Knowledge of natural history, revfrom Reason why: natural history, giving reasons for hundreds of interesting facts in connection with zoology; and throwing light upon the peculiar habits and instincts of the various orders of the animal kingdom . 942. Why has the pelican a large pouch attached toits lower mandible? The pouch answersnearly the same purposesthat the crop does in birdswhich possess such anorgan. The food is takeninto it in much largerquantities than the digest-ive stomach can receiveat once; and is graduallyreceived into the stomachas the process of digestiongoes on. But the pou
Knowledge of natural history, revfrom Reason why: natural history, giving reasons for hundreds of interesting facts in connection with zoology; and throwing light upon the peculiar habits and instincts of the various orders of the animal kingdom . 942. Why has the pelican a large pouch attached toits lower mandible? The pouch answersnearly the same purposesthat the crop does in birdswhich possess such anorgan. The food is takeninto it in much largerquantities than the digest-ive stomach can receiveat once; and is graduallyreceived into the stomachas the process of digestiongoes on. But the pouch servesanother and a remarkablepurpose. The pelican,though seeking its food inthe sea, builds its nest ata distance from it, gener-ally in ruins which havebecome dry and waste; and this is the reason why the. KNOWLEDGE OF NATURAL HISTORY. 291 Every copseDeep tangled, tree irregular, and bushBending with dewy moisture, oer the headsOf the coy quiristers that lodge within,Are prodigal of harmony.—Thomson. name of the pelican is so frequently associated in writingswith that of the wilderness. The pouch, therefore, serves as a receptacle, in whichthe pelican conveys food to its young, in nests which lieremote from the shore. The food designed for the youngbecomes macerated or softened by the action of the pouch;and when the nest is situated in a very arid district, theold bird uses the pouch to carry water to its young. MISCELLANEOUS. 943. Why when birds migrate, do the old ones gen-erally precede the young ones? Because the moulting of young birds takes place ata later period than that of old ones; so that they are notsufficiently recovered from the weakness which attends thisprocess, to endure the fatigues of a journey at a timewhen the old birds are ready ic undertake it. 944. By what cir
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1916
