PHILIP HENRY GOSSE, F.R.S.
Second Series.
LONDON: JAMES NISBET AND CO., 21 BERNERS STREET.
M.DCCC.LXI.
CONTENTS.
| I. THE EXTINCT. | |
| PAGE | |
|---|---|
| Death of Species—Some Died in Early Historic Ages—SomeDying Now—Changes of Land and Water—Tertiary State ofEurope—Dinothere of Germany—Sivathere of India—GiganticTortoise—Pachyderms of Siberia—Rhinoceros—Mammoth—Mastodonof America—Great Quadrupeds of SouthAmerica—Sloths—Habits of Mylodon—Macrauchen—Toxodon—AncientAustralia and its Colossal Birds—AncientBritain—Its Flora and Fauna—Irish Elk—Carnivores—Chronologyof the Tertiary Era—Contemporaneous Existenceof Man with the Fossil Fauna—Gigantic Tortoise—Conditionof Siberian Pachyderms—Discovery of the Remains—ContemporaryFauna of Britain—Chinese and Siberian Traditions—IndianTraditions of the Mastodon—State of its Remains—ItsFood—Comparative Lateness of Geologic Processes inAmerica—Possibility that the Mastodon was a Beast of Burden—Darwinon the South American Sloths—Freshness oftheir Remains—Synchronism with Existing Creatures—Birdsof New Zealand—Maori Tales—Evidence of Recent Existence—Storyof an English Seaman—Examination of its Truth—FossilEggs—Comparison of Dimensions—Larger Eggs inMadagascar—Æpyornis—Its Present Existence Possible—Discoveryof the Notornis—Tertiary Britain—Fossil Man—WorkedFlints—Associated with Fossil Bones—Species—Ageof Man—Alluvium of the Nile—Conclusions from it Delusive—Ratesof Geologic Changes Variable—Examples—Evidence ofContemporaneity of Man with the Tertiary Fauna—Irish Elk—Stateof its Remains—Traditionary and Documentary Evidenceof its Recent Existence—Slaughtered by Man—Proofof this Fact—Great Accumulation of Skulls at Lough Gûr—Weaponsfound with Elk Relics—Proofs of its having beenCooked—Manner of Hunting the Elk—Ancient Irish Poem onAnimals—No Allusion to the Elk in it—This Explained—Noticesof Early Oxen—Their Fossil Relics—Cæsar's Accountof the Urus—Wild Oxen in Ancient Greece and WesternAsia—Guy of Warwick and the Dun Cow—The Turnbulls—TheUrus Fossil in Britain—Vast Size of Fossil Oxen—ScanianFossil Ox bearing a Spear-wound—Other AncientOxen—European Bison—British Bears—Period of their Extinction—Extinctionof the Wolf—Beaver Extinct in Britain—AlmostExtinct in Europe—Dodo—Accounts of Voyagers—Seenin London—Museum Relics—Paintings—Stelleria—Cheiromys—Moho—Kaureke—Manu-mea—Nestorof NorfolkIsland—Great Auk—Its Recent Abundance—Catalogue ofSpecimens and Eggs in Cabinets—Falkland Fox—Musk Ox—Hand-treeof Mexico—Attempt to Estimate the Rate ofSpecies-extinction—Perhaps One a Year—Question of ContinuousCreation of Species—Causes of Extinction—Thoughtsof Owen and Darwin—Geographic Distribution an ImportantElement—Fauna Peculiar to Islands—Red Grouse—Precariousnessof its Existence, | [1] |
| II. THE MARVELLOUS. | |
| Vulgar Love of Marvels—False Causes—Counter Tendency ofScience—Blood-Showers—Traced to Butterfly-discharges—Wormsin Horse Pond—Crimson Snow—Discharges of Birds—RealRed Rain—Waters turned to Blood—Oscillatoria—Infusoria—"RainingCats and Dogs"—Snail-showers—Frog-showers—AtPortobello—At Leeds—On the Continent—Fish-showers—TheAberdare Shower—Explanations and Criticisms—VeritableFish-showers in South America—In India—InCeylon—Torpidity of Fishes in Mud—Lepidosiren—ItsStructure—Amphibious Fishes—Climbing Perch—Salariasof Ceylon—Provisional Structure, | [96] |
| III. MERMAIDS. | |
