THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Biology GIFT OF Professor LeRoy C. Merritt SE.LMAR HESS, PUBLISHER, N Y. STAG, OR RED DEER. Crmtioii; POPULAR EDITION OF OUR LIVING WORLD," A NATURAL HISTORY BY THE REV. J. G. WOOD. REVISED AND ADAPTED TO ZOOLOGY, JOSEPH B. HOLDER, M.D., FMow of th» JC«u> York Jtoadtmy of OcAtnom ; }£m.btr erf tht Booifty qf /foturoJfat*, E. U, B., MrmUr if tht £m*rioan Omitholofrut*' Union. ; Curator qf Vtrttbra.tt Zoology, jfnwrioon of Jfatural Hittorj,, Central (Park, Jitno York FULLY ILLUSTRATED WITH SCIENTIFIC ACCURACY, VOI* II. NEW YORK: SELMAR HESS COPYRIGHT, BY SELMAR HESS. Add to Lib* J &< CONTENTS. -URMDJU Continued) PAOB . 817 Amnll. or Lipped Bear— tf. i , • , \ -• Cat-Bear*— .4Uunu. IN8ECTI VORA ; OR INSECT-EATERS. Jtomtiy TAUMDJI : MoU*-Ta4po Tup»i»-Tmnm Pra-Tall-fUloaereiM LtncU Long-No**) and Ixmg U>«red 8hraw*— JTocro- •tttld**.. ••• Shrew*— Sorez Water-Shrew*— CYoMOpiu Sol»n«lon-.Solrnodem4rotoffu» «"»Uia 878 True Kangaroo*— Jfrtcropu* '. 870 WhalUber— HaJ lUaicaroo— PM alc p*«lrtll«H-FamUv SALTATOBI A : m 9*l> Family l)ArrrRin. TmammnUii Walt-Tkylacl*** cynoctpfcaiiu. TMauutlan D»rU— Diattoltit «r«lmu Common Dutjan— Datvitrtu r.« ; WhalM. ............................ 418 Greenland Wh»le-/Iolhatti* — 431 Black Ktah-J'fcyeettr f ur.lo.. ........ 4S4 family H».i.riiiMH.« ; Oolphlni ............ ...... 485 N«rwh«l - .WoiwHlon moMOCeTO* .................. 480 White Whale- llrluffn IciUXU ................... 439 SMI Hog— fhocn ii'i ruminuiil* ............. 441 (Jrarnpu»— Oroi glddliil-ir ....... 448 Dolphin— Delphi it u« lHlt>hli. ......... . . 444 SOOMO— PlutanUta i^ini/eUoa. ................... 446 447 i .. Family; Black Rat-JT«« ratliu 4SI HarreM Mooa^-JWteromv* miniUiu 4U Ham»Ur— Crlcttu* frumcnvtrliu. .401 Lamming— Jtf yode* Ummiu . . ..461 Uugopg*— Hullcore RjrUna- Hullna HUlUrl. Order KODKXTIA ; GXAWIXG ANIMAI>. Bearer*— Cottar Kacoonda— Jf yopotomtu < Ondatra— l>lter UtetAlciu Beaver Rat— i/ydromye ; HARE* : lUrr-7-f /•««* llmUlM 47V 27G IT CONTENTS. Family JERBOID.E ; Sub- Family CHINCILLIKA : Chlncilla— Chincllia laniger 484 Lagotis— Lagotis Cuvlerl 485 Sub-Family DIPIXA : Spring Haas— Pedetet caffer 486 Gerboa — Dlpus oegyptlus 487 Sub-Family MVOXIXA ; DORMICE : Loire — Ulyoxus glls 488 Common Dormouse— Muscardlnus avellan *rlus 489 Sub-Family SciURINA : Taguan — Pteromys petaurlsta 491 Anapan— Scluropterus volucella 493 Black Squirrel— Sclurus nlger 493 Chipmuck— Tamlas Lystcrl 494 Prairie Dog — Cynomys ludovldanus 496 Hood's Marmot — Spermophllus Hoodli 498 Bobac — Arctomys bobac 499 Family ASPALACID^E ; MOLE RATS 601 Slepez — Spalax typhlus 602 Canada Pouched Re&—Qeomy» bursarlus 664 Order UNGULATA ; CATTLE, SHEEP, ETC. 507 Tribe BOVIXA ; Sub-Tribe BOVEUE : Domestic Ox— Bos 508 Zebu— Bos Indians 613 Buffalo— Bos bubalus 514 Gaur — Bog Gaurus. 517 Bison— Bos amerlcanut 518 Yak— Bot grunnlens... .'. 520 Musk Ox— Ovlbos moichntus, 521 M ask Sheep— Ovlbos moschalus 528 Sub-Tribe ANTILOPE/E ; Antelopes 523 Gazelle — Oazella dorcas 534 Spring-Bok— Anttlope euchorc 526 Chouka— Tetracerus quadricornlg 527 Duyker Bok— Cephalophus mcrgcns 528 Kookam— Oryx Oazella 529 Cabrit— Antllocapra amerlcana 532 Gnoo— Connochetes Onu, 534 Hartebeest — Bubals caama f 35 Bubale— Alcephalus buballs 535 Sasln— A lit Hope bozoartlca 536 Kainsi— Oreotragus saUatrix 538 Madoqua — ffeolragus saltlanus 538 Natal Bush Buck — Cephalophus natalensls 539 Sub Tribe CAPRE.E ; GOATS AND SHEEP : Jemlah Goat — Ilemitragutt jemlalcus 543 Ibex — Copra Ibex 544 Angora Goat — Copra hlrcus angurcnslts 546 Sub-Tribe Sheep— Oi'is arles 547 Argali — Caprovis Ar/jnli 551 Aoudad — Ammotragus traijelaphus 553 Tribe GIRAFFINA ; Giraffes 556 Tribe CERVINA ; Deer 558 Sub-Tribe ALCE.E : Elk— Alee amcrlcanus. 559 Sub Tribe RAKGERINE DEER : Reindeer— Ranylfer tarandUR 561 Wapiti— Cennis canndensls 564 Fallow Deer— Duma vulgarls 566 Sub-Tribe RUSINE DEER : Axis Deer— Axis maculata.. 567 Sub-Tribe CAPREOLINE DEER : Roebuck— Caprenlut caprcera .................... 567 Carjacou — Cariacuis vlrglnlanus ................. 569 Tribe MOSCHINA : Musk Deer— Moschus moschiferus. .. ............ 571 Kanchil— Tragylus pygmceus ................... 572 Tribe CAMELINA : The Camel ........................................ 578 Bactrian Camel— Camelus bactrfan*i« ........... 576 Llama — Auchenla lama..., ...................... 577 Family EQUID^E : H orses— Equl ..................................... 581 Ass — Equus aslnus ............................... 589 ELEPHANTID^E ................................... 597 Sub-Family ELEPHANTINE : Asiatic Elephant — Elephas indlcus .............. 599 Sub-Family TAPIRINA ; Tapirs ........................... 606 . American Tapir — Taplrus terrestrU .............. 607 Sub-Family SUINA ; SWINE : Swine— Sus ....................................... 608 Emgalla— Phacochcerus afrlcanus ............... 613 Peccary— Dlcotyles torquatus .................... 615 Sub-Family RHINOCERINA : Rhinoceros ........................................ 617 Hyrax— Byrax abyitslnlcus .................... . . 623 Sub-Famtl]/ HIPPOPOTAMINA : Hippopotamus .................................... 623 VOL. II.-N. E. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. SeaLloo ILLUSTRATIONS PRINTED IN COLORS. P*0« r*u« .. 416 .:•> Chllllngham Cattle.. WallaohUi.Sh«p... Stag, or Red IWr Khlnooeroe , . , FULL-PAGE WOOD EX<;i:AVIM;s. Polar Bear 8* Kangaroo 876 Walrua 410 Beanr 464 .. 518 r»o« Koodoo M« Giraffe SM MooM,orKlk MO Fallow Deer.. 866 Camel I . I Asiatic Elephant 600 Wild Hoar 610 Hippopotamus 684 II.I.rsTKATIoNS IN THE TEXT. 1 1 i \ i : - Mu*|uaw, or American Black Bear 318 Grizzly Bear 880 Uruang. or Malayan Sun-Bear SB RACOON'S, COAITI, ETC. Coaltl 881 Racoon 833 Klnkajou, or Potto. 838 Panda,orWah 887 INSECT-EATING ANIMALS. Cape Chryeochlore. or Chanicrable Mole 848 RadUto Mole, or Star Noaed Mole S44 TitpaU-Tana 845 Elrphant Shrew 8M Erd Shrew and Soodcll S47 Afouta. or Solenodon K3 Tanrec 861 KANGAROOS, OPOSSUMS, ETC. Sugar Squirrel, or Squirrel IVt- anraa. . 861 Vulpine Phalangi* 870 Koala, or Australian Bear 871 Tree Kangaroo 878 Young Kangaroo in Ita Mother's .. 878 Long-Noeed Bandicoot.. Chaeropu* Taamanlan Wolf Taimanlan DerlL 887 Upoavum 8M Crab-Katlng OpoMUm Ml Yapock Opouum 8P7 SKALS. WHALES. ETC. Sea Leopard 401 Created Seal 40* Skeleton and Teeth of Common Seal 4O7 Harp Seal, or Atak. 408 Skull of Walroa 411 Sea Klephant. 413 Sea Lion 418 Sea Bear, or Unine Seal 417 Skull of Greenland WhaU 491 Atlantic Right Whale 4*4 Hump Backed Whale 496 Pike Whale. 4*7 Rorqual 498 Skeleton of Rorqual 4» Spermaceti Whale 481 Skull of Spermaceti Whale. 481 Narwhal 487 Beluga 440 PorpoiM 441 Gramptu 448 Dolphin 444 Bottle- NuMd Dolphin . 446 Sooaoo 44rt Maoatre 447 Dugoog . . 440 MM ALB. Black Rat and Brown Rat. 4S1 Barbarjr Mouw. ... 406 Ham*t*r .. 461 »*•• Copjru Rat, or Raooonda 467 Ondatra, or Muik Rat . 46H Tufted-Tailed Pon-iipinr 4:1 Canadian I'orruplne, or Cmio. Coendoo, or Brailllan I'orcuplm AKoutl 4:1 Mara Du.ky !>».. 476 Capybara 4;: Guinea Pig 4T-> Hare 480 Alpine Hare 481 Rabbit Chinchilla La«olU Spring Haaa Uerboa Ix>lre. or Knt I tormoiue. . . Common Dormooee. . Tagnan. . . Black Sf|ulrrvl. ('blpmuck .... Prairie Dog Hood's Marmot. Bobac Mole Rat, or Slepn. . . . Canada Pouched Rat. . CATTLE, SHEEP. DEER AM' ANTELOPES. BantlDK . 107 Skull of Ox ..80S Tehn. .518 Yak ..Ml MnakOx.. .MS VOL. 1L AII»»I« CuA LIST OF- ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE Group of South African Antelopes. 523 Gazelle 524 Spring-Bok 526 Chousingha, or Chouka 537 Duyker-Bok 688 Gems-Bok 529 Oryx 530 American Spring-Buck 533 Gnoo 584 Hartebeest 535 Ibex, or Steinbock 544 Angora Goat 540 Sheep 547 Sardinian Mouflon 551 Argali 558 Big Horn 553 Aoudad 554 Rocky Mountain Goat 555 VOL. IT.-N. E. PAGE Giraffe Grazing upon Level Ground 557 Reindeer 561 Caribou 563 Axis Deer. 568 Carjacou, or Virginian Deer 569 Musk Deer 571 Kauchil, or Pigmy Musk Deer 578 CAMELS. Bactrian Camel. 578 Vicugna 576 Yamma, or Llama 577 Alpaca, or Paco 578 HORSES, ASSES, ETC. Tarpan 580 Mustang 581 PAGE Arab Horse 583 Hunter 584 Shetland Pony 588 Ass 590 Dziggetai, or Koulan 593 African Wild Ass 594 Quagga 595 Zebra 596 TAPIRS, SWINE, ARMADILLOS, AND SLOTHS. American Tapir 607 Kuday-Ayer, or Malayan Tapir 608 Babyroussa 612 Bosch Vark 613 Vlacke Vark 614 Peccary 615 Hyrax, or Rock Rabbit 632 THE BEAR FAMILY. »1IK SYRIAN BKAK, which Is otherwise known by tin- name* of l>i nn. ••!• Hi i< K, In doubly mt> i. -;ink' to "-. not only on account of its )«-. ulim I \ ^.-nil.- diaia. i- i . but fi'.m id.- fad tliut il is tin- animal wliicli is so oft. n m. nii.pii.- -r the till.- of the Bear. Tin- animal- whiuli :u-- i.-j.resenti-d as issuing from (In- wood and avenging the insults oflVn-d to Klishu, and tin- Bear which David ana. k- -I and killed in defence of hi- Hock, Ix-longed to the .-s which in now known by the name of tin- Syrian Hear. Even at the present day, tin- i>i«-« i-«- numlM-r of *j»ecies into which the members of the Bear tril*- an- resolvable i- not \--ry satisfactorily ascertained. It seem- -M.I. -in. however, that the Kitck, Isabella Bear, or Syrian Hear, may fairly In- con -idered as a sejmnite »|i«-' The color of this animal is nith.-r peculiar, and varies exti»-in.-ly durini: tin- diff>-ri-ni )..-ii.Ml> of its lift-. While it is in its earliest years, the color of \\> fur i- a ^rayi-h-broun, but on the animal increases In yean, the fur becomes gradually lighter in tint, and when the Hear has attained maturity, is nearly white. The hair is long and slightly curled, and beneath the longer hair in a thick and warm cowing of closely-sel woolly fur, which seem- to defend the animal from the extreme* ..f heat or cold. Along the shoulders and front of the neck, the hair i- *o ]»-r|>endiculurl\ and projects so firmly, that it gives the appearance of a mane, somewhat resembling that of the hyena. At the present day, the Syrian Bear may be found in the mountainous parts of Palestine. and has be.»n frequently seen upon the higher Lebanon mountains. The .summit of the moun tain itself is composed of two snow clad ]»-aks, and it is remarkable that the Bear has only been found on one of these peaks. •• Mukm--!." a- ii is called, while the oi •«•] Saiiin— is apparently free from these animals. The Bear appears to remain upon the upjH-r jMirtinns of the mountains during the hours of daylight, but as soon as the evening draws near it descends from its rocky fastness in search of food, and often causes considerable alarm to the traveller. AMKRH-A furnishes several species of the Bear tribe, two of which, the (Jri/zly Bear and the MrtHjUAW or BLACK BKAK, are the most conspicuous. The Black Bear is found in many parts of Northern America, and was formerly *«i-n in great j.l- -iii \ . Hut a- the fur and the fat arearticles of great commercial and social value, the hunters ha\.- --vmsed their cm ft with such determination that the Hlack I tears are sensibly diminishing in nnmU-r. The fur of the Hlack Hear is not so roughly shaggy a* that of the Km.. j- an or the Syrian Bear, but is smooth and glossy in its appearance, so that it j.resenUa VOL. IL or *- Vat EMTMB. S17 318 THE BLACK BEAR. very handsome aspect to the eye, while its texture is as thick and warm as that of its rougher furred relations. This creature is but little given to animal food, and will restrict itself to a vegetable diet unless pressed by hunger. It is, however, very fond of the little snails which come up to feed on the sweet prairie-grass as soon as it is sufficiently moistened by showers or dew to suit the locomotive capabilities of those wet-loving mollusks, and is extremely fond of honey, in search of which dainty it displays great acuteness and perseverance. Few trees afford so unstable a footing, that the Black Bear will not surmount them in order to reach a nest of wild bees, and there are few obstacles which his ready claws and teeth MU8QTTAW, OH AMERICAN BLACK BEAR.— Ursw amtricanua. will not remove in order to enable him to reach the subjacent dainty. Even if the honey and comb be deeply concealed in the hollow of a tree, and the entrance by which the bees find ingress and egress to and from their habitation be too small for the insertion of a paw, the Bear will set steadily to work with his teeth, and deliberately gnaw his way through the solid wood until he has made a breach sufficiently wide to answer his purpose. When once he has succeeded in bringing the combs to light, he scrapes them together with his fore-paws, and devours comb, honey, and young, without troubling himself about the stings of the surviving bees. The hunters, who are equally fond of honey, find that if it is eaten in too great plenty it produces very unpleasant symptoms, which may be counteracted by mixing it with the oil which they extract from the fat of the Bear. This custom of eating mingled oil and honey affords a partial explanation of the prophecy, "Butter and honey shall he eat," which was necessarily put forth in language which was in accordance with the popular ideas of the period. The flesh of the Bear is held in high esteem among the colonists and native hunters, and when properly prepared is considered a great delicacy by the denizens of civilized localities. The hams, when cured after the approved recipe, are greatly esteemed by epicures. The Brown Bear of Europe is also famed for the excellent quality of the meat which it furnishes. The Black Bear is the most familiar species in America, being pretty well known in all portions. In the season, many of our city markets are provided with Bears' meat. It was BEARS GREASE. .:;:• once ao common in New York that Beur Market wan the name given to one place that made a -:- . i:i ';. nl (lie in. -at Tills Bear's habitat range* frum the northern portion of the Continent to Mexi«>. In California it i- i.-pla.-.tl b\ the Grizzly Hear. Tip- fat of ill.- I'.. .11 1-. as is well known, considered an an infallible specific fur increasing the growth of the hair and promoting ita gloat*, and i* re a valuable an •mineroe. Tin- onh | Niriii >n .if tin- fat that is legitimately empl<>\. -I for this pur|»osc is ih,. hanl white fat which is f,. tin.i in tin- interior <>f tin- !>.«1\. As might be expected from the enormoas aiiioiiiit <>f titular Uear's grease" which ia annually consumed, but a very small pn>|>ortion (»f the .substance which is called by that name has ,.\,-, f,,rmed part of a Bear's person. The reps in to make x<»»\ the deli. -i. -n< -\ . an- nor less than hog's lard, colored and ••d in order to charm the eye and nostrils of th.-piircha.ser. Tin-re is y.-t another use to which the fat of the Bear ia put, which will be presently mention.sl. The chase of the Mus«iuaw, or Black Bear, is an extremely dangerous one, and there are Imt very f.-w 1'M-ar hunters, however dexterous they may be, who do not in the .-n-l succumb t«. t||,- claw- ami teeth of one , ,f tfMM ]•••••*••! !"ul .imnriU Alt li..iij!i it is n.itmalU .1 pgfj >|ui.-t and retiring creature, keeping it.self aloof fnmi mankiml, and never venturing near his haunts except wh.-n incited by the pangs of fierce hunger, it is a truly ferocious beast when hemmed in by its antagonists, and all hope of escape cut off. Seated erect, with its eyelwlls darting fury. its ears laid , l,-s.-l\ UIM>II ita head, ita tongue lolling out of ita mouth, and every gesture glow- ing with fierce energy, it presents a sight that Is sufficient to unnerve any l>ut an e\|M-ri.-n«sl hunter, who baa learned by long practice to preserve a cool demeanor under the most exciting circumstances. Horses are almost useless at such a juncture, for unless they have U-en most carefully trained t<> the task, they are seized with such mental terror at the sight an.l scent of the infuriate animal that they give way to their frantic fears, and become wholly unman- ageable by their rider. Aa the Bear .stands, or rather sits at bay, it deals such terrible and rapid blows with ita ready paws that it strikes down the attacking dogs aa if they w. many rabbits, and ever and anon makes a furious charge at its enemies. Nothing but a i ill'- ball seems to check the creature when it is wrought up to this pitch of fury, for even the severest w,,un-ls f|..m a kliif.- Seem, mil--- th--\ i.-:i.-li tii.- li.-alt. !•• li;i\,- «,li!\ ft* .-iT.-.-t '>f .-\«-iting the animal to more furious rage. The Musquaw has a curious habit of treading frequently in the same path, so that after a little time it makes out for it^-lf .-.-rtain roads, which are easily detected by the practiced eye of the hunter, and often lead to the destruction of the animal which trod them. During the month of June the Bears are very thin, and their flesh is considered to be of no value whatever ; so that they enjoy a short period of unmolested ease. Aa they are especially fierce at this time of the year, the hunters have a double reason for keeping aloof from the animals which they persecute with a deadly pertinacity throughout the other portions of the year. Tln-ir ]«-.-nliar ferocity at this time is attributable to th<- fact that the male Bears are engaged in seeking their mates, and when it happens, as is often the ca»e, that two or more males take a fancy to the same female, they fight for the desired prize with unrelenting fury. As is the case with the Bears which have already been mentioned, the Black Bear ia in the habit of passing the cold months of winter in some comfortable residence which it has prepared in the course of the summer. Practical hunters, however, remark that unl.-*s the Bear is exceedingly fat at the commen«-ment of the cold season, it does not venture to betake itoelf to its winter home, but gets through the winter w ith»ut hybernation. This species- (.f Near is remarkably prolific, the numU-r of cubs which an- produced at a birth being from one to four. When newly born they are very small. N-ing only six or eiirht inches in length, and covered with gray hair. Tin- month in which they make th.-ir entr\ into the world is either January or February, and they remain under strict maternal control until they are six months of age. For the HIM \.-ar ..f their existence the fur continues to retain the gray hue, but when they reach their second year the liirht-hued hair gives place to the glossy black coat w hi. h distinguishes the Musquaw. They shed their coat twice in the year : 320 THE GRIZZLY BEAR. namely, in spring and autumn ; so that when the winter arrives, they are defended from its rigors by a new and warm covering of thickly planted hair. On account of this change in the color of the fur, the juvenile Musquaw has been considered as a separate species, and admitted into systematic catalogues under the name of Yellow, or Cinnamon Bear. THERE are few animals which are so widely and deservedly dreaded as the GRIZZLY BEAR. This terrible animal is an inhabitant of many portions of Northern America, and is the acknowledged superior of every animal that ranges over the same country. The other members of the ursine family are not given to attacking human beings, unless they are alarmed or wounded, but the Grizzly, or "Ephraim," as the creature. is familiarly GRIZZLY BEAK.— Urm> feme, termed by the hunters, displays a most unpleasant readiness to assume the offensive as soon as it perceives a man, be he mounted or on foot, armed or otherwise. Yet the Bear is not entirely without the innate dread of humanity which is instinctively implanted in every known animal, for, although it will attack a man without hesitation, it will not venture to follow up his track, and even if it should come across the air which is tainted by his presence, the Grizzly Bear will escape as fast as he can run. To this curious instinct the hunters have more than once owed their lives. One man, who was engaged in duck-shooting, and whose gun was only loaded with shot, was suddenly alarmed at seeing a Grizzly Bear cantering towards him, having clearly already made up his mind to attack him. For the moment, the old man was in despair, but his pres- ence of mind soon returned, and .he made his escape in a very ingenious manner. Plucking some of the light fibres from his rough coat, he threw them in the air, in order to ascertain the direction of the wind, and then moved to one side, so as to cause the wind to blow from him- self towards the advancing foe. As soon as the Bear perceived the strange scent, it stopped, sat upon its hind legs, wavered, and finally made off, leaving its intended prey master of the field. If, however, the anger of this terrible animal should be aroused by the pain of a wound, it cares little for men or their scent, but rushes furiously upon them, dealing the most fearful Till: i.lU/./.I.Y HEAR, ftf] I :.iws with its huge paws, arm' •! \\iih their arrax ••( trenchant i:d..n>. ami holding it* power- ful teeth in readiness for a close com! tat. So tenacious of life is rue oases8Joit kla.-e formed from tin- daws of the (frizzly Rear it ron-j,|,-i,-,l .m enviable mark of distinction. No one is j«-nnitti--ctual efforts to climb. The two accounts may be reconciled by the supposition that while the Bear is young, and com- paratively agile in proportion to its weight, it is capable of ascending a jterpendicular tree- trunk : but that when it U-comes large and unwieldy, its limb* are not sufficiently jiowerfnl to raise eo great a weight from the earth by so slight a hold as that which is afforded by the claws as they atfix themselves to the rough bark. The color" of the (Jii/./.ly Hear i- extremely variable, so much so, indeed, that some zoolo- gists have suggested the existence of t\\o distinct species. Sometimes the color of the fur is a dullish brown, plentifully flecked with grizzled hairs, and in other sjt»H-irnens the entire fur in of a l>eautiful steely gray. In every case, however these grizzled hairs are very conspicuous, so that then- appears to be a certain tendency to whiteness in the surface of the fur. 1 this peculiarity, the s^-citic title of "candescens," or whitish, has been affixed to the <;ri//ly Bear by Major Smith, and the creature has, in one or two hunters' narratives, been erroneously ibed as the White Bear. The ( irizzly Bear( Ur*iu horribilis), or - it lias been called, is met w ith nearest east in the Missouri Hm-r r'-irioii. alH.\.- I-'oit I'i.-ii.-. and is abundant on the Yellowstone. Along the Rocky Mountains and towards Nf.-xii-.. it finds its natural habitat. A variety having si itrht differences in color is found in >onura, and the copper regions of New Mexico. Mr. Bell, our venerable taxidermist, accompanied Audul>on in his tour over the Itocky Mountain country. They encountered a «;ri//ly Bear on sevend iM-casi«ms, when the creature quickly turned and trie. I to esca].e. Tliese and other similar instam.- .-aus.^1 Mr. Audubon tit Itelieve that the (Jriz/ly din-s not voluntarily attack man. Instances of savage encounter are always preceded by great provocation. 322 THE GRIZZLY BEAR. In its earlier years, the young Grizzly Bear may boast of a really beautiful fur, which, although very long, thick, and shaggy, is not of that coarse, wiry texture which is notable as belonging to the coat of the adult animal. The fur of the juvenile Bear is of a brown color, with a dark stripe along the spine, and is so enormously thick and long, that as the animal shuffles along, it shakes up and down with every step. The gait of this creature is rather peculiar, as it swings its body in a curious and exceedingly awkward manner, and rolls its head from side to side in unison with the movement of its body. The fore-limbs of this animal are enormously powerful, and the feet of a full-grown adult are eighteen inches in length, and armed with claws of five inches long. These claws are extremely sharp, and when the animal delivers a blow with its paw, the sharp-edged talons cut the adversary's frame as if they were so many chisels. A singular peculiarity is found in these claws. The animal possesses the power of using them separately, and has been repeatedly seen to grasp a dry clod of earth in its foot, and to crumble it to pieces by the mere movement of the claws upon each other. The head is extremely large in proportion to the body, and the tail is so short that it is entirely hidden beneath the heavy far that covers the hinder quarters. The native Indians are in the habit of amusing themselves with the perplexity of persons who are not aware of this circumstance, and whom they persuade that the carcase of a dead Grizzly Bear is easily lifted if seized by the tail, — a proceeding which bears a strong analogy to the method of capturing a bird by covering its tail with salt. All animals stand in great fear of this formidable beast, and display the greatest terror even at the sight or the scent of a Bear-skin that has been stripped from the body. Even the powerful bison falls a victim to the Grizzly Bear, which has been seen to spring upon the fore- most bull of a herd, dash it to the ground, and destroy it by a succession of tremendous blows with its armed paws. Another of these animals contrived to carry off a bison that had been shot by a hunter, and, after dragging it to some distance from the spot where it fell, to bury it in a pit which it had dug for the reception of its prey. It is said that the other predaceous animals hold the Grizzly Bear in such respect that they will not venture to touch a deer which has been killed by this powerful creature, and that the very imprint of the Bear's feet upon the soil is a warning which not even a hungry wolf will disregard. As might be expected, this disinclination to meddle with the Grizzly Bear extends to the dead animal itself, and to its skin and carcass. One of these creatures had been shot, and its skin taken from the body, but as the hunter was not strong enough to carry the weighty hide, he was forced to leave it unguarded for fifteen hours, exposed to the attacks of the myriad , nocturnal prowlers that swarm in those regions. Yet, when he came at daybreak next morning to secure his prize, he found that neither the skin nor the carcass had sustained the least damage from the teeth of the wolves, although any other animal would have been totally devoured in a very short time. Horses evince such terror at the sight and smell of the Grizzly Bear that they will not permit the skin to be laid on their backs until they have been carefully trained to the unwelcome task. They are not very easily tamed, except when captured at an extremely early age ; but even in that case, they are rather rough in their manners, and are but dangerous playfellows. They are extremely playful creatures when young, and are very amusing in their habits. One of these animals, which was captured by Mr. Palliser, behaved in a very amusing manner during the voyage homewards, and caused much mirth by its absurd pranks. " Indeed," as the writer observed, " the Bear proved to be the most entertaining member of the whole ship's company. He ate, drank, and played with the sailors, and proved such a source of amusement to them, that the captain, whom I have since had the pleasure of meeting, told me that he would gladly engage always to take a Bear with him when he went to sea in future." On board of a passage-boat, a sudden shower of rain drove all the passengers, including the Bear, below deck, and Mr. Palliser' s attention was roused by peals of laughter over the dining cabin. " On going above, to discover the cause of the merriment, I saw that the Bear was gone and his chain broken. The pilot, who had been relieved a few minutes before, now led me forward to inspect his caboose, which was surrounded by the passengers and deck hands, all in fits of laughter. .•/.') HE. i A. -.:: 0 " I could n«.( make out the reason iif it :it tirxt, until i>iit- h ' never mind, ini-i.-r ; why, what's tin- hindrance to tin- blankets U-iin: dri.-d aipiin Thf S;IMI.- animal had i-mii ri« -t«-e which WBS • b-llow -voyager with liiin^-lf : and on <>m- .....IM..M ]-.if-.iiii.-d , m..-i rlii\aln>us nerrioe in behalf of its defenoeleM lit:!, fri.-n th.- :ili!. •!..)-• wa.s U-inc I'-l llil'-ii-h tli,- -H,. |>. i,,u:,id- th.- \.--l. :i \:n^< ni:i-lilT |],.\» at it, and w:i> with difhVulty k.-pt at liay l-\ th.- v« >!«••• and »tick nf tin- jtenon who ww* hiuli itfit-il !!• ,tur.-. Mr. 1'alliNer, who wti> f..ll..« imr "itii Hi.- lU-ar. ni*lnil to the niitrun l>\ ih-- l'» :n. wkodMhtd I-'M:\ forward and olond » nli th- :i--.nlani A ti.-iv.- .-<,nil>at ••n^u.-<|. in whirh thf Bear n-fniimxl at firMt from u**iiiKr hi> teeth or cb MS and mnN-nt.-d hiniwlf with wizinf; the nuiMtiff in lii-* |M.w.-rful anus, and tlin»;in>: him i. ii hi«. Lark with Mii-h vinlcn<-»- tliiit it rolled over and o\.-r on the ground. Tlie dog, .•h.-.-1-.-d l>\ the voice of it.s liKisti-r. MK-4- l.-d at la-t in -i-. in- th.- l'»-ar a t. .|.-raH \ -liai |. L'I i|. lietwtt-ii it-^ t«-»-th. Incensed by the pain, Hruin lost hi* tfin]ier. and neizing the d n— ii^ t.-«-th. \\ln-n tin- dog, whirh was rapidly choking under thr t«-nil)l.- preHHure of the Bear'n arm-. ...ntiivi-d t<> a Middt-n struu^le. iind nin away with iiit«-«.us howls, li-avin^ the Bear inaM.-r ..f th.- ti.-ld. The length of a w.-ll->rn«wn adult inal.- is mth.-r more than ri>:ht f.-«-t six inches, and the girth round the bve. The ]H>werfiil claws of this animal are employed not only f«.r i-nml»at. Imt in digiring up the earth for various purpose*, such an the aearrh after various root* and I mil*, and the in- ment of some large animal which they have killed. Tin- instinct for Imrying tlu-ii pi.-y is HO lar-.-ly il.-\ .-|..|..-d in th'-s.- <-r.-ar m>-s ih:it i!i.-\ IK, •, .• m> .1 ,• I h-m . -n- •• i •• •••n • I. • • i v • - ( I", tlf . i:i!t of a hunter, who. when n-si-tan<-.- or .-st-ape wa.s impnicticiiMe. has simulated death in order t., disarm the wrath of the terrible animal. Thinking the man to be dead, and not lx*ing irri- tated by wounds, the Bear proceeds to wretch a pit in the earth, ami to drag the unn-*iftting prey into the hollow, and to cover him can-fully with gnuw and leaves, pressin- them well down, so as to conceal him effectually. Satisfied with ite precaution, the lt.-arU-tak.-s itx-if to rest, and the buried hunter seiies the opportunity of slipping quietly away while the am mal is engage. i in r.-jtoee. Grizzly Bears kept in captivity have always attracted great attention by their amusing and playful habits. Two of these underwent once a surgical operation, while under the inllu ence of chloroform. Bears are subject to ophthalmia, ••-|»---iall \ w hen in confinement, and are often totally deprived of sight by this disease. Until the discovery of the antithetic powers of chloroform, the poor animals were doomed to hopeless blindness, but at the present day the Bear is rendered as quiet and harmless as a guinea-pig under the influence of tin- j-otent \aj In order to place the sponge that contained the chloroform fairly under the animal's nostrils, it was necessary to bring its head close to the bars of the cage, an operation which was with difficulty effected by the united efforts of four strong men. The sponge was th.-n affixed to its snout, and in a very short time the animal was lying on the floor of its cage, without sense or motion. The door was then opened, and the Bear's head N-ing laid on a plank outside th-- caire. the operator sj>eedily removed the ob-tacle. The animal was then replaced in th« here it lay for five or six minutes without motion, and at Uist contrived to get on its legs, and walk very unsteadily into its d>-n. The n.-\t morning saw the Bearxitting at its ease, restored to sight, and feeling no apjiarent inconvenience from the contrast tietween morning's light and the thi.-k dullness that had for so long • ppressed its vision. 324 THE BRUAN&. THE THIBETIAN SUN-BEAR is an example of a group of Bears which have received the title of Sun-Bears, from their habit of basking in the rays of the burning sun, instead of with- drawing to their dens, as is the custom with the generality of Bears, as long as the sun pours its meridian beams on the earth. The name Helarctos, by which the genus is designated, is composed of two Greek words, the former signifying the sun, and the latter a Bear. The country in which the Thibetian Bear resides is manifest by its name. It has also been discovered in the Nepaul range of mountains. The fur of this creature is tolerably thick and smooth, and is generally of a black color, with the exception of the lower lip and a large patch of white hairs on the breast, which is narrow at the lower part, and, widening as it approaches the chin, separates into two short horns, which partially extend towards the shoulders. The entire spot bears, therefore, some resemblance to the letter Y rather imperfectly delineated, and with its upright stem rather shortened. The body of the Thibetian Bear is heavily, but strongly made, and the limbs seem to be rather less agile than those of the American or Scandinavian Bears. The claws are not so powerful as those of the generality of Bears, the ears are comparatively large, and the neck is peculiarly thick. It seems chiefly to rely for its subsistence on fruit, roots, and various vege- table productions. It is not qtiite so large as the Bears which have already been mentioned. A VERT curious example of the Sun-Bears is found in the species which is known by the name of the BRUANG, or MALAYAN SUN-BEAR, and has been rendered famous by the spirited description of its appearance and habits which has been given by Sir Stamford Baffles. The fur of this animal is particularly fine and glossy, and the hair is shorter than in the generality of the Bear tribe. The color of its fur is a very deep black, with the exception of a large semi-lunar shaped patch of white on the breast, and a yellowish-white patch on the snout and upper jaw, which afford a striking and curious contrast to the uniformly black color of the fur. The lips and tongue of this Bear are extremely flexible, and are capable of being pro- longed to an almost incredible extent. It is sxipposed that the great length of its tongue, and the exceedingly flexible power of that organ, are intended for the purpose of enabling the animal to obtain the honey from the nest of the wild bee, by insinuating its lithe tongue into the apertures of the hive, and licking the sweet food from the waxen treasuries. The head of the Bruang is rather thick, and the neck is singularly powerful in comparison with the size of the head. The eyes are very small, and the iris is of a rather pale lilac color, and tolerably lively in its appearance. It is not a large animal, measuring when adult only four feet six inches in length, but it is extremely powerful in proportion to its size, being able to grasp and tear from the ground the strongly-rooted plantains of Borneo, which are so large that the Bear is hardly able to embrace them in its grasp. The claws of the Bruang are extremely long. When in its wild state, it is almost entirely a vegetable eater, preferring fruit before most articles of diet, and making great havoc among the tender shoots of the cocoa-nut trees. In some parts of Sumatra, where the villages have been deserted, the cocoa-nut groves have been entirely destroyed by the insatiate appetite of the Bruang. As it is easily tamed, it is frequently seen in a state of domestication, and is a very amus- ing and gentle creature, associating freely with children, and earning by its uniformly quiet conduct the privilege of unrestricted liberty. Sir Stamford Raffles, who possessed one of these Bears, permitted it to live in the nursery, and never was obliged to chain, chastise, or otherwise punish the good-tempered animal. Being something of an epicure, and often admitted to his master's table, the Bruang would refuse to eat any fruit except mongosteens. or to drink any wine except champagne. It may seem remarkable that a Bear should display any predilection for fermented liquids, ami more so that it should be so fastidious as to select champagne as the wine which it honored with its preference. Such, however, was the case, and the animal was so fondly attached to the champagne-bottle, that the absence of his favorite liquid was the only circumstance that would make him lose his temper. His affectionate dis- position led him to extend his friendship to various of his acquaintances, and he was on such excellent terms with the entire household, that he would meet on equal footing the cat, the Hn;.\ \ !.;:; i \,. • : , mull I.- i \ . • •! r.'.'i- :i...'iir ,••, l>inl. ami imiicublj Batdwitfc llii-ui from th- dish. OIK- <>f these Bear- that was sncoesgfully domesticated was able to eat animal aa well aa vegetable focxl. >>nt MUM fM «i\<-l\ on bread and milk, of \\hi--h it . ..n-unitil rather more ili. in t. -ii |«.uiiil- I-T un tin* moNt grotenque and singular gestures with the fwv-linilw, aiul t«lN ita bcxly from to side with nnceaaing aaaiduitv It aeldom ivmaina in one poNition for any length <>f BBfASO. OB MALATAM M7M-BKAB.-/M«(«M i-. and, although its movements are not rhararterized by much energy or nipi-Iity. it inevi- il.-ntly JM,>X,.,X,^I <,f much jiowvr OV.T it- limlis, and if it were disposed to enter into strife would ]>n>l>:il>ly u-- it- long talons to good purpose. the Malayan Rruanu' in general habita and di*poniti«>n. th- MORJTEAN HUM:, i- acknowledged t.. U-long to a different specie* fn-m th.- animal which ist hemdesrrilM-, where, if n<> such j n-«-aution were taken, it would in a very few boon l>eeome a mass of put n«*cent abomination. Tin- prejtared fat is especially valuable for p locks, a- it preserves the bright sN-el fi<»n not, ami I|.N-«. nut d,,^ with ooniitant service, an Is the awe with almost every other animal »i! In connect i' 1 1 \\ith this snl.ject it niav !••• as well t<> m. -iiiii.il that tin- onlinai \ " Hotter nil." «>r " in -a Is', foot nil." ma\ I-- pn-paM-d f»r tin- iim-t delicate u,.ik in a similar manner. If a Imttle nf this nil be placed in tin- sun's rays, ami a few strips nf lead drop] »-d int.. the -sel, . v Htl n I • J ' • (?J •!•;•<•-,• bl IM 10 • • ;.••..••! i. IN I hi< lowei j .11 1 . f ili.- •If. Tin- up|M-r jurt, howrxer. i->-maiiis bright an.! limpid as crystal, and by a re|-etitinn of th" name process may be so effectually purified that it will nr\«-r U- liable to that annoying \is.-i. lit \ which di-tra<-ts si, much from tin- value of animal nils that have I..-, n for some time in use. It is in this manner that watch maker* purify the nil for the lubrication of the delicate ,mci \ <.f their trade. y little is known of the habits of this Bear while in its wild state, l.ut it would appear from the conduct of two \..iiii_- animals that inhai-ii.-d the same cage in the Zoological Oar- dens, that it must I-- a u>-ntle and all.-. ii..nai.- creatun-. is, at all events. Known that the matei-nai Aswail is in the habit of carrying <>n Jier INK k those of her offspring that an- not able t<> make full HM- of their own means of j mi^remion. The two animals that \\en- kept in the /<>oloi:i<-al JJaitlens \\en- acciistiimee«-n Ix-tniyed to its pursuers by the continuous Bound which it utters while lying half asleep within its den. The hair which covers the Ixxly and limbs is of singular length, esjn-cially uj>on the back of the neck and the head, imparting a strange and grotesque appearance to the animal. The color of the fur is of a dce| black, intersjvers.-d here and therewith hairs of a brownish hue. I I Min the breast, a forked patch of whitish hairs is distinctly \isil>|e. When it walks, its fore-feet cross over each other, like those of on accomplished skater when accomplishing the loss-roll," but when it remains in a standing attitude its feet an- planted at some distance i each other. These Bears seem to be very liable to the loss of their incisor teeth, and even in the skulls of very young animals the teeth have been so long missing that their sockets have lx*'ii tilled up by nature as if no tee,th had ever grown there. On account <>f this curious deficiency, a captured «] "as thought to be a gigantic sloth, and was classed onioni: those animals under the name of Hnnlypuf vr*imnt, or I'rsine Sloth. In one work it was candidly descrilied aa the AIIOIIN m. .n- Animal. Other names by which it is known are the Jungle Bear, and the Lnbiahnl or Lipped Bear. This last-mentioned title has been given to the animal in consequence of the • mobility of it.s long and flexible lips, which it can protrude or retract in a very singular manner, and with which it contort- iis countenance jnto the strangest imaginable grimaces, especially when excit^l l»y the exhibition of a piece of bun. an apple, or other similar dainty. It is fond of sitting in a semi-erect position, and of twisting it.s nose and lips about in a j»-cu liarly rapid manner, in order to attract the attention of the bystanders, and ever and anon, when it fails to attract the eyes of its visitors, it ships the lips smartly together in hopes to strike their sense of hearing. When captured young, it is easily tamed, and can be taught to perform many curiou- antics at the Lid of its master. For this pur]*,-,, it is often catiirht by the nathe m<.imt. banks, who earn an easy subsistence by leading their shaggy pupil through the country, and demanding small sums of money for the exhibition of its qualities. On account of its aaso- tion witli theae wandering exhibitors, it lias been called by the French naturalists "Our* .Jongleur." Whether owing to the natural docility of the animal, or to the sui^rior powers 328 THE NENNOOK, OR POLAR BEAR. of its instructor, it performs feats which are more curious and remarkable than the ordinary run of performances that are achieved by the Learned Bears of our streets. In either case, it is always a saddening sight, for, however ingenious may be the instructor, or however docile the pupil, the unnatural performances of the poor animal always seem to be out of place. We have no right to attempt to humanize a Bear or any other animal ; for in so doing we are preventing it from working the task which it was placed in the world to fulfil. The Bear — as may be said of every animal — is^the result of a divine idea in the mind of the Creator, and it ought to be our business to aid the creature in developing that idea as far as possible, and not to check its development by substituting some other idea of our own, which, with all we can do, must necessarily be a false one. Even the imprisoned Bears which mount a tall pole for the purpose of obtaining cakes and fruits from their visitors, are performing their mission much more truly than the most accomplished Bear that ever traversed the country, and are, in consequence, much more agreeable to the eye of any one who values the animal creation on account of the moral qualities which are implanted in them from their birth, for us to develop to their highest extent, and in which we may read an ever-living word proceeding from the ever-creating hand of God. Moreover, all those who in studying natural history desire to look deeper than the sur- face, and to direct their attention rather to the inward being of the various animals than to their outward forms, will find that every creature in which is the breath of life has a phys- ical, a moral, and sometimes a spiritual analogy with the more expanded organisms of humanity, and owes its position among created beings to that very analogy. In every human being are comprised all the mental characteristics that are outwardly embodied in the various members of the animal kingdom, and it is impossible to mark any attribute of the lower animals which does not find a further and a higher development in the human existence in one or other of its manifestations. This subject is too wide to receive even a cursory notice in the present article, but will be again taken up on future pages. THERE is generally an aquatic member of each group of animals throughout the vertebrate kingdom, and among the Bears this part is filled by the NENNOOK, or POLAR BEAR, some- times called, on account of its beautifully silvery fur, the WHITE BEAR. As has already been mentioned, the Bears are good swimmers, and are able to cross channels of considerable width, but we have, in the person of the Nennook, an animal that is especially formed for traversing the waters and for passing its existence among the ice mountains of the northern regions. Probably in consequence of the extreme cold which prevails in the high latitudes where this creature is found, its food is almost entirely of an animal nature, and consists of seals and fish of various kinds. In order to capture the fish in their own element, or to make prey of the active and wary seals, it is necessary that the Nennook should be endowed with no ordinary powers of body and sense. Its capabilities of scent are extraordinarily fine, for it will perceive, by the exercise of that sense alone, the little breathing-holes which the seals have made through the ice, even though the icy plain and the breathing-holes are covered with a uniform coating of snow. Even the Esquimaux dog, which is specially trained for this very purpose, is sometimes baffled by the extreme difficulty of discovering so small an aperture under such difficult circumstances. So active is this Bear, and so admirable are its powers of aquatic locomotion, that it has been seen to plunge into the water in chase of a salmon, and to return to the surface with the captured fish in its mouth. And when it is engaged in the pursuit of seals, as they are lyimc sleeping on a rock or an ice-raft, it is said to employ a very ingenious mode of approach. Marking the position in which its intended prey lies, it quietly slips into the water, and diving POLAR BEAR. THE POLAR BEAU. Mow the surface, twims in the intended direction, until ii is f t.e the siumU-ritig seal. 'II. '' the victim is now settled, for it cannot tuke refuge in tli.- water without fallinc into the clutches of its pursuer, and if it endeavors u> <-s, aj,e by land it is speedily overtaken and destroy*"! l>y tin- swift footed Bear. ••ndiiraiu-e <-f the Bear while .•n^t_.-l in shimming is very great, for it has been Man swimming '--adily across a stniit of some forty mile* in width. Kven the large and powerful walrus is said to fall a vj.-rim t.. the sujierior prowess of the Polar Bear. Although its :i|'l-«'tite is of so decided I \ rarnitonnis a nature in the northern regions, it aasomes a milder charact'-i in -..ntli.-rn dimes, and contents itaelf with vegetable aliment. In England, it lias been fed f»r a considerable time on bread alone, of which it 00MBBM ftbovfcdx pounds JMT • II.-MI. a ii- 1 its fondness for cakes and buns is well known to every fnipi.-m.-r of the Zoological I. . ! •-••'.-••.'•.-•.••••.•,••••••.••. :•-.,. .' ..!:;. I,,.,-, .,.,,) Ix-ni.*. Mini is often found engaged in searching for these dainties at some distance from the sea-shore. So powerful an animal as the Polar Rear must neoesaarily be rery dangerous when con- d in tli>* light of a foe, and as it is r.ith.-i t.-t.-hy and MTV uncertain in it- t<-iiij»-r, it often affords ample sco]>c l.y whirh its j,iiisii.-i>, may t.-M tlu-ir jiniweaB. 8ometim.-> it riinn away as soon as it sees or smells a human l»-im:. imt it otln-rs it is extremely malicious, and will attack a man without any aj>|>aiviit r.-:i- ,u. AS is ih.- ,.,-,• \\jth nearly all the Bears, it is very tenacious of life, and ••\.-ii \\li.-n pierced with many wounds will iL'ht in the mont desperate manner. fin|>loying both teetli and daws in tli<- coinliat, and only yielding the struggle with its life. The color of the NYnnook's fur is a silvery white, tin^-d with a .slight yellow hue, rither variaMe in ditTen-nt individuals. Even in the s]M>cituens th.it were cotitinul in the Zoological (ianleiis iheiv was a iM-n-eptidle difference in the tint of their fur, the coat of one of them being of a purer white than that of the other. Tin- yellowish tinge which has IN-.-U just mentioned is \.-rv similar to the creamy-yellow hue which ediT'-s the ermine's fur. The feet are armed with st mm: claws of no very great leiiirth. and Imt sli-htly <-urvertion t<. the i-.-main.ler of ihe body, and the head is so small and sharp that there is a \ . ry snake-like aspect about that portion of the animal's :•• •• nag, The shape of the head is rather remarkable, for whereas in the Brown and other Bears the mu/./le is separated from the forehead by a well-marked depression, in the Polar Bear the line from the forehead to the nose is almost continuous. The f. Kit of the Netuiook is of 8urj)ri-iii^ comparative length, for it is equivalent in length to one-sixth of the entire leiiirth of the body, wh.-i-.-as in the Itrown Bear it is but one-tenth of that measurement. The »•!«• of tin- foot is rov.-r.sl with a thick coating of warm fur, which is in all probability intended for the double purjK>s.-of protecting the extremities from the intense cold of the substance which it is formed to traverse, and of enabling the creature to tread firmly on the hard and slippery ice. From these and other |«-<-nliarities of form it is now acknowledged as a separate spedes of Bear, and even removed into a different genus by many naturalist*, although the earlier writ. -i son this si|l'ji-.-t supposed that it was merely a permanent variety of the Brown Bear, whi.-h had obtained a white coat by constant exposure to the terrible cold of these wintry regions, and whose form had been slightly modified by the ever-repeated habit* of its strange life. Although so powerful an animal, and furnished by nature with such dreadful arms of offence, it i-* considered by the experienced Bear-hunters of Norway to be inferior in combat to the common Brown Bear, and is less dreaded by them as an antagonist. 330 THE POLAR BEAR. Its powers of endurance are necessarily great, for its means of subsistence are always pre- carious, and in many cases are extremely small indeed. As the Bear is in the habit of passing so much time upon the ice, and generally devours upon its frozen surface the prey which has been captured, it is liable to be affected by the sudden and extraordinary changes that are constantly taking place in the vast ice-fields of these cold regions. Pieces of ice on which the Bears are quietly sleeping after their repast, become noiselessly dissevered from the main body, and are carried off to sea for a very great distance before the Bear is aware of its enforced voyage. Scoresby records such an instance, where he met with a Polar Bear upon a piece of drift ice that was floating at sea some two lumdred miles distant from the land. As the ice nourishes no animals that could afford nutriment to the white-coated resident, the Bear is forced to depend for its entire subsistence upon the fish that it may be able to capture. Out at sea, however, the fishy tribe are not so easily procured as near the shore, and the hunger- endurent powers of the Bear are thoroughly tested before it can again place its shaggy foot on the welcome soil. Owing to these marine excursions the Polar Bear is forced to pay unwilling visits to civil- ized shores which it loves not, and where it is obliged to fall upon the sheep and cattle of the residents in order to appease its hunger. The ire of the owners is greatly excited by the loss of their cattle, and the unfortunate Bear — a thief in spite of itself — is soon destroyed by the bereaved proprietors. Sometimes a whole party of Polar Bears is thus carried off, and for a while they inflict infinite damage on the country where they land. As the Nennook passes its life among the wintry regions of the north, its hybernation has been often discredited, and it has been said to make a partial migration southwards, so soon as the terrible frosts of the Arctic winter close up the pools whereto the seals and other animals which constitute its prey are in the habit of resorting. Other writers, again, assert that the Polar Bear ceases feeding in the winter, as do the other members of the same group, and that the young Nennooks are produced while the mother is safely housed in her den. There is a truth in both these opinions, for it is now ascertained that the female Polar Bear is in the habit of hybernating, but the male Nennook passes his winter in the active exercise of his faculties. The winter home of the Polar Bear is always made in some sheltered situation, such as the cleft of a rock, or the foot of a precipitous bank. In a very short time after the animal has taken up her residence in her new abode, she is effectually concealed from observation by the heavy. snow-drifts, which cover the whole country with such strangely-shaped hills and valleys that the Bear's den is entirely undiscoverable by the eye. Sometimes the Bear will wait until a heavy fall of snow has taken place, and then will dig away the snow so as to form a cavern of the requisite size. In all cases, the snow appears to be a necessary element in the well-being of the animal during its long winter's repose. If the female Bear should not be about to take upon herself the cares of maternity, she does not think herself bound to lie hidden during the winter, but traverses the ice-fields together with the male, and becomes very fat during the cold months of the year. These nomad individuals do not confine their peregrinations to the sea-shore, but extend their journeys inland to a considerable distance, being sometimes found as far as thirty miles from the sea-coast. The young of the Nennook are generally two in number ; and when they make their first appearance outside the snow-built nursery in which their few months of existence have been passed, are about the size of shepherds' dogs, and in excellent condition. Their mother, however, is sadly reduced by her long fast and the calls which have been made upon her by her offspring ; so that she re-enters the world in a very poor condition of aspect and temper, as might be expected of so ravenous and hungry an animal. Watchful over the safety of her cubs, and unburdened by any superfluous flesh, she is a very dangerous personage to be casually met with ; for she is so savage with hunger that her temper is in a constant state of irritation ; and she is so jealous of the safety of her offspring that she suspects every moving object to be an enemy. The flesh of the Polar Bear is eatable, and is highly esteemed by the Arctic voyagers, who eagerly welcome a supply of fresh and wholesome meat such as is furnished by the animal TIIK POLAR BBAi: in queflUM. It la Mid, howerer, that the lifer ought to I*- axoMM asanarti- !•• of diet, an it is apt to cause painful nml even dangerous symptoms to those who hare partaken of the li IT of the Ainerim I'.l.i. k I1.. .11 i> -,,:.| •.. !••• .1 |~^ uli ,i I i\ .• \ Mhendl ------ I -11 -k. A- i - k:iU-l. fashion, with alternate slices of fat The Polar Hear i- ••mi>hatically a marine animal, though not no in the sense of a whale, ore the eyes, which -ii^-.-t the trivial name. IT will he (>!>•«. rvi-1. after the ]>eru«al of the foregoing pagra, that the Bears are found in nn iost every part <>f th- u..iM. \\ith i».. notable exceptions, vii., Africa and Australia. With reganl t<> it'- latt.-r of th«-*»- roiiii- may !*• rememlH»reVMIIIIS, ami will l»e shortly •••. -j-.ik- of N iiii.i'ii.iii }:• .^-. \n_il and Martial ol [Jliyan Hears, irldkU tofMOtdad in the annals of the Roman empire, that in the y.-ar ». 0. »'•!. a hundifit«-«l in the circus, earh Bear le | : ; hairs are alternately marki>d \\iili Mark and grayish while. Upon the top "f the bead and •BfOBB the eyes the fur is of a \nvdark blackish brown, and \\\»>i\ the kn«««' joint of each lag the fur is of a darker tint tlutilflJltlMBMt of the l>od> The tail is rather short mid bushy in character, and i" ma iked \\itli li\.-. «i -oni.-tim--- -i\ l>lacki»h rim;- ti|*on a ground nf dark _-n\ In tin- I'.nti-h MU--IIMI i- | i. -•:-.• i .> -p.-. -mien <>f tin- Racoon, which is .-ntirvly white, it- fur IH-JIIU "f a> pun- a whiu-iiexs as that of the ermine it-«-lf. In it- gait and • i- \ i-ible an admixture of tin- plantigrade with the diciti«r.id»' : for when it -taiid- »r -it- it plant- tin- entire -ol'- »( it- foot ii|>oii tin- ^nmiid. lint it run- in lia-t- it only tourh«l«-»-p. Mindly rurlf«| up in tin- wann hlanki-t of it- I»\MI rii-li fur, and -luinlHTin>j hwivily with it- ln-ad sunk U-tMcfii ilf« hinder liinl'-. A- i- indii-atiil 1-y tin- |»><-uliur natiin- of it.-* t»«rth. tin- Kai-'N.u i- rapjil'L- of f.-.-.liiiir on animal or vegetable food, hut ? Racoon will not rat. < MH- of tin-*' animals at«* a piece of c«lar pencil which it -uat.-li.il out of m\ hand, and tritsl \rry hard to rat tin- riiM-lojie of u Irttn- on \\hirh I was making notes. Not -uri-r»-dini: in tin- attfinpt. it . onsolrd :'-. i: !.\ trai in_' tli-- pa]»'i into niinutr nmr-rls, rni|iloyinur t«-«-tli and paws in the attnupt. It did its 1»-M to _'rt a rinir off my titurrr. l>\ hitchingoneof itscnxiked <-la\\s into tin- ring and pulling with all it- -ti-rnirth. which was vrry ronsi I- ruble in |>i"|,, ,ni,,n to th,- the animal. Its brown eyes up with animation when engaged in play, and it was very fond of pushing its paw through thr ban of its cage, in order to attract attention. A. Racoon that was kept in a barrack-yard in Canada, in com pany with u bear, an owl, and various finned and feathered crea- turea, was considered to be the in interesting of all the little menagerie. It WBM extmnrly tame, but could not \*> trusted near poultry, as it had a bad habit of pouncing -uddenly upon them, grasping them in its hand-like paws, and biting <>fT their heads in a moment. It would then devour the head and afterward* the body in a leisurely manner. There were many bats in the neighborhood, and the soldier- were in the habit of capturing those nocturnal depredators, and throwing them on the ground within reach of the Racoon's chain. B^fon- the bat could flap its wings, the Racoon would leap upon it. roll it rapidly in its paws for a while, and then despatch it w ith a -in. It was rather a vengeful animal, and poaaoaaod of a tenacious . for an in-ult The great owl that was partaker of the same residence had one day l»-en irritated with the R.-H •««-n and had i--.-k.-d it on the back. The Racoon treasured the insult in its heart, and waited a favorable time for revenge. The opportunity was not long delayed, for on the first occasion that the owl ventured within reach of the Racoon's chain, the aggrieved animal crept slyly toward! i-- be, nri idiaftlij ••tehad Mri 0 •!:•• hpftan af OM owfi tail. BAOOON.- 334 THE RACOON. In its native state it is a great devourer of oysters, crabs, and other similar animals, displaying singular ingenuity in opening the stubborn shells of the oysters, or in despatching the crabs without suffering from their ready claws. Sometimes it is said to fall a victim to the oyster, and to be held so firmly by the closing shells that it cannot extricate itself, and perishes miserably by the rising tide. Its oyster-eating propensities have been questioned, but are now clearly proven. The sand and soil that fringe the oyster-beds are frequently seen to be covered with the footmarks of this animal. It is always fond of water, drinking largely, and immersing its food, so as to moisten it as much as possible. When engaged in this curious custom it grasps the food in both its fore- paws, and shakes it violently backward and forward in the water. On account of this remarkable habit it has been dignified with the title of Lotor, a washer. The German naturalists term it Wasch-Bar, or Washing Bear. In captivity it is anything but abstemious, and rejects plain water, provided that it can be furnished with fermented liquids, strong and sweet. Referring to this propensity, Lawson, who was Surveyor-General of Carolina in the year 1714, says of the Racoon that, " if taken young, it is easily made tame, but is the drunkenest creature living if he can get any liquor that is sweet and strong." He furthermore relates that this animal is in the habit of catching crabs by putting its foot into their holes, and dragging out the crab as soon as it seizes the intruding limb. Roving at night through the woods, and being gifted with singular subtlety as well as agility, it is frequently chased by the residents, who think a 'Coon hunt to be one of the most exciting of sports. Certainly, to judge from the animated descriptions of such scenes, the whole affair must be marvellously picturesque to the eye as well as exciting to the mind. The usual plan of hunting the 'Coon, is to set an experienced dog on its trail, and to chase it until it takes refuge in a tree. A blazing fire of pine-chips is then built under the tree, which illu- minates its branches and renders the smallest leaf perceptible. A good climber then ascends the tree, and speedily dislodges the concealed animal. Audubon gives a very lively account of a Racoon hunt, ending as follows : — " Off we start again. The boys had got up with the dogs, which were baying at a Racoon in a small puddle. We soon joined them with a light. ' Now, stranger ! watch and see ! ' The Racoon was all but swimming, and yet had hold of the bottom of the pool with his feet. The glare of the lighted torch was doubtless distressing to him ; his coat was ruffled, and his rounded tail seemed thrice its ordinary size, his eyes shone like emeralds ; with foaming jaws he watched the dogs, ready to seize each by the snout if it came within reach. They kept him busy for several minutes ; the water became thick with mud ; his coat now hung dripping and his draggled tail lay floating on the surface. His guttural growlings, in place of intimidating his assailants, excited them the more ; and they very unceremoniously closed upon him, curs as they were, and without the breeding of gentle dogs. One seized him by the rump, and tugged, but was soon forced to let go ; another stuck to his side, but soon taking a better directed bite of his muzzle than another dog had just of his tail, 'Coon made him yelp ; and pitiful were the cries of luckless tyke. "The Racoon would not let go, but in the meantime the other dogs seized him fast, and worried him to death, yet to the last he held by his antagonist's snout. Knocked on the head by an axe, he lay gasping his last breath, and the heaving of his chest was painful to see. The hunters stood gazing at him in the pool, while all around was by the flare of the torch rendered trebly dark and dismal. It was a good scene for a skillful painter." In size, the Racoon equals a small fox, to which animal it bears a slight external resem- blance. The number of its young is usually two or three, and they make their appearance in the month of May. THE AGOUARA, or CRAB-EATING RACOON, is a native of a warmer portion of America than the common Racoon, and has derived its name of Crab-eater from its habit of feeding on all kinds of crustaceas and mollusks, whether marine or terrestrial, although perhaps it is not 00 tin \i"\i'i. ni: iu:i> M/.I//V. more addicted to cam -ricide than t he animal which ha* just been described. In site it b tiuin the common Racoon. anil it* color is nut .put.- tin- same. Tin- tail is -hurt in pio|-,niou t,, tli.- l«>d\. and is marked with six Mark rings u|x>n a grayish or blockish. \.-ll.m -round. Tin- fur of the bod\ is miner variable In different indnid- uuls, but is general) \ com|.os«-d of a blackish -ray washed with a tinge of \ellow, thedaik.r ni. I ill.- lighter tint* predominating on .hlf. n-nt part* »f tin- l*»l\ ami limb*. On the head, n-1-k. and alc.n- lli«- spin--, ill.- black tinge prevail*, while tin- n-st of th«' Uidy ainl tin- sides of the neck aiv almost \\lmll\ uf tin- y.-llowish -ra\ hue. A very dark bpiwn patch encloses each • \ ••. ,i!i.l. |Kissiii< backwards almost -,, ::..•...:-. || >.,. i . . I :•.•.,., . j.:i k -|- -• n UMCCOimd ''.• head. Tin* Racoon has be»-ii m.-ntioned by several traveller* nndi-r dilfi-n-nt nanicn, mu-h as M ii.a. h. \-.'II:IP.I|M.|N'-. ^ llani-.iiiui. M:i\il.-. \\'as<-li-Iiiir. and Ciontlamacuqae. T!i .•••Ili-nt tiirnn* of wliii-h is h«-ri- uhi-n. i^ ]H-«Miliar to tin- North \nn-riuin t. It.Hgeographiral range is very great, U-IIIL: fonn.l in i-vcry |Mirtiun of North Amer- ica, a* high as 00*. Paraguay is as far .south as it ha* Uvn obs»-rvixl. Its haditsan- niM-tiinial. Thonirli if is raiiii\on>Ms |.\ natnrv. it ]irefera vegetable food ut times, as is the at- \\iih tin- Bhwk Dear. Tlie Blark fo«.t««d Racoon inhahits th.- I'-i.-ilir ron*t from I'np-t's Sound to tin- Kiotirand.- in Texas. It is lik.- the preoedini: in c'-ii'-nil ap]N>ar.iiici*. but i-xr. N it in si»«. Tin- I's4ira. or California Coon < l'nn-ifi>ii ptorm\ wa* diHCtiven1*! on tin- 1'acitic coji.st just befon- tin- occnjwitioii <>f California l>y tin- I nit«- in pMu-nil a|i]H-:inuic.'. standini: hiu'lu-r. and having a >l.-nd«-r tail. Tin- ( ndi-«iting Hacoon is found in Aiiu-rica and farther .south. Tin: animals which romjKisc tin- curious ir'-nns that is kii..\\ii l»y the nanu- of Narica. an* easily recopii/>-d on acc.iunt of th»- singular lenirth «>f the nos*-. wiiich is pnilonp-d so as to form a miniature and mobile |mtlH)s«-is. In th«'ir general habits and diet they very stronuly resemble the niciMins. and are as adminible climbent of trees as can l»- found in tin- animal The extmonlinary snout with which the Coaitia are giftel>- snout*, so as to k«-«-p that useful member from U-inu' «etii-d nmi-i- than is necessary. They are inhabitant* of Southern Anu-rica, and aii- fc.im 1 in small coinpanii-s up-\ i- ~i i.-. and on the thin branches of which they lind the greater jwrt of tlu-ir f.l. Two examples of the Coaitis will lie lu-ietly de-crilM-d. Tlie COAITI-MOMU. or lii.n Co vi 1 1. d. -rives its name from tin- reddish chestnut hue which prevails over the greater |>ortion of the fur, and is only broken by the black ear* and leg*, the maroon-colored bands upon the tail, and the white hairs which «-dge the upper jaw. and entirely cover the lower. Tlie texture of the fur is nit her harsh and wiry, and of no very great imjKir- tanee in commerce. I'IKIII the JMIWS are certain curious tul»-rcl.-s. which alone would serve to identify the animal were it entirely destroyed with the exception of a single foot. It is ivmely active in the ascent and descent of trees, and pursues it* prey am<.n.' the limbs with great certainty. Its food consiM- of sundry vegetable and animal subatances. but th-- .-i.-atui.- seems to prefer the latter to the former. When tin- Coaiti descends a IP-.-, it doe* so with its head downward, securing it*elf from falling by hitchii-i: the claws of the hinder feet into th- inequalities of the Uirk. and display in- by the act no small amount of flexibility in the jointinir of the hinder limbs. It is a M turnal animal, and does not display its true liveliness until the shade* of .-veiling be#in to draw on. but lies curled up in a curious l.iit comfortable attitude, its l,,nir and bushy tail ing for blanket and pillow. Toward* evening, however, the Coaiti arouses it*elf from its lethargy, and becomes full of life and vigor, can-erini: aUiut tin- branches with extraordinary rapidity of mo\.-ni.-nt and certainty of hold, and agitating its mobile nose with unc.-ji.sing -ry, as if for the purpose of dis«.v. rim: by the snout sence of some welcome food. 336 THE KINKAJOU, OR POTTO. It is a merciless robber of birds' nests, and will eat parent, eggs, or young with equal appetite. Although possessed of a very irritable temper, the Coaiti is tamed without difficulty to a certain extent, but is always capricious in its affections, and cannot be trusted without danger. When attacked by men or dogs, the Coaiti fights desperately, and can inflict such dangerous wounds with its double-edged canine teeth, that it is, although so small an animal, no despi- cable antagonist. THE singular creature which is known under the title of KINKAJOU, or POTTO, has been the means of perplexing systematic naturalists in their laudable attempts to place each animal in its proper position. On account of its external aspect and its general habits, it has been considered as one of the Lemurine family, and was termed in consequence the Yellow Macauco, or the Yellow Lemur (Lemur flatus}. As, how- ever, the structure of its teeth and limbs is entirely different from that of the lemurs, and very closely approaches the carnivorous type, it has been placed among the flesh- eating animals, under the name of Mexican Weasel ( Viverra ' caudivolvula). But the flat surfaces of its under teeth, and its curi- ously prehensile tail, are characteristics of sufficient importance to remove it from the pure carnivora, and place it among the ani- mals which are capable of eating both ani- mal and vegetable food, so that it has at present found a resting-place at the end of the ursine animals. It is an inhabitant of Southern Amer- ica, and is spread over a very large extent of country, so that it is known in different places under different appellations, such ;is Honey Bear, Manaviri, or Guchumbi. When full grown, the Kinkajou is equal to a large cat in size, but is very much stronger KINKAJOU, OK POTTO.- C'a-coitptet cauMwtvuluii. . .. ', ,. „ ., , in proportion to the dimensions of its body. The color of the animal is a very light dun, obscurely traversed by narrow darker bands, that run over the back towards the ribs, and partly follow their course. Another darker band is observable round the neck, but all these marks are so very indistinct, that they can only be seen in a favorable light. The most remarkable point in this animal is the extreme length and flexibility of the tongue, which the creature is able to protrude to a marvellous extent, and which it can insin- uate into the smallest crevices in search of the insects which have taken shelter therein. It is said that the animal employs its long tongue for the purpose of thrusting that organ into the bee-cells, and licking out the sweet contents of the waxen treasury. With its tongue it can perform many of the offices of an elephant's trunk, and will frequently seize and draw towards its mouth the articles of food which may be beyond the reach of its lips. It has also been seen to use its tail for the same purpose. Assisted by its prehensile tail, the Kinkajou is an admirable and fearless climber, possess- ing the capability of suspending its body by the hinder feet and the tail, and remaining in this inverted attitude for a considerable space of time. It is eminently nocturnal in its habits, being sadly distressed by the effect of daylight H '".* ////• ii i//. /•/; /• i \ i upon ita eyes. The pupils of the eyes an capable of great dilatation, and when the unwel- come light of day falls U|>ou th. -m. they contract to a singularly small sUe, and their owner '. «titi. • l>\ it.- nn.-a.sj movements the incmivenieiMI *U !> H Ml N-t BfM 0N Owl apptWI to he more disconcerted by the glare ..f the noontide li-ht than .!.«•- th.- Kinkajou. UniiiiK' th.-d:i\. th.- animal li<ii'K eggs, and other similar substances. It is ,-asily tamed, and when domesticated is of a sportful nature, d.-liuhting to pla\ with those persons win 'i n it knows and trusts, and making pretence to bite, after the man- ner of puppies and kittens. It is very sos- oeptibl.- to kindness, and is fond of th>- oaresses which are offered by its friends. In ita wild state, however, it is a rather tierce animal, ami when assaulted, ofl • h a .spirited resistance even to human foes, that it «ill l>eat off any but a d.-N-rmim-d man, snpjtoning him to be unurmed and unaasbted. TIIKRE are few of tin- Mammalia which are decorated with such ivfuliri-ntly iM-antiful fur as that which dtvks tin- bociyof the WAII. or 1' \M> \. OH it is also called. Tills iM-autiful creature is a native of Ne- pal, where it is known under the dinVr>-ni names of I'aiuht, Chitwa, and Wah, — the l:i-i in. •!>'!. .11. •! name l..-in_- L-i\'-ii to it ..n account of its peculiar cry. The fur of the Panda is of a bright rich chi-stnut -brown, w Inch rapidly darkens into a peculiarly rich bla.-k upon the ribs and the outside of tip- legs. The head is of a whitish-fawn color, with a ruddy chestnut sjx)t under each eye. The tail is of the sann- chestnut hue as the body, and ia marked with a series of dark rings. The head ia very short, and thick muzxled, j.! — ',•;:,_ i • urioua aoataal to the • ••:!'.• ;- and PMOOMii It is p^nerally found among the treea that grow near rivers and mountain torrent*, but does not seem to occur in sufficient numl»Ts t<> n-nder its beautiful fur an obj«-«-t <>f < ..mmereial value. This is the more to be regretted, as the coot of the Panda is not only handsome in 'appearance, but is very thick, line, and warm in texture, being composed of a double set of hairs, the one forming a thick woolly cov.-rinir to the skin, and tin- oth.-r composed of long uliMt-niiii: hairs dial pierce throuirh the wool and give the exquisit.-ly rich colmini: t<. th.- surface of the fur. The soles ,,f the feet are not m«-n-ly defended by nailed and thickened cutid.-s. but are furnished with a heavy covering of woolly hair, which in some species ia of a liirlit gray color, and in others of a snowy white, that contrasts strangely with the deep rich black of the legs and paws. The food of the Panda is usually of an animal character, and consists chiefly of binK their eggs, and the smaller Mammalia and insects, many of which it discovers on the treea whereon it is generally found. I-AMIA. OH W AII.-.4Uw~ SH0M. INSECT1VORA; OR, INSECT-EATING ANIMALS. MONG the animals which are comprised in the Insect-eating group, we find the Mole, the various Shrews, and the Hedgehog, as examples of the TALPID^E, or the family of the Moles. As the food of these creatures is almost exclusively composed of insects, snail, worms, and similar animals, it is necessary that their teeth should be formed in a manner suitable to seizing and retaining their prey. Accordingly, on opening the mouth of a mole, a shrew, or a hedgehog, we find that none of the teeth are provided with flattened surfaces for the purpose of grinding the food, but that even the molar teeth are covered with sharp points, which are admirably suited for piercing and retaining their active prey, or for tearing it to pieces when it has been killed. All the insectivorous animals are plantigrade in their walk. Some of these creatures, such as the shrew, present so close an external resem- blance to the common mice, that they are popularly supposed to belong to the same class, and are called by the same general name. Many species live beneath the sur- face of the earth, and seek in that dark hunting-ground the prey which cannot be enticed to the surface in sufficient numbers to supply adequate nourishment for the ever hungry worm-devourers. OF all the insect-eating animals there is none which is better known by name than the common MOLE, and very few which are less known by their true char- acter. On inspecting a living Mole that has been captured on the surface of the earth, and comparing it with the multitudinous creatures that find their subsistence on the earth's surface, rejoicing in the full light of day, and free to wander as they please, •we cannot but feel some emotions of surprise at the sight of a creature which is naturally debarred from all these sources of gratification, and which passes its life in darkness below the surface of the ground. Yet this pity, natural though it be, will be entirely thrown away, for there is scarcely any creature that lives which is better fitted for enjoyment, or which is urged by more fiery passions. Dull and harmless as it may appear to be, it is in reality one of the most ferocious animals in existence, and will engage in the fiercest combats upon very slight provocation. MOLE.- Tatim europaea. 7 UK MOLE. While thus employed, its whole facultie- an- -.• entirely absorbed in its thirst for revenge, tluit it will leuve the subterraneous shafts which it ha- U-.-U excavating, uml join battle with ita foe in the full light of day. Should one of D verpower :ml< MI. I ..I" it- foe. ainl f.-a-t- ridiU mi the sanguine banquet. nlwt was lately witnessed b\ one ..f m\ frit-mis, who kimlly wrote the account <>f tlw proceeding, and of the fate of one of the combatants. "Daring a fine autumn afternoon, I wan taking a walk in some woods, and had reached a very retired part t >f tin- path, when 1 -uddenh heard a considerable scrambling amongst tin causing tli.- 'li^urUmce, I caught sight of two littl.- Mark creatures engaged in tierce combat. Th.-\ tumbled over one another, and were so mm h concealed by the leaves that th.-y could not be easily di-tin-ni-h.-d. scarcely had I obtained this view of the combatants than out- of tht-m U«gan to retreat, and was quickly followed hy his oppoti.-nt. Seeing the direction in which they were running. I ;i i :• nay throiigl th. briars as quickly as jiossible. and phutil mywlf dinvtly in the jmtli dp- tln.ru- ami thistles, I jiim|»tl thmui;h the underwood, and wa.s th.-n «lose to the animals, which imm.-liat.-l\ ct-ax-ersonal quarrel, ami liegan Kinking in a most ghost-like manner into the soil. ThN proceeding showed me that they \\.-ie Molea. "Not l»-ing ]iartirulurly ur«jiiainted with the arrangement of the Mole's teeth, or with ita disposition. I to .-if.-ct a capture, I caught hold of the tail of one of the little fellows, and with the help of a sharp tug I pulled him out of the ground, and gave him an aerial voyage. "He came to the 1:11 HI ni I without any apparent injury, and again l>cg;in busily sinking a shaft. This time the back looked HO very inviting, that I seized him by the short fur UJHUI that porti.ni »f his body, and then found that I had him quite secure. II-- ap|M-aiv.l \>rv philosophical under the circumstances, and did not jH-rform any unne«vs;-ary contortion-. -Mm dj-co\ered that he WON u safe prisoner. 'Hie next proce»-dini: wa- to place him in my handkerchief, and to di-cover whether he could, eitlu-r by his teeth or daws, make his way through the silk. No sooner was he -u-|*-mled in this impromptu prison than he tried his utmost to work his way through the wall-, but the silk yielded to him and would notojM-n. A minute's exertion ap|>eared to satixfv him. after which he laid himself calmly down. Having been occupied for some little time with this creature. I then soimlit sifter his companion, which hud, however, effected his -ul.t.-n-inean retreat, and was prol:abh two feet beneath the surface. " My prisoner was conveyed in safety to my domicile, and was placed in a hinr»- tub. over which for security a board was placed, and in which was some earth. The little ^-m It-man was quite at home in his tub, and enjoyed himself amazingly with a • I»i.-t of Worms.' To supply him. however, with this luxury was not an easy task; half an hour's digging in a yielding soil brought to light scarcely a sufficient quantity of food for one day's con-umption Small worms of about two inches in length wen* quickly disj.o-.-d of; whilst fine long ones wen- put out of sight in two meals. After feasting nj»on half a dozen or no. the Mole wmiM look v.-ry much like a boy full of pudding, and appeared to take a little doze. No sooner. however, did a worm give him a flap on the nose with its tail than he awoke, and. with renewed vigor and apj-etite. demolished half a dozen more victims, when he would again -ul>. aide into a quiet .slumber. "He lived in great ease and luxury during three days, at the end of which time h.- met an untim.-ly .-nd. The board upon his tub was a'-cideiitally knocked off by an awkward man. who forgot or neglected to replace it. A -ly old tom-cat saw the Mole, and imjielled by his own organ of destructiveness, killed, but would not eat our hero." 340 THE MOLE. The cause of this carious combat was probably at no great distance, in the shape of a female Mole, for whose favor the two animals were so fiercely lighting. The Mole pursues its intended mate with extraordinary zeal and perseverance ; and as the number of males is con- siderably greater than that of females, it seldom happens that a Mole succeeds in winning his bride until he has gained her in battle. So furious are all the passions of the Mole, that we may think ourselves fortunate that the creature is so small ; for if it were as large as a tiger it would be by far the more formidable animal. Even with its limited capability, it has more than once proved itself a dangerous creature ; for on one occasion, a Mole that had been made prisoner turned fiercely on its captor, and fixed its teeth into his hand with such pertinacious courage that it would not loosen its hold until it had been squeezed nearly to death between the teeth of its antagonist, who was obliged to have resort to that unpleasant mode of defence in order to free himself from the infuriated little animal. Another of these creatures flung itself upon a young lady's neck, and inflicted a severe wound before its purpose could be comprehended or its movements arrested. With the exception of sight, the senses of the Mole seem to be remarkably developed. The sense of scent is singularly acute, and enables the animal to discover the presence of the earthworms on which it feeds, and to chase them successfully through their subterranean tneanderings, — a kind of terrestrial otter. So acute is the sense of smell, that the experiencd Mole-catchers are in the habit of keeping a dead Mole at hand when they are engaged in their destructive avocation ; and after setting their traps, draw the dead Mole over every part of the trap or adjoining soil which their hands have touched, so as to overpower the taint of human contact. This is an effectual precaution, as the Mole is endowed with a powerful, very peculiar, and very unpleasant scent, that adheres pertinaciously to the hand, and cannot be entirely removed without repeated lavation. The hearing of the Mole is proverbially excellent ; and it is probable that the animal is aided in its pursuit of worms by the sense of hearing as well as that of smell. Much of the Mole's safety is probably owing to its exquisite hearing, which gives it timely notice of the approach of any living being, and enables it to secure itself by rapidly sinking below the sur- face of the earth. To tread so softly that the blind Mole may not hear a footfall, is an expres- sion which has become a household word. The sense of touch is peculiarly delicate, and seems to be chiefly resident in the long and flexible nose, which is employed by the Mole for other purposes than those of scent. When the creature is placed upon the surface of the ground, and is about to sink one of its far- famed tunnels, it employs its nose for that purpose almost as effectually as its armed fore-paws. I have often seen the animal engaged in the process of sinking a pit, and have observed that it always begins by running about very rapidly, wriggling its snout backwards and forwards upon the ground, as if to discover a soft spot. When it has fixed upon a suitable locality, it begins its excavation by rooting in the ground with its nose, and making a shallow groove in the earth by way of a commencement. Not until it has formed this preliminary trench does it bring its digging claws into action ; and even while employing its natural spades in the actual digging and casting up of loose earth, it still makes use of its nose as a pioneer, so to speak, and seems to learn, by means of the delicate sense of touch with Avhich that organ is gifted, the nature of the soil through which the animal intends to make its way. It seldom happens that all the senses of an animal are developed to an equal extent, so that where'one or two are singularly acute it is generally at the expense of the others. Such is the case with the Mole ; for although the scent, touch, and hearing are remarkable for their excellence, the sight is so extremely defective that it may almost be considered as a nullity. It is true that the Mole possesses eyes ; but those organs of vision are so small, and so deeply hidden in the fur, that they can be but of little use to their owner, except to mark the distinctions between light and darkness. The eyes are so exceedingly small that their very existence has been denied, and it is only by a careful search that they can be seen at all. The simplest mode of observing the Mole's eyes in perfection is to immerse the living ani- mal in water. It fancies that it is in clanger of drowning, and therefore exerts its power of protruding the eyes from the furry coat, in order to employ every means for escaping from the lift' MOLE. 341 deadly peril. Its eyes are then perceptible, as little, black, beady objects that glitter through the fur, but do not ap|»-ar to ,-njo\ any great powers of vi I'his power of protruding and withdrawing the eye*, is rendered M...— aiv l-v the suliterraiiean habits of the animal, which is thus :il-le to piot.-ct its eves iioin the l.~.-.- mould throu-h which it i- constantly ]*ssing. In onler to adapt the Mole to the |Mi-uliar life which it leads, the entire framework of its bodv woiidei-fidlv <••! \.s its chief employ meiit consists la digging, i he entire sti.-iu-th of the animal -.-.m- t<> IN- concentrated in the fore-quarters, when- the bones ami muscles are developed to a marvellous extent. If the Mole U- sirip|H-d of its skin, the mi. of the for*- limbs will be found to be so powerful that they roll between the fingers, hard. slip|H-ry. and almost incompiexsinle. These enormous muscles give jiower and motion to the \. r\ ellici.-nt .liL._-ni_' apparatus with which the M.-le is endowed. The fore jiaws are e\ti>-nn-l\ large, and furnished with strong and flattened nails. Tln-v iirned rather obliquely, as seen in the ti^uie. MI onler to ^\\ •• free sco|»- to their exertions. The bones of the fore-urm are of very great thi< ku-— . and bow«il in that peculiar manner which always indicates enormous strength in the possessor. Hut the m»-t -diking and curious iarity in the strut-tun- of the Mole is the -insularly loin; shoulder Made, which, by its _:..,i length :, i strength, nffords attMiUMBl to ''•••• \- •••••••• ''<•' muscles M Inch alone could give the requisite force to the lni>ad. sj-ade like paws. The JKIW- an- devoid of the soft fur that shields the n-st of the IxNly. ami an- covered with a thick but naked skin. It is chiefly to these paws that any mould is found adherent when the Mole is captured, for the soft and velvet like fur |H-rmits no earthy stain to delile its glossy smoothness. The Mole's fin- i- n-markably tine in its textun-. and i- allix.-d t<> the -kin in such a man- ner that it ha.s no particular "grain." ami lies smoothly in every direction. This jieculiarity enables the Mole to proceed along its galleries with tin- nee. It-rity. The skin of the Mole is remarkably touirh and thick, and is often us<-d by the |-easantry for t he purpose of making purses. The process of manufacture is simple enough, con-i-iing y in cuttim: the animal across, just In-hind tin- shoiiltlers, stripping tin- skin fiom tin- hinder iMirtions, dryini: it carefully, and closing it by means of a string run round the • > Tin- Mole is said to l>e an excellent swimmer, and to be able to cross rivers, wln-n led to such an act by any adequately |H>werful motive. How far true this assertion may 1-e. I tan not prove by jiersonal exjierience ; but I think that it is likely to be possible, for I hav.- Mole swim across the ln-nd of a brook — a distance of some few yanls and jH-rfonn its natatory achievement with great eawe. I was not near enough to ascertain tin- mode of its progression, but it seemed t<- u-e its fore -jiaws as the piim-ipal instruments of locomotion. Fnun all accounts, tin- Mole seems to I*- a thirsty animal, and to stand in constant need of water, tli inking every few hours in tin- course of the day. In order to supply this want it is in tin- habit of sinking well like pits in different parts of its "runs." so that it may never U- without the means of quenching its thirst. F,\vry thing that the Mole does is marked with that air of desperate • A hich is so characteristic of tin- animal. The laUirers in different parts of Enrol*- a" unite in the same story, that tin- Mole works for three hours "like a horse," ami then rests for three hours, laboring and resting alternately through the day. and with admirable j».-n-ejition of time. The well known ••mole-hills" which stud certain lands, and which disfigure them so sadly, however much their iin-i-htliness may be compensated by tln-ir n-al usefulness, are of various kinds, according to the sex and age of the miner. The small hillocks which follow each oiln-r in rapid succession are generally made by the female Mole Ix-fon- she has produced her little family, and when sin- i- not able to undergo the great labor of digging in tin- ha Her soil. Sometimes the "rnn" is » shallow as to permit the superincuml»-nt earth to fall in, so that the course which the Mo e has followed is little more than a trench. This is said to \» duced by the little coquetries that take place U-tweeii tin- Mole and his future mate, when the one flies in simulated terror, and tin- other follows with undisgui--! determination. Deeper in the soil is often found a very large burrow, sufficiently wide t.- j»-nnit two Moles to pass each other. This is one of the high-mads which lead from otic f.i-ding-ground to another, and from which the different shafts radiate. 342 THE SHREW MOLE. But the finest efforts of talpine architecture are to be found in the central fortress, from which the various roads diverge, and the nest which the maternal Mole forms for the security of her young. The fortress is of a very peculiar construction, and is calculated to permit the ingress or egress of the Mole from almost any direction, so that when its acute senses give notice of the approach of an enemy, it can make its retreat without difficulty. The first operation is to build a tolerably large hill of compact and well-trodden earth. Near the summit of this mound the excavator runs a circular gallery, and another near the bottom, connecting the two galleries with five short passages. It then burrows into the centre of the mound, and digs a moderately large spherical hole, which it connects with the lower gallery by three passages. A very large passage, which is a continuation of the high-road, is then driven into the spherical chamber by dipping under the lower gallery, and is connected with the circular chamber from below. Lastly, the Mole drives a great number of runs, which radiate from the rest in all directions, and which all open into the lower circular gallery. It will be seen from this short description, that if a Mole should be surprised in its nest it can withdraw through its central chamber and so reach the high-road at once, or can slip through either of the short connecting galleries and escape into any of the numerous radiatory runs. In the central or middle chamber of the edifice the Mole places a quantity of dried grass or leaves, upon which it sleeps during its hours of repose. This complicated room is seldom used during the summer months, as at that time the Mole prefers to live in one of the ordinary hillocks. The nest which the female contrives is not so complicated as the fortress, but is well adapted for its purpose. The hillock in which the nest is made is always a very large one, and is generally placed at some distance from the fortress. Its interior is very large, and is gener- ally filled with dried grass, moss, or other similar substances, and it is said that in some of these nests have been found certain roots on which the young Moles can feed during the first weeks of then- existence. The young are usually born about April, but their appearance in the world is not so determinately settled as that of many animals, as young Moles are found continually from March until August. The average of their number is four or five, although as many as seven young have been found in one nest. There is but one brood in a year. The color of the Mole is usually of a blackish-gray, but it is extremely variable in the tinting of its fur, and it is not uncommon to find in a single locality specimens of every hue from brown to white. There are specimens in the museums of almost every tint, and I have long had in my possession a cream-colored Mole-skin. The fur is so beautifully smooth and soft that it has sometimes, though rarely, been employed as an article of wearing apparel, or used as a light and delicate coverlet. The fur, or " felt," is best and most glossy if the animal is taken in the winter. Whether the Mole is more useful or hurtful to the agricultural interest is at present a mooted point, and seems likely to continue so. It cannot be denied, however, that the subter- raneous passages of the Mole, added to those of the earthworms, form a very complete system of subsoil drainage, and that the creature is continually enriching the surface of the ground by bringing fresh earth from a considerable depth, and thus involuntarily performing the office of a plough or a spade. ONE of the animals which forms a link between the Moles and the Shrews, and seems to possess some of the peculiar habits of each, is the curiously formed SCALOPS, or SHUEW-MOLE. This creature seems to be peculiar to Northern America, and is generally found near the banks of rivers, being very water-loving in its habits. Like the ordinary mole, the Scalops passes the greater portion of its existence below the surface of the ground, and finds a sub- sistence among the worms and other creatures which it captures during its subterraneous meanderings. The muzzle of the Scalops is even more remarkable than that of the common mole, being much longer in proportion to the size of the animal, and is cartilaginous at its extremity. The claws of the fore-feet are very long and flattened, and are arranged in such a i- (ft: CHRYSOCHLORB, OR < in \<; r \ltl.K MOLB. mam • ' • • '• • • • ** nl i ihar|i )•• 'int !