Chapter I: Preface

Illustrations are like windows to the house of knowledge. They let light in upon the understanding, and they facilitate the outlook upon truth and beauty. To illustrate is to help one sense by the use of another, to reason by analogy, and to teach the unknown by the known. When definition fails, illustration often carries conviction, and the most successful teachers are those who make the best use of sound and telling illustrations. How many lessons would have been wholly forgotten by us, but for the illustrations which made their meanings clear, and left their truths for ever in our minds?

The book of nature is full of illustrations which help the understanding of the book of life, and no illustrations are more valuable and fascinating, whether as revelations of the order and habits of Nature herself, or as parallels and parables, full of suggestive application to the social and moral life of humanity, than those afforded by the study of Natural History.

To gather into a convenient volume Illustrative Anecdotes of Natural History, which shall throw light upon the study of Animal Life, for those pursuing it for its own sake, and help to the understanding of Nature herself is the primary object of this work, while it is hoped that it may serve a secondary purpose of no small utility, in suggesting social and moral parallels.

With a view to its first purpose the illustrations are classified in order as those of Mammals, Birds, Reptiles, Fishes, etc., etc., and as much knowledge of Natural History as can be conveyed in anecdote form has been attempted. The book will thus, it is hoped, be a valuable aid to the teacher of Natural History, as a manual of illustrations for his lessons, as well as full of interest to the general reader, who may not wish to devote the time necessary to more exhaustive scientific study.

A. H. M.

CONTENTS

=INTRODUCTION=

Science, 1
The Kingdoms of Nature, 1
Zoology, 2
Classification, 2

=THE ANIMAL KINGDOM=

=Sub-Kingdom Vertebrata=

=Class I.--Mammalia=

ORDER I
PRIMATES

SUB-ORDER I.--MAN-SHAPED ANIMALS

The Ape Family, 3
The Gorilla, 4
The Ancestors of the Gorilla, 4
A Gorilla Hunt, 5
Du Chaillu's First Gorilla, 7
A Young Gorilla, 9
Gorilla Superstitions, 10
The Chimpanzee, 11
The Docility of the Chimpanzee, 11
The Orang-Utan, 12
The Habits of the Orang-Utan, 12
The Walk of the Orang-Utan, 13
The Strength of the Orang-Utan, 14
The Docility of the Orang-Utan, 14
The Orang-Utan's Intelligence, 15
The Orang-Utan's Affection, 15
The Maternal Instinct, 16
Gibbons, or Long-Armed Apes, 17
Monkeys, 18
The Sacred Monkeys, 18
The Long-nosed Monkey, 19
Cheek-pouched Monkeys, 19
The Baboon, 19
The Arabian Baboon, 20
The Baboon's Imitative Faculty, 20
The Chackma Baboon, 21
The Baboon's Utility, 21
The Tame Baboon, 22
The Baboon's Cunning, 22
The Baboon's Loyalty, 24
The Baboon's Intelligence, 24
The Bonnet Monkey, 25
Indian Monkeys, 25
The Monkey Outdone, 27
The Monkey Aroused, 29
The Monkey's Affection, 30
American Monkeys, 30
The Capuchin Monkey, 30
The Spider Monkeys, 30
The Howling Monkeys, 31
The Bearded Saki, 31
The Douroucouli, 32
The Marmosets, 32

SUB-ORDER II.--THE LEMURS

The Lemurs, 32

The Tarsier, 33

The Aye-Aye, 33

ORDER II
WING-HANDED ANIMALS

Bats, 35
The Common English Bat, 36
The Vampire Bat, 36
A Traveller's Experience, 37
Megaderma Lyra, 38

ORDER III
INSECT-EATING ANIMALS

The Hedgehog, 39
The Mole, 40
An Enterprising Mole, 41
The Use of the Mole, 41
The Shrew, 42

