the brackish water appear- 
 ing to suit its constitution. It can therefore be easily acclimatized to new 
 conditions, and a specimen that has been taken from an inland stream can 
 soon be brought to inhabit the water of a marine aquarium, though such 
 
 THREE-SPINED STrCKT.EEACK.- 
 rosteus aculeatus. ) 
 
 -(Caste- 
 
464 
 
 THE PERCH. 
 
 water is usually, in consequence of evaporation, more salt than that of the 
 sea. 
 
 We now come to the large and important family of the PERCHES, which 
 comprises many of the handsomest and most valuable fishes. The 
 members of this family are found in all parts of the globe. 
 
 The Common Perch, is well known as one of our handsomest river fish, 
 and, on account of its boldness and the voracious manner in which it talces 
 the bait, and the active strength with which it struggles against its captor, is a 
 great favourite with many anglers. Moreover, when captured and placed in 
 an aquarium, it very soon learns to distinguish the hand that feeds it, and 
 will come to the surface and take food from the fingers. It has a fashion of 
 seizing its food with a rather sharp jerk, and then snatches it away with such 
 violence, that when it takes the hook it will drag a stout cork-float several 
 inches below the surface, and by the force of its own stroke will mostly hook 
 itself without any exertion on the part of the angler. Bold-biting, however, 
 as is its reputation, there are some seasons of the year when it is almost 
 impossible to catch a Perch, and even the shy and gently nibbling roach is 
 an easier prey. 
 
 The Perch is a truly voracious fish, feeding upon all kinds of aquatic 
 worms, insects, and fishes, preferring the latter diet as it becomes older and 
 larger. 'Ihe smaller fish, such as minnows, young roach, dace, and 
 
 gudgeons, are terribly persecuted 
 by the Perch, and,a bait formed 
 of either of these fish, or a good 
 imitation of them, will generally 
 allure the finest Perches to the 
 hook. Although generally in- 
 habiting mid or deep water, it 
 will sometimes come to the sur- 
 face to snap up a casual fly that 
 has fallen into the water, and on 
 several occasions has been cap- 
 tured by anglers when fishing 
 with a fly for trout. 
 
 Practical fishermen say that 
 the Perch is almost the only 
 fish which the pike does not 
 that if a pike should make one of its rushing 
 the intended prey boldly faces the enemy, erects 
 array of formidable spines, and thus baffles the 
 Still it is an article of faith with some anglers, that 
 
 PERCH. — \ Perca fluviatiUs. ) 
 
 venture to attack, and 
 
 onslaughts on a Perch, 
 
 the dorsal fin with its 
 
 ever-hungry aggressor. 
 
 a young Perch from which the dorsal fin has been removed is one of the 
 
 surest baits for pike. Perhaps they think that the pike is so delighted to 
 
 find a Perch unarmed, that it seizes the opportunity to feed upon a luxury 
 
 which it can seldom obtain. 
 
 The Perch is not a large fish, from two to three pounds being considered 
 rather a heavy weight. Individuals, however, of much greater dimensions 
 have been, though rarely, captured. One of the finest Perches ever taken in 
 England was capturerl in the river Avon, in Wiltshire, by a night-line baited 
 with a roach; its weight was eight pounds. Specimens of five or six pounds 
 are occasionally taken, but are thought so valuable that the captor generally 
 sends the account of his success to some journal. 
 
 The colour of the Perch is rich greenish-brown above, passing gradually 
 into golden white below. Upon the sides is a row of dark transverse bands, 
 generally frflm five to seven in number. The first dorsal fin is brown, with 
 
Cff^TODONS. 
 
 46S 
 
 a little black between two or three of the first and last rays; the second dorsal 
 
 and the pectoral are pale brown, and the tail and other fins aie bright red. 
 Passing by many large genera, which cannot be noticed for lack of space, 
 
 we come to a very odd-looking fish, called perforce, for want of a popular 
 
 title, the Oreosoma, a name formed from two Greek words, and li'erally 
 
 signifying hilly-bodied. As the reader may see by reference to the engraving, 
 
 the name is very appropriate. The upper figure shows its aspect from below. 
 This remarkable little fish war; captured in the Atlantic by Peron, and has 
 
 ever been esteemed as one of the curiosities of the animal kingdom. Upon 
 
 the body there are no true 
 
 scales, but their place is sup- ,jj*^»-~^- 
 
 plied by a number of bony 
 
 or horny protuberances, of a 
 
 conical shape, and serving no 
 
 ascertained purpose. These 
 
 cones maybe divided into two 
 
 distinct sets, the larger set 
 
 being arranged intotworanks, 
 
 four on the back and ten on 
 
 theabdomen, and among them 
 
 are placed the smaller set. 
 
 The body of this fish is very 
 
 deep in proportion to its 
 
 length, and the operculum 
 
 has two ridges, terminating 
 
 in flattened angles. There 
 
 are two dorsal fins, the first 
 
 armed with five spines. 
 We now arrive at a large 
 
 family, containing a series of 
 
 fishes renfarkable for their 
 
 extraordinary shape, their 
 
 bold and eccentric colour- 
 ing, and their curious habits. 
 
 In Dr. Giinther's elaborate 
 
 arrangement of the Acantho- 
 
 pterygiian fishes, this family is 
 
 called by the name of Squa- 
 
 mipennes, or scaly-finned fishes, because " the vertical fins are more or Jess 
 
 densely covered with small scales;" the spinous portions sometimes not scaly. 
 
 They are nearly all carnivorous fishes, and for the most part are exclusively 
 
 inhabitants of the tropical seas or rivers. Their bodies are very much 
 
 compressed and extremely deep in proportion to their length, and the mouth 
 
 is usually small and placed in front of the snout. 
 
 The first group of this family, or sub-family as it might be called, is termed 
 Chastodontina, from the large typical genus of the group. Their mouths are 
 suiall, and furnished with several rows of very tiny, slender, and bristle-like 
 teeth, a peculiarity of structure that has gained for them their scientific name 
 Chaetodontina, a term composed of two Greek words, the former signifying 
 " hair," and the latter " a tooth." The colours of the species belonging to 
 this group are briUiant in tint, and are generally arranged in bold stripes or 
 spots. Black and yellow are the prevailing hues, but blue and green are found 
 in some species. 
 
 The figure given on page 466 represents a most remarkable species, called, 
 from the form of its mouth, the Beaked CHiETODON. 
 
 H H 
 
 OREOSOMA. — ( Oreosoma Atlanticum. ) 
 
455 
 
 THE BEAKED CH^TODON. 
 
 The curiously elongated muzzle is employed by this fish in a rather 
 unexpected manner, being used as a gun or bow, a drop of water taking the 
 place of the arrow or bullet. Perhaps the closest analogy is with the cele- 
 brated, "sumpitan,"orblow-gun, ofthe Macoushi Indians, a tube through which 
 an arrow is driven by the force of the breath. The Beaked Chsetodon feeds 
 largely on flies and other insects, but is not forced to depend, as is the case 
 with nearly every other fish, on the accidental fall of its prey into the water. 
 If it sees a fly or other insect resting on a twig or grass-blade that ovei- 
 hangs the water, the Cha;todon approaches very quietly, the greater part of its 
 body submerged, and its nose just showing itself above the surface, the point 
 directed towards the victim. Suddenly, it shoots a. drop of water at the fly, 
 
 BEAKED CH/ETODON. — [Chelmn rosiraiui.) 
 
 with such accuracy of aim that the unsuspecting insect is knocked ofif it' 
 perch, and is snapped up by the fish as soon as it touches the surface of tiie 
 water. 
 
 This habit it continues even in captivity, and is in consequence in great 
 estimation as a household pet by the Japanese. They keep the fish in a 
 large bowl of water, and amuse themselves by holding towards it a fly upon 
 the end of a slender rod, and seeing the finny archer strike its prey into the 
 water. Another fish, called the " Archer," inhabiting the East Indian and 
 Polynesian seas, possesses the same faculty, but is not so remarkable for 
 its eccentric form and the bold beauty of its tints. 
 
 The Beaked Chaetodon inhabits the Indian and Polynesian seas, and has 
 been taken ofl' the west coast of Australia, where it is usually found in or near 
 the mouths of rivers. Over the head and body of this species are drawn fi' e 
 brownish cross- bands edged with darker brown and white, and in the middle 
 
GURNARDS. 
 
 467 
 
 of the soft dorsal fin there is a rather large circular black spot edged with 
 white. 
 
 The large and important family of the Triglidae, or GURNARDS, is fepre- 
 sented by several British fishes, This family contains a great number of 
 species, many of which are most remarkable, not only for their beautiful 
 colours, which alone are sufficient to attract attention, but also for the 
 strange and weird shape and large development of the fins. They are carni- 
 vorous fish, mostly inhabiting the seas, a very few species being able to 
 exist in fresh water. They are not swift or strong swimmers, and therefore 
 remain for the most part in deep water. Some, however, are able by means 
 of their largely-developed pectoral fins to raise themselves into the air, and 
 for a brief space to sustain themselves in the thinner element. The mouth 
 is mostly large, and in some cases the gape is so wide and the head and 
 jaws so strangely shaped, that the general aspect is most repulsive. 
 
 We now come to a very familiar and not very prepossessing fish ; the well- 
 
 BUIL HtAD {CottUS goblO ) 
 
 known Bull-head, or Miller's Thumb, sometimes called by the name of 
 Tommy Logge. 
 
 This large-headed and odd-looking fish is very common in our brooks and 
 streams, where it is generally found under loose stones, and affords great 
 sport to the juvenile fisherman. In my younger days, the chase of the Bull- 
 head was rather an exciting one, and was carried out without hook or One, or 
 indeed any aid but the hands. This fish has a habit of hiding itself under 
 loose stones, and on account of its flat, though wide head is enabled to push 
 itself into crevices which are apparently much too small to contain it. 
 
 The name of Miller's Thumb is derived from the peculiarly wide and 
 flattened head, which is thought to Dear some resemblance to the object 
 whence its name is takem. A miller judges of the quality of the meal by 
 rubbing it with his thumb over his fingers as it is shot from the spout, and by 
 the continual use of tt.is \;ustom the thumb becomes gradually widened and 
 flattened at its extremity. The name of Bull-head also alludes to the same 
 width and flatness of the sUull. 
 
 The Bull-head is a voracious little fish, feeding on various water insects, 
 worms, larvas, and the young fry of other fish. It is a representative of a 
 rather large genus, comprising about twenty-six or twenty-seven known 
 
 H H 2 
 
468 
 
 THE MACKEREL. 
 
 species, which are spread over all the northern and temperate parts of the 
 world. In Russia the Bull-head is believed by the general public to possess 
 the same quality as is attributed to the kingfisher by our own rustic popula- 
 tion, and to indicate the direction of the wind by always keeping its head 
 turned to windward when it is dried and suspended horizontally by a thread. 
 The mouth of this little fish is very wide, and contains numerous minute 
 teeth. There is one spine on the prKoperculum, and the operculum ends in 
 a flattened point. The general colour ol the smooth skin is very dark brown 
 on the back, white on the abdomen, and greyish white on the flanks. The 
 rays of the fins are spotted with d irk blackish brown and white, rather 
 variable in difl'erent individuals, and the fins are mai ked with dark brown dots. 
 The eyes are yellow, and the pupil very dark blue. It is but a small fisli, 
 averaging four, and seldom exceeding five, inches in length. 
 
 We now come to the typical genus of this family, which is represented by 
 several well-known British species. 
 The Red Gurnard, or Cuckoo GOrnard, as it is sometimes called, 
 
 from the sound it utlei s 
 when taken out of the water, 
 is very common on tlie 
 English coast. It is rather 
 a small fish, rarely exceeding 
 fourteen inches in length. 
 The colours of its body 
 when living are very beiuti- 
 ful, the upper part being 
 bright red, and the under 
 parts silvery white. 
 
 There are nine species of 
 Gurnard known to frequent 
 the coasts of England, some, 
 as the SAi-PHiRiNE and the 
 Mailed Gurnards, being 
 most extraordinary in form. 
 TheFlyingGurnardIs 
 common in the Indian seas. 
 Its pectoral fins are so much 
 enlarged, that when it springs out of the water, when pursued by the dolphin 
 or bonito, the wide quivering fins are able to sustain it in the air for a. 
 limited period. 
 
 This fish has often been confounded by voyagers with the true flying fisln 
 (Exoccetus), which belongs to an entirely different order. 
 
 The important, though not very large family of the Scomberidse, contains 
 many species that are almost invaluable as food, and others that are beautiful 
 in form and interesting in habits. 
 
 Our first example of these fishes is the Mackerel, so well known for the 
 exceeding beauty of its colours and the peculiar flavour of its flesh. This is 
 one of the species that are forced by the irresistible impulse of instinct to 
 migrate in vast sho.sls at certain times of the year, directing their course 
 towards the shores, and as a general rule frequenting the same or neighbouring 
 localities from year to year. 
 
 ' This fish is taken both by nets and lines, the nets being of two kinds, one 
 called the drift-net, and the other the seine. The drift-net is, as its name 
 implies, allowed to be drifted out by the tide, and is suspended along a cord 
 called the drift-rope. The whole length of one of these irets when shot is 
 sometimes a mile and a half, these enormous dimensions being attained 
 
 GURNARD. — [Trigla cuculus. 
 
THE TUNNY. 4^9 
 
 by' attaching a number of nets together at the ends. Each of these nets 
 is one hundred and twenty feet long and twenty feet deep, and along the 
 upper edge are fastened a series of cork floats. When the net is to be shot, 
 a large buoy is attached to the end of the drift-rope, the buoy is thrown over- 
 board, and the sails set. As the boat dashes away from the spot, the nets, 
 which have already been attached to the drift-rope, are thrown successively 
 overboard, until all the nets are paid out and hang in the water like a net 
 wall. The strain of the buoy at one end of the drift rope and the boat at the 
 other keeps the rope straight and the net upright. 
 
 As the Mackerel come swimming along, they are arrested by the net, which 
 they cannot see, on account of the thin twine of which it is made, and the 
 large meshes, which are about two-and-a-half inches in diameter. The head 
 slips through the meshes, but the middle of the body is too large and cannot 
 pass. When the fish attempts to recede, the open gill-covers become hitched 
 in the meshes, and so retain it in that uncomfortable position until the net is 
 hauled in. 
 
 This is a delicate and difficult operation, especially when the take of fish is 
 heavy. Mr. Yarrell mentions that in June 1808 the nets were so heavily 
 loaded that the fishermen could not haul them in, or even keep them afloat, so 
 that they were forced to cut the drift-ropes and let the nets sink and be lost. 
 The nets on this occasion were worth nearly sixty pounds, not including 
 the value of the fish. 
 
 In the seine-net, the fish are taken by surrounding the shoal with the net, 
 which is made with very small meshes, 
 and either gently hauled to the sur- 
 face, so that the enclosed fish can be 
 dipped out, or even drawn ashore and 
 then emptied. 
 
 Fishing for Mackerel with a line is 
 also a profitable mode of taking these 
 fish, although they cannot be caught 
 in such multitudes as with the net. 
 The Mackerel is a very voracious 
 fish, and will bite at almost any 
 glittering substance drawn quickly uKCV.%^m.. -{Scomber scomber.) 
 
 through the water, a strip of scarlet 
 
 cloth being a very favourite bait. A tapering strip of flesh cut from the side 
 of a-Mackerel is found to be the most successful of any bait, and the method 
 of angling is simply to pass the hook through the thicker end of the strip 
 — technically called a "lask" — and to throw it overboard a boat in full 
 sail, so that it is towed along without trouble. The hook is kept below the 
 surface of the water by means of a leaden plummet fixed to the line a short 
 distance above the hook, and the Mackerel on seizing the flying bait is im- 
 mediately caught. On a favourable day, when the sky is not too brignt and 
 the wind is tolerably brisk, two or three men can take the fish as fast as they 
 can bait and throw overboard. 
 
 The colour of the Mackerel is rich green upon the back, variegated with 
 deep blue and traversed with cross bands of black, straight in the males, but 
 undulating in the females. The abdomen and sides are silvery white, with 
 golden reflections. These colours are most brilliant during the life of the 
 fish, and as they fade soon after it has left the water, their brilliancy affords 
 a good test of its freshness. 
 
 The celebrated Tunnv belongs to this family, and is closely allied to the 
 Mackerel. 
 
 This magnificent and most important fish does not visit our coasts in 
 
470 
 
 THE SUCKING FISB. 
 
 TUNNY. — (Thynnus Thynnus.) 
 
 sufficient numbers to be of any commercial importasice; but on the shores of 
 the Mediterranean, where it is found in very great abundance, it forms one 
 of the chief sources of wealth of the sea-side population. 
 
 In May and June, the Tunnies move in vast shoals along the shores, 
 seeking for suitable spots wherein to deposit their spawn. As soon as they 
 are seen on the move, notice is given by a sentinel who is constantly watching 
 from some lofty eminence, and the whole population is at once astir, preparing 
 
 nets for the capture, 
 and salt and tubs for 
 the curing of the ex- 
 pected fish. There are 
 two modes of catching 
 the Tunny, one by the 
 seine-net and the other 
 by the ' ' madrague." 
 The mode of using the 
 seine is identical with 
 that which has already 
 been described when 
 treating of the Mac-' 
 kerel, but the madrague is much more complicated in its structure and 
 management. The principle of the madrague is precisely the same as of 
 the " corral" by which elephants are entrapped in Ceylon. 
 
 A vast enclosure of united nets, nearly a mile in length, and divided into 
 several chambers, is so arranged that as the Tunnies pass along the coasc 
 they are intercepted by a barrier, and, on endeavouring to retreat, are forced 
 to enter one of the chambers. When a number of Tunnies have fairly 
 entered the net, they are driven from one chamber to another, until they are 
 forced into the last and smallest, called significantly the chamber of death. 
 This chamber is furnished with a floor of net, to which are attached u series 
 of ropes, so that by hauling in the ropes the floor of the net is drawn up and 
 the fish brought to the surface. The large and powerful fish struggle-fiercely 
 for liberty, but are speedily stunned by blows from long poles, and hfted into 
 the boats. The flesh of the Tunny is eaten both fresh and salted. It is 
 most extensively used, being pickled in various ways, boiled down into excellent 
 soup, and is also made into pies, which are thought to be very excellent, and 
 possess the valuable property of remaining good for nearly two months. The 
 different parts of the fish are called by appropriate names, and are said to 
 resemble beef, veal, and pork. The food of the Tunny consists mostly of 
 
 smaller fish, such as her- 
 rings and pilchards, and the 
 cuttle fish also forms some 
 portion of its diet. 
 
 In general shape the 
 
 Tunny is not veiy unlike 
 
 the mackerel, but in size it 
 
 is vastly superior, generally 
 
 averagingfourfeet in length, 
 
 and sometimes attaining 
 
 the dimensions of six or 
 
 seven feet. The colour of the upper part of the body is very dark blue, and 
 
 the abdomen is white decorated with spots of a silvery lustre. The sides of 
 
 the head are white. 
 
 Everyone has heard of the Sucking Fish, and there are few who are 
 not acquainted with the wild and fabulous tales narrated of its powers. 
 
 SUCKING FISH. — [Echeneis remoTO.) 
 
THE SUCKING FISH. 
 
 471 
 
 This little fish was reported to adhere to the bottom of ships, and to 
 arrest their progress as suddenly and firmly as if they had struck upon 
 a rock. The winds might blow, the sails m'ght fill, and the masts 
 creak, but the unseen fish below could hold the vessel by its single force, 
 and confine her to the same spot as if at anchor. It is wonderful how fully 
 this fable was received, and how many years were needed to root the belief 
 out of prejudiced minds. Both scientific names refer to this so-called 
 property, echeneis signifying " ship-holder," and reinora meaning " delay." 
 
 That the Sucking Fish is able to adhere strongly to smooth surfaces is a 
 well-known fact, the process being accomplished by means of the curious 
 shield or disc upon the upper surface of the head and shoulders, the general 
 shape of which can be understood by reference to the engraving. This disc 
 is composed of a number of flat bony laminae, arranged parallc. lo each other 
 in a manner resembling the common wooden window-blind, and capable of 
 being raised or depressed at will. It is found by anatomical investigation 
 that these laminae are formed by modifications of the spinous dorsal fin, the 
 number of laminse corre- 
 sponding to that of the 
 spines. They are moved by 
 a series of muscles set ob- 
 liquely, and when the fish 
 presses the soft edge of the 
 disc against any smooth ob- 
 ject and then depresses the 
 laminae, a vacuum is formed, 
 causing the fish to adhere 
 tightly to the spot upon 
 which the disc is placed. 
 
 When the creature has 
 once fixed itself it cannot 
 be detached withsii-t much 
 difficulty, and the only me- 
 thod of removing it, without 
 tearing the body or disc, is 
 to slide it forwards in a di- 
 rection corresponding with 
 the set of thelamins. In the opposite direction it cannot be moved, and the 
 fish, therefore, when adhering to a moving body, takes care to fix itself in such 
 a manner that it cannot be washed off by the water through which it is drawn. 
 Even after death, or when the disc is separated from the body, this curious 
 organ can be applied to any smooth object, and will hold with tolerable firm- 
 ness. In order to accommodate the disc, the upper part of the skull is 
 flattened and rather widened. 
 
 It is rather a voracious fish, and takes the hook eagerly if baited with a 
 piece of raw flesh. When hooked, however, it is by nii means secured, for as 
 soon as it feels the prick of the sharp point and the pull of the line, it darts 
 to the side of the vessel, dives deeply, and affixes itself so strongly to the 
 bottom that the hook may be torn out of the mouth before the fish will relax 
 its hold. It is therefore necessary to draw the Sucking Fish smartly out of 
 the water as soon as it is fairly hooked, and in this manner great numbers 
 can be caught. The flesh is thought to be very good, and is said to resemble 
 that of the eel, but without its richness. The colour of this species is dusky 
 brown, darker on the back than on the abdomen. The fins are darker than 
 the body, and are of a dense leathery consiistence. The length if this fish 
 seldom exceeds eight inches. 
 
 JOHN DORY. — (Zeusfaier.) 
 
472 
 
 THE SWORD-FISH. 
 
 The well-known John Dory, so dear to epicures, is found in the British 
 seas, and is frequently seen in the fishmongers' shops, where its peculiar 
 shape seldom fails of attracting attention even from those who are not likely 
 to purchase it, or even to have seen it on the table. 
 
 The name of John Dory is thought to be a corruption of the French name 
 jaune doree, a title given to the fish on account of the gilded yellow which 
 decorates its body. It was called Zeus by the ancients, because they con- 
 sidered it to be the king of eatable fish ; and the name of Faber, or " black- 
 smith," has probably been earned by the smoky tints which cloud its back. 
 The dark and cc.ispicuous spots on the side are thought in many places to 
 be imprinted upon the fish as a memorial of the honour conferred upon its 
 ancestor in limes past, when St. Peter took the tribute money from the 
 mouth of the Dory, and left the print of his finger and thumb as a per- 
 petual remembrance of the event. Some persons, however, contend that the 
 marks are due, not to St. Peter, but St. Christopher; and the Greeks, who hold 
 to the latter tradition, call the fish Christophoron. 
 
 The flesh of the Uory is remarkably excellent and, as it is rather improved by 
 the lapse of twenty-four hours after the-fish has been taken from the sea, it is 
 
 peculiarly valuable to 
 those who live far in- 
 land and cannot hope 
 for the more delicate 
 fishes, which must be 
 eaten almost as soon 
 as caught. Although 
 a common fish, it 
 always commands a 
 high price, and as, 
 when cooked, the head 
 occupies so large a 
 space, it never attords 
 an economical dish, 
 body is very deep, and 
 and the mouth can be 
 
 SWORD-FISH. — {X phias gladiu i. ) 
 
 The shape of the Dory is very peculiar. The 
 greatly compressed. The head is oddly shaped, 
 protruded to a surprising extent. The spines of the first dorsal fin are much 
 prolonged and behind each rsy is given off a very long waving filament, three 
 times as long as the ray in front of it. Along the base of the dorsal and anal 
 fins are arranged two rows of spiny scales, their points being directed back- 
 ward, and one row being set at each side of the fin. 
 
 THii well-known Sword-kish derives its popular name from the curious 
 development of the snout, which projects forward, and is greatly prolonged 
 in o a shape somewhat resembling a sword-blade. The sword is formed by 
 the extension of certain bones belonging to the upper part of the head. This 
 fine fish is found in the Mediterranean Sea, and also in the Atlantic Ocean, 
 and in the former locality is often very plentiful. The Sicilian fishermen 
 are accustomed to pursue the Sword-fish in boats, and mostly employ the 
 harpoon in its capture. The weapon is not very heavy, and by a strong and 
 practised hand can be hurled to some distance. The flesh of the Sword-fish 
 is always eatable and nourishing, and in all specimens is white and well 
 flavoured. 
 
 The use of the " sword " is not clearly ascertained. In all probability, the 
 fish employs this curious weapon in gaining its subsistence, but the precise 
 mode of so doing is not known. It is an ascertained fact that the Sword-fish 
 will sometimes attack whales, and stab them deeply with its sharp beak ; 
 %nd it is also known that this fish has several times driven its beak so deeply 
 
SWOED-FISH. Page 472. 
 
 The Popular Natural Ilisiory 
 
THE GOBIES. 473 
 
 into a ship that the weapon has been broken off by the shock. In such 
 cases, the blow is so severe, that the sailors have fancied that their vessel 
 has struck upon a rock. Several museums possess examples of pierced 
 planks and beams, but it is possible that the fish may have struck them by 
 accident, and not in a deliberate charge. The Sword-fish generally go in 
 pairs. 
 
 The food of this creature is rather varied, consisting of cuttle-fish, especially 
 the squid, and of small fishes, neither of which animals would in any way fall 
 victims to the sword. It certainly has been said that the weapon is used for 
 transfixing the flat fish as they lie on the bed of the sea, but this assertion 
 does not appear to be worthy of credit. 
 
 The young and adult specimens are very different from each other. In the 
 young, the body is covered with projecting tubercles, which gradually 
 disappear as it increases in size, and whein it has attained the length of three 
 feet they are seldom to be seen. Those on the abdomen remain longer than 
 the others. The dorsal fin extends in the young specimens from the back of the 
 head to the root of the tail, but the membranes and spines of its centre are 
 so extremely delicate that thev are soon rubbed away, and the adult specimen 
 then appears to have two dorsal fins. . 
 
 The colour of the Sword-fish is bluish black above, and silvery white below. 
 The whole body is rough, and the lateral line is almost invisible. The usual 
 length of the Sword-fish is from ten to twelve feet, but specimens have been 
 seen which much exceed those dimensions. A few examples of the .Sword- 
 fish have been captured in British waters ; one, that measured seven feet in 
 length, was taken off Margate. 
 
 We now arrive at the large family of the GOBIES, which include many 
 curious fish, and of which the British coasts present many representatives, 
 
 The Black Goby, sometimes known as the Rock-fish, is a moderately 
 common example of the enormous genus to which it belongs, and which 
 contains.mpre than a hundred and fifty authenticated species. The mem.bers 
 of this genus may easily be recognized by the peculiar form of the ventral 
 fins, which are united together so as to form a hollow disc, by which the) can 
 attach themselves to rocks or stones at pleasure. In fact, this disc, although 
 differing in shape, acts on exactly the same principle as that of the sucking 
 fish. 
 
 The Black Goby prefers the rocky to the sandy coasts, and may be found 
 in the pools left by the retreating tide. Some naturalists deny that the disc is 
 .used for adhesion, but I have caught and kept many Gobies, and have fre- 
 quently seen them sticking to the sides of the vessel in which they were 
 confined. The adhesion was achieved with astonishing rapidity, and the 
 little fish contrived to hold itself with great tenacity. The surface of the 
 Black Goby is very slippery, owing to the abundant mucous secretion which 
 is poured from the appropriate glands ; but after it has been in spirits for 
 some time, the edges of the scales begin to project through the mucus, and 
 are exceedingly rough to the touch. 
 
 In some .places along the sea-coast the Gobies are known by the popular 
 appellation of Bull-routs, and are rather feared, on account of the sharp bite 
 which their strong jaws and pointed teeth can inflict upon the bare hand. 
 
 Another small family now comes before us, called the Batrachidae, or 
 Frog-fishes, from the frogish aspect of the body, and especially of the head. 
 
 The Fishing Frog, Angler- fish, or Wide Gab, is not unfrequent on the 
 British coasts, and has long been famous for the habit from which it has derived 
 its popular name. 
 
 The first dorsal fin is almost wholly wanting, its place being occupied 
 uitrely by three spines, moveable by means pf certain muscles. The manner 
 
474 
 
 THE WALKING FISH. 
 
 in which these spines are connected with the body is truly marvellous. The 
 first, which is furnished at its tip with a loose shining slip of membrane, is 
 developed at its base into a ring, through which passes a staple of bone that 
 proceeds from the head. The reader may obtain a very perfect idea of this 
 beautiful piece of mechanism by taking a common iron skewer, slipping a 
 staple through its ring, and driving the staple into a board. It will then be 
 seen that the skewer is capable of free motion in every direction. The 
 second spine is arranged after a somewhat similar fashion, but is only 
 capable of being moved backwards and forwards. The use of these spines 
 is no less remarkable than their form. 
 
 The Fishing Frog is not a rapid swimmer, and would have but little 
 success if it were to chase the swift and active fishes on which it feeds. It 
 therefore buries itself in the muddy sand, and continually waves the long 
 
 filaments with their glitter- 
 ing tips. The neighbour- 
 ing fish, following the in- 
 stincts of their inquisitive 
 nature, come to examine 
 the curious object, and are 
 suddenly snapped up in the 
 wide jaws of their hidden 
 foe. Many fishes can be 
 attracted by any glittering 
 object moved gently in the 
 water, and it is well known 
 by anglers how deadly a 
 bait is formed of a spoon- 
 shaped piece of polished 
 metal, furnished with hooks 
 and quickly drawn through 
 the water. 
 
 It is impossible to mistake this fish for any other inhabitant of the ocean, 
 its huge head — wide, flattened, and toad-like— its enormous and gaping 
 mouth, with the rows of sharply-pointed teeth, its eyes set on the top of the 
 head, and the three long spines, being signs which cannot be misunderstood. 
 The general colour of this fish is brown above and white below; the ventral 
 and pectoral fins are nearly white, and that of the tail almost black. The 
 throat, just within the ja". s. is composed of loose skin, which forms a kind of 
 bag. The average length of the adult Fishing Frog is about a yard. 
 
 The family in which this fish is placed may be distinguished by the 
 peculiar structure of the pectoral fins, which are mounted on a sort of arm 
 produced by an elongation of the carpal bones. From this peculiarity, the 
 family is termed Pediculati, or foot-bearing fishes, as the prolonged fins 
 enable them to walk along wet ground almost like quadrupeds. 
 
 The very odd-looking creature, called the Walking Fish, which is shown 
 in the illustration on page 475, is one of the strange and weird forms that 
 sometimes occur in nature, and which are so entirely opposed to all precon- 
 ceived ideas, that they appear rather to be the composition of human 
 ingenuity than beings actually existing. The traveller who first discovered 
 this remarkable fish would certainly have been disbelieved if he had 
 contented himself with making a drawing of it, and had not satisfied the 
 rigid scrutiny of scientific men by bringing home a preserved specimen. 
 
 In the fishes of this genus, the carpal bones, i.e. those bones which 
 represent the wrist in man, are very greatly len';ihened, more so than in the 
 preceding genus, and at their extremity aie placed the pectoral fins, which 
 
 FISHING FROG. — (Lopkius piscatorius. ) 
 
THE BLENNIES. 
 
 475 
 
 are short, stiff. and powerful, the pointed rays resemWin?- cl-ws rather than 
 tns. In al the fishes of this genus, the bodv is much compressed and 
 decidedly elevated ; but in the present species, these peculiarities are carried 
 to an almost exaggerated extent. The first dorsal spine, with its membra- 
 nous appendages, is placed as usual just above the snout, and the second 
 ray is s^t immediately behind it. The third, however, is placed at a very 
 great distance from the second, and forms part of the soft dorsal fin 
 
 Dr. Gunther remarks upon the fishes of this genus, that they are so 
 extremely variable in form, colour, and the greater or less development ci 
 the dorsal spines, that hardly two specimens are found sufficiently alike i. 
 
 WALKING FISH. — {A.ntennarius hispidus.) 
 
 enable the systematic naturalist to decide upon their precise situation in the 
 zoological scale. Moreover, their geographical range is exceedingly wide, 
 some species ranging over the Atlantic and Indian Oceans ; and the learned 
 ichthyologist above mentioned is of opinion that many specimens which he 
 has at present been compelled to admit into the list of separate species 
 will be ultimately found to be mere casual varieties. 
 
 The colour of this species is yellow, diversified with many spots and 
 streaks of brown, some of the streaks radiating from the eye, and others 
 extending over the dorsal fin. It is a native of the Indian seas. 
 
 The important family of the Blennies comes next in order. They are 
 all carnivorous fishes, many being extremely voracious, and are spread over 
 the shores of every sea on the globe. They mostly reside on or near the 
 bottom. 
 
 The Sea Wolf, Sea Cat, or Swine-fish, is one of the fiercest and most 
 formidable of the finny tribes that are found on our coast, and has well 
 earned the popular names by which it is known. 
 
476 THE SEA WOLF. 
 
 The Sea Wolf possesses a terrible armature of teeth, not only in the jaws, 
 but arranged in a double band on the • palate, and by means of these 
 powerful weapons it can crush with ease the hard shelled molkiscs and 
 crustaceans on which it feeds. As may be imagined, the aspc.; of the Sea 
 Wolf is far from prepossessing, its fierce head with the armed jaws, strong 
 and cruel as those of the tiger or hyaena, and the smooth, slime-covered skin, 
 giving it a most repulsive aspect. 
 
 The Sea Wolf is sometimes taken with the hook, but is mostly found 
 entangled in the nets together with other fish, and in either case it struggles 
 violently as soon as it perceives the loss of its liberty. It will tear the nets 
 to pieces with its teeth, and when hauled out of the water it still flounces 
 about with such vigour, and bites at every object with such ferocity, that the 
 boatmen usually stun it by a blow on the head before lifting it into the 
 vessel, a very heavy stroke being required for the purpose. 
 
 The general colour of the Sea Wolf is brownish grey, with a series of 
 brown vertical stripes and spots over the upper parts ; the under parts are 
 white. On our shores it attains a length of six or seven feet, but in the 
 northern seas, where it thrives best, it greatly exceeds those dimensions. 
 There is an American variety where the vertical streaks are modified into 
 round spots of blackish brown. 
 
 The typical genus of this family is represented by several British specimens, 
 of which the Eyed Blenny is one of the most conspicuous. This pretty 
 fish is not very common, but has been taken on the southern coasts of 
 England. From the elevated dorsal fin, and the bold dark brown spot tliat 
 decorates it, this Blenny has sometimes been called the Butterfly Fish. In 
 the Me.literranean it is tolerably common, and lives mostly among the 
 seaweed, where it finds abundance of the smaller Crustacea and molluscs. 
 
 The extraordinary fish, called, from its habits, the Climbing Perch, is a 
 native of Asia, and is remarkable for its apparent disregard of certain 
 natural laws. 
 
 This singular creature has long been celebrated for its powers of 
 voluntarily leaving the failing streams, ascending the banks, and proceeding 
 over dry land towards some spot where its unerring instinct warns it that 
 water is yet to be found. 
 
 Several species, of which the Anabas Scandens has been chosen as the 
 best example, possess this singular property of walking ovei- dry land, so that 
 the old proverb of a fish out of water is in these cases quite inapplicable. 
 Several instances of this remarkable propensity have been collected by Sir J. 
 Emerson Tennent, and have been inserted in his valuable work on the 
 Natural History of Ceylon. The following account is written by Mr. Morris, 
 the Government agent in Trincomalee : — 
 
 " I was lately on duty inspecting the bund of a large tank at Nade-cadua, 
 which being out of repair, the remaining water was confined in a small 
 hollow in the otherwise dry bed. Whilst there, heavy rains came on, and as 
 we stood on the high gro\md we observed a pelican on the margin of the 
 shallow pool gorging himself : our people went towards him, and raised a 
 cry of ' Fish ! fish ! ' We hurried down, and found numbers of fish 
 struggling upward through the grass, in the rills formed by the trickling of 
 the rain. There was scarcely water to cover them, but nevertheless they 
 made rapid progress up the bank, on which our followers collected about 
 two baskets of them at a distance of about forty yards from the tank. They 
 were forcing their way up the knoll, and had they not been interrupted first 
 by the pelican and afterwards by ourselves, they would in a few minutes have 
 gnined the highest point, and descended on the other side into a pool which 
 formed another portion of the tank. 
 
THE CLIMBING PERCH. 
 
 477 
 
 "... As the taiiks dry up, the fish congregate in the httle pools, till at last 
 you find iliem in thousands in the moistest parts of the beds, rolHng in the 
 blue mud, which is at that t me about the consistence of thick gruel. 
 
 " As the moisture furthei evaporates, the surface fish are left uncovered, 
 and they crawl away in sear :h of fresh pools. In one place I saw hundreds 
 diverging in every direction from the tank they had just abandoned, to a 
 distance of fifty or sixty yards, and still travelling onwards. In going this 
 distance, however, they must have used muscular exertion enough to have 
 taken ihem half a mile on level ground, for at these places all the cattle and 
 wild animals of the neighbourhood had latterly come to drink, so that the 
 surface was everywhere indented with footmarks in addition to the cracks in 
 the suirounding baked mud, into wtiich the nsh tumbled in their progress. 
 
 CLIMBING PERCH. — (Anabas scandens.) 
 
 Li those holes which were deep, and the sides perpendicular, they remained 
 to die, and were carried off by kites and crows. 
 
 " My impression is, that this migration must take place at night or before 
 sunrise, for it was only early in the morning that I have seen them 
 progressing, and I found that those I brought away with me in the chatties 
 appeared quiet by day, but a large proportion managed to get out of the 
 chatties by night — some escaped altogether, others were trodden on and killed. 
 
 " One peculiarity is the large size "of the vertebral column, quite dis- 
 proportioned to the bulk of the fish. I particularly noticed that all in the 
 act of migrating had their gills expanded." 
 
 It is known of the Climbing Perch that the fishermen of the Ganges, who 
 subsist largely on these fishes, are accustomed to put them into an earthen 
 pan or chatty as soon as caught ; and although no water is supplied to them, 
 they exist very well without it, and live this strange life for five or six days. 
 
478 
 
 THE SOLE. 
 
 On opening the head of this fish, the curious structure which enables it 
 to perform such marvellous feats is cLarly seen. Just within tlic sides of the 
 head, the pharyngeal bones, i.e. the bones that support the orifice beiween the 
 mouth and gullet, are much enlarged, and modified into a series of labyrin- 
 thme cells and duplications, so that they retain a large amount of water in the 
 interstices, and prevent the gill membranes from becoming dry. Some 
 writers say that this fish is capable of climbing up the rough stems of palm- 
 trees, in search of tne water that lodges between the bases of the dead 
 leaves and the stem, or perhaps in search of food. In the Tamoule language 
 it is called Paneiri, or tree-climber. 
 
 The Flat Fishes, as they are popularly called, or the Pleuronectidas, as 
 they are named scientifically, are among the most remarkable of the finny 
 tribe. The latter name is of Greek origin, and signifies " side-swimmer," in 
 allusion to the mode of progression usually adopted by these fishes. 
 
 The popular but erroneous idea of these creatures is, that their bodies are 
 flattened so that the abdomen rests on the ground and the back remains 
 uppermost ; but a brief examination suffices to show that the form of these 
 fishes is really compressed, so that when a turbnt or a sole is placed on the 
 ground, it lies upon one side or the other. Though varying in colour, it is 
 found that the upper side is always of a dark tint, the under side being quite 
 if not wholly white. This arrangement is most useful in guarding them 
 against the attacks of enemies, their flat dark upper surface bearing so great 
 a resemblance to the sand on which ihey love to creep, that they can scarcely 
 be distinguished, even when the eye is directed towards them. 
 
 While at their ease, they slide themselves over the bed of the sea in a kind 
 
 of creeping fashion and 
 
 'y'"'v"\ have an odd custom of 
 
 -> lying with the head raised 
 
 in a manner that irresistibly 
 reminds the observer of the 
 cobra. If alarmed, they 
 start at once into the verti- 
 cal position usually assumed 
 by fishes, and dash off with 
 astonishing speed. As they 
 swim, the flat fishes un- 
 dulate through the water in 
 a most graceful manner, and 
 it is very interestingto watch 
 one of the common flat 
 fishes, such as the plaice or 
 the sole, swim with serpentine ease and elegance, and then suffer itself to 
 sink slowly to the bottom, where it sits, with raised head and watchful eyes. 
 
 It is evident that if the eyes of the flat fishes were placed in the manner 
 customary among the finny race, one eye would be rendered useless as long 
 as the fish was lying upon its side. This difficulty is therefore met by a most 
 extraordinary modification of the bones of the head, by which means both 
 the eyes are brought to that side which remains uppermost, and are thereby 
 enabled to command a wide view around. There have been one or two 
 instances where the eyes have been placed one on each side, but these may 
 be considered as simple variations from the ordinary r>ile. 
 
 The Common Sole is one of the most familiar of our British flat fishes, 
 and is found on all our coasts, those of the southern shores being the most 
 plentiful, and attaining the largest dimensions. 
 The Sole can be taken by the line, but the fisliennen always use the trawl- 
 
 SOLE. — (Soha vulgaris.) 
 
THE TURBOT. 
 
 479 
 
 net, a kind of huge dredge, with a mouth that often exceeds thirty feet in 
 width. As these nets are drawn along tlie bed of the sea, the great beam 
 which edges the mouth scrapes the mud and sand, and alarms the fishes to 
 such an extent that they dash wildly about, and mostly dart into the net, 
 whence they never escape. Vast numbers of Soles are taken by this method 
 of fishing, and as the trawls bring to the surface enormous quantities of 
 crustaceans, molluscs, zoophytes, and other marine inhabitants, the energetic 
 naturalist cannot employ his time better than in taking a sail in one of these 
 boats, and enduring a few hours' inconvenience for the sake of the rich 
 harvest which he is sure to reap. Some of the rarest and most valuable 
 British animals have been taken in the trawl-nets. The finest Sole that I 
 ever saw I took in a trawl-net in one of the creeks of the Medway. As to 
 length and breadth, it was not very remarkable, but it was almost half as 
 thick again as any Sole that I have seen. 
 
 The Sole is in condition throughout the greater part of the year, the only 
 time when it is not worth eating being from the end of February to the last 
 week in March, when the fishes are full of roe, and the flesh is rather soft 
 and watery. It is a hardy fish, and can soon be acclimatized to live in fresh 
 water ; and it is said that under such circumstances the fish can be readily 
 fattened, and become nearly twice as thick as when bred in the sea. Some- 
 times the Soles venture into the mouths of rivers, passing about four or five 
 miles into the fresh water, and depositing their multitudinous eggs in such 
 localities. 
 
 The colour of the Sole is almost always brown on the right side and white 
 on the left, but examples of reversed Soles are not uncommon, where the left 
 side is brown and the other is white. The scales are small, and give a 
 rough, rasp-like sensation to the hand. The dimensions of this fish are very 
 variable, an average specimen weighing about a pound or eighteen ounces. 
 Much larger examples, how- 
 
 ever, occur occasionally, and 
 Mr. Yarrell mentions one 
 instance where a So e 
 measured twenty-six inches 
 in length, eleven and a half 
 in width, and weighed nine 
 pounds. 
 
 The well-known Turbot, 
 so widely and so worthily 
 celebrated for the firm deli- 
 cacy of its flesh, inhabits 
 many of the European 
 coasts, and is found in 
 tolerable abundance off our 
 own shores. Like all flat 
 fishes, it mostly haunts the 
 sandy bed of the sea, but 
 will sometimes swim boldly 
 
 to the surface of the water. It is a reodess and wandering fish, traversing 
 considerable distances as it feeds, and generally moving in small companies. 
 
