Homes Without Hands: Being a Description of the Habitations of Animals, Classed According to Their Principle of Construction
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Mann Spec. Coll. QL 75 W6 1866
<!-- pandi-media-anchor:figure-p7-o2-dea7c7917b31b648 -->OSPREY AND GRAKLES.
<!-- pandi-media-anchor:figure-p10-o3-bbad37c179fc63ee -->HOMES WITHOUT HANDS.
BEING A DESCRIPTION OF
THE HABITATIONS OF ANIMALS, CLASSED ACCORDING TO THEIR PRINCIPLE OF CONSTRUCTION.
BY
THE REV. J. G. WOOD, M.A., F.L.S., ETC.,
AUTHOR OF THE "ILLUSTRATED NATURAL HISTORY," "COMMON OBJECTS OF THE SEA-SHORE AND COUNTRY," ETC., ETC., ETC.
WITH NEW DESIGNS BY W. F. KEYL AND E. SMITH.
ENGRAVED BY MESSRS. PEARSON.
NEW YORK:
HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS, FRANKLIN SQUARE. 1866.
PREFACE.
THE object of this work is so fully given in the title-page, that little more remains to be said in the preface.
Beginning with the simplest and most natural form of habitation, namely, a burrow in the ground, the work proceeds in the following order :—2d, those creatures that suspend their homes in the air; 3d, those that are real builders, forming their domiciles of mud, stones, sticks, and similar materials; 4th, those which make their habitations beneath the surface of the water, whether salt or fresh; 5th, those that live socially in communities; 6th, those which are parasitic upon animals or plants; 7th, those which build on branches. The last chapter treats of miscellanea, or those habitations which could not be well classed in either of the preceding groups.
In all these classes a definite order has been preserved, the Mammalia having precedence, and being followed in regular order by the other members of the group. Thus, in the first few chapters, which treat of the Burrowers, the following system has been observed :—First comes Man, the chief of all the mammalia, and in due zoological order follow the Moles and Shrews, the Foxes, the Weasels, the Rodents, and the Edentates. The White Bear alone is removed from its legitimate place, on account of its singular habitation in the snow. The Burrowing Birds come next in order, those which burrow in the earth taking precedence of those which make holes in wood. Burrowing Reptiles follow next in order; and then come the Burrowing Invertebrates, headed by the Crustacea. The same system is followed throughout, so as to give the reader a clear and definite idea of the subject. For this reason, a table of contents is appended to the work, as well as an alphabetical index; the one to enable the reader to form a general conception of the subject, and the other to enable him to find out any particular creature.
On perusing the work, the attentive reader will probably discover that various animals are placed in one class when they might very well be in another. The reason is, that many creatures, such as the wasp, the ant, the squirrel, etc., might with equal propriety find a place in several of these classes, and I have therefore placed them in that class of which some peculiarity in nest-making renders them fit illustrators.
I must now return my thanks to the many friends who have assisted me in the work, by the loan or gift of specimens, or by affording valuable information. Among them I must especially mention J. GOULD, Esq., who kindly took an interest in the ornithological portion of the work; F. SMITH, Esq., of the British Museum; and the late CHARLES WATERTON, Esq., who permitted me the use of his museum, and gave me much interesting and useful information.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
BURROWING MAMMALIA.
Introduction.—Man as a Burrower.—The MOLE and its Dwelling.—Difficulty of observing its Habits.—Complicated structure of its Fortress, and its Uses.—Character of the Mole.—Adaptation of its Form to its mode of Life.—Common Objects.—The SHREW MOLE, ETRUSCAN SHREW, and MUSK RAT.—The ARCTIC FOX.—Structure of its Limbs.—Form of its Burrow.—Its Character, Fur, and Flesh.—The common FOX.—Mode of Burrowing and economy of Labor.—The young Family.—The WEASEL, and some of its Habits.—The BADGER and its Burrow.—The PRAIRIE DOG, or WISH-TON-WISH.—Dog-towns.—Unpleasant Intruders.—The RABBIT, and the Warren.—Self-sacrifice.—Study of animal Life.—The CHIPPING SQUIRREL.—Curious form of its Dwelling.—Its subterranean Treasures.—The WOODCHUCK, the POUCHED RAT, the CAMAS RAT, the MOLE RAT, and the SAND MOLE.—The WHITE BEAR.—Its curious Dwelling.—Snow as a Shelter.—The PICHICIEGO.—Its Form, Armor, and Burrow.—The ARMADILLOS and their Habits.—The MANIS.—The AARD VARK, its Food and Dwelling.—The MATIANCOE.—Its strange Habits and its Burrow.—The PORCUPINE ANT-EATER.—Its burrowing Powers............ Page 19
CHAPTER II.
