Publisher's Synopsis
Curious Creatures in Zoology by John Ashton. Let us commence our researches into curious Zoology with the noblest of created beings, Man; and, if we may believe Darwin, he must have gone through many phases, and gradual mutations, before he arrived at his present proud position of Master and Conqueror of the World. This philosopher does not assign a high place in the animal creation to proud man's protogenitor, and we ought almost to feel thankful to him for not going further back. He begins with man as an Ascidian, which is the lowest form of anything of a vertebrate character, with which we are acquainted; and he says thus, in his "Descent of Man": - Includes: AMAZONS PYGMIES GIANTS EARLY MEN WILD MEN HAIRY MEN THE OURAN OUTAN SATYRS THE SPHYNX APES ANIMAL LORE THE MANTICORA THE LAMIA THE CENTAUR THE GORGON THE UNICORN THE RHINOCEROS THE GULO THE BEAR THE FOX THE WOLF WERE-WOLVES THE ANTELOPE THE HORSE THE MIMICK DOG THE CAT THE LION THE LEONTOPHONUS-PEGASUS-CROCOTTA THE LEUCROCOTTA-THE EALE-CATTLE FEEDING BACKWARDS ANIMAL MEDICINE THE SU THE LAMB-TREE THE CHIMÆRA THE HARPY AND SIREN THE BARNACLE GOOSE REMARKABLE EGG MOON WOMAN THE GRIFFIN THE PHOENIX THE SWALLOW THE MARTLET, AND FOOTLESS BIRDS SNOW BIRDS THE SWAN THE ALLE, ALLE THE HOOPOE AND LAPWING THE OSTRICH THE HALCYON THE PELICAN THE TROCHILUS WOOLLY HENS TWO-HEADED WILD GEESE FOUR-FOOTED DUCK FISH MERMEN WHALES THE SEA-MOUSE THE SEA-HARE THE SEA-PIG THE WALRUS THE ZIPHIUS THE SAW FISH THE ORCA THE DOLPHIN THE NARWHAL THE SWAMFISCK THE SAHAB THE CIRCHOS THE REMORA THE DOG-FISH AND RAY THE SEA DRAGON THE STING RAY SENSES OF FISHES ZOOPHYTES SPONGES THE KRAKEN CRAYFISH AND CRABS THE SEA-SERPENT SERPENTS WORMES AND DRAGONS THE CROCODILE THE BASILISK AND COCKATRICE THE SALAMANDER THE TOAD THE LEECH THE SCORPION THE ANT THE BEE THE HORNET
