CONTENTS.
PAGE | |
| INTRODUCTION | |
| CLASS MAMMALIA. | |
| ORDER I.—QUADRUMANA.—THE APES AND MONKEYS. | |
| [CHAPTER I.] | |
| INTRODUCTION—THE MAN-SHAPED APES—THE GORILLA. | |
| The World of Monkeys, and its Division into great Groups—Distinction between the Old World and New World Monkeys—Classification of Monkeys—[THE GORILLA], Ancient and Modern Stories about it—Investigations of Savage and Du Chaillu—General Description—The Head, Brain, Teeth, Taste, Smell, and Voice—The Air Sacs, and Ear—The Limbs and Muscles—Method of Climbing—Diet—Hunting the Gorilla—Attempts to Capture Alive—A Tame Gorilla | |
| [CHAPTER II.] | |
| THE MAN-SHAPED APES (continued)—THE NSCHIEGO MBOUVÉ—THE KOOLO-KAMBA—THE SOKO—THE CHIMPANZEE. | |
| [THE NSCHIEGO MBOUVÉ]—Its Nests and Habits—A Specimen Shot—Differences between it and the Gorilla—Structural Peculiarities—[THE KOOLO-KAMBA]—Meaning of the Name—Discovered by Du Chaillu—Its Outward Appearance and Anatomy—[THE SOKO]—Discovered by Livingstone—Hunting the Soko—[THECHIMPANZEE]—In Captivity—On board Ship—A Young Chimpanzee—The Brain and Nerves—Anatomical Peculiarities—General Remarks upon the Group | |
| [CHAPTER III.] | |
| THE MAN-SHAPED APES (continued)—GENUS Simia—THE ORANG-UTAN. | |
| Origin of the Name—Description of the Orang—Rajah Brooke’s First Specimen—Mr. Wallace’s Experiences in Mias Hunting—The Home of the Mias—A Mias at Bay—Their Nests, Habits, Food, and Localities—Different kinds of Orangs—Structural Points—The Intelligence and Habits of the Young—The Brain and its Case—Resemblances and Differences of Old and Young | |
| [CHAPTER IV.] | |
| THE MAN-SHAPED APES (concluded)—THE GIBBONS—THE SIAMANGS—THE TRUE GIBBONS. | |
| General Characteristics of the Species—[THE SIAMANG]—Its Habits and Anatomy—Distinctness from the Orangs and Gibbons—Special Peculiarities—[THE WHITE-HANDED GIBBON]—Where Found—Its Cry—Its Habits—Special Anatomical Features—[THE HOOLOOK]—Where Found—A Young One in Captivity—Shape of the Skull—[THE WOOYEN APE]—Its Appearance and Habits—[THE WOW-WOW]—Very little known about it—[THE AGILE GIBBON]—Reason of the Name—Peculiarities of the Anatomy—General Comparison of the Different Varieties of the Great Apes | |
| [CHAPTER V.] | |
| THE DOG-SHAPED MONKEYS—SEMNOPITHECUS—COLOBUS. | |
| General Characteristics of the Monkeys of the Old World—Distinguished from the Apes by Length of the Hinder Limbs and presence of Tails—Divided into those with and those without Cheek-pouches—Use of the Cheek-pouches—The two Genera of Pouchless Monkeys—[THE SACRED MONKEYS], or Semnopitheci—Derivation of the Name—First Discovery—Ape Worship in India—General Description—Limited to Asia—[THE SIMPAI]—Its Locality and Appearance—[THE BUDENG]—Hunted for their Fur—Its Colour and Appearance—[THE LONG-NOSED MONKEY]—Reason of the Name—Quaint Appearance of the Young—Anatomical Peculiarities—Their