Inmates of my House and Garden

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Brightwen Eliza Elder. Inmates of my House and Garden

LEMURS

TOMMY AND PEARLIE

MUNGO

SQUIRRELS WON BY KINDNESS

A “FAIRY” STORY

ASNAPPER

WILLOW-WRENS

TAME DOVES

FEEDING WILD BIRDS IN WINTER

STARVING TORTOISES

TEACHING VILLAGE CHILDREN TO BE HUMANE

STUDYING NATURE

INSECT OBSERVATION

SOLITARY BEES AND WASPS

DRONE-FLIES

THE PRAYING MANTIS

THE CORK MOTH

THE CLOTHES MOTH

THE DEATH-WATCH

CHEESE-MITES AND FLIES

LEPISMÆ

POT-POURRI

A WATER BOUQUET

ARTISTIC PITHWORK

Отрывок из книги

NCOURAGED by the extremely kind reception which has been awarded to my previous books, and by the assurances, which have reached me from the most unexpected sources, that they have been found pleasant and profitable, I am venturing to offer to the same indulgent public a third collection of personal studies of natural history.

I recognise clearly that my little volumes have been received with so much favour, because, in spite of their simplicity and their lack of scientific importance, they are, so far as they go, original. That is to say, I have not much to give, but what I have is of my own gathering. I have not borrowed from other and cleverer writers, but have set down as plainly as I could what I have myself observed and experienced.

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Considering the ghost-like character associated with these animals, we thought that “Spectre” and “Phantom” would be appropriate names; they do not, however, respond to any endearing epithets, and only manifest emotion when a banana is offered for their acceptance.

I fancy they are somewhat unintelligent; they differ greatly from the ordinary type of monkey, in that they sit still by the hour together, and have no idea of mischief or of helping themselves in any way; for instance, a monkey, if feeling cold, will accept a shawl and wrap it round him, finding the comfort of it; but these creatures would sit and shiver and die of cold before the idea of covering themselves would enter their dull brains.

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