 The Turbot is known in Scotland by the title of BanNock Fleuk, or 
 Spawn Fleuk, the former name being given to it on account of its flat 
 shape, which resembles a bannock or oatcake, and the latter because it is 
 thought to be at the best while in roe. After spawning, i.e. about August, its 
 flesh Icses its peculiar firmness, but in a very short tivne the fish regains its 
 condition. 
 
 TURBOT. — (Plmronectes maximus.) 
 
4^0 
 
 ^ud COD. 
 
 The colour of the Turbot is brown of different shades on one side, usuallv 
 the left, and the whole of that side is spotted with little round bony tubercli.--. 
 which may be found in the skin after boiling. The size of this fish is 
 extremely variable. The average weight is six or seven pounds, but Turbots 
 are often taken of far greater dimensions. The largest specimen of which 
 an authentic notice is preserved was taicen near riyniouih in the year 1730, 
 and weighed seventy pounds. 
 
 The Plaice is well known by the bright red spots which are scattered 
 over its dark side. I have caught numbers of Plaice, some measuring six or 
 seven inches in length, by merely wading into the muddy sand, holding them 
 down with the feet, and picking them out with the hands. Their terrified 
 wriggle is easily felt by the bare feet, as the fishes find/themselves pressed 
 into the sand- whither they had fled for refuge, and- by. a little dexterous 
 management they may be captured by inserting the fingers under the foot, 
 seizing them firmly across the body. 
 
 The colour of the Plaice is light brown, variegated with a numberof bright 
 red spots upon the body and the dorsal .and anal fins. When young, the 
 Plaice has often a dark spot in the centre of each red mark. 
 
 The Flounder, Mavock Fleuk, or Butt, is quite as common as the 
 plaice, and is found in salt, brackish, or fresh water, sometimes living in the 
 sea, sometimes inhabiting the mouths of rivers, and sometimes passing up 
 the stream for many miles. 
 
 In former days the Flounder has been known to ascend the Thames as 
 
 high as Hampton 
 Court, and has there 
 been observed actively 
 chasing th^ minnows 
 and driving them into 
 shallow water.T I have 
 often . taken small 
 Flounders in the 
 Thames just above 
 Erith. 
 
 The well known 
 Cod-fish is a native 
 of many seas, and in 
 some localities is found 
 in countless legions. 
 
 This most useful fish 
 is captured in vast 
 numbers at certain sea- 
 sons of the year, and is 
 always taken with the 
 hook and line. The 
 lines are of two de- 
 scriptions',- namely, the 
 long lines to which a 
 great number of short lines are attached, and the simple hand-lines which 
 are held by the fishermen. The long lines sometimes run to an extraordinary 
 length, and shorter lines, technically called snoodsj are affixed to the long line 
 at definite distances. 
 
 To the end of each snood is attached a baited hook, and as the sharp teeth 
 of the fish might sever a single line, the portion of the snood which is near 
 the hook is composed of a number of separate threads fastened loosely 
 together, so as to permit the teeth to pass between the strands. At each end 
 
 COD. — (Gades morrhua.) 
 
EELS. 481 
 
 of the long line is fastened a float or buoy, and when the hooks have been 
 baited with sand launce, limpets, whelks, and similar substances, the line is 
 ready for action. 
 
 The boat, in which the line is ready coiled, makes for the fishing place, 
 lowers a grapnel or small anchor, to which is attached, the buoy at one end 
 of the line, and the vessel then sails off, paying out the line as it proceeds, 
 and always " shooting " the line across the tide, so as to prevent the hooks 
 from being washed against each other or twisted round the line, which is 
 usually shot in the interval between the ebb and flow of the tide, and hauled 
 in at the end of about six hours. 
 
 As soon as the long line has been fairly shot, and both ends firmly affixed 
 to the grapnels, the fishermen improve the next six hours by angling with 
 short lines, one of which is held in each hand. They thus capture not only 
 Cod-fish, but haddock, whiting, hake, pollack, and various kinds of flat fishes. 
 On favourable occasions the quantity of fish captured by a single boat is very 
 great, one man having taken more than four hundred Cod alone in ten hours. 
 
 The Cod is sometimes sent away in a fresh state, but is often split and 
 salted on the spot; packed in flats on board, and afterwards washed and 
 dried on the rocks. In this state it is called Klip-fish or Rock fish. The 
 liver produces a most valuable oil, which is now in great favour for the 
 purpose of affording strength to persons afflicted with delicate lungs or who 
 show symptoms of decline. The best oil is that which drains naturally from 
 the hvers as they are thrown into a vessel which is placed in a pan filled 
 with boiling water. The oil is then carefully strained through flannel, and is 
 ready for sale. 
 
 The roe of the Cod is useful for bait, the sardine in particular being verv 
 partial to that substance. Much of the roe is stupidly wasted by the fishei- 
 man, who carelessly flings into the sea a commodity of which he can sell 
 any amount, and for which he can obtain ten or eleven shillings per cwt. In 
 Norway the dried heads of the Cod are used as fodder for cows, and, 
 strange to say, the graminivorous quadrupeds are very fond of this aliment. 
 
 Like several other marine fish, the Cod can be kept in a pond, provided the 
 water be salt; and if the pond should communicate with the sea, these fishts 
 can be readily fattened for the table. Several such ponds are in existence, 
 and it is the custom to transfer to them the liveliest specimens that have been 
 caught during the day's fishery, the dead or dying being either sold or cut 
 up as food for their imprisoned relatives. These fishes are extremely vora- 
 cious and will eat not only the flesh of their kinsmen, but that of whelks and 
 other molluscs, which are abundantly thrown to them. It is found that 
 under this treatment the Cod is firmer, thicker, and heavier in proportion to 
 its length than if it had been suffered to roam at large in the sea. 
 
 In the large and important group of fishes to which our attention is now 
 drawn, and popularly known as Eels, the ventral fins are wholly wanting, 
 the body is long, snake-like, smooth and slimy on the exterior, and in many 
 cases covered with very little scales hidden in the thick soft skin. 
 
 The two EELS represented in the engravings are examples of some very 
 common and useful British fish. 
 
 The Sharp-nosed Eel derives its name from the shape of its head, and 
 by that structure may be distinguished from the second species. In their 
 habits the Eels are so similar that the present species will be taken as an 
 example of the whole genus. 
 
 Of the general habits of the Eel, the Hon. Grantley F. Berkeley has 
 given the following short and interesting account. During hot, still 
 sunny weather, day and night, in the month of June, the Eels are 
 chiefly on the top of the water. Wherever masses of weeds lie, and 
 
 I I 
 
482 
 
 THE SffARP-N-QSED EEL. 
 
 what is called the cow-weed grows the longest, there Eels do congregate, 
 to bask in the sun by clay, to enjoy hy night the warmth left in the 
 weeds by the sun, and there, while thus luxuriating, to snap at and catch 
 the myriads of gnats, moths, flies, and other insects that seek the weeds lor 
 food or rest, and by damping their wings become an easy prey to their 
 ambushed assailants. In waiting for the otter, or watching the river, I have 
 often sat in my boat embayed in wreds, and seen and heard the Eels thus 
 occupied ; and near and within these weeds, in the particular weather alluded 
 to, the wire-traps, nets, and snig-pots take best. The haunts of Eels are 
 quite as variable as the weather. In warm, still weather, seek them on the 
 rapids and near weeds either waving on the surface of the water or in floating 
 masses of detached weeds that the eddies of the stream have wound and 
 kept in one place. In blowing, cooler, or rainy weather, then look for them 
 in the still, deep ditches. If a flush of water comes, and a little shallow 
 stream running from or into the main river becomes fuller than usual, then 
 let all the capturing gear be set to take them on, to thtm, this delicious 
 change of ground, for against this stream they will work as Jong as it is 
 freshened. In one night, in a little stream of this sort, 1 took thuty pounds 
 weight of Eels. 
 
 Like several fishes which have already been mentioned. Eels are very 
 tenacious of life, and are able to live for a long time when taken out of water, 
 owing to a simple but beautiful modification of structure, which retains a 
 sufficient amount of moisture to keep the gills in a damp state and able to 
 perform their natural functions. These fishes have been seen crawling over 
 
 considerable distances, evi- 
 dently either in search of 
 water, their own dwelling- 
 place being nearly dried, or 
 in quest of some running 
 stream in whose waters they 
 might descend to the sea 
 after tbemanner of theirrace. 
 Towards the latter end of 
 sumiricr the Eels migrate 
 towards the sea, and it is 
 found that these fishes can 
 live either in fresh or salt 
 water with equal ease, the 
 It sometimes happens that 
 
 SHARP-NOSED F.EL.- 
 
 {Anguilla aculirostris.) 
 
 mouths of rivers being favoured localities. 
 
 even in our seaport towns and marine watering-places, the commdii river Eel 
 IS caught by those who are angling in the sea for marine fish. This quality 
 IS peculiarly valuable in the Eel, as it enables the Dutch fishermen, who 
 annually supply our markets with vast numbers of these fish, to bring them 
 across the sea m vessels that are fitted with "wells" pierced for the trans- 
 mission of the sea-water through which the vessel is sailing. 
 
 The tenacity of life possessed by this fish is really remarkable ; and it is 
 worthy of notice that the best mode of killing Eels is to grasp them by the neck 
 and slap their tails smartly against a stone or post. The muscular irritabiliiv 
 of the body IS wonderfully enduring, and after the creature has been cut up 
 mto lengths each separate piece moves about as if alive, while at the touch of 
 a pins point it will curve itself as if it felt the injury. When all such 
 irritability has ceased, the portions will flounce about vigorously if placed in 
 boiling water ; and even after they have remained quiet under its influence, the 
 addition of salt will make them jump about as vigorously as ever. Of course 
 there can be no real sensation, the spinal cord having been severed. 
 
THE ELECTRIC EEL. 
 
 483 
 
 CONGER. — {Conger vulgaris!) 
 
 The reproduction of the Eel has long been a subject of discussion, some 
 
 Eersons thinking that the young are produced in a living state, and others 
 olding that they are hatched from eggs. This question has, however, been 
 set at rest by that universal revealer, the achromatic microscope, which has 
 shown that the masses of oily-looking substance generally called fat are really 
 the aggregated clusters of eggs, and that these objects, minute though they 
 may be, not so large as the dot over the letter i, are quite perfect, and under 
 the microscope are seen to be genume eggs. 
 The well-known Conger Eel is a marine species, very common in our 
 
 seas, and being most usually 
 found on the rocky portion 
 of the coast. 
 
 This useful fish has, of 
 late years, come into more 
 general use than formerly, 
 and its good qualities are 
 more appreciated. The 
 flesh, though not very palat- 
 able if dressed unskilfully, is 
 now held in some estimation, and for the manufacture of soup is thought to 
 be almost imrivalled. The fishermen can now always obtain a ready sale for 
 the- Congers ; and those which are not purchased for the table are mostly 
 bought up and made into isinglass. 
 
 The colour of the Conger is pale brown above arid greyish white below. 
 It often attains to a very great size, measuring ten feet in length and 
 weighing more than 100 lbs. 
 
 Ihe i-LECTRlc Eel is even more remarkable for its capability of 
 delivering powerlul electric shocks than the torpedo, but as it is never found 
 in the British seas it is not so well known as that fish. 
 
 The Electric Eel is a native of Southern America, and inhabits the rivers 
 
 of that warm and verdant country. The organs which enable it to produce 
 
 sucli wonderful effects are double, and lie along the body, the one upon the 
 
 other. 
 
 In the native country of these fishes they are captured by an ingenious 
 
 but somewhat cruel process. 
 A number of wild horses are 
 driven to the spot and urged 
 into the water. The alarm- 
 ed Gymnoti, finding their 
 domains thus invaded, call 
 forth all the terrors of their 
 invisible artillery to repel 
 the intruders, and discharge 
 their pent-up lightnings 
 with fearful rapidity and 
 force. Gliding under the 
 bellies of the frightened 
 horses, they press them- 
 s Ives against their bodies, as if to economize all the electrical fluid, and by 
 shock after shock generally succeed in drowning several of the poor quad- 
 rupeds. 
 
 Horses, however, are but of slight value in that country, hardly, indeed, so 
 much valued as pigeons in England, and as fast as they emerge from the 
 water in frantic terror, are driven back among their dtead eremies. Presently 
 the shocks become le^s powerful, for the Gymnotus soon exhausts it s.ure of 
 
 113 
 
 ELECTRIC EEL. — (Gymnotus electricus.) 
 
484 
 
 THE ANCHOVY. 
 
 electricity, and when the fishes are thoroughly fatigued they are captured 
 with impunity by the native hunters. A most interesting account of this 
 process is given by Humboldt, but is too long to be inserted in these pages. 
 
 Several of these wonderful fish have been brought to England in a living 
 state ; and many of my readers may remember the fine Gymnotus that lived 
 in the Polytechnic Institution. Numbers of experimenters were accustomed 
 daily to test its powers ; and the fatal, or at all events the numbing, power 
 of the stroke was evident when the creature was supplied with the fish on 
 which it fed. Though blind, it was accustomed to turn its head towards 
 the spot designated by the splashing of the attendant's finger, and as soon as 
 a fish was allowed to fall into the water the Gymnotus would curve itsell 
 slightly, seemed to stiffen its muscles, and the victim turned over on its 
 baclc, strucli as if dead by the violence of the shock. 
 
 When full grown, the Electric Eel will attain a length of five or six feet, 
 and is then a truly formidable creature. The body is rounded, and the scales 
 small and barely visible. According to Marcgrave, the native name for this 
 fish is Carapo. 
 
 We now come to that most valuable family of fishes, the Herring tribe 
 called technically Clupeidas, from the Latin word clupea, " a herring." 
 
 The well-known Anchovy is properly a native of the Mediterranean Sea, 
 though it often occurs on our coasts, and has once or twice been captured in 
 our rivers. Indeed, one practical writer on British fishes thinks that the 
 capture of the Anchovy off our shores is a task that would be highly remu- 
 nerative if properly undertaken, and 
 that, with proper pains, the British 
 markets might be fully supplied with 
 Anchovies from our own seas. 
 
 This little fish has long been 
 famous for the powerful and unique 
 flavour of its flesh, and is in conse- 
 quence captured in vast quantities for 
 the purpose of being made into 
 anchovy sauce, anchovy paste, and 
 other articles of diet in which the heart 
 of an epicure delights. Unfortunately, 
 however, the little fish is so valuable, 
 from its flesh the dishonest dealers too 
 
 ANCHOVY. — ( Engraults encrasicholus. ) 
 
 that in the preparations made 
 often adulterate their goods largely, and palm off sprats and other com- 
 paratively worthless fish for the real Anchovy. As the head is always 
 removed before the process of potting is commenced, the deception is 
 not easily detected — the long head with its projecting upper jaw and 
 deeply-cleft gape affording so clear an evidence of the identity of the fish, 
 that no one would venture to pass off one fish for the other if the heads were 
 permitted to remain in their natural places. The flavour of the veritable 
 Anchovy is rudely imitated by various admixtures, and its full rich colour is 
 simulated by boleanmoniac and other abominations. 
 
 The very long generic title of this fish was given to it in ancient times, 
 and is still retained, as being at once appropriate and sanctioned by the 
 verdict of antiquity. Its literal signification is "gall-tinctured," and the 
 name has been given to it on account of the peculiar bitter taste of the 
 head, in which part the ancients supposed the gall to be placed. The colour 
 of the Anchovy is bluish green on the back and upper part of the head, and 
 the remainder of the body silvei'y white ; the fins have a tinge of green, 
 and aie beautifully transparent. The scales are large, and fall off almost at 
 a couch, The length of the Anchovy varies frpm five to seven inches. 
 
THE PILCHARD. 
 
 48s 
 
 HERRING. —(C/«/fa harengus.) 
 
 The Herring is undoubtedly the most valuable of our British fishes, and 
 -the one which could least be spared. It is at once the luxury of the rich and 
 the nourishment of the poor, capable of preservation throughout a long 
 period, easily packed, quickly and simply dressed, and equally good, whether 
 eaten fresh or salted, smoked or potted. 
 
 During the greater part of the year the Herring lives in deep water, where 
 its habits are entirely unknown. About July or August the Herring is urged, 
 by the irresistible force of instinct, to approach the shores for the purpose 
 of depositing its spawn in the shallow waters, where the warm rays of the 
 sun may pour their vivifying 
 
 influence upon the tiny eggs 
 that will hereafter produce 
 creatures of so dispropor- 
 tionate a size, and where 
 the ever-moving tides may 
 fill the water with free oxy- 
 gen as the waves dash on 
 the shores and fall back in 
 whitened spray, thus giving 
 to the water that sparkling 
 freshness so needful for the 
 development of the future 
 fish. 
 
 The Herrings, when they once begin to move, arise in vast shoals, and 
 direct their course towards some part of the shore. In their choice of 
 locality they are most capricious fish, sometimes frequenting one spot for 
 many successive years, then deserting it for a length of time, and again 
 returning to it without any apparent reason for either course of proceeding. 
 They are essentially gregarious while on the move ; and each shoal is so 
 closely compacted, and its limits so well defined, that while one net will be 
 filled almost to bursting with Herrings, another net, only a yard or two 
 distant, will be left as empty as when it was shot. 
 
 The Herring is one of the fish that cannot endure absence from water, 
 dying almost immediately after it is taken out of the sea, and thus giving 
 rise to the familiar saying " as dead as a herring." 
 
 The food of the Herring is extremely varied, even in the comparatively 
 shallow waters, and its subsistence during the time it is submerged in the 
 deep is necessarily unknown. In the stomach of the Herring have been 
 found Crustacea of various kinds, molluscs, the spawn, and fry of other fish, 
 and even the young of its ,, , 
 
 own kind. It can be taken -^_ __ />\''' M^^m^ 
 
 with a hook, and has been •■- "„ I 1- 
 
 known to seize a limpet 
 that was used as a bait. 
 The colour of the Herring 
 is blue above with greenish 
 reflections, and the rest of 
 the body is silvery white. 
 After the fish has been dead 
 for some hours, the cheeks 
 and gill-covers become red, 
 as if from injected blood. m\.Z^kKD.—(Clupm pihhardus.') 
 
 The value of the Herring family to man is almost incalculable. The 
 Pilchard and the herring are very similar in appearance, but may be 
 easily known by the position of the dorsal fin, which in the Pilchard is so 
 
486 
 
 THE FL YING-FISH. 
 
 exactly in the centre of the body, that if the fish is held by it, the body 
 exactly balances ; while in the herring the dorsal fin is placed rather back- 
 wards, so that when suspended, the fish hangs with its head downwards. 
 
 Unlike the herring, which visits every part of our coast, the Pilchard is 
 only found on the shores of Devonshire and Cornwall. Here, however, the 
 enormous shoals that annually make their appearance fully compensate for 
 the limited space occupied by them. Occasionally a few shoals are seen on 
 the southern coast of Ireland. The coasts of France and Spain are tolerably 
 frequent resorts of this fish. 
 
 Ihe fish are usually taken in an enormous building of nets, called " sean 
 nets." The nets used in the sea fishery are two, a large net called the " stop 
 sean,'' about a quarter of a mile in length, and a hundred feet in depth ; and 
 a smaller net, called the " tuck sean," about a furlong in length, and a hun- 
 dred and twenty feet in depth, the average value of the two nets being 500/. 
 
 When the fishermen see a shoal of pilchards approaching, they immediately 
 set out in two fishing boats, one of which carries the tuck sean and the other 
 the stop sean. Guided by signs from the master-seamen, they silently 
 surround the shoal with the nets, the larger of which is used to enclose a 
 large number of fish, and the smaller to pass within the other net, to bring 
 the mass of fish into a small compass, and finally to prevent them from 
 escaping until the fishermen have leisure to remove them to the boats. 
 
 When landed, the Pilchards are taken to the storehouses, salted, and after 
 remaining in heaps for five or six days, are pressed into casks by poweiful 
 
 levers. During the pressure, 
 --,^j.. which lasts about a foit- 
 
 night, fresh layers of fish 
 being added as the form .-r 
 are pressed close, an abund- 
 ance of excellent oil escapes 
 from holes made in the cask 
 for the purpose. The entire 
 refuse of the fish, consisting 
 of the superabundant suit, 
 the scales and other rejected 
 portions, is sold to the far- 
 mers as a valuable manure. 
 The refuse of each pilcliard 
 is calculated to manure one 
 square foot of land. 
 
 The far-famed Flying 
 Fish exists in many of the 
 warmer seas, and derives its 
 popular name from its 
 wonderful powers of sustaining itself in the air. 
 
 The passage of this fish through the atmosphere can lay no just claim to 
 the title of flight, for the creature does not flap the wing-like pectoral fins 
 on which it is upborne, and is not believed even to possess the power of 
 changing itj course. 
 
 In allusion to the habits of this remarkable fish, Mr. F. D. Bennett, in his 
 " Narrative of a Whaling Voyage," has the following valuable remarks : — 
 
 " The principal external agents employed in this mode of locomotion are 
 the large lobe of the tail fin and the broad transparent pectoral fins, which, 
 on this occasion, serve at least as a parachute, and which, being situated 
 close o the back, place the centre of suspension higher than the centre r/ 
 gravity. It is also curious to notice how well the specific gravity of the fish 
 
 FLYING-FISH. — {Exocoitus volitans. ) 
 
THE PIKE. 
 
 487 
 
 titles of Fresh-water 
 
 can be regulated, in correspondence with the element through which it may 
 move. The swim-bladder, when perfectly distended, occupies nearly the 
 entire cavity of the abdomen, and contains a large quantity of air ; and in 
 addition to this, there is a membrane in the mouth which can be inflated 
 through the gills ; these two reservoirs of air affording good substitutes for 
 the air-cells so freely distributed within the bones of birds, and having the 
 additional advantage of being voluntary in their function. 
 
 " The pectoral tins, though so large when expanded, can be folded into an 
 exceedingly slender, neat, and compact form ; but whether they are employed 
 in swimming in the closed or expanded state, I have been unable to deter- 
 mine." 
 
 The ancients were well acquainted with the Flying-fish, and in their narra- 
 tives even improved upon its powers, as was customary with the voyagers of 
 those days, and asserted that, as soon as night came on, this iish left the 
 ocean, flew ashore, and slept until morning safe from the attacks of its marine 
 enemies. The generic name of exocatus, literally " a sleeper-out," refers to 
 this supposed habit. About thirty species of Flying-fish are known, mostly 
 belonging to the Mediterranean Sea, but others occur in the North Sea and 
 the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. 
 
 The fierce and voracious PlKE has well earned 
 Shark and River Pirate, .^ 
 
 for though perhaps not one -'^ "' 
 
 whit more destructive to 
 animal life than the roach, 
 gudgeon, and other harm- 
 less fish, the prey which it 
 devours are of larger size, 
 and its means of destruc- 
 tion are so conspicuous and 
 powerful, that its name has 
 long been a byword for 
 pitiless rapacity. 
 
 The Pike is found in 
 almost every English river, 
 and, although supposed to 
 have been artificially intro- 
 duced into our country, has ,„ ... 
 multiplied as rapidly as YiMi.^.~(Esox luctm.) 
 
 any indigenous fish. The Pike is the master of the waters in which it 
 resides, destroying without mercy every other fish that happens to come near 
 its residence, none seeming able to escape except the perch, whose array of 
 sharp spines daunts even the voracious Pike from attempting its capture. As 
 if to show that the Pike really desires to eat the perch, and is only withheld 
 from so doing by a wholesome dread of its weapons, there is no better bait 
 for a Pike than a young perch ft-om which the dorsal fin has been removed. 
 It will even feed upon its own kind, and a young Pike, or Jack as it is then 
 called, of three or four inches in length, has little chance of life if it should 
 come across one of its larger kindred. 
 
 After hatching, the growth of the young Jack is extremely rapid, and, 
 according to Bloch, it will attain a length of ten inches in the first year of 
 its life. If well fed, the growth of this fish continues at a tolerably uniform 
 rate of about four pounds per year, and this increase will be maintained for 
 six or seven successive years. 
 
 The voracity of the Pike is too well known to need much comment. A 
 tiny Jack of five inches in length has be^n knpwn to capture and try to eat 
 
4S8 
 
 THE SALMON. 
 
 a gudgeon of its own size, and to swim about quite unconcernedly with the 
 tail of its victim protruding from its mouth. Had it been suffered to live, 
 it would probably have finished the gudgeon in course of time, as the head 
 was found to have been partially digested. Three water-rats have been 
 found in the stomach of one Pike, accompanied by the remains of a bird 
 too far decomposed to be recognizable, but supposed to be the remnants of 
 a duck. So universal is the appetite of this fish, that it has even been 
 known to seize the paste bait which had been used for other and less 
 voracious inhabitants of the waters. 
 
 When the Pike attains a tolerable size, it takes possession of some 
 particular spot in the bank, usually a kind of hole or cave which is sheltered 
 by overhangmg soil or roots, and affords a lair where it can lurk in 
 readiness to pounce upon its passing prey. 
 
 The Pike seems to have no limit to its size, for it is a very long-lived fish, 
 and seems always to increase in dimensions provided it be well supplied 
 with food. A hsh of ten or twelve pounds' weight is considered to be a fine 
 specimen, though there have been examples where the Pike has attained 
 more than five times the latter weight. These huge fishes of sixty or 
 seventy pounds are, however, of little value for the table. 
 
 The colour of the Pike is olive-brown on the back, taking a lighter hue on 
 the sides, and being variegated with green and yellow. The abdomen is 
 silvery white. 
 
 The Salmon is undoubtedly the king of British river-fish ; not so much 
 for its dimensions, which are exceeded by one or two giant members of the 
 
 finny tribe, but for the 
 silvery sheen of its 
 glittering scales, its 
 wonderful dash and 
 activity, affording mag- 
 nificent sport to the 
 angler, the interesting 
 nature of its life from 
 the ^'g^ to full maturity, 
 and last, but not least, 
 for the exquisite flavour 
 and nutritive character 
 of its flesh. 
 
 In former days, be- 
 fore civilization had 
 substituted man and 
 his dwellings for the 
 broad meadows and their furred and feathered inmates, the Salmon 
 was found in many an English river. Now, however, there are but few 
 streams where this splendid fish can be seen, for in the greater number of 
 British rivers the water has been so defiled by human agency, that the 
 fastidious Salmon wilt not suffer itself to be poisoned by such hateful mixture 
 of evil odours and polluted waters ; and in the few streams where the water 
 is still sufficiently pure for the Salmon to venture into them, the array of 
 nets, weirs, and all kinds of Salmon traps is so tremendous, that not one 
 tithe of the normal number are now found in them. 
 
 The Salmon is a migratory fish, annually leaving the sea, its proper 
 residence, and proceeding for many miles up rivers for the purpose of 
 depositing its spawn. This duty having been accomplished, it returns to the 
 sea in ihe spring. The perseverance of this fish in working its way up the 
 stream is perfectly wonderful Np stream is rapid enough to daunt it, nor 
 
 SALMON. — (Salmo Salar.) 
 
THE TROUT. 
 
 489 
 
 is it even checked by falls. These it surmounts by springing out of the 
 water, fairly passing over the fall. Heights of fourteen or fifteen feet are 
 constantly leaped by this powerful fish, and when it has arrived at the 
 higher and shallower parts of the river, it scoops furrows in the gravelly 
 bottom, and there deposits its spawn. The young, called " fry," are hatched 
 about March, and immediately commence their retreat to the sea. By the 
 end of May the young Salmon, now called " smelts," have almost entirely 
 deserted the rivers, and in June not one is to be found in fresh water. Small 
 Salmon, weighing less than two pounds, are termed " salmon peel," all above 
 that weight are called " grilse." 
 
 The havoc wrought among Salmon by foes of every description is so 
 enormous, that notwithstanding the great fecundity of the fish, it is a matter 
 of surprise that so many escape destruction ; for although the fish are 
 preserved from their human foes by many stringent regulations, yet other 
 foes, such as otters, who devour the large fish, and other fish who devour the 
 spawn, have but little respect for laws and regulations. 
 
 While in the rivers, multitudes of Salmon are annually caught, usually by 
 stake nets, which are capable of confining an immense number of fish at one 
 time. Salmon-spearing is a favourite amusement. This animated and 
 exciting sport is usually carried on by torch-light. The torches, when held 
 close to the surface of the water, illumine the depths of the river, and render 
 every fish within its influence perfectly visible.' The watchful spearman, 
 guided by slight indications bearing no meaning to an unpractised eye, darts 
 his unerring spear, and brings up in triumph the glittering captive, writhing 
 in vain among the barbed points. In the northern rivers this destructive 
 pursuit is carried on to a 
 great extent, more than a 
 hundred salmon being 
 frequently taken in an even- 
 ing. Anglers also find con- 
 siderable sport in using 
 the fly for this beautiful 
 and active fish, whose 
 strength makes it no mean 
 antagonist. 
 
 Next to the salmon, 
 the bright-scaled, carmine- 
 speckled, active Trout 
 is perhaps the greatest 
 favourite of anglers, and 
 fully deserves the eulogies 
 of all lovers of the rod ; 
 its peculiarly delicate flesh, 
 its fastidious voracity, and the mixture of strength, agility, and spirited 
 courage with which it endeavours to free itself from the hook, forming a 
 combination of excellences rarely met with in any individual fish. 
 
 The Trout is found in rapid and clear-running streams, but cares not for 
 the open and shallow parts of the river, preferring the shelter of some stone 
 or hole in the bank, whence it may watch for prey. Like the pike, it haunts 
 some especial hiding-place, and in a similar manner is sure to take posses- 
 sion of a favourable haunt that has been rendered vacant by the demise of its 
 predecessor or its promotion to superior quarters. Various baits are used in 
 fishing for trout, such as the worm, the minnow, and the fly, both natural and 
 artificial, the latter being certainly the neatest and most artistic method. 
 The arcana of angling are not within the province of this work ; and fo; 
 
 TROUT. — [Salmo fario. ) 
 
490 
 
 THE GOLD FISH. 
 
 CARP. — (Cyprinus carpio.) 
 
 information on that subject, the reader is referred to the many valuable 
 works which have been written by accomplished masters of the art. 
 
 Though not so brightly spotted as the trout, nor so desperately active 
 when hooked, and very inferior in flesh, the Carp is yet in much favour with 
 anglers, on account of its extreme cunning, which has earned for the fish the 
 
 name of Fox of the waters. 
 As the number of British fish 
 is so great, and our space so 
 small, it will be needful to com- 
 press the' descriptions as much 
 as possible, and to omit every- 
 thing that does not bear directly 
 on the subject. 
 
 The Carp is found both in 
 rivers and lakes, and in some 
 places, among which the royal 
 palaces of France may be 
 mentioned, will often grow to 
 an enormous size and become 
 absurdly tame, crowding to the 
 bank on the least encourage- 
 ment, and poking their great snouts out of the water in anxious expectation 
 of the desired food. It is most curious to watch these great creatures 
 swimming lazily along, and to see how completely they have lost the inherent 
 dread of man by the exercise of their reasoning powers, which tell them that 
 the once feared biped on the bank will do them no harm, but, in all pro- 
 bability, will be the means of indulging their appetite with favourite food. 
 
 The Carp is one of the fish that retains its life for a lengthened period even 
 when removed from the water, and if carefully packed in wet moss so as to 
 allow a free circulation of air, will survive even for weeks Anglers never 
 seem sure of the Carp— taking plenty on one day and none at all for a week 
 
 afterwards, the fish having 
 been aroused to a sense of 
 their danger, and declining 
 to meddle with anything 
 that looks as if it might 
 hide a hook. Even the 
 net, that is so effectual with 
 most fish, is often useless 
 against the ready wiles of 
 the Carp, which will some- 
 times bury itself in the 
 mud as the ground line 
 approaches so as to allow 
 the net to pass over it ; 
 or, if the ground be too 
 hard for such a manoeuvre, 
 will shoot boldly from the 
 bottom of the water, leap 
 over the upper edge of the 
 net and so escape into the 
 water beyond. 
 
 The beautiful Gold-fish {Cyprinus aura/us)> so familiar as a pet and so 
 elegant as it moves round the glass globe in which it is usually kept, is 
 another member of this large and important genus. It seems to liav? be?H 
 
 BARBEL. — {Cyprinus iarius.) 
 GOLD-FISH. — {Cyprinus auratus.) 
 
TItE BREAM. 
 
 49i 
 
 brought to this country from China, and has almost acclimatized itself to 
 the cold seasons of England. Its habits and splendid clothing are too well- 
 known to need description. 
 
 Another well-known member of the same genus is the Barbfx, a fine 
 but not brilliant fish which is common in many of the English rivers. 
 
 This fish may easily be known, from the four fleshy appendages, called 
 beards or barbules, which hang from the head, two being placed on the nose 
 and the other two at each angle of the mouth. It is one of the mud-loving 
 fish, grubbing with its nose in the soft banks for the piir[iose of unearthing 
 the aqu..tic larvae of various insects which make their home in such 
 places, and being, in all probability, aided by its barbules in its search 
 after food. 
 
 The Barbel is sometimes so sluggish in its movements, and so deeply 
 occupied in rooting about the bank, that an accomplished swimmer will 
 occasionally dive to the bed of the river, feel for the Barbel along the banks, 
 and bring them to the surface in his bare hand. From this habit of 
 grubbing in the mud, the Barbel has earned the name of Fresh-water Pig. 
 
 The colour of the Barbel is brown above with a green wash, and yellowish 
 green on the sides. All the scales have a metallic lustre, and the cheeks and 
 gill-covers have also a polished look as if covered with very thin bronze. 
 The abdomen is white. The Barbel is somewhat long in proportion to its 
 weight, which is extremely variable, seldom, however, exceeding eleven or 
 twelve pounds. 
 
 The Tench is hardly so common as the other two species, preferring the 
 slowest and muddiest rivers, and thriving well in ponds and lakes, or even in 
 clay-pits. No water, indeed, seems to be too thick, muddy, or even fetid, for 
 the Tench to inhabit, and it is rather curious that in such cases, even where 
 the fishermen could scarcely endure the stench of the mud adhering to their 
 nets, the fish were larger sized, and of remarkably sweet flavour. 
 
 In the winter months the Tench is said to bury itself in the mud, and 
 there to remain, in a semi-torpid 
 condition, until the succeeding 
 spring calls it again to life and 
 
 action. The colour of the Tench is 
 greenish olive, darker above than 
 below, and with a fine golden wash. 
 
 The ease with which the GUD-, 
 GEON is taken has passed into a 
 proverb. This pretty Uttle fish is 
 usually found in shallow parts of 
 rivers, where the bottom is gravelly. 
 If the gravel is stirred up, the 
 Gudgeons immediatelv flock to the 
 place, and a worm suspended amid 
 the turbid water is eagerly snapped 
 at by them. The fishermen usually 
 take them in nets, and keep them 
 alive in well-boats. They are largely 
 purchased as baits for ti-olling. 
 
 The flesh of the Gudgeon is particularly delicate, and although its length 
 rarely exceeds seven inches, yet from the ease with which numbers can be 
 obtained, it forms a dish by no means to be despised. The Bream is mostly 
 found in large lakes or in slowly running rivers, the lakes of Cumberland 
 being favourite resorts of this fish. Although the flesh of the Bream is not 
 held in any great estimation, being poorly flavoured and very full of bones, 
 
 GUDGEON. —(G bio fluviatilh.) 
 BREAM. — {Aoramis brama.) 
 
492 
 
 THE SUN-FISH. 
 
 so that, in spite of the great depth of its body, there is scarcely sufficient 
 flesh to repay the trouble of cooking, still, the fish was formerly in much 
 repute as a delicacy ; so that either the fish seems to have deteriorated, or 
 the present generation to have become more fastidious. Spring and autumn 
 furnish the best Bream, and the flesh can be dried something like that of the 
 cod-fish. 
 
 The colour of the Bream is yellowish white, except the cheeks and gill- 
 covers, which have a silvery lustre without any tinge of yellow. Sometimes 
 the Bream attains a considerable size, reaching a weight of twelve or fourteen 
 pounds. 
 
 The last of the three is the Roach, a fish especially dear to scientific 
 anglers on account of its capricious habits and the delicate skill required to 
 form a successful roach-fisher. 
 
 An angler accomplished in this art will catch Roach where no one without 
 special experience would have a chance of a bite, and will succeed in his 
 beloved sport through almost every season of the year, the winter months 
 being the favourites. So capricious are these fish and so sensitive to the least 
 change of weather that a single hour will suffice to put them off their feed, 
 and the angler may be suddenly checked in the midst of his sport by an 
 adverse breeze or change in the temperature. 
 
 The Roach is a gregarious fish, swimming in shoals and keeping tolerably 
 
 close to each other. It is not 
 a large species, all over a pound 
 being considered as fine speci- 
 mens, and any that weigh more 
 than two pounds are thought 
 rare. It is a pretty fish, the 
 upper parts of the head and 
 bodybeinggreyishgreeuglossed 
 with blue, the abdomen silvery 
 white, and the sides passing 
 gradually into white from the 
 darker colours of the back. 
 The pectoral, ventral, and anal 
 fins are bright red, the former 
 having a tinge of yellow ; and 
 the dorsal and tail fins are 
 brownish red. 
 Closely allied to the roach is the Dace {Leuciscus vuli^aris), a common 
 and small species that inhabits inost of our streams. The well-known Chub 
 {Leuciscus cephalus) also belongs to this genus, as does the Bleak {Leuciscus 
 alburnus), in many countries called the Tailor Blay by the ignorant, from the 
 idea that whenever any other fish, especially the pike, wounds its skin, it imme- 
 diately seeks the aid of the Bleak, which, by rubbing its body against the 
 wound, causes the torn skin to close. The beautifully white crystalline 
 deposit beneath the scales was much used in the manufacture of artificial 
 pearls, hollow glass beads being washed in the interior with a thin layer of 
 this substance, and then filled with white wax. The scales of the whitebait 
 were also used for the same purpose. The Minnow [Leuciscus phoxinus) 
 is another member of this large genus, and is too well known to need 
 description. 
 
 A VERY curious order of fishes now comes before our notice. These 
 creatures are called Pectognathi, or " fixed jaws," because their jaws are fused 
 together and cannot be opened and shut. 
 
 Our esam^li of this cvirious order is the well-known SUN-FISH, which 
 
 ROACH. — (Leuciscus rutilus ) 
 DACE. — {Leuciscus ■vulgaris.} 
 
THE SEA HORSE. 
 
 493 
 
 looks just as if the head and shoulders of some very large fish had been 
 abruptly cut off, and a fin supplied to the severed extremity. 
 
 Several specimens of this odd-looking fish have been captured m British 
 waters, and in almost every case the creature was swimming, or rather 
 floating, in so lazy a fashion, that it permitted itsrlf to be taken without 
 attempting to escape. In the seas where this fish is generally found, the 
 harpoon is usually employed for its capture, not so much on account of its 
 strength, though a large 
 specimen will sometimes 
 struggle with amazing force 
 and fury, but on account of 
 its great weight, which 
 renders its conveyance into 
 a boat a matter of some 
 little difficulty; and the 
 leverage obtained by the 
 harpoon quite necessary. 
 
 The flesh of the Sun-fish 
 is white and well-flavoured, 
 and is in much request 
 among sailors, who always 
 luxuriate in fresh meat after 
 the monotony of salted 
 provisions. In flavour and 
 aspect it somewhat resem- 
 bles that of the Skate. Its 
 liver is rather large, and 
 yields a very considerable 
 amount of oil, which is 
 prized by the sailors as an 
 infallible remedy against 
 sprains, bruises, and rheu- 
 matic affections. 
 
 One of the most curious peculiarities of this fish is the structure of the eye, 
 which is bedded in a mass of very soft and flexible folds belonging to the 
 outer membranous coat, while it rests behind on a sac filled with a gelatinous 
 fluid. When the creature is alarmed, it draws the eye back against the sac 
 of fluid, which is thus forced into the folds of skin, and distends them so 
 largely as nearly to conceal the entire organ behind them. 
 
 While swimming quietly along, and suffered to be undisturbed, it generally 
 remains so near the surface that its elevated dorsal fin projects above the 
 water. Only in warm, calm weather is it seen in this attitude, and during a 
 stormy season it remains near the bed of the sea, and contents itself with 
 feeding on the seaweeds which grow so luxuriantly at the bottom of the 
 shallower ocean waters. 
 
 The colour of the Sun-fish is greyish brown, darker upon the back than 
 on the sides of the abdomen, and the skin is hard and rough. It often 
 attains a very great size, one that was harpooned on the equator riieasuring 
 six feet in length. Several species of Sun-fish are known. 
 
 The family of the Syngnathidae is represented by several British species. 
 
 The Sea Horse is common in many European seas, and is sometimrs 
 captured on the British coasts. In all these fishes there is only one dorsal 
 fin, set far back, and capable of being moved in a marvellous fashion, that 
 reminds the observer of a screw propeller, and evidently answers a similar 
 purpose. The tail of the Sea Horse, stiff as it appears to be in dried 
 
 SUN-FISH. — ( Orthragoriscus tnola. ) 
 
494 
 
 TitE LAMPREY. 
 
 SEA HORSE. — {Hippocampus brevirostris.) 
 
 specimens, is, during the life of the creature, almost as flexible as an elephant's 
 proboscis, and is employed as a prehensile organ, whereby its owner 
 may be attached to any fixed object. The specimen represented in the 
 engraving is shown in the attitude which the creatures are fond of assuming. 
 The head of the Sea Horse is wonderfully like that of the quadruped from 
 which it takes its name, and the resemblance is increased by two apparent ears 
 
 that pi oject partly from the sides of 
 the neck. These organs are, how- 
 ever, fins, and when the fish is in an 
 active mood, are moved with con- 
 siderable rapidity. It is rather a 
 remarkable fact that the Sea Horse,, 
 like the chameleon, possesses the 
 power of movmg either eye at will, 
 quite independently of the other, anil 
 therefore must be gifted with some 
 curious modification in the sense of 
 sight which enables it to direct its 
 gaze to different objects without con- 
 fusing its vision. 
 
 The colour of this interesting little fish is light ashen brown, relieved with 
 slight dashes of blue on different parts of the body, and in certain lights 
 gleaming with beautiful iridescent hues that play over its body with a change- 
 ful lustre. About twenty species of Sea Horses are known, several of which 
 have been exhibited alive in the aquarium at the Crystal Palace. The Cyclo- 
 stomi, or Circular-mouthed fishes, are represented by several British examples. 
 The well-known Laiiprey and its kin are remarkable for the wonderful 
 resemblance which their mouths bear to that of a leech. 
 They are all long-bodied snake-like fish, and possess a singular apparatus 
 
 of adhesion, which acts on 
 the same principle as the 
 di.c of the sucking fish, or 
 the ventral fins of the goby, 
 though it is set on a different 
 part of the body. Several 
 fishes are popularly known 
 by the name of Lamprey, 
 but the only one to which 
 the title ought properly to 
 be given is that shown in 
 the engraving. 
 
 The Lamprey is a sea-go- 
 ing fish, passing most of its 
 time in the ocean, but ascending the rivers for the purpose of spawning. 
 
 The flesh of the Lamprey is peculiarly excellent, though practically unknown 
 to the great bulk of our population, and the juvenile student in history is 
 always familiar with the fatal predilection of British royalty for this fish. 
 Though it spends so much of its time in the sea, it is seldom captured except 
 during its visit to the rivers, and even in that case is only in good condition 
 during part of its sojourn. Practically, therefore, the Lamprey is less perse- 
 cuted than most of the finny tribe who are unfortunate enough to possess well- 
 flavoured flesh, and whose excellences are publicly known. 
 
 When the Lamprey deposits its spawn, it is obliged to form a hollow in 
 the bed of the river, in which it can leave the eggs in tolerable safety and 
 performs this operation with great speed and no small skill. The fish is not 
 
 LAMPREY. — [Petromyson manmts.) 
 
