A Natural History for Young People: Our Animal Friends in Their Native Homes / including mammals, birds and fishes
BROWN OR ALPINE BEARS.
A Natural History for Young People
INCLUDING
MAMMALS, BIRDS and FISHES
Mrs. Phebe Westcott Humphreys
Over One Hundred and Fifty Illustrations,
including Colored Plates, Half-Tones
and Wood Engravings
Copyright 1900
By Phebe Westcott Humphreys
This little Volume of Natural History has been prepared to fill a long-felt want. As a child the author was especially interested in the study of animals, but met with the usual drawback—nothing could be found in classified form to meet the requirements of young people, not yet old enough to take up a college course of study. Natural Histories abounded in every form and in every language, there were scientific works in plenty, and numerous books for children, from the fairy tales founded on animal life to the usual descriptive matter accompanying profuse illustrations in childish books; but nothing could be found in which the Mammals, Birds and Fishes, were carefully classified and arranged in the proper families, and the whole in words of easy reading—discarding unnecessary scientific words and phrases, and carefully explaining the necessary ones. It was not until later in school life, when a certain knowledge of Greek and Latin became necessary in the college-preparatory course that these scientific works could be really enjoyed. And the author of this little volume—who was then preparing her first literary efforts in the intervals of school work—resolved that one of her earliest books should be a carefully arranged Natural History for Young People, in which all the desires of her own childhood should be realized.
The immensity of the labor involved in preparing such a work did not become apparent until once seriously commenced, and French, German, Greek and Latin dictionaries were called into requisition in order that every scientific word and classification might be carefully explained. The best authorities among ancient and modern naturalists have been consulted; Goldsmith, Jones, Figuier and Brehm have been quoted, and other English, French and German works, studied and compared. And although this has been delayed, because of the tedious work required, and other books for young people, by the same author have been allowed to precede it, this is finished in time to meet the demands of the small son of her household, who has reached the age so aptly described by the well-worn phrase, “An animated interrogation point”—especially in the direction of Natural History. And filling as it does, the demands of one, may it meet the desires of the many mothers of inquiring sons and daughters, and the young people who are eager for such a work, that is accurate, readable and interesting, and fully up to the present condition of modern science.
Phebe Westcott Humphreys
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PREFACE.
CONTENTS.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
Our Animal Friends.
Quadrumana—The Four-Handed Mammals.
THE GORILLA—THE STRONGEST APE.
THE ORANG-OUTANG—THE WILD MAN OF THE WOODS.
THE CHIMPANZEE—THE MAN-LIKE APE.
THE BABOONS—THE DOG-HEADED MONKEYS.
THE MANDRILLS—THE BRILLIANT MONKEYS.
CURIOUS MONKEYS OF THE MACAQUES FAMILY.
THE WANDEROO.
THE BARBARY APE.
THE BONNET MACAQUES.
THE AMERICAN MONKEYS.
THE HOWLING MONKEYS.
THE SPIDER MONKEYS.
THE WEEPING MONKEYS.
THE LEMURS, OR FOX-HEADED MONKEYS.
Carnivora—Flesh-Eating Quadrupeds.
PLANTIGRADE CARNIVORA—THE BEAR FAMILY.
THE BROWN OR ALPINE BEAR.
THE COLLARED AND THE AMERICAN BEAR.
THE GRIZZLY, OR “FEROCIOUS BEAR.”
THE WHITE, OR POLAR BEAR.
THE LABIATED, OR SLOTH BEAR.
DIGITIGRADE CARNIVORA—THE HYENA FAMILY.
THE STRIPED HYENA.
THE SPOTTED HYENA.
THE HUNTING HYENAS.
THE CAT FAMILY.
WILD AND DOMESTIC CATS.
THE LION—THE KING OF BEASTS.
THE TIGER.
THE LEOPARD.
THE PANTHER.
THE JAGUAR.
THE PUMA OR COUGAR.
THE OCELOT.
THE LYNXES.
THE EUROPEAN LYNX.
THE CANADA LYNX.
THE CARACAL.