BURROWING BIRDS.
The SAND MARTIN.—Mode of Burrowing and Shape of the Tunnel.—Enemies of the Sand Martin.—Midges and Martins.—The KINGFISHER and its Habits.—Its Burrow and peculiar Nest.—Number of the Eggs.—The PUFFIN a feathered Usurper.—The Feroe Islands and the Puffins.—Pro aris et focis.—The MUTTON BIRD and its Burrows.—Snakes and Birds.—The JACKDAW, STOCKDOVE, and SHELDRAKE.—Nest of the Sheldrake.—The BEE-EATER and its Habits.—Its Burrow and Nest.—The STORMY PETREL.—Its Mode of Nesting and shallow Tunnels.—Mode of feeding its Young.—Evil Odor of its Burrow.—The WOODPECKER.—Its Uses and misunderstood Character.—Method of Burrowing.—The Fungus and the Woodpecker.—American Woodpeckers.—The WRY-NECK.—Its popular Names and Locality of its Nest.—The STARLING.—Its social Character.—Locality of its Habitation.—The TREE CREEPER.—The NUTHATCH and the HOOPOE.—Curious Nest of the Hoopoe.—The COLE-TIT and its Habits.—A Cole-tit's Nest at Walton Hall.—The TOUCAN.—The enormous Beak and its Uses.—Nest of the Toucan.—The SWIFT.—Its Nest and Eggs.—Its curious Feet and their Structure............... 74
CHAPTER III.
BURROWING REPTILES.
The REPTILES and their Hibernation.—The LAND TORTOISE and its Winter Dwelling.—The CROCODILES.—Snakes.—The YELLOW SNAKE of Jamaica.—Its general Habits.—Its burrowing powers discovered.—Presumed Method of removing the Earth...... 102
CHAPTER IV.
BURROWING INVERTEBRATES.
CRUSTACEA.
The LAND CRABS and their Habits.—The Violet Land Crab.—Its Burrows, its Combativeness, and its pedestrian Powers.—The FIGHTING CRAB, why so called.—The RACER CRAB of Ceylon.—Its Burrows, and Mode of carrying off the Soil.—The ROBBER CRAB.—Its Form and general Habits.—Food of the Robber Crab.—A soft Bed and well-stocked Larder.—The CHELURA, and its Ravages among Timber.—The GRIBBLE and its Kin........ Page 104
CHAPTER V.
BURROWING MOLLUSKS.
The BORING SNAIL of the Bois des Roches.—Opinions as to its Method of Burrowing.—Shape of the Tunnels.—Solitary Habits of the Snail.—The PIDDOCK, its Habits and Appearance.—Structure of the Shell, and its probable Use.—Method of Burrowing.—Use of the Piddock and other marine Burrowers.—The Balance of Nature preserved.—The WOOD-BORER and its Habits.—The DATE SHELL.—Its extraordinary Powers of Tunneling.—The RAZOR SHELL.—Its Localities and Mode of Life.—The FLASK SHELL and the WATERING-POT SHELL.—The SHIPWORM.—Its Appearance when Young and Adult.—Its curious Development.—Its Ravages, and the best Method of checking them.—Its Value to Engineers.—The GIANT TEREDO.—Form, Dimensions, and Structure of the Shell.—How and where discovered........ 114
CHAPTER VI.
BURROWING SPIDERS.
The Scorpion and its Habits.—The Burrow of the Scorpion.—How detected.—Suicide among the Scorpions.—Spiders and their Burrows.—The Atypus.—Madame Merian and her Book of the BIRD SPIDER.—Mr. Bates's Discoveries.—Hair of the Bird Spider.—The TARANTULA.—Its Ferocity and Courage.—The TRAP-DOOR SPIDER.—Its Tunnel and the Lining thereof.—Its Appearance under the Microscope.—The “Trap-door” itself, and its Structure.—Curious Example of Instinct.—Activity of the Spider.—Specimen in the British Museum.—Strength and Obstinacy of the Trap-door Spider.—An Australian Trap-door Spider... 128
CHAPTER VII.
BURROWING INSECTS.
HYMENOPTERA.
