160 SCIENTIFIC ILLUSTRATIONS [Imp 



The Impermanence of Life's Forms. 



Life's forms are for ever changing. Not only do individuals 

 perish, but even types. Numberless creatures which once 

 flourished on our earth are not even represented here now. 

 The dodo will be seen no more ; the race has fleeted away. 

 Among birds, the emeu, the cassowary, and the apterix are 

 species rapidly vanishing; amongst quadrupeds, the kangaroo, 

 the platypus ; others slowly, but not less surely. After a while 

 they will be gone from the earth wholly, as bears, wolves, 

 mammoths, aud hyenas have gone from our own islands. The 

 Bos primigenus, or great wild bull, was common in Germany 

 when Julius Caesar flourished. The race has become wholly 

 extinct, if, indeed, not incorporated with, the large tame oxen 

 of Northern Europe. The beaver built his mud-huts along the 

 Soane and the Rhone up to the last generations of man ; and 

 when Hannibal passed through. Gaul on his way to Italy, beavers 

 in Gaul were common. Thus have animals migrated or died 

 out ; passed away, the balance of life remaining. s. N. 



The Model of Impertinence. 



The sparrows are a tame, troublesome, and impertinent 

 generation, and nestle just where you don't want them ; they 

 stop up your stoves and water-pipes with their rubbish, and 

 build in the windows and under the beams of the roof, and 

 would stuff your hat full of stubble in half a day if they found 

 it hanging in a place to suit them. They are extremely perti- 

 naceous in asserting their right of possession, and have not the 

 least reverence for any place or thing. LA. 



The Impostor. 



If the opossum is surprised by the farmer flagrante delicto 

 it lies down on the ground, counterfeits death, and takes any 

 amount of beating without wincing ; but as soon as the man, 

 thinking that he has killed it, turns his back, the rogue de- 

 camps as fast as he can, and regains the forest. How like is 

 this to the sleek sanctimonious impostor ! M. 



