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alfo almoft animal belly bill birds body breaft breed brown claws climates clofe colour covered deftroy devour diftinct diftinguished domeftic eafily eggs eyes faid fame fcales fcarce feathers fecond feed feek feems feen feet feize feldom female feparated ferpents ferves feven feveral fharp fhell fhort fide firft fish fize fkin fleep fmall fmaller foft fome fometimes fomewhat foon foreft four fpecies fpots fpring frogs ftate ftomach ftrength ftrong fubftance fuch fummer fupply furface furniſhed hair head hole horfe horns inches long increaſe infects inhabits itſelf kind Lapland largeſt lefs legs live male moft moſt mouth native neck neft nofe oviparous pectoral fins pleaſure prey purfue quadrupeds refembles reft rife round ſeems ſkin ſmall tail teeth thefe themſelves theſe thick thofe thoſe toes trees ufually uſed whofe wild wings yellow young
Popular passages
Page 78 - In this manner they lived with him for above six months; but at a time when he expected to see a new colony formed, he unfortunately forgot to tie up their cage to the ceiling at night, to preserve them from the rats, and he found they were devoured in the morning.
Page 65 - ... the seller was to forfeit to the buyer the third part of its value. If any one stole or killed the cat that guarded the prince's granary, he was to forfeit a milch ewe, its fleece and lamb ; or as much wheat as, when poured on the cat suspended by its tail (the head touching the floor) would form a heap high enough to cover the tip of the former.
Page 65 - ... its muscles very strong, as being formed for rapine; the tail is of a moderate length, but very thick and flat, marked with alternate bars of black and white, the end always black ; the hips, and hind part of the lower joints of the leg are always black; the fur is very soft and fine: the general colour of these animals, in England, is a yellowish white, mixed with a deep gray.
Page 56 - The cubs are brought forth, like those of the bitch, with the eyes closed ; the dam suckles them for some weeks, and teaches them betimes to eat flesh, which she prepares for them by chewing it first herself. Some time after she brings them stronger food, hares, partridges, and birds yet alive. The young wolves begin by playing with them, and end by killing them. The dam then strips them of their feathers, tears them in pieces, and gives to each of them a share. They do not leave the den where they...
Page 286 - ... the trees. Having lived near a month in this manner, they arrived at their full growth, and threw off their wormlike state, by casting their skins.
Page 140 - In running, this animal confines himfelf entirely to his hinder legs, which are poffeffed with an extraordinary mufcular power. Their fpeed is very great, though not in general quite equal to that of a greyhound; but when the greyhounds are fo fortunate as to feize them, they are incapable of retaining their hold, from the amazing ftruggles of the animal. The bound of the kangaroo, when not hard prefled, has been meafured, and found to exceed twenty feet.
Page 190 - ... six months without food ; yet during the whole time they did not abate of their vivacity. They feed only a small part of the year, but never during their confinement ; for if mice, their favourite diet, should at that time be thrown into their box, though they will kill, yet they will never eat them.
Page 184 - Having darted upon the affrighted animal, it instantly began to wrap it round with its voluminous twistings ; and at every twist the bones of the buffalo were heard to crack almost as loud as the report of a cannon. It was in vain that the poor animal...
Page 42 - ... nostrils are placed, and are almost covered with feathers ; which has occasioned some writers to say that the toucan has no nostrils. Round the eyes, on each side of the head, is a space of bluish skin, void of feathers, above which the head is black, except a white spot on each side joining to the base of the upper chap. The hinder part of the neck, the back, wings, tail, belly, and thighs, are black. The under side of the head, throat, and the beginning of the breast, are white. Between the...
Page 138 - The neck, thick and pursy, is joined to the head, which consists of two great chaps, that open far behind the eyes, which are large, black and prominent; so that the animal, when it gapes, seems to be all mouth. The bill, therefore, is of an extraordinary length, not flat and broad, but thick, and of a bluish white, sharp at the end, and each chap crooked in opposite directions.