ORDER IV
FLESH-EATING ANIMALS

SUB-ORDER I.--THE FISSIPEDIA

The Fissipedia, 43
Animals of the Cat Kind, 43
The Lion, 44
The Lion's Character, 44
Attitude towards Man, 45
The Better Part of Valour, 46
The Lion's Strength, 47
The Lion's Affection, 48
The Lion's Docility, 48
The Story of Androcles, 49
A Lion Hunt, 50
A Thrilling Experience, 52
Attacked by a Lion, 53
A Night Surprise, 55
A Lion Outwitted, 56
Old Instincts and New Opportunities, 56
The Tiger, 57
The Tiger's Ravages, 58
An Intrepid Hunter, 60
The Leopard, 61
The Leopard's Tenacity of Life, 61
Hunters Hunted, 63
The Jaguar, 64
The Jaguar's Strength, 65
A Night of Horror, 65
The Puma, 67
The Puma's Ferocity, 67
Animals and Men, 68
The Ocelot, 69
The Clouded Tiger, 70
The Serval, 70
The Common Wild Cat, 70
The Domestic Cat, 71
Cat Superstitions, 71
The Cat as a Hunter, 72
The Cat and Her Young, 72
The Cat as a Foster Mother, 73
The Cat as a Traveller, 74
The Cat as a Sportsman, 75
The Cat's Intelligence, 75
The Lynx, 76
The Chetah as Huntsman, 78
The Civits, 79
The Ichneumon, 79
Dormant Instinct, 80
The Aard Wolf, 80
The Hyæna, 80
The Striped Hyæna, 82
Spotted Hyæna, 82
A Narrow Escape, 83
Animals of the Dog Kind, 84
The Wolf, 84
The Fox, 85
The Jackal, 86
The Wolf's Mode of Attack, 86
The Wolf's Cunning, 87
The Wolf's Cowardice, 88
Hunted by Wolves, 88
A Terrible Alternative, 89
A Marvellous Escape, 89
Tame Wolves, 90
The Cunning of the Fox, 90
The Fox as a Hunter, 91
A Fox Hunt, 92
The Arctic Fox, 93
Wild Dogs, 93
The Dog, 94
The Dog's Understanding, 95
The Dog's Sense of Locality, 97
Dog Friendships and Enmities, 99
The Dog Language, 100
The Dog's Intelligence, 101
Dogs' Mistakes, 104
Eskimo Dogs, 104
A Hard Lot, 106
The Newfoundland Dog, 107
The Newfoundland's Generosity, 108
The Newfoundland's Perception of Danger, 109
The Newfoundland's Sense of Right, 111
The Newfoundland's Fidelity, 112
The Newfoundland under Training, 112
The Sheep Dog, 114
The Sheep Dog's Sagacity, 115
The Sheep Dog's Fidelity, 117
The St. Bernard, 119
The St. Bernard at Work, 121
The Greyhound, 122
The Greyhound's Affection, 123
The Lurcher, 124
The Bloodhound, 125
The Scent of the Bloodhound, 126
The Stag Hound, 127
A Stag Hunt, 127
The Fox Hound, 128
The Fox Hound's Tenacity, 128
The Harrier, 129
The Beagle, 129
The Dalmatian Dog, 130
The Turnspit, 130
The Turnspit's Sagacity, 130
The Pointer, 130
The Pointer's Intelligence, 131
The Setter, 132
Pointers and Setters, 132
The Sagacity of the Setter, 133
The Spaniel, 134
The Sagacity of the Water Spaniel, 135
The Terrier, 136
The Mastiff, 136
The Fidelity of the Mastiff, 136
The Intelligence of the Mastiff, 137
The Mastiff as a Protector, 137
The Bull Dog, 138
The Poodle, 139
The Shoe-black's Poodle, 139
Weasels, Otters, and Badgers, 140
The Polecat, 140
The Weasel, 140
The Weasel and the Kite, 141
The Common Otter, 141
The Badger, 142
The Ratel and the Skunk, 143
The Skunk, 144
The Raccoon and the Coati, 145
The Bear, 145
The Polar Bear, 146
The Black Bear, 147
The Docility of the Bear, 148
The Grizzly Bear, 149
The Brown Bear, 151
The Malayan Bear, 151

SUB-ORDER II.--THE PINNIPEDIA

Sea Lions, 152
Sea Bears, 153
The Walrus, 154
The Common Seal, 155
The Seal's Docility, 156

ORDER V
WHALES AND DOLPHINS

The Right Whale, 158
The Sperm Whale, 159
The Dolphin, 159
The White Whale, 160
The Narwhal, 160
The Porpoise, 161
The Grampus, 161

