But, suddenly moved by the manner of the Doctor, the latter had scarcely time to utter his positive assertion, before the young man bluntly demanded-- "And pray, friend, what may you call a quadruped ?" "A vagary of nature, wherein she has displayed less of her infinite wisdom than is usual.

Could rotary levers be substituted for two of the limbs, agreeably to the improvement in my new order of phalangacrura, which might be rendered into the vernacular as lever-legged, there would be a delightful perfection and harmony in the construction.

But, as the quadruped is now formed, I call it a mere vagary of nature; no other than a vagary." "Harkee, stranger! in Kentucky we are but small dealers in dictionaries.
Vagary is as hard a word to turn into English as quadruped." "A quadruped is an animal with four legs--a beast." "A beast! Do you then reckon that Ishmael Bush travels with a beast caged in that wagon ?" "I know it, and lend me your ear--not literally, friend," observing Paul to start and look surprised, "but figuratively, through its functions, and you shall hear.

I have already made known that, in virtue of a compactum, I journey with the aforesaid Ishmael Bush; but though I am bound to perform certain duties while the journey lasts, there is no condition which says that the said journey shall be sempiternum, or eternal.

Now, though this region may scarcely be said to be wedded to science, being to all intents a virgin territory as respects the enquirer into natural history, still it is greatly destitute of the treasures of the vegetable kingdom.