| The Oannes of Berosus—Assyrian Representations of Mermen—Dagonand Atergatis—Universal Belief in Mermaids—Opinionof Swainson—Sirens in Dongola—Museum Specimens—JapaneseIngenuity—Accounts of Living Specimens—Assumedto be Cow-whales—Indian Accounts—ScandinavianMyths—Mermaids in Shetland—A Love Story—Cavern inSkye—Veritable Narratives—Hudson's Report—Steller'sSea-ape—Rencontre of Weddell's Seaman—Merman seen atLandscrone—Mermaid Captured by Six Shetlandmen—Commentson the Story—Critical Examination of it, | [125] |
| IV. THE SELF-IMMURED. | |
| Toads Found in Wood and Stone—Difficulties—Bell's Caution—CurrentExplanations—Mr Bartlett's Toad in Fir-tree—HisLetter in Reply—Mr Bree's Toad in Sandstone—Mr Peacock'sToad in Lias—Toad in Tamarind-wood in India—Commentson the Report—Toad in Flint at Blois—Toad in Iron Ore—Audialteram partem—Mr Plant's Disappointment—SevenFrogs in Nodules of Limestone—Toad Immured in Old Wall—Frogin Freestone—Toads deep in Stiff Clay—Experiments—DrBuckland Immures Toads in Oolitic Limestone andSandstone—Results—Dr Buckland's Conclusions—ToadsInclosed in Plaster of Paris—Critical Examination of theExperiments—Objections to the Conclusions—Evidence ratherin Favour of Common Belief—Toad Sixteen Years in Closed-inWall—Toad in Mortar under a Horse-block—IndefiniteTorpidity of Wasps—Mr Bartlett Finds a Bat in a VaultClosed for Twenty Years—Mr Smith Finds a Bat in a VaultClosed for One Hundred and Six Years, | [146] |
| V. HYBERNATION OF SWALLOWS. | |
| The Question—Popular Belief—Scientific Statements of Swallows'Torpidity and Submersion—Achard's Statement—White'sAccount—Cases given by Bishop Stanley—Supposed Torpidityof American Swift—Hybernating Corn-crakes—Barrington'sReports of Torpid Swallows—Curator Wall's Story—Fitton'sStory—Swallows in Britain during Winter—Cases recorded byWhite—Montagu—Yarrell—C. Bree—Bell—Hewitson—Harcourt—Rodd—Hadfield—W.Bree—Johnston—Gurney—Examinationof the Evidence—Conclusion in Favour of Torpidity, | [191] |
| VI. THE CRESTED AND WATTLED SNAKE. | |
| Seba's Museum—His "Thesaurus"—Figures of Curious Serpents—Whatcould they have been?—Proofs that they wereOphidian, not Piscine—Reports of Wonderful Serpent inJamaica—Singular Character of its Habitat—Geological andBotanical Features—Locale of Three-fingered Jack—CrestedSnake Killed here—Negro Stories of its Voice—Heard of inHayti—Author's Efforts to obtain a Specimen—Occurrenceof Two Specimens, | [211] |
| VII. THE DOUBTFUL. | |
| Viper Swallowing her Young—Conflicting Statements—Physiologicallynot Impossible—Reports of Witnesses—Mr Percival'sAccount—Mr Wolley's Corroboration—Mr Bond's Testimony—Caseof the Rattlesnake—Seen by Palisot de Beauvois—Caseof the Common Lizard—Comments on the Evidence. | |
| Madame Merian—Her Truth Impeached—Her Story of the Lantern-fly—Denialsof its Luminosity by Entomologists—Confirmationof it by Lacordaire—By Spinola—By Wesmael—EnglishInsects only Occasionally Luminous—Mole-cricket—TheCause of ignis fatuus—Crane-fly—Luminous Caterpillars—Perhapsa Disease. | |
| Madame Merian again Arraigned—Her Account of Spiders Preyingon Humming-birds—Mr MacLeay's Denial and Proof of theNegative—Comment on his Evidence—Langsdorff's Evidence—CeylonSpiders—Sir E. Tennent's Criticisms—CollateralEvidence for the Affirmative—Strong Webs of Nephila—TheSolfuga of India—Account of its Habits—Attacks and OvercomesSmall Birds—Captain Sherwill Saw a Spider Eating aBird in India—Moreau de Jonnès' Direct Confirmation ofMerian—Mr H. Bates's Conclusive Testimony, | [220] |
| VIII. FASCINATION. | |
