NATURAL HISTORY 



755 



lands of the Eastern Archipelago ; though one mon cat ; they have a long tail, which is almost 

 species is found on the west coast of Africa. The destitute of hair, and is very useful from its pre- 

 typical species of the family is found chiefly in j hensile nature, enabling the animal not only 

 the elevated tablelands of Central Asia, and i to hang by it, but also to climb and descend 

 particularly of Tibet. These animals attain | trees. They are sly and intelligent, and live 

 the size of a yc 

 bears 

 yield the musk, which is secreted by an abdom- 



ze of a young roe-deer, and the upper jaw chiefly in trees, lying up in the daytime, and at 

 prominent canine teeth. The males alone night roaming abroad in 



.1 I 1 1 .ill 11 l_ _ V . f 



search of their food, 

 which consists of insects, small reptiles, birds' 



e gg s etc- Some species have no marsupiura, 

 or pouch, or it is very slightly developed; and 



mal gland of about the size of a hen's egg. 



The Tibet musk is most in repute, that known 



as Russian or Siberian being inferior in quality, in these particular species the" young, on leaving 



Besides its familiar use as a scent, musk is em- ; the nipples, are carried on their mother's back, 



ployed medicinally as an antispasmodic. There retaining their position by entwining their tails 



are six or seven other species of Moschus, two around ners. The opossums may be divided 



of which, very diminutive, lack the musk gland, into three groups: those whose pouch is well 



Musk-ox. An animal intermediate be- developed, those in which it is a mere fold, and 



n the ox and sheep. Resembling in gen- those which have webbed feet, and live in the 



eral appearance a large goat-like sheep, its bodv water like otters. 



\ered with a coat of tufted hair, brownish Orange. The name given to certain plants 



in color and of great length. The hair about the of the genus Citrus. The common or sweet 



neck and shoulders is so thick as to give the orange is in universal request for its fruit. It 



animal a "humped" appearance; on the rest is an evergreen tree, with oblong leaves and 



of the body it is very long, smooth, and flowing, white flowers. It is extensively cultivated in 



while interspersed among its fibers is a layer of Southern Europe, and, in fact, in every part of 



lighter-colored wool. The musk-ox is active the world where the climate is suitable. There 



and agile, and climbs mountainous places with are numerous varieties of the common orange, 



ease and dexterity. The horns, broad at the the most important of which are the Chinese or 



base and covering the forehead and crown, Mandarin orange, the Maltese and St. Michael's 



curve downwards between the eye and the ear, ! oranges, and the blood orange, which is remark- 



and then upwards and slightly backwards. The able for the color of the pulp. The Seville or 



horns of the female are smaller than those of the bitter orange is another species, having a bitter 



male, and their bases do not touch. The ears are fruit of different shape, but of not less impor- 



short. the head large and broad, the muzzle tance than the common orange. Its flowers 



blunted. The average size of the male is that yield the distilled water (orange-flower water), 



of a small domestic ox. The food consists of so much used in medicine, and the volatil 



grass, lichens, etc. The musk-ox inhabits the called essence of Neroli, used in the preparation 



ic regions of America north of the sixtieth of Eau de Cologne. The rind is much used for 



<-e of latitude. The flesh is pleasant to the making marmalade, and in the young state is 



taste, though it smells strongly of musk, the one of the principal flavoring ingredients of the 



odor of which is also diffused from the living liqueur Curacoa. Orange-trees are extremely 



animal. fruitful, a single tree sometimes producing as 



Nightingale. A genus of birds belonging many as 20,000 oranges. The importance of 



to the order Passeres, of which there are two these fruits is due to the free acids contained 



species, very similar in plumage, inhabiting in the pulp, and the volatile oil. secreted by the 



Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa. | glands which cover the rind. The orange is 



One of these is a summer-visitant to the south- j especially cultivated in the Azores, Ann 



era and eastern counties of England, arriving Spain, Portugal, and the Mediterranean re- 



about the middle of April ; it occurs very occa- gions. 



sionally as far north as Mid-Yorkshire. The Orang Outang. In zoology the Mi.ts of 



plumage of this delightful songster is of a som- the Dyaks; also known as the " wild man of the 



ber hue. being on the upper surface of a reddish wood.' It is a dull, slothful animal, but pos- 



brown. redder on the head and rump; the tail sessed of great strength. These animals are 



a lighter tint, the throat, lower part of the now confined to the .swampy forests of Sumatra 



brea-1. and abdomen, greyish white; the lower and Borneo. Their height has been variously 



neck and si,| r s pale, greyish brown. The favor- stated, but we have not the least reliable evi- 



this bird are copses and hedge- deuce of the existence of oranirs m Itorneo more 



and its : sts of insects of various than four feet two inches high. The legs are 



descriptions. The nest is composed of dry very short, the arms are disproportionately 



leaves, lined with grass, roots, and hair. Th. 



ir or live in number, and of an 



uniform oli tinged with greyish blue. 



Opossum. A family of mammals, belong- 



; he order of pouc! \\hich range 



throughout the wooded districts of America. 



from the southern bound fam to the 



re they are most nur 



while one found in North Amerira. 



from l-'lorida to the Hud west to 



in form, and 

 the i;,rgi -st p. eis is about the size of the com- 



reaching to the ankle when the animal is 

 placed in an erect posit i, ,n. The males i 

 longish beard, and they sometimes develop 

 warty protuberances on each side of the face. 

 :.. man in ap| - great- 



est in the females and in \ounir an 

 head of a baby ornng is not very different from 

 that of an average child; but in the adult the 



muzzle 18 as well marked a feature as in the 



Carnivora. It never \\-.\\\- 



when 



. .- . 



using its hands to .support it -elf by branches 

 .ad. or when attack- 