•> i !.•• <-:ii i h -.\ h- M the creature • v t> i- - t h- m iti il..- .!• * '.--i which they wen* intended. Tin- hinder feet :iii'l !••_> at-' i-xti-i-im-lx small, ami tin- tail is but .short. Thftv is no a]>]>arent outward restige of an ear, ami thf eyes are almost invi»il>l. In -i/.- it equals therommoii Kuro|»-an M..1.-. Ix-inj; alxnit x-\«-n indies in total length. Another -iinil.i! aiiiiii:il. the I'fsmaii of Russia, IUI.H •-•••n frequently mistaken for the siir.-\\ M,.|.-. LIU it ran lie family .ii-!iii_-ni-lii'«l at a casual glance by the greater length of it» tail :mwe*»- brilliant hues interchang- ing among themHelvea aa the animal mores, or as th«- liyht falls at difft-rent an^lfi IIJMIM tin- fur. Tlie name ('hry-x-hloiv i- fn>m twn uttini: asid«- th-- stnuiip- chroma- tism of tli«- fur. tin- <-t>-ature is a very remark- able one in many re«i>ects, and especially deserving of notice on account of its teeth and its f»-»-t. t.t-th of the Changeable Mole are in a very peculiar mode, being sepa- rated from each other by an interval that is .-.|n:il to their thickness, so that when the jaws are closed. th«- t.-»-tli of eith.-r jaw tit .-xactly into tin- inNTMices that are left U-tween thone of the opposite jaw, like the iron serrations of a steel-trap. It has been well remarked that Chry^M-hlon* afford*, it is Ix'lirvfd. the only examplr in tin- animal world of t<-«'tli U*ing l>y thfir anterior and posterior faces. Tin- *kfleton is alto^i-thi-r a «in>.nilar one, for then' an> no less than iiim-to-n i^iirx of ribs, and in one species tw.-nty jairs have been made out. The first rib is thick and l>road in ]>n»]K>riion to the others. The fore-feet are furnished with four toes, the fourth toe being very small, and tipped with a nail of ordinary size. The oth- i tlm-e toes are armed with most formidable claws, by means of which tic- animal is maMM to - other Moles, of worms and various insects. CAT! CBIYMCBtOO. OR CRANOEABLE MOLT- 344 THE RADIATED MOLE. EVEN in a stuffed specimen, or in an uncolored engraving, the aspect of the RADIATED MOLE is a most grotesque and singular one ; but its quaint uniqueness is much more striking when the animal is alive and in full health. The most remarkable point in this animal is the muzzle, which is produced into a long, slender proboscis, round the extremity of which are arranged a number of soft, fleshy rays, of a bright rose-color, radiating like the petals of a daisy, or the tentacles of a sea-anemone, These curious rays, or caruncles, as they are more scientifically termed, can be spread or closed at pleasure, and present a strange spectacle when in movement. Their probable object is that they may serve as a delicate organ of touch, to aid the animal in procuring the worms and insects on which it feeds. The openings of the nostrils are situated in the centre of the radiated disc. The number of the caruncles is about twenty. On account of the proportionately length- ened tail, the animal is sometimes called the Long-tailed Mole ; for the tail is two inches and a half in length, while the head and body only measure four inches and a half. Another name by which it is known is the Condylure. or "knotty tail," an epithet which has been applied to it because, when a specimen is dried, the skin of the tail contracts so firmly over the vertebrse that the separate bones exhibit their form through the skin, and give to the tail a knotted aspect. The color of the fur is much like that of the common Mole, being a vel- vety blackish-gray on the upper portions of the body, and paler on the under parts. The eyes are extremely small, and there is no ex- ternal indication of ears. It is an inhabitant of Canada and the United States. The Mole (Talpa) is peculiar to European countries, while the American animal, so called (Scalops), is equally characteristic of this coun- try. They have a strong resemblance to each other, and are equal in size. The Silver or Prairie Mole (Scalops argen- tatus) is very similar to the preceding, small specimens being with difficulty distinguished from it. It inhabits Mexico and Texas. A dark purplish-black species (8. tmonsendf) is found in the West, and called the Oregon Mole. Another is called 8. breweri, or Hairy-tailed Mole. The Star-nose Mole, a very common and familiar species, is here well represented. The curious star-like appendage on its nose is not clearly understood. In the family Soricidce, the Shrews, a large number of species are enumerated. They are mouse-like in appearance, with an elongated muzzle. Of the sub-family Soricince, we have three genera belonging to North America. These are spread over the whole of the northern hemisphere ; some being found very far north. The region of the Rio Grande is their south- ernmost limit. As an Order, known as Inseciivora, or Insect-eaters, these animals are not largely repre- sented in America. They are not found in South America, nor in Australia. It is an inter- .-liiitf fact that the regions forming the exception are those having Marsupial animals; the latter being found in no other lands. THE insect-eating animals which have already been described are in the habit of searching for their prey under the surface of the earth, and are furnished with extremely imperfect RADIATED MOLE, OB STAK-NOSED MOLE- Condylura crlilata. THE /7. \ l Ml. i of sight. Itut the cut-ion- examples of ins,-cti\ . .p.. which are collected into the single ..•.•n i- Tupaiaareof a vt\ duTi-n-nt nature, living in tin- full lidit <>r da\. ami seeking their insect prey among tin- i-ram-hes of tin- treason which they dwell. It in-*-*!-*, then-fore, tliut animals which obtain their food in such a manner should !«•• endowed with excellent j«>wers of vision ; and «•• lind accord inch tliat tin- Tiipaiaa — which animal* will be represented by two examples— are furni-h.-d with ^-ood eye* and quick r*i«!n. IndeM, tin- .-ntn,. a-|«-ct ,,f these creatures reminds the observer more of the squint N than ..f tin- m..i.-. 11,.. I » joint are inhabitants of Sumatra ami parts of India. The hea«l i.f this animal is \ery .singular in its sha|»-. which is well represented in thv iving. The II|I]MT jaw i> -li^liilv |..i,_-fi thun th>- I«H»«T. ami tin- muzxle O(NUiiil*-nil>ly elongated, ao that th<- h.-a-l has a Btrangcly (lnii:"ii MK«- a-]«-< -i. \\liiili is heightened by tin- )«>siti..n "f ih.- .-apH. whii-h are set Tery fur Imrk, ami )>y tin- )«im shaq> rows of teeth whii-li arm each jaw. Tli«- I-in: l-u-hy tail of tin- Tnpoia gives it a kind <>f 11— -ml. lance to tin- -.|niii.-l. a reaemlila uhi.-h is appre- l.y tin- naliM- Siuiialnin-., \\ IK, call tin- ami tin* Tu]«iias hy 1 1 IH iame name. Tin- feet an* plant iimul»», and tcrminat**! l>y five toes on «-arh f-H.i. aim.--! with -Mi:ill. (nit -harp nail-, which a>- i-t tin- animal in climli iiiir. and an- sutlicicntly fl«>vat«- U- span-d from friction ayain-t the ground. In tin- hind, -r f.ft tin- fourth tp'wn ami y.-llow l.y iva-.n <•! tin- alt«-r nate c.,l,,|.,| iin_-- uith which t-ach hair is mark)-*!. On tlu> tail tin- hair is long and bushy, and hangs equally on each -id.-. aft«-r the maiim-r that is lean>t-loiri<-al ^ md th«» p-nu- in which th.-\ an- ]>laced is by some termed Tupaia. aft.'i- tin- nati\.- name, by sonif Mylo gale, and by oth.-r- C'htdobateH. The last im-ntioned term seems to be in greatest favor, and is a very appropriate one, •• branch traverser." THE extraordinary animal which has been recently brought U-for.- tin- notice of zoologists, nnd.-r tin- i-hanict.-ri-tic name of I'i s i \n.. is a native of Borneo, fnun which iimntry it was brought 1>\ Mr. Hugh Ixiw. It is alxint tin- -i/.- of a small nit. Imt appears to be of greater dimensions on account of ;•- cxtn melj loiui tail with fi • remarknl>le apjx ndage at i-- extn n itj Pin • i i ;- • ' • \T: . ordinary li-imth whm <-oin]i:inHl with the si/»- of the body, and is devoid of hair except at ito mity, where it is furnished with a double row of MilT hairs on each side, which stand boldly out, like the l»arbs of a quill i« -n. or the feathers of an arrow. The remainder of tin- tail is covered with scales, which are square in their form, like tin— of the long-tailed rats, and of considerable size. The color of the tail is black, and the bristly barbs are white. ^> that this metnlier presents a peculiarly quain The fur which co\er> the body of the Ten tail is extremely soft hi texture, and is of a black i-h -brown tint above, fading into a yellowish-gray beneath. As the tips of the hairs are tinged with a yellow hue, the precise tint of the fur ia rather indeterminate, and in changeable. TUTAU TA*A - 346 ELEPHANT SHREW AND SONDELI. according to the position of the hairs which are exposed to view. The specimen which is preserved in the British Museum was captured by Mr. Low in the house of Sir James Brooke, the celebrated Rajah of Sarawak. It is presumed that the long tail of the Pen-tail is used for the purpose of balancing itself in its progress among the branches of trees ; but this conjecture is only problematical, as the habits of the animal are not yet known. By the arrangement and form of the teeth, it is sup- posed to be allied to the Tupaias. THE elongation of the nose, which has already been noticed in the Tupaias of Sumatra, seems to have reached its utmost limit in those curious inhabitants of the Cape that are called, from their elephantine elongation of nose, the ELEPHANT SHREWS. Several species of Ele- phant Shrews are known to exist, all of which, with one exception, are inhabitants of Southern Africa. The solitary exception, Macroscelides Roretti, is found in Algeria. The peculiarly long nose of the Elephant Shrew is perforated at its extremity by the nostrils, which are rather obliquely placed, and is supposed to aid the animal in its search after the insects and other creatures on which it feeds. The eyes are rather large in proportion to the size of the animal. The tail is long and slender, much re, sembling the same organ in the common mouse, and in some specimens, probably males, is furnished at the base with glandu- lar follicles, or little sacs. The legs are nearly of equal size, but the hinder limbs are much longer than the fore-legs, on account of the very great length of the feet, which are capable of affording support to the creature as it sits in an upright position. As might be presumed from the great length of the hinder limbs, the Elephant Shrew is possessed of great locomotive powers, and when alarmed, can skim over the ground with such celerity that its form becomes quite obscured by the rapidity of its movement through the air. Its food consists of insects, which it captures in open day. Although the Elephant Shrew is a diurnal animal, seeking its prey in broad daylight, its habitation is made below the surface of the ground, and consists of a deep and tortuous bur- row, the entrance to which is a perpendicularly-sunk shaft of some little depth. To this place of refuge the creature always flies when alarmed, and as it is so exceedingly swift in its move- ments, it is not readily captured or intercepted. The color of the fur is a dark and rather cloudy brown, which is warmed with a reddish tinge upon the sides and flanks, and fades on the abdomen and inner portions of the limbs into a grayish- white. The generic name, Macroscelides, is of Greek origin, in allusion to the great length of its hinder limbs, and signifies "long-legged." It is but a small animal, as the length of the head and body is not quite four inches in measurement, and the tail is about three inches and a quarter. PASSING in a regular gradation from the moles to the shrews and hedgehogs, we pause for a while at the powerfully scented animal that is called, by virtue of its perfumed person, the MUSK-RAT of India, and is also known by the titles of MONJOUROU, and SONDELI. KLEPUANT SHREW. -MacroKxlittai typlcu*. KRU M 317 Thi." animal is a native of various parts of India, and Is very well known on account of th« extiviii.ly iNiw.Tful xvnt whi.-h .\udes from certain glands that are »imai.-.l in the under parts of tin- Ixxiy and on the hunk*. in.- odoriferous substance, which Is secreted by tin- nlxiv.- m.-niioned glands, is of a mu-k\ natm-.-. and (KMsesMs the property of penetrating and adhering to every imbalance over uln.'ii tli.- Musk-Kat has passed. The musky <>. iris -j ...\\.-i \-\ the «-vil odorwMh Which th»-y ai.- -a i united ; and of so penetrating a nature is the musky seeut. that thu combined powers ol glass and cork are unable to preserve the content* of buttl>-« from its unpleasant infli Let but a Sondeli run over a bottle of wine, and the contained liquid will be so powerfully scented with a musky savor that it will be rendered unlit for civilized palates, and must be BSD SBRCW.-an*r« wfcvta. SOHDELL- removed from the neighborhood of other wines, lest the contaminating influence should extend to them also. In color it is not unlike the common shrew, having a slight chestnut, or reddish tinge, upon a mouse-colored ground, fading into gray on the und«T parts of the body. In size, however, it is murh the superior of that animal ; being nearly as large as the common brown or 44 Hanoverian " rat. The hair is very short, and the peculiar reddish-brown hue of the for ia .-an-.- 1 liy tl,.- .lilf. . iti Hnflap "!' Hi-- ui']--r :i!i autumnal months of the year, the country roads and by-paths are frequently rendered remarkable by the presence of little mnu**- likf animal-, with long snouts and peculiarly squanil tail-, that lit- dt-ad upon the ground, without mark of external injury to account for the mnnn.-r <>f their de<%ease. There are probably many other such corpses upon the wide and grassy meadow hinds, but, owinir t<> th»» nature of the Around, they are not so conspicuous as those upon the smoothly troddi-n j>aths. The pn—-n. ..... f these deceased creatures is the more remarkable, because tli.-rv are so many predatory animals and birds, such as cats, weasels, stoats, owls, and hawks, which would !*• vt-ry likely to kill such small prey, but, having slain them, would be almost sure to eat them. These unsepultnred remains are the bodies of the Su i: MV M . .r - 1 of England, otherwise known by the name of ERD SHREW. Another title by whi«-h thi* little animal is known, in some parts of England, is the Fetid Shrew ; a name which has been given to it <>i> 348 THE ERD SHREW, OR SHREW-MOUSE. account of the powerful scent which it exudes ; and the creature is called in Scotland the Ranny, a name which is evidently modified from the Latin term, araneus, or spider-like, which has been applied to this animal by several writers, because it was said to bite poisonously like a spider. The teeth of the true Shrew are very peculiar, so much so, indeed, that they cannot be mistaken for those of any other animal. Their peculiarities are mostly remarkable in the incisor teeth, which are extremely long ; those of the upper jaw being curved and notched at their base, while those of the lower jaw project almost horizontally. There are no canines, and the molars differ slightly in arrangement, according to the species. In the Erd Shrew the tips of the teeth are tinged with a blood-colored brown. The head of the Shrew is rather long, and its apparent length is increased by the long and flexible nose which gives so peculiar an aspect to the animal, and serves to distinguish it at a glance from the common mouse, which it so nearly resembles in general shape and color. The object of this elongated nose is supposed to be for the purpose of enabling the animal to root in the ground after the various creatures on which it feeds, or to thrust its head among the densest and closest herbage. Many insects and their larvae are found in such localities, and it is upon such food that the Shrew chiefly subsists. Worms are also captured and eaten by the Shrew, which in many of its habits is not unlike the mole. The habitation of the Shrew is in certain little subterraneous tunnels, which it excavates in the soil, and which serve as a hunting-ground as well as a home. Like the mole, the Shrew is very impatient of hunger, and cannot endure a protracted fast, although it may not be so inordinately voracious as that velvet-coated animal, which it is said will die of hunger if it be kept without food for six hours. It has been suggested, that the many dead Shrews which are found in the autumn owe their deaths to starvation, the worms having descended too deeply into the ground for them to follow, and the insects, being pinched with the cold, having concealed themselves in their wintry hiding-places. If this be the case, the curious phenomenon of dead Shrews lying uninjured on the ground will be readily cleared up, although it will not account for the singular fact that the dead ani- mals are not carried off by cat, weasel, or owl. For this portion of the phenomenon another reason must be found ; which probably exists in the rank and powerful scent which saturates the body of the Shrew, and which is sufficiently unpleasant to deter cats and other animals from eating its flesh. Owls, however, will eat the Shrew, as has been found by examination of the pellets which are ejected by owls and other birds of prey, and which contain the skin, feathers, bones, and other indigestible portions of the creatures on which they prey. Twenty such pellets, or casts, as they are technically termed, were examined for the purpose of ascertaining their component parts, and no less than seven Shrew skeletons were discovered in the dJebris. Moles are said to be among the number of the Shrew's enemies, and to make occasional havoc among the pretty little creatures. Sometimes the Shrews mutually kill each other, for they are most pugnacious little beings, and on small ground of quarrel enter into persevering and deadly combats ; which, if they took place between larger animals, would be terrifically grand, but in such little creatures, appear almost ludicrous. They hold with their rows of bristling teeth with the pertinacity of bull- dogs, and, heedless of everything but the paroxysm of their blind fury, roll over each other on the ground, locked in spiteful embrace, and uttering a rapid succession of shrill cries, which pierce the ears like needles of sound. It is a most fortunate circumstance that the larger animals are not so vindictively pugna- cious as the moles and the Shrews ; for it would be a very hard case if we were unable to put two horses or two cows in the same field without the certainty of immediate fight, and the probability that one of the combatants would lose its life in the struggle. Such, however, is the case with the Shrews ; for if two of these little quadrupeds be confined in the same box, they are sure to fight to the death, and the consummation of the combat is, generally, that the vanquished foe is eaten by the victor. However great may be the damage which the bite of such tiny teeth may inflict upon each 7V//.1 /:/;/» slIRBW, Oli other, yet th.- bite of a shn-w is M> insignificant a* to make hanlly an\ mipreM eren on the delicate skin nf the human hand. Popular prejudici-. however, here steps in. and attributes to tin- Lit.- of tin- Shrew Midi venomous j in i jH-rties that in many parts of the world the \ijN-r is let** feared ilian tin- little harmless Shrew. Tin- very touch i.f tin- Shrew's foot is considered a* a certain herald of .-\il. ati\ a rather singular remedy, which part.ik.-s som--\\ hat <.f the hoinus eurantur." Tin- curative power which alone could heal tin- Shrew stroke lay in tin- branches of u Slut-wash, or an ash tree which had Iteen imbued with tin- shrewish natiiit- l.\ a MTV -.iinpli- process. A living Shn-\\ was .aptuif|.-.| t<> iht> hcalin virtues \i\ .. . • • • •• •• •. .- madi into tin v .'.'<> ' • • pool Bkrav • • into tin- cavity, and the aiipT-hol.- cl<.s,-,| |.\ a «o . .1 ,-• its di-ath But were its little life to linger for ever so long a time in the ash-trunk, its inninvratioti would still have taken plare, for where superstition mines its cruel head, huinaiiit \ is l>:mis|i,-,|. The iMtfiular ideas n*s]MH-tini; the Shn-w's liite, whicli one.- it-i^n.-d e\en OM-I- the s. j, t, title world, and are still in full forre throughout many portions (,f the rural districts, may be guthfivd from the following extract from a curious old zoological author named Tops.-!, in his "History of Four-footed Beasts and Serpents," published in London in the year A.D. 1658, p. 406:- " It is a ravening beast, feigning itself gentle and tame, but being touched, it biteth de«-]>, and jxiysoiieth deadly. It beareth a cniel minde. desiring to hurt anything, neither in then- any creature that it loveth, or it loveth him, because it is feanxl of all. The cat*, as we have said, '!•• hunt i'. and UD ''- M '•'•>• > ••• ' ""' 'i.-Hi. En U ttfcQJ •;•'. !'.•> OOMUM away and die. They annoy vines, and are seldom taken, except in <-old ; they frequent ox-dung, and in the wintertime rejMiir to hous^-s. ptrdens. and stal»les. wh.-it- they are taken and killed. "If they fall into a cart-road, they ilie. and cannot get forth again, as .!/»;/•/•» ////.v. .\,, ,//,//,/. and Pliny affirm. And the reason is given by Philex, for tx-ing in the same, it is so amazed, and trembleth, as if it were in bands. And for this cause some of the ancient* have prescribed the earth of a cart-road to be laid to the biting of this mouse as a remedy thereof. They go very slowly ; they are fraudulent, and take their prey by deceit. Many times they gnaw the oxes hoofs in the stable. "They love the rotten flesh of ravens; and therefore in I-'nnn; . when they have killed a raven, they keep it till it stinketh. and then cu-st it in the places where the Shrew-mice haunt, whereunto they gather in so great a number, that you may kill them with shovels. The Egyptians, upon the former opinion of holiness, do bury them when they die. And thus much for the description of this beast The succeeding discourse toiu-heth the m«-decines arising out of this beast ; also the cure of her venomous bitingB. "The Shrew, which by falling by chance into a cart-rode or track, doth die upon the some, l>eiiur burned, and afterwards beaten, or dissolved into dust, and mingled with goose -greaae, being rubbed or anointed upon those which are troubled with the nwelling coming by the cause of some inflammation, doth bring into them a wonderful and most admirable cure and remedy. The Shrew being slain or killed, hanging so that neither then nor afterwards she may touch the ground, doth help those which are grieved and pained in their bodied, with sores called fellons or biles, which doth jKiin them with a great inflammation, so that it be three times environed or compassed about the party so troubled. "The Shrew which dyeth in the furrow of a cart-wh.-.-!. l»eing found and mwled in ] clay or a linnen cloth, or in crimson, or in scarlet \\iMillen cloth, and three times marked about the impnstrumes. which «ill suddenly swell in any man's body, will very speedily and effect- ually help and cure the same. "The tail of a Shrew being cut off and burned, and afterwards beaten into dust, and 350 THE WATER SHREW. applyed or anointed upon the sore of any man, which came by the bite of a greedy and ravenous dog, will in very short space make them both whole and sound, so that the tail be cut from the Shrew when she is alive, not when she is dead, for then it hath neither good operation, nor efficacy in it." It is probable that this virulent hatred of the Shrew, and this groundless terror of its bite, was caused by the rank scent which exudes from the creature, and the acknowledged fact that the Shrew is frequently seen in the close vicinity of reposing cattle. But as the Shrew is an insectivorous animal, it has been well suggested that its habit of frequenting the neighborhood of cattle may be in consequence of the flies and other insects which are always found in such localities, and on which the Shrew hopes to make a meal. It has already been mentioned that the Shrew will eat one of its own species if slain in battle, and it is therefore evident that its food does not wholly consist of insects and worms, but is occasionally varied by other and more generous diet. One of these little creatures has been discovered and killed while grasping a frog by the hind-leg ; and so firmly did it maintain its grasp, that even after its death the sharp teeth still clung to the limb of the frog. Whether the creature intended to eat the frog, or whether it was urged to this act by revenge or other motive, is uncertain. The nest of the Shrew is not made in the burrow, as might be supposed, but is built in a suitable depression in the ground, or in a hole in a bank. It is made of leaves and other similar substances, and is entered through a hole at the side. In this nest are produced the young Shrews, from five to seven in number, and, as may be imagined, extremely diminutive in size. They are generally born in the spring. The total length of the adult Shrew is not quite four inches, of which the tail occupies very nearly the moiety. The tail is remarkable for being square in form instead of cylindrical, and on account of that circumstance it has received from some authors the specific name of tetragonurus, or Square-tail. SIMILAR to the erd Shrew in general aspect, but easily to be distinguished from that animal by its color and other peculiarities, the WATER SHREW stands next on our list. This little creature was for many years supposed to be identical with the erd Shrew, and its aquatic propensities thought to be the ebullition of joyous existence, which was not content with disporting itself upon the earth, but must needs seek a further vent for its happiness •among the waters. However, the Water Shrew is now acknowledged to be a separate species, and may be distinguished from the erd Shrew by the following characteristics. The fur of the Water Shrew is nearly black upon the upper portions of the body, instead of the reddish-brown color which tints the fur of the erd Shrew. The under parts of the body are beautifully white, and the line of demarcation between the two colors is very distinctly drawn. The fur is very soft and silken in texture, and, when the animal is submerged under the surface of the water, possesses the useful property of repelling moisture, and preserving the body of the animal from the injurious effects of the water. When the Water Shrew is engaged in swimming, those parts of the fur which are submerged below the surface appear to be studded with an infinite number of tiny silvern beadlets, that give to the whole animal a very singular aspect. This phenomenon is pro- duced by the minute air-bubbles that cling to the fur, and which exude from the space that is left between the hairs. This curious appearance is well shown in our engravings of Shrews. A further distinction, and one which is more valuable than that which is furnished by the color of the fur, is the fringe of stiff white hairs which edges the tail and the toes, and which is evidently of great use in the natatory movements of the animal. The Water Shrew finds its food in various ways. Sometimes it burrows in the muddy river- banks, rooting in the soft earth with its elongated nose, and dislodging the larvae of certain TllK OARED SHIttW. ;M insects that puss that stage of th.-ir existence in the nm.l. It aim rhinon and captures various aquatic in~---ts .1- th.-\ move through die water, and «ill not disdain tQ '.• • i IttNl moths and other similar creatures which have fall.-n or ha\c IN-.-H l,|,,un int.i the water and iln-ii drow ned. In all its UK iv. -in, 'Mis. tli,. Water Shrew- is ..xtr.-ni.-ly graceful and active, displaying equal aihlity. whether its movements be terrestrial or aquatic. As the sphere ,,f its \isi,,n ,|,.> i,,,i appear to be very extended, it ran easily I*- approached while it is engaged in it> littl,. gambol*, and can be watched without much ilitlirult y. I have i. •)«•:, t. -lly observed the proceedings of a little colony of these creatures, and was able to «it within a yard or two of their haunts without their cognizance of my person. They are most sportive littl. • creatures, and seem to enjoy a game of play with thorough appreciation, chasing ea< li ..t!i.-!- ..•..-! the gran I ml IfciMgfe MI. prater, running up tin stem* ol aquatic plants, and tumMing off the leaves into the water, scrambling hastily over tin- st<.n.-s around which tin- sin-am ripples, and playing a thousand little pranks with tin- most evident enjoy- Tlien they will suddenly cease their play, and begin to search after insects with UN utmost gravity, rooting in the banks, and picking up stray flies, as if they never liad any other lousiness in view. As it is in the habit of repeat«-dly |uis.-iiig over the same ground in th«-s.- mutual chad's, it soon treads a kind of path or road upon the land, which, although very obscurely marked, is yet sutliri.-iitly well defined to attract the attention of any one who is conversant with the habits of these little creatures. Being an excellent diver, and fond of submerging itself wholly beneath the surface, the \Vater Shrew would suffer great inconvenience were its ears to be constantly filled \\itli t Il- liquid element in which it moves ; and in order to avert such an inconvenience, a special pro- vision of nature is needed. For this purpose the ears are peculiarly formed, so that as soon as the animal is wholly submerged, the pressure of the water acts upon three small valves, which fold together and effectually prevent the entrance of a single drop of water into the <-a\ ity of the ear. As soon as the animal rises to the surface, the pressure is removed, and the ears unfold like the petals of a flower, when the sun shines warmly on them. Prom repeated observations, it seems that the Water Shrew is not entirely confined to the ii'-iirhtorhood of water, neither is it totally dependent for its subsistence on aquatic insect*, for it has been frequently seen at some distance from any stream or pond. It must be remarked, however, that a very small rivulet is amply sufficient for the pur- poses of the Water Shrew, which will take up its residence for several years in succession on the banks of a little artificial channel that is only used for the purpose of carrying water for the irrigation of low-lying fields. It is believed that the Water Shrew is a more prolific animal than the erd Shrew, for whereas the latter creature produces from five to seven young at a litter, the former is blessed with a family of seven, eight, or nine in number, six or seven being the ordinary average. The total length of the Water Shrew is not quite four inches and a half, the length of the head and body being a little more than three inches, and that of the tail N-ing about two inches. Its snout, although long, is not quite so narrow and pointed as that of the erd Shrew, and its ears are remarkably small. When it swims, it has a curious habit of spreading out its : -n as to flatten the l»,,|y a- il floats upon the u.,t.-r. THE largest of the European Shrews is that species which is called the OARED SHREW, on account of the oar-like formation of the feet and tail ; which are edged with even longer and •tiffer hairs than those which decorate the same parts in the water Shrew. As may be imagined from this structure, the habits of the animal are aquatic in their nature, and its manners are so closely similar to those of the preceding species, that it may easily be mistaken for that animal, when seen at a little distance, so as to render the difference in size less conspicuous, and the color of the under portions of the body apparent. 352 THE AGOUTA, OR SOLENODON. It has already been stated that the back of the water Shrew is of a velvety black, and the abdomen and under portions of the body of a beautiful and clearly defined white. In the Oared Shrew, however, the back is profusely sprinkled with white hairs, and the fur of the abdomen and Hanks is blackish-gray instead of pure white. The middle of the abdomen, how- ever, together with that of the throat, is strongly tinged with yellow ; the throat being more of an ashy yellow than the abdomen. Although not so common as the erd and the water Shrew, it is of more frequent occurrence than is generally supposed, and has been found in many parts of Europe, where it was for- merly supposed to be wanting. The total length of the Oared Shrew is about five inches and a quarter, the head and body measuring rather more than three inches, and the tail being about two inches in length. Its nose is not quite so sharp or narrow as that of the water Shrew, and the ears are decorated with a slight fringe of white hair. The latter third of the tail is flattened, as if for swimming, ..-x -- AGOUTA, OR SOLENODON. -.Sofenodon paradoxum. while the remaining two-thirds are nearly cylindrical, but are slightly squared, as has been already mentioned of the common Shrew. On account of the general darkness of its fur, it is sometimes called the Black Water Shrew, and is catalogued in some museums under that title. The generic name, Crossopus, is of Greek origin, and signifies "f ringed-feet." There is another Shrew, called the Rustic Shrew (Gorsira rustica), which is very com- mon throughout Ireland, and is also found in many parts of Northern Europe. Among the Shrews is found the smallest known mammalian animal of the present day ; being even smaller than the tiny harvest-mouse, which has been made so famous by Mr. White's elegant descrip- tion of itself and its habits in his " Natural History of Selborne." This most minute quadru- ped is only one inch and a half in length, exclusive of the tail, which measures about an inch. The name of this minikin among mammals is the Etruscan Shrew, and its habitation is in Italy. Specimens are said to have been discovered in Algeria. THE specific title of Paradoxus, or puzzling, has very appropriately been given to the AGOUTA ; a little animal which is peculiar to Hayti, and which combines in its own person several characteristics that properly belong to different families of animals. Were the observer to pay regard only to the external peculiarity of fur, ears, and tail, he would be inclined to place it among the opossums ; but if he were to lay the greatest stress upon the teeth, he would probably assign it to a place among the shrews. TIIK 7MAXV.1.V. It •..-.Mil-, li<>w.-v,-r. tli:it it is n-.-illy alli.-.l t" ill.- htl.-r tri-oil]. "f .-iliiin l r.-ne, so that it appears to l>e intended for the purpose of digging in the earth like those animal*. The nostrils are placed at the extremity of tin- snout, and are divided from f.-n-li other I'.v a distinct furrow. The cheeka and lipa are decorated with whisker-hairs of •• '-i-y great length ; the eyes are very small ; the ears are moderate in size, and rounded, and a I in. -t .1. -\oiil of hairy covering. All the feet are terminated with five toes, and the longHa\\s are curved, rather compressed, and evidently fitted for the purpose of scraping at the soil. Tin- tail is moderately long, measuring about nine inches in length, ami i> i-oun.|.-,l through- out its length, remainder of the head and body being rather more than a foot long. It is not <-.. \ep-d with hair, luit is rather naked aii-1 for tin- gr.-at.-r part of its length is scaly. The lower jaw ia rather shorter than thi- upper. The teeth of the Agonta are very n-markaMe, lx>th for their arrangement and their form, luit an- \.-ry difficult to dese. The two middle incisors of the upl»-r jaw are extremely large, almost triangular in form, and are separated from the small lateral incisors by a con- -M.-rable interval. The moat singular part of the dentition ia, however, found in the incisors of the lower jaw, of which \.-iu der Hoeven speaks as follows: — "The two middle incisors of the lower jaw are small, narrow, placed between two long conical, hollowed on the inside by a deep groove; the second grooved in. isorof the lower jaw distinguishes this genus from all the others of which the dental system is known hitherto." — Handbook of Zoology, vol. ii. p. 727. Th,e dentition of the Agouta would seem to indicate that the creature was insectivorous in its diet, but Mr. Hearne, who possessed one of these animals in a living state, remarks that its food is chiefly grain, although it ia also capable of eating animal food. In general appearance the Agouta some- what resembles the barn-rat of England, and might easily be mistaken for that animal if seen while in motion, and for a short time only. There is supposed to be but one species of this curious genus. The generic name, Solenodon, ia of Greek origin, and signifies channel- toothed. ALTHOTT.II the water shrew has earned for itself its aquatic- title, it ia not nearly so constant an inhabitant of the water as the DAK.-M AN or DK.SMAN, an animal whose very form is sufficient to stamp it as a creature that lives almost exclusively in the water. A casual glance at the external formation of the Daesman will at once pronounce the animal to be made for swimming and diving, and its admirable adaptation for aquatic evolutions is more evident as the structure of the creature is more closely examined. A VERY remarkable animal now comes before us, the BCLAU, TiKca, or GYMNCRA, aa it L> indifferently termed. 354 THE HEDGEHOG. This creature, which is an inhabitant of Malacca and Sumatra, bears no slight external resemblance to the opossum of America, the similarity being increased by its long and harsh hair, and the long scaly tail, sparely furnished with very short hairs. The generic name, Gymnura, is derived from two Greek words signifying naked tail, and is, therefore, very appropriately applied to this animal. All the feet are terminated by five toes, the three middle toes being longer than the others. The muzzle is much lengthened, but is cut off rather abruptly at its termination. The eyes are small in proportion to the dimensions of their owner, and the ears are small, rounded, and devoid of hairy covering. One distinguishing peculiarity of the animal is, that the fur which covers the body and head is pierced by a number of very long bristling hairs, that project for a considerable dis- .. HEDGEHOG.— Erinaceut europaeut. tance from the body, and are much longer on the neck and shoulders than on any other portion of the body. The color of the creature is a rather peculiar mixture of black and white, which are arranged as follows : the greater part of the body, the upper portion of the legs, and the beginning of the tail, are black ; while the head, the neck, and flanks, and the remainder of the tail, are white. There is also a black stripe over each eye, which forms a bold contrast with the white fur of the head. Like the preceding animals, the Bulau is possessed of glands which secrete a substance of a powerful musky smell. For the introduction of this animal to science we are indebted to Sir Stamford Raffles, who brought it from Sumatra, and, taking it for one of the viverrine animals, described it under the name of Viverra gymnura. THK HEDGEHOG finds representatives in many parts of the world, which seem to be pos- sessed of the same propensities, whether they are found in England, in India, or in Africa. TIIK ni-:in;t:nou. BB6 There are wrenlspeciefc of this cmiou- animal. \\hirh an- remarkable for two or three pe< u liariri. s of f»rm ami lial-if. I'lu external characteristic which 5mm< lintel] -mk.- ih.- :ii'. nti..n ..f :!,.- 1.. !,,,], |. i i> ti... formidable array of I'li-tlin.: spines \\iih which the back is more or less covered, and which offer* A ckfT*tuac-de-frise of sharp spikes i<. wards any animal that ma\ present itself an an enemy. Another i-eciiliarity is tin- jiower i>o-.sess.-d hy these creatures of rolling themsehe* into u roiiml l>all, liy placing the head on the breast, -li:i\\ ing up the legs, and curling the body firmly round these memU-rs. Hy this ]>osture, the Hedgehogs render themselves invulnerable t<. almost e\er\ animal that may attack tin-in, and defend tin- l.-irs. alMlomi-n. and other jK>r- tions of th«- IH «ly that an- li-ft nn]>rot<-cti-d l>y nature. When in this curious attitude, the ll.-dgehog cannot U- unrolled by main force, as long as any lif«- n-mains in the Inxly, for there is an enormously di-v«-lo]Mil mux •!•-, with a very thick mar-in, which spreads over the back and r-'iind tin- -i.;.-. and \\liich, when c..ntrarti-.l. holds the creature in HO firm an embrace that it «ill !H> torn in pieces rather than yield its point The t«rhnical name of this mn^-li- is i>niinv-nln« carnfaii*, and it is by means of this nni-i-1.- that Ix-ars and other animals are able to shake their skins when they are irritated by an\ MI! stance that clings to the hair, and which they cannot reach with their to-tli. The H«ilp-hoi:s are phintigrade in their guit, and, like the generality of plantigrade ani- mals, are not particularly active or rapid in their movements. Although they p-nrnilly prefer a delilH-mte pace when they are not alarmed or hurried, they can get over the ground with no small speed when they f.i-1 thi-m-.-l\(-s ml!. .1 upon to make .such an exertion. The feet of the Hedp-hoir are furni-hi-d with live toes, those of the fore-feet terminated with toli-raMy .strong claws, which, although not so evidently fossorial as those of the moles and other insectivorous animals, an- \«-t vi-ry capable of digging, and are used effectually for that purpose. The soles of the ft-et are naked. The limbs and the entire nnder surface of thu body are uiidi-f«-nded l>y the stiff prickles which are so thickly set upon the hack, and are doth. -d with hair of a more or less dense character, according to the particular species. In :y -.jMS'irs, liowfvcr. tin- hair is of a peculiar character, and is intermixed with a goodly nnmlxT of tolerably stiff hairs of a bristly character. The food of the Hedgehog consists chiefly of insects, worms, snails, and similar creatures, but it is of essentially carnivorous taste, and is in no wise jarticulur what the kind of food which it eats, provided that it be of an animal character. These details of form and habit are common to all the Hedgehogs ; and the other pecu liarities of tin Krinacea, as these animals are learnedly nnm -d, will be mentioned in connection u i'h the two species that will be figured and described in these pages. TIIK LONO-KAKKD Hi IM.I noo derives its name from the exceeding dinn-nsinns of its ears, which project from its In-ad in such u manner as to give to the animal a very jiorcine asj>eet. This span's is found in SiU-ria and in all the eastern regions of Asiatic Russia, and has also IN-.-II captured in Egypt. It is a smaller animal than the common ll.-.lirehog of Kuro|».. Init is \. iy varial>l<- in its dimensions, according to the locality in which it is found. The limbs are r..m|iarative]\ IOIILT and slender, and the long hair that clothes the lower jKirtions of the body N . \ir.-nn-ly tin in its texture. The array of prickly spines that guard its back does not extend so far as in the European species, and are of a rather ]>eculiar coloring. At the hose, each spine is marked with a whitish ring, the centre is brown, and the tip is tinted with yellow. The color of the eye is bluish-gray. THK common Hi i».i HOG, HEDGE Pio, or I' in m\. is one of the most familiar of mam- malia. Ix-ini; found wherever the country is cajiiible of affording food and shelter to him. The hard, round spin.-* which CI.VIT the upju-r part of its body are about an inch in l.-n-th. and of a rather ]>eciiliar sha|»-. This form is wonderfully adapted to meet ih.- peculiar objects which the spine is intended to fulfil, as will !*• .s^-n in the following account. The spine-. He nearly horizontally upon the back of the animal, a position which they 356 THE HEDGEHOG. assume whenever the Hedgehog chooses to relax the peculiar muscle which governs the spines, and which seems to retain the creature in its coiled attitude. The point of the quill or spine is directed towards the tail. The quill is not unlike a large pin, being sharply pointed at one extremity, and furnished at the other with a round, bead-like head, and rather abruptly bent near the head. If the skin be removed from the Hedgehog, the quills are seen to be pinned, as it were, through the skin, being retained by their round heads, which are acted upon by the peculiar muscle which has already been mentioned. It is evident, therefore, that whenever the head of the qiiill is drawn backward by the contraction of the muscle, the point of the quill is erected in proportion to the force which is exerted upon the head, so that when the animal is rolled up, and the greatest tension is employed, the quills stand boldly out from the body, and present the bayonet-like array of points in every direction. These curiously formed spines are useful to the Hedgehog for other purposes than the very obvious use of protecting the creature from the attacks of its foe. They are extremely elastic, as is found to be the case with hairs and quilts of all descriptions, and the natural elasticity is increased by the sharp curve into which they are bent at their insertion into the skin. Protected by this defence, the Hedgehog is enabled to throw itself from considerable heights, to curl itself into a ball as it descends, and to reach the ground without suffering any harm from its fall. A Hedgehog has been seen repeatedly to throw itself from a wall some twelve or fourteen feet in height, and to fall upon the hard ground without appearing even to be inconvenienced by its tumble. On reaching the ground, it would unroll itself, and trot off with perfect unconcern. The thorn-studded skin of this animal is not without its use even to mankind, and is still employed for various useful purposes. In some parts of the country it is used in weaning calves, and is an infallible mode of effecting that object. When the farmer desires to wean the young calf, he fixes a Hedgehog' s skin upon the calf s muzzle, so that when it goes to suckle its mother it causes such irrita- tion that she will not permit her offspring to approach, and drives it away as often as it attempts to effect its purpose. It is also used in order to cure carriage-horses of the trouble- some habit of "boring" to one side while being driven, for when fixed on the pole or the traces it gives the animal such effectual reminders whenever it begins to "bore," that it soon learns to pull straight, and thus to avoid the unpleasant aids to memory that bristle at its side. Even to scientific pursuits the Hedgehog's quills are made to render its services, being used as pins whereby certain anatomical preparations are. displayed in spirits of wine, and which are not liable to that provoking rust which is so apt to attack metallic pins when immersed in spirits, and which often render the most elaborate dissections perfectly useless. Another purpose to which the Hedgehog's skin was formerly applied was the hackling of hemp before it was made up into coarse cloth. This custom was followed by the ancient Romans, but is now obsolete, being superseded by artificial instead of natural combs. The under surface of the body, together with the limbs, is covered with long bristles and undulating soft hair, which passes rather abruptly into the stiff quills that defend the back, and is so long that it almost conceals the limbs when the animal is walking on level ground. In the adult animal the quills are hard and shining, they thickly cover the entire back and top of the head, and are of a grayish-white color, diversified with a blackish-brown ring near the middle. In the young animal, however, the spines are comparatively few in number, very soft in texture, and nearly white in color, so that for the first few days of their life the little creatures look like balls of white hair. The tail of the adult Hedgehog is scarcely visible, being hidden by the bristling quills, which exceed its length by nearly one-fourth. In the young animal, however, the tail is apparent enough, as there are, as yet, no quills to conceal it, and it is carried nearly in a line with the length of the body. The total length of a full-grown Hedgehog is rather more than ten inches, the length of the tail being only three-quarters of an inch, and that of the head three inches. The ears are moderately long in their dimensions, being about an inch in length. TUT. UKlniKUOQ. 867 The young of tli.> Hedgehog an- l«'in alwiit Ma\, and are so unlike the parents that the\ hav Keen mistaken for \oung liinls liy ine\|.eiieiii-ed observer*. It is \\ \.-\\ -insular fm-t, and on.- which i- almo-t if not entirely unique. tliai not only aiv they born with their eyes closed, as is the caw with kittens, puppies, and many other animals. l curious an apjieaniiice a- they lit- ii[>on the Iran-pan 'lit pink -kin. very -oon begin to deepen in their color, and to im T.;I^- in numl>er, so that alx-m the end of August the littl>> animals resemble their pan-nts in everything but slie. Tlie nuiiiU-r of \oiing which an- produced at a birth is from three to four. The ne-t in \\liidi the littl«> Hedgehogs are produced and iiurtun-d i- mo-t ingenious in its structure, being so admirably woven of moss and similar substances, and S4i well thatched with leave*, that it will resist the effects of the violent showers that generally fall during tin- -pring, remaining perfectly dry in the midst of the sharpest rain. Marching secun-ly under the guardianship of its thorn-spiked armor, the Hedgehog recks little of any foe save man. For, with this single exception, there are, in our land at least, no in-Ill s til ••.-•••!':••• ::•..:• : : ; -..•..! j ;..•.-.•.. 1 ., M .1 >. i n ,:, i I I, ._>.!", i\. -..::,• i . ;i I- :u • 1 I,, i .nl\ creatures which JK»S^-«-< the c;ipjildy and strip- ping off the -kin. Man, however, troubles himself very little about the Hedgehog's prickles, and when dis- posed to such a diet, kills, cooks, and eats it without hesitation. The legitimate mode of proceeding is to kill the animal b\ a blow on the head, and then to envelop it, without removing the skin, in a thick layer of well-kneaded clay. The enwrapped Hedgehog is then placed on the fire, being can-fully turned by the cook at proper intervals, and there remains until the clay is perfectly dry ami l)egins to crack. When this event has token place, the cooking is considered to be complete, and the animal is removed from the fire. The clay covering is then broken off, and carries away with it the whole of the skin, which is adherent by means of the prickle-. By this mode of cookery the juices are preserved, and the result is pronounced to be supremely excellent. This primitive but admirable form of cookery is almost entirely confined to gipsies and other wanderers, as in these days there are few civilized i>ersons who would condescend to i»r- take of such a diet. Utilitarians, however, can render the creature subservient to their pur- |x>-es by tid^g i' M :i _'n:iidi.iii !• ' tlfii kitchens. I:- in-.-rt .!.•-.. .m in_- ].<,u.-i- ;ne .,f -\;, \, :i nature that it can be made a most useful inhabitant of the house, and set in charge of the "block beetles." It is domesticated without the least difficulty, and speedily makes itself at home, if it be only supplied with a warm bed of rags or hay in some dark en-vice. The rapidity with which it extirpates the cockroaches is most marvellous, for their speed and wariness are so great that the Hedgehog must possess no small amount of both qualities in order to destroy them so easily. A Hedgehog which resided for some years in our house was accustomed to pass a somewhat nomad existence, for as soon as it had eaten all the cockroaches in our kitchen it used to be lent to a friend, to whom it performed the same valuable service. In a few months those tiresome insects hod again multiplied, and the Hedgehog was restored to its former habitation. 358 HABITS OF THE HEDGEHOG. The creature was marvellously tame, and would come at any time to a saucer of milk in broad daylight. Sometimes it took a fancy to promenading the garden, when it would trot along in its own quaint style, poking its sharp nose into every crevice, and turning over every fallen leaf that lay in its path. If it heard a strange step, it would immediately curl itself into a ball, and lie in that posture for a few minutes until its alarm had passed away, when it would cautiously unroll itself, peer about with its little bead-like eyes for a moment or two, and then resume its progress. From all appearances, it might have lived for many years had it not come by its death in a rather singular manner. There was a wood-shed in the kitchen-garden, where the bean and pea-sticks were laid up in ordinary during the greater part of the year, and it seemed, for some unknown reason, to afford a marvellous attraction to the Hedgehog. So partial to this locality was the creature, that whenever it was missing we were nearly sure to find it among the bean- sticks in the wood-shed. One morning, however, on searching for the animal, in consequence of having missed its presence for some days, we found it hanging by its neck in the fork of a stick, and quite dead. The poor creature had probably slipped while climbing among the sticks, and had been caught by the neck in the bifurcation. It has just been mentioned that the Hedgehog was in the habit of drinking milk from a saucer, and this fact leads to the prevalent idea that the Hedgehogs are accustomed to suck cows while they are lying on the ground. Naturalists have generally denied this statement, saying, as is true enough, that the little mouth of the Hedgehog is so small that it would not be capable of sucking the cow, and that, even if it could do so, its needle-pointed teeth would be so painful to the cow that she would drive away the robber as soon as she felt its teeth. So far they are quite correct, for both their propositions are undoubtedly true. But, nathless, there is great truth in the assertion that the Hedgehog drinks the milk of cows. I have received several communications on this subject, where my correspondents assert that they have seen the creature engaged in that pursuit, and I have been told by several credible wit- nesses that they have been spectators of the same circumstance. But in neither case was it asserted that the animal was really sucking the cow, but that it was lying on the ground, lap- ping up the milk as it oozed from the over-tilled udder of the animal before the hour of milk- ing had arrived. Granting this to be a fact, the creature can yet do no real injury to the farmer or the dairyman, as the amount of milk which it thus consumes is very small, and would have been wasted had it not been lapped up by the Hedgehog's greedy tongue. The Hedgehog is also accused of stealing and breaking eggs, to which indictment it can but plead guilty. It is very ingenious in its method of opening and eating eggs ; a feat which it performs without losing any of the golden contents. Instead of breaking the shell, and running the chance of permitting the contents to roll out, the clever animal lays the egg on the ground, holds it firmly between its fore-feet, bites a hole in the upper portion of the shell, and, insert- ing its tongue into the orifice, licka out the contents daintily. Not contenting itself with such comparatively meagre diet as eggs, the Hedgehog isa great destroyer of snakes, frogs, and other animals, crunching them together with their bones as easily as a horse will eat a carrot. Even the thick bone of a mutton-chop, or the big bone of a fish, is splintered by the Hedgehog's teeth with marvellous ease. On one account it is rather a valuable animal, for it will attack a viper as readily as a grass-snake, being apparently proof ugainst the venom of the serpent's fangs. Experiments have been tried in order to prove the poison-resisting power of this strange animal, which seems to be invulnerable to every kind of poison, whether taken internally or mixed with the blood by insertion into a wound. On one occasion, a Hedgehog was placed in a box together wi th a viper, and, after a while, began to attack it. The snake, being irritated, rose up, and bit its assailant smartly on the lip. The Hedgehog took but little notice of the incident, but after licking the wounded spot once or twice, returned to the charge. At last it succeeded in killing the viper, and, after having done so, ate its vanquished enemy, beginning at the tail, and so working upwards. The animal always seems to eat a snake in this fashion, and on one occasion was known to proceed with its banquet while the poor snake was still living. P0/.N-».v- /:/>•/> 77 .v; rnWBR Ot nu: /t/:/>:t:/ino. 1'oisons of all kinds have be<-n tried nj>on th< Hedp-hoi .vithoattfc MlflflM a.-j,|. ai^-nic. anil other deadly substances have U-«-n unsuccessfully administered, utul the animal has U-eii Un.mn tu make a very sati meal on cantharides without .-\|- ti. n, in- any ill elT.-cts fn.in tin-.— cauteri/.iin: insects. Him it is that the MMtttotftoa o( tiM CVMfcm can resist the effects uf such j-.werful substances is n,,(. :i> \.-t. known. li is. IIOW.-MT, a subject of much int.-r.-st. ami. if it could IM- elucidated. would probably lie of incalculable service to mankind. On <>ne occasion, uh.-n a Hedgehog was nn|. I. .>.-.! in tin- demolition of a snake. it pin . led in : ren || U ibl] entfo • • •'•''•• • ' •'•!'•••• ;•• . : i -. i comb ttii • ..-..j h u\ l.-arn.-l how to inflict injury on it.s foe without sulT.-rin- in n-tnni. ( Mi In-ini; mused l-.\ the touch of the snake. tin- ll.-il-.-hog — which had IN-.-H coiled n]> - unrolled itself, liit tin* snake shurph. and inn ..... liat«-l\ i.-sniuol its coil»-:it<>id<« of its victim, and dfliU-rat.-h crushed the snake's body throughout its fiitire length by bitini: it at int.-rvals of about half an inch. IIa\ini: thus placi-d its.. If U-vond the reach of it-taliation. it took the tip of the snake's tail in its mouth. U-^m to eat it. and tinbhed the reptile in the course of twenty-four hours. The exploits of the Heil-.-ho^ in ser|>ent-killiin,' are useful enough in their way, but it too often happens that the carnivorous propensities of the animal an- .-vicised upon less harmful •Matures ili;m \ ij.. i~ 01 othei \. •iinin Indeed, the ]Kiultry-fancier and the ^inie pn-server have too much i>-a>4>n for ranking the Hedgehog its»-lf undi-r that expivssix,. and .somewhat compr»-h.-iisi\e epithet. Many are the instances ..» i... ..nl when- tin- cn-ature has l»een detect. -d in the act of destroying rabbits, poultry, and various kinds of game, and has l>een uiie\p«-ct.-dly discovered to hare been the perjM'tt-.i tor of sundry acts (>f mblH-ry which had lieen laid IIIM.II the shoulders of the f-«ving itself through a marvellously small aperture. Another pheasant had been killed on the previous day, but its death had been laid at the d(x>r of the stoat. Karth and air thus s.^-m to furnish their quota of nourishment for the Hedgehog, which extends ita depredati ihe aqueous element, and displays a cultivated taste for fish. So fond is this carnivorous creature of the tinny tribe, that it has been frequently caught in traps which have been baited with fish for th>- > \ press purpose of decoying the Hedgehog into their • , acherous jaws. 360 CHARACTER OF THE HEDGEHOG. Whether in its wild state it is able to capture the little birds, is not accurately known, but in captivity it eats finches and other little birds with great voracity. One of these animals, that was kept in a state of domestication, ate no less than seven sparrows in the course of a single night, and another of these creatures crushed and ate in the course of twenty -four hours more than as many sparrow-heads, eating bones, bill, and neck with equal ease. Its legitimate prey is found among the insect tribe, of which it consumes vast numbers, being able, not only to chase and capture those which run upon the ground, but even to dig in the earth and feed upon the grubs, worms and various larvae which pass their lives beneath the surface of the ground. A Hedgehog has been seen to exhume the nest of the humblebee, which had been placed in a sloping bank, as is often the case with the habitation of these insects, and to eat bees, grubs, and honey, unmindful of the anger of the survivors, who, how- ever, appeared to be but little affected by the inroads which the Hedgehog was making upon their offspring and their stores. According to the generality of writers, among whom we may reckon Mr. White, the immortalizer of Selborne, the food of the Hedgehog is not entirely animal, but is varied with sundry vegetable substances, such as roots, haws, crabs, and other wild fruits. Others deny the vegetable diet of the Hedgehog. In the "Natural History of Selborne," how- ever, we find a very interesting account of the manner in which the Hedgehog devours the roots of the plantain without injuring the leaves, by grubbing with its snout, and biting off the stems, so delicately that the leaves fall untouched. The roots of grasses are also said to form part of the Hedgehog's food. As might be supposed from the destructive tendency which is, on certain occasions, so strongly developed in the Hedgehog, the animal is a determined fighter whenever it engages in battle, and is capable of inflicting severe wounds with its sharp teeth and powerful jaws. Should several Hedgehogs be confined in one spot, and a stranger be admitted among them, the new-comer will assuredly be forced to fight for his position, and, in all probability, will either kill one of his opponents, or will fall by the teeth of his adversary. In either case the victor becomes a quadrupedal cannibal, and, not satisfied with having destroyed his foe, pro- ceeds to eat him. In such a case, the slain combatant is totally devoured, with the exception of the skin and its prickles, which remain as a token of battle and a trophy of victory. All Hedgehogs are, however, not endowed with an equal amount of combativeness, but are extremely different in their dispositions. Some are most gentle and retiring in their habits, while others are savage and ferocious to a degree, and seem to be totally devoid of fear, so that they will attack boldly any object which annoys them, perfectly regardless of its character or its size. The Hedgehog has generally been considered as a dull and stupid animal, incapable of being tamed, and mindful only of its own comfort. Such, however, is really not the case, for when the animal meets with a kind and thoughtful owner, who will try to develop the best feelings of the creature, it proves to be quite affectionate in its character, and will display no small amount of fearless attachment to its master. It would, in all probability, have been better appreciated had it not been, unfortunately, the object of terror or detestation to those who are unacquainted with its habits, and who are either alarmed at its prickly array of quills, or have imbibed certain prejudicial notions concerning its harmful qualities. It has already been mentioned that the Hedgehog is fond of milk, but it would hardly be imagined that the animal would condescend to partake of strong drink, and that to such a degree that it would be reduced to a state of helpless intoxication. Such, however, is the case, as has been recorded by Dr. Ball of a Hedgehog which he possessed, and to which he admis- tered a strong potation of sweetened whiskey. The experiment was not made with any intention of injuring the animal, but for the purpose of testing the popular assertion that the creature would thereby be rendered tame. After saying that the intoxicating draught soon showed its power on the animal, Dr. Ball proceeds as follows : — " Like the beasts that so indulge, he was anything but himself, and his lack-lustre, leaden eye was rendered still less pleasing by its inane, drunken expression. He staggered towards us in a ridiculous, get-out-of-my-way sort of manner ; however, he had not gone far before his Tilt: n.w. :ear in consequence. The subject of hilx-rnatioii ha.-> U-en most elab- orately worked out by Dr. Marshall Hall, who has published the result of his . \|..-riment.s in "Todd's Cyclopaedia of Anatomy," and has made many curious observations on the hibernating qualities of the animal which is now under consideration. In this able dissertation, Dr. Hall warns observers against confounding together the torpor which is produced by excessive cold and that ]>eruliar torpid state which is railed hJbcawttn. Indeed, it is always found that although a Hedgehog, or other hibernating animal, will ]>ass into its semi-animate condition at a moderately low temperature, it will be roused at once by severe cold, and will not again resume its lethargy until the temperature be somewhat moder- ated. " All hibernating animals," he observes, "avoid exposure to extreme cold. They seek some secure retreat, make themselves nests or houses, or congregate in dusters, and if the season prove unusually severe, or if their retreat be not well chosen, and they be exposed in consequence to excessive cold, many become benumbed, stiff, and die." Those who experiment upon so delicate a subject as hibernation must bear this in mind, and remember also that the least disquieting of the animal will injure the condition under which it sustains its torpidity, even though it should lie of so slight a nature as touching the table on which it is placed, or walking with a heavy step at ross the room. One ex]M-i im<-nt«-r. who thought that intense rold was the cause of the torpidity, surrounded a hilteniating Hedge* hog with a freezing mixture, in the hope of plunging the animal into a more profound sleep. The result, however, was entirely different from his expectation, for the excess of cold first awoke the sleeping animal and afterwards froze it to death. If the sleeping H.-direhoi: l>e touched, or otherwise disturbed, it rouses itself from its lethargy, walks about a little, takes some food, if there should be any at hand, and soon returns to its somnolent condition. ALTHOUGH unable to contract itself into a ball, after the manner of the true Hedgehogs, the TANREC, or MADAGASCAR HKDGEHOO, as it is sometimes called, is closely allied to them animals, and in many respects bears some resemblance to them. In size, this animal is about the equal of the European Hedgehog, but is rather more elongated in its form, and furnished with longer legs, so that when it walks it does not carry 362 THE TANREC. its abdomen so close to the ground, as is the case with the preceding animal. The muzzle of the Tanrec, or Tenrec, as the name is sometimes written, is extremely elongated, rather sharply pointed, and brown in color ; the ears are small and rounded, and the tail is absent, a pecu- liarity which has earned for the animal its specific title of ecauddtus, or tailless. The generic name, Centetes, or more correctly JTentetes, is of Greek origin, and signifies "thorny," in allusion to the short and thorn-like spines with which the body is covered. The color of the Tanrec is rather variable at different times, on account of the variegated tints which bedeck the array of quills that adorn and defend its back. These quills are black towards their tips, and yellowish towards their bases, so that either tint predominates, accord- ing to the arrangement of the quills. In length they are inferior to those of the Hedgehog, the . TANREC.— CenUttt ccaudatue. largest not exceeding an inch. The' throat, abdomen, and inside faces of the limbs are covered with rather coarse yellowish hairs, and the sides and flanks are decorated with long silken hairs of the same color as the spines. Like the Hedgehog, the Tanrec is a hibernating animal, sleeping for at least three months of the year, secure in the burrow which it has excavated by means of the powerful and crooked claws which are attached to its feet. Some writers assert that its period of torpidity is during the heat of summer, while others, who have had practical knowledge of the animal and its habits, say that its periodic somnolence takes place during the cold and wintry months. These contradictory accounts can be recon- ciled by the fact, that the Mauritian winter is from June to November, and that the months which in that island are reckoned as summer months, are winter months with ourselves. It is not very commonly seen, even in the localities which it most frequents, as it is a nocturnal animal, and, except when under the protection of the shades of night, very seldom leaves the burrow in which it has taken up its residence. The locality which it chooses for its subterranean residence is generally well chosen for the purpose of security, being usually among the old roots of clumps of bamboos, which defend and conceal the entrance, and offer an almost insurmountable obstacle to any foe that might desire to dig the animal out of its den. The natural food of the Tanrec consists of worms, insects, snails, reptiles, and various similar substances, but the creature will condescend to feed for a time on more sophisticated dainties, such as boiled rice. It is supposed that an unmixed vegetable diet would be very hurtful to the animal's well-being. Possessed of a most overpowering and unpleasant smell of musk, the Tanrec is not an ri/K IANQAROO. animal which would I*- snji|>osed t.. fnini-h :IM agreeable article of diet to any on. stan in- mail in the i • mif\ ..f IMIIIJ. i \.-\ the natives of Madagascar esteem it among their ian-M luxuries. an tenaci.,u-. ..f thi- .werful food, that they can hardly be induced t<> |.;in \\ith u sjH-ciin. ii which th.-y hare captured, and which they have already dedicated, in aiiticijiatinn. to tin- coiujMisjiini ..nderful *j>ecimen of tin- .-..ok'-, art. 'I'll.- Tanrec i-. an inhaliitant <-f M I.H may I*- deduced fi it-. jMijuilar title of M;K lac-.ix"ll Btdgl bOg, bill ha.s !••• li taken to the Maiming and lli.-n- Maturali/.-.l. TIIERK art* nth. -i- species of the Madagascar Hedgehog, liesides the tanrw. anmni: »hi.-h :• !• • ..'.•• 'i ".• I'KMH: M , or Sp|\> I' I M:i . ' '• '• '• • tj .1 Ir 1 ' !M • I1. \ M . M . I I M:l . <••'•• • •'•/•' ' • Tin- fonin-r of tli. — - animal-, is inferior in ni»" to the tann-*-. U-ini; only \\\>- <>i -i\ iiu-ln-s in li-nirth. The color of this animal is nit her rich and vari«- their jMiints. and white towards their liases. The long coarse hairs which cover the aUlonn-n and tin- le^B are annulat.-d This animal is ssiid to be generally found in the n.-iirhUnlnHHl of \\at.-r. \\ li.-tli.-r fi.-^h or salt, and to make de»-ji l)iirn.\\s n.-ar the liank. Tlie nativea esteem it highly as an article of food. TIIK H\M>Ki> Ti M:I • . or \ M:II i> Ti MM . . as the name is sometimes given, is also a native of Madagaacar. and haa derived its title of Banded, or Varied, from the bold coloring of the i|iiiH-and hair. The general color of the back is a blackish -brown, diversified with three lx>ld stripes of yello\vish-\\hite. that afford a strong contrast with the dark ground-hues of the Iwick. The centre on.- of tlies.. stri|>es extends along the entire length of the animal, aini r lie two others commence l.y the ear and terminate by the flank. The hair that covers the under itortioiw of the Uxly ia of a yellowish white color. KANGAROOS, OPOSSUMS, ETC. THK K.\TR.\OI:I>IN \m animals which are grouped together under the title of Macropidjp, are. with the exc.-j.tion of the well known opossum of Virginia, inhabitants of Australasia and the inland- of the Indian Archi]ielago. Many of these creatures, such as the kangaroo, some of the opossums, and the jx-tan rKtes, are of such singular formation, and so remarkable in their habits of life, that if they had not l>een made familiar to us through the mediuniship of menageries, museums, and the writings of accredited travellers, we should feel rather inclined to consider them and their habits to !«• !>ut emanations from the fertile brain of some imaginative \ A ho was taking full advantage of the proverbial traveller's licence. Even at the present day, our familiarity with these animals in no way derogates from our wonder at th.-ir strange conformation ; and tin- structure of many of them is so comjilicated. and involves so many considerations, that the Miidy of the Macmj.ida* and their habits is as yet but little advanc.nl. Anatomists such aa Owen, Mivkel. John Hunter, and scientific travellers such a* (tould. have done much towards cl.-arin^ uj> many dubious points in the history of these animals, but the -ul-ject is yet com- paratively in obscurity, and much remains to be achieved by future zoologists. Many acknowledged HfK-ci.-s are known but 88 "specimen-.." no accounts of their mode of life, the localities which they m.^t frequent, their food, or their habits, having as yet l»-»-n given to the world : while it is more than sii-.|>ect.-d that in many of the vast unexplored por- tion-, of Au-.tralasia may yet be found numerous sjxfies of these animals which are as yet 364 MARSUPIALS. unknown to science, and which will supply many of the links which are needed to complete the system of nature. There is hardly any practical writer on zoology who does not lament the very incomplete state of our knowledge on this subject ; and those who have thrown themselves most zealously into the work, and have achieved the greatest success, have been the most ready to acknowl- edge the enormous gap that has yet to be filled, and to urge others to prosecute their researches in regions which have as yet been untraversed by the foot of civilize*! man, and which are the most likely to be the dwelling-places of creatures on which, as yet, an educated white man has never set his eye. Several genera are known to be extinct, and there are interesting accounts of fossil discoveries in Aiistralia, which bring to light the remains of gigantic animals of the same kind as those which now inhabit that country. So distinct are many of the animals of Australia from those of the Old World, that more than one zoologist has confessed that they seem to be the result of another and a later creation than that by which the animals of the northern hemisphere received their being. The peculiarity which gives the greatest interest to this group of animals, is that wonder- ful modification of the nutritient organs, which has gained for them the title of MAESUPIALIA, or pouched animals — a name which is derived from the Latin word marsupium, which signifies a purse or pouch. This singular structure is only found in the female Marsupials, and in them is variously developed according to the character of the animal and the mode of life for which it is intended. The more minute details concerning the marsupium, or pouch, will be found in the course of the work in connection with the particular species to which it belongs, but the general idea of that structure is much as follows : — The lower part of the abdomen is furnished with a tolerably large poiicli, in the interior of which the mammae, or teats, are placed. When the young, even of so large an animal as the kangaroo, make their appearance in the world, they are exceedingly minute — the young kangaroo being only an inch in length — and entirely unable to endure the rough treatment which they would meet with were they to be nurtured according to the manner in which the young of all other animals are nourished. Accordingly, as soon as they are born, they are transferred by the mother into the pouch, when they instinctively attach themselves to the teats, and there hang until they have attained considerable dimensions. By degrees, as they grow older and stronger, they loosen their hold, and put their little heads out of the living cradle, in order to survey the world at leisure. In a few weeks more they gain sufficient strength to leave the pouch entirely, and to frisk about under the guardianship of their mother, who, however, is always ready to receive them again into their cradle if there is any rumor of danger ; and if any necessity for flight should present itself, flies from the dangerous locality, carrying her young with her. In some of the Marsupials the pouch is hardly deserving of the name, being modified into two folds of skin, so that the mother is obliged to find other means of carrying her young from place to place. In the structure of the animal there is an admirable provision for sustaining the pouch and its contents, and preventing it from exerting too painful a "drag" upon the skin and walls of the abdomen. Two supplementary bones, called, from their position in the pouch, the marsupial bones, issue from the pelvis, and are directed forward almost parallel to the spine. On account, however, of the method in which certain muscles wind round the marsupial bones, and taking into consideration the fact that these structures are found in both sexes, Mr. Owen considers that their chief aim is not so much in affording support to the pouch as in compressing the numerous glands, so as to aid the feeble young in gaining nourishment. We will now leave their general consideration, and proceed to examine some of the prin- cipal species which are contained in this wonderful group of animals. AT the head of the MacropidsB are placed a small but interesting band of marsupial ani- mals, which are called Phalangistines, on account of the curious manner in which two of the toes belonging to the hinder feet are joined together as far as the " phalanges." The feet are all THK SUGAR >V t'iniil 7.. formed with great powers of grasp, and their structure i- intended to fit them for procuring their food among tin? branches of the trees, on which they pass the greater portion of their existeno* These creatures fall naturally into three subdivisions— namely, the Petaurista, or thorn* which :n-e furnished with tf parachute-like expansion of the skin along the flanks, nnn-h resembling a .similar structure in the colugo, or flying lemur, which has been already described ; the I'hahn-i-t-. or those which are devoid of the parachute, and are furnished with n Ion- pi. !i- •!!-(!.• t.iil ; an-1 ili.- Koalas, or those which aredevoidof botli juiruchute and tail. Accord- ing to many excellent authorities, these three subdivisions are, in fact, three genera, which comprise the whole of the I'hulan- gi Mi nes, and which render any fur- th.T separation into genera entirely unnecessary. jitc* 9^ ^ ' Tin: animal which is represented in th" accompanying engraving is kno\\n by several popular names. Ill ll 001 !i of H ttflfe i- 111'" SCUAK B i • It is also called tin- N.-IMOI \ l~i \M- KI.MN.; So.ru: RKL, and the SQUIRREL PETACKI -. It is only sixt^-n inches in total length, of which measurement the tail occupies one m< >!<•!> . The fur of the Su^u- Squirrel is very U-aiitiful. U-ing of a nearly nnifonn brownisli-.irniy, of a pecu- liarly ut is edged with a rich hrown hand, and a bold of blackish-brown is drawn tin- curve of the spine, reach- ing from the point of the nose to tin- root of the tail. The head is somewhat darker than the rest of tin- IxMly. The under parts of the body are nearly white. Its long and bushy tail is covered with a profusion of very long, full, soft hair, grayi.sli- brown above, and of a Ix-antiful white underneath. The extremely long tail with which these animals are furnished appears to be of exceeding service to them in balancing their bodies as th.-y inak.- th.'ir desperate leap through space, and may also be useful in aiding them to modify original direction of their sweep through the air. This supposition is strengthened by the fact, that many long-tailed animals employ that for the same purpose wln-n th.-yare perched in any critical j«»ition where an accurate Balance is needful. I have seen a large spid.T-inonk.-y .'inploy h.-r long prehensile tail for the -am.- purpose. She was seated upon a loose horizontal cord, holding as usual by her haruN and tail. But when I gave her an apple, she removed Ix.th II.T hand* from the cord, grasping it tirmly with h.-r hinder f>i't. and th.-n ]»-niiitt.-d her tail to hang its full length, so that she <-. >uld Indance herself by swinging it from side to side, according to the necessity of the moment. This was the more remarkable, as the animal is noted for the pertinacity with which it grasps any neighboring obj»-<-t with if" tail, and never likes to move without securing it s»-lf by it- tail to the various obi • s aloiiy, or even T<> tin- string by which it is led. The Sugar Squirrel, like the other Fetuuriste, is a nocturnal animal, and is seldom SUQAK ttqUlKaEL. OB 8QUIKKSL 366 THE TAGUAN, OR PETAURIST. in the daytime. During the hours of daylight it remains concealed in one of the hollow branches of the enormous trees that grow in its native country, and can only be detected in its retreat by the marvellous organs of vision with which the native Australians are gifted. As soon as evening comes on, the Sugar Squirrels issue from their darksome caverns, and imme- diately become very frolicsome, darting from tree to tree, and going through the most extraor- dinary and daring evolutions with admirable ease. It seems to be a gamesome little animal, and fond of the society of its own species, although it does not appear to respond very readily to the caresses or advances of human playfellows. Being fond of society, the Sugar Squirrels associate, in small companies as soon as they emerge from their retreats, and thus are enabled to enjoy their graceful pastime to their hearts' con- tent. Any cage, however, must be most annoying to these active little creatures, who are accustomed to sweep through very considerable spaces in their leap. Mr. Bennet remarks, that the Sugar Squirrel has been known to leap fairly across a river forty yards in width, starting from an elevation of only thirty feet. Even in captivity they retain their playfulness, and as soon as night brings their expected day, they awake from the heavy lethargy which oppresses them during the hours of light, and uncoiling themselves from the very comfortable attitude in which they sleep, they begin to be very lively, and to traverse their cage with great agility, chasing one another about their residence, and leaping as far as the confined space will permit them. In climbing and leaping, as well as in grasping the branches towards which they aim their flight, the creatures are greatly aided by the manner in which the thumb of the hinder feet is set on the foot, so as to be opposable to the others, thus enabling the creature to clasp the branches in the same manner as the quadrumana. THE beautiful little animal which has been called by the expressive name of ARIEL, is about the size of a small rat, and in the hue of the upper portions of the body is not unlike that animal. The color of the fur upon the upper portions of the body is a light brown, which darkens considerably upon the parachute membrane. On the under surface it is white, the white fur just turning over the edge of the parachute, and presenting a pretty contrast with the dark brown color of its upper surface. The tail is nearly of the same color as the body, with the exception of the tip, which is dark. On account of its graceful movements, and the easy undulating sweep of its passage through the air, it has earned for itself the appropriate name of Ariel, in remembrance of the exquisite and tricksy sprite that animates the world -celebrated drama of the ' ' Tempest. ' ' THE TAGUAN, or PETAURIST, is the largest of the Petaurists, and is supposed to be the only species that belongs to the genus Petaurista. This animal is a native of New Holland, where it breeds in great abundance, although it is seldom seen in a living state by any but the natives. It is, like the rest of its tribe, a noc- turnal animal, taking up its residence in the hollows of large decaying trees, and remaining buried in sleep until the evening has set in, and the shades of night extend their welcome veil over its actions. While it is lying buried in sleep in the depths of its arboreal retreat, it is safe from almost any foe except fhe ever hungry and ever watchful native of New South Wales, whose keen eye is capable of detecting almost anything eatable, however deeply it may be hidden from sight. A slight scratch on the bark of a tree, or a chance hair that has adhered to the side of the aperture into which the animal has entered, tells its tale as clearly to the black man as if he had seen the creature ascend the tree and enter its domicile. He is even able to gather from the appearance of the scratch and the aspect of the hairs how many hours have elapsed since The animal left the traces behind it, and can conjecture very accurately whether the intended prey is still within its residence, or whether it be away from home. Should the indications prove favorable, the native proceeds to 'cut little holes in tlie tree, in which he thrusts his toes and fingers, and ascends th»- huge trunk as easily as a bricklayer walks up a ladder. Having 7V//; BMXAT n.YiM; rn\i. \\HKK. n-adn-d tin- a|H-iture. In- 'hi- tree sharply one.- or t-w ice with tin- Kick of tin- hatchet, 8O M to ..••..'>".•.-.:.. u i ;. 1 1 •- -.. • Md to the blow, tin |K>sitif tin- wooden walls of its habitation to attempt escape from imminent danger. Tin- precaution of jerking the creature quickly from its micil.- is most necessary, for the strong. sharp, and •• iim-d claws of tin- animal an- formidable wea]»ons when the m-atm.- is disposed to use till-in for c«.ml>at. and. to^-th.-r with its sharp teeth, can inflict terrible laceration upon ite foe. It is of a sntlicii-ntly pugnacious disposition, and when it is enraged is a desperate tighter with t«-eth ami da.\s. The flesh of the Tainan is said to I* very good, and as the animal is a tolerably large one, it is a favorite article of . The up]>er surface of the parachute membrane is rather grizzl««d, on account of the variegated tints of black and gray with which the hairs are anniilated. Many varieties, how PVW, of color exist in the animal, and there are hardly any two Hjn-cimeiis in which the tints are precisely alike. The brown hue of the fur is in some examples d'-.-|»-ned intoa rich black briiwn : others are almost entirely gray on the upper surface of the body and parachute mem brane : while s]»>ciinens of a beautiful white are not of very unfrequent occurrence. In all cases, however, the fur of the under portions, and inner faces of the limbs, preserves its w hite hue. The whole of the fur is extremely long. Ix-ing no less than two indies in length on the back. It is very soft and silken in texture, and is remarkably loose and glossy, so tliat it waves in the air at every movement of the animal, or at the touch of every breath of wind that may stir the atmosphere. On the tail the hair is remarkably long and bushy, and gradually deepens in color from a pale brown at the base to a dark, blackish-brown at the tip. The animal is found inhabiting the vast forest ranges that run from Port Philip to M. neton Hay. and is .seldom, if ever, found in any jiart of the country except in the eastern • •I southeastern districts of New South Wales. The food of the Taguan consists of leaves, buds, and the young shoots of trees, dii. -tly of the eucalypti, which it eats only during the hours of night. It seldom troubles itself to descend to the ground, for it can easily juis-s from one tree to another by iinans of tin- won- derful apparatus with which it is gifted, but when it does come to earth, prowls about in search of some vegetation that may afford an agreeable variety to the too uniform diet of leaves and buds. TIIK Hi i N\ !!"••. "i- <;KKAT PI/VINO PHAI. \N«.I i:. is rather a remarkable animal in appearance. It is an inhabitant of New Holland, and is found in tolerable plenty about Port .lacks. in and Botany Bay. The color of the Hepoona Roo is rather variable, but is generally as follows. The upi»-r part of the lx»dy is brown, tinged with gray, and a much darker brown stri]»- runs along the coiirs*- of the spin.-. The head is darker than the general hue of tht Ixxly. and on the top of the head the brown tint is warmed bv the admixture of hairs of a fawn color. The under 368 THE SPOTTED CUSCUS. portions of the abdomen and the parachute are white, very perceptibly washed with yellow, a peculiarity which has earned for the animal the title of flaviventer, which has been applied to it by some naturalists. The feet are blackish-brown, and the toes of the hinder limbs thickly supplied with hair. The skin is brown. The tail of the Hepoona Roo is almost as long as the body, and is heavily covered with long and soft fur of a general brown tint, warming to a reddish rust near its insertion, and darkening into a blackish-brown near its tip. Sometimes the fur of this animal varies so widely from the color which has just been described, that it can hardly be recognized as the same animal, except by a very careful inspection. In some specimens the back is ashy-gray, and the under portions of a dirty gray- ish-yellow, while in others the coat is variegated with brown, gray, and white, the only dark spot being the tip of the tail, which still retains its deep brown hue. A similar phenomenon takes place with the weasels, when their hair becomes white during a very sharp winter. In one or two instances, the fur is totally white, and in such cases it is evident that the animal can only be considered as an albino. The head of the Hepoona Roo is small, and its large and expressive ears are covered with hair. It is not a very small animal, as the total length is rather more than three feet, the head and body occupying one foot eight inches, and the tail rather exceeding eighteen inches in length. ON account of the wonderful resemblance which exists between the members of the genus Petaurus and the flying squirrels that belong to the family of rodents, the Petaurists have, ever since their discovery, been popularly known by the same title. There seems to be little doubt but that the Petaurists are the representatives of these flying rodents, and that the strange animal creation of Australasia is a kind of repetition of the ideas which formed the animal creation of the older world, but carried out in a different manner and for different purposes. The animals which form the genus Cuscus, and of which the SPOTTED Cuscus is a good example, have been separated from their neighbors on account of the structure of the tail, which, instead of being covered with hair, is naked except at its base, and is thickly studded with minute tubercles. They are inhabitants of the Molucca Islands, Amboyna and New Guinea, and have never been found in New South Wales nor in Van Diemen's Land. The name Cuscus is Latinized from the native term couscous or coescoes ; and the specific term, maculatus, or spotted, refers to the peculiar markings which decorate the fur. In size the Cuscus is equal to a tolerably large cat, as a specimen of average size will meas- ure about three feet in total length, the tail being fifteen or sixteen inches long, and the head and body about eighteen or nineteen inches. There are, however, several examples where the animal has attained to considerably greater dimensions. It is a tree-loving animal, and is very seldom seen away from the congenial haunts among which it loves to dwell, and for trav- ersing which it is so admirably adapted by nature. The tail of this creature is remarkably prehensile, and the animal never seems to be con- tent unless this member be twisted round some supporting object. Whenever the Cuscus thinks that it is in danger, or that it may be seen by an enemy, it immediately suspends itself by its tail from a branch, and there hangs, swaying about in the wind among the leaves as if it were some lifeless fruit. It is said that this curious propensity is turned to good account by any one who wishes to capture a Cuscus without any trouble on his own part except a large amount of patient wait- ing. When the Cuscus is conscious of the human gaze, and has suspended itself by its tail from a branch, it hangs in counterfeited death until it fancies that the peril is overpast. Noth- ing will induce the animal to give the least signs of life as long as the eye is not taken from it. According to popular report, for the absolute truth of which I do not vouch, it is said that if the man will steadily keep his eye on the suspended animal, it will hang until its wearied muscles refuse to support the weight of its body, and it drops helplessly to the ground. TV/A' SOOTY /'//I A. I The fur <>f th.