First Appearance in Europe—Description of the Nose—Peculiar Formation of the Stomach—Bezoars—[THE HOONUMAN MONKEY]—The Sacred Monkey of the Hindoos—Legends about it—[THE DOUC MONKEY]—Its Appearance and Habitat—[THE BLACK-LEGGED DOUC]—Anatomical Peculiarities—[THE CROWNED MONKEY]—[THE RED MONKEY]—[THE SUMATRA MONKEY]—[THE WHITE-BEARDED MONKEY]—Found in Ceylon—Its Intelligence—[THE GREAT WANDEROO]—Other Ceylonese Monkeys—[THE GENUS COLOBUS], or Thumbless Monkeys—Description of the Hand and Wrist—Different Varieties—[COLOBUS VERUS]—[COLOBUS GUEREZA]—Their Habitat and Peculiarities—Fossil Semnopitheci | |
| [CHAPTER VI.] | |
| THE DOG-SHAPED MONKEYS (continued)—THE GUENONS. | |
| [THE GUENONS]—Where they are Found—Early Notices of them—Resemblance to the Colobi and Macaques—Distinctive Peculiarity of the Group—Often seen in Menageries—Their Terror of Snakes—Peculiar Expression of the Face—Beauty of their Skins—Minor Divisions of the Guenons—[THE DIANA MONKEY]—Origin of the Name—Anecdotes of their Mischief—[THE MONA MONKEY—]Description of one at Paris—[THE WHITE-NOSED MONKEY]—Origin of the Name—[THE TALAPOIN]—Anatomical Peculiarities—[THE GREEN MONKEY]—Found in Senegal in abundance—[THE RED-BELLIEDMONKEY]—[THE RED MONKEY]—Observed by Bruce—[THE MANGABEY]—Singularity of its Appearance—Special Structural Peculiarities | |
| [CHAPTER VII.] | |
| THE DOG-SHAPED MONKEYS (continued)—THE MACAQUES. | |
| Their Description and Anatomy, and its reference to that of the Semnopitheci and Guenons—[THE COMMON MACAQUE]—Its Character—Appropriateness of the Name—Occasionally an Albino—[THE ROUND-FACED MACAQUE]—Found in China—Ideas of the Chinese about them—[THE TOQUE, OR BONNET MONKEY]—[THE BHUNDER]—Described by Cuvier—Their Thieving Propensities—Hindoo Tales of their Sagacity—[THE MOOR MONKEY]—[BELANGER’S MONKEY]—[THE PIG-TAILED MACAQUE]—[THE MAGOT]—One of the Commonest Monkeys—Described by Galen—Early Notices of—Predatory Habits—Abundant at Gibraltar—Probably come over from Africa—Similarity to the Baboons—[THE WANDEROO]—Account of one in the Zoological Society’s Collection—Geographical Range of the Macaques | |
| [CHAPTER VIII.] | |
| THE DOG-SHAPED MONKEYS (continued)—THE BABOONS. | |
| Early Accounts of the Baboon—Origin of the Name—Held as Sacred by the Egyptians—Used as the Emblem of Thoth—Brought into Europe in the Middle Ages—Their Literature—General Description of the Family—Structural Peculiarities—Brain—Skull—Geographical Distribution—[THE SACRED BABOON]—Found in Great numbers in Abyssinia—Formidable Antagonists—Size and Colour of the Male and Female—Anecdotes—Propensity for Spirituous Liquors and Thieving—[THE GELADA BABOON]—[THE PIG-TAILED BABOON]—Usually called Chacma—Description of it—Its Ferocity in Captivity—Le Vaillant’s Monkey—[THE SPHINX BABOON]—Its Dexterity of Aim—[THE ANUBIS BABOON]—Its Locality and Food—Method of Running—[THE COMMON BABOON]—Often found in Captivity—Anecdotes—Anatomical Peculiarities | |