TUB LAMfERN. 
 
 49S 
 
 gifted with any great power of fin, and cannot make much head against a 
 sharp current, needing to rest at intervals, and for that purpose fastening on 
 to some large stone over which the stream has no control. 
 
 But when it sets to work upon its nursery, it takes advantage of the 
 current to help it in its labours, and, by the mingled force of the stream and its 
 own muscular action, soon contrives to carry away the pebbles that would 
 interfere with the well-being of its future young. 
 
 The process is simple enough. When the Lamprey has fixed on the con- 
 venient spot to which it is urged by its unfailing instinct, it surveys the 
 locality for a short time, and then sets vigorously to work. Fastening itself 
 to one of the obnoxious pebbles, and disposing its body so as to gain ihe 
 SI longest hold upon the rushing stream, it "backs water" with wonderful 
 energy, and fish and stone are soon seen tumbhng together down the current. 
 
 In this way, the Lamprey will remove stones of such a magnitude that 
 a fish of three times its dimensions would appear unable even to stir them. As 
 soon as the stone has been moved a yard or two away, the Lamprey wriggles 
 its way back again, and takes possession of another stone. By a repetition 
 of this process the hollow is soun made, and the industrious fish is able to 
 deposit its eggs therein. 
 
 The colour of the Lamprey is olive-brown, spotted and mottled with dark 
 brown and deep greenish olive. Its ordinary length is from sixteen to twenty 
 inches. 
 
 The Lampern is plentiful in many of the English rivers, and, it 
 
 the generality of residents _, ^ 
 
 near the water were only 
 aware of its excellence for 
 the table, would soon be 
 thinned in numbers. The 
 prejudice that exists against 
 the eel and the lamprey is 
 absolutely mild when com- 
 pared with the horror with 
 which the Lampern is con- 
 templated in many parts of 
 England. Not only do the 
 ignorant people refuse to 
 eat it, but they believe it to 
 be actually poisonous, and would sooner handle an angry viper than a poor 
 harmless Lampern. It is fortunate for the fish that its evil reputation is so 
 widely and firmly established, for, under shelter of its name, it passes scath- 
 less through many a stream, from which it would be nearly extirpated if its 
 right character and good qualities were better known. 
 
 Granted the bad reputation, the creature certainly behaves in a manner 
 well calculated to strengthen any unfavourable reports; for, as soon as grasped, 
 it writhes about in a viperine, not to say venomous fashion, and is sure to 
 fix its sucker of a mouth on the imprisoning hand. Few uninitiated captors 
 can endure to any further extent, and when they feel the cold lips pressed to 
 the skin, and the quick suck by which the fish attaches itself, they generally 
 utter a scream of terror, and fling the Lampern away as far as their arm can 
 jerk it. Yet the creature has no idea of using its mouth as a weapon of 
 offence, and when it fixes itself to the hand, is only seeking for a point of 
 support as a fulcrum for its struggles. 
 
 Certainly, it has teeth, and under proper circumstances can use them in 
 the task for which teeth were made, but it seems either to be unable or 
 unwilling to employ them as weapons, I have caught thousands of these 
 
 LAMPERN. — (Lampetra fluviatilis.) 
 
495 THE HAG-FISir. 
 
 fish with the bare fingers, and'had six or seven fixed on my hand at the same 
 time ; but they never did the least harm, and though I am atiflicied with a pecu- 
 liarly delicate skin, they did not even leave the least marK. of their presence. 
 Like the sea lamprey, it scoops hollows in the pebbly bed of some stream 
 for the purpose of depositing its eggs, and removes the stones in like maimer. 
 Sometimes a pair of Lamperns settle upon one spot, and, by dint of tugging 
 and hauling, make a cradle for their special benefit. But it often happens 
 that a great number of these fish, fifty or sixty, for example, will settle them- 
 selves in the same locality, and make a hollow as large as the rim of an 
 ordinary pail. 
 
 The flesh of the Lampern is remarkably excellent, and in many places, 
 remote from its habitation, is in great repute, and is indeed admired by 
 many who have not the least idea of the fish they are eating. A large part of 
 the " eel " pies so famous in the metropolis is composed of Lampern flesh, 
 and in the opinion of competent judges the substitute is better than the 
 reality. It can be dressed in a variety of ways, stewing and potting being 
 the favourites. Yet, as a general rule, the poorer portion of the community 
 refuse to eat the fish, and suffer the pangs of cruel hunger rather than avail 
 themselves of the rich banquet at their very doors. 
 
 The Myxine, or Glutinous Hag-fish, is so remarkably worm-like in its 
 form and general appearance, that it was classed with the annelids by several 
 authors, and was only placed in its proper position among the fishes after 
 careful dissection. 
 
 The IMyxine is seldom taken when at large in the sea, but is captured while 
 engaged in devouring the bodies of other fish, to which it is a fearful enemy 
 in spite of its innocuous appearance. It has a custom of getting inside the 
 cod and similar fishes, and entirely consuming the interior, leaving only the 
 
 skin and the skelt ton 
 remaining. The fisher- 
 men have good reason 
 to detest the Myxine, 
 for it takes advanta'je 
 of the helpless state in 
 which the cod-fish h angs 
 ,„ . , . on the hook, makes its 
 
 HAG-FISH, OR MYXINE.— {y»^jra«« ^/»A«wa.) ^^y into the interior, 
 
 and if the fish should 
 happen to be caught at the beginning of the tide, will leave but little flesh 
 on the bones. The cod thus hollowed are technically called '' robbed " fish. 
 Six Myxines have been found within the body of a single haddock. 
 
 The name of Glutinous Hag-fish is derived from the enormous amount of 
 mucous secretion which the Myxine has the power of pouring, from a double 
 row of apertures, set along the whole of the under surface, from the head to 
 the tail. 
 
 Around the lips of the Myxine are eight delicate barbules, which are 
 evidently intended as organs of touch ; the mouth is furnished with a single 
 hooked tooth upon the palate, serving apparently as an organ of prehension, 
 and the tongue is supplied with a double row of smaller, but powerful teeth 
 on each side, acting on the principle of a rasp. The Myxine can scarcely be 
 said to possess any bones, the only indication of a skeleton being the verte- 
 bral column, which is nothing more than a cartilaginous tube, through which 
 .1 probe can be passed in either direction. 
 
 The colour of the Hag-fish is dark brown above, taking a paler tint on the 
 sides, and greyish yellow below. Its length is generally about a foot or 
 fifteen inches. 
 
THE LANCELET. 
 
 497 
 
 The last of the fishes is a creature so unfishhke that its real position in 
 the scale of nature was lung undecided, and the strange little being has been 
 banded about between the vertebrate and invertebrate classes. Between 
 these two great armies the Lancelet evidently occupies the neutral ground, 
 iis structure partaking with such apparent equality of the characteristics of 
 each class, that it could not be finally referred to its proper rank until it had 
 been submitted to the most careful dissections. In fact, it holds just such a 
 position between the vertebrates as does the lepidosiren between the reptiles 
 and the fishes. 
 
 It has no definite brain, at all events it is scarcely better defined than in 
 
 LANCELET. — [Amphioxtis lanceolattcs.) 
 
 many of the insect tribe, and only marked by a r ther increased and blunted 
 end of the spinal cord. It has no true heart, the place of that organ being 
 taken by pulsating vessels, and the blood being quite pale. It has no bones, 
 the muscles being merely attached to soft cartilage, and even the spinal cord 
 is not protected by a bony or even horny covering. The body is very trans- 
 parent, and is covered by a soft delicate skin without any scales. There are 
 no eyes, and no apparent ears, and the mouth is a mere longitudinal fissure 
 under that part of the body which we are compelled, for want of a better 
 term, to call the head, and its orifice is crossed by numerous cirrhi, 
 averaging from twelve to fifteen on each side. Altogether, it really seems to 
 be a less perfect and less developed animal than many of the higher molluscs. 
 The general aspect of the Lancelet is not unlike that of another fish called 
 the leptocephalus, the delicate transparent body and the diagonal arrange- 
 ment of the muscles causing a considerable resemblance between the two. 
 But the leptocephalus is at once distinguished by its head, which, although 
 very small in proportion to the body, is yet perfect, possessing well-developed 
 eyes, gill-covers, jaws, and teeth ; whereas the Lancelet has no particular 
 head, and neither eyes, gill- covers, jaws, nor teeth. 
 
 K K 
 
INVERTEBRATE ANIMALS. 
 
INVERTEBRATE ANIMALS. 
 
 MOLLUSCS. 
 
 We now come to the second great division into which all animated beings 
 have been distinguished. All the creatures which we have liitherto examined, 
 however different in form they may be, the ape and the eel being good 
 examples of this external dissimilarity, yet agree in one point, namely, that 
 they possess a spinal cord, protected by vertebrae, and are therefore termed 
 Vertebrated animals. 
 
 But with the fishes ends the division of vertebrates, and we now enter upon 
 another vast division in which there is no true brain and no vertebra. These 
 creatures are classed together under the name of Invertebrate animals ; a 
 somewhat insufficient title, as it is based upon a negative and not on a positive 
 principle. Whatever may be its defects, it has been too long received, and 
 is too generally accepted, to be disturbed by a new phraseology, and though 
 it be founded on the absence and not the presence of certain structures, it is 
 concise and intelligible. 
 
 The first order of Invertebrate animals is called Mollusca, a name 
 ■jiven to these creatures on account of the soft envelope which surrounds 
 their bodies. 
 
 The highest of the molluscs are those beings which are classed together 
 under the title of Cephalopoda. This term is derived from two Greek 
 words, the former signifying " a head," and the latter " a foot," and is applied 
 to these creatures because the feet, or arms as they might also be called, are 
 arranged in a circular manner round the mouth. 
 
 They are all animals of prey, and are furnished with a tremendous 
 apparatus for seizure and destruction. Their long arms are furnished with 
 round hollow discs, set in rows, each disc being a powerful sucker, and, when 
 applied to any object, retaining its hold with wonderful tenacity. The mode 
 by which the needful vacuum is made is simple in the extreme. The centre 
 of the disc is filled with a soft, fleshy protuberance, which can be withdrawn 
 at the pleasure of the owner. When therefore the edges of the disc are 
 applied to an object, and the piston^like centre withdrawn, a partial vacuum 
 is formed, and the disc adheres like a cupping-glass or a boy's leather sucker. 
 
 These discs are all under the command of the owner, which can seize any 
 object with an instantaneous grasp, and relax its hold with equal celerity. 
 The arms are as movable and as useful to the cuttle-fish as the 
 proboscis to the elephant, for besides answering the purposes which have 
 been mentioned, they are also used as legs, and enable the creature to crawl 
 on the ground, the shell being then uppermost. 
 
 Our first example is the celebrated Argonaut, or Paper Nautilus, 
 the latter title being given on account of the extreme thinness and fragility 
 of the shell, which crumbles under a heedless grasp like the shell of an egg, 
 and the former in allusion to the pretty fable which was formerly narrated of 
 its sailing powers. It is rather remarkable, by the way, that the shell of the 
 Argonaut is, during the life of its owner, elastic and yielding, almost as if it 
 were made of thin horn. 
 
 Two of the arms of the Argonaut are greatly dilated at their extremities ; 
 and it was formerly asserted, and generally believed, that the creature was 
 accustomed to employ these arms as sails, raising them high above the shell, 
 and allowing itself to be driven over the surface by the breeze, while it 
 directed its course by the remaining arms, which were suffered to hang over 
 
£02 
 
 THF PAPER NAUTILUS. 
 
 the edge of the shell into the water and acted like so many oars. In conse- 
 quence of this belief, the creature was named the Argonaut, in allusion to the 
 old classical fable of the ship Argo and her golden treight. 
 
 Certainly, the Ar^n herself could not have carried a more splendid cargo 
 than is borne by the shell of the Argonaut when its inhabitant is living and 
 in its full enjoyment of life and health. The animal, or '■ poulp " as it is 
 technically called, is indeed a most lovely creature, despite of its unattractive 
 form. " It appeared," writes Mr. Rang, when describing one of these 
 creatures which had been captured alive, " little more than a shapeless mass, 
 but it was a mass of silver, with a cloud of spots of the most beautiful rose- 
 colour, and a fine dotting of the same, which heightened its beauty. A long 
 semicircular band of ukramarine blue, which melted away insensibly, was vei-y 
 decidedly marked at one of its extremities,- that is of the keel. A large mem 
 
 ARGONAUT OR PAPER NAUTILUS. — {Argonauta Argo.) 
 
 brane covered all, and this membrane was the expanded velation of the arms, 
 which so peculiarly characterises the poulp of the Argonaut. 
 
 " The animal was so entirely shut up in its abode, that the head and base 
 of the arms only were a little raised above the edges of the opening of the 
 shell. On each side of the head a small space was left free, allowing the eyes 
 of the mollusc some scope of vision around, and their sharp and fixed gaze 
 appeared to announce that the animal was watching attentively all that passed 
 around it. The slender arms were folded back from their base, and inserted 
 very deeply round the body of the poulp, in such a manner as to fill in part 
 the empty spaces which the head must naturally leave in the much larger 
 opening of the shell." 
 
 U, K. 
 
 a.ijj then proceeds to ^hpw the real use of the expanded arms, whicl 
 
THE WEBBED SEFIA, 
 
 503 
 
 is to cover the shell on its exterior, and, as has since been definitely proved, to 
 build up its delicate texture and to repair damages, the substance ot the sheii 
 being secreted bythese arms, and by their broad expansions moulded into shape. 
 
 I'he modes of progression employed by the Argonaut are to the full as 
 wondrous as its fabied hauits of sailing. lis progression by crawling has 
 already been casually mentioned. While thus engaged, the creature turns 
 itself so as to rest on its head, withdraws its body as tar as possible into its 
 shell, and, using its arms like legs, creeps slowly but securely along the 
 ground, sometimes affixing its discs to stones or projecting points of rocks 
 for the purpose of hauling itself along. 
 
 When, however, it wishes to attain greater speed, and to pass through the 
 wide waters, it makes use of a totally different principle. 
 
 As has already been mentioned, the respiration is achieved by the passage 
 of wattr over the double gills or branchiae ; the water, after it has completed 
 its purpose, being ejected through a moderately long tube, technically called 
 the sipnoii. The orifice of the siphon is directed towards the head of the 
 animal, and it is by means of this simple apparatus that the act of progression 
 is effected. When tlie creature desires to dart rapidly through the water, it 
 
 WEBBED SEPIA. — [Cirrhotfuthi^ Muneri.) 
 COMMON SEPIA. — {Sepia officinalis.) 
 
 gathers its six arms in a straight line, so as to afford the slightest possible 
 resistance to the water through which it passes, keeps its related arms 
 stretched tightly over the shell, and then by violently ejecting water from 
 the siphon, drives itself, by the reaction, in the opposite direction. 
 
 As the various cephalopods are so numerous as to preclude all possibility of 
 figuring and describing each species, we must therefore content ourselves 
 with a typical form of each family and a general account of its members. 
 
 The lower figure in the illustration represents the common Sepia of our 
 
504 
 
 THE LITTLE SQUID. 
 
 own seas. It is chiefly remarkable for the chalky internal skeleton, commonly 
 called Cuttle-bone, and much used for the manufacture of tooth-powder. 
 This year, 18; 5, 1 found eight of these bones on the sands at Margate, and 
 all within a space of a few yards square. The *one is seen lying on the 
 right of the animil. 
 
 The upper figure is that of the Webbed Sepia, an inhabitant of Green- 
 land, and very rare. Its colour is violet. 
 
 The species belonging to the family of the Octopodidje, or Eight-armed 
 Cuttles, possess no external shell like that of the nautilus, its place 
 being taken by two short styles or " pens " in the substance of the mantle. 
 Tnere are eight arms, unequal in length, and furnished with double or single 
 rows of the suckers which have already been described. 
 
 They are solitary beings, voracious to a degiee, and so active that they 
 find little difficulty in capturing their prey or in escaping from ihe attacks 
 of their enemies. Even when pursued into the narrow precincts of a rock- 
 pool, the creature is not easily caught. When threatened, or if apprehensive 
 of danger, the Polypus, as the animal was formerly called, darts with arrowy 
 swiftness from one side of the pool to the other. 
 
 The common Octopus is now familiar to all those who have visited the 
 
 LITTLE SQUID, OR 5^rioi.A..—[S/piola Atlantica.) OCTOVVS.— (Octopus vurgaris.) 
 
 great aquaria at Brighton and the Crystal Palace, where its extraordinary 
 movements and great power of the arms are well shown. 
 
 The family of the Teuthidse, popularly known as Calamaries, or Squids, 
 are distinguished by their elongated bodies, their short and broad fins, and 
 the horny shell or pen which is found in their interior. All the squids are very 
 active, and snnie species called. Flying Squids by sailors, and Owmastrephes 
 by systematic naturalists, are able to dash out of the sea and dart to con- 
 siderable distances. 
 
 Our present example of this family is the LliriE Squid, or Sepiola, of 
 which genus six species are known, inhabiting mosl parts of the world, and 
 living on our own shores. 
 
 The celebrated " ink " of these creatures, from which the valuable colour 
 called •' sepia " was formerly obtained, deserves a brief notice. 
 _ This substance is liquid, and is secreted in a sac popularly termed, from 
 Its office, the " ink-bag." The sac is filled with a spongy kind of matter, in 
 which the ink lies, and from which it can be forcibly expelled at the will of 
 the animal. . The ink-bag is not always in the same positionj but some 
 
THE CHAMBERED NAUTILUS. 505 
 
 species have it in the liver, others near the siphon, and others among the 
 viscera. There is a communication between the ink-bag and the siphon, 
 60 that when the ink is ejected it is forcibly thrown out together with the 
 water. Thus the very effort for escape serves the double purpose of urging 
 the creature away from danger and discolouring the watt r in which it swims. 
 
 The animal can eject the ink with such force that it has been known to 
 dedecorate a naval officer's white duck trousers with its liquid missile, the 
 aggrieved individual always asserting that it took a deliberate aim for that 
 purpose. 
 
 Generally, the animal throws out its ink on the least alarm, a circumstance 
 of some importance in geology. It was discovered by Dr. Buckland that in 
 many specimens of fossil cephalopods, called scientifically Geoteuthis, i e., 
 Earth Squid, the ink-bag remained in the animal untouched by its long sojourn 
 within the earth, and even retained its quality of rapid mixture with water. 
 A drawing was actually made by Sir F. Chantrey, with a portion of " sepia " 
 taken from a fossil species, and the substance proved to be of such excellent 
 quality, that an artist to whom the sketch was shown was desirous of learnir.g 
 the name of the colourman who prepared the tint. 
 
 The curious skeleton of the Sepia, popularly called " Cuttle-bone," is com- 
 posed of many tiers of tiny chalk pillars, which can only be seen by the aid 
 of the microscope. 
 
 Another order of cephalopods is called by the name of Tetrabranchiata 
 or Four-gilled animals, because the organs of respiration are composed 
 of four branchise. These creatures possess a very strong external shell, 
 which is divided into a series of gradually-increasing compartments con- 
 nected together by a central tube called the siphuncle. As the animal grows, 
 it continues to enlarge its home, so that its age can be inferred from the 
 number of chambers comprising its shell. 
 
 In former days these creatures were veiy abundant, but in our day the 
 only known living representative is the Chambered or Pearly Nautilus. 
 
 While the animal still lives, the short tubes that pass through the walls of 
 the chambers are connected by membranous pipes, and even in a specimen 
 that has been long dead, these connecting links hold their places, provided 
 that the shell has not been subjected to severe shocks. In one of these 
 shells now before me, which I have very cautiously opened, the whole series 
 of membranous tubes can be seen in their places, black and shrivelled 
 externally, but perfect tubes nevertheless. 
 
 The colour of the shell is very beautiful. The ground is white, over which 
 are drawn, as with single dashes of a painter's brush, sundry bold streaks of 
 reddish chestnut, mostly coalescing above, and reaching nearly to the centre 
 of the spiral. This porcelain-like material is, however, only an outer coat 
 laid on the real pearly substance of the shell, which is seen on looking into 
 the hollow or into any of the chambers. The Chinese avail themselves of 
 this double coating, and, with the untiring perseverance of their laborious 
 nature, take the greatest trouble to spoil the finest shells by covering them 
 with their grotesquely unperspective carvings of figures and landscapes, cut 
 so as to relieve the deep colour of the raised figures by the white pearly 
 background; Unlike the shell of the argonaut, which is almost as fragile 
 as if made of sugar, that of the Nautilus is firm and s'rong, and will bear a 
 considerable amount of rough handling before betraying any signs of injury. 
 
 The order which now comes before our notice is composed of animals 
 which crawl' upon a broad muscular organ, termed, from its use, the foot. 
 It is an enormously large order, containing all the snails, whether terrestrial, 
 aquatic, or marine, the whelks, limpets, and similar animals not so familiarly 
 known. Many species are much used as food, while others are of great 
 
5o6 
 
 THE CHAMBERED NAUTILUS. 
 
 service in the arts, furnishing employment to many hundreds of workmen. 
 As the shell of these creatures consists of one piece or valve only, they are 
 sometimes termed Univalves, in contradistinction to the oysters, mussels, 
 scallops, and similar shells, which are termed Bivalves in allusion to their 
 double shell. 
 
 There is a structure belonging to these animals which must be described 
 before proceeding further, inasmuch as iis shape and comparative dimeiv 
 sions often afford valuable indications by which a species, or even a genus 
 may be distinguished. This structure is called "nnerrnlum," and its use. 
 
 CHAMBERED NAUTILUS. — (^^auiitus I uinputuS.) 
 
 when fully developed, is to close the aperture of the shell when the animal 
 has withdrawn itself into the recesses of its home. 
 
 The operculum can be well seen in the water-snails, where it attains its 
 full size, and exactly fits the opening which it is intended to protect. The 
 material of which the operculum is essentially composed is a homy substance, 
 but in some species the horn is strengthened by layers of the same nacreous 
 matter which lines the shell, and becomes so thick and heavy, that when 
 found separate from its owner it is often mistaken for some species of shell. 
 The operculum is very variable bnth in its form and comnnrati'-eMimensions, 
 and even in its presence or absence. Sometimes it is circular, like a flat 
 
WHELKS. 
 
 507 
 
 THORNY WOODCOCK. — (Murex tenuispinis.) 
 
 plate, and composed of concentric circles, while in sorne species it assumes 
 a le^uiarly spiral form like a flattened watch-spring. 
 
 The shells that are included in the family of the Muricidae may readily be 
 distinguished by the straight beak or canal in front, and the absence of any 
 such canal behind. All the animals belonging to this family are not only 
 carnivorous, but rapacious, preying on other molluscs, and destroying them 
 with the terrible armature called the tooth-ribbon, which, when examined with 
 the microscope, proves to be a set of adamantine teeth, sharp-edged and 
 pointed i.s those of the shark, and cutting their way through the hard shells 
 of their victims as the well-known cordon saw passes through thick blocks 
 of hard wood. 
 
 About one hundred and eighty species are known to belong to the typical 
 genus, and there is hardly a 
 portion of the world where 
 a Murex of some kind may 
 not be found. 
 
 The illustration represents 
 the shell which is popularly 
 known under the name of 
 Thorny Woodcock, the 
 latter title being given to it, 
 in common with several of 
 its congeners, on account of 
 its long beak, which is 
 thought to bear some resem- 
 blance to that of the wood- 
 cock, and the former in allusion to the vast number of lengthened spines or 
 thorns which are arranged regularly over its surface. It has also received 
 the equally a"propriate and more poetical name of VenUS'S Comb. 
 
 This shell is found in the Indian Ocean, and varies greatly in dimensions, 
 four or five inches being about the average length. It is evident that as 
 nothing is ever made in vain, or to be wasted, the wonderful array of external 
 spines must play some important part in nature, if not in the economy of 
 the particular species. But what that part may be, and what may be the 
 object of these beautiful structures, is a problem which seems almost 
 insoluble, at all events with our present means of discovery. 
 
 The colour of the shell is very pale brown, each ridge being slightly tuber- 
 culated and edged with white. The spines are uniform drab or very pale 
 brown, with an almost horny translucence. 
 
 We now arrive at another and rather larger family, of which the common 
 Whelk is a familiar example. 
 
 This is one of the most carnivorous of our 
 molluscs, and among the creatures of its own 
 class is as destructive as the lion among the 
 herds of antelopes. Its long tongue, armed 
 with row upon row of curved and sharp-edged 
 teeth, harder than the notches of a file, and 
 keen as the edge of a lancet, is a most irre- 
 sistible instrument when rightly applied, drill- 
 ing a circular hole through the thickest shells 
 as easily as a carpenter's centre-bit works its 
 way through a deal board. 
 
 The front of the tongue often has its teeth sadly broken, or even wanting 
 altogether, but their place, is soon supplied by others, which make their 
 way gradually forward, and are brought successively into use as wanted. 
 
 WHELK. — (Buccinum 
 '. nUatum. ) 
 
5o8 
 
 WHELKS. 
 
 As a general rule, there are about a hundred rows of teeth in tlie "Wltellc^ 
 tongue ; each row contains three teeth, and each tooth is deeply cleft 
 into several notches, which practically gives the creature so many additional 
 teeth. 
 
 Vast quantities of Whelks are taken annually for the markets, and are 
 consumed almost wholly by the poorer classes, who consider them in the 
 light of a delicacy. They are, however, decidedly tough and stringy in 
 texture, and, like the periwinkle, which is also largely eaten, are not 
 particularly digestible. The mode of taking these molluscs is very simple. 
 Large wicker baskets are baited with the refuse portions of fish and 
 lowered to the bottom of the sea by ropes. The ever-hungry Whelks 
 instinctively discover the feast, crowd into the basket by thousands, and are 
 
 IMPERIAL HARP-SHELL. — (Harpa imptrialU.) 
 
 taken by merely raising the laden basket to the surface and emptying it into 
 a tub. Sometimes the Whelk is captured by the dredge, but the baited 
 basket is the quickest and surest method. Besides its use as an arti le of 
 human consumption, it is sometimes employed by the fishermen as bait for 
 their hooks. 
 
 The reader will doubtless have observed on the sea-shore considerable 
 masses of little yellowish capsules, mostly empty, and so light as to be 
 drifted on the surface of the sea like so many masses of corks. These are 
 the empty egg-cases of the Whelk. At the proper season of the year, when 
 the unhatched egg-clusters are flung on the shores by the gales, the little 
 Whelks can be di-covered within the capsules, several shells being found in 
 each case. Later in the season, the egg-capsules will be seen to be split 
 open at one end, so as to allow the young to escape. 
 
THE MAGILUS. 
 
 509 
 
 When hatched, the young escape into the sea through a round hole in 
 the capsule. 
 
 The sweeping: curves, broad swelling lip, and regu'ar ridges of the next 
 genus of shells have earned for them the popular title by which they aie 
 known. 
 
 About nine or ten species belong to this pretty genus, some of which are 
 rare and costly. The Imperial Harp-shell, which is represented in 
 the engraving on page 508, is still a valuable shell ; but in former days, when 
 the facilities of commerce were far less than at present, it could only be 
 purchased at a most extravagant rate. 
 
 The Harp-shells are only found in the hottest seas, and are taken mostly 
 on the shores of the Mauritius, Ceylon, and the Philippine Islands. They 
 frequent the softer and more muddy parts of the coast, and prefer deep to 
 shallow water. None of the harp-shells possess the operculum. 
 
 The colour of the Imperial-harp is pale chrstnut and white, with a dash 
 of yellow, arranged in tolerably regular and slightly spiral bands. 
 
 One of the strangest, though not the most beautiful, of shells is the 
 Magilus, a native of the Red Sea and the Mauritius. 
 
 On reference to the illustration, the reader will see two figures, one repre- 
 
 MAGILUS. — (Ma^lus antiquus.") 
 
 senting a group of madrepores, in which a small and delicate shell is lying, 
 and the other a long, crumpled, and partly spiral tube, with a shell at one end 
 and an opening at the other. Strange as the assertion may seem, these two 
 figures represent the same animal in two stages of its development. 
 
 For the purpose, apparently, of carrying out some mysterious object, the 
 Magilus resides wholly in the masses of madrepore, and in its early vouth is 
 a thin delicate shell without anything remarkable about it. As it advances 
 in age, it enlarges in size, as is the case with most creatures ; but its growth is 
 confined to one direction, and instead of enlarging in diameter, it merely 
 increases in length. The cause of the rontinual addition made to its length is 
 probably to be found in the growth of the madrepore in which it is sheltered, 
 and which would soon inclose the Magilus within it stony walls, did not the 
 
510 
 
 CONE SHELLS. 
 
 mollusc provide against such a fate by lengthening its shell and taking up 
 its residence in the mouth. 
 
 The most curious point, however, in the ecotiomy of the Magilus is, that 
 as fast as it adds a new shell in front, it fills up the cavity behind with a solid 
 concretion of shelly matter, very hard, and of an almost crystalline structure, 
 so as to leave about the same amount of space as in the original shell. The 
 animal is always to be found in the very front of the shelly tube, and closes 
 the apenure with a strong operculum that effectually shields it against all foes. 
 
 We now pass to the Cone-shells, or Conidae, a family so called on 
 account of their form. All the Cones have a similar external outline : the 
 aperture is long and narrow, the head of the living animal is more or less 
 lengthened, the foot is splay and abruptly cut off in front, the tentacles are 
 rather widely separate, and the eyes are placed upon these organs. 
 
 The right-hand figure represents the Textile Cone-shell, brought from 
 the Mauritius. This handsome species is about four or five inches in length 
 and its markings are curiously disposed, so that it is impossible to say which 
 
 ADMIRAL CONE. — [Conus ammiralis.) 
 
 TEXTILE covsY..—(Comis textilis.) 
 
 \s the ground colour. The dark, narrow, angular lines are dark brown, 
 accompanied by white, and variegated by dashes of yellow umber. The bold 
 triangular spots are pure white, and the inside of the shell is of the same colour. 
 
 The empty shell lying on the ground, at the left of the illustration, is the 
 Admiral Cone, and is placed so as to exhibit the peculiarities of the long 
 and narrow aperture. This species, in common with the other members of 
 the genus, haunts the fissures and holes in rocks, and the warmer pools in 
 coral reefs. They all take a moderate range of depth, varying from one to 
 forty fathoms. 
 
 We now come to the family of the Cowries, or Cyprasidas, two representa- 
 tives of which family aregiven on page 511. 
 
 All the Cowries are lovers of the shallow waters near shore, and are 
 carnivorous in their habits, feeding mostly upon the numerous zoophytes 
 that inhabit the same coasts. These shells change their forms in a truly 
 remarkable manner. When young, the shell is very like that of a volute 
 having a prominent spire and a rather wide-spreading lip ; but in process of 
 
COIVRIES. 
 
 S" 
 
 time the lobes of the mantle expand over it on either side, and by degrees 
 deposit so thick a layer of smooth, shining substance, that the spire is 
 entirely hidden. The pale streak which generally exists along the back of 
 the Cowries indicates the line where the edges of the mantle nearly meet. 
 
 This little Cowry is so well known as to need no description. 
 
 The celebrated Money Cowry {Cyprcea moneta) belongs to this genus. 
 These little white shells are well known as being the medium 
 of barter in many parts of Western Africa ; and vast 
 multitudes are gathered from their home iil the Pacific and 
 Eastern seas, and imported into tiiis country for the purpose 
 of immediate exportation to the African coast. Sixty 
 tons' weight of Money Cowries have been freighted at a single 
 British port in one year. money cowry. 
 
 The grooved or wrinkled edges of the lip are well known (^''"^ '' """"' " > 
 to everyone who has handled a Cowry, and these ridges 
 assume a remarkable development in the Deep-toothed Cowry, a figure 
 of which is here given, the empty shell being laid so as to exhibit the opening 
 and the lips. The colour of this shell is extremely variable, but is mostly a 
 mottled wood-brown, sometimes diversified with bands, and dark inside. It 
 is not a very large species. 
 
 We now arrive at a vast army of shells called the Sea Snatls, and 
 distinguished by having the edges of the aperture without notches, the 
 shell spiral or limpet-shaped, and the operculum either horny or covered with 
 Iiard, smooth, shelly muter. 
 
 One of the most curious of these shells is the Spined Neritina. The 
 operculum is shelly, with a flexible border, and has some small teeth on its 
 itrait edge. All the Neritinas are globular ii) their general shape, darkly 
 
 DEEP-TOOTHED COWRY. — (Cypnp.a caurica.) spined neritina.— (^A/irrii'/wa sfiinosa), 
 
 spotted or banded with black and purple, and covered with a polished bone- 
 like epidermis. The colour of the Spined Neritina is deep green black on 
 the exterior and blackish white within. The shell is thick and solid at the 
 aperture, but becomes thinner towards the interior. 
 
 In the family of the Turritellidae, the shell is either tubular or spiral ; the 
 aperture is not waved, notched, or formed into canals ; the foot is very small, 
 the muzzle is short, and the eyes sunk rather deeply into the base of the 
 tentacles. 
 
 ■ The lower figure in the accompanying engraving represents thd empty shell 
 of the Stair-case or Precious Wentletrap, in former days one of the 
 scarcest and most costly of the specimens of which a conchologist's cabinet 
 
512 
 
 WENTLETRAP SHELLS. 
 
 could boast There was hardly any sum which a wealthy connoisseut or 
 virtuoso, as the fashion was then to call those who were fond of natural i 
 history, would not gfive for an especially large and perfect example of this 
 really pretty shell. Now, however, its glory has departed, for a tolerably good 
 specimen may be procured for a few shillings, and a Wentletrap which would 
 a few years ago have been sold for fifty pounds can now be purchased for 
 fifteen shillings. 
 
 Putting aside, however, the question of rarity or cost, this shell is a very 
 interesting one, both for its beauty and the mode of its construction. It is 
 purely white, and partly transparent, the elevated ridges being of a more 
 snowy white than the body of the shell, on account of their superior thick- 
 ness, which does not permit the light to pass through them as in the case of 
 the thinner body. The whorls of this shell are separate from each other 
 and, apparently bound together only by the projecting ridges, so that the 
 general appearance is as if a long conical tube had been loosely coiled, and 
 each whorl kept in its place by a succession of shelly elevations. This 
 beautiful shell is found in the Indian and Chinese seas. 
 
 The smaller figure, showing the shell attached to the animal, represents 
 
 COMMON WENTLETRAP. — [Scolaria communis^ 
 STAIRCASE WENTLEl'RAP. — (Scalaria prettosa.) 
 
 the Common or False Wentletrap, a species tolerably common upon 
 our coasts. 
 
 In this shell, the whorls are united together and furnished with a number of 
 circul.ir elevations, which, however, are not nearly so bold as those of the 
 preceding species, but thick in proportion to their height, set obliquely on 
 the shell, and smooth. 
 
 We now arrive at another family, termed the Litorinidfe, or Shore 
 Molluscs, because the greater number of them frequent the coasts, and feed 
 upon the various algae. The shell is always spiral and never pearly, by 
 which latter characteristic it may be distinguished from ceitain shells 
 belonging to another family, but somewhat similar in external appearance. 
 The aperture is rounded. The animal has its eye set at the outer base of 
 
l-HEASAhlT SHELLS. 
 
 S'J 
 
 the tentacles, and the foot is remarkable for a longitudinal groove along the 
 sole,:SD iliat in the art of walking each side adviinces in its turn. The tongue 
 is rather long, and is armed witli a formidable series of sliai p teeth that serve 
 admiraoly for the purpose of scraping away the vegetable matter on which the 
 animal feeds. The operculum is horny, and rather spiral. The common 
 Pkriwinkle {Litorina litorea) is the most familiar example of this family, and 
 is too well known to need any detailed description. 
 The Periwmkle is found upon our rocks in great pro- 
 fusion, occupying the zone between high and low water 
 and always being found near the edge of the tide. 
 
 In former days, the Pheasant-sHells were 
 articles of great price and rarity, somt; specimens 
 almost rivalling the precious wentletrap in the enor- 
 mous sums asked and obtained for til em. Now,, 
 however, that their habitations have been dis- 
 covered and more frequent voyages are made, 
 they have become comparatively plentiful'., although, 
 from the fragility of their structure, a perfect speci- 
 men is not at all common, and will still bring 
 a good price in the conchological market. 
 
 The Pheasant shells are now found in great numbers on the sandy beaches 
 of several shores, being especially plentiful on the coast of Port Western 
 in Bass's Straits. The high tide sweeps them towards the shore, where 
 they, are left by the receding waters, and seek for shelter beneath the masses 
 of sea- weed that are always flung on the beach by the tide. On lifting these 
 sheltering weeds, the Pheasant-shells may be found crowded together under 
 
 PERlViriNKLE. — {Litorina 
 litorea. ) 
 
 COMMON TOP. — (Trochus zixyphinus^ 
 AUSTRALIAN PHEASANT SHELL. — {Fhasianelli Australis.) 
 
 their wet fronds. They can move with some speed, the duplicate nature 
 of the foot aiding them greatly in progression. 
 
 The little pointed shell on the left side of the illustration is the well-known 
 Top of our own shores. 
 
 This httle shell, which is here represented of the natural size, is one of the 
 
 L L 
 
514 
 
 LIMPETS AND MAILSHELLS. 
 
 LIMPET.. — (/atella 
 vulgaris.) 
 
 LIMPET. 
 
 (Showing underside.) 
 
 most plentiful species of the British coasts, and may be found by hundreds 
 either crawhng among the sea weeds at low water, or flung upon the sands by 
 the tide. The shell of this creature is beautifully pearly, and when the outer 
 coating is removed the iridescent nacre below has a very lovely appearance. 
 Jewellers and lapidaries employ these shells largely in their art, polishing 
 them carefully and then stringing them together so 
 as to form bracelets and necklaces, or affixing them 
 as ornaments to various head-dresses. 
 
 The well-known univalves, so familiar under the 
 name of Limpets, are divided in'o several families, 
 on account of certain variations in the structure of 
 the shell. The first family is termed Frssurellidse, 
 on account of the fissure which appears either at 
 the apex or in the front edge of the shell. 
 
 All the Limpets are strongly adhesive to rocks, 
 as is well known by everyone who has tried to remove 
 one of tht'se molluscs from the stony surface to 
 which they clung. The means by which the animal 
 is able to attach itself with such firmness is ana- 
 logous to the mode in which the suckers of the 
 cuttle-fish adhere to the objects which they seize, 
 the formation of a vacuum, and the consequent 
 pressure of the atmoshere, being the means em- 
 ployed. The foot of the Limpet is rounded, broad, 
 thick, and powerful ; and when the animal wishes to cling tightly to any 
 substance, it presses the foot firmly upon the surface, and retracts its centre, 
 while its edges remain affixed to the rock. A partial vacuum is therefore 
 formed, and the creature becomes as firmly attached to the rock as a boy's 
 leathern sucker to the stone on which he has pressed it. 
 
 We now come to the curious family of molluscs called appropriately 
 
 --^ - — _ ^— Chitonidae, or Mailshclls, because their 
 
 ^ shells are jointed together like the pieces 
 of plate armour. When separated from 
 each 01 her, the plates bear a strong resem- 
 blance to the joint of a steel gauntlet, and 
 overlap each other in a similar fashion, 
 a thick and strong mantle taking the 
 place of the leather. There are eight of 
 these plates, and all of them have a some- 
 what saddle-like shape. A similar arrange- 
 ment may be observed in the lower ab- 
 dominal plates of II. any beetles. Each of 
 these plates is fixed to the mantle by certain rounded processes from their 
 front edge, and when the plates are examined separately the processes will 
 be plainly seen, white and pearly, as the interior of the shell. 
 
 The Chitons are able to roll themselves up in a partial kind of manner, 
 and present a curious resemblance to the well-known armadillo, or pill 
 woodlouse. 
 
 The illustration represents the M ARBf ED CHITON, a rather prettily-coloured 
 shell, its exterior being rusty red mixed with brown and yellow, and edged 
 with brown. 
 
 Passing from the sea to the land, we come to those Gasteropods which 
 breathe atmospheric air, and are furnished with respiratory organs suited to 
 the element in which they live. 
 The first family is that of the Snails, or Helicidse, containing a vast 
 
 MARBLED CHITON. — {^Chiton 
 murmorcus.) 
 
SLUGS. 
 
 S^S 
 
 number of species. Most of the Snails have a shell large enough to permit 
 the animal to withdraw itself wholly into the protecting domicile. 
 
 The genus Helix, which is universally accepted as the type of this family, 
 is of enormous extent, both in numbers and in range of locahty, containing 
 more than tourteen hundred species, and spread nearly over the whole 
 earth. 
 
 Our present example is the common Snail, which is even now largely con- 
 sumed in many parts of the world, and is regularly fed and fattened for that 
 purpose. 
 
 It is thought a delicacy by those who are sufficiently strong-minded to eat 
 it ; and it is quite common to see, even in Paris, the poorer orders dressing 
 their dinner of Snails on an iron plate, heated over burning charcoal. 
 
 An aUied species, the Edible Snail, {helix pomatia) was introduced into 
 England by ti.e Romans, and still exists in many places. 
 
 Towards the end of autumn, the Snail ceases to feed, withdraws itself to 
 some sheltered spot, mostly under grass, moss, or dried leaves, and then 
 .sets about makmg its waiter habitation. This process is very curious, and 
 is thus described by Mr Bell : — 
 
 "Alargequantity of very viscid mucus is secreted on the under surface of the 
 foot, to which a layer of earth or dead leaves adheres ; this is turned on one 
 side, and, a fresh secretion being 
 
 thrown out, the layer of earth mixed 
 with mucus is left. The animal then 
 takes another layer of earth on the 
 bottom of the foot, turns it also to the 
 part where he intends to form the 
 wall of his habitation and leaves it 
 in the same manner, repeating the 
 process until the caviiy is sufficiently 
 large, and thus making the sides 
 smooth, even, and compact. Inform- 
 ing the dome or arch of the chamber, 
 a similar method is used ; the foot 
 
 lU^' 
 
 ■'^^ 
 
 COMMON SNAIL. — (Helix aspersa.) 
 
 collecting on its under surface a quantity of earth, and the animal, turning 
 it upwards, leaves it by throwing out fresh mucus ; and this is repeated until 
 a perfect roof is formed. 
 
 " As I have very often watched this curious process, I am certain of the 
 facts. On removing very carefully the portion of the roof soon after 
 its completion, I was enabled to see the formation of the operculum. 
 In about an hour, or even less, the whole surface of the collar of the 
 mantle instantaneously pours out the calcareous secretion in considerable 
 quantity. 
 
 "This is at first a fluid or thick cream, but very soon acquires exactly the 
 consistence of birdlime, being excessively adhesive and tenacious ; and in 
 about an hour after it is poured out it is perfectly solid." 
 
 We now arrive at the great family of Limacida;, or SLUGS, a race of 
 beings which many a gardener doubtless wishes extinct. 
 
 In these creatures the foot and body are indistinguishable from each other ; 
 the head is retractile ; and the whole creature can be gathered into a short 
 rounded mass, looking so like a pebble that it would escape a casual glance. 
 At the first view, the Slugs appear to be destitute of shell, but on a closer 
 examination the shell is found upon the fore part of the body, and either 
 entirely or partly buried beneath the integuments. 
 
 The Great Grey Slug is the largest of the British species, and when 
 furnished with abundant food on which it can fatten itself during the night, 
 
 L L 2 
 
5i6 
 
 NUDIBRANCHS. 
 
 and a secure hiding-place, whither it can retreat during the day, often attain* 
 an enormous size. 
 
 The Water Snails are represented by the common POND-SNAIL, or 
 LlMN/EA, shown in the act of climbing up the stem of a water-plant. In 
 all the members of this family the shell is thin, and sufficiently capacious to 
 contain the entire animal when it desires to ^withdraw itself into its home. 
 The aperture is simply rounded, without notches or ridges, and the lip is 
 sharp. 
 
