THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 PRESENTED BY 
 
 PROF. CHARLES A. KOFOID AND 
 MRS. PRUDENCE W. KOFOID 
 
 \ 
 
NATURALES CURIOS^E. 
 
MAHCHANT, Printer, 
 In gram -Court, Fenchurch-Street. 
 
CURIOSITIES 
 
 NATURAL HISTORY. 
 
 Taken from authentic Reports of eminent Travellers. 
 
 BY JOSEPH TAYLOR, 
 
 Author of Antiquitates Curiosse. 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 PRINTED FOR T. AND J. ALLMAN, 
 
 PRINCE'S STREET, HANOVER-SQUARE; 
 
 AND SOLD BY BALDWIN, CRADOCK, AND JOY, PATERNOSTER- 
 ROW ; AND BELL AND BRADFUTE, EDINBURGH. 
 
 1819. 
 

ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 THE present little volume is respectfully 
 submitted to the public, with the hope that it 
 will be found productive both of entertainment 
 and of information. 
 
 The Editor has been careful not to admit 
 any anecdotes into this collection, but such as 
 are derived from the most authentic sources; 
 and he confidently trusts, that it will be 
 found particularly adapted for the use of young 
 people, whose improvement and amusement 
 have been his principal aim in this compilation. 
 
 An Index is affixed to the volume, which will 
 be found of considerable service in making 
 a reference to any particular article. 
 
 London, May, 1819. 
 

 REMARKABLE CURIOSITIES 
 
 NATURAL HISTORY. 
 
 THE AERIAL PLANT. 
 
 THE burning sands of hot climates, even the 
 karo fields of the Cape of Good Hope, which 
 are so arid and scorched that no water can be 
 extracted from them, are the media in which 
 the most succulent vegetables of which we 
 have any knowledge flourish and evolve; so 
 deleterious indeed is a wet season to their 
 growth, that they are destroyed by it. There 
 are also various tribes of vegetables that are des- 
 titute of roots, and which can only be supported 
 and nourished by the air, and by the moisture 
 which the atmosphere contains. A large portion 
 of the class of fuci have no root whatever ; and 
 it is stated that the Aerial Epidendron, (the JEpi- 
 dendrum flos aeris, denominated aerial from its 
 extraordinary properties, and which is a native of 
 Java, on account of the elegance of its leaves, the 
 
 
beauty of its flower, and the exquisite odour 
 which it diffuses, is plucked up by the inha- 
 bitants, and suspended by a silken cord from 
 the ceiling of their apartments, from whence it 
 continues from year to year to put forth new 
 leaves, to display new blossoms, and exhale new 
 fragrance, although fed out of the simple bodies 
 before stated. Saumarez, on the Principles and 
 Ends of Philosophy. 
 
 THE ACUMINATUS, OR SHOOTING FISH. 
 
 Thfs very remarkable fish is a native of the 
 East Indies. It has a hollow cylindrical beak. 
 It frequents the sides of the sea and rivers, in 
 search of food ; from its singular manner of 
 obtaining which, it receives its name. When it 
 spies a fly sitting on the plants that grow in 
 shallow water, it swims to the distance of four, 
 five, or six feet; and then, with a surprising 
 dexterity, it ejects out of its tubular mouth a 
 single drop of water, which never fails striking 
 the fly into the water, where it soon becomes its 
 prey. Dr. Gregory. 
 
THE PAPER NAUTILUS, OR SAILING-FISH. 
 
 " Learn of the little Nautilus to sail, 
 Spread the thin oar, and catch the driving gale." 
 
 Pope. 
 
 " Among the principal miracles of nature," 
 says Pliny, " is the animal called Nautilos, or 
 Pompilos. It ascends to the surface of the sea 
 in a supine posture, and gradually rising itself 
 up, forces out, by means of its tube, all the 
 water from the shell, in order that it may swim 
 the more readily ; then throwing back the two 
 foremost arms, it displays between them a mem- 
 brane of wonderful tenuity, which acts as a sail, 
 while with the remaining arms it rows itself 
 along ; the tail in the middle acting as a helm to 
 direct its course : and thus it pursues its voyage, 
 and if alarmed by any appearance of danger, 
 takes in the water and descends." Pliny. 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE SAME FISH BY ANOTHER 
 AUTHOR. 
 
 The Argonauta, known to shell collectors by 
 the name of the Paper Nautilus, is supposed to 
 have given to man the first idea of navigation. 
 When it means to sail, it discharges a quantity 
 
 B2 
 
of water from its shell, by which it is rendered 
 lighter than the surrounding medium, and, of 
 course, rises to the surface. Here it extends 
 two of its arms upwards, which are each fur- 
 nished at their extremity with an oval mem- 
 brane, that serves as a sail. The other six arms 
 hang over the sides of the shell, and supply the 
 place either of oars or rudder. It is an inha- 
 bitant of the Mediterranean and Atlantic seas. 
 
 Two feet they upward raise, and steady keep : 
 These are the masts and rigging of the ship. 
 A membrane stretched between supplies the sail, 
 Bends from the masts, and swells before the gale. 
 The other feet hang paddling on each side, 
 And serve for oars to row and helm to guide. 
 'Tis thus they sail, pleased with the wanton game, 
 The fish, the sailor, and the ship the same. 
 But when the swimmers dread some danger near, 
 The sportive pleasure yields to stronger fear ; 
 No more they wanton drive before the blasts, 
 But strike the sails, and bring down all the masts j 
 The rolling waves their sinking shells o'erflo\v> 
 And dash them down again to sands below. 
 
THE AQUATIC GLOW-WORM. 
 
 There is a singular luminous appearance of the 
 ocean, frequently observed by navigators on the 
 coast of Cornwall, generally accompanied by a 
 fresh gale, termed Briony, which Dr. Borlaise 
 attributes to a water-insect, which he calls the 
 Aquatic Glow-worm, supposing it to ascend 
 from the bottom of the sea. Mr. Carew says, 
 st if the sea-water be slashed with a stick or oar, 
 in the darkest night, it will cast forth a bright 
 shining colour, and the drops resemble particles 
 of fire, as if the waves were turned into a 
 flame." 
 
 THE ROLLING CLOUD, OR HELM-WIND, 
 
 Near the mountains, towards the north-east 
 part of the county of Westmorland, is a very re- 
 markable phenomenon, such as is not found any 
 where else in the kingdom, except only about 
 Ingleton and other places bordering upon the 
 mountains of Ingleborrow, Pcndle, and Peni- 
 gent, in the confines of the counties of York 
 and Lancaster. It is called a Helm-wind. A 
 rolling cloud, sometimes for three or four days 
 together, hovers over the mountain tops, the 
 
6 
 
 sky being clear in other parts. When this cloud 
 appears, the country people say the Helm is up ; 
 which is an Anglo-Saxon word, signifying pro- 
 perly a covering for the head, from whence 
 comes the word helmet. This helm is not 
 dispersed or blown away by the wind, but con- 
 tinues in its station, although a violent roaring 
 hurricane comes tumbling down the mountain, 
 ready to tear up all before it : Then on a sud- 
 den ensues a profound calm : And then again 
 alternately the tempest ; which seldom extends 
 into the country above a mile or two from the 
 bottom of the mountain. 
 
 In the modern part of the Universal History, 
 vol. xv. p. 519. we find an account of exactly 
 the like appearance on some of the hills near 
 the Cape of Good Hope, thus described by 
 those elegant authors: " In the dry season, a 
 white cloud hovers over the top of the moun- 
 tains ; from which cloud issues the south-west 
 winds with incredible fury, shattering houses, 
 endangering shipping, and greatly damaging 
 the fruits of the Dearth : upon discovery of which 
 cloud, the sailors immediately prepare for a 
 storm." 
 
BEAUTIFUL VARIEGATED MARBLE. 
 
 Dr. Woodward, in his Natural History, says, 
 " That near Ambleside, and in the ridge of 
 mountains leading from thence to Penrith, there 
 is a marble of a dusky green colour, veined with 
 white ; and in Knipe Scar, are several talcy 
 fibrous bodies, which might be employed for 
 the making wicks for lamps, as they will burn 
 very long without any sensible diminution ; they 
 are opake and of an ash-colour. Fossils of va- 
 rious kinds are found in different parts of this 
 country ; as at Threapland the entrochi and tro- 
 chitce of various kinds, some of which are com- 
 pressed and flattened, others raised and truncated, 
 some hollow in the middle, and filled with grey 
 stony matter. Of the same are those found 
 near Strickland-head, on the banks of the rivu- 
 let which runs down from Shap, and by the in- 
 habitants called Fairy-stones. Here also are 
 found the Mycetites. Coralloid bodies are found 
 in great quantities, and differently variegated, 
 near the river Lowther ; they will bear a polish, 
 and are about the hardness of Genoese marble. 
 Some of the kind are found at Halsfell, near 
 Kendal, and appear beautifully variegated, of a 
 brown sandy colour, but so interspersed with 
 
i 8 
 
 different colours, that they are little inferior to 
 Sienna marble." Specimens of all these are to 
 be found in the collection left by Dr. Woodward 
 to the University of Cambridge. 
 
 LOCUSTS AND WILD-HONEY. 
 
 " And his meat was locusts and wild-honey." 
 
 Matt, ch, iii. v. 4. 
 
 It has not been till lately that any of our tra- 
 vellers into Palestine have told what was meant 
 by Locusts, in the preceding passage. Dr. 
 Clarke first related that a tree grows there, 
 which is called the Locust-tree, and produces 
 an eatable fruit. But the fact was well known 
 to many who had been in the Mediterranean. 
 The tree grows in several of the countries which 
 border that sea. It has been lately found in 
 much greater abundance in some parts of the 
 East Indies, whence it has now become an ar- 
 ticle of exportation. Many thousands of its 
 pods are at present iii the warehouses of the 
 East India Docks, and either because the fruit 
 is richer in the more southern climates, or for 
 some other reason, a great quantity of them 
 have been shipped on board a vessel bound for 
 
9 
 
 Venice and Trieste, where, as we hear, they 
 are intended to be distilled into a liquor, which 
 is supposed to be an antidote to the plague, or 
 at least useful in curing it. These pods are 
 about twenty inches long, and from half to 
 three-quarters of an inch in diameter. We call 
 them pods for want of a term which would 
 more accurately describe them ; but they are 
 not flat, neither have they that sort of hinge on 
 one side and slight fastening on the other, which 
 plainly shew how the shells of peas and beans 
 are to be opened. On the contrary, these are 
 round ; but there are two opposite lines along 
 them, where the colour alone would induce any 
 one to suppose the skin to be, as it isS, thinner 
 than elsewhere. Having this fruit before us 
 only in its dry state, we can describe it in no 
 other ; but at present a knife could scarcely be 
 made to penetrate the thicker part, and does 
 not very easily make its way into the thinner. 
 The fruit, which lies in little cells within, is a 
 pulp or paste somewhat like that of tamarinds, 
 but smoother, and not so sweet. There are 
 pips in it, nearly as hard, and about half as 
 large as those of a tamarind, containing a ker- 
 nel in each. 
 
 B 3 
 
10 
 
 Such was a part of the food of John the 
 Baptist, during his abode in the wilderness. It 
 should be added, that in the stems of this 
 Locust-tree, the wild bees still deposit their 
 honey. 
 
 This explanation of the sense, in which St, 
 Matthew uses the word Locusts, is the more 
 worthy of notice, as it has escaped Whitby, and 
 several, if not all, of the commentators. Nor do 
 any of the lexicons remedy their deficiency by 
 an aditional synonym for the Greek word. 
 
 THE AMIANTHUS INCOMBUSTIBLE MINERAL. 
 
 This mineral is met with in potstone or ser- 
 pentine rocks, either dispersed through them, or 
 accumulated in their clefts and crevices, un- 
 mixed with any other substance. The most beau- 
 tiful comes from the province of Tarentesia in 
 "Savoy ; it is in white flexible filaments, sometimes 
 a foot long, of a pure silky lustre. In some parts 
 of Corsica, it is so common as to have been used 
 by Dolomieu instead of hay or moss, to pack 
 up specimens of other minerals in. The 
 islands of Elba and Crete; Zoblitz, in Saxony; 
 Swartwick, in Sweden ; Cornwall and Anglesey, 
 
11 
 
 in England ; and Portsoy, in Scotland, also fur- 
 nish considerable quantities. A compact kind, 
 which decomposes by exposure to the air into 
 remarkable flexible threads, is found in the 
 Ural Mountains in Siberia. 
 
 The fibrous texture of the Amianthus, its incom- 
 bustibility, and the little alteration that it under- 
 goes even in a strong heat, were early noticed, 
 especially among the eastern nations ; and me- 
 thods were found out of drawing the fibres into 
 thread, and afterwards weaving it into cloth. 
 This, when dirtied with grease, or other inflam- 
 mable matter, was cleansed by throwing it into 
 a bright fire ; the stains were burnt out, and the 
 cloth was then removed, but little altered in its 
 properties, and of a dazzling white, hence it 
 obtained from the Greeks the name c^uaj'Tos, or 
 undefiled. In the rich and luxurious times of 
 the Roman Empire, this incombustible cloth 
 was purchased at an enormous price, for the 
 purpose of wrapping up the bodies of the dead, 
 previously to their being laid on the funeral 
 pile. The practice of burning the dead falling 
 into disuse, occasioned the manufacture of 
 amianthine-cloth to be neglected, and at length 
 entirely forgotten in Europe; bat though it has 
 
12 
 
 ceased to be an article of necessity or luxury, 
 yet the method of its preparation has occasion- 
 ally attracted the notice of travellers, and oc- 
 cupied the time of the curious. Ciampina, of 
 Rome, in 1691, published the following as the 
 best way of preparing the incombustible cloth. 
 Having previously steeped the Amianthus in 
 warm water, divide its fibres by gently rubbing 
 them with the fingers, so as to loosen and 
 separate all the extraneous matter ; then pour on 
 repeatedly very hot water, as long as it continues 
 *o be in the least discoloured. Nothing will be 
 now left but the long fibres, which are to be 
 carefully dried in the sun. The bundles of 
 thread are to be carded with very fine cards, 
 and the long filaments thus obtained, are to be 
 steeped in oil, to render them more flexible. 
 A small quantity of cotton or wool is to be 
 mixed, and by means of a thin spindle, the 
 whole is to be drawn out into a thread, taking 
 care that in every part the Amianthus may be 
 the principal material. The cloth being then 
 woven in the usual manner, is to be placed in a 
 clear charcoal fire to burn off the cotton and 
 oil, when the whole remaining tissue will be 
 pure white Amianthus. The shorter fibres that 
 
13 
 
 are incapable of being woven have been some- 
 times made into paper ; the process for which is 
 the same as that employed for common paper, 
 except that a greater proportion of paste or size 
 is required ; after having been made red hot, 
 however, this paper becomes spongy and brittle. 
 Amianthus threads are also sometimes used as 
 perpetual wicks for lamps ; they require, how- 
 ever, to be cleansed occasionally from the soot 
 that collects about them, and the fibres in the 
 hottest part of the flame are apt to run together, 
 so as to prevent the due supply of oil. In Cor- 
 sica the Amianthus is advantageously employed 
 in the manufacture of pottery; being reduced 
 into fine filaments, it is kneaded up with the 
 clay, and the vessels which are made of this 
 mixture are lighter, less brittle, and more 
 capable of bearing sudden alterations of heat 
 and cold than common pottery. 
 
 REMARKABLE INSTANCE OF THE WONDERFUL 
 OPTIC POWER OF VULTURES. 
 
 Mr. Barber, in the year 1778, being in com- 
 pany with several gentlemen in Bengal, whilst 
 on a shooting party, killed a wild hog, which 
 
14 
 
 they left close to their tent on the surface of the 
 earth. In less than one hour after it had been 
 killed, at the time that the sky was so serene 
 that there was not a cloud observable, a small 
 dark spot at an immense distance in the air, 
 attracted their notice; this spot gradually in- 
 creased in size, and they soon found that it was 
 a Vulture which was flying in a direct line 
 towards the dead animal, on which it im- 
 mediately alighted for the purpose of devour- 
 ing it. In less than an hour's time, seventy vul- 
 tures came from all directions, some horizontally, 
 but the major part descended from the upper 
 regions, in which a few minutes before no ap- 
 pearance of them was discernable. 
 
 Such, indeed, is the exquisite sensibility of 
 the eye of birds, that they are provided with a 
 membrane, which they are enabled to spread 
 over the external surface of it, so as to pro- 
 tect the retina from the injuries which it might 
 sustain on particular occasions from the irrita- 
 tion of the solar rays. Saumarez. 
 
15 
 
 THE ANT-LION. 
 
 The Ant-Lion is an insect of wonderful pro- 
 perties; it is hatched from an egg laid in soft 
 moving ground, or sand : the insect increases 
 soon in size, and assumes the shape of a small 
 spider, with this difference, that his legs are 
 constructed in such a way that he proceeds 
 backwards ; he has six feet, and the belly is in 
 the shape of a heart, armed with small tubercles 
 and bristles. The corselet to which the legs are 
 attached is small, and the head is armed with 
 two horns, not unlike those of the stag-beetle, 
 and two very sharp eyes. What must create 
 our greatest admiration is, Vhat this insect, which 
 cannot move but in a retrograde direction, is 
 doomed by nature to feed upon flies and ants, 
 whose quickness and agility would at all times 
 deprive him of his prey, but that he has been en- 
 dowed with an uncommon instinct, attended 
 with stratagem : he makes a kind of funnel-like 
 hole in a soft ground or sand, and placing him- 
 self at the bottom of it, waits there with the 
 utmost patience, for several days, till an incau- 
 tious ant, or giddy fly, falls in the dreadful pit. 
 Then all his skill is put in requisition; he throws 
 out, by the shaking of his horns, a great quan- 
 
16 
 
 tity of sand upon and above the insect, to pre- 
 vent its climbing up the steep sides of his hole ; 
 and, when the prey appears strong and nimble, 
 he gives a general commotion, the whole con- 
 struction crumbles down, and the imprudent in- 
 sect, overwhelmed with the ruins, falls into the 
 horns of the Ant-Lion, which open as a pair of 
 forceps at the bottom. When he has sucked 
 the blood and inside of his prey, he charges it 
 upon his head, and, by a sudden jerk, throws 
 the carcase, at a great distance, away from his 
 abode. After passing several weeks in these 
 watchings and troubles to get his food, he be- 
 ing then grown to a larger size, makes himself 
 a kind of hall out of the sand, which he hangs 
 inside with a shining kind of thread or silk, and 
 remains there till he arrives at his second state, 
 which is a sort of chrysalis, or larva, the ap- 
 pearance of which is between the past and the 
 future form. From this larva, this shapeless, 
 uncouth, ill-looking, mummy-like being, arises 
 a slender-waisted winged insect, which after 
 fluttering about for a few weeks, performing the 
 duty of nature, and depositing eggs in the sand, 
 resigns its life, conscious, we may suppose, of 
 having done all it was created for, and fulfilled 
 
17 
 
 the intention and will of God. The winged iii* 
 sect has a head of a chesnut colour ; the body 
 is of a pearly grey, the legs short, the wings 
 long and greyish, and the superior ones marked 
 with four brown spots. It is often seen flutter- 
 ing about the sides of roads and dry banks 
 exposed to the east, in the months of June and 
 July continues for a little time, and then en- 
 tirely disappears. The writer of this anecdote, 
 kept for several years many Ant-Lions under his 
 inspection, and can vouch for the truth of 
 what is asserted above. This insect is very rare 
 in this country ; but in France and Italy there 
 is not a bank on the sides of a public-road, or 
 a sandy ridge at the foot of an old wall, which 
 does not harbour a great number of these 
 insects. Description of Animals. 
 
 THE MOCKING BIRD. 
 
 This very curious bird, deserves particular 
 notice. Without any exterior attractions, it pos- 
 sesses faculties which render it one of the 
 greatest objects of curiosity and admiration 
 among the feathered tribes. It is about the 
 size of a thrush. Its natural notes are musica 
 
18 
 
 and solemn ; but it likewise possesses the singu- 
 lar power of assuming the tones of every other 
 animal, whether quadruped or bird. It seems 
 to divert itself with alternately alluring or terri- 
 fying other birds, and to sport with their hopes 
 or their fears. Sometimes it entices them with 
 the call of their mates, arid on their approach 
 terrifies them with the scream of the eagle, or 
 some other bird of prey. It frequents the habi- 
 tations of mankind and is easily domesticated : 
 it builds its nests in the fruit-trees near the 
 houses of the planters ; and sitting sometimes 
 most of the night on the tops of their chimneys, 
 assumes its own native melody, and pours forth 
 the sweetest and most varied strains. The 
 savages call it Cencontlatolli, or Four-hundred 
 languages. It is found in Carolina, Jamaica, 
 New Spain, &c. In Jamaica, it is very common 
 in the savannahs, where it perches on the highest 
 trees to chant its song. 
 
 THE HUMMING BIRD. 
 
 Of all animated beings, says Buffon, this bird 
 is the most elegant in form, and superb in co- 
 lours. The precious stones, polished by art, 
 
19 
 
 cannot be compared to this jewel of nature. 
 Her miniature productions are ever the most 
 wonderful ; she has placed it in the order of 
 birds, at the bottom of the scale of magnitude ; 
 but all the talents that are only shared amongst 
 the others, she has bestowed profusely on this 
 little favourite. The emerald, the ruby, and 
 the topaz, sparkle in its plumage, which is never 
 soiled by the dust of the ground. It is incon- 
 ceivable how much these brilliant birds add to 
 the high finished beauty of the western land- 
 scape. No sooner is the sun risen, than nu- 
 merous kinds are seen fluttering abroad ; their 
 wings are so rapid in motion, that it is impossible 
 to discern their colour, except by their glitter- 
 ing ; they are never still, but continually visit- 
 ing flower after flower, and extracting the 
 honey. For this purpose they are furnished 
 with a forked tongue, which enters the cup of 
 the flower, and enables them to sip the nectared 
 tribute ; upon this alone they subsist. In their 
 flight they make a buzzing noise, not unlike a 
 spinning wheel, from whence they have their 
 name. 
 
