Charles Catton

“ ANIMAL of the BEAR-KIND.
The wonderful variety of quadrupeds, and the frequent variations in each species, lead the thinking mind at once to admire the boundless productions of nature, and to confess, that man with all his acquirements of knowledge, is but very slenderly informed, and at best but superficially wise; that more knowledge and additional discoveries tend less to perfection, than to excite inquiry after a train of endless researches. ”

“ The horns of the Natolian or Angora Goat are of great length in the male, and lie in an horizontal position, twisted like a cork-screw; to the female the horns are very different, the form nearly a complete circle round the ear.
The hair of the Angora Goat exceeds in beauty that of every other animal; the silvery locks formed by Nature’s careless, though graceful hand, flow in ringlets of about nine inches long, with a silky fineness, and resplendent whiteness. ”

“ The limbs of this animal are of vast strength, and need only be seen to convince of their force. The country where they most abound is Africa, the most wild and desert parts: they also are found in parts of Asia, but the former appears most congenial to the Lion’s constitution, those of that country being much larger (having been known 5 feet high, and 10 feet long) , and more fierce than of any other place; the fiery rays of a torrid climate imparting a feverish heat, which animates them with an invincible courage. ”

“ In time of danger, when it cannot make good its retreat to its hole, it brings the head and feet close to the belly, and, bending the back, forms nearly a sphere, the tail laps over the joining, and makes a firmer hold; in this form it defies the attack of any quadruped, and a patient suffering of insult generally proves its security; but man, whose power is over the whole creation, whose power and perseverance is irresistible when any good is to be obtained, or any luxury enjoyed, soon convinces the poor Armadillo of its danger, by exposing it to the fire, which makes it quickly unroll. ”

“ The ferocity of the Crocodile, like other wild animals, very much abates as his abode is more or less in an inhabited country. In unfrequented rivers they lie basking in droves together, and have the appearance of large trunks of trees, with rough and rugged bark floating on the water; yet, thus apparently torpid, appetite is awake, and the approach of any animal is quickly followed by a conflict for victory. In more populous countries the undivided tyranny of man has reduced them within better bounds. ”

“ The climate of Sweden in general, but of the northern parts in particular, being severely cold, nature has not only provided a thick warm fur, but has so formed the under part of the hoof, with a very sharp edge, that this animal with perfect safety can pass over the smoothed ice. The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle, to the strong, else this animal would be secure from harm; the bear and the wolf hunt it with success, the shape of their feet, and the lightness of their weight, enabling them to travel the frozen snow with safety ”

“ The talk of the Historian or Naturalist is often surrounded with perplexities and difficulties; sometimes, from the incertitude, the variation, and almost total dissimilarity of his information; and sometimes from the entire want of every information; for, of those who are pleased with possessing a new or strange animal, and will be at the trouble of transporting it from distant parts, few have abilities or inclination, to seek that knowledge which would satisfy a Zoologist in its habits and propensities; and, perhaps, very few enjoy opportunities of acquiring certain intelligence. ”

“ The strength of the Lion is unquestionably very great, yet, to strength he is sometimes obliged to add cunning;—to attack the Buffalo, he steals upon his retreat, and, by surprise, seizes the animal by the nostril with both paws, which he continues to press close together, till at length, the creature is wearied, strangled, and dies. ”

“ Selecting a tree whose situation is promising, or observing on the bark the marks of the teeth or horns of the deer, or other beast, he readily ascends, and, hiding among the spreading branches, he will there wait for weeks together, expecting some unwary animal to pass under, which he instantly drops upon, fixing his teeth and claws into the neck, digs a passage to the great blood vessels, which lie in those parts—in vain the tortured animal flies for relief among the branches of the forest, the Glutton still holds his station ”

“ This animal affords the most striking example of the influence of climate upon the clothing or fur of Goats and Sheep. When transferred from a cold or temperate country to a hotter one, the fine wool of the sheep degenerates to a coarse hair; and a few miles of country surrounding Angora in Asiatic Turkey, produces this very extraordinary variation from the common appearance of Goats. The climate of these countries, and Syria in particular, impart to all the quadrupeds, a splendour and fineness of fur, which is not to be equalled in any other part of the world. ”

