The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1861-03-27
Chinese Animal Life.

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Chinese horses are not numerous, and
are of a poor stunted breed, being
very i'll fed and kept. The Chinese
are indebted to the Tartars for their
supply Of these animals when wanted
for warlike purposes. Asses and mules
are common The latter are generally
of good size and said to bear high
er price than horses, as being capable
of more labor with less food. OfPa-
chydermatuS animals, the domestic pig
of China is well known in England, and
has been freely introduced into our
farmyards. The larger and more fe-
rocions descriptions of the ccrnive Gus
quadrupeds are not common in a coun-
try SO well peopled and cultivated
Bears are said to be found in the
wooded parks of Pekin. There is a
fierce description of wildcat, which is
caught and fattened in cages for the
table. The domestic dog of China is
uniformly one variety, about the size
of a moderate spaniel. of a pale yellow
AMI occasionally a black color, an
coarse bristly hair on the back sharp
ears, and peaked head, not unlike q
fox's, with tailcurled over the rump.
The sheep are the large tailed kind;
as the people never use milk, cows are
rare and of a peculiarly snail kind -
Goats are everywhere The buffalo
used in blowing il also very small.
with skin of slate color, and very
thinly covered with hair Dromedar-
les are used as beasts of hnrden. OF
rodent animals the common rat attains
to an unusual see, and is eaten by the
lowest order of the natives. Hares
and rabbits are scarce. The ornith
ology of China is distinguished by
some splendid varieties of gallinaceous
birds, as the gold and silver pheasants.
Par.ridges does appear to be plentiful.
Domestic fowls abound and sparrows,
thrushes. larks, tits, fnches, swal-
lows, &c, are common. It is well
stocked with wild fowl of all kinds
From the nature of this part of tho
country there are immense 6ocks of
wild geese, ducks &c, constantly on
the wing Quails are numerous,
and are trained to fight. Rinadoyes
are common; and there is peculiar
crow of the country, marked with
white around the neck. Both large
and small birds of prey are to be seen
everywhere. In consequence of the
large population and traffic, venomous
serpents, | believe, are scarcely met
with. The lizard tribes abound. also
scorpions, eentipedes and monstrous
spiders, which are said to kill small
birds. The common fly is an awful
pest. They beggar description, they
darken room OF tent, and when you
are eating they dispute every morsel
with you and fly iato your mouth, get
ting down your throat if they can
The eyes, ears and nose are continually
attacked by them. As to mosquitoes,
| had enough of these gentry at Hong
Kong: if they dwelt here along with
the flies, the country wcull be abSolut.
ely unbearable Butterflies are of a
gigantic size and very brilliant colorS.
Almost every fish common to England
is to be found here Bot the golden
carp and sturgeon are of the most dis
tinguished kinds Fhe best edible
Sea-fish is rock-eod Soles are very
fine and plentiful At the head of
Chinese botany may be placed the
tea plant 1t is extensively cultivated
a few miles to the west of Pekin, but
the great tea districts lie further
south Letter from a Medical Off
Ger.