him, but every attempt on their part was resolutely opposed by
the grinning teeth and ready heels of his determined and faithful
guardian. They called out loudly, and the gentleman awoke and was very
much surprised at his position, while his faithful horse showed his
pleasure by neighing and scraping his feet on the ground. The gentleman
then mounted, and they galloped away at great speed, both glad to be
able to make up for lost time.

[Illustration]

BATTLE BETWEEN A FOX AND A SWAN.

A fierce battle between a fox and a swan took place at Sherborne Park.
Master Reynard seems to have caught the old swan napping, and to have
seized him by the throat. The bird defended himself with his wings so
powerfully that its assailant was done to death in no time, and a
workman going past the lake above the bridge next morning found both fox
and swan lying dead together. The bird had received a fatal bite in the
throat; the fox had one leg broken and the side of its head completely
broken in. The swan was the oldest bird on the lake.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

[Illustration: THE SAND LIZARD.

THE CROCODILE.

THE VIPER.

THE ASP.]

[Illustration: THE WILD BOAR.

THE BADGER.

THE FERRET.

THE LYNX.]

TOUSY.

We have a beautiful long-haired little dog called Tousy, which lately
had a pup. This queer little bantling was jumping and tumbling about the
green one day, when a lady entered followed by a dog. Tousy made a
ferocious assault on the four-footed stranger, by way of defending her
young, and our magnificent white cat, which was sitting on the doorstep,
seeing or supposing that his friend Tousy was in danger, made two
immense bounds, and alighted on the back of the intruder, whose eyes
would have been scratched out but for prompt rescue. The mutual
affection of these two animals is unbounded, and yet we hear human
disagreements compared to cat-and-dog life! These animals, and many
others, are capable of the most devoted affection to their young, and to
their mates, and frequently teach us lessons of kindness to one
another.

[Illustration]

[Illustration: THE NEST IN THE APPLE TREE.]

End of Project Gutenberg's Chatterbox Stories of Natural History, by Anonymous

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