Wonders of Animal Life (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1915 edition. Excerpt: ... in 1691 by Leguat, but became extinct in the year 1761. Closely allied to the dodo, but possessing somewhat longer legs, it attained to a stature of about two feet nine inches. Its rudimentary wings were armed with curious ball-like outgrowths which were believed to be used by the bird as weapons. Of the several species of extinct moas, formerly found in New Zealand, but ultimately exterminated by the Maoris, the largest are stated to have attained to a stature of twelve feet. Although some of them possessed rudimentary wings, others entirely lacked those members. The great auk, or garefowl, a bird closely resembling a penguin, more especially in its upright posture when standing and walking, used to associate in great numbers during the breeding season upon several islands in the vicinity of Iceland; but owing to ceaseless persecution for the sake of its feathers, it quickly met the fate that doubtless awaits other members of the bird world which have the misfortune to prove attractive to those human butchers who do not hesitate to sacrifice living creatures without regard to the future existence and prosperity of the species as long as they are able to make money by trading with their dead bodies, and became extinct about the middle of the nineteenth century. According to one authority, it was the custom for the crews of sailing ships to visit the islands whereon the great auks congregated, and spend the summer months in killing as many of the birds as possible; and for that purpose the men used to erect stone enclosures, or pens, into which their prey were driven; millions being slain in these shambles. The great auk stood about two feet eight inches in height. Its wings were absurdly small, and, like those of the penguin, quite...