Wanderings in New South Wales, Batavia, Pedir Coast, Singapore, and China, Vol. 1 (of 2) : $b Being the journal of a naturalist in those countries, during 1832, 1833 and 1834 — John Shaqi
Wanderings in New South Wales, Batavia, Pedir Coast, Singapore, and China, Vol. 1 (of 2) : $b Being the journal of a naturalist in those countries, during 1832, 1833 and 1834Bennett, George
History
Wanderings in New South Wales, Batavia, Pedir Coast, Singapore, and China, Vol. 1 (of 2) : $b Being the journal of a naturalist in those countries, during 1832, 1833 and 1834
Bennett, George
Asia -- Description and travel; Natural history -- Australia -- New South Wales; New South Wales -- Description and travel
It attaches itself to the sprigs of shrubs, and, like the caddis worms,
protects itself by a habitation from which it can protrude the anterior
part of its body, being attached internally to its case by the tail,
and by that means can feed and change its locality at pleasure, bearing
its case with it, and re-attaching itself to any other place that may
suit its habits; thus I have had them moving about in my room, attaching
themselves to one place, and then removing to another; at first much to
my surprise at their power of mobility, until I saw it was effected by
the protrusion of the larva from its habitation. The case is composed
internally of a very tough web, and the exterior is covered by bits of
twigs interwoven upon it in a perpendicular direction; it suspends itself
from the twig by a strong cluster of filaments. I have found this larva
enclosed in its case of various sizes from three to six inches; this has
led me to conclude that, like the caddis worms, they increase in size in
the larva state, enlarging their habitations as the former ones become
too small for the increased size of their bodies. I found, by cutting one
of the cases open, that they readily repair any injury their dwellings
may have sustained, for a few hours only having elapsed after I had made
the incision to view the contained larva, I found the case restored as
firmly as before.
In company with my friend, Mr. Lauga, I visited the colonial museum,
which is arranged for the present in a small room, assigned for the
purpose, in the council-house, and which had been recently established
at Sydney: it forms an excellent nucleus for a splendid collection,
particularly in a country so prolific in rare, valuable, and beautiful
specimens of natural productions. For the present, the ornithological
collection is by far the best, both for the number, and being beautifully
stuffed and “set up” in attitudes, from which it is evident that
nature has been closely studied. Specimens of the families Columbæ,
Psittaceæ,[30] Raptores, &c. are the most numerous. There are also
several of the mammalia, and reptiles of the colony in the collection.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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