The SAUBA ANT and its Habitation.—Use of the “Parasol” Leaves.—Mr. Bates's Account of the Insect.—Enormous Extent of the Dwelling.—The DUSKY ANT.—Its Strength and Perseverance.—Man and Insect contrasted.—The BROWN ANT.—Form of its Habitation.—Regulation of Temperature.—Necessity of Moisture.—How the Ant constructs Ceilings.—Mining Bees.—The ANDRENA and its burrowing Powers.—The EUCERA.—Its Habitation and curious Method of liberating the Antennæ.—The SCOLIA, its Burrows and its Prey.—The INDIAN SPHEX and its Ingenuity.—The MELLINUS and OXYBELUS.—Curious Method of catching Prey.—The POMPILUS, its Burrow, and the Food of its Young.—The HUMBLE-BEE—its general Habits.—Locality of its Dwelling.—Development of the Young.—The LAPIDARY BEE, its Colors, Disposition, and Habits.—The WASP—its Food and Habitation.—Materials and Architecture of the Nest.—Disposition, Form, and Number of the Cells.—Biography of a Queen Wasp, and History of her Nest.—Other British Wasps and their Homes.—The MONEDULA and its Prey.—Boldness of the Insect, and its Uses to Travelers.—The BEMBEX.—Its energetic Habits, its Food, and Mode of storing the Nest.......... Page 140
CHAPTER VIII.
BURROWING BEETLES.
The TIGER BEETLE and its Habits.—Beauty of the Insect, its Larva, and Mode of Life.—Curious Form of its Burrow.—The SEXTON BEETLE and its Power of digging in the Ground.—The DOR BEETLE—its polished Surface, and the Substances in which it Burrows.—Use of the Dor Beetle.—The SCARABÆUS of Egypt and its wonderful Instincts.—The Egg, the Grub, and the Cocoon.—Cocoon in the British Museum.—The MOLE-CRICKET, its Form and elaborate Dwelling.—Its general Habits and wide Distribution.—The FIELD-CRICKET and its Tunnels.—Structure of the Ovipositor.—The MIGRATORY LOCUST and its Development.—The ANT-LION, its Form, Food, and Mode of Life.—The Pitfall and its Structure.—Mode of catching Prey.—Perfect Form of the Ant-lion.. 169
CHAPTER IX.
WOOD-BORING INSECTS.
BEETLES.—The usual Form of the Wood-borers.—The SCOLYTUS and its Ravages.—Mode of forming the Tunnels.—Curious Instinct.—Theories respecting the Scolytus.—Worm-eaten Furniture, its Cause, and the best Method of checking the Boring Insects.—Ginger and Cork Borers.—The “Petrified” Man.—The MEALWORM and its Ravages.—Weevils.—The PALM WEEVIL of Jamaica.—Its Development, and Uses as an Edible.—Its Cocoons.—The WASP BEETLE, its Shape, Colors, and tunneling Powers.—The MUSK BEETLE.—Its Beauty and Fragrance.—Difficulty of detecting the Musk Beetle.—Its Burrows and their Inmates.—The RHAGIUM and its Cocoon.—The HARLEQUIN BEETLE.—Wood-boring Bees.—WILLOW BEE, its Tunnel, and Mode of making the Cells.—Food of the Young.—The POPPY BEE.—The PITH-BORING Bees and their Habits.—Structure of the Cells and Escape of the Young.—Economy of Labor.—Shell-nests of Bees.—Wonderful adaptation to Circumstances.—How the Bee burrows.—The HOOP-SHAVER BEE.—Gilbert White's Description of its Habits.—The SIREX and its Burrow.—Its Ravages among Fig-trees.—Formidable Aspect of the Insect.—The two British Species.—CARPENTER BEE.—Mode of making its Burrow.—Methodical Labor.—Food of the Young.—How to make a Ceiling.—Number of Cells in each Burrow.—The Carpenter Bee of Australia.—The PELOPŒUS as a Woodborer.—Its Tunnel, and Mode of making Cells.—The SAPERDA.—Damage caused to Aspen and other Trees.—A useful Parasite.—The GOAT MOTH.—Wood-leopard Moth.—Clear-wings and Honey-comb Moths ......... 186
CHAPTER X.
PENSILE MAMMALIA.
THE HARVEST-MOUSE—its Appearance.—Reason for its Name.—Mouse Nests.—Home of the Harvest-mouse.—A curious Problem.—Food of the Harvest-mouse, and its Agility.—The SQUIRREL.—Its summer and winter “Cage.”—Boldness of the Squirrel.—Materials for the Nest, and their Arrangement................ 218