12 



NATURAL HISTORY OF VERMONT. 



Part I. 



DOMESTIC rOWX.S. 



REPTILES OF VERMONT. 



species. Very few of them are raised in 

 this state, aiui these are kept rather for 

 curiosity than profit. 



Bahn-Door Fowl, Galbis domcstlcvs. 

 This species, denominated the Cock and 

 the Hen, varies almost infinitel}'^ in col- 

 ors, and very considerably in size and 

 form. It has been in a domesticated state 

 from time immemorial, and more or less 

 of them are kept by almost every family 

 in the state. Their flesh and eggs form 

 almost indispensable articles of food ; and 

 with suitable attention and precaution a- 

 gainst mischief, the keeping of hens for 

 their eggs is not unprofitable. 



The Peacock, Pavo cristatus. The 

 Peacock is said to have been originally 

 from the north of India, and to have been 

 introduced into Europe by Alexander the 

 Great. It is celebrated only for the mag- 

 nificence and beauty of its plumage. 



The Guinea Hen, JYumida mdeagris. 

 The Guinea Hen was originally from Af- 

 rica. Its slate colored plumage is every- 

 where springled with small round white 

 spots. In its wild state it lives in flocks, 

 in marshes. 



Thic Dove. Our common Dove is said 

 to be descended from the Rock Dove, 

 Coluviba livia. 



The three last are kept only in small 

 numbers, as a matter of curiosity. 



The following table contains the esti- 

 mated value of Poultry in the several 

 counties in this slate, according to the re- 

 turns of the census of 1840. 



Addison Co. 



lieiiniiigton, 



Culcdoiiiu, 



Chittenden, 



Essex, 



Franklin, 



Grand Islo, 



].iUmoille, 



$8,637 

 9,414 



J 0,029 

 8,014 

 1,744 

 5,912 



1,87a 



4,192 



CHAPTER IV. 



REPTILES OF VERMONT, 



Preliminary Observations. 



Reptiles are usually regarded as disa- 

 greeable and loathesome objects, though 

 many of them, on account of their singu- 

 lar structure and habits, arc highly inter- 

 esting. These animals have cold red 

 blood, with a dry skin, which is naked or 

 covered with scales, and, in many species, 

 periodically renewed. Their temperature 

 usuall}' corresponds with that of the me- 

 dium in which they are situated. When 

 the temperature is down to freezing they 

 become torpid. They are found largest 

 and most numerous in the hottest portions 

 of the earth. 



The bones of reptiles are in general 

 softer than those of qiip.drupeds and birds, 

 and vary much in their connection and 

 number in the different genera Frogs 

 and toads have no ribs ; serpents have 

 them detached without a sternum ; tortois- 

 es have them all united together ; and 

 lizards have them like birds. Some of 

 these aniinals have four feet, others two, 

 and others none. Some are fitted for leap- 

 ing, others for crawling, and others for 

 swimming, and several for all these modes 

 of progression. Their circulation is im- 

 perfect, their sensations obtuse, and they 

 are in general sluggish in their habits. 



Reptiles all produce their young by 

 means of eggs ; these are not, however, 

 hatched by the parent, but deposited in 

 situations favorable for their develope- 

 ment. In some genera the young are 

 produced perfect, while in others they are 

 of a widely difir-rent form, being shaped 

 like, and having the habits of a fish, and 

 like insects undergoing a transformation 

 before arriving at perfection, of which the 

 tadpole and frog afford a familiar example 



In his classification of Reptiles, Cuvier 

 adops the arrangement of Brongniart,who 

 takes the characters of his orders from the 

 principal organs, in conjunction with the 

 animal functions. In this arrangement 

 they are divided into the four following 

 orders. 



I. C/telonia, or Tortoises. Body cov- 

 ered with a shield, or plate. 



II. Sauria, or Lizards. Body covered 

 with scales. 



III. Ojjhidia, or Serpents. Destitute 

 of feet. 



IV. Batrachia, or Frogs, &c. Body 

 covered with a naked and loose skin. 



The following is a list of the Reptiles 

 found in Vermont, arranged in the order 

 in which they are described in the subse- 

 i^uent pages. 



