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knows, like rational beings, how to refuse the evil and choose the good; and it attains, by its own observation, to perceive how it can remove what it dislikes, and do the proper action accordingly.t The numerous congregations of these animals which our navigators have remarked, indicate a mutual gratification from such associations; from being together. This pleasure and preference arise in us from the kindly sympathies and social sensibilities of our nature. As like effects imply resembling causes, we are scarcely justified in denying to animals, who seek and move to be in society with each other, some feelings of the same sort with those which actuate us to the same end. Their general conduct has the appearance of prudence, regularity, and perseverance.

The kind and submitting habits and tractability of the formidable CROCODILE, and its self adaptation to the sportive humours of the child, are indications of mental volition, of self-government, and of an acquired self-coercion of former habits and dispositions.§ To see the crocodile Nothing can be more assiduous than this creature, night and day, in scooping the earth, and forcing its great body into the cavity...If attended to, it becomes an excellent weather-glass; for as sure as it walks elate, and as it were on tiptoe, feeding with great earnestness in a morning, so sure it will rain before night...1 was much taken with its sagacity in discerning those that do it kind offices; for as soon as the old lady comes in sight, who has waited on it for more than thirty years, it hobbles towards its benefactress with awkward alacrity, but remains inattentive to arangers." N. H. Selb. 182. ... So the Peterborough tortoise: "The gardener, who generally fed it, told me that it knew him well, and would watch him attentively at the gooseberry bush, where it was sure to take its station while he plucked the fruit." Mur. Exper. Res.

The Peterborough tortoise "had its antipathies and predilections. It would eat endive, green peas, and even the leek; while it positively rejected asparagus, parsley and spinach. In June it ate currants, rasp berries, pears, apples and peaches, the riper the better, but would not taste cherries. I could not get it to take the root of the dandelion, nor any root; neither milk nor water." Mur. ib.

"When a leaf was moist it would shake it to expel the adhering wet" Mur. ib.

"Its habits are constant and regular. Possessing more patience than activity, it is never affected by violent passion. Having more prudence than courage, it seldoin attempts defence when attacked; but employs all its strength to fix itself to the spot." La Cep. 90.

"In the Rio San Doiningo, likewise on the west coast of Africa, M. Brue was astonished to find the crocodiles perfectly harmless; insomuch that children played with them, mounted on their backs, and even beat them, without danger or any appearance of resentment. This gentleness of disposition proceeds, probably, from the care which is taken by the natives to feed them and treat them well." Voy. to Bissao Isl.. M. De la Borde saw crocodiles in Cayenne kept in ponds, where they

as docile as the elephant, and gentle and harmless like the cow, is a fine specimen of terrible power becoming, by its intellectual regulation, a good humoured and tractable playmate. What compulsion of his usual will, and what concurring power of mind, he must exert to make this mild demeanour habitual to him, we may infer by recollecting his dissimilar habits and overwhelming strength.*

The general mildness and docility of all the LIZARD tribe; the domesticity of some; their universal combination of great activity with perpetual gentleness; the visible attachment of many to mankind; and the same ability in all, display feelings and dispositions which approach the highest degree of moral character that animal nature can attain. It wants the wisdom of the human race to guide its greater energies; but the mild and peaceable and pleasing regulation of its diversified powers, for its own comfort and for harmlessness to others, is an attainment of which lived without doing any harm, even to the tortoises kept in the same ponds, and fed along with them on the refuse of the kitchens. La Cep. 278.... Aristotle mentions that to tame crocodiles, nothing is more necessary than to supply them abundantly with food. The want of this is the only cause of their being dangerous. Ib. 279.

"The crocodile of the Nile, 18 to 25 feet long, is of amazing swiftness, voracity, and strength; smells of musk, roars hideously, devours men and other large animals: swallows stones to prevent hunger; overturns boats when taken in nets; is not to be killed by a musket ball, unless struck on the belly; is destroyed by tobacco; seldom moves but in a straight line, by which means it is easily avoided." T. Linn. p. 656.