 It may be found plentifully in nearly all streams where the water is not 
 polluted, and the current not very swift. I have genefally found that the 
 back eddies of "lashers" are favourite haunts of various^ Water Snails, 
 
 
 .*v ^ 
 
 
 
 Sisaas-^ - -^ V V^ltejAii^ 
 
 k 
 
 
 ^^ • • " **^^iBBiii?^B 
 
 ■ft 
 
 
 ^^jF^^m 
 
 ^K," 
 
 
 ■ 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 r 
 
 
 
 1^ 
 
 4i 
 
 
 W 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^^^B^^^^^^^^ssil^H^^^H 
 
 ^£i 
 
 A 
 
 rf^^^^^^^^^fli^^^^^^H 
 
 ^^ 
 
 A 
 
 
 ^S 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 «H 
 
 SB^^^^^aM^M^^^W^^ 
 
 
 m^i 
 
 DORIS. — {Dons Jehmtont) 
 
 "7' 
 
 -"^t/^- 
 
 WATER SNAIL. —[Limnoa s/agnalis.) 
 
 EOLls. — (Eolis coronata.) 
 
 We now arrive at a very remarkable series of molluscs which have been 
 separated by systematic naturalists into a distinct section, appropriately 
 called Nudibranchidas, or Naked-gilled Molluscs, because their gills are 
 always external and placed on the back or sides of the animals. 
 
 The slug-like animal which is represented crawling on the frond of a 
 laminaria, is the common Doris of our own shores. All the members of his 
 family to which this creature belongs may be known bv the plume-like gills 
 set in a circle on the middle of the back, like the feathery coronet with 
 
PTEKOPODA. 
 
 5>7 
 
 which the Blackfoot Indian adorns the head of his horse, and the two 
 tentacles placed more towards the front. In the skin are imbedded a vast 
 number of little spiculae. 
 
 The beautiful EoLis is common on our own coasts, and may be seen 
 moving over the plants and stones with tolerable activity and always keeping 
 the tentacles and papillae in motion, sometimes contracting and sometimes 
 extending them, while the movement of the water causes them to wave in a 
 very graceful manner. These papillae possess the property of discharging 
 a milky kind of fluid when the animal is irritated. The fluid, however, is 
 quite harmless, at all events to the human skin. As in the previous case, the 
 papillae are liable to fall off at a touch. 
 
 A Small, but important, group of molluscs novi{ comes before us. These 
 are the Pteropoda, or Wing-footed Molluscs, so called from the fin-like lobes 
 that project from the sides, and are evidently analogous to the similar organs 
 in some of the sea-suails. These appendages are used almost like wings, 
 the creature flapping its way vigorously through the water, just as a butterfly 
 
 HYALEA, — (Hya^ra tridentata.) 
 (Empty shtU below.) 
 
 CLEODORA. — (Cleqdora pyramidata.') 
 
 urges its devious course through the air. They are found in the hotter seas, 
 swimming boldly in vast multitudes amid the wide waters, and one species 
 {Clioborealis) has long been celebrated as furnishing the huge Greenland 
 whale with the greater part of its subsistence. 
 
 ■ The curious figure on the left hand of the illustration is the Hyalea, 
 remai-kable not only for the two wide fins which are found in all the family 
 to which it belongs, but for the long appendages vifhich pass through certain 
 apertures in the shell, and trail behind as the creature procreds on its course. 
 It *ill be also seen that the wings are united by a nearly semicircular lobe. 
 The empty shell is placed below in order to show its structure. 
 
 Just on the right of the Hyalea is a smaller creature, with an odd-looking 
 three-pointed shell, hanging as it were from the wings. This is the 
 Cleodora, a very beautiful and interesting animal, of which Mr. F. D. 
 
5i8 
 
 THE SCALLOP. 
 
 Bennett writes as follows : — " On that part of the body which is lodged in 
 the apex of the shell, there is a small, globular, pellucid b'^dy, resembling a 
 vesicle, and which at night emits a luminous gleam, sufficiently vivid to be 
 visible even when it is opposed to the strong light of a lamp. It is the only 
 example of a luminous shell-fish I have ever met with ; nor would the 
 luminosity of this species be of any avail, did not the shell possess a 
 structure so vitreous and transparent. Examples were chiefly captured at 
 night or in the evening. 
 
 The next great group of molluscs is that which is known by the technical 
 term of Conchifera. In them each valve corresponds with the right or left side. 
 
 In the first family, of which the common Oyster is a very familiar 
 instance, the two valves are unequal in size, and the animal inhabits the sea. 
 The Oyster is too well known to need description ; but it may be mentioned, 
 that practical naturalists have for some years been carefully studying its 
 habits, for the purpose of breeding the valuable molluscs artificially, and so 
 of securing a constant supply throughout the four months of the year during 
 which the creature is out of condition. In this country the system is being 
 gradually carried out, but in France it is developed to a very large extent, 
 and with great success. 
 
 The next family are termed wing-shells, or Avicularidse because the 
 apices, or " umbones " as they are called, are flattened and spread on . either 
 
 OYSTER. — (Ostrea edulis.) 
 
 SCALLOP. — (Pecten jacobats.) 
 
 side something like the wing of a bird. The interior of the valves is pearly 
 and the exterior layer is composed of a kind of mosaic work of five or six 
 sided particles. This structure is easily to be seen by means of a 
 moderately powerful simple lens, merely by holding up a scallop or other shell 
 before the window, so as to allow the light to p iss through it. 
 
 The common Scallop is found along our southern coasts, and in the seas 
 of Europe. This shell was formerly used as the badge of a Pilgrim to the 
 Holy Land. 
 
 " His pilgrim's staff he bore, 
 
 And fix'd the Scallop in his hat before." 
 
 It is a singular fact, that in the stomach of a common Scallop is found an 
 earthy deposit, which, when boiled in nitric acid in order to dissolve the 
 animal and other portions, exhibits under a powerful microscope animalcules 
 
MUSSELS. 
 
 S^9 
 
 precisely similar to those which, in a fossil state, form the earth on which 
 the town of Richmond in America is built. Th» well-known Pearl 
 Oyster is one of the most valuable of the shell-bearing molluscs, furnishing 
 the greater part of the pearls that are set by jewellers and worn by ladies. 
 
 The pearls are secreted by the animal in precisely the same manner as the 
 nacre of the shell, and are, indeed, the same substance, formed into a 
 globular shape, and disposed in concentric layers so as to give that peculiar 
 translucency which is quite indescribable, but is known among jewellers by 
 the name of " water." 
 
 The Pearl Oyster does not produce its costly harvest under six or seven 
 years of age, and it is therefore a matter of importance that the bed should 
 be so managed that the young Oysters may be suffered to remain in peace 
 until they have attained an age which renders them capable of repaying the 
 expense of procuring ihem, and that no part of the bed should be harried where 
 the Oysters are too small to produce pearls. 
 
 The Oysters are now obtained by means of men who are trained to the 
 business, and who can remain under water for a considerable time without 
 being drowned. Each diver takes with him a net-bag for the purpose of 
 
 PEARL OYSTER — {MekagHna Margaritifera.') 
 
 UVSSKL. —{Mytilut Edulis.) 
 
 holding the Oysters, puts his foot into a stirrup, to which hangs a stone 
 weighing about thirty pounds, and after takine a long breath is swiftly carried 
 to the bottom. He then flinsjs himself on his face, fills his bag as fast as 
 he can, and when his breath begins to fail, shakes his rope as a signal, and 
 is drawn up together with the bag. 
 
 We now come to the large, useful, and even beautiful family of the 
 Mussels. 
 
 The Edible Mussel, so common in the fishmonger's shop and the coster- 
 monger's barrow, is found in vast profusion on our coasts, where it may be 
 seen moored to rocks, stones, and fibres, alternately covered with water or 
 left dry according to the flowing and ebbing of the tide. At some periods 
 of the year the Mussel is extremely injurious as an article of food, though the 
 effects seem to depend greatly on the constitution of the partaker. Attempts 
 iiave been successfully made to propagate the breed of Mus$els ; and the 
 
520 
 
 RAZOR-SHELLS. 
 
 vast plantations, as they may be called, of these creatures have increased to 
 such an extent, that they threaten to obliterate several useful bays for all 
 maritime purposes. 
 
 The family of the COCKLES, or Cardiadse, so called 
 from their heart-like shipe, is well represented by 
 the common Cockle {Cardium edule) of our British 
 shores. Generally, the Cocicle is a marine animal ; 
 but it sometimes prefers brackish water to the salt 
 waves of the ocean. 
 
 This mollusc frequents sandy bays, and remains 
 about low-water mark, burying itself in the sand by 
 means of the powerful foot, which enables it to leap 
 to a surprising height. 
 We now rome to the well-known Solenida or Razor-SHELLS, so called on 
 account of their shape. 
 
 These curious molluscs always live buried in the sand in aa upright 
 position, leaving only an opening shaped like a key-hole, which corresponds 
 with the two siphon tubes. 
 
 COCKLE. — [Cardium 
 
 edule.) 
 
 COMMON RAZOR-SHELL. — {Solen vagina.'^ 
 
 These creatures are generally found at a depth of one or two feet, and 
 when they make their burrows, as they are often in the habit of doing among 
 the rocks, not even the hooked iron can draw them from their retreat. 
 
 PiDDOCK.— (/%fl/ai dactylus.) 
 
 We next come to the Pholas. the best example of which is the common 
 species popularly called Piddock, and found in profusion along the sea- 
 coast. 
 
 The common Piddock may be found in vast numbers in every sea-covered 
 chalk rock, into which it has the gift of penetrating so as to protect itself 
 from almost every foe. 
 
 Mr. Woodward remarks, very justly, that the " condition of the Pholades is 
 always related to the nature of the material in which they are found burrow- 
 ing ; in soft-sea beds they attain the largest size and greatest perfection, whilst 
 in hard and especially gritty rock they are dwarted in size, and all prominent 
 points and ridges appear worn by friction. No notice is taken of the hvpo- 
 thesis which ascribes the perforation of rocks, &c., to ciliary action, because 
 
FOLYZOA. 
 
 521 
 
 in fact there is no current between the shell, or siphon, and the wall of the 
 tube." As soon as the animal has completely buried itself it ceases to bur- 
 row, and only projects the ends of the siphon from the aperture of the tunnel. 
 Allied to the precedmg molluscs is the Shipworm, so called from its 
 depredations on the bottoms of ships and all submerged wooden structures ; 
 it is found in most seas, and on our own coasts works fearful damage by 
 
 SHii'-wokM. — ( Teredo iiuvaiu.] 
 
 eating into piles, planks, or even loose wood that lies tossing about in 
 the ocean. 
 
 When removed from the tube the Shipworm is seen to be a long greyish 
 white animal, about one foot in length and half an inch in thickness. At one 
 end there is a rounded head, and at the other a forked tail. The curious 
 three-lobed valves are seen on the right hand as they appear before being 
 separated from the animal. The burrow which the creature forms is either 
 wholly or partially lined with shell, and it is worthy of notice that the Ship- 
 worm and its mode of burrowing was the object that gave Sir I. Brunei the 
 idea of the Thames Tunnel. 
 
 POLYZOA. 
 
 The very remarkable beings which now come before our notice are appro- 
 priately termed Polyzoa, from two Greek words, signifying "many animals," 
 
 ^^^^^ 
 
 A. Calenicella lorica. B. Calenicella hastata. C. Catenicella cornuta. 
 
 D. Calpidium ornatum. E. Salicomaria jarriminoides. F. Celluiaria Peachii. 
 
 G. Menipea Fuguensis. (Mouth of a cell. ) 
 
 bec!>"se a large number of individuals are massed together in groups of 
 varioiis forms and textures. 
 
522 POL YZOA. 
 
 The true animal nature of these and many other beings, which had been 
 formerly classed among the vegetables, was at length fairly proved by the 
 researches of two eminent men, Trembley and Ellis, the latter of whom may 
 lay claim to the honour of having produced the best and most comprehensive 
 work of his time. 
 
 Fig. A is an example of one of these bemgs, the Little Chain, or 
 Breast-plate, one of those beings that are so plentiful in the sea, and are 
 popularly called zoophytes. This figure is of the natural size ; but in- order 
 to show the peculiarities of structure, two examples of species belonging to 
 the same genus are given as they appear when considerably magnified. Fig. 
 B is the Catenicella hastata, wherein is seen the shape of the cells, the form 
 of their mouths, the method in which they give out their branches, and the 
 peculiar organs called technically " avicularia " and " vibracula ; " the former 
 being processes that in many species bear an almost absurdly close resem- 
 blance to the heads of birds ; and the latter, curious hair-like projections, 
 which move regularly backward and forward as if impelled by machinery. 
 
 The members of the present genus are foun 1 most commonly in the 
 Australi in seas, seldom in the southern hemisphere, while in the northern 
 hemisphere they are almost entirely unknown. Many specimens have been 
 
 j^ taken from Bass's Straits, at a depth of 
 'forty-five fathoms. As a general rule, 
 however, the Polyzoa prefer the shal- 
 lower waters, and are most commonly 
 found a little below low-water mark. 
 
 Fig. C is another species belonging 
 to the same genus, and is remarkable 
 for the long pointed spines that project 
 from the margin, like a pair of cow's 
 horns. In allusion to this peculiarity it 
 is called Catenicella cornuta. 
 
 A. Flustra foliacea fSea Mat.) At Fig. D is shown another curious 
 
 B. Flustra Joliacea (magmfad.) polyzoon, termed Calpidium ornatum, 
 
 also found in Bass's Straits, at the same 
 depth as the preceding species. A magnified figure is given in order to 
 show the singular method of its construction. 
 
 An example of the typical genus of this family is given at Fig. E, where 
 the Salicornaria farcimi7ioides is represented of the natural size. 
 
 We now arrive at another family, the Cellularidse, where the general shape 
 resembles that of the preceding family, but the cells, instead of being arranged 
 round an imaginary axis, and so forming cylindrical branches, are arranged 
 on the same plane. Fig. F is a magnified example of this family, the 
 Cellularia Penchii so called in honour of the eminent naturalist, Mr. Peach. 
 
 At Fig. G is shown the mouth of a single cell, belonging to the genus 
 Menipea, found in Terra del Fuego, and termed from its habitat, Menipea 
 Fuguensis. The object of giving this example is to show the curious " oper- 
 culum " which closes or rather guards the mouth of the cell, and in this 
 genus is in the form of a simple spike. This species is found at low-water. 
 
 Everyone who has walked along the seashore must have observed the 
 pretty leaf-like Sea Mats strewn on the beach, and admired the wonderful 
 regularity of their structure, perceptible to the naked eye ; but when 
 magnified, even by a pocket lens, their, beauty increases in proportion to the 
 power employed, and the marvellous arrangement of the cells and the orderly 
 system in which they are placed are almost beyond belief. Beautiful, how- 
 ever, as they are in this state, they are but the dead and lifeless habitations 
 of the creatures who built the wondrous cells, and the only method of 
 
THE HOkMWRACK. 523 
 
 showing the Sea Mat in its full glory is to take a living specimen from 
 the stone or shel to which it is affixed, and watch it under the microscope 
 while the creatures are still in full activity. In the illustration, Fig. A, is 
 shown a portion of the common Sea Mat, sometimes called the Hornwrack, 
 of its natural size ; and Fig. B represents a few cells of the same species 
 rather highly magnified. 
 
 On the upper-right hand cell may be seen the funnel-shaped group of 
 tentacles belonging to one of the animals, and in the centre is a curiously 
 shaped cell, which is analogous to the birds' heads which we have so lately 
 examined, the place of the lower jaw being supplied by a kind of lid. 
 
INSECTS. 
 
 The Insects, to which we must devote a few pages, afford the first 
 examples of the Articulata, i.e.^ the jointed animals without vertebrse. Their 
 bodies are composed of a series of rings, and they are separated into at least 
 two and mostly three portions ; the head being distinct from, the body. They 
 pass through a series of changes before attaining the perfect form ; and when 
 they have reached adult age they always possess six jointed legs, neither 
 more nor less, and two antennas, popularly called horns or feelers. 
 
 In most instances their preliminary forms, technically called the larva and 
 pupa, are extremely unlike the perfect Insect ; but there are some in which, 
 at all events externally, they retain the same shape throughout their entire 
 life. The whole of the growth takes place in the preliminary stages, so that 
 the perfect insect never grows, and the popular idea that a little insect is 
 necessarily a young one is quite incorrect. 
 
 Insects breathe in a very curious manner. They have no lungs nor gills, 
 but their whole body is permeated with a network of tubes, through which, 
 the air is conveyed, and by means of which the blood is brought into contact 
 with the vivifying influence of the atmosphere. These breathing tubes, 
 technically called tracheae, ramify to every portion of the creature, and 
 penetrate to the extremities of the limtis, the antennae, and even the wings, 
 when those organs exist. Their external orifices are called spiracles, and are 
 set along the sides. 
 
 They have very little internal skeleton, the hard materials which protect 
 the soft vital organs being placed on thf exterior, and forming a beautiful coat 
 of mail, so constructed as to defend the tender portions within, and yet to 
 permit perfectly free motion on the part of the owner. 
 
 There are many other interesting points in the structure of the Insects, 
 such as the eyes, the wings, the tracheae, &c., which will be described in the 
 course of the following pages. 
 
 The first order is called the Coleoptera, a word of Greek origin, signifying 
 sheathed winged animals, and includes all those insects which are more 
 popularly known under the title of Beetles. In these insects the front pair 
 of wings are modified into stout horny or leathery cases, under which the 
 second pair of wings are folded when not in use. The hinder pair of wings 
 are transparent and membranous in their structure, and when not employed 
 are arranged under the upper pair, technically called the elytra, by folds in 
 two directions, one being longitudinal and the other transverse. The mouth 
 is furnished with jaws, often of considerable power, which move horizontally. 
 
 Passing over the details of classification, we come to the first family of 
 Insects, scientifically called the Cicindelidae, and popularly known by the 
 name of Tir.ER BEETLES, or Sparklers, both names being very appropriate ; 
 the former on account of their exceeding voracity, their ferocious habits, and 
 the wonderful activity of their movements ; and the latter in allusion to the 
 brilliancy of their colours as they flash along in the sunshine. These Beetles 
 are represented by several British species, among which the common TiGER 
 Beetle {Cicindela campestris) is the most common, and perhaps the most 
 beautiful. Well does this little creature deserve its popular name ; for what 
 the dragon-fly is to the air, what the shark is to the sea, the Tiger Beetle is 
 to the earth ; running with such rapidity that the eye can hardly follow its 
 course ; armed with jaws like two reapers' sickles crossing each other at the 
 points J furnished with eyes that project from the sides of the head and per- 
 
TIGER BEETLES. 
 
 535 
 
 mit the creature to see in every direction without turning itself ; and, lastly, 
 gifted wiili agile wings that enable it to rise in the air as readily as a fly or a 
 wasp. Moreover, it is covered witli a suit of mail, gold embossed, gem 
 studded, and burnished with more than steely brightness, light yet strong, 
 
 TIGER BEETLE. EIGHT-SPOT TIGER BEETLE. — [Cicind, la OCtonotata.') 
 
 and though freely yielding to every movement, yet so marvellously jointed as 
 ':o leave no vulnerable points even when in full action, and. in fine, such a 
 suit of armour as no monarch ever possessed and no artist ever conceived. 
 
 Even in its larval state the Tiger Beetle is a terror to other insects, snapping 
 them up as they pass by its burrows and dragging them into the dark recesses 
 of the earth to be devoured. Several American species inhabit trees, and 
 are quite as destructive among the branches as their congeners upon the 
 earth. The typical species which is represented in the illustration is the 
 Eight-spot Tiger Beetle of India. 
 
 The British Tiger Beetle is remarkable for exuding a powerful scent, much 
 resembling the odour produced by a crushed verbena leaf. 
 
 A VERY large and important fami.y of Beetles, the Carabidae, now comes 
 before us, which is represented in England by very 
 many species, the common GROUND BEETLES being 
 familiar examples. A. \, P(\ /S ^ ..,'- 
 
 Of the typical genus of this family we take the 
 Violet Ground Beetle (Carabus violactus) as an ex- 
 ample. 
 
 This fine Beetle is plentiful in this country, and 
 may be found in gardens, gravel-pits, and similar 
 localities. It is said to be especially common in the 
 midland counties. 
 
 The elytra are rather convex, and narrowed at the 
 shoulder, and are finely granulated, ie., covered with 
 minute rounded projections. They are black ; but 
 the margins are e.iged with a band of coppery or 
 golden violet, sometimes warming into purple. The 
 body is black beneath. The disc of the thorax is 
 black, and the margins are violet ; and the head 
 is black. The length of the beetle is about an inch. 
 
 The members of this genus are almost wholly viot^t ground beetle. 
 inhabitants of temperate climates ; and it has been KOnabus vw^aceu,.) 
 stated that scarcely any species are to be found within thirty degrees from 
 the equator on either side. 
 
526 
 
 tVATEk BEETLES. 
 
 We now come to the large group of Water Beetles, which are divided 
 into several families. . 
 
 In order to enable them to perform the various movements which are 
 necessary for their aquatic existence, their hind legs are developed into oars 
 with flattened blades and stiff hairy fringes, and the mode of respiration is 
 slightly altered in order to accommodate itself to the surrounding conditions. 
 It has been already mentioned that in all insects the respiration is conducted 
 through a series of apertures set along the sides, and technically called 
 spiracles In the Water Beetles, the spiracles are set rather high, so as to be 
 covered by the hollowed elytra, and to be capable of breathing the air under 
 those organs. When, therefore, the beetle dives it is in no ways, distressed 
 for want of air, as it carries a tolerable -supply beneath the elytra. When, 
 however, that supply is exhausted, the beetle rises to the suriace, just pushes 
 the ends of the elytra out of the water, takes in a fresh supply of air, and 
 again seeks its subaquatic haunts. 
 
 The male of the Great Water Beetle, in conimon with other species, is 
 
 (Ilybius ater.) WAiKR beetles. (Dylicus diimdidius.) 
 
 specially notable for the singular development of the fore-legs, the tarsi of 
 which are developed in a most extraordinary apparatus caused by the dilata- 
 tion of the three first joints, which are flattened so as to form a nearly circular 
 disc, covered on its under surface with a nmltiiude of wonderfully-constructed 
 suckers, one being very large, another about half its size, and the others very 
 small, and set on pear-shaped footstalks. 
 
 The larger specimen in the engraving is the Dyticus dimidiatus, and the 
 smaller is the Ilybius ater, both British species. 
 
 Passing by several large and interesting families, we come to the curious 
 creatures which will at once be recognised by reference to the illustration. 
 These beetles are popularly known by the name of Rove BEETLES, or 
 Cocktails, the latter name being given to them on account of their habit of 
 curling up the abdomen when they are alarmed or irritated. The common 
 Black Cocktail has, when it assumes this attitude, standing its ground 
 defiantly with open jaws and elevated tail, so diabolical an aspect that the 
 
ROVE BEETLES, 
 
 52'/ 
 
 rustics generally call it the Devil's Coach-horse. It has, moreover, the power 
 of throwing out a most disgusting odour, which is penetrating and persistent 
 to a degree, refusing to be driven off even with many washings. 
 
 These beetles are termed Staphylinidae, or Brachelytra, the latter term 
 signifying short elytra, and being a very apposite name, as the elytra are short, 
 square, and not more than one-fourth the length of the abdomen. If we 
 watch one of these beetles settling after its flight, we shall see the object of 
 its flexible tail. The wings are so large, and the elytra so small, that the 
 process of folding the delicate membranes could not be completed without 
 some external aid. When the insect alights, it suddenly furls its wings into 
 loose folds, and then, by means of its tail, it pushes the wings under the 
 elytra, which are then shut down. This process, although rather elaborate, 
 is effected in a very rapid manner. 
 
 {Ocy^s olms.) 
 
 ROVE BEETLES. (Creopktlus maxillosus.) 
 
 The two species which are represented in the illustration are common in 
 England. The lower figure represents the Creophilus maxillosus, which is 
 plentiful in and about drains or dead animal matter, and may be known by 
 the grey hairy look of the elytra. 
 
 The upper figure represents the Devil's Coach horse, shown of the natural 
 size. 
 
 Next to the Staphylinidae are placed some insects that have become quite 
 famous for their curious and valuable habits. These are the Necrophaga, 
 popularly and appropriately termed Burying Beetles. 
 
 it is owing to the exertions of these little scavengers that the carcases of 
 birds,- small mammals, and reptiles are seldom seen to cumber the ground, 
 being buried at a depth of several inches, where they serve to increase the 
 fertility of the earth instead of tainting the purity of the atmosphere. These 
 beetles may easily be captured by laying a dead mouse, mole, bird, frog, or 
 even a piece of meat on the ground, and marking the spot so as to be able 
 to find the place where it had been laid. It will hardly have remained there 
 for a couple of hours before some Burying Beetle will find it out, and straight- 
 way set to work at its interment. The plan adopted is by burrowing under- 
 
■ 523 
 
 B UR YING BEE TLES. 
 
 neath the corpse and scratching away the earth so as to form a hollow, into 
 which the body sinks. When the beetles have worked for some time they 
 are quite hidden, and the dead animal seems to subside into the ground as 
 if by magic. 
 
 The strength and perseverence of these beetles are so great that a very 
 short time suffices to bury the creature completely below the ground, and 
 the earth being scraped over it, the process is complete. The object of 
 burying dead animals is to gain a proper spot wherein to deposit their eggs, 
 
 BURYING BEETLFS. 
 (Ulster cadaverinus.) (Necrophorus vestigator.) (Silpha opaca.) 
 
 as the larvse when hatched feed wholly on decaying animal substance. 
 
 We now come to the Lamellicorn Beetles, so called from the beautiful 
 plates, or lamellae, which decorate the antennse. This family includes a vast 
 number of species, many of which, as, for exam pie, the Common Cockchafer, 
 
 are extremely hurtful to vegetation both in 
 the larval and adult form. In this family 
 are found the most gigantic specimens of 
 the Coleoptera, some of which look more 
 like crabs than beetles, so huge are they 
 and so bizarre are their shapes. In ail 
 these creatures the lamella? are larger and 
 more beautiful in the female than in the 
 male insect. 
 
 The Common Cockchafer is too 
 familiar to need any description of its 
 personal appearance, but the history of 
 its life is not so widely known as its 
 aspect. The mother beetle commences operations by depositing the eggs 
 in the ground, where in good time the young are hatched. The gmbs are 
 unsightly-looking objects, having the end of the body so curved that the 
 creatures cannot crawl in the ordinary fashion, but are obliged to lie on their 
 sides. They are furnished with two terribly trenchant jaws like curved shears, 
 and immediately set to work at their destructive labours. 
 
 COCKCHAFER. — {M lolontha 
 vulgaris ) 
 
THE STAG BEETLE. 
 
 529 
 
 They feed mostly upon the roots of grasses and other plants, and when in 
 great numbers have been known to ruin an entire harvest. 'J'o "jrf they are 
 especially destructive, shearing away the roots wiih their scissor-lilie jaws 
 and killing the vegetation effectualJy. For three years the future insect 
 continues in its larval state ; and after a brief sojourn in the pupai >,oiiauio.i. 
 changes its skin for the last time, and emerges from the ground a perfect 
 Cockchafer. Even in its perfect state it is a terribly destructive insect, 
 working sad havoc among the foliage of trees. 
 
 The Stag Beetle is the largest of our British Coleoptera, and when it 
 has attained its full dimensions is an extremely powerful and rather formidable 
 insect, its enormous mandibles being able to inflict a very painful bite, not 
 
 STAG BEETLE. — [Lucanus cervus.) 
 
 onlv on account of the powerful muscles by which they are moved, but in 
 consequence of the antler-like projections with which their tips are armed 
 These horn-like jaws only belong to the male, those of the female being 
 simply sharp and curved mandibles, in no way conspicuous. 
 
 The larvae of the Stag Beetle reside in trees, into which they burrow with 
 marvellous facility, and as after they have emerged from their holes they 
 appear to cling to the familiar neighbourhood, they may be found upon or 
 near the trees in which they have been bred. 
 
 From the formidable shape of the mandibles it might be supposed that 
 the Stag Beetle was one of the predaceous species. This, however, is not 
 the case, the food of this fine insect consisting mostly, if not wholly, of the 
 juices of vegetables, which it wounds with the jaws so as to cause the sap to 
 flow. It is true that specimens have been detected in the act of assaulting 
 other insects, but thev never seem to have been observed in the act of feeding 
 upon their victim. Whether the food be of animal or vegetable nature, it is 
 always liquid, and is lapped, or swept up, by a kind of brush which forms 
 part of the mouth, and looks like a double pencil of shining orange-coloured 
 hairs. 
 
 Passing by one or two families of more or less importance, we arrive at 
 the Buprestidje, a family of beetles remarkable for the extraordinary gor- 
 geousness of their tints, almost every imaginable hue being found upon these 
 brilliant insects. 
 
 They are found in many portions of the globe, but, as is generally the case 
 with insects, their colours take the greatest intensity within the tropics. They 
 
 M M 
 
S3<» 
 
 LUMINOUS BEETLES. 
 
 fly well, and seem to exult in the hottest sunshine, where the bright beams 
 cjuse their burnished raiment to flash forth its most dazzlmg hues. They 
 are, however, slow of foot, and, when alarmed, have a habit ot falling to the 
 ground with folded limbs, as if they were dead. 
 
 The species that is given in the illustration is one of the finest of this 
 splendid family. The sides of the thorax are covered with little round pits, 
 
 something like the de- 
 pressions on the head 
 of a thimble, and are of 
 a fiery copper hue. The 
 head and middle of the 
 thorax are light burn- 
 ished blue, like that of 
 a we 1-teiiipered watch- 
 spring, and the elytra 
 are warm cream-colour- 
 ed, diversified with a 
 patch of dt ep purple- 
 blue at each side, and 
 another at the tip. The 
 Chrvsoi. hroa is a na- 
 tive of India. 
 
 The celebrated GLOW- 
 WORM belongs to the 
 typical genus of its fa- 
 mily. 
 
 Contrary to the usual 
 rule among insects, 
 where the male absorbs 
 the whole of the beauty, 
 and the female is com- 
 paratively dull and som- 
 bre in colour and form, 
 the female carries ofl' the 
 palm for beauty, at ail 
 events after dusk, the 
 male regaining the na- 
 tural ascendency by the light of day. Either through books, or by actual 
 observation, almost everyone is familiar with the Glow-worm, and would recog- 
 nize its pale green blue hght on a summer's evening. Many, however, if they 
 came across the insect by day, would fail to detect the brilliant star of the 
 night in the dull, brown, grub-like insect crawling slowly among the leaves, 
 and still fewer would be able to distinguish the male, so unlike are the 
 two sexes. 
 
 It has often been said that the female alone is luminous. This, however, 
 is an error, as I have caught numbers of these beetles of both s'lxes, and 
 always found thatthe males weregifted with the poi^er of producing the peculiar 
 phosphorescent light, though in a much smaller degree than their mates, the 
 light looking like two small pins' heads of phosphorus upon the end of the 
 tail. 
 
 Seen by day, the male is a much handsomer looking insect than the female, 
 being soft brown in colour, long-bodied, and wide-winged, altogether beetle- 
 like ; while the female is more like a grub than a perfect insect, has no wings 
 at all, and only the slightest indications of elytra. 
 
 The larva of the Glow-worm feeds upon molluscs, especially upon the 
 
 CHRYSOCH ROA. — (Chrysnchroa Burnetii. ) 
 GLOW-WORM. — (Lampyris noctiluca. ) 
 
CANTHARID^. 
 
 531 
 
 smaller snails, which it is able to devour even when retracted within the walls 
 of the shell. 
 
 The two insects represented in the accompanying illustration are found in 
 England, and are here given as examples of the family Cantharidse, of which 
 the Blister Fly, sometimes called Spanish Fly, is the typical species. 
 
 OIL BEETLE. — [Mdoe violaceus.) 
 BLISTER, OR SPANISH ■BUV.—(Cantharis vmcatoria.) 
 
 The Blister Fly is by no means a common species in England, though it 
 has occasionally appeared in considerable numbers. In such cases, how- 
 ever, it is extremely local, and does not appear to be disseminated through 
 the country. Spain is famous for the multitudes of Blister Flies which are 
 found within its limits, and the whole of South-western Europe is prolific 
 in this remarkable beetle. 
 
 The Spanish Fly is a handsome insect, nearly an inch in length, and of a 
 rich silken green, with a gold gloss in certain lights. 
 
 The second figure represents an insect belonging to the same family, and 
 very common in England. It popularly goes by the appropriate name of 
 Oil Beetle, because, when handled, it has the property of pouring a 
 yellowish oily fluid from the joints of its legs. 
 
 As may be seen by reference to the illustration, the abdomen is extremely 
 large in proportion to the rest of the body, and the short diverging elytra 
 descend but a very 'little way below the thorax. The oily matter that is 
 poured from the joints is consideied in some countries to be a specific for 
 rheumatism, and is expressed from the insect for medicinal purposes. 
 The Oil Beetle is represented of the natural size, and its colour is dull 
 •indigo blue. 
 
 We now arrive at a vast group of beetles, embracing several thousand 
 species, which are popularly classed under the name of Weevils, and may 
 all be known by the peculiar shape and very elongated snouts. Many of 
 these creatures have their elytra covered with minute but most brilliant scales, 
 arranged in rows, and presenting, when placed under the microscope, a spec- 
 
 M M 2 
 
531 
 
 THE MUSK BEETLE. 
 
 tacle almost unapproached in splendour. They are mostly slow in their 
 movements, not quick of foot, and many being wliolly wingless. 
 
 The nioit brilliant of the Weevils are to be found in the typical family 
 Curculionidas, to which belong the well-known Diamond Beetles, in such 
 request as objects for the microscope. 
 
 The maggots that are so frequently found in nuts, and which leave so 
 black and bitter a deposit behind them that the person who has unfortunately 
 tasted a maggot-eaten nut is forcibly reminded of the D^ad Sea apple, with 
 its inviting exterior and bitter dusty contents, also belong to the Weevils, and 
 are the larv» of the Nut WtEViL {Balauinus nucum). All the members of 
 the genus are remarkable for the extraordinary length of the snout, at the 
 extremity of which are placed the small but powerful jaws. 
 
 We now come to the Longicorn Beetles, so called on account of the extra- 
 ordinary length of the antennae in many of the species. These insects are 
 
 NUT WEEVIL, 
 (Magnified.') 
 
 M OSKBEETLE. — ( Cerambyx moschatus. ) 
 
 BLOODY- NOSE 
 BEETLE. 
 
 well represented in England by many species, the best known being the 
 common MusK Beetle. 
 
 The beautiful beetles of which the common Musk Beetle is an excellent 
 example, vary considerably in size ; some being several inches in length, while 
 some are hardly one-quarter of an inch long. The extreme length of their 
 antennae is the most conspicuous property, and by that peculiarity they are 
 at once recognized. 
 
 A small moth, Adela de Geerella, possesses the same peculiarity. The 
 length of the moth is about a quarter of an inch, and the length of the 
 antennas more than an inch and a half. The antennse wave about with 
 every breath of air, as if the insect had become entangled in a spider's web, 
 and escaped with some of the loose threads floating about it. 
 
 The Musk Beetle is a large insect, common in most parts of England. It 
 is extremely common at Oxford, and is found in old willow-trees, with which 
 Oxford is surrounded. Its peculiar scent, something resembling that of roses, 
 often betrays its presence, when its green colour would have kept it concealed. 
 When touched, it emits a curious sound, not unlike that of the bat, but more 
 resembling the faint scratching of a perpendicularly-held slate pencil. Its 
 larva bores deep holes in the trees, which are often quite honeycombed by 
 them. 
 
 As in the preceding family, the Longicorn Beetles pass their larval state in 
 wood, sometimes boring to a considerable depth, and sometimes restricting 
 
EAKiVICS. 533 
 
 themselves to the space between the bark and the wood. The grubs practi- 
 cally possess no limbs, the minute scaly legs being entirely useless for locomo- 
 tion, and the movements of the grub being performed by alternate contraction 
 and extension of its ringed body. In order to aid in locomotion the segments 
 are furnished with projecting tubercles, which are pressed against the sides 
 of the burrow. 
 
 Passing by several families, we come to the Chrysomelida, which are 
 roimd-bodied, and in most cases very brilliantly coloured with shining green, 
 purple, blue, and gold, of a peculiar but indescribable lustre. They are tlow 
 walkers, but grasp the leaves with a wonderiuUy firm hold! The British 
 species of Chrysomela are very numerous. One of the genera belonging to this 
 family contains the largest British specimen of these beetles, commonly 
 known by the name of the Bloody-nose Beetle {Titnarcha tenebiicosa), 
 on account of the bright red fluid which it ejects from its mouth and the 
 joints of its legs when it is alarmed. This fluid is held by many persons to 
 be a specific in case of toothache. It is applied by means of permitting the 
 insect to emit the fluid on the finger and then rubbing it on the gum, and 
 the effects are said to endure for several days. The larva of this beetle is a 
 fat-bodied, shining, dark green grub, which may be found clinging to grass, 
 moss, or hedgerows in the early summer. It is so like the perfect insect 
 that its identity cannot be doubted. 
 
 The family of the Coccinellidae, or Ladybirds, is allied to the Chry- 
 somelidae, and is well known on account of the pretty little spotted insects 
 with which we have been familiar from our childhood. Though the Lady- 
 bird is too well known to need description, it may be mentioned that it is 
 an extremely useful insect, feeding while in the larval state on the aphides 
 that swarm on so many of our favourite plants and shrubs. The mother 
 Ladybird always takes care to deposit the eggs in spots where the aphides 
 most swarm, and so secure an abundant supply of food for the future off- 
 spring. 
 
 EARWIGS. 
 
 Taking. leave of the beetles, we now proceed to a fresh order, distin- 
 guished by several simple characteristics, among 
 which may be mentioned the soft and leathery 
 elytra or forewings, the wide and membranous 
 hind-wings, and the forceps with which the tail is 
 armed. The insects belonging to this order are 
 popularly known by the name of Earwigs, and 
 are represented in this country by several species 
 of different dimensions. 
 
 The membranous wings of the Earwig are truly 
 beautiful. They are thin and delicate to a de- 
 gree, very large and rounded, and during the 
 day-time packed in the most admirable manner 
 under the little square elytra. The process of 
 packing is very beautiful, being greatly assisted 
 by the forceps on the tail, which are directed by giant earwig. 
 
 the creature with wonderful precision, and used 
 
 as dtftly as if they were fingers directed by eyes. The Earwigs seldom 
 fly except by night, and it is not very easy to see them pack up their 
 wings. Some of the smaller species, however, are day-flyers, and in spite of 
 their tiny dimensions may be watched without much difficulty. There are 
 about seven or eight British species, some of them being of very small %\i,^, 
 
534 THE COCKROACH. 
 
 The largest British species is that which is given here. It is of very rare 
 occurrence, and seldom seen, as it only inhabits the seashore, and never 
 shows itself until dusk. I have a fine specimen that was caught on the 
 sands near Folkestone, in the month of July. 
 
 ORTHOPTERA. 
 
 A LARGE and important order succeeds the Earwigs, containing some of 
 the finest, and at the same time the most grotesquely formed members of 
 the insect tribe. In this order we include the grasshoppers, locusts, crickets, 
 cockroaches, and leaf and stick insects ; and its members are known by the 
 thick parchment-like upper wings, with their stout veinings and their over- 
 lapping tips. 
 
 Thk first family of Orthopteras is the Blattidse, a group of insects familiar 
 under the title of Cockroaches. 
 
 In these insects the body is flattened, the antennae are long and thread- 
 like, and the perfect wings are only to be found in the adult male. The 
 Common Cockroach, so plentiful in our kitchens, and so well known under 
 
 Male. Female. 
 
 COCKROACH. — (Blatta orimtalis.) 
 
 the erroneous name of black beetle — its colour being dirty red, and its rank 
 not that of a beetle — is supposed to have been brought originally from India. 
 
 The eggs of the Cockroach are not laid separately, but inclosed in a hard 
 membranous case, exactly resembling an apple puff, and containing about 
 sixteen eggs. Plenty of these cases may be found under planks or behind 
 the skirting boards where these insects love to conceal themselves. Along 
 one of the edges of the capsule there is a slit which corresponds with the 
 opening of the puff, and which is strengthened like that part of the pastry 
 by a thickened margin. The edges of the slit are toothed, and it is said that 
 each tooth corresponds with an egg. When the young are hatched, they 
 pour out a fluid which has the effect of dissolving the cement which holds 
 the edges together, the newly-hatched Cockroaches push themselves through 
 the aperturp which opens like a valve, and closes again after their exit, so 
 that the em^ty capsule appears to be perfectly entire. 
 
 A GOOD example of the Cricket is found in the Field Cricket, a noisy 
 creature, inhabiting the sides of hedges and old walls, and making country 
 lanes vocal with its cirious cry, if such a word can be applied to a sound 
 produc d by friction. The Field Cricket lives in burrows, made at the foot 
 of hedges or walls, and sits at their jnouth to sin$t. It is, however- a very 
 
THE MOLE CRICKET. 
 
 53S 
 
 timid creature, and on hearing, or perchance feeling, an approaching foot- 
 step, it immediately retreats to the deepest recesses of the burrow, where it 
 wails until it imagines the danger to have gone by. 
 
 Despite of its timidity, how<.ver, it seems to be combative in no slight 
 degree, and if a blade of grass or straw be pushed into its hole, it will seize 
 tlie intruding substance so firmly that 
 it can be drawn out of the bunow 
 before it will loosen its hold. 'Ihe 
 males are especially warlike, and if 
 two specimens be confined in the same 
 box, ihey will fight until one is killed. 
 The v.inquished foe is then eaten by 
 the victor. In White's "Natural His- 
 tory of Selborne " there is a careful 
 and interesting description of the Field *'ield cwcK^T:.—(GryUus camjiestris.) 
 Cricket and its habits. 
 
 One of the oddest-looking of the British insects is the Mole Cricicet, 
 so called on account of its burrowing habits and altogether Mole-like 
 aspect. This insect is represented of the natural size, and, as may be seen, 
 attains considerable dimensions. 
 
 Like those of the mole, the fore limbs of the Mole Cricket are of enormous 
 comparative size, and turned outwards at just the same angle from the body. 
 All the legs are strong, but the middle and hinder pair appear quite weak 
 and insignificant when compared with the gigantic developments of the front 
 pair. This insect is rather local, but is found in many parts of England, 
 
 MOLE CRICKET. — {Gryllotalpa vulgaris.) 
 
 where it is known by sundry popular titles, Croaker being the name most in 
 vogue near Oxford, where it is found in toleracle plenty. 
 
 'I he colour of the Mole Cricket is brown of different tints, darker upon the 
 thorax than on the wing-coverts, botn of which organs are covered with a 
 very fine and short down. 
 
 As might be surmised from the extraordinary muscular power of the fore- 
 legs, the Mole Cricket can burrow with great rapidity. The excavation is of 
 a rather complicated form, consisting of a moder-itely large chamber with 
 neatly smoothed walls, and m ny winding passages communicating with this 
 central apartment. In ti.e chamber are placed from one to four hundred 
 
536 
 
 LOCUSTS. 
 
 MIGRATORY lOCUST. — (Locus/a migratoria.) 
 
 eggs of a dusky yellow colour ; and the roof of the apartment is so near the 
 surface of the ground that the warmth of the runbeams penetrates through 
 the shallow layer of earth, and causes the eggs to be hatched. 
 
 The tood of the Mole Cricket is mostly of a vegetable nature, but it has 
 been known to feed upon raw meat, upon other insects, and even to exhibit 
 
 a strong cannibalistic pro- 
 pensity when shut up in 
 company and deprived of 
 the normil food. 
 
 The Migratory Locust 
 is a well-known instance of 
 a very large family of insects 
 represented ill our own land 
 by many examples. All the 
 Locusis and Grasshoppers 
 are vegetable feeders ; and 
 in many cases their voracity 
 is so insatiable, their jaws so 
 powerful, and their numbers 
 so countkss, that they de- 
 stroy every vestige of vege- 
 tation wherever they may 
 pass, and de> asta e the 
 country as if a fire had swept 
 over it. 
 
