Curiosities of Natural History

[Gibster]

By Francis T. Buckland, first published in 1857.

An absolutely brilliant little book! Hilarious to read. The author has many thoughts on natural history. For instance, whilst everyone else knows and accepts that frogs are rained from the skies, this chap wonders if they actually hide beneath stones and emerge as it rains. Then he apologises for his craziness and recants! Another episode involves a coleopterist of the day who, wanting to discover which beetles inhabit his garden during the hours of darkness, releases dozens of toads then recaptures them and forces them to regurgitate their catches for his perusal! Starving animals may resort to cannibalism, as do the people of New Zealand! Chapters start like thus, "examining half a sackful of dead rats..."

Find this gem if you can!

Gibster.