The Boys' and Girls' Pliny
 小说分类
选择字号：【大】【中】【小】
关灯
护眼
CHAPTER XVII. THE ACANTHYLLIS AND THE PARTRIDGE.

关注小说网官方公众号（noveltingroom），原版名著免费领。


 Belonging to the genus of birds known as the “vitiparr?,” there is one whose nest is formed of dried moss,[177] and is in shape so exactly like a ball, that it is impossible to discover 211 the mouth of it. The bird known as the acanthyllis, makes its nest of a similar shape, and interweaves it with pieces of flax. The nest of one of the woodpeckers, very much like a cup in shape, is suspended by a twig1 from the end of the branch of a tree, so that no quadruped may be able to reach it. It is strongly asserted, that the witwall sleeps suspended by its feet, because it fancies that by doing so it is in greater safety. In a spirit of foresight2, they select projecting branches of trees that are sufficiently3 strong, for the purpose of supporting their nests, and then arch them over to protect them from the rain, or else shield them by means of the thickness of the foliage4.
 
In Arabia there is a bird known as the “cinnamolgus,” which builds its nest with sprigs of cinnamon; the natives knock the nests down with arrows loaded with lead, in order to sell them. In Scythia there is a bird, the size of the otis, which produces two young ones always, in a hare’s skin suspended from the top branches of a tree. Pies, when they have observed a person steadily5 gazing at their nest, will immediately remove their eggs to another place. This is accomplished6 in a truly wonderful manner, by such birds as have not toes adapted for holding and removing their eggs. They lay a twig upon two eggs, and then solder7 them to it by means of a glutinous8 matter secreted9 from their body; after which, they pass their neck between the eggs, and so forming an equipoise, convey them to another place.

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 twig VK1zg     
n.小树枝，嫩枝；v.理解
参考例句：
  • He heard the sharp crack of a twig.他听到树枝清脆的断裂声。
  • The sharp sound of a twig snapping scared the badger away.细枝突然折断的刺耳声把獾惊跑了。
2 foresight Wi3xm     
n.先见之明，深谋远虑
参考例句：
  • The failure is the result of our lack of foresight.这次失败是由于我们缺乏远虑而造成的。
  • It required a statesman's foresight and sagacity to make the decision.作出这个决定需要政治家的远见卓识。
3 sufficiently 0htzMB     
adv.足够地，充分地
参考例句：
  • It turned out he had not insured the house sufficiently.原来他没有给房屋投足保险。
  • The new policy was sufficiently elastic to accommodate both views.新政策充分灵活地适用两种观点。
4 foliage QgnzK     
n.叶子，树叶，簇叶
参考例句：
  • The path was completely covered by the dense foliage.小路被树叶厚厚地盖了一层。
  • Dark foliage clothes the hills.浓密的树叶覆盖着群山。
5 steadily Qukw6     
adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地
参考例句：
  • The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
  • Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。
6 accomplished UzwztZ     
adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的
参考例句：
  • Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
  • Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。
7 solder 1TczH     
v.焊接，焊在一起；n.焊料，焊锡
参考例句：
  • Fewer workers are needed to solder circuit boards.焊接电路板需要的工人更少了。
  • He cuts the pieces and solders them together.他把那些断片切碎，然后把它们焊在一起。
8 glutinous jeWzj     
adj.粘的，胶状的
参考例句：
  • The sauce was glutinous and tasted artificial.这种酱有些黏，尝起来不是非常地道。
  • The coat covering the soft candies is made from glutinous rice.包裹软糖的江米纸是由糯米做成的。
9 secreted a4714b3ddc8420a17efed0cdc6ce32bb     
v.（尤指动物或植物器官）分泌( secrete的过去式和过去分词 )；隐匿，隐藏
参考例句：
  • Insulin is secreted by the pancreas. 胰岛素是胰腺分泌的。
  • He secreted his winnings in a drawer. 他把赢来的钱藏在抽届里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
10 azure 6P3yh     
adj.天蓝色的，蔚蓝色的
参考例句：
  • His eyes are azure.他的眼睛是天蓝色的。
  • The sun shone out of a clear azure sky.清朗蔚蓝的天空中阳光明媚。
11 hue qdszS     
n.色度；色调；样子
参考例句：
  • The diamond shone with every hue under the sun.金刚石在阳光下放出五颜六色的光芒。
  • The same hue will look different in different light.同一颜色在不同的光线下看起来会有所不同。
12 extremity tlgxq     
n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度
参考例句：
  • I hope you will help them in their extremity.我希望你能帮助在穷途末路的他们。
  • What shall we do in this extremity?在这种极其困难的情况下我们该怎么办呢？
13 fortify sgezZ     
v.强化防御，为…设防；加强，强化
参考例句：
  • This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。
  • This treaty forbade the United States to fortify the canal.此条约禁止美国对运河设防。
14 shrubs b480276f8eea44e011d42320b17c3619     
灌木( shrub的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • The gardener spent a complete morning in trimming those two shrubs. 园丁花了整个上午的时间修剪那两处灌木林。
  • These shrubs will need more light to produce flowering shoots. 这些灌木需要更多的光照才能抽出开花的新枝。
15 prey g1czH     
n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨
参考例句：
  • Stronger animals prey on weaker ones.弱肉强食。
  • The lion was hunting for its prey.狮子在寻找猎物。
16 conceal DpYzt     
v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽
参考例句：
  • He had to conceal his identity to escape the police.为了躲避警方，他只好隐瞒身份。
  • He could hardly conceal his joy at his departure.他几乎掩饰不住临行时的喜悦。
17 pugnacity USjxs     
n.好斗，好战
参考例句：
  • The United States approves of Mr Museveni's pugnacity and will coverextra cost of the AU mission. 美国不但赞同穆塞韦尼的粗暴政策，而且将为非盟任务的超支项目买单。 来自互联网
18 frantic Jfyzr     
adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的
参考例句：
  • I've had a frantic rush to get my work done.我急急忙忙地赶完工作。
  • He made frantic dash for the departing train.他发疯似地冲向正开出的火车。
19 maternal 57Azi     
adj.母亲的，母亲般的，母系的，母方的
参考例句：
  • He is my maternal uncle.他是我舅舅。
  • The sight of the hopeless little boy aroused her maternal instincts.那个绝望的小男孩的模样唤起了她的母性。
20 furrow X6dyf     
n.沟；垄沟；轨迹；车辙；皱纹
参考例句：
  • The tractor has make deep furrow in the loose sand.拖拉机在松软的沙土上留下了深深的车辙。
  • Mei did not weep.She only bit her lips,and the furrow in her brow deepened.梅埋下头，她咬了咬嘴唇皮，额上的皱纹显得更深了。

分享到：


返回目录
上一章: CHAPTER XVI.

英语听力 |  手机版  |  网页版
©英文小说网 2005-2010