 The nests of these birds are not less curious 
 than their form ; they are suspended in the air 
 
20 
 
 at the extremity of a branch of an orange, a pome- 
 granate, or a citron tree, and sometimes even to 
 a straw pendant from a hut, if they find one 
 convenient for the purpose. The female is the 
 architect, while the male goes in quest of ma- 
 terials, such as fine cotton, moss, and the fibres 
 of vegetables. The nest is about the size of 
 half a walnut. They lay two eggs at a time, 
 and never more, in appearance like small peas, 
 as white as snow, with here and there a yellow 
 speck. The time of incubation continues twelve 
 tiays, at the end of which the young ones ap- 
 pear, being then not larger than a blue-bottle 
 fly. " I could never perceive" (says Father 
 Duteste) " how the mother fed them, except that 
 she presented the tongue covered entirely with 
 honey extracted from flowers." Those who have 
 tried to feed them with syrups, could not keep 
 them alive more than a few weeks ; these aliments, 
 though of easy digestion, are very different from 
 the delicate nectar collected from the fresh blos- 
 soms. It has been alleged by various naturalists, 
 that during the winter season they remain tor- 
 pid, suspended by the bill from the bark of a 
 tree, and are awakened into life when the flowers 
 begin to blow ; but these fictions are rejected ; 
 
21 
 
 for Catesby saw them throughout the year at 
 St. Domingo and Mexico, where nature never en- 
 tirely loses her bloom. Sloane says the same of 
 Jamaica, only that they are more numerous after 
 the rainy season. Marcgrave mentions them as 
 being frequent the whole year in the woods of 
 Brazil. The method of obtaining these minute 
 birds is to shoot them with sand, or by means 
 of the trunk-gun : they will allow one to ap- 
 proach within five or six paces of them. It is 
 easy to lay hold of the little creature while it 
 hums at the blossom. It dies soon after it is 
 caught, and serves to decorate the Indian girls, 
 who wear two of these charming birds as pen- 
 dants from their ears. The Indians indeed, are 
 so struck and dazzled with the brilliancy of their 
 various hues, that they have named them, the 
 Beams , or Locks of the Sun. Such is the his- 
 tory of this little being, who flutters from flower 
 to flower ; breathes their freshness, wantons on 
 the wings of the cooling zephyrs, sips the nec- 
 tar of a thousand sweets, and resides in climes 
 where reigns the beauty of eternal spring. 
 
22 
 
 THE MARMOT. 
 
 The Marmot, when taken young, is more 
 capable of being tamed, than any other wild 
 animal ; it will easily learn to perform feats with 
 a stick, to dance, and obey the voice of its 
 master. It bears a great antipathy to the dog ; 
 and when it becomes familiar in a house, and 
 is certain of being supported by its master, it 
 will in his presence attack the largest dogs, and 
 boldly fasten on them with its teeth. They are 
 natives of the Alps and Pyrennean mountains, 
 and remain in a torpid state from the end of 
 September to the beginning of April. They 
 jive in societies, from five to fourteen in number, 
 in burrows which have several passages con- 
 structed with great art : the principal apart- 
 ment at the end is warmly lined with moss and 
 hay ; and it is asserted that this work is carried 
 on by the whole company ; that some cut the 
 finest grass, others pull it up, others take it in 
 their turn to convey it to the hole ; upon this 
 occasion, it is added, one of them lies on its 
 back, permits the hay to be heaped on its belly^ 
 keeping its paws upright to make room, and in 
 this manner is dragged, hay and all, to their 
 common retreat. Whenever they venture abroad, 
 
23 
 
 one is placed as a sentinel, sitting on an ele- 
 vated rock, while the others amuse themselves 
 in the fields below; and no sooner does he per- 
 ceive a man, an eagle, a dog, or any other 
 enemy, than he informs the rest by a kind of 
 whistle, and is himself the last to take refuge 
 in the cell. These animals run much swifter up 
 hill than down ; they climb trees, and run up 
 the clefts of rocks, with great ease : indeed, it is 
 ludicrously said of the Savoyards, who are the 
 general chimney-sweepers of Paris, that they 
 have learned their trade from the Marmot. 
 
 THE LAND TORTOISE. 
 
 This animal is often domesticated, especially 
 in gardens. We shall select the account of a 
 tame tortoise, given by the Reverend Mr. White 
 of Selborne, as a pleasing specimen of the man- / 
 
 ners x)f these animals in a state of captivity. 
 This one had been in possession of a lady 
 for upwards of thirty years. It regularly 
 retired below ground about the middle of No- 
 vember, and did not emerge till the middle of 
 April. Its appetite was voracious in the middle 
 of summer, but it ate very little in spring and 
 
24 
 
 autumn. It seemed greatly alarmed if surprised 
 by a shower of rain during* its peregrinations in 
 search of food ; and though its shell was so 
 thick that it could scarcely have been injured by 
 the wheel of a loaded cart, it discovered as 
 much solicitude to avoid rain, as a fine lady in 
 her gayest attire, shuffling away on the first 
 sprinklings, and making for some shelter. 
 Whenever the old lady, its mistress, who usually 
 waited on it, came in sight, it always hobbled, 
 with awkward alacrity, towards its benefactress, 
 though to strangers it appeared quite inattentive. 
 It never stirred out after dark ; often appeared 
 abroad only for a few hours in the middle of 
 the day ; and in wet days never came from its 
 retreat. Though it loved warm weather, it care- 
 fully avoided the hot sun, and passed the more 
 sultry hours under the shelter of a large cab- 
 bage-leaf, or amid the friendly shades of an 
 asparagus bed. Towards autumn, however, he 
 appeared anxious to improve the effect of the 
 faint sun-beams, by getting under the reflection 
 of a wall, and inclining its shell towards the 
 sun. In scraping the ground to form its winter 
 retreat, it dug up with its fore feet, and threw 
 up the earth over its back, with its hinder feet ; 
 
25 
 
 but the motion of its legs was so slow, as 
 scarcely to be observed ; and though it worked 
 with the greatest assiduity both night and day, 
 it was more than a fortnight before it had com- 
 pleted its inhumation. 
 
 How long an animal of this species may live 
 we cannot determine; but it is known, at least, 
 that their age may exceed a century. One of 
 them, introduced into the garden of Lam- 
 beth Palace, in the time of Archbishop Laud, 
 was living a hundred and twenty years after- 
 wards, and died at last rather from the neglect 
 of the gardener than from excessive age. 
 
 The land tortoise forms an excellent article of 
 food, though it is scarcely ever employed for 
 that purpose, except in Greece. The eggs, 
 however, are eaten very commonly in Italy. 
 
 THE SOLDIER, OR HERMIT-CRAB. 
 
 It is very diverting to observe this animal 
 when about to change its shell, at which time it 
 is seen busily parading the shore, along that 
 line of pebbles and shells which is formed by 
 the extremes! wave. They crawl very fast with 
 
 c 
 
26 
 
 the shell on their back, and at the approach of 
 danger draw themselves within the shell, and 
 thrusting out the larger claw, will pinch very 
 hard whatever molests them. When it wants to 
 change its shell, it is seen dragging its old in- 
 commodious habitation at its tail, unwilling to 
 part with one shell, even though a troublesome 
 appendage, till it can find another more con- 
 venient. It is seen stopping at one shell, turn- 
 ing it, and passing it by ; going on to another, 
 contemplating that for a while, and then slipping 
 its tail from its habitation to try on the new ; this 
 also is found inconvenient, and it quickly re- 
 turns to its old shell again. In this manner it 
 frequently changes, till at last it rinds one light, 
 roomy, and commodious ; to this it adheres, 
 though the shell be sometimes so large as to hide 
 the body of the animal, claws and all. Yet it is 
 not till after many trials, and combats also, that 
 the soldier is completely equipped ; for there is 
 often a contest between two of them for some 
 well-looking favourite shell for which they are 
 rivals. They endeavour both to take posses- 
 sion ; they strike with their claws, they bite 
 each other, till the weakest is obliged to give up 
 the object in dispute. It is then the victor im- 
 
27 
 
 mediately takes possession, and parades in his 
 new conquest three or four times backwards and 
 forwards upon the strand before his envious an- 
 tagonist. When taken, it is said to utter a 
 feeble cry, endeavouring to seize the enemy with 
 its nippers; which, if it fasten upon, it will 
 sooner die than quit. 
 
 THE PINNA. -4 ; 
 
 Animals of this genus inhabit bivalve shells, 
 fragile, and furnished with a beard ; gapes at 
 one end ; the valves hinge without a tooth. They 
 inhabit the coasts of Provence, Italy, and the 
 Indian Ocean. The largest and most remarkable 
 species inhabit the Mediterranean. It is blind, 
 as are all of the genus ; but furnished with very 
 strong calcareous valves. The Cuttle-fish, an 
 inhabitant of the same sea, is a deadly foe to 
 this animal. As soon as the Pinna opens its 
 shell, it rushes upon her like a lion, and would 
 always devour her, but for another animal whom 
 she protects within her shell, and from whom in 
 return she receives very important services. It 
 is an animal of the crab kind, naked like the 
 hermit-crab, and very quick - sighted. This 
 
 c 2 
 
28 
 
 crab the Pinna receives into her covering, and 
 when she opens her valves in quest of food, lets 
 him out to look for prey. During this the 
 Cuttle-fish approaches; the crab returns with 
 the utmost speed and anxiety to his hostess, 
 who being thus warned of the danger, shuts the 
 doors and keeps out the enemy. That very sa- 
 gacious observer, Dr. Hasselquist, in his voyage 
 towards Palestine, beheld this curious pheno- 
 menon, which, though well known to the an- 
 cients, had escaped the moderns. 
 
 Oppian gives us the following pretty fable of 
 this curious animal. 
 
 In clouded deeps below, the Pinna hides, 
 And through the silent paths obscurely glides ; 
 A stupid wretch, and void of thoughtful care, 
 He forms no bait, nor lays the tempting snare ; , 
 But the dull sluggard boasts a crab his friend, 
 Whose busy eyes the coming prey attend ; 
 One room contains them, and the partners dwell 
 Beneath the convex of one sloping shell. 
 Deep in the wat'ry vast, the comrades rove, 
 And mutual interest binds their constant love ; 
 That wiser friend the lucky juncture tells, 
 When in the gaping circuit of hill shells 
 Fish wandering enter ; then the bearded guide 
 Warns the dull mate, and pricks his tender side j 
 
29 
 
 He knows the hint, nor at the treatment grieves, 
 But hugs th' advantage, and the pain forgives ; 
 His closing shells the Pinna sudden joins, 
 And 'twixt the pressing sides the prey confines. 
 Thus, fed by mutual aid, the friendly pair 
 Divide their gains, and all the plunder share. 
 
 REMARKABLE INSTANCE OF RETALIATION [N 
 BEES. 
 
 It is considered very cruel in Africa to kill 
 bees in order to obtain their honey, especially as 
 from flowers being there at all seasons, and 
 most in winter, they can live comfortably all the 
 year round. A Hottentot who was accustomed 
 to kill bees, was often reasoned with by the hu- 
 mane to give up so cruel a practice ; yet he per- 
 sisted in it till a circumstance occurred which 
 determined him to relinquish it. He had a 
 water-mill for grinding his corn, which went 
 very slowly, from the smallness of the stream 
 which turned it, consequently the flour dropped 
 very gently. For some time much less than 
 usual came into the sack, the cause of which 
 he could not discover. At length he found, 
 that great part of his flour, as it was ground, 
 was carried off bv the bees to their hive : on 
 
30 
 
 examining this, he found it contained only his 
 flour and no honey. This robbery made him 
 resolve to destroy no more bees when he took 
 their honey, considering their conduct in rob- 
 bing him of his property as a just punishment 
 to him for his cruelty. The gentleman who 
 related this story was a witness to the bees 
 robbing the mill. 
 
 PARTICULAR INSTANCE OF SAGACITY IN ANTS. 
 
 Mr. Campbell, in his Travels in South America, 
 relates the following remarkable story : 
 
 " * Go to the Ant, thou sluggard/ viz. for 
 instruction and reproof: and the more frequently 
 I do so, the more I admire the wisdom that 
 taught him to select this insect as a pattern of 
 activity ; for, of all the creatures God has 
 placed on our globe, this seems to be the most 
 * active and industrious. All their nests that I 
 "N have watched, exhibited the utmost activity. 
 
 Every one appears in such haste to accomplish 
 his object, that they resemble the inhabitants 
 of a city when on fire in all quarters ; and this 
 activity is not confined to particular nests or 
 particular times of the day, but is an universal 
 
31 
 
 virtue among ants, exhibited from sun-rise to 
 sun-set. Viewing their motions while the wag- 
 gon approached, I observed a little ant, with 
 great exertion, bringing a large prickly seed 
 home to the general magazine, which it carried 
 in its mouth. When its progress at any time 
 was impeded by a stalk of grass lying across its 
 path, it immediately turned about and dragged 
 it after it. I observed great ingenuity in this 
 contrivance. On arriving at the mouth of its 
 nest, which was under ground, it left the seed 
 above, ran into the hole, and soon brought out 
 a large ant, who, laying hold of the seed, 
 carried it down with the greatest ease. How 
 it conveyed the information to the other that 
 his assistance was required, I could not con- 
 jecture, but the great ant seemed perfectly 
 aware of the business on which he was called." 
 
 SINGULAR PROPERTIES OF THE PAPAW-TREE. 
 
 The Papaw-tree (Carica papaya) deserves a 
 place in every large hot-house, on account of 
 its possessing a remarkable property which has 
 been long known to those who have resided in 
 the West Indies, but which has only of late 
 
32 
 
 been particularly described in this country by 
 Dr. Holder, that of intenerating butchers' 
 meat or poultry. This singular property is not 
 even hinted at in the last edition of Miller's 
 Dictionary* The juice rubbed on beef or mut- 
 ton has the effect of rendering the meat as 
 tender as veal or lamb, without injuring its 
 other qualities. Indeed it is affirmed, that if a 
 fowl be hung against the trunk of a Papaw-tree, 
 it becomes intenerated in a short space of time, 
 by mere proximity ; and that the oldest poultry 
 may thus be rendered as tender as chickens. 
 In stoves in England, the Papaw-tree has been 
 known to attain the height of twenty feet in 
 three years, and to produce its fruit and flowers: 
 it is not, however, a durable plant. 
 
 NEPEtlTHIS DISTILLATOR1A ; OR, PITCHER- 
 PLANT, 
 
 The most extraordinary vegetable production 
 of Java, and other Eastern islands, is the Ne- 
 penthis distillatoria, or Pitcher-Plant, which 
 is found in most arid situations, but is provided 
 with a curious contrivance for securing a suffi- 
 cient supply of moisture. To the footstalk of 
 
33 
 
 each leaf is attached a small tube, shaped like 
 a pitcher, or horn, covered with a lid, which 
 is moveable on a kind of hinge or strong fibre, 
 passing over the handle, and connected with 
 the leaf. By the contraction of this fibre the 
 lid is opened, when the weather is showery or 
 the dews fall ; and, when the moisture has 
 filled the pitcher, closes again so firmly as to 
 prevent evaporation, securing the water for the 
 sustenance of the plant or thirsty travellers. 
 
 EDUCATION OF FISHES. 
 
 Fishes have been seen to possess, in a greater 
 or less degree of perfection, all those external 
 senses by which other animals acquire a know- 
 ledge of external objects. Hence we find 
 that they speedily become acquainted with the 
 hand that feeds them, and know the face of a N 
 stranger. They may be taught to come to the edge 
 of a pond, when called by their usual name, 
 or to assemble at the sound of a bell. Raster 
 even informs us of a trout which had been 
 kept fourteen years and seven months, which 
 would come and repose on the hand of its mas- 
 ter, while he removed the water out of the 
 vessel in which it was kept. 
 
 c 3 
 
34 
 
 That they possess some powers of delibera- 
 tion, appears evident from the artifices which 
 they employ to escape from the nets in which 
 they have been enclosed, or from the hook 
 which they have incautiously swallowed. Sal- 
 mon have been known to lie close on the ground 
 in some hollow place, to permit the net to pass 
 over them, or by a sudden spring to leap out 
 of the net. The Fishing-Frog, or Angler, as it 
 is also called, (Lophis piscatorius,) has two 
 long tentaculae on the head, resembling in ap- 
 pearance small worms. Having buried its 
 body in the sand, leaving only these tentaculae 
 exposed, it moves them backwards and for-j 
 wards, until the eye of some young fish is 
 attracted by the deceitful appearance, and falls 
 a prey to its lurking foe. 
 
 TOWN IN A SALT MINE, AT CRACOW, IN 
 POLAND. 
 
 There is a town in the immense Salt Mines of 
 Cracow, in Poland, within which is a spacious 
 market-place, a river of fresh water, a neat 
 church, and a famous statue of Lot's wife, cut 
 out of a solid block of rock-salt, by the moist 
 
35 
 
 or dry appearance of which, the subterranean 
 inhabitants are said to know when the weather 
 is fair or wet above ground. The galleries in 
 these extraordinary mines are so numerous, and 
 so intricate, that workmen have frequently lost 
 their way, their lights have been burnt out, 
 and they have perished before they could be 
 found. Although the arches of the different 
 stories of the galleries are boldly executed, yet 
 they are not dangerous, as they are supported 
 by large masses of timber of a foot square, and 
 these vast timbers remain perfectly sound for 
 many centuries, while the other pillars, whether 
 of brick, or stone, or salt, soon dissolve or 
 moulder away. 
 
 SEALS NOT INSENSIBLE TO THE POWER OF 
 MUSIC. 
 
 In Cornwall, when persons are in pursuit of S ' 
 the Seal, it is said to be a common practice, ^ 
 as soon as the animal is observed to thrust its 
 head above water, to halloo to it, till they can 
 approach within gun-shot, since it will continue 
 to listen to the sound for many minutes. 
 
 The Seal, indeed, displays a taste for music, 
 
36 
 
 which could scarcely be expected from his 
 habits and local predilections. They will long 
 follow a boat in which any musical instrument 
 is played, and even a tune simply whistled has 
 attractions for them. 
 
 SELF-MOVING SEED. 
 
 A very remarkable seed is the Centauretr 
 crupina, the stems of which are about three 
 feet high. One or two seeds are usually ripen- 
 ed in a flower, crowned with a black down, so 
 stiff as to make the seeds creep, when held in 
 the hand, from whence originated the name 
 Crupina, from a Dutch word, " to creep." 
 If one of these seeds is put between the stock- 
 ing and the foot, it will, in a short time, travel 
 over the whole body, and creep out at the 
 sleeve or neck-band. 
 
 REMARKABLE PROPERTIES OF THE WATER- 
 LILY. 
 
 The Water-Lily, be the pond deep or shallow, 
 
 V in which it grows, pushes up its flower-stems, 
 
 till they reach the open air, that the " ferina 
 
37 
 
 fecundans" may perform, without injury, its pro- 
 per office. About seven in the morning, the 
 stalk erects itself, and the flowers rise above 
 the surface of the water; in this state they 
 continue till four in the afternoon, when the 
 stalk becomes relaxed, as if weary of exertion, 
 and the flowers sink and close. 
 
 INTERESTING EXPERIMENT WITH A TULIP. 
 
 The bulbs of a Tulip, in every respect resem- 
 ble buds, except in their being produced under 
 ground, and include the leaves and flower in 
 miniature, which are to be expanded in the y' 
 ensuing spring. By cautiously cutting in the 
 early spring, through the concentric coats of a 
 tulip root, longitudinally from the top to the 
 base, and taking them off successively, the 
 whole flower of the next summer's tulip is 
 beautifully seen by the naked eye, with its 
 petals, pistils, and stamens. 
 
 LUMINOUS POTATOES. 
 
 The following interesting letter, from an 
 officer at Strasburgh, was read at a meeting of 
 
38 
 
 the Royal Society of Agriculture, at Paris, 
 January 28th, 1790. 
 
 " On the 7th of January, about eleven o'clock 
 at night, returning to the barracks of the regi- 
 ment in which I serve, I was much surprised, in 
 passing the rooms, occupied by the soldiers of 
 my company, to perceive a considerable light in 
 one of them, at so unseasonable an hour. I 
 went to inquire the cause; but what was my 
 astonishment when I saw, by the light of seven 
 or eight luminous points, the soldiers sitting up 
 in their beds playing with these lights, and rea- 
 soning on the cause of so singular a phenome- 
 non? One of the most intelligent gave me the 
 following account of the matter. In the evening, 
 they had been preparing some potatoes for their 
 next day's soup, amongst which, having cut one 
 that appeared vegetating and spoiled, they threw 
 it into the basket with the refuse. At nine 
 o'clock they put out the lamp and went to bed. 
 But they were scarce laid down, before one of 
 the soldiers perceived a strong light in the bas- 
 ket ; and, supposing it to be a burning coal, he 
 rose to take it out. He put down his hand into 
 the basket with great caution, but finding no 
 heat, he took out the luminous object, and found 
 
39 
 
 it to be the damaged potato, by the light of 
 which, he sought a book, and could perfectly 
 distinguish the letters. His comrades expressing 
 a desire of partaking of this curiosity, he cut it 
 into seven or eight slices, each of which, in a 
 few seconds, assumed the same luminous ap- 
 pearance: it was some time after this that I 
 passed the window. Next morning I ordered 
 two slices of this luminous potato to be brought 
 to me, that I might examine them with atten- 
 tion; and this was the result. It appeared not 
 mealy, yellowish, and marbled with broad white 
 lines. The surface of each slice was spangled 
 with very minute points of a metallic appear- 
 ance. They had the smell of a sponge, and 
 preserved their luminous property till the third 
 day. The phenomenon seems to deserve the 
 attention of philosophers. Strasburgh, Jan. 
 llth, 1790." 
 
 SINGULARITY OF NATURE FOR A SINGULAR 
 PURPOSE. 
 
 TheBarbyrouessa, or Indian Hog, a species of 
 wild boar, found in the East Indies, has two 
 bent teeth, more than half a yard long, growing 
 
40 
 
 upwards, and, which is the singularity, from 
 the upper jaw. These instruments are not 
 wanted for defence, that service being provided 
 for by two tusks issuing from the under jaw, 
 and resembling those of the common boar. Nor 
 does the animal use them for defence. They 
 might seem, therefore, to be both a superfluity 
 and an incumbrance. But observe the event. 
 The animal hitches one of these bent teeth upon 
 the branch of a tree, and then suffers its whole 
 body to swing from it. This is its manner of 
 taking repose, and consulting its safety. It 
 continues the whole night suspended by its 
 tooth, both easy in its posture and secure; being 
 out of the reach of animals which hunt for 
 
 SINGULAR PROPERTIES OF THE DOLPHIN. 
 
 The Dolphin is a large fish, so like the por- 
 poise, that he has been often confounded with 
 it, although they differ much from each other. 
 He seldom exceeds five feet in length ; the body 
 is roundish, growing gradually less towards the 
 tail; the nose is long and pointed; the skin 
 smooth; the back black, or dusky blue, becoming 
 
41 
 
 white towards the belly: he is entirely destitute 
 of gills, or any similar aperture, but respires 
 and also spouts water through a pipe of a semi- 
 circular form, placed on the upper part of the 
 head. The lower end of the pipe opens in the 
 mouth, and is capable of being opened and shut 
 at pleasure. We find eight small teeth in each 
 jaw; a dorsal and two pectoral fins, and the tail 
 in the shape of a half moon. Their snouts are 
 most useful to them when in search of eels and 
 other fish which harbour in the mud at the 
 bottom of the sea. 
 
