ptiles preserved in
spirits, with all their sickening exhibition of claws. He has got some
dragons that fall little short of the Devil himself in general hideousness
and outrageous tails; some noots brought from Nootka Sound; some green
monsters from Green Bay; some devilish things from Van Diemon's land; and
finally, Plutarch is himself hideous, and ought to be put in a collection,
which by the by, he lately _was_. It was a great era in his life time when
he shot a wild-cat; that however has nothing to do with the present story,
and must be told shortly. He threw a stone at him, it seems, to frighten
him out of the bushes, where by dint of sneaking he discovered something
with a white and black fur, moving about in a short compass. Breathless
with excitement, standing on tip-toe, dodging his head among the brambles,
all ready, and meaning to have a shot at him 'pretty soon,' he was
whispering to himself, telling himself in a mysterious voice to 'hold
fast,' not to budge, but wait for the next movement; when this
_pole-cat_--there is a distinction, it is well known in the species, nor in
the present instance was it a 'distinction without a difference'--opened
the batteries with the precision of an artillery officer. 'O my eyes!' was
the exclamation of Professor Shaw, 'my eyes! my eyes! my eyes!' It was a
great era in his life time also when he shot a plover; _that_ however has
little to do with the present story, and must be told shortly. It was on
the Big Plains, where not a tree nor shrub may be seen for miles around;
where ambuscades are unknown, and it is very hard to steal a march upon
the timid birds which are frightened at a very shadow; only they do not
fear the flocks and herds which pasture upon the plains, but tamely pick
up the worms beneath their feet. Professor Shaw hit upon an expedient to
surprise them, which no other person would have thought of, than one of
his extreme ingenuity: a big box, opened at both ends, into which he
crawled with fowling-piece in hand. First, however, he procured an ox-hide
at the stall of a neighboring farm, with all its apparatus of horns, and
placed it over the box, to give it the appearance at a distance, of a
_bona fide_ ox. Sure enough, this scheme worked well. On came the plovers,
hopping about with much unconcern. Shaw chuckled. He flattered himself
that he should be the death of some of them, if his own life were only
spared a few moments. While he hammered the flint of h