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tribe disappears earliest in the warmest seasons. This seems to be a mysterious circumstance, but may, perhaps, be explained by reference to the bodily constitution of the birds. It is well known that a certain temperature is necessary for hatching the eggs of birds, and that, if this be exceeded, the death of the embryo is the result. The temperature adapted to the incubation of most tropical birds appears to be too great for the eggs of the cuckoo aud swallow. Under the direction, therefore, of a guiding Providence, which has implanted within them a sensibility of the due temperature, they pass into the northern regions at the proper season. When this great object has been accomplished, the body becomes fitted for another service. Birds that remain with us through the year require the warm temperature of autumn to enable them to moult. A degree of feverish action is necessary to this process; and by raising it artificially and prematurely, bird-catchers are known to accelerate the process of moulting. This fever, as in the disorder of the same name in the human body, is accompanied with a morbid sensibility, which renders painful those impressions of the air which before were pleasing. Instigated by these new sensations, they fly towards warmer regions; and, having there accomplished the natural process of renewing the plumage, a change of constitution again leads them to a cooler air. In many instances the marten has been known to remain late, for the purpose of feeding the young which have been slow to leave the nest; and, as the moulting fever does not commonly arise until the breeding constitution has ended, this does not usually produce inconvenience; but when the approach of the moulting constitution is felt before the young are able to fly, parental fondness yields to febrile excitement, and I have known them left to perish in the nest. It is easy, then, to imagine how a warm summer, by inducing the moulting fever early, causes their early departure; while a cold season delays them, by retarding it.

At the season of departure, the number of our resident birds lessens gradually; and even those that go away together soon separate. Neither do they proceed in haste; for those which I have seen migrating seem to be employed in hawking for prey as usual.

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NATURAL HISTORY OF THE MONKEY.-Let a monkey be chained (says the Gallia Gazette) so that you may observe his motions minutely; look him in the face, and he will turn it from you; hold his head still, and he will turn away his eyes; approach him so near as to force yourself upon his vision, he immediately covers his eyes with his hands. Just the same power has prejudice to blind the human mind to evidence; so that, on viewing the conduct of some people, one might be tempted to exclaim

"Men are but monkeys of a larger growth."

BANISHED ELEPHANTS.-The elephant in a wild state appears to be monogamous; and so strictly are matrimonial laws enforced in the herd, that when one of a pair dies or is captured, the other is expelled and banished. An elephant which has thus been driven into solitude becomes moody, irritable, vicious, and exceeding dangerous to be approached; being ready to wreak out his wrath upon every animal which falls in his way.

THE CHAMELEON.-This singular little animal is thus noticed by Mr. Madden, in the account of his "Travels in Turkey," &c. :-" I had a chameleon which lived for three months, another two months, and several which I gave away, after keeping them ten days or a fortnight. Of all the irascible little animals in the world, there are none so choleric as the chameleon; I trained two large ones to fight, and could at any time, by knocking their tails against one another, ensure a combat, during which their change of co

ur was most conspicuous; this is only effected by paoxysms of rage, when the dark gall of the animal is transmitted into the blood, and is visible enough under its pellucid skin. The gall as it enters and leaves the circulation affords the three various shades of green, which are observable in its colours-the story of the chameleon assuming whatever colour is near it, is, like that of its living upon air, a fable. It is extremely voracious: I had one so tame that I could place it on a piece of stick opposite the window, and in the course of ten minutes I have seen it devour half a dozen flies. Its mode of catching them is very singular: the tongue is a thin cartilaginous dart, anchor-shaped; this it thrusts forth with great velocity, and never fails to catch its prey. The mechanism of the eye of the chameleon is extremely curious; it has the power of projecting the eye a considerable distance from the socket, and can make it revolve in all directions. One of them, which I kept for some months, deposited thirteen eggs in a corner of the room; each was about the size of a large coriander seed; the animal never sat on them. I took them away to try the effects of the sun, but from that period she declined daily in vivacity, and soon after died."

WHAT IS A CAT?-At a late examination of the deaf and dumb pupils at Paris, one of the company proposed as a question-" What is a cat?" The answer which the boy delivered who was asked, after some thought, was rather to the amazement of the spectators-" He is a philosopher who acts with design and prudence!"