†Thus the dispositions of the guana species are extremely gentle and harmless. It runs with astonishing agility along the highest branches of the trees; but soon becomes tame, and even familiar. La C. 340, 3, 7. The Amboyna lizard, "though extremely timid, flying at the smallest noise, has gentle and inoffensive manners." p. 361.... The dispositions of the American agama, are very gentle. p. 368. The nimble lizard, whose motions are so quick, and who "runs with such swiftness as to disappear as quickly as a bird in the most rapid flight, sports innocently among the flowers, and gives pleasure by its beauty and harmless nature, and by the agility of its motions." "This gentle and peaceful little animal, excites no sensation of fear. It escapes indeed for the most part, when any one endeavours to take hold of it; but when taken, it makes not the smallest attempt to bite or offend. Children use it as a plaything, and it even becomes familiar. It seems anxious to return the caresses which are bestowed upon it, and approaching its mouth to the mouths of those who fondle it, will imbibe their moisture there." La Cep. 375, 6.... The chameleon is also "in its manners so very gentle, that a person may push his finger into its mouth, and yet it makes no attempt to bite." Prosp. Alh. La C. v. 2, p. 14. .. The gilded lizard, mistaken for a salamander, has been "very industriously persecuted; on which account, perhaps, it is extremely timid, and always flees the approach of mankind." Ib. 58.... While the roquet lizard "affects the company of mankind." Ib. 68.

all its classes seem capable. Every species has been found tameable to this important proportion of self-government; with such exceptions only as rather prove, that we have not yet discovered the right means of their tuition, than their actual intractability. Early training, sufficient food, kind treatment, and the absence of all provocation and excitement, appear to be the moral spells that mitigate and transform them. These give them the knowledge and the experience, of which, in their wild state, they are destitute In that they are surrounded with enemies, or with danger with want; with inconveniences; with irritations; and with frequent sufferings. These alarm, excite, and exasperate, till the savage emotions become the habit of their bodily frame, and ferocity or fear their daily character. But human training, judiciously conducted, places them under the care, the friendship, the assistance, and the protection of man. Want, danger, and hostility, then agitate them no longer. Their former stimulants operate no more. They find food, and peace, and comfort from their human owner, and within his domain. Then the same animal reason which in its first natural operations made them wild and fierce, by the same natural operation, under new circumstances and with new knowledge, causes them to be gentle, tranquil, and obedient. It is the same mind, acting on the same principles and with the same judgment, but in very different positions, and upon its more recent and additional sensations. We may add that the wild beast and the tame are but the counterpart of the savage and the civilized divisions of the human population. The early tiger Saxon and the accomplished Englishman, the ruthless Pict and the intelligent Scotsman, are the two similar contrasts of such altered character, which our own improved and yet improvable island presents to our contemplation. Thus the New Zealand cannibal, now the rival of the wolf, the leopard, and the shark, may yet become the polished, the scientific, the moral, and the Christian European. Otaheite and Owyhee have already begun this consoling melioration. The pleasure which several lizards display on being caressed by human kindness, implies sensibilities or impressibilities so like our own, that we can hardly give them any other denomination; and this similitude is increased by

The Mexican lizard, 1. orbicularis, the tapayaxin, though covered with prickles, "never attempts to do the smallest injury. It becomes readily tame, allows itself to be handled, and even seems fond of being Dd

their apparent gratification, shall we call it vanity, at being noticed. One kind gives the appearance at least of mental attention; another utters sounds, in order to produce an assemblage of its kind; and another, by its voice, announces to others its perception or apprehension of danger.§ To be deceived by a fraudulent imitation of its own calling sound, evinces correct sensation, and memory, and right judgment-but an error in reasoning, from not knowing the whole of the accompanying circumstances.Il

The FROG genus discover sagacities and feelings lik those of other animals. When the young ones quit thei native water, to join the older ones in the woods an meadows, they use every reasonable precaution. The pearly frog of Brazil is distinguished for its beauty.** So is caressed; appearing pleased at being turned over and over." La Cep. v. 2, p. 62.... The guana is taken by this sensitivity. As it basks in the beams of the sun, extended on the branch of a tree, the person who means to catch it, "advances slowly, whistling in a particular manner; the animal seems pleased with the sound, and extends its head as if to listen; coming nearer, and continuing to whistle, he tickles its sides and throat with a stick. It turns itself up gently to the action, and seems delighted with the treacherous caresses," but as it lifts up its nead from the branch, a noose is slipped over its neck from the stick, and it is jerked to the ground. La Cep. 346.