THE OUNCE AND SERVAL.
THE CHEETAH.
THE DOG FAMILY.
THE HYENA DOG.
THE DESTRUCTIVE WOLF.
THE JACKAL.
THE FOXES.
THE FENNEC FOX.
THE COMMON FOX.
THE WEASEL FAMILY.
THE ERMINE.
THE MARTENS.
THE OTTERS.
THE CIVET FAMILY.
THE MANGOUSTS.
THE GENETS.
AMPHIBIOUS CARNIVORA.
THE COMMON SEAL.
THE SEA-LIONS.
THE SEA-ELEPHANTS.
THE WALRUS OR MORSE.
CHIEROPTERA—ANIMALS WITH WINGED-HANDS.
THE LONG-EARED BATS.
THE LONG-NOSED BATS.
THE VAMPIRES.
INSECTIVORA—INSECT-EATERS.
THE SHREWS.
THE WATER-SHREWS.
THE ELEPHANT SHREW.
THE HEDGEHOGS.
EDENTATA—TOOTHLESS QUADRUPEDS.
THE SLOTH FAMILY.
THE ARMADILLOS.
THE ANT-EATERS.
THE PANGOLINS.
RODENTIA—GNAWING QUADRUPEDS.
THE BEAVERS.
THE PORCUPINE FAMILY.
COMMON PORCUPINES.
THE BRUSH-TAILED PORCUPINE.
THE CANADIAN PORCUPINE.
PREHENSILE-TAILED PORCUPINES.
THE SQUIRREL FAMILY.
GREY SQUIRRELS.
THE FLYING SQUIRRELS.
MARMOTS AND PRAIRIE DOGS.
HARES AND RABBITS.
THE PICAS AND THE CALLING HARES.
MARSUPIALIA—POUCHED QUADRUPEDS.
THE KANGAROO FAMILY.
THE OPOSSUMS.
PACHYDERMATA—THICK-SKINNED QUADRUPEDS.
THE ELEPHANT FAMILY.
THE HIPPOPOTAMUS.
THE TAPIRS.
THE RHINOCEROS FAMILY.
THE ONE-HORNED RHINOCEROS.
THE TWO-HORNED RHINOCEROS.
THE BOAR FAMILY.
THE WILD BOAR.
THE WART HOGS.
THE PECCARIES.
THE HORSE FAMILY.
THE WILD AND DOMESTIC DONKEY.
THE ZEBRA.
THE HEMIONUS OR DSHIKKETEE.
THE QUAGGA.
THE DAUW.
QUADRUPEDS THAT CHEW THE CUD.
THE CAMEL FAMILY.
THE DROMEDARY.
THE LLAMAS.
THE PACA.
THE VICUNA.
THE MUSK DEER.
THE HORNED RUMINANTS.
RUMINANTS WITH HAIRY AND PERMANENT HORNS.
RUMINANTS WITH HOLLOW HORNS.
THE CHAMOIS.
THE GAZELLES.
THE GNU.
THE GOATS.
THE COMMON GOAT.
THE IBEX.
THE BEZOARGOAT.
THE SHEEP.
THE OX FAMILY.
THE AMERICAN BUFFALO.
THE MUSK OX.
THE EUROPEAN BUFFALO.
THE CAPE BUFFALO.
THE YAK.
THE JUNGLE OX.
THE COMMON BUFFALO.
RUMINANTS WHICH SHED THEIR HORNS.
THE REINDEER.
THE ELKS.
THE DEER PROPER.
THE RED DEER.
THE CANADIAN STAG.
THE VIRGINIAN DEER.
THE SAMBOO, AXIS AND PORCINE DEER.
THE FALLOW DEER.
THE COMMON ROE.
CETACEA—THE WHALES.
THE WHALE, AND ITS ENEMIES.
THE CACHALOTS.
THE WHALEBONE WHALES.
THE DOLPHINS.
THE PORPOISES.
THE NARWHALS.
HERBIVOROUS CETACEANS.
THE MANATEES.
THE SOUTH AMERICAN MANATEE.
THE DUGONGS.
