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324 Old-time Schools and School-books
Next "Amphibious Reptiles" are considered, after that " Serpents," and finally " Fifhes." Here are sample paragraphs : —
The Wakon Bird, which probably is of the fame fpecies with the Bird of Paradife, receives its name from the ideas the Indians have of its fuperior excellence; the Wakon Bird being in their language the bird of the Great Spirit. Its tail is compofed of four or five feathers, which are three times as long as its body, and which are beautifully fhaded with green and purple. It carries this fine length of plumage in the fame manner as the peacock does his, but it is not known whether, like him, it ever raifes it to an erect pofition.
The Whitfaw is of the cuckow kind, being a folitary bird, and fcarcely ever feen. In the fummer months it is heard in the groves, where it makes a noife like the filing of a faw.
Of the Frog kind are many fpecies. Pond frog, green fountain frog, tree frog, bull frog. Befides thefe are the dufky brown, fpotted frog of Carolina; their voice re-fembles the grunting of fwine. The bell frog, fo called, becaufe their voice is fancied to be exactly like that of a loud cow bell. A beautiful green frog whofe noife is like the barking of little dogs, or the yelping of puppies. A lefs green frog, whofe notes refemble thofe of young chickens. Little gray fpeckled frog, who make a noife like the ftriking of two pebbles together under the furface of the water. There is yet an extremely diminutive fpecies of frogs, called by fome, Savanna crickets, whofe notes are not unlike the chattering of young birds or crickets. They are found in great multitudes after plentiful rains.
The Alligator is a very large, ugly, terrible creature, of prodigious ftrength, activity, and fwiftnefs in the water. They are from 12 to 23 feet in length ; their bodies are as |
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