 Such is the case with the Migratory Locust, so called from its habit of 
 congregating in vast armies, which fly like winged clouds over the earth, and 
 wherever they alight, strip every living plant of its verdure. So assiduously 
 do they ply their busy jaws, that the peculiar sound produced by the champ- 
 ing of the leaves, twigs, and grass-blades cin be heard at a considerable 
 distance. When they take to flight, the rushing of their wings is like the 
 roaring of the sea ; and as their armies pass through the air, the sky is 
 darkened as if by black thunder- clouds. 
 
 '1 he warm sunbeams appear to be absolutely necessary for the flight of the 
 Locust, for no sooner does the sun set 'than the Locusts alight and'^fuil their 
 wings. Woe to the ill-fated spot where they settle, for they ronsume every- 
 thing that their jaws can 
 sever, and are not content 
 with eating the green her- 
 bage, but devour even linen, 
 blankets, or tobacro. At the 
 approach of the aerial hosts 
 everyone is in fear except 
 the Bushman, who welcomes 
 the Locust with iill his heart ; 
 for he has no crops to lose, 
 no clothing to be destroyed, 
 and only sees in the swarm- 
 ing insects his greatest 
 luxury, namely, an abund- 
 ant supply of food without any trouble in obtaining it. In the path of the 
 Locust he kindles large fires, and the insects, being stifled with the 
 smoke, and having their wings scorched by the flames, fall in thousands, 
 and are gathered into heaps, roasted, and eaten. Those that remain, after 
 Ithe Bushman h^s eaten his fill are then around between two stpnes into a 
 
 LEAF INSECT. — (Phyllium scythe.) 
 
NEUROPTERA. 537 
 
 kind of meal, which is dried in the sun, and can be kept for a long time 
 without becoming putrid. This substance does not seem very palatable to 
 Europeans, but its distastefulness is probably owing to the careless way in 
 which the insects are scorched over the fire, as Ur. Livingstone speaks highly 
 of the Locust as an article of food, thinking it superior to shrimps. Honey 
 is always eaten together wi'th the Locusts, whenever that sweet condiment 
 can be obtamed, as it serves to render the insects more digestible. Our 
 common English grasshoppers belong to the true Locusts. 
 
 In the accompanjing illustration is represented a Leaf Insect, one of the 
 singular species which have such a wonderful resemblance to fallen leaves. 
 The peculiar leaf-hke elytra may be seen on reference to the engraving as 
 also the singular manner in which the limbs are furnished with wiue flattened 
 appendages, in order to carry out the leafy aspect. Only the females possess 
 the wide, veined wing-covers, those ot. the male being comparatively short. 
 The wings, however are entirely absent in the female, whilr in the opposite 
 sex they are very wide and reach to the extremity of the body. 
 
 THYSANOPTERA. 
 
 The next order, according to Mr. Westwood's arrangement, that called 
 the Thysanoptera, or Fringe-winged Insects, on account of the manner in 
 which the wings are edged with long and delicate ciha. They are all In tie 
 insects, seldom exceeding the tenth or twelfth of an inch in length, but, 
 although small, are capable of doing, considerable damage. They are mostly 
 to be found on plants and flowers, especially those blossoms where the petals 
 are wide and deep and afford a pood shelter. The convolvulus is always a 
 great favourite wiih t^ em. Greenhouses are sadly liable to their inroads, 
 and owing to their numbers they are very injurious to melons, cucumbers, 
 and similar plants, covering their leaves with a profusion of decayed patches 
 that look as if some poweiful acid had been sprinkled over them. Only one 
 family of these insects is acknowleded by entomologists. 
 
 NEUROPTERA. 
 
 We now come to an order of insects containing some of the most beautiful 
 and a few of the most interesting members of the class. They are known by 
 the possession of four equal-sized membranous wings diviued into a great 
 number of little cells technically called arcolets. The mouth is furnished 
 with transversely movable jaws, and the females do not, possess asting or 
 valved ovipositor. In this order are comprised the ant-lions, the dragon- 
 flies, the termites, the lace-wings, and the, JVIay-flifs., , . . - ; 
 
 The first family in Mr. Westwood's arrangement is that of the Termites, 
 popularly known by the name of White Ants, becaus-e they live in vast 
 colonies, and in many of their abits display a reseinblance to the insect 
 from which they take their name. All the Termites are miners, and many of 
 them erect edifices of vast dimens'ons when compared with the size of their 
 architect. For example, the buildings erected by the Common White Ant 
 {Terme.i bellicosus) will often reach the astonishing heif'n of sixteen or seven- 
 teen feet, which in proportion to the size of the insect would be equivalent 
 to an edifice a mile in height if built by man. The dwelling is made of clay, 
 worked in some marvellous manner by the jaws of the insect-atchitects ; and 
 is of such astonishing hardness, that, although hollow and pierced by 
 numerous galleries and chambers, they will sustain the weight of cattle, 
 which are in the habit of a-cending these wonderful monuments of insect 
 labour for the purpose of keeping a watch on the surrounding country. 
 
538 
 
 TEKMITA^. 
 
 To give a complete history of the Termites would be a task demanding so 
 much time and space, that it cannot be attempted in these pages ; and we 
 must therefore content ourselves with a slight sketch of their general 
 history, premising that many parts of their economy, and especially those 
 which relate to their development, are still buried in mystery. 
 The most recent investigations give the following results : — 
 Each Termite colony is fo mded by a fruitful pair, called the king and 
 queen, who are placed in a chamber devoted to their sole use, and from 
 which they never stir when once inclosed. These insects produce a vast 
 quantity of eggs, from which are hatched the remaining me:nbers of the 
 colony, consistmg of neuters of botn s^xes, the females being termed 
 workers and the m^.les scldiers, the iatter being distinguished by their enor- 
 mous heads and powe.-ful jaws; of larvas of two forms, some of which will 
 be fully developed, ana others pass all their lives in the worker or soldier 
 
 'ftV 
 
 
 »i. 
 
 A ^•^. 
 
 
 WHITE ANT. — (Tcrmes bellicosus.) Soldier — Worker — Female. 
 
 condition ; of pupas of two forms ; and, lastly, of male and female perfect 
 insects, which are destined to found fresh colonies. The neuters of either 
 sex are without wings. 
 
 In founding a colony, the order is as follows. The parent pair are taken 
 possession of by the workers, who inclose them in a chamber which is 
 intended as the nucleus of the infant establishment. The walls of this 
 chamber are pierced by holes which will suffer the workers lo pass, but are 
 far too small to afford exit for the king or queen. Shortly after they have 
 been fairly installed, a wondrous change takes place in the female. Though 
 her head, thorax, and legs retain their normal dimensions, her abdomen 
 begins to swell in the most prf posterous manner, until it is as long as a 
 man's finger and about twice its thickness, thus precluding its owner from 
 advancing a single step. 
 
 The queen, thus developed and for ever fixed in her home, is truly the 
 mother of her subjects, producing nearlv eighty thousand eggs in each 
 
DRA GON-FLTES. 5 39 
 
 twenty-four hours. The eggsare carried off by the workers as soon as laid, 
 and conveyed to suitable places in the nest, where they are guarded until 
 they are hatcht'd, and are then fed and watched until they have passed 
 through their preliminary stages of existence. 
 
 The great bulk of a Termite establishment is composed of workers, who 
 outnumber the soldiers in the proportion of a hundred to one. By the 
 mysterious instinct which is implanted in these insects, the soldiers and 
 workers confine themselves to their respective occupation, the former doing 
 nothing but fight and the latter nothing buL labour. 
 
 There are many species of Termite, and all are fearfully destructive, being, 
 indeed, the greatest pest of the country wherein they reside. Nothing, 
 unless cased m metal, can resist their jaws ; and they have been known to 
 destroy the whole woodwork of a house in a single season. They always 
 work in darkneas, and at all expenditure of labour keep themselves under 
 cover, so that iheir destructive labours are often completed before the least 
 irtimation has been given. For example, the Termites will bore through the 
 boards of a floor, drive their tunnels up the legs of the tables or chairs, 
 consume everything but a mere shell no thicker than paper, and yet leave 
 everything apparently in a perfect condition . Many a person has only 
 learned the real state of his furniture by finding a chair crumble into dust as 
 he sat upon it, or a whole staircase fall to pieces as soon as a foot was set 
 upon it. in some cases the Termite lines its galleries with clay, which soon 
 becomes as hard as stone, and thereby produces very remarkable archi- 
 tectural changes. For example, it has been found that a row of wooden 
 columns in front of a house have been converted into stone pillars by these 
 insects. 
 
 Passing by several families of the Neuroptera, we come to the 
 Libellulidas, or Dragon-flies. These insects are very familiar to us by 
 means of the numerous Dragon-flies which haunt our river sides, and which 
 are known to the rustics by the very inappropriate name of Horse-stingers, 
 they possessing no sting and never meddling with horses. The name of 
 Dragon-fly, on the contrary, is perfectly appropriate, as these insects are 
 indeed the dragons of the air, far more voracious and active than even the 
 fabled dragons of antiquity. 
 
 Even in their preliminary stages the Dragon-flies preserve their predatory 
 habits, and for that purpose are armed in a most remarkable manner. 
 During the larval and pupal states the Dragon-fly is an inhabitant of the 
 water, and may be found in most of our streams, usually haunting the muddy 
 banks, and propelling itself along by an apparatus as efficacious as it is 
 simple, and exactly analogous to the mode by which the nautilus forces itself 
 through the water. The respiration is carried on by means of the oxygen 
 which is extracted from the water; and the needful supply, of hquid is 
 allowed to pass into and out of the body through a large aperture at the 
 end of the tail. 
 
 Such are its means of locomotion ; those of attack are not less remarkable 
 or less efficacious. 
 
 The lower lip, instead of being a simple cover to the mouth, is developed 
 into a strange-jointed organ, which can be shot out to the distance of nearly 
 an inch ; or, when at rest, can be folded flat over the face, much as a 
 carpenter's rule can be shut up so as to fit into his pocket, and can be rapidly 
 protruded or withdrawn very like the instrument called a " lazy-tongs." Like 
 that instrument, it is furnished at its extremity with a pair of forceps, and is 
 able to grasp at passing objects with the swiftness and certainty of a serpent's 
 stroke. 
 
 The creature remains for some ten or eleven months in the preliminary 
 
54° 
 
 THE ANT-LION. 
 
 DEMOISELLE. — ( CaUpUryx splenditis.) 
 
 stages of existence, and when the insect is about to make its final change, 
 the undeveloped wings become visible on the baclc. When its time has 
 come, the pupa leaves the water and crawls up the stem of some aquatic 
 
 plant until it has reached a suitable 
 elevation ; it clings firmly with its 
 claws, and remains apparently 
 quiet. On approaching it, how- 
 ever, a violent internal agitation is 
 perceptible, and presently the skin 
 of the back splits along the middle, 
 and the Dragon-fly protrudes its 
 head and part of the thorax. By 
 degrees it withdraws itself from 
 the empty skin, and sits for a 
 few hours drying itself, and shak- 
 ing out the innumerable folds into 
 which the wide gauzy wings have 
 been gathered. After a series of 
 deep respirations of the unwonted 
 air, and much waving of tlie 
 wings, the glittering membranes 
 gain strength and elasticity, and 
 the enfranchised insect launches 
 forth into the air in search of prey 
 and a mate. 
 
 There are very many species of Dragon-flies, all very similar in their 
 habits, being fiercely predaceous, strong of wing, and gifted with glittering 
 colours. Unfortunately, the rich azure, deep green, soft carnation, or fiery 
 scarlet of these insects fade with their life, and in a fev hours after death 
 the most brilliant Uragon-fly will have farled to a blackish brown. .The only 
 mode of preserving the colours is to remove all the interior of the body and 
 to introduce paint of the proper colours. This, however, is but an empirical 
 and unsatisfactory sort of proceeding, and, nc matter how skilfully it may 
 be achieved, will never be worth the time bestowed upon it. In many species 
 the sexes are of different colours, as, for example, in the beautiful 
 
 Demoiselle Dragon-flies, where 
 the male is deep purple, with dark 
 spots on the wings, and the female 
 rich green, with the wings uncoloured. 
 The far-famed Ant-Lion is one of 
 the insects that are more celebrated 
 in their preliminary than in the perfect 
 stage of existence. As may be seen by 
 reference to the illustration, their per- 
 fect form is very light and elegsnt, and 
 closely resembling that of the dragon- 
 fiies, save tnat tne wings are lighter, 
 softer, and broader. In their larval 
 condition, however, they are by no 
 means attractive-lookin? creatures, somewhat resembling flattened maggots 
 with rather Ions; legs and very large jaws, the legs being apparently useless 
 as organs of progression, all movements being made by means of the 
 abdomen. Slow of movement as is this creature, and yet predaceous, feeding 
 wholly on living insects, the mode of obtaining its food seems to be rather 
 aproblem. The solution, however, is simple enough, the creature digging a 
 pitfall, and lying ensconced therein while the expected prey approaches. 
 
 fLtir-l.\on.—(AfyrmelLOg iran<yatus. ) 
 
THE C ADDIS- fLY. 
 
 541 
 
 In order to enable the Ant-Lion to extract the juices of the insects on 
 which it feeds, the inner curve on each mandible is deeply grooved, and 
 another portion of the jaws, technically called the maxilla, plays within the 
 groove. The larva, half-sunk in its pit-fall, is shown in the left-hand lower 
 corner of the illustration. 
 
 The May- FLY has long been celebrated for its short space of life, a single 
 day sometimes witnessing its entrance into the perfect state and its final 
 departure from the world. The popular idea concerning these insecis is, 
 that the whole of their life is restricted to a single day. This, however, is an 
 error, as they have already passed at least two years in their preliminary 
 stages of existence. In the larval and pupal states they are inhabitants of 
 the water, and are fond of hiding themselves under stones, or burrowing into 
 the muddy banks. Under the latter circumstances they make a very curious 
 tunnel, something like a double-barrelled gun. 
 
 The Mdy-fly is peculiarly notable for a stage of development which seems 
 to be quite unique among insects. When it has passed through its larval 
 and pupal slate, it leaves the water, creeps out of its pupa case, and takes to 
 its wings. After a period, varying from one to twenty hours, it flies to some 
 object, such as the trunk of a tree or the stems of water-plants, and casts off 
 a thin membranous pellicle, which has enveloped the body and wii g. the dry 
 pellicle remaining in the same spot, and looking at first like a dead insect. 
 
 MAY-FLY. — {Ephemera vulgata.) 
 
 CADDIS-FLY. — (Phiyganea grandis.) 
 
 After this operation the wings become brighter, and the three filaments of 
 the tail mcrease to twice their lenj;th. Some authors call the state between 
 leaving the water and casting the pellicle the " pseudimago" state. 
 
 Some of the-e insects are well known to fishermen under the names of 
 Green and Grey Drake, the former being the pseudimago, and the latter the 
 perfect form of the insect, which is represented in the illustration. Some- 
 tim s these insects occur in countless myriads, looking like a heavy fall of 
 snow as they are blown by the breeze, and having on some occasions been 
 so plentiful that they have been gathered into heaps and carted off to the 
 fields for manure. 
 
 The order called Trichoptera, or Hairy-winged insects, is represented by 
 the common Caddis Fly. 
 
 Tli'S fly is well known to every angler both in its larval and in its 
 perfect ocate. The larva is a soft white worm, of which fishes are exceedingly 
 fond, and it therefore requires some means of defence. It accordingly 
 actually makes for itself a movable house of sand, small stones, straw s, 
 
5-;^ 
 
 SA W-FLIES. 
 
 bits of shells, or even small living shells, in which it lives in perfert 
 security, and crawls about in search of food, dragging its house after it. 
 When it is about to become a pupa, it spins a strong silk grating over the 
 entrance of its case, so that the water necessary for its respiration can pass 
 through, but at the same time all enemies are kept out. When the time for 
 its change has arrived, the pupa bite ■. through the grating, rises to the surface, 
 
 and crawls out of the reach of the water, 
 which would soon be fatal to it. The skin 
 then splits down the back, and the perfect in- 
 sect emerges. 
 
 The order is called Trichoptera, because 
 the wings, instead of being covered with 
 scales as are those of butterflies, are clothed 
 with hairs. — There are many species of Caddis- 
 fiies. 
 
 We now come to the vast order of insects 
 technically called the HYMENOPTtRA. In 
 these insects the wings are four in number, 
 transparent, membranous, the veins compara- 
 tively few, and the hinder pair smaller than 
 the others. Their mouth is furnished with 
 powerful horny jaws, and with a tongue guard- 
 ed by the modified inaxillas. The females are 
 armed with a many-valved sting or ovipositor. 
 In this enormous order are included all the 
 bees, wasps, and their kin, the great family of 
 saw-flies, the ichneumons, the gall-flies, and 
 the ants. We will proceed at once to the 
 family of the Tenthredinids, or Saw-flies. 
 In this and the next family, the females 
 are furnished with a peculiar ovipositor, composed of several pieces. 
 
 The true Saw-flies are known by the curious piece of animal mechanism 
 from which they derive their name. The females of this family are supplied 
 
 Rhyssd persuasoria. 
 
 Cimh'ex femorata. 
 
 Vrocerus gigas. 
 
 with a pair of horny saws, placed side by side on the lower extremity of the 
 abdomen. 
 These saws are of various forms, according to the particular species to 
 
THE GIANT ICHNEUMON. 
 
 543 
 
 which they belong, and may be seen even in the dried specimens, the top ot 
 their sheath slightly projecting, and their shapes plainly visible after the 
 removal of a portion of the abdomen. When taken from the insect and 
 placed under the microscope, they present a very pretty appearance, owing to 
 the gently-curved ribs with which then' sides are strengthened and decorated. 
 The saws act alternately, one being pushed forward as the other is being 
 retracted. Their object is to form a groove in some plant, in which the eggs 
 of the mother insect can be deposited, and wherein they shall find a supply 
 of nourishment in order to enable them to complete their development ; 
 for it is a most remarkable fact, that after the egg is deposited in the groove 
 it rapidly increases in size, obtaining twice its former dimensions. 
 
 In the genus Cimbex, of which an example is given in the illustration, the 
 larvae possess twenty-two feet, and have the power of discharging a translu- 
 cent greenish fluid from certain pores placed on the sides of body just above 
 the Spiracles. This feat they can repeat six or seven times in succession. 
 
 Crabro cribrat ius. 
 
 FAiUnthus triangulum. 
 
 When thpy have eaten their way to the next stage of existence, they spin a 
 cocoon of a brownish colour and of a stringy, tough consistency, and either 
 suspend it to the branches of the tree on which they have been feeding, or 
 hide it under fallen leaves. In this cocoon they remain for a comparatively 
 short time, and then emerge as perfect insects. 
 
 The fine insect on the same illustration, which is known by the name of the 
 Giant Ichneumon, is an example of tiie next family, in which the ovipositor 
 is converted into a g'mlet instead of a double saw. With this powerful in- 
 strument the female is enabled to drill holes into living timber for the pur- 
 pose of depositing the eggs. When they are hatched, the young grubs 
 immediatelv begin to gnaw their way through the wood, boring it in every 
 direction, and "making burrows of no mean size. Those of the present 
 species prefer fir and pine, and I have had specimens of the wood sent to me 
 which have been riddled by the grubs until they looked as if they had 
 harboured a colony of the ?hip-worm. 
 
544 WASPS, 
 
 The next group of the Terebrantia is called Entomophaga, or Insect- 
 eaters, because the greater number of them are parasitic upon other insects, 
 just as the saw-flies are par-isitic upon vegetables. In these insects the 
 ovipositor is furnished with two delicate spiculas, and the last segments of the 
 abdomen are not formed into a telescope-like tube. 
 
 The first family is that of the Cynipidae, or Gall Insects, the creatures by 
 whose means are produced the well-known galls upon various trees, the so- 
 called oak-apple being perhaps the best known, and the ink-gall (also found 
 on the oak) the most valuable. These Galls are formed by the deposition of 
 an e,?g in the leaf, branch, stem, twig, or even root ot the plant, and its 
 consequent growth. 
 
 The true Ichneumons, of which a specimen is given in the illustration, 
 form a vast group of msects, the British Ichneumonidse alone numbering many 
 more than a thousand described and acknowledged species. In them the 
 ovipositor is straight, and is employed in inserting the eggs into the bodies of 
 o'her inse :ts, mostly in their larval state. In some cases, this slender and 
 apparently feeble instrument is able to pierce through solid wood, and is 
 insinuated by a movement exactly like that which is employed by a carpenter 
 when using a brad-awl. When not engaged in thi= work, the ovipositor is 
 protected by two slender sheaths that inclose it on either side. 
 
 Were it not for the Ichneumons, our fields and gardens would be hope- 
 lessly ravaged by caterpillars and grubs of h11 kinds, for practical entomo- 
 logists always find that when they attempt to rear insects from the egg or 
 the larval state, they must count upon losing a very large percentage by the 
 Ichneumons. 
 
 In the next great division of Hymenopterous insects, the ovipositor of 
 the female is changed into a sharply-pointed weapon, popularly called a 
 sting,, and connected wiih a gland in which is secreted a poison closely 
 analogous to that which envenoms a serpent's tooth. 
 
 First come those curious and interesting insects known popularly by the 
 names of Sand Wasps and Wood Wasps. These creatures are in the 
 habit of making burrows into the ground or in posts, and placing therein their 
 eggs, together with the bodies of other insects which are destined to serve as 
 food for the future progeny. Spiders are sometimes captured and immured 
 for this purpose. In many instances the captured insects are stung to death 
 before they are placed in the burrow, but it is often found that they onlv 
 receive a wound suffi.uent to paralyse them, so that they lead r. semi-torpid 
 life until they are killed and eaten by the young grub. Two of these Sand 
 Wasps are tolerably common in England. One of them {rahro cribarius), 
 the woodborer, drilling its burrow into posts, palings, and similar sub- 
 stances. It feeds its young with the larvae of one of the leaf-rolling 
 caterpillars that ives in the oak, and is scient fically known by the name of 
 Tortrix chlorana. It also employs for this purpose several two-winged 
 insects. One species of these burrowing wasps prefers the well known 
 cnckoo-spit insect for this purpose {Afihrophora spumaria), pulhng it out ot 
 its frothy bed by me ms of its long legs. 
 
 Another of these insects, called Philanthus triangulum, is in the habit of 
 provisioning its burrow with the hive-bee, which it contrives toiiiaster in spite 
 of the formidalDle weapon possessed by its victim, and then murders or 
 paralyses by means of its sting. M. Latreille mentioned that he siw from 
 fifty to six'y of these insfcts busily engaged in burrowing into a sandbank 
 not more than forty yards long ; and as each female lays five or six eggs, and 
 deposits a bee with each egg, the havoc made among the hives is by no 
 means inconsiderable. 
 
 The true Ants, as is well known, associate in great numbers, and, as is 
 
WASPS. 
 
 545 
 
 peculiarly the case with the bees, the great bulk of their numbers is com- 
 posed of workers, or neuters, which are destined to perform the constant 
 labours needful to regulate so large a community. The perfect insects of 
 either sex take no part in the daily tasks, their sole object being to ket p up 
 the numbers of the establishment. In the Ants, moreover, the neuters are 
 without wings, and even the perfect insects only retain these organs for a 
 brief period ot their existence. 
 
 Everyone has heard of the objects called "ants' eggs," which are so 
 strongly recommended as food for the nightingale and other birds ; and many 
 persons, tliough they have seen them, have believed them really to be the 
 objects wnich their popular name would infer. In truth, however, they are 
 simply t e cocouns, in which the insects are passing their pupal state before 
 emerging in their winged condition. It has been already mentioned that 
 only tne perfect males and females possess wings. 
 
 As soon as they gain sufficient strength, ihey tly upward into the air, where 
 they seek their mates, and soon descend to earth. The males, having nov/ 
 
 Eumenes arcuatus. 
 
 nothing to do, speedily die, as they ought, but the females begin to make 
 provision for their future households. Their first proceeding is a rather 
 startling one, being the rejection of the wings which had so lately borne them 
 through the air. This object is achieved by pressing the ends of the wings 
 asjainst the ground, and then forcing them suddenly downwards. The wing 
 then snaps off at the joint, and the creature, thus reduced to the wingless 
 state of a worker, is seized upon and conveyed to a suitable spot, where she 
 begins to supply a vast quantity of eggs. These are carefully conveyed 
 awav and nu'tured until they burst forth into the three states of male, female, 
 and neuter, the precise method by which the development is arrested so as to 
 produce the neuter condition not being very accurately known. 
 
 The illustraiion represents an Australian example of the SOLITARY Waspp, 
 many of which are found in England. The curious nest of this insect is 
 shown immediately above, suspended to a branch. The creature makes a 
 separate nest foi" each egg, the material being clay well worked, and the 
 shape as represented in the engraving. The nest is stocked with larvas of 
 moths or butterflies. 
 
 N N 
 
M^ 
 
 SEES. 
 
 THE WASP.—{VeSpa 
 vulgaris.) 
 
 The true Wasps, or Vespidce, are greo-arious in their habits, building nests 
 in which a large but uncertain number of young are reared. The common 
 Wasp makes its nest within the ground, sometimes taking advantage of the 
 deserted hole of a rat or mouse, and sometimes working for itself. The 
 substance of which the nest is made is a paper-like materal, obtained by 
 nibbling woody fibres from decayed trees or bark, and kneading it to a paste 
 between the jaws. The general shape of the nest is globular, and the v/alls 
 are of considerable thickness, in order to guard the 
 cells from falling earth, a circular aperture being left, 
 through which the inhabitants can enter or leave 
 their home. 
 
 The cells are hexagonal, and laid tier above tier, 
 each story being supported by little pillars, made oi' 
 , the same substance as the cells, and all the open 
 ends being downwards, instead of laid horizontally, 
 as is the case with the bees. It will thus Le seen 
 that, on account of this arrangement, the nurse- 
 v/asps are enabled to get at the grubs as they lie, 
 or ratner hang, in their cells, with their heads 
 downwards. 
 
 The grubs are fat, white, black-headed creatures, very well known to 
 fishermen, who find them excellent bait after they have been baked so as to 
 render them sufficiently hard to remain on the hook. When they are ab lut 
 to enter the pupal state, they close the mcuths of their cells with a silken 
 cover, through which the black eyes are plainly visible, and there wait until 
 
 they emerj;e in the perfect 
 state. The grubs are fed 
 with othnr injects, fruit, su- 
 gar, meat, or honey, the 
 n-ingled mass being dis- 
 gorged from the siomachs 
 of the nurses and thus given 
 to their charge. 
 
 There are separate cells 
 for males, femrles, and neu- 
 ters, ihe two former classes 
 only being produced towards 
 the end of autumn, so as to 
 keep up a supply for the 
 succeeding year. 
 
 There are, pe. laps, few 
 insects so important to man- 
 kind as those which procure 
 the sweet substance so well 
 known bytlie name of honey. 
 Nearly all the honey-making Hymenoptera are furnished »ith stings, and in 
 many species the poison is fearfully intense. Some of these insects, such 
 as the Hive Bee, make waxen cells of mathematical accuracy, the larvae 
 being placed in separate cell^, and fed by the neuters. 
 
 This useful little creature is so well known that a lengthened description of it 
 would be useless. A merely general sketch will be quite sufficient. 
 
 The cells of the Bee are, as is well known, mads of wax. This wax is 
 secreted in the f 'rm of scales nnder six little flaps situated on the under side 
 of the insect. It is then pulled out by the Bee, and moulded with other 
 scales until a tenacious piece of wax is formed. The yellow substance on 
 
 THE HIVE BEE. — (Apis iiulii/ica. 
 
THE HUMBLE BEE. 547 
 
 the legs of the Bees is the pollen of flowers. This is kneaded up by the 
 bees, and is called bee-bread. 
 
 The cells are six-sided, a form which gives the greatest space and strength 
 with the le 'St amount of material, but the meihoc' employed by the Bees to 
 give the cells that shape is not known. The cells in which the Drone or 
 male Bees are hatched, are much larger than those of the ordinary or worker 
 Bee. The edges of the cells are strengthened with a substance called 
 propol s, which is a gummy material procured from the buds of various 
 trees. This propolis is also used to stop up crevices and to mix with wax 
 when the comb has to be strengthened. 
 
 The royal cells are much larger than any others, and are of an oval shape. 
 When a worker lar^a is placed in a royal cell, and fed in a royal manner, 
 it imbi'-ies the principles of royalty, and becomes a queen accordingly. This 
 practice is adopted if the Queen Bee should die, and there be no other queft" 
 to take her place. 
 
 '1 he Queen Bee is lady paramount in her own hive, and suffers no other 
 queen to divide rule with her. Should a strange queen gain admittance, there 
 is a battle at once, which ceases not until one has been destroyed. 
 
 At the swarming time, the old queen is sadly put outbythe encroachments 
 of various young queens, who each wish for the throne, and at last is so 
 agitated that she rushes out of ihe hive, attended by a large body of 
 subjects, and thus the tirst swaim is formed. In seven or eight days, the 
 queen next in age also depaits, taking with her another supply of subjects. 
 When all the swarms have left tlie original hive, the remaining queens fight 
 until one gains the thtone. 
 
 The old method of destroying Bees for the sake of the honey was not only 
 cruel but wasteful, as by burning scpme dry " puff-ball " the Bees are stupefied, 
 and shortly return to consciousness. The em- 
 ployment of a " cap" on the hive is an eJccellent 
 plan, as the Bees deposit honey alone in these 
 caps, without any admixture of grubs or bee-bread. 
 Extra hives at the side, with a communication from 
 the original hive, are also useful. 
 
 The Queen Bee lays about eighteen thousand 
 eggs. Of these about eight hundred are males or 
 drones, and four or five queens, the remainder 
 being workers. 
 
 In some cases, such as the common Humble 
 Bee, the cells are eeg-shaped, each cell being either 
 
 occupied by a larvk or filled «ith honey ; while in ^he humble bee. 
 some species the eggs are placed parasitically in (^""'^"^ Ur.estru.) 
 
 the nests of other Bees, so that the larvse feed either upon the stores of 
 food gathered for the involuntary host, or upon the body of the deluded 
 insect itself. 
 
 In gathering honey, the Bees lick the sweet juices from flowers, swallow 
 lhem,'and store theai for the time in a membranous sac, populaily called the 
 honey-bag. When this sac is filled, the Bee returns to the hive, and dis- 
 charges the honey into cells, closing its mouth with w tx when it is filled. 
 The structure of the bee cell, its marvellous adaptation to the several pur- 
 poses for which it is intended, its mathematical accuracy of construction, 
 whereby the best amount of material is found to afford the greatest amount 
 of space and strength, are subjects too complicated to be here described, but 
 may be found in many works which have been written upon the Hive Bee. 
 
 For want of space, we are compelled to pass by many interesting Hymen- 
 optera, such ai the Leaf-cutter Bees, the Woodborers, and the Mason Bees, 
 ^ N N 3 
 
548 L£Plt)OPTERA. 
 
 each of which creatures v/ould demand more spac? than can be given to the 
 whole of the insects. 
 
 LEPIDOPTERA. 
 
 We now come to an order in which are included the most beautiful of all 
 insects, namely, the Butterfliss and Moths. On account of the feather-like 
 scales with which their wings are covered, and to which the exquisite colour- 
 ing is d're, they are technically called Lepidoptera, or scale-winged insects. 
 
 The wings are four in number, and it is occasionally found that the two pairs 
 are connected together hy a strong bribtle in one and a hook-like appendage 
 in the other, so that the two wings of each side practically become one mem- 
 
 SWALLOW-TAILED BUTTERFLY. — {PapUio mochaon.) 
 
 ber, in a manner similar to the formation of many hymenopterous insects. 
 Those species which take any nourishment subsist entirely upon liquid fcod, 
 which is drawn in to the system by suction, and not by means of a brush, as is the 
 case with the liquid-feeding beetles and bees. The wings are strengthened 
 by nervures, which are of great use in determining the position of the insects. 
 
 The scales with which the membranous wings are at once protected and 
 adorned are of vari us shapes, sometimes broad, ilat, and overlapping each 
 other like the tiles of a house-roof. 
 
 The series of changes undergone by the Lepidoptera are, perhaps, better 
 known than those of any other ord^r, on account of the large dimensions and 
 conspicuous habits of the insects. 
 
 Having given this general glance at the order, we will now proceed to our 
 examples. 
 
 In the system which is adopted in this work, th? Lepidoptera are divided 
 
BUTTERFLIES. 549 
 
 into two sections, the Butterflies and Moths.technically call Rhopalocera and 
 Heterocera, which may generally be distinguished from each other by the 
 form of the antennae, those of the Butterflies havmg knobs at their tips, 
 whilst those ' of the Moths are pointed. The first family is that of the Papi- 
 lionidiae, in which are included the largest and most magnificent speci- 
 mens of this order. „ . . ^„^ 
 
 The beautiful insect represented on p. 548 is not very iincommon in some 
 pans of England, especially in the fenny parts of Cambridgeshire. 
 
 It flies with exceeding rapidity, nearly in a straight line, and is very dith- 
 cult to capture. , , .^ ,, . . ,, 
 
 The colour of the wings is black, variegated most beautifully with yellow 
 markings, and near the extremity of each hinder wing is a circular red spot, 
 surmounted by a crescent of blue, and the whole surrounded by a black ring. 
 
 PEACOCK BUTTERFLY.— (J4r«f«a /(?.) 
 
 We now come to another family, called the Pieridas, which may be known at 
 once by the manner in which the inner edges of the hinder wings are folded, 
 so as to form a kind of gutter in which the abdomen'rests. In all these in- 
 sects the colours are comparatively sober, the upper surface being generally 
 white and black, and the under surface sparingly coloured with red and 
 yellow. To this family belong our common white butterflies, together with 
 the well-known Brimstone Butterfly (the harbinger of spring), all the Marbled 
 Butterflies, the Orange-tip, and the now scarce Veined-white. 
 
 The large and important family of the Nymphalids contains a vast num- 
 ber of species, most of which are notable for their brilliant colouring, and many 
 of which are well-known natives of England. 
 
 To this family belongs the brightly coloured genus Vanessa, of which the 
 common Peacock Butterfly is a familiar British example. This insect, 
 which is one of the finest of our British butterflies, is very common in our own 
 
55° 
 
 MOTHS. 
 
 country, and may be seen very plentifully in fields, roads, or woods, when the 
 beauty of its colouring never fails to attract admiration. 
 
 The caterpillar of the Peacock Butterfly feeds upon the stinging-nettle, in 
 common with others of the same genus, and therefore the insect is worthy 
 of our protection. Its general shape and appearance may be gathered from 
 a reference to the illustration ; its common colour is black, studded with tiny 
 white points. 'Ihe chrysalis is one of those which hang suspended during 
 the time of their nonage, and is frequently found to be infested with the 
 ichneumon-fly. 
 
 The beautiful Scarlet Admiral, so well known by the broad scarlet 
 stripes that are drawn over the wings ; the Large and Small Tortoise- 
 SHELL Butterflies ; the Comma Butterfly, so called from a comma- 
 shaped white mark under the wings, and the rare and beautiful Camberwell 
 Beauiy, are all British members of this genus. 
 
 death's-head moth. — {Acheroniia Atropos.) 
 
 The second great division of the Lepidoptera is that of the MOTFS, dis- 
 tmguishable by means of the pointed tips of their antenna, which are often 
 furnished with a row of projections on either side, like ihe teeth of a comb ; 
 and in the males are sometimes supplied with branching appendages. 
 
 The first family of the Moths is the Sphingidas, a group which contains a 
 gi-eat number of swift-winged insects, popularly and appropriately called 
 Hawk-moths, from the strength and speed of their flight. In many instances 
 the proboscis is of great length, sometimes equalling the length of the entire 
 body, and in such instances it is found that the insect is able to f ed while 
 on the wing, balancing itself before a flower, hovering on tremulous wins, 
 and extracting the sweets by suction. 
 
 One of the commonest snecies of this genus is the Lime Hawk-moth 
 ^jn^riuthus Tilice), so called because the larva feeds on the .leaves of the 
 
MOTHS. 
 
 SSI 
 
 lime-tree. It is a green caterpillar, thick bodied, covered with little protu- 
 berances, and upon e^ch side are some whitish strealcs edged with red or 
 yellow. Just at the end of the tail there is a short Icnobby protuberance, 
 and the torepart of the body is rather narrow. )Vhen the larva has com- 
 pleted its time of feeding, it descends to the ground, and buries itself about 
 eight inches deep in the earth, whence the chrysalis may be extracted by the 
 help of a trowel. Besides the lime, the elm and birch are favoured residences 
 of this insect. 
 
 The splendid insect appropriately named the Death's- HEAD MOTH is 
 tolerably common in our island, though, from its natural habits, and the in- 
 stinct of concealment with which the caterpillar is endowed, it is not so 
 frequently seen as many rarer insects. Owing to the remarkably faithful 
 delineation of a skull and bones upon the back of the thorax, the insect is 
 often an object of great terror to the illiterate, and has more than once 
 thi'own a whole provmce into consternation, the popular idea being that it 
 was some infra-natural being that was sent upon the earth as a messenger of 
 pestilence and woe, if not indeed the shape assumed by some witch residmg 
 in the neighbourhood. 
 
 The caterpillar of this moth is enormously large, sometimes measuring 
 five inches in length, and being very stoutly maue. It feeds on various 
 plants, the jessamine and potato being its favourites, and may be best found 
 by traversing potato-grounds in the night, and directing the light of a 
 bull's-eye lantern among the leaves. It can be readily kept and bred, 
 but requires some careful tending ; and it must be remembered that it will 
 only eat the particular food to which it has been accustomed, and if bred 
 among the potato will refuse 
 the jessamine leaf, and vice 
 versA. When the caterpillar is 
 about to change into its chrysa- 
 lis state it, should be placed in a 
 vessel containing seven or eight 
 inches of eaitb, which should be 
 kept moderately damp by means 
 of a moist sponge or wet piece 
 of moss laid on the top. If this 
 precaution be not taken, the 
 shell of the chrysalis is apt to 
 become so hard that the moth 
 is unable to break its way out, 
 and perishes in the shell. I 
 have several specimens where 
 the moth has thus perished. 
 
 One of the most curious 
 points in the historv of the Death's-head Moth is its power of producing a 
 sound, a faciiltv which is truly remarkable among the Lepidoptera. The 
 noise is something like the grating, squeaking cry of the field-cricket, but not 
 nearly so loud. 
 
 Although not g-ifted with the brilliant hues which decorate so many of the 
 Hawk-moths, the Humming-bird Mqth is a more interestinsj creature than 
 many an insect which can boast of treble its dimensions and dazzling richness 
 of colour. This insect may be readily known by its very long proboscis, the 
 tuff-s at the end of the abdomen, and the peculiar flight, which so exactly 
 resembles that of the humming-bird, that persons accustomed to those 
 feacnered gems have often been deceived into the idea that Englnnd 
 actually possesses a true humming-bird. Owing to its arrowy flight and the 
 
 HUMMING-BIRD MOTH.— {MacrOff/ossa 
 stellatarum. ) 
 
552 CLEARWING MOTHS. 
 
 piercing vision with which such flight is always accompanied, the capture of 
 the moth is a matter of no small difficulty, and when it settles, the quiet 
 sober hues of its plumage render it so similar in colour to the objects on 
 \vhich it rests, that the eye can hardly distinguish its outline ; and, being gifted 
 with an instinctive appreciation of the objects best suited for its concealment, 
 it is sure to alight on some surface which presents hues akin to those of its 
 body and wings. 
 
 In the curious Moths of which the Hylas is a good example, the wings 
 are as transparent as those pf the bee tribe, and, indeed, the hymenopterous 
 idea seems to run through the whole of these creatures so thoroughly, that 
 the shape of their bodies, the mode of flight, even the manner in which they 
 move the abdomen, are so bee and wasp like, that an inexperienced observer 
 would certainly mistake them for some species of the Hymenoptera. Others 
 there are which bear an equal resemblance to the gnats, and are of corre- 
 s;:ondingly small dimensions. These insects fly in a manner somewhat 
 
 CLEARWING MOTHS. 
 
 resembling the movements of the Humming-bird Moth, and dart about 
 with considerable speed, though they are not so craftily wary as that insect, 
 and can be captured «ith comparative ease. 
 
 In the jCgeriidae, the wings are as transparently clear as in the Sesiadae, 
 and the general aspect is equally like that of a moth. The species which is 
 shown in the illustration is very common in Eniiland, and is fond of haunting 
 currant-bushes, where it may be captured without much difficulty, being 
 rather dull and sluggish in taking to flight, though when once on the wing it 
 is quick and agile in its movements. On account of its resemblance to the 
 large gnats it is popularly called the Gnat Clearwing {^geria tipuli- 
 jonnis.) The caterpillar of this insect feeds upon the pith of the currant-trees. 
 
 The large insect in the same illustration represents the Lunar Hornet 
 Clearwing {Trochilium bembeciforme^ an insect which is of tolerably, but 
 not very frequent occurrence. Its popular name is given to it in all'ision to 
 its singular resemblance to a hornet, the similitude bemg so close as to 
 deceive a casual glance, especially when the insect is on the wing. 
 
 The larva of the present species feeds upon the willow, boring into the 
 young wood and sometimes damaging it to a serious extent. All these 
 
THE GOAT MOTJT. 
 
 553 
 
 insects inhabit, wtirre in the larval state, the interior of branches or roots, 
 and make a kina of cocoon from the nibbled fragments of the wood. Just 
 before undergomg the transformation, the larva turns round so as to get its 
 head towards the entrance of the burrow, and after it has changed into the 
 pupal form, is able, by means of certain projections on the segments, to push 
 itself along until the upper half of the body protrudes through the orifice, 
 and permits the perfect moth to make its escape into the open air. 
 
 The wings of this insect are transparent, with orange-red nervures and 
 dusky fringes. The head and thorax are shining brown black, with a yellow 
 collar, and the abdomen is ringed with orange and dark brown. 
 
 The well-known Goat Moth is, next to the Death's-head Moth, one of the 
 largest of the British Lepidoptera, its body being thick, stout, and massive, 
 and its wings wide and spreading. 
 
 GOAT MOTH AND LARVA. — {Cossus Hgniperda.) 
 
 The larva itself is but little smaller than that of the Death's-head Moth, 
 and is by no means an attractive-looking creature. Its body is smooth and 
 shining, mostly of dull mahogany-red tinged with ochreous yellow, and 
 having a large oval patch of chestnut on the back of each segment. It is 
 gifted with a curiously wedge-shaped head, and its muscular power is enormous, 
 as may be proved by actual experiment during the life of the creature, or 
 inferred from the marvellous arrangement of muscles which are made visible 
 upon dissection. 
 
 It exudes a liquid of powerful and fetid odour, thought by some to resem- 
 ble the unpleasant effluvium exhaled by the he-goat. Its influence extends 
 to a considerable distance, and a practised entomologist will often detect the 
 presence of a Goat -moth caterpillar simply by the aid of the nostrils. 
 
 The caterpillar passes three years in the larval stage of existence, and 
 when ihe time approaches for its change, it ceases to burrow, and scoops out 
 
5S4 
 
 WOOD LEOPARD MOTH. 
 
 a convenient cell in the tree, lining it with a fabric of mixed wood-scrapings 
 and silken threads. Before it emerges from this retreat, it pushes itself thrcugh 
 its burrow like a sweep ascending a chimney, protrudes about half of the booy, 
 and then issues from the chrysalis shell, which it leaves within the burrow. 
 
