CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

THE Beaver and the Macauco

p. 1

CHAPTER II.

Menageries opposed to romance-The Condor-Unprotected

state of its eggs-Elevation chosen for their resting-place-

Colour &c. of the nestling-The Condor's feast-Indian mode

of capturing the bird-Exciting nature of the sport-Hum-

boldt's account of the Condor's tenacity of life—The Lam-

mërgeyer-Its pertinacity and audacity-Dimensions of the

bird-The Condor's offspring in captivity-Eggs placed under

a domestic Hen-Slowness of the hatching process-Descrip-

tion of the young bird-Its food-Attachment of the Hen to

its nursling-Death of the young Condor-Modification of

instinct-Relative proportions of new-born quadrupeds, birds

just hatched, and fishes-Feathers of the Condor used as

quills-The King Vulture-Its brilliant colours-Account of

a Buzzard hatching chickens

CHAPTER III.

p. 8

Transmigration of Souls-The Stork: qualities attributed to
the bird by the ancients-Its migration-The White Stork-
Metamorphosis of Antigone-Gratitude of Storks prover-
bial-Heracleis of Tarentum rewarded by a Stork-Supposed

gratitude, chastity, and hatred of infidelity, of the Stork-Its

physical structure-Its food-' Live fish'-Feeding the nest-

lings-Visits of the Stork to the nests of Wild Ducks-

Traditions connected with the White Stork- The Black

Stork-Its habits-Colonel Montagu's specimen-Mode of

cooking the Stork-The 'Adjutant' - The Stork family-

General remarks

p. 22

CHAPTER IV.

-

Africa, the country of wonders-Phoenixes and Winged Serpents

-The Giraffe-The Hippopotamus at Cairo-Pea-fowl sent

to Africa as a present to the King of Dahomy-Expected

additions to the Zoological Society's collection-The Rhino-

ceros-Cause of its death-The African Elephant-Dimen-

sions given by Major Denham Manner of hunting the

Elephant Faust - The Hippopotamus - Its osteological

organization-Dissection of a Hippopotamus calf-Voracious

appetite of the Hippopotamus-Voice of the animal-Shooting

excursion-The skin converted into an instrument of torture

-Barbarous punishment of offenders-Supposed enmity of

the Hippopotamus and the Crocodile-The Hippopotamus a

master of the healing art

p. 40

CHAPTER V.

A freezing Spring-The American Barn-Swallow-Its nest-
Superstition regarding the Swallow-The Chimney-Swallow
-Courage of the Purple Martin-Extraordinary migration
of birds into Pennsylvania from the South-The English
Swallow - Process of taming described by the Rev. W.
Trevelyan-Multitudes of insects destroyed by the Swallow-
Ancient traditions-Singular medicinal properties ascribed to
the Swallow-The Wood Swallow, or Be-wowen of the Abori-
gines of Western Australia-Pleasing habits of the Wood-

Swallow, described by Mr. Gould-Its food and general cha-

racter-Season of Incubation-Form of the nest-Colour and

dimensions of the bird-Egg of the White-headed Eagle in the

Zoological Society's collection-Niagara a favourite resort of

the bird-Its muscular power-Wilson's description of its

predatory habits-Franklin's view of the case-Turkeys

found by Cortes when he invaded Mexico-The Eagle's un-

ceremonious treatment of the Vulture-The nest of the Eagle

-Incubation in captivity-Attachment of the parents to their

young in the wild state-The Wedge-tailed Eagle-Its prey

-A Kangaroo-shooting party-News from Egypt of the

Society's Hippopotamus

p. 69

CHAPTER VI.

The Siren, and its classic predecessors-Its generic character-

Anatomical account-Description of a male and female-

Death of the latter-The Camel-Its wonderful structure-

Its adaptation to its state of life-Its noiseless step-The

Baggage-Camel-Altered form of its dorsal vertebræ―The

Dromedary-Its swiftness compared to that of the high-

mettled racer-A lover's exploit-African Camel-drivers-

Training of the Camel-Camel-breeding at Pisa-Use of the

Camel in ancient war-Holland's account, translated from

Pliny-Antipathy of the Horse to the Camel-Madness of the

Camel-Reason assigned-Camel fight-Late appearance of

the Camel on the Roman arena-Its medicinal properties-

Its regular mode of progression-Manner of training the

Camel described by old authors-Instance of its cruel treat-

ment by drivers-The Camel-doctors-Diseases to which the

Camel is subject-Objects of interest in the Museum of the

College of Surgeons, in relation to this animal-Boat planned

from its remains-The Pilgrim-caravan-Its glittering array

-Construction and formation of the Camel .

p. 99

CHAPTER VII.

Further remarks on the process of incubation on the egg of the
Wedge-tailed Eagle by a domestic Hen-Attempt by the
parents to destroy the eggs-Parental care of their young by
gregarious quadrupeds-The Reindeer-Fondness for its young
-Maternal affection of animals of a high grade-Touchingly
instanced in the case of a She-Bear-Boldness of Birds under
such circumstances-Example given by White - Parental
solicitude of the Partridge-Of the domestic Hen-Of the
Mare-The practice of hatching Ducks' eggs by a Hen-
Black Swans and their brood-The Canada Geese-Their
propensity to destroy the nestlings of other Birds-Instanced
by a pair in St. James's Park-The Goldfinch's nest-Per-
severance and manoeuvring of a Sparrow while nest-building
-Anxiety for concealment manifested by Birds generally in
the process of nidification-The Ostrich-The mode adopted
by this bird of hatching its eggs-Number of eggs produced
-Its nest-A Hen's eggs hatched by a Partridge-The Brush-
Turkey-Its mode of egg-hatching-Genera of the family-
A puzzle to systematists-The bird described-Construction
of its nest-of nests generally-Hunter's experiments on the
eggs of a domestic Hen in relation to the eggs of the Brush-
Turkey-Gould's remarks and experience on the same subject
-Western Australian Pheasant described - Their nest-
mounds'-The Jungle Fowl described-The Bower-Birds of
Australia Specimens in the Zoological Gardens - Arrival
there of the Hippopotamus, the Thylacines, and the Snake-
charmers

p. 126

CHAPTER VIII.

The Chlamydera, or Spotted Bower-Bird-Its range-Opinion
of Mr. Gould thereon-Remarkable plumage-The great
Bower-Bird-Specimen in the Zoological Gardens-Habits,
&c. of the Bird-The Marsupiates, or Purse-Bearers-The