The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-07-23
THE PR r 8 g.
Book of Natural History.


Rev. ]. G.. Wood, M. A., F. S. S., and embel-
ished with about 500 engravings on WOOD py
Dalziel Brothers from new designs by Coie-
man, Harvey, Wolf, Weir and others. ms
book presents the out lines of Zoologlc knowl-
edge, not in the barbarous and repellant vo-
cabulary of conventional technicaities, but in
a plain and understandable manner. Greek
and Latin appellatives are discarded and Eng
lsh names substituted whenever practicable
In this edition the body of the work has
been studiously preserved in a simple and
readable form, and the more strictly scientific
portions have been removed to the ''compen-
dunn of Generic Distinctions" at the end of
the volume.
Even in that compendium, simplicity of
diction has been maintained. For example:
the word ''five-toed" has been substituted for
"pentedactytous; "pointcd" for "acuminate';
"ringed" for "annulate" together with innu-
merable similar instances. This book will
open up the fascinating studysof animal lite to
thousands, who have been hitherto prevent
ed by the inordinate use of pseudo-classical
phIaseology, and its great merits need only to
be generally understood to insure an i'm
mense sale. The following anecdotes about
cats will be found very entertaining:
AS general rule, cat that is we'll treated is
as kindly an animal as dog under similar Cir
cumstances, and toward young children still
more so. There is, perhaps no animal which
is so full of trust as cat which is kindly treat
ed, and none which, when subjected to harsh
ness, is so nervously suspicious. Its very trust
fulness Of nature seems, when rebuffed, to re-
act so forcibly upon its sensitive disposition as
to cause an entire change of character, and
fills it with shy, timid suspicion. have had
many cSts, and never yet found one which
would not permit almost any liberty to be ia
ken with il. Indeed there are but few dogs
which would suffer, without resentment, such
unceremOniOus treatment as my cats were call
ed upon to meet daily.
One of these cats, a huge, dignified, portly
animal, would let me pick him up and carry
HIM about IN the most disrespecttul manner.
Any part of his body or limbs served as ham
die, and be might be lifted by one or more
legs, by handful of his loose skin, by his tall
by his head, or by any portion of his person
that happened to be most convenient, and
would endure this ungracious manipulation
with unruffled composure.
Or he might be pitched into the air from one
person to another, and used IN the light of
quadrupedal, without even uttering sound of
displeasure. Or he might be employed as
case would placidly go to sleep. This kind OF
behavior was the more extraordinary because
his natural disposition was of peculiarly dig
nified character, and no human being could
feel slight more keenly than "Purruts.
Those whom he favored with his confidence.
and they were but few, might toss him about,
make him jump over their hands, or lean on
their shoulders and walk along their extended
arms, and be would remain calm and compla-
cent But let any one laugh at him, and he
1mmAdlatplV Nv.
very slowly, with his tail very upright and his
whole person staggering from side to side in n
most self-asserting manner.
Only short time ago, died one of the most
accomplished and singular cats that ever
caught a mouse or sat on a hearth-rug Her
name was "Pret.," being an abbreviation of
"Prettina, title which was given her on ac-
count OF the singular grace of her form and
thu beauty Of her fur, which was sold as that
of chinchila. Her color was a yerv lioht
gray tabhy, and she was remarkable for an al
most humanity expressive countenance, and an
exceedingly long nose and tail. Her accom-
pllshments were all self-taught, for she had
never learned the usual routine of feline ac-
quirements.
Pret. was brought, when quite kitten, from
the continent, being one of rather peculiar
breed of cats, remarkable for the length of
their tails and the soitness of their fur, She
accompanied her mistress in rather alengthen-
ed journey, and finally settled down in Eng
land, not very far from the metropolis. Her
mistress kindly sent me the following account
OF Pret's conduct during a severe illness:
Ihree years ago had lovely kitten pre-
sented TO me. Her fur was of beautiful blue
grey Color marked with glossy black stripes,
according to the most approved zebra or tiger
fashlon She was SO very pretty that she was
name Fret, and was, without exception the
wisest, most loving and dainty pussy that ever
crossed my path.