“ The Lion is classed by the Naturalists in the Cat Tribe; ’tis an animal, of all others the most majestic and stately; with a large head, the upper part of which, with the chin, the whole of the neck and shoulders, are clothed with a long shaggy hair, resembling a mane; the hair of the body and limbs is short and smooth, but long on the bottom part of the belly; a long tail, which appears of equal thickness by reason of the increasing length of hair towards the end, where it terminates in a large black tuft: the colour is tawny, or dirty brown; the belly part inclines to white. ”

“ It is reported, if a Wolf once tastes human flesh, he ever after prefers it, and will seek it with great avidity and resolution, and sometimes attack the shepherd in preference to the flock. Troops of this destructive animal have been known to attend the march of an army, and with eager appetite devour the slain in battle, or such as were superficially interred:—in general, this animal pursues his prey alone, but when any great business is to be achieved, such as to attack an ox, deer, or other large animal, they will assemble in numbers, and commit their depredations in comfort ”

“ The scent of this animal is remarkably good, as he will wind his game at many miles distance. To hunt the wolf is esteemed good sport; dogs of great courage and speed are requisite, as they sustain a long chase. When pressed with hunger, which he long sustains, if well supplied with water, this animal exercises great courage and cunning: The destructive properties of this animal make him every where obnoxious; two or three will cause a long and constant alarm to a whole country; enmity therefore between him and man is perpetual. ”

“ The wild cat of a harsh colour and a rough skin, when domesticated, acquires a soft skin of various colours; but in the favourable climate of Chorazin and Syria, the hair becomes longer, finer, thicker, and the colours uniformly more agreeable; the black and the red mingle to an agreeable brown, and the dark grizzle becomes a pleasant grey. In comparing the wild cat with the domestic, we discover no difference, but in the variation of colour. ”

“ Nature with a wise and provident care gave to every animal originally either force to repel, speed to escape, or cunning to evade its more formidable enemies, as a means of preserving the continuance of her various productions. Of useful animals the weak were first reduced to the services of man, smaller animals more readily adopting the influence of education. ”

“ That the prey of the Lion, if of the brute creation, is immediately dispatched, but if of the human species, although provoked, he contents himself with merely wounding, or, at least, waits some time before he gives the fatal blow. ”

“ Sparman, a modern traveller to the Cape, reports, "By rolling up its body like the hedge-hog into a heap, and setting up its prickles, or quills, many of which are a foot and a half long, it is perfectly well defended from dogs, as well as other animals.”—If time permits, it makes towards, and ascends a tree, where perched in safety, it wearies the patience of its pursuer. ”

“ On the brink of some lake or river, under the bank, where the waves have formed an excavation, in a gallery of this kind it makes its abode; and, when pursued, evades the search by plunging into the water many yards distant from the place where it was expected to be found. In a running stream the Otter always pursues its prey against the current; it frequently sinks to the bottom, and any fish passing over is sure to become its immediate prey. In standing water it hunts them into some creek, where they rarely escape its voracity or cruelty ”

“ The great voracity of this animal has fixed upon it the opprobrious name it bears. If the active speed which wild animals in general possess fell to the share of the Glutton, he must inevitably soon thin the forest of its inhabitants, but the cautious hand of Nature has guarded against his voracity by a body ill-formed for celerity; thus disqualified for pursuit, yet ever pressed by an active appetite, it has recourse to cunning and stratagem. ”

“ This animal abounds in every quarter of the earth, it inhabits large extensive forests, frequently making incursions on the campaign country in search of prey; its food is such animals as its superior strength can vanquish; lambs, calves, and sheep, which he carries off with ease and agility; the muscles of his neck are so strong, that in running off with a large sheep, it shall not trail on the ground. This animal is remarked for great cruelty; whenever he gets among a flock, he destroys with a wanton pleasure all that come in his way, before he secures his particular prey. ”