| [CHAPTER IX.] | |
| THE DOG-SHAPED MONKEYS (concluded)—THE BABOONS. | |
| The Second Division of the Baboons—[THE MANDRILL]—Easily distinguished from the rest—Peculiar Appearance and Colour of the Face—The Cheek-ridges—Noticed by the Ancients—Brutality of its Disposition—“Jerry” at the Surrey Gardens—Their Wild State—Anatomical Peculiarities—The Back-bone and Liver—[THE DRILL]—Distinguished from the Mandrill—Probable Antiquity of these Baboons—Theories of their Relationship to other Animals—[THE BLACK BABOON]—Its Locality and Description—Probably a Forest Ape—General Summary of the Dog-shaped Quadrumana and Classification of the Group | |
| [CHAPTER X.] | |
| THE MONKEYS OF THE NEW WORLD. | |
| THE CEBIDÆ—THE HOWLERS—THE WOOLLY MONKEYS—THE SPIDER MONKEYS—THE SAJOUS. | |
| The Monkeys of the New World—How Distinguished from those of the Old—Their Division into Families—The First Family, [THE CEBIDÆ], with Prehensile Tails—[THE HOWLERS]—Appropriateness of their Name—Where Found—General Description—[THE YELLOW-TAILED HOWLER]—Anatomical Peculiarities and Appearance of the Face—Other Members of the Family—[THE BLACK HOWLER]—Its Locality—[THE WOOLLY MONKEYS]—[THE CAPARRO AND BARRIGUDO]—First noticed by Humboldt—Peculiarities of the Skeleton—[THE SPIDER MONKEYS]—Seen by Humboldt in the Brazilian Forests—Remarkable Power of the Tail—Flexibility of the Limbs—Conformation of the Brain—Other Species—[THE COAITA]—Curious Stories of them in Captivity—[THE CHAMECK]—[THE BLACK SPIDER MONKEY]—Its Geographical Range—Its Position in Sleep—[THE VARIEGATED SPIDER MONKEY]—[THE SAJOUS]—[THE CAIARÁRA]—Observed by Bates on the Amazon—Other Varieties—[THE BROWN SAJOU]—[THE CAPUCHIN SAJOU]—Described by Brehm—Their Remarkable Dexterity and Cleverness—Diseases of Monkeys | |
| [CHAPTER XI.] | |
| THE CEBIDÆ (concluded)—THE SQUIRREL MONKEYS—DOUROUCOULIS—SAKIS. | |
| General Description of the Second Division of Cebidæ—Without Prehensile Tails—[THE SQUIRREL MONKEYS]—Described by Buffon and Humboldt—Peculiarities of the Species—Anecdotes by Le Vaillant—A Tragic End—[THE WIDOW MONKEY]—Origin of the Name—[THE ONAPPO]—Its Nocturnal Habits and Peculiar Cry—[THE DOUROUCOULIS, OR OWL MONKEYS]—General Description of the Family—Peculiar Formation of the Arm-bone—[THE THREE-STRIPED OWL MONKEY]—Described by Humboldt and Bates—[THE RED-FOOTED DOUROUCOULI]—[THE SAKIS]—Remarkable Resemblance in the Face to Man—Structural Peculiarities—[THE COUXIO]—[THE PARAUACÚ]—[THE MONK]—Description of the Brain—Other Varieties of the Sakis—Anecdotes of them—[THE BLACK-HEADED SAKIS]—General Description | |
| [CHAPTER XII.] | |
| THE MARMOSETS AND TAMARINS—HAPALE—MIDAS. | |