 Several curious stories have been related of 
 this remarkable fish. The anecdote of Arion, 
 whom a Dolphin, enchanted with the harmonious v 
 strains of his lyre, saved from sinking in the 
 sea, is well known, and acquired great credit 
 among ancient poets: but it is rather an in- 
 structing allegory than a well-grounded fact. 
 However, this fish has obtained the reputation 
 of being particularly fond of man, from the fol- 
 lowing interesting anecdote related by Pliny 
 the younger, who, at the time he wrote it, does 
 not appear to have had any doubt of its being 
 true. It is as follows : 
 
 " There is, in Africa, a town called Hippo, 
 
42 
 
 situated not far from the sea coast: it stands 
 upon a navigable lake, from whence a river runs 
 into the sea, and ebbs and flows with the tide. 
 Persons of all ages divert themselves there with 
 fishing, sailing, or swimming, especially boys, 
 whom love of play and idleness bring thither. 
 The contest among them is, who shall have the 
 glory of swimming farthest. It happened in one 
 of those trials of skill, that a certain boy, more 
 bold than the rest, launched out towards the 
 opposite shore: he was met by a Dolphin, who 
 sometimes swam before him, and sometimes be- 
 hind him, then played round him, and at last 
 took him upon his back, then set him down, and 
 afterwards took him up again : and thus he car- 
 ried the frightened boy out into the deepest part, 
 when immediately he turned back again to the 
 shore and landed him among his companions. 
 The fame of this remarkable event spread 
 through the town, and crowds of people flocked 
 round the boy, to ask him questions and hear 
 his answers. The next day, the shore was lined 
 with multitudes of spectators, all attentively 
 contemplating the ocean, or whatever at a dis- 
 tance looked like it; in the mean while the boys 
 swam as usual, and among the rest the youth I 
 
43 
 
 am speaking of went into the lake, but with more 
 caution than before. The Dolphin again ap- 
 peared, and came to the boy, who, together 
 with his companions, swam away with great pre- 
 cipitation. The Dolphin, as it were to invite 
 and recall them, leaped and dived up and down, 
 darting about in a thousand different convolu- 
 tions ; this he practised for several days together* 
 till the people began to be ashamed of their ti- 
 midity. They ventured therefore to advance 
 nearer, playing with him, and calling him to 
 them ; while he, in return, suffered himself to be 
 touched and stroked. Use rendered them more 
 courageous ; the boy, in particular, who first had 
 experienced the safety, swam by the side of him, 
 and leaping upon his back, was carried about in 
 that manner : thus, they gradually became ac- 
 quainted and delighted with each other. There 
 seemed now, indeed, to be no fear on either 
 side ; the confidence of the one, and the tameness 
 of the other mutually increasing : the rest of the 
 boys in the mean while surrounding and encou- 
 raging their companion, 
 
 " It is very remarkable that this Dolphin was 
 followed by a second, who seemed only a 
 spectator, or attendant on the former : for he did 
 
44 
 
 not at all submit to the same familiarities as the 
 first, but only conducted him backwards and for- 
 wards, as the boys did their comrade. But what 
 is further surprising, and no less true, is that 
 this Dolphin, who thus played with the boys, 
 would come upon the shore, dry himself on the 
 sand, and as soon as he grew warm, roll back 
 into the sea. Octavius Avitus, deputy governor 
 of the province, actuated by an absurd sense of 
 superstition, poured some precious ointment over 
 him as he lay on the shore; the novelty and 
 smell of which made him retire into the ocean, 
 and it was not till after several days that he was 
 seen again, when he appeared dull and languid. 
 However, he recovered his strength, and con- 
 tinued his usual playful tricks. All the magis- 
 trates round the country flocked thither to see 
 the sight, the entertainment of whom, upon their 
 arrival; and during their stay, was an additional 
 expense, which the slender finances of this little 
 community could ill afford ; besides the quiet- 
 ness and retirement of the place was utterly 
 destroyed. It was thought proper, therefore, 
 to remove the occasion of this concourse, by 
 privately killing the poor Dolpin." 
 
 The elder Pliny mentions a similar circutu- 
 
45 
 
 stance of a Dolphin, who used to carry a boy 
 to school upon his back, and bring him home 
 again, across the straights which separate Baiae V 
 from Puzzoli : the boy died of an accidental ill- 
 ness, and for several days the disappointed fish 
 made his appearance at the place where he was 
 wont to take the boy up ; but finding him not, 
 soon pined away and died ; he was placed in the 
 same tomb with the remains of his friend, the 
 boy. 
 
 There are several other facts mentioned by 
 ancient authors to prove the philanthropy of 
 the Dolphin ; but those related above, being the 
 most interesting, will be sufficient for our pur- 
 pose. Since the province of Dauphine, in 
 France, has been united to the crown, their heir 
 apparent has been called " Dauphin," and quar- 
 ters a Dolphin on his shield. Falconer, in his 
 beautiful poem, the Shipwreck, describes the 
 death of this fish in the following elegant man- 
 ner : ,,- 
 
 " Beneath the lofty vessel's stern, 
 
 A shoal of dolphins they discern, 
 Beaming from burnish'd scales refulgent rays, 
 Till all the glowing ocean seems to blaze. 
 In curling wreaths they wanton on the tide ; 
 Now bound aloft, now downward swiftly glide. 
 
Awhile beneath the waves their tracks remain, 
 And burn in silver streams along the liquid plain. 
 Soon to the sport of death the crew repair, 
 Dart the long lance, or spread the baited snare. 
 One in redoubled mazes wheels along, 
 And glides, unhappy, near the triple prong. 
 Rodmond, unerring, o'er his head suspends, 
 The barbed steel, and every turn attends; 
 Unerring aimed, the missile weapon flew, 
 And, plunging, struck the fated victim through. 
 The upturning points his ponderous bulk sustain; 
 On deck he struggles with convulsive pain; 
 But while his heart the fatal javelin thrills, 
 And fleeting life escapes in sanguine rills, 
 What radiant changes strike the astonished sight, 
 What glowing hues of mingled shade and light! 
 No equal beauties gild the lucid west, 
 With parting beams all o'er profusely drest ; 
 No lovelier colours paint the vernal dawn, 
 When orient dews impearl the enameird lawn ; 
 Than from his sides, in bright suffusion glow, 
 That now with gold empyreal seem to glow. 
 / Now in pellucid sapphires meet the view, 
 And emulate the soft celestial hue ; 
 Now beam a flaming crimson to the eye, 
 And now assume the purple's deeper dye ; 
 But here description clouds each shining ray, 
 What terms of art can nature's pow'r display. 
 
47 
 
 THE TAILOR-BIRD. 
 
 The Sutoria, or Tailor-bird, is a native of the 
 East Indies. Mr. Pennant speaking of this 
 wonderful little bird, says, " Had Providence 
 left the feathered tribe unendued with any par- 
 ticular instinct, the birds of the torrid zone j 
 would have built their nests in the same un- 
 guarded manner as those of Europe ; but there 
 the lesser species, having a certain prescience of 
 the dangers that surround them, and of their 
 own weakness, suspend their nests at the ex- 
 treme branches of the trees ; conscious of in- 
 habiting a clime replete with enemies to them 
 and their young. Snakes that twine up the 
 bodies of trees, and apes that are perpetually in 
 search of prey ; but, heaven-instructed, they 
 elude the gliding of the one, and the activity of 
 the other. Some form their pensile nest in the 
 shape of a purse, deep and open at top ; others 
 with a hole in the side ; and others, still more 
 cautious, with an entrance at the very bottom, 
 forming their lodge near the summit. But the 
 little species here described, seem to have 
 greater diffidence than any of the others. It 
 will not trust its nest even to the extremity of 
 the slender twig, but makes one more advance 
 
48 
 
 to safety, by affixing it to the leaf itself. It picks 
 up a dead leaf, and, surprising to relate, sews 
 it to the side of a living one, its slender bill 
 being its needle, and its thread some fine fibres ; 
 the lining, feathers, gossamer, and down. 
 
 Mr. Pennant has given a picture of this extra- 
 ordinary piece of architecture : the live leaf, 
 which serves for its basis, being that of the 
 Mango-tree, with the nest affixed to it, and 
 the birds projecting their little heads above the 
 entrance of their pendant habitations. He in- 
 forms us also, that one of these curious nests is 
 preserved in the British Museum. The colour 
 of these ingenious flying tailors, is a light 
 yellow : its eggs are white ; its length is three 
 inches; its weight only three sixteenths of an 
 ounce; so that the materials of the nest, and 
 its own size, are not likely to draw down a ha- 
 bitation that depends on so slight a tenure. 
 
 TRAVELLING OATS. 
 
 If the bearded Oat be left with other grain in 
 a barn, it extricates itself from the glume, nor 
 does it stop its progress till it gets to the walls 
 of the building. " Hence/' says Linnaeus, 
 
49 
 
 speaking of his countrymen, " the Dalecarlian, 
 after he has cut it, and carried it into the barn, 
 in a few days finds all the glumes empty, and 
 the oats separate from them, for every oat has a 
 spiral arista, or beard, annexed to it, which is 
 contracted by moisture and extended in dry 
 weather. When the arista is contracted, it 
 drags the oat along with it, but when it expands 
 again, the oat does not go back to its former 
 place, the roughness of the beard the contrary 
 way preventing its return. 
 
 REMARKABLE MOVING VEGETA$LE. 
 
 One of the most curious and interesting vege- 
 tables in the world is the celebrated moving 
 plant, named Hedysarum gyrans, which is 
 found on the shores of the Ganges, in Bengal. 
 It is biennial, though a shrubby plant, bearing 
 long spikes of pale party-coloured flowers. Its 
 great singularity consists in the leaves : these 
 have a peculiar and spontaneous motion, both 
 moving together from a pendant to an erect 
 position, or the reverse, with considerable ra- 
 pidity; or one of them will move by starts, 
 while the other is stationary. This motion 
 
 D 
 
50 
 
 does not take place in all the leaves of one 
 plant, or one branch at a time; but is appa- 
 rently devoid of uniformity, regularity, and 
 sympathy. It is likewise independent of all ex- 
 ternal stimulation, except that it requires a 
 warm, close, and quiet atmosphere. Young 
 plants exhibit these phenomena the best, and 
 they do not require the presence of the sun's 
 light. The writer of the article in Dr. Rees's 
 Cyclopedia, says, " We have never seen it in so 
 much perfection as by candle-light, in a very 
 warm close apartment." And it is observed by 
 the younger Linnreus, that it loves shade and 
 rainy weather, and performs its movements very 
 well during the night. 
 
 MECHANICAL WONDERS OF A FEATHER. 
 
 Every feather is a mechanical wonder. If we 
 look at a quill we find properties not easily 
 brought together, strength and lightness. I 
 know few things (observes Dr. Paley) more re- 
 markable than the strength and lightness of the 
 very pen with which I am writing. If we cast 
 our eye to the upper part of the stem, we see a 
 material, made for the purpose, used in no other 
 
51 
 
 class of animals, arid in no other part of birds ; 
 tough, light, pliant, elastic. The pith, also, 
 which feeds the feathers, is amongst animal sub- 
 stances, sui generis; neither bone, flesh, mem- 
 brane, nor tendon. 
 
 But the artificial part of a feather is the beard y 
 or, as it is sometimes called, the vane. By the 
 beards, are meant what are fastened on each 
 side of the stem, and what constitute the breadth 
 of the feather, what we usually strip off from 
 one side or both, when we make a pen. The 
 separate pieces, or lamina, of which the beard 
 is composed, are called threads, sometimes fila- 
 ments or rays. Now, the first thing which an 
 attentive observer will remark is, how much 
 stronger the beard of the feather shows itself to 
 be when pressed in a direction perpendicular to 
 its plane, than when rubbed, either up or down, 
 in the line of the stem ; and he will soon discover 
 the structure which occasions this difference, 
 viz. that the lamina?, whereof these beards are 
 composed, are flat, and placed with their flat 
 sides towards each other; by which means, 
 whilst they easily bend for the approaching of 
 each other, as any one may perceive by drawing 
 his finger ever so lightly upwards, they are much 
 
 D2 
 
52 
 
 harder to bend out of their plane, which is the 
 direction in which they have to encounter the 
 impulse and pressure of the air, and in which 
 their strength is wanted and put to the trial, 
 
 This is one peculiarity in the structure of a 
 feather; a second is still more extraordinary. 
 Whoever examines a feather, cannot help taking 
 notice, that the threads or laminae of which we 
 have been speaking, in their natural state unite; 
 that their union is something more than the mere 
 apposition of loose surfaces; that they are not 
 separated without some degree of force; that, 
 nevertheless, there is no glutinous cohesion 
 between them ; that, therefore, by some mecha- 
 nical means or other, they catch or clasp among 
 themselves, thereby giving to the beard or vane 
 its closeness and compactness of texture. Nor 
 is this all : when two lamina?, which have been 
 separated by accident or force, are brought to- 
 gether again, they immediately re-clasp: the 
 connexion, whatever it was, is perfectly reco- 
 vered, and the beard of the feather becomes as 
 smooth and firm as if nothing had happened to 
 it. Draw your finger down the feather, which 
 is against the grain, and you break, probably, 
 the junction of some of the contiguous threads: 
 
53 
 
 draw your finger up the feather and you restore 
 all things to their former state. This is no 
 common contrivance : and now for the mecha- 
 nism by which it is effected. The threads, or 
 laminae, above mentioned, are interlaced with 
 one another: and the interlacing is performed 
 by means of a vast number of fibres, or teeth, 
 which the laminae shoot forth on each side, and 
 which hook and grapple together. A friend of 
 mine (says the Doctor) counted fifty of these 
 fibres in one-twentieth of an inch. These fibres 
 are crooked, but curved after a different manner: 
 for those which proceed from the thread, on the 
 side towards the extremity of the feather, are 
 longer, more flexible, and bent downward: 
 whereas, those which proceed from the side to- 
 wards the beginning, or quill end of the feather, 
 are shorter, firmer, and turn upwards. The 
 process then which takes place, is as follows : 
 when two laminae are pressed together, so that 
 these long fibres are forced far enough over the 
 short ones, their crooked parts fall into the 
 cavity made by the crooked parts of the others; 
 just as the latch that is fastened to a door enters 
 into the cavity of the catch fixed to the door- 
 post, and there hooking itself fastens the door; 
 
54 
 
 for it is properly in this manner that on f j thread 
 of a feather is fastened to the other. 
 
 This admirable structure of the feather, \vhi ch 
 it is easy to see with the microscope, succeeds 
 perfectly for the use to which nature has de- 
 signed it; which use was, not only that the 
 laminae might be united, but that, when one 
 thread or lamina has been separated from ano- 
 ther by some external violence, it might be re- 
 clasped with sufficient facility and expedition. 
 
 SINGULAR PROPERTY IN CHICKWEED. 
 The common Chickweed affords a notable in- 
 stance of what is called the sleep of plants; for 
 every night the leaves approach in pairs, so as 
 to include within their upper surfaces the tender 
 rudiments of the new shoots; and the upper- 
 most pair but one at the end of the stalk are 
 furnished with longer leaf-stalks than the others ; 
 so that they can close upon the terminating pair, 
 and protect the end of the branch. 
 
 REMARKABLE INSECT THAT SUBSISTS ON THE 
 NECTAR OF PLANTS. 
 
 Many insects are provided with a long and 
 pliant proboscis for the purpose of acquiring 
 
55 
 
 this grateful food, (the nectar of plants,) as a 
 variety of bees, moths, and butterflies : but the 
 Sphinx convolvulus, or Unicorn-Moth, is fur- 
 nished with the most remarkable proboscis in 
 this climate. It carries it rolled up in concen- 
 tric circles under its chin, and occasionally ex- 
 tends it to above three inches in length. This 
 trunk consists of joints and muscles, and seems 
 to have more versatile movements than the trunk 
 of the elephant; and near its termination is 
 split into two capillary tubes. The excellence 
 of this contrivance for robbing the flowers of 
 their honey keeps this beautiful insect fat and 
 bulky; though it flies only in the evening, when 
 the flowers have closed their petals, and are 
 thence more difficult of access ; at the same time 
 the brilliant colours, of the moth contribute tp 
 its safety, by causing it to be mistaken by the 
 late-sleeping birds for the flower it rests upon. 
 
 CURIOUS PROPERTY IN THE PLANT WHITE 
 DITTANY. 
 
 This plant is a native of Italy and France, 
 but stands well in our gardens. The resin 
 exuding from it is so inflammable, that if a 
 
56 
 
 lighted candle be brought near the stalk of the 
 plant, so that the flame touch any of the resin, 
 *S' the whole takes fire in an instant, and goes off 
 with a remarkable explosion. The plant will 
 not be destroyed by this experiment, but will 
 recover its resinous matter again in a few days, 
 and the explosion may be repeated with success. 
 
 THE WOODPECKER'S TONGUE. 
 
 The tongue of the Woodpecker is one of 
 those singularities which nature presents us- with 
 when a singular purpose is to be answered. It 
 is a particular instrument for a particular use : 
 and what, except design, ever produces such? 
 V* The woodpecker lives chiefly upon insects 
 lodged in the bodies of decayed trees. For the 
 purpose of boring into the wood, it is furnished 
 with a bill, straight, hard, angular, and sharp. 
 When, by means of this piercer, it has reached 
 the cells of the insects, then comes the office of 
 its tongue; which tongue is, first, of such a 
 length, that the bird can dart it out three or four 
 inches from the bill, in this respect differing 
 greatly from every other species of birds; in the 
 second place, it is tipped with a stiff, sharp, 
 
57 
 
 bony thorn ; and, in the third place, (which, 
 says Dr. Paley, appears to be the most remark- 
 able property of all,) this tip is dentated on 
 both sides, like the beard of an arrow or the 
 barb of a hook. The description of the part 
 declares its use. The bird having exposed the 
 retreats of the insects by the assistance of its 
 bill, with a motion inconceivably quick, launches 
 out at them this long tongue; transfixes them 
 upon the barbed needle at the end of it; and 
 thus draws its prey within its mouth. 
 
 INTERESTING EXPERIMENT FOR THE MICRO- 
 SCOPE. 
 
 The embryo grain of wheat, at the time of 
 blossoming, being carefully taken out of the 
 'husk, will be found to have a small downy tuft 
 at its extremity, which, when viewed in a micro- 
 scrope, greatly resembles the branches of thorn, 
 spreading archwise in oppsoite directions. By 
 expanding a few of the grains, and selecting the 
 most perfect, a very pretty microscopical object 
 will be obtained for preservation. 
 
 D 3 
 
58 
 
 WONDERFUL PROPERTY IN THE CHINESE 
 RATTAN, NOT GENERALLY KNOWN. 
 
 The Chinese Rattan, which is used when split 
 for the making of cane chairs, will, when dry, 
 if struck against each other, give fire ; and they 
 are used accordingly in some places in lieu of 
 flint and steel. 
 
 CYPRESS-WOOD SUPPOSED TO BE IMPERISH- 
 ABLE. 
 
 The imperishable chests which contained the 
 Egyptian mummies were of Cypress; and the 
 x/ cedar, with which black-lead pencils are covered, 
 is not liable to be eaten by worms. The gates 
 of St. Peter's Church, at Rome, which had lasted 
 from the time of Constantine to that of Pope 
 Eugene the Fourth, that is to say, eleven hundred 
 years, were of cypress, and had, in that time, 
 suffered no decay. According to Thucydides, 
 the Athenians buried the bodies of their heroes 
 in coffins of cypress, as being not subject to 
 decay. A similar durability has also been 
 ascribed to cedar. 
 
59 
 
 THE SOLE. 
 
 The Sole is a well-known excellent fish, whose 
 flesh is firm, delicate, and of a pleasing flavour. 
 They grow to the length of eighteen inches, and 
 even more in some of our seas. They are often 
 found of that size and superiority in Torbay, from 
 whence they are sent to the markets of Exeter 
 and several other towns in Devonshire and the 
 adjacent counties. They are also found in the 
 Mediterranean and several other seas, and, when 
 in season, are in great requisition for the most 
 luxuriant tables. The upper part of the body 
 is brown, the under part white ; one of the pec- 
 toral fins is tipped with black ; the sides are 
 yellow, and the tail rounded at its extremity. 
 It is said that the small soles caught in the 
 northern seas are of a much superior taste to 
 the large ones, which the southern and western 
 coasts afford. 
 
 A musician of fame having travelled, in his 
 harmonical tour, not unlike Dr. Burney, as far 
 as Marseilles, found there this fish so delicate, 
 and so much to his taste, that he died of in- 
 digestion after eating too much of it. His friends 
 
60 
 
 erected a tomb to his memory, and a wag gave 
 the following epitaph : 
 
 which, being read according to the French gamut 
 and pronunciation, gives these words, La sole 
 Id mis la. " The Sole placed him there." It is 
 certain that, taken in too great a quantity, or 
 when out of season, this fish is not one of the 
 wholesomest. 
 
 THE SEA-WOLF. 
 
 The Sea-Wolf is often caught at Heligoland, 
 an island not far from the mouth of the Elbe ; 
 it is about three feet in length, and has a larger 
 and flatter head than the shark. The back, 
 sides, and fins, are of a blueish colour, the belly 
 is nearly white; the whole skin is smooth and 
 slippery, without any appearance of scales. He 
 is of a very voracious nature, and has a double 
 row of sharp and round teeth, both in the upper 
 and lower jaw. However, his appetite does not 
 lead him to destroy fishes similar in shape to 
 himself, as he is supposed to feed entirely on 
 
61 
 
 crustaceous animals, and others, whose shells 
 he easily breaks with his teeth. He is some- 
 times found in the northern seas exceeding six 
 feet in length, and owes his name to his natural 
 fierceness and voracity. The fins nearest to the 
 head spread themselves, when the animal is swim- 
 ming, in the shape of two large fans, and their 
 motion contributes considerably to accelerate 
 his natural swiftness. We do not hear that his 
 flesh is good to eat. 
 
 LONGEVITY OF THE PIKE, AND ITS RAPACITY. 
 
 The regions of fresh water have their sharks 
 as well as the empire of the seas. The Pike 
 lives in rivers, lakes, and ponds : and, in a con- 
 fined piece of water, he will soon destroy all 
 other fish, as he generally does not feed upon 
 any thing else, and often swallows one nearly as 
 large as himself; for, through his greediness in 
 eating, he takes the head foremost, and so draws 
 it in by .little at a time, till he has swallowed the 
 whole. I remember, says the writer of this 
 anecdote, to have seen in the stomach of a large 
 Pike a gudgeon of good size, the head of which 
 had already received clear marks of the power 
 
62 
 
 of digestion, whilst the rest of the fish was still 
 fresh and unimpaired. 
 
 It is a very long-lived fish. In the year 1479, 
 a Pike was caught at Hailbrun, in Suabia, to 
 which was affixed a brazen ring with the follow- 
 ing words engraven on it in Greek characters : 
 I am the first fish which was put into this 
 lake by the hands of the Governor of the Uni- 
 verse, Frederic the Second, the 5th of October, 
 1230." The Pike has a flat head, and sharp 
 teeth in his jaws, the under one of which is 
 more prominent than the superior one. 
 
 THE SUN-FISH. 
 
 The shape of this fish is round, and surrounded 
 with a fin which answers the purpose of nature, 
 and brings to our mind the idea of the sun, as it 
 is painted, encompassed with rays of light. This 
 fish is also known by the name of Diodon. He 
 appears like the upper part of the body of a very 
 deep fish which had been amputated in the mid- 
 dle. The mouth is small, with two broad teeth 
 only in each jaw. When alarmed, he inflates 
 his body to a globular shape of great size, and 
 is beset with large and sharp spines, which the 
 
63 
 
 animal can erect and depress at pleasure : by 
 this manoeuvre he defends or secures himself 
 against the attacks of his enemies, and might 
 have been named the hedgehog of the sea, if 
 other fishes had not already obtained the name 
 of Echini. The back of this curious marine 
 animal is of a rich blue colour. He frequents 
 the coasts of both the ancient and new conti- 
 nents, and has been found on the shores of 
 England. 
 
