NATURAL HISTORY. 61 



" Far different there from all that charmed before, 

 The various terrors of that horrid shore ; 

 Those matted woods where birds forget to sin;?, 

 But silent bats in drowsy clusters cling." GOLDSMITH. 



is head, and ere it could secure a mouthful of the interdicted food, the watchful 

 avenger seized the depredator by the neck with the rapidity of thought, and 

 secured it from doing further mischief. He no^\ oegan to chatter and grin with 

 every expression of gratified triumph, while the crows flew around, cawing in 

 boisterous chime, as if deprecating the chastisement about to be inflicted upon their 

 captive companion. The monkey continued for a while to chatter and grin in 

 triumphant mockery of their distress ; he then deliberately placed the captive crow 

 between his knees and began to pluck it with the most humorous gravity. When 

 he had completely stripped it, except the large feathers in the pinions and tail, he 

 flung it into the air as high as his strength would permit, and, after flapping its 

 wings for a few moments, it fell on the ground with a stunning shock. The other 

 crows, which had been fortunate enough to escape a similar oastigation, now 

 surrounded it, and immediately pecked it to death. 



The animal had no sooner seen this ample retribution dealt to the purloiner of 

 his repast, thap he ascended the bamboo to enjoy a quiet repose. The next time 

 his food was brought, not a single crow approached it. 



ORDER III. CA11NABIA. 



183. Why is the third division of the Mammalia, called 

 Carnaria ? 



The name implies lovers of flesh, and is therefore employed to 

 denote those classes of animals which are flesh eaters. The term 

 carnaria is applied to the whole of a great ORDER, which is again 

 divided into sub-orders : 1. Cheiroptera ; 2. Insectivora ; 3. 

 Carnivora. 



Sub-order I. Cheiroptera. 



184. Why is the first sub-order of Carnaria called Cheiroptera ? 



Because the 

 wings of the spe- 

 cies composing it, 

 as well as serving 

 the purposes of 

 flight are to some 

 extent capable of 

 being used as 



nands. The term is derived from two Greek words meaning wing 



and hand, and signifies wing -handed. 



