XV. gives the appearance at least of mental attention ;70 LETTER another utters sounds, in order to produce an assemblage of its kind;" and another, by its voice, announces to others its perception or apprehension of danger." To be deceived by a fraudulent imitation of its own calling sound, evinces correct sensation, and memory, and right judgment-but an error in reasoning, from not knowing the whole of the accompanying circumstances." The FROG genus discovers like those of other animals. sagacities and feelings quit their native water, to join the older ones in the woods and meadows, they use every reasonable precaution." The House Frog in Florida, perceives advancing rain." The Pearly Frog of Brazil is distin golden scales, as the Peacock expands its plumage.' Ib. 390. . . . It plays with children; but when two are in confinement, they may be excited to fight. Ib. 70 The Strumous Lizard 'seems to examine every thing that comes in the way with attention; and has even the appearance of listening to what is said.' La Cep. 2. p. 72. "The Supercilious Lizard, L. Superciliosa, so called from the projecting ridge over its eyes, is said by Seba to cry very loud, as a signal for the scattered individuals to gather when endangered. Sebo, Mus. v. 1. 72 Seba mentions the Forkheaded Lizard as uttering a cry as a signal of danger. Ib. p. 109. "The Two Spot Lizard, L. Cimaculata, is thus taken. Its voice is a kind of whistle, which it emits frequently. If a person carries towards it a bunch of straw, imitating its whistle, the animal leaps into it, and is secured. La Cep. 1. p. 330. 74They begin their journey in the evening, travelling all night, on purpose to avoid becoming the prey of rapacious birds; always concealing themselves during the day under stones, or other recesses; and only resume their journey when night begins.' La Cep. v. 2. p. 229. 75 The House Frog indicates rain by being uncommonly noisy before it happens.' Flint Am. Geog. p. 201. XV. LETTER guished for its beauty." So is the common Tree Frog, which lives, like Birds, on the branches of the forest, and in seeking insects is almost as light and nimble in its motions as they are; and is ingenious in its efforts for its successful provender." The Red Tree Frog is used, by the Indians of South America, to give a fine red or yellow colour to the feathers of their Parroquets. The most extraordinary property of Frogs is that of being able to swallow fire.79 78 The TOAD has been tamed and domesticated. One became familiar in a house for thirty-six years, and welcomed that light which, in its natural state, is unpleasant to it. It displayed here as much original 80 76 Its body is strewed all over with small grains or tubercles of a pale red colour resembling pearls. La Cep. 246. 77 Ib. 257,8. Its contrivances for concealment, and for surprising its prey; the agility with which it springs for several feet among the smallest branches, and the facility with which it keeps itself safe from falling; are really admirable.' p. 258. 78 For this purpose, they pluck off the feathers of the nestling ones, and rub the skin with the Frog's blood. After this operation, the new feathers grow red or yellow, instead of being green as before.' La Cep. 270. 79 Catesby states that the Land Frog which inhabits Virginia and Carolina prefers those insects which shine in the dark. On a warm evening, a person in his company let fall some burning tobacco from his pipe, which was instantly swallowed by a Land Frog squatting close by. Catesby offered it a little bit of lighted charcoal, which it swallowed immediately. He found, on repeated trials, that the Land Frog constantly swallowed whatever burning substances came within its reach.' La Cep. 1. p. 233. Catesby's Carol. v. 2. p. 69. Lawson's Carol. 132. 80 This Toad had originally taken up his residence under an outer stone before the door of the house, and was of considerable size when first noticed. It came forth from its hole every evening, immediately on observing the candle, waiting deliberately to be lifted up and carried to a table within the house, where it was fed with insects, flies and millipeds. It particularly preferred maggots or small worms. It watched these with great eagerness, and having measured the distance with its eyes, it darted out its long tongue, which brought back the animal to it.' La Cep. p. 291, 2. Pennants' Brit. XV. mind as any other Quadruped, and was never offen- LETTER sive.81 81 This fact is sufficient to show that the living principle of the Toad race has the same susceptibility, memory, will, perception, suitable judgment, and limited improvability, as every class of animated nature seems to exhibit.82 Its vitality is peculiarly durable, tho deprived of air and light,83 The Beavers have been proverbial for their intelligence, ever since North America, their chief seat, has become known; and the Otters display the same maternal sensibilities which other orders of animals so strikingly exhibit. Brit Zool. It lived 36 years thus domesticated, when a Raven injured it at the mouth of its hole. 81 6 'Having never been injured by any person, it shewed no signs of uneasiness or anger when touched. Even ladies were curious to see it. After the Raven had put out its eye, it could not seize its prey as before, not being able to judge its distance and situation with the same accuracy.' La Cep. 292. 6 62 We may perhaps conclude that when supplied with abundance of food of a particular kind, and when preserved from the ordinary dangers incident to its natural life, the Toad may be improved, like many other species of animals.' La Cep. p. 294. 836 A gentleman informed me that he had put a Toad in a flowerpot, and buried it in the ground; at the end of twenty years he took it up, and found it increased in size and apparently healthy.' Jesse, Glean. 116. Mr. Bingley has collected two cases, where the Toad was found imbedded within the wood of an elm and oak tree; and three where it was cut out of stone and marble; in each case alive or reviving into life. v. 3. p. 168. These instances appear authentic ; but it is difficult to say which is the most extraordinary circumstance -that they should retain vitality in such an inclosure, or that they should have remained still or torpid long enough to have allowed the wood or stony matter to have formed around them. 84 Our Sea Captains have observed on the NW. coast of America, that when a female Otter is attacked in company with her young one, she clasps it with her fore feet, and plunges beneath the surface; but, as the cub cannot remain long under water, she is forced to rise again very soon. If the hunters can come on the female by surprise, and separate her from her young one, the cub is taken immediately; but the mother no sooner hears its cries, than she swims to the boat from which they proceed, and, regardless of all danger, shares F F 3 LETTER The Badger exhibits the domestic feeling of living with its mate, and is susceptible of tuition.85 XV. Thus all Quadrupeds seem to have been created to possess one analogous mind, uniform in its essential qualities; but acting variously, according to the diversities of its bodily investments. shares the fate of her little complaining captive. 'It is a crafty animal, yet may be tamed, and employed to catch fish for its master.' Kerr's Linn. 173. 85 The Common Badger may be tamed, if caught young. It lives in pairs together, and is very cleanly.' Kerr's Linn. 187. LETTER XVI. THE SERPENT TRIBE-THEIR PECULIARITIES AND MIND- XVI. THE SERPENT Tribe exhibits the Animal mind in LETTER another incorporation of material particles, approaching more nearly the Lizard race than any of the preceding classes of animated nature; but yet distinguished from that, and from every other, by peculiarities appropriated to itself. It has sufficient similarities with all, to show that it is a part of the same general economy of animated nature: altho identical with no other, it has analogies and relations to all. It is one of the departments of the same grand empire of organized living forms and sentient beings; full of mingled beauty and terror; presenting to us a new exercise of the Divine imagination in its system of Creation; but more exclusively existing for its own enjoyment, and less serviceable to Man or to the rest of Nature, than any other Animal genera that we have been reviewing. The Serpents have been arranged by La Cepede under eight genera;' each including subdivisions and These are,—the Vipers, the Boa, the Rattlesnakes, Snakes, the Amphisbona, Cœcilia, Langatra, and Acrochord. La Cep. v. 3...— The genera of Linnæus, at first only six, are now made by his later editors the same, with a mere difference of position; as he puts the Rattlesnake, Crotalus, for the first, and Coluber, the Viper, as his third. Turt. Linn. 1. p. 639. |