 THE TENCH. 
 
 This fish is of a short thick body, and seldom 
 exceeds ten or eleven inches in length. The 
 irides are red, the back, dorsal and ventral fins, 
 dusky; the head, sides, and belly, of a greenish 
 hue, mixed with gold, and the tail very 
 broad. They delight in still water, in the 
 muddy parts of ponds, where, secure, as they 
 suppose, from the voracious ramblings and 
 dreadful proscriptions of the tyrant pike, and 
 from the hook of the angler, they live nearly 
 motionless covered by the flags, reeds, and weeds 
 that shade their place of retirement : this inac- 
 tive life has enabled some individuals of this 
 
64 
 
 species to attain an extraordinary bulk, and 
 tenches have been seen of an astonishing size 
 comparatively with the common length and thick- 
 ness of the fish. We have read, as a well au- 
 thenticated fact, that, in the northern part of 
 England, and in a piece of water which, having 
 been long neglected, was filled with pieces of 
 timber, stones, and rubbish, a great number of 
 tenches of good size had been found ; and that 
 one, in particular, which seemed to have been 
 shut up in a nook, had not only surpassed in 
 size the common ones, but had also taken the 
 form of the hole in which it had accidentally 
 been confined. The body was in the shape of 
 a half moon, answering in the convexity of its 
 outlines the concavity of the dungeon where 
 this innocent sufferer had been immured for 
 several years. Did the water which the im- 
 prisoned creature inhaled, carry in itself food 
 enough not only to support but even over-supply 
 the cravings of nature, and produce superabun- 
 dance of nourishment? or did some kindred 
 neighbour bring small insects, or other aliment, 
 in pity for the confined sister of the pond ; an 
 act of charity which has been often remarked in 
 other individuals of the brute creation] How- 
 
65 
 
 ever, inaction and contentedness, two qualities 
 which that tench is supposed to have enjoyed 
 in a great degree, are sufficient to create health 
 and bulk in any animated being. 
 
 THE SURMULLET. 
 
 There are fourteen species of this fish, but 
 the most remarkable is the Red Surmullet, Mul- 
 lus barbatus of Linnaeus. 
 
 This fish, when alive, presents some of the 
 most brilliant colours exhibited in nature, and 
 the changes which they experience, as the fish 
 expires, are singular and various. The luxurious 
 Romans brought this fish alive to table in a glass 
 vessel, and, suffering the fish to expire, contem- 
 plated with delight the successive changes of 
 colour. After pleasing the eye by this display, 
 the fish was removed and dressed for the feast. 
 
 EXTRAORDINARY LARGE OAK-TREE. 
 
 The large Golenos Oak, which was felled in 
 the year 1810, for the use of his Majesty's 
 navy, grew about four miles from the town of 
 
Newport, in Monmouthshire ; the main trunk, 
 at ten feet long, produced 450 cubic feet ; one 
 limb, 355; one ditto, 472; one ditto, 235; one 
 ditto, 156; one ditto, 106 ; one ditto, 113 ; and 
 six other limbs, of inferior size, averaged ninety- 
 three feet each ; making the whole number 
 2426 cubic feet of sound and convertible tim- 
 ber. The bark was estimated at six tons ; but 
 as some of the heavy body-bark was stolen out 
 of the barge at Newport, the exact weight is not 
 known. Five men were twenty days stripping 
 and cutting down this tree ; and a pair of 
 sawyers were five months sawing it, without 
 losing a day, Sundays excepted. The money 
 paid for sawing, &c. only, independent of the 
 expense of carriage, was 82; and the whole 
 produce of the tree when brought to market was 
 within a trifle of 600. It was bought standing 
 for 405 ; the main trunk was nine feet and a 
 half in diameter, and, in sawing it through, a 
 stone was discovered six feet from the ground, 
 above a yard in the body of the tree, through 
 which the saw cut ; the stone was about six 
 inches in diameter, and completely shut in, but 
 round which there was not the least symptom 
 of decay. The rings in the butt were carefully 
 
67 
 
 reckoned, and amounted to above 400 in num- 
 ber, a convincing proof that this tree was in an 
 improving state for upwards of 400 years ; and, 
 as the ends of some of the branches were de- 
 cayed, and had dropped off, it is presumed it 
 had stood a great number of years after it had 
 attained maturity. 
 
 SINGULAR INSTANCE OF THE EFFECT OF COLD 
 ON BIRDS. 
 
 In February, 1809, a boy in the service of 
 Mr. W. Newman, miller, at Leybourne, near 
 Mailing, went into a field called the Forty Acres, 
 and saw a number of rooks on the ground, very 
 close together. He made a noise to drive them 
 away, but they did not appear alarmed ; he 
 threw snow-balls to make them rise, but still 
 they remained. Surprised at this apparent in- 
 difference, he went in among them, and actually 
 picked up twenty-seven rooks ; and also, in se- 
 veral parts of the same field, ninety larks, a 
 pheasant, and a buzzard hawk. The cause of 
 the inactivity of the birds, was a thing of rare 
 occurrence in this climate, A heavy rain fell on 
 the Thursday afternoon, which, freezing as it 
 
68 
 
 came down, so completely glazed over the bodies 
 of the birds, that they were fettered in a coat 
 of ice, and completely deprived of the power of 
 motion. Several of the larks were dead, having 
 perished from the intenseness of the cold. The 
 buzzard hawk being strong, struggled hard for 
 his liberty, broke his icy fetters, and effected 
 his escape. 
 
 SELF-MOVING WATER-CRESS. 
 
 Monsieur A. de Chateaubriand, in book v. 
 ch. 10. of the Beauties of Christianity, asserts, 
 " that on the banks of the Yare, a small river 
 in the countv of Suffolk, we were shewn a very 
 curious species of Cress ; it changes its place, 
 and advances, as it were by leaps and bounds. 
 From its summit descend several fibres; when 
 those which happen to be at one extremity of 
 the plant are of sufficient length to reach the 
 bottom of the water, they take root. Drawn 
 away by the action of the plant, which settles 
 upon its new foot, the claws on the contrary 
 side lose their hold; and the tuft of Cresses, 
 turning on its pivot, removes the whole length 
 of its bed. In vain you seek for the plant on 
 
69 
 
 the morrow in the place where you left it the 
 preceding night, and you perceive it higher up, 
 or lower down the current of the river, pro- 
 ducing, with other aquatic families, new effects 
 and new beauties." 
 
 THE PHLOAS, A LUMINOUS WORM. 
 
 This curious animal (Phloas) is of the genus 
 Vermes testacea; shell bivalve, divaricate, with 
 several lesser differently shaped accessary ones 
 at the hinge ; hinges recurved, united by a car- 
 tilage in the inside; beneath the hinge is an 
 incurved tooth. The inhabitants of this genus 
 perforate clay, spongy stones, and wood, while 
 in their younger state ; and as they increase in 
 size, enlarge their habitation within, and thus 
 become imprisoned. They contain a phospho- 
 rous liquor, of great brilliancy in the dark, and 
 which illuminates whatever it touches, or hap- 
 pens to fall Upon. There are twelve species. 
 
 All that we can know with certainty is, that 
 they must have penetrated these substances 
 when very small, because the entrance of the 
 hole in which the Phloas lodges is always much 
 less than the inner part of it, and, indeed, than 
 
70 
 
 the shell of the animal itself. Hence some have 
 supposed, that they were hatched in holes acci- 
 dentally formed in stones, and that they na- 
 turally grew of such a shape as was necessary to 
 fill the cavity. 
 
 The holes in which these insects lodge are 
 usually twice as deep, at least, as the shells are 
 long : the figure of the holes is that of a trun- 
 cated cone, excepting that they are terminated 
 at the bottom by a rounded cavity, and their 
 position is usually somewhat oblique to the hori- 
 zon. The openings of these holes are what be- 
 tray the Phloas being in the stone ; but they are 
 always very small in proportion to the size of the 
 fish. There seems to be no progressive motion 
 of any animal in nature so slow as that of the 
 Phloas ; it is immersed in the hole, and has no 
 movement except a small one towards the centre 
 of the earth ; and this is only proportioned to 
 the growth of the animal. Its work is very dif- 
 ficult in its motion; but it has great time to per- 
 form it in, as it only moves downwards, sinking 
 itself deeper in the stone as it increases in 
 bulk. That part, by means of which it perform 8 
 this, is a fleshy substance, placed near the lower 
 extremity of the shell ; it is of the shape of a 
 
71 
 
 lozenge, and is considerably large in proportion 
 to the size of the animal : and though it is of 
 a soft substance, it is not to be wondered at, that 
 in so long a time it is able, by constant work, 
 to burrow into hard stones. The manner of 
 their performing this may be seen by taking one of 
 them out of the stone, and placing it upon some 
 soft clay ; for they will immediately get to work, 
 in bending and extending that part allotted to 
 dig for them, and in a few hours they will bury 
 themselves in the mud, in as large a hole as they 
 had taken many years to make in the stone. 
 They find little resistance in so soft a substance ; 
 and the necessity of their hiding themselves, 
 evidently makes them hasten their work* The 
 animal is lodged in the lower half of the hole in 
 the stone, and the upper half is filled up by a 
 pipe of a fleshy substance, and conical figure, 
 truncated at the end. This they usually extend 
 to the orifice of the hole, and place on a level 
 with the surface of the stone ; but they seldom 
 extend it any farther than this. The pipe, 
 though it appears single, is in reality composed 
 of two pipes, or at least it is composed of two 
 parts, separated by a membrane. The use of 
 this pipe, or proboscis, is the same with that of 
 
72 
 
 the proboscis of other shell-fish, to take in sea- 
 water into their bodies, and afterwards to throw 
 it out again. In the middle of their bodies 
 they have a small green vessel, the use of which 
 has not yet been discovered. This, when plunged 
 in spirit of wine, becomes of a purple colour ; 
 but its colour on linen will not become purple 
 in the sun like that of the murox; and, even if it 
 would, its quantity is too small to make it worth 
 preserving. 
 
 The Phloas is remarkable for its luminous 
 quality. That this fish is luminous was noticed 
 by Pliny, who observes that it shines in the 
 mouth of the person who eats it; and if it 
 touches his hands or clothes, it makes them 
 luminous. He also says, that the light depends 
 upon its moisture. The light of this fish has 
 furnished matter for various observations and 
 experiments to M. Reaumur and the Bolognian 
 academicians, especially Beccarius, who took so 
 much pains with the phosphorical light. 
 
 M. Reaumur observes, that, whereas other 
 fishes give light when they tend to putrescence, 
 this is more luminous in proportion to its being 
 fresh : that when they are dried, their light will 
 revive if they are moistened either with fresh or 
 
73 
 
 salt water, but that brandy immediately extin- 
 guishes it. He endeavoured to make this light 
 permanent, but none of his schemes succeeded. 
 
 The attention of the Bolognian academicians 
 was engaged on this subject, by M. F. Marsilius, 
 in 17^4, who brought a number of these fishes, 
 and the stones in which they were enclosed, to 
 Bologna, on purpose for their examination. 
 
 Beccarius observed, that though this fish 
 ceased to shine when it became putrid, yet that 
 in its most putrid state it would shine, and make 
 the water in which it was immersed luminous 
 when it was agitated. Galeatius and Montius 
 found that wine and vinegar extinguished this 
 light; that in common oil it continued some 
 days, but in rectified spirit of wine or urine, 
 hardly a minute. 
 
 In order to observe in what manner this light 
 was affected by different degrees of heat, they 
 made use of a Reaumur's thermometer, and 
 found that water rendered luminous by these 
 fishes increased in light till the heat arrived to 
 45, but that it then became suddenly extinct, 
 and could not be revived again. 
 
 In the experiments of Beccarius, a solution 
 of sea-salt increased the light of the luminous 
 
 E 
 
74 
 
 water; a solution of nitre did not increase it 
 quite so much. Sal-ammoniac diminished it a 
 little, oil of tartar, per deliquium, nearly extin- 
 guished it, and the acids entirely. This water 
 poured upon fresh calcined gypsum, rock crystal, 
 ceruse, or sugar, became more luminous. He 
 also tried the effects of it when poured upon 
 various other substances, but there was nothing 
 very remarkable in them. Afterwards, using 
 luminous milk, he found that oil of vitriol extin- 
 guished the light, but that of tartar increased it. 
 This gentleman had the curiosity to try how 
 differently-coloured substances were affected by 
 this kind of light; and having, for the purpose, 
 dipped several ribbons in it, the white came out 
 the brightest, next to this was the yellow, and 
 then the green ; the other colours could hardly 
 be perceived. It was not, however, any parti- 
 cular colour, but only light, that was perceived 
 in this case. He then dipped boards painted 
 with the different colours, and also glass tubes 
 filled with the substances of different colours, 
 in water rendered luminous by the fishes. In 
 both these cases, the red was hardly visible, the 
 yellow was the brightest, and the violet the 
 dullest. But on the boards, the blue was nearly 
 
75 
 
 equal to the yellow, and the green more languid; 
 whereas, in the glasses, the blue was inferior to 
 the green. 
 
 Of all the liquor to which he put the Phloades, 
 milk was rendered the most luminous. A single 
 Phloas made seven ounces of milk so luminous, 
 that the faces of persons might be distinguished 
 by it, and it looked as if it was transparent. 
 
 Air appeared to be necessary to this light; 
 for when Beccarius put the luminous milk into 
 glass tubes, no agitation would make it shine, 
 unless bubbles of air were mixed with it. Also 
 Montius and Galeatius found, that, in an ex- 
 hausted receiver, the Phloas lost its light, but the 
 water was sometimes made more luminous, 
 which they ascribed to the rising of bubbles of 
 air through it. 
 
 Beccarius, as well as Reaumur, had many 
 schemes to render the light of these Phloades 
 permanent. For this purpose he kneaded the 
 juice into a kind of paste with flour, and -found 
 that it would give light when it was immersed in 
 warm water ; but it answered best to preserve the 
 fish in honey. In any other method of preserva- 
 tion, the property of becoming luminous would not 
 
 E2 
 
76 
 
 continue longer than six months, but in honey 
 it had lasted above a year; and then it would, 
 when plunged in warm water, give as much light 
 as ever it had done. 
 
 THE PILOT FISH. 
 
 The body of this fish is long, the head com- 
 pressed, rounding off in front, without scales as 
 far as the operculum. The mouth is small, the 
 jaws of equal length, and furnished with small 
 teeth ; the palate has a curved row of similar 
 teeth in front, and the tongue has teeth all 
 along. The colour varies in several species. 
 What is most remarkable in this fish is, that he is 
 a provisor, or guide, for the shark, when in search 
 of food. This opinion, long doubted, has been, 
 it seems, confirmed by Mr. Geoffrey, professor 
 in the Museum of Natural History at Paris, who 
 speaks as an eye witness, and describes how the 
 pilots (for two of them accompanied the shark 
 which he saw near Malta, on the 26th of May, 
 1798) led the fish to a piece of bacon which a 
 seaman had let down with a rope and hook ; and 
 how the shark obeyed their motions till he ar- 
 
77 
 
 *ived in sight of his prey. What can induce 
 this small fish to associate and become subser- 
 vient to the shark ? 
 
 THE STAR-GAZER. 
 
 The head of this fish is large, square, and 
 covered by a strong bony case, roughened by an 
 infinite number of small warts, or protuberances ; 
 each side of this case is terminated above by 
 two spines, the hindermost of which is the 
 strongest, and covered by a skin ; the under 
 part has five spines, smaller than those above; 
 the mouth, which is wide, opens in an almost 
 vertical direction ; the tongue is thick, short, and 
 roughened with numerous small teeth ; near the 
 interior tip of the lower jaw is a membranous 
 process which terminates in a long cirrus, or 
 beard, extending to some distance beyond the 
 lips, which are themselves edged with smaller 
 ones ; the eyes are situated very near each other 
 on the top of the head. The body is of a some- 
 what square form as far as the vent, and 
 thence becomes cylindric ; it is covered with 
 small scales, and marked near the back by a 
 lateral line composed of small pores, or points, 
 
78 
 
 bending from the neck to the pectoral fins on 
 each side, and thence in a straight line to the 
 tail. On the back are two fins, of which the 
 first is much shorter than the latter, and fur- 
 nished with stronger spines ; the pectoral fins 
 are large, with soft rays; the ventral fins are 
 small ; the tail of a moderate size, and rounded 
 at the end. The colour of the body is brown, 
 with a whitish or silvery cast towards the abdo- 
 men ; the head, pectoral fins, and the tail, have 
 a strong ferruginous cast, and the first dorsal 
 fin, towards its hindpart, is marked by a large 
 black spot. 
 
 The Star-gazer is an inhabitant of the Medi- 
 terranean and Northern Seas, chiefly frequenting 
 the shallow parts near the shores, where it lies 
 concealed in the mud, with the tip of the head 
 alone exposed. In this situation it waves the 
 beards of the lips, and particularly the long 
 cirrus of the mouth, in various directions ; thus 
 alluring the smaller fishes and marine insects 
 which happen to be swimming near, and which 
 mistaking these organs for worms, are instantly 
 seized by their concealed enemy. The usual 
 length of this fish is about twelve inches. It is 
 in no esteem as an article of food, being generally 
 
79 
 
 considered as coarse and of an ill flavour. The 
 gall was anciently considered as of peculiar effi- 
 cacy in external disorders of the eyes. 
 
 THE REMORA, OR SUCKING-FISH. 
 
 This fish resembles the herring ; his head is 
 thick, naked, depressed, and marked on the 
 upper side with transverse rough lines. The fins 
 are seven in number; the under jaw is longer 
 than the upper, and both furnished with teeth ^ 
 He is provided by nature with a strong adhesive 
 power, and, by means of the strife on his head, 
 attaches himself to any animal, or body what- 
 ever. A small fish with seven acting fins, armed 
 like a galley with oars, we might suppose to 
 have a great power of motion in the water, but, 
 by some reason unknown to us, Providence has 
 contrived for him an easier way of travelling, by 
 fixing himself to the hulk or sides of ships, and 
 even to the body of larger animals than himself, 
 as the whale, the shark, and others. Now is it 
 probable that so small, so weak a creature, 
 should have might enough to retard the fast 
 steering of a man of war, frigate, or even a 
 boat, sailing on the smooth surface of the liquid 
 
80 
 
 plain ? Yet, to the shame of authors who 
 invented and published such a falsity, and to 
 the humiliation of human pride, whose igno- 
 rance believed such things, this nonsense has 
 been held as a fact for many centuries, and co- 
 pied from book to book as indubitable, so far 
 that the very name of the fish was derived from 
 this idle story. This fish is a native of the 
 Indian Ocean, and in Ichthyology is termed 
 Echeneis. 
 
 THE FLYING SCORPION* 
 How admirable is nature ! how extensive her 
 power, and how various the forms with which 
 she has surrounded the united elements of ani- 
 mated matter ! From the uncouth shape of the 
 wallowing whale, of the unwieldly hippopotamus, 
 or ponderous elephant, to the light and elegant 
 form of the painted moth, or fluttering colibri ; 
 she seems to have exhausted all ideas, all con- 
 ceptions, and not to have left a single figure un- 
 tried. This fish is one of those, in the outlines 
 and decorations of which she appears to have 
 indulged her fancy in one of the happiest hours 
 of the creation; and yet the whimsicality of the 
 
81 
 
 result has stamped the individual with the dis- 
 cordant appendage of frightful beauty. Armed 
 cap-a-pit, surrounded with spines, and thorns 
 bristling on his back and fins, like an armed 
 phalanx of lance bearers; and decorated on the 
 body with yellow ribbons, interwoven with 
 white fillets, and on the purple fins of his 
 breast, with the milky dots of the pintado ; the 
 scorpion presents a most extraordinary contrast. 
 His eyes, like those of which poets sang when 
 celebrating the Nereides and Naiades, con- 
 sist in black pupils surrounded with a silver iris, 
 radiated with alternate divisions of blue and 
 black compartments. The rays of the dorsal 
 fin are spiny, spotted brown and yellow, con- 
 joined below by a dark brown membrane, and 
 at liberty above ; the ventral fins are violet, 
 with white drops, and the tail and anal ones are 
 a sort of tesselated work of blue, black, and 
 white united with the greatest symmetry, and 
 not unlike those ancient fragments of Roman 
 pavement often found in this island. 
 
 This variegated fish is found in the rivers of 
 Amboyna and Japan, but even there it is scarce; 
 its flesh is .white, firm, and well tasted, like our 
 perch, but it does not grow so large ; it is of a 
 
 E 3 
 
82 
 
 very voracious stomach, feeding on the young of 
 other fish, some of which, two inches in length, 
 have been found in its craw. The skin has both 
 the appearance and smoothness of parchment. 
 To the tremendous armour of its back, fins, 
 and tail, this fish owes the name of Scorpion. 
 
 THE TRUMPET-FISH* 
 
 This fish abides in the Mediterranean, and is 
 not more than three inches in length ; he has a 
 large snout, long and narrow at the end; the 
 eyes are large, the irides red, and the body is 
 covered with rough cinorous scales. The ante- 
 rior part of the body has two bony substances, 
 like fins, and another situated on the belly. 
 This fish is often found in the ocean, where he 
 seems to be driven by storm, as he is seldom 
 seen there in any other than tempestuous wea- 
 ther. His breathing the water out of his snout 
 with a sounding noise has occasioned our sai- 
 lors to call him the Trumpet. This species be- 
 longs to the Centriscus order, which contains 
 several families, many of them presenting very 
 curious shapes* 
 
83 
 
 DIONJEA MUSC1PULJE, OR VENUS'S FLY- 
 TRAP. 
 
 This newly discovered beautiful sensitive 
 plant is a native of America. In its construc- 
 tion nature seems to have had some view to- 
 wards its nourishment, in forming the upper 
 joint of its leaf like a machine to catch food ; 
 and placing it upon the middle of the bait for 
 the unhappy insect that become its prey. Many 
 minute red glands that cover its inner surface, 
 and which perhaps discharge some sweet liquor, 
 tempt the poor insect to taste them; and the 
 instant these tender parts are irritated by its 
 feet, the two lobes rise up, grasp it fast, 
 lock the two i*>ws of spines together, and 
 squeeze it to death. And further, lest the strong 
 efforts for life, in the creature thus taken, 
 should serve to disengage it, three small erect 
 spines are fixed near the middle of each lobe 
 among the glands, that effectually put an end to 
 all its struggles. Nor do the lobes ever open 
 again, while the dead animal continues there. 
 But it is nevertheless certain that the plant can- 
 not distinguish an animal from any other sub- 
 stance ; for, if we put a straw or a pin between 
 
84 
 
 the lobes, it will grasp it full as fast as if it was 
 an insect. The plant is one of the monogynia 
 order, in the decandria class. It grows in 
 America, in about thirty-five degrees north lati- 
 tude, in wet shady places, and flowers in July 
 and August. The largest leaves are about three 
 inches long, and an inch and a half across the 
 lobes: the glands of those exposed to the sun 
 are of a beautiful red colour ; but those in the 
 shade are pale and inclining to green. The 
 roots are squamous, sending forth but few 
 fibres, and are perennial. The leaves are nu- 
 merous, inclining to bend downwards, and are 
 placed in a circular order; they are jointed and 
 succulent; the lower joint, which is a kind of 
 stalk, is flat, longish, two-edged, and inclining 
 to heart-shaped. In some varieties they are 
 serrated on the edges near the top. The upper 
 joint consists of two lobes; each lobe is of a 
 semi-oval form, with the margins furnished with 
 stiff hairs like eye-brows, which embrace, or 
 lock in each other when they close : this they do 
 when they are inwardly irritated. The upper 
 surfaces of these lobes are covered with small 
 red glands; each of which appears, when highly 
 magnified, like a compressed arbutus berry. 
 