- discus js lieaiitifnlh -oft ;m,| -ilken in it- t. \tun», and in of some value for com. -r-ion into articl.-s ,,f lniinaii attire or luxury, such a-, cloak- ami mantle-. The ix.loi of tin- fur is singularly variable, even if the Sjx.ti<-«l discus IM- realh ;• .-..., and still inure ao If, aooording to many skilful zoologfeto, It ran only be considered as a single i> . The ground tint of tin- Spotted discus in a whitish -gray. I ]H,H this ]>nlc tint are scattered ven largQ Md ln>l(l sjxits uf .;..;. browa, OOrtnd « "li a reddish -chest nut. Sometimes ii i- almost wholly whit.-, \\itli only one or two small -i«.i- scattered sparingly over the body. Tin- tail i- yellowish-white. Another >]«•< ini.-n will lie almost entirely of the darker color, :ui.| marked as follow. s: The shoulders and head of a curious gray grizzle, ami the remain- der of the body to the tail grayish-white. A number of large angular black sjiois or Bitches are so placed iij-oii this pale lield. that they communicate with ••ju-h other, ami fonn a kind of indistinct 1. lack pattern on the creature's back. The color of these dark pitches in nearly Mark, and would be so entirvly Imt from a numlier of whit*- haii-s which are s«««'n among th«- black. Tin-.- description* an> taken from actual specimens. Another species, called the Ursine discus, is of a uniform il.-.-p brown. Thf-M- animals are in some request anionj; the white and tin- native {Hipnlation of tli«- country which tlu-y inhabit, for tln-\ not only furnish valuable fui or " jifltry," as thf skin of these and .similar crvatnivs is popularly t<-rm«*d. but also afford nourishment to their captom. The flesh of the discus is thought to be remarkably good by those who have j>ar- taken of it, and is said to be quite equal to that of the kangaroo. There is a certain rather powerful ami not MTV atriveable scent that is-sues from the <'nsriis and most of its i.-lalions, which does not, however, disqualify the creature from forming a most valued jxtrtion of th»« hunter's dietary. Tins scent proceeds from some small glands which an- situated near the insertion of the tail. In captivity it is not a particularly interesting animal, being dull ami -low in its move- ments, and seldom exhibiting any energy, except, perhaps, when it ontrht nit her to keep it.self quiet. One of tlif- < features, which had been for some time partially doim--iicat.-<|. was very sluggish and unimpres-il.lf in its manner until a companion was placed in the same cage. Tin- two animals immediately became violently excited, attacked each other fiercely, and growled, and scratched, ami bit, with infinitely more energy than would have been exjHM-ted from creat- ures of such apjiarently apathetic natures. These s|H-cimens were great water-drinkers, and would eat bread, although they evidently _-.iv- the preference to meat, thus confirming the opinion that their diet is naturally of a mixed character. PASSING by the curious little dormouse-like animals which are classed under the genus Dromicia. \\> arrive at the true Phalangists, the first of which Is the Tu-o \. or S •> PH \i.\.\- OIST, an animal w hich lias been gifted with its rather dismal title in consequence of the uniform smoky-black color of its fur. The Sooty Phalangist is tolerably common in Van Diemen's Land, where it is much sought after on account of its skin, which is highly valued by white and black men for the purpose of being manufactured into a soft, warm, and beautiful fur. As with the preceding animal, there is considerable variatbi i>' •'••'!•/ of th at, some sjtecimeiiH U-ing entfawij dottnd vtthl uniform dark, dull, blackish-brown, while the fur of others is warmly tinged with a chestnut hue. The tail of this animal is extremely full, the hair being thick, long, and very bushy, more HO than that of the body and limbs. One of the most remarkable ]>oint- in the color - in_' of this animal is the fact that the abdomen and the under jMirlions of its Ixtdy retain the brown hue of the nj.jM-r j-oition- instead of being covered with the beautiful white m \ellowish fur which is found in nearly all the preceding animals. Theearsof the Tapoa are ntlier elongated, and triangular in form, thickly covered with hair on the outside, but naked on their inner faoea. In the structure of this creature a rather j»-<-iiliar formation is well delim-d. and as it is on.- of the distinctive marks by which the p-nu- Phalan^i-ia i- «*.parat«-d fn>m its neighbors, it is 370 THE VULPINE PHALANOIST. well worthy of notice. The tail is, to all appearance, entirely covered with a heavy coating of thick, long, and loose hair, but if that member be lifted up, so as to expose the under surface, and carefully examined, it will be seen that at the extremity the tail is bare of fur, and that a naked stripe runs for some little distance from the tip towards the base. During the lifetime of the animal, this naked stripe, together with the nose and the soles of the feet, are of a light flesh color. FOX-LIKE in nature as well as in form, the VULPINE PHALANGIST has well earned the name which has been given to it by common consent. It has also been entitled the Vulpine Opossum, and in its native country is popularly called by the latter of these names. It is an extremely common animal, and is the widest diffused of all the Australian opossum-like animals. Like the preceding animals, it is a nocturnal being, residing during the day in the hollows of decaying trees, and only venturing from its retreat as evening draws on. The nature of its food is of a mixed character, for the creature is capable of feeding on vegetable food, like the Petaurists, and also displays a consider- able taste for animal food of all kinds. If a small bird be given to a Vulpine Phalan- gist, the creature seizes it in its paws, ma- nipulates it adroitly for a while, and then tears it to pieces and eats it. It is rather a remarkable fact, that the animal is pecu- liarly fond of the brain, and always com- mences its feast by crushing the head be- tween its teeth and devouring the brain. In all probability, therefore, the creature makes no small portion of its meals on va- rious animal substances, such as insects, rep- tiles, and eggs. As to the birds on which it so loves to feed, it may very probably, although so slow an animal, capture them in the same manner as has been related of the lemurs, viz., by creeping slowly and cau- tiously upon them as they sleep, and swiftly seizing them before they can awaken to a sense of their danger. It is a tolerably large animal, equalling a large cat in dimensions, and is, therefore, able to make dire havoc among such prey whenever it chooses to issue forth with the intention of making a meal upon some small bird that may chance to be sleeping in fancied security. The fore-paws of the Vulpine Phalangist are well adapted for such proceedings, as they are possessed of great strength and mobility, so that the animal is able to take up any small object in its paws, and to hold it after the manner of the common squirrel. When feeding, it generally takes its food in its fore-paws, and so conveys it to its mouth. In captivity it does not seem to be a very intelligent animal, even when night brings forth its time of energy, and it but little responds to the advances of its owner, however kind he may be. It will feed on bread and milk, or fruits, or leaves, or buds, or any substance of a similar nature, but always seems best pleased when it is supplied with some small birds or animals, and devours them with evident glee. The flesh of the Vulpine IMialan.iiist is considered to be very good, and the natives are so fond of it that, notwithstanding the laziness that is engrained in their very beings, except VULPINE PHALANGIST.— Phalangisla vulpina. /•//A' A'/ i /.. i. «,/; 11 >/•/; I// IN /.7.-.I/.'. , 1 \\hentheyaivuiiderthe inllueiK ••• <-f Mini.- |H,i,-iit • M ii.'in.'iii. iln-\ can seldom refrain from chasing :in ••••|'<>-MIIII." cv.-n though they liav.- l»-eii well f. d b\ tin- white ^-(tlers. When tin- flesh bod\ ,.f a \ ulpine I'lialaii-ist is o].ened, a kind of campli-n-tl^l odor i> diffused fi<.ni it, which il.|\ occasioned liy the foliage of tin- eamphor-jierfuiiied trees in which it dwells, aii-l tin- leaves of which it eats. Tin- fur of this aniina! i- n<-t valued M- highly a.s tliat of tli.- Taj MCI, probably because it is <>f more ciiiiiiin.il <•<•. -iii-renc.', for th«> color of the hair is much more elegant, and its qualit\ -.-. rus ieen made up-n the cajuibQitlM •<' this fur. an-'., as far as has yet been accomplish. -.1. wiih very -i-ai success. Good judges !...-. • <:• ' i .. •• ; • ' • article* which have '•• • n made from thfa hi ]•'•'•- •"',••• I ;i pwl mMOUMM to thorn* which had been made from Angola wool, but appeared to be of superior quality. Thf hat-makerVhave a Ireiidy discovered the value of the fur, and are in the habit of employ - ing it in tlleir trade. The natives eiu|.l..\ the skin <>f the "opossum1' in the manufacture of their scanty mantles. as well as fi.r sundrj • AMI (NDpOM t, tad | N|«TC 'I"- -Kin- in a rather in-'-ni-'ii- manner. A- soon as the skin is stri|>i»-n the^rouml. with the hairy sier of little JM-^S which are fixwl around its edges. Tlie inner side is then continually scrajH-d with a shell, and I elt, which no one is i-ermitted to wear until he has been solemnly admitted among the assembly of men. In its color, the Vulpine I'halangist is rather variable, but the general hue of its fur is a crayish -brown, sometimes tinted with a ruddy hue. The tail is long, thick, and woolly in its diameter, and in color it resembles that of the body, with the exception of the tip. which is n.-aily black. The dimensions of an old male are given by Mr. Bennett as follows: Total length, two feet seven inches : the head lieing four inches in length, and the tail nearly a foot. Tun oj-AiNT-LOOKixii animal which is popularly known by the native name of KOALA, or the AUSTRALIAN BEAK, is of some importance in the zoological world, as its serves to fill up the gulf that exists between the phalangistines and the kangaroos. It has been well remarked that this creature, arboreal in its habits, and really ursine in its ireiienil as|K-ct. is the representative of the sun-bears of the Indian Archipelago, or of the sloths of America. The Koala is nocturnal in its habits, and is not very frequently found, even in the localities which it most affects. It is not nearly so widely spread as most of the preceding animals, as it is never known to exist in a wild state except in the south-eastern regions of Australia. Although well adapted by nature for climbing among the branches of trees, the Koala is by no means an active animal, proceeding on its way with very great del iteration, and making sure of its hold as it goes along. Its feet are peculiarly adapted for the slow but sure mode in which the animal progresses among the branches by the structure of the toes of the fore-feet or paws, which are divided into two sets, the one composed of the two inner to<-<, and the other of the three outer, in a manner which reminds the observer of the feet of the scansorial binls and the chamel.-oii. This formation, although well calculated to ser\e the animal when it is moving among the branches, is but of little use when it is ti|H.n the ground, so that the terrestrial progress of the Koalo is especially slow, and the creature seems to crawl rather than walk. As far as is yet known, its food is of a vegetable nature, and consists chiefly of the young leaves, buds, and twigs of the eucalypti, or gum-trees, as they are more popularly called. When it drinks, it laps like a dog. 1 1 seems to be a very gentle creature, and will often suffer itself to be captured without offering much resistance, or seeming to trouble itaelf about its captivity. But it is liable, a« 372 THE KOALA, OR AUSTRALIAN BEAR. are many gentle animals, to sudden and unexpected gusts of passion, and when it is excited by rage it puts on a very fierce look, and utters sharp and shrill yells in a very threatening manner. Its usual voice is a peculiar soft bark. The head of this animal has a very unique aspect, on account of the tufts of long hairs which decorate the ears. The muzzle is devoid of hair, but has the curious property of feeling like cotton velvet when gently stroked with the fingers. There is a naked patch of skin that begins at the muzzle and extends for a small space towards the head, and over the whole of this bare patch the peculiar velvety feeling is exhibited. The upper jaw projects slightly over the lower. The generic name, Phascolarctos, is of Greek origin, signifying "pouched bear," and is very appropriate to the animal. As soon as the young Koala is able to leave the pouch, KOALA, OR AUSTRALIAN BEAR.— Phascolarctot diureus. the mother transposes it to her back, where it clings with its hand-like paws, and remains there for some considerable time. It is said by those who have seen the animal in its wild state, that it is truly deserving of the name of Australian Sloth, which has been applied to it because it is able to cling with its feet to the branches after the manner of the sloths, and to suspend itself from the boughs much after the same fashion. This animal is rather prettily colored, the body being furnished with fur of a fine gray color, warmed with a slight reddish tinge in the adult animal, and fading to a whitish-gray in the young. The claws are considerably curved, and black ; and the ears are tufted with long white hairs. In size it equals a small bull-terrier dog, being, when adult, rather more than two feet in length, and about ten inches in height, when standing. The circumference of the body is about eighteen inches, including the fur. On account of the tree-climbing habits of the Koala, it is sometimes called the Australian Monkey as well as the Australian Bear. THE animals which come next under consideration are truly worthy of the title of Macropidse, or long-footed, as their hinder feet are most remarkable for their comparative length, and in almost every instance are many times longer than the fore-feet. This structure Tiff: TV;/:/: K\\<;.\non. adapt- them ailminibly for leaping, an exercise in which the Kangaroos, as familiarly termed, are pre-eminently excellent FIK-I <>n tin- list apj>ears the singular animal which is well represented in the engraving, and which, on account of its peculiar habit, is known by the name of the TKKK KANUAUOO. In general form, this animal is sufficiently Kangaroo-like to be enrolled at once among the in. -miters of that group of MacrojMxls. but the coiiqiarative shortness of the hinder feet and the length of the fore-feet, together with some peculiarity in the dentition, have induced the lai. i zoologists to place it in a separate genus from the true Kangaroo. The fur of the Tree Kangaroo is so remarkably dark tliat its deep tinting serves as an infallible mark of distinction, by means of which it may be recognized even at some distance. It is on account of the dark, glossy blackness of the fur, that the creature is called ursinus, or bear-like, as the hairs of its fur are thought to bear some resemblance to those which form the coat of the American black bear. The coloring of its fur is generally as follows : the whole of the buck and the upper parts of the body are a deep, glossy black, the hairs being rather 00«r8er. and ruiinin^ to MNM I'-n-ih. These hairs are only of one kind, for in the fur of the Tree Kangaroo there is none of that inner coat of fine, close, woolly hair which is found in the other Kangaroos, and which lies next to the skin. The whole of the fur is, therefore, composed solely of the long and stiff hairs that are usually found to penetrate through the interior covering of woolly fur. and to lie upon its surface. The under parts of the body are of a yel- lowish hue, and the breast is washed with a richer and deeper tint of chestnut. The tail is of the same color as the body, and is of very great length, probably to aid the animal in balancing itself as it • •limbs among the branches of the trees on which it loves to disport itself. To see a Kangaroo on a tree is really a most remarkable sight, and one which TRU might well have been deemed a mere invention had it not often been attested by credible witnesses. I have repeatedly seen one of these creatures clambering about a tree-trunk with perfect ease, and ascending or descending with the security of a squirrel. The animal looks so entirely in its wrong place, that when the black-haired, long-legged creature hops unexpectedly upon a tree and hooks itself among the branches, with its long black tail dangling below it, the entire aspect of the animal is absolutely startling, and suggestive of the super— or, perhaps. th> infer— natural to the mind of the spectator. This species is not, however, the only one that can a-c.-nd ire.-*, an ait which i- practiced with -oine MICC.-> l.y the H,»-k K.UI_-:II.». The food of this species consists of vegetable substances, such as the young bark, twigs, berries, and leaves of the trees upon which it lives, but very little is known of its habits in a wild state. It is an inhabitant of New Guinea. 374 THE KANGAROO RAT. ' THE BRUSH-TAILED BETTONG, or JERBOA KANGAROO, as it is sometimes called, affords an excellent example of the genus Bettongia, in which are collected a small group of Kangaroos that are easily distinguished by their peculiarly short and broad heads. In size it equals a common hare, the head and body being about fourteen inches in length, and the tail about eleven inches, without including the tuft which decorates its extremity. The general color of the animal is a palish brown liberally pencilled with white, and the under parts are of a pale grayish-white. The " brush " is black, and the under side of the tail is brownish-white. It is a nocturnal animal, and lies curled up during the entire day, issuing forth from its nest as the shades of evening begin to draw on. The nest of the Brush-tailed Bettong is a very ingenious specimen of architecture, and is so admirably constructed, that it can hardly be detected by an American eye, even when it is pointed out to him. The native, however, whose watchful eye notes even the bending of a leaf in the wrong place, or the touch of a claw upon the tree-trunk, seldom passes in the vicinity of one of these nests without discovering it and killing its inmates, by dashing his tomahawk at random into the mass of leaves and grass. As this animal resides chiefly on grassy hills and dry ridges, it is no easy matter to make a nest that shall be sufficiently large to contain the female and her young, and yet so incon- spicuous as not to attract attention. The manner in which the nest is made is briefly as follows : The animal searches for some suitable depression in the earth, enlarging it till it is sufficiently capacious, and builds a curious edifice of leaves and grass over the cavity, so that when she has completed her task, the roof of the nest is on a level with the growing grass. For additional safety, the nest is usually placed under the shelter of a large grass tuft or a convenient bush, so concealed that even the watchful eye of the native can hardly detect the home which only the Brush-tailed Bettong constructs with such ingenuity. The manner in which the animal conveys the materials of its nest to the spot where they are required is most remarkable. After selecting a proper supply of dried grass, the creature makes it up into a sheaf, and twisting her prehensile tail round the bundle, hops away merrily with her burden. It is almost impossible to comprehend the extreme quaintness of the aspect which is pre- sented by a Jerboa Kangaroo engaged in this manner without actual experience, or the aid of a very admirable and spirited drawing. When the animal has completed its nest, and the young are lying snugly in its warm recesses, the young family is effectually concealed from sight by the address of the cautious mother, who invariably drags a tuft of grass over the entrance whenever she leaves or enters her grassy home. It is an active little creature, and not easily caught even by fair speed, and has a habit of leaping aside when it is hard pressed and jumping into some crevice where it effectually conceals itself. The Brush-Tailed Bettong is extremely common over the whole of Van Diemen's Land and especially of New South Wales. The color of the fur is a gray-brown above, and the under parts of the body are of a grayish-white. The scientific name of the Brush-Tailed Bettong is Bettongia penicillata. THE KANGAROO RAT (Hypsiprymnus minor, or Hypsiprymnus murinus\ is called by the natives POTOROO. It is a native of New South Wales, where it is found in very great numbers. It is but a diminutive animal, the head and body being only fifteen inches long, and the tail between ten and eleven inches. The color of the fur is brownish-black, pencilled along the back with a gray- white. The under parts of the body are white, and the fore-feet are brown. The tail is equal to the body in length, and is covered with scales, through the inter- vals of which sundry short, stiff, and black hairs protrude. ///A1 KANOAROO HA&S. BTB '1'his little animal frequents the lem open districts, and i> very quick and lively in its movement-, whether it IN- indulging in it-. native irimesom.-n. -- <» .-n^ap-d in tin- .search f..i food. Roots of various kinds are tin- favorite «li.-t of tin- Kangaroo Kat. aii>l in order to obtain these dainties the animal scratches them from tin- -muiid \\ith tin- |.»u.-iful claws <>f tin- fon- int. It is -jH-cialh fmiil of |M>tat<>es. and often commit* considerable hwofl in a kitchen-garden l>\ exlinmini: ami ram ing away tin- s«-ed |K>tatoes. In retaliation for these injuries the owner of the garden >••!- imps alxiut his potato-grounds, and by means of baiting them with tin- covete I icxii- t-niii-f- iiiiinlx-i-s of I'otoroos into the treacherous Mian-. The movements of the Kangaroo Kate do not in the least resemble those of the Kangnrooa themselves, for although they run sit erect ujM>n their hind -le^s. they cannot make those vigorous leapt* which are so characteristic of the Kangaroos, nor can they manipulate their food with their fore-paws and carry it to their mouth by means of those limbs. Their gait, especially when chased, is a very curious kind of gallop, very unequal, but tolerably swift. The Kangaroo Rats are very timid and harmless animals, and when captured, or attacked do not kick or make any violent resistance, contenting themselves with expressing their indig- nation by an angry hiss. Of the Kangaroo Rat several' specimens have l»een brought alive to America and to Europe, and it has been noticed that they enjoy the life of captivity just as well as that of freedom. They are not so exclusively nocturnal as many of the preceding animals, and seem to be equally lively by day as by night. When the animal is sitting upon its hinder ]>ortions, the tail receives part of the weight of the body, but is not used in the same manner as the tail of the tnie Kangaroos, which, when they are moving slowly and leisurely along, are accustomed to -up]>ort the Ixnly on the tail, and to swing the hinder legs forward like a man swinging himself upon crutches. t '..\-ii>KK.\iu.Y larger than the preceding animal, the KAXOAKOO HAKK may at once be distinguished from it by the hair-covered muzzle which is a distinguishing mark of the genus Li_' in h< -te- IlM color of the coat is very like that of the common hare, but the fur is short, rather hard, and slightly curled. The upper parts of the body are a mixture of black and cream, the sides are tinged with a yellow hue, and the under parts are a grayish-white. The skin is •white. The fore-legs are black, and the fore-feet are variegated with black and white, the hinder feet being of a brownish-white. A buff-colored ring surrounds the eye, and the back of the neck is washed with yellow. It sometimes happens that a light rust-color takes the place of the buff. The tail is of a very pale brownish -gray, like that of the hare. There is much variety in the tinting of different specimens of this animal, some being of a much redder hue than others. The Kangaroo Hare inhabits the Liverpool Plains and the greater part of the interior of Australia, to which region it seems to be limited, seldom, if ever, being seen nearer the sea. It has many hare-like traits of character, such as squatting closely to the ground in a "form," and then sitting, in hopes of eluding notice, until it is roused to active exertion by actual contact. When it once takes to flight, it runs with amazing celerity, and doubles Itefore the hounds in admirable style, not unfrequently making good its escape in the opposite direction by a well-executed "double." Mr. Gould relates a curious incident that occurred to him while he was engaged in the pursuit of a Kangaroo Han-, attended by two dogs. The hounds had pressed the animal closely, when it doubled before them, retraced it- course at full speed, making directly for Mr. Gould, who was following up his dogs. The animal came within twenty yards without seeing him, and then, instead of turning aside, dear OV»T his head. The total length of this animal is about two feet, the tail occupying al*>ut thirteen inches. The Kangaroo Hare is not able to dig after the manner of many of the preceding animals. 376 THE KANGAROO. AMONG the largest of the Macropidse is the celebrated KANGAROO, an animal which is found spread tolerably widely over its native land. This species has also been called by the name of giganteus, on account of its very great size, which, however, is sometimes exceeded by the woolly Kangaroo. The average dimensions of an adult male'' are generally as follows : the total length of the animal is about seven feet six inches, counting from the nose to the tip of the tail ; the head and body exceed four feet, and the tail is rather more than three feet in length ; the circumference of the tail at its base is about a foot. When it sits erect after its curious tripedal fashion, supported by its hind- quarters and tail, its height is rather more than fifty inches ; but when it wishes to survey the country, and stands erect upon its toes, it surpasses in height many a well-grown man. The female is very much smaller than her mate, being under six feet in total length, and the difference in size is so great that the two sexes might well be taken for different species. The weight of a full-grown male, or "boomer," as it is more familiarly called, is very considerable, one hundred and sixty pounds having often been attained, and even greater weight being on record. The color of the animal is brown, mingled with gray, the gray predominating on the under portions of the body and the under-faces of the limbs. The fore- feet are black, as is also the tip of the tail. Without being truly gregarious, the Kangaroo is seldom seen entirely alone, but in scattered groups of seven or eight in number, and even the members of these little bands are not closely united, but are seen singly disposed at some distance from each other. There are certainly instances on record where very large numbers of Kangaroos have been seen in true flocks, herding closely together, and being under the superintendence of one leader. These animals, however, belong to another species. As the Kangaroo is a valuable animal, not only for the sake of its skin, but on account of its flesh, which is in some estimation among the human inhabitants of the same land, it is eagerly sought after by hunters, both white and black, and affords good sport to both on account of its speed, its vigor, and its wariness. The native hunter, who trusts chiefly to his own cunning and address for stealing unobserved upon the animal and lodging a spear in its body before it is able to elude its subtle enemy, finds the Kangaroo an animal which will test all his powers before he can attain his object, and lay the Kangaroo dead upon the ground. There is also another but not so sportsman-like a method of killing the Kangaroo, which is often in use among the aborigines, and which partakes of the nature of a bear "skal" in Norway. A number of armed men associate themselves together, and, having laid deep counsel about the plan of the hunt, proceed cautiously forward until they come upon a number of Kangaroos. They then silently arrange themselves so as to surround the unconscious animals which are feeding carelessly in the plain. At a preconcerted signal a portion of the hunters issue from their concealment and shower their deadly missiles upon the Kangaroos. The poor alarmed creatures flee from the danger, and are met by another party of the same band, who also ply their spears and clubs with deadly effect. Backwards and forwards run the bewil- dered animals, assailed on all sides by sharp and heavy missiles hurled by the strong arm and directed by the keen eye of the native hunters ; and so well are the plans laid, and with such accurate aim are the deadly weapons thrown, that it seldom happens that a single Kangaroo escapes from the scene of massacre. A time of feasting then follows, for these wild children of nature have no conception of thrift, and would think themselves very hardly used were they not allowed to eat every parti- cle of food which they could obtain, even though they would be forced to endure the pangs of hunger for many a day afterwards. The quantity of meat that a native Australian will eat at a single meal, and the gallons of water that he will drink, are so astounding as almost to sur- pass belief. Besides these modes of hunting, the native makes use of pitfalls, snares, nets, and other devices, by means of which he contrives to entrap the animal without putting himself to the trouble of hunting it. The white hunters, however, go to work in a very different manner, looking more to the KANGAROO. ////. KAXQAROO. ::77 sport than to the number of Kangaroos killed. They an- in tin* hal>it of breeding and training :i c.Ttain valuable am! j^i-uliar strain of hounds, calli-d. from thi-ir quart). " Ivmgaroo dogs*" and which hunt by si>;ht, likt- tin- ^n-yhound. These animals an- Imii;. larp-, ami ]K>\\i-rful : Inn. i-M'ii with all tlii-sf aihantai^-s. an- m> match fur a full-grown Boomer or I a- tin* :itiiin:il i> iii'lilTi-ii-iitl\ called. whi-nr\iT In- cliiMi^.--, to (urn in liay and hid dHianci- t4» his pursuers. A very graphic account of a Kangaroo hunt was sent to Mr. Gould, and is published by him in \\\" \. is valuahl«> monograph on th*« Macropidn* of Australia. A portion of the letter la extiact.-d, and runs as follows: — Hi-- 'Boomer' is the only Kangaroo which shows good sport, for the strongest Brush K:in_-:ii."' cannot lire above twenty minutes before the hounds. But as the two kinds are always foiin I iti |H-rfe< tlj iliff< rent situations, w< \\>-n- ru-vi i ai ;i loss t.. IMP! :i • Itoomcr,' ami I mu-f say that they seldom failfeing pressed, he was forced to try to swim across the arm of the sea, which, at the place where he took the water, cannot have l>een less than two miles broad. In spite of a fresh breeze and a hard sea against him, he got fully half-way over, but he could not make head against the waves any farther, and was obliged to turn back, w In -ti. Ix-ing faint and exhausted, he was soon killed. " The distance he ran, taking the different bends in the line, cannot Have been less than eighteen miles, and he certainly swam two. I can give no idea of the length of time it took him to run this distance, but it took us something more than two hours, and it was evident by the way the hounds were ninning that he was a long way before us ; it is also plain that he was still fresh, as quite at the end of the nm he went on the top of a long, high hill, which a tired Kangaroo will never attempt to do, as dogs gain so much on them in going up-hill. His hind-quarters weigh*-*! within a pound or two of seventy pounds, which is large for the Van Diemen's Land Kangaroo, though I have seen larger. • • We did not measure the length of the hop of this Kangaroo, but on another occasion, when the Boomer had taken along the beach and left its prints in the sand, the length of each jump was found to be just fifteen feet, and as regular as if they had been stepped by a sergeant." The Boomer is a dangerous antagonist to man and dog, and unless destroyed by missile weapons will often prove more than a match for th«- comliini-d t-fTorts of man and beast. When the animal finds that it is overpowered in end«-avor by the swift and powerful Kan- garoo dogs, which are bred for the express purpose of chasing this one kind of prey, it turns suddenly to bay, and placing its back against a tree-trunk, so that it cannot lie attacked from behind, patiently awaits the onset of its adversaries. Should an unwary dog approsu-h within too close a distance of the Kangaroo, the animal launches so terrible a blow with its hinder feet, that the long and pointed claw with which the hinder foot is armed ruts like a knife, and has often laid open the entire body of the dog with a single blow. Experienced dogs, th- fore, never attempt to close with so terrible an antagonist until tlu-y an- n-infom-d by the presence of their master, who generally ends the strnggl*- with a bnll«-t. Sotm-timi's, however, tli- Kangaroo is so startled by the apparition of the hunter that it permits its attention to wan- der from the dogs, and is immediately pulled down by them. 378 THE POUCH OF THE KANGAROO. If the hunter should be on foot, he needs beware of the Kangaroo at bay, for the creature is rather apt to dash through the dogs and attack its human opponent, who is likely to fare badly in the struggle unless he succeeds in launching a fatal missile at the advancing animal. Sometimes the Kangaroo comes to bay near water, and then takes a singular advantage of the situation. If any dog should be bold enough to come within reach, the Kangaroo picks tip its foe in its fore-paws, and leaping to the water, holds the dog under the surface until it is dead. On one occasion, a Boomer had come to bay in some shallow water, and was already engaged in drowning a dog, when it was assailed by the remainder of the hounds, which had just arrived. Nothing daunted by their onset, the Kangaroo kept its dying foe under water by holding it down by one of its hind-feet, and held itself prepared to repeat the process upon the next dog that should attack. But the Kangaroo is wise enough to postpone an actual combat until it is absolutely forced to fight, and uses every stratagem in its endeavors to escape. When pressed very hardly by the hounds, the Boomer has often been known to make a sudden leap at right angles to its former course, and to make good its escape before the dogs could recover themselves. This mode of proceeding is, however, rather a dan- gerous one, as the animal has more than once broken one of its legs by the sudden strain that is thrown upon the right or left leg, as the case may be. When running, the creature has a curious habit of looking back every now and then, and has sometimes unconsciously com- mitted suicide by leaping against one of the tree-stumps which are so plentifully found in the districts inhabited by the Kan- garoo. The doe Kangaroo displays very little of these running or fighting capabilities, and has been known, when chased for a very short distance, to lie down and die of fear. Sometimes when pursued, it contrives to elude the dogs by rushing into some brushwood, and then making a very, powerful leap to one side, so as to throw the dogs off the scent. She lies perfectly still as the dogs rush past her place of concealment, and when they have fairly passed her, she quietly makes good her escape in another direction. When young, and before she has borne young, the female Kangaroo affords good sport, and is called from her extraordinary speed, the " Flying Doe." The extraordinary pouch in which the young of the Kan- garoo and other marsupiated animals are nourished has already been casually mentioned, and as it is highly developed in the Kangaroo, it will be described in connection with this animal. The young animal when first born is of extremely minute dimensions, hardly exceeding an inch in total length, soft, helpless, and semi-transparent as an earth-worm. After birth it is instantly conveyed into the pouch, and instinctively attaches itself to one of the nipples, which are very curiously formed, being retractile, like the finger of a glove when not in use, and capable of being drawn out to a considerable degree when they are needed by the young animal. In the accompanying engraving this structure is very well delineated. In this internal cradle the young Kangaroo passes the whole of its earlier stages of develop- ment, and when it has attained some little bodily powers occasionally loosens its hold, and pokes its head out of the pouch, as if to see how large the world really is. By degrees it gains sufficient strength to crop the more delicate herbage, and, in course of time, it leaves the pouch altogether, and skips about the plains under the ever watchful protection of its mother. No sooner, however, is the little animal tired, or does the mother see cause of danger, than it scrambles back again into the pouch, and does not emerge until it is refreshed by repose, or until all danger has passed away. Nearly eight months elapse between the time when the young Kangaroo is first placed in TOUNG K4NGAKOO IN ITS MOTUEIl'S POUCH. HIK WOOLLY K. \MiAROO. 7» jioucli and •!>. jteriod of its iif.- » |,,.n it is able to leave the poach and seek subdctanee for itself. K\i-n after it has U-. c.rne too large to continue its residence in its former cradle, it is in tin- hal'it i if pushing its head intu tli«- JKHH-II ami refreshing itself with a draught of warm milk, even though a younger In-other <>r si>tci should l>e occupant of the living cradle. The little animal weighs alNuit ten ]Miiinds when it U-coines ton heavy fn<> of tin* favored localities of this s]N>cies is tin- Meak, wet, and snow-capj>ed siinunit of Mount Wellington. At different times of tin- y.-ar the cout of the Kangaroo varies somewhat in its coloring and di-n-ity. 1 luring the summer the fur i» light and coui]>arati\cly scanty, but when the coldi-r months of the year render a wanner covering needful, the animal is clothed with v. thick and woolly fur, that is admirably calculated to resist the effects of the damp, cold climate. It is a very singular fact that those specimens which inhabit the forests are mix) i darker in their color than those which live in the plains. The young Kangaroos are lighter in their cMliirini; than their pan-nts, but up to the age of two years their fur deepens so rapidly that they an- darker than the old animals. After that age, however, the fur fades gradually, until it finally nettles into td,- ^r.iyish -brown of the adult animal. The eye of the Kangaroo is very beautiful, large, round, and soft, and gives to the animal a gentle, gazelle-like expression that compensates for the savage aspect of the teeth, as they gleam whitely between the cleft lips. THE largest of the Macropidir, of which there are already known upwards of eighty species, is the \\ ««\ i.v KANGAROO, or RED KANGAROO, as it is more popularly called, on account of its peculiarly tinted fur. The character of the fur is rather singular, for it does not lie so closely to the body as that of the common Kanmiroo, and is of a peculiar texture, which somewhat resembles cotton wool. The hairs an- not very long, and their woolly, matted appearance, makes them seem shorter than they really are. The size of this animal is very great, for an adult male measures rather more than eight feet in total length, the head and body being five feet long, and the tail a little short of thirty-eight inches. By the color of the fur alone the Woolly Kangaroo can be distinguished from its long- legged relatives, independently of other minute differences. The general tint of the fur is of a rusty yellow, clianging to gray upon the head and shoulders, the head being washed with a slight brown tint. The sides of the mouth are white, through which protrude a few long, stiff, black hairs, and which are planted in greater numbers over the angle of the mouth, forming an indistinct Mack patch. The female is distinguished by a broad white mark which runs from the angle of the mouth to the eye. The toes are covered with black hairs*. An ashy-gray tint is seen upon the under portions of the body in the male sex, but in the female these parts are beautifully white. The limbs are grayish-white, washed with rust, and the tail is of the same color as the limbs. The tail is uncommonly large and powerful, and of vast service to the animal in support ing the heavy frame while the creature is standing erect upon the tripod formed by its hinder feet and its tail. The hairs of the tail are comparatively short and scanty, so that they do not give to the tail that peculiar woolliness which is so distinguishing a characteristic of the .mre's fur. It may as well be mentioned in this place that the Kangaroo does not employ the tail in leaping from the ground, but seems to use it partly as a kind of third leg, by which it supports itself when at rest, and partly as a kind of balance, by which it maintains its equilibrium as it leaps through the air. The muzzle of the Woolly Kangaroo is not so thickly covered with hair as that of the preceding animal. This species is an inhabitant of Southern Australia. PASSING by the Nail-tailed Kangaroos, so called from the strange nail-like appendage that is found at the extremity of their tails, and which is concealed by the tuft of long block hair 380 THE ROCK KANGAROO. which terminates that member, we arrive at the WHALLABEE, or WALLABY, as the word is sometimes spelled. The genus to which this animal belongs is easily distinguished from the genus Macropus, by reason of the muzzle being devoid of hair. This creature is not nearly so large as the com- mon or the woolly Kangaroo, being only four feet six inches in total length, of which measure- ment the tail occupies two feet. The fur of the Whallabee is rather long and coarse in texture, being decidedly harsh to the touch. The color is rather curious, being a darkish-brown washed with a warm rusty hue, and obscurely pencilled with whitish-gray. The whole of the under portions of the body are of a yellowish tint, and the feet and the wrists are quite black. The tail is also rather singular WHALLABEE.— Halmalunu ualabatus. in its coloring, by which it is divided into three nearly equal portions. The dorsal third of the tail is of the same color as the back, but the remaining two-thirds change abruptly from brown to black. The animal is an inhabitant of New South Wales, and is of tolerably frequent occurrence in the neighborhood of Port Jackson. It is sometimes known by the name of the Aroe Kan- garoo. The singular word ualabatus has no particular meaning, being only the harsh Latinized form of the native name Whallabee. The genus embraces a considerable number of species, some twelve or thirteen being acknowledged to belong to it. ONE of the most singular of this singular group of animals is the ROCK KANGAROO, which has derived its popular name from its rock-loving habits. In the Tree Kangaroo we have already seen a remarkable instance of unexpected powers, and the Rock Kangaroo will shortly be seen to be possessed of equal, if not of superior bodily prowess. The agility with which this animal traverses the dangerous precipices among which it lives is so very great, that when the creature is engaged in skipping about the craggy rocks that shroud its dwelling-place from too vigilant eyes, it bears so close a resemblance to a monkey in its movements, that it has, on many occasions, been mistaken for that act animal. Not only does it resemble the quadramana in its marvellously easy manner of ascend- THE WOMBAT. >I ing rucks, hut it also emulates those creatures in the art of trve-climhing, being able to ascend n live-trunk with .-a>«-, provided that it !*• a little divergent from th«- iN-ri--M.li.ular. Hy in. -an- of its great scanaorial cai>al'iliti.-s. tin- K.H-U Kangaroo i* enabled to l.;itll.- tlie efforts of its UOIM f,*..,. the dingo and the native black man. hi vain does the v<>rnciou* and hungry dingo set off in chuae of the Kock Kangaroo, for an soon as the creature has gained the shelter of its congenial rocks, it bounds from jxiint to point with an agility which the dingo can by n. i in. aus emulate, ami very soon places itoelf in safety, leaving its baffled pursuer to \<-ui ii> disip|N>intmeiit in rrit>s of rage. Tin- only method in which the dingo is likely to catch one of these animals, is by creeping MM- 'i~|- . •'•-::> into its den. and sei/iiuj il IK fon H . • m fa Its • scape I'—ih fti '1m.- :m.l til.- Kock Kanpiroo are in tin- habit of making their resting place in some rocky crevice, and it might hap|N'ii that the Kungun>o might choose too low a domicile, and j»erchance make choice of the very same crevice that a dingo was about to appropriate to himself. * In order. however, to escape such dangers, the habitation of the Kock Kangaroo is generally furnished with t w . > e are proportionably multiplied. It is by means of this precaution that the creature baffles the best efforts of the natives. Shoiil.l a uath.- Ix- fortunate enough to spear a Kock Kangaroo, but not fortunate enough to kill it »u the spot, the animal dives at once into its rocky abode, and there awaits* its death ; for the rocks are too hard to be destroyed by the tools of the alxtricini-s. aii.l if the sable hunt«-r In- recourse to In--. anll> li;n ml.-- ly throuirh the rocky burrow and makes its exit through the various entries, without causing v.-ry miicli inconv.-ni.-nce to the concealed inmate. It is fonn.I that when the Kock Kangaroo conies from its cavernous home, it is in the habit of taking the same route along the rocks, so that by continually i«wsing over the same ground, its sharp and powerful claws make a very visible track over the stones, and afford an infallible guide to the acute MOW of the black hunter, who is enabled to follow up the trail and to ascertain the precise crevice in which the animal has taken up its abode. Generally nocturnal in its habits, the Kock Kangaroo is not seen so often as might be expected, considering the frequency of its occurrence. Now and then, however, it ventures from its dark home and braves the light of day, skipping daintily over the rocky prominences, or lying in the full blaze of the sunlight, and enjoying the genial warmth of the noontide beams. The native and colonial hunters watch eagerly for a basking Kangaroo, for when thus engaged, it is so fully taken up with appreciation of the warm sunbeams, that it can be approached and shot without difficulty. As its flesh is thought to be remarkably excellent, the animal is eagerly sought after by the hunters. It is rather gregarious in its habits, l>eing generally found in little jvirties of two or three in number. The color of this animal is rather varied, but is generally of a purplish or vinous gray, which warms into a rich rusty red upon the hind-quarters and the base of the tail. The chest is purplish-gray, pencilled with wliite, the chin is white, and a very conspicuous white Irnnd runs along tin- throat to the chest. The fur is not in very great repute, a*, although long, it is rough and harsh to the touch. The total length of an adult male is about four feet, the tail being about twenty-three inches in length. The tail is furnished with a moderately sized tuft of dark hairs, each hair being about three inches in length, a peculiarity which has earned for the animal tin- name of Brush-tailed Kangaroo. The body is strong and robust in its form, and the claws of the hinder feet are powerful in their make, as might be expected in an animal of such habits. The feet are so densely covered with fur that the claws are nearly hidden in the thick hairy coat. It is a tolerably hardy animal. The habitation of the Rock Kangaroo is in tin- southeastern jMirtion-. of Au-tralia. and on account of its peculiar habits it is a very local animal, being restricted to those districts which are furnished with rocks or mountain ranges. Tint WOMBAT, or ATSTRAUAX BADGER, as it is popularly called by the colonists, is so singularly unlike the preceding and succeeding animals in its aspect and habits, that it might well be supposed to belong to quite, a different order ; indeed, in all its exterior character with :;s2 THE WOMBAT. the exception of its pouch, it is a rodent animal, and in its internal anatomy it approaches very closely to the beaver. As might be imagined from its neavy body and short legs, the Wombat is by no means an active animal, but trudges along at its own pace, with a heavy rolling waddle or hobble, like the gait of a very fat bear. It is found in almost all parts of Australia, and is rather sought after for the sake of its flesh, which is said to be tolerably good, although rather tough, and flavored with more than a slight taint of musk. The fur of the Wombat is warm, long, -and very harsh to the touch, and its color is gray, mottled with black and white. The under parts of the body are grayish-white, and the feet are black. The muzzle is very broad and thick. The length of the animal is about three feet, the head measuring seven inches. In its temper the Wombat is tolerably placid, and will permit itself to be captured with- out venting any display of indignation. Sometimes, however, it is liable to violent gusts of ' WOMBAT.— ffuucolomi/i latifrons. rage, and then becomes rather a dangerous antagonist, as it can scratch most fiercely with its heavy claws, and can inflict tolerably severe wounds with its chisel-like teeth. Easily tamed, it displays some amount of affection for those who treat it kindly, and will come volun- tarily to its friends in hopes of receiving the accustomed caress. It will even stand on its hind legs, in token of its desire to be taken on the knee, and when placed in the coveted spot •will settle itself comfortably to sleep. Generally, however, the Wombat is not a very intelligent animal, and exhibits but little emotion of any kind, seeming to be one of the most apathetic animals in existence. When in captivity it is easily reconciled to its fate, and will feed on almost any vegetable substance, evincing considerable partiality for lettuce-leaves and cabbage-stalks ; milk also is a favorite article of diet, and one of these animals was said by Mr. Bennett to be in the habit of search- ing after the milk vessels when set out to cool in the night air, to push off the covers, and to bathe in the milk as well as drink it. In its wild state it is nocturnal in its habits, living during the day in the depths of a capacious burrow, which it excavates in the earth to such a depth that even the persevering natives will seldom attempt to dig a Wombat out of its tunnel. Owing to this habit of bur- rowing, it is very destructive if left in an unpaved yard, for it soon excavates several sub- terraneous passages, and puts the stability of houses and walls into sad jeopardy. Till: /. I \HKlt HAM>U'(>OT. The creature seems to I** remarkably sensitive to cold, considering the severe weather which often reigns in it.** native country. It is fond of ha\. which it .-hops into short pleoea with its knife-edged teeth. 'Hi- natives say that if a Wombat is making a journey, and hap|>ens to come aero-.., a river, it is not in the least dis«-..mlit«*d. but walks deliberately int.. the fix.i. across the bed of the stream, and, emerging on the opposite bank, continues its course a.s . almlv as if no im] • linn nt had tx>en placed in it* » i\ The t.i-th of ih>- \Vonikit present a curious resemblance to those of the rodent animals, and are endowed with tin* same (towers of reproduction as those of the bearer and other ani- mals of the 1. 1. The feet of the Wombat are broad, and the fore-feet are provided with v.-ry strong claws, that are formed for diiririnir in th.- earth. There are five toes to ,..., h foot, bill the thunb ol the hind. ; '•••-' is iii.-ly small, and d.-void of a claw. This animal is remarkable for jK.ssessin^ fifteen jxiirs of ribs in on sixteen (Miirs of ribs were found— only six pairs of which reach the breast-bone. Remains of a fossil species of \\oinkithavelteen discovered in .\.-x\ Holland, together with the relics of an ^-«^m^W" - allied and ^iipintic -.].., ,,>. which, when H^59r H^^ (•L*-*-**f^ li\im,'. must nearly have equalled the hip- popotamus in dimensions. TMK H\M»I< OOT, txvo examples of which will l>e de«r rilied in these (>ages, form a little group of animals that are easily recognizable by means of their nit-like aspect, and a certain peculiar, but inde- scribable mode of carrying themselves. The gait of the Bandicoot is very singular, being a kind of mixture between jumping and mnning. which is the result of the for- mation of the leu's and feet. During progres- sion, the back of the creature is considerably arched. The snout is much lengthened and rither sharply pointed, and the second and third toes of the hinder feet are conjoined as LONU-NOBKIJ iiAM)icoor.-ft«»w<« •••K*. far as the claws. The pouch open backwards. The BANDED BANDICOOT, or STRIPED-BACKED BANDICOOT, derives its name from the pecu- liar marking of its fur. The geiienil color of its coat is a blackish-yellow, as if produced by alternate hairs, the black tint predominating on the back and the yellow on the sides. Over the hinder quarters are drawn some boldly marked black lines, which, when viewed from behind, form a singular and rather pleasing pattern, the dark stripes being made more conspicuous by bands of whitish- yellow. Th.— marks continue as far as the root of the tail, and a single, narrow dark lin- runs along the whole upper ride of the tail, which is of the same color as the body. The fur is rather light upon the head, and the under parts of the body, together with the feet, are whit.-, sliirhtly titu:**d with gray. This animal is very widely spread over the eastern and south-eastern parts of Australia, but is mostly found in the interior. It specially loves the stony ridges that are so common in its native land, and although not very often seen by casual travellers, js of v.-ry fn^uent occurrence. Its pace is very swift, and its gait is said to bear some resemblance to that of the pig. Its food is of both kinds, and consists of insects and their larvje, and of various roots and seeds. Its flesh is held in some repute by natives and colonists. 384 THE CH^ROPUS. It is but a small animal, measuring only eighteen inches in total length. When the animal is killed, it is not easily flayed, as the skin adheres so tightly to the flesh that its removal is a matter of some difficulty, when there is need for preserving the skin in its integrity. THE LONG-NOSED BANDICOOT is not unlike the preceding animal in form, but differs from it in the coloring of its fur, and the greater length of its snout. The face, head, and body are of a brown tint, pencilled with black on the upper portions, and the sides are of a pale brown, sometimes warmed with a rich purplish hue. The edge of the upper lip is white, as are also the under portions of the body, and the fore-legs and feet. This fur is very harsh to the touch. The total length of this animal is about twenty-one inches, the tail being five inches in length. The food of the Long-nosed Bandicoot is said to be of a purely vegetable nature, and the animal is reported to occasion some havoc among the gardens and granaries of the colonists. Its long and powerful claws aid it in obtaining roots, and it is not at all unlikely that it may, at the same time that it unearths and eats a root, seize and devour the terrestrial larvae which are found in almost every square inch of ground. The lengthened nose and sharp teeth which present so great a resemblance to the same organs in in- sectivorous shrews, afford good reasons for con- jecturing that they may be employed in much the same manner. The dentition of the Bandicoot is rather in- teresting, and will be found detailed at some length in the table of generic distinctions at the end of the volume. THE large-eared, woolly-furred little animal which is here represented, is closely allied to the bandicoots, but at once distinguishable from them by the peculiarity of structure which has earned for it the generic title of Chseropus, or "swine- footed." Upon the fore-feet there are only two toes, which are of equal length, and armed with sharp and powerful hoof -like claws, that bear no small resemblance to the foot of a pig, and are not only porcine in their external aspects, but in the track which they leave upon the ground when the creature walks on soft soil. Slenderly and gracefully swinish, it is true, but still piggish in appearance, though not in character. The CII^EROPUS was formerly designated by the specific title of ecaudatus, or tailless, because the first specimen that had been captured was devoid of caudal appendage, and there- fore its discoverers naturally concluded that all its kindred were equally curtailed of their fair proportions. But as new specimens came before the notice of the zoological world, it was found that the Chaeropus was rightly possessed of a moderately long and somewhat rat-like tail, and that the taillessness of the original specimen was only the result of accident to the individual, and not the normal condition of the species. The size of the Chseropus is about equal to that of a small rabbit, and the soft, woolly fur is much of the same color as that of the common wild rabbit. It is an inhabitant of New South Wales, and was first discovered by Sir Thomas Mitchell on the banks of the Murray River, equally to the astonishment of white men and natives, the latter declaring that they had never before seen such a creature. The speed of the Clueropus CHAEROPUS.— Charopuf castanotui. THE TASMAM.\\ WOLF. ::-, Is considerable, and its usual haunts are among the manes of denae scrub foliage that cover 00 vast mi i-M.-nt of ground in it- native country. Its neat ia similar to that of the bandicoot, U-in_- ma, I. • of dried grass and leaves rather artistically put together, the grow*. !i,..>.. ,. i. , ,, dominating «\>-v the 1. a\.-. 'I'll.- locality ..f tin- M.-M is generally at the foot of adenae bush, IT i >f a heavy tuft of grass, and it is so carefully veiled fnmi view |>y tin- mode of it> construc- tion that it can x-m-ely be discovered by the eyes of any but an experienced hunter. Tin- h«-ad of tin- < 'ha«ropus is rather ]>eciiliar, l>eing considerably lengthened, cylindrical!) taj» ring towards the nose, so that it* form has IHVII rather happily compared t<» th*> neck and shoulders uf a chamiKigiie bottle. The hinder feet are like tliose of tin- bandicoots, and there is a Miiall s« filing at tin- base »( the toes of the fore-feet, which is probably the representative of the missing joints, more especially as the outermost toes are always extremely small in the kmdicoots, t,. ulii.'li IK.- < li.-i-M.pu- i- near!] |DW DM MH m PW] lai-.- in proportion to tin- si/e of tli.' animal. Tin* pouch opens back wants. The food of the Cha?ropus is said to !*• of a mixed character, and twerful, truncated muzzle. Although not ]>erhaps tin- fiercest of the I >asy urines, it is the largest and the most ]M>wer- ful, well deserving the lupine title with which it has been by common consent designat"!. and representing in Tasmania tin- true \vol\«-s of other countries. It is not a very large animal, as n. •••>!- iiin-t l»- fioiu ill.- n.i'i,!.- ,,!' -I..- BOOlK] il l*Uet ;' UfW, foi then- u,.ul,| l»- l.iit ^mall sul>sist«'iice in its native land for herds of veritable wolves, and the natural consequence would be that the famished animals would soon take to eating each other in default of more legiti- mate food, and by mutual extirpation thin down the race or destroy it altogether. The natural >ul>»iMence of the Tasnmnian, or Zebra Wolf, as it i> M»mrtimt*s called by vir- tue of the xelini -like stiijM-s which decorate its l«ick, consists of the smaller animals, mollusks. insects, and similar substances. The animal is also in the habit of prowling along the sea- shoi>- in ie-,tl."» search of food among the heterogeneous mass of animal and vegetable substances that the waves constantly fling upon the beach, and which are renewed with every succeeding tide. The mussels and other mollusks which are found so profusely attached to the s^i-edgi-d rocks form a favorite article of diet with the Tasmanian Wolf, who is sometimes fortunate enough to di-cover upon the l>eacli the remains of dead seals and fish, and can easily make a meal on the shore crabs which are found so plentifully studding the beach as the tide goes out. Though hardly to be considered a swift, or even a quick animal, the Tasmanian Wolf contrives to kill such agile prey as the bush kangaroo, and secun-s the duck mole, or duck bill, in spite of its natatory powers and its subterranean burrow. When the animal is hungry it seems to become a very camel in its cajwibility of devouring hard and thorny substances, for it has Ix-t-n known to kill -no easy matter— and to swallow — an apparent imjiossibility — the echidna itself, undismayed by it> panoply of bayonet-like prickles. The deed seems so incred- ible that it would hardly have been bettered, had it not been proved Iteyond doubt by the slaughter and snbs.Mju.-nt dissection of a Ta-smanian Wolf, in whose stomach were found the remains of a half-digested echidna. Assoon as ci\ ili/vd inhabitants took up their alx.de in Tasmania, this animal made great capital out of the sheep flocks and hen-roosts, and for some time committed sad ravages among them, greatly to the detriment of the colonists. By degrees, however, the weapons of tin- white man prevailed, and the Ta-inanian Wolf was driven back from its former haunts, when- it once reigned supreme. Still continuing to prowl round the habitation of mankind, many individuals of this sp,N : fain to pick up what loos,, and uncertain NtaMence they could contrive to appropriate, and, being forced to live in copses and jungles, became the representa- tives of the hyena as well as of the Wolf. In the earlier days of the col,-n\. tin- Tasmanian Wolf was of very frequent occurrence, but ia now seldom seen except in the cold and dreary localities when- it takes up its residence. 386 THE TASMANIAN WOLF. These animals are found in considerable numbers on the summits of the western mountains, at an elevation of nearly four thousand feet above the level of the sea, and there thrive, even though their lofty domains are plentifully covered with snow. The home of the Tasmanian Wolf is always made in some deep recess of the rocks, away from the reach of ordinary foes, and so deeply buried in the rocky crevices that it is impene- trable to the light of day. In this murky recess the female produces her young, which are TASMANIAN .— ThyludnwicyuoctpluUiu. generally three or four in number, and in its dark cavern the animal spends the whole of its day, only venturing from home at night, except under the pressure of some extraordinary cir- cumstances. As may be seen from the engraving, the feet of the Tasmanian Wolf are so dog-like in their nature that they cannot enable the animal to ascend trees, and as the tail is not in the least degree prehensile, it is evident that the creature is not capable of chasing its prey among the branches, as is the case with many of the allied animals. In size it is about equal to the jackal, being generally about four feet in total length, of which measurement the tail occupies some sixteen inches. Some few specimens, however, are said to attain a very great size, and to measure nearly six feet in total length. Its height at the shoulders is about eighteen or nineteen inches. It is a fierce and most determined animal, and if attacked will fight in the most desperate manner. One of these animals has been seen standing at bay, surrounded by a number of dogs, and bidding them all defiance. Not a single dog dared venture within reach of the teeth of so redoubtable a foe. As it is a nocturnal animal, it seems little at its ease when in the uncongenial glare of day- light, and, probably on account of its eyes being formed for the purpose of nocturnal light, is very slow in its movements by day. It always seems to be greatly annoyed by too strong a light, and constantly endeavors to relieve itself from the unwelcome glare by drawing the nic- titating membrane over its eyeballs, after the manner of owls when they venture forth by daylight. rut: y.i.M/.i N/.I.V n AT//.. B87 Th«- animal i- .1 \- I'll.-, on account of the peculiar coloring of it* fur and the l>rL'htl\ s. ii'-.nl\ Mark iii their color, beginning just U-himl the shouldnttd ending upon the baaeof tli«- tail. The number of them *trij>«-s is \arimis, living from fourteen to seventeen on an average. At tin- sjiot when- th.-y comim-no- they are very short, hut lengthen rapidly as thr\ approach the tail, reaching their greatest length over the haunches, over which they are drawn to some extent. In many specimens the stripes are forked upon the haunchea. Tow a pi- the tail the stripes again become short, and upon the lrn.se of the tail are HO abbreviated that they only cover its upper surface. The under jtart.s of the body are gray. The tail is slightly compressed, and gradually tapers to its extremity. The eyes are large and full, and tlii-ir rolor is Mark. The »-er lip is white. TASMANIA* In this animal the marsupial bones are absent, their places being indicated by some fibrous cartilages that are found in the locality which these bones might be expected to fill. The character of the fur is not very fine, but it is short, rather woolly, and closely set upon the animal's skin. In front of the eye there is a small Mark patch, which rims round the eye, and surrounds it with a dark line. i As MAT be imagined, from the very expressive name which has been appropriated to the animal which is represented in the engraving, its character is not of the most amiable, nor its appearance the most inviting. Few animals have deserved their popular titles better than the creature to whom the first colonists of Van Pi'-m.-n's Land unanimously gave the name of N ATI VK DEVIL. The innate and apparently ineradicable ferocity of the creature can hardly be conceived .-x. .-pt 1>\ those who have had personal experience of its demeanor. Even in captivity its sull.-n and purpose- less anger is continually excited, and the animal appears to be more ol>tn-- to kimlii.-ss than any other creature of whom we have practical knowledge. Generally, a cai^I animal soon learns to recognize its keeper, and to welcome the hand that supplies it with food ; but the T \- M \ M \ \ I >i \ 1 1 seems to be diabolically devoid of gratitude, and attacks indiscriminately every being that approaches it. I have frequently had opportunities of testing the character of this curious animal, and 388 THE TASMANIA N DEVIL. have always found it to be equally savage and intractable. Without the least cause it would fly at the bars of its cage, and endeavor by dint of teeth and claws to wreak its vengeance on me, while it gave vent to its passionate feelings in short, hoarse screams of rage. There was -no reason for these outbursts of anger, for the animal behaved in precisely the same manner whenever any visitor happened to pause in front of its domicile. It is a very conspicuous animal, and not easily to be mistaken for any other species. The coat of the Tasmanian Devil is very appropriately black, dashed here and there with spots, patches, or stripes of a pure white, which afford a bold and singular contrast to each other. In different individuals there is considerable variety in the distribution of these two colors, but the character of the markings is similar in all. The general hue of the fur is a deep, dead black, the fur being devoid of that rich, silky glossiness which gives to the coats of many black animals so pleasing an effect. Across the breast there is nearly always a very conspicuous white mark, which in some individuals takes the form of a semilunar band, and in others is contracted to a mere spot. Generally, another white mark is found to extend saddlewise across the end of the spine, just before the insertion of the tail. This mark is also siisceptible of great variation, being of considerable dimensions in some specimens, and extremely small in others. Now and then a white streak or patch is seen upon the shoulders, but in many individuals the shoulders are of equal blackness with the remainder of the body. Behind the eyes is a tuft of very long hairs, and another similar tuft is placed immediately above them. As might be presumed from the heavy make of its body, and the thickset shortness of its limbs, the animal is not at all brisk or lively in its movements, and seldom displays much energy except when under the influence of the easily-excited irascibility for which it is so widely renowned. The head is short and thickly made, the muzzle very blunt, and the mouth wide. The gait of the animal is plantigrade, and its movements are in general dull and sluggish. The length of this animal is about twenty-one inches, exclusive of the tail, which measures about seven inches in length, and is moderately well covered with fur. Despite its comparatively small size, this creature is hardly less destructive than the Tas- manian wolf, and in the earlier days of the colonists wrought sad havoc among the sheep and poultry, especially among the latter. In those days it swarmed in great numbers, but it is now nearly extirpated out of some districts, and is so persecuted by the righteous vengeance of the farmers, that a solitary specimen can scarcely now be seen in the locality where its nightly visits used to be of continual occurrence. Many of these depredators were shot, caught in traps, or otherwise destroyed, and suffered a poetical justice in furnishing a meal for those at whose expense they had often feasted. The flesh of this rather ungainly animal is said to be far from unpleasant, and to have some resemblance to veal. The traps in which these nocturnal robbers are caught are baited with flesh of some kind, generally with butcher's offal, for the animal is a very voracious one, and is always sen- sitive to such attractions. Like the Tasmanian wolf— to which animal it is closely allied— it is in the habit of prowling along the sea-shore in search of the ordinary coast-loving mollusks and crustaceans, or in hopes of making a more generous feast on the dead carcases which the tides will sometimes leave upon the beach. In captivity it will eat almost any kind of food, and is found to thrive well upon bread and milk, with an occasional addition of flesh. When it is indulged in the latter delicacy, it speedily tears in pieces the meat with which it is furnished, and is in nowise baffled by the presence of moderately sized bones, which it can crack with wonderful ease by means of its strong teeth and powerful jaws. The great power of its jaws, backed by its unreasoning ferocity, which seems to be liter- ally incapable of comprehending the feeling of fear, renders it extremely formidable when attacked. Indeed, there are hardly any dogs, however strong and well trained they may be, which can boast of a victory gained over a Tasmanian Devil in single fight. It is rather a productive animal, the number of its family being from four to five at a TItK PHASCOOALK. hirdi. Tli«- habitation of this s|».<-i.-s is nsn-ri. iin.il to U> niadf in th-- d.-pths of the forests, concealed :>- far a> |«ossil>le from I hi- ii.'lit of day, \\ lii.-h irrievoiisl) :,!!.•.:- the ryes of Mn-. ;M of all othiT .strictly nocturnal animals. The pain which is canned to the creature bf the unwelcome brilliancy of ordinary daylight is constantly iii'li. :it- <1 1>\ tin- MMelcs.s movements of tin- iii.-iiintin- m. -111111-111. • ..\ • i ill- •••\.'- l«ill, even when tin- animal is shrouded in tin- comparative dimness of a straw-filled den, and -ha. !•- it-.'lf from the glare by crouching in the darkest corner of ita cage. Aided 1-y tin- stnmg fossorial claws of the fore-feet, the Tasinanian Devil digs for itself a deep burrow in the ground, or, taking advantage of some natural hollow or crevice, shapes the interior to suit its own purposes. The hinder feet are made in a manner similar to those of the bear, and, like that animal, the Tasinanian Devil is able to sit erect upon its hinder quarters, and to convey food to its mouth by means of its fore-paws, which it uses in a very admit manner. This animal is also known under the names of Ursine Dasynre and Ursine Opossum. OK the animals which have been congregated into the genus Dasyures, four or five species are now admitted to U> dearly separated from each other. In color the Dasyures :tre extremely variable, so much so, indeed, that it is hardly {Kmsible to find two individuals of the same spe- cies that are marked in precisely the same manner. In the common DASYUKE (Datyunt* virtrriniis), the general color of the fur is brown, of a very dark hue, sometimes deepening into positive black, diversified with many spots of white, scattered apparently at random over the whole of the body, and varying both in their position and dimensions in almost every individual. In some specimens the tail is washed with white spots similar to those of the body, but in many examples the tail is uniformly dark. In all the Dasyures this member is moderately long, but not prehensile, and is thickly covered with hair ; a peculiarity which has caused zoologists to give the title of Dasyure, or hairy-tail, to these animals. They are all inhabitants of Australasia, the common Dasyure being found numerously enough in New Holland, Van Diemen's Lund, and some parts of Australia. The habits of all the Dasyures are so very similar that there is no need of describing them separately. They are all rather voracious animals, feeding upon the smaller quadrupeds, birds, insects, and other living beings which inhabit the same country. The Dasyure is said to follow the example of the two preceding animals, and to be fond of roaming along the sea-coasts by night in search of food. The Dasyures are all nocturnal animals, and very seldom make voluntary excursions from their hiding-places so long as the sun is above the horizon. They do not, like the Tasmanian wolf and the ursine Dasyure, lie hidden in burrows under the earth, or in the depths of rocky ground, but follow the example of the Petaurists, and make their habitations in the hollows of decayed trees. The young of the Dasyures are, like those of all the animals of this order, extremely small. Their number is rather variable, but is usually from four to six. In this species the thumb of the hind-feet is entirely absent. THE PHASCOOALE, or TAPOA TAFA (Phatcogale penicittata), as it is termed by the natives of the country which it inhabits, affords an excellent example of the little dependence that is to be placed on mere external appearance in judging the character of any living being. In si/.e. the Phascogale is small, hardly exceeding the house-rat of Europe in dimensions. The tc.tal length of this creature is about seventeen inches, the long, widely-formed tail occupy- ing nine inches, if measured to the point of the. hairy tuft that decorates its extremity, and seven inch-s if denuded of its hairy covering. The fur of this animal is long, soft, and woolly, and lies very loosely upm the skin. -«> that it is disturbed by every slitrht breath of air that may happen to pass over ita surface. In color it is a soft gray on the upper parts of the body, the head, an«l tin- outer faces of the limbs, the tinder portions of the body being white, and slightly washed with gray. A few black hairs 390 THE PHASCOGALE. are scattered sparingly over the body. In almost every specimen that has been captured, a dark line is seen to ran from the nose towards the base of the skull. The tail is clotted with fur of the same color as that of the body for one-fifth of its length, but the remaining four-fifths are furnished with a bushy mass of long hair, each hair being about two inches in length. The color of this graceful appendage is a jet black, which affords a very marked contrast to the light hues with which the body and limbs are tinged, and which gives to the animal a notably handsome aspect. The ears are rather large, and the head tapers rapidly towards the nose. The general appearance of the Tapoa Tafa is that of a gentle, peaceable little animal, unlikely to do any harm, and well calculated to serve as a domesticated pet. Never did animal or man hide under a specious mask of innocence a character more at variance with its mendacious exterior. For the Tapoa Tafa is one of the pests of the colonists, a fierce, bloodthirsty, audacious creature, revelling in the warm flesh of newly -slaughtered prey, and penetrating, in search of food, into the very houses of civilized men. Its small size and sharply-pointed head enable it to insinuate itself through the crevices which are almost necessarily left open in fences and walls, and its insatiate appetite induces it to roam through the store-rooms in search of any animal substances that may have been laid up by the owners. Unless placed under lock and key, behind tightly-closed doors, provisions of various kinds are invaded by the Tapoa Tafa, for its powers of climbing are so great that it can ascend even a perpendicular wall, unless its surface be smooth and hard, so that its sharp curved claws can take no hold. Fortunately for the farmers, the Tapoa Tafa is not possessed of the chisel-shaped incisor teeth which enable the European rat to gnaw its way through opposing obstacles, so that a wooden door will afford a sufficient barrier against its depredations, providing it be closely fitting, and of solid material. It is said to be very destructive to poultry, and to penetrate by night into the fowl-houses, creeping towards its prey so silently that its presence is not detected, and slaying the inmates as they are slumbering quietly on their perches. Were its size equal to that of the Tasmanian wolf, the Phascogale would be an effectual bar to civilization in any district which it might frequent. In its wild state its food is of a mixed vegetable and animal nature, and in the stomach of one of these creatures was found a heterogeneous mass of insect remains, mixed with portions of certain fungi. Not only is the Tapoa Tafa an object of destruction for the repeated acts of depredation which it commits in civilized dwellings, but it has also earned a renowned name among white and black men for the extraordinary energy with which it will defend itself when attacked. Small though it may be, and harmless though it may appear, it deals such fierce and rapid strokes with its sharp claws that it can inflict extraordinarily severe lacerations upon the person of its adversary. So celebrated is the animal for its powers of resistance, that not even the quick-eyed and agile-limbed native will venture to trust his hand within reach of the claws of an irritated Tapoa Tafa. Night is the usual time for the Tapoa Tafa to leave its home and prowl about in search of food, but it is often seen by daylight, and appears to be equally vivacious at either time. It is always a most active animal, and chiefly arboreal in its habits, climbing trees and skipping among their branches with the agility of a squirrel. Its long tail may serve to act as a balance during these excursions, but as it is not in the least prehensile, it cannot afford assist- ance in the actual labor of passing from one branch to another. Its home is generally made in the hollow trunks of the eucalypti, and in those dark recesses it produces and nourishes its young. It is very widely distributed over Australasia, being found in equal plenty upon plain or mountain, contrary to the usual habits of Australian animals, which are generally confined within certain local limits, according to the elevation of the ground or the character of the soil. On account of the large tuft of black hair that decorates the tail, the Tapoa Tafa is in some works mentioned under the title of the " Brush-tailed Phascogale." Tin: *n HXECOBIUS. 891 TIIK littk' animals which are grouped together UII.|.T th.- title of POUOHKD MlOK are tolerably numerous, the genus Antechinus comprising about twehv <.r t hi i teen species. 'I'll. -y are spread HUhVWidaljOW New South Wales and Southern Australia, and us th'-y are prolific creatures, they ore among the most common of the Australian quadru|»eds. They are all of inconsiderable size, the greater number hardly exceeding the ordinary mouse in dimensions, though one or tu,, s]H , i, > n.-aih equal a small nit in size. Ail«oi.-:il in their habits, they are among the most active of tree-loving quadrupeds, run- ning up ami down a perpendicular trunk with perfect ease, and leaping from one branch to another with singular activity of limb and certainty of aim. They can even cling to the under side of a horizontal branch, and an- constantly seen running round the branches and ]>eering into any little n.-\i.-e, precisely after the manner of the ordinary titmice among the birds. They can descend a brunch with their heads downward, instead of lowering themselves tail foremost, as is generally the custom among tree-climbing quadrupeds, and traverse the branches with admirable rapidity and livelim-ss. The YELLOW-FOOTED POUCHED Movsx(Antechini,s) ; pretty little creat- ure, its fur being richly tinted with various pleasing hues. The face, the upper part of the head, and the shoulders are dark gray, diversified with yellow hairs, and the sides of the body are warmed with a wash of bright chestnut. The under parts of the body, the chin, and the throat are uniform white, :m a spe«™n of the Myrmecoblus was accus- tomed to feed on bran, among other substances. It is known that in the wild state it will eat hay as well as the "manna" that exudes from the branches of the eucalypti " very gentle animal in its disposition, as, when captured, it does not bite or scratch, but only vents its displeasure in a series of little grants when it finds that it cannot escape " ™ '* rie8 bUt VeS fr°m five to eiSht- ^ usual habitation of v °f a faUen tree' or' in default of ™ch lodging, > in a hollow m the ground. It is a native of the borders of the Swan River. THERE are very few of the marsupiated animals which are more remarkable for their form, their habits, or their character, than the Opossums of America. They are nearly all admirable climbers, and are assisted in their scan- sorial efforts by their long, prehensile tails, which are covered with scales, through the interstices of which a few short black hairs protrude. The hinder feet are also well adapted for climbing, as the thumb is opposable to the other toes, so that the animal is able to grasp the branch of a tree with considerable force, and to suspend its whole body, together with the additional weight of its prey or its young. The VIRGINIAN, or COMMON OPOS- SUM, is, as its name implies, a native of Virginia, as well as of many other portions of the United States of Amer- ica. In size it equals a tolerably large cat, being rather more than three feet in total length, the head and body measuring twenty-two inches and the tail fifteen. The color of this animal is a grayish-white, slightly tinged with yellow, and diversified by occasional long hairs that are white towards their base, but of a brownish hue towards their points. These brown-tipped hairs are extremely prevalent upon the limbs, which are almost wholly of the brown hue, which also surrounds the eye to some extent. The under fur is comparatively soft and woolly, but the general character of the fur is harsh and coarse. The scaly portion of the tail is white. It is a voracious and destructive animal, prowling about during the hours of darkness, and prying into every nook and corner in hope of finding something that may satisfy the cravings of imperious hunger. Young birds, eggs, the smaller quadrupeds, such as young rabbits, which it eats by the brood at a time, cotton rats, and mice, reptiles of various kinds, and insects, fall victims to the appetite of the Virginian Opossum, which is often not content with the food it finds in the open forests, but must needs insinuate itself into the poultry-yard, and make a meal on the fowls and their eggs. When it has once determined on making such a raid, it can hardly be baffled in its endeavors by any defences except those which consist of stout walls and closely-fitting doors ; for it can climb over any ordinary wall, or thrust itself through any fence, so that there is but little chance of preventing it from making good its entrance into the precincts of the farm yard. —Didelpltys virfflniana. Til 'v.vrif. ::;.:: Its proceedings are ao admirably related by AuduUui. that I -MM do no better than present the ac.-.niiit in his own words. it... ut, Mis of one who baa frequently been un • •>• •uitm-.s ,,f i|1(- h«- tO uniplii' -;ill\ d--pic I- : "Methiiiks I see one at this moment -lowly and cautiously trudging OTW the melting sn,>\\s|.\ the side of an unfre.jiienti-d pond, nosing as it got-* for the fare its ravenous ap|M-tite .Now it ha.s com.- ii|Hin tin- fresh truck of a grouse or hare, and it ruis.-s it- snout and tin- pure air. At length it has decided on it* counte. and it s]x-<>ds onwards at the nite of a man'-, ordinary walk. It .stops and seems at a loss in what direction to pi. for tin- object of its pin-suit lias either taki-n a considerable l.-ap, or has nit backwards U-fon- tin- O|M>ssum entered its tnick. It raises itself up, stands for a while on its hind -feet, liM.ks aiinind, snuffs the air again, and then proceeds ; but now, at the foot of a noble tree, it comes to a full stand. It \\;ilks round tin- has.- of tin- larp- trunk. o\i-r tin- snow-covered root*, and among them finds an aperture, which it at once enters. "Several niinutcs elapse, when it reappears, dragging along a squirrel already deprived of lif«*. with wliirli in its mouth it begins to ascend the tree. Slowly it climbs. The first fork does not seem to suit it, for perhaps it thinks it might there l>e too ojx-nly ex|x>s«-d to the view of some wily foe, and so it proceeds, until it gains a cluster of branches, intertwined with grape-vines, and there composing itself, it twists its tail round one of the twigs, and with its -|i;lip 1,-,-ih d.-molisli,.- ili.- unlucky s,pijn,.l. uhi.-li it holds all ih.- \\hil.- with it-, fore-paws. "The pleasant days of spring have arrived, and the trees vigorously shoot forth their leaves; but the Opossum is almost bare, and seems nearly exhausted by hunger. It visits the margin of creeks, and is pleased to see the young frogs, which afford it a tolerable repast. Gradually the poke-ln-ny and the nettle shoot up, and on their tender and juicy stems it gladly feeds. The matin-calls of the wild turkey-cock di-light the ear of the cunning creat- ure, for it well knows that it will soon hear the female, and trace her to her nest, when it will suck the eggs with delight. •• Travelling through the woods, perhaps on the ground, perhaps aloft, from tree to tree, it hears a cock crow, and its heart swells a.s it remembers the savory food on which it regaled it.self last summer in the neighboring farm-yard. With great care, however, it advances, and at last conceals itself in the very hen-house. "Honest farmer! why did you kill so many crows last winter t aye, and ravens tool Well, you have had your own way of it : but now. hie to the village and procure a store of ammunition, clean your rusty gun, set your traps, and teach your lazy curs to watch the Opossum. There it comes ! The sun is scarcely down, but the appetite of the prowler is here ; hear the screams of one of your best chickens that has been seized by him ! The cun- ning beast is off with it, and nothing now can be done, unless you stand there to watch the fox or the owl, now exulting in the thought that you have killed their enemy and your own friend, the poor crow. That precious hen under which you last week placed a dozen eggs or so, is now deprived of them. The Opossum, notwithstanding her angry outcries and ruffled feathers, has consumed them one by one ; and now, look at the poor bird as she moves across \ our yard ; if not mad, she is at least stupid, for she scratches here and there, calling to her chickens all the while. " All this conies from your shooting crows. Had you been more merciful or more pru- d.-nt. the Opossum might have been kept within the woods, where it would have been satisfied with a squirrel, a young hare, the eggs of a turkey, or the grapes that so profusely adorn the boughs of our forest-trees. But I talk to you in vain. •• Hut suppose the farmer has surprised an Opossum in the act of killing one of his best fowls. His angry feelings urge him to kick the ]xx>r beast, which, conscious of its inability to resist, rolls off like a ball. The more the farmer rages, the more reluctant is the animal to manifest resentment ; at last there it lies, not dead but exhausted, its jaws OJM-H. its tongue extended, its eyes dimmed ; and there it would lie until tin- l«..ttl.