Various

“ Bright lights hung everywhere, and in the center of it all was a tree—that was not like any tree they had ever seen before in all their little rabbit lives. It was a rabbit Christmas tree, just covered with beautiful gifts for all, and there all around the tree were dozens and dozens of rabbits many of whom were friends of theirs, and what a jolly crowd it was. Everybody good natured, and all jumping and hopping, as if their lives depended upon it. Pretty soon from out the darkness who should appear but Santa himself? ”

“ Had this been our only experience with the Camels which compose the caravans, we would have returned with glowing accounts and waxed eloquent over these beasts of burden. We would have assured our friends of their patience and fortitude and with growing enthusiasm described the showy trappings and effective poses which charmed us on the desert road. But alas! We came to know the Camel well at close range and truly “familiarity breeds contempt.” ”

“ This song Nuttall describes as a strong and sonorous whistle like that of the Baltimore bird, “resembling the trill or musical shake on the fife, and is frequently repeated; while that of the female is chattering and is chiefly uttered in alarm when any person approaches the vicinity of the nest. From the similarity of her color to the foliage of the trees, she is rarely seen and is usually mute, while the loquacity and brilliancy of the male, as he flies timidly and wildly through the branches, render him a most distinguished and beautiful object.” ”

“ At the coronation of King Edward and Queen Alexandra, which is to succeed the period of mourning for the late queen, the royal regalia will be brought into requisition, and in all its magnificent makeup not the least feature will be the priceless ermine trimming, costing the life of many a luckless animal. In view, therefore, of his constant exposure to martyrdom the price the Ermine pays for his social distinction is dear enough and should excite in his humbler cousins, even were they disposed to be sensitive on the point of birth, more of pity than of jealousy. ”

“ Undoubtedly there is no more mischievous monkey than the Rhesus, but, after all, he is not altogether to blame, for the blame may belong to the Hindoos. Some tell us that the Rhesus Monkey is sacred; others think not. But, however that may be, it is a fact that the Hindoos protect the monkeys in every possible way, willingly sharing their food with the bands which are found almost everywhere, and permitting no one to kill them.
This fosters every mischievous trait in these monkeys, and they fear nothing from man. They will devastate every plantation and garden near them. ”

“ The first mule, which had crossed, terrified by the electric shocks received, had retreated from the lagoon and, in a state of great fright, had plunged into a browsing herd of cattle, dangling its swaying pack and causing a frightened stampede among the half-wild herd. ”

“ The body color of nearly all the species is more or less olive green.
About fifteen species frequent the United States. These are all members of the genus Vireo, and some of them have a wide range, only equaled in extent by some of the warblers.
Dr. Coues has said of these birds: “Next after the warblers the greenlets (vireos) are the most delightful of our forest birds, though their charms address the ear and not the eye. Clad in simple tints that harmonize with the verdure, these gentle songsters warble their lays unseen, while the foliage itself seems stirred to music. ”

“ When they had been placed in the box the little girl sat and watched the caterpillar make a good meal, while her aunt explained to her how it would first become a chrysalis and then a butterfly.
“How long does it have to be a caterpillar?” she asked.
“Twenty or thirty days,” answered Aunt Doris. “But I think that this one is quite old and will hang itself up before long now.”
“How can you tell, auntie?”
“I judge by the color and size. When this caterpillar is very young it is greenish, but as it grows older it casts its skin several times; each time it grows brighter and weighs more.” ”

“ It is almost always on the wing. Its feet are so seldom used that they are very weak. The chimney swallow has a bristly tail, which assists in its support when the bird alights. Its color is a sooty gray. Of the true swallows none is more familiar than the barn swallow, whose nest adds a picturesque interest to the eaves of the building. This swallow has a steel blue coat, a pale chestnut vest, with a bit of chocolate on chin and throat. The tail is deeply forked. It is not a noisy bird, but has a song—a little trill—aside from the note it uses when flying. ”

“ As it is about impossible to retain one’s seat on a galloping Camel, they are trained only to trot. “The steady, alternating movement of the legs on the opposite side of the animal stops the sideways jolting motion, and if the rider skillfully lies back in his saddle, he experiences no more inconvenience from the still somewhat violent shaking up than he would if he were on horseback.” ”

“ How can butterflies ever know so much? They don’t eat leaves, do they?” asked Neva in a surprised tone.
“No, butterflies eat honey and overripe fruit and such things; it is indeed wonderful that they can select the right plant, but the One who made the butterfly gave it wonderful instinct. Who is He, Neva?”
“Our Father,” answered the little girl. “I know that we sing in school:
‘The little sparrow falleth not
But Jesus taketh heed.’ ”

“ He started on a journey across the desert, and after annoying him in every possible way with a continued persistence surprising in so stupid a beast, the Camel, in a fit of rage, broke into a gallop, throwing the gentleman from his saddle to the ground, trampled upon him and then galloped away at its own sweet will. We were also told that when the natives found that their Camels had a grudge against them, they so feared the revengeful beasts that they would place their clothing before the Camel and hide themselves behind bushes. ”

“ Its companion in the woods is the golden-crowned thrush, for which it might easily be mistaken were it not for the absence of streaks on its breast. Its song closely resembles that of the chipping sparrow and may even mislead the trained field ornithologist. As it deliberately hunts for insects among the dry leaves on the ground or on the lower branches of shrubs, its slow motions are more like those of the vireo than of a warbler. ”