85 
 
 Among the glands, about the middle of each 
 lobe, are three very small erect spines. When 
 the lobes inclose any substance, they never 
 open again while it continues there. If it can 
 be pushed out so as not to strain the lobes, 
 they expand again ; but if force is used to open 
 them, so strong has nature formed the spring 
 of their fibres, that one of the lobes will gene- 
 rally snap off rather than yield. The stalk is 
 about six inches high, round, smooth, and with- 
 out leaves, ending in a spike of flowers. The 
 flowers are milk white, and stand on foot-stalks, 
 at the bottom of which is a little painted brae- 
 tea or flower-leaf. The soil in which it grows, 
 as appears from what comes about the roots of 
 the plants when they are brought over, is a black 
 light mould, intermixed with white sand, such 
 as is usually found in our moorish heaths. 
 Being a swamp plant, a north-east aspect will be 
 properest for it at first, to keep it from the 
 direct rays of the sun ; and in winter, till we are 
 acquainted with what cold weather it can en- 
 dure, it will be necessary to shelter it with a 
 bell-glass, such as is used for melons. This 
 should be covered with straw, or a mat, in hard 
 frosts. By this means, several of these plants 
 
86 
 
 have been preserved through the winter, in a 
 very vigorous state. Its sensitive quality will be 
 found in proportion to the heat of the weather, 
 as well as the vigour of the plant. Our sum- 
 mers are not warm enough to ripen the seed, or 
 possibly we are not sufficiently acquainted with 
 the culture of it. 
 
 THE HIBISCUS, OR MUTABLE ROSE. 
 
 The Hibiscus mutdbilis, or changeable Rose, 
 has a soft spongy stem, which by age be- 
 comes ligneous and pithy. It rises to the 
 height of twelve or fourteen feet, with heart- 
 shaped leaves. The flowers are produced from 
 the wings of the leaves : the single are com- 
 posed of five petals, which spread open, and 
 are at first white, but afterwards change to a 
 blush rose-colour, and as they decay, turn 
 purple. In the West Indies, all these alterations 
 happen on the same day, and the flowers them- 
 selves are of no longer duration ; but in Britain 
 the changes are not so sudden. Dr. Gregory. 
 
 Child of Summer, lovely rose, 
 
 In thee what blushing beauty glows \ 
 
87 
 
 But re to-morrow's setting sun, 
 Thy beauty fades, thy form is gone. 
 Yet though no grace thy buds retain, 
 Thy pleasing odours still remain. 
 Ye fair, betimes, the moral prize, 
 'Tis lasting beauty to be wise. 
 
 ETYMOLOGY OF THE PASSION-FLOWER, A 
 CURIOUS ANECDOTE. 
 
 This beautiful flower, when full blown, is 
 about four inches in diameter, has ten petals, or 
 flower leaves, within which, round about the 
 bottom of the style, are placed two rows of 
 stamina, like threads of a purple colour. The 
 style somewhat resembles the pedestal of a 
 pillar, and divides itself on the top into three 
 parts, which turn their mouths towards the bot- 
 tom of the flower. Besides these three tubula, 
 a little below that part of the style where they 
 unite, there are placed five stamina, which 
 spread themselves in a star-like figure, with yellow 
 apices on their points. At the foot-stalk of each 
 flower is a whirl, or clasper, and to that is 
 joined the leaf of the plant, crenated on the 
 edges, and of a beautiful green colour. 
 
88 
 
 This plant owes its name of Passion-flower 
 to the missionaries who first discovered it in 
 America; and who have made it, as it were, an 
 epitome of our Saviour's passion. The petals, 
 they say, represent the ten apostles, besides 
 Judas who hanged himself, and Peter, who de- 
 nied his master. The stamineous parts which 
 spread themselves on the flower, they compare 
 to a glory. And the small purple threads stand- 
 ing round the bottom of the style, they fancy to 
 be a crown of thorns. The style, which is in 
 the middle of the flower, serves them for a 
 pillar, to which they say, the Jews bound the 
 malefactors whom they scourged ; and that they 
 may not want any part of the story, the clasper 
 is supposed to be a cord, and the leaf a hand. 
 The three divisions on the top of the style are 
 fancied to be three nails, and taking off one of 
 the five stamina, with its apex, this is called a 
 hammer, and the four others remaining form a 
 cross ; the three alabastrices, at the bottom of 
 the flower, are imagined to represent the three 
 soldiers, who cast lots ; and the time between 
 the opening and shutting of the flower, being 
 just three days, completes the representation. 
 
 The Cserulea, or blue-rayed common palmated 
 
89 
 
 passion -flower, with large spreading flowers, 
 with whitish green petals, and a blue radiated 
 nectarium ; is succeeded by a large oval, yel- 
 lowish fruit. It is in flower from July until 
 October ; but the flowers are only of one day's 
 duration, generally opening about eleven or 
 twelve o'clock, and frequently in hot sunny 
 weather burst open with elasticity, and continue 
 fully expanded all that day ; and the next they 
 gradually close, assuming a decayed appearance, 
 and never open any more. 
 
 THE BEE-FLOWER. 
 
 The flowers of the great Bee Orchis, a plant 
 so called, are in the highest degree singular and 
 beautiful ; they so perfectly resemble the smaller 
 kind of humming-bee, that any person might 
 strike at them, supposing them to be bees sitting 
 on the plant. The upper part, representing the 
 head, is white ; the side pieces, representing 
 wings, are purple ; and the body is brown, 
 variegated in an elegant manner with lines and 
 streaks of yellow. They are to be met in 
 chalk pits, and flower in June. 
 
90 
 
 THE MILITAR1S, OR MAN-FLOWER. 
 
 This curious plant, called the Militaris, or 
 Man Orchis, has erect flower-stalks, eight or 
 ten inches high, terminated by a loose spike of 
 ash-coloured and reddish flowers. The struc- 
 ture of this flower exhibits the figure of a naked 
 man; and is often of different colours in the 
 same flower, as ash-colour, red, brown, and 
 dark striped. This plant flourishes in various 
 parts of Europe and Asia; and grows in our 
 country spontaneously, and in great abundance. 
 
 REMARKABLE SHELL, CALLED THE ADMIRAL. 
 
 In Conchology, the Admiral is the name of a 
 beautiful shell of the volute kind, much admired 
 by the curious. 
 
 There are four species of this shell, viz. the 
 Grand Admiral, the Vice Admiral, the Orange 
 Admiral, and the Extra Admiral. The first is 
 extremely beautiful, of an elegant white enamel, 
 variegated with bands of yellow, which repre- 
 sent, in some measure, the colours of the flags 
 in men-of-war. It is of a very curious shape, 
 and finely turned about the head, the clavicle 
 
91 
 
 being exerted. But its distinguishing character 
 is a denticulated line, running along the centre 
 of the Jarge yellow band ; by this it is distin- 
 guished from the Vice Admiral, the head of 
 which is also less elegantly formed. 
 
 The Orange Admiral has more yellow than 
 any of the others ; and the bands of the Extra 
 Admiral run into one another. Dr. Gregory. 
 
 ANAGALLIS. PIMPERNEL, OR POOR MAN'S 
 BAROMETER. 
 
 The common Pimpernel is a beautiful little 
 scarlet flower, well known in our fields, and 
 called the poor man's weather-glass, from its 
 property of opening in fair weather and shut- 
 ting up on the approach of rain. There are 
 some foreign, with larger flowers, cultivated in 
 our gardens, which are extremely handsome. 
 
 THE CYPREDIUM, OR SPIDER-FLOWER. 
 
 The Cypredium from South America, is sup- 
 posed to be of a larger size and brighter colours 
 than that from North America. It has a large 
 
92 
 
 globular nectary, about the size of a pigeon's 
 egg> of a fleshy colour, and an incision or de- 
 pression on its upper part much resembling the 
 body of the large American spider. This glo- 
 bular nectary is attached to divergent slender 
 petals, not unlike the legs of the same animal. 
 This spider is called by Linnaeus, Aranea avi- 
 cularia, with a convex orbicular thorax, the 
 centre traversely excavated ; he adds, that it 
 catches small birds as well as insects, and has 
 the venomous bite of a serpent. M. Lonvilliers 
 de Poinoy, calls it Phalagoe, and describes the 
 body to be the size 'of a pigeon's egg, with a 
 hollow on its back, like a navel, and mentions 
 its catching the humming-bird in its strong 
 nets. 
 
 The similitude of this flower to this great 
 spider seems to be a vegetable contrivance to 
 prevent the humming-bird from plundering its 
 honey. 
 
 MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF THE PEA. 
 
 The Pea, or papilionaceous tribe of flowers, 
 enclose the parts of fructification within a beau- 
 tiful folding of the internal blossom, sometimes 
 
93 
 
 called from its shape the boat, or keel ; itself 
 also protected under a penthouse formed by the 
 external petals. This structure is very artifi- 
 cial ; and what adds to the value of it, though 
 it may diminish the curiosity, very general. It 
 has also this further advantage, (and it is an ad- 
 vantage strictly mechanical,) that all the blos- 
 soms turn their backs to the wind, whenever the 
 gale blows strong enough to endanger the deli- 
 cate parts upon which the seed depends. "I have 
 observed this a hundred times (says Dr. Paley) 
 in a field of peas in blossom." It is an aptitude 
 which results from the figure of the flower, and 
 as we have said, is strictly mechanical ; as much 
 so, as the turning of a weather-board or tin cap 
 upon the top of a chimney. 
 
 THE PEA, A COMPARISON. 
 
 In May when vegetation thrives, 
 And nature cloth'd in luxury lives ; 
 The Pea In loveliest green array'd, 
 Genteelly rears its sprightly head. 
 While Sol's enlivening rays it shares, 
 And on each side an offspring bears. 
 The rains descending from above, 
 Its verdure, with its growth improve j 
 
94 
 
 Till the full pods, a hiscious band, 
 
 Invite the gard'ner's eager hand. 
 
 But time, that wears both you and me, 
 
 Deals desolation to the Pea. 
 
 The husk soon dry, and wither'd grown, 
 
 The Pea contracts a heart of stone ; 
 
 And all its youthful vigour past, 
 
 To what it was, returns at last. 
 
 Thus man in infant life is seen, 
 With passions tender, young, and green, 
 Increasing till he gains his prime, 
 Then stoops before the scythe of Time ; 
 Nature soon claims the tribute just, 
 He withers, dies, returns to dust. 
 Though youth a thousand beauties shares, 
 As many beauties age impairs. 
 Then laugh not at my verse or me, 
 For man is nothing but a Pea. 
 
 SINGULAR PROPERTY OF THE POPPY. 
 
 Of the Poppy, and of many similar species of 
 flowers, the head while it is growing, hangs 
 down, a rigid curvature in the upper part of the 
 stem giving to it that position ; and in that po- 
 sition it is impenetrable by rain or moisture. 
 When the head has acquired its size, and is 
 ready to open, the stalk erects itself, for the 
 
95 
 
 purpose, it should seem, of presenting the 
 flower, and with the flower the instruments of 
 fructification, to the genial influence of the 
 sun's rays. " This always struck me (says 
 Dr. Paley) as a curious property ; and specifi- 
 cally, as well as originally, provided for in the 
 constitution of the plant : for if the stem be 
 only bent by the weight of the head, how comes 
 it to straighten itself when the head is the hea- 
 viest? These instances show the attention of 
 nature to this principal object : the safety and 
 maturation of the parts upon which the seed 
 depends/' 
 
 TO THE POPPY. 
 
 When jocund Summer leads her laughing hours, 
 And decks her zone with odorific flowers, 
 'Tis then thy charms attract the vulgar gaze, 
 And tempt the view with meretricious blaze ; 
 Caught by thy glare, with pleasure they behold 
 Thy glowing crimson melting into gold. 
 In vain to nobler minds thy lure is spread, 
 Thy painted front, thy cup of glowing red ; 
 Beneath thy bloom, such noxious vapours lie, 
 That when obtain'd, and smelt, we loathe and fly ; 
 Thus pleasure spreads for all her silken joys, 
 And oft, too late, the painted prospect cloys* 
 
96 
 
 CACTUS GRANDIFLORA, OR NIGHT- BLOWING 
 CEREUS. 
 
 This flower, though very short-lived, is as 
 grand and beautiful as any in the vegetable sys- 
 tem. It is a native of Jamaica and Vera Cruz. 
 It begins to open in the evening, about se- 
 ven o'clock, is in perfection about eleven, and 
 fades about four in the morning ; so that the 
 same flower only continues in perfection about 
 six hours. The calyx when expanded is about 
 a foot in diameter, of a splendid yellow within, 
 and a dark brown without; the petals are 
 many, and of a pure white ; and the great num- 
 ber of recurved stamina, surrounding the style 
 in the centre of the flower, make a grand ap- 
 pearance, to which may be added the fine scent 
 which perfumes the air to a considerable dis- 
 tance. Dr. Darwin gives us the following beau- 
 tiful lilies on this elegant flower : 
 
 " Nymph ! not for thee the radiant day returns, 
 Nymph ! not for thee the golden solstice burns, 
 Refulgent Cerea ! At the dusky hour 
 She seeks, with pensive step the mountain bower, 
 Bright as the blush of rising mom, and warms 
 The dull cold eye of midnight with her charms, 
 
97 
 
 Then to the skies' she lifts her pencilled browi, 
 Opes her fair lips, and breathes her virgin vows ; 
 Eyes the white zenith ; counts the suns, that roll 
 Their distant fires, and blaze around the pole ; 
 Or marks where Jove directs his glittering car, 
 O'er heaven's blue vault. Herself a brighter star. 
 There, as soft zephyrs sweep with pausing airs 
 Thy snowy neck, and pass thy shadowy hairs, 
 Sweet maid of night ! in Cynthia's sober beams 
 Glows thy warm cheek, thy polish'd bosom gleami. 
 In crowds around thee gaze th' admiring swains, 
 And guard in silence the enchanted plains ; 
 Drop the still tear, or breathe th' impassioned sigh, 
 And drink inebriate rapture from thine eye. 
 
 THE CHOLCICUM AUTUMNALE AUTUMNAL 
 CROCUS. 
 
 Dr. Paley, in his Natural Theology, speaking 
 of the Autumnal Crocus, says, " I have pitied 
 this poor plant a thousand times. Its blossom 
 rises out of the ground in the most forlorn con- 
 dition possible, without a sheath, a fence, a 
 calyx, or even a leaf to protect it ; and that 
 not in the spring, not to be visited by summer 
 suns, but under all the disadvantages of the 
 declining year. When we come, however, to 
 
 F 
 
98 
 
 look more closely into the structure of this 
 plant, we find that, instead of its being neg- 
 lected, nature has gone out of her course to 
 provide for its security, and to make up to' it 
 for all its defects. The seed-vessels, which in 
 other plants are situated within the cup of the 
 flower, or just beneath it, in this plant lie 
 buried ten or twelve inches under ground, within 
 the bulbous root. The tube of the flower, which 
 is seldom more than a few tenths of an inch 
 long, in this plant extends down to the root. 
 The styles in all cases reach the seed-vessels; 
 but it is in this by an elongation unknown to 
 any other plant. All these singularities contri- 
 bute to one end : as this plant blossoms late in 
 the year, and, probably, would not have time to 
 ripen its seeds before the access of winter, which 
 would destroy them, Providence has contrived 
 its structure such, that this important office 
 may be performed at a depth in the earth, out 
 of the reach of the usual effects of frost. 
 That is to say, in the autumn, nothing is done 
 above ground, but the business of impregnation; 
 which is an affair between the antherae and the 
 stigmata, and is probably soon over. The ma- 
 turation of the impregnated seed, which in other 
 
99 
 
 plants proceeds within a capsule, exposed to^ 
 gether with the rest of the flower to the open 
 air, is here carried on, and during the whole 
 winter, within the heart, as we may say, of the 
 earth, that is, out of the usual effects of frost* 
 But then a new difficulty presents itself : seeds, 
 though perfected, are known not to vegetate at 
 this depth in the earth. The seeds, therefore, 
 though so safely lodged, would, after all, be 
 lost to the purpose for which all seeds are in- 
 tended. Lest this should be the case, a second 
 admirable provision is made to raise them above 
 the surface when they are perfected, and to sow 
 them at a proper distance : viz. the germ grows 
 up in the spring, upon a fruit-stalk accom- 
 panied with leaves. The seeds now, in common 
 with those of other plants, have the benefit of 
 the summer, and are sown upon the surface 
 The order of vegetation externally is this : the 
 plant produces its flowers in September ; its 
 leaves and fruit in the spring following." 
 
 SINGULAR PLANT. 
 
 The inhabitants of St. Lucie have discovered 
 a most singular plant. In a cavern of that isle, 
 
 F 2 
 
100 
 
 near the sea, is a large basin, from twelve to 
 fifteen feet deep, the water of which is very 
 brackish, and the bottom composed of rocks. 
 From these, at all times, proceed certain sub- 
 stances, which present, at first sight, beautiful 
 flowers, of a bright shining colour, and pretty 
 nearly resembling our marigolds, only that their 
 tint is more lively. These seeming flowers, on 
 the approach of a hand or instrument, retire, 
 like a snail out of sight. OH examining their 
 substance closely, there appear, in the middle 
 of the disk, four brown filaments, resembling 
 spider's legs, which move round a kind of petal 
 with a brisk and spontaneous motion. These 
 legs have pincers to seize their prey ; and upon 
 seizing it, the yellow petals immediately close, 
 so that it cannot escape. Under this exterior 
 of a flower is a brown stalk, of the size of a 
 raven's quill, and which seems to be the body of 
 some animal. It is probable that this strange 
 creature lives on the spawn of fish, and the 
 marine insects thrown by the sea into the 
 basin. 
 
 .Jiudq .' bi? f; 
 
101 
 
 THE BATTLE OF WHALES. 
 
 On the 21st of June, 3.818, no fewer than 
 two hundred and six whales, called the bottle- 
 nose, came into Stornaway Harbour; when a 
 desperate battle ensued between them and the 
 inhabitants of the place, armed with axes, 
 swords, and knives, so that very few of these 
 extraordinary visitors escaped ; some of them 
 measured above twenty feet long, by fifteen in 
 circumference. 
 
 PORCUPINE FISH. 
 
 TheDiodonhystrix, in point of habit or exter- 
 nal appearance, may be said to connect in some 
 degree the tribe of fishes with that of spiny 
 quadrupeds, such as porcupines and hedge- 
 hogs ; it is also allied in a similar manner to the 
 Echini, or sea-urchins. The Diodon hystrix, 
 commonly termed Sea-Porcupine, is said to 
 afford an amusing sight when taken by a line 
 and hook, baited by a species of crab; after 
 seizing the bait by a sudden spring, on finding 
 itself hooked, it exhibits every appearance of 
 violent rage, inflating its body, and elevating its 
 
102 
 
 spines to the highest possible degree, as if en- 
 deavouring to wound in all directions, till after 
 having tired itself by its vain efforts, it suddenly 
 expels the air from its body, and becomes placid 
 for some time ; but when drawn towards the 
 shore, redoubles its rage, and again inflates its 
 body : in this state it is left on the sand, it being 
 impossible to touch it without danger till it is 
 dead. It is a native of the Indian and American 
 seas, and is considered as a coarse fish, but is 
 sometimes eaten by the inhabitants of the West 
 India islands. Bullock's Curiosities. 
 
 THE TORPEDO, OR NUMB-FISH. 
 The Torpedo has been celebrated, both by 
 ancients and moderns, for its wonderful faculty 
 of causing a numbness or painful sensation in 
 the limbs of those who touch or handle it. 
 The shock or sensation given by this fish is 
 attended with all the effects of that produced 
 by an electrical machine, so far as experiment 
 hitherto has enabled us to discover. Although 
 this fish does not appear to be furnished with 
 any striking exterior qualities ; although it has 
 
103 
 
 no muscles formed for great exertion, nor any 
 internal conformation differing from the Ray 
 kind ; yet such are the wonderful powers it pos- 
 sesses, that in an instant it can paralyse the 
 hand or body that touches it, and cause for 
 awhile a total suspension of the mental faculties. 
 Reaumur has by several experiments attempted 
 to demonstrate that it is not necessarily, but by a 
 voluntary effort, that the Torpedo benumbs the 
 hand that touches it. On every trial he could 
 readily perceive when it intended to give the 
 stroke, and when it was about to continue in- 
 offensive. In preparing to give the shock, it 
 flattened its back, raised its head and tail, and 
 then by a violent contraction in the opposite di- 
 rection, struck with its back against the finger 
 that touched it ; and its body, which before was 
 flat, became round and lumpy. It is said, that 
 the negroes can handle the Torpedo without be- 
 ing affected ; and we are told the whole secret 
 of securing themselves from its shock consists in 
 keeping respiration suspended at the time. The 
 electrical power, however, is known to terminate 
 with the life of the animal, and when dead it is 
 handled or eaten with perfect safety. It is an 
 
104 
 
 inhabitant of the Northern, European, and the 
 Mediterranean seas. Bullocks Curiosities. 
 
 REMARKABLE FOSSIL TREE. 
 
 A fossil tree is in existence near the village of 
 Penycuik, about ten miles from Edinburgh, of 
 which curious phenomenon, *he following de- 
 scription is given in a letter by Sir J. S. Mac- 
 kenzie, Bart. 
 
 '" On the south bank of the river North Esk, 
 a short distance above the paper-mill at Peny- 
 cuik, where the strata usually accompanying the 
 coal formation of this country, are exposed, a 
 large portion of the trunk, and several roots, of 
 a fossil tree, are visible. It rises several feet 
 above the bed of the river, as far as the strata 
 reach, and the roots spread themselves in the 
 rock. It appears as if the tree had actually 
 vegetated on the spot where we now see it. It 
 is, where thickest, about four feet in diameter. 
 The strata, in which the. remains of the tree 
 stand, are slate- clay, and the tree itself is sand- 
 stone. There is sandstone below, and imme- 
 diately above the slate-clay, and the roots do 
 
105 
 
 Not appear to have penetrated the lower sand- 
 stone, to which they reach. Small portions of 
 coal were observed where the bark existed, the 
 form of which is so distinct on the fossil, that 
 we may conjecture the tree to have been a 
 Scotch pine. This conjecture may appear more 
 probable, from the roots spreading more hori- 
 zontally than those of other species. There 
 are several rents across the trunk, which may 
 have been caused by frost. 
 
 A LUSUS NATURJE, OR SPORT OF NATURE. 
 