 The Wood Leopard Moth, is a very prettily marked insect, though 
 without the least brilliancy of colour. The caterpillar of this ineect keds 
 upon the interior of inany trees, seeming to prefer the wood of the apple, 
 pear, and other fruit-trees. It is a naked, fleshy-looking lar\a, of aLj-ht yeliovv 
 cilour, and having a double row of black spots upon each segment. Like 
 the Go it-moth, it prepares a cocoon-like cell when it is about to take the 
 pupal form, but the linmg is of stronger materials, cemtnled firmly together 
 with a glutinous substance secreted by ihe.insect. ILe m('th is seldom seen 
 until July, and is tolerably plentiful in some places, appearing to be decidedly 
 local and rather intermittent in ils visits. 
 
 The family of the Bombycidag includes several insects of inestimable 
 
 value to mankind, the various siik- 
 producing moths being included in 
 its ranks. The con mon silk-worm 
 is too familiar to need any notice, 
 but as it is not generally known 
 that upwards of forty silk producing 
 moths exist in different parts of the 
 world, a short history will be given 
 of some of thern, together with a 
 figure and a brief dt scription of one 
 of the finest species. AH these in- 
 sects secrete the silk in two large 
 intestine-like vessels in the interior, 
 which contain a gelatinous kind of 
 substance, and become enormously 
 large just before the caterpillar is 
 about to charge into a pupa. Both 
 the silk organs unite in a common 
 tube at the mouth, technically called the spinneret, and through this tube 
 the semi-liquid is ejected. As soon as it comes into contact with air it 
 hardens into that soft, shining fibre with which we are so familiar. 
 
 If a single fib] e of silk be examined through a good microscope, it will be 
 seen to consist of two sm.aller fibres laid parallel to each other, like the barrels 
 of a double gun, this structure being due to the double secreting vessels. 
 The goodness of silk chiefly consists in the manner in which these semi-fibres 
 are placed together. 
 
 The caterpillar employs the silk for the purpose of constnicting a cocoon 
 in which it can lie until it has assumed the perfect form ; and proceeds with 
 wonderful regularity and despatch in its work, its head passing from side to 
 side, always carrying with it a thread, and the cocoon .being gradually formed 
 into the oval shape which it finally assumes. The few outermost layers are 
 always rough and of poor quality ; these are stripped off, and the end of the 
 thread being found, it is fastened to a wheel, and spun off into- a hank of soft 
 yellow fibre. The colouring matter is very variable, sometimes being hardly 
 visible, and at others giving the silk a bright orange tint. It fades much on 
 exposure to light. 
 
 The family of the Arctiidas, so called because some of the hair-covered 
 JarvK have a bear-like look, is represented in England by many examples, 
 soine being really handsome insects, and others remarkable for some pecu- 
 liarity in themselves or the larvas. 
 
 WOOD LEOPARD MOTH. — (2«<0«-a asCuW^ 
 
SlliK WORMS— MOTHS— COCOONS. Page 554. 
 
 The Popular Natural History 
 
TIGER Mora. SSS 
 
 The Tiger-Moth.— This common but beautiful moth is found in the 
 beginning of autumn. It runs on the ground with such swiftness as to be ofttn 
 mistaken for a mouse. I have more than once seen a kitten chasing a tiger- 
 moth among the flowers in a garden, evidently deceived by its resembla ice 
 to a mouse. The larva is popularly called " the woolly bear." It is rat er 
 large, and is surrounded with tufts of long elastic hairs of a reddish bro .n 
 colour, which serve as a defence against many enemies. When disturbed, it 
 rolls itself round, just as a hedgehog does, and if on a branch, suffers itself to 
 fall to the ground, when the long hairy covering defends it trom being injure,! 
 by the fall. When the caterpillar is about to change to a pupa, ii spms a 
 kind of hammock, and lies there until it comes forth as a moth. 
 
 The colour and markings of this moth vary considerably. The usual tints 
 are, the thorax brown, the body red, striped with black. The two anterior 
 wings are cream colour, marked with bold patches of a deep brown : the 
 posterior wings are bright red, spotted with bluish black. 
 
 Perhaps the most curious example of this family is a species which de- 
 rives its popular name from its habits. 
 
 The House-builder Moth {Oiketicus Sandersii) is common in many 
 parts of the West Indies, and is in some places so plentiful as to do consider- 
 able damage to the fruit-trees. As soon as the larva is hatched from the 
 
 TIGER MOTH. — (Aniia caja.) 
 
 egg, it sets to work in building its habitation : and even before it begins to 
 feed, this industrious insect begins to work. The house is made of bits of 
 wood and leaves, bound to<ether with silken threads secreted in the interior. 
 When the creature is small, and the house is of no great weight, it is carried 
 nearly upright ; but when it attains size and consequent weight, it lies flat, and 
 is dragged along in that attitude. The entrance of this curious habitation 
 is so made that the sides can be drawn together, and whenever the creature 
 feeU alarmed, it pulls the cords and so secures itself from foes. 
 
 The next family derives the name of Geometridae from the mode of walking 
 adopted by the larva. These creatures have no legs on the middle of the body, 
 and are in consequence unable to crawl in the usual manner. Their mode of 
 progression is popularly and appropriately termed "looping," and the caterpil- 
 lars are called " loopers." When one of these larvae desires to advance, it grasps 
 the object firmly with its fore feet, and draws the hind feet close to them, 
 forming the body into an arched shape, not unlike the attitude of a cat which 
 meets a strange dog. The hinder feet then take a firm hold, the body is 
 projected forward, until the fore feet can repeat the process. The whole 
 action of the larva reminds the observer of the leech when crawling. 
 
 The power of grasp and general strength of muscle enjoyed by these 
 larvae are really surprising. Many of them can seize a branch with their 
 
SS6 
 
 THE SWALLOW-TAILED MOTH. 
 
 hind feet, stretch out the body nearly horizontally, and remain in that 
 position for hours. Some slight idea of the i.iuscular force required to 
 perform this action may be imagined by grasping an upright pole with the 
 hands, and trying to hold the body out horizontally. Several of these cater- 
 pillars are of dull brown hues, and being furnislied with sundry projections 
 in different parts of their bodies, they re=embie dried sticks so closely that 
 they can hardly be distinguished from the branches to wnich they cling. 
 
 The SWALLOW-TArLED Moth is a weU-known British species, very 
 common in woods, and being mostly found among the underwood, whence 
 it may be dislodged by beating the branches. The caterpillar feeds on 
 many shrubs, but prefers th- willow the lime and elder trees, the elder bdng 
 
 SWALLOW-TAILED MOTH. — [Ourapteryx samhucaria.) 
 
 its chief favourite. Two specimens of the caterpillar are given for the 
 purpose of showmg its attitudes while at rest and while walking after the 
 " looper " manner. The cocoon is also shown, made of withered leaves, and 
 hanging from an ivy twig 
 
 The colour of the larva is reddish brown, with some dark longitudinal 
 Imes, and before it changes into the pupal state it makes a sliaht silken 
 cocoon among leaves. The colour of the wings is delicate sulphur yellow, 
 fading to shining white at the base of the wings, and diversified with narrow 
 streaks of brown. 
 
 The family of the HyponomeutidsE contains many beautiful species, none 
 of which are of great size, but which, when magnified and a strong light 
 i.irown upon them, seem to be amongst the loveliest of the moth tribes. 
 
WHITE PLUME MOTH. 
 
 55? 
 
 Our last example of the Lepidoptera is the beautiful WhiTE-Plume Moth, 
 an insect which never fails to attract attention, on account of the singular 
 elegance and beauty of its torm. 
 
 This insect belongs to a small family which is remarkable for the fact that, 
 except in one genus, the wings, instead of being broad membranous struc- 
 tures, are clelc into narrow rays, feathered in a most soft and delicate 
 manner. The White-plume iVloth is to be seen in the evenings, flymg in a 
 
 
 
 
 WHITE PLUME. — {Pterophorus pentadactylus. ) 
 
 curious uncertain manner, and looking not unlike a snow-flake blown 
 casually by the wind. It seems never to fly to any great distance, settling 
 quite openly on leaves or plants, without taking the precaution of clinging to 
 the under side, as. is the custom with so many of the smaller moths. When 
 it rests, it folds the wings so that they only 'look like a single broad ray. 
 The legs of this moth are very long and slender. The colour of this insect 
 is pure white. 
 
 HOMOPTERA. 
 
 In' the next order are comprised some very grotesque insects, some of 
 which have been thought to belong to other orders, and a few not being 
 known to be inserts at all until comparatively late years. They have rounded 
 bodies, not more than three joints in the tarsi, and their wings are four in 
 number, wholly membranous, the fore pair being larger than the hinder, 
 but not overlapping in repose. The mouth forms a kind of tube, sometimes 
 longer than the body, and often sufficiently hard and stiff to pierce the 
 skin. 
 
 In this curious order are placed the Aphides, those little green insects that 
 swarm upon roses and other plants, and are termed " blights " by gardeners, 
 
558 
 
 CICADjE.. 
 
 who employ that term in a strangely w'de sense ; the Cicadse, with their 
 beautiful membranous wings, their large heads, and their loud voices ; the 
 tribe of Hoppers, of which the Cuckoo-spit Insect, known in its perfect state 
 under the name of Frog-hopper, and the beautiful Scarlet Hopper, are 
 familiar British examples ; the wonderful Lantern-flies, also leapers, which 
 are found only in hot climates ; the Wax Insects of China ; and lastly, the 
 Scale Insects, or Coccida, from which the "lac" so important in commerce 
 is obtained. 
 
 The Cicadae have three jomts to their feet, these members affording useful 
 characteristics in settling the precise position of the various species. They are 
 very large insects, sometimes measuring more than six inches between the 
 
 
 Paciloptera circula'a. Cicada Jlos folia. 
 
 tips of the expanded wings. Their mouth or beak is three-jointed, and verv 
 long, being tucked under the body when not required. The females are 
 furnished with a curious apparatus, by which they are enabled to cut grooves 
 in the branches of trees for the purpose of depositing their eggs therein. 
 
 The male Cicada has the power of producing a shrill and ear-piercing 
 sound, so loud in many species that it can be heard at a considerable distance, 
 and becomes a positive annovance, like the same tune played for several 
 hours without intermission. The organ by which the sound is produced is 
 internal, but its position may be seen externally by looking at the under side 
 of the body, just behind the last pair of legs, where a pair of horny plates 
 may be seen. These plates are the protecting covers of the sound- producing 
 apparatus, which consists of two drum-like membranes and a set of powerful 
 muscles. The colour of the perfect insect is mostly of a yellowish cast, 
 and the wings are firm, shining, and membranous, somewhat resembling 
 those of the dragon-fly in texture, but having larger cells or spaces between 
 the nervures. 
 
HETEROPTERA. 559 
 
 One species of Cicada is a native of England {Cicada Anglica), and is to 
 be found in the New Forest. 
 
 The Cercopidae, or Hoppers, are well known in this country, mostly from 
 the habits of the larva, and the saltatorial powers of the perfect insect. The 
 CuCKOO-SPiT, or Frog-hopper, is very plentiful in this country. The 
 larva fixes itself upon various plants, and sucks their juices through its long 
 beak, which it plunges into the soft substance. When the accumulation of 
 froth is very great, which usually happens in the heat of the day, a drop of 
 clear water begins to form at the lowest part, into which the froth drains 
 itself, and is presently relieved by the falling of the drop. The scientific 
 name of this insect is Aphrophora spumaria. The species which is repre- 
 sented in the engraving belongs to the same genus as the beautiful SCARLET 
 Hopper of England, so frequently found on ferns in the outskirts of woods. 
 
 Passing by the Psyllidae, another family of this order, we come to the 
 Aphides, a family comprising a great number of species. The whole history 
 of these insects is remarkable in the extreme, presenting many points which 
 seem most incredible, which destroy several old-established opinions, and in 
 all probability will serve, when fully investigated, in establishing a new basis 
 on which to found a more perfect system. The Aphides are wonderfully 
 prolific, crowding upon plants until they completely hide them from view, 
 and all employed in sucking the juice by means of the peculiar beak. They 
 haunt every part of the plant, the leaves and their stalks, the branches, and 
 even the roots being infested by these persevering destroyers, which often do 
 great damage, and even force the leaves and branches to twist themselves 
 into extraordinary contortions. Some species raise certain excrescences 
 which serve as habitations for the insects. 
 
 In many species there is a pair of tubercles towards the extremity of the 
 insect, which exude a sweetish liquid in a manner analogous to the frothing 
 of the Cuckoo-spit. This liquid falls upon the leaves of trees, and is then 
 known by the name of honey-dew. Bees are very fond of this substance, 
 and, wherever it is present in any quantities, may be seen licking up the 
 sweet secretion. Ants are equally fond of honey-dew, but they go to the 
 fountain-head at once, and lap it as it flows from the tubercles. "Whole 
 regiments of ants may be seen ascending trees in search of the Aphides ; 
 and it is very amusing to see how they will search every atom of a tree on 
 which the Aphides live, so as not to allow a single insect to escape them. 
 
 The Cochineal Insect {Coccus cacti\ belongs to the same order. This 
 species is a native of Mexico, and lives upon a kind of cactus, called from its 
 insect guest the Cactus cochinelliferus. 
 
 The Lac Insect (Coccus lacca) resides in Indiaandthehotterpartsof Asia. 
 
 HETEROPTERA. 
 
 These insects are readily known by several conspicuous characteristics. 
 The wings are four in number, and the front pair are very peculiar in their 
 structure, the basal portion being horny, like the elytra of beetles, and the 
 remaining portion membranous, like the hinder wings of the same insect. 
 In some species, however, the wings are wanting, as in the common Bed-bug 
 {Cimex lectularius). The body is always much flattened, the mouth is beak- 
 like, and m the pupal stage the creature is active and resembles the perfect 
 insect, except in its want of wings. 
 
 The family of the Nepidas is represented in England by the common 
 Water Scorpion, a very flat and, leaf-like insect, which is found abundantly 
 in slow-running streams, ditches, and ponds. It derives its popular name 
 from its scorpion-like aspect, the two slender filaments appended to the abdo- 
 
S6o APHANIPTERA. 
 
 men representing the sting-tipped tail, and the raptorial fore-legs resembling 
 the claws. It is with these legs that the Water Scorpion catches its prey, 
 which, when once grasped in that hooked extremity, i^ never able to make its 
 escape. The beak is short, but very strong and sliarp, and is not bent under 
 the thorax as is the case with that of the water boatman. 
 
 The next section of the Heteroptera includes insects which are mostly 
 terrestrial, though some are fond of haunting the surface of water. The 
 Hydrometridffi are well-known examples of the latter insects, and are popu- 
 larly known by the name of Water-fleas. The common Gerris skims over the 
 surface with wonderful rapidity, wheeling and turning as easily as a skat r 
 performing his manoeuvres on the smooth ice. But the Hydrometra, a very 
 slender creature, hardly thicker than a needle, and bearing a great resem- 
 blance to the well-known Walking-stick Insect, glides slowly over the surface, 
 mostly keeping among the aquatic plants at the margin, and passing silently 
 as a shadow over the water. 
 
 The family of the Cimicidas is represented by the too common Bed-bug, a 
 creature which is supposed to have been impoited into England from 
 America. This odoriferous, riat-bodied, rust-coloured insect has derived its 
 very appropriate name from the old English word biigge, signifying a nocturnal 
 spectre, and used in that sense by the old writers. These creatures are 
 enabled, by means of their flat bodies, to creep into ihe smallest crevices; 
 and when they have once taken possession of a room, can be with difficulty 
 extirpated. 
 
 TheReduviidaecomprisea great number of terrestrial insects, mostly exotic, 
 but a few being natives of our country. Some of them are very large, and 
 one species, the Wheel-bug {AjUus serratus), is said to possess electric 
 powers. Its popular name is derived from the curious shape of the prothorax, 
 which is elevated aiid notched, so as to resemble a portion of a cog-wheel. 
 One species, Reduvius personatus, inhabits houses, and is said to feed upon 
 the bed-bug. The larva and pupa of this insect are difficult to discover, on 
 account of their habit of enveloping themselves in a coating of dust. The 
 HamMATOCERUS belongs to this family. The insect is remarkable for the 
 curious structure of the second joint of the antennae, which consists of 
 numerous small articulations. The generic title is derived from two Greek 
 words, signifying " link-horned," and is given to the insect in allusion to this 
 peculiarity. 
 
 APHANIPTERA. 
 
 We now come to another order, deriving its name from the invariable 
 absence of wings, the name being derived from two Greek words, the former 
 
 signifying " invisitle," and the latter 
 "a wing." Thire are not many spe- 
 cies belonging to this order, and they 
 are all known by the popular name of 
 Fleas.- 
 
 The strength and agility of the 
 curious bu' annoying little insect the 
 Flea is perfectly wonderful. IVIany 
 of my readers have doubtless seen the 
 exhibiiion of the Industrious Fleas, 
 
 who drew little carriages, and carried 
 
 THE Fi.E.r (. al X irritam.) comparatively heavy weights with the 
 
 greatest ease. The apparatus with 
 wliich it extracts the blood of its victims is very curious, and forms a beautiful 
 object under a microscope of low power. Its leap is tremendous in propor- 
 
GREAT CRANE-FLY— GAD AND BOTFLIES. 
 
 S6i 
 
 tion to its size. This property it enjoys in common with many other insects, 
 among which the Common Grasshopper, the Frog-hopper, and the Halticas, 
 or Turnip-flies, are conspicuous. In ail these insects the hinder pair of legs 
 are very long and powerful. 
 
 DIPTERA. 
 
 We now pass to the Diptera', or Two-winged Insects, which may be 
 known not only by the single pair of wings, but by the little appendages at 
 their base, called haltcres, or balancers, and which are the only vestiges of 
 the hinder pair of wings. Moreover, the wings are not capable of being 
 folded. This order is of vast extent, and includes a whole host of species. 
 
 The Tipulidas are very familiarto us through the well-known insects called 
 Daddy Long-legs, or Crane-flies, one of which is here represented. In 
 their perfect siate these insects are perfectly harmless, although ignorant 
 people are afraid to touch them. But in theii larval condition they are fear- 
 ful pests, living just below the surface of the ground, and feeding on the roots 
 of grasses. Whole acres of grass have been destroyed by these larvae ; and' 
 
 
 GREAT CRANE-FLY. — (Tifula gigantea.) 
 
 some years ago Blackheath Park was so infested with them, that in the 
 beginning of autumn the ground was covered thickly with the empty pupa 
 cases of the escaped insect. 
 
 gad and bot flies. 
 
 The left-hand figure in the illustration represents the common BreezE- 
 FLY, a well-known British example of the Tabanidse. It is also known 
 by the popular names of Gad-fly and Cleg, As in the gnats, the 
 
 P o 
 
S62 CRUSTACEA. 
 
 females are the only bloodsuckers, but they exert their sanguinary ability 
 with terrible force. 
 
 On the right hand of the engraving may be seen a large and bold-looking 
 fly. This belongs to the family of the CEstridas, and is popularly known by 
 the name of Bot-fly. All these insects are parasitic in or upon animals, 
 The larva of this Bot-fly resides in the interior of horses, and is conveyed 
 there in a very curious manner. The parent fly deposits her eggs upon the 
 hairs near the shoulders of the horse, where the animal is sure to lick them, 
 in order to rid itself of the unpleasant feehng caused by agglutinated hairs. 
 The eggs are thus conveyed to the stomach, to the 
 coats of which organ the larvae cling, and there 
 remain until they have attained their full growth. 
 They then loosen their hold, and are carried, to- 
 gether with the food, through the interior of the 
 animal, fall to the ground, and immediately begin to 
 burrow. They remain underground until they have 
 undergone their metamorphoses, and then emerge in 
 the shape of the perfect insect. 
 The Humble Bee-fly.— This very curious insect 
 HUMBLE BEE-FLY. 's found in the early days of spring, and may be 
 (Bombylius medius.) seen hovering over the primroses and other spring 
 flowers. It feeds in the same manner as the Hum- 
 ming-bird Moth, and much resembles that insect in many of its habits. 
 
 CRUSTACEA 
 
 Having now completed our brief survey of the Insects, we proceed to the 
 Crustacea, a very large class, in which are included the lobsters, crabs, 
 shrimps, water-fleas, and a host of other familiar beings. Even the Cirrhi- 
 peds, popularly known under the name of Barnacles, are members of this 
 large class, and a number of curious animals, which have until lately been 
 classed with the spiders, are now ascertained to belong to the Crustacea. 
 
 These beings can be easily separated from the insects on account of their 
 general structure, the head and throat being fused into one mass, called tech- 
 nically the cephalothorax ; the number of limbs exceeding the six legs of the 
 insects ; and the mode of breathing, which is by gills, and not by air-tubes. 
 
 The name of Crustacea is sufficiently appropriate, and is given to these 
 creatures on account of the hard shelly crust with which their bodies and 
 limbs are covered. 
 
 The first section of these creatures are called the Podophthalmata, or 
 Stalk-eyed Crustaceans, because their eyes are set upon footstalks. The first 
 order is that of the Ten-legged Crustaceans, so called on account of the five 
 pairs of legs that are set in each side. These are exclusive of the compli- 
 cated apparatus of the mouth, and the jaw-feet which guard its entrance. 
 The Crabs are placed first in the list of Crustaceans, and are technically 
 called Brachyura, or Short-tailed Crustaceans, because their tails are of com- 
 paratively small size, and are tucked under the large shielded body. In the 
 preliminary stages, however, the Crabs have tails as proportionately long as 
 those of a lobster or a cray-fish. 
 
 As the shelly armour of the Crustaceans is, in most cases, so hard, strong, 
 and unyielding, the mode of growth might be considered a problem not very 
 easy of solution : for with the Crustaceans the growth continues during 
 nearly the whole of life, or at all events for several years after they ha\ e 
 passed through the various changes to which they are subjected in their im- 
 perfect stages of existence. Their increase of size and weight is marvel- 
 
THE THORNBACK CRAB. 
 
 563 
 
 lously rapid, and how it can be accomplished, without subjecting the Crus- 
 taceans to the lot of the starveling mouse, who crawled into a jar of corn, but 
 could not crawl out again after 
 feasting on its contents, seems 
 to partake of the charater of an 
 animated puzzle. 
 
 The answer to the problem is 
 simply that the creature sheds 
 its armour annually, expands 
 rapidly while yet covered only 
 by a soft skin,, and is soon pro- 
 tected by a freshly-deposited 
 coat of shelly substance. Even 
 this answer contains a second 
 problem little less difficult than 
 that which it solves. How can 
 a Crustacean, say a crab or a 
 lobster, shed its skin ? It is 
 true that the cast shells are 
 found, showing that the creature 
 has escaped from its old and 
 contracted tenement by a slit in 
 some part of the body, such as 
 the top of the carapace, and has 
 left its shell in so perfect a 
 
 COMMON THORNBACK CRAB.- 
 Squinado.) 
 
 -(Maia 
 
 state that it might easily be mistaken for the living animal. 
 But how did it manage about the claws ? We all know what large mus- 
 
 THORNBACK SKDER-CRAB. 
 
 cular masses they are, how very small is the aperture in which the joint 
 works, and how stiff and firm is the broad tendinous plate which is found in 
 tiieir interior. Examination shows that there is no opening on the claws 
 
 2 
 
564 
 
 THE EDIBLE CRAB. 
 
 through which the creature might have drawn the imprisoned limb, and it ik 
 also evident that the only method by which these members can be ex- 
 tricated is by pulling them fairly through the joints. As a preliminary step, 
 the hard, firm, muscular fibres which fili the ciaw and give it the well- 
 Icnown pinching power, become soft, flaccid, and watery, and can thus be 
 drawn through the comparatively small openings through which the tendons 
 pass from one joint to another. The sharp and knil'e-lilce edges of the plates 
 cut deeply through the muscle, which, however, is little injured, on account 
 of its soft consistency, and heals with great rapidity as soon as the animal 
 recovers its strengh and is gifted with a new shell. In the common edible 
 crab, the flesh is quite unfit for consumption during this pro ess, as anyone 
 can attest who has attempted to dress and eat a " waiery" crab. Yet, in 
 some of the exotic crustaceans, these conditions are exactly reversed, and 
 the crabs are never so fit for the table as while they are soft and shell-less, 
 after the old suit of armour has been thrown off, and before the new 
 integument has received its hardening. 
 We now come to the Spider-crabs, scientifically termed Maiadae. 
 A very common and a very useful British species is seen in the illus- 
 tration, sitting on the rock. The common Thornback Spider-crab, or 
 Squinado, is plentiful upon our coasts, and, as may be seen by reference 
 to the figure, is not a very prepossessing creature in external appearance, 
 its body being one mass of sharp and not very short spines, and its whole 
 frame possessing a weird-like and uncomely aspect. 
 
 Ugly though jt may be in an artistic point ot view, it is one of the most 
 useful inhabitants of the sea, actmg as a scavenger for the removal of the 
 decaying animal matter that isever found in tlieseas. More especially along 
 ■the shore, where the refuse of mankind, such as unsaleable fish and crus- 
 taceans, are continually being cast into the waves, the Squinado is found to 
 perform the necessary office of removing all such substances. It is a vora- 
 cious creature, and being gifted with an acute sense of smell, is sure to 
 discover without delay any substance on which it can feed, and to malse its 
 way thereto without delay. 
 
 The Squinado, together with other crabs, sets to work boldly : with one 
 
 claw he holds tightly to the 
 banquet, and with the other 
 tears off morsels and deftly 
 feeds himself therewith, put- 
 ting them into his comical 
 jaws with the regularity of 
 clockwork, and with a ra- 
 pidity that reminds the ob- 
 server of a Chinese flinging 
 rice into his mouth with 
 his chop?ticks. The strength 
 and sharpness of the claws 
 are such that the toughest 
 ' muscle cannot long with- 
 stand their power, and the 
 flesh is torn from the bones 
 as perfectly as if scraped 
 away by a knife. 
 
 . It is a curious fact that the 
 back of this crab is general!) 
 a resting-place for sundry zoophytes, which often grow in such prolusion as 
 to hide the animal completely. A specimen half covered with zoophytes is 
 
 KDIBT.E GRAB. — (Cattcer pagitrus.) 
 
SWIMMING CRABS. 
 
 56S 
 
 shown in one illustration, while in the other the Spider-crab is shown de- 
 nuded of these appendages. 
 
 The large family of the Canceridae now comes before us, and is famiharly 
 known through the medium of the common Edible Crab. 
 
 This is a very common species, being plentiful around our rocky coasts, 
 and generally remaining in the zone just under low-water mark. The fish«r- 
 men catch it in various ways ; but the most usual method, and that by which 
 the greatest number of these crustaceans are captured, is by means of certain 
 baskets, called crab-pots, cruives, or creels, according to the locality. These 
 baskets are round, and in shape something like a flattened apple, and have 
 an aperture at the top through which the crab gains access to the interior. 
 When once within the basket it cannot escape, because the opening is 
 
 GREEN CRAB, — (Carcinus mcsnas.) 
 
 guarded by an inverted cone of osiers, like the entrance to a common wire 
 mouse-trap, so that the elastic sticks yield to the expected prey while passing 
 downwards, but effectually prevent all upward movement. 
 
 Supphed with a number of these creels, a corresponding amount of rope, 
 floats, stones, and bait, the fisherman rows towards the best grounds, which 
 are always where the bed of the sea is rocky, and the depth from three to 
 twenty fathoms. The bait, consisting of haddock, skate, and other fish, is 
 placed in the basket, together with a few stones which serve to sink it, a line 
 is attached, and the creel lowered out of the boat. A buoy is attached to 
 the line and marked with the owner's name, so as to avoid mistakes as to the 
 proprietorship of the creel. The fisherman then rows to a httle distance, 
 and sinks another baited creel, taking the precaution to place them so far 
 asunder that the lines cannot be entangled in each other. 
 
 Boys often employ their idle afternoons in crab-hunting, always going 
 among the rocks at low-water, and looking out for those rock msisses tha^ 
 
S6« 
 
 THE FIGHTING CRAB. 
 
 are covered with heavy seaweeds. They are armed with a Wnd of lance, 
 consisting of an iron hook fastened to a long stick, and with this they poke 
 about in the crevices under the rocks, and twist out the crabs that have con- 
 
 MF?i K _RAB — {Polyoius h nsiowa ) 
 
 ceiled them<;clves. These crabs, however, seldom attain any great size, the 
 lar-rer specimens remaining in the deeper water. Ihe boys call them 
 " pungeri," to distinguish them from the green crab. 
 
 FIGHTING TRAB. — {Gehsimu! hrllator.) 
 
 The shell of this crab is seldom found entirely clean, being generally 
 encrusted with acom-barnacles and various marine creaiuies. Sometimes, 
 when the crab is a very old and large one. has ceased growing for several 
 years, and consequently has needed no change of shell, it becomes absolutely 
 loaded with all sorts of extraneous growths, and in many cases is a.'most' 
 invisible under its load. There is a very curious specimen in the large 
 
THE HEKMlT CRAB. 5^7 
 
 collection at the British Museum, where a number of oysters had affixed 
 themselves to the shell, and consequently had been borne about with the crab 
 in all Its peregrinations. 
 
 We now arrive at the f.imily of the Portunidse, or Swimming Crabs, which 
 may be recognized by the constn,iciion ot the last pair of ),-et, winch are 
 flattened sid^iways, anJ have the Usi joint dilated into a thin oblique plate, 
 which anS'vers as an o ir or a tin, and enables thi creature to propel itself 
 through the water. Tne first e\ miple of this family is the tiREEN or SHORE 
 Crab, so familiar to evervone whu has passed even an hour on the coast 
 between the time of high an J low water. Although one of the c oinmonest of 
 our native crustaceans, it is at the same tune one of the most interesting, 
 and, owing to its diurnal habits, ili fearless nature, and its love lor the shallow 
 waters, it is very easily observed, i have spent many a pleasant hour in watch- 
 ing the habits of this little creature, and could hardly have imagined the 
 activity, the piercing sight, and the cleverness withuhich this crab is endowed. 
 
 The NlPPEH Crab is a really wonderful swimmer, being able, accoiding 
 to Mr. Couch's account, to as-end to the surface of the sea, and to pursue its 
 prey through the waters. So well does this creatuie swim, and so voracious 
 is its appetite, that it captures and eats even the s•^iftest sea-hsh, having 
 been known to pounce upon the mackerel and the pollack. Its method of 
 proceeding seems to be to dart upon its piey, grasp it tirmly w ih its sharply 
 pointed and powerful claws, and letain its hold until the unfortunate victim 
 is quite fati.;ued and falls an easy prey. 
 
 We now airive at another family, called the Ocypodidse, or Swift footed 
 Crabs, from their extraordinary speed, waich equals or even exceeds that of 
 a man. 
 
 The figure in the engraving represents the FIGHTING Crab, a creature 
 whose name is well deserved. As the reader may observe, one of its claws 
 is enormously 1 iri^e in proportion to the 
 body, being indeed nearly equal in dimen- 
 sions to the whole canpace, while the 
 other claw is ciuite small and feeble. It 
 is remarkab'e that sonirtimes the right 
 and sometimes the left claw is thus de- 
 veloped. This animil is a most deter- 
 mined fighter, and has the art of disposing 
 its limbs like the arms of a boxer, so as to 
 be equally ready for attack or defence 
 The figure shows the crab in its posture 
 of defence. 
 
 The Fighting Cra^b lives on the sea- 
 shore or on the border of salt marshes, 
 and burrows deeply in the earth, the 
 holes being tolerably cylindrical and 
 rather oblique in direction. In some hkrmit CRAB.-(/V«n« 
 
 pi tees these holes are so close together ^' nhardus.) 
 
 that the earth is quite honeyc inbeJ with them, and the place looks like a 
 rabbit warren. Each burro-v is tenanted by a pair of crab";, the male aUays 
 remaining in the post of danger at the mouth of the tunnel, and keeping 
 guard with his gre it claw at the entrance. 
 
 While running, it his a habit of holding the lar^eclaw aloft, and moving it 
 as if beckoning to some one ; a habit which has cause 1 one of the species to 
 be named the Calling Crab This acton has in it something very ludicrous, 
 and those who have watched the proceedings of a crab warren say that 
 there are few scenes more ridiculous than that which is presented by the 
 
568 
 
 LOBSTERS. 
 
 crustaceans when they are alarmed and go scuttling over the ground to their 
 homes, holding up their claws and beckoning in all directions. 
 
 We now come to a singular group of crabs, which are remarkable for 
 their soft and shell-less tails and the mode employed to protect them. From 
 their soUtary habits they are called Hermit-crabs, and from their extreme 
 combativeness they have earned the title of .Soldier-CRABS. 
 
 The best known of these Crustacea is the common Hermit-crab of 
 England {Pagurus Bernhardiis), which is to be found plentifully on our 
 shores. Like all its race, the Hermit-crab inhabits the shell of some 
 mollusc, in which it can bury its unprotected tail, and into which it can retreat 
 when threatened .with danger. The Hermit-crab usurps the deserted home 
 of various molluscs, according to its size, so that, when young and small, it is 
 found in the shells of the tops, periwinkles, and other small molluscs ; 
 and when it reaches full age, it takes possession of the whelk-shell and 
 entirely fills its cavity. 
 
 To see a Hermit-crab fitting itself with a new shell is a very ludicrous sight. 
 The creature takes the shell among its feet, twirls it about with wonderful ra- 
 pidity, balances it as if to try its weight, probes it with the long antennas, and 
 perhaps throws it away. Sometimes, however, when the preliminary inves- 
 tigations have proved satisfactory, it twists the shell round until the tail falls 
 into the opening, and then parades up and down for a little while. Perhaps 
 it may be satisfied, and after twirling the shell about several times, whisks 
 into it with such speed that the eye can scarcely follow its movements. 
 Indeed it seems rather to be shot into the shell from some engine of pro- 
 pulsion than to move voluntarily into the new habitation. When the 
 number of empty shells is great, the Hermit is very fastidious, and will 
 spend many hours in settling into a new house. 
 
 In all these creatures the larger claw is very much developed ; so that 
 when the Crab has withdrawn into the shell, the claw lies over the entrance 
 
 and closes it like a living 
 
 door, which has the further 
 advantage of being used as 
 an offensive weapon. The 
 footstalks on which the eyes 
 are set are moderately long, 
 stout, and jointed, and en- 
 able their possessor to see 
 in all directions. 
 
 We next take the second 
 great division of the Crus- 
 taceae, namely those which 
 have long and power- 
 ful tails. The Lobsters 
 and Shrimps are examples 
 of these creatures. In swim- 
 ming rapidly through the 
 water, the tail is the organ 
 of propulsion which is em- 
 
 LOBSTER. — (Astacus ganimarus. ) 
 
 ployed, and a glance at its form will soon explain its use. 
 
 We now come to the family of the Astacidae, which includes two well- 
 known -and very similar creatures, the fresh-water cray-fish, and the salt- 
 water Lobster. The general shape and appearance of the Lobster is too 
 well known to need any description. The vast numbers of Lobsters which 
 are annually brought to the London markets are largely supplied from 
 Norway, although there are many parts of our pwi) coasts where these 
 
SWilMPS AND PRA WNS. 
 
 569 
 
 creatures can be taken plentifully. The Lobster is not much of a rover, 
 seldom straying far from the spot on which it was hatched 
 
 The Lobsters are caught in creels or pots, like the crabs, but with greater 
 ease and economy, as they are very fond of meat, be it fresh or tainted, and 
 even if it should be putrefying will be attracted to it. 
 
 Like many other crustaceans, the Lobster is a most combative animal, 
 quarrelling on the slightest pretext, and fighting most furiously. In these 
 combats it mostly Loes a claw or a leg, being obliged to discard entirely 
 a wounded member. A fresh leg or claw sprouts from the scar, and it is 
 to this circumstance that the frequently unequal size of lobster-claws is owing. 
 Lobsters indefed part with these valuable members with strange indifference, 
 and will sometimes shake them off on hearing a sudden noise. 
 
 If the fishermen find that they have wounded a Lobster, they have 
 recourse to a very strange but perfectly efficacious remedy. Supposing one 
 of the claws to be wounded, the creature would soon bleed to death unless 
 
 SAND-HOPPER. . — ( T.lUrUS. 
 saltator.) 
 
 THE SHRIMP. — (Crangon vulgaris.) 
 THE PRAWN. — (Patamon serratus. ) 
 
 some means were taken whereby the flow of blood may be stopped. The 
 method adapted by the fishermen consists in twisting off the entire claw. A 
 membrane immediately forms over the wound, and the bleedmg is stopped. 
 The new limb that is to supply the place of that which was lost always 
 sprouts from the centre of the scar. 
 
 The next family includes the true Shrimps, and contains but one gerus. 
 The Shrimp, which is so familiar on our tables, and which, until the marine 
 aquaria became so common, was equally unknown in its living state, inhabits 
 our shores, where it is produced in countless myriads. In every little pool 
 that is left by the retiring tide the Shrimps may be seen in profusion, betray- 
 ing their presence by their quick darting movements as they dash about in 
 the water, and ever and anon settle upon some spot, flinging up a cloud of 
 sand as they scuffle below its surface, their backs being just level with the 
 surrounding sand. In consequence Of this manoeuvre, the fishermen call 
 them " Sand-raisers." The small prawns are often confounded with the 
 Shrimps and popularly called by the same title. They can, however, be 
 easily distinguished from each other, the beak of the prawn being long, 
 and deeply saw-edged, while that of the Shrimp is quite short and smooth. 
 
 Our attention is now drawn to a very large group of crustaceans, called 
 
57° 
 
 lUJi WUOVLOUSE. 
 
 the Sessile-eyed Crustacea, because their eyes, instead of being placed on 
 footstalks, are seated directlyupon the shell. The bo 'y is divided w.ih tolenljle 
 distinctness into three parts, for which ihe ordinary titles of head, thorax, and 
 abdomen are retained as being more convenient and intelhgible than the 
 ingenious and more correct, though ra'.her repulsive, titles that have lately 
 been affixed to ttiese divisions of the body. 
 
 They have no carapace, like the stalk-eyid crustaceans, nor do they breathe 
 withgilh, butby msansof a curious adaptation of so • e of the;r hmos. None 
 of the Sessile-eyed Crustacea attain any 1 irge size, an inch and a half being 
 nearly their utmost limit i.i point of length. Most of these animals reside 
 along the sea-shores, where they are of very great use in clearing away the 
 mass of dead apiimal and vegetable matter which is conscanily found in the sea. 
 I n the illustration we have an example of the tirst family, calle J by the name 
 of Orchesiidas, or Jumpers, bee luse they possess the power of leaping upon 
 dry ground. The figure represents the most familiar of these little crusta- 
 ceans. This is the httle Sanp-hoi'Per, or San'ji-skipper, which is seen in 
 such myriads along all our sandy shores, leaping about vigorously just 
 before the advancing or behind the retning tide, and looking 1 ke a low mist 
 edging the sea, so coun'less are then- numbers. Paley has a well-known 
 passage respecting this phenomenon, too familiar for quotation. 
 
 The leap of the .Sand-hoppar is produced by bending the body and then 
 flinging it open with a sudden jerkin fact, the exact converse of the mode 
 of progression adjpted by the Ijbster an;l "^hrimp. The Sand-hopper feeds 
 on almost everything that is soft and capable of decay, and seems to care 1 ttle 
 whither the food be of an animal or \egetable nature. Decaying seaweed 
 is a favourite article of food, and wherever a b mc.i of blackened and rotting 
 seaweed lies on the sand, there may be found the Sand-hoppers congregated 
 beneath it, and literally boiling out when the seaweed is plucked up. 
 
 The teeth of this creature are 
 stron'.j and sharp, as indeed is 
 neidful for the tasks imposed 
 upon ihem. The Sand-hopper 
 will eat anything ; and on oneoc- 
 casion, when a lady had allowed 
 a swarm of these little crusta- 
 ceans to sett e on her handker- 
 chief, it was bitten to rags when 
 she took it up. It is very fond 
 of worms, will eat any kind of 
 caiTion, and sometimes, when 
 pressed ■ by hunger, has no 
 scruple in eating its own kind. 
 
 The two lower figures in the 
 illustration represe. t the com- 
 mon WoODUiUSE, the iatter 
 figure being given in order to 
 show the equal development of 
 the legs. This creature is very 
 plentiful in all damp places, and 
 especially exults in getting un- 
 der logs of wood or decaying 
 tim^er. In cellars and outhouses 
 they are common, and are generally to be found in daik and damp localities. 
 Fowls are very fond of them, and there is no surer way of extirpating these 
 sharp-toothed creatures than by allowing some fowls to scrape and peck 
 
 ARM.\DILL0 wooDLnusE. — (ArmadiUovul^arh. 
 woouLoUSE. —{Porcuiio scaiii.) 
 
THE BARNACLES. 
 
 5/1 
 
 about in tlie places where they have taken up their residence. Under the 
 b^rk (if dead and decaying trees is a very favourite residence with the 
 Woodlouse, and in such lo aiities their dead skeletons may often be found, 
 bleachfd to a porcelain-like whiieness. The colour of the Wuoalouse is a 
 darkish leaden hue, sometimes spotted with white. 
 
 Ihe well-known PILL W'iODLOUSK, or PlLL ARMADILLO, are seen at the 
 upper part of the illus'raton, one representing the creatuie as it appears 
 ■while walkinsj, and the other showing it when rolled up mto a globul.ir shape. 
 In this attitude it bears a strong analogy to the common hedgehog, and a 
 still stronger to the manis, as in the latter case the creature is defended by 
 horny scales that protect it just as the exiernal skeleton protects the 
 armadillo. Vi hile rolled up, 'his creature has been often mistaken for a bead 
 or a berry from some tree, and in one instance a girl, new to the country, 
 actually ihreided a number of these unfoitunate crustaceans before 
 she discovered that they were not beads. 
 
 We now come to the last members of the Crustacea, creann-es which were for 
 a long time placed among the molluscs, and whose true position has only been 
 discovered in comparRtivelv liter years. Popularly they are cailed Barnaclt'S, 
 but are known to naluraliata unaer the general term Cirrhipedes, on account 
 
 Lfpas anaiifrra. 
 
 of the cirrhi, or bristles, with which their strangely transformed feet are 
 fringed. 
 
 V\ hen rdult, all the Cirrhiprdes are affixed to some substance, be'ng either 
 set directly upon it, as the common amrn barnacle, so plentiful on our 
 coasts ; placed upon a footstnlk of vaiiable length, as in the ordinary goose-, 
 mussel ; or even sunk into the supporting substance, as is the case with the 
 whale barnacles. When young, the Cirrhipedes are free and able to swim 
 about, and are of a shape so loiallv different to that which they afterwards 
 assume, that they would not be reco^ized except by a practised eye. 
 
 Along the under surface are set six pairs of limhs not furnished with claws, 
 but being developed at their extremities into two long filaments, joined and 
 covered with hairs. By means of these modified limbs the cirrhipedes obt^n 
 
572 AKACMNIDA. .. 
 
 their food. The common acorn barnacle of our coasts affords a fami;i,ir and 
 beautiful example of the mode, by which this structure is made subservient to 
 procuring a supply of food. The closed valves at the upper part of the srieil 
 are seen to open slightly, a kmd of fairy-like hand is thrust out, the fingers 
 expanded, a grasp made at the water, and the closed member then withdrawn 
 into the shell. 
 
 This hand-like object is in fact the aggregated mass of legs with their fila- 
 ments. As the limbs are thrust forward, they spread so as to form a kind of 
 casting net ; and as they return to the shell, they bring with them all the 
 minute organisms which were swimming in the water. This movement con- 
 tinues without cessation, as long as the barnacles are covered with water, 
 and appears to be as mechanically performed as the action of breathing is 
 performed by the higher animals. 
 
 In the illustration is seenagroup of the common GooSE Mussel, or Duck 
 Barnacle, so called on account of the absurd idea that was once so widely 
 entertained, that this species of barnacle was the preliminary state of the 
 barnacle-goose, the cirrhi representing the plumage, and the valves doing 
 duty for the wings. 
 
 This barnacle is tolerably universal in its tastes. It clings to anything, 
 whether still or moving, and is the pest of ships on account of the pertinacity 
 with which it adheres to their planks. Its growth is marvellously rapid, and 
 in a very short time a vessel will have the whole of the submerged surface 
 coated so thickly with these cirrhipedes that her rate of speed is sadly 
 diminished by the friction of their loose bodies against the water. 
 
