18. Effects of Cold on Animals. Inclem'ency; severity. Circulate; run round. Benumbed'; deprived of feeling. Contin'ue; remain. Uncomfortable; disagreeable. Retreats'; retirements. Intens'ity; keenness. Ac'tively; lively. Subsist'ence; means of support. Proportioned; measured. Rapidity; swiftness. Tor'por; numbness. Habita'tion; dwelling. Ema'ciated; reduced to leanness. Pulsa'tion; beating. THE inclemency of the season is shown by its effects on animals. Those which are called coldblooded, that is, where the whole of the blood does not circulate through the lungs, as the frog, the snake and the lizard, are benumbed by it in their winter-quarters, and continue in this deathlike state till the return of warm weather. Others, as the dormouse, the marmot, and bear, sleep away the greater part of this uncomfortable pe riod; while others, as the squirrel and fieldmouse, which lay up stores of provision during the autumn, keep close in their retreats, sleeping a good while during the intensity of the frost; but, during the less severe part of the winter, being in an active state, they have recourse to their hoards for a supply of subsistence. But animals in a state of sleep require nourishment, though not in such large quantities as those which continue actively alive; the necessity of food being proportioned to the rapidity of the circulation of the blood. Since, however, in a state of torpor it is impossible to take in nourishment, these animals must perish, were it not for a store of food prepared and laid up within them in the form of fat for animals of this class become very fat before they retire to their winter habitations, and come out again in the spring lean and emaciated, as in the case with the bear, marmot, &c. With respect to the cold-blooded animals, which accumulate no fat, the continuance of their life is provided for by other means, All these animals are capable, during their active state, of supporting the want of food for a great length of time; at which period the pulsations of the heart, which is the organ for circulating the blood, amount to about sixty in a minute; but during their torpid state do not exceed the same number in the space of an hour; so that the pulsations of the heart during the three months of winter, in which they become insensible, amount to no more than the usual number of thirty-six hours in their active state, and their demand for nourishment is probably diminished in the same proportion. The other animals that are not rendered torpid by the cold, yet feel very sensibly its effects, which are a deficiency of food and heat: to obviate these pressing evils, the wild quadrupeds of prey, by which this island is inhabited, such as the fox, the weasel, the polecat, and others, rendered bold by famine, make incursions into the hen-roost and farm-yard. At this season also, hares, forgetting their natural timidity, enter the gardens to browse on the cultivated vegetables, and, leaving their tracks in the snow, are frequently hunted down or caught in snares. Rabbits, pressed with hunger, enter into plantations, where they destroy multitudes of trees, by stripping their bark as high as they are able to reach. Nat. Hist. of the Year. one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, XI XII XIII XIV XV XVI XVII XVIII XIX XX Exercises on Words having the Same Pronunciation but Different Meanings. Air is equally necessary to the support of life and combustion. His air was haughty and imperious, and gave displeasure to the performers of the air, who are scientific musicians. The angle on this side of the board is less than the other. An experienced angler will always angle in the best part of the stream. That arch is lofty. The boy is arch and playful in his manner. These ashes seem to thrive well in this ground. Take all the ashes from the grate, that the fire may burn well. His offer was accounted a very alluring bait, and almost tempted him to bait the bull, A ball will roll rapidly along an inclined plane. The ball was well attended, and all the pupils danced well. That bank is almost as high as this wall. get that note exchanged at the bank. That gate is fastened with a bar of iron. minal at the bar is accused of a capital crime. You may The cri He is accounted a base and unprincipled knave. The base of that noble edifice is supported on piles of wood. The bay and the laurel are trees whose leaves were once used as decorations for the head. The ship seems to be approaching the bay. One of the racers rode a bay horse, and the other a grey one. His rage resembles that of a dog which would bay the moon. The beam that supports the roof is two feet in depth. The sun shines with cheering beam. You will become learned by unwearied application to study, and your acquisitions will become you better than beauty. He received a blow on the anclé which makes him halt, so that he can no longer blow of his feats of agi lity. This plant will blow in Spring, and decay in Autumn. He bound himself to set a bound to his anger. The deer can bound over a high enclosure. The box tree is a dwarfish shrub that does not thrive in all soils. He received a box on the ear for taking' tools from the carpenter's box. He paid for a boxticket. Boys should never box in earnest. He could not brook the charge, but deemed it a gross insult. A gently flowing brook winds through the vale. All the boys belonging to the class were present but Thomas, who kept away because he was but two places from the bottom. He gave a butt of wine in exchange for these goods. If you take your aim well you may strike the butt. The goat will butt if you tease him. Let the butt of the gun rest on your foot. The calf has already begun to eat grass. He got the calf of his leg scratched in passing through a hedge. Write on this card. Be sure to make him card the wool well. Put the compasses into the case. His case was so bad that the doctor despaired of effecting a cure. James says this noun is in the possessive case. He told me that he had cast all the patterns into the fire, but that in the evening he would cast from new models. This cast exhibits a good likeness of that eminent man. The charge of the packet was committed to Peter, and he has taken great care of it. I charge you to abjure such practices in future. The charge for which he is to stand his trial is a serious one, and will require calm investigation. The whole charge will not exceed five shillings. If you charge the gun too much it may burst and do mischief. You must comb your hair well. What a fine comb that fowl has! Observe how regular the structure of this comb is, now that all the honey is extracted. The crop looks well this year. The pigeon's crop is full. He desired the barber to crop his hair after the newest fashion. When you cross the river you will arrive in a different country. The child was very cross and peevish. If you cross any of his favourite schemes you will certainly displease him. You ought to set down the date of every important transaction. The date grows in warm countries. The memory of that good man should be ever dear The materials were so dear that he could not think of purchasing them. to us. Exercises on Antonymes or Words having Opposite Meanings. 1. Blame, praise; bad, good; buy, sell; We blame actions that proceed from bad motives, and praise those that arise from good ones. To buy temporary pleasure at the expense of virtue, is to sell our hopes of future happiness at the lowest price, and leads to endless pain. Joy came with tardy steps, and went on hasty pinions, leaving grief in its place. A blunt instrument may produce as dangerous wounds as a sharp one. In the morning of youth our prospects are bright, but they become dim in the evening of age. The sight of a black man, to a European, is no greater matter of surprise than that of a white, to an African. |