FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141  
142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   >>   >|  
tressed, and would drink a great deal. It is not impossible that the tail may have the power of absorbing water, like the skin of frogs; though it must be owned that the scaly integument which invests that member has not much of the character which generally belongs to absorbing surfaces. Bread, and bread and milk, and sugar, formed the principal part of Binny's food; but he was very fond of succulent fruits and roots. He was a most entertaining creature; and some highly comic scenes occurred between the worthy, but slow, beaver, and a light and airy macauco, that was kept in the same apartment." THE PORCUPINE. Of this animal there are several species. The common porcupine of Europe is about two feet long, and covered with long spines or quills. In defending itself, it lies on one side, and rolls over upon its enemy. The quills of the American porcupine are used by the Indians in ornamenting their dress. _Curious Playmates._--We are told that Sir Ashton Lever had a tame porcupine, a domesticated hunting leopard, and a Newfoundland dog, which he used frequently to turn out together, to play in a green behind his house. No sooner were the dog and leopard let loose, than they began to chase the porcupine, who uniformly, at the outset, tried to escape by flight, but when he found there was no chance of doing so, he would thrust his head into some corner, and make a snorting noise, and erect his spines. His pursuers, if too ardent, pricked their noses, which made them angry; and in the quarrel which usually ensued, the porcupine effected his escape. Le Vaillant says that a wound from a porcupine's quill is difficult to cure, from some poisonous quality it possesses; he mentions that a Hottentot, who was pricked in the leg by one of these, was ill for upwards of six months afterwards; and that a gentleman at the Cape kept his bed for about four months, and nearly lost his limb, in consequence of a wound inflicted by one of these animals. THE HARE. Of this slender, graceful creature, there are several species. The animal which passes by the name of rabbit, in America, and is common in our woods, is a hare. The pursuit of this animal is a favorite sport in England, and some other countries of Europe. _Miscellaneous Anecdotes._--In the "Annals of Sporting," for 1822, we find the following interesting account of a hare: "Two years ago, a doe hare produced two young ones in a field adjoining my cottage; and the
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141  
142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

porcupine

 
animal
 

quills

 

spines

 

creature

 

months

 
pricked
 
leopard
 

Europe

 

escape


common

 

absorbing

 

species

 

difficult

 

Vaillant

 
chance
 

thrust

 
corner
 

uniformly

 

outset


flight

 

snorting

 

quarrel

 
effected
 

ensued

 

poisonous

 

ardent

 

pursuers

 
Hottentot
 

Sporting


Annals

 

Anecdotes

 
Miscellaneous
 

favorite

 

England

 

countries

 
interesting
 
adjoining
 

cottage

 

produced


account
 

pursuit

 

gentleman

 

upwards

 

mentions

 

possesses

 

passes

 
rabbit
 

America

 
graceful