- tly should conn* to de{K>nit its eggs, did not its tormentor walk off. ' Surely,' says he to himself, ' the U-ast must U- dead.' 394 HABITS OF THE OPOSSUM. But no, reader, it is only "possuming,' and no sooner has his enemy withdrawn than it grad- ually gets on its legs, and once more makes for the woods." Besides the varied animal diet in which the Opossum indulges, it also eats vegetable sub- stances, committing as much havoc among plantations and fruit-trees as among rabbits and poultry. It is very fond of maize, procuring the coveted food by climbing the tall stems, or by biting them across and breaking them down. It also eats acorns, beech-nuts, chestnuts, and wild berries, while its fondness for the fruit of the "persimmon" tree is almost pro- verbial. While feeding on these fruits it has been seen hanging by its tail, or its hinder paws, gathering the "persimmons" with its fore-paws, and eating them while thus suspended. It also feeds on various roots, which it digs out of the ground with ease. Its gait is usually slow and awkward, but when pursued it runs with considerable speed, though in a sufficiently clumsy fashion, caused by its habit of using the limbs of the right and left side simultaneously in a kind of amble. As, moreover, the creature is plantigrade in its walk, it may be imagined to be anything but elegant in its mode of progress upon the ground. Although it is such an adept at '"possuming," or feigning death, it does not put this ruse in practice until it has used every endeavor to elude its pursuers, and finds that it has no possi- bility of escape. It runs sulkily and sneakingly forward, looking on every side for some con- venient shelter, and seizing the first opportunity of slipping under cover. If chased by a dog, it takes at once to a tree, and unless the dog be accompanied by its master, only climbs to a convenient resting-place, above the limit of the dog's leaping powers, and there sits quietly, permitting the dog to bark itself hoarse, without troubling itself any further about so insignificant an enemy. If, however, as is generally the case, the dog be accompanied by human hunters, the unfortunate Opossum has but little chance of safety. For as soon as the creature is "treed," the quick, sharp bark of the dog conveys to its master the welcome tidings, and he immediately runs towards the point from whence proceeds the well-known voice of his dog. Having reached the position of the enemy, he ascends the tree in chase of the Opossum, which begins to climb towards the highest branches, followed by its pursuing foe. At last it gains the very extremity of some branch, and holds on with tail and claws, while the man endeavors to dislodge it by shaking violently the bough to which it clings. For a time it retains its hold, but is soon wearied by the constant exertion, and falls heavily to the ground, where it is seized and despatched by the expectant dogs. The negroes are especially fond of this sport, and look eagerly forward to the close of the day when they have been promised a '"possum-hunt," as a reward for good conduct. Not only do they very thoroughly enjoy the moonlight sport, with its exciting concomitants, but promise themselves a further gratification, after their return home, in eating the Opossums which have fallen victims to their skill. The flesh of the Opossum is white when cooked, and is considered to be remarkably good, especially when the animal is killed in autumn, for at that time of the year it is extremely fat. Although, from the great accession of fat in the autumn months, it might be thought a hybernating animal, it is found roaming the woods in search of food even in the coldest night of winter. Still, the large amount of fat with which the body is loaded is calculated to give the animal greater powers of resisting hunger and the severity of the weather than would otherwise have been the case, and enables it to thrive upon the comparatively small amount of food which it can obtain during the season of intense cold. It is not a gregarious animal, and even the members of the same family spread themselves widely apart when they are in the open air. The Opossum, although so cunning in many respects, is singularly simple in others. There is hardly any animal which is so easily captured, for it will walk into the rudest of traps, and permit itself to be ensnared by a device at which a rat would look with contempt. Strange mixture of craft and dullness ; and yet one which is commonly found in all creatures, whether men or animals, that only possess cunning and no observance at all. For there are none so prone to entangle themselves in difficulties as the over-artful. They must needs HMUTS Of TlIK <>/>OSSUX. travel through crooked l>\.- «a\s, instead of following the open roa1 under them- selves stupidly iiiul sinuously inti. ii.-edless jH-ril. from which their craftiness sometimes extri- cates them, it is true, l>ut in it \\ithout niin-h anxiety and apprehension. When «•: 1 1. 1 in.-. I it i- .-.i-ih 1. 1 in. -I. :tii.| f:. IN in'., ill.- lial'it of domestication with fFeal MM, It is, however, in it \.-r\ agreeable as a domestic romjianion, as it is gifted with a powerful :uii>ossuni is assist"! by her fore-feet, which an- well adapted for dicing. The nest itself is composed of long moss and various dried leaves. Sometime* the creature has been known to usurp the domicile of some other animal, not without suspicion of having previously devoured the rightful owner. On one occasion a hunter sent a rifle-ball tlmm-h a -.parrel's nest, which was placed at some forty feet from the ground, and was surprised to see an Opossum fall dead on the ground. This creature has also U-.-n KM. >un |Q p., -- .•-- it-.-lf ,,f ill.- \\arm n.-t ..f il,.- Kl..ii.|:i rat. When the young of the Opossum are born, they are transferred by the mother to her cradle-jHHich, where they remain for some weeks. From repeated experiments that have been made on this animal, it is found that the transfer is made on the fifteenth day after the youiu; have l»een called into existence, and that at that ]>eriod they only weigh four grains, their total length lieing under an inch, tin- tail included. Their numl>er is from thirteen to fifteen. After they are placed in the pouch their growth is wonderfully rapid, for in seven days they have gained so much substance as to weigh thirty grains ; and even at this early period of their .•\i-i.-ii. >• tl'.-ir t.iil- .'\iiil.it i!i.- prehensile caijwcity, :in.I are "fi-n f.-imd .-..il.-.l r«un.l each other's bodies. In four weeks the little Opossums have gained sufficient Htrength to put their heads out of the pouch, and at the end of the fifth week they are able to leave it entirely for a short time. Very great trouble was required in order to ascertain these particulars, as it was found that the Opossum was in the habit of hiding herself in her den until she had placed her young in the pouch, so that it was needful to search the cavity for these concealed females, and to watch their proceedings by night and day, without intermission. There are one or two circumstances in connection with this subject that are well worthy of attention. The young Opossums are not, as has been often asserted, mere helpless lumps of animated substances, without sense or power of determinate action, but are wonderfully active in pro- portion to their minute size and their undeveloped state. If placed upon a table, they can crawl about its surface, and are sufficiently hardy to retain life for several hours after th.-ir removal from the warm cradle in which their tender bodies were shielded from harm, and the maternal fount which poured a constant stream of nourishment into th.-ir tiny systems. Another singular circumstance is. that when they are first placed in the pouch, they are Mind and deaf, the eyes and ears being closed, and not opened until many days have elapsed. With partial blindness at the time of birth we are all familiar in the persons of kittens, puppies, and other little animals, but that the tender young of the Opossum should be deaf as well as blind, is truly singular. It appears that in the case of the kitten or puppy, the presence of light and the action of the atmosphere are needed in order to withdraw the obstacles that oUtrii.-! ih.- sens,- ,,f vision. In th-- young Opossum. hoWWTW, it MflOM M,:,i the action of the atmosphere is needed in order to render the ears sensitive to the sounds that are transmitted through its mediumship, but that in most cases the little creature requires the f Iteht until the time comes for it to open its eyes as well as its ears. What length of time elapses between the period of transmission into the j>ouch and the il owning of eyes and ears is not I believe, as yet clearly ascertained, and would furnish an interesting subject for investigation. I would also suggest that the blood of the young animal be carefully examined in three of its stages, viz., just before it is born, immediately 396 THE CRAB-EATING OPOSSUM. after being placed in the pouch, and after the period when the eyes and ears are opened, in order to ascertain whether any important change, chemical or otherwise, has been made in that liquid by the double action of air and light. THE order which embraces the pouched animals, called in systematic language Marsupials, from the Latin, marsupium, a pouch, is well nigh peculiar to that far-away and almost wholly strange country, Australasia. With the notable exception of our Virginia Opossum and a few species of the same genus in South America, the Marsupials are confined to the latter country. Wallace records three genera and twenty -three species of the family Didelphyidce. The species are most numerous in Brazil. The North American Opossum ranges from the Hudson River to Florida. The skins of the Opossum are now of considerable commercial value. The prehensile tail of this animal is well illustrated in the two engravings. THE CRAB- EATING OPOSSUM is not so large an animal as the Virginian Opossum, being only thirty or thirty -one inches in total length, the head and body measuring sixteen inches, and the tail fifteen. It can also be distinguished from the preceding animal by the darker hue of its fur, the attenuated head, and the uni- formly colored ears, which are generally black, but are sometimes of a yellowish tint. The fur of the Crab- eating Opossum is long, and though rather woolly in tex- ture, is harsh to the touch. From the peeuliar coloring of the long hairs that pro- trude through the thick, close, woolly fur that lies next to the skin, the general tinting of its coat appears rather uncertain, and varies according to the portion which happens to be ex- posed to view at the time. These hairs are nearly white towards their base, but dark- en into sooty-black towards their extremities. The limbs and feet are black, and the head is a brownish-white. There is generally an indis- tinct dark line drawn over the forehead. The tail is covered with scales, interspersed with short hairs, and its basal half is black, the remainder being of a grayish-white. For the first three inches of its length it is densely clothed with sooty -black fur of the same tint as that upon the back, and the remainder of its length is covered with scales and short hair. The Crab-eating Opossum is peculiarly fitted for a residence on trees, and is never seen to proper advantage except when traversing the boughs, or swinging among the branches by means of its peculiarly prehensile tail. While it is engaged in its arboreal wanderings, it rKAB-EATIiNU OPOSSUM.— Philander cancrivorus. THK Y A POCK OPOSSUM. always takes care to twine its tail firmly round tin- nearest object that la capable of affording a firm hold, ami thus N...-UIVS itself air.iinst any unfortunate slip of its paws. On the level ground its pace is slow, and its gait awkward. It is however, seldom seen upon the ground, as it is unw illing to forego the advantages of its arboreal residence, except for tin- pur[HiM- of obtaining food. Like the Virginian Opossum, it feeds chiefly 011 animal food, such as the smaller mammalia, birds, reptiles, and injects, and is so fond of crustacea, that it has been called the Crab-eater from that predilec- tion. As the crabs and other crustaceans on which it feeds are usually found upon low and marshy soils, the Crab-eating O]M>ssum is in the habit of frequenting such localities, and may generally be found in their neighborhood. This animal is held in some estimation, as furnishing an agreeable meal to those who care for such diet, and its flesh is said by the initiated to resemble that of the hare. The young of the Crab-eating Opossum are, during their days of infancy, colored very differently from the adult animal When first they are born, they are entirely naked, but when they are large enough to leave the pouch, they are clothed with short silken hairs of a b'ight chestnut brown, which, after a while, fades into the dark brownish-black of the full-grown animal. In all cases the tinting of the fur is rather variable. The Crab-eating Opossum is found very numerously in the Brazils, and is spread over the whole of tropical America. LAST, and most singular of this group of animals, is the YAPOCK OPOSSUM, a creature which, abandoning the arboreal life in which its relations so min-h delight, shifts its residence to the river-banks, and passes an existence almost wholly aquatic. It is a curious looking animal, and even by the bold markings with which its fur is diversified, is easily distinguishable from any other Opossum. Upon the coat of this animal, the two contrasting hues of gray and sooty-black are so nearly balanced that it is almost impossible to choose either of them as the ground tint and the other as the accessory. YAPOCK OF08.SUH.-fV PHOCID^E; COMMON SEALS. E now arrive at a very wonderful series of animals, which, although they breathe atmospheric air like other mammalia, are yet almost entirely aquatic in their habits, and are never seen except in the water or its immediate vicinity. The first family of these aquatic mammalia is that which is formed of the animals which are popularly known by the name of SEALS. The structure of their bodies shows that the Seals are intended to pass the greater portion of their existence in the water, for the body is elongated, and formed very much like that of a fish, while the limbs and feet are so modified that they greatly resemble fins, and are put to the same use. In order to protect their bodies from the debilitating action of the element in which they live, they are thickly covered with a double fur, which, when immersed in water, is pressed tightly to the skin, and effectually throws off the moisture. In some Seals this fur is extremely valuable, and is largely employed as an article of commerce. The fur itself is kept constantly lubricated with a fatty matter secreted by the skin, and is thus rendered water- proof. The more effectually to defend the animal from the icy cold water in which it is often immersed, and from the ice-fields on which it loves to climb, a thick layer of fat is placed immediately below the skin, and being an excellent non-conductor of heat, serves to retain the internal heat through the severest cold. All the fat of the body seems to be pressed into this service, as there is comparatively little of the internal fat that is usually found plentifully in the mammalia. Aided by the imperfectly developed limbs, the Seals are able to leave the water and to ascend the shore, where they are capable of proceeding with no small rapidity, though in a sufficiently awkward manner, their gait partaking equally of the character of a shuffle and a crawl. When moving in a direct line, without being hurried, they bend their spine in such a manner as to give them the appearance of huge caterpillars crawling leisurely along the ground ; the spine is extremely flexible, so that the animal can urge itself through the water in a manner very similar to that which is employed by the fish. Their clumsy, scuttling movements when on land form a curious contrast with the easy grace of their progress through the water. When the Seals swim, they drive themselves for- ward by means of their hinder feet, which are turned inward, and pressed against each other so as to form a powerful leverage against the water, as well as a rudder, by means of which they can direct their progress. They are also assisted in some measure by the fore-limbs, but these latter members are more employed upon land than in water, except perhaps for the pur- pose of grasping their young. On reference to the skeleton of the Seal, shown on page 369, the peculiar formation of the Seal's limbs will be better understood than by the expenditure of a page of actual description alone. When they desire to leave the water, they rush violently towards the shore, and by the force of their impulse shoot themselves out of the water, and scramble up the bank as fast as they can. On taking again to the water, they shuffle to the edge of the bank, and tumble themselves into the sea or river in a very unceremonious manner, gliding away as if rejoicing that they were once more in their proper element. The food of the Seals consists chiefly of fish, but they also feed largely upon various Crustacea, and upon mollusks. Their powers of swimming are so great that they are able to SEALS. •< Unsuccessful chase of the fish even in their n:iti\.- element, ami it has several limes hapjiened thai captive Seals have U«en trained to catch tish for the service of th.-ir owners. Tlr Iv-r" hairs: im-h thick and long, aixl in many species are marked with I Minions margin, which gives them the appearan 4 I- • red with knobs. Tin ii i..i>.i! • MraohiMttN Donnected with -.< led — f tagi Mr?M, rialku i-- ih" — f tbc Ikm'i lip. whi.-li ha* already U-en figured on page 120, and it in very probable that this structure may aid them in the capture of th.-ir fumy prey. The sense ..f smell is larg.lv devdo|»ed, and the ton-ue is rouirh. ami slightly cleft at its extremity ; the rea.son for this structure is not known. Tin- bra in of the Seal i- v.-r\ large in projxirtion tect»-d from this circumstance, tin- creature is extremely intelligent, ami is cajmble of liecoiiiing very d»<-ile when placed under the tuition of a careful instructor. The eyes are large, full, and intelligent, and the nostrils are HO formed that they can be effectually Honed while the crea- ture is submerged beneath the surface of the water, and opened as soon as it rises for the purpo«» of n>s]iir.ition. At every breath the nostrils open widely, and seem to <•!<>*<• a^ain l>\ in ians ,f the • i -ii' :' v of thf sulistanottol which thej an1 ' • 'inj •••-•< i 'I'll.- ears nn- :(!-•• fur nished with a |N-euliar structure for the pur]x>se of ii-sistini; the entnince of water. The true S««al8 are found only in the sea, and at the mouths of various la rye rivers, and are wonderfully abundant in the polar regions. None of them are known to inhabit the tropical jurts of the earth. S.-vi-ral sjHTies occur upon our ov\ n shores, more esjNrially on the more northern coast-, ami the common Seal, Phoca ritiilinn, is found in yreat numl>ers around the north-Til shores. The teeth <-f thii Seals an- very remarkable, and admirably adapted for seizing and retain- ing the slippery prey. The canine teeth are long, sharp, and powerful, and the molar t.-eih are covered with lony and -harp points of various sizes, so that when once caught in the gripe of thes,- formidable wcajxins, there is but scant hope of escajie for the lish. The >.-aN a if not very prolific animals ; the number of their young family bein-r seldom more than two. and often iv-iiii-ied to a single offspring. AS the yi.un- Seals would be unable, during the earlier portion of their existence, to battle with the sea waves, and to cling firmly to their parent while she afforded them their needful nourishment, the mother Seal retire* to the shores when she is called upon to take upon herself the pleasing cares of maternity, and cherishes her young for a season on land, l>efore she ventures to commit them to the waves. Owing to the excessive shyness of disposition which characterize the Seals, and the wary caution with which they retire from the sight of mankind, their domestic habits are very little known. Indeed, were it not that many sjiecimens of the common S*«al had l>een captured and tamed, we should have but little information on the manners or the habits of those curious animals. There are many species of Seals, which have been separated into various p-neni by different authors upon different grounds. Some, for example, found the generic distinction upon the alnence or presence of external ears, others from the incisor teeth, and others from the molars and the i^-nenil character of the skull. The ORDER which includes the Seals is named P/«////«'//«/, from the wing-like feet, com- mon to all the s]»-«'ies; •• Flii.]»ers " they are called by the "toilers of the sea." Though inhabiting the sea, these creatures are air-breathing mammals. A view of the skeletons of a Seal, a whale, and a hind quadruped gives one at mice the true relationship. It is the exterior that is modified to suit the natural surroundings of the animals. Seals are not numerous a- sjH-cies ; not over thirty have lieen recorded. Two species are found in the West India Islands ; tin- remainder are confined to the colder JH.H ion of the glol*-. Seals .:>.• ad ;)•••: to .1 certain BKteBl Ed l'"'"iii'.:i"ii .MI l.,ii. I I'he mus< |es i,| the •< unk are enormously d'-velojM-d. to aid the weaker anatomy of the extremities. Amp!.- op]»ortiinity is offered to witness the progression of these creatures in public collections. Tliey bear con- finement much letter than most animals, requiring little water : thriving well with the meagre supply afforded them in the tanks of the showmen, and fresh water seems all sufficient. Their movement on land is laltorious. and reminds one of the inch-worm, as it hitches aloni;. placing its fore- feet forward, and then quickly drawing the hinder extremities under its U-dy f,,r another spring. 400 THE SEA LEOPARD. All forms of pinnipeds are voracious to a great extent, spending a large portion of their time in securing food. It is a curious circumstance that the Seals, though so intensely solid and heavy, are known to sleep on the surface of the sea. They are singularly tender, and easily deprived of life. A smart blow on the nose completely disables them. The Seal-fishers take advantage of this fact, and are able to secure considerable numbers before the herd can disperse. The nasal bones of the Seals are quite delicate in structure. The skull is thinner than any of the carnivora, which may account for the peculiar vulnerability at this point. Even the ancients knew of this : a passage in Oppian says: "Nan 7iami penetrant phocas." The voice of a Seal is something like the bleating of a young lamb or kid. There were a dozen or more wild Seals (Phoca mtulina) brought to the New York Aquarium in the winter of 1877. The keeper, we noticed, handled them very familiarly, yet while doing so, they snarled, and seized the staff which he held with a good deal of savageness, and kept up a sort of growling, which very closely resembled the voice of a cross dog. Seals are said to be fond of music, and well authenticated instances are recorded of their showing a manifest liking for it. Sir Walter Scott adds his testimony : "Rude Heiskar's Seals, through surges dark, Will long pursue the minstrel's bark." The breeding of Seals in the Arctic regions is accomplished under the deep snow that covers frozen seas. The adults contrive to keep open a passage through the ice, and around the hole the snow is cleared off, leaving a shelf large enough to hold the litter of young. Here the little creatures remain until they are able to take to the water, when, strange to say, they are taught to swim. It was formerly thought that Seals were so organized they could remain indefinitely under water. It is now thought that the faculty is purely through a phys- iological adaptation. We see how man can endure the extremes of heat and cold. A case nearer to the point is that of the girl who was employed in the New York Aquarium ; she practiced remaining under water until it was possible to do so for the space of three minutes. The importance of the Seal-fishery is very great to several of the nations. The term PTiocidce, applied to the family, is from Phoca, a Sea-calf, a term used by the ancients. It embraces all of the so-called Common Seals. The other family includes a num- ber of forms that have external ears, and are named Otariidce, from that circumstance. Among other more or less important features that distinguish the Common Seals from the Eared Seals is the arrangement of the hind limbs. In the former the limbs are directed back- ward, and are useless as members on land. In the latter these limbs are movable in all direc- tions, like those of the land animals, and serve them in locomotion on land ; in this function suggesting a higher rank in the scale of life. THE SEA LEOPARD, or LEOPARD SEAL, is distinguishable from the other Seals by means of its comparatively slender neck, and the wider gape of its mouth, which opens further back- ward than is generally the case among these animals. The body is rather curiously formed, being slender at the neck and largest towards the middle, from whence it tapers rapidly to the short and inconspicuous tail. The fore-paws are without any projecting membrane, and are largest at the thumb-joint, diminishing gradually to the last joint. The claws are sharp and curved, and rather deeply grooved ; their color is black. The hind-feet are devoid of claws and projecting membrane, and bear some resemblance to the tail-fin of a fish. The color of this Seal is generally a pale gray on the upper portions of the body, relieved with a number of pale grayish-white spots which have earned for the animal the name of Leopard Seal. The external ears are w.-intin^ It may be observed in this place, that the situation of these organs is rather remarkable. The external orifice is not placed exactly over the passage that leads to the internal ear, but is situated below and a little behind the eyes, so that there is a tubular puss;i»v below the skin that seems to conduct the waves of sound towards the hidden organs of hearing. Partly on THE 8BA LEOPARD. KM mi of this strurtun\ and j-arth U-.-aus.- the >.-aU |«as SO much <.f tlu-ii titn.- IM-IHM- -uif:i., ,,f tin- water, it lia-* IN-I-H SIIPINKKHI that the aenae of hearing will lie little needed by tip-in, ami that it is imt .it all acute. \<\. an\ on,- \\lio lias lx-.'ii accustoms! to diving must haxe «! •! that when the body is entin-h submerged in tin- water, tin- auditoi \ ..i^ms are very sensitive to sounds which an- ruim-xisl tlinxi^li tin- \\at«-i. although n«'t to those whirh an- |iiiMluo«l on land and an- only ti-.iii-iiiittfd thnniKh tin- upiH-r atnio>|.|i.-iv. 1 uple, although wh<>n a man IN .-ntin-ly suliiiu-ru''', nil- almost juiinfully s«-nsitivc to any sound that is |UIM|IH-I-<{ in tin- \\nt«'rand SBA LK»PAI(I> If is ti-insinitt^l throuirh its mexlinmship. A stone thrown into the water, or a blow strurk 11 1 Km its surface, is heard with perfect distinctness, while the measured stroke of oare and th.-ir i»H-uliar irriiidiiiu' n>ll in the rowlocks become perceptible to his ears lonjf l^efore the sound isaudil)!'- to tlio^,- \\ho an- on land. \V,- must U- extremely «-aiitioiis in offering any conjectures on the supposed eHi< it-n<-y or dullness of certain oii::m- l»-<-aus.- «-•• fam-y that if we w«-n> placed under tlu- S.-IIIH- i-oiiditions our own organs would serve or fail us. In many rases these conjectur.il asM-nioiis. am-.tii: uhioh we may reckon many of Buffon's hrilliant distjuisitions, are found to !*• in - r:i],T;iin \V.-dd.'lL U!L. t'u-t notir.Ml il.i- s,..,-i.-s. s|-.:,Us ,,f ii easnally as a well-known animal, merely mentioning that his men raiiirht so many I^n«inl Seals, or that they secured so many s«-al skins and so many Leopard Seal skins in the course of their hunt. 402 THE CRESTED SEAL. It does not appear to be a very large animal, as the average length of the largest speci- mens is scarcely ten feet. Around the largest part of the body, the circumference measures nearly six feet and a half, round the root of the tail about two feet three inches, and round the neck barely two feet. It was recorded by Captain Weddell to have been seen off the South Orkneys. Some specimens in the British Museum were taken off the eastern coast of Polynesia. As far as is yet known, these animals are only found in the Southern hemisphere. THE CEESTED SEAL is a very curious animal, being chiefly remarkable for the singular structure to which it is indebted for its title. The head of the Crested Seal is broad, especially across the cranial region, and the muzzle is very short in comparison with that of the preceding animal. The teeth are also rather CRESTED SEAL.— Cystopliara cristata. remarkable. The wonderful protuberance which decorates the head of this species with a projecting crest is confined to the adult males, and even in them is not always conspicuously elevated. It is slightly represented in the figure. In the females and the young of both sexes it is hardly perceptible. Prom the muzzle arises a cartilaginous crest, which rises abruptly over the head to the height of six or seven inches, and is keel-shaped in the middle. This crest seems to support the hood-like sac or cowl which covers the head, and is nothing but an extraordinary develop- ment of the septum of the nose, the true nostril opening at each side of it by oblong fissures. The sac is covered with short brown hair, and as it can be inflated or allowed to collapse at the pleasure of the owner, it presents a very grotesque sight. The real object of this appendage is not known. Some writers lean to the opinion that it is intended to aid in some manner the sense of smell. This conjecture, however, seems to be worthless, as in that case the females and the young would equally need its assistance with the adult males. Whatever may be the true purport of this crest, it is frequently of great service to the animal in moments of danger. It is well known that the Seals are peculiarly sensitive about the region of the nostrils, and that a comparatively slight blow upon the nose will suffice to stun a Seal that would be but little affected by the heaviest blows upon any other portion of its body. The Crested Seal, however, finds his air-filled helmet of truly invaluable service to him in deadening the force of any stroke that may be aimed at his nose ; for, as has already THE CRESTED SEAL. been mention.-d. the nostrils are not placed at the extremity of the mu/y.lc. hut U|N,U each side of il, and are coiis,,|uenll\ prot.-ct.-d l.\ the <.\ crhaiiirim; head. It has oft. -a hap]««-ned that when tin- Seal hunters have IH-.-H engaged in the pursuit of their prey, they have laid several of tin-*, animal- to all ap|>eanmcc senseless on the ground, auaiting ihe strike i. f the knife that -hall complete tin- \ ictory . Tin- :initiials. however, are 1-iit slightly stunned, ami recovering from their t«-nij>oniry swoon, return to the conflict with such uiic\|.e«-ti-d ein-!x'\ iliat ili. ir a-siilant.s are forci-d to have recourse tl\ \*< \\i-rful. and can inflict very danp'rons wounds. In ti^htiiu;, th«-y can IIM«« tlit-ir claws a.s well as th. ir t«-»-th. Tin- males arc always ])iipinctous aiiimals, and during the .S.MS..U \\ht-n th.-y dnNisi- their mates are in the habit of H^itint: de>jnT.it«-ly among each other fur the pows-sioii of some attnicti\e fi-male, and in thes»« coml>ats inflict wvert* luotrutions. During thes*' conflicts tlu> two • •omlutants .-\|,|,-- tlieir nuitiial rap- l>\ emitting a torrent of loud, pawtionatf, yellini: screams, which are audible at a coiisideral)le distance. It is a jMilviramoiis animal, one male ruling over a small herd of wives. The fur of this animal is of some value, and great numlnrs of these -kin- are annually imported into KUII>IN-. \\hen- they are ustnl for various purpose*. To the Ureenlander this S«-.il is of incalculable value, as he makes use of almost .-v.-ry jMirtiou of it« botly as well as of its skin, of the fur he makes his thick, oohl-resisting costume, and with the nkin he covers those wonderful little boats in which lie braves the fun of the (Mttm in Miin'h of ':.-..]•,:•:.• quarry. Of the stomach h<> makes air buoys, which he fastens to his lunces, and which indi- cate tin- ]Misition of any Seal or other animal that he may strike, and also nerve to tire the \\ounded prey, and enable the hunter to repeat his blow. Even the teeth are pressed into his •nice, a IP I an- ' i — i JLS convenient heads for hi- s^-ars. In the preparation of the Seal skin for civilized nations it is needful to remove the long coarse hairs, and to leave only the soft woolly fur adherent to the skin. The process la very simple. coiiM-tini: in heating the skin, and then scraping it while hot with a wooden knife. The color of this creature's fur is, when adult, a dark blue-black upon the Inu-k. failing to a yellowish-white on the under portions of the body. A number of large gray patches are irregularly scattered over the body, and in the centre of each patch there is a dark spot. The head, the tail, and the feet, are black. In the young animal the colors are not of the same cast, being during the first year of a slate-gray ujxm the back and silvery -white below, darkening in th.- -,-, ,.n.l \.-ar in a l>i"uni-!i _'i:i\ :i|..n_' tin- -pin.-. It is a moderately large animal, being from ten to twelve feet in length when adult, and stout in proportion. The Crested Seal is found spread over the coasts of Southern Greenland, and is in the habit of reposing much upon ice islands, caring conijwnitively little for ordinary hind. It also frequents the shores of Northern America. From September to March it is found in Davis'- Stmits. l.ut leaves that locality for the purpose of producing and rearing its young, and returns again in June, together with its offspring, in a very bare and poor condit ion. About .July it takes another excursion, and employs its time in recovering the health and strength which it had lost during the period of its former absence, so that in September it is very fat, and altogether in excellent condition. By the native (Jn-enlanders it is termed " Neitsersoak." The natives of the localities which are inhabited by this animal are in the habit of employing two methods for their rapture, the one being only a question of patience between the man and the Seal, and the other a fair measurement of human reason against sealish sagacity ; the former generally, but not always, proving the superior. The two modes are as follows : The Seals are in the habit of making, or pre--r\ in:: in some way. certain round holes in the ice, which communicate with the water, and which serve them as doors through which they can enter or leave the water without being forced to crawl to the edge of the ice-field. It 404 THE SEAL. seems wonderful that the animals should be able to crawl up the steep and perpendicular sides of these holes, which are sometimes three or four feet in depth, but they manage to perform this feat with entire ease. Taking advantage of these Seal-holes, the hunter shapes his course towards them, and according to the locality or the bent of his own genius, has recourse to one or other of the established methods by which Seals are killed. The easiest, but at the same time the tardiest and stupidest plan, is to build a kind of barricade of snow and ice at some distance from the Seal-holes, and to lie there concealed until the animal emerges from the sea, and makes its appearance upon the ice-field. As soon as it has travelled to. some little distance from its spot of refuge, the hunter seizes the opportunity to inflict a fatal wound, and then uses his best endeavors to prevent his powerful prey from regaining its familiar element. Should the Seal ever reach the ice-hole, the entire labor of the day is lost, for the unsuc- cessful hunter is not only disappointed by the escape of his intended victim, but has also the mortification of seeing every Seal upon the ice-field scouring towards the ice-holes, and disap- pearing therein, no more to venture upon open ice that day. The second mode of Seal killing is much more sportsman-like, and needs not the long and wearisome watch behind the ice barrier. Leaving his sledge and dogs at a distance, but within convenient call, the cautious hunter takes his weapons, and proceeds silently and slowly towards the spot where he sees a Seal reposing itself upon the ice. As soon as he perceives the animal to betray signs of distrust, he drops prostrate upon the ice, and remains motionless until the Seal recovers from its alarm, and again composes itself to rest. From this moment, the man is obliged to cast away all human habits and movements, and while lying prostrate on the ice to imitate the actions of a Seal. Taking care to remain motionless whenever he sees the Seal looking in his direction, he creeps gradually towards his intended prey, in hopes of getting between the ice-hole and the Seal, in which case the death of the latter is almost inevitable. If, however, the relative position of man, Seal, and ice-hole be such that this manoeuvre becomes impossible, the hunter contrives to crawl up to the sleeping Seal, and with a single blow lays it lifeless upon the ice. The Crested Seal, or Hooded Seal, has been until quite lately misrepresented with respect to its peculiar nasal development. The latter is known to be a prolongation of the snout, much as in the Elephant Seal. Therefore, the figures given should not have the enlargement on the head, but it should be represented as protruding from the 'end of the nose. The adult males only have it. A fine example is in the American Museum of Natural History, in Central Park, measur- ing about twelve feet in length. The female is also there. THE COMMON SEAL is spread very widely over many portions of the globe, and is of very frequent occurrence upon our own coasts, where it is found in considerable numbers, much to the annoyance of the fishermen, who look upon it with intense hatred, on account of the havoc which it makes among the fish. It is rather a handsome animal, with its beautifully mottled skin and large intelligent eyes, and although not so large as other species which are also found upon our coasts, yields to none of them in point of beauty. The color of its fur is generally of a grayish-yellow, sprinkled with spots of brown, or brownish-black, which are larger and more conspicuous along the back than upon the sides. The under portions of the body are of a much lighter hue. The feet are short, and the claws of the hinder feet are larger than those of the anterior limbs. The total length of the adult Seal is seldom more than five feet, the head being about eight or nine inches long. This creature is wonderfully active both in water and on land, although its bodily powers are but awkwardly manifested when it is removed from the watery element in which it loves to roam. It is a persevering hunter of fish, chasing and securing them in a manner that greatly excites the wrath of the fishermen, who see their best captives taken away from them without riVITY OF THE SEAL. MM the possibility of resistance. So cunning as well aa active is the Common Seal, that one of these animals will coolly hung about the tithing groundii throughout the season, make itself f:iinili:n with all the turn- :ui make a meal. A crafty old Siil will sometimes continue this predatory mode of existence f< >r a series of years, until his person !»•<•, .m.-s familiar to tin- fishermen, and will cany nut his depredations with such coii-ummate -kill that tin- fishermen con find no opportunity for stopping his career with a rifle -!>• il- ha\.- IN-.-H known in this manner to haunt tin- salmon iMi.-i-i--- a- l"ii_ a- the n.-t- were down, and ivhaB 'ii- ti |J|| HMM VM QflVf Md MhtBOti hoeen removed, have been seen to ascend the rivers for some miles, in order to devour the span ning ti-h. There is a curious tnulition among the inhabitants of the Irish coast respecting the Seal, which constantly haunts the same sjtot through a series of may years. They think that the animal is sujieniutiirally protected from harm of any kind ; — that bullets will not strike him. however well the gun l*> aimed ; that steel will not enter his IMH|V. however keen the blade, or however strong the arm that urge- it ; and that the long army of nets ore powerless to retain HO puissant u Iieing in their manifold meshes. So after a while a Seal, if lie U- only Uild and wary, may lead a luxurious life at the tishermen's cost, for no one will \eiitiiiv to attack an animal that U-ars a charmed life. Fortunately for the Seals in general, they are not often visited by the wrath of those whom they r<>).. for there is a feeling prevalent among many fishermen that to kill a Seal is unlucky, ami that such a deed would prevent the murderer from obtaining any more success at sea. This humane idea seems, however, to extend no further than the regular fishing grounds, for the chase of the Seal has long taken its place among the most valuable of commercial -pecula- tions, and is of extreme inijiortance. The general mode of securing these creatures is to hind quietly, and to cut off the return of the terrified animals, which are quickly desjMitehed by smart blows from a bludgeon across ili.-ir no-e. Wli.'ii i|ii\«-u ID dCJpeJBtfcn, they iLiM savagely, and ;i single >--:il N no mean ania^i>ni-t for a man. provttM iliai !:•• i- n-.t a powtfoa] Bed liuui.-i The cn-siture has an awkward way of lying on .its side, shuffling rapidly along, and scratching furiously with its fore-paws. And if its antagonist should endeavor to cut off its retreat, it will boldly fling itself upon him, and endeavor by the violence of its onset to bear him to the ground. Should the beach be composed of pebbles or shingles, it is the hunter's best policy to face the animal, and trust to his cudgel for stunning the Seal as it comes along. For when the Seal is galloping along the beach after its own rapid but awkward fashion, it flings the stones behind it with such violence that the pursuer can hardly escape from receiving severe blows from these strangely-launched missiles. Some writers supjxjse that the Seal uses this mode of defence wittingly, but the general opinion on the subject is, that the peculiar gait of the animal is the cause of this Parthian assault, without any voluntary intention on the part of the Seal it-elf. On our coasts the chase of the Seal is but of local importance, but on the shore of New- foundland it assumes a different aspect, and becomes an important branch of commercial enterprise, employing many vessels annually. In a successful season the number of Seals which are taken amount to many hundred thousand. A large quantity of oil is obtained from the bodies of the Seals, and is used for various purposes, while their skins are of considerable value either when tanned into leather or when prepared with the fur, and used for making various articles of dress and luxury. On the British coasts Seal-shooting is much followed, and is thought to be a very exciting pursuit, requiring much steadiness of nerve as well as strength of body and quickness of eye. So quick is the animal in its movements, that with the old flint-lock guns the sportsman could seldom succeed in killing a Seal ; for at the flash of the powder in the pan the Seal would instantly dive below the surface, leaving the bullet to speed harmlessly over its head. With the present weapons the Seal may be readily killed, provided that the hunter be able to take a rapid and certain aim in spite of the rocking of his boat or the movements of the SeaL 406 AFFECTIONATE NATURE OF THE SEAL. It is no easy matter to hit a Seal, even at the short range of a hundred yards, for the creature exposes but little of its person above the surface of the water, and if alarmed, does not remain exposed for more than a few seconds. It is very tenacious of life, and requires a heavy missile to kill it upon the spot, the ordinary "pea rifles" being of little use for such a purpose. Should the Seal not be killed immediately, the sportsman will never obtain possession of his prey, and even when a well directed shot has instantaneously deprived the animal of life, it will often sink out of reach unless struck by a barbed fish-spear, which should always be kept in readiness for that purpose. Much sea-craft is required for the chase of the Seal, as well as considerable knowledge of the animal and its habits. It is a remarkable fact that if the Seal be disturbed while the tide is ebbing, it will always make its way seawards ; but that if it be alarmed while the tide is flowing, it will direct its course towards the land. The Seal is also a good natural barometer, and by its movements indicates to a practised eye the forthcoming changes in the weather. Whenever an old Seal is seen rolling and tumbling along a bank, a storm of wind and rain is sure to ensue before many hours have passed. This species of Seal, in common with several others, is mightily fond of musical soiinds, and has often been known to follow a boat while some one was playing on a musical instru- ment. Some persons say that the Seal-shooters ought always to be accompanied by a piper in order to induce the Seals to approach, and assert that the animals prefer the sound of the bagpipes to that of any other instrument, an assertion which, if true, only shows that the Seal must be in the very earliest stage of musical feeling. The Common Seal is very easily tamed, and speedily becomes one of the most docile of animals, attaching itself with strong affection to its human friends, and developing a beauti- fully gentle and loving nature, hardly to be expected in such an animal. Many of these creatures have been taken when young, and have been strongly domesticated with their captors, considering themselves to belong of right to the household, and taking their share of the fireside with the other members of the family. An interesting account of a tame Seal was lately sent to the Field newspaper, and runs as follows : " If taken young and treated kindly, the Seal will rival the dog in sagacity and affection for its master. " When a boy, I was presented by some fishermen with one apparently not more than a fortnight old, which in a few weeks became perfectly tame and domesticated, would follow me about, eat from my hand, and showed immistakable signs of recognition and attachment whenever I approached. It was fond of heat, and would lie for hours at the kitchen fire, raising its head to look at every new-comer, but never attempting to bite, and would nestle close to the dogs, who soon became quite reconciled to their new friend. " Unfortunately the winter after I obtained it was unusually rough and stormy. Upon the wild coasts boats could seldom put to sea, and the supply of fish became scanty and precarious. We were obliged to substitute milk in its place, of which the Seal consumed large quantities, and as the scarcity of other food still continued, it was determined, in a family council, that it should be consigned to its own element, to shift for itself. " Accompanied by a clergyman who took a great interest in my pet, I rowed out for a couple of miles to sea, and dropped it quietly overboard. Very much to our astonishment, however, we found that it was not so easy to shake it off. Fast as we pulled away it swam still faster after the boat, crying all the time so loudly that it might easily have been heard a mile away, and so pitifully that we were obliged to take it in again and bring it home, where, after this new proof of attachment, it lived in clover for several months, and I believe might still be in existence but for the untimely fate which most pets are doomed sooner or later to experience, and to which this one was no exception." A somewhat similar story is told in Maxwell's "Wild Sports of the West," where may be found a very interesting and touching narrative of a tamed Seal, which lived for several years with a family, and which, although it was repeatedly taken out to sea in a boat and thrown overboard, always found its way back again to the house which it loved, DOCILITY OF THE 8EM.. 407 e\en •••nitm iiii: to .-I,-,-], through an open window, and to gain aooem to the worm fireside. Ill- end of this poor creature was * sadly tragic one, and need not IM- narrated here. In tin- s;ime \\nrk is a MTV spirited account of another Seal adventure, in whirh the ludicrous element pirvails, although it might have furnished material for tragedy. A numU-r of rn.-ii had gone in a boat to the Sound of Arhil, and having seen a Seal and )>• r \" ;• |«>sing on the sand, had borrowed un old musket, and set off to attack them. The\ sucre.-ded iii securing the rub l>efore it roil Id rearh the sea, and tossed it into their boat. 'I'll.- mother Seal, however, inspired by maternal love, swam after the l>oat whirh contained h«*r olTsprinir. and roiilil not l>e deterred from following the raptors in the hope of rescuing her child. Tin- nifii attempted several times to shoot the jxmr rreature, but their rickety weapon «oii!d not explode until it had been several times finitely snaj>]>ed. At last, however, it per- formed it- duty, and lodged the ball in the Sea I'd head. The Ixtdy was immediately lifted into the l>oat, when, to the horror of the raptors, the animal, which was only -t mined, recovered its senses, and began a most furious attack ii|K>n its floundering about the boat with such energy that she nearly overset it, and snapping SKELETON AMD TEETH OP OOkMON SEAL fiercely at the legs of her antagonists. The contest soon assumed a serious aspect, for the teeth of the angry animal were urged with such fury that they cut deeply into the oars with which her attacks were warded off, and if assistanre had not speedily arrived, the result might have been of a very tragic nature. A gentleman, however, that happened to be sailing near the scene of combat, was attracted by the curious sj>ectacle of a Ixjat's crew engaged in such strange evolutions, and directing his course towards them, endfd the combat by a rifle bullet. Of late days, performing Seals have come into vogue under various titles, among which the "Talking Fish " is well known. These clever animals have been taught to jierfonu sundry ingenious feats, requiring not only an intelligent mind to comprehend, but an activity of body to execute, apparently incompatible with the conformation of the animal. They will bark at the word of command, their phocine tongue Iteing very freely translated into the language of any country in which they may happen to be ; they will rotate in their water tuli with singular velocity ; they will offer to kiss any one who is not afraid of their large w.-t hairy mouth, and in fine will go through many similar ix-rformanres with great skill and seeming enjoyment of the attention paid to them by their visitors. For they are wonder- fully fond of admiration, these Seals, and although very shy to those with whom they are unacquainted, and In-fore they have tierome accustomed to the sj^ht of strangers, are highly appreciative of the kind words and caresses which fall to their lot while they are going through their tricks. Even the Seals at the Zoological Gardens, who are not put through any particular training, are not without their little coquetries with iv^inl to the i-ver-chan-in- circle of visitors who Stand around the railings which inclose their habitation*., while their demonstrations of affec- tion towards the keeper who attends to Aeir wants are quite lively. They recognize him at a considerable distance, and shooting rapidly through the water, fling themselves upon the bank, scuttle to the iron fence and rear themselves against the rails in impatient greetings, long 408 THE HARP SEAL. before he reaches the limits of their home. Perhaps these ebullitions of regard are not totally personal to the keeper, but are partly caused by certain pieces of fish which he carries with him. As soon as they receive the expected gift, they seize it between their teeth, and unless they happen to be hungry, become very playful, and execute all manner of aquatic gambols before they eat it, much after the manner of a cat with a mouse. > The specific name of vitulina, or calf -like, has been given to the Common Seal, not because it presents a calf-like aspect, but because its voice is thought to bear some resemblance to the plaintive cry of a calf when separated from its mother. The Common Seal, known in all the northern regions of both continents, was formerly quite abundant along the Atlantic shores as far south as Long Island and the Chesapeake Bay. The rocks in New York Harbor called Robbins' Reef, were so named by the early Dutch HAKP SEAL, OK ATAK.— Phoca ffranlanUua. settlers, because they were the resort of numerous Seals, the term robbin being derived from the Dutch, meaning Seal. Seals have been kept in the New York Aquarium, and have been taught to perform many feats of intelligence. Their large round heads and beautiful eyes are charming features. This Seal is seldom seen now south of Cape Cod. In Lynn Harbor, Mass., a few yet live on the "Lobster Rocks." THE HARP SEAL derives its name from the very conspicuous manner in which its fur is colored. The general hue of the Harp Seal's coat is a whitish -gray, and upon that delicate tint are drawn two broad, semicircular bands of a deep black, their points nearly touching each other, and extending from the shoulders nearly to the root of the tail. These dark markings are thought to bear some resemblance to an ancient harp, and have given rise to the popular name by which this species is designated. The muzzle and fore part of the head is also black. This peculiar coloring, which seems to distinguish this animal from any other species of Seal, is, however, never seen except in the adult animal, and is not considered to be perfect until the creature has attained its fifth year. Very many animals are variously marked according to their ages, sex, and time of year, but there are few which undergo more decided. changes than the Harp Seal ; changes so unexpected that they have caused the animal to be described under several different titles according to the particular coat which it happened at that time to wear. THE HARP SEAL. 1 " In the first ft-w months of it> existence, tin- fur of the Harp S-al is white in i-<»l«>r and woolly hi textuie. At tin- expiration of a year the white i IIIIIIJMII In » ji.inj lull niMin In the second y«-.ir. tin- fur i> entiivh gra\. In tin- thinl year, tin- gray is diversified with stri|»esof darker hues, anil \ar\ing in numl>ei, dimensions, and ]M)sitimi. The fourth \e.ir changes tin- >trijws into spots, and in the fifth \.-ar. tin- semi lunar black -ti i| nuke their appearance. Tli-- (ireeiilaiiders designate the Harp Seal by different ti ties accord i UK toita years; giving it the name of Atak, or Attarak. in its first year, Atteisiak in the second, Agletok In the thinl, Milektok in the fourth, and Attarsoak in the fifth. The Harp Seal is found in great numbers upon the coasts of Greenland, Ireland, and othei l(xiilities, and is nit her peculiar in its mode of life. It does not much aff«-ct the shore after the fashion of many Seals, but prefers to take up its residence upon floating ice- islands, dis- regarding even the more solid fields of ire that are so much frequented by other animals In-loii-im: to the same family. It is found in considerable numbers, congregating together in herds under the leadership of a single chief, and constantly subject to his authority. There is always a sentinel planted by every herd, whose duty lies in looking out for danger, and i;i\in^ tim.-lv \\arnim; to the remainder of the herd. The Harp Se;(| se,-ius withal to IM- rather a reckless \»-inz. in spite of this precaution, for it is easily approached by a cau- tious hunter, and ran be destroyed with little difficulty. Sometimes it prefers to takes its \\itiiMiit trusting it>elf iij..,i, j, .• ,,| ]:in,|. :uieen surprised and slain In-fore it has awoke from its treacherous somnolence. The Harp Seal is moderate in size, being generally about seven or eight feet in length and proportionably stout. Some very large sjwcimi'iis. houevej. are said to reach the length of nine feet. It is an extremely valuable animal I)oth to Europe in general, and to the uncivilized inhab- itants of Greenland. In this country we value the Harp Seal principally on account of the excellent oil \\hidi it furnishes, and which is allowed to be of a purer and better character than that which is obtained from other oil-producing animals. The creature is remarkably well furnished with the fatty substance from which the oil is obtained, and is therefore eagerly pursued, irrespective of the value which is set upon the fur. The food of this animal is almost wholly of an animal nature, and consiste chiefly of salmon and other fish, together with various mollusks and crustaceans. It, however, stands in great dread of other species of Seal, such as the Sea Lion and Sea Bear, and according to many accounts holds the spermaceti whale in awe, U-ing chased by that formidable creature into the shallow waters of the shore. Twice in the year the Harp Seal indulges in a migration similar to that which has already been described when treating of the Sea Leopard. The young of this species are sometimes two in number, although the maternal Seal is often forced to content herself with a single child. Like the Common Seal, the Atak is possessed of much intelligence, and is very capable of domestication. Two of these animals which were placed in the zoological collection at the Jardin des Plantes, were at their first arrival extremely shy, and would avoid the person of a man with every mark of terror. Yet in a very short time they became quite tame, and would voluntarily seek the caresses of those who had behaved kindly towards them. They also struck up a great friendship with two little dogs, and would permit their little playfellows to take all kinds of liberties with them, permitting the dogs to sit on their backs and bark, and not even resenting on occasional bite. They would even permit the dogs to take their food from their months, but if their relation attempted to act in like manner, a sharp combat immediately took place, the weaker being forced ultimately to succumb to superior might In cold weather, dogs and Seals were accustomed to huddle closely together for the sake of warmth, and when the dogs made their way out of the entrance, the Seals did their best to follow their little playfellows, caring nothing for the rough ground over which they were !'• >rced to pass. The Harp Seal is an abundant species in Greenland, and forms one of the great necessi- ties of the Esquimaux — all parts of its body being utilized in the domestic requirements of that 410 THE WALRUS, OR MORSE. race. Numerous popular names are attached to the Common Seal, as, Sea-dog, Sea-calf, Sea- cat ; Scotch fishermen call it Telkie, and Tang-fish. In West Scotland it is Rawn. The Germans term it Sea-hound. The Esquimaux call it Tupelo. The Harp Seal is called Saddle- back by English sailors, and White-coats and Bed-lampiers by the Newfoundland sealers. The Greenlanders name it Atak. Stragglers find their way into the temperate climate, and this species is now recognized as belonging to the fauna of the northern portions of both continents. A full-grown Harp Seal weighs two hundred and thirty pounds ; the skin and blubber weighing one hundred pounds. The Banded Seal is a very rare form. It is found among the Aleutian Islands, near the coast of Alaska, bordering on the Behring' s Sea. Until lately no specimen of this Seal had been added to the collections in this country. At present two are known : one in the Smith- sonian Institution, and the other in the American Museum of Natural History, in Central Park. The black and white markings render it wholly different in color from any other species. The arrangement of the bands is pleasingly regular, distinguishing it from all others. The female has no bands, but is of a dull uniform color. The Ringed Seal (Callocephalus Mspidus) is found in the far north. It is sometimes called the Foatid Seal (Callocephalus fostidus} and Hoe-rat of the English sailors. It secretes a foetid substance that is excessively disagreeable. Homer refers to this : " Web-footed seals forsake the stormy swell, And sleep in herds, exhaling nauseous smell." A species called Richards' s Seal (Halicyon richardi) inhabits the Columbia River and North Pacific coast. Peale, of Wilkes's Expedition, discovered a Seal, which inhabits the coast of Oregon and California. Its systematic name is Phoca pealii. The Bearded Seal (Phoca barbata), also called Leporine Seal, and Great Seal, is distin- guished by having larger moustaches, and by being one of the largest of the order. It is particularly prized by the natives on account of its great size, the skins being useful for making tackle, etc. Its length is about fourteen feet. The White-Cheeked Seal (Phoca nauricd) inhabits the North Pacific coasts. It is closely allied to the preceding. Another group of Seals, having characteristics differing from the preceding, embraces as an American species the Gray Seal (Halichorm gryphus). It is the Haaf-fish mentioned by Sir Walter Scott in the " Pirate." This species is thought to resemble the walrus in some features. The singularly dispro- portionate size of the brain to its great bulk, is accompanied by a lack of intelligence. It does not, in common with the walrus, exhibit that pleasing, bright, and knowing aspect that is common to all other species. The brain of one eight feet in length did not exceed that of a Common Seal of four feet in length. AMONG all the strange forms which are found among the members of the phocine family, there is none which presents a more terribly grotesque appearance than that of the WAUMS, MORSE, or SEA HORSE, as this extraordinary animal is indifferently termed. The most conspicuous part of this animal is the head, with its protuberant muzzle bristling with long, wiry hairs, and the enormous canine teeth that project from the upper jaw. These huge teeth measure, in large specimens, from fourteen inches to two feet in length, the girth at the base being nearly seven inches, and their weight upwards of ten pounds each. In ordinary specimens, however, the length is about one foot. In some examples they approach each other towards their points, and in others they diverge considerably, forming in the opinion of some writers two distinct species. As, however, the relative position of these teeth varies slightly in every specimen that has yet been examined, the structure seems to be of hardly sufficient importance for the establishment of a separate species. The ivory which is WALRUS. TIN: ii I/ATX. OR MORSE, 411 • furnished by the>e extraordinary weu|Nins is of v,-r\ line quality, mul commands a hik'h priee in tin- uiarki-t. By means nf the irreat d>-\.-l<>pment of these t.-eth, which an- necess^iih buri«-d deeply }n tin- up|N-i jau, ill.- IIIU//1.- is iniirli enlarged in order to uffmtl room for tli.-ir sockets, and assumes tin- remarkable prominence that gives to the animal so f.-r.x i,.iis an :I-|MV|. A- there would !-• insufficient spar.- for the nostrils if placed in tli«>ir usual jtosition. they are removed to a much higher locality than tliat which they occupy in other Seals, and open nearly vertically al«o\<- the mu/y.le. The otli.-i • I. -<'th of the Walrus are very small in coiniuirison with the two canine* of the iipl>er jaw. and in numl«et :n. • •\i-eedinglyvariable, according to the. age of the animal. Dnriiii: ih.- earli.-r \car- of its lif.-, it is furnished with sj\ in.-isors in each jaw, two can men, ten ni«ilaix in the ii|>|*-r jaw and ei^ht in the lower. But when the animal a|i|.r..:i.-h,-> inaturity. the inri-<»rs all fall out, and even in a i>n>|Miml skull, they come away top-ther with the ><>ft HulMtancfs. Tlie tth which i.s sometimes ron.siclered to be the first molar of the lower jaw, in in reality ill.- lower callill.-. In onli-r to accoiiimiMl:it>- it^^lf to the ]x)sition of the huge tusk.s, the lower jaw narrows y lowanls its jM.int, so as to pom easily l»etween the canines. The food of the Walrus f s|n:il| s.-:i N. ti-li. -hi l!!i|-. :i!i.l \ :i; j. , - , .! i|. r animal sul»stani-es. diveoitied with such vegetable diet as tlh- s,-;i .-mi alTi-id. It li:i- I n -M__.-'..| thai one object of the large tusks may be to drag the alga; from their hold UJH.H the rocks. A Walrus \s a valuable animal, for even in this country its ..kin. teeth, and oil are in much request, while among the Esquimaux its body furnishes them witli almost . -\.-ry article in common use. Among civil- ized men, the skin of the Walrus is employed for har- ness and other similar purposes where a thick and tough hide is required. The tooth furnishes very good ivory, of a beautiful texture, and possessing the advantage of retaining the white hue longer than ivory which is made from the elephant tusk. The oil is delicate, but there 1^ \ .iv little to be obtained from each Walrus, the layer of fatty matter being scarcely more than a hand's- brcudth in thickness. Ani»n_' the Esquimaux tin- Walrus is put to a variety of uses. Fish-hooks are made from its tusks, its intestines are twisted into nets, its oil and flesh are eaten, and its bones and skin are als.. turned to account by these rude but ingenious workmen. In former days, the chase of the Walrus was an easy matter, for the powerful brut--* seemed to be so satisfied of their strength that they would permit their assailants to approach th.-m closely, and to inflict fatal wounds without any opposition. Now, however, they have learned caution by many a bitter experience, and are extremely wary animals. They are tenacious of life. ;md dangerous antagonists, for although they seldom, if ever, commence an attack, they are most furious when opposed or wounded, and tight with marvellous energy. In the conflict the enormous tusks prove themselves to l>e truly formidable weapons, and have been known to pierce through the plankings of a boat. Even the polar bear stands in awe of these weapons, and has often been beaten off by an old Walrus on whom it had hoped to make a meal. The Walrus is found in vast herds, which frequent the coasts of the arctic and antarctic regions, and which congregate in snch numl>ers that their united roarings have often given timely warning to fog-bewildered sailors, and acquainted them with the near proximity of shore. These herds present a curious sight, as the huge clumsy animals are ever in move- ment, rolling and t umMinir <>\.-r each other in a strange fashion, and constantly uttering their hoarse bellowings. 412 THE WALRUS, OR MORSE. As soon as a Walrus gets out of the water, it lies down on the shore, and would not of its own free will stir from the spot on which it had first laid itself to repose. But another Walrus soon emerges from the sea, and as it cannot very well climb over its comrade, begins to butt him until he moves farther on, and makes room for the new-comer. Others land in rapid succession, and the whole strand is soon full of life, for these unreflective creatures never think of taking a short walk inland, so as to secure a quiet berth at ease, but must needs lie down where they land, although they are sure to be disturbed by their comrades as they rise out of the sea. As many as seven thousand have been seen in a single herd, so that to attack one of these assemblies is no slight matter, for as soon as they take alarm, they all come scuttling towards the sea, tumbling over each other in their haste, and present- ing a formidable front simply by the weight of their huge bodies. In order to prevent the whole herd from making a simultaneous charge at their invaders, the hunters endeavor to disperse them by means of dogs trained to the business, and so to secure the animals as they fly affrighted in various directions. One such chase is techni- cally termed a " cut," and if rightly conducted is so successful that at a single " cut" no less than fifteen hundred of these huge Seals have been taken. These chases take place at night. The movements of the Walrus when on land are of a very clumsy character, as might be supposed from the huge, unwieldy body of the animal, and the evident insufficiency of the limbs to urge the weighty body forward with any speed. When this creature is hurried or alarmed, it contrives to get over the ground at a pace that, although not very rapid, is yet wonderfully so when the size of the animal is taken into account. The movement is a mixture of jerks and leaps, and the Walrus is further aided in its progress by the tusks. Should it be attacked, and its retreat cut off, the Walrus advances fiercely upon its enemy, striking from side to side with its long tusks, and endeavoring to force a passage into the sea. If it should be successful in its attempt, it hurries to the water's edge, lowers its head, and rolls uncere- moniously into the sea, where it is in comparative safety. The Walrus is possessed of the same docile and affectionate disposition as the other Seals, and has been more than once effectually tamed. One of these animals which was captured while young, at Nova Zembla, and brought here, was remarkably gentle in its demeanor, and learned many accomplishments from its owner. It had been so well instructed, that if taken in a boat, it would leap overboard at the word of command, chase and catch fish, and return to the boat bearing the fish in its mouth. The number of young which the Walrus produces at a litter is seldom if ever more than one, and when newly born, the little animal is about the size of a yearling pig. Winter is the usual time of year for the appearance of the young, and the mother always repairs to the shore or to the ice-fields for the purpose of nourishing her family. The maternal Walrus is very attentive to her charge, and while in the water is very solicitous about its welfare, carry- ing it about under her fore-limbs, and defending it from any danger that may arise, regardless of her own safety in watching over that of her offspring. When a mother Walrus is sur- prised upon the shore, she places her young one upon her back, and hurries away to the sea, bearing her precious burden. This animal attains to a very great size, so great, indeed, that its dimensions can hardly be appreciated except by ocular demonstration. A full-grown male Walrus is generally from twelve to fifteen feet in length, while there are many specimens that have been known to attain a still greater size. The skin is black and smooth, and is sparingly covered with brown hairs, which become more numerous on the feet. The eye is very small in proportion to the size of the animal, and after death sinks so completely into its socket that it cannot be seen except by an experienced observer. By pressure upon each side of the orbit, the eye suddenly starts forward, and becomes visible. The Walrus has once or twice been seen off the British coasts, but is so very rare a vis- itant that any such occurrences can only be considered as exceptional to the general rule. The term Walrus literally signifies " whale horse," and the specific name, rosmarus, is a Latinized form of the Norwegian word Rosmar, or "sea horse." The word Morse is slightly altered from the Russian Morss, or the Lapponic Morsk. 7V//: 8EA £LK/'//.\.\ I'. 418 The Walrus is manifestly the most remarkable of all marine animals in n-si>ect to its uncouth bulk. It is a puzzle, seemingly. Tin- reader should look at tin- enormous sjH-«-imen nf thi- creature in tin- Museum at Central Park, to form anything approaching an adequate idea of it- pro|Mtriions. \Vhcii\\e observe tin- imiui-iix- bulk, almost unpn>\ ided with limbs (for the hitter are ao email they seem out of all proportion to the mp-iirement.s), the wonder is, how can th«- nvaiuiv climb from th- \\ater to the ice or cliffs. The stout tusks are very ser- viceable, doubtless, but they seem to our limited com prehension entirely in the way. It Li • ML ILKPHAST.-Cyi difficult to see how the creature can feed with those ivory canines directed straight downwards. Nature never fails of its purposes, but there are instances of organization and structure that surprise us and baffle our comprehension. The Walrus is seen in vast herds at times, frequenting both polar seas. Two well-marked secies are known, that of the Pacific coast differing in some particulars from that of the Atlantic. ANOTHER powerful and grotesque Seal now encages our attention. This is the ELEPHANT SEAL, or SEA KI.KIMIAXT, so called not only on account of the strange prolongation of the nose, which bean some analogy to the proboscis of the elephant, but also on account of it.s elephantine size. Large sjiecimens of this monstrous Seal measure as much as thirty feet in length, and fifteen or eighteen feet in circumference nt the largest part of their Ixxlies. The color of the S«-a Elephant is rather variable, even in imliviiluals of the same sex and age, but is generally as follows. The fur of the mule is usually of a bluish-gray, which some- times deepens into dark brown, while that of the female i- duiker, and variegated with sundry dapplings of a yellow hue. This animal is an inhabitant of the southern hemisphere, and is 414 THE SEA ELEPHANT. spread through a considerable range of country. It is extensively hunted for the sake of its skin and its oil, both of which are of very excellent quality, and, from the enormous size of the animal, can be procured in large quantities. It is not exclusively confined to the sea, but is also fond of haunting fresh-water lakes, or swampy ground. It is an emigrating animal, moving southwards as the summer comes on, and northwards when the cold weather of the winter months would make its more southern retreats unendur- able. Their first emigration is generally made in the middle of June, when the females become mothers, and remain in charge of their nurseries for nearly two months. During this time the males are said to form a cordon between their mates and the sea, in order to prevent them from deserting their young charges. At the expiration of this time, the males relax their supervision, and the whole family luxuriates together in the sea, where the mothers soon regain their lost condition. They then seek the shore afresh, and occupy themselves in set- tling their matrimonial alliances, which are understood on the principle that the strongest shall make his choice among the opposite sex, and that the weakest may take those that are rejected by his conquerors, or none at all, as the case may be. During the season of courtship the males fight desperately with each other, inflicting fearful wounds with their tusk -like teeth, while the females remain aloof, as quiet spectators of the combat. They are polygamous animals, each male being lord over a considerable num- ber of females, whom he rules with despotic sway. When the victorious combatants have chosen their mates, they are very careful about their safety, and refuse to quit them if they should be in any danger. Knowing this fact, the Seal-hunters always direct their attacks upon the females, being sure to capture the male afterwards. If they were to kill the male at first, Ms harem would immediately disperse and fly in terror, but as long as he lives, they will continue to crowd round him. Although these animals are of so great dimensions and bodily strength, and are furnished with a very formidable set of teeth, they are not nearly such dangerous antagonists as the walrus, and are most apathetic in their habits. When roused from sleep they open their mouths in a threatening manner, but do not seem to think of using their teeth, and if they find that their disturbers do not run away, they take that office upon themselves, and move off deliberately for the water. As they proceed their huge bodies tremble like masses of jelly, in consequence of the fat with which they are so heavily laden. So plentiful is this fat, that a single adult male will furnish about seventy gallons of clear and scentless oil. The extraordinary development of the nose, which gives so weird-like a character to the aspect of the Elephant Seal, is only found in the adult males, and even in them is not very perceptible unless the animal is alarmed or excited. While the creature is undisturbed; the nose only looks peculiarly large and heavy. As soon, however, as the animal becomes excited, it protrudes this proboscis-like nose, blows through it with great violence, and assumes a very formidable appearance. The female is entirely destitute of this structure, as may be seen in the figure that occupies the background of our illustration. Except for its enormous dimensions the female might be taken for an ordinary Seal. In the male the hood does not make its appearance until the third year. The Elephant Seal is easily tamed when taken young, and displays great affection towards a kind master. One of these animals was tamed by an English seaman, and would permit its master to mount upon its back, or to put his hand into its mouth, without doing him any injury. The teeth of this animal are very curious in their formation, especially the molar teeth, which are small, and pointed with a kind of mushroom-like apex. The canines are very large. The whisker hairs are very coarse and long, and are furnished with a raised margin, which gives them the appearance of being twisted like a screw. The food of the Elephant Seal is supposed to consist chiefly of cuttle-fish and sea-weed, as the remains of both these substances are generally found in the stomachs of those that are killed. OTARIID.E; OR, EARED SEALS. /HE family Otnriieds. Ks]»Tially is this the case with the hind legs. In the Common S-al- tin- liiml legs we have seen are "flippers," directed backwards for .swim- ming; those of the present Seals are articulated so that the limb is ra|.:iMe of l>.-inur used in walking (after a homely fashion), as well as in swimming. The fore-feet are fin-like, l»ut large, and quite useful in walking. The present group of Seals are, then, a shade higher in rank or development in the direction of the land quad- rujH-ds. nr 111:11111 :ired Seals are characterized by their under fur, an article now well known. and of immense rnmmereial imjxirtanoe. It is a curiou- cin-iimstance that the young of these Seals have to be taught to swim. The young are brought forth far inland. The Sea Don and Sea Bear are represented by grand specimens in the Cent ml Park Museum, both male, f.-inal.-, and \oung. Capt. Bryant spent some time on the island of St. Paul, making some very intelligent |-..,-,,pU "f the liabtti '•!" BUM :.!, in .-.!-. k]>OUl '!.-• li:-' • •] \|.|i!. 'A h.-li t!i«- •0V l-<|.':i|.-d away, and tlie drift-ioe lias passed, a few old males, of the Sea Bear species, are seen recon- noitering the locality, and after two .>r three days' inspection venture on shore to examine the rookeries, as they are called. After a few days other "bears" begin to arrive, the first having d. -parted to give intelligence that all is right. The old males appropriate the spaces they require for ten or twelve females each. Capt. Bryant gives some most extraordinary state- n i> -lit- res|>ecting the treatment of tin- females. I !>• says : " \- VMHI as the f.-inal-- I--:M IP-- i In- shore, the nearest male goes down to meet her, meanwhile making a noise like the clucking of a hen. He bows and coaxes her, and when he has gotten himself between her and the water, alters his tone, and growls lustily at her, and drives her into his harem." He says the males teach the young to swim. THE P0B SEALS, according to Capt. Scammon, U. 8. Revenue Marine Service, differ con- siderably in habits from the other forms. They range from the highest navigable latitudes to the equator. On the coast of Chili their numbers were so great in 1708 that the American ship Betsey procured a full cargo of skins. It was estimated there were left on the island, which is not over twenty-live miles in circumference, at least 600,000 Seals. Subsequently there were taken but little short of a million skins. This fishery was almost exclusively under the American flag. The capture of Fur Seals is accomplished by driving herds some distance inland. The more valued young or middle-aged are selected, and driven by parties making all the noise they can, on tin implements, and by the opening and shutting of umbrellas. After resting a while the animals are killed by a sharp blow upon the nose, which part we have seen is esjiecially tender and vulnerable, though in other respects they are quite teii;n-i .-s4-a|»- from their liuiiiaii foes. The natives are in the hal'it of killing tin* Sea Ijoiis l>\ |ioisoiie«| armus. <>i \<\ har|MM,n- A- tin- M..IIII-II-.I animal would be sufficiently strong to escape in spite of the har- poons, the native hunters attach th< lmr]>uun-lini to I post linn h |>l uted inth . i • .irl. ..IM are tlm- mal'l'il to ill-lay the Sea Lion until they can inflict a fatal wound. The\ are marvellously Mutant animal-, k.i-ping up » continual chorus of vociferai ions as !"ii_- as tip \ an- mi l.md. ThetU I'M!' im tfai MMl noisj ol t! • ] irty, snorting ditHxndotiy, and roaring like ina^nilif«l lions. The females answer l>\ Imul M.-atin^, and the young of N.td sexes a*hl their \..ic.-s in u leas degree. The united crira of a large herd of Sea IJons nr»- 80 deafening, thut bunion senses are almost stunned by the clangorous uproar. Thi> >i>»i -ies i> xtiil to feed ujion fish and smaller Seals, being extremely dreaded by the btter animals, and ruling -ii]>n-me in its own domains. The t.-eth <>f the Sea Lion are very singular in their shape and arrangement, the molars being furnished with sharp trenchant 1 '•. hits, some of the incisors double-headed, and others long and {xiinteil like canine teeth. SKA BEAR, OB I RSTNE UtAL.-Anttt,ftttm untoM. As the mane-clad neck and shoulders of the preceding animal have earned for it the title of Sea Lion, so the generally ursine aspect of the present species has gained the name of SKA BEAR. It is not a very large animal, being hardly eight feet in length. As its lirnlw are larger ami better developed than in the generality of the Seals, it can stand and walk in a more active manner than any of the preceding members of the ]>h<>cine family. The color of its fur is \«-iy jili-a-in::. the long hairs being of a grayish -brown, while the thick soft wool that lies next to the skin is reddish -brown. The fur is extremely soft and warm, and of high value as an article of commerce. When it is dressed by the furriers, the entire coating of lonir hairs is removed, the wool only beini: left adherent to the skin. l"i>on the neck and shoulders of the male animal there is a kind of mane, composed of rather stiff hairs about two inches in length, and of a griz/led a>i»-ct. the hairs themselves beinir jetty-Mack, ami their tips white. The whole of the fur N thick and long, and does not lie closely to the body. It is not so easily caught as the sea lion, for it is not only very active in the water, but can proceed upon land with such rapidity that a man who wishes to overtake an affrighted Sea Bear will be forced to exert his utmost speed before he can attain his object The Sea Bears are found in great numbers about Kamt -.chatka and the Knrile islands, and at the beginning of summer are so numerous as to blacken the banks on which they repose. 418 WHALES. Being polygamous, the male is extremely jealous, and will not suffer any strangers to approach the limits of his own family. The entire sea-beach is therefore mapped out, so to speak, in little domains, each belonging to a separate family, and guarded with the most jealous care. As the number of females over which a single male bears sway is about forty to fifty on an average, it will be seen that the family must be very extensive when the young are added to their number. From one hundred to a hundred and twenty is not at all an uncommon number for a single family of Sea Bears. No family will allow the members of another household to crouch upon their territories, and it is very seldom that such an attempt is made. Sometimes, however, trespassers are detected, and then there is a general fight upon the beach, in which the animals of both sexes and all ages fight with great fury. They will not even permit a human being to encroach upon their domains, but advance upon him with such threatening cries and such menacing display of gleaming teeth that he is forced to make his escape as he best can. One traveller was so hard beset by these animals that he was fain to climb a rock which they could not sur- mount, and was watched by them for nearly six hours before he could make good his escape. Sometimes an old Sea Bear is seen lying alone in solitary state, not permitting any living being to approach him, and continually uttering low, savage growls. The males are very tyrannous in their behavior to their wives, and treat the poor sub- missive creatures very cruelly. If a mother should happen to drop her cub as she is carrying it off, the male immediately turns upon her and bites her as a punishment for her offence. These animals seem to be very intelligent, and have a great variety of intonations, by which they can express their meaning so clearly that their language can even be understood by human ears. Their general voice is something like the lowing of a cow, but when they are wounded, they utter long plaintive cries like that of a suffering dog. The food of this species consists of sea otters, small Seals, and other animals, which hold it in great terror. The Sea Bear, however, stands in considerable awe of the sea lion, and does not exercise the same indisputable sway as that animal. The name Arctocephalus is of Greek origin, and signifies "bear-headed." WHALES. THE CETACEA, or WHALES, are more thoroughly aquatic than any other animals which have already been described, and are consequently framed in such a very fish-like manner that they have generally been considered as fishes by those who were but little acquainted with the animal kingdom. ' The entire livelihood of the Whale is obtained in the waters, and their entire structure is only fitted for traversing the waves, so that if they should happen to be cast upon the shore they have no means of regaining their native element, and are sure to perish miserably from hunger. With the seals, the young are produced upon the land, and there nurtured until they have attained sufficient strength to enable them to cope successfully with the sea waves, and are, moreover, attended in their marine excursions by their mothers, who exercise a watchful guard over their offspring. The young Whale knows no such terrestrial nurture, but is at once received into the bosom of the ocean, being capable from its very birth of accom- panying its parent in her paths through the waves. Although the Whales bear so close a resemblance to the fish, and are able to pass a considerable time below the water, they possess no gills through which they may respire and renew their blood through the agency of water, but breathe atmospheric air in the same manner as the other mammalia. If a Whale were to be detained below the surface of the water for too long a period it would be inevitably drowned, a fact which was once curiously exemplified by the death of a Whale which had entangled itself in a rope fastened to a dead and sunken Whale, and which was found drowned when the rope was drawn to the surface. No injury had been inflicted upon the animal, but it had not been able to disengage itself from the detaining cord in time to breathe, and was consequently suffocated. WHALBB. 41'.' When ih- Whales l.reathe, theyare forced to r!.-- to the surface of the sea, and there make a nuniU-r <>f huge respirations, which are technically called •• sj>ouiinc>." l»-<-ause a column <>f mixed vapor and water IB ejected from the nostrils, or "blow-holes," and -i-.tit-, npuards to a irrent height, -oint-t iines as iiuirh as t\\,.|it\ feet. In order to eniiMe the animal to respire \\ithout e\]M>sing it.self unnecessarily, the "Mow-holes" are placed on the up|>er ]wrt of tin- head, so that \\ln-n a Whale is reposing itself on tin- surface of tin- sea, there is \er\ little of its huge carcase visible, except the upper portion of tin- head ami a part of the buck. The " spoutings" are niadf w ith exceeding violence, and cnn be heard to some distance. mode of respiration is, however, rather different from that of the generality of mam nialia, In-im; modified in miler to meet the j>eculiar ciiruin.st:iiici>s in which the animal is plac.-d. In ni-aily all the mammalia the movement.* of respiration take place in rather rapid ;in«l are continuous in their action, and if they are checked for only a few minutes. result I- in.-\it:iM\ fatal It is evident, however, that as the Whales are fontl to seek their food in the depths of the ocean, and to remain for a consideniMe SJCHV of time Mow the surface, their respiration must IM> conducted on u different system. The mode whkk i- adopt. -d is truh one of the mowt marvellous contrivances that can !*• imagined, and is HO beautifully simple, as well a.s profound, that it raises our hiirln-st adonition of the unsj>eakable wimlora which pi. iimed it. It is dear that the creature would not be able to take a supply of air into the depths of the ocean, and that ain-t h.-r means must be found for oxygenizing the blood. As. therefore, the animal is unable to breathe Mow the surface of the water, the difficulty IB surmounted l>y furnishing it with a large reservoir of arterial Mood, which is oxygenized durimr the short time that is occupied in the "spouting*," and which supplies the circulation until the Whale returns again to the upper regions for :i fresh supply. The reserved blood is contained in a large mass of vessels which line the interior of the chest and the adjoining regions, and are capable of containing a sufficient amount of fresh blood to sustain life for a wonderfully long period. As the Whales are in the liabit of descending to very great depths — depths so profound, that if a piece of dry wood be equally deeply sunk it will be saturated with water, and will not float — their ears and nostrils must l>e guarded against the danp-rs that would arise from the jteiietrution of the water into their cavities. There is consequently a beautifully simple and ingenious valvular structure, which perfectly answers this purpose, and firmly closes the external orifices in proportion to the depth to which the animal dives. The ear is n-markaMy small, and in some specimens is almost undiscernible. Some anatomists an- of opinion that the Whales can hear by means of the communication of the ear with the mouth. As the spermaceti Whale is capable of communicating with its companions at a distance of several mil.-*, it is evident that the sense of hearing must be better develojH-d than would be the case if the creature were totally dependent for hearing on the external orifice ; which must always be closed while under water, and which in many sjM-cies is covered with the external integument. The limbs of the Whales are so modified in their form that they can hardly be recognized by their external appearance alone as the liml >s of a veritable mammal. In shajH- they closely resemble the fins of fish, and it is not until they are stripped of the thick skin which envelops them that the true limb is developed. The reader may see the bony structure of the Whale's fin by referring to the skeleton of the rorqual on page 391. The chief use of these organs seems to be that they assist the animal in preserving its position in the water, for the huge carcase rolls over on its back as soon as it is deprived of the balancing power of the fins. They are also employed for the purpose of grasping the young whenever the mother Whale is anxious for the safety of her offspring, but they are of little use in urging the animal through the water, that duty being amost entirely performed by the tail. This member is very curious in its structure, for, as may be seen by reference to the rorqual skeleton, the Whales have no hinder limlw that may be modified into fins, as is the case with the seals, and are forced to depend solely on the soft structures for its powers of locomotion. The traces of hinder limbs are to be found in some little iM.nes that lie loosely in the flesh, but they are of no real use, and are only representatives of the true limbs. 