| The Dentition of the Genus Hapale, or the Marmosets, or Ouistitis—The Face—The Paw-like Hands and Feet—Their Claws—The Skull and Brain, and the Nature of the Diet—[THE COMMON MARMOSET]—Its Habits—[THE CLOAKED MARMOSET]—[THE GENUS MIDAS]—[THE TAMARINS]—Their Dentition—[THE NEGRO TAMARIN]—Its Habits—[MIDAS ARGENTATUM]—[DEVILLE’S MIDAS]—[THE SILKY TAMARIN]—Notes on the Arctopithecini in General | |
| [CHAPTER XIII.] | |
| GENERAL REMARKS ON THE MONKEYS. | |
| The Classification of the Monkeys of the New World—The Geographical Distribution of the Genera—The Fossil Monkeys of the New and Old World and their Alliances—The Former Old Fauna of Europe, Asia, and Africa—The Resemblance of Monkeys to other Animals and Man | |
| [CHAPTER XIV.] | |
| THE LEMUROIDA. | |
| THE GENERA INDRIS AND LEPILEMUR HAPALEMUR. | |
| The Name of the Genus Lemur popularly given to the Group—Lemuroida the Correct Name—Their Distinctive Characters—Their Hands and Feet—Ankle-bones—Tail—Rete Mirabile—Nostrils—Colour of the Eye—Ears—Teeth—Brain—Resemblance to Monkeys—Their Locality—Lemur at Liberty—Its Playfulness—Division of the Lemurs—Beauties of Madagascar—[GENUS INDRIS]—Described by Grandidier—Their Locality—Colour—Fingers—Teeth—[THE DIADEM INDRIS]—Specimens at the British Museum—Little known about it—[THE WOOLLY LEMUR]—Described by Sonnerat—[THE SHORT-TAILED INDRIS]—Distinguished by its Tail—Its Skull—[GENUS LEPILEMUR]—Their Teeth—Tail—[THE WEASEL LEMUR]—[THE GREY LEMUR]—Specimens obtained by Pollen—Their Cry | |
| [CHAPTER XV.] | |
| THE LEMUROIDA (continued). | |
| THE GENERA LEMUR AND CHEIROGALE. | |
| Called by the French Makis—Restricted to Madagascar—Their Activity—Different Species—How to Distinguish them—[THE RING-TAILED LEMUR]—Reason for the Name—Tail—Colour of Body—Eye—Hand and Foot—Geographical Range—Anatomical Peculiarities—Playfulness in Captivity—[THE WHITE-FRONTED LEMUR]—Specimen in the Zoological Gardens—[THE LEMUR OF MAYOTTE]—Where Found—Colour—Manner of Life—[THE MONGOOSE LEMUR]—Description of one sent to Buffon—[THE RUFFED LEMUR]—Described by Ellis—Domesticated Specimens—[THE BLACK LEMUR]—Geographical Range—Hand—Foot—[GENUS CHEIROGALE]—Bushy Tails—Resemblance to the Hapalemur—Nocturnal Habits—Difficult to Distinguish—[THE FORKED-CROWNED CHEIROGALE]—Wonderful Powers of Leaping—Cry—Reason for the Name—A Nest-making Variety—Specimens in the Jardin des Plantes—Resemblance to the Galagos | |
| [CHAPTER XVI.] | |
| THE LEMUROIDA (concluded)—THE GALAGOS. | |
| [THE GALAGOS]—[DEMIDOFF’S GALAGO AND THE MOUSE GALAGO]—[THE SENEGAL GALAGO]—[THE SENNAAR GALAGO]—[THE MAHOLI GALAGO]—[THE GRAND, OR THICK-TAILED GALAGO]—[MONTEIRO’S GALAGO]—[THE AFRICAN SLOW LEMURS]—[VAN BOSMAN’S POTTO]—[GENUS ARCTOCEBUS, OR BEAR MONKEY TRIBE]—[THE ANGWÁNTIBO]—[THE ASIATIC SLOW LEMUROIDS]—[THE SLOW LORIS]—[THE SLENDER LORIS]—[GENUS TARSIUS]—[THE SPECTRE TARSIER, OR TARSIUS]—[THE MALMAG]—[GENUS CHEIROMYS]—[THE AYE-AYE]—The Puzzle of the Naturalists—Opinions regarding it—Specimen Examined by Owen—Feeding—Teeth—Hands—Classification of the Lemuroida—Geographical Distribution | |
