Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-06-19
Bits of Natural History.
A photographic Lot OF Interesting Facts
About Animal Life.

About Animal Life.
In old age the height of man dminishes
Blue-eyed cats are said by Darwin to be
always deaf.
The tail of beaver is a regular trowel,
and Is used as such.
The hog eats fewer plants than any other
herb-eating animal.
Carniverous animals seldom produce
more than two young at birth.
The flesh of the boa constructor is eaten
by the aborigines of Brazil.
In many tropical countries the scorpion
grows to the length of foot.
The eggs of the crocodile are scarcely
larger than those of the goose.
The strongest muscle in monkeys body
is found in his prehensile tail.
The skin is the only part of the human
body that is not hardened by age.
Moles can swim with great dexterity
their broad forepaws acting as paddles.
The swordfsh does not use its terrible
weapon as a dagger, but as a fail.
Students of nature have never been able
to explain the chameleon's change of color.
The whole body of boa or other con-
strictor is a perfect network of powerful
muscles.
The natural life of an elephant is said to
be 120 years. 1t is greatly shortened by
captivity.
Elephants annoyed by flies have often
been known to break off branch and use
it as a fan.
Oxen and sheep are believed by some
stockmen to fatten better in company than
when kept alone.
The mole is an excellent civil engineer.
He always secures his own safety by hay
ing several entrances TO his dwelling.
The lowest order of animal life is found
in the microscopic jellyfish. 1t is simply
minute drop of gelatinous matter.
Snakes have the singular property of
being able to elevate the head and remain
without the slightest movement for many
minutes at time.
The muscles of pigs snout are exceed
ingly powerful for their size, and thus en-
able the animal to turn up very hard
ground with the utmost ease.
A bat finds its way about without the
assistance of its eyes. A blinded bat will
avoid wires and distractions as deXterously
as though it could see perfectly.
When falling, as out of tree or down a
steep declivity, bears will roll themselves
into close resemblance to a huge furry
ball, and thus escape without injury.
The mole is not blind, as many persons
suppose. Its eye is hardly larger than a
pinhead and is carefully protected from
dust and dirt by means of enclosing hairs.
No parental care ever falls to the lot of a
single member of the insect tribe. In gem
eral the eggs of an insect are destined to
be Matched long after the parents are dead.
The elephant is commonly supposed to be
slow, clumsy animal, but, when excited
or frightened, can attain a speed of 20
miles an hour and can keep it up for half
day.
The blessing of Palestine is a small fall
con, or hawk, which destroys the field
mice. Were the hawks exterminated the
human population would be obliged to
abandon the country.
The common housefly is often literally
devoured by parasites, and it has been
proved that these parasites are also infest-
ed with minute creatures that threaten
their destruction.
In the mountains of Sweden, Norway
and Lapland all vegetation would be de-
stroyed by the Norway rats were it not for
the white foxes that make special game of
the rodents.
The horn of the rhinoceros does not
grow from the bone, but is a mere excres-
cence of the skin, like the hair and nails.
1t can be separated from the skin by the
use of sharp knife.
The habit of turning around three or
four times before lying down has survived
in the domestic dog from his savage ances-
try. 1t then served to break down the
grass and make bed.
Were it not for the multitude of storks
that throng to Egypt every winter, there
would be no living in the country, for after
every inundation frogs appear in incredible
numbers.
The blood flows almost as freely through
the bones as through the flesh of very
young children, but as age comes on the
blood vessels in the bones are almost filled
with matter.
The toad captures insects by darting out
its tongue so rapidly that the eye cannot
follow. The tip is covered with a glutinous
secretion, to which fly or other insect ad-
heres.
The hedgehog, badger, squirrel and some
kinds of mice lay up regular store of pro-
visions for the winter. 1t is said that they
eat only during mild weather and in ex-
IRENE cold remain torpid.
Animals that live in cold countries have
warm mating of wool or fine fur under
meath their hairy coats so that they are al
most perfectly protected from the cold.
This wool usually falls OFF in summer.
The beaver has more skill than gov
eminent engineer. The dams constructed
by beavers are never washed away, while
every freshet witnesses the destruction of
portion at least of the governments
works on the river.
The alligator never leaves fresh water,
while the crocodile frequently travels long
distances by sea. 1t has been seen 1000
miles from land and it is possible that
these sea-going crocodiles have given rise
to sea serpent stories.
The serpent moves by elevating the
scales on its abdomen and using them to
push the body forward. The windings are
always horizontal. The artists who repre-
sent the sinuosities as vertical have never
observed the animal in motion. 1t is i'm
possible for it to move in that way.
The silkworm originated in the southern
part of the Chinese Empire, where written
documents are said to exist proving that
these insects were raised there POO wears