The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-05-19

se''VS' CuiJ SiAih VI AuoNu beTpenB
are poisonous.
Amphibia are divided into two orders,
Reptile and ISeypents; and there are four
genera of reptiles, testudo, draco, lacerta,
and rama; and nine Of serpents, crotalus,
boa, coluber, angeris, amphishena, cecelia,
achrocOrdus, hydrus, and langaya.
Some amphibia have braneh@ like fishes,
and lungs like land animals. The larvae
OF frogs and some other species are thus
formed
Humboldt makes the species of insects
1900, of fishes $500, reptiles 700, birds
1000 and Of mamiferous animals 5000.
Adamson's great work on Natural His
tory contained an arrangement Of 10000
species, with vocabulary of 100000
words, and 10000 figures drawn from the
three kingdoms of nature.
Swammerdam, Dutch philosopher,
printed his great work on insects in 1868
lie divided insects into four classes, as
spiders, &c. which include the modern
classes erustacea, myriapoda, arachnolda,
and acari. His second class consisted Of
those who appear perfect on leaving the
egg, and have no wings till they shed their
skin, and it includes the orthoptera, der
maptera, dicteroptera, hemiptera, and some
Of the neuroptera. In his third class he
includes those hatched, as caterpillars,
which change into a chrysalis, and remain
SO till perfect; it includes the coleoptera
and aptera. His fourth class includes
those who, on attending their pupa state,
retain their skin, as the hymenoptera and
diptera.
Rays work on Insects was published in
l712. He adopted two divisions, those
which undergo no change, and those which
pass through the state Of larva.
Valasnieri, in 1880, distributed insects
into four groupes. /. Those who live on
plants. 2. Those who live in water. 3.
Those who live among stones. And 4.
Those who subsist on animal remains.
In 1880, Mr.. Drury formed a museum
of ii 900 species Of insects, giving six
pence tor all that might be brought him
1t was afterwards sold for G6O0.
Donoyan's valuable work on British In
sects extends to eighteen volumes.
Professor Martin published an account
of 500 species of coleopterus insects found
in England NJ. Francilec collected 1000
species of the genus scarabacus. Mr..
Jones, in 1894, announced a history Of
the genus papilio, in which he professed
to describe l400 species, 1000 Of which
he alleged he had seen.
The tusk or tooth of the male elephant,
harder than horn and less brittle than bone,
weighs from 120 to 200 lbs, and is brought
from Ccylon and Africa. 100 parts con-
tain "a gelatine, Ga carbonate OF lime.
Young elephants and females have no
tusks, but are often killed in wantonness.
The teeth imported have generally been
found in the woods. Elephants are from
nine to twelve feet high. They swim with
ease, and live on vegetables. They respire
and cut aud drink through trunk, which is
so sensitive as to pick up pea or pin. The
young are three feet high, and the female
seldom has twins. They grow for 80 or
40 years, and live 200 or 300, some say
400 years.
Under the genus Felis, Linn@us classes
the lion, tiger, panther, leopard, ounce,
ocelot, cat, seryal, lynx, aud caracal.
There are 2500 known species of fishes.
There are 50 genera ofacarides or mites.
The rhinoceros is twelve feet long, with
horn three feet, and skin SO hard as to
turn sabre. They are solitary, aud per-
fectly harmless, living entirely on vegeta-
bles. They are believed to be the unicorn
of the Jews. One species has smaller
horn.
Pliny and others relate that Attilius, a
Roman general, killed serpent 12O feet
long, near Utica.
Bears are of three species, totally dis
tinct in their characters and habits. The
black bear is doeile, harmless creature,
living on roots and fruits, and mischievoas
only to bees, being very fond of honey.
The brown bear on the contrary, is car
nivorous and ferocious to other animals,
but never attacks man unless first attack
ed. The white bear is often 9 feet long,
ferocious in defence of its young against
the more ferocious attacks Of sailors, but
prey chiefly on fish, and occasionally on
seals. He is torpid in the snow during
winter. Each species is very sensitive and
sagacious, and the unfortunate captive, the
black bear, is made to perform feats for
the diversion of ciUiliSed children. The
young follow the dam for year, and there
are numerous anecdotes Of their interest
ing attachment, when assailed by the
greatest savages, and most remorseless Of
all savage animals--man.
There are four classes of apes or simia,
called apes, baboons, monkeys and japa-
jocks, in 63 species. The ourang-outang
walks erect, and is often six feet high aud
very powerful, capable of initiating all the
habits of man. This Barbary ape is known
for his agility as an object of exhibition.
The great baboon and dog-faced baboon
are nearly 4 feet, and the preacher mon
key, from tree harangues, or howls, at
monkey auditors They all live on fruits
aud vegetables, aud are harmless unless
attacked.
. IL is a popularity of wolves, that they
avoid passing under any thing, therefore
shun woods, and seldom pass through
hedges.
When wolves cross river, they follow
one another directly in line, the second
holding the tail Of the first in its mouth;
the third that of the second, and SO Of the
rest. This figure was chosen by the Greeks
to denote the year, composed of twelve
months following one another, which they
denominated Lycabas, that is the march
of the wolves.-Abbe Raele.
The full grown kangaroo weighs $50
pounds, and from the nose to the rump is
4 or 8 feet long, with a tail 3 feet. II
uses its short fore feet as hands, like squir-
rels, and leaps on its hind legs IA or 16
feet at bound, faster than dog can run.
The female has pouch for its young, and