“ It proved to be an attack of electric eels upon the first mule, which had attempted to ford the lagoon. The animal had nearly reached the opposite shore before the attack was made, and thus, the first mule had escaped with only a few shocks from the invisible torpedoes. The other pack mules, just entering the stream, were turned upon savagely by the concealed serpents, and were wildly and frantically turning back, when we came upon the scene. Their distended nostrils and bulging, terrified eyes, with excited snorting and plunging, would have made a perfect picture of agonized terror. ”

“ The Zebra is of all things a freedom-loving animal. He will go like the wind and, if pursued singly, cannot be caught. It is true that large herds are overtaken, as they impede each other’s progress, but it is a shame that these beautiful creatures should be hunted at all. The European will try to kill them with bullets, the natives with javelins, but more frequently these dainty animals are caught in pitfalls and then captured or slain according to the will of the pursuer. ”

“ They could stay in their good warm tree, and have a jolly time together, and eat all the good things they wanted. After breakfast the children all ran out and played snowball and frolicked around at leap-frog and such outdoor sports all morning, which made them so hungry that they felt as if they could eat up the whole lot of winter supplies. ”

“ The Worm-eating Warbler is much more retiring and less often noticed than most of the species of warblers. Unlike many of the species its range does not reach to the northern coniferous forests. Passing the winter in the countries bordering the Gulf of Mexico, it migrates in the spring throughout the Eastern United States, breeding as far north as Illinois and Connecticut. Its dull color and retiring and shy disposition eminently fit it for its chosen hunting grounds—the deep and thick woods, bordering ravines, where there is an abundant undergrowth of shrubs. ”

“ When we remember that the hummingbird lays but two eggs, the rapid extermination of some of the species is evident unless this wholesale slaughter is stopped. Even the tropics, where bird life is wonderfully abundant, cannot support such wanton destruction.
The Rivoli, or the Refulgent hummingbird, as it is frequently called, has a very limited range. It is found in the “mountains of southeastern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico and over the table lands of Mexico,” southward to Nicaragua. It is one of the largest and most beautiful of the hummingbirds that frequent the United States. ”

“ They lift their heads high in the air, inhale long breaths with half-closed eyes, lay their ears back and then start to run, so that one has to sit firmly in the saddle if he does not wish to be thrown out. When the beasts finally reach the well they crowd to the water and give themselves up to the enjoyment of drinking.
The food supply, which assists the Camel in times of fasting is stored in the hump, which is really one great lump of fat. ”

“ The idea that Camels when working could go very long periods without food and water, we found to be erroneous. The true ruminant has four stomachs; the Camel has three divisions only. The first two divisions are provided with cells or pouches which can be closed by strong muscles. These contain fluid only and it is on account of this peculiar construction that the animal can go several days without water, but when traveling in the heat of an African desert, at least every four days, the Camel must have water, nourishment and rest. ”

“ The name Topaz is derived from the Greek name topazios, which is that of an island in the Red Sea. The gem known to the ancients as topaz, however, was not our Topaz, but the mineral chrysolite. Topaz usually occurs in gneiss or granite, with tourmaline, mica, beryl, etc. In Brazil it occurs in a talcose rock or in mica slate. It is sometimes in sufficient abundance to form an essential rock constituent. When so occurring, however, it has not the transparent gem quality, but is white and opaque. ”

“ Within this outer envelope was an inner nest, made of the finer stems of grasses and dry needles of the white pine, firmly interwoven.” There are usually either three or four eggs, which are white and speckled at the larger end, with black or some shade of brown.
Mr. Chapman says: “I have always regretted that the manners of this vireo have been a bar to our better acquaintance, for he is a bird of marked character and with unusual vocal talents. He is a capital mimic, and in the retirement of his home sometimes amuses himself by combining the songs of other birds in an intricate potpourri.” ”

“ There are many grades and degrees from the ordinary baggage Camel to the high-toned thoroughbred which corresponds to our high-class race horse. These racing Camels are long-legged and long-necked, the hump stands upright; is conical in shape and covers about one-fourth of the length of the body; the head is rather short, the eyes large and dull, and the ears very small but mobile. The hair is especially fine and soft.
A friend of ours who owned a fine saddle Camel was able to make from eighty to ninety miles a day if his Camel was well fed and watered and was allowed a rest at noon. ”

“ Pharaoh gave them as a present to Abraham and the patriarch Job had at one time a herd numbering six thousand.
A baby Camel is a misshapen little thing, but like all young animals it is playful and interesting. It is about three 232 feet high when it enters the world, but in a week’s time is much larger. It is able to follow its mother soon after birth. She will defend her own to the extent of her strength if needful.
The Camel is a true animal of the desert and only thrives in hot, dry localities. ”

“ Topaz crystals of good size and color are found quite abundantly in Japan, although they have not yet been cut for gems to any extent. There are many localities in the United States where Topaz occurs, and it is often of gem quality. The group shown in the plate illustrates its occurrence at Thomas Mountain, Utah, a locality forty miles north of Sevier Lake. The crystals are found in cavities in the rock. They are never very large, but are usually clear and bright. ”

“ Our friend told us that in buying saddle Camels for our desert ride we would be obliged to pay about sixty-five dollars each, and that we must look for those with soft backs, those which did not require the whip and would not cry when getting up or lying down. But he added that with these excellent traits we must not expect too much, for the best Camel was capable of every fault associated with a vicious disposition. ”

“ An utter abhorrence of uncleanness is a characteristic instinct of his lordship, and impels him to suffer capture or death rather than become soiled or bedraggled. This sentiment of purity is figuratively transferred to the fur whose use on the garments of rulers and judges symbolizes the purity of justice and law.
Determination and perseverance are qualities displayed in the pursuit of game for food, consisting of small herbivorous animals, birds, and eggs. In length the Ermine’s body is about ten inches; the tail, four inches ”