The pleasing basilisk, or little king, as it is called, from its crest, "as it shoots from branch to branch with great rapidity and adroitness, or in its state of rest, evinces a kind of satisfaction at being observed. Erecting its crown, it agitates its beautiful crest; alternately raises and depresses it head; and by various elegant movements, reflects various coloured light from its polished scales." La Cep. 357.... The green lizard also, "whenever it sees a man, seems to feel pleasure in displaying the brilliance of its eyes and its golden scales, as the peacock expands its plumage." Ib. 390... It plays with children; but when two are in confinement, they may be excited to fight. Ib.

†The strumous lizard "seems to examine every thing that comes in the way with attention; and has even the appearance of listening to what is said." La Cep. 2. p. 72.

The supercilious lizard, 1. superciliosa, so called from the projecting ridge over its eyes, is said by Seba, to cry very loud, as a signal for the scattered individuals to gather when endangered. Seba Mus. v. 1.

§ Seba mentions the forkheaded lizard as uttering a cry as a signal of danger. Ib. p. 109.

The two spot lizard, L. cimaculata, is thus taken. Its voice is a kind of whistle, which it emits frequently. If a person carries towards it a bunch of straw, imitating its whistle, the animal leaps into it, and is secured. La Cep. 1. p. 330.

"They begin their journey in the evening, travelling all night, on purpose to avoid becoming the prey of rapacious birds; always concealing themselves during the day under stones, or other recesses; and only resume their journey when night begins." La Cep. v. 2, p. 229.

Its body is strewed all over with small grains or tubercles of a pale red colour, resembling pearls. La Cep. 246.

the common tree frog, which lives, like birds, on the branches of the forest, and in seeking insects is almost as light and nimble in its motions as they are; and is ingenious in its efforts for its successful provender.* The red tree frog is used, by the Indians of South America, to give a fine red or yellow colour to the feathers of their parroquets. The most extraordinary property of frogs is that of being able to swallow fire.+

The TOAD has been tamed and domesticated. One became familiar in a house for thirty-six years, and welcomed that light which, in its natural state, is offensive to it.§ It displayed here as much original mind as any other quadruped, and was never offensive. This fact is sufficient to show that the living principle of the toad race has the same susceptibility, memory, will, perception, suitable judgment, and limited improvability, as every class of animated nature seems to exhibit. The beavers have been

⚫ La Cep. 257, 8. "Its contrivances for concealment, and for surprising its prey; the agility with which it springs for several feet among the smallest branches, and the facility with which it keeps itself safe from falling; are really admirable." p. 258.

"For this purpose, they pluck off the feathers of the nestling ones, and rub the skin with the frog's blood. After this operation, the new feathers grow red or yellow, instead of being green as before." La Cep. 270.

Catesby states that the land frog which inhabits Virginia and Carolina prefers those insects which shine in the dark. On a warm evening, a person in his company let fall some burning tobacco from his pipe, which was instantly swallowed by a land frog squatting close by. "Catesby offered it a little bit of lighted charcoal, which it swallowed immediately. He found, on repeated trials, that the land frog constantly swallowed whatever burning substances came within its reach." La Cep. 1. p. 233. Catesby's Carol. v. 2, p. 69, Lawson's Carol. 132.

"This toad had originally taken up its residence under an outer stone before the door of the house, and was of considerable size when first noticed. It came forth from its hole every evening, immediately on observing the candle, waiting deliberately to be lifted up and carried to a table within the house, where it was fed with insects, flies and millipeds. It particularly preferred maggots or small worms. It watched these with great eagerness, and, having measured the distance with its eyes, it darted out its long tongue, which brought back the animal to it." La Cep. p. 291, 2. Pennant's Brit. Zool. It lived 36 years thus domesticated, when a raven injured it at the mouth of its hole.

"Having never been injured by any person, it showed no signs of uneasiness or anger when touched. Even ladies were curious to see it, After the raven had put out its eye, it could not seize its prey as before, "not being able to judge its distance and situation with the same accuracy." La Cep. 292.

"We may perhaps conclude that when supplied with abundance of food of a particular kind, and when preserved from the ordinary dangers

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