420 WHALES. The tail of these animals is an enormously powerful organ, set transversely upon the body, and driving the creature forward by its powerful vertical sweeps. With such wonderful strength is the tail endowed, that the largest Whales, measuring some eighty feet in length, are able by its aid to leap clear out of the water, as if they were little fish leaping after flies. This movement is technically termed "breaching," and the sound which is produced by the huge carcase as it falls upon the water is so powerful as to be heard for a distance of several miles. The length of the tail is, in the larger Whales, about five or six feet, but it is often more than twenty feet in breadth. The substance of the tail is remarkably strong, being com- posed of three layers of tendinous fibres. When taken from the animal it is largely used in the manufacture of glue. The skin of the Whales is devoid of hair, and is of a rather peculiar structure, as is need- ful to enable it to resist the enormous pressure to which it is constantly subjected at the vast depths to which the animal descends. The skin is threefold, consisting first of the scarf-skin, or epidermis ; secondly, of the rete-mucosum, which gives color to the animal ; and thirdly, of the true skin, which is modified in order to meet the needs of the creature which it defends. The blubber, indeed, is nothing more than the true skin, which is composed of a number of interlacing fibres, capable of containing a very great amount of oily matter. This blubber is never less than several inches in thickness, and in many places is nearly two feet deep, and as elastic as caoutchouc, offering an admirable resistance to the force of the waves and the pressure of the water. In a large Whale the blubber will weigh thirty tons. None of the Whales are able to turn their heads, for the vertebrae of the neck are fused together into one mass, and compressed into a very small space. The order Cetacea, from the term ceta, meaning a Whale — the latter being from the Anglo- Saxon hwal — embraces a very interesting and wonderful group of creatures. Confined to the waters, and formed like the finny denizens of the deep, they are quite naturally regarded as fishes by the casual observer. Little anatomical knowledge is required, however, to under- stand their true position ; indeed, one physiological fact, which is most easily determined by any one who witnesses the living Cetacean, settles the matter without qualification ; they breathe the external air through lungs, and not by aid of gills as in fishes. Again, Whales suckle their young, and, consequently, are of the great class of which man is the head, the Mammalia. Whales are grouped primarily into several sections, or families. The one usually regarded as ranking first, is that including the Whalebone Whales, Balcenidce, so called, Balsena being another name for whalebone. The Cachelots, or Sperm Whales, form another group. There is nothing notably different in the internal organization of Whales from that of land animals, excepting the development of large series or net- work of arteries, within which the blood is reserved in large volumes, to serve when the creature remains under water any con- siderable length of time. A large portion of the interior of the chest is lined by these plexuses of blood-vessels. The nostrils are situated on the highest point of the head ; these so-called blow-holes are thus in the most convenient position for receiving air as the animal rises to the surface. The nostrils communicate directly with the passages to the lungs. A peculiar mechanism in the throat, valvular in character, prevents the water that may be taken into the mouth from passing into the lungs. The figures of Whales have from the earliest time been represented as "blowing" water from the nostrils. It is impossible for such a feat to be per- formed by any of the species, yet authors persist in allowing their books to perpetuate such an error. The structure is essentially the same as our own. and most certainly no human being can with any degree of success take in water and blow it out in a stream from the nose. What looks like water is the vapor that is forced out when the animal expires ; and at the same moment the small quantity of water that chances to be in the valves of the blow-holes is forced upwards. One witnessing the "blowing" of a Whale will readily see that it is mostly vapor, for it floats away like smoke ; if it were water, the volume would fall downwards. Captain Scoresby, an English Whaler of many years' experience, is the most reliable authority on this subject, and has contributed more towards its literature than any person. He says the Whales have no voice, yet others think that some species have a sort of bellowing voice. The seals, we are well aware, have most potent voices ; some of the most discordant kind. Tin: 9UUVLAXD WHALB. Tin* brain of the Whale is companiti\el\ -mall; ,,n.-,,f a -|»-, im.-n measuring nineteen feet in length, weighed only tliiw ]>ounds and twelve ounces; licit i- one three thousandth purl nf flu- whole bo«ly. This is only almut two-thirds the weight »t the largest human brain. I*ori>oises and Dolphin- have a larger brain. The senses of Whales are considerably Ix'yond our comprehension. With regard to sm.-ll, ia reason to believe it has a good degree of this sense. Tin- origin of \isi..n is ••\tn-nn-ly small, comparaii \.-ly. Tlie largest Whale has an eye not lario-r than that of an ox. The ear is not develop! ••xt.-nmlly. Hy careful examination in tin- vicinity <>f the eye, a minute aperture is found not larger than an eighth of an inch in di:nn»-t«-r ; this corn-s|M>ndii/ to ill,- extiTiial ear. The young are brought forth in much tin- sanu- manner a* those of land mammals. The ]ieiiod of p-iation is supposed to be about nine months. The natural t«-rm of lift- is thought to be from twenty to a hundn-d years. The amount of oil yii-lded by the larger kind of Whales reaches nearly twenty tons. Tin- ]M-culiar substance called ambergris is common to all. It is a secretion produced in the intestines. The size of Whales is a subject of much misapprehension. Captain Scoivsby says : "Of three hundred and twenty-two individuals, in the captun- of which I had jH-rsonally been concerned, no one, I believe, ever exceeded sixty feet in length — and the largest I measured was fifty -eight." The immeas*' hulk of tin- Whalebone and Sperm Whales is more surprising than their li-nirtli. THE GREENLAND WHALE, NORTHKRN WH \i i . or Hi, .in \\'n \i i . as it i- in.lilf.-i ently termed, is an inhabitant of tin- N mi hern Seas, where it is still found in LTeat abnndann-. although the constant iH-rs^-cutions to which it ha.s been subjected have con-id»-ral>ly thinned ite numbers. Tliis animal is, when full-grown, about sixty or seventy feet in length, and its j;irth about thirty or forty feet. Its color is velvety or» *ow u» black upon the upper part of the body, the tin- and the tail ; gray upon the junction of the tail with the l«-l\ and the l-a-- of the tin-, anack. and in a lanre Whale is about sixteen feet in length, seven feet u i'l--. an it is lix.-d throughout \- • . -ntir- l-n-th. It is very large, soft, und full of oil, HO soft. inur|K>se of respiration. Hut \\h-ii li:irj~...n-d. it .lives to a very great depth, and does not return t<> the surface until half an hour h:is elapsed. By noticing the direction of the line which is attached to the harjxKm, the whalers judge of the spot in which the creature will rise, and generally contrive to be so near their \ i.-tim when it emerges th«it they can fix another harpoon, or strike it with a lance In-fore it can again desc-nd int4i the depths of the ocean. - vend ipedee ••( th- --mis Kil:rn:i :,[.• f,-m.| i nh.il.it in- th- dirt-i'-nt • •••-:ms ..f <.ur glol.e. sucli as the Western Australian \Vhale, the Cape Whale, the Japan Whale, the New Seal in 1 Wlial-. th- >,-ni- Whale. :,n.l ..thers, ..!' «hi. h fhl I— t Un-»n i- iJi- Caj*' \VI.:il-. ..r South-rn \Vhale, as it is sometimes called. This animal attains a considerable size, reaching the length of seventy f«>et when full grown, the length of its head being sixteen feet. It inhabits the Southern Ocean, and is often seen in the bays that adjoin the Cape of Good Hope in the months of June, July, ami August. as the female is in the habit of frequenting these localities during the infancy of her young. The males are very seldom seen near their mat—, s,, that out of sixty <'aj»e Whales tluit were killed in False Bay only one \\;is a male. The color of this animal is a uniform black. The Baltrnidte, or Family of Whalebone Whales, is represented by few species. The principal characteristic of this group is the series of whalebone plates situated in the upper p irtion of the mouth. These plates are called baleen, hence the family designation. Though this is one of the largest creatures, yet its food is of the delicate jelly-animals that form vast areas upon the surface of the ocean. The oesophagus or " swallow " of these Whales is no larger than one's fist, which shows that the jelly-food is natural to it. In feeding, the Baleen Whales open the month widely, and rush through a mass of jellies, filling the mouth with both food and water. A valvular arrangement prevents the passage of water into the stomach, while the tongue presses the food against the roof of the mouth. This action forces the water out through the baleen plates, which acts as sieves. The morsel is then swallowed. These Whales are remarkable for the comparative size of their heads ; that of the Baltfna mytticetu*, or Greenland Whale, being one-third its whole bulk. The Greenland Whale (Baltfna mysticetu*), called also the Common Whalebone Whale, is the most familiar cetacean known, especially as it is the notable creature that supplies our burning-oil in such immense quantities. It is known to the " toilers of the sea" as the Right Whale, and this because it is the right one to kill, as distinguished from other leas desirable The Bow-head and Great Polar Whale are terms also applied to this animal. Captain Scoresby's figure of the Polar Whale is incorrect as to its tail, or "small" of bodj. His figure, which has served for all others up to the present time, shows the tail uplifted. The true figure should give a shorter " small." The tail of this Whale cannot be bent, as in his figure. All published figures of this Whale, save Captain Scammon's, are incorrect. The ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALE (Baltfna charctica, Cope) is a rediscovery in one sense. About the time of the first settlement of this country, our forefathers found the aborigines jMirsuing this Whale for the several purposes of half -civilized life. Soon the whites found the oil and baleen valuable articles of commerce, and small Teasels were fitted out to capture the Whales in greater numbers. At the period of our Revolution, 424 THE RIGHT WHALE. this Whale had become nearly extinct, and our whalers had pushed northwards, where they supposed they had found larger specimens of the same species. The truth is, however, the Whale they had been capturing was one adapted by nature to live in temperate waters, and the persistent pursuit of them had resulted in their extinction, nearly. The Right Whale they now found in the Arctic regions, is one adapted to the cold waters, and is never seen out of them. The seamen cared little about species so long as the new Whale gave them larger baleen and more oil. Consequently, as there were no students of marine zoology in those days in our country, the Atlantic Whale escaped scientific treatment, though it is now known that this is the same as the Biscay Whale, so long the object of pursuit by the Basques. The Atlantic Whale, not being extinct, has lately shown itself in several examples. The first one examined by science was a young one, and Professor Cope, of Philadelphia, named it as above : cisarctica, meaning that its habitat is this side of the Arctic seas, as it was found to be confined to the temperate Atlantic. There are few specimens of this Whale known. The American Museum, in Central Park has a skeleton of a full-grown one, the carcase of which was thrown ashore on Long Island, ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALE. -Baltxna dsarMca (Oopt). In 1882, one of these Whales was captured off Montauk Point, Long Island, and brought into New "York harbor, where it was exhibited. This was the first adult ever examined for scien- tific purposes. It was a female, and measured forty-eight feet in length. We had the pleasure to make a thorough examination of this Whale, which, in view of the unique circumstances, was likely to prove very acceptable to science. Soon after this specimen was examined, and a description of it was drawn up for publication in the fourth Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, Dr. Manigault, of Charleston, S. C., informed the writer of an adult male that he had examined. This Whale was captured in Charleston harbor, and the skeleton was preserved in the Museum of Charleston Medical College. This occurrence was most fortunate, as the characteristics of both sexes were recorded in the Bulletin, with a drawing of the skull of the latter and its baleen. Here, then, is a valuable record of this rediscovered species. A drawing of the exterior of the female is included, made from the creature as it lay at the pier in New York, and a drawing of the skeleton of the one found on the Long Island shore. The baleen of this species is far inferior to that of the Arctic Whale. It is shorter, and is coarse in fibre. That of the latter is a good portion of the value of a captured whale ; its length being sometimes twelve feet. This Whale was known to the sea-faring people of Europe in ancient times as Nordcaper, as it was captured near the North Cape of Iceland ; this being its northernmost limit. While this edition was passing through the press, a most unexpected accession to the few «:\:i tuples of this Whale known to Science has occurred. The old whalers of Southampton, Long Island, espied lately, during the coldest days of this unusually cold winter, the "blow- ing" of several Right Whales. Boats were fitted out at once, and Capt. Edwards, a veteran TllK HUMr-BACKED \\HM.B. 1. , whaler. ami the one who captured the first adult Atlantic Right Whale, a figure of which we herewith present. led tin- cha.se. The men secured four, including, we understand, a yoiini: one. We reirret thai tin- ample prv]iarations we have established to gvt full particu lars uf the s|M-<-im.-iis have not us \,-i furnished any response. It is ;| matter. In. \M-M-I. of great interest to know that this i:il,. \Vl,;,|,. is undoubtedly increasing in nunil»ers. One «.f this shoal is rejK.rted as alniut fifty feet in length, which is pi.,l.;il.|\ tin- extent <.f this UNDER the term Srrai; \Vhales, a family is recognized— individuals having rough bunches on their backs. The baleen is white, and is only al*>ut one foot in length. The Scrag Whale (Ai/fij>/n-/ux //tAAort/*) is tin- only S]H.,-J,.S \,.t ,\. Drilled. It inhabit* the Atlantic Ocean. It was known to the earlv settler- <.f New Kndand. The California (tray \Vhal.- . A'. '/•/,/,/ /„,-/,* ,//"'/'•'/*, Cope) i» recorded, but little in known <>f its hist.. i \ ,,r |H-culiarities. The baleen in short, as in the preceding specieH. Th*- II ii nip-Backed Whales (Megapterida ) are distinguiahed by having a dorsal fin, and \.-r\ loti^ |»i-tonil lins. Several species are enumerated. Tin- KiniuT or Fin-lwrk Whales (Phyttalidtr} have a high dorsal fin. It should be under- stood in this connection, that the tins hei>- inentioneil an- not so called in the sense that thow of fishes are, as th.-\ are but thickens! jxirtions of the skin. The tails ,.f Whales are the same in structure, though mascles are develoj>ed in them. The lonp-st Whale known is of this group ; some examples niching one hundred fe»-t. The Sperm and Right Whales are much more bulky, but their length never exceeds sixty feet. A lai_-.- number of species are enumerated. The Sulphur Bottom Finner is the largest. It is common off the 1'a.iiic coast, and in the waters of the Northwest. SEVERAL species of the HUMP-RACKED, or BUNCHKD WII.U.K-. are now known, although there is very great difficulty in deriding upon the distinctions that are needful for the found- ing of a species, in animals which are necessarily so far beyond our reach except on rare and limited occasions. In all these animals the head is rather broad and flattened, and the throat and chest are marked with deep longitudinal folds or "reeves," as they are termed by Dudley in his account of the Hunch Whale. These folds are perceptible even on the .sides, and extend as far as the fins. The hump or bunch is of no very great size, beinir only a foot or so in height, and hardly larger than a man's head. These animals may easily be distinguished from those of the succeeding genus by their shorter and more stout forms, the warty lip, and the large and rounded nose. The skull is about one-fourth of the entire length of the animal. The species which is figured in the illustration on following page is that of JOHNHTON'S HUMP-BACKED WHALE, a species which frequently attains very considerable dimensions, measuring from sixty to seventy feet in length. In spite, however, of its great size, it is not sought after by the whalers, and even if it should accidentally come across the course is seldom disturbed by them. Ite oil, however, is said to be superior to tliat which is furnished by the Greenland Whale, and not much inferior to the oil of the Sperm Whale. It is an inhabitant of the Greenland seas, and is said to oe found in greater profusion than any other sj,e<-ies. it is furnished with baleen, but this substance is of no very great value, being short, and not splitting "kindly." like that of the Greenland Whale. When dry it takes a slight twist. When tirst IM.III. the young of the Hump Whales are Sperm Whale. The name Megaptera signifies "great-firmed." and in given to this genus on account of the large size to which the pectoral fin extends. This member sometimes measures as much aa seventeen feet in length, being equal to the head, or about one-fifth the entire length of the 426 THE PIKE WHALE. body. When the integument is removed it is seen to be provided with only four fingers. The Latin specific name, longimana, signifies "long-handed." In color it is white. The dorsal 1 a a i a- a fins are placed rather low, and behind the middle of the body. This Whale is always infested with sundry parasitic animals belonging to the genera Diadema and Otion. ALL the true carnivorous Whales are remarkable for the great proportionate size of the head. The PIKE WHALE, as may be seen from the illustration, belongs to this group of animals, and in some respects is not dissimilar to the Greenland Whale. This .-inimal is, however, not nearly so large as the preceding, being only about twenty- five feet in length when adult. It is furnished with baleen, but the plates are comparatively short, and of a slight pinkish hue. The volume of the mouth is made up by a development of 7V/ A1 RORQL'AL WHALB. 197 - lower | art i.f tin- iiidiith into a kiml —in' t iiin-w Been new Ir.-laii.l aii-l .Norwa\ . drs. .-ndiM- I'M! lan-l v into wanner latitudes. Tin- lli->ll of this animal in in soliif it-put.' I'.. i it- .!•• lie -a. \ . a n< I i- thi-n-fon1 n 111 '. . ..-. . t.-. I h\ I h.- liativci ..! thiw I I'M III- i li :,'..i, iii- I't:. \ •!" IU)t, |I«IW»-V»T, iittvmjil to i I'IKXIII thl OH itaVB, M I HA "I n- |BMl a<-ti\ity, Imt coiili-nt tlifiiis.-lv.-s \\itli tattottBg W?«M WOiind.s with tlicir ami sjH-ar?*, in tht- IIOJH-S that the wounded animal may die, ami ma\ in tiin«- In- .stnuuliNl on tln-ir «-oa>t.s. Tin- t th> PIKK WHALB.-, \Vhal.-. I. nt rha.s.-s and kills the active ssilmon and other fish. In the -tonia<-h of one of the*.- animals liave been found the remains of various fish, those of the dnp-ti-li ln-iim tlie most prevalent. The head of this species is elongate] and rather flattened, and the throat and chest an- furnished with \ery deep longitudinal folds, which are capable of dilatation to a great extent. At the extremity of the snout there are eurht distim-t bristles, aminp-d in ] K>rpMdkabf rows on the top of each jaw. It has been called by a great nuinU-r «if name* l>y different \\iit.-i-s. and is mentioned by various authors under no less than s.-v.-nte.-n distiiu-t titles. The i-olor of this animal is Mark HIM.II the II].|M-I j.arts of the Imdy. and white I:.;I u. rooms the Arctic molested by the hunter, and scarcely ever captured. at will, seldom .11'-. TUE RORQUAL WHALE. The bulk of this animal is greater than that of any other Whale, as many specimens have been known to attain a length of more than one hundred feet, and one or two have reached the extraordinary length of one hundred and twenty feet. By inexperienced whalers it is some- times mistaken for the Greenland Whale and harpooned, but is very seldom killed ; for the creature is so remarkably active and fearless, that in many cases the aggressors have paid dearly for their error by a crushed boat and the loss of several lives. On one such occasion the Rorqual started off in a direct line, and at such a speed that the men lost their presence of mind, and forgot to cut the rope that connected the Whale with the boat. Making directly for a neighboring ice-field, the Rorqual shot under it, and drew the boat with all its crew beneath the ice, where they disappeared forever from the gaze of mankind. RORQUAL.— Salanoptera t/oSja, Phyealut anUyuorum. Mr. Scoresby, desiring to secure one of these powerful animals, made preparations for the chase by employing very short lines, only two hundred fathoms in length, and attaching a buoy to each of their extremities, in order to tire out the creature by the resistance which they would offer to the water through which they would be dragged by the Whale. Two Rorquals were struck, and in both cases the intended victims escaped. In the first instance, the Whale dived with such impetuous speed that the line snapped by the resistance of the buoy against the surface of the water, and in the second case the line only held together for a single minute, and was severed apparently by friction against the dorsal fin. A third Ror- qual was afterwards harpooned through the error of the seamen, who mistook it for a Green- land Whale. As soon as it felt the sting of the harpoon, the animal dived with such rapidity that it carried nearly three thousand feet of line out of the boat in about a minute of time, and escaped by snapping the rope. Not contenting itself with euch mode of escape, the Rorqual will often turn fiercely upon THE RORQUAL WEALS. 429 id.- Ixiat-, .,11.1 avellp- it-elf l>\ d:i-liin.: llu-lii t.. pltMi l'\ l-j-al.-.l ifcnhM "f Mi These In-inherent qualities would make the whalers very cautious in dealing with nurh formidable foes, even if their nip tare WWB attended with profit equal to the Imlk <>f their pray. Hut :i- it i- found that tin- Rorqual is almost valin-l.^s when killed, tin- whaler- jM-nnit it to pass unmolested, and tuni their attention to more valuable quarry. The layer of blubber which encompasses tin- Rorqual is only about six or eight inches in thieklMM, and is very chars in \ ieldini: oil. a large \Vli:ile only furnishing at the ln-st ten or fifteen tons, and soim- times scarcely a single ton of this valuable substance. A- id,. h,.;i,l ,.f id.- l,'..|.|n:il i- not nearh -• nun ii an li- : .1- that "f tin- Mysticetus. and the capacity of the mouth is more owing to the huge pourh of the lower jaws than to the form of the upiier jaw, the baleen, or whalebone, is necessarily very short, m-arcely teaching four feet in length. Kven if its quality had been good, it would be of comparatively little value. Yet it is so coarse and ••unkindly" that it is almost valueless for manufacturing purposes. Whalers would rejoice if this substance were of more value, as it is extremely plentiful in the Rorqual, the jaw- !>• •iiiir lined with five thousand distinct plates or "slabs".of baleen. As the food of the lionpial is not limited to the small animals which constitute the diet of the Greenland Whales, but consists also of various fish, it needs that the gullet should be SEXLITON OF RORQUAL. larger than in that nvatnre. In the stomach of a single Rorqual, six hundred large cod-fish have been found, together with a considerable number of pilchards. In order to procure a sufficiency of food for its vast bulk, the Rorqual often follows the shoals of migrating fish until it approaches the shores, where in many cases it prefers to take up its alxide. hovering round the fishing-grounds, and swallowing whole boat-loads of herrings, pilchards, and other fish. Although the Rorqual may for a time support itself at the cost of our fishing t ra< !•-. it is nearly sure to fall a victim to its own temerity, and to be left by the returning tide, helple— ly and ignominioii-ly stranded on the shores. This is a season of great rejoicing amon^r the fishermen, who flock to the fatal spot with their most deadly weapons, and avenge themselves of their losses by the slaughter of the giant robber. Even the " hollie-pike " himself fella victim to his want of caution, and was at length stranded on the shores of the very bay which he had haunted for so many consecutive years. The length of this animal was seventy-five feet. Owing to the persevering manner in which the Rorqual follows its prey to onr coasts, it is more frequently stranded upon the British shores than any other true Whale. One of these animals that was tlm- <-aptnre many wound- as INI— iMe and leaving it to die. After the lapse of a few days the huge carcase is generally found dead upon the strand, and Ufomes the property of all those who ha.ve wounded it and 430 THE SPERMACETI WHALE. can prove their claims by the weapons which are found in its body. The person who finds the stranded carcase is by law entitled to one-third of the value. The whalers appear to regard this animal with as much detestation as do the European fisherman, for the Greenland Whale has no love for the Rorqual, and seems to avoid the localities where this marine giant takes up its residence. It does not frequent the more icy seas, but prefers the clear waters. The spoutings of the Rorqual are very impetuous, as indeed are all its actions, and while engaged in respiration it shoots along the surface of the water at a velocity of four or five miles an hour instead of lying still during that process, as is the custom with the Greenland Whale. The color of this species is a dark-gray, tinged with blue. The name Rorqual is derived from the Norwegian word, which signifies a "Whale with folds," in allusion to the deep longitudinal folds which lie along the under jaw and a consid- erable portion of the lower parts of the animal. The term Boops is from the Greek, and signifies "ox-eyed," in allusion to the small rounded ox-like eyes of the Rorqual. The Rorqual can be distinguished while in the water from the Mysticetus by the compara- tively longer and more slender body and more cylindrical form, and by the fact of its possessing a dorsal fin. Its actions too are so peculiar as to mark it out to an experienced eye. SUB-ORDER ODONTOCETI. TOOTHED WHALES, SPERM WHALES, ETC. THE animals which form the next little group of Cetacea are remarkable for their immensely large head with its abruptly terminated snout, and the position of the blow-hole, which is situated upon the fore part of the head, nearly at the tip of the snout. They do not possess any baleen, but are armed with a most formidable set of teeth in the lower jaw, which fit into a series of conical depressions in the upper jaw. To a casual observer the upper jaw appears to be devoid of teeth, but on a closer examination it is found to possess a short row of them on each side, which are mostly placed nearer the interior of the jaw than the conical depressions already mentioned, but in some instances are found at the bottom of these cavities. The number of the teeth of the lower jaw is very variable, but the average in adult specimens is about fifty -two. The teeth are heavy, strong, and when the animal is young are rather sharply pointed, but become extremely blunt when worn by the attrition of a long course of service. In Europe the teeth of the CACHALOT, or SPERMACETI WHALE, are of no great value, being considered merely as marine curiosities, and often carved with rude engrav- ings representing the chase of the animal from which they were taken, together with a very precise account of the latitude and longitude, and a tolerably accurate view of the vessel. In the South Sea Islands, however, these teeth are articles of the highest value, being thought worthy of dedication to the idol deities, or at least placed as rare ornaments in the king's house. So great is the conventional value of these teeth, that several wars have arisen from the possession of a Whale's tooth by an inferior and unfortunate chief who had discovered the rarity and meant to keep it. The partly-hidden teeth of the iipper jaw are about three inches in length, but they hardly project more than half an inch through the soft parts in which they are imbedded. In prepar- ing the skull of the Spermaceti Whale these teeth are apt to fall out together with the softer parts, as their attachment to the jawbone is very slight. Eight of these teeth have been found on each side of the jaw. The CACHALOT is one of the largest of the Whales, an adult male, or "old bull," as it is called by the whalers, measuring from seventy to eighty feet in length, and thirty feet in circumference. The head is enormously long, being almost equal to one-third of the total length. The term Macrocephalus is derived from two Greek words, signifying "long-headed," and has been given to the animal in reference to this peculiarity of structure. Upon the back •////: \\n.\u:. there i.s :i rathei l.u..- hump, nfcfc !> Elm ibnq ' , In front and ta]*en . KMU.,!,;- kOH lid - tail. Tin- color of the Cachalot i- a blacki-h liray. somewluit tinged with green ii]iuii tin- upi-«-i l»ortions of tin- ltod\ . Around tin- i yen und on the alMlotn<*ii it i.s of u grn\ i-h \\ hit*-. Tin- -P.-.-I.-- is chietly notable on account of the valuable -ul^i.in.-.-> \\liicli are obtained fnuii it- !MK|\. iiirlinliiiir <-il a:nl s]>eniiaceti. Th« oil Is ol>t;iiiu-il fnnn tin- l>lul)lxT, \\liicli in not \i-ry thick in tlii- animal. IMMII.I,' only fourteen inches in dt-jith on (In- lnva>l ami .l.-\.n inc'hfx on tli«- othiT |.;nt-> of tin- |MH!\. ami in therefore not no alnimlaiit in iii-oj»ortioii i» tin- size of tht- animal iw that which i.s extracted from the <>nland \\'lial.-. li- -u|>- -rioi quality. linu.-».-r. c< ni|»-nsatea fully for its deficiency in quantity. The layer of blultU'i- is by the 8PKRUACETI WHALK.-f whalers technically called the "blanket," probably in allusion to its office in preserving the anima! heat. The spermaceti is almost peculiar to a few species of the genus Catodon, and is obtained as follows. The enormous and curiously formed head is the great receptacle of the spermaceti, which lies in a liquid, oily -tat.-, in TWO LT.MI cavities jhat .-\ist in the hnir«' m:i-s of t.-tnlinons substance of which the head is chiefly composed. On reference to the skull of the Cachal the reader will observe that iT dips suddenly over the eyes, and then i- j^n-atly prolonged. This jMirtioii of th«- skull is terni-d Neptune's ,-liair l>y the sailo?--. and it is in Neptune's .'hair that the s|M>rniac.-ti i> pluce.1. When the \Vhale is killed and tnM.-d t<> the ship's sj,|e. the head I- cut off and atlixed to tackles for the purpose of sup|xirtinir it in a convenient |«.sjtion for the extraction of this valuable sul.-taii.-e. A laiLre hole is cut in the top of the head, and a number of sailors lower their buckets into the cavity and bale out the liquid matter. XVh.'ii tir-t e\|M)-«-d to the air it has a clear, oily np|iearance. I.iit after it has l*-ei) sub- jected to the action of the atmosphere for a few hour-, the -]--iina<-..ti IK-ITJII- to serrate it-»-lf 432 SPERMACETI AND AMBERGRIS. from the oil, and in a short time is sufficiently firm to be removed and put into a different vessel. There is yet a considerable amoTint of oil mixed with the pure spermaceti, giving it a yellow, greasy aspect, which must be thoroughly removed before the spermaceti can assume its silky, crystalline appearance. The process of purifying it is rather a long and complicated one, consisting of various meltings and re-meltings, of squeezing through hair bags, and of treatment with a solution of potass. It is then sufficiently refined for commercial purposes, but if it should be required to be perfectly pure without any admixture of oil or extraneous substances, it is boiled in alcohol and is deposited in pearl-white laminated crystals, glistening with a silver sheen and separating easily into small scales. The amount of spermaceti which is produced from the head of a single Whale is very large indeed. From a Cachalot that only measured sixty-four feet in length, and was therefore by no means a large one, twenty-four barrels of spermaceti and nearly one hundred barrels of oil were obtained. Ambergris, that curious substance whose origin so long baffled the keenest inquirers, and which was formerly only found at rare intervals floating on the waves or cast upon the shore, is now often discovered within the intestines of the Cachalot, and is supposed to be a morbid secretion peculiar to the animal, and analagous to biliary calculi. Fifty pounds weight of this substance have been found in a single Whale, and on one occasion a single piece of ambergris of the same weight was discovered on the coast of the Bermudas by some sailors, who imme- diately deserted their ship and escaped to England with their valuable prize. The value of ambergris is rather variable, but it is always a costly article. It is seldom, if ever, found in young and healthy Cachalots, so that a ship may make a very successful whaling voyage, and yet return home without finding a single ounce of amber- gris in all the Whales killed. Ambergris is generally employed as a perfume, and is prepared for the use of the purchaser by being dissolved in alcohol. It sometimes happens that a stray Cachalot blunders into the shallow waters of the Bermudas, and being unable to discover the pas- sage through which it passed, • is caught like a mouse in a trap, and falls a ready victim to the intrepid and almost amphibious natives. As soon as a Whale is discovered in this helpless situation, the populace is all astir and full of excitement at the welcome news. Boats are immediately launched, filled with men bear- ing guns, lances, and other destructive weapons, which would be of little use in the open sea, but are very effectual in the shoal waters of these SKULL or OTBKAOITI WHAM. strange islands. No sooner does the Whale feel the sharp lance in its body, than it dives with its ordinary velocity, forgetting that it is no longer in deep water, and strikes its head against the rocky bed of the sea with such unexpected force as to bring it to the surface half stunned. The hunters take advantage of its bewildered state to approach closely and to ply their deadly weapons with fatal effect. Some of these men are so cool and determined, that they will actually leap from their boats upon the Whale's back, and, setting their shoulders to the butt of the spear, urge the sharp blade by the weight of their bodies. The Whale soon yields up its life under such circumstances, and the huge carcase is brought to shore amid the shouts and congratulations of the spectators. The fat and ivory of the slain animal are divided among the hunters who were actually engaged in the chase, but the flesh is distributed gratuitously to every one who chooses to apply for it. Every one who can own a barrow or a basket, bears it to the scene of slaughter, and is at liberty to take as much Whale's flesh as he chooses. The connoisseurs in Whale's flesh assert that there are three qualities of meat in every Whale, the best resembling mutton, the second qiiality imitating pork, and the third resembling beef. Captain Scott, an eye- ACT1MTY (>F THE SPERMACETI WHALE. witness of this animated scene, and to whom I am indebted for the information, aver* that thfiv ivjilly is some semblance of these various meats, an-l that the ••j».rk," when salted and lum-lled, nik'ht !>«• readily taken for the llesh of tin- veritable liog. I'll.' -.mi.- -.-nil. -111:111 tells in.- that ill.- leaping powers of th>- < 'achalot are not in the least »-\.i_'_-.-!:ii.-.l. !'..! ili.it !i.- tlM 1MB Ott of these iiiimall ipfiag to NMft > '•<• i- *••' Mtofl tli- \v.it.-r. ili;ii tli<- horizon could be seen under it, although th* spectators were standing on the deck of a man-of-war. The Cachalot was about three miles from the -lii]i at the time w hen it iiia.l.- it-. --1'iing. Tin- >)..i ma., -ti \Yhale. when it is in the open sea, lives chiefly on the "squids," or cuttle li-h, whirh swarm in the ocean, and when it approaches land, feeds on various fish. It seems, however, to crimt a boat to approach them without much difficulty. Some- times \\hen >tnick they lie still and supine as if they did not feel the keen edge of the liar- poon, and so afford time to the whalers to use their deadly lances at once instead pf dragging them for mill-- o\er the ware*. Sometimes, however, a "large Whale" will become l>elligeivnt, and is then a most fearful anta_'<.ni-t, using its tail and its huge jaws with equal effect. One of these animals has l>een known to drive its lower jaw entirely through the plankings of a stout whaling boat, and another well-known individual destroyed nine l>oats in rapid succession. This fonnidable animal was at last killed, and in its carcase were found a whole armory of harpoons and spears belonging to different ships. Not only boats, but even ships have been sunk by the attacks of an infuriated "old bull " Cachalot. An American ship, the fixxt-x, was thus destroyed by the vengeful fury of a Cachalot which accidentally struck itself against the keel. The irritated animal, evidently thinking that the ship was a rival Whale, retired to a short distance and then charged full at the vessel, striking it on one side of the bows, and crushing beams and planks like straws. Then were at the time only a feu m.-n on board, the remainder of the crew Ix-ing in the boats engaged in chasini: the \Vhales; and when the poor men returned to their ship, they found her fast sinking, and only reached her in time to secure a scanty stock of provision and water. Husbanding these precious supplies to the utmost, they made for the coast of Peru, but all perished excepting three, who were almost miraculously rescued as they lay senseless in their neglected boat, which was drifting at large in the ocean, unguided by human hands. Lake the Greenland Whale, the Cachalot is an affectionate animal, and though constitu- tionally timid to a degree, is yet possessed of sufficient moral courage to come to the rescue of its wounded friends. If the harpooner strikes one female of the "school," her minjianions will not attempt to make their escjijM-. hut will swim anxiously round their suffering com- panion, and remain in her vicinity until she is killed. Taking advantage of this trait of character, the whalers have often contrived, by sending a number of boats simultaneously, to secure almost every member of the "school." The young males, however, are far more selfish, and when one of them is struck. tl»- others make off as fast as they can swim, leaving their wounded companion to shift for himself as he KM ran. The natural timidity of the Cachalot is very remarkable, considering the gigantic size of the animal and the formidable array of teeth with which it is armed. Any strange object 434 THE BLACK-FISH. • perceived by this creature throws it into a state of excited trepidation, during which time it performs several curious antics, and is said by the sailors to be "gallied." When uneasy, it has a strange habit of slowly sweeping its tail from side to side upon the surface of the water, as if feeling for the object that excited its terror. When thoroughly frightened, and especially when roused to energetic action by the pain- ful sting of the harpoon, the Cachalot darts along the surface of the water at an astonishing rate, its speed being often from ten to twelve miles per hour. As it proceeds in its rapid course, the alternate upward and downward strokes of the tail cause its head to sink and emerge alternately, producing that mode of swimming which is technically termed "head- out." As the lower part of the head is compressed into a kind of cut-water shape, there is less resistance offered to the water than if the creature swam entirely below the surface, as is its wont when undisturbed. It is conjectured that the enormous amount of oil and spermaceti which exists in the head of the Cachalot may be intended for the purpose of lightening the head, and enabling it to lie more easily upon the surface. The "spoutings" of the Spermaceti Whale are very peculiar, and can be recognized at a distance of several miles. It generally lies still while spouting, but sometimes proceeds gently along the surface. Firstly the "hump " becomes perceptible as the animal rises, and at some forty or fifty feet distance the snout begins to emerge. Prom the extremity of the snout is ejected a continuous stream of water and vapor, which lasts for about three seconds, and is thrown forward at an angle of forty -five degrees. The intervals of time between the "spoutings" are as regular as clockwork, and their number is always the same in the same individual. The snout sinks under water as each spouting is finished, and emerges for the next respiration. Sometimes a Cachalot is alarmed before "the spoutings are out," and dives below the surface. In such a case, the animal soon re-appears in another spot, and completes the number of the respirations. The interval of time between the spoutings is ten seconds in the " old bulls," and as the animal makes between sixty and seventy of these curious respirations, the time which is consumed in oxygenizing the blood is ten or eleven minutes. Having completed this business, the creature then lowers its head into the water, flings its tail in the air, and disappears into the far depths of the ocean, where it remains about an hour and ten minutes. The number and force of these "spoutings," together with the time which is consumed by respiration, and the period of the stay beneath the surface of the water, are extremely varied, according to the age, sex, and size of the individual. The Spermaceti Whale does not seem to choose any particular portion of the year for the production of its young, but is found at all seasons in charge of its offspring. Moreover, young Whales, or "cubs," are found of all sizes and ages, simultaneously roaming the seas, either in company with their parents or turned loose upon the world to shift for themselves. There is but a single cub at a birth. The milk of the animal is exceedingly rich and thick, as indeed is the case with the milk of all Whales. This animal is very widely spread over the world, as it is found in almost every portion of the aqueous portions of the globe with the exception of the Polar Seas. Several of these creatures have been discovered off our own coasts, and a few have been stranded on the beach. Sperm Whales are embraced under the family Catodontidce. The head is enormously large, forming quite one-third of the bulk of the animal, and is curiously square and box-like in the snout. The latter contains the spermaceti, which is dipped out of the top of the head or snout when the upper surface is removed. The lower jaw is armed with numerous teeth, which fit into depressions in the upper. The pectoral limbs are small, and the dorsal fin is present. The blow-holes are situated nearer the extremity of the snout than those of the Right Whales. The Sperm Whales are confined to tropical waters. Tire BLACK-FISH has been separated from the genus Catodon, and placed in the genus Physeter, together with one or two other Whales, because, although they possess the huge truncated head and heavily armed lower jaw of the Cachalots, the spout-holes are removed from the extremity of the snout and placed upon the middle of the top of the head. These DOLPU1X8. i ;;, spout-holes are separate lli:ii>.-.l. The head is remarkably large, and j)robably exceeds in length the fourth of tin* entire hulk. This species is of considerable dimensions when adult, as it is known to measure from fifty to sixty feet in length. In the lower jaw is a bountiful supply of teeth, whit.-. jMiwrful. :tn.! conical BMM t'-tti an- ven variable- in mimU i. in -linYi. m sjnvies. vaniiuj :ih.._. -ih, i li-m twenty-two to forty-four. An equal number of cartilaginous sockets are placed in the UJ.|«T jaw, into which the conical teeth are received when the mouth is closed. The teeth that are. j.l:i.-.-.| in ill" middle of the jaw are larger and heavier than those of the front or baae. Borne of these teeth will exceed nine inches in length, and weigh more than eighteen ounce* when perfectly dried. The root of each tooth is hollow in the centre to the depth of several inches, and is so deeply buried in the jaw, that the projecting portion of the largest tooth rarely exceeds three inches. The teeth range from seven to nine inches in length. These teeth are very white and polished, are conical in their shape, tolerably sharp while the animal is young, but become blunt as the creature increases in years and dimensions. The dimensions of one these animals have been very accurately given by Sibbald. In total length it measured between fifty-two and fifty-three feet, its girth at the largest part of the body was rather more than thirty-two feet, and as it lay on the ground the height of its back was twelve feet. The lower jaw was ten feet in length, and was furnished with forty -two teeth, twenty-one on each side. Each tooth was slightly sickle-shaped, and curved towards the throat. From the tip of the snout to the eyes was a distance of twelve feet, and the upper part of the snout projected nearly five feet beyond the tip of the lower jaw. The eyes were remarkably small, about the size of those of the common haddock. As may be supposed from the popular name of this animal, the color of its skin is almost uniformly black. The throat is larger in proportion than that of other Whales. One of these animals was thrown ashore at Nice, in the month of November, 1730. When the upper part of the head was opened, it was found to contain spermaceti, which lay in a mass of two feet in thickness in the usual locality. The blow-hole is graphically termed the "him" or chimney. In concluding this brief history of the Whales, it must be once more remarked, that, in spite of the earnest labors of many excellent observers, our knowledge of these wondrous creatures is as yet exceedingly rudimentary, and even the genera are not clearly ascertained. The native Greenlanders seem to possess a very large amount of information on this subject, and are extremely accurate in their knowledge of the various Whales and their habits. It has therefore been happily suggested, that succeeding voyagers should take advantage of this circumstance, and should use their best endeavors to extract from those illiterate, but very practical savages, the knowledge which they really possess. THE DOLPHINS do not possess the enormous head which characterizes the true whales, and have teeth in both jaws, although they are liable to fall out at an early age. The blow- holes are united together, so as to form a single lunate opening, which is set transversely on the crown of the head. When first born, the voting Dolphins are remarkable for their very great proportional dimensions, being little less than one-fourth the size of the parent, and affording a wonderful contrast to the marsupials, whose young are of such minute proportions when first born. From the circumstance that the lower jaws are only furnished with two teeth, the rare and curious animal which is represented in the accompanying illustration is sometimes scien- tifically termed the Diodon, or two-toothed animal. But as this generic title has already been appropriated to the urchin-fishes, the name has been more recently changed into Ziphius. In the animals which belong to this genu-. ill-- spout-holes are placed upon the top of the head, the throat is furnished with two diverging furrows, and the teeth are only two in num- ber, rather large in proportion to the skull, slightly curved and compressed, and are situated 436 THE NARWHAL. in the middle of the lower jaw. The pectoral fins are placed rather low, and their shape is oval, tapering towards their extremities. Sowerby's Ziphius is so called, because that well- known naturalist figured and described the animal. His description was founded upon a specimen that was cast ashore. The skull of this individual was preserved by Mr. Sowerby in his museum, and is so valuable a specimen that it has been industriously multiplied by means of plaster casts, which have been distributed to various. scientific institutions. The length of the creature was sixteen feet, and its girth at the largest part of the body was eleven feet. The head is small, narrow, and pointed, and the lower jaw is longer, blunter, and wider than the upper jaw, so that when the mouth is closed, the lower jaw receives the npper. In the upper jaw there are two depressions corresponding with the teeth, and permit- ting the perfect closing of the mouth. The color of the animal is black on the upper surface and gray below, and is remarkable for the pellucid and satin-like character of the skin, which reflects the rays of the sun to a considerable distance. The body is marked like watered silk. This effect is produced by a vast number of white streaks immediately below the skin, which are drawn irregularly over the whole body, and at a little distance appear as if they were made by means of some sharp instrument. Nothing is known of the habits of this curious animal, which is unknown to science, except by means of the specimen above mentioned. The Dolphins are represented in our Atlantic waters by the Common Dolphin. Historical and classical, this creature has in all ages claimed a good degree of interest and attention from the general reader, as well as the poet, the painter, and the savant. Its graceful form has long been the ideal of beauty in certain artistic groupings and designs. The characteristic prominence on its head, with its prolonged snout, is exaggerated somewhat to produce the conventional art-form. This is the true Dolphin of the poet and the painter, although the sailor may claim that the fish so called which exhibits most brilliant colors, made changeable while dying by certain aspects of the circulation of the blood, is also the true one. The latter has somewhat the same outline of head and shoulders, but the former, also, has the elongated flexible body, with the elegant forked tail, whose flukes add such grace to the drawings of ancient works. Though familiar to the reader by description and illustration, yet the Dolphin is seldom seen alive. An excellent opportunity was offered during the winter of 1878 in the New York Aquarium. A specimen measuring about seven feet in length was captured in the Long Island Sound, and was successfully exhibited alive during several months. The Porpoise is the most familiar Cetacean to people living near the sea. It is especially a harbor species. Herds of them are often seen rolling, rolling, as they come to the surface to breathe. The name is curiously corrupted from the French, porc-poisson, hog-fish literally. This species reaches the length of seven feet, though usually it is about four or five. THE word NARWHAL is derived from the Gothic, signifying "Beaked- whale," and is a very appropriate term for the SEA UNICORN, as the animal is popularly entitled. The head of the Narwhal is round, and convex in front, the lower jaw being without teeth, and not so wide as the upper jaw. Prom the upper jaw of the Narwhal springs the curious weapon which has gained for the animal a world-wide reputation. In the upper jaw of the young or the female Narwhal are found two small, hollow tusks, imbedded in the bone, which, in the female, are generally undeveloped throughout the whole of the animal's existence, but in the male Narwhal are strangely modified. The right tusk remains in its infantine state, excepting that the hollow becomes filled with bony substance ; but the left tusk rapidly increases in length, and is developed into a long, spiral, tapering rod of ivory, sometimes attaining to the length of eight or ten feet. The tusks are supposed to be formed by an excessive growth of the canine teeth, and not of the incisors, as might be sup- posed from the position which they occupy in the jaw. The use of this singular tusk is very obscure, for if it were intended to serve some very important object, such as the procuring of food, it is evident that the females would need its aid as much as their companions of the opposite sex, for both sexes feed on the same food, and inhabit the same localities, at the same time. A very plausible conjecture has been offered, 7V//-; f its valiu-, it is \\rli-omcl OIL i-ach siii-i-i'i-liii:: \.-ar as tin- harbinger of the On-inland \Vlmle. The Narwhal is, however, of the greatest service to the Greenland.-!--. f..r its long ivory tusk is admirably ada]>t«-d f->r tin- manufacture of various limix-hold imjilriiu-nts and of spear-heads, to that it is the sad fate of many a Narwhal to perish by means of the tooth that ha.s been extracted from its near kinsman. It is easily killed, as it possesses no very great power of diving, and is soon tired out by means of the inflated buoys which are attached to the harpoon, and otT.-r so great a resistance to the water. It seldom descends above two hundred fathoms below the surface, and when it again rises is so fatigued that it is readily killed by a sharp spear. The oil which is extracted from the blubber is very delicate, but is not present in very great amount, as the coating of fatty substance is seldom more than three inches in depth. About half a ton of oil is obtained from a large specimen. The flesh is much prized by the natives, and is not only eaten in its fresh state, but is carefully dried and prepared over th.- lii--. The color of this animal is almost entirely black upon the upper surface of the body, but is slightly varied by streaks and ]>atches of a deeper tint. The sides fade into grayish-white, diversified with sundry gray marks, and the under portions of the body are white. The tints of the Narwhal are rather variable even in the same individual, which assumes different hues at different stages of its existence. There is no fin upon the back of the Narwhal, but its place is indicated by a fold or ridge of skin which runs down the centre of the back, and in old sjiecimens appears to have been subjected to hard usage. The pectoral fins are very small in proportion to the size of the animal, and appear to be of little sen-ice to the owner except for the purpose of preserving the balance of the body. In the upper jaw there are two other teeth beside the tusks, which are concealed in the gum, and are supposed to be false molars. The Narwhal is a gregarious animal, being seldom seen alone, and generally associating in little companies of fifteen or twenty in number. It seems to be gifted with a considerable amount of curiosity, as Sowerby mentions that several of these animals pursued the ship from some distance, diving below the strange monster and playing near the rudder. It is seldom found in southern latitudes, but is seen in great numbers between the seventeenth and eight- eenth degree of north latitude. The length of an adult Narwhal is about thirteen feet The, Narwhal is unique as a species and common to both hemispheres. Its wonderful tusk— one only being developed usually, though instances occur where both are full grown — has given it the appellation of Sea Unicorn. It is not easy to comprehend the uses of such a weapon. Its great length, though formidable as a means of offense, would seem an obstruc- tion in feeding. The ivory of the tusk is regarded of great value. Tins BELUGA, which is sometimes called the WHITE WHALE on account of the color of its skin, is an inhabitant of the higher latitudes, being found in great numbers in Hudson's Bay and Davis1 Straits, and is also known to frequent the northern coasts of Asia and America, being especially fond of the mouths of large rivers. The head of the Beluga is short and rounded, the forehead being convex, and the lower jaw not so wide as the upper. Both jaws of this animal are well supplied with teeth, some of which have a tendency to fall out as the animal increases in years, and are generally wanting in the jaws of those specimens which are captured. The dorsal fin is absent, and the pectorals are tolerably large, thick, jxwrful, and rounded. The thick and powerful tail is bent under the body while the animal is swimming, and is used with such singular strength that the creature shoots forward « itli arrowy speed, whenever it is alarmed or excited. The color of this animal is generally a cream-white, but ia some specimens the cream tint is dashed with red, and becomes a pale orange. When young, the Beluga is marked with brown spots, the general hue of the body being a slaty gray. The average length of an adult male is about fi-lit.-* -n or twenty feet. The eye of thb animal is hardly larger than that of man, and the iris is blue. The iced of the Beluga consists chiefly of marine 440 THE BELUGA. fish, such as cod, haddocks, and flounders, which are easily caught by these active and vora- cious animals. On account of their speed and agility, the whalers seldom attempt their capture, although their boldness is so great as to induce them to follow the boats in considerable numbers, and to play all kinds of antics within easy reach of a harpoon. As, however, they are so swift and agile as to elude the barbed steel, or to shake it from its hold if it should happen to strike them, the harpooner seldom runs the risk of losing time and patience in the chase of such a creature. Moreover, even were the animal fairly struck and secured, the blubber is not of sufficient value to repay the crew for their expenditure of time, labor, and personal risk. BELUGA.— Beluga lewxu. The oil that is furnished by the Beluga is of very good quality, although small in quan- tity, and is sufficiently valuable to lead to the establishment of regular Beluga hunts in the great rivers of Northern America, which they ascend for some distance in search of prey. These hunts are often very successful, and furnish a large STipply of oil and skin. As soon as a Beluga is seen in the river or inlet, its retreat is cut off by strong nets laid from bank to bank. A number of boats then start in chase of the animal, while others are stationed along the line of nets, and manned with well-armed crews. When alarmed by the boats, the Beluga makes for the sea, but is interrupted by the nets, which bar its further progress sea- wards, and soon falls a victim to the bullets, spears, and other missiles which are rained upon it by its assailants. Sometimes the harpoon and rope are employed in this chase, and small specimens are occasionally taken by means of hooks baited with fish. Those Belugas which are taken in the St. Lawrence are seldom more than fifteen feet in length. The skin of the Beluga is subjected to the process of tanning, and can be made into a peculiarly strong though soft leather, which is said to be able to resist an ordinary musket- ball. The flesh is held in some estimation, and is said to bear some resemblance to beef. Its oily flavor, however, which cannot easily be destroyed, would render 'it unpalatable to our palates. When prepared with vinegar and salt, it is thought to be equal to the best pork. The fins and tail are considered as the best portions. It is a migrating animal, visiting the western coasts of Greenland at regular intervals, THE 441 reaching that locality alxmt the .-ml of November. It swims in l»rge herds, and U of exceed- ing value tn ill.- natives, who not only eat its tlesh, ami hum and drink it-* oil, l.m employ the sinews for thivad. \\lii.-h may IN. made of any degree of Jim-ness l.y splitting tin- lendons. and use tin- delicate internal membranes for windows to their huts. The coming of the Beluga is anxiously expected by the Greenlanders, as their provisions generally run short about the end of Noveml* T. aii'l are replenished l>y the flesh of their welcome visitor. I'll.- Ileluiri. or White Whale, is cloBely ail lied to the above. This cetacean, in on auult, is about t welve feet in length. The color in a uniform creamy white. Its habitat is the region of the St. Lawrence River, where shoals of them even push into the fresh water. It is captured for its oil. Sjiecimens ten feet in length have been trunsi>ort«Hl to New York, where they have been kept in the great tanks of the Aquarium. Indeed, one was successfully taken to England, and lived long enough to give some opportunity to witness a living whale in confinement. This -p.-, linen wa» quite amenable to domestication f.-eding from its k^-per's hands, etc. MOST familiar of all the Dolphin fraternity is the well-known PORPOISE, or SEA Hoo, an animal which may be seen on any of our coasts, tumbling about on the waves, and executing various gambols in the exuberance of its sportive feelings. Before steamboats came into general use, the Porpoises were constant attendant packet and passenger boats, sometimes pursuing the vessels from sheer curiosity, and at other times following in their wake in hopes of picking up the garbage that might be thrown ov«w board. In the present day. h. .w.-ver, the Porpoises are so frightene-l at the paddle* and that they remain at a respectful distance from the ln>ats, content themselves with keeping pace with the" vs-ls for a conrse of some miles, and then drop astern to rejoin their companion-. The Porpoise is a very gregarious animal, herding together in large shoals, and swimming in " Indian file" as they shoot over the surface of the sea ; just showing their black and glossy backs above the water, and keeping su.-h excellent line that they seem t animated by one spirit and one will. As might be presumed from the formidable array of sharp teeth with which the jaws studded, and which are so arranged that the upland lower sets interU-k when the animal doses its mouth, ttfl bod Of the PorjM.ise consists entirely of animal -,.l.,T.,n.-.->. :,.,.::,..,..- wholly of fish, which it consumes in large quantities, much to the disguM of human tishermem. Herrings, pilchards, sprats, and other salable fish, are in great favor with the Porpoise, wh: 442 THE PORPOISE. pursues its finny prey to the very shores, and, driving among the vast shoals in which these fish congregate, destroys. enormous quantities of them. The fish are conscious of the presence of their destroyer, and flee before it in terror, often flinging themselves into the certain death of nets or shallow water in their hope to escape from the devouring jaws of the Porpoise. Even salmon and such large fish fall frequent victims to their pursuer, which twists, turns, and leaps with such continuous agility that it is more than a match for its swift and nimble prey. Not even the marvellous leaping powers of the salmon are sufficient to save them from the voracious Porpoise, which is not to be baffled by any such impotent devices. The Porpoise seems to keep closely to the coasts, and is seldom seen in mid-ocean. It appears to be a migratory animal, as the season of its disappearance from one locality generally coincides with its arrival on some other coast. It is very widely spread, appearing to inhabit with equal security the warm waters of the Mediterranean, the cool seas of our own coasts, or the icy regions of the high latitudes. Many of these animals have been found in our rivers, which they have evidently ascended with the idea of varying their diet by a few meals on fresh- water fish. The combined influences of steamboats and sewerage afford a most effectual barrier to the presence in our rivers of any animal which could in any way remain in the sweet waters of the open sea. It is, nevertheless, seldom that a year passes away without several notices in local newspapers of Porpoises which have been seen or captured in fresh water. The length of a full-grown Porpoise is extremely variable, the average being from six to eight feet. In this animal the very great size of the new-born young is very remarkable. A mother-Porpoise and her new-born offspring were taken in the Frith of Forth in 1838. The length of the mother was four feet eight inches, and her girth two feet ten inches ; while the length of her offspring was two feet ten inches, and its girth sixteen inches. On the nose of the young Porpoise there are always two thick bristles, which fall out as the creature advances in age, and cause two depressions, which have erroneously been taken for nostrils. The color of the Porpoise is a blue-black on the upper surface of the body, and a bright silvery white below ; so that when the animal executes one of its favorite gyrations the contrasting tints produce a strange effect as they rapidly succeed each other. The iris of the eye is yellowish. The word Porpoise is corrupted from the French term " Porc-poisson," *. e., Hog-fish, and bears the same signification as its German name, " Meerschwein." When the skin of a Porpoise is removed from the body, a layer of white fat is seen lying upon the flesh, about an inch in depth. This fatty layer melts into oil when subjected to the action of heat, and is very fine and delicate in its quality. In common with the oil of other of the Porpoises, it contains a peculiar volatile acid, which can be separated from the fat by chemical agency, and is termed phocenine. The odor of this substance is very powerful, and its taste is acrid and aromatic. It does not congeal even when its temperature is lowered to fourteen degrees above zero, and its boiling-point is higher than that of water. The skin of the Porpoise is well suited for tanning, and can be manufactured into valuable leather. As it is naturally too thick and heavy for this process, it is planed down until it becomes partially transparent, and is then employed for covering carriages, as well as for some articles of apparel. In former times the flesh of the Porpoise was valued very highly, and was looked upon as a regal dish, being cooked with bread-crumbs and vinegar. Before it is dressed it is very unpleasing to the eye, being dark-colored, coarse-looking, and evidently too full of blood ; and its flavor when cooked is said to be coarse and unpleasant. As the Porpoise was convention- ally considered as a fish, in common with the otter, seal, and certain sea-fowl, by the ecclesias- tical rulers of the land, its flesh was a great boon to those who cared not for a fish diet on the multiplied meagre days which studded the calendar, and at the same time were too reverential towards their ecclesiastical superiors to eat that which was openly considered as butchers' meat. On examining the jaws of a Porpoise, we find them to be closely set with rather long, sharp, compressed, and formidable teeth, variable in number, but always multitudinous. There are seldom less than eighty teeth in a Porpoise's mouth, and in the jaws of the female Till: GRAMPUS. I ; : specimen which has already !-•«• n mention. -<1 thei-i- \\.-i-.- n<> If-- than one hun.lr.-.| ami two te»-tli, twenty-six on • -a. -h -ide of tin- npjM-r j:iw. and twenty-five on each side of tin- lower. In these animals there is no j>erceptil>le distinction U-twi-.- n tin- teeth ; in<-i-<.i-, .-anines, and nn-lar- being all alike. * THE head of the GRAMPUS la more rounded than that of the porpoi.se, and It* forehead Is mow convex. There are several species of Delphinidir which are called by the name of Gram pus, thf l»-t known of which is the ordinary or common Grampus. It is a decidedly large animal, an adult specimen measuring from twenty to thirty feet in length, and from ten to twelve in girth. The teeth are not nearly HO numerous as in the por- U-iiiijonly forty -four in total number, eleven at each side of each jaw. In shape they are somewhat conical, strongly made, and slightly curved. The color of the Grampus is black on the upper port of the body, suddenly changing into white on the abdomen and jutrt of the sides. There is generally a white patch of considerable size immediately above and rather behind the eyelid. The name Grampus appears to be a corruption of the French word " Grand-poisson," Just :i> potpoise i- ;i ti-iii-miiifl f,,rm »( " ]...rf.].,,U-.,ii." Although it sometimes wanders into more southern regions, its favored home is In the northern seas that wash the coasts of Greenland and Spitzl>ergen, where it congregates in small herds. It is a very wolf in its constant hunger, and commits great havoc among the larger fish, such as the cod, the skate, and the halibut, caring little for the smaller fry. At tiiiit-s it is said to make systematic attacks on seals, by startling them from their slmnl»er as they lie sunning themselves on the rocks or ice, and wi/imr tln-m as the half-«le«'pi IL' animals plunge in-tinctively into the sea. Even the smaller porpoises and dolphins fall victim- to tin- in-atiable appetite of the Grampus, as has been proved by the discovery of their remains in the dissected stomach of one of these animals. It is said that the Grampuses are fond of amusing themselves by mobbing the Greenland whale, just as the little birds mob owls when they venture forth in the daytime, and that they persecute it by leaping out of the water and -triking it sharply with their tail- a- they descend. In consequence it has been called by the name of Thn-hfi. »r Killer. The sword-fish is reported to join the Thresher in this amusement, and to prevent the whale from diving by 444 THE DOLPHIN. attacking it from below. Whatever credence may be given to the latter part of the story, the former is certainly true, and is corroborated by Captain Scott, who tells me that he has often seen the Thresher engaged in this strange amusement, springing high out of the water, and delivering the most terrific blows with its tail on the object of its pursuit. For the co-opera- tion of the sword-fish he does not vouch, but has remarked that the whale does not seek refuge in the ocean depths when thus persecuted, but makes short and hurried attempts to dive, seeming to be prevented from making its escape by some allied force beneath. APART from the marvellous tales which were once rife concerning the beauty and accom- plishments of the DOLPHIN, the animal is well worthy of notice, and needs no aid of fictitious narrative to enhance its value in the eyes of the naturalist or the observer. The Dolphin is remarkable for the enormous number of teeth which stud its mouth, no less than forty-seven being found on each side of both jaws, the full complement being one DOLPHIN.-/WpAinu» OelpMt. hundred and ninety. In the head of one specimen were found fifty teeth on each side of each jaw, making a complement of two hundred in all. Between the teeth there is a space equal to the width of a single tooth, so that when the animal closes its mouth the teeth of both jaws interlock perfectly. All the teeth are sharply pointed and flattened, and slightly curved backward, so that the entire apparatus is wonderfully adapted for the retention of the slippery marine creatures on which the Dolphin feeds. Fish of various kinds form the usual diet of the Dolphin, which especially delights in the flat fishes of our coasts, and often prowls about the shoals of herrings and pilchards that periodically reach our shores. The Dolphin is not a very large animal, measuring, when full grown, from six to ten feet in length, seven feet being the usual average. Its color is black upon the back, and silvery- white on the abdomen, while the flanks are grayish-white. There is a peculiar satin-like sheen upon the skin when the animal is submerged beneath the water or freshly removed from the sea, but which rapidly disappears as the skin becomes dry. The beautiful colors which have been said to play about the body of a dying Dolphin are not entirely mythical, but belong rightly to one of the fishes, the coryphene, or dorado, which is popularly called the Dolphin by sailors. The eyes of the Dolphin are small, and are supplied with eyelids ; the pupil of the eye is heart-shaped. The ears have but a very minute external aperture, barely admitting an ordi- nary pin, so that its sense of hearing appears to be very limited. Born./. \OSSD DOLPUI\ 44Q 0 In former days the flesh of the Dolphin was thought to be a very great luxury, so great, in. 1. •.-.!, that :i Dolphin was considered :w a noble present to be made to the Duke of Norfolk b\ Dr. Cain-, tin- well known founder <>f th«> college bearing his name. Aa the Dolphin, in ci.inmnu with tho porpoise nnd all the cetacean-, was r< in*idcr<<< 1 as U-l-.n-iii:,' to the fishes, it- tlesh was a pennitt.-d diet u]x,n iiiiiigre days, when all flesh meat wan rigidly forbidden by mfesiastic pi..hibiti..n. ami was served to : lUfl wiA I »uce coin] i of luva i . • nnlis, vine gar, and sugar. Now-a-days, however, tho flesh of the Dolphin has fallen entirely into disrepute aa an article of diet, and is not to be restored to its former station even by the f< >i < .• of pivlatical discipline. It is :i liveh mid playful uninial, and being remarkably active in its native element, is fond of gamtolling among the waxes, and engaging in various sjiort.s with its roni]>anions. Being of a xer\ gregarious nature, it is seldom seen alone, but prefers to associate in littln tlocks or henK and i- in the habit of accoinpanyjiii,' ships for considerable distances, hoxerini: about the vessel and executing various strung*' manuMivres. Sometimes it falls a victim to its curiosity, and when paying too clow- a visit to the vessel is struck with the "grains," or barbed trident, which is kept on board in readiness for such an occasion, and is hauled strug- gling on deck, where it is soon deprixed <>f life. The. formation of the Dolphin's brain is of such a nature that it indicates gn-at intelligence on the part of its possessor, and goes far towards continuing some of the current re|>ort- »n this subject. It is said that Dolphins have been tamed and taught to feed from the hand of their instructor, beside jM-rforming sundry feats at his bidding. That the seals an* eminently capable of instruction is a well known fact, and it is probable that the Dolphins may not be less endowed with intellectual lowers. l-Yom the ]M-culiar sha])e of the snout and jaws, which are rather flattened and consider- ably elongated, the animal has derived its French titles of "Becd'Oie" and "Oiede Mer," i.e. Goose-beak, or Sea-goose. The forehead is rather rounded, and descends suddenly towanls the base of the "beak." The "beak" itself is about six inches in length in a imxlerately Mfc-d specimen, and is separated from the forehead by a small but distinct ridge. The Dol- phin only produces a single young one at a time, and nurses her offspring with nil muling te||.|erne— ;m,l a — idnitx . The common Dolphin is found in the. European seas, and in the Atlantic and the Medi- terranean, and may possibly have a still wider range. There are Dolphins to be found near the coasts of Africa and America, but whether they belong to the same species as the common Dolphin is at present a mooted point. IN the BOTTLK-XOSED DOLPHIX there is not such an extraordinary array of teeth as in the preceding animal, their maximum number being one hundred, and their average abont eighty- five. The average length of this animal is between seven and eight feet, although specimens have been taken which measured between ten and eleven feet in length. The color of the Hot tie-nosed Dolphin is rather different from that of the common Dolphin. Its back is not of tin- same jetty hue, but is deeply tinged with purple, its flanks are dusky, and the under portions are grayish-white, and do not glisten with the pure silvery-white of the ordinary Dolph in of our coasts. Although it is a rare animal, it has more than once been captured. Two Bottle-nosed Dolphins, a mother and her > mini: one, were caught upon the sea-coast, where they had been seen for several days haunting tin- neighborhood. The first of these specimens was captured when it had ascended the river about five miles, and was so powerful and active that it did not resign its life until it had fought for a space of four hours against eight men armed with spears and irtins. and assist.-d by dogs. While struggling with its foes it bellowed loudly, making a sound like that of an enrainil bull. This individual was more than eleven feet in length. In many instances the teeth of the Hot tie-nosed Dolphin are extremely blunt, a circum- stance which was once thought to be peculiar to the species. Mr. Bell, however, proves to the contrary by the fact of possessing two skulls of Bottle nosed Dolphins, in which the teeth arc of the usual length, and as sharp as in the ordinary Dolphin. When the, teeth are thus worn 446 THE 800 800. down, the creature is unable to interlock them rightly, as the narrow portion of the teeth has been ground down, and the interstices are too narrow to receive the wide stumps. The name of Blunt-toothed Dolphin has been given to this animal on account of the supposed normal shape of the teeth. The lower jaw of this species projects rather beyond the upper. BOTTLE-NOSED DOLPHIN.— Ilei/jUttim Curs.u. THERE is a curious animal belonging to this family, which inhabits the Ganges, and is known by the name of the Soosoo. SOOSOO.—Ptalaniila gangetiea. It is remarkable for the curious shape of its "beak," which is long, slender, compressed at the sides, and is larger at the extremity than in the middle. The number of its teeth is about one hundred and twenty. It is a swift and powerful, but at the same time a sluggish animal, appearing to partake largely of the curious mixture of sloth and energy which is found in the huge lizards that frequent the same river, and never caring to exert itself except in chase of its Till' MAXATEB. IJ7 prey Ite color is grayish-black upon the buck, and white on the abdomen. The eye ia wonder- fully .-mall, l«-iiu' onh ,,n,--,-i-liih of an im-h in diaim-t«-r in u Sooaoo which measures four ..r ih .- i- .1 in length. There ia no dorsal lin, its place being indicated by a small projection. SI REN I A. MANATEES AND DUGONGS. THE small bnt singular group of animals that are classed together under the title of the Sn:i si \, are so foi m.-d that anatomists liave had much difficulty in deciding upon their proper position in the animal kingdom. Many parts of their structure exhibit so strong an affinity to tin- pachydt-rmata. or thick-skinned mammalia, that they have been placed next to the ••l.-phaiits l.y som.' /iM.lou'Nts. while their fish-like form and aquatic habits have induced other w lit. -IN to place them in tin- position which they now occupy in the British Museum. Tli.-y feed chiefly on x.-etaM- sul.stances, and find the greater part of their subsistence in the thick herbage that edges tin- waters where they reside. Their imMiiN are placed at the extremity ..f the muzzle, as is the case \\ith most mammalia, and they are never employed as blow-holea, aft>-r the manner of the cetaceans. Tin MANATKE, or LAM A vim . i- .1 very strange-looking creature, appearing like a curious mixture of several dissimilar animals, tin- v-nl and hippopotamus U-ing predominant. There are sevenil .siH'ci.-s of Manatee, twonf \\liicliaiv found in America and nne in Africa, bnt always on those shon-s wliich are washel will r.ith.-r Miir.T itself to l>« killed tlian forsake even the dead body of its latv partiuT. There are several sped- - <>f I Migong, which are all very similar in habits, although they van in sia* OMtpMftM bM !•••:' K •••, festteil to the leu/ th ol twviitj six f.«.-t. 'I'll.- -kuli of tlirx- animals is \.-i \ singularly formed, the upper jaw being bent downward over the low«-r jaw, ami t.-rininat. .1 l.\ two large incisor teeth. It is supposed that the object of this struct mv is to assist tlu> animal in guthering together and drugging up by the roots the algte and otln-r subaqueous vegetation on which it feeds. The skin of the Dugong is ca]>al>l«- of In-im,' manufactured into various useful articles, ami the flesh is in some repute, being said to bear close resemblance to veal. DCOONO-flUtan A nnRD genus of these herbivorous cetaceans is the RYTINA, which is supposed to be now extinct, the last known specimen having been killed in 1768, only twenty-seven years after the creatures were discovered. The Rytina possessed no true teeth, and masticated its food by means of two bony plates, one of which was attached to the front of the palate, and the other to the lower jaw. It was a large animal, measuring about twenty-five feet in length, and nearly twenty feet in cirrum- f.-n nre. The Rytina was discovered in the year 1741 on an Island in Behring's Strait ; and as the animals w«-re large, heavy, and unarm**!, tln-y were most valuable in affording food to the unfortunate sailors who wi-iv shipwreck^! II]«PII that island, and were forced to abide there for the space of ten months. Wln-n the islands were visited by ships in search of sea- otters, which abounded in that locality, the rrews found tht- Rytinas to be so valuable and so easy a pn-y that tin- i-ntin- nn-.- was extirpated in a few years. The only account of the Rytina is that which was furnished by St.-ll.-r. one of the ship- wnt-ked party, who, undaunted by the terriMi- privations which he was forced to undergo, « rote an admirable n of th.- animal, which was afterwards published in 8t Petersburg. RODENTIA; OR GNAWING ANIMALS. ' HE RODENTS, or gnawing animals, derive their name from the peculiar structure of their teeth, which are specially fitted for gnawing their way through hard sub- stances. The jaws of the Rodents are heavily made, and very large in propor- tion to the head, their size being not only needful for the support of the gnawing teeth, but for their continual development. There are no canines, but a wide gap exists between the incisors and the molars, which are nearly flat on their surfaces, and are well suited for grinding the soft substances on which these animals feed. The structure of the chisel-edged incisor teeth is very wonderful, and may be easily under- stood by inspecting the teeth of a rat, mouse, hare, or rabbit. As their teeth are continually worn out by the severe friction which they undergo, there must needs be some provision for renewing their substance, or the creature would soon die of starvation. In order to obviate this calamity, the base of the incisor teeth pass deeply into the jaw-bone, where they are continually nourished by a kind of pulpy substance from which the tooth is formed, and which adds fresh material in proportion to the daily waste. Some- times it happens that one of the incisor teeth is broken or injured by some accident, so that it offers no resistance to its corresponding tooth in the opposite jaw. The result of such an accident is very sad to the sufferer, and is not unfrequently fatal in its termination. For the unopposed tooth, being continually increased by fresh substance from behind, is gradually pushed forward until it attains an enormous length, having sometimes been known to form a complete circle. Examples of these malformed teeth are of tolerably frequent occurrence, and specimens may be seen in almost every museum of comparative anatomy. Something more is needed for the well-being of the animal than the mere growth of its teeth ; for unless their chisel-like edges were continually kept sharp, they would be of little use for cutting their way through the hard substances which the Rodents are in the habit of gnawing. This result is attained as follows : The enamel which covers the front face of the incisor teeth is much harder than that which is laid upon the remaining surfaces, while the dentine which makes up the solid mass of each tooth is also harder in front than behind. It is evident that when these teeth are employed in their usual task, the softer enamel and dentine are worn away very much more rapidly than the remainder of the teeth, so that the peculiar chisel edge of the teeth is continually preserved. Following — perhaps unconsciously — the structure of these teeth, our cutlera have long been accustomed to make their axes on the same principle, a thin plate of steel being inclosed within two thick plates of iron, so that when the axe is used upon timber, the iron is continually worn away, leaving the plate of steel to project, and form a sharp cutting edge. In many species of Rodents, the front faces of the incisor teeth are tinted with a light orange red, or a reddish-brown, by means of a very thin layer of colored enamel. In order to enable these teeth to perform their office rightly,, the lower jaw is jointed so as to slide back- wards and forwards. The Rodent animals are widely spread over the entire globe, and are very numerous, comprising nearly one-third of the mammalia. The magnificent work on "The North American Rodents," by Dr. Coues and J. A. Allen, Till' BROWN I.M published in Hay«W.i Geological Reports, 1HT7, furnishes a vast amount of valuable matter oil tll«- subject. MemU-rsof this order l«-|«,n^ to all ]M>rtions of the glol*-, and an- particularly abundant in America, where there are said to be an many an are known to all juris- <.f the world. The oi-der c..n!ains in*. i,. s|,,.<-ies tlmn any other class of inaiiunals. !„•!». -.-n ,.j-|,t and nine hundred being known, and th.-\ an- \.-ry evenly distributed. In South America there are m on- than in the northern half of the New World; but the great number of sin-cies included in tin- on.- _•• mi>. II. -|« i.. in\ -. i-aiix- this p. |...!! !. I.IM. • There ore no indigenous Rodents common to both Europe and America, exceptinK the beaver, whirh is regarded by aome&n the same in lx>th count ri.-s. The Musk Itjit and a >|H-<-i,~. of SpermophiluB are said to occur in Kamtsrhatka ; in this i-vent th."-- would hoi tions. There are no South American >iH-ci.>s in North Am.-rira, l>ut a r|,,-,> r.-lati<»iiNlii]( exists ln-twcen tin- Lreu.-ni V\;illa«v jfives the following, asregjinl the family of HcNlents, and nunilier of geneni and >!»•< i,-*. Mnriil(ft the Mouse family, has thirty-.seven genem, and three hundred BLACK RAT.- JAu rattw. Itun and thirty species. Tin- true Mou^. ithe species common to our houses), he records as not found indigenous in North nor South America, nor the three insular groups belonjrfng to the Australian region, but it is indiirenous in the remaining portions of the globe very widely. Hesperomys represents it in the New World — eighty or more species ore enumerated. The 1'orket Mouse family, (Saccomyidir) has -i\ -.-nera and thirty-three species, all in North Ami-rica. The Besiver family (f'/.vA//-/v/«r) has one genus and two specie, in America and Europe. The Squirrels (Sriiiriihn have eight genera and nearly two hundred species. These are largely from North America, and Europe and Asia. They are not found in the West Indies, in Australia, and in South America as far north as Paraguay. FEW animals are so well known or so thoroughly det»-*ted as the common BROWJT RAT, or N'OKWAV HAT. a* it N sometime* erroneously calli-d. It has> spread itself over almost (.\..ry jKirtion of the globe, taking paasages in almost every ship that tra verses the ocean, and landiui: on almost every shore whicJi the vessel may touch. Wherever they set their feet, the Brown Rate take up their alxnle : and. U-im: singularly pro- litic animals, soon establish themselves in perpetuity. They are marvellous exterminators of 452 THE VORACITY OF THE BROWN RAT. other " vermin," and permit none but themselves to be in possession of the domain which they have chosen. It is a well known fact that they have driven away the black Rat, and estab- lished themselves in its place with wonderful rapidity, having been accidentally brought to England by some vessel in which they had embarked, and found the climate to suit them as a permanent residence. Some of these animals were purposely introduced into Jamaica, in order to extirpate the plantation Rats, which did such damage to the growing crops. They soon drove away the original ' ' vermin ; " but like the Saxons when invited to help the Britons, or like the man who was requested to aid the horse against the stag, were found to be more dangerous foes than the enemy whom they had overcome. The Brown Rat is well fitted for its exterminating mission, as it is a fierce and dangerous animal, and can inflict very painful wounds with its long incisor teeth. An unarmed man would be quite impotent against the attacks of even a small party of old sewer Rats, while a large body of these animals would make but short work of any man, however well he might be armed. There is a wonderful power of combination in the Brown Rat, which enables it to act in concert with its companions, and renders it a truly formidable animal when it chooses to make a combined attack upon man or beast. A number of these animals have been known to attack a cat, and inflict such grievous injuries that the poor creature had to be killed as soon as its evil plight was discovered by its owner. Even a single Rat is no despicable antag- onist, and, according to the observations of practical men, could beat off a ferret in fair fight, and would foil any but a properly trained dog. It is an exceedingly voracious animal, eating all kinds of strange food, and not sparing its own species in times of scarcity. Like the wolves, the Rats will always fall upon and devour one of their companions if it should chance to be wounded, and excite their carnivorous passions by the sight and smell of flowing blood. If a Rat should be caught by a foot or a leg in a steel trap, its former companions will often fly upon the poor captive and tear it to pieces, instead of endeavoring to effect its release. As in such instances the imprisoned limb is left in the teeth of the trap, it has been erroneously supposed that the Rat had severed its own limb in order to set itself free. From some strange cause, the male Rats far outnumber the females, the proportion being about eight of the former to three or four of the latter. This disproportion of the sexes may possibly be caused by the cannibalistic habits of the Rat, the flesh of the female being more tender than that of the opposite sex. Whatever may be the cause, it is clear that the wider increase of these creatures is greatly checked by the comparative paucity of females. There is scarcely a greater plague to the farmer, butcher, sailor, provision merchant, or poultry keeper than the Rat, whose mingled craft, daring, and perpetual hunger require the greatest watchfulness and the most elaborate precaution. The havoc which an army of Rats will make among the corn-ricks is almost incredible, while they carry on their depredation with so much secrecy that an unpractised eye would think the stacks to be sound and unharmed. Fortunately they can easily be dislodged from any rick by taking it down, and replacing it on proper "staddles," taking great care that no stray weeds or branches afford a foothold to these persevering marauders. While the rick is being rebuilt, no particular care need be taken to shake the Rats out of the sheaves, for, as they are thirsty animals, they will be forced to leap from the stack in search of water, and then will not be able to return. Mice can subsist in a stack by means of the rain and dew which moistens the thatch, and may be often seen licking the straws in order to quench their thirst. But the Rats are less tolerant of thirst, and are forced to evacuate their premises. When mice and Rats are found inhabiting the same stack, the former animals reside in the upper parts and the Rats in the lower. Poultry of all kinds suffer sadly from these carnivorous creatures, which have a custom of invading the hen-roosts by night, and making prey of the fowls as they sit quietly sleeping on their perches. Birds are always indisposed to move during the hours of darkness, so that the cunning rodent finds no difficulty in carrying out its destructive intentions. Rabbit-fanciers have great cause to be indignant with the Rat, for when it once gains access to the hutches, the safety of the entire stock is in imminent danger. The only way to secure the survivors is WSTIXCT Of TltK BROWN HAT. IV; to remove them at once to some spot which is made Rat proof. Much <>f tin- damage which it dun. '•;. i: .;- i- laid u|... u imiiNvnt shoulders, the fox and the weaael being the ordinary 'I'll.- :iud:ii -ity <>f these animals is really wonderful. i-|M«cially when they have enjoyed an unmolested lif>-. Tli.