ORDER VI
MANATIDÆ

The Sea Cow, 162

ORDER VII
HOOFED ANIMALS

The Horse, 162
The Arabian Horse, 163
The Horse's Affection, 165
The Domestic Horse, 166
The Structure of a Horse, 167
The Horse's Speed, 169
The Horse's Endurance, 170
The Horse's Memory, 171
The Force of Habit, 172
The Intelligence of the Horse, 174
Horse-Play, 176
Horses and Dogs, 177
The Ass, 178
The Sagacity of the Ass, 180
The Instinct of the Ass, 181
The Trained Ass, 182
The Mule and the Hinny, 183
The Zebra, 183
The Tapir, 183
The Rhinoceros, 184
Rhinoceros Hunting, 186
The Tame Rhinoceros, 187
The Hippopotamus, 188
The Haunt of the Hippopotami, 189
The Pig Family, 190
The Boar, 190
The Common Hog, 191
The Babiroussa, 192
The Peccary, 192
The Camel and the Dromedary, 192
The Strength of the Camel, 193
The Camel and his Master, 194
Camel Riding, 195
A Camel's Revenge, 195
The Terrors of the Desert, 196
The Llama, 198
The Deer, 198
The Red Deer, 199
A Stag Hunt, 200
The Tame Stag, 201
The Reindeer, 201
The Moose or Elk, 204
The Fallow Deer and the Roebuck, 204
The Giraffe, 205
The History of the Giraffe, 205
Hollow-Horned Ruminants, 206
The Bull, the Bison, and the Buffalo, 207
The Bull, The Ox, The Cow, 207
The Bull, 208
The Brahmin Bull, 209
The Ox, 209
The Cow, 210
The Pride of a Cow, 210
The Bison, 211
Hunting the Bison, 212
The Buffalo, 213
Hunting the Indian Buffalo, 213
The Cape Buffalo, 214
Hunting the Cape Buffalo, 215
The Zebu, 216
The Yak, 216
The Antelope, 216
The Gazelle, 217
The Sheep and the Goat, 217
The Intelligence of the Sheep, 218
Animals and Music, 218

ORDER VIII
THE ELEPHANT

The Elephant, 219
The Wild Elephant, 220
Elephant Herds, 221
Elephant Friendships, 223
The Sagacity of the Elephant, 224
A Centenarian Elephant, 224
An Elephant Nurse, 225
The Intelligence of the Elephant, 225

ORDER IX
HYRAX

The Conies, 226

ORDER X
THE RODENTS

Animals that Gnaw, 226
Rats and Mice, 227
The Rat Family, 227
The Hamster, 228
Swarms of Rats, 228
Invaded by Rats, 229
Migrations of Rats, 230
The Intelligence of Rats, 231
Saved by a Rat, 231
The Mouse, 232
The Harvest Mouse, 233
The Field Mouse, 233
The Dormouse, 233
The Jerboa, 234
The Beaver, 234
The European Beaver, 234
The American Beaver, 235
The Squirrel, 237
The Squirrel at Home, 238
Tame Squirrels, 239
The Marmot, the Bobak, the Prairie Dog, 240
The Chinchilla, 240
The Porcupine, 240
The Guinea-Pig, 241
Hares and Rabbits, 241
The Common Hare, 241
The Intelligence of the Hare, 242
A Hunted Hare, 243
Tame Hares, 244
The Common Rabbit, 245

ORDER XI
TOOTHLESS ANIMALS

The Sloth, 245
The Pangolin, 246
The Armadillo, 246
The Cape Ant-Bear, 246
The Ant-Eater, 247

ORDER XII
POUCHED ANIMALS

The Opossum, 247
The Kangaroo, 247
Kangaroo Hunting, 248

ORDER XIII
MONOTREMATA

The Duck-billed Platypus, 249
The Australian Hedgehog, 249

=Class II.--Aves=

Classification, 250

ORDER I

Perching Birds, 250
The Thrushes, 251
The Common Thrush, 251
The Missel Thrush, 252
The Blackbird, 252
The Mocking Bird, 234
The Tailor Bird, 255
The Golden Crested Wren, 255
The Migration of Birds, 255
The Willow Wren, 256
The Common Wren, 256
A Wren's Music Lesson, 257
The House Wren, 257
The Nightingale, 258
The Song of the Nightingale, 258
The Robin Redbreast, 259
The Intelligence of the Robin, 260
The Titmouse, 260
The Golden Oriole, 261
The Shrike, 262
The Jay, 262
The Blue Jay, 263
The Magpie, 264
The Habits of the Magpie, 264
The Raven, 266
Unnatural Parents, 267
The Tame Raven, 268
The Raven and the Dog, 269
The Rook, 270
The Carrion Crow, 270
The Jackdaw, 271
The Chough, 271
The Bird of Paradise, 271
Hunting the Bird of Paradise, 272
The Tanagers, 273
The Tanager, 273
The Swallow, 273
Swallows in Council, 274
The House Martin, 274
The Sand Martin, 275
The Chaffinch. The Goldfinch. The Greenfinch, 275
The Linnet, 276
The Canary, 276
The Tame Canary, 277
The Crossbill, 277
The Bunting, 277
The Starling, 278
The Common Starling, 278
The Weaver Bird, 278
The Lark, 279
The Maternal Instinct of the Lark, 280
The Lark and the Hawk, 281
The Wagtails and the Pipits, 281
The Ant-Eaters, 282
The King Bird, 282
The Chatterers, 282
The Lyre Bird, 283