“ The observation of the inferiority of works of art, compared to the productions of Nature, is particularly applicable to the skin of the Tiger, the beauty and splendour of which surpasses that of most other quadrupeds; and what the Peacock is among birds, in the opinion of the Ancients, the Tiger is among beasts. The colours which adorn the skin of the Tiger are, a bright yellow chesnut on the back, legs, and about half way down the sides, which are beautifully enlivened by black perpendicular stripes; the feet and tail are also marked with the same coloured stripes, but horizontal ”

“ The Badger, though a native of England, is an animal not very well known; the shyness of his temper, and strong propensity to sleep, which softens the call of appetite, makes his appearance in search of prey less necessary and frequent; the night also is the season for his search; when, whether vegetable productions are satisfactory, is not certain. The depredations in rabbit-warrens, and on young lambs, are frequently laid to the charge of the Badger ”

“ The process or manner how Nature accomplishes this metamorphosis, is not so easily traced: we well know her maternal care does accomplish it, as a means of protecting the life of her offspring by a sameness of colour with the snow, which for months covers the ground where this little animal is placed to endure the rigours of severe frost; and, although their escape is thus facilitated, the wily arts of man succeed in the destruction of thousands, by means of traps of various kinds baited with flesh. ”

“ This animal will sustain hunger for many days, but requires a more frequent supply of drink, which it laps like a cat, and at every opportunity.—Mr. Buffon observes the courage of the Lion diminishes in proportion as his abode approaches to an inhabited country; his consciousness of man’s superiority and enmity, awakens him to fear and caution; and the stately Lion, the despoiler of thousands, is frequently levelled with the dust by their address:—Three or four men usually go to the attack on horseback; these if the Lion discovers at a distance, he takes to his heels as fast as he can ”

“ The small kind of this animal are esteemed very nice eating, and are therefore hunted with avidity; dogs are used to pursue them, who impede their flight by making them roll themselves up, when they become an easy prey to man. As they run pretty fast, if a few minutes are allowed, they immediately fall to work, and seek security by burrowing in the ground, which they do with great celerity, and must then be dug out. Their accustomed abode is in holes of considerable depth, and, as they wander only by night, and then not far, some industry is required in securing them. ”

“ The Peccary is a native of the hottest parts of South America, where they are very numerous, and go in herds of two or three hundred; prefer the mountains to the plains, and the woods to the open parts, as the food they most delight in abounds there in the greatest plenty; they eat also toads, lizards and serpents; the latter they skin with great adroitness, holding them with the fore feet.
The Peccary, though not armed with such offensive weapons as the wild boar or hog, will fight stoutly with the beasts of prey. The Jaguar, or American Leopard, is its mortal enemy ”

“ Is an inoffensive animal, and seeks safety rather in flight than conflict. The fur of the Beaver is of great service in the hat trade; it also produces a valuable drug, called castoreum; are hunted, and taken in traps and snares; inhabit most northern climes, but are no where found in such abundance as in Canada in America. The trade for Beavers furs with the Indians is a source of great wealth to the Hudson’s Bay Company. The length of the Beaver is about 2 feet, height 1; tail 4 inches broad, 1 or 11⁄2 thick. The colour a fine chesnut brown; the hair of different lengths and fineness ”

“ The Badger digs a habitation in the earth with considerable dexterity; the fore paws being armed with long and strong nails, which work with great expedition: the passage is of a winding form, leading to several apartments, but only one entrance; a bed of soft hay and grass is provided to induce sleep, and secure a comfortable repose. This habitation is so enviable, that the Fox, whose abilities for burrowing in the ground are inferior to the Badger’s, frequently ejects the lawful tenant by laying his fœtid excrement at the mouth of the hole ”

“ They are carried to the place of diversion on horseback behind a rider, and when shewn the game, run at it with great speed, and, jumping on its back, insidiously creep forward, and scratch out the eyes; thus effecting by art what their strength could not achieve, they never openly attack any animal, but such as their superior force can readily overcome. ”

“ Thus the Sheep and Goat were first brought to usefulness, before the robust Ox, or vigorous Horse; this may be considered as one principal cause of the endless variety of such as have been long and particularly attended to by man; and the power of continued education, joined to the influence of climate and soil, make it difficult to say, which are the true characteristic marks, or which the original of many species. ”