| Power Attributed to Serpents of Paralysing their Prey—Dr Bird'sStory of Black Snake—Rattlesnake and Squirrel—Cobra andLizard—African Snake and Mouse—Snake and Frog—Habitsof the Boomslange—Snake and Shrike—Snake and Mouse—DrEvans's Observations on Serpents at the Zoological Gardens—RingedSnake and Hedge Sparrow—Snake and Robin—IndianSerpent and Eel—Attempted Explanations—MrMartin's Observations—Barton Attributes the Phenomena toMaternal Love—Explanation Inadequate—The Power Exercisedby Other Animals—Lizard and Butterfly—Scorpion andFly—Stoats and Hares—Foxes and Pullets—Eagle and Rabbit—AttractivePower of Fire—Entomologist's Bull's-eye Lamp—Yard-firein Alabama—Insects come to the Fire—Titmousearound a Gas-lamp—Bell Rock Lighthouse visited by Herring-gull—FireFascinates Toads in Africa, | [242] |
| IX. SERPENT-CHARMING. | |
| Revulsion Inspired by the Serpent—Persons Professing Immunityagainst Venomous Serpents—Scriptural Allusions—The AncientPsylli and Marsi—Babylonian Magician—Atyr—ImmunityDistinct from Serpent-charming—Hexagon the Ambassador—Posterityof Psylli in Sennaar—Bruce's Curious Account—VariousPlants Antidotic to Serpent-venom—Experiments onSimaba Cedron—Peruvian Serpents and Remedies—VariousSouth American Antidotes—Vejuco of Venezuela—Grass ofDahomey—Immunity of Mangouste—Anecdotes—Of Hedgehog—Bruce'sAccount of the Cerastes—Hasselquist's Observations—PsyllicWoman—Power of Spittle—Influence of Musicon Serpents—Proceedings of Egyptian Charmers—RattlesnakeCharmed by a Flute—Cobra of India Attracted by Music—OccasionalFailures and Fatalities—Anecdotes—Comments—Psylliin London—Are the Poison-fangs Extracted?—Powerof Snake-stones—Napier's and Tennent's Accounts—Faraday'sAnalysis—Plant-remedies, | [263] |
| X. BEAUTY. | |
| Delight in Beauty—Divine Appreciation of it—Magnificent Flowerin a Thicket—Beauty of Deer—Pet Fawn—Eye of Gazelle—SpottedFur—Zebra-stripes—Birds—Spoonbills on the Amazon—CarolinaParakeet—Cock of the Rock—Soft blendingin the Goatsuckers—Resplendent Trogon—Metallic Colours—Rifle-bird—Plume-birds—IridescentHues—Sun-birds—Humming-birds—MexicanNames—Jamaican Humming-birds—Mango—Long-tail—Causeof changeable Lustre—Angle ofLight—Other Examples—Region of the Amazon and Rio Negro—Birds—FieryTopaz Humming-bird—Cerro of Potosi—Night-blowingCactus—Bar-tail Comet—Pheasant tribe—ChinesePheasants—Fire-back of Java—Argus of Malacca—Impeyanof India—Polyprectons—Peacock—Wild Peacock-shooting—Paradise-birds—Emerald—HisVanity in Dress—Splendourof Insects—Metallic Beetles—Soft Refulgence—Gem-scales—Butterflies—Changesof Hue—Opalescence—Rayon the "Cui bono?"—Smith on South American Butterflies—Splendourof Spiders—in Jamaica—in Borneo—Tortoise-beetles—Beautyof Plants—Mosses—Ferns—Palms—Grasses—Bamboo—inJamaica—in Madagascar—Plantains—Scenein Tahiti—Beauty exceeds our Power of Imbibing it—Flowers—Orchideæ—Sobralia—Cypripedium—Anæctochilus—Dendrobium—Huntleya—Scenein Guiana—Death ofReiss—Rhododendrons of Himalayas—of Borneo—Lightning-treeof Madagascar—Flamboyant—Barbadoes Pride—Burmesetree—Le Bois Immortel—Scene in Tartary—MicroscopicBeauties of London Pride, | [302] |
| XI. PARASITES. | |
| Fleas on fleas ad infinitum—Intestinal Worms—Economy ofCreation—Epiphyte Vegetation—Life in a Sea-weed—Orchidsin the Tropics—Parasitic Fig-trees—Lianes—in Ceylon—Parasitismin Insects—Ichneumons—Kirby's Discovery of Stylops—Economy—Oil-beetle—Medusaand Shrimp—Medusa parasiticon Medusa—Fish in Stomach of Starfish—Crab andSponge—Hermit Crab and Polype—Parasites in Corals—Ostrichparasitic on Ostrich—Cuckoo and Cowpen birds—Venerationof Small Birds for Cuckoo—Slavery among Ants—Nigger-hunting, | [359] |
| APPENDIX. | |
| Sea-serpent—Additional Testimonies to its Existence—Statementof Consul Grattan—Communication from Mr Stephen Cave, | [387] |