Packed with vivid illustrations and witty commentary, this classic work of French natural history captures the whimsical and fascinating world of the animal kingdom. Written by the celebrated writer and journalist Joseph Méry, this book is a treasure trove of animal lore, exploring the habitats, habits, and characteristics of creatures great and small. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.