-y have been known to enter a stable and nibble the horn away from the horW In of-. «r to creep among dogs as they luy sleeping, and gnaw the callous soles of their feet They have even been known to attack deeping infants, and to inflict fearful damage before they were detected in their crime. Butchers in our huge cities execrate the Rate very sincerely, as they are forced to remove every joint of meat as soon as their business is over for the day, and hang it up in Home place which is so well protected that not even a Rat can gain access. Indeed, the black list of their misdemeanors is so extremely long, that even a rapid enumeration of their crimes would more than occupy the entire space devoted to one animal. Rats are not without their use, especially in huge towns, which but for their never-failing appetites would often be in very sad case. Taking any of our huge cities, we find that the sewers which underlie their whole extent are inhabited by vast hordes of Rats, which perform the office of scavengers by devouring the mass of vegetable and animal offal which is daily oast into those subterranean passages, and which would speedily breed a pestilence were it not removed by the ready teeth of the Rate. So that, when kept within proper bounds, the Rat is a most u--ful animal, and will continue t.. i- so until tin- dniina-'- c,f t.,\\ii> i> i-.,n- ducted in a different manner. How to keep them to their own proper dominions is no easy task, as their sharp teeth can cut through almost any obstacle, and have been known even to grate away the corner of a par- ticularly hard brick. It is found, however, that if these tunnels be stopped up with mortar or cement well studded with pieces of broken glass, they will not venture their teeth against such a barrier. Moreover, if a few table-spoonfuls of quick-lime be placed in the hole l>efore it is stopped up, it will deter the Rate from coming in that direction, as the lime burns their feet Catching them in traps is by no meana so easy a process as it appears to be, as the Rat is a very crafty animal, and is moreover gifted with so acute a nose that it can perceive the touch of a human hand upon a trap, and will keep aloof from so dangerous an article. In order to set a trap properly, it is needful to avoid touching it with the bare hand, and to wear thick gloves powerfully scented with aniseed, caraway, or other powerfully-smelling substance. Kven in that case, the successful chase of the Rat requires such on accurate knowledge of the animal's habits, and needs so many precautions, that it is almost impossible for an amateur to be permanently successful in that line. Although the Sewer and the Barn Rate belong to the same species, they are very different in aspect as well as in habits, the former being very much larger than the latter, and much fiercer in disposition. The Sewer Rate remain in their strange habitations during their whole lives, while the Barn Rats are in the habit of making annual migrations as scon as the spring season commences, some betaking themselves to the fields and hedge-rows, while others take up their abode on the river-banks, where they commit sad havoc among the fish. During this teni]>orary migration, tin- female Rate make their snug and comfortable nests in any sheltered spot ; and before the autumnal season has fairly commenced add a consider- able number of new members to the Rat family. It is a wonderfully prolific animal, begin- ning to breed at four months of age, and having three broods in the year, each brood being from eight to twelve or fourteen in number. When the autumn has set in, the emigrants return to their old quarters, marvellously increased in number. The female Rat is a most affectionate mother, braving all dangers in defence of her young, and dashing boldly at any real or fancied foe who may happen to alarm her maternal sym- pathies. Unfortunately for her peace of mind, the paternal Rat is far from partaking of these tender affections, and if he condescends to pay a visit to his young family, only does so with the intention of eating them. Should the mother be at h-.m.-. she shows such a defiant front that he is fain to decamp from the cradle of his offspring, but if she ahould perchance happen to be absent from her charge, the result is tragical indeed. 454 THE BROWN RAT. Rats are very cleanly animals, always washing themselves after every meal, and display- ing the greatest assiduity in making their toilet. They also exhibit considerable delicacy of palate whenever they find a sufficiency of provisions, although they are in no way nice in their diet when pressed by hunger. If, for example, a party of Rats discover an entrance into a butcher's store-house, they are sure to attack the best parts of the meat, utterly disdaining the neck, the shin, or other coarse pieces. There is one peculiarity in the structure of the Rat which is worthy of notice. These animals are able not only to ascend a perpendicular tree or wall by the aid of their sharp, hooked claws, but also to descend head foremost with perfect ease. In order to enable them to perform this feat, their hind legs are so made that the feet can be turned outwards, and the claws hitched upon any convenient projections. However unpromising a subject the Rat may appear, it has often been tamed, and is a very much more educatable animal than could be supposed. It will obey its master's com- mands with promptitude, and has been known to learn very curious tricks. For further information on this subject, the reader is referred to a work, entitled "The Rat," by James Rod well, in which may be found an elaborate account of the animal and its habits, together with much curious and original information. There is a well-known proverb that Rats always desert a falling house ; in which aphorism there is really much truth. One curious example thereof I here offer to the reader. On page 164 may be seen an account of a cat which had, by some mysterious intuition, migrated from a mill in which she had long lived, and to which she was greatly attached, and which was burned to the ground in a few hours after she had taken her departure. Pussy, it seems, was not the only animal which had been thus forewarned of impending danger, for the Rats also took alarm, and were actually seen upon their journey from their late habitation. They were about one hundred in number, and, starting from the mill some two hours before the fire broke out, proceeded in a compact body towards four stacks belonging to the landlord of the Commercial Inn, and there took up their abode. A similar account of Rat prescience has been narrated to me by a spectator of the scene. When the English ship Leander was brought into harbor after her voyage, in the year 1803, she was so infested with Rats that a wholesale destruction of these four-footed pests was rendered absolutely necessary, not only for the comfort of the crew, but for the very safety of the vessel. The entire contents of the ship were therefore landed on the wharf, a number of chafing-pans filled with lighted brimstone were placed between decks, and the hatches being battened down, the animals were soon stifled by the suffocating vapors. As soon as the preparation for this wholesale destruction commenced, the Rats took alarm, and endeavored to make their way on shore by traversing the " warps," or ropes by which the vessel was made fast to the shore. Sentinels were accordingly placed by the warps, and furnished with sticks, so that as soon as a Rat came running along the ropes, it was speedily checked by a sharp blow, which struck it from its foot-hold, and knocked u dead or dying into the water, where it soon perished. It is a curious fact that the Rats were all found lying dead in circles round the braziers, heaped thickly upon each other's bodies. They had instinctively run towards the spots which were comparatively free from vapor, as the heat of the burning coals forced the suffo- cating smoke to rise from the spot where it was generated. Some naturalists believe that the Brown Rat as well as the Black Rat originated from Central Asia, especially from India and Persia. Through emigration, caused by deluge and famine, this ugly and detestable creature has in course of time become an inhabitant of every country of the globe. In the beginning of the last century, the Brown Rat immigrated from the Caspian hinds to Europe. In Paris, the cosmopolitan Rat was first noticed in the year 1753, a few years after its appearance in England. In Northern America, it was first seen in the year 1765. From head to tail the Brown Rat measures sixteen to seventeen inches ; the tail alone measures about seven inches. Albinos are much more rarely found among them than among their kindred, the other Rats and the Mice. THE HARVEST JfOUSS. THK RI.ACK HAT derives its name fnun tin* color of it« fur. which in of n grayish-black, uf ilu- reddish-brown hue which ting** the coat of the brown lint. The upper juw pro- jects considerably beyond the lower, and a number of long .Miff hairs proj'-< t iln..ucli the ordinary fur. In sire it is rather less than the above-mentioned animal, and the ears and tail are nit her longer in proportion. It cannot be said with certainty when the Black Hnt made its lii-i a]>]>eara!ice in KUMIJW. Albertus Magnus is known us the first naturalist who called the Black Hat a Kuin|»-:in aiiiinul. Accordingly the Hlurk Rat must have already l*-«-n found in Europe in tip' twelfth century. In the beginning of the fifteenth century, the bishop of Autun proHcribed it, because it caused too much damage everywhere. In Sondershausen, in Germany, a day of farting wan even ordained for the purpose of calling God's wrath upon it. Until the middle of the last century, it was omnipotent in Europe. Since that time the Brown or Wandering Rat has partially displaced it. The Black Rat is found in all warm and temperate regions, and was in former days extremely numerous, although it has now been gradually driven away from its domains by the larger and more powerful intruder. It is not, however, so rare as is sometime** imagined, and may still be found by those who know where to look for it According to Mr. Rod- welTs theory, the manner in which the brown Rat has supplanted its black relation is not by war, but by love, the stronger males of the brown hue carrying off the black females by force of superior strength, and thus by degrees merging the weaker black race into the powerful brown Rats. In Prance the two varieties— for the distinction of species really seems to be but doubt- ful— live together in perfect harmony, mixing freely with each other, and producing a curious kind of parti-colored offspring/ The skins of these brown -black Hate are considered to be of some value, and they are accordingly pursued by the rat-catchers for the purpose of sale to the furriers. Even the brown Rat is not without its value in commerce, as the prepared skin is said to furnish the most delicate leather for the manufacture of the thumbs of the best kid gloves ; and the fur ia used as a substitute for beaver in the composition of hats. Albino, or White Rats, are of no very uncommon occurrence ; and when crossed with the black or brown species, their offspring is curiously pied with a darker or lighter hue, accord- ing to the color of the parent. SMALLEST of the mammalia, the elegant little HARVEST MOUSE next claims oar attention. The total length of this tiny creature is not quite five inches, its tail being nearly two inches and a half in length. The color of its fur is a delicate reddish-brown, the base of each hair taking the darker tint, and the point warming into red, while the under parts of the abdomen are white. The line of demarcation between the brown and white is well defined. The description which is given of the Harvest Mouse and its wonderful nest, by the Rev. Gilbert White, is so well known that it need only be casually mentioned. I have fortunately had opportunities of verifying his observations by means of a nest which was found in a field in Wiltshire by some mowers. It was built upon a scaffolding of four of the rank grass-stems that are generally found on the rides of ditches, and was situated at some ten or eleven inches from the ground. In form it was globular, rather larger than a cricket-ball, and was quite empty, having probably been hardly completed when the remorseless scythe struck down the scaffolding and wasted all the elaborate labor of the poor little architect. The material of which it was composed was thin dry grass of nearly uniform substance, and its texture was remarkably loose, so that any object contained in it could be seen through the interstices as easily as if it had been placed in a lady's open-worked knitting basket. There was no vestige of aperture in any part of it, so that the method by which it was constructed seems quite enigmatical. I am inrlined to suppose that the little builder remained in its centre while engaged in its construction, and after weaving it around her, pushed her way out through the loosely 456 THE BARB ART MOUSE. wall, and re-arranged the gap from the outside. It may be that the nest is the joint work of both sexes, the one remaining inside and plaiting the grass, while her mate brings fresh mate- rial, and consolidates the work from the exterior. Perhaps the young Mice, when snugly packed into their airy cradle, may be fed by the mother from the exterior, by making a temporary opening opposite each little one, and replacing the material when she proceeds to the next in succession. This is Mr. White's sug- gestion, and seems to be a very probable one. He also wonders how the little nest, which was entirely filled by the bodies of the eight young Harvest Mice that lay cradled in its embrace, could expand so as to accommodate itself to their increasing dimensions. This problem may be answered by the fact that the loose structure of the nest is precisely calcu- lated for such extension, for the materials are so interwoven that the entire struc- ture can be greatly expanded from the interior without losing its spherical shape. Such, at all events, was the case in my own specimen, and is probably so in all. Very little is known of the habits of the Harvest Mouse in a wild state, except that it is destructive to corn, whether stored in ricks or barns. It is also car- nivorous, or rather insectivorous, to no small degree, as was proved by Mr. Bing- ley, who kept one of these little creatures, and was accustomed to feed it with vari- ous insects. This propensity was discov- ered by mere accident, the Mouse springing with wonderful activity at a blue-bottle fly that happened to buzz against the wires of her cage. Taking the hint, Mr. Bing- ley caught the fly, and holding it against the wires, was pleased to see the little quadruped dart nimbly out of her hiding- place and take it from his fingers. She always preferred insects to vegetable food. The same observer noticed that the tail of this animal is prehensile. Independently of its small size, the Harvest Mouse may be distinguished from a young ordinary Mouse by its short ears, narrow head, slender body, and less projecting eyes. THE bold and elegant markings with which the fur of the BAEBARY MOUSE is decorated, render it a very conspicuous animal, and when the creature is in captivity, always attract the attention of visitors who happen to pass before its cage. The dimensions of this animal are greater than those of the common Mouse, while they are smaller than those of the ordinary rat. Its color is very pleasing, the ground tint of the fur being a rich brown, and the stripes of a whitish-yellow, verging by degrees into the white hue of the under portions of the body. These pretty creatures are tolerably hardy, and can endure our climate as well as most animals which have been brought from a hot and arid country. They run about their cage with considerable liveliness, sometimes diving among their bedding, and ever and anon poking their intelligent-looking little heads from among the hay, and tripping about as if pleased to exhibit their beautiful fur. As may be supposed from its title, the animal is a native of Barbary. It is not devoid of the carnivorous habits of its race, and even when bountifully supplied BARBARY MOUSE.— Hut barbarut. HARVEST MOUSE. THK COMMON MOU8M. 1-7 u ith food, has Ut-n known t<> d.-i.-l.-p \i& carnivorous nature into canni I ml tarn, eating the body i.f ••in- <>f its companions that hald littl.- creatures in their way, although ,-u>ily startled; and, if i>ermitted to carry on their noisy sport undis- turlted, run alx>ut an iuhaliited room with perfect nonchalance. In old buildings in which the walls are papered over canvas, Mice run scuffling and squeaking l>etween the canvas and the plaster, as if th.-y were th.- legitimate owners of the place, and the tenants were only local. -d there in order to cater for their benefit. Many a wall is riddled with hol.-s that have U-en made by irritated occupants making furiou.s lunges— always unsuccessfully, by the way— with all sorts of instruments, at the wiry little creatures as they scurry about behind the paper. They are odd little animals, and full of the quaintest gamesomeness, as may be seen by any one who will only sit quit.- still and watch them as they run about a room which they specially affect They are to the full as inquisitive as cats, and will examine any new piece of furniture with great curiosity. Mice are very easily tamed, and, as far as my own experience goes, the common brown Mouse is more readily brought under subjection, and more docile, than the white or albino variety. I have kept many a set of Mice, brown, white, and mottled, and have always found th.-m to l>e very susceptible of kindness. To tame a young brown Mouse is an easy task ; but it must be remembered that as all Mice are very cleanly animals, the strictest can* is needful to rid their cage of all impurity. Their bedding should be constantly changed, and the false floor of their cage should be double, so that while one is in use, the other is getting dry after being thoroughly washed. Any soft substance, such as hay, cotton wool, or rags, will suffice for their bedding ; but I have found that black cotton wool, or black " wadding," as it is some- times termed, is fatal to Mice in the course of a single night. Why it should be so, I cannot venture to guess, but that such is the case I have had practical experience. Mice are cunning creatures, and when they once have taken alarm at a trap, cannot be induced to put themselves within such peril, no matter how strong the inducement may be. For a while it is possible to entrap them by changing the kind of bait as soon as they have begun to learn the result of eating that particular substance ; but in a few weeks the trap must be entirely removed until the animals have forgotten it It is a marvellously prolific animal, producing its young several times in the course of the year, and at a very early age. The nests are made in any sheltered spot and formed from any soft substance, such as rags, paper, or wool, that the mother can procure. On taking up some boards in my own room, I once found a Mouse-nest nearly as large as a man's head, com- posed wholly of scraps of jn^ier. and containing six or seven tiny red. semi-transparent mouse- lets, through whose little bodies one could almost see the substance of tin- nll»u t.H>ili«l Vole engaged in eating animal food, although the brown Kat may IM- ofti-n deti>ct<-d in Midi an art Many communication* have been madt- to m«- <>n tin- subject, writt.-n f..r tin- most jwirt by I-T-..II- «h.. h:.\.- S.N-II uat.'i side Rats engaged in catching and eating Hah, and ha\- ih..ught that I!P- d.-lin.iu.'iits were the true Water Vole. Indeed, the Vole is allied very closely to the i ml partakes of the vegetarian character of that animal. HoiM-\cr guiltless til.- \\'at.-r \..|.- may IK- of piscicuptuiv, it in not altogether a harmless animal, for, independently of weakening the bankti by its tunnels, it will .sometimes leave the water-sid-- and tra\.-l x'in<- littl.- distance across the country in search of cultivated vegetables. <>ne of these an imalsha.s 1 --en seen tocross a large field ami • nt.-ru garden in which someFrein -ii beans were growing. The Vole crept up the bean-stalk*, and aftercuttingoff several of the pods with it.s sharj) and scissor-like teeth, picked tln-m up and n -traced it- -r..|,> to its home. The color of the Water Vole is a chestnut-brown, dashed with gray on the upper part* mid fading to gray below. The ears are so short that they are hardly perceptible above the fur. Tin- incisor teeth are of a light yellow, and are very thick and strong. The tail is shorter than that of the common Rat, hardly exceeding half the length of the head and body. The average length of a full-grown Water Vole is thirteen inches, the tail being aU.ut four inches and three-quarters long. It N not so prolific an animal as the brown Rat, breeding only twice in the year, and producing from five to six young at a birth. « THE CAMPAGNOL, or SHOKT-TAILKD FIELD MOUSE, is even more destructive in the open meadow8thanthecomniongraymou.se in the barns or ricks; for not contenting itself with plundering the ripened crops of autumn, it burrows beneath the ground at so wing- time, and devours the seed-wheat which has just l»-.-n laid in the earth. Besides these open-air depre- dations, it makes inroads into ricks and barns, and by dint of multitudinous numbers does very great harm. As its food is entirely of a vegetable nature, it does not enter human habitations, where it would lind l>ut a poor chance of a livelihood. The color of the Campagnol is ruddy brown on the upper surface of the body, and gray on the abdomen and chest. The ears are rounded and very small, closely resembling those of the water vole. The tail is only one-third the length of the body, and the total length of the animal is rather more than five inches. As it belongs to the same genus as the water vole, and is very closely related to that animal, it sometimes goes by the name of Fit-Id Vole. It is a very prolific animal, and its numbers are almost incredibly great in districts where no means have been taken for its destruction. Even in well-cultivat«-d fields, whether of grass or corn, the Campagnol may be found in vast quantities by any one whose eyes are sufficiently accustomed to the task to distinguish the little creature from the earth on which it moves. It creeps so easily through the green herbage that it scarcely stirs the blades ; and it is so similar in its color to the earth as it shows between the leaves, that none but a practised eye can detect them. There is hardly any sign to tell of its presence, except an undefined sense of something red among the grass, which, unless it be immediately pounced upon, fades again into brown, and the thing is gone. The Carapagnol is a water-loving creature, and is oftener found in marshy ground than in meadows which are elevated above the level of the neighboring lands and ditches. A dry summer is very trying to these animals, and a long-continued drought is fatal to hundreds of them. The Field Vole carries its destructive powers even into woods and plantations, and is often the unknown cause by which some cherished young tree has drooped, withered and died. Tlies.. little animals are good burrowers, and are in the habit of digging into the ground, and nibbling the living roots of trees and shrubs. Som.-tim.- tin- mice attack the bark, and by completely stripping it from the circumference of the tree, destroy it aa effectually as if it had been cut down with an axe. THERE is another species of Field Mouse, In which the tail i* much longer in proportion, and the dimensions are altogether smaller. This is the BANK VOLE, or BANK CAMPAONOL, 460 THE HAMSTER. and must not be confounded with the Long-tailed Field Mouse, which is not a vole at all, but a veritable Mouse. FAMILY Muridce — the Mice-like animals, or Murine Rodents — embraces a large number of species. In North America, however, only two sub-families are represented, Murince and Armcolince. The typical genus Mus has no representatives in this country, the mouse and rat being introduced from Europe. Of the sub-family MurincB, or Mouse-like animals of North America, the group called Sigmodontes embraces all the species. This designation is adapted from a peculiar sigmoid or S-like mark on the upper surface of the teeth. The genus Neotoma includes a small number of rat-like animals of large size. The Florida Wood Rat (Neotoma floridiana) is rat-like, and about the size of a Guinea pig. It has a tail inclining to bushy. The Southern United States is its proper habitat. Three other species are known ; one, inhabiting California, is eleven inches in length, the largest of the genus, and called the Bushy-tailed Wood Rat. The genus Sigmodon includes one species, the Cotton Rat (Sigmodon Mspidus). It inhabits the coast region of the Southern States and Mexico. The pelage is hispid, from the presence of stiff hairs. The genus Hesperomys Is so named from its including Western murine animals. The species are much like the Old World forms. The American Field Mouse (Hesperomys leucopus\ called also White-footed Deer Mouse, inhabits the northern portion of North America as far as Puget's Sound, and east as far as Massachusetts. A variety is found in the Southern States, larger, being about four inches in length, and with a shorter tail. Seven other species of this genus inhabit the Southern and Western portions of the country. Three other sub-species are known, inhabiting the Western plains. The genus Ochetodon includes three little mouse-like creatures, much like the Common House Mouse in appearance, though having essentially different teeth. They are known only in California and Mexico. In the sub-family Armcolince is one genus with one species, the Red-backed Mouse (Ecotomys rittilus). It inhabits the circumpolar regions, and is not uncommon in Massa- chusetts. The genus Armcola includes eight species, distributed over every portion of the United States. The Common American Meadow Mouse (Armcola riparius) is known to all parts of the country above Virginia. The genus Synaptomys is represented by Cooper's Mouse (Synaptomys cooperi}. Myodes is a genus closely resembling that of Cuniculus, which embraces the Lemmings. Myodes obensis is common to Asia and North America. THE short, sturdy, stupid rodent which is so famous under the name of the HAMSTER, is widely spread over many parts of Northern Europe, where it is an absolute pest to the agri- culturists, who wage unceasing war against so destructive an animal. Before proceeding to the habits and character of the Hamster, a short description of its external appearance will be necessary. The color of its fur is a grayish-fawn on the back, deepening into black on the under por- tions of the body, and softening into a yellow hue upon the head and face. The otherwise uniform tinting of the fur is relieved by some patches of whitish-yellow upon the cheeks, shoulders, and sides. The creature is furnished with two large cheek-pouches, which are capable of containing a considerable amount of food, and which can be inflated with air at the pleasure of the animal. The length of the adult Hamster is about fifteen inches, the tail being only three inches long. The Hamster is most destructive to the crops, whether of corn, peas, or beans, and when the autumn approaches, begins to plunder the fields in a most systematic manner, for the nn: n i i/.s/v purpot* of laying up a winter store of provisions. 1U dint of dexterous management the animal tills it, , 1,,,-k jH.uches with grain, pressing it firmly with its paws, so as to lose no spa.-,, and the., carries ,,ff its plunder to its M.l.terninean treasu. N . w here it diswm th- .-„„ t. -nt, of tl,,- p..u,-h.-s. and n-tunis f,,r another s,i,,,,|y. The husbandmen are so well aware of this |,n,|..|ixity that they search after the habitation of the HainMer after the harvest is over and often recover ,-,,nsid,-ral.|e quantities of the .stolen grain. The destruflttw capal-ility of ''•" :i"i:"-'' ";-> '"• -:.•!..•!.,! from the fact 1 1 t :i Miigl. HainsN - : us !-. n known I., lioiird no le« than MMV pounds of corn iu its home, while a hundred weight of U-ans have been reoov- •MI th.- storehouses of another specimen. Th- >ivin of the Han.xi, .,- i, <,f M.me value in commerce, so that the hunters make a double use of a successful chase, for they not only recover the stolen |,i-,,,H.m of the agriculturist but ir.iin son,.- piofit l.y s.'!!!!!!: the skins. Tlie burrow of the Hamster is a most complicated affair, and not very easy to describe. -h in.lividual has a separate burrow, and not even in the breeding season do the male and female inhabit the same domicile. At some depth below the surface of the earth are several nither large chambers, communicating with each other by horizontal passages. In one of these chambers the creature lives, and in the others it places its store of provision. There are at least two entrances to each burrow, one being almost j>erj>endicular, and the other sloping. Sometimes there are more than two entrances to the rhainl>ers. hut then- an- in. r less than that number. The depth of the chambers is from three to five feet Each burrow is only intended to serve for one season, and is abandoned at the end of winter. As the Hamster is in the habit of throwing the excavated earth from the oblique burrow, technically called the "creeping-hole," its locality is discovered by means of the mound of loose earth which is heaped at its entrance. Eighty thousand of these animals have been killed in one year within a single district The Hamster is a very prolili. animal, as appears from the fact that it still holds its own in spite of the constant persecution to which it is subjected by the agriculturists and the regular hunters. There are several broods in each year, the average numU'rof each family being from seven to ten or twelve. As soon as the young Hamsters are able to shift for them- THE LEMMING. selves, an event which occurs in a wonderfully short time, they leave the maternal home, and dig separate burrows. The strangest part of the Hamster's character is its dull, unreasoning ferocity, which is utterly incapable of comprehending danger, and causes the animal to attack any kind of oppo- nent, whether animate or not. An irritated Hamster will fly upon a dog, a man, or a horse, without the least. hesitation. If a cart were to crush it, it would try to bite the wheel ; if a stone were to roll over it, it would turn upon the lifeless stone ; threaten it with a stick, and it fastens upon the senseless weapon with malign fury ; and when opposed by a bar of iron nearly red hot, it has been known to grasp the burning metal in its teeth, and to retain its hold in spite of the pain which it must have suffered. This combative disposition leads it to fight desper- ately with its own species, caring nothing for sex or age ; and it has actually hap- pened that when a pair of these animals have been placed together in a cage, the male has been killed and partly eaten by his disconsolate widow. The food of this animal is chiefly vege- table, but is varied by animal diet, such as worms, insects, mice, small birds, lizards, frogs, and other such vermin. It is a noc- turnal animal, and achieves its robberies under cover of the darkness of night. It can hardly be termed a true hibernating animal, as it is quite lively for a consider- able portion of the winter, feeding on its ample stores for nearly two months, and be- coming very fat by the combined influence of inactivity and good feeding. Through a portion of the winter it becomes torpid, but awakes early in the spring, ready to renew its depredations in the fields. During the spring and summer months its food con- sists chiefly of leaves and various herbage. THE LEMMING.— Myodtt lanmut. AT uncertain and distant intervals of time, many of the northern parts of Europe, such as Lapland, Norway, and Sweden, are subjected to a strange invasion. Hundreds of little dark, mouse-like animals sweep over the land, like clouds of locusts suddenly changed into quadrupeds, coming from some unknown home, and going no one knows whither. These creatures are the LEMMINGS, and their sudden appearances are so entirely mysterious, that the Norwegians look upon them as having been rained from the clouds upon the earth. Driven onwards by some overpowering instinct, these vast hordes travel in a straight line, permitting nothing but a smooth perpendicular wall or rock to turn them from their course. If they should happen to meet with any living being, they immediately attack, knowing no fear, but only urged by undiscriminating rage. Any river or lake they swim without hesita- tion, and rather seem to enjoy the water than to fear it. If a stack or a corn-rick should stand in their way, they settle the matter by eating their way through it, and will not be turned from their direct course even by fire. The country over which they pass is utterly devastated by them, and it is said that cattle will not touch the grass on which a Lemming has trodden. These migrating hosts are accompanied by clouds of predaceous birds, and by many pre- daceous quadrupeds, who find a continual feast spread for them as long as the Lemmings are on their pilgrimage. While they are crossing the rivers or lakes, the fish come in for their Till: /. ;...; share of the banquet, and make great linvoc unions their columns. It is a very remarkul •• fact that tin- reind.-er i- often x,-,.n in cha.se of (In- I^mmiiurs ; and the Norwegians say (hut the d.-er i- in ill.- hal.it of .-alin- tin-in. This .stat.-in.-nt. h, n to be rather of .loiil.tful .•hai-.i. •!••!. I'll.- t.-niiinatioii of ih.-se extraordinary migration* is generally in the sea, where th»- sun i\oi>. of tin- much-reduci-d ranks finally perish. Mr. I,lo\d mentions that just before his \i-it to \Vi-nii.-lainl. tin- Ix-iiunin^ h:i.| o\.-rrnn tin- whole country. Tin- primary caoae of these strange migrations i> generally thought to I N< hunger. It is foriiinat.' for the country that these nuria.s only occur at nnv int.-i \:il-. a space of some ten or fifteen year* generally elapsing lietween them, as if to lill up tin- places of those which were «lro\\n.-.l «\ oili.-i-\\ is,- killed in the preceding migrat ion. The Lemming f.i-ds II|H.II \aiioil«V€|getal>le substances. MK h as grass, rwds, an«l lirli.-n-. l>eing often forced to 8eek the hut-named plant Iteiieath ilu- sno\\, ami to make occasional air-shafts to the surface. Even when engaged in their ordinary pursuits, and not .-xcited by the migratorial instinct, they are obstinately savage creatures. Mr. Metcalfe describes them :i- -A i' in in .. in ft* tawt, sitting two 01 P.'.. QA«W] -".'!.;•. 0»d bitilU 'li> ilog^ BOtBfl as th.-y came to investigate the character of the irritable littl.* animals. If they hap|»-n.-«l to l«- in a pathway, they would n<>t turn aside to jx-nnit a ].a.ss.-np-r to mov.- l.\ them, but boldly disputed the riglit of way, and utt.-n-d defiance in little sharp, squeaking barks. The color of the Lemming is dark brownish-black, mixed irregularly with a tawny hue upon the back, and fadinir into yellowish \\ hi te upon the abdomen. Its length is not quite six inches, the tail Iwirn: only half an inch long. The Collared Lemming (Cuniculus tortfuatus) is the only one of the genus found hi America, and is identical with that of Northern Asia. The Cree Indians call it White Bear M..II-... |i ;iN., i> H:MII'-.| ilair-tail'-d I!at. llu.l-.u'- l!at. and llii.U-.n'> l'.a\ l>-ininiii_-. In winter it is pure white. • TIIK family Haplodontida is a very peculiar one, founded upon the existence of a single sj«.<-i,-s of !!.»!. -in. iiihat-iiiii- ..nl> th.- northwesN-ni p..rii..ii ..f th.- I nii.-l Stat»-s in \\':i-h ington Territorj", from the Pacific Ocean to the Rocky Mountains. The native name is "Sewellell ;" its systematic designation Hn/ilodon mfu*. In general aspect it is not unlike the woodchnck ; its smaller head at once distinguishes it. as well as its inferior size. It burrows, and is gregarious in nature. Its voice is a shrill whistle; its food of a vegetable nature. It was first brought to notice by Lewis and Clark, the U. S. explorers, in 1805. Mr. Gibbs, the ethnographer, visited the region inhabited by these rare creatures. He saw them in com- munities like those of the prairie dog. They sat upright at the mouths of their burrows, ami whistled much like the hitter animal. A very singular habit was noticed ; they cut a kind of herb, and laid the pieces in bundles on any neighboring log or prominence; suggesting the frugal husbandry of the country matron, who cuts and dries her medicinal herbs. Its habits of breeding are not precisely known ; but it is thought they have at least three broods in a year. TIIK common BEAVER has earned a world-wide reputation by the wonderful instinct which it displays, independently of its very great value in producing costly fur and perfume. This animal is found in the northern parts of Europe ami Asia, but is found in the greatest profusion in North America. It is generally -up]>os»-tw«-en them. The social Beaver of Northern America is a truly wonderful animal, displaying a singular mixture of reason and instinct, together with a curious absence of both on occasions. The best account of tin- animal is to be found in Audubon and Bachman's valuable work on the quad- rui»-ds of North America, to which \\ork I am indeht.-d for the following particulars. The Beaver lives in societies, varying considerably in number, and united together in the 464 THE BEAVER. formation of works which may fairly be considered as belonging to the profession of the engineer. They prefer to make their habitations by small clear rivers and creeks, or close to large springs, although they sometimes take up their abode on the banks of lakes. Lest they should not have a sufficient depth of water in all weathers and at all seasons, the Beavers are in the habit of building veritable dams, for the purpose of raising the water to the required level. These dams are composed of tree-branches, mud, and stones, and in order effectually to resist the action of the water, are about ten or twelve feet in thickness at the bottom, although they are only two feet or so wide at the summit. When the different parts of the stream run with varying velocity, the formation of the dam is really a triumph of engineering skill, for wherever the stream is gentle, the dam is built straight across it ; but wherever the current runs smartly, the dam is curved so as to present a convex surface to its force. It often happens that when a dam has been made for some years, its dimensions become very large, in consequence of the trees and branches that are intercepted by it, and in process of time it sprouts thickly with vegetation, and even nurtures trees of some dimensions. In forming the dam, the Beaver does not thrust the ends of the stakes into the bed of the river, as is often supposed, but lays them down horizontally, and keeps them in their place by heaping stones and mud upon them. The logs of which the dam is composed are about three feet in length, and vary extremely in thickness. Generally, they are about six or seven inches in diameter, but they have been known to measure no' less than eighteen inches in diameter. An almost incredible number of these logs are required for the completion of one dam, as may be supposed from the fact that a single dam will sometimes be three hundred yards in length, ten or twelve feet thick at the bottom, and of a height varying according to the depth of water. Before employing the logs in this structure, the Beavers take care to separate the bark, which they carry away, and lay up for a winter store of food. Near the dams are built the Beaver-houses, or "lodges," as they are termed ; edifices as remarkable in their way as that which has just been mentioned. They are chiefly composed of branches, moss, and mud, and will accommodate five or six Beavers together. The form of an ordinarily sized Beaver's lodge is circular, and its cavity is about seven feet in diameter by three feet in height. The walls of this structure are extremely thick, so that the external measurement of the same lodges will be fifteen or twenty feet in diameter, and seven or eight feet in height. The roofs are all finished off with a thick layer of mud, laid on with marvel- lous smoothness, and carefully renewed every year. As this compost of mud, moss, and branches is congealed into a solid mass by the severe frosts of a North American winter, it forms a very sufficient defence against the attacks of the Beavers' great enemy, the wolverene, and cannot readily be broken through, even with the help of iron tools. The precise manner in which the Beavers perform their various tasks is not easy to discern, as the animals work only in the dark. Around the lodges the Beavers excavate a rather large ditch, too deep to be entirely frozen, and into this ditch the various lodges open, so that the inhabitants can pass in or out without hindrance. This precaution is the more necessary, as they are poor pedestrians, and never travel by land as long as they can swim by water. Each lodge is inhabited by a small number of Beavers, whose beds are arranged against the wall, each bed being separate, and the centre of the chamber being left unoccupied. In order to secure a store of winter food, the Beavers take a vast number of small logs, and carefully fasten them under water in the close vicinity of their lodges. When a Beaver feels hungry, he dives to the store heap, drags out a suitable log, carries it to a sheltered and dry spot, nibbles the bark away, and then either permits the stripped log to float down the stream, or applies it to the dam. Their teeth are wonderfully powerful and sharp, and their jaws are possessed of singular strength. So sharp are their teeth, and with such address does the animal use them, that a tame Beaver has repeatedly been seen to take a potato or an apple in his fore-paws, to sit up on his hind feet, and by merely pressing the apple against his lower incisors, and manipulating it BEAVER. THK BBAVBR. 465 dexterously, to peel it as really as if tin- nix-ration lia«l IX-.MI |»-rfoniied by human hands with ill.- :ii house, nut content th.-iHH.-lv.-s with excavating long tunnels and taking up their alxxle th.-r.-in Several of theae idlers inhabit the sain.- burrow, and as they are always males, it is supposed that they must have been conquered in tin- mutest.* which take place |M-t\\,-«-u MH.M male animals \\hil.- they are seeking th.-ir mates, and that they must have retired into comparathe solitude until th.-y have gained sufficient strength and courage to renew the light. These idlers are gladly welcomed by the hunters, for they are easily caught, and a skilful trupper thinks himself ill used if lie d.»-s n.it rapture .-\.-ry idler that he may meet. We now must bestow a little time on the curious odoriferous substance which is call.il "caatoreum " by the learned, and " bark-stone " by tin- trappers. This substance is secreted in two glandular sacs which an- placed near the root of the tail, and gives out an extremely jx>wer- ful y this substance, and if their nostrils jxTceivc its distant s<-.-nt, tin- animals will sit upright, sniff about in every direction, and absolutely squeal with excitement. Taking advantage ..f tins curious projH-nsity. the hunter always carries a supply of castor. -nm. in a closed veaael, and when h<> comes to a convenient >|><>t for placing his trap, he sets the imp and then proceeds to manufacture his bait. This prrx?ess is simple enough, consisting merely of taking a little twig of wxxxl alx)iit nine inches long, chewing one end of it and dipping it in the castoreum. The trap is now laid so as to be covered by about six inches of water, and the stick arranged so that its |>erfumed tip projects from the water. Any Heaver which scents this bait will most certainly come to it, and will proldhly lx- captured in the tmp. Connected with this strange mode of baiting a trap, Is a habit which has only recently been brought before the public by the researches ,,f M, -M v Audulx>n and Hachman. If twi I'M -aver lodges are tolerably near each other, the inhabitants of the one lodge, which we will call lodge A, go to a little distance for the purpose of ridding themselves of the superabundant caatoreum. The Beavers of lodge B. smelling the eastorenm. go to the same s|,,,t. and cover the odoriferous substance with a thick layer of earth and leaves. They then place their own castoreum ujxm the heap, and return home. The inhabitants of lodge A then go thmui:li precisely the same process, until they have raised a mound some four or live feet in height. To return to the baited trap sjx>ken of in the last paragraph but one. If the |V.-a\er which smells the bait is a young one. it \\ill almost certainly In- captured : but if it should chance to be an old and experienced animal, it will not only avoid capture, but render the trip useless until it has been re-set. For instead of trying to get at the bait, it f.-tch.-s quantities of mud and stones, heaps its load upon the trip until it has raised a small mound, and after placing its own superabundant castoreum ujxin the little hillock, goes away in safety. In spite of their store of provisions, the Ii.-av.-rs Ix-come very thin during th< \\inter months, so that they are in bad case when spring comes in. However, tin- succulent diet \\hich they th.-n find has a rapid and beneficial effect upon them, and by the beginning of autOUi they are quite fat. By study of the Beaver's habit-, the trappers are enabled to prognosticate the kind of weather which is likely to hap]M-n. For example, as it is well known that the Beavers always cut their winter's store of wood in pxxl season, the fact of their early com mencement of this labor shows that winter will be earlier than usual. The color of the long shining hairs which cover the back of the I5.-av.-r is a liirht chestnut, and the fine wool that lies next to the skin i- a s<,ft grayish-brown. The total I«-ni:th of the animal is abont three feet and a half: the tlat. padd I.- shaped, scale-covered tail being about on.- foot in length. The flesh of the Beaver is eaten by the trappers, who compare it to flabby pork. The tail is something like beef marrow, when properly cooked, but it is too rich and oily to suit the taste of most persons. The female Beaver produces about three or four yonmr at a litter, and the little creatures are .born with open eyes. 466 THE COYPU RAT. The Beaver (Castor fiber) is regarded by some naturalists as being unique in species. Two well-marked varieties at least are known. The American one is larger than the European. The habits are different in some respects. The European form does not build dams and houses to the extent seen in this country. The Beaver is the largest of living rodents save the great Capybara of South America, which is about a third larger. The habitat of the Beaver extends from the borders of the Arctic Seas to the Gulf of Mexico, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific. They are seldom found now east of the Mississippi. Occasionally one is captured in Maine, New York, and Virginia. In some portions of Canada and California they are yet numerous. A small number of Beavers are known to inhabit a stream that enters into the west branch of the St. Regis River, in Franklin County, New York. It is probably the colony referred to by Dr. DeKay in his New York State Reports on Natural History, in 1842. Considerable pains is taken to preserve this colony, as these creatures are fast going out of existence. Mr. Morgan, of Syracuse, New York, has contributed the most valuable amount of litera- ture, on the subject of the Beaver, extant. In the Central Park Museum are two logs of trees sent by him. These are of yellow birch, a favorite kind with the Beaver, and they show the effects of the gnawing to the extent of being cut about two-thirds through. The diameter of the trees is about eighteen inches. One is cut considerably more on one side than on the other. It is said that the creature exercises an amount of intelligence that prompts him to thus cut the trunk, that it may fall as near to the requisite position as can be. These larger trunks are used for the first layers in dam-building. Mr. Morgan is the first scientific person that has ever succeeded in witnessing the work of Beavers. The creatures work at night, and are very shy, immediately retiring when disturbed by the slightest sound. Mr. Morgan was a civil engineer, on duty near Lake Superior. Being camped near the Beaver meadows, he watched many nights, and at last, during a moonlight night, was able to make some very interesting observations of the habits of these animals. His book on the American Beaver is full of new and valuable material. His descriptions of the construction of canals by Beavers are wonderful. He found a series of canals cut in the direction of trees that were desirable for use in building dams. These canals were connected with the water of the pond or lake, and any logs that the Beavers had prepared were easily transported through them. The Beaver's fore-legs are very short, and are not used in swim- ming. When they moved the logs in the water, the paws were placed upon them, and while the hind legs, well webbed, were making vigorous strokes behind, the log was pushed and guided to its destination. Morgan says the Beaver does not use the tail for any purpose but that of steering while swimming. He regards the old stories about the use of the tail as a trowel, as exploded and untrue. One of the canals measured by Mr. Morgan was five hundred feet in length — the trees coveted by the animals being that distance away from the lake. THE COYPU RAT, or RACOONDA, as it is sometimes termed, is a native of Central America, where it is found in such great numbers that its beautiful fur is imported into Europe in very large quantities. The color of this animal is a light reddish -brown, the hairs being variegated with both tints, not unlike that of the beaver in character and general appearance. Indeed, the creature bears a great resemblance to a miniature beaver, with the exception of its tail, which is long and rounded, instead of being flattened like that of the true beaver. The incisor teeth are a light reddish-orange, and are very conspicuous even at some distance. The length of a full- grown Coypu is about two feet six inches, its tail being about fifteen inches long. It is a quick and lively animal, and very amusing in its habits. It swims nearly, if not quite, as well as the beaver, using its webbed hind feet in much the same manner. It is wonderfully dexterous in the use of its fore-paws, which it uses as if they were hands, while it sits upright on its hinder paws and tail. I have often watched the funny antics of the Coypus in the Zoological Gardens, and have been much amused by the manner in which they traverse their domains, and examine everything that seems to be novel. If a tuft of grass is thrown to Mt'SE /i'.l /'. i '•? them, they pick it up in their (<>!•• |«tws, -liake it vinlentlv. in order to get rid of the earth that i-liiii:- t<> the i<>ot-. ;ind then, carrv iinr it to the water-side. wa.sh it with a rapid d- -\t« -i iiy that niL'tit U- envied \<\ a pnife— imial laundi'i-— . \Vliile -vvimminu' it l«H»k- very like a mai:nitii-n land i- rliimsy and awkwanl. It seems to I* equally at lioiiu- in salt or fre-h water, inhabiting the banks (.f rivei- »i the shon>s of t he sea creeks, a.-.-ordin:: to the kx-ality in vvliich it is found, and living in burrow.s which it excavates along the banks. OOYTO BAT, OK KAOOO»WL-Jf| It is said to be a tolerably powerful animal, nnd to mnko no d.-sjucaM.- r.-M-tan..- t<. th.- dogs which are employ.-. 1 in it- . lia- It K however, naturally of a gentle disposition, and can be rendered very tame by those who bestow proper attention upon it. THE OXDATRA. Mr-.^-ASH, or MUSK RAT, is a native of Northern America, where it is found in various places above the twentieth degree of north latitude. The color of thi- animal is a dark brown on the upper portions of its body, ting»-d with a reddish hue upon its n-<-k. ribs, and l«-trs. the abdomen being ashy gray ; the tail is of th.- „;,„,.. ,lj,rk hu.- as the txxly. In total l.-ntrth it rather exceeds two feet, of which ineasim-m.-nl the tail occupies about ten inches. The incisor t.t-th an- bright yellow, and th.- nails are white. The whole coloring of the animal' is so wonderfully lik- th.- hue of the n.nddy banks on which it n-i-1.-. that a practised naturalist has often mistak.-n th.- Ondatras for mere liimp^.f mud until they began to move, and so dis,--ll«l the illu-i-.n. Th- hin.l-r feet of the ( m.latra are well webbed, and their imprint on the soft mud is very like that of a common duck. The food of the Ondatra in a wild state appears to be almost wholly of a vegetabl although, when .-..ntinwl in a cage, one of the- animal- has been seen to eat muscle* and oysters, mttimr op-n the softest -1..-11-. an>l .-xtn.ctimr the inmat.-. and waiting for the han! sheUed gpe.Minen- until they either opened of their own accord or died. Although the Ondatra is a clum-y walker, it will sometimes travel to some distance from the m*V-*ide. ami been noticed on a spot nearly three-quartern of a mil.- from any «at.-r. have also ! n detected bi **<*&*• («* "• «»MBl *>U l:i'' 1 -1-"1' "" ! "'' "i:-:;; •; J?5!J carrots, maize, and other vegetables. The mischievous creatures had burrowed beneath them, 468 HABITS OF THE MUSQUASH. bitten through their roots, and carried them away to their subterranean storehouses. The maize they had procured by cutting the stalks near the level of the ground. The Ondatra lives mostly in burrows, which it digs in the banks of the river in which it finds its food, but sometimes takes up its abode in a different kind of habitation, according to the locality and the soil. In the stiff clay banks of rivers the Ondatra digs a rather compli- cated series of tunnels, some of them extending to a distance of fifteen or twenty yards, and sloping upwards. There are generally three or four entrances, all of which open under water, and unite in a single chamber, where the Ondatra makes its bed. The couch of the luxurious animal is composed of sedges, water-lily leaves, and similar plants, and is so large as to fill a bushel basket. On marshy ground, and especially if it be supplied by springs, the Ondatra builds little houses that rise about three or four feet above the water, and look something like small haycocks. ONDATUA, (Jit MUS As the fur of the Ondatra is rather valuable, and the flesh is considered to be nearly as good as that of the wild duck, it is rather persecuted by the human inhabitants of the same land, as well as by the regular fur hunters. If these creatures have taken up their abode in burrows, the hunters capture them by stopping up all the holes which they can reach, and intercepting the animals as they try to escape ; but if the ground be marshy, and they live in houses or " lodges," a different plan is adopted. Being armed with a four-pronged barbed spear, the hunter creeps quietly towards one of the houses, and with the full strength of his arm drives the barbed prongs completely through the frail walls, transfixing one or more of the inhabitants. His companion, who is furnished with an axe, immediately hurls down the remainder of the wall, and secures the unfortunate victims who are held down by the merciless steel. The habits of the Ondatra are very curious, and are admirably related by Messrs. Audu- bon and Bachman, in the work to which allusion has already been made : — " Musk rats are very lively, playful animals when in their proper element, the water ; and many of them may be occasionally seen disporting themselves on a calm night in some mill-pond or deep sequestered pool, crossing and recrossing in every direction, leaving long ripples in the water behind them, while others stand for a few moments on little hurdles or tufts of grass, or on stones or logs, on which they can get a footing above the water, or on the Til K UROlMt I'lO. I- • banks of tin- IHIIK!, and th-n plunge one after tin- other into tin- water. At times one> is i l\in_r iH-rfiMtly -nil on the Mirfa.-eof the pond or stream, with it* body widely spread out, ami as Hal as mn be. Suddenly it gives tin- water a -mart slap with iU» tail, somewhat in the manner of the beaver, and disappears beneath the surface intitantaneously, going down head f«>ivmo-t, ami reminding one of the quickness and ease with which some species of ducks and pvU-s dive \\ hen slmi al. "At the distance of ten or twenty yards, the Musk Rat comes to the surface again, and j'-rhaps joins its companions in their sports ; at the same time others are feeding on the granny banks, dragging off the roots of various kinds of plains, or digging nn-lnni-aili tin* edge of the hank. These animals seem to form a little community of social, playful creatures, who only require to be unmolested in order to be happy. Humid you fire off a fowling-piece while the Musk Rats are thus occupied, a terrible fright and dispersion ensues ; dozens dive at the flash of the gun, or disappear in their holes ; and although in the daytime, when they see imperfectly, one may be shot while swimming, it is exceedingly difficult to kill one at night. In order to ensure success, the gunner must be concealed, so that the animal cannot see the flash, even when he iires with a percussion lock." Traps are also largely employed for the destrm -tion of this gentle, but, unfortunately for itself, valuable animal. The traps are so arranged, tliat when the creature is taken, and struggles to get free, it jerks tin- trap into the water, and is thus drowned. If its companions discover it while still entrapped, they behave in the manner of tin- In-own Hat.s, and tear their imprisoned companion to pieces. If one of these animals is shot, and not immediately retrieved, th«» surviwir- -m round the dead body of their companion, and carry it off to their homes from the reach of its murderer. In character it is quiet and gentle, and although ii in. -.1 with such powerful teeth, makes no offensive use of them, even when handled by man for the tir-t time. TIIK shy and retiring HYDIMM v-. or BEAVER RAT, is not a very rare animal in its native country, but as, in addition to its natural timidity, it is nocturnal in its habits, it is but seldom seen by casual observers. It is a native of Van Diemen's Land, and is found inhabiting the banks of both -<\\\ and fiv-.li water. It is an admirable swimmer and diver, reminding the spectator of the water vole of Europe. Like that animal, it has a habit of sitting upright, supported by its hind paws and tail, while it employs the fore-feet for the conveyance of food to its month. The color of the Beaver Rat's fur is as follows. The neck and upper parts of the body «re of a dark rich brown, which is washed with a light golden hue along the sides of the face, shoulders, and the flanks, as far as the hind limbs. The under surface of the body is golden yellow, and has earned for the animal the name of "chrysogaster," which signifies "golden bellied." The basal half of the tail is black, and the remaining moiety is white. The total length of the Beaver Rat is about two feet, the tail being the same length as the body. The hinder feet are webbed. THE GI:»I MI PIG is one of the links between the beavers and the porcupines, and has a considerable a (Unity with the latter animals. It is found in many parts of Southern Africa, as well as on the coast of Guinea, where it is not at all uncommon. The hair of this animal is rather peculiar, and approximates closely to the quill-hairs of the true porcupines, being either flat and grooved above, or developed into flexile spines. The tail is but sparely covered with hair, and is rather short in proportion to the size of its owner. The hinder feet are only furnished with four toes, armed with large, rounded, and rather blunt claws. The ears are short and rounded. THE PORCUPINK has long been rendered famous among men by the extraordinary armory of pointed spears which it bears upon it.- back, and which it was formerly fabled to launch at its foes with fatal precision. 470 THE PORCUPINE. This animal inhabits many parts of the world, being found in Africa, Southern Europe, and India. The spines, or quills, with which it is furnished, vary considerably in length, the longest quills being flexible, and not capable of doing much harm to an opponent. Beneath these is a plentiful supply of shorter spines, from five to ten inches in length, which are the really effective weapons of this imposing array. Their hold on the skin is very slight, so that when they have been struck into a foe, they remain fixed in the wound, and, unless imme- diately removed, work sad woe to the sufferer. For the quill is so constructed, that it grad- ually bores its way into the flesh, burrowing deeper at every movement, and sometimes even causing the death of the wounded creature. In Africa and India, leopards and tigers have frequently been killed, in whose flesh were pieces of Porcupine quills that had penetrated deeply into the body, and had even caused suppuration to take place. In one instance, a tiger was found to have his paws, ears, and head filled with the spines of a Porcupine, which he had vainly been endeavoring to kill. Conscious of its powers, the Porcupine is not at all an aggressive animal, and seldom, if ever, makes an unprovoked attack. But. if irritated or wounded, it becomes at once a very unpleasant antagonist, as it spreads out its bristles widely, and rapidly backs upon its oppo- nent. There are few horses which will face an irritated Porcupine ; and even the preliminary rustle of the quills with which a Porcupine generally prepares every attack, is sufficient to make an ordinary horse flee in terror. The rustling sound is produced by a number of hollow quills which grow upon the Porcupine's tail, and which, when that member is agitated, clash against each other with a sound very like the peculiar ruffling of a peacock's train. The Porcupine is a nocturnal animal, seldom venturing out of its retreat as long as the sun is above the horizon, and is therefore not often seen even in the localities which it most prefers. It is said not to require the presence of water, but to quench its thirst by eating the succulent roots and plants which it digs out of the ground. Its food is entirely of a vegetable nature, and consists of various kinds of herbage, as well as of bark, fruit, and roots. This animal takes up its abode in deep burrows which it excavates, and in which it is supposed to undergo a partial hibernation. As the spines of the Porcupines are of some commercial value, and are used for many purposes, the chase of the animal is rather popular in the countries which it inhabits, and derives a further interest from the fact that the Porcupine, although a timid creature, can make a very powerful resistance when it is driven to despair. In fighting, it depends wholly on its quills, and does not attempt to make the least use of its strong and sharp incisor teeth, which are able to cut their way through the hardest wood as if it were butter, and would inflict most dangerous wounds. So far, indeed, is it from making any use of these formidable weapons, that its first care is to protect its head, being probably led to that course of action by its fear for its nose, which is so sensitive that the animal is stunned by a comparatively slight blow on that organ. It does not appear to be very susceptible of domestication, probably because it cannot find teachers who are sufficiently fearless of its quills to pay very close attention to it. With the exception of the hollow quills in the tail, the spines are encircled with alternate rings of black and white, producing a very rich contrast of coloring. The upper parts of the body are covered with hair instead of quills, and upon the head and neck there is a kind of crest, com- posed of very long stiff hairs, which can be erected or depressed at pleasure. Like the hedge- hog, it can coil itself into a ball when it is surprised at a distance from its haven of refuge, and can present such an array of threatening spikes, that it is quite safe from any enemy excepting man. When, however, the animal is at peace, it is capable of depressing the brist- ling spears, and can squeeze itself through an opening which would appear at first sight to be hardly large enongh to permit the passage of an animal of only half its size. The total length of the common Porcupine is about three feet six inches, the tail being about six inches long. Its gait is plantigrade, slow, and clumsy, and as it walks, its long quills shake and rattle in a very curious manner. Its muzzle is thick and heavy, and its eyes small and pig-like. 1*3 Z oc o o- '/•///: CANADIAN POJtC't I'lM:, tin t KSOJf. 471 Tt MM. i \it.ED PORCUPINE is even a more singular animal than tliat which has jn-t U-«-n The quills which cover the body are very short in proj .onion to the aixe of the animal, and iiiMt-ad oi i !••- M in_ 11.. mated, !••! •>•••• -.:-!•• • ' . •! tb MdtaKrj Pftrcupin.- qoflh, «w ti.itt.-u.-.i iik,- -., m:m\ M.I.I. >,,;_!.,- rii<- taflbmlj BB0^fcoo*»«on>«i< It-ruble |..n.,i n- length. I'ut at the tip is garnished with a tuft of must , 1111:11 \ looking objects, wl.i.h <-an luirdly lie called hairs or quills, but, an HuiTon remarks, look \. t\ lik«- luirrow, irregular strips of parchment. The coloring of the quills is rather various, but, an a general rul« . i li.-\ uiv black to\\anl- th. --xt n-imt \ nnl *hit< toward* • • bM HUM an vt-r\ -!,..i pi> |x>int< I, and are remarkable for a deep groove that runs along th<*ir «-ntin- h-nuth. I i»on the lu-sid tin- !!••• ii"ii was an adult Canada I'oivupiiie. in a lx>.\ with a small rabbit. Kach animal kept a* far from ill-- other a.-. poeisihle, but in an nnluckv moment tin- nil'l'ii chano-d to approach near the 1'on upine, when in un instant the tail of the latter was struck against tin- nil>bit, leaving hundred* of t he smaller quills studding his fa.-.- ami shoulders. Like the African species, the larger and longer quills are for oniani.-iit : the wcajMins an- the small ones mused just over the rump and base of tail. The motion is SO qpfek it easilv escaj»es notice, h»-iuv the uninformed obnHM i- Mad] to that tin- quills are thrown out. This animal \\a.« common in Massachusetts during tin- tirM half of this centtirv. Its nmp- is from Maine to Kentucky, but it is not seen on the sea-board. A \Vest.-rn variety reaches as far as Ari/ona and Ne\\ Mexico. It is often seen in the albino state. Is Southern America, thePor- cupin-s lind a representative in the COEXDOO, an animal which is not only remarkable for its array of quills, but also for the prehen- sile power of its long tail. As might be presumed, from the pivhrii-il.' tail and the pecu- liarly arm.-d claws, the Coendoo is of arlmn-al habits, finding its food among the lofty branches of trees. On the level ground it is slow and awkward, but among the more congenial boughs it climbs with great ease, drawing itself from branch to branch by means of its hooked claws; but seldom using its tail, except as an aid in descent. The food of this animal consist of leaves, flowers, fniit. bark, and the soft woody substance of young and tender branches, which it slices easily with its chisel-edged incisor teeth. During the summer months th<- Coendoo becomes extremely fat, and its flesh is then in great request, being both delicate in flavor and t.-nd.-r in character. The young of this animal are born in the month of September or October, and are very few in number. The total length of the Coendoo is about three feet six inches, of which the tail occupies one foot six inches. Its nose is thick and blunt, lik.- that of the common I'orcupine. and the face is furnished with very long whisker-hairs of a deep black. The nuiii«-rou- spines which cover the body are parti -colored, being black in the centre and white at each extremity. Their length is rather more than tuo im-hes on the back, an inch and a half on the fore-legs, and not quite an inch on the hinder limbs. A number of short quills are also set upon the basal half of the tail, the remainder of that organ being furnished with scales, and tapering to its extremity. The color of the scales is black. The entire under surface of the tail is covered with similar scales, among which are interspersed a number of bright chestnut hairs. The abdomen, breast, and inner face of the limbs are clothed with dense, brown, coarse hairs. It is a nocturnal animal ; sleeping by day, and feeding by night. lUKMMN). OR BRAZILIAN PUHl CP1.N £.- 474 THE AGOUTI. THE two succeeding animals bear some resemblance to each other, but may be distin- guished by the different shape of the head, and the structure of the feet and toes. These tech- nical distinctions may be found in the list of generic differences which closes the first volume of this work. There are several species of Agoutis, the COMMON AGOUTI being considered as the type of the genus, and their habits being very similar. The Agouti is a native of Brazil, Paraguay, Guiana, and other neighboring countries, but its numbers have been considerably thinned in many spots where cultivation has been indus- triously carried on. In some of the Antilles, where it formerly swarmed, it is now nearly extirpated, and in St. Domingo is but rarely seen. It is a voracious animal, eating almost every kind of vegetable food, having, however, an unfortunate preference for those plants which have been reared under human superintendence. It is especially fond of roots, such as potatoes and yams, and is so destructive among sugar- canes that the planters are forced to wage a war of extermination against the Agouti before they can hope for a good crop. Very few of these animals are to be found in any spot where the sugar-cane has been cultivated to any extent; Besides plants and nuts, the Agouti eats various fruits, displaying a strong predilection for nuts. Like many of the rodent animals, it is capa- ble of varying its diet with animal substances, and will seldom refuse a piece of meat if offered. It is a tolerably swift animal, as might be supposed from the great com- parative length of its hinder limbs, but does not appear to be capable of sustain- ing a long chase. Open country is on that account rather distasteful to the Agouti, who prefers wooded districts, where it can find shelter without being AGODTL-j«M»7»w*i d. It is naturally :, ^.-ntle creature, and when .aptui.il will not attempt to bite the hand that s.-i»-s it. |,Mt only gives x.-nt to a piteous squeak as it f.-els its,. If made a piNoner. The tl«wh of the Agouti i- -,d ^HH| flavored, and is thought to n-s.-ml.le a mixture of the hare and rabbit. In some . ..mm i.-s w hi. li it inhabits it is commonly eaten, while in others a prejudice prevails aguinM it- .m article of diet. The name. l>.i-\ |.i.x-ta, which ha.s »M-en given to the genus, n-f.-is to the thick hair wliich falls over the hind qn , ml nearly conceals th- little ]M.int,il stump of a tail. The hair MABA.-/WMM* of this jwrt of the body IM a hriirht i:old^n-hrown, hut on the Iwick an«l si.l.-s tin- fur has a curious sjMvkl.il as]H-.-t. mi aci-onnt of the black, brown, and yellow tints with which each hair in marked. On the greater jwirt of the body the fur is only alxmt one im-h in l.-n-ih. but the golden-brown hair of the hinder part- is more than f»nr inches long. In character it in coarse, though glossy. Thouirh all th.- SJMI-J.-S ar». fiiniisli.-rahundunce of food in some place of concealment. In size it equals Un- common rabbit, but d.»-s n.,t equal the hare. BKTWKKV the air.mtis and the pacas is j)lac,-«l th.- M\i:\. or Patagonian Cavy, aa it la soiii.'tini.-s railed, an animal which is remarkably swift fora short distance, but is so easily fatigued that it can U- nin down by a man on hoi-s,-bark. It i- nioj-,- tamable than the agouti. and is oft.-n kept in a state of domestication. In-im: ]»-rmitt,sl to rang*- the house and pi.-mi--^ at will. It is generally found in couples, a male and hi- male occupying the same " form." It diH-s not s,-em t.. burniw. nor to keep so close to ii- n treat as the agouti, but la fond of 476 THE DUSKY PAG A. crouching in a form like our common hare. It is about thirty inches in length, and about nineteen inches high at the crupper, which is the most elevated part of the animal. At the shoulder it hardly exceeds sixteen inches. The fur of this animal is soft and warm, and from the contrasting colors of black, white, and golden-brown, presents a very handsome appearance. Its scientific title is Dolichbtis patacJumicus. THE PACAS are remarkable for the extraordinary development of a portion of the skull, which gives to the entire head a very singular aspect. The cheekbone is enormously developed into a large, expanded mass of bone, concave and very rough on the exterior, and smooth and concave interiorly. This enlarged bone is so enormous that its lower edge descends below the lower jawbone, and hides a considerable portion of it. Closely connected with this curious structure is a cheek-pouch, for which no use has hitherto been discovered. There are also DUSKY PACA.-C(el6genyt paca. two large cheek-pouches which open into the mouth, and extend past the jaws into the neck. In consequence of this formation, the name of Ccelogenys, or "Hollow-cheek," has been given to this genus. The Pacas inhabit Southern America, being mostly, if not entirely, restricted to the east- ern portions of that country, and have also been found in some of the West Indian islands. THE DUSKY PACA is really a pretty animal, the rows of white spots which decorate its sides standing out in pleasing contrast to the rich black-brown hue with which the remainder of the fur is tinged. The throat and abdomen are white, and the lowermost of the four rows of white spots is often nearly merged into the white fur of the under portions of the body. The coloring is rather variable in different individuals. The paws are light flesh-color, and the large full eyes are dark brown. The total length of this animal is about two feet. In its native land it is quite as destructive as the agouti, and, like that animal, is a terrible foe to the sugar-canes, which are too frequently destroyed in great quantities by the nocturnal visits of the Paca. The aggrieved planters retaliate by making diurnal attacks on the Paca burrows when they know the animal will be at home ; and by stopping up two of the three entrances which lead to the secret chamber of the midnight robber, are enabled to dislodge the hidden animal from its retreat. When hard pressed, the Paca turns fiercely on its assailant. and fights desperately in defence of itself and its home. It Is an active animal, in spite of its clumsy looks, and not only runs with considerable speed, but is a good swimmer, and can jump well. The favorite localities of the Pacas are in wooded districts, in marshy grounds, or near the Till-: 'M/') AM //| 477 bunks of rivers. Their mi.-ilt« are excavated in the ground, hut are at no great are remarkable for the admirable Mate of cleanliness in which ih.-\ an- preserved by the inhabitants. Tli.- burrow - ar.- ..fi.-n so ^hallow that their roofs ramiiit •qpoct MjsuJN-rin- cninU-nt weight, and will give way under the ii.-;.d of m.m or h.< When I.K.|K..|\ «!.,•»,, 1 by being scalded and roast*!, th- il.-si, ,,f the Paoa is much .•sr....m.-d. aMhoii-h i! is I.M, ii. I, :m.l :.,: '..,;..,-. •;., • , ,,,..:•-.,: „ .,,,.. p. , „, ,,,, Hie fur i.s ol little value, IMMML: -hoi i and harsh, BO thai tli.- -Um of the Paca la useless until it haa been .l.-prixixl of hair ami tann.^l. The l'a.-a i-> (.nly iniNlenitely intellip-nt ; and when in niptivity aj.jH-ai>. like th.- ap'Uti. to lose a gre-.it jKirtion of the l.iL-ht int.-lligenoe whirl, fharac-terUni it- wild natuiv. It a|.]-ar> to lake great cane of it> fin. ;,n,| is :l> fa>lidi<.u- in it- t..il.-t as the doiii.-tii-rat. washing it.vlf in th.- xun.- manner, and combing il.vlf .-arefullx with tl,. of its hind and fore feet. Xrll FKVV persons, on seeing a OAPYBARA for the first time, would he inclined to rhw it with the animals to whirh it is so nearly related. The jjreat si/.-, the harsh, coarse hair, more like the bristles of a hog than the soft, delicate fur which clothes the p-nerality of rodent animals. the hoof-like toes, and the heavy, dimisy liearimrof the animal, arv so swinish in appearance that any onlinarj- jqiwtator might well ima-in.- that h.- s;iw before him a very curious example (d the nan f Hydrochn-rus. or Water Ho>r. It is a native of Sontheni America, and has a rather wide range. The Caj .y 1-a ru is the largest of all the living rodent animals, rather .-\, e,-iing three feet In total length, and U-ing so Imlkily made that when it walks it« abdomen nearly touches the ground. The inn//!.- of this animal is heavy and Hunt, the eye* .-,n. set hiirh in tin- head, and iin- mi/.e. the tail i- wantintr. and the toes an- ]«irtially eonn.N-t.Hl toother by a development of the skill. The color of the < 'a ( ,\ I .;, |-| js ni tiler itld.-tel Illill:lte. owing to tile manner in which the hairs are market I with Hack and \.-llow, eo that the general idea which 478 THE GUINEA PIG. its coat presents is a dingy, blackish-gray, with a tinge of yellow. The hairs are rather long, and fall heavily over the body. The incisor teeth are of enormous dimensions, and the molars are very curiously formed, presenting some analogy to those of the elephant. It is a water-loving animal, using its webbed feet with great power, and fleeing instinct- ively to the stream when terrified by real or imaginary danger. It not only swims well, but is a good diver ; and when endeavoring to escape from a foe, always tries to evade its pursuer by diving as long as its breath will hold out, and only permitting the top of its head to appear above the surface when it rises for the purpose of respiration. As, however, it can remain under water for a space of eight or ten minutes, it finds no difficulty in escaping from any ordinary foe, if it can only gain the shelter of the welcome stream. The food of this animal is exclusively vegetable, and its curious teeth are needed in order to bruise the herbage on which it feeds into a mass sufficiently pulpy to enable it to pass through the very narrow throat. The Capybara is a gregarious crea- ture, being generally found in small herds upon the banks of the streams which they frequent. These animals are subject to considerable persecution at the hand of man and beast, as the flesh is remarkably good, and when properly treated can be preserved like ham or bacon. The jaguar preys largely on the Capybara, which is so large and fat that it affords a plentiful and succulent meal ; and is so easily over- come that the jaguar finds no difficulty in supplying himself with a dinner. There is a kind of musky flavor about the flesh of the Capybara which is very attractive to some persons, but is equally repulsive to others. When startled, it utters a peculiar sound, something, between a bark and grunt, in which an indefinite noise is produced, and a large amount of breath expended. THE Cavies are well represented by the common GUINEA PIG. Few animals have received less appro- priate names than the Guinea Pig ; for it is not a pig, but a rodent, and does not come from Guinea, but from Southern America. It is very easily tamed ; for its disposition is so unimpressible and dull that it accommodates itself to change of locality without betraying any emotion, and seems hardly to be susceptible even of fear. Being a very pretty little creature, it is in some favor as a domestic pet ; and as it is remarkably prolific, it very rapidly increases in numbers, if it is well defended from cold and preserved from damp, as without warmth and a dry habitation it soon dies. The food of the Guinea Pig is exclusively of a vegetable nature, and while feeding it generally sits on its hinder feet, and carries the food to its mouth with its fore-paws. An idea of the extreme fecundity of this animal may be formed from the fact that it begins to breed at ten months of age, that each brood consists on an average of six or eight, and that in less than three weeks after the birth of the young family they are driven to shift for them- selves, and the mother is then ready for another brood. The young Guinea Pigs are born with their eyes open, and covered with h;iir, and do not attain their full dimensions until they have reached the age of eight or nine months. The color of the Guinea Pig is very variable ; but is generally composed of white, red, and black, in patches of different size and shape in each individual. The bare portions of the skin GUINEA PIG.— Cavia aperea. TUB HARE. IT '•' an- tlesh coin n-d. and the.-\e is brown. Tin- animal is of little direct use to in.iiikitiil, nit its tlesh is In-Ill in \er\ lo\\ estimation. ami its hair is -•• sli^htU aiia<-li.-«l to the -Kin that ita less. i<. lln- furrier. Then- was for ..... rl\ ili-nt idea that rats had an esiM tin- Guinea Pig, and would not haunt an\ place wlu-i- these animals was kept. Rabbit owners wen- th.-rvf.uv in the hal>it uf placing a Guinea Pi-' in th.- xime apart mi-lit \\ith tin- hutches, in hojies of searing away tin- rats. whirh an- tin- rhii-f i-in-iiiii« of tame rabbits. As. ho\\e\er. in several instances tin- • !• • '•• l>> the ]«-<-uliai dentition of th« ii|'|H-r jaw. l">ually tlu-n- an- only t»*o inri-oi t.-.-th in that jaw; but in the LeporidM- there an- four im-ixirs, u pair of smaller teeth ln-im: i>la<-«-l>it by the n-«ider hue of its fur, the great pro- |Hirtionate length of ito blarkiii'|M-,l rars, whirh an- nearly an inrli lon-i-i than the head ; by it^ \i-ry loin; hind legs, and its large and prominent eyes. When ftill-gmwn it is of consid- erable size, weighing on the average about eight or nine ]Miunds. and sometimes attaining the \\.-iirhtoftwelv ..... -even thirte.-n IK»MHwn on the upper portions of the body, mix.-d with a da^h of yellow ; the alxloini-n i-> whit.-, and the ini-k and breast are yellowish-white. Tin- tail is black on the upju-r surface and white undemeath, so that when the nvatun- runs it exhibits the white tail at every leap. Sometime* the color of the I !:,!•• examples of ilbino sjHvimens of this animal It is popularly supposed to be a timid animal, and has therefore received the sjK-eilir title of ••timidus;" but it is n-ally jtosseased of m> small slum* of courage. According to a well-known w riter — not a sportsman — we malign the poor cn-atun- by stigmatizing it as cowardly or timid. U-caiise it runs awa> uli.-n it 10 bunted. Ihlf :i liMiidi-.-l hOBHOMB, tQgettMl »itlia].ai-K «.f dogs, band together in pursuit of one def.-ncel.-s^ Han-, which is likely to run away under such circumstances. Then- is hardly any animal, fnuu an elephnnt or lion dow nw.ird-. that would not run away in like manner: and it is very unfair to brand the poor Hare with an off«-nsi\e epithet In-caiise it does not attempt to tight a field of horsemen and a jiack of hounds. However disjHis.-d tin- Han- maybe to flight, when matched against such overw helming odds, she is really a courageous animal when mon- fairly dealt with. A countrymen had raptured a young leven-t in a furrow, and was proceeding to mark it by notching its ears, when he was interrupted in his work by the mother Han-, which flew at him \sith singular courage, and struck so fiercely with her feet tliat she tore his hands rather severely. Finding that she could not release her child, she stood within a few feet of the captor, and waited ]>atiently until he liU-ratM the little Han-, with which she went off. The Hare is a very pugnacious animal, and is in the habit of waging the most savage fights with thOSe Of its own SJteries. The very long and powerful hind legs of the Hare enable it to make prodigious bounds, and to cover a considerable space of ground at every leap. The hinder limbs are, indeed, of such irn-.it pn>]M>rtiOB«te l-n^tli that tli-- unim:.'1 ilM B0< VElk, but proceed*!)] :i--ii.-"f hops or leaps. Tin- Hare is so constituted that it never becomes fat. however rich and fertile may be the pasture in which it feeds, and is therefore enabled to run for a very great distance without being fatigued, an would 1»- the case if its muscles were loaded with fat. It can also leap to a considerable height, and has l»-en known to jump over a i-Ti-eiidicular wall of eight feet in height in order to escape fn>m its pursuers. It is a wonderfully running animal, and is said by many who have closely studied its habits to surpass the fox in n-ady imrenuity. Api*-aring to understand the method by whirh the hounds an- enabled to track its footsteps, it employs the most crafty maiui-uvn- for the purpose of throwing them off the scent. Sometimes it will nin forwards fora considerable distance, and then, after returning for a few hundred yards on the same track, will make a 480 THE HARE. great leap at right angles to its former course, and lie quietly hidden while the hounds run past its spot of concealment. It then jumps back again to its track, and steals quietly out of sight in one direction, while the hounds are going in the other. The Hare also displays great ingenuity in running over the kind of soil that will best suit the formation of her feet, and be most disadvantageous to her pursuers, and has been known, on more than one occasion, to break the line of scent most effectually by leaping into some stream or lake, and swimming for a considerable distance before she takes to the land again. A Hare has been seen to brave the salt waters and tossing waves of the sea when closely pressed by the hounds, and to evade them by its bold ingenuity. Sometimes an old crafty HAKE.— Lepua Umldiit. Hare will baffle the hounds for a succession of seasons, until it is as familiar to the hunters as any of the dogs or horses, and makes the hounds so ashamed of their failures that they cannot be induced to chase it with any good will. As may be supposed from the fact of its taking the water, the Hare is a good swimmer, and can sustain itself upon the surface for no inconsiderable time. One of these animals was seen to swim to an island which was at least a mile distant from the main land, and to perform its task right bravely. The clever animal actxially waited upon the shore until slack water, when the tide is not running, and having ascertained this fact by frequently examining the rippling waves as they came curling over the beach, launched itself boldly upon the water, and swam rapidly to the nearest point of land. Although possessed of a remarkably delicate sense of hearing, and furnished with very quick eyesight, the Hare seems to employ those senses upon objects which are behind her rather than on those in her front. On more than one occasion a Hare has been known to swerve in her course, and to run into the very midst of the hounds without having either seen or heard them. The Hare does not live in burrows, like the rabbit, but only makes a slight depression in the ground, in which she lies so flatly pressed to the earth that she can hardly be distinguished THE II.lh'K. 18] from lie- -oil and driixl herlvu.f aiuoiitf whirh she ha> taken up IMT temporary abode. Although she lias no delinite II..MH-, the Hare is strongly ati...l..-.| i., h,-i •• i..im." wben*v<-i ii m..\ !-• plao-,1 :m.l .-v.-ii if dri\en to I gnat distance l>\ I In- l.-'.n ! -. • < -n1 1 1 . • •- bO Bftjain l>. i Intl.- domicile at !h-- .-aili'-st opp.,rtunii\ . As the varying MMOM of iln- >.-:ir ITIII- "ii t lutir varied ai-i-">iii|.:iiiiin.-iii- of In-at ami rol.l. rain and droil^lit, inl- :miiiis|iin.-. tin* Iinr< tli.- liM-alit y of h.-r •' fonii." -o IUH t4> IM? equally d.-f. ud. .1 apiiuM ill.- liitlrr frost iiml HDOWM of r, or tli.- l>la/.iiiL,' r.i\> of th»- noontide .siinuucr sun. Tin . ..luinon Hare ia not found in Ireland, but the Irish Hare, Lepv* kibtmUnu, la extreiii.-l> rniniiion iii that country, an.) takes the place of the nmmion Lcpiu timid*!. It may lN>diN(ini:iiished from ito English ii-latimi by i\* >lmrt<-r Iiml"-. it- round h«id, and -hort ears, which an- not so long as the head. An-ordlng to some \u-it«-r-«. tin- Irish !lar»- is identical with the ALPIXE HARE, and ought to be ranked with that animal. Tinder the title of Lcpiu •earidliilis, or Variable Hare, in reference to the annual blanching of ito coat during the winter months. The Rabbit family (Leporida) is represented in both North and South America, but i» far more numerous in the temperate portions of North America* One species only reaches the An-tic x-.n.- the Polar Hare— which also ranges around the glolH> within the circle. Lepiubrazilirnx!* i- th.- only species found in South America, which ranges from Patagonia to Central America. The great interior plains, or prairies, of North America afford numerous species. Four are enumerated. The Hares are regarded as forming one of the best defim-d Croups aim-m; mammals. The Prairie Hare (Lepiu camptxtrti) is one of the kinds discovered early by J>wis and Chirk, on the first opening of the great interior prairies. It is not known eastward of F Riley, in Kansas. It is about twenty inches in length. Its winter coat w white, with son.- rusty marks. In summer its coat is a yellowish-gray. In the Great Salt lake Valley it is abundant. The Northern Varying Hare (Lepii* aim, ;.;ni>i*\ Ls about the same size as the preceding. It ia the most familiar and common variety known to our markets in winter. Several varieties 482 THE n ABB IT. are found in different parts of North America. In winter it is white, with its ear-tips bor dered with black. In summer it is brown, varied with black. The Wood Hare (Lepus sylvaticus} is represented by three varieties. The term Gray Ral> bit is very commonly used to designate the three. This species is smaller than the preceding. Its Jtdbitat ranges from Hudson's Bay to Florida. It is timid and inoffensive. It does not burrow, but makes a "form," a slight depression on the ground sheltered by some shrub. It breeds about three times in a season, producing four to six at a birth. Its general form and habits are much like those of the English rabbit. Trowbridge's Hare (Lepus trowbridgu)is the smallest of the family. Its habitat is on the Pacific coast. Six other species are known to North America : found in Cali- fornia and Texas. AN interesting animal is the North American PIKA (Lagomys princeps), known as the LITTLE CIIIKF HAKE. It was once regarded as allied to the Hares ; !Q^ now> ik forms a family by itself. It is quite small — but little larger than a com mon Norway rat. Its range is from the tops of the Rocky Mountains to British America. Though not properly a Hare, it strongly resembles a young English rabbit. RESEMBLING the hare in general ap- pearance and in many of its habits, the RABBIT is readily distinguished from that animal by its smaller dimensions, its dif- ferent color, its shorter and uniformly brown ears, and its shorter Hint is. The Rabbit is one of the most familiar of quadrupeds, having taken firm posses- sion of the soil into which it has been im- ported, and multiplied to so great an extent that its numbers can hardly be kept within proper bounds without annual and wholesale massacres. As it is more tamable than the hare, it has long been ranked among the chief of domestic pets, and has been so modified by careful management that it has developed itself into many permanent varieties, which would be considered as different species by one who saw them for the first time. The little, brown, short-furred, wild Rabbit of the warren bears hardly less resemblance to the long-haired, silken-furred Angola variety, than the Angola to the pure lop-eared variety with its enormously lengthened ears and heavy dewlap. In its wild state the Rabbit is an intelligent and amusing creature, full of odd little tricks, and given to playing the most ludicrous antics as it gambols about the warren in all the unre- strained joyousness of habitual freedom. To see Rabbits at their best, it is necessary to be closely concealed in their immediate vicinity, and to watch them in the early morning or at the fall of evening. No one can form any true conception of the Rabbit nature until he has observed the little creatures in their native home ; and when he has once done so, he will seize the earliest opportunity of resuming his acquaintance with the droll little creatures. To describe the manifold antics of a Rabbit warren would occupy the space which ought to be devoted to some twenty or thirty miimals, and even then would be quite inadequate to the proposed task. They are such odd, quaint, ludicrous beings, and are full of such comical RABBIT.— Lepu* sunlr.ulu*. THE R A UD IT. .j- ; little roquetri.