i 7 6 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



resemblance to the human face, hands, and facial 

 expression, but qualifying this, we observe, at the 

 same time, fundamental diversities in respect of 

 shape, colouring, speech, posture, etc. 



But independently of such resemblances and other 

 relations to foreign objects, sundry animals possess 

 certain curious appendages which, either by reason of 

 their excessive and disproportionate size, or of their 

 uncommon shape, colouring, etc., inevitably excite 

 our laughter. Just in the same manner as we jeer 

 and laugh at the drolleries, comicalities, and eccen- 

 tricities of a clown in the circus, or of a comedian on 

 the stage, so do we feel amused and exhilarated with 

 certain extraordinary appearances, etc., on the part 

 of animals ; the extraordinary-looking beaks of the 



Fig. 136. — The Puffin (Fratcrcula arctica). 



toucans, the hornbills, curlews, etc., seem out of all 

 proportion to the size and apparent requirements of 

 these birds. So likewise the long, lank necks and 

 shanks of the cranes, herons, etc., are provocative of 

 merriment, especially when we observe them erect on 

 some desolate sea-shore, as if fixed in thought — in a 

 "brown study," with the head poked out forwards in 

 a curious "contemplative" attitude. 



Some singular fidgety deportment, some extra- 

 ordinary aspect of eye or countenance, denoting in 

 either case an unnatural, unhealthy excitement, or 

 even an abnormal suppression of animal force, is 

 often very ludicrous to behold. A bird performs 

 some operation (such as that of incubating) with an 

 amount of gravity and an air of importance utterly 

 disproportionate to the consequence or influence 

 thereof in the economy of nature. During the breed- 

 ing season the Common Guillemot may be observed 

 upon the extremity of some protuberant ledge of rock 

 perched upon a single egg, in such a manner as if the 



whole economy of the world depended upon the 

 issue of the process. There is a knowing look, too, 

 about certain animals which is equally interesting. 

 Thus we often say of a certain cat or dog, that he is 

 very wise or knowing-looking. Certain attitudes 

 assumed, or certain movements executed are also 

 irresistibly funny. A young kangaroo popping its 

 head and tail out of its mother's pouch, or vaulting 

 nimbly therein from the ground, furnishes an un- 

 doubtedly ludicrous spectacle. 



Within the necessarily restricted limits of a paper 

 of this description, it would be idle to endeavour to 



,nT> 



Fig. 137. — The Common Guillemots (Uria troile). 



investigate the primary or fundamental cause of the 

 aforesaid eccentricities. Nevertheless, in a general 

 way we declare, that just in the same manner as a 

 violent disturbance, or an undue depression of animal 

 or nerve force occasions the extravagant deportment, 

 opinions, and feelings of insanity, so this same excite- 

 ment and depression, when manifested in a less marked 

 degree, induces the less momentous and intense form 

 of oddity now adverted to. Sea-birds, as a rule, are 

 not particularly odd or funny-looking, either as re- 

 spects their appearance or their conduct. Neverthe- 

 less, there occur very odd and singular creatures 

 amongst them, some of which, and in the first place, 



