File:Little folks in feathers and fur, and others in neither (1875) (14784154235).jpg

Identifier: littlefolksinfea00mill (find matches)
Title: Little folks in feathers and fur, and others in neither
Year: 1875 (1870s)
Authors: (Miller, Harriet (Mann) Mrs.), 1831- (from old catalog)
Subjects: Zoology
Publisher: Hartford, Conn., Dustin, Gilman & co. Cincinnati, Ohio, Queen city publishing co. (etc., etc.)
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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d there she sits—like any old hen, only shecant curl her long legs under her, as a hen can, so she lets themhang down outside. The babies are droll, little, dull-coated fellows, and do not at-tain to the dignity of red suits till they are two years old. In old times Flamingoes were eaten, and thought to be verynice, especially the tongue, and I have read of emperors who keptquite an army of men for nothing but to hunt the unfortunate birds,that he might have their tongues for his table. IN FEATHERS AND FUR. 91 Nowadays we think Flamingo meat has a marshy taste, and weprefer ducks and turkeys for our tables. So he is hunted only forhis beauty, to adorn museums and bird collections. He is called Flamingo from his bright color, but he is said, inthe big books, to belong to the Palmidactyle family. He has thisgraceful name merely because his three front toes are united by awide skin — something as a ducks toes are—and his one hind toeis very small or absent entirely. 92 LITTLE FOLKS
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HOW CAN HE EAT IT? Would you think such a fine looking fellow as this bird wouldeat a snake ? To be sure, you cant always tell by the looks of one what heeats. Some very fine looking birds are regular scavengers, andmade on purpose to live on things no one else will touch. IN FEATHERS AND FUR 93 This big fellow — the Secretary bird—is specially fitted to killand eat snakes. So well does he do his duty, and so many of thedisagreeable creatures does he eat, that he has been imported toplaces infested by them, as we take a cat to a house infested bymice. He never fails to clear them out, and adds rats, mice, lizards,grasshoppers, and any other fresh meat he finds prowling around. It is a curious sight to see the Secretary bird kill a snake, forof course he dont hang so quietly as that one in the picture, till heis dead; nor would a wriggling live snake be very nice to swallow. Snakes, you know, spring at their enemy, and try to bite him.The bird is prepared for this trick. His wings

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