 A good example of these creatures is afforded by the 
 
 well-known AcoRN BARNACLE, so plentiful on our coasts. 
 
 They have no necks like those of the Goose Barnacle, 
 
 but are sessile on the rocks. Spots over which the 
 
 tide only runs for a few hours are thickly studded with 
 
 these Barnacles, and it is interesting to see how quickly 
 
 they open their valves and fling out their arms as soon 
 
 ACORN BAR VACLE. ^s the water covers them at each returning tide. When 
 
 (Balanus b.danoides.) j^e sea withdraws, they close their shells firmly, and 
 
 , retain within their interior a sufficiency of water wherewith to carry on the 
 
 business, of respiration until the next tide brings a fresh supply. Total 
 
 submersion seems to be hurtful to them. 
 
 ARACHNIDA. 
 
 Another class of animated beings now comes before us, which, under the 
 general term of Arachnida, comprises the Spiders, Scorpions, and Mites. 
 
 These beings breathe atmospheric air, have no antennae, and have four 
 pairs of legs attached to the fore parts of the body. 
 
 In some of the higher Arachnida there is a bold division into thorax and 
 abdomen, and the former portion of the body is clearly divided into separate 
 segments. By the earlier naturalists the Arachnida were placed among the 
 insects, but may readily be distinguished by several peculiarities. In the 
 first place, they have more than six legs, which alone would be sufficient to 
 separate them from insects. They have no separate head ; the head and 
 thorax being fused, as it were, into one mass, called the cephalothora.t. 
 In many of the lower species there is not even a division between the thorax 
 and abdomen ; and the body, thorax, and abdomen are merged into one uni- 
 form mass, without even a mark to show their several boundaries. They 
 undergo no metamorphosis, like that of the inserts, for, although the young 
 Spiders change their skins several times, there is no change of form. 
 
CRAB SPIDER.- 
 
 sn 
 
 Beginning with the true Spiders, we find that their palpi (i.e., the jointed 
 antennas -hke organs that project from the cephalothorax) are more or less 
 thread-like, and in the males are swollen at the extremity into a remarkable 
 structure, as indicative of the sex as is the beard of man, the curled tail- 
 feathers of the drake, and the gorgeous train of the peacock. In the differ- 
 ent genera, these palpi are differently formed, and afford valuable indications 
 for systematic zoologists. 
 
 In these strange creatures, the mandibles are furnished with a curved claw 
 perforated at the extremity, sometimes like the poison-fang of a venomous 
 snake, and used for a similar purpose. A gland furnishes a secretion which is 
 forced through these organs, and is injected into any object that may be 
 wounded by the sharp claw. The fluid which is secreted for the service of 
 the fangs is nearly colourless, and is found to possess most of the properties 
 that exist in the venom of the rattlesnake or viper. 
 
 They all spin those remarkable nets which we popularly call " webs,'' and 
 which differ wonderfully in the various species. These webs are, in very 
 many instances, employed as traps wherein may be caught the prey on which 
 the Spider feeds, but in other cases are only used as houses wherein the 
 
 CRAB-SPIDER, OR MATOUTOU. — (My^ale cancetides.) 
 
 creature can reside. Some of the uses to which these wonderful productions 
 are put, as well as some details of their structure, will presently be mentioned. 
 
 We now pass to some typical species of these curious animals. 
 
 The Spiders belonging to the family of Mygalidas may at once be known by 
 the shape of their mandibles and the terrible claws which proceed from them. 
 In the greater number of Spiders the claws are set horizontally, but in the 
 Mygalidae they are bent downwards, and strike the prey much as a lion 
 clutches at his victim with his curved talons. 
 
 The Great Crab Spider belongs to the typical genus of this family, and 
 is one of the formidable Arachnida that prey upon young birds and othtr 
 small vertebrates, instead of limiting themselves to the insects, and similar 
 beings, which constitute the food of the generality of the Spider race. 
 
S74 
 
 TSAf'DOOR SPIDER 
 
 The talons of the spiders are scientifically called by the appropriate nanie 
 rA fakes, ihe word being Latin, and signifying "a reapin^-hooli." By this 
 name they will be called in the course of the following p iges. The falces of 
 the great Crab Spideis are of enor nous size, and when removed from the 
 creature and set in gol !, they are used as tooth-picks, being thought to possess 
 some occult virtue which drives away the toothache. 
 
 In the ac.orapanying illustration is an example of the curious TRAP- 
 DOOR Spid -r of Jam.iica, erroneously called the Tarantula. 
 
 This spider digs a burrow in the earth and lines it with a silken web, but 
 instead of merely protecting the entrance by a portion of the s Iken tube-, it 
 proves itself a more complete architect by making a tiap-door with a hin^e 
 that permits it to be opened and closed with admu-able accuracy. The floor 
 is beautifully circular, and is made of alternate layers of earth and welj, and 
 hinged to the lining of the tube by a b inJ of the same silken secretion. It 
 exactly fits tlie entrance of the burrow, and, when closed, so precisely cor- 
 responds with the surrounding earth that it can hardly be distinguished, even 
 when its position is pointed out. It is a strange sight to see the earth open, 
 a little lid raised, some hairy legs protrude, and gradually the whole form of 
 the spider show itse.f. 
 
 The curious and interesting Water Spider is now far better known than 
 was formerly the case, as the numerous aquaria that have I cen eslablislied 
 over the kingdom have tended to familiarize us with this-as well as with many 
 other inhabitants of the water. 
 
 This creature leads a strange life. Though a really terrestrial being, and 
 ^_^ needing to respire atmo- 
 
 1^ i) k|j^^ spheric air, it passes nearly 
 
 5??aW®^ the whole of its life in the 
 
 water, and, for the greater 
 part of its time is subm rged 
 below the surface. To a 
 lesser degree, s verd other 
 spiders lead a Foniewliat 
 similar life, sustaining exist- 
 ence by means of the air 
 which is entangled in the 
 hairs which c'othe the body. 
 Their subuirrged existence 
 is, however, only accidental, 
 while in the Water Spider it 
 forms the constant habit of 
 its life. 
 
 The body of the Wa^er 
 
 Spider is profusely covered 
 
 with hairs, whxh ser e to 
 
 entangle a U'-ge coinnarntive 
 
 amount of atmnsnheric air, 
 
 but it has ofher menns which 
 
 are not piis?essed bv the 
 
 spei'ies already d 'scr'bsd. 
 
 It has the nnwer of di>'ing 
 
 below the surface, and carrv- 
 
 , . in? with it a vervlnrgebubble 
 
 ot air that is he'd in its place by the hind-le?s : and in snite of this obstacle 
 
 to Its progress, it ran pass through the water with tnierable soeeH 
 
 The strangest part in the economy of this creature is, that it is actually 
 
 TRAP-DOOR spider— (0^27 ni,iu?ans.) 
 
THE WATEk SPIDBH. 
 
 S7S 
 
 hatched underwater, and lies submerged for a considerable time before it 
 
 ever sees the land. At some Uttle d pth the mother S'jider sums a l^ind of 
 
 egJ or dome-shaped cell, with the opening downwards. Having made this 
 
 chamber, she ascends to the surface, ajid there charges her whole body witt 
 
 air, arranging her hind-legs in such a 
 
 m-inner that the bubble held between -^S 
 
 them cannot escape. She then dives .i^f 
 
 into the w.iter, proceeds to her nest, ' ^ 
 
 and iiiich-irges the bubble into it. A 
 
 quantity of water is thus displaced, 
 
 and the upper part of the ceil is 
 
 fille.l with air. She then returns for 
 
 a second supply, and so proceeds until 
 
 the nest is full of air. 
 
 In this curious domicile the spider 
 livei, and is thus able to deposit and 
 to hatch her eg^s under the water 
 without even wetting them. The 
 reader will have nojced the exact 
 analogy between this sub-aquatic 
 reside. ici and the diving-bell, now 
 so generally employed. As to thi 
 spider itself, it is never wet ; and 
 tho igh it may be seen swimming 
 rapidly about in the water, yet the 
 moment it emerges from the surface 
 its hairy body will be found as dry 
 as that of any land spider. The 
 reason for this phenomenon is, that 
 the minufe bubbles of air which 
 always cling to th; furred body repel 
 the water and prevent it from mois- 
 tening the skill. 
 
 Tne eggs of this spider are inclosed 
 in a kind of cup-shaped cocoon, not 
 unlike the cover of a circular vegetable 
 dish. This cocoon may be seen in 
 the illustration in the upper part of 
 the cell. It usually coiltains about a 
 hundred little spherical eggs, which 
 are not glued together. 
 
 The Water Spider is a truly active 
 creature, and its rapid mnvements 
 can be watched by means of placing 
 one of these Arachnida in a vessel 
 nearly filled with water. If possible, 
 some water plant, such as the 
 vallisneria or anacharis, shoilld be 
 also placed in the vessel. Here 
 the spider will soon construct its web, and exhibit its curious habits. It 
 must be well supplied with flies and other insects thrown into the water. 
 It will pounce on them, carry them to its house, and there eat them. 
 
 The limbs and cephalothorax of this species a'e brown, with a slight tinge 
 of red ; and the abdomen is brown, but washed with green. It is densely 
 covered with hairs. On the middlis of the upper surface of the abdomen 
 
 WATER SPIDER. — {Ar^yroKefra aquatica\ 
 
576 
 
 THE GARDEN SPIDER. 
 
 are found round spots arranged in a square. The male is rather larger 
 than the female, and his legs are larger in proportion. He may, however, 
 be distinguished by the large mandibles and longer palpi. 
 
 We now arrive at the Epeiridae, a family containing some of the 
 strangest members of the spider race. The best known of this family is the 
 common Garden Spider, sometimes called the Cross Spider, from the 
 marks upon its abdomen. This is thought to be the best typical exainple of 
 all the Arachnidae. It is found in great numbers in our gardens, stretching 
 its beautiful webs perpendicularly from branch to branch, and remaining in 
 the centre with its head downwards, waiting for its prey. This attitude is 
 tolerably universal among spiders ; and it is rather curious that the Arach- 
 
 GARDEN SPIDER. — {EpHra diadema.) 
 
 nida: should reverse the usual order of things, and assume an inverted position 
 when they desire to repose. 
 
 The web of this spider is composed of two different kinds of threads, the 
 radiatmg and supporting threads being strong and of simple texture. But 
 the fine spiral thread which divides the web into a series of steps, decreasing 
 in breadth towards the centre, is studded with a vast amount of httle glo- 
 bules, which give to the web its peculiar adhesiveness. These globules are 
 too small to be perceptible to the unassisted eye, but by the aid of a micro- 
 scope they may be examined without difficulty. In an ordinai-y web, such as 
 IS usually seen m gardens, there will be about eighty-seven thousand of these 
 globules and yet the web can be completed in less than three-quarters of an 
 Tu- . ^^ globules are loosely strung upon the hnes, and when they are 
 rubbed off, the thread is no longer adhesive. 
 
 Of all the Spider race the Scorpions are most dreaded, and justly 
 so. These strange beings are at once recognized by their large claws and 
 
ROCK SCORPION. 577 
 
 the armed tail. This member is composed of six joints, the last being 
 modified into an arched point, very sharp, and communicating with two poison 
 glands in the base of the joint. With this weapon the Scorpion wounds its 
 foes, striking smartly at them, and by the same movement driving some oi 
 the poison into the wound. The effect of the poison varies much, according 
 to the constitution of the person who is stung, and the size and health oi 
 the Scorpion. Should the creature be a large one, the sting is productive 
 
 ROCK SCORPION. — (Buthtis afer.) 
 
 of serious consequences, and in some cases has been known to destroy 
 life. Generally, however, there is little danger to life, though the pain 
 is most severe and the health much injured for the time, the whole limb 
 throbbing with shooting pangs, and the stomach oppressed with over- 
 powering nausea. The poison seems to be of an acrid nature, and the 
 pain can be relieved by the application of alkaline remedies, such as liquid 
 ammonia, tobacco ashes, &c. Melted fat is also thought to do good 
 service, and the nausea is relieved by small doses of ipecacuanha. Some 
 of the poison can mostly be brought to the surface by means of pressing a 
 tube, such as a tolerably large key or the barrel of a small pistol, upon the 
 spot, and the duration, if not the severity of the pain, is thereby mitigated. 
 
 In all these creatures the tail is composed of the last six joints of the 
 abdomen, and the powerful limbs, with the lobster-like claws at the tips, 
 are the modified palpi. The eyes of the Scorpions differ in number, 
 some species having twelve, others eight, and others only six : these last 
 constitute the genus Scorpio. On the lower surface of the Scorpions are 
 seen two remarkable appendages, called the combs, the number of teeth 
 differing in the various species. In the Rock Scorpion the teeth are 
 thirteen in number, while in the red scorpion there are never less than twenty- 
 eight. The Rock Scorpion is a large creature, measuring about six inches in 
 length when fully grown. 
 
 P B 
 
S7» 
 
 CEN7EPEDES. 
 
 MYRIAPODA. 
 
 In accordance with the hest systems of the present day, the Myriapoda' 
 are considered as a separate class. 
 
 The Myriapoda are without even the rudiments of wings, and possess 
 a great niunber of feet, not less tnau twelve pairs ; and in some species 
 there are more than lorty pairs of legs. In allusion to iheir numerous feet 
 tlie Myriapoda are popiuaily called Hundred-legs, and their scientific title 
 is even ijulder, sign tying ten thousand teet. To tnis elass belong the well- 
 known ceiitipeoes, so pientitul in our gardens, and the equally well-known 
 millepedes, lounu under decayingwood and in similar localities. In England 
 nunc of the Myiiapods attain to great dimensions, but in hot countiies, and 
 especially under the tropito, they become so lar^^e as to be positively formid- 
 able as well as repulsive. 
 
 We now arrive at ihe true Scolopendr^e, which, together with the allied 
 genera, are popularly known by the name of Ckntu'EDLS. The genus 
 Scolopcndra is a very large one, containing about sixty species, most of 
 them inhabitants of the tropics, and many attaining a large size. The 
 
 great Scolopendra; are not only 
 unpleasant and repulsive to the 
 si;.;ht, but are really formidable 
 creatures, being armed witli fangs 
 scarcely less terrible than the sting 
 of the scoipion. These weapons 
 are placed just below the mruth, 
 and are foimed fiom the sectmd 
 pair of feet, which are modified 
 into a pair of strong claws, set 
 horizontally in a irai ner resem- 
 bling the falces of ordinary spiders, 
 and terminated by a strong and 
 sharp hook on each side. These 
 hooks are perforated, and are 
 traversed by a little channel lead- 
 ing from a poison gland, like that 
 of the scorpion, so that the 
 venomous secretion is forced into 
 tlie wound by the very action of 
 ■ biting. 
 
 The figure represents a centipede 
 which is found in England, and in some localities is very common. It is 
 represented (fits natural size, and, as may be seen, is in no way conspicuous 
 for its dimensions. It is, however, remarkable on another account. It has 
 the power of giving out a tolerably strong phosphorescent light, which is 
 only visible after dark, but is then very conspicuous, and has often caused 
 the centipede to be mistaken for a ^'low-worm. It is not unfrcquently 
 found within pc.nches, apricots, plums, and similar fruits, when they are very 
 ripe, nnd lies conifortab y coiled up in the httle sp:!ce between the stone 
 and the fruit, where the sweetest iuices lie. The colour of this centipede 
 is yellow ; its head is detp rust colour ; its antennas are very hairy, and four 
 times as long as the nead segment. There are from fifty-one to fifty-five 
 pairs of legs. Its length varies from two inches and a half to three inches. 
 
 A I t'tronemaJus lov^icorw's. 
 
TJi£ EARTH-WORM. 579 
 
 ANNULATA. 
 
 A NEW class of animals now comes before us. These creatures are 
 technically called Annulata, or sometimes Annelida, on account of the 
 rings, or annuli, of which iheir bodies are composed. Ihey may be dis- 
 tinguished from the Juiida by the absence of true feet, although in very many 
 species the place of feet is supplied by bundles of brisiles, set along ihe sides. 
 The re^p ration is carried on either by means of external gills, iniernal sacs, 
 or even through the skin iiself. In most of the Annulata the body is long 
 and cylindrical, but in some it is flattened and oval. The number of rings is 
 very v.iriable, even in the same species. 
 
 The group of worms which come first on our list is remarkable for the 
 architectural powers of its members. In order to protect their soft sknned 
 body and delicate gills, they build for themselves a residence into which they 
 exactly fit This residence is in the form of a tube, and in some casi s, as in 
 the Serpulae, is of a very hard shelly substance, and in some, as iHe Teiebella 
 is soft and (.overed with grains of sand and 
 fragn ents of shells. 
 
 The beautiful .Serpula is now very familiar 
 to us, through the medium of marine aquariu. ' 
 its white shell, exquisite fan-like branchije, and 
 brilliant opercu um. having lived and died in 
 mnnyan inland town where a li ing inhabitant 
 of the ocenn had never before been seen. The 
 SerpuLi is able to travel up and down its tube 
 by the bundles of bristles which project from 
 the rings along the sides, and to retract itself 
 with marvellous nipidity. It has no eyes, and 
 yet is sensible of light. For example, if a 
 Serpu'a be fully protruded, with its gill-fans i,apda amturuipucua. 
 extended tn their utmost, and blazing in all its 
 
 scarlet and white splendour, a hand moved between it and the window will 
 cause it to disappe.ir into its tube with a movement so rapid that the eye 
 cannot follow it. The gills, whose exquisitely graceful form and delicate 
 colouring have always attracted admiration, are affixed lo the neck, as, if they 
 were set at the opposite extremity of the body or along the sides, they would 
 not obtain sufficient air from the small amount of water that could be con- 
 tained in the tube. The be.iutiful scarkt stopper ought also to be mentioned. 
 Each s't of gills is furnished with a teniacle-lik appendage, ore of which is 
 small and thread like, and the other expanded at its extremity into a conical 
 operculum or stopper, ma l<ed uith a number of ridges, which form a beauti ul 
 series of teeth around its circumference. The footstalk on which this stopper 
 is mounted is a little longer than the gills, so that when the animal retreats 
 into its tube the siHs collapse and vanish, and the entrance of the tube is 
 exactly closed by the conical stopper. 
 
 The fami'y of which the common EARTH-woR:\r is a very familiar example 
 is distinguished by the ringed body without any gills or feet, but with brisjlles 
 arranged upon the rings for the purpose of progression. 
 
 In the well-known Earth-worm, the bristles are short and very stiff, and are 
 eight in number on each ri.g, two pairs being placed on parh side ; so that, 
 in fact, there are eight longitnd nal rows of bristles on the body, four on the 
 sides and four b"low, which enable the c>eature to take a firm hold of the 
 prnund as it p'-oce:;ds. Except that the worm makes use of b'istles, and the 
 snake of the enges of its scales, the mode of progress is much the same in 
 both cases. The whole body of the creature is very elastic, and capable of 
 
 PP 2 
 
580 
 
 RADIA TA. 
 
 being extended or contracted- to a- wonderful degree. When it wishes to 
 advance, it pushes forward its body, permits the bristles to hitch against the 
 ground, and then, by contracting the rings together, brings itself forward, and 
 is ready for another step. As in each full-grown Earth-worm there are at 
 least one hundred and twenty rings, and each ring contains eight bristles, it 
 may be imagined that the hold upon the ground is very strong. 
 
 The Common Leech is almost as familiar as the earth-worm, and is one 
 of a genus which furnishes the blood sucking creatures which are so largely 
 
 /*^r^^ 
 
 coMiMON LEECH. — {Hitudo medicinalis.) 
 
 used in surgery. It belongs to a large group of Annelida which have no 
 projecting bristles to help them onward, and are therefore forced to proceed 
 in a different manner. All these Leeches are wonderfully adapted for the 
 purpose to which they are applied, their mouths being supplied with sharp 
 teeth to cut the vessels, and with a sucker-like disc, so that the blood can be 
 drawn from its natural channels ; while their digestive organs are little more 
 than a series of sacs in which an enormous quantity of blood can be received 
 and retained. 
 
 RADIATA. 
 
 ECHINODERMATA. 
 
 We now arrive at a vast and comprehensive division of living beings, 
 which have no joints whatever, and no hmbs, and are called Radiata, 
 because all their parts radiate from a common centre. The structure is very 
 evident m some of these beings, but in others the formal ion is so exceedingly 
 obscure that it is only by anatomical investigation that their real position is 
 discovered. 
 
 The highest forms in this division have been gathered together in the cVtss 
 Echinodermata. This word signifies '' urchin-.skinned," and is given to the 
 animals comprising it because their skins are more or less furnished with 
 spines resembling those of the hedgehog. In these animals the radiate form 
 is very plainly shown, some of them assuming a perfectly star-like shape, of 
 >vbicl) the common star-fishes of our coasts are familiar examples, In some 
 
SEA-URCHIN. -581 
 
 of the Radiates, such as the sea-urchin, the whole body is encrusted with a 
 chalky coat, while in others it is as soft and easily torn as if it were composed 
 of mere structureless gelatine. 
 
 The mode of walking, or rather creeping, which is practised by these 
 bemgs, IS very mteresting, and may be easily seen by watching the proceed- 
 mgs of a common star-fish when placed in a vessel of sea-water. At first it 
 will be quite still, and lie as if dead, but by degrees the tips of the arms w.ll 
 be seen to curve slightly, and then the creature slides forward without any 
 perceptible means of locomotion. If, however, it be suddenly taken from the 
 water and reversed, the mystery is at once solved, and the walking apparatus 
 is seen to consist of a vast number of liny tentacles, each with a little round 
 transparent head, and all moving slowly but continually from side to side, 
 sometimes being thrust out to a considerable distance, and sometimes being 
 withdrawn almost wholly within the shell. These are the " ambulacra," or 
 vvalking apparatus, and are among the most extraordinary means of progres- 
 sion in the animal kingdom. Each of these innumerable organs acts as a 
 sucker, its soft head being applied to any hard substance, and adhering 
 thereto with tolerable firmness, until the pressure is relaxed and the sucker 
 released. The suckers continually move forward, seize upon the ground, 
 draw the body gently along, and then search for a new hold. As there are 
 nearly two thousand sucuers continually at work, some being protruded, 
 others relaxed, and others still feeling for a holding-place, the progress of the 
 creature is very, regular and gliding, and hardly seems to be produced by 
 voluntary motion. 
 
 We will now proceed to some examples of these curious beings. 
 
 We first take a beautiful family of this order, called Echinidse, because 
 they are covered with spines like the quills of the hedgehog. Popularly they 
 are known by the name of Sea-urchins, or Sea-eggs. 
 
 In all these curious beings the upper parts are protected by a kind of shell, 
 always more or less dome-shaped, but extremely variable in form. The shell 
 is one of the most marvellous structures in the animal kingdom, and the 
 nfiechanical difficulties which are overcome in its 
 formation are of no ordinary kind. In the case 
 of the common Sea-egg, which is shown on the 
 following illustration, the shell is nearly globular. 
 Now, this shell increases in size with the age of 
 the animal ; and how a hollow spherical shell 
 can increase regularly in size, not materially 
 altering its shape, is a problem of extreme 
 difficulty. It is, however, solved in the following 
 manner. The shell is composed of a vast number 
 of separate pieces, whose junction is evident when 
 the interior of the shell is examined, but is almost / t? i • 
 
 entirely hidden by the projections upon the outer sea-urchin.— (£r,^«««j 
 surface. These pieces are of a hexagonal or pen- ^* ara.) 
 
 tagonal shape, with a slight curve, and having mostly two opposite sides 
 much longer than the others. As the animal grows, fresh deposits of 
 chalky matter are made upon the edges of each plate, so that the plate 
 increases regularly in size, still keeping its shape, and in consequence 
 the dimensions of the whole shell increase, while the globular shape is 
 preserved. If a fresh and perfect specimen be examined, the surface is 
 seen to be covered with short sharp spines set so thickly that the substance 
 of the shell can hardly be seen through them. The structure of these 
 spines is very remarkable, and under the microscope they present some 
 iROSt interesting details. Moreover, each spine is movable at the will pf the 
 
S&a 
 
 STAR-FISIIBS. 
 
 owner, and works upon a true ball-and-socket joint, the ball beirg a round 
 globular projection on the surface of the shell, and the socket sunk into the 
 base of the spuie. 
 
 'I'he Common Sea-urchin is edible, and in some places is extensively con- 
 sumed, fully tainmg its t.t.le of Sea-egg, by being boiled and eaten in the 
 same manner a^ ilie eggs of poultry. 
 
 Leaving the Ei.)iiin, we pass to the next large group of Echinodermata, 
 called scientihcaliy Asieriadi;, and popularly known as bTAR-FlaHES. These 
 creauues exhib t in the strongest manner the radiate lonn of body, the 
 various organs boldly radiaiing tioni a common centre. 
 
 Many ot these crcaiuies lUc exceedingly common upon our own coasts, so 
 plentiful, indeed, as to be intensely hated by the nsliermen. Of these, the 
 common FlVE-FlNGiiR, or Ckuss-FlSH, is p' ihaps found in ihe greatest 
 numbers. All Siar-hshes are very woiiuerfui beings, and well repay a close 
 and lengthened examination of their hab.ts, iheir develo|i;iien', and their 
 anato.r.y. There are sufficient materials in a suigle Star hah to till a whole 
 bo ik as large as the present voiu.ne, and it is therefore necessary that our 
 descriptions shall be but biief and compressed. To begin with the ordinary 
 habits of this creature. Everyone ^\ho l.as wandeieu liy ihe sea-side has 
 seen specimens of the common Five-fingers thrown on the beach, and 
 perhaps mi) have passed it by as something too commonplace to deserve 
 notice. If it be .taken up, it dangles lielplessly fioni the hand, and appears 
 to be one of the rnost ivrnOCiiCAis bei.igs on the face of the earth. Yet, this 
 very creature has in all probability killed and devoured great numbers of the 
 edib'e molluscs, a' d ha> either entirely or partially excited the anger of many 
 an industrious fisherman. 
 To begin with the former delinquency. It is found that the Star-fish is a 
 
 terrible foe to mulkiscs, and although its 
 body is so soft, and it is destitute of any 
 jaws or levers, such as are employed by 
 other moiiusc-eating ii habitants of the 
 sea, it can devour even the tightly shut 
 bivalves, however firmly they may close 
 their valves. 
 
 The second delinquency of the Star-fish 
 is achieved as follows. By some wonder- 
 ful power the Star-fish is enabled to de- 
 tect prey at some distance, even though 
 no organs of sight, hearing, or scent can 
 be absolutely defined. When, therefore, 
 the fishermen lower their baits into the 
 s.-'a, the Star-fishes aiid crabs often seize 
 the hook, and so give the fisherman all 
 the trouble of pulling up his line for 
 nothing, baiting the hook afresh, and los- 
 ing his time. The fishermen always kill 
 the Star-fish in reprisal for its attack on 
 their bait, and formerly were accustomed to tear it across and flingthe pie-es 
 into the sea. This, however, is a ve^y foolish plan of proceeding, for the 
 Star-fish is wonderfully tenacious of life, and can bear the loss of one or all 
 of its rays withotit seeming much inconvenienced. Tlie two halves of the 
 Asterias would simply heal the wound, put forth fresh rays, and, after a 
 time, be transmuted into two perfect Star-fishes. 
 
 The movements of the Star -fish are extremely graceful, the creature gliding 
 Ojiward with a beautifully smpoth and regular motion. It alwavs manages 
 
 CROSS-FISH. — ( Uraster ruhens. ) 
 
PORTUGUESE MAN-OF-WAR: S'3 
 
 to accommodate itself to the surface over which it is passing, never bridging 
 over even a slight depression, but exactly following all the equalities of the 
 ground. It can also pass through a very narrow opening, and docs so by 
 pushing o.ie ray in front, and then foldin^^ the others back so that they may 
 afford no obstacle to the passige. It also has an odd habit of pressing the 
 points of its ray-; upon the bottom of tue sea, and raising itself in the middle 
 
 ACALEPHA. 
 
 We now arrive at a large and important class of animals. These beings 
 are scientifically termed Acalkpha, or Netiles, a word which miy be freely 
 rendered as Sea-nettles. The term is appropriate to many of tiie species 
 which compose this birge clais, for a very greiit number of the Acalepha are 
 possessed of certain poisoned weapons which pierce the skin and irritate the 
 nerves as if they were veritable stinging-netties floating about in the sea. 
 Popularly, they are known by the f.imiliar term Jelly-hshes, because their 
 structure is so gelatinous, mostly clear and transparent, but sometimes si.mi- 
 opaque or colo ired with most beautiful lints. 
 
 On the right han I of the illustration on the following page may be seen a 
 remark-ibl ; creat ire, calle 1 by tlie popular name of the Sallee Man, some- 
 times corrupted, in nautical fashion, into Sallymax. In this curious animal 
 the body is m; nbraio is, o"al, and very flat, and niav be at once recognized 
 by the cartil.igino .s crest which risss obliquely from its upper surface. 
 
 Tlie Velella is very widely distri ute I, and is found in every sea except 
 those that are subject to the cold influences nf the poles. It seldom ap- 
 proaches land, but miy bs met in vast numbers, sometimes being crowded 
 together in large masses an.l of vario is sizes. 
 
 The iipp^r fig ire repr.isints the celel)rated Portuguesr Man-OF-WAR. 
 This b;a itiful b it most formiriable acalcph is found in all the tropical seas, 
 and never fails to attract the attention of those who see it lor the first time. 
 The general shape nf this remarkable being is a bubble-like envelope filled 
 with air, upon which is a membranous crest, an^ which has a number of 
 Ion ' tentac es han^in:^ from one end. These tentaHes can be protruded or 
 with Irawn at will, aiij sometimes r^ach a considerable lencrth. They are of 
 different shap's soms eing short anH only measuring a few inches in length, 
 while thj seven or eight centr 1 tentacles will exten f to a ■ istance of several 
 feet. Thes-: lo ig tentacl s are formidnbly armed with stinging tentacles, too 
 minute to bs seen with the nake i eye, but possessing; venotioiis powers even 
 more noxious than ihose of the common nettle. " It is in these appendages 
 alone," write; Mr. D. Bennett, "that the stinging property of the Physalis 
 resides. E>'ery other pirt of the moll 'sc may he touched with impunity, 
 but the s'i.;hte3t contact of the hand with the cihle produces a sensation as 
 painful and orotractei as t'^e stinging of nettles ; while, like the effect of 
 that vegetable poison, the skin of the injureJ part often presents a white 
 elei/ation or wheal." 
 
 The colours of the Phvsali' are always beiiitiful, and slightly variab'e, 
 both in tint and intensity. Th-^ delicate pink crest can he elevated or 
 depressed at will, and is beautifallv trinsparent. grooied vertica ly throueh- 
 oit 'ti length. The renenl h le of its body is blue, t king a very HeeT tint 
 at the pointed end, an I fading into softer hues towards the tentac'es. A 
 generil iridescence, h wever, phys over the bo^y, which seems in certain 
 lights n bj for -e I of tnoaz, snpphiie. or aquamarine. The s'^ort fringes 
 are beauti iil'v colo'ire •, the inner row being oeep purple, and the outer row 
 glowing crimson, as if .formed of living carbuncle. 
 
584 
 
 VENUS' GIRDLE. 
 
 If the reader will now refer to the illustration he will see a long, flat, 
 riband-like creature edged with a delicate fringe of cilia. This curious being 
 is called Venus' Girdle, and from its beauty fully deserves the name. 
 This lovely creature is found in the Mediterranean, where it attains to the 
 extraordinary length of five feet, the breadth being only two inches. Rightly, 
 
 PORTUGUESE MAN-OF-WAR.— (i%j/ja/!j- pelagicUS. ) 
 VENUS' GIRDLE. — (Cesium Veneris.) SALLEE MAN. — [Vclella vulgaris.) 
 
 the words breadth and length ought to be transposed, as the development is 
 wholly lateral. The mouth of the Venus' Girdle may be seen in the centre 
 of the body, occupying a very small space in proportion to the large dimen- 
 sions of the creature to which it belongs. 
 We now come to a vefy large order of acalephs, includinj? all those beings 
 
THE SEA ANEMONES. 
 
 585 
 
 which are So familiar under the title of Jelly-fishes, SlobBErs, and similar 
 euphonious names. They are all united under the name of Discophora, or 
 uisc-bearers, because they are furnished with a large umbrella-iike disc, by 
 means of which they are enabled to proceed through the water. 
 
 In the accompanying illustration an example may be seen of the typical genus 
 of this family, which is a native of our own seas. This is a sufficiently common 
 species, and may be found plentifully on our shores, together with its kindred. 
 There are few more beautiful sights than to stand on a pier-head or lie in a 
 boat, and watch the Medusas passinjj in shoals through the clear water, 
 pulsating as if the whole being were but a translucent heart, trailing behind 
 
 JELLY-FISH.— (Af^n'aia Mquorea.) 
 
 them their delicate fringes of waving cilia, and rolling gently over as if in 
 excess of happiness. At night, many of the Medusas put on new beauties, 
 glowing with phosphorescent light like marine fire-flies, and giving to the 
 ocean an almost unearthly beauty that inesistibly recalls to the mind the 
 " sea of glass mingled with fire." 
 
 ZOOPHYTES. 
 
 Quitting the Acalephje, we come to the vast class of Zoophytes, or 
 animal plants, so called because, though really belonging to the animal 
 kingdom, many of them bear a singularly close resemblance to vegetable 
 forms. Their substance is always gelatinous and fleshy, and round the 
 entrance to the stomach are set certain tentacles, used in catching prey and 
 conveying it to the stomach. These tentacles are armed with myriads of . 
 offensive weapons contained in little capsules, and capable of being discharged 
 with great force. Organs of sight, smell, taste, and hearing seem to be 
 totally absent, though it is possible that an extended sense of touch may 
 compensate the creature for these deficiencies. 
 
 The highest form of true Zoophyte is, undoubtedly, that which is so 
 familiar under the name of Sea-Anemone — a name singularly inappropriate, 
 inasmuch as the resemblance to an anemone is very far-fetched ; while that 
 to the chrysanthemum, daisy, or dandelion is very close. 
 . The widely-spread Anemone, with the circlet of pearl-like beaids at the 
 base of its tentacles, is the well-known 
 Beadlet, the most common of all this ordei 
 on the British coasts. It is a singularly 
 hardy species, living mostly on the rocks 
 that lie between high and low water mark. 
 It is perhaps more variable in colour than 
 any of the British Actinias, the body taking 
 all imaginable hues, passing from bright 
 scarlet to leaf-green, graduating from scarlet 
 to crimson, from crimson to orange, from orange to yellow, and from yellow 
 to green. The spherical beads around its mouth are more persistent in 
 
 Actinia mesembryanthemum. 
 
S86 
 
 CORALS, 
 
 colour than any other parts of the animal, being almost invariably a rich 
 b.ue, jusi like a set of turquoiies placed arouno the disc. These, however, 
 are occasiunally subject lo c.iange, and lose all colour, looking like pearls 
 ratlier tnan turquoises. 
 
 Leaving ihe s^a-anemones, we now proceed to the r.cxt tribe, the Caro- 
 phylliacete, in which there are many tentacles, m two or more series, and 
 the cells many-rayed. Many of these beings deposit a coralkim ; but out 
 of our HiitisU species, more tnan one-third are wiihout tiiis rliajky support. 
 
 Tlie Endive CuHAL is so called from the resemblance widch its corallum 
 bears to tlie crumpled leaves of that vegetable. '1 he animal lias no tentacles, 
 and the cells are small, coniijal, and ratner oblique. Ihe corallum is fixed, 
 sharply ed,'ed, and expanded from the base to the tip All the living 
 members of this pretty genus are to be found in the East and West Indian 
 seas. 
 
 The three figures which occupy the left hand of the illustration represent 
 
 DEVONSHIRE ciiP-roRAT.. — [CaroMvUia St'iWi.) 
 
 (With side bulls.) TUiT coral. — [Lof-fiothiVa p^oUfera.) 
 
 DEVONSHTRE cup-coRAi. — (and skeleton.) endive-cokal.— (Aw/ZyA'a/awma.)- 
 
 one of our few native Corals, shown under three aspects. The large, rounded 
 figure in the lower corner exhibits the Ukvonshirf, Cup Coral as it 
 appears when the tentacles are fully expanded ; that to the right shows the 
 dead stony corallum of the same species, and the upper figure is given for 
 the purpose of exhib.ting the curious manner in which it multiplies itself 
 by throwing off buds from its sides. It is not a very large, but it is a very 
 pretty species, the colour of the corallum being aenerally pure translucent 
 white, sometimes tinged with a delicate rosy hue, while that of the living 
 animal is pearly white, variegated with rich chestnut and the palest imagin- 
 able fawn. 
 
HYDROIDA. 
 
 S87 
 
 In the family Oculinidae, the corallum is branched and tree-like, and is here 
 represented by our only known British form, the Tuft Loral. It is very 
 rare, and but seldom taken in our seas. As may be seen from the illustration, 
 the corallum resembles a massive, thickly-branched tree. The maividual 
 corals are aoout lialf an inch in height, and the same in diameter. 
 
 We now arrive at the Hydroida, which are known by the internal cavity 
 being simple and the creature increasing by buds thrown out from tlie sides. 
 
 In the SertulariadiB the buds are mclosed in vesicles, and do not break 
 away when adult. They are in cup-like cells, which liave no footstalks. 
 
 The reproduction of these beings is very curious, for it is known that they 
 
 ^eniilaria fdU'itla. yerlulaiia rosea, 
 
 iiirlnlaria filiaila (magnified. ) 
 
 can be propagated by cuttings just li1<e plants, as well as by cell vesicles, and 
 that in the l.itter case the first stage of the young closely resembles that of 
 the young Mediisj^ already mentioned. They also reproduce by offshoot^ ; 
 and it is very likely that their capabilities in this respect are not limited 
 even to these three methods. 
 
 Any of the common Sertul arise afifords a good example of this family ; and 
 as they are easily pr 'cured, they are verv valuable ads to those who >»ish to 
 study the structure of these beautiful beings. Even the empty polypidon is 
 not without its elegance, and is often mid- up into those flattened bouquets 
 of so called sea-weeds, which are sold in such quantities ai sea-siHe bathing 
 towns. Rut when the whole being is full of life and health, its mnlt tudinous 
 cells fil'ed with the delicate polypes, each furnished with more than twenty 
 tentacles all moving in the water, its beauty defies description. These little 
 polypes are wonderfully active and suspicious. At the least alarm, they 
 retreat into their cells as if withdrawn hy springs, and when they agaia push 
 out their tentacles, it is iii a very wary and careful manner. 
 
588 WHEEL ANIMALCULES. 
 
 ROTIFERA. 
 
 Although the Rotifera, or Wheel Animalcules, are generally placed 
 among the Infusoria, on account of their minute dimensions and aquatic 
 habits, it is evident, from many peculiarities of their formation, that they 
 deserve a much higher place, and in all probability constitute a class by 
 themselves. 
 
 They are called Wheel Animalcules on account of a curious structure 
 which is found upon many of their members, and which looks very like a pair 
 of revolving wheels set upon the head. These so-called wheels are two disc- 
 like lobes, the edges of which are fringed with cilia, which when in movement 
 
 RotifiT c ■Irmus. 
 
 give to the creature an appearance as if it wore wheels on its head, like those 
 of the fairy knight of ballad poetry. These wheels can be drawn into the 
 body at will, or protruded to some little extent, and their object is evidently 
 to procure food by causing currents of water to flow across the mouth. All, 
 however, do not possess these appendages, but have a row of cilia, mostly 
 broken into lobes, extending all round the upper portion of the body. 
 
 These remarkable beings are mostly found in water that has become 
 stagnant but is partially purified by the presence of the Infusorians, which 
 always swarm in such localities. 
 
 The typical genus of this class is known by the name of Rotifer, an 
 example of which is seen in the illustration. In all the members of this 
 genus the body is rather elongated, and furnished at the hinder end with a 
 kind of telescopic tail, by means of which they can attach themselves at will 
 to any object, and release themselves whenever they please. Sometimes they 
 move their bodies gently about, while still grasping by the extremity of the 
 tail; soinetimes they are nearly motionless, while they frequently rock them- 
 selves backwards and forwards so violently that they seem almost to be 
 testing the strength of their hold. 
 
 These creatures can both swim and crawl, the former act of locomotion 
 being achieved by the movement of the cilia, and the latter by creeping along 
 after the fashion of the leech, the head and tail taking alternate hold of the 
 object on which they are crawling. The masticating apparatus is always 
 conspicuous, whether the animal has the wheel protruded or withdrawn. It 
 is situated behind the bases of the wheel-lobes, and looks, when the animal 
 is at rest, something like a circular buckler with a cross composed of double 
 lines drawn over its surface. 
 
 RHIZOPODA. 
 
 The whole arrangement of the beings which we are now about to examine 
 is still very obscure, and the best zoologists of the present time have 
 
SPONGES, 
 
 S8) 
 
 declared that any system which has been hitherto adopted can only be 
 considered as provisional. 
 
 These minute though beautiful beings exist in numbers that are only 
 rivalled by the sands of the sea for multitude ; 
 and the vast hosts of these creatures can be barely 
 estimated even when we know that many large 
 cities are built wholly of the dead skeletons of 
 these microscopic beings, and that in a single 
 ounce of sand from the Caribbean Sea nearly 
 four millions of those shells have been discovered. 
 
 The first sub-class of these beings is the 
 Foraminifera, so called on account of the tiny 
 openings, or foramina, witli which the pretty 
 shells are pierced. Sometimes, however, this 
 shell is wanting, and its place is supplied by a 
 cover composed of matted sand-grains. 
 
 Polystomella Lessoniana. 
 
 PORIFERA. 
 
 We now arrive at a large class of beings, which are by common consent 
 allowed to form the very lowest link in the animal chain. The name 
 PORIFERA is given to them because the whole of their surface is pierced with 
 holes of various dimensions, the greater number being extremely minute. 
 
 Grantia comprtssa. 
 
 while others are of considerable dimensions. The well-known Turkey 
 Sponge, so useiul for the toilet, will afford a good example of the porous 
 structure. 
 
 The true living being which constitutes the Sponge is of a soft and almost 
 gelatinous texture, to the unaided eye ; and with the aid of the microscope is 
 found to consist of an aggregation of separate bodies like those of the 
 Amoebae, some of which are furnished with long cilia. By the constant 
 action of the cilia a current of water is kept up, causing the liquid to enter 
 by innumerable pores with which the surface is pierced, and to be expelled 
 through the larger orifices. A Sponge in full action is a wonderful sight ; the 
 
S90 
 
 S/VN(?£S. 
 
 cilia driving the water in ceaseless torrents, whirling along all kinds of solid 
 particles, arresting those which are useful for digestion, and rejecting those 
 with which it cannot assimilate. 
 
 The extraordinary object which is called by the appropriate name of 
 Neptune s Cup is one of the most magnificent, as well as one of the most 
 notaule, of the Sponge tribe. It hardly looks like a Sporlge ; and when a 
 
 Neptune's cup. — ( Thalassema Neptuni.) 
 
 specimen is shown to persons who have no knowledge of the subject, they 
 can hardly ever be maoe to believe that the exhibitor is not endeavouring to 
 play a pnictical joke upon them. 
 
 The Neptune's Cup is of enormous dimensions, often measuring four feet 
 in hcij^ht, and bavins; a corresponding width. Its exterior is rough, gnarled, 
 and knotted like the bark of some old tree ; and if a portion were removed 
 from the side, it might almost be mistaken for a piece of cork-tree bark. 
 Many persons have imaijmed that the strangely-shaped object was made of 
 the skin of an elephant's leg, and I have even heard a teacher telling her 
 pupils that it was an old Roman wine-jar. 
 
 This is one of the exotic Sponges, being found only in the hotter seas. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Acalepha, sSs-.. 
 Acanthopterygii, 462. 
 Accentor, 311. 
 