CATS.-The following extraordinary anecdote of the sensibility of cats to approaching danger from earthquakes, is well authenticated. In the year 1783, two cats, belonging to a merchant of Messina, in Sicily, announced to them the approach of an earthquake. Before the first shock was felt, these two animals seemed anxiously to work their way through the door of the room in which they were. Their master observing their fruitless efforts, opened the door for them. At a second and third door, which they likewise found shut, they repeated their efforts, and on being set completely at liberty, they ran straight through the street, and out of the gate of the town. The merchant, whose curiosity was excited by this strange conduct of the cats, followed them into the fields, where he again saw them scratching and burrowing in the earth. Soon after there was a violent shock of an earthquake, and many of the houses in the city fell down, of which number the merchant's was one, so that he was indebted for his life to the singular forebodings of his cats.

SAGACITY OF A DOG.-I am indebted to Sir Walter Scott for the following anecdote :-"The wisest dog I ever had was what is called the bull-dog terrier. I taught him to understand a great many words, insomuch that I am positive that the communication betwixt the canine species and ourselves might be greatly enlarged. Camp once bit the baker who was bringing bread to the family. I beat him, and explained the enormity of his offence; after which, to the last moment of his life, he never heard the least allusion to the story, in whatever voice or tone it was mentioned, without getting up and retiring into the darkest corner of the room, with great appearance of distress. Then if you said, 'The baker was well paid,' or 'The baker was not hurt after all,' Camp came forth from his hiding-place, capered, and barked, and rejoiced. When he was unable, towards the end of his life, to attend me when on horseback, he used to watch for my return, and the servant used to tell him his master was coming down the hill,' or 'through the moor;' and, although he did not use any gesture to explain his meaning, Camp was never known to mistake him, but either went out at the front to go up the hill, or at the back to get down to the moor-side. He certainly had a singular knowledge of spoken language."

DOMESTIC DOGS.-The subjugation of the dog, from whatever source derived, may truly be regarded as the most remarkable, the most complete, and, in every respect, the most useful, ever made by man. I believe that many nations would cease to exist if their dogs were withdrawn from them; and I know of none which would not suffer severely from such deprivation. The strength and courage of one, the swiftness and agility of another, the continuous perseverance and exquisite scent of a third, and the numerous useful qualities peculiar to many more, have rendered the canine race objects of wonder and admiration to all observers, from Hippocrates to Hogg. It is well remarked by the intelligent Burchell, in his travels in Africa, that the familiarity which exists between the dog and the human race is so common to almost every country of the globe, that any remark upon it might seem superfluous. "But I cannot avoid believing," he continues, "that it is the universality of the fact which prevents the greater part of mankind from reflecting duly on the subject. While almost every other quadruped fears man as his most formidable enemy, here is one which regards him as his companion, and follows him as his friend. We must not mistake the nature of the case; it is not because we train him to our

use, and have made choice of him in preference to other animals, but because this particular species feels a natural desire to be useful to man, and from spontaneous impulse attaches itself to him. Were it not so, we should see in various countries an equal familiarity with various other quadrupeds; according to the habits, the taste, or the caprices of different nations. But every where, it is the dog only that takes delight in associating with us, in sharing our abode, and is even jealous that our attention should be bestowed on him alone: it is he who knows us personally, watches for us, and warns us of danger. It is impossible for the naturalist, when taking a survey of the whole animal creation, not to feel a conviction that this friendship, between two creatures so different from each other, must be the result of the laws of nature; nor can the humane and feeling mind avoid the belief, that kindness to those animals from which he derives continued and essential assistance, is part of the moral duty of man. Many times, when we have been travelling over plains where the wild animals fled the very moment we appeared in sight, have I turned my eyes towards my dogs to admire their attachment, and have felt a grateful affection towards them for preferring our society to the liberty of other quadrupeds. Often in the middle of the night when all my people have been fast asleep around the fire, have I stood to contemplate these faithful animals lying by their side, and have learnt to esteem them for their social inclination towards mankind. When wandering over pathless deserts, oppressed with vexation and distress at the conduct of my own men, I have turned to these my only friends, and felt how much inferior to them was man when actuated only by selfish views."

MASTIFFS. The strength and courage of three mastiffs were put to the proof in this country during the reign of James I. They were made to enter the lists with a lion, and the result of the combat is thus given by Stowe. “One of the dogs being put into the den was soon disabled by the lion, which took it by the head and neck and dragged it about. Another dog was then let loose, and served in the same manner but the third being put in, immediately seized the lion by the lip, and held him for a considerable time, till, being severely torn by his claws, the dog was obliged to quit his hold and the lion, greatly exhausted in the conflict, refused to renew the engagement, but, taking a sudden leap over the dogs, fled into the interior part of the den. Two of the dogs soon died of their wounds; the last survived, and was taken great care of by the king's

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