| CHIROPTERA, OR WING-HANDED ANIMALS. | |
| THE BATS. | |
| [CHAPTER I.] | |
| INTRODUCTION—CLASSIFICATION OF BATS—THE FRUIT-EATING BATS. | |
| One of Æsop’s Fables—Opinions of the Ancients regarding Bats—Scaliger’s Statement of the Puzzle—Opinions of the Middle Ages—The True Position of the Bats—The Wing of the Bat—General Structure: The Breast-bone, Arms, Fingers, “Wing-membrane,” Wings, Skull, Ribs, Pelvis, Legs—In Repose—Walking—The Teats—Organs of the Senses—“Blind as a Bat”—The Eyes—Spallanzani’s Experiments—The Bat’s Power of Directing its Flight in the Darkest Places—Their Food—In Winter-Quarters—A Battue of Bats—[FRUGIVOROUS AND INSECTIVOROUS BATS] | |
| [CHAPTER II.] | |
| SUB-ORDER I.—MEGACHIROPTERA, OR LARGE BATS. | |
| PTEROPIDÆ, OR FRUIT-EATING BATS. | |
| Characteristics of Fruit-eating Bats—Distribution—Diet—Flying Fox of Ceylon: its Habits, as described by Sir E. Tennent—The Flight of the Pteropidæ—Known to the Ancients—The Fruit Bats in the Zoological Gardens—[INDIAN FLYING FOX]—Diet—Dissipated Habits—[GREAT KALONG]—Linnæus’s Description—In their Dormitories—[NICOBAR, MANED, JAPANESE, AND GREY FRUIT BATS]—[GREY-HEADED FRUIT BAT]—[GOULD’S FRUIT BAT]—[ROUSSETTE]—[EGYPTIAN FRUIT BAT]—[HOTTENTOT FRUIT BAT]—[MARITIME FRUIT BAT]—[MARGINED FRUIT BAT]—[WHITE’S FRUIT BAT]—[HAMMER-HEADED BAT]—[HARPY BAT]—[GREATER HARPY BAT]—[CLOAKED FRUIT BAT]—[DWARFLONG-TONGUED FRUIT BAT]—[BLACK-CHEEKED FRUIT BAT]—[FIJIAN LONG-TONGUED FRUIT BAT] | |
| [CHAPTER III.] | |
| SUB-ORDER II.—MICROCHIROPTERA, OR INSECTIVOROUS BATS. | |
| HORSESHOE BATS AND MEGADERMS. | |
| [INSECTIVOROUS BATS]—Mr. Dobson’s Objection to the Name—Characteristics—Nasal Appendages—[THE VESPERTILIONINE AND EMBALLONURINE ALLIANCES]—The Fur in the two Alliances—[THE HORSESHOE BATS]—General Characteristics—Distribution—Diet—Carnivorous Propensities—[GREATER HORSESHOE BAT]—General Appearance—“Nose Leaves”—Habitat—[THE LESSER HORSESHOE BAT]—Habitat—[THE MOURNING HORSESHOE BAT]—[THE AUSTRALIAN HORSESHOE BAT]—[THE ORANGE BAT]—[PHYLLORHINÆ]—[THE DIADEM BAT]—Character of their “Nose Leaves”—Captain Hutton’s Account of their Habits—[THE PERSIAN TRIDENT BAT]—[THE MEGADERMS]—[THE LYRE BAT]—Characteristics—Called Vampire by Europeans in India—Mr. Blyth’s Account of a Megaderm’s Blood-thirstiness—[THE CORDATE LEAF BAT]—[THE AFRICAN MEGADERM]—[THE DESERT BAT] | |
| [CHAPTER IV.] | |
| VESPERTILIONIDÆ, OR TRUE BATS. | |