-s an.l su.'h absurd airs of assumed dignity, that they sorely try the gravity off the concealed observer, and sometimes cause him to bunt into irrepressible laughter, to 1 1 l>rofouinl di-may. At one time they are gravely pattering about the doors of their subterranean homes, M |...|,,|.- .-n^i.i.^ in ;i Ie_-ul.,l Ii.:|,|. >,„; denly a whole party rush off at full speed, scamix-ring over the ground as if they meant to run for a mile at least, but unexpectedly stop short at an inviting tuft of heritage, and nil-N- it composedly as if they had not run a yard. Then a sudden panic will flash through the whole party, and with a rush and a scurry every rabbit leaps into its burrow and vanishes from Muht like magic. The spot that was so full of life but a moment since is now deserted and silent as if it had been uninhabited for ages ; but in a few minutes one little nose is seen cautiously l-ok.-d (tut of a burrow, the head and ears follow, and in a very few ininnt«-s the frightened Rab- bits have come again into the light of day, and have recommenced their interrupted pastimes. A animals are so easily startled as the Rabbit, and with perfect good reason. For their .•ii.'ini.- .11. • f.-und in -M in;,ii\ 'lin-.'!ic>!i- and i,n.|.-i -u.-li in-idi.-u- guises, th;it th-'\ ar.- u.-ll justified in taking every possible precaution for their safety. Sundry rajKirious birds are very fond of young Rabbits, and sweep down unexpectedly from some unknown aerial region U-f. the doomed creature can even comprehend its danger. Stoats and weasels make dreadful havoc in a warren, and even the domestic cat is sadly apt to turn poacher if a well-stocked warren should happen to be within easy distance of her home. Foxes are very crafty in the pursuit of young Rabbits, and dig them out of the ground in a very ingenious and expeditious man- ner; while the common hedgehog is but too apt to indulge its carnivorous appetite with on occasional Rabbit. The burrows in which the Rabbit lives are extremely irregular in their construction, and often communicate with each other to a remarkable extent. From many of its foes the Rabbit escapes by diving suddenly into ite burrow ; but there MB some animals, soak a- the |fe)at wea»-|, and ferret, U!M.|, follow it int.. it- -ui.t. -11:111. -:m abode, and slay it within the precincts of its own home. Dogs. esjMTially those of the small terrier breeds, will often force their way into the Rabbit burrows, and have sometimes paid the penalty of their lives for their boldness. The Rabbit has been seen to watch a terrier dog safely into one of the burrows, and then to nil up the entrance so effectually that the invader has not been able to retrace his steps, and has perished miserably beneath the surface of the ground When the female Rabbit is about to become a mother, she quits the ordinary burrows, and digs a special tunnel for the purpose of sheltering her young family during their first few weeks of life. At the extremity of the burrow she places a large quantity of dried herbage, intermixed with down which she plucks from her own body, so as to moke a soft and warm bed for the expected occupants. The young Rabbits are about seven or eight in number, and are born without hair and with their eyes closed. Not until they have attained the age of ten or twelve days are they able to open their eyelids and to see the world into which they have been brought When domesticated, the female Rabbit is sometimes apt to eat her own young, a practice which has been considered as incurable. It seems, however, that the Rabbit acts in this apparently unnatural manner from very natural causes. It has long been the custom to deprive Rabbits of water, on the plea that in a wild state they never drink, but obtain the needful moisture from the green herbage on which they feed. But in the open country they always feed while the dew lies heavily upon every blade, which is never the case with the green food with which the Rabbits are supplied. Rabbits are fed very largely on bran, oats, and other dry nourishment which they do not obtain in their normal state of freedom. The mother Rabbit instinctively licks her young when they are horn, and is evidently liat-le to an exceeding desire for liquid nourishment which T-rompts her to eat anything that may assuage her burninx thirst. A Rabbit, wliich 484 THE CHINCHILLA. had already killed and begun to eat one of her offspring, has been seen to leave the half -eaten body and to run eagerly to a pan of water which was placed in her hutch. It may easily be supposed that when an animal is obliged to afford a constant supply of liquid nourishment to her young, she is forced to imbibe a sufficiency of fluid to enable her to comply with the ever recurring demands of her offspring. Rabbits are terribly destructive animals, as is too well known to all residents near a warren, and are sad depredators in field, garden, and plantation, destroying in very wantonness hun- dreds of plants which they do not care to eat. They do very great damage to young trees, delighting in stripping them of the tender bark as far as they can reach while standing on their hind feet. Sometimes they eat the bark, but in many cases they leave it in heaps upon the ground, having chiselled it from the tree on which it grew, and to which it afforded nourishment, merely for the sake of exercising their teeth and keeping them in proper order, just as a cat delights in clawing the legs of chairs and tables. When the Rabbits have begun to devastate a plantation, they will continue their destruc- tive amusement until they have killed every tree in the place, unless they are effectually checked. There are only two methods of saving the trees — one of killing all the Rabbits, and the other by making them disgusted with their employment. The latter plan is generally the most feasible, and can be attained by painting .each tree with a strong infusion of tobacco, mixed with a sufficiency of clay and other substances to make it adhere to the bark. This mixture should be copiously applied to the first three feet of every tree, so that the Rabbit cannot find any portion of the bark that is not impregnated with the nauseous compound, and is an effectual preservative against their attacks. In their normal state of freedom, Rabbits feed exclusively on vegetable food, but in domestication they will eat a very great variety of substances. Many of my own Rabbits were very fond of sweetmeats, and would nibble a piece of hardbake with great enjoyment, though they were always much discomposed by the adhesive nature of their strange diet, and used to shake their heads violently from side to side when they found themselves unable to disengage their teeth. They would also eat tallow candles, a fact which I discovered acci- dentally, by seeing them devour a candle-end that had fallen out of an old lantern. These curious predilections were the more unaccountable, because the animals were most liberally supplied with food, and were also permitted to run in the kitchen garden for a limited time daily, and to feed upon the growing lettuces, parsley, carrots, and other vegetables, as they pleased. As a general fact, the Rabbit has a great antipathy to the hare, so that the two animals are seldom, if ever, seen in close proximity. The possibility of a hybrid progeny between the two species was, until late years, entirely denied. There are, however, several accidental instances of such a phenomenon, and in every case the father has been a Rabbit and the mother a hare. There are many examples of young Rabbits which possess much of the color- ing and general aspect of the hare, but these are almost invariably the offspring of domes- ticated Rabbits which have been turned into a warren. In its native state, the fur of the Rabbit is of nearly uniform brown, but when the animal is domesticated, its coat assumes a variety of hues, such as pure white, jetty black, pied, dun, slaty-gray, and many other tints. THE CHINCHILLA, so well known for its exquisitely soft and delicate fur, belongs to the group of animals which are known to zoologists under the title of Jerbodiae, and which are remarkable for the great comparative length of their hinder limbs, and their long, hair-clothed tails. The Chinchilla is an inhabitant of Southern America, living chiefly among the higher mountainous districts, where its thick silken fur is of infinite service in protecting it from the cold. It is a bun-owing animal, digging its subterranean homes in the valleys which intersect the hilly country in which it lives, and banding together in great numbers in certain favored localities. The food of the Chinchilla is exclusively of a vegetable nature, and consists chiefly of various bulbous roots, which it disinters by means of its powerful fossorial paws. While TV//.' iafl feeding, it rite upon its hinder feet, and conveys the food to it* mouth with Ita fore-feet, which it uses with singular adroitn.".-. It i- a m.-i . \,|uiMt.-l\ rli-.in!\ animal, a* mi-lit \»- *ii| posed from tin- N-autiful d.-Iicacy of its fur. fur we may always remark, that wln-nr\cr an uni- ma! is remarkable for the coloring or tne texture of ita natural robes, it is always most assidu- ous in presen in- tin-Hi from any substance that might stain their puiitv or clou their fibres. Th«- fur of tli«- Chinchilla is of a delicate, clear gray ujKm the buck, softening into a gray- ish-whit ..... i tli.- iiiid.-r portions, and its texture is marvellously soft and tine. An the fur seems to be of two different qualities in animal^ tliat an- brought from different IMirts of South America. it is -uppowd that then- may be either t\M> diMim-i •*),.• ciesof this animal, or at least two perma- nent varieties, tin- hair «»f one U-ing very IMIH-II iimi>- delii-ate than that »( the other. fur. the hair of the Chinchilla is so loin: and soft that it is well adapted for the l l>«-«-n maniifartiinHl into vari- ous fabrics where warmth and lightness are equally required. As the animal is very small, only measuring fourteen or fifteen inches in total length, the tail occupying nearly one-third of the measurement, many skins are employed in the manufacture of one article of ordinary dress, and the destruc- tion of the Chinchilla is necessarily very considerable in order to supply the con- stant demand for this deservedly popular fur. As far as is known, the Chinchilla is not a very intelligent animal, seeming to be hardly superior to the Ouinea pig in intellect, and appearing scarcely to recognize even the hand that supplies it with food. THE LAGOTIS is distinguishable from the preceding animal by the structure of the fore- feet, which are only furnished with four toes, while those of the chinchilla possess five. The ears are very long in proportion to the head, and l>eing somewhat similar to those of the hare, have gained for the animal the generic name of Lagotis, or Hare-eared. The hinder limbs are long, and very much resemble those'nf the hare or rabbit ; and the whole aspect of the creature partakes greatly of the leporine character. The coat is very like that of the hare in color and texture, and is soft, long, and rather woolly, but as it is only slightly attached to the skin, is valueless as a fur. The long ears are rounded at their extrem- ities, and their margins are rolled inwards. The tail is so long that it forms a ready means of -"i-arit in- the Lagotis from the hares or rabbita, being quite as long as the body, and thickly covered with stiff hairs. It is an inhabitant of Peru, and takes up its residence in the crevices of the rocky local- ities among which it dwells. Although tolerably active, it appears to be possessed of little endurance, never attempting to escape by speed if it should chance to be alarmed, but diving at once into the welcome shelter of the nearest cranny. When wounded, they always seek the same retreat, so that unless they are killed by some instantly mortal injury, their l>odiea cannot be recovered by the hunter. The fur of this animal is so slightly attached to the skin that it comes away when handled. The flesh, however, is delicate and tender, and it is chiefly for the sake of its value as an article of food that the Lagotis is bunted. 486 THE QERBOA. LAQOTIS.— Laffottt euvlerl. THE GERBOAS bear a curious resemblance to the kangaroos, not only in their general appearance, but in many of their habits. Like those animals, they leap over distances which are absolutely enormous when the size of their bodies is taken into consideration, they con- stantly sit upright in order to observe surrounding objects, their food is of the same nature, and they carry it to their mouths in a similar manner. Their fore-limbs are extremely short, while the hinder legs and feet are developed to a very great extent, and they are all furnished with a long, hair-clad tail, which serves to aid them in preserving their balance while shooting through the air. One of the most familiar of these leaping rodents is the SPRING HAAS, or CAPE GERBOA, sometimes called, from its hare-like aspect, the CAPE LEAPING HARE. It is a native of Southern Africa, and is found in considerable numbers upon the sides of mountains, where it ihhabits certain burrows which it tunnels for itself in the ground. It prefers sandy ground for the locality of its habitation, and associates together in great pro- fusion in favorable spots, so that the earth is completely honeycombed with its burrows. Being a nocturnal animal, it is rarely seen by daylight, seldom leaving its stronghold as long as the sun is above the horizon. The natives, who set some value on its flesh, take advantage of this habit, and being sure of finding the Spring Haas at home during the daytime, take their measures accordingly. Placing a sentinel at the mouth of the burrow, they force the inmate to evacuate the premises by pouring a deluge of water into the hole, and as it rushes into the open air, it is seized or struck down by the ready hand of the sentinel. Like the kangaroos, the Spring Haas prefers rough and rocky ground to a smooth soil, and displays such wonderful agility as it leaps from spot to spot, that it can baffle almost any foe by its mere power of jumping. At a single leap this creature will compass a space of twenty or thirty feet, and is able to continue these extraordinary bounds for a great dis- tance. It is rather a mischievous animal, as, like the common hare, it is in the habit of making nocturnal raids upon the corn-fields and gardens, and escaping safely to its subter- ranean burrow before the sunrise. With the exception of shorter ears, and the elongated hinder limbs, the Spring Haas is not nnlike our common hare. The fur is of a dark fawn, or reddish-brown, perceptibly tinged with yellow on the upper parts, and fading into grayish-white beneath. In texture it is very similar to that of the hare. The tail is about as long as the body, and is heavily covered with rather stiff hairs, which at. the extremity are of a deep black hue. Upon the Tin: >,I:I:HOA. 187 - . I . . N i . 1 1 \ A - .'.,..-.• . fon- legs there are five toes, which are armed with powerful claws, by meant* of which tin- animal digs its IHIITOWS, while the hinder feet are only furnished with four toes, each of which is tip] ied with a long and rather sharply pointed claw. THK Jerlx'tida' lind their best type in the common GKRBOA of Northern Africa. This beautiful and active little animal is hardly larger than an ordinary English rat, although its ]>eculiar attitudes and its extremely long tail give it an appearance of greater dimensions than it really possesses. The general color of its fur is a light dun. \\ash«-d \\itli yellow, the abdomen being nearly white. The tail is of very great proportionate length, is cylindrical in shape, and tufted at its extremity with stiff bhick liairs, the extreme tip being white. From various experiments that have been made upon this memlx-r and its use to the animal, it appears that the tail is of infinite .service in preserving the proper balance of the Ixxly while tin- creature is living through mid-air in its extraordinary leaps ; f..r in pro]>ortion as the tail was shortened, the power of leaping diminished, and when it was entirely remoxed, the animal was afraid to leap at all. Such truncated s|«-cimens wen- almost deprived of all power of locomotion, for they could never preserve their Ixi lance as they rose upon their binder feet, but rolled over on their kicks. As the Gerboa rises from one of its huge bounds for the purpose of commencing a second leap, it curves its tail into the peculiar form which is represented in the engraving, but straightens it in its aerial course. The Gerboa is a burrowing animal, and lives in society, so that it forms large natural " warrens" in those parts of the country where it takes up its residence. It is much hunted by the natives, who set some store by its rather unpalatable flesh, and is captured by stopping up as many burrows as can conveniently lie reached, and killing the Gerboas an they rush affright**! from the ojien entrances. This is, indeed, almost tne only successful mode of cap- turing these fleet and agile creatures; for if they can once leap away from the immediate vicinity of their pursuers, they scour over t lie ground with such wonderful sjn-ed that they can hardly be overtaken even t>y a trained greyhound. Dry and sandy spots are in greatest favor with the Gerboa, which is better able to dig in such soils than in moist situations. Against the injurious effects of the hard and burning • 1SS THE DORMOUSE. ground upon its feet it is guarded by a thick covering of stiff, bristly hairs, which defend the soles of the feet from injury, and, moreover, are useful in giving a firm hold upon the ground when the animal is in the act of making one of its extraordinary bounds. It is a lively and playful animal, delighting to bask itself in the sun near the entrance of its burrows, and to divert __ itself by occasional gambols with its compan- ions. Although it makes these visits to the open air for the sake of enjoying the warm beams of the sun, the Gerboa is a nocturnal animal, and feeds only by night. By the united powers of its teeth and claws it can drive its tunnel through impedi- ments which would baffle any ordinary animal ; for it can not only cut its way through the hardest sand, but is even able to gnaw a pas- sage through the thin layer of stone which lies beneath the sand. The food of these ani- mals consists chiefly of roots and similar sub- stances, which it digs out of the earth, but it also feeds on various kinds of grain. The generic term " Dipus," or two-footed, has been given to the true Gerboas because they press their fore-feet so closely to their breasts while they leap that they appear to be entirely destitute of those limbs, and only to possess the two long hind legs. All the animals that belong to this genus have five toes on their fore-feet and only three on the hinder feet. The hair of the tail is arranged in a double row, after the man- ner which is scientifically called "distichous." GEBBOA.— JHpus aegypHut. THERE are many species of Jerboidae in- habiting different countries, all of which are very similar in shape and habits. Among these may be noticed the ALACTAGA, or Jumping Rabbit of Siberia, and the GERBILLES of Africa and India. THE family Zapodidse embraces those little forms called Jumping Mice. It is represented by a single species, the Jumping Mouse ; Deer Mouse (Zapus Tiudsonicus). This odd little creature was first brought to notice by Pennant during his extended Northern tour. According to De Kay it is " numerous in all parts of New York State." The Indians call it Wah-peli-sous, or the animal that jumps like a deer. It is said to leap ten or twelve feet at a bound. It pro- duces four young at a birth, and three litters in a year. The little creatures are sometimes turned out of their homes during the haying time, and a common sight is that of the mother with four little ones hanging to her teats. NEXT in order to the Gerboas is placed the small group of animals which are sufficiently familiar by the name of Dormice. This term signifies " Sleepy Mouse," and is most appro- priate to the lethargic little creatures, which spend the greater part of their time in somnolency. One of these animals, the LOIRE, or FAT DORMOUSE, is celebrated in classical literature as being in great request among the luxurious Romans as an article of diet. For this purpose the Loire was carefully fattened, being placed in certain receptacles, which were called Gliraria, from the Latin word glis, which signifies a dormouse. The Loire is found in almost all the warmer portions of Europe, but is seldom seen at any great elevation above the level of the sea. THE LEROT, or GARDEN DORMOUSE, inhabits the same localities as the Loire, but its flesh is not eatable like that of the Fat Dormouse, although it resembles it very nearly in every point but size. THK DORMOl'SE. 189 Tin -t.-tal 1,-n-tli of thisaiiimal isnitli.'r moi,' than .-i-lit inches, of which ni.-:i>iii-.-ini-nt tli-- tail ocrupi.". ih ..... inches. Tile p-ncral c..|,,i ..f its fur ia gray. d.-eph tinged with r»--n.t is r..\,.|i--),,,,; l,|a. k hair, chan-im: rather al.rupth int.. white at its extremity. It has .l.-rh.-.l its title of (iaidm Dormouse t'l.iin its annoying lml.it of entering gardens and making sad havoc of tin- choicOTt fruit ; f»>r it is an animal <>f jrrcat taste. and makes it^ -el.-.'tion anmni: tin- liin-st and I test fruits \\ith an acrura<-\ ..f judgment that may !«• highly agreeable to it.self, l.ut i- >in.-.-|.-l\ ••\'---l:it'-d l'\ ll ..... » IU'1 • if ' lit' ganl'-n. It is i-artii-nlarly f»nd of »-s|.ali u-.iin.-d friiit-tn-«>s, :ind is nni.-h i:iv.-n to d.-viiiiriii^ thf jwachee wlwti they are jn>t in th.-ir l.loom of rosy ]MTf«vtion. I /-rot is not cont.-nt \\ith making :inti|lil!i:il lai'N i!j»'M ftfl gBnlflls, hut i^ •.utlirifiitly j.niviil.'tit \« lay up a store of food for the winter, and for that purpose to cany niT corn. i»ea«, and beans in no small quantity. It* \vint-r neat ia mad.- in soi ..... on\..|ii.-nt recess, where six or eight Lerots congregate, and j>a-> th.- cold wintry months in a sliiml>.-r which la almost nnhrok.'ii. except by the needful occasional wakings for the purpose of tak- ing food. In summer time it makes a temporary nest in hollow trees, holes in old walls, or in similar localities, and reposes during the daytime upon a bed of dried grass and leaves. Sometimes it is eo bold that it will make its way into human habitations, and establish itself in the very home of the justly incensed owner of the garden. The young Lerots enter upon their in th" ini'l'!!'- of -.nimi.-i. and \ LOIBB. OR PAT DORMOC8E.- triA WMklflffB] tSftitif. 'l'li"> io not. however, become parents in their turn until the following year. The average number of young Lerots which are produced at a single birth ia from four to six. THE common DOEMOCSE is abundantly found in many districts of England, as well as on the Continent, and is in great favor as a domestic p»-t. The total length ..f this pretty little animal is rather more than live inches, the tail being two inches and a half long. The color of its fur is a light reddish l.n.wn npon the back, yellowish-white upon the abdomen, and white on the throat. These tints belong to the adult animal only, as in the juvenile Dormouse the fur is nearly, of the same color as that of tlie common mouse, the ruddy tinge only appearing on the head and sides. It ia not until the little creatures have nearly completed a year of existence that they assume the beautiful hues of adult age. The tail is thickly covered with hair, which is arranged in a double row throughout its length, and forms a slight tuft at the extremity. The head is rather large In proportion to the body, the ears are large and broad, and the eye full, black, and slightly prominent. The Dormouse is a nocturnal animal, passing the whole of the day in its warm and neatly constructed nest, which is generally built in the most retired spot of some thick bush or small 490 THE DORMOUSE. tree. It is a very active little creature, leaping from branch to branch, and traversing the intricate mazes of the brushwood with such ready fleetness, that it can scarcely be taken by a human hand. Generally, when a Dormouse is captured, it is secured while sleeping in its nest, for during its slumbers it is so deeply buried in repose that it can be handled without offering resistance or attempting escape. The food of the Dormouse consists of various fruits and seeds, such as acorns, nuts, haws, and corn. As the animal is one of the hibernaters, it is in the habit of gathering together a supply of dried food, to afford occasional nourishment during the long wintry months when it lies in its bed, imprisoned in the bands of irresistible sleep. Like many other hibernating animals, the Dormouse becomes exceedingly fat towards the end of autumn, and is therefore enabled to withstand the severity of the winter season better than if it retired into its home in only its ordinary condition. As soon as the weather becomes cold, the Dormouse retires into its nest, and there slumbers throughout the entire winter, waking up for a short period whenever a milder temperature breaks the severity of the frost, and after taking a little nourish- ment, sinking again into its former lethargy. Several interesting experiments have been made on this animal in connection with the phenomenon which is termed hiber- nation, and with the same results as have already been mentioned when treating of the hedgehog and the bat. This hoard of provisions is not gathered into the nest, which is solely employed for the purpose of warmth and concealment, but is hidden away in sundry convenient nooks and crannies, close to the spot where the nest is placed. Comparatively little of the store is eaten during the winter, unless, indeed, the weather should happen to be peculiarly mild, but it is of very great ser- vice in the earlier part of the spring, when the Dormouse is awake and lively, and there are as yet no fresh fruits on which it could feed. The Dormouse is rather gregarious in its habits, so that whenever one nest is discovered, several others may generally be found at no very great distance. These nests are of consider- able dimensions, being about six inches in diameter, and are composed of grass, leaves, and similar substances. The entrance to the nest is from above. The young animals are generally three or four in number at a birth, and make their appearance about the end of spring, or the beginning of summer. It is probable that there may be a second brood towards the end of autumn, as Mr. Bell received from one locality in the month of September one half-grown Dormouse, which had evidently been born in the spring, and three very little specimens, which were apparently not more than a week or two old. They are born blind, but are able to see in a very few days, and in a remarkably short space of time become independent of their parents. Like many other rodent animals, the Dormouse carries the food to its mouth with its fore-paws, while it sits iipright on its hinder legs. It is also able to suspend itself by the hind-feet from any convenient branch, and may often be seen hanging in this manner, and eating as comfortably as if it were seated on firm ground. COMMON DORMOUSE.— Muicardinui mdlanarius. THE TAGUAN FLYING SQUIRREL. Tin. U-autiful and ani\.- ^roupof animals of which our Squirrel is so familiar an example, are found in almost < v. i\ i«.ni..n <>f the globe, and, with one or t \vo exceptions, live almost i-xclusiv.-h among tlie branches of trees. In unl.-i t«. .-nable them to maintain a linn clasp up. .n i li<- l-i-.iii. -h.- and l-aik, tli. -\ .nv furnished with long, linger-like toes upon the fore-feet, which are ann.-d with .sharp curved daws. In tin- Flying Squirrels, of which the TAGUAK is a good example, the skin of the Hanks is in a in. -ih.Ml similar to that which has already been noticed in the 1'etuurists of TAOVAS-fttromfi f*< Australia and the Colugo of Java. This skin is so largely developed, that when the animal is -itting at its ease, its paws but just appear from under the soft folds of the delicate and fur- clad membrane. Wh-n the creature intends to make one of its marvellous leaps, it stretches all its four limbs to their fiill—t .-xt.-nt. an.l is upborne through the air on the parachute-1 expansion which .-xt-nds along its sides. This animal is a native of India, where it is tolerably common. It is rather a large species, as its total length is nearly three feet, the tail occupying i one foot eight inches, measured to the extremity of th- long hairs with which it is «i thickly clothed. The general color of this animal is a clear chestnut, deepening into brown on the back, and becoming more ruddy on, the sides. The little Dinted ears are covered with short and soft fnr of a delicate brown, and the tail is heavily clad w ith bushy hairs, grayish-black on the basal portions of that member, and sooty-black towards the extremity. The parachute 492 THE GRAY SQUIRREL. membrane is delicately thin, scarcely thicker than ordinary writing-paper, when it is stretched to its utmost, and is covered with hair on both its surfaces, the fur of the upper side being chestnut, and that of the lower surface nearly white. A stripe of grayish-black hairs marks the edge of the membrane, and the entire abdomen of the animal, together with the throat and the breast, is covered with beautiful silvery grayish-white fur. THERE are many other Flying Squirrels, belonging to different countries, but presenting very similar characteristics of form and character. They are all playful and lively animals, and engage in the most gamesome sports as they chase each other about the branches of the tree on which they have taken up their residence. Among these creatures we may record the names of the ASSAPAN, or Flying Squirrel of America, the POLATOUCHE of Siberia, and the RASOO of India. SQUIBRELS are found in every part of the world except- ing in Australia. Even in the latter country there are flying animals that so closely resemble the Flying Squirrels it is impossible to determine them without examining the teeth, which are those of the curious forms seen among the pouched animals. One species only of the Flying Squirrels is native to North America. It is a very common animal in New Eng- land, and often proves a pleasing- pet, being easily tamed. It extends through the eastern portion of the continent, and into South America as far as Guatemala. The Chickaree (Sciurus Tiudsonicus), called Red Squir- rel in the country, is a familiar form. Like many other of our native animals, this exhibits more than one variety. A Western form, the same species, but varying in some coloration or markings, is found in the Rocky Mountains. This is a noisy little creature, and gains its name from its usual cry. The Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) is familiar to all in our country side. Its large size renders it an attrac- tive game for the hunter. The markets in winter are wel} supplied with them. In the South a variety is found, somewhat smaller. Another variety is found in Yucatan and Mexico, which is ' intermediate between the last mentioned and the first. The eastward range of this Sqiiirrel is New Brunswick. It is remarkable for its habits of migration. Dr. Bachman, the eminent naturalist of South Carolina, witnessed a migration of these animals in the year 1808, in autumn. A short distance above Albany a troop of Gray Squirrels suddenly made their appearance. They swam the Hudson in some places between Waterford and Saratoga. Those which were noticed crossing the river, were swimming deeply and awkwardly, with their bodies submerged. Many were drowned, and those which were fortunate in reaching the opposite bank -were so wet and fatigued that they were readily killed. The motive for this extraordinary movement was sup- posed to be the temporary failure of supplies of food. The Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger) is a large animal, having three distinct varieties. The Northern Fox Squirrel has a length of body varying from thirteen to fourteen inches. In the South it is called Cat Squirrel. Another form is the California Gray Squirrel (Sciurus fossof). It differs in being larger than the Eastern form, and has a much larger tail. It has none of the reddish hue on the back so characteristic of the latter. Collies' Squirrel is a near relative, and has its habitat in the neighboring State of Mexico. educetla. THE BLACK SQU/RI. ! < Abert's Squirn -1 >Scivnt* abrrtf) is found in Arizona and Colorado. It is peculiar in having in winter long tufts of huir on the ear-tips. Tin- ears are very large. Like other Hperi.--. it i- -iil.j.-.-t t» tin- :ill'ini-tir influence; and tin- l>la>-k varieties are o(Vn f-.nnd. Ki.l.t otliur species are found in the wanner i>ortions of America. Tli, _. -nu- embraces • group of pretty squirrels, a notable IIH-III|NT of whirh i- the familiar ( 'hipimi. -K. or Strij»-«l Squirrel (Tbmfcu ttriatn*). Their forms resemble tin- S|«-r m.iphil.--. tin- \\>-\\ •.ii.v.-ediim group. Four species are known, tlin-< ..f tliem l>eing rontiii.d to North America. The fourth species is found in the northern portions of both continent-. No other animal is more familiar to the country side than this cheery little ('lii]ininek. Chip- ping, or Ground Squirrel, as it is variously termed. Hackee is another name, known more in tin- Middle States. Old st»ne walls seem to be the favorite resort of this littl.- en-atnre, and ,-ver\ eountry Ixiy finds such localities certain to yield ready game to his box-trap. Its habi- . tat is from Minnesota to the Atlantic, and from Canada to Georgia. It is not found in the alluvial districts of Carolina, nor in Florida. The Northern rhipmuek T. boreali*) is found equally abundant in Northeastern Kuroj--. Northern Asia, and Northwestern America, southwards nearly to tin- t'nited States. Several varieties are known in the Western plains and the Rocky Mountain Raim- Harris's Chipmuck is a New Mexican and Califoniian sjx-cies. It is JMI uliar in l»'ing an inhabitant of the desert, instead of the woodland. A not her species is named for the naturalist Say— Wing first d.-seriU-d by him in 1H23— from specimens sent from the Arkansas River. Its habits resemble closely those of the East- ern form. TIIK BLACK SQUIRRKL has most appropriately been named, for the whole of its fur, with very slight and variable exceptions, is dyed with the deepest jet. Kven the abdomen and under parts of the body, which in almost all qn.i.li ii^-ds are of a lighter hue than the back, ore in the Hlaek Squirrel of the same *aMe tin--. «ith theoneptka of a few small tufts of white hairs whieh are sratt'Ted at wide and irregular intervals. A few single white hairs are also sown sparingly upon the Iwrk, but ore so few in numl-r as to escape a mere casual phi nee. Th.- tail is also sliirhtly nWked with th.-~. whit- hair-. Thft total length of this animal in aln.ut two feet t-n in. lies, the toil b«faig about thirt.-n im-hm in l.-n^'th. i.,.-:lMn.-.l to extremity of the fur. When the creature spreads its tail to its full width, it measures nearly five im-hf* in diameter in the largest j>art. The Black Squirrel is a native of many parts of Northern Am.-riea, and is tol.-mMy com m.m in some local! ti-. though very scarce in others. It is a curious fart, that it vanishM U-fore the advent of the common northern Gray Sqninvl. and in many instances has driven from son..- nf its private haunts and supplant.il by the more powerful intrnd-r. seems to be rather a timid animal, as it has U-en observed to fly in terror wh-n threatened with the anger of the Red Squirrel (Sciuru* hudrtniut). Despite its cowardice, it is rather 494 THE GROUND SQUIRREL, OR HACKEE. a fierce creature when captured, biting savagely at its opponent, and is not very easily tamed. One of these animals which was partially domesticated, was always noted for its evil temper, and justified the opinion that had been formed of its disposition by biting a piece from a servant's hand as cleanly as if it had been cut with a chisel. The injury was of so severe a nature that the man was obliged to go into a hospital for some weeks. When undisturbed in its native domains, it appears to be an active and lively animal, and is remarkable for a curious habit of suddenly ceasing" its play and running to the water side to refresh itself before it recommences its sport. In drinking it does not lap after the manner of dogs and cats, but bends over the water, and thrusting its nose fairly beneath the surface, drinks a steady draught. After it has satisfied its thirst, it sits on its hind legs, and with its fore-feet carefully washes its face, occasionally dipping its paws into the water, as if to perform its ablutions in the most effectual manner. The skin of the Black Squirrel is rather valuable, as it not only possesses the uniform jetty hue which is so universally admired in ornamental furs, but is also peculiarly smooth and glossy. As is generally the case with dark coated animals, the hairs are lighter towards the base, and partake of a slaty-blue tint. ALL the preceding examples of the Squirrel tribe are remarkable for their extreme agility in climbing trees, traversing the branches, and making extraordinary leaps from one bough to another or from some elevated spot to the earth. The Ground Squirrels, however, are intended to abide on the earth, and are seldom known to ascend trees of any great height. As they possess cheek-pouches, they are placed in a separate genus, under the name of Tamias, which is a Greek word, signifying a storekeeper, and are separate from the true Squirrels, which are not furnished with those appendages. The HACKEE, or CHIPPING SQUIRREL, as it is sometimes termed, is one of the most familiar of North American quadrupeds, and is found in great numbers in almost every locality. It is a truly beautiful little creature, and deserving of notice both on account of the dainty elegance of its form, and the pleasing tints with which its coat is decked. The general color of the Hackee is a brownish-gray on the back, wanning into orange-brown on the fore- head and the hinder quarters. Upon the back and sides are drawn five longitudinal black stripes and two streaks of yellowish-white, so that it is a most conspicuous little creature, and by these peculiar stripes may easily be distinguished from any other animal. The abdomen and throat are white. It is slightly variable in color according to the locality in which it exists, and has been known to be so capricious of hue as to furnish specimens of pure white and jet black. As a fur it is extremely elegant, and if it were not quite so common would long since have taken nearly as high a rank as the sable or ermine. The length of the Hackee is about eleven inches, the tail being about four inches and a half in length. It is, however, slightly variable in dimensions as w,ell as in color. The Hackee is one of the liveliest and briskest of quadrupeds, and by reason of its quick and rapid movements, has not inaptly been compared to the wren. It is chiefly seen among brushwood and small timber ; and as it whisks about the branches, or shoots through their interstices with its peculiar, quick, jerking movements, and its odd, quaint, little clucking cry, like the chip-chipping of newly-hatched chickens, the analogy between itself and the bird is very apparent. As it is found in such plenty, and is a bold little creature, it is much perse- cuted by small boys, who, although they are not big or wise enough to be entrusted with guns, wherewith to work the destruction of larger game, arm themselves with long sticks, and by dexterous management knock down many a Hackee as it tries to escape from its pur- suers by running along the rail fences. Among boys the popular name of the Hackee is the "Chipmuck." It is a burrowing animal, making its little tunnels in various retired spots, but generally preferring an old tree, or the earth which is sheltered by a wall, a fence, or a bank. The burrows are rather complicated, and as they run to some length, the task of digging the animal out of its retreat is no easy one. In the work of Messrs. Audnbon and Bachman is gdven the following spirited narrative of an attack upon the home of some unfortunate Hackees. " This TV//; on species is to a certain extent gregarious in its habits. We had in autumn marked one of it* burrows wlii.-li we comvived well :i.|;i].i.-| !,,,,iir purpose, which was t,, .li^ it nut. It wan in the \\(MNl-. in a sandy pii-ce «.f .mound, :uul ilu- earth \\;i" Mn-«ed \\ith leaven to lli-- <1> pth of •it inches, which we l>i-lie\i-d would pn-M-m t from ]>eni-irating to any considerable depth. We had tin- place opened in January, when the ground was covered with snow aUmtlixe inches df«-p. The entrance of tlif liiirrow had l>een elosM fiiuu \\itliin. We followed the course of the small winding gallery with considerable dilliculty. The hole descended at first almost l*-rpi-iidicularly for about three feet. It th.-n continued, with one or two winding*, rising a littlt- iii-ap-r the -•irfac-i- until it had advanced about eight feet, when we came to u large nest, made of oak leaves and dried gra---- II- if lay snugly coverexl three Chipping Squirrels. "Anot ln-r was 8absequi-ntl\ dm: fi-mi i.neof the Hniall lutentl galleries, to which it hud evidently retreated to avoid u>. They were not dormant, and seemed ready to bite when taken in the hand ; but they were not very active, and appeared somewhat sluggish ami l«-!inml»-d. which we conjectured was owing to tlu-ir being exposed to sudden cold from our hav- ing opened their burrow. There was about a gill of wheat and buckwheat in the nest ; but in the galleries, which we afterwards dug out, we obtained about a quart of the beaked hazel nut.s ( ('»//•/////* mxfni/tn. nearly a peck of acorns, some grains of Indian corn, about two quarts of buckwheat, and a very small quantity of grass seeds." Whenever menaced by one of the numer- ous foes by which so defenceless and con- spicuous an animal is sure to be surrounded, the Hackee makes at once for it* burrow, and is there secured from the attacks of nearly every enemy. One foe, however, cares nothing for the burrow, but follows the poor Hackee through it« windings, and never fails to attain its sanguinary ol»j«-<-t. This remorseless foe is the stoat, or ermine. one of which animals has been detected in entering a Hackee's burrow, where it remained for a few minutes, and th<-n it-turned, licking ite lips, and aj>|»e:mng highly satisfied with its proceedings. When the burrow was examined in order to ascer- tain the amount of slaughter w hich the stoat had performed, one female Hackee and five young were found lying dead in their home, the stoat having contented itself with sucking their blood, without deigning to eat their flesh. Fromth'- principal burrow the Hackee drives several supplementary tunnels, in which it lays up its stock of provisions. The general nature of this store, and the amount of treasure which is iTirnere-1 within the burrows, may be gathered from the account which has just been quoted. When the Hackee carries off the beaked nuts into its cave, it goes through its work in a very business-like manner. Fearini: l>-t the sharp " beak " of the nut may hurt its cheeks when it puts the fruit into its pouch, it bites off the sharp point, and then deliberately pushes it into one of the j>ouches with the assistance of its fore-paws. Another and another are similarly treated, and taking a fourth nut between it« teeth, the Hackee dives into its bnrrow, packs away its treasures methodically, and then returns for another cargo. It is rather curious that it always carrii-s four nuts at each journey. As the little i-n-ature goes along with its cheek-jKiuches di-tend"l to their utmost limits it has the most ludicrous aspect imaginable, its cheeks prodigiously swelled, and laboring most truly under an embarrassment of riches. CHTPMl'CK.- 496 THE PRAIRIE DOG. The Hackee moves into its winter quarters early in November, and, excepting occasional reappearances whenever the sun happens to shine with peculiar warmth, is not seen again until the beginning of spring. The young are produced in May, and there is generally a Becond brood in August. Their number is about four or five. The male Hackee is rather a pugnacious animal, and it is said that during their combats their tails are apt to snap asunder from the violence of their movements. It is undoubtedly true that those members are wonderfully brittle, but whether they undergo such spontaneous amputation is not so certain. Pretty as it is, and graceful as are its movements, it hardly repays the trouble of keeping it in a domesticated state ; for its temper is very uncertain, and it is generally sullen towards its keeper. Although the food of the Hackee is mostly of a vegetable character, it is occa- sionally diversified with other substances ; for the Chipping Squirrel, like his relative, is occasionally carnivorous in his appetite. One of these animals was detected in the very act of robbing a bird's nest and devouring the callow young. BETWEEN the squirrels and the marmots there are one or two intermediate links, one of which has already been noticed in Tamias, and another is found in the genus Spermophilus ; also in Cynomys, to which the PRAIRIE DOG belongs. The Prairie Dog, as it is popularly called, is found in very great plenty along the course of the Missouri and its tributaries, and also near the River Platte. It congregates together in vast numbers in certain spots where the soil is favorable to its subterranean habits of life and the vegetation is sufficiently luxuriant to afford it nourishment. The color of this animal is a reddish-brown upon the back, mixed with gray and black in a rather vague manner. The abdomen and throat are grayish-white, and the short tail is clothed for the first half of its length with hair of the same tint as that of the body, and for the remaining half is covered with deep, blackish-brown hair, forming a kind of brush. The cheek-pouches are rather small, and the incisor teeth are large and protruding from the mouth. The length of the animal rather exceeds sixteen inches, the tail being a little more than three inches long. The cheek-pouches are about three-quarters of an inch in depth, and are half that measure- ment in diameter. The Prairie Dog is a burrowing animal, and as it is very gregarious in its habits, the spot on which it congregates is literally honeycombed with its tunnels. There is, however, a kind of order observed in the " Dog-towns," as these warrens are popularly called, for the animals always leave certain roads or streets in which no burrow is made. The affairs of the .commu- nity seem to be regulated by a single leader, called the Big Dog, who sits before the entrance of his burrow, and issues his orders from thence to the community. In front of every burrow a small heap of earth is raised, which is made from the excavated soil, and which is generally employed as a seat for the occupant of the burrow. As long as no danger is apprehended, the little animals are all in lively motion, sitting upon their mounds, or hurrying from one tunnel to another as eagerly as if they were trans- acting the most important business. Suddenly a sharp yelp is heard, and the peaceful scent is in a moment transformed into a whirl of indistinguishable confusion. Quick barks resound on every side, the air is filled with a dust-cloud, in the midst of which is indistinctly seen an intermingled mass of flourishing legs and whisking tails, and in a moment the populous "town" is deserted. Not a "dog" is visible, and the whole spot is apparently untenanted. But in a few minutes a pair of dark eyes are seen gleaming at the entrance of some burrow, a set of glistening teeth next shine through the dusky recess, and in a few minutes first one and then another Prairie Dog issues from his retreat, until the whole community is again in lively action. The title of Prairie Dog has been given to this animal on account of the sharp yelping sound which it is in the habit of uttering, and which has some resemblance to the barking of a very small and very peevish lapdog. Every time that it yelps it gives its tail a sharp jerk. This peculiar sound is evidently employed as a cry of alarm ; for as soon as it is uttered all TUB PRAIIUE DOO. 197 the Prairie Dogs dive into their burrows, and do not emerge again until they hear the shrill whistle \\liic-h tells them that tin- (lunger is past. As it is >«' wary an animal, it is with dinVulU ajijiMiai -lied or shot, and even when severely wounded i; is not readily secured, owing to its wonderful tenacity of life. A Imllet that would in.Mantly dn»p u deer has, coiiipaniti\cl\ . no immediate effect upon the Prairie Dog, which i-. capable of reaching it.s luirrow, even though mortally wounded in such a manner as would cause the instantaneous death of many a larger animal. A tolerably large bullet through the brain seems to be the only certain method of preventing a Prairie Dog from regaining hi- stronghold. The mode l.\ which thi> animal enters the burrow In very comical. It does not creep or run into the entrance, but makes a jump in the air, turning a partial somersault, l!»'n i-iiiiu n- Mud i--- :ui.i \\tii-Mn_ tti i;iil MI the mo«l Indii MII* maniu r, :nid v V, I'KAIKIK disappearing as if by magic. Scarcely has th° spectator recover**! from the ludicrous effect of the ma MM -u v re. when the animal begins to poke out his head again, and if not disturbed soon recommences his gambols. The burrows of the Prairie Dog are generally made at an angle of forty d- LM--«-S. and after being sank for some little distance, nm horizontally, or even rise toward* the surface of the earth. It is well known that these bnrrows are not only inhabited by the legitimate owners and excavators, but are shared by the burrowing owl and the rattlesnake. A cent-dim: to j»op- ular belief, the three creatures live very harmoniously together : but can-fill observations have shown that the snake and the owl an- interlopers, living in the burrows because the jwor oun.-r- .•.-! mi..! MI i-ii th.-m out. and tin. I in. :i u MM^ -iil.-i-r. --i. ••• . .;i t !,.- fOO|| Puilfa !'•'-•-. \ rattlesnake has been killed near a burrow, and when the reptile was dissected, a Prairie Dog was found in its stomach. Although it does not endure a domesticated life as well as many of the rodents, it is pos- sessed of very irreat affection and courage, as is seen fnmi the following anecdote. A hunter was engai^-d in shooting Prairie Dogs, and had succmled in killing one animal, which was seat.-d ujNiii the little hillock in fnmt of its burrow. A oomjKinion. which had not hitherto dared to expose itself to the hunter's tire, immediately issiu-d fn>rn the same burrow, and seizing the body of its friend, dragged it into the hole. The hunter was so touched with this 498 HOOD'S MARMOT. exhibition of true, loving feeling on the part of the little creature, that he never could be induced to shoot another Prairie Dog. From the most recent accounts, it appears that the Prairie Dog does not hibernate, but that it is as fresh and lively during winter as in the heat of summer. The Prairie Dog (Cynomys ludomcianus\ erroneously so called, as it is a rodent or gnawing animal, is represented by two species only, the genus being peculiar to North America. This little creature easily becomes domesticated, and proves a pleasing pet. Its voice, far from being a bark, is like that of its near relatives, squirrel -like. The Western Prairie Dog (Cynomys columbianus) is confined to the region west of the Rocky Mountains. Like the other species, it lives in large companies ; sometimes several hundred acres are occupied by their holes. Each burrow has ten or twelve occupants. AN example of the genus Spermophilus may be found in the beautiful little crea- ture which is scientifically known as HOOD'S MARMOT, but more popularly as the LEOPARD MARMOT. This pretty little animal is about the same size as the hackee, and is remarkable for the brilliant and conspicuous manner in which its fur is diversified with contrasting hues. Along !(•• i- remarkably severe for so .small an animal, and it is of such a soar disposition that it i- :iiways ready to -n.i\> at those who attempt to capture or handle it Si-i I:\IMI-HII i s is a genus eml. racing a few littli- animals, which are striped or spotted like the preceding, Init aiv Inn- -Imdied and have a more slender and often shorter tail. The figure of Hood's Marmot in this volume is quite ehara« -t.-i -i-tir of the. group. They ha\<- \\.-ll develojied cheek -|«mi -lies. Tliey are routined to the colder ]>ortions of North America, and Enrol «• :mistrit>ution of Animals" enumerates twenty-five species, of which one i- extinct. Of these, nine are of the Old World, and fifteen North American. Two only occur in Europe. Some of the species are, called Ground Squirrels. The Line-tailed Sperm6philus is so called. Its habitat is Colorado and southward to Mexico. Franklin's Spenno]ihile— or Gray-headed— is common as far east as Illinois and Wiscon- sin, though Audubon and Bachman seem to have overlooked it. Mr. Jillson, a veteran taxidermist, informs us that this Sj>erm6phile wa-s introduced into Tuckerton, New Jersey, in 1S67, two pets having escaped. From this j«iir the species has increased to great numbers, and they are seen in several towns nine miles in different directions from Tuckerton. They inhabit the fields, but never the woodland. They are proving a pest, as the loss of young chickens and turkeys has been considerable since their introduction. THE BoBAC, or POI.ANP M \I:M"|. i> one of the true Marmot-, ami is a native of parts of Northern KurojK* and Asia. It is larger than the preceding animals, and appears to be of still greater dimensions, owing to the full coat of thick hair with which it is profusely covered. The color of this animal is a tolerably uniform gray-brown, slightly tinged w i»h yellow, and having a " watered " appearance along the back. The length of the Bobac is rather more than twenty inches, the tail U-ing about -i\ inches long. The Bobac is a gregarious animal, living in small bands of thirty or forty in number, and being always found to prefer dry to moist soil. It does not seem to be fond of elevated situations, but generally takes up its residence on the sides of valleys, where the temperature is not so bleak as on the mountain-top. Liko many other burrowing animals, it lays up a store of provisions for the winter, and generally chooses well-dried hay for that purpose. So hard does the animal lalx.r at amassing this treasure, that in a single burrow there is generally found as much hay as will suffice a horse for a night. It is slightly variable in color, some specimens being more brown than others. THE common MARMOT is about the size of an ordinary rabbit, and not very unlike that animal in color. The general tint of the fur is grayish yellow upon the back and Hanks, deepening into black-grayon the top of the head, and into black on the extremity of the tail It is very common in all the mountainous districts of Northern Europe, where it associates in small societies. The Marmot is an expert excavator, and digs very Urge and rather compli- cated burrows, always appearing to reserve one chamber as a storehouse for the heap of dried grasses and other similar substances which it amasses for the purpose of sustaining life during the winter. The chamber in which the animal lives and >\>-<-\>- i> considerably larger than the storehouse, measuring, in some cases, as much as seven feet in diameter. The tunnel which leads to these chambers is only just large enough to admit the body of the animal, and is about six feet in length. To these burrows the Marmot retires about the middle of September, and after closing the entrance with grass and earth, enters into the lethargic liiln-rnating state, and does not .merge until the beginning of April. Like other hi'N-rnating animals, they are very fat just l»-fore they take up their winter-quarters, and as their fur is then in the best condition, they are 500 THE MARMOT. eagerly sought after by the human inhabitants of the same country. The burrow of the Marmot is always dug in dry soil, and is seldom known to be at all above, or very much below, the line of perpetual snow. In these burrows the young Marmots are born, about three or four in BOBAC'.— Arctomyx bubac. • average number. The burrow forms also a stronghold into which the Marmot can retire on the least alarm. It is so wary an animal that it always plants one of its number to act as a sentinel, and on the first symptom of danger, he gives the alarm cry, which is a signal for every Marmot to seek the recesses of its subterranean home. The Marmot is a clumsy looking animal, and is not very active. Its movements are rather slow, and devoid of that brilliant activity which distinguishes the Leopard Marmot. TV/ A" MOLE RAT. BO] Although it iseaMi\ tamed \\h--ii taken \..unir. it hardly repays tin- fp>nl.l« of ita owner, UN it i- ,( \<-\\ iiiiintellectual creatm.-. :ui'l is .-\.T too ready to Use ita powerful teeth ii]»»i the hand of any »\\- \\h» may attempt to Inn-lie or caress it. Naturally it in H timid animal, but when it fun!-. itself un:il>le to esca|>e, it turns to l>:iy and tight* mo*t .1 y l-y in.iiiw of the weajMUis with which its jaws are furnished. TIIK p'tiii- Vrciomys is represented in America l>y three species. Animals of this group ore not found out of the northern and middle i«>rtions of North America, Kuro|»e and Asia. Tin- Woodchuck (Arcttrmys manax) is a moM familiar creature in our countryside. It IB the legitimate gumeof theruml small boy. With \i\^ mongrel cur, to "dig out a Woodchu. -k," our urchin is .-\.T ready to rush t<» tin- ronllii-t. The generic term means literally Hear Mouse; so called. doubtless, on account of the lxsir-like asiHH-t of tlif animal's li.-a-l. Tin- \\'oodchuck i« often of considerable size, m«-a.siir- ing foiirtiN-n im-li.-s in l.-n^tli ; its tail, .-xdusivf of this, is hut four inches. This siMM-ifs is found from the Carol inas to Hudson's Bay, and from the Atlantic ntunt to Missouri and \Vi-.i-onMn. It l)iirn>ws, forming large exruvutiuns iu which are stored ite winter pmvisioii-,. It hilternate-, in the winter, after ra '•••fully closing its burrow. This species resembles some- what the KurojH-aii Marmot. The Korky Mountain Marmot i At <•(•>, n;/xflat>lventor) was first described by Audubon and Bachman in 1841, fnmi a s]»-<-imen l.roiiirht fii>m California. It is, unlike the preceding, alpine in habits. Its size is roiiM.|.-ral>ly mon- ; in some instances mca.snring eighteen inches in length. The tail is longer, mea.suriiiLr to the tips of the hairs ten inches. Black specimens are often seen. The Hoary Marmot (Arctomy* prninosv*\ called also the "Whistler," is the largest of the species; its length being from twenty three to twenty live inches, the tuil IMMH^ nearly half as long. The three species seem to be so distributed as not to encroach on the territory of each ; the habitat ot this one being northward to the Arctic Circle, the Columbia River being ita southern- most limit. Some interesting facts are known concerning the hibernation of the Woodchack, which tend to invalidate the statement of earlier authors that the creature stores up provisions, though the latter may be the case in the more southern portions of its hnhitnl. The common Woodchuck of our Eastern States retires to hibernate about the time of the autumnal equinox, and, curiously, comes forth about the time of the vernal equinox. It is singular tliat the creature should retire so early, when its favorite food, red clover, is in full growth, and the weather usually fine for some weeks after this period. And it is equally stranir- that the animal should come forth so early, when it is usual to see the ground covered by snow, whep no green thing is to IH» found near his haunts. Dr. Bachman, who wrote a portion of the work on mammals published by Audubon and Bachman, marked a burrow in which he knew were two Woodchucks, a pair. Early in November he had it opened, and found two Woodchucks lying coiled up close to each other in a nest of dry grass, twenty-five feet from the entrance. They were perfectly dormant This Woodchuck gives birth to four or six young, about the last week in April. A branch gallery is often seen in their burrows, which is used for depositing their dejections. This is regarded as quite unique in the history of mammals. AT the end of the rodents are placed the singular animals which are grouped together under the title of Aspahicidje, or Mole Rats, the word Aspalax, or Spalax, being the Greek term for a mole. The in< i-or teeth of these animals are extremely huge, and project beyond the lips. The external ears are either wholly wanting or are of very small dimensions. The • •s are small, and in some species are concealed by the skin. The body is heavily and clumsily made, the tail is either very short or entirely absent, and the head Is large and rounded. 502 THE COAST RAT, OR SAND MOLE. The common MOLE RAT, which is also known by its Russian name of SLEPEZ, is a native of Southern Russia, Asia Minor, Mesopotamia, and Syria. Like the ordinary Mole, to which it bears no little external resemblance, it passes its existence in the subterranean tunnels which it excavates by means of its powerful claws. As it but seldom ventures into the light of day, it stands in no need of visual organs, but is compensated for their absence by the very large development of the organs of hearing. The place of the eyes is taken by two little round black specks, which lie under the fur-covered skin, so that even if they were sensitive to light, they would be unable to perceive the brightest rays of the noontide sun. The ears, however, are extremely large, and the hearing is exceedingly sensitive, so that the animal receives earlier information of danger through its sense of hearing than through that of sight, which latter faculty would indeed be useless in its dark abode. Sometimes the Slepez leaves the burrow and lies basking in the warm sunshine, but upon the least alarm, or unexpected sound, it plunges into -its tunnel, and will not again make its appearance until it feels perfectly assured of safety. Should it be unexpect- edly attacked, it assumes an offensive attitude, and trusting to its delicate sense of hearing to inform it of the direction in which the foe is approaching, bites most savagely with its long chisel-like incisors. While engaged in combat, or while threatening its adversary, it utters a sharp crying snort at short intervals. The food of the Mole Rat is believed to be entirely of a vegetable nature, and it is in search of the various plants on which it feeds that it drives its long and complicated tunnels through the soil. It is especially fond of roots, more particularly preferring those of a bulbous character, but will also feed on grain and different fruits, and is said to lay up a store of provisions in a subterranean chamber connected with its burrow. The usual form of the Mole Rat's habi- tation and hunting-ground may be easily imagined. A series of horizontal tunnels, or main roads, are driven through the ground at no great depth from the surface of the earth, and are connected with a number of chambers excavated at some depth, and with an endless variety of shallow passages which are made in the course of the animal's daily peregrina- tions in search of food. The Russian peasants have an idea, that if any one will have the courage to seize a Slepez in his bare hands, permit the animal to bite him, and then squeeze it to death between his fingers, he will ever afterwards possess the power of curing goitre by the touch of his hands. The general color of the Slepez is a very light brown, slightly tinged with red in some parts, and fading into an ashen-gray in others. Its total length is about ten or eleven inches, and the tail is wanting. The head is broad, flat on the crown, and terminates abruptly at the muzzle. The feet are short, and the claws small. This animal is presumed to be the Blind Mole of the ancient Greek authors, and if so, affords another of the many instances where the so-called errors of the old writers on natural history have proved, on further acquaintance, to be perfectly correct. The specific name typTdus is a Greek word, signifying blind, and has been given to the Slepez on account of its absolute deprivation of external eyes. THE incisor teeth of the COAST RAT, or SAND MOLE, are even larger in proportion than those of the preceding animal, and those of the upper jaw are marked by a groove running MOLE RAT, OB SLEPKZ.— Spatax THE GOPHER. .-,,, :; Thri.iii.-h.. ut their length. The fore-feet are furnished with lom; and powerful claws, that of the second toe being the largeMt. The eyes are excwdin-u -in:ill. the external ears are \v;inti!i_-. and tin- tail is extremeh >h..rt. -i Kat is an inhabiiant of the t ape of Oood Hope and the OOfUte of 8outli.ni Africa, where it is found in toleraMe profusion, and dii\i-s such multitudes of shallow tunnels that the ground which it frequents is nith.-i • dangerous for horsemen, and not at all pl.-as.mi .- \.-ii t.i a ma n "ii f""t. 'I'll'- I'll i i,m - a:.- mad.' a i s. , -Ii.,i! u distance from ••'•• mfMi 'li.it 'I,. earth _i\.-s ua> under tin- ireud of any moderately heavy iinimul. Mr. Hurchell, the well- known African tnn.-ller. narrates that in traversing tin- great sand Hats of Southern Afhia. li.- was ,,ft. •!! endangered l»\ his feet sinking into the burrows of the Coast Kat, which had undermined tin- light soil in every direction. The animal is rather slow of foot upon the sur face of the ground. Imt drives its subterranean tunnels with marvellous rapidity, throwing up little sandy hillocks at intervals, like those of the common mole. On account of this |.ro|.en sit \ it has received the name of Zand Moll, or Sand Mole, from the Dutch Boer* who inhabit III.- ( :i|»- The color of the Sand Mole is a uniformly light grayish -brown, rather variable in tinting. As it is \,-r\ s,,ft and full in texture, and can I*- obtained in great quantities, it might be profit - atil\ regular article of inide. The Sand Mole is as large as our ordiiuiry wild ral>bit, being alxtut tifte»-n inch..- in total length, the tail measuring about three inches. TIIKKK has been much confusion between the two Geomyd animals, which have been by several authors considered to be identical with each other. They are, however, to be easily distinguished from each other by the deep longitudinal grooves which run along the up|»-r incisors ,,f t he present animal, and the smooth or slightly grooved incisors of the succeeding The FUR COUNTRY POUCHED H \ i is a native of Canada, and is remarkable for the enor- mous size of the cheek-pouches. The color of this animal's fur is generally of a pale gray washed with yellow, fading into a slaty-blue towards the base of each hair. The interior of the pouches, the abdomen, and the tail, are covered with white hair, that which lines the pouches l*»ing very short and tine. A dusky spot is observable behind each ear. the teeth an- yellow and the claws white. The central claw of the fore-feet is almost deserving of the Title of talon, as it is powerfully made and nearly half an inch in length. The total length of this animal is nearly ten inches, the tail measuring about two inches in length. It is rather gregarious in its habits, associating together in moderately large bands, and undermining the ground in all directions. It is a vegetable feeder, pn-f. n in_r The l>ull>on.s roots of the quamash, or camas (Scilla w//AW//>, to any other diet, and is therefore called by some writers, the Camas Kat. This title is, however, given to several allied animals. It aU,, feeds on nuts, roots, grain, and seeds of various kinds. The burrow of this animal is not very deep, hut runs for a considerable distance in a horizontal direction, and along its course occa- sional hillocks are thrown up, by means of which it may l>e traced from the surface. Family Saccomyida includes a group of curiously formed animals, having pouches on the exterior surface of The cheeks, which are lined with a furry integument, and OJH-II outside the mouth. Under the common name Pocket Mouse, seven sj>ecies are known, mostly inhabiting the Pacific slope, the great plains near- the Rocky Mountains, and Mexico. Two other allied animals are known ; one called the Kangaroo Hat i IHitofl...|\. \\- /,.>',;/./' i- th.- I'a.-jii.- s|,,p,. \n allied species called Ord's Pocket Rat, inhabits the Rocky Mountains and southward to M • \ i Genus Thomomys includes four species, called Pocket Gophers ; each named according to its place of abode, extending from the Pacific coast to the Rocky Mountains, and southward to Mexico and California. Family Geomyida, Earth Rats literally, are distinguished by having extremely large fore- feet and claws. The term Gopher (often appropriated for other animals) is the common name of these creatures. 504 THE CANADIAN POUCHED RAT. .: The Common Pocket Gopher (Geomys barsarius) abounds in the region about the Missis- sippi River, and southward to Texas. The short legs and soft hair of these creatures suggest the moles. Five other species are known, inhabiting Central America and Mexico. This animal was formerly called the CANADA POUCHED RAT and is sometimes known by the name of " Mulo." The incisor teeth of this animal are extremely long, and project beyond the lip, so as to be visible even at a profile view. The cheek-pouches are of great dimensions, measuring nearly three inches in depth, and reaching from the sides of the mouth to the insertion of the shoulder. They are lined with a soft covering of short, fine hairs. The total length of the Canada Pouched Rat is about one foot, the tail being two inches long. The weight of an ordinary sized adult specimen is about fourteen ounces. In shape, it is heavily made and very clumsy, bearing no slight resemblance to the ordinary mole of England. Its fur is about half an inch in length upon the back, and much shorter upon the abdomen. Its color is a reddish-brown upon the upper parts of the body, fading into ashy-brown upon the abdomen, and the feet are white. The first third of the tail is clothed with short hair of the same color as that of the back, but the re- maining two-thirds are de- void of hairy covering. This animal is a bur- rower, and is most destruc- tive among plantations, as it is in the habit of eating the roots which happen to intercept the course of its tunnel, and has been known thus to destroy upwards of two hundred young trees in a few days and nights. Its ravages are not solely re- stricted to young plants, but are often extended to old and full-grown fruit-trees. It continues its labor by day as well as by night, but is not readily discovered at its work, as it always ceases its labor at the least sound from above. The burrows of the Mulo are rather complicated, and are well described in the following extract from Audubon and Bachman : "Having observed some freshly thrown up mounds in M. Chouteau's garden, several servants were called and set to work to dig out the animals, if practicable, alive ; and we soon dug up several galleries worked by the Muloes, in different directions. " One of the main galleries was about a foot beneath the surface of the ground, except when it passed under the walks, in which places it was sunk rather lower. We turned up this entire gallery, which led across a large garden-bed and two walks into another bed, where we discovered that several fine plants had been killed by these animals eating off their roots just beneath the surface of the ground. The burrow ended near these plants under a large rose- bush. We then dug out another principal burrow, but its terminus was among the roots of a large peach-tree, some of the bark of which had been eaten off by these animals. We could not capture any of them at this time, owing to the ramification of their galleries having escaped our notice whilst following the main burrows. On carefully examining the ground, we discovered that several galleries existed that appeared to ran entirely out of the garden into the open fields and woods beyond, so that we were obliged to give up the chase. This species throws up the earth in little mounds about twelve or fifteen inches in height, at irregular distances, sometimes near each other, and occasionally ten, twenty, or even thirty paces asunder, generally opening near a surface well covered with grass or vegetables of various kinds." CANADA PODCHED RAT.— Geomys /// /. c \.\.\DA PO UCffSD ft AT. burrow wa- probabh -uuk lower whcn-vcr it crossed ft path, because the sense of hearing in this animal 'IK .!••. that it would be much annoyed by the ...utinual -oiiud <>f human footsteps immediately over its head. Although it -]- nd- the greater part of its existence beneath the earth, it is frequently seen alxive th.' -ui face of the ground, as it resorts to the open air for the pur]KNie of basking in the sun. or procurim: leave- which have Ut-n brightened and vivified by the mysof the sun. :ts a change from the roots on which it chiefly depends for subsistence. When it re\i-its the regions of upper day. it emerges from the earth in some hitherto unbroken spot, pushinc the soil upwards and causing a kind of miniature earthquake lie fore it makes its appearance. Presently the head and shoulders of the animal emerge from the lump of earth, and -hakim; the loose mould from its fur, it draws itseK entirely out of its burrow. It then runs forward for a vard «r two. searching for f the hole thn.uirh which it hud issued, and vanishes immediately from sight. Should it be alarmed while out of its tunnel, it plunges precipitately into its stronghold, and dihe- an entirely new burrow in another direction, not venturing to entrust itself to tliat through which it hod passed before it was alarmed. The long and -harp incisor teeth an- formidable wca|>ons. and can lie us«-d with great effect ujKin an adversary. It is a sufficiently savage creature, and when captured or annoyed, bites fiercely in every direction, and squeals with rage. In captivity it is always employing these teeth upon every object that it can reach, and has even been detected in the act of endeavoring to cut its way through the wooden plunks of the room in which it was placed. Two of these animals once contrived to get into a pair of boots belonging to their ow n.-r, and not choosing to take the trouble of returning by the same aperture through which they had entered, they cut a large hole in the toes, and so made their exit. They seemed to have a sj»Tial liking for leather, as they afterwards gnawed to pieces the leathern straps which were dangling from a portmanteau that lay in the same room. On the surface of the ground the Canada Pouched Rat is rather slow and clumsy in its movements, as its legs are short and ill-fitted for such locomotion. So short indeed an- it- limb-, that if it be hud on its back, it has great difficulty in regaining its feet, but flounder- about in almost total helplessness until it can seize a blade of grass, a twig, or similar object, by m.an- ..f which it can draw itself into its normal attitude. In its tunnel, however, it proceeds with considerable activity, going faster than a man can walk, and being cabbie of running Iwckwards or forwards with equal speed and ease. The nest of the Mulo is not placed in one of the ordinary tunnels, but in a burrow dug specially for the purpose. It is about eight inches in diameter, globular in -ha]--, and is made of dried herbage externally, and softJy lined with hair plucked from the body of the female, and other appropriate substances. From the nest radiate a number of small galleries, which are again connected with smaller branch passages, and seem to conduct the animal to its feeding-grounds. It was formerly imagined that the Mulo was in the habit of filling its pouches with the excavated earth, and of emptying them at the mouth of burrows. This assertion is now disputed, for it is clearly ascertained that the creature only uses its cheek - pouches for the conveyance of its food. A little earth may perchance be imbedded together with the nuts and leaves, but the mistake lias evidently arisen from the conduct of the native*. who, when they procure a skin of the Mulo, are accustomed to stuff the pouches with dry earth, for the purpose of preserving them in their distended form. The animal is found in many parts of Northern America, and has a very wide range. THE BAT BAMBOO RAT is one representative of the genus Rhizorays, of which there are several species. This animal is a native of Nepal, Malacca, and China, and is very injurious to the bam boos, on the roots of which it feeds. In size it equals a nn her -mall rabbit, and in color it is of a uniform ruddy brown, slightly paler on the throat and abdomen. The long in. i-.r t.-eth are faced with bright red enamel, which gives them a rather conspicuous appearance ; the tail 506 RETROSPECTIVE VIEW OF THE RODENT ANIMALS. is short and marked, and the claws are rather small. The peculiar head is of an egg-like form. THERE are several other genera belonging to this curious family, among which may be noticed the genus Ctenomys, containing the TUCUTUCO, a native of Magellan Straits. This is also a burrowing animal, and the peculiar name by which it is known has been given to it on account of the curious cry which it utters as it is engaged in its subterranean labors, and which is said to resemble the word "Tucntuco." ON taking a retrospective view of the rodent animals, the reader will not fail to observe the frequency with which they reproduce some idea which is more fully manifested in other orders of the animal kingdom. The destructive idea is not more strongly developed in the lion than in the rat, which will attack and kill animals of much greater strength and bulk than itself. It is a truly bloodthirsty being, and will kill many a rabbit or fowl for the mere sake of sucking the hot blood as it pours from the fatal wound. The tree-loving and agile squirrel plays the same part among the rodents as the monkey among the quadrumana ; the flying squirrels have a close analogy to the colugo and the petau- rists, and they again to the bats, which in their turn partake largely of the bird character and formation. The beaver and ondatra are evident reproductions of the aquatic idea, which is more thoroughly developed in the seals and whales, and is carried out to its greatest perfection in the fishes. The rodent capybara again, with its thick, coarse, bristly hair, heavy form, hoof -like claws, and water-loving propensities, is no indifferent representation of the pachy- dermatous water hog, which also may be looked upon as corresponding to the diigong and manatee. Lastly, the aspalacidae, or rodent mole rats, are wonderfully similar to the true insectivorous moles, both in habit and formation of body. In many instances this phenomenon is exhibited in the reverse order, the members of other groups exhibiting a tendency towards the rodent type. The aye-aye, for example, a quadru- manous animal, displays so strong a resemblance to the squirrels, that it was long ranked together with those animals by systematic naturalists. The hyrax again, or klip-daas, a pachydennatous animal, and allied closely to the hippopotamus, is externally, and even in the arrangement of its teeth, so rabbit-like in form, that it was as a matter of course placed among the rodents, until Cuvier's accurate eye discovered its true character. The insect-eating tupaias of Java, with their arboreal habits and long bushy tails, are so like the squirrels that the popular name of a squirrel and a tupaia is identical in the countries where they reside. All external objects are, in their truest sense, visible embodiments or incarnations of Divine ideas which are roughly sculptured in the hard granite that underlies the living and breathing surface of the world above ; pencilled in delicate tracery upon each bark flake that encompasses the tree-trunk, each leaf that trembles in the breeze, each petal that fills the air with fragrant effluence ; assuming a living and breathing existence in the rhythmic throbbings of the heart-pulse that urges the life-stream through the body of every animated being ; and attaining their greatest perfection in Man, who is thereby bound, by the very fact of his exist- ence, to outspeak and outact the Divine ideas, which are the true instincts of humanity, before they are crushed or paralyzed by outward circumstances. Only thus can man be truly the image and likeness of God, only thus can the Divine ideas be truly manifested in him to the world. For just in proportion as he shrinks from speaking the truth that is in him, or from acting the good that is in him, so far he stifles the commencing outbirth of Divine power, and becomes less and less godlike. Hence the necessity for the infinitely varied forms of animal life. Until man has learned to realize his own microcosmal being, and will himself develop and manifest the god-thoughts that are contimially inbreathed into his very essential nature, it needs that the creative ideas should be incarnated and embodied in every possible form, so that they may retain a living existence upon earth. CATTLE, SHEEP, ETC. OXEN. N the large and important group of animals which now occupy our attention, the incisor t«-»-tli are entirely absent in the III>IHT jaw, and are i-iirht in niimtier in the lower. There are six molars on each side of each jaw. The two middle toes of each foot are separate, and are furnished with hoofs instead of claws. From the frontal bones proceed two excrescences, which are generally armed with horns, particularly in the male animal. The structure of the stomach and gullet is very remarkable, and is employed in producing that peculiar action which is called "ruminating," or chewing the cud. Although the horns have in many varieties of domes- ticated Oxen been eradicated by a long course of careful management, they are always present in the wild species, and are permanently retained through life, instead of being annually shed like those of a deer. The peculiar characteristics of the bovine sknll are so well shown in the engraving, that further description is needless. The Oxen, or Bovidae, as they are called, from the Latin word Bos, or Ox, are extremely difficult of systematic arranp m. nt. as it is not easy to select any particular characteristic on which to base the distinctions of genus and species. Some writers have founded their arrangement upon the hoofs, others upon the muzzle, others upon the direction of the horns, and others upon the structure of their l-.tiy nucleus. Mr. Oray, in his elaborate elucidation of the IV.vidie, considers that the "form of the horns affords the most natural character for subdividing them into groups," and employs other characteristics, such as the 508 THE WHITE CATTLE OF CHILL1NOHAM. position of the knee, the beard of the male, and the formation of the muzzle, as means for further subdivision. THE DOMESTIC Ox of Europe has been so modified in form, habits, and dimensions, by its long intercourse with mankind, that it has developed into as many permanent varieties as the dog, the pigeon, or the rabbit, and would in many cases be thought to belong to different species. Among the principal varieties of this animal may be noticed the Long Horned, the Short Horned, and the Polled or hornless breeds, and the Alderney cow, so celebrated for the quantity and quality of the milk which it daily furnishes. In almost every part of the world are found examples of the Ox, variously modified in order to suit the peculiar circumstances amid which they are placed, but in all instances they are susceptible of domestication, and are employed in the service of mankind. There are few animals which are more thoroughly useful to man than the Ox, or whose loss we should feel more deeply in the privation of so many comforts. Putting aside the two obvious benefits of its flesh and its milk — both of which are so needful for our comfort that we almost forget to think about them at all — we derive very great benefit from its powers while living, and from many portions of its body when dead. In many parts of Europe Oxen are still employed in agricultural labor, drawing the plough or the wagon with a slow but steady plodding gait. The carpenter- would find himself sadly at a loss were his supply of glue to be suddenly checked by the disappearance of the animal, from whose hoofs, ears, and hide-parings the greater part of that useful material is manufac- tured. The harness-maker, carriage-builder, and shoe- maker would in that case be deprived of a most valuable article in their trade ; the cutler and ivory turner would lose a considerable portion of the rough material upon which they work ; the builder would find his best mortar sadly impaired without a proper admixture of cow's hair; and the practical chemist would be greatly at a loss for some of his most valuable productions if the entire Ox tribe were swept from the earth. Not even the very intestines are allowed to be wasted, but are employed for a variety of purposes, and in a variety of trades. Sometimes the bones are subjected to a process which extracts every nutritious particle out of them, and even in that case, the remain- ing innutritions portions of the bones are made useful by being calcined, and manufactured into the animal charcoal which has lately been so largely employed in many of the arts and sciences. THE best living example of the original British Ox is to be found in the celebrated WHITE CATTLE OP CHILLINGHAM. The beautiful oleograph representing these cattle is remarkably true to nature. The color of these beautiful animals is a cream-white, with the exception of the ears and muzzle, the former of which are red, and the latter is black. Mr. Bell observes, that in every case of white cattle which have passed under his personal notice, the ears are marked with red or black, according to the breed. The white tint extends even to the horns, which are, however, tipped with black. They are rather slender in their make, and curve boldly upwards. As these Chillingham cattle are permitted to range at will through spacious parks in which they are kept, they retain many of the wild habits of their tribe, and are so impatient of SKCU. OP OX. Ul ac o I//.Y.I7V • vat i. m that a stranger will generally lin-l himself in a wy unsafe position if he attempts to approa. -h closely to the herd. \V h.-n (In \ :nv alarmed or provoked at the Intrusion of a strange human being within the limit of their territories, they toss their heads wildly in thealr, paw the ground, and stead- ia-tl\ regard the object of their |. round him in a circle, and come to another halt at a shorter distance. This process is continually repeat**!, the diameter of tin- cirri ~!i..n.-u.-d at every fresh start, until the angry, yet half-frightened, animals, oome so alarmingly close to the spectator, that he find- Kin -.-If ohliired to escape aa he bwt can. In performing these curious evolutions, they seem to be inspired by a mixture of curiosity, timi'lity, and irritation, \\ liic-li may be observed even in ordinary domestic cattle under similar circumstances. On one occasion, when a herd of cattle were pressing upon me in a most uncomfortable manner, I owed my escape to early instruction in the art of the "acrobat." The herd, wholly composed of cows, was surrounding me with a very threatening aspect, and was advancing in sm-li a manner that there was no mode of escape from their rank*. Seeing that a bold strata _. :n was ';;.- , ,::; . MMVOIt ! EH -' t] J : tl : :. •'• i DMHMMld EOM^g towards them in that peculiar method which is technically termed " turnim: a wheel," /. e. executing a series of somersaults on the hands and feet alternately. The <-<>\\s were so terrified at the unknown foe who was attacking them in so extraordinary a manner, that they were jianic-stricken, and galloped off at full speed, leaving me an easy escape before they had recovered from their surprise. The Domestic Cow is too well known to need any detailed description of form and color. I-'.-A persons, '..•• ••<• •••••.• \' • ; ' tli •• ivho liave '•••'. pMMMOj oonversant w i' li t I !••-•• amm.iN. have any idea of their intelligent and affectionate natures. They are possessed of very susceptible feelings, and are remarkably sensitive to insulting or disrespectful conduct on the part of their inferiors. In a herd of cows, the senior animal is the leader in all things, and maintains a strict authority over her younger companions. Not a single member of the herd dares to leave or to enter the pasture until the leader has led the way, or even to take its food until she has decided whether she will take possession of the banquet, or permit her inferiors to eat at peace. Should a younger animal com in it a breach of etiquette by infringing any of the tacit rules which have l>een in force throughout Cowdom from time immemorial, the delinquent is butted at and punished until it returns to its allegiance. To watch a calf through its various phases of existence is a most amusing employment. When the young animal is introduced for the first time into the farm-yard, she is treated in the most supercilious manner by the previous occupant*, who look with an air of supreme contempt upon the new comer. She is pushed aside by all her predecessors, and soon learns to follow humbly in the wake of her companions. She cannot even venture to take possession of a food-rack until all the others have begun their meal. So matters go on for a time, until she has attained a larger growth, and a younger calf is turned into the yard. She now in her turn plays the tyrant over the new comer, and receives no small accession of dignity from the fact of having a follower, instead of bringing up the rear in her own person. In process of time she makes her way to the head of the yard by virtue of seniority, and is then happy in the supreme rule which she enjoys. Sometimes a three-parts grown heifer is introduced into a farm-yard, and in that case, the new comer refuses to take her place below all the others, unless she is absolutely compelled to do so by main force. There is generally a rmiMdeniMe amount of fighting before such an animal finds her level, but when she has discovered her sujH-riors and her subordinates, she ijiiietly settles down hi her place, and does not attempt to rise otherwise than by legitimate seniority. As the Oxen, in common with the sheep, camels, giraffe, and deer, require a large amount of vegetable food, and are, while in their native regions, subject to innumerable disturbing that would eflpatalll] pmwl ftsBl ''•'•'•• fxhil)it an ••xtnionliiuirj' mixtun- of ••x.'fllcnt hors«'iiiaiishi]>, great di-xt»-rily, C.H.I patii •in-.-, and f»-arl«-ss daring. Vi-t tht- man is sure to triumph OM-I -the beast at last, howev.-r running wfrful it may lie, and before the poor animal lias quite recovered from his surprisi- at finding himself mastered for the first time in his lif.-. he has been captured, ti.-d. brand.-d. and s.-t fn-.-air.iin. In Afri.-a. tin- catil.- an- not only ••mploy.-d for tin- yok.-. but are also educated for the saddlr. and an- tanirht to obey the bit as \\.-ll as many horses. The bit is of very primitive form. U-inir nothing more than a stick which is passed thnmgh tin- nostrils, and to which the n-in- an- ti.-d. On«- end of the stii-k is generally forked to prevent it fnnn falling out of its plan-, and in L'uidin.ir the animal, the rider is obliged to draw In.th n-ins to the right or left -id.-, l.-st In- should ]>ull out the wooden bit. Th»- Saddle < >\- -n <>f Afri.-a are not very swift steeds, their pace being about four or five mil.-s an hour : and as their skin is so loosely placed on their bodies that the saddle sways at every st.-p. their rider has no very agreeable seat. In t ruining the Ox for the saddle, the avail themselves of the aid of two train.-d < ix.-n. U-t\\.-eii which the novice is tied, and which soon teach it the proj>er lesson of olM-di.-nc.- Tlie horns of this variety of the Ox areof marvellous l.