When Pref was very young, fell i'll with a
nervous fever; she missed me Immediately
IN my accustomed place, sought for me. and
placed herself at my door until she found n
chance OF getting into the room, which she
soon accomplished, and began at once to trv
ner mule pest TO amuSe me with her little
risky kitten tricks and pussy-cat attentions.
but soon hndng that / was too i'll to NAV
with her, she placed herself beside me- and at
once established herself as head nurse. In
this capacity Jew human beings could have ex-
ceeded her in watchfulness, or manifested more
aHectionate regard. 1t was truly wonderful to
note how soon she learned to know the differ
ent hours at which l ought to take medicine
OF no9rlshment; and during the night, if NV
attendant were asleep, she would call her. and
1t she could not awake her without such ex-
IRENE measures, she would gently nibble the
nose OF the sleeper, which means never failed
to produce the desired effect. Having TINS
achieved her purpose, Miss Pref would watch
attentlveiy the preparation of whatever was
needed, and then come and with a gentle
purr -purr announce its advent to me-
The most marvellous part of the matter was.
her never being i've minutes wrong in her cal
culatlons OF the true time, even amid the still
ness and darkness of night But who shall
bled to measure the fleeing moments, and bv
the AID OF what power did she connect the
lapse OF time with the needful attentions of a
rurse and he1 charge? Surely, we have some
th1ng mere more than reason.
me never-failing accuracy of this wise little
sI.o
equally infallible by night or day. There was
no striking clock in the house, SO that she
could not have been assisted by its aid nor
was it habit for her assiduous attentions only
recovery of the invalid. Instinct, popularity
80 called, will not account for this wonderful
capabisy so suddenly coming into being, and
80 suddenly ceas:ng. Surely some spirit /
guiding power must have animated this sym !
pathetic little creature, and directed her in her
labor of love.
NO animals seem to require human sympa-
thy so much as bats, or to be so capable Of Civ
ing sympathy in return.
Pref knew but one fear, and had but few
hates The booming sound of thunder smote
her with terror, and she most cordially hated
grinding organs and singular costumes. At
the sound of thunder clap poor Pret. would
fly to her mistress for succor, trembling in ev-
cry limb. 1t the dreaded sound occurred in
the night or the early morning, Pref would
leap on the bed and creep under the clothes as
far as the very foot. If the thunder storm
came on by day Pref. would Jump on her mis-
tresss knees, put her paws round her neck
and hide her face between them.
She disiked music of all kinds, but bore a
special antpathy to barrel organs: probably
because the costume of the organ grinder was
unpleasing to her eyes, as his doleful sounds to
her ears: But her Indignation reached her
highest bounds at the sight OF a Greenwich |
ppensioner, accoutered in those erotesuue ha-
az ,nsnts ia which the crippled defenders of
emo are forced to invest their battered
10 =: was ,i~ first time that SO uncouth
and Der anger seemed only equaiiei bv has
constituent She got on the window sill and
snere cnafed and grOwled with sound resem
ping the immature roar of . small lion.
When thus excited she used to present a
strange appearance, owing to a crest or rdee
OF mar, which used to erect itself on her back.
anu anu extend from the top of her head to the
root OF her tail, which latter member was
expanded. Gentle as she was in
ner Ordinary demeanor, Pref was q terrible
Sas W Hshs when she saw cause, and seemed
W No uhoaunted by size or numbers She |
was asihuslngly jealous of her own territories.
snu II strange cat dared to come within |
!! 1eute OF her special domain would assault I
me intruder fariously and drive it away.
one haa curious habit Of catching mice bv |
little animals about the house, danpi;no "o poor
ably from her jaws. Apparently her obiecf.;r
so doing was to enable her to present her nrara
uninjured to her mistress who she eyidentiv
would enjoy game with mouse as
well as herself; for, like human beings She |
judged the character of others by her own.
This strange custom Of tail bearing was car
lieu INTO the privacy of her own family, and
caused ras%or ludicrOus results. When Prat
became motnv- and desired IN troncnort