| The Genus Vespertilio and the Family Vespertilionidæ—Characteristics: Nostrils—Tail—Ears—Dentition—Diet—Distribution—[LONG-EARED BAT]—Ears—Distribution—Asleep—In Captivity—[BARBASTELLE]—Characteristics—Distribution—Habits—Flight—In Captivity—[BIG-EAREDBAT]—[TOWNSEND’S BAT]—The Genus Nyctophilus—Its True Place—Characteristics—[GEOFFROY’S NYCTOPHILE]—[PIPISTRELLE]—Distribution—Diet—[NOCTULE]—Natural Food—Mr. Daniell’s Observations—[SEROTINE]—[PARTI-COLOURED BAT]—[HAIRY-ARMED BAT]—[NEGRO BAT]—[KUHL’S BAT]—[NILSSON’S BAT]—[COROMANDEL BAT]—[THICK-FOOTED BAT]—[TEMMINCK’S BAT]—[WELWITSCH’S BAT]—[NEW ZEALAND BAT]—[MOUSE-COLOURED BAT]—[NATTERER’S BAT]—[DAUBENTON’S BAT]—[WHISKERED BAT]—[BLACK AND ORANGE BAT]—[PAINTED BAT]—[HARPY BAT]—[RED BAT]—[SCHREIBER’S BAT]—[BROWN PIG BAT]—[STRAW-COLOURED BAT] | |
| [CHAPTER V.] | |
| EMBALLONURIDÆ, OR THICK-LEGGED BATS. | |
| Characteristics of the Emballonuridæ, or [THICK-LEGGED BATS]—[CUVIER’S FURY]—The Genus Saccopteryx—[STRIPED SACK-WINGED BAT]—The Pouch or Sac in the Wing-membrane—Dentition—[MOUNTAIN BAT]—[TOMB BAT]—Origin of its Name—Dentition—The Peculiar Sac or Pouch under the Chin—Other Species of the Genus (note)—[EGYPTIAN RHINOPOME]—Difficulty of Assigning its True Place in the System—Characteristics—[GREAT HARE-LIPPED BAT]—Seba’s Description—Linnæus’s Mistake—Dentition—Distribution—The Genus Nyctinomus—[CESTONI’S BAT]—[PALE CHESTNUT MASTIFF BAT]—Distribution—Habits—[SMOKY MASTIFF BAT]—Habits—[COLLARED BAT]—Hideous Ugliness—Characteristics—[NEWZEALAND SHORT-TAILED BAT]—Characteristics—Mr. Dobson on the Wing-membrane, Thumb, and Foot | |
| [CHAPTER VI.] | |
| PHYLLOSTOMIDÆ, OR VAMPIRES. | |
| Distinguishing Marks of the Phyllostomidæ—Location—Diet—Blood-sucking Propensities—Exaggerations of the Older Writers—Testimony of Azara—Darwin’s Evidence—Bat-bites—The Witness of Bates, Wallace, Fraser, Prince Maximilian—Conclusion of the Whole Matter—The Desmodonts and Javelin Bat—The Tongue in the Genus Phyllostoma—[BLAINVILLE’S BAT]—Extraordinary Development of Face and Head—[OWL-FACED BAT]—[JAVELIN BAT]—Allied Species—[VAMPIRE BAT]—Mr. Bates’ Testimony to its Inoffensiveness, and Description of its Habits—[NEUWIED’S LARGE-LEAFED BAT]—[GREAT-EARED LEAF BAT]—[SORICINE BAT]—[REDMAN’S BAT]—[SEZEKORN’S LEAF BAT]—[SPECTACLED STENODERM]—[JAMAICAN STENODERM]—[DESMODUS]—Classification—Dentition—Blood-sucking Propensities—The Bites—Stomachs of Desmodus, Frugivorous and Insectivorous Bats—Concluding Remarks | |
| ORDER INSECTIVORA. | |
| [CHAPTER I.] | |
| COLUGOS—BANGSRINGS—JUMPING SHREWS—HEDGEHOGS—TANRECS—RIVER SHREWS. | |
| Functions of the Insect-eaters in the Order of Nature—Their Leading Peculiarities—Classification—[COLUGOS]—Various Opinions regarding their Place—[COLUGO, OR FLYING LEMUR]—The Patagium—Parachute-like Membrane—Dentition—Offspring—Diet—[BANGSRINGS]—[TANA]—[FERRUGINOUS BANGSRING]—[HORSFIELD’S BANGSRING]—[LOW’S PTILOCERQUE]—[SHORT-TAILED BANGSRING]—[JUMPING SHREWS]—[ELEPHANT SHREW]—[ALGERIAN JUMPING SHREW]—[PETRODROME]—[RHYNCHOCYON]—[HEDGEHOG]—Characteristics—Distribution—Diet—Attacks Snakes and Vipers—Taste for Eggs and Game—Its “Spiny Skin”—“Rolled up”—Enemies—Female and Young—[LONG-EARED HEDGEHOG]—[COLLARED HEDGEHOG]—[BULAU]—[TANRECS]—[TANREC]—[TENDRAC]—[TELFAIR’S TENDRAC]—[RICE TENDRAC]—[EARED EARTH SHREW]—[AGOUTA]—[ALMIQUI]—[WEST AFRICAN RIVER SHREW] | |