-n-th. having IXN-II known to exceed thirt.vn feet in total length, and nearly nine feet from tip to tip. The circumference of these enormous horns was more than eighteen inches, measured at their bases. One such horn is capable of containing upwards of twenty im]M-iial pints. These weapons are not only long, but an- sharply pointed, and are of so formidable a natun- that a lion lias l>.-<-n kept at bay during a whole night, not daring to leap upon an animal so well defended. As these horns miirht prove dangerous to the rider in case of the animal suddenly jerking it- head, or tliudnir him forward by a stumble, the natives are in the habit of training them in vari- ous fashionable modes, by which the danger is avoided. Sometimes the horns are split into numerou- ribUm-. and .nrled fantastically in various directions; sometimes they are merely U-nt forwards and downwards; but the method most in vogue is to cause them to swing loosely at each side of the head, their points towards the earth, and out of the way of the rider. It is a remarkable fact that this Ox is in the habit of chewing dry bone« whenever it finds th.-m him: on the ground. The caribou, or American reindeer, i- known to gnaw the fallen antlers of its companions, and probably with the same object. Should the Ox turn out to be of a peculiarly savage disposition, he is soon conquered by having a heavy iron chain fastened round his neck. The continual weight which h<- i- i to carry wlien.-v.-r he moves, together with the jinglinu «>f the iron links, has such an • upon his ..pi i -its. that he is forced to yield after a few days' trial. It is said that if the Ox is forced into the long grass which grows so luxuriantly in Southern Africa, it becomes alarmed, i,. ,,,;,.. j. r,H.is jtself iinabil '•' M an a].]. i... i. !:!;;_ enemy, an 1 is • v< !. •• rrUW ti &• !'"'\ imity of its own companions. It is worthy of remark in the present place, that the -kin of a white Ox is considered by 512 THE ZEBU. the native tribes as an emblem of peace, and is analogous to the white bison hide which is dis- played by our Indians for similar purposes. The Ox is also employed for draft in Southern Africa, and is used chiefly for the purpose of drawing the wagons over the tracks which are by courtesy called roads. Although the wagons are remarkably light, and are built in such a manner as to take no harm by an occa- sional upset, the ground is so heavy and the wheels sink so deeply, that a very large team of these cattle is required to draw the vehicle safely on its journey. Eight or ten yoke of oxen are frequently employed in drawing a single wagon. The conduct of the native drivers towards these poor beasts is cruel in the extreme, and deserving of the greatest reprobation. The "jambok," or whip, which these men employ is of very great length, and can be used with an effect that is perfectly terrible. Besides this more legitimate instrument, the Hotten- tot driver is in the habit of using various other methods of tormenting the poor beasts, and is absolutely ingenious in the refinements of his cruelty. The Family Bbvidce is not largely represented in America. One notable example is the American Bison (Bison americanus), a good figure of which is herein seen. Of this genus, Bison, but two species are known. The European Bison, or Aurochs, is nearly extinct. The Emperor of Russia has preserved a small herd during the last half century in Lithuania ; all others have passed away. Remains of this species are found in alluvial deposits in all parts of Europe. By permission of the Emperor, M. Verreaux, of Paris, the eminent taxidermist, was allowed to procure one specimen for the American Museum of Natural History, in Central Park. This is the only one on this continent. It stands higher than the American Bison, and has less mane. The full-page illustration we give is quite correct. The American Bison has for a long period been the ruling power of the plains. Its vast herds have been the wonder of visitors. Though yet seen in considerable numbers in some localities, there is a monstrous sacrifice of the creatures steadily going on ; and some time in the near future they will be reduced to the condition of their allies in Europe. It is to be hoped that long before that happens the great Yellowstone Park may give friendly shelter to a goodly number for perpetual preservation. And this may be said of several other species of our indigenous animals. The beautiful deer, and graceful antelope ; the wild and almost unap- proachable mountain sheep, and mountain goat ; these, too, should find permanent homes in this grand garden of Nature's wonders. What a scene is opened up to the mind's eye in contemplation of such a scheme ! Serious efforts are being made, even now, to this very desirable end. The Bison and the North American Indian are so related, it would seem that the decline of one must inevitably be followed by the discomfiture of the other — so long as the Indian is in a state of barbarism. Audubon says : "In the days of our boyhood and youth, Bison roamed over the small and beautiful prairies of Indiana and Illinois. Herds of them stalked through the woods of Ken- tucky and Tennessee ; but they had dwindled down to a few stragglers, which resorted to the barrens, towards the year 1808, and soon after entirely disappeared. They gradually tended westward, and now for many years none are seen east of the great rivers of the West." Though huge and apparently clumsy, the Bison is exceedingly playful and frolicsome, gambolling as we see domestic cattle do. Mr. Audubon relates that a gentleman in Kentucky kept a herd of Bison over thirty years. They were as docile as other cattle ; grazing with his domestic herd in the same field. The tame bull was unwilling to breed with the Bison cow, but the Bison bull produced a cross with the common cow. From the latter several half-breeds were raised, one being a heifer. These animals were larger than either parent when full grown. Audubon states that the Bison was formerly common in North and South Carolina. THE domestic cattle of India is commonly known by the name of ZEBU, and is conspicu- ous for the curious fatty hump which projects from the withers. These animals are further remarkable for the heavy dewlap, which falls in thick folds from the throat, and which gives TV/ A' ZEBU. 51 : i.. tli>- Ion i>:irt of tli.- animal a \.-i\ .-liai.i.-i.-tiMi.- aspect. Tin- limbs are slender, and the liack, aft<-r MMIIX' toward* tin- haunches. fnlN suddenly at the tail. 'I'll-- /.I'u is a .[uii-t ami int.-lli_-.'iii animal, and is ca])uble of being trained in vurioun m.xl.-s for tin- -•! \ ire of mankiii'l. It is a good draught animal, and in harnessed either to . .1111.1^. - ..i |.|..ii_hs. \shi.-li it <-an il raw with great steadiness, though with l-ut little speed. Sometimes it is n-^l fur riding, and i> possessed of considerable endurance. U-ii carrying a rider for fifteen hours in a day, at an average rate «t li\eoi-si\ mil.- |- i Hi'- Nagore breed is specially .-.•l.-l.i-at.-d for its cajiabilities as a steed, and is remarkable for its i»-culiarly excellent action Tli.-^.- animals are very active, and have been known to leap ov.-i a f.-n. •• wliirii \\a.s higher than our live barred gates, merely for the JIUI-JK**- of drinking at a certain well, and, baring slakwl tli«-ir thir>t. to leap bark a^ain into their own paKtun-. As a beast of burden, the 'Mm is in great request, for it can carry a heavy load for a v.-rv great distance, though at no great speed. Tin- /Vim race has a very wide range of locality, being found in India, China, Madagascar, and tli.- eastern coast of Africa. It N Mieved, however, that it« native land is India, and that it muM have been imported from then«-e into the other roimtries. There are various breeds of /el>u. some Mng about the ate of our ordinary rattle, and others varyinir in dimensions from a large Ox to a small Newfoundland dog. ( >n.- of the most familiar of these varieties is the well-known Hrahmin Hull, HO called because it is consi-i to be sacn-d to Mramah. Tin- mon- reliirious among the Hindoos, scrupulously observant of the letter of a law which was intended to be universal in its application. l>nt to which they give only a partial interpretation, indulge this animal in the most absurd manner. They place the sn-red mark of Sh:i <>M its body, and permit it to wander about at its own sweet will, pampered by every luxury, and never opposed in any wish or caprice whi«-h it may form. A Brahmin Bull will walk aloni: the -tn-et with a quaintly dignified air. in-|»-«-t anything and aiiyttody that may excite liis curiosity, force every one to make way for him--lf. ami if he -honld hapjn-n to take a fancy to the contents of a fruiterer's orgrpern.Tocer'* shop, will delil>erat«-ly make lii- rhojre satisfy hi- wishes, none daring to cro-s him. The indulgence which is extended to this 514 THE BUFFALO. animal is carried to so great a height, that if a Brahmin Bull chooses to lie down in a narrow lane, no one can pass until he gets up of his own accord. Bishop Heber, in his well-known journal, mentions the Brahmin Bulls and the unceremo- nious manner in which they conduct themselves, and remarks that they are sometimes rather mischievous as well as annoying, being apt to use their horns if their caprices be not immedi- ately gratified. THE BUFFALO is spread over a very wide range of country, being found in Southern Europe, North Africa, India, and a few other localities. This animal is subject to considerable modifications in external aspect, according to the climate or the particular locality in which it resides, and has in consequence been mentioned under very different names. In all cases the wild animals are larger and more powerful than their domesticated relations, and in many instances the slightly different shape, and greater or lesser length of the horns, or the skin denuded of hairs, have been considered as sufficient evidences of separate species. In India, the long, smooth-horned variety chiefly prevails, and is found in tolerable pro- fusion. This animal frequents wet and marshy localities, being sometimes called the Water Buffalo on account of its aquatic predilections. It is a most fierce and dangerous animal, savage to a marvellous degree, and not hesitating to charge' any animal that may arouse its ready ire. An angry Buffalo has been known to attack a tolerably-sized elephant, and by a vigorous charge in the ribs to prostrate its huge fue. Even .the tiger is found to quail before the Buffalo, and displays the greatest uneasiness in its presence. The Buffalo, indeed, seems to be animated by a rancorous hatred towards the tiger, and if it should come inadvertently on one of the brindled objects of its hate, will at once rush for- ward to the attack. Taking advantage of this peculiarity, the native princes are in the habit of amusing themselves with combats between tigers and trained Buffaloes. The arena is always prepared by the erection of a lofty and strongly-built palisade, composed of bamboos set perpendicularly, and bound together upon the outside. The object of this contrivance is, that the surface of the bamboo is so hard and slippery, that the tiger's claws can find no hold in case of an attempted escape. The tiger is first turned into the arena, 'and generally slinks round its circumference, seek- ing for a mode of escape, and ever and anon looking up to the spectators, who are placed in galleries that overlook the scene of combat. When the tiger has crept to a safe distance from the door, the Buffalo is admitted, and on perceiving the scent of the tiger, it immediately becomes excited, its hairs bristle up, its eyes begin to flash, and it seeks on every side for the foe. As soon as it catches a glance of its enemy, it lowers its head towards the ground, so that the tips of its horns are only a few inches above the earth, and its nose lies between its fore-legs, and plunges forward at the shrinking tiger. . Were the latter animal to dare the brunt of the Buffalo's charge, the first attack would probably.be the last ; but as the tiger is continually shifting its position, the force of the onset is greatly diminished by the curve in the Buffalo's course. As a general rule the Buffalo comes off the victor, for even when the tiger has gained an advantage, he does not follow it up with sufficient celerity, but permits his antagonist to regain his lost breath. The Buffalo, on the contrary, allows the tiger no breathing time, but con- tinues his rapid charges without cessation, until he forces the tiger off his guard, and then with a rapid spring impales the foe on his horns. It is generally supposed that the wild Buffaloes wili destroy any tigers that may happen to approach their herds too closely. A wild adult male Buffalo, or Arnee, as it is also called, is one of the largest of the Ox tribe, measuring no less than ten feet six inches from the tip of the nose to the root of the tail, and from six feet to six feet six inches in height at the shoul- ders. So confident are even the tiger-dreading herd-keepers of the prowess of their tamed ;minmls, that they will ride them in search of pasture even when they know tigers to be in the 1 1«-; 1 1 vicinity. One of these herds chanced to come across the spot where a tiger had been recently shot, and on perceiving the scent of the blood, they became powerfully excited, TUB CAPS BUFFALO. bellowed furiously, and at hist charged in a l-«l\ direct I \ into :i neighboring covert, everything that itni-eded their progress. 'I'll-- Am. •«• in.-, in larye herds, arranged afterthe mannerof all bovine animals, the females iiii'l young being always placed in the safest spots, while the males ]x»st themselves in all \*mi- ti->ns of .lan_.T. These herds are never seen on elevated ground, pi. -ferrim; tin- low, marshy , ts \\ here water und mud are abundant. In thin mud they love to wallow, and when sud- denly roused from their sti-mire pastime, present a most terrible api>earance. t heir e\ CM glaring fiercely from amid t lie mud-covered dripping IBMBM of hair. Sometimes tin- Buffalo is said to fall a victim t<> its propensity for wallowing in the mud, and to be stuck so thmh in the oozy slime, as it dries under the scorching sunbeams of that burning climate, that it can be killed without danger. They generally chew the cud while they are lying immersed in mud or water. ' : tain \Villiamsoii, in :..- work mi "< >• :• ntal !'.• i i Sports," sjN-aks thus of iii.- I'.niT.ii... and its mini lovinj,' pn>|N-nsities : - •• This animal not only delights in the water, but will not thrive unless it have a swamp to wallow in. Then rolling themselves, they speedily work deep hollows, wherein the\ lie immersed. No place seems to delight tin- Buffalo more than the deep verdure on the confines of ./"/.valid marshes. especially if surrounded by tall >:rass. so as to afford concealment and shade, while the Inxly is covered by the water. In such situations they seem to enjoy a \»-\ f.-.'t ecstasy, liaviiu; in ireneral nothing .;; ..... the N irface but tlMfa • \ -•- :m.i nostrils, ih. n aom being kept low down, and consequently hidden from view. "Frequently nothing is perceptible but a few black lumps in the water, ap]>earing like small clods, for the Buffaloes being often fust asleep, all isquiet ; and a ]mssenger would hardly expect to see, as often hai>i>ens. twenty or thirty great beasts suddenly rise. I have a thou- sand times been unexpectedly surprised in this manner by tame Buffaloes, und once or twice by wild ones. The latter are very danp-rous, and the former are by no means to IN- considered as innocent. The banks of the Ganges abound with Buffaloes in their wild state, as does all the country where long grass and capacious Jerl* are to be found. Buffaloes swim very well, or, I may say, float. It is very common to see droves crossing the Ganges und other great river-, a: all seasons, but especially when the waters are low. At u distance one would take them to be large pieces of rock or dark-colored wood, nothing appearing but their faces It is no unusual thing for a boat to get into the thick of them, especially among reedy waters, or at the edges of jungles, before it is perceived. In this no dangerexists ; the Buffaloes are perfectly passive, and easily avoid being run down, so the vessel runs no danger." THE CAPE BUFFALO is quite as formidable an animal as its Indian relation, and much more terrible in outward aspect. The heavy bases of the horns, that nearly unite over the forehead, and under which the little fierce eyes twinkle with sullen rays, give to the creature'* countenance an appearance of morose, lowering ill-temper, which is in perfect accordance with its real character. Owing to the enormous heavy mass which is situated on the forehead, the Cape Buffalo does not see very well in a straight line, so that a man may sometimes cross the track of a Buffalo within a hundred yards, and not be seen by the animal, provided that he walks quietly, and does not attract attention by the sound of his footsteps. This animal is ever a dangerous neighbor, but when it leads a solitary life amonn the thickets and marshy places, it is a worse antagonist to a casual passenp-r tlian even the lion himself. In such a case, it has an unpleas- ant habit of remainini: quietly in its lair until the unsuspecting traveller passes closely to it- pla.-eof concealment, and then leaping suddenly ujH»n him like -»n\,- terriMe monster of tin- waters, dripping with mud. and filled with rajje. When it has succeeded in its attack, it first tosses the unhappy victim i". the air, then kneels u|>on his Ixnly, in order to crush tin- life out of him. then butts at the corpse until it lias trh-'n vent to its inline fury, ami ends by li. kin- the mangled limbs until it strips off the flesh with its rough tongue. Many such tr.igical incidents have occurred, chiefly, it must U- acknowledged, owing to the imprudence of the sufferer : and there are few coverts in South Africa which ore not celebrated. 516 THE CAPE BUFFALO. for some such terrible incident. Sometimes the animal is so recklessly furious in its unreason- ing anger, that it absolutely blinds itself by its heedless rush through the formidable thorn- bushes which are so common in Southern Africa. Even when in company with others of their own species, they are liable to sudden bursts of emotion, and will rush blindly forward heed- less of everything but the impulse that drives them forward. In one instance, the leader of the herd, being wounded, dropped on his knees, and was instantly crushed by the trampling hoofs of his comrades, as they rushed over the prostrate body of their chief. In South Africa, the Cape Buffalo, called by the Kaffirs "Inyati," or "Inthumba," plays much the same part as the arnee in India. Like that animal, it does much as it pleases, and fears no enemy but armed men. Even the lion dare not approach too closely to a herd of Cape Buffaloes, for with the cunning old bulls in front, and the cows and calves bringing up the rear, the lion \vould have but a poor chance against a general charge of such foes. Indeed, even in single combat, the lion would scarcely come off the conqueror. The Cape Buffalo, although so terrible an animal, is not so large as the arnee, being little larger than an ordinary ox, but possessed of much greater strength. The strangely shaped horns are black in color, and so large that the distance between their points is not unf requently from four to five feet. On account of their great width at their bases, they form a kind of bony helmet, which is impenetrable to an ordinary musket-ball, and effectually defend their owner against the severe shocks which are frequently suffered by these testy animals. I conclude this history of the Cape Buffalo with some personal reminiscences of the animal, which have been kindly placed at my disposal by Captain Drayson : — "The hide of this animal is a bluish -black in color, and is so very tough that -bullets will scarcely penetrate it if they are fired from a distance, or are not hardened by an addition of tin in the proportion of one to eight. It is of a fierce, vindictive disposition, and from its cunning habits is esteemed one of the most dangerous animals in Southern Africa. The Cape Buffalo is naturally a gregarious animal, but at certain seasons of the year the males fight for the mastery ; a clique of young bulls frequently turn out an old gentleman, who then seeks the most gloomy and retired localities in which to brood over his disappointments. "These solitary skulkers are the most dangerous of their species ; and although it is the nature of all animals to fly from man, unless they are badly wounded, or are intruded upon at unseasonable hours, these old hermits will scarcely wait for such excuses, but will willingly meet the hunter half-way and try conclusions with him. "Although frequently found in large herds on the plains, the Buffalo is principally a resident in the bush ; here he follows the paths of the elephant or rhinoceros, or makes a road for himself. During the evening, night, and early morning, he roams about the open country and gorges, but when the sun has risen high, or if he has cause for alarm, the glens and coverts are sought ; and amidst their shady branches he enjoys repose and obtains concealment. The 'spoor' of the Buffalo is like that of the common ox, the toes of the old bulls being very wide apart, whilst those of the young ones are close together ; the cow Buffalo's footprints are longer and thinner than the bull's, and smaller. " As these animals wander in the open ground during the night, and retreat to their glens during the day, their spoor may be taken up from the outside of the bush, and followed until the scent leads to the view. When the hunter comes near to his game, of which he should be able to judge by the freshness of the footprints, he should wait and listen for some noise by which to discover their position. Buffaloes frequently twist and turn about in the bush, and do so more especially just before they rest for the day. " I knew a Kaffir who carried about him the marks of a Buffalo's power and cunning. He was hunting Buffaloes one day in the bush, and came upon a solitary bull, which he wounded ; the bull bounded off, but the Kaffir, thinking him badly hurt, followed after at a run, without taking sufficient precautions in his advance. Now, dangerous as is a Buffalo when untouched, he is still more to be dreaded when hard hit, and should therefore be followed with the utmost caution. " The Kaffir had hurried on through the bush for a hundred yards or so, and was looking TUB OAVR 617 f»r tlu> spoor, \\h--n In- heard n crush close to him, and before he could mm.- himself, he WM .sent living in tin- air by tin- charge <>f tlie HtifTalo. II.- f.-ll into some branches and was thus safe, for the HulTalii was not satNt'u-d with tliis jierforiiiaiic.-. hut \\i>h.-d to tinM, th.. work which lit- had M. ahly U-LTMII. After examining tin- safe |M.siti<»n of liis victim, lie retreated. • Hi.- Katlir. \\lm lia.l i \\ o or three ribs broken, reached his home with difficulty, and gave up Huffalo-shootiiiL: from tliatday. • It appeared that this cunning animal had retraced its stepe after retreating, and had then tracked into a bush, and waited for the Kaffir to pass. \ _ ••••..: itsinan at Natal, named Kirknwn, told me that he was shooting Buffaloes u li.-ti iie was across the Sugela river on one occasion, and having wounded a bull, he wan giving him his quietus, when the creature sent forth a sort of moan. Now the Buffalo always dies game, ami rarely makes any other noise when luird hit. This moan was prohihly a signal ; and a.s such it was translated by the herd to which this animal belonged, as th«-y suddenly 8topi)ed in tln-ir i>-tr>-at. and came to the rescue. Kirkmun dropped his gun ami took to some trees, where he was in safety. Fortunate it was for him that timber happened to be near, as the savage herd really meant mischief, and came round his tree in numbers. When they found that In- M:I> safe from their rage, they retreated. •• Tlic vulnerable parts in a Buffalo are behind the shoulder, near the kidneys, or high up on tin- back. His head is so protected by his horny helmet, that a bullet does not ea.-ih find a vulnerable point in the forehead. I once met a Buffalo face to face in the bush— we were about t hn-e yards apart ; I fired at his forehead, aiming between the eyes. I know that my build -truck tnii- : tin- Huffalo fell, but soon jumped up again, and scampered off. This was certainly a fair trial of lead versus horn, and horn had the best of it." ANOTHER species of Buffalo b the ANOA, an inhabitant of the island of Celebes. This animal was formerly thought to belong rather more to the antelopes than to the oxen, but is now satisfactorily ascertained to be a member of the genus Bubalus. It is a small, (nit very tierce animal, and is with difficulty made prisoner. Some of these creatures, which were kept in confinement, killed in one night fourteen stags which were placed in the same inclostire. The horns of this animal are quite straight, and are set nearly in a line with the forehead. In length they equal the head, are boldly flattened in front, and are covered throughout their length u ith successive wrinklings. The Anoa is generally found among the more rocky local- ities of its native island. THE BAXTENO, or JAVAX Ox, possesses something of the homely aspect which belongs to the common domestic cattle. It is, however, a very strong, fleet, and active animal, inhab- iting the wooded valleys of its native land, and living in small herds under the watchful guar- dianship of vigilant sentries. This animal is rather variable in color, according to its age and sex, the old bulls being of a blackish-brown color, and the females a reddish-bay. Upon the hinder quarters is always a bold patch of white, the inside of the ears and the lips are of the same hue, and the lower half of the legs is white. It is a tolerably large animal, the height of an adult bull being about five feet six inches at the shoulder. In spite of its constitutional shyness and its dread of man, it is domesticated by the inhabitants of Borneo, and is employed for many useful purposes. LARGEST of all the existing members of the Ox tribe is the GAUR, or GOUB, an animal which may be easily recognized by the extraordinary elevation of the spinal ridge and the peculiarly white "stocking." The general color of the Gaur is a deep brown, verging here and there upon black, the females being usually paler than their mates. The dimensions of the Gaur are very considerable, a full-grown bull having been known to measure six feet ten inches in height at the shoulders. The great height of the shoulder is partly owing to the structure of the vertebra, some of which give out projections of sixt^-n inches in length. The Gaur associates in little herds of ten, twenty, or thirty in number, each herd generally 518 THE AMERICAN BISON. consisting of a few males and a great comparative number of the opposite sex. These herds frequent the deepest recesses of the forest, and in their own domains bear supreme rule, neither tiger, rhinoceros, or elephant daring to attack them. During the heat of noonday, the Gaurs are buried in the thickest coverts, but in the early morning, and after the setting of the sun, they issue from their place of concealment, and go forth to pasture on the little patches of open verdure that are generally found even in the deepest forests. The watchfulness of this animal is extremely remarkable, as, independently of placing the usual sentries, the Gaurs are said to arrange themselves in a circle while at rest, their heads all diverging outwards, so as to preserve equal vigilance on every side. They may, however, be readily approached if the spectator be mounted on an elephant, as they seem to regard these huge animals without any suspicion or fear. In all probability, the imperturbable indifference with which they look upon the elephant is caused by the fact that the elephant is never used in Gaur-hunting, and, unless accompanied by human beings, never attempts to attack these animals. The voice of the Gaur is rather peculiar, being totally different from the bellow of an ordi- nary bull or the lowing of a cow, and partaking greatly of the nature of a grunt, or hoarse cough. The breath of the Gaur is even sweeter than that of the domestic cow, and is plainly perceptible at a distance of several yards. The skin of this animal is extremely thick, especially on the shoulders and hinder quarters. The hide of these parts of the animal will sometimes measure nearly two inches in thickness when it has been removed from the Gaur, and permitted to contract during the process of drying. On account of its great strength, this portion of the skin is much esteemed for the purpose of being manufactured into shields. The flesh of the Gaur is said to be remarkably tender, and of good flavor. To the Bisons belongs the AUROCHS, or BONASSTJS, the former name being a corruption of the word Auer-Ochs. It is also commonly known by the name of Zubr. This animal is now almost, if not exclusively, confined to the forest of Bialowikza, in Lithuania, a locality which is peculiarly suitable to its habits, on account of the large marshy districts in which it abounds. In order that this magnificent animal may be preserved in perfection, it is protected by the most stringent forest laws. The Aurochs gives forth a powerful and curious odor, which is far from unpleasant, and partakes equally of the characters of musk and violet. This perfume is found to penetrate the whole of the body to a certain extent, but is exhaled most powerfully from the skin and hair which covers the upper part of the forehead. It is found in both sexes, but is much weaker in the cow than in her mate. Although not so large as some of the preceding animals, standing only about six feet in height at the summit of the elevated shoulder, it is strongly and mtiscularly built, a~nd is a terrible foe to any antagonist that may happen to arouse its ire. Like the buffalo, it has no fear of predaceous animals, a single Aurochs being supposed to be an overmatch for several hungry wolves. In general, it is shy, and fearful of the presence of man, slipping quietly away as soon as its acute senses perceive the symptoms of human neighborhood ; but if wounded or irritated, it fights most desperately, using its short, sharply-pointed horns with terrible effect. In disposition it is said to be rather morose and untamable, never having been really domesticated and brought under the dominion of man, even when taken at a very early age. It is a good swimmer, and is fond of dabbling in water, as well as of rolling itself in certain favored mud-holes which it frequents. For this reason, it is generally found in thickets which border upon marshy land, ponds, or streams, and in consequence causes all experienced travellers to be very cautious how they approach such localities. Its food is various vegetable substances, and it is especially fond of lichens. In spite of its heavy and awkward look, it is sufficiently active and swift, running with considerable speed for a short time, but being unable to prolong the course for many miles. While running, it carries its head very low, placing the nose almost between the fore-feet. THE American BISON looks at first sight like an exaggeration of the aurochs, the hair of the body being thicker, more woolly, and more closely curled ; the mane, which hangs BISON. THE BISON. over ill'- head ami shoulders, actually reaching the ground, and th«- entire aspect of the aii'inal more lo\\erim:. TUis .-realm-- is only found in Northern America, never appearing m»nh of lat 88*. It IT. i then together in enormous herds, consisting of many thousands in numU-r. ami in spite of tli.- continual persecution to which it ia subjected l>\ man ami l*-ast. its multitudes are ereO now hardh diminished. The Bison U one of the most valuable of animals to tin- white hunter, i- u.-ll as to ill-- alxiiiiriual !>'•••! Indian, us ita body supplies him with almo-t .-\--iy neces- sary of lif«-. The tlc-sh of the fat cow Hison is in great repute, being juicy, tender, and well-savored, and poaooeoos the invaluable quality of not cloying the appetite, even though it |M> eaten with the fierce hunger tluit is generated by a day's hunting. The fat is peculiarly excel- lent, :n 1 i- sai-1 to l*-ar some resembl | to the • • ehruted in>-en fal ol Htfl tOZtfa 'I I"1 most delicate portion of the Bison is the flesh that composes the "hump." which gives to the animal's back so strange an aapect; and the hunters an- so foml of this delicacy that they will often slay a magnificent Hison merely for the nuke of the hump, tin* tongue, ami the morrow-bones, leaving the remainder of the body to the wolves and birds. Tin- pieces of liump tli-h that are stripped from the shoulders are technically culled "fleeces," ami sometimes wi-iirh as much as u hundred ]>ounds. The flesh of the Bison in also mode of exceeding value to voyagers and travellers by being converted into "pemmiran," a curious kind of preparation, which to the eye closely resembles tarred oakum. 1-ut which is com- posed of the dried fibres of Bison beef. "Jerked" beef is also made from this animal, the meat being cut into long thin strips, and hung in the sunshine until black, dry, and almost as hard as leather. The hide is greatly valued both by Indians and civilized men, for the many purposes which it fulfils. From this hide the Indian makes his tents, many parts of his dress, his bed. ami his shield. For nearly the whole of these uses the skin is deprived of hair, and is so dressed as to be impervious to water, and yet soft and pliable. The shield is very ingeni- ously made by pegging out the hide upon the ground with a multitude of little wooden skewers round its edge, imbuing it with a kind of glue, and gradually removing the pegs in proportion to the < niseqnent shrinking and thickening of the skin. One of these shields, although still pliable, is sufficiently strong to resist an arrow, and will often turn a bullet that does not strike it fairly. Sometimes the Bison is the means of saving the hunter from tin- terrible death of thirst, for it oftentimes happens that the prairie-men find themselves parched with thirst in the midst of vast plains, without a drop of water in their vessels, and no stream within u long day's journey. Under these circumstances, they would inevitably die, wen- it not that they know how to have recourse to certain natural fountains which are never entirely empty. The Bison has the power of taking a large amount of water into its body, and dc|>ositing it in the "reticulum," or cells of the honey-comb department of the stomach, until it shall be needed for use. The hunters, therefore, are not long at a loss for materials wherewith to quench their thirst as long as a Bison is in sight, but slay the animal at once for the sake of the water which they know will be found in the usual situation. Vast quantities of Bisons are killed annually, whole- herds being sometimes destroyed by the canning of their human foes. The hunters, having discovered a herd of Bisons at no v- great distance from one of the precipices which alxmnd in the prairie-lands, quietly surround the doomed animals, and drive them ever nearer and nearer to the precipice. When they hav« come within half a mile or so of the edge, they suddenly dash towards the Bisons, shouting, firing, waving hats in the air, and using every means to terrify the intended victims. The Bisons are timid creatures, ami easily take alarm, so that on being startled by the unexpected Mirhts and nod*, HMJ Mb •••- paafo-stnMk, b 0M ooly dinetkB lefl "i-': to DM^ad which leads directly to the precipice. When the leaders arrive at the edge, they attempt to recoil, but they are so closely pressed upon by those t*-himl them that they are carried for- ward and forced into the gull below. Many hundreds of Bisons are thus destroyed in the -;>:!••• of a f.-v\ 520 THE YAK. A much fairer and more sportsman-like method of hunting these animals is practised by red and white men, and consists in chasing the herds of Bisons and shooting them while at full speed. This sport requires good horsemanship, a trained steed, and a knowledge of the habits of the Bisons, as well as a true eye and steady hand. The hunter marks a single individual in the herd, and by skillful riding contrives to separate it from its companions. He then rides boldly alongside the flying animal, and shoots it from the saddle. In this method of shooting, the hunter requires no ramrod, as he contents himself with pouring some loose powder into the barrel, dropping a bullet from his mouth upon the powder, and firing across the saddle without even lifting the weapon to his shoulder. The Indians are very expert in this sport, and, furnished only with their little bows, will often give a better account of their day's sport than many a white hunter armed with the best firelock. At certain seasons of the year, the whole Bison population becomes greatly excited about settling their matrimonial matters for the next twelvemonth, and dire are the quarrels among the bulls for favor in the eyes of their intended mates. Whole herds of these animals will run in a straight line for many miles, urged forward by some strange impulse, and being easily tracked, not only by the marks of their feet, which tear up the ground as if it had been ploughed, but by a succession of bull Bisons engaged in single combat, they having fallen out on the journey and halted to fight out their quarrel. A cloud of wolves always hangs about the skirts of these herds, as the cunning animals are well aware of the dangers that beset the infuriated wars of Bisons, and accompany them in hopes of pouncing upon some feeble or wounded straggler. The Bison is remarkably fond of wallowing in the mud, and when he cannot find a mud- hole ready excavated, sets busily to work to make one for himself. Choosing some wet and marshy spot, he flings himself down on his side, and whirls round and round until he wears away the soil, and forms a circular and rather shallow pit, into which the water rapidly drains from the surrounding earth. He now redoubles his efforts, and in a very short time succeeds in covering himself with a thick coating of mud, which is probably of very great service in defending him from the stings of the gnats and other noxious insects which swarm in such localities. In the summer, the Bison fares luxuriously, living on the sweet green herbage that always springs up after the prairie has been swept by the fires that are continually blazing in one part or another. In winter, however, it is often pinched with hunger as well as with cold, and would fare very badly, did it not instinctively employ its broad nose in shovelling away the snow and laying bare the grass that lies unhurt beneath the white covering. The nose of the Bison is admirably adapted for this purpose, being broad, strong, and tough, so that it can execute a work with ease which is most painful to ordinary cattle, and causes their noses to bleed sadly, from the unaccustomed friction. So severe, however, is the labor, that even old Bisons are often seen with their noses excoriated and bleeding from the effects of their toil. Mr. Palliser mentions that the common domesticated calves have been observed to hang about a Bison bull when he was engaged in shovelling away the snow, and to eat the herbage which he disclosed, without showing the least fear. The Bison is a marvellously active animal, and displays powers of running and activity which would hardly be anticipated by one who had merely seen a stuffed specimen. The body is so loaded with hair that it appears to be of greater dimensions than is really the case, and seems out of all proportion to the slender legs that appear from under it and seem to bend beneath its weight. Yet the Bison is an enduring as well as a swift animal, and is also remark- ably sure of foot, going at full speed over localities where a horse would be soon brought to a halt. THE YAK, or GRUNTING Ox, derives its name from its very peculiar voice, which sounds much like the grunt of a pig. It is a native of the mountains of Thibet, and, according to Hodson, it inhabits all the loftiest plateaus of High Asia, between the Altai and the Himalayas. It is capable of domestication, and is liable to extensive permanent varieties, which have THK MUSK OX probably been occo.-ion.-d l>y the climate in which it li\.--an.l the work to which it has been put. 'lh>- NoM.- ^ ak, for example, is a large, handsome animal, holding ita head proudly erect, having a large hump, extremely long hair, and a \. i \ l.u-liy taiL It is a shy and withal capii . ion- animal, too much disposed to kick with the hind feet and to make threatening demonstration- with the horn-, a* U H .;.'• :.•;••;••• ,:n; .i:. •::,-: M. i Ph. hea\\ :::•:.. -: huir that d. -<-or.it. • th«- -id«-s of the Yak do not make their appearanoe until tin- animal has attained three months of age, the calves being covered with rough curling hair, not unlike tluit of u black Newfoundland dog. The beautiful white bushy tail of the Yak is in great request for various ornamental purposes, and forms quite an important article of commerce. YAK . , Dyed red, it is formed into those curious tufts that decorate the caps of the Chinese, and when properly mounted in a silver handle, it is used as a fly-flapper in India under the name of a chowrie. These tails are carried before certain officers of state, their number indicating his rank. The Plough Yak is altogether a more pMx-ian -lookini: animal, humbli« of d«-i>orrment, carrying its head low, and almost devoid of the magnificent tufte of lonir silken hair* that fringe the sides of its more aristocrat i<- n-lation. Tln-ir legs are very short in pmf tort ion to th.-ir bodies, and they are generally tailless, that nu-mN-r having txvn cut off and sold by thetr avaricious owner. There is also another variety which is t«'rm«-d th<- ffhninnrik. Tin* color of this animal is black, the back and tail being often white. The natives of th.- country wh.-rv the Yak lives are in the habit of crossing it with the common domi-tic r-attl.- and obtaining a mixed breed. When overloaded, the Yak is accustomed to vent is displeasure by its l,,nd. monotonic, melancholy grunting, which has l>een known to affect the nerves of unpractical riders to such an extent that they dismounted, after suffering half an hour's infliction of thi* most lugubrious chant, and performed the remainder of th.-ir journey on foot TITK curiously shaped horns of the MCSK Ox. its long woolly hair fallinp nearly to the ground in every direction, so as nearly to conceal its legs, together with the peculiar form of 522 THE MUSK OX. the head and snout, are unfailing characteristics whereby it can be discriminated from any other animal. The horns of the Musk Ox are extremely large at their base, and form a kind of helmet upon the summit of the forehead. They then sweep boldly downwards, and are again hooked upwards towards the tips. This curious form of the horns is only noticed in the male, as the horns of the female are set very widely apart on the sides of the forehead, and are simply curved. The muzzle is covered with hair, with the exception of a very slight line round the nostrils. This animal is an inhabitant of the extreme north of America, being seldom seen south of the sixty-first degree of latitude, and ascending as high as the seventy-fifth. It lives, in fact, in the same country which is inhabited by the Esquimaux, and is known to them under the name of Oomingnoak. It is a fleet and active animal, and traverses with such ease the rocky and MUSK OX.— Ortbot motdiaha. precipitous ground on which it loves to dwell, that it cannot be overtaken by any pursuer less swift than an arrow or a bullet. It is rather an irritable animal, and becomes a dangerous foe to the hunters, by its habit of charging upon them while they are perplexed amid the cliffs and crevices of its rocky home, thus often escaping unharmed by the aid of its quick eye and agile limbs. The hunters say that it is rather a stupid animal in some matters, and that it will not run away at the report of a gun, provided that it does not see the man who fired it, or perceive the smell of the powder. They believe that the Musk Ox takes the flash and the report to be only a species of thunder and lightning, and therefore does not think itself obliged to escape. The flesh of this animal is very strongly perfumed with a musky odor, very varia- ble in its amount and strength. Excepting, however, a few weeks in the year, it is perfectly fit for food, and is fat and well flavored. The Musk Ox is a little animal, but owing to the huge mass of woolly hair with which it is thickly covered, appears to be of considerable dimensions. The color of this animal is a yellowish-brown, deepening upon the sides. Otibos is a genus of sub-family Caprina, the latter embracing the Sheep, Goats and Musk Sheep. A.\rt:r.orm The Mask Sheep (ftribo* mosfJtatu*) is usually called Musk Ox. As it la properly a «.h,-«-p lik'' :miin:il. «•• pi- ffi t<> drop the inappropriate num.-. This is, ]»-rliaps. tin- HUM run- of North Ani.-ii.-:in animals. Though seen and killed in the Arctic Regions, it ha* been very dilli.-iilt top-t :i jH-rftN-t -j--( iinni for HIIIMMIIII*. Aft»T :i loin,' pvriml of :id\. -nisin- and Milicil- in.:. l'i»f. \\'anl lia> jn-t >mx*eded in prtK-uring A gpecimen for the American Mum«uin in C. iLir.il 1'ark. Its si-vitic name indicates that a peculiar odor like musk distinguishes it Though rliiin-y iu apiM-ai-an.-.. it climtis rocky hills with the same ease as the goats and sheep. Its ,liMiil>uti<'U in prehistoric days was over the whole European Continent^remainn being found in the caves in \uy th«- rharacter of the horns, which are hollow at ih«- La--, --t upon a solid core like those of the oxen, and are permanently retained throughout the life of the animal. Indeed, tho Antelopes are allied very closely to the sheep and goats and. n some instances, are very goat-like in external form. In all cases the Antelopes are light and elegant of body, their limbs are gracefully slender, and are furnished with -mall • l-,\. n hoofs. The tail i of any great length, and in many species is very short. The horns, set above r.24 THE GAZELLE. the eyebrows, are either simply conical or are bent so as to resemble the two horns of the ancient lyre, and are therefore termed "lyrate" in technical language. THE well-known GAZELLE is found in great numbers in Northern Africa, where it lives in herds of considerable size, and is largely hunted by man and beast. Trusting to its swift limbs for its safety, the Gazelle will seldom, if ever, attempt to resist a foe, unless it be actually driven to bay in some spot from whence it cannot escape ; but pre- fers to flee across the sandy plains, in which it loves to dwell, with the marvellous speed for which it has long been proverbial. The herd seems to be actuated by a strong spirit of mutual attachment, which preserves its members from being isolated from their companions, and which, in many instances, is their only safeguard against the attacks of the smaller predaceous GAZELLE.— OozeSa dot-cut. animals. The lion and leopard can always find a meal whenever they can steal upon a band of Gazelles without being discovered by the sentries which watch the neighborhood with jealons precaution, for the Gazelles are too weak to withstand the attack of such terrible assailants, and do not even attempt resistance. If, however, the insidious foe is detected by the eye or scent of the sentinel, his chance of a dinner is hopeless for a while. The alarm is instantly given by the animal whose acute senses have discovered the near presence of the dreaded enemy, and the whole herd imme- diately take to flight, skimming over the ground with such wondrous rapidity that neither lion nor leopard would be able to overtake their flying steps. When opposed by less formidable enemies, the Gazelles can bid defiance to their assailants by gathering themselves into a compact circular mass, the females and the young being placed in the centre, and the outer circle being composed of the males, all presenting their horna towards the intruder. They then form a dense phalanx of sharply pointed weapons, arranged on strictly military principles, and being the prototype of the spear-phalanx of ancient war« fare, and the "square" of more modern tactics. THE ARIEL i, \/.l l.LB. In this attitude the Gazelle* will maintain their ground with considerable spirit ami j tinacity, seeming t<> !"• ••uiin-ly aware of the advantages which tli«-\ deriie from acting in concert, :uni oftentimes assuming tin- offensive as well a.s tin- defensive mode of action. The eye of the Gazelle is large, soft, and lustrous, and has been long celebrated by the poets of it.s own land as the most Mattering simile of u woman's eye. Tin- color <>f this preit\ little aiumal is a light fawn upon tin- back, deepening into dark brown in a wide Imnd wliirh edges the tlanks, and forms a lin«' of demarcation )>et wi-en the yellow hniwn of tic- n|.|--i pal t ions of t lie body and tin- pur.- white of the alxlomen. The faev is rather curiously marked with two stripes of contrasting colors, one a dark l>htrk-l>n>\vn line that pa norm from tin- ••>•• to thf curves of the mouth, and the other a white streak that begins at the horns and extends aa far as tin- muz/le. The hinder quarters, too, are marked with white, which is very perceptible when the animal is walking directly from thf . TIIKUK is considerable difficulty in assigning the Antelopes to their pro|M-r jx.sition in the animal kingdom, and in many instances zoologists are Badly bewildered in tht-ir endeavors to ascertain whether a certain animal Is entitled to the rank of a separate sj)eciea, or whether it can only be considered as a variety of some species already acknowledged. Such is the case with the ARIEL GAZEI.I.K, an animal which is now detenu ined to In- merely a variety of the I in-ceding animal, and not entitled to take rank as an inde|iendent s|>ecie8. This beautiful little creature is very similar to the lion-a.s (iazellc in general appearance, tmt is much darker in all its tinting, the hack and up|>er jmrt ions of the body being a dark fawn and the -trijM- along the flanks almost lilack. The Ariel is founi»-:irance. but is also docile and gentle in temjier, it is held in great estimation as a domestic pet, and maybe frequently seen running al>out the houses at its own will. So exquisitely graceful are the movements of the Ariel (Ja/elle. and with such lidit activity does it traverse the ground, that it seems almost to set at defiance the law-. ..f gravitation, and. like tin- -fabled Camilla, to be able to tread the grass without I tend ing a single green blade. When it is alanned, and runs with its fullest sjH-ed. it lays its head liack -.,, that tin- nose projects forward, while the horns lie almost as far back as the shoulders, and then skims over the ground with such marvellous celerity that it -•••IMS rather to fly than to run, and cannot IM- overtaken even by the powerful, long-legged, and long-bodied greyhounds which an- employed in the chase by the native hunters. When the Gazelle is hunted for the sake of the sport, and not merely for the object of securing as many skins as possible, the falcon is called to the aid -if the greyhound, for without such assistance no one could catch an Ariel in fair chase. As soon as the falcon is loosed from its jesses, it marks out its intended prey, and overpassing even the swift limtw by its swifter wings, sj>eedily overtakes it, and swoops upon its head. Rising from the attack, it coars into the air for another swoop, and by repeated assaults U'wilders the |>oor animal so completely that it falls an easy prey to the greyhound, which is trained to wait upon the falcon, and wutch its flight. When, however, the Gazelle is hunted merely for the sake of its flesh and skin, a very different mode is pursued. Like all wild animals, the Gazelle is in the habit of marking out some especial stream or fountain, whither it resorts daily for the purpose of quenching its thirst. Near one of these watering-spots the hunters build a very large inclosure, sometimes nearly a mile and a half square, the walls of which are made of loose stones, and are too high even for the active Gazelle to surmount by means of its wonderful leaping powers. In several ]«art« of the edifice the wall is only a few feet in height, and each of these gaps oj»-ns II]M>II a deep trench or pit. The manner in which this enormous trap is employed is sufficiently obvious. A herd of Gazelles is quietly driven towards the inclosure, one side of which is left o]»-n. and being hemmed in by the line of hunters, the animals are forced to enter its fatal pn-cincts. As the pursuers continue to press forward with shouts and all kinds of alarmim; noises, the Gazelles endeavor to escape by leaping over the walls, but can only do so at the gaps, and fall in consequence into the trenches 526 THE SPRING-BOR. that yawn to receive them. One after another falls into the pit, and in this manner they perish by hundreds at a time. A very similar kind of trap, called the Hopo, is employed in Southern Africa, the walls of the inclosure being formed of trees and branches, and terminating in the pit of death. At the widest part the walls are about a mile asunder, and their length is about one mile. The pit at the extremity is guarded at its edges with tree-trunks, so as to prevent the sides from being broken down by the struggling animals in their endeavors to escape, and the plan is so suc- cessful, that sixty or seventy herd of large game are often captured in a single week. The flesh of the Ariel Gazelle is highly valued, and is made an article of commerce as well as of immediate consumption by the captors. The hide is manufactured into a variety of useful articles. The Ariel is a small animal, measuring only about twenty-one inches in height 8PHING-BOK.— AiMlope euclwn. at the shoulder. The JAIROU, or common Gazelle of Asia, which is so celebrated by the Persian and other Oriental poets, is ascertained to be a different species from the Dorcas, and may be distinguished from that animal by the general dimness of the marking, and the dark brown streak on the haunches. It is also known by the name of Aim, and DSHEREN. Several other species are now known to belong to the genus Gazella, among which we may mention the MOHR of Western Africa, the ANDRA of Northern Africa, and the KORIN, or KEVEL, of Senegal. The latter animal possesses no tufts of hair upon the knees. There is one animal, the CHIKARA, or RAVINE DEER of India, which is worthy of a passing notice, because it is by some authors supposed to belong to the Gazelles, and by others to form a separate genus, as is the case with the arrangement of the British Museum. This animal is also known under the titles of CHOUKA, GOAT ANTELOPE, and KALSIEPIE, or BLACK-TAIL. THE SPRING-BOK derives its very appropriate title from the extraordinary leaps which it is in the constant habit of making whenever it is alarmed. As soon as it is frightened at any real or fancied danger, orwhenever it desires to accelerate its pace suddenly, it leaps high into the air with a curiously easy movement, rising to a height of seven or eight feet without any difficulty, and being capable on occasions of reaching to a THE Dl "I Ki:i:.nnK. h'-u-ht of twehe Hi -thirteen feet. When leaping. tin- kirk is greatly curv.il. and the creature pi.-s.-nts a \'i> curious aspect. i. \\in- to the sudden exhibition of th«« long white hairs that cover the ••!,. up. and an- nearly hidden by u fold of skin when ••attire is at rest, but wliii-h come l>ol.ll\ into view a.s MNIII as the pn tectin- -Uin fold is obliterated by the tension of the muscles tliat s,-r\ e to i>roj>el the animal in it.-* aerial course. The -priii:: I -ok is a marvellously timid animal, and will never crom a road if it ran avoid the necessity . When it is fon-ed to do so, it often compromise* the difficulty by leaping over the -pot ulii.-h has 1----M l.iint.-.l 1<\ the !•»•• of 111. m. II,.- color of ill.- Spiilu In.l. •. . i ;. p|e;isinir. tlie Around tinting lieing a warm cinnamon-brown ujton the uj>i>er surface of the body, and pure white upon the abdomen, the t\\, i coli MS l--i!i_- separate.) from .-;i- ii . •' !|.-l l'\ a broad band of reddish-brown. The flesh of the Spring-bok is held in some estimation, ^^^H^^Mmv and the hide is in irivai i'-<}u.->t lor many use- ful A •• i in • -urions species of Antelopes is that whidi is -, i. niitically known by the name of Tetrdcertts quadricornH-s, both wonls bearing the same signification, viz. " four- home. 1." These singular animals are natives of India, where they are known under the titles of Ciiot -i\i,ii \. or CiiofKA, the last word being derived from the native term chouJc, a leap, w hich lia.s been given to the ani- mal in allusion to its habit of making lofty bounds. The front pair of horns are very short, and are placed just alxm- the eyes, the hinder pair being much longer, and occupying the usual position on the head. The females are hoi-Tile--. The color of the Chousingha is a bright bay above and gray-white below, a few sandy hairs being intermixed with the white. The length of the hinder pair of horns is nither more than three inches, while the front, or spurious horns as they are sometimes termed, are only three-quarters of an inch long. twenty inches. CHOI 8IMJI1A, OR CIIOCKA.- T4 The height of the adtdt animal is about THE DcTKEB-BoK, or IMPOON, has derived its name of Duyker, or Diver, from its habit of diving suddenly, when alarmed, into the heavy brushwood among which it lives, and of disappearing from the sight of the liunter. For the following valuable account of the animal I am again indebted to Captain Drayson's MS. notes on the fauna of Southern Africa, which he has kindly placed at my disposal. "On the borders of the bush, the Antelope which is most commonly met Is the Duyker, a solitary and very cunning animaL "If the sportsman should happen to overtake this buck, it will lie still, watching him attentively, and will not move until it is aware that it is observed. It will then jump up and start off, making a series of sharp turns and dives, sometimes over bushes, and at others through them. When it conceives that it is observed, it will crouch in the long gnuw or behind a bush, as thoiiirh it were going to lie down. This conduct is, however, nothing but a rnse for the purpose of conc.-alini: its n-treat, as it will then crawl along under the foliage for several yards, and when it has gone to some distance in this sly manner, w ill again 528 THE OEMS-BOK. bound away. It is therefore very difficult to follow the course of a Duyker, as it makes so many sharp turns and leaps, that both ' spoorer ' and dogs are frequently baffled. "If the course of the buck can be watched, and the place discovered where it lies down after its erratic manoeuvrings, it can be easily stalked by approaching it from the leeward side. One must, however, be a good shot to secure a Duyker with certainty, for the little creature is so tenacious of life that it will carry off a large charge of buck-shot without any diffi- culty, and the irregular course which it then pursues requires great perfec- tion and quickness in shooting with a single ball. "The Duyker is not a very swift animal, and almost any ordinary dog can pull one down. An old pointer, which served me as a dog of all work, fre- quently caught and held a Duyker until I came to the death." WE now arrive at some remarkably handsome animals, which are notable, not only for their dimensions, but for the size and beauty of their horns. The GEMS-BOK, or KOOKAAM, is a large and powerful member of the Antelope tribe, equalling the domestic ass in size, and measuring about three feet ten inches at the shoulder. The peculiar manner in which the hide is decorated with boldly contrasted tints, gives it a very peculiar aspect. The general hue is gray, but along the back, upon the hinder quarters, and along the flanks, the color is deep black. A black streak also crosses the face, and passing under the chin, gives it the appearance of wearing harness. It has a short, erect mane, and long, sweeping, black tail, and its heavy horns are nearly straight from base to tip. The long and sharply-pointed horns with which its head is armed, are terrible weapons of offence, and can be wielded with marvellous skill. Striking right and left with these natural bayonets, the adult Gems-bok is a match for most of the smaller carnivora, and has even been known to wage a successful duel with the lordly lion, and fairly to beat off its antagonist. Even when the lion has overcome the Gems-bok, the battle may sometimes be equally claimed by both sides, for in one instance, the dead bodies of a lion and a Gems-bok were found lying on the plain, the horns of the Antelope being driven so firmly into the lion's body, that they could not be extracted by the efforts of a single man. The lion had evidently sprung upon the Gems-bok, which had received its foe upon the points of its horns, and had sacrificed its own life in destroying that of its adversary. In Captain Gumming' s deservedly popular work on Southern Africa may be found the following notes concerning this animal. "The Gems-bok was intended by nature to adorn the parched karroos and arid deserts of South Africa, for which description of country it is admirably adapted. It thrives and attains high condition in barren regions where it might be imagined that a locust could not find subsistence ; and burning as is the climate, it is perfectly independent of water, which, from my own observation and the repeated reports both of Boers and aborigines, I am con- vinced it never by any chance tastes. Its flesh is deservedly esteemed, and ranks next to that DUYKER-BOK.— Ceptialophut mergem. •/•///: ORYX. of id,-. -hud. At r.-rtain seasons of the year they carry a great quantity of fat, at whi< -\\ tun.- iin-\ ran morv ea.sily !«• ridden into. ••< >wini; to tin- fw-n natiiii- of th,. Around which the -bok fr.-qu.-nr ; Mi-pi rion- disposition, and tin- .•xti'-iin- di-taiire fnun water to which it must l»« follo\\,-.l, it i-, never stalk---! or driven to an ambush like the Antelopes, but is htint<-nd chase. Of several aniinal.s in South Afrim which :n.' liiinti-din this inann«-r. tin- k i-« l>\ far tin- >\\ifti-st and tin- nutM emluring." ^\v< . Although tli«> Oeins-l)ok is nearly independent of water, it stands an much !n need of moisture aa any other animal, and would speedily jM-ri>h in the arid di-^-r-i.s \M-P- it not earinKr bulb i- v. i-ncni-t.-.l with hardened soil that it must be dim out with a knife. Several otln-r -m-i-nli-nt plants also possess similar qualities, among which may be noticed a kind of little melon which is spread over the whole of the great Kalahari desert. RESEMBLITTO the gems-bok in many particulars, the ORYX can be easily distinguished from its predecessor by the shape of the horns, which, instead of being nearly straight, are con- siderablybent, and sweep towards the back in a noble curve. 530 THE CHAMOIS. It uses these horns with as much address as its near relative the Gems-bok, and if it should be lying wounded on the ground, the hunter must beware of approacliing the seemingly quiescent animal, lest it should suddenly strike at him with its long and keenly-pointed horns, while its body lies prostrate on the earth. Should it be standing at bay, it is a very dangerous opponent, having a habit of suddenly lowering its head and charging forward with a quick, lightning-like speed, from which its antagonist cannot escape without difficulty. The color of this animal is grayish-white upon the greater part of its person, and is diversified by sundry bold markings of black and ruddy brown, which are spread over the head and body in a manner that can be readily comprehended from the illustration. The '" ' - - "^^*at --..--- ^-^vti^ ' --~_^-*~--^ ORYX.— Oryx leucoii/x. height of the Oryx is rather more than three feet six inches, and the long curved horns are upwards of three feet in length. These horns are set closely together upon the head, from whence they diverge gradually to their extremities. These weapons are covered with rings at their bases, but at their tips they are smooth and exceedingly sharp. Their color is black. The Oryx is a native of Northern Africa, where it is known under several names ; such as Abou-Harb, El-Walrugh, El-Bukras, Ghau-Bahrein, or Jachmur. It lives in herds of con- siderable size, and feeds mostly on the branches and leaves of a species of acacia. GOAT-LIKE in aspect, and very hircine in many of its habits, the CHAMOIS is often sup- posed to belong to the goats rather than to the Antelopes. It is, however, a true Antelope, and may be readily distinguished from any of its relations by the peculiar form of the horns, which rise straight from the top of the head for some inches, and then suddenly curve backwards, so as to form a pair of sharp hooks. Formerly, this ani- mal was reported to employ these ornaments in aiding itself to ascend or descend the frightful CHAMOIS. THE CHAMOIS. pi-.--ipi.-e- c.n uliirli it dwells. This opinion is, however, entirely erroneous, the horn* intended fur the same mysterious purpose, which they serve when placed upon the head of tin- • linker, koodoo, or any other Aiit.-l..^.. In descending a pr.-.-ipitoiis n« k. tl..- < 'hai.i.,1- i- greatly aided by the false hoofs of the hinder feet, whit -h ii hitches ujion every little irregiil in the stony surface, ami which seem t., retard its progress a> it slid. - d..w n wards, guide the sharp hoofs of the fore-feet, which are placed closely together, and pushed well in advance <.f ill.- body. Tims flattened against tin- rock, the Chamois slides downwards until it comes t.. a ledge brood enough to permit it to repose for a while l*-fore di-M-.-n.lini; farther. In this mamn-r tin- active creature w i 1 1 n..t h.-sii:it.- to descend some tw-nt\ or thirty yards al>-i:_' the face of an almost i»-ii»-ii unHiiqNUMed in travers- ing tin- precipitous Alpine pane* of its native home, it make-, l.ut a poor progress upon smooth ice, and in spite of ita sharply-jMiinted hoofs, .slips and -lid-- alxmt n\*>i\ the glassy Mil-face as awkwanlly as any ordinary animal. The Chamois is one of the most wary of Antelopes, and possesses the |mu,-r of seeming iiii-nkiii'l at an almost incredible di-tanc.-. K\.-n tin- old and half-obliterated fiMitmarks which a man has made in tin- MI.. A an- -utlicicnt to startle the sensitive senses of tin's animal, which luw l»een olwerved to stop in mid career down a mountain side, and inbound away at right angles to its former course, merely liecause it had come across the track which had lieeii left by the steps of some mountain tr.i\«-ll»-r. Lake all animals which live in herds, however small, they always depute one of their number t«i act as .sentinel. They are not. however, entirely dependent on the vigilance of their picket, but are always on the alert to take alarm at the least suspicious .scent, ~: Ji'. 01 KNOd, :MIorted into England: "Originally, they \\ere the property of Mr. Lowther, of Wolvesey, who. during his g&our among the Alps, was determined to try the ,-\|»-rim.-nt of domesticating some of these creatures, hitherto c.'n-iden-d. by the native-, the most difficult t<» tai ...... f all animals in that Hi'iunt-tinous region. He may be said to have succeeded ; for they were gradually familiarized 532 THE PRONG-HORNED ANTELOPE. to his chateau of Blonay, and to his domestics and people ; to whom, from their novel nature and peculiarities, they afforded much interest and amusement. "A femme de chambre, belonging to the establishment, they were most particularly attached to, and she to them ; on a certain day, one of them strayed away for some time, ano much regret arose in consequence, but the maid was indefatigable in searching for her truant favorite, and was, at length, fortunate in reclaiming the wanderer ; who, on descrying her, trotted after her footseps, obeying the enticing cry of ' Lalotte, LalotteJ the name which had been given him. "They are stated, by Mr. Lowther, to have been particularly inquisitive and curious in their habits, prying into everything that was brought into the chateau ; the cook' s basket, the tradesmen's wares, and the charcoal-man's bags. Of this last personage they were always indignant, and would pretend to make fight against him ; but on his approach, would leap, with surprising agility and to a great height, upon any wall, ledge, or projectment, that offered itself, and would sustain them, returning invariably to the charge when the man of fuel turned his back, or retrograded ; indeed, they would never suffer themselves to be touched ; a finger not having yet reached them. They would admit of the hand being softly brought near their persons, but immediately as it arrived within an inch of their head or body, they would vault, suddenly and lightly, from the proffered contamination. To the gardener and coachman they were amazingly gracious, and would, apparently, take great delight in seeing the one sow his seeds and delve his soil, and the other clean his carriages and groom his horses ; in fact, they became quite pets with all parties, and seemed to forget their wild haunts and mountain dwellings, in the warmer and less terrific asylums of civilized man." As the hind legs exceed the fore limbs in length, the Chamois is better fitted for the ascent of steep ground than for descending, and never exhibits its wonderful powers with such suc- cess as when it is leaping lightly and rapidly up the face cf an apparently inaccessible rock, and taking advantage of every little projection to add impetus to its progress. Even when standing still, it is able to mount to a higher spot without leaping. It stands erect on its hind legs, places its fore-feet on some narrow shelf of rock, and by a sudden exertion, draws its whole body upon the ledge, where it stands secure. The food of the Chamois consists of the various herbs which grow upon the mountains, and in the winter season it finds its nourishment on the buds of sundry trees, mostly of an aromatic nature, such as the fir, pine, and juniper. In consequence of this diet, the flesh assumes a rather powerful odor, which is decidedly repulsive to the palates of some persons, while others seem to appreciate the peculiar flavor, and to value it as highly as the modern gourmand appreciates the "gamey" flavor of long-kept venison. The skin is largely employed in the manufacture of a certain leather, which is widely famous for its soft though tough character. The color of the Chamois is yellowish-brown upon the greater portion of the body, the spinal line being marked with a black streak. In the winter months, the fur darkens and becomes blackish-brown. The face, cheeks, and throat are of a yellowish-white hue, diversified by a dark brownish-black band which passes from the corner of the mouth to the eyes, when it suddenly dilates and forms a nearly perfect ring round the eyes. The horns are jetty black and highly polished, especially towards the tips, which are extremely sharp. There are several obscure rings on the basal portions, and their entire surface is marked with longitudinal lines. Several varieties of the Chamois are recorded, but the distinctions between them lie only in the comparative length of the horns and the hue of the coat. The full-grown Chamois is rather more than two feet in height, and the horns are from six to eight inches long THE PRONG-HORNED ANTELOPE, or CABRIT, bears some resemblance to the Chamois, from which animal it may be known by a peculiar structure of the horns, which throw out a projecting point, or prong, just at the spot where the horns begin their backward curve. It is a native of North America, where it is sometimes called the SPRING-BUCK, to the great confusion of zoological neophytes. It is an active and vigorous animal, and cannot be easily overtaken by a horse unless its footsteps are hindered by a fall of snow. It is a gregarious animal, migrating at different times of the year. It inhabits the vast prairies of the Far West. TIIK ONOO. and is there, un.l.-r the popular name of the Antelope, an object of pursuit by bi|M*tal and <|uadni|>edal hunters It- -. i.-ntiii. title in Antilocapra ameritfaa. * -«-i»«- AMKR1CAN nt|--ri 'IF liflfc •r. OF all the Antelopes, the e. as it ap|M-ar- to |urtake nearly equally of the nature of these thiw animals. The (inoos, of which then- are several s|M-cit>s. may U- easily nn-o/fnizeil by their ti«-n-.- l\ tlu-ir broad nose, and lonjf hair-<-la' distance from the terrifying obje»-t. Soon, however, the feeling of curi- osity vanipii-hes the- pa-si,, n of fear, and the animal halta to reconnoitre He then gallops In 534 THE GNOO. a circle round the cause of his dread, halting occasionally, and ever drawing nearer. By taking advantage of this disposition, a hunter has been enabled to attract towards himself a herd of Gnoos which were feeding out of gunshot, merely by tying a red handkerchief to the muzzle of his gun. The inquisitive animals were so fascinated with the fluttering lure, that they actually approached so near as to charge at the handkerchief, and forced the hunter to consult Ms own safety by lowering his flag. The same ruse is frequently employed on the prairies of America, when the hunters desire to get a shot at a herd of prong-buck Antelopes. Several experiments have been made in order to ascertain whether the Gnoo is capable of domestication. As far as the practicability of such a scheme was concerned, the experiments were perfectly successful, but there is a great drawback in the shape of a dangerous and infec- tious disease to which the Gnoo is very liable, and which would render it a very undesirable GNOO.— Connachetes gnu. ' • -; member of the cattle-yard. The animal is frequently infected with one of the (Eestridse, or Bot-flies, and suffers from them to such an extent that it ejects them from its nose whenever it snorts, an act which it is very fond of performing. Ordinary cattle have no love for the Gnoo, and on one occasion, when a young Gnoo of only four months old was placed in the yard, the cattle surrounded it and nearly killed it with their horns and hoofs. The color of the ordinary Gnoo (ConnocTietes gnu) is brownish -black, sometimes with a blue-gray wash. The mane is black, with the exception of the lower part, which is often grayish- white, as is the lower part of the tail. The nose is covered with a tuft of reversed hair, and there is a mane upon the chest. The BRINDLED GNOO may be distinguished from the common Gnoo, or Kokoon, by its convex and smooth face, the hair lying towards the nose, instead of being reversed. There is no mane upon the chest, and the brown hide is varied ;md striped with gray. It is higher at the withers than the Kokoon, and its action is rather clumsy. It is very local in its distribution, being found northwards of the Black River, and never being known to cross that simple boundary. It lives in large herds, and when observed, the whole herd forms in single file, and so flies from the object of its terror. One of these animals, called in the interior the Blue Wildebeest, was captured by Gum- ming in a very curious manner. The animal had contrived to hitch one of his fore-legs over Hi! HAHTEBEEST. la-, horn-., ami U-inu thus incapacitated from running, was easily intercepted ami killnd. It had prol.abl\ iM into thi> unpleasant position while fighting. The Mnoo U» about throe feet ni,,,. j,,, I, :it tin- shoulder*, and measures about six feet six iu. •!»••> from the none to the root of tin- tail. OF the genus Alcephalus, or Klk-h.-ad.-d. tin- II MM UIKK-I. or LECAMA, IB a good examj>l> ThN hand-nine animal may U- easily known by the jtecnliar sha]-- of tin- horns, which are lyrate at th.-ir .•omineiirement, thick and heavily knotted at the base, and thru > mve off ^iiddrnh in -arly at a ri^lit an.u'li'. Iti gBMral color IH a gruyish l»n>«n. diversified by a large, m-arlx triangular. whit«- >jMit on tin- haunrli.-s, a Mm-k streak on the fuoe, anoth.-r idoiiK tin- |M< k. 'and a Mark brown iut< h on the outer side of the limbo. It ia a huyj animal, I- m_ almut five feet high at the shoulder. Being of gregarious habits, it is found in little herds of ten or twelve in number, each herd being headed by an old male who has expelled all adult iiH-mbera of his own sex. Not being very swift or agile, its movement* are more clumsy than is ggMnBj the case wit \!it.-lo|N-s. It i-v how.-v.-r. very capable of running for considerable 'li*tance«, and if brought to bay b.H o.,..-< :i V.TV PMlouhtable foe, dropping on its knees, and charging forward with light - ningnii)i«lity. Th«- Ha n.-ln-est is spread over a very large ninin- of .-..untry. U-inir boa in th.- whole of the flat and wooded district between the Cape and the tropic of Capricorn. THE BfBAi.K. or HKKK \\'A-H. of Northern Africa (Alnyhaln* bubal i*,. U-lougs to the same genus as the Hartebeest. It may be mentioned here, that the word "l^-t " i, employed by the .-ol..ni«ts in the siune sense that it i- use.1 by drovers; 80 that WildeU«est • itii- --wild ..\." an.l H.-irt.-»>.H.st --hart-ox." 536 THE SA8IN, OR INDIAN ANTELOPE. THE PALLAH, or ROOVE-BOK, is also an inhabitant of Southern Africa, where it is seen in large herds, almost rivalling in number those of the spring-bok. It is a remarkably line animal, measuring three feet in height at the shoulder, and being gifted with elegantly shaped horns and a beautifully tinted coat. The general color of the Pallah is bay, fading into white on the abdomen, the lower part of the tail, and peculiar disc of lighter-colored hairs which surrounds the root of the tail iu so many Antelopes. There is a black semilunar mark on the croup, which serves as an easy method of distinguishing the Pallah from the other Antelopes. Its specific name, Melampus, is of Greek origin, signifying black-footed, in allusion to the jetty hue of the back of its feet. The horns of this animal are of considerable length, often attaining to twenty inches, and are rather irregular in their growth. They are very distinctly marked with rings, and are lyrate in form, though not so decidedly as is the case with many other Antelopes. The food of the Pallah is very similar to that of the spring-bok, and consists chiefly of tender herbage and the young twigs of the under- wood among which it generally takes up its abode. It is hardly so timid an animal as the spring-bok, and will often allow strange creatures to approach the herd without much difficulty. It has a curious habit of walking away when alarmed, in the quietest and most silent manner imaginable, lifting up its feet high from the ground, lest it should haply strike its foot against a dry twig and give an alarm to its hidden foe. Pnllahs have also a custom of walking in single file, each following the steps of its leader with a blind confidence ; and when they have settled the direction in which they intend to march, they adhere to their plan, and will not be turned aside even by the presence of human beings. It is not so plain-loving an animal as the spring-bok, but is generally found in or near the district where low brushwood prevails. THE wide and comprehensive group of animals which includes the Antelopes is so extremely large that it is impossible in a work of the present dimensions to give illustra- tions even of the more important species, and we must content ourselves with but brief notices in any case. The SASIN, or INDIAN ANTELOPE (Antilope bezodrtica), is generally found in herds ol fifty or sixty together, each herd consisting of one buck and a large harem of does. It is a wonderf Tilly swift animal, and quite despises such impotent foes as dogs and men, fearing only the falcon, which is trained for the purpose of overtaking and attacking them, as has already been related of the gazelle. At each bound the Sasin will cover twenty-five or thirty feet of ground, and will rise even ten or eleven feet from the earth, so that it can well afford to despise the dogs. As its flesh is hard, dry, and tasteless, the animal is only hunted by the native chiefs for the sake of the sport, and is always chased with the assistance of the hawk or the chetah, the former of which creatures overtakes and delays it by continual attacks, and the other overcomes by stealthily creeping within a short distance, and knocking over his prey in a few rapid bounds. It is a most wary animal, not only setting sentinels to keep a vigilant watch, as is the case with so many animals, but actually detaching pickets in every direction to a distance of several hundred yards from the main body of the herd. The young Sasins are very helpless at the time of their entrance into the world, and are not able to stand upon their feet for several days, during which time the mother remains in the covert where her little one was bom. As soon as it has attained sufficient strength, she leads it to the herd, where it remains during its life, if it should happen to be a doe, but if it should belong to the male sex, it is driven away from its companions by the leading buck, whose jealousy will permit no rivals in his dominions. Forced thus to live by themselves, these exiles become vigilant and audacious, and endeavor to attract mates for themselves from the families of other bucks. The horns of this animal are large in proportion to the size of their owner ; their form is spiral, and they diverge considerably at their tips. From the base to the last few inches of the points, the horns are covered with strongly marked rings. In color, the Indian Antelope is grayish-brown or black on the upper parts of the body, THE OUREBI. 637 ami whit.- on tli.- aMoincn. th.- lips, breast, and a rirrle round the eyea. The outer side* of id.- limli-. together witli tli.- fi-init of the feet and the end »( the tail, are nearly black of tli.- olde-t and mo-t ]Miwi'iTul iiiali-s an- sodeep|\ colon-d that th.-ir coate aiv tinted with the two contrasting IIM-- <>f l'l:i'-U and white, tin- fawn tint l*-ing altogether wanting. The height of tlii- animal in uUmt two feet six inches at the shoulder. Tin <;i:y--noK i- a native of Southern Africa, and La about the same siae as the pre reding animal, it-* height at tin- shoulder being between ninet«*en and tw.-nty itches. It i- not v.-i\ uft.'ii found <>n tli.- plain-, but prefers to inhabit the wooded |M,rti.-n- of the iiioiiiitaiiioM- district-, and is an i-sji«-«-ially wary and vigilant creature, and endowed with great powers of .-|>eed. The color of t! l>ok is rudily chestnut, largely intermixed with white huins which give it a -tippl'M ap|>earance, and have caused the Dutch Boere to term it tin- (irys-bok, or - -pots wen BO inviting, that immediately they become vacant by the death of one occu- pant, another individual of the same species will come from some unknown locality, and re-occupy the ground. Thus it is with the Ourebi, which will stop in the immediate vicinity of \ illaire-. :md on hill- and in valleys, where it is daily making hair-breadth escapes from it.s persevering enemy, man. When day after day a sportsman has scoured the country, and apparently slain ev.-iv Omvbi within a nidius of ten miles, he has but to wait for a few days, and IIJKHI agiiin taking the tield he will find fresh specimens of this graceful little Antelope bounding o\.-r th.- hills around him. It i- generally found in pairs, inhabiting the plains, and when piirsueil, trn-t- to its SJN^I. -.-.-kim: no shelter either in the bush or the forest. It« general habitation i- among the long grass which remains after a plain has been burned, or on the sheltered side of a hill, among rocks and stones. Its mode of progression, when alarmed or disturbed, is very beautiful. It gallops away with great rapidity for a few yards, and then INHIH.I- -.-\.-i-al feet in the air, gallops on. and N.unds again. Th.--.- leap- an- made for the purpose of examining the surrounding country, which it is .-naMi-d to do from its elevated position in the air. Sometimes, and e-j^cially wh.-n :m\ -u-piciou-ol,j,-ct is only indi-tinctly ol— -n-d in the lir-t l«ound, the Ourel.i will make several >ui-eeHsive leaps, and 'it then looks almost like a creature possesw-l of wing.*, and having the power of sustaining itself in the air. If. for in-tance. a dog pur-u.-- ..n- of lh.--<- Antelopes, and follows it through long grass, the Oun-bi will make n-i«ited leaps, and by observing the dii^-tion in which its j.ursuer is ad\an-in-. will suddenly change its own course, and thus e-ra|- from view. In descending from these leaps the Onrebi comes to the ground on its hind f.-et. In his description of this animal, Captain Drayson gives the following account of some of its habits : — ••When first start.il. the Ourebi pursues over the ground a course som.-w hat -imilarto that which a snijje follows in the air. It dodges from -id.- t.. side, leaps and ru-I.e- through the irni.-s or ov.-i the plain with a lightning-lik« sj«^l. and almost N-fon th. ~; • •• <->,,.,>, . ..i, get his gun ready, the Ourebi is scuddim: away at a di-tan. ••• of a hundn-d yanls or so. Some spnrtsni.-n "hoot thi- animal with Luck-hot, and by walking through the long grass, and 538 THE KLIPPSPRINGER. coming suddenly upon the creature in its lair, they pepper it with shot before it has time to get out of range. I tried this system for several days, but at length found that better and neater s-port might be had by using a bullet instead of shot. As, moreover, the grass was in many places five feet in height, it would have prevented me from seeing the animals as they rushed off, whereas, from the back of my horse, I could look down upon the Ourebis as they moved out of their lairs. These animals are found in some parts of the colony of the Cape, and are very numerous in the plains about Natal. "They produce one fawn at a time, which can be easily caught with a good dog, and is particularly recommended as a table delicacy, when cooked with a proper mixture of fat. "The Ourebi does not carry off so heavy a charge of shot as the duyker or the reit-bok, and if wounded by a bullet, the sportsman is certain to secure his prize, provided that he watches the animal with care. When badly hit, they will frequently retire into long grass, and crouching low, will hide themselves from the casual observer. They will then creep away for several yards, and lie down behind a stone, ant-hill, or some similar cover. When the hunter passes and overlooks them, they will jump up and retreat as soon as his back is turned. Taking advantage of this practice, I always avoid looking directly at an Ourebi if I see it lying on the plain, and after taking 'bearings' of its position, I ride round the prostrate animal in circles, gradually drawing nearer and nearer, until it can be easily shot." The Ourebi stands about two feet in height at the shoulder, and is about four feet in length. The horns of the full-grown male are about five inches long, straight, and pointed, and covered with bold rings at the base. The color of the Ourebi is pale tawny above, and white below. The female is hornless. OKE of the prettiest and most graceful of the Antelopes is the KLIPPSPRINGER, or KAINSI (Oreotragus saltdtrix). This "darling little Antelope," as Gordon Gumming terms it, almost equals the chamois in its agile traversing of the precipitous localities in which it takes up its residence. It is peculiarly formed for rocky ground, its hoofs being small, hard, sharply-pointed, and so formed that when the animal stands, its weight rests only on the tips of the feet. It may often be seen perched on some narrow point of vantage, standing like the chamois, with all its feet drawn closely together, and calmly surveying the prospect from a height which would prove instantly fatal were one of its feet to miss its hold. When startled, it dashes at once at the most precipitous rocks that are within reach, and bounds up their appar- ently inacessible faces as if it were an India-rubber ball endowed with sudden vitality. The least projection serves it for a foothold, and its movements are so rapid, that a very few seconds serve to place it in safety from any other foe than a rifle-ball. The Bechuanas have a curious idea that the cry of the Klippspringer is a kind of invo- cation to the pluvial powers of the air, and are therefore in the habit of catching a number of these poor little creatures whenever they suffer from drought, and of making them cry con- tinually by blows and pinches until rain falls. They rightly boast that it is a most infallible method of making rain, which is truly the case, as they never cease until the desired moisture is seen. In a similar manner the American Indians vaunt the potency of their sacred bison- dance for attracting the "buffalo," for if the bison herds do not make their appearance at the proper time, they commence the efficacious saltation, and never leave off until their scouts bring news of the desired herds. The color of the Klippspringer is dark brown, sprinkled largely with yellow, which gives to the coat a grizzled aspect. Each hair is yellow at the extremity, brown towards the end, and gray for the remaining part of its length. The tint of this animal is rather variable, according to the season of the year and the age and sex of the individual. It is a very little creature, being scarcely twenty-one inches in height when full-grown. In general form it is not unlike the ibex kid of six or seven months old. The female is hornless. THE graceful and slender-limbed MADOQUA (Neotrayus sallidna) is one of the tiniest of TlIK BLUE-BUCK. :, ; . Antelopes, being hardly fourteen inches in height at the shoulder, and of moat delicate pro- I»ortions. Tli" little civntiiiv is -,, slightly made that it api>eur8 to be too fnu-il.- i<» resist the slightest bi-ee/.-. nr i legs are \<-i\ loin; in | nijtortion to the dimensions of the l*)dy, and hardly exceed a lad\ 's tin^-r in thickneaa. Tli,- color i»f tin- Madonna is ivmarkabh l»-autiful, U-itii: a - n\ «m tin- II|.|HT parts of tin- Inxly and outside cif thf linil-s. deepening into warm chestnut brown aloiiir tlie back, and l>ecomini: pun- white on th<- abdoiin-n. cli. -st, inner surface of the limlis. and around the root of tli-- tail. It is a native of Abyssinia, where it was discovered by Bruce, and is said t«. , inhabit mountainous district**, where it lives in pairs. Tux KiioopK IIOK. or NATAL BUSH BUCK (CepJidlopus natalensit) is very common in the Natal forests, and although the advance of civilization and thf spread of tin- arms aimum the Kaffirs must greatly reduce the numbers of tli--.- animal^. still, from their watchful habit.sand selection of the most retired parts of large dense forests as their residence, they will remain much longer in their old quarters than those animals which inhabit plains and are destitute of any secure i.-tii-at. This buck is solitary, ami rarely leaves the dense f..i .-pi in the .•\.-ninir or during rainy weather, wln-n it seems to prefer feeling the niin drojxt aunalurel to iv.-.-h jn^ them second-hand from the bushes. It is \er\ amusing to watch the habits of this wary buck when it scents danger in the bush. Its movements Wome most cautious; lifting its legs with high, but very slow action, i' a p| tear* to IK* walking on tip-toe mOB| " •• btfon Ittd nflart ...... :. I'- • .n - BOrfafl 1:1 .ill dire<-tioiis. mid its nos4- jxiintini; upwanl or towaiils tin- >ii*]W-,>t«'d locality. If it hears a sud - den smip]>ing of a branch or any other suspicious sound, it stands still like a statue, the foot which is elevated remains so, and the animal scam* shows a sign of life for near a minute. It then moves slowly onwards with the same cautious step, hoping thus to escape detection. If, however, it obtains a siirht of danger, or clearly s,-.-nis some foe, it jrives a sharp si aid bounds au.-i\ through the forest, alarming all other animals in its progress. The Kaffirs lay snares for this animal by making a noose which is held to the Around by a small peg, while the other end of the cord is fastened to the bent-down limb of a living tree. As HOD .1- the li'-:id •'( ill" buck pa^si- int.i id.- i ..... - the i . •_- li i.l. M 'I. ."!• I ill-- fll tin. i- j- i k--d into the air by the recoil of the lilH*nite