 The pebble from which the Vignette in the 
 title page is copied, weighs nine penny-weights, 
 six grains, according to the description given 
 of it a few years since, which said description 
 further remarks : " They surprise and please 
 all who see them. Originality, antiquity, and 
 the fame of the artist, are esteemed essential 
 traits to render any picture truly valuable. AH 
 these are eminently conspicuous, at the first 
 view, in this matchless gem. It being the mar- 
 vellous work of God, it claims the pre-emi- 
 nence of all others in a superlative degree ; and 
 
 F 3 
 
108 
 
 the best judges affirm, that it would enrich the 
 most opulent and superb cabinet in Europe." 
 
 THE SHARK. 
 
 There are several species of this monster, for 
 his boldness and voracity may allow us to style 
 him so. The greatest and most audacious of 
 this destructive tribe of sea- fish, is called the 
 White Shark. He represents the vulture, as the 
 whale does the eagle, among the inhabitants of 
 the deep. Like the whale he is viviparous, but 
 differs from that marine wonder in bulk and in 
 habits. The whale's peculiar food is a small 
 sea insect, called the Medusa ; the shark lives 
 entirely upon fish or flesh, and it is reported 
 that when he has once tasted of the flesh of a 
 human being nothing can make him desist from 
 his pursuit after the vessels which he suspects to 
 contain the desired food he seeks after. The 
 \vhite shark is sometimes found weighing near 
 four thousand pounds. The throat is often large 
 enough to swallow a man. He is furnished 
 with six rows of sharp triangular teeth, amount- 
 ing in the whole to one hundred and forty- 
 
107 
 
 four, serrated on their edges, and capable 
 of being erected or depressed at pleasure, 
 owing to a curious muscular mechanism in 
 the palate and jaws of the animal. The 
 whole body and fins are of a light ash colour, 
 the skin rough, and often worked into that 
 substance called shagreen, an abbreviation of 
 the words " shark" and " green." His eyes 
 are large and staring, and he possesses great 
 muscular strength in his tail and fins. When- 
 ever he spies from the deepest recesses of the 
 sea, a man swimming or diving, he bolts from 
 the place, darts up to his prey, and if unable to 
 take the whole, or snatch away a limb, he fol- 
 lows for a long time the boat or vessel in which 
 the more expert swimmer has found a safe and 
 opportune retreat ; but seldom does he let any 
 one escape his cruel jaws and get off entire. A 
 late worthy member of the Court of Aldermen, 
 Sir Brook Watson, lost, when young, one of his 
 legs in the mouth of one of these monsters. 
 Some commentators of the book of Jonah, are 
 of opinion that it was this fish, and not the 
 whale, that swallowed the prophet. 
 
 Had nature allowed this fish to seize on his 
 prey with as much facility as many others, the 
 
108 
 
 shark tribe would soon have depopulated the 
 ocean, and reigned alone in the vast regions of 
 the sea, till hunger would have forced them to 
 attack and ultimately destroy each other; but, 
 holding the impartial scale over the whole crea- 
 tion, she ordered that the under jaw of this de- 
 vouring marine animal should be, by its cum- 
 bersome prominency an impediment to his seizing 
 easily his offered food ; and it is generally re- 
 marked, that when on the point of catching 
 hold of any thing the shark is obliged to twist 
 himself on one side, which troublesome evolu- 
 tion often gives time to escape. The flesh of 
 the fish is of a disagreeable taste, and cannot 
 be eaten with an^ kind of relish. 
 
 ST. PETER'S FISH* HADDOCK. 
 This fish is much less in size than the cod- 
 fish, and differs somewhat from it in shape; it 
 is of a blueish colour on the back, with small 
 scales ; a black line is carried on from the 
 upper corner of the gills on both sides down to 
 the tail ; in the middle of the sides, under the 
 line, a little beneath the gills, is a black spot 
 
on each shoulder, which resembles the mark of 
 a man's finger and thumb ; from which circum- 
 stance it is called St. Peter's fish, alluding to 
 the fact, recorded in the 17th chapter of St. 
 Matthew ; " Go thou to the sea, and cast an 
 hook, and take up the first fish that cometh up, 
 and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou 
 shalt find a piece of money : that take, and 
 give unto them for me and thee." And while 
 St. Peter held the fish with his fore finger and 
 thumb, it is supposed that the skin received 
 then, and preserved to this moment, the here- 
 ditary impression. The flesh of the haddock is 
 harder and thicker than that of the whiting, but 
 not so good. It is often brought upon the table 
 as a good dish, either broiled, boiled, or baked, 
 and is esteemed by many above several others. 
 
 WONDERFUfc FECUNDITY OF THE COD FISH. 
 The Cod is a noble inhabitant of the seas ; not 
 only on account of his size, but also for the good- 
 ness of his flesh, either fresh or salted. The 
 body measures sometimes above three and even 
 four feet in length, and of a proportionate thick- 
 
110 
 
 ness. The back is of a brown olive colour, 
 with white spots on the sides, and the belly is 
 entirely white. The eyes are large and staring. 
 The head is broad and fleshy, and esteemed a 
 delicious dish. 
 
 The fecundity of all fishes is an object of 
 real astonishment to every observer of nature. 
 In the year 1790, a cod fish was sold in Work- 
 ington market, Cumberland, for one shilling : it 
 weighed fifteen pounds, and measured two feet 
 nine inches in length, and seven inches in 
 breadth ; the roe weighed two pounds ten 
 ounces, one grain of which contained 320 seeds 
 or eggs. The whole therefore might contain, 
 by fair estimation, 3,904,440 eggs. From such 
 a trifle as this we may observe the prodigious 
 value of the fishing trade to a commercial na- 
 tion, and hence draw a useful hint for increasing 
 it; for, supposing that each of the above seeds 
 should arrive at the same proportion and size, 
 their produce would weigh 26,123 tons burden. 
 If each fish were brought to market and sold 
 as the original one, for one shilling, the pro- 
 duce then would be 195,000 pounds; that is to 
 say, the first shilling would produce twenty 
 times 195,000, or 3,900,000 shillings. 
 
Ill 
 
 THE CAVALLO-MARINO, OR SEA-HORSE. 
 
 This is a small fish of a curious shape : the 
 length is about two inches ; the head bears some 
 resemblance to that of a horse, whence origi- 
 nates its name; a long dorsal fin runs from the 
 head to the tail, which is spirally turned inside. 
 They are often seen in cabinets and museums in 
 a dried state, and the library of the East-India 
 House is in possession of a very good specimen of 
 this curious creature. It belongs to the order 
 of the Pipe-fish. 
 
 CHANGEABLE FLOWER. 
 
 In the island of Lewchew, says Mr. M'Leod, 
 is found a remarkable production, about the 
 size of a cherry-tree, bearing flowers, which al- 
 ternately, on the same day, assume the tint of the 
 rose or lily, as they are exposed to the sun- 
 shine or shade. The bark of this tree is of a 
 dark green, and the flowers bear a resemblance 
 to our common roses. Some of our party, 
 whose powers of vision were strong, (assisted by 
 vigorous imaginations,) fancied that, by atten- 
 tive watching, the change of hue, from white 
 
112 
 
 to red, under the influence of the solar ray, 
 was actually perceptible to the eye; that how- 
 ever they altered their colour in the course of a 
 few hours was very obvious. 
 
 ANECDOTES OF THE PIKE. 
 
 Sir Francis Bacon, in his History of Life and 
 Death, observes the Pike to be the longest 
 lived of any fresh water fish, and yet he com- 
 putes it to be not usually above forty years, 
 and others think it to be not above ten years ; 
 but Gesner mentions a Pike taken in Swede- 
 land, in the year 1449, with a ring about his 
 neck, proving him to have been more than two 
 hundred years old. 
 
 All Pikes that live long prove chargeable to 
 their keepers, because their life is maintained 
 by the death of so many other fish, and even 
 those of their own kind. 
 
 This fish is called by some writers the tyrant 
 of the rivers, or fresh- water wolf, by reason of 
 his bold, greedy, devouring disposition, which is 
 so keen, that Gesner relates that a man going to 
 a pond (where it seems a Pike had devoured all 
 the fish) to water his rnule, had a Pike bite his 
 
113 
 
 mule by the lips, to which the fish hung so fast, 
 that the mule drew him out of the water, and by 
 that accident the owner of the mule angled out 
 the Pike. And the same author observes, that 
 a maid in Poland had a Pike bite her by the 
 foot, as she was washing clothes in a pond* 
 I have heard the like of a woman in Killing- 
 worth pond, not far from Coventry. I have also 
 been assured by my friend, Mr. Seagrave, who 
 keeps tame otters, that he has known a Pike, 
 in extreme hunger, fight with one of his otters 
 for a carp that the otter had caught and was 
 then bringing out of the water. I have told you 
 who relate these things, and tell you that they 
 are persons of credit, and shall conclude this 
 observation by repeating what a wise man has 
 said" That it is a hard thing to persuade the 
 belly, because it has no ears." 
 
 Bowlker, in his art of angling, gives the follow- 
 ing instance of the exceeding voracity of this 
 fish : " My father caught a Pike in Barn-Meer 
 (a large standing water in Cheshire) an ell long, 
 and weighing thirty-five pounds, which he 
 brought to Lord Cbolmondeley ; his lordship 
 ordered it to be turned into a canal in the gar- 
 den, wherein were abundance of several sorts of 
 
114 
 
 tb. About twelve months after, his lordship 
 drawed the canal, and found that this overgrown 
 Pike had devoured all the fish except one large 
 carp, that weighed between nine and ten pounds, 
 and that was bitten in several places. The Pike 
 was then put into the canal again, together with 
 abundance of fish with him to feed upon ; all 
 which he devoured in less than a year's time, 
 and was observed by the gardener and workmen 
 there, to take the ducks and other water-fowl 
 under the water, whereupon they shot magpies 
 and crows, and threw them into the canal, which 
 the Pike took before their eyes. Of this they 
 acquainted their lord, who, thereupon ordered 
 the slaughterman to fling in calves' bellies, 
 chickens' guts, and such like garbage, to him 
 to prey upon ; but being soon after neglected, 
 he died, as was supposed, for want of food." 
 
 The following relation was inserted as an 
 article of news, in one of the newspapers, 
 January 2, 1765: 
 
 " Remarkably large Pike. 
 
 " Extract of a letter from Littleport, Decem- 
 ber 17th. -^-' About ten days ago, a large Pike 
 was caught in the river Ouse, which weighed 
 
115 
 
 upwards of twenty-eight pounds, and was sold 
 to a gentleman in the neighbourhood for a 
 guinea. As the cookmaid was gutting the fish, 
 she found, to her great astonishment, a watch, 
 with a black ribbon and two steel seals annexed, 
 in the body of the Pike. The gentleman's but- 
 ler upor opening the watch, found the maker's 
 name, Thomas Cranefield, Burnham, Norfolk. 
 Upon a strict inquiry it appears, that the said 
 watch, was sold to a gentleman's servant who 
 was unfortunately drowned, about six weeks 
 ago, in his way to Cambridge, between this 
 place and South Ferry. The watch is still in 
 the possession of Mr. John Roberts, of the 
 Cross Keys, in Littleport, for the inspection 
 of the public/ " 
 
 And in the same paper, the 25th of the same 
 month and year. " On Tuesday last, at Little- 
 shall lime-works, near Newport, a pool, about 
 nine yards deep, which has not been filled for 
 ages, was let off by means of a level brought 
 up to drain the works, when an enormous Pike 
 was found : he was drawn out by a rope fastened 
 round his head and gills, amidst hundreds of 
 spectators, in which service a great many men 
 were employed. He weighed upwards of a hun- 
 
116 
 
 dred and seventy pounds, and is thought to be 
 the largest ever seen. Sometime ago, the clerk 
 of the parish was trolling in the above pool, 
 when his bait was seized by this furious creature, 
 which by a sudden jerk pulled him in, and 
 doubtless would have devoured him also, had 
 he not by wonderful agility and dextrous swim- 
 ming escaped the dreadful jaws of this voracious 
 animal." 
 
 In Dr. Plot's history of Staffordshire, p. 246, 
 are sundry relations of Pike of great magnitude. 
 One in particular, caught in the Thames, an ell 
 and two inches long. 
 
 The following circumstance containing fur- 
 ther evidence of the voracity of this fish, with 
 the addition of a pleasant relation 1 met with in 
 Fuller's Worthies, Lincolnshire, p. 144. 
 
 " A cub fox, drinking out of the river Arno, 
 in Italy, had his head seized on by a mighty 
 Pike, so that neither could free themselves, but 
 were engrappled together. In this contest, a 
 young man runs into the water, takes them both 
 out alive, and carrieth them to the Duke of 
 Florence, whose palace was hard by. The 
 porter would not admit him without promising 
 to share his full half of what the Duke should 
 
117 
 
 give him, to which (hopeless otherwise of en- 
 trance) he consented. The Duke highly affected 
 with the rarity, was about giving him a good re- 
 ward, which the other refused, desiring his 
 highness would appoint one of his guards to 
 give an hundred lashes, that so the porter might 
 have fifty, according to his composition." And 
 here my intelligence leaveth me, how much far- 
 ther the jest was followed. 
 
 The same author relates from a book, intituled 
 " Vox Pisces" printed in 1626: "That one 
 Mr. Anderson, a townsman and merchant of 
 Newcastle, talking with a friend on Newcastle 
 Bridge, and playing with his ring, let it fall 
 into the river ; but it having been swallowed by 
 a fish, afterwards taken, the ring was found aod 
 restored to him." Northumberland Worthies, 
 p. 310. A like story is related of Polycratcs, 
 King of Samos, by Herodotus. 
 
 
 
 iwe b >v.2 ,> uu'.> ijunmrfaft 9it) 4 i9bfiow oJ axypd 
 
 BATTLE BETWEEN A PIKE AND A FROG. 
 
 As the Bishop of Bohemia and Bishop Thurzo 
 were walking by a large pond in Bohemia, they 
 saw a Frog, when the Pike lay very sleepily 
 and quiet by the shore, leap upon his head, 
 
118 
 
 and having denoted malice or anger by his 
 swoln cheeks and starting eyes, stretch out his 
 legs and embraced the Pike's head, and presently 
 reached them to his eyes, tearing with them and 
 his teeth those tender parts. The Pike, moved 
 with anguish, plunged into the water and rubbed 
 himself against weeds, or whatever he thought 
 might free him from his enemy, but all in vain, 
 for the Frog continued to ride triumphantly and 
 to bite and torment the Pike, till his strength 
 failed, and then sunk with the Pike to the bot- 
 tom of the water ; then presently the Frog ap- 
 peared again at the top, and croaked and seemed 
 to rejoice like a conqueror, after which he pre- 
 sently retired to his secret hole. The Bishop, 
 who had beheld the battle, called his fisherman 
 to fetch his nets, and by all means to get the 
 Pike, that they might discover what had hap- 
 pened ; and the Pike was drawn forth, with 
 both his eyes eaten out ; at which, when they 
 began to wonder, the fisherman expressed sur- 
 prise, assuring them that he was certain that 
 Pikes were often so served. It appears that 
 this species of frogs are fishing-frogs, called 
 by the Dalmatians the water-devil. 
 
119 
 
 THE FLYING-FISH. 
 
 This fish is slender and long, with a large 
 staring eye. The body is in shape, scales, and 
 colour, like one of our mullets. The fins on 
 each side of the back are long, and spread so 
 as to answer the purpose of wings, and, aided by 
 them, he flies nearly to the distance of a gun- 
 shot before he touches the water, and when hot 
 has slightly dipped, in order to rest himself, 
 mounts up again; a curious manoeuvre, by which 
 he often escapes the dolphin which swims 
 rapidly in pursuit of him. He is a native of the 
 Mediterranean, and is found in many other seas 
 in warm climates. This curious creature, as we 
 may easily perceive, is the link between the fish 
 and the birds, as the Auk and Penguin unite 
 the inhabitants of the air with those of the sea, 
 in the contemplative mind of the naturalist. 
 
 THE CHEILINUS, OR FRIENDLY FISH. 
 
 This fish inhabits the shores of the Mediter- 
 ranean. It is of a whitish colour, mixed with 
 red. The scales are large and transparent. They 
 live in shoals, and such is the attachment which 
 
120 
 
 is said to prevail among them, that, according to 
 Appian, when one has taken the bait, another 
 will come to its assistance and bite the cord to 
 enable it to escape. This fish was eagerly 
 sought after by the luxurious Romans, who pre- 
 ferred the liver, and even the intestines without 
 being emptied. Its food consists of marine 
 plants. 
 
 THE SPARUS, OR GILT HEAD. 
 
 This fish inhabits the seas of Brazil, and, 
 when a few of them are swimming in company, 
 thejr emit so much light, that, in the darkest 
 night, a person may see to read by means of it. 
 This property enables the fish to pursue its prey 
 with more certainty ; but, on the other hand, it 
 gives information to its foes. Its flesh is 
 esteemed excellent, and much sought after. 
 
 THE COBITES FOSSILI5, OR BAROMETER-FISH; 
 
 The Cobites fossilis inhabits , marshes and 
 lakes with a muddy bottom. It is remarka- 
 bly vivacious, and is capable of surviving in 
 iud, provided it be moist. This is a wise pro- 
 
121 
 
 vision of nature, by which this animal is fitted 
 for those situations in which it resides. When 
 the pools or ditches in which it lives dry up, 
 this animal buries itself in the mud, and lives 
 securely until the rain replenishes its pond. As 
 it is frequently dug up in this situation, it has 
 been supposed to search for its food in the 
 ground like an earth-worm. It will remain alive 
 under ice, provided there is a small portion of 
 unfrozen water around it. It appears to be ex- 
 tremely sensible to the changes in the state of 
 the atmosphere. During calm weather, it re- 
 mains at rest on the mud in the bottom of the 
 ditch ; but, at the approach of a storm, or 
 change of weather, it rises to the surface of the 
 water, and moves about with seeming uneasiness. 
 Hence it is often kept in vessels within doors by 
 the curious, for the purpose of predicting the 
 changes in the weather. In winter it buries 
 itself in the mud, and issues forth in the spring, 
 when it spawns. It is found in the marshes and 
 lakes in the midland parts of Europe. Its flesh 
 is soft, and but little sought after. 
 
122 
 
 THE ABRUS, OH WILD LIQUORICE. 
 
 This elegant plant grows wild in both the In- 
 dies, Guinea, and Egypt ; and produces those 
 beautiful red seeds, resembling beads, with a 
 black spot or eye at the end annexed to the 
 pod, which is much admired; and in conse- 
 quence of their resemblance to beads, are fre- 
 quently strung into necklaces, and worn by the 
 fair of Africa, Asia, and even Europe. The 
 plant is shrubby and twining ; the leaves pin- 
 nated with many oblong leaflets ; the seeds are 
 very beautiful, and are eaten in Egypt, but are 
 the most unwholesome and indigestible of the 
 pulse tribe. One variety produces white, and 
 another yellow seeds ; but otherwise they are 
 not essentially different. The Elbrus is with 
 us a stove-plant, raised from seeds, sown in light 
 earth, and plunged in a hot-bed. It sometimes 
 .ripens seed in England. 
 
 CURIOUS PARTICULARS RELATIVE TO THE 
 
 PALM-TREE. 
 
 The Palm-branch or Palm-tree, was anciently 
 used as an emblem of victory, being carried 
 
123 
 
 before a conqueror, in processions and rejoicings, 
 for having overthrown the enemy. It was also 
 presented to the kings of Syria, as a symbol of 
 submission, or a kind of present, or token. 
 This tree was very common about Jerico. From 
 one common root it produces a great many 
 suckers, which, by their spreading, form a Small 
 forest upwards, to which the prophet alludes, 
 when he says " The righteous shall flourish 
 like a Palm-tree." It produces its leaves like 
 hair upon the top of its trunk. There are two 
 sorts, the male and female ; the male renders 
 the other fruitful, by means of a flower which 
 is enclosed in its fruit ; the leaves turn round 
 like curls in hair, and their extremities hang 
 down towards the ground. 
 
 WONDERFUL CAPACIOUSNESS OF A CAMEL'S 
 STOMACH. 
 
 The stomach of the Camel is well known to 
 retain large quantities of water, and to retain it 
 unchanged for a considerable length of time. 
 This property qualifies it for living in the desert. 
 Let us see, therefore, what is the internal or* 
 
 G2 
 
124 
 
 ganization upon which a faculty so rare and so 
 beneficial depends. A number of distinct sacks 
 or bags (in a dromedary thirteen of these have 
 been counted) are observed to lie between the 
 membranes of the second stomach, and to open 
 into the stomach near the top by small square 
 apertures. Through these orifices, after the 
 stomach is full, the annexed bags are filled 
 from it ; and the water so deposited is, in the 
 first place, not liable to pass into the intestines ; 
 in the second place, is kept separate from the 
 solid aliment ; and, in the third place, is out of 
 the reach of the digestive action of the stomach, 
 or of mixture with the gastric juice. It appears 
 probable, or rather certain, that the animal, by 
 the conformation of its muscles, possesses the 
 power of squeezing back this water from the 
 adjacent bags into the stomach, whenever thirst 
 excites it to put this power in action. Dr. Paley. 
 
 REMARKABLE LARGE OAK TREE. 
 
 Mr. Wilson, of Scottou, in Yorkshire, had 
 standing, in January, 1819, in the corner of one 
 of his fields, an oak tree, which stretched its 
 
125 
 
 branches over a foot-path, a carriage road, an 
 occupation road, and part of the lands of three 
 other proprietors. 
 
 FIGHTING MONKIES. 
 
 A surprising instance of passion, making a 
 near approach to reason, is to be found in 
 the Natural History of the Ukraine, or country 
 of the Cossacks, bordering on Poland. A 
 sort of animals that bear a strong resem- 
 blance to monkies, abound in the plains and 
 forests of the Ukraine. These creatures form 
 separate parties, or classes, and on certain 
 days meet in hostile bands, and engage in 
 pitched battles. The opposing armies have 
 their respective chiefs, and officers of several 
 subordinate ranks ; the various combatants ap- 
 pear to obey orders, and proceed with the same 
 regularity that men do on the like occasions. 
 Cardinal Polignac, who was sent ambassador by 
 Louis the Fourteenth to Poland, in order to 
 support the interests of the Prince of Conde, 
 against Stanislaus, had often an opportunity of 
 seeing these animals engage. He tells us, that 
 they gave the word of command for the onset 
 
126 
 
 by a sort of cry, or inarticulate sound; that he 
 has seen them march in regular companies, each 
 led by its particular captain. On meeting, both 
 parties have drawn up in battle array, and, on 
 the signal being given by their chiefs, have en- 
 gaged with a degree of fury that has surprised 
 him. 
 
 OAKS PLANTED BY SQUIRRELS. 
 
