THE FARMER AT HOME. $17 



motion. Combined with carbon, it thus fixes or condenses the oxygen, 

 forming aqueous vapor and smoke, thereby locating great heat, while 

 the reaction of the excited parts causes a diffused action which is the 

 important effect called light. With oxygen only it creates a yellowish 

 light, but with a suitable proportion of carbon it makes all the colors 

 of the prism, when the resulting light is mechanically decomposed by 

 it. Of course, coals, bitumens, oils, tallow, spirits, and all bodies that 

 burn, abound in it, for burning means nothing more than its power of 

 absorbing oxygen when duly excited, and this absorption creates by 

 reaction in the space, heat, flame, and light, universally. The car- 

 buretted vapor of hydrogen, evolved by subterranean heat from coal 

 in the cavities of mines, is exploded by oxygen, with destructive effects 

 when first excited by the similar process of a candle. When the 

 same gas is made by distillation, and sent through pipes, it gradually 

 explodes at the orifice, forming what are called gas lights. And 

 when gradually evolved at the wick of a candle or lamp from the com- 

 pound of carbon and hydrogen in the tallow and oil, the explosion 

 accompanying the evolution of the gas creates our domestic lights. 

 So also with the flame of a coal fire. 



IBEX. This animal is distinguished by large knotted horns, re- 

 clining backwards, a small head, large eyes, a thick, short, strong 

 body, short Jegs, very short hoofs, and a short tail. Its body is of a 

 deep brown color, with a mixture of hoary hairs ; its belly is of a 

 tawny white ; its legs partly black, partly white ; the space under 

 the tail, in some individuals, is tawny, in others white. The hair is 

 harsh, and the male is furnished with a beard. These animals are 

 seldom found, except in the most precipitous and inaccessible heights 

 of lofty mountains, where they assemble in flocks, sometimes consist- 

 ing often or fifteen individuals. 



During the night, they feed in the highest woods, but, at sunrise, 

 they again ascend the mountains, till they have reached the most 

 perilous heights. They are remarkably swift, and display amazing 

 agility and dexterity in leaping. They are objects of the chase, but, 

 from the inaccessible nature of the places to which they generally 

 resort, their dexterity in leaping, and the danger attendant on a pur- 

 suit of them, the ibex hunter must have a head that can bear to look 

 down from the most tremendous precipices without terror, address 

 and sure-footedness in the most difficult passes, and also much strength, 

 vigor, and activity. 



Another danger attendant on this chase is, that the ibex, when 

 close pressed, will sometimes turn on his pursuer, and tumble him 

 down the precipices, unless he has time to lie down, and permit the 

 animal to pass over him. The ibex will mount an almost perpendic- 

 ular rock of fifteen feet, at three successive bounds, appearing merely 

 to touch it, to be repelled, like an elastic substance striking against a 

 hard body. The fore legs being considerable shorter than the hinder, 

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