Collections and Recollections. 
233 
of energy in the organ, than because it began to dry, and adhere to the paper 
on which it was laid.— Mag. Nat. Hist. May, 1831. 
Reptiles akd other Animals. —The first and most obvious characteristic 
of the Reptile world, is the coldness of their blood, and the languidness of its 
circulation. The heart, w hich in the higher classes of animals, impregnates 
the blood with vital air, receives but a small portion of that which circulates 
through reptiles; hence it is feebly oxygenated, and slowly propelled. In 
the Maymtialia, (from mammse, breasts or teats, being such animals as suckle 
their young,) and Mves, (the bird tribe,) the brain is the centre of the nervous 
system, and there the vital principle seems to be aggregated^ but in reptiles 
there is little or no centrallization of life, and irritabilty seems equally diffused 
over every portion of their system, hence they retain life, or, at least, the 
appearance of vital motion, under circumstances apparently incredible. A 
Tortoise has been known to live eighteen days after its brain was removed. 
A Salamander lived several months after its head was taken off, effusion of 
blood being prevented, by a ligature tied tightly round the neck. The res¬ 
piratory system in reptiles is very simple; as they do not want atmospheric 
air to oxygenate the blood, they could not use the complicated and powerful 
organization with which other animals are supplied ; hence we find that these 
animals retain life when almost wholly deprived of air. Toads have been 
found alive in the centre of the hardest rocks. Vipers have lived for months 
shut up in close boxes. The last peculiarity of the reptile race, which we shall 
notice, is, their power of re-producing certain parts, such as the tail, the feet, 
&c., when they have been lost.— Cuvier. 
Norway Owls. —The inhabitants of a little village, called Helgay, 3 miles 
from Market Downham, are once in every three or four years infested w'ith an 
incredible number of field mice, which devour their corn of every kind. As 
certain, however, as this visitation happens, a prodigious flight of Norway 
Owls are sure to arrive, and tarry till these little mischievous criminals are 
totally destroyed. This season they repeated their visit; and in a few days, 
the Owls made their appearance, to the no small joy of the farmers, who pay 
almost the same veneration to these birds as the Egyptians did to the Ibis. As 
usual, they executed their business, which they seem providentially sent to 
perform. 
Sagacity of a Cat. —De la Croix relates the following almost incredible instance 
of sagacity in a cat, who even, under the receiver of an air-ptnnp, discovered the 
means of escaping a death, which appeared, to all present, inevitable :—I once 
saw,” says he, “a lecturer upon experimental philosophy, place a cat under the 
glass receiver of an air-pump, for the purpose of demonstrating that very certain 
fact, that life cannot be supported without air and respiration. The lecturer had 
already made several strokes with the piston, in order to exhaust the receiver of 
its air, when the animal, who began to feel herself very uncomfortable in the ra- 
rified atmosphere, was fortunate enough to discover the source from whence her 
uneasiness proceeded. She placed her paw upon the hole through which the air 
escaped, and thus prevented any more from passing out of the receiver. All the 
exertions of the philosopher were now unavailing; in vain he drew the piston; 
the cat’s paw eftectually prevented its operation. Hoping to eflect his purpose, 
he let air again into the receiver, which, as soon as the cat perceived, she 
withdrew her paw from the aperture; but whenever he attempted to exhaust 
the receiver, she applied her paw as before. All the spectators clapped their 
VoL. 1, No. 5- 
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