The calendar of the months; or, The young naturalist abroad
John George Wood
Paperback
(RareBooksClub.com, March 4, 2012)
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1873 Excerpt: ...the two colours merging together into grey unless the bird is seen closely. It haunts the flat, underlying coasts in search of food, and often occurs in considerable numbers. There are many other similar birds that thus make their appearance in August, but we have not space for their enumeration. We now pass to the insects of August. This is a good month for finding those extraordinary little beetles, scientifically termed Brachini, and popularly Bombardiers; the former word alluding to the abrupt and apparently shortened ends of the elytra, and the latter to the remarkable power which these insects possess of ejecting a volatile fluid when pursued or alarmed. Like that which is secreted by the skunk, and one or two other animals, the bird possesses a powerful odour, but it has besides the property of exploding as soon as it comes in contact with the air, producing a small cloud of bluish smoke. The Beetle can be found under stones near the mouths of tidal rivers. Many other Beetles are about, but we must now proceed to the Butterflies. In August and September, some of our finest Butterflies make their appearance. The Peacock, Purple Emperor, Large Tortoiseshell, and others, still remain on the wing, and are now joined by insects that rival, if they cannot surpass, them in beauty. We give the place of honour, where it is deserved, to the Camberwell beauty (Vanessa Antiopa), so common on the Continent and so rare in this country. It is a Butterfly which no one who has once seen can possibly mistake, and a glance will immediately detect it even when on the wing. This splendid Butterfly has its rich chocolate-coloured wings edged with a black band, a row of blue spots, and broad band of white, which runs completely along the outer edges of the wings. It is rat...