 It is a curious circumstance, and not gene- 
 rally known, that most of those oaks which arc 
 called spontaneous, are planted by the squirrel* 
 This little animal has performed the most essen- 
 tial service to the British navy. A gentleman^ 
 walking one day, in the wood belonging to the 
 Duke of Beaufort, near Troy-house, in the 
 county of Monmouth, his attention was diverted 
 by a squirrel, which sat very composedly upon 
 the ground. He stopped to observe his mo- 
 tions. In a few minutes, the squirrel darted 
 like lightning to the top of a tree, beneath 
 which he had been sitting. In an instant, he 
 was .down with an acorn in his mouth, and began 
 to burrow in the earth with his hands. After 
 digging a small hole, he stooped down, and de- 
 
127 
 
 posited the acorn ; then covering it, he darted 
 up the tree again. In a moment he was down 
 with another, which he buried in the same man- 
 ner. This he continued to do as long as the 
 observer thought proper to watch him. The 
 industry of this little animal is directed to the 
 purpose of securing him against want in the 
 winter; and, as it is probable, that his memory 
 is not sufficiently retentive to enable him to re- 
 member the spots in which he deposits every 
 acorn, the industrious little fellow, no doubt, 
 loses a few every year. These few spring up, 
 and are destined to supply the place of the 
 parent tree. Thus is Britain, in some measure, 
 indebted to the industry and bad memory of a 
 squirrel for her pride, her glory, and her very 
 existence. 
 
 ACONITUM WOLF'S, BANE, OR MONK'S HOOD. 
 
 The common Monk's hood is a native of the 
 mountainous and woody parts of Germany, 
 France, and Switzerland ; but is cultivated in 
 our flower-gardens for the beauty of its co- 
 lour, which is sometimes white, sometimes 
 yellow, and sometimes blue; and like many 
 
128 
 
 other plants is beautifully duplicated in its pe- 
 tals by such horticulture ; but every part of it 
 is strongly poisonous. It receives the name of 
 Monk's hood, from its flower being composed 
 of five irregular petals, resembling in some 
 measure a man's head, with a helmet or hood 
 on it. The upper petal represents the hood or 
 helmet, the two lower ones stand for that part 
 which covers the lower jaw, and the two wings 
 seem adapted for covering the temples. From 
 the centre of the flower there arise two pistils, 
 resembling feet, and received into the hollow of 
 the upper petal, or hood ; as is also another 
 pistil, which finally becomes a fruit, composed 
 of several membraneous vaginae collected into 
 a head, and usually containing angular and 
 wrinkled seeds. 
 
 All the species of aconite are extremely 
 acrimonious, occasioning mortal convulsions, QT 
 nflammations that end in a mortification. It is 
 even said, that some persons, by only smelling 
 at the flower of the common Monk's hood, have 
 been seized with swooning fits, and lost their 
 sight for two or three days. Dr. Gregory and 
 Pantologia. 
 
129 
 
 ADONIS RED MOROCCO. 
 
 This flower is so named because it was fabled 
 that Adonis was changed into this flower by 
 Venus, after having been slain by a boar. The 
 Adonis Autumnalis, an annual plant, is com- 
 mon in our gardens, and even in the fields about 
 London. Its flowers are of a bright scarlet, 
 with a black spot or eye at the bottom, and are 
 frequently sold in London under the name of 
 red-morocco. There are six species of this 
 plant, much resembling the Anemone in appear- 
 ance, only smaller. 
 
 AGAVE AMERICAN ALOE. 
 
 The species of this plant are six, including 
 some varieties with striped leaves, of which the 
 most remarkable is Agave Americana, or Great 
 American Aloe. It is a vulgar notion that this 
 plant does not flower in less than a hundred 
 years. The fact is, that its flowering depends 
 upon its growth. In hot climates, therefore, it 
 is known to bloom much sooner; and in this 
 country, if it was kept in a dry stove, instead of 
 a green- house, we have no doubt that it would 
 
 Go 
 
 
130 
 
 flower earlier than it does. It is chiefly re- 
 markable for the height to which the stem 
 shoots up when it blooms, from twenty to thirty 
 feet. Cortusus is said to be the first Euro- 
 pean who possessed this plant, in 1561. It 
 flowered in England about the year 1698, and 
 now scarcely a summer passes without one 
 flowering in some of the nurseries about Lon- 
 don. In the course of the year 1805, one of 
 the striped-leaved, (said to be the first which 
 ever flowered in England of that variety) was ex- 
 hibited by Mr. Smith of Dalston. 
 
 In Spain and Portugal, there are hedges of 
 the great Agave. The leaves are said to an- 
 swer all the purposes of soap, and are also 
 good for the scowering of pewter, and other 
 utensils: the inward spongy substance of the 
 dried stalks may be used for tinder ; and the 
 fibres of the leaves, when washed and dried and 
 beaten, will make a strong thread for common 
 purposes. 
 
 A more full description of this beautiful and 
 useful plant, is given in my Anecdotes of Re- 
 markable Trees, page 187. 
 
131 
 
 SINGULAR RETALIATION. 
 
 A remarkable fact occurred in the park of 
 Lord Grantley, at Wonersh, near Guildford, a 
 short time since (i. e. December, 1818.) A 
 fawn drinking was suddenly pounced upon by 
 one of the swans, which pulled the animal into 
 the water, and held it under until quite drowned. 
 This was observed by the other deer in the park, 
 and did not long go unrevenged; for, shortly 
 after this very swan, which had hitherto never 
 been molested by the deer, was singled out 
 when on land, and furiously attacked by a herd, 
 which surrounded and presently killed the 
 offender. 
 
 THREE DISTINCT TREES FROM ONE TRUNK. 
 
 In the Public Ledger for March 12, 1818, is 
 recorded the following curious circumstance. 
 
 " The Earl of Carlisle has an Alder-tree now 
 growing on his estate, in Cumberland, which, 
 about three feet from the ground, measures 
 more than nine feet in circumference ; and his 
 lordship has flourishing, in Geltsdale Forest, out 
 of one solid trunk, three distinct-trees, viz. a 
 common ash, a mountain ash, and an alder. 
 
132 
 
 REMARKABLY TAME ROBIN. 
 
 A very singular circumstance has occurred in 
 the Central school, in Winchester, (May, 1818.) 
 A Robin has built a nest, in which she has laid 
 six eggs, and is now sitting on them, in a cup- 
 board, to which the boys have constant access, 
 and, in which their books are deposited ; she 
 never retires from her nest during the school- 
 hours. The boys pay a singular attention by 
 doing every to prevent her being annoyed. 
 
 THE SORROWFUL TREE. 
 
 This very remarkable plant, the Abore tristc, 
 or Sorrowful-tree, grows in India, and is so 
 called, because it never blossoms but in the 
 night-time, and continues to do so all the year 
 round. As soon as the sun sets, there is not a 
 blossom to be seen upon this wonderful tree ; 
 yet, within half an hour, there appears innume- 
 rable flowers, pleasing to the sight, and of very 
 fragrant smell ; but, as soon as day approaches 
 and the sun begins to rise, they gradually close, 
 and not one is to be seen on the tree, which 
 appears as dead and withered, until the evening 
 
133 
 
 again approaches, when it begins to blossom as 
 before. It is a very quick growing plant, about 
 the size of a common plum-tree. If a branch 
 of it is set in the earth, it very soon takes root, 
 and bears blossoms, which very much resem- 
 ble orange-tree flowers, of a yellowish white, 
 and the bottom somewhat of a reddish yellow. 
 
 REMARKABLY LARGE YEW-TREE. 
 
 There was growing in the church-yard of 
 Darley, in Derbyshire, the beginning of De- 
 cember, 1818, a yew-tree, the circumference 
 of which was nearly thirty -six feet. This ex- 
 traordinary tree, according to tradition, was 
 planted about eight hundred years ago. 
 
 INTERESTING PARTICULARS OF A TULIP-TREE. 
 
 There is at present, (i. e. Dec. 2, 1818,) in 
 the garden of G. Dickson, Esq. of Cousland, in 
 Berwickshire, a tulip-tree in full blossom, which 
 is the second time it was ever known to be in 
 that state. The history of it is remarkable. It 
 stands in the situation of the garden of the Old 
 
134 
 
 Priory of Cousland, well known for having shel- 
 tered the famous Mary Scott, the Jlower of 
 Yarrow, from the persecutions by which she 
 was harassed in the earlier part of her life, and 
 which was destroyed during the Reformation. 
 The last time this tree was in blossom was in 
 the year 1720, being ninety-eight years ago. 
 
 CURIOUS PHENOMENA IN PLANTS. 
 
 Twist a branch of any tree in such a manner 
 that the inferior surfaces of the leaves are 
 turned towards the sky, and in a short time all 
 those leaves will resume their original position. 
 These motions are performed sooner or later, in 
 proportion to the degree of heat, and the flexibi- 
 lity of the leaves. Many leaves, as those of 
 th mallow, follow the course of the sun. In the 
 morning, their surfaces are presented to the 
 east : at the noon they regard the south ; and 
 when the sun sets they are directed to the west. 
 During the night, or in rainy weather, these leaves 
 are horizontal ; and their inferior surfaces are 
 turned towards the earth. 
 
135 
 
 THE ORIGIN OF THE VASE OF THE CORINTHIAN 
 CAPITAL. 
 
 The herb Acanthus is said to have given 
 rise to this beautiful vase of the Corinthian 
 order. The leaves are much celebrated for 
 their beauty, and artists have introduced 
 them into various kinds ,of carved work. Its 
 greatest fame is the capital just named, 
 which, we are told, Callimachus formed upon 
 the model of a basket, covered with a tile, 
 and surrounded with the leaves of an Acanthus 
 plant, upon whose root it had accidentally been 
 set. This basket continues the vase of the ca- 
 pital : the leaves and stalks are the ornaments 
 with which it is covered, and the tile form its 
 abacus. Such was the original capital ; but 
 sculptors, even in those ages of chaster taste, 
 had the error, so common at this time, of sup- 
 posing every thing that is laboured must be 
 beautiful. Instead of the great and noble sim- 
 plicity of this natural leaf, they soon began to 
 decorate it with more carving ; they split the 
 edges of its several segments, variously into 
 three, or into five distinct and separate leaves : 
 these they left plain, and even at the edges; 
 
136 
 
 arid, because the form of the whole was altered, 
 they called the first variation, where the division 
 was into three, the laurel, and the other, where 
 it was into five, the olive leaf. In both, the 
 proper form and beauty of the leaf are lost : it 
 is neither noble nor in nature ; it becomes a 
 monstrous production of ignorant art: the whole 
 is a body of acanthus leaf bearing olive or laurel 
 leaves at its tops and sides. 
 
 The leaves on the capitals of the columns in 
 the temple of Vesta, at Rome, are of the laurel 
 kind ; those of the Basilic of Antonine, of the 
 olive ; and there are many more instances, need- 
 less to be recounted here, both of one and the 
 other division. In the temple of Vesta, at 
 Tivoli, we see the true Acanthus. Nothing 
 reflects more upon the taste of architecture, in 
 that time of its eminent glory, so much as this 
 insult upon nature: the preferring, to her great 
 simplicity, the littleness of art. 
 
 SINGULAR DEXTERITY OF A GOAT. 
 
 We met (says Dr. Clarke) an Arab, with a 
 Goat, which he led about the country to exhibit, 
 in order to gain a livelihood for itself and its 
 
137 
 
 owner. He had taught this animal, while he 
 accompanied its movements with a song, to mount 
 upon little cylindrical blocks of wood, placed 
 successively one above another, and in shape 
 resembling the dice-boxes belonging to a back- 
 gammon table. In this manner the Goat stood, 
 first on the top of one cylinder, then on the top 
 of two, and afterwards of three, four, five, and 
 six, until it remained balanced upon the summit 
 of them all, elevated several feet above the 
 ground, and with its four feet collected upon a 
 single point, without throwing down the dis- 
 jointed fabric whereon it stood. The diameter 
 of the upper cylinder, on which its four feet 
 alternately remained until the Arab had ended 
 his ditty, was only two inches ; and the length 
 of each, six inches. The most curious part of 
 the performance occurred afterwards; for the 
 Arab, to convince us of the animal's attention to 
 the turn of the air, interrupted the Da Capo; as 
 often as he did this, the Goat tottered, appeared 
 uneasy, and, upon his becoming suddenly silent 
 in the middle of his song, it fell to the ground. 
 
138 
 
 SINGULAR DECEPTIONS CAUSED BY THE AT- 
 MOSPHERE. 
 
 Mr. Salt thus describes the effects of the at- 
 mosphere on the vision, to which he was an eye- 
 witness " At day-break, we continued our route 
 to Aden. As we approached the .peninsula, we 
 were much struck with the appearances which 
 the sun put on as it rose. When it had risen 
 about half way above the horizon, its form some- 
 what resembled a castellated dome ; when three 
 parts above the horizon, its shape appeared 
 like that of a balloon ; and at length the lower 
 limb suddenly starting up from the horizon, it s 
 assumed the general form of a globe, flattened 
 at either axis. These singular changes may be 
 attributed to the refraction produced by dif- 
 ferent layers of atmosphere, through which the 
 sun was viewed in its progress. The same cause 
 made our ship in the bay look as if it had 
 been lifted out of the water, and her bare masts 
 appear to be crowded with sail : a low rock 
 also seemed to rise up like a vessel ; and a pro- 
 jecting point of land to rest on no other foun- 
 dation than the air: the space between these 
 objects and the horizon having a grey pellucid 
 
139 
 
 tinge, very distinct from the darker colour of 
 the sea." 
 
 Dr. Clarke, speaking of the same phenomenon, 
 says " One of the Arabs, whom we saw from 
 afar, seemed higher than a tower, and to be 
 moving in the air; at first this was to me a 
 strange appearance, but it was only the 
 effect of refraction. The camel which the Arab 
 was upon, touched the ground like all others." 
 The effects of the atmosphere, however, in 
 causing these appearances, seem to be confined 
 to hot and arid countries, and almost peculiar 
 to the deserts of Africa, particularly those of 
 Arabia and Abyssinia. 
 
 THE SIMOOM, OR HOT WIND OF THE DESERT. 
 
 The effects of this wind are instant suffoca- 
 tion to every living creature that happens to be 
 within the sphere of its activity, and immediate 
 putrefaction of the carcases of the dead. The 
 Arabians (says Niebuhr) discern its approach by 
 an unusual redness in the air ; and they say that 
 they feel a smell of sulphur as it passes. The 
 only means by which any person can preserve 
 
140 
 
 himself from suffering from these noxious blasts, 
 is by throwing himself down with his face upon 
 the earth, till the whirlwind of poisonous ex- 
 halations has blown over, which always moves 
 at a certain height in the atmosphere. Instinct 
 even teaches the brutes to incline their heads to 
 the ground on these occasions : camels have 
 always been observed upon the approach of this 
 destructive wind to bury their noses in the sand 
 until it had blown over. 
 
 The heat (according to Volney) is sometimes 
 so excessive, that it is difficult to form any 
 idea of its violence without having experienced 
 it ; but it approaches nearly to that of a large 
 oven, at the moment of drawing out the bread. 
 Woe ! therefore, to the traveller whom this 
 wind surprises remote from shelter! he must 
 then suffer all its dreadful consequences. The 
 danger is when it blows in squalls, for then the 
 rapidity of the wind increases the heat to such 
 a degree as to cause sudden death. This 
 death is a real suffocation. This wind is 
 especially fatal to persons of a plethoric habit. 
 These accidents are to be avoided by stopping 
 the nose and mouth with handkerchiefs. Another 
 
141 
 
 quality of this wind is its extreme aridity, which 
 is such, that water sprinkled on the floor evapo- 
 rates in a few minutes. 
 
 Dr. Clarke, in his second volume, p. 405, 
 mentions this wind ; and although he does not 
 present us with a picture so full of horror, yet 
 describes its effects as sufficiently terrifying. 
 " Upon our arrival in the camp, we found the 
 general in a large green tent, open all round, 
 and affording very little shelter from the heat, 
 as the Simoom was at that time blowing, and 
 far more insufferable than the sun. Its parching 
 influence pervades all places alike ; and coming 
 as from a furnace it seemed to threaten us all 
 with suffocation. The author was the first who 
 sustained serious injury from the fiery blast, 
 being attacked with giddiness, accompanied 
 with burning thirst. Head-ache, and frequent 
 fits of shivering ensued ; and these ended in 
 violent fever." 
 
 t 
 
 THE BEAVER. 
 
 The Beaver seems to be now the only remain- 
 ing monument of brutal society. From the re- 
 sult of its labours, which are still to be seen in 
 
142 
 
 the remote parts of America, we learn how far 
 instinct can be aided by imitation. We from 
 thence perceive to what a degree animals, with- 
 out language or reason, can concur for their 
 mutual advantage, and attain by numbers those 
 advantages which each, in a state of solitude, 
 seems unfitted to possess. 
 
 The beavers begin to assemble about the 
 months of June and July, to form a society that 
 is to continue for the greatest part of the year. 
 They arrive in numbers from every side, and 
 generally form a company of above two hundred. 
 The place of meeting is commonly the place 
 where they fix their abode, and this is always 
 by the side of some lake or river. If it be a 
 lake, in which the waters are always upon a level, 
 they dispense with building a dam ; but if it be 
 a running stream, which is subject to floods 
 and falls ; they then set about building a dam, 
 or pier that crosses the river, so that it forms a 
 dead water in that part which lies above and be- 
 low. This dam, or pier, is often four score, 
 or a hundred feet Jong, and ten or twelve feet 
 thick at the base. If we compare the greatness 
 of the work with the powers of the architects, 
 it will appear enormous ; but the solidity with 
 
143 
 
 which it is built is still more astonishing than 
 its size. The part of the river over which this 
 dam is usually built is where it is most shallow, 
 and where some great tree is found growing by 
 the side of the stream. This they pitch upon 
 as proper for forming the principal part of their 
 building ; and althouglj it is often thicker than 
 a man's body, they instantly set about cutting 
 it down. For this operation they have no other 
 instrument than their teeth, which soon lay it 
 level ; and that also on the side they wish it to 
 fall, which is always across the stream. They 
 then set about cutting off the top branches, to 
 make it lie close and even, and serve as the 
 principal beam of their fabric.* 
 
 This dyke or causeway, is sometimes ten and 
 sometimes twelve feet thick at the foundation. 
 It descends in a declivity, or slope, on that side 
 next the water, which gravitates upon the work 
 in proportion to the height, and presses it with 
 a prodigious force towards the earth. The op- 
 posite side is erected perpendicular, like our 
 walls ; and that declivity, which, at the bottom, 
 or basis, h about twelve feet broad, diminishes 
 towards the top, where it is no more than two 
 * Spectacle de la Nature. 
 
144 
 
 feet broad, or thereabouts. The materials 
 whereof this mole consists, are wood and clay. 
 The beavers cut with surprising ease, large 
 pieces of wood, some as thick as a man's arm 
 or thigh, and about four, five, or six feet in 
 length, or sometimes more, according as the 
 slope ascends. They drive one end of these 
 stakes into the ground, at a small distance one 
 from the other, intermingling with them a few 
 that are smaller and more pliant. As the water, 
 however, would find a passage through the in- 
 tervals or spaces between them, and leave the 
 reservoir dry, they have recourse to a clay, 
 which they know where to find, and with which 
 they stop up all the cavities, both within and 
 without, so that the water is duly confined. 
 They continue to raise the dyke in proportion 
 to the elevation of the water, and the plenty 
 which they have of it. They are conscious 
 likewise that the conveyance of their materials 
 by land, would not be so easily accomplished 
 as by water ; and, therefore, they take the ad- 
 vantage of its increase, and swim with their 
 mortar on their tails, and their stakes between 
 their teeth, to the places where there is the 
 most occasion for them. If their works are, 
 
145 
 
 either by the force of the water, or by the feet 
 of the huntsmen who run over them, in the least 
 damnified, the breach is instantly made up; 
 every nook and corner of the habitation is re- 
 viewed, and with the utmost diligence and ap- 
 plication, perfectly repaired. But when they find 
 the huntsmen visit them too often, they work 
 only in the night-time, or else abandon their 
 works entirely, and seek out for some safer 
 situation. 
 
 The dyke, or mole, being thus completed, 
 their next care is to erect their several apart- 
 ments, which are either round or oval, and di- 
 vided into three stories, one raised above the 
 other; the first below the level of the causeway, 
 which is for the most part full of water ; the 
 two others above it. 
 
 This little fabric is built in a very firm and 
 substantial manner, on the edge of their reser- 
 voir, and always in such divisions or apart- 
 ments as above mentioned ; that in case the 
 water increases, they may move up a story 
 higher, and be nowise incommoded. If they 
 find any little island contiguous to their reser- 
 voir, they fix their mansion there, which is then 
 more solid, and not so frequently exposed to 
 
 H 
 
146 
 
 the overflowing of the water, in which they are 
 riot able to continue for any length of time. 
 In case they cannot pitch upon so commodious 
 a situation, they drive piles into the earth, in 
 order to fence and fortify their habitation against 
 the wind as well as the water. They make 
 two apertures at the bottom, to the stream ; 
 one is a passage to their bagnio, which they 
 always keep neat and clean; the other leads to 
 that part of the building where every thing is 
 conveyed that will either soil or damage their 
 upper apartments. They have a third opening 
 or door-way, much higher, contrived for the 
 prevention of their being shut up and confined 
 when the frost and snow has closed ttfe aper- 
 tures of the lower floors. Sometimes they 
 build their houses altogether on dry land ; but 
 then they sink trenches five or six feet deep, in 
 order to descend into the water when they see 
 convenient, They make use of the same ma* 
 terials, and are equally industrious in the erec- 
 tion of their lodges as their dykes. Their walls 
 are perpendicular, and about two feet thick. 
 As their teeth are more serviceable than saws, 
 they cut off all the wood that projects beyond 
 the wall. After this, when they have mixed up 
 
147 
 
 some clay and dry grass together, they work it 
 iiito a kind of mortar, with which, by the help 
 of their tails, they plaister all their works both 
 within and without. The inside is vaulted, and 
 is large enough for the reception of eight or 
 ten beavers. In case it rises in an oval figure, 
 it is for the generality above twelve feet long, 
 and eight or ten feet broad. If the number of 
 inhabitants increase to fifteen, twenty, or thirty, 
 the edifice is enlarged in proportion. I have 
 been credibly informed, that four hundred bea- 
 vers have been discovered to reside in one large 
 mansion-house, divided into a vast number of 
 apartments, that had a free communication one 
 with another. 
 
 All these works, more especially in the 
 northern parts, are finished in August, or Sep- 
 tember at farthest ; at which time they begin to 
 lay in their stores. During the summer they are 
 perfect epicures ; and regale themselves every 
 day on the choicest fruits and plants the coun- 
 try affords. Their provisions, indeed, in the 
 winter season, principally consist of the wood of 
 the birch, the plane, and some few other trees ; 
 which they steep in water, from time to time, in 
 such quantities as are proportioned to the num- 
 
 H 2 
 
148 
 
 her of inhabitants. They cut down branches 
 from three to ten feet in length. Those of the 
 largest dimensions are conveyed to their maga- 
 zines by a whole body of beavers; but the 
 smallest by one only : each of them, however, 
 takes a different way, and has his proper walk 
 assigned him, in order that no one labourer 
 should interrupt another in the prosecution of 
 his work. Their wood-yards are larger or 
 smaller in proportion to the number in family; 
 and according to the observation of some curious 
 naturalists, the usual stock of timber for the 
 accommodation often beavers, consists of about 
 thirty feet in a square surface, and ten in depth. 
 These logs are not thrown up in one continual 
 pile, but laid one across the other, with inter- 
 vals or small spaces between them, in order to 
 take out, with the greater facility, just such 
 a quantity as they shall want for their imme- 
 diate consumption, and those parcels only 
 which lie at the bottom in the water, and have 
 been duly steeped. This timber is cut again 
 into small particles, and conveyed to one of 
 their largest lodges, where the whole family 
 meet to consume their respective dividends, 
 which are made impartially in even and equal 
 
149 
 
 portions. Sometimes they traverse the woods, 
 and regale their young with a novel and more 
 elegant entertainment. 
 
