Part 31

At Abbotsbury, in Dorsetshire, there was formerly a noble swannery, the property of the Earl of Ilchester, where six or seven hundred were kept; but from the mansion being almost deserted by the family, this collection has of late years been much diminished.

A female swan, while in the act of sitting, observed a fox swimming towards her from the opposite shore. She instantly darted into the water, and having kept him at bay for a considerable time with her wings, at last succeeded in drowning him; after which, in the sight of several persons, she returned in triumph. This circumstance took place at Pensy, in Buckinghamshire.

THE GOOSE.

Miscellaneous Anecdotes.--"An old goose," says an English writer, "that had been for a fortnight sitting in a farmer's kitchen, was perceived on a sudden to be taken violently ill. She soon after left her nest, and repaired to an outhouse, where there was a young goose, which she brought into the kitchen. The young one immediately scrabbled into the old one's nest, sat, hatched, and afterwards brought up, the young goslings as her own. The old goose, as soon as the young one had taken her place, sat down by the side of the nest, and shortly afterwards died. As the young goose had never been in the habit of entering the kitchen before, it is supposed that she had in some way received information of the wants of the sick goose, which she accordingly administered to in the best way she could."

An English gentleman had some years ago a Canadian goose, which attached itself to a house dog. Whenever he barked, she cackled, ran at the person the dog barked at, and bit his heels. She would not go to roost at night with the other geese, but remained near the kennel, which, however, she never entered, except in rainy weather. When the dog went to the village, the goose always accompanied him, contriving to keep pace with him by the assistance of her wings; and in this way she followed him all over the parish. This extraordinary affection is supposed to have originated in the dog having rescued her from a foe in the very moment of distress.

Captain L., of New Jersey, while lying at anchor with his schooner off Poole's Island, in the Chesapeake Bay, observed a wild goose, which had been wounded, attempt to fly from the top of a hill to the water; but being unable to reach its place of destination, it alighted about midway down the hill, where some cattle were grazing; one of which, seeing the stranger, walked up, as is commonly the case, to smell it. The goose, not fancying this kind of introduction, seized the ox by the nose with so much firmness as to set the creature bellowing; and he actually ran off a considerable distance before he could disengage the goose from its hold.

CLASS III. REPTILIA ... REPTILES.

This is a class of animals between birds and fishes, generally crawling or swimming, of a cold temperature, sluggish habits, slow digestion, and obtuse senses. They include serpents, lizards, tortoises, frogs, toads, salamanders, the proteus and siren. The reptilia are divided into four orders, the division being founded upon the difference in the quantity of their respiration, and the diversity of their organs of motion.

ORDER I.

CHELONIA,

TORTOISE.

These animals are of various sizes, some living on the land, and some on the sea. They are remarkable for longevity. Mr. Murray says, "The size to which this creature occasionally attains is quite monstrous. I remember, some years ago, to have seen one, then semi-torpid, exhibited near Exeter 'Change, London, which weighed several hundred weight. Its shell was proportionably thick, and its other dimensions bore a corresponding ratio. It was stated to be about eight hundred years old."

ORDER II.

SAURIA,

LIZARDS.

The more formidable species of this tribe are inhabitants of the warmer countries of the globe. The larger kinds prey upon animals, the smaller upon insects.

THE CROCODILE.

This animal is found on the banks of the Nile, Niger, and Ganges.

In crossing the Ba-Woolima, Mungo Park's attendant, Isaaco, met with a strange and nearly fatal adventure. In attempting to drive six asses across the river, just as he had reached the middle, a crocodile rose close to him, and instantly seizing him by the left thigh, pulled him under water. With wonderful presence of mind, he felt the head of the animal, and thrust his finger into its eye. This forced it to quit its hold: it soon, however, returned to the charge, and, seizing him by the other thigh, again pulled him under water. Isaaco had recourse to the same expedient, and thrust his fingers a second time into its eyes with such force, that it again quitted him, rose to the surface, floundered about as if stupid, and then swam down the stream. Isaaco, in the mean time, reached the bank of the river, bleeding very much--the wound in his left thigh being four inches long, that on the right somewhat less, but very deep, besides several single teeth-marks on his back. In six days, however, he recovered so as to be able to travel.

At Chantilly, in France, there was, in the year 1828, a crocodile so perfectly tame and well-disposed, that he was caressed with impunity by the keeper, who endeavored, although not always with success, to induce visitors to follow his example. He never attempted to bite any one, but seemed pleased by being fondled.

THE ALLIGATOR.

This creature is similar in habits and appearance to the crocodile. It is found only in America, and is most abundant in the tropical regions. The anecdotes which display its ferocity are numerous; but we choose one which exhibits it in a different character. Mr. Jesse had one which he made so perfectly tame, that it followed him about the house like a dog, scrambling up the stairs after him, and showing much affection and docility. Its great favorite, however, was a cat; and the friendship was mutual. When the cat was reposing herself before the fire, the alligator would lay himself down, place his head upon the cat, and in this attitude go to sleep. If the cat was absent, the alligator was restless; but he always appeared happy when puss was near him. The only instance in which he showed any ferocity was in attacking a fox, which was tied up in the yard. Probably, however, the fox had resented some playful advances which the other had made, and thus called forth the anger of the alligator. In attacking the fox, he did not make use of his mouth, but beat him with so much severity with his tail, that, had not the chain which confined the fox broken, he would probably have killed him. The alligator was fed on raw flesh, and sometimes with milk, for which he showed great fondness. In cold weather, he was shut up in a box, with wool in it; but having been forgotten one frosty night, he was found dead in the morning.

THE SALAMANDER.

Recently, as David Virtue, a mason in Scotland, was dressing a heavy barley millstone from a large block, after cutting away a part, he found a lizard of this species imbedded in the stone. It was about an inch and a quarter long, of a brownish-yellow color, and had a round head, with bright, sparkling, projecting eyes. When first found, it was apparently dead; but after being about five minutes exposed to the air, it showed signs of life. It soon became lively, and ran about with much celerity; and about half an hour after the discovery, was brushed off the stone, and killed. When found, it was coiled up in a round cavity of its own form, being an exact impression of the animal. There were about fourteen feet of earth above the rock, and the block in which the lizard was found was seven or eight feet in the rock; so that the whole depth of the animal from the surface was twenty-one or twenty-two feet. The stone had no fissure, was quite hard, and one of the best which is got from the quarry of Cullaloe; the stone is reckoned one of the hardest in Scotland.

ORDER III.

OPHIDIA,

SERPENTS.

This order of animals is greatly diversified in their size, color, and qualities. Some are but five inches in length, and others reach the enormous extent of thirty feet. Some are inoffensive, and others are in the highest degree venomous. They are in general regarded with horror by mankind, and a universal instinct seems to call upon us to destroy them.