58 VIGNETTES FROM NATURE. 



Haiti, Mauritius, Java, and the Malay Archi- 

 pelago generally. Those which live upon 

 the continents, and indeed most of the old 

 types as a whole, are further enabled to drag 

 on their existence somehow by nocturnal, 

 subterranean, or water-haunting habits, as 

 well as by living upon small and innutritious 

 food. Thus the lemurs, hedgehogs, and 

 aye-ayes feed by night only ; the ornitho- 

 rhynchus, oared-shrew, and musk-rat live in 

 the rivers ; the mole passes all his time 

 underground ; and the whole set alike burrow 

 or hide away for the best part of their lives, 

 feeding upon insects, like the ant-eater, or 

 upon reptiles a.nd carrion, like the armadillo. 

 Thus, in one way or another, these low forms, 

 by accepting the menial or dishonoured places 

 in the commonwealth of nature, have been 

 enabled to live on, in stealth and quiet, as 

 well as their more highly developed and 

 intelligent relatives. 



There is, however, one other considera- 

 tion which it would be impossible to pass by 