 Such as are used to hunt these animals know 
 perfectly well that green wood is much more 
 acceptable to them than that which is old and 
 dry; for which reason they plant a considerable 
 quantity of it round their lodgements ; and as 
 they come out to partake of it, they either catch 
 them in snares, or take them by surprise. In 
 the winter, when the frosts are very severe, they 
 sometimes break a large hole in the ice; and 
 when the beavers resort thither for the benefit 
 of a little fresh air, they either kill them with 
 their hatchets, or cover the opening with a large 
 substantial net. After this they undermine and 
 subvert the whole fabric; whereupon the 
 beavers, in hopes to make their escape in the 
 usual way, fly with the utmost precipitation to 
 the water, and plunging into the aperture, fall 
 directly into the net, and are inevitably taken. 
 
150 
 
 VALUE OF ARABIAN HORSES. 
 
 The Arabian horses are divided into two 
 great branches ; the Kadischi, whose descent is 
 unknown, and the Kochlani, of whom a written 
 genealogy has been kept for two thousand years. 
 These last are reserved for riding solely. They 
 are highly esteemed, and consequently very 
 dear ; they are fit to bear the greatest fatigue, 
 and can pass whole days without food : they 
 are also said to shew great courage against an 
 enemy ; it is even asserted, that when a horse 
 of this race finds himself wounded, and unable 
 to bear his rider much longer, he retires from 
 the fray, and conveys him to a place of security. 
 If the rider falls upon the ground, his horse re- 
 mains beside him, and neighs till assistance is 
 brought. The Kochlani are neither large nor 
 handsome, but amazing swift : the whole race is 
 divided into several families, each of which has 
 its proper name. Some of these have a higher 
 reputation than others, on account of their more 
 ancient and uncontaminated nobility. Niebuhr. 
 
 Dr. Clarke, in his Travels, gives also the 
 following account of the attachment and 
 affection of an Arab for his mare ; and at the 
 
151 
 
 same time informs us of the great value of 
 fine horses in Arabia. " Ibrahim went fre- 
 quently to Rama, to inquire news of the mare, 
 which he dearly loved : he would embrace 
 her, wipe her eyes with his handkerchief; 
 would rub her with his shirt-sleeves ; would 
 give her a thousand benedictions, during whole 
 hours that be would remain talking to her. 
 < My eyes/ would he say to her, * my soul, 
 my heart, must I be so unfortunate as to have 
 thee sold to so many masters, and not keep thee 
 myself] I am poor, my antelope! Thou knowest 
 it well, my darling ! I brought thee up in my 
 dwelling as my child. I did never beat nor 
 chide thee ; I caressed thee in the proudest 
 manner. God preserve thee, my beloved ! 
 thou art beautiful, thou art sweet, thou art 
 lovely ! God defend thee from envious eyes !' 
 This man's name was Ibrahim ; being poor, he 
 had been under the necessity of allowing a mer- 
 chant of Rama, to become partner with him in 
 the possession of this mare. She was called 
 Toaisa; her pedigree could be traced on the 
 side of sire and dam for 500 years prior to ber 
 birth. The price was ^300, an enormous sum 
 iu that country." 
 
15-2 
 
 - 
 
 CAMELS. 
 
 The Camels of the hot countries are not 
 fastened one to the tail of the other as in cold 
 climates; but are suffered to go at their will 
 like herds of cows. The camel-driver follows 
 singing, and from time to time giving a sudden 
 whistle. The louder he sings and whistles, the 
 faster the camels go, and they stop as soon as he 
 ceases to sing. 
 
 The Camel is made only for level countries. 
 The African Arabs say, if one should put the 
 question " Which is best for your Camel, 
 to go up hill or down T 9 he will make answer, 
 " God's curse light on 'em both, wheresoever 
 they are to be found." 
 
 This animal is very ill qualified to travel upon 
 the snow, or wet ground ; the breadth in which 
 they carry their legs, when they slip, often oc- 
 casions their splitting themselves, so that when 
 they fall with heavy burdens they seldom rise 
 again. 
 
 The circumstances attending this animal's 
 death, when his strength fails him upon the 
 road, have something in them affecting to hu- 
 manity. Such are his patience and perseve- 
 
153 
 
 ranee, that he pursues his journey without flag- 
 ging, as long, as he has power to support its 
 weight ; and such are his fortitude and spirit, 
 that he will never give out, until nature sinks 
 beneath the complicated ills which press upon 
 him. Then and then only will he resign his 
 body and burden to the ground. Nor stripes 
 nor caresses, nor food, nor rest, will make 
 him rise again. His vigour is exhausted, and 
 life ebbs out apace ! This the Arabs are very 
 sensible of, and kindly plunge a sword into the 
 breast of the dying animal to shorten his pangs. 
 Even the Arab feels remorse when he commits 
 this deed ; his hardened heart is moved at the 
 loss of so faithful a servant. 
 
 Of the hides of the Camel are made the soles 
 of the slippers which are worn in Egypt, with- 
 out any other dressing but what the sun can 
 give them. 
 
 THE CARRIER-PIGEON. 
 
 There is a species of pigeons which are 
 called carriers, and which used to be kept for 
 the purpose of conveying letters. These are 
 easily distinguished from all others by their 
 
154 
 
 eyes, which are compassed about with a broad 
 circle of naked white skin, and by being of a 
 dark blue or blackish colour; it is from their 
 attachment to their native place, and particu- 
 larly where they have brought up their young, 
 that these birds are employed in several coun- 
 tries as the most expeditious carriers* They 
 are first brought from the place where they were 
 bred, and whither it is intended to send them 
 back with information. The letter is tied under 
 the bird's wing, and it is then let loose to return. 
 The little animal no sooner finds itself at liber- 
 ty, than its passion for its native spot directs 
 all its motions ; it is seen, upon these occasions, 
 flying directly into the clouds to an amazing 
 height ; and then, with the greatest certainty 
 and exactness, directing itself by some sur- 
 prising instinct towards home, which lies some- 
 times at many miles distance, bringing its message 
 to those to whom it is directed. By what marks 
 they discover the place, by what chart they are 
 guided in the right way, is to us utterly un- 
 known ; certain it is, that in the space of an 
 hour and a half they perform a journey of forty 
 miles, which is a degree of despatch three times 
 greater than the fleetest quadruped can per- 
 
155 
 
 form. These birds are not brought up at 
 present with as much care as formerly, when 
 they were sent from governors in a besieged 
 city to generals that were coming to relieve it 
 without ; when they were sent from princes to 
 their subjects, with the tiding of some fortunate 
 event ; or from lovers to their mistresses, with 
 expressions of their passion. The last use we 
 have seen made of them, was to be let fly at 
 Tyburn on days of execution, when the cart 
 was drawn away ; pretty much as when some 
 ancient hero was to be interred, an eagle was 
 let off from the funeral pile, to complete his 
 apotheosis. 
 
 In the Annual Register for the year 1765, 
 we read of an experiment which was made, by 
 which the velocity of flight in these birds was 
 pretty well ascertained. A gentleman, for a 
 trifling wager, sent a carrier-pigeon from Lon- 
 don by the coach to a friend at St. Edmonds- 
 bury, and along with it a note, desiring that the 
 pigeon, two days after its arrival there, might 
 be thrown up precisely when the town clock 
 struck nine in the morning, this was according- 
 ly done ; and the pigeon arrived in London, and 
 flew into the Bull-Inn, in Bishopsgate-street, at 
 
156 
 
 half an hour past eleven o'clock of the same 
 morning ; having flown seventy-two miles in the 
 space of two hours and a half. 
 
 Some years ago this animal was made use of 
 for a very extraordinary purpose. During the 
 drawing of the lottery, a gang of sharpers, dis- 
 tributed in various places, devised a scheme 
 for making this bird the instrument of their 
 plunder. One of these was to bring with him 
 a carrier pigeon, and wait in the Guildhall till 
 a large prize was drawn, and with all possible 
 despatch to place the fortunate number under 
 the wing of the pigeon, and let him loose. This 
 intelligence was faithfully conveyed to his asso- 
 ciate, in a much more speedy manner than by 
 the usual mode, and he was directed to insure 
 the number to whatever amount he thought pro- 
 per. It is probable, that from this circumstance 
 might arise the application of the common cant 
 term pigeon, to any one who had been over- 
 reached and cheated. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 A Page 
 
 Aerial plant, account of l 
 
 Acuminatus, or Shooting-fish 2 
 
 Aquatic Glow-worm ."> 
 
 Amianthus, or incombustible 
 mineral 10 
 
 Ant-lion, wonderful properties 
 Of 15 
 
 Ants in South America, re- 
 markable story of 30 
 
 Anecdotes of the Dolphin 40 
 
 Anecdote concerning the Sole 69 
 
 Anecdote on the etymology of 
 the Passion-flower 87 
 
 Admiral, shell so called, ac- 
 countof 90 
 
 Anagallis, Pimpernel, or poor 
 man's barometer 91 
 
 Autumnal-crocus, Dr. Paley's 
 remarks on 97 
 
 Anecdotes of the Pike 112 
 
 Abrus, Wild liquorice, an ele- 
 gant plant, described 122 
 
 Aconitum, Wolfs bane, or 
 Monk's hood, remarks on .. 127 
 
 Adonis, Red Morocco, descrip- 
 tion of. 129 
 
 Agave, American aloe, ditto .. ib. 
 
 Acanthus, the capital of the 
 Corinthian pillar derived 
 from that herb 135 
 
 Atmosphere, singular decep- 
 tions caused by 138 
 
 Arabian Horses, account of ... 148 
 
 B 
 
 Beautiful variegated marble .. 7 
 Bees, remarkable instance of 
 
 retaliation in 29 
 
 Birds, singular instance of the 
 
 effects of cold on 67 
 
 Bee-flower elegantly variegated 89 
 
 Battle of Whales 101 
 
 Battle between a Pike and a 
 
 Frog 117 
 
 Barometer- fish, (Cobites fos- 
 
 silis) 120 
 
 Beaver, interesting account of Hi 
 
 C Page 
 
 Centaurea crupina, or self- 
 moving seed 36 
 
 Curious properties of the Wa- 
 ter-lily ib. 
 
 Chick-weed, singular property 
 in 54 
 
 Curious property of the plant 
 White Dittany 55 
 
 Chinese-rattan a substitute for 
 flint and steel 58 
 
 Cypress-wood, supposed to be 
 imperishable ib. 
 
 Curious particxilars concern- 
 ing the Tench 63 
 
 Cold, singular instance of the 
 effect of, on birds 67 
 
 Cress, curious species of. 68 
 
 Cypredium, or Spider-flower.. 91 
 
 Cactus Grandiflora, night- 
 blowing Cereus 96 
 
 Cholcicum Autumnale, Au- 
 tumnal-crocus 97 
 
 Cod-fish, wonderful fecundity 
 of 109 
 
 Cavallo Marino, or Sea-horse ill 
 
 Changeable flower, a remark- 
 able production ib. 
 
 Cheilinus, or Friendly-fish .... 119 
 
 Cobites fossilis, the Barome- 
 ter-fish 120 
 
 Curious particulars relative to 
 the Palm-tree 122 
 
 Camel's stomach, wonderful 
 capaciousness of 123 
 
 Curious phenomena in plants 134 
 
 Corinthian capital, origin of 
 the vase of 135 
 
 Camels, account of.. , 152 
 
 Carrier-pigeon, account of .... 153 
 
 Dolphin, singular properties of 40 
 Dittany, white, inflammable 
 
 properties of. .. 55 
 
 Durability of Cypress-wood. ... 58 
 Diodon, or Sun-fish, account 
 
 of , 62 
 
158 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Page 
 Dionaea muscipulae, orVenus's 
 fly-trap 83 
 
 t P*ge 
 
 Incombustible mineral, (Ami- 
 anthus) , account of 10 
 
 Diodon hystrix, or Sea-porcu- 
 
 E 
 
 Educated fish, account of 33 
 Experiment with a Tulip 37 
 Experiment for the micro- 
 scope 57 
 
 Instance of sagacity in Ants .. SO 
 Interesting experiment with a 
 Tulip 37 
 
 Insect that subsists on the nec- 
 tar of plants 54 
 
 Inflammable plant, account of 55 
 Interesting experiment for the 
 microscope 57 
 
 Epitaph, a curious musical.... 60 
 
 Extraordinary large oak-trees, 
 description of 65, 124 
 
 Imperishable nature of Cy- 
 press-wood 5 
 
 Effect of cold on birds, singu- 
 lar instance of. 67 
 
 Interesting particulars of a Tu- 
 lip-tree 157 
 
 Etymology of the Passion- 
 flower.... 87 
 
 L 
 
 Locusts and Wild-honey, ex- 
 planation of 8- 
 
 F 
 
 Fishes, on the education of.... 33 
 Feather, mechanical wonders 
 of 50 
 
 Land-tortoise, account of one 
 in a state of captivity 23 
 Lily, water, remarkable pro- 
 perties of . 36 
 
 Flint and steel, the Chinese- 
 rattan used as a substitute 
 for 58 
 
 Luminous Potatoes 37 
 Luminous-worm, (Phloas), ac- 
 
 Flying Scorpion, account of.. 80 
 
 Fossil-tree, remarkable 104 
 Fecundity of the Cod-fish 109 
 Frog and Pike, battle between. 117 
 Flying-fish, description of .... 119 
 lYiendly-fish, ditto . . ib. 
 
 Lines addressed to the Poppy.. 95 
 Lusus Naturae, or sport of na- 
 ture 105 
 
 Longevity of the Pike, and its 
 rapacity, account of. 61, 11$. 
 
 M 
 
 Marble, beautifully variegated, 
 account of . . 7 
 
 Fighting Monkies, surprising 
 account of 125 
 
 G 
 
 Glow-worm, aquatic, account 
 of ..^ 5 
 
 Mineral, incombustible, ditto . 10 
 Mocking-bird, interesting ac- 
 
 Golenos-oak, account of 65 
 
 Gilt-head, very curious fish so 
 called 120 
 
 Marmot, ditto 22 
 
 Music, Seals not insensible to 
 the power of 35 
 
 
 H 
 
 Helm-wind, or rolling cloud, 
 account of 5 
 
 Moving vegetable, interesting 
 account of 49 
 
 Mechanical wonders of a Fea- 
 ther 50 
 
 Humming-bird, interesting 
 particulars of .18 
 
 Microscope, interesting expe- 
 riment for .. 57 
 
 Hermit-crab, or soldier, ac- 
 
 Musical epitaph, a curious 60 
 Mutable-rose, (Hibiscus muta- 
 bilis), account of 86 
 
 Hedysarum gyrans, or self- 
 moving vegetable 49 
 
 Man-flower, (Militaris), ditto. 90 
 Mechanical properties of the 
 Pea . 9* 
 
 Hibiscus, or M utable - rose, 
 description of .. .. 86 
 
 Humming-bee, resemblance of 
 the Bee-flowrr to the 89 
 Haddock, St. Peter's fish 108 
 Horses, Arabian, value of. 150 
 
 Marino Cavallo, Sea-horse, ac- 
 count of lit 
 Monkies, fighting, account 
 of 123 
 
INDEX. 
 
 159 
 
 Page 
 Monk's hood, or Wolfs bane . 127 
 Morocco, red, a flower so call- 
 ed, etymology of 129 
 
 Page 
 Poppy, singular properties of.. 94 
 Poppy, lines addressed to g^ 
 Plant, singular one 99 
 
 N 
 Nautilus, or sailing fish, ac- 
 count of .... 3 
 
 Porcupine-fish, description of 101 
 Peter's (St.) Fish, account of.. 108 
 Pike, anecdotes of -the longe- 
 vity and rapacity of 112 
 
 Nepenthis distillatoria, or Pit- 
 cher-plant 32 
 
 Pike, remarkably large 114 
 Pike and Frog, battle between 1 \l 
 Palm-tree, curious particulars 
 of 122 
 
 Nature, singularity of, for a 
 
 Nectar of plants, remarkable 
 insect that subsists on 54 
 Night-blowing Cereus, beauti- 
 ful flower so called 96 
 
 Plants, curious phenomena in 134 
 Pigeon, carrier, account of .... 153 
 
 R 
 
 Rolling-cloud, or helm-wind, 
 described . > 
 
 Numb-fish, (Torpedo),account 
 
 O 
 
 Optic power? of Vultures 13 
 Oats, travelling, account of.... 48 
 Oak-trees, remarkably large 65. l4 
 Orchis, or Bee-flower, descrip- 
 tionof. 89 
 
 Remarkable instance of the 
 optic power of Vultures 13 
 Remarkable instance of reta- 
 liation in Bees .. 29 
 
 Remarkable instance of saga- 
 city in Ants 30 
 
 Remarkable properties of the 
 
 Oaks planted by squirrels, 
 pleasing account of 126 
 Origin of the vase of the Co- 
 rinthian capital 136 
 
 Remarkable moving vegetable 49 
 Remarkable insect that sub- 
 sists on the nectar of plants 54 
 Rattan, Chinese, wonderful 
 property of 58 
 
 P 
 
 p a p er Nautilus, or sailing-fish 3 
 Pinna, a remarkable shell-fish 27 
 Particular instance of sagacity 
 
 Rapacity and longevity of the 
 Pike, account of 61, 11 
 
 Red Surmullet, particulars of 65 
 Remarkably large Oak-trees 65, 124 
 Rose, changeable, account of 86 
 Remarkable shell called the 
 Admiral . 90 
 
 Papaw-tree, singular proper- 
 ties of 31 
 
 Pitcher-plant, an extraordi- 
 nary vegetable production .. 33 
 Potatoes, luminous, account 
 O f 37 
 
 Red-morocco plant, (Adonis), 
 account of.. . . 129 
 
 Retaliation, singular % 131 
 
 Robin, a remarkably tame, ac- 
 count of ... 132 
 
 Poetical description of the 
 death of the Dolphin 45 
 
 Remarkably large Yew- tree..., 133 
 
 S 
 
 Shooting-fish, (Acuminatus), 
 account of 2 
 
 Plants, the sleep of, Chick- 
 
 Peculiarity of the tongue of 
 the Woodpecker 56 
 
 Pike, longevity and rapacity of 61 
 Phloas, a luminous Worm, ac- 
 
 Sailing-fish, (Paper Nautilus), 
 
 Pilot-fish, account of 76 
 Passion-flower, why so called, 
 
 Soldier, or Hermit-crab, ac- 
 count of 25 
 
 Sagacity of Ants, remarkable 
 instance o-f * 30 
 
 Pebble, curious Egyptian 105 
 Pimpernel, or poor man's ba- 
 
 Singular properties of the Pa- 
 paw-trje 31 
 
 Pea, mechanical properties of 92 
 Pea, a poetical description of.. 93 
 
 Salt-mine at Cracow, town in, 
 
 
160 
 
 liNDEX. 
 
 Page 
 Seals not insensible to the 
 
 power of music 35 
 
 Self-moving seed, account of 36 
 Singularity of nature for a sin- 
 
 gularpurpose 39 
 
 Singiilar properties of the Dol- 
 phin 40 
 
 Sutoria, or Tailor-bird, account 
 
 of 47 
 
 Singular property in Chick- 
 weed 54 
 
 Sphinx convolvulus, or Uni- 
 corn-moth 55 
 
 Sole, curious anecdote of 59 
 
 Sea-wolf, description of 60 
 
 San-fish, ditto 62 
 
 Surmullet, red, ditto 65 
 
 Singular instance of the effect 
 
 of cold on birds 67 
 
 Self-moving Water-cress, ac- 
 count of. 68 
 
 Star-gazer, a fish so called,ditto 77 
 Sucking-fish, (Remora), ditto 79 
 
 Scorpion, flying, ditto 80 
 
 Shell called* the Admiral, ditto 90 
 Spider - flower, (Cypredium), 
 
 account of 91 
 
 Singular property of thePoppy, 
 
 accoxmtof 94 
 
 Singular plant, ditto 99 
 
 Shark, voracity of, ditto 106 
 
 St. Peter's fish, Haddock, ditto 108 
 Sea-horse, (Cavallo marine), 
 
 account of ill 
 
 Spams, or Gilt-head, a fish so 
 
 called, account of 1 20 
 
 Squirrels, Oaks planted by, 
 
 pleasing account of. 126 
 
 Singular retaliation 131 
 
 Sorrowful-tree, (Abore triste), 
 
 account of 132 
 
 Singular dexterity of a Goat .. 136 
 Singular deceptions caused by 
 
 the atmosphere 138 
 
 Simoom, or hot-wind of the 
 desert 139 
 
 Tortoise, land, account of. 23 
 
 Town in a Salt-mine, at Cra- 
 
 crow, in Poland 34 
 
 Tulip, interesting experiment 
 
 with the bulb of. 37 
 
 Tailor-bird, (Sutoria), account 
 
 of. , 47 
 
 Travelling oats, account of.... 48 
 
 Page 
 Tongue of the Woodpecker, 
 
 singularity of S6 
 
 Tench, curious particulars of.. 63 
 Trees,oak, remarkably large 63, 124 
 Trumpet-fish, account of ...... 82 
 
 Torpedo, or Numb-fish, ditto.. 102 
 Trees, three distinct, from one 
 
 trunk 131 
 
 Tree, sorrowful, description of 132 
 Tulip-tree, interesting particu- 
 lars of. 133 
 
 Variegated marble, particular 
 properties of. 7 
 
 Vultures, wonderful optic 
 powerof 13 
 
 Vegetable, remarkable self- 
 moving 49 
 
 Unicorn-moth, account of .... 55 
 
 Venus's fly-trap, (Dionaeamus- 
 cipulffi), account of 83 
 
 Vase of the Corinthian capital, 
 origin of 135 
 
 Value of Arabian Horses 150 
 
 W 
 
 Wild-honey and Locusts, ac- 
 count of 8 
 
 Wonderful optic power of Vul- 
 tures 13 
 
 Water-lily, remarkable pro- 
 perties of 36 
 
 Wonders, mechanical, of a 
 feather 50 
 
 White-dittany, curious pro- 
 perty in the plant so called.. 55 
 
 Woodpecker's tongue, singu- 
 larity of. 56 
 
 Wonderful property of the 
 Chinese-rattan 58 
 
 Wood, Cypress, imperishable 
 nature of. ib. 
 
 Water-cress, self-moving, ac- 
 count of 63 
 
 Worm, luminous, description 
 of 69 
 
 Whales, desperate battle of .. 101 
 
 Wild-liquorice, (Abrus), ac- 
 count of 122 
 
 Wonderful capaciousness of 
 the Camel's stomach 123 
 
 Wolf's bane, or Monk's hood, 
 account of 127 
 
 Y 
 
 Yew-tree, remarkably large.... 133 
 
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