Book Details
Publisher: Thonssen Press
Author: H. Mortimer Batten
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 380
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Book Description
The Pine Marten And The Hedgehog by H. Mortimer Batten, Habits And Characters Of British Wild Animals Books available in PDF, EPUB, Mobi Format. Download
Habits And Characters Of British Wild Animals books, HABITS AND CHARACTERS OF BY H. MORTIMER BATTEN Author of Tracks and Tracking IILUSTRATED BY WARWICK REYNOLDS . . INTRODUCTION THE RED DEER CONTENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . THE ROE.DEER. OR THE ROEBUCK THE FOX . . . . . . . . THE WEASEL AND THE STOAT THE ERMINE THE OTTER . . . . . . . THEPXNE.MARTEN . . . . . . THE BADGER . . . . . . . THEPOLECAT . . . . THE BROWN HARE . . . . . . THE BLUE OR MOUNTAIN HARE . . . THERABBIT . . . THE HEDGEHOG OR URCHIN . . . . THE SQUIRREL . . . . . . . THE GRAY OR BROWN RAT . . . . THE WATER-RAT OX WATER-VOLE . . THE WILD CAT . . . . . . The Red Deer The Fox The Weasel LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Stoat the Ermine . a The Otter . . The Pine-Marten The Badger . . The Polecat . . . The Brown Hare . . . The Blue or Mountain Hare . The Rabbit . . . . The Hedgehog or Urclin . . The Squirrel . . . . The Gray or Brown Rat . The Water-Rat or Water-Vole The Wild Cab . . . . Frontispiece facing INTRODUCTION. N the hope of achieving to some degree the virtue I of originality-if originality can truly be termed a virtue-this book has been written from practical observations, and, so far as possible, without the aid of references. It is understood that originality strikes the keynote of interest, and while I have perhaps been guilty of shirking the more burden- some and technical details concerning the animals dealt with, I have endeavoured to include not only necessary facts, but also to infuse into each record something of the character of the beast itself. I have considered it essential not only to describe an animal as a creature of certain habits, but also to treat it as a thing of temperament and character, for it is only by the power of insight into this side of nature that one can hope to arrive at a thorough understanding of the denizens of the wild, An American Indian, when trying to impart his knowledge concerning some wild beast, tells you not of its habits, but of its character and it is because he himself knows so well the temperaments of the creatures he hunts that he is so much a master of woodcraft, for with this knowledge he is at once on the highroad to penetrating the innermost secrets of their lives. In the same way the man who is dependent upon his traps for a living profits at every turn by his intimate knowledge of the creatures he is out to trap. Some he knows to be inquisitive, so he appeals to their curiosity others he knows to be wary, and he trades on their wariness all, he knows, have some weakness, some vulnerable point in their all too inadequate armour of defence, and if he can find it a rich harvest awaits him. We in Britain do not wish to destroy the wild creatures of our woods, but if we are to learn their ways we must first become au jait with their characters. It is, of course, impossible to write from personal observation and study all the data that are neces- sary for the completion of s book of this kind. One may be tolerably familiar with the life-habits and customs of a certain beast, may indeed regard it as an intimate friend but life is too short for one to learn from practical observation all the details concerning it that are necessary-its changes of coat, length of life, and so on. If one could devote all ones studies to one particular species, it might be possible but in dealing with several there comes a point when inaccuracy must be risked or extensive references made. Realising this, my method has been first to write all I know concerning the animal dealt with, and, this done, to apply to outside authority for such supple- mentary evidence as might prove necessary...
