Animals in action; studies and stories of beasts, birds and reptiles; their habits, their homes and their peculiarities (1901) (14568755908)

Identifier: animalsinactions00broo (find matches)
Title: Animals in action; studies and stories of beasts, birds and reptiles; their habits, their homes and their peculiarities
Year: 1901 (1900s)
Authors: Brooks, Elbridge S. (Elbridge Streeter), 1846-1902
Subjects:
Publisher: Boston, Lothrop pub. co
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress



Text Appearing Before Image:
eds to swallow it.After the fat has thawed in the warm stomach of the animal,the circle of whalebone, being released, springs apart and tearshis bowels. But the Esquimaux sometimes give open battle to the polarbear, either upon land or in the water. Their boats, or kayaks,which they manage with great dexterity, are some twenty feetlong and less than two feet wide ; they are made of light woodenframes, and covered with seal hide; they have a round open-ing in which the occupant sits. The course of this little boatis governed by a small paddle oar as wide as the hand at eachend. Besides the bow and arrow, these polar huntsmen use aharpoon or spear as their weapon. The Esquimau in ourpicture is advancing boldly with lance couched against thesavage polar bear that has suddenly sprung up against hiskayak. The bears defend themselves with great courage andskill even in the water, and there are instances enough on recordof such hunts that have terminated fatally for the hunters. ••*• P
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Esquimau in Kayak attacked by Polar Bear. THE SWAN AND THE FOX. loi The Swan and the Fox. IN the north of Europe, as well as in northern and central Asia,there lives the wild or singing swan, the Cygmts musicus ofthe naturalists, a beautiful, stately bird, only a little smallerthan the tame or hump-backed swan. As a bird of passage thewild swan visits central Europe in October, and in March andApril, and is to be found in great numbers on the Germanlakes throughout the winter. His customary winter home,however, is in the swamps and lakes of Greece and the greaterbodies of water in the north of Africa and the south ofEurope. He owes his name, the singing swan, to the double-toned, beautiful, loud, and prolonged cry which he utters. Thissound, especially if many of the birds are together, or are fly-ing at a high altitude, resembles distant blasts of a trombone.In beauty of form and grace of movement, however, the wildswan is inferior to the tame variety. His body is more angu-lar, and