قراءة كتاب Chatterbox Stories of Natural History
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THE PEACOCK.
ROUD bird! I watched thee stalking by,
With stately step and slow,
As though thou fain would'st charm each eye
With glittering pomp and show:
And truly thou art brave to see,
In heaven's hues arrayed,
And plainer birds at sight of thee
Might shrink and be dismayed:
Yet, pampered bird! there still are those
I value higher far,
Albeit their garb nor glints nor glows
With many a jeweled star.
I love them for their gentle ways,
Their voices soft and sweet
In summer chorus, that repays
Right well their winter's meat.
For what is outward form at best
But accident of birth?
That form in splendid raiment drest
Is still but common earth.
And yet 'tis he whose painted plumes
Shine fairest in the sun,
Who haughtiest look of pride assumes,
As though by him 'twere done.
We smile to see yon bird strut by,
Thus proud of his array;
But human friends we may espy
As foolish every day.
Not beauty's form nor grand attire
Upon the wise will tell,
But acts of those who e'er aspire
To do their DUTY well.
FEEDING THE PET.SWANS.
T
HIS beautiful and majestic bird was considered the bird-royal in England, owing to a law of England that when found in a partially wild state on the sea and navigable rivers it belonged to the crown; but of course it is to be found on the ponds and lakes of many a gentleman's estate, and is always prized as a great ornament to the lake. The swan is also very valuable in clearing the ponds of weeds, and makes a most effective clearance, as they eat them before they rise to the surface. The swan affords a pleasing illustration of the love of the mother-bird for its young, and has been known to vanquish a fox who made an attack on its nest—showing that the instinct of motherhood kindles boldness and bravery in the breast of the most timid animals. The nest is generally made on an islet, and composed of reeds and rushes, and when the five or seven large eggs are hatched, the mother may be seen swimming about with the young ones on her back.
THE SEA LION.
A
LTHOUGH such large and powerful creatures, these sea lions are innocent and playful. See, one of them has reared himself up on his hind legs, if legs they may be called, and is sitting on a chair with his flappers over the back of the chair. It inhabits the eastern shores of Kamtchatka, and is in some places extremely abundant, and measuring about fifteen feet in length. It is much addicted to roaring, which, as much as the mane of the old males, has obtained for it the name of the Sea Lion. The old males have a fierce appearance, yet they fly in great haste on the approach of man, but if driven to extremities they will fight desperately; but in captivity they are capable of being tamed, and become very familiar with man. The scientific name of the sea lion is Otary.
THE LION.A—THE ASS.
FORBEAR to vex the patient Ass,
Its heaving sides to good,
And for and safe its useful back
Will carry many a load.
B—THE BITTERN.
IN reedy swamp and lonely marsh,
Where all is shade and gloom,
The Bittern stalks, and you may hear
His voice in sullen boom.
C—THE CAMEL.
THE Camel is a useful beast,
Patient, and slow, and mild;
To man a blessing and a boon
In Afric's sandy wild.
BADGERS.
O
NE day at the Zoological Gardens, I saw the group of Badgers as they are here given. Little do visitors to the gardens take into account how much a wild animal goes through till it has got used to a state of things so opposite to its natural habits. Their wants are attended to as much as possible, but cannot be always met; and so we have here a devoted mother, worn out by the demands of her cubs, and vainly anxious to hide herself from daylight and man's gaze. She has long given up trying to dig or scratch her way out. All she can do is to lean against the wall, ready for a last defence, should anybody come within her prison. She dares not curl up into a ball, like the one cub, and go to sleep; while this little careless imp on her back, happy and trustful, adds to her tiredness by his weight.