| [CHAPTER II.] | |
| GOLDEN MOLES—MOLES—DESMANS—SHREWS. | |
| General Description of the Golden Mole Family—Their Points of Difference from the True Mole—[THE CAPE GOLDEN MOLE]—Its Varieties—The Family of True Moles—[THE COMMON MOLE]—Described—Distribution—Teeth—Fore-limbs—Breast-bone—Not a Miserable Creature—Extreme Voracity—Diet—His Blindness a Popular Error—A Thirsty Soul—His Fortress—The Roads leading to it—Speed of a Frightened Mole—“Mole-hills”—A-wooing—His Strong Family Affections—His Persecution a Doubtful Benefit—[THE BLIND MOLE]—Several Allied Species—[THE STAR-NOSED MOLE]—Its Snout—[THE COMMON SHREW MOLE]—Other Species in the United States—The Family of Desmans—[THE DESMAN]—Its Otter-like Habits—Its Trunk—[THE PYRENEAN DESMAN]—[THE HAIRY-TAILED MOLE-SHREW]—The Family of Shrews—[THE COMMON SHREW]Or Shrew-Mouse—Superstitions about it—[DEKAY’S SHREW]—[THE GARDEN SHREW]—[THE TUSCAN SHREW]—[THE RAT-TAILED SHREW]—[THE WATER SHREW]—Essentially Aquatic—Its Prey—Allied Species—[THE TIBETAN WATER SHREW]—[THE TAILLESS SHREW]—Concluding Remarks—Classification—Distribution—Affinities | |
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
INTRODUCTION.
THE Natural History of Animals has always been a most interesting and instructive subject, and its popularity increases year after year. It is a branch of knowledge which is entertaining at every age, and it is a favourite study with men of every race and country, and of every intellectual capacity. All children delight in having their little tasks associated with pictures of animals, and the alphabet is learned all the more readily by its being illustrated with spirited drawings of household pets and the terrible creatures of the woods. The marvels of the intelligence of the dog and horse are inexhaustible sources of delight to young readers; and there are few greater pleasures than those which are felt when living animals, whose descriptions and habits have been the subject of instruction and amusement, are seen in some large menagerie or zoological gardens. On the whole, it is probable that few books are so interesting to young men and women as those which relate to animals, and it is their study which, in the majority of instances, leads to the desire for further knowledge of Natural History. The young student soon begins to yearn for information regarding the manner in which different creatures live; how some breathe air, how others live in water; how it is that some fly and others crawl; and he desires to connect the peculiar construction of animals with their method of life. Or he may be content with endeavouring to understand the names of animals, and the reasons why they are arranged or classified in a particular manner by scientific men.