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Quadrupeds, What They Are and Where Found A Book of Zoology for Boys By: Mayne Reid (1818-1883) |
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This is a fairly short book, but it certainly hits the spot, for its aim
is to inform young people about the four legged animals of our planet,
and this it does very competently. Of course there is no reason why young ladies should not read this book:
I am sure they would enjoy this just as much Reid's target readership,
which was boys. There are 24 chapters, each dealing with a kind of animal. Sometimes an
animal genus is given two chapters, for instance domestic dogs, and wild
dogs. One grouse: the phrase "well known" occurs over forty times.
Would the "well known" fact be well known to the book's intended
readership? Probably not. There are a score of very nice illustrations, most showing numerous
animals of that chapter's genus.
QUADRUPEDS, WHAT THEY ARE AND WHERE FOUND, BY CAPTAIN MAYNE REID. PREFACE. I have been called upon to write illustrative sketches to a series of
engravings, designed by an eminent artist. In performing my part of the
work I have thrown the Mammalia into twenty four groups corresponding
more or less to the picture designs and have dwelt chiefly on the
geographical distribution of the animals. The Cetaceae and
Vespertilionidae are properly omitted. In the groups given there is no attempt made at any very scientific
arrangement. The sketches are purely of a popular character, even the
scientific nomenclature being avoided. It is hoped, however, that they
may prove of service to the zoological tyro, and form as it were his
first stepping stone to a higher order of classification. In reality, notwithstanding the prodigious speculations of learned
anatomists, no truly good arrangement of the Mammalia has yet been
arrived at; the deficiency arising from the fact that, as yet, no true
zoologist has had the opportunity of a sufficiently extended observation
of the natural habits of animals. Now, however, that the great agent steam has as it were "brought the
ends of the earth together," the opportunity is no longer wanting; and
it is to be hoped that a better classification may soon be obtained.
Who knows but that some ardent young zoologist, who has taken his first
lessons from this little book, may be the man to supply the desideratum?
Who knows? Such a result would be a proud triumph for the author of these
monographic sketches. Mayne Reid. CHAPTER ONE. MONKEYS OF THE OLD WORLD. The great family of the Monkeys, or the "Monkey tribe," as it is usually
called, is divided by naturalists into two large groups the "Monkeys of
the Old World," or those that inhabit Africa, Asia, and the Asiatic
islands; and the "Monkeys of the New World," or those that belong to
America. This classification is neither scientific nor natural, but as
it serves to simplify the study of these quadrupeds or quadrumana , as
they are termed it is here retained. Moreover, as there is no genus of
monkey, nor even a species, common to both hemispheres, such a division
can do no harm. The number of species of these animals, both in the Old and New Worlds,
is so great, that to give a particular description of each would fill a
large volume. It will be only possible in this sketch to point out the
countries they inhabit, and to say a word or two of the more remarkable
kinds. In point of precedence, the great Ourang outang contests the palm with
the Chimpanzee . Both these creatures often attain the size of an
ordinary man, and individuals of both have been captured exceeding this
size; while, at the same time, in muscular strength, one of them is
supposed to equal seven or eight men. It is remarkable how little is
known of the habits of either. This is accounted for by the fact that
they both inhabit regions still unexplored by civilised man, dwelling in
thick impenetrable forests, where even the savage himself rarely
penetrates... Continue reading book >>
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