 -Hetige, 31 c. 
 
 Accentoriiiae, 311. 
 
 Acorn Barnacie, 572. 
 
 Acti in J, AI eseinuryanthemum, 
 
 585- 
 Actniije, s^iy. 
 Add r. Puff, 433. 
 A Ijutmt, 3^. 
 Admir.l, c-irlit, 550. 
 jEgeriidae, 552. 
 Ajamas, 42:!. 
 As'iuti, 14^. 
 
 Ai or I hree-Toed Sloth, 21$. 
 Alha'ros, Wandering. 408. 
 A c<nae 403. 
 Aliigit T, 422. 
 AUijiUoriJae, 422. 
 Aip^^ca, 195. 
 American iVlonlcey;, 19. 
 Am leli ise, 324. 
 Am elinac, .:^24. 
 Anabas S andens, 476. 
 * Aiiacnnda, 437. 
 An hovy, 485. 
 An-;mone, 6ca, 5$$. 
 Attiina'cules Wheel, 588. 
 Annelida. 573. 
 Anniilata, 578 
 Ant, White, 517. 
 Ant-Eater, Great, 220. 
 
 MidJl ■, 220. 
 
 L ttle. 221. 
 
 — Pjroupiue, 223. 
 
 Antelopes, i63. 
 Ant- ( -ion, 540 
 —— Whi e, 42r, 422. 
 Anti' Ksr^s, ^45 
 Ape, B (.1' -a y, 14. 
 Aph'tiipte a, 561. 
 AuhiJe-i.s^7, 559. 
 Aptery<, 3^ f 
 Arachu da, 372. 
 Ar tic Fjx 72. 
 Ar t idae, 554- 
 Argonaut, 501. 
 Argus, ^73, 
 
 Phea-ant, 374. 
 
 Ariel, Pe:aurus, no. 
 
 Arm^Ji o, 219 
 
 Arthronoinaius Longicornis, 
 
 578. 
 Ariciilat 1, 524. 
 A palacidae, 159. 
 Ass, 1^9, zoo. 
 A-^^se, n. 
 Auk> Great, 405, 
 A icuiariddB, 5x8. 
 Avucet, 39J. 
 Aye-Aye, 33. 
 
 Baboon^ 16. 
 
 Babyrous^a, 20Q- 
 B.ictnaii Camel, 193. 
 Badger, 86 
 
 Australian, 116. 
 
 B ijjerkeit, 218, 
 
 Balxna, 128. 
 
 BalaeuKise, 128- 
 
 Banjicoot, Long-nosed, 1161 
 
 Barbel, 491. 
 
 Barnacle. Acorn, 572. 
 
 Duck, 571. 
 
 Bnrnac e-;, 170. 
 Bat, I ong-eared, 37. 
 
 Vampire, 36. 
 
 Batrachian-<, 442. 
 Bay Bamboo Rat, i6t. 
 Bear. 89. 
 
 AiiS'nlian, it2. 
 
 K ack 90. 
 
 Brown, 89. 
 
 G'izzly 90. 
 
 ■^^ Maayaii Sun, 91. 
 — ■ Polar, 91. 
 
 - Syiian, 90, 
 Bea'er, 141. 
 Bee, Honey, 546. 
 
 bater, 28^, 285. 
 
 Humli e. 547. 
 
 Beetle, Hu, ying, 527. 
 
 Clo dy-no.se, 532. 
 
 Eight- pot, 5^5. 
 
 — Ground, 525. 
 
 LTmellicoiii, 528, 
 
 Mii>k, 532. 
 
 Oil, 5,1- 
 
 Ro e, 527. 
 
 Stag, 529. 
 
 Tiger, 524. 
 
 — Vi let Ground, 525. 
 
 Wat r, 526. 
 
 Berni 1 Goost-, 399. 
 
 Bird of Parddise^ Emerald, 334. 
 
 Birds, 2'J9, 
 
 Bison, 166. 
 
 Bittern, 388. 
 
 B valves, 506. 
 
 Blackb ra 320. 
 
 Blac<cap Warbler, 306, 307. 
 
 Black Cock. 379 
 
 •^^- Macaque, 15. 
 
 Yarke, 24. 
 
 Blattidai, 534. 
 
 Bleak. 492. 
 
 Biennies, 475. 
 
 l*len y. Eyed, 4j6. 
 
 Blmdworm. 424. 
 
 Blister, or Span sh Fly, 531. 
 
 Blood'tound, 63. 
 
 Bloody-nose heetle, 53^ 
 
 Boa v^on-itrictor, 436, 
 
 Boar, 208. 
 
 Poh?mian WaKwiu*. 335. 
 B >id£e, 436. 
 Boiiibycidae, 554. 
 B 'Oinslange, 439. 
 Bosc I Vark, 209. 
 Bot Fly. 561. 
 Bower-biril» .'^atin, 335 
 Brache ytra 527. 
 Brach ura. 562. 
 Bream, 491. 
 Breast-piate, 523. 
 Breeze Fiv, 561. 
 Buffalo, 164.. 
 
 Cape, 165. 
 
 Bug, Red, s*x). 
 
 Wheel, 560. 
 
 Bulldog, 66. 
 BullRn.h, 348. 
 Bull-head, 467. 
 B'.iprest dae, 529. 
 Buryinii-bectie, 527, 
 Bush Ho^, 209 
 Bustard, Great, 384. 
 
 Bute er Bids, *SV^ Lanidas. 
 Butterfly, Camberwell Beauty, 
 550- 
 
 Comim, 550. 
 
 Peacock, 549. 
 
 — Sw,iiiow-t4i ed, 548 
 
 — ^ 'Jorioiseshell, 550. 
 
 Buzzard, 245. 
 
 Caama. See Asse. 
 Cacajao, 24 
 Cachalul, 1.29. 
 Cacorr.ixle, 55. 
 Caddi-- fly 54r. 
 Caliimarie-, o- Squids, 504. 
 Ca'.pidium oinatum, 52^. 
 Camel, iy2. 
 
 Hactrian. 193. 
 
 Camelopaidaiis, 183. 
 Campatdnnl 139. 
 Cnrnpanularia;, 587. 
 Canad 1 L» nx, 49. 
 Cniiry, 344, 
 Ca'iceri'ias, 564. 
 Cii'i^, 58—69. 
 Capert-aiilie, 379. 
 Capra. 177, 
 Capucin. 23. 
 Capj'bara, 146. 
 Carbiaae, 525. 
 Caralius, 525. 
 Card adas, 5 o 
 Carophyl iaceai. 585, 5iw. 
 Ca'-p, 4 JO. 
 Cashmir Coat, 179, 
 Cdssowarj 38a. 
 Cat, 48. 
 Gvet, 52. 
 
592 
 
 INDEX, 
 
 Cat Wild, 48. 
 
 C jtenicella hastata, 522. 
 
 cornuta, 522, 
 
 L-ellularia Peachii, 522. 
 
 Centepedes, 578. 
 
 Cephalopoda, 501. 
 
 Cerastes, 434. 
 
 CercopidEc, 559. 
 
 Certhidx, 298. 
 
 Cetacea, 127. 
 
 Chacma, 16. 
 
 Chaetodon, Beaked, 465. 
 
 Chaetodoiitina, 465. 
 
 Chaffinch, 341 
 
 Chambered Nautilus, 505 
 
 Chamehan, 429. 
 
 ChameleonidEe, 429. 
 
 Chamois, 173. 
 
 Chati, 46. 
 
 Chatterer, Waxen, 225 
 
 Cheiroptera, 35. 
 
 Chetah, 50. 
 
 Chicken, Mother Gary's., 408. 
 
 Chimpansee, 4. 
 
 Chinchilla, 149. 
 
 Chiton, Marbled, 514. 
 
 Chitnnidae, 514. 
 
 Chceropus, 117. 
 
 Chondropteiygii, 456. 
 
 I hough, 334 
 
 Chryscchroa, 530. 
 
 Chrvsomelidse, 530. 
 
 Chub, 492. 
 
 Cicada, 558. 
 
 Cicada Anglica, 559. 
 
 Flosfolia, 558. 
 
 Cicindela, 524. 
 
 Cicindelidse, 524. 
 
 Cimbe Femorata, 543. 
 
 Cimicidae, 560. 
 
 Cirrhipedes, 571. 
 
 Civet Cat, 53. 
 
 Cleodora, 517. 
 
 Cleg, 561. • 
 
 Clureidse, 484, 
 
 Coaita, Spider Monkey, 
 
 Coast Rat, 160. 
 
 Coati Moi di, 94. 
 
 Cobra di Capello, 440. 
 
 Cocci dse. 558, 
 
 Coccinellidae, 533. 
 
 Cochineal Insect, 559. 
 
 Cockatoo, Sulphur-crested, 357. 
 
 Leadbeater's, 358, 
 
 359- 
 Cockchafer, 528. 
 Cockles, 520. 
 Cockroach, 534. 
 Cocktails. See Rove Beetles. 
 Cod, 480 
 Coleoptera, 524. 
 Colobus, II. 
 Colubrinse, 437. 
 Colugo, 35. 
 Co'umba. 365. 
 Columbse, 365. 
 Columbidae, 365. 
 Columbinae, 365. 
 Colymbidse, 403. 
 Colymbinse, 403. 
 Cc'ymbus, 403. 
 Conchi*'i^ra, 518. \ 
 Condor, 230. ^ 
 
 Cone-shells, 510. 
 Cone, Admiral, 510. 
 — — Textile, 510. 
 Conger Eel, 483. 
 
 Conidse, 510. 
 
 Conirostres, 327. 
 
 Coot, 397. 
 
 Coquette, Spangled, 296. 
 
 Coral, Devonshire Cup, 586. 
 
 Endive, 586. 
 
 Tuft, 586. 
 
 Cormorant, 411. 
 
 Crested, 412. 
 
 Corncrake, 396. 
 Corvidse, 327. 
 Corvinae, 327. 
 Cowry, Money, 511. 
 
 — Deep-toothed, 511. 
 
 Crab, Calling, 567. 
 
 Edible. 564. 
 
 Fighting, 567. 
 
 Green, 564. 
 
 Hermit, or Soldier, 567. 
 
 Nipper, 565. 
 
 - Thornback-Spider, 563. 
 ■ ■ Swimming, 565. 
 
 Thornback, 563. 
 
 Crab-spider, or Matoutou, 573. 
 Crabro Cribrarius, 543. 
 Cramp-fish, 450 
 Crane, 386. 
 
 Demoiselle, 387. 
 
 Crane Fly, Greaf, 560. 
 Crested Currassnw, 369. 
 Cricket, Field, 534. 
 House, 534. \ 
 
 Mole, 535. 
 
 Crocodile, 421. 
 Crocodilidae, 420. 
 Crocodilus, 420. 
 Cross-bill, 349. 
 Cross-fish, 582. ' . 
 
 Crotalidse, 431. f 
 
 Crow,- 329. '' 
 
 ■ — ■ — ■ Hooded, 332. 
 Crustacea, 562. 
 Cryptoprocta, 57. 
 Cuckoo, 3'^4. ' 
 Cuckoo-spit, 559. 
 Curculionidae, 532 
 Curlew, qg3. ' 
 
 Cursores, 380. 
 
 Cushat, 367. 
 *' Cuttle-bone,'' 505. 
 Cynipidae, 544. 
 Cypraeidae, 510. 
 
 Dabchick, 404. 
 
 Dace, 1192. 
 
 Daddy Long-legs, 561. 
 
 Dasypidse, 217. 
 
 Dasyure, n8. 
 
 Death's Head Moth, 550. 
 
 Deer, Axis, rSg. 
 
 Fallowj 188. 
 
 — — Kan'^hil, or Pigmy 
 
 Musk, 191. 
 ^— Musk, 190. 
 
 Red, 185, 188. 
 
 Rein, 187. 
 
 Demoiselle Dragon Fly, 54a 
 Dendrophidse, 439, 
 DenHrosaura, 428. 
 Dermaptera, 414. 
 Devil's Coach-hc?rse, 527. 
 Dicseum, Australian, 289. 
 Dipper, 317. 
 Diotera, 561. 
 Discophora, 584. 
 Diver, Great Northern, 403 
 
 Dodo, 369- 
 
 Dog, Bufl, 66 
 
 • • King Charles's, 61. 
 
 Maltese, 61. 
 
 Mexican Lap, 63. 
 
 Newfoundland, 59, 
 
 ■ Pomeranian, 60. 
 
 Prairie, it;7. 
 
 -^— Shepherd's, 65. 
 Dog-fish, Spotted, 457. 
 Do^-headed Monkeys. See 
 
 Baboons. 
 Dolphin, 133. 
 Doris, 516. 
 Dormouse, 151. 
 I^ory. John, 472. 
 Douroucouli, 25. 
 Dove, Ring. 367. 
 
 Stock, 366. 
 
 Turtle, 368. 
 
 Dragon, Flying, 428. 
 Dragon-fly, 539. 
 
 Demoiselle, 540. 
 
 Duck Barnacle, 571. 
 Duck-bill, 222. 
 
 - E'der, 402. 
 
 Wild. 401. 
 
 Dziggetai, 199. 
 
 Eagle, Golden, 238. 
 
 Bald, or "Whiteheaded, 
 
 242, 245. 
 Earth-worm, 579. 
 Earwig, Giant, 533. 
 Echidna, 223. 
 Echinidae, 581. 
 Echinodermata, 580. 
 Edible Crab, 564. 
 Eel, Conger, 483. 
 1^ — Electric, 483. 
 
 ■ Sharp-nosed, 481. 
 Eggs, Sea, 581. 
 Eidf-r Duck, 402. 
 Eland, 175. 
 Elephant, African, 205. 
 
 Asiatic, 203. 
 
 Elephant, Sea, 126. 
 Elk, 185 
 
 Emerald Bird of Paradise, 334. 
 
 Emeu, 381. 
 
 Endive Coral, 586. 
 
 Entellus, 10. 
 
 Entomophaga, 544. 
 
 Eolis, 516. 
 
 Erd Shrew. See Shrew Mouse. 
 
 Ermine, 81. 
 
 Eumenes Arcuatus, 545. 
 
 Falco, 248. 
 Falcon, Jer, 249. 
 
 Peregrine, 249. 
 
 _ Stone, 551. 
 
 Falconidae, 238. 
 Falcnninse, 248. 
 Felidse, 39. 
 Fennec, 73. 
 Ferret, 78. 
 Fieldfare, 320. 
 Finches, 338, 
 Fishes, 457. 
 
 Flat, 478,. 
 
 Flying, 486. 
 
 — ^— Star, 581. 
 Fishing-frog, 473. 
 
 Fishing Hawk See Osprey 
 Fissurellidse, 514. 
 
■INDEX, 
 
 593 
 
 Flamingo, 398. 
 Flea, 560. 
 
 Water, 560. 
 
 Flounder. 480. 
 
 Fly, Blister, or Spanish, 
 
 531- 
 
 Bot, 561. 
 
 Breeze, 561, 
 
 Caddis, 541. 
 
 Dragon, 539. 
 
 Great Crane, 560. 
 
 Humble Bee, 561. 
 
 May, 541. 
 
 Fly-catcher, Pied, 323. 
 
 Spotted, 323. 
 
 Flying Dragon, 428. 
 
 Fish, 486. 
 
 Fox, 39. 
 
 Squid-i, 504. 
 
 Squirrel, 153. 
 
 Foraminifera, 589. 
 Fowl, domestic, 375- 
 Fox, 71. 
 
 Arctic, 72. 
 
 Foxhound, 64 
 Frigate, Pelican, 412. 
 Frog, 442. 
 
 Green, 444. 
 
 Pouched, 347. 
 
 Tree, 464. 
 
 Frog-hopper, 559. 
 Gadfly, 561. 
 Gallinae, 369. 
 Gallinula, 396. 
 Gallinulinse, 396. 
 Can net, 410. 
 Gasteropoda, 514. 
 Gazelle, 169. 
 Gecko, 426. 
 Geisso.saura, 424* 
 Gemsbok, 171. 
 Genett, Blotched, 54. 
 Geometridse, SSS* 
 Gerboa, 150. 
 Gibbon, Agile, 8. 
 Gibbons, 7. 
 Giraffe, 182. 
 Glow-worm, 530. 
 Gnoo, 173. 
 Goat, 177. 
 
 Cashmir, 179. 
 
 Goat-sucker, 267. 
 Goby, 473. 
 Golden Onole, 322. 
 Goldfinch, 342. 
 Gold-fisfi, 490. 
 Goose, Bernicle, 399. 
 
 Mussel, 571. 
 
 Solan, 410. 
 
 Gorilla, 2. 
 Goshawk, 256. 
 Grantia Compressa, 589. 
 Grebe, Crested, 405. 
 
 1^ Little, 404. 
 
 Greenfinch, 342. 
 Greyliound, 159. 
 Grivet, 12. 
 Grosbeak, 341. 
 Grouse, Black, 379. 
 Guanaco, 194. 
 Gudgeon, 491. 
 Guillemot, 407. 
 Guinea-fowl, 376. 
 Guinea-pig, X47. 
 
 Gull, Black-b-cked, 409. 
 Gurnard, Flying, 468. 
 „ ^ Jied, 467. 
 
 Hackee, or Ground Squirrel, 
 
 T56. 
 Hag fish. Glutinous, 496. 
 Hamster, 136. 
 Hammatocerus, 560. 
 Hare, 147. 
 
 Harp Shell, Imperial, 508, 509 
 Hawfinch, 341 
 Hedgehog, 104. 
 Hedge Sparrow, 311. 
 Helicidas. 515. 
 Helix, 515. 
 Hen Harrier, 259. 
 Hermit Crab, 567. 
 Heron. 387. 
 Herring, 485, 
 Heterocera, 549. 
 Heteroptera, 559. 
 Hippopotamus, 216. 
 Hobby. 251. 
 Hog, Bush, 209. 
 
 Domestic, 208. 
 
 Homo, I- 
 Homoptera, 557. 
 Honey-Eaters, 289. 
 Hoopoe, 286. 
 Hopper, Scarlet, 559. 
 Hoppers, 558, 559. 
 Hornbill, Rhinoceros, 350. 
 Hornwrack, 523. 
 Horse, 196. 
 
 River, 216. 
 
 ■ Sea, 493. 
 
 Hound, Blood, 63. 
 
 Fox, 64. 
 
 Grey, 59. 
 
 Howler, Ursine, 22. 
 Humble Bee fly, 561. ^ 
 
 Humming-bird, Bar-tailed^ 292. 
 Copper-bellied Puflf- 
 leg, 294. 
 
 Cora, 292. 
 
 Double-crested, 292. 
 
 Gould's, 292. 
 
 ' Ruby-throated, 298. 
 
 ■'■ Ruby and Topaz, 
 
 297 
 Slender Shear-tail, 
 
 293 
 ■ ■ — Spangled Coquette, 
 296. 
 
 Vervain, 297. 
 
 White-booted Rac- 
 ket-tail, 295. 
 
 Hunting Cat. See Chetah. 
 
 Hyalea, 517. 
 
 Hyaena, 53. 
 
 Hydroida, 587. 
 
 Hydrometra, 560. 
 
 Hydrometridas, 560. 
 
 Hylas Moth, 552. 
 
 Hymenoptera, 543. 
 
 Hyponomeutidae, 556. 
 
 Hyrax, Afirican, 2i5« 
 
 Syrian, 216. 
 
 Ibex, 177. 
 
 Ibis, Sacred, 392. 
 Ichneumon, 55. 
 
 Giant, 543. 
 
 Jndian, 56. 
 
 Ichneumon-fly, 543. 
 Ichneumonidse, 544. 
 Iguana, 427. 
 
 Imperial Harp Shell, 508, 509 
 Indri, See Avahi. 
 
 Tnsecta, 524. 
 Insectivora, 96, 
 Invertebrata, 501. 
 
 Jacana, 395. 
 
 Jackal, 68. 
 
 Jackass, Laughing, 280. 
 
 Jackdaw, 331. 
 
 Jaguar, 44. 
 
 Jay, 327 
 
 Jelly Fishes, 583- 
 
 Jer-Falcon, 249. 
 
 John Dory, 472. 
 
 Jungle Fowl, Australian, 371. 
 
 Bankiva, 374, 375. 
 
 Kahau, 10, 
 
 Kanchil, or Pigmy Musk Deer, 
 
 191. 
 Kangaroo, 113. 
 
 Rat, IIS. 
 
 Kestrel, 253. 
 Kingfisher, 280, 282, 
 Kinkajou, 95. 
 Kite, 247. 
 
 Swallow- tailed, 246, 248. 
 
 Klip Das, 215. 
 
 Koala, 112 
 
 Koodoo, 174. 
 
 Kookaam. See Gemsbok. 
 
 Koulan. See Dziggetai. 
 
 Kuda-Ayer. See, Tapir, 
 
 Malayan. 
 Kukang, '30. 
 
 Lammergeyer, 229. 
 Lampern, 495. 
 Lamprey, 494. 
 Lac Insect, 559. 
 Ladybirds, 533. 
 Lancelet, 497. 
 Landrail, 396. 
 La- ida;, 326. 
 Laninae, 326. 
 Lapwing, 384. 
 Lark, Sky, 347. 
 Lauahii'g Jackass, 280. 
 Leaf Insect, 536. 
 Leadbeater's Cockatoo, 358 
 Leech, 579, 580. 
 Lemming, 140. 
 Lemur, Flying, 35. 
 
 Ruffled, 29. 
 
 Lemurs, 28. 
 Leopard, 42, 
 
 Hunting, 42. 
 
 Lepidoptera, 548. 
 Libellulidae,'539. 
 Limacidse, 515. 
 Limnaea, 516. 
 Limpets, 514. 
 Linnet, 342. 
 
 Lion, 39. 
 — — Ant, 540. 
 Litorinidae, 512. 
 Little Chain, 522. 
 Lizard, Sand, 423. 
 
 Scaly, 423, 424. 
 
 Tree, 428. 
 
 Llama, 195. 
 
 Lobster, 568. 
 
 Locust, Migratory, 536. 
 
 Long-nosed Bandicoot, 116. 
 
 Loris, Slender, 29. 
 
 Slow-paced, 30. 
 
 Lynx, 49. 
 
 Q Q 
 
594 
 
 Lynx, Canada. 4> 
 Lyie bird, 30L 
 
 Macaques, 13. 
 
 M caque, H ack, 15. 
 
 Ma. aw, UiiieaiiJ ^elloWr 334. 
 
 Mackerel 46S 
 
 Macropidae, loS. 
 
 Magilu , 509. 
 
 Magoi, 14. 
 
 Magpie, 332. 
 
 Maia'ia2, 563. 
 
 Maliar ', 401. 
 
 Maltese Dug, 6x. 
 
 Maiiiinalia, 2. 
 
 ^ an, I. 
 
 Mfiiidril, 17. 
 
 Manis, 217- 
 
 Mapacli. See Racoon. 
 
 ^lH^'kina, 26. 
 
 ^larini >iiua, 20. 
 
 IVt ariiio-it^t, 27. 
 
 Warmnt. 159. 
 
 Marsupial! , 108. 
 
 Manei', P ne, 75, 
 
 Martin, Fairy, 274. 
 
 —— — House, 275, 276. 
 
 Sand, 274, 275. 
 
 MnstifF 67. 
 
 Mat, >e 1. 522. 
 Mayfly' 541- 
 IMfadow Hippit, 317. 
 'Me iiKia. 451. 
 Medusa, 585, 
 Menma Ser Lyre Bird. 
 Meri'pea Fngiiensi*, 522. 
 Merlin 251 
 Mexican Lapdng 63. 
 Miller's T.nnib, 467. 
 MinK, 78. 
 Mniiutw 492. 
 Mockina Bird, 318. 
 Mole, 96. 
 
 Rat, 159. 
 
 Molhisca. 501. 
 Mollii>cs, Shore, 512. 
 Mongus. 56. 
 Monkey. Avalii 31. 
 
 A^■e-A\e.33. 
 
 — LJIa k Maciique, 16 
 
 lilack Yrtrke 24. 
 
 — — Cliacma. 17. 
 
 Capiii in, 23. 
 
 - Coaita 20. 
 
 Colueo 33. 
 
 Dourcuconli, 25. 
 
 —^ Eiiiellus, 10. 
 
 — Green, iz. 
 
 Grivft, 13. 
 
 Kukang. 30. 
 
 M got, 14. 
 
 — Markina. 26. 
 
 Marimonda, 21. 
 
 ■ Mandril, t8. 
 
 — Papion, 19. 
 
 — ' Proboscis. 10. 
 
 Ruffltd I.emnr, 29. 
 
 "— Slender Loris, 29. 
 — ■■■ — - Spider, so. 
 ■ Tarsier, 3a. 
 
 — Ursine Cn'obns, 11. 
 
 — — — Ursine Howler, 32. 
 — — — Wanderoo, 13. 
 Moose, or Elk. 185. 
 Moor Hen Sef Water Hen. 
 Moschiue Deer, igi- 
 
 INDEX 
 
 Moth, CTear-wing. 532. 
 
 — — Deatirstiead, gsa 
 
 — - Goat, 553 
 
 — — Hun e-biiilder. 553. 
 
 ■ Humming-bird, 551. 1 
 
 Hylas, 552. 
 
 — - - Liiue Hawk, 550. 
 Lnnar Hornet Clear- 
 wing. 552. 
 ■^— Swallow- tailed, 556. 
 
 Tig^r, 554. 
 
 — ^- Whiie-p ume. 557. 
 
 Woi.d L opard, 534. 
 
 M"U e. 136. 
 
 -^— — Fiying 109. 
 
 H .rvest 136. 
 
 Sh rt-tai!ed Field, 139. 
 
 Yedow-outed Pi.ucned, 
 
 no. 
 MuHiiigoni. 222. 
 Murex, 507. 
 MnricidtB, 507. 
 Musk Ox, i58. 
 
 R It. See S-indeli. 
 
 Mnsqiiash, - r Musk Rat, 143. 
 Mussel, tLdible, 519. 
 Mustek. 75. 
 
 Mvriapoda. 577. 
 Myrmecobius, 119. 
 Myxiue, 41^6. 
 
 Narwhal. 131. 
 
 ^^a terjack. 445, 446. 
 
 Nautilu-, the Chambered, 30S. 
 
 Paper. 501. 
 
 Necropliaga, 527. 
 >eiinook. See Jrolar Bear. 
 Nepidse 559. 
 Nfp line's Cup, 590. 
 Neritinae. 511. 
 Neritina. Spined, 5TI. 
 Newfoundland Dog, 59. 
 — — (.'rested, 450. 
 
 Smooth, 450. 
 
 Nemopiera 537. 
 Newt, 449. 
 >.'ightingale, 307. 
 NndlbrancliidEe. sid 
 Niuhatch, 299. 
 Nut Weevil. 532. 
 Nvctisiuira, 425. 
 Nylghau 176. 
 NymphdlldEe, 549. 
 
 Ocelot, 46. 
 Octopodise. 404. 
 Octopus, 504. 
 OcnhnidEC, 586. 
 Ocypndidae, 567. 
 CKstri Ee, ^6a. 
 Oil Beetle,/53i. 
 Om'nasirepnes, 304. 
 Ondatra. See Musquash. 
 Ophidia, 430. 
 OMObSum, 121. 
 
 — ^- Me'ian's, 12a. 
 
 Mouse, 109. 
 
 Oranff-'hitaii- 5. 
 < I'c'iestjdae, 569, 
 Oreosoma, .'65. 
 Orio'e, Golden, 323. 
 Crihoptera, 334. 
 Oryx, 171 
 Osprey, 24a 
 Ostrich, 38A 
 Otter, P7. 
 
 Ouistiti. Sea MarmoaaL 
 
 Ounce, 43' 
 Ousel, Water. 317. 
 Owl. Barn. 966 
 
 - Brown, or rawny,265. 
 
 Loquimbo, or burrowing, 
 
 262. 
 — — Scops-eared, 265. 
 
 Sii'twy, 261. 
 
 Vi'ginian-eared, 263, 264. 
 
 Ox, 162. 
 
 Grunting, 167. 
 
 Mu-k. 168. 
 
 Oyster, 518. 
 
 Pearl, 519. 
 
 Pacbydermata, 201. 
 
 Prtcnyglossae, 426. 
 
 Piico. ^ee Alpaca. 
 
 Palfflornis, 352, 
 
 Pui er NauLilus, 501. 
 
 Papilioiti-'ae, 549. 
 
 Papion, 19. 
 
 Paradise Emerald Bird of, 334. 
 
 Parinae. 312. 
 
 Parri)keet, Ringed, 35-.'. 
 
 Zebra, or Warbling 
 
 Grass, 332 , 
 Parrot, Grey, 354- 
 
 Green. 356, 357. 
 
 Pavnnidae, 372 
 Peacock 372. 
 
 butterfly, 349. 
 
 Peccary. 211. 
 Pedi' ulati, 4;4. 
 Peewit, 384. 
 Pe'e-Hniuse. 410. 
 Pelec <ninse. 413. 
 Petecanus. 412. 
 Pelican. White. 412 
 Penguin, Cape, 407. 
 Pen-iail, 104. 
 Perch. 464. 
 
 Climbing, 476. 
 
 Perdi' inas. 376 
 Perdix 377. 
 Periwinkle. 513. 
 Peniis. 175. 
 Petaurus. Ariel, tia 
 Petrel, Fu'mer. 409. 
 
 Siurniy. 408. 
 
 Phalangi tines. 108. 
 Phatagin. 217. 
 Phaaianidae, 374. 
 Phasinn'na:, _.4. 
 Pha-sianus 374. 
 Pheasant, 374. 
 
 Argus 373. 
 
 Pheasant-s ells, 513. 
 
 She'l, Australian. 513. 
 
 Phi'anthiis Triangulum, 543. 
 
 Phocirlae. 123. 
 
 Ph'ilades. 520. 
 
 Phula'^. 520. 
 
 Physalis. See Portuguese Man- 
 
 of- War, 584. 
 Picidse. 359. 
 Picii'K 3^9. 
 Plerdae. 549. 
 Piddock, 520. 
 Pigeim, Blue Rock. 367. 
 
 ^■^ D<inie*iLlc. 367- 
 
 pH.sseiig^r. 366, 
 
 — ^ "^ ood, 367. 
 
 Pike. 4R7. 
 Pilchard, 485. 
 
INDEX, 
 
 595 
 
 Plaice. 48O' 
 
 Pleuron ctidai 47^ 
 
 Piuiuulitria. 5CS7. 
 
 Pudophthuliua-^, s6a. 
 
 Poe Bird, ago, 
 
 Paecilopcera Circulata, 553. 
 
 Poimer- 64. 
 
 Polecat. 7 >. 
 
 Polystomel'a Lessoniana, ^jg, 
 
 P.-lyzoa. 521. 
 
 Pomeranian Fox Dog, Co. 
 
 P.H.die. 62. 
 
 Purcupiiie. 144. 
 
 Canadian, 145. 
 
 P rifera. 589. 
 
 Porpoise. 142. 
 
 Piiriuiiuesc: Man-of-War, 583. 
 
 Put^mobiiifit 401. 
 
 Polio. See Kiiikaj m. 
 
 ou. See Ar na^illo. 
 Prairie iJog, 1=7 
 Prawn, 56^. 
 ProijMsc s Monkey, 10. 
 Pruteiis, 451. 
 PsyliiJae 559. 
 Pieropoda ^\t. 
 P fif Adue. 433. 
 
 ruffiii. 406. 
 
 Puma. 45 
 Pyrrhulinas, 348. 
 
 Qiiadrnmnnai z. 
 (Juagga. ccw. 
 Qiia.i. 371,. 
 Q uata See Coalta. 
 
 Kal>bit. 148. 
 
 Rock, 21* 
 
 Racoon, 92. 
 Radiaia, 580 
 Rat, I js- 
 
 liay Bamboo, iSl. 
 
 I oast. 160. 
 
 •— Kanga -jo, 115. 
 Mole. 1=9. 
 
 Musk. T4Z. 
 
 W ter. 137. 
 
 Ratel, H-.ney. 83. 
 Raicle-sitake, 431. 
 Raven. 528. 
 
 Razur-.sheil. common, 52a 
 Re- 1 breast. 311. 
 Redstart, 3'J9. 
 ReduviKias, =60. 
 Reditviiis Personatus, 560. 
 Reindeer, 187. 
 Rei liiia. 417. 
 Rhea. 382. 
 
 Rhinoceros Hornbill 350. 
 Rliiiioceros, Indian, 212; 
 
 Litile LJUck. 2^3. 
 
 TwM-horned Z14. 
 
 White, 214. 
 
 Rh "ophrvne. 448. 
 Rhizopoda 588. 
 Rhopalocera, 549.^ 
 Rhy.sija Persnasoria. 542. 
 Ring-dove, 367. 
 ,;.____?^aach, 49a. 
 
 Rock-fish, 473. 
 Rock -corpion, 577. 
 Rodents. 134. 
 Roebuck, 190. 
 
 Garrulous, 377. 
 
 Rollers, 277. 
 Rook, 331. 
 
 Rotitera 588. 
 
 KoiissettL. Ste Flyin2 Fox. 
 
 Rovi-i.ee Ifc, 527. 
 
 Ruffle' I Lemuri ag. 
 
 bable, -/6. 
 
 Salamander. 448.^ 
 
 Salic >rnaiia h arciminoides^ 533. 
 
 Kallee Man 583. 
 
 Salin3n 488. 
 
 Sandhopper, 563. 
 
 San iVIole. 160. 
 
 Sand Wasps, 544. 
 
 Satin Bower Bird, 5. 
 
 Saw-fish. 459 
 
 Saw Flies. 542. 
 
 Scallop, 518. 
 
 Scaiisores. 350. 
 
 Sc riei Admiral. 550. 
 
 Sc u'let-h 'pper. ssy. 
 
 Scolopendrse, 5-a. 
 
 Scomberida;. 46S. 
 
 Scorpion, Rock 577. 
 
 Water, 559. 
 
 Sea Rial. 522. 
 
 — H irsr, 493. 
 
 N -td s, 583. 
 
 - — Sn.fiis, 511. 
 
 — Wolf, 475. 
 
 Hog ^V^" Porpoise. 
 
 Anemone, 585. 
 
 — Unic rn See Narwhal. 
 Uicliins, 581. 
 
 Seal, 12 1. 
 
 y iephant. 126. 
 
 Seen taiy Hird 258. 
 Sepia, Webb d, 502. 
 
 — — I oinnion, 503. 
 Pepiola, 504. 
 
 Scipuia oiito'tuplicata, 579, 
 Sertulanada; 5S7. 
 Seipeiits, J rce 439. 
 &e>sile-t.ye Crn.sticea, 569. 
 Shark, VVhite. 459 
 
 H mmei headed, 458. 
 
 Sheep, 180 
 
 — — Spanish or Merino, i8i. 
 
 5-hetUnrl Pony, 198. 
 
 Ship-worm, 521. 
 
 Shore Molluscs, 512. 
 
 Shrew Mouse, gg. 
 
 Shrew Mouse Elephant, 103. 
 
 Wate , 101. 
 
 — Uarec. jc2. 
 
 Shrike, P - -backed, 327. 
 
 Shrimp, Y:' 
 
 S nipai, 9 
 
 Siskin. 344. 
 
 Skaie, ( ommnn, .'1. 
 
 - — Thorn bai,k, 461. 
 
 Skii'ks, 424. 
 
 Skunk, 84. 
 
 Sky! rk, 3 
 
 Slender LoriR, 29. 
 
 Sl,)b er.s. See J. >'y Fishes, 584. 
 
 SI ih, 225. 
 
 Slowworrn, 424. 
 
 S'ug, G eat Grey. 516. 
 
 Sua.l. ' cm ■ O", 515. 
 
 Ediblr,5i5. 
 
 ^— \A ai. r nr Pond, 516. 
 
 Sniiils, Sea. ^n. 
 bnake. Ran e, 4^1. 
 
 ---— hi,.t :J. 43'^. 
 
 Snipe ^94- 
 S->l-in Goose, 410. 
 Sole, 478. 
 
 Soldier Crab. 567. 
 
 Soie idc, 520. 
 
 So itaiy vvasps, 545. 
 
 Soiideli, 98. 
 
 Spangled Coquette, 296. 
 
 ^p.tnle , Waicr, 461. 
 
 ^ parr w, 3'14- 
 
 — hawk. 357. 
 
 — htd^e, 311. 
 
 Sph; -Bides. 550. 
 i-pm d Nu-.tiua, 511. 
 Spdcf, Cr.ib, £73. 
 Spider Craijs, 563. 
 
 Trnp-ilo 'X, 573, 
 
 Wall r 574- 
 
 Garnen. or Cross, 575* 
 
 Sponges. 5'<Q, 590 
 ' Wh le. 
 
 389- 
 
 SpUm bill 
 Sp ii'gti k, 170. 
 Sqiiliindo, 564. 
 bqinnel, 152 >54. 
 
 Flying, tS3. 
 
 _ Ground. 156. 
 
 Jeler<ing, or Javan, 
 
 Ftag Bee 1--, 529. 
 Srapliy ii.ida:, 527. 
 Stiir Kishe.s, 581. 
 St rhng, 337. 
 Siarlings 335. 
 S'cinbok. 177. 
 Stick!. ba..k 462. 
 Stoat, 81. 
 Stcxk- 01 e, 366. 
 Stork, 3yo. 
 St)-ohilo aura, 427. 
 Sturgeon, 456 
 Sucking-h h. 470. 
 Sun- Licdrs, 91. 
 
 Hirfi, (Jiiilared, 
 
 B.rds, 287. 
 
 J. v,,ne:<e, 288. 
 
 Fihh, 492. 
 
 Swallow, Coiimion, 272. 
 
 Esculent, 271, 
 
 ■ Sea, 400 
 
 Tailed Buiteifly, 548. 
 
 Swan, 399. 
 
 Black, 401. 
 
 Wliiatiiiig, 400. 
 
 Swift, 269. 
 
 Swine, 2o8' 
 
 Fish, 478. 
 
 Sword-Hall, 472. 
 
 Tabanidse, 561. 
 
 Tadpolo, 443. 
 
 laiiur-birii, 304. 
 
 ^ ajacu, 211. 
 
 Talpids.^ 96. 
 
 7'alpjna, 96. 
 
 Tanianoir, or Ant Bear, 
 
 210. 
 
 Tapir, 207. 
 
 — American, 207. 
 
 ^ Maylayan, 207. 
 
 Tapiius 217, 
 T-rsitr. 32. 
 leal, ^o2. 
 T. lean. 84." 
 TiriiihredinidSi 542. 
 Tench. 491. 
 1'eiiihius, 504. 
 Term.iCh. ^39 
 Teri', Common. 409, 
 Tcrra()iu;i, ^\^ 
 
 2x9 
 
596 
 
 Termes Bellicosus, 539. 
 Terebrantia, 544. 
 Terrier, English, 61. 
 
 Scorch, 68. 
 
 Telrabranchiata, 50s- 
 Thrush, Missel, 319. 
 
 Song. 321. 
 
 Thysanoptera, 537. 
 Tiger, 40 
 
 Wolf, 53- 
 
 Tiger Moth, 554. 
 
 Beetle, 524. 
 
 ~ ;■ Eight-spot, 525. 
 
 Tipulidsc, 561. 
 Titmice. 312. 
 Titmouse, Blue, 313. 
 
 Great, 313 
 
 Long tailed, 314. 
 
 Toad, 444. 
 
 Tody, Green, 278. 
 
 Top, Common, 513. 
 
 lorpedo, 460. 
 
 Tortoise, 417. __. 
 
 (Jhicken, 419. 
 
 Tota. See Grivet. 
 
 TotauinEE. 297. 
 
 Toucan, Toco. 351. 
 
 Trap-door Spider, 573. 
 
 Tree Serpents, 439. 
 
 Trichoptera, 542. 
 
 Triglidae, 467. 
 
 Trochilidae, 291. 
 
 Trochilus, 291. 
 
 Trogon, Resplendent, 279. 
 
 Trogonidge, 279. 
 
 Tropic Bird, 410. 
 
 Trout, 489. 
 
 Trumpeter, Golden - Breasted, 
 
 ^385. 
 
 Tunny, 469, 
 
 Turbot. 479. 
 
 Turkey, 375 
 - Bi 
 
 irush, 371. 
 Blizzard. See Vulture 
 Carrion. 
 
 Turritellidae. 511. 
 Turtle, Hawksbill, 419. 
 
 . Green. 420. 
 
 - Turtle-dove, 368. 
 
 Univalves, 506. 
 Upupa, 286. 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Upupidae, 286. 
 
 Urchin, Sea, 586. 
 
 Urchin. See Hedgehog. 
 
 Urocerus Gigas, 542. 
 
 Ursine Baboon. See Chacma. 
 
 Colobus, u. 
 
 Howler, 22. 
 
 Urson. See Porcupine, Cana- 
 dian, 
 
 Vampire Bat, 36. 
 Venus's Conlb, 507. 
 
 Girdle, 583. 
 
 Vertebrata, i. 
 Vervet, 13. 
 Vespidse, 546. 
 Vicugna, 194. 
 Viper, 434 
 
 Horned. 434. 
 
 Viperina, 431. 
 
 Viperidse. 432. 
 
 Vulpes. 71. 
 
 Vulture, Alpine or Egyptian, 
 
 ,7^37- 
 
 Vulture, Arabian, 235, 236. 
 
 Bearded, 229. 
 
 — — Carrion, 23S. 
 
 — Fulvous, or Griffin, 
 
 233- 
 
 ^— King, 231. 
 
 Vulpine, Phalangist, no. 
 
 Wagtail, Pied, 315. 
 
 "Walking Fish, 474. 
 
 Walrus, or Morse, 124. 
 
 Wanderoo. 1 5. 
 
 Warbler, Blackcap, 306, 307. 
 
 Warblers, 304. 
 
 Wasp, 546. 
 
 Wasps, Solitary, 545. 
 
 Sand, 544. 
 
 -Wood, 544. 
 
 Water Hen, 396. 
 
 Vole, or Rat, 137. 
 
 Spaniel, 61. 
 
 Spiders, 574. 
 
 Ousel, 317. 
 
 Weevel, 531. 
 Weasels, 80. 
 
 Weaver Bird. Social, 339, 340. 
 Wentletrap, Staircase, or Pre- 
 cious, 511. 
 
 Wentletrap, Common or False, 
 
 512. 
 Whale, 127. 
 
 Spermaceti, 129. 
 
 Whaup. See Curlew. 
 
 Wheel Animalcules, 588. 
 
 Wheatear, Sog. 
 
 Whelk, 507. 
 
 White-headed Saki. See Black 
 
 Yarke. 
 Widgeon, 401. 
 V/ild Cat, 48. 
 Wish -ton- wish. See Prairie 
 
 Dog. 
 Wolf, 70. 
 Wolverene, 84. 
 Wombat 116. 
 Worm, Ship, 521. 
 Wood Wasps, 544. 
 Woodcock, 395. 
 
 Ihorny, 507. 
 
 Woodlouse, S70. 
 
 Armadillo, 570. 
 
 , -^'iHr57u. 
 
 oodpecker. Green, 362, 363. 
 
 Great Black, 363. 
 
 Northern I'hree- 
 
 toed, 363. 
 
 Seven-spotted, 363. 
 
 Great Spotted,36o 
 
 361. 
 
 Wood Pigeon, 367. 
 Wren, 303. 
 Wrens, 301. 
 
 Fire-crested, 307. 
 
 Goldcii' created, 305, 
 
 Wryneck, 363. 
 
 Yamma. See Llama. 
 
 Yak. 167. 
 
 Yellow-iboted Pouched Mouse, 
 
 119. 
 Yeliowharamer, 345, 346. 
 
 Zebra, 201. 
 
 Parrakeet, 352. 
 
 Zebu, 163. 
 
 Zerda. See Fennec. 
 Zoophytes, 585 
 Bell, 587,