ORDER II
Climbers and Gapers, 283

The Woodpecker, 284
The Wryneck, 284
The Cuckoo, 284
The Cuckoo and the Hedge-Sparrow, 285
The Cuckoo and the Thrush, 286
The Trogons, 287
The Kingfishers, 287
The Hornbill, 287
The Goat-Suckers, 288
The Whip-poor-Will, 288
The Chuck-Will's-Widow, 288
The Swifts, 289
The Humming Bird, 289

ORDER III

The Parrots, 290
The Intelligence of the Parrot, 290
Famous Parrots, 291
The Grey Parrot, 292
Parrot Talk, 293

ORDER IV

Pigeons, 294
Carrier Pigeons, 294
Pigeons on the Wing, 295

ORDER V

Fowls, 297
The Peacock, 297
The Pheasant, 298
The Partridge, 299
The Wild Turkey, 300
The Domestic Turkey, 300
The Sagacity of the Turkey, 300
Sitting Turkey Cocks, 301
Domestic Fowls, 302
The Common Hen, 303

ORDER VI

The Hoazin, 304

ORDER VII

Birds of Prey, 304
The Eagle, 305
Eagle Shooting, 305
The White-headed Eagle, 306
The Vultures, 307
The Condor, 308
The King of the Vultures, 308
A Feast of Vultures, 309
The Secretary Bird, 310
The Kite. The Osprey. The Buzzard, 311
The Falcon, 311
The Sparrow-Hawk, 312
The Owl, 313

ORDER VIII

Wading Birds, 314
The Cranes, 314
The Heron, 314
The Bittern, 315
The Stork, 315
The Jealousy of the Stork, 315
A Stork's Revenge, 316

ORDER IX

The Goose, 316
The Gratitude of the Goose, 316
A Wild Goose Chase, 317
Goose Friendships, 317
The Goose and the Dog, 318
The Maternal Instinct of the Goose, 318
The Duck, 319
The Swan, 319
The Maternal Instinct of the Swan, 320
The Intelligence of the Swan, 320
The Swan and the Fawn, 321
The Common Sea-Gull, 321
A Tame Sea-Gull, 321
Mother Carey's Chicken, 322
Catching the Stormy Petrel, 322
The Cormorant, 323
The Albatross, 324
The Pelican, 325
A Tame Pelican, 325
The Penguin, 326
The Puffin, 327

ORDER X

The Ostrich, 328
The Ostrich and its Young, 328
The Rhea. The Cassowary. The Emu, 329

=Class III.--Reptilia=

ORDER I

The Tortoise and the Turtle, 331
The Elephant Tortoise, 332
The Turtle, 333

ORDER II

The Crocodile, 334
The Alligator, 335
A Tame Alligator, 336

ORDER III

Hatteria Punctata, 337

ORDER IV

The Lizards, 337
The Chameleon, 337
The Iguana, 338
The Common Lizard, 338
The Monitor, 339

ORDER V

Snakes, 339
The Viper, 340
The Viper and its Young, 340
The Rattlesnake, 341
The Sting of the Rattlesnake, 341
The Black Snake and the Rattlesnake, 342
The Cobra, 342
Snake Charming, 343
The Cobra as Companion of the Bath, 344
A Night with a Cobra, 345
An Unpleasant Bedfellow, 346
The Boa Constrictor, 346
The Boa and its Prey, 346
The Boa's Appetite, 347
A Terrible Boa, 348
A Narrow Escape, 349

=Class IV.--Batrachia=

The Batrachia, 350
The Common Toad, 351
Tame Toads, 351
The Common Frog, 352
The Ingenuity of the Frog, 352
The Tree Frog, 353

=Class V.--Pisces=

Fishes, 354
The Stickleback, 354
The Stickleback and the Leech, 355
The Mackerel, 356
The Sword Fish, 356
The Cod, 357
The Salmon, 358
The Pike, 359
The Herring, 360
The Flying Fish, 360
The Eel, 361
The Gymnotus, 362
Catching the Gymnotus, 362
The Torpedo, 366
The Shark, 366
The White Shark, 367
Sharks in the South Seas, 367
The Rays, 368
Ray Catching, 369