Wildlife
In addition to birds, Hazard was also interested in other animals. Similar to his attempt to introduce English sparrows to New England, he also failed to do the same with English oysters, lamenting in his diary: “On one occasion I brought about half a bushel of the English sea oyster with me, that I threw overboard from the steamer, while she was close in shore (of New England, I think), hoping that they might live and increase, but I fear that such will never be the case.”
As he traveled the world, Hazard noted the varied wildlife he observed:
Atlantic crossing
In this letter from July of 1856, Hazard makes note of the marine life he saw, porpoises in particular, while crossing the Atlantic from New York to Liverpool by steamship:
Flying fish and Nautilii are numerous to day and the brilliant colors of the latter very striking. The flying fish more like mosquito hawks (darning needles) in the air than any thing else. They appear to be different from those I have seen on former occasion, but presume they are really the same . . . This afternoon a school of porpoises was playing in and about the spray at the bow of the ship. Their agility was very interesting . . . A school of porpoises playing near the ship to day but no birds . . . A school of porpoises passed us very closely too with great rapidity of motion, leaping over the surface with wonderful dexterity I think 20 feet at a bound . . . after dinner all on deck again porpoises are playing on the calm sea and many wild fowl."
Algeria
In this letter from November of 1858, Hazard describes the marine life from a steamship traveling near the coast of Oran and Algiers:
“At one point we saw great numbers of Porpoise moving with great velocity yet appearing clumsy by the side of the Bonito, that were in the same school with their dusky companions. These were apparently from 40 to 60# weight and their silvery sheen was very beautiful as they leaped over the water, darting into it again like arrows, which they were constantly doing.”
Brazil
In this letter from December of 1866, Hazard remarks on a number of animals he encountered:
"At various shops, are sold cases of all the Brilliant Beetles Butterflies + 60 varieties of Humming birds- prepared- but I have not seen a living humming bird, nor butterfly nor beetle that appeared universal . . . The whistling insect I mentioned is truly remarkable. When I heard them first I could not believe such a noise could be made by anything of the sort but day before yesterday in the Public Garden I saw about a dozen on an almost leafless tree. They are like our locusts, but 2 or 3 times as large; do not sing long, not unlike the tone of ours but sharper without being shrill. At intervals they make a loud clacking, a few moments then whistle again. After a few moments all are silent and no more is heard of them . . . I found a frog in the damp sand back of the beach much like our grass frog, rather larger + less bright, unlike the one I could not keep up with, the other day. This creature would not move, and seemed to so hang to the sand I push him away but found nothing. I hid sometime but he was determined like Willis Mayer, when his mother told him he might get up now, (she had sent him to bed for punishment) 'No I think, I believe I’ll rest a little longer'”