Links in the Chain; Or, Popular Chapters on the Curiosities of Animal Life

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER VI.

THE AQUARIUM AND ITS INMATES.-PART I.

Principle of Aquarium.-Its Popularity.-Zoophytes.-Sertularian
Polyps.--Wonders of Reproduction.-Relation between Polyps and
Medusa.-Star-Fish.-Its Organs of Locomotion.-In the Aqua-
rium.- Predacious Character.-Oyster-Eating Extraordinary.-
Voluntary Dismemberment.-Sun-Star.-Brittle-Stars and Sand-
Stars.-Luidia frangilissima.-Echinus, or Sea-Hedgehog.-Its
Shell.-Tenacity of Life.-Sea-Cucumbers.-Their Excessive Irrita-
bility.-Esteemed as Great Delicacies in China.-Marine Worms.
-Serpulæ.-Brilliant Branchial Plumes.-A Bouquet of Worms.
-The Terebella.-Spio ceticornis.-Peculiar Movements.-Novel
System of Traction.-The Sea-Mouse.-The Sea-Acorns.-Beauty
of their Movements.-Capture of Food.-History and Development.
-Selecting for the Aquarium.-Surprises.-Moss Corals.-Rank
and Structure. Interesting Behaviour.- Periwinkle at Work.-
Chitons.-Nudibranchs.-Extreme Delicacy and Beauty.-Coils of
Spawn.-Behaviour in Confinement.-Ferocity of Disposition

CHAPTER VII.

THE AQUARIUM AND ITS INMATES.-PART II.

The Sea-Anemones.-Popularity.-Form and Appearance.-Common
Smooth Anemone.-Sensitiveness.-Planting Anemones.-Resem-
blance to Flowers.-Feeding.-Urticating Organs.-Anthea cereus
and the Hermit Crab.-Kills a Young Conger-eel.-Sprightliness
of Movements.-Anemones are Robbed by Little Crabs.-Devour
Dead Animals.-Gastronomic Feats of T. crassicornis.-Refuses
an Offered Dainty.-Locomotive Powers.-Dianthus Likes an Air
Bath.-Piece-meal Reproduction.-Spontaneous Division of Anthea
cereus.-Double-disked Anemones.-Family Groups.-The Para-
sitic Anemone and the Hermit Crab.-Shrimps and Prawns.-Clean
Feeders and Scavengers.-Lobsters at Play.-The Hermit Crab.-
Feeding. Change of Domicile.-An Unproven Charge.-Porcelain
Crab.-Crustacean Monkey-cage.-Swimming Crabs.-Moulting of
the Crustacea.-Conger.-Wrasse.-Pipe-fish.-Paternal Nursing.
-"Marine Store" Collecting

CHAPTER VIII,

THE ANCIENT ORDER OF BATRACHIANS.

Ill-repute of the Order.-Little Understood.-Rank.-Transitionary
Character.-Development of Tadpole.-Irregularities.-Cannibal-
ism of Tadpole of Frog.-Showers of Frogs.-Lepidosiren or Mud-

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fish.-Siren.-Proteus.-Allied Forms.-Water-Newts.-The Sala-

mander.-Pliny's Account of it.-Incombustible.-Surinam Toad.-

Common Toad.-Superstitions Respecting it.-Services to Mankind.

-A Domestic Pet.-Common Frog.-Its Terror of the Snake.-A

Frog-Eulogy.-Edible Frog.-Introduction of Frogs into Ireland.—

Tree-Frogs.- Croakers and Croaking.-Toad-in-Hole Question.-

Ancient Frog Remedies.-The Labyrinthodon.-An Argument up-

OUR FEATHERED FRIENDS.

St. James's Park Water-Fowl.-Assistance Wanted.-Graceful Car-

riage of the Swan.-The Hooper.-Dying Swan Song Story.-

Black Swan.-Importation of English Birds into Australia.-Jack-

ass Penguin.-Probable Extinction of the Great Auk.-The Swal-

low Tribe.-A Railway Colony.-Hybernating Swallows.-The

Cuckoo.-Behaviour of Young Cuckoo.-Pliny's Account of it.—

Food.-Kingfisher.-Dispute as to its Nesting.-Mr. Gould's Dis-

covery.-An Operative Ornithologist.-Superstitions.-Crow Fa-

mily.-Magpie is a Favourite in Norway and Sweden. Mis-

chievous Propensities.-Nesting.--Jack at Church.-Song of Birds.

-Mr. Barrington's Experiments.-A Talking Canary.-Love and

Rivalry. Cock Robin and Jenny Wren.-Pugnacity of Robin.-

The Dipper.-Does it Walk or Swim Under Water ?-The House-

sparrow. Its Impudence.-Affection for its Young.- Feeds a

Caged Canary.-Hanged at its own Door.-Destruction of Small

Birds

189

CHAPTER X.

"LIVE LIONS," PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE.

The Good Time Coming.-Death of a Favourite.-The Regent's Park

Zoological Gardens. Fish House.- Pike.-The Tench.--Fishing

Frog.-Musical Fish of the East.-Mandarin Duck.-Story of a

Devoted Couple.-Difficult to Obtain.--Secretary Bird and Curas-

sows.-Tongue of Flamingo.-Reptile House.-Keeper Killed by

Cobra. Incubation of Python.-Gigantic Newt of Japan.-Scheu-

chzer's Homo Diluvii Testis.-The Two-toed Sloth.-Great Ant-

eater.-Australia a Land of Contrarieties.-Satin Bower Bird.-

Brush Turkey.- Incubation Extraordinary.-Settler's Clock.-

Bell Bird.-Razor Grinder.- Coach-Whip Bird.- Elephant.-

Mooruk.-Struthoid Birds.-Great Extinct Birds of New Zealand.

--Egg from Madagascar.-The Eland

217

John Clare.-Gnats, Bats, and Owls.-Peculiarity of Position.—
Structure of Wings.-Evolutions in Air.-Spallanzani's Experi-
ments.-Exquisite Sensibility of Wing Membrane.-Hearing and
Smell. Diurnal Retreats.-Bat Caves of Jamaica.-A Noisy Com-
munity.-A Pigmy. Check on Insect Life.-Winter Sleep.-
Self-interred. Pipistrelle. Long-eared Bat. - Gilbert White's
Noctule.-Horse-shoe Bats.-Vampires.-Mode of attack.-Kalong
of Java.-Australian Pteropus.-Popular Antipathy.-Utility

CHAPTER XII.

A MONOGRAPH OF THE MONKEY TRIBE,

Caricatures of Humanity.-Monkey Performances.-At Home in the

Woods.-Stay-at-Home Travelling.-Glimpses of Monkey Life.-

Structure of Hands.-Characteristics.-Galeopithecus.—Aye-Aye.

-Lemurs.-American Monkeys.-Forest Life.-Douroucouli.-

Spider Monkeys.-An Improvised Bridge.-A Sagacious Messenger.

-Howlers. Baboons.- Mandrill.- Chacma.-A Dram-Drinker

Cured.-Wanderoo. A Grave and Reverend Seigneur.-A Fatal

Affray. The Showman's Monkey.-Metropolis of Monkeydom.—

Proboscis Monkey.

Monkey Shooting.