Birds.
BIRDS OF PREY.
THE OWL FAMILY.
THE HORNED OWLS.
THE LONG-EARED OWL.
HORNLESS OWLS.
THE FALCON FAMILY.
THE EAGLES.
THE STONE EAGLE.
THE SEA EAGLE.
THE BUZZARDS.
THE VULTURE FAMILY.
THE BEARDED GRIFFON.
THE CONDOR.
THE NATATORES, OR SWIMMING BIRDS.
THE BLACK-THROATED DIVER.
THE FAMILY OF DIVERS.
THE GREAT NORTHERN DIVER.
THE PENGUINS.
THE AUK.
THE GREBES.
DUCKS, GEESE AND SWANS.
DUCKS.
GEESE.
SWANS.
THE PELICAN FAMILY.
THE CRESTED PELICAN.
THE WHITE PELICAN.
THE BROWN PELICAN.
THE SPECTACLED PELICAN.
THE LONG-WINGED SWIMMING BIRDS.
THE GRALLATORES, OR WADING BIRDS.
THE WADERS WITH UNITED TOES.
THE AVOCET.
THE STILT BIRDS.
LONG-TOED WADERS.
WADING BIRDS WITH LONG BILLS.
THE WOODCOCK.
THE SNIPES.
WADING BIRDS WITH KNIFE-SHAPED BILLS.
THE STORKS.
THE SPOONBILL.
THE WADING BIRDS WITH COMPRESSED BILLS.
THE FRIGATE BIRD AND FLAMINGOES.
THE FRIGATE BIRD.
THE SHORT-WINGED BIRDS.
THE OSTRICH.
THE SCANSORES, OR CLIMBING BIRDS.
THE PARROTS.
THE COCKATOOS.
THE CUCKOOS.
HONEY-GUIDES OR INDICATORS.
ANIS AND BARBETS.
TROGONS AND TURACOS.
THE TOUCANS.
THE WOODPECKERS.
THE JACAMARS.
THE GALLINACEAE, OR DOMESTIC BIRDS.
THE PARTRIDGES.
THE GROUSE AND THE HEATHCOCK.
THE PIGEONS.
THE PHEASANTS.
THE PASSERINES, OR THE SPARROW FAMILY.
THE PERCHING BIRDS WITH UNITED TOES.
THE HORNBILLS.
THE FLY-CATCHERS.
THE KING-FISHERS.
THE BEE-EATERS.
THE MOTMOTS.
PERCHING BIRDS WITH LONG BEAKS.
THE HUMMING-BIRDS.
THE CROWS.
THE DIPPERS.
Fishes.
CARTILAGINOUS FISHES.
THE LAMPREYS AND THE EELS.
THE EELS.
ELECTRICAL EELS.
SEA EELS.
SAND EELS.
COMMON EELS.
CONGER EELS.
THE FAMILY OF RAIAS, OR FLAT-FISH.
THE WHITE RAY.
THE LUMP-FISH.
THE TORPEDO, OR CRAMP FISH.
THE SHARK FAMILY.
THE DOG-FISH.
THE HAMMERHEAD.
THE SAW-FISH.
THE STURGEON FAMILY.
THE CHIMERA.
THE OSSEOUS OR BONY FISHES.
THE FAMILY OF GLOBE FISH AND COFFERS.
THE DIODONS.
THE COFFERS.
THE FILE-FISH.
THE PIPE-FISH AND SEA-HORSES.
THE SEA-HORSE.
THE FAMILY OF SOFT-FINNED FISHES.
SOME STRANGE SPECIMENS.
THE FLAT-FISHES OF THE SOFT-FINNED FAMILY.
THE SOLES.
THE TURBOT.
THE FLOUNDERS AND PLAICE.
THE HALIBUT AND THE DAB.
THE THIRD GROUP OF SOFT-FINNED FISHES.
THE CHEATODONS.
FLYING-FISH.
THE HERRING.
THE FAMILY OF SPINY-FINNED FISHES.
THE GURNARDS.
THE SWORD-FISH.
THE ARCHER FISH.
